Average wage is second
highest in North West
by David Skentelbery
AVERAGE wages in Warrington are the second highest in the North West, according to new figures.
Only Manchester ? where the average salary is higher than anywhere in the country outside the South East ? tops Warrington in the North West.
The figures have been released by the GMB union and show that the average wage in Warrington is ?31, 171.
Manchester?s figures is ?32,988 while the next best after Warrington in the North West is neighbouring Trafford, with ?29,381.
Coun Ian Marks, leader of Warrington Borough Council said: ?This is excellent news and confirms that Warrington is a highly successful town. I welcome these figures although I am not surprised by them.
?But we must not forget the fact that the figures disguise disparities between some parts of the borough.
?The council must continue to work to remove these disparities.?
Warrington and Manchester are the only two towns in the North West to have higher wages than the national average of ?29,999.
A GMB spokesman said: ?It should be noted that the figures include doctors, chief executives and many people earning more than ?100,000 a year.?
Top of the tree for wages is London, with an average of ?86,582.
Rain fails to
dampen spirits
by Gary Skentelbery
VILLAGERS failed to let the bad weather dampen their spirits at Culcheth’s annual Victorian Day.
Organised by Culcheth Lions, local residents and shopkeepers entered into the spirit of the occasion to help launch the countdown to Christmas.
Orgainser Tim Yates from Culcheth Lions said: “We certainly don’t have much luck with the weather on Victorian Day but we have not let the rain dampen our spirits.” The rain did provide a boost for all those trading indoors, especially in Newchurch Parish Hall and Culcheth Medodist Church with a wide variety of stalls and tombolas helping raise funds for local community groups.
The popular event is also supported by Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council and concluded with the switch on of the the village Christmas lights.
The event was covered by warrington.tv and a video news report can be viewed online at www.warrington.tv
“Revenge” attack on
woman who alleged rape
by James Parr
THREE men carried out a revenge attack on a woman who had taken one of their friends to court for an alleged offence of rape.
She needed hospital treatment for cuts and bruising to her hands and face after being knocked to the ground and spat on, Warrington Crown Court was told.
Simon Taylor, 21, of Archer Avenue, Warrington, pleaded guilty to affray and was given an eight month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months.
Charles Hicks-Sim, 18, also of Archer Avenue and Colin Andrews, 18, of Slag Lane, Lowton near Warrington admitted public order offences and were each ordered to complete 50 hours unpaid community work and placed under supervision for 12 months.
The court heard all three were subject to community service orders at the time of the offences.
Kim Halsall, prosecuting, said the woman had taken a friend of the defendants to court some time previously. They saw her in a chip shop and banged on the window and shouted abuse.
When she left the shop, Taylor pushed her to the ground and all three of them spat on her, continued to shout abuse and warned her not to get up.
Leah Dillon, for Andrews, said he suffered from a serious alcohol problem and was intoxicated at the time. He had also suffered from severe depression and had tried to commit suicide three times.
Jonathan Clarke, for Taylor said he had now been offered a job in his father’s pub. Justin Hayhoe, for Hicks-Simm said the defendant had resigned himself to the fact he was going to jail and had shown remorse.
Vandals set fire
to recycling site
by John Hendon
TOWN Hall chiefs are urging residents to keep a look-out for vandals after a fire gutted a Warrington recycling site.
Three bottle banks and two can banks at Common Lane, Culcheth were completely destroyed by last week’s blaze, which also damaged nearby trees and several other recycling banks.
Officers from the borough council’s waste services department are now urging residents to report anything suspicious and help them stop this happening again.
Coun Brian Axcell, the council executive member for environment services, said: “We need the help of the public to stop these acts of mindless vandalism.
“Recycling points are vital community facilities as we try to divert more and more materials from landfill. It is a great shame that criminal acts by a few can have such a large impact on all of us.”
