NEWSFLASH
Town centre closed
THE centre of Warrington was closed today because of a major gas leak. Sankey Street, the bus station and the inner ring road were sealed off by police as workmen tried to solve the problem. See tomorrow’s Warrington-Worldwide for full story and pictures.
Commons storm over
woman’s seven
cancelled operations
by David Skentelbery
A WARRINGTON woman being prepared for surgery in hospital was told she might not survive – and then had the operation cancelled seven times in six months.
This followed a four month wait to be admitted to Warrington Hospital after breaking her arm in a fall in August last year.
Now the case of 69-year-old Margaret Dixon, of Penketh has caused a storm in Parliament.
During Prime Minister’s Question Time, Tory leader Michael Howard drew on Mrs Dixon’s experience to tell Tony Blair the NHS is not working under Labour.
After Mrs Dixon had her operation cancelled for the fifth time, shortly before Christmas, she called in local councillor Fiona Bruce, who is also prospective Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Warrington South.
Mrs Bruce said: “Warrington Hospital has told us that the cancellations are entirely due to the lack of high dependency beds. Tony Blair said that more money is being invested in the NHS but the reality on the ground in Warrington shows that this money is not reaching the front line.
“Margaret Dixon’s case is not an isolated one here in Warrington. I have been told by a senior health professional that the cancellation of important surgery at the last minute because of a shortage of capacity is a recurring pattern locally.
“Patients and their families are extremely distressed by such situations. It is equally distressing for the health professionals involved.”
“The doctors and nurses have been wonderful to Margaret but they are frustrated by Labour’s policy of centrally directed funding which stops local medical professionals deciding where and how money is spent. Tony Blair says things are getting better in the NHS, but Margaret Dixon would disagree.”
Mrs Dixon’s daughter, Lyndsay, 37, said: “The NHS system is failing us as a family. My mother was told the first time she was prepared for the operation that she had a less than 50 per cent chance of surviving it.
“Every time since she has been thinking it could be her last night. The stress on her and on the family is enormous.
Warrington has only four high dependency beds – and that just isn’t enough for a town of its size.”
Mrs Dixon – who has had her arm in a sling since August and whose hand is now becoming fixed in a claw-like condition – will need to be in a high dependency bed after her operation because she suffers from diabetes, renal failure and arthritis. She has also suffered a slight stroke.
A spokesman for North Cheshire Hospitals, who run Warrington Hospital said:”The Trust very much regrets this particular patient’s operation has not yet taken place and is endeavouring to reschedule it for a date in the near future.
“Some patients – even those requiring planned surgery for non-life threatening conditions – sometimes have special clinical needs that mean they require care in the High Dependency Unit following surgery. The demand on these beds from more seriously ill patients means that on rare occasions, this type of surgery has to be postponed.
“It is very unfortunate that, on the occasions this patient has been in hospital, there has been unforeseen demand on HDU.
Because North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust is carrying out surgery on patients with increasingly complex needs, it is currently reviewing its HDU capacity.”
In the Commons, an angry Mr Blair criticised Mr Howard for judging the NHS on a single case.
But he added: “If it is as you describe, it’s completely unacceptable.
“What I do think is quite wrong is to take a case … and try and make what I believe is an exception into the rule in our National Health Service.”
Mr Blair stressed that a million people were “treated extremely well” every 36 hours.
MP meets Chancellor
over the New Deal
by staff reporter
WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones met with the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, to discuss plans to extend the New Deal and provide more jobs.
New figures show unemployment in Warrington North down 1,385 and Ms Jones challenged the Tories to come clean on plans to scrap the New Deal which she claim would send unemployment rising again in Warrington.
The MP said: “Jobs and employment was a priority for me when I was first elected. We all remember when unemployment in Britain hit three million in the early 90s and we never want to return to those days.
“In my constituency 830 young people have found work through the New Deal, cutting local long-term youth unemployment by 94 per cent. Long-term adult unemployment has been reduced by 95 per cent.
“Although there are only 786 people claiming unemployment benefit in the whole of the constituency, there is more to do which is why I renew my pledge to keep employment and jobs a priority. Gordon Brown confirmed to me that he remains committed to full employment, to offering employers free skills training for every employee who needs it and expanding the New Deal.
“Both the Tories and Lib Dems are committed to scrapping the New Deal and they should come clean and tell people how many jobs will be lost as a result of their policies.
Gordon Brown said: “Helen Jones is right to make jobs a priority in Warrington North and to warn against a return to high unemployment. Employment is now at record levels. Labour will never take risks with our hard-won economic stability.
“If we are to continue to succeed in the global economy, we need more people in work, not fewer. The Labour Government will extend the New deal, not scrap it.”
“More controls needed
over mobile phone masts”
by David Skentelbery
LIBERAL Democrats in Warrington are calling for more controls over the siting of mobile phone masts.
Coun Ian Marks, leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition group on the borough council and Prospective Parliamentary candidate for Warrington South, made the call in a motion to the council.
He said people all over Warrington had been expressing their worries about masts for some time.
“People are worried about the health effects, although the scientific evidence about masts and the sustained use of phones by children is inconclusive. A recent report by Sir William Stewart emphasised caution.
“He asked for better information to the public and an independent review into the planning process for the erection of base stations. His appeal to the government seems to have fallen on deaf ears. But then we must remember that over ?22 billion pounds has been spent by mobile operators to date.
