Labour of love
uncovers
lost treasures!
by Gary Skentelbery
A TWELVE year labour of love for Warrington based archaeologist Mark Olly is set to pay off.
Mark, aged 42, from Cinnamon Brow, is presenting a TV series loosely based on his “Celtic Warrington and other Mysteries” books, with the first show set to hit the screens on ITV Granada, on August 11 at 7.30pm.
The six part series of “Lost Treasures” will kick off at St Oswald’s Church Winwick, once a medieval city and will explore its hidden treasures and the battles of St Oswald and Makerfield in 642 AD and Red Bank 1648 AD.
Mark, who is hoping to produce his 4th book before the end of the year, said: “This will be a fast moving action packed series, revealing new discoveries which have never been seen before.
“This is not dusty old attic material – a lot of work has gone into making sure it is fast moving and exciting. “If you could imagine combing Time Team and the movie Van Helsing and making them into a pop video, it would be something like this new series.”
Granada have commissioned Mark to present the series and a special “Time Lord” outfit has been created for him to wear – made to his own design idea.
“The outfit blends in with many of the periods I will be looking at and even has its own secrets which will be revealed throughout the series.”
After Winwick, Mark goes on to discover Roman forts, Saxon and Medieval castles, Lewis Carroll and Alice and Wonderland in Daresbury and Halton, Ice Age caves, sacred wells and other Dark Age discoveries in Llanarmon-Yn-Lal in North Wales, King Canute, carved stones and Celtic heads in Knutsford and Tatton, Viking hoards and long ships in Widnes and hidden Roman remain at Chester.
The Chester show will include amphitheatre archaeology, hidden Roman remains, King Arthur and the battle of Chester 613 AD.
Mark is already hopeful that a second series will follow.
“We will be making literally hundreds of new discoveries which have never been seen before,” he added.
“It will help give people a new and exciting insight into their local history.”
Labour council slams
its own government
by David Skentelbery
LABOUR councillors at Warrington have slammed their own government for cutting funding for adult education.
The borough council has passed a resolution calling on the government to review its funding policy to support a policy of lifelong learning – particularly for disadvantaged people.
Executive board member Mike Hannon told the council: “We have a government with a policy of ‘education, education, education’ and we have seen the success of this in our schools.
“In turn, this will bring economic prosperity. But there are some who will be losers, rather than winners.”
Coun Hannon said adult education would suffer. Across the country, many courses would be cancelled and fees would rise for others.
Warrington Collegiate would be badly hit in September when the cuts kicked in. The number of courses for senior citizens would be reduced, along with craft courses as funding of about ?300,000 was lost.
Many of the most disadvantaged people would be unable to afford to continue to attend courses – and this could lead to further closures.
Deputy leader of the council Paul Ross said the government, in its eagerness to equip 14-19 year-olds for their future lives, had cut back on adult education.
“We think it is acting unwisely,” he said. “It is right that those who can afford to pay should do so, but it is the most disadvantaged people who will suffer.”
Tory and Liberal Democrat councillors supported the move.
Liberal Democrat leader Ian Marks said: “All over the country, thousands of evening classes and part-time courses are closing and fees have doubled or trebled. It threatens the whole tradition of lifelong learning.
“For many older people, being able to use their minds and meet people is a lifeline – the risk is that adult education will go private with the possibility that prices will soar even more.”
Coun Marks congratulated the controlling Labour group for “standing up” to its own government.
Coun Hannon responded: “When something needs saying, we say it.”
Council “has no
plans to sell land”
by David Skentelbery
A TOWN Hall chief has given an assurance that Warrington Borough Council has no plans to sell any of its land in the Winwick Road of the town.
Coun Terry O’Neill, the council’s executive member for sustainable regeneration, gave the assurance in response to questions asked by environmental campaigner John Mulhall at a meeting of the full council.
Mr Mulhall – an unsuccessful independent candidate at the last council elections – asked the council if it would, at some time in the future, sell, lease or rent any of its land in the area to a developer who has applied for planning permission for a controversial medical waste recycling plant.
Coun O’Neill said as a planning application had been received in respect of land in the area it would be improper for him to respond fully to the questions.
However, he could say that the council had no plans to sell any of its land in the area.
