http://www.champnews.com All the latest Southport news from Champion Newspapers en-uk Copyright 2007 Champion Media Group. All Rights Reserved http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6686 Southport Football Club have announced the appointment of Gary Brabin as full time manager. After discussions with  Brabin it has also been decided to retain a full time playing staff for next season in Blue Square North. Chairman Charlie Clapham said: " I am delighted to announce Gary Brabin as our new manager and we both believe we have exciting times ahead. "We have continuity by retaining both Gary and our full time status which shows the club's ambitions. "Gary Brabin has proved as player with us and more recently as manager he is a real winner with a winner's mentality. As we don't like play off semi finals, our objective is to win the league next season. "We have quality in our squad and Gary will build on that. Gary knows the challenges ahead and the reality of our situation. He is a very focused person and very professional. I am really looking forward with optimism for our future." New Southport manager Brabin added " I am really delighted to have got the job permanently and with full time status. I believe it  was vital the club retained full time status and I intend to make full time work in the Blue Square North. "The club has a full time structure ready for the Blue Square Premiership. I am glad to be back home at Southport because that is how it feels. "I believe Southport Football Club should be no lower than half way down the Blue Square Premiership.I have real ambitions to manage Southport in the Football League. But we must make a step at a time and we have a real job to be competing for promotion next season. "I know we can achieve that. I am proud to manage a club like Southport, it is an honour and I will give it everything I have got twenty four hours a day. I hope we can match each others ambitions. We need everyone together in the squad, commercially and on the terraces, if we achieve that then we will move forward quickly. I am looking forward to meeting our supporters on a regular basis, informally after matches or around the ground at training and formally at meet the manager nights and social occasions." 5/8/2008 2:20:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6685 A new support group has been launched in Southport to help those suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is the fourth most common mental health disorder, with an estimated 1-3% of the UK population affected and is listed by the World Health Organisation  as one of the top 10 disabling conditions, including physical ailments. In spite of this, it still takes on average eight years from the onset of symptoms to be diagnosed, and even longer to receive treatment. Barbara Trousdale was helped enormously by joining her local OCD Action support group.  She began attending their annual conference and has since appeared on national TV to talk about the disorder. As a child, Barbara cried if her new shoes got dirty and became frantic if another child touched her toys.  These were the first signs of the condition that was to take over her life. Now 45, Barbara has not left her house for five months, plagued by obsessive routines, fear of germs and the constant worry that her actions may harm someone she loves. "I have never stayed in this long before. It does upset me because I don't want to be a social recluse," Barbara said.  "It's mainly because it takes me hours and hours to get ready to go out, so when I am ready I haven't got the time or energy and I am too stressed. "A lot of it is done in my head to work things out.  Everything I do I have to have a plan, an order of ceremony. "It starts when I wake up and I have to go over everything that happened the night before, making sure everything in the room was ok before I fell asleep. "I also have to talk through everything I am doing out loud a lot of the time.  If you saw me at a bus stop you might think 'she's off her trolley', but it's just this. "Sometimes I snap my fingers or hit my legs to tell my brain this is the last time I am going to say this, to make an emphasis.  I end up with sore legs. "It's like if you're taking a photo you spend ages setting it up, getting it in focus, then when it's absolutely right you press the shutter. "I go over things in my head to get them right, working out why everything won't do any harm to anyone, then when it feels right I can carry on. "It's like a complete lack of trust in doing things people would normally do automatically.  Everyone knows what to do when you go to the toilet, so why do I have to go through everything in my head in order?  "I don't do it for breathing in an out, but pretty much everything else.  I could get very upset if I thought too much about it." Barbara buys boxes of disposable gloves for when she does housework that she says save her a lot of time. "Otherwise I would be washing my hands every time I touched the flex from the hoover, or anything that might have germs on," "Say I was getting dressed, I would wash my hands between putting on the bottom parts and the top parts.  And if I'd put trousers on I couldn't put perfume on until I had washed my hands. "It depends on what I am doing, but sometimes I could be washing them every two minutes, then I won't for three hours or so." Barbara was diagnosed at age 17.  She had always had an obsessive personality, she said, but the disorder manifested during a long summer holiday when she made lists of everything she could.  "You know it's a problem when you can't just tick things off and get on with it, you have to go over and over it.  I had one list on the back of a puzzle book and I crossed each item off so many times it scored through all the pages.  It drives you mad," Barbara said. Barbara lives with husband David in Wirral and said her mum helped a lot in explaining her condition when the couple met in 1990. OCD sufferers could come across as selfish if a person did not understand the disorder, she said, for example checking that a partner had washed their hands or asking them to turn music off. Barbara gets very distracted by noise because it stops her performing her 'checks' in her head. "I can't get out of the toilet if next door's dog is barking and I love music but I couldn't dust or have a shower with music on.  I hate it if you get put on hold and there's music because I can't think." Barbara was forced to give up her career as a hospital lab technician because of OCD.  She has tried many treatments over the years and although she feels none have helped her, she would encourage any sufferer to go to their GP and ask for help. Southport Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Support Group holds meetings on the fourth Friday of each month at Christ Church, Lord Street. The group is user-led with no subscription.  Small donations towards the cost of the room are welcome but not obligatory. All are welcome, including sufferers, carers, family or friends of any age.  For more information contact the OCD Action Charity on 0870 360 6232 (office) 0845 390 6232 (support line), open 10:00-17:00 (Subject to volunteer availability), or log onto www.ocdaction.org.uk. By Natasha Robson 5/7/2008 8:03:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6684 A group of Ainsdale families are being subjected to ill health and huge bills, as they are left to live in dark and damp conditions.  Residents of a block of flats in the Woodvale area are stuck in rundown homes that are beyond repair, as they have nowhere else to live. The Sandbrook Way flats are managed by one leaseholder, who is now believed to have left for the middle east, and a number of landlords who individually let the properties. They are riddled with damp walls and ceilings, floors that have water rising through them during heavy downpours of rain, and window views that are blocked by a low canopy, preventing daylight from entering the homes. One resident, who shares a flat with her husband and four children, explained that having to put lights on during the day time, even during the summer, and having to use the heating 24/7 to help dry the damp is extremely costly, as well as "depressing". The continuous damp issues are said to have sparked asthma attacks for two of her children and left her husband suffering from a chest infection. She told Champnews.com: "When I said I'd take the flat the landlord did all of the plaster on the bedroom walls and said the damp was all fixed. "Since we've lived here I've had to throw out so many clothes and furniture because of mould." Believing that the only way of solving the issues is to tear the properties down, the resident added: "When people move out of them they could close them off but they don't, they let more people move in." The outer appearance of the flats, which are opposite the Ainsdale Centre for Health and Wellbeing, also appears rundown. "You hear people make bad comments, but you can't blame them," she said. Conservative councillor Brenda Porter, who has previously had to give support to help residents with newborn babies move out of the flats, also raised concern over an outhouse containing the electricity mains for the flats, which is said to be waterlogged.  She told Champnews.com: "Everyone is complaining about the electrics but nobody wants to fix them because they are all scared of getting electrocuted." While describing the area as Ainsdale's only grot spot, Cllr Porter did stress that it is not a "rough area" and doesn't attract anti-social behaviour, adding: "The police have said they are not having problems here at the moment." The flats are also located next to The Sandpiper pub, which is set to be demolished by Sefton Council after reaching a state of disrepair. A spokesperson for Sefton Council, who do not currently have control over the future of the flats, said: "We have been contacted about the condition of some flats on Sandbrook Way in Ainsdale and are currently looking into the matter." Champnews.com understands that if the council were to take on the properties they would also have to take on the legal responsibilities, which could cost thousands of pounds. By Natasha Young   5/7/2008 7:46:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6672 DOCTORS are charging extortionate fees to sign documents according to one pre-school owner. Ofsted require anyone who works with children to complete a Health Declaration Booklet and get it signed by a GP. Catherine Regan of Southport, who is standing in the Birkdale election on Thursday and runs the Pine Pixies nursery in Formby, believes GP’s are trying to cash in on the new forms. She said: "It seems GP's have free range to charge what they want to, we need a health declaration booklet by law and I have been quoted £150, it is extortionate. "In the past we have had to pay around £25 for this form to be signed and now the fees have shot up. "I have to have this document by law and I can't believe GP's are allowed to get away with this. "The General Medical Council told me that GP's have guidelines they should stick to "I'm really fed up because the actual government grant we receive is lower than our childcare fees, we can't afford this." A spokesman for the British Medical Association said: "We make suggestions on certain fees and this includes the Ofsted Health Declaration Form. "This was changed on April 1 so that is why there may have been a change in the amount GP's are charging. "The BMA recommends GP's charge £84.50, but this is a suggested fee and GP's can make their own decision." A spokesman for Ofsted said: "We cannot comment on charges levied by GPs or other health professionals for the completion of these checks. "We are responsible for making a decision on the suitability or fitness of an applicant. "This ranges from the manager of a day care centre to any person living or working on premises where childminding takes place. "As part of our checking process we carry out a number of checks, which includes requiring the completion of a Health Declaration Booklet, signed by a GP." 4/29/2008 8:27:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6671 A NEW Sefton Council strategy has outlined that over £6million will be required to revamp Southport’s parks. The Draft Parks and Greenspace Asset Management Strategy has highlighted Bedford Park, Hesketh Park, Liverpool Road Rec and Meols Park as top priority sites until 2010 to 2011. An estimated total of £6,175,000 investment will need to be found. 4/29/2008 8:24:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6669 SOUTHPORT is to become home to a new world-beating supercar. The stunning £100,000 Keating SKR sports coupe is due to start production in Banks in six months’ time. The 180mph two-seater was launched by Keating Supercars at Meols Hall last week and journalists were invited to look over a fully-featured prototype and later put it through its paces on an airstrip at RAF Woodvale. It is envisaged that just seven cars will be assembled each year, all built to order from a basic £90,000 design. Keating has chosen Southport as the centre for its first production run thanks to an engineering partnership with Banks Service Station, run by Richard Winter. Mr Winter, who runs Europa garages which specialises in restoring and recreating the old Lotus Europa sports cars for enthusiasts around the world, confirmed that his works had agreed to build the Keating cars but told The Champion he could say no more until contracts had been signed. It will be the first time that cars have been built in Southport since the Vulcan Motor and Engineering Company stopped production in the late 1920s. The SKR, which will hit 60mph from rest in under four seconds, will have a racetrack stablemate, the TKR, a lighter-bodied, higher-output model designed to outperform the Bugatti Veyron, currently the world’s fastest production car. With a 0-60mph acceleration time of around two seconds and a top speed of 270mph, the TKR has its sights firmly set on setting world speed records. The cars are the dream of Manchester-based Anthony Keating, who aims to take on  supercars giants like Ferrari and Aston Martin with a small British team of designers and engineers drawing on automotive expertise from around the globe. 