ON THE RIGHT TRACK

All aboard! Erewash Museum’s ever popular Model Railway weekend rolls into Ilkeston from Friday 10th January until Sunday 12th January  offering plenty of fascinating insights and fun for model enthusiasts of all ages. Davey Jones, from the Nottingham Model Railway Society, will be displaying his amazing model of a 1930s Ilkeston Town Railway Station in the Hayloft. Due to popularity, Davey’s model will also be on display at the museum on Thursday 9th January and Tuesday 14th January. Ilkeston Woodside Model Railway Club will be presenting their ‘drive it yourself’ Thomas the Tank engine layouts as well as a replica of the Old Station at Heanor and a model section of Bennerley Viaduct. Members of the Toton Sidings Remembered Project will be taking along their model of a hands-on hump shunting track design. Hump yards are the largest and most effective classification yards, allowing vehicles to roll down an incline or ‘hump’, pushing the cars into pre-set routes in the railway yard. Erewash Borough Council’s Lead Member for Culture and Leisure, Councillor Mike Wallis, said: “It’s fascinating to see just how much detail and devotion goes into creating these incredible model railways, and even more interesting to see how Ilkeston and the surrounding areas used to operate their rail infrastructures in bygone years.”

Erewash Museum is located in Ilkeston town centre, a short walk from the Market Place. Opening hours are Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10am-4pm, and Monday to Saturday during school holidays. Admission is free. Contact 0115 907 1141, email museum@erewash.gov.uk  or visit the Facebook page /erewashmuseum. You can also follow the museum on Twitter @Erewash_Museum, and Instagram @erewashmuseum

FLY TIPPER MADE TO PAY

A man who advertised waste removal services on Facebook and then fly-tipped the rubbish in Sawley has been made to pay more than £800 for blighting the borough. Darrell Leon Radford, 49, of Wheeldon Court, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to a charge of fly-tipping, and appeared at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 19th December.

Mr Radford left ten bags of domestic waste, three plastic boxes of waste, a washing basket, a paddling pool and cardboard boxes containing waste on private land off Lock Lane, Sawley.  A member of the public had paid him £35 to dispose of their waste. Amongst the waste was the name and address of the person who had paid Mr Radford. The council’s neighbourhood wardens were able to trace him from this. The wardens spoke to the resident and issued her with a formal caution for not checking Mr Radford held a waste carriers licence.

In mitigation the court heard that he had attempted to dispose of the waste at his local tip but was refused entry as it was believed he was disposing of waste as a business and did not have a waste carriers licence. He must pay a fine of £200, the council’s full costs of £582.46 and a victim surcharge of £30. A total of £812.46. Councillor Garry Hickton, Lead Member for Environment at Erewash Borough Council, says:

“Anyone who is advertising services to dispose of other people’s rubbish must have a waste carriers licence. It is equally as important that anyone who pays someone to take rubbish away checks that the person they are paying is a registered waste carrier. People can check this on the Environment Agency’s website. Fly-tipping in Erewash will not be tolerated and we will prosecute those responsible, as this case proves.”

Search for licenced waste carriers at https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/index

DANCER DIES IN M1 CRASH

A former Long Eaton girl has died in a crash on the M1 on Christmas Eve. ".  Aliesha James, 27, was a dancer who had spent five years at the Rollo Academy of Performing Arts in Sneinton before moving on to Laine Theatre Arts, in Epsom, where she graduated following a three-year scholarship. Aliesha danced around the world and performed for a season at the Moulin Rouge cabaret in Paris. She died from her injuries after being involved in a crash on the M1 motorway, northbound, near Junction 12, shortly after 11pm on Christmas Eve.

PETERSHAM MAN TOOK HIS OWN LIFE

Derby Coroner's Court heard that a Long Eaton man who suffered a debilitating skin condition took his own life. Stuart Bird, 32, suffered from Ichthyosiform Erythroderma. Police discovered Mr Birds body on August 6th, 2018, at his home where he lived alone. PC Abigail Keeling told Derby Coroner's Court that Mr Bird's body was found in a state of decomposition. She and a colleague were making separate enquiries at Petersham Court and whilst in the hallway noticed a smell which they recognised as decomposition and flies. Mr Bird was last seen alive at the local Co-op store. He paid for goods with a twenty pound note but told the member of staff he did not need the change where he was going. On 23rd December 2019 Louise Pinder, assistant coroner, confirmed the cause of death as asphyxiation due to inhalation of gas.

JUST THE TICKET

Eight contactless payment machines have been installed in some Erewash Borough Council car parks this week to make life easier for drivers. In Ilkeston town centre, contactless payment is now available at two of the three pay machines in the Albion Centre car park; both machines at Pimlico; and the pay machines at Queen Street and South Street car parks. Rail commuters have also had a boost at Long Eaton Train Station, where they can pay contactless at both machines. The council is also in the process of providing electric vehicle charging point in some car parks and will confirm the details shortly.

MAYOR'S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

On behalf of all the councillors and officers of Erewash Borough Council I would like to wish all residents a very Merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful new year.

We all have so much to think about at this busy and special time of the year, but if you have a friend or relative you perhaps have not spoken to at all this year, make this the time you ring them, write a letter or send an email to say you are thinking about them.

I would like to take the time to thank all those who are working for us throughout the festive period – the emergency services, the NHS, our armed forces and all those who keep us safe and secure. We are also grateful to all the volunteers and carers who give their time to make such a positive difference to the lives of so many of our residents.

