FAMILIES are being asked to remove all Christmas tributes and wreaths from Wharton Cemetery in Winsford. Cheshire West and Chester Council is urging grave owners and visitors to dispose of or remove their festive commemorations, if they wish to keep them, by Wednesday, February 17, to allow ongoing maintenance. Cemetery staff will begin to remove any remaining Christmas tributes from Thursday, February 18. The reason for the removal of the tributes is to allow grass cutting to take place from early March. Councillor Karen Shore, cabinet member for environment, said: “The council understands that the removal of Christmas tributes is extremely sensitive and this is why grave owners and visitors are being given notice, so that they may remove their own Christmas tribute should they wish.”
A CONMAN builder scammed elderly customers out of thousands of pounds for fraudulent and substandard home improvement work. Adam Routledge, of Stenhills Crescent in Runcorn, appeared at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to an offence of fraud committed in Manchester. The 36-year-old also had two similar offences of fraud committed in Cheshire taken into consideration before being handed a prison sentence. Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Trading Standards team joined forces with Halton Trading Standards to investigate complaints about the defendant from vulnerable residents in Runcorn and Northwich. They later joined up with Manchester Trading Standards colleagues who were already taking a case against him for similar offences.