It was about 8.30pm last night (Sunday) when David (my partner) got a call from his ex wife Louise telling us that their son Brodys bike had been stolen. Brody had been playing at his friends house and his bike was parked in the back garden, inside the gate of the rather posh house. The parents of Brodys friend were not too bothered about the fact a 300 pound bike had been stolen but I guess when you have money of that proportion, it isn't an issue to replace anything. Anyway I digress.
Louise and her partner Andy were out looking for the bike, so David and I also went out riding around looking but to no avail. It was too dark and wet making visibility too hard. And of course the police station on Canvey is never open at night and not one patrol car was in sight!
This morning, David took Brody and his daughter Madi out for a drive around and they came across the bike outside an off licence. There was a fully grown man on it and he was standing outside the shop talking to a man, whilst both were smoking. Madi noticed that it was Brodys bike but David could not put himself in a situation in front of his children, so they followed the man who they eventually lost. He seemed to disappear into thin air.
After a lunch break here, we dropped Madi and Brody home and David and I rode round to the place that they last saw the man. We wandered into the flats and I decided to look into the glass doors of the communcal entrance. It was then that I saw what I believed to be, Brodys bike. We could not be sure so we needed Brody to confirm it was his. So David stayed near the flats and I went and got Brody and Madi.
I know someone who lives in the flats and asked them how I could get into the communcal hallway. They told me to buzz the tradesman button. We were in. Brody confirmed the bike was his and we came out and rang Louise who called the police again and told them. They told us to wait there and they would be there as soon as possible.
David then went to get the car that was parked further away. As he went, all of a sudden the man who they had seen earlier came round the corner on another bike! I asked Madi and Brody if he was the man and they said it was him. So I rang David and told him to come back quickly because we didn't know what sort of man he was. He had eyed us as I eyed him!
Next thing, David spoke to him and told him that the bike in the hallway was his sons and the man just said to take it back then. In my mind that suggests he knew the bike was stolen as he did not put up a fight. I joined in the conversation and asked him where he had got the bike from and he told us it was from a man/lad called Mitch. He said he only knew him from walking along the sea wall and didn't, conveniently, know anything else about him, other than the fact he rides around Canvey on a bike with a rucksack on his back.
David was fuming so removed himself from the situation but I stayed chatting to the man who said he was really annoyed because he had purchased the bike in good faith for his daughter the day before. He paid 60 pounds for it and was told when he purchased it that Mitch had purchased it from a shop for 130 pounds. But the bike is worth 300 pounds. The man had to know the bike was stolen, why else would someone sell a bike they claim to have just purchased at half the price?
I kept the man talking as much as I could, he was upset because he thought he would be arrested for receiving stolen goods. And he was also upset that he had lost money and said he would get the 60 pound back off of the man he brought it from. To me this suggests that he knew the guy more than he let on because how would he know where to find him to get the money back? He was also saying that we were okay because we had found the bike and that he was the one out of pocket and that his daughter was upset. But his daughter came out and I asked her if it was her the bike had been brought for and she said yes but also added, that it wasn't hers so she couldn't have it. She said she only likes Harrow (maybe different name) bikes so why then did her Dad buy her this bike? And why, if he got it for his daughter was he riding it around the streets this morning? After all, he already had a bike that he rode in on this afternoon.
I kept chatting to the man and he was telling me that he had his burger van stolen and that although the van was returned, the equipment inside had all been taken. And that he had moved to Canvey from Enfield to get away from all the crime. He also said that his quad bike had been stolen from where he lived. And when I carried on talking to him, he said that it got to the point where he thought 'why shouldn't I take stolen property, it has happened to me so many times'.
He was probing where the bike was stolen from and I just said near the sea front, trying to hush Brody who was giving out his address nearly! In the end the police told us we could take the bike and that they would interview later. Bear in mind we had been there over an hour waiting for them.
Between us, we found the receiver, followed him, found the bike, found the reciever again, questioned him and retrieved the bike. Where were the police during all this?
Later on David and I dropped Madi and Brody home and were on our way home to our house. We were talking to each other about the alleged person who actually stole the bike and I said he was ginger but with a shaved head. Next thing a man riding a bike, with a ginger shaved head, wearing a rucksack rode past. I hadn't mentioned the rucksack thing to anyone else, but I shouted to David 'thats him' and we turned round and came up behind him. As we went past him, I rolled down the window and said 'hello mitch', he glanced at me and then turned into the first road available. We had to turn round and by the time we got back into the estate he went into we had lost him. I was so annoyed because we wouldn't have pulled him but we could have followed him to his address and let the police take it from there.
So the police are going to Louises house tonight and David is going to give his part of the interview. Although it was me who kept the receiver talking for a long time so you'd think they'd want my information too. Oh well, it is all written here now if they need it.
So today has been eventful and I feel we did a great job as detectives! Lets see if the real detectives actually do anything about it all later......................
Monday 23 August 2010
Sunday 22 August 2010
Starting School - The Lower Site
Well it is a few weeks before my eldest son Luke starts secondary school for the first time. I think I am more excited about it than he is. I feel like it is me about to venture into the big school all over again. Obviously, I cannot and would not want to, live Luke's life for him but it hasn't stopped me remembering my senior school so I thought what a good idea for a blog......memories of school.
