Lancashire Police is ready to begin a recruitment drive in a bid to find 160 new officers.

The window for new applicants opens on on November 1.

It is needed to replace those expected leave the constabulary in the next few years, mainly through retirement, and will not increase the overall numbers on the force.

Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw said: “This is an important investment in Lancashire Constabulary and a chance to recruit officers from under-represented communities.

“We need to replace the officers due to leave in the coming months in order to ensure the force can continue to deliver the high level of service that residents rightly expect.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to work for one of the best police forces in the country and I hope to see applications from people of all backgrounds who want to serve their local community.”

Following the recruitment process, training will commence in autumn 2017 and the new officers will be posted right across Lancashire once they have qualified.

Applicants can apply online at Lancashire.police.uk/policeofficer from November 1 to November 18.

Here is a round-up of some of the cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court from October 11.

A man who had previously broken his former girlfriend’s jaw scared her when he turned up at her home.

Dale Docherty, who had been banned by a court from contacting his ex, was drunk at the time and said he wanted to see his son.

Docherty, 22, of Dinmore Place, Grange Park, pleaded guilty to breaching a restraining order.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said Docherty had previously been placed on an indefinite restraining order after he wounded his partner. The order prohibited him from contacting her.

On October 1, he turned up at his girlfriend’s Blackpool home with a bottle of vodka, smelling of drink, the court was told. She was there with her son and new partner.

Docherty had had nothing to do with bringing up his child, but he said he had come to see him. When told he was not allowed to, he became angry. The court heard he told her ‘Get your fat boyfriend out here’ and called her foul names.

She said he left her ‘badly scared’. She was crying and so was the child.

Robert Castle, defending, said it was his client’s first breach of the order which had been imposed more than two years previously. Docherty said his ex had called him twice this year, once just two weeks before the offence.

He had resisted going round to see her but on this occasion he was drunk so he went and spoke to her.

Docherty was sentenced to 12 weeks’ prison suspended for 24 months with up to 30 days’ rehabilitation, and ordered to pay £100 compensation plus £85 costs by District Judge John Maxwell sitting at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court

David Torr, 24, assault

A man punched a bar customer in the face after being rebuked about the way he talked to a restroom attendant.

David Torr than left Bar 19, Queen Street, and when the victim remonstrated with him about his behaviour again he punched him once more in the face, knocking him to the ground.

Torr, 24, of Conway Avenue, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to assault.

He was sentenced to an 18-month community order with up to 15 days’ rehabilitation, fined £5 with £100 costs and ordered to pay £100 compensation by District Judge John Maxwell sitting at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court.

The judge told him: “I accept you have difficulties but you can not just go out and belt someone.”

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said police were told Torr had hit someone in Bar 19 on August 9 at 2.30am. Officers then saw Torr being escorted out of Pop World on The Strand.

The second time the victim was punched he was knocked to the ground, but got up within seconds. The victim suffered swelling and bruising to an eye.

Suzanne Mugford, defending, said Torr had split up with his partner and his friends decided to take him into town to cheer him up. He got separated from his friends and went into Bar 19 alone.

Torr, who suffered from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism, had been drinking. He said the victim spoke to him aggressively and he felt he acted in self-defence when he punched him once. The victim and one his friend’s then followed him.

Ronald Hunter, 41, possession of extreme pornography

A man accused of possessing pig porn has had the eleventh hearing of his case at court.

Ronald Hunter, 41, of Easington Crescent, Grange Park, who was not present at the hearing, has previously pleaded not guilty to possessing extreme pornography involving a person having intercourse with a pig.

Hunter also denied possessing an indecent video of a child on his phone at Blackpool in August last year. Blackpool magistrates bailed Hunter to November 8 for an expert’s report on his mobile phone.

Daniel Mullen, 56, theft

A man accused of stealing meat from the Blackpool branch of Sainsbury’s has had his case adjourned for medical reports by resort magistrates.

Daniel Mullen, 56, of Saville Road, South Shore, pleaded not guilty to the offence.

Defence lawyer, Robert Castle, said his client would use the defence that he had previously had a head injury and a medical report was needed.

Benjamin Lee, 27, driving with excess alcohol without insurance

A fish and chip shop worker was over the alcohol limit when he was pulled over by police.

Benjamin Lee, a 27-year-old dad-of-six, of Knowsley Avenue, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol without insurance.

He was disqualified from driving for 14 months, fined £200 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge by District Judge John Maxwell sitting at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said police stopped Lee as he drove a Ford Focus in West Park Drive on September 12 at 1.45am. A breath test showed 57 micrograms of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit. He had a previous conviction for drink-driving.

Lee told the judge: “I was returning the car home. I should not have done it.”

Liam Gould, 30, two assaults and possession of cannabis

A hotelier and his wife were both assaulted by a visitor to Blackpool who was suffering from a massive alcohol problem.

Liam Gould, 30, travelled from his home city of Coventry to enjoy a weekend in the resort.

But when he was turned away from the Beverley Hotel on Charnley Road he took out his revenge on the owners, Blackpool Magistrates were told.

Gould admitted two charges of assault and one of possessing cannabis.

He punched the male victim several times and then kicked the woman after they told him they had no vacancies.

Police arrested Gould when he was found trying to get a room at another hotel.

In her witness statement the female victim said:”The man who assaulted me he was fired up and frightening.

“His attacks her completely unprovoked.”

Mitch Serangi, defending, said Gould was a chronic alcoholic who would drink up to 16 cans a day.

Magistrates asked for reports on Gould before sentence.

Lucy Sherriff, 25, breaching a restrainining order

A mum of three broke a court order when she went to visit a friend in Fleetwood.

Lucy Sherriff, 25, of Ardern Grove, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to breaching a restraining order.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said Sherriff was on a restraining order which banned her from entering Shakespeare Road, Fleetwood.

On July 1, her former partner saw her come out of an address on that road. She had two of the children with her and spoke to him.

