Archive

YEARS of plotting and planning will bear fruit this month when Tatton Park's kitchen garden officially opens. Visitors have enjoyed the garden and its produce for some time and hopefully this will continue. The final part of the project is the reconstruction

ROBBERS used a stolen car to ram raid a bank in Frodsham on Saturday. The incident happened at Barclays Bank, Main Street at 4.57pm when the bank was closed but five members of staff were inside preparing for ATM transactions. A car reversed through the

HUFFING and puffing, she would have struggled to trudge to the gym - now she works out and swims four times a week. Sue Hindle, 26, has shed a staggering four stone in five months! "I've got tons more energy," said Sue, of Widnes, who has shrunk from

That's the heartening message pupils from St Michael's RC Primary School gave to Widnes firefighters. Crews were so pleased to receive their letters, they visited the children and showed them all the equipment they had used to tackle a recent arson attack

TWO cars crashed outside a primary school - just yards from speed cameras installed on a notorious accident black spot. The incident happened outside Ditton Primary School in Liverpool Road shortly after 1pm on Wednesday, April 28. A dark blue Renault

Liz, 16, took victory in the Junior Girls' Singles at the event held at the National Sports Centre on the Isle of Man. The St Nicholas RC High School pupil, who was representing Ireland, was on top form and defeated Scotland's top player Laura Rumgay

NORTHWICH Vics have yet to find a suitable candidate for the vacant manager's position. So far Vics have received a number of applications, but none of the prospective managers have fit the bill. Chairman Dave Stone said: "We've had nine applications

DEVELOPERS want to convert a 17th century mansion into homes. Maro Developments Ltd said it was the only way to save Toft Hall, which is currently used as offices by three companies. "The existing use of the hall as offices is economically unviable,"

SUN cream and water were essential at Saturday's Knutsford Royal May Day Festival. But the soaring temperatures were too much for one brave little soldier. "One of the guards didn't quite last the pace," said organiser Ken Gresty. "He wasn't with us the

WIDNES ARL held their awards presentation after the finals at the Halton Stadium. These are based on nominations by club secretaries and were hosted by Widnes ARL president Bernard McKeown and presented by Finnforest's Widnes works manager Mike Lomas.

urged to join the fight CAMPAIGNERS who are fighting to prevent an incinerator being built in Lostock are aiming to get all the region's parish councils on their side. Lostock Gralam Parish Council plans to contact councils throughout Cheshire to get

THE culmination of two years work by arty school children, detailing the industrial and natural history of Anderton Nature Park, is going on public display. More than 100 pupils from Comberbach Primary School participated in the exciting arts project,

MIDDLEWICH residents will be taking part in the first postal elections in Congleton Borough, which will take place in June. Congleton Borough Council will be distributing pre-ballot cards within the next few days, which explain the new system. The aim

up with drugs, youths are told TEENAGERS are being warned that drugs will not be tolerated in Middlewich. This is the message from the Middlewich Community Action Team (CAT) that is working with schools to educate children about the dangers of drug abuse

ACCORDING to A Watts, April 28, Runcorn New Town got a few shops and a cinema - and that's not redevelopment? Didn't he forget more than £100m of public money that is now committed to going into Castlefields and the surrounding area for its regeneration

CHESHIRE Police would like to respond to two letters, published in the World entitled 'Drugs dilemma' and 'Police should act'. The police drugs team is gathering intelligence about drug dealers on a daily basis in all parts of the borough. In order to

And they have said it is not a case of a 'not in my back yard' attitude in the town. Middlewich Against Dumping (MAD) is set to fight Clay Services Ltd's application for a landfill site at Kinderton Lodge. Campaigners were outraged when the north-east

I WOULD like to know how withholding your identity when writing into the World's letters pages is not conducive to democratic discussion? If a person has a view, no matter whether person 'B' agrees with that view, it does not mean that person 'A' has

THE waiting is over, Thundersprint will roar into top gear on Sunday with more than 75,000 people expected to line the streets of Northwich to witness the great event. Thundersprint is Britain's biggest biking street party with a mix of classic and modern

EXCITING, glamorous, professional actors who became exhausted, bedraggled amateur mums tell their story in a hilarious show. Mum's The Word was written by six Canadian women with 10 children under six between them. "Everyday I start out Mary Poppins but

