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Tony Schumacher at Formby Books
ON Saturday, 17 January 2014, from 11am to 12 noon, the
Liverpool based crime/thriller author, Tony Schumacher, will be at Formby Books.
He has just hit the charts in both the US and UK and looks likely to have a film
deal soon. 'The Darkest Hour' is a gripping
and fast paced thriller similar to John Le Carre, Philip Kerr and 'Frederick
Forsyth'. Set immediately after the end
of WW2, he has like others decided that the Germans won and his hero is a
Gestapo investigator, but as Tony is an ex-Policeman he has worked exceptionally
hard to make sure he delivers a fast paced thriller that will stay in your
memory for ages... Pop on down to Formby Books, 22 Chapel Lane, Formby,
Liverpool, Merseyside L37 4DU, UK and find out more!
'Stretched Limousine' is crusted!
MERSEYSIDE Police working with partners
have crushed a vehicle as part of an on going operation to ensure the safety of
passengers being carried by limousines and Public Service Vehicles.
Since December 2014, Merseyside Police, working in partnership the Driver and
Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and Liverpool City Council, have been engaged in
running Operation Craton.
The aim on the operation is to reduce the number of people killed and seriously
injured as a result of commercial vehicle collisions on the roads of Merseyside
and to raise awareness regarding the dangers of failing to comply with the:-
'Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations
1986',
EU 'Driver’s
Hours'
regulations and the:- 'Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act
1976'
and Council
By-Law in respect of Taxi and Private Hire regulations.
As part of this operation a 'stretched limousine', which had been
illegally modified with a 3rd axle being fitted, was seized and was crushed on
Friday, 9 January 2014, because it did not meet UK safety laws. The vehicle was
also operating outside of the conditions of the insurance policy and driver’s
licensing conditions.
Companies running Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) with 8 seats or more must have
an operator’s licence to show that they meet strict rules on safety procedures
and financial standing.
If a limousine company does not have an operator's licence and is not registered
for Private Hire with a local authority, then there is a risk that the driver
may not hold the correct licence, any insurance could be invalid and it might
not be constructed or maintained to a safe standard.
Chief Inspector John Hogan, head of Merseyside Police’s Matrix Serious and
Organised Crime Roads Policing Department, said:- "The limousine and
novelty vehicle industry has seen rapid growth in recent years and we want to
see these legitimate businesses continue to thrive. However, those operating
vehicles outside of the law puts the safety of their passengers and other road
users at risk, and create unfair competition for legitimately run businesses.
This is something that we aim to address through robust enforcement. The force
working with partners from DVSA and Liverpool City Council will make full use of
their powers to stop the small minority of operators who threaten to bring the
industry into disrepute and to put the safety of their passengers and other road
users at risk. The few businesses who insist on operating illegally and with
little regard for passenger safety can expect to be prosecuted and lose their
vehicles indefinitely or even, as in this case, for good!"
The operation has already seen 4 illegal
vehicles seized and over 44 fixed penalty notices issued to drivers operating
outside of the law. Prohibition and Defect Notices have also been issued to 41
drivers, for:- "using a vehicle in a defective condition or for failing to
comply with driver’s hours legislation."
Constable Craig Arnold, Merseyside Police's Vehicle Crime and Commercial Unit
said:- "We have stopped a number of these vehicles during this operation
and by acting on community and industry intelligence have found some of them to
be operating illegally. These illegal drivers and companies are running outside
of the law are preventing law abiding, professional drivers and companies from
growing their businesses. These vehicles are regularly being hired by parents
for teenagers and children attending parties and the like; as such we take the
safety of those passengers very seriously."
A Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), said:- "DVSA is pleased
to be working with the Merseyside Police and Liverpool City Council to help target
non-compliant vehicles and drivers. It sends a clear message that robust action
will be taken against those who flout the rules and risk the safety of
passengers and other road users."
To see the video of the vehicle being crushed please click on the video below:-
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The British
Polio Fellowship launches nationwide school colouring competition
FOLLOWING on from a
successful 75th Anniversary Year, The British Polio Fellowship has
launched its national:- "Sowing the seeds of hope" colouring
competition as it looks to raise awareness of Post Polio Syndrome
(PPS) amongst British school children in 2015. The competition
follows on from the charity’s highly successful 2014 "Sowing
the seeds of hope" wildflower planting, which saw it team up with
agricultural industry leader Syngenta, who provided seeds for
charity members and schools across the country.
"Many people believe that Polio is a thing of the past, but
with approximately 120,000 people suffering from PPS, that couldn’t
be further from the truth. The charity is already
working hard to spread the PPS message to the general public and
this colouring competition is about spreading the PPS message to an
even younger audience so that the next generation grows up aware of
the Polio legacy. We are doing this through an activity that’s
creative, engaging and educational." said Ted Hill, CEO of The
British Polio Fellowship.
The competition, which is open to school children, will see primary
school age youngsters colour in wildflower line art emblem inspired
by the "Sowing the seeds of hope" campaign, which was also
used to mark the charity’s PPS day. Aside from the competition
offering children a bit of fun in school, the charity has also
provided a number of educational angles aimed at giving pupils more
context around the issues relating to Polio.
The competition could be used to broach the subject of disability
and discrimination with children of a young age, whilst the history
and science of both Polio and diseases like it may also offer good
educational angles. The charity is also offering to arrange visits
from its ambassadors to a select number of schools in order to
further promote the message, including Paralympians Anne Wafula-Strike
and James Crisp and Polio academic author and Medical Doctor (MD),
Professor Gareth Williams.
"We appreciate that education is the most important thing to
think about when running competitions like this, yet Polio is a
disease which broaches a number of issues from health to history.
Inspirational personalities like James Crisp,
who despite having had Polio, has won three Paralympic medals at the
London 2012 games can also pay the schools a visit, talking about
their own experience of the disease and helping the children with
their colouring." said Ted Hill.
The winners of the competition will be announced later in the year,
with the deadline for entries 30 September 2015. Teachers and
Parents are encouraged to send photos of their children’s wildflower
colourings with some appearing in The British Polio Fellowship’s
bi-monthly magazine, the bulletin, as well as on the charity’s
social media streams.
The "Sowing the seeds of hope" colouring pack can be
downloaded from the charity’s
website or for more information,
contact freephone:- 0800 018 0586.
SAFE - Update
THE next meeting of Southport Access
For Everyone forum will be held at the Victoria Methodist Church, Sussex Road,
Southport PR8 6DG.
On Monday, 26 January 2015, at 7pm. This is a free public meeting.
The premises are fully accessible for wheelchair users with adequate car parking
facilities, and light refreshments will be served before the meeting commences.
Anyone with an interest in disability issues you are very welcome. For
more information visit:-
SouthportAccessForeveryone.Org. For further enquiries
you can also phone:- 07866531036
Public Warning following the
loss of prescription medication
MERSEYSIDE Police in Birkenhead are
asking the public to be vigilant following the loss of prescription medication
last week. The medication was lost between 8pm and 11pm on Wednesday, 7 January
2015, in the Litherland area. The medication consists of:-
16 tablets of Tramadol
Hydrocloride.
They could be extremely harmful if taken when not subscribed to
someone. Anyone who comes across this medication, or any other
prescription drug, is asked to hand them to their nearest Police
Station, Surgery, Hospital or Pharmacy.
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