A man has been jailed for the murder of his father in Southport in December last year, following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court. Just before midnight on Sunday, 22 December 2024, emergency services were called to a house on Braemar Avenue following concerns for the welfare of a resident. Paramedics arrived to find 73-year-old Ivan Sarwanskyj sadly deceased. Ivan’s son, 52-year-old John David Sarwanskyj, of Braemar Avenue, Southport, was subsequently charged with murder. He pleaded not guilty. Following an 12-day trial at Liverpool Crown Court, a jury found him guilty of Ivan’s murder and Sarwanskyj was sentenced at Liverpool…
Author: On The Spot News
Can you help locate a Southport man who is wanted on a recall to prison? Police are currently searching for Mohammad Haque, 23 years, from Southport. They say he has breached his licence conditions following a sentence for a motoring offence. He is described as 5ft 5in tall, medium build, black hair and brown eyes. Haque is known to frequent the Southport area. If you see Haque or hold any information, contact us via @MerPolCC on Twitter, ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ on Facebook, or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 with reference 25000425246.
Southport Town FC, an England Football accredited, community-based junior football club is delighted to announce its official partnership with Alder Hey Children’s Charity for the upcoming season. This exciting collaboration will see players, coaches and families come together throughout the season with a series of events and community activities to raise funds and awareness for Alder Hey. Representing the football club Callum Hudson said: “We are thrilled to be teaming up with Alder Hey Children’s Charity. As a junior football club based in Southport, we are passionate about supporting young people. “Alder Hey is a charity that is close to…
Sefton Council’s Cabinet have given their full support to the regeneration of Southport’s Town Hall gardens. The historic space will be transformed into a family-friendly, child-orientated and safe open-air performance space as a lasting legacy and a “thank you” to the people of the town. The regeneration project is being led by the families of Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Da Silva Aguiar, and Bebe King, whose shared love of dance, music and the arts inspired a vision for a new multi-purpose and community-focused town square. Funding for the project has already been secured thanks to a combined £10 million grant…
A pioneering new pilot project aimed at improving support for victims of stalking and harassment has launched in Merseyside. The initiative has been funded by Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell, and will be delivered by MDVS (the Merseyside Domestic Violence and Stalking service) a leading organisation in the field of stalking advocacy and support. Stalking and harassment occurs when someone repeatedly behaves in a way that makes a person feel scared, distressed, or threatened, and can be perpetrated by men or women. A stalker is a person who persistently engages in behaviours intended to maintain contact with or…
The criminal investigation into the 2024 Southport attack of July 29th has officially ended today. Merseyside Police confirmed that despite the conviction of murderer Axel Rudakubana in January, the investigation remained ‘active’ as detectives probed the possibility of bringing charges against “those who failed to prevent his crimes” Police say they looked into multiple lines of inquiry during their investigation but ultimately it has been concluded Rudakubana acted alone and there is no case for anyone else to answer. He is currently serving a minimum of 52 years for the murder of Alice Aguiar, Bebe King and Elsie Stancombe, the…
Four people from Southport are set to receive royal honours from the King. They include local paramedic Paul Smith and Hospital Chaplain Martin Abrams, who both played a vital role in the recovery of the town following the July 2024 tragedy. Dr Justin Hill, Lately Chief Executive Officer, YMCA St Helens, and hospital practitioner Martin Johnson, who are also from Southport will too be honoured. Rev Abrams, who helped lead the vigil in Southport last year, said he was incredibly humbled to be honoured. He told Stand Up For Southport’s Andrew Brown: “When I first received the letter, I was…
Southport’s historic Town Hall gardens space will undergo its most significant and biggest regeneration ever, creating a family-friendly, child-orientated, and safe open-air performance and gathering space as a lasting tribute to the people of the town. The transformation is being led by the families of Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Da Silva Aguiar, and Bebe King, whose shared love of dance, music and the arts has inspired a vision for a new town square that will be an inclusive community focussed events space in the heart of Southport Town Centre. The Town Hall gardens space has long been an integral part…
Crossens Nursery in Southport is set to host it’s fantastic Summer Fair this weekend. The event takes place on Saturday from 11am to 2pm at the nursery on Preston New Road, PR9 8PA. The fair is £1 for adults, with children going free. Families can enjoy a range of attractions including a tombola, raffle, stalls, and a children’s entertainer. There will be a BBQ, cakes, and lots of fun and games for children. All money raised will go directly to support the nursery. Staff and volunteers say everyone is welcome.
