Rock FM News: Recent Episodes
Rock FM News
The Rock FM news team in Lancashire brings you the news stories that matter to the region.
The team are also involved with some bigger national campaigns and you can listen to the interviews right here.
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A four-year-old girl's life-saving 999 call is being used as an example to parents of why all children should know what to do in an emergency.
Maya Turner from Lancashire knew what to do when her mum Michelle had a blackout as they kept a card with 999 written on it next to their phone.
Maya - who's now six - has been telling our reporter Amy Scarisbrick about the moment she made the call:
Two women who murdered a Lancashire businesswoman as part of - what's been described in court - as a 'twisted love triangle' have been jailed for life . Sadie Hartley was shot with a stun gun and stabbed more than 40 times at her home in Helmshore in January.
The judge handed her killer - Sarah Williams - a minimum sentence of 30 years Katrina Walsh will serve a minimum of 25 years for assisting her.
Rock FM's Amy Scarisbrick has been following the case at Preston Crown Court and has this special report:
Children as young as eight are getting addicted to cannabis in Lancashire.
That's according to Addiction specialists working with us on our so-called 'urban farmers investigation.
They say the children they're treating are getting younger and younger.
Rock FM's Amy Scarisbrick has been speaking to Kris Johnson from the Stop Smoking Cannabis Service in Lancashire - he tells us more needs to be done to help tackle cannabis addiction in our county:
Rock FM can reveal that children as young as eight are being treated for cannabis addiction in Lancashire.
As part of our investigation into so-called "Urban Farmers," addiction specialists have told us kids are getting hooked younger.
Rock FM reporter Amy Scarisbrick has been given exclusive access to a rehab centre in Chorley - She's been speaking to a former addict who started taking cannabis at the age of 14. We've changed his voice to protect his identity:
Lancashire County Council's leader says the authority may not be able to survive massive government budget cuts.
The County Council are set to approve £65m worth of budget cuts at a meeting today.
They'll also vote on which services will need to be scrapped to make the savings.
Museums and libraries will have to close and bus services will be cut.
County Council leader Jenny Mein told Rock FM that the cuts were "heartbreaking" and they will have to use £140m of reserves to balance the books for the next two financial years.
The authority is also proposing a 2% rise in council tax for this financial year - but Councillor Mein says the £7.8m raised from this will only cover the government's Living Wage plans which are being brought in.
Councillor Mein says that adult and child social care services will be protected - but other vital services will be scrapped.
LISTEN HERE: You can hear the Rock FM's Amy Scarisbrick's interview with Jenny Mein here
Junior doctors in Lancashire are going on strike for a second time this year.
They're walking out of hospitals from 8am for 24 hours and will only be providing emergency care.
It's due to the British Medical Association's long-running dispute with the government over pay and contracts.
Thousands of operations have been cancelled due to the strike.
Junior doctors walked out of hospitals across Lancashire for 24 hours on 12th January - that day was the first time they'd taken industrial action in over 40 years.
Listen here to Rock FM's Amy Scarisbrick who has this special report from the Royal Blackburn Hospital
A public inquiry into whether Fracking should take place at two sites in Lancashire is underway in Blackpool.
Energy company Cuadrilla has launched an appeal to drill for shale gas at sites in Little Plumpton and Roseacre Wood.
It's after Lancashire County Council rejected the plans in June last year.
A demonstration involving both pro- and anti-fracking campaigners has taken place outside Blackpool FC's Bloomfield Road ground, where the inquiry's being held.
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Greg Clark, will make a final decision on Fracking in Lancashire this summer.
LISTEN: Rock FM's Amy Scarisbrick has this report from outside Bloomfield Road where both pro and anti-fracking campaigners demonstrated:
A public inquiry into whether Fracking should take place at two sites in Lancashire begins in Blackpool today.
Cuadrilla has launched an appeal to drill for shale gas at sites in Little Plumpton and Roseacre Wood.
