Free flu jabs on offer in Lancashire

Lancashire County Council is offering members of the public free flu jabs, and personal injury solicitors Preston would encourage people to take advantage of them.

People who are deemed to be 'at risk' may also be able to receive the inoculation at their chemist. At risk groups include people with certain medical conditions, older people, very young children and pregnant women. This year marks the first time that children aged two and three will be eligible for free flu vaccinations.

In north and central Lancashire in 2012, over 75% of people aged over 65 were vaccinated against the flu, and the county council wants to keep this figure high this year. The county council's head of health protection Debbie Wright said that the local authority is also concerned about the low number of vaccinated people of all at-risk groups throughout east Lancashire, with the number of vaccinated people in east Lancashire lower than the UK's average.

Furthermore, there are concerns about the relatively low number of pregnant women receiving the jab.

No win no fee solicitors Preston advise people who were already inoculated last year that they will still need to have the jab this year, as the old vaccination will not protect them against the new flu strains that have emerged this year.

Nasal spray vaccinations are also available this year, and children aged two or three can receive these for free from GP practices. This range of new treatment options means it is now easier than ever for people to vaccinate themselves against the flu.

While most people will be able to cope with the flu without any serious medical problems, vulnerable groups can experience severe complications, which can be fatal. Personal injury solicitors Preston recommend that anyone who works with these vulnerable groups should visit their local GP to enquire about the flu 

vaccination. If they begin to feel like they are coming down with the flu or any other transmissible illness, it is strongly advisable that they do not go to work, as this could cause the disease to spread with potentially devastating consequences.

Fire service teaches Horwich mothers first aid

The fire service has taught new mothers skills in basic first aid - something personal injury solicitors Preston note could one day save a child's life.

In Horwich Resource Centre on December 5th, Blue Watch firefighters provided a Headstart course to the facility's Mums 4 Mums and Tots Group. During the two-hour course, members of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service successfully trained 16 mothers and fathers in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and in life support.

Firefighters also answered any questions parents had about first aid treatment, care and paediatrics, and provided general advice that no win no fee solicitors Preston believe could support them in ensuring the health and safety of their children.

Participants also received a certificate which recognised the fact that they have developed new skills that could one day see them saving a life.

Bury Has Lowest Number Of Vermin Call-Outs In Greater Manchester

As vermin infestations can lead to food poisoning personal injury claims, no win no fee solicitors Bury welcome data from the British Pest Control Association (BCPA), which showed the region saw the smallest number of call-outs in the ten Greater Manchester regions analysed.

In 2011 to 2012, Bury Council's pest control specialists were called to 2,062 incidents, compared to the 5,075 cases seen by Bolton Council, the 6,137 seen by Manchester City Council, and the 2,411 handled by Trafford Council.

Over the year, the council dealt with 632 call outs for rats, 331 for mice, 3 for other mammals, 181 for ants, 724 for wasps, 38 cases of bedbugs, 8 cases of cockroaches, 35 cases involving other insects, 4 bird infestations and 106 other pests.

No win no fee solicitors Bury explained that there are a range of different factors that could lead to pest infestations and could be responsible for Bury's apparently low levels, and that the low levels are not necessarily due to the hard work of council officers.

However, there are some measures the council has taken that could be behind the low levels of pest problems in Bury. A spokesman for the council told the Bury Times that the local authority has a "proactive sewage treatment regime".

Furthermore, it looks at rat problem reports and performs treatments and monitoring until the issue has been controlled, the representative added.

Chief Executive of the BCPA Simon Forrester said that infestations must be quickly and properly dealt with, warning that they will spread if this does not happen. Dealing with these larger infestations is much more costly and poses additional risks to the health and safety of the public, he added.

Personal injury solicitors Preston warn businesses and authorities that they must not become complacent about pest infestations. The BCPA notes that as many as half of all Norway rats - otherwise known as the common brown rat and the most populous rat in the country - carry leptospirosis, or Weils disease. This condition, which is transmitted through urine, can lead to kidney failure and death, and recently took the life of Olympic gold medallist Andy Holmes.

Drivers 'must watch speed' in storms

Personal injury solicitors Lytham St Annes are warning people to watch their speed when driving in the coming stormy weather.

It is best to delay a journey or make alternative plans during severely adverse weather, but people who have to drive should drive at a slower speed than they normally would. Doing so will allow them to respond to any distractions that arise, such as debris that is blown into the road, and will help them control their vehicle should it get caught in any strong winds.

Cyclists in particular could find they are blown off course in strong wind, no win no fee solicitors Lytham St Annes add.