Mr Mulhall said as the plan for a recycling plant did not involve council-owned land he believed a more detailed reponse would not be improper, but Coun O’Neill would only repeat his assurance.
Plans for a recycling plant off Winwick Road were originally approved by a planning inspector after the council originally turned them down.
But the council managed to block the scheme by refusing to sell land required for the scheme.
Now a scaled-down version of the plan has been submitted, which does not involve council land but Mr Mulhall believes the council could still block the scheme by continuing to refuse to sell its land which might be needed for access.
Local residents are strongly opposed to the scheme because of fears that emissions from the site might result in health problems. They also claim the development would result in traffic problems on roads already struggling to cope.
If built, the recycling centre would process medical waste from hospitals, clinics, etc from all over the North West.
After the meeting, Mr Mulhall said he was “disappointed” because he believed the council could have given an undertaking that it would not sell any land in connection with the recycling centre proposal.
Experts probe
brook pollution
by Terry Johnson
ENVIRONMENT Agency pollution experts are probing an incident where a blocked pump caused raw sewage to spill into a watercourse at Lymm, near Warrington.
The pollution happened in Sow Brook, close to the Lymm Golf Club, and a section of the waterway was tainted.
The alarm was raised by a golfer, who believed there had been a fish kill.
But United Utilities, who are responsible for Lymm Pumping Station, said they acted immediately to free the blocked pump after an automatic alarm alerted them to its closedown.
“We believe that somebody dumped garbage into the water system and this blocked the pump”, said a spokeswoman. “This is a new pumping station and we don’t anticipate further operational problems”.
She was unable to confirm the claim that fish in the brook had died.
The Environment Agency added: “There is no history of frequent incidents of brook pollution. Our investigations into this reported case are continuing”.
Residents win pledge
from superstore
by Lesley Wilkinson
RESIDENTS living near a superstore have been plagued by bright lights at night and shopping trolleys left near their homes.
And now, following a number of complaints, retail giant Tesco, has agreed to help tackle their worries.
Fairfield and Howley ward councillor Yvonne Fovargue said managers have agreed to work with residents living in an estate opposite the store and will attend a Watkin Street Tenants and Res
idents Association meeting.
“I am pleased that following the recent meeting, Tesco are now committed to clear their trolleys off the estate which was a major issue for local residents. They have also agreed to reduce light pollution from the store at night-time and have committed themselves to attend residents’ association meetings on a regular basis,” she said.
She said the store had also donated cash and a bike for Brickfields Park, due to open soon, in recognition of the residents’ hard work and fundraising success.
Two minutes’ silence
for terrorist victims
by staff reporter
WARRINGTON will join towns and cities across the country in observing two-minutes’ silence to remember the victims of the terrorist attacks in London.
The silence will be held at 12 noon tomorrow (Thursday) and people across the borough are being invited to take part.
As part of the tribute, council, church, business and transport representatives will gather at Market Gate, in the heart of Town Centre Warrington and all Warrington Borough Transport buses, where safe to do so, will observe the silence.
Bob Williams, the borough council’s head of communications, said: “Warrington is keen to show solidarity with the London community, especially bearing in mind our own experience at the hands of terrorists.”
Local band signs
recording deal
by Lesley Wilkinson
WARRINGTON band The Sessions, who were featured on Warrington Worldwide last month, is set record at a top studios.
The Sessions, who performed at the Parr Hall recently to good reviews, will record at Parr Street Studios, in Liverpool, with Eric Clapton’s sound engineer Allan Douglas.
Band members are singer John Mackie, 25, of Cadishead, lead guitarist David Smythe, 21, of Fearnhead, keyboard player Paul Griffith, 21, of Golborne, drummer Alex Healey, 24, of Fearnhead, rhythm guitarist Ian Reddecliffe, 23, of Culcheth, and bass guitaist Ben Deakin, 20 of Padgate.
The band, signed to Crunch Records based in Whithorn, South West Scotland, will record in the prestigious Studio One, used by artists ranging from Coldplay to Diana Ross.
From July 16 to 20 they will cut their first single and record tracks for their forthcoming album.
Gillian Atkinson, agent/manager, said: “We hope to have the single out in September and we currently putting together a major tour for the band.”
The next local gig will be at The Limelight, Crewe, and a double-decker bus is being arranged from Warrington. Anyone interested in joining it should ring 01988 403200 for further details.
