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NORTH (MARINA ALTA/LA SAFOR EDITION)

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Issue 801

20 - 26 FEBRUARY 2015

Waiting rooms are crammed

Flu vaccine did not cover AH3N2

Costa Blanca battles flu virus HOSPITALS THROUGHOUT the Costa Blanca are severely overcrowded as a result of the AH3N2 flu virus sweeping the region, with some health centres reaching 95% admission, including Torrevieja Hospital where a further 27 beds have been made available during the flu crisis. by Jan Gamm VALENCIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LA Fe Hospital has been forced to rearrange its facilities in order to accommodate extra beds for flu patients, relocating electronic equipment to better accommodate the patients and teams have been put in place to administer care at home for severe cases.

BEDS IN CORRIDORS Many patients find their beds consigned to the corridors as health workers struggle to cope with the numbers flooding waiting areas and consulting rooms. Flu has been particularly virulent this winter, its spread largely attributed to the unfortunate vaccination programme that provid-

ed patients with vaccine that did not cover AH3N2, leaving the majority with only minimal protection. Pharmacistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; flu remedies are selling out as soon as they appear and some are even limiting the amount each customer may purchase to preserve supplies. Continued on page 9

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NEWS & VIEWS

from the North & South Costa Blanca and Costa Calida. Oficina Charral, Emilio Ortuño 6, Floor 4, Office 1, Benidorm, Alicante 03501 • Monday - Friday 10am - 6pm

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Rat infested abandoned homes to be demolished CREVILLENT MAYOR Cesar Asencio announced on Monday that the Generalitat Valenciana is shortly to demolish 98 homes to eliminate a scourge of rats in abandoned properties. by Jan Gamm THE ACTION follows a string of complaints from local residents about a large scale infestation of rats. Also local police have evicted a number of squatters from the buildings. Lack of security and the dirty condition of the properties has become a real environmental headache for residents living nearby who urgently appealed for the buildings to be demolished. A few weeks ago the mayor held talks with the Director General of the Bank of Infrastructure of the Generalitat (EIGE) and General Director of Public Works to try to advance the demolition. The draft Reform Action Urbana Los Molinos regeneration relating to 98 houses and private buildings on Calle Becquer, Uruguay and adjacent roads ap-

A plague of rats has put the area off limits

peared in 2011, but was temporarily frozen by the Ministry of Housing and the Generalitat during the financial crisis.

In the meantime the area has become a ‘no-go’ area in the interests of health and safety.

Javea wants a clinic for the Arenal beach area JAVEA’S MAYOR, José Chulvi, has written to the Regional Ministry of Health putting a case for a new clinic to be established in the Arenal area of the town. Javea accommodates huge numbers of summer visitors, overloading existing health centres. Last year, consultation clinics in the two main health centres in the Old Town and the Port area collapsed under the strain.

Former mayor of Calpe resigns from politics THE FORMER mayor of Calpe, now Popular Alternative councillor Javier Morato, has resigned from the council, ending a 40-year political career. Morato was mayor between 1995 and 2007: he indicated that his resignation was due to “personal reasons” and it was time to “step back and make way for new people.”

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Rajoy feeling optimistic ahead of November elections by Jan Gamm PRIME MINISTER Mariano Rajoy has promised favourable election results in November for the Partido Popular at a meeting of the Executive Committee

on Monday, arguing that improvements in the economy will win the day for the PP. He also referred to the Congress debate on the State of the Nation next week when changes will be reviewed, especially successes brought about as a result of PP reforms. He did not dwell on the subject of alleged wide scale corruption within the party. Rajoy oprimistic for November elections

Outraged Antwerp University features in porn movie

THE UNIVERSITY of Antwerp is to take legal proceedings against Belgian pornographic movie producers after it emerged that pornographic scenes were shot at locations within the university without permission and with the Groenenborger campus logo clearly visible. The logo was spotted by journalists who passed the information on to University of Antwerp management.

Ferry crashes into quay in Malaga THE JUAN J SISTER ferry from Melilla due to arrive in Malaga at 7.30pm on Monday evening went out of control and collided with the quay, causing significant damage to other vessels and tearing the surface of the quay upward by 7 metres. Two yachts sustained damage and a 10m Furia 34, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;La Huidaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sank but fortunately there were no casualties. The ferry should have embarked on its return journey to Melilla with 210 passengers later in the evening but instead the voyage was cancelled. There will be an investigation into the incident by the marine authorities.

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Financial sector union in overspending scandal FINANCIAL SECTOR union CC OO is accused of spending 14 million euros over a five year period on expensive meetings, bonuses, banquets and travel expenses for its delegates between 2008 and 2012. by Jan Gamm THE FORMER union Comisiones Obreras (CC OO) merged with Trade and Hotel Industry Union Comfia, now accommodating more than 100,000 members. During the period in question, Comfia distributed €3.7 million in bonuses to delegates while in the sector 30,000 jobs were lost and countless financial institutions closed down throughout a stringent austerity programme. GENERIC ACCOUNTING Tens of thousands in cash was spent on organised banquets and in high end, fashionable restaurants. Additionally, conferences and business meetings across all levels were attended by hundreds – events that could cost up to €300,000 but accounted for only in generic terms rather than having specific amounts assigned to in a particular way. And in some instances, delegates hosted events in restaurants they themselves owned, with amounts between €15,000 and €25,000 claimed for in a lump sum with no itemised description of costs accounted for.

Union officials in the main are using the numbers required to attend as an excuse for the cost of events – and certainly travel and accommodation – and restaurant meals at €50 per head – take some paying for… Officials’ excuse their prodigal spending by bleating that “…the union is responsible for a huge geographical area which must be covered several times a year. “ LET DOWN Spain already feels let down by its banking sector that swiftly closed lines of credit at the first sniff of recession: now its unions are to be held to account for yet another orgy of spending while the rest of the country struggled to survive.

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Movement at last for Spain’s property market THE HOUSING market is moving at last. After years of stagnation the property sector’s pulse is beating strongly again. by Jan Gamm The latest statistics from the General Council of Notaries confirms a 19.1% boost in the number of transactions in 2014 (364,601 operations) compared to 2013. The trend is definitely for re-sales as the market stabilises, with existing homes offering better value for money than costly new builds as investors show an eagerness to realise an early profit from the rental market. MORTGAGES Successful mortgage applications also shot up throughout 2014: the average amount of new loans is 117,507€ (+ 5%) with

a percentage value of 75.2% Home owners who have had their properties listed on the market for two years and more have reported a marked increase in prospective buyers, especially at the lower end of the price scale as overseas investors continue to make the best of the buyers’ market while it lasts. Estate agents agree that the days of the ‘silly offer’ are long gone and look forward to a more stable and lucrative period of business where properties exchange at fairer prices - although cheeky bargains are still available this early in the year - and 2015 is tipped to be the year that turns the tables for Spain’s tired property market.

50 Shades of success

Castinerias in the court

Codex thief sentenced By Jan Gamm FOUR YEARS after the scandalous theft of the priceless 12th Century Codex Calixtinus, the illuminated manuscript by the French scholar Aymeric Picaud, housed in a safe in the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela, Fernandez Castineiras has been sentenced to ten years in prison for the crime. The Codex is acknowledged as one of the world’s most valuable documents, imparting advice to early pilgrims walking the Camno de Santiago and descriptions of the miracles of Saint James. Its disappearance called into question the procedures in place for the safety of such artefacts in the cathedral and led to a costly overhaul in the security of sacred relics: at the time of the theft all five security cameras were directed somewhere other than the safe. Fernandez Castineiras worked at the cathedral as an electrician and general handyman for more than 25 years. Detectives eventually recovered the priceless manuscript on searching his garage. Castineiras’ wife was sentenced to a six month suspended sentence for her part in the robbery, while their son was acquitted.

NOTHING LIKE a spot of masochism to spice up the Spanish Box Office! The premiere of erotic blockbuster 50 Shades of Grey has broken box office records in Spain, grossing €7.07 million in just its first weekend – making it one of the country’s most successful movie releases ever. The film is based on the first novel of E L James which sold more than 100 million copies worldwide, and stars Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson in the roles of billionaire executive Christian Grey and college student Anastasia Steele embroiled in a sadomasochistic relationship. ‘50 Shades’ has not quite beaten the record set by ‘Twilight’, which grossed €9.2 million on its first weekend in November 2012. 50 Shades of Grey has attracted widespread criticism from groups who claim the movie supports domestic abuse.

Pensioner smuggles cash from Andorra in her shoes

A PENSIONER has been arrested for trying to smuggle over 38,000€ in cash out of Andorra. The 65-year-old hid the cash in 500€ notes in the soles of her trainers but she was caught at a Guardia Civil roadside check on the motorway near Lleida in Catalonia. The money, with the exception of 1,000€ deemed to be needed for the woman’s living and travel expenses, was seized by the police and given to the Bank of Spain’s Commission for Financial Crimes. Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy met with Andorra’s Antoni Marti recently to sign an agreement on tackling tax fraud.

