A veteran Cleveleys trader is calling for an urgent re-think in the way to attract tourists into the town.

Michael Mason, whose family have run Masons Amusements on the promenade for around 70 years, says trade in Cleveleys is falling away, partly because coaches are not being accommodated properly.

Mr Mason is calling on Wyre Council to listen to the concerns of traders and permanently re-instate a temporary solution to coach parking which he says was a big success this year – until the council halted it.

He said: “For the last few years, the first two coaches to arrive for the day have been parking up in the bays on Rough Lea Road and then staying there all day, blocking things off the other coaches who had nowhere to go. It’s been a big problem.

“Finally, this summer Wyre agreed to allow coaches to park on the virtually-unused car park at Jubilee Gardens on a trial basis. This worked brilliantly and alleviated the congestion at the top of Victoria Road and provided a much needed place for coaches to park.

“We wrote to every coach company that has visited the resort in the last three years to tell them about this, other traders handed out maps and directions.

“It’s been a huge success.

“Wyre Council now says the trial has ended and they will be looking an alternate site which can accommodate no more than four coaches.

“In the meantime there will be no coach parking in Cleveleys and the coach companies will all now have to put up with being messed about again. They’re just not going to come any more. They’re telling us this and we’re telling the council, but they’re not interested.”

A Wyre Council spokeswoman said: “We are looking into a long-term solution to the issue of visitors to Cleveleys and will be liaising fully with traders,”

A child rapist who got one of his victims pregnant has been branded “a risk to young children” after being sent back to jail.

A child rapist who got one of his victims pregnant has been branded “a risk to young children” after being sent back to jail.

Daniel Bowen, 39, was released from prison just six years into his sentence for sexually assaulting two girls.

But he was yesterday hauled before Blackpool magistrates after being caught breaching the terms of his licence by sending messages on Facebook to a 10-year-old boy .

Bowen, of Warrenhurst Road,Fleetwood, was sent back behind bars to complete the rest of the 12-year jail sentence he was given in 2009.

On that occasion he pleaded guilty to four counts of rape.

Three of those charges related to the same girl, who he abused on separate occasions between the ages of 11 and 13.

Speaking after yesterday’s hearing, a Lancashire Police spokesman said: “Bowen clearly remains a risk to young people and he will now have to serve out the remainder of his sentence for what was an horrendous offence.”

Following his release from prison, Bowen, formerly of Warbreck Drive, Blackpool, moved from a hostel in Blackburn to Fleetwood.

It was there he breached the Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) imposed to prevent him re-offending.

Blackpool magistrates heard the message was found by his probation officer who examined the contents of Bowen’s phone during a routine appointment.

Bowen admitted the breach and Pam Smith,prosecuting, said the defendant was to be recalled to prison and faced completing the rest of his original sentence.

Patrick Nelligan, defending,said that the offence was committed when Bowen was feeling very lonely.

“Had he known he was breaching his SOPO in a sinister manner he would have deleted the message from his phone,” he added.

Bowen, a former security guard, had a further 21 days added to his custody term.

When he was released initially, Bowen has served half of his original jail term, which was to be followed by eight years on extended licence –bringing his total sentence to 20 years.

The judge at the time called him a “dangerous” offender, and added: “There aren’t many cases worse than this.”

The court was told back in 2009 that one of his victims had fallen pregnant following the attacks and had to have the baby terminated.

He admitted the offences but despite showing remorse, the judge said at the time he was “still dangerous”.

His comments were echoed by Det Insp Tony Baxter, now a chief inspector with Lancashire Police’s public protection unit, who said: “This is one of the worst cases I’ve seen in all the years I’ve been doing this kind of work.”

A man was spotted riding a motorbike the wrong way along a one-way street in Blackpool.

Lucas Broten was found to be more than twice over the limit when he was stopped.

Broten, a 20-year-old cleaner, of Brookfield Road, Thornton, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was banned from the road for 20 months, fined £110 with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £150 court charge plus £20 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Martine Connah, prosecuting, said police saw Broten riding a motorbike the wrong way down a one-way street on August 29 at 5.30am.

Police followed him, saw he was unsteady on the bike and stopped him on Talbot Road, Blackpool.

A breath test showed 75 microgrammes of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit.

Martin Hillson, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had intended to stay the night with friends.

When he got to the friends’ home someone queried if he was going to leave his motorbike in the town centre.

He decided to go and collect it for security reasons.

The bike was three or four streets away from the friends’ home, but Broten got lost and police saw him going the wrong way.

A man was spotted acting suspiciously by police in the garden of an address he did not live at.

Alan Beavers was searched and officers found an array of implements plus drugs.

Beavers, 28, of Hamlet Road, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to going equipped for theft and possessing amphetamine.

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 35 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, ordered to do 60 hours unpaid work for the community and told to pay a £180 court charge with £60 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said police saw Beavers in the garden of an address on Fleetwood’s Waverley Avenue at 3.40am on August 21.

He was wearing gloves, had two spark-plus, plus a torch and a metal bar was found on his bicycle nearby.

Kathryn Jamieson-Sinclair, defending, said the amphetamine had been given to him by a friend.

Mrs Jamieson-Sinclair added: “At the time he was very down on his luck. He had no accommodation or benefits.

“He was essentially foraging for items he could sell.”

An electrician was caught committing his third offence of drink-driving in Fleetwood

David Spencer, whose transit van was stopped because it had no rear lights on, told an officer he had drunk just one pint.

Spencer, 28, of Broadway, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was sentenced to do 80 hours unpaid work for the community, banned from the road for three years and ordered to pay a £150 court charge with £85 costs plus £60 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said police saw Spencer driving a van without rear lights on Amounderness Way, Cleveleys, at 10.50pm on August 22.

