YOUNGSTERS were yelling "yargh" and "shiver me timbers" when a library's pirate week set sail.

With parrots on their shoulders and eye-patches fixed firmly in place, the junior pirates swung their way into Bishop's Cleeve Library yesterday for a hearty day of fun.

The library in Tobyfield Road was launching a week of pirate-themed activities with a treasure hunt, hat making and artwork.

More than 50 children took part in the day, which included making a giant mosaic picture of Pirate Pete, which will hang on the wall throughout the week.

Principle library assistant Rosemary Hunt said: "The children had a great time, as did the staff.

"The library was chaotic with all the children running around, but it was a lot of fun.

"For the treasure hunt, they had to find Xs hidden around the library and then run back to the counter to get a chocolate as a prize.

"We decided on a pirate theme for the half-term activities because children love pirates and dressing up, so we knew they'd have a lot of fun."

Churchdown Library in Parton Road is also taking part in pirate week.

Activities lined up for the rest of the week include sea shanty singalongs, crafts, dressed up pirates and maybe even library staff walking the plank.

For more information, call the library on 01242 672 217.

THE Lonsdale family is shrinking!

Parents Simon, 44, and Caroline, 46, and daughter Mary, 15, weighed a combined total of almost 45st before they decided to take action and sign up to a Slimming World programme a year ago.

The family are all Scouts at the 1st Innsworth group and started attending a diet group in Longlevens in a bid to beat the bulge. Simon, a Royal Air Force policeman at Innsworth, has already lost 3.5st. He once weighed more than 16.5st, and now harbours hopes of running the London marathon before he hits 50.

"I knew if I wanted to stay with the RAF I needed to lose weight and get fit," said Simon.

Before dieting, dinner-lady Caroline, 46, weighed-in at 15st. And at just 5ft 4ins, decided it was time to take action and has now lost 2st. Mary has lost more than half a stone.

"Mary is very relaxed about what she is doing," said Simon. "She was very conscious about her size and was not very outgoing and shy but has found a new confidence in her life."

A healthy lifestyle is even more important for son Daniel, seven, who has had two open heart surgeries.

SEA Cadets welcomed comrades from around their Severn District to Stroud for the annual Trafalgar Day parade and service.

The Stroud Sea Cadets were proud to host the march through town, followed by worship at St Laurence Parish Church led by their padre the Rev Peggy Ludlow, commanding officer Petty Officer Paul White said.

"With 11 units in our district it was 11 years since we'd held it here and it was special as it is also our 70th anniversary this year," Mr White said.

The salute outside Stroud Subscription Rooms was taken by Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire Dame Janet Trotter with Stroud MP Neil Carmichael in attendance.

NOTORIOUS football thug Aaron Cawley was jailed for four months after admitting assaulting ex-England goalkeeper Chris Kirkland in a televised match.

A court heard the 21-year-old, from Hester's Way, was too drunk to remember his actions in the Sheffield Wednesday versus Leeds United clash on Friday night.

The unemployed yob, who is a lifelong Leeds fan, ran onto the pitch in the 77th minute and dealt Wednesday keeper Kirkland a two-handed blow to the face.

Cawley, who appeared in court with a Leeds United tattoo visible on his neck and the club crest inked on his right arm, was said to have downed several cans of Stella Artois lager, three-quarters of a litre of vodka and a up to 10 pints of cider prior to the incident.

As well as the 16-week jail term, he was given a six-year football banning order meaning he cannot go within one mile of stadiums where Leeds are playing on match days.

Fans, police and club officials at Leeds United welcomed the punishment.

A club spokesman said: "We are pleased to see the matter dealt with by the courts so quickly.

"The club will also ban the individual for life from Elland Road when the banning order expires. Our one disappointment is that we feel the sentence could, and should, have been considerably longer."

Cawley was tracked down and arrested in Cheltenham in a lunchtime swoop on Sunday.

His family has been in hiding ever since after it emerged they may have been subjected to death threats from enraged fans.