I remember the first day of Seven Kings High School Lower Site. My Mum took me that day and I was dressed in full uniform, blazer, crisp shirt, ironed skirt and tie. I think it was the only day I wore a tie but hey the novelty was there to start with. Luke is lucky, he gets clip on ties so it is a hell of a lot easier.
I remember standing in the playground and eventually being called to get into line, the class that would soon be my form all assembled together. I had been to a fairly big Junior School so although bigger, Seven Kings was not as frightening as it could have been.
I remember my first classroom as clear as anything, it was on the ground floor and right in the corner with Miss Quinney as my form teacher. I remember looking around and not knowing that many people in my class, from what I can remember, Shireen Greenaway was the only girl I knew. We had the old fashioned desks with the ink holes in them, they lifted up so you could put your stuff in them. I'll never forget a few faces in my form, not surprising we spent the next five years together. Rodrique Campbell Evans, Dipak Patel, Nicola Matthews, Lorraine Jones - tney seemed to gel as a group along with Shireen.
I tended to keep myself to myself at first but did notice the girls over by the window. They turned out to be Ceri Harrington, Shelley Wyatt, Coral Payton and Megan Bertie. This was the little group I ended up attaching too, although for the first few days I couldn't understand why Coral was in our class as she was obviously so much older than us - wrong, she was just very tall!!!!!!
I was one of those who could get on with most people, so I flicked from the cool crowd to the intelligent crowd to the boys. I have always got on better with boys so I soon became good friends with Dainon Cracknell, Jamie Dear, Paul Marsh and Stephen Goater. It saddens me that both Paul and Stephen have passed away so young. But I have such good memories of both of them, that I will never ever forget them. Dainon turned out to be my best friend and worst nightmare rolled into one!!! But that really is a whole new blog!
The first few days were a bit nerve wracking as we had to learn where all our rooms were for each lesson and also manage to get to our lockers in between lessons to get our next set of books. I think I have always been organised and the easiest way for me, was to carry everything I needed for the day with me at all times.
I remember having RE, for those youngsters that is Religious Education, with Mr Patterson. He really liked me that first few months, I really knuckled down and I remember writing a great piece on the Church, even drawing a picture to accompany it. I got a merit for that piece of work and I was so proud of myself. He didn't like me much after that, I have this thing that people either love me or hate me, no middle ground LOL!!!!
At the lower site I also remember Miss Boulton our French teacher. I despised her and her whole attitude. I'll never forget the whole class getting kept behind once, for what I cannot remember, but not one of us would admit to being the guilty one. Eventually, she let us go one at a time, and as I left the room, the wind caught the door and it slammed. Great!!! The next day, she pulled me to her, pushed me against a wall and shouted at me. I tell you if a teacher laid a hand on one of my kids, I would certainly have something to say! I was fuming and I considered going home. Funny thing is though, I was contacted on Facebook a few years ago by someone desperately trying to find out what Boulton was like back then, seems she is still a b***h nowadays!
I also remember cookery and HE (Home Economics), I hated both and was always forgetting my ingredients or my materials. I even feigned illness once as I hadn't bothered with my ingredients, thinking spending the lesson in sick would get me off, but it didn't, the office made me go up and see the cookery teacher who could see through me like glass. Still I didn't like it, so I wasn't going to put any effort into it.
It was during one HE lesson that a group of us, in all our wisdom, decided to tell one of the other class members about their personal hygiene problem. I wouldn't name the person but it didn't go down too well and the poor person cried. We had all been so tactful aswell but it still saddens me that by trying to help them, we made them feel so bad.
I wasn't really keen on many lessons. I have always been of the mind, if I enjoy it, I'll give 100%, if I don't I'll give the least I have to. So Science was another one that I hated. I could never grasp physics or Chemistry although I found Biology quite interesting even though I wasn't very good at it. I also wasn't that interested in Geography or History or Art. Mr Williams was my teacher for science in the lower years and I know the poor man just couldn't understand why I wasn't able to grasp these scientific concepts!!!
I think I only enjoyed Drama and English in the lower site. I gave both my all and it showed in my results. I tried in Maths but I wasn't any good at that either. I did enjoy PE because you got to do so many different things but I hated the showers. Can you all remember the dreaded showers? Having to strip off in front of your fellow pupils, bits on show......I dreaded it.....and the teachers who only one name I can remember, Miss Purvis, took great delight in checking you were actually in the cubicles. I used to get to the curtain, run in and out again. So if they checked, my skin was wet! Don't know why I was so shy because nowadays, with a body a hell of a lot worse than it was then, I wouldn't give a monkeys!!!!!
The one thing I hated about PE at that school was doing Cross Country, I hated it and will always remember the run from a park, right round it and back to school. I was not a runner so it used to be the dread of the year for me. That along with athletics event. I was never going to win but I did try each year doing the 800m. I tried a lot of things, gymnastics and football, netball and basketball but I am not a natural sportswoman other than in swimming. That was something I loved and I did my grades and medals over the years. I will never forget Stephen Goater and I both taking our Bronze Medallion but failing, we both found it so hard that day and I never got the chance to retake it sadly. I did use to swim for the school but on one gala I was mortified as I had received the dreaded montly curse and was unable to swim. My Mum had to write a note to Mr Scott and the only paper we had was illuminous yellow.....I was so embarrassed.
