http://www.champnews.com All the latest news from Champion Newspapers en-uk Copyright 2007 Champion Media Group. All Rights Reserved http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8116 Dreamboats and Petticoats, Liverpool Empire Theatre   The sixties were full of fun – remembered for the first man on the moon, England’s World Cup victory and Coronation Street’s first episode being broadcast – among many things. It was a decade of ‘first times’ and Dreamboats and Petticoats on stage at the Liverpool Empire brings back memories of music, youth and love through a fantastic, lively and electric show. It tells the story of young dreamer Bobby, who isn’t scared to strive for what he wants – to be a successful songwriter and own his own electric guitar (with amplifier). Opportunities open up for him to start the journey to his dream, although he is distracted along the way – yes you guessed it – there’s a girl involved (a Runaround Sue to be accurate). Through the youth club he attends, St Mungo’s, Bobby is entered into a competition to win a recording with a top agency – all he has to do is write a hit song. He enlists the help of young Laura, who is madly in love with him, although he’s to busy chasing the girl at the youth club with the biggest bust – Sexy Sue. Unfortunately for Bobby Sexy Sue is chasing cocky ‘real man’ Norman – are you keeping up? The show is packed with no less than 40 sixties songs, all performed in fantastic context with the tale of young love and big dreams With a live and kicking youth club in Essex, a day trip to South End (and the Tunnel of Love) there’s no shortage of action. Each cast member is great apart and sensational together, with the ladies in particular belting out fantastic tunes showing off their powerful voices, teamed with flawless dance moves and brilliant choreography. Featuring hit songs like Teenager in Love, Let’s dance and Let’s Twist Again, it’s no wonder the show partners a best-selling album. The live band, who are also part of the company are on stage throughout the production and are the icing on the cake, particularly Bethany Compson-Bradford on the saxophone. Filled with witty lines referring to today’s society, including the economic downturn and the perdition that the new TV programme Coronation Street ‘won’t last’ there are plenty of laughs. If you’ve ever been young and in love, or had a dream you were determined to follow, this is the show for you. Wear your dancing shoes though – I guarantee packed isles come final curtain.   Champ Verdict – 4.5/5 – Get ready to twist!   Dreamboats and Petticoats runs at the Liverpool Empire until March 13. Box office: 0844 847 2525 www.LiverpoolEmpire.org.uk.   Rebecca Keegan 09/03/2010 08:10:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8115 Review Stop Messing About, Liverpool Empire Theatre   My first impression was that I would find this play a bit dull – I’m a fan of bells and whistles, changing scenes and big shows, so when the set of a 60s BBC recording studio was clearly the full length backdrop, I was ready to start clock watching. That was until five minutes in, after an audience warm up and introduction to the show had me giggling in my seat and the metaphor-tastic sketches. I can’t say it brought back memories fir me – as I wasn’t yet in the world when the well-known radio series was broadcast, but the education into the ‘good old days’ was fantastic. You don’t have to be a Kenneth Williams fan to enjoy this show, it offers something for everyone – it’s fast paced and full of double entendres – constantly keeping the audience on their feet (or more precisely, on their seats). Some jokes of course, didn’t sink in right away, and during the interval I was surrounded by people explaining various lines to their friends, with further laughter erupting as the punch sunk in. Although there were no big changes to make, the cast of four were constantly running from mic to mic in the recording studio taking on the roll of different, often eccentric characters. Through an instant change in accent, dialect and facial expression, the cast did a fantastic job of completely transforming through characters. This play is cheeky, fun, fast – and sometimes a little close to the edge. Stop messing about and grab your tickets now to this Kenneth Williams extravaganza. Champ Verdict – 3/5   Stop Messing About runs at the Liverpool Empire until Saturday, March 6. Tickets range from £16. Box office: 0844 847 2525 www.LiverpoolEmpire.org.uk Rebecca Keegan 05/03/2010 05:33:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8114 Tommy Rogers Skelmersdale & District Sunday Football League Match Reports Sunday, February 28, 2010. Premier League Games Ashley Travel 0 Molyneux 3 In this hard fought encounter Molyneux started much the better of the two sides and were looking to consolidate their place at the top of the table, writes Kevin Mulholland. Ten minutes in and J. Devine gave Molyneux the lead with a superb goal and no more than they deserved, although for the remainder of the first half the game was very even. The second period was also even but two silly mistakes by Ashley Travel proved very costly as Molyneux capitalised and extended their lead with goals in the 50th and 65th minutes. Pingwood 1 St Benets 2 St Benets controlled the early exchanges of this game and got their reward with the opening goal when McNab poke the ball home from the edge of the area after 20 minutes. St Benets then extended their lead when McNab again found the net with a great header on the half hour mark. Chad Brown then pulled a goal back for Pingwood in the 34th minute with a sublime lob over the keeper to make it 2-1 at half time. The second half saw plenty of pressing without any real chances, although Ste Windy did hit the crossbar for Pingwood and this was the best chance of a tight second period. Shevington Park 1 Hare & Hounds 3 Another really tough, hard fought encounter with both teams competing for everything. Shevington Park taking the early initiative when D. Hilditch scored after 28 minutes. Dale Sealey hit back for Hare & Hounds after 32 minutes with a rare goal to level things up at the break. The second half saw Hare & Hounds really take control and two further goals from Mark King after 48 minutes and Chris Lomax on 84 saw them through for a fine win. Highwayman 1 Field Lane 3 In another evenly matched contest, D. Lindsay gave Field Lane the lead after 31 minutes and when he added a second from the penalty spot on 34 they were firmly in control. The second period saw a quick response from Highwayman as Kevin Tully pulled a goal back in the 55th minute but Field Lane pressed on and in the 77th minute finally put the game beyond doubt when J. Leigh scored the third with a stunning strike. Athletico Edge Hill 2 Digmoor 0 This was a good even game with both sides playing some really inventive football. Adam Hayes put Edge Hill ahead with the opening goal after 21 minutes and then midfield lynchpin Lewis Kerr added the second with a deflected shot in the 33rd minute. Digmoor were then forced to play the remainder of the game when their goalkeeper went off injured, and although Edge Hill continued to press in the second half the Digmoor defence stood resolute with Tony Pilson outstanding. Palmeiras 2 McMillan 3 A really close encounter which saw A. Pearce put McMillan ahead after 35 minutes with C. Smith adding a second just before half time. The second half was really tight and the goalscoring dried up until the 75th minute when M. Price pulled one back for Palmeiras with C. Choney scoring an unfortunate own goal to give McMillan a 3-1 lead in the 83rd minute. The same player then made amends with a goal at the right end in the last minute but it was too late to instigate a fightback. Polo 2 Busy Bee 8 This was a poor game in which Busy Bee controlled much of the game, although S. Morgan got Polo off to a flyer with the first goal after 16 minutes. Two minutes later Busy Bee were level through I. Jones and from then on they never looked back with goals from Kevin Leadbetter (19), Adam Leadbetter (41 & 73), L. Phillips (63), Dave Stoddern (67), M. Atherton (67) and A. Stoddern (87). Steve Edwards grabbed Polo’s other goal in the 37th minute. The Tail 1 The Todd 6 Pretty much one way traffic in this game which saw Todd take control from the off with a goal after just four minutes from C. Daulby. The same player completed his hat trick with goals in the 37th and 70th minutes and along with goals from A. Kelly (50 & 58) and T. Brady (84 pen) saw his side through to a comfortable win. C. Knox netted The Tail’s consolation goal in the 85th minute. 04/03/2010 12:11:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8113 The manager of Claire House Children's Hospice charity shop on Lord Street has hit back at the people who ran the Divine gift store after they blamed competition from charity shops for their demise. Paul Clapham ran Divine and left a notice to the town's residents in the window of the gift store which read: “Due to the majority of visitors spending their days in charity shops and pound shops we have left Southport. The good news is you might get another charity shop to spend your days in.” But Karen Dohren, 45, the manager of Claire House Children's Hospice charity, fumed: “If the charity shops weren't on Lord Street, or any street, then many of the shops would be empty. We are a charitable organisation and are providing a service. "I don't know how we could have affected his business because we sell mainly ladies clothing while he was selling designer ornaments and jewellery. I think he was looking for someone to blame for his bad fortune. “The former owner should have done his research before he opened. Designer type shops tend to be more centrally based in the town.” The shop raises money for Claire House Children's Hospice in the Wirral. It is a 10 bedded hospice for children with life limiting, and life threatening conditions. “We are raising money for charity,” Karen added: “We are looking for support and not for people who put charities down. At the charity shop we also offer work experience and help people in society.” Karen concluded: “We are all struggling to stay open. It is the sign of the times, big superstores are affecting the small time businesses, that is my personal opinion.” The Champion has tried to contact the former proprietors of Divine to respond, but nobody was available to comment before going to press. By Henry James 04/03/2010 11:38:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8112 A Lydiate youngster saved the life of his mother after resuscitating her using skills he learned at his local scout group, his proud father has said this week. Withens Road resident Martin Boylan told The Champion yesterday (March 2) that son Christopher performed CPR on his mother after she suffered cardiac arrest last month, and that thanks to learning the lifesaving skills at scout meetings she survived and is now making a strong recovery. “I'm very proud of him and what he's done - the doctors and paramedics who treated my wife said that without his intervention, she would not have survived,” he said. “Christopher is a very keen member of his local scout group and enjoys going along and taking part in all their activities. I cannot stress enough that if the local scout unit hadn't taught him CPR skills, it would without question have been a very different outcome.” Fourteen-year-old Christopher, a member of the village's 5th Sefton (East) scout group, had his lifesaving skills put to the test when his mother suffered a cardiac arrest at around 11.20pm on the evening of February 20, and performed CPR, short for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, in the minutes before paramedics from North West Ambulance arrived to take her to hospital. Ian Anderson, group leader of 5th Sefton (East) Scouts, described him as a “great example of what scouting is all about.” Christopher's mother is now being treated at Aintree University Hospital, where his family said she is making a strong recovery after suffering from cardiac arrest. Pic shows: Chris and his sister Francesca at their Lydiate home By David Simister   04/03/2010 11:26:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8110 A mother-of-two who subjected a vulnerable pensioner to a horrific attack using weapons taken from her son's military collection has been jailed for five years. Petite Jane Williams used a gas mask, air pistol and balaclava from her army cadet son's collection in the terrifying attack on next-door neighbour Ronald Marron. Liverpool Crown Court heard that Williams had previously cleaned ill Mr Marrons home and the pair knew each other. But in the early hours of April 30, 2009, fuelled by cocaine and alcohol, she tricked her way into his home by pretending to be his sister-in-law. Disguised by a balaclava and a wig and accompanied by a man wearing a terrifying gas mask, the pair burst into his home and demanded money. Geoffrey Greenwood, prosecuting, said: "The defendant started hitting him to the head with a black baton. The male shouted 'Give me your money'. "Mr Marron attempted to stave them off by feigning a heart attack. "At this point the male, who had not carried out any physical violence, shouted for the defendant to leave, at which point he left. "But she continued to look through Mr Marrons drawers." Even when 78-year-old Mr Marron, who suffers from diabetes and heart problems, fought back with an aerosol can, Williams continued to relentlessly hit him with the baton. Williams, 40, was identify because the victim recognised her voice. A ball bearing gun found at Mr Marron's home in Phillips Close, Thornton, was later identified by Williams's teenage son. Williams, of adjoining Edge Lane, initially denied any involvement, but later admitted taking her sons military items. She pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary. Jailing her, Judge Brian Lewis said: ”Mr Marron, then aged 78, was in bed in his bungalow. He was entitled to believe he was safe and secure in his own home. "What followed was a disgraceful incident in which that elderly, ill man was treated in a way which no civilised society can begin to tolerate." Frank Dillon, defending, told how Williams, who has no previous convictions, was descending into alcohol dependency after two unhappy relationships. He added she had taken cocaine and had no recollection of the incident. But he told the court she suffered from severe depression and anxiety, had self harmed and would be a suicide risk in prison. “She is a very, very vulnerable individual,” he added. After the hearing the victim's daughter, Carol Byrne, said he would finally be "able to sleep at night" now his attacker was behind bars. Carol Byrne said: “I am happy. We just wanted her to be locked up. At least my father will be able to sleep tonight. "He's not been able to sleep since its happened, he's spent a fortune going away to get away from the house and never goes into the garden anymore. This will be such a relief for him." She added: “I don't believe she's remorseful at all. She's had 10 months to phone up or come round and apologise, but she's not said anything, not once. "She's been living right by him all this time and he's been terrified." In a letter read to the court, Williams wrote: ”How do I begin to let you know how truly and deeply sorry I am for the pain and anguish I have caused and for my shameful and deeply regrettable actions.“ Williams told how the breakdown of her relationship had triggered her to drink heavily, but admitted that was "no excuse". By Lynda Roughley     03/03/2010 05:56:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8109 Maghull toy maker Frank Hornby's dream looks set to take Hollywood by storm as Meccano is turned into a 3D film. Meccano, the system where strips of metal are fastened together with nuts and bolts to create engineering in miniature was invented by Hornby in 1901 and inspired generations of children. Now an American company, Helix Films, are to turn it into an adventure film. And the news has been greeted with great pleasure by the Frank Hornby Trust, set up in Maghull to raise cash to provide a permanent heritage centre not only for Meccano but the famous Dinky Toys and Hornby trains in the town's new Meadows Centre, adjacent to Maghull Town Hall. Self-confessed model railway buff Councillor Tony Robertson (who has already donated his Meccano collection to the Trust), told The Champion: “This sounds like a marvellous idea - interest in Meccano is on the up at the moment, particularly since the James May TV programme where he built a bridge made of Meccano over the Leeds-Liverpool canal last year. "It's all part of the nostalgia thing - many people now aged 45 or over are keen to recreate their childhood and the creations of Frank Hornby played a big part in many of them. Frank Hornby lived in Maghull and is buried at St Andrew's church which makes the Hornby museum particularly appropriate - so anything like this film which keeps him in the public eye must be a good thing." Meccano is known as Erector Sets in the US and was featured in a major Toy fair in New York. Steve-Charles Jaffe, who produced Ghost and Star Trek VI, is backing the deal and reckons it will be an adventure film for kids. "We believe this iconic brand offers generational appeal with global reach, providing a tremendous platform to create a thrilling film franchise that boys, girls and adults will all adore," he said. Back in Maghull, Les French, chairman of the Frank Hornby Trust, said: "This is brilliant news - anything that raises the profile of Meccano is good news for us. I've no idea how or what they are going to do, but I imagine it could well turn into a computer-generated film similar to Transformers." The trust is also still on the look out for any Hornby memorabilia, or examples of the models themselves. Les said anything, from boxes to payslips - even machinery from the former Binns Road factory in Liverpool will help secure Lottery funding. If you can help, phone John Keogh on 0151 285 1885. By Jim Sharpe    03/03/2010 05:47:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8108 A Skelmersdale couple have told how they feared for their lives on the night 45th wedding anniversary when their car was set ablaze just yards from their own front room. Steven Murray, 65, was sat in his living room with wife Beryl watching television when they heard the window of their Jaguar XJ6 being smashed and then watched in horror as it burst into flames. Fortunately they were not seriously injured and the fire was extinguished within around 15 minutes but the couple still have sleepless nights because of the incident that happened last Thursday night. Steven, a retired postman, said: “We were just locking up for the night at around 11pm and the car alarm went off - we were shocked to find out that the car was on fire. "We were actually very lucky as if we hadn't of caught it that quick there would have been an explosion that could have caused some serious damage and killed us all." Beryl Murray, 65, said: ”We still feel anxious. I didnt believe it at first I thought - how can somebody so such a thing? “It could have killed us and set fire to the whole row of terraced houses.” Steven added: “I'd like to pass on my sincere thanks to our neighbours who have supported us through this difficult time. "They have given us flowers and have offered us spare cars or lifts to help with the shopping, it shows that Skelm has a real community spirit." A police spokesperson said: "An investigation is underway with regards to this incident and we would encourage anyone with any information relating to it to contact the police on 0845 125 3545." By David Raven   03/03/2010 05:40:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8107 Sefton Council will have to cut its workforce in the next three to five years, it has been claimed. Speaking ahead of tomorrow's (Thursday, March 4, 2010) full council meeting, during which the council tax in Sefton will be set for the next financial year, council leader Tony Robertson told the Champion: “Probably the most significant thing we were facing was the redundancies of 60 staff but we've managed to resolve that. "At the moment that agreement is for the next financial year. There is going to have to be a reduction of Sefton Council's workforce in the next three to five years. "Until we get a new government and and budget we don't know how bad the future is going to be." The claims follow a BBC investigation earlier this week, in which a survey was carried out across the countries local authorities to reveal their plans for budgets and cuts over the next three to five years. In the survey, Sefton Council estimated it would see a 10-15% reduction in spending in real terms over the next three to five year, excluding schools. However, when asked how many employees (full time equivalent) the council has now, and how expects the total to changed in the next therr to five years, the council did not give any figures, answering “N/A” to both sections. Meanwhile Liberal Democrat Cllr Robertson said he was fairly confident there will be an all-party agreement for the next year's council tax budget at tomorrow's Southport Town Hall meeting. He added: “We've been trying to keep the tax rise down as much as possible but if you cut it too much it will rise again in the next few years.” Sefton Tory leader, Cllr Paula Parry, said: “The last few years it's gone up by 3% and we're working on a lower level this year.” However, Cllr Parry added that requests for help in areas such as community care have been higher this year, which will have an affect on council tax. By Natasha Young         03/03/2010 05:25:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8106 West Lancashire Borough Council has frozen its Council Tax, but residents will still face a very small rise in their bills this year. The borough and county council have both frozen their Council Tax precept, but the overall bill marginally increases by 0.36% when the costs of the fire and police are added in. Bosses at the borough council have said the decision to freeze their Council Tax and car park fees has been done to help residents through the recession. Fees for pest control, and bulky collections will also be frozen. Someone who lives in a Band D property will pay £1,501.77 per year. Following the budget West Lancashire, MP Rosie Cooper, criticised the council for not using the £22.6m in their reserves to invest in initiatives such as weekly waste collection, concessionary travel and youth provision. Tory finance chief David Westley added: “This is an austerity budget as we expect our income will continue to fall, and we are likely to face funding shortfalls in future years.” Over the last 12 months, the council completed a £1.6m package of efficiency savings and a 10% reduction in the workforce. The council faced a budget gap of only £228,000 in 2010/11 and this will be met through a number of efficiencies including: * Saving £90,000 on human resources management costs through partnership working with Lancs County Council * £30,000 through introducing wheelie bins in Skelmersdale The council has set aside £25,000 in a budget to help deal with problems caused by severe weather. Council leader Councillor Ian Grant said: “The statutory obligation to clear roads and the town centre was Lancashire County Council's - however a small budget has been made available to address some of the snow clearing problems especially in the town centre.” West Lancs have also set aside £2,000 in a new grants scheme for older people. An Empty Homes fund was mentioned too, which will enable the council to address several homes which because of neglect by owners have had an adverse affect on the appearance of a neighbourhood. When asked if the council would have to make any more job cuts? Cllr Grant responded: “It would be inappropriate to say never, because we don't know what will come in Government packages after the election.” In response to criticism from Rosie Cooper on their reserves the council has said that while they had £22.6m at the start of 2009/10, only £8.2m of this was available to support the General Revenue Account budget. And as a result of previous council decisions, £2.8m of the £8.2m reserves will be used in 2009/10, leaving only £5.4m reserves at the current time. By Henry James   03/03/2010 05:20:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8105 Southport's economy will see an estimated £10 million plus boost over the next six years, thanks to a series of large conference deals. Following a joint collaboration between the Southport Conferences and Southport Theatre and Convention Centre (STCC), the International Dance Teachers Association will host its annual three-day congress in the resort until 2015. The event will bring an estimated 1,000 delegates to the town each summer. The Prison Officers Association has also confirmed it will hold its annual conference