Police have arrested a man and seized suspected cocaine and heroin following an incident in Southport town centre last night, Monday 2 June. At around 7.05pm, officers were called to Bold Street to reports of a man making threats to a member of the public. Patrols searched the area and located a man on Victoria Street a short time later. He was detained for a search under MDA and reportedly assaulted an officer, resulting in a cut hand. Suspected wraps of heroin and cocaine were seized. A 38-year-old man from Southport was arrested on suspicion of the following offences: Possession with…
A Southport man has gone missing while on holiday in Asia, sparking an international search to ensure he returns home safe. Jordan Johnson-Doyle has not been seen since May 27th in the city of Kuala Lumpur. The British Consulate in Malaysia and a special team from Merseyside Police are supporting local officers in the city to find Jordan. His mum Leanne Burnett has launched a heartfelt appeal to bring him home safe and she is desperately searching for any information that will lead to his safe return. Name: Jordan Johnson-Doyle Age: 25 Height: 5’11 Build: medium set Hair : shoulder…
Food lovers from across the North West are getting excited about the mouthwatering return of the Southport Food and Drink Festival for 2025. Taking place from Friday 30th May to Sunday 1st June in Southport’s Victoria Park, the three-day festival of tantalising treats is a firm favourite in the region’s events calendar. And this year promises to bring even more flavour, flair and fantastic experiences for festival goers. A Feast for All Senses People can look forward to a vibrant atmosphere filled with international street food, locally produced delicacies, artisan goods, refreshing beverages, and live music. With free entry for…
Work to build the Marine Lake Events centre is finally getting started next week. According to the council huge wagons and industrial equipment will be on site at the former theatre space from today, with work begging after the bank holiday. Construction on the Marine Lake Events Centre begins from Tuesday 27th May. You may notice equipment and HGVs moving through the Promenade and Lower Promenade area from today (Friday 23rd May) to prepare for this and residents in the area have received letters warning them of dust and noise. A council spokesperson said “Some works may be noisy or…
Survivor of the horrific knife attack in Southport last summer, Leanne Lucas, is today launching ‘Let’s Be Blunt,’ a nationwide campaign aimed at addressing knife violence. Her campaign calls for the widespread adoption of rounded-tip kitchen knives as a practical step that parents, carers, homeowners and businesses can take to save lives. The campaign launches during Knife Crime Awareness Week (19–25 May), which is organised by the Ben Kinsella Trust, a knife crime prevention charity, and sponsored by Axon, the leading global developer of public safety technology. Leanne – a primary school and children’s yoga teacher – will be speaking…
Two Head Teachers from Southport are taking their fundraising efforts to brand new heights in honour of Elsie Dot Stancombe. Jennifer Sephton and Adrian Antell, Head Teachers of Farnborough Road Infants and Farnborough Road Juniors Schools respectively, are set to jump 15,000 feet out of a plane to raise vital funds for Elsie’s Story Charitable Trust, which has been set up in memory of Elsie Dot Stancombe. But it won’t just be Jennie and Adrian getting in on the action. The school has implanted a ‘break the rules’ day where children will donate so that they can wear odd socks,…
A popular pub in Southport town centre has closed down ‘temporarily’ due to disruption from roadworks. Connolly’s Irish Pub on King Street is one of a number of businesses currently impacted by majorly disruptive roadworks and street closures in the ‘Market Quarter’ of the town centre. The works, which have now been ongoing for months, show no sign of ending and business owners say they are increasingly struggling as the days go on. A post by Connolly’s on Facebook said “Due to issues we are experiencing related to the roadworks we have decided to temporarily close until we can get…
Celebrity and children’s authors David Walliams is set to make a special appearance at a Southport primary school tomorrow. Churchtown Primary School say they are excited to welcome a very special visitor- the incredible David Walliams- to school tomorrow (Monday 19th May). David will be spending the morning with pupils, giving a special presentation about his career & being an author while also reading some of his hilarious stories. A school spokesperson said “this is an amazing opportunity to bring books to life in the most authentic way possible and we are SO excited to celebrate the joy of reading…
Schools and businesses across Southport are quickly signing up wearing yellow on Tuesday (May 20th) in aid of Bebe’s Hive. Posting on Instagram today Bebe’s Hive say they’re encouraging as many people as possible to join in with World Bee Day, which has now become synonymous with the Community Interest Company set up in memory of Bebe King. They would like people at some point throughout the day to wear yellow and share images on social media to encourage donations to both Bebe’s Hive and Elsie’s Story, the charity launched in memory of Elsie Dot Stancombe. The Hive Instagram page…
Undercover police working on a firearms investigation have admitted to arresting the wrong man in broad daylight in Southport. A video circulated online shows a man being detained by more than 7 undercover police officers outside the Auld Dubliner bar on Lord Street on Monday afternoon. Videos of the incident show the man, who was sitting down on a bench outside the pub, being swooped on by plain clothes officers with face masks before he protests his innocence. Onlookers filmed the scene and quickly shared footage of it to social media, criticising police for their perceived heavy handed approach. It’s…
