AN EAST Riding school has opened its doors to about half of its pupils after flooding this week.
Flash flooding caused damage throughout Cottingham High School, forcing large areas to close.
Yesterday, about 150 sixth-form and Year 11 pupils were able to attend the school.
Today, the new block, technology block and drama and music rooms will be accessible and alternative rooms will be found for lessons.
Chay Bell, assistant headteacher, said: "Our vision is always to get as many back in school as soon as possible.
"That will be the first item on our agenda – getting students back into school and getting their education continuing.
"We can be as creative as possible in re-rooming students into different parts of the school.
"It's the art of the possible – what we can continue, we would hope to continue. Education comes first.
"There will be disruption behind the scenes but, hopefully, it'll be like a graceful swan – underneath we're panicking, but on the surface, it seems like business as usual."
Mr Bell said the degree of damage caused is still unclear financially, but plans for all students to return on Monday are under way and substantial work is expected to take place during the summer holidays.
He said: "I think the water didn't stay for a continued amount of time.
"It was in, flooded and was out within two hours, therefore, I would hope there's not too much medium- term damage and that it's all superficial short-term damage.
"A lot of it is flooring. Once the area is dried out, we can get flooring companies in and I would think the six-week holiday will be a golden opportunity for us to get a number of floors laid.
"We've spoken to our site manager. He knows the challenge ahead of him.
"So, hopefully, the school can be back to normal, as it was, hopefully by early September if not sooner."
Gary Barber, deputy headteacher at the 1,213-pupil school, has been organising alternative rooms so lessons can continue to go ahead.
He said: "It's a very strange event we've gone through. It was so intensely localised and it was torrential and overwhelming
"Hopefully, by Monday, we might have the whole school in."
ACCOMPANIED by his Jack Russell terrier, Pat McKenzie looks on as hundreds of striking public sector workers stage a rally in Hull's Queen Victoria Square.
Their beef is about pay, pensions and Government funding cuts.
But at least the teachers, council workers and firefighters taking part in the national day of industrial action could look forward to returning to work today.
For Pat, today is just another day spent standing outside Barclays bank overlooking the square, trying to persuade people to buy a copy of The Big Issue.
"I can understand why they're on strike," says the 44-year-old, who is homeless, jobless and just hoping for a break of good fortune to come his way.
"They all do important jobs. I'm 100 per cent behind the firemen, the teachers are there to educate the next generation and the council lads do some of the jobs no one else likes doing, like emptying the bins and cleaning the streets.
"Having said that, sometimes I think they need to sit down with the politicians to sort things out before it comes to going on strike.
"I suppose it all comes down to money."
His mixed views on yesterday's strike seemed to be shared by passers-by.
He last worked three years ago and currently advertises his skills as an all-purpose handyman on one of two handwritten cardboard signs on his pavement pitch under the title: "Broke not broken. Work Wanted To Better Myself."
The other sign features one of his daily sayings: "Everyone wants happiness, nobody wants pain but you can't have a rainbow, without a little rain."
"I don't drink or do drugs. The only thing I do is this," he says nodding at a cigarette in his hand.
"I'm just trying to better my life."
Across the rain-soaked square, musicians entertain a group of union officials packing away at the end of the rally.
Earlier, hundreds of union members had marched up Whitefriargate, waving flags and blowing whistles.
Despite the grey skies, Shaune Clarkson, full-time regional official with the GMB union, is sporting a pair of outsize comedy sunglasses.
"I'm wearing these because the future is bright!" he says.
"We've had solid support from our members today and the reaction from the public has been great. They are on our side."
Phil Sanderson, secretary of the Hull Trades Union Council, was equally positive.
"I think the public understand that, after five years of cuts to the public sector, we have had enough," he said.
THE owner of a prestigious East Riding manor was electronically tagged after appearing in court, but it will be removed so she can watch her son graduate.
Amanda Hewitt-Jones, 53, who runs Rowley Manor in Little Weighton, asked Beverley magistrates to scrap her curfew for one day so she could attend the ceremony at Newcastle University.