at the STCC every year from 2011 to 2016. Each year the event will bring an estimated 400 delegates to Southport. According to VisitBritain, each delegate staying for multi-day conferences in the UK generates an economic impact of £461 per day. Sefton Council's head of tourism, Tony Corfield, said: “These wins are a real testament to the work of the STCC, the Southport business tourism team and everyone else involved in the bid. The commitment for them to return year after year, really highlights particularly in an uncertain economic climate, the strength of the destination and its offering for delegates. "The wins are not only a welcome reward for us as a team, but through the spend that each delegate will bring to the local area whilst staying in hotels and using the local facilities etc, it also equates to a significant economic benefit to Southport." For further information visit www.southportconferences.com. By Natasha Young 03/03/2010 05:14:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8104 Stuart Cheevers was found not guilty of causing the death of 87-year-old Catherine Lennon by careless driving at Liverpool Crown Court. A jury took just an hour and a half to acquit 26-year-old Cheevers, of Shaws Road, Southport, and he was discharged from the dock. The court heard during the two day trial that the victim was struck by his Renault in Union Street on February 23 last year as he was reversing into a space and she died about three weeks later in hospital. Motorist Christopher Ganner saw Mrs Lennon, who used a stick, starting to cross the road and he came to a halt to let her pass in front of him. She stopped in the middle of the road as a silver Renault was coming the opposite way and after it passed she continued on her way. Mr Ganner told the court that the car stopped and he realised it was going to reverse park. "The lady proceeded to carry on walking to the other side of the road and the car started to reverse into the parking space. "I assumed she wasn't going to make it past the car in time and I came to almost a stop. I saw her disappear behind the vehicle, obviously hit by it. I ran over to see if she was okay as did the driver and passenger of the other car," he said. Anya Horwood, prosecuting, alleged that Cheevers had not used the requisite care when reversing. But Cheevers, denied the charge, and told the jury that he had checked his mirrors while reversing and had not seen the victim. He said he would have stopped to let her cross as the road was too narrow to have got past her. "I would not have been able to pass comfortably, I would have 100% stopped. "I am not going to stand here and lie about what I did," he said. Cheevers explained that where he used to live was near several schools and where he now lives was only two minutes away from a school. Whenever he backed into his drive he always checked carefully because there were "kids everywhere." He said that he had thought about the incident "millions and millions of times and the only thing I can think is that she was behind parked cars and that is why I did not see her." By Lynda Roughley 03/03/2010 05:05:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8103 A copy of The Champion has been stashed away for future generations in time capsule buried this week at a West Lancashire tourist site. Staff at Martin Mere chose to celebrate the wetlands reserve's 35th anniversary on Monday (March 1, 2010) by burying a selection of mementoes from 2010 - including last week's Champion - for West Lancashire residents to dig up in fifty years' time. “It's the third time capsule that we've buried, after the ones we buried when we 10 and 25 years old. Over the years the things we've put in the time capsules have changed, as the first one had mainly paper-based objects, the second had VHS tapes, and now we're putting in things like DVDs,” said Andy Woolridge, centre manager. “I think the highlight for us is having more than five million people come to visit us, as well as seeing tens of thousands of birds coming here to winter at the site. I think Martin Mere as a site is very important, particularly in the conservation work we do.” Among the items included for burial in the time capsule was a copy of last week's Champion, which included an article on Martin Mere's plans for its 35th birthday, including coverage of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust's plans to bury the time capsule at the site. Mr Woolridge said that since its inception in 1975 Martin Mere had more than doubled in size and has further plans to expand its activities, including proposals to bring a restaurant and facilties for canoe tours to the Burscough site. For more information on Martin Mere's future activities contact 01704 895181 or visit the Martin Mere website at www.wwt.org.uk/visit/martinmere. By David Simister 03/03/2010 05:00:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8102 West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper has been blasted by the chief of the county council after she claimed that the Whitemoss Landfill site could be used to store radioactive waste. Ms Cooper said that plans to expand the role of the site could see it double in size and change its status to handle hazardous waste, which could include mild nuclear waste. But borough council leader Geoff Driver accused the MP of being “irresponsible” and “scaring people”. Ms Cooper has started a petition on her website against county council plans to use the site, on White Moss Road South in Skelmersdale, and urged residents to sign up and share their views. She said: “Enough is enough. Skem residents have put up with noxious smells and long term dangers to their health for long enough. I oppose plans for any extension to Whitemoss. The site isn't full and local residents believe that this decision is being driven by profit, not need. ”We also don't need more dumping grounds throughout West Lancashire to cause increased dangers to residents and communities. “Just because we have the land does not mean that we will be dumped on by Lancashire County Council. ”That is why I'm encouraging people to go to online and sign the petition so that we can make our voices heard loud and clear: Don't dump hazardous waste on our children and communities.“ Her comments come following several seperate campaigns in the Skelmersdale area against the plans for the site, including one launched by residents' groups in the town, and another launched last month by Skelmersdale South borough councillors Doreen Saxon, Syd Jones and David McKay. Lancashire County Council responded by saying that it had already clarified that no radioactive waste is to be treated at the site, and said Ms Cooper's comments were ”amazingly irresponsible“. ”This is not true and I find it beyond belief that she would scare local people by telling them this. “The majority of her press release makes claims that are not true or, even more worrying, exposes her complete lack of knowledge about her own area. This is the first time I have heard these amazingly irresponsible claims from the MP and, hopefully, the last,” said county councillor Geoff Driver, the council's leader. “The county council has a responsibility to investigate all the options for the future of waste in Lancashire. We do this openly and honestly and have been asking for the views of people in Lancashire, as part of the Minerals and Waste Development Framework, since last year. Why has the MP left it until now to speak up? Particularly when our own officers have told her what has really been proposed.” Rosie Cooper's petitions against the plans for the Whitemoss landfill site are now available to view online. To take a look for yourself visit www.rosiecooper.net/say-no-to-waste-dumps. By David Simister   26/02/2010 11:18:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8101 A young man who attacked his girlfriend after taking a cocktail of drink and drugs has been jailed for 21 months. Liverpool Crown Court heard that it was Lee Stevens' fourth conviction for domestic violence, though the first time on this girlfriend. Judge David Aubrey, QC pointed out that that while on bail for the attack Stevens went on to commit further violence, for which he has already served six months. "This tells me quite a bit about you and your ability, or otherwise, to control yourself. "I have no doubt whatsoever that you represent a risk, particularly to females." Judge Aubrey said, however, that whether or not he regarded him as a significant risk of serious harm to the public he did not have the power to impose an extended sentence on him. Stevens, 25, of Wheatfield View, Ford, Litherland, pleaded guilty to assaulting Sarah Brennan causing actual bodily harm. Philip Hall, prosecuting, told the court that 26-year-old Miss Brennan had been going out with Stevens for two weeks but had they had known each other for years and had been in a relationship before. On May 3 last year the couple consumed a large amount of alcohol and cocaine and when they returned to her home in Netherton about 4.30 am the next morning an argument began during he became violent. "He punched her to the face, dragged her to the floor, kicked her to the back and hip area using both feet," said Mr Hall. She managed to leave her home about 9.30 am and was treated for her injuries which included a lump to her forehead, a black eye, a cut behind her ear and bruising to her arms and knees. Andrew Downie, defending, said: "He recognises he behaved appallingly and that it is time to change. "It is not insignificant it occurred after a monumental exercise from both the complainant and defendant in consuming alcohol and cocaine." Mr Downie added: "He understands the consequences of violence as his brother was seriously assaulted recently and is now in a permanent brain damaged state. "This weighs heavily on his mind and he feels shame and guilt." By Lynda Roughley   26/02/2010 11:07:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8100 Investigation files into a mystery UFO spotted over Banks in Southport have been released for the first time as part of a national Ministry of Defence project. A number of eye witnesses came forward and claimed to have seen the triangular-shaped craft in the early hours of February 24 1996. The files detail how a mystery object hovered in the sky in Banks making a loud and intense noises and shaking the ground before disappearing. Documents have been released that show letters from the Ministry of Defence investigating the issue as well as transcripts of interviews with the witnesses. One said in the interview: “I awoke to hear a very loud noise which was shaking the house and windows. I opened my blinds to see a UFO very close to my window. It was a large triangular craft that was stationary for about 10-15 minutes before disappearing extremely fast.” While another said: “There was a noise coming through the vent in my bedroom and the place was vibrating - I thought the house was going to blow up! I expected a large lorry to be outside but when I looked there was a large triangular stationary object in the sky with three lights over the fields.” The details have been released as part of a three year project between the Ministry of Defence and The National Archives. The officer investigating the case said that one explanation could be a British Aerospace Stealth Bomber as it was reported that the company was testing stealth technology at the time. A letter from the Ministry of Defence confirmed that there was a possibility that it could have been aircraft from the BAE plant in Warton undergoing routine tests. More than 6,000 pages of reports released describe thousands of UFOs that have been spotted in the UK in the last 20 years. By David Raven   26/02/2010 10:47:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8099 Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake is the modern twist on traditional ballet. With modern twists that we can all relate to fused with a traditional forbidden love story, this adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s classic show offers something for every audience. Ballet holds a stigma, to be blunt, of upper-class snobbery, but this version of Swan Lake takes the traditional tutu filled stage and brings it right down to earth. Without a fluffy skirt in sight, the performance at the Liverpool Empire was almost overpowering, casting aside the ‘dainty’ ballerina stigma with a powerful all-male group of swans. The story tells of a young prince, who is following his mother’s orders in all parts of his life. Duty bound as a royal, he stumbles across a girlfriend. The young girl is far from what the Queen expects as a daughter in law. With bad manners, low intellect and tacky dress sense. A particularly comical scene see her making a mockery of a trip to the grande ballet, laughing loudly at the ‘men in tights’. After this, she’s quickly made to ‘dissapear’ by the Queen's private secretary, who pays her off to never come back. The Prince, who is starved of affection contemplates suicide in a park, where he is first confronted by a group of beautiful and masculine swans, one of which he falls in love with. From there on, he is struggling to come to terms with his feelings, living the life of a prince, for whom people have certain expectations. The final scene sees a party held at the palace, with many people around, a cocky stranger turns up, wooing the women (including the Queen). The prince is attracted to the stranger, as he resembles his new love,the lead swan form the lake. He attempts to show the stranger affection only to be rebuffed. The Prince retreats into his mind and imagines dancing intimately with him, but the his confusion interrupts the fantasy, and the son's movements turn quickly from loving to violent. The Prince imagines the other guests at the ball laughing and ridiculing him. Overwhelmed by his conflicted feelings, he produces a pistol and threatens to shoot his mother. In a scuffle a lady guest attempts to retrieve the gun from the prince, only to be shot herself. He is then dragged away, deemed insane and thrown into a mental asylum. The final scene is easily one of the most emotional in theatre. The lead Swan finds the Prince at the asylum, and shows him true love and affection, but this is to the dismay of all the other swans, who don’t like that their leader loves another more than he loves them. They attack both lovers, violently killing them both – with the final image seen by the audience of the swan and prince embracing in death, able to be together in peace. This ballet will make you laugh and cry. It will take your breath away with the sheer strength of the male swans, as well as the fantastic performances by the rest of the company. By Rebecca Keegan 26/02/2010 10:35:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8098 Moves to reinstate a railway linking Southport with Ormskirk and Preston have been snubbed by Network Rail in its vision for the region's train travel. A study looking into how to improve rail links between the North West cities, released last week as part of a £530m investment from Network Rail to improve travel across the North of England, makes reccomendations of several projects across the North West but omits any mention of the campaign to bring back the Buscough Curves, which would connect both towns with each other and the Lancashire city. “Network Rail have missed out on something that would greatly benefit this part of the North West, as it would have joined Southport and Ormskirk by rail, as well as joining both up with cities beyond that. It's a shame it hasn't been considered in this study,” said Sefton council and Merseytravel committee member David Sumner. “We will continue to campaign for the Burscough Curves through the Local Transport Plan, and hopefully we will still see this important rail link reinstated in the near future.” The Network Rail Northern Hub Study, released last week, makes a number of reccomendations for the North West region, including direct links between Liverpool and Bradford for the first time, but the majority of the proposals are concentrated in the Greater Manchester area to improve links to and from that city. “Most of the railway in the North was built in the 19th Century by a number of competing companies. Unlike today, there was no single company like Network Rail responsible for planning the rail network,” said Network Rail in the study. “In the 1960s and 1970s, with fewer people travelling by rail, many lines in the North were axed. However, more people now choose to travel by rail than at any time since 1945, and increasing amounts of freight are transported across the North. This growth is expected to continue over the next 20 to 30 years and beyond.” Campaigns to bring back the Burscough Curves, a half mile stretch of abandoned track which would link the Southport to Manchester and Ormskirk to Preston lines together, have already attracted the support of West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper and Southport MP John Pugh, as well as members of both Sefton Council and West Lancashire Borough Council. Along with linking the two towns to Preston, any Burscough Curves work would also raise the possibility of bringing towns on Merseyrail's Ormskirk branch line, including Maghull and Aintree, into a direct rail link with Preston. Councillor Sumner has also launched a petition on the Downing Street website to garner regional support for the Burscough Curves. To sign it visit the petitions website at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/BurscoughCurves. By David Simister       24/02/2010 06:27:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8097 An Aintree police officer who played a part in a £77,000 drugs plot is now behind bars. PC Andrew Bird, 34, is set to serve four years with two other Merseyside policemen after a plot to sell seized cannabis was intercepted. Father-of-three Bird, of Whitewood Park, was assigned to Operation Hawk, a crackdown on drug dealing, along with his co-defendants Sgt Darren Burns, 32, and PC Clive French, 33, Liverpool Crown Court heard. Prosecutor Kevin Donnelly told how police raided a house in Wavertree and found two cannabis farms, the drugs were set to be bagged up and taken to St Anne Street police station, the court heard, to be dumped in a skip and disposed of. But instead, the court heard that PC Colin White, whose involvement in the conspiracy was cleared by a jury - took five stuffed bin-bags from the house in a white Transit van meeting Bird, French and Burns. Mr Donnelly said the foursome then drove to Birds home where the heads of the plants were harvested. Bird and Burns, of Ash Street, Southport, pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply Class B drugs. French, of Lexton Drive, Southport, and Brennan were convicted. They denied the charges against them. By David Raven     24/02/2010 06:23:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8096 A group of boys have been made to sign acceptable behaviour contracts after complaints that they had been abusive to residents and thrown objects at houses. Local police have recently seen a high number of anti social behaviour logs coming through from people in the Manor Ward area of Crosby. After speaking to residents, police identified a small group of four 9-13-year-old males who where causing the majority of the problems. A spokesman said: “We started to give the area a lot of attention and soon identified the youths with help from the community. They were all referred to the Anti Social Behaviour Unit who invited them into Crosby Police station with their parents to discuss their behaviour.” The youths who were responsible for abusive language, throwing mud at properties and general annoyance have all signed acceptable behaviour contracts with the following conditions: * Using abusive, insulting or obscene language or behaviour in public or which may be overheard in a public place which is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more persons not of the same household as himself. *Threatening to, or damaging any property belonging to another person in Sefton. * Throwing any object including bricks, stones, fireworks, eggs or anything else at any other person, property or vehicle in Sefton. * Entering any residential property occupied of not, including buildings, yards, gardens, driveways and paths which are clearly identified by a boundary wall, fence, hedge without the express permission of the owner or occupier, or a person in the position to do so. * Not to enter The Crescent shops in Edge Lane in Thornton unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian (does not include any person over 17 but somebody with a duty of care in a parental role). All four have been referred to Positive Futures. Their parents have all signed parental contracts with the above conditions and fully understand that any breaches could result in a parental order application, which in turn could affect their benefits. The spokesman added: “We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour from local youths who put residents in fear for themselves and their property. We will continue to work with the community to deal with issues of anti social behaviour in a robust fashion.” By Rebecca Keegan   24/02/2010 06:20:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8095 More than 40% of young families in West Lancashire have to look at renting because they can't afford to buy a home - despite a drop in property prices. That's according to statistics from a Government housing advisory body, which show that 41.5% of families under 40 could not afford to buy a home. The actual statistics for families under 40 in West Lancashire could be worse because the National Housing and Planning Advice Unit (NHPAU) figures, which are for 2008, assume that buyers would only be looking at a five per cent deposit. Although the figures for West Lancashire are better than the statistics for England which showed 73.9% of young families can't get on the property ladder. The study concluded: “During the past decade there has been a deterioration in the affordability of home ownership.” Housing charity Shelter have called the figures “shocking” and wants the topic of affordable housing to be a key political issue in the run up to the General election. The Conservatives have been critical of the Government following the release of the figures. Grant Shapps, Tory housing spokesman, said: “Thanks to Gordon Brown, three out of four young families have been kicked off the first rung of the housing ladder, urged on by Labour ministers who want to attack the aspiration of home ownership.” NHPAU is linked and sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and its aim is to try and ensure homes are more affordable in England. A DCLG spokesperson said they have schemes in place for householders earning up to £60,000 who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford to buy. By Henry James   24/02/2010 06:12:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8094 Staff at a Formby Village travel agents were left “shaken” after the shop was allegedly targeted by two armed men. At around 5.45pm on Friday (February 19, 2010) Merseyside Police officers were called to the Thomson travel agents in Chapel Lane, following reports the men entered the store with knives and demanded staff opened the safe before stealing a large quantity of cash, travellers cheques and foriegn currency. They then left the scene on foot. According to police there were no customers in the shop as it had already closed for the day, but three members of staff - two women in their late 30s and a man in his 20s - were not hurt but had been left extremely shaken by the ordeal. The two offenders are described as being white, between 5ft 8ins and 5ft 10ins in height, and were wearing dark-coloured jeans and tops, with hats and scarves covering their faces. At least one of them spoke with a Liverpudlian accent and both were carrying knives. A witness appeal has now been launched by detectives, urging anyone who witnessed the robbery or saw anything suspicious in the village minutes before the incident to come forward. Detective Sergeant Neil Blanchard of Copy Lane CID, said: “This was a very upsetting incident for the three people who were working there on Friday and although thankfully unhurt, they are still shaken by what happened. "The offenders went into the travel agents within seconds of the last customer leaving so we believe they were probably waiting nearby and therefore may have aroused someone's suspicions. “Chapel Lane would have still been fairly busy at that time with people shutting up shop for the day or going for an early meal or drink so someone out there will have seen something odd or suspicious. I would urge them to cast their minds back to Friday and ask themselves if they saw anyone waiting close to Thomson travel agents, a car repeatedly driving past it at around closing time, or anyone running away from the Chapel Lane area. "No matter how insignificant or trivial such information may seem, it could prove crucial to our investigation and I would urge them to come forward. These types of crime will not be tolerated by the police and were are determined to do all we can to catch those responsible." Call Copy Lane CID on 0151 777 3127 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. By Natasha Young   24/02/2010 06:09:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8093 Cash-strapped Sefton Council spent more than £3,500 on sending staff on a training trip, according to national reports. At the weekend a Mail on Sunday investigation revealed the local authority had spent a total of £3,679 on sending management staff to Success Factory, which has a Cheshire venue described as a place to “relax, unwind, learn and re-energise.” According to Success Factory's website, the company's purpose is to “make a difference in the world whilst living in a wonderful life”. The cost was revealed after the national newspaper used the Freedom of Information Act to request details for spending on “team-building trips, away days and 'brainstorming' sessions” from Britain's 57 local authorities. A spokesman for Sefton Council explained to The Champion: “The training day referred to in the Mail on Sunday actually took place in 2008 and involved 21 members of staff from the Environmental Protection Departments. The course involved managerial development and team training.” The Mail on Sunday described its Sefton Council findings as “perhaps the most bizarre junket” of the investigation.  