A hugely popular Italian restaurant in Southport has won the people’s choice restaurant of the year award for two years running. The Lord Street based family run Volare restaurant secured the people’s vote at the glittering Your Southport Star Awards, organised by Southport BID, is now in its fourth year. It was held at The Grand on Lord Street in Southport. Over 100 Southport town centre businesses put themselves forward for awards across 11 sector-specific categories, with the Awards event attended by over 200 guests. There were tens of thousands of votes for the People’s Choice Awards, while a panel…
Southport’s most iconic park turns 150 years old today (Thursday May 15th) Botanic Gardens in Churchtown was officially opened for the first time in 1875 by the Rev Charles Hesketh. Popular local historian David Walshe explained how the Reverend also laid the foundation stone for the conservatory that same day. He added “Mellor & Sutton were the architects, John Shaw of Manchester the landscaper and Mr W. Fish curator and the total cost was £18K.” The gardens were built on land acquired from the Hesketh Estate. Notably, the famous showman Phineas T. Barnum served as an advisor during the museum’s…
Pubs and bars in Southport town centre are brewing up some fun for the first Southport Beer Week next week. The town-wide beer festival will take place from Thursday 22nd May 2025 to Sunday 25th May 2025. The event is set to be a superb celebration of real ale and great beer hosted by pubs and bars around Southport town centre. Visitors can take part in an ale trail, tasting beers at the participating venues and collecting stamps in a Beer Week booklet as they go. The Grazing Lounge on Bold Street are one of the hotly anticipated venues taking…
Residents in Southport have received Numbero’s s text messages from scammers asking them to pay made up parking fines. The texts, which are crude and easy to spot as scams, have still resulted in a warning being issued to anyone who may fall foul of the con. It comes just weeks after QR code stickers started appearing on pay and display machines around Southport. One panicked driver told OTS: “The other day I couldn’t pay on card and had no cash on me so I didn’t even want to risk using the RingGo app that it says I can pay…
The very best of Country Music is coming to Southport! Join the Night In Nashville event for an unforgettable evening of country music, delicious food, and refreshing drinks at The YMCA Building, 81 Hoghton Street on June 28th from 6pm to 11pm. Rated an 18 and over experience, the event promises to transport you to the heart of Nashville with a lively atmosphere, perfect for both country music enthusiasts and people just wanting a great evening out! A spokesperson for the event said “Join us for an unforgettable evening filled with the best of country Luke Combs, Shania Twain, Morgan…
Detectives are appealing for help to find a 16-year-old boy who is missing from Rainhill. Jevan Moore of Stoney Lane Rainhill was last seen on Friday 9 May at 7.30pm in Southport Town Centre. He is described as white, 5ft 11in tall, of slim build with short dark brown hair. When last seen he was wearing a black bubble coat, grey cargo trousers black trainers and a black cap. He is known to frequent Southport and has also visited Preston recently. If you see Jevan, please call 999 so we can make sure he’s safe. You can also pass on…
Detectives are circulating images of a man who may have information to assist an assault investigation in Southport. At around 1.10am on Sunday 6 April, a man in his 30s was found injured after reportedly being assaulted in the Avenue Bar, Scarisbrick Avenue. The victim was knocked unconscious and sustained a serious ankle injury. He required hospital treatment. Enquiries are ongoing. Detective Constable Immy Mahmood said: “We think that the man pictured may be able to help with our enquiries, so if you recognise him, please come forward. “The victim sustained serious injuries which, as we have seen before…
A popular UK wide builders merchants has closed its Southport site for good. Jewson announced on Friday evening that the Bispham Road builders yard will close immediately. No reasons have yet been given for why the store has closed down. A spokesperson for Jewson said “ Jewson, Southport is now permanently closed as of 17:00, 9th May 2025. We would like to thank all our customers, staff, both past and present who have supported us, It’s been a pleasure trading with you over the years, but good things must come to an end! To continue trading with us, please visit…
Drivers say traffic in and around Birkdale will be “carnage” as a key junction gets shut for a month long roadworks project. Gas works on Eastbourne Road will see the road shut at the junction of Claremont Road and Kew Road between May 19th and June 22nd. A diversion will send drivers as far back as Scarisbrick New Road in one direction and Liverpool Road in the other. One motorist responded to the news by saying “oh my god it is going to be carnage.” Another asked if any thought had been given to school traffic, which services two high…
The latest row in an ongoing clash over the state of Southport beach has seen local politicians trade blows over safety fears. Ward Councillors have said the once famous golden sands are still there but require people to journey across unattractive and boggy mud flats to reach it, claiming the council should put together some form of plan to make the remaining beach accessible. However senior cabinet officials within Sefton Council have hit back at these comments saying councillors have are being irresponsible, claiming their stance could potentially encourage people to take risks and journey through dangerous coastal mud. Cllr…
An otter that has set up home in Botanic Gardens has become the subject of a much heated debate in recent days. Park rangers at the Churchtown park say they have warned people not to try and catch the otter, which is a protected species. It comes after people on local social media pages debated if the offer needed to be caught after claims it was attacking other wildlife in the park’s watercourse. Despite this being a natural predator, some people have suggested the otter needs to be caught and removed from the park to protect the existing wildlife. However…