Latest news with #WestSussexCountyCouncil
The Sun
20-05-2025
- The Sun
OAP, 91, tragically drowns after driving into a canal as council warned over road safety
AN OAP has died after drowning in a canal as a coroner issues an urgent warning to council officials. Doreen Turner, 91, tragically lost her life after driving her car into the body of water in Chichester, West Sussex. 3 3 The horror crash happened on November 1 last year and sparked a police investigation. A coroner has now ruled West Sussex County Council must install more safety measures along the road. A probe found there was no forensic evidence of any mechanical issues in Doreen's car. Officers also concluded the 91-year-old had suffered no impairments that would affect her driving. However the kerb at the end of the road was found to measure shorter than the standard height requirement. A council spokesperson said: "We are currently reviewing this site in consultation with Sussex Police and will be responding to the coroner accordingly." Coroner Joanne Andrews could not determine the exact reason why Doreen's car left the road. But she warned the council "action should be taken". "In my opinion, action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe your organisation has the power to take such action," she said. This incident marks the second fatal crash in the same area within the past five years. The coroner said the inquest heard there were "no devices present to prevent a vehicle which passes over the kerbstones from entering the canal". Beyond the kerb there is a five-foot section of grass before the canal starts. West Sussex County Council has until June 25 to respond officially to the coroner's concerns. Earlier this month we reported the body of an unidentified woman in her 50s was pulled from a canal. Cops had rushed to the Lee Navigation in Homerton, east London, at around 11.40am, following reports of a body in the canal. No arrests have yet been made in connection with her death. Elsewhere, an inquest heard how a two-year-old boy tragically drowned in a canal just as his family were in the process of moving house due to fears of living so close to the water. Jayce Olutola was found by a police officer after he went missing from his home in Ettingshall, Wolverhampton, on August 11 last year. And, a teenage boy who tragically died after jumping into a canal was pictured for the first time this month. Delvin Musakwa, 13, was pulled from the water after jumping into the canal in Exeter, Devon, on May 5. Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious, and added they will prepare a file for the coroner. 3
The Independent
19-05-2025
- The Independent
County council warned over lack of road safety after woman, 91, drove into canal
A coroner has told a county council it must address its lack of road safety features, after an elderly women drowned by driving into a canal. Doreen Turner, 91, died on the evening of November 1 last year, after her car went into the canal in Chichester, west Sussex, when there was no evidence of mechanical failure in the vehicle or impairment of the driver. She reached the canal via South Bank, a residential cul-de-sac where another driver had previously entered the waterway in the same place in the last five years. An inquest into her death heard that the kerbing at the end of the road, which is managed by West Sussex County Council, was less than the standard height. Joanne Andrews, area coroner for West Sussex, said the inquest also heard there were 'no devices present to prevent a vehicle which passes over the kerbstones from entering the canal'. Besides the kerbing, there was only a five-foot long grass section at the end of the road between the road and the canal. It is not clear why the car ended up in the canal, Ms Andrews said. The coroner added: 'In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe your organisation has the power to take such action.' The inquest, which concluded last month, found Ms Turner died as a result of drowning having entered the water. Copies of the coroner's prevention of future deaths report were sent to West Sussex County Council, Ms Turner's family and the chief coroner for England and Wales.
