LymeOnline Digital Edition - January 8 2021

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FOR LYME REGIS, UPLYME, CHARMOUTH & AXMINSTER ● FORTNIGHTLY ● JANUARY 8 2021

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Latest figures show no COVID deaths in Lyme

THERE were no coronavirus-related deaths in the Lyme Regis area between March and November 2020, according to new figures released by the Office of National Statistics.

Zero COVID-19 deaths were recorded during this nine-month period in Lyme Regis, Charmouth and the Marshwood Vale.

In the seven days up until January 1 2021, there were 10 confirmed cases in the Lyme Regis, Charmouth and Marshwood Vale area, an increase of six on the previous week. This is still well below the national average.

REPORT, PAGE 3

Plans submitted to protect Guildhall LYME Regis welcomed the new year with a stunning sunrise, captured over the Cobb by award-winning local photographer Richard Austin. The town was placed under Tier 3 restrictions on December 30, putting an end to any planned New Year’s Eve celebrations with pubs and restaurants closing. Restrictions tightened further this week as the country entered its third national lockdown. But with the vaccine programme now being rolled out (see page 8), there is still hope that 2021 will bring the end of the pandemic.

Bringing Mary to life

PLANS have been submitted to reduce the bay window of the historic Guildhall in Lyme Regis, to protect it from damage caused by passing vehicles.

The over-hanging window has been regularly struck in recent years by heavy goods vehicles attempting to navigate the narrow bend of Church Street/Bridge Street.

A planning application has now been submitted to reduce the projection of the window by 200mm.

REPORT, PAGE 9

MARY ANNING STATUE DESIGN UNVEILED AS APPEAL REACHES £50K THE Mary Anning Rocks campaign, which is currently running a £100,000 appeal to see a statue of the famous palaeontologist erected in her hometown of Lyme Regis, has unveiled an initial sketch of how the tribute will look.

With discussion having first been held in 2018 on the possibility of erecting a statue of the 19th century fossil hunter, the Mary An-

FRANCESCA EVANS

francesca@lyme-online.co.uk

ning Rocks campaign finally launched its online appeal in November 2020, having already enlisted the likes of Sir David Attenborough and author Tracey Chevalier among its supporters.

The campaign aims to raise £100,000 to complete the project and more than £52,000 CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

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How will local services be affected by lockdown?

Hyper-local website and fortnightly newspaper serving the communities of Lyme Regis, Uplyme & Charmouth.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has instructed people to stay at home and only to leave their house for essential reasons, such as shopping, working (if not possible to work from home), exercise, medical assistance, and to escape domestic abuse at home.

Non-essential shops have now closed, as well as gyms and personal care businesses such as hairdressers, which had previously remained open under Tier 3 restrictions in Dorset.

Mr Johnson advised that people identified as being clinically extremely vulnerable must begin shielding, and like last time, they will receive a letter from the government or their GP in coming days with further guidance.

Primary and secondary schools and colleges closed and moved to remote learning on Tuesday, with some having only just returned after the Christmas holidays. Extra resources to help families with remote learning are available at https://mailchi.mp/dorsetcouncil/online-resources Children who are vulnerable or whose parents are key workers will still be able to attend school.

Early years settings, special schools, alternative provision and learning centres in Dorset

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ENGLAND has entered its third national lockdown in the fight against coronavirus.

can remain open to all children.

Children eligible for free school meals will continue to receive assistance, and the government will provide devices to aid pupils’ remote learning. For more details on this, visit the Dorset Council website at www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/education-and-training/schoolsand-learning/at-school/free-sch ool-meals.aspx All school transport in Dorset, including SEND transport, will continue to run. This may be reviewed in future if routes aren’t used.

In Lyme Regis parks, public toilets and play parks are among the council services which will remain open during lockdown.

Lyme Regis Town Council has further reviewed its position following the Prime Minister’s announcement on Monday, as more services will now be affected by the national restrictions.

With immediate effect, the skatepark and mini golf and table tennis in Lister Gardens will be closed, and bookings for the Cart Road beach huts and market stalls in the Marine Parade shelters will be cancelled.

Public toilets, car parks, beaches and the seafront gardens will be open as normal, but in line with the government guidance to ‘stay local’, it is expected these facilities will only be used

by people living in the immediate area.

As exercise is permitted in an outdoor public place, which includes playgrounds, the Anning Road and Henry’s Way play parks will remain open.

There will be an enhanced cleaning regime in the parks and improved signage to remind people of the guidance on meeting others outdoors and social distancing.

While the rules on funerals remain unchanged, with the numbers allowed to attend limited to 30, the cemetery chapel cannot be used for a ceremony as the building is too small to allow for social distancing.

Weddings will not be taking place at the Guildhall, unless in exceptional circumstances and would then be limited to six people.

The town bus service, number 71, will operate to its normal timetable and the allotments at Charmouth Road remain open.

As office staff can work at home, the council office will remain closed but staff can be contacted by email or via the normal office telephone number.

The external works’ team will continue to work in their ‘zones’ and every member of staff now has their own rest area so they will not need to come into contact with each other.

The council is in discussions with First Bus regarding the Charmouth Road park and ride to determine if it will operate this year.

See page 3 for latest COVID-19 figures for the local area

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New figures show no COVID-related deaths in Lyme up until November

Mary’s statue design unveiled

CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE already been pledged. To get work underway, only a further £20,000 is needed to commission chosen artist Denise Dutton.

Denise’s sketch of the proposed statue shows Mary at the height of her fame, as a young woman walking out to the beaches to fossil hunt.

Mary is in her full working clothes carrying the accoutrements of her trade, basket, bonnet, hammer and is accompanied by her dog Tray. The platform she is walking on will also show some of her most famous finds craved

into the base.

The site of the proposed statue has not yet been agreed, but suggestions have included near Cobb Gate or on the new Church Cliff Walk.

Mary was born in Lyme Regis in 1799 to a poor working class family and lived on the site where Lyme Regis Museum now stands.

She collected and sold fossils from the Lyme Regis and Charmouth area from a young age, and her discoveries included the first correctly identified ichthyosaur skeleton; the first two nearly complete plesiosaur skeletons; the

THERE were no coronavirus-related deaths in the Lyme Regis area between March and November 2020, according to new figures released by the Office of National Statistics.

Zero COVID-19 deaths were recorded during this nine-month period in Lyme Regis, Charmouth and the Marshwood Vale.

A total of three deaths were recorded in Bridport and West Bay, one in the Burton Bradstock and Chideock area, and two in the Beaminster, Maiden Newton and Halstock area.

Across the East Devon border, Kilmington, Colyton and Uplyme also recorded zero coronavirus-related deaths between March and November.

However, there were 10 in Axminster, 12 in Seaton and four in Honiton. Most of these were in the earlier half of the year.

In the seven days up until January 1 2021, there were 10 confirmed cases in the Lyme Regis, Charmouth and Marshwood Vale area, an increase of six on the previous week. This is still well below the national average.

first pterosaur skeleton located outside of Germany; and fish fossils.

During her lifetime she was not fully accepted in the scientific community because of her gender and class, but Mary is now known as one of the most influential women in the history of science, and her life will be the subject of the much-anticipated film ‘Ammonite’, starring Kate Winslet, due to be released this year.

