Hello! Weekly news from Bedford, England

The leader in this week's Bedfordshire on Sunday disturbs me somewhat because if someone has paid a debt to society, and is clearly, by his present work, seeking to help the public, highlighting what happened nearly a quarter of a century ago does not seem to me quite right.

Nearly twenty-five years ago a former Hells Angel was convicted of shooting and paralysing an unarmed polieceman during a robbery in London in 1981.

He was jailed for life for wounding with intent to resist arrest but was cleared of attempted murder. He was freed in 2002 after spending 21 years in jail.

He lives in a studio flat in town, and now works for the local Citizens Advice Bureau.

It would seem that all picked up by one of the national newspapers. Asked about the shooting, he added:

"It eats away at my soul. I regret having done what I did but I can't do anything to turn back the clock.

I am ashamed. It is impossible to put into words."

(I may be in a minority of one, but wonder whether it might not have been better to recognize that he is a reformed person, and rather than hound him to readily accept him back into the community. To have a headline such as "Criminal's advice bureau" seems rather unforgiving, especially when he is offering advice freely, within the Citizen's Advice Bureau. I wish him well.)

Within the last few days several people in the UK have drowned whilst swimming, and in every case in water that was prominently marked "No swimming." Whilst one obviously sympathises with grieving relatives, one wonders what one can do to make people aware that warning notices mean what they state.

After a search, police divers pulled the body of teenager Winston Jones out of the water at the notorious Blue Lagoon. This is where is the spot where, in July 2001, three small children were drowned when the car they were in plunged over a small cliff into the water.

Winston, 19, of Dallow Road, Luton, had plunged into the water at the Arlesey beauty spot when the boat he was on drifted out of control - even though he could not swim.

Emergency services searched the water, from Wednesday night until the Thursday lunchtime when the teenager's body was stretchered out of the water.

The Slaters Arms, on Bromham Road, Kempston, a place where Jill and I have often enjoyed meals, suffered a major fire on Friday night.

A fire started in the airing cupboard of the pub at around 8pm.

Four fire engines were called out and although the blaze spread to the roof the firefighters were quickly able to bring it under control and save the building.

Staff and customers evacuated the pub and no-one was hurt.

The Slaters Arms will be closed for several weeks.

BoS reports that Derek Rathbone, Head of Year Ten at Hastingbury Upper School, was found dead at his home on Thursday June 16.

He is believed to have hanged himself.

A police investigation is under way.

Mr Rathbone had worked at the Kempston school since 1988.

Bedfordshire County Council's director of education said:

"We are saddened to hear this news and offer our condolences to his wife Christina and their family.

We will be working with Hastingbury Upper School to support them during this difficult time."

A month ago I mentioned my attending a guided walk, on this occasion led by Trevor Stewart. It was entitled "I never knew that" and it was quite an eye opener. Rather than state what I had seen, I avoided this, in the hope that someone local might be tempted to go to the one this Wednesday.

At the front of St. Paul's church is a lofty, usually ignored statue. It is that of John Howard, the prison reformer. I asked a few people whose statue it was, and only one out of eight got it right, the rest assuming it was John Bunyan or, as one put it, the Bunyan geezer!

The BBC has a good article on Howard in it shistory section. See here.

Now about the statue. It was designed by Sir Alfred Gilbert, who also designed the statue of Eros, at Piccadilly Circus.

Some people find the design of the base unusual. But perhaps they have not looked hard enough. John Howard, whose name is still remembered by the still flourishing Howard League for Penal Reform, had seen the ghastly conditions in which prisoners lived. And doubtless he came to know personally some of the inmates of the many prisoners he visited. It is clear, from his writings, that he saw good in all people.

And this is reflected in the unusual design of the sculpture. On each corner is a gargoyle or, perhaps more properly described, a Grotesque, where it depicts a villain. This is a "straight" photograph, and is what one would normally see.

But look more closely. Here I have enhanced the picture a little. Here one can see the cherub in the mouth. There are two more in the eyes, but this does come out so clearly in the photograph.

I have to admit that I've passed that statue frequently in the past thirty five years, and never noticed this one before!

