Vandals damage the 101 year old Formby War Memorial

THE Formby Royal British Legion are extremely upset to discover, with just weeks off Remembrance Sunday, that the Formby War Memorial had been vandalised. Sadly this is not the 1st time the Village Cenotaph, which has stood in the Centre of the Village for 101 years, has been attacked by vandals. The 1st time vandals attacked it was a graphite incident a few years back.  This time the vandals had pulled off all the metalwork on the structure and also ripped out the alimental metal fencing on flowerbed of the Memorial Wall, along with a metal plaque. This damage has been logged with the Police and Merseyside Police are investigating the incident that is thought to have taken place in the evening of:- Tuesday, 10 October 2023, into to early morning of:- Wednesday, 11 October 2023.

Many within the Formby Branch of The Royal British Legion are worry that the younger generations are forgetting the significance of the Cenotaph and the contribution of Formby's veterans. This incident has raised fears about the lack of respect for memorials like this.

A spokesperson for the Formby Branch of the Royal British Legion has told us:- “Thankfully the damage is not as bad as we first thought, but all the metal work has been damaged and now requires repairing. This incident has left the area paying out money that could be spent on better things than fixing the damage coursed through this mindless act of vandalism. With just weeks away from Remembrance Sunday, this is just… If you have any dashcam footage from the area or have any information about the incident, please do let the Police know. Currently, CCTV footage is being looked at by Merseyside Police, but any additional help with be gratefully received.”

If you have any footage from that area that could show anything happening, please report it online to the Police using the reference:- '23000989124.'

Did you know? The local war memorial that has been vandalized, was unveiled on 12 November 1922, and has stood prominently within Formby Village Centre for many years. The Village War Memorial has had many local names added to it over the years, including the most recent name, that of Flight Lieutenant Steven Swarbrick, who was serving in Afghanistan with the Royal Air Force in 2010, when he died, aged just 23.

Puppy buyers in North West fooled into buying unhealthy pets by:- 'cute' pictures on social media!

NEW research, by 1 of the biggest dog welfare organisations, has revealed the disturbing influence of social media on puppy buying in the North West and the consequences for canine welfare. Revealed as part of The Kennel Club's Be Puppywise campaign, statistics show 23% of would be owners in the North West are turning to social media and internet sites like Gumtree to find a puppy. However, the organisation is warning that platforms like Instagram and TikTok give unscrupulous breeders easy access to a mass market, where they can sell puppies with little scrutiny, and deceptively appeal to millions of unaware buyers with:- 'cute' and cleverly curated pup pictures and posts. Shockingly, across the UK, the organisation's research found that 25% of puppies advertised on social media get sick or die before their 1st birthday.

Thousands more unsuspecting owners in the North West experience complications when buying a puppy, with 53% facing unexpectedly high financial costs, 14% admitting their dog had behavioural issues they weren't expecting, and 19% regretting the way they purchased their dog.

The research also indicates that instead of conducting thorough searches about their puppy's background, would be owners in the Region are drawn in by:- 'cute' photos:-

• 42% owners in the North West bought their puppy:- 'because it was cute.'
  

• 27% admit it was the:- 'cute puppy photo.' that most appealed in their pet's advertising.
  

• A further 25% worryingly spent less than 2 hours doing their research, leaving them particularly vulnerable to scams and unable to spot the signs of puppy farms.

The Kennel Club is warning that duplicitous breeders are exploiting this lack of awareness; 26% bought in the North West are suspected to have originated on a puppy farm, after owners are captivated by puppies advertised on sites like:- Instagram and TikTok and miss warning signs:- 53% didn't see the puppy interacting with their mum and 50% suspect they didn't see their puppy's breeding environment, and 67% didn't see any vaccination records.

The research also highlights that, despite the worrying consequences of making hasty and uninformed decisions based on what has been seen online, social media has an increasingly powerful influence; 50% of puppy buying decisions in the North West are influenced by social media, and 25% said that when buying their puppy, their main information source was either:- social media, influencers, or celebrities; over vets, dog welfare organisations and breed experts.

Mark Beazley, Chief Executive at The Kennel Club, which is urging responsible buying via its:- 'Be Puppywise' campaign commented:- "In today's curated digital world, enticing photos are the lifeblood of social media and pictures of puppies grab attention; so there is an obvious appeal to buying and selling puppies using these platforms... But if people forget that behind every cute photo on social media, there is a real puppy, and a real need to ensure that their health and welfare has been prioritised, then there can be truly devastating consequences. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok can give unscrupulous breeders easy access to a mass market, where they can sell pups with little scrutiny, so it's down to the puppy buyer to make sure that they ask the right questions, see the puppy, with their mum and in their home environment, and step back if things don't feel right. Failing to do so can lead to a world of heartache for puppy buyers and keeps rogue breeders in business, whilst puppies continue to suffer the consequences, as this research shows."

Following this urgent warning, The Kennel Club is urging people to:- 'Be Puppywise,' providing responsible puppy buying advice and practical resources on its website:- TheKennelClub.Org.UK.