It's after Lancashire County Council rejected the plans in June last year.
A demonstration involving both pro- and anti-fracking campaigners is taking place outside Blackpool FC's Bloomfield Road ground, where the inquiry's being held.
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Greg Clark, will make a final decision on Fracking in Lancashire this summer.
LISTEN: Rock FM's Amy Scarisbrick has this report on the public enquiry:
Three men have been found guilty of trafficking two teenage Romanian girls and forcing them to work as prostitutes in Preston.
Marius Petre, Adrian Matei and Ionut Ion - all from Longworth Street Preston promised the girls a better life.
They've been found guilty at Preston Crown Court of offences related to human trafficking and sexual exploitation, after two Romanian girls were found at an address in Preston in July 2015.
26-year old Marius Petre was found guilty of intentionally arranging/ facilitating entry to the UK of a person with a view to their sexual exploitation, causing/ inciting prostitution for financial gain and two counts of rape.
34-year old Adrian Matei was found guilty of intentionally arranging/ facilitating entry to the UK of a person with a view to their sexual exploitation, causing/ inciting prostitution for financial gain and two counts of rape.
35-year old Ionut Ion was found guilty of keeping/ managing a brothel used for prostitution and two counts of rape.
The two victims met the men in a nightclub in Romania last year and believed them to be their boyfriends.
The men promised them a better life and could give them jobs as maids in the UK.
They were smuggled into the country by car.
When they arrived in the UK, they were taken to a house on Longworth Street in Preston and were threatened and forced into becoming prostitutes.
The girls told Rock FM that they were both physically and sexually abused by the traffickers.
The girls have been kept in a safe house for their own protection during the trial - they'll now be able to start new lives in the UK.
Rock FM's Amy Scarisbrick has this special report which contains content that may not be suitable for all listeners:
The Prime Minister's been in Croston and has led a drive to restore tourism in the flood-hit areas as he promised £2 million for repairs.
David Cameron's been checking out the progress being made in getting businesses back on their feet.
The money will be used to fix bridges, walls and footpaths in time for school holidays.
Mr Cameron says the government's doing all it can:
It's been revealed that more than 10,000 youngsters in Lancashire are carers for their family members.
This comes on Young Carers Awareness Day - it's thought 4,000 young carers in our county are under the age of 18.
The Fylde Coast Carers Centre says there are 3,200 young carers in their borough.
Rock FM reporter Amy Scarisbrick spoke to Camilla Ball in Blackpool. She's looked after her mum since she was 11 and says at first she didn't realise that she had become a carer:
"Don't Stand By" - That's the message to people across Lancashire on Holocaust Memorial Day.
Six million Jews were murdered in the early 1940s because of their religion.
Hundreds of people packed into Preston Minister for a special service to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day.
It was led by the Mayor of Preston Margaret McNanus, who urged people in Lancashire to learn from the Holocaust so it never happens again.
The theme of this year's Holocaust Memorial Day is tackling hate crime.
Preston City Council is backing the "Don't Stand By" campaign which is encouraging people to not be afraid and report cases.
A new report has also revealed that one in four of us witness a hate crime.
Rock FM's Amy Scarisbrick has this special report from the service.
A young woman from Lancashire who lost her leg in the Alton Towers rollercoaster crash is preparing to head down the Catwalk this weekend. Vicky Balch has been speaking to us about her journey to walk independently again
The mum of a Preston man brutally murdered has told us he didn't want any trouble the day he died. 13 people have now been convicted over the murder of Jon-Jo Highton. His mum Tracey's been speaking to our reporter Adam Phillips
St Annes fell silent this afternoon for the funeral of Denis and Elaine Thwaites who were among the 38 people killed when a gunman opened fire in the resort of Sousse. Adam Phillips has this report.
