Urgent-only service from district council as it moves into new headquarters

PEOPLE are being advised that West Somerset Council will not be able to provide its full range of services on the day the authority moves into its new headquarters next month.
A reduced service will be available on Friday, September 5, while staff relocate to their new offices a few yards away in Killick Way, Williton.
The council’s acting head of paid service, Adrian Dyer said: “There will be staff in the customer centre and the current offices in Williton who will try and assist with urgent inquiries.
“However, they will not be able to take payments such as council tax or business rates because the IT systems will be closed down.
“We will be working over the entire weekend to restore the IT systems and anticipate that full service will be resumed from 10 am on Monday, September 8.
“We urge anybody who feels this may cause them hardship to get in touch with our customer services team on 01643 703704 as soon as possible so we can help to resolve any issues.”
Information on services will be available on the council’s website at http://www.westsomerset.online.gov.uk/ throughout the weekend as this will not be affected by the move.
However, the telephone service will be limited and staff from all service sections, with the exception of customer services, will not be available on September 5.
Mr Dyer said: “We would appreciate it if people who need to make payments or need appointments with service staff call us now to arrange a convenient time.
“We ask people only to phone or visit the offices on Friday, September 5, if their call is urgent. We would like to thank people in advance for their patience.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to reassure people that the customer centre in Minehead is not closing.
“Like the new offices in Williton, it will be open for business on Monday, September 8.”
The council’s main contact number will remain the same - 01643 703704 - although the postal address will change to West Somerset House, Killick Way, Williton, Somerset, TA4 4QA.
West Somerset House will be open for business from 10am on Monday, September 8, and will then revert to its usual opening times of 8.30 am to 5 pm on Monday to Thursday, and 8.30 am to 4.30 pm on Fridays.
The customer centre in Summerland Road, Minehead, will be open from 9 am to 5 pm daily and can be contacted on the same telephone number.

• Our photograph shows West Somerset House under construction in Killick Way, Williton. Photo submitted.

Chilcott killers sentenced to three years - but could be free in 18 months

TWO young West Somerset men who killed Minehead gardener Tim Chilcott in an unprovoked street attack were today each sentenced to three years in custody.
But Daniel Cain (pictured, right), who was 16 at the time of the killing and is now aged 17 of Porlock, and Sean Wylds (pictured, below), aged 20, of Alcombe, Minehead, are likely to be free again within 18 months.
The pair were drunk when they set upon 36-year-old Mr Chilcott as he walked home through Minehead town centre in the early hours of January 20 this year.
Mr Chilcott was punched to the ground in Blenheim Road and hit his head on the road, suffering a 10-inch fracture of his skull and internal bleeding.
He died 36 hours later in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, without regaining consciousness.
Cain and Sean Wylds denied Mr Chilcott’s manslaughter but were found guilty by a jury after a trial in Exeter Crown Court in July.
Judge Graham Cottle - who previously pledged ‘zero tolerance’ for drunken yobs - said in sentencing the pair today: “This was yet another act of senseless unprovoked violence carried out by young men affected by drink.
“A man walking home alone, minding his own business, posing no conceivable threat to anybody is punched to the ground and dies of his injuries.”
Because of his young age, Cain was sentenced to be detained in a young offenders’ institution, while Wylds was sent to prison.
However, Wylds will have dedeucted from his sentence the 121 days already served on remand in jail, while Cain, who had been free on bail for much of the time, will have 31 days served in custody deducted from his sentence.
Both will be liable for early release, and could therefore spend less than 18 months in custody.
Cain’s identity had been protected throughout the trial due to Section 39 of the Children and Young Persons Act, which prevents the press identifying criminals, aged under 18 years.
However, following an application by local newspaper the Somerset County Gazette, Judge Cottle lifted the anonymity.
Cain had no previous convictions, while Wylds had a reprimand and penalty notice for battery in March, 2005, and for public disorder just two months before the deadly attack on Mr Chilcott.
During the trial, the court heard how Cain had drunk 12 pints of strong Stella Artois lager during a drinking binge with Wylds and six friends on the night in question.
He picked up some Argos catalogues from a shop doorway and thought ‘it would be fun’ to throw them at the first person who walked past, which happened to be Mr Chilcott.
Then, Wylds confronted Mr Chilcott and goaded Cain into attacking him.
Cain punched Mr Chilcott resulting in his death.
Judge Cottle said the jury had ‘no difficulty in rejecting the fanciful proposition advanced by each of you that you were acting in self-defence’ in a fight with Mr Chilcott.
He said he had no doubt that social problems highlighted by the case needed to be addressed at different levels.
Judge Cottle said: “All the courts can do is to demonstrate in the sentence passed that the public have had enough of being frightened away from town and city centres by the prospect of witnessing an incident of this sort.”
Mr Chilcott’s mother, Sylvia, said in a victim impact statement: “This was an act of senseless, violent stupidity.
“We hope all those involved will always remember that they destroyed the life of a wonderful young man and have shattered the lives of all who knew him.
“We hope the people involved in taking Tim’s life realise the devastating effect that their actions have had on so many other people’s lives.”
She hoped the case would ‘deter people from taking the same path of those involved in Tim’s death on the night they took him away from us’.
Det Supt Russ Nurcombe, who was involved with the investigation, said: “This tragic and unnecessary act was fuelled by drink and violent behaviour.
“We are satisfied with the verdict today and are pleased with the judge’s comments.”

