v.eastlancsnews.co.uk


lise for years


(open up 10 licences to female he report to members of the


Ic y and Finance Committee 1 that little progress had been |e with regard to the lack of


ranks, particularly in


heroe, which leads to parking blems, as well as the use of ■ficial ranks. oun. John Hill (Simonstone)


(strong representations should ade to the county council to


Ito establish why it had not bonded to Ribble Valley's


lest to consider the provision lore ranks.


Clitheroe 422324 (Editorial), 422323 (Advertising), Burnley 422331 (Classified), www.eastlancashireonline.co.uk


Oil rig worker had acted bizarrely before hanging himself in garden


OIL rig worker Sheldon Parkin­ son was found hanging from a tree in a field at the bottom of his Whalley garden: An inquest heard that the 45-year-


old drilling engineer, who had dis­ played "bizarre" behaviour in the* weeks before his death, had wrapped cling film round his head before appar­ ently kicking away stepladders. Police, called in by Mr Parkinson's concerned wife, Anne, discovered his


. body as they set off from the couple's home in Broad Lane to begin a dawn search. Mrs Parkinson told the inquest that


her husband of 10 years had problems at work because he was being held responsible for damage to a multi-mil­ lion piece of drilling equipment. She.


also discovered that he had taken out a number of loans and, as a result of substantial debt; they had been forced to put the family home up for sale. She said that during their marriage,


Mr Parkinson had been very posses­ sive and this had become worse. .*■ "He didn't like me to have friends,


he didn't want me to work and he stopped me from going to college," said


Mrs Parkinson. "He worked away from home such a


lot that, when he was at home, he wanted me with him. In the last six or seven months this aspect of his per­ sonality was much worse and he became very demanding.". Mrs Parkinson told her husband •


that she was not prepared to accept his behaviour, but he did not react well.


‘ Shortly before his death on April 7th, he suggested that Mrs Parkinson needed psychiatric treatment and at that stage she said she though a peri­ od of-separation would be beneficial. The week before his death, Mr Parkin­ son started leaving the house without explanation for hours on end and, dur­ ing the week, he told his wife that he had attempted suicide by connecting a pipe to the exhaust of his car. ■ The evening before his body was dis­


covered, Mr Parkinson started drink­ ing whisky, which Mrs Parkinson said


was unusual. At 8-30 p.m., she heard a tape recording of her own voice involved in a telephone conversation. "He had put some kind of bug on


the telephone and taped my conversa­ tion," said Mrs Parkinson. "He said he wanted to hear what I really thought


of him. He had shut himself in the bathroom to play it and the children heard and asked what daddy was doing.". Mrs Parkinson phoned her sister,


but when she told her husband, he drove off at about 11-15 p.m. The fam­ ily looked for him during the night and his car was eventually found near a sports ground. The police were called


. and were on their way to search build­ ings near where the car was found when they spotted his body hanging from a tree. Deputy coroner Carolyn Singleton


said Mr Parkinson had exhibited bizarre behaviour in the weeks leading up to his death. ■ "Given the lengths he went to, I can


only conclude;that this must be a case of suicide," she added.


Clitheroe Advertiser & Times, June 20th, 2002 3


Cancer support sessions at the Moorcock Inn


CANCER treatment counselling sessions are available for. Ribble Valley patients and their families. The Anna Dylan Can­


cer Foundation is hold­ ing the sessions in rooms at the Moorcock Inn, Waddington, starting this evening at 7-30 p.m. Subsequent meetings will take place on the first Thursday of every month at the same time. The cancer support


has the backing of local GPs, who will refer patients. The consulta­ tions will involye'discus-: sion of treatments, alter­ native therapies and beauty therapies. Coun­ selling, for families as well as patients, will also. be an important part of the support offered. All cancer patients


and their families are welcome to attend the


consultations, which are free, as are treatments, light refreshments and food, which are also available to those attending. The meetings at the


• Moorcock Inn are tem­ p o r a r y arrangements until the foundation can


, develop its own first- class holistic cancer care


; unit in Clitheroe. Fund1 ; raising for the centre ; continues, with a lottery application in hand and donations still being col­ lected. Inquiries regarding


' the consultations and donations can be made to the Anna Dylan Can­ cer Foundation on 01200 440113.


antern rooflight at Stirk House


MORE work at the Stirk House Hotel, Gisbum, has been authorised by Ribble Valley Borough Council. Acting under delegated powers, officials have passed plans for a lantern rooflight on the Pendle Room and a conservatory at the leisure club.


