The Leader Newspaper Edition 880 – 16 August 2021

No 880 Monday 16th - Sunday 22nd August 2021

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Keeping people safe and informed for over 17 years - The Costa Blanca’s oldest ‘FREE’ English language newspaper

MONTEZENIA ABANDONED

BY THE ORIHUELA COUNCIL

he Neighborhood Association of Montezenia, on the borders of Lomas de Cabo Roig, has once again expressed its displeasure and exasperation with the Orihuela City Council for "the abandonment and discrimination that we have been suffering for years."

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Residents complain that "despite paying the same taxes as the rest of the residents in the municipality, we do not receive the same services.

From the town hall we only receive promises and good words, but they are rarely translated into actions, as a result of which the urbanisation continues to suffer."

“Motorists use our narrow roads, which are clearly identified as PRIVATE and ‘for the use of residents only’ as a short cut, when travelling between Lomas de Cabo Roig, Las Ramblas and other inland settlements, to La Zenia, the Boulevard or Playa Flamenca.

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Residents are intent on making the through road ‘ONE WAY’ from east to west.

Montezenia abandoned ADVERTISING SALES

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They speed down our streets that are barely wider than the girth of a large car. There are few passing places and we have no paving for pedestrians, with the consequent danger that the speed and the size of the larger vehicles bring.”

Mr Gaughan was joined by Spanish resident José Martin, who said that his main concern was the amount of illegal fly-tipping that went on at each of the urbanisation’s four refuse points on a daily basis.

“With the enormous amount of construction that has been undertaken locally the traffic is now almost non-stop and it is increasingly bringing with it, particularly during the evening and overnight, a huge

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The President explained that he has the original documentation confirming that all of the roads on the urbanisation are private and unless there is a major shift of responsibility from the council, with the support of the community residents, the road will become a one way system toward the end of the year.

“We are currently distributing ballot papers to all of our residents, with a vote to be taken on the matter next month. As the majority of fly-tippers travel from inland the one-way system will operate from La Zenia in the east to Lomas de Cabo Roig in the west. We hope that this will help to resolve this intolerable situation that is just getting worse.”

But while resident of 20 years, and current community President, Nicholas Gaughan, is disappointed that he get’s little support from the town hall, he is determined to continue with his fight, in the hope that, one day, this forgotten urbanisation of just over 100 detached properties, will be formally adopted by the local authority, bringing with it the services and the facilities that are many years overdue.

“We still have no mains sewerage on the urbanisation”, he told me. “All of the properties are on septic tanks, and this despite the building work that has gone on apace on the borders of Montezenia over the last eight or ten years. We asked to be included when Lomas de Cabo Roig was being built, it would have been so easy just to incorporate us into their sewerage system, but our requests simply fell on deaf ears.”

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He said how sad he was that "everything we propose to the City Council is either deferred or forgotten. We have many promises, but none are fulfilled, even though the only thing we ask for is the same treatment and the same services as residents across the rest of the municipality.” number of people who are stopping at our bins and dropping off illegal waste, not only traders and merchants, but also a large number of private individuals.

Marijuana dealers arrested en route to Torrevieja beaches

Washing machines, fridges, boilers, construction materials, as well as large amounts of pruning, constantly litter our narrow roads and the bin areas that are designed for our residents, and it is totally unacceptable to us all.”

Two men, aged 20 and 54, of Spanish nationality, have been arrested in for possession of 4 kilos of marijuana in sealed bags ready to sell on the beach

Well it would now appear that the denizens have had enough, and with little support forthcoming from the Orihuela Ayuntamiento moves are currently afoot to make the urbanisation and it’s main thoroughfare ‘ONE WAY’.

The arrests took place during a routine check by the Torrevieja Civil Guard on a road in the town.

The agents identified two occupants of a vehicle who were driving in from Murcia, supposedly to spend a few days on vacation.

Just one of four bin areas on the urbanisation.

The council does clear the rubbish when asked to do so but it reappears within hours.

Although quite normal in appearance, their nervousness made the patrol suspicious and they decided to search the interior of the vehicle. Inside, when checking the boot, they found 4 kilograms of marijuana distributed among several compartments, divided into 15 vacuum-packed plastic bags.

In addition to the drugs, 2,940 euros in cash was also confiscated.

Both men were arrested and charged for drug trafficking. It is thought that the drugs were destined for sale on one of Torrevieja’s beaches.

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RARE MINI TSUNAMI HITS SANTA POLA

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sudden rise in the tide during the early hours of Thursday morning caused the seawater to flow into the streets of the town centre as well as affecting many local beaches and coastal walks of the Alicante town The Local Police published photographs on it’s social networks, showing "a sudden rise in tide that caused many problems across much of the municipality, particularly for the moored fishing fleet, even setting several boats adrift."

They also reported that the seawater "has flooded over many coastal walks, causing damage to stretches of the municipal coastline."

They subsequently asked for "patience" while the municipal and emergency services carry out the necessary tasks to "mitigate and repair the damage."

The bizarre rise in the tide, known as a meteotsunami, swept through the coastal town.

Meteotsunamis are large, tsuna-

mi-like waves. But unlike usual tsunamis, which are caused by seismic activity, these are triggered by rapid air-pressure changes driven by fast-moving weather events, such as thunderstorms or heatwaves, in this case caused by a blowtorch Saharan heat surge as the heat fed in from Africa.

The rare tidal phenomenon flooded the beach, promenade and nearby streets, with many cars damaged and boats set adrift, particularly around the area of Playa Lisa.

It is certainly not a new phenomenon, although those residents old enough to remember say that nothing like this has occurred in the last 80 years.

The Laboratory of Climatology at Alicante University of Alicante details the phenomenon as 'rissaga' or 'meteotsunami', which they say tends to be more frequent in the Balearic Islands, although they can occasionally occur in this area.

In fact, they add, on July 23, 2017 a phenomenon similar to

that of Thursday morning took place with four reports of sudden increases in sea level reported in Torrevieja, the Marina of Elche, Santa Pola and El Campello.

On Thursday morning, after the rise of the sea, there was expectation, surprise and unease.

These were the states through which many fishermen passed after the meteorological tsunami that shook the coast of Santa Pola and Guardamar.

Streets in the first line were flooded although there was little damage to the public highway or property. However, about a dozen boats burst their moorings and were set adrift with some no longer be able to sail.

The effect of the rising sea in Santa Pola caught residents, bars, restaurants and fishermen, by surprise. Nobody expected that the sea would rise a metre and flood areas along the coastline.

One fisherman, Rafael Valero, who owns one of the damaged boats, said that he had never

seen such an unpredictable state of affairs in his more than thirty years as skipper and owner. He said that it was “a real fright and more a case of the scare that we had, and what might happen as the waves began to increase. It gave the impression that the boats were rising up above the port" A spokesman for the Fishermen's Association, Ángel Luchoro, said that they are quantifying the current damage to the fleet. He said that nothing of this magnitude has happened since the 1940s in Santa Pola, reporting that, according to his surveillance cameras, the phenomenon lasted for 38 minutes (from 03.40 to 04.18 hours).

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Is Spain heading back onto the UK ‘Red List’?

Quote: 'During July 1-21, 2,065 people arriving in Britain from Spain tested positive for Covid-19'

By Andrew Atkinson Fears have risen that Spain could be forced onto the UK's Covid-19 quarantine red list - that could affect 1 million-plus UK holidaymakers this summer.

The number of people testing positive for Covid - after returning from Spain in the UK - has risen almost six-fold in the last month, according to figures released on August 13.

Around one-in-35, 2.9% of those entering Britain from traffic light amber list rated Spain in July tested positive, up from 0.9 per cent in June.

office@theleader.info During July 1-21, 2,065 people arriving in Britain from Spain tested positive for Covid-19.

tests undertaken.

In the prior period from June 10 - 30, there were 358 positive results, from 39,563 tests.

Since July people who have had two vaccines have been allowed to visit amber list countries - without quarantining when they return to the UK. UK Ministers can alter Spain's amber traffic light status - and put it on the red list - if concerns increase.

However, the next review is due on 26 August and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has guaranteed he will not make any changes to the current list before then. imported from India.

The number of those tested has doubled.

A decision on whether to impose tighter restrictions on Spain at that point will be taken on the basis of the latest data analysed by the Joint Biosecurity Centre.

The test and trace figures show during July 1-21, the latest period for which numbers are available, 2,065 people arriving in Britain from Spain tested positive for coronovirus, out of 71,418

The red list is targeted at countries which are seen to pose a high risk of allowing dangerous new variants to spread through the UK, as happened with the Delta strain after it was

Even though the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is currently recommending that people should not be travelling to Spain the hotel sector has just enjoyed

If Spain was to enter the UK red list, visitors would have to isolate in hotels upon return for 10 days, at a cost of up to £2,250.

Friday price increase sees Electricity at an all-time high Unseasonable weather has compounded already bullish energy prices on the back of tight global gas fundamentals, with markets struggling to meet demand with supply.

Spain has been one of the hardest hit markets, with spot power prices in the country doubling since the start of the year.

On Friday, after registering a new historical maximum for the fifth consecutive day, the tariff will reach an average price of 117.29 euros per megawatt hour (MWh) , thus breaking the record

The data from Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport is also encouraging with 1,027 flights scheduled between Friday and Monday the 16th, so 160,000 tourists are expected to move through the terminal, with aircraft flying at 75% of their capacity.

José María Caballé, president of the Servigroup hotel chain is very optimistic, saying that “summer has seen a gradual improvement and I think that if on the 26 August the United Kingdom keeps us in amber or even moves us to green, it is possible that British tourists will return in September. However, things have already started to get better.”

Casa de Los Balcones put on the Heritage Red List of Shame

Heatwaves and below-average wind generation have combined with high fuel costs to send the price of electricity across Europe soaring.

The average daily price in July hit €93.50/MWh according to OMIE, three times higher than prices in the same month last year. The trend has continued in August, with seven of 11 sessions settling above €100/MWh and the last three sessions breaking the historical high consecutively.

it’s busiest weekend of the year with virtually all resort hotels recording occupancy of between 80 and 95%.

reached on Thursday of 115.83 euros per megawatt hour (MWh) and making the price in Spain the second highest across the whole of Europe. Last year at this time, the average price was 40 euros.

One Spanish trader said he expects prices to continue testing new highs as temperatures rise still further.

With privileged views of the Torrevieja Lagoon, the 18th century Casa de Los Balcones, one of the few remaining manor houses in the region, is in a dilapidated state and at risk of collapse.

Protected for its architectural interest in the General Plan, it has now been included on the Heritage Red List of Heritage Shame, as a result of its dilapidated state .

Its façade is propped up to prevent its collapse and even so, the collapse of elements is increasing, without a solution being offered to counter it’s decline.

This building has the dubious honor of being the first in Torrevieja to enter the list of shame drawn up by the Hispania Nostra Association, which is in charge of the Red List of Heritage, and which brings together those elements that are at risk of disappearance, destruction or essential alteration of their original state.

