Latest news with #Hillingdon
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
How safe is your local funfair? Investigation uncovers safety fears at popular parks - with major concerns over one safety inspector
A major investigation has uncovered safety fears at a number of popular fairground parks - with one inspector in particular raising concerns. Accidents that have left young children 'completely covered in blood' and victims thrown out of rides 'like a ragdoll' are among those brought to light in the BBC's new Panorama programme. But the horrific tragedies are now being unearthed as just scratching the surface in a long series of failings and refusals to carry out sufficient checks. Travelling fairground sites and societies like the Showmen's Guild have notoriously rejected proposed safety measures, and the Adips (Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme) list has allowed controversial inspectors to continue in their job. The owner of DMG Technical, David Geary, is one Wales-based inspector who has come under fire in the documentary, Funfairs: How Safe Are They?. After a five-year-old's ankle was crushed by a rollercoaster at the Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza festival in North Wales, Mr Geary received a criminal conviction and a fine for failing to identify risks. He also admitted breaching health and safety regulations and was handed a suspended prison sentence in 2018 after a ride at the Funderpark funfair in Yiewsley, Hillingdon led to a mother-of-eight being catapulted from her seat. The company, which admitted an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act, was fined £51,000. Another case involving Mr Geary relates to the Airmaxx 360 in Hull Fair which led Jade Harrison, then 21, to suffer a broken jaw and lost tooth when she flew 15ft out of her seat in October 2019. An eight-year-old girl had previously died in Australia on the same ride and it was never used again in the country - but it was sold three years later, in 2017, to the UK. Mr Geary said his company had modified the ride following the Australian accident. But this did not prevent Ms Harrison from suffering internal bruising, severe damage to both thighs, and more bruising all over her body when the horror accident took place. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) had formally warned Mr Geary about eight safety breaches over the past 10 years - though his registration with Adips (Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme) was only suspended in March 2025. The HSE has now said it is reviewing its industry safety guidance 'to decide whether it, and the system it underpins, remains fit for purpose'. The Panorama programme tells in detail how former waitress Ms Harrison collided with a teenage boy and had to undergo a two-hour operation, requiring metal plates in her jaw. She spoke out about the ordeal which 'could have killed her' and urged for more safety checks amid 3,188 injuries in England, Scotland and Wales between April 2014 and March 2024. Speaking to the BBC, Ms Harrison - aged 21 at the time of the accident - described hearing a 'clicking noise' in her back and the ride going on for around a minute and a half before it changed direction - the last 'concrete thing' she remembered. Ms Harrison said she could feel herself 'slip' and that when she woke up she had a 'bit of amnesia' before starting to panic as she felt 'something wasn't right' in her mouth as it felt like all her teeth had 'gone'. She also recalled her injuries vividly. Ms Harrison said: 'I could barely walk, I broke my jaw completely in half. I had damage to mainly back teeth on both sides. 'I had internal bruising, severe damage to both thighs, and then just bruising all over my body, like black, purple bruises.' Surgeons then had to remove two unsalvable teeth from Ms Harrison's mouth before placing three metal plates in her jaw which will 'stay there'. In December last year, a woman who was injured when a 180ft Christmas fairground ride crashed to the ground in Birmingham put other locals off from partaking in the festivities. The City Starflyer ride is provided by funfair suppliers Danter Attractions and is described as 'one of the tallest rides around'. And only last month, a waltzer car came crashing out of a fairground attraction after it suddenly appeared to malfunction. Footage taken at the Galactic Carnival Festival in Wester Hailed, Edinburgh showed the 'unthinkable' happening as the circular vehicle went flying. Galactic Carnival Edinburgh issued an apology and remains under investigation. Their statement said all rides undergo 'extensive safety testing in line with government guidelines' and inspection by adips. They added: 'This incident is now being investigated by third party inspection bodies and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).' Ride inspector Alex Nicholls has now called for a major overhaul of safety at funfairs. He said: 'We can't allow this to happen again. You know, the names will change, but if the game is the same, then we're just going to have the same problems over and over.'
