RTN Newspaper - Costa Blanca North 2 - 8 March 2018 Issue 958

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COSTA BLANCA NORTH

2nd - 8th March

City centre hostel evacuated ONE person was injured in a fire that broke out in a hostel in the centre of Benidorm.

Twenty other people were evacuated from the building.

The incident began at 2.30am when a fire started in an occupied room on the third floor which ended up with the guest suffering from burns.

Such was the intense amount of smoke that spread throughout the hostel, the fire authorities took the decision to evacuate the rest of the guests as a precaution.

Because the officers couldn’t access the rooms from the inside, they needed to use an outside ladder to check the rest of the building.

Farm dog attacker arrested

INSIDE THIS WEEK ...

TIMESHARE SCAMMERS JAILED

By Darren Parmenter GUARDIA CIVIL officers have arrested a man in Ondara for robbery and for animal cruelty.

The 46-year-old Spaniard is suspected of being behind seven robberies from the same farm in the space of less than a month. It was during the first time that he climbed over the fence with the aim of stealing avocados, and in the process attacked a dog on the premises.

His seven separate and uninvited trips to the farm resulted in a total of 250 kilos of avocados being stolen, valued at â‚Ź500.

The ROCA team in Calpe, dedicated to investigating farm-related thefts, were first made aware that 50 kilos of avocados had been stolen from the Ondara farm. Whoever stole them had not only destroyed many of the trees that he ripped the fruit from, but also gave the dog who tried to stop him a severe beating. Such were his injuries that the vet ended up treating him for a ruptured fibula on a back leg, and it allegedly took many weeks for the animal to get back to a normal food routine or even wanting to leave the safety of the house.

After the first incident, the farm owner installed CCTV in case there was

Issue 958

P2 EMERGENCY HELICOPTER SEARCHES FOR LANDING SPOTS

INJURED: Farm dog ended up in the vets with a ruptured fibula.

a repeat, and on the same day they were set up a middle-aged man was spotted wandering around the farm with a plastic bag. Guardia Civil inves-

tigators, now with an image, spoke to a number of local stores who recognised the man as one who tried to sell avocados on several occasions.

P6 SILVER LINING

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Timeshare scammers jailed

Alicante hospital to lead cancer fight Photo credit: National Police

NINE British scammers who made almost €1 million in a timeshare racket have been sentenced.

The culprits have been named as Brian Carr, 31, Daniel Carr, 24, Craig Walker, 27, and Brendan Hicks, 28, all from Redditch, Dawn Gingell, 55, from Hampshire, James Barrass, 37, from Norwich, Steven Cross, 37, from Worcester, Matthew Barker, 25, from Bromsgrove, and Alan Sharp, 66, from Norwich.

They must serve a range of prison sentences totalling 20 years after being found guilty of conspiracy to defraud, perverting the course of justice, money laundering and fraudulent trading.

Police say that 470 victims - the majority elderly or sick - were swindled over their properties in expatriate hotspots throughout Spain.

They would receive phone calls falsely advising that a third party was interested in buying their timeshare rights provided they stump up an ‘advance sale fee.’

The gang would later demand more payments when the bogus deals failed to happen.

TIMESHARE SCAM: The gang targeted British people who owned timeshares in Spain and (inset, l-r ) conmen Brendan Hicks, Matthew Barker and Steven Cross.

On many occasions the unsuspecting victims would be hit for a second time as the scammers pretended to work for a range of invented companies.

They even pretended to be Spanish police officials, forcing targets to pay a third fee

to have their money returned.

The group reportedly made more than €986,000 from the ruse, and opened up a number of fake companies and bank accounts to hide their activity.

Detective Inspector Emma

Wright of Warwickshire Police said: “These scammers targeted some of the most vulnerable people in our society in a deliberate and cynical campaign of fraud.

“I am pleased that the offenders have been brought before the courts.”

SAN JUAN hospital in Alicante will become the technological centre of the Alicante Province in the ongoing fight against cancer.

Over the next two years, the Oncology department will receive more than €10 million to renew and acquire a selection of state-of-the-art equipment to assist with the diagnosis and subsequent treatment of tumours.

The investment comes jointly from the Ministry of Health and the Amancio Ortega Foundation.

Amancio Ortega is a businessman from Galicia whose aim in life is to improve the treatment of people suffering from cancer. He has donated €6 million towards the overall amount.

The San Juan hospital has been operating for 27 years and has been recognised as one of the best dedicated cancer hospitals. This latest investment is seen as taking their excellence to a higher level to take advantage of the innovations in cancer-treating technology in recent years.

One of the pieces of modern equipment due to be installed are two linear accelerators (known as LINAC) and the devices most commonly used for external beam radiation treatments for patients with cancer.

The linear accelerator is used to deliver highenergy x-rays or electrons to the patient’s tumour, with minimal damage to healthy tissue.

In the Valencian Community, 20,100 cases of cancer are diagnosed each year, and it is currently the leading cause of death in Spain.

2nd - 8th March

Crime rates lower... Two rescues but insecurity at the unchanged same time Photo credit: MasfiestaTV YouTube

DESPITE the fact that the number of crimes has officially decreased in the municipality of San Vicente del Raspeig, the overwhelming feeling of insecurity among local citizens remains.

This was the conclusion made as a result of the meeting of the Local Security B oard that has taken place to discuss different aspects of security and policing, both in the town centre and surrounding urbanisations, especially with the upcoming Easter holiday period.

According to the official data, the crime rate in San Vicente continues to be below that of other municipalities with a similar population. The figures for the past few years show a reduction to 35.54 per cent in 2017 (a fall of 1.40 per cent compared to the previous year) and down from 41.73 per cent in 2014. The number of arrests during the past year was 370.

Councillor for Security, Maria Isabel Martinez, told Spanish media that this decrease doesn’t lead to a lesser sense of insecurity, and pointed out that some robberies have been of a ver y serious nature and those of

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FORESIGHT: Mayor Jesus Villar puts citizen safety as a priority.

this type have in fact increased.

The mayor of San Vicente del Raspeig, Jesus Villar, said

the council is working “with foresight and coordination in order to ensure the safety of both our local residents and

visitors, particularly during local fiestas and the Moors and Christians. Safety has always been one of our priorities.”

ON TRACK: La Nucia to give a comfortable welcome to cyclists.

Photo credit: vitruviosport YouTube

Dedicated centre for bike tourists announced FOR this summer tourist season, La Nucia will have a dedicated mountain bike centre.

The new construction will have different areas and rooms for the cyclists to use when they go to the municipality, which is a popular departure and arrival point for many of the well-known routes that make up the Mountain Bike Routes Network.

It will be built by the forestry and gardening students of the Pinar de Garaita IX Employment Workshop in La Nucia, in the Ciutat Esportiva Camilo Cano, next to the skatepark.

The plans include a bar, changing rooms, toilets, showers, rest area with benches, a small garden and a space for repairing bikes with all the necessary

tools available.

According to sources at the municipality, who spoke with the Spanish media, it will be fully operational in the summer.

At the entrance will be a large information board featuring a huge map of the four routes, as well as points of cultural and environmental interest found along the way.

TWO rescue operations by helicopter were carried out at almost the same time in Javea and Denia.

One involved a 40-year-old hiker in the Montgo and the other a girl on the Tango de Javea. The hiker fell a distance of seven metres in the Raco del Bou and suffered an injured knee, bruises and a gash to his head.

Firefighters from Denia were alerted to the scene but when they were unable to reach the victim, called out the helicopter, in which he was taken to hospital.

At the same time, the young girl suffered a fractured ankle when walking down the Tango de Javea.

She was also picked up by the Alfa 1 helicopter before being transferred for treatment.

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When and where can shops open?

Photo credit: Juanbanjo Wikimedia

by Darren Parmenter LAST Sunday saw the introduction of new laws that regulated the opening hours of shops and businesses throughout the Valencian Community.

Many locals - especially the non-Spanish - were confused as to what was open and when.

Does it affect the local bars?

Will the restaurants be open?

What about our local corner shops if we run out of milk?

Each municipality has been affected differently by the regulations, and the local Consortium for the Economic Recovery and Activity of the Marina Alta (CREAMA) has been quick to explain some of the anomalies to both business owners and members of the public.

The laws essentially affect the bigger chains of shops, many of which are found on the high streets or - more recently - in the larger shopping centres and boulevards.

Any business containing less

PERMISSION: Benissa (pictured) is one of many Marina Alta municipalities affected by the new opening trading laws. than 300m2 of trading space has the total freedom to determine their own opening hours and on which days they trade throughout the year. This is in accordance with Ley 1/2015 of February 27 that regulated

commercial trading hours in the Valencian Community.

Many of the Marina Alta municipalities have been declared ‘areas of greater tourism’ and have special permission to open for 10 Sundays in addition to

Easter Sunday and those between June 15 and September 15. These are Benissa (except the coastal section that can open on more Sundays), Calpe, Denia, Gata, Pedreguer, Teulada-Moraira and Javea.

On the beach for the start of summer... at last PREPARATIONS are already underway to ensure the safety of visitors to Denia’s beaches.

For the first time in many years, it’s hoped that all the relevant services will be in place and ready to put into operation on June 1... the unofficial starting date for the traditional summer season.

To achieve this target, Denia Council has this week set out the bidding procedures for three contracts to attract private enterprises to be responsible for monitoring and rescue; signage; and running temporary services on the beaches.

One of the most important tenders is for the rescue service that was previously operated by UTE Salvamar Levante - part of the EULEN Group - and had suffered its fair share of criticism during the last two years. The latest contract will be for a similar duration and extendable by up to four years.

Councillor Oscar Mengual explained to Spanish media that the services offered will be reinforced in some areas. As an example, a new surveillance post will be located in the Almadrava; the coastal part in front of Els Poblets.

If everything goes to plan, the monitoring and rescue service will start on June 1, and be fully working by June 15.

This will stay in place until September 15, seven days a week, and until October 15 on weekends only after that.

2nd - 8th March

Environmental friendly plans

Road of many colours AS part of the continuing programme of works being undertaken in Benidorm to improve both the roads and pavements, the next stage has been revealed for Calle Apolo XI. The surrounding roads of Calle Tomas Ortuño and Calle La Garita have already seen pedestrianisation schemes carried out over the past two years in an aim to keep traffic out of the old town centre.

Calle Apolo XI will see a series of coloured cobblestones and bollards be replaced by trees.

Abandoning a dangerous dog results in heavy fine IN the latest of a series of sanctions that have been imposed by the municipal council of San Vicente del R aspeig, a man has been fined €1,000 for abandoning his dog.

The pet’s owner is from Jumilla and he had simply dumped his dog on a public road. Local Police were able to trace him thanks to the obligatory chip discovered on the animal.

For many years, San Vicente del Raspeig has been fighting against all kinds of poor behaviour on the part of pet owners, much of it of a cruel nature. In addition, they have attempted to crack down on the amount of dog faeces and urine deposited, and fines have been imposed on a weekly basis to those who still allow their dogs to foul the footpaths.

The past week has seen a number of people sanctioned for animal-related incidents, with the case of the abandoned American Staffordshire Terrier considered a dangerous dog - being the headline case as it was discovered wandering around Calle Joaquin Blume.

This particular breed of dog has been the reason for five recent fines imposed by Begoña Monllor, the coun

Photo credit: T Bjornstad Wikimedia

THE municipality of Poble Nou de Benitachell has announced its plans to recover an area of 17,398m2 of abandoned land on Urbanisation Les Fonts and turn it into an agroforestry park that will feature hiking paths. It is being funded with the help of a subsidy of €62,521 from the Alicante provincial government.

Agroforestry is a land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland. It combines shrubs and trees in agricultural and forestry technologies to create more diverse, productive, profitable, healthy, ecologically sound, and sustainable land-use systems.

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ROAMING: American Staffordshire Terrier’s owner heavily fined.

cillor responsible for this area of policy within San Vicente del Raspeig. A fine of €800 was imposed on an owner for not having the appropriate licence

for the dog, with another fine of €600 issued for allowing the animal to roam loose without the mandatory muzzle.

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2nd - 8th March

Emergency helicopter searches for landing spots Photo credit: Javea.com

LOCAL residents based in a number of locations throughout the Marina Alta showed immediate concern when they spotted an emergency helicopter flying overhead.

Was there a serious incident nearby or perhaps another forest fire? On this occasion it was simply looking for a selection of suitable future landing spots for the choppers, and there is no better way

to find one than from the sky itself.

The mission was to f ly over Javea, Calpe, Vall d’Alcala and Pego to seek some new locations as specified in the emergenc y plans set out by the Alicante Provincial Government, and the helicopter took off from the centre in San Vicente del Raspeig heading for the Marina Alta.