Since 2017, Urbanism has been attempting to expropriate the Casa de Los Balcones de Torrevieja due to the negligence of its owners

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Sewage back on the streets of Orihuela Costa I

its duty to take action and despite the major event in 2019, it was only at the end of 2020 that Orihuela Town Hall gave its approval for the plan.

Generally, this event occurs on a line between La Zenia Boulevard, which has added an enormous extra load to the system, and the treatment plant in Campoamor.

When will the government of Orihuela recognise that the never ending increase in the population of Orihuela Costa resulting from its constant approval of projects for new housing (and commercial centres) is putting an impossible strain on basic municipal services? Approval of new house building, as we know, is not accompanied by the investment and provision of necessary services to deal with the ever increasing population.

t is becoming a predictable, almost annual event and getting worse each time. The inadequate sewage system and the insufficient sewage treatment plant in Campoamor are incapable of dealing with the summer influx of population, a sewage pipe breaks or a pumping station cannot cope with the volume and the result is sewage in the streets of Orihuela Costa.

This time the breakage occurred on the roundabout of a central location near La Zenia Boulevard, creating a 3 metre deep hole, litres of filthy, smelly sewage coursing down the streets, heading for the beach and creating traffic chaos.

A barricade of sand prevented the wave of sewage actually reaching La Zenia beach as it did in 2019.

What are Orihuela Town Hall and the responsible authorities doing to prevent this third world situation repeating itself with such regularity? NOTHING! Four years ago, in 2017, 2018, a plan and a proposed investment of €6 million were approved by Valencia.

In December, 2018, Valencia reminded Orihuela Town Hall of

And, predictably the system collapsed dramatically again this week in August 2021.

That is why the streets are not cleaned and are full of uncollected rubbish, the so-called parks and gardens are neglected and overgrown with weeds and rubbish.

And on top of this, in a major threat to public health, because of inaction, the antiquated sewage system collapses with predictable regularity.

C.L.A.R.O. and its political partner Cambiemos Orihuela are determined that this shameful incident should serve as a trigger for remedying a situation which is a clear threat to public health.

Man dies trying to save his dog in Cabo Roig

A 57 year old man, understood to be on holiday from Murcia, was drowned on Tuesday morning after diving into the sea to save his dog.

The animal had slipped into to the water in Cabo Roig in Orihuela Costa.

An employee of a nautical sports company that is located in the port of Cabo Roig notified the emergency services at about 9am after seeing the man's body floating in the water.

The Local Police attended the scene, and although they were able to pull the body from the sea there were no signs of life. His body was

taken to the port of Cabo Roig, where a SAMU ambulance was waiting.

Paramedics then made their own attempts to resuscitate the man but they were not successful, and were only able to confirm his death.

The man attempted to rescue his pet when it fell into the sea, on a day that was especially windy and with high waves along much of the coast.

His body was transferred to the Murcia Forensic Centre where an autopsy will confirm whether he died from drowning or from falling onto the rocks.

Italy’s Carabinieri intercept parcel for the Pope containing 3 bullets The Carabinieri intercepted a letter addressed to Pope Francis on Monday that contained three bullets, according to sources.

Italian media said that the letter was intercepted at the Peschiera Borromeo postal sorting centre, in the province of Milan, and shortly afterwards

The breakage occurred on the roundabout near La Zenia Boulevard, creating a 3 metre deep hole

The dog, according to sources, was able to survive.

The Local Police and Ambumar continue to warn the public about the importance of respecting the red flag and denounced the behaviour of some bathers on Tuesday who ignored instructions from the lifeguards themselves.

Quite often, they say, responses to such orders are met with insults and scorn leaving the lifeguards powerless but still having to put their lives at risk when attempting a rescue.

the Carabinieri opened an investigation under the authorisation of the Milan deputy prosecutor.

According to the Corriere della Sera, the letter contained three 9-millimeter calibre bullets and a message about the latest case of financial corruption in the Vatican, which, a few days ago saw a hearing get underway in which several people and Cardinal Becciu were put on trial in $412m fraud case

Shoe sales drop 400m euro Lost sales in the footwear industry has cost 400 million euro reports the Ministry of Economy, with the sector's turnover decreasing by 27% in the wake of Covid-19.

"The first quarter of 2020 was billed well, but after the coronovirus confinement everything went wrong, due to the closure of shops and interruption of social life.

"All sectors, linked in one way or another to fashion, have been having a very bad time, due to the suspension of events - and even personal relationships.

"The better positioned brands have noticed it less - but in general, we have been going through a very difficult time," said President of the Federation of Spanish Footwear Industry (Fice) and Valencian Association of Footwear Entrepreneurs (Avecal), Marián Cano.

POETRY DEATH IN THE AFTERNOON by Ángel González Of the hundreds of deaths that inhabit me, this one today bleeds the least.

It’s the death that comes with the afternoons, when the pale shadows grow longer, and contours collapse and the mountains show themselves.

Then someone passes hawking his merchandise under my window, where I lean out to see those streetlamps that are still unlit.

CORNER Shadows cross the ashes of the streets without leaving tracks, men that pass who do not come to me and do not stay with their lonely soul on their backs.

The daylight escapes toward the west.

The night air comes in before time, and a bitter, confused fear, almost pain, hardly hope, reaches me.

Everything that tied me to life becomes untied, becomes distance, goes farther off, disappears at last, and I’m a dead man, …and no one raises me.

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87-year-old woman beaten up in bag-snatch The Civil Guard has arrested a man in Murcia as the alleged perpetrator of the brutal robbery of an 87-year-old woman in the Alicante town of Callosa de Segura.

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British conman fights extradition to Cartagena Mark Acklom is fighting extradition from inside his UK prison cell

The man followed her for 700-metres after he saw her withdraw 6,000 euros in cash from a bank.

Mark Acklom was once listed as Britain’s most notorious conmen until, in 2019 he was arrested in Spain and extradited to the UK.

In a street with no-one around he tried to snatch her bag, but when she put up a he reacted by pushing her violently.

There, the serial fraudster was given a 5 year 8 month prison sentence for a romance scam, but when he is freed, as expected, in a fortnight Acklom will have served barely a third of his sentence.

The suspect is a 38-year-old man, of Colombian nationality, who has

since been charged with a crime of robbery with violence and intimidation and another of documentary falsification.

The robbery took place on 27 July after the victim, an 87-year-old woman, took 6,000 euros from a bank located in the town centre of Callosa de Segura.

Following the transaction, she had coffee with her granddaughter and a friend, after which she slowly walked home. Moments before entering her house, she was approached by a man who distracted her with the intention of stealing her bag. When the victim realized what was happening, there was a struggle during which she was pushed to the ground, incurring several injuries.

As a result of the fall, the woman had to be treated in the hospital for a right frontal contusion and post-traumatic neck pain. The man fled from the scene with the 6,000 euros.

Investigators found that the man had driven into Callosa in a vehicle, which a week later, while patrolling the area, they saw again. After following him for several kilometres, he was finally arrested in Murcia.

It was confirmed that the man used false identities and documentation, posing as a citizen of eight different South American countries and holding identities for each. The man is currently in a Murcia prison awaiting trial.

However Mr Acklom is not at all pleased at the prospect of his release and is currently refusing to leave his cell. It would seem that when he does so an extradition process will be served on him once again, this time from whence he came, Spain.

He was previously jailed in Cartagena, for defrauding two brothers who he conned into paying him deposits on flats he claimed to own in London.

Halfway through his Spanish sentence he appealed and was given temporary release, but fled to Switzerland, taking advantage of open borders and changing his name by deed poll to get new passports. He still has 18 months to serve.

Over the years Acklom has been jailed five times for deception in Spain, once in the UK for forging medical prescriptions and previously in Switzerland for fraud.

Having followed a 32 year profession of fraud, Acklam’s criminal career began as a 16-year-old public schoolboy when he was imprisoned for stealing his father's gold credit card.

It could well end in just a few weeks time when he enters the gates of the Centro Penitenciario Murcia where he is expected to see out the remainder of his jail time in Spain.

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By Linda Bentley

ACTIVITIES FOR ALL THE FAMILY IN TORREVIEJA Naufragos.

As well as the Promenade there is a long walkway that juts out with the sea on one side and the Marina on the other. The Marina has several bars, and it is lovely to sit watching the boats bobbing on the water.

At the start of the Promenade is the Paseo de Libertad craft market. Here there is a whole street filled with stalls offering all sorts of different crafts, jewellery, leather bags, phone cases, clothes, souvenirs and so much more. There are only a few stalls open in the day as most open in the evening.

Close to here is the fair with the usual buzz and

El Paseo Juan Aparicio Torrevieja is on our doorstep, but have we explored it fully but do we know of all the activities that are on offer?

ly event, an international contest called the Habaneras and Polyphony International Contest.

Around 20 choirs enter each year.

Did you know there is a Submarine in the port area, which you are able to visit and explore, and experience that feeling of cramped conditions that sailors on these crafts had to endure. There are also a couple boats you can go aboard. One being an Albatross III patrol boat and the other is the Pascual Flores Schooner which is a Floating Museum although at the moment it is on a European tour, so not in Torrevieja Port.

Further along is the Sociedad Cultural Casino building, an impressive structure that stands out from its surroundings. It was built in 1896 in an almost colonial style. It has impressive and ornate posts and arches on the outside, housing what is now a café. Inside is old decadence done in a beautiful way. What once was the ballroom is now part of the café. There is an Arab room reminisce of the Alhambra and visitors can look around this room. It is a private club and members even pay monthly for a seat by the window so they can sit and watch the world go by at their leisure.

There are boat trips, one being to the Isle of Tabarca, a little Island just out to sea.

Alongside the port there are a couple of sculptures which pay homage to Torrevieja’s place in musical history.

There are 5 quirky statues making up a band, each playing a musical instrument.

Art exhibitions and other cultural activities are held here throughout the year.

There is a small quaint Sea Salt Museum which explains the history of excavating the salt from the lakes. We can see the salt piles from the N332 coming into Torrevieja from the south and north near Santa Pola, where there are plenty of salt lakes with hundreds of Flamingos living there.

cocks. It is a very pretty and colourful place with all its different plants.

At one end is a children’s playground with a delightful huge dragon slide along with swings and the usual play equipment.

Torrevieja has its own Water Park Aquopolis, open June to September with so many different slides, rides, and pools to suit all ages, a great day to be had by all.

Going south on the N332 about 3k is a karting track, they accommodate a range of ages and now they even have a Go Fly which simulates sky diving, a must if you want to try something different.

The population of Torrevieja is around 85,000 and this number over the last few years has been decreasing due to the recession. Within the foreigners’ the British have the most inhabitants which is around 13,000.

In the summer this number increases enormously to 400,000, an incredible increase. We have seen an upturn this year but due to Covid the numbers are not going to be anywhere that.

But whatever you do - have fun.

The Paseo de Libertad craft market

The Salt Train provides guided tours

rides, suitable for children and adults alike.

Shopping in the town can be good as lots of small boutique shops if you are wanting something a little different.