He was stopped and police smelt alcohol on him.

A breath test showed 42 microgrammes of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit.

The court heard Spencer had two previous convictions for drink-driving.

David Charnley, defending, said his client had had a pint of lager at lunchtime, then another drink about 40 minutes before he was stopped by police.

He had been working and not eaten which may have affected his alcohol level.

As a result of the offence he had lost lucrative sub-contracting work with a company, working in the south. He would have to get other work or be unable to pay his mortgage.

A man accused of stealing two bottles of wine from the Cleveleys branch of B and M Bargains failed to attend court.

John Dyson, 50, of Whinfield Avenue, Fleetwood, had a warrant without bail issued by Blackpool magistrates for his arrest.

A man stole a bottle of alcohol worth £15 from a Fleetwood supermarket despite having £200 on him at the time.

When caught by a security guard Steven Eker said he had bought the bottle from another shop, but he had to confess when CCTV was shown to him.

Eker, unemployed, 39, of Egerton Road, North Shore, pleaded guilty to theft and possession of cannabis.

He was given a 12 months conditional discharge and told to pay a £180 court charge with £85 costs plus £15 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said a security alarm at Asda, Dock Street, went off when Eker left the store on August 12 at 8.45pm.

He was apprehended by a security guard and a bottle of liqueur was found in his manbag.

At first he said he had bought the liqueur at Aldi. The guard then showed him the CCTV from Adsa which showed Eker hiding the bottle in his bag.

The guard then asked him if he had anything else on him - meaning goods stolen from the shop.

Eker took a bag containing cannabis out of his sock and threw it in a bin.

Trevor Colebourne, defending, said 10 years ago Eker had been the victim of a serious assault.

He spent nearly a year in hospital, much of it in a coma.

He had suffered a brain injury and had not worked since.

Mr Colebourne added: “He had £200 on him when he was arrested and on the face of it there was no reason for him to take the bottle of alcohol.”

ASDA, Boots, Sainsbury’s and gravy brand Bisto have all recalled food products this week following health concerns.

Sainsbury’s has recalled one litre cartons of its Basics range Unsweetened UHT Soya Drink with a best before date of May 9 2016 as a manufacturing fault has caused the product to curdle in some cases.

Asda has recalled 710g packs of Asda Chosen By You Pickled Crinkle Cut Beetroot as there is a risk the product may contain bacteria, Clostridium Botulinum, which can cause food poisoning. Affected packs have a best before date of December 6.

Boots is recalling a number of ready to eat sushi products as they may contain pieces of metal.

It is recalling:

Strand Super Duper Veggie Sushi 187g, Strand Super Duper Salmon Sushi 191g, Strand Super Duper Nigiri Sushi 232g, Shapers Salmon and Prawn Sushi Rice Salad 156g, Shapers Smoked Salmon Sushi main 118g, Shapers Hoi Sin Duck Sushi main 121g, Shapers Veggie Sushi main 115g, Shapers Sushi Mini Rolls main 186g, Shapers Sweet Chilli Chicken Rice Sushi salad 153g, Shapers Smoked Sushi snack 66g, Shapers Veggie Sushi snack 59g, Shapers Sushi limited edition 129g and Shapers Prawn and Salmon Sushi.

All products have a use by date of September 17 or September 18.

Batches of Bisto for Chicken Gravy Granules and Reduced Salt Bisto for Chicken Gravy Granules have also been recalled as 170g packs with a best before date of January 2017 may contain pieces of metal.

In all cases, customers should return the product to the shop that they bought it from for a full refund.

YOU may not want to hear it, but shoppers should already be planning for Christmas if they want to avoid ending the year in debt, analysts have warned.

Now, with less than 100 days until Christmas Day, (which falls on a Friday this year), research from American Express suggests one in seven havalready started buying gifts.

While that kind of planning might seem far too meticulous for most, breaking Christmas costs into more affordable monthly chunks could help shoppers avoid trouble later on.

The Money Advice Service found that more than six million Britons fell behind on their finances in January this year as excessive festive season spending caught up with them.

Standard Life’s Julie Hutchison offers five tips:

1. Start saving now

Start putting money aside now - for example, £20 a week - and you will have much more available for Christmas shopping. Physically putting this money aside can really help, as some people find they spend more unknowingly when it is in their bank account.

With the typical family Christmas costing £650, a little extra saved each week will help tremendously come December. Setting aside £20 a week between now and the end of November would give you an extra £300 towards this.

2. Book your travel well in advance

Whether you are booking a hotel, train journey or flight, doing so in advance could really cut your costs. Make sure you shop around for different prices - there are lots of websites which can help you do this, such as TrainLine and CheapFlights.

3. Put price limits on presents

Make sure you sit down with family and friends to discuss the subject of presents sooner rather than later. Why not agree to do a Secret Santa within your friendship group rather than buying individual gifts and set a price limit for family presents?

Setting a maximum price is an effective way to help factor in present costs, making it easier to plan.

4. Shop smart

Bear affordability in mind when shopping, especially when it comes to the big Christmas food shop. Can you bulk-buy at a discount supermarket? Does your local butcher or food shop offer a savings scheme to help you spread the cost through the year?

If you are buying for young children they will be unaware of price so there is little point going overboard with top-of-the-range gifts. Similarly, if you know someone has simple tastes, do not opt for designer gear if they would be happy with a more basic version.

5. Use social media to bag a bargain

Use Twitter to scan popular phrases and hashtags such as #deal or #offer - you will find many people sharing extra tips or links to discount vouchers and special offers.