A murder inquiry's underway in St Annes after a man died after being stabbed on Thursday night. Rock FM's Adam Phillips has the latest from the scene
People across Lancashire who are preparing for Ramadam this week are being told to look after themselves. Ali is a paramedic in Blackburn. He's been speaking to our reporter Adam Phillips
As part of our Social Addict campaign a young woman from Lancashire been telling us how her use of social media took over her life. She started using the site when she was 16. She's been speaking to our reporter Adam Phillips
A woman from Wigan who was robbed as she walked home from a night out this month has moved out of her hometown because the attack's made her feel it's too unsafe. 24 year old Alys Mills has been speaking to Rock FM's Adam Phillips
The best friend of the Leyland woman seriously injured in the Alton Towers roller coaster crash says she hopes a visit from Olly Murs can help her through recover. Christina Manciocchi
Becki Heaton from Blackpool was at Alton Towers when the incident on The Smiler happened. She spoke to us from the scene
Linda Moon, the Preston North End fan who lied about having terminal cancer, speaks exclusively with Rock FM's Adam Phillips to set the record straight and apologise.
Photo Credit: Twitter
We stopped off for a break just outside of Coventry where Preston fans carried on the party celebrations ahead of the evening's game at Wembley. Our reporter Adam Phillips went along for the ride
We headed down on coach with Preston fans eagerly anticipating their big game as Wembley. Adam Phillips reports from halfway down the M6
We're with Preston North End fans heading to Wembley for the League One play-off final against Swindon Town #PNE #PrestonNorthEnd #Preston #NorthEnd #Wembley
We're with Preston North End fans heading to Wembley for the League One play-off final against Swindon Town #PNE #PrestonNorthEnd #Preston #NorthEnd #Wembley
We're with Preston North End fans heading to Wembley for the League One play-off final against Swindon Town #PNE #PrestonNorthEnd #Preston #NorthEnd #Wembley
An investigation is underway at Lancaster University after five students were taken to hospital overnight.
It's thought they'd all taken a synthetic cannabis-like drug called 'Spice' - it used to be a legal high but became a Class B in 2009.
Bosses at Southport & Ormskirk Hospital say standards are improving after inspectors at the CQC labelled maternity and gynecology services inadequate. Simon Featherstones is the Trust's Director of Nursing. He's been speaking to Rock FM's Adam Phillips
A campaign group's been in Blackpool today, by locals angry that items are being auctioned off at the Airport. Adam Phillips reports from Squires Gate
Students in Preston spent time with some furry friends to put them at ease before next week's big deadlines and exams. Adam Phillips reports on the morning's events
Students in Preston have been setting up a puppy room to help ease the stress of deadlines and exams. Lucy Haigh is from the Students Union at UCLAN
Nearly a third of Brits rate a good balance between work and home life as the single most important factor in leading a successful life, with only 10% placing a premium on salary, according to new research released today.
The results represent a significant evolution from 10 years ago, when one in four Brits listed salary as the key indicator of success.
According to the research, in 2014 only 1.8% of this demographic consider owning an expensive car to be a signal of success, compared to 20% of their peers in 1989.
One in three people go further, stating that they do not believe that any ‘status symbols’ denote success and an additional 27% reporting that they do not seek to evaluate their own success or that of others – a clear departure from the professionally ambitious, materially-focused 1980s.
In a further move away from 80’s culture, the notion of power dressing was also rejected by 65%, with eight in ten stating that the way someone dresses could never denote success – a clear victory for the dressed down generation of Mark Zuckerberg-style moguls.
The findings informed Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts’ coloured paper, ‘Evaluating success: placing a value on values’, released today and outlining what constitutes success for the Millennial, post-yuppie generation.
Sleep (72%), quality time with friends and family (42%) and regular exercise and healthy food (38%) instead form the top three factors which enable Brits to stay on top of their game.
Flexible working hours and remote working are also crucial to professional success for 69% of us, with seven in ten rejecting any correlation between working longer hours and getting ahead at work and 63% believing that they could complete their work in four days rather than five.
New figures reveal the secrets behind the growth in the convenience sector, which now features over 5,400 stores in the North West alone.
