Health secretary
in surprise visit
to hospital
by David Skentelbery
HEALTH secretary John Reid paid a surprise visit to Warrington Hospital in the wake of the Parliamentary row over pensioner Margaret Dixon’s seven cancelled life-threatening operations.
Mr Reid – who was due to visit the town anyway to give a lecture at the Young People’s Peace Centre – decided to drop in on the hospital to find out what staff felt about the controversy.
As reported in Warrington-Worldwide yesterday, Prime Minister Tony Blair and Tory leader Michael Howard clashed in the Commons over the case of Mrs Dixon.
Over a period of six months, she had her high risk operation cancelled seven times, despite being warned she had a less than a 50-50 chance of survival.
Mr Reid said: “I met staff and patients at Warrington Hospital and found they were very angry about Michael Howard’s portrayal of the NHS.
“He actually wants to run down the NHS, so that you are forced to go outside, and then you’ll have to pay half the operation.
“In Margaret Dixon’s case, she would have had to pay, having waited 18 months under the Tories, thousands and thousands of pounds for it.”
Warrington Hospital now says Mrs Dixon has been offered an operation on the day of her choice in the week beginning March 21. They also claim her operation has been cancelled only three times – not seven.
But Mrs Dixon said: “I’ve got a definite maybe, but I’m not opening the champagne just yet.”
As Mr Reid was travelling to the hospital, a new row flared.
A hospital insider telephoned Warrington-Worldwide and claimed a “blitz clean” had started in all parts of the hospital in readiness for the Minister’s arrival.
The insider said: “It is disgusting. If the hospital was cleaned regularly there would be no need for blitz cleaning when we had a VIP visitor.
“I have never seen such activity in all parts of the hospital.”
Massive protest over
pub demolition plan
by John Hendon
A CONTROVERSIAL proposal to demolish a pub and replace it with 44 sheltered flats for the elderly will attract massive opposition when it goes before planners at Warrington next week.
More than 450 people have signed protest petitions and more than 140 individual letters of objection have been written and the scheme to demolish the Dog and Dart pub at Grappenhall is also opposed by the local parish council and Bradshaw Primary School.
Although the pub was built in the late 1960s, its loss would wipe a famous name from the local map as an earlier pub – about 200 yards away – which dated back more than 150 years was also called the Dog and Dog.
Officers are recommending the scheme, put forward by sheltered home specialists McCarthy and Stone, be approved.
But the parish council says approval would be completely contrary to local planning policy which is designed to restrict housing supply.
They also point out that up to 200 parents use the pub car park when taking children to and from the adjoining Bradshaw Primary School, under an informal agreement and that the loss of this facility will cause parking chaos on narrow Bradshaw Lane.
Other objections include increase traffic, noise and disturbance, road safety hazards, loss of privacy and overshadowing.
There are also claims the local economy will suffer, jobs will be lost and that an alternative site exists that is available for the sheltered housing.
The applicants have suggested including off-street parking bays to help reduce congestion at school times and planners say the developer can be made to build and pay for these.
Planning chiefs will consider the application next Wednesday (March 9).
Town centre sealed off
SHOPPERS EVACUATED
AFTER GAS SCARE
by David Skentelbery
THOUSANDS of shoppers and shop workers were evacuated from Warrington town centre after a major gas leak.
Town Hall staff were also told to leave the building – and hearings at Warrington Crown and County Courts were suspended as the building was cleared.
A 700-metre security cordon was set up around the Golden Square shopping centre after contractors engaged in re-development work accidentally cut through a medium pressure gas main.
The alarm was raised around 10am and it was more than two hours before the affected areas were re-opened.
Sankey Street was sealed off, along with Warrington Bus Station and Golborne Street. Major stores including Marks and Spencer and Woolworths had to closed and staff were moved to the Riverside Retail Park until the emergency was over.
Ironically, while Sankey Street was sealed off, shoppers were still able to access most of the Golden Square shops through the Old Market Place.
A police spokesman said the alarm was raised when they were alerted to a strong smell of gas in Golborne Street – the town’s inner ring road.
Fire Service experts described it as a major leak, and it was decided to set up a security cordon because of the risk of an explosion.
Transco engineers were called in and sealed off the affected area of plastic gas main from either side while repairs were carried out.
A spokesman said: “We understand that contractors involved in redevelopment work in Golden Square accidently ruptured a medium pressure gas main.”
Later, a spokeswoman for the Golden Square Shopping Centre said the damaged pipe had been in the area of the Legh Street multi-storey car park, where demolition work is going on.
“We would like to apologise to everyone inconvenienced by this incident,” she added.
Cameras rolling for
town film festival
by David Skentelbery
THE first ever Warrington Film Festival is to take place on April 14 – and already young film-making hopefuls in the town have started work on a series of films to be screened at the event.