It is also worth following big brands and retailers as many regularly announce deals and offers available through their social channels. ASOS, M&S and Amazon are great examples of brands that reward loyal customers with discount codes and early entry to sales.

An outbreak of highly drug resistant gonorrhoea has been detected in the north of England, triggering a national alert.

Fifteen cases have been detected by Public Health England (PHE) so far, the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV said.

Reports to PHE’s sexually transmitted bacteria reference unit (STBRU) of cases of the infection being highly resistant to the azithromycin drug have previously been rare, it added.

The outbreak, which was first detected in Leeds in March, has since spread, with cases reported in patients from Macclesfield, Oldham and Scunthorpe.

All of the cases involve heterosexual patients, and some people have reported partners from other parts of England.

The association said: “ An outbreak control team meeting has been convened and STBRU are currently performing next generation sequencing on these strains to better understand the molecular epidemiology.”

It added: “PHE is concerned that the effectiveness of current front-line dual therapy for gonorrhoea will be threatened if this resistant strain continues to spread unchecked.”

The number of infections detected may seem small, Peter Greenhouse, a consultant in sexual health based in Bristol said, but added there could be more undetected cases.

He told the BBC: “This azithromycin highly-resistant outbreak is the first one that has triggered a national alert.

“It doesn’t sound like an awful lot of people, but the implication is there’s a lot more of this strain out there and we need to stamp it out as quickly as possible.

“If this becomes the predominant strain in the UK we’re in big trouble, so we have to be really meticulous in making sure each of these individuals has all their contacts traced and treated.”

There were almost 35,000 cases of g onorrhoea reported in England last year - it is the second most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the UK after chlamydia.

The majority of cases affect people under the age of 25. Around 10% of men and almost half of women with the infection do not experience symptoms.

Homes across the North West are seeing an increase in large spiders after a mild end to the summer, as males go on the hunt for a mate, experts say.

Fine weather throughout the summer is expected to result in a “good year” for residents to encounter large house spiders.

Spiders remain in their webs - commonly in sheds, gardens and wood piles - until the autumn, when males become nomadic to search for a mate.

This leads to an influx of male spiders indoors between mid-September to mid-October, while females remain in their webs.

Adam Hart, professor of science communication at the University of Gloucestershire, said: “We’ve been running a survey of house spiders for a couple of years and mid-September through to mid-October is the height of ‘spider season’.

“We’ve had another good summer which means we might be in for another good year for large spiders (or a bad year if you aren’t a fan).”

Here are eight ways to keep them at bay:

1. If you have a garden, position as close as possible to the house plants that will attract ladybirds. They will help keep spiders away from the perimeter of your home.

2. Make your own natural spider spray and apply it to favourite haunts for eight-legged invaders, such as the bathroom, as well as spraying outside along windows and doors so spiders do not want to enter. To make the spray, mix a cup of apple cider vinegar, a teaspoon of oil, a handful of ground pepper and a teaspoon of washing up liquid. Use a spray bottle to apply, and always respray outside after rain.

3. Spiders hate peppermint oil, so dilute some in water and spray it as above. Make sure you keep it away from pets and people.

4. Keep your home as free from clutter as possible. Spiders love a heap in which to form a home out of sight. So dust regular and put all boxes and packages away quickly to prevent spiders from spinning a web. You should also immediately sweep away any cobwebs you find.

5. Get a pet. Most pets - and cats in particular - will chase anything that moves. But beware if you have particularly venomous spiders in your home - they can harm animals too.

6. Clean around the exterior of your home. Spiders love things like piles of wood, old flower ports, and debris. If they form a home there, they are one step away from ‘upgrading’ to a new pad in your home itself. Make sure any necessary pile of material in the garden is as far away from the home as possible.

7. Perfume your home with cedar - it’s a great natural smell but spiders hate it.

8. Eat oranges and lemons. Spiders don’t like citrus smells, so having these in the home can be a deterrent, as are essential oils in citrus scents.

Have you tried these methods? What works best for you?

Related Articles:

{news/local/giant-house-spiders-are-invading-lancashire-homes-1-7427965|Giant house spiders are invading our homes}

{news/local/warning-over-venomous-false-widow-spiders-after-mild-end-to-summer-1-7465612|Warning over venomous Flase Widow spiders after mild end to summer}

Homes across the North West are seeing an increase in large spiders after a mild end to the summer, as males go on the hunt for a mate, experts say.

Fine weather throughout the summer is expected to result in a “good year” for residents to encounter large house spiders.

Spiders remain in their webs - commonly in sheds, gardens and wood piles - until the autumn, when males become nomadic to search for a mate.

This leads to an influx of male spiders indoors between mid-September to mid-October, while females remain in their webs.

Adam Hart, professor of science communication at the University of Gloucestershire, said: “We’ve been running a survey of house spiders for a couple of years and mid-September through to mid-October is the height of ‘spider season’.

“We’ve had another good summer which means we might be in for another good year for large spiders (or a bad year if you aren’t a fan).”

Here are eight ways to keep them at bay:

1. If you have a garden, position as close as possible to the house plants that will attract ladybirds. They will help keep spiders away from the perimeter of your home.

2. Make your own natural spider spray and apply it to favourite haunts for eight-legged invaders, such as the bathroom, as well as spraying outside along windows and doors so spiders do not want to enter. To make the spray, mix a cup of apple cider vinegar, a teaspoon of oil, a handful of ground pepper and a teaspoon of washing up liquid. Use a spray bottle to apply, and always respray outside after rain.

3. Spiders hate peppermint oil, so dilute some in water and spray it as above. Make sure you keep it away from pets and people.