I would also like to offer my personal gratitude to everyone who has been involved in helping to raise money for my two chosen charities, Action for Children and the Rainbows Children’s Hospice. In particular, a big thank you to all those that have raised money, and continue to do so, through the Knit a Nipper project. The knitted ‘Nipper’ brooches have been a big success and have already raised hundreds of pounds. The project will continue throughout my civic year and more details can be found at Facebook/knitanipper.

I hope you will be able to join me at the traditional Christmas Carol Service which is being held at Ilkeston Market Place on Christmas Eve from 7pm. I am delighted that the Salvation Army Band will once again be playing for us. It really is a lovely, family-friendly event, which for many is one of the highlights of the festive season.

I look forward to seeing you there and joining in the singing of our favourite carols.

With best wishes to you all.

Councillor Sue Beardsley
Mayor of Erewash 2019/20

XMAS BIN COLLECTIONS

The usual bin collection service will be changing in Derbyshire between Monday, December 23 and New Year's Day. Alternative dates have been released by district councils in Derbyshire  for when rubbish will be collected over the festive period.

In Erewash Bins due to be collected on December 25th will be collected on December 24th. Bins due to be collected on December 26th will be collected on December 27th and Bins due to be collected on January 1st will be collected on December 31st.

TWO MEN STABBED IN STAPLEFORD

Two men were taken to hospital with stab wounds following a fight outside a pub in Stapleford. Officers were called to reports of a fight between a group of men outside the Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren pub in Derby Road at around 9pm on Thursday 12th December. Two men, both aged 26, suffered stab wounds and were taken to the Queen's Medical Centre. Their injuries were not believed to be life-threatening or life-altering. The manager of the Wetherspoon pub helped to treat the two men.

Inspector Charlotte Allardice, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "Officers are making enquiries to trace those responsible. It is the very early stages of the investigation so we would urge anyone who witnessed the assault or has any information that could help the enquiry to call us on 101, quoting incident number 897 of 12th December 2019."

BONFIRE CANCELLED

This Saturday’s Bonfire and Fireworks Display at West Park in Long Eaton has been cancelled due to the torrential rain which flooded the site over the last week. Erewash Borough Council confirmed the decision had been taken over concerns that the park will be turned into a mud bath and left badly damaged by the thousands of people that turn up for the annual event. The council has been monitoring the park but a final inspection this morning (Wednesday) showed the ground has not sufficiently recovered. A representative from Firemagic – the display company involved – also viewed the water-logged park and agreed with the decision to cancel over serious safety concerns.

The park acts as a flood plain and is always left with large areas underwater when heavy rain falls over a series of days. There are still areas of water covering the park and in other parts the ground is soaked through and would be easily churned up by the crowds of onlookers. Councillor Mike Wallis, Erewash Borough Council’s Lead Member for Culture and Leisure, says:

“This is obviously disappointing and it is not a decision we have taken lightly. We have been monitoring the site over the last couple of days in the hope that there would be significant improvements, but it was clear from an inspection today that West Park is not going to be in a fit state for such a big event that attracts thousands of people. So we have, reluctantly, made the decision to cancel – something, I’m sure, that will not come as a surprise to those who use this park regularly and have seen what it has been like this week.

“A lot of planning and hard work goes in to ensure our community event – one of the biggest in the region – is a success. We’re sorry for the disappointment that will be felt by everyone, let’s just hope for better weather next year.”

Those who have already bought tickets for the event will be fully refunded. Customers who purchased tickets through Derby LIVE will be issued a refund automatically back to the card that they paid on. Refunds are normally back in the customer’s account within 10 working days. Anyone who bought tickets at Ilkeston or Long Eaton Town Hall, Erewash Museum or West Park Leisure Centre should take them back to where they bought them for a full refund.

SOUNDS OF SUMMER AT THE BEACH

Get your dancing shoes on, pack up the picnic basket and head down to Erewash Museum in Ilkeston for the eagerly anticipated return of the beach! 

The 2019 Summer Beach season launches on Saturday 20th July with a special music set from DJ Hazza who will be bringing his disco beach party tunes to the museum’s purpose-built beach play area with plenty of games and prizes. The beach will then be open Monday to Saturday 11am to 3pm during the six weeks school holidays. 

This is the fourth year for the incredibly popular event which will once again see the return of the beach in the museum garden. During the summer holidays the fun continues with free craft activities, giant games, plus special events including sports week, wildlife week, toy and games week and even a chance to meet your local heroes during emergency service week. The beach will run until Saturday 31st August. The museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm during the school holidays with the exception of Bank Holiday Monday, allowing visitors the chance to take a tour of the museum and its exhibitions or enjoy some delicious treats from the Old Stables Tearoom.  Erewash Borough Council’s Lead Member for Culture and Leisure, Councillor Mike Wallis, says:

“We’re really pleased to be bringing the beach back to Erewash Museum again, it’s such a brilliant place to bring the whole family and have an ice cream while enjoying the summer weather! As well as the beach, visitors can also learn more about our borough by taking a walk around our award winning museum.”

Erewash Museum is situated in Ilkeston town centre, a short walk from the Market Place. Admission is free. For all the latest news from Erewash Museum, including events and activities, residents can check out the Facebook page www.facebook.com/erewashmuseum  or the website www.erewashmuseum.co.uk