Robert Castle, defending, said his client had been visiting a friend. He told the court Sherriff’s ex then turned up in a car and said her ex had missed the last three access visits with the children and the couple had words.

Sherriff was given a nine-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £50 costs with £20 victims’ surcharge by District Judge John Maxwell at Blackpool Magistrates.

A six-year-old animal lover is baking a cake for monkeys on the day of The Great British Bake Off final.

The granddaughter of Lorraine Bennetts who runs The Wild Café at Lakeland Wildlife Oasis in Milnthorpe, Cumbria, is so enamoured with the collection of tamarin monkeys that live next to the café, that she’s decided to bake them a cake.

The Wild Café at Lakeland Wildlife Oasis in Milnthorpe is a family concern.

Run by Grandmother Lorraine, her daughter Ebony and sister Michelle also work there.

Now little Olivia will treat the tamarins to a delicious monkey-safe cake on October 26.

She’ll make it in the animal kitchen, where all of the tasty treats and dinners are prepared for the animals each day, before whipping out the (hopefully non-soggy-bottomed) treat for the attraction’s popular inhabitants.

Olivia, who enjoys nothing more than eating her lunch from the Oasis’ café while watching the monkeys eat theirs is excited about what will be a fun, family affair and a chance to pretend she’s in her very own Bake Off tent.

Jayne Gibbins, Assistant Manager is delighted with the idea.

She said: “Most of the staff here are firm Bake Off fans.

“When Olivia approached me asking if she could make a cake for monkeys, I couldn’t resist and thought we could have a bake off final of our own.

“We set about making a cake that the monkeys would enjoy, and as a special treat I am going to let Oliva hand feed it to them”.

Anyone who’s worried that the cake will be weighed down with sugar and butter needn’t worry though as the dessert is completely safe for the monkeys.

Made from ‘tamarin cake’, a high-protein specially formulated powder used in zoos to ensure all of their wild dietary needs are met, it will feature creepy crawlies just like the ones the monkeys enjoy eating in the wild.

The powder is mixed with water and grated veggies and made into a cake shape, before being left to set in a special fridge overnight.

Of course, the cake will be decorated with banana slice ‘icing’ (a rare and very enticing treat for the tamarins!) and will even contain beetroot, ensuring it resembles a tempting-looking ‘red velvet cake’ for monkeys.

A perfectly healthy, zoological treat, the homemade cake looks set to be devoured by the tamarins and Olivia can’t wait.

She said: “I’ve worked hard making a healthy cake and am looking forward to letting them take it out of my hands. Mummy wishes Paul Hollywood was here to judge it!”.

Lancashire police has spent more than £500,000 on private hire cars in the past financial year, new figures have revealed.

Lancashire Constabulary was the biggest spender in the North West, splashing out £529,285 on the cars from April 2015 to March 2016, according to the Home Office.

They were followed by Cheshire, who spent £209,474, and Merseyside, who spent £206,084.

Cumbria Constabulary splurged £164,302 on private hire cars, while Greater Manchester Police forked out £87,411 over the same period.

In total the five forces spent £1,196,556, according to the figures, which were revealed in a parliamentary question tabled by Preston Labour MP Mark Hendrick.

Home Office Minister Brandon Lewis said: “The Government continues to support forces to drive down procurement expenditure and to encourage greater collaboration between police forces and with other public sector bodies and emergency services.

“We believe that significant savings can be achieved through shared or collaborative procurement.”

He said research showed a wide disparity in how much it cost forces to hire cars and said efforts were being made to drive down costs by improving procurement and planning.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Spending so much on hire cars smacks of bad organisation and it is important that the constabularies explain why they use them and why the prices they paid vary so widely.

“Not only does poor planning lead to higher costs, local taxpayers will be fed up with seeing their hard-earned money wasted on avoidable situations like this.

“The bill for these hire cars is over £3,000 per day so it is vital that all forces negotiate hard to deliver better value for money for taxpayers.”

A Lancashire Constabulary spokesman said: “We are currently reviewing our use of hire vehicles to ensure that we provide value for money.

“Having said that we always assess the cost of using of hire cars against the fixed costs of providing a car allowance and other transport costs which in the longer term often proves more expensive.”

Looking at the world of antiques with Allan Blackburn...

When Thomas Eddison invented the phonograph, he recognised that it was much more than a gimmick. “It will be used largely for music…it will preserve the voices of our great men”, he had said, but he cannot have known what big business the industry was to become.

Even HMV were sceptical at first – before becoming His Master’s Voice they held on to their original name of the Gramophone and Typewriter Company, just in case gramophones didn’t take off!

The first phonographs originally used brass cylinders covered in tin foil to record and play back, but the needles wore out the tin foil after only two or three plays. These were later replaced by wax cylinders which were cheaper and could be played more frequently. Originally costing a shilling, they are now worth up to £200.

It was 20 years later that the gramophone appeared. It was demonstrated, not by Eddison, but by Emile Berliner. His invention used flat disks (not cylinders), five inches in diameter.

Until 1892, there was still no way of making copies of discs. If an artist wanted to record 100 discs, they had to sing 100 times!

Gramophones, phonographs and accompanying accessories are today collected enthusiastically.

The most important factor to a collector is that they are in working order; although there are some collectors who like broken machines, so that they can enjoy the pleasures of 
repairing them.

Gramophones are appreciated on two levels. Firstly as an attractive piece of furniture – definitely no ipods here, and secondly, as the only way to really enjoy a 78rpm record!

The two gramophones pictured here are very different and their prices and popularity with collectors reflects this. The first one is almost a piece of furniture in its own right. The actual player is set inside a big, wooden, free standing 
table. It has the crooked arm so symbolic of old gramophones and is inscribed with “His Masters Voice”. The newer one of the pair was made by Tessler.

It is housed inside a carry box and the speaker is inside the lid of the box. Although it is heavy and looks terribly cumbersome, at one point one would have thought of this as “portable”!

