Billingham - TS23

Crash man 'stable'

2009-11-09T10:54:12Z

A MAN is in hospital with facial injuries after crashing his car into a lamp-post. The 32-year-old from Billingham was on the A689 in Hartlepool when he lost control of his Peugeot 206 at 4.50am on Saturday. His condition is described as stable. Contact police on 01642 301552 with information

Tanya takes a leap of faith

2009-11-07T11:48:14Z

A MUM who spent many a Saturday afternoon dressed in bandages to help her nanna raise funds for the Red Cross is to complete another daring stunt for the charity.

Tanya Dixon-Grainger, 45, from Billingham, is all set to bungee jump from the Transporter Bridge on November 15 in memory of her much-loved nanna Lyla, also known as Toots.

Lyla, former landlady of the Red Rose pub in Linthorpe, passed away in September at the age of 96.

Tanya, who has so far raised £600 in sponsorship, just from generous friends and family, believes her nanna would have loved to see her jump from the Transporter Bridge, as she was a bit of a "wild child" herself.

She said: "Her life was so full. She lived until she was 96 so this bungee jump is for her."

At 65, after retiring from pub life with her husband John, livewire Lyla lied about her age to become an active member of the Red Cross.

Tanya, a mum of two boys, Kasey, 21 and Scott, 18, explained: "She said she was 55 because at the age of 65, she still felt there was something she could carry on with, something that she wanted to be involved in.

"She was a member of the Red Cross for about five years after that and made lots of friends.

"As a child I also remember all the events I wet to with her raising money for the Red Cross.

"We would stand outside Marks & Spencer in Middlesbrough shaking our tins and she would practice her bandaging techniques on me.

"We would always have a giggle about it. I was always strapped up with bandages for my nanna."

Lyla was cared for in Linthorpe Nursing Home during the final year of her life but still took an active interest in what self-confessed adrenaline junkie Tanya was up to.

Tanya said: "She always wanted to know what I was doing.

"I compete in shows with my horse Brock and she was very proud of that.

"She used to like to see the horse and I even took it to the nursing home garden to visit all the residents."

In the past year, Lyla even enjoyed taking a spin in a hot rod car belonging to Tanya's son Kasey, 21.

"She was always game," said Tanya.

"If there were any fancy dress parties she would win it. She had all the glam outfits."

Tanya, a shop assistant at Dunelm Mill, believes the bungee jump from the Transporter will be a fitting tribute to her nanna Lyla, who once lived in Hartlepool and used the bridge regularly to travel to Middlesbrough.

Tanya said: "Nanna was a charitable lady and when she worked in the pub would do a lot of work for Barnados and the Salvation Army.

"It was special for us going across the Transporter Bridge with her.

"It was big and scary when you were a little kid and now I'm a big kid I'm going to jump off the top!"

Tanya will be watched by her mechanic husband, Paul, 48 and her sons as she leaps from the Transporter.

"I will be thinking of my nanna's favourite saying 'Chibby Chibby,' but I will be shouting, 'yeehah!' as I jump off," said Tanya.

For more information on the work of the Red Cross or to make a donation, visit www.redcross.org.uk

If you would like to sponsor Tanya's bungee jump, you can send a cheque to: 49 New Road, Billingham, TS23 1DQ.

Bargains on offer

2009-11-07T11:42:48Z

A TABLE top sale will take place on Monday at St Cuthbert's Church Hall, Billingham. Tables are £5 and entry to the sale is 20p. Sellers can arrive at 10am, with the sale open at 10.30am. Call Sue on 07783 119474 to book a table as spaces are limited. Tea and coffee on sale and dogs on leads are welcome.

Jack was born with only half a heart... now he is just like any other toddler

2009-11-07T11:23:13Z

AS HIS mummy relives the terrifying moment a scan revealed her precious boy only had half a heart, cheeky 13-month-old Jack Davidson climbs up the furniture.

In the kind of heartwarming scene every parent cherishes, the active toddler crawls across the floor, pulls himself up using the sofa and holds out a hand to allow mum Tracey to guide him round the room one tiny step at a time.