4/29/2008 8:19:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6667 Vauxhall Motors 1 Southport 2 After a helter-skelter ride of a season, Southport finally earned themselves a place in the Blue Square North play-offs with a 2-1 victory over relegated Vauxhall Motors at Rivacre Park on Saturday, cheered on by over 300 vocal supporters.             Without a doubt, Gary Brabin’s short reign as manager has been one of immediate and unqualified success and, whatever the end result of the play-offs, he must surely be offered the job on a permanent basis to build this and take the club forward.             Four wins in five games speaks for itself. Only two goals have been conceded, both from free kicks, against seven scored and only one yellow card has been issued in 450 minutes of football, quite an achievement bearing in mind the proliferation of bookings in recent years.             The Sandgrounders started brightly on Saturday and were two goals up in 10 minutes. Neil Prince hit the back of the net from just inside the area after 7 minutes and, two minutes later, Tony Grey converted Liam Blakeman’s pass after Lloyd Rigby had saved another shot from Prince.             Ex-Birkdale publican, Ged Brannan, went close with a 25-yard free kick for The Motors and danger man Paul Taylor was foiled by the outstretched leg of Steven Drench in his team’s only chances of note in the half.             By contrast, The Port made scores of openings but Gray missed a sitter, hitting the keeper’s legs from forty inches, Prince had one shot saved by Rigby and another cleared off the line by Owens and Kevin Lee had a fierce drive tipped over the bar by Rigby who was kept busy the whole half.             As the second half opened, Mark Duffy’s free kick went wide, Lee had a header blocked, unfortunately by Neil Robinson, and Gray saw a low shot tipped away at the foot of the post as the visitors did everything but score.             But then, in the 77th minute, disaster struck when Taylor fired home a 20-yard free kick after a foul by Lee and suddenly it was nail-biting time.             However, once again the defence was strong and managed to hold on, indeed it was Gray who came closest to scoring in the final minutes when he blazed over from a narrow angle.             The Yellows now play Stalybridge Celtic at Haig Avenue on Wednesday evening with the second leg at the Bower Fold next Sunday, kick off 3pm.             If they are successful, they will travel to Burton Albions’s Pirelli Stadium for the final on Friday May 9th, kick-off 7.45pm.   Trust in Yellow are running coaches to Stalybridge. Cost is £5 for members £8 for non members and the coach departs from Haig Avenue at 12.30. One coach is full already and bookings are being taken for a second coach. Please book in the TIY office on Wednesday or call Alan Scarsbrick on: 07980911693 Report by Ron Ellis 4/28/2008 2:34:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6664 A car salesman was jailed after stealing more than £30,000 from his employers.  For more than nine months Peter Carbutt fiddled paperwork to make it look like he was selling cars for more than he told his bosses. Carbutt, a trusted employee, was originally believed to have stolen more than £100,000 from his company, Newmotor.org.ltd, in Eastbourne Road, Southport. Liverpool Crown Court heard on Thursday, April 24, that in some cases he claimed he had sold cars including a Mercedes and a Pajero at far higher rates before pocketing the cash. Following his arrest, 43-year-old Carbutt borrowed £28,000 from his father to pay back some of the debt. Following the discovery of his crimes the Southport second-hand car firm was forced to spend thousands more in legal fees. He pleaded guilty to eight theft offences between September 2006 and November 2007, totalling £32,000. Gillian Batts, defending, told the court that 43-year-old Carbutt had been pressured in to carrying out the thefts because of a huge debt. He had been declared bankrupt before he began working for the car company, but she said he had stolen the money in an attempt to pay back creditors, who were continuing to threaten him. He had been beaten him up at least three times since starting work with the company, she said. But Judge Mark Brown told Carbutt, formerly of New Hall Lane, Preston, his crime was so serious only a prison sentence was appropriate. He jailed Carbutt, who was wearing a checked shirt and hung his head throughout the proceedings, for 10 months for the "abuse of trust". Judge Brown said: "It is clear that you were responsible for handling your employers' money and that over this period of time you stole money and that represented a very significant breach of trust. "You have pleaded guilty to eight charges of theft. These offences represent the fact that over a period of about nine months you stole £32,000 from your employers. "This was not an isolated offence but an offence that was repeated. There was clearly an element of premeditation about it." 4/24/2008 9:12:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6663 Residents of a Birkdale street could be allowed to keep their historic pavement tiles. Sefton's cabinet member for technical services said the small grey 'Southport tiles' on Conyers Avenue must be replaced with concrete flags because many are broken and replacements are no longer made. But residents complained to cllr Richard Hands who 'called in' the decision for scrutiny. "These tiles are part of Southport's distinctive heritage, he said. "It's important that we hold on to these period features wherever we can. With so much going on in Southport its important that we don't forget our past." A Sefton scrutiny and review committee agreed that the tiles should remain so the cabinet member must now review his decision. Cllr Hands suggested a compromise that would see a Tarmac strip along the edge of the kerb with tiles making up the rest of the pavement. Southport tiles are now in short supply, and the council had previously drawn up "priority areas" for keeping tiled footways. Conyers Avenue did not make the shortlist, but Cllr Hands is now campaigning for it to become a conservation area in its own right. Cllr Hands' stance was backed by the town's MP John Pugh: "As Southport moves forward we need to ensure we keep sight of our heritage. What Cllr Hands is proposing would allow us to do this, and save the taxpayer money at the same time, and I'm happy to lend my support." Southport tiles have been laid as edging around Lord Street's trees as part of the boulevard's renovation works. By Natasha Robson 4/24/2008 7:32:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6662 A landlord specialising in housing the homeless is facing difficulties after a benefits confirmation service was moved away from Southport. Pastor Pete Cunningham, head of Green Pastures, used to take tenants to Eastbank Street's Job Centre Plus to get statements of their benefits for them to apply for housing benefit from Sefton Council. But since the Job Centre scrapped the service, Pastor Cunningham said some tenants have faced problems. "It is the loss of an important service to the most vulnerable of our community," he told The Champion. "If we needed a breakdown of their benefits they could print one off immediately, but they moved all the staff for that down to Bootle.  Now the possibility of information being lost in the post is great. "And with some of our tenants, if they get an official-looking letter they tend to dump it because they don't know if it's bad news." The loss of the service is causing delays in tenants' housing benefit applications, he said. A spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions, who run Job Centre Plus, said they will arrange an urgent meeting with Pastor Cunningham to discuss how to address his concerns. Pastor Cunningham has also slammed Sefton Council for wasting taxpayers' money on poor housing services. An Audit Commission report said Sefton's £6.7million Supporting People programme that funds housing-related support to vulnerable people is "poor" and has "uncertain" prospects for improvement. Inspectors found the council contracts with 23 services that "do not meet minimum standards" and access to the services was "difficult". "What is our council doing to monitor these things?" Pastor Cunningham, who specialises in providing houses for the homeless, asked. Sefton said they were "disappointed" at the report and were sure future inspections would show an improvement. By Natasha Robson   4/24/2008 7:28:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6661 Senior council officers are under pressure after the Local Government Ombudsman found they acted unlawfully. Sefton Council wrongly accused one elderly pensioner of having a criminal record and locked another man out of his allotment for over eight weeks. Since the initial investigation, allegations of theft have been made against the council in relation to thousands of pounds worth of supplies. Anne Seex, The Local Government Ombudsman, told The Champion her office might take further action against Sefton Council. She said: "Sefton Council officers didn't act lawfully when dealing with these two gentlemen. "They need to come to a settlement with the gentlemen, if they don't or I'm not satisfied I can then issue another report. "If I issue a public report then there will have to be a debate in a full council meeting." A council spokesman did not want to discuss the unlawful activity but did say the Ombudsman's report will be fully investigated. She said: "We are aware of the Local Government Ombudsman's report, this is due to be discussed at a cabinet meeting in May." Allotment holder Jim Dolan says the council had been trying to force him off the land for over three years. He said: "An elderly allotment holder was threatened and intimidated by another and instead of kicking him off, a senior council officer put him in charge of the site. "The council have done everything to try and remove us from the site, the same senior council officer refused to accept my rent and locked me out of the site. "Council officers authorised the seizure of over £3,000 of supplies from an elderly gentleman who has now died, the ombudsman told me the council have abused their authority. "It's elderly pensioners who tend the allotment and it's a disgrace they have been the target of threats and intimidation," he added. The council did not comply with The Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908, Allotments Act 1922 and Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. Council officers have until July to pay compensation and reach a settlement with the allotment holders. By Andrew Ashcroft 4/24/2008 7:24:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6660 Councillors have discussed seeking an injunction to stop the auction of Southport industrial estates. Sefton sold Canning Road and Crowland Street industrial estates to a Manchester company for a reported £8.9million in March, but the firm has arranged to sell each tenant's freehold, in some cases asking up to four times the tenant's valuation. Cabinet members agreed in a private session that the council should seek independent legal advice. The company is said to have broken its contract after it agreed to buy the estates as a going concern. Queen's counsel will check that clauses in the contract are "watertight" and report back before the auction on Tuesday May 13 in London. "It was sold for them to be the landlords and work with the people on the site," an insider said. "That seemed to be what was happening, so the fact that it came up for auction more than annoyed the cabinet." But auctioneers Colliers CRE are confident the sale will go ahead. "My client would say to absolutely go ahead with the auction," auctions director Richard Argles said. "I don't see there is any merit in Sefton Council applying for an injunction.  It would cost them a fortune and there could be damages if the auction had to be cancelled. "My client bought it and my client wishes to sell it.  It is nothing to do with Sefton." Sefton defended its decision to sell the estates, saying they got the best possible price and the income generating £500,000 for the council per year. Officers were accused of removing a "clawback" clause from the contract, that would entitle the council to a percentage of a future sale by the new owner.  