Name the inflatable and win a year's Aquasplash membership

YOUNG swimmers are being offered an opportunity to win a year’s general membership of the Aquasplash leisure pool, in Minehead.
The West Somerset Council-owned pool has a brand new fun inflatable to replace its old ‘Mars Attacks’ and is offering the prize in return for giving the inflatable a name.
Council leisure services manager Janice Malarkey said: “The new inflatable is an assault course on water ending in a waterslide.
“It is good fun as well as a new challenge for our younger users this half-term.
“The inflatable currently has no name and it would be great if one of our customers could name it.
“Hopefully, they will be inspired once they have tried it.”
The competition runs for the whole of half-term week, from Monday, February 19, to Saturday, February 24, when the inflatable will be available from 12 noon to 3pm.
To enter the competition, swimmers need to be under 16 years of age. Entry forms are available from the Aquasplash reception.
After half-term, the new inflatable will be available every Saturday from 12 noon to 3pm.

• Our photograph shows the old 'Mars Attacks' inflatable in use at Aquasplash. Photo submitted.

Cable damage leaves hudreds without phone and internet

HUNDREDS of businesses and homes across a large area of West Somerset were left for several hours without telephones and internet access on Thursday, February 15.
It happened after the main optical fibre cable bringing services into the district suffered what BT described as ‘third party damage’.
In plain English, a contractor is believed to have cut through the cable while carrying out works near Taunton.
Massive disruption resulted for businesses in Minehead and Watchet and the surrounding area as they were unable to make or receive telephone calls, nor access broadband or dial-up internet services.
Email systems were also inoperable and some mobile phone calls were affected because they are often routed along underground cables between masts.
Even the emergency 999 telephone system was brought down by the damaged cable and more police had to be out on the streets in case they were needed.
A BT spokeswoman told The Crier the exact cause of the incident was yet to be determined.
She said 999 calls were always a priority in such a situation and the service was restored ‘almost immediately’.
However, she said it took about three hours before all telephones and internet access were properly restored.
The incident served to highlight the vulnerability of modern businesses to sudden technology failures.

Triathlon needs a £700 business sponsor

SPONSORS are being sought by West Somerset Council’s leisure team for one of the district’s top sporting events, the Minehead Triathlon, which is to be held at Aquasplash on July 22.
Leisure officer Matt Stevens, who organises the event, said: “This year we are offering a great package for a main sponsor as well as our usual packages for support sponsors.
“The main sponsor’s name will be used in conjunction with the event name in all publicity linked to the triathlon and will also feature on the front of the athletes’ shirts so it is a fantastic opportunity - all for a very reasonable £700.”
It is the third year the council has organised the popular event, which centres around the Aquasplash pool and gym complex.
The triathlon combines a swimming challenge, a cycle race to Porlock and back, and running to and from Dunster Beach.
Mr Stevens said: “There is still plenty of space for our other sponsors with prices ranging from £50 to £400 with businesses’ logos appearing on the back of athletes’ shirts.
“All sponsors get mentioned on the website, in advertising, and in the race pack handed out to competitors on the day.”
The council’s leisure, culture, and recreation portfolio holder, Councillor Keith Ross, said: “This is great value-for-money advertising for local businesses.
“The triathlon has gone from strength to strength. It had 156 entrants two years ago, 186 last year, and we are pretty sure we can secure a capacity field of 200 competitors this year.
“Not only does the triathlon bring these competitors, who may never have otherwise visited the area, to West Somerset, it also brings their families and supporters so it is fantastic for the local economy.
“I hope local businesses will support this event because it brings a lot of good publicity and custom to Minehead.”
Anybody wanting to sponsor the triathlon should contact Matt Stevens on 01643 703704 or email mstevens@westsomerset.gov.uk.

£174,000 bequest funds steam train overhaul

AN unexpected £174,000 bequest to the West Somerset Railway has virtually completed the funding needed to finish an overhaul of an important steam engine.
The heritage railway bought the Great Western Railway-designed steam locomotive 7828 ‘Odney Manor’ and its tender three years ago and set about raising the £600,000 needed to cover the purchase and the overhaul.
Now, the legacy by railway enthusiast Derek Stephens has brought in the remaining funds which will see the engine working trains over the 20 miles of line between Minehead and Bishops Lydeard.
WSR general manager Paul Conibeare said the railway was grateful to the late Mr Stephens and ‘a little moved that he should think of us when making his will’.
Mr Stephens’ connection with the railway was that he had travelled on the line and found his visits enjoyable and impressive enough to make a major gesture of support.
Mr Conibeare said: “Together with the generous support of our shareholders and other well-wishers we have reached our target ahead of the planned timescale.
“The ‘Manor’ class engines are ideal for our line, being designed to work passenger trains of 250 tons over secondary mail line routes and we look forward to welcoming ‘Odney’ back to heading our trains when overhaul is complete in a couple of years’ time.”
Two ‘Manor’ class engines are being hired in by the WSR as part of the ‘guest list’ for its spring steam gala, which runs on March 17t, 18t, 22, 23, 24 and 25.
Number 7802 ‘Bradley Manor’ is being hired from the Severn Valley Railway, while 7822 ‘Foxcote Manor’ is coming from Lllangollen.
Visitors to Minehead on the Saturdays and Sundays of the gala will also be able to look around the locomotive shed and workshop at Minehead to see for themselves the progress on ‘Odney’.

