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The Clitheroe T h u r s d a y , J u ly 1 0 th , 2 0 0 3 No. 6 ,1 0 5
Double loy for school
_________ _________________page/ AT A GLANCE
A Clitheroe company makes its mark in the North-West “busi ness Oscars”.
" ■ page 3
Gill’s cuisine earns her “Britain’s Best Market Cafe Award 2003”.
page 5
A Whalley man is told by a court not to go within three miles of the village.
page 3
Clitheroe’s health centre faces a “time bomb” scenario.
i«im i .... page 9
A man whose ser vice to the Ribble Valley has spanned more than two decades has been honoured.
m page 2
In the wake of three serious motorcyle accidents, police step up their anti-speed campaign.
page 9
Clitheroe FC have been handed the prospect of a money-spin ning. FA Cup tie.
page 34
FOGGITT’S WEEKEND WEATHER: Warm with sunny spells on Saturday, but more overcast on Sunday.
SUNRISE: 4-50 a.m. SUNSET: 9-35 p.m.
LIGHTING UP TIME: 9-35 p.m.
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Caring children spend time learning about being green and safe
LOCAL companies have been helping children at St James’ CE P r im a ry School in Clitheroe to find out more about the work th a t is done to care for people and the environment. The school held an industry
week on the theme of "green and safe". Activities ranged from the
pupils forming themselves into companies based on eco-issues and creating/painting designs for the playground walls to talks from health professionals, major retailers, businesses and industry. Among those taking part
were companies including 3M Neotechnic, Castle Cement, Rectella International, Sains- burys and Booths, as well as major banks such as the
CSA demands to see scan of frantic couple’s unborn baby
by Sally Dahmke
Support Agency. And he has been left smarting after
CSA bureaucrats demanded his new wife send them hospital ultrasound
scan photos of their unborn baby - still in her womb - to "prove" he was a dad-to-be. His wife says she feels “violated” by
A CLITHEROE father says he has been driven to the brink of despair following a catalogue of major blunders from the Child
w II is the worst case
of incompetence in the CSA that I have ever seen.
the CSA chief executive Mr Doug Smith, who has pledged to resolve the many issues it raises. "•"*..... Mr Heskett says his previous mar
He has now raised the matter with
the demand. Tool salesman Mr Gary Heskett says
riage, from which he has two children aged nine and seven, broke down in December 1999 and he began making payments through the CSA to his ex- wife from his wages as a council worker. However, problems began to arise the
his long list of maintenance problems date back to 2000 and include: »■ Threats of prosecution if he does
not immediately pay up £2,000 of alleged arrears payments following the loss of his job with Ribble Valley Bor ough Council. *■ CSA officials demanding pay
ments directly from his earnings . . . with the persistent pressure on his then employers, forcing him to leave his job. *" The CSA ignoring his legally-
appointed expert representative, and constantly telephoning and writing to him at home, sometimes up to four times a week. "■ The CSA not taking into his
account his new circumstances with a mortgage, new wife Sally and seven- month-old baby Gabriella to support. *■ Official correspondence and docu
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ments being sent and referring to his old address, even after being told several times he had moved. His case has been described by CSA
expert and government advisor Mr John Wickham, a consultant with Clitheroe solicitors Houldsworths, as "the worst case of incompetence in the CSA that I have ever seen." Mr Wick ham has worked in the field for 10 years and has handled more than 100 cases from all over the country, including Scotland and Northern Ireland.
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following April when health problems struck and he was off work long-term through sickness, eventually being forced to leave his post and live off his savings.
Although he had no income, the CSA
was still demanding payments. The sit- uation deteriorated still further when he took a new job in tool sales and the CSA began to harass his new employers to impose a "deduction from earnings" order.
"This went on for two years," said Mr
Heskett. "My employers were very good, but it was only a small firm and it was not fair the pressure the CSA put on my employers. I felt I had to leave because the pressure was getting too great." He says that throughout that time he
was in regular contact with the CSA, offering to pay voluntarily and explain ing his new circumstances with a wife, baby on the way (he even sent in scans of his unborn child and records of doc tor's appointments at the request of the CSA) and new mortgage. In response, the CSA came up with
several different payment figures he should make - ranging from nothing at all to £55-plus a week. Mr Heskett s ta r ted work with
Clitheroe Tool Centre, in May, and hoped the payment problem could be resolved, but within days the CSA were
Local troops feel the heat
OUR boys in Iraq are taking Basra in their stride. The 500 Queen’s Lancashire
Regiment soldiers, and 100 mem bers of the Territorial Army, which
includes troops from the Ribble Valley, are based more than 100 miles south of the incidents that have been making headline news. Fortunately, they have not had
any major incidents and for the time being are safe and well. In only their second week into a
four-month stint, the local troops are helping re-establish law and order in the streets of Basra. They have been training the
Iraqi police force and every patrol is carried out jointly with local officers. The judicial system is said to be slowly getting back on its feet.