But insiders say there is no reason to believe the clause is not in place. Southport's MP John Pugh has written to the district auditor to clarify whether the council got best value for the sale of its industrial estates. He said: "I remain concerned though that many of the key decisions have been smuggled past most members with no full council debate. The council's legal department was reluctant even to release the figure of the sale price, though I understand that the money came in useful in dealing with a large six figure over-spend in that department." By Natasha Robson 4/24/2008 7:17:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6659 A Birkdale pensioner believed to be on holiday lay dead in his flat for weeks. One Vision Housing (OVH) wardens thought that John Dowling, a resident of their sheltered accommodation on Grantham Close, was on a three-month trip to Spain after he told a neighbour of his plans to get away from winter weather. Georgina Hammond told The Champion: "I was talking to him at the bus stop one day, it must have been when we had those really strong winds, and he said "I hate this weather, I'm going to Spain." However another of the street's residents, Richard Roberts, was unaware of his plans and expressed growing concern after he hadn't seen Mr Dowling for some time. He told The Champion: "I used to see him walking to the shops everyday and then I hadn't seen him for a while. "I became particularly uneasy about it. I was getting so worried about him in the end that I had to call the police." On April 13 police forced their way into Mr Dowling's home, which was equipped with emergency buttons to contact wardens, and discovered his body in the bedroom. Ambulances arrived to take him away shortly after he was found. Having lived alone in the flat, Mr Dowling is not known to have had any family members within the area. Mr Roberts, who knew him briefly, paid tribute, saying: "He was a good bloke. He was very friendly and it will be a shame not to have him with us anymore." As a lone resident receiving the same care, Mr Roberts also told of his fears that the same might happen to him, saying: "I worry myself that someone's going to have to come and batter my door down one day." A spokesman for One Vision Housing told The Champion that Mr Dowling was last seen in January when he informed staff and neighbours of a three-month trip to Spain. Wardens were given no reason to believe that he had not arrived at his holiday destination, and while continuing to monitor the property in his absence they found no cause for concern. It was only when Mr Dowling failed to report that he was returning after the three-month period that OVH staff became concerned. He added: "It is a particularly sad and tragic incident and our thoughts are with all those who knew Mr Dowling at this time." By Natasha Young   4/24/2008 7:13:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6658 SOUTHPORT 2 LEIGH RMI 0 By RON ELLIS   A comprehensive victory over relegation-bound Leigh RMI took Southport into 4th place in the table and just one more win, at Vauxhall Motors on Saturday, will take them into the play-offs. The scoreline does little justice to the way The Sandgrounders dominated the game. Neil Robinson alone should have had four goals, with two efforts hitting the post and two clear cut chances missed. The opening chance came after five minutes when Duffy helped on Prince’s cross from the left, catching Robinson unawares at the far post and his shot sailed over the bar. In the 13th minute, Southport took the lead at the far post with a superbly executed goal. Chris Holland cleverly dummied Paul Barrett’s cross, allowing the ball to run on to Liam Blakeman who thrashed it into the back of the net from fully thirty yards. Two minutes later, Tony Gray shot on the turn from Holland’s pass, just missing the goal and Robinson hit the post as The Sandgrounders pummelled the Leigh defence. The second goal came in the 28th minute. A goalmouth melee in which Blakeman flicked the ball to Gray who, with his back to goal, executed a perfect bicycle kick from eight yards out giving Tim Dittner no chance. Shortly before the interval, the visitors had their best effort but after Kevin Lee had made two timely blocks, Holland headed off the line and the danger was cleared. Richard Whiteside, deputising in goal for the injured Steven Drench, had had little to do in the first half but, in the 56th minute, he tipped a Mark Smythe 25 yard free kick over the barand Smythe had another shot which was deflected for a corner by Ollie James, on for Chris Lever who sustained a torn shin. The Port were on cruise control for most of the second half, saving their energy for Saturday’s vital game but they stepped up a gear in the last quarter. Gray tried a 30-yard shot, which Dittner tipped aside for a corner, then Robinson hit the post from a Blakeman cross before Gray had another shot saved by Dittner who was lucky to stay on the field after he blatantly handled outside the area in the 77th minute. In injury time, the 861 crowd were treated to a sublime example of swift one-touch football that was worthy of Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal  and worth the admission fee in itself. Duffy took up the ball on the right of the Southport goalmouth and, as defenders closed in, whipped it across to Blakeman by the halfway line who, in turn, sent it straight over to Robinson on the left wing. He sped towards the goal and released a shot that, had it not narrowly missed the target, would have been Goal of the Year. If The Yellows keep up this standard of football, the Conference Premier m,ight not look so daunting after all and the catalyst behind this amazing revival is Gary Brabin. Three wins out of four, three clean sheets and back to Fortress Haig Avenue again. Roll on Saturday. 4/24/2008 1:32:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6657 An empty house next to Ainsdale's cemetery is to be protected by wooden windows. The Sefton Council-owned property, thought to have been lived in by a caretaker for the graveyard, has been empty for several weeks. Despite no evidence of the building being vandalised since it became empty, the council have boarded the windows up, sparking concerns that it will now become an eyesore and a target for anti-social behaviour. Councillor Brenda Porter told Champnews.com: "The building is in a very nice residential area and they have put these extremely unsightly boards up. It is not acceptable. "They have also made it into a target and broadcasted to the whole world that the building is empty." As Champnews.com went to press the boards were being painted black, however Cllr Porter understands that the council plan to paint them to look like windows while decisions are made over the future of the building. The issue is set to be discussed by a committee who will decide whether the house will be kept as council property or let out to others. Other Ainsdale buildings, such as the St Thomas More Site, have been empty for longer periods of time without being boarded up. Cllr Porter also criticised the move after retailers and private property owners were refused the right to put shutters over windows and doors, saying: "There appears to be different rules for different people." A spokesman for Sefton Council said: "We have made this building as secure as possible to prevent any vandalism and a decision on its future should be made shortly." By Natasha Young 4/23/2008 9:10:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6655 One of Britain's top psychics has blasted new government regulations that could make him a criminal. New EU rules mean mediums will have to prove they are actually speaking to the dead. David Traynor, a Southport-based spirit medium, said psychics are being unfairly targeted. He explained: "I don't know why we are being targeted, this is a religion, if all the other religions were targeted in this way we would have anarchy. "This is my religion and lifestyle, the government are viewing it as just a business. "The new law just doesn't take into account what we do, we need this to be blocked because the government is rushing into it. "I think its just another way for the government to make money from a religion. Meg Simpson, of Southport's Pathways Spiritual Centre, Portland Street, says the changes won't affect legitimate spiritualists. She said: "People get paid to be cynical about the spiritualist church, anybody who doesn't understand us should come to see for themselves what we do. "The new law will be gunning for those spiritualists who pray on the vulnerable. "There are people from overseas who pick on elderly people over the phone, it won't affect our church." A spokesman for the British Humanist Association said the current law was not fit for purpose. He said: "We hope that the new regulations will make real changes to the current situation. "We have a situation where psychic's can make completely unsubstantiated claims and to get paid for their services, without fear of legal action." By Andrew Ashcroft 4/23/2008 8:49:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6652 Churchtown Cricket Club, now sponsored by Botanic Bistro/Langs Bar, kicked off the new season in Division 2 with a comfortable five wicket win against Hindley St Peters at Ferryside Lane. "It's not cricket weather" was the much repeated phrase of the day as an icy wind swept off the Irish sea, chilling players from both teams to the core. The sun hats and short sleeves of this time last year were replaced by Ski Hats, long Johns and thick wooly sweaters. Churchtown won the toss up and asked Hindley to bat first, considering the Arctic conditions Town stuck to the task well taking wickets at regular intervals as Hindley were dismissed for 87. Carl Foster 4-35, Eddie Bancroft 3-30 and James Buck 3-18 sharing the wickets. Buck clung on to the catch of the day in the covers, bravely getting his small hands around the ball despite them being blue. Carl Foster took up where he finished off last year, throwing his toys out of the pram over a no ball decision, perhaps impending fatherhood will calm him down. Chasing 88 for victory, Churchtown's match winner was veteran John Southworth who batted for all but two overs of Town's innings for 28 not out. His solid defence and shot selection allowing others to play freely around him as the total was achieved for the loss of five wickets. Sponsor Paul Lang's announcement of a win bonus of a "free shot" per player for each victory, left all the players thirsty for successful season. By Eddie Bancroft 4/22/2008 5:11:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6647 NUNEATON BOROUGH 0  SOUTHPORT 2 BY RON ELLIS   Southport gained an important victory at a freezing and desolate Liberty Way ground on Friday night when they beat fellow contenders Nuneaton Borough 2-0, thus edging ever closer to the play-offs and condemning their financially beleaguered opponents to another season in the Blue Square North. Anyone who has lingering doubts about the sacking of the previous managerial team has only to compare this performance with the one at Solihull, featuring the same players, to know that the board’s decision was not only correct but overdue. Good leaders know when to cut their losses. The trick is to make the right appointment in the first place which is not always easy, bearing in mind prevailing financial restrictions and availability of suitable candidates. Signs are that the appointment of Gary Brabin could be a significant one for the future success of the club. Borough’s best chance of the game came as early as the fourth minute when Nicholas Farquharson shot wastefully high and wide with only Steven Drench to beat. It was a costly miss as, just a minute later, Neil Robinson opened the scoring at the other end, coolly slotting in the rebound after his first shot cannoned off Darren Acton. From then on, the result never looked in doubt as, despite mounting a series of attacks, Nuneaton showed little threat to a defence that showed a rediscovered resilience. Another move by Farquharson was snuffed out by Matt Hocking’s timely tackle in the 14th minute and Drench saved a header from Gavin Cowan and it was The Sandgrounders who ended the half stronger with Acton saving first Mark Duffy’s narrow angle shot and then a fierce 30-yard shot from Neil Prince which he grasped at the second attempt. Within three minutes of the restart, Southport were two up when Liam Blakeman, back to his superlative old form, latched on to a Prince pass 15 yards out and curled a perfectly placed shot over the keeper right into the back of the net. With the game slipping away from them, Nuneaton brought on their substitutes but they were unable to break down the visitors’ defence. Drench easily dealt with an effort from Rodman and Neil Moore went close with a header but, at the end it was Prince who came closest with a good run on the left only to see his shot skim just past the post. If Southport win their two remaining games, a play-off place is assured and they can even finish second if results go their way. After last night’s match against Leigh, The Yellows travel to Vauxhall Motors on Saturday for the final league game of the season which will hopefully be the springboard for the play-offs where anything can happen. The Brabinator has been impressed by the enthusiastic support since he took over the reins. Over 100 fans made the arduous journey to Nuneaton and many more are expected to travel the short distance to Ellesmere Port to get behind their team for this vital match that could well be the club’s first step back to the Blue Square Premier.   