Meanwhile the BBC could spending over £17,000 each year to chauffeur big-name Match of The Day pundits Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson back to Southport. The corporation has come under intense scrutiny over highly-paid salaries of late and the former footballers are driven back home after the show from West London to Hillside and Birkdale at the expense of the tax payer. The receipts, according to the Daily Mail, show that the trip for Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson totals around £470 one way from the BBC Television Centre in Shepherds Bush after Match of The Day. Alan Hansen who has appeared on the program since 1992, told The Champion: “Theres no way I'm going to give a comment on a story that was published in the Daily Mail!” A BBC spokesperson confirmed to the Champion that Alan does pay his own train fare and does often stay at his apartment down in London to save getting a taxi back home. But with a minimum of 38 Match of The Day programs being broadcast each year, if the pundits were driven back after the program each week the annual cost would total over £17,000. Although the BBC insists that the duo often share a cab, rather than saving money by getting the train or staying in a hotel, they are driven hundreds of miles back home each week when the show finishes. While Alan Shearer gets the same treatment at a cost of £580 one way from London to the North East. If all three pundits were driven there and back then the total cost to the licence fee payer for one weekend would be over £2000. A BBC spokesperson said: “By the time Match of The Day finishes, it is often after midnight so it is not possible for the men to get public transport home. "The cost of using the cars was roughly the same as paying for an overnight stay in the capital and using trains." Matthew Elliott Chief Executive of the Taxpayers Alliance told The Champion: ”It is about time that the BBC cut back these perks from multi-millionaires. “These stars are extremely wealthy individuals and they can afford to get to and from work at their own expense. "The BBC should remember that this money comes from ordinary hard-working people who have to pay their own way in the world." By Natasha Young and David Raven   24/02/2010 06:07:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8092 People in Skelmersdale have a new venue where they can meet their neighbourhood police officers - a former public toilets. Town councillors Neil Furey and Barry Nolan have panned plans to locate the police point in the former public toilets in the town's Coronation Park and rejecting vacant shop unit in The Winsters. Skelmersdale North Labour councillor Barry Nolan, said: “I would have preferred the police point to have been located at a vacant shop unit on The Winsters, which is located alongside the main pedestrian route way from Old Skelmersdale to the Concourse shopping centre.” Skelmersdale North Labour councillor Neil Furey, added: “This decision appears to have made on finances alone and little consultation has taken place within the community. "Unfortunately, the Police would have to pay rent on the shop unit but the public toilets have been offered for free by West Lancashire Borough Council. “The public toilets at Coronation Park overlook the children's play equipment and multi-use games area. I expect children standing on the swings or travelling down the slide the wrong way will be dealt with by the nearby Neighbourhood Police on park watch duty.” West Lancashire Chief Inspector Dean Holden said the decision behind a new Police Point in Old Skelmersdale was taken following full consultation with members of the community. He responded: “The potential site in the vacant shop at the Winsters has been fully considered but unfortunately is not deemed a viable option due to the financial implications in terms of refurbishment and rent." "The site at Coronation Park is an ideal location in terms of ensuring the Neighbourhood Policing Team is accessible in an appropriate environment and is financially viable in the current financial climate." "Advances in technology enable members of Neighbourhood Policing Teams to spend more time within the community whilst being able to access force IT systems which reduces the need for them to regularly return to a Police Station or Police point in order to complete administrative functions. "I would therefore expect that despite having a police point at Coronation Park, my officers will spend more time out on patrol in the key areas of the town which includes the area around The Winsters." By Henry James 24/02/2010 05:58:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8091 The chap leaning out of his milk float said it all. Normally, if someone shouts a couple of words at you which can't be repeated in a family newspaper, you'd be within your rights to feel a bit offended, but for a change I could see where he was coming from. This was Lord Street on a bright weekday morning, and I was walking down it wearing pyjamas. I have felt less conspicuous. It seemed like such a good idea in The Champion office last Friday. There's been a lot of talk lately about whether it's right to wander into your favourite shop wearing nothing more than your nightwear, and as the only one of us who actually admitted to having done it before, I took on the challenge of trying it out for an entire day. It is, after all, only nightwear! But lots of you don't agree, and reckon people putting on PJs for the trip to the shop is about as sensible as going to bed in your best suit. “They aren't setting a good example to their children, as now their children are doing the same thing. When I see these young women they are making us know they are on the dole, lazy and unkempt, why can't they get dressed and look smart, as visitors to Litherland think this is terrible,” said Litherland resident Marie Williams, after complaining of female residents wearing pyjamas during the daytime. “You don't see men walking around in their pyjamas, so have have a bit of respect.” Actually, you do now, although I suspect this is only because no woman in our office is foolish enough to try walking through Southport town centre wearing long jimjams, slippers and a dressing gown. I'll happily admit that at 3am, I have been to branches of Tesco before, usually to pick up essentials on a five minute dash because nothing else is open. I'd like to say strolling into a supermarket at 10:30am in the morning is a completely different kettle of fish, but I can't. The staff wouldn't let me in. What's worse is that our Champion photographer insisted on heading off in front so he could turn around and catch me walking past stunned shoppers, but this meant lots of loitering around looking very suspicious. This wasn't shopping made easier. This was looking like I'd escaped from somewhere and had arrived in an alien world, completely confused and out of place. The point I was trying to prove is that it's a free country and if you want to go shopping in your pyjamas, there's nothing stopping you. I'll carry on nipping timidly into late night stores in my nightwear if the emergency calls for it. But I can only conclude one thing from doing it for an entire day, when you've got an entire wardrobe's worth of gear to wear. Why would you? It's a stupid thing way to spend the day wandering around, but if you're proud to parade around in pyjamas, I'm not going to stop you. I suspect I may get some abuse for this... By David Simister   24/02/2010 05:49:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8090 The region's guiding leaders are urging aerial photographers to come to their aid to help pull off a spectacular centenary stunt on Ainsdale Beach this summer. Members of Sefton's guiding community told The Champion on Monday, January 15, 2010, that they are planning to create a giant “100” figure out of 1,000 of their own members as part of their centenary celebrations, but need the help of a skilled aerial photographer to help capture the event when it takes place later this year. “This will be a once in a lifetime event, which will give guides, brownies and leaders alike the chance to celebrate 100 years of guiding with an amazing one-off event,” said Natalie Simmons, leader of the 74th Brownies, based in Kew. “We're looking for an aerial photographer to take pictures of the event, which will see 1,000 brownies and guides arranged into the shape of a number '100' on the beach. It's part of as challenge they're taking part in to help celebrate 100 years of guiding, and doing this will help them gain the maximum number of points and help them complete that challenge.” The guiding movement was first established in 1910 by Scouts founder Robert Baden Powell, who believed that girls' activities should be different from the boys' activities in the Scouting movement, which led to the establishment of the first units. Sefton's branch of the girl guiding movement has decided to celebrate the centenary in a number of ways throughout 2010, and is proposing the beach display as a memorable stunt to help commemorate the anniversary and promote the region. If you think you can help, contact Natalie Simmons on 07590 114539 or go to the Sefton girlguiding website online at www.girlguidingsefton.org.uk. By David Simister 18/02/2010 11:37:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8089 Health bosses are promoting awareness of their bowel screening programme as part of national bowel cancer awareness week. Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in the UK and over the next two years all men and women aged 60 to 69 who are registered with a GP will receive a screening test kit through the post. Dr. Mark Hendrickse, Clinical Director of the Lancashire Screening Programme believes that the kits can save lives. He said: “Screening through the use of the test kit is extremely important and potentially life-saving. ”It is estimated that around 90% of bowel cancer cases could be treated successfully if caught early enough. “Therefore, I would urge people to use their test kit when they receive it it could save your life. ”Research has proven that regular bowel cancer screening can reduce deaths by as much as 16%.“ For further information on the campaign dubbed be loud be clear call 020 8973 0019.   17/02/2010 07:22:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8087 An amateur horse rider from Bickerstaffe will compete against the daughter of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch at this year's Cheltenham Festival. Elaine Curran, 33, is one of 12 ladies that have been picked to take part in a charity race on the Ladies' Day of the festival (March 18), raising money for Cancer Research UK. She has previously taken part in fundraising runs for the charity, having lost her 42-year-old father John Birch, and more recently her 62-year-old auntie Caroline Woods to cancer, and admitted to The Champion that she is “petrified” of the race because of the “sheer enormity of the event”. Married Elaine, who works full-time selling cleaning services, enjoyed showjumping when she was younger and now takes part in the amateur steeplechasing sport Point-to-Point but said: “It's just something I do for pleasure.” With the competition requiring participants to raise a minimum of £5,000 and use their own horse to race on, Elaine is now having to dedicate more of her time to preparing herself and her horse, Intersky Emerald, for the event. Luckily she has plenty of support from family and friends as she added: “They all think I am barking mad but they are all right behind me.” Elizabeth Murdoch, Georgie Browne; the partner of top trainer Paul Nicholls, Britain's youngest female trainer Amy Weaver, and trainer Nicky Henderson's daughter Camilla will be among Elaine's 11 fellow competitors. To sponsor Elaine, log on to www.justgiving.com/Elaine-Curran. 17/02/2010 07:07:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8086 Skelmersdale residents could face over a six month wait to see a dentist despite there being over 15,000 new places available in West Lancashire. A number of residents have complained to the Champion that they face a wait of up to a year to register with the new dental practices after last weeks story about there being a significant amount of new places available. Residents who called the NHS dental access team to register for the West Lancashire practices were told that their names would be added to a waiting list database but it could take up to a year to get a reply. Marilyn Murray of Aughton has worked as a nurse for 38 years, and said: "After reading the story in the Champion, I rang up the dental access team to register and I was told to keep this off the record - that I might have to wait six to twelve months! "I was surprised at first, with 11,700 new places I expected to wait a few weeks but not that long." "Dentists will say that they do not get paid enough from the NHS and the patients will say that there aren't enough dentists - but there are probably a number of reasons for why the situation is so bad." Nathan Carter, a driving instructor in West Lancashire, first registered on the list last September and still hasn't received a response. He said: “I've been on a waiting list for around five months to register with a dentist and I can't believe that there are local places still available that are paid for by our taxes and we cant use them. "For the last few months I have tried to call up to find out what is happening but their phone line is always busy." Janice Nicholson, head of dental commissioning at NHS Central Lancashire, said: "The dental access team are currently writing to all West Lancashire patients on the database to ask them which practice they would like to attend." "Once a patient has confirmed this, their preferred service will contact them to offer an appointment. The majority of patients should be seen within 12 weeks of them returning their letter. "All new practices have been receiving a steady influx of new patients and have been developing their dental teams to cope with this demand.   "In the meantime, anyone who needs emergency dental treatment can call the team on 01772 777397 and they will be directed to a service immediately." Up Holland dentist claims thriving business Dentists at St Raphaels in Up Holland state that the practice is thriving and that they are taking on an additional 4-500 new patients per month. Dr Raphy Paul said: “We are delighted at the rate of growth in our practice, as word spreads of the quality of treatment our patients are receiving. "We are taking on more and more patients each month and are working extra hours to accommodate them, the practice is growing nicely and we still have room for more patients. The viability of the practice is not in issue." By David Raven       17/02/2010 06:42:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8085 Maghull Police this week are warning people - particularly the elderly - to be on the look out for two con artists who may be praying on vulnerable people. Neighbourhood Inspector Kevin Booth said their had been two separate incidents recently in the Meadow Lane/Rutherford Avenue area of Maghull. In both cases the targets were older people. Two smartly dressed white people, a man and a woman both described as being about 30 years old, rang the door bell and presented what appeared to be an ID of some sort. They told the householder that they should have received a letter informing them that they were entitled to free phone calls, and asked to be admitted so they could check the phone installation was suitable. “Thankfully, in both cases, the intended victim was suspicious and refused to let them in,” said Insp Booth. “Often what happens is that one of them will distract the householder in some way while the other ransacks the premises. Often this type of criminal tends to move around but it would pay to be on guard in case they try again in or around Maghull. "If in doubt, always check the validity of any ID by phone before you let anybody into your home." By Jim Sharpe 17/02/2010 06:35:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8084 A former school teacher and choir master, who had sex with a 15-year-old girl and sexually molested a younger girl, has been jailed for three years and four months. Andrew Hunter, of Rosemary Lane in Formby, was told by a judge: “This was a repeated course of conduct involving two girls. It cannot be regarded as impulsive or a momentary lapse, it was a course of conduct over several months. "Girls of this age need mature guidance from adults and you as a teacher should have been particularly aware of that," said Judge John Phipps. The bespectacled 27-year-old bachelor, who has since become engaged to another young woman, showed no emotion as he was led to the cells last Friday (February 12, 2010). Liverpool Crown Court heard that Hunter was a teacher at South Wirral High and a choir master at St Mary's Church, Walton, at the time of the offences but the victims were not pupils nor in the church choir. Anya Horwood, prosecuting, said that the mother of the 14-year-old victim had been worried that Hunter was over attentive to her daughter and knew that some girls in the church choir "were in awe of him, fluttering their eye lashes at him." In January 2008 she found her daughter using her messaging service on her computer and saw a message from Hunter asking if she still had ”a crush“ on him. Her mother told her to reply that he was too old and asked if anything had happened between them and the girl said not. Later in the year the girl went to Derbyshire with her friend, the 15-year-old victim and that girl's parents. Hunter turned up by arrangement to collect them and that night got under a duvet with both girls and sexually molested the younger child, said Miss Horwood. The following month her mother saw another MSN message from him referring to the incident and telling her how to delete messages and she confronted her daughter, who confessed what had happened. She told police and the other girl was interviewed but she said nothing had happened between either of them and Hunter. But police arrested Hunter on July 11 and when his computer was seized indecent thumb nail photographs were found, including one clearly of the 15-year-old. That girl was re-interviewed and she said she had not been honest before because she was scared of Hunter. She told how they had had sexual intercourse three times at her home and once at his home. Her parents had allowed her to call at his home because he shared it with a police officer, said Miss Horwood. Keiran Fielding, defending, said that Hunter, who has no previous convictions, did not have a general attraction or propensity for sexual activity with children. The relationship developed with the older girl after she became ”his sounding board and confidante“ because of his financial and personal difficulties. "By his actions he has destroyed his own career. He has brought shame on himself and his family." He was suspended from teaching after the offences came to light and knows he will be unable to work with children again, added Mr Fielding. Judge Phipps ordered Hunter to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life and imposed an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order which bans from from being alone with children. He must also register any computer and phone with a camera and internet access with the police. Hunter pleaded guilty to sexual activity with the 14-year-old, four similar offences involving the other victim, inciting her to engage in sexual activity and possessing ten indecent photographs. The offences took place between December 1, 2007 and May 30, 2008.  