£2m drive to connect the carers

A TECH firm is leading a £2million push to end loneliness among carers.

Virgin Media found one in five of its subscribers – 1.2 million – has care duties.

It also found they are seven times more likely to be lonely.

Now, with charity Carers UK, it is launching a £2million partnership to give free tech to connect carers.

Helen Walker, boss of Carers UK, said: “We aim to reach carers sooner and create better connections so that they are supported.”

Virgin Media boss Jeff Dodds said it was aiming to set up 1.5 million connections “and one million of these will be unpaid carers”.

AWORKER at a wood mill where an explosion killed four employees has told a court he was sacked after raising safety concerns.

The blast at Bosley, Cheshire, in July 2015 killed Dorothy Bailey, 62, Derek “Will” Barks, 51, Derek Moore, 62, and Jason Shingler, 38.

Yesterday, chargehand Matthew Dutton said at a trial at Chester Town Hall that he and a colleague were told to go home after refusing to clean the riverside area.

He said machines were running and cleaning them “could risk losing limbs”.The dust, he said, was “unbreathable”.

Wood Treatment Ltd has admitted a health and safety offence.

The firm and mill owner George Boden, 64, of Stockport, deny manslaughter.

Mr Boden, manager Peter Shingler, 56, of Bosley, and operations manager Phil Smith, 58, of Macclesfield, all deny a health and safety offence.

The trial continues.