Star Rating ** Man of match:  Neil Prince Attendance: 1210   If all five teams in contention for the four play-off places win their remainingmatches, Southport will qualify with 77 points. But if the other teams all lose their games, Southport’s superior goal difference would put them above AFC Telford in second place.  Remaining matches AFC Telford               Burscough (A) Stalybridge Celtic         Redditch (H) Harrogate Town         Tamworth  (A) Workington (H) Barrow                      Worcester City (H)   Coach to Vauxhall Motors on Saturday departs Haig Ave at 12.30, The George at 12.35, The Crown at 12.40 and The Arion at 12.50, note reversal of departure places. Already had a lot of bookings for this trip so please book and pay early to ensure you get a seat on the coach. The fare is just £5 to TIY members £8 to non members. 4/20/2008 2:20:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6646 Sefton Council has written off £755,000 of unpaid council tax. Most of the money is believed to be from people who have left properties without paying the tax and cannot be traced. A spokesman for Sefton Council wouldn't confirm why the debts were cancelled but did say they pursued tax evaders rigorously. The spokesman said: "Our overall recovery rate for unpaid Council Tax bills exceeds 99% and we will always endeavour to collect them. "This includes the use of bailiffs and in appropriate cases, bankruptcy proceedings against non payers," he added. The Taxpayers Alliance, a tax campaign group, says councils need to think of the general public. A spokesman said: "Pensioners in some areas of the country are being sent to jail for not being able to pay relatively small amounts. "It is shocking that councils are happy to write off thousands of pounds. "Council tax is putting an unsustainable burden on ordinary families, and allowing this hole in the budget to continue adds to that burden," he added. By Andrew Ashcroft 4/17/2008 7:50:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6645 The Champion's Natasha Robson has been named Young Journalist of the Year. At the O2 Media Awards last week, Natasha beat off a host of hopefuls to take the coveted trophy. The cream of the press and media industry gathered together for the lavish ceremony at O2's regional headquarters in Preston Brook, Cheshire, where Natasha accepted the award. Presenting the trophy, the judges said: "In an age of froth and spin, Natasha is a genuine chronicler. "Full of passion for truth, energy to see things through, fearlessness in the face of opposition, optimism that she can make a difference, she is truly the underdogÕs champion." The Champion's group editor Rob Doyle commented: "This is a well-deserved honour for a supremely talented journalist. We are all so proud of Natasha and thrilled by her success." 4/17/2008 7:48:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6644 A well-known Southport publican has hit back at another landlord's plan to bar real-ale campaigners from a pub and laughed off suggestions that members indulged in loutish behaviour there. Last week the Champion reported that Geoffry Miller, licensee of the Hightown Hotel, had complained to the headquarters of the Campaign for Real Ale about a group of members disrupting a quiz night. However, Adrian Davies of The Falstaff pub on King Street has since revealed a different version of events. Mr Davies, who was at the pub on the night in question, told The Champion only one member of the real ale organisation was with the group and that this person had "conducted himself as a professional and a true Camra member". He added that the group had not behaved in loutish way but had merely been high-spirited. Mr Davies said that he was part of a group of six people, including staff members from his pub, who visited the pub after a training day in Liverpool. "We visited six or seven different bars to see how they operate and taste the beers," said Mr Davies. "We stopped for a pleasant pint at the Hightown between trains. It was a lovely end to our evening." "Our visit to the pub involved quiet conversation, a good pint and a game of pool. It was a  complete shock to see the claims of Mr  Miller in last week's Champion." Currently fronting his own campaign for "real chips", which has been backed by Coronation Street star Liz Dawn and many others, Mr Davies rejected the suggestion that his group had disrupted the weekly quiz with "obnoxious" behaviour. Insisting that Mr Miller had not expressed any bad feeling towards the group during their visit to the pub, Mr Davies added: "Having been in the trade for over 15 years I am experienced enough to know that when someone is behaving in a loutish way I should approach them, and that some things should just be put down to a bit of pub banter." The Champion understands that Geoffrey Miller has been angered by Camra, which campaigns to preserve British real ale and pubs, in the past, most recently when one of them made "ungracious" comments while visiting the pub. By Natasha Young 4/17/2008 7:47:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6643 A property company who bought a Southport industrial estate off Sefton Council is auctioning each plot's freehold at up to four times the market value, tenants claim. One tenant on the Crowland Street and Canning Road industrial estate called it a "nasty twist" in the sale that has dragged on almost 18 months. "They want to sell it at a massively inflated price, which is rather disgusting," Andy Johnson of Johnson's Scrap Metal, who has been at the site more than 20 years, said. Nine tenants put in bids for their plots in January 2007, but Sefton Council chose a private buyer for the whole estate. The Champion understands it is a Manchester company who offered £8.9 million. Sefton said the company did not tell them of their plan to auction the plots and it was not part of their agreement. London auctioneers Colliers CRE has sent letters to each tenant inviting them to an auction next month to buy back their freehold from the firm. "It is a very frustrating situation.  They have suggested a price almost four times as much as what was suggested by the bank," John Brassey, of boiler manufacturers Instanta said. "We are employing people in Southport and we now have this faceless property developer landlord buying the property with no interest in jobs at all. "It would be more secure if Instanta had the opportunity to buy the freehold.  We might go to the auction but if the price is £400-odd thousand there is no way we could think about it." Andy Johnson said the buyer had been given an unfair amount of time to complete the sale. "They did not complete within 28 days.  I could have come up with a greater figure if I had more time to raise the money.  They have been given a year to save up and we were not given that," he said. "A lot of people are very, very annoyed.  If we own our own site it would be great for us, but everyone is thinking is it worth us raising that money?  My original bid which was unsuccessful was for above market value, now what they are asking is another 30% bigger." But Colliers CRE say the prices are fair. "We sell more ground rents here than any other auctioneers put together," Richard Argles from their auctions department said. "We have a tremendous amount of data to see what it is worth.  The prices we are quoting to tenants should be about right for the market." Commercial property expert Antony Hill spoke for tenants at the cabinet meeting when the decision for Sefton to sell was made. "It strikes me the council may well have undersold the property," he said.  "I remember saying at the time you have to be very careful selling the crown jewels.  The official auditor will want to know you have got best value." A Sefton Council spokesman said: "The council undertook independent evaluation of the Industrial Estates to ensure we achieved best value throughout what was a very thorough tender process. "We have now become aware that there is a possibility that the new owners are preparing to put the Industrial Estate Units up for auction. "This was not part of the agreement they entered into, and at the time of the agreement, was not stated as their intention. We will be looking into the situation, however, all the tenants' rights are, and will remain, protected by law under the Landlords and Tenants Act. " By Natasha Robson 4/17/2008 7:37:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6642 A children's home in Marshside could close within 18 months. Council officers say Kirwan House home for adolescents, opposite Stanley High School on Fleetwood Road, is "no longer fit for purpose". Built in the 1970s, the 10-bed home has sparked numerous complaints from residents over the years. "It wasn't the most appropriate place to put a building to care for troubled young people," Marshside cllr David Tattersall said. "Putting a place like that opposite a secondary school was bound to cause frictions and it did.  There have been some unfortunate incidents. "The problem was that inevitably supervision would break down sometimes and there have been complaints.  I don't think anyone in the neighbourhood will regret that it is going to close down." Children's Services officials have recommended the number of beds be cut to five until the home closes. They want to sell the building and buy two smaller ones that will house four to five children each. It is not yet known where the new sites will be. A council report on Kirwan house said: "This building is not a suitable environment within which to care for this group of young people because its physical layout makes management of the group difficult and leaves young people vulnerable. Given the competing and sometimes conflicting needs of Looked After young people it is also no longer appropriate to place such a large group together." Sefton's cabinet member for children's services was due to approve the closure as The Champion went to press. By Natasha Robson   4/17/2008 7:34:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6638 A football student tipped for Southport FC's first team escaped a prison sentence, after "glowing reports" from the club. Thomas Walker, 18, of The Causeway, Crossens appeared at North Sefton Magistrates Court on Friday, pleading guilty to taking a car without permission and causing damage, driving without a full licence and driving without insurance. Following a collision on Scarisbrick New Road on March 4, during which his car overturned, causing damage to three parked cars and traffic chaos around the Kew roundabout, magistrates told Walker they had considered sending him to prison. The incident occurred when Walker, a student on KGV and Southport Football Club's PASE scheme, a BTEC course combined with 12 hours of training per week, drove a family member's Citroen Picasso to college with only a provisional license. When leaving the college, Walker agreed to drive three friends to Tesco at lunchtime. After heading out onto Scarisbrick New Road he realised he was too close to parked cars and tried to adjust his manoeuvre. He then drove too close to a series of bollards and overturned the Citroen Picasso vehicle. The driver, who was due to play in a Lancashire cup match that evening, escaped the car unscathed along with the three passengers, but only Walker remained at the scene and co-operated with police. Michael Braham, representing Walker, asked magistrates to consider that the vehicle was not stolen from an unknown member of the public, was only driven a short distance and that no injuries were caused. Mr Braham also passed three positive reports to the magistrates, outlining Walker's character and approach to his academic career. Southport FC's Haydn Preece, who submitted a report, told Champnews.com: "He is one of a group of lads we've got at the club who have been recognised. "He has been linked with the first team and has trained with them regularly. We are just hoping that it can continue. "He has got to recognise his action and there can be no repeat." Walker, was sentenced to complete 180 hours of unpaid work during a 12-month community order, along with £65 court costs and six penalty points. He was told by chair of magistrates, Andrew Gregson: "We are satisfied your offence is serious enough for community work. It was serious enough for a custodial sentence and we were considering it." He added: "Mr Walker you have been lucky today."   