Latest news with #Ames
Daily Mirror
17-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Boss crushed to death in horror work accident after offering to help colleague
Textile company director David Ames died after he was knocked down by an HGV and trapped on a row of steel storage racking at work. His family is now taking legal action The family of a man who was tragically knocked down and killed at work by a reversing HGV is suing his firm. David Ames was a director at Rochdale-based British Millerain, and had volunteered to stay behind on the night he died to wait for a HGV to return, the Health and Safety Executive said. He offered to act as a 'banksman' to help the driver reverse safely into the warehouse. But the HSE said that during the manoeuvre, the driver lost sight of Mr Ames. When he got out of the cab to check, he found him trapped between the HGV and a row of steel storage racking. Paramedics were called, but he was pronounced dead later in hospital. The tragedy happened at around 5.30pm on June 22, 2023 and following a prosecution, where the company was fined £220,000, his family are now making a civil negligence compensation claim. The incident was reported to the HSE, which went on to carry out an investigation that identified 'a number of failings exposing employees to various risks, including having no safe system in place for reversing HGVs', it said in a statement. The British Millerain Company Ltd, based on Buckley Road, Rochdale, pleaded guilty to breaching a section of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The firm was fined also ordered to pay costs of £5,634 at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court on Thursday, July 10. Industrial accident specialist partner Jon Andrews, of Express Solicitors, said the firm was representing the family in a civil negligence compensation claim against his former company. Mr Andrews said: "This was a senseless and tragic accident that should never have happened and was entirely preventable. Workplaces need to make sure they look after their employees and protect them from harm at all times. "We are now taking action against his former company on behalf of the family as Daniel was the main breadwinner and we will be helping to secure their financial future." In a statement issued by the law firm, Mr Ames family said: "He got on well with all his colleagues at work and had a great career. He was a respected professional who loved his job, was well known in the industry and was excited for his future. But that was taken away from us all in an instant. "He was a real family man with a great sense of humour who was always making people smile and laugh and he enjoyed life to the full. We all miss him so much." After the sentencing hearing, HSE inspector Jane Carroll said: "Daniel was clearly popular and respected, but his leadership and dedication to his colleagues was not properly protected by the defendant. "A safe system of work was not in place. We will always take action against those who fail to protect people in work."
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Watch: Logan Bjerke talks the Ames baseball team's 8-3 4A substate loss to DM Lincoln
Ames senior baseball player Logan Bjerke talks the Little Cyclones' 8-3 4A Substate 2 quarterfinal loss to Des Moines Lincoln.
Irish Independent
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Galway International Arts Festival 2025: Locals and visitors react as festival opens in Eyre Square
Now in its 48th year, the festival started on Monday July 14 and will run until July 27. Despite the wet start, with Met Eireann issuing a thunderstorm warning for most of Monday afternoon, the event has already attracted hundreds of expectant people from far and wide. Ames: New to Galway, excited for first arts festival Speaking to the Irish Independent at the Festival Garden in Eyre Square, Ames, who has only been living in the town of the Tribes for five weeks, said he loves the atmosphere already. 'It's absolutely lovely. Everybody's very cheerful and the arts are absolutely beautiful. Talking about the shows ahead, he added: 'I'm going to be looking at the schedule soon. It's all new to me, but it's very exciting. I was a big, big fan of the arts festivals in the States and I come from Tucson, which is known for gemstones and art festivals. So I'm just super excited.' John: Galway native celebrates festival tradition Not too far from him we met Galway city native John, who said he has enjoyed GIAF since he was a child. 'It's quite a fun time, it always brings a lovely vibrant energy to the city. I love to just exploring and walk around.' 'There's a lot of stuff when you finish work, people in the city can just run up to it and have a look at it. I think that's what makes the Galway Arts Festival so unique. 