Sentinel, The (Stoke-on-Trent UK) back issues from August 2007:
What became of promises?
Aug 01, 2007 ... Sir, - Before the May elections, we urged people to vote fortheir children, grandchildren and the generations which will follow. By this, we meant voting for a borough council which wouldpromote sustainability and combat climate change. Sustainability isabout taking urgent ...
We can unite for new vote
Aug 01, 2007 ... Sir, - There is still much uncertainty about the final outcome ofthe local government reorganisation in Cheshire. Further evidence of the financial case and transitional arrangements for two unitary authoritieshasbeen requested by the minister, and this requires careful ...
My answer for a sick society
Aug 01, 2007 ... Sir, - What a sick society we have become. In addition to the ever-increasing number of stabbings and shootings (so much for gun laws),we have also seen in recent weeks the looting of flood victims'houses, the attempted theft of critical flood defence equipment, thewilful sabotage of ...
Get romantic with mahler
Aug 01, 2007 ... Ilan Volkov, below, chief conductor with the BBC ScottishOrchestra since 2003, returns to conduct the orchestra in a concertat London's Royal Albert Hall, as part of this year's BBC Promseries. Presented by Martin Handley, the concert features the 14-minute1994 work Stele, by ...
People don't have power...
Aug 01, 2007 ... Sir, - Gordon Brown promised to give power to the people. In June, 85 per cent of Crewe and Nantwich residents voted to keep theborough council. The Labour Government has now announced ...
Jackson's effort points to Olympics potential
Aug 01, 2007 ... Emma Jackson's first appearance at a major championship final hasconvinced her and coach Alan Morris that her Olympic ambitions forLondon 2012 are well on track. Jackson, from Woore, was reflecting on her silver medal at theEuropean Junior Championships in Holland. "If I was ...
Who can we trust today?
Aug 01, 2007 ... Sir, - I write in response to your front page of Wednesday, July25, and the question about whether PC Andrew King should be allowedto keep his job. In my opinion, the answer is most definitely no.Why should he? I have grown up believing that I could trust certainpeople in society, ...
'Keep our care homes open'
Aug 01, 2007; ... The majority of care home residents' families have said the homesshould stay open. Relatives' views were put forward during an independentconsultation over the future of the 21 Staffordshire sites currentlyin question. The period ended yesterday and county councillors will ...
Robbie's trail would lead to nowhere worth seeing
Aug 01, 2007 ... Alexei Sayle once used a very unpleasant word to describe "anyonewho uses the word 'workshop' who isn't connected with lightengineering". I'd suggest that same unpleasant term to describe anyone who usesthe word "trail" who isn't talking about a path through a forest. Oh, ...
Cash injection to treat mentally ill
Aug 01, 2007; ... Relief is in sight for scores of people with mental healthproblems who wait months for therapy, and often have to be put onanti-depressant pills. The NHS in Stoke-on-Trent has successfully pitched forpounds200,000 from the Government to appoint three teams of extracounsellors to ...
It's worth a trip to see flowers
Aug 01, 2007 ... Sir, - Congratulations to the Cheadle in Bloom team for theirefforts in providing a magnificent display of colour for the town.The vibrant colour planting of red, orange and lime green are abrilliant choice, and will provide colour throughout the summermonths. It was well thought out, ...
Fairytale fell flat
Aug 01, 2007 ... In The summer of 1981, Britain was in the grip of a recession,riots and high levels of unemployment. On the plus-side, you couldstill get a Mars Bar for about 12p. Mrs Thatcher's government had brought misery to great swathes ofthe country. In South Yorkshire, for example, her ...
House of horrors revisited
Aug 01, 2007 ... The series profiling major crimes of the 20th century, usinginterviews with investigating officers, forensics scientists andvictims' families, examines the case of Gloucester couple Fred andRose West pictured, who murdered 12 people, including some of theirown children, before burying ...