By Natasha Young   4/16/2008 6:45:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6637 Two Southport men who robbed and attacked a friend were yesterday (April 15 2008) both jailed for six years. Ciaran McCarthy and Douglas Dickson both denied the attack on Christopher Wilkinson but were convicted after a trial. Liverpool Crown Court heard that the three men used to drink together and when Mr Wilkinson decided he needed some work doing at his flat Dickson offered to work off a debt to him by helping. His friend, 27-year-old McCarthy said he would also help and on September 4 last year (2007) Mr Wilkinson told them that he had taken £1,000 out of the bank for the materials. That evening the two men called round unexpectedly but he let them in, said Jonathan Clarke, prosecuting. Once inside they demanded he hand over the money and began attacking him. He was punched to the ground and then stamped on and he was unable to defend himself as his right forearm was broken in the assault. They kept kicking him and he eventually told them where the cash was hidden and they took just under £1,000 and left. McCarthy, a chef, of Drewitt Crescent, and Dickson, 30, of Brade Street, both denied robbery and causing grievous bodily harm with intent but were found guilty by a jury. They agreed there had been an incident and Dickson had been involved in a fight but said Dickson was defending himself. The court heard that the men have previous convictions but had never received a custodial sentence before. They still maintain their innocence. By Lynda Roughley 4/16/2008 4:22:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6633 SOUTHPORT 0 KETTERING TOWN 1   Southport were beaten 1-0 by champions Kettering Town at Haig Avenue on Saturday in front of an encouraging 1230 crowd, but they were by no means disgraced as they dominated the play for 80% of the game only to be beaten by a well-worked set piece which turned out to be Kettering’s one on-target shot in the 90 minutes. Seeing the way the team performed in this match suggests that a place in the play-offs would have been secured by now had Gary Brabin been appointed earlier.v At least the board had the courage to seek his services before it was too late. They should not be criticised for sacking too many managers. The trick is to make the right appointment in the first place. Clever investors are the ones who know to cut their losses when their stocks underperform. The rejuvenated form of Liam Blakeman encapsulated the change throughout the team and the new enthusiasm and commitment of all the players was there for everyone to see. It was unfortunate that, for his first game, the new manager had to face a top class, full-time side whose resolute defence held firm in the face of repeated Southport attacks. Blakeman, having his best game of the season for The Sandgrounders, miskicked in front of goal from Michael Rae’s pass in the 5th minute and it was not until nearly the interval that another clear-cut chance emerged when Tony Gray’s shot was saved by Lee Harper. As the home side pressed forward determinedly, Blakeman’s shot looked to be going in before John Dempster blocked it for a corner and then Neil Prince miscued a pass from the hard-working Chris Holland. Harper was the busier of the two keepers and, as the second half started, he saved a Gray header from one Neil Prince free-kick and a Kevin Lee header from another.  Gray looked to have broken the deadlock on the hour but Tom Kemp stuck out a foot to divert it from the goal. When Micahel Powell was judged to have fouled Jean-Paul Marna near the touchline, there didn’t seem to be much danger but Craig Westcarr’s low free-kick reached Anthony Robinson who promptly prodded it straight into the back of the net to give The Poppies an undeserved lead. Urged on by a welcome roar from the Jack Carr Stand, Southport surged forward in search of an equaliser, forcing corner after corner, but the well-drilled Kettering defence held firm. ‘My players gave me 100%,’ said a disappointed Gary Brabin, whose team will not be on the losing side very often with performances like this. ‘We were the better side for all but fifteen minutes of the game against a team who are far and away the best in the league. We lost by giving away a stupid free kick and they scored from their only chance in the game. But I’ve told the lads to keep their heads up. Their players came over and shook hands with our lads after the game, which showed how they respected us. Now we have to come back and win on Tuesday.’ After Tuesday’s match against Alfreton Town, The Yellows travel to Nuneaton Borough on Friday night for what is a must-win game. With Barrow’s seemingly unstoppable climb into the play-offs, Nuneaton and Harrogate are perhaps the likeliest teams to drop out. It’s not all over yet.   Men of match:  Chris Holland & Liam Blakeman TRUST IN YELLOW COACH TO NUNEATON-Friday 18 April Kick Off 7.45pm-Departs The Arion Ainsdale at 3.10, The Crown, Birkdale at 3.20, The George at 3.25 and Haig Ave at 3.30. The fare will be £13 to TIY Members and £18 to Non Members. To book on the coach phone Alan Scarisbrick on 07980-911693 or visit the trust office on match days. 4/14/2008 2:06:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6627 A "PRICELESS" coin collection and other precious artifacts in the trust of Sefton Council are feared to have been stolen from the public. Council bosses admit they have no idea what has become of the Dethick-Brown collection of rare Roman coins, which was housed at the Botanic Gardens Museum, and have reported the loss to the police. A host of other items including rare Victorian and early American coins, Egyptian antiquities, oil paintings and birds' eggs are said to be missing or damaged. Tory candidate for Meols ward in the May elections, Mike Swift, has accused public officials of being "asleep at the wheel". At the Southport Area Committee last Wednesday he asked for reassurance that efforts would be made to find the missing items. Mr Swift was told about the missing artifacts by coin expert Alan Dawson, secretary of Ormskirk and West Lancs Numismatic Society, who reported the apparent loss of the Dethick-Brown collection to the council in November. His reply from head of leisure services, John Taylor, said: "Despite a thorough search of the museum and the art gallery, the strong rooms at Bootle and Southport Town Halls and enquires made at other museums likely to have been interested in borrowing it at the time, the collection has not been found. "Without offering this as any kind of legitimate excuse, this loss dates from a time when there were no nationally agreed standards for the management of collections, security at both sites was minimal and staffing levels were poor." The loss had been reported to the police and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council's crime file and security at Botanic Gardens Museum had been tightened, he added. The Dethick-Brown collection featured Roman emperors Carausius and Allectus. "They were very important coins, they were in splendid condition and there were a lot of them," Mr Dawson said. He said the value was probably in the high thousands, but for research they were "invaluable" and had been "woefully underestimated" by the museum. On offering to help catalogue the musuem's coins last year, he also noticed a rare Victorian gold five pound piece and rare early American coins were missing, together with ancient coins inherited from the Bootle Town Hall Collection. Mr Dawson viewed the museum's cellars with a police officer and found "tray after tray of birds' eggs  smashed under foot and strewn all over the floor, stuffed birds lying broken and mildewed, oil paintings in smashed frames and cabinets of Masonic and other ceremonial regalia lying rusting and damp." Mr Taylor from Sefton Council replied that all that was in the cellars at that time was "general junk", despite an art dealer friend of Mr Dawson valuing one of the broken oil paintings at a four-figure sum. Earlier this year former Sefton Labour councillor Brian Reynolds told Champnews.com he believed art works lent to council staff for their offices had been kept after their retirement. These allegations were denied by Sefton. Meanwhile, Mr Swift is determined to take the matter further. "I am not satisfied with the response I got," he said. "I am awaiting a written reply to my question.  What was very interesting was in the council chamber a member of the public dashed across to thank me for raising the matter and to say some items a relative of hers donated had also disappeared." By Natasha Robson 4/9/2008 7:01:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6626 A FURIOUS pub landlord is to ban members of a  real ale campaign group after claiming they indulged in “loutish” behaviour. Geoffrey Miller, the licensee of the Hightown Hotel, has threatened to put a sign up barring all members of Camra (Campaign For Real Ale), after claiming the men disrupted the pub’s weekly quiz night. He told The Champion: “Five Camra members came into the pub during the quiz and they were quite obnoxious.” He said they shouted out during the quiz and taunted the barmaid by asking “do you kiss on first dates?” “These people are meant to be promoting good traditional pub values and they were behaving like lager louts,” said Mr Miller. “The other people in the pub were aghast.” Mr Miller contacted Camra’s national HQ hoping for an apology. Still to receive one, he said: “I’m barring Camra members from the Hightown.” Ian Garner, the regional director for the Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales branch of Camra, which campaigns to keep a variety of traditional cask-onditioned beers and ciders in pubs, refused to comment on the incident.  The Champion understands that the Hightown is already in line for an apology from Camra following a previous dispute, which arose when a member made an “ungracious” comment about the pub’s beers. Camra members are believed to still secretley visit the pub  – which at present declines to be listing in the organisation’s Good Beer Guide. Southport and Formby's Camra has around 348 members. 4/8/2008 9:04:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6624 Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals are considering changing their parking policy to pay and display.     The review comes after Kew Liberal Democrat councillors called for parking charges to be scrapped, as has recently happened in Wales.     But Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust’s chief executive says that is simply not an option.     “The immediate effect of abolishing car park charges at the hospital would be the immediate loss of the equivalent of 50 full time nursing posts or 10 doctors,” Jonathan Parry said. “Furthermore there would be chaos in the car parks because all the staff would park first thing in the morning and patients and visitors would not be able to find a space.     “We would not be able to pay for car park attendants so it would be, literally, a free-for-all and no one would police the disabled spaces. We would have to deprive direct patient care to service the security system and to maintain the fabric of the car parks.”     The current charges are £3 per visit at the 820-space car park. Staff pay £25 per month to park.     The charges were first introduced in the early 1990s to pay back a loan used to extend the number of parking spaces at the hospital.     The charges now pay for the upkeep of the security and fabric of the car parks and provide a substantial sum for direct patient care.     Mr Parry accused councillors of using the hospital parking issue as a “campaign vehicle”.     He said: “Although not all of the street parking on Town Lane, or the Kew Estate or on Scarisbrick New Road is attributable to the hospital’s charging policy, there is insufficient car parking on the Kew industrial estate for example, some of it clearly is down to us. There are a number of actions local councillors could take which might lessen the problem. Altering the Park and Ride route to include the hospital is one idea that councillors have so far rejected.     “Improving public transport, extending double yellow lines and introducing residents parking schemes would also make the roads safer and reduce the problems experienced by our residual neighbours.” Hospital bosses are now reviewing the parking system with a view to introducing pay and display, but stressed no decisions have yet been made. By Natasha Robson 4/8/2008 8:07:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6622 SOLIHULL MOORS 4  SOUTHPORT 1             Southport were comprehensively thrashed 4-1 on Saturday by relegation threatened Solihull Moors who had not scored in their last three games, the only positive thing to emerge from the encounter being a new club record by Tony Gray who has now scored in the last eight consecutive league games.          One long-standing supporter and shareholder declared this was the worst performance he had seen from a Southport team since the 2-0 defeat in the second qualifying round of the F.A. Cup at Bootle on Sept 29th 1990. An unfortunate 29th minute own goal by Matt Hocking, at Damson Park, was followed by a Simon Hollis penalty after the player was brought down by Adam Drench. Gray pulled one back from the spot on the hour, after he was fouled in the area by Lee Ayres, but a mistake by Paul Barrett, on as replacement for the injured Mark Duffy, led to Andy Ducros scoring a third and Hollis finished the job for the Moors a minute from time. 4/7/2008 8:36:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6621 ARGOS has confirmed rumours of a new store for one Southport shopping complex. The high-street chain will open one of its larger Argos Extra branches at Meols Cop Retail Park in June, creating 30 new jobs. Northern retail general manager, Steve Farndale, said: "Opening a store in the area allows us the opportunity to bring our customers the added convenience of purchasing locally, with a wide choice of products all at great value." The announcement comes just weeks after the company refused to confirm or deny the rumours, telling The Champion that the speculation could have been due to research into public opinion being carried out in the area. 4/7/2008 2:43:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6620 Southport FC have sacked manager Peter Davenport and named Gary Brabin as new boss until the end of the season. Davenport and assistant Huw Griffiths have left the club with immediate effect after a string of poor results. The final straw was a 4-1 defeat at Solihull Moors on Saturday, which put a huge dent in Southport's hopes of reaching the play-offs. Former player Brabin will now have to produce an turnaround in form if the Yellows are to reach the play-offs. As a full time team they desperately needed to return to the Blue Square Conference after relegation last year. Failure to qualify via the play-offs will mean  a massive blow to finances and morale. Speaking about Davenport and Griffiths, a spokesman for Southport FC said: "The club would like to place on record their appreciation for everything they both contributed to Southport Football Club. Former player Gary Brabin, formely of Chester City and Burscough,  will take charge until the end of the season. 