RTN Newspaper - Costa Blanca South 06 - 12 October 2017 Issue 937 by Euro Weekly News Media S.A.

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Issue 937

6th - 12th October 2017

Reporting The News

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Guide dogs to be allowed in hospital

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by Ray Chadwick GRUPO Ribera Salud, the managers of the Torrevieja Hospital have announced a series of special measures aimed at patients and visitors with a wide range of disabilities or mobility issues. The plan aims to offer what they describe as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;universal accessibilityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to an estimated 10 per cent of people that use the hospital that will improve the experience of these patients during either a temporary or longer stay. This includes, for the first time, guide dogs to accompany their handlers, consultations conducted in sign language and a friend of relative to accompany them in the emergency department in extreme cases. Other objectives of the plan are to minimise the length of time disabled patients need to wait between arriving at the hospital and being seen by the consultant, by adapting the schedules of the health professionals accordingly. A special training programme has been developed aimed at the consultants and staff to guarantee the success of this plan of care, and the hospital has

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ACCESS FOR ALL: Guide dogs may be a regular sight in Torrevieja Hospital

already carried out an information campaign through a series of leaflets in the main zones of the centre dealing with patient admission. Local institutions

and associations dealing with people with disabilities or mobility issues have also been informed of the initiative so they can pass this on to their members.

i say Honey... you say g!

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Delayed fair ready to go TORREVIEJA’S Sevillanas Fair of 2017 – originally scheduled for May – will take place between October 11 and 15 and features a full programme of events including equestrian parades, food exhibitions, children’s activities all held in 29 different venues.

There will be special performances from Requiebro, Rosario Mohedano and Pura Sangre on the stage and concert areas in the port, and are expected to attract many thousands of visitors as the fiestas coincide with the two holidays on October 9 and 12.

Central government aid after storms Photo credit: Wikimedia

Floods caused major damage to homes and businesses

by Glenn Scott

WEATHER IN BRIEF FRI Oct 6

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Sunny and pleasant

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Sunny and pleasant

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Sunny all day

MON Oct 9

24º

/16ºC

Plenty of sunshine

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ORIHUELA has received more than €200,000 in aid and subsidies from central government in Madrid to cover the emergency costs incurred during the floods last December. The Rio Segura overflowed in the city for the first time since it was canalised, and caused major damage to surrounding agricultural land and houses and businesses too. The mayor of Orihuela,

Emilio Bascuñana, has announced that to date, a total of €89,042 has been paid to some 39 households that suffered the most in the pre-Christmas floods. This has equated to a payment of €2,580 per home and €8,000 for commercial premises. Requests for financial help were collected by the Orihuela town hall within days after the flooding, and it’s been recognised by the central government representative that has spent some

time in the area - Juan Carlos Moragues – that Orihuela was one of the municipalities most affected by the torrential rains. In addition to the individual and business payments, a further €30,000 has been given to repair the storm damage on the Punta Prima and La Glea (Campoamor) beaches. This will cover not only repairs but the hire of special heavy machinery used in the aftermath to clean up the area.

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Brighter stay for hospital kids Photo credit: Wikimedia

INDOOR JUNGLE: Children’s rooms to be made less clinical

by Ray Chadwick CHILDREN needing to stay in the Vega Baja Hospital near to Orihuela are going to have a brighter time of things in the future. Under the banner of ‘El bosque de la segunda planta’ (The forest on the second floor) the paediatrics unit in the hospital is about to undergo a makeover to give the area a less clinical feel and to find ways of taking the young patients minds off their stay through a series of colourful images. According to those behind this initiative, the project seeks to transform the paediatric unit into an authentic looking forest

complete with trees, plants, and flowers and a selection of animals such as monkeys and giraffes. All the images will adorn the walls, ceilings, doors and corridors on the dedicated floor. The project has been divided into two phases. Firstly, the day hospital, the paediatric cardiology consultation unit, and the nursing station will be followed by all the interiors of the rooms. Work has already begun on phase one. Those behind this project in the Vega Baja Hospital have also been involved in similar schemes in the Alicante General Hospital and the Denia Hospital.

4 Photo credit: Twitter

Unacceptable delay in cancer operation A PATIENT has complained about the amount of time he has had to wait for an operation at the Alicante General Hospital. A resident of San Vincente del Raspeig has waited since last August to have an aggressive cancerous tumour removed from his kidney after a routine check up in the urology department detected a stone. The patient was given an appointment to see a specialist in February, but the pain became unbearable in December and he took himself to the casualty department. A CT scan showed up a tumour behind the stone which a biopsy proved to be malignant and the patient is still waiting for surgery since he was given the bad news at the end of August.

PROPOSAL: Cartagena considering fort conversion into a hotel

Luxury hotel proposal for historic battlements by Glenn Scott RENOWNED architect José Manuel Chacón has presented a proposal to turn the famous fortification of Fajardo in Cartagena into a hotel. His plans are part of a number of different proposals being collected by the city council to convert the iconic forts along the coast. Another suggestion has been to convert the Fajardo

into a youth hostel. Back in 2008, Chacón applied to the Ministry of Defence for the appropriate permission to allow him to have access to the fort and draw up the original plans from which he has produced the design and presented to the Cartagena council this week. “I don’t want the project to sleep in a drawer or throw it away, so I've brought it to the City Hall, in the hope it can be used,” he said.

His hotel project consists of between 30 and 50 rooms in 2,000m2 of land and would cost in the region of €3m to €3.5m. “Cartagena needs hotels and above all, hotels with charm,” said the architect. The fort is presently owned by the Ministry of Defence although procedures have been put in motion for the Cartagena council to assume control of any future renovations.

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by Steve Collins TORREVIEJA’S councillor for transport has announced an increase in the number of buses to serve one of the city’s more popular routes. Javier Manzanares said that extra services will be added to Line C on school days to ease the current passenger load early in the mornings. The councillor said that he had received a number of representations from many users of the service, mainly parents and students, stating that first thing in the morning the buses are full and therefore don’t stop and make them late for school. He said that

this was something that he had seen for himself one morning. As a result, Line C will see an extra bus on the route – increasing from the current solitary bus to two – and will leave the Eras de la Sal terminus at 7.15am, and thus will enable all students that rely on the service to reach their schools on time in future. Manzanares also said that this showed the benefit of dialogue with those affected resulting in a positive outcome and also stated that the route will continue to be monitored to assess if the service needs further enhancements in the future.

Photo credit: Max Pexel

School run gets an extra bus Students complained buses are full and so do not always stop for them

Protesters close local Mini train services quakes don’t stir the slumber

TRAINS running on the line that connects Murcia and Alicante have been severely affected after the violent protests that took place in Murcia on Tuesday night from those demanding a tunnel for the new AVE high-speed train. A number of rubbish containers were set alighted on and close to the tracks which

led to the trains running between Murcia and Orihuela to be suspended. Passengers that weren’t aware of the previous night’s incidents found themselves having to use a bus service that had been laid on by RENFE. However, many travellers decided to use their own private cars instead after waiting more than an hour at the station.

TWO minor earthquakes have been felt in the municipality of Los Montesinos. Unusually, social media wasn’t full of people noting the tremors as they only registered 1.2 and 1.3 degrees on the Richter Scale and happened at 2.20am on Wednesday morning when most people were asleep. The quakes were four minutes apart, and according to the National Geographic Institute (IGN) website the epicentre was again close to the lake on the outskirts of Los Montesinos and was seven kilometres deep. Local police confirmed that no emergency calls were made to them, which is quite normal when quakes register less than 2.0.

Arsonist strikes for a fourth time FOR the fourth time in ten days, a suspected pyromaniac has set fire to another area of the pine forest alongside the beach of Guardamar del Segura. Many locals were alerted to what has become the regular sound of specialised fire-fighting aircraft and helicopters passing overhead around 5.30pm on Tuesday afternoon as they attempted to fight the latest blaze. It was declared extinguished and under control less than one hour later. The location of the fire was between the mouth of the River Segura and the line of beach houses behind the Playa Babilonia, the almost exact same location as the previous three suspected arson attempts that began on September 24. All the initial indications are that it is the same person responsible for all the fires and is being sought by local police. Fire-fighters were called to the scene from Torrevieja and Almoradí to support the attacks from the air and prevent the flames from spreading even further throughout the forest. The extent of the latest incident is not known

LOCAL POLICE in Murcia have arrested a young man for allegedly assaulting his partner in the heart of the city. Authorities were called about 5am on Tuesday morning by a concerned passer-by that saw a man hitting a woman on Calle Rodríguez de la Fuente. When the police arrived, they found the couple – a 20-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman and both Moroccan – still fighting in the street. After intervening to separate them, they

Photo credit: Twitter

by Ray Chadwick

Open-air street attacker arrested

found the woman had suffered cuts and bruises to her face. The witness that called the police was able to give them a very detailed description of what happened, and coupled with what the officers saw for themselves resulted in the man being arrested and taken to the police station at El Carmen where legal proceedings have been put into operation. The young female victim of the attack didn’t require any urgent medical treatment at the scene.

DESTROYED: Guardamar residents concerned at the number of deliberate fires but believed not to exceed 5,000m2. The four fires have now devastated an estimated total of two hectares that includes hundreds of pine trees of all different sizes, and are continuing to be

of great concern to the people of Guardamar who are proud of their iconic pine forest first planted on more than 700 hectares of the sand dunes more than a century ago.

Children injured after firework explodes A YOUNG child has lost two fingers in an accident caused by a firecracker in San Javier, Murcia. Three volunteers from the local Civil Protection service had to prevent the 12-year-old boy from entering hypovolemic shock; such was the extent of his injuries. Hypovolemic shock is an emergency condition in which severe blood loss makes the heart unable to pump enough blood to the body. They administered the first-aid until paramedics arrived at the scene to take the patient to the emergency department of the Virgen de la Arrixaca Hospital.

According to reports, the incident happened in a park in Santiago de la Ribera when three children were seen playing with a number of fireworks when one exploded without warning. Tests are now being made on them to see if any had been tampered with previously or were faulty, and investigations are also continuing to see if the group were trying to mix the explosives from a number of the firecrackers to make a larger rocket. Another 13-year-old child suffered burns to his face and chest while the third child was unharmed in the explosion.

Alleged human traffickers detained by Steve Collins OFFICERS of the National Police in Cartagena have detained two people for allegedly transporting migrants into the Murcia region. The two men – aged 26 and 40 and holding Algerian nationality – were charged with the crimes of threatening behaviour and against the human rights of foreign citizens. Those arrested were allegedly in charge of the vessel as well as guarding the transported immigrants in the boat in Algeria during the days prior to departure for the Spanish mainland. The immigrants are given a severe lecture as to how they must behave and what they must say if they’re caught by the Span-

Graffiti abuser caught

ish police and they are under a threat of death to themselves and their families if they waive from these orders. Those behind this illegal trafficking of migrants usually charge anything between €600 and €1,000 and play on the naivety of people living in small fishing villages who are convinced by the traffickers they are heading for a bitter life in Europe. The detainees are believed to be part of an international organisation dedicated to human trafficking whose main customers are Algerian living in the province of Chlef. During 2017 to date, a total of 39 boats have reached the shores of Cartagena containing more than 300 people of which only 30 have been women. FOLLOWING on from a report in last week’s RTN – Reporting The News – a man

CHLEF: Home of many of the illegal Algerian immigrants has been arrested in connection with the graffiti damage on municipal buildings. Two public buildings owned by Orihuela were daubed with a number of insulting phrases aimed at the local government team and police, and covered walls, doors and windows of places used as day centres for local residents, including those with disabilities and special needs.

It remains to be seen what the costs will be to carry out the cleaning of the affected facades on Calle de Miguel Hernández and who will pay for it. It’s understood that every effort will be made to get the perpetrator – yet to be officially identified - to be responsible for the final amount which is likely to be substantial, such was the amount of damage caused.

Urine blamed for iconic structure damage Photo credit: Pxhere

by Glenn Scott THE famous door of the Alicante Cathedral is due to undergo restoration after being damaged by years of urine. What is known as the Puerta Negra (Black Gate) of the cathedral has not been able to open properly for some time and has faced the risk of breaking away from its hinges due to the amount of people using it as a public toilet. Dating back to the 17th century, the gate located on Calle Miguel Soler is particularly vulnerable late at night and especially during the infamous bottle parties organised by young people in the city. Alicante Cathedral authorities have been forced to repair the gate which is officially opened several times during the year for special events after it failed to close properly after the June Hogueras festival. Priests working in the building had to ask for help from visitors to help close the door which is 3.50m wide, 6m high and each side of the double-door weighs 2,000 kilos. As explained the dean of the cathedral, Ramón Egío: “The wood has been corroded by urine and our fear was that it would fall down. There are

Russian hacker extradited to U.S. to face charges

The Puerta Negra (not shown) dates back to the 17th Century a number of children that visit the area on a Friday night and we feared for their safety if it collapsed without warning.” Building engineer Fernando Diaz explained that although weather con-

ditions influence the state of the door over a number of years, the urine in the corners has caused the major problem to the metal parts of the structure and the metal eventually oxidises.”

Spain's High Court said on Tuesday it had granted a U.S. request to extradite Russian citizen Peter Levashov, who is accused of U.S. hacking offences including operating a network of infected computers used by cyber criminals. Levashov, 36, was arrested while on holiday in Barcelona in April. U.S. prosecutors have accused him of running a network of more than 100,000 infected devices used by cyber criminals to distribute viruses, ransomware, phishing emails and other spam attacks. They are seeking a 52-year jail sentence against Levashov, who denies the charges against him. A Russian news agency reported Levashov, who is fighting extradition, told the Madrid court last week that he had worked for President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party for the last 10 years. He told the court that investigators in the United States would torture him for information about his political work if he was sent there to face the charges. "If I go to the U.S., I will die in a year. They want to get information of a military nature and about the United Russia party," RIA quoted him as saying. "I will be tortured, within a year I will be killed, or I will kill myself." The Spanish court ruling said that Levashov's lawyers had also alleged a political motivation behind the U.S. request for his extradition and that the real reason behind it may be that he was a programmer who might have "hacked the U.S. elections". The Spanish court dismissed all the arguments put forward by Levashov and his lawyers against extradition.

