Barnsley Holiday Maker Held At Gunpoint

A Barnsley man was ordered to pay a hotel bill of £1,000 in Egypt as armed guards surrounded his hotel to recoup money owed by collapsed airline XL.

The hotel where Matthew Bailey and his girlfriend stayed in Sharm El Sheikh demanded the money when the travel company went into administration.

The couple were among guests held by armed police at the resort until they paid the money XL owned to the hotel.

Mr Bailey said the "frightening" incident ruined the couple's holiday.

They had been on the last day of a two week all-inclusive trip when they were called to a meeting to explain they too were affected by the airline's collapse.

Armed guards

Guest were told, by a hotel representative, that although their holidays were booked through other travel operators it was XL which had been due to pay the hotel bills.

XL had 21 planes grounded on Friday leaving some 85,000 people stranded abroad and leaving many to foot extra bills in order to return home.

"The guards were there holding guests in the hotel lobby until they paid.

"You could see these guards had guns, we were in a strange country, you daren't do anything out of the ordinary."

According to Mr Bailey armed guards were also at the back entrance to the hotel to prevent holidaymakers from leaving without paying.

Mr Bailey added: "I still feel bitter about it all."

Source; BBC News

New Traffic Team Launched By Police

The four Yorkshire and Humber forces are today (Wed Sept 17) launching a unique police team to deter and intercept any criminal who uses the region’s road networks.

The Regional Roads Policing Team has been set up to deny criminals the use of the region’s roads and tackle offenders who cross force boundaries to commit crimes.

The team will also tackle criminals who use roads to commit serious and organised crime. And officers will work to reduce the risk of death and injury on the region’s roads.

The Regional Roads Policing Team, which is one of the first of its kind in the country, will be based at three locations.

The Central Team, launched today, is based in the Wakefield area. A North Team, based in North Yorkshire, and a South Yorkshire-based South Team, will be launched later this year.

The Regional Roads Policing Team will use automated number plate recognition (ANPR) technology from fixed-camera sites and from cameras in vehicles. Officers will also use the Regional Intelligence Unit in Wakefield to track down travelling criminals and those involved in serious and organised crime.

South Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Meredydd Hughes, speaking on behalf of the four Yorkshire and Humber chief constables, said: “All four forces are committed to targeting serious criminals and saving lives on our roads. By working together, we can create a Regional Roads Policing Team which is a cost-effective way to fight crime - good news for the police and the tax payer.

“The launch of the team follows the success of previous regional working between the Yorkshire and Humber forces through Operation Impact. We know that by working together we can be more effective than if we work separately. Together, with the Highways Agency, we are determined to give the public the safest possible roads.”

Chief Inspector Mick Hunter, who heads the new team, said: “If you are a criminal who moves from one force area to another to commit crimes then you can expect the Regional Roads Policing Team to be coming after you. Criminals will no longer be able to transcend force boundaries to get away with committing crimes.

 “The difference with the Regional Roads Policing Team compared with existing force roads policing teams is that they are not traffic officers looking for people committing traffic offences. This team is looking for people who specifically use the region’s road networks to commit crimes – be that a burglary in Barnsley or drug dealers using the M1.”

Charles Perryman, Chair of South Yorkshire Police Authority and link member for the strategic roads policing project, said: "Today is a cause for celebration because, with the launch of the strategic roads policing project, the public will now be able to see visible evidence of the police forces in Yorkshire and Humberside working together to deal with criminals whose activities take them beyond force boundaries.

“This approach towards policing the region’s roads will deliver performance improvements and represents good value for money for local taxpayers across Yorkshire and the Humber.

“It also shows that it is possible for forces and authorities to work together more efficiently than they could individually to tackle these sorts of crimes.”