However, unlike most toddlers taking those first tentative steps, little Jack, pictured, has the 20,000 to one heart condition, hypoplastic left ventricle mitral atresia.

Tracey, 30, a paediatric nurse, understands the condition would have been unsurvivable 15 years ago.

But thanks to advances in medical science, the brave little boy, from Billingham, has already come through two life-saving operations - the first at just six weeks old.

Jack is expected to need another heart operation before starting school and for Tracey and her husband Ian, 37, the fact he will need a transplant by the age of 30 is always at the back of their minds.

Yet despite being little more than one, the sparkly-eyed tot is already proving to be a little fighter - and the inspiration for a major fundraising drive for the Children's Heart Unit Fund (CHUF) at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

Tracey said: "I had never seen Ian cry until we had that 20-week scan.

"We'd been trying for a baby for about a year and a half. You do think, 'why has it happened to me?' Is there anything I've done that's caused it?'"

Tracey asked staff the heartbreaking question of what chance their much-wanted baby had of surviving. The couple then faced an agonising wait for the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle to confirm the diagnosis and were given the devastating option of considering a termination.

Tracey said: "The RVI staff said the severity of the condition indicated there was maybe some underlying syndrome. But the tests came back clear and there was no genetic condition - just this freak cardiac problem.

"Once we had the all clear from those tests, it was just a case of giving him whatever chance he had."

Tracey battled through a worrying and stressful pregnancy, travelling to the RVI every week for check ups.

She said: "It was most worrying before Jack was born. I was warned as soon as I had him he would be taken straight off me and transferred to the Freeman hospital."

However, after Tracey was induced at 39 weeks on September 16, Jack arrived safely into the world in a stable condition.

The little battler was well enough to wait until the following day to be transferred and held his own for six weeks before his first operation.

Now, following his last operation in June, he is just like any other toddler as he plays on the floor with his Thomas the Tank Engine building blocks, giggling as he builds them up and knocks them down again.

Tracey said: "He has no concept of being poorly and was only in intensive care two days after his last operation before he was climbing the furniture.

"The staff were saying, 'would someone please remind that child he's just had open heart surgery and that's got to hurt!'"

Jack's auntie Christine Hall,Tracey's sister 26, whose son Ryan, 7, loves pushing Jack in his pushchair, said despite his bravery, it was still scary seeing him connected to "all those big machines."

Even Tracey admits treating children in hospital did not fully prepare her for dealing with her own son's illness.

"You can try and talk yourself round, but seeing him laying there or taking him to theatre to hand over to someone else is still hard," she said.

Tracey says there is a risk that if she has a second baby, it could also be born with a heart condition, but "it would be extremely bad luck".

She said: "We haven't ruled out having another child, but Jack has still got another fairly major operation to go through so our plans are on hold.

"Jack will end up needing a transplant at some point maybe in his late teens, early twenties or when he's 30.

"But the next hurdle is the pre-school operation. It's not really an option to think that far ahead.

"We'll get through a transplant the way we got through the past two operations and the way we'll get through the next."

Tracey said she and Ian, a project control manager for Amec, "got each other through" Jack's ordeal with the help of both their families and the fantastic staff at the Freeman Hospital.

The family were so touched by the dedication of staff there, they are planning a charity night at the Malleable Club, on Norton Road, and a sponsored walk from Whitby to Norton.

Tracey said: "We said right from the start we would do something for the hospital and wanted to do it before Christmas. They have been absolutely fabulous.

"They have given me Jack. If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't have him."

The Malleable fundraiser takes place on Thursday, November 19. Tickets are £2 on the door with great entertainment including a fantastic duo, bingo, raffles. Call the club on 01642 550838 for advance tickets.

To donate to the Children's Heart Unit Fund at Freeman Hospital online or for more information, visit www.chuf.org.uk.

