Police have spoken to a man’s next-of-kin after a body was found in Preston
A police issued image of Craig Daffern
Police officers looking for a missing man from Blackpool have found a body.
Lancashire Police had previously issued an appeal to help find missing 35-year-old Craig Daffern.
He was last seen in the Paddock Close area at 2.30pm on Friday (January 14) and police said he had links to Beacon Fell in Goosnargh, Broughton, Clifton, Freckleton, Kirkham and Woodplumpton.
Officers looking for Craig have this evening found a body of a man in Catforth, Preston.
Lancashire Police believe the body belongs to Craig and have informed his family.
Lancashire Police said: “Although formal identification has not yet taken place, we believe it to be that of Mr Daffern.
“Mr Daffern’s next of kin have been informed of the latest development. Our thoughts very much remain with them at this incredibly difficult time.
“We would like to thank everybody who shared and supported our appeals.”
A new business is to open up in Fleetwood’s biggest shop building which has been empty for almost six years and became the town centre’s biggest eyesore.
A new shop is to open at the former Store Twenty One premises in Fleetwood for the first time in almost six years
The Ex-Catalogue Discount Outlet operation is to open in the former Store Twenty One premises on Lord Street.
Businessman Gareth Robb, 32, intends to officially open the new store in late February and says the enterprise will create between 15 and 20 new jobs.
He says the enterprise has benefited from a Wyre Council regeneration grant of up to £25,000 and a further £15,000 will be spent by the business, with much of the money being used on internal and external regeneration work.
Mr Robb, who lived in Fleetwood for many years, said: “We are looking to open next month, after a few hold-ups.
“We will be stocking a wide range of ex-catalogue items, clothing, bedding, homeware and furniture.
“We are a small local company taking on such a big project and we hope it shows how committed we are to bringing this store back to life and investing in the local community.”
The company already has a similar store at Blackpool’s Hounds Hill Centre and a smaller one in Cleveleys, having previously opened a much smaller shop on Lord Street before the lease ran out.
Terry Rogers, chairman of Fleetwood Festival of Transport (Tram Sunday) had recently called for something to be done about the store, given its position in the heart of Fleetwood.
He said: “This is very welcome news and I wish them the best of luck.”
The building was once the jewel in the crown on Fleetwood’s high street before its decline, with the town’s cherished Marks and Spencer store based there until 1986.
Up until 2016 it had been home to a Store Twenty One homeware and gifts branch, and before that a Hitchens discount outlet.
But after Store Twenty One closed its condition continued to deteriorate, with a metal sign and later a window falling off the building, and then a cannabis farm being discovered there.
Mr Robb is leasing the premises from the owners, a faith charity based on Salford.
He said: “They have been very helpful and have done some repair work to the roof themselves.
“I hope customers will make good use of our shop when it opens, I think it’s good for Fleetwood town centre.”
Scores of volunteers made it a double record weekend for Trinity Hospice as they collected the highest number yet of Christmas trees for recycling to raise the highest-ever total from donations to the seasonal fund-raiser.
The 60 volunteers collected nearly 2,000 trees from homes across the Fylde coast, raising more than £24,300 for the hospice.
The trees were taken for recycling either at the tip in Bispham or to St Annes where they will form part of the sand dunes restoration project.
Volunteer collector Clare Blyth
The hospice’s Corporate Partnerships Manager, Janet Atkins, said: “Once again, we are blown away by the generosity of our community.
“Our Christmas Tree collection continues to grow, with more trees collected and more money raised than ever before.
“We really wouldn’t be able to put this event on without our incredible volunteers, who spend their weekend in all weathers driving across the Fylde coast to collect and cut up trees and take them to our local recycling centres.
“The weather this weekend was particularly tough, but our volunteers kept on smiling and truly made this year’s collection the best ever.
