CHURCH TO CLOSE AS MEETING PLACE IS MADE PERMANENT WIMBLINGTON: Changes to the internal layout of St Peter s Church are to be made permanent - but the church will have to close for three weeks while workmen carry out the improvements. On Sunday the

CHURCH TO CLOSE AS MEETING PLACE IS MADE PERMANENT

WIMBLINGTON: Changes to the internal layout of St Peter's Church are to be made permanent - but the church will have to close for three weeks while workmen carry out the improvements.

On Sunday there will be a joint Beniface service at St Mary's Church, Doddington, at 10.30am to celebrate Pentecost.

On May 18 and May 25, at 11:15am, the church services will be held in the Thomas Eaton Primary School hall, next to the church. Friday Communion services will be suspended until further notice.

Churchwarden Peter James said: "Having removed the pews from the back of the church to create a useful meeting place, St Peter's Church have decided to move forward and make the changes permanent.

"This will involve removing the pew platforms and lowering the floor so that the meeting area is all on one level, making the whole area much more user friendly for everyone, especially for those who have walking difficulties."

During the building work, scrapbooking and card making, Keep fit and Tuesday coffee morning will be suspended.

SUNDAY CAR BOOTS WILL CONTINUE AFTER PLANNING APPROVAL

WIMBLINGTON: Sunday car 'booters' have won the day after Fenland planners overturned their officers' recommendation to shut it down.

A report to Fenland District Council Planning Committee urged that a retrospective application to run a weekly car boot sale at Wimblington should be refused.

The official argued that the Sunday car boot sale at Skylark Garden Centre is "unrelated to any existing activity" outside the development area boundary and should therefore be resisted.

However Robin Gowler's application won support from councillors on Wednesday who voted to allow him to continue the Sunday market with up to 200 pitches at his garden centre in Manea Road. It had attracted little opposition from parish councillors or the highways authority.

Councillor Pam Potts said: "What they do down at Skylark is fantastic and it is a facility we need in Fenland.

"Families can spend hours down there and children can really enjoy themselves.

"I'm definitely going for approval."

Outside the meeting Mr Gowler added: "We're really pleased with the committee's decision.

"Farmers are encouraged to diversify and chose to do so initially with our country store.

"The car boot sales are another way we can extend our business and they're currently well run and very popular with the local community."

COLLEGE DEVELOPMENT PLANS PUT ON HOLD BY COUNCILLORS

FUTURE development of the College of West Anglia and Isle College sites in Wisbech was put on hold by councillors yesterday.

Homes for at least 2,000 people are being reviewed after concerns about the outline application were raised by Fenland council's planning committee.

Councillors felt that local amenities and roads would not cope with the huge development of the sites.

Councillor Roger Green said: "If this development attracts two to three thousand people that means there will be at least another thousand to 1,500 cars on Wisbech road.

"The congestion around the Ramnoth Road area is horrendous and has anyone thought about how Wisbech will cope with the extra traffic?"

The development of the two sites went before Fenland's planning committee on Wednesday in two separate planning applications. Both had been recommended by officers for approval.

While outline plans for Ramnoth Road has been deferred for further negotiations with town councils, the application for the Elm High Road site was refused on grounds of access.

Councillor Phil Hatton added: "At rush hour, the town in this area comes to a complete standstill.

"I cannot see how any highways changes to junctions in this area are going to help congestion if this development goes ahead."

WOMAN KILLED ON RAILWAY LINE IS IDENTIFIED

TURVES: A woman who died on a railway line after she was hit by a train has been identified.

Yvonne Caylor, of Pringle Road, Whittlesey, died at the Three Horseshoes crossing in March Road, Turves on Friday, April 25.

William Morris, coroner for North & East Cambridgeshire, will open an inquest into her death today.

It is believed the 51-year-old stepped out in front of an oncoming train at around 9.10am. The cause of her death has been recorded as 'multiple injuries'.

FATHER GIVEN FINAL CHANCE TO COMPLETE WORK ORDER - OR FACE JAIL

DODDINGTON: David Feast was given a last chance to complete his unpaid work order this week - or be sent to jail.

Twenty-seven-year-old Feast, who has completed just 14 hours work since he was given a 120-hour order back in November 2006, admitted missing three work sessions.

Adding an extra 20 hours to the order, presiding magistrate Michael Flanagan told Feast: "Make no mistake, if you come back to court in breach of the order again, you will face an immediate custodial sentence."

The probation service had asked magistrates to revoke Feast's work order, saying it was unworkable.

But solicitor Andrew Spence said Feast's situation had significantly changed recently. He had stopped misusing heroin, been offered a job, he was living with his parents at Primrose Hill, and had responsibility for his daughter.

MOTORIST FINED AFTER BEING CAUGHT USING MOBILE PHONE

A MOTORIST who used a mobile phone while driving in Lynn Road at Wisbech has been fined £100.

Erkan Oksuz, 27, also had three points endorsed on his licence by Fenland magistrates, and he was ordered to pay £60 costs and a £15 surcharge after being convicted in absence.

When stopped by police, Oksuz gave an address in Payne Avenue, Wisbech, said prosecutor Andrew Williams. But on the court list on Wednesday, Oksuz had an address in London.