Memories of maypole shop
Aug 01, 2007 ... Sir, - Reading your letter about Maypole shops reminded me ofwhen we were children and lived in Hanley. Our mother always shoppedat the Maypole which ...
Nelson cannot wait for biggest challenge
Aug 01, 2007 ... Alex Nelson insists he won't suffer from stage fright when helines up in the 200m at the Norwich Union London Grand Prix atCrystal Palace on Friday. The event has attracted a world-class field, including AmericanWallace Spearmon and Jamaica's Usain Bolt - two of the fastest men ...
You make our summer bright
Aug 01, 2007 ... Sir, - Re: Blurton High School. The staff and pupils would liketo give their heartfelt thanks to the following local businesses whohave sponsored this year's summer school. Without their yearly support the attending pupils would miss outgreatly on the opportunities they offer to ...
Support much appreciated
Aug 01, 2007 ... Sir, - You recently featured a couple of articles on my grandad,Roy Weston, pictured, after he was robbed at his home. I would justlike to thank everyone at The Sentinel for ...
Why so negative, Mr wolfe?
Aug 01, 2007 ... Sir, - In his column last Tuesday, Mike Wolfe wrote: The saga ofUnity House is almost enough to make me believe that there can benegative vibes attached to a particular plot of land." I certainly believe negative vibes can be attached to particular individuals, one certainly ...
I'm confused about waiting
Aug 01, 2007 ... Sir, - The other week I was picking my wife up from shopping inLongton, as she had decided to do quite a bit of shopping in themarket and would be weighed down with bags. I thought it would a goodidea to collect her from just outside the market. I was only sitting there for about ...
Our reputation precedes us
Aug 01, 2007 ... Sir, - Last week my family and I went to Saundersfoot, SouthWales. Having arrived four-and-a- half hours late due to theweather conditions, we flagged down a taxi and went to ouraccommodation. While having a friendly chat with the driver he asked us where wewere from. Proudly ...
I shed a tear over housing
Aug 01, 2007 ... Sir, - It is with regret that I write having just watched theChannel 4 Dispatches programme, Britain's Bad Housing, where yetagain our once proud city has been brought into disrepute. The city council has again been highlighted in the national mediaunder a dark cloud. When ...
Michelle leads way in quality company
Aug 01, 2007 ... City of Stoke distance running star Michelle Ross-Cope produced abrilliant performance to finish as the first British athlete in theBUPA Great Wales Run held in Cardiff. Ross-Cope, from Waterhayes, beat off stiff competition to lead thestrong British contingent home. The 10km ...
Thanks so much for all your help
Aug 01, 2007; ... A Teenager who somersaulted over the handlebars of his push bikeon the busy A34 has praised the passers-by who helped him. Kory Tinsley was catapulted forward when his bicycle chain becamestuck. He landed on his face, hitting his head on the kerb. Motorists came to his help, ...
This service is just rubbish
Aug 01, 2007 ... Sir, - On Friday, July 17, I rang the council again to reportrubbish being put out after the binmen had been to collect it. Iasked to speak to someone, supposedly in charge, only to be asked:"Is he expecting a call from ...
Getting petrol a burning issue
Aug 01, 2007 ... Sir, - I share the concerns of other correspondents regardingleaving the A50 to enter the petrol station at Meir. I use the petrol station on a weekly basis and, because ofpressure from following vehicles, I often find difficulty inreducing my speed to enter the forecourt ...
Take hope from young
Aug 01, 2007 ... While it might sometimes seem that we only hear and read badthings about young people today, three stories in today's Sentinelshow that there is hope for the future. First we have the honestactions of nine-year-old twins Amber and Shyla Clowes, of AbbeyHulton, who found a wallet ...
We're cleaning up our act
Aug 01, 2007 ... Residents say the city's streets have become cleaner in the pastyear - but now want to see more improvement. After being bottom of the list in the Midlands for two yearsrunning, the council says it has halved the number of dirty streetsin 2006/07 to 20 per ...