4. Keep your home as free from clutter as possible. Spiders love a heap in which to form a home out of sight. So dust regular and put all boxes and packages away quickly to prevent spiders from spinning a web. You should also immediately sweep away any cobwebs you find.

5. Get a pet. Most pets - and cats in particular - will chase anything that moves. But beware if you have particularly venomous spiders in your home - they can harm animals too.

6. Clean around the exterior of your home. Spiders love things like piles of wood, old flower ports, and debris. If they form a home there, they are one step away from ‘upgrading’ to a new pad in your home itself. Make sure any necessary pile of material in the garden is as far away from the home as possible.

7. Perfume your home with cedar - it’s a great natural smell but spiders hate it.

8. Eat oranges and lemons. Spiders don’t like citrus smells, so having these in the home can be a deterrent, as are essential oils in citrus scents.

Have you tried these methods? What works best for you?

Related Articles:

{news/local/giant-house-spiders-are-invading-lancashire-homes-1-7427965|Giant house spiders are invading our homes}

{news/local/warning-over-venomous-false-widow-spiders-after-mild-end-to-summer-1-7465612|Warning over venomous Flase Widow spiders after mild end to summer}

A dad of four smashed a window with his fist in frustration when he visited an address in Fleetwood.

Anthony Alcock said he had paid a man £100 for house painting which had not been carried out, and he lost his temper when the man made snide remarks to him.

Alcock, 35, of Leven Avenue, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to causing damage.

Malcolm Isherwood, prosecuting, said Alcock went to a woman’s home in Fleetwood and argued with her son on August 8 about 8.25pm. He was asked to leave, but turned around and punched a kitchen window.

Gerry Coyle, defending, said Alcock had paid the son £100 to do some painting at his home, but it was not done. The son hid behind his mother when Alcock went to confront him, and made snide remarks., the court heard. Alcock was ordered to pay £150 compensation with a £150 court charge plus £50 costs by Blackpool magistrates.

Police have warned residents to be vigilant against a new scam involving cold callers asking for money and threatening to turn off computers.

Two people have been targeted by calls believed to be coming from Greece.

PCSO Mike Duff of Fleetwood Police said: “We’ve had two recent reports of a male claiming to be working for Talk Talk calling victims and asking for money.

“When the request for money has been denied the male has threatened to turn off the victims computer and then proceeds to turn it off, which leaves the computer with a virus and is unable to be turned back on.

“The phone number that calls starts with 0030 – which I believe is the Greek international dialling code.

“Please be vigilant when answering calls from unknown numbers and never hand over bank account details if asked.”

If anyone has any concerns about the callers they are asked to email PCSO Mike Duff on 7676@lancashire.pnn.police.uk or PCSO Vicky Sullivan on 7852@lancashire.pnn.police.uk

Residents can also contact police on the non-emergency number 101.

From October 1st, several changes to the law around smoking come into force. Here’s everything you need to know:

It will be an offence for a person of any age to smoke in a private vehicle that is carrying someone who is under 18 and for a driver (including a provisional driver) not to stop someone smoking in these circumstances. The rules don’t apply to e-cigarettes.

The fixed penalty notice fine for both offences is £50. Somebody who commits both offences could get 2 fines.

Private vehicles must be carrying more than one person to be smokefree so somebody who is 17 and smoking alone in a private vehicle won’t be committing an offence.

Enforcement officers (usually the police) will use their discretion to decide whether to issue a warning or a fixed penalty notice, or whether to refer an offence to court.

It will also be illegal for retailers to sell electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) or e-liquids to someone under 18 for adults to buy (or try to buy) tobacco products or e-cigarettes for someone under 18 to smoke in private vehicles that are carrying someone under 18.

Why is the law changing?

Every time a child breathes in secondhand smoke, they breathe in thousands of chemicals. This puts them at risk of serious conditions, such as meningitis, cancer and respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. It can also make asthma worse.

Secondhand smoke is dangerous for anyone, but children are especially vulnerable, because they breathe more rapidly and have less developed airways, lungs and immune systems. Over 80% of cigarette smoke is invisible and opening windows does not remove its harmful effect.

The law is changing to protect children and young people from such harm.

The legislation covers any private vehicle that is enclosed wholly or partly by a roof. A convertible car, or coupe, with the roof completely down and stowed is not enclosed and so isn’t covered by the legislation. But a vehicle with a sunroof open is still enclosed and so is covered by the legislation.

Sitting in the open doorway of an enclosed vehicle is covered by the legislation.

The rules apply to motorhomes, campervans and caravans when they are being used as a vehicle but don’t apply when they are being used as living accommodation.

The rules don’t apply to boats, ships and aircraft, as they have their own rules work vehicles and public transport, as they are already covered by smoke-free legislation

More about {https://www.gov.uk/government/news/smoking-in-vehicles|changes to law on smoking in vehicles at gov.uk|go to gov.uk}.

Poundland said it would complete its £55m. takeover of rival 99p Stores by the end of this month after it received formal clearance from competition authorities.

It had faced an in-depth probe by the Competition and Markets Authority, which might have meant it having to sell off a clutch of outlets.

The CMA had initially been concerned about the lessening of competition in 80 areas of the country after the merger between Poundland and its biggest rival.

But it has now ditched its worries about the deal after agreeing competition will be provided by big supermarket chains Tesco and Asda - as well as the likes of Poundworld and B&M.

The planned merger, announced in February, will create a network of 800 shops.

It was provisionally given the green light by the CMA last month and has now received formal final clearance.

The regulator said: “The CMA has concluded the merger may not be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition.

“Consequently, customers would not face a reduction in choice, value or quality of service as a result of the merger.

