New Milton Advertiser 30th Oct 2020

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Friday 30th October 2020

L YMINGTON T IMES | advertiserandtimes.co.uk 70P

Food Raw and Cured on the menu Page 23

WIN! A three-course lunch for two at Le Blaireau Page 23

Puzzles Put your mind to the test Page 28

Sport Morrison brace sees Blackfield beat Alresford Pages 19-20

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10 years for PC cheat who killed lover

Fire crew blaze charity trail

INSIDE

Covid cases continue to accelerate across Forest and BCP areas Page 4 Protests and pledges in row over school meals for needy families Page 5 Public thanked for help catching jewel thief and handing in valuables Page 7 Village’s ‘ugly’ bike rack may be moved after raft of complaints Page 9 LT Price Rise 03

ing half out” and with her mouth full of blood. The trial heard how the pair met at the car park just before 3pm on 9th May and got into Brehmer’s car. Mrs Parry (41) had instigated the meeting af- ter finding out Brehmer had been having other affairs. During their meeting she took Brehmer’s phone and sent a text to his wife Martha which said: “I’m cheating on you”. It was the prosecution’s case Brehmer strangled her in a rage so hard he broke a bone in her neck. Brehmer denied that, admitting in court he was “re- sponsible” for her death but in- sisting it must have happened accidentally as he tried to get her out of his car. Brehmer conceded during his evidence that he was a “devious bastard” who had been having affairs behind Martha’s back. Another Dorset officer, DC Kate Rhodes, told the trial she and Brehmer had a sexual rela- tionship many years ago. When it came to sentencing, Judge Jacobs said there were

‘He has robbed our children of hugs and kisses from mummy’ BY JON WALLER A POLICE officer from Hordle who strangled to death his se- cret lover in a pub car park has been jailed for 10-and-a-half years. Timothy Brehmer (41), of Woodcock Lane, admitted the manslaughter of nurse Claire Parry having “lost his self-con- trol” at the Horns Inn, Parley, after she sent a text to his wife, Martha, which revealed their decade-long affair. But he denied murdering her, and this week a jury took less than three hours to acquit him of that charge after a two-week trial at Salisbury Crown Court. During the sentencing on Wednesday Mrs Parry’s hus- band, Dorset Police officer Andrew, read out a statement which branded Brehmer “the worst type of thief”. He said: “He has stolen a mother, wife, daughter, sister, niece, aunt, friend and someone who meant so much to so many people. He has robbed our chil- dren of a million hugs and kiss- es from their mummy.” Mr Parry paid tribute to his late wife’s devotion as a moth-

Index Business Obituary Planning Letters

Four firefighters donned their gear for a charity run between all 11 New Forest fire stations – full story, page 3

12 15 16 18 21 22 23 24 27 28

Aldi: Reject store and we’ll look elsewhere

From Our Files Book Reviews Food and Drink 9 771353 223033 Specialists feature Puzzle Corner 9 771353 223033 Classifieds Motoring Clubs

Timothy Brehmer

er and her selfless service in her work, before contrasting that with Brehmer whom he accused of shedding “crocodile tears”. Brehmer was sentenced by Judge Richard Jacobs who de- scribed the married father-of- one as a “dangerous offender”. Judge Jacobs said: “I am sure that you deliberately took Claire Parry by the neck, ap- plying significant force with your forearm or the crook of your elbow for a period of time while she struggled against you, therefore causing a severe neck injury that the pathologist de- scribed. “The application of signifi- cant force to the neck was for a period of time – a minimum of 10 seconds and up to 30 sec- onds, possibly.” Brehmer had walked away from the car, leaving her “hang-

ALDI could take its proposed store to another town if plans for a branch in New Milton are rejected a second time, it has warned. The German discount com- pany still wants to develop land at Solent Industrial Estate in Caird Avenue after its previous application was turned down by New Forest District Council’s

planning committee in May by just one vote. One of the main reasons for refusal was that councillors felt the store would be better built at the site of a former Co-op in Station Road. A fresh proposal for the same out-of-town site was put for- ward in September, and Aldi representative Dan Templeton

told a recent online meeting of New Milton Town Council’s planning committee that it still believed the high street site was not suitable. None of the plans offered adequate retail floorspace or parking spaces, Mr Templeton said – and he warned that if the latest Caird Avenue proposal is rejected, Aldi may choose to consider another town. He explained options for the former Co-op site would cre- ate a blank frontage in Station Road due to the door having to be closest to parking arrange- ments.

