TWO men were arrested following a stop check on a van by police officers.The vehicle was stopped leaving Sawtry on the B1043 at Conington at about 3am today (June 26).Metal was recovered and the vehicle was seized.A 30-year-old man from Whittlesey was

TWO men were arrested following a stop check on a van by police officers.

The vehicle was stopped leaving Sawtry on the B1043 at Conington at about 3am today (June 26).

Metal was recovered and the vehicle was seized.

A 30-year-old man from Whittlesey was arrested on suspicion of theft, going equipped, and possession of illegal drugs.

A 24-year-old man from Peterborough was arrested on suspicion of theft.

Both men are in custody at Huntingdon Police Station.

The arrests were made as part of Operation Saruman, the forcewide crackdown on metal theft in the county.

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A WHITTLESEY woman who devoted her life to raising money to help burns victims has died.

Sheila Conning of Whitemoor Street died aged 79 after a short illness. Her funeral is on Monday.

She decided to raise money to establish a burns unit at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, after her mother Ivy died from serious burns after falling on a fire. Mrs Conning believed her mother could have survived if there had been a burns unit in the area, instead she was taken to Norwich.

The Burns Unit Appeal fund was set up in 1976 by Mrs Conning and her sister Brenda Potkins with a target of £250,000 but ended up raising almost a million pounds.

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A THREE month suspended jail sentence was imposed on March man David Morgan this week, after he admitted his fifth offence of driving while disqualified and without insurance.

Morgan, 38, of Tondel Court, Bronze Street, will be supervised by the probation service for the next 18 months, and must take part in the "Think First" programme.

The unemployed painter and decorator, who is already working on a 200-hour unpaid work order, was given another 40 hours work.

Fenland magistrates endorsed eight points on Morgan's driving licence.

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THE late poet Sir John Betjeman once said it was worth cycling 40 miles into a headwind to see St. Wendreda's Church in March, but the building now needs £190,000 for urgent repairs.

It is expected that English Heritage will provide the church with about £150,000 if its parochial church council can prove that £40,000 can be raised locally.

Repairs are needed to the north parapet, above the door.

The Friends of St. Wendreda's Church, formed 20 years ago specifically to raise money for the upkeep of the church, will hold a public meeting next week.

Chairman Peter English said: "We are asking the people of March to come along and embrace their heritage.

The meeting will take place at the church, on Church Street next Wednesday (July 2) from 6.30pm.It will feature a guided tour and a talk and refreshments will be available. Entry is free, but it is hoped that people will be able to help with the fund-raising efforts.

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CATS don't like water, but no-one told the pregnant puss that found a suitable berth to give birth aboard a yacht in Wisbech Yacht Harbour this week.

But this 'puss-in-boat' drama had a happy ending when a member of the harbour staff discovered the wild cat cosily ensconced aboard a 32ft yacht and called out a cat rescue expert.

The wild cat with her two very young kittens was rather 'pussed off' at being disturbed and put up quite a fight before being evicted into the safe hands of a local rescue centre. Mother and babies have been cleaned up and are comfortably settled on dry land.

Harbour Master Peter Harvey, said: "Finding a stowaway wild cat and new-born kittens is a first. We often have to deal with a wide range of animals at the harbour, including the occasional whale, porpoise, seal, dead sheep, swimming cow and pony and even a drowning piglet.

"I am glad one of our sharp-eyed harbour staff spotted the trespasser before too much damage was done. It's all in a day's work for harbour staff."

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A TWENTY-one-year-old motorist involved in a fatal road accident at Leverington last November has been charged with careless driving.

Charlotte Burrell, of Gedney Road, Long Sutton, is accused of driving a Renault Clio without due care and attention on the A1101.

Two people died in the accident, Richard Gilliatt, 31, and Suzanne Parker, 24. Richard was the son of former Wisbech mayor and Fenland councillor Avis Gilliatt, and Suzanne was the daughter of Jack and Helen Parker, of Tydd St Mary.

On Tuesday Fenland magistrates adjourned the case for four weeks, to await the outcome of inquests.

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A THIEF snatched a handbag containing pension money the victim had just withdrawn from a bank.

The incident took place at about 7am on Tuesday in Milner Road, Wisbech.

The victim, a 61-year-old woman, was taken by surprise by two youths who grabbed the bag and ran off toward Albert Court.

She had just withdrawn the cash from a bank in the town centre.

The thieves are described as about 16 years old, 5'3" and both were wearing black or navy hooded tops.

Trevor Bracken, crime reduction manager for Fenland, said: "These youths have taken the opportunity to target a lone woman.

"Handbag and purse thefts have increased and in a bid to combat this small alarms are now available for a small fee at police stations in the constabulary's central division. The alarms have been specially adapted to clip on to handbags."

Anyone with information should contact police on 0845 456 456 4, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

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MAGISTRATES activated a Wisbech man's five month suspended jail sentence this week, after hearing that he had failed to comply with his unpaid work order.

Michal Stolowczk had completed just 18.5 hours of a 200 work order since February - and had missed several work sessions.

"The time has come for us to say the order is not working and we are asking you to activate the suspended sentence order," probation services officer Marie Ludlum told Fenland magistrates.

Stolowczk was given the five month suspended sentence for offences including drink driving, and assault and criminal damage.

This week the court added an extra 14 days in jail for failing to attend court earlier this month.