On The Spot News | OTS News - Southport

Councillor endorses pension petition calling for missed payment checks

A new petition could point the way for a section of Southport women to be refunded missing pension entitlements which has been welcomed by Sefton Councillor Pat Keith. “ It is planned

23rd September 2020

Government announces £10,000 fines for failing to self-isolate due to Covid-19 plus new £500 lockdown support packages

The Government will introduce a new legal duty requiring people in England to self-isolate if they test positive for Coronavirus, or are traced as a close contact. From next Monday (28 September),

23rd September 2020

Coronavirus survivors should donate blood, medics say

The NHS are asking men in Southport who have recovered from coronavirus, to donate blood plasma. Doctors leading the NHS Blood and Transplant have made the urgent appeal because there is currently

22nd September 2020

Tip queues build up as winter time change looms

Queues at the Southport recycling centre are once again increasing as hundreds of people rush to get rid of their rubbish before the tip changes its opening hours. In October the waste

22nd September 2020

Town centre pub shuts after staff member tests positive for coronavirus

The landlady of a Southport pub says she is not taking any chances after one of her staff tested positive for coronavirus. Annie McTarggart, landlady of the Wellington Pub on Eastbank Street,

22nd September 2020

Can you find Coco? Birkdale Budgie last seen flying solo at pub

A budgie which has disappeared from a Birkdale family home was last seen in a pub according to witnesses. Coco the bright yellow budgie disappeared from a house on Kew Road, Birkdale

22nd September 2020

Sweary Birkdale blooper leaves teacher red faced

A Birkdale High teacher has been left red faced after a virtual assembly went drastically wrong. The unnamed staff member had gone out of their way to put together a special virtual

22nd September 2020

Fourth man arrested for the murder of Stephen Maguire

Detectives investigating the murder of Stephen Maguire in Birkdale in March have arrested a fourth man today, Tuesday, 22 September. Emergency services were called to an address in Guildford Road shortly after

22nd September 2020

SWANS stop traffic on Formby bypass

Furious drivers on the northbound carriageway of the Formby bypass have had their journeys ground to a halt thanks to a family of swans. In a scene straight from Hot Fuzz, a

22nd September 2020

Southport Dance Academy closes temporarily after teacher tests positive for coronavirus

The Southport Dance Academy has temporarily closed after a teacher tested positive for Covid-19. The Mornington Road based dance school will close for a deep clean after the positive test. “One of

22nd September 2020

Cross party group of politicians determined to reunite North West towns and cities by rail

North West towns and cities including Preston, Southport and Ormskirk could soon be connected by rail thanks to a growing cross-party campaign by local MPs, council leaders and business leaders. They have

22nd September 2020

Pleasureland closes early for Summer but plans Winter special events

Southport Pleasureland has taken the decision to end their 2020 Summer season early as Covid-19 restrictions come into force in the region amid rising case numbers. Southport Pleasureland owner Norman Wallis said:

22nd September 2020

Mum & Daughter duo host bake sale to spread cheer

A mother and daughter have hosted a charity bake sale in a sunny Southport park to help raise smiles and money for charity. Sally Tasker heaped praise today on both her daughter

20th September 2020

‘Is this a joke?’ Motorists oblivious to pop up cycle lane

A pop up cycle lane in Southport which has cut off a once busy arterial road through the town has infuriated motorists. Work has been completed on closing off half of the

20th September 2020

Rats scare Sunday supermarket shoppers

Shoppers at a popular town centre supermarket screamed in shock this afternoon after encountering rats scuttling around their car. Louise Prendagast says she returned to her car parked at the Victoria Park

20th September 2020

Council finally put horse bus stop out to stud

After decades of taking up space on the promenade, Council highways chiefs have finally decided to get rid of the Horse Bus Stop near to Funland. An order has been made for

20th September 2020

Dodgy driver leaves fake details after Botanic Gardens smash

Police and insurance officials are hunting a driver of a grey car which will have suffered serious damage after colliding with other parked cars in Southport. Unfortunately little is currently known about

20th September 2020

Lights fail at busy Lord Street junction

Traffic lights on a busy Lord Street junction have failed tonight. The light system on the corner of Nevill Street and Lord Street have totally failed with cars inching out into the

19th September 2020

Yet another RTC at well-known accident black spot

Police have been called to an accident hotspot after yet another smash at a well-known danger junction. Two cars have collided at the junction of Portland Street and Cemetery Road just after

19th September 2020

Cyclists wheelie confused over Chapel Street signage

Cyclists say they couldn’t ‘help but laugh’ after noticing a glaring error on a brand new pop up cycle lane in the town centre. For years cycling has been supposedly banned along

19th September 2020

Chimney fire leads to mile long tailbacks to Southport

A chimney fire in Ince Blundell has inadvertently led to mile long traffic tailbacks as thousands of people head to Southport this afternoon. A massive smoke stack at a private property near

19th September 2020

BREAKING: Southport lockdown confirmed as virus cases shoot up

Southport is once again set to plunge into a semi lockdown state as part of Merseyside-wide Coronavirus restrictions. Pubs will shut early, care homes visits have been severely restricted and meetings at

18th September 2020

Law bosses warn Southport businesses over ‘lax’ data protection

Data protection of customer information across Southport may be forgotten as local businesses continue to focus their efforts on Covid Compliance To ensure businesses could re-open as safely as possible, the Government

17th September 2020

Ainsdale school shuts completely after Coronavirus case

A specialist school in Ainsdale has closed today according to teachers after a confirmed case of Covid-19 in the school. An alert was sent to parents at Merefield School in Ainsdale last

17th September 2020

Work nears completion on new Birkdale bar set to open this week

Work on ‘@No.4’, Birkdale’s newest bar, is nearing completion ahead of opening this week. No date has yet been confirmed for opening but a post on the Birker’s Bar Facebook page suggests

17th September 2020

Sefton’s health director stresses coronavirus tests are only for people with symptoms

With a recent survey of the country’s coronavirus testing sites showing a quarter of people turning up for tests did not have symptoms, Sefton’s Director of Public Health Margaret Jones has reminded

17th September 2020

Resort home care team pull off major expansion

A Southport-based home care group has launched a new operation in Preston as part of a £200,000 investment. Fast growing family-run home care provider, Alcedo Care, has opened a new regional office

16th September 2020

Unusual police escort causes Lord Street commotion

A police escort with a difference caused quite the stir this afternoon after a rarely sighted Police HGV was given a blue light escort through Southport. The massive mobile tactical command unit

16th September 2020

Community worker from Southport lives on refugee’s rations to raise awareness of plight

Could you live on the same daily food intake as a refugee fleeing war or famine? A Southport woman is doing just that through a Ration Challenge, in order to raise

16th September 2020

Pair charged in Portland Street knife attack are finally named

Two men who are charged in connection with a shocking knifepoint robbery at a Southport corner shop have gone before the courts. John Garnett, 33 and of no fixed abode, was charged

16th September 2020