Dentist conquers North
Pole in record time
by Gary Skentelbery
A DENTIST who was part of the fastest team to conquer the North pole this year didn’t have the best of starts as he watched his group leader being swept away on an ice flow.
John Moorhouse who runs a dental practice in Lymm feared his leader faced certain death.
But after a major rescue operation involving a Russian helicopter internationally renowned mountaineer Tomas Ulrich was back to lead John and his team on their gruelling challenge.
Pulling a sledge John skied the last degree of 75 miles as part of an international group of 10, including Swiss, Danish, Norwegian, South African and British – the equivalent of pulling your sofa over broken ground from Lymm to Birmingham in the middle of Winter!
He had set off from the temporary Russian base – Camp Borneo which is only present for six weeks of the year before melting!
A delighted John said: “We were the team with the fastest time this year and the only group to finish with a full complement.”
He is no stranger to extreme sports having climbed the Matterhorn and the highly prized technical 7,000m peak of Ama Dablam in Himalayas.
Commenting on his latest adventure he said: “We tried to do 15 -20 Kms a day but this was increased by the icecap drifting southwards in the face of a strengthening wind from the north. The biggest movement was on the Pole itself when the icecap moved 2 miles overnight!
“We completed the ski in six days and had food for nine days – just enough as it took the Russians 24hrs to pick us up from the Pole and had a further days wait at Camp Borneo. Water was provided by an unlimited amount of ice to melt but fuel was strictly rationed!
“We started in a warm -17 but difficult skiing in a whiteout lasting for 3 days. The loss of surface definition made crossing the pressure ridges very difficult. Pressure ridges are formed where the ice crashes together gaining heights of up to 20 feet over several miles long. They rise so fast you can see them rising up in the ice before you, revealing the deep translucent blue of massive ice blocks.
“The weather finally cleared and the sun lit up a bleak, severe snowy landscape with pressure ridges in varying states of decay snaking away as far as you could see. The ridges were punctuated by breaks in the ice called leads which meant a large detour until a crossing point less than 1/2 the length of the skis could be found. Manoeuvring across the leads pulling sledges was always exciting as no-one fancied the consequences of an unplanned swim!
“With the sun came a steady drop in the temperature to -25 and an increase in wind strength to 20mph in our faces from the North. This was the worst possible combination and meant wearing full face masks and goggles as no area of skin could be left exposed for even a few minutes without going numb and risking frost bite. The benefit of this was that the massive leads around the Pole froze over. Some of these were 500 yards across and made for very easy skiing. The relief of not having to skirt around them was tempered by the trepidation of skiing across thin, newly formed ice!”
Now after his latest challenge he is devoting his time to Eaglebrow Dental practice and implant referral centre and teaching implants at the Royal college of Surgeons – and is now looking towards the South Pole next year!
Woman critical –
two arrested
by staff reporter
TWO people have been arrested by police after a woman was found with serious head injuries at a house in Grasmere Avenue, Warrington during the early hours of Sunday.
The 34-year-old woman is now in Warrington hospital and described as “critical.”
The two people arrested are a 66-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman. It is believed the woman victim and those arrested are known to each other.
An incident room has been established at Warrington police station and police are appealing for witnesses who may have seen anything suspicious in the area to call the investigation team on 01244 613831.
Uproar over
homes plan
by Terry Johnson
CONTROVERSY rages over plans to build 450 homes, light industrial units and a neighbourhood centre on the site of a redundant cooker plant at Latchford Locks, Warrington.
Neighbours of the New World Ltd site at Thelwall Lane have listed a catalogue of ‘intrusion’ to their lives.
Their complaints include claims that residential streets will become ‘rat runs’ filtering a huge increase in traffic; new buildings would tower over existing homes and they would suffer loss of privacy and increased noise levels.
Planning councillors have given outline consent to the multi-million pound re-development, which will bring huge change to Latchford village, with an influx of new people to 450 homes/apartments, built between two and six storeys high.
The company’s social club will be refurbished, an ecology park and children’s play area and ‘green’ pedestrian/cycle routes provided.
Applicant Glen Dimplex Cooking Ltd. wnts to provide a new mini-roundabout access alongside terraced homes in Thelwall Lane, resulting in demolition of three properties.
But 24 householders have objected to this latest scheme.
Their protests gain support from the Manchester Ship Canal Company who state: “The applicant is unable to implement the proposed new access without use of land owned by the Canal Company. The access is not achievable, even if permission were to be approved”.