Drama was my passion but our wonderful teacher Miss Tolson did not see me as one of her pets. So therefore, regardless of what talent I did or didn't have, it wasn't until the upper school years that I got a proper chance.
I must have loads of memories of the Lower Site but they are just a few that spring to mind. I made some great friends at the beginning of the secondary years and it is wonderful to be in touch with so many again on facebook and to see how they have grown up into lovely people. They weren't all in my form class but I do remember fondly, Joanne Husk, Emma Dawkin, Cassie Rock, Laura Stammers, Lee Wilton, Leigh Chalkley, Mark Fage and Ross Green. And how can anyone forget Andrew Brown who joined us at some point? The musical genius who actually, if my memory is correct reminds me of the late Stephen Gateley. Does anyone else remember him? Oh and if I haven't mentioned you, its not because I don't remember you, I just can't list you all!!!!
I love remembering these few memories and picturing the old building with the staircases in the corners and the boys and girls corridors. How many of us used to try and go through the one we weren't supposed to?! And the little tuck shop by the boys corridor! And lazy break times, sitting on the steps outside.
I may not of liked school much but I remember the lower site with a touch of sentimenatlity but just don't tell anyone!!!!
I'm spurred to write more about school days, school chums and school trips so watch this space for another blog. Until then, as I get ready for my baby to start, I have to say I cannot believe that all this time has passed, it seems like yesterday.............stay safe and take care.
I remember the first day of Seven Kings High School Lower Site. My Mum took me that day and I was dressed in full uniform, blazer, crisp shirt, ironed skirt and tie. I think it was the only day I wore a tie but hey the novelty was there to start with. Luke is lucky, he gets clip on ties so it is a hell of a lot easier.
I remember standing in the playground and eventually being called to get into line, the class that would soon be my form all assembled together. I had been to a fairly big Junior School so although bigger, Seven Kings was not as frightening as it could have been.
I remember my first classroom as clear as anything, it was on the ground floor and right in the corner with Miss Quinney as my form teacher. I remember looking around and not knowing that many people in my class, from what I can remember, Shireen Greenaway was the only girl I knew. We had the old fashioned desks with the ink holes in them, they lifted up so you could put your stuff in them. I'll never forget a few faces in my form, not surprising we spent the next five years together. Rodrique Campbell Evans, Dipak Patel, Nicola Matthews, Lorraine Jones - tney seemed to gel as a group along with Shireen.
I tended to keep myself to myself at first but did notice the girls over by the window. They turned out to be Ceri Harrington, Shelley Wyatt, Coral Payton and Megan Bertie. This was the little group I ended up attaching too, although for the first few days I couldn't understand why Coral was in our class as she was obviously so much older than us - wrong, she was just very tall!!!!!!
I was one of those who could get on with most people, so I flicked from the cool crowd to the intelligent crowd to the boys. I have always got on better with boys so I soon became good friends with Dainon Cracknell, Jamie Dear, Paul Marsh and Stephen Goater. It saddens me that both Paul and Stephen have passed away so young. But I have such good memories of both of them, that I will never ever forget them. Dainon turned out to be my best friend and worst nightmare rolled into one!!! But that really is a whole new blog!
The first few days were a bit nerve wracking as we had to learn where all our rooms were for each lesson and also manage to get to our lockers in between lessons to get our next set of books. I think I have always been organised and the easiest way for me, was to carry everything I needed for the day with me at all times.
I remember having RE, for those youngsters that is Religious Education, with Mr Patterson. He really liked me that first few months, I really knuckled down and I remember writing a great piece on the Church, even drawing a picture to accompany it. I got a merit for that piece of work and I was so proud of myself. He didn't like me much after that, I have this thing that people either love me or hate me, no middle ground LOL!!!!
At the lower site I also remember Miss Boulton our French teacher. I despised her and her whole attitude. I'll never forget the whole class getting kept behind once, for what I cannot remember, but not one of us would admit to being the guilty one. Eventually, she let us go one at a time, and as I left the room, the wind caught the door and it slammed. Great!!! The next day, she pulled me to her, pushed me against a wall and shouted at me. I tell you if a teacher laid a hand on one of my kids, I would certainly have something to say! I was fuming and I considered going home. Funny thing is though, I was contacted on Facebook a few years ago by someone desperately trying to find out what Boulton was like back then, seems she is still a b***h nowadays!
I also remember cookery and HE (Home Economics), I hated both and was always forgetting my ingredients or my materials. I even feigned illness once as I hadn't bothered with my ingredients, thinking spending the lesson in sick would get me off, but it didn't, the office made me go up and see the cookery teacher who could see through me like glass. Still I didn't like it, so I wasn't going to put any effort into it.
It was during one HE lesson that a group of us, in all our wisdom, decided to tell one of the other class members about their personal hygiene problem. I wouldn't name the person but it didn't go down too well and the poor person cried. We had all been so tactful aswell but it still saddens me that by trying to help them, we made them feel so bad.
I wasn't really keen on many lessons. I have always been of the mind, if I enjoy it, I'll give 100%, if I don't I'll give the least I have to. So Science was another one that I hated. I could never grasp physics or Chemistry although I found Biology quite interesting even though I wasn't very good at it. I also wasn't that interested in Geography or History or Art. Mr Williams was my teacher for science in the lower years and I know the poor man just couldn't understand why I wasn't able to grasp these scientific concepts!!!