By Lynda Roughley 17/02/2010 06:32:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8083 Merseyside Police have been forced to ground their latest high-tech gadget after it was revealed it was against the law to use it without a licence. The flying CCTV drone, which recently triumphed the force with their first UK arrest in Litherland, will now be investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Since January 1, 2010, new rules were introduced stating that the CAA needs to be consulted over any use of the drones that can fly up to 400ft and reach speeds of 30mph. A CAA spokesperson said any breach in regulations would be “treated seriously”. The drone was used recently in Litherland to assist police in thick fog to trace a man who had run from a stolen car and headed towards the Leeds to Liverpool Canal. The man, along with another man, was the first to be arrested by Merseyside Police using the new device. A Merseyside Police spokesperson said: "Over the past year Merseyside Police has engaged with the CAA, as part of the unmanned aerial systems working group, to ensure that the Force's use of its Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) complies with current and anticipated CAA regulations. "The CAA introduced new statutory regulations on 1 January 2010 which requires all UAVs to be licensed by the CAA before use. Since the Force has known of the change in regulations all UAV flights have been suspended and will remain so until the appropriate license has been granted. "The Force has written to the CAA to invite them to visit the Force and inspect the UAV and operating procedures with a view to securing the required license at the earliest opportunity. "The UAV is used to support existing search resources such as the helicopter and dog patrols. Its temporary unavailability will not affect the Force's ability to deal with any situations that may arise." The military-designed equipment is directed through a remote control, which is used by an officer on the ground. The police force has had the drone since November and has said it could be used for a range of uses, from hostage situations to monitoring large public events. By Rebecca Keegan   17/02/2010 06:29:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8082 Mystery surrounds the person who won a National Lottery prize of over £100,000 after buying a ticket from a Southport newsagent. The shopper scooped the windfall after the ticket they bought at Smithies News on Hoghton Street, Southport, matched five numbers and the bonus ball in a National Lottery draw. Whoever owned the ticket has decided to remain anonymous, but it is believed that the ticket was bought for a Saturday draw in December. When asked if he knew who the winner was, John Manning, the manager of Smithies, said: "No we don't. Whoever it is they have not been into see is. "When you win a big prize on The National Lottery you have three choices about the amount of publicity you want. You can have no publicity whatsoever, you can have full publicity, or you can choose for the shop to have publicity while you remain anonymous. The winner here has gone for the last option." So will you have more luck in the National Lottery draw if you buy a ticket from Smithies? John answered: "About six years ago someone won £119,000 on The National Lottery Saturday draw after buying a ticket from us. They again matched five numbers and the bonus ball in the draw. That's the only two big winners I know of in Southport." The biggest lottery winners in Britain were confirmed this week as Nigel Page and his partner Justine Laycock from Gloucestershire. They won £56m on last Friday's EuroMillions game. In that draw a total jackpot of £112m had been on offer. The other winning ticket was bought in Spain. By Henry James     17/02/2010 06:23:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8081 A man in his fifties has been killed after being hit by a train as it passed through the Aughton area yesterday (February 16, 2010). Merseyrail services on the Northern Line between Liverpool and Ormskirk after the incident, which happened just before 6.30am after the man climbed onto the line between Town Green and Aughton railway stations. British Transport Police confirmed yesterday that the man, who has not been identified but was understood to be in his fifties, died shortly after being hit by a service running between Ormskirk and Liverpool Central. "At 06:29 on Tuesday, 16 February, the driver of the 0620 Ormskirk to Liverpool Central service reported striking a man on the line between Aughton Park and Town Green. The train came to a halt 600 metres before Town Green station," said a spokesperson for British Transport Police. "Third rail power was switched off in the area between Ormskirk and Aintree and paramedics attended. The man, probably in his 50s, was declared dead at the scene. "The train was approaching Town Green station when he saw a person on the line. He applied the brakes but was unable to stop in time. This death is currently being treated as unexplained." It is believed that the incident took place on a curved section of track where the train's driver was not able to see the man on the tracks until the very last moment, and despite desperate attempts to brake in time the train struck him. He was not carrying any documents which would have identified him, which have delayed police efforts to formally identity the man's body. "These events are obviously tragic for everybody involved when they happen," a spokesperson for Merseyrail told The Champion. "It caused a lot of disruption for commuters travelling into Liverpool, although we did work to minimise disruption by putting on rail replacement buses. We don't know the exact circumstances of the incident but we are helping British Transport Police with their investigation." Rail replacement buses were brought into operation on the line between Ormskirk and Walton railway stations after Merseyrail services were suspended following the incident, but at around 10am rail services between Liverpool and Ormskirk were reinstated following British Transport Police's investigation of the incident. Do you know anything more about the incident? Contact The Champion on 01704 392400 or email us at editorial@champnews.com. By David Simister   17/02/2010 06:21:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8080 Council tax should be frozen to give West Lancashire residents a chance to get over the worst of the current economic crisis, the region's MP has argued this week. West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper called on Monday (February 12, 2010) for any rises in council tax to be postponed for at least a year to help give families a helping hand, but her proposals have been given a cold reception by Conservative councillors who say of that Labour councillors have been behind previous rises, some as much as 15%. “It is now important that local government plays its part in supporting its rate payers, and in West Lancashire's case, this means a council tax freeze. It is an easily affordable policy to implement for our council, which has built up an astounding £23 million in reserves over the years,” she said. “The Tory administration has piled up this mountain of cash on the back of the local community. They now have a responsibility to invest that money back into the community. There is certainly no justification for a further attack on vital services, nor indeed to seek any additional monies from local council tax payers. £23 million is a significant amount of cash to have salted away. It's about time the Tories started investing it on services that matter.” Ms Cooper also said that the Conservative-run borough council should use its funding surplus to invest in several schemes, including a free rail travel scheme for pensioners, free swimming options for younger residents, and reinstating weekly bin collections across the borough. She also encouraged Lancashire County Council, which is also Conservative-controlled, to use some of its own funds to arrange more efficient gritting policies for West Lancashire, following complaints throughout December and last month that a lack of gritting left many roads in icy and dangerous conditions. But Adrian Owens, Derby borough councillor and the Conservatives' parliamentary candidate for West Lancashire, told The Champion that Lancashire County Council has already frozen council taxes, and that Labour had a history of raising council taxes in West Lancashire rather than freezing them. “It is longstanding national Conservative policy to freeze council tax for two years if the Conservatives win the General election, so I welcome Ms Cooper’s late conversion to this idea.  What a pity that her Government doesn’t practice the same financial rigour operated by the Borough council, then we wouldn’t be borrowing £6000 every second with a threat to our credit ratings and the higher mortgage rates and business costs that would bring," he told The Champion.   "Labour rejected a Conservative proposal for a council tax freeze last year at the county council and West Lancashire Labour council group have failed to present an alternative budget for several years. "The last time they ran West Lancashire they increased the council tax by 15% in one year and promptly lost the next local election, so I don’t think we should take any lessons from Ms Cooper.  I know the Borough council is bearing in mind the financial difficulties people face as it prepares its budget.” West Lancashire Borough Council's own announcements on council tax are expected later this year. By David Simister       17/02/2010 06:01:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8079 Connoisseurs of classical music were in for a treat last weekend when two talented musicians journeyed to Parbold for a performance in the village. Violinist Victoria Sayles and pianist Martin Cousin treated West Lancashire fans to note-perfect renditions of pieces from a wide variety of composers, including works from Beethoven and Elgar, as part of the ongoing Douglas Music series of concerts from established groups and soloists alike. Anyone unfamiliar with the duos work might wonder how they do pieces by some of historys most memorable maestros justice with just two instruments, but as soon as the pair prized into Tomas Antonio Vitalis Chaconne in G Minor you knew the rest of the orchestra were redundant for this particular performance. Both instrumentalists also impressed with their treatment of works by Beethoven and Lutoslowski, but by far their most impressive piece was a powerful and profound performance of Vaughan Williams masterstroke The Lark Ascending. All of the duo's efforts left you with the impression that it wasnt so much music to be listened to, but a delicate and velvety sound to be savored by every note, and with The Lark Ascending they showed their ability to give a genuinely moving rendition of an already iconic piece. While Douglas Music might be tailored for audiences with finer tastes but if you appreciate hearing classical at its freshest and most sensitive, youll enjoy the artists its lucky to collaborate with. Douglas Music's next performance is from acclaimed pianist John Lill on March 6. For more information and to book your tickets contact 01257 421526. By David Simister 12/02/2010 05:04:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8078 After ten full house concerts, a record breaking sixth Jazz on a Winter's Weekend concluded very late on Sunday night with a gloriously informal session in The Royal Clifton's Chatsworth Lounge. The sad news of the passing of jazz legend Sir John Dankworth had come on Saturday evening through a phone call from vibraphonist Jim Hart who had rushed from his gig at our festival to appear at the 40th anniversary concert at Wavendon after which Dame Cleo Laine made the announcement of her husband’s death. Their son, the masterful double bass player Alec Dankworth was scheduled to play in our headline finale on Sunday evening in the Steve Waterman All Star Tentet. Always a delightfully unassuming and consummate professional, Alec followed his mum's example and surely his late father's wish that ‘the show must go on’ by turning in a great performance in the concert and the later jam session. The audience at both gave him a fantastic welcome and much deserved applause. The event was not without its dramas. These things were sent to try us and they surely did. Pianist David Gazarov's flight from Berlin was cancelled without notice and it proved impossible to reschedule in time. UK piano star Robin Aspland's last minute substitution in the piano trio concert created one the weekend's most impressive performances. Vocalist Cleveland Watkiss turned in a well received and virtually acoustic set after his complex electronic mixer failed ten minutes prior to the gig.  Despite all that we had a ball. Nobody complained. All eleven sets were hugely applauded. The event sold out. Promoters from no less than ten other jazz club/ festivals came along. The BBC recorded two gigs for Radio 3 Jazz Line Up. The workshops were packed and the Jazz Shop and exhibitions were busy. The hotel was filled to capacity and the specially ordered Timothy Taylor's Landlord and Black Sheep bitter didn't run out until Sunday evening.  Altogether something of a triumph, thanks to the hard work and planning of Southport Melodic Jazz Club's team of volunteers and a fantastic audience. By Geoff Matthews   12/02/2010 04:58:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8077 Two men were jailed on Monday over a planned arson attack in which a military hand grenade was left outside the home of football legend Kenny Dalglish. The Army bomb squad had to be called to the former Liverpool and Blackburn manager's house in July last year when undercover police thwarted an attack on one of his neighbours. Dalglish, 58, now Liverpool FC's academy director, and his wife Marina, 55, who runs a cancer charity, were not at the house in Birkdale, at the time. A gang of thugs were planning to launch the British military grenade - which explodes into 1,800 lethal fragments - through the living room window of businessman John Ball. He was at home with his children aged nine and 17 months at the time. Liverpool Crown Court heard that Mr Ball and his business partner Terry Riley were the victims of more than 20 attacks because of a venture involving a Liverpool garage. Three men were said to have arranged the intended bombing of Mr Ball's home on July last year in a bid to pressure him away from giving evidence in an impending court case against them. The trio allegedly used Mark Johnston, 21, to orchestrate the planned bombing from his Liverpool jail cell - where he was serving a nine-year sentence for robbery. Johnston, of MacQueen Street, Liverpool, sent a text to convicted drug dealer Carl Higgins, 29, to find another man to throw the grenade for “a monkey” - £500. When police traced the texts back to Johnston and searched his cell they discovered the mobile phoned hidden up his bottom. Higgins then recruited unemployed criminal Simon Ignacio, 28. When Ignacio and Higgins were rumbled outside their intended victim's house they fled but Ignacio - who has convictions for battery and harassment - left the grenade in a shrubbery outside Mr Dalglish's home. Defence barrister, Nigel Power, said he had no idea he was carrying a British military grenade and thought he was only carrying “an onion bomb” made from fireworks. Higgins, of Helston Green, Huyton, Liverpool, was jailed for five years and Ignacio sentenced to four-and-a-half years. Both men admitted conspiring to cause damage and being reckless to whether life would be endangered. The judge, Mr Justice Edwards-Stuart, said: ”Had there been anyone in the room and the grenade landed and exploded death would have been immediate. The explosion would have caused massive damage to the house. “It was an utterly reckless act,” he added. Johnston will be sentenced on February 26 . 11/02/2010 12:12:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8076 Skelmersdale Vision developers St Modwen claim they will “continue to progress” with the town's regeneration project despite suffering pre-tax losses of £119.4million. The assurances on the £350milion project came from regional director Michelle Taylor after the developers announced the losses, but registered trading profits of £8.4million. Michelle Taylor, North West regional director, St Modwen said: “We're very pleased to announce that St Modwen has made a £8.4million trading profit this year and can confirm that we will continue to progress with our projects in the North West. ”There was good news for Skelmersdale town centre in late 2009, when the Tesco/Everton proposals for Kirkby were rejected by the Secretary of State. This allowed the planned £300million development of Skelmersdale to go ahead. “We are now working up proposals for the first phase of development and a planning application is expected to be made later this year.” The proposals for the regeneration of Skelmersdale town centre were put back on the agenda following the decision made by the government to reject the plans for a retail and Everton football stadium development in Kirkby. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has since asked for a rethink on the Kirkby proposal. West Lancashire Council's Skelmersdale Vision had been put on hold while a decision was reached on the Kirkby development. In the Vision are plans to build new homes and create a new high street with new features such as a cinema. But the council announced that 180 homes in Firbeck and Findon would have to be knocked down. 11/02/2010 11:37:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8075 Labour MP Claire Curtis-Thomas has payed back nearly £200 of the expenses she claimed, Sir Thomas Legg's Additional Costs Allowance (ACA) report revealed. The Labour MP was paid £191.12 in 2008-09 for expenses “related to mobile phones and computers”. Ms Curtis-Thomas has repayed the money since April 2009 as the claims were “not allowable under the ACA, although they could be claimed under the Incidental Expenses Provision”, and has not been asked to make any other repaymants. Meanwhile, Labour MP George Howarth avoided any requests for expenses repayments. Mr Howarth, whose Knowsley North and Sefton East constituency includes Aintree and Maghull, had “no issues” with his expense claims. Sir Thomas Legg was appointed last June to carry out an audit of MPs expenses. Within the anticipated report he said: “I submit this report in the hope that it will contribute to restoring full public confidence in Members of Parliament, thus enabling the House of Commons to move forward with confidence in its vital role as the democratically-elected and leading branch of our national legislature.” Sir Legg went on to describe the ACA system as “deeply flawed” with “vague” rules. Golden handshake But Claire Curtis-Thomas is set to receive a £43,000 'golden handshake' out of taxpayers funds. Out of the 73 MPs standing down after the election after being told to return expenses, all bar-one will be left in credit. Retiring MPs are allowed three main benefits, a 'resettlement grant' with a maximum of £64,766, a standard 'parachute' grant of £40,799 to pay off staff, as well as a £19,000-a-year pension. Despite the expenses scandal the total amount claimed for the retiring MPs amounts to around £30 million.     10/02/2010 12:34:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8071 Following the announcement in The Champion last week that Sainsbury's have finalised their plans to submit to Sefton Council for a new store in Crosby, independent shop owners in Moor Lane have said they are now 'between a rock and a hard place.' Martin Knibb, who is currently running the 50p Shop in the village for his father George, told The Champion: “We are slowly being pushed out. The independent businesses will be moved when Sainsburys get planning permission. ”The new store has been publicised as a fantastic development that will regenerate the town, but for some local businesses it's a different story all together.“ Sainsbury's have bought the units on Moor Lane, and pending planning permission, will build a new superstore on the site. Rumours in the town say Home Bargains will move into the current Sainsbury's store. ”It's really difficult to know what to expect,“ added Martin. ”We all know Sainsbury's will get planning permission, and we will be told to go, but it's just a waiting game at the moment  we have no idea when we are going to have to pack up and leave. “My dad has owned this business here for 26 years  and all of a sudden we are told that one day in the future we will have to pack our bags. Everyone in the village knows my dad, and they have been very supportive of the shop, but there's nothing anyone can do now - we are in between a rock and a hard place.” An employee of another business in Moor Lane, who asked not to be named said: “We know it will happen  there's nothing we can do about it, but we just don't know when, so we have no way of making plans to move the business without a timescale.” A Sainsbury's spokesperson told The Champion: “Sainsbury's will continue to work with their tenants on Moor Lane and keep in contact as the process develops. ”The time when a tenant may need to vacate their premises is subject to each separate lease agreement and Sainsbury's will continue to discuss this on an individual basis.“ The unnamed shop worker added: ”We made it through the recession with the support of local people  and now all that hard work is worth nothing, because eventually we will have to close anyway.“   10/02/2010 11:33:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8069 A Maghull man has claimed victory this week after being given permission to display signs advertising his business again - a year after Sefton Council banned them. Richard O'Grady, who runs Neptune Aquatics, on the Sefton Lane Industrial Estate, told The Champion on Monday (January 8) that he is now bringing signs advertising his business back to the estate, following an appeal against the council's ruling which he successfully won last month. “We're absolutely over the the moon about the decision, particularly because as a business we were really suffering after the original decision by the council,” he said. “It's a definite victory over the council. The sign isn't exactly an ugly one, with pictures of fishes on it, but we're glad that we're finally able to display it again now.” Neptune Aquatics was one of several businesses on the estate affected by a decision taken by Sefton Council in January 2009 which forced business owners on the industrial estate to take down their advertising signs, instead making business owners apply for individual permission for signs. Traders who flouted the ban faced being fined up to £2,500, as well as having their signs forcibly removed by the council. At the time Sefton Council said it was simply following nationwide legislation on advertising signs when it asked traders to take their displays down. “Its there to stop these sorts of signs appearing everywhere. Its like fly-posting in that respect,” a council spokesperson said at the time. “There are avenues for people to go down in order to apply for signs.” Mr O'Grady chose to appeal against the council's original decision and was last month granted new permission to display signs advertising his business. He told The Champion that going through the appeal process has cost him well over £1,000, but that he hoped that the signs would help reinvigorate interest in the business lost after the original signs were taken down. A spokesman for Sefton Council responded by saying: “This is all about keeping the borough looking as pleasant and attractive as possible.  ”We have worked very successfully in removing obtrusive and unauthorised signs in many parts of Sefton. In this particular case the inspector did not agree with us, but we will still strive to ensure streets do not become strewn with unauthorised adverts in the future.“     10/02/2010 11:20:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8068 Formby is running the risk of becoming a ghost town after a series of shop closures, traders based there have said this week. Following our story last week on Brows Lane News, which shut its doors under mystery circumstances, several shop owners based in the village have said that high rental costs and business rates are driving many businesses away, despite ongoing efforts to encourage residents to shop locally. “As a local trader within the village I wanted to voice my concerns that the village is slowly becomming a ghost town. I think Formby will eventually end up as a village of charity shops and estate agents,” said Anne Buchanan of The Beauty Lounge, based on Furness Avenue. “I know that other traders in the village feel the same way as I do and it was full topic of conversation in the salon about the newsagents closing. We are telling people to shop local but eventually there will be no shops open the way things are going.” Mrs Buchanan told The Champion that despite ongoing efforts to encourage Formby residents to shop locally more and more small businesses were being driven out of the village, particularly due to increasing costs of paying rental and business rates on their premises. “Sadly there is a real risk of Formby going this way because it's losing more and more of its shops, despite everyone's hard work in trying to be positive about it,” said Tony Higginson of Pritchards book shop, based on Brows Lane. “A lot of businesses are just moving out of the area altogether, but the message to put out is that there's lots going on in Formby and that it is worth coming in to shop locally.” Ravenmeols ward councillor Barry Griffiths said that the issue has been brought up by Sefton Council at its Formby Area Committee meetings, but stressed that while Sefton Council collects business rates from traders, the amounts are set by central Government rather than at a local level. “We've had eight shops close in a very short time, because the rental and business rates are so high, but if you go anywhere in the country it's the same story. I've seen increases in costs of much as 60%, and in a recession this is totally unacceptable,” he said. “You'd have to trade very smartly to make a profit, and in these circumstances a lot of traders have just stopped and left altogether. I am absolutely horrified to see these increases in the current economic climate.”   