BBC News
13-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Hillingdon heraldic designer appointed MBE for royal cypher
The heraldic designer behind King Charles' cypher is being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).Tim Noad said he was "absolutely delighted" and "immensely proud" when he received a letter containing the news of his honour, franked with his own design of the monogram which features the King's initials and a Noad is becoming an MBE for services to calligraphy, heraldry and design in the King's Birthday 58-year-old from Ickenham, Hillingdon, said: "My name is quite often not associated with the work I've done and I think that is only becoming more regular these days, but I think in the past, traditionally, the kind of work that I do was anonymous." Mr Noad, who has worked at the College of Arms for 39 years, was chosen to submit 10 cypher designs for the King to choose his preferred designer tried out a range of different styles when putting forward his works."I wanted to try out different fonts, so I tried out some that were more cursive and italic, and some that were more flowing and elaborate," he said."And then also the Roman style, which was the style that was used for the previous Queen and that was the style that was eventually chosen."Mr Noad feared he might not get so many opportunities in heraldry after Queen Elizabeth II died. He said: "As it's turned out, it's been like a whole new world of designing and wonderful commissions for me."Mr Noad's interest in heraldry - which involves designing coats of arms - goes back to his childhood, when he joined his local heraldry society aged 12 and started going to art classes with a College of Arms Noad then studied calligraphy, heraldry and illumination at Reigate College before getting a job at the College of well as working at the college, the designer does freelance work and runs heraldry has also run workshops and classes with children and young people in the hope of passing the lesser-known trade on to the next generation. Mr Noad designed the Stole Royal which the King wore at his also created the late Queen's golden, diamond and platinum jubilee medals and designed the elaborate and intricately penned "instrument of consent" from the Queen that formally approved the marriage of William and Kate, now the Prince and Princess of Wales, in what he is most proudest, Mr Noad said it "would have to be the royal cypher"."I never imagined, even when I designed it, I'd see it so widely reproduced," he said."I suppose it's become very distinctive, almost sort of iconic. It sort of symbolises the King. Yes, that will go down in history for forever."
BBC News
07-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Learning disabled gardeners 'devastated' over centre closure plan
Learning disabled volunteers and their families say they are "devastated" a west London community garden centre is set to be closed than 4,500 have signed a petition urging the Hillingdon Council to keep the Rural Activities Garden Centre (RAGC) in Colham open.A group of learning disabled adults help maintain the garden centre, and some have attended for decades and see it as a critical part of their routine, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Council says the centre is making an annual loss of £137,000 a year which is being subsidised by local taxpayers and and volunteers will be offered alternative "learning and developmental opportunities". Terry, who has been volunteering at the garden centre for several years, said he had "stopped leaving the house" before he began working to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he said: "My mum got ill with dementia and I had to look after her, when she died I was suggested to come here, it's now the only place I come to."If this place closes I won't be doing anything again, it makes me upset." 'We need this place' Wayne, a volunteer of over 30 years at the RAGC, says he loves the work and the people he works with. His father Stuart says it is the "one thing that gives them a purpose in life". Without it, he says, many volunteers would be "stuck at home"."All of these people will be devastated," he added. "We all need this place, what it does for people, and the community it brings. We need it."Hillingdon Council says it will continue supporting volunteers by offering horticultural placements in gardens and public areas around the borough's Civic Centre in local authority says this will provide "enriched learning and developmental opportunities" and "a wider range of activities than they currently experience at the garden centre". The report on the future of the Rural Activities Garden Centre is due to be will be considered by the council's Cabinet on 26 Council said: "We are committed to ensuring all volunteers with assessed social care needs receive enriched learning and developmental opportunities. "Unfortunately, the RAGC's retail operations are not economically viable and we cannot expect residents to subsidise a loss-making garden centre."
