Army transporter carrying a Titan tank knocks down pylon in Wimborne

Personal Injury Dorset A TRAILER carrying an armoured engineer vehicle caused hold-ups in Wimborne town centre on Monday when it was in collision with a pylon and a street sign. A low-loading trailer with a 62,500-kilogram Titan onboard knocked down some cables and a street sign at the roundabout next to The Pudding and Pye Pub, in West Street, just after 9am. Dorset Police attended as the vehicle was blocking one lane of the roundabout and engineers from the electricity provider Southern Electric arrived at 10.45am to deal with live wires coming from a pylon. No-one was injured in the accident, a police spokesman said, which also damaged part of the town’s CCTV system. The Titan is used in the field to carry and lay ‘close support’ bridges, allowing troops and vehicles to cross up to 60 metre gaps. It was believed to be from the Bulford army base, near Salisbury but a Ministry of Defence spokesman declined to comment on the incident. Police officers escorted the army vehicle through town and back on to the A31. source: bournemouthecho.co.uk

Two hurt as lorry hits parked car on A46 Lincoln bypass

Personal Injury Lincolnshire Passenger Claims A 12-year-old boy and his grandmother have been seriously injured after their parked car was hit by a lorry on the A46 in Lincolnshire. The accident happened on the Lincoln bypass between the Skellingthorpe and Carholme roundabouts at about 09:45 BST. The boy sustained head injuries and the woman, in her 50s, suffered injuries to her neck and leg. The pair, both from Lincoln, were taken to Lincoln County Hospital. The 37-year-old driver of the lorry, who was from Lincolnshire, was unhurt. Both lanes of the westbound carriageway were shut until about 14:00 BST. source: bbc.co.uk

Somerset planners hit back in row over asbestos dumping near Chew Valley Lake

Personal Injury Somerset Planners have defended their decision to approve plans for an asbestos dumping ground near Chew Valley Lake, despite concerns about health risks. Bath and North East Somerset Council’s planning committee approved the proposals, that will see up to 645,000 tonnes of asbestos dumped at Stowey Quarry near Bishop Stutton, in July. Residents, Bristol Water and parish councillors had all opposed the plans, and a campaign has now been launched calling for the decision to be reversed. Locals are concerned that the burying of asbestos near the lake could contaminate Bristol and the surrounding area’s water supply. A protest rally against the development is due to take place tomorrow at 3.30pm at Chew Lake, organised by the Stop Stowey Quarry Asbestos Landfill group. But the council says independent research has shown the risk of asbestos contaminating the water supply is “negligible”. Council spokesman James Hinchcliffe said: “The Environment Agency was fully consulted on the planning application and had no objections. “We were therefore satisfied that the potential impacts of the proposal on the environment had been fully considered and a refusal of planning permission on these grounds would not have been justified. “The comments raised by Bristol Water led to additional work being undertaken by an independent hydrogeologist and their findings were reviewed by a hydrogeologist from another company. “Both reached the same conclusion that the risk to water pollution was considered to be negligible.” Mr Hinchcliffe also pointed out that the majority of the asbestos proposed to be landfilled at Stowey is white asbestos. This is cement bonded asbestos which is still found in many water tanks, pipes, building cladding and roofing which is still commonplace in the environment. The planning committee approved the proposals by the narrowest of margins – just one vote. Six councillors were in favour, five were against and one abstained. The Stop Stowey Quarry Asbestos Landfill group is still concerned about the potential risk though. A spokesperson for the group said: “In a dump of this size it will be hard to monitor what hazardous waste is deposited and there is a fear that soluble waste could leach into the water supply.” Bristol Water has conceded that the matter is now out of its hands. A spokesman said: “We were disappointed with the planning decision but it has been made. We have made our concerns very clear to all those involved, including the Environment Agency.” source: thisissomerset.co.uk

