Asbestos fear – 14 months
after distillery blaze
by David Skentelbery
MORE than 14 months after the disastrous fire which devastated the Greenall?s distillery warehouse at Warrington, asbestos fragments are still being found in gardens up to half-a-mile from the site, a resident has claimed.
Retired professional technology officer Dave Fance says the clean-up operation which took place after the fire on October 15, 2005 was inadequate and that his repeated warnings of the presence of asbestos in the ?fall-out? were ignored for hours.
Mr Fance, who worked with and supervised work on asbestos products and materials for many years, says he notified the borough council of the presence of Laminated Asbestos Roof Sheeting (LARS) in the fall out from the fire three times on the day of the fire, a further three times the following day and again on the day after that.
But police ? who set up a 500 metre exclusion zone around the site ? were not told about the asbestos for many hours after he had informed the council.
The Health Protection Agency was not informed about the likely presence of asbestos until the morning after the fire ? and its advice that householders should not dry brush their property was not passed on to residents.
A letter was not sent to nearby householders until October 17 ? and it was only sent to a small number of people living near the distillery site. Mr Fance claims.
It was not sent to houses in Gainsborough Road, Burgess Avenue, Boswell Avenue, Arnside Grove and Astley Close even though they were in the fall-out area.
Mr Fance said: ?Residents were not warned not to dry brush their property until after most of them had already done so. The police were not warned about the asbestos so were allowing people to enter the area.
?I am still finding asbestos in my own garden now ? even though it has been ?cleaned up? three times. If it is in my garden, it will be in others.?
He said he wanted the borough council to carrying out an investigation, with the Health Protection Agency, into what measures were taken in the immediate aftermath of the fire.
A spokeswoman for Warrington Borough Council said: ?We are aware of Mr Fance?s concerns but we are satisfied that the measures taken immediately after the fire, and subsequently, were appropriate and that there was no significant risk to the public.?
Oh we’re going
to Barbados!
by Gary Skentelbery
A dream trip to Barbados has been lined up for Bridgewater High School’s girls hockey team to help promote womens sport.
Nineteen girls from Year 11 at the Warrington school will be travelling to the Caribbean in July and are busy raising funds to cover the cost.
Each girl needs ?2,000 to fund the trip which will involve playing four local teams in Barbados.
School press officer Julie Heal said: “The girls are busy working hard to raise the funds by making and selling cakes and organising car boot sales. They are also looking for local sponsorship.
“It is the first time the school has organised an international event like this in Barbados and the girls were keen to promote womens sport.
Ghost hunters wanted
by Gary Skentelbery
A CHARITY is looking for ghost-hunters to spend the night in the reputedly haunted Walton Hall at Warrington.
The event will take place on Friday February 9 and promises to be a real treat for anyone interested in the paranormal. There will be a guided tour of the hall detailing real-life experiences and historical information followed by a ghost-hunting workshop with an experienced team of paranormal investigators, psychic experiments, medium ship and s?ances.
Walton Hall is the remnant of a much larger estate of the Greenall Family, famous for their brewing industry. The Hall itself was built in the Elizabethan style during the 1830’s and in 1927 the family were admitted into the peerage, the then Sir Gilbert becoming the first Lord Daresbury.
Lord Daresbury died in 1938 and unfortunately left the family owing ?500,000 in death duties. This led to the sale of Walton Hall and park to Warrington Council, who still care for them today.
There have been many sighting of spirits within the walls of Walton Hall. These include a lady seen walking the main staircase of the building, she is said to be the spirit of Lady Daresbury. Curtains have opened on their own in the former library and those who spend time in Lady Daresbury’s bedroom often complain of hearing furniture being dragged and an air of sadness in the room.
Ruth Carter, area manager for the Anthony Nolan Trust said, ?This is a superb location with classic ghost stories and recent activity. This night is not for the faint-hearted and promises to be an evening you will never forget.?
Places are very limited so book early to avoid disappointment. Participants will be asked to raise sponsorship of at least ?125 to help take back lives from leukaemia.
To join the Anthony Nolan Register donors must be aged between 18 and 40 and in good health. They must be prepared to donate to any patient, any where in the world. Volunteers are asked to complete a medical form and provide a small blood sample. This is then tissue-typed and the details stored on the register which is regularly searched for the thousands of people who are waiting for their match to join.
Right now, the charity is urging more young men to join its bone marrow register. Only 11% of its register currently consists of young men aged between 18 and 35. However, 75% of those who go on to donate and save lives are men.