28-31 32-34

Family Announcements back page 9 771353 223033

Continued on page 2

Civic centre sell-o plan

9 771353 223033

PLANS are being progressed to sell off Christchurch’s civic offic- es ahead of a single BCP Coun- cil headquarters in Bourne- mouth expected to be created within the next 12 months. The changes would be the latest step in the merger of the area’s three now-abolished councils, writes Josh Wright of the Local Democracy Reporting Service . A report published ahead of the first meeting of BCP Coun- cil’s new Conservative admin- istration cabinet said work to set up the ‘BCP Civic Centre’

is expected to be completed by October 2021 Originally it was proposed to sell Christchurch’s civic offices in Bridge Street and the civic centre in Poole to help fund a revamp of Bournemouth Town Hall at a cost of up to £29m. But ambitions have been scaled back amid pressure on the council’s finances caused by its response to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as concerns the move would lead to a “fire sale” of its assets to afford the project. Instead, a budget of £6.6m –

most of which will be borrowed – for work on the town hall is set to be approved by cabinet members. The sites in Poole and Christchurch would then be sold later to “allow for more timely analysis of what will rep- resent best value” for disposing of the buildings. The cabinet report said: “In line with the project’s focus on pragmatism and financial pru- dency, the office refurbishment costs are limited to those works that are either essential in or-

Continued on page 2

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*Terms and Conditions apply. Sold as an agent of Euronics Limited. All rights reserved. All offers are subject to availability while stocks last. Delivery & Installation charges may apply Exclusions and Radius Apply. See in store for full details. Images for illustration purposes only. Copyright Euronics 2020. E&OE September 2020.

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01425 613384

31-33 Compton Road, New Milton, Hants BH25 6EQ

Friday 30th October 2020

L YMINGTON T IMES | advertiserandtimes.co.uk 70P

Food Raw and Cured on the menu Page 23

WIN! A three-course lunch for two at Le Blaireau Page 23

Puzzles Put your mind to the test Page 28

Sport Morrison brace sees Blackfield beat Alresford Pages 19-20

10 years for PC cheat who killed lover

Fire crew blaze charity trail

INSIDE

Index Business Obituary Planning Letters

Four firefighters donned their gear for a charity run between all 11 New Forest fire stations – full story, page 3

12 15 16 18 21 22 23 24 27 28

Aldi: Reject store and we’ll look elsewhere

From Our Files Book Reviews Food and Drink 9 771353 223033 Specialists feature Puzzle Corner 9 771353 223033 Classifieds Motoring Clubs

Timothy Brehmer

28-31 32-34

Family Announcements back page 9 771353 223033

Continued on page 2

Civic centre sell-o plan

9 771353 223033

Continued on page 2

Stay Safe

and Save

9 771353 223033

ENDS SATURDAY 31ST OCTOBER AUTUMN A N N I V E R S A R Y FINAL WEEK! SAVE 50% LAST CHANCE TO UP TO

9 771353 223033

Continued on page 2

9 771353 223033

VIRTUAL OEVP EE NN T Visit www.brock.ac.uk/open to book your place Saturday 14 November 9:30am – 3pm

9 771353 223033

9 771353 223033 Price Match Guarantee* | Super Service Expert Knowledge | Contact-Free Delivery Now available in store 50

NewMilton Electrical Centre 99 - 107 Old Milton Road, NewMilton, BH25 6DN 01425 610633 www.newmiltonelectricalcentre.co.uk

www.davidphipp.co.uk Open Monday - Saturday 9am - 5.30pm Tel: 01202 897474 / 893377 Ringwood Road, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 9AL SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES IN-STORE

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Friday 30th October 2020 · 3

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News

Flaming hot charity run for geared-up firefighters

£1,700 bill for throwing waste from car window

THROWING building waste out of his car window landed a Totton man with a court bill totalling almost £1,700 in fines and costs. Adam Whitcher, of Hay- ward Close, admitted dumping the material at land in Rom- sey when he appeared before Southampton magistrates. The court heard he threw the waste out of his car window along Toothill Road when he was driving to a tip in August last year. Whitcher was fined £500, or - dered to pay £1,126 in costs and £65 in compensation. The prosecution was brought by Test Valley Borough Coun- cil, and its environment cabinet member Cllr Alison Johnston said: “Flytipping is incredibly

lazy and very selfish. “What makes these cases even more so, is that everyone was doing their best during a difficult few months, and for others to feel it’s okay to simply throw their rubbish away with no consequences is horrendous. “My sincere thanks go to the environmental service officers who continued to work hard during the pandemic to inves- tigate these cases, and for the legal officers who secured the right result in court. “I’m also very grateful for those residents who tried their absolute best to find alterna - tive ways of utilising their waste during the pandemic, whether it’s composting, or just trying to throw away as little as pos- sible.”