HMS Ark Royal could be turned into artificial diving reef

Personal Injury Devon Offshore Claims Diving Claims An ambitious scheme to scuttle the decommissioned aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal off Devon to create an artificial diving reef has won the backing of councillors. Members of Torbay council's harbour committee voted unanimously to support the proposal to sink the Royal Navy's former flagship six miles off the English Riviera. There are still many hurdles for the charity behind the scheme to overcome, not least buying the vessel, which was taken out of service as part of defence cuts. But the harbour committee's unanimous backing of a proposal to lease part of the seabed from the Crown Estate to create a final resting place for the Ark is seen as a major step forward by the many champions of the plan in Devon. Other schemes that have been floated for the ship have included turning it into a museum or a helipad or simply selling it for scrap. In Torbay the idea of buying the vessel and turning it into an artificial reef was hatched over drinks at a sailing club and quickly turned into a solid plan. A charity called Wreck the World has been formed and it has put in a bid of £3.5m for the Ark. One of the charity's founders, Michael Byfield, said: "It's been a steep learning curve and there are still lots of obstacles but we feel we are getting somewhere." Wreck the World believes that divers would be attracted to Torbay from around the world if the scheme came to fruition, bringing in an estimated £10m a year to the local economy. Byfield said he believed it would be best to scuttle the ship so that the top of it came to rest five to 10 metres below the surface, making it accessible to many more divers than if it was sunk deeper. He would prefer to see the Ark settle upright on the seabed, allowing less confident divers to explore areas such as the bridge while more experienced ones could venture down to the deck and hull. Naturally, measures will have to be taken to ensure it would not pose a risk to any other shipping. Detailed environmental surveys would be carried out to check that the wreck would enhance rather than harm marine life. "It's good to think that if we can do this, Ark Royal would still be a guardian of our waters," said Byfield. "She is such an iconic vessel, it would be wrong to see her just cut up for scrap or suffer some other undignified fate." If the charity fails to buy the Ark, it will attempt to find another suitable ship to scuttle. And if the scheme works in Torbay, Byfield said he would be keen to try to launch other similar projects around the globe. A report about the plan considered by the harbour committee pointed out that the sinking of the frigate HMS Scylla in Whitsand Bay off Plymouth had "generated a boost to the local economy of Plymouth and the surrounding area". The report said there was "strong evidence" that there would be "new and appreciable economic benefits" to Torbay if the Ark Royal scheme was realised. Councillor Vic Ellery, chair of the harbour committee, said he was "very excited" by the plan, which will now go before the full council. source: guardian.co.uk

Student hit and killed by bus 'while chasing robber'

Personal Injury Liverpool A STUDENT was killed by a bus while ­apparently chasing a robber on a bike who stole his mobile phone. David Schofield, 21, was taken to hospital with head injuries after jumping a fence and landing in the double-decker’s path. He later died with his mum at his side. CCTV shows David, of Hyde, Greater Manchester, running and two women told the bus driver he was texting when his phone was taken. David, a Liverpool John Moores University sports science student, had been out with friends in Manchester before the accident on Saturday. Chief Supt Russ Jackson, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “It’s important for David’s family that we ­establish what happened before this sad death. “We have a third-hand account that he was chasing a thief but the two women who said this have yet to come forward. It is vital we speak to these women.” Source: mirror.co.uk

UK ban on referral fees welcomed by gocompensate.com

The government announced today that referral fees for personal injury claims will be banned bringing an end to the 'compensation culture' in the UK. Many of us may remember the students wearing bomber jackets on our high streets ten years ago who relentlessly pursued anyone wearing a sling, or were walking aided by a stick; later replaced with expensive television advertising campaigns. This activity was funded (handsomely) by the payment from a solicitor to the claims company for the claims referred to them. gocompensate.com was established in January 2011 and now has a network of specialist lawyers throughout the UK providing expert compensation services on a local basis without referral fees. It is our ethos to 'keep claims local' and promote accredited, specialist and ethical claims lawyers. We promote our panel solicitors through a series of websites enabling potential claimants to locate their gocompensate.com solicitor either through a specific injury search, a sector search or through regional claims websites. To locate a specialist local solicitor visit gocompensate.com and select your region. Personal Injury Claims Medical Negligence Claims No Referral Fees Locate your lawyer