The mother-of-three was tagged in May for taking part in the promotion, formation or management of the company behind Rowley Manor between August and March this year, which she was banned from doing.
She was disqualified as company director for 12 months and given 60 hours of unpaid work after admitting the offence on May 13.
Her application was supported by Humberside Probation Trust, who said, at times, the three-month curfew, which bans her from leaving her home in Drewton from 6pm to midnight, was "unworkable".
Mark Sambrook, of the probation service, said: "I have seen confirmation it is her son's graduation at Newcastle University.
"I have seen the invite for July 15 at 4pm, so clearly, she is not going to be able to comply.
"I would support the application for that night."
Mr Sambrook also said that the curfew, which only applies on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, is affecting how the business is run because Hewitt-Jones is forced to leave the popular wedding venue before the guests do.
He said: "There is a suggestion the curfew is proving unworkable for the business, Rowley Manor.
"Her general manager is retiring and she has to go home when the weddings are on and the guests are still there."
Section 216 (3) of the Insolvency Act 1986 bans a person who was a director of a company in the 12 months before it went into insolvent liquidation from being a director of or being concerned in the promotion, formation or management of, a company of a prohibited name of five years.
Hewitt-Jones, an actress, and her theatre producer husband Brian, bought the Georgian manor for £1.3m in December 2005.
They transformed it into a prestigious wedding and party venue, set in the sprawling 30-acre green grounds, pumping £125,000 into restoring the period building to its former glory.
It was originally run by management company Amanda Bairstow Limited, which went into liquidation in 2007 and was voluntarily wound up.
At the time Mr Hewitt-Jones described it as a "hiccup", before taking full control of the hotel back between himself and his wife.
The manor is currently graded as four stars on tripadvisor.com, with some reviewers hailing it as a "gem in the countryside".
Hewitt-Jones's original punishment was to complete 80 hours' unpaid work and a 12-hour curfew from noon to midnight, but this was later reduced due to her experiencing "significant difficulties".
The Mail approached Hewitt- Jones, but she refused to comment.
• Do you recognise any of the people pictured here? If so, email ddivprioritycrimeteam@humberside.pnn.police.uk or call 01482 340629, quoting the image reference number. Crimestoppers can also be called anonymously on 0800 555111.
IT IS Britain's biggest family-run bus company – and its fleet of maroon and cream double-deckers will be entering living rooms tonight.
An eight-part documentary series, called On The Yorkshire Buses, gives viewers a clear insight into EYMS, which can trace its heritage back to 1919.
The series, which begins tonight at 8pm on Channel 5, captures how staff deal with day-to-day obstacles, while working tirelessly to keep people moving.
And producers are promising it doesn't dwell on Hull's negatives - like the heavily criticised Channel 5 show Benefits Britain: Life On The Dole - and gives a fun insight into the hard work of our local bus staff.Driver Rod Hebden, 65, who has worked for the company, which has its head office in Anlaby Road, west Hull, for ten years, features in the first episode.
He said: "A lot of the time, you didn't know the TV cameras were there, so you could get on, be yourself, do the job and enjoy the day.
"The passengers were great and, because they were in the background, you had to try to ignore the fact they were there.
"Having done it, and seen little bits of it, I'm pleased that I did it, not for me, but for the company and for the area as well.
"There's a lot of bad publicity in Hull, people have a downer on it."
Tonight's episode takes a comic turn as it follows Mr Hebden, who gets lost while covering a rural service.
He said: "I know the villages, but I wasn't quite certain where the bus went. I had these pieces of paper and had maps and the road was getting narrower – the bus wasn't.
Mr Hebden believes cheerfulness is key.
"There's no point coming to work and being miserable," he said.
"We all have bad days. But if you come to work and enjoy it, you get that interaction with the passengers.
"I'd like to think people will enjoy the show. They will definitely see things going wrong and, hopefully, getting put right.
"You're going to get some stick when you come in the next morning. I've started to get it already. 'Am I going the right way?' All comedians need a catchphrase and I seem to have mine."
Controller Simon Cowey also features in the first episode.
He said: "There is an element of comedy.
