DELAYS caused by signalling faults could eventually be a thing of the past on trains running to and from Crewe.

At a meeting on Friday Pete Waterman, chairman of the Cheshire and Warrington Local Transport Body (LTB), revealed that Network Rail, the Department for Transport and HS2 Ltd have agreed that the town will become home to Britain’s first all-digital station.

It means that all trains running from Crewe to Warrington, Chester and other destinations across Cheshire would benefit from the same technology which will be used by HS2 services – meaning lines could run more efficiently with trains travelling in a tighter sequence.

Mr Waterman said: “That is the way that they are going to get better services north of Crewe – by taking out the signals and getting a modern system where trains can get closer, like planes do.

“Crewe is the only place where the two networks will actually meet on the ground level, and originally there was a thought that we would be using the two systems – a digital system and a semi-mechanical system.

“That is a massive decision, and I don’t think we should ever underestimate it. It would modernise this whole area because these trains will be different.”

Mr Waterman told members that the move had been agreed at a meeting about the proposed Crewe hub on Wednesday, April 4.

He insisted that it represents a ‘complete change of thinking’ between HS2 and Network Rail, with both sides cooperating to improve all services in Crewe.

Graham Botham, strategy and planning director for the north at Network Rail, added: “The really positive thing is that Network Rail needs to renew the signalling at the same time, and that gives us the opportunity to do it cost-effectively at Crewe.”

The Department for Transport announced its support for a Crewe HS2 hub with seven trains an hour last month.

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TWO robbers armed with a knife have threatened a teenager in Padgate.

Detectives launched an investigation after an 18-year-old was targeted at 6.15pm yesterday, Thursday, during an armed robbery.

The victim was approached by two men as he rode along a cobbled alleyway between Padgate Lane and Cornwall Street on his bicycle.

One of the men then pulled out a knife and demanded that the teenager hand over his bike.

The men then fled with the bicycle in the direction of the Betfred shop at the end of Padgate Lane.

Police have urged anyone with information to come forward.

DS Mark Naylor said: “The two men subjected the victim to a terrifying ordeal that has left him extremely shaken up.

“Enquiries into this incident are ongoing and we are keen to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident or saw two men fleeing the area with the stolen black, grey and white Giants bicycle.”

One of the men is described as black, in his late 20s and around 6ft 2ins.

He had broad shoulders and was wearing a black Nike tracksuit jacket, a black beanie hat and black North Face trousers.

He fled on the bicycle following the robbery.

The other man is also described as being in his late 20s.

He was white, around 5ft 11ins and had bushy eyebrows and was wearing a light grey Nike jacket with the hood up, a black snood and dark grey jogging pants.

The second suspect ran alongside the other man as they fled the scene.

Anyone with information can call Cheshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 28688, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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FORMER Warriors of Warrington swimmer Kathleen Dawson won a 'swim-off' to reach the women's 100m backstroke final.

Swimming for Scotland, Dawson was joint-eighth fastest overall in the semi-finals in a time of 1min 0.67secs with England's Elizabeth Simmonds but triumphed in a direct race with her rival.

She now goes into the final, which takes place at 11am UK time tomorrow, Saturday.

Dawson finished second in her heat behind Australia’s Emily Seebohm in 1min 1.38secs.

The former Great Sankey High School student also goes in the 50m backstroke event, the heats of which start at 1.50am on Monday.

Meanwhile, James Guy helped England to a silver medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay at the Commonwealth Games.

The former Cardinal Newman High School student swam the anchor leg as England held off Scotland to finish second behind dominant gold-medal winners Australia.

Guy was alongside Ben Proud, David Cumberlidge and Jarvis Parkinson for the race.

James Guy in action earlier today. Picture by Mike Egerton/PA Wire

The relay silver came just after he came agonisingly close to an individual medal in the 200m freestyle.

In a star-studded field, the former Warrington Sports Personality award winner finished fourth, with Scotland’s Duncan Scott beating him to bronze by just 0.1secs.

Guy was leading at the final turn, but Australia’s Kyle Chalmers eventually took gold.

Host nation Australia also took the silver via Mack Horton, who won gold in the 400m freestyle race yesterday in which Guy won bronze.

Warrington-born para-swimmer Jacob Leach finished eighth in the S9 100m freestyle final.

Leach qualified as one of the eight fastest swimmers for the medal race, but Australia's Timothy Diskin took the gold medal.

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COSTA coffee is set to open its doors next Friday, April 13, at Birchwood Shopping Centre.

The multi-national chain will be trading from the new store in between WHSmith Local and Thomas Cook.

The opening of the new café has also created 10 jobs in the area.