Sewage floods family garden
Aug 01, 2007; ... A Young family had to trudge through human waste for six weeksafter sewage leaked out into their garden. Raw sewage, nappies and sanitary towels spread across the drive atsingle mum Donna Bailey's council property, at Trowbridge Crescent,Bentilee. The 22-year-old says she ...
Honesty is best policy for twins
Aug 01, 2007; ... Honesty was the best policy for nine-year-old twins Amber andShyla Clowes, when they found a wallet with more than pounds250 init. The youngsters, from Priory Road, Abbey Hulton, saw the walletlying near a bin outside Woolworth's, in Hanley last week. The girls' action in ...
Strike pair double up to lift meakins
Aug 01, 2007 ... Matthew Wild and Matt Gould were the destroyers in chief asMeakins jumped to the top of Section B. Wild (3-16) and Gould (4-18) combined to devastating effect toleave previous leaders Oulton floundering and set their side oncourse for a comfortable victory. Oulton, in fact, ...
Big rise in number of cases of cruelty
Aug 01, 2007; ... Animal cruelty reports have jumped by almost two-thirds in thelast year. The RSPCA received a total of 72 abuse allegations during 2006,compared to 44 the previous year. However the number of convictions the charity secured at courtdropped from 29 to 16, while the number of ...
Laura picked out as a leader of the future
Aug 01, 2007; ... Teenager Laura Holdcroft could be a prime minister in the makingafter she was selected to go to an international summit in the U.S. The 13-year-old Moorside High School pupil was nominated by one ofher teachers to attend next year's People to People Future LeadersSummit, which ...
Tesco shops for new store ideas
Aug 01, 2007; ... Supermarket giant Tesco is set to reveal plans to demolish andrebuild one of its stores. The company will demolish its existing store in Trent Vale,pictured, and build a bigger shop, creating 80 jobs and offeringshoppers a wider range of services. Tesco has yet to reveal ...
Cleaning bill for city costs pounds2m
Aug 01, 2007 ... Stoke-on-trent City Council spends pounds2 million each year oncleaning the city's roads, pavements and public open spaces. A total of 60 workers deal with litter and street cleaning along1,026 miles of pavements, 1,105 miles of road gutters and 40 miles ofback streets and ...
'Anybody found dropping litter should be fined pounds50, every time...'
Aug 01, 2007 ... Bob Blunt, aged 52, of Elldawn Avenue, Milton, said: "Anybodyfound dropping litter should be fined, every time. When I see peoplethrow things on the floor I go and up to them and tell them that theyshould pay pounds50." His son Steven Blunt, aged 31, of Newford Crescent, Milton, ...
'I would like a greater product range'
Aug 01, 2007 ... Tesco customers give their verdict on the Trent Vale store. Derek Lymer, aged 70, from Newcastle, said: "I shop here everyweek and I do think the store needs to be improved, although it ispretty good. "I would like to see a bigger delicatessen but I wouldn't bothergoing to a ...
A dear way to watch TV
Aug 01, 2007 ... More than 1,600 people across Stoke-on-Trent have been caughtwatching TV without a licence in the last six months. Figures show between January and June, TV Licensing's fleet ofdetector vans found 1,672 residents who were flouting the law -compared to 1,400 in the same period last ...
Giant numbers
Aug 01, 2007 ... 1,200 The number of stores Tesco has in the the UK 23 million The number of square feet of land owned by Tesco 13 The number of stores in ...
... In West Midlands
Aug 01, 2007 ... Top Five (dirty streets by %) Stratford-upon-Avon 1.2% Oswestry 3% Sandwell 4% Telford and Wrekin ...
Harry the greyhound needs new home
Aug 01, 2007 ... After being neglected by his owner, this malnourished greyhoundwas rescued by the RSPCA. But three months down the line, Harry, above, with six-year-oldMaddy Frost, has made a full recovery and is now looking for a newhome. He is currently staying at Brookhouse Boarding ...