Ian Holland, David Cummins, Elaine Midgley and Howard Midgley were among the volunteers
“A huge thank to you everyone who gave up their time to help, to all those who booked their collection with us, to Blackpool and Fylde councils and to our event sponsors, Ameon and Easthams Solicitors. You are all absolutely amazing.
“It is only thanks to our supporters and the incredible people who help us to hold our events, like the Christmas Tree Collection, that we are able to reach everyone who needs specialist hospice care on the Fylde coast.”
The collected trees are set to be planted into the dunes at St Annes over several days early next month.
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The force first announced their urgent search appeal yesterday.
Officers searching for a missing man from Blackpool have released details of a vehicle he is likely to be driving and are asking for the public to be on the lookout for it.
Craig Daffern, 35, was last seen in the Paddock Close, near Whitehills Business Park, at 2.30pm on Friday (January 14) and police say they are becoming increasingly concerned for his welfare.
Officers believe Craig, who has has links to Beacon Fell in Goosnargh, Broughton, Clifton, Freckleton, Kirkham and Woodplumpton, may be in a red Mazda 6 estate (similar to the one pictured), with the registration plate FJ63 HVN.
Blackpool police announced a search appeal for Craig yesterday.
Craig is described as being white, of a stocky build with dark hair, and he has a tattoo of a rose on his hand and an owl on his arm.
Inspector Helen Bevan, of West Division, said: “We remain extremely concerned for the welfare of Craig and are continuing to ask for the public’s help in finding him.
“Our enquiries are very much ongoing to find him and as part of our investigation we are asking the public to be on the lookout for Craig’s Mazda 6 estate, which maybe parked up in a rural location.
“I would also ask anybody with information on Craig’s whereabouts – or Craig himself if he sees this appeal – to contact the police as soon as possible.”
Missing Blackpool man, Criag Daffern, is likely to be in a red Mazda 6 estate.
Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting log 0758 of January 14, 2022. For immediate sightings call 999.
A swimming school in Blackpool will be raising money for an operation for six-year-old Isabelle Grundy.
The Charlotte-May School of Swimming
The Charlotte-May’s School of Swimming, near Bispham Road, will be holding a sponsored swim on February 19th from 12PM to 4PM. Each of the staff and students will be performing 1600 lengths of the pool, to reach the goal of 10 miles. Participants are welcome to come along and take part, with food and drinks also available for purchase on the day, as well as a raffle.
Isebelle Grundy, a student from Anchorsholme Academy in Thornton-Cleveleys, was diagnosed in July with a rare and aggressive form of Childhood Cancer, High Risk, Stage 4 Neuroblastoma. As of writing, the Isebelle Grundy fundraiser has raised over £70,000 of the £200,000 set target.
Charlotte May Crabtree, owner of the school, found out about Isebelle’s condition via social media and was compelled to do her bit and help raise funds for a good cause.
Charlotte May Crabtree, owner of the school
“It means a lot to both myself and my swimmers to be able to help out for such a good cause. I think it makes it even more special considering she’s a local little girl, and brings it home that bit more. We hope that once all sponsorship is raised we will be able to donate a good amount of funds towards a great cause in helping Isabelle out.
“Dawn, the pool owner, has kindly given us the pool time rent free so the money I would normally pay for pool rent is going to be donated. My swimmers have got from now until 19th February to raise sponsorship. It will then all be collected on the day added to and donated to Isabelle treatment fund.”
If you wish to sponsor the Charlotte-May School of Swimming, please click here. Anyone who wishes to come along and take part will be welcome to do so, all you have to do is contact the school’s Facebook page. And if you wish to donate to Isebelle’s fundraiser, click here.
Grace Jagger struggled to get up and down the stairs after having baby Heidi in May 2021. She wants to motivate other Blackpool women after her lifestyle overhaul
A Fylde mum is hoping to inspire others to embark on a healthy lifestyle this new year after transforming her own life.
When Grace Jagger had a baby in May 2021, she decided to change her eating habits after realising her old size 12/14 dresses didn’t fit.
