80 Mile An Hour Gales
Cause Havoc

MERSEYSIDE was ripped apart over
the night of Wednesday 17 January 2007 and throughout
Thursday, 18 January 2007 as gales caused structural
damage, overturned vehicles, ripped down trees and
stopped train services. Forecasters said wind speeds
reached 84mph in Crosby.

The extreme weather did not just affect
Merseyside but caused massive disruption, injured and
killed people all over the UK and in parts of Europe.
Major roads were closed as trees and roofs were whipped
away. Emergency services reported that they had to dealt
an estimated 500% increase in 999 calls and hospital A&E
departments were inundated with walking wounded across
Merseyside.
Merseyrail had to cancel trains and this
left commuters stranded as there were not enough
replacement buses, because of the weather.

In Southport, the new Splash World was
damaged and building work had to be called off. Two
Southport men had to be taken to hospital after their
van was overturned. Parts of Lord Street were cornered
off well into the evening and other parts of Southport
including East Bank Street had to be fully closed to
public after a roof was damaged. The Merseyside Fire
Service was called to HSBC on Lord Street as the statue
on the roof had to be made safe.

In Crosby a chimney collapsed onto a
Delta taxi outside Stamps Wine Bar on. The driver and
two passengers escaped injury by inches.
In St Helens two school children had to be taken to
hospital after a tree fell on them.
In Liverpool, office workers got blocked in and flights
from Liverpool John Lennon Airport were suspended for a
time. Sadly a Mersey Fire Service vehicle responding to
an emergency alert at John Lennon Airport was involved
in a collision with a car in Garston, leaving a
middle-aged driver dead.
Our sympathies to all who suffered loss...
ALL PROGRAMMERS TAKE
NOTE... THE VOYAGER CRUSADE IS ABOUT TO START

THE countdown to the start of the
Voyager Crusade is now on. The crusade is an
international competition to find the best retro arcade
programmer.
The competition is open to all-amateur programmers, and
students, from any walk of life and any country!
The
launch will take place at the FAB Cafe in Liverpool, on
the 21 February 2007.
See
www.jt-voyagercrusade.com
for more information and keep an eye out here for more
updates!