Low Grange Residents Association Annual General Meeting

2009-11-06T16:52:50Z

Sent in by James Hadman Community Empowerment Officer

Low Grange Residents Association are holding their Annual General Meeting on Thursday 12th November at 7pm in Low Grange Community Centre. The group is on the look-out for new Committee members, so if you have a real interest in improving the Low Grange area please come along.

Billingham Under-14's rugby report

2009-11-06T15:14:53Z

Bright, cold and Breezy on the exposed fields of Sunderland, Billingham U14's returned for another challenge against a determined team.

The long grass would make the going tough for everyone and working against the wind is always more challenging.

The teams looked well set against each other with no one taking any advantage for the first 10 mins.

Sunderland took an early injury, but he returned to play before any score had been made.

Billingham looked to make the breaks, but the home team tackled them convincingly to the ground.

A line out provided Billinghams' first break with a long run from Shaun Daniels playing at second row, to make the first try, but no conversion against the wind.

Sunderland Kick off into safe visitor hands, but faults in the ensuing ruck delivered a penalty to Sunderland, from which they regain much ground.

Strong play from the visiting pack took them within 10m of the try line, but the home boys were not going to give, standing firm against incessant pressure.

Eventually Billingham get the break and the ball is carried over by centre Dale for their second score, this one well converted by Tom Small despite the breeze.

A poor restart gives Billingham a free kick, which they renounce with an offside move. Both teams are now stuck in to each other and there really seems little between them, other than the score-line.

A break by Billingham's forwards starts the pressure again and eventually sees the ball bundled over the line in a mighty pile up.

Joe Spoors may have scored, but "the ref ( Billingham Coach Colin Snowdon) was blind", no try given.

Scrum follows scrum as each team fights to make the ball theirs, ending in a Billingham penalty in front of the posts from where Daniels once more powered over for a try, converted by Tom Small into a now lessening wind.

Half Time Sunderland 0 Billingham 24

Kick-off, scrum, Try by No. 8, George Foster - Cooke no conversion; Kick-off, scrum, Try by No. 8, George Foster-Cooke no conversion, not a typo, just the way it went with a display not seen before from this player in a new position.

Kick-off to line out and then an unusual "steal" of the ball from Luke Dixon by his team-mate Luke Wilson, who runs the rest of the pitch for a try and conversion amid cheers and laughter in equal measure.

Freer play with the ball moving end to end with a big kick by Billingham for a scrum just off the try line, Sunderland give away a penalty taken quickly by scrum half Luke Brown and the visitors secure another try, without conversion.

A repeat of this play from kick-off sees another scrum and Billingham penalty followed by a wide run try by winger Dixon, not converted.

A last kick-off is followed once more by a penalty which Billingham cannot fail to score from. Game ends due to score line 53-0.

Great team performance, man of the match went to George Foster-Cooke.

Fry-ups bring a boost to charity

2009-11-06T11:26:03Z

A TASTY new café in Billingham has taken off with a charity drive for the Great North Air Ambulance.

Out of the Blue has opened its doors on Mill Lane, offering a range of homemade hot and cold food to eat in or take away.

Owner Margaret Turley donated the first day's takings as well as a week's worth of a collection box to the Great North Air Ambulance - more than £170.

Gran Margaret, 51, from Hartlepool, already runs a greeting card business, but had been looking for the opportunity of setting up a café for years.

When the unit in Billingham's Old Picture House came on the market she said she was thrilled.

"I have wanted to do this for a long time, but didn't have the bottle to do it until now," she said.

Along with her partner, Alan Hewitson, she had spent around a year looking for a property.

"When this came up I spent just 10 minutes looking around and loved it. Alan said 'Right - this is it.' It all just came out of the blue - so that's what we named it!"

It is open 8am-3pm Monday to Friday.

Plate plea

2009-11-06T11:01:02Z

A SPATE of car number plate thefts in Stockton has sparked an appeal from Cleveland Police.

Since June, nine offences have occurred in Billingham and a further eight have taken place throughout Stockton.

In most cases, they are ordinary DVLA plates and both the front and back plate has been taken.

