A death on the line
Plus: Blackpool Victoria Hospital faces fresh questions + looking ahead to the Bank Holiday weekend
Hello and welcome to today’s edition of The Lancashire Lead. Jamie’s taking a well-earned breather, so it’s Ed & Luke with you for this Sunday evening edition of our newsletter and digest on all things Lancashire news, politics and everything in-between.
There’s a sombre tone to this Sunday’s edition as I (Ed) reflect on what took place during Thursday after a day out with friends took a tragic and upsetting turn.
The 15.29 back from Halifax to Preston (our destination) was trundling its way through the countryside between Blackburn and Preston when our train bumped and jolted. At first you thought it was a shudder like you get on a train, but it continued and we quickly came to a stop. A tree branch? A rock on the line?
We had been to the Eureka museum and like other families on the train we had lots of questions from little people very quickly. We hoped it was an obstruction from nature but as the guard made his way through the train it very quickly became clear someone had sadly chosen to take their life.
“There’s been what we call a fatality” the guard said as he made his way calmly and professionally to each half of each carriage and delivered the sad news. Politely answering questions and also explaining because of our location, in a signal blackspot, only the rear of the train was where people could make phone calls.
The Northern WiFi did hold up and many of us were able to get messages to friends and loved ones to say we’d be delayed. I was answering 20 questions from my daughter (journalist in the making maybe?) about what had happened, as they saw firefighters and Network Rail crews walking down the side of the train.
We had to make a snap decision on what to tell the kids, we opted for the truth - with some softening of the edges. It’s tempting to say ‘oh it’s nothing’ but as a country we’re not very good at talking about death. Sadly, in the space of 24-hours we saw large-scale transport disruption to both rail and motorways because of how people felt they had no other option.
It is difficult to comprehend being in that space mentally. I’ve had my low ebbs, particularly following the death of my father in 2020, but I am fortunate to have friends, family, colleagues, former colleagues, who make you feel there is at least a web of support there. Others do not have that. Which is why the work of Samaritans and many other mental health charities is so crucial.
Our delay was just over two hours in the end, the train was calm, subdued even, apart from our little temporary childcare zone. It was heartening to see my daughter and her friends, and their newly made friends, form one group in a time of uncertainty with the older ones playing with the younger ones and keeping themselves occupied. Noughts and crosses, tig (fairly restricted in the environment), iPads, reading, chatting. They filled the two hours lost in their own care-free world while outside the emergency services worked in a very different and unsettling environment.
I didn’t get the guards name but he came over before he was relieved on his shift to thank the children for being so well-behaved and understanding. He didn’t need to do that, but it showed a reading of the situation which he had shown throughout. His communication was clear, measured, sincere and he moved between each carriage delivering it rather than blasting it out over a tannoy. He looked surprised when we asked how the driver was, and thanked us for asking, but you have to spare a thought for the man or woman who was one moment focused on ensuring we got to Preston on time and the next had to slam on the brakes.
We made it home, delayed, but for someone else out there - receiving the news, their life will be forever delayed. That lingering feeling of grief and an unsettling feeling. Someone was left with nowhere to turn, a horrible feeling. Perhaps, as we go through these long summer weeks in-between trying to fill the hours with the kids it’s worth dropping a line to someone you haven’t heard from in a while.
That WhatsApp, that phone call, that message. It might mean more than you think.
I was in two minds whether to write this piece, but on reflection, I’m glad I have and I hope it helps someone despite it feeling uncomfortable to write. When looking through the Samaritans site for this piece, I noticed they now offer a ‘write to us’ option. People often talk about how you need to call, but for some written expression is as important as saying something.
I’m afraid the news doesn’t get uplifting yet, as we highlight the continued challenges at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.
Michael Holmes reports for The Blackpool Lead on how a heavily pregnant mother was given a drug to help with contractions which was judged as inappropriate - because she hadn’t been properly examined.
The case centred on the use of the drug Syntocinon.
In a high court case brought against the NHS trust running the Vic, the primary school-aged boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons and has been given the moniker LN, sued for “damages for personal injuries and consequential losses allegedly sustained as a result of the negligent management of his mother’s labour and birth”, documents obtained by The Blackpool Lead said.