A FIREFIGHTING team com- pleted a gruelling 60-mile char- ity run around all 11 stations in the New Forest while wearing their full safety gear. The herculean two-day effort was tackled by four members of the Fordingbridge fire station team, in aid of the Fire Fighters Charity which supports current and ex-personnel and their fam- ilies in need of care. Paul Dorrington, Lee Dor- rington, Matt O’Hare and Col- in Reeves trained for two full months in preparation for the run, which was originally due to take place in April but had to be postponed due to the pan- demic. Colin told the A&T: “One of our newest recruits has always wanted to get a challenge of some sort going. “Originally the idea was to run from Fordingbridge to Lyn- dhurst, but that felt too easy so Four smash through their target going station to station By Andrew goldman

£1,000 has been smashed with well over double raised by New Forest residents and businesses. Colin added: “In terms of the reaction we had from the public, we had absolutely no idea just how generous and supportive people would be so we’re massively grateful to anyone who gave us a wave, a toot in their car and of course a donation. “When we finished in Fordingbridge on Sunday, the adrenaline as we ran through groups of people cheering was a real rush – all the pain disappeared.” The team was also supported by Fordingbridge businesses, such as the Cottage Loaf, the Gourmet Grocers and Detection Supplies. Despite the mammoth run being over, Colin has assured people that this won’t be the team’s final challenge, saying: “We’re looking to do an annual event now – we think this will be the first of many. “We’ll look to raise money for different charities too as we go along, but that’s another discussion to be had when we’re all a bit more rested.” dead at the scene. According to her family, Ms Langham, who worked as a secretary and personal assis- tant, had expressed anxiety about the pandemic measures and having to work from her Vaughan Road home, where she lived alone. This was thought to have added to pre-existing worries about her health and wanting a relationship. The inquest heard CCTV footage had captured Ms Lang- ham arriving at Lepe Beach and walking into the sea about three hours before her body was found. Coroner Jason Pegg recorded a determination of suicide.

The firefighters take a breather at Ringwood station

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the four-man team stopped at all 11 New Forest fire stations, cheered on by onlookers and motorists. Colin said: “It was a lot tougher than we thought it was going to be. “The physical and mental battle that you have with

we decided to do something a bit bigger.” Run over Saturday and Sun- day, the team were fully kit- ted out with equipment and breathing apparatus on their back, with extra weight total- ling up to 16kg. Starting in Fordingbridge,

yourself is hard to deal with. “We had winds blowing, rain coming at us sideways and you just have to dig deep and go to the end – then wake up the next day and do it all again. But we were all thrilled to finish in one piece.” The fundraising target of

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Woman took her own life

A DIBDEN woman who died at Lepe Beach shortly after the national Covid-19 lockdown took her own life, an inquest has ruled. The body of 45-year-old Na - talie Langham was found at the popular New Forest seaside location just after 8am on 30th March. She had been a hockey player, swimmer and charity event organiser. It came a week after the gov- ernment urged the nation to “stay at home” to help reduce the spread of the virus. A hearing at Winchester Coro- ner’s Court on Monday was told a post-mortem examination established immersion in wa- ter had caused Ms Langham’s death. She was pronounced