One of the world's largest consumer goods manufacturers has been accused of "exploiting consumers" amid the falling value of the pound after a pricing row with Tesco left the supermarket low on household items such as Marmite, Flora and Persil.

Unilever is believed to have demanded a 10% price rise due to the falling value of sterling, halting deliveries to Tescowhen it refused.

The stand-off has left the supermarket facing a shortage of brands such as Surf washing powder, Comfort fabric conditioner, Hellmann's mayonnaise, Pot Noodle and Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream.

The move is understood to have hit online sales rather than products in store. Shoppers trying to buy items from Tesco's website on Wednesday were met with the message "Sorry, this product is currently not available".

It is thought a number of supermarkets are embroiled in the row with Unilever, which earlier this year posted profits of around £2 billion for the first half of 2016.

Unilever refused to comment on the dispute, but chief executive Paul Polman warned in June that a vote to leave the EU's single market would increase prices for consumers.

He told Channel 4 that a vote to Leave would mean hikes in import duties on items such as dairy products, leading to price rises that would affect consumers.

Citing the example of Wall's Magnum ice cream, Mr Polman warned about trade restrictions, saying: "Undoubtedly if the UK were to Leave, the conditions will not be as good as if they stay in."

But MPs condemned Unilever, saying the company was using Brexit as an excuse to exploit consumers, and warned it may be damaging its brand.

Conservative MP Sir Gerald Howarth told the Daily Telegraph: "I think it will be very damaging to the reputation of Unilever if they seek to use the fall in the pound to exploit the consumer.

"Clearly products which are not dependent upon imports into the United Kingdom will not be affected by the fall in the value of the pound.

"Consumers will switch to other products where companies aren't seeking to fleece the consumer."

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron blamed the Government, saying: "The chaos around Brexit is now hitting our supermarket shelves. This shows the Government don't have a plan or even a clue."

The dispute came on a tumultuous day for the pound on the foreign exchanges, which at one point saw sterling lose almost 1% of it value against the dollar during the course of exchanges in the House of Commons, before staging a rally.

Tesco last week revealed its half-year profits dropped by more than a quarter to £71 million after being hit by the sector's price war, although it recorded sales growth for a third quarter in a row.

The company's chief executive, Dave Lewis - the former president of the personal care range at Unilever - warned the market remains "challenging and uncertain", with food price deflation unlikely to ease soon.

A Tesco spokesman said: "We are currently experiencing availability issues on a number of Unilever products. We hope to have this issue resolved soon."

Tesco had a significant rift with Premier Foods, the maker of Ambrosia, Oxo and Mr Kipling cakes, in 2011 when the supermarket refused to stock products after the supplier tried to pass on a cost hike.

Former chief executives of Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Morrisons, Marks & Spencer and B&Q all warned ahead of the EU referendum that a drop in the pound - coupled with supply chain disruption - would cause prices to spike.

The Tesco stand-off with Unilever came hours after former Sainsbury's boss Justin King said shoppers should expect price rises after the fall in the value of the pound since the Brexit vote.

Mr King warned supermarkets would struggle to absorb the rise in the cost of importing goods because of the devalued pound, meaning consumers would face higher prices, The Guardian said.

Speaking at a conference in London on Wednesday, Mr King said: "Retailers' margins are already squeezed. So there is no room to absorb input price pressures and costs will need to be passed on."

He added: "No business wants to be the first to blame Brexit for a rise in prices. But once someone does, there will be a flood of companies because they will all be suffering."

Here is a round-up of some of the cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court from October 12.

James Edward Rogerson, 26, causing death by careless driving

A 26-year-old man has made his first court appearance charged with causing death by careless driving.

James Edward Rogerson, of Game Farm, Station Road, Singleton, is alleged to have caused the death of 60-year-old decorator Roy Leadbetter on March 18 on Garstang Road East, Poulton.

Mr Leadbetter died from head injuries in Royal Preston hospital following the incident in which Rogerson is said to have been driving a Nissan Navarra.

District Judge Janet Goodwin adjourned proceedings until November 11. Rogerson was granted unconditional bail.

Steven Perkes, 28, causing damage and two assaults

A new dad pushed the mother of his three-week-old baby into a wardrobe at their home.

Steven Perkes had previously searched the house, even looking under the bed to see if there was someone there, before accused his partner of seeing other men and pulling her hair.

In the fracas, the Moses basket in which their baby daughter was sleeping got moved about, the court was told.

Perkes, 28, of Chatsworth Avenue, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to two offences of assault and one offence of damaging a door.

Malcolm Isherwood, prosecuting, said Perkes accused his partner of drinking too much and after an argument she said he grabbed her hair and pulled it, on October 9 about 7pm.

When police arrived she said she did not want him charged.

Perkes left, but the next morning around 4.40am, his partner heard banging at the front door. He came in, searched the house, accused her of seeing other men and pushed her by the neck into a wardrobe.

Perkes had a previous conviction for assaulting another girlfriend.

John McLaren, defending, said the young couple had been under the stresses and strains of having a new baby and no income.

Perkes hoped to soon get work as a welder’s mate.

The day of the first assault Perkes’ partner had gone out and he agreed to cook the meal. 
He had not had a drink and when she returned he thought she had drunk too much, the court was told. During a row he had momentarily pulled her hair.

She had not wanted him charged with an offence, just to leave the house which he did. 
He had some drink at a pub and intended sleeping in his car but cold prevented him doing that.

The front door of their address was already damaged and Perkes had known how to manipulate it to get in. During a second row he admitted pushing her.

He was sentenced to a 12-month community order with up to 20 days’ rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, ordered to do 100 hours’ unpaid work for the community and told to pay £25 compensation for each assault with £50 compensation for the door plus £85 costs by Blackpool magistrates.

Debra Webster, 50, driving with excess alcohol

A mum who set out on a mercy mission to keep the peace came under police suspicion because she was driving cautiously.

Debra Webster was found to be more than twice the alcohol limit when police pulled her over

Webster, 50, of Laycock Gate, Layton, who pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol, wept in the dock throughout the hearing.