I think I only enjoyed Drama and English in the lower site. I gave both my all and it showed in my results. I tried in Maths but I wasn't any good at that either. I did enjoy PE because you got to do so many different things but I hated the showers. Can you all remember the dreaded showers? Having to strip off in front of your fellow pupils, bits on show......I dreaded it.....and the teachers who only one name I can remember, Miss Purvis, took great delight in checking you were actually in the cubicles. I used to get to the curtain, run in and out again. So if they checked, my skin was wet! Don't know why I was so shy because nowadays, with a body a hell of a lot worse than it was then, I wouldn't give a monkeys!!!!!
The one thing I hated about PE at that school was doing Cross Country, I hated it and will always remember the run from a park, right round it and back to school. I was not a runner so it used to be the dread of the year for me. That along with athletics event. I was never going to win but I did try each year doing the 800m. I tried a lot of things, gymnastics and football, netball and basketball but I am not a natural sportswoman other than in swimming. That was something I loved and I did my grades and medals over the years. I will never forget Stephen Goater and I both taking our Bronze Medallion but failing, we both found it so hard that day and I never got the chance to retake it sadly. I did use to swim for the school but on one gala I was mortified as I had received the dreaded montly curse and was unable to swim. My Mum had to write a note to Mr Scott and the only paper we had was illuminous yellow.....I was so embarrassed.
Drama was my passion but our wonderful teacher Miss Tolson did not see me as one of her pets. So therefore, regardless of what talent I did or didn't have, it wasn't until the upper school years that I got a proper chance.
I must have loads of memories of the Lower Site but they are just a few that spring to mind. I made some great friends at the beginning of the secondary years and it is wonderful to be in touch with so many again on facebook and to see how they have grown up into lovely people. They weren't all in my form class but I do remember fondly, Joanne Husk, Emma Dawkin, Cassie Rock, Laura Stammers, Lee Wilton, Leigh Chalkley, Mark Fage and Ross Green. And how can anyone forget Andrew Brown who joined us at some point? The musical genius who actually, if my memory is correct reminds me of the late Stephen Gateley. Does anyone else remember him? Oh and if I haven't mentioned you, its not because I don't remember you, I just can't list you all!!!!
I love remembering these few memories and picturing the old building with the staircases in the corners and the boys and girls corridors. How many of us used to try and go through the one we weren't supposed to?! And the little tuck shop by the boys corridor! And lazy break times, sitting on the steps outside.
I may not of liked school much but I remember the lower site with a touch of sentimenatlity but just don't tell anyone!!!!
I'm spurred to write more about school days, school chums and school trips so watch this space for another blog. Until then, as I get ready for my baby to start, I have to say I cannot believe that all this time has passed, it seems like yesterday.............stay safe and take care.
Wednesday 18 August 2010
Eden Lake or Frensham Pond
A month or so ago, I watched a film called Eden Lake. I enjoyed the film and feel it is quite topical so thought I would share my thoughts on the film. It also happened to be filmed at a place I spent a lot of my childhood at. So flashbacks to childhood may encroach on the film analysis.
I am a sucker for a horror or thriller movie and when I saw Eden Lake at the Market, it sounded my cup of tea, so we got it.
It opens with the main charachters Jenny and Steve, driving out for a romantic weekend break at Eden Lake. Jenny is a school teacher and Steve some sort of city type I imagine, although we don't actually find that out but that is what imagination is for. After a long drive, they stay at a hotel which is awash with noisy kids and rowdy adults. Jenny and Steve manage to laugh through this although you can tell the rabble aren't their sort of people!
The next day they head out to Eden Lake and finally arrive. It is going to be developed with residential buildings and this is one of the last chances the couple get to see its natural beauty.
They set up a camp on the 'beach' and are enjoying the peace and quiet and stunning surroundings, at the same time as enjoying each other. This is until a group of youths arrive and settle further along the beach. At this point I will inform you that, whilst watching, I started saying 'I am sure I used to swim in that lake when I was a kid'. It most definitely was Frensham Little Pond in Farnham, Surrey and it was amazing to see it as a film location.
The youths are rather uncouth and they have a rottweiler dog with them which deposits something not so nice on the sand. They also have their music blaring and it is annoying Steve who decided to go over and politely ask them to turn the music down. In usual youth style, the group are rude and basically ignorant. They don't turn the music down so Steve gives up and goes for a snorkel with full kit whilst Jenny sleeps. This did make me giggle as Frensham Pond is only shallow and even right in the middle of it, you can reach the bottom. In fact very recently we went to the Pond and I swam in it like I did when I was a child, although with the foot phobia that I have, and with the murky water bed laden with all manner of things, I didn't really put my feet down!!!! Thank goodness for rubber rings.
The youths finally move on and the scene is set for Jenny and Steve to spend the night, complete with a campfire and tent. Perfect. Although, the next morning, they realise it is less than perfect when they wake to find their car keys stolen and their picnic bag opened, covered with ants. They start to walk into the woods to find the youths. They are nearly mowed down by the group joy riding in their car.