There is a lovely park to spend time having a picnic, the Garden of Nations. It has a lake in the shape of Europe and all the European flags are flying. There are many ducks, geese, chickens running about and even have a few beautiful peaBeautiful beaches galore

Torrevieja’s world class marina

Torrevieja has plenty of beaches, Los Naufragos being one of them, a blue flag beach, it is a long and wide beach with palm trees and a children’s small water park at the far end out in the sea.

There is also Cala Cura a sweeping bay backed with a promenade with plenty of cafes and shops.

Celebrating Torrevieja’s musical heritage Further along there is the sculpture paying homage to the Habaneras.

Torrevieja has a history of music ranging back to when it had a great amount of commerce with Cuba, and the sailors used to come back singing Cuban songs. The name Habaneras derives from the capital of Cuba. Havana and Habaneras has been associated with Torrevieja ever since.

In 1955 the first official contest of the Habaneras Choir Competition took place. Now this is a year-

The Promenade of Torrevieja is usually a busy place with many residents and tourists alike enjoying a lazy stroll in the sun or the evening breeze.

Woman of the sea

Here there are plenty of restaurants to grab a bite to eat or just to sit with a drink.

Also, there’s lots of seating just by the water to chill and read a book or just listen to the waves.

You can venture onto the rocks and go for a swim.

There are ladders into the water making it easy to do this. Or just a little further along there are even more beaches to choose from, 20kms of coastline from La Mata, Los Locos, El Cura, to Los

Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepcion

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Twenty Orihuela Costa Associations demand meeting with mayor “The politicians are ignoring us”. “We are fed up, and people are very angry”.

Local residents have come together to demand that local government resolves the "serious deficiencies" in cleaning and services on the coast while demanding a meeting with Bascuñana.

They do not rule out an even bigger proest if their demands are not met.

“The politicians are ignoring us”. “We are fed up, and people are very angry”.

These are the feelings of the neighborhood groups in Orihuela Costa because of the " serious deficiencies " in services and infrastructure, especially in terms of street cleaning that, they say, “is far worse than it has been during any other summer.”

For the first time, the twenty different groups and associations of Orihuela Costa have come together, and in a letter delivered to the City Council they detail the deficiencies that are currently being suffered by the many different urbanisations as they also demand a meeting with the mayor, Emilio Bascuñana, who they say should now intervene "to prevent the services in the coast Coast from declining even further.”

However, despite an entry registration stamp in the town hall office on 4 August, the mayor said that he hadn’t yet had sight of the letter, and that he will respond once it arrives on his desk.

The letter is signed by twenty groups, each

requesting the urgent action to be undertaken by the local council, comprised of the PP and Cs. The requests are divided into two groups, shortterm priority (to be carried out before November 1) and those that can be completed in the medium term (before summer 2022).

Among the first group, waste collection and street cleaning tops the list. The residents demand the repair or replacement of the old dustbins and their regular washing, an increase in sweeping, the cleaning of streets and the increase in trucks and staff for the collection of garden and household waste that piles up on the streets for days and even weeks, which portrays an undesirable image in the middle of the tourist season. They also criticise the competence also of the responsible councillor, Dámaso Aparicio.

As for the infrastructure, responsibility of Cs councillor Ángel Noguera, the Orihuela Costa groups complain about the lack of pruning of palm trees and their clearing, and the lack of maintenance of the parks.

They also focus on the deplorable state of several roads along the Oriolano coastline, for which reason they ask for plan to be produced showing deficiencies in asphalt and broken paving, as well as another that highlights the deficiencies in road signaling and lighting.

"There is a lack of effort and control on the part of the City Council, and the patching that they do carry out on the roads lasts, at most, four or five months, the repairs are done late and badly," complains Óscar Garrido, from the Villamartín Neighborhood Association.

where there are 30,000 people registered and whose population triples in summer, warn that they are willing to repeat the protest carried out recently and that, this time, it will be far bigger.

"We are not going to sit idly by," they point out.”

There are sinkholes in walkways, and landslides have not been fixed for months, two years in the case of La Caleta. The City Council announced that it had begun a geotechnical study on the instability of the lands of the Coast but is still to report its conclusions. "People are very angry because the City Council ignores us, but the anger amongst residents is growing and, unless action is taken to address our complaints, it will finally erupt," says Tomás Moreno.

Another demand is addressed to the councillor for Security, Antonio Sánchez, a request for police reinforcements to improve police control in order to stop vandalism and illegal dumping of pruning and belongings in the area. "Uncivil behaviour is rife because it is not sanctioned," complains Moreno.

"We are tired and bored of always putting up with the same talk and promises, without anything being done," says Óscar Garrido.

Therefore, the residents of the Oriolana coast,

Pizza delivery driver left unconscious in Torrevieja

They also ask the implementation of "urgent measures" to reduce the danger of pedestrian traffic on the bridge over the AP-7, for attention to the parks, the maintenance of which leaves much to be desired, and the footbaths on the beaches, which do not all work properly. the vehicle.

Witness statements have been provided to the police, which included the vehicle registration.

Food poisoning outbreak in La Manga’s Doblemar Hotel affects 79 people A stomach virus, emanating from the hotel kitchen, that affected the patrons of the Doblemar Hotel in La Manga del Mar Menor has now infected 79 people.

A pizza delivery motorbike employee was knocked off his bike by a car and left unconscious in Torrevieja.

The incident occurred on Desiderio Rodríguez Avenue in Torrevieja during an evening delivery service. Eyewitnesses said the culprit fled after the accident.

An emergency Ambulance attended the scene where the victim was stabilised and transferred to Torrevieja University Hospital.

Ongoing investigations are taking place in a bid to track down the driver of the car.

Reports state at least 2 people were travelling in

Almost all are suffering from the effects of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, thought to be derived from a norovirus that has added 13 new casualties in recent days.

The information was provided by Murcia’s Health Minister, Juan José Pedreño , in an appearance this Monday following the Covid Committee meeting.

The virus itself "is not serious", said Pedreño, who added that the hotel kitchen remains closed.

Although the majority of tourists affected by this food poisoning are only suffering from mild symptoms, some guests did have to be transferred to the hospital.

The Ministry is in permanent contact with the hotel and is monitoring all new cases.

PAGE 10

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Protecting ‘the truth in the news’.

T

here was a time when a person being caught out in a lie would at the very least feel embarrassed. Then if a politician or someone in authority was found to be a liar, it was a resigning matter.

Not so any more, dear readers. There is neither shame nor stigma attached to spreading false doctrines in today’s world. The liar reacts by replacing his lie with an even bigger one.

‘Alternative facts’ or ‘the real truth’ they will call it.

The ‘far right’ and conspiracy theorists have perfected the art of lying to new levels. Actually, they haven’t perfected it at all: They just tell the lie often enough and hope that some of it will stick. Occasionally, as in the case of Dick Farrel, A US radio host, the lie boomerangs and justice appears to have been served. Mr Farrel called the Covid pandemic a hoax, his right-wing radio broadcasts urged listeners not to accept the vaccine or wear a mask. He labelled Doctor Fauci, who is regarded as the world’s foremost medical scientist and immunologist, as an “ego tripping lying freak”. Mr Farrel did finally admit to being wrong - a couple of days before he died from Covid last week.

We don’t have to go to America to find crazy misinformation. Some Irish genius is claiming that climate change will actually benefit Ireland. The fact that if the Gulf Stream collapses, Dublin will have the same climate as

Monday 16th - Sunday 22nd August, 2021

Toronto is lost on this genius.

Fact checkers have counted the many thousands of lies told by Donald Trump. His motto is ‘tell the big lie often enough, loud enough, and to as many as you can and it will be believed.

Even Boris Johnston followers will admit that he is ‘economical with the truth’. Although this trait got him fired from his job as a journalist, it proved to have been a huge advantage in getting Britain out of the EU and getting the bould Boris elected as prime minister.

Back in the day, ‘The Irish Independent’ was regarded as a Fine Gael newspaper with ‘The Irish Press’ representing Fianna Fail. This was true, but to the eternal credit of both newspapers this rarely impinged on the integrity of good journalists. The opposite is the case in America at the present time and it has gotten to the stage where Americans don’t want unbiased news.

Those who support Trump and the far right, tune into ‘Fox News’ and similar online ‘alternative fact’ platforms.

Those who believe in Joe Biden watch only CNN. The parallels with Trump and Hitler’s Germany are frightening.

Our news coverage in Ireland stands the test and our investigative reporting continues to do the ‘State some service’. The same can be said in favour of the BBC. But we wouldn’t want to become complacent with regard to the infiltration of far-right conspiracy theorists. There are small very active groups beavering away to undermine our democracy.

Any yahoo can post what he likes on

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social media. The movement is brilliantly clever, always lacing the lies with a few facts. I saw one claim recently, which seemed to make a reasonable case that the vaccine is spreading Covid!

What people need to do when you read stuff like this is go back and look for the facts. Letters are sent into papers from strategically planted ‘ordinary people with ordinary names’ with what often appears to be a plausible counter argument. Sometime such a letter will quote a source to add authenticity to their argument – but most often the quote turns out to be by another yahoo.

Let us quickly recognise that free speech is a fundamental right and the last right we should ever want to lose.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion … but not to their own facts! Some of the most ludicrous far-right lies are sown on social media and spread through ‘online mobbing’.

It is suspected that foreign interests and foreign money plays a part in this type of propaganda. Then a few people start to question the findings of the scientists and before too long someone in a respectable newspaper is giving a platform to a ridiculous theory.

Back to the news and more importantly, ‘the truth in the news’. We have praised our mainstream news outlets, but they need to be more vigilant. A lot of what passes for news nowadays is actually opinions.

Opinion journalism is now commanding a greater proportion of newspapers than hard-nosed reporting and factual news.

This is what happened in America until the people developed such a lazy brain

that they could not be bothered dissecting fact from fiction. Populous cult figures love this. Please God it will never come to this in my country.

Yes, Lads, I know this column is only an opinion!

DON’T FORGET It is easier to believe a lie that one has heard a thousand times, than to believe a fact that no one has heard before.

Bernie.comaskey@gmail.com *Author, entrepreneur and newspaper columnist, Bernie Comaskey, now spends most of his time on a farm in Ireland; but he retains his strong links with the Costa Blanca.

Bernie has published four books; ‘If Ever a Man Suffered’, ‘The Best of Bernie’, ‘The Team’, and ‘Just Between Ourselves’. Bernie’s books are available at half price, on sale from either Spanish Solutions or ‘The Leader.’ Call 637 227 385 for info.

GARDEN FELIX ....... Anemone beautiful poppy-like flowers fluttering in the breeze Anemone are perennials with beautiful poppylike flowers that flutter in the breeze in colours, ranging from bluish violet, white, pink, red, and hues in a range between violet and pink.

cing them in a bottomless container.

There is no true blue anemone colour. They have lots of low-clumping foliage that you can grow anywhere.

Spring flowering anemone plants will generally grow from rhizomes or tubers.

Cut flowers for a vase or bouquet. It's best to harvest the flowers early in the morning, while the bloom is still closed.

Flowers open up in room temperature, out of direct sunlight.

They will thrive in light to partial shade, tolerating full sun, as long as there's sufficient moisture in the ground.