The fire at Common Lane follows a number of previous attacks on the site, where a textiles and paper bank have already been removed due to vandalism in recent years, while the Davies Way site in Lymm has also been subjected to fire damage.
The site is presently cordoned off for health and safety reasons as repair teams attempt to clear up the debris and residents are asked not to leave recycling items at the site for the time being.
Countdown to town’s
big television vote
by James Parr
TIME is ticking away in the countdown to the live face-off between Warrington’s Enfield Park and Padiham Riverside Nature Reserve this week.
Every vote will be essential if the local site is to walk away with any funding.
Shown live on ITV Granada, the phone vote will determine the winning site, which could see them granted a cool ?80,000.
Local residents to the park in Cinnamon Brow have stated that the park needs improved safety and the pond and plant areas need renovating.
Local councillor Sharon Wilson said: “We need the whole of Warrington to back this community driven campaign and vote on the day because this money would make a huge difference to this area and to people’s lives.”
Voting for the Warrington site can only be done on Thursday (November 29), with the number to dial being made available at 9am from www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/peoplesmillions
Addict claimed to be
guarding flat he burgled
by James Parr
A DRUG addict claimed to be trying to protect a flat when he was caught red handed burgling the premises.
But when he was challenged he made a bid to escape, knocking a woman to the ground, Warrington Crown Court was told.
Christopher McNab, 24, of Eagle Mount, Warrington, pleaded guilty to burglary and was jailed for 16 months.
David Jones, prosecuting, said McNab was browsing in a shop in Lovely Lane, Warrington and managed to get into the flat above, which belonged to the woman shopkeeper’s daughter.
He was confronted by both women and claimed to gone into the flat to investigate because he thought someone else was burgling it. But the women saw he was carrying a handbag containing a camera and a video recorder and challenged his story.
McNab brushed passed them and tried to escape over a rear fence, knocking the shopkeeper to the ground.
Leah Dillon, defending, said McNab did not plan to burgle the premises and had acted on instinct. He had taken to this sort of crime to feed a serious drug addiction problem and had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.
Union pledge to
protect jobs
by David Skentelbery
THE GMB union has pledged to fight to save jobs at three Crown paint plants ? including one at Warrington ? following a ruling by the Competition that they must be sold.
A total of 1,400 people are employed at the three plants in Warrington, Hull and Darwen, in Lancashire.
The ruling follows the purchase of ICE ? manufacturers of Dulux paint ? by Akzo-Nobel.
GMB senior conveno
r and chairman of the Akzo-Nobel European works council said: “GMB is bitterly disappointed with the Commission’s decision. GMB has informed the company that if the plants have to be sold they must find a purchaser from the industry. GMB is not interested in these three sites at falling into the hands of equity capital vultures.”
Allan Black, GMB national officer pledged GMB’s full support in the fight to keep the three plants open and to protect GMB members’ jobs.
He said: “GMB Shop Stewards will meet shortly to discuss the situation and decide on the union?s course of action over the Commission decision.”
Car plunges
off motorway
by staff reporter
A CAR plunged down a 15 ft embankment at the M6 southbound Croft interchange near Warrington.
The two women occupants of the car had a lucky escape as fire crews and helped them back up the embankment safely.
An aerial appliance from Stockton Heath, two appliances from Warrington and a line rescue unit from Knutsford all attended the scene.
Store evacuated after
customer spots smoke
by staff reporter
A SUPERMARKET was evacuated at Warrington last night (Monday) after a customer spotted smoke and flames in a cigarette kiosk.
Hundreds of customers were asked to leave the Asda store at Westbrook shortly after 8pm.
The blaze involved a light fitting at the back of the kiosk.
Fire crews arrived to find the fire was out, but isolated the fitting to ensure it was safe.
A small amount of smoke damage was caused.
The store was able to re-open later.
In another incident, fire crews were called to chemical firm Solvay Interox at the Baronet Works, off Chester Road, Walton. The fire was in an electrical transformer and was out by the time crews reached the scene.
