April 23, 2014 10.00 am
This story is over 88 months old
Lincoln Bomber Command Memorial praised by party leaders
Memorial support: Prime Minister David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband have written messages of support for the Bomber Command Memorial plans in Lincoln.
The full layout of the Lincoln Bomber Command Memorial site. Photo: Place Architecture
Prime Minister David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband have all written messages of support for plans to create a Bomber Command Memorial park in Lincoln.
Preliminary designs have been submitted for the £3 million project, which would incorporate the memorial ‘Spire of Names’, Chadwick Visitors Centre and two peace gardens.
David Cameron said: “I’m particularly interested to hear of the Bomber Command Memorial Appeal’s aspiration to capture the comprehensive story of Bomber Command.
“It would make a valuable asset to ensure that future generations continue to fully appreciate the great sacrifices that were made during this difficult time.”
Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, commented: “This is one way we can keep alive the stories of all those individuals for future generations, and understand the struggles they faced and the heroic contribution they made.”
Ed Miliband, the Leader of the Opposition, added: “The work that the Memorial Appeal is setting out to achieve will properly commemorate the service and sacrifice of those in Bomber Command and will be of huge value to our country.”
The project, which was formally launched on May 31 2013, is to be based on Lincoln’s Canwick Hill, with direct views across to the Cathedral, which provided those flying from one of the county’s 27 Bomber Command stations their last landmark view of the country.
Lincolnshire Bomber Command Memorial Trust Chairman, and Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, Tony Worth, said: “We are delighted to have this cross-party support. Our aim is to showcase the story of Bomber Command without bias and to use this as a sound educational platform for generations to come.
“To be able to provide a place of learning alongside an area of commemoration and quiet contemplation has always been my dream. It is comforting to know that this view is supported by others.”
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Resurfacing works at the junction of Newark Road and Doddington Road in Lincoln will take place next week, with an overnight road closure.
The worn out carriageway will be completely replaced at the junction of the A1434 Newark Road and the B1190 Doddington Road, starting on Wednesday, September 29. Work is expected to last one week.
The road will be closed between the junction with Tritton Road and the Hykeham Road/Rookery Lane crossroads from 7pm to 6am, reopening during the day, as well as overnight at the weekend.
Traffic will be diverted via Tritton Road, Moorland Avenue and Rookery Lane.
Karen Cassar, assistant director for highways, said: “So far this year, we’ve resurfaced, surface dressed and patched over 225 miles of roads and footways, to keep Lincolnshire’s roads safe for everyone.
“This project will take place overnight when the roads are much quieter, but I appreciate it will still cause some disruption, so I’d like to thank residents for their patience.”
Cat rescue groups have successfully managed to get the remaining 27 cats from Catmando’s house in Gainsborough and taken them into care, after weeks of protests outside his home.
Protests began outside a house on Portland Terrace in Gainsborough on Thursday, September 9, when groups claimed that there was a man keeping over 50 cats in poor living conditions in his home.
These demonstrations then became regular as more horror stories were being revealed, and protestors said they had seen the man walking cats on leads with bells on them.
Local cat rescue groups want the animals removed from the house in Gainsborough. | Photo: Michelle Page
Cat rescue groups notified the RSPCA and Lincolnshire Police and investigations began to try and establish the circumstances surrounding this man, self-labelled as ‘Catmando’.
Police attended the property during the morning of Tuesday, September 14, rescuing 11 cats but sadly losing one as it died.
12 cats were rescued, including one pictured left who is being treated and a kitten (right) who sadly died. | Photo: Michelle Page
Upon entering the property, it was said that the condition was disgusting and all the drains were blocked with excrement.
Michelle Page of Page’s Pet Rescue was at the forefront of the daily protests, and confirmed to The Lincolnite that all the remaining cats had been handed over from Catmando’s house to her rescue on Tuesday afternoon.
The cats were being fed rice, mince, bread and ribs on the bone out of a pan when living at Catmando’s house. | Photo: Michelle Page
According to Michelle, a total of 37 cats were seized, 10 of which went to other rescues in the area, and the other 27 went to Page’s.
They are currently in the process of chipping the animals and offering veterinary care for them in anticipation of finding new owners for the felines.
One particular cat has also been reunited with its owner three years after they first declared it missing, after an appeal posted online by Michelle saw pictures of the pet match the description given.
27 cats are now in the hands of Page’s Pet Rescue as they looks for new homes for felines. | Photo: Michelle Page
It has been an incredibly long process for Michelle, who said she has hardly slept since the protests began, due to desperately trying to rescue these cats.
She said: “It has been so stressful, we’ve been out night and day to try and sort it, and naturally it’s had a massive impact on us.
“Obviously it’s a massive weight lifted off our shoulders knowing that the cats are safe, but the process has been so mentally draining and now we are being met with the financial burden of caring for all these cats who need help.”
Some of the cats arrived at the rescue in horrendous condition, owing perhaps to the poor living standards they had at Catmando’s home. | Photo: Michelle Page
Michelle said that some cats require dental work, while others are covered with fleas and some even need X-rays and surgery to fix their problems before she can even consider finding a home for them.
To try and help raise money to properly treat the cats before they find their new forever homes, Page’s Pet Rescue have set up a fundraiser and an Amazon Wishlist, which you can visit by clicking the relevant links.
Two of the cats that were taken into the rescue from Catmando’s house. | Photo: Michelle Page
At the time of reporting, almost £1,500 has been donated to the fundraiser, which will allow for Michelle to cover medical bills and microchipping before they are rehoused.
Michelle has also told The Lincolnite that Ian ‘Catmando’ has threatened her numerous times since she started her protests, which police have said they are investigating.
“He just seems to have a problem with me”, she said. “We’re just trying to provide these cats with the best quality of life.”
A prison inmate threatened to kill his probation officer and go on a killing spree, Lincoln Crown Court was told on Thursday.
Damon Lane made the threats while discussing arrangements for his release from Lincoln jail.
Lane also threatened to burn down a police station when he was released.
Eunice Opare-Addo, prosecuting, said that Lane made the threats while talking to a probation officer at the prison.
“He went into various issues he had with getting accommodation.
“He talked of going on a killing spree in Leicester city centre and of taking the life of his probation officer. He also made threats to set fire to a police station.”
Miss Opare-Addo said that two hours later Lane made further similar threats to another probation officer.
“He said he was going to stab his probation officer and that he was going to go on a killing spree. He made reference to the Plymouth shootings and said ‘That guy got it right’.”
The court was told that Lane had 39 previous convictions for a total of 76 offences.
Damon Lane, 36, currently a serving prisoner, originally from the Leicester area, admitted two charges of making threats to kill on August 16 of this year. He was jailed for 14 months.
Karen Walton, in mitigation, said Lane expressed his apology for what he did.
“He has been homeless since he was 16. Accommodation problems are often the reason he ends up back in prison. It is very frustrating for him.”
Miss Walton said that while in custody, Lane has stopped taking drugs and when he is released hopes to take up a place with a charity in Oxford which runs a project designed to give work and accommodation to people leaving prison.
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