Capt. John Ainley said: “The
people, on the whole, seem to wel come us being here, especially as we are working hard to create sta bility and normality by improving the supply of everyday amenities, such as water, electricity and fuel. “I t is getting hotter with day
aged to buy fans to cool their sleep ing areas, and there are plans for air conditioning to be installed. Capt. Ainley said the soldiers
time temperatures in the high 40s and at night in the high 30s." Many of the troops have man
were enjoying the challenge, but would love to hear from people back home. If you want to write to one of
the soldiers; send a letter marked “Penpals” to: 1 QLR, Op Telic 2, BFPO 647.
r X\ ‘vV(—
A DISTRAUGHT Mr and Mrs Heskett with their baby daughter, Gabriclla. (B040703/2)
in touch again, demanding cash is deducted from his salary before he sees it.
"I feel persecuted," said Mr Heskett.
"They are like a dog with a bone. I want to help towards my children, but like this I just cannot get on with my life." He says that even when he was not
paying any contribution through the CSA he bought them clothes and other necessities. "The CSA is simply not listening and
there is no accountability- it’s like they have the pow,er of God."
ing its toll on his new family, but he does not hold his ex-wife responsible at all. "My grievance is not with my ex- wife,” he said. “She’s taken advice and the CSA has come on the scene like Sir Gallahad.
Mr Heskett claims the stress is tak "Everyone in this is suffering because
of the CSA’s ineptitude - my children, my wife and ex-wife and me. Surely there must be some solution?" In response, a spokesman for the
Child Support Agency promised a "full and thorough" investigation into Mr Heskett’s complaints. Although unable to comment on indi
vidual cases, he stressed the importance of parents keeping in contact with the maintenance-collection agency and informing them of all changes in cir cumstances. "Children have the right to support
from both parents and the CSA is here to ensure this," he said. "Deduction from earnings orders and measures such as this are in place to help ensure par ents face up to their responsibilities."
Drunk driver abandoned baby in car and ran off
A YOUNG father, disqualified from driving, was twice the legal limit for driving and had his baby in the front of his car when he nearly crashed into a police car travelling in the opposite direction. When the car collided with another vehicle
on a car park in Clitheroe, the driver, a Clitheroe cricketer, fled on foot, leaving the crying baby behind in the passenger footwell, magistrates at Blackburn were told. The court was told a police officer who
found the abandoned car with the engine still running also found the five-month-old baby on the floor. The driver, Graeme Kershaw, had been
banned from driving for an excess alcohol offence just two months before his “night of madness”.
The magistrates, who ordered pre-sentence
reports, warned that all options - including custody - would be open to the sentencing bench on July 24th. Kershaw (24), of Cross Street, Clitheroe,
admitted driving while disqualified, with excess alcohol, without due care or insurance and failing to stop after an accident. Charges of dangerous driving and child cruelty were withdrawn.. Mr David Hartley (prosecuting) said a
police officer on patrol in Station Road was confronted by a Fiat Punto which had drifted on to the wrong side of the road as it negoti ated a bend. The officer had to brake hard to avoid a collision before setting off in pursuit of the car driven by Kershaw.
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Abbey National and Yorkshire Bank, the ambulance and • police services, and the school nursing service. Teacher Christine Taylor
co-ordinated the week’s events, which involved every child in the school taking part in some of the activities, said: "We have had industry days in pre vious years, but this was the first time we had organised it as a week-long project on this scale.
"The week was a great suc
cess and there’s no doubt the children gained an enormous amount from the experience." The picture shows Mr Ed
Warren, of 3M Neotechnic, explaining to the children about the special valves which the company makes for asth ma inhalers, (s)
Country lane car
smash closes road A YOUNG Ribble Valley man escaped seri ous injury when his Mitsubishi Shogun was involved in a head-on country lane smash. But medical services went on to full alert
to deal with the other driver’s major arm fracture. Several other people received various
injuries about 7-30 p. m. on Saturday night. Mr Adam Drinkwater (22), of Whiteacre
Lane, Barrow, was driving near the Copy Nook pub, near Bolton-by-Bowland, when he was in a collision with a Vauxhall Astra coming the other way. He suffered only shock However, the Astra driver, Mr Robert
Foulkes, of Oswaldtwistle, had to be freed by fire-fighters. He was in danger of losing his arm, but it was saved by a medical team at the accident scene and by surgery at Black burn Royal Infirmary. Mrs Sheila Foulkes and another passenger,
Mr Frank Westwell, escaped with bruising, but Mrs Jacqueline Westwell suffered a seri ous scalp injury. All were treated at the infir mary and Mrs Westwell was detained for a time. Police closed the road for several hours.
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