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Southport UFO - little green men or pie in the sky?

Posted by Visiter Newsdesk on July 24, 2008 6:25 PM

SOME Southport Visiter readers have been getting hot under the collar about our recent story accompanying a photo suggesting a UFO may have been spotted in our skies.

The image was taken by Ainsdale resident Pat Regan at Rufford, where a twister struck earlier this month.

The story and image initially appeared on our website.

In was only when its publication drew such a strong reaction - worldwide - that we followed up the 'sighting' with a story in the Southport Visiter.

'Should the Southport Visiter be publishing stories about UFOs'? a number of readers asked.

Our story centred not on the image itself - but on the incredible international reaction to it. It is amazing how a man who takes an image of such an object in the skies above Rufford, which is subsequently published on www.southportvisiter.co.uk can suddenly gain such huge interest. Numerous 'experts' have also contacted the Southport Visiter, speaking to reporter Jo Kelly, to offer their theories.

American Sci-Fi programme "UFO Hunters" is looking to feature the incident on The History Channel after it was analysed by graphics expert Allen Rogers.


Pat Regan, who captured the image, said: "The worldwide media interest has been incredible, with the story cropping up in many countries.

"I am just gobsmacked by it all!"

Perhaps the little green men were here to enjoy The Open golf? They certainly would have enjoyed a bird's eye view of the superb action that took place.

They have not been seen again since Padraig Harrington walked away from Royal Birkdale with the Claret Jug.

Perhaps they'll return 10 years from now when The Open returns to Royal Birkdale?

In the meantime, while most Sandgrounders probably don't believe in UFOs and little green men, there may be some who will keep 'watching the skies' just in case. After all, just like when The Open comes to town, you never know who you might spot.

We loved The Open at Royal Birkdale! Why can't we stage it every year?

Posted by Visiter Newsdesk on July 24, 2008 3:49 PM

FOR the past 10 years Southport people have been eagerly waiting for The Open to come back to Royal Birkdale.
As the curtains opened on Thursday morning, many hearts sank at the sight of black skies and heavy rain.
Worse was to come when power failed on the Northern Line, leaving hundreds of golf fans and other people travelling by train stuck at Formby Station.
Players then had to battle through tough conditions with Sandy Lyle heading for the sanctity of the 19th hole after just 10 holes.
The one thing the rain didn't dampen however was everyone's spirits.
There was a superb atmosphere around Royal Birkdale throughout the tournament, and indeed during the well-attended practise days.
Forget the credit crunch and a spot of rain - a second consecutive title win by Dubliner Padraig Harrington in front of 40,000 spectators on Sunday registered the weather chaos which threatened to tarnish the tournament a distant memory.
Barely as the first shot was hit - under black skies and pouring rain - talk was of a 'washout', whilst some feared that a tournament without golf's star Tiger Woods would render it forgettable.
48mph gales came and went - as did the threat of play being suspended - before, eventually, on Sunday morning, the sun came out.
And as that drop of sunshine fell upon Birkdale and illuminated the fantastic Harrington and the romantic sub-plots of 53-year old golfer Greg Norman and 20-year old amateur Chris Wood - it was clear that the 137th Open was one of the best.
More than 201,500 spectators lined the fairways of Royal Birkdale throughout the Open, breaking the course record of 192,500 set a decade ago. more than enjoyed golf's greatest spectacle the last time The Open was here, 10 years ago.
They were treated to some superb action, the sight of Britain's best course looking in immaculate condition and an extremely well-organised event.
Yes, some local people are not entirely happy, from those unhappy at being barred from Birkdale Beach, to others inconvenienced by heavy traffic, while some readers have contacted the Visiter angry that the £10 fee to use park and ride is 'exorbitant'.
On the whole though hundreds of people have invested months of effort to bring a first class event to Southport.
Comments from the many people, both about The Open and Southport generally, have been very positive.
Well done to everyone who helped make it such a huge success, from everyone at Royal Birkdale itself, to the hundreds of hoteliers, bar staff, waiters, chefs, shop workers, taxi drivers and evryone else who gave visitors such a warm Southport welsome.
What a shame we can't stage The Open every year!

Forget politics, a week in football is a long time for Southport FC!