• Our photographs show 'Odney Manor' before the overhaul began (top) and some of the work in progress. Photos submitted.

More help to find a way of owning your own home

MORE help has been made available by West Somerset Council for people looking for affordable homes to buy in the district.
The council has joined the Government-led Westcountry agency Home2own to provide more options for local people.
The agency provides affordable housing information for residents across Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall on everything to do with low-cost home ownership.
Councillor Mary Crowley, who holds the portfolio for housing, health and welfare, said: “Home2own is designed to help first-time buyers and people without enough money to buy a suitable home on the open market.
“It is a great opportunity for young people, key workers such as nurses and teachers, and local people on low incomes get on the property ladder.
“The scheme is a one-stop solution because it unites a variety of buying options and people who may not qualify for one scheme, may well find another to suit their needs.
“We are delighted the council has raised the income threshold so that households with an income of less than £35,000 per annum can apply for affordable housing if they are able to secure mortgages and also meet the local connection criteria.”
Anybody who believes they may qualify for affordable housing in West Somerset can contact Home2own’s experienced advisers, who can explain the options available.
More information is available on the website www.home2own.org.uk or by telephoning 01803 217600.

• Our photograph shows an affordable housing development at Gillams Close, Watchet. Photo submitted.

From the slopes of the Quantocks to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro

WEST Somerset publican Pam Middlemast (pictured) is in training to become fit enough for the biggest challenge of her life, travelling from the Quantock Hills to climb the world’s highest free-standing mountain, the 5,685m Mount Kilimanjaro.
Pam, who runs the Bicknoller Inn, will travel to Tanzania in June to join 30 other people taking part in the hike to raise money for Scope, the charity for people with cerebral palsy.
To ensure she is fit enough for the adventure, Pam is running three times a week, practising yoga, and has invested in a cross-trainer to help build her strength and stamina.
She said: “I look forward to the trek with some sense of trepidation, but also with much excitement. I am sure this promises to be an experience of a lifetime.”
Pam’s first challenge, however, is to raise sponsorship money, which she has been doing through a number of events at the Bicknoller Inn, including a sponsored head shave, a table top sale, and a jazz night with ‘Gentle Jazz’.
Her husband, Paul, has agreed to have his legs waxed in public, and her yoga teacher, Tria, will be running a yoga lesson in Bicknoller Village Hall and giving all the proceeds to the cause.
Pam will also be giving a talk on Friday, March 23, in the village hall, on her experience of conservation in the Seychelles, which will be accompanied by a finger buffet and drinks.
She said: “I would like to thank everybody who has given me their help and support in raising money, and welcome any new ideas as we still have some way to go, as I have pledged to raise £3,000 for Scope.”
The trek to the summit Mount Kilimanjaro will take six days, with the route taking in cultivated farmland, lush jungle, alpine meadow, and, finally, barren lunar landscape.
Pam said: “An average day’s walking will be about seven hours, with the most challenging day being the day we will reach the summit. This day will start shortly after midnight and entail 14 hours’ walking.
“I am taking this challenge very seriously and know that I will have to be very fit if I am to succeed.”
Pam would like to hear from anybody willing to make a donation or help in organising a fund-raising event.
Readers of The Crier can sponsor Pam by visiting her fund-raising website at www.justgiving.com/pamm and clicking on ‘sponsor me now’, or contact her via her email at pam@bicknollerinn.co.uk, or by telephone on 01984 656234.
More information on events run by Scope is available on 0800 019 1200 or from www.scope.org.uk/adventures/.

Photo submitted.

Sir Ranulph aids children's heart research

SIR Ranulph Fiennes (pictured), the Exmoor-based explorer and adventurer, has officially opened a £2 million MRI scanner unit in Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London.
The scanner, which will only be used for heart research, was funded partly with sponsorship raised for the British Heart Foundation by Sir Ranulph’s unsuccessful attempt at climbing Mount Everest in 2005.
Sir Ranulph, who lives near Exford, attempted the climb despite having suffered a heart attack and undergoing a double by-pass operation two years earlier.
During March, he is part of a team attempting an ascent on the famous North Face of the Eiger to raise £1.5 million for the Marie Curie Delivering Choice Programme, which supports care for the terminally ill.
Sir Ranulph said: “I am so proud to be a part of the BHF’s achievement.
“I know first-hand the life-changing difference research makes - my own heart by-pass saved my life and has allowed me to carry on doing the things I love.”
Sir Ranulph’s attempt to conquer Mount Everest was marred by bad weather and ill-health.
Despite reaching above 28,000 feet, the intrepid explorer was forced to turn back only hours from the summit after experiencing intense breathing difficulties.