A part-timeparamedic and Metropolitan police officer has been suspended over claims he has been filling in stolen prescription forms to get his hands on drugs.

It is also alleged that when staff from Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Ambulance Service went to his home they found several bottles of entonox - better known as gas and air - which he had stolen from the trust's ambulances.

An inquiry was launched immediately and he has been suspended.

The man is a 'bank' paramedic - a trained ambulance crew member who works for them on a freelance basis. He was a full-time member of staff for Beds and Herts Ambulance service until he took up a position as a police officer for the Metropolitan Police Force.

It is a criminal offence to sign a prescription unless you are a practicing doctor or pharmacist.

Entonox - made up of 50 percent oxygen and 50 percent nitrous oxide - is used as a method of pain control during labour and for trauma-related pain by paramedics and in accident and emergency departments. The drug has been subject to abuse. Cases are rare in the UK but addicts have been known to suffer from anxiety and neurological problems.

Shocking news coming from Zimabwe will have been broadcast all over the world. It also has its repercussions in Bedford, where protests over the Government sending dissidents back to Zimbabwe has led to a hunger strike at Yarl's Wood.

At least 16 failed asylum seekers have gone on hunger strike in the region over the 'speeding up' of deportations from the UK to Zimbabwe. They say they face arrest, torture and jail because of President Robert Mugabe's crackdown on opposition supporters. They claim they are being 'gift wrapped' by Britain.

Most of the Zimbabwean asylum seekers are at Campsfield detention centre, near Oxford, or Harmondsworth, near Heathrow, but at least one is at Yarl's Wood.

Other asylum seekers are believed to have joined the hunger strike in solidarity with the protest.

The feeling is this could grow as some believe they are being sent back to a possible death sentence by the British Government.

Government dirty ricks?

Bedfordshire on Sunday alledges that the Government is trying to plant pro-European stories into local newspapers.

Last week Bedfordshire on Sunday received a call from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, asking us if they wanted to run a feature it had prepared on the advantages of being in the EU.

The spokesman said it was often the small things that have changed, such as the amount of cappuccinos drunk these days and the number of Italian restaurants a town such as Bedford would now boast.

Bedford does indeed boast a number of high quality Italian restaurants. This is because the town has a considerable Italian community, who first came to the area to work in the brick fields in Bedfordshire after the Second World War.

Gerald Santaniello, owner of Santaniellos Pizzeria said:

"My mum and dad arrived here in the 1950s. I don't think the EU, or Common Market even existed then. Certainly this country was not part of it.

Our restaurant has just celebrated its 25th anniversary so has been around a long time. I have nothing against the EU, but don't think it should be taking credit for our restaurant being here."

Tom Wise MEP for UKIP said:

"I am aware of the huge campaign mounted by the FCO in the 1970's placing stories and letters in the major newspapers in the months running up to the debate on the ECA in 1972.

I was not aware that the FCO was continuing this, a pure propaganda exercise.

It is shameful that taxpayers money is spent in promoting a failed political experiment.

Worse still, following the referendum results in France and Holland our government has decided that, despite their promises, it will now not give the British people the opportunity to show what they think about the constitution.

The political elite at Westminster is as out of touch with the thoughts of the British people as Chirac is with the French.

It is time to call a halt to the whole charade. The sooner we leave the corrupt and undemocratic EU, the better for us all."

The suggested feature starts off: 'THE FACTS Why do we need the EU.'

It then lists six reasons why being in the EU is good for us and follows this with some case studies of how local firms have benefited from EU membership.

A foreign office spokesman said: "Geronimo's remit was to promote the benefits of EU membership, focusing on regional and specialist media. Promoting the EU is one of our strategic directives."

Patrick Hall MP for Bedford and Kempston said: "I would like the Government to take the political lead on the benefits of being in the EU up front rather than promoting it behind the scenes."

(PS. Good pizza house, Santaniellos, by the way! Picture shows the chef at work)

One hundred and fourteen million pounds. This, BoS reports, is the price that it will cost to bring Bedfordshire's roads up to scratch.

The figure was revealed at Thursday nights overview committee meeting at Mid Bedfordshire District Council where the members were discussing the local transport plan for Bedfordshire.