Injury claim referral fees to be banned

gocompensate.com The government is to ban referral fees in personal injury claims in an attempt to curb the "compensation culture". It says the current system in which personal injury details are sold on by insurance companies to lawyers has led to rising insurance costs. Justice Minister Jonathan Djanogly said honest motorists were seeing their premiums hiked as insurers covered the costs of ever more compensation claims. The Association of British Insurers said the ban must be "watertight". 'Whiplash' Mr Djanogly said: "Many of the claims are spurious and only happen because the current system allows too many people to profit from minor accidents and incidents. "Referral fees are one symptom of the compensation culture problem and too much money sloshing through the system. "People are being encouraged to sue, at no risk to themselves." He said banning referral fees would make claimants think harder about whether to sue, and give insurers an incentive to pass the savings on to customers. "It's certainly a racket. It's a sick culture that we have to turn round. "I say culture because it's not just a question of insurance companies, it's small businesses being afraid of litigation, of being put out of business by litigation, it's larger companies who are often self-insured having to put up their prices... and then it goes [wider] to schools not wanting to send children on school trips because they are afraid of litigation." There is no current timescale for implementing a ban. The government wants to stop losing defendants having to pay a "success fee" to reimburse the claimant's lawyer for unconnected cases he may have lost. It says the proposals before Parliament mean people making the claim will have to pay the success fee - which will be capped - rather than the defendant. Legal costs overall will fall which means lower costs to pass on to customers, it adds. The Association of British Insurers - which speaks on behalf of leading insurers - said it welcomed the announcement. Director General Otto Thoresen said: "We are very pleased that the government has listened to the insurance industry's campaign for a ban on referral fees. "They add no value and encourage spurious and exaggerated personal injury claims. "It is important that the ban must be watertight and apply across the board. "Banning referral fees is an important first step in tackling our dysfunctional compensation system, and needs to be accompanied by a reduction in legal costs and action to tackle whiplash if honest customers are to benefit from these reforms." The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers vice-president Karl Tonks said there was a concern that a blanket ban could push the transactions underground. "The really important thing is for there to be transparency, so that the injured person, the consumer knows what's happening and their details are only passed on to anybody with their express consent." He said his members would welcome a ban on accident victims being approached to make claims by cold-callers. "Solicitors are robustly regulated in this, we simply cannot and do not do it. "Others are not so well regulated and we would welcome an effective ban of those text messages and unsolicited phone calls - I've received them, nobody wants to have them, and we would very much welcome action by the government and others to get rid of those." Universal definition 'lacking' Shadow justice minister Andy Slaughter said Labour supported the ban, particularly when applied to road accidents, but had some reservations. "It is strange that the Ministry of Justice is seeking to ban all referral fees when the government themselves admit that there is no universal definition of what constitutes a referral fee. "It is also not clear how organisations such as those campaigning for people with spinal injuries and asbestos-related illnesses, who refer people to experienced lawyers in return for help with funding their activities, will be able to continue their important work if all referral fees are simply outlawed." Mr Djanogly said finding a definition was "challenge" for him, but he was hoping to get it included in the legal aid bill, possibly by Easter next year. Meanwhile, the Office of Fair Trading said it was putting motor insurance under the spotlight after drivers had seen premiums rise by 40% on average in a year. The watchdog said it would examine whether any competition or consumer issues needed to be addressed. In 2009, the number of road accidents involving personal injury was 31% down on the average for 1994-98. But the cost of personal injury claims has doubled from £7bn to £14bn in the past decade and motor insurance premiums have risen at least 30% in the last year. source: bbc.co.uk

Cancer drug resistance clue found

Cancer Claims It may be possible to extend the usefulness of cancer drugs by preventing drug resistance in tumours, say researchers. A study, published in Science Translational Medicine, showed a chemical reaction went into overdrive as resistance developed. Scientists said drugs were already on the market which interfered with the process. Cancer Research UK said the field offered "tremendous optimism". An international team of researchers were investigating the cancer drug cetuximab, which is used to treat colorectal cancer, head and neck cancers and some lung cancers. It targets a protein - epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) - which drives tumour growth. They said "all patients will ultimately develop resistance to cetuximab" but that little was known about how the resistance developed. Alternative route In this case, the tumours replaced the EGFR route with one involving a different protein - ERBB2 - and continued to grow. Dr Pasi Janne, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, said: "ERBB2 activates a critical signalling pathway that is not normally blocked by cetuximab, and in this way subverts cetuximab's function. "Because ERBB2 isn't affected by cetuximab, this is an easy way for cancers to become resistant to the drug." The researchers said several drugs which target ERBB2 had already been approved so "the findings from the current study can be used to design potential clinical therapies". However, they caution that there are likely to be other ways that cancers can develop resistance. Henry Scowcroft, science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "Unfortunately, patients' tumours can become resistant to treatment, and understanding why this happens is a major challenge in cancer research. "This new study is a great example of how researchers are uncovering the molecular tricks cancer cells use to evade treatment, and finding out how to stop them doing so. "Research like this gives us tremendous optimism that we're on the cusp of a real revolution in cancer, although there's a lot more work to do to make this a reality." source: bbc.co.uk

