Target Towns: ‘We were promised something different but it just hasn’t materialised’
As the floodlights illuminated the rows of chimneys on the terraced streets around Blundell Park there was a tense second half ahead.
One-nil up, the home supporters were desperate to hang on to the win as they fight for survival in League Two.
It has been like this for generations of football fans in Grimsby – a club founded in 1878 – the ground has been home since 1899.
A proper old-school venue – there are fewer and fewer places like this now in English football.
Although it is actually in neighbouring Cleethorpes, the club is a Grimsby institution.
The two towns are being merged into one constituency for the next general election, with both the Conservatives and Labour desperate to win it.
There is no shortage of political opinions before kick-off.
Kiosk worker Sean Gifford
Sean Gifford was opening up the Snack Shack kiosk behind the Pontoon Stand.
He quickly identified what he believes is the biggest problem in British politics.
“It’s the narrative. Do you believe the narrative of what any politician tells you? I don’t.”
He added: “It’s being able to speak one’s mind, as opposed to always toeing the party line and making sure that the truth is spoken without any spin doctor, without any PR machine behind it.
“People just cannot speak the truth for fear of backlash.”
He isn’t just disillusioned with one or two characters in politics, it’s all of them, and he is not sure who can solve it.
“It takes somebody of almost Churchillian stature, and where’s the Churchillian prime minister of the future? I just don’t see one.”
On the hotdog stand on the other side of the ground, Kirsty and Kylie were lining up their foot-long Lincolnshire sausages ready for the half-time rush.
Hot dog seller Kirsty Johnson
Kirsty is also frustrated by politicians. She told Sky News: “I think it needs someone with balls who can sort it out, take it by the horns and actually shake it up a bit.”
She doesn’t know who that is and certainly doesn’t feel that Rishi Sunak or Sir Keir Starmer fit her job criteria.
“They don’t do it for me, nobody does really.”
The existing seat of Great Grimsby voted Conservative under Boris Johnson in 2019 – the first time they had not elected a Labour MP since the Second World War.
The former prime minister surprised many here by wearing a Grimsby Town bobble hat when he was seen arriving and departing the COVID Inquiry in London in December.
Boris Johnson leaves the COVID inquiry last December in a Grimsby Town bobble hat
Some here were amused by it, while 700 others signed a petition calling on him to stop bringing the club into disrepute.
He is still a divisive figure but it’s the collective frustration with all politicians that shines through.
Former police officer Alan Rutter is exasperated by the decay of public services. “I have friends who are still in the force… and it is just a desecrated service, same with the NHS – it’s just all in crisis,” he said.
The club’s chairman Jason Stockwood grew up here but, like so many others, moved away to pursue a career before returning home. He is backing Labour but told Sky News that bigger changes are needed.
“This town voted vehemently for Brexit because it was a promise of something different and a new politics and it just hasn’t materialised at all.
“My sense is that people just want some adults in the room again, rather than just the personalities of the last few years, they want truth and they want integrity.”
Grimsby Town FC chairman Jason Stockwood
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He wants to see a constructive general election, not one that lurks in the extremes of politics.
“I think what people will be looking for is an honest conversation where people are prepared to turn up and have difficult conversations with everyone in our community because people [here] are forthright, they are passionate, they care about the community.
“I think there’s also an obligation on citizens as well,” he added.
“Politicians have a role to play. But everyone does need to step into and take ownership of the future they want as well.
“We’re seeing that in Grimsby. So there is hope.”
Grimsby Town fans watching their side take on MK Dons
Their club held on to secure a 1-0 win over MK Dons. Hope is restored, on the pitch at least.
The Codheads – as the fans call themselves – tell it like it is.
Politicians fishing for votes here this year will find a tough crowd.
Sky News’ Target Towns series aims to follow the build-up to the general election from a key constituency prized by both Conservatives and Labour – Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes. Send in your stories to targettowns@sky.uk.
