| Police are appealing
for information following three burglaries in a village
near Bridgnorth.
Police Officers are investigating
whether two break-ins in Claverley overnight between
Friday and Saturday are linked to a sneak-in burglary
during the early hours of the following morning.
Two addresses in Clover Heath
were broken into between about 4pm on Friday and about
8.30am on Saturday.
Jewellery and collectable ornaments,
such as Royal Doulton jugs in the form of Queen Elizabeth
and Sir Walter Raleigh, were stolen along with a Queen’s
Silver Jubilee commemorative coin, several Churchill
coins, a gold watch and a silver fob watch with a Minnie
Mouse design on the face.
Among the jewellery stolen from
the two addresses were two silver rings with a square
cut, Egyptian design, a gold ring with the word ‘Mom’
embossed onto it, an amber pendant on a silver chain,
a marcasite bracelet with a small pink stone and a flower
broach with a clear stone.
An NHS name badge and Royal College
of Nursing badge are also missing from one of the properties.
In the third incident, the offender
or offenders entered a house in The Wold though an unlocked
door and stole various electrical items, including a
Toshiba laptop, a Lenovo laptop and a Blackberry mobile
phone.
Detective Constable Jason Whelan,
of Bridgnorth CID, appealed for anyone who might have
information that could help the police investigation
into all three incidents to get in touch on 0300 333
3000.
He said: “I am keen to hear
from anybody who might have seen or heard suspicious
persons or vehicles in the area at the relevant times.
“A vehicle was heard making
off from The Wold at speed during the early hours of
Sunday, which may have been connected to the sneak-in
burglary.
“It is also important that
anybody who might be offered items for sale which are
similar to any of those stolen contacts police immediately
on 0300 333 3000.”
DC Whelan also urged people to
always ensure their property was locked and secure before
leaving or going to bed at night.
“In two out of ten burglaries,
thieves get in through an open door or window and police
would urge everybody to ensure they lock up properly
before going to bed,” he said.
Information can also be passed
on anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111, where
a reward is sometimes offered.
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A
wooden teabox, made as a special gift for Gracie
Fields when she paid a visit to Burma to entertain
British troops during the Second World War, is going
up for auction in Shrewsbury today.
The teabox was made by the garrison engineer in
Mandalay in 1940s from teak and included carved
tigers and the name Gracie on the lid.
It was discovered by valuers from Shrewsbury-based
fine art auction house Halls at a charity antiques
valuation day in Llanelltyd, near Dolgellau last
year. The owners found it amongst the contents of
a house clearance in a small shop in Trearddur Bay,
Anglesey around 30 years ago.
Through research, they discovered that actress,
singer and comedienne Gracie Fields, who died 31
years ago at the age of 81, had visited Mandalay
in 1940s on a tour to entertain British troops.
The teabox, valued at around £150, will go
under the hammer at Halls' furniture, ceramics and
works of art for a sale.
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Police today urged drivers never to leave anything of
value in their unattended vehicles, even for just a few
moments, after two cars were broken into in Whitchurch.
Even hiding items from view under a seat or in the
glove box is discouraged, as thieves know just where
to look when they target a vehicle.
The passenger window of a black Renault Clio was smashed
while it was parked on a driveway in Liverpool Road
between about 11.30pm on Thursday and 9am on Friday.
A Tom Tom sat nav was stolen, which had been hidden
beneath a seat.
Around the same time, a black Citroen Saxo parked nearby
on the junction of Mare Close and Liverpool Road was
also broken into and its Sony CD stereo stolen.
A loud noise which may have been connected was heard
in the area at about 4am on Friday.
All items of value should be taken with you when leaving
your vehicle, including sat navs, radio fascias, handbags,
mobile phones and mp3 players.
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A Telford hotel has been voted into top place for popularity
by independent travellers voting on the internationally
renowned Trip Advisor website.
Hadley Park House Hotel is polled first out of 21 other
recommended hotels in Telford beating the International
Hotel into second place, Grays Hotel and Conference
Centre was placed third with the Telford Hotel and Golf
Resort in fourth place.
Hadley Park received 11 reviews from beaming brides,
happy wedding guests, contented business travellers
and weekend visitors full of praise for the Georgian
hotel, on the outskirts of the town near to Shawbirch
and Horton.
They praised proprietor Mark Lewis and his friendly
and efficient staff, the hotel’s spacious bedrooms,
“magnificent” wedding surroundings and “high
quality, delicious” food.