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Another twist in the Barcenas tale IN A SENSATIONAL twist to the Barcenas scandal, a judge investigating the corruption case has ‘misplaced’ the documents he had compiled. by Jan Gamm Spain’s opposition parties took up the matter of a laptop used by Barcenas being ‘wiped clean’ back in 2013, prompting a court investigation. Now the docu-

ments supporting that investigation have ‘disappeared’. The Madrid High Court has issued a statement saying the matter is being investigated. Barcenas, the disgraced ex-treasurer of the Partido Popular accused of running

DGT’s Pegasus yields results PERFORMANCE RESULTS for the DGT’s (Trafico) helicopter Pegasus filed a total of 3,199 driving offences with an average total of 150 offenders per month, up to 30th October 2014. One third of the offences were committed in the Valencian region. There are now five such helicopters operating throughout Spain with the objective to monitor traffic speed but also to report reckless driving and other offences. Fines generated by Pegasus range between 100€ and 500€ and the loss of two to four points on driving licenses. Last year the number of drivers who lost their licenses doubled compared to the year before.

Toxic cloud over Barcelona

EMERGENCY SERVICES were mobilised in Igualada, Barcelona, in the early hours of last Friday morning after a chemical plant explosion caused a bright orange toxic cloud to rise over the area. Civil Protection authorities confirmed that fire crews removed the spillage and transported it to a waste-treatment plant. 21 ground crews and one helicopter from the regional fire service were deployed, as well as 17 crews from the regional Mossos police force, six ambulance units and the Red Cross. 60,000 residents were advised to stay in their homes on Thursday due to the chemicals contained in the cloud that could cause mild respiratory irritation. Mayor Marc Castells said that the incident seemed to have been caused by “human error.” The council has opened an investigation to determine the causes of the explosion, which left several people with minor injuries including three firefighters and two members of the public.

a multi-million Euro slush fund, is still out on bail of more than 200,000€. The conclusions of the Barcenas case and its ties to the ruling PP are seen by the Spanish voting public as vital to the outLuis Barcenas come of the 2015 elections.

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Plague of beetles attack forest beauty spots TECHNICIANS WITH the Department of the Environment have mobilised to tackle a scourge of beetle attacking the pine forests of the natural park Serra Gelada. by Jan Gamm Warden of the Serra Gelada Toni Pellicer said: “Tomicus Destruens pierces the trunks of trees, digging small tunnels one or two inches beneath the surface. Eventually the tree becomes dry, weakens and inevi-

tably dies.” The plague is affecting around 200 pine trees as a result of the summer drought. Many of the trees will be debarked and felled before being removed from the area. The work will continue for several days under the direc-

tion of the Preservation Brigade preservation and maintenance of the natural park of Serra Gelada. Fortunately the affected The area covers only 0.5 per cent of plague is the total forest area. affecting Across the Region of Valencia around there are more than 120 munici200 palities affected by the plague. pine tree

Benissa makes a saving by changing the pool boiler THE INDOOR pool in Benissa will now enjoy a lower energy bill after the council installed a biomass boiler and a new HVAC generator unit: the old boiler was a less than economical diesel run model. The annual projected savings with the new heating system are around 80,000€. The fuel for the new boiler, installed at a cost of 110,000€, will include wood and garden prunings from numerous nearby pinewoods.

Divers in a mammoth clean up THE CABO La Nao Diving Club in Javea took part in a large scale clean up this week, removing a staggering 312kilos of garbage from the seabed in and around Javea’s Creek area. 31 divers participated in the spring clean in a collaboration with the Troafons Club, Pucol.

The artist, the electrician, the chauffeur and a king’s ransom in artwork by Jan Gamm THE CASE of electrician Pierre Le Guennec and his wife Danielle was the centre of attention in Grasse, south eastern France this week. Le Guennec formerly worked for renowned artist Pablo Picasso, with whom he enjoyed a long term friendship. Le Guinnec claims that Picasso’s second wife Jacqueline gifted him with a box containing some 271 of the artist’s works that included drawings, lithographs and rough sketches. He says the box remained in his garage at his home in Mougin for 40 years or so and only reappeared when he took them to the Picasso Administration for authentication in 2010.

LITTLE COUSIN When asked to explain how he

Continued from front page COMPLICATIONS The most common strain of the flu virus this year is characterised by severe respiratory problems - coughing and sneezing, headache, joint pains, dizziness, nausea and possibly diarrhea with possible complications such as pneumonia and a weakened immune system. The flu spreads through contact and so may easily be picked up if you are near an infected person. It is impossible to avoid such contact when so many are carrying infection so it is imperative to observe scrupulous and frequent hand washing in soap and hot water.

Pro-Nazi skinhead arrested THE LEADER of ‘Ultrasur’ a radical Real Madrid football gang known for its violent fascism and racism, has been arrested at Barajas Airport while boarding a flight to the Caribbean using a passport belonging to his cousin. Nick-named ‘El Niño Skin’, The Pro-Nazi thug has a history of violent and criminal behaviour and is suspected of stabbing several Atletico supporters at Bernabeu Stadium in 2014. He has been charged with: aggravated robbery; crimes against public health, extortion and a string of other anti-social offences. The Ultrasur gang numbers around 500 members who dress as skinheads and wear Nazi insignia. They were banned from the Bernabeu stadium in 2014 by Real Madrid President Florentino Perez.

A FORTUNE IN ARTWORK The 75-year-old retiree turned up at the offices of Picasso’s son Claude Picasso, with a supermarket bag containing the largest haul of the artist’s work to date since Picasso’s death in 1973 - 180 individual artworks and a notebook containing 91 sketches, worth an estimated €60 million. The French prosecutor is now seeking a five year suspended sentence for the couple if they are found guilty on charges of handling stolen goods.

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Le Guinnec

came to possess such a valuable collection of artwork Le Guinnec said simply: “Monsieur and Madame trusted me. They always called me their ‘little cousin.’” To further complicate the matter it was discovered that the electrician had ties with another Picasso employee suspected of stealing nearly 200 artworks.

Maurice Bresnus, better known as Nounours (Teddy Bear), married to Le Guennec’s first cousin, was the painter’s chauffeur between 1967 and 1973. And it was he who recommended the electrician to Picasso. Le Guinnec and his 71-year-old wife Danielle await the court’s verdict - and sentence - on 20th March.

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Victims of sexual abuse Injustice for Spain’s working women by priests demand justice by Jan Gamm A SENSATIONAL court ruling in Granada has dropped charges against nine out of 10 Catholic priests, accused of sexually molesting an altar boy. Charges were dropped against two laymen also accused. Additional charges brought against the men included that of concealing evidence. Pope Francis telephoned the victim last November, now aged 24, offering his apologies for the alleged crimes, believed to have taken place between 2004 and 2007. TOO MUCH TIME The court said that the suspect could not be charged as ‘too much time had elapsed between when the crime took place and when a formal complaint was made’, yet the victim’s legal representative contends that his client was unable to take legal steps until he had left Granada. The Pope’s telephone conversation with the victim resulted in Archbishop Francisco Javier Martinez of Granada along with his fellow priests prostrating themselves before the altar at Granada

Priests prostrate themselves seeking forgiveness before the altar

Cathedral to ask for forgiveness. FALLOUT During the fallout of the court’s ruling, many survivors of abuse by priests are now speaking out, furiously angry at the Vatican’s failure to punish senior officials accused of covering up sex scandals despite the Pontiff’s pledge of “zero toler-

ance of child sex abuse” and his condemnation of the Church’s “complicity in hiding grave crimes committed by clerics.” “The church is not outside the law,” said one anonymous victim, “…it does not govern itself, it is not allowed to overlook illegal acts of violence. Why does the church believe it is exempt from legal punishment?”

ACCORDING TO a report released this week by the UGT (Unión General de Trabajadores) women must work 79 days more per year than men to achieve the same remuneration. “The crisis has exacerbated a major scourge in our labour market,” said Almudena Fontecha, Head of Equality for the UGT. “Not only are there fewer women workers, they also suffer a greater wage gap.” The difference between what men and women earn in Spain for work of equal value stood at 23.93% at the end of 2012, the highest rate in the last five years according to the union’s report, with female workers claiming their yearly annual average earnings at 19,537€ - 6,144€ less than men at an average wage of 25,682€. And to receive a pension of the same amount, a woman needs to work a full 11 euros years at the grindstone longer than a man performing a job requiring the same skillset. Data from the last Annual Wage Structure Survey 2012, published by INE, concludes that Spain already has the questionable accolade of being king of the European wage gap for women. The union confirms: “The absence of equality policies and the lack of enforcement of laws prohibiting such discrimination” are mainly responsible for the increase in the wage gap, since there are no “objective factors” to explain the difference. The highest wage differences occur in occupations that require fewer skills, as in the service sector where unskilled tasks are performed by 80% of women charging a 30.67% less than their male counterparts for the same job. In jobs requiring higher skills, women managers charge 16.08% less than men for their services. Between 2008 and 2012, the wage gap increased in all sectors, especially in the education and health sector at 7.65% and 6.02% respectively. Across communities, Galicia has the widest wage gap. Only Baleares, Canarias, Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura and Madrid are less than the national average.

Metro in gay discrimination outrage

THE MADRID Metro management has launched an enquiry into an incident where a leaflet was distributed to line workers that instructed them to pay particular attention to the routine ticket checking of ‘gays, musicians and beggars!’ At the time of going to press the identity of the person who issued the memo has not been discovered. However, Madrid Metro Director General Ignacio Gonzalez Velayos, anxious to emphasise Metro’s policy of nondiscrimination, said: “Our board of directors were immediately informed and have opened an investigation to determine who printed and handed out these deplorable leaflets so that they can be brought to justice.”