She was banned from the road for 20 months, fined £110 with £40 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said police saw Webster driving a Ford cautiously on Devonshire Road and then swerving about the carriageway on September 22 at 11.45pm.

A breath test showed 83 micrograms of alcohol in her body – 35 is the limit.

Brett Chappell, defending, said Webster’s life was about to fall apart as she had a son with Asperger’s who would only trust her to take him out and to appointments at the doctor’s and hospital. He said the impact of her losing her licence would be devastating for him, and the offence was completely out of character for Webster as she did not usually go out at night, but there was an argument between her son and daughter-in-law and she made the foolish decision to go to try and keep the peace.

This emerging movement is commonly known as the 'gig economy'. Using online freelancing platforms like Jobstoday Freelance, companies of all sizes can outsource projects, or 'gigs', to highly skilled workers who work on them remotely. The gig economy is an ideal option for working parents because they can access opportunities that fit around their families.

The gig economy is growing rapidly. Data from Oxford University's Online Labour Index shows the number of gigs in the UK has increased by 14% since May last year - highlighting that companies in the UK are embracing this new, flexible way of working.

Jonny Dunning, digital recruitement expert and CEO of weliketowork.com believes the growth of the gig economy is a result of small businesses seeing a huge opportunity.

He said: "Small businesses in the UK now have a simple, flexible way of getting work done without having to afford to hire a full-time employee. This on-demand workforce is perfect for small businesses. It also suits the modern professional who is comfortable with other on-demand services like AirBnB which have now become commonplace in most areas of modern life.

“An on-demand workforce means a small business can tap into expertise just when they need it".

According to IPSE, the UK body representing freelancers and contractors, there are now 1.9 million freelancers in the UK, and research from Forbes says this is predicted to continue to grow with one in two people in the UK freelancing by 2020. Despite the rapid growth, there are surprisingly low numbers of parents taking advantage of the gig economy. For example, in 2015 IPSE data shows there were around 287,000 freelancing mums, but that number seems low when you consider there are around 340,000 (source: House of Commons) professional women going on maternity leave each year.

Mr Dunning said: "IPSE's data shows us that only one in seven freelancers in the UK are mums. It is a great start but there are so many opportunities for more mums and dads who want to earn a decent living. If you look at Jobstoday Freelance, we have stay-at-home parents working remotely on projects ranging from mobile app development to accounting and social media management. They work around their family commitments and are earning decent rates of pay."

The gig economy is suitable for any type of work that can be done remotely. For example, web development, writing, accountancy or marketing. All that is required to start is an email address, a computer and a reliable internet connection.
To see how you can combine parenting with a flexible career visit https://freelance.jobstoday.co.uk/

If anybody is in need of a good image makeover right now, it is the everyday, common or garden, clown.

I’m not talking about Donald Trump, although his public relations team have also been required to perform miracles, but the actual traditional ‘red’ clown.

The wheels have fallen off (parp, parp) the public persona of this traditional, red-nosed, bumbling , slapstick, jester whose genial presence at children’s parties has taken a unintentional prat-fall into darkness with the internet-inspired craze of the ‘killer clown.’

Clowns have always been divisive figures, inspiring terror in some with their sad-faces, water-spouting hats and overly large shoes and hilarity in others with their physical theatre, invitation to ridicule and only occasionally successful juggling of objects.

Now the face-painted, onesie-wearing, entertainers have been lumped with a terrifying reputation after the emergence of pretenders filmed leaping out at the unsuspecting and terrifying the very life out of them.

This cult of fear has moved from quite funny, to eye-rolling, to the police being forced to threaten would-be clowns with arrest for harassment and worse following a spate of unpleasant incidents.

Meanwhile McDonald’s are re-thinking public appearances of their previously criminally-unblemished Ronald and children everywhere are developing either coulrophobia (paranoid neurosis i.e fear of clowns) that will blight their adult lives, or criminal records for scaring the wotsits out of old ladies for fun.

I was personally ‘killer-clowned’ in broad daylight on Saturday by a masked 16-year-old hiding inexpertly behind a sparse bush at the entrance to a railway bridge.

This experience merely triggered the giggles on both sides.

But if I had been elderly, not seen him a mile off, and it was dark...

Needless to say this trend has come to us via America, where professional pranksters take things too far for fun and a You Tube video.

Now, ‘killer clowns’ are popping up everywhere in the UK, while genuine clowns sadly draw more painted tears on their chalk-white faces, their rosy cheeks no more.

Here’s hoping the craze wears thin after Halloween but in the meantime Americans, no more clowns please and keep Trump to yourselves.

Our children are traumatised enough.

Sad face.

The Marmite scare is over!

Unilever has confirmed the “supply situation” with Tesco involving the price of Marmite and other products had been “successfully resolved” and that the items are “once again fully available”.

It comes as Unilever, the group behind brands such as Marmite, Flora and Persil, is believed to have demanded a 10 per cent price rise due to the falling value of sterling, halting deliveries to Tesco when it refused.

A “used” jar of Marmite has appeared on eBay for £100,000 as consumers respond to the news of a shortage of the spread.

The listing also throws in free postage and packaging.

Another eBay listing has a “Rare 2016 genuine retail Marmite jar (unopened)” for £5,000, with the description: “One of the last remaining examples of this fabled product in private hands.

“Unsealed, it is in the same condition it was when it was plucked from the supermarket shelf.

“Little did I know it would be the last Marmite I ever bought - and now, you, too, can buy your last ever Marmite”

“FREE postage, UK only. I will not post this item to Europe.”

A 125g jar for £29.99 reads: “A much loved/hated spread once found in many cupboards across Britain, but following the decision to leave the EU has now become an extremely rare item.”

It goes on: “This rare jar of yeast extract could at least ensure that a family somewhere in the country will receive their recommended daily allowance of the B12 vitamin.”

