2 teenagers arrested following laser incident in Liverpool

MERSEYSIDE Police have arrested 2 teenagers following a laser incident that took place within Liverpool on:- 17 July 2025.

We are told that at around midnight, the National Police Air Service (NPAS) Helicopter was en route to an incident, and reported that their aircraft was being targeted by a green laser, fired from an address within West Derby, Liverpool.

Later on, Air Traffic Control at:- Liverpool John Lennon Airport also reported flights into Liverpool Airport had been targeted. The NPAS Helicopter returned to the area and identified an address within the Liverpool area, on:- Haydn Road.

Officers from Merseyside Police attended, and 2 males were detained and arrested on suspicion of shining/directing a laser beam into an aircraft. We are told both males are aged:- 16 and 13, and from the West Derby area. Both were later taken into custody.

Matrix Airport Inspector Danny Fortune said:- "The sheer stupidity and recklessness of shining lasers at aircraft is clear to see, and can have catastrophic consequences. We are grateful to the proactive work from NPAS in tracking down the suspects, and our colleagues at the airport for raising their own concerns. Working in partnership, we will always do all we can to reduce the risk to aircraft, so if you have any information, please come forward, and I would implore any parents, guardians, and friends who are aware that people come into possession of such pens to strongly deter them."

Captain Paul Watts, Head of Flight Operations at NPAS, said:- "We cannot overstate just how reckless it is to distract a pilot and crew with a laser. It not only endangers those in an aircraft but also potentially people on the ground. It is a serious offence. Our crews have the ability to pinpoint where a laser strike comes from and will always work robustly with local Police Forces to ensure those who engage in such dangerous practices are brought to justice before they cause serious harm to others."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Merseyside Police on:- Merseyside.Police.UK or alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on:- 0800555111, or via their website, with reference:- 25000590618.

Weekly food waste collections roll out to start in September

FROM September, select households in Liverpool will begin to receive free, weekly food waste collections as the Council rolls out its newest recycling initiative.

Approximately 15,000 properties are set to benefit, marking a major step towards reducing waste and increasing the City's recycling rates; which are currently among the lowest in the UK.

The properties have been chosen from 15 wards, including:- Childwall, Garston, Fazakerley West and West Derby.

Those who are among the 1st to receive the new service will be notified next month and will receive information packs, a smaller indoor bin (known as a caddy), a larger outdoor caddy, and odourless liners ahead of the launch on:- Monday, 22 September 2025.

All food waste will be able to be recycled, including:- leftovers, vegetable peelings, bones, and teabags.

The outdoor caddies will be pest proof, meaning that:- rats, seagulls, and other unwanted pests will be unable to get inside.

The new food waste collections are an additional service and will be collected on the same day as the purple and blue bins. There will be no changes to the existing bin collection schedules.

A phased roll out will then be extended across the City enabling the Council to test vehicle capacity, routes and gain an early understanding of the amount of food waste being recycled.

Recent research has found that approximately one 3rd of all rubbish thrown away in purple bins is food waste, that could be recycled.

Once collected, the food will be taken away to be recycled via a process called anaerobic digestion.

This is where microorganisms break down the waste in an enclosed space. As they do so, the waste releases methane gas, which is collected and converted into a biogas that can be used to generate electricity, heat, or transport fuels.

Additionally, the waste leaves behind a nutrient rich digestate that can be used as a fertiliser; similar to home composting.

The United Nations estimate that food waste is contributes 8-10 per cent of global man-made greenhouse gas emis­sions. If food waste were a country, it would be the world's 3rd largest emitter after China and the USA.

Recent research also found that just 17.9 per cent of rubbish in the Liverpool was recycled, while approximately one 3rd of all purple bin contents is classed as food waste.

The Council introduced a new Recycling and Waste Strategy earlier this year, which sets out steps the City will take to reduce these harmful emissions over the next five years.

Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, Cabinet Member for Communities, Neighbourhoods and Streetscene said:- "This is an incredibly exciting time for the City. We all produce food waste and some of it is inevitable for many of us, like teabags, chicken bones and vegetable peelings. With the introduction of weekly food waste collections, we'll now be able to put it to good use rather than sending it to be incinerated with the rest of our household waste. Not only will this help reduce carbon emissions, but it also creates products that could be used to heat homes or power vehicles. These food waste collections will eventually be rolled out across the City for everyone to take part. They'll be completely free and won't impact other scheduled bin collections. We'll be working closely with households across each phase of the roll out to help make the introduction as smooth as possible. I'd strongly encourage everyone to start recycling their food waste as soon as they're able to."

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