Villagers have say on green space

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THE public will be asked for their views to plan the devel- opment of 2.2 hectares of com- munity space in Milford which could host sports facilities and wildlife areas. The site on fields surrounding the village primary school on Lymington Road will be handed over to the parish council once Pennyfarthing Homes has com- pleted its 42-unit estate The Swifts. Already planned for part of the site are allotments, a pick- up and drop-off zone for the school, and a children’s play area. But the remaining area of land could be developed with sports pitches, running tracks or wildlife areas, as the parish council sees fit – following a sur - vey of the village to launch in January next year. Speaking at an online parish council meeting, chair Cllr Bob Bishop said: “This will be a real-

and the parish will maintain everything else. As the landowner, it will be required to inspect the play fa- cilities and carry out repairs, as well as oversee the allotments, cut the grass and trim the hedg- es. Parish clerk Graham Wells has estimated this could cost the council up to £8,000 a year. He said: “Currently we charge the cricket and football clubs for using the facilities at Barnes Lane, so if they or any other or- ganisation wish to use the new facility it would incur a charge – thus producing an additional modest income, not expendi- ture.” The land is part of a site known as MOS1, which was earmarked for public amenity when a government planning inspector agreed agricultural fields could be declassified from green belt to enable develop- ment.

ly positive development for the village and something that we can really get our teeth into.” The meeting heard that the initial public consultation will be launched early next year be- fore the parish council consid- ers all suggestions and comes up with a number of alternative draft plans. Cllr Bishop said: “It could be that we come up with three or four different draft schemes and then hold a further consul- tation when the community can respond to them. At that point we could consider further sug- gestions.” As part of the deal with Pen- nyfarthing, the parish council has also been handed a £182,000 one-off payment to maintain and develop the site. New Forest District Council will take full responsibility for a parking and drop-off zone in a northern area of the plot,

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Virus cases accelerate New figures show infections rising in Forest and BCP areas BY BEN CRAIG those in close contact told to self-isolate at home for 14 days. Classes continued as normal for other children. At Hordle Primary School a bubble of youngsters was allowed to return after a Covid case last Friday. colds, flu and the coronavirus in circulation, we hope that by taking some additional precautions, our most Telephone: 01425 619899 / 07831 702357 19 Fir Avenue, New Milton

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vulnerable residents will be less likely to contract the virus, helping to keep them well in advance of a vaccine becoming widely available.” For information and support, phone the Hampshire Coronavirus Support and Helpline on 0333 370 4000. Testing capacity to be increased CORONAVIRUS testing capacity is being ramped up in Dorset in response to a rising number of cases in Bournemouth. On top of the existing facility at Creekmoor in Poole, a new facility is due to open in Lansdowne, Bournemouth, and the mobile unit which visits towns across Dorset will also now stop in Wallisdown in the town, writes Josh Wright of the Local Democracy Reporting Service .

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Contact-tracing with Public Health England determined it was safe, said executive headteacher Fiona Adams. The rise in cases prompted Hampshire County Council to urge vulnerable residents to take extra precautions. The county is still under Tier 1 restrictions with a ‘medium’ Covid risk level. Residents in the clinically extremely vulnerable group, with a long-term health condition, or aged over 60 are being encouraged to limit social contact, meet outdoors and avoid crowded places. Further advice includes working from home, avoiding unnecessary use of public transport, and shopping at a quieter time, asking friends and family to help, or using online delivery. Cllr Liz Fairhurst, HCC’s cabinet member for adult social care and health, said: “As we head into the winter, and with around £15.2m in this tranche of funding, but will now only be awarded just over half that amount.” Cllr Mans said the authority can manage the £83m cost of Covid-19 this year, thanks to its “strong financial position before the pandemic”. But he added: “However, in the medium term, the prognosis is not good.” A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said: “Hampshire County Council has received £70m in non- ringfenced emergency funding across all four tranches. “Additionally, their core spending power increased by over £55m in 2020/21 even before emergency funding was announced. “We recognise that there will be individual councils with unique circumstances, and we encourage them to approach MHCLG to discuss their future financial position. We will continue to work closely with Hampshire County Council as they support their community through the pandemic.”

THE rate of new coronavirus cases in the New Forest is continuing to accelerate as the pandemic total in the area passed 1,000, government figures show. There were 190 new cases in the district as of Tuesday, compared with 133 the previous week and 72 before that – bringing the combined number to 1,056 this year. The infection rate per 100,000 people was 84.4 in the New Forest on the same day – compared with 546.5 in Liverpool which is under the highest Tier 3 restrictions. In the BCP Council area, which includes Christchurch, the number of cases registered so far hit 3,357 on Tuesday – up by 845 on the week before, compared with a previous weekly rise of 578. The rate per 100,000 people stood at 181.9 and on Tuesday there was speculation the area • Double glaze your whole house

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The last three weeks have seen increases in the New Forest by 72, 133 and now 190

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might go into Tier 2, which bans households mingling indoors. Dorset’s director for public health, Sam Crowe, said a decision “would be made over the next few days”. The most recent week of separate fatality figures, compiled by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), showed there has been four further Covid-19 deaths in the conurbation, all in hospital, putting the total at 196.

