Desperate search for teenager lost in Spain
Plus: Election forecasts get worse for Tories and Blackpool cabbies fight back
Hello and welcome to today’s edition of The Lancashire Lead. If you missed it, you can check out yesterday’s special edition looking at our Preston hustings event and part one of my profiles of every Lancashire General Election candidate. If you want to read a little more about what was said on the night, Paul Faulkner’s piece on the discussion of Gaza is the place to go.
Looking at the bigger Lancashire picture, IPSOS yesterday released its MRP projection of the potential General Election result and it makes for even starker reading for the county’s Conservatives.
Based on an online survey of nearly 20,000 people, it predicts a complete wipeout with Labour picking up every seat in the county. Going further than YouGov’s forecast which had Fylde as favouring the Tories but too close to call, it has Labour winning there by a six point margin.
Personally I remain sceptical that those forecasts will come true across the whole county but they will certainly have sparked fear among those trying to hold onto Conservative seats.
Away from politics, huge concern surrounds the search for missing teenager Jay Slater. The 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer was last heard from at 8am on Monday morning when he spoke to a friend over the phone saying he was lost, in need of water and had 1% battery.
Back in Lancashire, residents watched in shock as bomb disposal experts were despatched to Fulwood, Preston. That was in response to the discovery of two unexploded grenades and police say an investigation is now under way.
“At first we were told it was a Second World War bomb, so we thought someone must have found it while doing some renovations. But then we heard it was a suspicious package that someone had left there. The bomb squad is here to do a controlled explosion”
Fulwood resident Ozzi Singh Potiwal speaking to the Lancashire Post
The issue of Uber drivers and taxi drivers with licences from other areas taking trade away from Blackpool cabbies while offering lower standards has raged on for some time. In May, The Blackpool Lead reported that Uber had expressed willingness to open talks with Blackpool Council after meeting with Chris Webb but tensions remain high.
So much so that last weekend saw taxi drivers bring the town centre to a standstill in protest at the likes of Uber. LancsLive’s Susan Newton spoke to some of those involved to understand exactly why they are so frustrated.
🚓 A man has been charged with manslaughter following the death of Matthew Guthrie in Lytham (Blackpool Gazette)
📰 Gordon Duckett, the award-winning former deputy editor of Lancashire Telegraph and the Burnley Evening Star, has died aged 91 (Press Gazette).
🚨 A man was run down by a getaway vehicle after trying to stop four thieves who’d made off with £1,000 of goods from a Sports Direct (Blog Preston).
🍻 Residents of a quiet Ribble Valley village has spoken out in frustration at rowdy nightlife involving visitors (Lancashire Post).
“There are piles of sick and empty beer glasses left on the street. Some neighbours are out on the street, complaining. They’re at their wit’s end. Some neighbours go away away at weekends because of the noise.”
Whalley resident Julie Foley
⛪ Neighbours are hoping to be given the chance to save a soon-to-be closed church for community use (LancsLive).
👶 Nursery bosses have raised concerns over Government plans to extend free childcare provision (Burnley Express).
🍭 The UK’s longest serving lollipop lady has been recognised for an astonishing 55 years of service (LancsLive).
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