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Denia foreign residents’ workshop by Jan Gamm DENIA’S FOREIGN residents who are members of the town’s Foreign Residents Association have attended a workshop organised by Town Planning Councillor Vicente Chelet to discuss development plans. And the residents had plenty to say – they listened to forward plans for the area and added a few of their own ideas. One of the main topics for discussion was the location of the new railway and bus station. Also up for debate was the need for more green areas, traffic calming measures for the town centre and better transport for the port area. A second workshop was held in Jesus Pobre which is administered from Denia Town Hall. Residents believe the

Residents listened to forward plans and added some of their own ideas

town centre of Jesus Pobre needs to extend to its southern limit with land reserved for public use, limiting the number of new homes to 100.

Another idea was to designate vehicle-free paths to link Jesus Pobre with nearby towns and villages and also the Montgo national park.

Benidorm – Ideal filming destination

By Irena Bodnarec BENIDORM IS already a popular destination for British television film crews - with Benidorm ER and the Benidorm comedy series both currently on our screens. But the resort is also attracting big companies – with car manufacturer Toyota the latest multinational business to use the destination for their promotional advertising. The Japanese motor corporation have just finished filming an advert for the new Toyota Corolla model and another manufacturer ´Rinspeed´ have been photographing their innovative prototype electric car at iconic landmarks here such as along the Paseo de Poniente, up by the Cross with the entire Levante and Poniente Bays as a backdrop and near Terra Mitica. The mild climate, spectacular skyline and sandy beaches are all a directors dream – and Benidorm is very accommodating in welcoming them, in the knowledge that the indirect revenue by way of publicity is crucial to the resort. Mobile phone operator T-Mobile has also used the Levante promenade for an advert recently.

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Rash promises

CONGRATULATIONS RTN on your 800th edition! It came as a welcome surprise that Mayor Eduardo Dolon of Torrevieja said he is open to the idea of receiving emails and questions from expats concerning things going on in Torrevieja. It sounds nice that he is willing to receive letters asking questions about Torrevieja issues, but receiving questions and answering them is the point. How many times have we been told: “I will phone you…” or “I will email you...” then after waiting weeks, having to realise the person making rash promises likely does not even remember making them. Promising to do something and actually consistently doing it is the issue. We shall see if what is promised is actually done - or are letters conveniently filed in the circular file next to his secretary’s desk? Gordon Pringle, Torrevieja

Great jamming I HAVE just been to the most amazing music Jam session. There were around a dozen musicians playing music from the 60s and 70s, both experienced and the inexperienced playing to a professional level. It was hard to believe that many of them had not played together before. Guitarists, keyboard players, drummers and of course singers took you back to those bands of the era when Rock and R&B were at their best. If you like Rock/ R&B then this is a must. Get down to the Reflections Restaurant; Calle

Aviles; Torrevieja on Sunday afternoon at 4pm for a truly rocking experience! And new friendships to be made. This has got to be the best jamming venue in the Costa Blanca: come early if you want to join in. lf you have an instrument okay but if not don’t worry the guys will happy to lend you theirs. Thanks Mike for letting me play your drums! Regards Bob Morris, La Marina

Surely something’s being done? NOW INTO our fourth year staying in Altea for the winter, we have recently had to visit Alicante airport on four occasions. Each time we have found the walkway connecting the multi-storey carpark and the terminal to have various dog deposits (either fresh or old and trodden in) throughout its length. Is this the way the Costa Blanca would like to welcome the many visitors to the region? Apart from many of the footpaths/walkways in Altea suffering from a similar problem, the smell from the lagoon is becoming worse as the weather improves. Surely something is being done regarding these problems, but what? Maybe RTN can find out. Chris Carrigan

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Heartless Gandia council in debt to abandoned animal charity by Jan Gamm THE SAFOR Animal Protection Society (Spama) can no longer take in strays and abandoned dogs and cats after its agreement with Gandia Town Hall expired on 9th February and was not renewed. Economic councillor Guillermo Barber confirmed that the association’s agreement must now go to public tender. Spama believes all animals should have the right to life and does not put healthy dogs and cats to sleep. The shelter is home to around 300 dogs and 120 cats, some of who

have been there for several years without ever having experienced a loving home. The charity is owed more than 200,000€ by Gandia council. Last November the desperately overcrowded shelter briefly stopped taking in more animals but relented in the end: “The animals have nowhere else to go through no fault of their own,” said Safor management. In the meantime, more than 400 abandoned animals wait to learn their fate. Readers who wish to make a donation to Safor can do so via www.spamasafor.org

More than 400 abandoned animals wait to learn their fate

Traffic radars to be made visible

MARÍA SEGUÍ, General Director of the DGT, has announced to the Congress Commission on Road Safety that the majority of mobile radars are to be moved to secondary roads where 80% of road traffic accidents occur. And all traffic radars are to be made visible to drivers to act as a speed deterrent. “Monitoring devices will record more details of vehicles,” says Seguí as she presented the numbers and types of fines issued throughout 2014. The DGT website is to show the 1,200 locations of the radars. She confirmed the legally established margin for error, involving a photo being taken when a vehicle’s speed is 8km/h over the limit from 30 km/h to 90 km/h; 9km/h over the 100km/h speed limit; 120km/h over a speed limit of 110 and 131km/h on a 120km/h limit. Among the figures given out on Wednesday Seguí highlighted the issue of vans and trucks for which 11,400 fines had been issued in one week earlier in the year following an analysis of 82,569 vehicles.

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Fun Dog Show in aid of Costa Blanca Dog Rehoming at Siesta Group SIESTA GROUP is to host a Fun Dog Show on Sunday 1st March at their recently refurbished Gata De Gorgos Outlet. by Patricia Thompson The event will help raise the profile of Costa Blanca Dog Homing and help find some deserving rescued dogs find ‘forever homes’. Entrance is free. A Kennel Club registered judge has kindly agreed to oversee the proceedings: judging will commence at 11.30am with all registrations to be made by 11am. The first class entering the ring will be some of the dogs currently looking for homes. If you are interested in giving a dog a home, you will be able to talk to the Foster Mums and Rescue Centres for more information and get to know the dogs. Rosettes will be presented for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each class, including Best Rescue Dog; Puppy (under 6 months); Golden Oldie (over 7 years); Prettiest Bitch; Most Handsome Dog; Fancy Dress and lots more. The fee to enter is just 2€ per dog per class. A Raffle will offer prizes given by Siesta Group (100€); UK Supplies (JML Shop Javier) with a halogen oven and many more local busi-

nesses have given generous donations. Costa Blanca Dog Homing works tirelessly to rescue and re-home abandoned dogs and puppies. Arranging re-homing for dogs from the Costa Blanca to the UK, Germany, Belgium and Holland, offering advice on transportation and release fees etc. There will be a drop off point on the day for donations of leads, collars, crates, bedding and food - all cash raised will go directly to the Charity. The Gata De Gorgos site is an ideal location, boasting 2000m2 of garden and showroom space incorporating a Gift Shop and Coffee Shop, with ample parking. The furniture showroom will be open from 10am until 4pm with a full range of garden and home furniture and accessories .The tearooms will be serving refreshments and snacks all day. For more information call 96 575 7775 or 618 258 003.

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Moraira-Teulada U3A Wine Tasting

HELP Calpe HELP IS calling for volunteers in the Calpe area. More volunteers are desperately needed to help provide short term assistance and support to people where there are medical or other health related needs in the Calpe area. It’s easy - please look at our website www.helpofdenia.com download a membership application form and complete! HELP looks forward to hearing from you soon.

Kids kick start carnival week in Alcoy in fancy dress Those present spoke with their wallets

by Patricia Thompson EVERYONE WENT home happy from the first tasting of the year of the Moraira Teulada U3A wine Tasting Group on 12th February under the leadership of Peter Romain, assisted by the sponsorship of the Bodegas Corcova based in Valdepeñas (C. Real), held at Bar Mediterrano in Teulada. Domingo assisted by Franco, both extremely passionate about their

wines, presented six, four of which were bottled and put on sale in the last month. The 82 members present each paid 3€ to attend. This was Domingo’s third presentation to the group: his basic rule is that no wine presented should cost more than 4€ per bottle and a very good discount was offered on their Reserva Tempranillo, the last wine, an exceptionally good buy. The wines varied from their Airén

and Verdejo, both white wines costing 3€ and 4€ per bottle respectively, followed by their Rosodo at 3€ then three red wines their Syrah, Robble and the Reserva at 4€per bottle. Those present spoke with their wallets, no doubt bringing a smile to the faces of Domingo and Franco on their long drive back to Aldepeñas. Thanks to Peter and his wife Yvonne, also Mike, Lorraine, Graeme, Julie and John Redman for help on the night.

Hundreds of Alcoy students paraded through the city streets in fancy dress on Saturday to herald the start of carnival week, turned out in brightly coloured homemade creations depicting pandas, toucans, vultures, clowns and even electronic gadgets such as mobile phones and calculators. The children were accompanied by local marching bands.