Now baby Heidi helps motivate others to reach their slimming goals.
Grace and Heidi motivate people to reach their health goals in a new Slimming World group at Freckleton
Grace, 34, has started her own Slimming World group in Freckleton after losing two stone in five months through the plan.
And eight-month-old Heidi joins her at the class.
“They love to hold her and pass her around. One slimmer asked the baby’s weight, to see if it was more than what they had lost,” said Grace.
The turning point for Grace came when she realised she was struggling to get up and down the stairs.
She’d also gone shopping for new clothes, and had to alter some items so they didn’t rub.
“I just assumed after giving birth I’d go back to my old size. It’s the first time I’d ever had to get anything bigger than a 14 and I was just so upset with myself.”
“I had to hold on to the banister. I kept having to stop as I was getting out of breath.”
She joined Slimming World in July 2021 and lost five and a half pounds in her first week. That success motivated her to continue with the sessions at South Shore Tennis Club, Midgeland Road, before launching her own group in Freckleton for the new year.
Grace, who still has half a stone left until she has reached her personal target weight, says her secret is to think about making little changes that become a regular habit.
She added: “I’m not a gym person. My only exercise is walking with Heidi in the pram.
“Instead of gliding the Hoover, I’ve started pushing it a bit faster. When I go out shopping in Blackpool, I take the stairs rather than the escalator.”
She’s now thrilled to be able to run up and down the stairs with ease.
Grace puts her dieting success down to swapping processed foods for more nutritious options that keep her fuller for longer.
Eating more fruit and vegetables, swapping high fat meats for leaner cuts, and being more mindful of portion sizes.
But the self-confessed chocoholic hasn’t cut out the treats she loves.
She added: “25 grams of milk chocolate is 7/12 sins so I try to stick to that.”
And she suggests not being hard on yourself if you have a slip-up. Research shows that negative self-talk is more likely to lead to comfort eating and giving up completely. A kinder approach is more helpful in the long run.
Grace is now a full time Slimming World Consultant, and her new group runs every Thursday at 5.30pm and 7pm at Holy Family RC Church Lytham Rd, Freckleton. For more details, call Grace on 07599405716.
Sergei Bobrov’s world-class dance company dazzled a full house with an otherworldly performance of this iconic ballet
Drama, romance and plenty of wow factor moments dazzled a full-house at the Russian State Ballet of Siberia’s latest tour performance.
With the pandemic forcing the annual tour to miss out on performing in 2021, this year’s iconic show was even more special as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.
From the haunting violin intro to the closing bars, the orchestra sets the tone for an enrapturing performance. The unmistakable Tchaikovsky score is brought to life by chief conductor Anatoly Tchepurnoi, who jovially fist-bumps the audience to lift spirits in the front rows; a gesture that gets rapturous laughter in return.
Russian state ballet of Siberia
As Prince Siegfried, Yury Kudryavtsev is an absolute joy to watch as he leaps with power and passion. Elena Svinko dances the role of Odette/Odile with panache and enviable technical skills as she breezes through 32 fouettes.
The lighting, dry ice, and the screen projection all create a twilight atmosphere for the final scene that simply leaves an eager crowd wanting more. The linked-up dancers glide like ripples in the water, building to a thunderous crescendo.
Scenes at the palace showcase the fabulous costumes designed by Maria Smirnova-Nesvitskaya. The jewel-encrusted gown worn by Vera Surovtseva, the queen, and the fiery flamenco dress worn by Anastasia Osokina, the Spanish bride, are exquisite.
Live performance has felt undervalued during the pandemic but Sergei Bobrov’s show reminds us of the transcendental power of dance. Everything came together to create a magical, otherworldly night.
Some premises in Blackpool ended 2021 by being inspected and receiving a star rating for their food hygiene.
