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Horse and stable owners in Shropshire are being warned
to ensure their properties are secure after a large
amount of riding tack was stolen from a village near
Market Drayton.
Although tack thefts remain relatively
unusual in the county, when they happen they tend to
happen in spates and people are urged to take steps
to reduce the risk of their premises being targeted.
Between about 8.20pm on Wednesday and 7.15am Thursday,
a stables in Ollerton was broken into an upwards of
14 saddles and 20 bridles stolen.
A white Ford Transit-style van
had been seen in the area and around Hinstock and Childs
Ercall on at least two occasions in the weeks leading
up to the theft, the occupants of which had asked various
people about scrap metal but also showed interest in
some horses in a field.
It is not know whether the vehicle
is connected but police are keen to hear from anyone
who might have seen or heard anything they consider
to have been suspicious in the area recently to contact
them on 0300 333 3000.
Anyone who is offered riding equipment
for sale ‘on the cheap’ or under otherwise
dubious circumstances is also asked to get in touch.
Information can also be passed on anonymously via Crimestoppers
on 0800 555 111, where a reward is sometimes offered.
Police Constable Steve Cummings,
who is investigating the recent theft, urged people
to be aware and take all steps they could to secure
their stables and outhouses and reduce the risk of a
break-in.
“While tack thefts remain
relatively rare, they can often occur in spates so police
would urge people to be alert and take the necessary
precautions to help safeguard their property,”
he said.
“Horse riding tackle can
be a target for thieves but owners can significantly
reduce their chances of becoming a victim by making
their items harder to steal and easy to identify.
“Store property in a secure
building with a strong, locked door, ideally fitted
with British Standard locks, quality locking bars and
high security padlocks. Remember to always lock buildings
up when not in use.
“Consider fitting an intruder
alarm and ensure your property is well covered with
security lighting. Thieves don’t like well lit
areas so fit lights with timers or movement sensors.
“You can protect windows
with metal bars and, if possible, keep more valuable
items locked in a building close to your house where
you can keep an eye on it.”
PC Cummings added that marking
property made it unique and therefore less attractive
to steal as they are much harder to sell on.
Marking property also means it
can be traced back to the rightful owner and irrefutably
linked to a crime scene.
“Consider painting, branding
or etching your postcode where it can be seen and can’t
be removed. There are also a range of commercial property
identification systems available to buy, which can be
effective,” said PC Cummings.
For more information about securing
your property, visit our website at www.westmercia.police.uk
or www.securedbydesign.com.
Shropshire Council,
with funding support from the Big Lottery, will be refurbishing
play facilities as well as creating new play areas in
east Oswestry over the coming months. The sites allocated
for improvement are at Holly Green, Unicorn Road, Broadlands
Way and Henley Close.
Shropshire Council’s outdoor
recreation service is looking to appoint a play company
to provide imaginative and adventurous play opportunities
for local children of all ages. Councillor Steve Charmley,
Cabinet member for culture and leisure, said “Play
is vital for the development of our children and young
people, and the aim of this project is to provide the
local community in east Oswestry with play areas they
can be proud of and will want to use time and time again.”
Funding from the Big Lottery was
secured as part of a project bid following local consultations
in 2008/09. Residents, especially children and young
people, will be invited to attend a further round of
consultation events during September to ensure the play
facilities meet the needs of the local community.
The budget for the project is
£138,000 - £71,000 Big Lottery, £50,000
Shropshire Council and £17,000 planning gain funds.
The money will be spent following local consultations
on design, landscaping, supply and installation of natural
and fixed play equipment, along with any safety surfacing
requirements. The proposed timetable includes local
consultation in early September, with play facilities
installed by the end of November.
Local councillor for Oswestry
East, Councillor Martin Bennett, said “I would
strongly encourage local residents young and old to
get involved and attend the up and coming consultations,
as I am really keen to get everyone’s ideas and
comments for these new and exciting play areas across
the community.”
A Shropshire resident has celebrated her 100th birthday
at Isle Court Nursing Home, Shrewsbury. To celebrate
this milestone, a party for family and friends was held
at the home.
Born in Kinnerley, Hilda Price was from a big family
of four sisters and two brothers. Before she married,
Hilda worked as a Nanny for a local family. Hilda enjoyed
her long married life and is very proud of her family,
especially her grand children and great grandchildren.
