A Southport man has been arrested as one of eight people charged in a two day long drugs bust. Suspected cocaine was also seized in the Merseyside wide raids led by a specialist police taskforce on May 6th and 7th. Officers from the organised crime partnership – a joint investigation team comprising of Merseyside Police and National Crime Agency (NCA) officers – carried out strikes at addresses in Liverpool, Sefton and Southport. Matrix units and forensics officers have been searching a property on Selworthy Road over the last two days following the arrests of local man Paul Lockyer, 42. He’s…
Author: On The Spot News
Three men are to be jailed after their roles in stealing more than 80 cars from driveways around Merseyside, including Southport. Police raided a premises on Canning Road as part of a county wide operation to hunt down a gang of professional car thieves who targeted high value cars on driveways around Southport, Liverpool and St Helens. Curtis Morrison, Sean Fagan and Daniel Johnston were involved in a plot to steal a whopping 82 cars over six months, before the “high value” vehicles were dismantled at various “chop shops” and sold for parts. Morrison was connected to the operation after…
A brand new project to give grieving children ‘hope and connection’ is set to launch. A social media account called Bebe’s Hive has been set up this evening which is supported by the Elsie Dot Story. Bebe’s Hive mission statement says: “Bebe’s Hive is a safe place where grieving children find hope, creativity, and connection. “Born from loss. Rooted in love. Guided by Bebe.” In a video launch for the project organisers say Bebe’s Hive is coming soon and promises “to be a safe space for little hearts to create, connect and heal after loss.” Supported by the Elsie Dot…
Sefton Council have extended the deadline for a survey into the future of tourism around Southport so that more people can have their say. The local authority is asking for the views of residents and business as it refreshes the Borough’s approach to tourism economy. With the ever changing landscape of the tourism sector in the UK, especially that of coastal areas like Sefton, the Council is putting together a bespoke ten year long Visitor Economy Strategy which encompasses the whole Borough. The refined strategy will seek to capitalise on Sefton’s unique and varied tourism offer ranging from the iconic…
“That night I wondered – did we get Southport wrong?” Corine Lamoureux is sitting alongside husband Dale Watson in a picturesque cottage, nestled in the heart of Southport Town Centre. Their accents immediately give the game away – they are not Sandgrounders. Corine speaks with a warm, melodic voice that reflects her French-Mauritanian heritage. Dale, calm and measured, brings the gentle tones of an Edinburgh ex pat. Together, they are the first contributors to the People of Southport project – a celebration of the great, good, and everyday people who call this beautiful town home. Curated by Sefton Council, the…
Police are appealing for information after an elderly man was bitten by a dog in Southport on Thursday 24 April. At around 10am a man in his 70s was walking his dog in Kew Woods when a German Shepherd, who was with its owner, went to bite the dog and then bit the elderly man when he intervened. The owner and his German Shepherd walked away from the scene through Dobbie’s car park. The victim sustained several bites on his wrist man and received treatment in hospital for his injuries. He is now recovering at home. Enquiries are ongoing to…
The construction of nearly 300 new homes near to RAF Woodvale will mean new speed limits for a stretch of Formby Bypass. The new limit of 50mph between Woodvale and Freshfield is only ten less than the current limit and is not expected to cause any significant impact for motorists. The proposals by Sefton Council have been put forward ahead of the impending construction of more than 280 houses near to RAF Woodvale, which were approved four years ago. Due to the increased vehicle usage in the immediate area generated by the new build, the developer will pay for the…
With warm, sunny weather forecast for the next week, the Council is sharing advice for those planning a visit to our natural coast. There will be high tides of up to 10 metres from 27 – 30 April, which means Ainsdale beach car park will be closed during this period. Southport beach car park remains closed for the time being due to the unsuitable condition of the sand. Green Sefton staff conduct daily assessments so the beach parking in Southport can be opened as soon as conditions are safe. Visitors travelling by car are urged to plan before setting off,…
A man has been issued with a three-year football banning order plus fines after assaulting a woman at a match in Southport earlier this year. Daniel Moonbrook, 22 years, of Euxton in Lancashire, pleaded guilty to assault by beating when he attended the Southport FC v Chorley FC game in the National League North competition in January. On Tuesday 22 April, he appeared at Sefton Magistrates Court where he was issued with a three-year banning order and fined £300, compensation and court costs. The court heard that on 25 January at The Big Help Stadium on Haig Avenue, disorder broke…
The wilding of Southport beach is continuing so fast that deer have now been spotted in a rare moment near the Pier. Images taken this morning (Tuesday April 22nd) captured two roe deer feeding on the ‘pleasure’ beach near to Ocean Plaza. While native to the local coastline the deer tend to prefer the grassy dunes of Ainsdale and woodland of Formby. It’s rare to see them so close to the town centre. An OTS reader who took the images said they were at the gym when they spotted the pair feeding on grass just the left of Southport Pier.…
The mum of missing Southport man, TJay Waters, has appealed for him to come home. The 36-year-old has been missing since Wednesday 5 March and we continue to carry out enquiries to find him and make sure he’s safe. The last reported sighting of TJay was the following day at Cash Converters in Southport. Today (Saturday 19 April) his mum, called Sandra, has issued a short appeal and urged him to get in touch. She said: “We just want you to come home TJay and to know that you’re safe. We really miss you. If you’re reading this, please come…
Emergency services have closed off the Lord Street gardens near to Sainsbury’s after reports of a body being discovered. Police remain on scene and have sealed off the area near to the fountain between Lord Street and Post Office Avenue. Inside the cordon is a green tarpaulin. Eye witnesses report that a body had been discovered earlier this morning by a member of the public however this is unconfirmed at this stage. The gardens remains partially closed off and a statement from Merseyside Police is expected shortly.