Call DS John Tapper on 01642 302226

Crew tackles blaze in Billingham

2009-11-06T10:36:38Z

A DISUSED garage in Billingham was destroyed by fire last night. One fire engine from Billingham attended the blaze next to an unoccupied house in Redworth Road in Low Grange at 8.15pm. The crew were at the scene for 45 minutes. Watch manger David Kelly said rubbish in the garage had been deliberately ignited, probably by youths. A neighbour had raised the alarm.

Win tickets to two of the best events this Christmas

2009-11-05T16:46:01Z

VisitTeesvalley is offering you the chance to win tickets to the Living North Christmas Fair and this year's must see pantomime, Aladdin at the Darlington Civic.

The Living Christmas Fair takes place at Wynyard Hall from the 13th to 15th November and visitTeesvalley has ten pairs of tickets up for grabs.

Alternatively, if you're a fan of the pantomime season then visitTeesvalley is giving you the chance to win a family ticket to the enchanting adventure of Aladdin at the Darlington Civic Theatre, which is running from the 5th December to 17th January.

For more on how to enter either competition then visit www.visitteesvalley.co.uk.

Billingham mum's warning ahead of bonfire night

2009-11-05T10:47:19Z

A MUM whose son was badly burned on bonfire night has issued a warning and urged parents to only visit organised displays this evening.

Amanda Bradshaw will be watching the fireworks with her son Sam, 13, and husband, Andy, 41, through a bedroom window in the safety of their Billingham home tonight, after Sam's accident two years ago.

Sam suffered excruciating burns to his face, neck and hands after tripping and falling into a bonfire in a friend's back garden.

The party was coming to an end and the bonfire had burned down but was smouldering when Sam fell.

Amanda, 46, told how Sam had been invited to a friend's house just a few doors away from the family home, but after the friend's celebrations were called off, he bumped into another boy who invited him to his house instead.

She said: "I got a telephone call from a parent saying Sam had had a bit of an accident. I got in the car and went round.

"When I got in the house he had no tracksuit bottoms on, towels over his knees and his hands were in a bowl full of cold water while his face was under the cold running tap.

"It was a total shock. I said, 'this isn't where you were meant to be'."

"His T-shirt had melted into his neck. We called an ambulance but they were busy and asked us to put tea towels in cold water to cover his burns and take him to North Tees Hospital."

Sam was eventually transferred to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, where he was taken for surgery to "clean up" the burns.

Amanda, pictured with Sam, said: "Both his hands were quite badly burned and I thought he was going to lose the little finger of one."

However, Sam made it back to school before the Christmas holidays and, remarkably, is left with only one scar on his neck.

"We did think he would need a skin graft on his neck but the scars have healed really well," said Amanda. "Since this happened, we don't go out on bonfire night at all.

"It's difficult to keep an eye on kids but I would say make sure you know exactly where they are this bonfire night and that there's a nominated person responsible for them.

"I would recommend going to one of the council-run parties."

The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT), a charity which works to reduce the number of children and young people killed, disabled or seriously injured in accidents, revealed that in the year 2007-2008, 817 children under 16 attended A&E because of a firework injury.

The CAPT warns that fireworks can reach the same temperatures as some industrial furnaces.

Katrina Phillips, chief executive of CAPT, said: "Bonfire night is a wonderful time and we want to make sure that families and friends enjoy it safely. Don't let the bonfire night turn into a nightmare with a trip to the hospital."

How to keep children out of harm's way on bonfire night

Supervise all children carefully and keep them well away from the fireworks and fires

Don't rely on older children to supervise younger ones as they are likely to be distracted by the fireworks

Avoid dressing your children in loose or flowing clothes that could catch alight easily

Don't allow a child to handle fireworks and remember a spent firework is still hot enough to burn

Don't give sparklers to children under five or hold young children while you have a sparkler in your hand.

Always supervise children using sparklers.