To find out more about Mary Anning or to donate to the statue fund visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk/maryanningrocks

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Finding new ways to fundraise during pandemic

WITH events cancelled throughout 2020, the Lyme Regis branch of Cancer Research UK has been coming up with alternative ways to continue its fundraising efforts.

Branch treasurer and keen walker Anita Routley challenged residents to ‘Walk the Wall’ last year - asking supporters to walk 20 lengths of Lyme Regis seafront, the equivalent of 15 miles.

As well as Anita completing the walk herself, young fundraisers Joshua and Jacob Denning and their mum Annette also took on challenge, as well as LymeOnline editor and fellow Cancer Research UK branch member Francesca Evans, and several other residents.

A total of £1,070 was raised for Cancer Research UK. Anita said: “I would like to thank everyone

LYME Regis Butchers also supported the Lyme Regis branch of Cancer Research UK during 2020. As well as donating a percentage of online sales to the charity during October and November, they ran a raffle for a £200 Christmas hamper during December, raising a total of more than £500. Branch chairman Philip Evans MBE is pictured (left) drawing the winning ticket at the butchers just before Christmas.

who donated money or took part in my Walk the Wall Challenge in Lyme Regis. I am pleased to announce that we have raised the sum of £1,070 for Cancer Research which has exceeded the target I had set for this fundraiser.

“A massive thank you to Joshua and Jacob Denning and Francesca Evans who through their sponsorship efforts raised just over half of the money. I have had several comments from people when they handed their money in about how much they enjoyed the challenge.

“If there is anyone else who wants to take on the challenge we are very happy to extend this into 2021 as our normal fundraising efforts are unlikely to restart anytime soon.

“Thank you all, your generosity is always appreciated by our small committee.

■ LYME Regis Butchers’ hamper raffle for Cancer Research UK was not its only giveaway of the Christmas season. Customers Howard and Heather Larcombe were the lucky winners of a golden ticket found with their Christmas order, winning more products from the award-winning butchers.

The

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Challenging but successful year for Lyme’s volunteer lifeboat crew

EMERGENCY services gather at Charmouth beach for the major rescue operation (photo by Richard Austin)

Twenty six coastguards rescue three from cliffs over Christmas period TWENTY-six coastguards were called to help a woman stuck in mud halfway up a cliff and a dog walker cut off by the tide at Charmouth over the Christmas period.

West Bay, Lyme Regis and Beer coastguards were called to Black Ven, between Lyme and Charmouth just before 3.30pm on Sunday, December 27, along with the fire and ambulance services, and a search and rescue helicopter from St Athan in Wales.

A spokesman for Beer Coastguard Rescue Team said: “The lady was up to her thighs in mud, her partner was a short distance away on firmer ground.

“The first choice rescue method was for the helo [helicopter] to land at Charmouth, pick up two mud technicians and mud gear and try to transfer them to the casualty’s location.

“Our second method of extraction would be to set up a rope rescue, just in case the helo could not complete our first choice option.

“Before the helo arrived, Lyme lifeboat spotted

a dog walker cut off by the tide. A fire service team reached the dog owner and made them safe, but due to the state of the tide and recent cliff falls, they could not recover them back to the car park.

“On the helo’s arrival, it flew over the scene and dropped off his winchman at the scene and flew back to a landing site by the heritage centre to pick up two mud technicians and the mud kit.

“Once they were transferred to the casualty’s location, the casualty was freed from the mud and loaded onto the helo with the mud team and equipment and flown back to the landing site.

“Once they were safely into the hands of the ambulance, the helo went back and recovered the dog walker, their dog and two firemen, landing them back at the heritage centre.

“Thankfully, our first plan worked, had it not worked, it would have taken most of the night to get her out using room access techniques due to her location.

“Twenty-six coastguard rescue officers took part in the rescue.”

newsfromwestminster

A monthly column by West Dorset MP Chris Loder

I RETURNED to the House of Commons last week where we ended the year with a momentous day, as the EU (Future Relationship) Act 2020 became enshrined in law.

I voted to deliver the democratic will, and the very good trade agreement that the Prime Minister and the government’s negotiating team have achieved. It was my honour to be in the chamber, representing West Dorset, as Royal Assent was received and the bill became law in the early hours of December 31; and I hope now that we really can move on from Brexit.

I was also present earlier that day as the Health Secretary shared the latest coronavirus tier review update with us; and, following months of sustained challenge, the government has uncoupled West Dorset, and wider rural Dorset, from the Bournemouth and Poole area.

Despite all we have done to follow the rules, rates of infection have continued to rise across the country and we are now in a tough lockdown. I’m grateful to the team of volunteers at Lyme Regis Community Support who have, yet again, demonstrated true community spirit; by helping those in need with shopping, prescription collection and much more.

Small businesses, particularly those in retail, hospitality and leisure, have been hard-hit economically. In response to my challenge to the Business Secretary on December 15, for fair support for West Dorset’s businesses during prolonged restrictions, the Chancellor has this week announced enhanced measures and new grants to protect jobs in coming months; and I will continue to press for more help in the future.

Please continue to support the shops and eateries in Lyme Regis and surrounding areas who are offering deliveries and takeaways; and

remember to shop safely when visiting essential retailers.

This has also been a difficult time for education and I would have preferred that schools did not have to close. I’ve been in regular contact with The Woodroffe School, and neighbouring primary schools, in the last week, to ensure the government knows our position; and I’m grateful to the many teachers and support staff in schools who continue to teach and care for the children of critical workers.

We now need to focus our efforts on pushing down our local infection rate again; as we did so successfully just a few weeks ago. Personal responsibility remains key and, with vaccines offering us a light at the end of the tunnel, I am hopeful this can be achieved.

In the meantime, for further information, advice and support please visit my website at www.chrisloder.co.uk/coronavirus

Visit www.chrisloder.co.uk for links to my social media channels and news, or email hello@chrisloder.co.uk if you are interested in a face-to-face meeting at one of my surgeries

THE man at the helm of the RNLI lifeboat station in Lyme Regis has praised his volunteer crew after a “challenging but successful year”.

In a review of 2020, lifeboat operations manager Nick Marks said: “We managed to meet our aim of maintaining an effective life-saving service throughout year. No calls for help were missed through non-availability of our lifeboat or crew members in the most difficult of circumstances.”

Mr Marks said the year had started well but became increasingly challenging as COVID19 established itself and threatened to interrupt the 24/7 lifeboat service, proudly delivered by the RNLI since 1824.

Lyme Regis lifeboat station went into lockdown early in the crisis – the station was closed to visitors, strict COVID safety measures were put in place and training, both ashore and at sea, was suspended. These measures were needed to protect the crew and boat as much as possible.

Mr Marks added: “With the arrival of summer the crew became very busy answering an unprecedented number of shouts as the south coast filled with visitors.”

By Christmas the lifeboat had launched 45 times – an increase on the 33 shouts in 2019 – to answer a variety of emergencies involving swimmers, walkers, kayakers and power boat users.

Their 46th call of the year came this week, when a major rescue operation was launched to rescue three people stuck on the cliffs between Lyme and Charmouth.

But, said Mr Marks, there were also calls “most frustratingly to inflatable plastic dinghies which should never have been at sea”.

An additional casualty of COVID, said Mr Marks, was the ability to recruit new crew members.

