Leeds Student www.leedsdotstudent.co.uk October. 2,1998 Volume 29: Issue No.2 Deadly duo Mark and Lard on why tribute bands rule FINALIST IT'S A BOOTIE CALL! CRITICAL AFTER ACCIDENT Police appeal for witnesses to horrific collision A FINALIST is on the critical the accident. the second to By KEVIN PMMAN list after being involved in a occur on Woodhouse Lane in serious road accident outside at 10:20 on Saturday night. a week. Leeds University. John was taken to Leeds A spokesman said: "We are John Reeve, a 21-year-old General Infirmary where he is looking into new road safety Fuel and Energy student, was in a critical but stable condition initiatives in the light of what struck down on the pedestrian in the neurology unit. has happened. In the meantime. crossing as he walked towards His mother said: -It's a we are advising all students to the cash machines opposite crucial stage at the moment take care when crossing roads the Parkinson building. regarding his injuries and we in the busy areas of Leeds." He was hit by a green are hoping that he can pull Witnesses to the accident Mercedes Benz 380 as it was through." should contact Millgarth police IN THE RED: Hyde Park patron with new footwear Pic: Dail Thubron travelling towards Headingley Police are still investigating on 0113 241 3059. THE LATEST CHAPTER IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING CRISIS - PAGE 5 OF LEEDS 2 NEWS Leeds Student, Friday October 2 1998 Boffins keen to lower alarming reaction times SC1F.NTISTS who helped RV MATT WIRER develop a new style alarm for emergency vehicles have difficult to locate the source. now come up with a "man The projects have been down" tievice to help developed in conjunction with the firefighter,: In distress. University of Leeds Innovations The Leet:.., tthiversiry boffins. Ltd. who helped the scientists RESEARCH LEADERS: Leeds University has gained a Elm who formed fie Cm mpany Sound market their ideas and get them grant to study the lives of 'ordinary people.' Alert Ltd.. have been testing into production. the device with the West Yorkshire Their plans to develop the new fire service and are now set to alarm - which is the size of a TV go to the Home Office for remote control - were also helped Government appo ,v al. by a £45,000 small firm merit Academics win Thc new unit. which uses a award granted by the Department blast of 'white noise' along with of Trade and Industry. the normal tone. has helped Fire officers have now come firefighters locate colleagues in out in support oldie device after trouble in half the time of the extensive trials. Chris Hellas, massive grant current system. breathing apparatus officer at the This latest devekipment follows West Yorkshire Fire Service's on from the successful emergency Training Centre. said: "When we A TEAM of university ByliAVEED RAJA siren. which works in a similar conducted the trials the new sound academics have won a Lim was to the new Munn, and is now helped pinpoint locutions in half grant for a ground- being used on fire engines the time. hmking study to find out oiessoi Williams said: throughout the country and "We firmly believe that this how ordinary people really -Tkcic has been a lot of social worldwide. new sound system is the ,, . live in the 1990s, and Al mimic change in this Dr Debonth Withington. project forward " Researchers at Leeds outury. in both working and leader and research fellow at the The "man down" alarm is University spent months putting family tile. university, explained how the idea activated if firelighter-, get into together a winning idea to beat "We want to find out from for the new siren first came to her: trouble, be it trapped or knocked off suff competition from 30 the grass roots how people "It was about four years ago, unconcious. and can he the last other universities to gel the cope and the values they bring when 1 was driving in my car and chance for them to receive help cash. to hear on the decisions they heard an emergency vehicle's from their colleagues. The 1 I -strong team are than make." siren. I. like all the other drivers, Sound Alert Ltd, who won the the Department of Social Policy People from Yorkshire and looked around frantically for the 1997 Prince of Wales award for and Sociology and headed Lancashire will be taking part emergency vehicle because we innovation, are now being invited by Professor Fiona Williams. in the study starting next year. couldn't tell where the sound was to demonstrate their sirens around They wilt spend five years The findings will then be actually coming from. the world. I inding out the intimate details compared with the lives of "It just came to me then that Dr Withington added: "The of people's lives and beliefs in people in Spain. Sweden. there needed to be a siren which response we have received has a project described as being at Hungary and America. had more frequencies, so that been fantastic, and we are now the caning edge of research. The ft.