| You
are in: Stoke & Staffordshire News » |
News
Archives>>
From Saturday 23rd November to Friday 29th November
2002 |
|
|
Friday,
29th November
Fire strike latest: Trade union members from North Staffordshire
marched through Hanley today in a show of support for the area's firefighters.
It was organised
by the North Staffordshire Trade Union Council, with representatives from
many local unions, including the communication workers union and most of
the public service unions, taking part. The march began at Hanley Firestation
at 12 o'clock and finished with a rally in the town centre by the statue
of Sir Stanley Matthews.
£300,000 grant for 'next big thing': Budding young musicians
in North Staffordshire are to get a cash grant to the tune of £300,000.
It's the second grant to be awarded to the area's "Youth Music Action Zone".
The initiative encourages children to get involved with a wide range of
music making projects.
Firm apologises for 'botched' lines: The firm responsible for a set
of botched double yellow lines in Stoke-on-Trent will take action against
the workers involved. The seven-metre long lines on Bagnall Street weren't
parallel and went straight through a painted keep-clear sign. The contractors,
Ringway, have now scraped them up and apologised for the error.
It could be Crewe: Crewe is the seventh luckiest town in Britain,
according to the lottery operator Camelot. It's ranked as seventh in the
top ten of lucky towns. Ilford in Essex comes first. People living in the
CW postcode area have won more than £36 million since the game started.
Thursday,
28th November
Open verdict after petrol death: A coroner has recorded an open verdict
on a Stoke-on-Trent mother of two who died from burns after being doused
in petrol. Rashida Hussein died two years ago. The inquest heard that her
husband - who was with her at the time - has since died, so there's no way
of knowing the circumstances surrounding her death.
Fire strike latest: The people of Stoke-on-Trent have donated more
than £1,000 to the hardship fund for Staffordshire firefighters since
last weekend. Fire crews have been in the city centre asking for donations
and handing out fire safety leaflets during the current period of strike
action. They say they're overwhelmed.
Meanwhile, a town's Christmas lights switch on has been scaled down this
year, because of the fire fighters' strike. Leek Town Council has had to
cancel a fire work display and employ marshals to ensure everyone stays
safe on Friday night.
Clarice Cliff auction: The work of one of Stoke-on-Trent's best known
potters is up for auction today with a 15 piece coffee set expected to sell
for nearly £20,000.
See Full Story
from BBC News
Survey
demotes Alton Towers: Alton towers is no longer the country's best theme
park, according to the Good Britain Guide for 2003 which is out today. The
guide says Thorpe Park in Surrey has become the premier theme park during
the past year after impressing judges with new rides and lots of activities
for children. The Good Britain Guide's editor Alasdair Aire says although
Thorpe Park have won the 'top theme park' award, Alton Towers is still heading
the field.
Unnecessary winter deaths continue: A housing expert says it could
be ten years before unnecessary winter deaths are prevented from occurring
in North Staffordshire. Every year in Britain, up to 45,000 people die because
they can't afford to heat their homes - most of which are poorly insulated.
In Stoke-on-Trent there are 17,000 homes which don't reach modern standards.
Double yellow lines 'botched': A botched set of yellow lines has
been raising eyebrows in Hanley. The lines, just seven metres long, have
been slapped down to stop a company's car park being blocked. But the lines
run through a "keep clear sign" and aren't even parallel. The City Council
is angry at the mess and have told contractors to sort it out.
Multi million pound development continues: The next stage of a multi
million pound leisure development in Burton is to get underway shortly.
There's already a cinema and several restaurants on Middleway Park in the
centre of the town and it's been announced that a fitness centre and bingo
hall will open by the end of 2004.
Staffs Moorlands Channel 5 campaign: A campaign has been launched
in the Staffordshire Moorlands to deliver Channel Five into people's homes.
Problems with reception means areas of the Moorlands have never been able
to get the television channel. Cheddleton councillor, Malcolm Ward, has
now got the backing of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council to ensure
the channel is broadcast to the area.
Wednesday,
27th November
Asylum Inquiry Group seeks truth: Members of a group set up to establish
the truth about asylum seekers in Stoke-on-Trent say they're determined
to get to the real facts. The Asylum Inquiry Group - which was set up by
the city's mayor Mike Wolfe met for the first time yesterday and includes
the BNP's candidate in the recent mayoral elections, Stephen Batkin, as
well city councillors and the police. Councillor Roger Ibbs - who's also
part of the group - says the inquiry is not for conjecture or opinion.