Recruiting will start again when the pandemic is over. Seagoing crew, either male or female, should work or live within ten minutes of the lifeboat station, be between 17 and 50 years old and be prepared to commit to a rigorous training programme.

The lifeboat crew’s fundraising efforts were obviously affected by the pandemic, with Lifeboat Week having to be cancelled in the summer, but the RNLI shop at the station still reported a successful year, announcing in November it has raised £48,000 during 2020 despite having to close for several months due to lockdown.

6 Friday, January 8 2021

LYME MATTERS with Philip Evans Essential reading for all those with Lyme at heart

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philip@lyme-online.co.uk

Why I think Leon was right to give up his seat on the council I

WAS disappointed when it emerged that Lyme Regis Town Council’s youngest member, 22year-old Leon Howe, had decided to give up his seat (see page 8).

I voted for Leon because a young voice on the town council was long overdue and it was obvious he had been brought up to have a social conscious, being the son of local community champions Rikey Austin and Paddy Howe.

I well remember Leon when he was only nine or ten years-old, standing outside the Three Cups making a speech urging the owners to reopen the long-standing delapidated hotel again. That was very brave for one so young and he delivered his speech word perfect.

He also made history by standing as an official Labour candidate for the first time anyone could remember and winning a seat on a council that had been unofficially blue since the mists of time. He also stood unsuccessfully on a Labour ticket in the Dorset Council election in May 2019.

At the mayor-making ceremony in 2019 I proposed the toast to the town council - or was it the town, I can’t quite remember? - in which I congratulated Leon and Kelsey Ellis, daughter of former mayor Michaela Ellis and another young newcomer, on their election.

I told them the future of the town was in their hands and the time had come for them to wrestle the baton from yesterday’s men like myself.

Leon, a pleasant young man, was sat in

front of me and turned around to say thank you.

But it’s never been easy for youngsters to find their feet in the Guildhall chamber. I won a seat on the council in a by-election to become the council’s youngest member at the time at 32 and went on to become mayor two years later. Having covered local government as a reporter from the age of 17, I had a good knowledge of how local government worked.

But for those who had never stepped inside the council chamber to sit with experienced councillors who had occupied their seat for years took a lot of guts.

I remember when Lucy Campbell became the council’s youngest member. She was not treated particularly well by fellow councillors in those days but she went on to stamp her character on the council, working hard for issues which involved young people and becoming an influential voice.

Kelsey has settled in well and has already become a committee chairman responsible for tourism and community affairs in the town.

But local government is not everyone’s cup of tea and I felt that Leon probably came to this conclusion after a few weeks. I’m sure that lockdown and the council having to meet by video conferencing didn’t help, but it was obvious he wasn’t particularly comfortable with the role and his attendances fell away.

After going six months without attending a meeting, the council was left with no option but to relinquish his right to be a councillor.

I think it would probably have been better had Leon informed the mayor or town clerk of his intention but that’s of little consequence

now. He did use social media to say that sitting on the council was not for him but he did not elaborate, which was sensible.

I admire Leon for giving it a go and I’m sure his future will involve working in the community sector in some form or other and I wish him well.

This means there is now a vacancy on the council and that if ten electors call for an election Lyme will go to the ballot box once again, but that won’t happen until May because of COVID-19. If the requisite number of electors don’t call for a contest the council will be able to co-opt.

Rumour has it, unconfirmed, that another existing member might stand down if there is an election. The rumour mill works overtime when elections are concerned so this may not be the case.

So here’s the chance for those who are so critical of the town council on social media to offer their services and see if they can do better.

If there is anyone out there who is interested, I would urge them to fully acquaint themselves with the duty of a town councillor and take the opportunity of sitting in on a meeting, by Zoom if necessary, so they get an idea of how things work.

If they stand and are successful in winning a seat, they will find it’s not an easy job. ● Whilst on the subject of Lyme Regis Town Council, this column has often been critical of some of the decision making. But I’ve always been a great admirer of the council’s outside staff who very often take the can for poor decision making by councillors.

LEON Howe - council work was not for him I just wanted to day that I’ve never seen the cemetery looking better than it does at the moment. The cemetery has often been the subject of many complaints over the years, especially over dog fouling, but I’ve never seen it look in such a pristine state.

It is important, obviously, to those who regular tend the graves that their loved ones are at peace in a place that is well cared for.

Farewell to Margaret, a one-off never to be forgotten advantage digital print

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LYME Regis bid farewell this week to charismatic former Pilot Boat landlady Margaret Vincent, described as a “oneoff”.

It was the first funeral I have attended conducted under the strict COVID-19 regulations.

Numbers were restricted to a maximum of 15 but I have no doubt, had this been in normal times, the parish church would have been full to capacity, such was her popularity when she ran the Pilot Boat with husband Jack Vincent for many years.

The service was conducted with dignity by the Reverend Chris Martin, the new Rector of the Golden Cap Benefice, and I was invited to deliver the eulogy, having been a close friend of Margaret and Jack.

I have been privileged to have

written and presented the eulogy for a number of people over the years but never in such circumstances.

Margaret (pictured above in her latter years) was brought into church to a recording of one of her favourite pieces of music, ‘When a Nightingale

Sang in Berkley Square’, played by one of Margaret’s favourite local organisations, Lyme Regis Town Band.

No singing was allowed but there was recordings of two of her favourite hymns - ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’ and ‘Abide With Me’.

Margaret’s nephew Chris read Psalm 23, ‘The Lord Is My Shepherd’, and the Reverend Martin delivered a very touching address.

My contribution was a little less reverential as I recalled some of the many happy and riotous times my generation enjoyed at the Pilot Boat.

The service finished with a recording of Louis Armstrong’s ‘What A Wonderful World’. Margaret would have testified to enjoying a “wonderful life” until

Jack, the love of her life, passed away.

And this is certainly not a “wonderful” time to live - but it was comforting to see that, despite the stringent restrictions the church has to follow, we were able to say our farewells to a wonderful character who loved Lyme and its people.

Top marks also go to local undertakers A.J. Wakely & Sons for organising the service in such an efficient and sympathetic manner.

A retiring collection will be divided between Weldmar Hospice Care and Guide Dogs for the Blind.

A copy of my eulogy will be posted on the LymeOnline website at the request of the family as so many were unable to attend.

axminsternews

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Town shocked after sudden death of mayor

Latest figures show TRIBUTES POUR IN FOR ‘KIND AND LOVELY WOMAN’ 50 crimes in Axminster area during November AXMINSTER was shocked by the sudden friend. RIP Anni, we will always love you.”

death of town mayor Anni Young over the Christmas period.

Cllr Young, who was serving her second term as the town's First Citizen, died in her sleep in the early hours of December 23.

Mrs Young was elected as a town council in 2005 after moving to Axminster from London with her husband, Matt.

As well as serving as mayor, she was also venue manager at the council-owned Guildhall and worked at Tesco.

One of Cllr Young's last duties as mayor was to officially open the new Community Waffle House in Trinity House earlier in December.

The deputy mayor, Cllr Jill Farrow, has taken over as chairman of Axminster Town Council.

Following news of her sudden passing, Axminster Nub News was inundated with tributes, describing her as a kind and lovely woman with the Axminster community at heart.