Eventually they find the youths and ask for the keys to be returned and it is at this point things start to get even more menacing. It ends up with an argument and Steve being grabbed by one of the group, who is armed with a knife. There is a struggle and comments are passed about Jenny, referring to her as a dog. Eventually the rottweiler is let loose and she ends up being stabbed and dies. The leader of the youths, Brett, is extremely angry and as Jenny and Steve run away with Steve aologising profusely, Brett decides he wants revenge. It all starts to become a whole lot more menacing.
Jenny and Steve find the car and start to drive away but they are stuck in the mud with tyres hopelessly squealing. And yes you guessed it, the gang (they have progressed from youths to a gang, in my opinion) appear and start in on the couple. They finally get away, only to crash into a tree, leaving Steve pinned to his chair with a branch through his shoulder. Jenny has to leave and get help. And so the chase begins. She runs through the forest for a while but is lost. Eventually she ends up back at the car, only to find Steve gone and hears the gang behind her.
They have Steve tied to a tree stump with barbed wire. He is begging to be released but Brett insists that each member of the gang stab or slice Steve with a knife. He also insists that the female member of the group film everything. The other members of the gang seem reluctant to do it but they are more scared to defy Brett and in turn they each slice and stab Steve in his arms, chest and mouth. All the while Jenny is watching before realising she has a phone and she bluetooths a 999 call to the phone that Brett is holding which is actually Steves. He stole the phone and sunglasses earlier on in the day.
Once Brett realises Jenny must be near by he insists the others go find her and Steve shouts at her to run. She starts running through the forest trying desperately to get help. Whilst the others are chasing Jenny, Steve manages to escape into the undergrowth and eventually the couple are reunited in the forest. They find a ornothology lookout and manage to shelter there. Steve is in a very bad way and Jenny helps him the best she can, until they hear the gang coming again. We wait with baited breath as the gang burst through the door of the lookout, only to find Jenny and Steve gone. They have managed to slide under the boards into the water below. The gang give up and start looking again, but not before one of them falls through the broken floorboard. But all is safe.
Jenny then pulls Steve out of the lake and she finds a ring that Steve was going to give her when he proposed. She, being a typical woman, puts the ring on before covering Steve with conveniently cut ferns. She then heads off into the forest again to find help. But ends up stepping on an iron spike so she has slowed down. She meets a little asian boy who they had come across before and he says he will help her, but she soon realises, too late, that he has tricked her. The gang arrive and she is knocked out.
The next scene sees her and the dead Steve tied to a tree with petrol being poured on them. The young asian lad is forced to light the match and the body of Steve goes up in flames. The ropes burn and Jenny is able to flee. But not before she sees the gang set fire to the little asisan lad, for not lighting the fire properly. She finds a mapboard and takes the map, hides in a dirty foul smelling bin and on top of a portacabin roof. As she is studying the map, one of the gang, the youngest, appears and she stabs him in the neck with the broken glass from the mapboard. She is sad that she has had to kill him but carries on running.
Eventually she gets to a road and is nearly hit by a car. The man driving helps her and says he will take her to town after he picks up his little brother. The penny drops and Jenny begs him to turn round. He doesn't. And one of the gang appear at the roadside. Jenny takes her chance, when the driver gets out to see what is going on, and takes the wheel and drives like the wind. She ends up knocking over the girl gang member and it is at this point that we wish the film ended.
But it goes on to see her crash into a parked car outside a house. This happens to be the same house that Steve had let himself into earlier that weekend, when looking for the youths who had harrassed them. It also happens to be the same house of the lady who had been rude to them in the diner when they went for breakfast. Eventually Jenny realises she needs to get away but by this time the Mum in the house has had a message saying her son had been found dead. And then Jenny is in the bathroom under the pretence she feels sick. She can hear the anguished cry of the Mum outside and then the door is kicked in and Brett is standing behind his very angry Dad. The Dad orders Brett upstairs and tells the guests of the house that they look after their own. We next see Brett as he stands at his mirror deleting the video evidence off of his phone. He slides Steves sunglasses onto his face and stands there listening to the screams of Jenny downstairs.
Here the film ends and it leaves you somewhat amazed that or once it isn't a happy ending! It also annoys you because it is just too convenient that she ends up in that house when she escapes. But mostly it annoys you because you realise that there are gangs of teenagers out there terrorising people. And carrying out acts of the most despicable violence. But what chance do these kids have when the parents are prepared to kill to protect them. Like father, like son, so the saying goes and sadly with fathers like the character in this film, there is no hope for the youths of today.
I recommend this film even though there are a few filming errors and some of it is quite unerealistic. I certainly didn't view Frensham Pond the same when I was there recently. But then I do love a good scare!
I am a sucker for a horror or thriller movie and when I saw Eden Lake at the Market, it sounded my cup of tea, so we got it.
It opens with the main charachters Jenny and Steve, driving out for a romantic weekend break at Eden Lake. Jenny is a school teacher and Steve some sort of city type I imagine, although we don't actually find that out but that is what imagination is for. After a long drive, they stay at a hotel which is awash with noisy kids and rowdy adults. Jenny and Steve manage to laugh through this although you can tell the rabble aren't their sort of people!
The next day they head out to Eden Lake and finally arrive. It is going to be developed with residential buildings and this is one of the last chances the couple get to see its natural beauty.