When the Echo called at the family home, in Hester's Way, a man, believed to be a relative of the man, shouted from the window that an apology had been sent to Kirkland.

However, bosses at Sheffield Wednesday Football Club said no such message had been received yet.

Yesterday's court appearance at Sheffield Magistrates' Court marked a swift resolution to the incident. Paul Macaulay, prosecuting, said: "Mr Kirkland described it as being hit like a ton of bricks and he went straight to the floor."

The court heard Cawley emailed South Yorkshire Police and Sky News to admit responsibility for his actions, describing himself as "a disgrace".

The professed remorse contradicted posts published on his Facebook page.

On the social networking site, Cawley said: "Just to let you no (sic) got home safe and sound just had sex, and just been for s**t." Another post said his actions were "hardly crime of the century". The page was later taken down.

Cawley's solicitor Elizabeth Anderton said his client regretted his actions.

"He has expressed a great deal of remorse," she said. "He was disgusted with his behaviour, extremely ashamed."

The court heard he has a long history of football-related offending, including when he was 16, he was banned from every ground in the country after he was identified at the centre or 200-strong riots outside Leeds' Elland Road ground.

The judge was told he had broken banning orders four times, winding up in a Young Offenders' Institution last September following a breach.

District Judge Naomi Redhouse said: "You have brought shame onto the game of football by your actions." Cawley pleaded guilty to common assault and entering the field of play. He was jailed for 16 weeks and ordered to pay £85 costs. Later, he returned to court where he was given a six-year football banning order.

What's your favourite Gloucestershire day out?

Gloucestershire Docks, with all its history, shops and cafes.

And your favourite place to eat out in the county?

Prezzo in Gloucester and Cheltenham, and the Blue Thai Cafe.

What's the worst job you've ever had?

Working in a pie factory.

Have you got any unusual habits?

Biting my nails!

Who is your hero and why?

My hero is my girlfriend because she is an inspiration, hard working, dedicated and so supportive despite herself having to go through obstacles to get to where she is now.

What book are you reading at the moment or tell us your favourite?

I have severe dyslexia so unfortunately am unable to read.

What was the last film you watched?

The Machine Gun Preacher with Gerard Butler. A film based on a true story of a reformed American who goes to Uganda to help orphans from the civil war.

First single/record you ever bought?

Vanilla Ice – the song was called Ice Ice Baby.

Facebook or Twitter?

Both.

THE oldest festival in Cheltenham is under threat again, two years after the Gloucestershire Echo helped to save it.

Organisers have expressed fears about the long-term future of the cash-strapped Cheltenham Festival of Performing Arts.

It comes only a couple of years after the organisers struck a compromise with the borough council.

In 2010 they agreed they could continue to hire the Town Hall for the set price of £10,800 until 2014.

The deal followed a five-month campaign by supporters of the event, which was led by the Echo.

But new fears have been raised about keeping the festival going beyond next year.

The festival costs about £20,000 to run, with more than half of the cost going to the rental of the Town Hall, which used to be free for use.

Festival president Robert Wilson said a lack of funds offered them no long-term stability.

He said: "Last year was really a critical year for us because we've had to raise money to rent the Town Hall for the first time.

Struggle

"This year, we are more prepared for it, but as for the future, I'm afraid we might struggle to make it.

"Performing arts are part of a very important culture here in Cheltenham, and we all need to help save it."

Cheltenham Borough Council started charging for the festival's use of the Town Hall from this year.

The festival was forced to pay £24,000 in 2012 before a petition by the Echo reduced that figure to £10,800.

The current agreement with the council will last until 2014.

Mr Wilson said: "It really is the local festival.

"We have been here a long time, and it's a tradition that we have to continue with.

"I'm worried about any additional costs the council might put on the rental of the Town Hall after our agreement ends."

The festival has been running since 1926, is mostly run by volunteers, and funded mainly by low-price entry fees.