Along with the huge cost there is also a 14-year maintenance backlog that the county council has to work through which will mean that £8.5m would have to be spent each year until 2020.

Many councillors have been left appalled by the cost of the work needed and the effect that it will have in the area.

Cllr John Watton said:

"People who live in Bedfordshire will be shocked by this news. Everybody knows of the appalling state of local roads. £114m and soaring is the cost of bringing Bedfordshire's roads up to standard and a maintenance backlog of 14 years is ridiculous.

Given that Bedfordshire County Council charges one of the highest council tax rates in the country most residents would expect a better performance.

On behalf of Flitwick residents I am writing personally to the Chief Executive of Bedfordshire County Council to advise him on local views."

A Bedfordshire County Council spokesman said:

"The backlog is due to the underfunding of highway maintenance over many years.

This is not just a Bedfordshire problem, but is a similar position across England and Wales."

The following reminds me of the hilarious predicament of the bricklayer, read out at an Oxford Union event by Gerald Hoffnung forty years ago!:

SIR - You may laugh at Bedfordshire Pilgrim Housing Association for banning doormats and pictures on walls, but I back their campaign for improved health and safety in the home.

Only the other day as I stepped through my front door my foot caught the doormat.

I went crashing into the wall and my Van Gogh came off its hook whacking me over the back of the head.

I lost consciousness for several minutes.

When I came to as I went to get up I cracked my head on the door handle.

BPHA's quest does not go far enough.

They should ban also the menace that is the door handle.

I am one of the lucky ones having survived this horrendous experience.

Think of all those who have died this very week in doormat and picture related accidents.

Well done BPHA.

(A late April 1st story!?)

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SIR - I was very surprised to read an advert in your issue of June 19 for De Montfort University encouraging mature students to return to education, since it cited Uni-tots Day Nursery as one of the three reasons to choose the university as a place for study.

The reason for my surprise and indeed anger was that I, along with all the other parents of the nursery, had on the previous day received a letter from the university informing us of the nursery's closure in just five weeks.

It is not an exaggeration to say that I was shocked and distressed by the news, since we as parents had received no warning or consultation regarding the financial situation.

Neither had we been offered any alternative options such as an increase in (the very reasonable) fees.

All the parents I have spoken to, both students and community users are distressed at the news, and concerned for the disruption and upset that it will cause our children as well as the situation for the excellent staff who have always worked tirelessly to create such a caring but exciting learning environment.

We value the care as well as the education our children receive. I am not aware of any alternative facility offering quality and affordability for the same hours on a term time only basis.

As mentioned last week, Muslims in Bedford marched into St Paul's Square yesterday to protest against American treatment of the Koran.

Earlier this month the Pentagon admitted that soldiers at Guantanamo Bay detention centre had dishonoured the Koran.

According to a report, there were several abuses of copies of the Koran, and though the Pentagon admitted that some incidnets had taken place, the exact nature of these have not been confirmed.

The 400 protesters heard speeches in Bengali and Urdu at the roundabout on Ford End Road before marching into the centre of town and then back to Queens Park.

I was told, in the late nineties, that my web-site called "Biddenham Fights Back" - a web-site putting the case against the propsal to close the school, was probably the first "campaigning" web-site! Now, of course, this is more commonplace. At http://www.tomchance.org.uk/photos/uglygardens is a novel web-site, a one-man campaign to draw attention to ugly front gardens in Bedford! The author is a student.

Vandalise Castle Mound and you will be nicked.

This is the clear message coming out after nine people, in three separate incidents were caught on the old site of Bedford Castle.

The borough council and the police say there have been three incidents of vandalism recently.

The first involved four juveniles; the second involved three juveniles and the third involved two juveniles.

• All were detected by CCTV operators and dealt with promptly by the police.

• In the first two incidents the youngsters received a caution.

• In the third, most recent, incident they were issued with £80 fixed penalty tickets.

A borough council spokesman said: "We are very pleased with the prompt response of our CCTV operators and Bedfordshire Police. This latest success sends a clear message to vandals: We are watching you and we will prosecute you!"

Mayor of Bedford Borough, Frank Branston, said:

"I am pleased to say that a number of vandals have been nicked at Castle Mound. This is a major site for the town and a good deal of effort has been made and money spent to improve the area."