Businesses that serve food are rated on how hygienically it is handled; how it is prepared, cooked, reheated, cooled and stored; the condition of the structure of the buildings; the cleanliness, lay-out, lighting, ventilation and other facilities, as well as how the business manages and records what it does to make sure food is safe.
A one star rating means “major improvement is necessary”, a two star means “some improvement is necessary”, three star means “hygiene standards are generally satisfactory”, while four star means “hygiene standards are good” and five stars means “hygiene standards are very good”.
Two Blackpool eateries were however rated zero stars meaning “urgent improvement is required”.
The below inspections took place in November, with the ratings then published on the Food Standards Agency’s website last month.
1. Tea Amantes
53a Albert Road – Five stars
2. Gurkha Restaurant & Bar
148-154 Waterloo Road – Five stars
3. Paramount Chinese
77 Highfield Road – One star
4. The Velvet Coaster
501-507 Promenade – Five stars
5. Taylors Fish & Chips
461 St Annes Road – Five stars
6. Dino’s
Ansdell Road – Four stars
7. Flamed Wok
144 Waterloo Road – Two stars
8. No 4
Number Four And Freemasons Hotel Layton Road – Four stars
9. The Monkey’s Grill
55 Whitegate Drive – Zero stars
10. Fino Tapas
23-25 Church Street – Four stars (Preston restaurant pictured)
Blackpool Grand Theatre has announced that the producers of Bring It On The Musical are cancelling the tour.
The show producers say the impact of rising Covid-19 cases and self-isolation requirements have resulted in 13 cancelled performances and the show will no longer be able to continue.
Selladoor Worldwide said: “Cancelling 13 performances has resulted in an overwhelming loss of income for the production during a peak period that would otherwise have provided a vital financial backbone of the tour.
“This lost income, amounting to hundreds of thousands of pounds, has sadly rendered the remainder of the tour financially unsustainable. It would be irresponsible for us to continue, and we therefore have no option but to cancel the remainder of the tour.”
In addition there will be bus replacement services today between Blackpool North and Preston.
This morning, Blackpool Transport confirmed that there is disruption to the service 14 bus today, one of the main bus services across the Fylde coast.
In a tweet at 8:04 am, Blackpool Transport said: “Due to works on the level crossing at Carleton, service 14 is having to divert through Poulton until further notice, we cannot serve any stops along Blackpool Road up to the Castle Gardens. Apologies for any inconvenience and we will update once clear.”
Also adding to the public tdisruption in the area, bus replacements are in operation today between Blackpool North and Preston, as the Blackpool North and Kirkham & Wesham lines are closed for engineering works until 2pm.
The funeral of Charlene Downes’ brother Robert took place at Carleton Crematorium today, one month after the dad-of-four was tragically found dead in his bedroom.
Robert Downes was found ‘in a pool of blood’ by his father, Robert Sr, at around 11.30pm on December 4, just a few hours after complaining of feeling unwell.
The 30-year-old, who lived on George Street, was a father of four, a steward at Blackpool FC’s Bloomfield Road stadium, and was looking forward to qualifying as a security guard for the club in the new year.
But his dreams were tragically cut short when he suddenly collapsed.
The funeral of Robert Downes at Carleton Crematorium
Dozens of people, some of them dressed in Blackpool FC shirts, gathered at a heartfelt ceremony at Carleton Crematorium today to pay their respects to him.
His heartbroken mum Karen Downes said: “Robert was gorgeous, he was outrageous, he was funny and he was loud…He wasn’t an angel, he had his flaws, I’m not going to give him a shining halo. But he was my boy and we loved him.
“Robert was the baby of the family, and my only boy. I already know what it’s like to lose a child and it’s not something you can ever get over.”
The day before he died, Robert spent the night with the mum of his children, Enya Cardwell. He left her house the following morning, and went with his dad to his job at Blackpool FC.