One businessman told how he even switched hotels in
mid stay to stop at Hadley Park after enjoying a business
meal in the restaurant.
A guest from Sydney said: “If you are in Shropshire
and appreciate top accommodation, great food and friendly
atmosphere, this is the place to stay.”
The praise came from visitors who emailed the Trip
Advisor website with their views. The website is popular
with people who gain an impression of a holiday destination
or hotel before they travel.
Hadley Park’s Mark Lewis said: “We always
do our best to please but to get such praise from an
independent review site such as Trip Advisor is praise
indeed because our guests went out of their way to post
a comment.”
Visit tripadvisor.com
in the "find hotels travellers trust" section
for more details.
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On Thursday 11 March voters in three Telford & Wrekin
parish wards will be going to the polls to decide who
will represent them on their parish councils.
By elections are being held for the Hadley and Leegomery
Ward of Hadley & Leegomery Parish Council, the Central
Ward of Lawley & Overdale Parish Council and the
Oakengates Ward of Oakengates Town Council.
Polling stations for the elections will be open from
7am until 10pm for those wanting to cast their votes
in person.
For the Hadley and Leegomery ward they will be at Castle
Farm Community Centre, High Street, Hadley, Hadley Old
Folks Rest Room, Hadley Park Road, Leegomery, and a
mobile station at Playing Fields Car Park, Grainger
Drive, Leegomery.
Hadley and Leegomery Parish Council has decided not
to issue poll cards for this election. Electors are
urged to vote, and, so long as you are on the electoral
register, you do not need a poll card to vote.
Polling stations for the Lawley and Overdale Central
Ward will be at Dawley Baptist Church, Bank Road, Dawley
Bank and The Carpenter Family Centre, Oak Road, Overdale.
For the Oakengates Ward they will be at Abacus Childcare,
Ketley Bank Community Centre, Main Road, Ketley Bank
and Oakengates United Church, Stafford Road, Oakengates.
Returning officer Victor Brownlees said: “I hope
that as many voters as possible will make sure that
they take part in this election because their vote can
influence the local services that they receive.”
The vacancies for the have arisen following the recent
resignation of Stephen Durling from Hadley and Leegomery
Parish Council, the death of Pauline Picken who was
a member of Lawley and Overdale Parish Council and the
death of David Warner who was a member of Oakengates
Town Council.
There are two candidates standing for the Hadley and
Leegomery ward. They are:
Leon Albert Murray (Labour) and Sean Thomas (Hadley
& Leegomery Residents Association)
Standing for the vacant Lawley and Overdale Central
ward, are: Deb Crane (Liberal Democrat) and Kevin Ronald
Guy (Labour)
In the Oakengates ward, there are three independent
candidates. They are: Kevin Scott Kitching, Steve Reece
and Nita Elizabeth Whitehouse.
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Police are appealing for witnesses after a car was stolen
from outside an address in Shrewsbury and later found
abandoned in Telford.
The blue Vauxhall Corsa was taken from Knowsley Drive
in Bicton Heath between about 11pm on Thursday February
18 and 6am on Friday 19.
It was later reported by a member of the public as
having been abandoned in a lay-by at Burroughs Bank
in Lightmoor, Telford.
The car was found to have suffered some minor fire
damage in an apparent unsuccessful attempt by the offender
or offenders to destroy the vehicle.
A car alarm was heard sounding in the Knowsley Drive
area during the early hours of Friday morning, which
may have been connected with the theft.
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Members of an organised crime gang intent on stealing
petrol with cloned credit cards were arrested due to the
professionalism of six Shrewsbury police officers.
The credit cards were being used to obtain large quantities
of fuel as well as other offences. Police Constables
Mark Naylor, Jennie Hitchings, Christopher Willett,
Gary Brennan and two unnamed officers have been awarded
Divisional Commendations for their roles in thwarting
the gang as they tried to steal fuel from Tesco’s
in Shrewsbury.
Constables Naylor and another officer demonstrated
“personal responsibility, commitment and professionalism”
leading to the arrest of five suspects and in securing
vital evidence. They were on duty in a police vehicle
during the early hours, when they were directed to attend
the petrol forecourt of Tesco Express in Battlefield.
The nightshift manager had reported seeing suspicious
activity at the petrol pumps involving a group of men
in a car who were passing a number of credit cards to
another man with a transit van. He was then using the
credit cards to fill up a large fuel container in the
back of the transit van.