'It's so accessible for everyone. We've just walked up the city there and we've been to two installations already and I think that's what makes it so unique. It's kind of alive. It's not in a gallery, behind a building or something, it's alive,' he said. Eve: 20-year resident says festival has 'something for everyone' Eve is also a festival regular as she has been living in Galway city for 20 years. She explained that her favourite thing about the festival is that 'there's something for everyone'. She added: 'I think everybody from Galway loves [the festival],' she said. 'It brings a real great vibe and you get to see nice things. It's something different, like the circus last night was amazing with Sabotage. So I'd say anyone out there, come to Galway.' The festival is also a special event for staff and business owners. The much-loved Tiny Traders Market has been set up in the festival garden and will use the opportunity to showcase some of its vendors. Martha Begley Schade: Author calls festival stall 'fantastic honour' One of those sellers is children books author, Martha Begley Schade, who said it is a 'fantastic honour and pleasure' for her to be part of it and have a stall at the Festival Garden. She said: 'I think it's absolutely wonderful. The atmosphere here is just really great. People are friendly and there's a class, a class feeling about being here. I'm never asked 'are you the author?' Because people just take it for granted that this is the standard that we're bringing. 'It's a wonderful opportunity to actually showcase your products and a bit of Galway to right around the world and it's a lovely feeling because I do feel I'm representing Galway in a small way. 'My dream is that the books will have an impact, so that I have a positive influence on children growing up and being better adults. So can you imagine taking that out onto an international stage? It's a wonderful feeling and I'm really appreciative of the fact that I could be here. Plus all this staff here, the security guys, the guys with the coffee, it's a really fantastic honour and pleasure to be here.' Headline acts and diverse programming A variety of acts are on offer at this year's festival. Locally formed band The Stunning return to familiar territory when they perform at the Heineken Big Top on July 26. Further headline acts consist of Irish bands Kingfishr (July 20), Picture This (July 21-22) and the Mary Wallopers (July 19), while Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Natasha Bedingfield will also take to the Big Top on July 17. There is plenty more on offer outside of just music. A variety of visual arts performances, talks, and theatre shows will take place in venues across the city. The hefty list of shows includes Oh… a solo show by Mikel Murfi set in the main tank of Galway Atlantaquaria and shows Scorched Earth by Luke Murphy and The Cave by Caitríona McLaughlin and starring Aaron Monaghan, Judith Roddy and Tommy Tiernan.
Irish Independent
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
View from the street as Galway International Arts Festival kicks off – ‘It's a fantastic honour to be here'
Now in its 48th year, the festival started on Monday July 14 and will run until July 27. Despite the wet start, with Met Eireann issuing a thunderstorm warning for most of Monday afternoon, the event has already attracted hundreds of expectant people from far and wide. Speaking to the Irish Independent at the Festival Garden in Eyre Square, Ames, who has only been living in the town of the Tribes for five weeks, said he loves the atmosphere already. 'It's absolutely lovely. Everybody's very cheerful and the arts are absolutely beautiful. Talking about the shows ahead, he added: 'I'm going to be looking at the schedule soon. It's all new to me, but it's very exciting. I was a big, big fan of the arts festivals in the States and I come from Tucson, which is known for gemstones and art festivals. So I'm just super excited.' Not too far from him we met Galway city native John, who said he has enjoyed GIAF since he was a child. 'It's quite a fun time, it always brings a lovely vibrant energy to the city. I love to just exploring and walk around.' 'There's a lot of stuff when you finish work, people in the city can just run up to it and have a look at it. I think that's what makes the Galway Arts Festival so unique. 'It's so accessible for everyone. We've just walked up the city there and we've been to two installations already and I think that's what makes it so unique. It's kind of alive. It's not in a gallery, behind a building or something, it's alive,' he said. Eve is also a festival regular as she has been living in Galway city for 20 years. She explained that her favourite thing about the festival is that 'there's something for everyone'. She added: 'I think everybody from Galway loves [the festival],' she said. 