BBC News
05-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
London hospital buildings in unacceptable state
Looking around the dilapidated wards of Hillingdon Hospital in north-west London, Health minister Karin Smyth says she "knows people deserve better services"."I'm from Hillingdon, so I really do understand the difficulties that staff are working in here," she told BBC was the only London trust to get the go-ahead for a new hospital as part of the current New Hospital Programme. Ms Smyth said the state of hospital buildings across London was "unacceptable".London's hospitals have been given about £160m of emergency cash from an Estates Safety Fund to try to keep them running until they can be replaced, but trusts say the money is not enough to cover the repairs needed. Ms Smyth said: "We know there's been disappointment, a lot of delays, but this new government has got on with the review - we want to see this got on with now."She added: "When we came in as a new government last July, there wasn't funding for any of these schemes beyond March."We understand the disappointment in other communities - but we have sought to put this programme now on a firm financial footing for the first time. That didn't happen before." Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone, east London, is not dissimilar to DeGaris, the chief executive of Barts Health NHS Trust, described it as having "really substandard facilities".It was due to be rebuilt by 2026, but following a review of the New Hospitals Programme, the work has been delayed. Now the only part to be rebuilt before 2033 is the car trust estimates the delays to rebuilding the hospital will cost £200m. At St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, west London, walls are crumbling around government has delayed the building of a new hospital there until 2035. In the meantime, the hospital's trust has been given £25m from the government for repairs to energy systems, electrical systems, water systems, ventilation systems, fire safety works and drainage works. But this must be shared between St Mary's, Charing Cross and Hammersmith hospitals. The trust estimates it will spend over £100m on repairs at St Mary's Hospital alone until it is rebuilt. St Helier Hospital, in south London, was given the go-ahead for a new hospital in 2020, but that has now been delayed until 2033. The hospital, which opened in 1941, recently reported having to knock down a ward due to sinking foundations and windows falling trust that runs it, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Our ageing hospitals are deteriorating faster than we can fix them."It estimates the costs of the delays to upgrades needed to both St Helier, and Epsom hospitals will amount to an additional £150m a has been given £12m as part of the Estates Safety Fund. Last month, Ken Welch, former director of facilities, estates and supplies at St Helier Hospital, said the condition of the buildings raised serious concerns."I've seen a lot in 30 years working in the NHS, but the condition of the buildings at St Helier is among the worst," he said."I'm seriously concerned about the risk of fire, particularly with the growing use of corridor care. But most of all, I'm worried about the safety of the patients."
Daily Mail
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Moment angry driver gets in road rage row with rival motorist while armed with golf club
It's almost certainly the wrong type of 'driver' for the middle of the road. But a bizarre road rage row has been filmed in west London that saw a motorist seemingly fish a golf club from the back of his car before getting into a row with another road user. The man, driving a grey Skoda Kodiaq, could be seen remonstrating with the driver of a black hatchback. As he rests the club on his shoulder, one of the men says: 'If you come near me I'm going to hit you.' Both cars can be seen sitting stationary in the middle of Uxbridge Road, Hillingdon during the incident, reportedly filmed on Saturday May 31. It took place immediately outside Hillingdon Primary School. The boot of the Skoda is wide open as the pair heard arguing over who started the fight as one yells: 'You approached me.' In the video, filmed from the opposite side of the dual carriageway, the men can be seen squaring up to one another over an unspecified disagreement on the roads. 'Go f*** yourself,' said the driver of the black car, as he challenged the other motorist on his decision to approach him with a golf club. As the club-toting driver begins to walk away, he shouts: 'Big man with a stick in your hand - big man aren't you?' The other driver raises his voice as he yells: 'Yeah, I am. I'm f****** bigger than you when I've got this. I know that.' During the bizarre encounter, shocked motorists can be heard beeping their horns and yelling at the pair. It ends as the golfer, in a grey shirt, light shorts and white trainers, walks towards the back of his car, the golf club slung over his shoulder. The video was shared on X, where it has been seen 22,000 times.
