DALE residents have rallied around families who have had their belongings ruined by a fire at a haulage yard.
“People have been amazing,” said Judith Buckle, Evenwood resident and activity co-ordinator at Lyons Court care home after she put out an appeal to help those affected by the fire at Ramshaw Removals haulage yard.
“The whole village has come together to see how they can help.”
Residents of nearby properties were evacuated and six families from Newholme Crescent have had to be temporarily rehoused due to contamination from diesel and smoke from the fire, which raged for eight hours before firefighters were able to put it out two weeks ago.
“It is unbelievable what some people have lost,” added Ms Buckle. “Bedding, towels, food, beds, toys, clothes, furniture. One lady was only able to take her white goods.”
Collection tubs for donations have set up in McColl’s post office and the Working Men’s Club as well as at the Cornerstone Christian Centre, which is also co-ordinating and storing items for those affected. Children at nearby primary schools also helped out in the fundraising effort by organising a non uniform day.
A pie and quiz night has been organised by the Cornerstone Christian Centre on Saturday, June 30. Entrance is £5 with all the money
raised going directly to the families.
Joanne Waller, head of environment, health and consumer protection at Durham County Council, said: “We will continue to monitor the site and surrounding area closely together with Northumbrian Water, the Environment Agency and Public Health England.”
Northumbrian Water and the Environment Agency confirmed there is no contamination to the local water supply.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