Sefton Council is warning private landlords that they need to make proper arrangements for their tenants to store refuse until the designated collection day. If they, or their tenants, don’t dispose of items correctly they could face Fixed Penalty Notices of up to £400 or an unlimited fine. Sefton Council has recently issued a local resident with a fixed penalty notice and around 15 more cases relating to refuse not being disposed of properly, are being processed. Many landlords are required under their licences to provide support to tenants. This may include external storage areas for rubbish, wheelie bins or,…
Southport residents who want to burn off their winter calories can get fit for just £13. There is still time to register for the next Couch to 5K series with the Active Sefton service open to all residents. The ten week course costs just £13 but anyone from Southport wishing to take part will need to travel to Litherland to access it. Designed to take beginners with little or no experience to be able to complete a 5k run within 10 weeks, the next course begins Monday 28th April, 6pm-7pm at Litherland Sports Park. Couch to 5K takes place every Monday…
Police have closed off a stretch of Water Lane near Southport with rush hour traffic grinding to a complete halt. Traffic is backed up on the Coast Road, Preston New Road and Gravel Lane meaning motorists in and out of Southport are struggling to move. OTS understands there has been a serious accident on Water Lane near to the border with West Lancashire and emergency services remain on scene. The road closure is causing huge tailbacks with traffic being stopped and journey times between the town and nearby Banks and Tarleton currently standing at over one hour. Drivers who want…
Southport’s very own Tommy Fleetwood is hotly tipped to be one of the best, if not the top man, at the Masters 2025. Fleetwood has seven career DP World Tour wins, as well as seven top-five major finishes to his name but the 34-year-old Sandgrounder is yet to taste success on the PGA Tour. Trained on the Municipal course in Southport, Fleetwood has been branded a ‘nearly man’ by golf lovers with the boundless talent coming tantalisingly close on a number of occasions on the PGA Tour. Butch Harmon, who has served as Fleetwood’s swing coach since 2023, spanning his…
Sefton Council is asking for the views of residents and business as it refreshes the Borough’s approach to tourism economy. With the ever changing landscape of the tourism sector in the UK, especially that of coastal areas like Sefton, the Council is putting together a bespoke ten year long Visitor Economy Strategy which encompasses the whole Borough. The refined strategy will seek to capitalise on Sefton’s unique and varied tourism offer ranging from the iconic Iron Men of Crosby to the bustling and grand shopping boulevards of Southport. To ensure its Visitor Economy Strategy is successful, Sefton Council is calling…
Do you recognise any of these 49 people? We believe they could be from Blackburn, Bradford, Chester, Manchester, Merseyside, Ormskirk, Preston, Runcorn, Telford, Wigan and surrounding areas. Detectives want to speak with them because it’s believed they could have information following the violent disorder in Merseyside last summer. Although the appalling scenes of last year took place in Southport and Liverpool, we believe that many of the people involved live outside of Merseyside. If you live outside of our force area, specifically in the communities listed above, please take the time to look at each person featured in the collages…
A Wigan man who dismantled walls in Southport to launch at police deployed to protect the public has been jailed for two years, eight months. Nicholas Mullen, 22 years, of Kingsley Avenue, Wigan was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday 3 April for violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker. He was identified on CCTV throwing bricks towards a line of officers who were sent to Southport as disorder broke out on the streets on 30 July 2024. Mullen was also captured on footage from a police helicopter and on camera phone footage taken by others engaged in disorder.…
Opposition councillors are repeating their call for Sefton Council to lay out a proper policy for Southport Leisure Beach. According to opposition leader on Sefton, Cllr. John Pugh ( Liberal Democrat) doing nothing about it is not a credible option especially when neighbouring councils like Wirral have taken steps to reclaim their beaches. Currently Southport Leisure Beach is being allowed to turn into a grass infested muddy expanse. “ Calls at Council meetings to get the Council to spell out some sort of policy or plan of action have fallen on deaf ears. I could accuse the current Council leadership…
Sefton Council has warned motorists parking in Southport town centre that fake QR codes for payment have been found on pay & display machines. The Council repeated a warning in January, saying at the time that 20 false QR codes had been found in Southport, and two in Crosby. Sefton has again clarified it does not use QR codes in its pay & display payments process. On Thursday, a statement from Sefton Council read: “We have been made aware of fake QR codes on Pay & Display machines in Southport “The fake QR codes leading people to pay for their…
