Final chapter closes
on perfect boy’s life
EXCLUSIVE by Gary Skentelbery
THE final chapter on the brave life of Scott Rhodes has closed when he died peacefully in his sleep on a family holiday in the South of France.
If there could have been a perfect end to his life, this was it, with his family around him.
The former Lymm High School student who was born with half his heart missing and given just two years to live, battled on for an amazing 23 years, living life to the full wherever possible.
When he was nine he “died” sixteen times after undergoing pioneering corrective surgery and amazed the medical profession with his recovery, which made national headlines.
He was fitted with a pacemaker when he was 15 which gave him a new lease of life and when he was 18 he went through a rebellious stage when he stopped taking all his medications without his mother’s knowledge.
As a result he suffered a major stroke but again fought back making a remarkable recovery. Having lost his speech and the use of his left side, he recovered enough to ride a motor bike and walk with only a slight limp. But it had a serious affect on the condition of his heart.
“His bravery of living life to the full eventually caught up with him,” said Karen who now lives in Stockton Heath, Warrington.
He had been on the heart transplant waiting list for 18 months but sadly had to be taken off it earlier this year due to his condition worsening.
Reflecting on her son’s valiant battle for life tearful Karen, 48, said: “These are not tears of sadness but from the many happy memories of how Scott lived life to the full.
“I know he defied the odds and that we did everything possible for him.
“He was extremely brave and never moaned about his condition.
Although his parents divorced Scott, who had an older sister Jill, younger brother William and step sister Holly, worked with his father John as a digital printer.
His death on holiday was at the end of a “perfect day.”
Karen concluded: “It was the perfect end to the perfect boy’s life and I can gewt a lot of comfort from that.
“He was on holiday in the South of France with membres of his family . He had been playing in the sea with his step father, eyeing up the topless women on the beach and later enjoyed a glass of champagne with his mum.
“He went to bed after his favourite meal at a Thai restaurant and was listening to his favourite music which included ‘Angels’ by Robbie Williams and died peacfully in his sleep.
“Although it was a terrible shock to find him the next morning if there was a way for him to go, this was it.”
Wolves bid for
heritage funding
by Lesley Wilkinson
PEOPLE in Warrington are being asked to get involved in plans to set up a unique heritage project reflecting the history of the town and its rugby team.
Warrington Wolves Community Learning and Sport Foundation is applying for a Your Heritage grant for its Wire2Wolves project.
It will deliver heritage activities for children, young people and adults, celebrating the professional Rugby League club’s involvement in the town’s changing face from 1879 to the present.
The community, private and public organisations and all groups associated with the club are expected to get involved.
It is hoped that a unique archive of visual and interactive activities will be created in the concourses of the Halliwell Jones Stadium, once an old brewery site. Features proposed include a tour around the stadium, a dedicated space on the website to the project and a DVD and exhibition stands in libraries.
Funding is being sought towards the costs of research, design and materials for the project.
A series of meetings are being held to collect material including interviews and pictures of the experience of the club and the town’s history and industry. Material, including information from the Past Players Association, will be collated and recorded.
It is hoped that the project will provide a learning opportunity for tour parties, schools and the local community. It is expected that a DVD and a brochure will be provided to explore Wire2Wolves through personal reminiscences, pictures, sounds and video footage.
Anyone who would like to help out with the project should contact Neil Kelly on 01925 248894 or 07730075931 or by emailing [email protected]
Smiley Bus takes
to the road
by Lesley Wilkinson
MORE children will benefit from the fun on offer at The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust, near Lymm, thanks to the donation of a mini bus.
The 17-seater wheelchair-friendly vehicle was donated by charity the Morgan Foundation to launch its Smiley Bus campaign.
The farm will use it for transporting disabled children from all over the North West to and from the centre for holidays, respite breaks and day trips.
Steve Morgan, Morgan Foundation chairman, handed over the vehicles to the farm’s newest patron Jim Hancock, former BBC political editor.
The minibus has an electrically operated tail lift and seats that can be removed to accommodate up to six wheelchairs.
Nick Montague, chairman of the board of trustees at the farm, said: “The minibus is much more than a vehicle, it represents independence, comfort and security for children living with disabilities that most of us couldn’t comprehend.”
Picture shows back row (left to right) Jim Hancock, Nick Montague, Steve Morgan, with Joshua Proctor aged 11, and Craig Boardman, aged 14.
History preserved on
film thanks to grant
by Lesley Wilkinson
PHOTOGRAPHS of Warrington, some dating back more than 100 years, can be preserved thanks to a ?3,350 grant from the Lottery Fund for Local Groups. Warrington Photographic Society has received the money to preserve its unique photographic history of the region. It is one of the oldest in the country having been founded in 1886 with first president Mr Thomas J Downs, managing director of Greenall Whitley. It has a wealth of archive material including about 650 glass lantern slides reflecting the history of the town. Publicity officer John Rutter said: “In 1886 Warrington was a busy industrial town. The Parr Hall had not been built neither had the ship canal. “Transport was by horse drawn carriage, until the new wonder transport, steam. Records include a whistle stop visit to Bank Quay Station by the Prime Minister, Thomas Gladstone,” he added. The grant will allow the society to have professional high-quality digital copies of each of the slides to keep in a permanent archive, and another set suitable for projecting to use in talks. They grant will also allow the, group to buy a laptop computer, projector and appropriate software, to allow members to extend their expertise in digital photography.
Witness appeal
A MOTORCYCLIST received serious injuries following a collision with a white Toyota van on Woolston Grange Avenue, Woolston, Warrington, on Sunday evening.
Traffic police are appealing for witnesses following the collision which also resulted in a teenage pillion passenger receiving minor injuries.
Any one who witnessed the incident is asked to contact Sgt Mike Jones on 01244 613813.
Unprovoked attack
by staff reporter
POLICE are hunting three men who carried out an unprovoked attack on a 26-year-old man in Marshall Gardens, Warrington. The incident happened on September 5 at 2.30pm as the man walked through the gardens.
He was subjected to an unprovoked attack when he was hit on the head from behind and then head butted.
As he lay on the ground he had his jacket and wallet stolen.
The attackers were all white males aged in their late teens or early 20’s.
One was of skinny build and wearing a blue track suit and white Nike baseball cap.
Another was 6ft tall had a blue jacket and sandy hair while the third was 5ft 6 of stocky build with blonde hair.
Anyone with information is ask
ed to contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