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

New units for local kennels by Keith Nicol AFTER A successful special adoption campaign last weekend, work has begun on upgrading some of the facilities at Torrevieja’s Municipal Kennels. Construction has almost finished on two new stores, one for the conservation of dog food and another for chemical materials and cleaning supplies. A shower room and toilet and a special dog shower room is also being constructed. Work should be completed this week and will come into operation immediately. The Municipal Kennel has been very successful in finding new homes for their dogs, not just locally, but to homes all over Europe. In part this is due to the use of social network ‘Facebook’, where in less than three years, they have almost 12,000 followers. The Municipal Kennels, or in Spanish the Perrera Municipal de Torrevieja, is located close to the Habaneras Shopping Centre and Policia Local in the Toretta area of the city, backing onto Avenida Rosa Mazon Valero. The Facebook page contains photographs and stories of all the dogs in the centre, maps to its location and photos posted by some of the people who have adopted a new pet. In addition, the centre has also received donations of all different kinds of equipment such as chains, leads, blankets, towels, houses, and food. The page already has almost 12,000 friends, with

number that is rising on a daily basis. The page can be found on Facebook by typing in ‘Perrera Municipal de Torrevieja’ in the search field. The Kennel has been conducting studies in recent years, especially through increasing awareness of the centre to different groups and individuals, who carry out intensive work in promoting the adoption of animals; especially dogs. Supporters, volunteers (yes, they would love more dog walkers) and staff participate in exhibitions and fun dog shows, to raise awareness of the centre. They are always looking for new ways to raise awareness of the centre, with the ultimate aim to have every dog in the centre, find a new ‘forever’ home. Please check out their Jake was Facebook page for more information and to see adopted the work being done on the facilities. Not only this week to they re-house abandoned dogs, but also house from the Municipal ‘lost’ dogs, while they search for their owners. Kennels

Death of a chocolate legend BILLIONAIRE MICHELE FERRERO, Italy’s wealthiest entrepreneur, passed away in Monaco on Saturday aged 89. Ferrero was responsible for pioneering a new way to eat chocolate when he introduced popular ‘Nutella’ chocolate spread laced with hazelnuts to the market: the Ferrero group also invented Ferrero Rocher, Kinder Eggs and Tic Tacs. Until quite recently Ferrero continued to commute by helicopter from Monte Carlo to the factory headquarters of the Ferrero Group in Italy. Ferrero’s son Giovanni has been CEO of the group since 2011.

20 - 26 FEBRUARY 2015

Legends of the 60’s come to Benidorm by Irena Bodnarec THE SOUND of the 60´s will once again come to life at Benidorm Palace for a one night special performance on Sunday 8th March - with not one, but three legends of the era. The Foundations, remembered for their iconic hits such as ´Build me up Buttercup´ and ´Baby, Now that I´ve found you´ will be joined by Dave Berry, fondly remembered for his melodic hit ´The Crying Game´ and Vanity Fare who released ´Early in the Morning´ and ´Hitchin´ A Ride´. Alan Warner, guitarist and backing vocals is one of the sole original members of The Foundations and makes up what is probably the biggest group around, with seven members in the band. We had the opportunity to speak with him ahead of his performance at Benidorm Palace where he recollected found memories of the early days. The bands revival came to the fore following the 1998 film ´There´s Something About Mary´ starring Cameron Diaz which featured their song ´Build me up Buttercup´ - but it is not their only brush with the silver screen. In 1970 the group were approached to write the title song for ´Take a Girl like You´ which starred Oliver Reed and Hayley Mills in addition to their 1967 hit ´Baby, Now that I´ve Found You´ appearing on the soundtrack of the 2001 film Shallow Hal, starring Gwyneth Paltrow! Many are also unaware that the Long John Baldry well known hit song ´Let the Heartaches Begin” was actually originally on an album by the group – if only they had known they would have released it as a single themselves! Meanwhile Dave Berry told us that he is still enjoying a successful career and considers himself a “ working musician” which is evident as he has re-

Dave Berry

cently been on two separate tours – one with Roger Taylor, founder member of Queen and Paloma Faith, who like Dave holds a passion for jazz. Back in the heyday of the mid 60´s he toured with the Rolling Stones three times – an introduction made by his publicist Andrew Loog Oldham, who also happened to be the Rolling Stones manager. Meanwhile Vanity Fare continue to perform not only their own harmonious hits but also their take on songs from the great 60´s groups such as the Beach Boys. It looks to be an incredible night, seeing so many legends on stage in one night and will bring back fond memories for many. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8:30pm - tickets are available from the box office and cost 25€. Chicken or Fish and chips are available for an additional 8€ on the night.

The Foundations

Vanity Fair

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

Samaritans in Spain and the 902 number

EVERY NOW and then someone complains that Samaritans in Spain make money from the distressed callers who use the service, basing their claim on the fact that all 902 numbers are ‘premium rate numbers’. by Patricia Thompson This claim could not be further from the truth; in fact it costs SiS money to run this service. The problem arises from Telefonica lumping premium RATE and premium SERVICE into the one 902 range. Whether the number is premium rate or premium service depends on the fourth number. 902 followed by 1,2,3 or 4 are premium rates costing up to four times the standard rate, and from which the receiving company benefits financially. 902 numbers followed by 5,6,7,8 or 9 provide a premium service, from which the receiver gains no financial benefit. Samaritans in Spain uses the number 902 88 35 35: the fourth digit is 8. The number is not connected to any local telephone exchange, allowing the Samaritans to have several phones in several locations attached to the 902 88 35 35 number. Whenever someone calls their number, from multiple locations in Spain, they are connected to the next available listener. And it doesn’t matter where that listener is physically located – it is all at the same fee. All Samari-

tans in Spain calls to 902 88 numbers are charged at national call rates. From landlines and public phones the connection charge is €0.08 plus €0.04/min: Mon-Fri 20:00-08:00, weekends and public holidays and €0.07/min: Mon-Fri 08:00-20:00. Calls from mobiles are considerably more. Each mobile provider sets their own rates and, sadly, they can, and often do, range from 0.20 cents per minute, to over 0.80 cents per minute, plus a connection charge ranging from 0.12 to 0.20 cents. Unfortunately, Samaritans in Spain have absolutely no control over these charges, nor do they benefit from them. All the profit goes to the mobile provider. Samaritans in Spain recommend that the caller bears these charges in mind and where possible use a landline or public phone. Further information can be found at www. samaritansinspain.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Samaritans-in-Spain/342312575891259 The Samaritan service in Spain is provided by Costa Blanca Samaritans, a not-for-profit organisation registered with the Generalitat Valenciana, with the Registration Number: CV-01-042952-A and NIF: G54341466

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

Full Monty still growing by Keith Nicol IF, WHEN you hear the term ‘full monty’ and think it’s about getting your kit off, then you are probably not a local football fan, as ‘The Full Monty’ is the supporters club of CD Montesinos. The group was formed over four seasons ago and has gone from strength to strength, with it possibly being the largest International football supporters club in the region, having more than 450 members. Even though they play in the lower levels of local football, it’s not all about the ‘beautiful game’ as many supporters enjoy the comradeship and the social aspects of just having a fun and entertaining afternoon out, as much as the standard of play. When the Full Monty was first formed, CD Montesinos attracted the typical ‘one man and a dog’ to local home games, when anything approaching 20 people was looked upon as a big crowd, even though there were usually, depending on the Ref and their love of Red Cards, usually more players on the pitch than watching the action. These days all has changed with typical crowds being between 120 and 150 spectators, with the café in full flow, minus the meat pies, and it’s a good Saturday or Sunday afternoon out for everyone there. Plans have also been passed to improve facilities at the Sports Centre, including new seating for spectators and with the team pushing for promotion this season, things are looking bright for the future of the club. This week CD Montesinos are playing at home and it should be a good game, as they take on the strongest team in this league... San Isidro, with a 4.30pm kick-off on Sunday 22nd February. On the social side, the Full Monty have a number of special events, charity fundraisers, a very successful Golf Society and their newest addition, being the major protagonists in popularising Walking Football in the region. Such has been the popularity of Walking football that more than

A few players finding their feet again

40 people have started kicking a ball around again, many for the first time in decades, and age is no excuse, with more than a dozen of the players in their seventies, with the team looking at developing their own over 65 squad to play other local teams. They have also organised the Costa Blanca’s first ever, local Walking Football Tournament,

which takes place on Tuesday, March 3rd, with kick off at 11.00am, with the mayor and sports councillor all present, food and drink available, in what is becoming the fastest growing sport in the area. More information on Walking football from Stan at: montestan@gmail.com and on the Full Monty at: www.cdmontesinos.com.

Sporting Benidorm! BENIDORM IS going all out to attract sporting groups to the city by organising ‘fam trips’- or ‘familiarisation trips’ - for travel agents and tour operators to better position itself as a sports destination in the UK market. The programme includes visits to sporting facilities and major attractions in the city, working hand in hand with operators belonging to the TUI group such as Edwin Doran Sports and Masterclass that specialise in group travel for sports teams, universities and military training teams. Benidorm is increasingly in demand as a comfortable training venue with its excellent sporting facilities, convenient location and top class entertainment and cuisine.

