IRRAL NEWS W BROMBOROUGH & BEBINGTON EDITION
IN JOHN’S MEMORY
Legion in battle for survival
Family’s charity ball fundraiser See page 3
LIFEBOAT CEREMONY New station officially opened in Hoylake
www.wirralnews.co.uk
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
● Malcolm Upton pictured with poppy wreaths ready to be placed at the cenotaph on Sunday
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THE world’s first Royal British Legion branch is fighting closure. Birkenhead British Legion, based in Birkenhead Park, is desperate to recruit new members to keep it open. Secretary Malcolm Upton said: “We’re trying to save the branch because over the last year some of our members have died and membership has dwindled.” The club, off Park Road East, does not have the same bar and social facilities as others in the area so struggles to attract younger members. The branch also had problems this year to recruit a Poppy Appeal organiser and volunteers to distribute poppies across the town; £35,000 was raised last year. A meeting to discuss the branch’s future will be held on December 16. ● Details of Remembrance Day services on Page 7.
CAR CRASH HORSE DIES
See page 5
POLITICAL UPDATE
‘Gentle giant’ Ronnie suffered serious injuries WIRRAL’S equestrian By CARRIE CATTERALL community has been Manor Road at around left in shock after a 11.40am last Friday. horse was killed when Rider Ben Mallon, 25, was it was struck by a car in left in shock but received no physical injuries. Thornton Hough. Another horse and rider on
Lib-Lab pact’s progress See page 10
The vehicle ploughed into 13-year-old Ronnie in
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the same road also escaped injury.
Three vets from the University of Liverpool’s Leahurst centre in Neston tried to save Ronnie but he received severe injuries and had to be put down at the scene. Ronnie, owned by Jonathan Heywood, of Cheshire, was a hunt horse based at Thornton
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Farm. Kelly Ward, who runs the farm with her family, said: “I honestly don’t know how anyone could not see an animal of his size. “We take the horses out every day and nothing like
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