NEWS FLASH
Suspect car found
by David and Gary Skentelbery
POLICE sealed off part of Warrington town centre today after a suspect car was found in Museum Street.
The Walking Day procession had to be diverted away from the area. Office workers were also evacuated from Museum Street.
Police said the action had been taken following a heightened security situation following the discovery of a car, packed with gas cannisters, in London.
But they denied a rumour that the car was from the same rental firm as the one found in London.
A spokeswoman said: “There is no intelligence of a security risk to Warrington or Cheshire at the moment.”
But as a precautionary measure bomb disposal experts rushed to the scene.
The car has apparently been parked in the same spot for three days – and has been issued with three parking tickets!
To see an exclusive video news report visit http://www.warrington.tv.
173rd Walking Day
gets under way
THE 173rd Warrington Walking Day dawned gloomy today, with grey clouds lurking over the town and rain in the air.
Even a bomb scare failed to deter walkers from completing their route via last minute diversions.
Walkers and watchers escaped the rain, with only a slight shower.
An estimated 3,500 walkers from more than 20 churches and schools converged on the Town Hall lawn for the start of the annual procession.
The event was covered live on air by warrington-worldwide’s new community partner online radio station www.radioworm.co.uk.
Based in Panama Jacks on Bridge Street, the online station broadcast live to the passing crowds and also had a live broadcast with warrington-worldwide Edior Gary Skentelbery from the town hall steps.
Coverage of the walking day will be broadcast on the radio station throughout the day.
Simply click on the link above and follow the onscreen instructions and listen to local presenters bringing you news and music for the town 24 hours a day seven days a week!
Council’s “whole new
approach to regeneration”
by David Skentelbery
TOWN Hall chiefs at Warrington are setting up a regeneration steering group which they claim heralds a whole new approach to regeneration in the borough.
All political parties will be represented on the group which will aim to reduce social inequalities and, in particular, improve the health and well being of people living in the more deprived areas.
Leader of the council Ian Marks said: ?This is an exciting development because it heralds a whole new approach to regeneration.
?Warrington is a successful town but we know that some areas have benefited less from this success. We are determined to reduce social inequalities and improve the health and well-being of all our residents.
?Instead of single initiatives we want to introduce a way of working that brings together many different council services in a joined up manner.
?We want to do things that local people have identified as being important.?
Coun Marks said regeneration would, in future, be a consideration in everything the council did rather than something simply ?bolted on.?
The regeneration strategy would complement projects such as Stronger Together ? an initiative to make all parts of the borough safer and free of anti-social behaviour.
New cycleway
launched
A NEW cycleway has been officially opened in Warrington to help tackle congestion and encourage people to lead a healthier lifestyle.
The new cycleway has been crated at Birchwood and was officially opened by the town’s Mayor Coun Celia Jordan.
A total of 18,000 people work in the birchwood area and it is hoped the new facility will help reduce the amount of traffic congestion in the area.
Coun Jordan said: “I hope this new facility will help encourage people to cycle to work as this will reduce congestion and encourage people to have a healthy lifestyle.
Freemason Joe is
scalped for youth club!
by our correspondent
WARRINGTON Freemason Joe Royal has been scalped to raise money for Penketh Youth Club.
For seven years Joe, who has just completed a year as Master of St Oswald Lodge, has sported his pony tail and admits that over those years it has resulted in “a bit of ribbing”.
When Gay Brown, owner of Practical Hi-Fi in Bridge Street, Warrington – where Joe works as a salesman – offered to sponsor him if he had the pony tail cut off Joe immediately decided to take her up on the offer.
He put up a notice in the Masonic Hall asking for more sponsorship and said that if the figure reached ?200 he would have the pony tail cut off.
By the time 45-year-old Joe went to The Shearing Shed on Honiton Way, Penketh, to have the pony tail removed he had ?450 worth of sponsorship.
An independent member of Penketh Parish Council for four years, Joe is a trustee of Penketh Youth Club and decided that the money raised should go to help the youth of the area.