4/7/2008 2:36:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6619 CHANGES in stray dog legislation will councils solely responsible for lost or unwanted dogs. Section 68 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 came into effect on Sunday (April 6) meaning stray dogs can no longer be taken to police stations. And The Dog Trust dog welfare charity fear that strays will be left wandering the streets due to "vague wording" of the guidance on the new law. The law states that "where practicable" authorities must provide at least one place where dogs can be taken round the clock. The Dog Trust is worried that councils could claim that caring for every stray dog is not practicable. Veterinary Director Chris Laurence said: "We are concerned that stray dogs may be left wandering the streets during times when dog wardens are not available, such as weekends." David Tilleray, West Lancashire District Council's Community Services boss did little to allay these fears, saying that the new law does not "oblige the Council to provide a search and collect service outside of normal office hours... only dogs that are being held by people finding them will be collected." West Lancs council will not be providing somewhere that residents can take stray dogs 24 hours a day. However Mr Tilleray did say they were taking steps to ensure that a stray dog service will be available seven days a week, including Bank Holidays. "By working with Leigh Dogs and Cats Home, the Council has been able to extend its current stray dog service to offer those who find a stray dog an improved out-of-hours service," he said. "Previously, any person who found a stray dog out of office hours would either have to take care of it or take it to Ormskirk or Skelmersdale Police Stations, which was not always convenient, particularly for those residing in the northern parts of the District. Under the new arrangements, an effective door-to-door service will be provided." Anyone who has found and holds a stray dog can call the West Lancs Council's main switchboard on 01695 577177 to arrange collection. Calls can be received up to 9pm in the evening on weekdays and between 8am-7pm at weekends and Bank Holidays. Sefton Council were unable to comment. 4/4/2008 6:02:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6618 SOUTHPORT'S ambulance station will not be moved out of the town, it has been confirmed. The North West Ambulance Service has confirmed that a Private Finance Initiative scheme will go ahead, combining new ambulance and fire stations at the current Court Road site. The announcement puts an end to rumours that the station was to be moved, with a suggestion that paramedics could be relocated as far away as Formby. The PFI scheme, being carried out across Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria, is a Fire and Rescue Services project aimed at building 16 community fire stations in the North West. A spokesperson for NWAS said: “Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service approached the Trust last year to take part in a PFI scheme to build new premises on the current site that we share with the service. “Due to tight timescales that were presented to us, the Trust was unable to give proper consider-ation to this proposal in line with our own estates strategy. Recently the Trust has been given a second opportunity to re-consider and see developed plans in detail. “We can now confirm that we will be working together with the fire service on this PFI scheme, to rebuild Southport Ambulance Station, in the same location.” Southport MP John Pugh said he was pleased that the scheme is set to provide new facilities for both emergency services. The MP added: “One plus for Southport residents will be the linking up of the radio systems of the previously separate Merseyside and Lancashire services. “Because we are on the edge of the Merseyside County, in the past ambulances have come from Crosby when there might have been a Lancashire one nearer. “Now we  should all get a better service.” As of Tuesday (April 1) a new ‘Call Connect’ scheme was also launched, reducing the target for ambulance response times to eight minutes.   4/4/2008 5:58:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6617 American musicians have visited Southport as part of plans for a Country Music festival in the town. Although the plans are only on the drawing board, big names such as Dolly Parton and Brad Paisley are being tossed around as possible headlining acts. The first festival, which is being organised by Southport businessman and radio presenter Mike Swift, could take place before the end of the year, although 2009 is thought to be more likely. Mike claims that the idea has the backing of Sefton Council . A list of potential sponsors is also being drawn up. The bedrock of the festival will be British country singers, such as up and coming acts like Dean Johnson. But Mr Swift said that the lure of playing on Merseyside would be tempting to even the biggest of stars. “If you’re an American music star interested in your roots then the idea of coming over here is attractive. The reaction we’re getting from the feelers we’ve put out is that they think this part of the world is awesome. “I would not rule out any big name headlining this event, even someone as famous and popular as Dolly Parton.” Earlier this week Dory and Bob Hayman from Maryland – who play in a band called Cherrybud – visited the town to talk about the technical aspects of bringing American acts over to Southport for the planned three-day festival. They made several appearances on radio stations in Merseyside and Lancashire, performing live songs and linking up with a radio station that Dory presents for in the US for a trans-Atlantic chat. The couple have already pledged to play. Dory said: “Southport’s beautiful, we were very impressed. The festival idea’s a great one.” By Rob Doyle 4/4/2008 5:56:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6613 The founder of Southport could soon be without a church because urgent repairs are needed. William Sutton is buried in St Cuthbert's graveyard, Churchtown, but the building needs £150,000 of repairs. Sutton was baptised and married at the church that has a history dating back to 1178. Mike Hopwood, the chairman of St Cuthbert's building fund, believes it is a very challenging target to meet. He said: "Each window needs differing treatments, we need £75,000 for the roof and £75,000 for the windows. "Some of the stain glass windows are starting to bow and we've been told they need urgent attention. "Wear and tear is the major factor, we have had a lot of slates falling off and these are creating damp, its part of the aging process. "The recent storms didn't help and it's become symptomatic of a bigger problem," he added. The site has had a church of some form for over 825 years but the building is constantly changing. Legend has it that monks carried the body of St Cuthbert to the site in the ninth century before laying it to rest in Durham. North Meols was mentioned in the Doomsday book and the first Rector, Adam the Clerk, was at the church in 1178. The present church dates from 1739 but Mike Hopwood believes its place belongs firmly in the future. He said: "It's the mother church of Southport and it means a lot of things to a lot of people. "The place has got an emotional nostalgia, people have been married and baptised here. "We want to preserve this for the future but we have to be mindful of the history. "Our job is to make sure we continue as a place of worship for years to come and get another 800 years out of it," he added. Mr Hopwood says taking pews out of the church to try and generate more income would bring sadness. He said: "Taking out some pews is one option that we may have to consider to make it more of a multi-purpose building during the week because it's empty. "It would sadden a lot of people, a lot of churches have gone down that route but I don't support the idea. "On nice days people will pop in to have a look around, you could almost say the church is a tourist attraction in itself. "People travel from far away to visit the church, we have had visitors from as far as Canada and Australia," he added. Anyone who wants more information or to donate to the appeal should contact Mike Hopwood on 01704 213027. By Andy Ashcroft   4/3/2008 6:43:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6612 A 10-year plan to move Southport 'upmarket' will soon be finalised. A draft of the Southport Investment Strategy (SIS) was put up for public consultation and now the council and the Southport Partnership have reported on the feedback. "We had about 90 people respond, with everything from the sublime to the ridiculous," Stefan Jankowski of the Southport Partnership said. "Some we have taken on board and adopted them into the strategy." Some of the changes brought about by public suggestions include developing and promoting Ainsdale, Birkdale and Churchtown as Southport's villages, emphasising the importance of the resort's beaches and coastline to its economy, improving shopping in the town to attract tourists and strengthening links with neighbouring areas. The strategy does not set out details of how these steps will be achieved.  They will be decided at a later stage. The plans will mean exciting times for Southport, Mr Jankowski said. "It is the right way forward," he said.  "We are talking 10 years of development, starting now.  The important thing is it is not just about building new buildings, but the people of Southport and what is right for them.  "It has a lot of different aspects - not just economic improvement, but health and housing as well." The plans include several 'headline projects' for Southport, such as Urban Splash's development of the Pleasureland site, a cultural centre made up of the Arts Centre, Atkinson art gallery and library, a 'major' shopping mall in the town centre, the proposed Kew housing estate and a plan to cut unemployment. The strategy also sets out ambitious plans to split Southport into 10 quarters, similar to Liverpool's Cavern Quarter and Cultural Quarter, to introduce a public transport interchange, improve Kew roundabout and market the resort as an 'eco-town'. The final strategy is set to be approved by Sefton Council committees this month. By Natasha Robson   4/3/2008 6:39:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6611 Transformation of Southport's Pontin's holiday village into the company's national HQ will be completed on Friday. The move from its former base in Chorley comes after investment company Ocean Parcs bought the chain of holiday camps, famous for their Bluecoats, in a £46million deal. A modernisation of the seven UK Pontin's holiday villages will begin "within months", overseen from the company's new Southport base. "It will be business as usual for this season because we already have bookings taken, but we are reviewing each individual site and will put forward the thought processes to bring them into the 21st century," Ocean Parcs executive chairman and former senior manager at Pontin's, Graham Parr, told The Champion. "Southport is an important position for us and we are keen to get it right.  We will start the process over the next few months.  Whatever we will be doing will be to improve the overall facilities and services of each of the villages." The company believes in coming years, British families will increasingly prefer to holiday in the UK, concerned not only about the environmental impact of frequent short haul air travel but also increasing concerns about security and the 'stress factor' of poor airport experiences. Chief executive of Ocean Parcs, Ian Smith, lives very close to Southport and was previously group finance director at Matalan. Ian Smith said: "With people becoming increasingly aware of carbon emissions and the increased costs associated with environmentally unfriendly travel, more and more people are choosing to holiday more frequently and closer to home. I believe Pontin's has significant potential to increase the number of guests to its sites by adapting to the needs of the 21st century holidaymaker by adopting a  modern and stylistic approach to holidaying in the UK. Pontin's has some great people and I am looking forward to working with them to take the business forward in the months and years to come." Experienced property developer Clarke Osbourne is property director for Ocean Parcs and barrister John Parr is non-executive director. By Natasha Robson 4/3/2008 6:34:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6609 TWO Southport Post Offices are set for definite closure, despite weeks of battling to keep them open. Protests, petitions and ongoing talks were not enough to save the Forest Road and Manor Road branches, as Post Office Ltd yesterday (Tuesday April 1) announced the final decision. The branches are two of 58 across Lancashire, Fylde and Southport that are scheduled to start closing later this month, having first been earmarked in the Area Plan proposal on January 22. Liberal Democrat MP John Pugh, who led campaigns throughout a six-week consultation period that ended on March 3, blasted the decision, saying: "The response to the proposals when announced was fantastic; politicians from all sides did their bit and the residents set to lose their Post Offices turned out en masse to show their support. Hard and argued evidence was presented against closure. "Despite all this, however, we're subjected to the same old rubbish about what's "viable" and told that the closures will be going ahead as planned. "I feel very sorry for the staff and their loyal customers. The entire process of pseudo- consultation leaves a very nasty taste and offers no real hope for the future of the network." Staff at Forest Road's sub Post Office were too upset to comment on the news yesterday. Post Office Ltd's network development manager for the North West, Richard Lynds, said: "These are difficult decisions which have not been taken lightly. We have considered very carefully all the comments made during the publicconsultation. MP Pugh is now urging Parliament to launch an investigation into the previous consultation process, after claiming that it mainly represented little more than a token gesture. 