People should also pack an emergency kit in their car during severe weather. This should contain high-vis clothing, which is warm and waterproof, a medical kit, and a fully-charged mobile phone.

Drivers should also plan their journey in advance and listen to the weather reports. The high winds could see roads and bridges temporarily clothes.

The shoreline could be particularly dangerous, personal injury solicitors Lytham St Annes note, and the Fylde coast could be one of the most dangerous in the UK during the coming storm.

Alcohol warning for teens in Lancashire

Alcohol is a dangerous drug that is all-too-regularly a factor in the compensation claims personal injury solicitors Preston handle. Recent research by Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards department has shown that young people in the district could be putting themselves at unnecessary risk by consuming excessive alcohol.

A poll involving 3,500 youngsters conducted by the council found that among people aged between 14 and 17, 45% said that they drink alcohol in order to get drunk. This is putting youngsters in the district in a lot of danger:

- 12% said they have been in a car that was driven by a drunk-driver

- 25% have had sex that they later regretted because they were drunk

- 38% said that drunkenness made them lose control of themselves

- 25% said they have been in a fight or are violent when they are drunk

However, no win no fee solicitors Preston are pleased to see that the number of under-18s who do not drink in the district is rising. Overall, 38% of 14 to 17s said they do not drink alcohol at all, compared with just 20% of respondents to the poll in 2011.

Personal injury solicitors Preston frequently hear complaints that young people nowadays drink too much and are binge-drinkers, but the statistics revealed by Lancashire County Council indicate this is not the case and that young people should not be negatively labeled in such a way.

Be Careful Travelling Home For Christmas, Personal Injury Solicitors London Warn

Personal injury solicitors London warn anyone driving home for Christmas to take care while on the road.

Research from Ocean Finance found that while 47% of people live within just 20 miles of where they originally grew up, nearly one-third (31%) of British adults are more than 100 miles away from the place they grew up.

This means that around 15.5 million people will have to go more than 100 miles away if they wish to spend Christmas in their childhood residence. No win no fee solicitors London note the problem is particular significant in London and the South East, with 35% of people living 100 miles away from their parents. The proportion in Scotland was also 35%, and these locations were only beaten by the East of England, at 36%.

People who are over 65 were also found to be more likely to live far away from their childhood home, with 36% living at least 100 miles away. The study showed that 31% of 18 to 24-year-olds live in just a five-mile radius of their parent's house, but this is just 19% among those aged 55 to 64 and 15% among people older than 65.

However, these people may not have to travel through the icy and snowy roads for Christmas, as Ocean Finance pointed out there is a chance that instead, their relatives could be making the journey to the older generations' homes instead.

People move across the country for a huge range of reasons, including a desire for independence, for work, for relationships, or just to experience new regions and new ways of life. In fact, 8% of people polled said they would have to travel for more than 500 miles or go overseas if they wanted to go back to their childhood residence.

While not everyone will be driving home for Christmas, personal injury solicitors London ask those that are to take regular breaks and drive at a speed appropriate to the road condition. They should also perform basic winter safety checks, such as by checking the tyre pressure and antifreeze levels. If possible, they should look at alternative transportation options - they may find a journey on the train or on a coach is actually far more enjoyable for everyone!

Flood warning for Blackburn residents

Personal injury solicitors Blackburn are underlining the local authority's warnings about the dangers of driving through flood water.

Following the results of a survey by the Environmental Agency and the AA, which found that 680,000 motorists in the UK would disregard a 'road closed' warning to carry on travelling down a flooded road instead of taking a detour, Clearwater Solicitors' no win no fee solicitors Blackburn are asking people who drive through flood-prone area to think ahead, rather than put their own personal safety at risk.

The research also showed that people between the ages of 55 and 64 are the most likely to choose to drive through deep water with noticeable currents. This is despite the fact that people can lose their lives by driving through such dangerous water, with a huge number of personal injury claims relating to this risky behaviour.

Choosing personal safety over speed could be the difference between life and death, personal injury solicitors Blackburn are warning, as the UK braces itself against the potential consequences of a devastatingly catastrophic winter of high snowfalls, low temperatures and strong winds.

Eliminate drink-driving by 'None for the Road'

The drink and drug driving campaign for Manchester this year is 'None for the Road', and personal injury solicitors Manchester ask people to heed its message.

Stockport Road Safety Unit, Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) and Salford Council Road Safety Team are collaborating for the campaign. There will be events at MediaCity, including a driving and motor vehicle accident car crash simulator.

Alcohol was a factor in 336 road accidents in Greater Manchester over 2012. A total of 265 of people suffered minor personal injuries in these collisions, but 66 caused serious injuries and five people lost their lives.