For the fifth consecutive week, there were no deaths reported in the New Forest, leaving the pandemic death toll in the district at 133. The provisional figures from the ONS relate to cause of death for fatalities up to 16th October but which were registered up to 24th October. Two cases were reported last week at Ringwood School which said two separate bubbles of pupils had been affected, with

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2023 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this week the government confirmed that the authority will receive £8.8m to provide vital services this winter. But Cllr Mans said this is not what civic chiefs expected. He said: “Government’s funding calculation has impacted county councils extremely badly this time round. We expected to receive

THE leader of Hampshire County Council is calling on the government to provide civic chiefs with more money to deal with the Covid-19 crisis. Cllr Keith Mans said that while the recently announced £8.8m from central government is welcome news, it “falls short of offering a sustainable solution to the major financial crisis”, writes Maria Zaccaro of the Local Democracy Reporting Service .

The government said it has provided unprecedented support to councils during the pandemic. New Forest District Council recently received £204,463 and BCP Council nearly £4m. But HCC said it will need at least an extra £33m to be viable in the future, according to Cllr Mans. Last month it was revealed that the authority is facing a £210m shortfall by

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Sir Chris Chope

CHRISTCHURCH MP Sir Chris Chope attacked his own party in the House of Commons when he branded the government’s regional lockdown policy as “the wrong strategy”. Slating the approach as “de- personalising” and “prevent- ing people from helping them- selves”, Sir Chris said he was aware of “terrible cases” of Christchurch constituents af- fected by the previous national lockdown. He pointed to businesses and workers on cruise ships, in the events industry and running luxury coaches. “As a Conservative, I have al- ways believed that the role of the state is to provide a safety net for those who cannot help themselves,” Sir Chris said. “Now we have a Conservative government who are preventing people from helping themselves by engaging in economic activi- ty and, having prevented those people from engaging in eco- nomic activity, the government are not providing a safety net to all of them.” Chope slams Covid strategy

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Cllr Keith Mans (inset) is calling for more government funds

BCP Council forecasts £57m pandemic budget gap BUDGET pressures on BCP Council caused by the pan- demic have grown since June to a forecast £57.3m. tres and the reopening of its facilities post-lockdown have increased the estimated finan- cial impact by £5m this year, writes Josh Wright of the Local Democracy Reporting Service . Increasing costs in chil- dren’s social care, leisure cen-

But council leader Drew Mellor said he was “confident” the funding gap would be closed with continuing work on its merger, and welcomed government grants.

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Friday 30th October 2020 · 5 News

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Plaque tribute to Big Issue seller Ed

Protests and pledges in free school meals row

A PLAQUE is set to be placed in New Milton town centre in memory of popular Big Issue seller Ed Sirani, following calls for a special tribute. Residents have been mourn- ing the loss of Ed (pictured), a fixture in Station Road for more than a decade who died at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital on 20th Sep-

outside the store, although chairman Cllr Geoffrey Blun- den said this would be a matter for Hampshire County Coun- cil’s highways department. But arguing that wall and floor plaques were usually re- served for “famous or signifi- cant people”, Cllr Steve Clarke believed a plaque on a suitable bench or seat would be more ap- propriate. This idea was supported by

ditional welfare payments. New Forest East MP Julian Lewis, now an Independent, also defended voting against Labour’s motion, telling the A&T: “Having been elected as a Conservative MP, I shall con- tinue usually to vote for the rec- ommendations of the Conserv- ative government. “In this case, it was that £9.3bn extra invested in welfare during the Covid crisis was a better way to proceed than us- ing vouchers for periods when children are neither at school nor being forced to work from home during school shut-down periods.” Christchurch MP Sir Chris Chope was absent from the vote. Both New Forest MPs came under fire from political oppo- nents with New Forest East Labour Party spokesperson Je- thro Bor describing Dr Lewis’s vote as “shocking”. He said: “While we really wel- come the support of altruistic local groups across the country helping to provide disadvan- taged children with free meals during the holidays, we are dis- gusted that it has come to this reliance on charity.” Cllr Helen Wallis-Dowling, a Labour member of New Milton Town Council, said: “Our com- munity will continue to support those in need, but this is not nearly the same as those fami- lies receiving the security they need each week. probably doing it. “I’m not saying these are nefarious criminals, but these vouchers are not intended to be used in that way. I raised it because I was concerned.” During the closure of schools, the coupons were sent to families electronically via schools or as a gift card for those without internet access, and could be spent on food at supermarkets including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose and M&S.

