6 The Chronicle, Thursday, 4th August, 2011. www.chronicleseries.co.uk

Things are hotting up in Egypt for Jeanne Former Congleton town councillor and all-round volunteer eanne Whitehurst has left England and gone to work in Egypt.

This week, she reports on how urnishing her home has been etting her hot and bothered.

I seem to have melted back into life here in Luxor. The weather’s ecome hotter and temperatures are now in the 40s.

This is especially interesting as I am attempting to paint my kitchen cupboards. Painting has never been a problem before, but as soon as you start applying the paint to the wood, it dries. Diluting with turpentine helps fractionally but yesterday was so hot that I gave up the struggle.

I have been spending money uying all my white goods but this is not a quick assignment, I went to my bank to get some money — always helpful to have — when I saw the bank manager. He always invites me in for a drink and I have to admit the Turkish coffee there is delicious, so smooth it slips down the throat.

During our conversation I happened to say that I was buying appliances for my flat and he said that he knew the owner of the shop, and to mention his name and I should get a discount.

People who know me will know the mention of a discount and my antennae is set into action so off I went to the shop and mentioned the ank manager’s name; they said they would see how much discount I would receive after I’d bought everything.

This shop is on three floors and crammed full of goods: televisions mixed with fans, cookers and stepladders. Nearly everything you could want, with just enough room, if you are slim, to get round.

After buying a cooker, washer and fan (essential at the moment), we proceeded to see the owner. This is not a five-minute job. There are many people trying to get his attention but eventually I made it; somehow he started to tell me about the cruise he had just finished, travelling all around the Mediterranean.

We now came down to business, not only did I get a good discount ut he gave me a present of a cylinder vacuum cleaner; thank you, Mr bank manager.

I went quickly across the road to uy my fridge freezer. I thought that would only entail hiring a driver with a van and then taking it to my apartment.

I still haven’t learnt. Naturally two different stores would be two different warehouses, but it actually entailed going to five.

It was a good job I had a driver who knew his way around the back streets of Luxor.

The most amazing sight was the fridge freezer, which is tall and heavy, being carried by one man on his back.

All the items were now on the van, a telephone call to my cleaner and he was waiting at the apartment, said goods were put on the back and all carried up the stairs.

It might have taken all afternoon but the way the goods were lifted onto the van manually, reminded me of the programme, “The strongest man”. In England we seem to have lost the knack of lifting, or is it the introduction of health and safety?

After all this hot weather, I relented and decided that air conditioning was essential, so went to various shops and ended by buying one for the living room. Another adventure was about to begin: one man brought the air conditioning unit, the next day a man and a boy turned up by bus!

The air con unit has a housing for outside rather like a metal frame for a small table. He proceeded to fix it from inside, then jumped on the unit outside, there was no need to ask if it was secure. He then finished mounting it, sitting on the frame.

It worked perfectly, so now I can sit in the room without feeling I am in a sauna.

I am sure there will be more surprising occurrences, I have just got to get used to nothing being in a straight line, everything seems to lean to the left or the right but perhaps we are all waiting to see whether our new government has a leaning either way.

It is exciting times in Egypt and I am so glad that I am part of it, but grateful that I don’t have to electioneer!

New Rotary club president

Leek market report

Fatstock once again proved a sharp trade, especially for clean cattle and ewes with an excellent demand for dairy cattle meeting an unadvertised entry of 77 animals. Several animals offered for sale in the sheep and barren cows sections were on the borderline of being presentable. Anyone with doubts over whether their stock is acceptable for marketing should take the opportunity to speak to the market beforehand.

CLEAN CATTLE (22): an entry lacking in premium quality stock. Heavy steers topped 155p for prime Belgians with all heifers in the heavy section, selling to 178p for a premium Limousin. Prime Charolais to 165.5p and well-fleshed Herefords 163p. Commercial stock to 135.5p. Young Bulls saw commercial Ayrshires, lightweight, to 125.5p with medium bulls to 154p for prime Limousins. Heavy bulls to 159p, also for prime Limousins.

Quality prices, steers: premium 155p (152p); heifers: premium 178p; prime 165.5p (161p); commercial 135.5p (135p); young bulls: prime max 159p (155p); commercial max 139.5p (125p).