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Neglected donkey and dogs saved in joint rescue operation A DONKEY kept in a yard so small she could barely move was rescued last Thursday by the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre, in a joint operation with Guardia Civil Seprona and the Asoka animal rescue association. Some dogs were also saved from appalling conditions. by Patricia Thompson The donkey’s hooves are severely malformed and its right foreleg twisted almost 180 degrees after years of neglect. Police are to prosecute the donkey’s owner. “The area where she was kept was so small and full of rubbish that she was unable to move and her hooves have not been touched for years,” said rescue centre co-founder Sue Weeding. “She has now been trimmed as much as possible and we will monitor her over the next few days to see how she is moving and decide what to do for the best.” Animal welfare is becoming a much more important issue in this area and the EHCRC is increasingly being called out by the police to assist in rescues. The rescue was complicated by ongoing problems with the EHCRC’s aging trailer, which broke down early this month. Mechanics were able to temporarily repair it for the rescue, but the centre is now fund-

raising for a new trailer. The Centre has contacted a trailer manufacturer that makes trailers very low to the ground, dispensing the need for ramp which can cause anxiety for sick animals already traumatized. Such vehicles can also be specially modified to carry all sizes of equines. The centre welcomes any donations and sponsorships and every cent donated or spent in their eight charity shops across the Alicante province goes towards the feeding and care of the 90 horses, ponies and donkeys that live at the centre. Please contact the charity shop hotline on 652 021 980 for more information about furniture pick-ups and volunteering. Located just outside Rojales at Partido Lo Garriga 59, the Centre opens to the public for free on the first Sunday of every month between 1pm and 4pm. The first The centre welcomes horse tour begins at 2pm. Carrots and apany ples are welcome! donations For directions and more details please and visit www.easyhorsecare.net sponsorship

20 - 26 FEBRUARY 2015

home and garden

Gardens a haven for remaining wildlife

Dick Handscombe Holistic gardener and author

OVER THE past quarter century since I purchased my home in Spain the variety and quantity of wild life that visits the garden each years has reduced considerable due to the building of houses on the agricultural land that initially surrounded us; the use of chemicals by agriculturalists and both expatriate and Spanish gardeners; the dryness of recent years and the increase in the carnivorous cat and dog population. However, the departure of previous wildlife is not totally irreversible. There are several practical and inexpensive things that all gardeners can do at little cost and with little effort, to provide safe havens for resident and migratory birds, beneficial insects and the reptiles that are increasingly under threat. And gardens will be richer as a result of such actions. HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN FARE? Do you have a thick hedge in which birds can shelter and hedgerow type birds nest? Are leaves left to rot under the hedges to attract worms and insects to be found by foraging birds? How many mature/maturing trees do you have in which birds can perch and shelter? Have you fixed nesting boxes on the upper trunks of the trees? Have you left holes in old or new walls that might attract a nesting hoopoe? Do you have a bird bath in which birds can wash and drink? Do you have a pond to which birds and

dragon flies are attracted to drink and frogs have become resident? Are there reeds that attract birds looking for insects? Is there at least a small area of the garden left wild to attract birds looking for insects and butterflies wanting to lay eggs on the stalks of grasses? Are there patches of lantanas, lavender, thyme and rosemary to attract feeding butterflies? Are there deep throated perfumed flowers such as the exotic Flowered Devils Tongue, Caesalpinia Gilliessii, and the waxy flowered Stephanotis that attract the interesting humming bird hawk moth? Is there a length of dry stone wall with holes in which lizards and toads can hide? Are there bunches of herbs or hanging plants in the naya that give shelter for geckoes? Do you have a bat box under the eves? Are there thickly growing climbing plants on walls that can offer shelter to birds and insects and therefore a natural feeding ground for the latter? Some butterflies also over-winter as chrysalises in the deep shade of the wall plants. Do you put coconuts, nuts or seeds out to attract birds and in a few lucky situations squirrels? Have you banned chemical warfare through manufactured inorganic insecticides, weed killers and fertilizers in favour of more environmentally friendly ecological/organic solutions, both in the

flower and vegetable garden? Have you one or more active compost heaps to recycle green kitchen and garden waste to produce micro-organism and worm-rich compost? Blackbirds in particular love to scavenge around the bottom of the heaps. Have you stopped burning bonfires that can asphyxiate insects and deter birds etc? Do you grow a few sunflowers to attract seed eating birds? Do you leave a pile of rotting logs and leaves in a corner to attract insects for birds and possible a lost hedgehog?

score very low do consider making a few changes over the coming months. Wildlife is an essential and interesting feature of a complete and balanced garden. By the way the following vocabulary might be of interest in your Spanish lessons: Wildlife: la fauna Haven: un refugio Ecological: ecologico Bird: una ave Gecko: un gecko Lizard: un lagarto Frog: una rana Toad: un sapo

How does your garden fare? To how many questions can you say yes? Congratulations if to almost all. If you

Also our four original books include comprehensive English â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Spanish gardening related vocabularies.

20 - 26 FEBRUARY 2015

legal

Carlos Baos

from White & Baos Abogados Solicitors Lawyers

Property walls and foundation problems. A successful claim against architects and insurers. IN TODAY’S article, we would like to discuss construction problems and defects (also known in Spanish “ vicios de construccion”), which affect many property owners in Spain. A few weeks ago we obtained a court judgment granted by the courts of Denia in favor of our clients, in connection with a claim filed on behalf of clients with a property in the village of Orba, Marina Alta in the province of Alicante. This property in question had a foundation problem that worsened after a period of heavy rains that occurred a few years ago, which accelerated the structural problems of the construction. The architects and developers who built the villa, said the cracks which appeared were due to a settlement, which had since ceased. Unfortunately, the reality was that it was a progressive problem, which affected the foundation and vertical structure of the property, evident when the cracks repaired reopened

again, proving that the cause was alive and active. In the court proceedings we were able to demonstrate: 1.-The negligence and liability of the principal architect and his insurer, that means the designer of the property and responsible for the project, who designed the wrong foundation, as it was not sufficiently deep and large, with inappropriate dimensions and without regard to the composition of the soil, and without avoiding the access by rainwater to the foundations, etc. 2.-The negligence and liability for technical architect or “aparejador”, and its insurer, because he executed and built a house with a structure much weaker than that designed, and built some walls less stable and consistent than the projected ones. 3.- Liability of ALCOYANA the insurer responsible for the Ten Year Insurance Policy “ seguro decenal”, as we proved that the construction problems affected the structure and stability of the building. Thus, the defendants accepted their responsibility,

The information provided in this article is not intended to be legal advice, but merely conveys general information related to legal issues. White & Baos Abogados. Tel:+34 966 426 185. E-mail: info@white-baos.com White & Baos 2014 – All rights reserved, Send your questions to spanishlawyer@roundtownnews.com or info@white-baos.com

and in the court process they agreed to pay the amount necessary to carry out the repairs necessary to secure and stabilize the structure of the villa. At this point, we remind our readers that when a problem of this kind appears in a property, even if it is a minor one, we must notify in a duly reliable way all agents or people who have been involved in the construction process, and who may be responsible, such as the developer, builder, architect, technical architect, Insurance company responsible of the Ten Year Insurance Policy, etc, Frequently cases fail because the property owners have not notified those possible respondents within the limitation period foreseen in the law. Therefore, at the first sign of a potential construction problem and before anything else, we need to notify by registered fax, telegram or similar way all the possible future respondents, about the emergence of the problem and their possible liability. If you are in this situation please contact us.

20 - 26 FEBRUARY 2015

money

Tax efficient investments

Christina Brady

Regional Manager of Blacktower Costa Blanca

EVERY DAY in the papers we read yet another story about the super rich and tax evasion, which they claim is just ‘tax avoidance’. What is the difference, you may ask yourself. PUT SIMPLY, evasion is stone-cold illegal — and could land you in prison, unless you are lucky enough to be one of the super-rich or their bankers. Evasion is deliberately hiding income, earnings or investments from the Revenue in order to reduce your tax bill. Avoidance is not illegal, but means bending the rules of the system to gain an advantage that was never intended. It is within the letter — but not the spirit — of the law. It often involves artificial transactions that serve little or no purpose, other than to cut your tax. However, that doesn’t mean that it won’t land you in trouble. Tax authorities across the Western world are looking closely at schemes they think are suspect and can pursue them in court. If it’s ruled they could be classed as avoidance, you will have to pay this money back. The best thing for most of us is to steer clear of anything that could be classed as either of the above and invest in tax efficient products that have been

approved by the tax authorities in the country you are tax resident in. In the UK ISAs are a tax efficient way of saving but if you are tax resident in Spain these tax advantages disappear. However, Spain does offer CIALP´s (long term individual savings plans) and SIALP´s (long term life plans). These are tax free investments: they have to be held for a minimum of five years, be at least 85% capital guaranteed and the maximum investment is 5,000€. These are on offer by most banks. In addition to this you have tax efficient investment policies that are available from a financial adviser, as long as these are classed as Spanish tax compliant , they offer gross roll up , income in a tax efficient way and can help mitigate your inheritance tax liabilities in both the UK and Spain if structured in the correct way. There are a variety of providers and if you visit an independent adviser they will be able to discuss the full range with you. I would avoid tied advisers,

these are financial advice companies that only offer products from one provider, and so one solution has to be made to fit all clients. If you would like to look at the investment options available to you please contact me by email christina.brady@blacktowerfm.com or call me on 658 892 330.

The above information was correct at the time of preparation and does not constitute investment advice and you should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity. Blacktower Financial Management Ltd is licenced by the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV. Blacktower Financial Management (Int) Ltd is licenced in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) Licence No: 00805B and registered with the DGS in Spain.