For more information, visit www.direct.gov.uk/fireworks

Billingham animal cruelty case pet shop owners cleared on appeal

2009-11-04T10:38:15Z

OWNERS of a pet shop branded "simply disgusting" by a district judge have had their convictions for cruelty to animals quashed.

Now Lauren Gibson and Craig Basford say they will sue Stockton Council for loss of stock and earnings and irrevocable damage to their reputation.

Stockton Council's decision to bring the prosecution has already cost the taxpayer more than £150,000 - and that figure will rise thanks to bankrolling the appeal process, and could top the £300,000 mark, a solicitor has said.

The council said today it was "extremely disappointed" with the outcome of the appeal.

They could be forced to pay Craig and Lauren compensation.

Craig, 33, said: "The stigma of this is always going to be there - I've been verbally abused in the street."

Lauren, 26, said: "Animals are our passion - love isn't a strong enough word. Not being able to keep them these past three years has been hell."

The couple's journey through the courts began in September 2006, when their shop, Petropolis, in Clifton Avenue, was raided by police and council inspectors. They also raided the couple's home in Billingham, seizing 356 animals, including reptiles, rodents and birds.

The pair were charged with 33 counts of animal cruelty and breaches of their shop licence, but some of the cruelty charges were later dropped after the council failed to back up its claims with expert witnesses.

The stress of the legal proceedings forced Craig on to antidepressants.

They also had a new baby, Cyrus, now two and a half.

In April they were convicted of eight charges of causing unnecessary suffering to animals and three licensing offences and were given suspended prison sentences and banned from owning a pet shop or any animals apart from their pet dog and some fish.

But on Friday, a judge a Teesside Crown Court allowed their appeal.

Solicitor Simon Walker said: "There was no evidence to substantiate the proposition that the animals made subject to the summonses had suffered. The prosecutions for the breach of licence were also unsubstantiated, apart from one about blocking a fire door which they readily admit to."

Mr Walker said his clients would be suing Stockton Council for loss of earnings - an estimated take of £1,500 a week missing for over three years.

They also want to be compensated for an estimated £30,000 loss of stock and damage to their reputation. "This has been ruinous," said Mr Walker.

Stockton Council issued a robust statement on behalf of Councillor Steve Nelson, cabinet member for housing and community safety. He said: "We are extremely disappointed at the outcome of this appeal.

"The fact remains that our officers found 22 dead animals on the premises, which were in a disgraceful state. This is not in doubt, and the Gazette has already published some of the disturbing photographs produced as evidence in the original hearing, which the judge at the time said painted 'a picture of utter squalor'.

"Where we find such conditions, we have a statutory duty to act. We are still awaiting the detail of this ruling and will consider our position once we have it." He said legal costs would be "significantly below" the figure quoted.

Doors open to some new retail names

2009-11-03T15:06:36Z

TEES Valley's retail sector has been boosted with a number of store openings.

Discount health and beauty chain Semichem has opened a new store at 53 Queensway, Billingham.

Councillor Paul Kirton, Mayor of Stockton, who officially opened the branch said it would help attract more shoppers and enhance Billingham town centre.

Anthony Healy, Semichem store manager, said: "We've received a warm welcome from Billingham and we look forward to serving our customers. Semichem is owned by Scotmid Co-operative Society and has more than 130 stores throughout Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Billingham branch is the seventh Semichem store to open in the North of England.
Meanwhile a new One Stop convenience store has opened its doors on Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough.

At the opening store manager Gerard Anderson presented Derrick Previll of Zoe's Place Baby Hospice with a cheque for £200 in recognition of their marvellous contribution to the local community.

Billingham Marsh House Harriers plea for tokens

2009-11-03T11:09:23Z

A TEESSIDE athletics club is on track for a financial boost from the Evening Gazette's Wish campaign.

Billingham Marsh House Harriers have entered the Wish campaign for the first time and will be one of the many groups on our Wish List guaranteed a share of the money.

The size of each group's share will depend on the support they receive from readers in the form of tokens.

The £30,000 cash pot will be divided by the number of tokens collected - and the bigger the share of tokens, the bigger the slice of cash for each group.