On seeing the arrival of the police officer, the car
made off at speed pursued by the two officers. During
the pursuit, the car was driven at more than 90mph and
the driver attempted to ram the police vehicle in Telford
Way before coming to a standstill.
Sergeant Stuart Houghton, the supervising officer,
said: “PCs Naylor and the other officer then confronted
and arrested three very aggressive and hostile men.
Their efforts resulted in around 40 cloned credit cards
and a quantity of illegal drugs being recovered from
the vehicle.
“The two men with the transit van were then also
arrested on suspicion of using the cloned cards to purchase
several hundred pounds worth of diesel from Tesco Express.”
Constables Hitchings and another officer are commended
for demonstrating “personal responsibility, professionalism
and investigations skills” leading to the arrest
of two people connected with an organised gang.
They were on duty in Shrewsbury when directed to Tesco’s
in Battlefield. The store’s night manager said
petrol had been stolen the previous night using cloned
cards and he believed it was about to happen again as
a number of men in various vehicles were acting suspiciously
on the forecourt.
As the two officers arrived, the forecourt was empty
but they briefly caught sight of a Vauxhall Astra leaving
the area. They managed to locate the vehicle and stop
it and quickly took control of the occupants to prevent
the loss of vital evidence. On searching the car, they
discovered numerous cloned credit cards hidden in different
spots together with empty plastic containers smelling
of petrol. The occupants were then arrested on suspicion
of going equipped to steal.
Constables Willett and Brennan were also on duty in
Shrewsbury on the night. They were notified by the police
Call Management Centre that a Ford Focus had been acting
suspiciously on Tesco’s forecourt. They were aware
of the previous night’s incident where petrol
had been stolen using cloned credit cards and having
been given the registration number of the Ford Focus
carried out a search of the area without success.
Computer checks revealed the registered owner to be
from the West Midlands, so using their knowledge of
routes in and out of Shrewsbury, they decided to search
the main trunk roads. They eventually located and stopped
the vehicle on the A5 near Telford. Canisters containing
petrol were found inside and the occupants were arrested
on suspicion of theft.
After taking the prisoners into custody, PCs Willet
and Brennan returned to Tesco’s to take a statement
and were able to seize cloned credit cards which had
been left behind, as vital evidence.
Sergeant Keith Steele, the supervising officer on the
night, said: “There is no doubt without the prompt
actions and investigations skills of the officers, more
offences would have been committed. Previously, petrol
worth more than £2,500 was stolen from Tesco’s
which subsequently led the company changing the way
it delivered fuel to customers.”
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Residents from the Bridgnorth, Worfield, Alveley and
Claverley area are to have their say on the future of
their local community at a meeting next week.
The next meeting of the Local Joint Committee, which
covers Alveley and Romsley, Astley Abbotts, Badger,
Beckbury, Bridgnorth, Claverley, Kemberton, Quatt Malvern,
Ryton and Grindle, Stockton, Sutton Maddock, Tasley
and Worfield and Rudge will be held at Kemberton Village
Hall at 7pm next Wednesday (3 March).
The main item on the agenda is the Local Development
Framework (LDF); this is the plan that shapes development
including what gets built, what opportunities there
are for business investment and how the environment
is protected - in Shropshire for the next 20 years.
The Head of Strategy and Policy for Shropshire Council
will be running an interactive session on the LDF which
will give the local community an opportunity to give
examples of some of the local issues which need to be
considered when making parishes more sustainable places
to live.
Councillor Christian Lea, Chairman of the Local Joint
Committee for Bridgnorth, Worfield, Alveley and Claverley
said: “I very much hope that local people will
come along to the meeting and ask any questions on issues
that are of concern to them. It is a great opportunity
to learn more about the Local Development Framework
and inform the Committee about any particular local
issues relating to their community. The Local Development
Framework is a very important document setting out a
blueprint for the future of the area and it is vital
that we hear local people's views on this plan.
“We will also be awarding grants to local groups
and organisations from the remaining budget that the
committee holds and there will be an opportunity for
people to suggest future agenda items."
In addition to this there will also be a chance for
the community to see a short performance from the Kaleidoscope
Theatre Company who are all residents of Kemberton,
and are celebrating their 30th anniversary year.
For more information contact Vicky Turner on 01746
713129 or vicky.turner@shropshire.gov.uk
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