After the flight, a meeting took place between representatives of the fire service and the mayors and councillors from

FIREFIGHTERS were called to a house fire in Calle Antonio Ramoas, La Nucia and ended up rescuing a frightened dog... the only occupant of the property.

According to reports, the fire started due to unknown causes in the kitchen and the house was empty at the time.

After extinguishing the fire and freeing the home of smoke, one of the firefighters noticed something huddled up in a corner of a room. When he approached he found a small dog scared and shaking... and later relieved to be rescued.

Lost on the mountain

ON THE LOOKOUT: Three new helicopter landing sites planned.

by Darren Parmenter

Lucky dog found after house fire

the selected municipalities to make formal decisions on future helicopter landing sites. The problem with the Marina Alta region is the many forest fires that break out some distance from any road access, and so alternatives have to be found for the emergency services to reach affected areas as quickly as possible.

The Alicante Provincial Government has set aside a total of €5 million for the building of three helicopter landing sites in Javea, Pego and the Vall de Gallinera.

TWO young hikers that suffered from severe exhaustion which led to leg cramps had to be rescued by helicopter from the Puig Campana that overlooks Benidorm.

The pair – aged 27 and 30 and Spanish and French nationals - appeared to leave the main tracks and got lost.

After locating the couple in an area of difficult terrain and access, the helicopter had to land on just one ski before lifting the walkers to safety.

2nd - 8th March

Phone charging service while soaking up the sun

Provincial grant for swimming pool renovation Photo credit: @Benidormlive Twitter

ON CHARGE: Trial system of double function lockers on Benidorm beaches.

by Dave Bennett HOT on the heels of the announcement from Benidorm City Council that the number of public toilets located on the beaches will be increased as from Easter, they will now also be installing extra facilities to add to the experience of their sunseekers.

Benidorm will be launching a pilot programme that includes the installation of mobile phone chargers inside individual lockers along the beachfront.

The proposal was made at a recent plenary council meeting by the political group Ciudadanos (C’s) and also at another meeting between representatives of the municipality and the private company currently holding the concession for beach services.

Speaking with the Spanish media, spokesperson for the C’s, Rafael Gasent, explained that, for the present, two such points will be installed as a test for the new summer season with a view to extending the initiative at a later stage across the other

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Benidorm beaches. “It’s a positive advance in what we do, because it provides the beaches with a certain service that it never had before and can only help those wishing to use the beaches,” he said.

The meeting didn’t discuss the exact number of lockers nor the costs involved, but Councillor Gasent did suggest that they would be electronically controlled, with an easy access to both look after clothes and belongings and charge the indispensible mobile devices at the same time.

SAN VICENTE DEL RASPEIG has received a grant of €450,000 for the reform of the municipal swimming pool.

The money has come from the Alicante Provincial Government and is a subsidy worth 45 per cent of the total cost of the project that includes the construction of an L-shaped building complete with changing rooms and a fitness room.

Building improvements will make the access to all of the facilities in the centre much easier, and the decision is expected to be confirmed at the next plenary council session of the Alicante Province.

San Vicente will be expected to invest more than €600,000 toward the construction work which was included in the 2018 budget, although only €122,183 was originally set aside for the project.

This is only the first phase of a project which will ultimately see a new construction that will connect both the indoor and outdoor swimming pools. In addition, there are plans - although funding is yet to be decided - to also cover the outdoor pool and for the creation of a spa area.

The scheme is estimated to cost around €1 million.

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de San Vicente del Raspeig

BOOST: Locals enjoying the outdoor municipal pool in San Vicente.

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2nd - 8th March

Rare orchid returns to fire ravaged zones Photo credit: Hans Hillewaert Wikimedia

NATURE has its own set of rules, and when it comes to trees, shrubs, plants and flowers it’s never known where they’re going to pop up.

Many people feared that after the series of serious fires that severely affected the Marina Alta area last year, the biodiversity of the region was destroyed forever. Most of the concerns were surrounding the village of Lliber on a side of a mountain that has endured three devastating blazes in recent times.

But, in what many see as the miracle that is nature, a dozen rare and threatened species of orchid have begun to bloom again. However, scientists aren’t surprised by the development as the species is known to germinate and flourish in soil affected by fire.

The Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertianum) with its small and delicate flowers has started to dominate the slope of Lliber and has become a local spectacle. It’s the largest orchid in Europe with a

BLOOMING: The miracle of nature flowers from the ashes.

stem that can grow as high as 70 centimetres and containing

flowers of an intense purple or violet.

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2nd - 8th March

Popular post on Facebook reaching 3,250 people with 39 reactions Repair work in Villajoyosa denied due to bird nests

Photo credit: Javea.com

HAVE YOUR SAY

Red Cross grateful for local generosity LOCAL people in Javea have once again shown their generosity and have dug deep into their pockets to raise money for the Cruz Roja (Red Cross).

The Roundabout Charity Shop recently donated a sum of €2,650 to renew the computer equipment used by the Javea Cruz Roja, and with this amount they have been able to renew four of their existing computers. They have become obsolete and are struggling to keep up with the increasing day-to-day demands placed on them and to be more compatible with other networks.

THANKS: Javea’s Cruz Roja team on call.

Check the door behind you

Michael Howard-Jones House Martins’ nests are protected too

FIREFIGHTERS were called out to rescue a woman trapped on the balcony of her Benidorm apartment.

But there was no fire or accident... she’d simply found herself locked outside when the sliding door closed behind her.

Members of the Marina Baixa Fire Brigade based in the city were called to the third-floor flat on Paseo de la Castellana where they rescued the woman by ladder who was said to be “very nervous and going cold.”

Sarah Carlyle Rightly so!

@RTNNewspaper Most liked posts from this week • Gibraltar brought back into the Brexit arena by Spain

• UK Government to propose expat voting rights • Repair work in Villajoyosa denied due to bird nests • Costa del Clean: Green solution for street maintenance

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In Total 10,420 people reached 5,687 reactions

Cruz Roja gave their sincere thanks to the Roundabout Charity Shop for all the support it offers them.

The next set of donations has already been earmarked for the official local emergency project which allows the Javea Cruz Roja to attend any type of call-out. In recent years, these have included floods and forest fires in addition to the usual incidents.

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2nd - 8th March Photo credit: Antonioespinosaruiz Wikimedia

RESTORATION: Paintings being studied in La Iglesia de la Asuncion.

Centuries-old works of art discovered CURRENT restoration work being carried out on a church in Villajoyosa has uncovered a number of 18th century paintings.

Now they’ve been discovered in the Iglesia de la Asuncion in the old town, some painstaking work begins, to discover their exact date before they undergo a major restoration themselves and are returned to their former glory.

The polychromes appeared on the walls within days of the major project to renovate the entire roof, that has been set up by the parish priest Juan Jose Ortega in collaboration with the University of Alicante (UA).

Once the works of art were discovered, some meticulous work was carried out to ensure that the paintings cannot be damaged and they have since been covered over by a

large sheet of material.

Speaking to Spanish media, UA researcher Miguel Louis believes that the paintings could date back to the 1700’s when the chapel of Santa Maria was built and were later covered up. He hasn’t ruled out that there may be other older works underneath these recent finds.

These discoveries will not affect the work being carried out, although the full restoration of the paintings will now take place during a future phase.

However, plans to cover up the vaults in the church have now changed, due to the belief that other such paintings may be contained behind some of their walls too.

Further studies will be undertaken to establish the possible scale of such work, which is understood would have a very high cost.

Diving boat drifts away

Multiple injuries after car overturns

FOUR divers needed to be rescued from the stretch of sea between Campello and Villajoyosa.

Maritime rescue services were called to help when the boat waiting for the group of divers that were 60 metres down suffered an engine failure and began to drift away.

The two people remaining on the boat were then unable to reach the divers.

The rescue team found the four divers holding on to a buoy after surfacing and saw their boat in the distance. No injuries were reported.

ACCORDING to reports from the local emergency coordination centre (CICU), a 28-year-old man suffered serious injuries when his car overturned on the N-332 as he passed through Ondara.

Paramedics treated the man at the scene of the accident which happened at 3.45am, and he was later taken to the Marina Salud hospital in Denia suffering from multiple injuries that aren’t understood to be life-threatening.

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Making the hospital stay more comfortable

by Mark Rogers PATIENTS and visitors to the Alicante General Hospital will be able to keep in touch with themselves and the world at large once free Wi-Fi has been installed.

The service is already in operation in the paediatric unit on the fourth and fifth floors of the hospital as part of the first phase.

Speaking to the Spanish media about the initiative, hospital manager Miguel Angel Garcia said: “This will allow patients to make their stay with us much more enjoyable, using their mobile phones and tablets as if they were in the comfort of their own homes and with no additional cost.”

The whole point of both phases of the project has been to make access to the network as simple as possible to connect and with a fast speed.

A series of tests were carried out during January to ensure that the connections

were stable, especially with the predicted popularity of the new and free service.

The Wi-Fi system will be available across the remainder of the hospital within the next few weeks, giving them

100 per cent coverage.

Part of the testing was to ensure that the extra online traffic generated by the free Wi-Fi didn’t affect the sister network used internally between the hospital staff.

Photo credit: Diego Delso Wikimedia COVERAGE: Free Wi-Fi shortly available to all parts of the Alicante General Hospital.

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2nd - 8th March

Electric fraud on the up THE number of people illegally hacking into the electric network across the Alicante Province has shown a significant increase over a

12-month period.

During 2017, there was a jump of 28 per cent compared to the previous year’s data, with many of the latest offenders caught thanks to the installation

of smar t meters that are less easy to manipulate with their extra security features.

Mainly discovered by electric company Iberdrola, 8,200 cases were opened in respect of fraud during the year, with many of them due to a sudden and significant decrease in the amount of electricity used, which rang the alarm bells.

Of the 35,964 inspections carried out across the Alicante Province during 2017 by all the electricity supply companies, 8,189 were discovered to be defrauding the system.

This compares to 5,941 in the previous year and is concentrated in the residential market and the industrial sector (96.8 per cent).

Only 1.2 per cent of the hacked-into energ y was connected to very low income or vulnerable families.

Some of the highest incidences of fraudulent use of

Photo credit: ricky woods YouTube

by Glenn Scott

MANIPULATED: Hijacked electric jumps across the Alicante Province. the electric supply have been found in Elche where it’s become quite a common practice.

Both the Elche City Council and the Valencian Community government have become involved with

the situation; such are the prevalence of cases.

The electricity companies have been quick to inform people that illegal connections to their networks and the manipulation of the meters can result in a high

risk of injury or worse.

In addition, they also warn that such deception simply results, eventually, in electricity price increases for everyone, since the illegally consumed power has to be paid for somehow.

2nd - 8th March

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Silver Lining Any more fares, please?

Photo Credit: Stan Was Wikimedia

HOT off the press, Silver Lining was written in 2017, by Sandi Toksvig, a sharp-tongued radio and TV presenter.

The waters are rising around the Silver retirement home in Gravesend and the residents stranded on the first floor are becoming anxious.

The staff assured them they’d be back to rescue them, but that was some time ago and they’re still marooned. However, far from being useless old biddies, there’s life in WRITER: Sandi Toksvig. them yet, with a wartime daring-do attitude.

There’s Gloria, who wears somewhat avant-garde outfits, June who’s supposedly only there until her daughter invites her to move in with her, May, a liberal lesbian, Maureen a former amateur actor and a new resident with dementia whose name nobody knows. She’s confined to a wheelchair.

They’re nothing if not resourceful, and while planning their escape we learn about their backgrounds, interspersed with witty one-liners.

Silver Lining by Sandi Toksvig.

Directed by Penny Grant at the Union Musical, Gata de Gorgos from April 16 to 20 at 8pm.

Tickets cost €12.50 and are available online at www.javeaplayers.com and you can choose your seats.

If you have a problem please e-mail boxoffice@javeaplayers.com or call 634 330 915.

Yes...130,000 more!

by Mark Rogers PEOPLE hate change; but the changes introduced by the Ministry of Transport to bus services that serve San Juan de Alicante have been warmly welcomed by passengers and

authorities in equal proportions.

B ack in S eptember 2016, the public transport system was reorganised and since that time over 130,000 extra users have been recorded, as reported by the PSOE mayor of San Juan, Jaime Albero.

The changes that passed through San Juan affected Muchamiel, San Vicente , E l

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Alicante

Campello, Alicante and Jijona with revised timetables and some routes being merged.

A nd i t s e e m s to h ave worked with the old route 38 and C-54 joining to become line 38 and increasing their combined annual passenger numbers of 70,000 to close to 100,000.