"When you work here, it's a very high-pressured environment. In that kind of situation, you tend to let off a little bit of steam, so they will show us messing around a little bit.
"It's quite an honest portrayal of what actually goes on.
"They'll show everything, the good the bad and the ugly, because we don't get it right all of the time.
"It shows us, I'd like to think, in a positive light. Hopefully, the public will take to it."
Stan Mumby, a regional industrial organiser, has worked for EYMS for 36 years.
He said: "Everyone's waiting for Friday night. I'm told it's quite jovial.
"Hopefully it will open people's eyes as to what it's like to be a bus driver."
Spencer Kelly, executive producer of the show, said the crew enjoyed the filming.
"They're quite unique in the way they are one of the largest independent bus companies still existing," he said.
"They're a really nice, warm bunch of people to be with and I think the commitment is pretty impressive.
"It's a really enjoyable series. I think it's entertaining in the right way. It reflects the humour of the staff and they're quite a good company to spend an hour with on TV.
"It been at the heart of the community for a long time."
Channel 5 was also behind the show Benefits Britain: Life On The Dole, which critics claim showed Hull in a negative light.
Peter Shipp, chairman and chief executive of EYMS Group, said: "On The Yorkshire Buses will show the area in a better light than the benefits programme."
Mr Shipp, who has been with the company since 1980, has had a sneak preview of the show.
"I enjoyed it," he said. "I thought it was entertaining. It's a bit of light relief. It shows some of the issues we have to face."
A spokesman for Channel 5 said: "On The Yorkshire Buses is a funny, observational series that captures the self-depreciating Yorkshire humour of the hard-working men and women of one of Britain's largest and last family- run bus companies.
"Benefits Britain: Life On The Dole looked at the nationwide issue of people challenged by unemployment and debt, with no particular remit to be positive or negative about an area, merely to show accurately the lives and feelings of various residents around the UK."
On The Yorkshire Buses will be screened at 8pm each Friday.
First episode: Short staffedIT IS all go – in most cases – in episode one tonight.
The series begins in Hull, where it is the start of the summer holidays, leaving the company extremely short-staffed.
Controller Simon Cowey asks bus driver Rod Hebden to cover a rural route to avoid cancelling the service, but although it gets off to a successful start, Rod soon finds himself lost.
Thanks to regulars on the bus, who act as Rod's human 'satnav', he gets back on track and is only minutes behind schedule.
The observational documentary captures the comic moments as EYMS bus drivers and staff members work under pressure to ensure passengers get on and off the buses on time.
The show shifts between Hull, the East Riding and Scarborough.
HEADTEACHERS have said they will be unable to support a request to allow children of police officers to have term-time holidays.
Humberside Police Chief Constable Justine Curran has written to headteachers across the region asking them to "look favourably" on requests by police officers and staff to take their children out of school.
But John Killeen, East Riding secretary for the National Association of Headteachers, said it has left them "between a rock and a hard place".
Headteachers are only meant to approve requests for absences during term-time in exceptional circumstances under new rules introduced by Education Secretary Michael Gove.
Mr Killeen, headteacher at South Cave CE primary school, said: "We have respect and sympathy for the profession, however, we serve the full community and we feel there could be a strong case made by people in other professions. We are in a situation where, once we make an exceptional case for one profession, it opens the floodgates for others.
"Our response has to be this is not something we can comply with."
Parents also reacted angrily when the request became public. Ms Curran said pressures on the force's resources are particularly high during the summer and Christmas periods, leaving many officers unable to take time off with their children during school holidays.
She said: "Earlier this month I wrote to every school asking them for their support in allowing authorised term- time absence for the children of officers and staff of Humberside Police due to the challenges the force is facing.
"For example, during the summer period this year, specialist public order officers may be required to support national demands such as the marching season in Northern Ireland, the Commonwealth Games in Scotland and the Nato Summit in Wales.
"This is in addition to the significant resource requirements locally within Humberside. As an organisation, we therefore have to restrict the number of operational officers and staff who take annual leave at any one time, in particular during the summer and Christmas periods."