Former Mayor of Axminster and ‘Father of the Council’, Cllr Jeremy Walden, said: “I met Anni when she first came to Axminster with Matt, her husband, and dear friends Carol and Mark, a few weeks before Tesco opened.

“They came in the bar and from that moment on we were friends. She was a kind, intelligent and gifted individual, and she loved this town and its people.

“She will be sorely missed, and our thoughts and prayers go out to Matt, her family and friends. Personally I have lost a dear, dear

Another former town mayor, Cllr Paul Hayward, commented on Twitter: “Lost a very dear friend this morning. The world is a less colourful, less kind and less caring place with her passing.

“My thoughts are for her husband, family and her close friends. She will be sadly missed by all who knew her.”

The staff at Axminster Community waffle House, which Anni officially opened earlier this month as one of her last official duties as mayor, issued the following statement: “Here at Team waffle, we want to celebrate the amazing, joyful life that Mayor Anni Young led. Whilst we are deeply saddened by her sudden departure from us, we know that she has left a great legacy for Axminster.

“Thank you, Anni, for always believing in our vision and supporting us in every way you could.”

On Facebook, Axminster Musical Theatre (AMT) said: “Axminster Musical Theatre are very sorry to hear of the sudden passing of Axminster Mayor and Guildhall manager Anni Young.

“Anni was a big fan of our work at AMT and a massive support when putting on shows at the Guildhall. Our thoughts are with her family and husband Matt.”

Anni's funeral will be held at Axminster Minster Church at 2pm on Friday, January 15.

Due to COVID restrictions, only limited numbers are allowed in church but for anyone

who wishes to pay their respects, Anni will arrive at church via South Street and Silver Street at approximately 1.45pm where a prayer and readings will be held before the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Arc and the Community Waffle House would be welcome via https://annetteyoung.muchloved.com

THE latest crime figures released by police show there were 50 crimes in the wider Axminster area during November 2020.

These figures compares to 61 crimes the previous month and 60 in November 2019.

From the 50 recorded incidents, 38 took place in Axminster Town and 12 in Axminster Rural, which also covers Uplyme, Kilmington, Hawkchurch, Dalwood, Stockland, Chardstock and surrounding areas.

In Axminster Town, crimes included 13 incidents of violence and sexual offences, nine incidents of anti-social behaviour, four public order offences, and 12 listed as ‘other crimes’.

In Axminster Rural, crimes included four incidents of violence and sexual offences, two incidents of anti-social behaviour, one burglary, and five ‘other crimes’.

Crime figures for December 2020 have not yet been released.

For more details on the latest figures, visit www.police.uk and use the Crime Map tool to search incidents by individual towns and streets.

Flamingo Pool calls on supporters for help after challenging year

A national network of h hyperlocal news websites, now covering the Axminster & Seatton areas THE Flamingo Pool in Axminster is calling on supporters to help it reopen when restrictions are eased.

Before entering national lockdown, the pool took the difficult decision to remain closed under Tier 3 restrictions despite being allowed to reopen.

The swimming pool has faced an incredibly challenging year due to the pandemic and has remained largely closed since last March, bar a 10-week period during August and September.

Being run by the charity Axe Valley Swimming Association, the pool has received no external funding from the local council or similar organisations, and has had to rely on donations from supporters to help it through the pandemic.

Assistant manager at the Flamingo Pool, Gareth Parker, said: "We have a JustGiving page set up to support the fight to save the variability and sustainability of the pool for the future, but this figure is just a drop in the ocean or so to speak.

"Our fantastic supporters and customers have helped where they can with donations and keeping their memberships active, but it is still a real struggle with losses around £9,000 a month being seen whilst being closed due to operational costs."

Although swimming pools were allowed to reopen under Tier 3 regulations, the Flamingo Pool Committee took the decision to keep the pool closed during January in the interest of public safety and due to the cost of reopening under COVID restrictions, also taking into account the proximity of Axminster to Tier 4 locations such as Somerset. A national lockdown was later imposed meaning all swimming pools have now had to close again.

Updates on the future reopening of the pool will be made via its Facebook page and you can make a donation via its JustGiving page at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/flamingo-covidsupport

With editorial content provided by the team from Ly Lym meOnline

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axminsterr..nub.news and seaton.nub.news And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook & T Tw witter to keep up to date with all the latest local news

8 Friday, January 8 2021

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Town council vacancy arises after member fails to attend for six months A VACANCY has arisen on Lyme Regis Town Council as one member has failed to attend meetings for six consecutive months.

In line with the Local Government Act 1972, Leon Howe has automatically ceased to be a councillor having not attended a meeting since summer.

Son of former Lyme Regis councillor Rikey Austin, Leon joined the council after winning a seat in the May 2019 election, becoming one of the youngest ever members of the council at just 20 years old.

He also stood unsuccessfully on a Labour ticket in the Dorset Council election in May 2019.

Notice of a vacancy on Lyme Regis Town Council was given on December 22 and an election will be held if 10 or more Lyme Regis electors request one within 14 days of the notice.

This means requests for an election must be received by Dorset Council’s returning officer by January 15 2021.

However, an election to fill the space is not expected to be held until May 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

If an election is not called for by 10 or more electors, the vacancy will be filled by co-option.

Town clerk John Wright said: “As Leon Howe did not attend the full council meeting on December 16 2020, he has failed to attend council meetings for six consecutive months and as such, he automatically ceases to be a member of the council.

“This is outlined in the Local Government Act 1972 and is referred to in the council’s standing orders.

■ ALTHOUGH the official Lyme Lunge swim was cancelled on New Year’s Day due to COVID-19, a small group of fundraisers still took the plunge, with the hope of staging a community variety show later this year.

Uplyme resident Sarah Causley has been raising funds for the project during the past few months, selling a book of baking recipes and holding virtual bingo sessions.

Along with fellow members of local amateur dramatics groups, she took a quick dip in the sea on New Year’s Day to boost funds. The group doubled their target of raising £100 for the project, and donations can still be made via the website www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sarah-causley It is planned to stage a variety-style show for the whole community at the Woodmead Halls when it is safe to do so.

“Leon has been informed he is no longer a councillor and notification has been given to Dorset Council’s electoral services team.

“However, due to regulations under the Coronavirus Act 2020, local by-elections cannot be held until 6 May 2021, so the vacancy will remain until at least that date.”

Dorset Council has confirmed if an election is called, a poll will take place on 6 May 2021.

The casual notice also states: “The government has indicated that the situation will be kept under review, and if safe to do so, further legislation will be laid that will permit casual vacancy elections and referendums sooner than the 6 May 2021.

“If this is the case, we will publish a revised notice.”

The Mayor of Lyme Regis, Councillor Brian Larcombe MBE, said: “Councillors attendance is important and we have no choice when the level fails to meet the legal minimum requirement of any council.

“It’s disappointing to see any member leave but it’s not in our gift to allow the level of absence to continue.

“I wish Leon well and hope he takes a sense of the experience of being on a council with him and applies the positive things he may have learned from it in anything he goes on to do.”

Mr Howe commented on Lyme Regis Town Council’s Facebook page saying he had enjoyed his time but it was not suited to him, adding: “Hopefully someone will come along who fits the role better.”

NIGEL Whitaker is given the COVID vaccine by Carly Reed at Bridport Medical Centre

West Dorset patients receive second dose of COVID vaccine THE second COVID-19 vaccines for those who had a first dose in December will still went ahead at Bridport Medical Centre on this week, despite government announcing appointments should be rescheduled.

