New Milton Advertiser 4th Dec 2020

12 · Friday 4th December 2020

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News

Sculptor launches new treasure hunt

Man’s body found in van

Beach rescue after leg break AN elderly man had to be rescued by coastguards after falling on rocks and breaking his leg at Highcliffe beach. The Southbourne team was dispatched in response to a call-out by paramedics who needed help recovering the 82-year-old casualty from the rocks around 10.45am on Saturday. He was carried on a stretcher to an ambulance which transported him to hospital. at this time,” the spokes- person said. A file is being prepared for the coroner. Second teen held over break-ins POLICE arrested a second teenager as they probed two New Forest shop break-ins that took place during the same evening. Woodgreen Community Shop in Hale Road, Fording- bridge, and Aivly Country Store in Crow Lane, Ring- wood, were targeted on Friday 20th November. A 19-year-old man was detained on suspicion of bur- glary in connection with the incidents, and released under investigation. Officers previ- ously arrested a 16-year-old Ringwood boy on suspicion of burglary. A CORONER is investigating the death of a man whose body was found in a van in Milford. The 50-year-old was dis- covered at a caravan site in New Lane, near Hurst Spit, shortly before 11am last Monday. Police attended but a force spokesperson told the A&T it was not being treated as suspicious. “His next of kin have been informed and are being sup- ported by specialist officers

Artist behind charity poppy search hiding dozen festive stars

BY ROZ WATERS

Cat loses an eye after being shot Beans has been left with one eye after the attack, and (inset) the ball bearing used

FOLLOWING the success of a pre-lockdown poppy hunt, a Lymington sculptor is now hiding a dozen festive stars across the New Forest in aid of homeless charity Michael House. Announcing the charity treasure hunt on Monday, Mi- chael said he would be hiding handmade decorations each day from Tuesday until next Tuesday 8th December, with a few extra to find over the week- end. Michael said: “My plan was to hide the stars around the For- est on the 12 days leading up to Christmas but then I real- ised that any money raised this week will be doubled as part of the Big Give fundraising ini- tiative, so I decided to bring it forward.” The rules are simple: each day Michael will hide one of the engraved stars in a secret lo- cation and then post clues on his Instagram and Facebook pages. He is asking anyone lucky enough to find one of the dec- orations to make a donation to Michael House. He said: “Michael House is an amazing charity that does A SERIAL shoplifter from Christchurch was handed a suspended prison sentence and banned from all stores in the town. High-value make-up, clothes, meat and alcohol worth hun- dreds of pounds were among the items taken by Lisa Sanders (32), of Edward Road, when she targeted shops including Boots, Tesco and Marks & Spencer be- tween December 2019 and Au- gust this year. Poole Magistrates’ Court

A CAT owner from Bartley has spoken of his “utter shock” af- ter his beloved pet lost an eye when it was shot by a BB gun. Peter Nicholson initially thought 10-year-old Beans had been hit by a car as his eye was protruding and he was barely conscious when he returned home last Friday evening. Beans was rushed to the vet but sadly his eye could not be saved as the damage from the 15mm steel ball was too great. Peter told the A&T: “The pain must have been excruci- ating. He is clearly jumpy and traumatised by the incident. We can only hope he’ll make a good recovery. “He was a rescue kitten and is gentle, sociable and very lov- ing, so he wouldn’t have been scared of walking towards the cowardly perpetrator.” He added: “I am disgusted

that someone can have such a disregard for others. To wan- tonly try to kill a family pet is abhorrent to me. Any decent human would feel the same. “I am hopeful that they will be brought to justice and that the justice system issues a punitive and appropriate punishment.” An appeal following the at- tack was launched by New For- est police, which was met with shock from the community. Pe- ter also shared details of the in- cident on social media. Peter added: “Since then, I have had lots of information about similar incidents. I have passed all the information on to the police and the RSPCA. Both are very keen to find the perpetrator.” Anyone with information should call Hampshire police on 101 and quote crime number 44200461683.

Michael Turner’s Christmas hunt is raising funds for homeless charity Michael House

incredible work for homeless people. Last year I donated a sculpture for them to auction but this year I wanted to find a way to make it fun for as many people as possible – and also raise a bit of awareness about what they do. “Christmas especially can be a very desperate time for home- less people so if we can raise some money to make things a little easier then I will be very happy.” Any donations made to Mi- chael House will be doubled as part of a week-long Big Give heard M&S at Somerford Road’s BP Garage was targeted five times, with four bottles of Champagne among around £200 of drink and meat stolen. Sanders admitted 16 shop theft offences, which were in breach of a conditional discharge imposed for previous thefts. The defendant also admitted two charges of fraud relating to buying more than £75 of goods with someone else’s bank card. She was handed an eight- week jail term suspended for 12

fundraising drive which will see sponsors, businesses and corporate partners match-fund any money the charity receives. Michael House first opened as a night shelter in Boscombe in 1992 and since then the char- ity has grown to provide move- on opportunities to help those affected escape the cycle of homelessness. It currently ac- commodates 25 people in the main hostel and a move-on house next door for eight addi- tional people. Chief executive Mark Hors- ford said: “As an independent months, during which she must undergo drug rehabilitation ac- tivity. The Bench also gave Sanders a two-year criminal behaviour order to prevent her entering any shops in the borough, and she was told to pay a total of £530 compensation to some of them. She was handed a two-year restraining order banning her from contacting the bank card’s owner or entering a particular Christchurch street.

