When the council fails to serve its townsfolk, the Cambs Times is always ready to help…

News editor John Elworthy called on superheroes Spiderman and Superwoman – alias reporters Ian Ray and Louise Hughes – to step in and fight officialdom.

The result? Press Gang: an everyday story of a fenland community and the local newspaper that serves it.

John’s direct line to the comic-strip heroes saw them leap into action to help pensioner Dawn Storey, (70), after the council refused to enter her property to remove an old television ready for the tip. She’d been hit by the full force of bureaucracy when staff refused her help on health and safety grounds.

Louise was clearly up for her new role, and, fortunately for Ian, the costume allowed him some anonymity!

John, deciding that actions would this time speak louder than words, said: “I thought it absurd so decided to rib the council in a more gentle way than we normally would!”

The intrepid pair wheeled the TV to Dawn’s front gate in no time at all, to await collection.

Pictures by Brian Purdy

A spokesman for Fenland District Council told the paper: “All items for collection have to be placed at the boundary of the property as this involves any confusion about what needs to be collected.”

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