MEMORIAL TRIBUTE FOR COURAGEOUS TEACHER
A memorial service to celebrate the life of one of Wigan's headmasters is being planned.
Pupils at St Peter's High School in Orrell have already held a small service of thanksgiving for headteacher Alan Edwards, but a more formal, larger event is also being considered.
Staff joined family and friends at the Requiem Mass in East Lancashire for Mr Edwards, 53, who lost his short battle against an aggressive cancer of the thyroid on New Years Eve.
Joint deputy head Stephanie Forrester confirmed that the school was considering many requests to organise a more formal memorial event which parents, friends and many admirers of Mr Edwards could attend.
Mr Edwards, school head since 1992, had been fighting the illness for just three months and had undergone major surgery at Blackburn in November, followed by intensive radiotherapy at Manchester's Christie Hospital where he died.
Board of governors spokesman, Terry sweeney said, "Alan had so many unique personal attributes which will make him so very hard to replace, we are all shocked and saddened."
Former colleague and fellow headteacher Alan Bell said, "He was quiet, modest and unassuming but so exceptionally capable."
Mr Edwards, who lived in Darwen, East Lancashire, leaves a widow, Pauline, who is also a teacher, and grown up children Michael and Katherine.
Originally from Cardiff, Mr Edwards arrived at St Peter's after four years service as deputy head at St Mary's RC in Leigh.
Although he had been away from school for the latter part of the autumn term fighting the illness, his death came as a big shock to pupils and staff who were praying he would conquer it.
SURVEY REVEALS SCHOOL CROSSING DANGER ZONES
Here is Wigan's most hazardous road spot for pupils.
A new survey which aims to prioritise lollipop patrol cover across the Metro in the event of sickness or retirement found that Ashton Byrchall High School's crossing was the most vital in the borough.
The Warrington Road crossing scored the highest of all 155 school patrol sites across Wigan and Leigh in a new risk assessment report compiled by the town hall's own Road Safety Unit.
It was one of 32 crossing patrol points, including Beech Hill Infants and Juniors, Sacred Heart School (Springfield) and Bryn St Peters found to have a top priority need for a patrol at all times.
Almost 50 others, including Hindley Green Sacred Heart, Woodfield (Swinley) and Downall Green RC, were found dangerous enough for the council to aim to have a crossing patrol at all times.
Eleven others, notably Britannia Bridge Junior and Infants school, outside the Wigan Brocket Hotel and Golborne Heath Street, are listed as crossings dangerous enough to justify lollipop cover when all other points are filled.
The risk assessment survey was based on the number of unaccompanied children crossing and the number of injury incidents that have occured within 50m of the crossing point within the last three years.
It also included the results of an 8am-9am traffic survery revealing how busy Warrington Road is, it's visibility and proximity of parked cars.
Road Safety Officer, Darren Barton, said, "We aim to ensure that there is 100% cover at all sites that have the greatest need for a patrol.
"Some crossings are are deemed in need of patrol cover but on certain occasions a patrol working here could be asked to move to cover a higher risk site."
However, the risk assessment has also highlighted 17 crossing sites where crossing patrols are 'not justified' after it found ledss than 10 unaccompanied children were using them.
These include; Darlington Street East/ St Patricks Way, Ormskirk Road/Scot Lane, Norley hall Avenue/ School Way, Highfield Grange Avenue/ Kelvin Grove and Gathurst Lane/New Lane.
FIRST ASTHMA ATTACK KILLS HUBBY-TO-BE
A one off asthma attack proved fatal for tragic David Butterworth, despite an hour long battle by paramedics to save his life.
David, 30, of Malpas Avenue, Whelley, was
diagnosed with asthma 11 years ago, but had never before suffered an attack. He was discovered fighting for his breath by his fiancee Natalie Ashcroft.
A distressed Natalie said, "I woke up and just thought he was snoring but then I realised he was short of breath.
I was scared because we have lived together for eight years and I can't ever recall him suffering an attack. The paramedics did their best to resucitate but they couldn't help him."
He was pronounced dead at Wigan Infirmary. David, a car mechanic who was a keen gardener
in his spare time, lived his life to the full and was well respected in the local community.
Natalie said, "He was such a kind, loving person, I can't think of anyone who met him to have had a bad word against him. He was very popular."
He leaves behind a very
loving family, including mum Ann, step-dad Barry and two sisters Susan and Jane. His father Roy died six months ago.
SACKED COACH TAKING CLUB TO TRIBUNAL
Former Latics youth team coach Andy May is to take the club to an industrial tribunal following his sacking earlier this season.
