How low must you go to steal a charity box?

This is the man suspected of stealing a poppy collection box from a Waterloo newsagents.

On Monday morning, November 10, at around 7.30am, police were called to reports a man had brazenly walked into the Londis shop on St John's Road and made off with British Legion's cash.

Luckily, the shop had recently installed high-quality CCTV footage and caught the man in the act. The shop's manager Jeff Cheetham released the image to the Champion on Tuesday.

He said: “We take it particularly hard when a piece of scum walked into our store and took the charity funds that we have worked hard to collect.

”We actually help co-ordinate the poppy appeal in Waterloo and we have our poppy appeal based in Crosby.

“This is not something we want to brush under the carpet and forget quickly – we want to highlight this and we want this guy caught. I know there's an awful lot of ex-Armed Forces who will like to have a word with him!”

Crosby British Legion member Jack Colbert said: “It's a disgraceful act – how low can you get? This money goes to soldiers who have come back from Afghanistan and Iraq and pays for wheelchairs and their bills.”

The offender is described as aged 25-30 years, of slim build with dark hair. He was wearing glasses, denim jeans and a black jacket.

Superintendent Kevin Johnson said: “I'm sure members of this community would agree, that this was a despicable act and we are working hard to trace the person responsible.

”I would urge anyone who was in the area at the time or who recognises the description of this offender to make contact with my officers, so he can be brought to justice.“


How low must someone go to steal from a charity box which will go to help limbless and disabled soldiers.

Final sausage roll after 102-years

 Usually pastries are fast food that you gobble down in a hurry - but you can bet shoppers were savouring every bite of their sausage rolls on Saturday.

It was a sad weekend when the final crums were swept up from outside 102-year-old local bakery Satterthwaites.

 
Hundreds of shoppers queued outside the doors of several stores to taste their final home-baked cakes as the company ceased trading.

Just like many of their savoury treats, several bakeries were jam packed even before lunch time on Saturday, with the shop being given a fine send-off by customers throughout Netherton, Formby, Waterloo, Crosby and Bootle.

The final owner of the family business, Roger Wilson, 71, said he had failed to find a buyer, meaning seven new empty stores across the borough and the loss of up to 70 jobs.

But the doors were not closed without a fight, as he admirably kept the shop open until the last pastry was sold, while shoppers of all ages queued down the street, desperate for one last treat. One man even snapped up £30 worth of meat pies.

Despite having huge public support and an ever-present Twitter account, sales declined last year requiring Roger to invest heavily in the company but since March 2012 customer levels have fallen significantly.

Roger said: “Our attempts to find a buyer for the whole firm came to nothing. I thought it would be better to close down in a orderly way than to crash.”

The first Satterthwaites was built in November 1910 costing then £50 on King Street in Southport.

Former Satterthwaites worker Sarah Harvey wrote on Facebook: “The old and lonely knew where to go to ensure a smiling face and a chat without being under pressure to move on.

”I worked there for a while and I couldn't have worked with a better group of people. Goodbye Satterthwaites, you take a big piece of my heart with you. I'll miss you more than I would have imagined.“

Roger added: ”We hope that some of our shops will eventually re-open under new management, but this will be in the hands of the liquidator.

“It's terribly sad and I wish with all my heart it could have been longer but the world has changed too much.

”It has been mad all day, we have run down stock and we were totally overwhelmed, from 10am there was a queue completely across Moor Lane.

“What can I say, except to apologise to our wonderful customers and dedicated staff for not managing to continue. I wish I could have done better.”

Farmaggeon 2012 Review

NEARLY everyone knows someone who has been to Farmaggedon – but few can justify how truly terrifying the experience is.

If you're a fan of scary movies, countless adrenaline rushes, or just simply want to put a loved one through the scariest night of their lives, then the experience is for you.

During four weeks of the year, Farmer Ted's children's activity park turns into one of the most depraved truly horrifying scenes of blood, guts, gore, frights and spooks in the country.

A cast of over 200, made up of everyone in Sefton and West Lancashire, from drama students to police, solicitors and bankers, turn into zombies, hillbillys, ghouls and goblins to give the general public the fright of their lives.

In 2007 managers at Farmer Ted's, in Downholland, Ormskirk, sat down and decided they needed to use their farm land over the winter and thought of setting up a Halloween extravaganza.

And when one of the busy staff at Farmer Ted's described the hectic kitchen as ‘farmaggedon' – the new attraction had its name.

Some 35 people turned up to the first event, which had eight people in costume, now Farmaggedon has over 100 actors on each night separated into three barns.

 

The attraction has become so popular Haunted Attractions magazine said it was one of the top 25 most scariest haunts in the world.

Producer Richard Cottier told the Champion: “Getting scared and having the hairs stand up on the back of your neck makes you feel like you're actually in a horror movie.

”But it's not just about scaring people, it's about messing with their senses and making people feel alive.
“It's also a great laugh, there's nothing funnier than watching people jump into the air and it brings out the naughty side in all of us.”

He claims that one of the funniest moments during his five years is watching radio DJ Pete Price jump out of his skin so much that he ended up losing one of his teeth - but the experience is not for everyone.

Richard added: “Every night we get people who can't take it. Some customers who come through the front door, see the clown and become so scared they go straight for the exit and leave!

”Each year we have been going on fact finding trips to America as the Halloween industry over there is huge, it is only second to Christmas.

“We have really been educating the UK about how Halloween should be celebrated now we are getting coach parties from London, Scotland, Brighton to come and see us.

”This year we have got three attractions and we are working with over 100 actors every single night from a cast of around 200.

“The actors aren't just drama schools and students, we also have horror fans and people who just want to scare others like professional actors, police, bank workers and even paramedics.”