10/02/2010 11:17:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8067 Sefton council employees could see scores of jobs saved if a deal to cut costs without compulsory redundancies is given the go ahead, it has been revealed. Both Sefton Council leader Tony Robertson and trade union UNISON, one of the trade unions which represents council employees, have confirmed that trade union members are being balloted on an agreement which could see compulsory redundancies being avoided altogether, and that any decision is likely to be reached this Friday (February 12). “What we've been discussing is a package which would mean not giving people compulsory redundancies over the next financial year, and at the moment the unions are currently balloting their members on it. We've been in talks with the unions for some time now, as we've anticipated that we will have to make cuts in order to balance the books,” Councillor Robertson told The Champion. “We accept that there is going to be pain for some people, as everybody feels the pain during the recession, but I do feel this is a very positive step, and I think the unions accept that times are very tough. Relations with the unions were poor a few years ago, but I think we've turned the corner when it comes to industrial relations. The more we can work with them, the better things will be for everyone involved.” Last year Sefton Council passed a series of resolutions designed to cut costs in order to save as much as £25m over the next three years, and last December compulsory redundancies were mooted after just 105 council workers offered to take voluntary redundancy packages. However it is understood that earlier this month Sefton Council reached an agreement with the three trade unions covering the council's workforce which would avoid compulsory redundancies, which was put to its members in a ballot last Friday (February 5). Union members have until 5pm this Friday (February 12) to pass their votes on the proposed measures. Unison were unable to send an official statement to The Champion before going to press, but did confirm that a ballot was in the process of taking place, and that members had until the Friday deadline to respond. However in an earlier statement posted on their website, branch secretary Glen Williams wrote: “The talks concluded with a possible 1 year strategy to deal with the budget deficit and to allow further time to achieve savings without recourse to compulsory redundancies over the next 12 months."The posting will need to be returned by 12th February. Sefton UNISON will be urging all affected members to use their vote." Local authorities across the country are currently proposing similar cuts, in anticipation of a reduction of the amount of funding they receive from the Government later this year. 10/02/2010 11:14:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8066 An Ormskirk teenager has been arrested this week after a hit and run which saw a member of the region's police struck down by youngsters on a motorbike. Lancashire Constabulary confirmed that it has arrested a 16-year-old male from the Ormskirk area following the incident, which saw a Police Community Support Officer being run down in Buscough last Friday afternoon (January 29). “Police are appealing for anybody who may have witnessed this incident to contact them or indeed anybody who thinks they may have seen the motorbike being driven in the area prior to the incident,” said a spokesperson for Lancashire Constabulary. The collision, which took place at 1.30pm in Crabtree Lane and Moss Nook area of Burscough, saw the PCSO run down by two youths on a motorbike after being sent to the area after the police received complaints of a nuisance being created by motorcycle riders in the area. He was later taken to Southport Hospital with head injuries, although Lancashire Constabulary has said that the nature of his injuries are not serious. The male pillion passenger of the motorbike was also taken to the hospital with head injuries after being thrown from the machine during collisions, although again his injuries are not thought to be serious. Lancashire Constabulary said that a 16 year old male has been arrested in relation to the incident, on suspicion of wounding, dangerous driving and failing to stop after an accident. Do you have any information about the collision? Contact Lancashire Constabulary on 01772 614444 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. By David Simister 04/02/2010 06:21:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8065 Imagine walking past Sefton Park or Botanic Gardens and instead of seeing fields of lush greenery, birds and butterflies, you came across a car park, a supermarket and more plain houses. Or if you drove through the farms in Burscough and Ormskirk and instead of passing cows, trees and fields of corn, you stumbled upon ASBO teens, a power plant and an industrial estate. Well these are the kinds of scenarios that are being presented if it wasn't for the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) who have fought to protect the countryside for the last 84 years. The Champion can reveal for the first time the Green Belt areas in which we cover. The CPRE work behind the scenes to put a halt to any planning application that tries to build in an area's designated Green Belts. So what is a green belt? A Green Belt is an area that is created to protect countryside or undeveloped land from urban exploration. The North West contains more Green Belt areas than any other area in England and makes up 10% of all the country's parks. And the first major survey into the benefits of Green Belts was published this week alongside a diagram that shows their breakdown outside urban areas. The secretary for the newly-formed Sefton District Group of the CPRE, Nick Thompson of Waterloo said: “Around 30 years ago the Government passed a legislation to protect Green Belt land around Merseyside and to restrict the expansion of homes and businesses into the areas. ”A Green Belt is basically just a restriction in planning law and our aim is to make sure that every building that gets approved doesn't damage the environment in any way, shape or form. “For example we would oppose plans to build a block of flats in an open field to make sure that we protect the environment and the countryside in every way possible. ”We have also made constructive comments on a number of essential developments inside the Green Belt in the Sefton area. “They are essential to protecting parts of the environment which we care for and enjoy.” Survey results When asked what Green Belt activities they would like to undertake in the next year, people in the North West most commonly chose visiting the land on a day out or to get peace and quiet and were keen to see more nature reserves, more woodland walks and more new parks. By containing urban sprawl, the Green Belt has been a success story of post-war planning and if managed effectively it can also help tackle climate change, support wildlife and provide health and leisure opportunities for local residents to enjoy. Numbers facts 28,038 hectares of grade 1 land in the North West (highest in England) 79% of people in the North West would rather buy food produced in a Green Belt than produced elsewhere 6,251 is the number of square miles of Green Belt in England. 30 million people live in or next to Green Belts 13% of England's land surface is covered by Green Belts 100 acres of US farmland is lost to developers per hour 03/02/2010 10:09:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8063 Southport residents share just two standby doctors for out of hours care with 280,000 other people in Sefton. The alarming statistics also show that last month Sefton's doctors agreed to only 17% of home visits, The Champion can reveal. The out of hours services are available to patients that need to see their GP urgently at night, on bank holidays or at weekends. GPs are based at Formby overnight but they will travel to either Litherland Town Hall Health Centre or to Southport Out-of-Hours Centre to meet a patient for a consultation, if necessary. The statistics are revealed for the first time as Health Secretary Andy Burnham admitted that the out of hours care is 'unacceptable' in many areas. A new contract came into force in 2004 which allowed GPs to opt out of organising out of hours care passing on the responsibility to their Primary Care Trust (PCT). But now a new report by the PCT has lifted the lid on the problematic out of hours situation, showing enormous variations across the country. The study shows that many PCTs are failing to act quickly enough to urgent cases. While Government targets say a GP should visit or at least ring up within 20 minutes all patients whose cases are designated urgent, out of 84 PCTs in the survey, just two met this target. In terms of the minimum number of out of hours GPs on duty, NHS Sefton fares slightly better than the national average of 142,000 with 140,000 people for each GP outside office hours. Nationally, the number of patients receiving home visits varies from 25 per cent in one PCT to 2 per cent in another, compared to 17% for Sefton last January. Liz Melia, Assistant Director of Primary and Urgent Carefor NHS Sefton Community Health Services, said: “Call levels vary but usually number between five and 10, which includes telephone advice calls or requests for home visits. "We have two out-of-hours GPs on duty each night as well as a paid stand-by. The provision is based on requirements to meet high quality standards and the needs of the local population. "The service is reviewed regularly to ensure it is working well. "Sometimes the GP asks the patient to come to the health centre if it is felt it would be better to have access to equipment within the consultation room, providing the patient can travel to the site. “If the patient cannot travel and needs to be seen then the GP will make a home visit. "Using January 2010 as a basis, approximately 17% of calls overnight resulted in a home visit. This increased to 32% when including visits by the patients to see a GP at one of our three bases." By David Raven   03/02/2010 07:11:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8062 A Mawdesley man who is suffering with terminal cancer had to be readmitted into hospital after vandals caused £10,000 worth of damage on the house he is having built for his family. Mark Winstanley, 45, was distraught on finding out about the vandalism, which police have said happened between the evening of Friday, January 22, 2010 and the morning of Monday, January 25. Hand crafted, sandstone window lintels, columns and door jams of the rural unoccupied property on Back Lane were damaged by what appears to be a chisel and will have to be removed and re-made by hand. Mark's wife Sarah, 43, said: “This is a mindless attack and there seems to be no reason for it. My husband is terminally ill with stomach cancer and he wants a place for his wife and children. He has been in hospital since the vandalism. "We demolished the original property and are having this house built. We started building it in December 2008 and it is taking a long time to get right. My husband is trying to get it finished before anything happens. We didn't need this extra shock and this has not helped matters." Lancashire Police's Community Beat Manager for Mawdesley, Loz Elphick said: ”This is a mindless and cowardly act of vandalism that has affected this family financially and has caused significant stress for them. “I would urge anyone with any information at all, however insignificant it may seem, to come forward and contact the police on 01704 822277 or 08451 25 35 45.”   03/02/2010 06:59:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8061 Calls are being made for the council to replace old storage heating systems in 1,200 council homes following complaints from tenants that they are breaking down on a regular basis. Digmoor borough councillors Jackie Coyle and Terry Aldridge want the council to provide new heating systems to the affected homes, after they received calls from residents, who said their heating systems had broken down, leaving them in the cold. Jackie Coyle and Terry Aldridge said: “For some time now we as councillors have been receiving complaints from tenants regarding their old storage heating systems which are breaking down on a regular basis. "During the sub zero temperatures these complaints have increased, and the old and obsolete systems can't meet the demand of tenants trying to keep their homes warm, which has meant a number of families have spent days without any proper heating at all. “Even after they have been repaired, tenants face another 24 hour wait until the heat is stored up in them again before they get the benefit of any heat. "These systems in some cases are over 40 years old, it cannot be cost effective to keep patching them up for them to break down again a few weeks later. This upgrade is needed as a matter of urgency." Pensioners at Beechwood Court residential home in Digmoor are among the people to have problems with the old storage heaters. Councillor Terry Aldridge commented: "They need new gas central heating in there. The residents have signed a petition to get the system changed." A spokeswoman for the borough council responded: "The old storage heating systems still function and do actually meet the Decent Homes Standard criteria and so they are not identified for replacement. We also realise that these heaters are not as efficient as new storage heaters. "Last year, as part of consultation with our tenants this issue was raised and our Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Val Hopley, listened to their concerns and has stressed the need to direct more resources into energy efficiency initiatives such as double-glazing and upgrading old storage heaters rather than into new Kitchens and re-roofing. "This matter will be debated in detail at the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee this Thursday (February 4) when the draft Capital programme for housing improvements is presented for 2010/11. There may be scope to include some upgrading works, however, this will be for councillors to decide." By Henry James 03/02/2010 06:54:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8060 Hundreds of residents braved the cold winds at Formby Football Club last week, to mark the 1,000th day of the search for missing Madeleine McCann. With the aim of releasing 250 lanterns into the sky, the event was one of four that took place simultaneously across the country. Other locations included London, Scotland and Madeleine's hometown of Rothley in Leicestershire.  Schoolchildren, churches, and Formby FC members attended the event, alongside residents and friends and local relatives of the McCanns. There was also a singing performance and a prayer reading at the ceremony. A Formby FC spokesperson told The Champion: “It went really well and everyone was there for the right reasons. Formby FC is at the centre of the community and it was really fitting to be holding the event here.” Local councillor Barry Griffiths, who was also present at the event, added: “People were very respectful and we felt priviledged to be having the event here. "Residents did us proud and stood out in the bitterly cold weather." Madeleine's parents, Gerry and Liverpool-born Kate McCann, were not present at the event as they were hosting a fundraising evening in London to help keep their campaign in the public eye. By Natasha Young 03/02/2010 06:52:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8058 Figures released this week have revealed the majority of residents in Crosby think their local shops are much better than national chains. The figures, released after a poll taken out by thebestof.co.uk, show that 75% of locals prefer to pop to the local butchers than the supermarket. Resident Pete Matthews said: “We're very lucky in Crosby Village because there is everything you could need. ”It's no surprise to me that most local residents prefer the small shops because they are so fantastic. I always shop local for my veg, meats and other fresh goods. You can always guarantee a better quality of service locally. “Small villages need to be preserved, and the local businesses are a big part of that. Crosby is fantastic  and I'm proud that so many residents make an effort to shop local and support our local traders.” On a list of top ten local services people prefer to use, the local butchers came out at number one. TheBestOf released the new figures to coincide with its '14 Days of Love' campaign, which invites people to 'show some love' to the millions of local small firms and shops in the area via the website (thebestof.co.uk). Consumers branded many workers in bigger companies 'not fully equipped' to deal with questions or queries and said most lacked training. Customers love the personal service they receive at smaller companies, and appreciate that staff are knowledgeable about their field and products. But big companies have also come under fire for being too pre-occupied with making money and having no time for their customers. Sam Williamson has owned Williamson's Family Butchers in College Road for eight years. He told The Champion: “Local shops give a great quality of service. Williamson's is a small retail business and it's important that we give individual service. At the supermarkets you just can't get that. "Also, many people don't want to go to the supermarket and buy a pack of eight sausages if they live alone, it's too much and a waste. “At a local butcher shop you can buy just the portion you need. "This is also a good meeting place  people get chatting in the shop and I know most of my customers on first name terms  they have become friends. That is something the big chains cant compete with.“ Ian Whittigham from TheBestOf Crosby said: ”This survey shows that big companies just don't cut it when it comes to customer service, product knowledge or experience. Small local firms who are much better at providing the personal touch that we value routinely outclass them. “'14 Days of Love' is all about showing some love and appreciation to the great small business owners in Crosby that have kept our economy going over the last 18 months and who look after their customers brilliantly.” Nigel Botterill, Chief Executive of TheBestOf said: “Over one in five people said that there was a small local firm that they just couldn't live without. That's an incredibly strong statement. Yet few of us  me included  think to tell our most loved businesses how important they are, and how much we appreciate them.”  Resident Pete Matthews added: “Community spirit is a big part of village living  and Crosby has it in the gallons.” To declare your love for a local business in Crosby go to: www.thebestof.co.uk/sharethelove THE POLL RESULTS: 80% of people believe staff working in larger businesses often don't know as much as they should about their products and services. 83% believe large companies are too pre-occupied with making money, and six in 10 people say staff need better training. 56% say they have had an argument with someone in a large national company due to poor customer service. Half of all Brits have formally complained about a business in the last 12 months for its lack of service, bad staff attitudes and over-charging - nine out of 10 of these businesses were big national chains. 67% of people believe smaller family run companies look after their staff better than the bigger conglomerates. 57% of consumers say they have made the effort to compliment a small business on the good service they have received. Eight in 10 people believe smaller businesses deserve more recognition for the role they play in the community. MOST VALUED LOCAL BUSINESSES: 1.      Butcher 2.      Hairdressers 3.      Grocers 4.      Newsagent 5.      Takeaway 6.      Barbers 7.      Florist 8.      Fishmongers 9.      Bakers 10.     Pet shop MOST FREQUENTLY NAMED AND SHAMED NATIONAL BIG BUSINESSES: BT Tesco British Gas PC World By Rebecca Keegan 03/02/2010 06:28:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8057 Sefton Council have this week rebuked claims that Southport's Indoor Market is closing - despite saying so in a letter to one of their own employees. A letter leaked to The Champion on Monday (February 1) gives a council employee 90 days notices of his work at the market, but explains the reason is because the building, on King Street, is to close later this year. “Due to the closure of Southport Indoor Market it is with sincere regret and in accordance with Sefton Council's policies and proceedures I issue with 90 days notice,” it reads. The letter, which was written by a member of the council's Environmental Protection Services department, also has the words “Closure of building” as its main subject line. “I thought the whole point of the way the market's refurbishment has been agreed is that the building was not going to be closed,” said the council employee, who asked not be named. “I find it very strange, then, that I've been sent a letter which explicitly says the reason for my contract being ended is that the building is going to be closed. Both my supervisor and I will be talking to the council in the next few days to ask exactly what they mean.” The Indoor Market has been earmarked for a refurbishment project later this year which the council hopes will make the site more attractive to traders wishing to open stalls at the site, as well as bringing the building up to date for visitors shopping there. There had also been speculation that the building could be used as a temporary site for the town centre's library, but councillors voted against this idea in favour of the market's refurbishment. Members of Sefton Council's cabinet agreed earlier this year, but have decided that it will be carried out in a series of stages specifically designed to keep the building open. “I can categorically say that Southport Market is not closing, which backs up the decisions taken by Sefton Council at its last cabinet meeting on the subject,” said Councillor Brenda Porter, Sefton Council's cabinet member for communities. “I'm not entirely sure where this letter's come from, but the way the market will be refurbished is by making it smaller while the work is being done, rather than closing it altogether. It's the best option for the traders, even if it's going to take slightly longer.” Sefton Council declined to comment officially on the subject but a council spokesman told The Champion that the letter was written in error, and did not in any way reflect the proposed direction for the Indoor Market Building. By David Simister    03/02/2010 06:23:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8056 Pleasureland's owner has vowed this week to make the sire better than ever, despite one of its attractions being destroyed in a suspected arson attack. The haunted house at the New Pleasureland site, on Marine Drive, was damaged beyond repair during a fire in the early hours of last Saturday (January 30, 2010) but Norman Wallace, the fairground's owner, told The Champion that work was still ongoing to make the site a top attraction for tourists when reopens to visitors in March. “This is about the sixth or seventh time that we've had an arson attack, so obviously someone doesn't want us to stay open. It's very sad when we're doing everything we can to make Pleasureland better than ever, so it's a shame when people come and do things like this,” he said. “However, it's very much a case of the show must go on, and will be reopening in March as usual, and we will better than ever before. We have a lot of new attractions coming to the site, so I'm confident that we will still go on and have a great year. The fire at the haunted house costs me time and money, but it does not mean that the fairground itself will be affected.” Crews from Merseyside Fire and Rescue were called to the site at around 5.30am on Saturday, and found flames tearing through the two-storey building, which has been a staple feature of New Pleasureland since its opening in 2007 and was the last attraction which remained from the original Pleasureland site, which closed in 2006. If the fire is confirmed as arson it will be the latest in a string of arson attacks directed at the site, including one last year which destroyed the derelict River Caves ride, another remainder of the original fairground. A joint investigation into the blaze, being conducted by Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire and Rescue, has not officially confirmed the incident as arson but believes the attraction could have been destroyed deliberately if no electrical faults are found. “The investigation cannot confirm that it was deliberate. But after checking the equipment there are no electrical faults at all. So its possible that the fire was started deliberately,” said a spokesperson for Merseyside Fire and Rescue. “We believe it could be arson but it hasn't been proven conclusively at this stage.” If you have any information about the fire, call Merseyside Police on 0151 709 6010 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. By David Simister   03/02/2010 06:20:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8055 Thoughtless motorists passing through Maghull are making life rubbish for the town's residents, despite years of campaigning to get them to clean up their act. Coniston Road resident Brian Morton contacted The Champion nearly a decade ago to complain about drivers tossing litter out of their cars onto the A59 as they pass through the town, but this week he said that the problem is worse than ever, and called on Sefton Council and Maghull Town Council to take on the litter louts. “There's bottles, cans and all sorts of other rubbish that get thrown out onto the road, and it's the main route that runs right through Maghull. I've spoken to Sefton Council about it, who are meant to have it cleaned every six weeks, but even after years of doing it the problem seems to be getting worse,” he said. “I'm disgused that nothing ever seems to get done, particularly as the problem is continually being highlighted to them. What would be an ideal solution is for Maghull Town Council to employ someone to go through Maghull and Lydiate to tackle the litter, particularly at the hotspots which Sefton seems to miss out.” The Champion reported on the issue as long ago as August 2002 that litter was being dumped along the route, particularly between Maghull Town Hall and the town's central square, and said he had been in touch with Cllr Debi Jones, Sefton Council's cabinet member for environment matters, to try and sort out the matter. “The litter is an ongoing problem, and the people who are ultimately to blame are the ones who are chucking rubbish out of their car windows. They have absolutely no social conscience when they do this,” she said. “The council do clear this route every six weeks, but the last one has been missed because of the big freeze, and it would have been too dangerous to expect council workers to go out there in the icy conditions. But it is unacceptable that this road, which is a main road into Maghull, should look so untidy.” Councillor Tony Robertson, who is the leader of both Maghull Town Council and Sefton Council, said he had noticed the litter himself and referred the issue to Sefton Council, and said the town council are considering employing a worker to clear up litter. “As soon as the litter is cleared away people start throwing it out of their cars, and it's very difficult to stop people throwing it out as they pass through the town, so it's a continuous cycle. I would love to see someone being made an example of for this ridiculous activity, and hopefully get others to stop doing it,” he said. “It's a significant problem affecting the A59 and Switch Island, and it isn't necessarily people from around here, but just people passing through who throw litter out of their cars. Over the last few years it's become a real problem.” By David Simister 03/02/2010 06:07:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8054 Southport has its very own singing sensation, if the reception given to Gypsy last weekend by the town's residents at her debut concert is anything to go by. Gypsy In Concert, shown at Southport Theatre last Saturday (January 30, 2010) felt more like a coronation of a local legend than a concert, given the rapturous reception she got from the hundreds of residents who'd managed to fill the theatre's entire capacity by coming to see her. She might have gone from busker to breakthru overnight, but it isn't hard to see why. You might know Gypsy as an opera singer bringing a hint of the Renaissance to Southport town centre but anyone expecting a night of classical was in for a shock, because the 23-year-old was keen to prove her prowess as a pop performer too, and showed fans an unlikely line up far from her usual stomping ground. Whether covering Bon Jovi and Status Quo worked is something I'm still trying to work out but the night's softer songs proved a sweet success, with the likes of Doris Day and Dusty Springfield proving a natural departure for the singer. Yet what proved most impressive of all was her ability to deal with a series of technical glitches throughout the show; it'd be entirely forgiveable for a debutante to wilt under that sort of pressure, but she just carried on in her entirely approachable and down-to-Earth way. It seems incredible that someone so immediately friendly on stage can go on to sing some of classical opera's best known pieces so commandingly and note-perfect, but she manages it. Some of the pop numbers could use a little extra polish, but her staple sound is overpoweringly brilliant. I almost don't want Gypsy to go on to be a huge star, because Southport's streets would be a poorer place without her. By David Simister   03/02/2010 05:52:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8053 The drink/drug driving figures for West Lancashire over the festive period have been released and police have revealed that the results show a problem with the under 25s. During December in Lancashire Police's Southern Division (which includes West Lancashire) 1,170 tests were administered, with 41 people testing positive or refusing to provide a specimen. This compares to 2008 when 1,281 tests were carried out with 51 individuals testing positive or refusing to provide a specimen. For the whole county the number of people caught drink/drug driving has fallen again following the annual campaign. In Lancashire during December, 11,407 tests were given with 244 people testing positive or refusing to provide a specimen. This represents a failure/refusal rate of 2.2%, which is down from 2.5% for the 2008 campaign. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has said the number of people caught drink-driving over Christmas in England shows a review of drink-drive laws cannot come too soon. The safety charity has for many years called for a reduction in the legal alcohol limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg, a move which, they say, would save around 65 lives and 230 serious injuries on Britain's roads each year. Assistant Chief Constable Andy Cooke commented: "It's really pleasing to see the figure fall for the third year running and I think it shows that the vast majority of people don't drink and drive because they know it is unacceptable. "On the downside, the results still show we have a problem with the under 25's with a third of those failing or refusing falling into this category. "We will continue to work with our partners to get the message through to these young people that drink/drug driving is illegal and you will face the severe consequences when caught." 28/01/2010 12:05:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8052 The row over a letter showing infighting within the local Tory group has led to the removal of Jackie Glover as chairman of the Southport Conservative Association. Last week The Champion reported on a leaked letter from Ken Porter, the husband of the Tory Parliamentary hopeful, Mrs Porter, to councillor Tom Glover and his wife Mrs Glover. In the letter Mr Porter claimed that Mrs Glover was trying to damage Cllr Porter's bid to become MP by letting people join the party who do not support his wife. This week the row continued when a Conservative Party spokesman confirmed Jackie Glover had been removed as chairman of Southport Conservative Association by the Board of the Conservative Party for "failing to properly support the general election campaign". Carl Cross, the Merseyside Area chairman of the Conservative Party, has been appointed as acting chairman of the Southport Association with immediate effect. Jackie Glover refused to comment adding: "This is association business, therefore it should be kept within the association." Carl Cross commented: "Southport Conservative Association is united in supporting Brenda Porter, our excellent local candidate and is working to ensure she becomes our next MP whenever Gordon Brown has the courage to call a general election." 28/01/2010 11:54:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8051 A special evening of entertainment has been organised in the town in memory of 17-year-old Kelsey Taylor, from Skelmersdale, who tragically collapsed and died last year at a dance competition at Southport's Floral Hall. She had been taking part in a rehearsal for the Skelmersdale Celebration of Dance 2009 in aid of Alder Heys Imagine Appeal. The tribute night will be held at Up Holland Labour Club on Friday, February 5, 2010 at 7.30pm. Stephanie Woods, who is a former X-Factor contestant, will be performing as will the comedian Charlie Hale. Carl Palmer will also be singing. Kelsey had been a member of the Inspiration dance team and they will be performing on the night. The organiser of the tribute event is Kelsey's uncle Peter Sweeney. He said: “Kelsey was a very popular young lady who lost her life at the age of 17. "Kelsey had so much to give and was a great dancer and singer and her smile touched thousands." “Her death brought our small town to a standstill.” Tickets for the event will cost £5 and can be obtained by ringing Peter on 07754800120. Tickets can be purchased also through Facebook where there is a page called Evening of Entertainment in memory of Kelsey Taylor RIP. Money from the night will go towards a headstone in St Helens in memory of Kelsey. By Henry James 27/01/2010 05:46:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8050 Nearly 200 angry Melling residents joined forces this week to find a solution to the recent 'mini crimewave' that has been plaguing their estate. A spate of burglaries and vandalism over the last three months has caused concerned residents of Satinwood Crescent and the surrounding areas to take matters into their own hands by meeting local councillors and police to solve the problem. It has been alleged that youths have been travelling into the Satinwood estate - easily accessible from the M57 via an 'A-gate' - on mini motorbikes and quadbikes, targeting cars and expensive TVs since the estate was built 12 years ago. However in the last two weeks there have been up to nine burglaries in the area alone with an estimated 184 residents turning up on Sunday to the meeting. Julie Rumsey, 48, of Cypress Close said: “Over the years it's been a nice area to live in and we have had a good strong community here. "It used to be a sleepy little village but now we have had a number of break-ins we have decided to do something about it. “A number of youths are coming down from the Knowsley area on motorbikes through an A-gate and terrorising the place.” The residents are campaigning to get the 'A-gate' closed off, sealing access to the Satinwood estate from the motorway and a nearby public footpath to Kirkby. Al Collins, 74, a former teacher, is the former Chairman of Melling's Home Watch scheme. He said: “The footpath is rarely used by residents and it is a haven for people causing mischief. "People are too scared to leave their own homes at night because there are youths parading around outside in their dark clothing. “It is a nice area but the estate has been embedded with these type of problems for years now so it is about time something is done.” Councillors Debi Jones and Tony Robertson have both added their support to the campaign and the council have set a deadline of March 31st for the work preventing vehicle access to the area to be completed. By David Raven 27/01/2010 05:37:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8049 A 31-year-old Southport man appeared at North Sefton Magistrates Court yesterday (Tuesday, January 26, 2010), charged with murdering his wife Kate Mott. Police arrested Brent Mott, of Everard Road, after the mother-of-two's body was discovered in a Ford Focus on Pool Hey Lane, Scarisbrick, at around 8.30am last Thursday (January 21, 2010). Mott was charged on Monday (January 26, 2010) after Merseyside Police detectives were granted an extension to continue with their questioning over the weekend. Police initially believed a fatal car accident had taken place, but after further investigation a murder inquiry was launched and post mortem results showed the 35-year-old Southport Hospital nurse had been strangled. Jonathan Parry, chief executive of Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, has paid tribute to Mrs Mott. He said: "I am sure I speak for the whole trust when I say that our thoughts are with Kate's family at this enormously difficult time." "She was a staff nurse in the intensive care unit at Southport and Formby District General Hospital and a popular and respected colleague. "Kate was a knowledgeable, gentle professional who personified excellence in nursing. "Her death is not only a loss to her family and the trust but to the communities of Southport and Ormskirk which she served so well. She will be sadly missed. "We have made support and counselling available to colleagues in the trust who may have been affected by this tragic event." Mott remains in custody and is due to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on February 9. By Champion Reporter 27/01/2010 05:32:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8048 Burscough residents have come up with a novel approach to a lack of lighting in their street - if you want something doing properly, do it yourself! The people living on Langdale Drive have become so incensed with Lancashire County Council failing to mend one of their streetlights that they've had the bright idea of putting in their own houshold lamps instead at the same spot. One of the residents, John Haggart, said: “How long does it take to change a light bulb? Because the light out side our home in Langdale Drive Burscough went out in early December and has still not been repaired, despite e mails and phone calls to Lancashire Highways customer service centre. "We appreciate that the recent adverse weather conditions may have contributed to the delay, but to be waiting six weeks for repairs to be carried out cannot be justified." “I understand Lancashire says it is a county ”where everybody matters“, however perhaps not the elderly and vulnerable residents of Langdale Drive. "We hope a little humour may help our cause." The residents' replacement for the defunct lamppost is an ordinary household light powered from an ordinary socket in a nearby house. It was installed following complaints that Lancashire County Council, the authority responsible for maintaining the streetlights, had failed to respond to residents' woes. The Champion asked Lancashire County Council to throw light on the matter but it was unable to respond before this week's editon went to press, although it is expected to make a statement later this week. By David Simister 27/01/2010 05:25:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8047 Seaforth's skyline will see a major facelift after the area has been confirmed to receive a £20 million investment. The major development from One Vision Housing will see three existing high rise blocks Montgomery, Churchill and Alexander Houses extended and transformed to create 109 new apartments and seven new affordable homes. The Government Office for the North West (GONW) recently recommended the scheme, giving One Vision the green light to go ahead with the development. Building work will begin next month, starting with Alexander House. One Vision Housing Director of Investment and Regeneration, Andrew Spencer, said: “We firmly believe that the Kings Park regeneration project will become a major vehicle for change in Seaforth. "By investing over £20 million in this project we will completely transform the area giving a new lease of life to a failing community and improve the lives of hundreds of people by improving their homes, communal spaces and communities." The scheme aims to transform Kings Park, creating a safer, cleaner and greener space with the extensive redevelopment of the area, including new garden areas, pathways and secure boundary treatments. The planning committee originally praised the ambitious proposals, stating: "The proposal would have a significant regeneration impact in this area and contribute to much needed social housing. "The impact of the proposal in terms of green space benefits, local amenity and other planning considerations needs to be balanced against these significant regeneration benefits.” Work on the one and a half hectare site is expected to be completed by April 2014. One Vision Housing Chief Executive, Roy Williams, added: "It is an exciting time as we set out to achieve our vision of providing high quality, affordable homes in thriving communities where people have a sense of pride and place. We have no doubt that Kings Park will provide this." By Rebecca Keegan 27/01/2010 05:11:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8046 Formby will tonight (Wednesday, January 27, 2010) be one of four UK locations to mark the 1,000th day since Madeleine McCann went missing from a Portugese holiday resort in May 2007. Madeleine was three-years-old when she disappeared during a family holiday and her parents, Gerry and Liverpool-born Kate McCann have since worked tirelessly to keep the search for their daughter in the public eye. Formby Football Club is calling on residents to attend its Altcar Road ground at 7.30pm tonight to see 250 lanterns released into the sky, and help to once again raise the profile of the campaign. During the service, which was only organised at the weekend, some members of the public will get to light the lanterns under the guidance of the club. Formby FC players and local friends of the McCanns are expected to be in attendance, and schools and churches in the area have been notified. Madeleine's parents will not be present as they will be at another event in London. Ravenmeols ward councillor Barry Griffiths, who helped to organise the event, told The Champion: “We want hundreds of people to come down and support this little girl. "It had to be organised in around 24 hours so we've hit the ground running with it, and it just shows how linked into the community Formby FC is." Another 250 lanterns will be released at similar events at Kate and Gerry's hometown of Rothley in Leicestershire, as well in London and Scotland. By Natasha Young 27/01/2010 05:03:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8045 Ordinary objects like bouncy balls and bananas become art in the Recent Relics exhibition at Southport’s R Gallery. The show, which features art and installations from four local artists, makes you think twice about some things many of us would discard of as waste.   Whether it’s the colourful Pop Art potential or the thought-provoking installation you’re after, Recent Relics has it all. The centre-piece of this show is a horse’s skull mounted on metal, which rocks back and forth. Although I as a horse lover personally find the installation a little morbid, the rocking motion of the metal does make you think of the horse still cantering on.   A little closer to home for most locals will be the Sea Shell installation, which contains painted common cockle in a variety of bright colours, mounted on the frame of a stained-glass window. Bouncy balls brought back all the way from India almost create the effect as if they could be the glowing light bulbs surrounding a dressing room mirror.   Bottles and cans are used and thrown away by most of us every day. However, keep the bottoms, paint the cans and fill the bottles with beads, buttons and candy, and you could end up with the simple yet brilliant ideas for two Art installations in the Recent Relics show.   My favourite exhibit is the banana emergency box though. Instead of breaking the glass in case of a fire to turn on the alarm, you are advised to eat the banana inside the box in case your blood sugar levels are low.   Recent Relics is on show at the R Gallery, 157 Eastbank Street, until February 10 and some of the work exhibited has been shortlisted by the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce for the Environmental Art Awards. The gallery is open every day from 10am to 5pm.   By Cornelia Kaufmann 27/01/2010 04:58:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8044 Unibond Premier League Marine FC have signed experienced former football league striker Lee McEvilly from Conference club Grays Athletic, writes Ron Ellis.  The former Rochdale, Accrington Stanley and Wrexham striker makes his home debut this Saturday. McEvilly, 27, made a total of 194 Football League appearances for Rochdale, Accrington Stanley and Wrexham scoring 56 goals over a six-year period to 2008. He joined Rochdale in 2001 from Burscough for a fee of £15,000 and played 11 times for Northern Ireland representative teams between 2002 and 2004. Recent seasons has seen McEvilly at Cambridge Utd, a return spell at Rochdale and then a loan period at Barrow before moving to Grays Athletic in the Conference this season.   Marine chairman Paul Leary said: “This is a massive signing for Marine Football Club. To have a player of Lee’s calibre joining us is really great news for our Club and our fans. "His strength and football league experience will be a huge benefit as we endeavour to move up the league. "He will make his debut this Saturday in the home game against Retford Utd who are currently top of the UniBond Premier League. He is joined on his debut by recent signings from Burscough, midfielder John Goulding and striker Thomas Moore who are also to make their debuts against Retford Utd. "Despite contrary reports Marine only secured Lee’s signature this morning following the release of his registration by Grays Athletic yesterday. He will be registered with the UniBond League today so that he will be eligible for tomorrow's game at the Arriva Stadium.”   Marine manager Kevin Lynch said: “This without doubt is my biggest signing as manager of Marine. Lee’s arrival and presence in the team will be hugely influential especially to our younger players. I am absolutely excited about him joining us and his signing will be a big boost for our fans. "His move to Marine follows the arrival of John Goulding and Thomas Moore and all three players will help us in our bid to provide an improvement and consistency to our league form.” 22/01/2010 11:40:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8043 An Aintree Village teenager has reached the final of a national modelling competition. Aged 14, Eve Nicole Webb is the youngest entrant to reach the final 26 of the Top Model UK competition's Runway and Editorial category. Having already battled her way through earlier rounds in Leeds, London and Ireland, the Maghull High School student hopes to be crowned the winner of a top modelling prize during the final at London's Hilton Metropole on March 13, 2010. Eve Nicole entered the contest, which attracted around 3,000 applicants, after posing as a model to help her fashion photography student sister Faye. It was then suggested she should enter the competition. As well as the winners title and award, the top prize for the category includes year-long modelling contracts in London and Milan, beauty treatments, professional photo shoots, a trip to Milan and VIP guest slots at events. There are also awards for the first and second runners up. Her mother Lynne Webb, who has been shaperoning Eve throughout the competition, told The Champion: “We're all excited. Even if she doesn't win, I think the fact she has got this far is really good.” Eve could also win a seperate award in Top Model UK 2010's public text vote, which is raising money for the Children with Leukaemia charity. For more details on the competition and text vote, log on to www.topmodeluk.com.   22/01/2010 06:10:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8042 Plans will be submitted to Sefton Council in the next few months for a brand new Sainsbury's store in Crosby. After planning and consultations with the public for more than six months, Sainsbury's have finalised plans for the development. The plan compromises of a new 50,000 sq ft store with parking spaces underneath and on a decked car park on Allengate (where the current store car park is), 150 additional jobs for local people, 209 car parking spaces in a multi-storey car park on Islington for town centre shoppers, a goods online facility for home deliveries and 11 new retail units (the old store would be split into smaller shop units and there would be new shops on Moor Lane. Sainsbury's also propose a building next to the Moor Lane roundabout, which could be used for community uses. The company held a two-stage consultation into the plans last year, and using feedback from the community have put together the final plans. If the planning is approved, work is due to start on the development early in 2011, and will open in spring 2012. By Rebecca Keegan   22/01/2010 06:00:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8041 It's been a “challenging” first year in office for Sefton Council's chief executive, Margaret Carney. Despite a year of dealing with the affects of the global recession, which has triggered talk of redundancies and the need to save money at the council, Ms Carney remains positive about her experience so far and her hopes for the future. Talking to The Champion, she explained the first year had been about “getting to know things inside better and building relationships, giving me the grounding to move forward”. She added: “I've enjoyed it very much and the warmth I've received has been tremendous.” Born in Merseyside with 30 years of experience in local government at Knowsley, Warrington and Rochdale councils, Ms Carney said she had been particularly enjoying getting to know the borough again and described her tour of all the wards as the “single most important thing” she had done in the past year.  “I got to know Sefton and understand how its elected members work. I got an insight into the council at grassroots level,” she told The Champion. “There was also a number of issues raised that we resolved after the visits.” One particular issue that sprung to mind was the amount of litter at Switch Island. Ms Carney explained the problem wasn't actually Sefton Council's responsibility, however after enquiries were made the Highways Agency resolved the problem within a few days. The chief executive insisted 2009 “had been challenging rather than difficult,” but inevitably the recession had had an impact on the running of the council. She claimed the authority is going into 2010 in a similar financial position and said: “We've made no secret of the need to save and we have made progress over the past three to four months. "We still view compulsory redundancy to be a last resort and we still have a lot of work to do." However, saving hasn't put a stop to the council's plans to move the borough forward with investment and regeneration. "There's investment everywhere across the borough with the Water Centre in Crosby and Southport Arts Centre. "I want to stress that it's not a crisis and we are not shutting up shop. We still have services to provide but we need to prioritise." Ms Carney explained that Southport's Cultural Centre development will be “fantastic” for the region as well as the town, and added: "We should invest where the outcome will be bigger, it's just got to be affordable." With the future of the borough in mind, Ms Carney hopes to focus 2010 on making sure major projects like the Water Centre, the Cultural Centre and the Building Schools for the Future plans "really deliver", while ensuring the council is prepared for a possible change of government as we approach the general election.  