ITV strikers give certain priorities STRIKERS at the vehicle inspection stations (ITV) across the Murcia region will give users of the service more information as nine separate days of action have begun. On Monday – the first strike day – ITV tests were delayed between 45 minutes and two hours in Jumilla and Cartagena, according to the UGT union. On future strike days, only one admin officer, one engineer and one mechanic will be on duty and the UGT say that priority will be given to those vehicles needing a second test – having failed the first one – or those where the ITV has expired. Strike action is being taken to pressurise central government not to privatise the ITV service.

Attempted insurance fraud after ‘stolen’ farm machinery A MAN has been arrested in Murcia after claiming a piece of farm machinery was stolen...when in fact he had previously sold it. The man reported the theft immediately after he’d sold a tractor, its trailer, and other pieces of equipment used for the cultivation of vegatables on a farm in the small Murcian village of Sangonera la Seca. Officers from the Guardia Civil put ‘Operation Detractor’ into operation and began an investigation but were immediately suspicious following their first visit to the farm where the alleged robbery had taken place.

They discovered that there were a number of debts in the business and there had been a series of disagreements over money between the two partners who had supposedly been the victims of the theft. Such information led the investigators to change course and began to concentrate on the complainant himself. They suspected that he had sold the machinery to profit from that operation and also collect on the insurance money. Guardia Eventually, the Guardia Civil manCivil aged to locate the ‘stolen’ tractor and discover all the other equipment on a farm in alleged Caravaca de la Cruz and verified that insurance fraud it had been sold illegally.

Young father killed at ‘temporary’ roundabout

AROUND thirty relatives and friends have paid their respects at the funeral of a young man that suffered fatal injuries resulting from an accident in Santa Pola. Eduardo Gómez, the 29-yearold man who was killed on his motorbike at a roundabout on Monday evening has left a wife and three children – five-year old twins

Photo credit: Pxhere

by Ray Chadwick

and a five month old baby – and all those attending his service wanted to pay a special tribute to their loved one. After the funeral, they went to the location of the accident and placed some flowers at the spot in his memory before scattering his ashes in a biodegradable urn in a cove near to the lighthouse in Santa Pola; a place where Eduardo loved to spend

time with his young family. Despite the tragic events of the past few days, those present at the funeral demonstrated their annoyance and disgust at the lack of signage, poor lighting and general safety features on the particular stretch of road that links Elche with Santa Pola that contains the fateful temporary roundabout intended to improve safety.

10 Photo credit: Wikimedia

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REINA SOFIA: Controlled environment to treat infectious diseases Our most popular post

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Hospital gets new treatment centre by Lynn Whittaker THE Reina Sofía University General Hospital in Murcia has unveiled a new area for the treatment of infectious diseases. This has enabled them to expand the amount of space dedicated to this important service and increase the number of available consultations. The previous area only had a single consulting room backed up by a small nursing station. The transfer to the new base at the Reina Sofía allows for two doctor consulting rooms, a waiting room and enables this area to be separate from the rest of the hospital in its own 80m2 of space.

This will now prevent any possible conflicts with other medical conditions and allows the medical specialists to all be located in the same location. On his visit to the new centre, Health Minister Manuel Villegas said: “The new facilities will enable more people suffering from infectious conditions to receive treatment as an out-patient and avoid admission where possible.” The infectious diseases unit acts as a multifunctional unit collaborating with many other sections of the hospital in the demands from primary care, emergencies, occupational hazards, preventive medicine and microbiology.

THE MUNICIPALITY of Dolores has announced that work is already underway to repair the damage caused as a result of the heavy rains during November and December last year. This is possible thanks to a grant of aid from the Valencian Government to

Dolores amounting to a total €1,266,686.49. Dolores will have to pay €33,516.09 of that amount. The announcement was made by the Mayor of Dolores who thanked Valencia for their financial help which is the highest grant made to

any municipality under their control. However, he did criticise the lack of passion offered by the Alicante provincial government which, despite the high level of damage suffered in Dolores, hasn’t allocated a single cent towards the work required.

UK Passport Renewal / Photos / Secure Post A popular article on our website is “Guardamar pyromaniac strikes again”

C. F. Rowe “ This nutcase needs to be caught and jailed before someone either of the public or the firefighters loose their lives!”

A BONUS of Alicante hosting the Volvo Ocean Race that gets underway during next week is the amount of people flocking to the area to witness this sporting spectacular, and hoteliers are more than satisfied with the level of bookings to date. They are predicting hotel occupancy to be around 70 per cent in Alicante city, 86 per cent on Playa San Juan, 76 per cent in El Campello and 82 per cent in Elche; levels that are never normally reached at this time of the year. These estimated figures cover the period from October 13 – two days after the

official inauguration of the Race Village in the Alicante port – until October 22, the departure date of the 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race. According to the hoteliers association APHA, the effects of the sailing event being held in the city make a major difference to the local economy and that October has been one of the most successful months during the years it takes place. They also acknowledge that connections from the nearby Alicante-Elche Airport make the city an attractive host venue and actively encourage more promotion of the spectacular in future years.

Grant received for year-long repair work

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Hotel owners encouraged by ocean race bookings

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It’s reported that the complete programme of work will take one year to finish and those concentrating at repairing the badly damaged drainage systems, accounting for the bulk of the budget, must be completed within six months.

12 Photo credit: Wikimedia

The road to school is uncomfortable

TAKE-OFF: Romantic weekends in Paris get cheaper from Alicante!

Low-cost flights to Paris from Alicante by Steve Collins TRANSAVIA, the low-cost airline belonging to the Air France-KLM group, has announced that it will begin a route between Alicante and Paris. The service will be launched on April 15 2018 and from that date until June there will be four flights a week on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

From July, they will add an extra flight with two on a Monday. Hervé Kozar, commercial director of Transavia France, said: “The introduction of the new route between Alicante-Paris is another step in the expansion of Transavia in Spain. In this way, Spanish passengers will have even more options to discover Europe and, in particular, one of the main capitals of the world such as Paris.”

Next to Amsterdam, Paris is one of the main hubs of Transavia, and in addition to Alicante, the airline offers regular flights to Paris from Barcelona, Ibiza, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife, Madrid, Seville and Valencia. Tickets for the new Alicante to Paris service are now available through the usual travel agent outlets or through the Transavia website, and prices start from only €35.

PARENTS and children alike have complained about the state of access roads and pavements to a number of schools in Crevillente. Many of the access paths are blocked with shrubs that have overgrown and forces pedestrians to have to move into the road which is dangerous at normal times, let alone during the comings and goings of the school run. Even though the municipality did clean up some of the affected areas before the beginning of the term around the Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza, Puig Jover, Francesc Candela and Macià Abela schools and colleges, the weeds have taken over the

pavements again and is causing continual concern to those that use those areas on a daily basis. On top of this, many of the pavements are cracked and broken and only add to the dangers and has increased the amount of pressure parents have put on the local authority to begin a series of repairs as soon as possible. Calle Manuel Sanchis Guarner has become one of busier areas during the school run and has also attracted a number of complaints about those drivers who habitually double park or leave their cars in a dangerous spot as they accompany their children to the school gates.

24 feb - 2 march 2017

by Glenn Scott THE Parks and gardens department in the city of Murcia are continuing to carry out a review of more than 600 different types of plants and trees located in the municipality. The latest series of inspections were carried out earlier this week in La Glorieta by experts that carry a European accreditation to be able to examine each specimen and recommend a plan of action according to their specific needs. Each tree is looked at in fine detail,

with the overall structure examined to check that no branches have died – or are about to – or have overgrown to the extent that they pose a danger to people, property and vehicles in Murcia. If such problems are discovered, an immediate report is made to the department responsible and any repairs or restoration is carried out. An example of some of the 600 specimens found in the municipality of Murcia include the causarina trees in Luis Fontes Pagán, the elms of Beniaján and the banana trees in Monteagudo.

Photo credit: Wikimedia

Gardens under review

CAUSARINA TREE: One of the many examples of plant and tree life

Busy summer for rescue services

THE LIFEGUARD service in Torrevieja has had a very busy time this summer. Figures announced by councillor Javier Manzanares said that they had intervened 2,881 times during the summer season that lasted from June 1 to September

15. A total of 242 people were rescued from the sea but it was emphasised that not a single person drowned during that time. The data covered the beaches in La Mata, Los Locos, Playa del Cura and Los Náufragos and showed that more than 1,000

stings were treated and more tan 1,000 other injuries of varying degrees. Lifeguards also saved the life of four people who suffered a heart attack while on the beach which saw one of them losing their life on the way to hospital.

Manzanares was saddened at the increase in the number of drownings along the coast during the summer but gave his own thanks to the skills of the lifeguards that there hadn’t been any in Torrevieja. He also confirmed that the city were looking

to increase the number of warning signs and also to extend the amount of time rescue service will be deployed in the future. However, he asked swimmers to use their common sense to not go into the sea when there is obvious rough weather around.

16 Photo credit: Audio Library

Capital taxi drivers learn English

STRESSED: Students top the anxiety stakes

World Mental Health Day by Lynn Whittaker ACCORDING to a recent study, four out of ten people living in Murcia are suffering from various levels of stress. Ahead of World Mental Health Day due to be recognised on October 10, the report produced by CINFA and endorsed by the Spanish Society for the Study of Anxiety and Stress, shows that the symptoms that affect sufferers in Murcia the most are irritability (52 per cent), anxiety (48 per cent) and

insomnia (34 per cent). These are followed by headaches or muscular pain (30 per cent) and mental fatigue (26 per cent). Of those from Murcia that suffer from stress related illnesses, 55 per cent attribute this to work overload, 44 per cent to general fatigue and lack of sleep, 43 per cent to emotional problems. Illness to themselves or a family member accounts for 41 per cent of the feelings of stress and anxiety. At a national level, the results of the

survey showed that 39 per cent are blaming stress on their levels of concentration and performance at their place of work. Lower down the scale, 4 per cent blame their condition on a lack of friends and just over one per cent site divorce or separation. The report also states that stress affects more women than men and the under 45s. By occupation or profession, it is students that top the list with 55 per cent of them saying they are continually stressed out.

English is the second most spoken language in the world to Mandarin Chinese and is the go-to language of both business and tourism. In Madrid, Spanish is translated into English on signs, maps and menus and now, 500 taxi drivers in the capital have signed up to a free online English course run by the local authorities to improve the quality of the tourist experience in the region and make “tourists feel at home.” “More and more foreigners are coming to Madrid for business and leisure,” one online student told the Spanish press. “They account for practically half my rides.” Having driven a taxi around the city for 10 years,

he has no doubt that English is necessary. The course he is on is basic (A1), but he says he practices what he learns with his customers. “When I have a long journey, I listen to Vaughan radio,” he explains. Vaughan radio is a station specifically geared to learning English. The online course was designed by Universia, taking inspiration from the volunteer’s English course at the Rio Olympics last year. Madrid’s Director of Tourism Carlos Chaguaceda believes that language is essential to making the visitor feel at home. Set up with the support of three major taxi associations, the initiative is just the first of many the regional government will be investing in, he says.

by Ray Chadwick TORREVIEJA Hospital has commemorated World Heart Day by encouraging visitors to take part in a healthy walk. Signposted by a number of blue hearts, people can take part in a walk of 600 metres around the hospital building which is aimed at benefitting their bodies while at the same time reading some healthy tips along the way. They will pass by signs featuring slogans such as ‘Walking at least 30 minutes a day reduces the risk of heart problems and increases life expectancy’, ‘eat five times a day’ and ‘drink two litres of water per day’. Hospital professionals have calculated that repeating this circuit three times a day equates to the

recommended 30 minutes. The route, clearly indicated with big blue hearts also serves the purpose of showing people where important areas of the hospital are located without fear of straying into restricted areas. It also shows the quickest ways of accessing the most popular departments’ people use as part of the out-patient services. Walking at least 30 minutes per day reduces the risk of suffering from heart disease or a stroke by up to 27%, by controlling blood pressure, aiding the circulatory system, and lowering bad and increasing good cholesterol. It’s also known to help diabetics and is good for bone structure and promoting joint flexibility.

Photo credit: Pixabay

Blue hearts lead to a healthy heart TOUR: Follow the hearts to learn about the heart... and the hospital

New roundabout to give shopping access AFTER a delay which should have seen the work completed in the summer, the new access roundabout to the Las Dunas Shopping Centre in Cabo de Palos will finally open in

November. The roundabout will be situated at the Cabo de Palos exit of the RM12 motorway, and the programme of works will begin shortly. This is the second such ac-

cess to the commercial centre, and both have been promoted – with the cooperation of the local authority – by the owners of Las Dunas who will bear the costs of the project.

City gets more plug-in points

OVER the next few weeks, five charging points will be installed in Murcia for the use of the growing number of electric cars. They will be found in Gran Via, Plaza Circular, Avenida Segura, Paseo Florencia and Acisclo Díaz and take the current total number of plug-in points in the city to 15. These new sites have been selected after questioning the locals and users of electric cars during a consultation process that ended at the beginning of September. Environment councillor, Antonio Navarro Corchón, said: “This action seeks to promote sustainable mobility in our city and with it, to transform our roads with clean and quiet vehicles.”

Unseasonal weather keeps beaches full

Vegetable oil recycling encouraged posit the oil in plastic bottles at Calle San Joaquín (in front of the supermarket), Calle Comunidad Valenciana (at the junction with Calle Santa Águeda), Calle Azorín (on the corner by the school), Avenida Callosa (next to the 24 hour shop) and Avenida Purísima (in front of the supermarket). Many municipalities up and down the Costa Blanca have adopted similar schemes which prevent water pollution and the gradual deterioration of pipes, and the recycled oil can be used to create a number of ecological products such as biodiesel and soaps.

Everyone welcome THE Evangelical Church of the Good Sheph� herd welcomes you every Sunday at 5pm at Calle Juan Sebastián Elcano 25, 03550 SAN JUAN. They offer you cake and coffee or tea afterwards and would very much like to meet you. For more information email ivanysadys@yahoo.es or call 605 556 974.

