SARAH CHAMPION MP JOINS FAMILIES AT DIDCOT COLLAPSE SITE FOR RECOVERY UPDATE

Rotherham MP Sarah Champion has today travelled to the site of the collapsed Didcot power station to join families of the missing men and hold a meeting with officials to discuss the progress of the recovery. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), site owners RWE (Npower), police and rescue services as well as the families of the trapped men.

It is eight weeks since the collapse of the boiler house at Didcot A power station with recovery services still unable to locate the trapped men.

Two of the missing men, Ken Cresswell, 57, and John Shaw, 61, are from Rotherham. The third missing man is Christopher Huxtable, 34, is from Swansea.

After the collapse on the 23rd February, it took three weeks for the recovery process to begin as the necessary plan had not been produced by site owners RWE (Npower). Work started after Ms. Champion held a meeting with Justin Tomlinson, Minister responsible for the HSE, and secured a commitment that the Minister would intervene if a plan was not produced.

Sarah Champion MP said:

I was genuinely shocked today at the way the grieving families were treated by RWE (Npower). Rather than apologies and offers of support it was as if the families were seen as an annoyance. The RWE representatives gave conflicting information about the recovery process and the families' views and wishes were not asked for.

I fully appreciate the complexities of the recovery, but fail to understand why that means RWE can't act in a respectful and compassionate way towards the families. I left the meeting furious, so I can't imagine how the families must feel, it's disgusting and immoral.

Sarah Champion MP continued:

"It was a sobering moment to visit the site where the men are trapped. The scale of the damage is overwhelming. I have sought further assurances that the recovery will continue unabated until the men are returned to their loved ones and that the families will continue to be kept informed of any developments."