The driver of this car had a miraculous escape after his car smashed into the side of a lorry outside Dungiven last week.

By Orla McNicholl

orla@derrypost.com

The man escaped serious injury after his Mercedes car was involved in a collision with a lorry just after 8am.

The accident happened just outside Go service station on the Foreglen Road last Tuesday.

One person was taken to hospital after the incident.

However, police say their injuries were believed not to be life threatening.

A police spokesperson said one man was arrested, but was later released on police bail pending further enquiries.

The father of baby Katie Maguire has branded the behaviour of health chiefs “shameful” after they refused to cover the cost of her care in a US hospital.

By Connla Young connla@derrypost.com

The seriously ill child’s dad Gary McCann spoke of his family’s bitter disappointment after health minister Michael McGimpsey confirmed his department will not off any financial help towards the child’s health care costs. Baby Katie suffers from a rare form of epilepsy which means she can’t see, swallow or smile. The brave one-year-old was brought to Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago by her parents in June. Since then US doctors have discovered several medical problems that went undiagnosed in local hospitals. The additional treatment required has placed a massive financial burden on Katie’s family who say they need at least £250,000 to cover the cost of her treatment while abroad. At the end of last month Gary McCann jetted back from the US for a joint meeting with the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister at Stormont in a bid to build support for his daughter’s plight. Mr McCann also met health minister Michael McGimpsey, who he asked to help pay some of the cost of Katie’s treatment in America. However, last week the minister sent a letter to Katie’s family rejecting their request for help. “I am angry and I feel at this stage they have closed the door on me,” said Gary. “I feel he (McGimpsey) is saying he doesn’t want to hear any more from me. They are saying they won’t pay because the potential to have Katie treated in the UK or Europe was not exhausted. But we begged for her to be referred to Great Ormond Street and they refused to do it. “I then met the minister just weeks before we were due to go to America and he said he would try to arrange a referral in Great Ormond Street. But we had already set everything up for America, it was simply too little too late. They are now using this as an excuse not to offer any financial help. They are playing word games to avoid helping to care for a seriously ill one-year-old girl. What they are doing lacks compassion and generosity and it’s shameful.” A spokesman for the Department for Health said:”The Department recognises that any serious illness affecting a young child will cause the family great distress and anxiety. The health service would only be in a position to commit money towards a referral to the United States if it was clear that the possible options within the health service in the United Kingdom had been exhausted and there was evidence that referral firstly outside the UK – and secondly outside the European Union – would offer better prospects for the patient. “Where prior authorisation for treatment in another country has not been obtained, the health service is not in a position to meet the costs of treatment. The Minister has provided Katie’s family with an assurance that arrangements will be put in place for her ongoing care and support on her return to Northern Ireland.”

Teacher Neil McCloy was honoured this week at one of the biggest award ceremonies in the UK.

By Orla McNicholl

orla@derrypost.com

Neil, who teaches at St. Brigid’s Primary School in Knockloughrim, was nominated for ITV Teacher of the Year and last week he was one of several finalists on the red carpet at the Pride of Britain awards.

Despite only teaching at the south Derry school for just a year, Neil has made quite an impression on the pupils there.

And it was this impression that prompted young Aoife Duggan to nominate her primary five teacher for the prestigious title.

Aoife said Mr. McCloy made learning fun when she was in primary five last year.

Last week he was accompanied to the awards ceremony by his girlfriend Claire Kelly and UTV presenter Siobhan McGarry.

“This wasn’t something I was expecting at all.  It has just been such a surreal experience and a great honour and privilege. I’m just coming back to reality now,” said the 27-year-old, who spent early last week mingling with celebrities such as Gordon Ramsey and Gary Lineker and even had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah at Downing Street.

Neil, a native of The Loup, said his experience last week was “unbelievable”. 

“I can’t put into words how fantastic the awards ceremony was,” said Neil. 

“It was such an amazing night and I was surrounded by celebrities galore and so many great and inspirational people.

“Watching the Pride of Britain on television, you get so emotional but just to be there is just extraordinary.  I feel very humble to have had this experience.”

 Even though Neil didn’t win the title of Teacher of the Year, he said his nomination was much more important to him.

“I have had the benefit of going to London and having this experience but at the end of the day, Aoife’s nomination means so much more to me.  It has just been a great year for me.”

X-factor star Eoghan Quigg suffered a weekend of mixed emotions after he was forced to pull out of the Under-16 hurling championship final at the last minute.

By Connla Young

connla@derrypost.com

And hours after making it through to the next round of the hugely popular talent contest, the Dungiven starlet found out his pals back home had been beaten in the county final by an injury time goal.