I WRITE to concur with your reader who last week praised your article explaining some recent developments in the town. Until publication, I had mistakenly assumed Cheshire County Council had built the smallest bus stop in the world, at the end of Bexton

A WOMAN who has worked with young homeless women from Winsford for almost 20 years is set to retire. Shielah Abbott works as the manager of Cotswold House, a centre based at a secret address in the town that provides accommodation for homeless women who

A NEW residents' association on the Greville Estate looks set to go ahead after a successful pilot meeting stirred the hopes of the community. More than 20 people living in Wharton gathered at Christchurch in Crook Lane to find out more about setting

thief is jailed A POLICE detective has urged people in Winsford and Middlewich to take responsibility for protecting their own homes after a burglar was jailed. John Healey, 26 and from the Coppenhall district of Crewe was jailed for two years at Chester

A HOSPITAL radio presenter who lifts the gloom for patients with his cheery chatter and upbeat music has been 'highly-commended' at some top hospital radio awards. Widnes taxi driver Paul Edwards saw off 300 other entrants to reach the top five in the

'AIN'T no sunshine when she's gone' boomed through neighbours walls as a music-mad mum decorated, Runcorn Magistrates heard. Fed-up neighbours will probably not agree with soul star Bill Wither's lyrics, but they might breathe a sigh of relief after Julie

AN AimHigher roadshow visited schools in Halton to encourage pupils to think about going on to sixth form college and university. In Halton, 16 per cent of 18-year-olds go on to higher education compared to 22 per cent nationally. Experts say young people

AN 86-year-old Runcorn woman with Alzheimers left shaking with fear as youths jump on cars outside her home. Three Widnes teenagers left too frightened to go out because gangs of young men and girls drink until they pass out in the park opposite. Everyone

THE killer brain disease meningitis still threatens life in Halton, despite the discovery of a successful vaccine. That's the warning from Widnes mum and campaigner Olga Wilde, of Meningitis Merseyside Support Group. She welcomed comments in the World

THE Foundry Church in Widnes hosted a drama and dance performance from the Box Clever theatre company to improve pupils maths and English skills, organised by the Aspire Education Action Zone. PHOTO by IAN PARK (IPE290404)

A NEW human resources manager has been appointed for Halton and Warrington Hospitals. Sheila Samuels joins from Mersey Regional Ambulance Service on June 7. Her appointment brings North Cheshire Hospital's Trust's management team to its full complement

A NEW support group for people affected by MS has been set up in Halton. The group's first event was held at the Daresbury Park Hotel on Saturday and more than 60 people attended to learn more about the new Bridge MS Support Group. Gary Campbell, author

A MOTORIST who used the hard shoulder to escape rush hour traffic on Runcorn Widnes Bridge was caught red-handed by police. Keith Bunt, 42, of Leyton Close, Higher Runcorn, told Runcorn magistrates he had held a clean driving licence for 24 years and

A SEMINAR to help identify and address housing needs in the borough took place recently in Halton. The event, Housing - Meeting the Need, was held at the Halton Stadium and was organised jointly by the council's community legal services partnership, homelessness

FOR the third consecutive final extra time was needed to find a winner in the Presidents' Cup. The first goal came with three minutes remaining of the first half when Watchy took the lead after a scramble. In the second half, both sides missed several

KESTRELS are champions of group one with four games left. Their nearest challengers, Crows, beat Eagles 1-0 but then lost 2-0 to Falcons. Kestrels then beat Eagles 3-0 to clinch the championship. Rangers are the new leaders in group two. They beat a depleted

THE War Memorial Club was the venue last week for two more cup finals. The first, the Todger Jones VC cup, featured Albion against section four's Navvy Lads. Albion won the opening game through Nigel Peterson and Phil Littler and then made it 2-0 with

SS PETER & Paul took 25 girls on a netball and football training tournament tour of Valkenburg in Holland during April. The teams were very successful; the girls won the seven-a-side football tournament and the netball tournament. Player of the tournament

THE World has teamed up with the Cheshire Regiment to offer friends and family a chance to post messages of support for the troops in Iraq. The 1st Battalion of the regiment has just taken control of Basra. One officer said: "The troops had a fast start

YOUNGSTERS from across Halton had a ball at the weekend as they competed for the cup in a 'tag' rugby tournament. Seven primary school teams took to the field in a bid to get their hands on the Golden Jubilee Cup and it was Lunts Heath from Widnes who