Life

El Barrio is in Torrevieja next Saturday

Concert by “El Barrio” in Torrevieja By Keith Nicol IT’S LIKELY that few expatriates have ever heard of ‘El Barrio’ however the popular Spanish singer will be performing in Torrevieja next weekend. Advance tickets sales already have reached nearly 3,500 with the Cadiz singer performing at the Palacio de los Deportes in Torrevieja on Saturday, February 28th, from 10pm. It’s been a while since the Sports Centre was used for a major event but Torrevieja’s Councillor for Culture, Luis María Pizana noted that he expects a full house inside the Palacio de los Deportes of Torrevieja, which can hold in excess of 5,000 spectators. After several years away from the stage, José Luis Figueroa

Franco (Cádiz, 1970) is back performing in 2015 with his new album “Son de Levante”. He’s performing has full show on Saturday with Luis María Pizana adding that “six trailers of materials and more than 50 people will be here to carry out the assembly of over 200 square meters of stage, 9,000 watts of sound, 300,000 watts of lighting (75 light art) and more than 90 square meters of LED screens for video.” The concert is organized by the Department of Culture of the City of Torrevieja and Studio Horizonte Musical. Advance tickets for the concert of El Barrio are available, from 27 euros in the outlets of El Corte Ingles, ConcertMusicTickets.com , Ticketmaster.es , Ticketea.com and InstantTicket.

José Luis Figuereo Franco was born in the Santa Maria flamenco neighbourhood of Cadiz; in June 1970. He grew up under the tutelage of flamenco club La Perla de Cai, and started playing guitar at age nine going on the road when he was just 14 and working with such household names as Antonio Canales and Sara Baras. El Barrio is a pioneering and innovative artist. His voice has a deep and distinct sound and he is considered one of the most important urban poets of the century by his followers, who fill each of their concerts. José Luis Figuereo is not only an interpreter of songs, a composer, a poet or a songwriter but pulls together each of these facets to produce a show not seen before in the City of Salt.

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travel

Cirque Du Soleil and The Lion King in Madrid with Gandia Tours

GANDIA TOURS introduces an unforgettable three day, two night entertainment experience at the Cirque Du Soleil or The Lion King in Spain’s glittering capital. The world-renowned Cirque Du Soleil is an exciting combination of circus mastery and sparkling stage production featuring breath-taking acts that capture the imagination of even the most demanding audience. The Lion King, a favourite with children everywhere, is an

enchanting piece of musical theatre and currently Madrid’s most popular, based on the animated Disney movie with music by Elton John and Tim Rice. Lion King is the story of Simba, a young lion prince and his struggle against his evil uncle Scar for royal supremacy. Gandia Tours offers hotel accommodation in the city centre near the Plaza Mayor and the Royal Palace and a panoramic

tour with an official guide from 18th May for three days with two nights’ B&B for only 320€ (60€ single supplement) for the Cirque Du Soleil and 290€ (single supplement 60€) for The Lion King. The entrance fee to the show, the tour and accommodation are all included in the price. Availability is limited so don’t delay, call Gandia Tours now on 966 106 872 to avoid disappointment.

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

television

20th - 26th February

friday 20th February BBC1

BBC2

ITV1

07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Wanted Down Under Revisited 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Countryside 999 12:45 Real Lives Reunited 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Father Brown 16:00 The Link 16:45 Escape to the Country 17:30 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 BBC London News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 A Question of Sport 21:00 EastEnders 21:30 EastEnders 22:00 The Musketeers 23:00 BBC News 23:25 BBC Regional News 23:35 The Graham Norton Show 24:20 Bluestone 42 24:55 The Guardian

07:00 Homes Under the Hammer 08:00 Countryside 999 08:45 Real Lives Reunited 09:15 Wanted Down Under 10:00 Big Allotment Challenge 11:00 Food & Drink 11:30 Map Man 12:00 South Africa Walks 12:30 Animal Park 13:00 Password Is Courage 14:50 The World at War 15:45 Coast 16:45 Open All Hours 17:15 To the Manor Born 17:45 Hi-de-Hi! 18:15 Flog It! 19:00 Two Tribes 19:30 Eggheads 20:00 Antiques Road Trip 21:00 Mastermind 21:30 Food & Drink 22:00 Italy Unpacked 23:00 QI 23:30 Newsnight 24:05 2001: a Space Odyssey

07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 11:55 ITV News 11:59 ITV Central Weather 12:00 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News 15:00 Judge Rinder 16:00 Tipping Point 16:59 ITV Central Weather 17:00 Mel & Sue 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News Central 19:30 ITV News 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Barging Round Britain with John Sergeant 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Bear Grylls: Mission Survive 23:00 ITV News at Ten 23:40 Cricket World Cup Highlights

CHANNEL 4

07:00 Countdown 07:45 The King of Queens 08:10 3rd Rock from the Sun 08:35 3rd Rock from the Sun 09:00 Frasier 10:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 11:35 Undercover Boss Canada 12:30 Shipping Wars UK 13:15 Channel 4 News 13:20 Couples Come Dine with Me 14:05 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 15:10 Countdown 16:00 Deal or No Deal 17:00 Come Dine with Me 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 The Simpsons 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 21:00 The Million Pound Drop 22:00 Gogglebox 23:00 The Last Leg 24:10 Catastrophe 24:40 Brooklyn Nine-Nine

CHANNEL 5

07:00 Childresn TV 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Toby’s Travelling Circus 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 The Hotel Inspector 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Police Interceptors 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS: Los Angeles 16:15 A Deadly Encounter 18:00 5 News 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 The Billion Dollar Wreck Hunt 21:00 Secrets Of 22:00 NCIS: New Orleans 23:00 NCIS 23:55 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 24:50 True Crimes: The First 72 Hours

itv2

07:00 The Hot Desk 07:10 You’ve Been Framed! 08:00 Emmerdale 09:00 You’ve Been Framed! 09:25 Dinner Date 10:30 Catchphrase 11:15 The Little Vampire 13:10 Emmerdale 14:15 You’ve Been Framed! 14:40 Dinner Date 15:40 The Jeremy Kyle Show 16:50 The Jeremy Kyle Show 17:55 The Jeremy Kyle Show 19:00 You’ve Been Framed! 19:30 You’ve Been Framed! 20:00 You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 Two and a Half Men 21:30 Two and a Half Men 22:00 Shaun of the Dead 24:05 Take Me Out

07:00 Hollyoaks 07:25 Happy Endings 07:45 Charmed 08:35 Made in Chelsea 09:35 Rules of Engagement 10:30 Baby Daddy 11:00 Charmed 13:00 Hollyoaks 13:30 Rules of Engagement 14:00 How I Met Your Mother 15:00 The Big Bang Theory 16:00 Baby Daddy 16:30 Melissa & Joey 17:00 New Girl 17:30 Suburgatory 18:00 How I Met Your Mother 18:30 How I Met Your Mother 19:00 The Big Bang Theory 19:30 The Big Bang Theory 20:00 Hollyoaks 20:30 Melissa & Joey 21:00 The Big Bang Theory 21:30 The Big Bang Theory 22:00 Run Fatboy Run 24:05 The Big Bang Theory 24:35 The Big Bang Theory

saturday 21st February BBC1

BBC2

ITV1

CHANNEL 4

CHANNEL 5

itv2

07:00 Breakfast

06:55 Father of the Bride 08:25 Summer Magic 10:10 Fred Dibnah’s Age of Steam 10:40 The Fred Dibnah Story 11:10 British Isles: A Natural History 12:00 Six Nations Rewind 13:00 Food & Drink 13:30 A Taste of Britain 14:00 A Taste of Britain 14:30 Talking Pictures 15:00 On the Waterfront 16:45 The Go-Between 18:35 The Great British Sewing Bee 19:35 Flog It! 20:30 How We Got to Now with Steven Johnson 21:30 Dad’s Army 22:00 Reginald D Hunter’s Songs of the South 23:00 Gambit 24:20 Spider

07:00 Childrens Tv 08:50 Adventure Time 09:30 Horrid Henry 09:50 Hulk and the Agents of Smash 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:20 The Jeremy Kyle Show 12:20 The Jeremy Kyle Show 13:25 ITV News and Weather 13:34 ITV Central Weather 13:35 The Jeremy Kyle Show 14:35 The Unforgettable 15:05 The Chase 16:05 Doc Martin 17:05 Big Star’s Little Star 18:05 ITV News Central 18:15 ITV News and Weather 18:25 You’ve Been Framed! 19:30 Planet’s Got Talent 20:00 Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway 21:25 Take Me Out 22:40 Jonathan Ross Show 23:40 ITV News and Weather 23:54 ITV Central Weather 23:55 I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry

07:10 How I Met Your Mother 07:35 How I Met Your Mother 08:00 Trans World Sport 08:55 The Morning Line 10:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 11:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 11:30 Frasier 12:00 Frasier 12:30 The Big Bang Theory 12:55 The Big Bang Theory 13:25 Child Genius 14:30 Channel 4 Racing 17:15 Come Dine with Me 18:15 The Big Bang Theory 18:45 The Simpsons 19:10 The Simpsons 19:40 Channel 4 News 20:00 Homes by the Sea 21:00 The World’s Weirdest Weather 22:00 Silver Linings Playbook 24:25 Green Zone

07:00 Childrens TV 09:40 Zack and Quack 09:55 Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom 10:15 Jelly Jamm 10:30 LazyTown 11:00 SpongeBob SquarePants 11:35 Chinese Food in Minutes 11:55 The Dog Rescuers 12:20 Ice Road Truckers 13:15 Ice Road Truckers 14:10 Ice Road Truckers 15:10 Ice Road Truckers 16:05 Columbo: How to Dial a Murder 17:35 Columbo: Murder, a Self-Portrait 19:25 NCIS 20:05 NCIS 21:00 5 News Weekend 21:05 Law & Order 22:00 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 23:00 Live International Boxing