The highlight of Hilda’s birthday was the telegram
she received from the Queen to mark this occasion. Hilda
has been a resident at Isle Court since September 2009
and continues to enjoy living there.
Liz Hallen, Nurse Manager of the home said that “Hilda
is a warm and unassuming lady, who puts her long life
down to a healthy lifestyle. We wish her a wonderful
birthday.”
Isle Court is one of six nursing homes throughout Shropshire
and Cheshire owned by Morris Care.
Students at a Ludlow school have been given an online
link straight to their Local Policing Team as part of
a pioneering pilot project to encourage closer engagement
between young people and their local officers.
Secondary pupils at Ludlow CE School will be able to
report any concerns or worries that they might have,
or even any positive suggestions on how to improve things
for young people in the area, from a dedicated page
on their school’s intranet site.
The project is a first for both Shropshire and West
Mercia Police and, if successful, could be rolled out
across all secondary schools and colleges in the area.
It has been pioneered by Constable Dan Wood, although
he does admit that he is unable to take credit for the
initial idea.
“Credit for the initial idea has to go to my
wife, Constable Tracey Wood, who is a Local Policing
officer down in Tenbury,” he said.
“She was having some problems implementing it
where she works and now that she is on maternity leave,
I asked if she would mind me borrowing her idea and
she said not at all.
“So after teaming up with West Mercia’s
web development manager Neil Tipton, we put together
the page for Ludlow School’s intranet site, which
is accessible to everyone in the school.
“The page explains about who we are and what
we do and includes a link directly to our Local Policing
page on the West Mercia Police website, where there
is a full list of contact details.
“There they will be able to report any concerns
or issues they might have, pass on feedback to us directly
and even make positive suggestions on whether there
is anything they feel we could do to make things better
in the area.”
Eventually, Constable Wood said the site would be linked
with the school’s student council, which would
in turn be able to raise issues both for and on behalf
of pupils.
“South Shropshire as a whole can struggle with
youth engagement when compared to most other areas of
the county and we hope this new system will help improve
things,” he added.
“If it works and proves as popular with the students
as we hope, we will look to roll out the system to every
school and college in the area.
“This really is a first for the force area and
something that we are confident will help improve confidence
and satisfaction among young people.”
Phil Poulton, headmaster of Ludlow School, said the
school was delighted to be working with the police to
pioneer the scheme.
“We wholeheartedly support this initiative. It
is a non-threatening way of young people contributing
to crime prevention in their community,” he added
“We can underestimate the abilities and concerns
that our students have and the role that they can play
in making lives better.
“I sincerely hope that this proves to be a success
and that the links between the police and one of its
major clients are strengthened still further.”
Shropshire Council has installed a new school warning
sign outside St. Lucia’s CE Primary School in
Upton Magna, following concerns from pupils.
The sign, installed to encourage drivers to slow down
when passing the school, was designed by competition
winners Annabelle Shedden and Jake Reacord.
The council is continuing to work closely with the
school to encourage more pupils to walk or cycle. Currently,
a third of pupils travel on the school bus, and those
in the village walk to school. For those who live further
away, three Park and Stride sites have been agreed around
the village, so that parents and pupils can then enjoy
a short walk and help to keep the road outside the school
clear and safer for everyone.
Martin Taylor-Smith, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet
member for strategic planning and transport, said: “We
hope that this new sign will alert drivers to the presence
of the school, encouraging them to slow down and be
mindful of pupils crossing the road.”
John Everall, Shropshire Councillor for Tern, added:
“I am very pleased that this new warning sign
is now in place. This should help to keep speeds in
check especially at school times, when the road can
be very busy and potentially dangerous for children.”
The Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust will be holding
a Montgomery Canal Forum at Oswestry tomorrow.
The meeting will be held at The Council Chamber, Council
offices, Castle View, Oswestry at 2.30pm and is open
to the public.
Trust Chairman Michael Limbrey explained, "The
Montgomery Canal Forum is a discussion open to anyone
interested in the future of the Montgomery Canal.
"This year we shall be having presentations from
Jason Leach, Montgomery Canal Regeneration Manager,
British Waterways, and Alison Patrick, Tourism Officer,
Shropshire Council.
"Jason Leach comes to us from Worcestershire where
he has been leading the restoration of the Droitwich
Canal which was derelict for over eighty years. The
restoration has involved major engineering works, but
when it opens the new canal will bring many benefits
to the Droitwich area.