Photo submitted.

Teenage thugs film attack on their mobile phones

A TEENAGE girl has been attacked in Minehead by a gang of youths some of whom used their mobile phones to video the assault taking place.
The shocking incident happened as the 16-year-old girl was walking in The Parks area at about 5.15 pm on Thursday, February 1.
She was set upon by a gang of around 15 youths said to be aged between 13 and 16-years-old.
They forced the girl to crawl through mud and repeatedly say: ‘I am Goldilocks, where are my bears?’ while some took humiliating pictures.
It marks a dramatic escalation of anti-social behaviour by the gang, who for some months are said to have engaged in petty vandalism, theft, intimidation, and assaults in the town.
The random attack is also thought to be the first time local youths have adopted the unpleasant practice seen in some urban areas of using their mobile phones to take photographs and film of an assault to show to their friends.
The gang included boys and girls from local schools and the ringleader was said to be a girl pupil of the 24/7@peritonmead special school who was also alleged previously to have used a stiletto heel to attack another girl.
The gang included a number of students from the West Somerset Community College, Minehead, and at least one youngster said to have previously been excluded from the college.
Police confirmed to The Crier that a 16-year-old girl had later been arrested on suspicion of common assault and would be dealt with through the youth court system.
The arrested girl, whose name cannot be revealed because of a law which protects the identity of juvenile criminals, is understood also to have been removed with immediate effect from 24/7@peritonmead.
Staff at 24/7@peritonmead were praised by the parents of the victim of the attack, who has since made a good recovery, for facing up to the situation and taking swift and appropriate action.
However, they were less impressed with the response they received when they spoke with staff of the community college.
The college’s principal, Nick Swann, would not talk to The Crier when we called to ask his views on whether anything could be done about the behaviour of students off the campus.
Mr Swann instead relayed a message through his personal assistant that he ‘is unable to comment on it because he knows nothing about it’.
The manager of 24/7@peritonmead, Craig Fletcher, told The Crier he had nothing to add to what had already been told to the parents.

Young carers learn life-saving skills

YOUNG carers in West Somerset are being honoured for adding life-saving First Aid to their array of skills.
The 15 youngsters, aged between 11 and 16 years, have completed a Basic First Aid course with the support of the Somerset Young Carers Project.
Now, they are to receive certificates at a presentation in the Vennland Centre, Minehead, on Saturday, February 10.
The course was run in November with the help of the Somerset Youth Service and the Breaking the Cycle community initiative.
Young Carers Project co-ordinator Jo Sylvester said the skills learned on the day could be priceless.
She said: “For everybody, basic First Aid is something that could make the difference between life and death for a loved one.
“But for these youngsters the training is even more relevant.”
Somerset County Council funds the Somerset Carers Project with the help of voluntary groups.
It offers vital support to youngsters aged between eight and 16 who, usually due of family illness or disability, take on caring responsibilities for their parents or siblings. The project works with young carers and parents, helping them access community resources, and offering occasional breaks from their caring role.
County council portfolio holder for strategic services for children and young people, Councillor Pauline Clarke, said: “Although hugely important, the work of young carers is often overlooked.
“I am glad we have been able to support these youngsters with projects like this.”

Awards for £300,000 county council PR team

THE public relations team at Somerset County Council has picked up four regional honours in the Chartered Institute of Public Relations’ annual PRide awards, reflecting the authority’s commitment to communicating its services to residents.
It follows an increase in spending on council PR staff salaries of almost £100,000 to £311,000 a year, including the addition to the 10-strong team of one officer just for climate change issues.
Somerset won a finalist certificate for its regular newsletter ‘Your Somerset’, a silver award for its campaign to promote biofuels, a gold award for its ‘Bringing Domestic Abuse into the Light’ campaign, and it was also awarded ‘Best In-House PR Team of the Year’.
The CIPR awards recognise excellence in the public relations industry.
County council chief executive Alan Jones said: “These awards are recognition of Somerset County Council’s continuing excellence in communicating its services to Somerset’s taxpayers.
“Letting residents know what services they can access and the achievements of the council is core in learning how we can improve our services and I am delighted that the CIPR have recognised the strides that we are making in delivering communications excellence.”
Portfolio holder for communications and marketing, Councillor Paul Buchanan, said: “Being recognised for outstanding excellence by one’s industry is a fabulous achievement and I am delighted for our staff, who have contributed to these awards.
“I am delighted that Somerset County Council can say that we have the best communicators in the South West, who are helping to tell Somerset’s residents all about the excellent services that we provide.”

• Our photograph shows the county council PR team outside County Hall, Taunton, (left to right) back row - PR and communications officer Robert Booth, media analyst Alex Bacon, PR officer Elizabeth Kulh, PR and media relations officer Mark Ford , climate change communications officer Ruth Baker. Front - PR officer Jan Hookings, access and communications manager Robert Gunning, access and communications manager Deborah Porter, PR and communications officer Claire Cullen. Photo submitted.