June 28th - Courtesy of The Fenland Citizen

Graveyard: Fury over rubble

FAMILIES have been left devastated after a builder knocked down a graveyard wall leaving rubble strewn everywhere and then put up a security fence over the graves. Two graves have been split by the security fence and the relatives of those buried there are furious at the lack of respect shown to their families. Ron Thacker, whose grandparents are buried in the Baptist graveyard in Benwick could not believe his eyes when he spotted the fence crossing over their resting place.

"It is absolutely disgraceful I cannot believe what has happened. The builder has dug so close to the side of my grandparents' graves if we have a heavy rain storm and there is a mudslide he might find two coffins on his property.

"It is very upsetting for us but no-one seems to want to know. We have contacted the police, who say it is not a criminal matter and the council who say it is a boundary matter and nothing to do with them as long as the builder sticks to the building regulations.

"There doesn't seem to be any respect for the dead," said Mr Thacker, who farms with his son in Benwick.

And John Sutton, of March, whose mother, grandparents and twin siblings are all buried there is equally upset.

He explained his grandparents were strict Baptists and his grandmother had particularly asked him before she died to watch over the graves.

"She would be so very upset if she could see what has happened. It is disgusting. My mother died in childbirth in 1936, she had twins and they are buried with her, now she has a metal fence running across her grave," said Mr Sutton.

He said the builder, who had permission to demolish the boundary wall because it was unsafe, had just left the rubble from it laying over the graves.

"I can't believe he can behave in that way – I am so angry and upset by this but I don't know what to do about it."

And Mr Thacker questioned whether the builder had permission to encroach into the graveyard in the way that he has.

"I don't know whether he has permission to do that or not. He certainly does not have my permission to put his fence up over my grandparents' grave," he said.

A representative for the Trustees of the graveyard, which belongs to the Strict Baptist Church, refused to comment claiming client confidentiality.

April 5th - Courtesy of The Fenland Citizen

Court: Drink driver put shop out of business

SHOE mender Quirinus Nederpel has been forced to give up his 30-year-old business after a drink-driver ploughed into it, leaving it structurally damaged.

Marie Aldcroft (25), of 31a Doddington Road, Benwick, was banned for 12 months, and fined £200, with £300 compensation.
Prosecuting, John Goodier said Aldcroft had been driving a BMW on the day of the incident, February 11.

She had not known how the collision with the High Street shop, Shoecraft, had occurred.

"Mr Nederpel has never had a week's holiday because he loves his work," said Mr Goodier, adding he now felt "lost and in limbo".

He had decided to close the business because he felt if the shop was repaired it would be uninsurable.

"The decision has devastated him and his wife," Mr Goodier said.

Aldcroft's blood sample showed 92 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, the legal limit being 80.

She told police she had been "in the pub for two or three hours" and had drank "about three shots of spirit".

March 8th - Courtesy of The Fenland Citizen

Couple: They're driving us out

A BENWICK couple fear they may be forced out of their bus service business.

Pauline and Paul Ryan run Pauline's Bus from their Neneside home, taking children to school and offering other services when needed.

But complaints from residents and a wrangle with Fenland Council have left them concerned they may have to stop – and now they are seeking legal advice.

Pauline (54) started the business because she wanted to "make a difference".

A qualified driving instructor and ex-ambulance driver she started the business some months ago, later going into partnership with Paul (48), a Passenger Service Vehicle driver and qualified mechanic.

"Basically, we want to take children to school," said Pauline, who prides herself on her attitude to safety.

The couple have two vehicles – a 14-seater and a 26-seater – and it is the 26-seater which appears to be causing upset because of where it is parked.

Pauline says some local people are worried by the "look of it", fearing it could devalue property.

Pauline said she has already curbed some trips so as not to disturb local people at night and has spoken to locals to see if there was anything she could do to sort matters out.

Concerning Fenland Council, initially Pauline said she was led to believe she could keep the vehicles on her premises without planning permission – but has now been told this was not the case.

She wants to be allowed to keep the vehicles nearby for security and doesn't want to have to move elsewhere.

Pauline is concerned because she has received correspondence from the council and now doesn't know what the future holds.

"Some people seem to be 'all guns blazing' for us," she said, describing the developments over her business as a "terrific shock".

A Fenland Council spokeswoman explained that maybe confusion had arisen because the council did not initially understand Pauline was running a business from the site.

She confirmed that planning permission is needed and an application should be made.

February 1st - Courtesy of The Fenland Citizen

Campaign: Forty Foot drain petition

PETITIONERS are adding their weight to the campaign to improve safety along the Forty Foot road.

Donna Dwane, who runs the post office and stores in High Street, Benwick, has started the petition because she was "horrified" at the number of deaths.

The petition is in the post office and Donna plans to fill it up and pass it on to the Citizen.

Donna, husband William and their grown-up children, moved to the village five months ago.

She said the river roads look charming but this can mask the hazards.

"We moved here five months ago and heard the stories and I was horrified so many people have died. We came from Kent originally and I am sure down there something would have been done about it," said Donna.

She tries to avoid driving along the road beside the deep drain if she can and said many of the local people she has spoken to do the same.

"Everyone you speak to has some story to tell about it," she said.

Donna believes speed cameras could be introduced along the road. "I know there has been a lot of talk about barriers but speed cameras would help," said Donna.

Response to coupons in the Citizen calling for action have been positive and several readers have come forward with suggestions for the road, including Chatteris man Reg Wenn, who suggested a series of traffic lights.

Another Citizen reader has suggested Armco crash barriers – like the ones used on motorways – but this has been ruled out by Cambs County Council.

A council spokesman said the barriers need to be anchored in with concrete and the bank is not suitable.

If the barriers were just inserted into the bank they would move with the weight of a vehicle and not prevent it from going into the water.

The spokesman said barriers had been tested on a similar bank but unfortunately did not work.

The calls for action have been heightened following the death of Dean (27) and Jordan (7) Hawes.

The Chatteris father and son died when their car plunged into the icy waters of the Forty Foot at Ramsey on December 20.