The Association of Convenience Stores’ Local Shop Report shows that retailers are adapting their stores to meet the needs of all types of customers, from tech savvy youngsters to the traditional elderly market.
The report reveals that innovative services like click and collect, food to go counters and digital advertising screens are being featured in thousands of stores across the UK, while many retailers are also catering to traditional values by offering home newspaper delivery, post office services and local grocery delivery.
Convenience stores are also embracing the consumer’s need to eat more healthy food. The fastest growing category in the sector is fruit and vegetables, contributing an extra £190million to a category that is now worth £2.4bn alone.
The report shows that convenience stores are becoming a social hub for their communities where customers can pick up a coffee in the morning, a parcel at lunchtime and dinner in the evening.
The success of convenience stores is due in part to their ability to adapt to changes in consumer behaviour. There are more single person households than ever before, cash conscious consumers like to shop little and often and we are an ageing population, with a growing over 60 market.
This continued success is also not just down to expansion by company owned stores. Of the 50,747 shops in the convenience sector in 2014, 77% are owned by independent retailers.
We are joined by James Lowman, Chief Executive of the ACS
Owning a cafe or a B&B and writing a novel are the top three careers we would most like to leave our jobs for, according to a new poll released today.
Owning a bar, becoming a chocolate taster, a travel writer or photographer, gardener, artist and food critic rounded out the top ten. Brits are keen to work for themselves as nearly half are looking for the opportunity to do something they love and a third of people admitting they don’t want to take orders from others anymore. According to the research the best age to set up a new business is 31.
However, while 70% of us dream about starting our own business, less than a fifth believe they will actually ever take the plunge and become their own boss, with the barriers to going it alone including not having enough money (42%), worries about the risks involved (35%), or just being too lazy (17%).
That’s despite the fact that almost half of us say we are so unhappy in our jobs that we believe our career choice was a mistake - with legal professionals the unhappiest, followed by manufacturing, hospitality, property and environmental services.
However, a survey of small business owners shows they have no regrets about working for themselves as more than 40% insist they could never go back, more than 80% would hate to be an employee and almost a quarter don’t believe they could take orders anymore.
The research, commissioned by Kalixa Pro to launch its Spirit of Small Business Awards which are open to entrepreneurs, small businesses and sole traders in the UK, reveals that more than half of small business owners value greater flexibility and freedom that comes from running their own company. Around 40% say they are now doing something they love and are enjoy making money for themselves instead of others.
But it’s not all good news. A third make less money and work longer hours than they expected. A quarter of owners struggle to get clients and customers to pay for work, while others cite dealing with mounting levels of bureaucracy and motivating staff as the hardest parts of the job. The difficulties can be so great that 18% actually want to go back to being an employee.
To help people follow their dreams and make a success of their own business, Ultimo owner and Kalixa Pro Spirit of Small Business awards ambassador, Michelle Mone talks about her journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of the UK’s most successful businesswomen and gives advice to those who want to follow in her footsteps.
The nephew of the Blackpool man killed in the Malaysian plane crash speaks exclusively to us.
St Catherine's Church in Burnley has opened today to allow friends and classmates of Declan Edwards to pay their respects. The 16 year old's body was found in Rowley Park on Thursday. Father Roger Parker has been speaking to Rock FM's Shabnam Younus
A £30,000 reward is now being offered for information that leads to the body of Paige Chivers or the conviction of her killer. She disappeared from Blackpool when she was just 15 in August 2007. Rock FM's Janine Hindle has been speaking to DS Andy Webster.
23 year old Daniel Birch died on Mother's Day 2012 after crashing his car while three times the legal limit. His parents are now showing what's left of his car to stop others making the same mistake. Helen Birch has been speaking to Janine Hindle.
The former North End and current Manchester United manager spoke to Rock FM's Janine Hindle at Preston Minster
The former and current North End captains were among the six pallbearers chosen to carry Sir Tom Finney's coffin inside Preston Minster & spoke to Rock FM's Janine Hindle.