Sir Hugh Orde, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, has been told the Department for Education does not believe there is a case for "special dispensation" for police officers.
Mr Killeen said: "There are many people who will have to work through the holidays. People have rotas and, if that means you are working when the children are on holiday, then I'm afraid that is tough.
"The flexibility for head- teachers to give dispensation for term-time holidays has changed and schools are now penalised if they use that discretion excessively and inappropriately."
A spokesman for the Department for Education said: "All headteachers are free to grant pupils leave in exceptional circumstances and it is for them to decide whether to grant time off."
'Wow the arrogance': Parents react
PARENTS reacted angrily to suggestions police officers' children should be allowed term-time holidays.
Writing on the Hull Daily Mail's Facebook page, Adrian King said: "I applaud her for asking but it is exceedingly arrogant of the police service to think they should be excused; Armed Forces, hospitals, prisons and social services don't feel they have the right to ask and the teachers don't get even an opportunity to.
"Demands for hospitals are higher too, yet it's not even a consideration of staff there."
Emma Baross said: "Wow, the arrogance! My partner is a manager in a hotel, holidays are the busiest times for him too, what with summer being high seasons for weddings and winter high seasons for Christmas events.
"So if the police are asking for special treatment, should we?"
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NINE months ago, Rhys Lovegrove was told he was surplus to requirements at Hull KR.
But instead of finding a new club, the 27-year-old kept his head down and worked hard to play his way back into the first team.
Now with a testimonial drawing ever closer, Lovegrove is keen to end his career at Rovers.
"I was in a dark place at the start of the year," he told the Mail.
"My family and I virtually had the rug pulled from under our feet.
"I've always enjoyed my time here so I'm looking forward to the rest of my time here.
"I've another year on my contract and I would love to retire as a Rovers player. We'll see if that happens.
"A testimonial would be great, but I'm just taking things week by week.
"It's nice to get a run of games in the same position.
"My goal is to improve and that goes for the team as well."
Rovers certainly improved on their recent performances in last week's 40-10 win over St Helens.
After an up-and-down season, which has lacked any real consistency in terms of results, the departure of coach Craig Sandercock has put the club under a beaming spotlight.
Responding in the best way possible by beating the league leaders, Rovers are now focused solely on making the top eight.
With Chris Chester in charge after stepping up from his role as assistant coach, it's a familiar face who is ushering in the winds of change at the KC Lightstream Stadium.
As one of three members of the current squad to have played alongside Chester at Rovers, along with Jason Netherton and Kris Welham, Lovegrove admits it's strange to see his former team-mate at the helm.
"It's been a really relaxed, simple and happy environment," he explained.
"He's trying to keep smiles on people's faces, it's been enjoyable.
"I still call him Chezzy but it's weird because I played with him here at Rovers before he retired.
"It's been a meteoric rise for him and a change in relationship. Even though he was the assistant, he still had the respect of the players and nothing has changed in that regard.
"He's there because of his ability and it's good to see him putting his stamp on the team.
"Training hasn't changed structurally but the way we go about it has changed.
"The content is still very similar but the mentality of how we interact on and off the pitch has changed a lot.
"It's hard to explain but it's more relaxed and people are smiling and laughing.
"As soon as we're on the pitch to train, we're serious but it's important in this job to switch off like that."
Describing Chester as one of the "good guys" in rugby league, Lovegrove expects him to quickly make his presence felt.
"Chris is one of those people who knows everyone," he said. "Every ground we go to, there are gatemen, stewards, coaches, training staff who come over to him and say hello.
"We want this to be the start of a very successful coaching career for Chris.
"It feels like a new chapter for the club. It's a clean slate and we have a chance to right the wrongs and anything that happened previously can be rectified."
Hull KR coach Chris Chester hopes he can plot the downfall of Leeds Rhinos tonight by picking the brains of former team-mate James Webster.
Webster, who spent a season and a half playing with Chester at the Robins, came up with the perfect game plan to defeat the Rhinos 16-14 at the Rapid Solicitors Stadium exactly seven days ago.
Making 120 more metres than Leeds, the Wildcats forced their higher-ranked rivals to make an extra 113 tackles.
