2 Clitheroe Advertiser &Times, Thursday, June 2nd, 2005


INSIDE^OURCLITHEROEI ^ A I IV E R t lS E R lN R ^M ^


■ Valley Matters...... ............................ 8,9 ■ Village New s............................. 13,14,15 ■ Letters ............................................ .18 ■ Weekendplus ........................... 30,31,32 ■ WeekendTV ..................................28,29 ■ Family Notices...............................24,25 ■ Readersplus .......................................26 ■ J o b s . . . . . . . . . . . . . .....................53,54 H Propertyplus . . . . . . . ; .................33-48 ■ Motorsplus ...... ......................i . .59-76 ■ Sport . i ...........................................77-78


~ AT A G LANCE...


Double trouble times 11! - page 6 Radio station latest - page 11 Jo’s charity mission - page 23 Housing crisis update - page 58


paiNiFORffl/fflON


Duly clicmisl; Buckleys Chemist, 4 Railway View Road, Clitheroe: Sunday, noon to 1 p.m. Police: 01200 443344. Fire: In emergency 999 and ask for fire service. Eleclricity: 08001954141. Gas: 0800111999. Water: 0845 462200. Councils:'RibbIe Valley Borough Council, Clitheroe 425111. Clitheroe Town Council, 424722. Hospitals: Blackburn Royal Infirmary: 01254 263555. Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn: 01254 263555. Airedale General Hospital, Steeton: 01535 652511. Clitheroe Community Hospital: 427311. Alcohol Information Centre: 01282 416655. Aidsline: 01282 831101 (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.). Domestic Violence Helpline: 01282 4220^. Cruse Bereavement Care: Ribble Valley 01200 429346. Environmental Agency: Emergencies-0800 807060. Drugs: Local confidential advice and information line: 01200 444484. National: 0800 776600. • Ribble Valley Talking Newspaper: 01200 428604. Samaritans: 01254 662424. Monthly Volunteer Helpline: 01200 422721. Lancashire Rural Stress Network: 01200 427771. QUEST (specialist smoking cessation service): 01254 358095. Kibble Valley Citizens’ Advice Bureau: 01200 428966.


CONTACT US! News: 01200 422324


Advertising: 01200 422323 Classified: 01282 422331 ' Family Notices and Photo Orders: 01282 426161, ext. 410 Fax: 012004434G7 editor e-mail: vivicn.mcaih@castlancsnews.co.uk news editor e-mail: duncan.smith@castlancsncws.co.iik sport e-mail: cdward.lcc@castlancsnew.s.eo.uk


WEATHER ISLAIDBURN


DUNSOP BRIDGE ■


I GISBURN CHIPPING I


CLITHEROE BH LANGHOI


B BURNLEY I ACCRINGTON BLACKBURN B


WEEKEND WEATHER: Saturday is forecast to remain cloudy with possible showers, while Sunday will turn dry with bright spells. SUNRISE: 4-46 a.m. SUNSET: 9-29 p.m.


LIGHTING UP TIME: 9-29 p.m. CHATBURN w


YOUNG cyclists got on their bikes and pushed their pedals in aid of charity. The fun competition, organised


by St Paul’s Playgroup, was held to raise funds for the playgroup’s resources. More than 26 children compet­ ed in the sponsored pedal push.


Winning hands


SOLO whist winners a t the Pendle Club were: B. Wood, Mrs A. Foster, Mrs M. Hold­ ing.


, , Bridge winners a t the Pen­


dle Club were: Mrs Frances Porter, Mrs P a t Parker, Mr Harvey Jackson, Mr Brian Holden.


' Domino winners were: D.


Peel, M. Pye, joint 3rd, M. Tomlinson, D. Lowe, joint 5th, P. Metcalfe and J. Thornber. Sequence dancing will be


held every Tuesday at 7-30 p.m. and line dancing every Thursday at 1-30 p.m__ _


■ ■ : - ■ '1


which was supported by parents, grandparents and staff. The event, which involved a


five minute circuit around the parish hall, raised more than £200 and is one of the main fund-rais­ ers for the charitable organisa­ tion. Group leader Mrs Nicky Bai­


ley, said the event was enjoyed by all the two to four-year-olds, who' attend the playgroup on a Mon­ day, Wednesday and Friday morning. Our picture shows some of the


children from the playgroup tak­ ing part in the sponsored event. (A180505/3)


Appeal for witnesses


CLITHEROE police are appealing for witnesses after property estimated a t £28,500 was stolen over the Bank Holiday weekend. Thieves entered the grounds of a large


detached house in Old Langho and dam­ aged an inflatable dinghy estimated to be worth £11,000, stole two “unique” wood­ en sculptures of ladies worth £16,000 and a polished granite sign worth £1,500. The theft took place between 10 p.m. on


Sunday and 6 a.m. Bank Holiday Mon­ day. Witnesses are urged to come forward. Please call police on 01200 443344.


