News
Couple died on holiday after room next door fumigated for bed bugs
An inquest into their deaths took place this week
A couple died while on holiday in Egypt after the room next door to theirs was fumigated with chemicals to kill bed bugs.
John Cooper, 69, and Susan Cooper, 63, died on August 21st, 2018 at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, where they had been staying.
An inquest into their deaths, which has taken place this week, heard an expert report of how the couple may have died after the possibility being exposed to ‘infectious biological agent or toxic chemicals’.
The inquest is took place at Blackburn Coroner’s court where it heard a German tourist give a statement to say he reported a bed bug infestation while staying in the room next to Mr and Mrs Cooper’s, who were from Burnley.
Dominik Bibi’s room was treated with the pesticide called Lambda at around lunchtime, on August 20th, 2018 as he saw staff using masking tape around the door to seal the room.
Mr Bibi added: “I would not say the job was very professional.” The two rooms had an adjoining door which was locked.
The couple fell ill in the early hours of the morning, and sadly died the following day.
The daughter of Mr and Mrs Cooper, Kelly Ormerod, described her parents as being fit and healthy for their age and had been enjoying a ‘brilliant’ family holiday with her, their three grandchildren and friends when they died.
Ms Ormerod, a civil servant with HMRC, said her dad who was a builder and mum who worked as a bureau de change cashier, enjoyed several holidays a year.
According to Ms Ormerod, her mum had been to the same hotel in April earlier that year and described it as being ‘fabulous’ so they decided to go back with the whole family.
On the evening of August 20th, the family and friends went to the hotel bar and restaurant before retiring to their rooms for the night.
Ms Ormerod’s daughter, Molly, who was 12 at the time, was staying in the single bed in her grandparents’ room, which she said had a ‘yeasty smell’.
Then at around 1am Mr Cooper rang to say Molly was feeling unwell and took her up to her mum’s room on another floor.
The next morning, the Coopers failed to show up for breakfast so Ms Ormerod went to their ground floor room to discover they were both seriously ill.
She said her dad came to the door retching saying, ‘I really don’t feel very well’.
She said her mother was in bed ‘groaning’ and had vomit in her hair. Ms Ormerod also noticed a strange, ‘heavy’ smell.
Two doctors were called to the room but Ms Ormerod said they were in ‘panic mode’ as her parents quickly deteriorated and her father struggled to breathe.
In tears, Ms Ormerod said: “His eyes, kind of …a glazed, staring look.”
The inquest heard how CPR was attempted on Mr Cooper but that he was declared dead on the hotel room floor while Mrs Cooper was rushed to the hotel clinic, where she became ‘super agitated’ and delirious.
Mrs Cooper was taken to hospital by ambulance but was declared dead at 4.12pm. Both Mr and Mrs Cooper’s bodies were returned to the UK in sealed, zinc-lined coffins, the inquest heard.
Happy Valley star Sarah Lancashire won the Rose d‘Or Award for her portrayal of Catherine Cawood in the BBC drama.
The Rose d’Or Awards is a prestigious ceremony celebrating international excellence in entertainment programming. The 62nd event was held in London and hosted by comedian and writer David Baddiel.
Collecting her performance of the year award, Lancashire said: “This is thrilling, [I want to] thank those who are responsible for bringing this amazing series to screen.”
Happy Valley is an award-winning British crime drama set in the Calder Valley area of West Yorkshire, written by Sally Wainwright.
The series, which aired on BBC One, follows Lancashire in the role of no-nonsense copper Sergeant Catherine Cawood who comes up against James Norton’s character; evil criminal Tommy Lee Royce – who Sergeant Cawood holds responsible for her daughter’s suicide.
The gripping series concluded earlier this year and has been receiving a raft of nods for performances, as well as for the show itself, ever since.
The BBC also scooped best documentary for The Man Who Played With Fire while ITV’s The 1% Club, hosted by comedian Lee Mack, picked up the award for studio entertainment.
British series A Whole Lifetime With Jamie Demetriou also took home the best comedy entertainment award on the night.
In his acceptance speech, Demetriou said: “What a lovely looking award this is. It needs to be said, David’s opening monologue is honestly one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard.”
Lancashire, Dayan and Edebiri join previous recipients of Rose d’Or special awards, including Sir David Attenborough, Brian Cox, Ricky Gervais, Joanna Lumley, James Corden, John Cleese and the late Dame Angela Lansbury.
