A recent report has shown that West Sunderland gamblers spent a staggering £45m on betting machines in a year.
Ben Smith, Ryan Warnock and Alex Price, produced this report on one of the gambling hotspots of the area, in Pallion.
Category Archives: News
Woman arrested after Millfield fire
Photo from sunderlandecho.com
A woman has been arrested by police investigating a fire that burnt down the Zeba takeaway in Millfield, Sunderland.
The fire happened at around 2 am at the Hylton Road balti house on Tuesday March 12 but no one was injured.
Northumbria police have previously stated that it was a suspected arson attack.
Teenager in critical condition after SR4 motorbike crash
A 15-year-old boy is in a critical condition after colliding with a wall in Ettrick Grove, Sunderland while riding a motorbike.
The accident happened on Tuesday March 26, and the boy was taken to the Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary with serious injuries.
Police are appealing for witnesses, or anyone who believes they saw the bike prior to the incident, to contact them on 101 ext 69191.
“Incredibly stupid” man walks onto tracks at Pallion Metro station
The man climbed on the track at Pallion station
A man has been caught walking onto the train lines at Pallion’s Metro station, proceeding to walk in the direction of South Hylton.
While he was walking a Metro train driver saw him alongside the tracks and stopped his train to allow him to board.
British Transport Police (BTP) have now released CCTV footage of a man they want to speak to in connection with the incident, which happened on February 27 around 5pm.
PC Graham Adams said: “I am shocked to see people willing to risk their lives by trespassing on the tracks to save themselves a few minutes. This was an incredibly stupid thing to do.”
Anyone with information relating to this incident is asked to contact BTP on 0800 405040 quoting reference B11/NEA of 18/03/13. Alternatively contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Story first seen at http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/british-transport-police-release-cctv-1764181
Horse meat scandal yet to hurt Millfield businesses
The Orange Leaf cafe seems unaffected
Millfield businesses could see an upturn in trade as the horse meat scandal continues to affect major retailers.
Public trust in beef products has diminished, with sales of frozen burgers in supermarkets plummeting 43 per cent since the beginning of the scandal.
However, smaller businesses have yet to be affected and the scandal could mean consumers shop elsewhere than the big supermarket chains.
Rob Bewick, 51-year-old owner of the Orange Leaf café in Millfield, said: “It’s been no skin off my nose at all. I sell 100 per cent steak burgers and there isn’t any horse in that.
“It actually could be a good thing as people become more educated that eating meat every day isn’t good for you.”
Mr Bewick also says he hasn’t changed his menu since the revelations, and he doesn’t believe that he has lost any customers.
Monika Paulauskaitė, 20, who also works at the café, said: “Some customers have seemed quite angry about it (the horsemeat scandal), but I think that they trust our food to be good quality.”
Though the Orange Leaf seems to be doing well during the crisis, Millfield residents have expressed their concerns about the nationwide situation.
Barry Smith, 38, who lives on Houghton Street, said: “I was shocked when I found out. I mean, how do we know what is safe to eat anymore?”
The Food Standards Agency has launched a survey in response to the scandal but some people think the authorities could do more.
Joan Farrell, 53, from Barnes Park Road, said: “The government needs to step in and sort it out so we can trust our food again.”
For more information and updates on the scandal please visit the Food Standards Agency website www.food.gov.uk or call the helpline on 08450518322.
Sunderland Council announce £37m spending cuts
Sunderland City Council has confirmed £37m of spending cuts are to be made in the 2013 financial year, with job losses likely and library closures possible.
A meeting at Sunderland Civic Centre saw councillors discuss proposals to begin making almost £100m of savings by 2016, with £37m of those to be made during 2013.
A full review of library services will be carried out, while the Council agreed to take control of the city’s museums instead of paying Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums to run them.
Cuts to children’s services will also continue in the third of a four-year plan to make them more efficient by reducing costs at management level.
Parking costs could also go up as the Council agree to find a way to run a “breakeven operation”, as could the cost of leisure facilities which will be run on a greater commercial basis.
Further details of the spending cuts are expected to emerge as consultations on the agreed budget proposals get underway over coming months.
For more information please go to http://tyneandwear.sky.com/news/article/58706/sunderland-council-confirms-cuts-to-jobs-libraries-and-school
Sunderland cannabis farm uprooted
Police have destroyed a cannabis farm found at a residential address in the SR4 area of Sunderland.
200 cannabis plants were discovered at a property on Rosslyn Terrace on Monday March 4.
No arrests have yet been made, however police officers are making enquiries to trace the house’s tenants who officers believe may have important information about the crime.
Chief Inspector Richard Jackson said: “The destruction of this cannabis farm once again demonstrates our ongoing commitment to tackling drug crime in Sunderland.
We would encourage people to contact us if they suspect a property is being used to produce drugs.
Tell tale signs include people arriving at unusual hours, a pungent aroma in the area, blacked out windows or bright lights coming from a number of windows throughout the night.
By working together, we can put a stop to drug offences in Sunderland.”
Anyone with information about drug use or cultivation in their community should contact police on the 101 non-emergency number.
Headstone vandalised in Sunderland cemetery
Vandals threw paint on a gravestone
Police are appealing for information after vandals damaged a grave in Bishopwearmouth Cemetery in Chester Road.
Between midday Saturday March 2, and 3pm Sunday March 3, vandals threw paint over a headstone inside the cemetery in the SR4 area of Sunderland.
Neighbourhood Inspector Dave Pickett said: “Mindless damage like this causes lots of distress to the victims and there is no place for it in our communities.”
Enquiries into the damage are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 ext 69191.
CCTV is released after football fan disorder in Sunderland
Police investigating disorder between Sunderland and West Ham supporters have released CCTV footage of two men they need to identify.
Officers have so far arrested 20 people as part of an investigation into violence, believed to be pre-arranged, which happened at around 2.15pm on Saturday January 12, outside Revolution Bar in Sunderland city centre.
They are all on bail pending further enquiries. The investigation is ongoing as officers continue to try to identify people they need to speak to in connection with the incident.
Anyone who recognises themselves in the images is asked to contact police at the earliest opportunity, and anyone who knows the identity of anyone in the images is asked to contact police on 101 ext69191, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Appeal after SR4 burglary
Police are appealing for witnesses after an attempted burglary in the SR4 area of Sunderland.
The offence took place between 4pm and 4.30pm on Friday February 22 on Thelma Street, and although nothing was taken a roof slate was used to smash a window.
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of burglary and have subsequently been released on bail.
Anyone with information is asked to contact officers in Sunderland on the 101 non-emergency number.
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