Caution should be taken with respect to their location, as their habit of spreading can become invasive.

When planting you may want to consider pla-

There are several types of Anemones available in autumn, winter and spring, with their best season by far being in spring.

Autumn and winter flowering types usually have fibrous or tuberous roots. Before planting, soak tubers overnight and place them in moist, rich soil, avoiding overly-wet conditions.

Plant 3-4 inch deep, on their sides, and space them 4-6 inch apart. Flowering will appear three months after planting.

Planting in autumn will flower in early spring and continue flowering steadily for eight to 10 weeks; winter-planted anemones will flower mid-spring, continuing up to six weeks.

Once established, care of anemone consists of watering as required; remove old foliage, cutting

back to the ground, prior to new growth.

Clumps of rhizomes can be divided every 2-3 years in spring-time.

Tuberous types are best separated during their dormant period in summer.

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This week I’ve decided to take you on a trip throughout the decades to check out what happened this week in music.

1959 - American jazz trumpeter Miles Davis released ‘Kind of Blue’ which is regarded by many critics as Jazz's greatest record, Davis's masterpiece, and one of the best albums of all time.

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Alden. He died of heart failure at the age of 42.

1992 - Sting and Trudie Styler held their wedding reception, (the couple married on 20th August 1992), after The Troggs had played a set, all three members of The Police got on stage and played a couple of numbers.

1961 - Patsy Cline recorded the classic Willie Nelson song, ‘Crazy’. She was still on crutches after going through a car windshield in a head-on collision two months earlier and had difficulty reaching the high notes of the song at first due to her broken ribs.

2003 - Madame Tussauds in London opened an interactive Pop Idol display with a speaking waxwork of judge Simon Cowell. The waxwork made comments such as: 'That was extraordinary. Unfortunately extraordinarily bad.' 'Do you really think that you could become a Pop Idol' Well then you're deaf.' 'Thank you. Goodbye and That was the worst performance I've ever seen.'

1964 - Glasgow council in Scotland announced that all boys and men with Beatle styled haircuts would have to wear bathing caps after a committee was told that hair from 'Beatle-cuts' was clogging the pools filters.

2005 - A life-size bronze statue designed by Paul

1975 - Peter Gabriel announced that he was leaving Genesis. The group auditioned more than 400 singers during the next 18 months before deciding that Phil Collins, who had been the drummer for Genesis since 1970, could front the band.

1977 - Elvis Presley was found dead lying on the floor in his bathroom by his girlfriend Ginger

Summer Cinema returns to Orihuela, coast and districts.

“At the Summer Cinema, families are able to come together to spend a night in the fresh air and enjoy the films in a pleasant atmosphere. Each open-air cinema night will feature two films, one for children and the other for the family audience, and popcorn will also be distributed among those attending”, explained Mar Ezcurra.

Two programmes have already been held in the Torremendo

district and the Montepinar urbanization in Orihuela.

The Punta Prima urbanisation, in Orihuela Costa, will have a double film session tonight, Monday, August 16 with " Doctor Doolitle" and "Shazam". On Tuesday August 17 the cinema will move to La Murada and on Wednesday August 18 La Aparecida with the films "The Addams Family" and "Good Boys" will be the venue.

2002 - Atomic Kitten were facing legal action after sacking Andy McCluskey, the songwriter who wrote the bands first No.1 'Whole Again.' The band were about to be dropped by Innocent records when they recorded the song that became a huge hit.

The girls then wanted a bigger share of royalties, which McCluskey had turned down.

Under the original deal each girl got 4p from the sale of one single.

1962 - Ringo Starr made his debut with The Beatles at the horticultural society Dance, Birkenhead, England, having had a two-hour rehearsal in preparation. This was the first appearance of The Beatles as the world would come to know them: John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

A new edition of the Summer Cinema in Orihuela was announced last week by the Councillor for Culture, an activity that started on Thursday 12 to Friday 20 August in the city, districts and the coast.

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On Thursday August 19 it will be the turn of San Bartolomé and the Summer Cinema cycle will close on Friday, August 20 at the Gabriel Miró roundabout in Orihuela with “La oveja Spam”and “Joker ”.

The films "are all of a family nature and for all audiences, including children and youths."

All sessions will begin at 9:30 p.m., are free and all necessary sanitary measures will be applied.

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Daly of Phil Lynott was unveiled on Harry Street in Dublin. The ceremony was attended by his former Thin Lizzy band members Gary Moore, Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham.

2007 - A fan of the 1980’s pop band Wham! was silenced after becoming the first noise nuisance to be prosecuted by Newcastle city council's night watch team. Brian Turner had tormented neighbours by playing their hit song 'Last Christmas' all night at full volume from 1am onwards.

Magistrates fined Turner, of Sandyford, Newcastle-uponTyne, £200 and ordered him to pay £215 costs.

2014 - Ed Sheeran's album X notched up eight weeks at No.1 on the UK chart, becoming the joint longest chart-topper by a male solo artist.

The last man to achieve the feat was James Blunt for his 2005 collection Back to Bedlam.

Have a great week.

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CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

QUICKIE CROSSWORD

ANSWERS Week 879

ACROSS 6.

Obtain (7)

7.

Milk container (5)

9.

Courageous (5)

10.

25% (7)

12.

Fraternity (11)

14.

Face (11)

18.

With an oblique glance (7)

19.

Disease (5)

21.

22.

Leg joint (5) Blot out (7)

CAN YOU MASTER THE SUDOKU CHALLENGE? Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9.

Solution on Page 23

DOWN 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

8.

11.

13.

15.

16.

17.

20.

Contempt (5) Tremble (6) Anger (3) Place of worship (6) Liberty (7) Burial ceremony (7) Extend (7) Agreement (7) Almost (6) Coterie (6) Breathing organs (5) Chopper (3)

QUICK ACROSS: 1 Department; 7 Adorn; 8 Amusing; 10 Question; 11 Gown; 13 Ensure; 15 Career; 17 Ague; 18 Vigorous; 21 Effendi; 22 Aloft; 23 Centigrade.

DOWN: 1 Drone; 2 Puncture; 3 Reason; 4 Maul; 5 Noisome; 6 Masquerade; 9 Generosity; 12 Panorama; 14 Scuffle; 16 Liking; 19 Ozone; 20 Gnat.

CRYPTIC CRYPTIC Across: 1 Play around; 7 Torch; 8 Distaff; 10 Leavened; 11 Palm; 13 Maples; 15 No-ball; 17 To-do; 18 Transept; 21 Salient; 22 Table; 23 Freeloader.

DOWN: 1 Parma; 2 Athletes; 3 Addled; 4 Ouse; 5 Niagara; 6 Stalemates; 9 Family tree; 12 Connoted; 14 Peddler; 16 Grotto; 19 Ember; 20 Mere.

ACROSS 6.

Eroding badly, being neglected (7)

7.

Bat I'm using to get boundary (5)

9.

List of digits? (5)

10. Having been cut, adheres badly (7) 12. My true story about an excursion (7,4) 14. A little dance by Chopin? (6,5) 18. Late examination (7) 19. Fight a dealer in stolen goods (5) 21. Man flying kite on top of hill (5) 22. The remainder live around the bend (7)

L EA D E R T R I V I A Q U I Z 1.The working title to which 1965 film, dedicated to the inventor of the sewing machine Elias Howe, was 'Eight Arms to Hold You'?

2. Which fictional monster read classics like John Milton's 'Paradise Lost'?

3. According to legend, what do Lisbon, Edinburgh, Rome and Sheffield all have in common?

4. Which of the following means "A surgical sponge left within a patient after an operation"? a. Slubberdegullion, b. Vaccimulgence, c. Tumburumba, d.

Gossypiboma 5. What do Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the Chicago gangster born Lester J. Gillis have in common?

6. How did Lawrence of Arabia die?

7. The following songs are found in which musicals? a. The Money Song, b.

Sunrise, Sunset, c. Der Guetan Tag Hop Clop, d. Then You May Take Me To The Fair, e. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face, f. There's No Business Like Show Business, g. Good Morning Sunshine 8. In which country is the 'Chrysanthemum Throne'?

9. The names of which beloved fictional mother and son create a macropod animal when joined together?

10. The following words are from songs with the name or names of real historical figures in the song title. Can you name the song? a. She's ferocious and she knows just what it takes, b. This world was never meant for one as beau-

DOWN 1. A man is representative (5) 2. Deciphering my code can produce an amusing spectacle (6) 3. Man of knowledge (3) 4. A politician has to do something to make an impression (6) 5. It's horrible to conceal love for us (7) 8. Sort of underwear for man joining the Marines (7) 11. Non-believer at robbery (7) 13. Records lasting less than an hour? (7) 15. Say you boast about submarines (1-5) 16. The South is the subject of a dissertation (6) 17. Boy finding science unfashionable (5) 20. Established group? (3)

( A n s we r s o n p a g e 2 3 ) tiful as you, c.Were pretty looking people but I can tell you they were the devil's children, d. It was business as usual in police room 619, e. With silver hair, a ragged shirt and baggy pants, f. Wouldn't have a Willy or a Sam 11. Snoopy, the dog in Peanuts, imagined his doghouse was which aeroplane?

12. Which American body builder, famous for playing Hercules, was the highest paid actor in Europe in the late 1950s and early 1960s?

13. Although he changed his name to Toby when he reached America, what was the real name of the most famous member of the Mandinka tribe in literature and television?

14. In the 1965 film 'The Agony and the Ecstasy', which famous actor plays the role of a. Michelangelo, b. Pope Julius II 15. Which Japanese battle cry translated means 'ten thousand years'?

16. Which creature was created by the chief rabbi of Prague in the late 16th century?

17. Which Norwegian name is a synonym for 'traitor'?

18. What is the Finnish name for Finland?

19. The Gettysburg Address begins with the words "Four score and seven years ago". In which year did Lincoln deliver this speech?

20. A Latin word for crossroads which is insignificant and little known? Six letters

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Torrevieja street cleaning under fire

BUTT OUT! Quote: 'Petition by 283,000 calling on Spain to ban smoking at all its beaches'

By Andrew Atkinson Cigarette butt filters are awash on beaches up and down the Costa Blanca and Costa Calida coastline.

With tens of thousands of holidaymakers arriving for the summer season, volunteers have been active in cleaning up left behind cigarette butts.

On Jesuit beach Torre de la Horadada in Pilar de la Horadada a plethora of cigarette butts were cleared.

Cigarette butts pollution is a concern for the environment by nicotine, tar, arsenic, cadmium, copper, nickel and other elements.

Despite chiringuitos - beach huts - having cone ashtrays available some smokers choices are to continue to bury cigarette stubbs in the sand; or just throw down.

Cala Capitan in Cabo Roig is also reported to have problems on the beaches, said to be 'full of butts'.

Moncayo beach in Guardamar is also suffering the pollution of discarded cigarette butts, just one of many beaches affected.

A petition signed by more than 283,000 people calling on Spain to ban smoking at all its beaches was delivered to the Environment Minister in May.

Torrevieja Council continue unabated with cleansing of the city's streets, but residents maintain that there are areas that remain untouched.

