STORE owner Tony Rafferty says speeding drivers are putting his life and his livelihood at risk and he has accused the authorities of turning a blind eye to his problems. Tony has run his traditional general store, 'Tony's Corner Shop', on the junction of Tasker Terrace and Rainhill Road, Rainhill, opposite the Coach and Horses pub, for 12 years.

But he has had to shut up shut up shop three times in the last seven years after speeding vehicles lost control and careered into the 100-year-old building. In the latest incident, joyriders lost control of a stolen car sending it smashing through the front of the shop.

Tony told the Star: "I contacted the council's highways department after the first incident when another stolen car drove right into the front of the shop. They said there hadn't been any other complaints but they installed a chevron sign over the road.

"The latest accident happened quite recently and the car was actually embedded into the front window and door of the shop. It has also caused structural damage because the car bashed into a cast-iron pillar and the shop has tilted slightly. "A structural engineer has been to inspect the damage but until his report has been published, I can't open up again. I'm also worried that the insurance company may now consider it a bad risk and refuse to insure me until some sort of traffic calming measures are put on the road."

He added: "When I contacted the council after the most recent incident, they said they had no record of my previous complaint and again fobbed me off. How many times has this got to happen before someone pays attention and realises what a problem it is?"

A council spokesman said: "The highways department have no record of any complaints made about that stretch of road. However, if Mr Rafferty believes there is a real problem we will look at the road again and consider the possibility of installing traffic-calming measures or more signs."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.