07:00 Emmerdale 09:40 Coronation Street 12:15 Babe: Pig in the City 14:10 Richie Rich 16:00 Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium 17:55 You’ve Been Framed! 18:25 Back to the Future 20:45 Evan Almighty 22:40 Take Me Out - The Gossip 23:25 The Keith Lemon Sketch Show 23:55 Reality Bites 24:35 Ibiza Weekender

07:00 Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD 07:45 The 100 08:40 Rules of Engagement 10:00 Melissa & Joey 10:30 Melissa & Joey 11:00 Made in Chelsea 12:00 Taking New York 13:00 Marry Me 13:30 New Girl 14:00 New Girl 14:30 Melissa & Joey 15:00 Melissa & Joey 15:30 Baby Daddy 16:00 Baby Daddy 16:30 How I Met Your Mother 17:00 How I Met Your Mother 17:30 Rules of Engagement 18:00 Rules of Engagement 18:30 Troy 19:30 The Big Bang Theory 20:00 The Big Bang Theory 20:30 The Big Bang Theory 21:00 The Big Bang Theory 21:30 The Big Bang Theory 22:00 The Inbetweeners Movie 24:00 The Inbetweeners 24:35 The Inbetweeners

11:00 Saturday Kitchen Live 12:30 Mary Berry Cooks 13:00 BBC News; Weather 13:10 Football Focus 13:50 Saturday Sportsday 14:00 Live Athletics 17:30 Final Score 18:20 Pointless Celebrities 19:10 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 19:30 Now You See It 20:00 The Voice UK 21:25 The National Lottery: Win Your Wish List 22:15 Casualty 23:05 BBC News; Weather 23:25 Match of the Day 24:50 The Football League Show

Richie Rich 14:10

sunday 22nd February BBC1

BBC2

ITV1

itv2

07:00 A to Z of TV Gardening 07:15 Great British Garden Revival 08:15 Glorious Gardens from Above 09:00 Countryfile 10:00 Football League Show 11:20 Saturday Kitchen Best Bites 12:50 The Great Comic Relief Bake Off 13:50 Live Cycling 17:30 The Wonder of Animals 18:00 Alaska - Earth’s Frozen Kingdom 19:00 Speed Dreams: The Fastest Place on Earth 20:00 The Fifteen Billion Pound Railway 21:00 Top Gear 22:00 Dragons’ Den 23:00 Meet the Ukippers 23:50 Blackthorn

CHANNEL 4

CHANNEL 5

07:00 Breakfast 08:35 Match of the Day 10:00 The Andrew Marr Show 11:00 The Big Questions 12:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:30 MOTD2 Extra 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News 14:10 Weather for the Week Ahead 14:15 The Link 15:00 Escape to the Country 15:45 Eat Well for Less? 16:45 Your Home in Their Hands 17:45 Lifeline 17:55 Songs of Praise 18:30 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 19:00 Big Painting Challenge 20:00 Countryfile 21:00 Call the Midwife 22:00 The Casual Vacancy 23:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 23:30 Match of the Day 2 24:40 The Super League Show

07:00 Childrens TV 08:30 Scrambled! 08:35 Nerds & Monsters 08:50 Ultimate Spider-Man 09:30 Horrid Henry 09:50 Deadtime Stories 10:25 Jeremy Kyle Show 11:25 Jeremy Kyle Show 12:30 Jeremy Kyle Show 13:35 ITV News and Weather 13:39 ITV Central Weather 13:40 The Unforgettable 14:10 Mel & Sue’s Best Bits 15:15 The Chase 16:10 Tipping Point 17:15 Octopussy 19:40 ITV News Central 19:45 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Get Your Act Together 21:15 All Star Family Fortunes 22:00 Mr Selfridge 23:00 ITV News and Weather 23:19 ITV Central Weather 23:20 Bear Grylls: Mission Survive 24:20 Premiership Rugby Union

07:20 NFL: Rush Zone 07:45 How I Met Your Mother 08:05 How I Met Your Mother 08:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 08:55 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 10:00 Frasier 10:30 Sunday Brunch 13:30 Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast 14:30 The Big Bang Theory 15:00 The Big Bang Theory 15:25 Love Happens 17:35 Location, Location, Location 18:35 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 19:30 Channel 4 News 20:00 Four Rooms 21:00 The Auction House 22:00 Indian Summers 23:00 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown 24:05 Moonrise Kingdom

07:00 Childrens TV 09:10 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 09:25 Wanda and the Alien 09:40 Zack and Quack 09:55 Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom 10:15 Jelly Jamm 10:30 LazyTown 11:00 SpongeBob SquarePants 11:35 The Dog Rescuers 12:00 Robson’s Extreme Fishing Challenge 13:00 Robson’s Extreme Fishing Challenge 14:00 Innerspace 16:20 Stand by Me 17:55 Honey, I Shrunk the Kids 19:45 WarGames 21:55 5 News Weekend 22:00 Top Gun 24:15 Young Guns

07:00 Life’s Funniest Moments 07:20 Emmerdale 10:10 Coronation Street 12:45 Take Me Out 14:00 Take Me Out - The Gossip 14:45 You’ve Been Framed! 15:10 Scorpion 16:05 Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway 17:35 Nanny McPhee 19:30 Jurassic Park 22:00 Ibiza Weekender 23:00 The Keith Lemon Sketch Show 23:30 White Chicks

07:00 Made in Chelsea 07:55 Suburgatory 08:25 Suburgatory 08:55 Baby Daddy 09:30 Baby Daddy 09:55 How I Met Your Mother 10:30 How I Met Your Mother 11:00 Hollyoaks 13:30 Revenge 14:30 Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD 15:30 The 100 16:30 Furry Vengeance 18:20 Rude(ish) Tube 18:30 Brooklyn Nine-Nine 19:00 The Big Bang Theory 19:30 The Big Bang Theory 20:00 The Big Bang Theory 20:30 The Big Bang Theory 21:00 The Big Bang Theory 21:30 The Big Bang Theory 22:00 The Big Bang Theory 22:30 The Big Bang Theory 23:00 The Inbetweeners 23:35 The Inbetweeners 24:05 The Inbetweeners Top 10 Moments

ITV1

CHANNEL 4

CHANNEL 5

itv2

07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 11:55 ITV News 11:59 ITV Central Weather 12:00 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 ITV News Central 15:00 Judge Rinder 16:00 Tipping Point 16:59 ITV Central Weather 17:00 1000 Heartbeats 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News Central 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Tales from Northumberland with Robson Green 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Broadchurch 23:00 ITV News at Ten 23:30 ITV News Central 23:40 Cricket World Cup Highlights 24:40 Jonathan Ross Show

07:00 Countdown 07:45 The King of Queens 08:10 3rd Rock from the Sun 09:00 Frasier 10:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 11:35 Undercover Boss Canada 12:30 Shipping Wars UK 13:15 Channel 4 News 13:20 Couples Come Dine with Me 14:05 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 15:10 Countdown 16:00 Deal or No Deal 17:00 Come Dine with Me 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 The Simpsons 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 The Political Slot 21:00 Dispatches 21:30 Food Unwrapped 22:00 NHS: Â£2billion a Week & Counting 23:00 Catastrophe 23:35 Bodyshockers 24:40 24 Hours in A&E

07:00 Childrens TV 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Toby’s Travelling Circus 09:40 Milkshake! Bop Box 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 The Hotel Inspector 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Secrets Of 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 The Perfect Assistant 18:00 5 News 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 Criminals: Caught on Camera 20:30 Car Crash TV 21:00 Police Interceptors 22:00 Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole 23:00 10,000 BC 24:00 The Jackal

07:00 You’ve Been Framed! 07:25 Psych 08:10 Emmerdale 08:40 Coronation Street 09:10 Coronation Street 09:40 Dinner Date 10:40 Catchphrase 11:25 Psych 12:20 Royal Pains 13:10 Emmerdale 13:40 Coronation Street 14:15 Coronation Street 14:40 Dinner Date 15:40 The Jeremy Kyle Show 16:50 The Jeremy Kyle Show 17:55 The Jeremy Kyle Show 19:00 You’ve Been Framed! 19:30 You’ve Been Framed! 20:00 You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 Two and a Half Men 21:30 Two and a Half Men 22:00 Through the Keyhole 23:00 American Pie Presents Band Camp 24:55 Two and a Half Men

07:00 Hollyoaks 07:25 Happy Endings 07:45 Charmed 08:35 Made in Chelsea 09:35 Rules of Engagement 10:30 Baby Daddy 11:00 Charmed 13:00 Hollyoaks 13:30 Rules of Engagement 14:00 How I Met Your Mother 15:00 The Big Bang Theory 16:00 Baby Daddy 16:30 Melissa & Joey 17:00 New Girl 17:30 Suburgatory 18:00 How I Met Your Mother 18:30 How I Met Your Mother 19:00 The Big Bang Theory 19:30 The Big Bang Theory 20:00 Hollyoaks 20:30 Melissa & Joey 21:00 Revenge 22:00 Taking New York 23:00 The Big Bang Theory 23:30 The Big Bang Theory 24:00 Brooklyn Nine-Nine 24:30 New Girl

monday 23rd February BBC1

07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Heir Hunters 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Countryside 999 12:45 Real Lives Reunited 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 WPC 56 16:00 The Link 16:45 Escape to the Country 17:30 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 BBC London News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 Inside Out 21:00 EastEnders 21:30 Panorama 22:00 New Tricks 23:00 BBC News 23:25 BBC Regional News 23:45 Waterloo Road 24:45 Graham Norton Show