“The CMA found that, along with Poundworld, the companies are each other’s closest competitors, but after the merger they will still face competition from other value retailers such as B&M, Home Bargains, Wilko and Bargain Buys, along with Tesco and, to an extent, Asda.”

Poundland chief executive Jim McCarthy said: “We welcome the CMA’s decision to clear the merger.

“We believe the acquisition of 99p Stores will be great for both customers and shareholders and we will now move to completion by the end of the month.”

Earlier this year, Poundland reported a 19% rise in underlying pre-tax profits to £43.7m. for the year to the end of March as sales topped £1 billion for the first time - and set the scene for further expansion.

However, it said the first half of the current financial year would be “relatively subdued” compared with a period last year when it benefited from a late Easter, good weather and the loom band craze.

Poundland opened its first store in Burton-on-Trent in 1990. It floated on the stock market last year. It had 588 stores at the end of the 2014/15 financial year.

Family-run firm 99p Stores has agreed to sell out 14 years after it was founded with a single store in north London by entrepreneur Nadir Lalani.

It has grown rapidly in recent years following the demise of Woolworths in 2008 as bargain retailers have become regular fixtures in UK high streets.

The chain has grown to 251 sites, trading as 99p Stores and Family Bargains, which serve more than two million customers.

Shore Capital analyst Clive Black said receiving final clearance would be pleasing for Poundland after “a somewhat frustrating and time consuming process with which to gain UK regulatory approval”.

More than 140 press and campaign bodies urge Prime Minister not to weaken FOI Act.

More than 140 media bodies, campaign groups and others have written to the Prime Minister expressing ‘serious concern’ at the government’s approach to the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.

And the editorial board of Johnston Press, our publisher, are among these groups.

They are worried a new commission might turn back the clock on the public’s right to know how government operates and how public money is spent.

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (and a Scottish Act from 2002) gave the public and journalists the right to ask questions about local authorities, the NHS, government departments, the police and many others – and they have to answer.

But the act has not been without its critics and on July 17 the Government announced a Commission on Freedom of Information.

Publishers like Johnston Press are concerned the commission is made up of politicians who are critical of the act and people who are subject to it, who are likely to restrict its remit.

There is also concern at government plans to introduce fees for tribunal appeals when someone disagrees with a ruling by the Information Commissioner. These are currently free of charge.

The letter from publishers and campaign groups has been co-ordinated by the Campaign for Freedom of Information, a lobbying group which campaigned for several decades to have the act passed as law.

The letter says the commission’s “purpose is to consider new restrictions to the Act”.

It points out that the Commission’s five members include two former home secretaries, a former permanent secretary and the chair of a body subject to the FOI Act.

A government perspective on the Act’s operation “will be well represented on the Commission itself” the letter says.

Among the commission members are:

Former Home Secretary Jack Straw, who has said the FOI act “provides too great a level of disclosure”. When in government, Mr Straw called for information about government policy formulation to be automatically withheld, regardless of any public interest in its disclosure. Mr Straw called for charges to be introduced for FOI requests and said it should be significantly easier to refuse requests on cost grounds.

Dame Patricia Hodgson, chair of the communications regulator Ofcom. In 2012 Ofcom said “there is no doubt” the FOI Act had a “chilling effect”, discouraging the proper recording of information by public authorities. Ofcom has called for it to be made easier for authorities to refuse requests on cost grounds.

The letter says:

“An independent Commission is expected to reach its views based on the evidence presented to it rather than the pre-existing views of its members.

“Indeed, in appointing members to such a body we would expect the government to expressly avoid those who appear to have already reached and expressed firm views. It has done the opposite. The government does not appear to intend the commission to carry out an independent and open minded inquiry. Such a review cannot provide a proper basis for significant changes to the FOI Act.”

Jeremy Clifford, chairman of Johnston Press editorial board said: “Johnston Press editors and journalists have used the FOI act consistently over the past decade to inform readers on many, many issues that directly affect them.

“We are deeply concerned at any plans to restrict the act and urge David Cameron to consider the membership of this commission and its remit.”

The letter also expresses concern at government proposals to introduce fees for tribunal appeals against the Information Commissioner’s FOI decisions, currently free.

Government proposals would require requesters to pay £100 for an appeal based on written submissions and £600 for one involving an oral hearing.

The letter says the introduction of fees for Employment Tribunal appeals has led to a drastic decrease in the number of cases brought and says a similar effect on the number of FOI appeals is likely.

The organisations say “We regard the FOI Act as a vital mechanism of accountability which has transformed the public’s rights to information and substantially improved the scrutiny of public authorities. We would deplore any attempt to weaken it.”

What is the Freedom of Information Act 2000?

The Act became law in 2005 and allows public access to information held by 100,000 public authorities in the UK (Scotland is covered by a similar act from 2002).

Everyone can request official information from councils, government departments and agencies – and they have to tell you.

Public authorities of all levels are covered by the act – the police, the armed forces, regulators, the BBC, the Houses of Parliament, NHS bodies and many more.

The act does not cover personal data (that falls under the Data Protection Act) and some information is exempt. But it does allow ordinary people, journalists and campaigners the right to know how public money is spent

Access to information helps the public make public authorities accountable for their actions and allows public debate to be better informed and more productive.

More than 400,000 information requests were made in the first ten years from the act becoming law in 2005.

Journalists in all types of newspaper routinely make FOI requests to uncover information for stories.

Some things revealed by FOI requests:

Publication of the individual mortality rates for all heart surgeons working in the NHS highlighted varying performance levels across UK hospitals.

Public sector salaries higher than £150,000 were first released under FOI - but they are now routinely published.

Prince Charles’ ‘black spider memos’ - letters to government ministers – were published after an FOI request by the Guardian.