Recipients of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine had previously been told there would be a three-week gap between doses, with many already booked in for their second jab.

But the government later announced a change to its COVID vaccination strategy, saying second doses of the newly-approved Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and the Pfizer/BioNTech jab would now be given up to 12 weeks after the first dose.

The government said it hoped the approach would free up more doses and mean as many people as possible would soon get their first jab and have some protection against the disease.

However, the vaccination clinic this week still went ahead as planned at Bridport Medical Centre.

Bridport Medical Centre was chosen as the surgery to administer the vaccinations for the Jurassic Coast Primary Care Network (PCN), a collaboration of Barton House Surgery, Tollerford Practice, Lyme Regis Medical Centre, Charmouth Surgery and Bridport Medical Centre.

Dr Andy Finucane and Dr Dani Farrell, clinical directors of the Jurassic Coast PCN, said: “Patients should be reassured that there are no safety concerns in the new guidance, and it will not impact on how effective the vaccination is in protecting patients from COVID-19 once the course is complete.

“Logistically, at such a late stage, it would have been impossible to rearrange the appointments for the 975 patients booked on January 6.

“We await further guidance on the next stages of the vaccine programme, particularly following the extremely good news that the AstraZeneca (Oxford) vaccine has been approved for use.

“This vaccine should be far easier to manage and administer in primary care.”

Bridport Medical Centre has been praised for its organinisation of the vaccine roll-out with Lyme Regis patient Margaret McLaren commenting: “The military precision with which our medical centres acted in vaccinating the first patients against the COVID virus cannot go without recognition.

“From the booking arrangements at Lyme

through to car parking, direction, injection and discharge at Bridport, this was handled impeccably, all performed with the utmost professionalism and efficiency, care, a smile and comforting words.

“The sheer volume of organisation accomplished in such a short space of time was nothing short of miraculous.

“I would like everyone from the marshals at the gates through to the medics performing the vaccinations to be recognised for exemplary dedication who inspired all with admiration and confidence. Thank you all.”

However, the medical centre has reported a “torrent of verbal abuse and threats” from those unable to get an appointment.

Drs Finucane and Farrell, clinical directors of Jurassic Coast PCN, said: “Sadly, several people who were unable to get an appointment or were inconvenienced by traffic thought it was appropriate to unleash a torrent of verbal abuse and threats on tired staff.

“Whilst we understand that people are anxious to receive the vaccine, such behaviour will not be tolerated and staff deserve to be treated with respect and kindness.

“We have also received a high number of telephone calls and emails into all PCN practices from patients disappointed about being unable to be part of this first cohort.

“As stated in the invitation letter sent to patients, there are over 3,700 patients in our PCN who are over 80, and we were given a single box of 975 vaccines with five working days’ notice to invite patients in.

“Owing to uncertainty around anticipated uptake, invitation letters were sent to approximately 1,700 clinically prioritised patients.

Demand for the vaccine vastly outstripped what was expected at such short notice, and additional screening questions introduced by NHS England on the first day of booking meant that each booking took approximately five minutes to make.

“Unfortunately, as a result, the designated telephone line became blocked and we were forced to change our process.

“Managers, doctors and reception teams covered 10-hour shifts across Saturday and Sunday in a concerted drive to proactively fill all 975 appointments in a very short time frame.”

As the vaccine programme continues, patients are asked not to call their GP or medical practice and instead wait to be called for an appointment.

Friday, January 8 2021 9

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New dog restrictions now in force Plans to alter Guildhall window

NEW regulations for dogs on Lyme Regis beach have now into force.

Under Dorset Council’s new Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) coming into force on New Year’s Day, dogs will be excluded from the sand beach and Cobb Gate shingle beach in Lyme Regis between May 1 to September 30.

However, in a change to previous rules, they will now have to be kept on a lead on these beaches outside this period, having previously been allowed to run loose during the winter months.

The order replaces a number of existing dog related PSPOs across the Dorset Council area.

The intention is that the new order will provide clarity and consistency across the area for dog owners and non-owners alike about dog controls on public open spaces such as beaches, sports fields and other public areas.

For the first few weeks the council will focus on advice and guidance to dog-owners explaining the new rules.

The argument over whether dogs SIGNAGE outlining the new rules was installed at the beach should be allowed on the town’s main this week (photo by Richard Austin) beach has been one of the most hotlyeryone’s ideal situation but it provides a baldebated local topics in recent years. ance for dog owners and non-owners.”

Lyme Regis Town Council pushed for an allHowever, the ‘Lyme Regis’s Loving Dog year-round ban of dogs from the sand and Owners, Visitors & Friends’ Facebook group is shingle beach following a number of concerns asking the council to enforce laws already in about health and safety issues. place regarding dog ownership, rather than A well-supported petition was launched the PSPO, which they say will “ensure loving against this and, following public consultation, dog owners are not unfairly penalised by only Dorset Council rejected the proposal for an all- targeting those who break the law”. year-round ban and agreed that keeping dogs They are planning to present a 9,000-strong on leads during the winter months was a fair petition to Dorset Council asking for restriccompromise. tions not to be imposed using the new PSPO. Cllr Jill Haynes, Dorset Council portfolio The group’s founder Debbie Conibere said: holder for Customer and Community Services, “The simple solution is to look at the example said: “The order has been made to protect the being set by North Devon Council who are enhealth of Dorset residents and visitors and is forcing the current laws surrounding dog ownparticularly aimed at areas that children and ership, only targeting those who break the families use. laws, instead of using the PSPO to blanket ban “It focuses on times and places that attract all dog owners which discriminates against families, but leaves a variety of open spaces, those loving dog owners who keep their dogs countryside and beaches where there aren’t under control, pick up fouling and many of any restrictions. whom pick up litter and keep the beaches safe “It is a compromise, and as such, won’t be ev- for all to use.”

■ AS a local resident I have been very much looking forward to the re-imposition of the rule on dogs wearing leads on the town beach in the winter.

One of the great things about living in Lyme Regis has been the way the town council has always tried to maintain a sensible approach on the issue of dogs on the beaches.

The restriction on dogs on leads on the town beach in winter was temporarily lifted as part of the public consultation. Unfortunately this action, combined with the impact of COVID-19 out-of-town visitors, has meant that the beach is increasingly over-run with dogs to the exclusion of everyone else.

■ THANK you to Sharon and Monty for stopping to help me on Monday, December 14.

Their kindness and help was so welcomed, what was for me a scary time. My car stopped on the Charmouth Rd hill towards Lyme with smoke rising from car bonnet.

Sharon guided traffic, called the fire brigade as well as ensuring I was okay and picked up my husband up from home.

The firemen and police were all so brilliant and reassuring, getting my car to a safe place.

As it’s said ‘kindness of strangers’ but now Sharon and Monty are no longer strangers.

Wendy Matthews (by email)

Evangelical dog-owners cite the needs of people with mental health issues and the value of exercise with dogs. But non-dog lovers also have mental health needs and require exercise.

Children and many adults find dogs running around freely on the beach, barking over-excitedly and jumping up unpredictably makes them feel anxious and intimidated.

Dogs do not always come back when called by their owners – the NFU Mutual recently commissioned a survey of 1,300 dog owners of whom one third admitted their dogs did not come back when called.