"There are kilos of rubbish around the flamingo roundabout. I was walking the other day to see the area is awash with trash. A shame," said Pilar Nicolàs Gàlvez.

For more than two years the organisation No Fumadores (No Smokers) has been gathering signatures aimed at transforming Spain’s 3,084 miles (4,964km) of coastline into areas free of cigarette smoke and discarded cigarette butts.

The petition, delivered to the minister Teresa Ribera, called on the government to introduce national legislation on the issue, said Raquel Fernández Megina of No Fumadores.

"The hundreds of thousands of signatures gathered send the message that we can’t wait any longer," she said.

Barcelona banned smoking on four of its beaches to protect beachgoers from the effects of 'passive smoking' while also curbing the ubiquitous cigarette butts that litter many of the country’s beaches, said Fernández Megina.

PAGE 15

The council have been criticised this year, despite a plethora of areas being cleaned up, along with the defumigation spraying following an outbreak of mosquitoes.

Calle’s San Pascual, Mar Baltico, Stockholm, Finlandia, Goleta and Avda Habaneras are amongst latest areas cleansed.

NET GAIN: cigarette butts removed from Jesuit beach Torre de la Horadada.

Their harms have been widely documented by scientists; prompting warnings that nicotine, heavy metals and benzene contained in cigarette ends may leach out, contaminating soil and aquatic environments, and that filters represent a serious ingestion and entanglement risk to marine wildlife.

Some 475 beaches in Spain have already been declared smoke free, according to the organisation.

No Fumadores’ campaign came ahead of Spain’s tourism getting back on track following the 'lost summer season' in 2020, due to the coronovirus pandemic.

An 2018 analysis released by the European Environment Agency suggested cigarette butts and filters were among the most commonly found items on Europe’s beaches.

Barcelona is not the first place in Spain to outlaw smoking on the beach. The first was Baiona in the north-west region of Galicia. Altogether, 115 of Spain's 3,514 beaches are smoke-free.

Torrevieja resident Iratxe Vaquero González said: "What about cleaning Toretta Florida urbanization. It's all disgusting."

Blue Shark beached in Benidorm An two and a half metre blue shark came ashore at Poniente beach in Benidorm on August 12 that left beachgoers looking on in amazement.

Following the alert Policia Local attended the scene and cordoned off a section of the beach.

A Policia helicopter, dinghy and drones observed the blue shark as crowds emerged.

Personnel from Valencia’s Oceanographic centre aided it back into deeper waters.

The shark was first spotted on August 11 close to shore after becoming disorientated and in distress, thrashing about in the Mediterranean sea.

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The following herbs work to relax constricted airways, and help your lungs expel all that clogging mucus: grindelia, coltsfoot, mullein, marshmallow, thyme and hyssop.

Make up a tea from one or more of these, dried - a teaspoon infused for ten minutes in a cup of boiling water - and drink it regularly.

A viral respiratory infection often signals the first onset of asthma, and any subsequent infection will make it much worse. Keep your immune defences in place.

A BAD WHEEZE If you’re one of the growing millions of asthmatics, life is a struggle.

One of the best immunity-boosting herbs is echinacea: look for a quality product, and take courses of it at cold, damp times of the year when you are most susceptible.

Ashwaganda is another great calming tonic; take a course of it before winter.

You can make it a lot easier if you add a handful of helpful herbs to your coping strategies.

Elderflower is useful for fighting off infections, too. Use a good teaspoon of the dried flowers to a cupful of boiling water, infused for five to ten minutes, then drunk two to three times a day, the last time in bed at night.

Today's rocketing figures for asthma may be due to the ever-increasing numbers of polluting chemicals in our homes.

Elderberries have antiviral clout: in one study, an extract of elderberry helped subjects see off the flu virus fast - 90% within two to three days. Keep a bottle handy and start taking it at the first shiver of a cold or flu.

Top of the suspects in a study published in the journal Thorax were disinfectant, bleach, aerosols and air fresheners. And don't forget the thousands more in processed foods, drinks, toiletries, laundry products, cosmetics and perfumes.

Asthma can also be caused by food sensitivities, so keep a diet diary to help you match certain foods or drinks to asthmatic episodes.

Around 75% of childhood asthma, and up to 20% of adult cases, are allergy related. Did you know that the common nettle is one of the most effective antihistamines around?

The common nettle is one of the most effective antihistamines around

Inhale an essential oil and it goes straight to your lungs: even applied to your skin, it will be excreted via your lungs. So essential oils can be key players in the asthma field, and a lovely soothing massage by a trained aromatherapist could be a very therapeutic treat.

Here s an idea for you ..........

If wheezing makes it hard to get to sleep, or wakes you up during the night, try a bedtime chest rub. Add 10 drops of lavender oil to a tablespoonful of almond or olive oil, and stroke it into your chest. Lavender is a muscle relaxant so your airways won't seize up while you're sleeping, and it's so calming it will help you sleep.

Three especially helpful oils are benzoin, which is warming, antiseptic and helps thin and expel mucus; frankincense, which deepens and slows the breathing to calm you down; and tranquillising, relaxing lavender. Pine and thyme are other great choices for lung problems.

It's not advisable to use them in a steam inhalation as the heat may make matters worse, but you can use them in a burner next to your desk or your favourite armchair, or inhale them from a hanky.

The French aromatherapist Dr Jean Valnet formulated a special mix of lung-friendly oils including pine, thyme, rosemary and lavender; you can spray this around your bed to help keep night-time wheezes at bay, use it in a burner beside your desk, or simply inhale it three to four times a day from a hanky.

Before you explore any other form of self-help, go green in your home, your kitchen and at table. Then see what herbs can do for you. If possible, consult a professional herbalist, who will work to help you reduce your dependence on your ventilator.

To be asthmatic is to be stressed, and oats can help break the vicious cycle of stress triggering attacks which in turn pile on more stress. A tincture of the fresh whole green oat plant has helped numbers of people come off tranquillisers — a notoriously tough addiction to break.

Keep a diet diary to help you match certain foods or drinks to asthmatic episodes

When they're young and fresh, add nettle leaves to soups or steam them with other greens. Later in the year, drink nettle tea: it tastes a bit bland and boring, so liven it up with a little peppermint, which will help thin the mucus in your lungs. If you're seriously bored by herbal teas, order a nettle tincture from a reliable supplier and follow the dosage directions they suggest.

Oats are often combined with passionflower, another great calmer of fraught nerves. Hops, lemon balm, chamomile, skullcap, limeflowers and valerian are other mood-lifting, relaxing or sedative herbs, and health-food stores will have a wide range of these, singly or in combination, to choose from. Or drink them as simple teas.

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STANDING ROOM ONLY I

was almost trampled under hoof by a milkman's horse this morning as I walked along a road in my hometown. At such moments of high danger -- it was a high horse -- your whole life is said to flash before your eyes, and it certainly took me back to earlier times of doorstep milk deliveries by a horse and cart. I was the one making the deliveries -- in those days I was healthy as a horse, and almost as smart.

There is a tendency among those who survive a life-threatening event to overstate the danger they were in, and the milkman in this morning's harrowing near-death experience certainly glowered at me in a ferocious manner. A bit rich, I felt, coming from an almost hit-and-run, or hit-andgallop-away, driver. He made some remarks about sticking to the pavement. Me, I think he meant.

My only reply was to glance meaningfully at the almost deserted landscape stretching in all directions at that early hour of the day. Served him right for putting the horse before the cart, my look clearly said.

The trouble is, people are unaccustomed to busy

roads, because cars, like people, mainly stay at home now. And those who venture out have started to drive erratically, almost as if looking for other cars to joust with. The alluring frisson of potential peril is absent when there is little or no chance of a mudguard scrape, a wing-mirror collision, a fender-bender, a prang, a bump, a shunt or crump or sideswipe involving another vehicle.

Tourism invests 3.5 million euros to upgrade beach services

streets would have seemed almost like a blessing, even if a heavily disguised (and slightly illegal) one.

You were probably good citizens and stayed indoors, but I was out there, where it was fairly desolate, take my word for it.

And that comes straight from the horse's mouth.

Initially, there was a not-unpleasant novelty about empty streets and boarded-up shops, as if we were living in a frontier town in the Old West, where any moment some tumbleweed might appear out of nowhere and blow along the boardwalk, getting tangled up in the wheels of a buckboard en route to Boot Hill. Or the milk depot.

Turisme Comunitat Valenciana has allocated 3.5 million euros to guarantee the level of quality on the beaches in the three provinces following their investment of close to 10 million euros made last year to repair beach facilities affected by storm Gloria.

A spokesman for the department said that work is being carried out on the maintenance and conservation of sanitary hygienic equipment, as well as in recreational-sports areas, bio-healthy areas or games for different age groups.

The maintenance investment amounts to 2.2 million euros, excluding VAT, in two annual instalments: 2021 with about 1.2 million euros and 2022 with an estimated investment of about one million euros. The global investment is estimated at 2.2 million euros.

Similarly, 40 structural networks will be supplied and installed on beaches in the Valencian Community costing 600,000 euros plus VAT, while the installation of an additional 12 Accessible Bathing Areas will cost 288,000 euros plus VAT.

(I could be the Marshal of Neighbourhood Watch.

Or would that be too much like a non-swimmer working as a lifeguard?)

But soon the gilt wore off the gingerbread. It wasn't tumbleweed rolling through town, it was almost empty buses. And the occasional growler of a milkman.

It used to be claimed that if the total population of mainland China emerged from their homes at the same time, there wouldn't be enough room for all of them in the streets. Not so much standing room only (SRO) as GBH -- "Get back home!" ("And leave space for the milkmen!") But at such moments during the last lockdown, crowded

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PAGE 17

TÚpatria celebrates its first anniversary In the gardens of the Rafael Atocha hotel in Madrid, a new political party was presented to the media: TÚpatria.

Founding President, Carmen Gomis

A liberal and conservative party that is situated on the ideological spectrum between PP and Vox.

On the set that day it read: "Your freedom, your future, our commitment." Something that to this day continues to be its greatest motto, the commitment to its bases.

Transparency, participation and internal democracy, as well as the freedom of action of public representatives (councilors) are one of its pillars.

The COVID crisis has seen the number of hotels put up for sale in the Valencian Community shoot up by 72%.

The successive confinements and border closures, aimed at stopping the spread of coronavirus, have put businessmen in the sector on the ropes, with many of them now unable to continue funding their businesses, the result being the appearance of for sale signs in 57 Valencian, Alicante and Castellón hotels.

The Alicante Province, for the most part the Costa Blanca, is the one with the most hotels on offer, with a total of 29 establishments.

Revenue per available room (the main indicator of the profitability of a hotel) has fallen by half and dozens of establishments have remained closed

this summer due to the lack of tourists. Mutual funds try to buy the buildings at a 30% discount, but the owners are reluctant to sell at such heavy discounts.

The data from the real estate platform Idealista reveals that last summer there were 33 hotel establishments for sale in the Valencian Community compared to the 57 available now, which implies an increase of 72%.