OVER 30-MONTH STOCK (68): best continentals topped 144.5p for Limousins with Belgians to 139p. Limousins topped 138p with Friesians to 134.5p. Grade one cows (126p); grade two cows to 117.5p (102p); grade three cows to 93p; overage clean to 139p for an Angus with Friesians to 138.5p. Stock bulls topped 137p for a Limousin from Woodward Partners with Friesians to 120p. Top price cow £1,115.40 (£704 / 108.80p).

DAIRY CATTLE (77): a huge day in the dairy shed with 60 fresh calved cows and heifers, four in-calf heifers and 13 young stock. With such a large entry that was totally unadvertised trade could have dropped but this was definitely not the case, with trade fantastic throughout. Top price on the day was for a pedigree fresh calved heifer, Cramar Rossie Dot, from JRA and D Steeples. This heifer had calved eight days and was sold giving 26.4kg to J Fernyhough, of Swythamley for £2,180. Next in the list of top prices was £2,100 given for a fresh heifer from T H Peake and Partners, of Pershall. This smart heifer had calved seven days and sold to a regular Cheshire purchaser.

A total of six heifers crossed the £2,000 barrier with the top cow selling at £1,960 for a fresh second calver from Geoff Limer, of Taddington, that sold giving 36 litres. In-calf heifers sold to £1,500 for a Friesian type heifer, in-calf for autumn to Holstein, from DB Beech, Stoke-on-Trent.

Youngstock found a good trade selling to £825 for a packet of three yearling Holstein Friesians from JA Griffin, Osmaston.

Averages: 15 fresh calved cows £1,404.29; 45 fresh calved heifers £1,680.71; four in-calf heifers £1,195; 13 yearlings and calves £274.23.

STORE STOCK (7): Simmental steers, 18 months old, to £640 with Holstein Steers, 36 months old, to £610. Suckler cows topped £890 for a Charolais in-calf to Limousin. Barren Hereford cows to £680.

Left, Rtn Hollinshead hands over to Rtn Chappel. (“Chronicle” photo. 3060/11).

The new president of the Rotary Club of Congleton Dane was recently appointed at a special handover ceremony.

Rtn Bernard Chappel was handed the chains of office on 19th July at the Egerton Arms, Astbury. He takes over from Rtn Peter Hollinshead.

Rtn Hollinshead thanked officers and members for their hard work over the last Rotary year. He was presented with a caricature to mark his term in office.

The club aims holds charity events throughout the year to support local worthy causes.

Members meet on the second, third and fourth Tuesday of the month at the Egerton Arms at 6.45pm. Anyone interested in joining can attend one of the meetings.

BUTCHERS’ LAMBS (713): standardweight lambs topped 206p with others at £2 (185.8p). Medium lambs topped 207p, with others at 206p (188p). Heavy lambs to 180p (174p). Top price lambs £96.56. Quality prices, lambs: premium 207p (206p); prime £2 (185p); commercial 166p (164p).

CALVES (206): an increased entry saw Limousin bulls to £302 and £300, with (14, £214). Blues to £294 (27, £198). Simmentals to £278 (11, £244). Charolais to £238. Angus to £170. Herefords to £150. Friesians to £128 (54, £44).

Heifers saw Simmentals to £232 (£163). Limousins to £230 (19, £172). Blues to £218 (15, £154). Charolais to £170.

Herefords to £140.

LATEST PLANS RECEIVED BY CHESHIRE EAST COUNCIL Cheshire East Council has received the following planning applications:

Holmes Chapel: Stef Lee, 78, London Road, single-storey rear / side sun lounge / kitchen / toilet and a dropped kerb; Stuart Osbourne, 46a, Macclesfield Road, single-storey side extension to provide annex.

Middlewich: Mr N Woolridge, 15, New King Street, construction of single-storey bay window.

Rural: Joan Stubbs, Oakdene, Oakwood Lane, Moston, external access ramp; Mr and Mrs Hinde, Long Lane Cottage, Davenport Lane, Brereton, amendment to approval 11/0622c conservatory to have tiled roof, proposed granny flat comprising of first floor and two-storey side extension with sun lounge; Mr D Lawrence, 120, Crewe Road, Haslington, two-storey side and rear extensions to provide enlarged and improved living accommodation and generally update existing sub standard dwelling house; Mr J Hughes, Clay Lanes Farm, Clay Lane, Haslington, agricultural worker’s dwelling with detached garage; Mr K Oliver, 14, Birch Tree Lane, Scholar Green, new three-bed detached house; Mr L Jay, Jubilee, Oak Tree Lane, Cranage, addition of a dormer window within the roof space and new chimney to the side of the property; Mr M Abell, Top End Farm, Barthomley Road, Barthomley, use of farm for the storage, blending and adaption of fertilisers for sale; Mr M E Taylor, Owls Hoot, Blackden Lane, Goostrey, nonmaterial amendment to planning permission 10/4778c to amend floor level; Mr P Dickinson 75, Pool Lane, Winterley, extension and alterations; Mr S Harvey, Higher Bank Farm, Spring Bank, Scholar Green, detached dwelling.

