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POSTMAN TAKES HIS WORK HOME
A Wigan postman stashed packs of mail and thousands of advertising leaflets at his home, a Wigan court was told this week.
A search of 22-year-old postman Andrew O'Connell's home uncovered 5,500 door-to-door leaflets and more than 400 items of mail, two of which had been opened.
Miss Andrea Fitzgerald, prosecuting, said O'Connell of Balmoral Road, Pemberton had been employed part-time by the Post Office in May 1998, initially working in the Pemberton area and then in Ashton.
His manager had become suspicious and a search recovered some items from a box in his workplace.
O'Connell pleaded guilty to dishonestly falsifying a document, detaining or delaying 2,000 door-to-door items, secreting postal packets and opening two of them. A further 21 similar offences were also taken into consideration.
Miss Coreena Platt, defending, said that the 'ordinary mail' referred to things like catalogues and not bills. She siad that Mr O'Connell had 550 houses to deliver to and was feeling under pressure from the round because he had no car and had to catch buses. She said if given the option, he would not have wanted to deliver the extra leaflets or claim any extra money. She said he had tried to speak to his supervisor about help, but received none. He continued to struggle with his round and had to take time off through illness.
Miss Platt said, "He is not a dishonest young man. He did not make any gain from the mail in his possession. He has lost his good name, his job and he has lost his livelihood."
The case was adjourned for reports.
MOBILE PHONE ROW
A huge row has broken out over plans to bolt a mobile phone mast to a famous Wigan
church spire. Orange have targeted the historic and listed St Paul's Church in Goose Green as their latest vantage
point to broaden their broadcasting network.
But one councillor has been left aghast at the proposal. And he asked the planning commitee,
"Is nothing sacred?"
Standish member John O'Neill said, "This is an important listed building and I know that the finances of the Church
of England are in a hell of a mess. But surely they can think of more sensitive ways of bringing in the pennies than inviting in Orange so
that they can earn their rent income?"
However, assistant borough planner Dave Melling defused the row when he pointed out that Orange
want to put the four antennae out of sight inside the church tower. While the satellite microwave dish, although, admittedly on the church
roof, would be located on the inside of the parapet. "It will be hardly visible," he assured angry Councillor O'Neill.
He said, "We
have advised English Heritage of the scheme and they have looked at it and tell us that it won't be harmful to the character of the building.
"I am also assured that the works will be used to replace existing louvres to the church tower and upgrade access to the bell tower. The
revenue from Orange will be used towards the costs of maintaining and repairing the church."
Councillors approved the scheme.
SAD DAY FOR WIGAN MP
Makerfield MP Ian McCartney bade a sad farewell to his only son this week.
The body of 23-year-old Hugh McCartney was found at his near derelict flat in McDuff Street, Glasgow, by his mother, Jean Murray, a fortnight ago. Toxicology tests have still to be completed but police say a heroin overdose looks to be the likeliest cause of death.
The funeral at Calton Parkhead Church in Glasgow was attended by 70 mourners, including Mrs. Murray, the MP's first wife and their daughters Karen and Yvonne.
In an emotional funeral oration, the Cabinet Office minister paid tribute to an ambitious and caring young man with a fanatical love of rugby league whose life went tragically off the rails. "Hugh's wee dad", as Mr McCartney called himself, reminisced about his son's upbringing in Wigan. He said, "Hugh loved rugby league, it was not just a game, it was part of his life where he and I would spend time together. He played for Ince St Williams and kept for the remainder of his life his full kit from those wonderful carefree days.
"As in life, he was a will o' the wisp, always able to score tries. He made up for his slight physique by his quickness of mind and his fleetness of foot. Hugh and I travelled across the country watching Wigan Rugby League.
"One of our greates treasured memories was of Hugh clutching the Rugby League Challenge Cup with his favourite player, Henderson Gill."
Mr McCartney added that Hugh had been an intelligent boy and man. He added, "In all of these calamities that eventually led to his death, he had a sense of clarity that if he couldn't change his lifestyle, a lifestyle that he had blundered into, like so many other people before him, he would not fulfil his dreams."
BEER, PIE AND MUSIC FESTIVAL
Next week will see the 9th annual Beer, Pie and Music Festival taking place at the Beer Engine on
Poolstock Lane.
The four day long party of great music, uniquely traditional cuisine and gallons of unashamedly real ale has now won fervent admirers from
all over Britain.
Mine host John Moran has been taking enthusuatic calls and enquiries from as far away as South Wales and Geordieland for the past few
weeks and directing them towards grateful B&Bs and hotels. He's booked a familiar range of blues, Irish country, rock and R'n'B to entertain and a range of 30 beers
from breweries micro, medium and conglomerate are already tapped and vented in the cellars beneath the former Labour club.
Master piemen T.H. Whittles of Pemberton
have dusted down their secret recipes for the 11 special pies which will feed festival goers. Names like 'Ecky Trump' (black pudding and plenty of mustard) 'Beef Burpin' Mon'
(Beef, beer and sausage) are ready to delight the connoisseurs of Wigan's most famous contribution to haute cuisine.
And there's a free Uncle Joe's mintball to prepare
the palate for more beer after each Whittle's masterpiece.
STOWAWAY REFUGEES
A family of refugees has been found huddled in the back of a lorry which had just returned from the continent. The lorry driver was
shocked to find seven illegal immigrants in the back of his truck, after pulling into a depot in Pemberton.
Police say the refugees could have boarded the vehicle almost anywhere.
The truck, owned by Warisa Distribution, of Leopold Street Pemberton was driven through Bosnia, Italy, Belgium, France and a host of other European countries.
The group, who are
believed to belong to the same family, have been handed over to Wigan social services as a temporary measure. The government's immigration department will soon take over the case.
Insp Mick Darwin of Wigan CID said, "The driver probably got the shock of his life. There were seven people huddled into a very small space at the back of the trailer unit.
"They
have had an horrific journey so the last thing they needed was to be thrown into a cell for days, so we handed them over to social services. We brought them to Wigan police station,
contacted social services and they will liase with immigration."
The group who range between small children and 38 year-old adults, are believed to be fleeing what used to be their
homeland.
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