Oleksandr Usyk has become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world after defeating Tyson Fury in boxing’s biggest fight of the century.
The Ukrainian won on a split decision following the match in Saudi Arabia.
Usyk had 115-112 and 114-113 on two cards, while Fury took the other 114-113.
Oleksandr Usyk lands a punch on Tyson Fury. Pic: PA
Fury disputed his loss after the match, saying: “I believe I won that fight. I believe he won a few rounds but I won more of them.
“Make no mistake I won that fight and I’ll be back.”
In response Usyk said he was “ready for a rematch”.
Pic: Action Images via Reuters
Fury came under early pressure, with Usyk taking the centre of the ring with an aggressive offensive from the start.
At one point Fury was pushed against the ropes and started laughing as Usyk applied pressure.
The “Gypsy King” looked relaxed as he moved around the ring in the early rounds and picked his shots.
Pic: PA
Fury lunges at Usyk. Pic: PA
But after Usyk landed a right hook in the ninth round it looked as if Fury was in serious trouble. The Ukrainian followed up by unloading freely but somehow the bookmakers’ favourite stayed on his feet and was saved by the bell.
Last night, Fury weighed in at 262lbs (18st 10lbs) – nearly three stone heavier than Usyk, who clocked in at a career heaviest of 223lbs (15st 13lbs).
Fury refused to look at his opponent during a news conference on Thursday, but did not back down at the weigh-in last night, where the pair almost came to blows before being separated by their entourages.
Usyk arrived into the ring first, dressed as a Cossack warrior.
Fury entered to songs by Barry White and Bonnie Tyler, with the “Gypsy King” spending several minutes dancing on stage before the song changed to Holding Out For A Hero.
Anthony Joshua watched from the ringside, knowing he could meet the winner early next year.
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UK
Brixham: Warning ‘heads are going to roll’ after water parasite outbreak – as ‘nearly every house in one close has someone ill’
Thousands of homes have had their boiling water restrictions lifted after a water tank infected with cryptosporidium was drained and cleaned, South West Water has said.
About 16,000 households in the Brixham area of Devon were told to boil their drinking water following 46 confirmed cases of the disease.
On Saturday afternoon South West Water lifted the boiling restrictions for 14,500 homes after water quality monitoring results found no traces of cryptosporidium in the Alston supply area.
Cryptosporidiosis is caused by a tiny parasite and can lead to vomiting, stomach cramps and watery diarrhoea lasting about two weeks.
More cases are expected to be confirmed due to a delay in developing symptoms – and about 100 more people around Brixham were reporting signs of it on Friday.
South West Water believes the parasite probably entered supplies through a damaged pipe in a field containing animal faeces.
A contaminated water tank at Hillhead reservoir, where cryptosporidium was detected, was drained overnight and “thoroughly cleaned” on Saturday, South West Water said.
One local resident said she knew of only four houses out of 21 in Raddicombe Close, on the outskirts of Brixham, which have not had at least one person fall ill with cryptosporidiosis.
The local MP has warned “heads are going to roll” over the incident.
Tory MP Anthony Mangnall, whose constituency includes Brixham, told LBC: “This is such a serious matter that yes, I think heads are going to roll over this.”
He claimed the supplier had been too slow to issue its safety alert.
16,000 businesses and residents are affected by the boil water notice. Pic: South West Water
Mr Mangnall said: “From starting this week with a denial from South West Water that it was anything to do with them, delaying the fact that the boil water notice came in – meaning thousands of people used the water network – to then issuing it on Wednesday, and there are a lot of people who are very ill.”
He called it an “absolutely disastrous week” and said locals were furious.
South West Water has said it’s “deeply sorry” and that it’s been “working tirelessly” to identify the source of the problem and fix it.
Bottled water stations have been set up in the area.
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Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey accused the government of not doing enough to hold water companies to account.
