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Hi Debra – As the owner, I would like to thank you for your very kind review. It is a privilege for us to serve our community, and we count ourselves very blessed to have been able to remain open during lockdown, when so many other shops were sadly, forced to close. Credit must go to all our hard working, and very dedicated staff – without whom we would not have been able to operate through these very challenging times. Especially those staff who have tirelessly worked the early morning shifts (Andrew & Astrid), the young people who have continued to deliver papers throughout the pandemic, and the bad weather (Emily, Isaac, Taylor, Helen, Rebecca, Oliver, Harry & Tom), our junior shop assistants (Annie & Adam), our ''back-room-staff'" builders (Janet & Michael)..... and not forgetting family members (husband Brian, and daughter Vyrnwy)! Finally, we would not be in business in our 159th year if it was not for our customers – so the final thank you must go to our wonderful local community, and village visitors ! Judy & the team at Williams

To update your story from this morning, United Utilities have started their work and there is now a large hole in the road, which is properly closed, just in case people are tempted to take their usual shortcut.

Can anybody recommend a local house designer/builder to help us with an extension at the rear of our house?

United Utilities turned up last night at 9.30pm without any warning. Usually they are very good at keeping us up to date on progress. I said it wasn't convenient for us to have them digging up the road for which they were very grateful. They said they would just " set it up" for today....Two cones across the road! See what happens today.

I believe the same dog was charging up and down Paddock and Kettle Lane on Thursday afternoon, I tried to entice it but he /she wasn't interested, although it seemed to have a friendly disposition

I have now seen , on two separate days, a dog wandering alone through the village. Large Labrador sized, brown/tan. First time a couple of days ago (s)he was powering up Cheshire Street ( in the road) past the cemetery and today on Turnpike Field before running out onto Green Lane and then turning back toward the village. Looks well fed and looked after so I think it is escaping from a garden rather than being a stray. Worried about its interpretation of the Green Cross Code though! Anyone know where it belongs?

Can anyone recommend someone reliable who can carry out kitchen and bathroom renovations with a degree of building work/knocking through walls /installing kitchen/electrics etc. Many thanks.

I was appalled today going for a walk on turnpike field to see that some totally irresponsible dog owner had allowed their dog to leave its mess next to one of the picnic benches and didn't even have the decency to pick it up and put it in the bin provided, these people should be named and shamed.

Hi, I would recommend Anthony Jess for this sort of work.
He is local – from Shavington and reliable and his work is first class.
His number is 07913 533 859 and e:mail is anthonyjessroofing@outlook.com
Good luck.
Nigel.

Could anyone recommend a local builder please? We need some roof flashing & tiles replaced along with repairs to a ceiling lantern.

I couldn't agree more with Bob's observations and comments. I've seen a number of Mums looking at their phones while pushing their child's pram / buggy into the road to cross over and hardly paying attention to the traffic – unbelievable! I was taught "wherever you are – be there!". Back in the days when we could all go shopping, I once suggested this to a sales assistant who was engrossed in a deep conversation with one of her colleagues whilst simultaneously dealing with my purchase. Sadly, my suggestion went sailing straight over her head. Faced with similar situations, I now tend to purposely mumble in order to get them to pay attention.

On a completely different tack, I feel exactly the same way that Sandra does about dogs and poo when I see young mothers walking along the street glued to their mobiles with very young children in tow. More often than not, they haven't a clue what is going on about them whilst they chat with their mates, and appear totally ignorant of the dangers their children are under from traffic. The same applies about the points Sandra raised; walking your child should be an interactive and bonding experience, a time to teach youngsters road craft, the etiquette of socialisation and good manners. Unfortunately, not only are they being irresponsible parents, but their behaviour borders on criminal neglect! Guess where the blame will lie is anything should happen to their child.

Clearly the leek in question is a purposely grown specimen as it is already topped and tailed
Chris Lewis

As a dog owner too, on my many walks, the one thing that really annoys me is seeing dog owners dawdling along with their animals, looking at their phones. They are completely unaware of what their dogs are doing, and consequently walk on often leaving a trail of poo behind them. Walking you dog should be an interactive and bonding experience, a time to teach your dog the etiquette of socialisation and good manners around people and other dogs. To those people I say, switch off, put the phone in your pocket and look around you, we live in a beautiful world!

I would like to say a big thank you to 5-year-old William who delivered 100 daffodils to 100 houses yesterday, doing a star jump at each house, in memory of Captain Sir Tom Moore. The daffodil you left at my house certainly did brighten up my day and I hope your legs feel okay after all those star jumps! Well done young man!

The hills make a watershed so that everything North of the line from the top of the hill on Norton road (mere means boundary) to Woore flows into the Mersey, South goes to the Severn via the Tern and East goes to the Trent. The county boundaries coincide in places with these geographical features.

Has anyone locally had their house roof tiles cleaned? I would appreciate hearing of anyone's experience and any recommendations (or otherwise) of contractors.

Can anyone recommend a local company that would fit composite decking please?

When I was 11, a long time ago now, a friend & I set out up the brook with our wellies on to find the source of the brook. We fancied ourselves as great explorers. Sadly we had to go home for tea before we found it

Sorry Geraint but I'm unable to help you regarding the change of name to Pentre House. I would guess that when the property was sold and reverted to a private dwelling it was bought by a person of welsh extraction who regarded Salford as a 'small village' and found the name appropriate. The family farm resides well inside England but was given a Welsh name after the estate was bought up by a Welshman of means in the mid 19th century. But then, I guess that all of England was Welsh until the thieving Angles and Saxons stole it from us !! In the mode of the day it must be time for a compensation claim, but perhaps we should look to Rome for the fist four centuries and go on from there. Thanks for your kind words.

Hi Billy,
I may be wrong but I've just traced the Brook back as far as I can and I reckon it's source is this side of Woore in College Fields where the ground is higher.
It's joined by lots of other drains and streams and ditches as it makes its way through Buerton, Chapel End, Bunsley Bank and then Audlem before joining the Weaver not far from you.
There is also another branch which joins the one coming from Buerton near Longhill Lane and that starts out near Mere Farm on the Norton Road and flows past Highfields and then eventually under the A525.
So th answer really is that it starts all over the place!
Nigel.

Go anywhere you fancy . Canal tow paths, footpaths, country lanes , playing field , turnpike field . They all have one thing in common . You've guessed it folks . Irresponsible dog owners leaving a trail of dog poo .

Does anyone know where the River...sorry...Brook starts from please? I bet someone does. Don't worry, I'm not going to dam it to stop it flooding my place...but I must admit...the thought is very tempting! It's just for reference when someone asks me which, during this last lot of flooding, quite a few people have.

I am a new dog owner. I promise I will always pick up my dog's poo and will never, ever put the poo bag anywhere other than a poo bin or my own bin. I once saw a dog owner stand and watch her dog poop about 3 feet inside my property on the end of its lead. It has always disgusted me and now it's my turn to practise what I have always preached. I have never understood the thinking behind hanging them up on branches etc – why do people do this?

Having just walked down the canal from Coxbank to the village with my dog I was appalled to see the amount of dog faeces that had not been picked up! There is no excuse for this! There are bins on the canal for disposal of such waste, why oh why can't people use them! I'm sure the majority of dog walkers do but it's the minority that give us dog lovers a bad name!