Street, London, for 19-23, Lawton Road, demolition of existing Co-operative Foodstore, construction of new Co-Operative Foodstore, associated service area and retail units, reconfiguration and refurbishment of existing town centre car park and public open space; Mr C Hales, 23, Spencer Close, kitchen/breakfast and bedroom extension with internal alterations; Mr G Minshull, 168-170, Crewe Road, detached garage; Mr P Kilby, PTK Projects, 93, Close Lane, for 1, Hassall Road, erection of a new detached dwelling in the grounds of 1, Hassall Road, new property to be redesignated 1a, Chancery Lane.

Congleton: Alison Parr, 92, Leek Road, bedroom/bathroom extension; Luther Turner, The Boundary House, Clewlows, Bank Bagnall, ST9 9LN, for 61, Newcastle Road, extension to time limit of application 08/0066/out, demolition of existing dwellings, erection of three detached dwellings and construction of new access; Mcdermott Developments, Jupiter House, Mercury Rise, Altham Business Park, Altham, Lancashire, change of use from existing offices to a pair of threebed semi detached houses; Mr and Mrs Jones, Dane Cottage, Reades Lane, conversion of the existing floorspace to a holiday let; Mr I Shaw, 23, Boundary Lane, alterations to form bedroom and en-suite over existing single storey section of dwelling; Mr J Hewitt and Ms P Dawson, Moss Nook Cottage, 9, Back Cross Lane, extending existing porch and amendments to elevations; Mr J Willerton, 5, Priory Close, for 154, Biddulph Road, construct new detached dwelling on land to side of 154, Biddulph Road; Ms P Dawson, Moss Nook Cottage, 9, Back Cross Lane, garden fence with pedestrian gate for access to maintain service area.

Sandbach: Anthony Littlemore, 49, Middlewich Road, one fascia sign and one hanging sign; Mr and Mrs W Kemp, 67, Park Lane, studio building in rear garden; Mr C Jepson, 9, Telford Gardens, first floor extension; Mr P Mckevitt, 10, Hind Heath Road, vehicular crossing over footway/grass verge and closing existing crossing; WJ and MJ Holdcroft and Sons, Houndings Lane Farm, Houndings Lane, engineering works to construct a semi submerged, bunded and fenced slurry lagoon, the lagoon will measure 48m x 30m to a depth of 1.5m with the rising from the excavation forming an earth bund with battered sides.

Cheshire East Council has settled the following planning applications.

Refused Alsager: Mr and Mrs R Cooper, 71, cranberry lane, garden wall.

Congleton: Mr Whitewright, 6, Delamere Road, oak-framed sedum-roofed caravan port.

Rural: Mr D Pagan, Sunnyholme, Brereton Heath Lane, Brereton Heath, outline application for demolition of the existing accommodation and the development of three interrelated utility sharing, energy efficient homes, including a main residence and two associated, family homes.

Approved Holmes Chapel: Mr P Horgan, St Paul’s Square Properties, 15, The Village, Ashow, Kenilworth, CU8 2LE, for 85, Main Road, Goostrey, non-material amendment to planning permission 10/3943c. Approved with conditions

Alsager: Adrian Girvin, 4a, Pikemere Road, residential proposal for a rear extension; David Townson, 28, Poplar Drive, two-storey side and single storey rear extension; Kimberley Develo ments 33 St James’

Middlewich: Colin Gentle, 64, Long Lane, two-storey side extension.

Rural: Captain David A Teal, 12, Woodland Road, Rode Heath, single storey extension to rear of existing semi-detached house to provide conservatory; Moss Cresswell, Farm, Chells Hill, Church Lawton, application for approval of reserved matters following outline approval; Mr Gill, 30, Brooklands Drive, Goostrey, orangery to rear of dwelling and en-suite extension to side of dwelling; Mr M Noad, Clough Cottage, Oak Lane, Astbury, ground floor extension to form conservatory and utility; Mr R Darlington, Bank Farm, Mill Lane, Scholar Green, extension to existing equestrian shed; Mr R J Adams, 10, Central Street, Mow Cop, single storey rear extension and dormer windows to front elevation; Mr R Lomas, Glebe Farm, Peel Lane, Astbury, change of use of redundant agricultural buildings to farm shop including refreshment area and storage as further amendment to approval ref 08/0582/cou by omission of ancillary sales of tractors and associated machinery; Rev David Page, St Peter’s Church, School Lane, Elworth, new church hall with associated landscaping, access and parking (amendment to application 10/2963c).