Tourist association and council work together to save Exmoor Food Festival

THE future of the Exmoor Food Festival has been secured thanks to an alliance between the Exmoor Tourist Association and West Somerset Council.
The food festival was started in 2002 with support from the South West Regional Development Agency and aimed to help local businesses suffering as a result of the economic crisis caused by foot and mouth disease.
Somerset Food Links then took it on for five years and turned it into a hugely successfully event which attracted thousands of visitors to the area outside of the traditional tourism season.
Tourist association chairman Antony Brunt said: “When we heard they were looking for local people to develop it further, we were delighted to be in a position to help.
“It is an event which, in partnership with the council, we would like to develop in future years to increase visitor numbers.”
District council’s Exmoor Events manager Jill Homewood has worked with Food Links over the past few years and will ensure a smooth transition to the new organisers.
This year’s festival will run from October 4 to 12 and is timed to help local accommodation providers, food producers, and restaurants reap the benefits of a longer tourism season.
Firm festival favourites such as the Porlock Food Fayre, Lyn Food Fest, Breakfast at the Heart of Exmoor, Styles Ice Cream open day and Exmoor Dinners at Ranscombe Farm Restaurant are all back on the menu this year.
New events will include Wild Food at Wimbleball, Porlock Tea Party, Moroccan evening in the Creamery, Minehead, Alta Lyn Alpaca open day, jazz and local food evening at North Walk House, Lynton, and gourmet dinners with top tips from the chef at the Yarn Market Hotel, in Dunster.
Council economic development and tourism portfolio holder Councillor Michael Downes said: “We are delighted that the Exmoor Tourist Association is helping to take on the running and development of this festival, which is a favourite with local and visiting food fans.
“Attracting out-of-season visitors to Exmoor brings economic benefits not just to the businesses directly involved, but to the economy as a whole.”
Programmes for the Exmoor Food Festival, which runs from October 4 to 12, are available at Tourist Information Centres, and more information can be obtained by logging onto http://www.exmoorevents.co.uk/ or http://www.exmoor.com/ or by telephoning 01643 821425.

• Our photographs show Exmoor Food Festival veterans (TOP) Keith Wicks, of the Whortleberry Tea Rooms, Porlock, and (BELOW) Derek de Maid, of Brendon Hill Crafts, which started on the Brendon Hills before relocating close to Barnstaple. Photos submitted.

Schools to receive food safety whodunnit computer games

WAS it Mucky Maureen with the mouse droppings or Grimy Gran’s grubby hands which led to the stomach-churning events in town?
That is what pupils of junior schools in West Somerset, Taunton Deane, and Sedgemoor will be challenged to discover when they take delivery of FoodO - a fun and interactive way to learn about food safety.
The game was thought up by environmental health boffins at Taunton Deane Borough Council.
It is part of a computer-based teaching pack which is going out to all junior schools in Somerset to support curriculum work with seven to 11-year-olds.
FoodO is based on the evergreen board game Cluedo but the lead piping and revolver have been replaced with some real nasties such as dirty utensils or contaminated meat that can lead to food poisoning.
Colonel Mustard, Miss Scarlet, and Professor Plum have given way to characters such as Slimy Simon, Mucky Maureen, Snotty Sarah, and other dubious personalities with less-than hygienic habits.
The aim of the game is for players to find out how and where a case of food poisoning happened - and who was responsible.
The action moves from supermarket to corner shop or butcher to snack van.
Children must find out the cause and the culprit.
From the ‘germ’ of the idea, FoodO was developed with funding from the Food Standards Agency, while the Healthy Schools team at Somerset County Council has helped with piloting, advertising, and distributing the resource.
The board game version, which was given to all Taunton Deane primary schools three years ago, has now been developed still further into a PC-based version.
Youngsters are given plenty of clues before tackling the FoodO challenge as the resource pack includes a narrated slideshow telling the pupils how food poisoning is caused and how it can be prevented, and a quiz to make sure they have absorbed the information.
Thanks to high-tech wizardry, the whole package - including information and teaching aids - is contained on one PC memory stick.
Councillor Mel Mullins, the Deane council’s executive councillor for environmental services, said: “The original board game we launched three years ago was popular with the children and successful in getting the food safety message across, and the PC version is a natural progression of this.
“I am delighted that we have been able to secure funding and help to take the message further afield in an exciting and innovative way.”
The game will be sent out to the schools shortly after they return from the summer holidays.