The teen singing sensation was due to line out at right half forward for Kevin Lynch’s hurling club in their under 16 showdown with Slaughneil at Celtic Park on Sunday.

He was even listed in the match programme but was left gutted at loosing out on the chance to win a county medal.

Instead, a last minute change of plan meant the 16-year-old was forced to jet out of the country to hook up with other X-factor contestants on Saturday.

Howver, disappointment turned to joy on Sunday as the Saint Patrick’s College pupil made it through to the last 24 of the competition and will now spend a week in Simon Cowell’s Barbados retreat as he competes to win a £1million recording contract.

The record label boss told the teenager: “You’ve just got it, whatever IT is, you’ve got it. Good voice, look good, chicks are gonna love you, mums are gonna love you.”

A state-of-the-art play park was officially opened in Claudy at the weekend.

By Orla McNicholl

orla@derrypost.com

The £250,000 project, which is managed by Derry City Council on behalf of John Mitchell GAC, was opened by Mayor of Derry, Councillor Gerard Diver on Saturday.

The Mayor welcomed the opening of the cross community play area, which is part financed by the council through the Parks Development Programme.  He said the provision of a shared space in the Claudy area was a vital project for the rural area.

“This investment is part of the wider regeneration of the area to improve access and facilities at a district wide level.  A lot of work has gone into getting this project up and running and I would like to acknowledge the role played by the various funding agencies and community organisations that made it possible.  I am confident the Claudy community will greatly benefit from the provision of this exciting and new play environment.  It marks a significant investment for the rural area and will provide much needed and enhanced recreational facilities for the whole community,” said Cllr Diver.

Vincent McCloskey, chairman of John Mitchell GAC extended his thanks to the organisations that financed the project.  He said: “John Mitchell’s GAC would like to extend their thanks to Northern Ireland Rural Development Council (RDC), the International Fund for Ireland (IFI), Derry City Council, RAPID and Groundswork NI for their support in Claudy Play Area and making this scheme a reality.  The state of the art play facility will be an asset to the community of Claudy and we are delighted to see the project successfully completed and hope the local community will enjoy it.”

A black swan which turned up on the shores of Lough Neagh over the weekend may have escaped from a private collection experts say.

By Connla Young

connla@derrypost.com

The elegant black bird was spotted yesterday morning paddling with a group of whooper swans at a stretch of shoreline near Ballymaguigan.

With jet black feathers and a distinctive red beak the spectacular bird, which is native to the southern hemisphere, seemed at perfect ease with other swans as it searched for food at an isolated bay between Ballyronan and Toomebridge.

It wasn’t clear last night if the bird has escaped from a private collection or if it has flown into Ireland with a group of whooper swans which return annually to Lough Neagh from Iceland.

Usually found in Australia, the black swan is a protected species in that country.

Lough Neagh Wetlands Biodiversity Officer Seamus Burns said the swan may have originally come from a private collection.

“There has been a black swan knocking about this area for the last three years,” said Seamus. “This may be it back again or it may be a different one, it’s hard to know. The black swan hooks up with whoopers because they are its closest relatives.

“We are pretty sure in the past this bird didn’t migrate back to Iceland with the other whoopers. But it is very interesting that it has appeared back again this year.”

Family and friends of little Katie Maguire are set to do the ‘Full Monty’ in a bid to raise cash for her medical fund.

By Connla Young

connla@derrypost.com

The ladies night event will see a brave group of local men strip to the ‘bare essentials’ as the campaign to raise cash for the sick tot continues.

Katie is currently being treated for a range of serious medical conditions including a rare form of epilepsy at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago and her family needs to raise £250,000 to cover the cost of her treatment.

As well as local men taking centre stage, the ladies night will also comprise of massauses, nail art, ladies accessories and a disco.

Organiser Paul Cleary said ladies will have to wait until Saturday night to see how far the dancing troupe of local guys goes.

“Will we go the full way? People will have to pay on the night to find out,” joked Paul.

“The important thing is that it’s all about raising money for the fund.”

The ladies night will take place at the Clubland in Cookstown on Saturday, October 4.

For more information about the ladies night call 07841025486.

To donate to the Keep Baby Katie Awake Fund contact 24 Sandy Braes, Magherafelt, BT456PN or give to the Keep Baby Katie Awake Fund at any Bank of Ireland branch.

For more details visit www.keepbabykatieawake.com. Bank details: sort code 904982 - account number 90516309.

A Dungiven business man has warned local people to be vigilant after his shop was broken into at the weekend.

By Orla McNicholl

orla@derrypost.com

The call came after trespassers gained entry to Eurospar supermarket on Station Road in the early hours of Monday morning. 