They set up a camp on the 'beach' and are enjoying the peace and quiet and stunning surroundings, at the same time as enjoying each other. This is until a group of youths arrive and settle further along the beach. At this point I will inform you that, whilst watching, I started saying 'I am sure I used to swim in that lake when I was a kid'. It most definitely was Frensham Little Pond in Farnham, Surrey and it was amazing to see it as a film location.
The youths are rather uncouth and they have a rottweiler dog with them which deposits something not so nice on the sand. They also have their music blaring and it is annoying Steve who decided to go over and politely ask them to turn the music down. In usual youth style, the group are rude and basically ignorant. They don't turn the music down so Steve gives up and goes for a snorkel with full kit whilst Jenny sleeps. This did make me giggle as Frensham Pond is only shallow and even right in the middle of it, you can reach the bottom. In fact very recently we went to the Pond and I swam in it like I did when I was a child, although with the foot phobia that I have, and with the murky water bed laden with all manner of things, I didn't really put my feet down!!!! Thank goodness for rubber rings.
The youths finally move on and the scene is set for Jenny and Steve to spend the night, complete with a campfire and tent. Perfect. Although, the next morning, they realise it is less than perfect when they wake to find their car keys stolen and their picnic bag opened, covered with ants. They start to walk into the woods to find the youths. They are nearly mowed down by the group joy riding in their car.
Eventually they find the youths and ask for the keys to be returned and it is at this point things start to get even more menacing. It ends up with an argument and Steve being grabbed by one of the group, who is armed with a knife. There is a struggle and comments are passed about Jenny, referring to her as a dog. Eventually the rottweiler is let loose and she ends up being stabbed and dies. The leader of the youths, Brett, is extremely angry and as Jenny and Steve run away with Steve aologising profusely, Brett decides he wants revenge. It all starts to become a whole lot more menacing.
Jenny and Steve find the car and start to drive away but they are stuck in the mud with tyres hopelessly squealing. And yes you guessed it, the gang (they have progressed from youths to a gang, in my opinion) appear and start in on the couple. They finally get away, only to crash into a tree, leaving Steve pinned to his chair with a branch through his shoulder. Jenny has to leave and get help. And so the chase begins. She runs through the forest for a while but is lost. Eventually she ends up back at the car, only to find Steve gone and hears the gang behind her.
They have Steve tied to a tree stump with barbed wire. He is begging to be released but Brett insists that each member of the gang stab or slice Steve with a knife. He also insists that the female member of the group film everything. The other members of the gang seem reluctant to do it but they are more scared to defy Brett and in turn they each slice and stab Steve in his arms, chest and mouth. All the while Jenny is watching before realising she has a phone and she bluetooths a 999 call to the phone that Brett is holding which is actually Steves. He stole the phone and sunglasses earlier on in the day.
Once Brett realises Jenny must be near by he insists the others go find her and Steve shouts at her to run. She starts running through the forest trying desperately to get help. Whilst the others are chasing Jenny, Steve manages to escape into the undergrowth and eventually the couple are reunited in the forest. They find a ornothology lookout and manage to shelter there. Steve is in a very bad way and Jenny helps him the best she can, until they hear the gang coming again. We wait with baited breath as the gang burst through the door of the lookout, only to find Jenny and Steve gone. They have managed to slide under the boards into the water below. The gang give up and start looking again, but not before one of them falls through the broken floorboard. But all is safe.
Jenny then pulls Steve out of the lake and she finds a ring that Steve was going to give her when he proposed. She, being a typical woman, puts the ring on before covering Steve with conveniently cut ferns. She then heads off into the forest again to find help. But ends up stepping on an iron spike so she has slowed down. She meets a little asian boy who they had come across before and he says he will help her, but she soon realises, too late, that he has tricked her. The gang arrive and she is knocked out.
The next scene sees her and the dead Steve tied to a tree with petrol being poured on them. The young asian lad is forced to light the match and the body of Steve goes up in flames. The ropes burn and Jenny is able to flee. But not before she sees the gang set fire to the little asisan lad, for not lighting the fire properly. She finds a mapboard and takes the map, hides in a dirty foul smelling bin and on top of a portacabin roof. As she is studying the map, one of the gang, the youngest, appears and she stabs him in the neck with the broken glass from the mapboard. She is sad that she has had to kill him but carries on running.
Eventually she gets to a road and is nearly hit by a car. The man driving helps her and says he will take her to town after he picks up his little brother. The penny drops and Jenny begs him to turn round. He doesn't. And one of the gang appear at the roadside. Jenny takes her chance, when the driver gets out to see what is going on, and takes the wheel and drives like the wind. She ends up knocking over the girl gang member and it is at this point that we wish the film ended.
But it goes on to see her crash into a parked car outside a house. This happens to be the same house that Steve had let himself into earlier that weekend, when looking for the youths who had harrassed them. It also happens to be the same house of the lady who had been rude to them in the diner when they went for breakfast. Eventually Jenny realises she needs to get away but by this time the Mum in the house has had a message saying her son had been found dead. And then Jenny is in the bathroom under the pretence she feels sick. She can hear the anguished cry of the Mum outside and then the door is kicked in and Brett is standing behind his very angry Dad. The Dad orders Brett upstairs and tells the guests of the house that they look after their own. We next see Brett as he stands at his mirror deleting the video evidence off of his phone. He slides Steves sunglasses onto his face and stands there listening to the screams of Jenny downstairs.
