Victim’s ?200 “thankyou”
to stake-out police
by Terry Johnson
DETECTIVES “staked-out” a crime-prone district of Warrington after a spate of night-time burglaries brought heartache to residents.
Their nightly vigils resulted in the arrest of the 35-year-old offender, who has been jailed for five years for his crimes.
Now the team of officers who stamped out the one-man crime wave have been thanked by a victim who has sent a ?200 cheque – “to help others in their hour of need”.
The woman donor, who does not wish to be named, sent the money to Cheshire Constabulary’s Community Involvement Fund.
Chairman, Supt Dave Booth, said: “We are very grateful for this generous contribution”.
The fund helps elderly victims of crime, people in distress, children in need and community groups.
Police spokeswoman, Holly Simpson, said: “The burglar was caught after a period of surveillance by CID officers”.
Police in hunt
for tyre slasher
by Gary Skentelbery
POLICE are investigating a spate of crimes in Lymm at the start of the New Year which left a large number of people feeling deflated when their car tyres were slashed.
An estimated 30 vehicles had their tyres slashed causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. A number of windows were also smashed.
Police are now studying CCTV footage which may have captured some of the incidents which occured between Rushgreen Service Station and the Farmer’s Arms pub.
One victim, who did not wish to be named, said: “I parked my vehicle at 6.45am and when I returned to it at around 9am one of the tyres was completely deflated. It looked like it had been slashed with a knife.
“I have heard of around 30 incidents of vehicles having their tyres slashed. Someone was obviously on a mission to cause as much damage as possible. I didn’t even bother reporting the incident to the police because it is a waste of time.
A Cheshire Police spokesperson said: “We have identified 10 incidents reported to police during the day on Monday January 3.
“They occurred on Rushgreen Road and the surrounding area in Lymm and a number were reports of criminal damage. Officers are currently following several lines of enquiry including reviewing CCTV images.”
Homes plan approved
for garage site
by David Skentelbery
PLANS re-develop a garage site for housing have been given the green light by councillors at Warrington.
An outline application for housing on the site of Lingley Autos, in Lingley Road, Great Sankey was approved by members of the borough council’s development control committee.
The scheme was opposed by Great Sankey Parish Council and a number of neighbours on the grounds additional housing would increase traffic on a road already struggling to cope.
Residents also claimed there would be a loss of privacy, the sewerage system would be unable to cope and there would be a loss of trees, bushes and wildlife habitats.
Planning officers argued, however, that the scheme offered scope to tidy up an eyesore site.
Coun Celia Jordan said: “The site is a sight.”
However she pointed out that Lingley House – an attractive mock Georgian house which would be demolished under the proposals – could be retained and converted into apartments.
She would like to see this house preserved when the site was re-developed.
Health project in line
for top national award
by Terry Johnson
A WARRINGTON healthcare project for people with learning disabilities has been short-listed for a national award.
‘Access All Areas’ is among four finalists from 200 entries for the Foundation of Nursing Studies Mallabar Award.
Since the Warrington project was set up in 2001, patients with learning disabilities accessing healthcare has leapt from 22 per cent to 98 per cent.
The help project is steered by Warrington Primary Care Trust and 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust. It offers healthy choices and presents information in new pictures-and-symbols formats.
The scheme has already been hailed as ‘best practice’ in the Govt’s latest public health White Paper.
Scott Harrison, the nurse leading the project, and colleague Liz Berry, will make a presentation to the House of Lords this month before final judging by a panel of leading healthcare professionals.
Liz said: “This partnership has made a real difference to the lives of people with learning disabilities.
“We endeavour to change culture around this area of care”.
The Foundation of Nursing Studies is a UK-based charity which helps nurses, midwives and health visitors to improve patient care.
Concert series offers
classics to jazz
by staff reporter
MUSIC ranging from string quartets and male voice choirs to brass bands and jazz will be presented at St Wilfrid’s Church, Grappenhall, Warrington this year.
The “Live at St Wilfrid’s” series of concerts starts on January 28 and runs through until November.
Among those appearing will be international concert pianist Stephen Hough – who hails from Warrington – the Warrington Male Voice Choir, the Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel Band, cellist Steven Isserlis, pianists John Lenehan and Martin Roscoe.
The programme is as follows: Friday, January 28: Guy Johnston (cello) and Brenda Blewitt with a guest appearance of Magnus Johnston with Faculty Members of the Bowdoin International Music Festival, Maine, USA, playing Beethoven and Arensky.
Thursday February 10: Sacconi String Quartet, playing Haydn, Janacek and Beethoven.
Saturday, March 5: Marianne Thorsen (violin), Graham Oppenheimer (viola), Nicholas Jones (cello) and Martin Roscoe (piano) playing Schumann, Lekeu, Brahms.
Thursday, April 14: Sergei Salov (piano) playing Scarlatti, Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy and Ravel.
Saturday May 7: Chetham’s School of Music Ensembles and String Orchestras playing Bach, Stravinsky, etc.
Saturday June 18: Warrington Male Voice Choir with Catrin Morgan and Rakhi Singh (violins).
Saturday, September 17: Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel Band.
Thursday October 20: Steven Hough (piano) and Steven Isserlis (cello) playing Strauss, Brahms, Webern, Brahms.
November 17: John Lenehan (piano) playing transcriptions from Barber of Seville, Tales of Hoffmann, Bach’s Toccata and Fugue and jazz inspired works by Gershwin, Fats Waller, etc.
Council to consider
“area committee” idea?
by David Skentelbery
NEW “area committees could be set up at Warrington to help bring the borough council closer to the people.
Similar committees have already been established in a number of boroughs – including neighbouring Trafford and Stockport – and consideration is being given to the idea at Warrington.
Now the Liberal Democrat opposition group is to pledge it support for the move.
Coun Celia Jordan, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat group, is to move a resolution at tonight’s meeting of the council welcoming the idea.
The group notes that Cheshire Police are moving towards neighbourhood policing units, based on geographic blocks and believes area committees would take the idea a stage further.
Area committees have proved a great success in other areas.
Said Coun Jordan: “We believe the formation of area committees would be a significant way of bringing the council closer to the people it serves.”
In Trafford and Stockport, area committees deal with a wide range of issues affecting people living in the area, such as highways, planning, environment, etc.
They have limited budgets for spending in their own area and can make recommendations to the full council.
Allotment blaze
FIRE crews were called to allotments adjoining Victoria Park, Warrington when fire broke out involving a storage shed. The cause of the outbreak was not clear but arson has not been ruled out.
