Town named as buy-to-
let capital of the north
by John Hendon
WARRINGTON has been named as the buy-to-let capital of the North.
Property consultancy Hometrack has carried out an analysis of towns and cities across the country to draw up a league table of buy-to-let hot spots.
In the North, Warrington came first, followed by Wigan, then South Tyneside, with former Prime Minister Tony Blair?s former constituency of Sedgefield fourth and Halton fifth.
The research showed all these towns were preferable to major city centres.
Hometrack?s evaluation of property market and demographic data found that investors in Warrington make a 5.9 per cent yield when buying and renting out an average two-bed property.
Major new town centre developments, such as Countryside Properties? Carrington Park are believed to be largely responsible for Warrington?s new status.
Phase Three of the development consists of more than 200 one and two bedroom apartments, providing investors with an opportunity to capitalise on Warrington?s buy-to-let hotspot status.
About a quarter of a mile from Warrington town centre, Carrington Park has already seen tremendous success with more than 100 houses and apartments already snapped up by owner occupiers and investors alike.
Businessman Mark Earle has purchased 13 properties in Warrington, one of which was at Carrington Park. He says ?I?m obviously pleased it?s an area recognised as likely to produce good returns but I?m not surprised. The centres of big cities now consist of nothing but flats for investors ? they?ve saturated the market. So I concentrate on areas outside big cities.?
Mr Earle, himself a Warrington resident, says infrastructure is key to the town?s future success.
He said: ?Renters seem much more willing to commute than before and Warrington is extremely well situated for Manchester and Liverpool. It has also become a much more desirable area because of improvements to the town.?
Michaela Lancaster, Countryside Properties? sales director, said: ?Hometrack?s recent findings and the plans for the Wireworks development both prove that Warrington really is a fantastic place to invest and live.
?Phase Three of our Carrington Park development will give buyers another opportunity to take advantage of Warrington?s superb infrastructure and investment potential as well as gaining a stylish, quality built home in attractive surroundings.?
Youths terrified elderly
woman “for a laugh”
by David Skentelbery
POLICE at Warrington are hunting two youths who terrified a 74-year-old woman by threatening her with what appeared to be a gun.
They robbed her off her purse ? but later returned it and claimed they had taken it ?just for a laugh.?
The elderly woman was not hurt but was badly shaken by the incident in Capesthorne Road, Orford.
The woman was approached by the two youths, both aged about 16 as she walked along the road. One was using a mobile phone but the other pointed what she believed to be a black handgun at her.
He demanded her purse and the terrified woman handed it over.
The youth then ran off towards the Hawthorn Centre taking the purse, which contained money.
The second youth then asked the woman if she would like her purse back. She said she would and turned to go home and call the police. But she was then confronted by both youths.
They handed back the purse ? and the first youth said he had only taken it ?for a laugh.?
Police say one youth was about 5ft 10 inches tall, stocky with dark curly hair and wore light shorts and a dark, long-sleeved top. The other was about 5ft 5 inches tall and wore a dark, hooded top and dark trousers
. Anyone who witnessed the incident at about 2.30pm on Wednesday (July 18) is asked to contact DC Ian Hampson on 0845 458 0000 or call the confidential Crimestoppers number 0800 555 111.
“Last woman to hang”
case could be re-opened
by David Skentelbery
THE case of Ruth Ellis – last woman to be hanged in Britain – could be re-opened, 52-years after her death.
Her sister, Muriel Jakubait, who has spent a lifetime trying to clear her name, has succeeded in a bid to have a petition calling for a re-examination of her case published on the 10 Downing Street website.
In the first few days after the petition was posted, around 70 people have signed it – including some from Warrington.
The Ruth Ellis case has Warrington links. Her husband, George Ellis, was a school dentist in the town in the 1950s, and treated hundreds of local children.
He was a shadowy figure, known as “the mad dentist” and with a taste for the high life. He drank too much and – before coming to Warrington – enjoyed London’s clubland and the girls who worked there as “hostesses.”
But a book published to mark the 50th anniversary of Ruth Ellis’ execution, claims he may also been involved in espionage.
“Ruth Ellis: My Sister’s Secret Life”, written by her sister with journalist Monica Weller, sought to show the blonde club hostess may not have been guilty of the offence for which she was hanged – the shooting of her lover, racing driver-playboy David Blakely.
Manchester-born George Ellis had been married before he met Ruth. But his drinking bouts and violent temper drove his first wife, Vera, away. He frequented bars in London where the hostesses knew him as “the mad dentist” because of his lavish spending and hectic life style. He met Ruth at the Court Club, where she was working and married her in 1950.
But despite being treated for alcoholism, he was still drinking, often beat her and they split up. He moved to Warrington some time in the early 1950s and lived in Walton Road, Stockton Heath.
He worked as a principal school dentist for Warrington Education Authority.