Chester was at the game to compile an impromptu scouting report, just 24 hours after being asked to replace Craig Sandercock as Rovers' new head coach.
Now, the 35-year-old hopes his chat with Webster can pay dividends with a win at Headingley tonight.
"I thought James got his tactics spot on," Chester told the Mail.
"I spoke to him at length about his tactics and how smart they were, so I'll certainly take something from that.
"I was already going to that game because when we don't have a game, I go to watch Wakefield as often as I can.
"I've had a season ticket there for a number of years because they are my hometown team.
"I did a bit of a scouting report while I was there, but I was jumping about when they scored that late try.
"You tend to get more from watching a game live rather than on a DVD."
Chester knows Leeds will still be hurting from Wakefield's win, which stopped them from going top of the table.
Leeds easily got the better of Rovers on the opening day of the season when they cruised to a 36-6 win at the KC Lightstream Stadium.
Speed was the difference between the two sides then, but Chester hopes his game plan will slow the Rhinos down in front of their own fans.
"Leeds are going to be disappointed with the way they played against Wakefield," he added.
"There was nothing between the two sides.
"The thing Leeds have in abundance is speed. That was the thing I noticed most when we played them at the start of the season.
"We need to make sure we're on the ball. Defensively, we need to be as good as we were against Saints.
"They probably have the best outside backs in the competition with Tom Briscoe and Ryan Hall on the wings and Ben Jones-Bishop, who was the fastest man in Super League a couple of years ago.
"It's the speed on the fringes that we have to be wary of.
"They also have a good forward pack, but so do we. We showed last Sunday that we can match any pack."
HULL has been picked as one of 100 UK cities where "intensive support" will be given to make high streets vibrant.
The Healthy High Streets campaign will offer business expertise and resources to help high streets realise their full potential.
It is being run by Business in the Community, a charity aiming to stimulate local economies.
The campaign's founding partners are Boots UK, the Co-operative Group, Marks & Spencer and Santander.
Senior managers from all four organisations will be working with Hull Business Improvement District (Bid) to improve the appearance of the city centre.
Kathryn Shillito, Hull Bid's city centre manager, recently met with senior representatives from the organisations.
She said: "These are really well recognised brand names. People pay attention to what they are saying.
"Smaller independent businesses really value feedback from the big guys.
"It is testament to Hull Bid that we have been chosen to take part in this national scheme."
The Healthy High Streets campaign aims to:
Enable access to landlords to address and empty unsightly property.
Prioritise accessibility and safety.
Create and enable high-profile events to increase footfall.
Create pop-up shops and markets to support start-up enterprises.
Help improve customer service.
Provide expert help and resource and celebrate the high street.
To measure its impact, Business in the Community says it will be monitoring footfall, property vacancy rates and jobs created.
Mrs Shillito said: "The scheme is in its infancy. Our next job will be to formulate an action plan and gets things moving."
Overall, the campaign aims to increase footfall in the high street by 10 per cent, reduce empty property units by 20 per cent and create 3,000 jobs across the 100 selected towns and cities.
Brandon Lewis MP, the High Streets Minister, is backing the campaign.
He said: "The Healthy High Streets campaign is fantastic, with 100 champions providing invaluable local support.
"It's great to see the big players on the high street like Boots UK, the Co-operative Group, Marks & Spencer and Santander using their expertise to help all of the high street reach its potential."
10
THE family of a father of two who fell to his death carrying out home improvements have made an unusual request to the hundreds expected to attend his funeral.
Paul Fenwick, 31, known as "Podgie" by his family and friends, died on July 1, after falling 14ft from scaffolding, while building an extension.
Today, at 2.30pm, his loved ones will remember Paul at his funeral at Chanterlands Crematorium in west Hull.
Last night, his father, who is also called Paul, asked people to wear odd socks in tribute to his fun-loving son.
Mr Fenwick, of Bideford Grove, east Hull, said: "Everyone who knew Podgie knew he only wore odd socks.
"So we are asking people to wear odd socks for his funeral – they can even wear them on his their hands if they want."