The Anthony Nolan Trust is an independent charity and relies on financial support from individuals and companies to fund its work. It costs the charity ?70 to tissue-type each new donor to its register.
For an entry form please text ?WALTON? and your name and address to 07909 907217, download it from www.anthonynolan.org.uk email your details to [email protected] or call 0151 428 3992.
Planners put off decision
on 500 jobs scheme
by David Skentelbery
PLANNING chiefs have put off a decision on a major new employment area which could provide 500 new jobs at Warrington.
Members of the borough council’s development control committee want more information on the likely traffic impact on local highways before they decide if the scheme can go ahead.
United Utilities Property Solutions are seeking permission for offices, research and development and light and general industry uses on land on the Forrest Way Business Park, Sankey Bridges.
The scheme involves raising the level of the site because it is in a tidal flood plan.
But a number of nearby residents are objecting – as are two borough councillors, Pat Wright and Jeff Richards.
Coun Wright said: “The impact on the local road network will be totally unacceptable. The area already suffers terribly from heavy lorries going to the Gatewarth tip site.”
Planning officers are recommending the scheme be approved because of its social-economic benefits.
Job creation is seen as a big plus because the site is in the Bewsey-Whitecross area – one of the most deprived parts of the borough.
United Utilities are prepared to contribute $450,000 towards traffic mitigation measures.
Mayor opens new
Briarswood Village
by James Balme
WARRINGTON’S Mayor Coun Linda Dirir unveiled a new housing development in Great Sankey, Warrington.
Briarswood Village is already becoming a magnet for home hunters and this latest phase is no exception. Offering high class accommodation in a new village setting Briarswood promises to be in great demand.
The development has been created by local house builder McInerney Homes and can be found on Sycamore Lane. This is the company’s flagship development and will eventually provide more than 180 new homes.
Stephen Grant, Sa
les and Marketing Director said: “Our two show homes are the high point of the development so far so we wanted to invite all those who have played a part in the creation of Briarswood Village as well as local dignitaries to the exclusive preview.”
Following a personal tour of the show homes the Mayor was invited to a wonderful buffet to celebrate the occasion with all of the staff who contributed to the success of Briarswood village.
Fancy being
a bright SPARC?
by Gary Skentelbery
A WARRINGTON charity is looking for volunteers to help and support people with learning disabilities.
SPARC is a charity funded by the National Lottery, working out of Warrington Collegiate, which searches for employment for people with learning disabilities.
SPARC’s project manager, Christine Morris, said: “We are looking for members of the public who are over 18 years old, are patient and understanding of others with disabilities and have time to spare. This will help you as a person develop your own people skills and give you a feeling of achievement, knowing that you have made a difference to people’s lives.”
“We need a number of volunteers to get involved in supporting the increasing number of members we are finding work for. Our success means we will need more help.”
For further information please contact Christine or Rachel at SPARC on 01925 494423.
New Year honour
for business chief
by Gary Skentelbery
WARRINGTON business chief Sandra Brusby has been awarded the OBE in the New Year’s honours list for her services to business.
Sandra (pictured) is currently Chief Executive of Cheshire and Warrington Business Link, based at the International Business Centre in Warrington and has worked in senior business support roles in the town since 1988.
The award comes at a time when she faces an uncertain future, with the Cheshire and Warrington Business Link scheduled to close in March, as it is merged with a larger regional body.
Sandra, who lives in Penketh with her husband Trevor, recently joined the board of Warrington NHS Primary Care Trust as a non-executive director.
Other awards for Warringtonians include Neil Goodwin, 55, who pushed through the controversial reforms which laid the foundations for Manchester’s new children’s hospital being built in Oxford Road and the ?90 million Wythenshawe Hospital, who has received the CBE.
Keith Osborne, who works for Warrington based United Utilities, has received the MBE for services to business and public health.
The 56-year-old father of three is known nationally for his work on the control of the parasite cryptosporidium in drinking water and leads a team of scientists constantly checking the safety of drinking water.
Unsung hero Andrew Carman from Padgate has also received the MBE in recognition of his services for disabled people.
Andrew is severely disabled with Cerebral Palsy but is an active member of Warrington Disability Partnership and and the Warrington Disability Forum. He is also an active member of the Burtonwood Association.
Unable to type with his hands he controls a keyboard with his big toe.
Jerome Evans, manager of the Thorn Cross Young Offenders Institution at Appleton Thorn also received the MBE.