The new store joins retailers including New Balance, ASDA, Blue Inc, New Look, Birchwood Carpets and Planet Café.

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THE popularity of the game Fortnite is showing no signs of slowing down.

And as even more children and teenagers will no doubt be asking their parents to play during the school holidays, the National Crime Agency has shared a warning. 

A spokesman added: "There are a few in-game elements that parents and teachers should be aware of to encourage safe and enjoyable gaming.

"This includes in game voice and text chat that cannot be turned off as well as some other features such as micro-transactions."

Here's what you need to know...

What is Fortnite?

It's an online game, which includes Battle Royale, where players do not have to pay to play.

In Battle Royale, 100 players compete against each other to be the last person standing in player vs player (PVP) combat.

Users play against people of different ages from across the world, and can talk and interact with each other as they play through the in-game chat feature.

It's also the reason the dance move 'Flossing' has become popular as during the game players can pop off a few dance moves to taunt an opponent or celebrate a victory.

What age rating is Fortnite?

It's rated as a 12 due to ‘frequent scenes of mild violence'.

This however doesn't take into account the fact players may be exposed to swearing and offensive language from strangers, either through audio or on-screen text chat.

What happens during the game?

As Fortnite is an online game you will play against players of different ages from across the world.

You cannot turn the in game chats off or choose who you play against.

The aim of Fortnite is to defeat other players by fighting against them.

My children want to play this game, what should I do?

Advice from the UK Safer Internet Centre is to have an 'open and honest conversation with your child' and then play with them.

A spokesman added: "Asking your child about how they play Fortnite and what they like about it is a great way to start a conversation. 

"It may seem daunting but one of the best things that you can do is to engage with the gaming environment and begin to understand what makes Fortnite so attractive to young people, as well as giving yourself an idea of the reporting tools available within the game."

Will it cost me anything?

Although Battle Royale is free to play other aspects of the game are not.

There are packs which give you different access to the full game and extensions, bonuses and weapons.

These start at £34.99 and go up to £119.99.

The game does ask players to make additional in-game purchases while playing though these are not required to play the game.

How do I report a player who is behaving inappropriately?

You can do this by using the in-game feedback tool located in the game Main Menu. 

You can also make a report by emailing the creators of Fortnite.

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A MOTORIST has sustained serious injuries after a crash closed Knutsford Road this morning.

The road is currently blocked off between the M6 at junction 20 at Lymm and Stockport Road today, Friday, following the collision involving a grey Volkswagen Golf and a white Ford Transit van.

Drivers have been advised to avoid the area as the road is likely to be closed for some time, police have confirmed.

An air ambulance was called to the scene near Manchester and Cheshire Dogs’ Home after the crash was reported to the emergency services shortly before 9.30am.

Two people were injured in the crash, with one driver taken to Salford Royal Hospital after suffering serious injuries.

The other casualty was taken to Warrington Hospital, with the air ambulance not used to transport either patient.

A Cheshire Police spokesman said: "One of the drivers is believed to have sustained serious injuries and is being assessed at the scene.

"An air ambulance and Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service firefighters are in attendance."

A50 Knutsford Road between M6 J20 and A56 Stockport Road in the Grappenhall area of Warrington is currently closed in both directions whilst we deal with a collision. Please avoid area and find an alternative route. @NWmwaypolicepic.twitter.com/tw0IrhMln0

— Cheshire Police (@cheshirepolice) April 6, 2018

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PASSENGERS travelling on Northern train services will soon be fined £20 or double the price of their ticket if they wait to buy it on the train.

The new charges will launch at the end of next month.

It means passengers will no longer be able to buy a regular ticket on the train if they are running late for a service.

Those who board the train without a ticket and try to pay by card will be fined £20 or double the single fare, whichever is higher.

The Manchester to Liverpool via Warrington Central train is one of the services that will see the penalty be introduced.

Exceptions will only be made for passengers who can demonstrate they tried to buy a ticket but couldn’t – such as a photo of a broken machine.

Northern Rail say if your station does not have a ticket machine and a ticket office - tickets can still be bought on the train.

Bosses said there is no excuse for not buying a ticket now that you can pre-purchase online or through the app.

Liam Sumpter, regional director for Northern, said: “We have invested in new state-of-the-art ticket machines across our network to help customers purchase tickets. These machines offer a full range of fares – including discounts.

“With online and mobile ticketing, as well as ticket offices at our staffed stations, there is really no reason for anyone to board a train without a valid ticket.

“For customers who want to pay by cash, our ticket machines will issue Promise to Pay notices which can be exchanged (along with a cash payment) for a ticket when on board the service or at the next available ticket office.”

The routes that will see the penalty introduced include:

All Manchester stations to Liverpool via Warrington Central.