Photo credit: Wikimedia

AS part of the continuing plan to encourage recycling and the environment councillor in Catral has signed an agreement for a supply of new containers within the municipality. Juan José Vicente, announced the deal with private company Reciclajes Alimentaria SL for the installation of and free collection from a number of containers for the use of residents and businesses to deposit used vegetable oil for recycling. For the first phase of the project, five lightweight orange containers have been placed for people to de-

BUSY BEACH: Bathers continue to flock during continuing summer

by Lynn Whittaker A WELCOME combination of neverending warm weather that has extended the summer and water temperatures at higher than usual levels has brought thousands of extra visitors to Torrevieja’s beaches. The popular beaches of Playa del

Cura, Los Locos, Los Náufragos – and to a lesser extent La Mata – have been almost full to brimming, and similar numbers are expected this weekend and into next week’s two fiesta days as the weather shows no sign of changing. Temperatures of 28ºC are forecast until next Wednesday at the earliest.

The downside to this influx is that since September 15, there has been no lifeguard or rescue services in operation on the beaches and is something that the municipality is looking to address for the 2018 summer season. At present, the patrols only operate over the Easter weekend and from June 1.

Volvo Ocean Race gets cruise boost

Businesses in the open air

Photo credit: Wikimedia

DOCKING: Three cruise ships in port during sailing spectacular

by Steve Collins CRUISE ships docking in the port of Alicante will be bringing thousands of extra visitors to coincide with the Volvo Ocean Race. An estimated total of 5,400 passengers will be able to disembark from ships from Livorno, Barcelona and Nice that are making stopovers in Alicante when the Race Village is open. Those wanting to spend some time in the dedicated zones will only have a few metres to walk to enjoy the facilities

and the activities on offer. The first ship to arrive on October 13 will be the Mein Schiff cruise from Barcelona to Lisbon, carrying 2,500 passengers. The following day, two ships are due in port at the same time with the docking of the Horizon - from Livorno and bound for Malaga with 1,400 onboard seafarers; and the Sea Dream, from Nice to Malaga, with 110 visitors. According to the authorities, all the cruise ships are due to arrive in port at 7am and leave at around 5pm which is perfect timing for the programme in

the Race Village that are taking place throughout the day from 10am. In this way, the cruisers will be able to enjoy the activities programmed in the Race Village, since they are celebrated throughout the day from ten in the morning. The Director of Cruise Operations in Alicante, Francesco Balbi, said that the Volvo Ocean Race is "a great attraction, with a perfect location so the cruise passengers will be able to enjoy not only the charms of the city of Alicante but of the Race Village close by.”

Classic vehicles tour the Vega Baja TO CELEBRATE the 25th anniversary of the Antique Motorcycle & Car Club of Los Montesinos, more than 100 vehicles paraded through the town as part of the local fiesta week. There is a big passion for these classic vehicles in the town and a total of 103 registered entrants containing of 300 drivers and passengers delighted those that lined the streets to witness the spectacular. The parade was enhanced after other owners of vehicles not so old – the vehicles, not the drivers – were encouraged to take part in the special route with their cars and motorbikes. The vehicles all gathered on the Avenida de la Marquesa where locals and visitors could admire at close quarters the timeless beauty of Lambrettas, Vespas, Isos, Moto Guzzis, Bultacos and Montesas, to name but a few of the more famous motorcycle manufacturers. The two-wheeled exhibits were supported by their four-wheeled counterparts that included iconic examples of Minis, Citroën 2CV, Renault, Ford, Mercedes and Volkswagens among others.

With many decades of use between them, at 11m precisely the veteran engines roared in unison and began their route through Los Montesinos. They continued on to Benijófar and Guardamar, before passing Santa Pola and Elche, later returning to the Vega Baja to finish off their day with lunch in San Miguel de Salinas.

THE PLAZA de la Constitución in Almoradí will be turned into the biggest open air commercial centre in the Vega Baja this weekend. From today (Friday) until Sunday October 8, a total of 36 businesses will be exhibiting a selection of their latest top quality products. Councillor José Antonio Latorre and Shopkeepers Association president Susana García announced the event which will take place in addition to the usual popular Saturday market that takes place in and around the main square. As well as shopping there is a programme of fun activities for everyone, which includes a flamenco exhibition by Dance Factory on Saturday morning and the Yolanda Garcia Company on the evening.

Historic casino gets European boost MORE than six years since the devastating earthquake hit the city of Lorca, their iconic casino will finally be refurbished. The building, constructed in 1847, will undergo a programme of work projected to last for approximately two years and has been made possible thanks to an investment of €1m from the European Investment Bank.

The mayor of Lorca, Fulgencio Gil, announced the collaboration after signing the agreement that formally authorised the start of the works, and he publically thanked the partners in this scheme for their generosity which will allow the city’s historic monument to continue to exist and to include all aspects of art, culture and leisure facilities.

Blood donor event a big success MORE than 500 people visited the Teatro Principal in Alicante to donate blood as part of the latest event organised by the transfusion centre. Specifically, there were 489 blood donors of whom 82 were first time donors and 210 registering to become bone marrow donors. The whole theatre was taken over for the day with dozens of portable stretchers laid out on the stage, and a similar number of armchairs were brought in to enable those attending to relax before and after their donation and be entertained by a number of musicians and actors specially employed for the day. They also did their bit to encourage passers-by to enter the theatre and be a donor.

The way I see it… by

Harvey Mann

The last time I saw scenes like the recent ones in Barcelona, was old news footage from Berlin filmed in the late 30s. Policemen and soldiers wearing swastikas on their arms, sacking shops and business office’s piled books up and set light to them. They herded people like animals, away from government offices to eradicate themselves of Hitler’s opposition; often using excessive force, they beat people with clubs and rifle butts, as blood flowed freely. Not quite so bad, the activity of the Guarda Civil swooping on the pro-independence offices to seize papers and funds pledging support for the referendum campaign in Barcelona. Now please don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has any disposition of being another Hitler, or that his Government is Nazi orientated, however I am slightly worried about what is going on in Catalonia with the planned but banned referendum on October 1. What I don’t understand is why the European Union have not intervened? The European Union legal system are the main instigators of the human rights laws. Certainly, in Britain when Scotland asked for a referendum Britain complied, the referendum was held, and Scotland voted against independence. Neither am I defending the Catalonia Government rights to hold a referendum or against it, as it is supposedly against the Spanish constitutional laws, however the Catalonian’s should not have their human rights banned by Spain’s total denial of the Catalonians peoples wishes. Recently, 14 officials and business owners were arrested after court orders, not before 4,000 extra Guardia Civil officers that had been drafted in seized 10 million voting slips. With street scenes that are reminiscent of unstable South American countries, such as recent events in Venezuela, the populace of Barcelona

turn out to demonstrate against the Guardia Civil raids. Thousands of Catalonians waving regional flags and chanting slogans against the Rajoy Government while police continued their raids on the offices of the regional economy ministry. The searches continued through the night as protesters attempted to block the exit of Guardia Civil officers as they tried to leave the offices, some of police vehicles were damaged. Catalonia and Spain have been at odds for more than 500 years. When Franco died, Catalan nationalism was revived and eventually Catalonia was granted autonomy again under the 1978 constitution. A 2006 statute granted even greater powers, boosting Catalonia’s financial clout and describing it as a Nation, however Spain’s Constitutional court reversed much of the statute in 2010 this angered the regional authorities greatly. The historic problem results from, as one Spanish man told me “Catalonia is rich, probably the richest region in Spain, but they don’t want to share their wealth with the poorer people.” Many protesters claim that Rajoy has banned the referendum owing to his own political machinations. But Rajoy says the banning was on the orders of the judge and had nothing to do with the Spanish Government, Rajoy went on to say, “that he doesn’t have to explain the rules of the law.” The Catalan President Carles Puigdemont insists “that no court or government body can suspend his government” and says Spain has de facto suspended the self-government of Catalonia and has applied a de facto state of emergency.” This as pro-independence MPs, walked out of the debating chamber in disgust, and the pro-left wing Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias said he was against the arrests and sugested the Government was taking

political prisoners. Prime Minister Rajoy continued to say, ‘the Catalonians cannot hold a referendum, it was never legal or legitimate, it was just a pipe dream, it had been banned by the Spanish courts and it is against the constitution”, last week over 700 pro-independence local mayors were placed under house arrest for allegedly using council’s resources to arrange votes. So now it is back to the European Union and their Human Rights laws. Is the E.U. non-interference denying the Catalonian People of voting, YES. Have the E.U. asked the Spanish government about how they feel on denying the Catalonia’s human rights laws? NO. The E.U. believe the Spanish government have the right to do what they like in their own country as it does not contravene the E.U. laws. However, those scenes of the police raids in Barcelona of the guarda civil and the protesters facing up to each other are reminiscent of mid-late 1930’s Berlin, and I thought the news footage from Barcelona was very unsettling.

Plastering over the cracks by

Colin Bird

“You’re grumpy this week”, the Princess admonished me yesterday, and she was right, it’s been one of those weeks when little annoyances that would normally have passed over my head have for some reason, stopped off and got up my nose. I cut my finger whilst chopping some onions; not an unheard of occurrence. I put a plaster on to the injured finger, only to have it slide off later when I washed my hands. So I hurriedly applied another. I reckon I had to repeat this procedure at least five further times during the day, so the obvious question is: why don’t they make all plasters waterproof? Then it was the European football on TV. Players crossing themselves before the game with the ref. doing the same at the final whistle. But only when he knew the cameras were on him I noticed. It seems God has become a fashion icon. I realise that the average professional footballer is not noted for his brain capacity, but puleese, could you be more original in celebrating a goal. Here’s an idea, try shaking hands with your team mates. How refreshing that would be. Then there was some idiot being interviewed in Oxfordshire about Brexit (how sick I

am of that word). What is this nonsense where it seems fashionable to abandon the Queens English in favour of some quasi Jamaican dialect? It’s great if you come from that exotic region, but ridiculous if you are a natural blonde and born in Banbury. Dey has got dis weird way of walkin’ too, sorta like a swagga dat da Noo Yawk pimps do, know what ah meen. An dey wave dhere hans abaht like dey is all rappers or sumfin, innit. Give me strength. To cap it all, I bought a new shirt – one of the boxed jobs, not something off the rail. Look you guys, this is the 21st century, could you please stop putting those damned pins in everywhere, because having carefully removed them all, or so you think, there’s always one lurking in some dark place, painfully revealing itself when you slip the shirt on. Back to the TV and my eyes were like revolving cherries on a one-arm-bandit when trying to spot the actors names after a particularly good movie. Why bother to roll the credits if you have to have high speed eyeballs like Clark Kent in order to read that stuff? I need a cold shower. Which means yet another plaster I suppose.

This is the sixth of an eight-part mini-serialisation written by author James Hartley specially for RTN readers. Costa del Sol makes a stunning discovery in Marbella as he tracks down a diamond ring, stolen in a daring mid-air heist over Malaga. by

James Hartley

BIO James Hartley is an author and teacher who spends his time between Torre del Mar and Madrid. He was born near Liverpool in 1973 but has lived most of his life abroad, in Scotland, Singapore, Syria and Thailand, among other places. This year The Invisible Hand, the first novel in a new series for Young Adults about children who get mixed up in the plots of Shakespeare´s plays was published. The second book, Cold Fire, based on Romeo and Juliet, will be published soon. He has also just published a book about Napoleon´s exile and death on St Helena, The Napoleon Diaries. James lives in Madrid with his wife Ana and their children Carmen, 8, and Matthew, 6.

PART 6

exclusive

Reporting The News

The Costa del Sol Adventures The only jeweller Costa trusted owned a shop in the old town in Marbella. To get there he drove to his flat in Malaga and picked up the car. A quick shower and an hour later he was walking through the tinkling door of Emile´s store. Jenna, Emile´s wife, who made the amber and amethyst jewellery they sold out front, gave Costa a double take. “Oh! It´s you. I didn´t recognise you.” She sighed. “I never recognise you!” “The day you do, I´m done. Is Emile in?” A moment later a thin, tanned, pointy-bearded face appeared through the beads. “Come, come.” Emile asked no questions. He bent and examined the jewel after expertly prising it from its golden bed. “It´s a fake,” he declared, holding it up by the culet. “Sure?” “Has the stamp on the ring of an old friend of mine from Aix-en-Provence. Always a bad ´un.” “Sold to a well-known guy, they told me. Hollywood figure.” Costa pocketed the ring and left a note on the counter. “Yes, I know,” Emile replied, folding up his glasses and the money. “But, you know, Costa, those people sell lies for a living. This type of thing is bound to happen. Karma, you know. Karma, my friend.” Costa retraced his steps. He called Dan Sanchéz on the way back down the motorway. The ring´s a fake, he said. Call Levy and tell him. “He´ll want to meet you,” Sanchez replied. “Check you´ve got proof.” “I´ll meet him at the Molino in Lagos tomorrow morning at first light.” “He´ll want to meet you before that, Costa. Come to Malaga. He has offices here.” “Tomorrow. The Molino in Lagos. First light. Beers on me.” An hour later, as the sun went down, Costa walked back into the cemetery at Torre del Mar.

illustrations by Ben Hartley

British bias corporation by

Michael Walsh

keyboardcosmetics@ gmail.com

Many are the media slurs about state controlled Russian media, little of which stands up to scrutiny. If fake news raises concern then perhaps British journalists should avoid living in glass houses. During a BBC Question Time debate, Julia HartleyBrewer parried verbal blows with presenter David Dimbleby. The broadcaster said she was used to being the only Brexiter on the show. The liberal-left caucus claim that Nigel Farage constantly appears. In fact, the celebrated Brexiter has been invited once on the 42 programmes since the referendum was held. Since Brexit the Remain panellists have been outnumbered by Leavers 137 – 72. British media spin and bias is notorious. Insider Greg Dyke in his autobiography says; “When it

came to discussing the war in Iraq staff found it so difficult to find any member of the public prepared to speak in favour that they ended up planting people in the (Question Time) audience.” The former BBC Director-General is far from alone. Matthew Pariss was voted British Press Awards Columnist of the Year. On April 21, 1996, the Daily Mail columnist was damning in his criticism of television debates. “Television lies. All television lies. It lies persistently, instinctively and by habit. Everyone involved lies. A culture of mendacity surrounds the medium and those who work there live it, breathe it and prosper by it. I know of no area of public life, no, not even politics, more saturated by a professional cynicism. If you want a word that takes you to the core of it, I would offer ‘rigged’. It is dishonest for the presenter to imply that the pundit in the chair is free to offer any opinion, when the truth is that 50 pundits were telephoned but only the fellow prepared to offer the requisite opinion was invited?” Gerry Hines is an unashamed publicist for the racial diversity collective. The former BBC Programme Organiser penned a col-

umn for Race Today, which is published by the Institute of Race Relations. “Newspapers have to sell in order to live, so do commercial T.V. That leaves the British Broadcasting Corporation as the only truly public service medium in this country disseminating information, entertainment, and, in the case of race relations propaganda. We are unashamed to admit it is what we are doing.” His comment would have pleased the aforementioned Greg Dyke infamous for his offensive remark that “The BBC is hideously White.” June 21. 2007. Most fair minded people consider much of British media as hideously biased. I would suggest a future BBC Question Time panel to be independently selected. The topic I suggest, should a blatantly biased corporation be funded by the taxpayers.