Two guilty of assault
Aug 01, 2007 ... Two 20-year-olds have pleaded guilty to assaulting a manoccasioning him actual bodily harm. Kevin Davies, of Eccleston Place, Fegg Hayes, and DanielHodgkinson, of Hambro Place, Fegg Hayes, admitted assaulting MatthewHowell, when they appeared at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court ...
Attacks on horses and ponies on the increase
Aug 01, 2007 ... The number of people in Cheshire being convicted of animal crueltyhas increased. According to the RSPCA's latest cruelty statistics publishedtoday, 31 defendants in Cheshire were convicted last year. This is compared to 24 in 2005 - meaning Cheshire has the second-highest ...
Council is at top of tree
Aug 01, 2007 ... Government watchdogs have rated Staffordshire Moorlands DistrictCouncil as the highest-achieving authority in the West Midlands. Independent assessors from the Audit Commission have awarded theauthority "excellent" status. It means that the council is the highest-achieving ...
Road safety campaigns to cut deaths
Aug 01, 2007 ... A Series of campaigns has been set up in a drive to reduce thenumber of fatal crashes on Staffordshire's roads. Three initiatives, devised by police, fire crews and councils,will separately target specific groups - motorcyclists, young cardrivers and child passengers. Each ...
Witness no-shows delay crash inquest
Aug 01, 2007; ... An Inquest into the death of a teenage car crash victim wasadjourned after two key witnesses failed to turn up. Coroner Ian Smith yesterday made the decision after revealing thepair had given statements to police claiming they had witnessed twocars "racing" each other at speeds up ...
... In the UK
Aug 01, 2007 ... Bottom Five Stoke-on-Trent 40% Greenwich ...
pounds9,000 bill for burning mattresses
Aug 01, 2007 ... A Businessman has been ordered to pay pounds9,000 after throwingmattresses on to his bonfire. The blaze lit by Philip Robinson, owner of High Carr Pallets, atChesterton, sent dark smoke billowing into the air on November 3,2006. The 47-year-old ignored advice from Newcastle ...
Warning on bogus calls
Aug 01, 2007 ... Police are warning pensioners to be on their guard after bogusofficials struck at a house in Stoke-on-Trent. Two men visited the home of an elderly man at Smithyfield Road,Norton, at 2.30pm yesterday. They claimed that there had been an explosion nearby and theyneeded to run ...
Sex attack on woman in the street
Aug 01, 2007 ... A 20-year-old woman has been sexually assaulted by a gang of men. Police say the victim was targeted as she walked along PrinceAlbert Street, Crewe, past The Waldron pub, at about 10.30pm onThursday night. As she crossed the road, she realised she was being followed byfour ...
Thieves took wall stones
Aug 01, 2007 ... Two men stole stones from a church's boundary wall, a court heard. Michael Birks and Richard Callaghan were seen with a third manloading the stones from St Bartholomew's Church, in Blurton, on to aflat bed lorry. Zoe Speake, prosecuting at North Staffordshire Magistrates ...
Officers rally round colleague with cancer
Aug 01, 2007 ... Police are rallying round a colleague who is facing a pounds35,000bill to pay for life-saving surgery in the U.S. Alan Bowley, a father-of-three from Congleton, is in the U.S. fortreatment on a tumour growing underneath his pancreas, which UKsurgeons diagnosed as inoperable, ...
Warning over bogus fire callers
Aug 01, 2007 ... Residents are being urged to be vigilant after a woman wascontacted by suspected fraudsters claiming to be from the fireservice. She received a phone call on Monday and the caller said they wouldshortly be visiting her home to carry out a fire safety check. But this aroused ...