The mound and the historic mosaic are due to be formally opened in July.

BoS reports that on Friday last week, around a dozen shops on Silver Street were left without power after smoke was seen coming from Debenhams.

Two fire engines attended the scene for nearly an hour, leaving at 1.40pm.

It is believed that the fire was electrical in origin.

Electrical engineers were seen working in the street after the alarm was raised.

A Debenhams staff member said that isolating the seat of the fire caused the localised powercut that affected the shop's neighbours.

Whilst searching the web the other day, I came across an interesting account of Bedford - for those particularly interested in rocks. It is published by the BBC, and the address is here. The introduction reads:

"There are numerous publications about the history and buildings of Bedford - but not many people consider studying its natural history. A walk around Bedford is like visiting an open air museum where you can touch the specimens, and see them in a variety of different weathers and lighting conditions. Rocks that have been removed from steep and often inaccessible quarry faces have been used to construct or face buildings, where it is possible to examine them with comparative ease."

So if that is your scene, do have a look.

Ted Mikalek, in a message to the guestbook, asks: "Can you tell me if B-36 bombers ever were stationed at the US Air Force base in Bedford?"

Is anybody able to reply to him please?

Last Saturday and Sunday saw the Bedford Kite Festival, the third of its kind, and evidently set to become an annual event in the life of Bedford.

After a number of very hot days, Friday it was raining, and one wondered whether the week-end event would be a wash-out. Fortunately it was not, and though there were grey skies until Sunday afternoon, thousands turned out to the event on both days, many having a picnic in the grounds of Rotheday Park.

On Saturday there was Dragon Boat racing on the river, with quite a large number of groups participating.

Further along there was a car show taking place, attended by several foot outlets. Somehow food seems to taste that much better when one is outside! However, hamburgers at £4.50 seemed rather steep (something that I recall finding out last year only after I had ordered one (prices are not always displayed!) This year I was on my best behaviour however, as I am on a reduction of weight drive, and was not going to surrender the five-and-a-half pounds I have shed in the past week!

On the other side of the Embankment there were some twenty or so stalls which formed a French market, and this too was well attended.

Some of the food on offer was quite exotic!

I was enchanted by the different kind of stalls from the usual, but Jill, after surveying them all, came back and quietly informed me that much of this was a rip-off. For example, she commented, one pain du' chocolat cost 90 pence, three times as much as at a shop in Bedford. The prices seemed excessively high, which might have been self-defeating, for there were several stalls that did not seem to have a customer for the three hours or so that I was wandering about.

But the main event was the Kite Flying festival. I can remember many years ago flying a kite at Mowsbury Park, where the wind is usually quite strong. This was supposed to please my daughters, who remained unimpressed and thoroughly bored - so that was my one and only experience!

In fact, I still find it surprising that flying kites seems so popular. Believe it or not, there were people who had come from far away countries to attend this event, which I find quite baffling!

One has to admire the ingenuity of the kite flying enthusiasts. Not just the only kite - not for them. There were serpents, spiders, box kites, ungainly human-shaped kites wobbling in the wind, to name just a few. One of the most entertaining was a kind of ballet performance with two kites flying in harmony, to the recent rendering of "Somewhere over the rainbow." That received much deserved applause.

All the usual entertainments - roundabouts and other such things - were there toi entice children, and they seemed to be doing a roaring trade. So was a local stall offering non-permanent tatooes. The most common location for these seemed to be the backside, and fairly low at that, and I decided that there might be repercussions had I photographed the young ladies who solemnly bent over to have their tatoo (more like a transfer, it seemed to me) put on their chosen part of their anatomy.

There were also the usual "bingo" stalls where if you win, you get a ghastly large sized animal toy which might seem all right at the time, but is so large that one doesn't know, after a while, where to put it! (You can just see them on the right of the top picture).

There were also some quite exotic foods. I love mushrooms in garlic, and there was even a stand offering chips in garlic, but I was good on this occasion!

As far as the kite flying is concerned, one is of course at the mercy of the wind, and I felt a little sorry for the commentator as he repeatedly had to say "Well, can we try this again?" But by and large the wind was obliging. A thoughtful addition was an area where children (and their enthusiastic dads!) could have a go using the kites they had bought at the stalls.