The ex- Manchester City midfielder was sacked at the JJB stadium along with youth development officer Dave Crompton in July.
May, 37, joined Latics two years ago after leaving Halifax Town and was appointed by former Wigan boss John Benson. He intends to seek compensation through the tribunal to be held in Manchester on Monday January 21st.
He had just resumed his work with the trainees and was about to start work with the latest crop of youngsters to be taken on when he was told he was out of a job by John Benson and Brenda Spencer.
It is believed the decision to axe May was taken by chairman Dave Whelan.
May, from Hale Barnes, now works for the Press Association compiling statistics for the football league as well as assisting with radio commentary on matchdays.
PARK PATH RUMPUS RESULTS IN A FENCE
Mrs Jennifer Cullen, of Billinge Road, Pemberton helped launch a campaign to have
the area leading to Alexandra Park made secure because of the rising number of thefts.
Along with her neighbours, she had been concerned that the access to the field had been used as an escape route, a dumping ground and a place where youngsters drank.
The path, a forced access,
affects eight houses on Billinge Road.
Jennifer was nominated joint chief spokeswoman along with Frank Thompson and the campaign has been backed by 26 residents on Billinge Road.
But Barbara Pendlebury of Alexandra Crescent, believes the problem is nowhere near as bad as residents have made out
and has also launched an attack on councillor Joy Birch who has been involved in the case.
Mrs Pendlebury said blocking the path would deny a lot of people access to the field. She said the reasons for erecting a fence are ludicrous and thinks the residents are over-reacting.
"By putting up this fence we are stopping the problem escalating, a number of garages have
been broken into over the two year period and we have also collected evidence relating to drug taking and people using the area as a hiding place.
"There have even been tyre tracks and footprints leading from the access over the field."
Jennifer said of Mrs Pendlebury, "She hasn't made one
small effort to talk to us about this. She has just written to the newspaper in an attempt to drum up some support and sympathy that we are blocking an entrance. There are three official entrances to the park and this isn't one of them. We want to be able to live in a safe and healthy environment
and at the moment this isn't possible because we are on tenterhooks at night. We never wanted to hurt anyone, we just believed this problem had to be addressed." Frank Thompson added, "This lady states the problem isn't as bad, how does she know, she lives a quarter of a mile away and she only walks
her dog through the day. She has no idea what is happening in the evening."
Mrs Pendlebury said, "By blocking this access they are denying many people in wheelchairs and the elderley from gaining access to the field. All the other entrances are very boggy and access is difficult."
KING OF THE ROAD
In her red livery with "Unsworth's Coaches - Wigan" emblazoned across the side, the new coach was set for a lifetime of adventure.
Goose Green based Unsworths had a fleet of coaches operating in a world before most folks had cars and package holidays had yet to be invented.
And "GJP 197" had a special job which would make her a star - taking Wigan Rugby League players to matches across the north.
Her greatest moment of glory was in May 1965 when it brought back the winnning team from Wembley after a 20-16 defeat of Hull.
One of her unique features included card tables between the seats so that lads like Billy Boston could have a place to pick up their drinks to celebrate victory or drown sorrows.
Unsworth's coaches sold out to Hurst's in 1985 but 20 years earlier GJP 197 had been replaced by a newer coach. After her time at Chorley, Cliff Unsworth lost track of her.
It could have been the end of the story - except that Cliff always harboured a special affection for the old RL club coach, which had impressed him as a lad. He said, "I spotted that the coach was up for sale a year ago, but then pondered if I had the time and the energy to restore this piece of history.
"It has a Yeates body and that company went out of business in 1963 and as far as I know there are only two examples left, one being GJP 197.
"It's only had three owners in it's lifetime and in the end, I went to Loughborough to see it and my wife just said 'Buy it.' and I did for peanuts really.
"The coach was rescued by a Scarborough firm six years ago as it was about to go for scrap. It's unique.
"It was quite a job getting it back here to our haulage transport yard in Goose Green....but now she's home at last where she belongs. I think fate had a hand in this, some folks said she was just waiting for me to go and get her."
Cliff, 56, and his 13 year old Deanery High School son Andrew reckon it could take between five and ten years to carry out the full restoration.
The mileage on the clock is 32,000 but Cliff reckons in reality the coach could have done between 320,000 and 420,000 miles.
Cliff added, "Our first job will be to get the engine running. We know we have taken on a big job, but believe me, it will be a true labour of love.
"I imagine those days in the early 60s with all those great rugby league lads having a whale of a time as they returned to Wigan after yet another win. If only this old coach could tell her story it would make a great book."
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