"Alison Patrick is well-known as the face of tourism
in North Shropshire. She will be able to show how the
Montgomery Canal can link to many other places which
make this area so rich for residents and visitors.
"Our strategy for restoration of the Montgomery
Canal takes account of the history of the canal, its
structures and ecology. We see restoration as an opportunity
to enhance these for the benefit of the local community
and as an attraction for visitors. Earlier this summer
the Waterway Recovery Group spent two weeks working
the built and natural heritage of the canal, rebuilding
an old wharf wall with traditional materials, and stocking
the new Nature Reserve at Aston Locks. Other volunteers
have been working with the Shropshire Union Canal Society
to rebuild the canal bed to extend the navigable length.
"In September we shall be celebrating all that
volunteers do on the canal, and what the canal can offer
the community, at the Maesbury Canal Festival, when
the canal banks will be lined with visiting boats centred
around a busy weekend of events at Canal Central.
"There is so much going on on the Montgomery Canal,
and so much more that we want to do. We hope that representatives
of local communities will be joining us at the Forum
to talk about their vision for the future of the Montgomery
Canal."
The Forum will be preceded by the thirtieth Annual
General Meeting of the Montgomery Waterway Restoration
Trust. Michael Limbrey added that over the thirty years
since it was formed the Trust had played a leading part
in bringing together the volunteer organisations, British
Waterways and the public authorities and other agencies
which are all interested in the future of the Montgomery
Canal.
Anyone interested in the future of the Montgomery Canal
will be welcome at the Forum.
Police in Ellesmere have been educating schoolchildren
in the town about how anti-social behaviour can affect
the people around them.
Over the past few months, police and community support
officers have been visiting all schools in the area
to talk about both internet safety and nuisance behaviour
that can affect people’s quality of life.
The aim was to show pupils from all year groups what
constitutes anti-social behaviour and how certain actions
can be perceived by other people.
PC Paul Crump, Local Policing Officer for Ellesmere
Town, said youngsters had responded positively to the
sessions.
“We tied a lot of the talks into the summer holidays
and what actions might be considered anti-social while
the youngsters were out of school,” he said.
“Having done the education side of things, we
then told the pupils that we would be out on patrol
over the break, especially the ‘hot spot’
areas, to see how much they had learnt from our visits.”
This week is Respect Week, a Home Office campaign to
highlight the work of Local Policing Teams across the
country to tackle anti-social behaviour through education
and diversionary activities.
Reducing anti-social behaviour is a high priority for
West Mercia Police. Our aim is to raise awareness of
the impact anti-social behaviour can have on others
and encourage communities to respect and tolerate each
other.
Communities can play an active role in identifying
and reducing ASB by providing us with valuable information
about what is happening in their area.
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This summer, you don’t need a TARDIS to go
travelling through time – just head down to
Wroxeter Roman City on any Tuesday in August and
you will meet a soldier who has stepped out of his
own time to visit the 21st century at English Heritage’s
‘Time Travellers Go… Roman’! “If
ever there was a place to learn how to be a soldier
in the Roman army, Wroxeter has to be it, as this
is precisely what would have happened here during
its foundation as a legionary fortress,”
says English Heritage’s regional events
manager, Tom Course. “The Roman army would
recruit local people to boost their numbers, often
taking young children to bring up within the strong
disciplinary regime of the army, turning them
into members of history’s most effective
fighting force – although they were often
shipped overseas to do their training, as the
Romans did not want a local uprising!”
English Heritage’s Roman Time Traveller
will be either be the centurion Titus, or his
Optio (first officer), Valens, depending on who
can be freed from their own troops back in the
second century AD! Children will have the chance
to try on helmets and armour – including
the famous crested helmet, and take part in Roman
drill training.
If the discipline of being a rank and file soldier
does not appeal, then young visitors can join
Gladiator training – learning the unique
skills required to compete in gladiatorial combat.
However, unlike their Roman ancestors, today’s
trainees will use foam swords and plastic spears
and tridents to ensure that no-one becomes the
victim of a ‘thumbs turned’ ruling
by the presiding senator or emperor, which would
bring an end to the life of the losing combatant.
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The
event runs every Tuesday during August from 11am
to 5pm, with Wroxeter Roman City itself open daily
from 10am. For more information visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/wroxeter.
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