The 2009 revelations about MPs’ expenses would not have been made available had parliamentary authorities not been preparing a heavily redacted document for FOI release (the information was later leaked to the press).

Who has signed the letter expressing concern at the Commission on Freedom of Information?

The letter to the Prime Minister, which has been co-ordinated by the Campaign for Freedom of Information, has been signed by media bodies including:

Johnston Press Editorial Board,

Archant, Belfast Telegraph, BSkyB, CN Group Limited, Computer Weekly, Coventry Telegraph, Daily Mail, Evening Standard, Exaro, Guardian News & Media Limited, i, Independent, Independent on Sunday, KM Group, Liverpool Echo, Loughborough and Shepshed Echo, Mail on Sunday, Metro, National Union of Journalists, Newbury Weekly News, News Media Association, Newsquest, Nursing Standard, NWN Media, Oxford Mail & The Oxford Times, Press Association, Press Gazette, Private Eye, Pulse, Society of Editors, South Wales Argus, Southern Daily Echo, Southport Visitor, Sun, Sunday Life, The Sunday Times, Telegraph Media Group, The Irish News, The Sunday Post, The Times, Trinity Mirror, Trinity Mirror Regionals and Welfare Weekly.

More than 100 campaigning groups have also signed.

Residents opposed to controversial planning proposals face a fresh fight against developers hoping to build in the Wyre countryside.

Councillors last month threw out plans to build 165 homes in Thornton after being bombarded by hundreds of objections – despite planning officers recommending the scheme for approval.

Wainhomes (North West) has now lodged an appeal against the decision, which was made due to concerns about the size and location of the proposed development, on land off Lambs Road.

Wainhomes has called for a two-day inquiry to be held due to the ‘substantial local interest’ and intends to call two witnesses.

A date has yet to be set, but residents said they are ready to fight again and have reacted to news of the appeal with fighting spirit.

Clare Longton wrote on the SOS Save Our Stanah and Little Thornton’s Facebook page: “Fight number two here we come.”

Pat Hignett added: “Running shoes ready for round two.”

And Katie Powell wrote: “Fingers crossed it will be rejected again.”

Furious residents – many of whom form part of the group – sent hundreds of letters of objection to the council.

They expressed concerns over traffic, saying roads were ‘already at breaking point’, the size, scale, and location of the development, and about local wildlife.

Some also said the increase in population could overwhlem ‘limited’ NHS services.

Ben Wallace, Conservative MP for Wyre, also raised ‘serious concerns’ in his response to the plans.

He said: “If this planning application is granted permission it would demonstrate that planning in Wyre is developer-led rather than planner-led.”

The 5.8 hectare site, a derelict pig farm, currently houses nine buildings and a farmyard and is identified in Wyre Council’s Local Plan as ‘countryside’.

The application only sought outline planning permission for the development of up to 165 homes, with access from Lambs Road and Raikes Road, but documents submitted along with it showed a feasibility sketch layout to ‘provide an example of how the site may be developed’.

Outline planning applications are lodged to find out if a council finds a proposed development acceptable before a fully detailed plan is put forward.

Despite the authority’s planning officers advising councillors the application should be given the go-ahead, they instead refused permission at a meeting on August 5.

Head of planning services at Wyre Council, David Thow, said in his decision to refuse permission: “The proposed development, by reason of its size and location, would extend development into the open countryside and would be visually intrusive and detrimental to the character of this part of open countryside, and the wider countryside area.”

An earlier outline application for the same land, for another residential development, submitted 20 years ago was refused.

SOS Save Our Stanah and Little Thornton has invited anybody who wishes to attend its AGM to The Ashley Club in Victoria Road East, Thornton, from 7.30pm on Sunday.

Wainhomes’ latest move is expected to dominate the agenda.

The group is also looking for volunteers to sit on the committee for the next 12 months.

Nominations can be made on Sunday.

The current chairman is Barry Hart, the treasurer is Nish Karunasekara, and the secretary is Helen Walmsley.

Misleading price tactics and confusing store layouts are among customers’ biggest gripes when it comes to doing their supermarket shop, it has been claimed.

Stores employ a raft of tricks to tempt people into spending more, but quite often they make shopping more difficult in the process.

And the annoyance customers feel is ramped up massively when they know why it is being done, said Helen Dewdney, consumer champion and author of How to: The Essential Consumer Guide to Getting Refunds, Redress and Results.

“I wonder sometimes if supermarket bosses think all their customers are daft,” she said.

“We know that most of this goes on but unfortunately we can not do anything about it. And the trouble is if we try and avoid it all, we spend even longer in there. The biggest complaint by customers though without doubt is the pricing confusions, which we want to see stopped.”

Ms Dewdney spoke to a host of customers before compiling her list.

Here are the most annoying tactics employed by supermarkets:

Moving products around so you spend longer in the store trying to find what you want;

Lowest priced option often at the highest point so shorter people can’t reach;

Online or in-store exclusives. Creates a sense of immediacy when selecting products, so consumers will usually spend more than intended, as a feeling of missing out;

Making it difficult to work out the best offer, frequently with ready-packaged fruit and vegetables portrayed as having discounts versus loose;

Offers such as three for £10 when you only wanted one or two;

Pumping out the smell of bread baking to lure you in or make you hungry;

Slow music to make you move more slowly round the aisles;

High-sugar or higher-priced brand items at eye level for children;

Putting deals at the entrance of the store such as biscuits to make impulse buys;

Putting fruit, vegetables and flowers at the front of the store. We know this is to create an atmosphere of health and also provide smells and pleasant imagery providing positive vibes to make us buy more. This is annoying because these are the items we want to put on top of the shopping not at the bottom where it is going to get crushed;

If you only want the essentials, such as bread, milk, fruit and vegetables; they are placed as far away from each other as possible to make you travel round the store;

Packaging. Is that “finest” or “Taste the difference” really better? In many tests and reviews this isn’t the case but are we conned into spending more because we are sucked into thinking they are better quality.

