“Sooty” and neighbours
in canal rescue drama
by David Skentelbery
NEIGHBOURS – including former TV puppeteer Matthew Corbett – rallied round in a dramatic rescue after a blind and deaf dog fell into the Bridgewater Canal at Lymm, Warrington.
Mr Corbett, who for 25 years was the man behind the popular television Sooty and Sweep glove puppets, was one a group of neighbours who got involved in the night-time rescue.
Local resident Mark Kerry was walking his two dogs Sally and 16-year-old Rosie along the canal towpath when Rosie, who is three quarters blind and virtually deaf, fell into the water near Lymm Bridge.
It was dark and although Mr Kerry had a torch he could not guide her back to the bank.
He said: “She was swimming in circles, going further away. Eventually she ended up on the far side, where there is no bank, just a high wall. Then she got tangled in some brambles and I could see she was losing her strength.” Office worker Debbie Hadfield arrived on the scene, saw Rosie’s desperate plight and immediately ran to nearby houses for help.
Neighbours Chris and Colin Melrose joined in the rescue bid, together with a number of other nearby residents.
Debbie said: “I could see the dog’s head getting lower and lower in the water. I started banging on doors and screaming: ‘Has anyone got a boat?’ Amazingly, someone said he had seen a canoe somewhere.
“Next minute two men arrived carrying a canoe and we rushed down to the canal. But none of us had ever used a canoe and didn’t know what to do.”
Enter Mr Corbett. He took one look at the situation and jumped into the canoe. Paddling across the canal, he was able to locate Rosie in the darkness and pull her aboard.
Safely ashore, the shivering dog was wrapped in a carpet from Debbie’s car and taken home for a warm bath.
Later a relieved Mr Kerry said: “I am really grateful to everyone who helped. All the neighbours helped in some way. Rosie made a full recovery, but she would have drowned within minutes but for the way everyone helped. I can’t thank them enough.”
The drama had a comic ending when Mr Corbett remarked that the canoe was just like his own – only to find it was. His neighbours had “borrowed” it from his garden!.
Residents go into battle
for third time in a year
by Lesley Wilkinson
ANGRY residents are going into battle for the third time in 12 months to block plans for a hot food takeaway near their homes at Fearnhead, near Warrington.
Two earlier applications for a former dog grooming parlour in Orchard Street, have been refused by planners after major objections from residents. Now a third application has been submitted for the property.
Robin Rowe, chairman of Fearnhead Community Association, said: “It is too close to our homes – it is like having a takeaway in my front room.
“There will be all kinds of problems such as litter, smells, youths gathering and the shop would probably be open all hours. There will also be noise and a lot of extra traffic.?
Residents complained that Orchard Street is the only access to about 350 houses and is already struggling to cope with the amount of traffic using it.
Two earlier applications have been rejected by Warrington’s Development Control Committee after objections by residents.
Fearnhead Parish Council, Warrington North MP Helen Jones and local borough councillors, also objected.
Almost 200 people have signed a petition objecting to the current application and many residents are sending letters of objection to planners.
Mr Rowe said: “This is the third application, and it just means residents have got to waste more time objecting and planners have got to waste time and money considering the application.”
Hospital patients will
hear festive concerts
by staff reporter
TWO live outside broadcasts this weekend by Warrington Hospital’s Radio General will be improved following the purchase of new equipment.
Following a ?5,000 grant from Awards for All, ?5,900 worth of new equipment was bought to allow high-quality broadcasts over the normal telephone lines.
Patients will benefit when a concert by the Warrington Male Voice Choir with their guests the Leyland Band and Karen Elliott (soprano) is broadcast from the Parr Hall on Saturday.
On Sunday Warrington Light Opera’s Christmas Gala Concert, also being held at the Parr Hall, will be broadcast live.
Both broadcasts start at 7:30 pm and can be heard on the Patientline bedside units at Warrington Hospital.
Hotel opens new
leisure club
by John Hendon
A RE-DEVELOPED leisure club at the De Vere Daresbury Park Hotel opens on December 21 with exclusive offers for the first 125 new members.
A ?300 package will offer the first 125 new people to join a bathrobe, tee shirt, water bottle, guest passes and offers on accommodation, meals and beauty treatments.
The club is available to hotel guests and local residents and will offer high-quality health, fitness and relaxation facilities.
The gym has been extended and facilities improved with an increase in the Technogym stations complete with built-in entertainment. There is also a refurbished squash court and an increase-sized swimming pool with a decking area for loungers.
After a workout users can cool off in the spa pool and fun shower that offers different light settings. A variety of other relaxation and beauty areas complete the club’s makeover.
Council cleared over
high-rise flats protest
by David Skentelbery
WARRINGTON Borough Council has been cleared of a complaint of ?maladministration? over the controversial plans for high-rise apartments on the banks of the Mersey at Howley Quay.
Residents brought in the Local Government Ombudsman over allegations that they were not properly consulted over the proposed development.
But the Ombudsman is not pursuing the complaint.
She says the proposed apartments have been given outline planning consent only and an opportunity exists for residents to object to design issues when the detailed application is made.
There had also been an opportunity for residents to comment on a draft development brief which said nothing about the height of the development but addressed issues relating to access to the waterfront.
She said there was no injustice resulting from any perceived lack of community involvement.
The extent of involvement of the community in planning for the riverside had not resulted in any maladministration ? and there was still scope for residents to have a meaningful input.
Alan Stephenson, Warrington?s director of environmental services said the Ombudsman?s investigation was conducted and concluded prior to a recent decision to refuse permission for the development of the former Mississippi Showboat site at Howley.
?This decision alone provides ample evidence of the scope and potential influence of the local community,? he said.
Local firm to provide
customer care service
by Lesley Wilkinson
WARRINGTON-based Martin Dawes Systems, provider of end-to-end billing, customer management and revenue assurance solutions, has been selected to provide customer care and billing services to the mobile division of United Utilities subsidiary, Your Communications.
The company will provide the system infrastructure and back office support for Your Communications, to offer enhanced mobile subscriber services without capital investment in new IT systems.
Martin Dawes? experience in carrying out migration projects and its experience were the key to attracting the new work.
Paul Lawton, Your Communications director of mobile, said, “In order to be successful in the business communications market you need to be flexible enough to accommodate specific customer requirements, responsive enough to meet their demanding timescales and at the same time provide a high quality of servi
ce throughout the process.
“We were confident that Martin Dawes Systems has the expertise to successfully migrate our important business customer base without impacting our core business or high standards of service delivery.?
Stolen car torched
by staff reporter
FIRE crews were called to Church Street, Warrington in the early hours of today after car thieves abandoned a vehicle and set it alight.
The car was completely destroyed.
A Fire Service spokesman said the vehicle had been left in the middle of the road and set alight.
“This was just a deliberate attempt to cause a nuisance,” he added.
