27th August 2010
'BEST EVER' GCSE RESULTS FOR TARLETON HIGH SCHOOL
Source: Southport Visitor

Tarleton High School is celebrating their best ever GCSE results.

Students and staff at the school celebrated their record breaking year when the results were announced this week. The number of pupils gaining A* and A grades has risen to a high of 29 per cent this year and Year 11 pupils equalled the schools best ever results with 80 per cent achieving five or more A* to C grades.

Some of the students at the school achieved particularly outstanding results, most notably Tom Cowin who gained 11 A*s and three As, Sian Butler who achieved 10 A*s and six As and Aiden Hipwell who got seven A* and seven A grades. More...

23rd August 2010
MP WARNS OF POSTAL SCAMS
Source: Press Release

Local MP for Tarleton, Banks, Hesketh Bank and Rufford, Lorraine Fullbrook is this month highlighting the issue of Postal Scams, that are increasingly trapping local people.

Commenting on her concerns, Lorraine who lives in Tarleton said… “I was recently visited at my one of my local surgeries by a local Crime Prevention Officer and an independent member of the South Ribble Older People’s Partnership. The issue they discussed with me is an extremely serious one which has been raised on many occasions over the years by both the local and national newspapers and news – but as these unscrupulous people become more inventive in how to steal money from people, we must all continually make people aware of this horrendous practise. The Crime Prevention Officer presented me with a 6-inch high pile of mail which contained many different examples of letters delivered by post, personally addressed local people. In one individual case, there must be over 250 letters to just one elderly lady. Many of the letters are repetitive but here are some examples:

1. "The visions I have had of you will radically change your near future...In total over 50 million pounds destined for your bank account in less than 3 months" This one is telling the woman that she is going to win the Euro Millions lottery draw three times in three months – the letter concludes by asking for a payment of £45 via cheque or postal order.
2. Another type of letter - again supposing to predict the future - attaches little fake coins or "amulets" advertising their “power” to bring "immense wealth". This one asks for credit card details with number-security code, date of birth and a signature. Many of the letters are headed with photographs of supposed "famous/celebrity" psychics with daft names such as Ircan Mage or Jackie Stallone.
3. The scare-tactic letters: "We know your life lines. We know what can happen. This is also why we have to warn you...we are very concerned. We see you in big danger" This particular letter vaguely requests a sum of £27= as a contribution to save a person from harm or danger.
4. Then there are some of the more standard ones: "High End Prize Agency of Western Europe Match-Up...we have located the owner of £1,280,856.00". This particular type of letter says that "you are under no obligation" but ask the recipient to sign and return the form. Please be aware that this can be used as a signal of intent and gauges how persuadable or vulnerable the recipient is in order to send further letters which do ask for money OR to call a telephone number at an exorbitant charge per minute of the call.
5. A further example is a letter or postcard advising the recipient that they have a parcel awaiting delivery – which the recipient has never ordered – and requests that a telephone call be made to arrange delivery. There is no parcel; there is no delivery waiting but the telephone charge can be in the region of £6.00 per minute.

Some of these letters are of very poor quality print, but one can only imagine these being very frightening to receive. All in all there are so many different variants of these bogus and scam letters. They range from correspondence by fake "psychics" to fake firms assigning "cash prizes" amounting from thousands to several million pounds - often, if not always, asking for the person's credit card details at the most extreme level.

What is particularly concerning is that all of these letters affected just one of my constituents. Many of us receive the odd one of these letters and we just throw them away. However, for some of our more vulnerable people, they can escalate devastatingly. They become frightening to receive, and they are far easier to be taken in by than many of us realise.

It is important to remember therefore that if the contents of these letters appear too good to be true, they almost certainly are.” Please help me to raise awareness of this despicable practise. Please talk to your family, friends and neighbours.

This is beyond a disgrace and together we can all play our part and do our bit to do all we can to make life as difficult as possible for these thieves and help stop this al together.

I will be raising this issue with my parliamentary colleagues for them to spread the word to their constituents – and I will be raising this matter in the House of Commons to try and stop it”.