More direct object pronouns

Basic Spanish for everyday needs by

Jane Cronin

Well, who would have thought that in a basic Spanish course we would spend so much time on the meaning of the word lo? It’s one of those fiddly little words that give us so much trouble. In fact if we could abolish any word from Spanish that contained two letters or less, we poor English speakers would be a lot happier! So, the task at hand today is to look at the word lo when it means “it”, and how it can be tacked on to the end of other words. Lo meaning “it” can stand on its own in many sentences, but they are a bit more complicated to explain, so for now we will just see how it can be linked onto the end of the infinitive of verbs. After that we will see how la, los and las can work in the same way, and what they mean. In the last article we saw the following sentences: Quiero beberlo “I want to drink it”; Necesito limpiarlo “I need to clean it” and Puedo verlo “I can see it”. Lo here is replacing something that it already understood. Its grammatical label is a “pronoun”, something that goes instead of a noun. For example if we say: “I want to drink it”, the speaker and listener must already know what “it” stands for otherwise it doesn’t make sense. In fact the full sentence was “Quiero beber el vino” I want to drink the wine. Now then, what I haven’t yet told you is that lo in fact refers to things that are masculine and singular (oh no, here we go again!). El vino is a masculine singular word, which is why lo is the correct pronoun to replace it. If we wish to say “it” about something that is feminine and

singular, we use the word la. Here are two examples which should make this clear.

“Do I need to sign the papers?” ¿Necesito firmarlos? “Do I need to sign them?”

Voy a cocinar la tortilla “I’m going to cook the tortilla” Voy a cocinarla “I’m going to cook it”. No puedo cerrar la ventana “I can’t close the window” No puedo cerrarla “I can’t close it”.

I think that is all relatively easy to understand in theory. The big challenge of course is remembering when you’re speaking whether what you are referring to is masculine or feminine, or even singular or plural. This actually takes all of us a very long time and we make plenty of mistakes along the way. You should never worry about this as you will always be understood by using the masculine form lo. Remember the whole point is that both speaker and listener already know what is being referred to!

And to complete this tale, we can now look briefly at how to make the plural of “it”, that is “them”, using los when referring to masculine plural and las for feminine plural. Again clear examples ought to do the trick.

¿Necesito firmalos? Me gusta ver las películas Necesito limpiarlo “I like watching the films” Me gusta verlas “I like watching them” Voy a cocinarla ¿Necesito firmar los papeles?

Me gusta verlas

Looking for adventure ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG NATURIST In 1954, a young David Attenborough was offered the opportunity of a lifetime - to travel the world finding rare and elusive animals for London Zoo’s collection, and to film the expeditions for the BBC for a new show called Zoo Quest. This is the story of those voyages. Staying with local tribes while trekking in search of giant anteaters in Guyana, Komodo dragons in Indonesia and armadillos in Paraguay, he and the rest of the team battled with cannibal fish, aggressive tree porcupines and escape-artist wild pigs, as well as treacherous terrain and unpredictable weather, to record the incredible beauty and biodiversity of these regions. The methods may be outdated now, but the fascination and respect for the wildlife, the people and the environment - and the importance of protecting these wild places - is not. Written with Attenborough’s trademark wit and charm, Adventures of a Young Naturalist is not just the story of a remarkable adventure, but of the man who made us fall in love with the natural world, and who is still doing so today.

Sponsored by Bookworld Puerto Banus

info@bookworldpuertobanus.com www@bookworldpuertobanus.com 952 816 084

legal Q What is the non-resident tax by

IGNACIO PELLICER MOLLĂ & PEDRO HEREDIA ORTIZ

LAWYERS

and who does it apply to? This applies to anybody who is not legally a resident in Spain, but who has assets such as property in Spain, income from rental of property, income from bank deposits when applicable, royalties from intellectual property, etcâ&#x20AC;Ś Remember this is a legal requirement that must be submitted by the 31st December of each year. With greater cross border tax transparency to stop tax evasion, it is now imperative that you ensure that your applicable taxes are paid.

If you have any further questions about this or any other legal matter, please do not hesitate to contact us; we have a team of experts standing by to assist you in any way we can. Call 965 480 737 or email info@pellicerheredia.com Videos at www.pellicerheredia.com

home and garden

Do it yourself: prepare your pond for winter As winter creeps in, ponds become a magnet for fallen leaves and if they are allowed to sink to the bottom in great quantity, they will make the water unpleasant for fish, plants and wildlife. Avoid the problem by spreading plastic netting right across the surface and anchor it with bricks or stones around the edge. Every week or two, remove it and dispose of the leaves into a leaf mould bin or black polythene sacks where they can be left to rot down for a year and then used as soil enrichment. Many of the plants around the edge – the marginal aquatics – will also be looking tatty now. Have a go at them with shears or secateurs, cutting the faded leaves and stems back to ground level and add what you remove to the compost heap. Soon the scene will begin to improve and once all the leaves are down, the netting can be removed so that you can enjoy the reflection of the sky in the water.

Fish become much more sluggish in winter, spending their time on the bottom of the pool, so there is absolutely no point in feeding them. Ease off over the next couple of weeks – they can happily live off their “hump” during the winter. If you can reach the faded leaves of water lilies, remove them, but if you can’t don’t worry, they will rot down to almost nothing and do not pose nearly as much of a problem as the fallen leaves of deciduous trees. Make sure that the edges of straight-sided ponds are equipped with some means of allowing birds to reach the water and drink. A plank of wood will make a suitable ramp, but it may need weighting down to prevent it from floating. Not all waterside plants will have faded, so don’t be too keen to chop them down. Even when some of them do go brown they will offer welcome cover and in the case of seed heads, food for birds and shelter for other forms of wildlife.

UNPLEASANT: Fish, plants and wildlife do not like living with fallen leaves It may seem that in winter very little goes on around your pond, but it still provides a valuable resource for wildlife and within its

depths, all kinds of creatures will be overwintering and just waiting for that moment in spring when the air warms up and the whole cycle

begins again. You don’t have a pond? Well, this is the perfect time to plan one for building early next year!

Cleaning granite work tops Granite has been one of the most popular materials for counters in kitchens and bathrooms since the early 2000s. It isn’t as porous as marble, so it is less prone to soaking up oils, spills and stains. That said, prevention is key with granite work tops. Mop us spills as soon as they happen so they cannot penetrate the surface. Granite is extremely resistant to bacteria, an important consideration for kitchen worktops in particular. And the granite in work tops has been sealed to make it stain-resistant. To keep the glossy shine for which it’s prized, you need to clean granite counters regularly and carefully. Here’s how to clean a granite countertop: • First, wipe the counter surface with warm, soapy water and rinse thoroughly. You can also use a 50:50 solution of isopropyl alcohol and water. Don’t use vinegar, Windex or bleach on granite. Frequent uses of these acidic substances will dull the granite and weaken the sealant. Don’t use abrasive cleaner or pads, either, because granite can be scratched. The good news: You don’t need specialty cleaners for granite. It’s OK to use those products, but you’re paying for a product you don’t need. Mild soap and hot water will do just fine.

• Knowing how to clean work tops means knowing how to remove stains. To remove stains from granite, make a paste of baking soda and water. Gently scrub the spot with the paste and a soft cloth. Rinse thoroughly. It may take several tries to get out a tough stain. For an extremely tough stain, put the paste on the spot, cover with plastic wrap and tape down the edges. Let it sit until the paste dries. This can take a couple of days. When the paste is dry, use a soft cloth to wipe away the paste. Rinse with warm water. • To put a shine on your granite put a little cooking oil on a soft cleaning cloth and wipe it across the countertop. Buff it gently. This makes the counter a little bit stain-resistant and gives it a glossy shine. Even if you know how to clean work tops correctly your granite will need to be resealed periodically. Normal wear and tear will wear the sealant off, leaving the counter dull and susceptible to stains. Resealing granite counters is a job best to left to professionals; don’t DIY this one. Plan on having your granite counters resealed every two to four years. Knowing how to clean a granite countertop will make the sealant last and keep the counter beautiful for years.

television 6th - 12th October

Pick of the Day

friday 7:00am 10:15am 11:00am 12:00pm 12:45pm 1:15pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 10:30pm 11:25pm 11:35pm 12:25am

Breakfast Rip Off Britain Homes Under the Hammer Neighbourhood Blues Caught Red Handed Bargain Hunt BBC News BBC London News Doctors The Boss Escape to the Country Garden Rescue Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show A Question of Sport EastEnders Would I Lie to You? Have I Got News for You BBC News BBC London News Graham Norton Show Josh

Emmerdale, 8pm, ITV1 7:00am 7:30am 8:15am 9:00am 10:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:45pm 4:15pm 4:45pm 5:15pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:05am

Flog it! Trade Secrets Rip Off Britain Neighbourhood Blues Gardeners’ World Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live The Daily Politics For What It’s Worth Gymnastics Coast Great American Railroad Journeys This Farming Life Flog It! Strictly - It Takes Two Coast: The Great Guide Mastermind Only Connect Gardeners’ World Mock the Week Newsnight Dragons’ Den

7:00am 9:30am 10:25am 11:30am 1:30pm 2:30pm 2:55pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:15am

How We Won the War Coast Hans Christian Andersen Saturday Mash-Up! Natural World Rick Stein’s Long Weekends Railways of the Great War with Michael Portillo Flog It! Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands India: Nature’s Wonderland Mastermind The Big Family Cooking Showdown Anglesey Gardeners’ World Front Row Britain Afloat Dad’s Army Basquiat - Rage to Riches Performance Live: Missing Episode Later... with Jools Holland

Good Morning Britain Lorraine The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Judge Rinder Alphabetical Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Best Walks with a View with Julia Bradbury Coronation Street Cold Feet ITV News and Weather ITV News London Bad Move Tonight at the London Palladium

7:00am 7:45am 9:05am 10:05am 10:35am 11:05am 12:00pm 1:00pm 1:05pm 2:05pm 3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am

Countdown King of Queens Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA Undercover Boss USA Channel 4 News Come Dine with Me A New Life in the Sun Countdown Find it Fix it Flog it My Kitchen Rules Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Unreported World The Crystal Maze Gogglebox The Last Leg First Dates

7:00am 10:15am 12:15pm 1:10pm 1:15pm 2:15pm 2:45pm 3:20pm 4:20pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am

Childrens TV The Wright Stuff Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away! 5 News Lunchtime The Hotel Inspector Home and Away Neighbours The Mentalist Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise 5 News Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight The Gadget Show Britain by Bike with Larry and George Lamb A Celebrity Taste of Italy In Therapy Alaska: A Year in the Wild

7:00am 8:00am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:05pm 12:00am

Hawaii Five-0 Road Wars Monkey Life Monkey Life The Dog Whisperer Modern Family Modern Family NCIS: Los Angeles House Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 NCIS: Los Angeles Stargate SG-1 The Flash Modern Family The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Modern Family Sing: Ultimate a Capella Carpool Karaoke The Russell Howard Hour

7:00am

Childrens TV

11:30am

The Gadget Show

with James Martin

12:20pm

Criminals Caught

12:20pm

Midsomer Murders

Mobil 1 The Grid Triathlon Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier The Big Bang Theory The Simpsons The Simpsons The Crystal Maze Formula 1 World’s Most Expensive Cars A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun Location, Location, Location Channel 4 News Britain’s Ancient Tracks with Tony Robinson WWII’s Great Escapes Escape Plan The Gunman

Childrens TV

Saturday Morning

7:15am 7:45am 8:10am 9:30am 10:30am 11:55am 12:25pm 12:55pm 2:00pm 3:30pm 4:35pm 5:35pm 6:35pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:15am

7:00am

10:25am

on Camera

12:50pm

Police Interceptors

1:50pm

Police Interceptors

2:50pm

Nightmare Tenants,

Slum Landlords

3:50pm

The Nightmare

Neighbour Next Door

4:50pm

The Nightmare

Neighbour Next Door

5:50pm

5 News Weekend

5:55pm

Can’t Pay?

We’ll Take it Away!

6:50pm

Can’t Pay?

We’ll Take it Away!

7:50pm

Where Eagles Dare

10:45pm

Live Boxing

12:30am

Football on 5

7:00am 8:00am 8:30am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 12:30pm 1:30pm 2:30pm 3:30pm 6:00pm 7:05pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:50am

Wild Things Road Wars Egg Drop F1 Show Soccer Am Best Bits Premiere League Prediction Show Football’s Funniest Moments Soccer A.M. The Next Jamie Vardy NCIS: Los Angeles NCIS: Los Angeles Modern Family Sing: Ultimate a Capella Modern Family The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons A League of Their Own The Da Vinci Code The Russell Howard Hour

saturday 7:00am

Breakfast

11:00am

Saturday Kitchen Live

12:30pm

The Hairy Bikers’

Comfort Food

1:00pm

Football Focus

1:30pm

Bargain Hunt

2:00pm

BBC News

2:15pm

Gymnastics

3:45pm

Muppets Most Wanted

5:25pm

Chris Coleman:

Dare to Dream

6:25pm

BBC News

6:35pm

BBC London News

6:45pm

Pointless

7:35pm

Strictly Come Dancing

9:40pm

Casualty

10:30pm

Mrs. Brown’s Boys

11:00pm

BBC News

11:20pm

Thor 2 - The Dark World

7:00am 7:30am 8:10am 10:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:30pm 4:30pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:30pm 12:00am

2:10pm

ITV News

2:15pm

Catchphrase

3:00pm

The Chase

3:55pm

The X Factor

5:25pm

Thunderbirds are Go

5:50pm

Little Big Shots

6:50pm

ITV News London

7:00pm

ITV News

7:15pm

Cannonball!

