Portsmouth’s January 2020 review – We were ready for Brexit, but meanwhile in China...

It was the month that Britain would finally say ‘au revoir’ to the European Union, with ‘Brexit Day’ pencilled in for January 31.

Labelled as the end of an era, it had been four years in the making, following 2016’s historic referendum.

But in a distant city in China, a malevolent force was brewing that would soon grind the globe to a standstill.

Murmurings of the ‘novel coronavirus’ spreading in Wuhan were beginning to creep into the news.

However, with the hangover of 2019 still fresh, it was very much an abstract problem that remained at arm’s length for the people of Portsmouth.

What was a key talking point for workers around the city was the growing optimism surrounding Pompey’s chances for promotion to the Championship.

Blues manager Kenny Jackett championed his side for showing all the signs of coming together at a critical point in their campaign – which ultimately fell short.

Coming off the back of an impressive 2-1 victory over AFC Wimbledon early in the month, Jackett insisted promotion could be secured, adding: ‘I think it’s there for us. I’ve always thought that.’

And it was a bright start, too, for Queen Alexandra Hospital as a radical £58m plan to overhaul the Cosham site’s A&E gathered pace.

Project leaders at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust had just revealed three options for the upgrade to the 1979-built and currently over-run department.

And they were seeking a response from the people of Portsmouth about how plans should progress.

‘This is a massive opportunity. We have got the money and we know we need to do it,’ said hospital chief executive Mark Cubbon.

January was also a month in which inspirational people and good Samaritans came to the fore.

A crime-fighting crusader managed to capture a gang teenaged thieves red handed, after fitting GPS trackers to a decoy bike which they stole.

Innovative Richard Marsh vowed snared the unsuspecting yobs after they cut through the £5.99 lock on one of his ‘bait bikes’ and stealing it.

Taking it from Commercial Road, the thieves were tracked riding to Stamshaw, through Buckland and stopping at North End.

But they were dumbstruck when dad-of-one Richard, 34, arrived in his car and challenged two boys on bikes – one of which was his.

One boy claimed the bike was his, until Richard – who had informed police – pointed out the GPS.

Then days later Richard was able to guide police to the home of another thief after one his bikes was snatched ‘just minutes' after being left in Goldsmith Avenue, Fratton.

‘I’ll do anything to divide and conquer, split them up – provide anything that is going to associate bike theft with a sour taste in their mouth or a note of caution,’ he said.

Elsewhere, a mum was reunited with the Good Samaritan who saved her little boy’s life by giving him CPR after he fell seriously ill.

Emma Davis, 28, thought her 17-month-old boy, Oliver, was ‘gone’ after he slumped into a febrile convulsion after being diagnosed with a fever while in Allaway Avenue, Paulsgrove.

Remarkably, first aider and mum-of-two Zoe French was passing in her Virgin Media van and leapt into action.

‘If Zoe didn’t stop to help, I don’t think Oliver would be here – she saved his life,’ said Emma. ‘She is amazing and I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to thank her.’

January also marked the final farewell to D-Day hero and Portsmouth legend, John Jenkins.

The centenarian, who left world leaders in tears when he took to the stage during the D-Day 75 event in June, 2019, was given an emotional send-off on January 8.

Hundred of well-wishers lined the streets of Portsmouth as Mr Jenkins’ hearse passed beloved parts of the city, including the D-Day Story museum where he volunteered and Fratton Park, where he was a boardroom steward.

A funeral, with full military honours, was carried out at a packed Portchester Crematorium. A huge public commemoration was also staged at Portsmouth Cathedral.

Elsewhere, Portsmouth was rocked by the heartbreaking discovery of a dead newborn baby’s body in the city centre.

The infant girl had been left in Old Commercial Road and Victoria Street, sending shockwaves across Portsmouth and sparking a huge police operation.

Three women, aged 39, 21 and 20, all from Portsmouth were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder and are still being investigated by police.

It was a tough start for both of Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers, with a power failure blighting HMS Prince of Wales and, later, a mechanical fault hitting sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth, delaying her departure from Portsmouth.

And it was revealed the critical new Crowsnest surveillance system, designed to protect both of the 65,000-tonne warships, had been hit by technical gremlins.

The £269m aerial early warning sensor was reportedly ‘too sensitive to use, with sources close to the project warning The News IT issues had delayed the programme.

‘People are running around like blue-arsed flies on this,’ an insider warned. ‘They’re so far behind on the entire system we can’t train the flight crews because the simulators aren’t ready yet.’

For city Brexiteers, the month ended on a jubilant high as the UK formerly left the European Union.

Leading figures in the Vote Leave campaign in Portsmouth celebrated by having a night on the tiles at city boozers.

‘This will be a great opportunity to come together as Britain embarks on a new and historic chapter for the UK,’ said staunch Brexiteer and former Portsmouth City Council leader, Donna Jones at the time.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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