Docklands families ‘still suffering’
DESPITE DIFFICULT PAST, DOG IS PROGRESSING
RELATIVES of those affected by the 1996 London Docklands bombing are “still suffering to this day”, a survivor of the attack has said as he marked the 25th anniversary of the incident.
Tony Sharp, 59, who was seriously injured in the blast, said it was “an event that should never be forgotten” and hoped victims will one day receive compensation.
The bomb was detonated on February 9 1996 by IRA terrorists near South Quay station, in east London, killing two people and injuring more than 100 others.
A minute’s silence was held at 7.01pm last night to remember the two men who died, Inam Bashir and John Jeffries. The pair had been working in their newspaper kiosk at the time.
Many of the other victims are still living with lifechanging injuries.
“It’s an event that shouldn’t be forgotten,” Mr Sharp said. “The significance to me is personal as well... it’s always going to be remembered by me and all the other people who were injured and affected, the families of those killed on the night.
“After 25 years, the victims’ – the two people who were killed and the people who were severely injured at the time – relatives are still to this day suffering.”
EXCLUDING the letters sent in by Rob Milner, correspondent Mary Carrick claims to struggle understanding letters submitted by Tony Kingswood, Tony Richards and Alan Richards (Mailbox, February 5).
I read all the letters. I do not necessarily agree with them all, just as my fellow correspondents probably do not support my views. That is the purpose Mail Box, to give the readers a cross section of views. It is not a platform for personal arguments.
Mary has strong views on the referendum, but let us not lose sight of the reason this came about in the first place.
David Cameron promised a referendum when he was campaigning for election in 2015. He was obligated to honour the promise when he was elected.
Cameron distributed a booklet to every household in the country setting out the advantages of remaining in the EU and the disadvantages of leaving.
Fast forward to 2016 and Gina Miller initiated a challenge in the courts, claiming that the public were mislead and did not understand what they were voting for. I thought that was the purpose of the booklet. I read the literature several times over in order to grasp the details.
David Cameron was convinced that the people would vote to remain in the EU. When he failed to get the result he wanted he resigned and was succeeded by Theresa May.
Each time Mrs May returned from Brussels she told us progress was being made in the discussions, and yet a week before we were due to leave she informed us that more
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time was required. That statement sealed her fate as Prime Minister, both her premiership and her reputation were on the slide from that date.
Mary Carrick claims that Mrs May’s deal was better than the deal secured by Boris Johnson. However, it is far too early to make a judgment at this point, particularly in the midst of the Covid pandemic.
Mary claims that austerity is the result of years of Tory rule. I do not believe that everyone prospered under the Labour administration.
Finally, correspondent Phillip Crossland suggests the Boris Johnson is doing his best and that we should give him a little slack. I totally agree.
In the meantime, Hull City Council are working hard to maintain public services in the city to the best of their ability.
Wendy Abbott.
Same result achieved
I VOTED remain but I’m beginning to see the viewpoint of the average Brexiteer.
The European Commission Chief is trying to salvage some pride from the EU’S lamentable record on vaccine rollout.
Ursula von de Leyen insists that the UK compromised safety by approving the vaccines quickly.
Ursula kept digging when she also claimed their slower approval process was the right course.
Let’s get this straight. The EU have come to the same decision as us. The approved vaccines are safe. Their supply can’t be safer, regardless of how long they took to decide.
It was so much easier when all we had to argue about was bendy bananas and prawn cocktail crisps. Allan Wolsey,
Hull.
THIS adorable dog - named Phoenix - was living “a life of cruelty” before a Hull charity stepped in.
In fact, Phoenix is so traumatised by his past he cannot trust people.
The four-year-old is in desperate need of a new start to life after being rescued from “certain death”.
He was trapped in a kill shelter in Romania.
The rescue centre, in Hull, saved Phoenix alongside other dogs living in similar conditions.
And they’re now hoping to rehome him.
Phoenix has so far been overlooked by potential owners and has become one of the rescue centre’s “oldest” residents, as Grimsby Live has reported.
Back in January, a spokesperson from Oakwood Dog Rescue said: “Phoenix is still so scared of humans and has a long way to go until he can even think about starting to trust u s.
“Dogs like this poor boy do not get treated well over in the kill shelters in Romania.
“Thank God we were able to intercept and rescue him from a life of cruelty followed by certain death.”
The mixed breed cannot live with cats or children at this time due to their unpredictability.
It is currently unknown whether he can live with other dogs either, with the rescue team saying “he is literally just too scared to react to much at the moment”.
Phoenix, who has been spending most of his time in his cage, needs somebody who can show him what it is to be loved.
“Phoenix is slowly learning that we aren’t going to hurt him,” said the spokesperson.
“You can see how frightened this poor boy is, but he’s happy enough that he will still eat while we are around him.
“Phoenix needs a very special and patie nt person.
“He is a dog that has been through a very traumatic past.
“He will take longer to trust and you cannot expect anything from him. He will do everything in his own time.”
But he is already making improvements at the rescue shelter and is starting to understand he is in safe hands.
After spending about two weeks in the shelter, the spokesperson added: “What a transformation already from the day he arrived hiding and shaking, terrified of every noise and movement to feeling comfortable enough to come and eat his lunch next to me.
“Phoenix still has a massive journey to go on and we are nowhere near being able to touch him yet, but small steps like this are such a massive accomplishment for him.”
If you’re interested in rehoming Phoenix, or any other animals at Oakwood Dog Rescue, visit www. oakwooddogrescue.co.uk