Full marks for Andy Pidgeon of the Borough Council, who I believe brought this event from Cleethorpes (I think I heard that correctly). Such an event must entail very detailed forward planning, and by and large the local papers do not seem to give credit where credit is due. We really don't make enough of the river and the Embankment, it seems to me, and one could see that the quite large gathering, particularly on the Sunday, makes such events worth putting on, and perhaps expanding on. Hopefully next time some of the stall owners - and I know that many have to make the trip from France - will realise that whilst a little overcharging may be par for the course, there are limits! It might also be an opportunity for a cultural input.

I understand that there was a fine demonstration of jousting at Twinwoods, both on Saturday and Sunday. I'm afraid I missed that. One family that had attended on the Saturday, and were now sitting at the Embankment near the French market enjoying an (Italian!) ice-cream, informed me that though it was a re-enactment, one victim was actually carted off to hospital.

Christ Church, on the corner of Goldington Road and Dudley street, held a mission last week, led by Dan Cozens, who trained as an artist, paints in oils, and is also an ordained minister. A delightful, humble and amusing personality as well as a very gifted artist, he showed us some of his stunning paintings of flowers and scenery, and also spoke of why he had chosen a particular subject. This was followed, on the following evening, by a healing service which was conducted in a low-key and sensitive manner.

On Saturday a men's breakfast was held. There is a men's' breakfast once a month at Christ Church, but this was billed as a special one, and there were some fifty or sixty who attended.

Dan Cozens has a remarkable vision and an amazing ministry. A gentle, reassuring and modest man, he spoke in simple terms about how one can become a Christian, and of several events in his life and experience.

Not many people have received an endorsement from an Archbishop of Canterbury:

"I have long respected the work of Daniel Cozens and was delighted when he accepted my invitation to become one of the Six Preachers of Canterbury Cathedral. His "Walks of 1000 Men" are just one example of his innovative approach to, and passion for, mission, which the wider Church has benefited so greatly from in recent years"

Rev Dr George Carey, Former Archbishop of Canterbury

If Dan is in your area - he is worth listening to! Details of his remarkable ministry can be found here.

Since writing the piece on the International Kite Festival, where I commented upon a medieval re-enactment, it would seem that the injury sustained by one of the experts was far more serious than one imagined.

This from the BBC:

A martial arts expert is in a serious but stable condition in hospital after he was struck on the head with a sword during a medieval battle re-enactment.

The 30-year-old Kieron Robb, from Scotland, was among 150 people taking part in the mock fight in Clapham, Beds, when the accident happened.

Hundreds of spectators saw the man injured on Saturday afternoon.

Officers appealed for anyone filming the event who has footage of the accident to contact them.

Det Sgt John Walters said:

"Although the incident is not being treated as malicious, it is important police have as complete a record as possible.

The other man involved has co-operated fully with the police but is obviously very distressed and shocked."

Mr Robb, a renowned swordsman with years of fighting experience, was struck close to his eye.

He was taken to Bedford Hospital, but later transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge for treatment.

Event organiser Dave Smith said: "What I have been told by people who were on the field is that this was a freak accident caused by a deflected sword strike."

He said that such events had an excellent safety record.

"This is really quite a shock to everybody involved," he added.

"It is probably the most serious incident in medieval re-enacting that anyone can remember."

Were you around at the time? Bedford detectives are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a 43-year-old woman was robbed while she worked in a taxi company office on Ampthill Road in Bedford.

The incident occurred between 10.45am and 10.50am on Wednesday 29th June 2005.

Two men entered the office and asked to book a taxi to take them to Putnoe. They both then left the office for a short time and when they re-entered one of the offenders held the victim whilst the other stole her handbag, cash and her car keys.

The offenders then tried to leave the scene in the victim's car, which luckily didn't start. This gave the victim enough time to follow the offenders out of the office and reach in to the car and bravely snatched her keys back. The offenders then left the scene on foot.

During this ordeal the victim was threatened with a knife and punched several times leaving her with a small puncture wound to her left arm, bruising and swelling to her mouth, chin and head.