Here the film ends and it leaves you somewhat amazed that or once it isn't a happy ending! It also annoys you because it is just too convenient that she ends up in that house when she escapes. But mostly it annoys you because you realise that there are gangs of teenagers out there terrorising people. And carrying out acts of the most despicable violence. But what chance do these kids have when the parents are prepared to kill to protect them. Like father, like son, so the saying goes and sadly with fathers like the character in this film, there is no hope for the youths of today.
I recommend this film even though there are a few filming errors and some of it is quite unerealistic. I certainly didn't view Frensham Pond the same when I was there recently. But then I do love a good scare!
Friday 6 August 2010
The Famous Ones
I have been, some may say, lucky enough to meet a selection of celebrities over the years and have, for some reason been thinking about those I have met today, so I thought I would share my stories. After all, I have written two quite opinionated blogs so thought a light hearted one would be a welcome relief.
I started work in my first job at Leyton Orient FC and of course, not many Orient players are big super stars but over the years we had a few celebs grace the corridors of old Orient. One of my friends at Leyton Orient was Chris Bart Williams. He was a youth player at the time and full of mischief. He was always stealing my purse and running into the changing rooms with it, which was out of bounds to the likes of sixteen year old me!!!! I was really sad to see him go when he left for Sheffield Wednesday.
Being a West Ham fan, I was ecstatic to see Orient play them and was even happier that I got to meet some of my heros. I spent some time talking to Tim Breaker who was really friendly and polite and then I got to meet my all time hero (of the time) Julian Dicks. He was very much a typical premiership footballer and I was in awe. My future feelings on him, well thats a another story which I may or may not publish at a later date!
Whilst at Leyton Orient, I also got to meet Geroge Best who came in looking a little wobbly! And Rod Stewart also came to a game and was rather worse for wear when he arrived! The nicest of all the football related people I got to meet was by far George Graham who was the then Arsenal manager, he was very chatty and friendly and certainly not above himself! Oh and Glenn Hoddle was told of my little crush on him and when I had to speak to him on the phone, he was very nice to me!!!!
I also worked for The Daily Mirror newspaper for just over a year and in that time, I met quite a few people. I worked briefly with Kate Thornton, who, despite her reputation, was actually always very nice to me. I also worked with Matthew Wright who went on to host his own morning show. Matthew was a really nice guy and was always taking the pee out of me for my taste in music, namely boybands and pop singers. But if it wasn't for Matthew, I would never have got the chance to meet Boyzone! Yes sad but true!
I went along with his assistant Thomas to one of the Boyzone gigs at the Docklands Arena. Before the show, we went backstage and waited to meet and interview the guys. I was there purely in the capacity of 'watcher'. I had no need to be there but I was lucky enough to have nice colleagues who pitied the poor pop star lover!!!!
I enjoyed meeting Boyzone. I found Ronan a very nice guy who I scolded about grinding his teeth. Stephen was rather aloof but it wasn't long after that he 'came out' and my comment to him about him not liking women much probably didn't help the anxiety. Shane was, at that time, in his dark place but he was absolutely stunning and friendly, although he did hit me over the head with a cuddly snake! Keith was hilarious, a real funny man who took great delight in teasing me about my sudden and instant crush on Mikey. A crush that lasted about 15 years!!!!! Mikey was very friendly and we hit if off with a lot of fun banter. Oh and he did make me give him a hug which was awesome!!!! I never forgot that night and often wonder as I sit in the crowd at concerts and he looks out at the thousands of girls, whether he remembers that night too!!!!!
Before my obsession with Boyzone took hold, I was totally and utterly in adoration of Peter Andre. I bought every magazine he was in, kept every cut out of him and had nice photographers from The Daily Mirror donate photos. I really think for a time that I was his number one fan! On one occasion I was offered the chance to go and meet him after work. I didn't go! Most people would have snapped up the chance but I had worn a really awful un-trendy outfit to work that day and I had the mother of all cold sores on my lip so there was no way I was going to meet my number one idol looking like that. No one could believe it!
Luckily I had the chance to meet him again. I booked the day off work and met up with a colleague who was going to meet him at a hotel in London. The paper had run a competition for someone to meet him and this was the meet. I wasn't the winner but I begged and pleaded and was finally allowed to go along! We met Peter at the hotel and he was just as gorgeous in real life. I am very calm and collected when faced with a celebrity so I didn't show myself up. I just chatted to him and showed him my collection of memorabilia on him which he was really impressed with. He wanted to have it so he could give it to his Mum but I wasn't parting with it. I was somewhat embarrassed when he came across a picture of him with a lady that someone had given to me, as underneath it I had written 'Peters Girlfriend :-(' he did have a giggle at that!!
We then went to Planet Hollywoods and had lunch. I was mortified to be sat opposite him whilst we ate. I hate eating in front of people I don't know at the best of times but to have to eat in front of him was hell on earth. We chatted through lunch and I told him how I drove everyone mad because I was always playing his music, over and over.
When it was time to go, he gave me a hug and a peck and I was on another planet. I went home, got into bed and fell into a dreamland!!!! I would love to say I was just a kid but I was realistically twenty years old! Oh well. One thing I would say about Peter Andre is that he is such a lovely man. What you see is what you get with him and he is genuine and very humble. It saddens me that he has been through so much with Katie Price. There may be two sides to every story but I am pretty good at judging people and he is definitely one of the good guys. It is good to see him looking happy again of late.