By Natasha Young   22/01/2010 05:47:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8040 A 35-year-old woman found dead in a car in Scarisbrick has now been named. Kate Mott from Southport was discovered in a blue Ford Focus on Pool Hey Lane at around 8.30am yesterday (Thursday January 21, 2010). Lancashire Police officers were called to the scene by the ambulance service to a report of a road traffic collision, and the car was found in a field 30 metres from the road. The incident was initially believed to have been the scene of a fatal accident, however a murder investigation was launched after further inquiries into the death. A 31-year-old Southport man was arrested on suspicion of murder yesterday and remains in police custody. A post mortem examination was due to be carried out last night to establish the exact cause of death. Det Supt Andy Webster, of Lancashire Constabulary's Force Major Investigation Team, said: "We are appealing for anyone who may have seen this particular car in the 24 hours before its discovery, or who has seen anything suspicious to come forward and speak to us. "We have a large number of officers working on this investigation. We have established an incident room at Skelmersdale Police Station and we are following up a number of lines of inquiry." Anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the Pool Hey Lane and Wyke Lane area is asked to contact police with information on 08451 25 35 45.    22/01/2010 05:32:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8038 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 2 PRESCOT CABLES 0   By Neil Leatherbarrow Skelmersdale United retained their place in the Unibond Division One North promotion pack, with what was a relatively comfortable victory at home to local rivals Prescot Cables, a brace of goals in 13 and 22 minutes being enough to secure three valuable points. Both teams showed signs of tiredness after the break, but after the pace at which the first-half had been played, that arguably was understandable. Speaking after the game, Skelmersdale manager Tommy Lawson agreed that his team did perhaps ease off a little, he added; “We won it because of a fine 25 minutes spell in the first-half...... even so in the second-half we had more chances than them.” It took the opening goal to get the game going. Michael Duffy pouncing on a loose pass, then purposefully taking the ball to the goal-line and crossing to the far post, where it was met by Karl Ledsham, who stooped to head the ball past a helpless Andy Paxton. Prescot were now forced back onto their heels, though they were holding on well. That was until the 22nd minute, when some sharp finishing brought about Skelmersdale’s second goal. The ball went low across the face of the Prescot goal, Ledsham getting a touch that was scrambled off the line by a defender, the ball dropped to captain Michael White and he reacted quickly to direct the ball low into the corner of the net from four yards out. Cables were doing their best to play good positive football and they had their moments. In the 27th minute Phil Cooney flicked the ball over the United bar from a free-kick, then in the 30th minute Cooney again was thwarted, this time by home keeper Damien Eastham after Martin Crowder lost possession. In the 39th minute, Skelmersdale midfielder Aaron Turner showed just why he has been the focus of attention from bigger clubs, when he played a wonderfully weighted ball over the Prescot defence, but Kevin Towey failed to find the target from a good position.  Skelmersdale continued to press and a minute into added time they came painfully close to a third goal. After a foul on Chris Almond, Crowder put in a left foot free-kick of the highest quality and only an acrobatical one handed tip over the bar by Paxton prevented a goal.  Skelmersdale started strongly after the restart, initially forcing a succession of corners, before Towey had a great chance in the 53rd minute. An enterprising run down the left by Almond resulted in him sliding a square ball to Towey, as Paxton left his line, Towey side-footed the ball inches wide of the far post. Prescot then had a spell in which they had more of the play, but significantly they were struggling to make inroads into a well marshalled home defence. Cooney could have done better with a shot he put over the bar in the 59th minute, however, the nearest Cables came to scoring was in the 77th minute, when some slack play by Skelmersdale presented overlapping full-back Paul Lundon with the ball, he quickly made ground, then hit a thunderous drive that went just over the United crossbar form twenty yards. In the latter stages, Skelmersdale started to assert again, substitute Mark Houghton being very unlucky to hit the post from a snapshot, before Ledsham headed over the bar from a Crowder free-kick six minutes from time. If it was a horse race you were watching, you have concluded that both protagonists needed the run and will do better next time out. Skelmersdale have a tough game on Saturday at Curzon Ashton, where they will need to up their game, so the game represents a valuable exercise in regaining match fitness and the three points will be useful, too. SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Eastham, Duffy, Crowder, Akrigg, White (c), Turner, Ledsham (Quarless, 89), Armstrong, Almond (Houghton, 63), Towey (Wade R., 63), Loughlin Subs (not used) Burke, Wade A. PRESCOT CABLES: Paxton, Lundon, Morgan, Liptrot, Ridler (c), McCulloch (Johnson, 75), Wright, Thurston (Rey, 75), Gibiliru, Cliff (Spearitt, 61) Subs (not used) Green, Couch  Referee: P. Gooch 21/01/2010 11:15:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8037 UniBond League Challenge Cup 4th Round   Burscough 0 Kendal Town 2 By Stan Petherbridge   Kendal started the better of the two sides and deservedly took the lead in the 12th min with Danny Wisdom forcing the ball home from close range.    Burscough’s defence looks a little frail now that James Connolly and James McCulloch  have moved on, although Ashton Bayliss and Dave Roberts were both performing well in the heart of the defence and with Dominic Morley returning from a long spell out injured, encouraging all around him in the middle of the park, there were signs that things could improve.   After 28 minutes, Gary McEvatt produced the Linnet's first serious threat, but did not trouble ex Burscough keeper David Newnes. In the 38th minute a shot from Lewis Field from outside the penalty box forced the Kendal keeper to produce the quality he is known for at Victoria Park, Newnes acrobatic save resulting in Burscough’s first corner.   Burscough finished the stronger looking team as the first half closed and hopes were high among the home support during the interval.   The second-half started with Burscough continuing in the ascendancy.  Dave Roberts soon forced another corner early in the second-half, but Kendal’s defence cleared. While Newnes was again the equal of anything Burscough’s forwards could muster, with another pair of good saves.   When, on the hour, Kendal got their second and killer goal it was arguably a little against the run of play. Dave Foster beating Burscough keeper Kyle Clancy with a shot from just outside the 18 yard box, after Kendal’s quick break caught the home defence out. The goal left the Linnets a mountain to climb. . Having established a two goal advantage, Kendal now took control of the game and allowed Burscough few opportunities to salvage anything from the game. Former Skelmersdale player Carl Osman went close for Kendal in the latter stages, being kept out and a third goal prevented by a good save from Clancy as the home keeper left his line and spread himself well.   The scoreline reverses the Lancs Co-Op Cup result when the two sides met in September.    Burscough: Clancy, Taylor, Holden, Morley (Wilson74) Bayliss (Grisedale 82), Standley, Field, Roberts©, Byers (Bathurst66) McEvatt, Brookfield, Subs (not used) Black, Christopher   Kendal: Newnes, Walmsley, Byrne, Melling, Steel©, Stoppforth (Warburton 68), Osman, Foster, Taylor (Beattie 71), Kilford, Wisdom (Mulvaney 49), Subs (not used) Green, Hinchcliffe,   Attendance 88 21/01/2010 11:10:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8036 A Lathom farmer has warned that people could face a shortage of vegetables in the region as farms recover from the big freeze. Potatoes and carrots will be among the worst vegetables hit by the freeze as farmers struggle to supply emergency food and water to their livestock. The low temperatures have frozen essential food and water supplies for cattle and have killed off nearly all planted crops. Rodger Webster who owns the 300-acre farm off Hall Lane said: "Farmers' crops have no chance of recovering. "Potatoes and carrots will be worst hit in the freeze and pigeons are now resorting to attacking greenery. "But we are doing everything we can to save all of our 150 cattle. "It is a rush as every day we go through 2,000 litres of water because our original supplies have frozen." 21/01/2010 10:53:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8035 Suspected cases of the winter vomiting bug, norovirus, are causing disruption at Southport hospital and have caused the closure of one ward and forced restrictions on three others. One ward at Southport hospital is closed to new admissions and discharges and three others have been affected. Last weekend more than 140 wards at hospitals across the country were closed in an attempt to contain norovirus that was reported to have claimed up to 500,000 victims. Norovirus brings on nausea and projectile vomiting. A spokesman for Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust said: "The Trust has one ward closed at Southport hospital to new admissions and discharges, while three other wards at the same hospital have bays with restrictions on as precautionary measures following suspected norovirus cases. "None of these cases have been confirmed as the virus at the present time. "When a ward is closed we don't take new patients or discharge patients from the ward until the last person has been clear of diarrhoea and vomiting for 48 hours." There was an increase in norovirus cases last November and there is now believed to be a second stage. Throughout January last year there were 46 ward closures in the country for norovirus, although last weekend at least 141 were shut in England. The norovirus bug is another problem for NHS trusts who faced disruption during the Big Freeze. But the Department of Health has said: "Norovirus is not new, it is not a 'superbug' and the vast majority of people recover with no long-term effects. "The NHS deals effectively with norovirus outbreaks all year round and this year is no different." 21/01/2010 10:37:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8034 A Skelmersdale taxi driver has been left “extremely traumatised” after a daytime attack. Andy Dickson, 40, was seriously assaulted after he picked two men up from the town's ASDA car park in his Hackney cab on Tuesday, January 12, at around midday. Mr Dickson drove the men to Fordcombe Road in Belle Vale, where one of the passengers put a rope around his neck and the other stabbed him in the leg. The two offenders fled the scene with a quantity of cash and left the victim unconscious. Mr Dickson's partner of more than two years, Susan Collins, 50, told The Champion that he later woke up in the car and managed to get help from a nearby house. Ms Collins described the father-of-two as “a lovely man who works hard.” She added: “He doesn't work nights because he doesn't want something like this to happen.” Mr Dickson spent time in hospital recieving treatment for his leg injury. Merseyside Police is now appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or have any information, to come forward and help with inquiries. The offenders are described as white and in their mid to late 20s. One of them was around 5ft 9in tall and was wearing a white woollen hat, a dark coat and light coloured trousers. The other was wearing a dark woollen hat and dark jacket. Both men were wearing white trainers. Detective Constable Keith Hampson said: “This was a particularly callous attack, but thankfully incidents such as this are rare. Not only has the taxi driver been left with physical injuries but he has also been extremely traumatised by the experience. "We are determined to catch those responsible for this heinous crime and I would urge anyone who knows anything about this incident to come forward and make contact with officers." Anyone with any information is asked to call 0151 777 5376, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. By Natasha Young                                          20/01/2010 12:02:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8033 A school teacher from Formby accused of sexually molesting two young girls and possessing child porn appeared at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday, January 19, 2010). Andrew Hunter, a teacher at South Wirral High and a choir master at St Mary's Church, Walton, was due for sentence but a pre-sentence report was not ready. Hunter, 27, has pleaded guilty at an earlier court hearing to six sex offences and one of possessing 10 indecent photographs of children. He has admitted sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl on May 30, 2008 and four similar offences involving a 15-year-old girl between December 1, 2007 and April 30, 2008. Hunter, of Rosemary Lane, Formby, has also pleaded guilty to inciting the 15-year-old to engage in sexual activity between October 1 and November 30, 2007. He has denied inciting the younger girl to engage in sexual activity and two charges of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of the other youngster via a webcam and these are to be dropped. Judge John Phipps said he accepted that it was no fault of Hunter's that the pre-sentence report had not been prepared and he further remanded him on bail until February 12. “All sentencing options will be open,” he warned him. Hunter is already subject to an interim Sex Offenders Register order. By Lynda Roughley     20/01/2010 12:00:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8032 A Southport nightclub boss has attacked the binge drinking culture, supporting new laws to curb careless cheap drink offers. 'Irresponsible' drinks promotions such as all-you-can-drink offers and cheap drinks will be banned as of April, it was announced this week. Owners of licensed premises that do not comply with the new rules could face a hefty fine of up to £20,000 and/or six months imprisonment. But Craig Carlos, the owner of reputable nightclubs Alpine, Rockin Asia and Starskys has said that Southport's alcohol prices are too competitive. “I'm supportive of the new laws as some of the cheap drink offers are just ridiculous,” he said. “But that's only because the market is too competitive, drinks are just too cheap in Southport and it is encouraging binge drinking.” There were 376 violent offences in Southport town centre last year and Craig believes that this could be blamed on the drinks promotions. “It is a widely-known fact that cheap drinks offers only attract trouble,” he said. “But I believe that the 24 hour licensing didnt help matters either. "We shut our places at three but I think even that is too late." Conditions that will be applied to all alcohol retailers are; a ban covering irresponsible promotions, a ban of pouring alcohol in the customer's mouth and the obligation to ensure free tap water is available. The conditions will come into effect on 6 April 2010. ”I will definitely be supporting these new laws,“ Craig added. By David Raven   20/01/2010 11:56:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8031 A fund has been set up in memory of a young woman from Maghull who died in a car crash on her way to Creamfields last August. The Dominique Williams Memorial Trust Fund had been established in remembrance of the 20-year-old who was studying Performing Arts at Edge Hill University in Ormskirk. Dominique's mother, Lesley, has been doing charity events since the death of her daughter with the money raised going to local charities. Edge Hill University and Dominique's family decided to set up the fund with the money going to Edge Hill to enable them to hold dance workshops for sick children in hospitals. One of Dominique's best friends, Sarah Fairley, 20, from Maghull, said: “Dominique loved Performing Arts and always wanted to do that. She was the most amazing girl to be a friend with and is very sadly missed by all her knew her. "Dominique always had a smile on her face. She would make you laugh the first time you met her. Dominique was a very bubbly outward-going girl." The Trust Fund held a walk this Sunday (January 17) starting at the Mogul Pub in Maghull to the Blue Anchor Inn in Aintree and then back again. Sarah added: "It was a brilliant day and about 50 people turned up." The friends of Dominique, who is a former Deyes High Pupil, are organising an event in February in her memory, Joe Power is holding a psychic night the same month, with Edge Hill University putting on a tribute event in March. By Henry James   20/01/2010 11:50:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8030 More than £20,000 has gone missing from a West Lancashire sports centre run by a private contractor working on behalf of the borough council. That's according to Councillor Paul Cotteril, leader of the council's Labour group, who claims that as much as £22,000 has disappeared from the accounts of Burscough Sports Centre, which is run for West Lancashire Borough Council by private firm Serco under the West Lancashire Community Leisure Trust name. “This is a major embarassment for Serco Leisure Operating Ltd, who were contracted in 2005 by the Tory council to run five sports facilities for the next 15 years,” he wrote in an entry on his blog. “We shouldn't get carried away. If it is confirmed as theft, then theft is theft; it happens, and it may not be Serco's fault that its had a thief on the premises, either as an employee as a visitor. "But there is a legitimate question to be asked about whether this would have happened if the council had not privatised its services, and thereby allowed financial management to be taken up by a massive company whose financial systems are beyond its reach." According to Cllr Cotterill, the money disappeared from the centre in the four month period leading up to last Christmas, although it is not currently clear whether the money has been lost or stolen. Serco entered into an agreement with the council in 2005 to provide services at a number of its gyms, swimming pools and its sports centres, including Burscough Sports Centre, based on Bobby Langton Way. West Lancashire Borough Council responded by saying it could confirm that a number of thefts have taken place at the centre, but that it was a case that dated back to 2008 which remains open rather than any more recent cases. ”A number of thefts had taken place over a period of time at Bursough Leisure Centre. When this was uncovered, it was investigated thoroughly and the matter reported to the police in February 2008. Unfortunately, at that time the Trust could not identify the person or persons responsible for the matter. “The case remains open and if any new information comes to light we would pass this over to the police to investigate further,” said John Bullock, Chairman of the West Lancashire Community Leisure Trust. "As a result of this regrettable incident we have reviewed all of our financial processes and new, even tighter procedures have been put in place to prevent any re-occurrences of this unfortunate nature. "I must stress that this will not impact on council tax payers because the trust's partner Serco Leisure fully indemnifies the trust for any losses." West Lancashire Community Leisure Trust's own website currently makes no mention of the alleged dissapearance of funds at the centre. By David Simister     20/01/2010 11:44:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8029 Plans will be submitted to Sefton Council in the next few months for a brand new Sainsbury's store in Crosby. After planning and consultations with the public for more than six months, Sainsbury's have finalised plans for the development. The plan compromises of a new 50,000 sq ft store with parking spaces underneath and on a decked car park on Allengate (where the current store car park is), 150 additional jobs for local people, 209 car parking spaces in a multi-storey car park on Islington for town centre shoppers, a goods online facility for home deliveries and 11 new retail units (the old store would be split into smaller shop units and there would be new shops on Moor Lane. Sainsbury's also propose a building next to the Moor Lane roundabout, which could be used for community uses. The company held a two-stage consultation into the plans last year, and using feedback from the community have put together the final plans. If the planning is approved, work is due to start on the development early in 2011, and will open in spring 2012. By Rebecca Keegan     20/01/2010 11:36:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8028 A movie created by a Southport film buff and filmed entirely in the North West enjoyed its first showing on Merseyside this week. Car Park, created by Churchtown resident Bill McCoid over a period of seven years, was shown to movie fans from across the region at the city's FACT cinema, on Wood Street, following its debut last year. “Everyone who came up to me after the showing said very positive things about the film. It was a really good night, and I think everyone who came enjoyed watching it,” said Mr McCoid, who wrote and directed the film. “The nice thing with these showings is that people in the audience come up to us and suggest their own locations with the film, such as someone in Preston who suggested we take it to Kendal. It's like the film equivalent of punk rock,” he said. Mr McCoid, who works as a lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, created the film entirely within the North West, setting the majority of the scenes in a single car park in Salford, with scenes from the Greater Manchester area featuring prominently throughout. The film's own website describes Car Park as: “A killer docu-soap. This feature film starts as a fast moving, almost surreal, docu-soap set in a Salford car park. One dreams of a distant future, another tries to recapture the certainties of a lost past, the third simply pretends he is not there at all, as they try and entertain themselves in the mundane present. "This is their life until one day they discover a secret so terrible, so dangerous that they may never park a car again, as long as they live." For more information about Car Park and to find details of future showings visit www.carparkthemovie.com. By David Simister Read Champ reporter David Simister's review of Car Park on our website here 20/01/2010 11:31:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8027 I drove into Car Park with an open mind but I’ve left with it firmly closed. Churchtown resident William McCoid’s debut feature film, set entirely on the streets of Salford, isn’t so much a movie as a seven year labour of love, and he’s called on all his skills as a Film Studies lecturer to create it. Think of it as Factory Records going into films and you’ll be on the right lines. Central to this very Northern adventure are the cheese on toast loving Frank, Steve, who has ambitions of making it into the glamorous world of managing multi-storey car parks, and their wonderfully-weird security officer, who seems haunted by a mysterious military past and refuses to be called anything other than SAS. As a triple act they do a sterling job of working their way through a series of increasingly bizarre area managers, all brought in to revive the fortunes of their flagging Salford workplace, and you can’t help but smile at the warm, friendly and thoroughly British humour their escapades bring. But after a while the jokes fizzle out, and when you begin to wonder when the change in storyline will come it arrives in one ridiculous, out-of-proportion leap. What was a cosy comedy has suddenly transformed into a murder mystery with the car park’s company doctor – a creepy Harold Shipman type – at its centre, and from there the movie goes from being a safe car park to leaving your vehicle in a dark alleyway with the doors unlocked. The scene where Frank, the loveable underdog, escapes the cruel world of attending car parks by blasting into space on a rocket with a loose parody of Charlie Dimmock on board is one of the strangest I’ve ever seen. It’s also the point where – and I hate to admit this – I lost interest completely. Don’t get me wrong. I thoroughly admire the efforts of a small crew on a shoestring budget to take on the film industry’s big boys, and I’m glad they’ve managed it. Nor is it the worst film I’ve ever seen – that honour goes to You, Me, and Dupree – but as much I wanted to like it, I just can’t recommend it. Car Park is undoubtedly a film buff’s film but I still didn’t like it.   