Paul, who worked as a maintenance officer at Dove House Hospice, had been on paternity leave following the birth of his daughter Emelia Chloe, born two weeks ago, when he died.
His death at his young family's home in James Reckitt Avenue, east Hull, was witnessed by his partner Ixchel Morris, 28, their two-year-old son Noah, as well as other close relatives.
Mr Fenwick said the support from the east Hull community, and further afield, has helped his family cope.
He said: "It has taken Podgie's death for me to realise just how much people around here care. If they know you, they will look after you.
"It has been lovely. It really has helped and we can't thank people enough."
Many of Paul's friends have taken to Facebook to tell his family they will be wearing odd socks. Mr Fenwick said: "Even our police family liaison officer plans to wear odd socks.
"We'd like, ultimately, for this to happen each year on the anniversary of his death," said Mr Fenwick.
Paul had a strong Christian faith and enjoyed helping others, according to his father.
"We have asked for no flowers at his funeral," he said. "Instead, we are inviting people to make a donation to The Shine Relief Trust, a charity that helps orphans in Africa.
"It's a cause he believed in."
Mr Fenwick believes his family and his son's friends are conducting themselves just as Paul would have wanted.
"Things could not have gone any better in terms of how we are dealing with this tragedy," he said. "We are doing exactly what Podgie would have wanted. It helps us, knowing we are doing that."
Anna Wolkowski, chief executive of Dove House Hospice in Chamberlain Road, east Hull, paid tribute to Paul.
She said: "He was gentle and understanding and never failed to turn up with a smile on his face, which brought comfort to our patients and their families."
A SENIOR councillor says Hull City Hall should not be overlooked as the authority weighs up options for a new £30m conference and exhibition centre in the city.
The idea for the new venue is included in the City Plan, which aims to create 7,500 new jobs in Hull over the next decade.
Later this month, cabinet councillors are expected to agree on a preferred site together with a business plan for the development.
An initial feasibility report has suggested building a venue with a capacity of 2,500, along with the possibility of including a new hotel as part of the scheme.
It is hoped the centre will be ready for Hull's year in the spotlight as the UK City of Culture 2017.
But former Lord Mayor Councillor Danny Brown said revamping the City Hall should also be considered as an alternative to a new-build scheme.
Speaking at a city council scrutiny meeting, he said: "If this is going to be built elsewhere, we have to be able to justify why we are not using what we have already got."
He said the City Hall could be converted and enlarged at ground-floor level.
"All the shops around the City Hall would have to be relocated," he said. "That is something that we would look at, but it might end up being far less expensive."
Some councillors also questioned the idea of a 2,500-capacity venue.
Committee chairman Councillor Tom McVie said if it was going to be used for concerts, it would need to be much bigger.
Nathan Turner, the council's policy and research officer, said: "We are looking at all the options on what is required to run a modern conference and exhibition centre.
"We have been looking at other cities, how other conference centres operate and what the market is like."
The council is understood to have explored two site options in the city centre.
One is derelict land close to Myton Bridge, between Humber Street and Blackfriargate, near the Fruit Market.
The site also lies next to the new £15m C4DI digital technology campus development, which is expected to open next year.
The second site under consideration is at Humber Quays, in Wellington Street West. Land there has remained undeveloped since the economic downturn put paid to plans for a mixed residential, office and leisure complex.
The council regards both sites as being suitable for a conference centre, which would include car parking.
However, it is believed the private owners of a third site have recently approached the council with an alternative possible location.
An internal council report says while Hull's size compares favourably to other cities with conference centres, it currently does not attract similar number of visitors to support a large venue.
It says: "Hull is not currently positioned as an established destination for conference and convention events.
"The characteristics of the Hull market preclude the successful operation of a large-scale centre in the order of exhibition centres in Birmingham or Harrogate."
However, the report says 2017 and scheduled multi-million- pound improvements to both the A63 at Castle Street and the city centre should dramatically improve Hull's image.
"If sized correctly for the market, a new facility could attract considerable local and regional business and could begin to penetrate the national market," it adds.