charity we do have to do a lot of fundraising – so when an art- ist like Michael does something like this it gives us an amazing boost. “Although we are based in Boscombe, we often help peo- ple originally from the New For- est and Christchurch who have been rough sleeping in Bourne- mouth.” To get involved with the fes- tive star hunt follow Michael on Instagram @michaelturnerstu dios or visit his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Michael turnerstudios

Owners of hotel ask to downsize site to B&B

Shoplifter banned from town stores

u the quality rsery.

A BROCKENHURST hotel is seeking permission to downsize into a bed and breakfast amid concerns it is no longer “viable”. The Cloud Hotel wants to scale back with plans that in- clude an attached tearoom and four cottages as holiday lets. The remodelling proposes removing extensions, outbuild- ings and a rear conservatory and includes a new manager’s accommodation and five extra parking spaces. “Downsizing the hotel will enable the business to remain in operation and maintain the long-standing presence in the area,” said the application to the national park authority. “It will continue to encourage visitors and tourism to Brock- enhurst with a more viable business model.” It claimed the proposed changes to the independent 18-bed Meerut Road premises would bring the outside of the building closer to its “original state” in the 1930s. Documents appear to show that from about 1925 a bed and breakfast and tea rooms called St Cloud was operating at the site, owned by a Col. Vintner. Now a three-star AA hotel, COUNCILLORS have approved plans to redevelop the disused former police station site in the centre of Christchurch for a sec- ond time. BCP Council’s planning com- mittee gave its backing to As- ter Homes’ scheme for the site between Barrack Road and Bargates after legal issues saw its initial decision in February scrapped, writes Josh Wright of the Local Democracy Reporting Service . Despite warnings from ob- jectors that reports provided to them were “biased”, coun- cillors said the development would “provide improvements all round”. Aster Homes’ development will see 130 properties built alongside sheltered accommo- dation and community facilities on the police station and magis- trates’ court site. The planning committee ap- proved the scheme in February but the application was with- drawn in the face of the threat of a legal challenge over the de- cision. A judicial review pre-action protocol letter warned it had been “unlawful”. It said biodiversity policies had not been complied with, that there had been incorrect advice on the effects of the planned “ecological corridor”, and that living space standards for the proposed homes had not been considered. In a bid to overcome the complaints, Aster submit- ted an amended set of pro-

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The Cloud had been struggling before the pandemic

The Cloud was run by Avril Ow- ton for 42 years until she sold it in 2017 to experienced hoteliers Chris Legg and Stewart Willis. However, the planning sub- mission – submitted on behalf of Mr Legg – claimed the hotel’s income has been curbed as it cannot now be used for “larger functions”. “In addition, the restaurant and hotel have been suffering, particularly outside of holiday seasons, as people are increas-

ingly electing to dine out at alternative venues, including garden centres, farm shops and tea rooms,” the submis- sion added. “From a business perspective the Cloud Hotel is not viable in its current form as a full service hotel and this was the case be- fore the current Covid-19 situa- tion.” The NPA will make a decision after the 17th December dead- line for public comments.

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Plans to develop old police station site approved again

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If you are interested in your child attending Burley Primary School

A CGI of the 130-home proposal in Christchurch

posals this summer which was brought before the plan- ning committee last Thursday with a recommendation of ap- proval. But speaking at the meeting, Susan Suliman, representing many of the opponents of the development, said there was “a perception of bias” in the re- ports. “The council stands to gain financially from this,” said a statement read out on her be- half. “It is understandable that in a time of squeezed local au- thority budgets officers would want – or perhaps feel pressure – to realise income.” She added that the reports “appear to persuade rather than inform” and made “mis- leading claims”. Despite this, councillors backed the recommendation to

approve the scheme for a sec- ond time. They said the development would be “very complemen- tary” to its surroundings and would “provide improvements all round”. “There’s a danger when you’ve got a derelict site like this that has become an eyesore that you jump in and say, ‘Anything is better than what’s there now’,” Cllr Marion Le Poidevin said. “But in this case this is very much an asset to Christchurch, I like the design and I think it’s a really good form of develop- ment. “Although most of it is flats, they look like houses and it’s in keeping for a town with history.” A move to approve the devel- opment was passed with only Cllr Peter Hall opposing plan- ning permission.

children.

The deadline for applying for Year R places for September 2021 is 15th January 2021. Spaces also available in some other year groups – please contact the school office. Burley Open Day

Sopley Open Day Thursday 7th January - 9.30am Please contact the school; 01425 672343 or email adminoffice@sopley.hants.sch.uk to book a virtual session

Please contact the school; 01425 403375 or email adminoffice@burley.hants.sch.uk to book a virtual session