8:10pm

The Family Chase

9:15pm

The X Factor

10:45pm

The Jonathan Ross Show

11:45pm

ITV News

12:05am

American Pie:

The Wedding

SUNDAY 7:00am 10:00am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:15pm 2:00pm 2:15pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:00pm 5:10pm 5:45pm 6:45pm 7:05pm 7:15pm 8:15pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:20pm 11:30pm 12:35am

Breakfast The Andrew Marr Show Sunday Morning Live Sunday Politics Bargain Hunt BBC News Homes Under the Hammer Money for Nothing Escape to the Country Points of View Lifeline Songs of Praise Who Do You Think You Are? BBC News BBC London News Countryfile Strictly Come Dancing Antiques Roadshow The Last Post BBC News BBC London News Sir Bobby Charlton at 80 Women’s Football Show

Live Boxing, 10.45pm Channel 5

The Last Post, 7:25am 8:25am 9:25am 9:55am 10:50am 12:20pm 12:50pm 1:35pm 2:15pm 4:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:55pm 12:30am

Great British Garden Revival Gardeners’ World The Beechgrove Garden Countryfile Saturday Kitchen Best Bites Mary Berry’s Foolproof Cooking My Life on a Plate Talking Pictures Dial M for Murder Gymnastics Rugby League Top Gear Russia with Simon Reeve Dragons’ Den Louis Theroux Snowfall Mock the Week Oranges and Sunshine

7:00am 10:25am 10:30am 11:00am 11:55am 12:25pm 12:55pm 1:55pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:30pm 5:30pm 8:15pm 8:20pm 8:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:15pm 12:15am

Childrens TV ITV News Best Walks with a View with Julia Bradbury Peston on Sunday Amazing Animal Births Robson Green’s Coastal Lives Bigheads ITV News The Chase The X Factor Victoria World Cup Qualifier ITV News London ITV News The X Factor Victoria ITV News Peston on Sunday World Cup Qualifier Highlights

7:20am 7:45am 8:10am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 1:30pm 2:35pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 6:15pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:05pm 12:05am

Kevin Can Wait Kevin Can Wait Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Sunday Brunch Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Formula 1 The Great British Bake Off Channel 4 News Escape to the Chateau Escape: Human Cargo Electric Dreams 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

7:00am

Childrens TV

7:00am

The Hour of Power

11:00am

Football on 5

8:00am

Futurama

11:35am

Police Interceptors

8:30am

Futurama

12:35pm

Police Interceptors

9:00am

Futurama

1:30pm

Innerspace

9:30am

The Simpsons

3:50pm

Mannequin

10:00am

The Simpsons

4:50pm

5 News

10:30am

The Simpsons

4:55pm

Mannequin

11:00am

Sing: Ultimate a Capella

5:35pm

Annie

12:05pm

WWE Raw

6:35pm

5 News

1:00pm

NCIS: Los Angeles

6:40pm

Annie

2:00pm

NCIS: Los Angeles

8:05pm

Deep-Sea

3:00pm

NCIS: Los Angeles

Super Predator

4:00pm

Modern Family

9:00pm

Aviva Premiership

7:30pm

The Simpsons

Rugby Highlights

8:00pm

The Simpsons

9:55pm

5 News Weekend

8:30pm

The Simpsons

10:00pm

Wild Card

9:00pm

Duck Quacks Don’t Echo

11:00pm

5 News

10:00pm

The Last Ship

11:05pm

Wild Card

11:00pm

The Force: North East

12:05am

Safe

12:00am

The Russell Howard Hour

10pm BBC1

Pick of the Day

monday 7:00am 10:15am 11:00am 12:00pm 12:45pm 1:15pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm

Breakfast Rip Off Britain Homes Under the Hammer A Matter of Life and Debt Caught Red Handed Bargain Hunt BBC News BBC London News Doctors The Boss Escape to the Country Money for Nothing Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show Inside Out EastEnders Panorama Rellik BBC News BBC London News Have I Got a Bit More News for You

xxxx 7:00am 7:30am 8:15am 9:00am 10:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:45pm 4:15pm 4:45pm 5:15pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am

Real Lives Reunited Rip Off Britain Neighbourhood Blues The Big Family Cooking Showdown Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live The Daily Politics The Code Gymnastics Hairy Bikers’ Bake-ation Great American Railroad Journeys This Farming Life Flog It! Eggheads Strictly - It Takes Two Coast: The Great Guide University Challenge Upstart Crow The Human Body: Secrets of Your Life Revealed W1A Newsnight Billion Dollar Deals and How They Changed Your World

7:00am 9:30am 10:25am 11:30am 1:30pm 2:30pm 2:55pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:35pm 11:45pm 12:20am

Good Morning Britain Lorraine The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Judge Rinder Alphabetical Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Countrywise Coronation Street Liar ITV News and Weather ITV News London After the News Jonathan Ross Show

7:20am 8:40am 10:05am 11:05am 12:00pm 1:00pm 1:05pm 2:05pm 3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am

King of Queens Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA Undercover Boss USA Channel 4 News Come Dine with Me A New Life in the Sun Countdown Find it, Fix it, Flog it My Kitchen Rules Four in a Bed Steph and Dom’s One Star to Five Star The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Jamie’s Quick and Easy Food Superfoods: The Real Story The Undateables First Dates Quadruplets and Homeless

7:00am 10:15am 12:15pm 1:10pm 1:15pm 2:15pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am

Childrens TV The Wright Stuff The Gadget Show 5 News Lunchtime The Hotel Inspector Home and Away Neighbours The Mentalist A Killer Among Us 5 News Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight FIA World Rally Championship Highlights - Spain Police Interceptors Paddington Station 24/7 Aircrash: Collision in the Skies Blade: Trinity

7:00am 8:00am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 8:55pm 10:00pm 12:10am

Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 Monkey Life Monkey Life The Dog Whisperer Modern Family Modern Family NCIS: Los Angeles House Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 NCIS: Los Angeles Stargate SG-1 The Flash Modern Family The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Sing: Ultimate a Cappella Terminator Salvation A League of Their Own

NCIS: Los Angeles, 4pm Sky 1

tuesday 7:00am 10:15am 11:00am 12:00pm 12:45pm 1:15pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:15am

Breakfast Rip Off Britain Homes Under the Hammer A Matter of Life and Debt Caught Red Handed Bargain Hunt BBC News BBC London News Doctors The Boss Escape to the Country Money for Nothing Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show EastEnders Holby City Our Girl BBC News BBC London News Panorama The Insider

Steph and Dom's One Star to Five Star, 6.30pm Channel 4

7:00am 7:30am 8:15am 9:00am 10:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:45pm 3:45pm 4:00pm 5:15pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am

Real Lives Reunited Rip Off Britain A Matter of Life and Debt Horizon Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live The Daily Politics The Code The £100k House: The Final Fix Coast The Daily Politics This Farming Life Flog It! Eggheads Strictly - It Takes Two Coast: The Great Guide Saving Lives at Sea Russia 1917: Countdown to Revolution Later Live... with Jools Holland Newsnight NFL

7:00am 9:30am 10:25am 11:30am 1:30pm 2:30pm 2:55pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:40pm 12:15am

Good Morning Britain Lorraine The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Judge Rinder Alphabetical Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Save Money Robson Green’s Coastal Lives Call the Cleaners Cilla ITV News and Weather ITV News London After the News Lethal Weapon

7:20am 8:40am 10:05am 10:35am 11:05am 12:05pm 1:00pm 1:05pm 2:05pm 3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:15pm 11:30pm 12:35am

King of Queens Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA Undercover Boss USA Channel 4 News Come Dine with Me A New Life in the Sun Countdown Find it, Fix it, Flog it My Kitchen Rules Four in a Bed Steph and Dom’s One Star to Five Star The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The Great British Bake Off Celebrity Hunted Gogglebox Parenting for Idiots

7:00am 10:15am 12:15pm 1:10pm 1:15pm 2:15pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm

Childrens TV The Wright Stuff Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away! 5 News Lunchtime The Hotel Inspector Home and Away Neighbours The Mentalist Fatal Honeymoon 5 News Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight Tony Robinson: Coast to Coast The Yorkshire Vet Alaska: A Year in the Wild When TV Goes Horribly Wrong

7:00am 8:00am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:00am

Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 Monkey Life Monkey Life The Dog Whisperer Modern Family Modern Family NCIS: Los Angeles House Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 NCIS: Los Angeles Stargate SG-1 The Flash Modern Family The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons A League of Their Own Football’s Funniest Ever Moments The Russell Howard Hour

24 feb - 2 march 2017

Pick of the Day

WEDNESDAY 7:00am 10:15am 11:00am 12:00pm 12:45pm 1:15pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:15am

Breakfast Rip Off Britain Homes Under the Hammer A Matter of Life and Debt Caught Red Handed Bargain Hunt BBC News BBC London News Doctors The Boss Escape to the Country Money for Nothing Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show Eat Well for Less The Apprentice BBC News BBC London News A Question of Sport Ambulance

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

Rip Off Britain A Matter of Life and Debt Land of the Giants Great British Menu Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live The Daily Politics The Code The £100k House: The Final Fix Wild West: America’s Great Frontier Great American Railroad Journeys This Farming Life Flog It! Eggheads Strictly - It Takes Two Coast: The Great Guide Billion Dollar Deals and How They Changed Your World The Detectives The Apprentice: You’re Fired! Newsnight Louis Theroux

7:00am 9:30am 10:25am 11:30am 1:30pm 2:30pm 2:55pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:15am

Good Morning Britain Lorraine The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Judge Rinder Alphabetical Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Bad Move Coronation Street Doc Martin ITV News and Weather ITV News London After the News British Touring Car Championship Highlights

7:20am 8:40am 10:05am 11:05am 12:00pm 1:00pm 1:05pm 2:05pm 3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:35pm 12:35am

King of Queens Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA Undercover Boss USA Channel 4 News Come Dine with Me A New Life in the Sun Countdown Find it, Fix it, Flog it My Kitchen Rules Four in a Bed Steph and Dom’s One Star to Five Star The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Location, Location, Location Grand Designs Back Norskov Educating Greater Manchester

7:00am 10:15am 12:15pm 1:10pm 1:15pm 2:15pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am

Childrens TV The Wright Stuff Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away! 5 News Lunchtime The Hotel Inspector Home and Away Neighbours The Mentalist A Mother’s Fear 5 News Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight Britain by Bike with Larry and George Lamb GPs: Behind Closed Doors Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away! The Eastenders Murderers: True Crime, Real Tragedy When Kids Kill: Bullied to Death

7:00am 8:00am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am

Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 Monkey Life Monkey Life The Dog Whisperer Modern Family Modern Family NCIS: Los Angeles House Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 NCIS: Los Angeles Funniest Moments The Flash Modern Family The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons A League of Their Own Stella Sing: Ultimate a Capella Carpool Karaoke

Real Lives Reunited Rip Off Britain A Matter of Life and Debt Mountain Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live The Daily Politics The Code The £100k House: The Final Fix Wild West: America’s Great Frontier Great American Railroad Journeys This Farming Life Flog It! Eggheads Strictly - It Takes Two Coast: The Great Guide The Big Family Cooking Showdown Russia with Simon Reeve Match of the Day Newsnight The Detectives

7:00am 9:30am 10:25am 11:30am 1:30pm 2:30pm 2:55pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:40pm 12:15am

Good Morning Britain Lorraine The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Judge Rinder Alphabetical Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Tonight Emmerdale An Hour to Catch a Killer with Trevor Mcdonald ITV News and Weather ITV News London After the News Lord Lucan: My Husband, the Truth

7:20am 8:35am 10:05am 11:10am 12:05pm 1:00pm 1:05pm 2:05pm 3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:50pm

King of Queens Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA Undercover Boss USA Channel 4 News Come Dine with Me A New Life in the Sun Countdown Find it, Fix it, Flog it My Kitchen Rules Four in a Bed Steph and Dom’s One Star to Five Star The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The Supervet Educating Greater Manchester The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice The Undateables

7:00am 10:15am 12:15pm 1:10pm 1:15pm 2:15pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am

Childrens TV The Wright Stuff Can’t Pay? Special: Agents Under Attack 5 News Lunchtime The Hotel Inspector Home and Away Neighbours NCIS Too Close to Kill 5 News Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight Police Interceptors Criminally Funny: Caught in the Act The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door Gypsy Kids: Our Secret World Wild Card

7:00am 8:00am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am

Hawaii Five-0 Road Wars Monkey Life Monkey Life The Dog Whisperer Modern Family Modern Family NCIS: Los Angeles House Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 NCIS: Los Angeles Funniest Moments The Flash Modern Family The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Duck Quacks Don’t Echo A League of Their Own The Russell Howard Hour Football’s Funniest Ever Moments

The Detectives, 10pm, BBC2

thursday 7:00am 10:15am 11:00am 12:00pm 12:45pm 1:15pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm

Breakfast Rip Off Britain Homes Under the Hammer A Matter of Life and Debt Caught Red Handed Bargain Hunt BBC News BBC London News Doctors The Boss Escape to the Country Money for Nothing Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show EastEnders Council House Crackdown Ambulance BBC News BBC London News Question Time

7:00am 7:30am 8:15am 9:00am 10:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:45pm 3:45pm 4:45pm 5:15pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am

An Hour to Catch a Killer with Trevor McDonald, 10pm, ITV1

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Life Royal British Legion ‘In the Brass’

JB Just Brass

The Royal British Legion (RBL) were in the brass, ‘Just Brass’ in fact, with the assistance of JB Brass Band, under the direction of Jane Illingworth. More than 300 people attended the outdoor concert held in the beautiful outdoor setting of the Olympia Restaurant in Mil Palmeras to raise funds for The Royal British Legion. The event was hosted by the President of the Orihuela Costa and District Branch, Pastor Keith Brown alongside band compere Ian Gibson who, with his own brand of humour, guided the audience through the sessions of military marches, traditional British and Spanish standards, as well as music from the classics, theatre and films. The band shared the bill with the Francisca Samper Flamenco Troupe who took to the stage with their own very emotional style of dance which proved that there was absolutely no need to speak the language to get drawn into their captivating performances. The event itself raised almost €1,800 for the Royal British Legion thanks to the hard work of many Branch members and it is certainly an evening that must be repeated in the future, which many of those attending saying that the combination of the two very different types of entertainment was perfect. ‘Just Brass’ include in their ranks players from many of the top UK brass bands, including Black Dyke and Fodens, with two players from Brighouse and Rastrick and The Faireys Brass bands travelling out from England just for the night.