Five star rating for Magna meals after spot-inspection

MEALS produced by Magna West Somerset Housing Association (MWS) have been given a five star rating by local environmental health inspectors.
The district council’s food inspection team carried out a surprise ‘spot inspection’ on the Magna kitchen in Ingrams Meadow, Watchet, and found staff were spot on with their food handling and preparation regimes.
Staff at Ingrams Meadow provide hot meals for elderly Magna residents and for those in the housing association’s sister site at Silvermead, in Alcombe, Minehead.
Dishes for Magna Meals on Wheels are also prepared, cooked, and distributed from Ingrams Meadow.
Magna community services manager Barbara Mullan said: “This is a fantastic result, we were not expecting an inspection, so to get five stars is a huge pat on the back for everybody.
“We often see restaurants advertised in the local papers for getting four stars, so this is a real achievement.”
Magna Meals on Wheels is an essential service for many people in the area as it provides freshly cooked meals using fresh ingredients from local suppliers.
They are delivered hot to the customer’s door.
Magna Meals on Wheels is available to anybody who needs it within a 10-mile radius of Watchet, and the frequency of deliveries can be adjusted to meet the requirements of customers.
Mrs Mullan said: “Magna Meals on Wheels often provides a point of contact for a vulnerable customer who may well not see anybody else or have the opportunity to get a hot meal during the day.
“We do a great job and this five star rating reinforces that.”
More information about ‘Magna Meals on Wheels’ is available by calling Ian Wood on the freephone number 0800 138 6107.

• Our photograph shows Magna Meals on Wheels kitchen staff at Ingrams Meadow (left to right) Dawn Rowe, Jayne Clark, and Judy Snell. Photo submitted.

Orange Prize winner attending Porlock Arts Festival

A FOUR-day feast for culture vultures gets underway with the return of one of the West Somerset’s best-loved literary celebrations next month.
Porlock Arts Festival, which runs from September 11 to 14, is playing host to leading lights of literature and media from across the country.
Arts festival organiser Tony Pinnington said: “We are delighted with this year’s line-up.
“We have attracted leading figures from the literary and media worlds and it promises to be a fantastic festival.”
This year’s Orange Prize winner, Rose Tremain, along with renowned author Dame Margaret Drabble and Fleet Street columnist and biographer Valerie Grove will be sharing their experiences and talking about their work during a friendly and informative evening.
Sunday Times columnist Roland White, Dan Hall, a former BBC commercial executive and now head of development for Dangerous Films, and BBC crime correspondent and author of murder mysteries Simon Hall will host a fun and thought-provoking afternoon discussion with the audience on the topic ‘Who Do We Believe?’.
The unspoilt historic village of Porlock will be buzzing as artists and craftspeople throw open the doors of their studios and showrooms.
Artisans will display their techniques, work, and collections, including silver jewellery, basket making, pottery, blacksmith’s art, wood sculptures, paintings, textiles, and felting.
There will also be a Pelham Puppet exhibition and demonstration, as well as glass blowing demonstrations.
Journalist and popular author Tony James will entertain as he draws from a lifetime of heroic failure in meeting his life plans, followed by gentle jazz in a bistro setting.
Famed author Sir Christopher Ondaatje, who lives locally, will also host a wine and cheese evening where he talks about his books.
More information on the Porlock Arts Festival or where to stay can be obtained by logging on to http://www.porlockfestival.org/ or emailing porlockci@somerset.gov.uk or telephoning 01643 863150.

• Our photographs show (TOP) a view of Porlock and (BELOW) author Dame Margaret Drabble. Photos submitted.

Thieves nab leaf blower while council workers' backs are turned

A STIHL leaf blower valued at £600 has been stolen from the rear of a West Somerset Council truck.
The theft happened while council workers were cutting grass in the Hopcott Close area of Minehead between 9.20 am and 9.30 am on Thursday, July 24,
Police would like anybody who may have any information about the theft to contact PC Clive Darch at Minehead police station by calling 0845 4567000 or to contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where reports can be made anonymously.