The increase is more than double the Spanish average (30%) and is due to the fact that the tourism crisis has had a stronger impact on the coastal provinces (Spanish travellers have been opting for less crowded destinations such as Pyrenees).

The most expensive hotel on the market is in the Serra Gelada area of Benidorm and

costs 41.2 million euros. In the Grao de Gandia another is offered for 40.6 million euros.

The general secretary of the Hotel Association of Benidorm, Costa Blanca and the Valencian Community (Hosbec), Nuria Monte, says that a large number of the hotels that are currently for sale in the province of Alicante were already undergoing the process, and that most of them are small family businesses.

“They are establishments that have usually passed from parents to children, but who have now decided not to continue, something that has been by the pandemic.”

Main Image: The abandoned Rocas Blancas hotel, located on the N332 at the entrance to Santa Pola, will cost you a mere €4million.

One year later, July 2021, this formation celebrates its first anniversary with constant growth since it has a presence in just over 32 provinces.

With its sights set on May 2023, the party led by Carmen Gomis continues to consolidate throughout Spain and working on different matters.

The last province where they already have representation is in Barcelona.

TÚpatria tries to open a gap in the Spanish political map where they already have councilors in different municipalities of Madrid and the latest incorporations of the four councilors of the province of Toledo, and it is not ruled out that in the near future they will have more new incorporations in different provinces.

"From the party leadership we convey thanks to all affiliates, provincial presidents, coordinators, and councilors who have opted for the option of change and are in YOUR homeland."

Thanks to the media that have known how to be neutral and professional in giving us a voice, without all of them none of this would be possible.

I am proud to be part of this great project.

Thank you!!!

PAGE 18

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association supports the welfare needs of ex-members of the RAF and their dependents.

We also provide a social hub for members by organising monthly events. To fund Welfare we raise money through the Wings Appeal.

New members are very welcome. To find out more contact Chairman Tony at tony.elaine.cuenta@gmail.com For Welfare contact Bill or Pauline on 0034 634 38 99 83 or email rafacbpresident2@gmail.com.

For general information on RAFA visit www.rafa.org.uk.

computer clubs. Ladies Bible Study: Thursday 11a.m.

Church Bible Study: Thursday 1.30p.m. House groups in Torrevieja, La Siesta – Contact: 966 752 543 / 617 215 463. Phone: 966 799 273 / 966 752 543 / 617 215 463. www.icatorrevieja.org

CAR SALES The Car of the Month at Automoviles Crespo is a 2018 Ford Fiesta Trend which is on Special Offer priced at just 11,900 euro. Come along to our showroom in Elche and see our vast range of new and used cars or call 96 666 22 60 for all our latest offers. The biggest and best for price, choice and quality. ENGLISH SPOKEN

CHURCHES AND SERVICES La Siesta Evangelical Church, Torrevieja is a friendly, English-speaking church. We currently hold services at 11.15am on the 2nd and 4th Sundays each month (and the 5th Sunday when there is one). For more info about our church, please see our website at www.lasiestaevangelicalchurch.org For info see www.lasiestaevangelicalchurch.org Join us at the SALT CHURCH Sundays at 10.30 am. We are a friendly church, bible centred in our teaching and informal in our worship. Meets at Calle Daya Nueva 12, Polígono Ind. Levante 11, 03187 Los

HELEN...

Montesinos. We are a lively, friendly church and look forward to meeting you. (Covid19 aware. www.Saltchurchspain.

Facebook SaltChurchSpain The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) in Torrevieja meet at 10.00 each Sunday in their chapel at Rambla Juan Mateo Garcia, 104. All Welcome.

Phone or whatsapp the missionaries on 648 914 347 International Christian Assembly, Calle Urbano Arregui, 23, Torrevieja Evangelical non-denominational church. Sunday service 11a.m.; Sunday school; Prayer meetings; craft and

SOCIAL AND CLUBS The next meeting of the Royal British Legion Orihuela Costa and District Branch will be held at 7 for 7.30 pm on Thursday 19 August at the Olympia Pool Bar in Mil Palmeras. Everyone welcome, incl non members. Call Jean for info on: 630 28 08 99.

The Royal British Legion, Torrevieja Branch - Meets at the Oasis, formerly the Casa Ventura, San Luis on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6.30 pm for 7pm start. New members are always welcome. You do not have to be ex-services.

For more info please contact:gill.burden20@gmail.com

637 227 385

Age Concern Costa Blanca Sur is here to help you with problem solving and well being for the over 50’s. We need volunteer Drivers and people to join our Residential Home Visiting Team. to visit people in a Residential Home, and take them out for a coffee. If you think you can help call into our centre at C/Paganini s/n, Urb. La Siesta 03184 Torrevieja or ring 966 786 887. Or email: costablanca@ageconcern.org.es Royal Naval Association, Torrevieja Branch now meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 1700 (5pm) at CHE LOCO bar/restaurant, El Chaparral urbanisation, Torrevieja. For more information please contact Chairman Tony Jenkins on 693 866 709, Vice Chairman Danny Kay on 966 71 6274 or Secretary Margaret Forshaw on 966 92 1966.

Royal Air Force Association Costa Blanca Branch.The

HAH CB need you to help us help those in need in their own homes, short or long term medical conditions of all ages and nationalities. Contact our head office on 965 328 794 or e:charitycentrehelpathomecb @gmail.com.

Curious about the work of Samaritans in Spain? Have a few hours a week to help with the charity shop, fundraising or admin? Come and join us for a chat at our Centre in the Punta Marina Shopping Centre. Volunteers are unpaid but expenses are met. Email: spainsamsrecruits @outlook.com

office@theleader.info

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PAGE 19

SAT ANIMAL RESCUE Sol is a shy, 3 year old, who would love to be in a loving home.

The Dragon

I

see the man from Dragon’s Den, Touker Suleyman, was delighted to hear that a Cabinet minister is arguing that people who have returned to work should be paid more than those who prefer to work from home. That in itself is a twist, so instead of saying people working from home should be paid less he was proposing the opposite.

The argument that Touker Suleyman was putting is that people should be going to an office. It seemed to me to make more sense, in that part of the economy is based on people spending on travel and commuting and therefore that must come into the equation. The survival of the high street and the city centres is paramount and that needs people going to their offices to spend on the refreshments they need and the fees they pay, for going back and forth to work.

He also argues that the comradeship and being together creates a positive working situation where thoughts can be discussed - so true. You cannot do that he states over a Zoom conference call.

As a person who has worked from home some of my business life and that is because I was the only staff - boss and worker, there are many downfalls. One is ‘stir crazy’ the feeling of being cooped up. Oh, at first it is fine and one gets down to the task needed but the natural drag of being at home, where one rests it takes a lot of willpower not to get involved in what a person normally does at their place of abode.

There is also the call of the family if they are around you, depending on their ages as a young one’s cry is disturbing or if there is some form of mishap you are there and expected to deal with it.

“Dad your granddaughter is stranded as my car has broken down. Could you please go and collect her from school.” That particular occasion was very disruptive to my day, as an Architectural Designer it broke my thought pattern as I was drawing plans showing the complexities of timbers and how they fitted together for an odd-shaped sloping roof.

At first it is a great feeling but after a time when the family leave you in the morning to go about their daily tasks a sensation of envy creeps in.

When I found office accommodation and moved into it, it was a wonderful understanding of becoming organised in my own space and open-

She is fully vaccinated with passport, microchipped, sterilized, blood tested, treated for fleas and ticks, de-wormed and heartworm prevented.

For more information or for an appointment (appointments only) contact the refuge directly on 966 71 0047 (leave a message) or email info@satanimalrescue.com. ing the door to it every morning.

It does so depend on families and working from home (WFH) with young people it would be difficult and in the long term I do not see how it works efficiently, although it seems to me why should someone be financially better off working from home when others who can’t, nurses, policemen and many more cannot possible be offered the same situation and they have to be exposed to the cost of commuting.

Once again, I see rent a mob is at it again attacking authority as the blue line tries to control the hooligans that take part, this time it is against having an identity card showing that you are free of the virus - I suppose they could be illegals and do not want a document to show who they are. .

The Swab: I shouldn’t think there is a person in the world who does not know about cotton sticks, those little double headed plastic rods which, have a general warning of not putting them in your ear to clean them as they could damage your hearing, they come in a multi packet of hundred for a few pounds/euros with them neatly arranged inside.

I know of a house in Birmingham which was sent by the local council something very similar to the cotton sticks, although single headed and a little larger, the box with a large number was free of charge so that people could test themselves against this terrible virus burning its way around the planet. Yes, that is right they were ‘free’.

Mass brawl on Los Alcazares beach A Los Alcázares council employee who was working on Las Palmeras beach - raking sand - came under attack from a gang of youths at dawn in Murcia.

Unruly youths who were pelting stones at the tractor driver were seen by another group of youngsters, who told them to stop.

The altercation escalated into a mass bloody brawl - with the instigators allegedly hurling broken bot-

tles and chairs at the second group.

Some of the group who came to the aid of the beach worker received beatings, with a threats as knives' were drawn.

Emergency services attended to the injured at the scene.

The attackers - some whom have been identified had dispersed before police arrived.

We also know of another family of two who will be spending about four hundred pounds to be certain they are free of Covid 19 for a trip in an aeroplane to a far-off destination, okay, Europe.

The testing is done to see if they are clear of the disease using a similar swab that was sent to the people in the Midland City free of charge – the difference they will have to pay ninety nine pounds for a single wipe.

PETS IN SPAIN

There is a report in a paper, not quite a report as it was a letter from a traveller who states while standing in line waiting to be swabbed, in twenty minutes the operator carried out ten applications – doing the sums based on that figure it works out to nine hundred and ninety pounds in twenty minutes – or 2970 GBP an hour which is equal to an eight hour day of over twenty three thousand pounds or in an excess of one hundred and eighteen for the week. One operator!

Therefore, a swab which cost nothing in Birmingham, a similar item at an airport can earn an operator close on half a million pounds a month. As Sir Geoffrey Howe – Conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer in the eighties once said “the ugly face of capitalism”.

Whoever calculated the cost of swabbing certainly did not have the traveller in mind. Take care.

Percy Chattey can be found on Amazon and Kindle with his thriller books and a host of short stories in the ‘Story Telling®’ series One of the victims said: "We were on the beach when we noticed a group of about 20 boys hurling stones at a tractor driver, who was raking sand.

"We shouted to leave him alone - and came under attack from glass bottles and chairs and threatened with knives."

An investigation into the incident is being carried out by the Los Alcázares Policia Local.

If found, the perpetrators could face charges before the Juvenile Prosecutors Office.

Button is around 12 weeks old and was thrown from a car on the N332. Her eye had to be removed but other than that is a happy, playful kitten. Call: 645 469 253 info@petsinspain.com www.petsinspain.com

PAGE 20

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END OF THE WATERLOO AFTER 114 YEARS Quote: 'We are not hopeful of a solution. We are going to stop all expenditure on The Waterloo with immediate effect' - five times Waterloo Champion Gary Ellis

By Andrew Atkinson EXCLUSIVE The future of the famous Waterloo bowling championship in Blackpool is in jeopardy - in the wake of a fundraising campaign that raised over £75,000 to secure its future.