What is your biggest shopping annoyance? What would you add to the list?

The average life expectancy for people in England has risen from 75.9 years in 1990 to 81.3 years in 2013, a new study has found, but divisions remain between figures for the North and South.

Public Health England scientists found a slowdown in the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and some cancers in this period meant people in England could expect to live 5.4 years longer.

This happened despite an increase in the number of deaths from liver disease.

Average life expectancy across the UK rose from 75.7 years in 1990 to 81.

South East England had the best life expectancy in the whole UK at 82.4 years, while Scotland had the worst at 79.1 years.

PHE Professor John Newton and colleagues analysed patterns of ill health and death in England, calculated the links of preventable risk factors, and ranked England compared to 14 European Union countries along with Australia, Canada, Norway and the USA.

The gains in life expectancy were greater for men than women.

Men in England could expect an extra 6.4 years of life expectancy to reach 79.5 years of age, putting them level with Finns but behind the expected life span of a man from Luxembourg.

The average national life expectancy increased by 4.4 years to 83.2 years for women in England, which still placed them ahead of all other nations surveyed except Finland, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg and Portugal.

But it’s not all good news: A larger older population also meant conditions linked with old age such as dementia and injuries to the joints, ligaments, muscles and nerves were more common.

Low back and neck pain, along with hearing and vision loss and depression were among the illnesses faced by people who lived longer.

Co-author Dr Adam Briggs noted life expectancy is increasing across the country but large inequalities still remain.

The study also found poor diet and smoking are the biggest risks which may cause premature death or disability among people living in England.

The figures, published in The Lancet, use data from The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2013 (GBD 2013).

Life expectancy by region (male and female combined)

South East England - 82.4

East of England - 82.2

South West England - 82.0

Greater London - 81.4

East Midlands - 81.2

West Midlands - 80.9

Yorkshire and the Humber - 80.6

Wales - 80.3

North East England - 80.1

North West England - 80.0

Northern Ireland - 79.6

Scotland - 79.1

A ‘new’ form of deadly drug has sparked an email alert at secondary schools.

A warning has been sent out to teachers across Blackpool and the Fylde coast after ‘an increase of users’ in Fleetwood injecting speed processed into liquid form.

The substance is formally known as amphetamine and has proven to be fatal.

Sgt Gary Tunstall from the police force’s West Division Early Action Team said users are processing the drug by turning it into stone-sized chunks and crushing them into an injectable form.

“This new product has caused one known user to have a serious infection which required surgery,” Sgt Tunstall said.

“Drug services in Fleetwood have seen an increase in cases where amphetamines are causing lumps and bumps in people’s arms and legs where it is solidifying if they are able to get it out of the syringe.

“The amphetamine is said to be of good quality.”

Sgt Tunstall’s alert, which was also sent out to Blackburn with Darwen Council and Lancashire County Council, was forwarded to schools by the public health department at Blackpool Council.

A council spokesman said: “Any warnings about drugs - for instance if there is a dangerous strain of a particular drug going around - are sent out to hundreds of different email addresses to give warning. It’s basic preventative public health work to make sure it’s on people’s radar.”

Anybody caught with the drug in injectable form faces a five year jail term and unlimited fine. Those caught supplying it could be locked up for 14 years .

Two mums are warning residents across the North West of the dangers of ‘silent killer’ carbon monoxide ahead of the launch of a new national campaign.

Project SHOUT aims to raise awareness of the life threatening dangers of carbon monoxide and the simple solution that could save hundreds of lives.

You can’t see, smell or taste carbon monoxide so it’s very hard to identify and is often mistaken for other things such as food poisoning or flu as the symptoms are very similar.

Supporting the campaign are two inspirational mums who have both come head on with the deadly gas, Stacey Rodgers and Louise Aspinall.

Louise and her family had a lucky escape when a Carbon Monoxide leak in their home was detected by a simple alarm which, had they not had in the kitchen, could have seriously injured them, or even been fatal.

Stacey sadly lost her son Dominic at the hands of the deadly gas after suffering from Carbon Monoxide poisoning when their neighbour’s faulty boiler leaked through to Dominic’s bedroom, killing him as he slept.

They are both supporting the campaign as one person dies every week in the UK from Carbon Monoxide poisoning which can be produced from faulty fuel-burning appliances, including your boiler, fireplace, cooker, hob, barbecue or even a clogged chimney.

Stacey said: “At the time Dominic died I didn’t know what carbon monoxide was or even know there were CO alarms available. If Project SHOUT can give people that awareness and knowledge then hopefully it can save someone in your family.

“I think Project SHOUT is an absolutely brilliant project, it’s going to get a lot of awareness out there and hopefully people will learn about carbon monoxide and go and buy an alarm.”

Louise said: “I am really happy to be involved in Project SHOUT, it’s a brilliant awareness campaign which is desperately needed.

“My first instinct was that my boiler had gone wrong because it was pretty much new, top of the range and what I believed to be very efficient. So we’re very lucky we had that alarm, which has saved our lives.”

Project Shout is being supported by; the Fire and Rescue Service, many leading retailers such as B&Q and Amazon, energy suppliers such as British Gas and leading medical expert Dr Sarah Jarvis.

To find out more visit {http://www.projectshout.co|www.projectshout.com}.

A Blackpool wall coverings company is aiming to double its workforce after securing funding for expansion.