Scottish Sun
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
UK Victorian seaside town that inspired Oscar Wilde play to get huge £3million revamp that ‘starts in weeks'
The makeover will replace the original 'wiggly lines' which were strongly criticised by residents MAJOR REVAMP UK Victorian seaside town that inspired Oscar Wilde play to get huge £3million revamp that 'starts in weeks' A VICTORIAN seaside town that inspired Oscar Wilde's most famous play is to be given a multi-million pound makeover. Work to transform Worthing town centre with performance areas, hospitality kiosk and a living "green wall" is due to begin in the next few weeks. Advertisement 5 The original design zone was branded 'a waste of money' with a 'silly design' at a huge cost to the taxpayer The move to revamp the area comes after residents deemed the original design of the newly pedestrianised zone a "waste of money" and criticised its "tacky" design. "Wiggly" white lines were added to a new tarmac surface in 2022 as part of a £178,000 scheme to make its town centre car-free and 'brighten up' the area. The lines will now be removed with the area at the centre of a £3.1m renovation project to create a community space, dubbed Montague Gardens. The project, a joint venture between Worthing Borough Council and West Sussex County Council, will also include lawn space and children's play equipment. Advertisement 5 'Wiggly' white lines were added to the new tarmac surface Work on the project is expected to take 15 to 18 months, a spokesperson for Worthing Borough Council said. A spokesperson for the council confirmed to The Sun the work is due to begin in the "next couple of weeks". One resident who is looking forward to the latest development in the area is Susan Belton, chair of the Worthing Society, which openly criticised the "wiggly lines" scheme". Advertisement "We weren't happy with those lines at all," she told The Sun. "They just weren't in keeping with the historical context of the area, which dates back to 1783. "There are many listed buildings in that area and we need more of a red brick setting than what is there at present." 5 Final designs for the new green space, to be called Montague Gardens, have been agreed after input from residents, access groups, businesses and community groups Worthing Borough Council said the original design was a temporary measure which was then followed by public consultation. Advertisement The space, which will connect Montague Street to Worthing seafront, will be paid for by £2.7 million of funds raised from developers building in the area, as well as £400,000 from West Sussex County Council. The space will be inspired by early-19th Century seaside gardens, the council added. Montague Gardens is the third such project to begin in Worthing alongside previous improvements to Portland Road and ongoing construction works in Railway Approach. 5 The project forms part of the public realm regeneration programme within the current Worthing Growth Deal Advertisement The projects are part of wider regeneration plans for the town centre as part of the Worthing Growth Deal between the councils. While the area under development dates back to the 18th century, in the summer of 1894 Irish playwright Oscar Wilde spent two months in the seaside town, initially with his wife Constance and his two young sons. It was during this holiday that he wrote his most famous play, The Importance of Being Earnest, with Wilde believed to have named the main protagonist, Jack Worthing, in honour of the Victorian town. 5 As well as inspiring Oscar Wilde, Worthing has also been an inspiration to James Bond director Sam Mendes Advertisement The resort was also the inspiration for acclaimed Hollywood and James Bond director Sam Mendes, with Worthing's Pavilion Theatre used as a filming location for his ode to cinema movie The Empire of Light. Susan added she was pleased the council had listened to residents and performed a U-turn. "I think the fact residents and our society came out against the original design had something to do with the change in direction," she said. "I'm just glad the council listened to the historical context of the area."
The Irish Sun
19-05-2025
- General
- The Irish Sun
UK Victorian seaside town that inspired Oscar Wilde play to get huge £3million revamp that ‘starts in weeks'
A VICTORIAN seaside town that inspired Oscar Wilde's most famous play is to be given a multi-million pound makeover. Work to transform Worthing town centre with performance areas, hospitality kiosk and a living "green wall" is due to begin in the next few weeks. Advertisement 5 The original design zone was branded 'a waste of money' with a 'silly design' at a huge cost to the taxpayer The move to revamp the area comes after residents deemed the original design of the newly pedestrianised zone a "waste of money" and criticised its "tacky" design. "Wiggly" white lines were added to a new tarmac surface in 2022 as part of a £178,000 scheme to make its town centre car-free and 'brighten up' the area. The lines will now be removed with the area at the centre of a £3.1m renovation project to create a community space, dubbed Montague Gardens. The project, a joint venture between Worthing Borough Council and West Sussex County Council, will also include lawn space and children's play equipment. Advertisement 5 'Wiggly' white lines were added to the new tarmac surface Work on the project is expected to take 15 to 18 months, a spokesperson for Worthing Borough Council said. A spokesperson for the council confirmed to The Sun the work is due to begin in the "next couple of weeks". One resident who is looking forward to the latest development in the area is Susan Belton, chair of the Worthing Society, which openly criticised the "wiggly lines" scheme". Advertisement "We weren't happy with those lines at all," she told The Sun. "They just weren't in keeping with the historical context of the area, which dates back to 1783. Most read in The Sun "There are many listed buildings in that area and we need more of a red brick setting than what is there at present." 