Aimed at young people in the 14-25 age group, the festival will take place at the Pyramid Arts Centre.
Three scripts have already been selected and are being now being made into short films by professional film makers Glow Works Media.
But individuals or groups can also enter their own short films – on VHS video – for screening at the day-long festival.
One of the festivals sponsors is Kino Films and this has given organisers access to a whole library of short films which will be shown throughout the day.
The three films being made from the winning scripts are: Dance, Dance, Dance – a musical depicting the events leading up to a dance competition in which some of the contestants succumb to the lure of drink.
Flame – a true story about a girl with learning difficulties who doesn’t want to go to school because she fears her mum and pet birds will tragically die in a fire if she leaves them.
Look at Life – a poignant film which depicts the idea of how you view events around you as you get older. The lead character suddenly wakes up one morning to find himself needing a zimmer-frame to get around, looking and feeling about 70.
In the run-up to the festival, writing, film-making and drama workshops have been held The Pyramid Centre, the Peace Centre and various youth clubs in the area.
Organisers are offering people an incentive to buy tickets for the festival – a prize draw for those who buy before the day. The prizes will be vouchers from sponsors, who include Warrington Advocacy, The Pyramid Centre, Glow Works Media, Connexions, Artist in Education, Warrington Borough Council, Tiger AV, Marks and Spencers the Local Network Fund and Awards for All.
Police close drugs
den in council flat
by staff reporter
POLICE and housing chiefs have closed a flat in Crowe Avenue, Longford, Warrington being used as a “crack house” – under new powers for police and local authorities to deal with crime and anti-social behaviour.
The move came after the two agencies were granted a ‘closure order’ by Warrington Magistrates Court. The ord
er is the first of its kind used in Warrington.
It means the property and the surrounding garden area have been closed down for three months. Any people found on the premises could be arrested and face a fine or imprisonment.
The action came after a number of complaints from local residents and an increase in reported crime in and around the area.
Supt Julia Clayton, divisional commander at Warrington Police said: “I hope this sends out a strong message that drug dealing will not be tolerated. It’s a testament to the partnership that this action has been taken so quickly.”
Peter Mercer, director of Golden Gates Housing, said: “We are determined to take action against people who are making life a misery for other residents. Working in close partnership with the Police, GGH will continue to deal effectively with problems such as this.”
The property has now been boarded up and signs explaining the terms of the order to residents and visitors have been posted.
GGH have also sent leaflets to properties in the area surrounding the flat to raise awareness of the actions they have taken.
Coun Peter Walker, vice chairman of Cheshire Police Authority, was on hand to see the closure being served. He said: “We hope this closure sends a very strong message that we will not allow houses to be used this way.”
Choir members clock
up 100 years singing
by staff reporter
THREE members of Warrington Male Voice Choir who between them have “clocked up” 100 years service received long service medals at the choir’s annual meeting.
Derek Percival, of Orford, started singing in his church choir when he was 10 and is still at it nearly 70 years later.
Brian Yates, from Paddington, is a committee member with special responsibility for organising social functions.
They both received 25-year medals.
Geoff Higham, of Culcheth, with 50 continuous membership of the choir received a long service medal and bar.
Lorry driver hurt
in cab explosion
by staff reporter
A LORRY driver was taken to hospital after an explosion in his cab at the Burtonwood Services on the M62 near Warrington early today. He suffered burns to his arms and suspected lung damage and the cab doors were blown off. A Fire Service spokesman said it appeared he had been making a cup of tea using a camping stove which developed a leak.
News in brief
Best Mum
POP singer Kerry Katona, the former Padgate High School pupil, has been named celebrity Mum of the Year for the second time. The estranged wife of singer Brian McFadden is bringing up two daughters.
Road closure
POLICE closed Warrington Road, Glazebury, near to Bent’s Garden Centre, after a collision which led to a lorry shedding part of its load. No-one was injured but the road was blocked while the spilled load was being removed.
Hospital lottery
WINNING numbers in the weekly lottery run by the League of Friends of Warrington Hospital were 1, 5, 8 and 10. One winner claimed the ?760 jackpot and the ?25 consolation prize went to E Parr. Next week’s top prize will be ?200.
Dish approved
PLANNING bosses have given the go-ahead for an additional telecommunications dish on the top of Warrington Telephone Exchange in Stanley Street and for the relocation of an existing dish.
Barn conversion
A HISTORIC barn in Long Lane, Warrington, which is a Grade 2 listed building, can be converted into a dwelling, borough planners have decided.
Parish meeting
THE next meeting of Stockton Heath Parish Council will be held at the Sandy Lane Centre, Stockton Heath near Warrington on Tuesday (March 8).
[ 08.03.2005, 08:37: Message edited by: DS ]