Meanwhile, Poundland worked the spat to its advantage, with freshly printed shelf tickets in stores reassuring customer that there was “No shortage of Marmite here!!”

Time is running out for people to have their say on a proposals for a huge new dual carriageway.

Highways England has put forward plans to build two miles of new road to relieve jams on the A585 between Fleetwood and the M55.

The route would remove major bottlenecks at Singleton but has been dismissed by some residents as a ‘sticking plaster’ rather than a long-term solution.

The consultation ends at midnight on Monday and some 400 people have already contributed comments by post or online. More than 300 people attended public information exhibitions last month.

Highways England Project Manager Sophie Diver said: “We’ve had a fantastic response so far. But with money on the table to tackle congestion between Windy Harbour and Skippool, we want to involve as many people as possible in this consultation.”

The Government wants Highways England to improve drivers’ journeys between Windy Harbour and Skippool near Poulton, where the Shard and Little Singleton junctions are particular congestion bottlenecks.

The improvements would be paid for out of a £15bn pound pot of cash which is being targeted at the country’s most urgent roads projects.

Highways England, which has responsibility for trunk roads, says the 2.7 miles section is one of the busiest and most congested along the 11.5 mile route.

The proposed new dual carriageway, which would leave the current route near Windy Harbour and rejoin close to the River Wyre roundabout is one of two options.

It would involve the digging of a cutting close to Lodge Lane at Singleton and the building of new junctions at Garstang Road and Skippool.

The project could cost £100m.

A cheaper option would be the construction of a smaller section of new single carriageway and the creation of a one way system at Singleton.

Many of those who attended the public consultation events were unimpressed by the plans which they said fail to tackle the real problems along the route.

Members of the public and councillors complained that single carriageway stretches at Greenhalgh and Amounderness Way would not be improved and are calling for a new junction to be constructed on the M55.

Full information can be found at https://highwaysengland.citizenspace.com/he/a585-windy-harbour-to-skippool-improvements

An inquest into the death of a soldier struck by a bus will be held next month.

Matthew Wade, 21, of Cleveleys, was hit by a bus on the A1114 Great Baddow bypass in Chelmsford on August 7 this year.

The serviceman was a member of the 3rd Battalion of The Parachute Regiment and was based in Colchester.

Paying tribute, commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Geoff Hargreaves said Pte Wade had shown “great enthusiasm, professionalism and early potential.”

His inquest will take place at Chelmsford coroner’s court on November 1.

Fly-tippers have struck again at a dumping blackspot in Fleetwood.

The offenders dumped a huge pile of wood, plastic, old electronic equipment and a car tire at the side of Jameson Road, just yards from a nature reserve

The site is targeted by fly-tippers on a regular basis, leading to anger and frustration from residents who visit the nature reserves. After the latest incident, Fleetwood Town Council member Rita Hewitt said local authorities should work together to try and combat the problem.

Coun Hewitt said: “It looks a terrible mess and I made an effort to see if the culprit had left behind any documents.Fly-tipping is an offence and if these people are caught they should have to pay the penalty.”

In June, a massive pile of bricks and wood was off-loaded there, while in April, pieces of cardboard, wood, paper, plastic and an 
old blue carpet were dumped.

For the last three years fly-tiping incidents in Wyre have ranged between 1,500 and more than 2,200 cases.

Here is a round-up of some of the cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court from October 13.

Ian Cameron, 68, possessing extreme pornography and indecent picures of children.

A pensioner was caught with pictures featuring extreme pornography.

Ian Cameron had hundreds of photographs featuring a person committing indecent acts with a chicken, pig, donkey, horse, dog and other animals.

Police found the photographs at Cameron’s home along with hundreds of indecent pictures of children, some at the most depraved level.

Cameron, 68, of Edenvale Avenue, Bispham, pleaded guilty to possessing extreme pornography and having a prohibited picture of a child.

He also admitted three offences of making indecent photographs of children and one offence of possessing 282 indecent photographs of children.

The offences took place between March 2005 and November last year.

Prosecutor, Adrian Hollamby, asked for Cameron to be sentenced at crown court.

Defence lawyer, Robert Castle, said his client had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and had no similar convictions.

Cameron was bailed to appear for sentence on November 9 at Preston Crown Court by Blackpool magistrates.

He must not have any unsupervised contact with children under 18 except for fleeting or inadvertent contact and all his internet browsing history must be retain for inspection as conditions of his bail.

Vincent Mulvey, 38, drink-driving

A man on life licence for murder was more than twice the drink-drive limit as he drove on a mercy mission to get painkillers.

Vincent Mulvey was driving a BMW when he crashed into a moving car at Fleetwood.

Mulvey, 38, of Milton Street, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol without insurance and not in accordance with a licence.

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, banned from the road for 20 months, fined £120 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £300 compensation plus £85 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Mulvey collided with a car on Abbotts Walk on September 29 at 4.20pm. A breath test showed 77 micrograms of alcohol in his body – 35 is the limit.

Brett Chappell, defending, said a woman Mulvey helped care for was very ill and had run out of morphine. She asked him for help and he decided to drive to get her the painkiller.

Mulvey had been in prison for the murder for a lengthy period and was released in April. Once out of jail he struggled and used alcohol as a method of coping.

Probation officer, Lesley Whittaker, said it was the first time Mulvey had breached his licence. A decision had been taken not to recall him to prison, but he had received a warning.

Brendan Simpson, 21, driving while disqualified and with no insurance

A banned driver seen behind the wheel twice in two days believed Russian troops were targeting him

Brendan Simpson felt safe in a car because he thought it was a barrier between himself and the people who were after him a court was told.

At the time he was seen driving the Audi A3 Simpson was the subject of two driving bans and was on a suspended prison sentence.

Simpson, 21, of Grasmere Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to two offences of driving while disqualified without insurance.

He was sentenced to 18 weeks jailsuspended for 12 months with up to 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service and ordered to pay £85 costs with £115 victims’ surcharge by a Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Simpson was banned and disqualified until he passed an extended driving test in January last year for an offensive of dangerous driving. In June last year he was also banned from the road for 12 months for driving while disqualified and put on a suspended prison sentence.

