Stunned community
pays last respects
to man of vision
by Gary Skentelbery
A COMMUNITY stunned by the shock death of Burtonwood Association UK President Dave Goulden turned out in force to pay their last respects at a packed St Mary’s Church, Great Sankey, at the funeral of the well known parish councillor.
Family, friends and former naval colleagues were joined by members of the Burtonwood Association to celebrate the life of 66-year-old Dave who died suddenly from pancreatic failure.
A guard of honoured lined the path as standard bearers led Mr Goulden’s Union Jack draped coffin into the church. The Association’s Honorary President Aldon Ferguson described Mr Goulden as a man of “great vision,” who had helped lead the Burtonwood Association towards its proposed new heritage centre, which currently has a temporary base at Gulliver’s World.
“This could not have been achieved without Dave. There was never a problem too big for him to tackle and he has formed many friends not only in the UK and America but around the world.”
Mr Goulden’s son Andrew described how his father had joined the Royal Navy at just 15 serving on HMS Hermes and had seen active service in the Suez Campaign in 1956.
As well as working as a contractor at GCHQ in Cheltenham he had also worked at Liverpool City Council on the traffic light management system and with the National Rivers Authroity on their Flood Radar System.
He was a passionate follower of Warrington Rugby League Club and also was a Sea Scouts Leader.
He had served with the navy for 23 years, mainly as a reservist and was a “communications flag waver.”
Reward offered after
armed raiders strike
by David Skentelbery
POLICE are hunting two masked men ? one armed with a handgun ? who raided an off-licence at Warrington.
The raid was at the Bargain Booze shop in Cawdor Street, Stockton Heath.
A lone woman shop assistant was left badly shaken after the raid, although she was not hurt.
Bargain Booze has offered a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the men.
The two men burst into the shop when there were no customers present, threatened the 22-year-old woman with a handgun and forced her to open the till.
One of the men climbed over the counter and took a significant sum of money from the till which was placed in a black bag. The pair then left the shop.
Police are studying CCTV footage of the incident.
Both offenders are said to be in their mid-20s. The gunman was about 6ft tall, of stocky build and was wearing a black balaclava. The second man was about 5ft 8 inches tall, of slim build and was wearing a stocking over his face.
Anyone who can help police is asked to call DC Ian Murray on 01244 613845 or call the anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.
Sunny helps campaign
to save historic baths
by David Skentelbery
WARRINGTON swimming legend Sunny Lowry will figure in a special exhibition to mark the centenary of Manchester?s historic Victoria Baths later this year.
Sunny ? who gained international fame when she became one of the first women to swim the English Channel in 1933 ? had some of her early swimming lessons at the baths and is still, at the age of 95, helping to raise money to restore them.
Her photograph will be included with hundreds of others who have been associated with the baths over the past 100 years in the exhibition from September 7-10.
A special book is also to be published to commemorate the centenary.
The Victoria Baths Trust has been awarded a ?4,900 lottery grant towards the cost of the exhibition and producing the book.
The exhibition will link past and present by using archive photographs alongside modern portraits of more recent visitors in similar poses.
Major figures in the history of the baths will be pictured alongside ordinary people who simply used them for swimming, dancing or leisure.
Among other portraits on show will be former Olympic swimmer James Hickman who trained at the baths when he was a schoolboy, and architect Henry Price, who oversaw the creation of the building?s unique design.
Hundreds of visitors are expected at the exhibition, which coincides with the National Heritage Open Days.
Gill Wright, project manager of the Victoria Baths Trust, said: “Victoria Baths mean a lot to a huge number of people for all sorts of reasons.
“It’s not just those who swam here that think of it fondly, but also those who danced here when it was a dance hall, those who met their partners through coming here, and those who have campaigned to have it reopened.
“It’s also been inspirational to a number of artists, and we thought what better way to represent all the different types of people whose lives have been touched by the Baths than by displaying portraits of those people?”
The baths were closed in 1993 and the Trust has been campaigning ever since to raise ?20 million to reopen the landmark grade II* listed building.
About ?4 million has already been raised – largely thanks to the building winning BBC television’s Restoration series. Work will start in October on the first phase of renovation which involves the crumbling Turkish baths.
Police students carry
out “mock” arrests
by Lesley Wilkinson
DOZENS of police officers were on duty at Gemini Retail Park, Warrington, dealing with “mock-up” arrests.
Shoppers were surprised when the student police officers descended on the Marks and Spencer store for the day as part of their 27-week Initial Police Learning and Development Programme (IPLDP).
They took part in a role-play of scenarios they may become involved in, such as making arrests, dealing with thefts, deceptions and criminal damage. Role-play days are new for Cheshire Constabulary, which now runs its initial training for new officers from HQ at Winsford following the closure of the Bruche Police Training Centre at Warrington.
Inspector David Gordon, IPLDP project manager, said: “We’re really grateful to Marks and Spencer’s for hosting the day and to the students and members of the community who were involved by acting as role players.?
