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Southport & Mersey Reporter Newspaper Article Archive THIS page give you access to our online weekly newspaper edition archive.  The archive holds back copies of our online newspaper and also at times, links to important news updates we have added. If you want more information about the area, why not take a look at our History Section? Click on here to find out more now!   Search via news headlines opposite or search for key words etc. via the Google Search Box below:- News Article Archive Articles for December 2003 Old News Archive (Up to August 2003) 2003 Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2004 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2005 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2006 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2007 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2008 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2009 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2010 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2011 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2012 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2013 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2014 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2015 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2016 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2017 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2018 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2019 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2020 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2021 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  2003-12-27 00:00:00 Editors Note for the end of 2003. IT HAS been a very interesting year for us at Southport Reporter, with our 100th edition going out this year and the expansion of our news service with Mersey Reporter. We have talked to and interviewed film stars and pop stars in the US, Canada and in 2003-12-27 00:00:00 SWITCHED ON THIS WEEK - THE BEST BITS ON UK TV (by Katherine Hassell of TV and Satellite Week Magazine) For the week Saturday 27 December to Friday 2 January 1. The Return ITV1 Tuesday 9pm 2003-12-27 00:00:00 BBC LIVE FROM SOUTHPORT THE BBC were in Southport on Sunday 21 December, as they made the last live broadcast of the "I Can't Wait For Christmas" series. "The series has been shot in churches all over the country, so it is fantastic they chose Christ Church as the final 2003-12-27 00:00:00 FAME SEARCH FOR A STAR...... YOU COULD be watching the next Will Young! With 15 to 20 Auditions a night and a 2003-12-27 00:00:00 White Stripes 2004 CALLING ALL White Stripes fans.... They will be playing at the following venues in Jan 2004 and tickets are now on sale and going fast. Gig dates are... 2003-12-27 00:00:00 Recycling service gearing up for a tree mendously busy 2004. MERSEYSIDE'S residents are being offered the chance to make a recycling resolution this New Year with the county 2003-12-27 00:00:00 ADT WARNS BUSINESSES THAT THEY COULD SOON BE BREAKING THE LAW CHRISTMAS may be on the horizon, but before the merry-making begins, thousands of firms are being warned that they risk prosecution by ignoring imminent European Union legislation, which will ban a commonly used safety gas by 31 December 2003. 2003-12-27 00:00:00 Letters to Editor:- Christmas Lights... "It appears that your correspondent JLT has an axe to grind. I wonder whether he has more of an interest in the Christmas Lights than just one of a resident of Southport? 2003-12-27 00:00:00  MERSEYSIDE Waste Disposal Authority (MWDA) has welcomed the 2003-12-27 00:00:00 NEW YEAR PLAN YOUR New Year Early to Avoid Last Minute Let Downs says Visit London... With celebrations less than a week away, new figures reveal that the North West is the country 2003-12-27 00:00:00 WIGAN KEEPERS 24 SANDSTORMERS 12 SOUTHPORT SANDSTORMERS traveled to Wigan to play unbeaten Wigan Keepers in Saturday 2003-12-27 00:00:00 GET BACK TO YOUR ROOTS AND BOOST YOUR NUTRIENT INTAKE THIS WINTER SAYS FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY "WE should be aiming to eat five portions of fruit and veg a day, but in the UK most of us only manage three." says the Food Standards Agency 2003-12-27 00:00:00 GET BACK TO YOUR ROOTS AND BOOST YOUR NUTRIENT INTAKE THIS WINTER SAYS FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY "WE should be aiming to eat five portions of fruit and veg a day, but in the UK most of us only manage three." says the Food Standards Agency. FSA nutritionist, Sam Church advised:- "Although most root veg are available all year round, they really come in 2003-12-27 00:00:00 COUNCIL ON STAND-BY IN CASE OF EMERGENCY CHRISTMAS can often be blighted by accidents in the home such as burst pipes. To help prevent misery over the festive period, Liverpool city council installed 24 hour cover from Wednesday 24th December through to Monday 5th January 2004. 