But, after hearing from a series of professionals and examining the evidence over several days, judge Richard Pearce said it is “sometimes not possible to show any connection between the negligence and the bad outcome”.
Michaels’ piece goes on to explore the background to a number of recent cases and scandals engulfing the hospital trust.
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🚌 ‘City centre focused buses becoming increasingly unviable in Preston’ says Preston Bus chief, blaming cheap parking and the rise of retail parks [Blog Preston]
🍝 A popular Italian restaurant in Walton-le-Dale could be re-opening, reports Catherine Musgrove in the Lancashire Post
📺 Freddie Flintoff returned to TV screens for Field of Dreams, here’s a round-up of what the papers and magazines had to say about the first episode
👩⚕️A nurse is taking legal action after snapping her leg in a foam pit at a trampoline park [LancsLive]
🌧️Protection for Padiham from flooding has seen a further four stages of a flood defence scheme approved, worth £9million [BBC Lancashire]
🚧 Gas works are to cause a further two weeks of delays in Blackburn town centre as more time needed for the work [Lancashire Telegraph]
🚔 Roger Haywood - now known as ‘Dad 1 thanks to his choice of top on the day - was sentenced at Preston Crown Court yesterday. He was described as a ringleader of the far-right disorder that took place on 3 August in Blackpool. We’ll have more from court as police continue their investigations.
This year, Lancashire district councils are marking their 50th anniversaries since formation in 1974. But they face uncertainty because of potential changes under current devolution models, some believe. District councils were scrapped in North Yorkshire and Cumbria last year. under changes by the previous Conservative government.
In Lancashire, a combined county authority idea was developed last year by the previous Conservative government, the county council, Blackburn and Blackpool. But there was wider disagreement over its structure, membership and voting powers, and concerns about the future of cash earmarked for Lancashire districts in the previous government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Coun Atkinson, the Conservative leader of Ribble Valley Borough Council, said various letters and emails have been exchanged between different Lancashire councillors, networks, new Labour government ministers and Whitehall civil servants.
His belief is that Lancashire is better served by the structure it currently has - with many smaller district councils covering smaller areas.
He said: “For various reasons including the recent letters I’ve seen, I believe the future of Lancashire district councils is in jeopardy. Treasury and civil service thinking is that you need an area with a population of around 500,000 to effectively run a unitary council. It’s argued you need that scale to deliver critical public services like children’s and adults’ social care. In effect, it means rural areas are required to have just one council to cover a vast area. That will inevitably mean political decisions being taken more remotely.
“However, I and some others believe that if a council has a smaller footprint, that allows ordinary people to participate in place-building, builds civic pride and creates a better understanding of the community.
“In the past, we have seen in European Parliament elections how public participation falls if people do not feel they have a direct link with politics. This year’s Westminster general election had one of the lowest turnouts in history. A large section of the electorate do not feel their voice counts. Any further move towards more-remote politics is a dangerous strategy.”
The opening date for Eden Project in Morecambe looks to be slipping back as the new government looks for realism.
The existing plan is supported by the new Labour government and significant site investigation work is expected later this year, an update meeting covered by local democracy reporter Robbie Macdonald has heard.
But the new government is pushing for ‘realism’ in all parts of the project, and a final opening date of Eden Project Morecambe could be ‘edging towards’ 2027 or 2028, Eden bosses have said. Previously, a low-key opening was hoped for in late 2026 with full public opening in 2027.
A first instalment of £2.5million in government money has been committed and contractors are being sought for different roles in the Eden scheme through a north-west hub run by local councils for construction and civil engineering contracts.
Traffic, park-and-ride arrangements and Morecambe railway station’s capacity are also being looked at.
These were the main points at the latest Eden Project community conversation meeting with various organisations including Lancaster City Council, Lancashire County Council and the public. It followed the general election with a change of government and Morecambe MP - from Conservative David Morris to Labour’s Lizzie Collinge.
There’s a Bank Holiday weekend coming up (if you’d forgotten!) and here’s a few things going on across the county you may want to visit…
World Gravy Wrestling Championships at Rose ‘N’ Bowl, Stacksteads.
World Food and Drink Festival at Lowther Pavillion in Lytham
If we missed anything, then drop us a note at ed@thelead.uk and we’ll be happy to add in our Wednesday edition.
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