The funeral of Robert Downes at Carleton Crematorium
However, shortly after he arrived there at 12.30pm he complained of feeling ill and left, returning to George Street at 6.30pm.
At around 11.30pm, Robert Sr returned home and went upstairs to check on his son, and found him unresponsive.
Paramedics were called, and Robert was pronounced dead at the scene.
A post-mortem was carried out following the young dad’s sudden death but the results came back inconclusive, meaning his family must now wait for his inquest, which is scheduled to take place on July 5.
Robert Downes with Enya Cardwell, the mum of his children
Enya said: “Robert was doing brilliantly, and it was a Robert I had never seen before. He was very focused. I’d never seen him so full of life. He was doing so well. He even talked about getting married.
“He was the loveliest lad you could ever meet. People misjudged him; they read things about him and made assumptions about him, but he had the biggest heart. He always wanted to make someone smile.”
Investigation into Charlene’s murder remains open 18 years on
Charlene Downes was 14-years-old when she disappeared from Blackpool town centre on November 1 2003.
The funeral of Robert Downes at Carleton Crematorium
She had spent the day with her friends on Blackpool Promenade, playing on fruit machines before heading to McDonald’s. Her last known actions are as follows:
3.45pm: Charlene and her sister Rebecca were caught on CCTV walking along Bank Hey Street towards Coral Island amusement arcade
6.45pm: Charlene and Rebecca walked up Church Street to meet their mum Karen, who was handing out leaflets in the area. Rebecca decided to go home, while Charlene called some friends in the phone box on Leopold Grove and arranged to meet up with them.
7.15pm: Charlene kissed her mum goodbye at a bus stop on Church Street before heading into Blackpool town centre.
9.30pm: Charlene and her friend went to the Carousel bar on North Pier
11pm: Charlene and her friend go back into town and part ways in the area of Talbot Road and Abingdon Road.
The investigation into Charlene’s disappearance remains open
Police believe Charlene was murdered within hours of her last sighting, with suspicions arising that she had been a victim of child sex abuse at the hands of one or more men.
Two men faced trial for her murder in May 2007, but the jury failed to reach a verdict. A retrial was ordered, but prior to the start of this trial in April 2008, the prosecution identified a number of issues with the evidence, and no hearing took place.
Detective chief superintendent Andy Webster, leading the investigation into the teenager’s disappearance, said: “We remain committed to finding Charlene’s killer and her body despite it being more than 15 years since she went missing. A £100,000 reward remains on offer for information leading to the conviction of her killer or recovery of her body.
“We will continue to not only focus on her disappearance and murder but also on the wider issue of child sexual exploitation in Blackpool, for which we have now secured a number of successful convictions.
“I would encourage anyone who knows anything about Charlene’s disappearance and death to come forward and speak to us. Similarly if you have been a victim of abuse, please speak to the police. We will listen to you, support you and bring offenders to justice.”
There is still a £100,000 reward on offer for information leading to the conviction of Charlene Downes’ murderer or the discovery of her body.
Anyone with information should call the incident room on 01253 607370, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or email charlenedownesinvestigation@lancashire.pnn.police.uk.
Here is the latest update of Covid-19 case rates in Preston, Blackpool, Burnley, Lancaster and every local authority in the rest of Lancashire and across the UK.
The figures, for the seven days to January 10, are based on the number of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 in a lab-reported test, plus:
– in England, positive rapid lateral flow tests that do not have a negative confirmatory lab-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within 72 hours.
How Covid rates in each area of Lancashire compare to the rest of the UK
Data for the most recent four days (January 11-14) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.
Of the 377 local areas in the UK, 11 (3%) have seen a week-on-week rise in rates and 366 (97%) have seen a fall.
Burnley has the highest rate in Lancashire, with 2019 new cases in the seven days to January 10, the equivalent of 2259.8 per 100,000 people.
This is up from a rate of 2529.5 for the seven days to January 3.
Blackpool has the second highest rate in the county, at 2209.1, with 3057 new cases.