T he new route 38 also link s San Juan with the University of Alicante.

Similar success stories have been announced for line C- 5 3 be t we e n Campello and the San Juan Hospital with no loss of passengers; and line 23 link ing San Juan and Muchamiel with Alicante has also shown a slight increase.

In 2016, line 23 carried 2.3 million people, a figure that increased by 100,000 during the course of a year and being the most popular bus route in Alicante.

JUST THE TICKET: New and revised routes pay dividends.

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2nd - 8th March Photo credit: @arteheladero Twitter

TOP OF THE CORNET: Oscar Palacio (right) with his top prize.

Oscar licks the competition THE best ice cream in Spain is made in Pedreguer... and that’s a fact.

Oscar Palacio - who lives in Jesus Pobre - has won the prize of the Best Ice Cream Master of Spain, awarded by the Department of Analytical Chemistry at the University of Alicante.

The standard of the entrants and the quality of the products was exceptionally high, and the first stage was for Oscar - who works for Helados Palacio - to make the final 12 from the original 50 competitors. In that final, they had to produce an original ice cream in less than two hours.

After the expert jury evaluated the texture, taste, creaminess and overall presentation of the work, Oscar Palacio was declared the win-

ner, after producing a white sachertorte.

Helados Palacio began trading in Pedreguer in 1994 - although it only assumed this name in 2005 - when Francisco Palacio and Maite Tomas began making and selling the popular Spanish drinks of horchata and slush puppies.

Their children, Miriam and Oscar, began learning the trade from an early age.

Helados Palacio are constantly applying new techniques to discover even better tastes for their ice cream, and are also dedicated to the manufacture of granitas - with and without alcohol - and the ever-popular natural horchata for which the company select the best Alboraya nuts that come from the municipality in Valencia that bears its name.

That’s what CHUMS are for LAST Friday CHUMS (friends of charity) went shopping with the ladies from La Nucia Social Services Food Bank.

Rita, Peter, Marilyn and Jack, all members of CHUMS visited La Nucia Food Bank where they met with workers Anna and Rita.

The charity says that it was their privilege to buy just under €500 worth of food for the less fortunate people of La Nucia.

They are a small fully registered charity who meet three times a month to socialise and raise money for the local food banks.

They also have various outings throughout the year, so why not call Marilyn for more information and to find out how to j o i n t h i s v e r y w o r t h y, b u t f u n b u n c h o f fundraisers on 965 864 394.

2nd - 8th March Photo Credit: British Embassy Madrid

by British Embassy Madrid BRITISH CONSUL Sarah-Jane Morris visited nine towns in the Alicante Province over the past month to update British nationals on the pro g ress of the citizens’ rights as part of the Brexit negotiations and to answer questions.

Mrs Morris also reminded British nationals of the benefits o f re g i s t e r i n g a s a re s i d e n t i n S p a i n , b o t h w i t h t h e Nat i o n a l Po l i c e ( r e s i d e n c i a ) a n d w i t h their local town hall (padron).

Attendance across the towns was high, the Consul having reached nearly 2,000 people.

Representatives of the Brexpats in Spain pressure group were also on the panel at the meetings, as were local mayors and councillors.

Various topics came up during the question and answer sessions, especially regarding healthcare, pensions and residency rights and obligations.

On residency rights, all speakers were united in encouraging British nationals to check they are properly registered in Spain, and to get registered if they haven’t already done so.

Consul Sarah- Jane Morris said, “I would advise anyone who is concer ned about Brexit to make sure they always go to the original source for information. Ever y thing that has been

BRITISH CONSUL VISIT: There was a huge turnout at the event in Rojales.

Town hall led Consulate talks reach nearly 2,000 Brits

17

discussed and agreed so far can be found on the gov.uk website, it’s easy to check and sign up for email alerts.

“I also picked up that a lot of people are still not clear about their residenc y status in Spain in terms of renewing their residenc y and padron. A s I said in the meetings, I will follow this u p w i t h t h e re l e v a n t l o c a l a u thorities and we will continue to publish up-to-date accurate information on our gov.uk website and Br its in Spain Facebook page.”

The number of British people registered on the padron, the local register held by the town h a l l s w h i c h i s u s e d to a l l o c ate funding from central government , has been in decline over the past few years.

Mrs Morris stated that despite the one million homes in Spain owned by Br itish citizens, less than 300,000 are registered on the padron nationally. Town hall representatives welcomed attendees at the meetings to come and check their registration status at their local town hall office.

The Consul finished the meetings by reminding people to check for updates about the Brexit negotiations from the official source, www.gov.uk/world/brexit.

Videos and interviews recorde d a t t h e re ce n t m e e t i n g s w i l l soon be posted on the Br its in Spain Facebook page.

18

SPOTLIGHT ON MORAIRA

2nd - 8th March

Jobs and business opportunities

Blue zones get the red light IN what will be seen as another popular move by the Teulada Moraira mayor Carlos Linares, people will in future not be charged to park in the current blue zones.

According to a report in the Spanish media, Linares said: “As long as I am mayor, people will not pay to park in the blue zone, because we have no intention of renewing the contract with the company that currently regulates the parking areas.”

The current contract ends in December 2018.

“Whenever we can, we will avoid people having to pay for parking,” confirmed Linares, “although in the areas that we know must have some form of control we will agree with those involved a form of selfregulation and accords on parking in the area.”

MAYOR of TeuladaMoraira, Carlos Linares, has announced that a number of municipal taxes have been reduced for this year and next.

The annual property tax (IBI) will be 6 per cent lower this year and will be cut be a further 6 per cent in 2019... making a total of 12 per cent. The tax for motor vehicles will also be cut by 8 per cent during the next fiscal year.

Linares explained that such significant cuts were possible because of the way the municipality had been managed during the past few years, which has allowed Teulada Moraira to close 2017 with zero debt.

The figures also take account of a €5 million spending plan for a number of projects that will be completed during the coming months.

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Teulada Moraira

TEULADA MORAIRA is looking to bring in a series of initiatives to support both the creation of jobs and business start-up opportunities.

Mayor Carlos Linares recently met with representatives of JOVEMPA, an association for young entrepreneurs in the Alicante Province, and Councillor Daniel Ibanco to discuss future plans that will link employment prospects with educational programmes.

The municipality is looking forward to collaborating on more projects with JOVEMPA in the future and will again look at staging another ‘Start-up Day’ in the Auditorio Teulada Moraira.

Tax cuts for this year... and next

BUDGETING: Good news on tax cuts announced by Carlos Linares.

The mayor pointed out that the current reduction is the maximum that the local authority can bring in

without being in breach of national expenditure rules or endangering the budget balance.

Back in 2011, the municipality owed €9 million to the bank; in 2017 this was reduced to zero.

2nd - 8th March

Advertising Feature

One of the nicest villages in Costa Blanca boasts a fabulous hotel

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The newly refurbished boutique Hotel Moli offers everything that you would expect from a good hotel but at prices which are refreshingly realistic.

Situated just a leisurely stroll from the nearest beach and within easy reach of both Alicante airport and Benidorm, this haven of quiet on the Costa Blanca offers a great place to escape to whilst still being close enough to nightlife if required.

The hotel itself boasts the superb Beluga restaurant with its grill and seafood specialities, as well as lighter snacks which can also be served at the bar and pool.

There is plenty of inspired choice for vegetarians and the Menu del Dia offers great value for money, as well as some very tasty options.

The hotel offers everything that you would expect from a three-star plus residence including an outdoor pool, sun terrace, 24-hour reception, room service and exquisite lounge bar, which is decorated with artwork by the much respected local artist, the late Pedro Delso.

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tel offers air conditioning, flat screen TV, free Wi-Fi and a furnished balcony, as well as complimentary toiletries and the very much appreciated hairdryer.

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This is an ideal spot to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern living or to celebrate with friends and family, a special anniversary, a birthday or the ever important first communion.

You don’t have to be staying in the hotel to book into the restaurant but what could be better than a short stay with a perfect intimate meal with your loved one?

Alfaz del Pi is a really attractive holiday location with its excellent blue-flag beaches, offering a vast array of water sports when the weather is clement but also plenty of fine restaurants and bars, markets and numerous cultural attractions.

Situated just a short stroll from Albir’s beautiful beach you will find the entrance to the natural park, which offers one of the most rewarding hikes on the Costa Blanca.

It is simple to book at the boutique Hotel Moli at Carrer Calvari, 12 Alfaz del Pi, Alicante. 03580 by simply calling +34 965 063 081 if in Spain or +44 (0)8000 705 108 from the UK or by visiting their website http://www.hotelmoliboutique.com/.

19

20

SPOTLIGHT ON CALPE

2nd - 8th March

Roman villa find confirms expert opinions Photo credit: Google Maps

EXPERTS, believing that the Casas Neptuno held a number of secrets under t h e g r o u n d , h av e b e e n backed up with the appearance of the first Roman str uctures during excavations of the area.

Director of the archaeological works at the site, Marco Aurelio Esquembre B e b i a - w o r k i n g i n co n junction with the Ministry of Culture - was del i g hte d w i t h t h e s e f i r s t finds. “ T he first set of remains belong to an old Roman villa that dates back to between the first a n d s i x t h c e n t u r y,” h e s a i d “ E ve r y t h i n g fo u n d will now be fully catalogued and further steps will be taken to ensure the area is fully protected.”

Esquembre also said that this was only the be-

PROTECTED: More secrets are expected to be found in the Casas Neptuno.

g i n n i n g . “ W hat we have found here indicates that

there are certainly other important remains in the area,

and we will continue to clear the area to find more

secrets that have been hidden for many centuries.”

vv

Barbecue forest blaze LOCALS were alarmed when billows of smoke were spotted in the Serra d’Olta in Calpe and immediately thought back to the forest fires of last summer.

H o w e v e r, the cause of the blaze was due to a barbecue that got out of control in a property in Marina Alta, regarded as one of the most scenic in the area.

Firefighters from Benissa, along with specialist forestry operators, took more than an hour to extinguish the flames that took hold after two gas bottles exploded.

The quick work meant that only an estimated 100m2 of land has been burnt.

Zebra crossing accident A MOTORBIKE driven by a woman in her 40’s has run over a nine-year-old g i r l a s s h e c r o s s e d t h e Av e n i d a Gabriel Miro in Calpe.

According to witnesses the little girl, who was using the zebra crossing at the time of being hit, was complaining of severe pain in one of her

legs after the impact.

Local Police and paramedics were alerted and after both the girl and the motorcyclist were treated at the scene, the girl was taken to Denia hospital and the driver to the local health centre, where their injuries were described as ‘not serious’.

Calpe after the over 50’s market FOLLOWING in the footsteps of many of the local municipalities over the winter months, Calpe has taken part in another tourist fair across Europe.

This time, the venue was Bavaria at the f.re.e Munchen, accepted as b e i n g t h e l a r g e s t e ve n t of its type in the area.

To u r i s m C o u n c i l l o r Jan Van Par i js took the oppor tunity to meet up

w i t h S p a n i s h a n d Po r tuguese representatives of German tour operator FTI Group, with the aim of attracting more of the over 5 0 ’s t o C a l p e i n t h e off- season.

2nd - 8th March

21

Rebel with no pause by Barry Duke

ONE phrase guaranteed to send me into a frenzy when I was a teenager was ‘you can whistle for that.’ It invariably came after my parents flatly refused me things I desperately wanted: an Elvis haircut, stovepipe pants, winkle-picker shoes, tattoos, a motorbike and anything else that would make me stand out as a pocket-sized hoodlum.

The main reason those words annoyed me so much was because I simply could not whistle. As much as wanting to look like a rebel, I craved the capacity to do what my best friend Douglas Brown could. With a thumb and middle finger in his mouth, he could emit a sound loud enough to splinter glass.

My yearning to acquire a talent for whistling was matched only by my desire to

lodge a cigarette behind one ear. However, nature, rather than my parents, militated against me in that regard.

While all my friends had small, sexy lugs nestling close to their skulls and could thus snugly accommodate fags, my ears protruded to such a degree that I could probably have parked a carton of Lucky Strikes in either cleft and still have space for a couple of Crunchie bars. I looked like a Mini Cooper with its doors wide open.

Why would I want to put a cigarette behind one ear? Because I reckoned it looked cool.

(Today it’s dismissed as chavvy.) But growing one’s hair long in the 60’s was a pretty cool thing to do too, so that’s what I did to disguise my ostentatious flaps.

This, of course, was also regarded as an act of rebellion, but I cared not a jot because my hero then was James Dean, and although I looked nothing like him, I was determined to emulate his bad boy, to-hell-with-authority attitude.