Sandbach: S R Williamson and Sons, 437, Crewe Road, Winterley, Walnut Tree Farm, Walnut Tree Lane, Bradwall, variation of conditions on planning permission 09/1129c; Ward, High Barn, Pexhill Road, Henbury, new ménage; Miss L Turner, Whitmore Hall Cottage, Sheppenhall Lane, Aston, CW5 8DT, 481, Crewe Road, change of use to form two flats with shop; Miss R Roberts, 27, Mortimer Drive, extension to time limit on planning permission 08/0534/ful; Mr and Mrs David Reid, 126, Congleton Road, conversion of loft into two en-suite bedrooms; Mr and Mrs Palin, 27, London Road, alteration of roof and new french doors to existing rear sun room; Mr A

Ferguson, 42, Mayna Parc, North Petherwin, Launceston, Cornwall, for 4, London Road, change o use of commercial premises to one bed flat in line with other flats in same building; Mr G Walton, 67, Belmont Avenue, conservatory and porch; Mr J Bartlam, 68, Elworth Road, two storey side and rear extension; Mr R Bettley, Sandyforth Lodge, Benefield Road, Glapthorn, Peterborough, for Top Yard, Station Road, construction of eight light industrial units; Newfield Fabrications, Hall Lane, Moston, extension to existing factory to provide new staff amenities; Pete Richardson, Elm Tree Farm, London Road, conversion of part existing agricultural barn to ancillary residential accommodation.

Consent for works Alsager: Dan Shipman, 3, Dunnockswood, removal of oa tree. Determination approval not required Rural: Caroline Brown, 64, Manchester Road, Macclesfield, for land to the north of Bull Gate Lane, North Rode, building.

Man accused of indecent assault

Philip Johnson, (30), of 66, High Street, Harriseahead, has been committed for trial to Stokeon-Trent Crown Court on 22nd August facing indecent assault charges, all of which he denies.

It is alleged that between 1st July and 30th September 1997 he committed acts of gross indecency on a boy under the age of 14 and two girls under the age o 14, namely to suck his penis. He has pleaded not guilty to all three charges.

It is also alleged that between 1st July and 30th September 1997 he indecently assaulted a girl under the age of 14 years by laying upon and moving up and down on top of her. He has pleaded not guilty.

He also faces two charges that between 1st July and 30th September 1997 he indecently assaulted a girl under the age of 14 years by touching and kissing he vagina and placed her hand on his penis. He denies both charges.

He is also charged that on 31st December 2010 he intentionally touched a girl aged 14, not reasonably believing she was aged 16 or over, and the touching was sexual.

Reporting restrictions were not lifted.

He appeared in Stoke-on Trent-Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Rural properties sold

Frank Marshall and Company’s rural property department has sold two Cheshire properties.

Dane Bank Bungalow, Holmes Chapel, a detached bungalow requiring modernisation and improvement, with barn and 4.26 acres sold for £350,000.

Villa Farm, Wybunbury nea Nantwich, a detached farmhouse, also in need of significant improvement and modernisation with buildings and 6.95 acres sold for £325,000. Badgers in firing line when farmers have licence to cull

The Chronicle, Thursday, 4th August, 2011. www.chronicleseries.co.uk 7

We buy old gold and silver

By Katie Ollier Farmers in Cheshire and Staffordshire could next year be allowed to cull badgers, which, are believed to spread ovine. The Government is supporting a cull “in rinciple” and Defra is carrying out a consultation on the technicalities of licence conditions. A final decision will be made in the autumn.

Defra secretary Caroline Spelman, said she was “strongly minded” to allow culling and that a decision has been made “in principle”.

But director of the Badger Trust and Staffordshire Badger Group member Sandra Dudley said that “eminent scientists” had told the Government that culling would not work: “At best they will be looking for a reduction of up to 16% of infected badgers over nine years.