Our reporter Janine Hindle has been at Deepdale speaking to fans and former players to hear their memories of Sir Tom, the club's most famous son.
Peter Hodgkinson created the famous Splash statue which is now covered in tributes to Sir Tom Finney
Tributes have been flooding in for the Preston North End legend who has died at the age of 91. Rock FM's Janine Hindle has this special report
Janine Hindle speaks to a street pastor in Preston about them wanting to help even more people on nights out
Janine Hindle gets the latest from Lancashire police on the death of a baby in a dog attack in Blackburn
We've spoken to Peter Mulcahy, the Head of Paramedic Services in Lancashire, following the jailing of 19 year old Lewis Westwood who attacked a trainee paramedic in Leyland last October with a baseball bat, fracturing his skull.
Rock FM News has been given exclusive access to the Lancashire SAFE Centre to find out more about the work they do to help victims of sexual assaults. If you need to speak to them you can call 01772 523344.
Jonathan has spoken to Rock FM News as we spend this week inside the SAFE Centre in Preston. He's told us about his rape ordeal in the hope that others will then come forward.
Rachael has been telling Rock FM's Janine Hindle about her battle with anorexia as she calls for schools to do more to teach children about eating disorders and body image.
The deadline for online tax returns is fast approaching and today businesses are being urged not to leave filing returns to the last minute, to not only avoid penalties, but also make sure they have time to work out any refunds owing to them. Research recently released shows that only a third of small businesses completely understand HMRC regulations on expenses which means millions could be missing out on significant VAT refunds.
Less than a third of small businesses always claim on VAT expenses and less than one in ten claim 100% of that, while less than a quarter always reclaim VAT on business mileage claims.
Based on these figures, it’s probably no surprise that three quarters of small businesses wish they knew more about employee expenses and VAT reclaim. Furthermore, less than 40% surveyed by Concur are certain their organisation complies with HRMC regulations and more than 40% are worried about HMRC coming to inspect their business.
The biggest concerns about not complying are a damaged reputation (37%), monetary fine (28%) and lost working hours (19%).
Financial expert Matt Lewis advises small businesses on how to get the most of their tax returns, particularly when it comes to areas like expenses, and is available to provide information and advice and take questions from listeners on the looming deadline.
Two 16 year olds are believed to have flown to the Dominican Republic after slipping out of Stonyhurst College in the early hours of the morning. The boy and girl are believed to have flown to the Carribean from Manchester Airport. We've spoken to Deputy Head Matthew Mostyn.
Three months after one of Lancashire's biggest fires, all the pupils have returned to Leyland St Mary's Technology College. Rock FM went to speak to some of them as they returned to class this morning.
The team will be based at Bamfurlong police station in Wigan so they can work together to help victims. They will include police officers, social workers, drug and alcohol workers.
Owen Coyle has left his job as manager at Wigan Athletic by mutual consent after a meeting with Chairman Dave Whelan. Rock FM's Janine Hindle has spoken to Jason Taylor from the Latics Supporters Club.
Sara Leung is fighting to keep her son Jamie in Lancashire after being told he could be deported from the UK. Sara has dual British and Canadian nationality and has lived in Southport with her family for more than a year. She spoke to Rock FM's Janine Hindle.
Members of the Fire Brigades Union are taking action between 6:30-11pm over changes to their pensions which they claim will put the public at risk. Janine Hindle has spoken to Kevin Deacon from the Lancashire FBU.
It's exactly 10 years since 14 year old Charlene Downes vanished from Blackpool - now police are making a fresh appeal about her disappearance and that of Paige Chivers who was last seen in 2007. Janine Hindle has spoken to ACC Andy Rhodes
Former Lancashire police officer Jeffrey Lake has today been sentenced to 18 years in prison for a string of historic sex abuse charges and cruelty offences. Reporter Janine Hindle has been speaking to DI Claire Holbrook.