Volunteers needed to aid mineral line restoration and explain to visitors

NEW volunteers are being sought by the West Somerset Mineral Railway Project to give guided walks and talks, help at events, test out walks along the line, and regularly check to make sure it is accessible for visitors, undertaking conservation work where necessary.
The project aims to conserve the remarkable legacy of Victorian industry both within Exmoor National Park and along the West Somerset coast.
It was last year awarded a £603,500 Heritage Lottery Fund grant to help with conservation work, creating physical access, and interpretation.
The railway, built in the 1860s, ran from the iron mining region of the Brendon Hills to the coast at Watchet, from where iron ore was shipped across the Severn Estuary to be smelted in South Wales.
Project heritage education officer Mary Olszewska said: “We are looking for people who may have an interest in the West Somerset Mineral Railway or perhaps are local residents who have grown up with it and have some good tales to tell.
“Maybe they have an interest in industrial archaeology, or perhaps they enjoy walking on Exmoor and sharing its beautiful landscape with others, either way if they have a few hours to spare to become a mineral line volunteer, we would like to hear from them.”
Watchet Market House Museum is also looking for new volunteers.
The museum has a fascinating collection of photographs and artefacts about the mineral railway, and has money to improve its display.
A spokesman said: “Volunteering can be an excellent way to meet new people and learn more about your local history and landscape.”
A Mineral Line Volunteer Open Day is being held on Thursday, August 14, from 10 am to 2 pm at Langham Engine House, in the Forestry Commission-owned Chargot Woods off the B3224 (OS 35:97).
It will be a drop in event with refreshments and will be an opportunity to find out more about the roles available and hear about the history of the WSMR.
Anybody who is interested or would like to discuss the issue further should contact Mary Olszewska on 07966 515589 or email molszewska@exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk.
The restoration project is administered by Exmoor National Park Authority, which leads a consortium of local and national partners comprising West Somerset Council, the Forestry Commission, Somerset County Council, Watchet Town Council, English Heritage, Watchet Market House Museum, the Exmoor Mines Research Group, and the Somerset Rural Youth Project.
Expertise is provided by key individuals such as Mike Jones, David Dawson, Eric Robinson, and Linda la Valle.

Police work taster for college students

TEENAGERS across West Somerset have been given a taste of what is required to work in the police force.
Youngsters from the West Somerset College, Minehead, spent the past week with one of the town’s police officers, PC Charlie Fitzpatrick.
The experienced a flavour of everyday working life for a police officer and for Police Community Support Officerse.
Activities included taking part in a police physical, learning how to use a police radio, learning about powers of arrest, and using a driving simulator.
The students also had sessions with a dog handler, the police helicopter, underwater search team, and even had an opportunity to don protective equipment used in public order situations.
They were able to put their new-found skills to the test when they posed as police officers in a series of scenarios, including asking other students what they would do in a missing person search and during a serious road traffic collision involving a cyclist.
The week ended with the students being presented with certificates for their work with the initiative, which also goes towards endeavour credits for their college courses.
PC Fitzpatrick said: “The week was a great success and a big insight into the role of police officers and PCSOs.
“It is important that young people see how we work in order to fully appreciate what the police are about and this week gave the students a very broad look at policing in West Somerset.
“We could also have been looking at police officers and PCSOs of the future, as recruitment to the constabulary was also explained.
“It is not often we are able to hold work experience weeks on this scale, but hopefully it is an eye opener for all involved.”

• Our photographs show (from top): Youngsters being given a 'hands on' experience of the police helicopter; Working with Sgt Mike Smalley, of the Road Policing Unit; Handling a serious road traffic collision involving a cyclist, with PSCO Les Lloyd. Photos submitted.

Farms investigation starts as four miles of river hit by toxic poisoning

EVERY fish in a four-mile stretch of a West Somerset river has been killed by an as-yet unknown pollutant, the Environment Agency has revealed.
The pollution disaster was discovered on Sunday when hundreds of dead trout were found washed up in the Pill River, between Withycombe and Blue Anchor.
Environment Agency spokesman Jim Grundy said it was feared pesticide or sheep-dip had leaked into the water.
Officers from the agency were on site yesterday recovering dead fish and taking water samples.
The casualties were mostly between six and eight inches in length and close inspection suggested they had been dead for two to three days. They included bullheads as well as trout.
The first dead trout were found on Sunday afternoon at a holiday park in Blue Anchor.
Agency officers then discovered hundreds of casualties as they began their investigation.
Officers were working their way up the catchment and concentrating their efforts on the area upstream of Withycombe, on the Brendon Hills.
Mr Grundy said: “Judging from the number of fish killed, we believe it was some kind of toxic chemical.
“It must have been pretty nasty because it also wiped out a lot of the invertebrate life in the stream.”
Samples have been sent to a Government laboratory at Starcross, near Exeter, and agency officials will visit local farms as part of the ongoing investigation.
The agency will continue to monitor the river and will shortly be sending one of its environmental appraisal teams to the site to take additional samples.