4/2/2008 4:10:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6606 Two new semi-detached houses in Southport had been secretly turned into a cannabis farm, a court heard on Tuesday (April 1 2008). Brazenly the top floor of the houses had been knocked into one to accommodate the drugs business, said Mandy Nepal, prosecuting. A total of 750 plants in various stages of growth and with a total street value of up to £72,000 were discovered. Working as "gardeners" at the sophisticated hydroponic enterprise were two illegal Chinese immigrants, a man and woman, who were both arrested. Sheng Lian and Li Xiao, both of no fixed address, pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to producing cannabis but denied conspiring together and with others to produce the drug and that charge was dropped. Jailing them both for two years Judge Nigel Gilmour, QC, said, "The photographs show this was a sophisticated greenhouse that had been created in these two houses. "You were both given responsibility to care for these plants." Recommending them for deportation Judge Gilmour said that they do not speak English and would easily be tempted into criminality again. Mandy Nepal, prosecuting, told the court that police raided the newly built houses in Liverpool Road, Birkdale on January 25 (2008). On the top floor they found high powered lighting, air filtering and a hydroponic system, fans, thermometers, a large quantity of plant food and propagators.  "The rooms had been sealed and covered up with foil to preserve the heat and there was a punget sweet aroma of cannabis," she said. 51-year-old Lian was asleep but she woke during the search and was arrested. Xiao, 35, told police he had only been living there for ten days after being approached by a Chinese man who said he would look for work for him.   He denied knowing Lian, however photographs by police showed the couple together the previous November. Lian told officers that she had been approached by a Chinese man who said he could help her find work.   The court heard that neither of the defendants has any previous convictions and have both been served with deportation papers. Ken Grant, defending, said that Lian, who wept throughout the hearing, is a single woman who had decided to come over here to find work to finance her old age. She paid £12,500 to be brought here and was introduced to a man who escorted her to the house. She was not paid cash and just got her board and keep. Defence barrister Simon Driver said that Xiao had been vulnerable after arriving in this country and had effectively been driving into this offending. The photographs showed how humble their sleeping quarters were, he added. By Lynda Roughley 4/2/2008 3:33:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6604 A young mother who waited more than seven hours for a hospital bed awoke to find her sheets crawling with ants. Laura Foxley, 22, had to sit on a chair with a drip attached to her because no other beds were available. "I was absolutely appalled. It was the worst day of my life," Laura, of High Park, Southport, told Champnews.com. Laura's boyfriend had taken her to Southport Hospital's A&E on Wednesday March 26 2008 after she blacked out six times during the day following a fall in which she hit her head. "I went in about 5pm, saw a doctor around 7 than sat in the waiting area from 7 to 11 o'clock.  Then I was transferred to the clinical decisions unit until midnight, then I got in a bed then," Laura, mum to one-year-old Harry, said. But when she awoke in the morning, Laura was shocked to find ants crawling over her bed and bedside table and was moved to a chair in the ward. "So I spent most of my stay sitting on a chair," Laura added. Her dad, who visited her while she waited in A&E, described the waiting area as "a chaotic scene". A spokesman for Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust said during Easter and in the days afterwards both hospitals had been "extremely busy" and on the day Laura was admitted, surrounding hospitals were unable to help take any of their patients. "As a result some patients had to spend more time than normal in A&E and while we accept that this is not ideal, no patient was put at risk," he said. "We do not know why there has been this unprecedented pressure on the whole health economy at this time, but we would urge people to consider whether the accident and emergency department is the most appropriate place to get the treatment they need.  We would ask people to consider other alternatives if they do not need the full accident and emergency services.  These include the minor injuries unit at Ormskirk & District General Hospital; the walk-in-centre at the Concourse, Skelmersdale; their GP or the GP out of hours service; their local pharmacy or NHS Direct." There had been a problem with ants in the offices in A&E and CDU, he said, and they were dealt with. He added: "It is true that some ants did unfortunately reach as far as the bed that Ms Foxley was in, we believe attracted by the open bottle of fizzy drink she had with her.  "We dealt with them as quickly as we could and no other area of the ward was affected." By Natasha Robson 4/2/2008 2:47:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6601 A FAMOUS author visited two Southport schools  as part of reading initiative. Gareth Thompson, children's and teenage author, visited Stanley High and Christ the King to meet the children and answer questions on his books. The visit was part of an initiative set up by Pritchard's Bookshop of Crosby to encourage reading amongst children by visiting schools with authors. Tony Higginson of Pritchard's hopes the series of events will encourage children to put down their computer games and pick up a book. He said: "Bringing the author into the community and readership area get us a little further in encouraging kids to enjoy reading." Tony feels the success of the scheme, which is running alongside the national year of reading, has been bolstered by the Liverpool 08 celebrations, saying: "It has been difficult to get the authors here but Liverpool 08 and the year of reading have given us a leg up." Gareth Thompson's latest book, Sunshine to the Sunless, a coming of age story about the power of flowers, is available in good bookshops. The next event will see Anne Fine, the author of Mrs Doubtfire, appear at the Crosby Civic Hall this Thursday from 7pm.  For more information on the scheme contact Tony on 01704 875765. 3/31/2008 12:05:00 PM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6600 A CHEAP fruit and veg scheme in High Park has been expanded to meet demand. Customers can now collect their orders from noon to 4pm every Wednesday at the Church of St Simon and St Jude, Old Park Lane. Customers can place the order to be collected the following week.  There are bags of fruit, veg and salad which cost £2.50 each and are locally produced where possible and come with little packaging to reduce environmental damage. The scheme is open to all from the North Sefton area and you can order as many bags as you like. For further information contact Ian Mitchell on 01704 501 024 x 205 or email ian.mitchell@seftoncvs.org.uk. 3/31/2008 12:04:00 PM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6599 A CAMPAIGN to track down wartime "Land Girls" for a special award, has received a positive response. MP John Pugh had recently launched the appeal to find local woman who worked hard to provide food and fuel during World War I or II, and give them recognition for their work with a national award. The Liberal Democrat said: "I've already been contacted by several local land girls who should hopefully be eligible for the new award celebrating their contribution." The campaign has now also received backing from the resort's British Lawnmower Museum on Shakespeare Street, which currently displays a unique WWII spade produced for the "Dig for Britain" campaign. The museum's curator, Brian Radam, has announced that local land girls will be given free entry to the museum. MP Pugh added: "Thanks to Mr Radam they can take a trip down memory lane and take another look at some of the tools they got to know so well." 3/31/2008 12:03:00 PM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6598 A TRADER admitted selling fake designer clothes from his stall in Southport market hall over nine months. Jamshed Iqbal, 26, pleaded guilty to 13 counts of selling or intending to sell counterfeit goods from his clothes stall Eyecatchers. Following a tip-off, Sefton Council officers bought clothes in test purchases that were found to be fake on inspection. On April 27 2007 council and police officers seized 300 items from the stall and Iqbal, of Manchester Road, Bolton, was arrested. He admitted owning the stall and buying the counterfeit clothes, with labels including Henri Lloyd, Paul and Shark and North Face. But in January a senior council official found more fake labelled clothing at Iqbal's stall. "Again he admitted he purchased the goods from Manchester," Gill Brown, for Sefton, told Southport magistrates on Thursday March 27. "He paid £25 for a North Face tracksuit and conceded a real tracksuit would cost more than £100. "Mr Iqbal operated for several months buying clothes at very cheap prices.  He should have been alerted that they were counterfeit goods." Iqbal did not know "100%" the goods were fake, although he had suspicions, defending, Suzanne Dooley, told the court. "He is from an extremely respectable family in Bolton and his family are quite embarrassed about their son appearing before the court.  He considers he has let down the family by a great deal," she said. He had no experience in the market trade and was "naÔve", she said. He also sold genuine name brand clothing on his stall, but decided to close the stall in January this year and is now unemployed. Magistrates sentenced Iqbal to a 100-hour community order, taking into account his early guilty pleas. He must pay prosecution costs of £1,705 using his savings.  All the counterfeit items were seized. A spokesman for Sefton Council said: "Buying cheap fake goods may seem like a bargain but that doesn't mean you are getting a good deal, in fact you are probably worse off in the long run. "One way or another everyone ends up paying through the nose for this illegal trade. Whether through lost jobs or lost profits for legitimate businesses or higher costs being passed back to the consumer, we all lose out. This is not acceptable and needs to stop. "Hopefully this case will serve as a warning to others that selling counterfeit goods does not pay." 3/31/2008 12:02:00 PM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6597 SOUTHPORT 2 BOSTON UNITED 2 Just 864 spectators were present to see Southport held to a 2-2 draw at Haig Avenue on Saturday after Boston United, who had been two goals behind at half time and played dismally, scored a last minute equaliser. Earlier in the season, fortune seemed to be on The Sandgrounders side but, ever since the Worcester game in January, that luck seems to have deserted them. Strong winds, driving rain and a bumpy pitch made things difficult for both sides but Southport started brightly and were 1-0 up within five minutes when Tony Gray equalled a club record by scoring for the seventh successive game. His 30-yard shot in the second minute had been touched for a corner by Chris Wright but Southport’s leading scorer made no mistake three minutes later, confidently slotting in a Michael Rae pass from six yards after good work by captain Chris Holland. Mark Duffy had a shot deflected for a corner in the 16th minute and shot wide shortly afterwards but The Port’s most dangerous attacker finally got the ball in the net in the 39th minute, driving a low free kick superbly into the right hand corner after the pedestrian Paul Ellender had fouled Rae, who had another impressive game, just outside the area. It looked all over by half time but whatever was said to the Southport players at the interval, they came out of the dressing room a changed side. Enthusiasm and passion gave way to a strange lethargy, despite constant frantic instructions being shouted from the bench, and, against all the odds, The Pilgrims started to get back into the game. The Sandgrounders only meaningful efforts in the second half were a Rae shot which Wright palmed away for a corner from which Kevin Lee headed narrowly wide. On the 58th minute, reserve keeper Terry Smith, well short of match practice, allowed Simon Weaver’s header to sail over his head and suddenly it was game on. Smith redeemed himself by stopping a fierce 25-yard shot from John Rowan but Weaver struck again in the second minute of stoppage time when he headed in the equaliser from substitute Ashley Nicholl’s corner with the home defence totally at sixes and sevens. Southport have now taken just 5 points out of 21 in their last seven home games. Their last win on home turf was on Boxing Day, hardly promotion form. However, they have perhaps the easiest run in of all the teams around them plus they have games in hand over nearest rivals Nuneaton. A place in the play-offs is theirs to throw away. Next Saturday, The Yellows are back in the Midlands at Solihull Moors whom they beat 3-2 at Haig Avenue in September. The Moors, at their new ground, are struggling in 18th place in the table and this is a game Southport must be expected to win, especially as their away form is good with 10 points from the last 4 games.     