George Ellis resigned his Warrington job in November 1955 – four months after Ruth, 28, was hanged. But he must have remained in the town for some years as, in 1958, he was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and causing a breach of the peace outside the Walton Road house.
A few weeks later he was found hanged in a hotel in Jersey – and it was assumed he had committed suicide.
Monica Weller, who is assisting Ruth’s sister in her campaign said: “Although George worked as a dentist, we believe he was involved in spying activities and that Ruth may also have been.
She says vital evidence which could have cleared Ruth was never put to the jury. Ruth had poor eyesight and the gun involved was far too heavy for her to have used accurately. She had no firearms training or experience yet apparently was able to fire three out of four bullets accurately in the dark.
One shot was fired at point blank range – yet Ruth’s light coloured clothing was found to be spotless despite the scene being covered in blood.
Muriel Jakubait and Monica Weller both believe there are still doubts about the conviction and that a third person, linked to a web of espionage, pulled the trigger. An appeal as recent as February 2002 concluded Ruth Ellis was correctly convicted but the petition to the Prime Minister could result in a further appeal.
Anyone who wants to sign the petition can do so on the 10 Downing Street website http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/RuthEllis55
Salesman robbed
at truckstop
by John Hendon
A 56-year-old salesman was robbed by two men brandishing a knife at the Poplar 2000 truckstop at Lymm, near Warrington.
The salesman, who was driving a red Ford Mondeo, was near a white Mercedes Sprinter van on the car park near the petrol station at the truckstop when two men got out of the van.
One had a knife and they threatened the man and robbed him of a number of watches and a small amount of cash.
They then got back in the van – which contained about four or five men – and drove off.
Police say one of the men was about 20, 5ft
6 inches tall and of slim build. He had a distinctive crescent-shaped scar on his lip and had short brown hair.
The other was about 6ft tall, of medium build and had short dark hair. Both spoke with Liverpool accents.
Anyone who witnessed the incident at about 1.30pm on Sunday July 15 is asked to contact DC Darren Wright on 01244 613831.
Scaling the heights
for hospice charity
by Lesley Wilkinson
A RANGE of teams competed in a High Ropes Challenge to help raise funds for Claire House Children’s Hospice, Wirral – Warrington Worldwide’s Charity of the Year.
The event, held at training centre The Success Factory in Burwardsley, Cheshire, was enjoyed by those taking part.
Teams of eight people from local businesses competed, including a team from the Warrington chapter of Business Network International. All managed to complete the activities including some tricky tests.
Chris Hankey, of Buckland Insurance, said he had never “shaken” so much.
He said: “I am personally terrified of heights but I decided to overcome this by climbing a 40 foot pole (which wobbled), perch myself on a 12 inch square platform on the top and then leap for a trapeze where I swung for a few minutes before being lowered to the ground.
“The good thing is it was all in aid of Claire House Children’s Hospice and what I put myself through is nothing compared to what the children at Claire House face everyday.”
Anyone interested in taking part in the next Claire House event, which is a tandem sky dive on September 8 should contact Janet Croker on 0151 343 0883 or email [email protected]
“Rock night” raises cash
for residents’ group
by Lesley Wilkinson
A FUNDRAISING rock night was organised by a residents group whose aim is to “protect” the way of life in Stockton Heath.
The Summer Rock event at St Thomas’ Church Hall was organised by Stockton Heath Alternative Residents’ Council (SHARC).
The capacity crowd enjoyed music by local rock band the Mandrills, dancing, food and a licensed real ale bar. Adults and children from throughout the area attended the event.
One of the highlights was an auction of prizes donated by local businesses.
SHARC founder member Patrick Mullee said the local elections and the battle to save Stockton Heath Primary School had taken their toll on funds.
He said: “We are fighting a continuing battle to keep Stockton Heath as residents would prefer.
“SHARC would like to thank everybody who has donated in whatever way to fund the relentless fight we have to protect the way of life we so dearly want to protect in Stockton Heath.”
He is asking local people who are interested in supporting the group, to look out for its future fundraising events.
“We need to raise further funds to start to renovate and re-site the Forge machines.”
Funding boost
for students
by staff reporter
NEW funding which will enable more students from the town to go on to higher education, has been welcomed by Warrington South MP Helen Southworth.
Government proposals mean that one in three students will be eligible for maintenance grants worth ?2,700 per year, according to the MP.
She said a further third of students will also receive partial grants, an increase of 150,000 per year. Plans are for all students from households with an income up to ?60,000, to receive some financial help. Those with a household income under ?25,000, will receive full grants.
Mrs Southworth said: “I am delighted that even more young people in Warrington will now be eligible for financial assistance to help cover the costs of their degrees.
“It is really important that the opportunities presented by higher education are opened up to all those students who want to go to university or college, and these changes will help to ensure that financial barriers to education are removed.”
