September 2008 Archives

SALES of Cheshire cheese have soared by a huge 25% in just three months - because of the credit crunch.

Experts are attributing the increases to consumers who are increasingly opting to make sandwiches and packed lunches at home, rather than spending up to £5 a day on expensive shop-bought sandwiches or lunches.

This seems to be backed up by the fact that Lancashire based Warburtons bakers have also experienced a similar boost in bread and roll sales with a 10% year-on-year sales increase.

British Cheese Board secretary Nigel White said: "We have been pleasantly surprised to see Cheshire cheese sales steadily rising in this economic climate but as we analyse consumer behaviour it becomes clear that many people are opting to prepare their lunches at home as part of their credit crunch cost cutting.

"Traditionally cheese has always been a great staple food in times of hardship as it is a cost effective source of protein."

MANY things have been tossed over fence tops in the past - but never, to anyone's knowledge, a large, live common carp.

The fish was discovered in a carrier bag in the front garden of a house in Nixon Drive, Winsford, by friends Lucy Jones, 11, and Gemma Allen, 13, after being thrown over by a passer-by at about 5.30pm on Friday evening.

They popped the fish into a wheelbarrow full of water before taking it next door to Lucy's house and carefully putting it into the family pond where it proceeded to feed on the resident goldfish.

"We have no idea where it came from," said Lucy's dad Ian. "It was in a carrier bag which was tied up at the top. I cannot understand how anyone could put a live fish in a carrier bag and just throw it over someone's fence. It's such a cruel thing to do, especially as the River Dane is less than a quarter of a mile away and they could have put it in there.

"My little girl was next door with her friend when it happened. When they opened the bag they saw this 14in-long green, gold and silver fish, which looked as though it was pregnant.

"I sent a picture of the fish to the Blue Planet Aquarium and they thought at first it was a grass carp.
"Its the last thing you expect to come over a fence on a Friday evening. You expect bottles and kebabs but not a fish in a bag."

On Monday experts from the aquarium at Ellesmere Port visited Nixon Drive to thank the girls and Ian for all they had done before taking the fish back with them.

The carp will be kept in quarantine for at least a month before being put on show in the Northern Streams exhibit.

Nick Derbyshire, aquarium zoological manager, said: "We often get calls about re-homing fish that have outgrown the owner's pond or tank, but never before to rescue a live fish dumped in a plastic bag.

"The carp has obviously been through a very stressful ordeal and we hope it will fully recuperate."