As a grandparent I do not feel comfortable taking my grandchildren to the beach at the moment for the reasons above.

And not all dog-owners are responsible. On Saturday, December 12 I was on the beach near a group of people whose dog was running unchecked on the sand about 25 metres away.

The dog squatted to go to the toilet – the group made no effort to check for or to clean up the dog mess.

Instead they happily chatted about how the first thing their dog always did when they went into the local café for a coffee was to pee on the floor.

I, for one, am very much looking forward to the re-imposition of the rules on dogs only being allowed on the beach on a lead in winter so a reasonable balance between the needs of different groups can be re-established for the mutual benefit of the whole community.

Name and address supplied

to protect it from passing traffic PLANS have been submitted to reduce the bay window of the historic Guildhall in Lyme Regis, to protect it from damage caused by passing vehicles.

The over-hanging window has been regularly struck in recent years by heavy goods vehicles attempting to navigate the narrow bend of Church Street/Bridge Street.

According to council records, the window has been hit at least 12 times since 2017, all of which warranted repair work which required the road to be closed.

Efforts have been made to protect the Grade II listed Guildhall, with Dorset Council installing bollards outside to stop vehicles from getting too close, and the town council has requested improved signage on the outskirts of town to warn drivers of the narrow bend.

However, the measures taken have had little effect on the issue; Highways England has said signage on the outskirts of town is adequate and Dorset Council’s highways department has said it will not implement any further signage or traffic orders as they fear this will push large vehicles into residential ‘side streets’.

A planning application has now been submitted to reduce the projection of the window by 200mm and retaining the roof above in its present format.

The application also includes essential stone

repairs to the pediment above the front door and mayor’s parlour window, with damage having been brought to light following the recent removal of paint from the stonework of the Guildhall.

Dorset Council will now consider the planning application, which can be viewed in full at https://bit.ly/3nviXtn

LymeOnline Letters Send your letters to francesca@lyme-online.co.uk

GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR COMMUNIT Y PAPER

■ DOGS on the beach should never be given priority over children, the elderly and their safety.

As a regular to the beach and Marine Parade I constantly witness out of control dogs with their owners shouting at them from a distance to come and it having very little effect.

Why is it that dog owners assume everyone is a lover of dogs? I don’t dislike dogs but when I am trying to relax on the front it’s extremely tedious to have dogs bounding up and sniffing around me constantly.

The decision by Dorset Council has been made to allow dogs on leads on these beaches not to ban them altogether.

There are other beaches, particularly Monmouth which is very accessible for those that want to have their dogs off the lead, and many other areas In and around Lyme.

Please dog owners, have some thought and consideration for other users of this space and stop this continual campaigning and live by the rules.

Name and address supplied

■ AS a local resident, while I understand concerns for those loving dog owners, I am sure like all those loving dog owners throughout the UK will manage to walk their dogs on a safe even pathway.

Lyme Regis has a small, sandy, inner town beach and it will be appreciated to be able to walk freely along the beach without fear of dogs wildly running and jumping up/by me, their owners making an assumption that all walkers want this, and can be a frightening experience (apart from the obvious mess we still seem to dodge when walking).

Mental well-being for those who enjoy to safely walk along the beach, as well as those who may have mobility issues will feel safe and more secure knowing that they will not be threatened or compromised by the above description ever happening.

The new restrictions will allow locals and visitors walking Lyme beach to enjoy a pleasurable and relaxed experience.

The decision Dorset Council has made is a fair and a positive one. Thank you.

Name and address supplied

Please note, the views expressed in letters are those of the author and not necessarily of this newspaper

10 Friday, January 8 2021

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The pioneering vaccinators

HOW DORSET PLAYED A ROLE IN THE FIRST EVER VACCINE SCIENCE FEATURE

by Professor Glenn Patrick

Professor Glenn Patrick is a particle physicist and science communicator who explores the quantum world of sub-atomic particles (including at the Large Hadron Collider) and now lives in Lyme Regis

2

021 is finally here and let us hope that it is an improvement on last year. One of the things that we can look forward to is the mass vaccination programme against COVID-19 – and hopefully this will ensure a gradual return to normality.

If we are successful in eradicating, or at least controlling, the coronavirus, we will forever be in debt to the scientists and companies from around the world who have developed the vaccines.

The university scientists who have developed the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine are from The Jenner Institute. This is named after Edward Jenner - the country doctor from Gloucestershire widely considered to be the father of modern vaccination due to his work on the first vaccine for smallpox.

Science is rarely a straight journey with many twists, turns and cul-de-sacs on the road to discovery. This often results in the “forgotten man or woman” whose contributions are lost when the textbooks are written.

The concept of vaccination has a long history and the role that Jenner played in public vaccination against smallpox is well known.

What is perhaps less appreciated is that Dorset was home to an often-forgotten man – by the name of Benjamin Jesty - who also deserves recognition who we will return to later.

Smallpox was a lethal disease in early 18th century Britain killing 30 per cent of the people that it infected. Those who survived were often left disfigured, maimed and sometimes blind.

We now know that it was caused by infection with the variola virus and was spread between humans by inhaling respiratory droplets - in a similar way to the coronavirus. The origins of the virus are still unknown, but it is thought to have emerged thousands of years ago in east Africa and was probably spread by rodents before it jumped to humans.

Until the 19th century, the only way of controlling smallpox transmission was via isolation in either private homes or in pest houses.

This led to local authorities establishing isolation hospitals; some specifically for smallpox and others covering a range of infectious diseases such as the plague.

An interesting local insight is that part of the buildings on the Cobb were apparently once used as an isolation hospital to quarantine sailors to prevent them from importing diseases such as typhus, cholera, and the plague.

This was an obvious transmission route given that the Black Death entered England through Weymouth in 1348 when a ship docked after sailing from France.

In fact, Lyme Regis Sailing Club occupied the same Cobb building in 1921 and their records show that there was still a clause in their lease requiring vacation of the premises in the event of plague, cholera and smallpox arriving on a vessel from overseas!

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, an English aristocrat, played an unlikely role in the story of vaccination. In 1715, aged just 26, she contracted smallpox, but survived. After accom-

THE Cobb buildings – once home to an isolation hospital. Below, Benjamin Jesty, an oil painting by M.W. Sharp 1805 [Credit: Wellcome Library, no. 654136i] panying her husband – the British Ambassador – to Constantinople she observed that the Turkish women would deliberately infect themselves and their children with material from the sores of smallpox sufferers.

This was done by scratching the material under the skin of the arm or inhaling it. The technique, known as “variolation”, was an early example of inoculation where someone was deliberately infected with smallpox to give them a mild form of the disease - followed by immunity to the more deadly version.

It is believed this practice started in China and spread to India and Africa, but was much less well known in Europe. Lady Montagu inoculated her own children and helped to publicise variolation in Britain, raising awareness that perhaps smallpox could be defeated.

Variolation was a precursor to vaccination.

The problem with it was that 1 to 3 per cent of those inoculated died – much better than the 30 per cent of those who contracted smallpox, but still a drawback. There was also the issue that those inoculated were contagious and needed to be isolated to avoid spreading the virus even more!