The first offender is described as a white man, medium build, in his early twenties with short mousy brown hair, silver framed glasses and a moustache. He spoke with an Irish accent.

The second offender is also described as a white man, in his early twenties, 5'6” to 5'7” tall, with an Irish accent.

The officer investigating, Dc Colin Richardson, would like to urge anyone with information relating to this robbery to come forward and speak to him in confidence.

Dc Richardson can be contact at Greyfriars Police Station on 01234 275323, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

There are going to be a few envious faces this week-end as people read the leader in the Times&Citizen, which reports on a fifteen million pound win in the lottery by a local couple, Morris and Carol Worrall. This is the fourth biggest individual lottery win ever.

The Times&Citizen reports that a billion pounds is going to be poured into Bedfordshire's transport system over the next five years. Among the possible projects will be a facelift for Bedford town centre's traffic layout. We'll see!

The filth left by gypsies has been occupying the minds this week at the Borough Council. One of the councillors said:

"These people couldn't care less where they camp or where they tip their rubbish and filth.

But it is Council taxpayers will have to pay the cost of cleaning up after them. Newtown I would like to find a way that the government can be involved to it becoming a criminal offence as soon as they set up and then they can be forced out straight away."

Another councillor claimed that the French and Irish governments were taking that sort of action. She said:

"They are now massing here in England. We have to deal not only with our own travellers that those from France and Ireland too. We have got to find a way of protecting this Borough and its open spaces from what is happening."

The Times&Citizen reports that Biddenham Upper school is breaking out the bubbly to celebrate an exam success-its own:

The school can now boast about its people power after receiving a glowing report from inspectors who returned to the school to reassess the Investors in People status first awarded in 2002. Head of school David Bailey said:

"Overall the school has come a long way in the last seven years and as it grows in size and success it will be important that it develops the procedures and practices to support this. Newtown we are really pleased to receive this reaccreditation as it validates our practices in areas such as training, staff development, performance management and staff morale.

We recognise that our staff are our biggest asset and while working in the school is not always the easiest of jobs it can be hugely satisfying and rewarding."

Crime in Bedford

Thirty domestic burglaries took place across the town during the two weeks, an increase of twelve. Two of the burglars failed to gain entry.
Improvements in the summer weather have led to a spate of 15 burglaries where the burglar entered through unlocked doors or windows.

Bedford town: 9 – 11 vehicles were stolen, 34 vehicles were broken into Car stereos, laptop computers, high value audio kit, tax discs, wheel trims, sports equipment
and car speakers were the main items stolen. Castle ward and the Robinson pool continue as magnets for car crime.

One of the many confidence tricks on the Internet is an announcement that one has won a special lottery.

Some months ago I received an email congratulating me and informing me that I had won €50,000 and would I please respond urgently. I knew I could not possibly have won this, as I had never entered! So I wrote back thanking them for this information, and within a few days received a request for £20,000 pounds as "administrative fees" - which was what I anticipated! I wrote back saying that they could take the money from my winnings and send me the rest - and of course never heard any more!

Sadly, however, some people do get taken in, and the Times&Citizen reports that a 38-year-old Bedford resident actually handed over £24,000 and has not heard anything since.

The company concerned is a Madrid-based organisation, calling itself the International Lotto Commission.

The police advise that at the moment, if an offer looks too good to be true - it most probably is.

"Anyone who requires money up front but something you are supposed to have won is highly suspicious. Please do not part with your cash unless you can verify where it is going."

Another favourite email scam, usually from Nigeria, is when someone seeks help to recover a vast amount of money lying in some bank or other. The standard blurb is that this person is a relative of an extremely rich man who was either tragically killed or who had been bumped off! You are requested to respond to this cry from mercy, and the rewards will be in the order of 50%. But of course, you have to send a little money to get the procedure in motion.

I reckon I must have received getting on for a hundred of these over the years; there seem to be an enormous number of very rich, very dead people in Nigeria! I really cannot believe that people can be taken in!

This for someone who inquired whether the Embankment Hotal is still in existence. It is indeed! By the way, the flowers in the Embankment are a trifle disappointing compared with previous years, but - as always - presentable.

Week ending 2 July 2005