The students have now completed five role-play days, with the level of seriousness of situations increasing each time to ensure they are fully equipped to hit the streets.
After training the officers are assigned to an area, where for the first 10 weeks of service they work with the Tutor Unit.
Inspector Gordon said: “After that, they become Neighbourhood Policing Unit (NPU) officers and will be out working in the community. The role-play days give the student officers first-hand experience outside a classroom so the days really are invaluable.
Inspector Brian Heywood, who heads policing in the Warrington West Neighbourhood Policing Unit (NPU), which includes the Gemini Retail Park, said: “The role play days not only benefit the student PCs. I think they are really beneficial for the community in terms of reassurance.
“And although the officers who are training are not fully trained PCs, the assessors monitoring them are highly experienced police so if any real-life situations should occur they are on hand to deal with or call to other resources to assist.?
Gang of four make off
with cash machine
by staff reporter
A CASH machine was stolen in an early hours raid at Fearnhead, near Warrington.
Four men are believed to have been involved in the burglary at the Spar Shop in Cinnamon Lane.
They used a blue Mercedes van, stolen on Merseyside and since recovered by police, and a white Citroen van which is still missing.
Some of the men are believed to have Merseyside or Liverpool accents.
Anyone who witnessed the raid or can help police in any way is asked to call DC Ian Allen on 01244 613845.
MP’s outspoken attack
on regional health boss
by David Skentelbery
WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones has delivered an outspoken attack on Neil Goodwin ? interim chief executive of the North West Regional Health Authority.
She has tabled a House of Commons motion deploring comments made by Mr Goodwin in the Health Service Journal.
The magazine reported Mr Goodwin as warning that the NHS had to prevent reconfigurations being overturned by politicians.
He was quoted as saying: “I understand the government’s difficulty when backbench MPs traipse in to see ministers and demand a review.?
He went on to say that he was??old and experienced enough to see the capriciousness of politicians.”
Ms Jones retorted: “Mr Goodwin clearly fails to understand the democratic process. If unelected bureaucrats like Mr Goodwin think they can ride rough shod over the interests of ordinary people and not be challenged they are in for a rude awakening.
?I will most certainly continue to stand up for my constituents and for the future of Warrington Hospital.
“This atmosphere that managers know best is spreading in the Health Service and needs to be addressed. I am dismayed that a person holding such views has been appointed as interim chief executive of the North West Regional Health Authority.
“I understand that Mr Goodwin has issued a statement apologising if his comments have been misunderstood.
I don’t think there is much to misunderstand and I call on him to issue an apology for what he has said when he returns from his holiday in the Gambia.”
Youth suffers broken jaw
trying to protect friend
by John Hendon
A 17-year-old youth had his jaw broken when he tried to stop two thugs beating up a friend in the centre of Warrington.
He was taken to hospital for surgery and had to have three plates inserted in his jaw.
Police are appealing for witnesses of the attack which occurred late at night near Mr Smith?s Club.
It is believed the offenders had previously been ejected from the club following an incident inside.
The 17-year-old and an 18-year-old friend were walking towards the club when they saw a man in his mid-20s and about 6ft 5 inches tall. He had short dark hair and may have spoken with an Irish accent.
He hit the 18-year-old for no apparent reason and was then joined by a second man who also hit the 18-year-old, knocking him to the ground.
The 17-year-old stood between the pair and his friend to try and protect him but was struck by the taller man, suffering a broken jaw.
He was taken to Mr Smith?s Club and on the way was kicked by the two offenders.
Police believe the two men were then joined by two girls, one with long blonde hair and one with long dark hair.
The second man was 5ft 7 inches tall, of stock build and with dark hair.
Police are asking witnesses, or anyone who may have seen an earlier incident involving the two men inside the club, to contact them on 01244 61384.
Benefit cheat falsely
claimed ?13,833
by court reporter
A WARRINGTON woman who falsely claimed ?13,833 in benefits has been sentenced to a 12-month rehabilitation order and ordered to pay back the overpayment.
Christine Williams, 59, of Walton, was sentenced at Warrington Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to failing to notify a change in circumstances.
The court was told that between October 2002 and August 2005 Williams defrauded Warrington Borough Council of ?3,621.22 Council Tax and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) of ?10,212.40 Income Support.
Adrian Webster, the council’s benefits manager, said: “Benefit cheats must realise that they cannot abuse the benefit system and steal from the rest of society. They are not just defrauding the government, but their own tax paying neighbours and communities in Warrington.
“Fraud is theft and this case is a clear demonstration of our determination to tackle benefit fraud. We are introducing new methods of data matching – the message now is benefit cheats will be caught – and we are reducing the amount of money lost through fraud and abuse.?
Fraud operations manager for the DWP Roy Paul said: “The public is fed up with cheats who steal money from the taxpayer when it should go to those in genuine need of help.”
Williams was also ordered to pay ?75 costs.