And this sets a quandary for the mini-roundabout would be the only access serving 450 homes – well exceeding set design standards.
The revised plans will be considered by Development Control councillors meeting on Wednesday(May24).
Centenary sell outs
by Mark Hemmings
MEMBERS of the award winning Centenary Theatre Company performed to sell out crowds with their latest musical production, “Guys and Dolls” during its five night run at The Brindley Theatre near Daresbury.
Grappenhall’s Jane Rigby and Michelle Taylor took to the stage playing the two female leads, “Adelaide” and “Sarah Brown”. Accompanying them on stage was Mark Hemmings from Appleton, as “Sky Masterson.”
“Guys and Dolls” was the second musical to be presented by Centenary in their new home at The Brindley.
Following a sell out production in January of “Brassed Off” this latest show stands the company in good stead for their forthcoming play, “Educating Rita” which is due to be performed in September followed by “Hello Dolly!” in October.
Regular theatre-goer Yvonne Pilkington said: “I paid in excess of ?40 per ticket to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in Manchester last month, and I would rather pay to see another Centenary production four nights on the run instead.”
Double trouble as
May Queen set to
clash with big kick off!
by Gary Skentelbery
IT will be Laura at the double when the annual Lymm May Queen Festival kicks off on Saturday June 10 – the same time England kick off their World Cup campaign!
Laura Fitzgibbon aged 11 from Cherry Tree Primary School will be crowned May Queen, while seven-year-old Laura Ocego, who attends Statham Primary School will be crowned Rose Queen at 3pm.
Organisers of the event are anxious for as much community involvement as possible to make the procession bigger and better than ever ? and would like to hear from organisations and schools interested in entering a float.
Realising the clash with the England match they realise there will be a slight distraction – but point out the event will be the ideal opportunity ?to leave dad in peace.?
Members of the May Queen Committee said: “We can’t make the procession bigger and better without the support from the community.
“We would love to see as many floats and people join in the procession as possible.
“The theme for this year is the future but if people have other ideas anything goes!
“Please s
pare a little time to help us make May Queen 2006 one to remember – we can’t do it without public support.
?We realise the crowning will clash with the football but it will be a good opportunity to leave the men in peace – after they have watched the parade!?
It will be a special day for two local people who have the honour of crowning the queens.
Ramond Massey and Joanne Brown have been given the honour in recognition of their tireless work for charity.
Raymond will crown the new May Queen on what will be his 79th birthday while Joanne will crown the Rose Queen.
To register a float call Wendy Wright on 757663 or Farah Jones on 759237.
Looking at future
energy needs
by Terry Johnson
BUSINESS leaders, energy specialists, scientists and environmentalists are taking a hard look at Cheshire’s future energy needs – and how they can be met.
The visionaries are studying all options, which include wind turbines, hydro-generators, bio-electricity, solar panels, power from waste incineration and nuclear plants buried in the Cheshire landscape powering local business.
Julian Carter, of Renewables North West, funded by the NWDA, said Cheshire’s industry and business was looking for energy it could afford and rely on.
“The problem over the last two years is that these are the very things business has not been able to do.
“Now business is looking towards energy efficiency for a major part of the answer. Business is also starting to take part seriously in the renewable energy debate in the form of wind turbines, hydro-generators, bio-electricity and power generated from waste.”
Northwich’s Kingsmead School had been designed with its own eco-systems, solar panels, energy and water efficiency.
This was an example to Cheshire businesses that need to take ownership of their own power supply.
“While use of renewable energy may not be the whole answer, it will help keep energy costs down and assist conserve other supplies. It is simply too good an opportunity to miss”, stated Mr Carter.
Paul Harding, managing director of Urenco Capenhurst, involved in uranium enrichment, felt the answer may be in pioneering work carried out in South Africa.
The South African Government proposed small, 100-megawatt reactors alongside townships to provide electricity via the local grid.
In the UK, even smaller reactors could eventually fuel local industry.
But the clock was on countdown for a decision on meeting energy needs in five to 10 years’ time.
New members wanted
by John Hendon
CULCHETH Players are on the lookout for people to tread the boards or paint the scenery or any of the other jobs in between.
They are a friendly and approachable group who are always on the look out for new members and meet at 8:00pm every Monday at Culcheth Sports and Social Club (Daten) Charnock Road Culcheth.
Just turn up and ask for the drama group!
They produce three plays per year and always try to make rehearsals and meetings as much fun as possible.