Here is the list in full:
It reads, from left to right: name of local authority; nation or region of local authority; rate of new cases in the seven days to January 10; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to January 10; rate of new cases in the seven days to January 3; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to January 3.
A comprehensive headquarters for sand, wind, and water sports is planned for St Annes.
Fylde Council has announced a two-phase plan which will see the development of a beach sports centre at the resort’s North Beach as a venue for local clubs to host events and tuition, a café for the provision of refreshments to beachgoers, and a base of operations for the Council’s coastal and countryside ranger service.
Using the former Trax property in the St Annes North Beach car park as a basis, the proposal is to renovate the building to offer visitors and residents a place to enjoy the thrills of beach sports in a safe and managed environment.
The first phase will focus upon the refurbishment of the structure, bringing the existing facilities up to the highest standard of functionality and accessibility, designating a space for a commercially operated café, and establishing a multi-purpose room for events and initiatives hosted by clubs or the ranger service.
Sand yachts on the beach when the sport was previously held regularly at St Annes
Coun Michael Sayward, chairman of Fylde Council’s tourism and leisure committee, said: “We’re delighted to be able to announce this fantastic new facility to help people enjoy all the exciting activities our beachfront has to offer.
“St Annes can proudly claim to have some of the best beachfront in the United Kingdom for kitesurfing, and we aim to make full use of this potential to the benefit of the community while providing a welcoming place for visitors.”
The plan has been approved by the council’s tourism and leisure Committee and will now go before the finance and democracy committee for budgetary approval, with a goal to be ready for the summer.
The plan for the wind sports centre
St Annes has a long history of being renowned in particular as a sand yachting centre, having hosted national and international event, but the sport was banned for 10 years following the death of a beach goer following a collision with a craft in 2002 and the sport has only been held intermittently since.
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People with some health conditions are exempt from wearing face coverings, and language around mask-wearing is fuelling hostility to vulnerable groups
“Don’t be a Dick. Mask up. For goodness sake…it’s cheaper,” read the social media post, as part of the Lancashire County Council’s ‘Mask Up’ campaign.
It has sparked backlash online from people calling the poster ‘offensive’, and accusing the Council of being ‘divisive’, and likely to inflame those who are reluctant to wear face coverings.
As a person with a hidden illness, I can’t wear a mask. Early on in the pandemic, a kind lady in M&S spotted me struggling – she gave me a free sunflower lanyard and explained that their staff are trained to recognise the scheme and that anyone wearing them has a hidden disability and may need extra support.
A new poster campaign launched by Lancashire County Council has caused a stir after it told those refusing to mask up in shops, “Don’t be a Dick”.
The scheme is now widely recognised, and I’ve found that most shops are far more understanding of hidden disabilities and haven’t challenged me over my unmasked face.
Until last week.
I was asked to leave a shop for not wearing a mask. When I pointed out my sunflower lanyard, the owner kicked off.
“I don’t care. I care about my customers and you are putting them at risk.”
My partner challenged him, and pointed out that he was in breach of the Equality Act 2010 by discriminating against a person with a hidden disability. He explained the rules about face coverings allow for exemptions.
Face coverings can aggravate some health conditions, such as asthma (and in my case vocal cord dysfunction).
They are also unsuitable for people who rely on lip-reading, and young children.
But the owner was unsympathetic. “Anyone can buy a lanyard over the internet, I don’t care about your rights I care about my customers.”
I’m no Covid denier. I’m double jabbed, and never stopped with the 2m distance rule. I avoid crowded spaces, I use hand sanitizer. But I was treated like a criminal.
So I tire of the inflammatory posters and language directed at anyone without a face covering that implies we are all just irresponsible. The language is divisive and fuels hostility towards vulnerable people – one person wearing a sunflower lanyard reported being called a ‘murderer’ in Tesco Express in Lytham for not wearing a mask.