Francisca Samper Flamenco Troupe

Puzzles Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 5 represents Z and 13 represents M, so fill in Z every time the figure 5 appears and M every time the figure 13 appears. Now using your knowledge of the English language work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you discover the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and the control grid.

Your inner you is a vehicle for the impression that you currently send out. The Sun conjuncts Mercury in a combust action astrologically, and this may very well bring about a break in communication that may see others with their fingers in their ears. Whilst you are pressured, a blind spot has been located needing your tender love and care. Ruling the Third House as you do, it is high time to be both perceptive and aware to the logic you need to get what you need this time around. Something has to be contested and your written word is required to affect this. Mercury currently squares Pluto and even though you feel you have all the time in the World, start the process now! The Full Hunters Moon nears, to celebrate the energies of the magic of Autumn. This brings with it a need to clear and cleanse aspects of your life to get your house fully in order. Start by space cleaning and removing any unwanted or hoarded items from your life, because then, and only then can you love, even more, what is left. Aspects of fiery passion see you centre stage and in combetant mood! Due to the many planetary actions abounding in the Cosmos, it is a matter of the heart that has your undivided attention right now. Expect the challenge that you need, and remember that if you do take a look within yourself, you may actually like what you see! Mercury bonds with Neptune this week and panders to your nostalgia as elements of the past are clearly brought back to you, one way or another. Mercury rules the sixth house of advanced knowledge and the acquiring of skills. Neptune bids you look further than the front of your nose to find out what’s out there for you!

Code Breaker

Mars squares up to Saturn midweek, bringing a delay to your current agenda, that just may work well for you. Whilst there will be time to cross your t’s and dot your I’s for sure, there is something missing right now that needs to be included. Others have chipped in to have their say, but in the long run it is you who makes the decision!

WORD fit

Using just logic, can you make all the words fit correctly into the grid?

Mercury hosts events this week, as you need to sharpen up considerably your skills of communication. Many people think that you get hold of the wrong end of the stick, but the inanimate energies of Librans mean that they have to be totally sure of everything in favour of maintaining the tuned in equilibrium they always need. The entry of Jupiter into Scorpio brings a blitz on all aspects of finance, as a corner is developing. There seems to be a current dispute over money, and the financial obligations of those around you. Somebody is not contributing and they very well could be. We all have bills to pay, but check yours out for accuracy, and sign nothing! Venus backs a project you are putting your life and soul into. The actions midweek with Uranus can be seen as the backing you need to get this show well and truly on the road. You have started and now you must finish. Where all this goes is up to you, but above all such a labour of love needs some recompense and reward! Both Venus and Mars square up to Saturn this week. This double whammy brings mixed results, but at least serves to keep you on your toes for a while. Both bring blessings to you, in disguise, and they spark your confidence to be enabled enough to see things from vastly different angles. All that glitters is not gold, and never was! Venus flirts with Uranus as together they bring in opportunity and new horizons. This is a message to follow your heart over something that has pricked your conscience. It is sure to say that you will always do the right thing for others, even if you can be seen to be cutting off your nose to spite your face! Think of yourself for once! Cosmic energies open your highly charged psychic centres this week, as you are waiting for answers and that green light to come. Balancing things is not easy these days, and there always seem to be new priorities and significant delays when it comes to fulfilling your true aims, wishes and desires. Focus, have faith and trust!

3 letter words IMP IRE 5 letter words AROMA DAZED DIRGE EAGLE LIMIT LLAMA MUSIC

NEEDS NIECE SATIN SHAPE TIARA TULIP ZEBRA

7 letter words

6 letter words COILED DEPEND ECHOED RAPIDS

LIBERAL

AWKWARD

Mystical Postbag Kenny, I was at the side of my grandmother as she lay dying last month. I have to tell you that when she was passing she was looking above us, smiling at something we couldn't see, and for a minute she seemed so contented and happy! I felt something I had never felt before, and I can't fully describe it. Mia I.

your experiences at the

Hi Mia! Thank you for sharing this with me. I too have been present at many passings; and

her to the Spirit World,

death of your grand-

mother are fairly typical of someone about to

embark on an exciting journey to the Spirit

World. She most probably was looking above

because she could see

her Guide and Guardian Angel. This Guardian

Angel was responsible

and oversaw her birth;

fulfilling a lifetime prom-

ise to be there to escort when that time came. It came and you were there to witness it!

CALORIE DETAILS EXTINCT HAMMOCK IGNORED MACHINE OCTAGON RIDDLES

For Birthday Celebrants There is a strong call for you to journey this astrological year ahead. Whilst you can and will fulfil many dreams so too can you better see just where you are and where you should be, as they are not the same place, and they should be!

More Puzzles

Cryptic

ACROSS 1 Roman garb, so to speak (5) 4 Total number, we hear, who like it hot? (4) 7 How to produce good tarts in Derbyshire? (8) 8 Record held by piano teacher (4) 9 Long for a tree (4) 10 Care for very amusing person (7) 12 Sport scaring hero badly (5-6) 14 Yob diverted in funfair (7) 16 A long time for some wage slaves (4) 19 Taking part in protest against deer (4) 20 I hope it changed a country (8) 21 Granny, for example, taking some thick notepaper (4) 22 Policeman starts to search extremely small wood (5) DOWN 1 Long walk from public transport beginning to pall (5) 2 Good slimmer, one gathers (7) 3 Regard daughter as offspring (4) 4 Fruit as seen by a ruler (8) 5 Artist in a film one tried to see (5) 6 Lusty saint in error, ignoring leader (6) 11 After ten years leaders in Northern Territory degenerate (8) 12 Places frequently visited — by ghosts? (6) 13 Coterie pouring fluid (2-5) 15 Dickensian villain, female, with a drink (5) 17 Transparency of a bit of playground equipment (5) 18 Smart Conservative greeting another (4)

Word Wheel

There is 1x9 letter word and 172 others! Make as many 3 or more letter words as you can using any letter combination just once and you must use the central letter in every word!

Soduku

Quick

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

Solar System Quiz 1 The Cassini-Huygens probe was sent to visit which planet? Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Saturn 2 The Cerberus Fossae is found on which planet? Venus, Mercury, Mars, Earth 3 The core of the earth is believed to consist of 88.8% of what? Carbon, Lava, Silicon, Iron 4 The Dawn spacecraft is due to land where in 2015? Ceres, Makemake, Pluto, Eris 5 The Earth is composed of 32% of what? Magnesium, Nickel, Silicon, Iron 6 The Enke Gap is a feature of which planet? Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter, Uranus 87 The Equator forms a major part of which planet? Earth, Mars, Venus, Mercury 8 The ESA mission BepiColombo is aimed at reaching what planet? Mercury, Saturn, Venus, Mars 9 The Great Red Storm is a feature of which planet? Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus 10 The Kuiper Belt lies how many AU’s away from the sun? 10, 50, 1, 100

ACROSS 1 Grab (6) 4 Baby’s toy (6) 8 Eagle’s nest (5) 9 Coal miner (7) 10 Small cucumber used for pickling (7) 11 Destroy (5) 12 Give in, yield (9) 17 Picture puzzle (5) 19 Japanese warrior (7) 21 Irritated (7) 22 First appearance (5) 23 One of the planets (6) 24 Vanquished (6)

DOWN 1 Vehicle for travelling over snow (6) 2 Stuffy (7) 3 Impertinence (5) 5 Permitted (7) 6 Hackneyed (5) 7 I’ve found it! (6) 9 Owned up (9) 13 Cattle thief (7) 14 Melted cheese on hot toast (7) 15 Fetches (6) 16 “Paradise Lost” poet (6) 18 Lamb’s cry (5) 20 Troublesome little insect (5)

Last Weeks Solutions on page 42

whats on

I say Honey, you say G! TICKETS are still available for the Palace Variety Show taking place at Benidorm Palace this Sun-day October 8. The event, in aid of the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) and the Royal British Legion, welcomes the likes of one of the UK's best loved and most successful stand-up comedians Jimmy Jones the Guvenor and X Factor star Honey G… Honey is back on European soil after capturing attention Stateside, performing at Beachers Mad-house at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood for her X Factor mentor Sharon Osbourne and her daughter Kelly. The organisers promise the 2017 show will “blow previous shows out of the water”. Also taking to the stage will be Sonia, Freddie (Parrot Face) Davies, Devon from The Voice Kids, La Sal Torrevieja, Totally Dance Studio, Fusion, Jay Markwick & Co., Nikki G, Paul Michael, Ran-dall Cain and Stuart Sinclair. Doors open at 7.00pm and the show starts at 8.00pm. Tickets cost €25 and are available via the Box Office: 965 851 660. The organisers express their greatest thanks to their sponsors Spain Property Shop.

Royal Naval Association September lunch Another month and another lunch for the Torrevieja branch of the Royal Naval Association. Shipmates met on September 21 at Leaf’s restaurant, just off the Lemon Tree road, for a three course meal. There was plenty of banter and bonhomie all washed down with a glass or two of wine. New members are always welcome to join the Association and you don’t need to have been in The Royal Navy to join. They meet at 5pm on the first Wednesday of every

month at Restaurante El Paraiso, near Carrefour in Torrevieja. For more information please call the Chairman Paul Edwards on 618 644 934, vice Chairman Danny Kay on 96 671 6274 or the Secretary Margaret Forshaw on 96 692 1996. On October 21, the Royal Naval Association will be remembering Admiral Lord Nelson’s victory at the battle of Trafalgar with a dinner and dance. Call the numbers above for more details.

Let me sing...I’m happy! It may only be October but rehearsals are well under way for STUDIO32’s winter show. This talented company will be performing a wonderful stage adaptation of that Christmas film favourite, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. The show contains some all-time classic songs including Blue Skies, Sisters, and of course the Bing Crosby title number White Christmas. Bev McEwan (pictured) plays the role of Martha Watson, an ex-professional singer/entertainer who is the concierge – and much more - at General Waverly’s hotel in Vermont. But what Martha really wants to do is perform again, and as her solo song title says – Let me sing and I’m happy. The character of Martha is quite over-thetop, but Bev has excellent comic timing and is rising to the challenge and complexities of this role. Bev has been with STUDIO32 for a number of years, playing lead roles such as Ado Annie in their production of Oklahoma!, Mrs Fezziwig in A Christmas Carol, and more recently the lead role of Mabel Normand in Mack and Mabel. Studio32 are once again supporting the San Fulgencio Alzheimer’s Association with this production, as

well as other local charities. So why not help them raise money for worthy causes whilst enjoying a terrific night’s entertainment. Show dates are Wednesday November 29 to Saturday December 2 at the Cardenal Belluga Theatre in San Fulgencio. All performances start at 7.30pm, and doors open at 7pm. Reserved seating tickets are now on sale, priced at €10 each. You can book your

tickets by emailing tickets@studiothirtytwo.org, calling their ticket line on 602 47 47 93, or from the following outlets: Cards & More, La Marina - 966 79 09 54 The Card Place, Benijofar - 966 71 32 66 Tickets are sure to sell fast so be sure to get in early and book your seat!

24 feb - 2 march 2017

health

Mindfulness is available to us in every moment, whether through meditations and body scans, or mindful moment practices like taking time to pause and breathe when the phone rings instead of rushing to answer it. The basics of mindfulness practice Mindfulness helps us put some space between ourselves and our reactions, breaking down our conditioned responses. Here’s how to tune into mindfulness throughout the day: 1. Set aside some time. You don’t need a meditation cushion or bench, or any

Photo credit Pexels

How do I practise mindfulness?

sort of special equipment to access your mindfulness skills—but you do need to set aside some time and space. 2. Observe the present moment as it is. The aim of mindfulness is not quieting the mind, or attempting to achieve a state of eternal calm. The goal is simple: we’re aiming to pay attention to the present moment, without judgement. Easier said than done, we know. 3. Let your judgments roll by. When we notice judgements arise during our practice, we can make a mental note of them, and let them pass.

4. Return to observing the present moment as it is. Our minds often get carried away in thought. That’s why mindfulness is the practice of returning, again and again, to the present moment. 5. Be kind to your wandering mind. Don’t judge yourself for whatever thoughts crop up, just practise recognizing when your mind has wandered off, and gently bring it back. That’s the practice. It’s often been said that it’s very simple, but it’s not necessarily easy. The work is to just keep doing it. Results will accrue.

Active middle aged men tend to stay active

ACCORDING TO a new online study published by the British Medical Journal, active middle-aged men are likely to stay active into old age. The research included nearly 3,500 British men, aged 40 to 59 at the start of the study. The researchers followed the men’s health for 20 years. Those who were physically active in mid-life were nearly three times more likely to be active at the end of the study period. Men who played sports in mid-life were more likely to be active in old age than those who did other types of physical activity in midlife. That was especially true of those who played sports for many years, the findings showed. Men who played sports for 25 years or more were nearly five times more likely to be physically active in old age than those who didn’t play sports, the study authors said. But plenty of men took up high levels of walking as they aged. At the start of the study, just 27 per cent reported high levels of walking. By the end of the study, that

number was 62 per cent. “Early engagement in sport and structured exercise may be vital for developing the necessary motor skills needed to establish a lifelong habit for physical activity. However, it may also be important to provide opportunities to take up other forms of activity, such as walking, during the transition to old age,” study lead author Daniel Aggio, from University College London (UCL), said. There are a number of reasons why playing sports in middle age may increase the likelihood of being active in old age, the UCL researchers suggested. “Sport participation in mid-life may help maintain physical function and [physical activity] self-efficacy in later life, increasing psychological and physical readiness for [physical activity] in old age,” the authors wrote.