-scan:hers think their people could tell where thee noise achieving international recognition The tram hope their findings work will challenge was actually coming from." for our work. I'm now being invited will give politicians who are assumptions which have The problem with most by Police forces worldwide to planning major welfare change underpinned the welfare state conventional alarms is that they demonstrate how the alarm works. a more realiStic picture of the since its inception after World contain only one or two frequencies and it is great to have the attention nature of people in Britain War 2. and am also very loud, so although for the project - although it is very they are very audible it is often tiring!" HEAR, HEAR: Project leader Dr Deborah Withington Leeds University Union, PO Box 157, LEEDS LS1 1UH Editorial: Tel: (0113) 243 4727 Fax: (0113) 246 7953 Leeds Student Email: [email protected] Advertising: Tel: (0113) 231 4293 Fax: (0113) 244 8786 Leeds Student is an independent newspaper serving students at Leeds University, Leeds Metropolitan University and other colleges in and around Leeds. All our journalists abide by a code of conduct but please contact the editor if you have any problems. Comments and contributions are always welcome. EDITOR Alex Gubbay DEPUTY EDITOR Zoe Feller ADVERTISING MANAGER Catherine Barton ARTS Eleanor Mawrey Lauren Pushkin Sally Young BOOKS Phil Hanlon Helen Morrissey CARTOONIST Murray Wallace CLUBS Phil Lindfield Nick Weight COLUMNIST Ross Horsley COMMENT Lola Almudevar Adam Blenford FASHION Clare Brayford FEATURES Clare Rudebeck Jemima Sissons FOOD AND DRINK Kate Sleigh Joanne Roll INVESTIGATIONS Michelle Chappell Rebecca Smith JUICE GUIDE Andy Kelk JUICE LOWDOWN Louise Sherwood MUSIC Oliver Craner James McCarthy Fiona Smalley Sonja Todd NEWS Catherine Burt Matt Genever Kevin Pettman Ralph Savage PICTURES Gilly Fox Dan Thubron POLITICS Nick Greenhalgh PROOF READER Chinny Li SPORT Naveed Raja Seb Vance WEBMASTERS Ben Lamb Matt Fletcher Ed Baldrey ti" GOT A GOOD STORY? RING OUR 24-HOUR NEWSDESK ON (0113) 243 4727 13' Leeds Student, Friday October 2 1998 NEWS 3 ARMED POLICE AMBUSH STUDENTS IN 'TOY GUN ALERT' THREE housemates were By RALPH SAVAGE consequences of their actinns.but shocked to find themselves the they should be now:- A similar incident aceured to subjects of an armed police students to eel dot% n on the ground ambush on the way home front November 1947 when armed police and 'spread . with one officer swooped on a Leeds city centre a night out. shouting to Chris that his hands flat believing the residents had been Leeds University students Chris weren't where he could see them. firing five gun shuts - only to find Healy. Gihica James Naylor and Lake The three students had their 'guns' students inside playing with toy were enjoying the toy battle game taken away and were rushed to weapons. 'Sega Lock on around the streets Weetwood Police station where they On that itecassion. police cordoned of Headingley. were held in cells fur separate off the whole area as they attempted As the unwitting pranksters tried questioning. to confront the 'gunmen'. to 'murder' each other with the 1112tt Inspector Tim Redhead stated But Chris, James and Luke were guns. little did they know that a —The men were released in the early still in good humour despite their 'Major Gun Alen' had been declared hours after being given a strong own not in with the law this week. and the authorities were on their warning over their conduct. When And that was after they even had way. we receive reports of people to hitch a lift from another police "We turned the corner towards brandishing guns we have to respond car on the way home. our house to sec at least two police and take the matter seriously." When asked why they were denied ears and Iwo vans" said They were formally arrested on the usual ride home the three would Communications finalist Chris charges of suspicion of possession he fugitives said "The whole thing "There were three armed police of firearms and a breach of the peace. had lasted hours and we didn't want officers with the biggest machine for the latter they were given a 'stern to ask the police for anything eke, nuns I'd ever seen. It was harrowing warning'. I think they were annoyed enough to say the least." Inspector Redhead added: —These with us as it was." The police then shouted at the students were not aware of the 4 NEWS Leeds Student, Friday October 2 1.996 Having a gas, not a blast By CATHERINE BURT CON IN,ETE evacuation of 1.1.• 1: was required on Monday after a major gas leak.