Bridge club wins


WINNERS at Clitheroe Bridge Club on Monday were: NS Mrs J. Martin- dale and Mrs J.Taylor tvith Mr and Mrs R. Ward second. EW Mr B. Guha


and Mrs I. Park with Mrs M. Miller and Mrs P.


Moulds second. On Thursday the win­


ners were: NS Mrs J. Mar- tindale and Mrs J. Bailey


• with Mr C. and Mr G. Pol­ lard second. EW Mrs M.


Thompson and Mr J. Bowker with Mrs M. Parker and Mrs B. Ben­ nett second. • WMJ


www.clitheroetoday.co.uk


Clitheroe 422324 (Editorial), 422323 (Advertising), Burnley 422331 (Classified)


New spy system sends criminals on their way


__________ By Faiza Afzaal


A PIONEERING spy system device which instantly pinpoints criminal drivers across the Ribble Valley has been success­ ful in detecting criminal activity and catching serious offenders.


. PC Diane Kavanagh, of Clitheroe police,


revealed the computer-based system, which uses the Automatic Number Plate Recogni­ tion (ANPR) technology, is continuing to deny criminals the.use of the roads and reduce


' crime. The round-the-clock technology is linked to


Clitheroe and Whalley's existing CCTV cam­ eras, scanning number plates of every car entering the borough, allowing police to imme­ diately identify travelling criminals targeting the area. Since the "intelligence" operation has been


up and running, a huge number of notable offenders have been stopped and dealt with. Numerous drink drivers have been caught


due to the ANPR system and in one instance the latest crime-fighting tool aided in the detection of a burglary in the area, whereby the suspect's vehicle registration involved was


inputted and an image of the vehicle and driv­


er were captured. After identification of the driver, he was


arrested and charged with the offence. The technology,'which checks over 10,000


vehicles per day, has helped in the recovery of stolen vehicles and has also reduced the chance of people having their cars stolen or becoming the victims of crime. Insp. Bob Ford, officer in charge of geo­


graphic policing in the Ribble 'Valley, stated that ANPR has so far been very effective and the police have had some good results. Explaining some of the success stories, he


said: "The ANPR has proved successful and we have achieved noticeable successes in recent


months. "The ANPR alerted police when a vehicle


carrying knotvn shoplifters from another area drove into the town. • "The information was passed to CCT'V and


the occupants were subsequently arrested after attempting to steal from one of our stores." Insp. Ford added potential crimes had been


prevented after a vehicle carrying two known burglars was stopped after an alert from the ANPR. The offenders were spoken to and made aware of the CCTV system, resulting in them leaving the totvn.


In addition to the powerful technology, Insp.


Ford revealed Clitheroe has a mobile ANPR set, which is used in a stationary vehicle that


can be parked anywhere police think it would prevent or detect crime. "We are currently liaising with West Mercia


Police into the on-going investigation of a large high value vehicle fraud after a vehicle from ' the Birmingham area passed through Clitheroe," commented Insp. Ford. "As a direct result of the ANPR alert, vital information regarding the whereabouts and current owner of the vehicle is now beiiig investigated." ' As the scheme had proved successful in


Clitheroe and Whalley, Insp. Ford said officers were looking into expanding ANPR to cover the busy A59, however, the system costs a


. great deal of money and in order to keep it up to speed, it has to be up-dated regularly. • ANPR was introduced in conjunction


with the Ribble Valley’s Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP). If a vehicle is stolen or has been used in the commission of ■ crime it can be stopped. If the system picks up a match or "hit", that


is then notified to an operator as an alarm.' Officers at Clitheroe police then make a rele­ vant decision based on the information sup­ plied.


Youngsters in top gear for charity from'page 1’


Justice campaign is launched


his grandmother, Cathy Massey, all of Clitheroe, have launched the “Justice For Joshua” cam­ paign calling for an overhaul of the UK childminding system. This week Miss Massey


responded to the comments say­ ing: “99.9% of childminders out there do a fantastic job and we’re not knocking them with our cam­ paign. “But for that small percentage


who have something to hide, we need to do something now to stop what happened to Josh from hap­ pening again.” Miss Massey added: “The


training childminders get is just


not enough. , “It does not matter how good a


childminder you are, you need an NVQ.”


- The family’s campaign has four


main aims: - Better regulation to ban peo-


pie with serious problems, such as binge drinking, from becoming


childminders: - Better training to put child­


minders on a level with nursery nurses, rather than just a one or two-day course as it is now; - Better information, making


all terrhs and conditions of regis­ tration easily available from Ofst-


ed for parents; - Better knowledge for parents,


encouraging them to ask ques­ tions about conditions of regis­ tration as a result of knowing about Joshua’s case. Miss Massey added that these measures could only improve the


situation for everyone. “Childminders with nothing to


hide would be supporting our campaign,” she commented.