On September 4 a police officer saw Simpson driving an Audi on Rigby Road and recognised him. Checks showed he was disqualified but police were unable to locate the car.

The next day police again saw him at the wheel of the Audi. Simpson darted the car behind a bus and then ran off. He was identified from the CCTV at the rear of the bus. Brett Chappell, defending, said Simpson had surrendered himself at the police station.

Simpson, who had recently become a father, had previously not revealed he suffered from mental health problems. An expert’s reports shown to the court described him as paranoid and said he was now receiving medication for the condition.

Mr Chappell said at the time of the offences Simpson thought he was being targeted by Russian troops in the area which had been employed by the Government.

Wayne Anyon, 44, breaching a restraining order

A man who blatantly breached a court order for the fifth time has been sent to prison.

Wayne Anyon, formerly of Clifford Road, North shore, who was said in court to be now living rough on benches in Stanley Park, was sentenced to 112 days’ jail by Blackpool Magistrates. He admitted contacting a woman which he is prevented from doing by a restraining order.

Jason Longstaff, 44, theft

A defendant was unable to attend court as he had had an allergic reaction to washing power magistrates were told. Jason Longstaff, 44, of Claremont Road, North Shore, is accused of stealing biscuits, flowers and drinks valued at £43 from Morrisons.

Defence lawyer, Stephen Duffy said:”He said he could not attend as he had had an allergic reaction to washing powder and he was given advice to go to his doctor.”

Longstaff was bailed by Blackpool magistrates and banned from entering Morrisons, Cleveleys, as a condition of his bail.

Linda Hunt, 55, theft

A woman accused of stealing a dog has gone on the run. Linda Hunt, 55, of Exchange Street, North Shore, is alleged to have stolen a Patterdale terrier dog belonging to a man. The offence is said to have taken place in Poulton on September 7 this year. Hunt failed to attend court and a warrant without bail was issued for her arrest by Blackpool magistrates.

Brian Byrne, 29, criminal damage

A man whose relationship had finished took his anger out on a bus shelter.

Brian Byrne, 29, of Alexandra Road, Blackpool admitted causing £1,450 damage to glass panes in the shelter near Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

Blackpool Magistrates Court heard that Byrne was suffering mental health problems and adjourned sentence pending him being examined by a mental health worker.

A Thornton lorry driver caught trying to smuggle a £3m cocaine shipment into to the UK has been jailed for 16 years.

Philip Karl Green, 45, of Rydal Avenue, Thornton, was stopped by Border Force officers at Immingham dock as he arrived on a ferry from Esbjerg in Denmark on 25 April 2015.

Concealed under the bunk bed in his cab were around 30 tape-wrapped packages. Forensic analysis showed each contained a kilo of cocaine, between 50 and 60 per cent pure.

In interviews with National Crime Agency officers Green refused to answer any questions. He later claimed that he had been under duress to carry the drugs.

But NCA investigators found evidence to show his motivation was greed. Just three weeks before the seizure Green’s wife had booked a £7,000 holiday in Mexico.

He had also previously been stopped by the authorities at Dover in 2011, where 4.5 million cigarettes had been seized from his truck. Green had been arrested but never charged.

Yesterday, following a four day trial at Grimsby Crown Court a jury found him guilty of importing class A drugs. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Mick Maloney, head of the NCA’s North East Border Investigation team, said: “The drugs seized here had a wholesale value to organised crime of around £1.25 million, but when cut and sold at street value they would have been worth more than £3 million. I’m certain that profit would have been reinvested in further criminality.

“This operation again shows how criminal networks try to exploit legitimate trade and transport routes to evade border controls. But working with our law enforcement partners we are determined to stop that happening and protect the public.”

Mark Robinson, Assistant Director of Border Force Yorkshire & Humber, said: “Cocaine is a destructive drug which damages communities and ruins the lives of users. By preventing this smuggling attempt Border Force stopped a significant amount of harmful substances reaching the UK’s streets.

“Our officers are on constant alert to keep illegal drugs out of the country. We work closely with the National Crime Agency to ensure those behind drug smuggling are caught and convicted.”

The number of rape convictions in Lancashire’s courts remains low - despite the number of reports in the county spiralling by 75 per cent.

Figures released today show Lancashire Police recorded rape offences against 336 children and 492 adults in the financial year 2015/16 - compared to 182 youngsters and 234 adults five years ago.

Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures contained in the Rape Monitoring Group (RMG) report shows the number of rapists convicted at court fell by a third from 42 to just 27 in the 2015 calendar year.

Criminal justice agencies today urged caution around the figures, made up of three different sets of data from police, CPS and MoJ taken over slightly different time-scales.

But concern has been raised about the gulf between reports and convictions.

The report stresses rape is not more prevalent, and “time lags” between recording the crime, charging, prosecuting, and conviction affect the way the data can be compared.

The report also warns the highly publicised Jimmy Savile investigation has led to more people coming forward as they gain in confidence about reporting the offence.

Chairman of the Rape Monitoring Group, HMI Wendy Williams said: “The intention for the release of these digests is to encourage a more thorough analysis of how rape is dealt with throughout the criminal justice process. We know that the data can only provide one part of the performance picture on rape; numbers alone cannot tell the full story and we have worked hard to provide context and understanding.

“We urge those involved in preventing and supporting victims of rape to read the digest for their local area, to prompt discussions about what needs to improve.”

The RMG brings together criminal justice agencies, the voluntary sector, and police in a bid to improve their responses and services to rape victims, monitor data and improve rape investigations.

In the 2015/16 financial year, 273 cases were referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), leading to 144 charges against defendants - some of which are still going through the criminal justice system.

There were 108 prosecutions according the MoJ, many cases reported in previous years that have taken time to get to this stage.

The courts saw 27 convictions in this period.