Cut o f f padlock to steal lorry


THIEVES cut off the padlock to a yard at Chatbum sometime between noon on Saturday and Monday morning and made off with a tipper lorry worth £7,500.The G-registered Leyland vehicle, belonging to Eric Dugdale Ltd, was equipped with a hydraulic crane.


>zf?--iSrs3: ^ . Caravan taken from compound


A TROPHY caravan worth £2,000 was stolen from a compound off Whalley Road, Billington, on Wednes­ day of last week. The thief smashed security devices to hook up1


the cream caravan, which is a 450 45J model. for tenants bers of the Tenants' Partner-


lel are being actively encour- fttend training courses. One has already attended a course duction to repairs and main-


! Another is to attend, with ht liaison officer, the Tenant


Ition Conference in July." ■ fment policy on e-technology at a computer with Internet ! been provided at Showley


|ayton-le-Dale, and residents be offered-training. huncil's web site will also


I page for use by tenants and groups.


, Euncil's agreement with ten-


Jconsultation is being revised nd will be considered again by ^ing Committee.


>n re se a r ch


sed into the atmosphere." He said: "Children in


the Ribble Valley deserve the right to grow up without the fear of devel­ oping asthma. We need measures in place to make clean air a priority and to reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide, low- level ozone and other pollutants that are known to trigger astma • Early day motions


are notices of motions given by MPs which are not expected to be debat­ ed. It is a device to draw attention to an issue and to elicit support by invit­ ing other MPs to add their signatures.


*hilip obtains |m ‘The Vault’


Mary cruise liner and has long-standing links with the Ribble Valley. He has recently started working in Clitheroe, where he is a partner in Brittons Jewellers, newly-established in King Street. Viewers saw "The


Vault" presenter Davina McCall christen Mr Walden "The Jeweller" and call on his expertise throughout the pro­ gramme.


ilub results


bheroe Bridge Club's Howell ky were Mrs J. Martindale and


Irs L. Whafe and Mr D. Platt hers on Thursday were: N/S, fol M. Jeffery with Mr A. and ] E/W, Mr H. Kay and Mrs F. ylor and Mrs J. Bowker.


.MATION


Centre: 01282 416655. Aidslinc: 01282 831101


(7 p.m. to 9 p.m.). Domestic Violence


Helpline: 01282 422024. Cruse Bereavement


Care: Blackburn, Hynd- burn and Ribble Valley 01254 207999. Environmental Agency:


Emergency Hotline - 0800 807060. Drugst-Loca! confiden­


tial advice and informa­ tion line: 01200 444484. National: 0800 776600. Ribble Valley Talking


Newspaper: 01200 428604. Samaritans: 01254


662424. Monthly Volunteer


Helpline, Volunteering* Project: 01200 422721. : Lancashire Rural Stress Network: 01200 427771.


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7 Seater People Carriers available for hire now. Low daily - weekend and weekly rates


James Alpe Ringfordetails


01200 44 44 35 for MoT ’s, Servicing, Tyres & Wheels


Lincoln Way, Saithill Industrial Estate, Clitheroe. Tel: 01200 444455 The Ribble Valley Premier Accident Repair Centre


' • ' . - available ' . . A qedlted Unipart Car Centre


.*. ’ • TyTeSave Centre ((fantastic deals on all tyres) . ■ Courtesy Cars always v ...


SCENES like this are unlikely to appear in the prime TV series "Born and Bred',' as parts of Downham disappeared under water on Friday (s)


picture by Jon Whilsey


Rescue drama in the flash floods


A DRAMATIC res­ cue took place in Sawley as water reached a depth of four feet during Fri­ day's early-evening


flash Hoods. Clitheroe fire-fight­


ers were called to the b o t t om of. Sawley Brow as the depth o f w ate r made the A59


im p a s sa b le , h a lted t r a f f ic and en te red


homes. A t Smithies Bridge


House, Mrs D o ro th y Gleave and her daugh­ ter, Susan, were trap ped as water engulfed their home. Due to the fast-flow­


ing current, fire-fighters could not reach the cou­ ple and resorted to the use of life jackets and safety lines in a bid to ensure that the residents were safe. "Our lads were up to


their waists in water and managed to gain the pair's attention as they moved upstairs," said Station Officer Dave McGrath. • The keys to the prop­ erty were then lowered to


VIVIEN MEATH REPORTS ■lea. llo ca lifire icn iefi


MEMBERS of the public can do a lot more to help themselves during very heavy rainfall, such as that experienced on Friday, says Clitheroe fire chief Station Officer Dave McGrath. Thousands of calls were made to Lancashire