The Halifax bank in Southport will close down later this year. The London Street branch is one of 250 branches under the Lloyd’s Banking Group to shut down in the next twelve months. Lloyds has blamed the decision to shut the branches on customers shifting away from banking in person to using mobile services. A spokeswoman for the business previously said: “Over 20 million customers are using our apps for on-demand access to their money and customers have more choice and flexibility than ever for their day-to-day banking. “Alongside our apps, customers can also use telephone banking, visit a community…
Residents in Southport will have to wait at least another year to have their say on who represents them in local politics. Seftom Council has today reconfirmed that there will be no local government elections in 2025. This means the next election, where locals can vote on who they want to represent them in local politics, will be in May 2026. The gap is known as a fallow year and is commonplace, occurring on average every four years to coincide with the amount of time a councillor ‘sits’ on the council and represents residents. However the reaction to this confirmation…
An uncle and nephew have been jailed today, Friday 28 March, following a serious assault of a man at a Southport pub last year. Southport men, Scott Howard, of Hall Street, pleaded to guilty to Section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent, and Dylan Howard, of East Street, pleaded to guilty to Section 20 assault grievous bodily harm with intent. The court heard that in the early hours of Monday 2 September officers were called to an assault of a man outside the Fox and Goose pub on Cable Street, where the victim was punched and then kicked in the…
Sefton Council have officially procured one of the UK’s leading contractors to oversee the delivery of the incredible Marine Lake Events Centre project in Southport. GRAHAM have been confirmed as the preferred bidder to build the state of the art events centre in the heart of Southport, with construction works due to begin later this year. A pre-construction services agreement is now in place between GRAHAM and Sefton Council, with the project team working towards a full contract in the coming months. The Marine Lake Events Centre will be a world-class events destination, featuring a state-of-the-art theatre and auditorium and…
Starting 31st March 2025, all businesses in Southport with more than 10 employees must comply with a new government regulation requiring the use of dedicated food waste bins. This initiative aims to streamline waste management processes and promote environmentally friendly practices across the area. A spokesperson for Gilston Waste Management, a Southport-based waste services provider, say they’re going to be busier than ever with the new changes. Their spokesperson said “We are providing food waste collection services at a reduced rate for businesses within a five-mile radius of Southport to help with the increased demand. “This initiative not only helps…
A horrific court case has exposed how a heroic police officer was brutally beaten by a violent thug during the riots of July 2024. Sergeant Phillip Sinclair had been standing on the frontline trying to contain the disorder when he was hit by a flying brick and left with serious injuries. Only a few hours earlier he had been one of the heroic officers faced with the daunting and heartbreaking tasks of escorting the bodies of two of the murdered southport victims to the morgue. While defending the Mosque and other properties from violent rioters Sgt Sinclair was struck by…
A man has been sentenced today, Thursday 20 March, after he burgled a retirement flat in Formby and detectives found his DNA on a bottle of Babycham. David Keating, 49 years, formerly of Breckfield Road North in Anfield, pleaded guilty to Burglary with Intent and was sentenced to two years and five months in prison at Liverpool Crown Court. The court heard that in the afternoon of Friday 14 June last year, a man broke into the flat of an elderly woman on Freshfield Road and stole jewellery of sentimental value, bottles of perfume, a blood pressure machine, electronic devices…
A Southport driver has been jailed for eight months after he was involved in a serious collision with a cyclist but failed to stop at the scene. Paul Horner, 50, of Hampton Road, was sentenced today, Wednesday 19 March, at Liverpool Crown Court after admitting Causing serious injury by careless/inconsiderate driving and Failing to stop. He was also disqualified from driving for two years. The collision occurred on Wednesday 27 December 2023 when Horner was driving a grey Skoda Octavia on Northway, in Maghull, near the Shell petrol station. He collided with a 55-year-old cyclist, who nearly died from his…
Policing bodies have welcomed figures that show crime across Merseyside has fallen by almost 8% in the past year (April – December 2024). The crime commissioner especially highlighted decreases in gun discharges, serious violence and burglary. Residential burglary related crime decreased by more than 20% between April – December 2024 when compared to the same period the previous year. There has also been a significant decrease in road traffic collisions – over 9% – and an increase in enforcement activity by Merseyside Police with over 4,100 drink/drug drivers arrested and more tickets given for speeding and not wearing a seatbelt…