He told Sky News the firms were “putting profit over the environment, over public health” after multiple cases of sewage being released into rivers and seas.
“We [Liberal Democrats] wouldn’t wait for fines for pollution,” Sir Ed said.
“There should be a sewage tax on the profits of these water companies so we can get the money now.
“There needs to be much tougher regulation… and we may need to look at restructuring the whole water industry.”
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Kelly Holmes joins anti-sewage protest
It comes as dozens of protests over sewage releases were planned for Saturday.
Surfers Against Sewage is promoting “paddle-out” demonstrations at 30 locations, with Olympian Dame Kelly Holmes among those at the event in Brighton.
The confirmed cases of a waterborne disease caused by a parasite have more than doubled.
There are now 46 confirmed cases of cryptosporidiosis, a diarrhoeal illness, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said – with more than 100 further people reporting similar symptoms in the Brixham area.
Other reported cases of diarrhoea and vomiting in residents and visitors to the south Devon town are also under investigation. Hundreds of locals have also reported feeling unwell over the last two weeks on social media.
MPs and South West Water officials have confirmed the parasite most likely entered water supplies through animal faeces, but an investigation is still ongoing.
What is cryptosporidiosis disease?
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‘Cow faeces’ infected Devon water
The UKHSA first confirmed cases of the disease at around midday on Wednesday, while locals were initially told by South West Water that their tap water was uncontaminated and safe to drink.
But after testing supplies in the Hillhead reservoir, the water company found “small traces” of the parasite cryptosporidium – which causes cryptosporidiosis – and told residents in parts of Brixham and Alston to boil their drinking water on Wednesday.
A total of 16,000 households and businesses in Brixham, Boohay, Kingswear, Roseland and North West Paignton were impacted and offered £15 compensation at first.
Over the next two days, South West Water apologised to those affected and increased the offer to £115. Amid the chaos, one primary school closed its doors on Thursday due to not having safe running drinking water.
16,000 businesses and residents are affected by the boil water notice. Pic: South West Water
‘Very hard questions for water company’
Speaking to Sky News yesterday, South West Water’s chief customer officer Laura Flowerdew confirmed it was likely a broken air valve contaminated by animal faeces that had caused the outbreak.
However, she refused to give a timeframe on how long the incident would be ongoing – leaving thousands of residents facing an uncertain future.
Speaking on Friday at the University of Exeter, Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said there will be “very, very hard questions” for South West Water over the outbreak.
“At the moment I think we probably need to give them the space to conduct their investigation; we know that they have identified the source,” she said.
“The public will want to know how on earth that source happened, what was the chain of events that led to this, because of course we all understand the expectation that we all have when we turn our taps on is that [we get] clean drinking water and we want to be able to trust it.”
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Most cases of cryptosporidiosis pass in two weeks. Symptoms include diarrhoea and vomiting. File pic: Dr_Microbe/iStock
‘Expect to see more cases’
Totnes MP Anthony Mangnall also warned the boil notice could last “at least a further six or seven days” and called for more transparency.
Professor Paul Hunter, a specialist in medical microbiology at the University of East Anglia, told Sky News if the parasite was “a continuous thing” present in water supplies for a prolonged period, then “you’d expect to see more cases” for another two weeks.
It comes as hotel owners in the area told Sky News the outbreak has led to people cancelling their stay, while a head chef said “I can’t wash salad in the sink”.
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‘Destroyed our business’
Stephen Colemansfield, owner of Redlands Guest House in Brixham, told Sky News the outbreak has “destroyed our business at the moment”.
“Our guests have cancelled because of the mixed messages that are being sent out by South West Water.”
Rob, head chef at the Steam Packet Inn in Kingswear near Dartmouth, also said his brother-in-law is one of the 46 confirmed cases of cryptosporidiosis and has been sick for two weeks.
The UKHSA is working with Torbay Council, South West Water, NHS Devon and the Environment Agency on the incident.
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