Earlier this year, the Environment Agency revealed how water flow in the Pill River had dramatically improved due to the revocation of a significant groundwater abstraction.

Police using new powers to reduce alcohol-fuelled crimes

NEW powers for police have resulted in a fall in trouble in West Somerset caused by drunken yobs, the district’s police chief said yesterday.
Inspector Carol Pearce said dispersal powers under the section 27 notices mean police can move on anybody who is displaying anti-social behaviour or whose conduct could result in alcohol-fuelled criminal activity.
Inspector Pearce said that since the introduction of the powers in February, officers had issued 22 notices in Minehead, making the town a safer place in which to live and to visit.
Police now have the power of arrest if anybody refuses to move on when asked to do so, resulting in seven people being arrested since February.
Inspector Pearce said: “It is having quite an impact on reported anti-social behaviour and minor nuisance crime, which have both seen quite a fall.
“It is also connected with work we have been doing with local agencies, including the district council and licensees, with regular enforcement incentives in premises.
“These orders make it much more pleasant for holidaymakers and residents.
“It is all down to the amount of work locally that has gone on.”

Exmoor stag weekend showcases deer rutting

VISITORS to Exmoor can experience the primeval roar and clashing antlers of Exmoor’s iconic stags meeting in ferocious combat during the annual red deer rut in October.
A special safari weekend has been organised with guides who will help visitors to see the stunning hills, secret valleys, and wild moorland of Exmoor and to witness the stags’ raw combat at close quarters.
The huge, powerful beasts charge each other, locking antlers, and battle rages until the strongest wins.
Charles Harding, a deer stalker and warden for The National Trust, said: “It is an awesome but exhilarating natural phenomenon, and an experience that people never forget.
“Red deer are Britain’s largest land mammal and when the stags are driven to rut, the hills and moors resonate with their primeval bellows.
“These beautiful and majestic creatures’ ancient instincts drive them into fierce, and sometimes even fatal, combat to win female companions.
“We have experienced guides to lead people on organised safaris because stags are wild animals that can be dangerous and unpredictable during the rut.
“The guides know the terrain and understand the behaviour of stags during the rutting season, and will ensure that people can watch this amazing event in safety, and without disturbing the animals.”
Porlock Visitor Centre manager Denise Sage, who has organised the safari weekend, said: “We have a variety of delightful bed and breakfast options available in the vale of Porlock.
“However, places on the weekend are limited to 36, so we are advising people to book early.
“Visitors are welcomed on Friday and fantastic locally-produced food is served for an excellent Exmoor supper and jazz evening.
“On Saturday, after a wildlife safari in the morning, there is a red deer safari at dusk followed by dinner and an illustrated talk.
“There is an early trip to a different area on Sunday, after which guests will be served a hearty Exmoor breakfast.”
The weekend visit runs from October 10 to 12, and costs £195 per person.
The price includes two nights’ bed and breakfast, a wildlife safari, two red deer walking safaris led by Exmoor National Park Ranger Richard Eales and National Trust Countryside Manager Nigel Hester, a jazz supper, talks, and Saturday night dinner.
Guests need to be able to walk a minimum of three miles.
Bookings can be made through Porlock Visitor Centre on 01643 863150 or by email to PorlockCI@somerset.gov.uk.

• Our photograph shows a stag belling. Photo submitted.

MP Lembit rallies West Somerset's Lib Dems

LIBERAL Democrats from across Somerset converged on the Phoenix Centre, Watchet, on Saturday to hear MP Lembit Opik speak at the Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency annual dinner.
Two former Parliamentary candidates for the constituency, Christina Baron (1979) and Ian Thorn (2001), also attended, as did current Lib Dem candidate Theo Butt Philip.
After a meal prepared by volunteers from the Phoenix Centre, the speakers were introduced by former county councilor Fay Ross-Ward, president of the constituency party.
Mr Opik, who is MP for Montgomeryshire, spoke on current political events in his trademark humorous manner.
He rallied local Lib Dem campaigners, reminding them that in 1997 the party came within 2,000 votes of winning the seat, and he believed that with hard work they could win at the next election.
Mr Butt Philip thanked Mr Opik and went on to rally local members for the coming county council and General Election campaigns.

• Our photograph shows Lembit Opik (left) with Theo Butt Philip outside the Phoenix Center. Photo submitted.

