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Teams from across Merseyside converged on south Sefton this week for the 2018 New Directions Disability Football Tournament.

The event, which was held at Goals Football Centre in Netherton, was hosted by Sefton’s leading social care provider and open to clubs from across the city region.

Eight teams took part in the six-a-side competition, with a team representing Skem Men-aces doing just enough to lift the trophy after a number of hard-fought games against strong opposition.

The other teams that took part were a second side from the Skelmersdale Skem Men-Aces club, Dunningsbridge who are based at the New Directions South Hub on Park Lane in Netherton and a team from Buzz Hub, the St Helens Coalition of Disabled People.

The line-up was completed by teams from disability support charities Phab Liverpool and Halewood-based Your Voice Your Choice, Oakfield Day Service in Liverpool and Kirkby Activity Centre.

The presentations were made by New Directions HR Manager Adam Drury who congratulated all the teams on the competitive but fair way they had played throughout the tournament.

The event was organised by Karl Hughes and Donna Brannan of the New Directions South Hub who have worked to develop close links between the Dunningsbridge team and the Merseyside Disability Football Advisory Group.

As a result New Directions clients have received specialist coaching in the sport, and a Dunningsbridge team plays regularly in a local disability football league.

Commenting on this week’s tournament Karl Hughes said: “The day went very well and all the feedback I have received from players, coaches, officials and spectators has been very positive.

“We’re now hoping we can make the competition an annual event, and expand the size and scope of next year’s tournament.”

Crowds in their thousands flocked to Victoria Park, Southport at the weekend to watch an incredible fireworks spectacular.

Despite the weather conditions on Sunday which led to an earlier than expected end to the competition, teams once again battled it out at the British Musical Fireworks Championship for the ultimate title.

An incredible display by Illusion Fireworks, who performed on the last Saturday evening slot, was enough to wow the judges and seal first place.

Second place was awarded to Blitz Fireworks who fired first on Saturday and third place was given to Phenomenal Fireworks who fired second on Friday.

For the first time in the history of the event, the judges awarded an innovation award to Illusion Fireworks for the creativity displayed by the team during their display.

Unfortunately due to weather conditions during the first display on Sunday, September 30, a decision to stop the display and cancel the event was made by the organisers.

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council’s Labour Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, said: “The British Musical Fireworks Championship was yet again a fantastic weekend for Southport and Sefton.

“The safety of our customers is our priority and our competition clerk felt that with the change in wind direction and speed, the conditions were no longer suitable to carry on with the competition on the Sunday”

“Despite that thousands of families enjoyed incredible displays in Victoria Park and Saturday was full to capacity, selling out completely, proving what a draw the Fireworks and Southport really are.

“I would like to congratulate everybody involved in putting on this year’s championship, which was a fitting and fantastic end to our 2018 Sefton events calendar.

“As the season draws to close once again, it is also important that we acknowledge the huge economic impact these fantastic events have on our borough.”

The Churchill Way flyovers in Liverpool city centre are to close after a routine inspection concluded that further investigation works are required.

The two-lane, concrete fly-overs, which were opened in 1970 as part of a £2.4m Mersey Tunnel relief scheme, will close in both directions at 8pm tonight (Friday, 28 September) to allow more intrusive inspections to take place.

The flyovers, consisting of two separate roads linking Lime Street to Dale Street (south flyover) and Tithebarn Street (north flyover), run directly behind the city’s museums and galleries in William Brown Street and has been under constant assessment since the 1980s when it was closed for repairs. There were further remedial works in 2005 and 2013 as part on an ongoing maintenance regime.

Following new legislation on major highways structures a Post Tension Site Investigation (PTSI) began in 2016 to assess the northern and southern sections, both of which are more than 240 metres in length. This has found several design and construction flaws, including drainage, internal support, barriers and bearings and has recommended further intrusive investigations be carried out which requires a full closure.

It is anticipated this new survey, which will be undertaken by specialist engineers and will involve structural testing, removal of the road surface and drilling into the decks as well as underground assessments of every supporting column, is expected to take at least six months to complete. This estimated time period will be affected by the unusual fact that the fly-overs have no access chambers to allow such inspections.

The diversion routes will be as follows:

• North Flyover – Traffic on Tithebarn Street will be directed to take a left on Vauxhall Road then right on to Leeds Street, then right on to Byrom Street and up Hunter Street to the junction with St Anne Street and into the city centre.
• South Flyover – Traffic on Lime Street will be directed to continue onto Commutation Row then left onto Islington, down on to Hunter Street then left onto Byrom Street into the city centre – where they can access lower Dale Street from the tunnel roundabout. Equally traffic on Hunter Street can continue north on the A59 and then take a left at Leeds Street to access the waterfront.
• The bus lane on St Johns Lane heading up to Lime Street station will also be suspended