In the incident, the culprits carefully sawed a hole in the emergency exit door around 3.30am however they made off empty handed after sensors set the alarms off.

Emma McNicholl, Manager of Eurospar, believes the attempted burglary was carefully planned by the would-be thieves.  “It seems they have used a battery powered jigsaw to cut the hole in the door as it is a very tidy job and they have obviously spent time doing it,” said Emma.

“We saw them on CCTV checking out the premises and then coming back an hour later to cut the hole in the door.

“When they got in through the hole, they set off the sensors and the fire alarm which probably made them panic and run off.”

Francie McNicholl, owner of Eurospar, warned others to be on their guard.  He said: “We didn’t lose anything but we want to make other business people and homeowners aware and would urge them to take every precaution that they can.”

The break-in at Eurospar was one of several burglaries in the Limavady borough in the past week. 

On Tuesday, thieves forced entry into P McDermott Estate Agents on Main Street, Dungiven.

Peter McDermott, proprietor, said: “They entered the premises through a window during lunchtime in broad daylight and took quite a substantial amount of money.”

On Sunday, there was an attempted break-in at a restaurant on the Greystone Road in Limavady while in a separate incident money was taken from premises at Anderson Avenue, Limavady sometime during Sunday night.

Sinn Féin Councillor Cathal Ó hOisín urged business owners to review their security and for everyone to be on their alert.

“Obviously with things getting tighter in general, there are those who would seek the opportunity for easy pickings,” said Cllr Ó hOisín. 

A Limavady businessman has told how he helplessly watched thieves ransack his jeweller’s shop and make off with over £50,000 worth of goods.

By Orla McNicholl

orla@derrypost.com

The burglars, which proprietor Colin Bond believes are of eastern European appearance, forced open the shutters in the early hours of Wednesday morning and threw a boulder through the front door of his Market Street business before loading bin liners with around £50,000 worth of designer watches and jewellery, including D&G, Guess, Diesel and DKNY.

Mr. Bond said the thieves, who had scarves around their faces and hoods pulled up, were in his shop on Tuesday afternoon acting suspiciously.  “We have CCTV footage of the two men in the shop on Tuesday afternoon.  A member of staff noticed that they were acting suspiciously and when she spoke to them, they never answered her,” said Colin.

 In their Ballymoney home, Colin and his wife tearfully watched CCTV images of the thieves trashing their business, which has been in the town for over 15 years.

 “My wife and I ran into the computer room after receiving the call from the security company at 3.30am.  My wife was in tears as we watched them destroy the shop,” said Colin.

“I am just disgusted.  I have built the business up to what it is today and it has just been destroyed in a matter of minutes.  There is at least £50,000 worth of damage to the shop and any jewellery that is left is not serviceable,” added Colin.

Bond’s are still planning to move into their new premises on Market Street on October 1 despite the major setback.

A County Derry man has described how he is living in fear after his gay son was attacked in a vicious homophobic last week.

Civil right’s veteran Sean Ledgewood last night revealed he is too fearful of being attacked by thugs to leave his Maghera home.

The distraught father says he hasn’t walked from home into Maghera town centre since and he and his son Ciaran were set on by a hate mob in 2003.

At the time a gang of thugs kicked and punched the devoted dad as he tried to save his son from a vicious attack which resulted in him needing hospital treatment for stab wounds to the hand.

The 26-year-old was singled out again last week when hoods attacked him and a friend as they walked home from his niece’s birthday party in the town centre.

During the incident one depraved attacker sunk his teeth into the arm of Ciaran’s 60-year-old mother who had run from her nearby home to save her son.

The gang then surrounded the victims’ home and only fled when an ambulance arrived to take Sean to hospital with a suspected heart attack.

Two teenagers, aged 16 and 17 and a 22-year-old man arrested last week in connection with the assault were later released on police bail.

Sean described how he lives under siege from mindless yobs who intimidate local residents.

“It’s our own people who are doing these things to us,” he said. “I was not reared to do things like this and back then we had a name for people like this, ignoramuses. They have absolutely no manners.

“This has had an impact on us all and I’m still not the better of it. When the whole thing happened last Sunday morning I panicked and took pains in my chest.”

Sean says his family has a right to live in peace.

“If you are different around here you are going to get it. But all of us are a target for them. I haven’t been down that road since 2003. I’m too afraid of being attacked.

“They recently marked the 40th anniversary of the civil right’s movement. Well, I walked with the civil right’s movement back then but there is no civil rights for me or my family now. People should be allowed to live in some sort of normality and go down the street and back up if they want to. I never thought I would end up living like this.”