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Five Peterborough stories you might have missed

Shariqua Ahmed,Peterboroughand
John Devine,Cambridgeshire
Lana Strickland Alan wearing a pink T-shirt standing next to Lana wearing a black T-shirt and medals around her neck - with both of them holding a St George's flag behind them.Lana Strickland

The Hilton Hotel saga takes a new turn, a Peterborough schoolgirl wins gold, and a florist in the city says the high price of flowers is hitting businesses.

Here are five stories from Peterborough you may have missed this week.

'Significant Pigeon infestation' at Hilton hotel

Exterior of the hotel building - a cream, tall tower with glass windows.
The Hilton hotel was meant to be part of the £120m Fletton Quays redevelopment

The unfinished Hilton hotel has been hit with a "pigeon infestation and water ingress", a council report said.

In 2017, Peterborough City Council borrowed £15m and loaned it to developers to build The Garden Inn Hotel at Fletton Quays. By 2020, the project had stalled, and the firm went bankrupt in 2023.

The local authority is now hoping a buyer comes along to purchase the hotel, which could help it recoup the investment.

Martial arts champion is role model, says teacher

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC Alan wearing a pink T-shirt standing next to Lana, wearing an England branded black or navy blue jumper, while she shows him her medals around her neck- smiling at each other.Shariqua Ahmed/BBC
Lana, pictured with dad Alan Strickland, said she got a lot of support from complete strangers through her fundraiser page

A 16-year-old who has won six medals at a martial arts world championship event has been described by her school head as a role model for young people.

Hampton College student Lana Strickland won two golds and four bronzes, having competed in seven kickboxing and taekwondo categories.

"She is an exceptional athlete and has managed to balance her studies and her amazing sporting exploits with incredible maturity," said head teacher Alex Ford.

Couple distraught after pet killed in dog attack

Przemek Bednarczyk Przemek Bednarczyk smiles broadly at the camera as he holds his dog Archie in his lap. Mr Bednarczyk is wearing a black T-shirt sitting in a garden cafe. Przemek Bednarczyk
Przemek Bednarczyk lost his dog Archie in an attack near the Bretton Crematorium

A man said he has been left distraught after his dog was killed and he was injured after they were attacked by three dogs.

Przemek Bednarczyk said the incident took place when he was walking his Hungarian Vizsla, Archie, in the fields near the Bretton Crematorium.

Mr Bednarczyk, who lives in Ravensthorpe, said three dogs - all of whom he said were off leads - ran towards him and Archie before attacking them.

Defaced unity mural restored by street artist

Nathan Murdoch A mural painted on a white wall that shows a brown hand on the left and a white hand on the right - making a fist pump. Above the fists are the words: "Hate kills but love conquers all..."Nathan Murdoch
The first pump artwork is located in an underpass between Taveners Road and Bourges Boulevard in Peterborough

A street artist has repainted his unity mural of two hands making a fist pump after it was defaced by graffiti.

Nathan Murdoch, 39, from the organisation Street Arts Hire, said he first painted the artwork in 2020 on the wall of an underpass in near Bourges Boulevard to convey the message of "mutual respect".

High prices hit sales of popular blooms - florist

Bonnie Twigg Bonnie Twigg, 58, has brown shoulder-length hair with a central parting. She is wearing brown-framed glasses and a blue and black 'v' necked sweater under a fleece. Behind her are an assortment of flowers in buckets and vases, on display in her shop.Bonnie Twigg
Bonnie Twigg said there were up to 12 florists in the city a few years ago but now "you count them on one hand"

Florists have spoken about how cut flowers have reached sky-high prices in the past few years.

Bonnie Twigg, 58, runs a shop in Peterborough called Twigg and Bows.

She said there had been a drop in the amount of flowers available for florists to buy.

A week in Peterborough politics

Peterborough City Council has confirmed it wants to stop funding for four crossing patrols in the city. Schools in Eye, Old Fletton, Newark Hill and Werrington will have their money cut. A patrol site in Paston will remain, despite being under threat.

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has confirmed it will give Peterborough Cathedral £299,432 for a new modern lighting system. The funds for the projects will come from the authority's allocation of the government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The Grade II listed Pizza Express building has had repair work approved. Planning permission has been given for the venue in Cathedral Square.

And the city council has confirmed its Holiday and Activities Food Programme (HAF) will operate until 2029. HAF funds school holiday activities alongside free food for children who are eligible for free school meals.

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