Amazingly, it was country people who first came up with the idea of vaccination. They observed that milkmaids seemed to be protected from smallpox after contracting the milder cowpox from cows. At that time, this was just folklore, but we now know that this is because cowpox belongs to the same family as the variola viruses which cause smallpox.

Benjamin Jesty was a farmer in Yetminster in north Dorset. He so believed in the local milkmaids’ tales that, during a smallpox outbreak in spring 1774, he vaccinated his wife Elizabeth and two sons, Robert and Benjamin, with cowpox taken from the lesions of an infected cow. All three of them lived to a good age unaffected by smallpox. His sons were even variolated with smallpox 15 years later and emerged unaffected!

Jesty’s vaccination story spread like wildfire

through Dorset. The news did not go down well with the local population and he was treated with superstition and hostility.

Unsurprisingly, Jesty did not seek further publicity, which might explain his lack of recognition.

The milkmaid story is often attributed to Edward Jenner.

In fact, Jenner did perform his first vaccination in 1796 on an eight-year-old boy called James Phipps using material extracted from a milkmaid – but 22 years after Jesty! He was therefore not the first to test out vaccination in this way and, by then, the use of cowpox was already well known in rural areas.

In 1805, Jesty was eventually invited to the Original Vaccine Pock Institution in London where he allowed his son Robert to again be inoculated with live smallpox to prove that he was still protected after 31 years! As a result of this experiment, proof of the “antivariolous efficacy” of Jesty’s technique was published by the institution in the Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal.

It is not clear whether Jenner was aware of Jesty’s work who died in 1816 and is buried in Worth Matravers. To be fair, Jenner systematically and scientifically studied the vaccination of 23 people and had the connections to publish his work. This led to the 1840 Vaccination Act which made variolation illegal, but provided vaccination free of charge.

As we head into 2021, we should be ever

grateful to both Jesty and Jenner for pioneering the concept of vaccination - a major milestone for mankind.

After worldwide immunisation, the World Health Organisation declared in 1980 that smallpox had been successfully eradicated.

Even today, it is the only human disease for which this can be claimed.

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S

thefoodreview

INCE first opening in late 2018, The Pop Up Kitchen in Lyme Regis has quickly built a reputation for hosting some of the best, upand-coming chefs and producers in the region.

A tiny space limited to just five or six tables (and even less during a global pandemic), the shared space at the top of Broad Street was the idea of local caterer Ali McLoughlin - a place to showcase the best food and drink Lyme Regis has to offer in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

The Pop Up Kitchen has become a springboard for new businesses that have added to Lyme’s flourishing foodie scene.

Carlotta Paolieri and Annie Copplestone opened the popular Monmouth Pantry next door after building relationships with local producers during their fish tapas nights at the Pop Up Kitchen.

Chef Harriet Mansell, who has appeared on the BBC’s ‘Great British Menu’, opened her own restaurant Robin Wylde to great acclaim at the end of 2020, just a few yards across the road in Silver Street after huge success at the Pop Up. Lyme’s latest restaurant to open doors, Tom’s on Marine Parade, also follows a successful run at the Pop Up for chef Tom Robinson and his wife Chelsea.

And - back before Lockdown 3 when eating out was still permitted - it was the turn of Goose and Badger to impress diners.

Goose and Badger is the partnership of friends Joel Gostling and Andy Tyrell, who share more than 35 years experience in the hospitality industry, both having previously worked at River Cottage.

They say their focus and passion is working alongside local producers to bring customers the best quality and best tasting ingredients with a simple, no-nonsense approach. That was certainly demonstrated at one of their last pop-up nights before Christmas, when I was invited along to sample their delicious six-course set menu.

Friday, January 8 2021 11

EATING OUT REVIEW

by Francesca Evans

Goose & Badger at The Pop Up Kitchen, Lyme Regis Numbers were limited to just nine on the night due to social distancing measures, but this made for a great, intimate dining experience as Andy and Joel calmly prepared dish after dish - each more impressive than the last - in the tiny, open plan kitchen, while happily chatting to diners about their concept and suppliers.

We started with a glass of Dalwood 2017 vintage sparkling and decided to keep it local, ordering a bottle of the East Devon vineyard’s Madeleine Angevine, Solaris, Seyval Blanc to follow.

A selection of Andy’s homemade sourdough kicked things off, followed by ‘a gift from the sea’ - monkfish with tenderstem broccoli and ginger pickled radish.

We were then treated to a hearty vegetarian dish of squash dumplings with cep butter, sage and berkswell, served alongside a Trill Farm garden salad, followed by a lighter and refreshing dish of cured trout with grilled leeks, herbs and a soft boiled egg.

And we hadn’t even got to the main event yet the well-aged beef with sticky sauce, caramelised shallots in wine lees with cauliflower and greens truly stole the show and left us fit to burst.

There is, however, always space for pudding and we selected Monmouth Pantry cheese, pickles, chutney and crackers to finish, but there was also a choice of baked malt loaf pudding with bramley apple and thick organic cream on the menu.

And to round off the evening, Joel and Andy sent us on our way with homemade miso caramels and cherry truffles for the road.

Unlike their predecessors at the Pop Up Kitchen, Joel and Andy said they aren’t currently looking for a permanent premises, instead enjoying the flexibility the pop-up approach offers.

As well as serving up their six-course seasonal menus (priced £45 per person including a glass of sparkling wine) twice a week in Lyme Regis, they were also hosting Saturday nights at Soulshine Cafe in Bridport.

Unfortunately, due to lockdown restrictions, this is currently on hold but Goose and Badger have just launched a takeaway burger menu available every Wednesday to Saturday at Soulshine, 4pm to 9pm for pre-orders and pick-ups only.

The menu includes well-aged and grass-fed beef options, free-range chicken burgers and vegetarian and vegan patties. Search ‘Goose and Badger’ on Facebook or Instagram for more details or call 07762 211 074 to pre-order.

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FLASHBACKS with Richard Austin

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Tales from behind the lens of our award-winning photographer FOLLOWING in her mother’s footsteps, the queen’s granddaughter Zara Tindall, or Phillips as she was then, at Bicton Horse Trials.

I like this photograph of Zara because she shows such grit, determination and total control of her horse in the cross country competition.

Zara is the second eldest royal gran child, her mother being The Princess Royal, and just like many other horse-loving royals she looks good on a horse and is right up there with the best of them.

Zara and her brother Peter Philips (pictured inset) are not titled like their cousins and it’s been said that, in doing so, it has opened up other possibilities for them both.

I’ve photographed Zara competing with her horses since she was quite young. I wonder if she has the time now that she is the mother of two children, Lena and Mia, and, as announced last week, expecting her third child with husband and former rugby union player Mike Tindall MBE.

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14 Friday, January 8 2021

ITEMS FOR SALE

GREEN HOUSE, 6ft x 8ft, free (complete, no damage) - 01297 32703 (evenings only).

DE-HUMIDIFIER, Meaco DD8L, £100 07840 938 374.

HEADBOARD, Antique, pine, solid-wood headboard for double 4’ 6” bed, excellent conditions, £30 ono - 01297 442198.

SETTEE, leather, dark green, three-seater, very good condition, £50 - 01297 443419.

DVDs, Wildfowling Shooting Adventures by Chris Green, five DVDs, £30 for all - 01297 443419.

TENNIS RAQUET, Dunlop Max 27 with cover, £10 - 01297 443930.