It used to be called the Cheltenham Competitive Festival, and is a collection of more than 300 acts every year.

Held every year in May, it contains a variety of classes including dance, drama, music, and vocal classes.

Mr Wilson, also the former mayor of Cheltenham from 1993-1994, said: "We've had problems raising enough funds, and although we are all right for 2013, I'm worried about the year after."

RIFLEMAN Johnathan Leach claims he is less of a priority for rehousing than alcoholics and drug addicts.

The 27-year-old Quedgeley dad, who fought on the frontline in Afghanistan, is being made redundant from the Army and faces the prospect of homelessness before Christmas.

He needs a council house for him, his wife Laura, 22 – a stay-at-home mum – and three-year-old son Christopher. But he claims when he asked for help from Tewkesbury Borough Council, a worker there told him he would only be eligible for the "silver tier" waiting list.

He said he was told that only people with medical conditions, alcoholics and drug addicts are given "gold" status.

Johnathan, a soldier with 1Rifles, said: "It is like sticking two fingers up to me. I can understand people with medical conditions must be a priority but drug addicts? It's just wrong."

Johnathan – who has served in Helmand Province in Afghanistan and tackled riots in Northern Ireland – will leave Beachley Barracks in Chepstow on December 11.

The Ministry of Defence has remained tight-lipped about how many 1 Rifles soldiers face redundancy, but Johnathan said up to 30 were set to go.

He has a new job as a delivery driver in Tewkesbury and is hoping to be rehoused in the borough.

He said: "I have done my bit. I was promised that as ex-forces you get help to be rehoused but I'm not the only one in this position. It's disgusting."

As a last resort, Johnathan will have to rely on charities Royal British Legion and SSAFA Forces Help, who may be able to contribute to a deposit for private accommodation. But Johnathan said he has no savings and cannot afford private rent.

Verna Green, Tewkesbury Borough Council's director of community, said: "It is important to note that while the homelessness banding criteria contains sections on medical need and disability, priority is not given to those with alcohol and drug issues.

"We will continue to work closely with Mr Leach and we have advised him on how to make a homeless application, which unfortunately cannot be any earlier than 28 days before he is due to leave the forces. In most cases, once an application has been received and an investigation carried out, if the individual is considered homeless, then gold banding is awarded."

THE Royal Navy is both modern and traditional and these two valuable qualities were on display in the Valleys and Vale this week. The first big event was the parade through Stroud and church service in St Laurence's for Sea Cadets in Gloucestershire (Severn). The Sea Cadets were established during the time of the Crimean War.

The Stroud Sea Cadets under the inspiring and devoted leadership of Petty Officer Paul White performed perfectly. The parade through the town with other local units demonstrated teamwork, attention to detail and individual pride.

The Sea Cadets offer a huge range of activities for young people including sailing, adventure training and youth activities. Find out more on www.sea-cadets.org/stroud.

Another Navy event, was the Stroud Naval Association's annual Trafalgar Dinner held in King's Stanley Village Hall. Again, several Sea Cadets played a big part towards the success of the evening but all generations were represented, illustrating the strong bond sailors have with each other. Lord Nelson's victory at Trafalgar against the combined naval fleets of France and Spain was a turning point in our nation's history.

I will be dining on HMS Belfast, now moored on the Thames as a floating museum, for another Trafalgar-related event. This ship was a light cruiser, serving in the Second World War and afterwards in Korea and the Far East. At 11,000 tonnes, it had powerful guns, up to two aircraft complete with hanger until 1945 and a compliment of up to 880.

Turning to Stroud General Hospital, the Stroud League of Friends organised the annual Hospital Service in Holy Trinity, Stroud, to celebrate the Stroud Hospitals and to recognise the chaplains. It was an enjoyable event.

The league works extremely effectively and we should all be grateful to David Miller and his team for their tireless work, amounting to the impressive fact that, over the last decade, almost £1million has been spent by the league on new equipment.