I should have grown out of that phase, but never did. Instead the rebellious streak in me widened. They say that once one passes 40, your narrow waist and broad mind change places, but in my case that never happened.

“The trouble with you,” a young fogey told

WHISTLING: Not easy for everyone. me when I hit 63 and was doing 230 pressups in 20-minute sessions, three times a week in a gym, “is that you’re an adolescent trapped in a man’s body.”

He was right, of course. And this was confirmed this week when my boyhood frustration at not being able to whistle came roaring back when I was out walking our dogs Bijou and Fifi in a nearby field.

One of my Spanish neighbours let his dog off the leash and it took off into the woods like a missile. Ignacio let loose a piercing whistle and the animal stopped dead in its tracks and came bounding back.

“That’s it,” I snarled and rushed back to my desk to see what the internet had to say about learning to whistle. To my delight I discovered YouTube has a number of tutorials.

But by far the best was created by Andy Ino, a VERY attractive young man with small, sexy ears, who entertainingly demonstrates

precisely how to emit the perfect whistle.

Alas, my elation was short-lived. Despite spending 30 minutes curling my tongue, folding back my lips and putting two fingers in my mouth, all I could produce were sounds that suggested a severe asthma attack, and bewildered looks from our pooches.

Reading the comments below the video, I saw that I wasn’t Andy’s only failure. “I did every step and it didn’t work,” said one commenter. Others said all they could produce was saliva, and one claimed to have vomited! But it worked for some. “Ahhaha it only took me 15 minutes to learn haha” and “21 seconds into the video then I was able to do it,” said two others, to my intense annoyance.

As I have now moved on from old-school fags to vaping, I will now try lodging a bulky electronic cigarette behind one ear, but my instincts tell me that, even if I were to succeed, this would not be a good look.

22

2nd - 8th March

Advertising Feature

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BEAUTIFUL ROOMS: Just some of the work completed

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2nd - 8th March

23

Present perfect practice IT’S always an interesting challenge finding ways of practising the language that we learn.

Here is a piece of text I wrote a couple of years ago which is a summary of that year. It was written in December which is a time when everyone takes stock of the past year, including the television channels. It’s when they tell you that soand-so died this summer and you are absolutely amazed because you thought he’d been dead at least 10 years already.

So here is my own summary of the year, but I hasten to add that this is not going to be an exercise in translation or any other kind of boring revision. All you have to do is read it, and hopefully you will understand every, or nearly every, word. That’s the idea, anyway.

Este año he trabajado mucho, como siempre.

Ha sido más difícil porque la gente tiene muchos problemas económicos ahora, por la famosa ‘crisis’. Mis hijas han estudiado en el instituto y han aprobado sus exámenes excepto uno o dos que siempre causan dificultades. Una

Mi gata ha tenido un año muy normal. Ha comido, ha dormido, ha comido, ha dormido, ha comido, ha dormido.

Basic Spanish for everyday needs

by Jane Cronin

de mis hijas ha viajado a Sudamérica para visitar a su padre y mi otra hija ha trabajado en un supermercado para ganar dinero y para tener experiencia de trabajo.

Este año no he visitado Gales, donde vive mi madre, pero mi madre ha venido España. Ha pasado una semana con nosotras en San Pedro, durante Semana Santa. Vamos a visitar a mi madre en Gales el año que viene, probablemente por una semana. Vamos a Londres también para visitar a mi hermana. Mis hijas no conocen Londres mucho, así que es una buena oportunidad para ellas.

Este otoño ha sido una época un poco complicada para mí. He decidido cambiar mi forma de trabajar. He cerrado mi academia en San Pedro y he llevado mis cursos y otros eventos a diferentes sitios. El año que viene voy a seguir haciendo lo mismo.

Así que, quizás un día nos veremos por allí.

My life has moved on a little since that was written, but I notice that ‘la crisis’ is still affecting us all! Let’s hope it comes to an end soon!

‘Ojalá que termine pronto’.

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There are various options which can include windscreen cover, 24-hour road side assistance, annual Green Card with full European cover. In the case of an accident a substitute vehicle may also be provided all the time your vehicle is being assessed and repaired.

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You realise you need it when the worst happens

INSURANCE ALTEA S L: And Plus Ultra Seguros offers security for all. it comes from abroad or in Spain.

Moving on to personal insurance, many expatriates have two main fears which concern health coverage after Brexit and the cost of their funeral, which could fall on a relative’s shoulders who may not even be living in Spain.

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opportunity to obtain reasonably priced health insurance which will cover those insured with some of the best doctors, consultants and hospitals in the area, but coverage is possible not just for the whole of Spain but also for areas outside of the country when travelling.

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24

2nd - 8th March

by Michael Walsh

keyboardcosmetics@gmail.com THE British electorate, are constantly cheated, scorned and taken for fools by their self-styled lords and masters.

The latest insult is a peer’s impudent demand that the retired elderly should do community work or lose their pensions.

Lord Bichard, or Baron Bichard to you serfs, has never been employed in a proper job. A career politician, he retired at 54 after a lifetime spent in local government. Bichard’s family background and his personal life are off the radar.

Another of your betters is Professor Martin Weale who said the peer ‘makes an interesting point.’ This number-crunching parasite is a member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee.

When it was suggested to the peer that it might be difficult to sell the idea to the plebs the baron sneered, “It was difficult to sell education tuition fees to them too.”

The General Secretary of the National Pensioners Convention says: “His suggestion amounts to little more than national service for the over 60’s and is

Photo Credit: Laure l

Lodged Wikimedia

Taken for mugs absolutely outrageous.”

Dot Gibson adds, “Those who have paid their national insurance contributions for 30 or more years are entitled to receive their state pension and there should be no attempt to put further barriers in their way. We already have one of the lowest state pensions in Europe and one in five older people in Britain live below the poverty line.”

Baron Bichard says “Older people should lose their pensions if they refuse to do community work, to stop them being a negative burden on society. The elderly should get rewards and fines to make sure they are taking a

more active part in the world.”

Presumably, such conscripted labour will wait hand and foot on illegal immigrants in refugee hostels. The less able can knit their woollies for them.

The brazen toff suggested the same tough attitude towards benefit scroungers should be taken with the elderly retired. He forgets that the most brazen benefit bandits infest parliament and the so-called Lords.

With considerable chutzpah he adds, “We’re prepared to say to people if you’re not looking for work, you don’t get a benefit. If you’re old and you’re not contributing in some way, maybe

there should be some penalty attached to that. These debates never seem to take place.”

Let the words of James Larkin sink in: “The great only appear great because we are on our knees. Let us rise.”

Larkin, an Irish revolutionary, died in 1947. Obviously, we plebeians took not a blind bit of notice. Still on our knees, are we not deserving of our miserable existence. Our fate is self-inflicted; we could change it but we won’t. Unsurprisingly, those who consider us steerage class keep spitting into our faces.

Mike Walsh’s opinions are his own and do not necessarily represent the views of the publishers advertisers or sponsors.

STATUE OF JAMES LARKIN: Outside Dublin GPO.

26

2nd - 8th March

Advertising Feature

‘You can’t go wrong’ PART of the successful group of restaurants that began with Monroes Carvery in Moraira, The Nags Head in Benidorm - just off the Avenida Europa - is about to celebrate its first anniversary since being renamed.

The RTN was delighted to meet Heidi who, along with partner Sam, are the hard-working and proud owners of Monroes Carvery in not only Moraira and Pedreguer, but the Benidorm branch of their successful business too.

Born in Dartford, Kent, Heidi got to know Spain over 30 years ago when she used to visit the area with her parents. Her father was already in the restaurant trade and it was during a holiday that he bought Monroes, Moraira and established the first such carvery in the area, and probably throughout Spain.

“What I didn’t know at the time, was that I was going to stay in Spain and end up running the restaurant,” said Heidi, “and in May this year we celebrate our 30th anniversary.”

The popularity of the Moraira carvery led to the sister restaurant in Pedreguer which has itself been open for 14 years, and both continue to attract diners from miles around, especially at this time of the year when the Jalon Valley is in bloom.

And as Heidi and her team continued to blossom as successful businesswomen, it was inevitable that they would expand, and so 14 years ago opened Monroes in Pedreguer, and the commitment to service followed them too.

“What’s the secret to our success? The perfect combination of offering a quality product at the right price, keeping the menu fresh, and giving our customers an allround excellent experience is essential,” emphasised Heidi. “I like to think it explains why we have so many people come back to us again and again, they become friends as well as valued customers.”

“We took the decision to rename Monroes Benidorm to The Nags Head to attract the unique tourist market that visits the city,” explained Heidi, “combining our carvery meals with a pub atmosphere and live entertainment.”

Manager of The Nags Head, Karen, has worked for the owners for 14 years having previously been based in both Monroes further up the coast.

“We’re building up an excellent reputation and now find many of

at The Nags Head, Benidorm TARDIS LIKE: The large terrace.

MARILYN MONROE: The famous lady dominates the interior in Pedreguer.

A DELIGHT TO VISIT: The well kept premises.

Heidi and Sam.

the regular customers that only came to Moraira and Pedreguer now also visit us here in Benidorm,” said Karen. “We’re attracting a more international clientele as well. Only last week we had a coach party of 40 Norwegian tourists.”

As you enter the arched gateway to The Nags Head it’s like walking into the famous Doctor Who Tardis, as you’re not expecting to be greeted by such a large venue and surrounding terrace.

For €9.99 you can enjoy a threecourse carvery of beef and pork accompanied by a delicious selection of fresh vegetables and the very best roasties. If you’ve room after the choice of starters, you can go back and try as many of the desserts that take the fancy.

RTN spoke with happy diners Iris and Alan after enjoying lunch on the last day of their three months in Benidorm before returning to Nottingham. “You can’t go wrong here,” said Iris, as husband

“

A quality product at the right price.

Alan continued his cheeky banter and leg-pulling with Karen.

What we also picked up was another secret that Heidi was slightly embarrassed to accept, and that’s the loyalty to the staff and vice-versa. They just love working as part of the Monroes team, and their happy outlook, courteous manner, and interaction with customers is obvious from the moment you walk in.

And that also applies to both Sue and Chelo in Monroes Pedreguer who have also been with the business for 14 years and in an area that often sees a very high turnover of staff, they have no plans in going anywhere. “We often have to disappoint people when they drop their CV in looking for work,” said Sue. Monroes in Pedreguer doesn’t just offer the traditional carvery meal of succulent pork and beef accompanied by a wide selection of fresh vegetables, perfect roast potatoes and mash ‘just like mum made’.

A look through the full menu shows that every taste has been taken care of from chicken, to fish, to burgers, to breakfasts. The twocourse lunchtime carvery option is

fantastic value at €7.25.

Whether it was the customers, staff or the owners themselves, what shone through at every opportunity were the secrets to the success of both Monroes and The Nags Head.

Loyalty to and from staff was clear to see, as was the obvious loyalty from customers who have become friends over the years, appreciating both the quality of service and the excellent food.

2nd - 8th March

27

legal

Q

I have a house in the UK. It is not rented out, but we use it when we go back to visit family.

Do I need to do this declaration – model 720 - For assets overseas?

What happens if I don’t do this?

A

The modelo 720 is a declaration of assets that as a resident of Spain, who has assets overseas that amount to or exceed 50,000€ you must declare.

These overseas assets fit into any of the three groups Bank Accounts All types of financial assets Real estate; Valuation: Acquisition cost

by IGNACIO PELLICER MOLLÁ & PEDRO HEREDIA ORTIZ

LAWYERS

Failure to meet this tax liability might be penalised by the Spanish tax.

If you require further legal advice on any legal or administrative matters please contact Pellicer&Heredia Lawyers & Tax Advisors who will be pleased to help you.

For more information call us on 965 480737 or e-mail info@pellicerheredia.com.

At Pellicer & Heredia we can help you with all the legal aspects of building your own home, and if you’re not in Spain we can do all the paperwork on your behalf. For more information on this or any other legal matter please contact us by email info@pellicerheredia.com or by telephone 965 480 737

2nd - 8th March

29

money

by Darren Parmenter

The bank of Granny and Granddad gets bigger Photo credit: @_ju1_ Twitter

USING the ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’ is an oft-used phrase. In the Alicante Province, that practice skips a generation as it’s estimated that in more than 14,000 homes the Grandparents are the sole financial providers.

The figure has doubled since the crisis began in Spain a decade ago when there were around 7,000 families in such a state.

The situation is exacerbated with Spanish pensioners demonstrating in their thousands about what they call the ‘ridiculous’ rise of 0.25 per cent for this year. For the average pensioner, this equates to less than €2 per month.

