Photo-a-Day  (Tuesday, 8th April, 2025)

Here we see the results of the latest bombing of Wigan by mass formations of feral Pigeons.
They came over from St Helen’s in their thousands. Their bombing was very accurate and much damage was done. At least two Council bin wagons were completely destroyed.
It is believed that one of the Bin Wagons was carrying several members of the Council who were making a desperate bid to reach Ozy’s Air Raid Shelter, but the occupant refused to open the door. May they rest in guano.
Also one unidentified cameraman was found at the end of the site completely encased in a white, gooey, smelly substance. It is believed that this man took this picture before he met his unfortunate end. May he rest in guano as well.

Don’t know how you managed to get in there Mick .
You’re standing within yards of where that bloke got killed three weeks back .
When was the photo taken ?

I don't have a 4 wheel drive vehicle so cannot park where the Volvo digger is.They should have built a multi storey car park years ago.I hope it is a better design than Whiston Hospital m/s were when you come off the flat onto the exit ramps you cannot see the crash barriers at the side because of the angle of the slope.You just hope and pray you don't scrape the barriers.

I love the colour of the terracotta earth and the row of the terrace houses on today's Pad.
I can't wait for the car park to open it will make our lives much easier.

I have to go in for a day next week. If that's the view from the hospital window, I think I'll take a book to read! (Or perhaps the "Pigeon Fanciers' Weekly", DTease?!)

The ever increasing demand for health services is in total opposition to what Beveridge considered when the NHS was created. The thoughts were that as the population's health care improved, their general health would improve and as a result demand on services would fall. We all know what actually happened and new diseases seem to be found every day, it seems that the NHS has become a self serving all consuming monster

The site had been closed down by Building Control pending an investigation following the tragic death of one of the workmen.
Show some respect Mick.

I imagine the neighbours around about are glad no more cars parked in front of their houses. That good red earth and the combination of Pigeon ‘guano’ does wonders for the soil…..what a pity it’s being covered over with concrete. Dtease I can see Ozy scraping the roof off before any more Squadrons dump their loads. I’ve barred them!!!

Irene the new car park is 200/300 yards before the hospital (what was the Northern Counties site)so nothing from this can be seen from the hospital itself.Last year they were building a new section onto the hospital don't know how that is progressing or near completion?

Thanks PeterP. I AM going in for day surgery next week but I only meant the comment about the view from the window for a joke. However, I had no idea about the death of the workman and would never have made the comment had I known. Every respect to him and his family.

I hadn't heard of the accident Ozy, it would have been awful news for the man's family to hear, as he was a pedestrian and not on the site when he was hit by one of the trucks. Sincere condolences to the family.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newsmanchester/police-issue-update-after-man-killed-in-workplace-incident-on-hospital-car-park/ar-AA1C08h8?ocid=BingNewsSerp

I was on the bus into Wigan that morning, Police Cars, Fire Engines on both sides of Wigan Lane holding up the traffic. At first I thought there had been a fire, only later did I find out that a man had been killed.
When I worked on building sites there was always what was termed a ‘Banks Man’ who guided and monitored all heavy vehicles in and out of the site to ensure pedestrians safety. You could never gain access to a site without one being in place.
Something has seriously gone wrong on this site.
Whoever the casualty was it’s so sad. I am sure we all send our deepest sympathy to his family.

I didn’t know about the accident. Very sad.

How sad for the poor man and his family. My deepest sympathy.

I’m guessing that it was the banksman that died Cyril .
I don’t know the exact circumstances but I saw the air ambulance land on the site .
All the activity was taking place by the side of an eight wheeled tipper parked on the exact spot shown in Mick’s photo .
Early reports stated that a pedestrian had been struck by a wagon , but I doubt it being a member of the public as the banksman would have been controlling the gate .
Access to the site is strictly controlled and this is why I asked Mick when was the photo taken .

If the victim was a member of the public then the banksman’s looking at a charge of gross negligence .
If however the banksman was the victim , then the tipper driver is culpable .
Either way , a tragic event for all concerned .

Only just read these comments. We drove past just as the accident happened. Reading later it was the Banksman who was arrested for gross negligence manslaughter, and has since been released on bail. The irony of it.

No idea Ozy, the first I heard was when you wrote about it, suppose how it happened will be reported in time.

To the right of the photo there was once a footpath which looks to have been bricked up were the garden wall of Carrick Close is, maybe Mick went down the remaining part of the footpath to be where he is stood. I initially thought someone was sat on the garden wall, but it's actually a dumper truck he's sat on.

It was reported on the day it happened, and there have been several articles on Wigan Today. The banksman who died came from Bootle.768ev

Kath H, I do not read the local Wigan rags such as Wigan Today or Wigan Observer, and you're lucky for it to have been reported in them so soon.