If you are interested in the issues raised above, please contact me on 01453 751572 or visit my website – www.neilcarmichael.co.uk. Now, you can also follow me on twitter @neil_mp .

SEA Cadets welcomed comrades from around the Severn District to Stroud for the organisation's annual Trafalgar Day parade and service.

Stroud Sea Cadets were proud to host the march through town, followed by worship at St Laurence Parish Church led by their padre the Rev Peggy Ludlow, commanding officer Petty Officer Paul White said.

"With 11 units in our district it was 11 years since we'd held it here and it was special as it is also our 70th anniversary this year," Mr White said.

"There were about 300 in all. Cadets came to us from Tewkesbury, Gloucester, Cheltenham and beyond."

The salute, outside Stroud Subscription Rooms, was taken by Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire Dame Janet Trotter with Stroud MP Neil Carmichael in attendance.

VOLUNTEERING has soared in Stroud over the past year with more than double the number of people offering their unpaid help.

The charity Volunteer and Community Action (Stroud District) Ltd (VCA) had enjoyed a busy year with a "huge growth" in demand for their services, its annual general meeting learned.

"The number of people applying to the centre via the volunteering website and people coming through the door for personal advice on where to volunteer have both increased," said centre manager MarcOboussier.

"This shows what a vital service the volunteer centre gives in providing helpers for local organisations. The number of volunteers placed has increased too," he said.

Between April 2011 and March 2012, 288 people offered their help via www.do-it.org.uk and a further 98 came to the VCA offices in The Shambles.

Those figures had leapt since the previous year when 79 approached the VCA through "do-it" and 82 in person.

In the past year VCA had placed 115 people in volunteering roles, Mr Oboussier said.

That compared to just 61 placements previously, he said.

People typically undertook through VCA to voluntarily escort frail or vulnerable people, visit day centres, work in charity shops and help on the Cotswold Canals.

Mr Obussier said VCA was now also increasing its services to the community with a new partnership with Stroud District Council.

That would employ a volunteer support co-ordinator who would specifically help disadvantaged people who suffered from learning difficulties, mental health issues or addiction problems, and the unemployed, to access volunteering more easily.

Guest speaker at the annual meeting was Dr Claire Mould, chief executive officer of the OPENhouse, formerly Shire Training Workshops, which supports young people's education, training and accommodation.

VCA also runs a community transport network of mini buses and volunteer car drivers helping people who cannot access public transport.

VCA is administered by a charitable board which has welcomed new Stroud District Council representative Coun Doina Cornell in place of Coun Elizabeth Peters.

PICKLES tickled the judges fancy at the Crown and Sceptre's grand autumn chutney challenge.

After chewing over the entries in the Horns Road pub's "Pickle Off" a quince jelly made by Martin Mason emerged as supreme champion of the competition held on Sunday.

There were jams and marmalades too, plus pickled onions and eggs, alongside the premier pickles, chutney and piccalilli all lined up in their polished jars.

BADGERS in Gloucestershire have been saved from culling after a dramatic Government u-turn delayed it.

After Environment Secretary Owen Paterson announced the halt to the cull in the House of Commons yesterday, campaigners welcomed the reprieve. But they said they continue will their fight to stop the animals being killed to control bovine TB.

Farmers who were hopeful the trial cull would help control the disease expressed shock at the decision.

Mr Paterson said the culls in west Gloucestershire and Somerset will be pushed back by a year as delays caused by the weather, legal challenges and the Olympics meant the "optimal time" had passed.

He made the decision after the National Farmers Union (NFU) requested the postponement.

It said farmers were not confident they could carry out the cull given new figures revealing higher than anticipated badger numbers in the pilot areas. The estimated badger population in west Gloucestershire is 3,600 – 2,520 would need to be shot to reach the cull target.

Mr Paterson emphasised there had been "no change" to Government policy on the issue and the pilot culls would go ahead.

"I am utterly convinced that badger control is the right thing to do, and the higher than expected badger numbers only serve to underline the need for urgent action."

