2,000-year-old bogland
to become nature reserve
by Terry Johnson
A 2,000-year-old bog which has survived savage onslaught from mining and power station tipping is to be protected for future generations.
English Nature has given its backing to the conservation of Burtonwood Moss in north Warrington whose restoration as a community beauty spot by Groundwork Trust received international acclaim.
The mossland is to become Warrington’s latest Local Nature Reserve, offering woodland, grassland and open water habitats to birds and animals.
It has been plucked from near desolation by Groundwork, who made the restoration a flagship project.
Said Warrington Council’s chief ecologist, Dr David Bell: “It is now a valued asset to the communities which surround it.”
A 10-year management plan has been approved by English Nature for the site.
Huge change came to the ancient mossland in the 19th-century when coal mining began nearby.
By 1950 the mine was the largest in the North-West, with widespread tipping of colliery waste on the moss, together with pulverised fuel ash from Bold Power Station.
The 1984 miners’ strike doomed the pit and new owner’s Groundwork has put in sustained, massive effort to restore the damaged mossland.
The site’s transformation is to be marked with public events and displays on July 30.
“Town must stop dumping
batteries” – candidate
by John Hendon
WARRINGTON is being urged to move to stop the dumping of toxic batteries, which pollute land with lead, mercury and carcinogens.
Tens of thousands of batteries from toys, radios and other electrical goods will soon have to be bagged instead of ‘binned’.
Coun Ian Marks, Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Warrington South, said: “Britain’s poor record on waste recycling is set to be given a push forward by proposals to recover old batteries.
“Warrington Council will be expected to plan for the collection of batteries from borough households”.
Spent batteries are dangerous if they leak cadmium, mercury and acids.
“These new plans for their recyling are good for the environment”, declared Coun Marks.
He added: “Some of Warrington’s recycling centres already collect car batteries, though household batteries are just thrown into the bin. But Britain will have to catch up with the best recycling practices elsewhere.
“We need to end this ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mentality when it comes to disposal of waste materials.”
Residents lose battle
over mobile phone mast
by David Skentelbery
MOBILE phone giants Orange have won planning consent for a 60ft high telecommunications mast on Green Belt land at Statham Pools, Lymm despite strenuous opposition from nearby residents.
Lymm Parish Council, Statham Residents Association and a number of nearby householders had objected to the scheme.
But Warrington’s development control committee gave it the go ahead after hearing it would replace an existing, 45 ft high mast about 60 yards away which has to be moved to make way for a development of 10 houses.
Coun Sheila Woodyatt said the mast would be highly visible from a number of public footpaths and the M6.
“Statham Pools is a nature reserve a haven for wildlife and the site is totally inappropriate for such a large mast and the ancillary equipment that goes with it,” she said.
Coun Ian Marks said the mast would be in close proximity to a house which had been granted planning consent for housing and would be in a visible spot on the edge of the Green Belt.
Neighbours complained the mast would be higher than the existing one and would ruin one of the few unspoilt rural views left in Lymm. They fear interference to television reception and complained of a “low humming noise” emanating from similar equipment.
There were also objections on health grounds and because Statham Primary School was only a quarter of a mile away.
But one resident supported the scheme on the grounds the new mast would be further from houses than the old one and because reception in the area was poor. He said: “Masts have to be sited somewhere – nobody wants them but everybody uses mobile phones.”
Town’s diabetes rate
doubles in four years
by Terry Johnson
NEW moves to help diabetes patients ‘better manage’ their disease come as an alarming rise in Warrington sufferers is revealed.
There are now 6,000 people in Warrington diagnosed with diabetes – twice the number of patients recorded four years ago.
Diabetes is a serious, complex condition which takes a tenth of hospital resources. It increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness and amputation of limbs.
The town’s Primary Care Trust says that an action plan should deliver ‘the best care possible’ to enable diabetes patients to live with their condition – not suffer from it.
Assistant director, Malkia Ibbotson, said: “There is a lot more work to be done, especially in identifying people who may be at risk of developing diabetes.” A digital screening service for early detection and treatment was being looked at.
“Good diabetes care is about developing tailor-made services to meet individual needs. We are placing greater focus on patient involvement and self-management – which means we need a considerable change in the way services are delivered.
“Patients are joining clinicians and managers to redesign care services”.
Gary Webb, chairman of the Warrington Diabetes Support Group, added: “Over the last two years members have been working closely with professionals who deliver the care, ensuring the patients’ agenda and the professional agenda are one.
“I have seen amazing improvement in patient care. The support offered to patients is of an extremely high standard”.
The shock doubling of diabetes patients is attributed to better health screening, negative lifestyle factors like under-exercise and poor diet, family risk and greater public awareness.
Every GP practice in Warrington now has a lead nurse or doctor who specialises in the disease. And by the year-end every adult with diabetes will have received an education booklet to help them ‘self manage’ their condition.
North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust, together with the PCT’s lead diabetes doctors and nurses, will guide the most up-to-date management of the disease. It will focus on blood pressure and glucose control.
MP goes walkabout
in drugs hotspot
by staff reporter
AN MP went walkabout on Warrington’s worst drug-dealing street – then pledged to help stop the festering anti-social behaviour.
Warrington North MP Helen Jones said: “A strategy is needed to prevent this area going downhill.”
The MP walked Orford’s O’Leary Street, accompanied by Cheshire Police and top Borough Council officers.
“We identified a number of issues which need to be tackled – some can be dealt with immediately, like improved street lighting and cleaning graffiti.
“Others involve removal of walls, erecting fences and provision of green areas”, stated Ms Jones.
Residents of the area had protested their lives were made a misery by a burgeoning sub-culture of drug addicts and their dealers.
Their activities were based on a street telephone kiosk in the shadow of a local school and Peninsula Barracks.
After the team investigated the area, Ms Jones said: “Police have taken action against these dealers and will continue to tackle anti-social behaviour problems.”
The various agencies would work together to stamp out these community problems.
Police probe two
fires at same house
by John Hendon
POLICE are investigating two fires which broke out at the same house in Bewsey, Warrington.
The first involved a garden fence at the house in Southworth Avenue – but the second was a serious fire in the kitchen which would have spread to the rest of
the property had not a neighbour heard a smoke alarm and dialled 999.
Two dogs were rescued by firefighters, but the occupiers were not in at the time of either blaze.
A Fire Service spokesman said: “These fires were definitely started deliberately.”
Fire crews wore breathing apparatus to tackle the kitchen fire.
[ 13.04.2005, 08:52: Message edited by: DS ]