Speaking to the Spanish media, one Alicante-based pensioner - aged 67 - talked of their current plight. “My son is unemployed and with our pension we give him the support he needs. We help

DEMANDS: Pensioners showing their contempt for recent rises.

him put food in his fridge, which is soon empty. Quite often, our Grandchildren come to us for a meal.”

In effect, the Grandchildren virtually live with their Grandparents, as their Father’s monthly unemployment benefit of €400 hardly covers his monthly expenses. The Grandfather’s pension of €1,000 is partly used to subsidise the rest of the family in these difficult times.

Another 74-year-old pensioner in Alicante said she and her husband have to help their son who had lost his job, only to be taken on again as a part-time worker.

“He now only gets €600 a month. How can you raise a family on that?” said his concerned mother. “We have no alternative but to help him from my husband’s pension of about €800 that he worked 45 years to get.

“We also help our Grandson with some of his day-today expenses as a student.

“We do worry about the future for our young people.”

FRIDAY 10:15am Murder, Mystery and My Family 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Wanted Down Under Revisited 12:45pm Caught Red Handed 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Shakespeare and Hathaway 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm Get Away for Winter 5:30pm Antiques Road Trip 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm MasterChef 9:00pm EastEnders

7:00am 7:30am 8:15am 9:00am 10:00am 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:50pm 5:20pm 6:20pm 6:50pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:05am

12:55am 2:35am

Caught Red Handed Get Away for Winter Wanted Down Under Revisited Back in Time for Tea Athletics Plan it, Build it Yes Chef A Place to Call Home More Creatures Great and Small Greece with Simon Reeve Great British Railway Journeys Athletics QI Newsnight The Assassination of Gianni Versace American Crime Story A Hijacking The Sheriffs are Coming

7:00am 9:30am 10:25am 11:30am 1:30pm 2:30pm 2:55pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm

Good Morning Britain Lorraine The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London James Martin's American Adventure Tenable Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Love Your Garden Coronation Street Lethal Weapon ITV News at Ten and Weather ITV News London Piers Morgan's Life Stories

10:30am Melissa and Joey 11:00am How I Met Your Mother 11:30am How I Met Your Mother 12:00pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 12:30pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 1:00pm The Goldbergs 1:30pm The Goldbergs 2:00pm The Big Bang Theory 2:30pm The Big Bang Theory 3:00pm Melissa and Joey 3:30pm Melissa and Joey 4:00pm Baby Daddy 4:30pm Baby Daddy 5:00pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 5:30pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 6:00pm The Goldbergs 6:30pm The Goldbergs 7:00pm The Big Bang Theory 7:30pm The Big Bang Theory 8:00pm Hollyoaks 8:30pm Coach Trip 9:00am Baby Daddy 9:30am Baby Daddy 10:00am Melissa and Joey

9:05am 9:20am 9:35am 9:55am 10:05am 10:15am 12:15pm 1:10pm 1:15pm 2:15pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

Floogals Digby Dragon Rusty Rivets Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom Mofy The Wright Stuff Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

5 News Lunchtime GPs: Behind Closed Doors Home and Away Neighbours NCIS Brace for Impact 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight Inside Kensington Palace The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard Cruising with Jane McDonald

7:30am

8:00am 9:50am 11:30am 12:00pm 1:50pm 3:50pm 5:40pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 10:00pm 12:00am 2:00am

Monster Family: Special Sky Movies takes a special look at the animated Disney adventure featuring the voices of Dwayne Johnson and Jemaine Clement.

Monster Family Birth of the Dragon Monster Family: Special Monster Family The Mummy Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Flight Attendant Birth of the Dragon Monster Family: Special Monster Family The Mummy Hard Target The Unseen

10:00am Football 12:05pm La Liga Greatest Games 12:15pm La Liga Icons 1:30pm EFL Matters 2:00pm La Liga Icons 2:15pm La Liga Icons 2:30pm La Liga Icons: Zidane 2:45pm La Liga Icons 3:00pm La Liga Show 3:30pm EFL Matters 4:00pm Football's Greatest 4:30pm Football's Greatest Teams 5:00pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:15pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:30pm La Liga Greatest Games 5:45pm La Liga Greatest Games 6:00pm La Liga Preview 7:00pm Football's Greatest 7:30pm EFL Matters

Black Panther: Special Monster Family: Special Top Ten Show, the 2018 Monster Family Birth of the Dragon Monster Family Baby Driver The Mummy Hard Target Monster Family: Special Monster Family Baby Driver The Mummy The Unseen Hard Target Christine

7:00am Football 10:15am EFL Greatest Games 10:30am La Liga Icons: Zidane 10:45am La Liga Icons 11:00am Soccer A.M. 12:30pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 12:45pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 1:00pm Football 3:30pm Gillette Soccer Saturday 4:15pm Gillette Soccer Saturday 6:15pm Football 8:40pm Football 10:45pm EFL Goals: Championship 11:15pm Ronaldo 11:45pm 20 Years of El Clasico 12:30am EFL Goals: Championship 1:00am La Liga Highlights: Real Madrid

SATURDAY 7:00am Breakfast 11:00am Saturday Kitchen Live 12:30pm Classic Mary Berry 1:00pm Football Focus 2:00pm BBC News 2:10pm Weather 2:15pm Triathlon World Series 3:45pm Cycling: World Track Championships 5:30pm Final Score 6:10pm A Question of Sport 6:40pm Celebrity Mastermind 7:10pm BBC News 7:20pm Regional News 7:23pm Weather 7:25pm Pointless 8:15pm All Together Now The Final.

9:20pm Casualty

7:10am

Nature's Weirdest Events 7:25am Naomi's Nightmares of Nature 7:55am The Pets Factor 8:15am Dengineers 8:45am Absolute Genius: Monster Builds 9:15am Beyond Bionic 9:45am Robot Wars 10:45am Athletics 2:30pm Escape to the Continent 3:30pm Me and My Dog 4:30pm Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby 5:30pm Hugh's Wild West 6:30pm Athletics Gabby Logan introduces live coverage of the World Championships at Birmingham Arena.

10:30pm A Little Chaos

7:00am CITV 10:25am ITV News 10:30am Saturday Morning with James Martin 12:25pm Dancing on Ice 2:25pm ITV News and Weather 2:30pm ITV Racing: Live from Doncaster 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News and Weather 7:20pm Local News and Weather 7:30pm You've Been Framed!

8:00pm Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway 9:30pm The Voice UK 10:50pm Piers Morgan's Life Stories 11:45pm ITV News and Weather

8:15am

7:00am 10:25am 10:30am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:20pm

7:00am 7:30am 7:55am 8:25am 8:55am 9:30am 10:30am 12:20pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 10:00pm 12:15am

The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Goldbergs Don't Tell the Bride Ireland Alvin and the Chipmunks Stuart Little The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Men in Black 3 Identity Thief Gogglebox

7:00am Milkshake!

11:10am Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 11:40am Make You Laugh Out Loud 12:10pm Police Interceptors 1:10pm Police Interceptors 2:10pm Police Interceptors 3:10pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

4:10pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

5:05pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

6:00pm Rich House, Poor House 7:00pm The Secret Life of Kittens 8:00pm Cruising with Jane McDonald 9:00pm The Queen Mary: Cruising with the Royals 9:55pm 5 News 10:00pm Football on 5 The Championship.

Coach Trip Final Week: Road to Tenerife Coach Trip Final Week: Road to Tenerife Coach Trip Final Week: Road to Tenerife Coach Trip Final Week: Road to Tenerife Coach Trip Finale: Road to Tenerife Stuart Little 2 Rude(Ish) Tube Shorts The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory

5:45am 6:10am 6:35am 7:00am 10:30am 11:20am 11:50am

6:00am 6:30am 7:00am 7:15am 9:00am 10:40am 12:30pm 2:40pm 4:40pm 6:40pm 7:10pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 12:55am 2:45am 4:30am

SUNDAY 8:35am Match of the Day 10:00am The Andrew Marr Show 11:00am The Big Questions 12:00pm Sunday Politics 1:15pm Murder, Mystery and My Family 2:00pm BBC News 2:10pm Weather for the Week Ahead 2:15pm MasterChef 3:15pm MasterChef 4:15pm MasterChef 4:45pm Money for Nothing 5:15pm Songs of Praise 5:50pm Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa 7:05pm BBC News 7:20pm Regional News 7:25pm Weather 7:30pm Countryfile 8:30pm Hold the Sunset 9:00pm Call the Midwife

9:00am 9:30am 10:30am 12:00pm 12:45pm 1:15pm 2:00pm 3:45pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:20pm 11:50pm

The Instant Gardener Gardeners' World Countryfile Saturday Kitchen Best Bites Spring Kitchen with Tom Kerridge Lorraine Pascale: How to be a Better Cook MOTD2 Extra Cycling: World Track Championships Athletics Back in Time for Tea World's Most Extraordinary Homes Top Gear Life and Death Row The Mash Report Top Gear Extra Gear

CITV ITV News Love Your Garden Peston on Sunday The Voice UK ITV News and Weather 1:30pm Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway 3:00pm What Would Your Kid Do? 4:00pm Britain's Brightest Family 4:30pm Tipping Point 5:30pm ITV News and Weather 5:45pm Local News and Weather 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm Dancing on Ice 9:00pm Endeavour 11:00pm ITV News and Weather

9:25am 9:55am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 12:05pm 1:35pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm

House Doctor Nick's Quest Wildlife SOS Milkshake!

Football on 5 Football on 5 FIA Formula E: Highlights 12:50pm Police Interceptors 1:50pm Wyatt Earp 5:20pm The Dirty Dozen 8:10pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

9:00pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

9:55pm 5 News 10:00pm When Award Shows Go Horribly Wrong 12:50am Jo Brand: Secrets of Her Success 1:50am Cruising with Jane McDonald 2:05am Super Casino

4:30am 6:30am

Christine Black Panther: Special 7:00am The Mummy 9:00am Monster Family 10:50am Norman 12:50pm Baby Driver 2:50pm Birth of the Dragon 4:40pm Monster Family: Special 5:10pm Monster Family 7:00pm The Mummy 9:00pm Baby Driver 11:00pm Norman 1:05am Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Flight Attendant 2:50am Hard Target 4:40am The Unseen

9:00am 9:15am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 12:00pm 12:30pm 3:00pm 3:15pm 3:30pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm

La Liga Highlights: Real Madrid La Liga Icons EFL Goals: Championship EFL Goals: League One and League Two Sunday Supplement EFL Goals: Championship Football La Liga Highlights: Real Madrid La Liga Icons The Best La Liga Goals 2016/17 Football Countdowns Football Scottish Cup Greatest Games Ronaldo

The schedules for the television programme pages are provided by an external company: we regret that any changes or errors are not the responsibility of RTN.

2nd - 8th March

31

RTN Feature

One million child slaves every year ONE of the sometimes overlooked results of the mass migration of refugees searching for a better life in Europe is the proliferation of slavery.

Those anxious to escape a world of fear and poverty are often vulnerable and can be manipulated by their apparent saviours into becoming chattels used to work in agriculture, construction and the sex industry.

The United Nations and government authorities around the world do their best to try to combat these practices and this work is assisted by global companies such as the world’s largest international insurance intermediary the Alliance Group International Ltd. That company has set up Alliance Aid International, a worldwide charity dedicated to the eradication of child

slavery as over one million children are believed to be taken into slavery every year.

Although, in many ways this is a problem of countries which are suffering from large, often undereducated populations with poor finances, it is not confined to one particular area, with slaves coming from Africa, the Middle East, parts of Asia and even Europe.

One of the main markets for these slaves, particularly in the sex industry, is Europe although many wealthy countries are sadly havens for these poorly protected and prematurely aged children.

Whilst it is relatively easy to be opposed to slavery, it becomes far more difficult to do anything about it although here in Spain, both the Guardia Civil and National Police take the matter very seriously and publicise

the work that they do to release children, in particular from enforced servitude.

Slavery has existed for thousands of years and as long as there are unscrupulous people ready to make money from the misery of others it will continue, but with today’s modern technology and the ability of large companies to set up charitable organisations such as Alliance International Aid it is possible to move things forward.

Working closely together, like-minded organisations use a three-pronged approach to try to control the slave masters, investigation, interruption and education.

It sounds simple but with huge amounts of money involved and master criminals keeping to the background, it is necessary to find out as much as possible about those enslaving children and adults so that their

Photo Credit: Chairoij Shutterstock

Child slavery and abuse.

crimes can be revealed.

The next step is for the authorities to intervene and have the slaves released and equally importantly, looked after, whilst employers must be educated to become aware of the possibility that those they employ are not willing servants.