Man seriously injured in Porthcurno rock fall

Offshore Claims Personal Injury Cornwall A man in his 60s has been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after falling about 25ft on to rocks at Porthcurno in Cornwall. A spokesman for Falmouth Coastguard said the accident happened just after 15:00 BST on Wednesday. The man, who is not thought to be local, sustained suspected head and spinal injuries in the fall. An RNAS Culdrose helicopter, Land's End coastguard team and Porthcurno beach lifeguards were involved in the rescue. The man was taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro. His condition is not known. Lt Commander Andy Watts, from RNAS Culdrose, said: "He was conscious throughout, although he was in pain. The difficulty was getting him out. "We used straps under his arms, and used everybody there to physically lift him up and maintain care of his neck, so there was no issue if there were spinal problems." The rescue took about 45 minutes. Source: bbc.co.uk

Third of 1,600 appeals over street light switch-offs in Northamptonshire successful

Personal Injury Northamptonshire ABOUT a third of appeals against the turning-off of individual street lights in Northamptonshire have resulted in change, according to figures released by Northamptonshire County Council. The council planned to switch off about 33,000 street lights across the county, in a bid to save the authority £2 million per year. But the move was controversial, with many residents contacting the Chronicle & Echo over the past few weeks to complain. The authority revealed last night it had received a total of 1,595 appeals against the switching-off of individual street lights. Having processed 685 of these appeals so far, a spokeswoman said about a third had resulted in change. Nigel Robinson, of Marston Way in Daventry, contacted the Chron after his four-year-old Yorkshire terrier, Brandy, was hit by a car in the street where he lives. He blamed a lack of street lights in the area for the accident. He said: “All three nearest to my property have been switched off so it really is pitch black and the only lights in my area are from my house. “On Monday night my dog got run over outside my house. The woman driving said she just didn’t see him.” Mr Robinson said Brandy, who starred as Toto in William Parker School’s production of The Wizard of Oz, had been lucky to survive. A spokeswoman for Northamptonshire County Council said: “The lights were not turned off on an ad-hoc basis and switching off about half of the 66,000 street lights owned by the county council did not mean that we were simply switching off every other light. “Instead we worked hard to establish a rationale and have liaised closely with the police to help make our decisions. “Once the switch-off was completed we carried out inspections to assess what changes were required and have reacted to genuine concerns which are evidence based.” To raise an issue regarding streetlightsm people can email highways@ northamptonshire.gov.uk source: northamptonchron.co.uk

Father says taxi driver 'not to blame' for son's death

Passenger Claims The father of a man who died after being hit by a taxi in York says the driver was not to blame for what was a "tragic accident". Dave Donaghy's 24-year-old son Chris died after getting trapped under the vehicle on Saturday 3 September. Mr Donaghy said his son had fallen into the path of the passing taxi. North Yorkshire Police said it was still investigating the incident and an inquest into Mr Donaghy's death has been opened and adjourned. 'Just fell' Dave Donaghy described his son as a "smashing lad" who was simply enjoying a night-out in York when the incident happened on Lendal Bridge in the city centre. He said: "He just fell into the road into the path of the taxi which happened to be passing and unfortunately ended up underneath it. "I don't know how the driver is feeling but it wasn't their fault." A page on Facebook has been set up so friends and family can pay their own tributes to Chris Donaghy. Dave Donaghy said he had been "greatly comforted" by the comments on the page. "It is overwhelming for me. It has clearly affected so many people it is just unbelievable really," he added. A 48-year-old woman from Edinburgh, who was injured in the incident, remains in a stable condition in hospital. Source: bbc.co.uk