Tony Warburton, owner of The Shearing Shed, said: “Joe has been coming here for six years and in all that time I have been looking forward to cutting off the pony tail. It’s great that he has done it to help the youth club.”
Joe expressed his thanks to everyone who sponsored him but would not say if the pony tail may become his crowning glory again in years to come.
Pavement cafe plan
worries neighbours
by David Skentelbery
NEARBY residents are fighting plans for a pavement caf? outside a baker?s shop in Warrington.
Waterfields Ltd are seeking permission to an external seating area outside their shop at the corner of King Edward Street and Connaught Street.
Planning bosses see no reason to refuse the application, but the objections are to be considered by the borough council?s development control committee.
The shop is in a designated shopping area, closed to the crossroad junction with Padgate Lane. Nearby are a pub, a fish and chip shop, betting shop and hairdressers.
Waterfields, who own the land in question, want to open the pavement caf? between 9am and 4pm. Removable posts would define the area of the caf?.
Planning officers say the proposal have no effect on highway or pedestrian safety.
But neighbours say there is a lack of formal parking facilities in the area and that access to their garage is regularly blocked by cars visit the shops and pub. They believed the proximity of the crossroads would be a highway safety problem and that there would be an increase in litter, leading to increased risk of vermin.
Sponsor a day in
the life of “Katie”
by John Hendon
BUSINESSES in Warrington are being urged to sponsor a day in the life of Katie ? the North West Air Ambulance.
Katie needs ?250-a-day for fuel ? so for this amount companies can ?own? the helicopter for a day.
In return, firms will get a mention on next year?s NWAA calendar which will be distributed widely across the region.
Katie can be called out up to 10 times a day in summer and is fully operational for 365 days a year across 5,500 square miles, serving a residential population of seven million. She covers major road incidents, sporting accidents and incidents in areas that have poor and restricted road access.
Lynda Brislin, chief executive of the North West Air Ambulance said: “This is a great way for local businesses to support a local charity. At an operational cost of ?1.8 million a year, our service is funded solely by the generosity of the public and businesses throughout the North West. We feel that offering local businesses a day in the life of Katie means that more people can get involved for a relatively small outlay.”
Town hit by
postal strike
by staff reporter
POSTAL work
ers in Warrington are today (Friday) joining in a national strike over a below inflation pay offer and modernisation plans which they believe could cost around 40,000 jobs across the country.
Royal Mail are urging people not to post mail today and have warned that there could be delays in delivering mail.
Locally, Royal Mail employ around 1,000 workers mainly at a regional distribution centre at Lingley Green which, the Communications Workers Union claims, could be scheduled for closure under the modernisation proposals.
About 300 people work at the Milner Street delivery office and another 50 at a rail terminal at Dallam.
Royal Mail say most sub post offices will be open as usual and are hoping to maintain a service using management and volunteers.
News in brief
Park plan
PLANS to extend an existing building in Bewsey Park, off Troutbeck Avenue, Bewsey, Warrington, to provide a park community centre, housing office and Sure Start facility have been approved by the borough council.
Hospital lottery
WINNING numbers in the weekly lottery run by the League of Friends of Warrington Hospital were 4, 11, 13 and 14. The ?383 jackpot prize went unclaimed and will be rolled over to next week. A ?25 consolation prize was awarded.
School closure
PARENTS and pupils of Padgate High School are being invited to meetings at the school on Monday, July 2 and Tuesday, July 3, to discuss the controversial proposals to close the school, or its sixth form, as part of a plan to deal with dwindling numbers of secondary school pupils across the borough.
Art exhibition
ARTIST Peter Swanborough, of Appleton, is currently staging his third exhbition, “Pic and Mix” at Warrington Library.
New barn
PLANS to demolish a barn at Oaklands Farm, Mustard Lane, Croft and replace it with an “American” barn for hay storage have been approved by Warrington planning bosses.