Debbie earns respect for dedication to estate's youth inclusion project

A PRESENTATION has been made to a woman whose work with young people in the community has helped Avon and Somerset Police to reduce crime in West Somerset.
Debbie Fitzpatrick has co-ordinated the Dreamscheme community youth development project on the Seaward Way estate, in Minehead, since it started last October.
She received a certificate as part of Neighbourhood Watch Week from Assistant Chief Constable Rod Hansen.
The scheme, based on the concept of work, points and trips, aims to develop a sense of ownership in young people which prevents anti-social behaviour and encourages positive community spirit through work and rewards.
When police set up the Alcombe neighbourhood beat team, a major concern of local residents was anti-social behaviour and lack of respect among young people on the Seaward Way estate.
Police consultated with Knightstone Housing Association, the local youth service, and West Somerset’s crime and disorder reduction partnership, and a Dreamscheme was suggested, with Mrs Fitzpatrick immediately stepping forward to co-ordinate it.
Dreamscheme’s first activity was a clean-up day in October of last year, with residents encouraged to dispose of unwanted, non-recyclable items.
It proved so popular that extra skips had to be provided.
Young people supported by the local agencies helped to clear litter from the residential area as well the estate’s multi-use games area, making it available for soccer coaching by a Plymouth Argyle football coach, with a match at the end of the session as a clear example of ‘work with a reward’.
The second event was a two-day arts project with professional artist and sculptor Rick Ellam making a set while the children made puppets, provided the story, and put on a performance for their parents.
Again, it was so successful that the arts project continues to be held on Tuesday nights with children being collected by minibus driven by local beat manager PC Steve Cutler.
The youth service provides staff and a number of children from the estate attend.
The current project is to design wooden boards for the multi-use games area to help ensure its future.
Sponsorship from local businesses in the form of money and materials helps to support the project.
In January, the children held a car washing event, with equipment provided by the local fire brigade.
Later in the month, Dreamscheme children gardened on the estate, clearing beds and laying a lorry-load of mulch.
The points earned were then used in February when some of the children went to watch Plymouth Argyle play against Hull City in the Football League and despite Plymouth losing 1-0, they enjoyed their day out.
Also in February, the younger children had a swimming trip to the Quantock Lodge Pool combined with a trip to McDonalds, and later in the month many of them cleaned up leaves and litter within the multi-use games area in preparation for a half-term arts project.
After two hours, they had collected 20 bags of rubbish, earned lots of points, and made a real difference to the look of the area.
Mr Hansen said: “Debbie is the central point of contact for the young people on the estate and her role is central to the success of the project.
“It is for this, her hard work and enthusiasm, that she and the ‘team’ have been nominated.”

• Our photograph shows Debbie Fitzpatrick receiving her certificate from Assistant Chief Constable Rod Hansen. Photo submitted.

Crimebuster Martin is praised for eight years of helping town's retailers

VOLUNTEER crimebuster Martin Hodges has been honoured for his work over the past eight years with the Minehead Shop Patrol.
The scheme started in 1998 when a small group of retail businesses came together to tackle shared problems, which were mainly focussed around shoplifting.
The group quickly grew to 20 subscribers, sharing information to prevent crime on their premises and working closely with the local police under an information sharing protocol.
Shortly after the scheme started, Operation Goldfinch achieved the arrests of 12 people in just two days.
The Shop Patrol aims to provide a low-cost, up-to-date effective communication system between traders in the town and local police to enable crime prevention and detection.
Mr Hodges has been responsible for communications and the system now includes networked radios which cover Minehead from the town centre retail shopping area to the seafront.
Information is passed between traders, police officers, and PCSOs about occurrences and activities of suspect individuals in the town.
In addition to the radio links, a CCTV system now covers the town centre, with a part-time CCTV co-ordinator who also monitors the Shop Patrol radio.
Information is shared about known shoplifters and their whereabouts in and about the town centre.
Avon and Somerset Police Assistant Chief Constable Rod Hansen said Mr Hodge’s local knowledge had proven invaluable on many occasions and ‘his dedication, energy and enthusiasm for reducing shoplifting have been invaluable to the scheme’.
ACC Hansen said: “With his help, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour have been reduced and offenders identified, arrested, and convicted.
“The community liaison between the traders and the police in Minehead has been greatly supported and improved by Martin and his hard work with the Shop Watch scheme.
“It is for all these achievements that he is given this award.”

• Our photograph shows Martin Hodges (left) receiving his certificate from Assistant Chief Constable Rod Hansen. Photo submitted.