A RED-HOT line-up of rock, pop, dance and indie talent hits the north west in July with the 'Move' four-day music festival. Topping the Friday night bill are band of the moment, Keane, who got to No 3 in the charts with Somewhere Only We Know back in

TWO excellent gigs paid a fitting tribute to the Queens Hall as it closed as a live venue. The Final Curtain gig was the last Fused show for under 18s. "Despite starting at 3pm, we still could not fit on all the excellent young bands who wanted to play

BREATHING space has been given to those people in Frodsham who have called proposals to develop Castle Park 'premeditated vandalism on a gigantic scale'. At a Vale Royal Borough Council meeting on Thursday night, councillors agreed to a land swap with

BINGE drinking teenagers, abandoned by their mates, could soon die, a paramedic has warned. A 14-year-old girl found collapsed on Runcorn busway this weekend was so inebriated, she couldn't stand up. When police carried her home to Higher Runcorn, they

THE presence of neighbourhood wardens in the community is reducing crime levels, according to a Government report and Weaver Vale MP Mike Hall. Mr Hall believes the report, published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, is 'a confirmation that

war veteran died of asbestos disease A POLISH soldier who emigrated to England after being held in a Nazi labour camp, died years after persistent exposure to asbestos at ICI, an inquest heard. Aleksander Rams was born in the village of Jesowka in Poland

ONE of the UK's leading training providers, the Vocational College, has launched a national base at the Heath Business and Technical Park, Runcorn. The college - formerly know as Taurus Training - provides a wide range of training services, with programmes

Tom Pickup, 14, of Lime Court, listened carefully to instructions from two adults at the scene of the incident, called an ambulance on his mobile and acted on the advice of the emergency services. Now Jane Barlow, who works for the housing trust's Wakefield

RUNCORN police are to target kids who jump onto broken shopping trolleys hidden in canals. A community support officer has been assigned to help clean up crime around the Bridgewater canal. Paul Lumb said: "Our greatest fear is come the summer you have

MOTHER found her 24-year-old son hanged in the family home after he ran into debt problems. Tracey Carter found her son, Anthony Kinsella, upstairs at home in Regal Crescent on January 13 this year, Warrington Coroners Court heard. She went to get Anthony's

THE circumstances surrounding the death of a woman found tied up in her home look set to remain a mystery, an inquest heard this week. Sharon Pickering, aged 30, was found dead by her father last April, in the living room of her flat in Thurston Close

A PRIMARY school teacher, fired after being accused of sending a spate of poison pen letters, says she wants to get on with her life after reaching an out-of-court settlement at her industrial tribunal. Margaret Tasker, aged 52, was sacked from Cinnamon

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 40 Widnes Vikings 10 A SECOND half try blitz by the Wildcats put paid to Widnes Vikings' hopes at Belle Vue on Sunday. A try and a goal just after half-time from Jules O'Neill had seemingly pulled Widnes back into the game until

RAIL issues were the talk of the town last Thursday when representatives of the House of Commons' transport select committee visited Frodsham station. Select committee members Gwyneth Dunwoody MP for Crewe and Nantwich, Louise Ellman MP for Liverpool,

MOVES to crack down on firework misuse have been welcomed by a campaigning councillor who gathered a massive borough wide petition calling for tougher legislation. Labour councillor Sandra Banawich said: "This is another step in the right direction and

VICTIMS of jailed 'Purple Aki' are to urge Merseyside Police chiefs to issue commendations to the detectives whose determined investigations led to his conviction. 'Purple Aki', whose real name is Akinwale Arobieke, was sentenced to a six-year jail term

ST HELENS' police chief says a government-led strategy that gives the public a bigger say in policing is already having a positive impact on two communities where it is being tested. Since the strategy was launched in February, 312 people in the West

PUNK Aid Liverpool benefit all dayer on Monday, May 31, 2pm until late, with Flamingo 50, Zombina & the Skeletones, Voo, 28 Costumes, Tokyo Adventures, Victor FME, Hot Club De Paris, Surreptitious Stanley, The Hot Carls, Automation and Surge. All

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 40 Widnes Vikings 10 A SECOND half try blitz by the Wildcats put paid to Widnes Vikings' hopes at Belle Vue on Sunday. A try and a goal just after half-time from Jules O'Neill had seemingly pulled Widnes back into the game until

