Town’s new drive to
stop sales of drink
to children
by David Skentelbery
WARRINGTON – where more than half the off-licences were found to sell drink to children – has launched a training scheme for shop workers to learn how to cope with intimidating young people.
Trading standards chiefs in the town do not believe most shopkeepers and shopworkers want to sell alcohol to underage drinkers – but that many find it difficult to say “no” in threatening situations.
A survey carried out by Trading Standards officers a year ago, using 15-year-old volunteers, showed that 55 per cent of off licences were selling to underage drinkers.
But it also showed that in the majority of cases, the shop worker simply didn’t know how to deal with the situation.
Fifteen employees of off-licences attended the first “Dealing with Conflict” course held by the borough council to learn how to improve their skills in dealing with difficult situations.
The half day event backed-up a new ‘Drink – Draw the Line’ campaign launched by Trading Standards to tackle underage sales of alcohol in shops and off licences.
It was tailored to give the shop workers advice and techniques to refuse a sale positively and effectively.
The campaign sets out to encourage licensees and their employees to ask for formal identification if they are unsure of the age of the customer. Campaign material included posters, leaflets and badges featuring stark and controversial images of teenagers.
Employees including front line staff, training officers, supervisors and area managers from Bargain Booze, Sainburys, Booze Buster, Somerfield, Spar, Morrison’s and Total Elf, took an active part on the course.
Trading Standards manager Peter Astley said: “We are visiting every off licence premises to promote the new ‘Drink – Draw the Line’ message and the feedback we’ve had has been very, very positive.
“Licencees want to work with us to help tackle this problem and it was fantastic to see so many of them giving their time and effort to come together and take part in this course.
“The survey we held was probably the most comprehensive of its kind held anywhere in the UK and it gave us an insight into the causes of illegal sales to underage people. We found that many shop workers felt intimidated by young people.
“The worrying thing was that although the survey showed 55 per cent of shops breaking the law, the situation is probably actually much worse. Our volunteers were not allowed to lie about their age. In a real situation, many young people would lie so more of them would be served.”
Mr Astley said there was a small, hard core of traders who deliberately sold to underage drinkers. They would be identified and targeted – and would face prosecution and the possibility of losing their licence.
Police in hunt for
“spray gun” attacker
by John Hendon
POLICE at Warrington are hunting a man believed to attacked two people with an incapacitating spray within 15 minutes.
The same offender is also believed to have forced his way into a nearby house about 20 minutes later.
A police spokesman said: “We strongly suspect the same person was responsible for all three incidents.”
The first attack took place at about 5.25pm on a footpath near the Birchwood Expressway. A 47-year-old man was threatened and sprayed with the substance. The offender made off empty handed.
Fifteen minutes later, a 51-year-old man using a cash machine at the Birchwood Centre was threatened by a man who aimed a spray at him. Again the attacker obtained nothing.
About 20 minutes later, the occupants of a house in Old Warrington Road, Risley, found an intruder in their kitchen.
They confronted him and he fled – again empty handed.
Police said in each case the offender was described as being in his late teens or early 20s and of heavy build. He had short dark brown or black hair and was riding a bike.
Anyone with information about any of the incidents is asked to contact either DC Julie Daniels or DS Chris Barrow on 01244 613826.
Missing woman
found in river
by staff reporter
A BODY found in the River Mersey at Halton has been identified as that of a Warrington woman who disappeared from home on February 11.
Police say the body is that of Elayne McWhirter, aged 31, of Fletchers Street.
A post mortem examination has been held but has not established the cause of death. But police say they do not believe there is anything suspicious in the death.
Police issued an appeal for help in finding Elayne within days of her disappearing and her description and photograph were distributed in the local area.
She was last seen near her home at about 11.30pm on February 11.
Police described her as “vulnerable.”
The facts have now been reported to the Cheshire Coroner and an inquest will be opened in due course. Police on 01925 652222.
Nicholas collects the
prize hundreds wanted
IT was a prize that hundreds of people across Warrington wanted.
But there could be only one winner – and that was lucky Nicholas Pownall who received VIP treatment at Warrington Wolves’ Halliwell Jones Stadium when he was presented with his collectors’ item – this season’s shirt signed by all the players.
Nicholas, 24, from Croft, Warrington, was chosen at random from hundreds who entered the prize draw run in this year’s Guide to Local Health Services. Produced by Warrington Primary Care Trust, the 16-page booklet contains information about new local health services as well as contact details for a range of services such as out-of-hours healthcare, emergency dentists, physiotherapy, quit smoking and podiatry (foot health). The booklet is available in public buildings across Warrington, or by calling Lisa Harding on 01925 843640, or by logging onto the PCT’s website www.warrington-pct.nhs.uk
Islamic charity lunch
raises nearly ?1,000
by staff reporter
ALMOST ?1,000 was raised at the fourth annual charity luncheon for the Mayor of Warrington hosted by the Warrington Islamic Association.
The money will go to the Mayor’s charity and St Rocco’s Hospice – and the principal guests were the Mayor, Coun Ted Lafferty and the chairman of St Rocco’s, Celia Jordan.
Representatives from various communities and groups in Warrington were present, including Hindus, Sikhs, the Police, Fire Service, St Rocco’s Hospice, Warrington Disability Partnership and Warrington Borough Council.
Maulana Tauqeer Ishaq provided an Islamic insight into the concept of charity and challenges in life, while Kiran Malik and Sehreen Shafaat recited a Surah from the Qur’an about charity.
Lunch was enjoyed in the main hall of the Warrington Islamic Community Centre, surrounded by Islamic art and architecture designs and photographs of various mosques around the world.
The centre piece was the architect’s design for a potential mosque in Warrington.
A charity auction was a great success raising ?340 towards the total target. Among the lucky bidders were Coun Pauline Nelson who won an exclusive book signed by Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and Sundeep Bhalla who managed to get his hands on a Warrington Wolves Family Ticket.
County council to power
fleet with vegetable oil
by Terry Johnson
CHIPS may not exactly be good for you….but the vegetable oil they are cooked in will help bring about cleaner air in Cheshire.
Waste vegetable oil is to be used in bio-diesel – a renewable fuel for motor vehicles – as Cheshire becomes the first county council in Britain to top up its vehicle fleet with the new ‘green’ fuel.
It emits a fraction of the harmful emissions found in regular fuel, is fully biodegradable and can be used in most engines, without conversion.
School buses, mobile libraries, road maintenance and countryside
ranger vehicles are to switch to the cleaner fuel.
Supplied by Cheshire-based Ebony Solutions, the vegetable oil waste is sourced from restaurants, pubs, canteens, food retailers and manufacturers.
Cheshire trialled the new fuel for three years at Tatton Park and environment chiefs were ‘most impressed’ with the results.
Car overturned
POLICE are investigating an incident in which a car overturned in Chester Road, Walton, Warrington, near the Stag public house. A number of youths were seen to scramble out and run away. Fire crews helped make the vehicle safe and clear wreckage from the road. No other vehicle was involved and it is understood the car was stolen.
[ 13.04.2005, 08:53: Message edited by: DS ]