Ten years ago I couldn't walk... now I'm climbing Mt Kilimanjaro

Brain Injury Claims Alfie Russell was ten years old when he was knocked off his bicycle in the road outside his home in Enfield, Middlesex. It was August 1999, and his mother Jayne was in the garden. 'I heard this loud bang,' she recalls, 'and a girl crying. I ran outside and there was Alfie, lying at the foot of a concrete lamppost. He’d been thrown into it from 40ft away.' Jayne was told that her son’s life hung in the balance and that, if he were to survive, his brain injuries were such that he might never walk, talk or see again. So it is nothing short of remarkable that today he is a healthy young man, embarking on a climb of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. His recovery is largely thanks to The Children’s Trust in Tadworth, Surrey. The residential home was established as an independent charity to help children with a range of disabilities to recover, as well as offer respite care and schooling to those with learning difficulties. After spending three weeks in a medically induced coma at Guy’s Hospital, London, Alfie was transferred to the trust, unable to talk or walk, in October 1999. After just one week he had improved dramatically. With the help of Amanda Ruff, head of speech and language therapy, and an intensive course of speech exercises, within a month he was able to recite the days of the week. Three months later he no longer needed nappies (the trauma had rendered him incontinent) and by the following spring, the medication he took to help gain sensation in his limbs had been reduced. ‘Alfie wore a tight-fitting Lycra allin- one suit to aid his recovery,’ explains Dr Gail Hermon, the trust’s clinical director of rehabilitation. ‘The material presses against the skin, giving sensory feedback that is often impaired after a severe brain injury.’ Alfie also had trouble walking because the signals sent from his brain to his leg muscles had been damaged. But with daily physiotherapy, he was walking with a stick and splints on his legs by the end of his nine-month stay. The surface of the brain can tear or bruise due to a blow to the head. Injuries can cause bleeding, blood clots or a build-up of fluid, which puts pressure on the brain and can lead to brain damage. Each year about 700,000 Britons suffer a head injury and about ten per cent are severe. The extent of brain damage depends on the force of the trauma, where it is sustained and how quickly it is treated. ‘The brain is like a motorway and a serious injury is like removing part of a working road,’ says Dr Hermon. We can’t replace it but the nerves will find ways to reroute, making the detour as efficient as possible. For this to work the brain needs to be exercised intensively.’ Alfie sustained the most damage to his brain’s cerebellum region, which is responsible for concentration, co-ordination and sensory perception. He still finds some movements difficult and continues to have physiotherapy. He works part-time at the family roofing business. In 2006 Alfie gave a talk on how his life had been turned around by the trust. Suzanne Dando, former Olympic gymnast and vice-president of the trust, was so moved that she agreed to run the London Marathon with him. Last year Alfie bumped into Suzanne again at a Children’s Trust charity ball and asked if she’d be interested in another fundraiser. ‘Within minutes I found myself agreeing to climb Kilimanjaro,’ says Suzanne. Alongside them will be road-accident survivor James Topping. When he arrived at the trust, aged 15, he could not speak. Within days he was able to produce sounds and eventually coherent sentences. Today James suffers with short-term memory loss, but he is working as a fulltime tree-surgeon. The two young men met four years ago through the charity work they did for the trust. When James heard of his friend’s plan he was keen to join in. They set off on their trek yesterday, hoping to raise £20,000 for the trust. Says Alfie: ‘The trust gave me and James our lives back. We just want to do something to say thank you.’ source: dailymail.co.uk

Why did it take so long to remove asbestos?

Asbestos Claims A TOWN councillor has expressed his relief that a pile of potentially dangerous asbestos will be removed from the former Buckingham Town Football Club grounds. But Councillor Robin Stuchbury said he was surprised the job hadn’t been done sooner. He told the Advertiser he had brought the matter to the attention of AVDC director Tracey Aldworth prior to the summer holidays, because of fears children could come into contact with it when playing on the disused football field. According to Buckingham Town Council, the asbestos panels were taken down when the football clubhouse roof was replaced some time ago and have remained on the site ever since. Mr Stuchbury said: “In the days of the football club, it was a secure site because there were people there 24/7 to carry out the business of the club. “Now it’s an abandoned field in the middle of Buckingham with nothing but a five-bar gate between them and the public. “I was originally made aware of it by members of the public living in my ward.” And he dismissed an AVDC statement last week that said: “Currently we believe there is no risk to the public as the material is on private property on a secure site.” But when Advertiser photographer Jake McNulty visited the site yesterday, the gate was open, with a notice indicating it is only locked between 5.30pm and 8.30am. Mr Stuchbury said: “It’s about as secure as an open field and it’s adjacent to residential homes.” An AVDC spokesman told the Advertiser: “The owner has just returned from his holiday and has informed the environmental health team that he intends to get the asbestos removed as soon as possible within the coming week. “The environmental health team will be checking that the removal is carried out by a licensed contractor.” “The car park is used by the Ford garage, who control access. “It is locked each night and opened at 8.30am.” Nobody from the landowners, Sherm, was available for comment. source: buckinghamtoday.co.uk

