Motor cyclist died in RTC

MERSEYSIDE Police are appealing for witnesses to a fatal road traffic collision at the junction of Altcar Road and Stephenson Way, Formby on Monday, 1 June 2009.

Just after 2:30pm a black and red motorbike and a white Fiat van collided at the junction.

The 20 year old male driver of the motorbike suffered serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

The driver of the white Fiat van is assisting Police with the investigation.

The collision coursed traffic tailbacks for most of the afternoon as accident investigation studied the scene.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or has any information, is asked to contact the Merseyside Police Roads Policing Department on 0151 777 5771, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

APPEAL FOR WITNESSES - RAPE - LOWER PROMENADE, SOUTHPORT

MERSEYSIDE Police are again appealing for witnesses following the rape of an 18 year old woman at Southport's Lower Promenade on Sunday, 26 April 2009.

Between 1.45am and 2.30am the victim walked to the Lower Promenade with a man she had met at Starsky's bar in West Street. They sat talking in a shelter next to the lake and when the victim tried to leave the man became aggressive. He pushed her back into a seat and raped her.

The victim managed to struggled free and punched the offender in the face. She then ran away to the Promenade.

The offender is described as white, in his mid-20s, at least 6ft tall, of muscular build with short dark spikey hair. He was wearing jeans and a short-sleeved white top.

Detectives are keen to talk to a man who found the victim on the Promenade. He is described as white, in his mid-30s to 40s, of average height and large build with a bald head and round face. He was walking his dog and wearing black trousers, a shirt and a black zipped-up jacket. He had a local accent.

Detectives are also keen to trace another man who was seen at the lake around the time of the offence. He is described as white, in his mid-30s and was looking for a Staffordshire bull terrier-type dog.

Neither of the men detectives would like to talk to are suspects but they may have important information that could help the investigation.

Detective Inspector Dave Rooney said:- "I would like to reassure local people that this kind of assault is thankfully quite rare and we are determined to bring the offender to justice as soon as possible. However, I would like to remind women to take care when they go out at night and to avoid walking through isolated or unlit areas on their own. Always walk home in pairs or in a group and avoid being on your own at night."

Anyone with any information is urged to call police on:- 0151 777 3165 or Crimestoppers on:- 0800 555 111.

Kites over the Mersey

ON Saturday, 6 June and Sunday, 7 June 2009, the sixth annual International Kite Festival will be held on the Wirral, from 11am to 4pm both days. The festival will be held in aid of Clatterbridge Cancer Research (CCR), to raise funds for research into the treatment of cancer patients in the North West.

Held at “The Dips” in New Brighton, with a variety of spectacular kites on display, including artistic kites, giant kites, inflatable, sports and power kites, this two day event is for all the family. The festival will showcase some award winning guest fliers from all over the world and for all those have-a-go-fliers, there will be a kite-making workshop, at a cost of just £1 per person.

CCR volunteers will be on hand to talk to visitors about the work the charity is doing for cancer research and promoting its new-look brand. A stall selling CCR’s new, handcrafted products will also be on site to help raise extra funds.

CCR is dedicated to advancing the regional fight against cancer in Merseyside and Cheshire. For nearly 30 years the charity has been working in the North West of England, funding world class research to further the understanding of how to prevent and diagnose cancer, and how to treat it with the most effective ongoing care. CCR funds research into understanding each cancer on a more intricate level to find individual treatment for each patient. CCR funds research into understanding each cancer on a more intricate level to find individual treatment for each patient. CCR receives no government funding and relies solely on the generosity of the public to further its research.

DIRTY WEEKEND PLANNED FOR NEW ST HELENS WOODLAND

PEOPLE from across St Helens are encouraged to turn out to a free family funday at the Forestry Commission’s Brickfields Community Woodland, off Chester Lane in South St Helens, on Sunday, 7 June 2009.

The Forestry Commission have teamed up with The BBC’s Breathing Places campaign and Springwatch to encourage local people to explore their new Brickfields community woodland, learn more about the area’s wildlife and help make it a greener, friendlier place.

Breathing Places is encouraging people from all over the country to roll up their sleeves and make their very own place for nature – right on their doorstep.

From 10am until 3:00pm, the ‘Brickfields Dirty Weekend Sunday Funday’ will offer a variety of free ‘hands-on’ activities available for the whole family to get stuck into, including a wildlife walk, pond dipping, wildflower planting, a litter pick and something to share for a picnic. People should bring suitable clothes, shoes or wellies with a mind to getting dirty and wet. The Brickfields site has been improved as part of the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and Forestry Commission land regeneration programme, Newlands.

Once completed, the ‘Brickfields’ community woodland will include multi-purpose leisure trails, wildflower meadows and wetland habitats. The whole site is equivalent in size to more than 40 football pitches.  Andy Glover from the Forestry Commission in the North West, says:- “The Brickfields family funday is a great way for local people to come together, find out more about their local wildlife and how they can get involved to help make their new community woodland even better. We’re looking forward to welcoming as many people as possible on the day and in the future.”  Children must be supervised by a parent or guardian. No unsupervised children will be able to join in the event.   For more information about the Brickfields Sunday Funday, please contact Sarah Tarmaster at Groundwork Merseyside on 0151 7262768.

There are more community events planned for the Brickfields community woodland over the summer, so people should keep a look out for details. £2.1 million of regeneration funding has being provided for the Brickfields project via the Newlands programme. Additional funding of over £140,000 from EU Objective One via The Mersey Forest Trust and approx £87,000 from Biffa award has been secured.   A number of local partners, including Ibstock Brick Ltd, The Mersey Forest, St Helens Council and Groundwork Merseyside are working alongside the NWDA and Forestry Commission to realise this project.  The Brickfields project also includes a 20 year management plan by the Forestry Commission so people can be confident that this new woodland will be kept in good condition.

The regeneration of the site will also benefit the local economy by helping to improve the image of the area and visually enhancing the main rail route between Manchester and Liverpool. This will help to form part of The Mersey Forest in St. Helens, which has seen the town transformed over the past ten years with the planting of over 2 million trees so far.

Further information about Brickfields and other 'Newlands' projects is available at:- forestry.gov.uk/newlands and newlandsproject.co.uk.

Further information about Breathing Places is available at:- bbc.co.uk/breathingplacesn.