Latest news with #SueLee
BBC News
5 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Estate where 'some kids have never been on a train'
A railway station planned for an estate where some children have "never been on a train" could make a huge difference to young people's lives, local people have said. The Woodchurch estate on Wirral is to be linked up to the rail network as part of a £1.6bn investment scheme. Staff at Fender Primary School said that despite the estate being only four miles from the seaside, some children have never been around building a station to directly serve the estate have been going on for more than a decade. The exact location of a station is still to be confirmed, and it is expected to take until about 2030 for planning permission to be given. Once built, it would link the estate to Liverpool and Wrexham. 'Open up opportunities' Emma Simms, a staff member at Fender school, said: "A lot of the children do not have the opportunities to leave the estate whether that is for days out or holidays."We have conversations with children who have never been on the trains."Staff at the school said a new station would cut down on travel time, open up school, university and job opportunities, and give children more life experiences. Sue Lee, who has lived in the area for 20 years, feels the new station would bring more value and investment to Woodchurch as well as open up said: "Just trying to get off the Wirral at all is a tricky one."You can but then you have to go to Birkenhead to get the train somewhere. This just enhances all your options."She said her daughter was an athlete and in the past, sometimes they had to get taxis to competitions because there were just no other options."A lot of children do not get off the estate," she said. "If there is something right there it makes it a lot easier to go to places they might not necessarily go to." 'Degree of isolation' However, there's still some scepticism after years of promises. Maureen Cain said: "It's a good place to live, it really is and I think it will be really she said: "Until it happens, no one will be jumping for joy. I think people get fed up and think that until it happens, we aren't going to be happy about it."Wirral councillor Jerry Williams, who grew up on the estate, said connectivity was one of the most important issues on the Labour councillor for Upton said there was "a degree of isolation on a lot of the estate" and "to have a station there is really going to transform things".When the funding was announced, it was welcomed by top politicians in Wirral. Matthew Patrick, Wirral West's MP and former councillor for the area, said: "People here deserve good jobs, better transport links, stronger schools and great leisure services." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Somerset in pictures: Otters, owls and EastEnders pub
Animals have taken centre stage in Somerset this week after two owls returned to their nesting box for a third year, and Noah's Ark Zoo Farm welcomed its first ever Asian short-clawed in the county an eight-year-old artist is gearing up for his first art exhibition, and we visited Somerset's very own Queen are some images from across the county we have loved this week. Get out my pub: As EastEnders celebrated its 40th anniversary, BBC Radio Somerset spoke to the landlords of Somerset's very own 'Queen Vic' - The Queen Victoria Inn in Priddy. A tea-ry gesture: Musgrove Park Hospital cleaner Sue Lee was surprised by her colleagues with a tea party this week, as she celebrated 35 years working in the NHS. "It brought tears to my eyes that my fellow colleagues took time to arrange it, and celebrate my milestone with me," she said. Love is owl you need: Conservationists are celebrating after barn owls Finn and Trude returned to their nest box on the Blackdown Hills for a third year this week. Twit-twooo! Art attack: One talented eight-year-old is preparing for his first exhibition after a gallery spotted his paintings online. This is an original by Kevin Kovacs, from Wellington, who will have his work showcased at the Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre in Taunton from next week. Incredible! Ahoy for now: "Amazing role models" Simon Perks and Geoff Vian are taking a step back from their voluntary work at the RNLI Portishead after 10 years. They were awarded certificates in a ceremony at the lifeboat station this week. Hard at work: Council contractors were out on Yeovil's High Street this week, repairing damage to the pavement caused during utilities work last summer. Somerset Council said the cost of the work would be covered by energy company SSE.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Yahoo
Headlines: 'Dense' murmuration and toy gun attempted robbery
Here's our daily pick of stories from across local websites in the West of England, and interesting content from social media. Plans in Bristol city centre around Broadmead have been altered due to concerns from disabled groups, leading to more disabled parking spaces and crossings being added, according to Bristol 24/7. A cleaner who has been at the NHS for 35 years has been celebrated on her anniversary at Musgrove Park Hospital. Somerset Live says Sue Lee "broke down in tears" at the gesture. And a long-standing restaurant in Gloucester - Cote Brasserie - will cease trading on Sunday, says Gloucestershire Live. Army mishandled sex assault before death - coroner Woman who claimed to be Madeleine McCann arrested Hotel turns away Paralympian because of wheelchair A man who tried to rob a shop in Devizes with a toy gun has been jailed. Timothy Cooper, 42, of Flax Mill Park was fended off by a shop worker - and you can see the video here. It looks like closed nightclub Lava Lounge in Swindon is being knocked down – and pictures of this happening have been posted in the Swindon Community Notice board group on Facebook. Read about the future of the site here. And an amazing murmuration has been captured at Ham Wall on the Somerset Levels, which shows the spectacle occurring very low on the ground. Follow BBC West social channels in Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.