MONDAY 10:15am Murder, Mystery and My Family 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Wanted Down Under Revisited 12:45pm Caught Red Handed 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News 2:30pm Regional News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Shakespeare and Hathaway 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm Coast and Country Auctions 5:30pm Antiques Road Trip 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm Regional News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm Inside Out 9:00pm EastEnders

7:00am 7:30am 8:15am

Caught Red Handed Get Away for Winter Wanted Down Under Revisited 9:00am Hugh's Wild West 10:00am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC Newsroom Live 12:30pm The Week in Parliament 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Perfection 2:45pm Plan it, Build it 3:15pm Yes Chef 4:00pm A Place to Call Home 4:50pm Pilgrimage with Simon Reeve 5:50pm More Creatures Great and Small 6:20pm Flog It! 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Great British Railway Journeys 8:00pm Top Gear 9:00pm Only Connect 9:30pm University Challenge

9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 3:00pm James Martin's American Adventure 4:00pm Tenable 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm Local News and Weather 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm The Kyle Files 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm Marcella 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:50pm Serial Killer with Piers Morgan 12:50am Detectives: Inside the Major Crimes Team 1:40am The Kyle Files

Baby Daddy Baby Daddy Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey How I Met Your Mother 11:30am How I Met Your Mother 12:00pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 12:30pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 1:00pm The Goldbergs 1:30pm The Goldbergs 2:00pm The Big Bang Theory 2:30pm The Big Bang Theory 3:00pm Melissa and Joey 3:30pm Melissa and Joey 4:00pm Baby Daddy 4:30pm Baby Daddy 5:00pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 5:30pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 6:00pm The Goldbergs 6:30pm The Goldbergs 7:00pm The Big Bang Theory 7:30pm The Big Bang Theory 8:00pm Hollyoaks 8:30pm My Hotter Half

7:00am Milkshake!

10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:15pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

1:10pm 5 News 1:15pm GPs: Behind Closed Doors 2:10pm Access 2:15pm Home and Away 2:45pm Neighbours 3:20pm NCIS 4:15pm Forbidden Secrets 6:00pm 5 News 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News 8:00pm Aviva Premiership Rugby Highlights 9:00pm Extreme Winter Road Rescue 10:00pm The Flying Scotsman 11:00pm The X Files 12:00am The X Files 12:55am Traffic Cops 1:55am Britain's Greatest Bridges

9:05am

Monster Family: Special 9:35am Monster Family 11:25am The Levelling 1:05pm Baby Driver 3:05pm Norman 5:10pm Monster Family 7:00pm The Mummy After he inadvertently awakens an ancient Egyptian sorceress, renegade US soldier Nick Morton must race to save the world from her army of the undead.

9:00pm Baby Driver 11:00pm The Levelling 12:30am The Mummy 2:30am The Unseen 4:20am Christine

10:00am La Liga Highlights: Real Madrid 10:15am La Liga Highlights: Barcelona 10:30am La Liga Greatest Games 10:45am La Liga Greatest Games 11:00am Football 5:15pm La Liga Greatest Games 6:00pm La Liga Highlights: Real Madrid 6:15pm La Liga Highlights: Barcelona 6:30pm Football Countdowns 7:00pm Football Years 7:30pm La Liga Highlights: Real Madrid 7:45pm La Liga Highlights: Barcelona 8:00pm Soccer A.M. 8:30pm La Liga Icons 8:45pm La Liga Greatest Games 8:55pm Football

8:15am

9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 3:00pm James Martin's American Adventure 4:00pm Tenable 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm Local News and Weather 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm 100 Year Old Driving School 9:00pm What Would Your Kid Do? 10:00pm 100 Years Younger in 21 Days 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:45pm The Cruise: Voyage to Alaska

9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am

10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:15pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

1:05pm Access 1:10pm 5 News 1:15pm GPs: Behind Closed Doors 2:15pm Home and Away 2:45pm Neighbours 3:15pm NCIS 4:15pm Bond of Silence 6:00pm 5 News 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News 8:00pm Loch Lomond: A Year in the Wild 9:00pm Secrets of the National Trust with Alan Tichmarsh 10:00pm Wild Britain with Ray Mears 11:00pm Elizabeth 12:05am The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard

7:00am Monster Family

12:00pm One2eleven 12:30pm SPFL Greatest Games 1:30pm Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits 2:00pm MLS Round Up Show 2:30pm La Liga Icons 3:15pm SPFL Greatest Games 3:30pm Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits 4:00pm Football's Greatest 4:30pm Football's Greatest Teams 5:00pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:30pm La Liga Greatest Games 6:00pm MLS Round Up Show 6:30pm Football Countdowns 7:15pm SPFL Greatest Games 7:30pm Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits 8:00pm Revista de la Liga 8:30pm Eredivisie

9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am

TUESDAY 10:15am Murder, Mystery andMy Family 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Wanted Down Under Revisited 12:45pm Caught Red Handed 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News 2:30pm Regional News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Shakespeare and Hathaway 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm Coast and Country Auctions 5:30pm Antiques Road Trip 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm Regional News 8:00pm The One Show

Wanted Down Under Revisited 9:00am Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 10:00am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC Newsroom Live 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm The Super League Show 2:45pm Plan it, Build it 3:15pm Yes Chef 4:00pm A Place to Call Home 4:50pm Pilgrimage with Simon Reeve 5:50pm More Creatures Great and Small 6:20pm Flog It! 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Great British Railway Journeys 8:00pm Saving Lives at Sea 9:00pm Back in Time for Tea

11:30am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm

Baby Daddy Baby Daddy Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey Baby Daddy Baby Daddy Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory

8:45am The Levelling 10:15am Monster Family 12:05pm Baby Driver 2:00pm Two Down 3:35pm The Levelling 5:05pm Norman 7:10pm Monster Family 9:00pm Baby Driver 11:00pm Two Down 12:40am Hard Target 2:35am Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Flight Attendant 4:30am The Unseen

The schedules for the television programme pages are provided by an external company: we regret that any changes or errors are not the responsibility of RTN.

2nd - 8th March

33

RTN Life EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

World-renowned musician settles in Costa Blanca

by John Smith

THERE is a new, musical resident in Costa Blanca, classical guitarist John Zaradin, who has gained international recognition over his years of performance.

John started playing the instrument at the age of 13 and studied guitar in the UK and Paris before his first professional performance in the Purcell Room at the Royal Festival Hall in London in 1968. He has been involved in composition, performance and TV. He received a gold disc for his recording of the Aranjuez Concerto, has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and is the composer of three orchestral works, the third of which will see its premier in Benidoleig in 2018, followed by another in Torrevieja.

John was kind enough to share some of his insights on a long career with RTN in an exclusive interview.

Have you been a regular visitor to Spain?

I first came in 1971 to Almeria where I had friends working on the Michael Winner film Chato’s Land.

Later in the 1990’s, with my wife Noelle, we found a house in Calpe when Calpe was a small town, without the high-rise buildings and before the seafront bay was created.

Are you settled here now and if so what made you decide to come?

We were in France before, near

Albi, Tarn. We had started to think of moving to Spain but Noelle suddenly became ill with cancer and after her death I decided to make a fresh start here.

What do you like about the place?

I like the welcoming Spanish approach to social life

Vital Statistics Nationality: British Born: 1943 (74) Family: Widower with one living cousin Educated: Joseph Schillinger School of Music for basic music and theory and for the guitar, with Alexander Lagoya at the Paris Conservatoire.

Outlook: “My most valuable learning has always been by meeting people who were committed to their own values and causes, and from whom one could, thereby, learn by example rather than by intellectual explanation.”

and its acceptance of others’ differences.

What is your greatest fear?

To be too fearful to consider the idea of being too afraid to dissipate, disperse and be free from, fear.

What is your favourite food?

Nourishment that is also ‘food for thought and feeling’.

Who would you invite for a meal dead, alive or fictional?

J S Bach.

What is your secret pleasure?

It would cease to be so if I said.

What is your favourite piece of music?

Not one piece, but all music when it is played sincerely from the heart.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

It will not be important for me, but I could suggest John Cage’s 4’33 of silence, which gives the listener time to reflect on what he or she is doing.

If an encore was needed and the

I like the welcoming Spanish approach to social life.”

“

attendants had no ideas of their own, then possibly an original piece of mine from a Temba Theatre Company production of Romeo & Juliet - ‘Uma Hora Triste’ would be suitable.

If you could go back in time when would it be to?

I feel that we do go back in time each time we refer to our memories and that we do so in order to understand what is actually happening to us in the present. The simple answer is: any time that helps clarify our present, dynamic situation is a good time to go back to.

What’s top of your bucket list?

To be able to act essentially and

spontaneously without being distracted by superficial particulars.

John then explained his current musical project which will be completed by 2018, with a very special performance featuring international musicians who will be travelling to to launch the composition.

“I have written three guitar concertos: the first, for full orchestra, was premiered in Virginia (I played the guitar part) and then recorded with the orchestra of the Birmingham Royal Ballet at Sony Studios in London.

“The second and third are put together for the Finnish guitarist Janne Lehtinen and arranged for guitar and string orchestra.

“The second has been performed many times by Janne and the Collegium Musicum Lohja (director Hari Kerko) and they will come to Benidoleig to make the premiere performance of the third concerto on March 16, 2018 with a repeat concert in Torrevieja three days later.”

34

2nd - 8th March

WEDNESDAY 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:40pm

Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News Regional News The One Show Immigration: Who Should We Let in?

- Panorama DIY SOS the Big Build Earth's Natural Wonders BBC News Regional News Weather

6:25pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

10:50pm 11:30pm 12:10am 12:15am 1:00am

Flog It! Eggheads Great British Railway Journeys Saving Lives at Sea World's Most Extraordinary Homes The Assassination of Gianni Versace American Crime Story Live at the Apollo Newsnight Weather Nature's Weirdest Events Women's Football

6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:45pm 12:45am 1:35am 4:00am

The Chase Local News and Weather ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Britain's Brightest Family Coronation Street Benidorm ITV News at Ten and Weather UEFA Champions League Highlights Play to the Whistle Jackpot247 Tenable

4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am 12:35am 1:05am

Baby Daddy Baby Daddy Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks My Hotter Half The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory Don't Tell the Bride Celebrity First Dates The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory First Dates

6:00pm

5 News The latest news coverage.

6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News 8:00pm Extreme Winter Road Rescue 9:00pm GPs: Behind Closed Doors 10:00pm Violent Child, Desperate Parents 11:00pm Most Shocking 1:55am Super Casino 4:10am Cowboy Builders 5:00am Now That's Funny!

5:45am House Doctor

4:30am 6:30am

The Unseen Black Panther: Special 7:00am Monster Family 8:40am Top Ten Show, the 2018 9:00am Norman 11:15am Monster Family 1:05pm Baby Driver 3:15pm Two Down 5:00pm Monster Family 6:50pm Norman 9:00pm Baby Driver 11:00pm In This Corner of the World 1:15am Two Down 2:55am The Levelling

2:45pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm

The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Tonight Emmerdale The Cruise: Voyage to Alaska Rachel Nickell: The Untold Story ITV News at Ten and Weather ITV News London UEFA Europa League Highlights Play to the Whistle

5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm 11:35pm 12:05am

Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks My Hotter Half The Big Bang Theory Young Sheldon Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine The Inbetweeners The Inbetweeners The Big Bang Theory

3:20pm 4:20pm

7:00am 9:00am 10:50am 12:35pm 3:00pm 5:00pm 7:10pm 9:00pm 11:25pm 1:25am 3:00am 4:35am

6:30pm Football Countdowns 7:00pm Championship Season Review 8:00pm EFL Matters 8:30pm EFL Midweek Goals: Championship 9:00pm Football's Greatest 9:30pm The Story of Las Palmas 10:45pm La Liga Icons 11:00pm La Liga Show 11:30pm EFL Matters 12:00am La Liga Icons: Zidane 12:15am La Liga Icons 12:30am La Liga Icons 12:45am La Liga Icons

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2nd - 8th March

Advertising Feature

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2nd - 8th March

Puzzles Code Breaker

Play on Words

EVENT EVENT Kenny Corris I For Readings, Consultations and Castings email: kennycorris@hotmailcom / www.kennycorris.net Mobile: 686 361 594 / Tel: 965 878 424

FINE SPOT

Answers: Turn of events. On the spot fine.

Mercury and Venus both enter midweek, and it’s a good job you are grounded and open to suggestions right now. Though nobody knows what you have up your sleeve, it is time to make those decisions that will put you back where you need to be. Mercury directs channels of communication to support you, whilst Venus opens the heart!

