Poringland substation made safe for children

Work has started immediately to replace the crumbling walls of an electrical substation near where children were playing on an estate south of Norwich.

The Evening News yesterday reported how fears about the safety of children were raised by father-of-three Steve Fowkes, who called on the power company responsible for the substation, near Glenn Road, Poringland, to prevent youngsters from getting in by repairing or replacing the crumbling walls which house it.

Mr Fowkes, who lives at Jubilee Walk, near Glenn Road, said he was worried someone might be killed if nothing was done as there were children who, ignoring warning signs, managed to get into the site to retrieve their football.

But a spokesman for UK Power Networks confirmed that contractors were on site yesterday to remove the damaged brickwork and would be 'carrying out rebuilding work at a later date, as quickly as possible'.

In the meantime a fence has been installed around the substation to prevent children from gaining access to the site while the wall is removed.

Mr Fowkes, a former builder, who lives with his wife Mel, 31, children Ben, 12, Max, five, and Scarlet, who will be one on Friday, said he was delighted with the swift response.

He said: 'It's very good – anything to save a life is good. They've actually demolished the whole brick wall and put up some fencing around it. How long the fence will stand there, I don't know. At least the kids are not going to have any brickwork falling on them.'

Mr Fowkes, left, added that he hopes the power company will make the wall high enough to ensure that children cannot get into it – or climb up into it using the neighbouring wall. He said: 'The wall that abuts it where they were climbing up onto it should be removed as well.'

Have you got a story for the Evening News? Call Peter Walsh on 01603 772436 or email peter.walsh@archant.co.uk