TALK is cheap, only results matter. That is the message from disappointed Vikings boss, Neil Kelly, after his side surrendered a promising run of results with a limp loss to Wakefield at the weekend. "In the previous weeks we have been pleased with the

EXCITING, glamorous, professional actors who became exhausted, bedraggled amateur mums tell their story in a hilarious show. Mum's The Word was written by six Canadian women with 10 children under six between them. "Everyday I start out Mary Poppins but

INCENSED residents are threatening to blockade the new Peelhouse Lane link road if offices are built facing their homes. Families in Denton Street say they were promised a former playground would be landscaped - instead they've discovered developers plan

DAVENHAM Parish Council is considering what can be done to tackle the problem of nuisance youths congregating at Butcher's Style. Police had to be called to Butcher's Style on Friday, April 23, after reports of anti-social behaviour at the site. After

I AGREE totally with D Hardy, April 28. Some of the childish letters that people write about what each town has or hasn't got belongs back in school. Mr Watt's letter, April 28, only illustrated the same sort of childish banter by his references to the

A 17-year-old girl from Byley died at the weekend after she was involved in a collision with a car in Holmes Chapel. The incident happened at around midnight on Saturday, May 1, on the A50 Knutsford Road. A 23-year-old woman from Goostrey was driving

I SEE from the recent letters page that the Liberal Democrat who challenged the funding of the completion of Halton Stadium is still challenging this and other stadium funding. The fact he and his party only see community facilities as financial investments

MIDDLEWICH collected two league championships in quick succession last week to become the club of the season in the Mid Cheshire League. On Tuesday, Barnton's draw with Poynton ensured Middlewich Town were crowned Division One champions. To make sure

WINSFORD United celebrated a season in which they have reversed a downward spiral with their annual player of the year awards last week. Mark Quinn was the star of the show, collecting the manager's player of the year award and the supporters' player

A FANTASTIC four-year-old has kick-started her karate career so early her instructor says she could be reaching her black belt before she hits double figures. Little Jazmin Shaw of Hough Green, Widnes, has only been learning the Japanese martial art since

A GROUP of exasperated residents on Winsford's Over Estate have hit out at Weaver Vale Housing Trust, claiming that refurbishment works to their homes have made life a nightmare. The council is spending around £1million on new central heating and double

INTERESTED in local history? Here's a chance to take part in an exciting project. The search is on to find volunteers willing to help the community of West Bank capture their history. "I am looking for people who could spare a few hours a week either

Halton Simms Cross 31 Halton Hornets 18 Finnforest Cup Final SIMMIES' superb season continued after they beat Farnworth in the Finnforest Cup Final at the Halton Stadium. Simmies got off to the perfect start when Paul Roberts combined with Mick Donnelly

DIXONS electrical store in Widnes is closing in a cull of 106 shops across the country. The company hopes to find other jobs for the five employees in the Dixons Group, which includes PC World and Currys. A Dixons' spokesperson said: "As a whole, the

IT'S Halton Council's biggest step since splitting from Cheshire County Council. It wants people to vote 'yes' this autumn to transferring council houses to a housing association. The council says its budgets for routine repairs and long-term investment

I AM writing regarding the latest comments on the new and existing Mersey crossings in the World on April 28. First of all, I agree that the use of the existing bridge as a local one could be a good idea but don't understand why money should be wasted

Widnes 181 for three declared, Oxton 182 for six. WIDNES elected to bat first on what looked an excellent batting wicket. Pearson bowled seven maidens in his first eight overs and had James McCoy caught behind for one and Adam Landry dismissed with the

CHESHIRE County Netball Association celebrated a successful season with its annual presentation ceremony. The senior squad finished top of the Northern division and won promotion to the fourth division of the English Counties league after an unbeaten

AN 'UNTOUCHABLE' Runcorn drugs gang has been rounded up. After more than five months of surveillance and evidence gathering, police stopped a vehicle in Windmill Hill Avenue North last Wednesday containing a kilo of cocaine - worth £30,000. Several arrests

WITH the number of traffic accidents in Vale Royal on the increase, Cheshire Constabulary is trying to help bikers get on the road to safer riding. The road policing unit is getting ready to kick-start a number of informal courses geared to help riders

FRIDAY night. The first summer's evening of the year - something that most people look forward to. But for Runcorn Police Community Action Team, summer is the worst time of year. Lighter nights mean more underage drinking. Which means more fights, more