By David Simister    20/01/2010 11:07:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8026 Oneof Southport's railways ground to a halt earlier this morning (January 15, 2010) following reports that a woman in the Ainsdale area jumped off a bridge onto the track. British Transport Police told The Champion that services between Southport and Hunts Cross on Merseyrail's Northern Line were disrupted at around 8.15am after a woman jumped onto the track, prompting Merseyrail officials to switch the electrified line off. “Early enquiries have revealed that the person, believed to be a local woman, landed on the line having fallen from a nearby bridge. Paramedics attended the scene and treated the woman for injuries before taking her to Southport and Formby District General Hospital,” said a British Transport Police spokesperson. “An investigation is now under way to determine how she came to fall from the bridge although at this stage the incident is not being treated as suspicious. The line was handed back to Network Rail at 9.11am.” Merseyrail confirmed that for a short period its services in both directions were disrupted after the incident, due to the rail provider deciding to switch off power to the electrified lines for safety reasons. “We can confirm that a person was found trespassing on the track, so we immediately turned the power off to the electrified lines. However, this created the obvious problem that none of the trains could run during this period,” said a Merseytravel spokesperson. “However, the woman was taken to hospital by the ambulance service and all services were running normally again shortly afterwards.” The woman's condition is not currently known, although Merseyrail also confirmed that none of its trains came into contact with her. By David Simister Photo by Stephen Craven 15/01/2010 04:54:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8025 Police in West Lancashire are urging residents to remain vigilant to the threat of burglary. The warning follows an increase in offences over this month as a result of homeowners leaving front doors insecure or garden tools in their gardens which are then used to force windows and doors. There have been nine burglaries already this year in the Ormskirk policing area where police have seen spades and hoes used to force entry, or where a window or door has been left unlocked. Offences have been committed in Burscough, Ormskirk, Aughton, Bickerstaffe, Lathom and Halsall. Police are warning that insecure windows and doors are an open invitation to thieves offering them easy access to your home, often they are in and out without their victims even noticing. Offences committed due to insecure windows or doors can also lead to insurance companies nullifying any subsequent claim. Detective Inspector Graham Hill from West Lancashire CID said: "The advice is to lock and secure your home at all times even when you are in. "Avoid leaving items of value on display which can be seen from outside and ensure you lock garden tools away in a secure shed or garage. "Criminals have no scruples and if you present them with any easy opportunity they will take advantage, even if it is during the middle of the day. "Burglary is at an historic low in West Lancashire and we need the public's help to keep it that way." Anybody with information about any burglary offence or other crimes is urged to contact Lancashire Police on 08451 25 35 45 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. 14/01/2010 10:49:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8024 A group of residents living in a Skelmersdale street have been forced to grit the road themselves so they could drive to work and get to the shops - and they are sending the £146.88 bill to Lancashire County Council. Thornbury, which is on a hill, is not gritted by Lancashire County Council and the two grit bins on the road have been empty for weeks, so the residents decided to club together and pay for the grit from Rosbotham's in Skelmersdale themselves. Joe Walker, 66, who lives in Thornbury, said: "No-one was able to drive to work and no-one could drive to the shops because the road was treacherous. So we decided to take the situation into our own hands. We picked up a ton of grit from Rosbotham's and then gritted the road.  "We put the grit on driveways to make them accessible for people to get out. We also put grit on two lanes in the road. It has made a hell of a difference. "Fifteen houses paid £10 each to make up the bill, but I am going to send a copy of the bill to Lancashire County Council and ask them to reimburse us. "I can't believe the county council said that refilling grit bins was not a 'priority.' We pay Council Tax and this should finance the county council to refill the grit bins. Why should we be out of pocket after buying grit?" County councillor Keith Young, cabinet member for highways and transport, responded: "Unfortunately our policy of only gritting the primary roads for the last three weeks must continue due to the national shortage of salt now admitted by the government and which reflects the reality here in Lancashire. We are confident that we can continue to keep Lancashire moving for the foreseeable future. "However, we have announced the intention to purchase alternative none-salt materials which could help to give our operational managers more flexibility to deal in particular with serious town centre problems. "We have no policy for identifying and reimbursing people who buy their own grit or clear pathways at their own expense. Therefore, we will be unable to reimburse the residents of Thornbury." PIC shows: Joe Walker (holding invoice) and other Thornbury residents who gritted their own road 14/01/2010 10:33:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8023 American singer and songwriter Tom Russell will perform in Southport on January 19, 2010. Following last year's release of the album Blood and Candle Smoke, Russell, who has appeared on the David Letterman show several times in recent years, will play at the Fleetwood Hesketh Sports and Social Club on Fylde Road. Tickets are £12. For booking details, please call Ian Ashcroft on 01704 534711. By Champion Reporter   13/01/2010 12:19:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8022 Tory leader David Cameron faced a grilling from the residents of Sefton Central during a question and answer session in Aintree. The Conservative, who is favourite to become Prime Minister at this year's General Election, was asked questions on a range of subjects including policing, teaching, prisons and the war in Afghanistan during the Cameron Direct event on Thursday, January 7, 2010. Mr Cameron also gave his backing to the prospective Parliamentary candidate for Sefton Central, Debi Jones, and said she had a good chance of winning the seat from Labour. He added: “Debi is a fantastic woman and a brilliant candidate. She knows this community, lives here and is a mother. Debi wants to become an MP for all the right reasons and to sit in Parliament and stand up for this area and for the people who live here. "Sefton Central is going to be a marginal seat and will be one of the ones that will determine the outcome of the election. I think Debi would be a brilliant MP. I will give her every support I can." Constituents of Sefton Central had been invited to take part in the event, which was held at the Holy Rosary Parish Centre in Aintree. David Cameron commented: ”It is lovely to be back in Aintree. The first time I came here was in 1977 to watch the Grand National when Red Rum won the race for a third time. I was only 11 at the time, but it was something that I still remember very clearly.“ The top Tory also told The Champion how important the North West constituencies would be at this year's General election. David Cameron said: ”The North West will be vital at this year's election. We can't win an election without winning in the North West. In 2009 we were able to win Lancashire County Council, which was a real highlight for me last year. “This area can feel under represented by the Conservatives. But if we could win seats like Sefton Central and Southport it would be really exciting and would put the Conservative party back on the map in the North West.” There were a mix of professions represented at the Cameron Direct event and they included teachers, businessmen and a probation worker. When asked by a retired police officer what a Conservative government would do to cut red tape in the police force, Mr Cameron answered: “Generally police officers spend about 20 per cent of their time on the beat, we want to change that by getting rid of a lot of the form filling.” Debi Jones said: “I was delighted with the evening I expected a lot of people to call off because of the weather, but the majority of people managed to get to the meeting. ”The majority of the people there were not traditional Conservative voters. “People were able to ask him questions about issues which effect them and this kind of interaction is good for democracy and great for the people of Sefton Central.” By Henry James     13/01/2010 09:06:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8021 Hazardous radioactive waste could be treated at a landfill site in Skelmersdale under proposals by Lancashire County Council. A number of residents and councillors contacted The Champion over a consultation launched by Lancashire County Council into future use of the county's waste sites, which has advocated expanding the Whitemoss Landfill Site, on Whitemoss Road, and increase the amount of hazardous waste it deals with. “I am a local, living as I do but a smell away from the landfill, and yet I have no idea what type of hazardous waste goes into this site. If they had some kind of accident over there, and if the prevailing wind was in the direction of Pennylands, would we residents be in extreme danger?,” said Pennylands resident Bill Clarke. “Why was this hazardous site put so near to housing and not in a remote area of the county? The industrial tragedy that occurred at Bhopal, India comes readily to mind. Could that sort of tragic event happen here?” The concerns come after a consultation was launched jointly by Lancashire County Council, Blackpool Council and Blackburn with Darwen Council, which examines where both hazardous and non-hazardous waste for the entire county of Lancashire can be either treated or landfilled. However a document outlining the consultation has advocated increasing the size and scope of the Whitemoss site to deal with the county's hazardous waste, including low-level radioactive waste from the BNFL (British Nuclear Fuels) site at Springfields, near Preston. “Landfill is the last resort for hazardous waste management, and stringent technical requirements apply to both the site engineering and the operational aspects of waste acceptance and emplacement,” the report states in its conclusions. “The Whitemoss Landfill site in Skelmesdale is one of only two dedicated hazardous waste landfills in the north west and whilst the amounts of waste accepted are small in landfill terms it nontheless provides a regional facility of strategic significance.” The Whitemoss Road area has also come to the attention of nearby residents throughout the past year who claim that waste is being left near the landfill site, although this has been linked to a nearby travellers' site rather than the landfill site itself. The Champion attempted to contact Whitemoss Landfill for a statement on the issue but nobody was available before going to press. By David Simister 13/01/2010 08:57:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8020 Southport could end up with an indoor market looking like a Harrods Food Hall. That's according to the town's Liberal Democrat councillors, who have called in the decision to go ahead with a £3.2 million revamp of Southport's Indoor Market Hall, claiming it is “more like a 'Harrods Food Hall' than a traditional indoor market”. The challenge by Cllr Simon Shaw, Cllr Richard Hands and Cllr David Sumner means the approval for the project, which was agreed by Sefton's Cabinet on December 17, 2009, will now be reviewed at the council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday, January 19, 2010. Plans for the King Street site include opening up the King Street and Market Street elevations with “frameless glazing”, four “take-away” units as well as the demolition of the old public toilets with new facilities integrated into the new scheme. Cllr Shaw told The Champion: “What is being suggested is more like a 'Harrods Food Hall' than a traditional indoor market. That may be fine for Knightsbridge in London, but most of the people I have spoken to think it is excessive. ”We have identified a number of very serious concerns - for example, it is reported that rents will rise by a minimum of over 40%. Such increases are likely to be unaffordable for some of the remaining or prospective market traders.  “Despite these large increases in rents, the council tax payer will still have to subsidise this risky project. Even in good times that would be suspect, but for the Labour and Conservatives parties to be contemplating this in the midst of the worst recession in 50 years is, to say the least, worrying.” The councillors suggested a modest refurbishment of the site, costing under £1 million, would be more appropriate. The town's Conservative parliamentary candidate Brenda Porter, who previously helped traders with their campaign to secure the future of the indoor market and have it refurbished, defended the existing plans. She said: “For any Southport councillor to oppose the planned redevelopment of the indoor market at this time is unbelievable. "Prior to the decision to keep the market hall, it is part of our heritage and was supported by a huge petition. It was recognised after many surveys that it was a viable project. “The later decision to upgrade it to a high standard was to support Southport and its future as we struggle through a recession that will have consequences long after it has ended. It is essential that responsible and constructive decisions are taken that will save jobs, create new jobs and protect our town and its future.” By Natasha Young       13/01/2010 08:53:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8019 A serial conman who masqueraded as a doctor and a vet to carry out a string of frauds has been jailed for two years. Russell Oakes, 43, tricked dozens of trusting people over three years into believing he was both a trained GP and a qualified vet to con them out of thousands of pounds. His web of lies meant he was paid to carry out a near-fatal castration of a pony, diagnose a five-year-old child with serious, non-existent allergies and even conduct an internal examination on a 17-year-old girl. Jailing him, Judge David Swift said, “These people trusted you, they relied on you. They were all misled by your deliberate deception. "You purported to be a professional, qualified person, people entrusted their animals and, in some instance, themselves to you." Liverpool Crown Court heard that Oakes's scam started more than four years ago when he was working legitimately as an osteopath. Henry Riding, prosecuting, told how Oakes began to tell his customers he was a trained GP, but had chosen to go into alternative medicine !rather than sit behind a desk". "He was not and never has been registered with the General Medical Council as a doctor. He was not entitled to practise or pass himself off as a medical doctor," said Mr Riding. One patient who was tricked was Sally Greenwood, the owner of a reputable equine centre in Formby, whom he persuaded he was going to train to become a vet. Mr Riding told how the trickster even went through the pretence of going to university and taking exams to maintain his lies. After "graduating" from his course, Ms Greenwood allowed him to set up a clinic at her Warren Farm centre, where he treated her own animals and those using her stables. His lies were maintained with fake degrees and references he had bought on-line to secure registration with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). It was from the Warren Farm equine centre that he carried out bogus work, such as giving flu and tetanus vaccinations to the horses and even treating a dog and some hens. But his frauds eventually came to light after equine centre regular Tina Greenwood asked Oakes to castrate two of her ponies. Oakes's botched job on four-year-old Roo almost proved fatal and the Welsh pony only survived after genuine vet Seamus Miller was called in to save his life. Mr Riding told how Mr Miller was already suspicious of Oakes' work and he turned detective by contacting the RCVS. They initially confirmed he was registered, but when Mr Miller asked them to check his documentation they discovered his certificate was bogus. Mr Riding told how it was only after Oakes arrest that a 17-year-old woman came forward revealing Oakes had carried out an intimate examination of her under his guise as a doctor after she fell from her horse. An investigation revealed Oakes had carried out a string of work pretending to be a doctor, including ordering unnecessary blood tests and diagnosing a five-year-old boy with a non-existent allergy. The child lost more than a stone in weight in a year and had to go to hospital. Inquiries also revealed how Oakes had appealed against speeding tickets for himself and his partner Joanne Conroy by claiming medical emergencies. Oakes, of Shore Road, Hesketh Bank, near Southport, pleaded guilty to 41 counts, four of obtaining services by deception, one of forgery, one of using a false instrument, 33 counts of fraud and two of perverting the course of justice. Defence barrister, Christopher Stables, said Oakes, who used to lecture osteopathy at Oxford Brookes university, had been motivated by his "desire to help alleviate pain for animals and their owners". By Lynda Roughley 13/01/2010 08:47:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8018 Refuse and recycling services have been suspended across Sefton due to the poor weather. Only a few Green Bee recycling collections were made on Tuesday, January 5 2010, as most of the wagons were unable to leave the depot in Kirkby. Some collections took place in Bootle and Litherland. Unfortunately this service has now been temporarily suspended.   Grey bin collections have also been severely disrupted with many areas missed on January 5, due to the weather conditions and the early closure of tipping facilities.   The disposal sites at Foul Lane and Gilmoss were also closed on that day, as they were full due to problems with transporting waste to landfill sites.   In conjunction with our contractors, it has been decided that no catch up refuse or recycling collections will take place. Residents are asked to be patient and understanding and if they do not receive a collection this week to put out their grey wheelie bins and Green Bee recycling boxes on their normal day next week.   If weather conditions improve, grey wheelie bin collections will take place as per the normal scheduled day.   At their next collection, residents will be able to place out one additional bag of non-recyclable waste alongside their grey wheelie bin for collection. Any excess recyclable materials should be presented in carrier bags alongside the green box.   Assistant Environmental Protection director, Jim Black, said: "Due to the severe weather and the related health and safety issues for collection and waste disposal, refuse and recycling collections have been severely disrupted.   "We are very sorry about this and would ask residents to be patient and understanding.   "Conditions will continually be assessed, and where it is deemed safe to send crews out, they will concentrate on the scheduled collections for that day, subject to the availability of tipping sites.   "Any missed collections will not be picked up until the next scheduled collection day which will now be next week. We would like to reassure residents that we will get back to normal service as soon as we can." 06/01/2010 09:42:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8017 Skelmersdale is in chaos  after heavy snow has lead to motorways being blocked, effectively leading the town to be 'cut off' to traffic. Police cordoned off the M6 after two lorries slid off the road and all slip roads off the M58 were also closed awaiting a road gritter. More heavy snow is expected for the rest of the week and Lancashire police are advising people to stay indoors unless absolute necessary. A spokesperson said: “We are trying to cope with the adverse weather conditions the best we can but we advise all residents of West Lancashire not to go outside unless they have to.” As the Champion went to press, thousands of children were out enjoying the snow thanks to 21 schools closures in West Lancashire. Among the closures in Skelmersdale are Holland Moor Primary and St Richards Catholic Primary School. Whilst in Ormskirk Asmall Primary, Ormskirk Church of England Primary and St Anne's Catholic Primary are all closed. In Burscough, Bridge Methodist Primary and Priory Science College are both closed. Buses in the region were cancelled on a route-by-route basis whilst the trains in West Lancashire remained unaffected. The met office issued a severe weather warning and they are expecting the snow to continue throughout the week.   05/01/2010 09:08:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8016 A return of heavy snowfall brought chaos to Sefton today (Tuesday, January 5 2010), causing closures and travel problems across the borough. Many schools and colleges were regularly monitoring the weather conditions, with some taking the decision to close for the day. Southport's KGV College has closed to avoid travel problems for students on their way home, and Southport College also sent students home for the day. A spokesman for the Southport College said students and staff are advised to keep checking the website for updates, and evening classes are suspended for the week. Tarleton High Schools headteacher Tony Hardiker said the weather had deteriorated once the children had arrived at the school, so pupils remained in lessons during the morning. “We're reviewing the situation on an hourly basis. We're in contact with parents and we will make the right decision for the health and safety of the pupils,” he added. Aintree Davenhill Primary School remained closed yesterday due to plumbing problems with a burst pipe that first occured on Monday (January 4). Meanwhile, some outpatient clinics at Southport and Formby District General Hospital were cancelled yesterday morning, and all were closed throughout the afternoon. A spokesman for the hospital could not give any details of plans for the rest of the week, however residents wanting to checkany clinic details can call the hospital on 01704 547471. Sefton Council reassured residents across the borough that there was enough grit to cope with the conditions. A spokesperson told The Champion: “We have enough grit and we are constantly monitoring the situation at the moment. The gritters went out across the borough three times last night (Monday) and once this morning (Tuesday).” Despite gritters being operated, Merseytravel has still reported some bus cancellations in the area as decisions were being made on a route by route basis, but trains were running as normal. Motorists are being advised by Merseyside Police to drive with extreme caution and avoid making unnecessary journeys through the snow and icy weather. North West Ambulance Service has also urged residents with minor injuries or symptoms to contact NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 as 999 calls are being stringently prioritised to use resources in life-threatening cases only. By Natasha Young     05/01/2010 08:58:00 http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=8015 All outpatient clinics at Southport and Ormskirk hospitals have been cancelled this afternoon (Tuesday January 5), due to bad weather conditions. A spokesman for the hospitals said: "We will contact those patients who we need to see urgently to arrange a new appointment as soon as possible.  All other patients will be contacted in due course." 05/01/2010 07:36:00