A worrying start to 2019

FOR a ‘gentle little market town’, what a shattering new year stunner it was for parents to discover Oswestry pupils at Marches School - and even some primary schools - are being tempted with free drugs as they head home each 3pm, to groom them as drug-takers or mules.

Letters sent to parents confirmed young people are “at risk of being groomed and exploited to take part in criminal activities, including drug-taking, associated with what is known as ‘County Lines’.

The letter, signed by a number of headteachers, stresses they are working with the police to combat it.

Now this may be ‘only Oswestry’ to some – but it has made the national papers.

Our youngsters need our help immediately to stop them being targeted, so it behoves us all to keep eyes and ears on full alert!

What a distressing start to the hopes and ambitions of 2019.

Hopes for the year

ON A brighter note, these are Reflections’ new year resolutions, hopes and predictions. They top our 2019 wish list, following a Brexit-overload, politically crazy and tropical-summer ‘amazing’ year!

– Let’s hope Oswestry Ironworks’ ‘retrospective planning application’ gets revealed, at long last!

– We can harbour hopes the empty former National School cum Walls Restaurant attracts a buyer.

– That Trains for Wales’ promise “we’ll all see more carriages in 2019” really does come true.

– We see some action soon at the ‘greenfield’ site that’s been tagged Mile End Business Park.

– We keep 50p one-hour parking – or make it all free – as Oswestry needs every last shopper.

– Police in Oswestry get a fair share of 110 new recruits sought for a greater street ‘presence’.

– The funfair resting alongside St Martin’s old primary school, at last finds itself a new home.

– The fun suggestion of a miniature railway circling our Cae Glas Park, hits the rails running.

– A fair way forward is found for Lawrence’s old shop – abandoned without its front window.

– Morrison’s is quick in replacing its existing store with one in Salop Road, now it’s won planning.

– After talks and more talks, dithering SaTH this year at last resolves Shropshire’s A&E issue.

– We can but pray the fifth attempt at honing Mile End roundabout, sure is the concluding one.

– Oswestry drivers come to realise the futility of warning on-comers of life-saving speed checks.

– And finally we hope in 2019 that we hear our road WILL get dualled – from Shrewsbury to Ruabon.

Snap our scenic canal

FINALLY, Montgomery Canal’s beautiful waterway scenery and impressive historic structures feature in a ‘don’t miss’ touring photographic exhibition – opening in Oswestry Library tomorrow, January 3.