Trust in Yellow are running a coach to Solihull Moors on the 5th April 2008. The coach leaves the Arion (Ainsdale), at 10.40, The Crown (Birkdale) 10.50, the George at 10.55 and Haig Avenue at 11.00. This coach is £12 to members. £17 Non members To book on these coaches phone Alan Scarisbrick on 07980911693 or visit the trust office on matchdays. BY RON ELLIS 3/31/2008 2:00:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6592 A 70-YEAR-old rollerblader has slammed the "headmistress-type" women who tick him off for skating on Chapel Street. Geoff Dornan, of Ormskirk, has been blading six years and loves coming to Southport to skate to the music of his favourite guitar-playing buskers. But although he raises plenty of smiles, not everyone is pleased to see him. "I would say 95% are absolutely, extremely positive," Geoff told Champnews.com. "Not just a little bit positive - over the top positive. But there is a kind of headmistress-type of lady who operates in Southport who tells me in very brisk terms I am not allowed to do that. I say no, it only says you have to do it safely, which I do. "I suspect if you were too beautiful people would object as well, but I don't come into that category." Champnews.com readers have criticised Geoff's antics as dangerous, saying he skates "very fast" and "weaves" between shoppers. "Personally I think that as a person of a certain age he should be setting a good example to the younger generation in Southport," one resident said. But Geoff says he gives pedestrians "100% right of way" and has never had any collisions. "I skate everywhere I go - that's why my car mileage has gone down 90% and my health has gone up a great deal," Geoff said. "People have the idea if you drive into Southport and go round and round you are not being dangerous, whereas if you rollerblade you are. I know what I would rather collide with - a car or a person. But I think it is completely wrong to collide with anybody and I never do." Geoff comes to Southport two or three times a week, driving to Kew park and ride and then skating to the town centre. He took up rollerblading after his daughter suggested he should lose some weight. Now keeping fit is a temptation rather than a chore, he said. At a recent routine health check-up doctors were so surprised with Geoff's fitness levels they took the tests again. "He said how come at the age of 70 you have got the physiology of a 25-year-old athlete?" Geoff said. Geoff lives near Edge Hill University and has become so popular with students he now has his own appreciation society on social networking website Facebook, with almost 2,000 members. By Natasha Robson 3/26/2008 3:57:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6591 A 59-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday (March 25 2008) after firearms and grenades were discovered at a Southport house. Merseyside Police recovered seven handguns and a rifle, along with two de-activated grenades and ammunition from the Millars Pace address. Part of the street was cordoned off whilst the grenades were removed from the property. Neighbourhood Inspector for Southport, Neil Moss, said: “Merseyside Police is determined to remove firearms from our streets and to stop the circulation of illegal weapons, which can be used for criminal activity and have the potential to impact on our communities.” By Natasha Young   3/26/2008 2:55:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6590 An award winning fish and chip shop is in danger of closing because of an invasion of scaffolding.   Dolphin Restaurants has served up some of the best seaside food in the country for the last 25 years.   Now conservation work opposite the restaurant on Scarisbrick Avenue makes it look like the road is closed, owner Bob Handley says the council has stopped him putting up a sign telling people he is open for business.   He said: “I’ve been running this restaurant along with my father since 1982. We asked the council for a board on the corner of Scarisbrick Ave and Lord Street but they have told me no. This will be ongoing for over a year and people just won’t walk past the scaffolding.”   Mr Handley added: “I normally employee 12-15 staff but at the moment it’s the opposite, I’m laying people off.”   Mr Handley says he has spoken to the conservation department at the council but they wrote to him saying the highways department won’t allow a sign.   A spokesman for Sefton Council said: “Once the refurbishment work is finished, Scarisbrick Avenue will be greatly enhanced with a once derelict building and seven shopfronts restored to their former glory.   “We are aware of Mr Hanley’s concerns and are working with the developer to ensure that people can get to and use businesses along Scarisbrick Avenue while this major project is underway.   “We have a duty to enforce national legislation and make sure pavements are safe for all pedestrians so it was decided Mr Hanley could not put up a sign near the entrance to Scarisbrick Avenue on Lord Street.”   3/25/2008 9:58:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6583 TICKETS for this year’s Salvation Army Roots festival in Southport (May 2-5) are now on sale. The Christian festival will see thousands from across the country descended on the resort for “faith, worship, prayer, bible study, lectureship, fellowship and fun”. Attractions include entertainment in the Big Top arena and a Cafe Church, there will also be a new free event, which will take place on Sunday 4 May between 2.30pm and 5.30pm. The idea of the Going Public Festival is to open up the event to people from Sefton and West Lancashire. Events include music, drama, puppets, face painting, balloon making, fancy dress, games, and a bouncy castle.  The activities will be run by the Roots team and delegates and entrance to the festival will be free. People from various Christian denominations are welcome. During the weekend internationally-renowned speakers will include Jeff Lucas, who will bring his own unique and humorous teaching style, and Shane Claiborne - founder of the Simple Way Movement in America. Roots 2008 also welcomes Nims Obunge, founder of the Peace Alliance and Phil Wall who is CEO of Signify, a management consultancy, founder of Hope HIV and co-founder of Roots. Organiser Russell Rook said: “‘Going Public’ is not so much a statement as an all encompassing vision that consumes the whole of our lives. Through it we’ll look at some of the world’s challenges, reflect upon the early followers of Christ and remind ourselves that things don’t need to be this way, the world can be different and with Christ there is an alternative possibility.” A family pass, including two adults and up to four immediate children, costs £180 for the four days of the event which runs for the weekend of 2 to 5 May 2008 before any discount is applied. If you book before the end of this month a family ticket will cost £175.50 - saving £4.50. Full priced Individual tickets cost £85 per adult, £70 concessions and £65 for 18s and under, for the full four days. Concessions count for students, unemployed, single parents, Salvation Army officers, cadets and senior citizens. Again discounts apply. A campsite pitch costs £50 or £85 with an electrical connection. Accommodation is also available through Pontins. Please ring the booking and information line on 0845 450 4565 for more details. Sponsorship is available for people who would otherwise be unable to afford to come to the event. 3/24/2008 6:29:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6582 Bernie Murphy, the Liverpool Pembroke Sefton veteran star, finished an amazing 18th in a field of 10,000 in the classy Bath Half Marathon.   Going through 10K in 33.38 he went on to clock a very respectable 1.11.29 for the full course. He is really enjoying his running these days and this sort of test sets him up well for the forthcoming London Marathon.   Toby Loveridge (Mersey) has enjoyed a fantastic first season with LPS but his luck ran out at the Inter-counties Cross Country Championships at Nottingham`s Wollaton Park. Leading briefly in the Under 15 event disaster overtook him on a sharp bend, he pulled a hamstring and was forced to drop out. A frustrating experience that happens to most athletes at some time or other. His focus will now shift to the track season and lowering his personal best times.   In the same event Mike Bride (Mersey) will be more than content with his 140th spot after an injury prone year. Chris Hatton recorded 166th for Lancashire.   At Under 13 level Kyle Nicholls was 132nd and fourth counter in the Lancashire team that finished 16th.   Warren Turner was 169 for Merseyside.   Also in a Merseyside vest Kirsty Longley had what was a poor run for her after fighting a virus for several weeks. At 191st in the Senior Women`s race she was still third in for Merseyside. A small consolation. 3/20/2008 10:11:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6580 ANGRY residents could apply for an injunction to block a housing development in Banks. Locals, backed by the parish council, say the 18-house scheme is not "affordable" as it claims to be. Chairman of North Meols Parish Council, David Vickers, said planning policies had been ignored. "The decision to allow the development at Glebe Lane was wrong," he told The Champion. "From reports I received from people who were at the meeting a considerable amount of misinformation was disseminated to the committee members by the planning officer in attendance. Whether this was deliberate or not I do not know." To afford the £160,000 houses, a couple would need a combined income of £24,000 a year, he said. "The average income of young couples living in Banks is about £17,500.  To be truly affordable houses need to be round about £100,000.  That would give young people a chance to buy in 25 or 50%." Five species of amphibian, including rare great crested newts, were found on the site and a full study should have been carried out during their breeding season, Mr Vickers added. Now Banks residents are gathering evidence to apply for an injunction against the development and Mr Vickers is hopeful of their success. "What could happen is a judge could order the council and developers to follow their own laws and policies," he said. "An accusation of NIMBYism has been levelled against those who are objecting to the development. Nothing can be further from the truth. If the developer was to withdraw the current plans and submit new plans for a sheltered housing complex and leave part of the land free to construct a wildlife area then they would get support from the residents." Planning permission for the three terraced blocks was granted by West Lancs District Council's planning committee at a meeting last week, pending a section 106 agreement that normally means the developers must give some money to be used in the local area. Developers Clovermoore Developments could not be reached fore comment. By Natasha Robson 3/20/2008 9:48:00 AM http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6579 The derelict Pedigree Puppies site at Tarleton lights is to be transformed into new offices. Locals have welcomed the news of the four-building barn-style complex and work has already begun to clear the site. "I am very pleased to see Tarleton's grot spot is going to be turned into something useful," chairman of Tarleton Parish Council, Dave Rydings said. "It has been like that for many, many years and I think the use of the site that has been chosen is a laudable one.  Anything else would probably not have been quite right for it because of the amount of traffic using that junction." The offices will be one and two storeys built from 'rustic brick' with timber panels and slate roofs.  There will be a courtyard at the centre and a 39-space car park. "We are delighted it has been approved.  It will be great for the community," Margaret Eastham of development agents Fish Associates said.                  The decision was made by West Lancs District Council's planning committee on Thursday March 13.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      &