The CPS records rape cases in a slightly different way with a “marker” - meaning they are flagged as rape related even if the charge is later amended to an alternative offence or dropped, and its figures show 161 prosecutions and 108 convictions in the same period.

Emma Fisher, a counsellor for survivors of sexual abuse who works at Lancashire’s SAFE (Sexual Assault Forensic Examination) Centre, said: “Nationally a conviction rate of six per cent is always cited which is low compared to how many people are raped. But there are a lot of reasons why cases can’t get that far at court.

“Forensic time frames are often against us - I think the people who come forward and agree to be examined at the SAFE Centre are amazing for having that courage - but the best way of getting evidence is to come forward as soon as possible. Investigations are hindered by a lack of physical evidence and the more time that passes by, the less likely we are to get that crucial evidence which can make it harder at court.

“If in doubt at least talk to the Safe Centre - you don’t have to necessarily go to the police. “

The report also points out it may not be appropriate to pursue all complaints of rape through the court process, and investigations can be discontinued for various reasons, including deaths of suspects, resulting in multiple records of rape with no possibility of a conviction.

In addition, it says many survivors have reported historic abuse, not with a view to a prosecution but because they have discovered their attacker may now have access to children and they expect police and other agencies to ensure youngsters are safeguarded.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: ““Lancashire Constabulary continually strives to improve the way in which it works with rape victims and tries to bring the offender to justice. This has led to an increase in confidence from victims that we will be able to help them, and we are now finding that more people are willing to come forward and report what has happened.

“We are committed to preventing and detecting offences of rape and serious sexual assault. We want victims to feel confident that they will be treated with compassion and that we will do everything possible to trace those responsible and take action against them.

“As well as focusing on the actual investigation of a rape, we have dedicated resources in other areas, such as child sexual exploitation and domestic abuse - which can help to identify potential victims and remove them from harmful situations.

“Throughout our involvement in a report of rape, and its subsequent investigation, we offer a victim-centred approach. Rape is a traumatic crime and the victim is at the heart of everything that we do. We work closely in partnership with other agencies, in particular, health, child and adult services, education and the third sector to ensure that victims are provided with a level of support that is appropriate for them.”

The force has introduced several measures to ensure victims are treated with sensitivity and with regard for their future safety, with contact management staff trained in how best to liaise with the victim or whoever reports the crime to get the right information. All reports are attended by a “first responder” trained to deal with victims of sexual crimes and the force has more officers trained in sexual offences investigation and dedicated teams of investigators.

Ian Rushton, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, said things were improving in Lancashire. He said: “All parts of the criminal justice system are working closely in Lancashire to provide the best service we can to victims in rape cases and to bring more offenders to justice.

“We are seeing an increased number of rape cases referred to us from the police and in the past year the CPS has set up a specialist Rape and Serious sexual offences unit in the North West with specially trained prosecutors and paralegal staff.

“Since this team was set up we have seen a significant rise in the conviction rate.”

He added: “Rape cases are some of the most challenging cases that we deal with, but we remain absolutely committed to continuously improve the prosecution of rape and sexual offences cases and the service provided to victims.”

Rape figures 2015/16

Rapes recorded against adults - 492
(source Lancs Police)

Rapes recorded against children - 336
(source Lancs Police)

Rape cases referred to CPS - 273
(source CPS)

Rape charges - 144 (source CPS)

Prosecutions - 108 (source MoJ)

Convictions - 27 (source MoJ)

*NB Police count offences in a financial year (15/16), CPS counts defendants in a financial year (15/16) (and there may be a number of rapes reported against one suspect or defendant by one victim or by more than one victim), and MoJ counts defendants cases in a calendar year (2015)

A grieving woman who cheated the benefits system out of more than £30,000 when she failed to declare cleaning work she was doing will have to sell her home to pay back her ill gotten gains, a court has ruled.

Yvonne Thomas, of Rookwood Avenue, Cleveleys, was brought back before Preston Crown Court, which heard she committed the fraud over a 14-year period.

The 64-year-old’s claims were genuine when she suffered a horse riding injury – but she recovered enough to work, and failed to tell the Department of Work and Pensions and her local authority about her cleaning job.

As a result she was overpaid Disability Living Allowance, Council Tax Benefit, Income Support and Employment Support Allowance.

She sat with her head bowed as prosecuting, Mark Stephenson said she had been found to have benefited by £26,883.57 – but had £89,818 assets available.

Her defence lawyer said: “Of course the defendant will put in motion the sale of her property.”

Judge James Adkin said: “An order is being made to recover the financial equivalent of money you embezzled. Your available assets are significantly greater than that, so I’m able to make a confiscation order for the full amount.

“You have three months to pay that amount, or you will serve 12 months in prison in default.”

A previous hearing was told Thomas left her high flying job as an export sales representative in the United Arab Emirates – where she also coached a national show-jumping team – and returned to the UK with her disabled daughter – who has since died – following the breakdown of her marriage.

When a horseriding accident left her unable to work or prepare a hot meal for herself she started claiming Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to support herself. However she failed to notify the DWP and her local authority when her health improved and she took on a part time job as a cleaner.

On Christmas Eve 2014 Thomas received the devastating news her daughter had choked to death in the shower while on holiday and had to undergo the process of repatriating her body alone.

In February she was given a six month sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work.

Here is a round-up of some of the cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court from October 14.

Daniel Mullen, 56, theft

A man accused of stealing meat from the Blackpool branch of Sainsburys has had his case adjourned for medical reports by resort magistrates.

Daniel Mullen, 56, of Saville Road, South Shore, pleaded not guilty to the offence.

Defence lawyer, Robert Castle, said his client would use the defence that he had previously had a head injury and a medical report was needed.

Catherine Davies, 37, fraud

A woman accused of being a fake landlady at Blackpool was unable to attend the first hearing of her case at magistrates’ court as she had to be in the family court.

Catherine Davies, 37, of Curate Road. Anfield, Liverpool, is alleged to have fraudulently purported to be the landlady of a property on the resort’s Tynedale Road to obtain £630 in rent.