Ty Hafan hospice helps children live life to the full

Claims for Wales Medical Negligence Wales Giving comfort, care and support to life-limited children and young people is the purpose of the Ty Hafan hospice. But, as BBC One Wales documentary Beautiful Lives showed Kirstie McCrum, it’s also dedicated to improving quality of life for the whole family Number 15 – visit the beach at night. Number six – watch a sunrise. Number seven – watch a sunset. Perhaps surprisingly, Amy-Claire Davis’ bucket list isn’t full of outrageous demands. It’s while completing number 153 – planting a tree – from her wheelchair that Amy-Claire is introduced to viewers of the new BBC Wales documentary, Beautiful Lives. The four-part programme offers a glimpse inside the doors of Ty Hafan, the hospice for children who are not expected to live into adulthood. Amy-Claire, who is from Swansea, does list ‘own a Porsche (light blue, 911 turbo)’ at number 14, but on the whole, the 16-year-old has selected a thoroughly possible collection of activities to complete before she “kicks the bucket” as she puts it. It’s a phrase which is difficult to hear coming from a teenager, but chatty, intelligent Amy-Claire is one of the182 life-limited children who have been helped by the hospice since it opened in 1999. Housed in a bright white building on the South Wales coast, Ty Hafan offers support to terminally ill children to help them fulfil their potential. Amy-Claire’s mum Caroline says that Ty Hafan has been a lifeline for herself and her husband Stephen since their daughter’s referral. “When you’re a parent, having a child who’s ill is not a choice that you make. You have a baby, you expect things to be rosy in the garden. When it’s not, nobody asks you do you want to do it; you just get on with it. “So you don’t really think about it, it’s just life to us,” she explains. Amy is one of the many children whose condition is undiagnosed, but Caroline says it’s been around since she was born. “There were all sorts of names mentioned because they were working on the symptoms she presented at the time and then eventually puberty came and the disease went berserk. “We’ve got all sorts of nicknames for it – we’ve called it Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtle syndrome, and we’ve called it ACD syndrome – actually just her initials. But we’ve got no idea of the cause.” This October marks two years since Amy-Claire started attending Ty Hafan. Caroline says that her referral marked an important moment for the whole family. “At that point I think we were at the lowest of the low. Amy had been in hospital for a number of weeks and a bucketful of medication wasn’t making a difference. “Her weight was barely 6st. She slept all the time and when she didn’t sleep she screamed the house down with pain and then when she didn’t scream, she went into spasm like she was having a massive seizure but she was talking to you all the way through. “In October 2009, I think we began to realise – it was like an elephant sitting in the room and no one talked about it. “Then one day we asked the consultant who was working with her. I said, ‘I think I’m watching my child die’. I waited for her to say, ‘Don’t be silly’, and she didn’t. “Then she asked if we would like to be referred to the hospice.” When the referral came, Caroline and Stephen were struggling to deal with the situation, and would think nothing of grabbing just three hours of sleep a night. Ty Hafan represented a chance for some respite – but Caroline says Amy-Claire was apprehensive. “She thought it was going to be another hospital and she’d had enough of hospitals over the years. No disrespect to hospitals, but we didn’t want to see another hospital ward, another hospital doctor who could only look at that one particular thing. “We all went to Ty Hafan for lunch and a tour of the hospice, just to see what it was like, then we went in for the first time to stay in March. “We were in parents’ accommodation, and it was the first time that we had a night’s sleep for a long time. The first night Amy-Claire was great, but the second night she had been horrific. “The Ty Hafan staff said, ‘We cannot believe that you’ve been doing this on your own’.” With a list of 28 tablets a day, Amy-Claire is still on constant medication, but the periods of time she and her family get to stay in Ty Hafan have offered a helping hand that hospitals were no longer able to offer. “Hospitals do it for the right reasons, but by that point, we had no hope,” adds her mum. “You’d have a test and in an awful way you’d hope that test would be the one that would come back saying they knew what it was. “Now we’re not there anymore because we feel lucky because we haven’t got a name for it, so we’re not sitting here saying, ‘In a year’s time you won’t be able to do this or that’ – we’ve got no idea. “So while we’ve got no idea, we’ve got lots of hope. “Palliative care and Ty Hafan have taught us that. The big difference about palliative care is that it’s about looking at the whole child, the whole family, and not just about the medical consequences. “It’s about helping them live life to the full.” As one of the Ty Hafan staff members who helps children live life to the full, Hayley Mason is a human whirlwind. The busy family support practitioner has been working at the hospice since it opened, and currently handles around 35 families. With a background in working with children, her positive outlook and boundless enthusiasm make her perfect for the role. But she says that welcoming new families to the hospice is a tricky job. “It is a difficult balance because the families have just been told that their child fits our criteria which is a tough diagnosis for them to accept. “To be told