Cudger's missus swears he's a hero
Aug 01, 2007; ... Compulsive swearer Patrick Currell has raised more than pounds200for charity by cutting out junk food and cleaning up his act. Patrick, otherwise known as Cudger, has also lost nearly two stonein his bid to raise vital funds for the Douglas Macmillan Hospice andMarie Curie Cancer ...
Chapter & verse
Aug 01, 2007 ... Communion: St Mary Magdalene Church, Alsager, will hold a HolyCommunion service tomorrow at 10am. BREAKFAST: A men's prayer breakfast will be held at the BethelCentre, Abbey Hulton, on Saturday, between 8am and 10am. A fullEnglish breakfast will be served for pounds1.50. Call ...
Yoursfaithfully
Aug 01, 2007 ... The recent heavy rains treated North Staffordshire kindly comparedwith the southern part of the Midlands - although many, especially inthe farming community, are counting the cost. Even if we were notdirectly affected, though, we must have realised that this was amajor heartache for ...
Girls suffer twin traumas as friends fall at the halfway stage
Aug 01, 2007 ... Jasmin Brady, aged 20, a journalism student from Shelton, isfollowing the antics of Knutton twins Sam and Amanda Marchant in theBig Brother house. It was crunch time for housemates last night as they were forcedto choose two Halfway Housemates to permanently join their ...
GB call-up a shock for Lewis
Aug 01, 2007 ... Former City of Stoke pole vaulter Steven Lewis says he is "shockedbut delighted" to have been named in the Great Britain squad for theIAAF World Championships in Osaka later this month. The 21-year-old from Light Oaks was one of 49 athletes named inthe first wave of selections, and ...
Toby turns on speed
Aug 01, 2007 ... Toby Jameson put in a devastating burst of speed to run away withthe main prize at the Trentham Triathlon. Jameson, of the Nottingham-based Total Fitness club, had it all todo after the opening 1.2-mile swim section in Trentham Lake. But he hit the front just before the end of ...
Councillor furious at village play scheme snub
Aug 01, 2007 ... A Councillor has hit out after a village was left out of a summerplay scheme. Barry Stamp, who represents Haughton on Stafford Borough Council,pictured, says he is appalled that the village has been dropped froma list of rural spots where activities are to be held. He said: ...
Decision expected on OAP village plan
Aug 01, 2007; ... A Decision which would see an pounds11 million extra-care villagebuilt in Knutton and Cross Heath is imminent. The massive scheme is led by Aspire Housing and backed by NorthStaffordshire PCT and Renew North Staffordshire. The project has already been given the go-ahead by ...
Cash boost for charities
Aug 01, 2007 ... Villagers have helped to raise more than pounds1,000 through aseries of charity events. Set up by a small group of residents three years ago, IpstonesFriends United strives to help four Staffordshire good causes. Group members chose to raise money for the Douglas ...
Reminder for landlords
Aug 01, 2007 ... Landlords in Stoke-on-Trent are reminded that they need to makesure their houses are properly licensed. Since the introduction for mandatory licensing of certain types ofhousing, which came into force in April 2006, around 30 applicationshave been made in Stoke-on-Trent. The ...
New logo to cut violence
Aug 01, 2007 ... Pupils have taken part in a design competition for a logo toraise awareness of domestic violence. Children from years four to six at primary schools across thecounty entered the competition, which was held by homelessnesscharity Arch North Staffs. Year six pupil Kelly ...
Keep it clean
Aug 01, 2007; ... The streets of Stoke-on-Trent have been named in a new report asthe dirtiest in the Midlands and among the worst in the country. Almost 40 per cent of highways in the city are cluttered withlitter and debris, according to research based on Audit Commissionfigures from ...
Spotlight falls on historic pottery
Aug 01, 2007; ... Factory frontages are being lit up to provide an impressive viewof Stoke-on-Trent for passing motorists. The imposing faades of Middleport Pottery and the neighbouringAnderton Building are being floodlit after dark to celebrate thecompletion of a pounds3 million project. The ...