Word Wheel The goal of a word wheel puzzle is to create as many words possible with the letters in the word wheel. You can only use each letter once and every word must have the letter in the centre of the wheel.

Can you find the 9 letter word?

With Venus on a par in Aries and guided by Mercurian expertise, there comes a chance to leave your comfort zone this week. The tried and tested does not challenge you the way that it could, and you sometimes do not realise what you are really capable of until you are thrown in at the deep end. Prepare for a splash!

Mercury in cahoots with Aries makes for some discourse this week. Silence is not the way forward and although you have had to bite your tongue as of late; now is a time to make amends. Strike while the iron is hot and just tell your side of the story because right now you have absolutely nothing to lose whatsoever working with the truth.

Moon energies are inspiring and comforting and this is a good time to bring loved ones together to celebrate in style.

Your current pace of life means that you have such little time, but you rely on the friendships you thrive on, and know where to go when in any doubt. Reward those who are there for you when you need them, they deserve it.

Examine all aspects of finances this week, and do not, whatever you do, bury your head in the sand. The Sun conjuncts Neptune and it is now time to put your cards well and truly on the table where expenditure is in question. Your money should be working for you, not you for it; so find a way to let some lucre stick around for a rainy day.

Mercury conjuncts Venus and your head is governed by your heart right now, and for all good reasons. Facing up to an affair of the heart, there seems to be some nagging doubt and a painful silence prevails. Things cannot continue this way without the necessary dialogue. If some things are taken for granted they only add to the confusion.

You are putting your foot down, hoping that your stubborn attitude will have the desired effect; when you know in your heart of hearts that it won’t. Neither of you wants this conflict nor the stage is set by the Mars trine with dwarf planet Kora, to make a suitable understanding that embraces all that you both hold so dear.

Keep your temper, even though those around you this week appear to be losing theirs! There is nothing to be gained by confrontation this time around, so why put yourself through the turmoil for nothing? Karma will sort out the men from the boys, and bring a lasting solution right now, as actions speak a lot louder than words ever could.

It’s only a matter of time before people come around to your way of thinking; but then they do not know what you do know. In hindsight you would never have gotten involved in a plan that veers somewhat out of control right now.

Mercury trines with a generous benefactor of the Cosmos, Jupiter, whose intervention seals the deal.

You are up for a challenge, but even you can see that the odds are against you this time around. Lift your focus to generously assist somebody who really does need your tender love and care this week, but who is afraid to ask you.

All across the Cosmos solution comes with a current calm, but, thankfully, there is no storm needed right now!

You are multi-talented and discerning, and you can see the motive all around a recent request. Psychic energies are challenged to help you get just what it is you both want and need right now. Above all, don’t put all of your eggs into one basket. When it comes to it, you know that you are not cutting off your nose to spite your face!

Neptune basks in the energies of the Sun and this week solution comes into your life to see a varied way ahead with all options kept open, for you to choose. The time has come to realise that something has to go, and spiritually you are experiencing pressure from different directions. Do something that ensures you get the help you need.

Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 18 represents K and 26 represents T, so fill in K every time the figure 18 appears and T every time the figure 26 appears. Now, using your knowledge of the English language, work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you discover the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and the control grid.

Kenny’s Postbag Kenny, my grandfather always treasured his mantel clock. He left it to my Mother when he died, but it stops at 6.17 nearly every day. The clock has been serviced recently but the hands seem to stick at the same spot for no reason.

Paula T.S. Could I ask you what time did your Grandfather die? If 617 is not a number associated with him, in some way, then it may very well be the time of his passing. Clocks have been known to stop at the time of the demise of their owners. My car broke down on the M1 when I was dashing to be there at the deathbed of my Father. The AA clocked my call at the exact time that my Father departed this Earth!

Kenny Corris

Don't forget to email or message me with your Postbag Questions!. Check out my new website: www.kennycorris.net

For Birthday Celebrants This could be the start of a bustling Astrological year, if you just let it be. See your considerable skills as the way ahead to success all across the board, and be unafraid to put your best foot forward!

The 9 letter word is:

Kakuro Fill all the empty squares using the numbers 1 to 9, so that the sum of each horizontal block equals the ‘clue’ on its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the clue on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once.

2nd - 8th March

More Puzzles Cryptic

Across 1 Confirm exam, if the end of July (7) 5 Some of Al Capone's mob are chicken (5) 8 Assemble in part of the jungle, anticipating adventure (5) 9 Confuse or alert US estate agent (7) 10 Appeal for fairy wisdom (7) 11 Pleased with English clearing (5) 12 Money to be won and where to keep it (5) 14 Right in the middle of one's land (5) 19 Competitions for ethnic groups (5) 21 Vagrant the French walk all over (7) 23 A bird has swallowed her cigar (7) 24 Firm with nothing in stock (5) 25 Father meets Northern enchantress (5) 26 Captive eats hog cooked (7)

English - Spanish

Futoshiki

Down 1 Cat, losing direction, is found in Asian river (6) 2 Clean up in lottery (5) 3 I have gone around US to find rock (7) 4 Special delivery from Prince Andrew’s duchy to his Mum (6) 5 Tribe noted for a ringing sound (5) 6 Stew made from pet goat (7) 7 School head never out after butterflies (6) 13 Concealed nuclear explosion (7) 15 Transport company suffers (7) 16 Antics in Saint Patrick's Day celebrations (6) 17 This may stop you running to join up (6) 18 Try to sell part of a bike, one hears (6) 20 Now so chaotic and faint (5) 22 La Paz rebuilt town square (5)

Fill in the squares so that each digit from 1 to 6 occurs exactly once in each row and column. Greater-than and less-than signs indicate the relationship of the two adjacent squares. There is only one solution, and you can find it without guessing.

The clues are mixed, some clues are in Spanish and some are in English.

Across 1 When (in questions and reported speech) (6) 4 Cola (de animal, avión, cometa) (4) 8 Cuttlefish (5) 9 Acordar (5)

10 Inglaterra (7) 14 Letter (mail) (5) 15 Goat (5) 16 Obedecer (4) 17 El más raro (6) Down 1 Almost (4) 2 Manzano (5-4)

3 Day (3) 5 Pleasant (9) 6 Mentiras (4) 7 Room (in a house) (4) 11 Gol (4) 12 Leisure (4) 13 Esperar (4) 15 Bacalao (3)

Quick

Across 1 Having the properties of an adhesive (6) 4 Small rowing, sailing or motor vessels (5) 8 Yellow citrus fruit (5) 9 Act of touching physically (7) 10 Include (7) 11 In or at this place (4) 12/18 Give insider information to (3,3) 14 Nothing (4) 15 Any loose flowing garment (4) 18 See 12 21 Connection (4) 23 Answer (7) 25 Easily agitated (7) 26 Correct (5) 27 Alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon (5) 28 Sweet liquid secretion that is attractive to pollinators (6) Down 1 Choose (6) 2 Vast in extent or degree (7) 3 Australian marsupial (8) 4 Group of musicians (4) 5 Having knowledge or perception of a situation (5) 6 Small sofa (6) 7 Perfume (5) 13 Keep or maintain in unaltered condition (8) 16 Came with (7) 17 Merges (6) 19 Recently made, produced or harvested (5) 20 Person in charge of a newspaper (6) 22 One skilled in caring for young children or the sick (5) 24 Prevent (something considered wrong or undesirable) from succeeding (4)

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Word Ladder Can you by changing 1 letter at a time, get from the first word to the last word in the given number of moves?

CHOP 1 2 3 4

HACK

Sudoku

Fill the grid so every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1-9

2nd - 8th March

39

health

If your skin could talk what would it tell you?

IN most cases we can see if the skin has a problem, either it’s just dry, or you get a rash or maybe a more serious problem. But with today’s technology we are able to scan the skin, and see what the condition is really like below.

With a 3D skin analysing scanner, we take photographs and are able to analyse the deeper tissues of the skin. For clients, a session is quick and comfortable. After placing their head in the capture station, a digital camera quickly captures and processes the images into the 3D scanner.

It takes multiple images of the face (and layers of the skin) simultaneously. These incredible cameras not only capture the face in nearly microscopic detail, they also reveal damage done to the face that could never be seen with the naked human eye. They uncover UV radiation damage, wrinkles growing in the subcutaneous layers of the skin, clogged pores, and more.

By doing a 3D face scan, you will get to know the secrets that will appear in your skin in a few years from now. But as you know what is coming up, you can also start to prevent and treat the underlying problems.

At Derma Clinic Spain we do a free 3D face scan for all of our new customers.

Also follow us on Instagram and Facebook to see our promotions and monthly discounts.

Derma Clinic Spain are located at Camino del Pincho 2,1, 03580, L’Alfaz del Pi, Alicante For more information call 674 255 579 or email info@dermaclinicspain.com . Alternatively see their Facebook page facebook.com/DermaClinicSpain

Stress can pile on the pounds FEELING stressed can lead to us making wrong food choices as we’re more likely to grab a bar of chocolate than a carrot stick when feeling under pressure.

Stress can trigger chemical changes in the body resulting in bad food cravings and whilst making you feel better briefly, it is bad news for those watching their weight.

In stressful situations, the brain signals that it is under threat and floods the body with stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.

If stress levels remain high, cortisol stays in the body long after the initial adrenalin rush, wanting energy rich foods as the brain’s attempt to balance out the physical and mental demands of stress.

Cortisol also affects how fat is distributed around our bodies and it builds up in the worst place, around our middles making it harder to shift.

So to beat the bulging waistline try looking at your stress levels and stay calm to help reduce the temptation of reaching for the chocolate.

Cheating can be good for you WOMEN who have been cheated on by their partners often end up in stronger relationships as a result.

Researchers said infidelity helps women make better choices of partners in the future so after the short-term pain and grief, cheating can actually be a good thing in the long term.

Dr Morris, an evolutionary biologist at Binghamton University in New York, led the study, and said over 85 per cent of individuals will experience at least one break up in their lifetime.

He worked with colleagues at University College London, and conducted an online survey of over 5,000 people in 96 different countries about their relationship break ups.

Easing the bloat WANT a flatter stomach in a day?

Try these quick fixes to help achieve a slimmer look: Drink more water: The body is made up of around 70 per cent water and many people think drinking less will make you cut down on bloating, but this is not true and adequate water should be drank throughout the day.

Careful on fruits and vegetables: Choose your fruits and vegetables carefully as broccoli, along with cauliflower and cabbage can cause bloating and excess wind.

No sweet treats: Avoid refined carbohydrates like pastas and pastries as they are likely to cause bloating. They also often contain wheat, which can be a problem for people with IBS symptoms.

Britannia Dental Calpe WHAT’S the most common disease you can think of? Heart disease, stroke, diabetes?

But actually gum disease is the single most prevalent disease today and in fact recent research has shown that gum disease has a direct link to increased risk of these major health problems.

Early detection is key, that’s why their periodontal therapist does so much more than just clean your teeth. She carefully evaluates and diagnoses the health of your mouth and gums.

If infection is present she can provide state of the art management for all levels of gum disease, such as the placement of antibacterial agents and laser gum therapy.

Dentomycin Dentomycin was launched in 1993 and

has been successfully used in more than 1.3 million patients worldwide.

It is a gel that contains an antibiotic (minocycline) which is active against the bacteria that cause gum disease. It’s applied directly into the pockets where bacteria are growing. This means we can get effective concentrations at the disease site.

Diode laser Combined with comprehensive periodontal therapy, a diode laser for soft tissue procedures can remove and reduce periodontal infection. This type of treatment also promotes reattachment of the gum tissue to the teeth.

Laser dentistry is precise and conservative in comparison to traditional therapies. Some patients do not even need anaesthesia during laser therapy.

Email them on britannia.calpe@gmail.com, call 965 837 553 or visit Avenida Ejercitos Españoles 16 BIS, 1st Floor (Not Ground Floor) Piso 1D, E-03710 Calpe (Alicante).

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2nd - 8th March

food & drink This week Celebrity Chef from Ready Steady Cook & Master Chef Steven Saunders, proprietor of The Little Geranium in La Cala talks to us about the perfect tempura, a great option for a Mother’s Day family lunch.

Tasty tempura

Steven Saunders FMCGB The Little Geranium La Cala de Mijas & Marbella

www.thelittlegeranium.com WITH Mother’s Day looming and many restaurants already fully booked (we still have some tables!) I’m going to start sharing with you some ideas for a family lunch at home, both this week and next.

My first thought was a sharing dish, a tempura is a delicious dish that you can do with large prawns or vegetables or both mixed.

It works really well with mushrooms and asparagus for example. The reason I’ve picked this is because whenever I

prepare tempura for my cookery school my students flag it up as one of the things that they have loved cooking and eating the most.