Farmaggedon starts on Friday, October 5, and tickets start from £15 and are available online at farmaggedon.co.uk or via 0844 736 0152 which includes a booking fee.

End of an era for cinema

IT will be the end of an era for the Plaza Cinema when its three historic 35mm film projectors are removed in a £135,000 digital upgrade of the facility.

Computerised technology will throw the ancient art of film, as older generations know it, on the scrapheap, making cans of film and cutting and sticking reels of film redundant.

The Plaza is one of the last cinemas in the country which still uses the traditional technology, with the reels of film spliced and stuck together.

Three highly-skilled veteran projectionists currently work at the cinema, Paul McGonagle, John Bradshaw and chief projectionist Joe Strain (pictured), who has been at the Plaza since the 1960s.

But in October the three screens will be switching from film to digital with the promise of a huge improvement in sound quality.

Plaza director Jan Dunn believes the traditional 35mm reel actually offers viewers a more three dimensional film experience but states that the new technology will help the independent cinema compete with the larger film chains with increased visual and audio quality.

Jan said: “The films currently come in huge cans and the projectionists have to make those films up and they have to load them onto a big projector.

”The film is put on the platter and it is fed through the projector, it's quite a skill.

“We wouldn't be able to operate without our projectionists, particularly Joe, they are so skilled that we have never had any problems with our prints.

”There's nothing like a 35mm film and it's very sad but it's down to money.

“In October our sound will be as good as the major cinemas. We are just waiting for our date of installation but now we have the brand new seats we can offer visitors a fantastic experience at less than half the price of our competition.

”There are not very many independent cinemas left now and small independent cinemas never have the finance to be able to improve things.“

The Plaza will be holding a special nostalgia evening on Saturday, which will see a 35mm screening of singing in the rain with old news reels and nostalgic trailers.

Visitors will also be treated to live music.

Tickets are on sale now at the Plaza box office for £2 each and at the Plaza Support shop or people can pay on the day, Saturday September 15 from 7pm–10.30pm.

Jan added: ”Lots of money is being saved by going digital because film is expensive to make and distribute. Nevertheless it truly is the end of an era.“

Facebook and Twitter ARE more addictive than fags and booze

If you think a Tweet is a bird's noise and someone who gets poked by lots of random people needs a visit to the clinic - then stop being anti-social... network!

And if you're reading this then congratulations - you're dipping your toe into the world of blogging.

But a study published in February's Psychological Science journal revealed that information sharing websites such as Facebook and Twitter (and blogging) - are now all more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol.

And with good reason.

Facebook and Twitter can introduce you to a whole world of new people and cultures – just like stepping outside the pub for a cigarette does following the smoking ban.

And – just like with alcohol – you can speak your true feelings, there's no awkward silences and you don't have to worry about body language.

Don't you see social networks are a fantastic invention that are revolutionising society?

Never before have you been able to vet a potential future partner with such scrutiny on everything from their baby pictures to how much time they tend to their virtual farm.

Or share with the world that every Saturday night you sit in with the same Chinese takeaway with the same person watching the same mind-numbing ‘talent' shows like everyone else.

But on a serious note, these sites do have many benefits.

Users have met their future partners, discovered long lost relatives and uncovered family history memorabilia dating back centuries.

Whether you love them or loathe them social networks are at the forefront of technology.

Humans by nature are social creatures.

Some researchers claim that there are almost 30 million UK Facebook users who log on regularly to social networks.

That's pretty much one in every two people and is remarkable considering 10 years ago nobody in this country had heard of Facebook.

After ten years of pressure a friend of mine in his twenties caved in and signed up last week, wondering what all the fuss was about he hasn't looked back since.

I've been racking my brains and I now can't think of anybody between the age of 10 and 30 who I know who hasn't joined the service.

Like millions of others I love Facebook and Twitter and can't imagine what life would be like without them.

But they should definately be made to come with a warning - like cigarettes and alcohol - that too much Tweeting and poking can damage your health.

Help, my neighbour's house is on fire - what do I do?

Members of Parliament believe the people who voted them in power are too stupid to make a decision on the country's EU membership.

That's the conclusion drawn from a debate which saw 81 Tory MPs vote against David Cameron's plans to NOT give the public a say on whether Britain should remain in the EU.

The European Union is currently in a state of disarray with many countries requiring a credit bail out as the financial crisis deepens.

Cameron claims “if your neighbour's house is on fire, you should help them put it out.”

Euro sceptics say “if your neighbour's on fire you should get as far away as possible.”

Instead, I believe that whatever you do, you should consult with whoever else lives in your property first, not just make a decision and expect everyone to stick with it.

Both the Conservatives and Labour believe we should continue receiving orders and laws from the collapsing European Union and that they shouldn't give the public ANY say on the matter.

The first recorded democracy occurred in ancient Athens, where people did not elect representatives to vote on their behalf but instead voted on legislation and executive bills themselves.

In fact the very word democracy actually came from the words demos kratos, meaning people power.

Surely in a democracy citizens of a country should be able to have their say on as many laws and regulations as possible, let alone choose the people who they are governed by.

A survey suggests that 70% of the British public want a referendum on whether we should remain in a crumbling European Union.

If MPs are representing their public, as to which they are duty bound, then what's wrong with letting them have their say on one of the most controversial Government decisions in the past generation?

Quantum levitation - hoverboards and flying PCs?

Hoverboards and flying computers could be a thing of the future after a video surfaced of scientists demonstrating a technique they call 'quantum levitation'.

Put simply the video shows quantum superconductors locked in a magnetic field filmed at Tel-Aviv University.

What science can accomplish with this hovering technique time will only tell.