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Phil Mills reports on running for lost loved ones, Sussex police offering strange spring warning, and kids authors dressing up
The sunshine finally returned to our chilly, rain-soaked county but as daffodils blossomed and crowds swarmed to the seaside, there came a dark cry from Sussex Police.
As we lie on the pebbles, soaking up the rays, or promenade on the pavements, we are being asked to stay alert, keep eyes peeled and have our fingers poised over our mobiles.
Sussex Police have joined a national initiative, Operation Kraken, which calls on seaside visitors to raise the alarm if they see anything suspicious.
Sussex Police said: “Tip offs as small as a person not wearing suitable clothes… could help build up a bigger picture which might ultimately prevent major crimes such as terrorism and human and drugs trafficking.”
Unsuitable clothes? Where are the police every Friday and Saturday night when the city heaves with hen and stag partygoers dressed in extremely unsuitable (and highly amusing) attire?
Do people really need a primary school lesson in how to tell the difference between sunbathers swimming and a boat load of refugees wading ashore? Email us.
Oh and, in case you wondered, a kraken is a mythical giant monster living off Norway. If you see one of them slithering up the Banjo Groyne then do call the police.
There was a warning this week of big taxi fare rises coming in because of increased fuel costs – in some Sussex towns they could be up as much as 40 per cent.
And while the city and county councils wrestle with swinging budget cuts, they are looking to retrieve money from tax dodgers who, in Brighton and Hove alone, owe £4.4million, city chiefs announced.
Thousands took part in the first city marathon and many ran for worthy causes including Paul and Amanda Roberts, raising money in memory of their three-year-old Spencer, who died of
a rare form of cancer.
Laura Bottomley, whose fiancé Second Lieutenant Jonathan Carlos Bracho-Cooke, was killed in action in Iraq, was running for the British Limbless Ex-Service Men’s Association. She said: “The pain of this loss is unrelenting.”
Unrelenting too for Jacqui Janes, from Portslade, who lost her son, Grenadier Guardsman Jamie, in Afghanistan. Gordon Brown misspelled names in his condolence note to her – and now thieves have robbed his grave in Hove of small Easter egg and flowers.
Award-winning Sussex authors are turning the Friends Centre in Brighton into a centre for heroes at 2pm on May 16 when they bring their characters to life for young book lovers.
Kate O’Hearn, who wrote Shadow Of The Dragon, and Jill Hucklesby, of award-winning Deeper Than Blue fame, will dress up and read from their books.
Tickets are from Brighton Dome or go to the Brighton Fringe Festival website. Both authors will be in Jubilee Square on April 25 and in New Road on April 30 – dressed in pirate costumes and knights in armour.
Finally, two interesting tales from Latest 7 readers: Anna Vaughan emailed to say how flattered she was when asked to produce ID in a Brighton off licence. She said: “I’m 33 but he wouldn’t believe me until I showed him wrinkles under my eyes.”
And we’ll end with something to lighten the Election news: Gordon Whitaker sent in this website address for those wanting to give all three major party leaders a
good slap: http://slapometer.com
Did you run the marathon for someone special?
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