BUSINESSES coun- cils in the New Forest and Christchurch have pledged food parcels and support to those at risk of going hungry after the government refused to extend free school meals into the half- term holiday. Dozens of local pubs, cafes and restaurants stepped up to help, with BCP Council and Hampshire County Council – both led by Conservatives – also promising aid. Earlier this year, the govern- ment had funded a voucher scheme for children of low-in- come families during the Easter and summer holidays, after a campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford. But last week the Tories vot- ed down Labour’s motion in the House of Commons to extend that policy until Easter 2021 – with both New Forest MPs, Sir Desmond Swayne and Julian Lewis, backing the government. In response, local business- es have offered free lunches or special schemes for children this week, including Gordleton Mill, Rivaaz and the Wallhamp- ton Arms in Lymington; the Cottage Loaf in Fordingbridge; the London Tavern and Café Aroma in Ringwood; and Bake and the Naked Pantry in New Milton. BCP Council announced from Monday it would provide food parcels, with families in need urged to call the helpline on 0300 123 7052. Tory leader Cllr Drew Mellor said: “Local councils are the ones best placed to support families that find themselves struggling with food poverty in these difficult times.” Hampshire County Council leader Cllr Keith Mans said it would distribute £150,000 to food banks, charities and oth- er organisations over the half- term to compensate for the loss of the voucher scheme. He added: “I will be writing Forest MPs defend voting down plan to o er half-term help BY LIZ HENDRIE and

tember following a period of ill health. As reported in his obituary in the A&T, he was remembered for always having a smile and a car- ing word despite battling his own troubles.

fellow members including Cllrs Valya School- ing and Robert Murrow, and Cllr Blunden said the committee would look into it further. Ed, who lived in South-

Honoured by the Big Issue charity for his tireless support, he had in recent years been sta- tioned outside McColl’s. An online meeting of the town council’s amenities com- mittee heard an outside wall of the store was suggested for a commemorative plaque. Cllr Christine Ward also mooted a pavement plaque

bourne, made many friends during his time stationed in New Milton. His commitment resulted in the Big Issue charity naming him the Bournemouth office’s vendor of the year in 2015, saying he was “a much- loved part of the New Milton community”.

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A Labour group dumped empty plates on Sir Desmond Swayne’s constituency offi ce in Barton

for feeding their children”. He wrote: “In total, eligible families collectively received £380m in meal vouchers while schools were partially closed, but I do not believe that this is an effective way of dealing with the problem.” He pointed to a rise of £1,040 this year in Universal Credit in response to coronavirus, the adult national minimum wage climbing to £8.72 per hour, and £53bn spent on income protec- tion schemes and £9.3bn on ad- up his claims, and said that given most vouchers were sent to parents digitally, a scam would seem unlikely. Speaking to the A&T, Cllr Gossage explained: “It was put to me that families on a limited income may have a need for cash for higher priorities, for instance to get their car repaired. And if somebody has thought of it, somebody is

District Council urging it to add support. Local Labour Party activ- ists angry at New Forest West MP Sir Desmond Swayne’s vote covered the doorstep of his Barton constituency office with empty plates, with one saying: “Enjoy your lunch, Sir Desmond. 3,000 kids in the New Forest won’t.” On his website, Sir Desmond argued it had never been the government’s policy to “take from parents the responsibility and the cash acquired can be used for other purposes.” New Forest West Labour Party responded angrily to the comments, which they branded “ d i s g r a c e f u l ” . It called on Cllr Gossage to “consider his position”. Party spokesperson Trina Hart demanded Cllr Gossage cite evidence to back

to the secretary of state and Hampshire’s MPs to press for government to implement a long-term strategy to cover the Christmas and Easter school holidays to help those families who have been specifically and significantly affected by the pandemic.” New Forest Liberal Demo- crats welcomed HCC’s funding but called for it to bring in a school meals voucher scheme over the Christmas period. They also wrote to New Forest A PENNINGTON councillor came under fire for alleging low-income families in receipt of holiday food vouchers are selling them. Conservative Cllr Andrew Gossage (pictured) made the claim on Facebook and stated in his post that a “flood of additional vouchers locally” would “promote a black market”. He continued: “Individuals can buy food more cheaply using under-priced vouchers,