1Wall, which designs and distributes eye-catching murals, has acquired new, larger premises, thanks to support from Yorkshire Bank.

Established in 2012 and owned by brothers Scott and Gavin Jones, it recently secured a funding package of £340,000 to support a move to Kincraig Court in Blackpool from Fox Industrial Estate off Holyoake Road.

The brothers spotted a gap in the market for quality, yet affordable wall murals while working at their established family owned wallpaper and home furnishing business.

The duo began with a trade launch of just 12 designs but the success of the product was evident when major retailers like Argos and Wilkinsons said they were interested in placing orders.

The brothers managed to secure a number of major licensing agreements from brands such as LIFE magazine, Moto GP, DreamWorks, VW and Discovery Channel to use huge photographs and images of everything from landscapes, cityscapes to football club images and classic photographs of movie stars such as Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe.

The business, which has 13 employees, currently sells more than 300 mural designs and turnover for this year was £2.1m.

After just three years in business, 1Wall now sells to more than 600 independent interior stores across the UK and exports its products internationally to more than 30 countries.

Most recently the company secured a deal with B&Q to supply a range of exclusive designs to all of its UK stores.

Director Scott Jones said: “We had outgrown our old premises and it was beginning to restrict our business ambitions because we simply didn’t have the room to store large orders.

“Moving to these new premises will allow the business to grow in new directions and we are grateful to Yorkshire Bank for the support.

“The expansion also means we are looking to double our workforce to meet demand across all areas of our business.

“We’re continually innovating to keep ahead of interior trends and to ensure that we’re creating the right products.

“Maps have always been an incredibly popular line for us and in January this year, we launched a new concept called creative collage, which brings something completely new to the market.

“We are now also looking into creating bespoke designs and sizes in response to customer demand.”

The deal was overseen by Andy Nurse, relationship manager at Yorkshire Bank’s Business and Private Banking Centre in Preston.

Ian Hardman, head of Yorkshire Bank’s Business and Private Banking Centre in Preston, said: “The Jones family have been longstanding customers of Yorkshire Bank and we are thrilled to be able to support Scott and Gavin – the next generation of this entrepreneurial family – as they enter a significant landmark in their business plan.”

Blackpool’s £40m state-of-the-art mental health facility The Harbour is full to capacity forcing some care providers to spend up to £800 a night on private beds for mental health patients in Lancashire.

Some patients in Lancaster have even been forced to sleep in a converted lounge with no toilet provisions as Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust (LCFT) resorts to “contingency facilities” due to a local and national shortage of beds.

Trust bosses say they are considering the possibility of opening a clinical decision unit in Blackpool and the development of community based Acute Therapy Service to try and relieve the problem.

However, many patients are being transported miles away to facilities outside of the county, as an increase in patients with acute mental health issues puts services at breaking point.

The Harbour - a 154 bed facility, in Preston New Road,Mereside opened in March this year but is already full.

A trust insider told The Gazette that in some cases managers in the county are having to spend up to £800 a night to secure a bed for a patient. Staff at The Orchard, Lancaster, also had to convert a men’s lounge into a temporary bedroom. With claims patients had to ask to use the toilet because it the nearest facility was in another part of the hospital.

Keith Dibble, interim deputy network director for the Adult Mental Health Network at LCFT said the situation was “regrettable”.

He said: “We can confirm that we have used contingency facilities to manage patients in the short term, this has included placing sleeping facilities in lounges however this has ceased in the last month.

“The trust has experienced a high level of demand over a period of some months, and the normal down turn over the summer has not happened this year.

“Also, due to the complexity of patients in our beds, discharge rates have reduced, and therefore we have had to commission private beds when we reach capacity in our own facilities and in some cases these beds are outside of Lancashire.

“This is clearly regrettable, but does reflect a national shortage of mental health beds.”

Mr Dibble said the average cost of providing private beds per person is £500 per night, but can vary.

He added: “We are looking at a number of initiatives to help reduce the pressure on beds, such as the opening of a clinical decision unit, a step down supported facility in Blackpool and the development of community based Acute Therapy Service.

“We are working with our commissioners to undertake an exercise to identify those people who would not need to be in an in-patient unit if other services were available and we will be working together once we have the results of that exercise to consider other alternatives to admission.”

ALMOST £20 million is being left under children’s pillows every year by the Tooth Fairy, according to new research.

Research from SunLife found that the Tooth Fairy leaves on average £1.31, and with an estimated 15 million milk teeth falling out each year, that means a staggering £19.6 million being hidden under pillows across the UK.

SunLife also found that the Tooth Fairy is more generous is some parts of the country than others.

Overall, the Tooth Fairy is more generous in the North of the country and is busier too.

Scottish children receive the most - £1.78 on average – while children in the East Midlands receive the least - £1.07 for each tooth.

The most common coin left in the UK is £1 with 48%, in the North East 44% get a £2 coin.

In the East Midlands, one in five get just 50p when they lose a tooth.

In Yorkshire and Humberside, 78% of under 11s get visits from the tooth fairy, falling to 76% in the North West and 75% in the North East.

Just 66% of youngsters receive visits in East Anglia and just 50% in London.

Ian Atkinson at SunLife said: “It is interesting to see that the tooth fairy is more generous in some parts of the country than others – maybe she visits certain towns and cities before others, so she has less money left towards the end of her journey.

“But when you take the average amount children are receiving for a lost tooth, most will have around £26 by the time they’ve lost all their milk teeth, while children in Scotland will have around £35 and some will have £100 - a good amount to save for a rainy day.”

How much do you leave under your child’s pillow when they lose a tooth - if anything? Add your comment below, on our Facebook page or tweet us.