Phil Teece, a member of the club committee and the co-ordinator for the club's involvement in the campaign, said it hoped to raise cash to put towards the cost of buying athletic equipment for junior members.

Billingham Marsh House Harriers formed more than 20 years ago.

It meets at the Billingham Synthonia Club in Central Avenue. The Harriers laid a running track around the pitch at the ground a number of years ago.

Mr Teece said the Harriers had around 300 members aged eight to 80.

Mr Teece, 50, who is also the club's Under 11 junior coach, added: "Many members join to keep themselves fit and when they hear about the local road races they compete in the runs as well. It also gives them a competitive edge.

"We do quite well in the races we compete in. We have 10k runners with times around the 32 minutes and 33 minutes mark."

Mr Teece said the club also had a very successful social side.

He said: "We have social evenings which culminate in an awards night just before Christmas. Anything we raise from the Wish campaign is a bonus and will be put to buying athletic equipment for junior athletes."

To donate Wish token to the Billingham Marsh House Harriers send them to Mr Teece at 3 Rudston Avenue, Billingham, Stockton, TS22 5BL.

£20m plans for Billingham town centre unveiled

2009-11-03T10:41:48Z

BILLINGHAM residents flooded through the doors to see plans for a £20m revamp of their rundown town centre.

Developers Stockland, working in partnership with Stockton Council, yesterday unveiled their masterplan for the long-awaited regeneration of the shopping centre.

In the first hour alone of a two-week public consultation, more than 150 people perused the plans.

Feedback from the consultation will be used to refine the proposals ahead of the master plan being formally agreed with Stockton Council, and work getting under way.

But public opinion was divided. Some described the masterplan as too little too late, while others welcomed any improvements to the town centre.

The proposals include a new supermarket in West Precinct, improvements to shop frontages, new lighting, paving, toilets and a general overhaul of the town's main shopping area.

Simon Hoad, development director for Stockland, said: "The regeneration plans are set to make major improvements to the town centre and we want to make sure that members of the public as well as traders, local business representatives and other interested groups have the opportunity to comment on them."

Mr Hoad said the masterplan is "what we think is genuinely deliverable", adding: "We would like to think the people of Billingham will think this is enough".

But shoppers who have called for a roof over the town centre will be disappointed, with Mr Hoad explaining: "That isn't something we are going to be able to achieve."

Demolition of large sections of the town centre would also not be happening, he added, saying: "It's not economically viable."

Improvements will start in the next few months, with windows of flats overlooking the town centre repaired and given a uniform appearance. If approved the masterplan will then be delivered in three stages, up until 2012.

The masterplan exhibition at 108 Queensway, Billingham, will be staffed up to tomorrow and will remain on show in the shop window until Saturday, November 14, pictured above an artists' impression of how the revamp will look.

People can comment on the plans by completing a feedback form at the exhibition. The forms are also available at the town centre manager's office on 130 Queensway, Roseberry Library, and can be completed on Stockton Council's website at www.stockton.gov.uk/billingham.

Councillor Bob Cook, Stockton Council's Cabinet member for transport and regeneration, said: "We need the views of the people that matter - those who live and work in the town. We really hope the public exhibition will be well attended and we look forward to discussing the plans further and hearing people's views over the coming days and weeks."

The results of the consultation will be published on the council's website in the coming months.

What you have to say

BILLINGHAM residents gave their views after seeing the town centre masterplan

Peter Smith, 69, pictured, said: "They should start again like they did in Thornaby. It's a waste of space."

His wife Jean, 60, added: "I just think its a waste of time - they are not doing anything."

Gwyneth Ferries, 47, who works in Boyes, said: "At the moment the town centre definitely needs something doing."

Ian Ferries, 48, pictured with Gmyneth below, said: "They should bulldoze it from one end to the other and start again.

Wilma Eddy, 70, said: "When I came here 50 years ago it was a beautiful town centre.

Catherine Rushmer, 83, said: "I definitely want to see something happen."