Minister visiting Exmoor to discuss future vision

A MINISTERIAL visit to Exmoor will take place tomorrow (Thursday) as the national park authority showcases some of its successful work.
Jonathan Shaw (pictured), the new Minister with responsibility for national parks, will spend the day seeing projects for himself and considering important local issues.
Mr Shaw, who is Minister for Landscape and Rural Affairs, will discuss the future of farming and the vision for a carbon neutral National Park by 2025.
During the afternoon, he will travel to Anstey and Molland Moors to consider the potential impact of proposed wind farms outside Exmoor’s southern boundary.
Then, he will pay a visit to Blackpitts, near Simonsbath, to view habitat restoration work and moorland restoration proposals.
Mr Shaw, who has been Labour MP for Chatham and Aylesford since 1997, said: “Exmoor is important, not just for its wonderful scenery and tranquility, but for its contribution to a better environment for all of us through conservation of the land and wildlife and tackling climate change.
“I am impressed by the National Park’s efforts, working with others such as farmers and landowners, local communities, businesses, and local authorities so that many more people in the future can appreciate and enjoy Exmoor’s special qualities.”

Crime is still falling says West Somerset police chief

THE number of crimes being committed across West Somerset has continued to fall, the district’s police chief, Inspector Carol Pearce, has claimed.
Inspector Pearce said there was a 25 per cent reduction in crime last year, and a further five per cent fall since April of this year.
She said: “It is all about keeping our community safe and enabling people to feel safe, whether on holiday or a resident.”
Inspector Pearce was speaking after a successful Operation Relentless initiative at the weekend in which officers visited alcohol-designated areas and licensed premises to detect licensing and drug offences and to seize alcohol.
The York House Inn, in Minehead, which is a Pub Watch member, took part in drug testing, working with police and the licensing department.
An Itemiser machine was used and 49 people were tested for controlled drugs - with none found to be positive.
The number of alcohol seizures was also well down on the previous such exercise, and Inspector Pearce said this type of prevention activity would be repeated by partners across West Somerset.
Inspector Pearce said: “This is a positive indication that police presence, and new orders, are having an impact on people’s behaviour.
“It shows that most of the time we have people in the right place at the right time.
“Police officers, PCSOs, and Special Constables are routinely checking alcohol-designated areas, seizing alcohol, and moving people on though a Section 27 Order where they may cause a nuisance.”
Inspector Pearce said people now understood the message that police were taking anti-social-behaviour and drugs abuse seriously.
However, she said it remained important for residents to keep the police informed about any problems they had in their area.
She said: “I make sure my patrols are in the areas we know they are needed.
“If people do not tell us about their problems, we do not always know they exist.”

Bursary helps Open DAWS members enjoy Exmoor activity weekend

A SIXTY per cent Lexus Bursary worth more than £1,900 helped a group of Open DAWS members to enjoy a long weekend at the Calvert Trust, on Exmoor.
The bursary was secured by West Somerset Council and allowed six members of Open DAWS to take part in abseiling, canoeing, sailing, and other activities at the trust’s centre at Wistpoundland.
Open DAWS stands for Opening the Doors to Disabled Activities in West Somerset. The Calvert Trust’s facilities are designed for people of all abilities to take part in range of healthy outdoor pursuits.
Anne Roberts, who went on the weekend, said: “I have never been before and it was a fantastic trip.
“I tried activities I have never done before and it was great fun.”
The group has also launched a new action-packed events listing for the summer and would welcome more people joining it to go sailing at Wimbleball Lake, swimming at St Audries, sea fishing, horse riding, or simply relaxing at yoga sessions, as well as trips to Tiverton Museum, Paignton Zoo, and Slimbridge Nature Reserve.
Open DAWS is supported by West Somerset Council and emerged from work undertaken with Watchet and District Activity Group (WADAG) by council community officer Liz Stewart.
Council community portfolio holder Councillor Neil Parbrook said: “Open DAWS provides some fantastic activities.
“People get the chance to enjoy pastimes in a friendly atmosphere or try something completely new.
“Qualified instructors and coaches are on hand to help everybody enjoy the activities on offer.”
A membership scheme is available and by joining, people will receive reduced rates for all the activities, or they can take part as non-members.
All activities are run by qualified personnel, and transport to and from activities can be arranged.
More information about Open Daws is available by calling Liz Stewart on 07921 231369 or Gail Sloman on 01984 635208, or emailing gksloman@westsomerset.gov.uk or lstewart@westsomerset.gov.uk, or logging onto http://www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk/..

• Our photograph shows members of Open DAWS enjoying a day out at a steam railway during their weekend away. Photo submitted.