“It’s time for our children and consumers to take centre stage and receive proper attention from the government.”
Coun Marks called on the council to ask the town’s MPs to support a Private Members Bill on March 18 which would give local communities more control over the siting of phone masts.
Coun Terry O’Neill, executive member for environment and regeneration, agreed that the council should support the town’s MPs in urging the Government to respond positively to the recommendations of the Stewart Report.
But he stressed that the Stewart Report was still being studied.
Charity walkers to
celebrate spring
by Lesley Wilkinson
WALKERS are celebrating spring and raising funds for breast cancer charity when they take part in a Mother’s Day Crocus Walk in Culcheth, Warrington, on Sunday (March 6).
Local fundraisers will be stepping out in support of Breakthrough Breast Cancer at Culcheth Linear Park to raise funds for the charity’s research and education work.
It is one a series of walks throughout the country and sponsors
Norwich Union has agreed to match pound for pound all funds raised up to ?100,000.
Organiser of the Culcheth walk Claire McGilvray said: “Breast cancer has touched the lives of so many people in the area and this walk is especially dedicated to Muriel Barnett, Ann Wallwork, Reca Wallwork, Penny Strickland and Yvonne Wilkinson.
“By organising the Crocus Walk, we are getting together with family and friends to do our bit. Together we are raising money to help Breakthrough to secure a brighter future for everyone,” she added.
She said that more than 40,000 women and 300 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the UK, and the disease has a devastating impact on thousands of families each day.
Further details on the charity and the walk are available by calling 020 7025 2422 or from www.crocuswalk.org.uk
New banker to help
small companies
by John Hendon
A NEW business banking manager, appointed by a Warrington bank, will offer help to small companies.
Iain Coull, 30, has been appointed by Bank of Scotland to provide banking advice and support to small business customers. He will be based at the Halifax branch in Buttermarket Street.
He has substantial experience of helping local businesses succeed, initially within the specialist recruitment sector and more recently with NatWest Business Banking.
He said: “I am excited to have this opportunity to work with the Warrington business community to raise the profile of Bank Of Scotland, and to deliver a genuine alternative to the “Big Four” banks for established businesses requiring a branch-based service that has been sorely lacking until now.”
Driver trapped in
overturned car
by John Hendon
A MOTORIST was trapped in his overturned car after a collision in Manchester Road, Woolston, Warrington.
Traffic queues built up as fire crews and paramedics struggled to release the man.
Two cars were involved in the crash and one overturned and ended up on its roof.
The injured driver was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital.
Fire crews from Birchwood and Warrington were involved in the operation, along with police and ambulance crews from Warrington.
Manchester Road was closed for nearly half-an-hour while the rescue operation went on.
Stolen car torched
after park joyride
by staff reporter
YOBS careered around a Warrington park in a stolen car during the night before setting it alight.
The Ford Escort was 90 per cent destroyed by the time fire crews managed to extinguish the blaze in Peel Hall Park.
A Fire Service spokesman said it appeared the vehicle had been repeatedly driven around the park prior to being torched.
In a separate incident, youths set fire to two skips on the Riverside Retail Park, Warrington – the latest in a series of such incidents in the area.
No damage was caused to property, however and a Fire Service spokesman said property owners had heeded previous warnings to keep skips well away from property.
Fire crews were also called to Penketh Court sheltered housing unit in Farnworth Road, Penketh early today when fire broke out in a kitchen.
An elderly resident had extinguished the fire, which involved a microwave, by the time they got there. But they used a ventilation unit to rid the flat of smoke. No-one was hurt.
Voters reminded to
register for election
by Lesley Wilkinson
VOTERS in Warrington have just a week to ensure they are registered for their vote to count if the General Election goes ahead in May as expected.
The Borough Council has issued a reminder to people that they need to be registered to vote by Friday March 11.
Voters who have moved house and not informed the council, should complete a voter registration form which can be requested from the council’s elections office on 442184, or downloaded from www.warrington.gov.uk/council/electoralregister
Anyone who wants to check that they are included in the register can also contact the elections office.
People who may not be able to get to a polling station for the election can apply for a postal or proxy vote by contacting the office, or via the council website detailed above.
Any queries about the election or voting can be sent by email to the elections office at [email protected]
Health Secretary to
give peace lecture
by John Hendon
SECRETARY of State for Health Dr John Reid is giving the third annual Peace Lecture at Warrington’s Young People’s Peace Centre tonight (Thursday)
Having previously been Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Dr Reid has significant knowledge of the Northern Ireland ‘Troubles’, where he made inroads into addressing the issues of decommissioning and police reform.
The lecture is an annual event hosted by the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Trust, the educational peace charity set up after the death of two young boys in the IRA attack on Warrington in 1993.
Individuals from the business and local community will be in the audience, as well as young people from schools in the North West. Following the lecture there will be an opportunity for questions from the audience.
Library staff dress
up for “book day”
by staff reporter
VISITORS to Penketh Library today (Thursday) will be surprised to see the staff wearing bright and colourful costumes instead of their normal work clothes.
They are dressing up to mark World Book Day – the biggest annual celebration of books and reading in the UK.
Staff will be on hand to promote the joy of reading, to both adults and children. The theme for this year’s event is, Spread the Word, and people are being urged to recommend a favourite book to their family and friends.
Staff at the library, in Honiton Way, have organised a lucky dip and a children’s book quiz to make the day fun.