It’s unfortunate that some anti-mask groups have boasted at being able to get them online and pretend they are ‘exempt’. It does cause some shop owners to question whether a person is genuinely exempt.
White explained that he had received messages that people were being abused, verbally and physically because they weren’t wearing a face-covering, which is why we produced a face covering exemption card. He said that the card does rely on goodwill and understanding from the public.
“We do not ask for proof of a person’s disability because there are a number of people whose condition is yet to be diagnosed, or for whom a diagnosis isn’t available, such as with anxiety. Of course, that opens the scheme up for abuse. But the sunflower doesn’t offer anything apart from the ability to demonstrate that you have an invisible condition.”
A closed-down go-karting attraction on Blackpool Promenade will not be allowed to reopen after an application was refused by the town council.
The Karting 2000 Raceway will not be allowed to remain permanently on South Promenade, the Council has ruled
The Karting 2000 Raceway, located near South Pier and the Sandcastle Waterpark, was previously given permission to operate for five years in 2015, but closed down in 2020 once the agreement ran its course.
A new application submitted to make the track a permanent attraction has now been thrown out, as changes to local flood maps mean the land now lies within a flood-risk zone.
Blackpool Civic Trust also objected to the proposal, which they argued was contrary to planning guidelines, as there is supposed to be no development west of the tram tracks.
The council’s heritage committee also objected. They said: “The site is next to the locally listed South Pier… The track and buildings affect the setting of the pier. There are also a number of other small structures to the north and south of the pier, such as ice cream kiosks and the larger Theatre D’Amour. Together they have a detrimental impact on its setting by blocking views of the sea and seashore to the north and south of the pier, to the extent that it can only be appreciated in glimpses between the various structures.
“If the original use was temporary this would be an ideal opportunity to reverse some of the harm to the setting by opening up views to the sea in this location.”
A statement submitted on behalf of the Pleasure Beach, meanwhile, said approval of the application would set an ‘unacceptable precedent for development on the Prom which should remain free from development beyond that which already lawfully exists’.
Coleen took to Twitter to shut down the speculation and will address the reports on Monday’s Loose Women show
Coleen Nolan
Coleen Nolan has strongly denied allegations of a feud between her and several of her Loose Women co-stars as they rush to support her.
The 56-year-old singer, who was born and raised in Blackpool, took to social media on Sunday night to issue a strong rebuttal to the rumours and said they will address the story in Monday’s show.
It comes after reports emerged on Sunday morning that the 56-year-old’s fellow panellists Nadia Sawalha, Carol McGiffin and Stacey Solomon all refused to appear on Loose Women at the same time as her.
Nadia was reported in the Daily Mail to be upset be due to past comments made by Coleen’s agent Melanie Blake, with claims that she branded Nadia a “nasty witch” in a Twitter post.
It also claimed Carol had had a fallout with Coleen and Stacey didn’t want to work with her once her maternity leave is over.
A source told the paper: “‘It’s a show that is supposed to promote strong women working together, respecting one another’s views, but it’s currently the case that what is going on behind the scenes is quite the opposite of that and much more dramatic.”
Coleen immediately hit back with a statement on social media saying “Nothing printed… today is true” and that she was seeking legal advice.
An ITV spokesperson also denied that a string of the popular ITV lunchtime show stars were ‘refusing’ to appear on the same panel as Coleen.
Coleen’s statement said: “Nothing printed in The Mail article today is true and I am taking legal advice about the slurs on me personally. We’ll also be addressing it on @loosewomen.
“Thanks for your support. Love Coleen xx”
Speaking to The Mirror, they said: “This story is untrue. Panellists are chosen for each show by the Loose Women Editor and senior production team, not the panellists themselves.”
Melanie also shut down talk of an ongoing feud as well, also taking to Twitter to write: “I personally have no bad relationships with any Loose Women past or present.
“I moved on & resolved this issue with Nadia a long time ago so that’s no longer relevant.