Posted by Visiter Newsdesk on July 4, 2008 8:36 AM

FORGET politics – a week is a long time in football!
In the last edition of the Southport Visiter, Southport FC were a club in crisis – managerless and with just eight players on the books. Chairman Charlie Clapham pledged to find the right man, but secretly knew he was up against the clock.
Now, ’Port’s favourite son Liam Watson has returned to take charge – and he has brought a full XI of players with him, including the league’s top goalscorer.
Southport revert to part-time and now can attract the best semi-professional players instead of the cheapest full-time pros. Circumstances have worked in the Sandgrounders’ favour and it is an enormous slice of luck that cannot be wasted.
It was Liam Watson who guided ’Port to championship glory in 2005. If the club can get the full backing of Southport fans, there is every hope that the club will be able to gain promotion once again.

Southport's Community Heroes are a fine example to us all

Posted by Visiter Newsdesk on July 4, 2008 8:34 AM

MONDAY evening was a real pleasure for all of us at the Southport Visiter.
At the annual Community Heroes Awards night at Formby Hall, it was a real honour to rub shoulders with the people in our town and beyond who have made some incredible contributions to our community.
The girl with her leg in plaster who saved her nana after a bad fall down the stairs; the Tarleton youngsters helping the children of Ukraine; the man who founded a huge fun weekend in Southport for local kids and local charities; the 13-year-old schoolgirl who has put Prime Minister Gordon Brown on the spot about the environment; the pals who risked £1,000 each to create a major new fundraising event. The stories are remarkable, they people behind them inspiring, and the accolades that went to everyone on the night are richly deserved.
They are a fine example to us all.

We salute the community heroes of Southport

Posted by Visiter Newsdesk on June 26, 2008 2:14 PM

HOW many people would organise a huge event in the hope of raising cash for a good cause - and agree to pay £1,000 of their own money if it doesn’t work out?
That was the incredible gamble taken by 20 members of Southport Hesketh Round Table, who organised last November’s Bonfire & Grand Firework Display at Victoria Park (full story, page 40).
In the end it was a spectacular victory, with almost 10,000 people paying to go through the gates and with a breath-taking £25,000 raised for Queenscourt Hospice.
It was partly down to the tremendous generosity of a number of companies who donated cash or services - not least a £10,000 sum from Paymentshield - and partly down to such overwhelming support from the people of Southport who turned out in such numbers.
But it that it happened at all is down to the courage and conviction of a small group of organisers, either members of or closely affiliated to Southport Hesketh Round Table, who met on a regular basis in the kitchen at the home of Tom and Ilyd Bradshaw to plot their blueprint for success.
And success it was - they have now decided, bravely, to make the display an annual fixture in our town’s calendar, which they now hope to establish as ‘Southport’s Official Bonfire Night’.
On Monday, the organisers are in line for a Southport Visiter Community Heroes Award, and rarely has such a nomination been so richly deserved.
They will not be on their own however, with a number of similar stories due to emerge of people who go that extra distance to make a huge impression on the communities in which they live.
Don’t forget to pick up your copy of the Southport Visiter next Friday - we can guarantee these stories will be well worth reading.

Yobs walk free after woman, 92, robbed in own home - is this justice?

Posted by Visiter Newsdesk on June 26, 2008 2:13 PM

JUSTICE’ is a hot topic in the news this week.
The consensus suggests that it must be seen to be done.
Louise Casey, former head of Tony Blair’s Respect task force, community punishment offenders to be put to work wearing high-visibility bibs under proposals intended to restore confidence in the justice system. She also wants on-the-spot fines for disorder and a commissioner to champion crime issues on behalf of the public.
The Metropolitan Police Authority's youth scrutiny report meanwhile, following consultation with more than 1,000 youngsters, says young people believe there are too many legal loopholes for escaping justice.
Many people reading the story on the front of today’s Southport Visiter may well agree.
A gang of teenagers broke into the home of an elderly lady in Marshside while she was upstairs, and stole her life savings.
They later spent some of the cash, and even burnt a large quantity.
In five out of six cases, their parents had to pay £300 compensation to their traumatised victim, who appears to have been left £2,000 out of pocket.
The Visiter is banned from identifying any of them.
We only learned of the crime, and indeed the sentence given out, by chance. Calls to Southport Police every day failed to reveal that any crime had taken place, or that anyone had been arrested for the burglary, or that anyone had been punished for the incident.
The 82-year-old victim has been left so traumatised by the raid she dare not open her door even to social workers. We have deliberately withheld her identity and address.
Do you think justice has been done in this case? It’s your town - we’ll let you decide.
E-mail us at: visiternews@southportvisiter.co.uk or write to us at: Southport Visiter, 26-32 Tulketh St, Southport PR8 1BT.