"We are going to see how things pan out over the summer," Waterloo fivetimes Champion Gary Ellis told The Leader.

"I understand his viewpoint - because he does not get a lot of benefit from the stadium.

Ellis added: "We can’t get lease terms we are happy with - bearing in mind the day one expenditure amount - so we are at a deadlock currently.

"We are going to stop all expenditure on The Waterloo - with immediate effect."

"I’m not hopeful of it being sorted Five times Waterloo Champion Gary Ellis

"The owner has said he is only comfortable in agreeing a 10-year lease, with us having no security of tenure beyond that.

The appeal is to replace the south stand and undertake major construction work of the 114-year-old South Shore venue.

Long term, the west stand would need a new roof, costing in the region of £50,000.

said: "At this stage we are not hopeful of there being a solution.

"Based on the level of investment and expenditure we are required to make on the stadium in order to continue, we decided that we require a long-term lease to secure the Waterloo’s future as a bowls venue.

A public appeal to raise financial funding to maintain the Waterloo stadium has raised £75,000 in a bid to return to the green, as reported in The Leader.

Work includes replacing all steel barriers in and around the south stand and the rear cladding; replacing steel barriers on each side of the west stand; dismantling the whole north stand and replacing it with a covered standing area; rebuilding the damaged east stand wall and replacing the steel barriers and gantry around the Waterloo Shop.

“It’s a big project - we have the money - but we need to have the right lease," reasoned Gary. "The best position we want to get to is not the best position for the owner.

The Watlerloo inaugurated in 1907, last played in 2019, due to pandemic.

Since1907 The Waterloo has been crowned the top event in the Crown Green bowling calendar – known as the ‘FA Cup Final’ of bowling, played at the Wembley of crown green.

encountered problems in negotiating a new lease with the owners of the site.

The stumbling block surrounds the lease of the green and stadium, that was initially a decade.

The Waterloo Bowling Committee feel more security of tenure is necessary to justify the expense of the redevelopment.

The Waterloo bowling committee have

"We are sat on a lot of money in the bank. If there is no change we will be returning all donations," said Ellis.

“This length of lease - or a shorter lease - wouldn’t be a problem, if the day one expenditure was nothing or minimal, but it’s not acceptable based on expenditure of £75,000, plus."

The Watlerloo Autumn Handicap was last played in 2019, with cancelled 2020 and 2021 championships, due to the coronovirus pandemic.

Ellis, the only player to win The Waterloo an unprecedented five times, in 2003, 2008, 2009, 2012, and 2014,

Greenlands Bowls Club

By Dave Webb

Monte Mar Bowls and Social Club Sponsored by The Pub,Gran Alacant Insurances,Dialprix and The Belfry.

LADIES v MEN On Saturday 8th July we held a club competition Ladies v men. A total of twenty four members took part, two of the men (Coleen and Michelle thank you Colin and Mick) played for the ladies as they were short of players.

We played three rinks of trips and two rinks of pairs over eighteen ends. As it was a very hot day after nine ends we had a refreshment break.

Following the match the results were announced by Match Secretary Cindy Bedford, the Ladies won three rinks and the men two with the ladies winning the overall shots, well done the ladies!!!!

After the presentation we all enjoyed lunch and drinks in the Rincon, thank you

Bernard and staff for a very enjoyable lunch, CHICKEN RUN Sunday 25th July Twenty four members took part in the monthly chicken run. As the weather has been very hot it was decided to play sixteen ends with a break after eight end.

Sheila Roberts won the ladies chicken and Mick Soars won the mens, the eggs were won by Lynne Armitage and Phil Goble.

Thank you to Cindy and Colin Bedford who donated the chickens and Julia and Ian Hamilton who donated the eggs.

The football card was won by Mick Soars with Aston Villa.

IN HOUSE COMPETITIONS The Monday and Friday competitions are now complete. The winners of the Monday League were Colin Bedford, Paul Dodd, Peter Talatyne and Ian Hamilton well done boys!!!

Thank you Cindy for organising another enjoyable competition.

The winners of the Friday League were Tanya Oliver and Chris Harding well done!!!

Thank you to Lynne and Howie who organised the league and the meals after the matches.

There will be further in house competitions in September, all information will be on the notice board.

On Thursday evening Greenlands travelled to Quesada for our friendly match.

After such a long time since our last encounter it was strange to be playing at a different venue. The usual protocol was observed to keep everyone safe and although the heat was intense we started to enjoy the game.

We had a fair number of supporters with us and I am sure they enjoyed it as much as we did. After the game they all retired to the restaurant for supper. Next week Quesada will be visiting Greenlands and we look forward to that, the score was immaterial as it was a friendly, suffice to say it was a draw.

Well done everyone, lets hope this is the first steps back to normality. With a new carpet and underlay on order we have a lot to look forward to for the new season.

We welcome new members so if you would like to come and try your hand you will find it a very rewarding experience plus a good social life.

Please telephone Chris Dewar on 698 418 987 who will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

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MURCIA ‘the ULTIMATE golf destination’ WE LCOM E TO GOLF I N M U R C IA Geography: Murcia is located in the south eastern corner of Spain covering 11,000 sq km has 45 municipalities with one million inhabitants located between the Valencian region to the north and Andalucian region to the west on the Mediterranean sea and has a saltwater lagoon called the Mar Menor with excellent beaches.

Climate: The climate is dry and hot in Summer and mild in winter with temperatures varying from 11 degrees in winter to 40 degrees in summer with an average of 18 degrees and Murcia has 320 days per year of sunshine, the most in Spain.

Language: The standard language is Castellon Spanish as taught in UK schools but English is spoken widely in the region.

Standard of living: The cost of living in Murcia is now comparable to that of the UK in many respects but eating out and fresh food are still exceptionally good value in Murcia.

Golf Courses: The region of Murcia is blessed with a selection of 16 superb courses suitable for all standards of golfer designed by many of the world’s best golf course designers such as Jack Nicklaus, Dean Putman, Dave Thomas , Seve Ballesteros and Manuel Pinero to name a few and offer a variety of golfing experiences such as the typical resort style with lakes, large bunkers and undulating greens to those based on more of a desert style with rocks and waste areas.

The oldest courses in the region are the North, South and West courses on the La Manga Resort under the shadow of the superb 5* Hotel Principe Felipe and host to numerous celebrity and professional golf tournaments for many years.

The well documented Jack Nicklaus trail of golf courses including El Valle, Hacienda Riquelme, The Region of Murcia is blessed with a selection of 16 superb golf courses for all standards of golfer.

There is an abundance of excellent quality accomodation available at very reasonable prices is the Jack Nicklaus signature course and located on the outskirts of Murcia city is the beautiful Altorreal golf course which offers in many ways an English style golf experience.

Hotels and Accommodation: Murcia is not only a tourist destination but a residential area for many other nationalities that have made this region their home so there are an abundance of apartments and villa’s available for rent in addition to the excellent 4* & 5* hotels such as the Hotel Felipe Principe, Hotel Caleia, Hotel Double Tree Hilton, Hotel 525 and Hotel Puerto Juan Montiel located close to the golf courses in the area and offering golf packages on a stay and play basis.

On a similar theme the Residences at Mar Menor, Las Lomas Village at La Manga and the Roda Golf Apartments offer apartment style accommodation for those with a slightly smaller budget or those that prefer a more relaxed style holiday and again offer stay and play packages.

Things to do for non-golfers or on rest days:

Getting there: The region is serviced well with two international airports based at Corvera near to Murcia city and Alicante which is a one hour drive.

Getting around : The region of Murcia has an excellent network of motorways and main roads linking all the major town and cities and relatively cheap car hire and the highspeed rail links have improved dramatically in recent years and there is a superb bus service to almost everywhere in Spain and taxi’s are readily available.

La Torre and Saurines de La Torre are located close to the RM-19 Autovia de la Mar Menor motorway and offer a mixture of resort and desert style golf.

Situated close to the Mar Menor beaches are the superb courses of Roda, which is one of the best manicured courses in Murcia and located close to the Hotel 525 which offers play and stay packages and La Serena which boasts 16 holes with water and just inland the resort style course at Mar Menor located next to the 5* Hotel Caleia.

Further to the south of the region are the courses of Lorca, Hacienda del Alamo and Alhama which

For the non-golfers in your group or for your rest days away from the golf course in Murcia and Cartagena the region has cities of great historical significance but also well served by commercial shopping centres such as Thader ,Nueva Condomina, Dos Mares and Espacio Mediterraneo and the beaches on the Mediterranean Sea and Mar Menor are second to none while inland are national parks and mountains where you can find wild boar.

Bookings and Reservations: Michael Probert of Costa Blanca Green Fee Services has lived and worked in this region of

Spain since 2004 and is the author of a published book called ‘Golfing Guide to Murcia’ and runs a successful golf agency business and can cater for all your golfing needs here in Murcia.

Enquiries and bookings can be made by visiting the web-site at: www.costa-blanca-greenfees.com or e-mail to info@costa-blanca-greenfees.com or by telephone on (00 34) 966 70 4752 or (00 34) 661 345 931.

PAGE 22

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Carthy leads EF EducationNippo team at Vuelta a España

By Andrew Atkinson Fellow Prestonian Hugh Carthy will lead the EF Education-Nippo team of climbers, sprinters and rouleurs at Vuelta a España.

"I’m feeling good ahead of the Vuelta,”

Carthy said, happy to be back in Spain.

week of preparation.

Carthy has only ridden the recent Vuelta a Burgos, after finishing eighth overall at the Giro d’Italia.

"We didn't start off as we would have hoped and my form and feeling on the bike wasn't the best.

"The Vuelta a Burgos in the end, turned out quite nice and it was a good

"By the end of the week I turned the corner - I was in the right place by the

Martin Collins past Captain, Barrie Hopkinson President, Keith Loughrey Winner and Peter List, Captain

Busters Golf Society Presidents Day August 2021.

Buster's golf society has been running since 2012, but until the last couple of years we never had a Captain or President, however over a meal and a couple of glasses of wine a couple of years ago we decided to change things.

Our first President is Barrie Hopkinson who chose to hold his day at La Marquesa golf club.

Barrie did himself and Busters proud. There was a selection of cold drinks waiting for us on the tenth tee with Lynn Allison our vice Presidents wife ready and waiting to pass them to our twenty entrants. I have to say the extremely hot weather enhanced the flavours.

As is the norm we returned to Little Leias bar by Consum in Quesada for our presentation. Earlier Barrie had provided a current La Marquesa ball marker that was attached to everyone's scorecard.

He also provided over ten prizes along with a cut-glass trophy for the winner, which was very

generous of him.

As there were too many prizes to note in this report I’ll just name the par three NTPs and of course the winner and runner up.

The NTPs were on hole 6, Keith Loughrey, hole 8 Joe Sheehan, hole 12 Gavin Kinsella, hole 16 Mark Kinsella and with our Captain Peter List winning the 17th each received a bottle of wine that had been donated by our sponsor Ian. The boss of Little Leias, where our presentations are always held, Ian, also provided a selection of sandwiches for us all.