2003-12-27 00:00:00 LETTERS TO EDITOR:- MAJORITY STILL OPPOSES FOXHUNTING, SAY ANTI-HUNTING GROUPS "AS fox hunts gear up for their traditional Boxing Day meets, anti-hunting campaigners are reminding the government that the majority of people in Britain want to see an end to the cruelty of hunting with dogs. 2003-12-27 00:00:00 THE MESSAGE FROM KIDS TO PARENTS THIS NEW YEAR KIDS might not be interested in making their own New Year's resolutions, but there's one thing that kids as young as five want their parents to do in January and that's book the family summer holiday early, according to research by leading family holiday 2003-12-27 00:00:00 CCTV Images Released of Robbery on Moss Lane MERSEYSIDE Police have released CCTV images of a robbery which occurred at Huttons Off Licence on Moss Lane, Fazakerley, at around 9.30pm on Saturday 20 December 2003. 2003-12-27 00:00:00 CALLING ALL RUNNERS For 2004!!!!!!!!!!! NSPCC SEEKS ENTRANTS IN THE FLORA LONDON MARATHON TO SUPPORT FULL STOP CAMPAIGN HAVE you been allocated a place in the 2004 Flora London Marathon on Sunday 18th April? If so, why not use your place to raise funds for the work of the National Society for 2003-12-27 00:00:00 Get in touch with your mind, body and soul... THERE'S a world of learning in store for Liverpool people who want to make a new start for the new year... The city council's Education and Lifelong Learning service is holding hundreds of fun, educational courses all over the city from January - to reach 2003-12-27 00:00:00 Fight the Christmas flab & get healthy by walking your dog... YEAR after year we have an extra helping of Christmas pud on the condition that our new year 2003-12-27 00:00:00 Fatal Fail-to-Stop Road Traffic Collision - Crosby Road South MERSEYSIDE Police are appealing for witnesses to a fatal road traffic collision in Seaforth. At about 4am on Wednesday (24th December) a Rover car was in collision with a motorbike on Crosby Road South. The 49 year old driver of the motorcycle was taken 2003-12-27 00:00:00 JOB ADVERT:- Headteacher RANGE HIGH School is a popular, over subscribed, 11 to 18 Community School, with 1281 pupils including 243 in the 6th Form. It is located in Formby in a fine residential area offering good commuter links. The school is situated close to open countryside 2003-12-27 00:00:00 Christmas Eve IN THE Old Bank IT WAS Christmas Eve and we were in the Old Bank, in Southport, as party goers from all around the area got into the Christmas spirit. We had in our arsenal this time our very own Blimp, that flew over and took a few shots. Well, 2003-12-27 00:00:00 2003 was a year of controversy and celebration. 2003 HAS been a year of controversy and celebration. In the first week of March, as the world was looking at the possibilities of War in Iraq, the Labour Party held its North West Regional Conference in the Floral Hall. Outside a mass of protesters gather 2003-12-20 00:00:00 KIDS VOTE ON 'FRIEND SHIP' LIVERPOOL'S Youth Parliament faces a crunch decision tomorrow (Tuesday, December 16) that will transport 40,000 youngsters to a new world 2003-12-20 00:00:00 On the Street WE are out and about on New Years Eve, so keep and Eye out for us and give us a wave. You might be photographed for the first edition of Southport Reporter in 2004.... We will be in Southport at Midnight! These are a few people we got on our walk 2003-12-20 00:00:00 MAJOR ROUTES WHERE ROADWORKS WILL BE SUSPENDED OVER THE CHRISTMAS SEASON M6 Thelwall Viaduct Junction 20-21a, Warrington, Cheshire 2003-12-20 00:00:00 SOUTHPORT PUBS PROMOTE SOFT OPTION THIS CHRISTMAS THE Mount Pleasant on Manchester Road and The Railway on Liverpool Road are once again backing The Portman Group 2003-12-20 00:00:00 Christmas celebrations at Southport EXPECTANT mothers and mums who have recently given birth at Southport 2003-12-20 00:00:00 Big Chip Awards 2003 Appeals for Liverpool or entries to all companies with internet or other digital activity LIVERPOOL'S digital and interactive communications companies are being invited to submit their entries for this year's Big Chip Awards 2003-12-20 00:00:00 Community's ONE of the city's oldest communities is getting a million pound make-over thanks to a new Home Zone grant. Grafton Street, in the Shorefield area of Liverpool, will be re-designed to make it more community friendly. Improvements include traffic calming 2003-12-20 00:00:00 HUMBUG... THE majority of people in the North West feel that compassion is draining out of society and want people in public life to display a more compassionate attitude, according to a MORI poll published this week, carried out for the national