that your child is likely to die before the age of 19 is difficult for anyone to comprehend. “The referral to Ty Hafan is very positive because they’re getting the specialist support that they need, but it’s kind of bittersweet because they have to accept that their child is likely to die as a child,” she explains. Although it might be easy to assume that Hayley’s job of caring for and counselling families is difficult, she doesn’t find it hard to stay positive. “A lot of people would assume that working in a hospice is sad, and there are days when we’ll leave here in tears and it is difficult, but on the whole, I’m so lucky to be here. “The children that I work with are amazing and bright and each day they teach you something new. “It’s such a happy place – we’ve shared as many tears through laughter as through sadness. There’s so much going on for the children, and the staff are really busy making sure that their days are full with as much fun as possible.” Mum-of-two Hayley says that she does get emotionally attached to her cases, and it is as hard to see the parents suffer as it is the children. “It’s difficult as a parent, your heart breaks for them. I would do anything to avoid them having to go through what they’re going through, but I realise that I can’t. “I can make things a little bit easier for them and I can accompany them on their journey, but I can’t take their pain away. “It would be wrong of me to try and assume that I could.” Through workers like Hayley, Ty Hafan offers aid throughout their journey with a family, no matter how difficult it can be. “Making end of life plans is the one thing that they’ve been putting off since they had the diagnosis, but a lot of families get a lot of comfort in the fact that they’re able to make decisions that will help them at what is the saddest time of their lives. “To be able to do that while they’re thinking a little clearer before it’s needed can be really powerful for them so when the time comes, they can just let their grief overcome them and we’ll take care of all the arrangements. “But we do it as gently as we can and at a pace that’s right for them,” she explains. In the final Beautiful Lives programme, the annual memorial is shown – a time when Ty Hafan families gather to remember the children who have passed away. It takes six and a half minutes for the names of the Ty Hafan children who have died to be read out, with pebbles bearing their names placed in a stream on the grounds. Hayley adds: “People say that the pebbles are really sad, but for me, I can look at those pebbles and remember every child whose name is on there. “I’ll remember something special about them, and I’ll sit there and have a little smile.” In her role as family support practitioner, Hayley works with Kirstie and Catherine Fields from Llanelli. After many years of suffering from an unidentified disease, the blonde, bright twins were diagnosed with Fields Condition – named for them – and they went to the hospice for the first time in May, a visit that is captured in Beautiful Minds. Mum Lyn says that it’s been a difficult road for the family. “When they were born they seemed fine and went through all the normal milestones. “The only thing that they did have were slight turns in their feet when they were walking.” The girls’ condition deteriorated as they got older. At four years of age Lyn was told Kirstie had the a form of cerebral palsy, and six months later, Catherine received the same diagnosis. By the time they were seven, the twins couldn’t walk without somebody holding their hands. “At that stage they thought that they had something as well as cerebral palsy and it’s just gone from there. “When they were nine everything was sent to a panel of researchers in London. “They filled 18 pots of blood to be tested for different things and we went up to Great Ormond Street,” Lyn explains. “They haven’t actually got cerebral palsy – they’ve got patterns for several things, but it’s not complete. “It’s like when you have a jigsaw and there are pieces missing,” she adds. The one thing that is certain is that Fields condition is progressive, and Kirstie and Catherine are deteriorating as they get older. “Up until two years ago, they could go to the bathroom and with a little bit of help they could dress themselves, but now we’re at the stage where they can’t even turn over in bed,” says their mum. When the girls were referred to Ty Hafan, Lyn says it was a blow. “When I had the letter to say that they had been accepted, I had mixed feelings. “It was lovely that they had been accepted, but then the reality hits you in the face, the reason why they have been accepted,” she confides. “On their first visit, they put their handprints in paint on the wall and loved it. There’s no gloom or doom there.” The film shows the twins, both shoppers, hitting the streets of Cardiff with Hayley, to get to know her better. And in Ty Hafan they were treated like typical girls their age. “They had a pampering afternoon where they had their nails done and a foot spa, then we had a curry night and a DVD – proper girly things,” says Lyn. “We were nervous going but then we didn’t went to come home. I’d go and live there tomorrow. “It’s really fantastic, but they can only go to Ty Hafan until they’re 19, so we’ve got to really make the most of the next two years.” Lyn says that the whole experience has given her and her daughters a lifeline that they didn’t know existed. “You think of it as a children’s hospice where children go to die. “Well, it is a children’s hospice, but it’s nothing like that at all. The help and support they give to families – I take my hat off to them. I think only really special people can do what they do.” source: walesonline.co.uk