The first time that I ever cooked a tempura was in Bangkok. I was on my honeymoon (with my first wife) and we were sitting by the pool. I got up and w a n d e r e d o ff . I s p o t t e d a c h e f a n d walked over to him and told him that I was a chef and I asked about the food he was cooking.

He said come in the kitchen later on and I’ll show you. So I booked to go in that afternoon but forgot to tell my wife as she was so engrossed with sunbathing.

When I got into the kitchen I was given a jacket to wear and told to help the lady chef make a tempura batter. I whisked the flour and water until it was silky smooth, she shouted at me … “No! You need lump.” “What?” I said ... “Lump … must have lump, better for wegetables” and she poured more flour in and mixed it with long chopsticks.

She was right because the little flour lumps in the batter make the tempura in-

teresting with little crispy pieces surrounding each prawn or the vegetable. I honestly had not understood what she was saying, I was only 23 bless. Every time I mix a tempura I hear her shouting.. “You need lump!”

Anyway when I got back to the pool, Sally (my ex) said “Where the hell have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere for you! Once a chef always a chef.” No wonder the marriage didn’t work!

This is a great sharing dish ideal for a family lunch starter, quick and easy to prepare.

You could put a large dish of tempura prawns and vegetables in the centre of the table with a variety of dips and let everyone get on with it. Perfect!

You can email Steven your questions or enquiries to: steven@thelittlegeranium.com • Steven Saunders FMCGB - The Little Geranium La Cala de Mijas & Marbella • www.thelittlegeranium.com.

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2nd - 8th March

home & garden

Ornamental grasses for the home

WHEN we think of grass it is normally about lawns, but grasses can also add an element of interest to the ornamental garden and even in pot plants. There is a wide range of grasses that are cultivated for their showy flower spikes and low maintenance care in the Mediterranean garden.

Tussocks of ornamental grasses can be used to break up garden monotony by planting in groups, as hedges and for borders. They also suit pool areas as the debris from grasses is minimal if given an annual pruning.

For large gardens, Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana), named after the South American region Pampas where they originate from, provides a great display

of feathery plumes high above the dense clump of foliage, making it a perfect screening hedge of up to two metres high and wide, or as a single specimen feature amongst other contrasting landscape specimens.

For hedges plant one metre apart to ensure a full screen. Being a grass it is best cut back strongly in winter, after the flower display, to allow a new flush of fresh leaves that will quickly emerge from the more solid core.

The flowers usually materialise in late summer and autumn and there are white to pink shades available.

For smaller garden areas and containers I prefer the Fountain grasses (Pennisetum setaceum).

Pampas Grass.

They make a great border or background plant and are very easy to manage. I have grown some for years from a division from a friend’s plant and each year I have been extending its use in the garden as a low maintenance, easy to move and propagate flowering space filler.

They don’t need a lot of water once established and flower profusely with great dependability.

The flowers can be harvested for use in dry flower arrangements so they can be on display in the house all year, or incorporated into flower arrangements or decoration on gifts.

To divide ornamental grasses, it is just a matter of digging around the section of the plant you wish to separate and prising them up. The relatively shallow roots make this easy and if the roots are kept moist, they will normally transplant successfully and commence growing quickly.

It is difficult to grow these grasses from seed as the seed goes off quickly and as there are male and female plants, single plants may not form seed.

There are dry area and wet area ornamental grasses but, except for pond areas or naturally moist

areas, the dry area plants are the most suited to the Mediterranean as they require minimal watering and are hardier in the hot summer months.

Pruning back to the central core after flowering has finished to keep plants fresh and to minimise build up of dried leaves is the easiest approach, but they can also be regularly given a light prune or clipping to maintain shape in specific landscaped areas where form is important and fresh growth is required all year round.

Remove spent flowers regularly.

2nd - 8th March

pets Taking your furry friend on holiday THERE is a growing trend in owners taking their beloved pets on holiday with them. For those who can’t imagine leaving their furry friend behind while they relax on holiday, then there are plenty of options nowadays to include them in getaways.

Many people feel that their dog is a true member of the family and dogs, being pack animals, probably feel the same way.

Research has shown that it can be unsettling for domestic animals to be left for long periods while owners go away.

Nowadays, increasing numbers of destinations are willing to accommoPETS across the world are uniting to fight for their rights, with initiatives being implemented that should reflect their growing status as global citizens.

In India a taxi service exclusively for pets has been set up, after an entrepreneurial couple found it impossible to find a taxi willing to cross the country’s wild traffic for the sake of taking their dog to hospital.

The dynamic duo have just a few cars at their disposal, but have already made a huge difference to local pet owners who find it difficult to get out and about.

Meanwhile on the other side of the world in Los Angeles, a creative new company is looking at ways to replace the so-called ‘cone

date people holidaying with their pets, and with just a little bit of extra planning there is no need for a dog walker or to stay in the kennels.

Pets can even travel with their owners on international flights but the paperwork must be in order.

HOLIDAY TIME: All packed and ready to go.

Pet priorities of shame’ vets put around pet’s necks to keep them from biting or scratching.

The company are working on how to prevent impairment of vision and sound amplification that can seriously irritate pets, and have discovered a new style

CONE: Could be the end.

which can fit on all kinds of animals, from dogs, to cats and even mice.

It looks like the beginning of the end for the iconic cone but surely very few will be complaining as modern medicine finally puts pet’s needs first.

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2nd - 8th March

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45

2nd - 8th March TV & SATELLITE

SITUATIONS VACANT

REMOVALS & STORAGE

SITUATIONS VACANT

Puzzle answers Puzzle answers Puzzle answers Puzzle answers Puzzle answers Wordwheel aa ab ai ar at ba ta aba abc abo act air

Cryptic

ait ara arb arc art baa bar bat boa bra cab car

Codebreaker cat oar oat oba oca ora rai rat ria tab tai tao

tar abac abri acai acta airt arab arco aria bait boar boat

Quick

bora bota brat caca carb cart ciao coat coca crab iota obia

orca raia rato rota taco tara taro tora abaci abort acari actor

aorta artic atria bacca barca baric biota boart bract cacao cacti carac

carat carbo carib carob circa coact coati cobia cobra coria croat rabat

rabic raita ratio riata tabor taroc tiara triac abator aortic arabic arctic

boccia ocicat rabato acrobat acrotic airboat biocrat boracic carioca croatia acrobatic

Kakuro

Word Ladder STAR SOAR SOUR SOUL FOUL FOOL

Sudoku

English-Spanish

Futoshiki

46

2nd - 8th March

motoring

Show on the road

Photo credit Ferrari/Rinspeed/Shutterstock.

THIS year’s Geneva Motor Show is just around the corner.

Kicking off next Thursday, the first major European motor show of the year is once again set to feature a raft of new production cars and concepts.

The 10-day industry showcase is now in its 88th year, and 2018 is set to be the biggest yet.

Among the most anticipated new cars is British sports stalwart Aston Martin’s new Vantage, while the company is also expected to reveal its latest World Endurance Championship GTE Vantage race car and has hinted there may be a surprise in store for visitors.

Ferrari is due to bring its recently unveiled GTOapeing 488 Pista to the event, while Land Rover has confirmed that the limited edition 70th anniversary two-door Range Rover SV Coupe - currently known only from a top-down interior photo - will make its official debut.

Other debutants are likely to include updated versions of Volvo’s V60 Wagon estate, Kia’s Ceed, Hyundai’s Santa Fe, Audi’s A6, BMW’s X4 and Z4, Porsche’s 911 GT3 RS, Mercedes’ A-class and AMG GT Coupe, Jeep Wrangler and the Lexus Ux, while Toyota is expected to show a new racing concept based on the latest Supra.

A slew of new electric models will also be on display, including the Hyundai Nexo, Jaguar I-Pace, Porsche Mission E, Volkswagen ID Vizzion, and Smart Fortwo EQ, plus the new Formula E race car.

As usual, there will also be a handful of jaw-dropping vehicles to look at, from the 789 bhp road legal McLaren Senna, all 500 of which have already been sold, to the stunning Polestar 1 coupe and the wacky Rinspeed Snap.

SPEED DATES: A shot from last year’s event with (inset top) the Ferrari 488 Pista and (inset bottom) the Rinspeed Snap.

2nd - 8th March

sport

47

Visit to Alenda Golf

Photo Credit: Ayuntamiento de Benidorm

ANNOUNCING: The number of competitors.

They’re on their marks TO M O R R O W 2 , 1 5 0 p e o p l e w i l l a r r i v e i n Benidorm to take part in the 34th Benidorm Half Marathon and the Kilometre race.

According to mayor Toni Perez this is a perfect showcase for the city to show its commitment to sports tourism and sports in general.

It is anticipated that after the 2,150 competitors start the race, 750 will stop after completing 10 kilometres whilst the others - including former world champion Martin Fiz who is taking part before going on to compete in the London Marathon - will complete the full course.

AT Alenda Golf 40 members and guests competed in a Stableford competition on a very short course.

Most of the tee boxes were under repair so the male members found themselves playing their second shots from some very different places, in some cases they were too close to the green!

High scores were expected and because of this they were not disappointed. The best score of the day came from Scotsman Jim Imrie, scoring 41 points playing off five handicap.

Apart from the tee boxes the course was in good condition but the greens for most proved to be a little tricky, that is unless your name happens to be Bill Wylie, who managed to drop his tee shot 3ft from the pin on his NTP

ALENDA GOLF: The Gold category winners. hole 16 and sink the putt for his birdie two earning him a cool €70 it being the only two.

Results: Best guest T Maguire 25 points. NTP’S hole three M Skipperud, hole five O Rong, hole 13 T

Svensen, hole 16 B Wylie.

Bronze cat: 3rd S Twentyman 31 pts. 2nd L Holmberg 36 pts. 1st A Kilnes 38 pts. Silver cat: 3rd B Gillies 32 pts. 2nd R Nilsen 35 pts. 1st K Aasebo 39 pts.

Gold cat: 3rd T Svensen 32

pts. 2nd G Cromm 35 pts.

1st J Imrie 41 pts.

To find out more about the Members Golf Society go to www.tmgs.org or visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/TMGS GOLF.

Rockets Golf Society at St James’s Gate ON a wet Tuesday morning members left to go up the AP-7 for their away game at Font de LLop. They were hoping it would cease but were wrong, even though the society had one of its best turnout ever of 28 players and they are congratulated for all turning up on such a wet day.

All were playing for the Inaugural Trophy and the format was Medal and some decent scores were returned considering the weather.

Results Gold Category 1st - Malcolm Anderson 78, 2nd Mike Davies 79, 3rd Arfer Williams 82, on c/b.

Silver Category 1st Ken Hopkins 72, 2nd M Hithersay 74, 3rd P Mutter 80.

Nearest Pins - R Smith 2, P Wilkinson, M Anderson,

MONTEGO GOLF SOCIETY: Happy winners and members.

Sanity returns with a Stableford Presentation of the Inaugural Trophy M Davies.

Longest Drive - R Swift.

Best Guest - S Jones 74.

Winner of the Inaugural Trophy - Ken Hopkins Nett 72.

After the game they returned to our new home the St James’s Gate pub to a lovely cottage pie and chips, freshly prepared by Lynn the chef and supplied by Hughie and Laura, ‘mine hosts’, and served by a smash-

ing waiter, Kevin.

After stuffing ourselves we went onto the presentation of prizes with the lovely Laura Downes presenting them, for which we thank her.

If anyone would like to join their friendly society or just want a game whilst on holiday give Ron a ring on 678 849 142 or email sanmigron@gmail.com or if you are in the pub see Kevin behind the bar.

TO the relief of some this week Montgo Golf Society returned to a normal stableford competition sponsored by Glenys and Neil Cuming.

Glenys resisted devouring the prizes from their cancelled game in January so there was something for them to play for.

This was possibly the coldest start to a game they have had so far this year with many utilising head covers as make do mittens for frozen digits. Luckily the sun fought its way through successfully enough for some to be in short sleeves by the end of the game.

Almost a clean sweep for the guys with only Julia Hall managing a mention by taking NTP on the

11th. The other two were awarded to Vice John Snelling on the third and Brian Redfearn on the 16th.

Ye t a g a i n n o c o v e t e d M o n t g o balls were awarded with two’s proving to be somewhat elusive so far this year.

The all-male cast on the podium was led by Richard Fox in first place with 37 points. Second spot was snatched on countback by Gordon Gleeson with 36, and third place went to Colin Foster also with 36 points.

The society is very pleased to report that nagging has had some effect as there were no gaps in play to be seen. In fact those starting on the 10th arrived 15 minutes early of their allotted time for the first.