So I have been lucky to meet some of my idols/heros. There aren't many more people, I would really like to meet, although I certainly wouldn't turn down lunch, dinner or breakfast with (in no particular order) Amauary Nolasco, Mark Wahlberg, Eminem or Josh Holloway. So if ever they pop to Canvey, I hope they look me up!!!!
Until next time, stay safe.
I started work in my first job at Leyton Orient FC and of course, not many Orient players are big super stars but over the years we had a few celebs grace the corridors of old Orient. One of my friends at Leyton Orient was Chris Bart Williams. He was a youth player at the time and full of mischief. He was always stealing my purse and running into the changing rooms with it, which was out of bounds to the likes of sixteen year old me!!!! I was really sad to see him go when he left for Sheffield Wednesday.
Being a West Ham fan, I was ecstatic to see Orient play them and was even happier that I got to meet some of my heros. I spent some time talking to Tim Breaker who was really friendly and polite and then I got to meet my all time hero (of the time) Julian Dicks. He was very much a typical premiership footballer and I was in awe. My future feelings on him, well thats a another story which I may or may not publish at a later date!
Whilst at Leyton Orient, I also got to meet Geroge Best who came in looking a little wobbly! And Rod Stewart also came to a game and was rather worse for wear when he arrived! The nicest of all the football related people I got to meet was by far George Graham who was the then Arsenal manager, he was very chatty and friendly and certainly not above himself! Oh and Glenn Hoddle was told of my little crush on him and when I had to speak to him on the phone, he was very nice to me!!!!
I also worked for The Daily Mirror newspaper for just over a year and in that time, I met quite a few people. I worked briefly with Kate Thornton, who, despite her reputation, was actually always very nice to me. I also worked with Matthew Wright who went on to host his own morning show. Matthew was a really nice guy and was always taking the pee out of me for my taste in music, namely boybands and pop singers. But if it wasn't for Matthew, I would never have got the chance to meet Boyzone! Yes sad but true!
I went along with his assistant Thomas to one of the Boyzone gigs at the Docklands Arena. Before the show, we went backstage and waited to meet and interview the guys. I was there purely in the capacity of 'watcher'. I had no need to be there but I was lucky enough to have nice colleagues who pitied the poor pop star lover!!!!
I enjoyed meeting Boyzone. I found Ronan a very nice guy who I scolded about grinding his teeth. Stephen was rather aloof but it wasn't long after that he 'came out' and my comment to him about him not liking women much probably didn't help the anxiety. Shane was, at that time, in his dark place but he was absolutely stunning and friendly, although he did hit me over the head with a cuddly snake! Keith was hilarious, a real funny man who took great delight in teasing me about my sudden and instant crush on Mikey. A crush that lasted about 15 years!!!!! Mikey was very friendly and we hit if off with a lot of fun banter. Oh and he did make me give him a hug which was awesome!!!! I never forgot that night and often wonder as I sit in the crowd at concerts and he looks out at the thousands of girls, whether he remembers that night too!!!!!
Before my obsession with Boyzone took hold, I was totally and utterly in adoration of Peter Andre. I bought every magazine he was in, kept every cut out of him and had nice photographers from The Daily Mirror donate photos. I really think for a time that I was his number one fan! On one occasion I was offered the chance to go and meet him after work. I didn't go! Most people would have snapped up the chance but I had worn a really awful un-trendy outfit to work that day and I had the mother of all cold sores on my lip so there was no way I was going to meet my number one idol looking like that. No one could believe it!
Luckily I had the chance to meet him again. I booked the day off work and met up with a colleague who was going to meet him at a hotel in London. The paper had run a competition for someone to meet him and this was the meet. I wasn't the winner but I begged and pleaded and was finally allowed to go along! We met Peter at the hotel and he was just as gorgeous in real life. I am very calm and collected when faced with a celebrity so I didn't show myself up. I just chatted to him and showed him my collection of memorabilia on him which he was really impressed with. He wanted to have it so he could give it to his Mum but I wasn't parting with it. I was somewhat embarrassed when he came across a picture of him with a lady that someone had given to me, as underneath it I had written 'Peters Girlfriend :-(' he did have a giggle at that!!
We then went to Planet Hollywoods and had lunch. I was mortified to be sat opposite him whilst we ate. I hate eating in front of people I don't know at the best of times but to have to eat in front of him was hell on earth. We chatted through lunch and I told him how I drove everyone mad because I was always playing his music, over and over.
When it was time to go, he gave me a hug and a peck and I was on another planet. I went home, got into bed and fell into a dreamland!!!! I would love to say I was just a kid but I was realistically twenty years old! Oh well. One thing I would say about Peter Andre is that he is such a lovely man. What you see is what you get with him and he is genuine and very humble. It saddens me that he has been through so much with Katie Price. There may be two sides to every story but I am pretty good at judging people and he is definitely one of the good guys. It is good to see him looking happy again of late.
So I have been lucky to meet some of my idols/heros. There aren't many more people, I would really like to meet, although I certainly wouldn't turn down lunch, dinner or breakfast with (in no particular order) Amauary Nolasco, Mark Wahlberg, Eminem or Josh Holloway. So if ever they pop to Canvey, I hope they look me up!!!!
Until next time, stay safe.
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