Manchester stations to Wilmslow via Manchester Airport.

Manchester Victoria to York.

Leeds to Sheffield via Moorthorpe.

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Cheshire fire brigade

FIREFIGHTERS were called to reports of a house fire in Birchwood last night, Thursday.

One fire engine from Birchwood and one from Warrington attended the house on Redshank Lane.

At 6.40pm, crews arrived to find a fire involving a cooker.

The team used one hose reel and two breathing apparatus to extinguish the fire and were at the scene for around 40 minutes.

For more information about kitchen safety visit cheshirefire.gov.uk/public-safety/home-safety/kitchen-fire-safety

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A NURSE has retired after 40 years of working in the NHS.

John Wharton, chief nurse and quality lead at NHS Warrington Clinical Commissioning Group, began has retirement at the end of last month after four decades in the health service.

He was inspired to embark upon his nursing career after volunteering to work at the old Winwick Hospital while still at school.

The 58-year-old, who first joined the NHS in 1978, said: “It was like a little village, and I loved the idea of this community looking after people who couldn’t look after themselves.

“It doesn’t feel like it’s been 40 years - it feels like it’s been four years.

“While there are difficulties in the health service, it is always there at the most important parts of your life.

“Whether someone is having a baby, someone has fallen off their bicycle, someone has had abdominal pain or whether someone is near to the end - the health service is there, and I think that people should be proud to be a part of it.

“The greatest pleasure for me is that people have entrusted to me their most loved person - whether that be their mum, dad, sister or brother.

“I’ve always been pleased to be a part of someone making a recovery, and then later tapping you on the shoulder in Sainsburys and saying ‘remember me?’.”

John previously worked at Warrington Hospital during his nursing career as well as at Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and St Rocco’s Hospice.

His colleagues past and present threw a This is Your Life-style surprise retirement party at Orford Jubilee Neighbourhood Hub on Thursday, March 29, and presented him with his own version of the show’s iconic red book of memories.

The Grappenhall resident, who has worked at the CCG for the past eight years, added: “I didn’t know it was going to be This is Your Life, with so many people visiting me from my previous roles.

“It’s been wonderful, and I have so many people to thank for doing what they’ve done and being a part of my life.

“Your colleagues are people who shape who you are, and I think the health service has done that for me.

“The core values of the health service have been very important to me, and I’ve tried as best as I can to honour those.

“I’ve had a lot of wonderful experiences and a lot of personal and professional reward, so I’ve been very fortunate to do this.

CCG chairman Dr Dan Bunstone paid tribute to his retiring colleague.

He said: “John’s commitment to the CCG has been massive and he will be a massive loss.

“John will be very difficult to replace.”

Michelle Creed has now taken over the post of chief nurse at the CCG.

She will also continue in her role as chief nurse at NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group.

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FOOTBALL superstar Wayne Rooney's agent is close to completing a takeover of Rylands FC.

Paul Stretford, owner of Lymm-based Triple S Sports and Entertainment Group, had his proposals for a takeover of the Orford amateur club unanimously approved at its annual general meeting last month.

The 59-year-old football agent, who represents England's record goalscorer Wayne Rooney, played for Rylands FC in the 1970s and 80s.

In an open letter addressing the future of Rylands Recreation Club, Mr Stretford said that he hoped to ensure that Rylands FC was in the 'best position it possibly can be to see it continue to flourish and expand' on and off the pitch.

His letter said: "Other major developments have also progressed behind the scenes, including my proposed takeover of the club as a whole.

"I am delighted to announce that the resolutions I put before the membership were unanimously passed, and over the course of the next month I will complete our due diligence and restructuring plans to take the club forward."

Recent improvements at the Gorsey Lane club have seen a seated stand, turnstiles and changing facilities established.

The club is also in the process of undergoing construction work for standing areas on all four sides of the ground, while floodlights are also hoped to be in place by the start of the 2018/19 season.

It is hoped that Rylands Recreation Club will be used for county football association finals and showcase games in the future.

Mr Stretford's open letter added: "As you would expect, my plans will see a greater role for the football club within the overall running of the club but I also feel that the same is true for the rugby section.

"I sincerely hope that both football and rugby will be anchor tenants of the new entity and play a key part in the future development of the club as a whole.

"Ideally, I would like to see football and rugby forge closer and better links for the greater good of the club as a thriving, vibrant and profitable organisation.

"It is my belief and desire that the club should be at the centre of our community and should exist to help us all achieve our goals.

"Over the course of the next few months I hope to meet representatives from each team in both the football and rugby sections to discuss ways we can grow together, but in the meantime I hope you are as excited as I am about the future and the potential opportunity in front of us all."

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