5 Final designs for the new green space, to be called Montague Gardens, have been agreed after input from residents, access groups, businesses and community groups Worthing Borough Council said the original design was a temporary measure which was then followed by public consultation. Advertisement The space, which will connect Montague Street to Worthing seafront, will be paid for by £2.7 million of funds raised from developers building in the area, as well as £400,000 from West Sussex County Council. The space will be inspired by early-19th Century Montague Gardens is the third such project to begin in Worthing alongside previous improvements to Portland Road and ongoing construction works in Railway Approach. 5 The project forms part of the public realm regeneration programme within the current Worthing Growth Deal Advertisement The projects are part of wider regeneration plans for the town centre as part of the Worthing Growth Deal between the councils. While the area under development dates back to the 18th century, in the summer of 1894 Irish playwright Oscar Wilde spent two months in the seaside town, initially with his wife Constance and his two young sons. It was during this holiday that he wrote his most famous play, The Importance of Being Earnest, with Wilde believed to have named the main protagonist, Jack Worthing, in honour of the Victorian town. 5 As well as inspiring Oscar Wilde, Worthing has also been an inspiration to James Bond director Sam Mendes Advertisement The resort was also the inspiration for acclaimed Hollywood and James Bond director Read more on the Irish Sun Susan added she was pleased the council had listened to residents and performed a U-turn. "I think the fact residents and our society came out against the original design had something to do with the change in direction," she said. "I'm just glad the council listened to the historical context of the area."
The Sun
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
UK Victorian seaside town that inspired Oscar Wilde play to get huge £3million revamp that ‘starts in weeks'
A VICTORIAN seaside town that inspired Oscar Wilde's most famous play is to be given a multi-million pound makeover. Work to transform Worthing town centre with performance areas, hospitality kiosk and a living "green wall" is due to begin in the next few weeks. 5 The move to revamp the area comes after residents deemed the original design of the newly pedestrianised zone a "waste of money" and criticised its "tacky" design. "Wiggly" white lines were added to a new tarmac surface in 2022 as part of a £178,000 scheme to make its town centre car-free and 'brighten up' the area. The lines will now be removed with the area at the centre of a £3.1m renovation project to create a community space, dubbed Montague Gardens. The project, a joint venture between Worthing Borough Council and West Sussex County Council, will also include lawn space and children's play equipment. 5 Work on the project is expected to take 15 to 18 months, a spokesperson for Worthing Borough Council said. A spokesperson for the council confirmed to The Sun the work is due to begin in the "next couple of weeks". One resident who is looking forward to the latest development in the area is Susan Belton, chair of the Worthing Society, which openly criticised the "wiggly lines" scheme". "We weren't happy with those lines at all," she told The Sun. "They just weren't in keeping with the historical context of the area, which dates back to 1783. "There are many listed buildings in that area and we need more of a red brick setting than what is there at present." 5 Worthing Borough Council said the original design was a temporary measure which was then followed by public consultation. The space, which will connect Montague Street to Worthing seafront, will be paid for by £2.7 million of funds raised from developers building in the area, as well as £400,000 from West Sussex County Council. The space will be inspired by early-19th Century seaside gardens, the council added. Montague Gardens is the third such project to begin in Worthing alongside previous improvements to Portland Road and ongoing construction works in Railway Approach. 5 The projects are part of wider regeneration plans for the town centre as part of the Worthing Growth Deal between the councils. While the area under development dates back to the 18th century, in the summer of 1894 Irish playwright Oscar Wilde spent two months in the seaside town, initially with his wife Constance and his two young sons. It was during this holiday that he wrote his most famous play, The Importance of Being Earnest, with Wilde believed to have named the main protagonist, Jack Worthing, in honour of the Victorian town. 5 The resort was also the inspiration for acclaimed Hollywood and James Bond director Sam Mendes, with Worthing's Pavilion Theatre used as a filming location for his ode to cinema movie The Empire of Light. Susan added she was pleased the council had listened to residents and performed a U-turn. "I think the fact residents and our society came out against the original design had something to do with the change in direction," she said. "I'm just glad the council listened to the historical context of the area."