SQUASH RAQUET, with cover, £10 - 01297 443930.

HOSTESS TROLLEY, Ekco ‘Royal’ heated hostess trolley, hardly used, with instruction book, £25 - 01297 443930.

SOFA, black faux leather, two seater, raiseable leg rest, good conditions, free 01297 443930.

TOY SCHOOL BUS, Fisher Price 192 with seven people in very good condition, £28 01297 442627.

TOY CAMPER VAN, Fisher Price, complete with extras, boat and seven people, very good condition, £30 - 01297 442627.

TOY CIRCUS TRAIN, Fisher Price 991, with seven people, three wagons and five animals, very good condition, £35 - 01297 442627 SINDY dune buggy and caravan, very good condition, £38 - 01297 442627.

PORTAPUZZLES, two puzzles, felt surface keeps your puzzles safe, with side panels, one large 43” x 30”, one medium 30” x 21”, £10 - 01297 443963.

GOLF BUGGY, Powakaddy Discovery, charger, lithium battery, ramps, £300 - 0297 442134 / 07761 258 115.

MAKING CHUTNEY? Cooking apples picked daily, supermarkets charge £2 per kilo, mine are just £1 per kilo, free windfalls 01297 443930.

CHEST OF DRAWERS, blonde oak, veneered with three drawers, 33” or 84cm wide x 29” or 72cm height x 20” or 50cm deep, only £25 - 01297 443930.

HEATED HOSTESS TROLLEY, Ekco, four lidded, Pyrex containers, instruction book included, as new - 01297 443930.

BEDROOM SET, Sarah Kay bedroom set for girls, 2 duvet covers, pillow slips, matching curtains 66” wide x 54” drop, £30 - 01297 443930.

COFFEE TABLE, light oak, parquet style, very good condition, L48"(1220mm) x W24" (610mm) x H15" (390mm), £25 - 01297 678584.

ROLL TOP DESK, pine, very good condition, L42" (1070mm) x W20" (510mm) x L42" (1070mm), £40 - 01297 678584.

HOSTESS HEATED TROLLEY, very good condition, L29" (750mm) x W16" (400mm) x

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ITEMS TO SELL?

You can advertise items for sale up to £200 free by filling in the form below or emailing francesca@lyme-online.co.uk

Please note this service is only for private sellers, not for commercial items, tradespeople or vehicles. Please include a brief description of your item, the cost and a telephone number where a buyer may contact you.

If you wish to advertise an item over £200 your advertisement will cost 10p per word, please email or phone us to arrange payment. Please also include your name and address, although this will not be published.

07977 500737 CARAVAN FOR SALE

Elddis Odyssey 505 caravan on site between Beer and Colyton in East Devon - Leacroft EX24 6HY. Two owners from new in 2002, full and porch awnings, everything available to move into. Price £2,600.

01217 051483 or 07980 729 551 H27" (700mm), £20 - 01297 678584.

DOOR - EXTERIOR HARDWOOD, six panel, H77" (1960mm) x W30" (760mm), thickness 1 3/4" (44mm), £40 - 01297 678584.

DOOR - INTERIOR, 15 panel glazed, H77" (1960mm) x W 29 1/2" (750mm), thickness 1 3/4" (44mm), £30 - 01297 6789584.

TIFFANY OPEN LOVE HEART PENDANT, 21mm wide with silver-16" chain, engraved Elsa Peretti, with pouch, box and bag, from Tiffany in New York, unworn, £100 - 01297 678584.

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Send this form to: Items For Sale, LymeOnline, Unit 5, Uplyme Business Centre, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LS

Lights, camera, action...

Lyme Sights & Sounds

TILES, bathroom/kitchen, handmade, 60x30cm, underwater scene dark blue, £50 for 3 - 07397 206 365.

COFFEE TABLES, pine, pair 1x1m and 60x60cm, also console table 120x45cm, offers welcome - 07397 206 365.

WATERCOLOUR FLOWER PORTRAITS, book by Billy Showell, first edition, 2006, ISBN: 9781844480661, as new condition, £14 - 01297 442627.

JAMES BOND BOOKS, set of 3 books by Steve Cole, new and sealed ISBN: 9781782958314 r.r.p. was £23.97, now asking for £6 - 01297 442627.

SCARIFIER & RAKER, MacAllister 1400w, almost new and barely used, plus manual, £60 01297 560782.

LEAF SWEEPER, with large bag, almost new and barely used, plus manual, £15 - 01297 560782.

FULL SIZE UKULELE, instruction book an case included, as new, unwanted gift, originally cost £95 now asking for £65 - 01297 33745.

SONY PLAYSTATION, PS2 Slimline with two controllers and 23 games, fully working but no longer required, one controller cable has had a minor repair, photos and/or list of games can be provided on request, £30 07747 353 301.

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Friday, January 8 2021 15

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January 8 2021

NOW IN THE DEVON & EXETER LEAGUE

The Davey Fort clubhouse is closed until further notice

Local football is suspended WITH the country now in national lockdown, all local football has been suspended until further notice in the Devon & Exeter League, Perry Street League and Dorset League.

That means there will be no local matches played until at least February, perhaps longer.

Leagues took the decision to put fixtures on hold before the lockdown announcement was made, after Dorset and Devon was placed in Tier 3 with parts of Somerset in Tier 4.

A statement from the Devon and Exeter League, in which Lyme Regis 1st and Lyme Reserves play, said: “Following the movement of Devon to tier three by the government, the JOMA Devon and Exeter Football League have reluctantly suspended all fixtures with immediate effect, until further notice.

“However, we will be reviewing the situation in two week time to assess the possibility of playing again on January 24th if the situation changes.

“Whenever we are able to return to play we will endeavour to give all clubs at least seven days notice with forthcoming fixtures.”

The Perry Street League, in which Lyme Rovers and Uplyme 1sts and 2nds play, had already made the decision to suspend all

By PHILIP

EVANS

fixtures in January.

The South West Peninsular League, in which Axminster Town compete, has also suspended fixtures until further notice.

If it is not possible to start playing again in February, the Seasiders coud find themselves in another fixtures backlog.

Lyme have only played three of their Devon & Exeter Premier East fixtures, lying in sixth place in the table with most other sides have played nine games.

Season may be extended Should the lockdown be extended to the end of March, which is suspected, they would be left to play 19 games in two months. If that was the case, it us expected that the current season could be extended beyond the second week in May. Lyme Regis Reserves compete in the Devon & Exeter Division One East are also lagging behind in the number of games played, having completed just five of their 22 fixtures.

Lyme Rovers compete in the Perry Street League Division One and have played six of their 20 games to complete the season.

Lockdown halts work at Davey Fort THE lockdown has resulted in the temporary suspension of work to complete the four-year development programme at the Davey Fort, home of Lyme Regis Football Club.

With a £100,000 grant from Lyme Regis Town Council, and support from the Football Association, 90 per cent of the work has been completed, including provision of a new kitchen, 63-seat grandstand, pitch widening, drainage, perimeter fencing and car park extension (see above).

For every £25,000 in grant funding from the town council, the club has had to match fund £12,500. Work on completeing the scheme will continue when lockdown is lifted. The final phase will include provision of a new groundsman’s shed, resurfacing of the extended car park and a new gate.

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16 Friday, January 8 2021

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