Rail Chaos hits Fratton commuters

CHAOS  hit train services t from Fratton station tonight as the transport problems which have plagued the south coast over the past few days mounted up.

Passengers reported massive delays on the line between Havant and Fratton with the twenty minute journey taking around two hours.

Disgruntled passenger Nik Codling left a twitter message at 7pm saying: “Stuck on a train from Havant to Fratton since 5pm, I could have cycled to the  harbour by now.”

Fellow traveller Joel Groney said: “I left Fratton, London bound at 5.20, it’s now 7:50 and I’m stuck outside of Gatwick.”

At the same time the National Rail Enquiries help-line reported  that most  services had returned to normal except in parts of Scotland and the North of England, and stated that in particular Southern, South West Trains and South Eastern  had all returned to a normal service.

A\message on the Southern Rail website also stated: ‘Train services between Chichester and Cosham are being disrupted due to signaling problems in the Hilsea area.
Short notice alterations, cancellations and delays of up to 60 minutes can be expected.’
A spokesman for Southern Rail announced that they plan to run a normal service on Tuesday December 7, but that the damaging effect of the recent weather conditions on the train fleet means that some train carriages will not be available for use.

Shakespeare Actors shine at the Groundlings

WE WERE transported back in time to the great age of amateur dramatics at the Groundlings Theatre last night with a major new production of Romeo and Juliet performed by the Southsea Shakespeare Actors.

Founded in 1947 they are the only theatre company in the UK to have performed every play in the Shakespeare Canon, and the current play certainly doesn’t disappoint.

In Act One Romeo played by  Adam Brown,24, delivers his lines with the playful sensitivity of a love-struck young teenager.

As Juliet, Lara Hardwick, 15, acts with a maturity that belies her age and is totally convincing as the young maiden, one minute playing hard to get, the next falling for Romeo’s impassioned wooing.

The kissing scenes are electric and show evidence of a real chemistry between the two actors.

Andy Thomas commands the stage as the bombastic, fearless Mercutio and Danny Carter captivates the audience as Tybalt, leading the Capulets in their rivalry with the Montagues with a nonchalant swagger.

In Act Two, the playacting and jesting is replaced by sombre displays of sorrow and lament, which the cast handle just as adeptly.

Acoustic guitars, piano and violins are used with soft eerie lighting to add atmosphere to the moving tragic scenes.

The venue is also fitting, with renaissance-style vaulted ceilings and arched Georgian windows evoking the faded classicism of the great age of amateur dramatics in the pre and post-war eras..

Romeo and Juliet can be seen at the Groundlings Theatre, The Old Benny, Curzon Howe Road, Portsea, until Sunday 21^st November. For tickets call: 02392737370

Willetts cancels Pompey visit

MP David Willetts was forced to cancel a visit to Gunwharf Quays on Friday after fears that he would be harassed by student protestors.

Mr Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, was due to attend a conference at the Aspex Gallery, Gunwharf, organised by the South East Coastal Communities Project which was set up to address the regeneration needs of socially deprived areas.

Local residents and representatives of the university and the private sector were due to meet to discuss the findings of the project but the conference was cancelled at the last minute after fears that student protestors would hijack it to demonstrate against university fees.

A spokesperson for Conference organisers South Coast Moneyline said: “Representatives from the University of Portsmouth, Aspex gallery, the police and Gunwharf Quays security met with us this morning to review the arrangements for the event. In the light of information received concerning a planned protest, and concerns about the security, safety and welfare of all persons, it was agreed to postpone the event.”

The conference was to celebrate the outstanding work carried out  by university students on the South East Coastal Communities Project over the last three years, and a chance for local charities and social enterprises to showcase their work to a government minister.

A spokesman for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills denied that the government held any responsibility for cancelling the visit: “David was extremely keen to attend the conference this morning, but we were told it was cancelled by the police and the university,” she said.

AakashNaik, President of Portsmouth University Students Union said: “We wanted to go to the Aspex gallery to have a peaceful protest about fees. We wanted to approach Mr Willetts to discuss the issue as we have emailed him to ask him to come to the university on several occasions but he has failed to reply.

“30% of our students are from the local area and as Mr Willetts is MP for Havant he ought to have their interests at heart. It’s absolutely wrong for us not to have the chance to express our views.”

On the same day, Mr Willetts did pay a visit to Highbury College in Cosham to view the recently built college campus, which passed off without incident.

College Principal Stella Mbubaegbu said: “This visit was a great opportunity for MrWilletts to see our new campus buildings and was in the diary long before the new government took office. There was never any suggestion that the visit would involve discussions about student funding.”

A number of ministerial visits have been cancelled recently due to fears of student unrest across the UK.

Clare is all Heart

HOSPITAL manager Clare Oatridge, 30, competed in the Great South Run on Sunday watched by her father, just a year after his life was threatened by a serious cardiac condition.

Clare, operations manager for Spire Hospital in Southampton, was inspired to take part in the event after her father, John Oatridge, 75,  made a remarkable recovery from a complex heart condition known as multi-vessel disease.

“Dad had been very ill and we were all very grateful for the care he had received,” Clare said. “I had just turned 30 and decided that the time was right to give something back.”

Clare, who admitted she is not known for her sporting prowess, trained for the run with hospital marketing executive Sarah Evans, 31, who had previously competed in the Great South West Run.

 “When I started running in June I couldn’t even do 200 metres without being exhausted,” Clare said, “but Sarah really helped me through and by July we were able to do five kilometres followed by eight miles before the big event.”

But despite finishing the race in just over two hours Clare suffered from an injury which almost prevented her from finishing: “After six kilometres I was forced to stop every mile to spray deep-heat on my knee,” she said.

Wessex HeartBeat provide local support for families affected by heart disease and is the 2010 nominated charity for Clare’s employer Spire Hospital in Southampton which treats cardiac patients.

 “Dad was so proud of me just because he’d never see me run before and he’s naturally got a lot of sympathy for heart-related matters so was really glad that we ran for the charity,” Clare said.

“We’ve raised about £350 in total and the director of the hospital has offered to double the amount. We’ll definitely be running again next year.”

Words 302