WATSON PROMISES PAYBACK TIME

CRAIG WATSON’S revenge mission is little more than a week away, and the Hatton Promotions welterweight has no doubt about the outcome.  "This is payback time", promised Watson as he prepared for his hometown challenge against British welterweight champion Lee Purdy at Oldham Sports Centre on Saturday, 16 July 2011. Purdy caused a huge upset when he took the title from Watson via a fifth round stoppage back in April.  Watson said:- "The rematch has come quickly and I had to take it or face going through eliminators. I don’t want to sound like I am making excuses, but I wasn’t right before our last fight, but I am over the moon that I can make amends. It came too soon after the John O’Donnell fight and I didn’t want to let people down so I went through with it. You live and learn and it will be forgotten next week when I win back the British title. We have been doing different things in the gym and working on other aspects of my boxing."  Purdy’s only defeat in 18 professional fights came last year when he narrowly lost on points to Denton Vassell in a Commonwealth title challenge.  He added:- “I won the first fight against Watson so there is no reason for me to have any doubt about the outcome.” In supporting contests Watson’s fellow Oldham fighter Darren Stubbs challenges Bob Ajisafe for the vacant English light-heavyweight title. Vassell is also in action when he boxers a 6 round non-title fight against Nicaraguan Ronny McField.  Hatton Promotions youngsters on the bill include Austin Hornsby, Dean Halsall and Matthew Clarkson.  The show is not being televised and tickets are selling fast for Watson’s revenge missing and are available prices £35, £55 and £75 VIP from:- 01925 755222.

Celebrate the summer holidays with Natural England’s special programme of family days out on National Nature Reserves

DISCOVER beautiful butterflies, glimmering glow worms and even slinky seals. Flit with the bats, learn the stealthy art of camouflage or go on a bog safari. These are just some of the adventures on offer as Natural England rolls out its summer programme of family days out at National Nature Reserves. National Nature Reserves (NNRs) represent many of the finest wildlife and geological sites in the country, providing unique environments where some of England’s most extraordinary wild plants and animals flourish - commonplace species rubbing shoulders with national rarities. To celebrate these amazing places Natural England has put together a packed summer events programme for people of all ages. From nature rambles to archaeology, NNRs have something for everyone.

Helen Phillips, Chief Executive of Natural England, said:- "Oases for all sorts of wildlife, National Nature Reserves are wonderful places to visit at any time of the year, either on a casual trip or on one of our many organised events. With surveys showing that children are increasingly being denied the opportunity to explore outdoors, we hope that Natural England’s calendar of outdoor adventures will help to inspire the environmentalists of the future; giving young people and families a wider appreciation of nature, offering fun and enjoyment for all, and enabling more people to experience the sheer health-giving pleasure of being free to explore outdoors."

To whet the appetite we’ve provided some examples of what’s going on in your region, but all of Natural England’s NNR events taking place this summer can be found on their website  events finder.

UK’s first interactive fixed broadband map now live!!!

THE Office Of Communications (OFCOM) has launched the UK’s first interactive map of fixed broadband, using actual data provided by communications providers about the UK’s broadband infrastructure. Every 3 years OFCOM is required to submit a report on the UK’s communications infrastructure to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and this is part of the report (The report which accompanies the map can be found here). The online map that is now published by OFCOM allows users to zoom in and out of administrative authorities of the UK and provides a range of data to offer a picture of broadband provision in each area. The map can be seen by clicking on here, and was compiled using data provided by communications providers and covers 200 administrative authorities. Specifically it covers:-

► availability of superfast broadband (the percentage of addresses which are within the coverage area of superfast broadband networks)

► average broadband take-up (excluding superfast broadband connections)

► average maximum speed for ADSL and cable services (excluding superfast broadband)

► the percentage of homes with broadband currently not receiving 2Mbit/s speeds

Consumers win right to allergy info in restaurants and takeaways for first time

ON Wednesday, 6 July 2011, Euro MPs voted through a legal requirement for allergy information to be provided about all foods on sale in restaurants, canteens and takeaways. Labelling already exists for pre-packed foods on supermarket shelves but allergy sufferers are at risk when eating out or getting food to take away.  The breakthrough follows a campaign by Labour Euro MPs determined to end tragic cases like the death of a local Wirral teenager earlier this year after his nut allergy was triggered by a takeaway meal. Local Labour Euro MP and consumer champion, Arlene McCarthy said:- "There is no information more important to consumers than that about the food they eat, and no food information is more important than that on allergies, which can make the difference between life and death. We have had laws requiring allergy information on packaged goods for many years, but that didn't prevent fatal risks from restaurants and takeaways. This new law will apply across the European Union and so protect allergy sufferers when travelling to other EU countries."  The law requires all EU countries to implement allergy labelling by the end of 2014, while leaving it up to each country to decide how best to ensure the information is provided effectively. Arlene added:- "The deadline for implementing this law is the end of 2014 but I am demanding the UK government acts now to end the risk of further unnecessary and preventable deaths. The law must also be introduced clearly in the UK to require allergy information to be displayed on menus, not with the onus on allergy sufferers to ask for information."  Email us your views and thoughts on this to:- news24@southportreporter.com. For more details on the food labelling legislation adopted by the European Parliament click on here.