“There has been no trial so how can they say it’s going to work? Shooting has never been done and they would have no idea how many badgers were culled, how many were left and how many were injured. It would be carnage.

“If it goes ahead, the Badger Trust will challenge it.”

Staffordshire NFU chairman and farmer Andrew Collier said: “A Government decision of badger control is regrettable but is absolutely necessary to control bovine tuberculosis.

“This disease is destroying family businesses and seeing cattle slaughtered unnecessarily. We want to see a healthy countryside for cattle and badgers.

“The disease is the villain

Our police dogs treated well: chairman assures the public here, not farming or badgers.

“Farmers are working hard to improve bio-security and cattle controls and restrictions and testing are rigorous. However, the disease also needs to be addressed in wildlife.”

The earliest a cull could start is June and it would take place in two pilot areas.

Estimates Applications for a cull must cover at least 150 square kilometres of land, although Defra estimates areas would average 350 square kilometres.

Mrs Dudley said: “It can’t be carried out if farmers don’t want it or don’t have a TB problem.

“In 350 square kilometres there’s going to have to be an awful lot of farmers signing up for it. If farmers are in the middle of the area and don’t want it, there will be areas of perturbation in the middle. Badgers in affected areas will become stressed and move to those areas.”

Culling will be done by cage trapping and shooting, and con-

trolled shooting. Those carrying it out will need to be licensed and would have to complete an approved training course.

The culling must be sustained for four years.

Mrs Dudley said: “It has to be done simultaneously over four years and they’re talking about making farmers pay upfront, so it’s going to be a large cost. The farmers can’t then pull out so they could lose out.”

NFU president Peter Kendall said: “I join with farmers up and down the country in breathing an enormous sigh of relief that the Government has shown leadership in tackling this terrible disease.

“As the most recent science shows, badger controls are absolutely necessary, together with cattle controls, to get on top of this devastating disease.”

He added: “We will fully cooperate with that monitoring work. This is not going to be a quick fix and we’re prepared for that.

“We understand there will be some people who are unhappy at the decision and we take those views very seriously.

“But we believe that no-one wants to have a situation where we have long-term infection and diseased animals in our countryside and on our farms.

ADVERTISER'S FEATURE

Superhero summer at Potteries Centre

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Happy: Cheshire Police dog Toby. Following news of poor treatment of police dogs elsewhere in the country, Cheshire Police has assured locals that its dogs are all well looked after.

Cheshire that the police dogs here are an essential part of the police family.

There are 37 police dogs in the force, and a recent report found they were all treated well.

The treatment of police dogs was thrown into the spotlight earlier this summer, when two Metropolitan Police dogs died after being left in an unventilated car for up to six hours.

This week, Cheshire Police Authority released a statement about the health of its dogs.

Authority chairman Margaret Ollerenshaw said: “We have heard sad stories recently about how police dogs have been kept and I wanted to take the opportunity to reassure people in

“The dogs and their handlers provide an excellent service in supporting policing. They help to locate vulnerable and missing people and to tackle drug, explosives, firearms and other serious crimes. They can also be useful in helping to manage large crowds.”

Four members of the authority, along with vets, regularly undertake checks of police dog welfare.

The dogs are provided with air-conditioned vehicles, which carry on working when the vehicle is stationary and have heated dog bowls to stop their water freezing in the winter.

(Submitted photograph).

It’s Superhero Month at the Potteries Shopping Centre.

Every Wednesday during August the centre will host a superhero themed event to entertain children during half-term. And, what’s really super is that all the events are FREE!

On Wednesday, energetic superhero Sportacus from the hit children’s television show “LazyTown” came to the centre to meet all of his fans.

On Wednesday, 10th August, there’ll be dancing and singing courtesy of The Groovy Movie Band. Dressed in film character costumes they will perform classic covers from movie favourites such as Superman, Pink Panther and many more. Performances will be outside River Island at 11am, noon, 2pm and 3pm.

Kids can design their very own superhero T-shirt on Wednesday, 17th, have their faces painted like their favourite superhero on Wednesday, 24th and make a superhero mask on Wednesday, 31st. All of these crafty events will take place outside Clintons from 11am to 4pm.

During Superhero August, we are also giving children the chance to win a superhero costume by entering our design a new superhero competition. Entry forms are available by the customer service desk and can also be downloaded from our website, potteries.uk.com

Assistant marketing manger Gemma Sneath said: “During the summer holidays, we always provide a programme of free events based on a particular theme. This year’s theme is superhero which I am sure will be a great success.”