Fire strike latest: The fire service employers are to spend a second
day in talks with senior civil servants. They're trying to establish exactly
how much money would be saved if the working practices of firefighters are
changed. The Government and the employers are trying to calculate how large
a salary increase they can afford, in an attempt to settle the pay dispute.
Coach
deaths verdict: A coroner has recorded an open verdict in an inquiry
into the deaths of 27 Britons, including including Clive and Patricia Jones,
of Stoke-on-Trent, who were killed in a South African coach crash.
See Full Story
from BBC News
New Samaritan e-mail service: People in emotional distress can get
support by e-mail, thanks to a new initiative by the Samaritans. The Tamworth
branch of the organisation is among many across the country which will respond
to people e-mailing for help as well as using more traditional means of
face-to-face contact or via the telephone. People can use the address jo@samaritans.org
and receive a response within twenty-four hours.
See Full Story
from BBC News
Council was 'too kind': One in ten workers at Congleton Borough Council
could lose their jobs because of a funding deficit that could top a million
pounds. A report by the accountants KPMG says the council has been too kind
in the past. It claims council tax in the area has been set too low.
Multi million pound development begins: A new multi million pound
development to transform one of the main gateways to Stoke-on-Trent City
centre will provide a considerable lift to the area, according to local
councillors. Work has begun on building a cash and carry on the former Diamond
Gimson site, right next to the A50 in Fenton. There is also planning permission
for a hotel, shops, and a garage. Developers say they've had a lot of interest
from other potential businesses, and councillor Derek Capey says it should
provide a major boost to the area.
Residents want park improvements: People in part of Stoke-on-Trent
are calling for their local park to refurbished. The group say Penkhull
Park on Richmond Street is being wasted because of a vandalised memorial,
lack of benches and bad lighting. The park is the only green in an area
of terraced houses and because there are no facilities for children it's
not being used. Tonight, residents will hold a meeting with local councillors
and the city parks development manager to discuss what can be done to make
it better for the people living nearby.
Spiders found in supermarket's grapes: The supermarket chain Tesco
say they're stepping up checks of their exported fruit for exotic spiders,
after shoppers - including one from Stoke on Trent - found them amongst
grapes. Chris Whittaker found a spider after buying a bunch of grapes from
Tesco in Meir Park. In recent months, in separate incidents at Tesco stores,
three black widow spiders have been found. The company admit to using spiders
as natural predators to protect fruit, as an alternative to chemicals, but
say they don't use black widows.
Tuesday, 26th November
Port Vale for sale: Port Vale chairman Bill Bell has put his shares
in the Burlsem club on the open market - but how genuine is the offer?
Read our analysis of the
story
Robbie pays secret visit to local hospice: Potteries superstar Robbie
Williams met staff at the Donna Louise Trust in Stoke-on-Trent during a
surprise visit... See Full
Story
Fire strike latest:
... A twenty year old man is to appear in court following a series of hoax
calls at the weekend. They were received at the Staffordshire's
Joint Operations Communications Centre in the early hours of Saturday morning.
They were made from different phone boxes in Stafford, and claimed there
was a serious road traffic accident, a shop on fire and a chip pan fire.
The army responded to one of the calls. Detectives later questioned a man
and a file has been sent to the Crown Prosecution Service.
See Full Story
from BBC News
... It's been revealed that striking firefighters lin Burton left their
picket line to advise Green Goddess crews tackling a fire at a town pub.
The fire broke out in the kitchen of the Burton Union, in Union Street,
shortly after 2pm yesterday.
... A man's been charged with arson after a fire at a house in Staffordshire.
A Green Goddess and a Breathing Apparatus and Rescue Team were called to
the house in Rugeley on Monday morning, along with a crew of retained firefighters.
Robert Cowen of Cannock will appear before magistrates.
Coach crash inquest opens: A coroner has opened an inquest into the
deaths of 27 Britons, including Clive and Patricia Jones, of Stoke-on-Trent,
who were killed in a coach crash in South Africa.
The tourists died when their coach plunged into a ravine near Lydenburg
in September 1999.
See Full Story
from BBC News
More criticism for Queens: A report by the Shropshire and Staffordshire
NHS Strategic Health Authority shows that the number of people on Staffordshire
hospitals' waiting lists has been steadily rising since March this year.
But Queen's Hospital in Burton is highlighted, as failing to meet government
targets on both inpatient and outpatient waiting times - and it's called
a "significant problem".
Travel misery: Congestion on the M6 in Cheshire has more than doubled
over the past four years, according to a new report. The travel information
service Trafficmaster says the increase is 160%.