Davies’s case was adjourned by Blackpool magistrates.

Luke Anyon, 21, dangerous driving

A man accused of driving at excess speed while disqualified as he was pursued by the police in Poulton has made his first appearance at court.

Luke Anyon, 21, of Hatfield Avenue, Fleetwood, faces a charge of driving a Ford Transit van dangerously in Breck Road on September 27.

He is also alleged to have been driving while banned without insurance.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, asked for the case to be heard at crown court. Defence lawyer, David Charnley, said his client would not indicate a plea to dangerous driving at that stage.

Anyon was bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on November 9 by Blackpool magistrates.

David Tuck, 27, drink-driving

A drunken driver crashed into a phone box a bollard and traffic lights after panicking when he was followed by police.

David Tuck then fled from the accident scene and was later tracked down hiding under a car in a nearby road.

Tuck, , 27, of Boothley Road, North Shore, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was disqualified from driving for 17 months, fined £120 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police followed Tuck as he drove a VW Beetle on September 29 at 1.50am. He went round a roundabout on Grasmere Road, accelerated fast away and the officer estimated he was doing at least 60mph.

He was followed onto Rigby Road where he had crashed into a phone box bollard and traffic lights. The phone box was on its side and a wire hanging from the traffic lights.

The car was empty but Tuck was caught nearby. A breath test showed 62 micrograms of alcohol in his body -35 is the limit. He had injured his chin and was taken to hospital.

Stephen Duffy, defending, said his client had been going to McDonalds for something to eat and panicked when he saw the police officer behind him.

Tuck denied driving at 60mph.

Siobhan Winstanley, 25, fraud

A mother-of-three turned benefits cheat when she concealed from the authorities her children no longer lived with her and had been taken into care.

Siobhan Winstanley illegally claimed more than £6,000 from the public purse by her deception.

Winstanley, 25, of Horsebridge Road, Grange Park, pleaded guilty to two offences of dishonestly failing to notify a change in circumstances to obtain benefits.

She was sentenced to an eight weeks curfew and ordered to pay £40 costs with £60 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said between November 2011 and August last year Winstanley illegally claimed a total of £6,037 in income support and housing benefit when she did not disclose to the authorities her three children has been taken into care. She had completed a review for income support stating her three children still lived in her household.

Steven Townley, defending, said Winstanley had separated from her partner because it was a violent relationship. Social services then became involved and took the children into care. Winstanley resumed her relationship with her partner for 10 months and she then told him it was over.

Winstanley said she had been told by a social worker that she would not get child benefit when the children were in care but she could claim other benefits.

Andrew Dearth, 50, theft

A man stole two Marvel action figures hoping to sell them because he was not receiving benefits money,

Andrew Dearth, 50, of Park Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to theft.

He was given a two year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £20 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said

Dearth was put under citizen’s arrest by a customer who saw him stealing two action figures valued at £59 from the resort’s Disney Store on September 23.

Police found a small pair of scissors in Dearth’s possession which he had used to cut the security tags from the figures. Dearth had a record of similar theft convictions.

Stephen Duffy, defending, said Dearth had a drug problem.

Robert Harding, 38, driving offences

A man accused of perverting the course of justice has gone on the run. Robert Harding, 38, of Hodgson Road, North Shore, Blackpool, is alleged to have perverted the course of justice by giving false details to a police officer leading to the incorrect person being prosecuted for road traffic offences. Harding is also accused of driving without insurance and not in accordance with a licence. He did not attend the first hearing of his case and a warrant without bail for his arrest was issued by Blackpool magistrates.

Shaun Perkes, 33, cannabis possession

A man accused of possessing cannabis has appeared at court.

Shaun Perkes, 33, of Agnew Road, Fleetwood, had his case adjourned by Blackpool magistrates after his defence lawyer said police were going to be asked if Perkes could receive a caution.

Declan Tarrant, 20, burglary

A man broke into a town centre Blackpool bar and enjoyed a drinking spree. Declan Tarrant, 20, had four months added to a jail term he is currently serving at Preston Prison.

Tarrant admitted burgling Pepe’s Bar on Talbot Road,Blackpool Magistrates heard. Once inside he drank vodka and a bottle of whisky was taken. The court heard that a workman at a building opposite noticed the front door of the bar had been opened at a time he knew the place was shut. He looked inside and alerted police who caught 
Tarrant.

Faulty wiring was to blame for a flat fire in Fleetwood.

Three fire engines from Fleetwood and Bispham attended the blaze in the first floor flat on Balmoral Terrace.

Firefighters used four breathing apparatus sets and one hose reel to extinguish the fire.

The flat was empty, but two occupants on the ground floor were evacuated.

There were no injuries reported.

Firefighters, who received the emergency call shortly before 10pm last night, were at the scene for about one-and-a-half hours.

More flood warnings have been issued by the Environment Agency for parts of Lancashire.

A second flood warning has been issued for the Thornton area.

It comes after a flood alert for the Wyre Estuary was upgraded to a more severe ‘flood warning’ around Hambleton.

A flood alert remains in place for neighbouring areas from Fleetwood down to Poulton and as far east as Great Eccleston. The affected area has also been extended to include a large around Thornton.

An alert has also been issued for the Lune Estuary, south and east of Lancaster, and around the coast of Morecambe Bay.

The Environment Agency warned of tidal spray and flooding on roads and proms. Tides in the area are expected to peak around midnight and experts say flooding could occur two hours before or after.

In a statement the agency said: “Some roads and properties are likely to be affected. People are warned to stay away from the coast.

“Environment Agency officers have checked defences and are monitoring sea levels and weather conditions.”

There are 20 flood warnings and 40 flood alerts currently in place around the country.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service says it is preparing its crews for flooding incidents overnight.

It has issued advice on its website for people living in areas that could be under threat.

- Have you been affected or seen any flooding in the area? Contact our news team on 01772 838164 or email karl.holbrook@jpress.co.uk