The Rose d’Or Awards has defined the gold standard for excellence and achievement in International TV and Audio programme making since 1961.
News
Mum opens accessible chippy so autistic son ‘has a job for life’
She opened the chippy after a stranger made a comment about her son online
A mum from Lancashire has opened up a chippy so that her autistic son ‘has a job for life’, after a stranger’s comment online.
Gillian Jervis opened Oliver’s Chippy in Warton, near Blackpool, after a stranger’s comments on a forum online – calling her son Oliver ‘a burden on the state’ – prompted her to prove them wrong.
About the comment, Gillian told ITV News: “I sometimes think I dreamt the comment and that I made it all up, because why would you say something like that?
“Have I read it wrong? I went through all of those emotions – it knocked me sideways.”
The mum-of-four decided to start a business in her son’s name and opened Oliver’s Chippy in 2021 – where Gillian is already training the 12-year-old so that he can take over when he grows up.
On why she chose to open a chip shop business for Oliver she said: “It gives him his structure, it’s a bit like school; his daily routine that he has to have.
“What you end up doing everyday – prepping the food, serving the food, making up the food, stocking the fridges… he’ll learn all that before he starts at sixteen.”
Oliver’s autism means he has some communication difficulties though he is able to express himself in other ways.
The chippy is built with facilities to help people with communication and accessibility issues by using visual screens on the tills instead of words and phrases.
As Gillian explains: “You’ve got people with a stutter, so I’ve looked at it this way. Before people start to speak, they look at pictures don’t they?
“It’s better to see a picture of what you want, it gives you the confidence to come into my shop and order what you want without saying it.”
Not only do these images help Oliver, they also help customers who may communicate better with visual aids. Not only this, the chippy also offers services to help make it easier for all neurodivergent people to place their orders.
Gillian said: “We do have a disability point access, we do have a ramp, we do have a visual menu.
“If you came in and you want your order all separate and you said ‘jigsaw’ we know that it means everything’s separate.” The chippy can make sure different food isn’t touching others by offering cartons with separated sections.
Since opening, the chip shop has fed more than 1,300 children and supported other families across the Fylde Coast. This includes giving away a family holiday, an iPad, air fryer and over 100 competition meals.
She continued: “We had the cost of living crisis, fuel shortages, the after effects of Covid and people not working as they were, with people losing their jobs due to Covid as well.
“So I just said to Arran, ‘shall we feed the kids for free?’ He said ‘yes – but how are we going to do it?’ I said ‘I don’t know, but we’ll find a way of doing it’.”
Opening in 2021 during the pandemic, the first Easter holidays saw the chip shop take a financial hit as it gave out free meals for children in the area.
But during the summer holidays later that same year, the business was supported by Bryning with Warton Parish Council as a Go Fund Me was started to raise the funds.
An 82-year-old woman has sadly died after being hit by a vehicle on a main road in Tameside yesterday.
The elderly woman was critically injured in the collision which happened on Manchester Road, in Audenshaw, at around 5.55pm on Monday, November 20th.
Emergency services rushed to the scene, close to the Snipe Retail Park, and an ambulance took her to hospital.
The driver of the vehicle, a 31-year-old woman, remained at the scene and has continued to assist police with enquiries.
Greater Manchester Police have confirmed the woman has now died from her injuries and are appealing for witnesses of the collision to come forward to help them with their investigations.
Confirming the tragic update in a statement, the force said: “At around 5.55pm on Monday November 20th, Greater Manchester Police were called to reports of a road traffic collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian on Manchester Road, Audenshaw.
“An 82-year-old woman who was taken to hospital in a serious condition has since sadly died from her injuries.
“The driver of the vehicle, a 31-year-old woman, remained at the scene and is continuing to assist police with enquiries.
“Police would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the collision – and are continuing to appeal for anyone with relevant mobile, dashcam or CCTV footage to please come forward.”
Members of the public can submit information and footage by calling 0161 856 4741 quoting log 2797 of 20/11/23. You can also report information online using the LiveChat function on the website: www.gmp.police.uk.
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Happy Valley actress Sarah Lancashire wins performance of the year award
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Avril Lavigne announces huge outdoor gig in Manchester next summer
Mum opens accessible chippy so autistic son ‘has a job for life’
Full-size one litre bottles of Baileys are now just £10 in Tesco
