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July 2008 Archives

Southport Summer Classics - another superb weekend!

Posted by Visiter Newsdesk on July 28, 2008 11:04 AM

Southport Summer Classics once again took place at Victoria Park over the weekend - and once again, wasn't it a brilliant event?

Friday saw M People and The Christians wow crowds with hits such as Harvest For The World, Movin' On Up, Proud and Search For The Hero. They were first class.

Saturday saw rising operatic star Natasha Marsh accompanied by the Royal Liverpool Philharnmonic Orchestra in performing some rousing classical favourites. Sefton schoolchildren also impressed the crowds with their impressive performance of opera ITOKU, which was specially written for the Capital of Culture.

This really has become such a popular event in Southport, congratulations to Sefton Council for their part in putting on such a great show.

The crowds on both nights, certainly everyone we spoke to, loved it. Even the weather was kind this year! The sun certainly smiled more on the Classics than it did on The Open last week!

Here's looking to Southport Summer Classics 2009 - we can't wait to see who'll top the bill next year...

Southport Summer Classics - another superb weekend!

Posted by Visiter Newsdesk on July 28, 2008 11:04 AM

Southport Summer Classics once again took place at Victoria Park over the weekend - and once again, wasn't it a brilliant event?

Friday saw M People and The Christians wow crowds with hits such as Harvest For The World, Movin' On Up, Proud and Search For The Hero. They were first class.

Saturday saw rising operatic star Natasha Marsh accompanied by the Royal Liverpool Philharnmonic Orchestra in performing some rousing classical favourites. Sefton schoolchildren also impressed the crowds with their impressive performance of opera ITOKU, which was specially written for the Capital of Culture.

This really has become such a popular event in Southport, congratulations to Sefton Council for their part in putting on such a great show.

The crowds on both nights, certainly everyone we spoke to, loved it. Even the weather was kind this year! The sun certainly smiled more on the Classics than it did on The Open last week!

Here's looking to Southport Summer Classics 2009 - we can't wait to see who'll top the bill next year...

Great news for parents across Southport

Posted by Visiter Newsdesk on July 28, 2008 11:01 AM

TODAY is a day for celebration for parents across Southport - and we would like to thank all those responsible.

Urgent care for children will return to our town after an absence of nearly six years, and we are delighted that the huge weight of public opinion has prevailed.

Back in 2002, the Southport Visiter launched a campaign against the removal of children's A&E services from our town.

We were astounded by the sheer scale of the response.

More than 26,000 people signed our petitions against the closure. Thousands took part in a march to the hospital. Politicians of all sides put aside their differences to unite in a common cause.

We were inundated with readers protesting to us by phone, via e-mail, calling into our office, sending in letters.

Soon the stories started to come in about parents furious at having to drive past the multi-million pound facility on Town Lane with their sick or injured children in the back of their cars, heading towards Ormskirk on what is often a very congested road. Sometimes, they were then turned away from Ormskirk, pointed in the direction of Alder Hey instead.

The story in this week's Visiter about Georgina Aindow, 4, turned away from Ormskirk Hospital with a broken arm is a case in point.

What should be a basic human right - for a parent to see their child assessed and treated at the nearest hospital and as quickly as possible when they're screaming in pain - on this occasion became an even more traumatic experience.

Many people have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to bring about this good news. They deserve a huge pat on the back, as does Sefton Primary Care Trust chief executive Leigh Griffin and his team who will now put the plans into place. The town's leading local newspaper will of course keep readers up to date with exactly what services the unit will provide, how it will work and when it will open.
This news is just the tonic that parents across Southport needed.

Southport Hospital staff really do deserve a pat on the back

Posted by Visiter Newsdesk on July 28, 2008 10:50 AM

What is the best story that a journalist can cover? What do we enjoy doing most?

It seems that sometimes, perception and reality may differ.

A recent comment on the visiter forums, from ianpeter, reads: "I wonder why it seems that so many will write about the negative things to do with the NHS. Yet ignore any news that is positive and which the trust and staff involved deserve a big pat on the back.


"Southport and Ormskirk hospitals have no reports of MRSA, yet hardly anyone has made an point to say well done. Yet in this week's Visiter we See yet another negative story about a child going to Ormskirk and being unable to get a certain treatment.

"A few weeks ago the local press reported about young boy who was told he had to go to Alder Hey, because as the paper said, there was no doctors available. Yet on closer examination of the story, what was said, was that if the child required surgery for a suspected appendicitis, there was no paediatric surgeon available. That was why the child was referred to Alder Hey, still not the best thing for a child's ER, but not as bad as it seemed."

In this week's Visiter we DO publish the story about the Trust's excellent continuation of keeping MRSA at bay - ahead of the story about the girl with the broken arm!

Indeed the Southport Visiter is always happy to publish positive stories about the NHS in Southport.

In this week's edition, we feature the good news about a children's centre due to arrive in Southport soon, on pages 1 and 3. The story about the Trust's superb MRSA figures were published on page 27, along with a photo of some of the staff responsible.

The story about the girl who broke her arm but could not be treated at Ormskirk Hospital appeared further back still, on page 31, behind the good news stories.

We felt it was newsworthy because when children's A&E services were removed from Southport six years ago, the main reason given was that better care could be provided at Ormskirk.

Any parent with a screaming child in the back of the car, in severe pain, faces a traumatic experience having to drive past Southport Hospital, and to Ormskirk, for treatment - that trauma is made worse when treatment is then denied, for whatever reason, with the parent then redirected to Alder Hey. No small journey in any circumstances.

We congratulate Sefton Primary Care Trust for their long-awaited decision to provide a children's walk-in facility in Southport. Many hundreds of parents in Southport will no doubt be equally delighted.

When it comes to good news about local health services, and about the successes of staff working for local health services, we are always delighted to hear about and report such great news.

As far as jobs go in Southport, these people are among the most respected in our community for what they do, and deservedly so. We will continue to showcase their efforts, their ability, their determination whenever and wherever we can - we are as proud of what they do as anyone else in Southport.

So if anyone out there hears of any good news story we should be covering - please let us know!!

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.

This page contains an archive of all entries posted to Visiter Newsdesk in the July 2008. They are listed from oldest to newest.

June 2008 is the previous archive.August 2008 is the next archive.

Many more can be found on the home page or by looking through the archives.