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“It is extremely likely that children in the New Forest will suffer hunger during this time.” Councillor claims more food vouchers would ‘promote a black market’

Hijacked tanker ‘not headed to refinery’

a mayday alert on Sunday morning. It had sailed from Nigeria but was forced to anchor south of the Isle of Wight after the stowaways reportedly became threatening. Control of the ship was

regained later that evening after assistance from the elite Special Boat Services based at Poole. Hampshire Constabulary confirmed seven people had been arrested on suspicion of seizing control of an oil tanker.

A HIJACKED oil tanker rescued by military forces at the weekend was not headed to Fawley oil refinery, a spokesperson for Exxon Mobil has confirmed. The crew of the Nave Andromeda tanker issued

6 · Friday 30th October 2020

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News

Forest to share new rural police o cers

A CHRISTCHURCH man is set to be sentenced for raiding the kitchen of an exclusive hotel and stealing more than £1,700 worth of contents. Jack Alexander (30), of Nelson Drive, pleaded guilty to taking food, kitchen equip- ment and chef ’s knives from the Christchurch Harbour Hotel in September. Poole magistrates granted him bail on condition he does not go to the hotel, to reap- pear for sentence on 20th January 2021. Man admits raiding hotel for kitchen goods Land plea to help meet Forest housing targets A SENIOR councillor ap- pealed for land for new rural homes to help New Forest District Council hit its hous- ing targets. Cllr Michael Harris called on Brockenhurst Parish Council colleagues to speak up, telling them: “If you know or hear of any plots, I would love to know about them.” Cllr Harris, who is NFDC’s cabinet member for the local economy, said it had a target of building 600 new homes within five years. Arrest made after phone and wallets taken A MAN was arrested after a phone and two wallets were stolen from contractors working at New Milton’s landmark water tower. Access was gained to the compound in Osborne Road around 11.45am last Tuesday, when a maintenance cabin was entered and the items taken, along with a battery pack. A 51-year-old local resident was detained by police on suspicion of burglary and released under investigation pending further enquiries.

TWO new police officers will be deployed to a New For- est-based Country Watch team following calls from agricultural groups for more rural policing. Poaching, hare coursing and equipment theft were among is- sues raised when repre- sentatives from the Country Land and

that supports our communities as best we can with the finite resources available to us, we have been focused on develop- ing our rural crime strategy to ensure we are targeting those areas which present the great- est threat, risk and harm.”

The rural officers will be tackling agricultural and business crime; rural isolation, game sports and wildlife ronmental and heritage crime; and rural com- munity crime and road safety. Hampshire and Isle crime; serious and organised crime; envi-

Business Asso- ciation (CLA) and National Farmers’ Un- ion (NFU) had their an- nual liaison meeting with H amp s h i r e Constabulary.

A PENSIONER whose body was pulled from the sea between Barton and Milford had drowned, an inquest has confirmed. Emergency crews rushed to Taddiford Gap, off the B3058 Milford Road, after Anne Shotter was found in the water shortly before 2.30pm on Wednesday 12th August. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of the 77-year- old administrator’s death, established from a post- mortem examination, was read out during a hearing opened at Winchester Coroner’s Court. The report also stated Ms Shotter, of Shingle Bank Drive, had malignant mesothelioma in an area around her lungs – a With 156 of- ficers being add- ed to the county’s roster this year as part of the government’s plan to recruit 20,000 nationwide, the CLA and NFU want more cov- erage in rural areas. Speaking after the meeting, Ch. Insp. Alex Reading told the A&T that the two new Country Watch officers were in addition to the large group of extra of- ficers allocated across the force. From their New Forest base the pair will cover the Water- side area, as well as the Test Valley and Bishop’s Waltham. “Public confidence in the po- licing service provided to our rural communities is something we are always looking to im- prove,” said Ch. Insp. Reading. “To help us deliver a service

of Wight NFU adviser James FitzGerald said the group was encouraged to hear police were set to launch more rural polic- ing tactical groups, adding to one in the east of the county. CLA south-east regional di- rector Michael Valenzia added: “Many farmers and landowners have seen a rise in issues since lockdown, especially around livestock-worrying linked to increased access and a lack of knowledge of the countryside among a minority of visitors.” Although the group has been actively promoting the Coun- tryside Code and its inclusion in the school curriculum, it wants officers to “play their part”.