In second place, scoring thirty-six points and taking home a bottle of Baileys, was our Captain Peter List, but our winner on the day with thirtyeight points was Keith Loughrey who receive the trophy and a bottle of brandy.

Our soccer card winner was Ailish Sheehan who chose Chelsea.

If you are interested in joining our small friendly society (it's free) please contact me at bustersgolfsociety@hotmail.com with your telephone number and handicap.

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end - so I'm excited for the Vuelta and I'm excited to kick things off here in Burgos," said Carthy, who will start his ninth Grand Tour in Burgos on August 14.

Climber Carthy, who gained his mountain stage victory and third place overall of 2020, is part of the US WorldTour team along with sprinter Magnus Cort targeting the flatter stages, Simon Carr and Jonathan Caicedo the mountains, and Lawson Craddock.

The eight riders racing in pink colours are Jonathan Caicedo, Diego Camargo, Simon Carr, Hugh Carthy, Lawson Craddock, Jens Keukeleire, Magnus Cort and Tom Scully.

"I think when you do more Grand Tours you become more accustomed to them, more relaxed.

"You know what to expect, the highs and the lows and how your body's going to react," said Carthy.

Preston, Lancashire born Carthy, 27, added: "Grand Tours are so long - and unpredictable - you're always embarking on a long journey.

"It can go very wrong, it can go very well - you don't know when all of that is going to happen. "You just have to focus on day to day things and look after yourself and stay healthy, try and get the best out of yourself over three weeks."

Carthy, who won the stage over the l'Angliru in last year's Vuelta, said: "I'm particularly looking forward to stage 18 and to the Gamoniteiru.

La Marina GS August 2021 An early morning start at the Lo Romero Golf Course saw the Members of the La Marina Golf Society compete in the 3rd round of the Summer Cup Competition.

The Golf Course was in its usual execellent condition and the greens were running true, which made for a great day of golf, especially for the Mc Cabe Family.

Gerry McCabe won the Gold division with 35 points, However, not only did Sarah McCabe win the Silver division with 40 points, but Sarah had

"It's a new climb and I think it could be a future classic. It's deep into the race and really steep so I think it could produce some fireworks.

"That's probably the climb I'm looking forward to the most."

Carthy will have the support of experienced and talented young climbers in the EF Education-Nippo line-up.

Camargo will make his Grand Tour debut, while Carr rides his second after completing the Giro d'Italia alongside Carthy. Cort has three Vuelta stages on his palmarès, including the final sprint stage to Madrid in 2016. The Dane is a versatile rider who can succeed on a wider range of stages than just the flat sprints.

"These guys, alongside our team veterans, can really learn a lot and we want to see where they can be in a couple of years," directeur sportif Juanma Garate said.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing Simon in a few different situations and I will really push him to the line every day to try to see what he can do.

"With Camargo, we really think that he is a big talent but he has to keep learning and keep improving without any pressure. He has to have a Grand Tour with some goals to start to become a real WorldTour cyclist."

The rest of the team will help Cort in the sprints and target breakaways, while protecting Carthy.

“I’m feeling good,” said Carthy, who has spent much of his career in Spain.

Sarah McCabe, Gerry McCabe, Lyn Young

also NTP on holes 7 and 12, and to round off the day won the two's pot. Not to be outdone Lyn Young did win nearest the pin on hole 15.

The final round of the Summer

Scoring was very tight on the day and 3 players tied on 33pts....with JJ.McGettigan prevailing on a countback from Blue Smith and Ernie(don't let

Cup will be at the Vista Bella Golf Course on the 26th August.

A big thank you to Helena and Nicky at the La Marina Sports Complex for our after-match refreshments.

Smith. Hole 9.Mick Phelan.

Hole 15.JJ McGettigan.

McCafferty's Golf Society McCafferty's GS played el Valle golf course and as we arrived at the course we were greeted with a most unwelcome shower of rain and several loud roars of thunder... Thankfully it was all over in a few minutes and normal service of sunshine resumed.

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No two's were recorded so it's a rollover for next Tuesday..

Our raffle winner on the day was none other than well known farmer and ex golfer Hughie Flaherty who is holidaying in the area at the moment.. this grey hair fool ya) Wilson...

Winners on the day were...1st..

JJ.McGettigan 33pts Gold Div. 1st. Blue Smith.33pts.

2nd. Mick Phelan 32pts.

Silver Div. 1st.. Ernie wilson.

33pts. 2nd. John Saunders.27pts.

NTP winners were: Hole 6..Blue

Finally...the happiest golfer on the day was our Capt Andy Brown who continued his tremendous run of consistency lately with yet another bottle of McCafferty's finest vintage red.

Next week we return to the beautiful Mar Menor golf course...where we will all do

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PAGE 23

THADER START TO TAKE SHAPE AS FRIENDLIES CONTINUE

CD Thader ................ 1 Callosa Deportivo ....... 3

L

ast Wednesday evening, Thader hosted another national division 3 team, in what proved to be an excellent work out.

Callosa didn't just win last season's Preferente division, but they lost only 2 games all season.

So, for Thader to hold them for long periods, showed to one and all just how far they have come. Manager Raul Mora elected to field a strong starting 11, made up of mainly last season's players, then introduced some new faces throughout the 2nd half.

The serious lack of rain, as per normal, is causing havoc to the Moi Gomez stadium pitch, where bald patches are already appearing. Midway through the first half, Quino tested the visiting keeper, who pulled off a great save to deny the big striker.

There were no holds bar straight from the offset,

Rosquin in action for which the match ref chose to caution a couple of Thader players before the interval. On 29 mins, Thader keeper Jesus pulled off an important near post save, but he could only watch 8 mins later, when a header beat him but also the bar.

Callosa took the lead inside 2 mins of the restart.

Although Jesus saved a goal bound effort, the rebound fell invitingly to Callosa's danger man, who expertly picked his spot from the edge of the box.

From the next attack, it was all square again.

Quino was clearly bundled over inside the penalty area, which left Ruben the opportunity to coolly dispatch the resultant spot kick with ease.

No sooner had the cheers died down, than another penalty was awarded, this time it was Callosa who converted to take the lead once again.

Queue more bookings for both sides, as a goodly looking crowd were treated to an action-packed match, which was anything but friendly!

A corner on 77 mins for Callosa was initially

headed against the post, but from the rebound, a substitute smacked the ball home to make it 3-1.

With time ticking away, Calderon thought he'd got a consolation goal for the hosts, but alas his effort was disallowed for offside. In stoppage time, Callosa hit the post again, but this time the danger was cleared.

Having now played 3 sides above them, Thader will now take on a lower ranked side, when they travel to Los Montesinos on Wednesday 18 August, ko 8.30 pm.

"Jose is a great technician who has experience on the sidelines and group management performing a magnificent season last year.

"He will also continue to be our benchmark football school coordinator so that learning, respect, ambition and effort are part of the future of our children," said a club spokesperson.

hibited," said Darias.

Spanish football grounds 40% cap on attendance

“Training sessions will be carried out without a crowd or, if not, within limits," she added.

Spanish football grounds will have a 40% cap on attendance for the 2021-22 season, due to Covid-19 health and safety guidelines.

The measures come into force from August 13, when La Liga resumes, until August 29, when they may be revised.

All spectators will be required to wear a face mask: "We will allow a maximum capacity of 40 per cent in stadiums, while always guaranteeing social distancing of 1.5m metres” said health minister Carolina Darias in a news conference.

Spain has been facing a new wave of coronavirus cases that has led to several regions reintroducing restrictions, including Catalonia where a curfew has been imposed in Barcelona.

Ex-Novelda CF, Torrevieja CF and CD Almoradi star Fran Torralbo has joined CD Murada. paign that kicks-off in September.

Access to stadiums will be reserved for season ticket holders and local fans, in order to limit the movement of supporters throughout the country.

Fran Torralbo joins CD Murada

"Fran will help us with his presence and flair, he is fast and skilled on the ball having scored six goals last season," said a spokesperson from the club. Fran, was also formerly with Novelda CF and Torrevieja CF. Dani Munoz has also signed for CD Murada.

"Wearing a mask will be compulsory in all grounds while the consumption of drinks, food and tobacco will be pro-

Francisco Torralbo has switched clubs in a move from CD Almoradi to CD Murada ahead of the 2021-22 cam

Meanwhile, Jose Fernandez has been retained as youth coach and football school co-ordinator at the club.

and Roo. (From 'Winnie the Pooh'), 10.

TRIVEA QUIZ

a. Bette Davis Eyes, b. Vincent (Starry

ANSWERS FROM PAGE 14: 1.

The

Beatles

film

HELP,

Starry Night), c. The Ballad Of Bonnie 2.

And Clyde, d. Biko, e. Mr. Bojangles, f.

Movements at Callosa Deportiva Esau Rojo has departed Callosa Deportiva. A spokesperson said: "From the club chaired by José Manuel Ballester they appreciate everything he has contributed since he arrived at the club. Esau has been a key player in the upgrade to the Third RFEF."

“Callosa was always my first option and I have come to give everything," said Pérez.

"He is a player with a lot of quality who has a great physical display and who dominates all aspects of the game, both the ball on the foot and the aerial game," said a spokesperson from the club. Álex Pérez joined Callosa from Orihuela

Travelling in the opposite direction is Álex Pérez, who has joined Callosa from Orihuela CF ahead.

Pérez, formerly with Villarreal and Hércules, Second B in Hercules, UCAM Murcia and Orihuela squads.

SUDUKO SOLUTION From From page 14

Messi's departure could cost Barça137 million euro, 11% of its brand value

Frankenstein's monster, 3. Built on

Henry The Eighth,

seven hills, 4. d. Gossypiboma, 5. Both

Camel, 12. Steve Reeves, 13. Kunte

The departure of Lionel Messi could reduce the brand value of FC Barcelona by 11%, 137 million euros of the 1,266M of its 2021 valuation, according to the estimate from Brand Finance.

were nicknamed 'Baby Face'. (Gillis was

Kinte (From the novel and TV series

The sale of Messi shirts alone will lose the club 43 million.

known as 'Baby Face Nelson' and

'Roots'), 14. a. Charlton Heston, b. Rex

Solskjaer as 'The Baby Face Assassin'),

Harrison, 15. Banzaii, 16. Golem, 17.

Joan Laporta acknowledged last week that Barça's economic situation is "more serious than previously thought."

6. Motorcycle accident, 7. a. Cabaret, b.

Quisling (Vidkun Quisling), 18. Suomi,

Fiddler on the Roof, c. The Producers,

19. 1863 ("Four score and seven years

d. Camelot, e. My Fair Lady, f. Annie Get

ago" refers to American independence

Your Gun, g. Hair, 8. Japan, 9. Kanga

in 1776. 1776 plus 87 years), 20. Trivia

11. A Sopwith

In total, the debt amounts to 1,200 million euros, of which more than 700 million must be found in the coming months to be able to pay the most urgent expenses, including a 500 million loan with Goldman Sachs.

PAGE 24

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