The decision was a shock for Eastington farmer Andrew Cozens. He said: "I'm disappointed that having got the impetus up and ready to go forward the breaks have been put back on it.

"TB is costing us £100 million a year. We want to get rid of this disease.

He slammed Defra as 'incompetent' for only just realising the badger numbers were so high.

However he said the reasons for the postponement were understandable and he is confident the cull will go ahead next year.

"All the delays which we have experienced this year should be put to bed by then. This isn't a U-turn it's a postponement.

"Some things are unpalatable and this is one of them but it is needed."

LUCY Webley, Head of Family Law at Lexel-accredited Leigh Young Solicitors, answers common questions surrounding family law.

Q: Before I married, I set up a very successful business and owned my own property. I am concerned that if I divorce my spouse, they will make a claim against these assets.

A: Working towards a financial settlement on a divorce involves getting to grips with the 'matrimonial assets'. In other words, how much money is in the pot.

If you have assets that were built up before the marriage or perhaps gained through an inheritance, it is important to look at what has happened to those assets since the marriage.

If a property has been lived in as the family home, it is going to be more difficult to argue that this should be kept out of the settlement.

The extent to which the family finances have been mixed together often plays a part. Sometimes, the longer the marriage the more difficult it will be to keep things separate. But if you have a property that you rented out and invested the money separately then that may be safe.

One of the most important factors that courts and lawyers have to consider is needs.

By that I mean can your spouse's needs for income and capital be met out of the family pot?

If not, it may be that assets which pre-date the marriage need to be included.

Most importantly, if you are saying your business and property should not be included, you will need to prove they were owned by you prior to the marriage and back this up with paperwork.

If you have yet to tie the knot you should consider a pre-nuptial agreement.

These agreements are not fully legally binding. However, when properly drafted, with expert independent legal advice, financial disclosure and signed in good time before the wedding, they can help a great deal.

The position can then be confirmed or reviewed and updated in a post-nuptial agreement.

This issue has received some press recently. Take a look at the 'news' section on our website for an article on the shake-up of maintenance rules.

Leigh Young Solicitors, One Rowcroft, Stroud

01453 762 114, l

www.leighyoung.co.uk

A FIRST calendar has been produced this winter to collect cash for the 5 Valley Cat Rescue charity.

Featuring cats and kittens recently rescued, the calendar for 2013 will be sold at the charity's annual Christmas in the Conservatory fundraiser

This year the event will take place from Friday to Sunday, November 16-18 from 10.30am- to 4pm at 60 Windmill Road, in Minchinhampton.

THE Gloucestershire Badger Group is holding a public meeting in Stroud to highlight Operation Meles, an intelligence-led UK-wide police operation gathering evidence of badger persecution and targeting offenders.

Badger persecution has been raised to the level of a UK Wildlife crime priority, which means every Chief Constable has to account for their force's work to combat crimes against badgers and their setts.

The meeting starts at 10am on Saturday at the Old Town Hall.

See Letters, p6

DETECTIVE work by a post mistress helped catch a fraudster with fistfuls of dodgy foreign bank notes.

After Painswick sub-postmaster Karen Judd was ripped off by con man Damien Fell, she handed over his paperwork to police, who matched it with his fingerprints.

When they caught Fell, who admitted defrauding sub-post offices in Painswick, Paganhill, and Worcestershire they discovered worthless or devalued Mexican, Polish and Uruguayan bank notes, false passports and forged Post Office forms in his car, Gloucester Crown Court heard.

"He called himself Mr Roberts and was very convincing," said Mrs Judd. "We did all the checks we are supposed to but it turned out the Bulgarian Levs he swapped for sterling were out of date. I kept all the paperwork and when our local PCSO came in and I mentioned what had happened, he asked for it, and that helped catch him."

The 29-year-old Birmingham student also admitted four offences of possessing articles for fraud – Bulgarian currency, false currency order confirmation forms, two passports, and a laptop computer programmed with a template for the currency forms.