homelessness 2003-12-20 00:00:00 Farther Christmas Spotted in Formby and in Southport. FATHER Christmas has had a very hectic week this week, getting ready for his Christmas run, but he took time to visit Southport. He was pictured with the Churchtown bras band in the Cambridge Arcade on Saturday 13 December. We then court up with him on 2003-12-20 00:00:00 SLEG ANNOUNCES IT'S NEW EVENTS PROGRAMME ENTHUSIASTIC followers of Esperanto, the international language, can look forward to a series of interesting meetings in the forthcoming months in Lancashire and Merseyside, during 2004 - the centenary year of the Esperanto Association of Britain. South 2003-12-20 00:00:00 Ocean Colour Scene have announced Damon Minchella, the band THE band 2003-12-20 00:00:00 It A Parliamentary report out today reveals that electricity customers are getting a poor deal from their energy companies. Merseyside MPs Frank Field & George Howarth helped to write the report of the influential Public Accounts Committee into the wholesale 2003-12-20 00:00:00 Festival of Skills MORE than 6,000 schoolchildren are expected to descend upon Aintree Race Course for a major event organised by the Learning and Skills Council in Greater Merseyside. Predominately aimed at year nine pupils, The Festival of Skills is being held on 2nd and 2003-12-20 00:00:00 UK TRAVEL AND ADVANCE WEATHER WARNINGS THE RAC said, "Christmas traveling is multi directional, unlike the summer and Bank Holidays, where traffic tends to be heading in one direction resulting in heavy congestion. At Christmas time travel flows tend to cancel each other out, as for every 2003-12-20 00:00:00 MORETON SEA CADETS LEND A HELPING HAND AT ICELAND THE local Wallasey Sea Cadets joined in the festive spirit this weekend at Moreton 2003-12-20 00:00:00 Liverpool will twin with the American city of Memphis, Tennessee for 2004. THERE'LL be plenty more sightings of Elvis in Liverpool as the capital of pop teams up with the birthplace of rock and roll to celebrate 50 years of 'the Devil's music'. 2003-12-20 00:00:00 BOOST FOR CHRISTMAS MOTORISTS - ROAD WORKS LIFTED TO KEEP TRAFFIC ON THE MOVE TO make travel easier over Christmas and the New Year, the Highways Agency will be working to keep as many lanes open as possible on England's motorway and trunk roads. 2003-12-20 00:00:00 PRESCOT GIRL TAKES TOP BUSINESS AWARD IN 1994, a Prescot comedienne decided to leave her stand up routine behind to embark on a brave new business venture. Last Friday, the 38 year old mother of one, Deirdre Bounds, collected the award for 2003-12-20 00:00:00 SOUTHPORT 1O WIDNES ST MARIES 21 AGAIN Southport Reporter sponsored Sandstormers had key players missing, but everyone on the field made a good account of themselves. Widnes St Maries one of the league leaders and the first team in the national conference first division, a club with a 2003-12-20 00:00:00 FESTIVE FEATURES FROM THE FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY IN the count down to Christmas the FSA website will be releasing a new festive feature every day this week. So log on to www.food.gov.uk to ensure that when it comes to handling festive food you have every base covered 2003-12-20 00:00:00 Letter for Editor... Peeling the sprouts "Dear Southport and Mersey Reporter Group, Peeling the sprouts isn't everyone's idea of fun at Christmas, but Lucy has been looking forward to it all year. Last Christmas, she wasn't at home watching her children open presents and cooking lunch. Lucy was 2003-12-20 00:00:00 Sandgrounders V Bradford SOUTHPORT came into this game aiming to do the double over Bradford Park Avenue having won the 1-0 away fixture in October. The Sandgrounders gave home debuts to Alex Mortimer and Carl Baker in a strong line-up, manager Liam Watson able to field players 2003-12-20 00:00:00 Amnesty International On 13 December Southport and Formby Group met out side the front of Christ Church, in Southport with the Tree of Hope Vigil. 2003-12-20 00:00:00 24 HOUR TRAINING TOOL BUSINESSES across Sefton can now access state-of-the-art IT training from the comfort of their offices as part of a new 2003-12-20 00:00:00 Letters To Editor.... Xmas Lights THE Champion contained an article indicating they had been inundated with congratulatory calls about the coloured lights. What did they expect? This is what the people of Southport have been waiting for ever since the campaign started. 2003-12-20 00:00:00  ACCORDING TO RESEARCH BY debt Free Direct, the independent company which provides free, impartial and professional advice to people with debt problems, 15.6 million people will incur around 2003-12-20 00:00:00 RAILEX DONATION TO SEFTON PLAY COUNCIL RAILEX systems Ltd, the Southport based office storage and filing specialist, has shown its support for he Sefton Play Council by donating