TWO weeks into the season and Toft Cricket Club are already sitting pretty at the top of the Cheshire County Cricket League Division One. They opened their season against Cheadle Hulme and thanks to a solid 46 form Jamie Noble and a belligerent 40 from

FRODSHAM and its neighbours are set to benefit from a £1.6million cash boost to enhance and develop the area. Frodsham Forward has secured the investment to feed into Frodsham, Helsby, Kingsley, Alvanley, Manley, Dutton, Sutton and Aston from the Northwest

THE editor of the Hartford parish newsletter has resigned over the proposed 500-fold rent increase at Hartford Bowls and Tennis Club. As reported last month in the Guardian, Hartford Parish Council has decided to raise the club's existing peppercorn rent

NORTHWICH Salt Museum is celebrating after the Heritage Lottery Fund announced a grant for £50,000 towards the installation of two new galleries. The announcement has been made amid talk of the salt museum moving in the future to form part of a cultural

AN architectural gem is about to be thrust into the national spotlight. The Lion Salt Works in Marston is to feature on BBC2's Restoration, the television series which last year gave architectural sites a lifeline. Viewers vote for their favourite historical

A CAR salesman killed himself at the fourth attempt, an inquest has heard. Stuart Arthur Jones was found dead in room 21 of the Travel Inn in Preston Brook, Runcorn. Warrington Coroners Court heard he had tried to gas has himself in 1976 and 1985, and

VOLUNTEERS at Mid-Cheshire Animal Welfare have spoken of their grief after a fire killed eight pets belonging to the charity's founding member. An accidental fire in the kitchen of Pat Emerson's home claimed the lives of three dogs, three cats and two

QUESTIONS have been raised over whether police can enforce the speed limit on the Kingsmead spine road if it is unadopted. Last week the Northwich Guardian exclusively told how the county council is refusing to adopt roads and streetlights on the Kingsmead

COUNCILLORS have welcomed in principle plans for a Homebase Ltd store to be sited on land off Leicester Street - which could see up to 60 new jobs created. The Northwich Area Working Group met on Wednesday to discuss and consider the proposal. The site

A MOTHER who spotted drug dealers outside her house has slammed police for letting them escape. The Weaverham resident, who did not want to be named, said she was furious about the police's lack of urgency - especially after they warned the public not

ASPIRING Halton High pupils visited the dreaming spires of Oxford to get a taste of what could be theirs if they fulfil their potential. The six Year 10 pupils spent two days learning about college life at St Hugh's. They tried university food and accommodation

A WIDOWER who has survived three heart attacks says he's been made a prisoner in his own home by local yobs. John Crawley says the youngsters regularly throw bricks and stones at his house and shout abuse. "I can't go on like this," said a distraught

TWO homes may have to be demolished after a 16-year-old driver bulldozed through a fence, smashed into a bedroom wall and flattened a shed. Miraculously, a pensioner was in his kitchen at the other side of his bungalow in Whatcroft Close, Halton Lodge

A GROUP of Warrington carers journeyed to Blackpool to meet the Princess Royal at the launch of a new appeal. The Warrington Carers Centre, based in Garven Place, helps carers in the borough who look after a family member or friend who is disabled or

AROUND half of Warrington's 16-year-olds could be getting money to stay on at school. The weekly cash grant available is of up to £30 a week with an extra £100 available in bonuses throughout the year. The recently launched Education Maintenance Allowance

TALK is cheap, only results matter. That is the message from disappointed Vikings boss, Neil Kelly, after his side surrendered a promising run of results with a limp loss to Wakefield at the weekend. "In the previous weeks we have been pleased with the

KNUTSFORD Amateur Operatic Society impressed the crowds on the opening night of the musical comedy Anything Goes. Set aboard a cruise ship bound for England it follows the fortunes of a group of characters looking for fun, laughter and love. Anna Walton

MARIE McCourt gathered with other families whose loved ones were the victims of terrible crimes to launch a national fundraising petition this week. Marie, whose daughter Helen was murdered in 1988, was among 60 relatives who came together in London for

INJURY-PLAGUED Vikings prop Ryan MacDonald has left the club to join National League outfit Halifax. The 26-year-old has only played a handful of games for Widnes in two and a half seasons since promotion to Super League. The Workington-born forward was