“Looking forward to seeing Coleen on Loose Woman later and putting all yesterdays ‘fake news’ to bed.”
Fellow Loose Women co-star Janet Street-Porter tweeted: ” I love working with Coleen Nolan and we’ve never had a single disagreement- sorry if that’s not ‘news’ xx.”
Brenda Edwards also tweeted “@NolanColeen it’s always a pleasure to hang with you at work @loosewomen and also out of work, you have always made me feel so welcome, and I appreciate the straight talking, fun friendship we have!! Keep smiling in the face of adversity my lovely.”
Coleen tweeted on Monday: “It will be discussed today on @loosewomen, 12:30pm on @ITV.”
Along with a laundry facility, the building will house storage, office space and staff areas
Designs drawn up by Gilling Dod architects for Blackpool Victoria Hospital
Blackpool Victoria Hospital bosses have unveiled plans to build a new laundry facility on the site off East Park Drive.
The new three-storey building is earmarked for a currently unused area close to the mortuary, currently occupied by a service road and a fenced off compound.
It is proposed to demolish the existing outdated laundry building, close to the Whinney Heys Road entrance to the hospital site, and replace it with a 76-space staff car park.
Designs drawn up by Gilling Dod architects have now been submitted to Blackpool Council for consideration.
The building will also provide storage and office space, a meeting room and staff refreshment and relaxation areas. It is also proposed to provide a new medical records scanning and storage facility.
A design brief accompanying the application says: “The ground floor level of the new laundry building will provide means for the hospital to receive and store new clean hospital linen prior to onward distribution throughout the hospital, as well the storage and despatch of dirty hospital linen.”
It adds: “Once the new laundry building has been completed and occupied, the existing laundry will be no longer of use and due to its current poor material state it is proposed that it will be demolished.
“Once demolished, the opportunity will be taken due to its prominent location next to the hospital main entrance and multi-storey car park, to provide a new surface level car park for the use of hospital staff.”
The application will now go to town hall planners for a decision to be made.
‘How’s 2022 treating you so far?” asked a friend, messaging my mobile phone.
Whitegate Health Centre
Well, I told him, first off we enjoyed Christmas – even got to a couple of ‘do’s (after finally sorting out Covid passes).
One evening, with Fairhaven Tennis Club at the lovely Bedford Hotel in St. Annes, brought lots of fun and great food. We even won a good bottle of French champagne! The other was an enjoyable dance at the wonderful Tower, the ‘Twixt Ball’ between Christmas and New Year – and another success.
Then 2022 came, bringing a telephone fault silencing our landline for days, plus a flooding drain in our garden. I also discovered the car wasn’t serviced or properly taxed through last year’s Covid-lockdown chaos. Then I cut my hand badly, on the gate’s hanging-basket hook and, lastly, got a troubling gum infection.
2022 looked like another challenging year then! But engineers clearing our drain were great, with miniature cameras, blockage locators and root-cutting devices; helpful Sky technicians – and Brian from Openreach – sorted our phone line; Ivory dentist’s soothed my mouth, while supreme mechanic Mark, of Howarth’s Motors, Marton, rescued us with the car.
As for NHS staff at Whitegate Drive’s busy walk-in, or ‘urgent-treatment’ centre (pictured), they were terrific and the experience humbling. I made three visits in all, every one shorter and more pleasant. They were understaffed but had relief medics travelling from Liverpool and Cheshire.
Each treatment experience I was touched and impressed by their exhaustingly long, dedicated work but cheerful spirit; while the endurance of many patients, suffering but coping with fortitude and selfless patience, was truly inspiring.
It made me proud to live among such diverse but pleasant, decent people. What’s more, coping with those day-to-day challenges restored my confidence – in us all.
Let’s make it a great New Year, together!
* Read Roy’s books in paperback from FeedARead.com, also on Amazon Kindle or through Waterstones.
