News reports located on this page = 2.

More tremors detected at Preston New Road fracking site

THE UK's only fracking site on the Preston New Road, Lancashire, has again reported more tremors, following the magnitude 1.55 tremor, the largest ever recorded at the site, on Wednesday, 21 August 2019. The latest a 1.05 was recorded at 11.22pm on Friday, 23 August 2019 and a 0.53, at 5am, on Saturday, 24 August 2019. Work at the site must be halted for 18 hours after any tremor measuring more than 0.5 in magnitude, but on Wednesday, a Cuadrilla Spokesperson had downplayed it. Cuadrilla equated the Wednesday tremors as being:- 'like dropping a bag of shopping.' Following the latest tremors, Labour's Shadow Environment Secretary, MP Rebecca Long Bailey has called for fracking to be:- "banned immediately" adding it was a:- "pathway to planetary disaster." Also, many Formby and Southport residents are increasingly worried about the serious environmental issues and also that this area could be affected by microseismicity, should Aurora Energy Resources hopes to drill 2 exploratory wells in Altcar Moss, North of the Village of Great Altcar. Especially as the proposed site is close to several fault lines and disused boreholes, the now abandoned Formby-1 well, which produced oil. It also encountered gas in the Bowland shale. If the plan is approved the Great Altcar site, 950m from Great Altcar, will be operational for one and a half years, 24 hours, 7 days a week, if no tremors are detected. In total the application, if approved with be valid for 5 years. The scheme would see the construction of a 1.72ha well site and an access track measuring 815m. A vertical borehole would drill into the Bowland / Hodder shale formation to a depth of 3,000m. The 2nd borehole would also be extended horizontally for approximately 1,500m. These would both be stimulated using high volume hydraulic fracturing. Aurora has also said that during well tests, any gas extracted would be burned in a flare and that there are no plans to pipe the test gas into the mains network. The application will be decided by Lancashire County Council's Development Control Committee very soon, with the deadline for public comments just passed on Friday, 23 August 2019. Both Sefton Council and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority have voiced their objections to the Great Altcar plan and this will only add more worries for local residents, just outside Lancashire, in the Village of Formby, located in sight of the drilling rigs along with the nearby areas of:- Southport, Crosby, Maghull and Litherland. What are your views on this? Are you worried about the idea of fracking near to Formby? Please let us know your views via emailing us at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com.

Useful websites:-

► Aurora-Energy-Resources.Com.

► CuadrillaResources.Com.

► FrackFreeFormby.Org.

Changes to HS2 route plans connect the line with Northern Powerhouse Rail – CBI says:- 'make your voices heard'

THE consultation on changes to the proposed HS2 route to connect the line with Northern Powerhouse Rail closes in just 2 weeks. The CBI is urging businesses to:- 'make their voices heard.' North West CBI Regional Director, Damian Waters said:- "I would encourage businesses and communities to look at the information and get involved in the consultation. Your views matter and I'm urging businesses to make their voices heard. We, at the CBI firmly believe linking HS2 to the Northern Powerhouse Rail will help unlock the North West's economic future. This new link will reap significant benefits as a result. High speed rail will play a crucial role in rebalancing Britain's economy; driving business growth, stimulating investment and creating jobs right across the country."

National Auditions have been announced for Teenstar 2019!

THE TeenStar, singing and dance competition is a giant UK wide search for the most vibrant young talent in the UK today, with TeenStar's singing and dancing audition's being held across the entire country. Exclusively for 19 year olds and younger, TeenStar are on the lookout to find the best singers, dancers and dance groups from around the UK. Age categories are Pre-Teens; 12 years old and under; and Late Teens; 13 years old and older! TeenStar singing and dancing auditions dates are available across the UK now, places are limited so if you're a pre-teen or teen singer or dancer and would like a chance to perform at the O2 and think you are right for this competition, enter now.  For more information about the competition and how to enter go to:- TeenStarCompetition.Co.UK.

TeenStar is run by Future Music, the company behind the discovery of artists such as:- Warner Music's Birdy, Columbia Record's Lucy Spraggan, Union J's Jaymi Hensley, as well as:- Luke Friend and Emily Middlemas, both finalists on The X Factor. Plus, the winner of this year's ITV's the Voice, Molly Hocking and BBC's All Together Now winner and UK's Eurovision representative Michael Rice.

This year the audition within our area will be held in the Liverpool Lighthouse, Theatre, Oakfield Road, Anfield, Liverpool (L4 0UF) on Saturday, 21 September 2019. If you can't get to the Liverpool audition the other closest is on Sunday, 8 September 2019, at Media City UK, University of Salford, Plot B4, Salford Quays, Manchester (M50 2HE)

Last year TeenStar crowned their first winning dance act, Scandalous Productions, who went on to perform on BBC Television. Watch their winning performance on the competition's YouTube Channel.

Don't miss your chance to perform at the O2 London! Take a go and see what happens, you might just become the next TeenStar, but even if you don't, remember to enjoy yourself and learn from the experience so that you can develop from it.

Did you know? The TeenStar competition attracts over 9,000 entries each year, and the competition culminates in a spectacular National Grand Final, which in previous years has been held at The NEC in Birmingham and this year is back within The O2 in London. Previous judges have included Swoosh from Dance Group Flawless, Ryan Jenkins from TV show Dance Moms, West End Agents and producers from all major TV Talent Competitions!