Solent
Splash Friday November 02, 2012
Southampton’s community newspaper
SOUTHAMPTON’S MERCURY PRIZE WINNER Full Story - Page Three
HAMSTERS FOUND IN DUSTBIN
By CAROLINE NELSON THREE hamsters are recovering in an animal shelter after being found dumped in a dustbin in Millbrook, Southampton. The three hamsters, one male and two females, were found by three council workers who were on duty emptying the bins. The hamsters were taken to the RSPCA Solent branch in Shirley, before being transferred immediately to The Stubbington Ark Animal Rescue Shelter in Fareham. The volunteers, after examination, were shocked to discover that one of the female hamsters was pregnant. Vanessa Eden, Head of Fundraising at RSPCA, Solent Branch said: “They were hungry when they arrived but they were fed and two of them are doing really well. “The female hamster cannot be re-homed until she has given birth.” The RSPCA are carrying out an investigation into this incident, as this is the second time this month that rodents have been found abandoned in the same bin. The Stubbington Ark Animal Rescue Shelter works in conjunction with The RSPCA in Shirley, Southampton, to care for, protect and rehome thousands of animals each year.
STUDENT FIREWORK ATTACK By ELEANOR STENNETT A SOUTHAMPTON Solent student was admitted to hospital after a firework was thrown in his face on Saturday evening outside Deanery student residence. A young Southampton Solent student was taken to hospital on Saturday night after a firework was thrown at him and then exploded in his face, he suffered burns on his face and was described as Unrecognisable by a paramedic on the scene. Dann Berry and Libby Ashman 19-year-old students at Southampton University were also viciously attacked with the fireworks they went outside after hearing loud noises and screams outside their flat. ‘We heard explosions and screaming at around 11:30pm, so we went outside to have a look - The next thing a firework was thrown at us,’ exclaimed Dann ‘It flew across the road and skimmed across Libby’s torso and then across my neck and face before exploding behind us.’ ‘We ran back to reception, and the paramedics were called’ continued Libby ‘I was physically shaking and Dann was beginning to slip in and out of consciousness.’ Paramedics at the scene stated: ‘It’s lucky more people weren’t seriously hurt.’ Emily Whitwam who also lives inside the deanery accommodation said: ‘It was so scary everything happened so fast, we were stood there and it blew up not far away from where we were stood.’ Police were later called to the event and on lookers claimed to have seen a car that was parked outside the accommodation drive off just after the incident occurred. There haven’t been any leads yet and the investigation is still on-going. This is one of a number of incidents throughout the city, with a similar attack happening outside Junk nightclub last Thursday.
Oceana nightclub
VICIOUS ATTACK AT CITY CLUB
By HANNAH CARROLL A SHIRLEY man was left with a fractured skull after being attacked in the toilet of Oceana nightclub on Tuesday night, the second assault in a month at the West Quay road nightclub. Submarine engineer Steven McGrattan, 21, of Millbrooke Road East was brutally attacked and blacked out on a night out with friends. Steven said: “I woke up in hospital and was told I had a fractured skull. I can’t remember a thing. “I can’t open my eyes now due to the swelling. I’m scared this is going to ruin my career. I’m a submarine engineer and if this fracture is really bad I won’t be able to go underwater ever again. I just want to be okay.”
Steven was taken to Southampton general hospital and treated for his injuries. He has to wait until next Tuesday to find out the extent of the damage. This follows an earlier attack in October when 20-year-old Jordon Musgrove was attacked by a drunken clubber while waiting to use the cash machine. The attacker who had already been asked to leave the nightclub was in the custody of Oceana security staff and then brutally attacked Jordon resulting in a broken jaw. Jordon was also taken at Southampton General Hospital where he received treatment. He now has four metal plates in his jaw after being in surgery for six and a half hours.
Resulting in an arrest by police who were already stationed outside Oceana at the time of the incident. Mother Clare Musgrove said: “Jordon was and still is in a lot of pain. It was a mindless attack due to too much to drink. “Jordon is not as sociable anymore. He is not himself anymore. The attack was out of the blue.” If any one has information about the Steven McGrattan case that happened in the men’s toilets of Oceana nightclub in the early hours of the morning please contact Southampton Police. When we contacted Oceana they were unavailable to comment.