Does rubbing fruit on your teeth remove stains?

kim clark

benefits consultancy Do you suffer from mobility problems, breathlessness/pain or falls/stumbles? Do you need help washing / dressing or supervision? You could be entitled to extra income by claiming UK sickness / disability benefits while living in Spain

For advice or to book a consultation call 950 169 729 or 663 297 568 or visit www.ukbenefitsinspain.com

Strawberries, lemons, even banana peels - we've heard of people reaching for the fruit bowl in an effort to get a shiny smile, but does it work? No. Not only will this not remove stains, but it will also seriously damage your teeth. Fruit acids and acids in the other foods we eat and drink cause tooth enamel to wear away and teeth can become discoloured and yellow as a result. Brushing after a meal will help, but avoid doing so for 20 minutes after consuming acidic foods. Acid softens your enamel, and brushing too soon will only speed up tooth wear before the enamel has time to settle again.

24 feb - 2 march 2017

health

People who bite their nails could be perfectionists Pulling hair, biting nails, picking skin these behaviours are common, if frustrating, behaviours. But what do they mean for the people who suffer from them? Researchers from the Institut Universitaire en Santementale de Montreal and the University of Montreal, Canada, investigated in a new study. The researchers found that participants engaged in repetitive behaviours when under stress or when they felt bored or frustrated, but not when they were relaxed. "Chronic hair-pulling, skin-picking disorder and nail-biting and various other habits are known as body-focused repetitive behaviours. Although these behaviours can induce important distress, they also seem to satisfy an urge and deliver some form of reward,'' said principal investigator Kieron O'Connor. O'Connor and colleagues studied 24 individuals with these repetitive behaviours and compared them with 24 control subjects

who did not have body-focused repetitive behaviours. The participants completed questionnaires to assess emotions such as boredom, anger, guilt, irritability and anxiety and also took part in a clinical evaluation. Next, the participants were exposed to different experimental situations, each designed to stir one of four emotions: Stress Relaxation Frustration Boredom The team found that, during the boredom and frustration experiments, subjects with a history of body-focused repetitive behaviours reported a stronger desire to engage in the behaviours. However, participants were not more likely to pull their hair, bite their nails or pick their skin during the relaxation experiment.

Gluten free food risk

More and more people seem to stay faithful to a gluten free diet to avoid all the associated conditions such as gastroenteritis, nausea, joint and muscle fatigue, and migraines, to name but a few. Gluten-free diets have in recent years become a popular health trend with the celebrity

endorsements. Beforehand, the wheat-free lifestyle was essentially observed by people suffering with coeliac disease. However, scientists have discovered that those living a wheat-free regime that haven’t been diagnosed with

According to the authors of the study, these results confirm that participants engage in these behaviours when under stress or when they feel bored or frustrated, and as such are not simply "nervous" habits. O'Connor explains the study's findings: "We believe that individuals with these repetitive behaviours may be perfectionistic, meaning that they are unable to relax and to perform tasks at a 'normal' pace. They are therefore prone to frustration, impatience and dissatisfaction when they do not reach their goals. They also experience greater levels of boredom.”

any underlying illnesses could be eating less whole grains which help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular conditions and increasing their risk of a heart attack. The British Medical Journal published a study, with the researchers saying: “The avoidance of gluten may result in reduced consumption of

beneficial whole grains, which may affect cardiovascular risk. The promotion of gluten-free diets among people without coeliac disease should not be encouraged.” Gluten is found in wheat, barley and rye as well as pasta, cakes, breakfast cereals, most types of bread, certain types of sauces and some types of ready meals.

Beauty tips Three emergency hacks to remove fake tan 1. Reach for lemon juice Douse a damp flannel with lemon or lime juice, then pop it in the microwave for 2 minutes. Checking it's not too hot, rub it over your tan to instantly remove the colour. 2. Hit the steam room Another way to absorb it with heat is to go for a steam at the gym. After 10

minutes, wipe the area with a towel and it should rub off easily. 3. Try toothpaste If you've got tan tides on your wrists or patchy streaks on your hands, try rubbing some toothpaste over your mitts. It has to be white toothpaste though; the bright blue or stripy formulas won't have the same effect!

food & drink

Mushroom & herb risotto

Clams a la marinera... Clams for me are one of the best seafood products on the Costa Blanca and easy to find in any fishmongers or supermarket.

ING RED IEN TS: Ser ves: 4. Time: 45min 750 ml chicken stock 1/2 white onion, finely chopped 30g butter 1 clove garlic, diced 200g fresh mushrooms, finely chopped (any type of mushroom will work) 200g arborio rice 250ml dry white wine 80g grated Parmesan cheese 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs of your choice

In a large saucepan, heat the chicken stock over low heat. In a large frying pan, cook the onion and garlic in 30g of butter until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped fresh mushrooms and cook until they give up their juice, add your chopped herbs then Add the rice and cook, stirring until the rice becomes opaque, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until it is absorbed into the rice, season well and stirring constantly. add the hot stock to the rice, a half cupful

Clams a la Marinera is a delicious and easy tapa recipe, simple dish made with fresh clams, cooking in a white wine, onions and garlic sauce, you can even add A little chilli if you like a little spice...great for lunch or a light dinner! cooking METHOD Add the clams to a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of salt and cover with

water, and set aside for about 1 hour, this will release any grit they have inside of the clams Chop the onion and slice garlic. In a large frying pan, add a drizzle of olive oil. When it is hot, add in chopped onion and sautĂŠ until they turn golden. Add 2 tbsp of flour, the pepper, and a clove of garlic. Once everything has turned a golden colour, add a 1/2 cup of water, white wine and the tomato paste. Add 3 slices of lemon and season well, Cook for 2-3 minutes more.

Pour the onion mixture into the saucepan with the clams. Cook on low until the sauce thickens, stirring often for about 4 minutes. When cooked add your parsley and serve in bowls and serve hot. You can serve with a crisp baguette or slices of pitta bread.

Food tip: Cut a fresh lemon into wedges. After you are finished handling the fish, or seafood squeeze the lemon onto your hands, rub your hands together, and rinse with water, this will eliminate the smell. ingredients 2 lbs. medium clams (cleaned) 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped 8 oz. white wine olive oil 2 tbsp flour pinch of pepper Pinch of Salt 2 cloves garlic, sliced 1 lemon 1 bay leaf 1 tablespoon tomato paste Tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

at a time, stirring until each addition of stock is absorbed, about 15 minutes in total. Once the rice is al dente, remove the risotto from the heat. Add the rest of the parmesan cheese and remaining 15g of butter. Food tip: Smash garlic cloves inside a resealable plastic bag with the back of a knife. That way, your cutting board and knife wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t smell.

Lamb & potato salad 3 lb lamb fillets 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup fresh mint, chopped 2 lb baby new potatoes, scrubbed 2 red peppers, roasted and chopped 1 lb asparagus, blanched and chopped 2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped 1/3 cup lime juice

1/2 cup olive oil 4 egg yolks 2 tbsp olive oil DIRECTIONS 1. Steam the new potatoes until tender, then drain. If the potatoes are larger than bite sized, cut them into halves or quarters as appropriate. Set aside. 2. Blanch the asparagus, plunge into ice water, then

drain on paper towel lined wire racks. Set aside. 3. Preheat the barbecue on HIGH, and place red peppers on grids. Char on all sides, then remove from the heat. Place the peppers in a paper bag to cool, then slip off the charred skins; seed and chop. 4. Grill the lamb on HIGH for 2 - 3 minutes per side. Cool, then slice. 5. To make the dressing, place the yolks, garlic, and lime juice in a blender, or in the bowl of a food processor. With the motor running, add the oils in a thin stream. Add the chopped mint leaves. Season with salt and pepper if desired. 6. Toss the lamb, potatoes, peppers and blanched asparagus with the dressing, and garnish with fresh chives.

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ALL types of construction services, reforms, reconstruction: kitchens, bathrooms, roofs, tiling, floors, plasterboard, bricklaying, plumbing & facades. Reasonable Prices. Torrevieja & surrounding areas. Call 672 929 913 any time CARAVANS FOR SALE WE BUY, sell & transport all makes of static caravans 630 055 418 Elsyd7@hotmail.com CHARITIES/CHURCHES LA SIESTA EVANGELICAL CHURCH on Urbanisation La Siesta, Torrevieja is a friendly, English speaking Church. We hold services each Sunday and everyone is welcome. Our 11.00 am Services are held every 2nd and 4th Sunday in the month (and 11.00 am on the 5th Sunday, if this applies.) On the 1st and 3rd Sunday’s our Services are at 9.30 am. Our choir sings at our 11.00 am Services and there is also a Sunday School, called Stepping Stones, on these Sundays. We welcome residents, visitors and children. For more information see our website www. lasiestaevangelicalchurch.org or telephone Pastor Keith on 666 180 108. ALCOHOLICS

ANONYMOUS

ALCOHOL COSTING YOU MORE THAN MONEY? Drinking to excess

J & J PAINTERS. Inside - outside

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areas. Tel: 650 363 159

that is important to you. English-

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speaking AA meetings are held throughout the Costa Blanca from Valencia City to Murcia. Anyone wishing to attend a meeting or discuss a possible drinking problem contact Costa Blanca North: *648 169 045* or Costa Blanca South: *625 912 078* or Costa Calida *679 385 105*. All calls are treated in the strictest confidence. AA in German: 645 456 075; Spanish: 679 212 535; Flemish: 635 047 053; and Scandinavian: 659 779 222. www.aa-costablanca.org (93323) Alcoholics anonymous Our meetings currently are held on Wednesday evenings in Cañada de Gallego, near Mazarrón. From next week (w/c 3rd September) they will be moving to Thursday evenings. So the first Thursday meeting will be on 7th September at 5.30pm. Meetings are one hour. Your readers (visitors or others who think they may have a problem with alcohol) can obtain details by calling our helpline on 646 290 420. ROUNDABOUT CHARITY SHOP.

We are now into summer and very soon we will be feeling the heat! It

is time therefore for another visit to the shop where you might find

a bargain or two. Choose from the clothing selection, jewellery, household goods, books or bric a

brac. There is usually something

there for everyone --- but not always. Charitable donations have recently been made to The Alzheimers

Centre, Cancer Research and The Amigos Ambulance Service. We still

THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Gran Alacant & La Marina Branch meets First Monday of the month 18:00 at “La Taberna next to Monte & Mar Restaurant & Bowls Club, Plaza Mayor (MASA Square) Gran Alacant. granalacant.secretary@gmail.com

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on 3rd Thursday of each month at 19.00 - 19.30pm. More info can

be found on branch website www. orihuelacostarbl.co.uk. THE

ANGLICAN

CHURCH,

Fustera. For more info: contact Frank Bentley on

966 495 188 CANCER SUPPORT GROUP (MABS) MURCIA/MAR MENOR Help and support is just a phone call away, Avda Rio Nalón, Tel: Sylvia 633 306 035 254724

TORREVIEJA STROKE SUPPORT GROUP meets each Friday 2.45pm to 5pm in The Annex, (behind Age Concern Centre), Calle Paganini, Urb. La Siesta. Our aim is to support stroke survivors and their carers by a range of facilities from speech therapy, rehabilitation exercise, group discussion etc. For info: Louie 966 718 964 or 965 071 920, e-mail: strokesupportgroup@hotmail.com Donations and further voluntary helpers are needed and guest speakers with relevant knowledge or experience are very welcome.

need your help with donations etc.

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church located at Avenida de las Valencianas 68, Torrevieja 03183. Residents and holidaymakers are welcome to attend our services with communion and ‘kids church’ each Sunday at 10.30am. We have a Fellowship Meeting (Bible Study) each Wednesday at 6.00pm. For further information see our website www.tcf-Spain.org or tel 966 700 391.

TORREVIEJA Christian Fellowship (TCF) is an English speaking lively

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WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of direct car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 902 123 309. PERGOLA COVERS TAILOR made, durable canvas, sails, umbrella, spa and BBQ covers. Mazarron based, and at Procomobel Market, Guardamar Saturday mornings. 667 879 399 krugercanopies@yahoo.co.uk PET CHARITIES EASYHORSE CARE RESCUE CENTRE. We aim to rescue HORSES. If you would like to DONATE please call 965 967 033 or sales@easyhorsecare.net www.easyhorsecare.net or call Sue 652 021 980

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24 feb - 2 march 2017

259519

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Casandra a beautiful black and white Schnauzer cross who loves people and other dogs. She is very lively and enjoys playing with people . She is about 6 years old ,DOB March 2009, and spayed . She is used to living as an outside dog and would benefit from a home with a large garden.

Elsie a young 1 year old little lady. very friendly and as you can see loves people and other cats. She was picked up with her 2 other sisters but now she is the only one left for adoption.