Meanwhile delays on the West Midlands rail network have reached record levels
with 70 per cent of trains arriving late on some lines.
Train companies are blaming the problem on a lack investment in the network.
Port Vale for sale: The Port Vale Football Club chairman Bill Bell
has offered to sell his shares in the club. He wants to sell his shares
for £10 each, in batches of 500, with the cash going to pay the club's
debts.
However, the gesture has angered supporters of the Stoke on Trent team,
who'd been hoping to buy him out. The Valiants 2001 group say it
was on the brink of concluding a fresh deal to take over the club.
Bridging the village gap: A new one and a half million pound railway
bridge is being opened in a North Staffordshire village. It's taken three
months to build.
People living in Hixon near Stafford have been campaigning for many years
for the new bridge ,after an accident in which 11 people were killed when
a passenger train hit a lorry.
Monday, 25th November>>
Kids seek school: Education officials are still searching for emergency
classrooms for more than 300 children in Crewe. after their school burned
down on Thursday night.
Education officers and governors from Underwood West Infants School are
promising however that the school will be rebuilt.
See Full Story
from BBC News
Tank Girl: Police in a Staffordshire town are investigating after
receiving complaints about a man and a girl seen in a tank driving around
the streets. Lester Stacey from Eccleshall, near Stafford, says he's taken
his seven-year-old daughter to school in a 28-ton Abbott tank.
He says he bought the vehicle to play around in in fields next to his house,
but he also intends to use it as a town "runaround".
Teacher innocent: The headteacher of Longdon Hall special school
in Staffordshire has been found not guilty of the manslaughter of one of
her pupils, on the direction of the judge.
Carol Georgeson was on trial at Stafford Crown Court, accused of killing
Darryl Briggs through gross negligence.
See Full Story
from BBC News
Herb ban problem?: A Euro-MP from Staffordshire says a new ban on
traditional herbal medicines will lead to people buying unregulated herbal
treatments from internet suppliers.
Liz Lynne claims the ruling is another example of an "over-the-top" European
regulation.
The European Parliament has accepted a report which means herbal medicines
can't be sold until they've PROVED they're safe. This includes products
which have been in use in the Far East and other countries for years, but
are new to Europe.
Missing girl: Concern is growing for the safety of a 10 year old
girl who's been missing from her home in North Staffordshire since Sunday.
Leanne Cox left her home in Lightwood in Stoke on Trent to play with friends
but hasn't been seen since.
She's wearing a white puffer jacket and blue tracksuit bottoms.
Charity boost: ... And Cinders, Buttons and the Ugly Sisters have
raised more than £2,000 for charity. BBC Radio Stoke's version of
Cinderella sold out the 600 seater Stafford Gatehouse on Sunday night night.
The money will go to the station's "RASCAL" charity.
See Full Story and
Pictures
The Weekend, 23rd & 24th November>>
Fire strike update: The first full day of the strike turned out to
be a quiet one in Staffordshire and Cheshire. In the first 24 hours, the
army control room in Stafford took 33 calls, and the Green Goddesses have
gone out ten times - but there have been no major incidents. However, six
of the calls were hoaxes - and police are now trying to find the people
responsible.
Police in Staffordshire are trying to find a hoaxer who they believe is
responsible for three calls to the army's control room overnight. The police
say they're now "actively investigating" these calls. All three were made
just after midnight, from the Stafford area - and police believe they all
came from the same person.
The MOD in Cheshire, however, says it's having some success in cracking
down on hoaxers. It says its policy of sending out police cars first to
any incident is putting bogus callers off.
There have been no call-outs for the Army in East Staffordshire overnight.
Underage smoking: Trading standards officers in Stoke-on-Trent are
planning a tough campaign against the increasing number of shopkeepers who
sell cigarettes to children. Four out of five shopkeepers who were tested
on a single day sold cigarettes to customers aged under 16.
Safe shopping in Hanley: Management at the Potteries Shopping Centre
in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, say they've reviewed all their safety procedures
in the light of the fire strikes. They've assured shoppers that they're
not facing any additional risks.
Trading Standards: An undercover operation on garages in Staffordshire
found that half of the ones surveyed including a Burton company hadn't spotted
potentially dangerous faults in cars. Staffordshire Trading Standards submitted
six cars with faults including leaking brake cylinders and low brake fluid
for a service to garages across the county. Three of the six including one
in Burton didn't spot the faults.
|
The
BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites.
|
|