'It brings a real great vibe and you get to see nice things. It's something different, like the circus last night was amazing with Sabotage. So I'd say anyone out there, come to Galway.' The festival is also a special event for staff and business owners. The much-loved Tiny Traders Market has been set up in the festival garden and will use the opportunity to showcase some of its vendors. One of those sellers is children books author, Martha Begley Schade, who said it is a 'fantastic honour and pleasure' for her to be part of it and have a stall at the Festival Garden. She said: 'I think it's absolutely wonderful. The atmosphere here is just really great. People are friendly and there's a class, a class feeling about being here. I'm never asked 'are you the author?' Because people just take it for granted that this is the standard that we're bringing. 'It's a wonderful opportunity to actually showcase your products and a bit of Galway to right around the world and it's a lovely feeling because I do feel I'm representing Galway in a small way. 'My dream is that the books will have an impact, so that I have a positive influence on children growing up and being better adults. So can you imagine taking that out onto an international stage? It's a wonderful feeling and I'm really appreciative of the fact that I could be here. Plus all this staff here, the security guys, the guys with the coffee, it's a really fantastic honour and pleasure to be here.' A variety of acts are on offer at this year's festival. Locally formed band The Stunning return to familiar territory when they perform at the Heineken Big Top on July 26. Further headline acts consist of Irish bands Kingfishr (July 20), Picture This (July 21-22) and the Mary Wallopers (July 19), while Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Natasha Bedingfield will also take to the Big Top on July 17. There is plenty more on offer outside of just music. A variety of visual arts performances, talks, and theatre shows will take place in venues across the city. The hefty list of shows includes Oh… a solo show by Mikel Murfi set in the main tank of Galway Atlantaquaria and shows Scorched Earth by Luke Murphy and The Cave by Caitríona McLaughlin and starring Aaron Monaghan, Judith Roddy and Tommy Tiernan.
ITV News
15-07-2025
- Business
- ITV News
Textile company fined after director killed by reversing lorry in Rochdale
A textile manufacturer has been fined £220,000 after one of its directors was killed by a reversing lorry. Daniel Ames was a director of The British Millerain Company Limited and had offered to stay behind at the company warehouse in Rochdale to wait for the return of the vehicle on 22 June 2023. When the truck arrived at around 5.30pm Mr Ames spoke to the driver and confirmed he would act as banksman to help the vehicle reverse into the warehouse. During the manoeuvre, the driver lost sight of Mr Ames and when he got out to check, he found him trapped between the vehicle and some steel storage racks in the warehouse. The driver called paramedics, but Mr Ames died in hospital from his injuries. Speaking after the company was fined, Mr Ames' family said the outcome left them with "mixed emotions". 'Daniel went to work and never came home again, and we have a massive hole in our lives that will never be filled,' they said in a statement. 'We are glad the company have admitted being responsible for his death and been handed a fine. 'But we remain devastated that we no longer have Daniel in our lives. Today we have still lost a much-loved dad, husband, uncle, son and brother, and we are devastated that his life ended in this way. 'He got on well with all his colleagues at work and had a great career. He was a respected professional who loved his job and was well known in the industry and was excited for his future. "But that was taken away from us all in an instant. 'He was a real family man with a great sense of humour who was always making people smile and laugh and he enjoyed life to the full. We all miss him so much.' The incident was reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), who carried out an investigation into what happened. That identified a number of failings exposing employees to various risks, including having no safe system in place for reversing HGVs. Employees confirmed they had been doing the task for several years but had never received any training. This included one employee who said he had on occasion reversed HGVs into the warehouse with someone else acting as banksman – despite neither being trained to do so. The HSE investigation also found the company had no risk assessment in place in relation to this work, with the regulator serving it with an improvement notice. Following the incident the company carried out a risk assessment that resulted in a safe system of work being implemented, which meant vehicles were no longer reversed using a banksman. The British Millerain Company Limited, of Buckley Road, Rochdale, pleaded guilty to breaching section 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £220,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,634 at Manchester Magistrates Court on 10 July 2025. HSE inspector Jane Carroll said: 'This is a tragic case. "Daniel was clearly popular and respected, but his leadership and dedication to his colleagues was not properly protected by the defendant. 'A safe system of work was not in place.