'Duchess' visit previews exciting August for steam railway

AN overnight visit to the West Somerset Railway by the express steam locomotive ‘Duchess of Sutherland’ provided a preview of a more exciting visit to come in August.
The Duchess briefly visited Bishops Lydeard on June 1, the first time in 30 years when the locomotive had been on the former branch line.
It will next be seen at Bishops Lydeard on Wednesday, August 20, when it will arrive with a ‘Cathedrals Express’ from London Victoria, before handing over the train to a West Somerset Railway engine for the onward journey to Minehead.
Railway general manager Paul Conibeare said: “The sight of a ‘Duchess’ making a second visit to the line was one that drew a lot of visitors to Bishops Lydeard station on Sunday afternoon and whetted our appetites both for the engine arriving with a ‘Cathedrals Express’ run by the Steam Dreams operator in August and hopefully a further visit in which it will use our new Minehead turntable.”
Built at Crewe in 1938, number 6233 ‘Duchess of Sutherland’ is one of three surviving members of a Class of 38 express steam locomotives designed by Sir William Stanier to work the heaviest and fastest express trains between London Euston, the North West of England, and Scotland, such as the ‘Royal Scot’, the ‘Caledonian’, and the ‘Merseyside Express’.
They fulfilled this role for a quarter of a century until the first generation of diesel locomotives displaced them in the early 1960s.
Three survive, but ‘Duchess of Sutherland’ is the only one working trains, principally on mainline excursions.
However another of the surviving trio, 6229 ‘Duchess of Hamilton’ has travelled over the whole length of the Minehead branchline, albeit not under its own power.
In 1964, ‘Hamilton’ was taken to the Butlins holiday centre in the town where it was displayed until March 10, 1975, when it was towed back to the mainline by a Class 25 diesel locomotive, a train movement which took place in the period between the closure of the Minehead line by British Railways in 1971 and its re-opening as the modern West Somerset Railway in 1976.
Had the line not been there, albeit ‘mothballed’ and overgrown, it is doubtful that the engine could have been removed along the local roads.
It is now in the National Railway Museum, in York.
‘Duchess of Sutherland’ was initially saved from scrap by being displayed at a Butlins Camp in Scotland, but is now owned privately and is a popular sight with steam enthusiasts across the land and travellers on excursion trains.

• Our photographs show (TOP) ‘Duchess of Sutherland’ at Bishops Lydeard in company with the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust’s 7F locomotive number 88, which is a regular performer on the West Somerset Railway, and (BELOW) the ‘Duchess’ arriving at Bishops Lydeard with its crew’s support coach. Photographs by Humphrey Davis and Andy Wray, respectively.

Sir Ranulph vows 'never again' after second Everest attempt is abandoned

EXHAUSTION brought on by sleep deprivation has forced explorer and adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes to abandon a second attempt to conquer Mount Everest.
Sir Ranulph, who lives near Exford, was trying to raise £3 million for the Marie Curie cancer charity from his feat.
Now, he has vowed not to try to climb Everest again.
He had hoped to reach the 29,000 feet summit at 03.30 BST on Saturday, but the 64-year-old had to turn back after contending with heart problems and vertigo.
Sir Ranulph suffered a heart attack during his first unsuccessful attempt to scale the mountain three years ago.
He had set off from base camp on Tuesday and was accompanied by guide Kenton Cool and medic Robert Casserley.
They reached the final stopping-off point in the ascent after negotiating the ‘death zone’.
However, they had not had enough rest as the team had to set out on the final stage of the ascent in the dark because of impending bad weather.
Despite being only a few hundred yards from the summit, they were forced to turn back to base camp after resting
Sir Ranulph said: “I am not exhausted, I just had not had enough sleep.
“You have to accept these things. I am not crying over spilt milk but it was agonisingly close to the summit.
“Luck is not with me on Everest. I was within an ace of doing it. The following day I got back down to base camp in one go. I have got punch if I have had a chance to recharge my batteries.”
His wife, Louise Fiennes, told the BBC that he was keen to return to the UK immediately.
She said: “He just called me an hour ago and asked me to arrange to get him back to Kathmandu. He is desperate to get back to the UK.”
Iswari Paudel, who owns the company which organised Sir Ranulph’s climb, told the BBC he would be flown out by helicopter on Sunday morning.
Sir Ranulph was making his second attempt on the peak despite suffering from vertigo and heart problems and currently being in remission from prostate cancer.
He was the first man to reach both the North Pole and the South Pole by land, ran seven marathons in seven continents in seven days shortly after heart surgery, and journeyed to discover a lost city in Arabia described as ‘the Atlantis of the Sands’.

• Our photograph shows Sir Ranulph on Everest. Photo by Kenton Cool.