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We hope the information provided in this article is of interest. If you would like to contact Linea Directa please call 902 123 148. More information about Linea Directa online at www.lineadirecta.com

motoring

Tim Saunders Motoring journalist www.testdrives.biz

A vehicle for America

That is my opinion of the fourth generation Lexus RX450h Sport. Why? It’s the type of SUV (sports utility vehicle) the Americans like, ultra luxurious inside, large and its hybrid credentials help the driver feel that they are no depleting the earth’s resources, too much anyway. Its predecessors have been extremely popular in the States, which means that this one will go down extremely well, too. It is easy to imagine it cruising the large roads over there and being very much at home. The poor British motorist can but dream of large traffic free roads or embark on their journeys during incredibly anti-social hours. This RX is certainly a striking vehicle with an expensive unique design. I am unsure of the massive black grille at the front but it is certainly striking and on opening the door of the large sonic white SUV there really is a surprise. A red interior. That feels American too. The first time you see it it very nearly Facts at a takes your glance breath away. It’s Model tested: Lexus quite dark inside RX450h F Sport Pan Roo f until of course HUD the electrically OTR price: €92,000 operated pan 0-100km/h: 7.7secs roof cover Top speed: 200 Km/h retracts revealing Engine power: 239 CV Electric motor power: a large glass roof, 313 CV the front part of Economy: 5.2 l / 100km which tilts and

slides. And it’s supremely comfortable too. Few cars come equipped with heated and cooled front leather seats but they’re in the Lexus. Usually on a hot summer’s day leather is sticky but that’s certainly not the case in the RX450h. And as you first acquaint yourself with it time is required to adjust to the new surroundings. It’s not just a matter of jumping in and driving off. But it doesn’t take long to understand where all the controls are located. We travel to London to visit Caroline’s uncle and the automatic gearbox makes light work of the motorway cruise allowing the driver a leisurely experience. However, if more engaging driving is required then there are paddle-shifts either side of the steering wheel and the gearbox can be driven as a manual. It makes swift progress and is a more than capable over-taker. The sat nav is one of the more complicated on the market to operate we find. On our return journey, once we finally fathom how to use it it proceeds to take us an hour and a half from St John’s Wood to get out of the capital seemingly taking us round in circles. For some reason it wants to take us to the A3 despite us requesting the M25. Although it’s a Sunday the traffic is horrendous and Londoners are unfamiliar with patience. Pedestrians walk out in front of you, cyclists nudge past, vehicles jostle for position from your left and right. But it is nice to

know that approximately up to 30mph the RX travels on electric power as long as the driver’s right foot is fairly light. The moment you push a little too heavily the 3.5-litre V6 24-valve petrol engine kicks in. The whole experience is stressful, to say the least. The only consolation is that the sheer size of the RX keeps other irate motorists in their place. It quickly becomes clear why there are so many 4x4s around the capital. Uncle Harry, who is really suffering with his legs, finds the height of the RX userfriendly for him to get onto the front passenger seat. It’s large enough for him to swing himself round – and he’s a large man – and there is ample room for his feet. There is no denying that the Lexus does feel a slightly cumbersome vehicle when reversing but the camera – the view from which appears on the central control panel – helps. The intelligent cruise control, which automatically brakes and accelerates, while easy to use, does not react quickly enough for my liking. While in the outside lane of the motorway it hangs too far back from the vehicle in front, allowing for other motorists to easily undertake. In frustration the cruise control is switched off and no undertaking takes place again! The power folding wing mirrors give the driver peace of mind that they are less likely to get bashed when parking on busy London streets.

45 Watch the video at www.testdrives.biz

sport

Extras contribute to Torrevieja loss Torrevieja - 148 for 7 v La Manga - 149 for 4

FOR THE last game of the season, Torrevieja CC travelled down the coast to the La Manga resort. After winning the toss and electing to bat first, they found their progress slow against some very tight bowling from Tom Vine and Ramu Fletcher to the extent that after 10 overs they had only reached 19. A change of bowling allowed Kieran Wood (41) in particular to push the score along but wickets began to fall around him, one

of which was to a spectacular catch from Stuart Simpkins who appeared to defy gravity to throw himself high and to his right to take a one-handed catch to dismiss Paul Harvey. Wood’s dismissal brought Paul Powall to the crease where he continued the increasing scoring rate before he was bowled by Vine for 42. A quick cameo of 17 from young Robin Singh enabled Torrevieja to finish their 40 overs on 148 for 7. Pick of the La Manga bowlers were Paul Brimble with 3 for 31 and Hugh

James, 2 for 17. La Manga began their reply badly losing two quick wickets, including Simkins who after his own spectacular catch when fielding fell to an equally unbelievable slip catch from Powall. He was replaced by David Williams who quickly began to build a match winning knock of 59 not out, supported by Rupert James (17) and Ramu Fletcher (15). Second top scorer for La Manga was ‘extras’ with 47, and this embarrassing amount no doubt contributed to the visitor’s defeat and is

something that must be worked on during the winter. It allowed La Manga to reach their target in the 35th over. Even though the league season is over, Torrevieja CC has two friendly

matches against touring sides during the next week. They host Fenwick from Yorkshire tomorrow (Saturday) and Rainham from Essex on Saturday October 15. Spectators are always welcome.

Rockets Golf Society VISTABELLA GOLF was the re-arranged venue for the Society’s latest away day that attracted a very good turnout. On the day, the Gold category was won by Geoff Cogswell with 34 points, second was Arfer Williams with the same score of 34 on count back, and Ron Swift in third place with 33 points. For the Silver category Mick Hithersay took top spot with 34 points, followed by Andy Billings in second with 31 and Tom Richardson third 27. Nearest the Pins went to Geoff Cogswell on Hole 4 and Andy Billings at the 15th. Longest Drive went to Ron Swift, and the

Winning captain: Paul Newman.

San Javier Golf Society OVER 30 players took part in this four-man team ‘Joker’ competition at La Serena on Monday. The Society was pleased to welcome several new members and guests, all of whom certainly enjoyed their friendly but competitive day. It always helps when the event is accompanied by perfect weather and a course in good condition... as is always the case at La Serena. The winning team on the day was: Paul Newman, Steve Parker, Dave Furze and Harry O’Neill with 154

points. Runners-up: Jim Moffatt with Tony, Tom and Chris Mann on 150 points. Third place: Les Whall, John Hillier, Terry Bramley and Phillip Wilson on 134. Nearest the pins were won by Tony Mann, Jenny O’Neill, Paul Hamlin and Les Whall, and the gross 2 (for €50) was not won and will be held over to the next game. Next event for the Society is an individual Stableford qualifier at the Alicante Golf Club with a tee-off time of 10.51am on Wednesday October

18 with full details being e-mailed to members shortly. Payday will be on Saturday October 14 between 11am and 12 noon in the bar area of the La Serena Golf Clubhouse, Los Alcázares. If anyone wants some further information on the Society – to join or to play as a guest – please call Barry Beale on 649 245 889 or check out the website at www. sanjaviergolfsociety.co.uk or the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ sanjaviergolfsociety

Best Guest was Peter Hayes. After the game the players returned to their home base - Bar Patricia - for a perfect Cottage Pie and refreshments thanks to Chris and Sue. The next outing for the Rockets Golf Society is next Tuesday October 10 and also at the Vistabella course with a tee-off time of 8.15am. Golfers are asked to be in attendance for 8am at the latest with the correct green-fee. If you’d like to join the friendly Society or just fancy a game of golf if you’re visiting, contact Ron by e-mail at sanmigron@ gmail.com

Montesinos stop run of defeats Atletico Catral 3 – 3 CD Montesinos

AFTER TWO defeats it was essential for Monte to come good against Atletico Catral. Still without experienced player and captain, Fernando, centre half strongman Joao and Carlos Lorente, manager Carlos Perez left experienced players Maccan and German as well as Fran Guirao on the bench, somewhat to the bemusement of the 100 or so travelling supporters. The first half started and it was clear Monte had the most attacking moves, but couldn’t find the crucial finish. Vazquinho, on two occasions and Carlos Ventura on another, had great one on one opportunities which they wasted. Monte continued to push the ball forward along the wings in an effort to find their fast forwards which time and again kept coming straight back and it was no surprise that the home side opened the scoring on 45 minutes with almost the last kick of the first half. Manager Carlos Perez made no changes at the break but seeing as his side were not making an impact on the game, he made

the brave decision of making a triple substitution with Maccan, German and Fran Guirao coming on. Unfortunately, with almost the first attack from the home side, Catral went 2-0 ahead. Nobody in the crowd expected to witness what was about to happen in the final 30 minutes. Maccan and German started to win the midfield and break forward creating panic in the home defence. First Fran Guirao pulled one back and then, almost immediately, German made it 2-2 as the travelling horde celebrated. But the celebrations were cut short as the referee awarded a free kick to Catral on the edge of the penalty area. Why he made the award, nobody knows but he did and the Catral player thumped it high and wide of Dani to make it 3-2 with minutes left. Monte pushed forward and should have scored on three separate occasion until, deep into injury time, Vazquinho somehow got his head to the ball and it went in off the cross bar to equalise. CD Montesinos will play Hondon Nieves C.F. at Los Montesinos tomorrow, Saturday October 7 with a 5.30pm kick-off

24 feb - 2 march 2017

sport

It’s not all racing at SAMM Deltania Group boat out of Los Urrutias. They were joined by Heather Bell, Jo Pering, Jan Penning and Sandie Clarke, who arrived by car, and all enjoyed a good meal at the Club Nautico Restaurant. The trip back was equally enjoyable, running before the steady breeze, and again they crossed the Mar Menor in under an hour and a half, a good time having been had by all. For more information on the Balaton Group go to www. balatonsailinggroup.com or www.sailingmarmenor. com

SAMM members also enjoy many social activities with the most prominent amongst them being pleasure sailing. As a prime example, at the end of September Balaton Group members had a most enjoyable outing to Thomas Maestre organised by Bob Lagden and Sandie Clarke. Meeting on the CTD jetty at 10am in perfect weather, they found that the Malta outboard on their dinghy would not start, so launched the SAMM Whaly support boat and had some fun loading everybody in, plus the cabin seat cushions for their six meter Araez Arabel 20 “Lavanter”, that had been cleaned by Carol Sibson. They took two of their three boats currently on the water, Lavanter, crewed by Bob Miles, Robert Hudson, Carol Sibson, Willy Ross and Rona Agnew plus Sirocco, a 6 meter Sailfish 18, crewed by Julian Pering, Bob Lagden, Steve and Catherine Rocks. Sirocco had a 10 minute start whilst Lavanter’s crew secured the Whaly and figured out the jigsaw puzzle of the seat covers! In a 10 knot NNE breeze, both boats made good time beating across the Mar Menor, arriving together in under an hour and a half and needing only one short tack to gain the entrance to the Marina at Thomas Maestre; the wind conveniently dropped to about 8 knots to make mooring easier. With perfect timing Balaton members Mike and Kate Egar followed them in on a

A former player, Tony Matthews is now the world’s most prolific author of football books with 150 published since 1975. He has also been a PE teacher, policeman, radio correspondant and is now a quiz-organiser and fund–raiser, for various charities.

Sporting calendar

Last night’s WC qualifying football matches included England-Slovenia, Northern Ireland-Germany and Scotland-Slovakia. Tonight it’s Georgia-Wales and Republic of Ireland-Moldova, followed by Lithuania-England, Norway-Northern Ireland and Slovenia-Scotland on Sunday and Wales-Republic of Ireland on Monday. There’s been FA Youth Cup, Checkatrade Trophy and Women’s Champions League action this week, but there’ll be no top-line League football in Europe until 14 October. On Saturday, Castleford play Leeds in Rugby League’s Grand final at Old Trafford. Suzuki hosts Japan’s F1 Grand Prix on Sunday. The PGA European Dunhill Links and USLPGA golf tournaments take place at St Andrew’s and Pine Valley respectively: 5-8 October. The China and Japan tennis Opens are underway, until 8 October. And the World Darts Grand Prix continues in Dublin.

Round Up

Max Vestappen celebrated his 20th birthday by winning last Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton was second and leads Sebastian Vettel by 34 points in the driver’s championship. Enable, ridden by Frankie Dettlori and trained by John Gosden, won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. England beat the West Indies by six runs (via the DL rule) and by nine wickets in the 4th and 5th ODIs. Jason Roy (84) top-scored in the rain-affected fourth game while Jonny Bairstow (141) and Roy (96) battered the Windies in match five as England clinched the series 4-0. Ireland’s Paul Dunne won the British Masters golf championship while the President’s Cup went to the USA Team GB gained 87 medals (24 gold) at the Invictus Games in Canada. Last week, Celtic (in Anderlecht), Chelsea (2-1 in Spain v Atletico Madrid), Manchester City (home), Manchester United (in Moscow), Spurs (3-0 v Apoel Nicosia, with Harry Kane’s ninth club hat-trick), Barcelona (in Lisbon) and Real Madrid (in Dortmund) all gained CL group victories, while Arsenal won their Europa League game in Belarus. Manchester City beat Chelsea 1-0 and Manchester United walloped goalless Crystal Palace 4-0 to remain 1-2 in the PL and Celtic extended their unbeaten domestic run to 58 matches with a draw against Hibs. Elsewhere, Barcelona (seven wins out of seven) lead La Liga while PSG (France), Sturm Graz (Austria), FC Porto (Portugal) and Young Boys (Switzerland) head their respective Divisions. And due to ‘referendum incidents’ Barcelona beat Las Palmas 3-0 behind closed doors last Sunday.

Cadena Sunrise 10 pin league Bowling Results Week 1 27 SEPTEMBER 2017 (WEEK 1) RESULT GI GI’S HOOKERS ALLEY CATS PIN PUSHERS ALLEY GATORS PIN PALS STRIKE FORCE

4 2 2 2 8 8

4 6 6 6 0 0

SUNRISE COLEGAS S***T HAPPENS SOL AMIGOS 999s THE BANDITS THE PHANTOMS

THIS WEEK´S TOP PERFORMERS LADIES HI/GAME LYNNE AILSBY 178 HI/GAME+H/CAP SANDY BELL 206 HI/SERIES LYNNE AILSBY 526 HI/SERIES+H/CAP LYNNE AILSBY 624 Pos TEAM

GENTS GARY WALSH GAZ BOWDEN TERRY CAPON GAZ BOWDEN

219 226 582 631

PLD W D L TOTAL GMS AVE. HI-G HI-S PTS

1 STRIKE FORCE 3 2 PIN PALS 3 3 SOL AMIGOS 3 4 S***T HAPPENS 3 5 999s 3 6 SUNRISE COLEGAS 3 7 GI GI’S HOOKERS 3 8 ALLEY GATORS 3 9 ALLEY CATS 3 10 PIN PUSHERS 3 11 THE BANDITS 3 12 THE PHANTOMS 3

4 4 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 4 4

2228 2219 2101 2076 2053 2101 2015 2021 2004 1970 1996 1560

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

742 739 700 692 684 700 671 673 668 656 665 520

767 765 724 750 707 747 727 694 685 691 702 520

2228 8 2219 8 2101 6 2076 6 2053 6 2101 4 2015 4 2021 2 2004 2 1970 2 1996 0 1560 0

Fact File

Stoke’s Saido Berahino, who missed a penalty in a 2-1 win over Southampton, hasn’t scored in 31 hours and 48 minutes of PL football.

When Spurs sold Kyle Walker to Manchester City they replaced him with Kyle Walker-Peters!

Falkirk’s boss Alex Smith, 77, is the oldest manager in European football, possibly in the world.

England all-rounder Ben Stokes, arrested last week outside a Bristol Night club, could miss the Ashes tour, and cricketers could be sin-binned or sent-off in competitive matches if a new rule is passed.

And the City of Birmingham is favourite to stage the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Charity Quiz: I have an evening quiz this Saturday at El Jardin de la Pepa in San Juan.