Julian Kesner, prosecuting, said on July 1, 2010 Fell obtained £448 by exchanging worthless Bulgarian Lev notes and using a forged foreign currency order confirmation form and a passport in the name of Nicholas Roberts at Painswick. Later that day he went to Paganhill post office and, using the same methods, exchanged devalued Levs for £461. With a similar crime at Lower Broadheath, the total fraudulently obtained amounted to £1,364.02 – borne by the sub-post offices.

He was arrested after attempting to defraud a Cornish sub-post office. Police found 20 false currency order confirmation sheets, a credit card in the name of ND Roberts and quantities of devalued Mexican, Polish and Uruguayan bank notes in his rented car.

Fell was sentenced to 28 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, ordered to do 150 hours' unpaid work and to undergo supervision for 12 months. He must pay compensation totalling £1,364.02.

THE beer will be flowing again at The Ram in South Woodchester when it re-opens this weekend.

There was consternation in the village when its only pub abruptly shut earlier this month.

But now The Ram would be in business again from this Friday although initially only for drinks, new landlord Phil McAsey said.

"We're sorry that the pub had to be closed temporarily but we're working flat out to get the cellar re-stocked and to re-decorate," he added.

Mr McAsey, whose family owns The Ram, said he'd re-employed the bar staff and would be hiring a chef and kitchen staff when the kitchen has been refitted.

The Ram's previous landlord Tim Mullen has left the 400-year-old inn.

Amy Locke has been appointed as a team manager at a county agency and is covering Stroud and Gloucester areas.

Amy now leads The Property Centre's sales progression team.

The team communicates with all parties involved in the sale of a home to make the process smoother.

She has worked within the travel industry for many years selling holidays, being an overseas representative, cruise operations supervisor and recently working onboard Fred Olsen Cruise Lines as sales manager.

While on board the cruise ships, Amy gained a wealth of experience in customer service and appreciated the importance of dealing with guests from the initial sale through to joining the ship and enjoying their cruise.

Having recently moved back to her hometown of Gloucester and going through the house buying process herself, she realised the importance of a customer care team within the sales process.

And when the position of sales progression manager was advertised, she jumped at the opportunity to put her solid organising skills and customer service experience gained over the years, into something new.

"Moving home is one of the most stressful activities that you can put yourself through.

"This is often caused when trying to keep abreast of all the different people involved in the sales process; from the seller, the buyer, their respective solicitors and mortgage lenders.

"There are searches and surveys to be completed, contracts to be drafted, signed and exchanged. This is further complicated when there is a number of sales, or a chain, involved.

"Unlike many independent agents, The Property Centre has a dedicated sales progression team tasked with communicating with all parties to ensure a smooth as possible process."

When vendors are realistic with their asking prices more property is selling and at figures closer to that asked for, says county property expert Richard Powell.

Richard, co-founder at Naylor Powell Estate Agents, which has an office in Stonehouse, said sellers were requesting higher asking prices to test the market but he was not convinced that was the right approach.

He said: "Particularly going into the winter period vendors need to be sensible with their asking prices if they want to achieve a sale within a reasonable time period."

Richard added house prices had continued to fall slightly over the past 12 months and had now stabilised. First-timers could benefit from this but needed even more support, he said.

"Hopefully, the slight reduction in house prices will particularly assist first-time buyers and we are definitely seeing an increase in the number of sales achieved," he said.

"The main problem for first-time buyers still relates to the stringent conditions that banks and building societies are putting on the criteria for obtaining funding and I don't understand why this is still the case. "There is no doubt that the lending institutions have gone from making money too easily available to making the criteria for lending obstructive. There must be a middle course that looks after everyone's interest."

Meanwhile, with private rents forecast to rise by nearly half in the next eight years, the thought of renting out a property is becoming increasingly attractive to those who own one.

It is thought rents in prime parts of the county could rise by just under £380 by 2020.