BREAKING NEWS: Plane crashes near Sibson Airfield in Cambridgeshire

Passenger Claims

A plane has crashed near an airfield close to the A1 in Cambridgeshire after reportedly flying into an electricity pylon.

Police received reports at about 14:15 BST of the crash at Waternewton, near Sibson Airfield, near Peterborough.

A spokesman for East of England Ambulance Service said it was thought a plane flew into an electricity pylon.

Police said the light aircraft only had a pilot on board, but could not confirm his condition.

A spokesman said the A1 had been closed in both directions following concerns about the safety of the electricity pylon.

Two fire crews and two ambulances and a police helicopter were also called to the scene.

source: bbc.co.uk

Amazing survival of 50mph motorcyclist knocked out by low-flying pigeon… whose bike then accelerated to 140mph while he was UNCONSCIOUS

Bikers Claims

A motorcyclist survived an extraordinary crash after he was knocked out by a low-flying pigeon, accidentally hit the throttle on his bike and accelerated to 140mph - while unconscious.

Matthew Brealy, 38, collapsed when the bird smashed through his helmet visor and shattered his glasses as he drove along a stretch of road.

But he remained on the powerful 1,000 cc Suzuki GSXR which was sent hurtling a further 200 yards before it ploughed into an oak tree.

The bike disintegrated on impact.

Mr Brealy, from Whittington Moor, in Chesterfield, suffered two skull fractures with bleeding to his brain, a broken leg, cracked ribs and a fractured hand following the crash in April.

He spent ten weeks in Sheffield's Northern General Hospital where his hand was re-wired and a titanium rod was inserted in his leg.

The veteran biker, who runs an electrical business, is now learning to walk again with help from his pregnant wife Emma.

He had been out with a friend and was travelling at around 50 mph on a road between Caenby Corner and Retford, in Nottinghamshire, when he was struck by the bird.

‘It smashed through my helmet visor and even smashed the lens of my glasses,' he said.
'I was doing about 50 mph at the time and the impact knocked me unconscious.

‘It appears that I collapsed on the front of my bike and at the same time I hit the throttle so the bike just accelerated out of control.

‘Police told me afterwards they estimated that the bike had gone from 50 mph to around 140 mph in a matter of seconds but thankfully for me it happened on a straight road which is why I probably didn't fall off the machine.

‘My bike hit an oak tree with a glancing blow, I was thrown clear and the machine was smashed to pieces under the impact.

‘Police confirmed a pigeon was the cause of the accident. My visor was left with a hole in it and I was covered in pigeon blood and feathers.’

A farmer who came across the wreckage blocked the road with his combined harvester and paramedics treated the injured motorcyclist by the roadside for an hour before he was taken to hospital by air ambulance.

‘There's no doubt it was a bizarre, freak accident and I am aware that I am lucky to be arrive,’ he added.

‘I am 99 per cent back to normal but I have had to learn to walk again but with the support of my wife Emma, my family I was determined to get on my feet again and back to work.’

source: dailymail.co.uk

Man avoids serious injury as bricks rain down from Weymouth chimney

Personal Injury Dorset

A MAN narrowly escaped serious injury when part of a chimney crashed on his head.

Paramedics treated Carl Porter, 26, for head wounds after bricks tumbled down and smashed around his feet as he chatted to a friend in Musgrave Place, off Weymouth seafront.

Mr Porter, whose head was struck by a two-inch long piece of brick, said it was lucky an elderly person or a mum with a pram was not walking by as the injuries could have been far worse.

Police were alerted to the scene and the road closed amid safety fears on Wednesday afternoon.

It is understood local authority engineers will be investigating.

Unemployed Mr Porter said he recognised the sound of bricks sliding down the roof following his time working as a roofer.

He said: “I heard something rattling down the roof. I looked up and all I had my eyes on were the big bits of brick and the rest came down and hit me on the forehead.

“It’s been a shock I must admit, it’s not every day you get hit by a brick. But at the end of the day that should not have happened; it’s a complete danger, if the wind picks up I think it will fall down.”

He added: “It’s lucky it wasn’t a kid in a pram because you get a lot of woman with buggies along here because it’s a shortcut to the seafront.

“So I’m grateful it was me and not a pram, it could’ve killed them or if a little lady got hit on the back of their head it would have killed them.”

Neighbouring residents have now branded the popular shortcut as a danger.

The garden of Ron Wheatland’s property backs onto an area below the chimney.

He said: “It’s a danger for anyone walking past. You only need to get someone wander past or whatever and it falls down. They cannot leave it like that. A lot of people use the road as a short cut. It’s definitely a danger to pedestrians.”

Phil West, owner of the Sherborne Hotel next to Musgrave Place, said: “The bottom corner of the chimney fell off. It’s just lucky someone wasn’t seriously hurt.”

A Dorset Police spokesman said an officer at the scene reported a chimney about to fall down and a man had received cuts to his head from a piece of debris.

A South Western Ambulance service spokesman said: “A patient was treated at the scene for head injuries.”

The owner of the building could not be contacted yesterday.

source: dorsetecho.co.uk