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By Julie Magee CHILDMINDERS in'the Ribble Valley


-have spoken out as a campaign for tighter regulations moves into top gear. ' Following the death of 19-month-old Joshua


Massey Hodgkinson in Sabden las t April, a national “Justice for Joshua” campaign was launched by his family. The campaign followed the sentencing of moth-


er-of-three Wendy Barlow, who admitted binge drinking to a health visitor prior to becoming reg­ istered as a childminder. '


' : She is currently serving a three year jail term for


his manslaughter, after he drowned in the bath a t . her home during the early hours of the morning. Barlow, who was not registered to look after chil­ dren at night, had been looking after Joshua on an informal basis that evening so that his mother, Emma Massey, of Clitheroe, could have an


evening out. Miss Massey has said she did not know Barlow


was not registered to look after children overnight and had not been told this by Barlow or Ofsted - the body responsible for regulating childminders. The family’s campaign is calling for tougher


training for childminders, including an NVQ qual­ ification in childcare'and easier access to informa­ tion on their backgrounds. A spokesman for a group of six childminders,


who meet at Ribblesdale Nursery in Clitheroe, stressed they do not condone Wendy Barlow’s actions and sympathised tvith Joshua’s family, but did not want tarring with the same brush. The childminders, she said, \vished to respond to


criticisms of the UK childminding system tha.t had been prevalent in the national and local media. In a statement released to the Clitheroe Adver­


tiser and Times, a spokesman for the group ^id: “No one should underestimate the level of care and commitment provided in the Ribble Valley. “We, as childcare providers in the Ribble Valley,


wish to make i t known th a t on current Ofsted inspection grades we are all graded as good, which is the highest standard available at the time of


inspection.” 'The spokesman added that all six childminders


have been through an Ofsted safety inspection prior to registration xvith any recommended safety measures implemented before a second Ofsted inspection in order not to be refused. They added that prospective childminders have


to attend a seminar and several training work­ shops, while each childminder is trained in child protection and first aid. The whole family is also police checked. “The individuals also have to have their person­ al medical records inspected and approved by Ofst-


- ed,” a spokesman added. “Fourteen standards have to be met before any­


one is approved for childcare. Following approval a registration is issued. This clearly states how . many children of what ages can be looked after. The certificate also states if overnight care is pro- •vided and areas of the house which can not be.


. used.’The tertificate of registration must be dis­ played at aiiy childminder’s property. • Following registration Ofsted regularly inspects each childminder to ensure high standards are con­ tinually improved.” The group recognises th a t Ofsted does not


require childminders to have an NVQ qualification in childcare.


^ However, Ofsted checks the quality of the pro­


vision made for children’s physical development and learning, the quality of teaching and the effec­ tiveness of the partnership with parents/carers and promoting children’s learning. In addition, whether the child’s spiritual, moral,


social and emotional development are being fos­ tered and how efficiently the setting is managed, are all considered, too. Joshua’s parents, Eiiima Massey and Simon Hodgkihson, along with


• continued on page 2


FAMILY NOTICES... PAGES 24,25 B AT YOUR SERVICE.;. PAGES 8,9 B VILLAGE NEWS... PAGES 13,14,15 the ultimaie^Kliner


Stressless® Vegas with Stool Thumbs up to school dinners


FRUITY fun proved fruitful for children at 'Whalley Primary School as they enjoyed activi­ ties held to celebrate the Healthy Eating Week. . Classroom projects held during the week


included a visit from a Caribbean chef, who gave Year 6 children the opportunity to demonstrate


fruit sculptures. Children also benefited by a visit from a school


nurse, who gave talks on a balanced diet. Other activities included creating posters to reinforce the positive message of diet and healthy lives, a visit from Barbara Haddleton from Lancashire


County Commercial Services who made healthy pizzas, catering staff making fruit salad for lunches, children selling fruit “smoothies” at playtime and healthy ice creams from Huntley’s of Samlesbury. On Friday, children dressed as a fruit of their


choice for the day and a t the same time raised £282 for Cancer Research UK. The healthy week concluded with a huge assembly. Fruit pals Oliver Parkinson, Lydia Begi and


Adam Corrigan xvith the sculptures made from fruit and vegetables are pictured. (B270505/lb)


The Clitheroe 'Thursday, June 2nd, 2005 : .Ndi 13


Success for sport stars


PAGE 12 speak out


vertiser and 1 imesW%i^ including Barrow, Billington, Langho, Calderstones and Brockhall •www.clitheroetoday.co.ukPrice 58p ■


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