Gunmen flee after
failed bank raid
by David Skentelbery
TWO armed men failed in a bid to rob a Warrington bank – thanks to quick witted bank staff.
The raid was at the HSBC branch in Bruche Heath Gardens at Bruche.
Staff were closing the bank at the end of the day when the pair – one brandishing a handgun – tried to force their way in.
A staff member realised what was happening and managed to slam the door in the raiders’ faces.
The pair then fled in a silver coloured BMW car which was found later, burned out, in Mawdsley Avenue, Padgate.
It bore the number plates HY05 0ZZ.
The two men were both described as stocky and about six feet tall. They wore clean, three quarter length high visibility jackets, clean white hard hats and balaclavas. They were carrying rucksacks.
Police are appealing for witnesses – either of the raid itself, or of the car at Padgate – to come forward to help with enquiries.
Anyone who can help should call DC Moira Hay on 0845 458 0000.
Haggis butcher John
hangs up his cleaver
by David Skentelbery and Mark Hemmings
A WARRINGTON butcher who gained fame for exporting haggis to Scotland has hung up his cleaver after 53 years.
John Loake, of Latchford, used to send 2,000 haggis a year north of the border – and 16 years ago nearly beat the Scottish champion haggis maker in a head to head contest.
But he only started making what Robert Burns described as the “great chieftain of the pudding race” accidentally, 25 years ago – and he only entered the trade, as a butcher’s boy, because he wanted to ride the bike!
That was in the Coronation year of 1953 and he recalls taking part in the celebrations as a 12-year-old, appropriately dressed as a Beefeater.
John said: “Rationing was still in effect when I first started. I wanted to be a butcher’s boy for the bike really – the huge basket on the front appealed to me.
“My days would start with a delivery before school at 8am, after making the boss a drink, and then from 4pm until 6pm when I had finished school. Of course the whole of Saturday was spent in the shop too.”
It was around 1981 when John – by then running his own business – got an order to supply haggis for a Burns Night. He asked another firm to make them, but they let him down so he made his own, using a recipe book he had been given when he was 12.
An exiled Scot who was a regular customer pronounced them “magnificent” and sent some to Aberdeen for a joke.
It was the start of a regular export trade for John – and in 1990 he travelled to Dumfries to take on Scottish champion Kerr Little in a contest organised by the Burns Howff Club, who meet at the Globe Inn where Burns used to drink.
The judges voted 8-3 in favour of the Scottish haggis – but praised John’s effort as “a good, technically sound product, but perhaps under-spiced.”
However, John’s haggis featured in a BBC television programme.
John said: “Retirement is an emotional time for me. I will miss my loyal customers, some of who have been with me since day one.
“I intend to travel in winter and play bowls in summer – I think I deserve that after all those years ‘making ends meat'”
Turkeys won’t be getting
stuffed for Christmas
report and picture by Gary Skentelbery
TWO turkeys are actually looking forward to Christmas – as the new star attractions at a children’s zoo.
The rare Royal Palm Turkeys will definitely not end up being stuffed and on a Christmas table with zoo rangers running a special competition for children to name the birds during the festive season.
The 16-week-old birds have been donated to the children’s zoo at Walton Gardens near Warrington from Heritage Bred Poultry Limited as a gift for their educational centre.
Zoo ranger Peter Cookson explained: “These a rare ornamental birds which are usually bred for shows. They can be worth between ?80-?100 and are definitely not for the Christmas table!
“They are a slow growing bird and are not used for meat.
“We have not had any turkeys for a couple of years and it will be very educational for children to be able to see them close up.
“The two birds we have are both stags but we hope to get them some hens in the new year so we can start a breeding programme.”
He said the competition to name the birds would be run over the weekends in December when the Friends of Walton Hall, a heritage group set up to help promote the interests of the former Stately home of Lord Daresbury, would be running a number of yule log making workshops.
Airline boss gives boost
to theatre campaigners
by Mark Hemmings
CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Mr Smith?s Club so it can be converted into a theatre have been given a major boost.
Former Lymm man Maurice Flanagan, executive vice chairman of Emirates Airlines, has agreed to give two business class tickets from Manchester to Dubai to be auctioned to raise money for the campaign.
The action group ? now known as Theatre For Warrington (T4W) had earlier received a ?250,000 pledge from an anonymous private investor.
T4W spokesman Seb Farrell said: “This news, along with the ?250,000 cash injection proves that the Theatre for Warrington campaign has gained respectability and strength in a relatively short space of time, putting us in an excellent position.
“Like any campaign group, we need to prove that we are making good and worthwhile contacts with influential and well respected people. T4W is focused on doing just that – hopefully this news proves it.” Mr Smith?s Club has closed, following the death of founder John Smith, and the building is up for sale.
Developers are believed to be interested in demolishing it to make way for apartments or offices.
But T4W members ? representing performing arts groups across Warrington ? believe the building should be restored to its original use, as a cinema-theatre.
They believe they need about ?3 million to buy the building and restore it as a theatre.
Police to swap
booze for water
by staff reporter
POLICE will be on the streets of Warrington tonight (Saturday) stopping young people and offering to swap bottles of water for booze.
Anyone aged under 18 found with alcohol will be offered a bottle of ArcAngel water ? and warned that if they are stopped again and found to have booze they will be arrested.
The water bottles are labelled with the penalties young people could face if they are stopped again in the next three weeks.
People aged over 16 will face the possibility of an ?80 fine while under 16s risk a ?40 fine. Other possibilities include a formal warning, a reprimand or being referred to an anti-social behaviour process.
As part of the police approach to protecting young people from the dangers of alcohol, unsuspecting parents of those young people found with alcohol, will receive a letter informing them that their child has been found on the streets with booze.
Packed houses for
high school show
by Mark Hemmings
FOLLOWING last year’s production of ?A Slice of Saturday Night?, Lymm High School Sixth Form students presented ?Sweet Charity? to packed houses.
The story tracks the life of a young woman, Charity Hope Valentine, played by Amy Clemo, a BTEC performing arts student, and her desire for a better life.
A 30 strong cast included a host of principal actors. For some it was their first time on the school stage.
The principals, backed by a competent team of dancers and chorus, each added dynamics and flavour, to the production.
Members of the sixth form were involved in the organisation of the show as well as working either as part of the technical crew, backstage team or as musicians in the 20-piece orchestra.
Director and teacher Michael Scott said: “This was a demanding and complex production which was only successful thanks to the hard work and commi
tment of the staff and students involved.
“The sixth form productions at Lymm High School are always well attended and we look forward to next year!”
Fire crews in fight
to save workshop
by staff reporter
MORE than 20 firefighters were involved in a battle to save a workshop building at a coach depot in Athlone Road, Longford, Warrington.
Two main jets were used to tackle the outbreak and covering jets were used to project nearby vehicles from heat and flames.
Two fire engines were originally sent to the scene, but on arrival two further appliances were sent. The single-storey building, about 20 metres by 10 metres, was well alight.
The cause of the outbreak is now under investigation.
[B}Car fire spread
to haystack [/B]
by staff reporter
A CAR fire in Old Cherry Lane, Lymm spread to a nearby haystack and threatened trees and buildings.
But fire crews from Stockton Heath tackled the blaze and manage to get it under control.
A Fire Service spokesman said one fire engine was sent to the scene only to find the blaze had spread to a large haystack. Two further appliances were sent to the scene.
Two hosereel jets were used to tackle the blaze and covering jets to protect nearby building and trees. No-one was hurt.