Milford Primary School has erected a marquee to give pupils more space during the pandemic

School a class apart with outdoor lessons

really important to give them a chance to get outside and run around or perhaps have a dance to some music. “The children absolutely love it – they have all adjusted so incredibly well to the huge changes we have had to make to school life. This allows us to continue doing the activities that they love through the win- ter.” The school plans to hire the marquee until April at a cost of around £7,200. Miss Crawford added: “Al- though it is a large expense for us to hire the marquee, for the suppliers its will also be a bit of a lifeline. “They have essentially had their whole summer season wiped out this year so we are also supporting another local business to stay afloat.” Motorists using public car parks should consider parking alongside other cars and incor- porating a wall. They should also avoid park- ing half on the pavement as this can provide easier access for thieves. Local garages can also be asked to weld any bolts hold- ing converters in place to make them more difficult to remove. Further advice can be found at bit.ly/2HlNqdY Converter thefts should be reported to Hampshire police online at bit.ly/2Teo9oC and people are asked to include de- tails of any markings that can help identify any which are re- covered.

sports even when they cannot meet face to face. The costs of hiring the mar- quee have been supported by a £750 grant from Milford Parish Council and a £1,000 donation from ACE Water Works plumb- ing and heating. However, the school is still looking for extra cash to help cover the hire costs through the winter months. Miss Crawford said: “We have been given money towards ex- tra tuition for the children that need it but there is no extra money for things like marquees or extra resources. We have a parent who is looking into set- ting up a crowdfunding page for us. “Because our children are taught in bubbles, they will spend a lot their time in one classroom – so we felt it was Hondas and Toyotas are par- ticularly vulnerable because their converters are cleaner and therefore the valuable metals contained within them are less likely to corrode. “They are also easier to ac- cess on hybrid vehicles. “Catalytic converters can be stolen within a few minutes by using just a few basic tools, but there are ways you can protect your vehicle if, like many peo- ple, you don’t have access to a garage.” Tips to help avoid falling vic- tim to such thefts include park- ing the vehicle with its bonnet or exhaust – depending on where the converter is fitted – to the wall.

around even in bad weather. Head teacher Kate Crawford said: “The marquee is huge and really well ventilated so it ideal for the children to run around in. “If the weather is awful it means we can still go ahead with PE lessons and our for- est school learning; and it also gives us an extra space to do small group work and provide curriculum catch-up for the children who need it.” Last week children from all year groups were able to com- pete in a virtual ball games challenge run by teachers and students from Priestlands School in Lymington. Their scores will be tallied against other local primary schools taking part in the chal- lenge, to enable youngsters to continue enjoying competitive A SPIKE in catalytic convert- er thefts in the New Forest has prompted a warning from po- lice for motorists to keep vehi- cles secure. Since the beginning of Octo- ber, six thefts have been report- ed in the district, with areas targeted including Ringwood, Totton and Fordingbridge. The rate of these offences is believed to be linked to the high prices fetched from the rhodi- um and palladium contained within the converters. This year the value of these metals has increased, making them more desirable to thieves. A Hampshire police spokes- person said: “We are seeing that cat converters on hybrid

Head teacher books huge marquee to give pupils winter space

Woman (77) found in sea had drowned

BY ROZ WATERS

A SCHOOL has created a new outdoor classroom to help its pupils get through the winter with some extra space amid the pandemic. Milford Primary School said the importance of sports and outdoor learning persuaded it to invest over £7,000 hiring a huge marquee. The structure, which is roughly the same size as the school hall, has been supplied with flooring, lighting and ta- bles to enable youngsters to spend time outside and run

condition caused by inhaling asbestos fibres. As reported by the A&T in August, witnesses said her body was pulled from the sea as a coastguard helicopter flew overhead. Along with the Lee-on- Solent-based helicopter, the incident was attended by a Lymington coastguard rescue team, RNLI crews from Lymington and Mudeford, paramedics and police. A spokesperson for Hampshire police said at the time that the death was not being treated as suspicious. The hearing at theWinchester court was adjourned, and a full inquest is due to take place on 2nd June 2021.

Catalytic converter thefts alert

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