Although it is permissible for people to drive after consuming a small amount of alcohol, the message of the campaign is that the only safe amount for drivers to drink is absolutely nothing.

But no win no fee solicitors Manchester are reminding people that the dangers of drink driving do not simply relate to the risks of road traffic accidents - offenders could find their license revoked or could even go to jail if they are found to be driving over the limit. Last year, GMP's festive operation to test motorists for drug and alcohol intoxication saw 11,230 drivers breathalysed, with 464 of these either refusing to take the test or testing positive.

Be flood-safe in Lytham St Annes, personal injury solicitors say

With gale-force winds hitting the UK and with many areas likely to see localised flooding in the next few days, especially coastal areas, personal injury solicitors Lytham St Annes advise people to take precautions to reduce the likelihood of injuries or property damage.

Clearwater Solicitors, a team of no win no fee solicitors Lytham St Annes, provide the following advice to homeowners and businesses in flood-prone areas:

-          Move electrical items and valuable items out of harm's way. This might be in a friend's house, in a storage unit, or simply upstairs.

-          Buy sandbags. Sandbags and floor boards can be used to block doorways and keep flood water out of your property.

-          Check that water can escape through outside drains. Unblock any blocked drains and clear guttering of any debris.

-          If your business is prone to flooding, consider flooding in risk assessments and take steps to minimise the potential damage floodwater and slippery flooring could cause to your employees and other people who may be affected by your business.

Greater Manchester Sees Four Electrical Fires in 24 Hours

Personal injury solicitors Manchester are urging people to check their electrical appliances, as Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service revealed it went to four different electrical fires on November 14^th.

One of the fires occurred in Little Hulton at 11.44pm. This fire destroyed a bedroom and caused significant damage to the rest of the property, and is believed to have originated in a radio.

Another fire occurred at 7pm and saw a 64-year-old female and 66-year-old man escorted from their Withington flat. The fire had already been extinguished when the emergency services arrived, but both victims required hospital treatment and oxygen. This fire was thought to have been caused by an electrical surge.

Earlier in the day, a man had to leap three floors to escape a fire in a house in Swindon, with this blaze also caused by electrical problems.

At 10.53pm, the fire service dealt with a fire in Stockport that was believed to have been caused by a malfunctioning electrical blanket. A 15-year-old girl suffered smoke inhalation and required hospital treatment, while three other people were given oxygen at the scene.

Preston Biker Jailed For Horror Crash

A horrific crash in Preston has underlined the dangers of reckless driving.

Martin Winstanley, of Chorley's Kingsley Drive, was jailed for two years in a hearing at Preston Crown Court after being found guilty of dangerous driving and possession of cocaine, the Lancashire Evening Post reports.

Winstanley lost his leg in a motorcycle accident on April 20^th, as he rode his Suzuki GSR600 motorcycle on Chorley Lane. He lost control when overtaking a Volkswagen Golf and ran into a BT cable box.

He then collided with Anne Grand, who was putting her bin out at the time. Ms Grand, 59, was seriously injured in the collision and needed to spend several weeks in hospital.

Personal injury solicitors Preston note that motorcyclists in particular need to take exceptional care when on the road. While Winstanley required an above-knee leg amputation as a result of the road traffic accident, he was fortunate to have not lost his life.

Bury seasonal flu vaccination underway

With the seasonal flu vaccination campaign underway, personal injury solicitors Bury are reminding people who are eligible to receive the inoculation that they should do so as soon as possible.

People who may be eligible for free flu vaccines include people over the age of 65, pregnant women, and people with long-term health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and asthma. Carers and residents of nursing and residential homes are also able to receive the vaccination.

Most people who come down with the flu will not face any serious health problems, but will need to take some time off work and will feel particularly unwell for around a week. Certain demographics can develop complications from the flu, such as chest infections, and these can progress into serious, potentially life-threatening conditions. No win no fee solicitors Bury are asking all these people to ensure they receive the inoculation before it is too late, even if they feel like their health and fitness is at a good level and that they can handle the flu.

Local GPs across Bury are keen to encourage all applicable patients to receive the flu vaccine before this season's flu strains become widespread. The inoculation is not only potentially a life-saver, but is free and very safe.

Schools across the borough are also offering pupils aged between four and 11 years old a nasal flu vaccination, which can be administered within schools. So far, 9,000 children in Bury have received this vaccination. Not only willthis prevent children from developing the flu, but it will also reduce the disease's transmission, as school children are some of the biggest spreaders of the influenza virus.

Bury is one of just six areas nationwide that is offering schoolchildren the nasal flu vaccination. Personal injury solicitors Bury are pleased that the town has this distinction, and hope the scheme is successfully replicated across the UK next year.