Dream comes true
for young actress
by Gary Skentelbery
A DREAM has come true for young Warrington actress Lucy Hurst who starred alongside Billie Piper in Jane Austen?s classic Mansfield Park which was screened on ITV1 at the weekend.
Thirteen-year-old Lucy, a pupil at Great Sankey High School, played ?Young Julia Bertram? in the new production.
Lucy from Burtonwood in Warrington, is a recruit from the Culcheth based Eurokids and Adults International casting agency and attends their drama workshop.
She was selected from children across the UK for her striking resemblance to the adult actress Catherine Steadman playing the same role Julia Bertram later on in the story.
Lucy stared alongside Billie Piper who plays Austen’s favourite heroine, Fanny Price, in a lively adaptation of the classic.
The prestigious cast includes Jemma Redgrave (Lewis), Maggie O?Neill (Shameless), Douglas Hodge (Vanity Fair), James D?Arcy (Nicholas Nickleby), Michelle Ryan (EastEnders), Blake Ritson (Red Cap), Hayley Atwell (The Line of Beauty) and Joe Beattie (Hex) in an adaptation by Maggie Wadey (The Buccaneers, Adam Bede).
Heartless thieves
burgle scout centre
by David Skentelbery
HEARTLESS thieves broke into a Warrington scout group?s storeroom and stole computers and camping equipment.
The raid was at Glazebury Scout Centre on Warrington Road, Glazebury.
Raiders using bolt cutters forced their way into a secure metal unit at the rear of the scout hunt. They stole two Vango tents, worth ?165 and ?80 respectively and three computer systems, each consisting of monitor, tower and keyboard.
A police spokesman said: ?These losses with hit the young scouts badly. The computers were used for IT classes, art work and games and the tents were, obviously, used for camping.
?The computers had been given to the scout group as a gift.?
A black vehicle was seen leaving the scene around the time of the burglary, about 10pm on Wednesday March 7. A witness believes the registration number start with P and ended with GDH. Anyone who can help police with their enquiries is asked to call PC Alex Reeves on 01244 612645.
One world theme
for Mayor’s Ball
by Gary Skentelbery
WARRINGTON’S Mayor Linda Dirir held a successful Mayoral ball at the town’s Parr Hall which had a “One world” theme, representing the four corners of the earth.
Guests were entertained by African dancers and the Goodfellas Band who blasted out a variety of crowd favourites from the hit movie “The Commitments.”
The Mayor was joined by her consort husband Allin and their four children at the event which was a great success.
Village drug
“hotspots”
by John Hendon
PARISH councillors at Appleton have highlighted three “hotspots” for drug taking – all also regarded as local beauty spots. They are the junction of Doods Lane and Green Lane, the entrance area to Fox Covert Cemetery and – particularly during the summer months – Appleton Reservoir. The three area were highlighted for John Bucknall, young people’s commissioning manager with Warrington Drug Action Team and acting manager of the Drug Intervention Team when he gave a presentation to the council. Mr Bucknall undertook to give the three areas special attention. He told the meeting the aim of the two drugs teams were to reduce the use of drugs and alcohol, increased the number of people receiving treatment and prevent the misuse of drugs and alcohol. They were part of a multi-agency team also including the Police Community Action Teams, Youth Service and Social Services.
Rugby Club celebrates at
the double despite defeat
by Gary Skentelbery
LYMM Rugby Club have had a double cause for celebration with former player Dave Strettle becoming an England “regular” and the Club winning a national TV competition run by the BBC.
Dave Strettle, a product of Lymm High School and Lymm RFC’s Juniors, Colts and first team faced Ireland for his first international cap in a daunting encounter at Croke Park, Dublin in February and also went on to star in the victory against France and defeat to Wales.
“It was a dream come true to play for England and I just wanted to do myself justice,” commented Dave. “The whole experience was out of this world. Playing in front of 82,000 at Croke Park was just unbelievable. It was certainly a bit different than playing for Lymm although Lymm makes up for it in other ways!”
Meanwhile Lymm Rugby Club made the most of winning the RBS 6 Nations Party, despite the disappointment of losing to Wales. Over 8,000 nominations were received from all over England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland and Lymm came out on top following 25 carefully selected words from Club member Claire Worswick.
More than 200 guests of the Club took part in a huge party when a giant television screen was erected in the club car park for the international.
The Club will also receive ?2,500 for the Grass Roots Sports Appeal and lots of rugby equipment.
Collision delays
motorway traffic
by staff reporter
TRAFFIC tailed back for miles on the M6 near Warrington after a car and a lorry collided on the northbound carriageway near Thelwall Viaduct.
The car driver, a 33-year-old man from Lancaster, suffered head injuries and was admitted to Warrington Hospital. Police said it was not thought his injuries were life threatening.
After the initial impact, the lorry crashed through the central reservation, partly blocking the fourth southbound lane.
As a result, several lanes were closed on both carriageways for several hours, causing tailbacks of slow-moving traffic.
There were also hold-ups on roads leading into Warrington.
Flytippers carry
on dumping
by staff reporter
FLYTIPPERS are defeating all efforts to stop them dumping rubbish in old Barleycastle Lane at Appleton Thorn Mobile caterer Dean McKenzie, who operates a van in the lane, attended a meeting of Appleton Parish Council to report large amounts of fly-tipping taking place both in front and behind large concrete blocks placed there several years ago to reduce the problem. The blocks were put in position by the borough council, with parish council support. Mr McKenzie, who with assistance at time from the borough council, tries to keep the area tidy, suggested the concrete blocks be replaced with bollards and that a litter bin be provided. But councillors decided that with a new footpath to be constructed in the area soon, action should be deferred until the route of the footpath was known.
Smoke alarm at
old people’s home
by staff reporter
FIRE crews were called to an old people’s home at Croft, near Warrington after smoke and a smell of burning was noticed coming from one of the flats.
They gained entry to the flat at Croft House, in Birchall Street, to find an elderly man had fallen asleep leaving a pan on the cooker.
A smoke alarm had activated but the man was still sleeping when firefighters reached the scene.
A spokesman for Birchwood Fire Station said the man was unharmed and there was no fire damage.