The latest figures show the number of victims of crime has fallen by more than 4,000 in the space of a year. Reporter Janine Hindle has been speaking to ACC Mark Bates about them.
For the first time pupils at Witton Park High are getting a lesson on hate crime. Laura Gerraghty from the Independent Hate Crime Hub will be talking to them - she told Janine Hindle how important these lessons are.
Police are trying to find out who the woman is after a dogwalker discovered her body in a wooded area at Raikes Clough near Manchester Road. Janine Hindle has been speaking to DI Michael Fraser
The group met him on a night out in the city, then the following night he came back to cook them a 3 course meal and perform his hit Gangster's Paradise. Rock FM's reporter Janine Hindle has been speaking to Claudia and Rebecca who were there.
Two people had to be rescued after a fire in a flat above a shop on Bloomfield Road in Blackpool. Rock FM reporter Janine Hindle has been speaking to Group Manager Simon Bone.
Rebecca spoke exclusively to Rock FM's Janine Hindle after we revealed the number of water rescues in Lancashire are down 36% following her campaign to raise awareness after the death of her son Dylan in 2011 who drowned at Hill Top Quarry in Whittle le Woods.
For the first time ever people are going to be able to walk to the top of the UK's tallest roller coaster - hear what happened when we sent our reporter Janine Hindle to the top of the Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Lancashire's Police & Crime Commissioner speaks to Janine Hindle about the Lancashire force coming top of a new list for their work to tackle anti social behaviour
Our Chief Reporter John Pickford has been speaking to DCI Phil Reade after 23 year old Daniel Rigby from Wigan was jailed for the murder of 2 year old Rio Smedley. He had been looking after the toddler when he launched a "wicked attack" last April.
The owner of Sprint Print in Bamber Bridge, Stuart Smith, has been telling our reporter Janine Hindle more about what happened at his firm when a World War II grenade was disturbed and leaked a chemical.
Group Manager Phil Cox has been speaking to our reporter Janine Hindle about the grenade leak in Bamber Bridge which meant 13 people needed hospital treatment
Our reporter Janine Bolton was at Preston Crown Court as Kirsty Lane was sentenced to 20 months in prison after stealing almost £200,000 from her boss to pay for a fancy wedding. She admitted 10 counts of fraud. Janine spoke to Lucy Radnor after the verdict.
Hundreds of fans were queuing around Bloomfield Road from 4am to get their hands on tickets for the Championship play-off final against West Ham at Wembley
Fabrice Muamba was given a standing ovation as he returned to the Reebok Stadium six weeks after his collapse on the pitch - Janine Bolton has this special report
At the height of the blaze 150 firefighters were battling to control the fire at the Lancashire Enterprise Business Park - firefighter Keith Marsh gave us an update on what they're doing
Detectives in Lancashire are launching a fresh appeal to try and find the Mum of a baby boy found dead in a stream in Kirkham on October 1st.
Our reporter Janine Bolton kept an audio diary as she covered a protest march in Preston which over a thousand workers attended
Maureen Le Marinel - the Branch Secretary for the Lancashire Police Branch of Unison - has been telling our reporter Janine Bolton why their members are walking out on strike.
Former Blackburn Rovers captain Garry Flitcroft has told the Leveson Inquiry that he suspects his phone was hacked by journalists trying to find details of an affair - although he says he has no evidence to back this up.
Mick Gradwell, the Detective Superintendent who led the investigation into the Morecambe Bay cockling tragedy, has told our reporter Janine Bolton he is worried there could be another tragedy in Lytham after 15 rescues in 7 weeks.
Police are still trying to find the Mum of a baby boy found dead in a stream in Kirkham on 1st October. DCI Andrea Barrow spoke to our reporter Janine Bolton.
Rock FM News has secured the only broadcast interview with Siobhan Kerr the sister of John Jo from Chorley who is through to the last 32 in the competition. He will find out this weekend whether he is through to the live shows.