Fire and Rescue Service, the majority of which had to go unanswered. * Here are some of the suggestions made by Sta­ tion Officer McGrath to prevent serious damage


to property. • Make a note of where your drains are and


ensure that they are kept clear. • If water is building up, make your own water


defences. Bin bags full of rubbish are ideal. • If you have planks, concrete blocks or bricks,


make a wall. • And if, after everything you have done, the


water is still threatening, start to move things to the first floor of your home.


the fire-fighters through a window., Unfortunately, Mrs '


Gleave later suffered an angina attack and fire- • fighters helped para­


medics move equipment to the house before giv­ ing them piggy backs to reach the property. Mrs Gleave was transferred to a waiting vehicle in a


FLOOD water surges (top) through Brooksidc, Downham, during Friday’s flash floods, taking.a car with jt, while (above) the car is pictured on dry ground after


being towed out by a tractor (s) picl ures by Bryan liarl ana John Whilsey . ' I o r o ( t i n ,


l


ch a ir and • tak en to Blackburn Royal Infir­ mary. Across the road, ani­


mals at'Smithies Bridge Farm were moved to higher ground as water swept into buildings. Clitheroe’s fire-fight­


ers were in action at Stopper Lane, Riming- ton, Clitheroe, Whalley and Billington during an . evening which saw 44 millimetres of rain fall in 20 minutes, much.of it during the local rush hour as motorists headed home for the weekend at around 5 p.m. The huge torrent of


centre of Whalley, there was traffic chaos for a short time. Debris was swept into


roads in rural areas, stretches of Tarmac were washed away and many residents arrived home


to discover water already \ cars were also flooded, in their properties.


- ; • . .V, .■ *■ - . ' ■ ' - ' ■ Waddington Road •In Sabden, homes inj bridge, Clitheroe; was


Clitheroe Road were" again the scene of several awash and gardens feet of water. Business- almost swept away by man Mr John Shorrock the huge force of water, found he had to stretch customer relations to


One family, returning home, opened their front door to find water pour­ ing out and sweeping children's toys down the road with it. At least one family spent the night at a local hotel and mopr ping up operations con­ tinued all weekend. In Downham, resi­ dents watched in disbe­


water forced manhole ^ aptly named Brook- covers o f f and, in the side, the lane was turned


lief as the swollen brook breached both bridges in the centre of the village.


into a raging torrent as water gushed down, sweeping everything in its path with it. In Edisford Road,


Clitheroe, problems were again experienced as homeowners stood and watched the level of flood water building up. Some residents say that they have complained about the situation for the past 20 years to no avail. Lancashire Coun-


. ty Council has, they claim, checked the drainage, but the prob­ lem lies with the system's design. Residents in the vicinity condemned the


stupidity of motorists who, they said, took delight in driving at* high speed through the floods, spraying a wall


. of water all over. Pedes­ trians, walking from the sports complex at Edis­ ford, were soaked by the spray and parked


6AR AND VAN VNiE


their limit during Fri­ day's thunderstorm. Mr „ Shorrock, of


Clitheroe Bathroom Centre, was driving his customer to inspect a contract, and as he drove under the Waddington railway bridge, the bow wave of a 4 x 4 going in the opposite direction swamped his vehicle. At the time, the water


was only about a foot deep. He piggy-backed the customer to dry land, but he could only wait and watch as the flood waters under the bridge rose above the car's headlamps. The car was towed to


a local garage and this week he was waiting to hear the prognosis, being warned by the garage that .the vehicle may have to be written off. A number of schools


suffered flood damage and at St Augustine's RC High School, Billington, one of the worst affected, early estimates were


. £1,000 of damage. Rail services on the


Clitheroe to Blackburn line were disrupted and following damage to the track, buses were utilised on Saturday. Clitheroe fire-fighters


stressed the necessity for the public to check drains around their prop erties and to take simple precautions. Emergency services were swamped with 999 calls on Friday. Many of the situations could have been avoided by implementing checks, according to Station Officer McGrath." ■ "We went round to the


back of one house'and found a football stuck in the drain. We removed that and it washed wine bottle out," he said, adding': "If people are concerned about their properties, they could do a lot more to help them' selves." Paying tribute to the


effort made by. his fire­ fighters, he added: "The lads worked extremely well'. Three times we had to tip our wellingtons out, they were so full of water." On call from 4-30 p:m., Clitheroe's.team eventually retired to bed at 1-35 a.m. on Saturday.


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