BBC2

07:05 Homes Under the Hammer 08:05 Countryside 999 08:50 Real Lives Reunited 09:20 Wanted Down Under 10:05 Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 11:05 Great British Railway Journeys 11:35 Click 12:00 BBC News 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 A to Z of TV Gardening 14:05 Cagney & Lacey 14:50 The World at War 15:45 Africa 16:45 Open All Hours 17:15 To the Manor Born 17:45 Hi-de-Hi! 18:15 Flog It! 19:00 Two Tribes 19:30 Eggheads 20:00 Top Gear 21:00 University Challenge 21:30 Only Connect 22:00 A Cook Abroad 23:00 House of Fools 23:30 Newsnight 24:20 Alex Polizzi: The Fixer

Nanny McPhee 17:35

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

tuesday 24th February BBC1

BBC2

ITV1

CHANNEL 4

CHANNEL 5

itv2

07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Heir Hunters 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Countryside 999 12:45 Real Lives Reunited 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 WPC 56 16:00 The Link 16:45 Escape to the Country 17:30 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 BBC London News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 EastEnders 21:00 Holby City 22:00 The Gift 23:00 BBC News 23:25 BBC Regional News 23:45 Childbirth: All or Nothing 24:35 Growing Up Down’s

07:05 Homes Under the Hammer 08:05 Countryside 999 08:50 Real Lives Reunited 09:20 Wanted Down Under 10:05 Nature’s Weirdest Events 11:05 Great British Railway Journeys 11:35 HARDtalk 12:00 BBC News 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 A to Z of TV Gardening 14:05 Super League Show 14:50 The World at War 15:45 Africa 16:45 Open All Hours 17:15 To the Manor Born 17:45 Hi-de-Hi! 18:15 Flog It! 19:00 Two Tribes 19:30 Eggheads 20:00 Wanted in Paradise 21:00 Natural World 22:00 Inside the Commons 23:00 Rhod Gilbert’s Work Experience 23:30 Newsnight 24:15 Weather 24:20 Dragons’ Den

07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 11:55 ITV News 11:59 ITV Central Weather 12:00 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News 14:55 ITV News Central 15:00 Judge Rinder 16:00 Tipping Point 16:59 ITV Central Weather 17:00 1000 Heartbeats 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News Central 19:30 ITV News 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Live UEFA Champions League 23:00 ITV News at Ten 23:30 ITV News Central 23:40 UEFA Champions League: Extra Time 24:40 Carry On Henry

07:00 Countdown 07:45 The King of Queens 08:10 3rd Rock from the Sun 09:00 Frasier 10:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 11:35 Undercover Boss Canada 12:30 Shipping Wars UK 13:15 Channel 4 News 13:20 Couples Come Dine with Me 14:05 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 15:10 Countdown 16:00 Deal or No Deal 17:00 Come Dine with Me 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 The Simpsons 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 The Political Slot 21:00 Mary Portas: Secret Shopper 22:00 The Romanians Are Coming 23:00 Immigration Street 24:00 Kid Criminals

07:00 Childrens TV 09:00 Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:20 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:30 Peppa Pig 09:35 Toby’s Travelling Circus 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 The Hotel Inspector 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Cowboy Builders 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 The Boy Next Door 18:00 5 News 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 Police Interceptors 21:00 Benidorm ER 22:00 Killer Psychopaths 23:00 10,000 BC 24:00 World’s Biggest Hips

07:00 You’ve Been Framed! 07:25 Psych 08:10 Emmerdale 08:40 Coronation Street 09:10 Coronation Street 09:40 Dinner Date 10:40 Catchphrase 11:25 Psych 12:20 Royal Pains 13:10 Emmerdale 13:40 Coronation Street 14:15 Coronation Street 14:40 Dinner Date 15:40 The Jeremy Kyle Show 16:50 The Jeremy Kyle Show 17:55 The Jeremy Kyle Show 19:00 You’ve Been Framed! 19:30 You’ve Been Framed! 20:00 You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 Dinner Date 22:00 Hell’s Kitchen USA 23:00 Ibiza Weekender 24:00 Reality Bites 24:40 The Keith Lemon Sketch Show

07:00 Hollyoaks 07:25 Happy Endings 07:45 Charmed 08:35 Made in Chelsea 09:35 Rules of Engagement 10:30 Baby Daddy 11:00 Charmed 13:00 Hollyoaks 13:30 Rules of Engagement 14:00 How I Met Your Mother 15:00 The Big Bang Theory 15:30 The Big Bang Theory 16:00 Baby Daddy 16:30 Melissa & Joey 17:00 New Girl 17:30 Suburgatory 18:00 How I Met Your Mother 18:30 How I Met Your Mother 19:00 The Big Bang Theory 19:30 The Big Bang Theory 20:00 Hollyoaks 20:30 Melissa & Joey 21:00 Brooklyn Nine-Nine 21:30 The Big Bang Theory 22:00 The 100 23:00 Supernatural 24:00 The Big Bang Theory 24:30 The Big Bang Theory

wednesday 25th February BBC1

BBC2

ITV1

CHANNEL 4

CHANNEL 5

itv2

07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Heir Hunters 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Countryside 999 12:45 Real Lives Reunited 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 WPC 56 16:00 The Link 16:45 Escape to the Country 17:30 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 BBC London News 19:55 Party Political Broadcast 20:00 The One Show 21:00 The Great Comic Relief Bake Off 22:00 The People’s Strictly for Comic Relief 23:00 BBC News 23:25 BBC Regional News 23:45 A Question of Sport 24:15 Film 2015 24:45 Having You

07:00 Homes Under the Hammer 08:00 Countryside 999 08:45 Real Lives Reunited 09:15 Wanted Down Under 10:00 Horizon 11:00 Great British Railway Journeys 11:30 See Hear 12:00 BBC News 12:30 Daily Politics 14:00 Lifeline 14:10 Cagney & Lacey 14:55 The World at War 15:50 Africa 16:45 Open All Hours 17:15 Three Up, Two Down 17:45 Hi-de-Hi! 18:15 Flog It! 19:00 Two Tribes 19:30 Eggheads 20:00 Wanted in Paradise 21:00 Suffragettes Forever! Story of Women and Power 22:00 Wolf Hall 23:00 Up the Women 23:30 Newsnight 24:15 Weather 24:20 Inside the Commons

07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 11:55 ITV News 11:59 ITV Central Weather 12:00 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News 14:55 ITV News Central 15:00 Judge Rinder 16:00 Tipping Point 16:59 ITV Central Weather 17:00 1000 Heartbeats 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News Central 19:25 Party Political Broadcast 19:30 ITV News 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 The Brit Awards 2015 23:20 ITV News 23:50 ITV News Central 24:00 Perspectives

07:00 Countdown 07:45 The King of Queens 08:10 3rd Rock from the Sun 08:35 3rd Rock from the Sun 09:00 Frasier 09:30 Frasier 10:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 11:35 Undercover Boss Canada 12:30 Shipping Wars UK 13:15 Channel 4 News 13:20 Couples Come Dine with Me 14:05 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 15:10 Countdown 16:00 Deal or No Deal 17:00 Come Dine with Me 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 The Simpsons 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 The Political Slot 21:00 The Restoration Man 22:00 24 Hours in A&E 23:00 Junk Food Kids: Who’s to Blame? 24:05 Citizenfour

07:00 Childrens TV 09:20 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:30 Peppa Pig 09:35 Toby’s Travelling Circus 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 The Hotel Inspector 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Britain’s Biggest Primary School 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS: New Orleans 16:15 Still Life: a Three Pines Mystery 18:00 5 News 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 Cowboy Builders 21:00 GPs: Behind Closed Doors 22:00 Jack the Ripper: New Suspect Revealed 23:00 Autopsy: The Last Hours Of 24:00 Trauma Doctors

07:00 You’ve Been Framed! 07:25 Psych 08:10 Emmerdale 08:40 You’ve Been Framed! 09:40 Dinner Date 10:40 Catchphrase 11:25 Psych 12:20 Royal Pains 13:10 Emmerdale 13:40 The Cube 14:40 Dinner Date 15:40 The Jeremy Kyle Show 16:50 The Jeremy Kyle Show 17:55 The Jeremy Kyle Show 19:00 You’ve Been Framed! 19:30 You’ve Been Framed! 20:00 The Brit Awards 2015: Red Carpet 21:00 Dante’s Peak 23:20 The Brit Awards 2015: Afterparty 24:20 Plebs 24:50 Plebs

07:00 Hollyoaks 07:25 Happy Endings 07:45 Charmed 08:35 Made in Chelsea 09:35 Rules of Engagement 10:00 Rules of Engagement 10:30 Baby Daddy 11:00 Charmed 12:00 Charmed 13:00 Hollyoaks 13:30 Rules of Engagement 14:00 How I Met Your Mother 14:30 How I Met Your Mother 15:00 The Big Bang Theory 15:30 The Big Bang Theory 16:00 Baby Daddy 16:30 Melissa & Joey 17:00 New Girl 17:30 Suburgatory 18:00 How I Met Your Mother 18:30 How I Met Your Mother 19:00 The Big Bang Theory 19:30 The Big Bang Theory 20:00 Hollyoaks 20:30 Melissa & Joey 21:00 Transformers 24:00 The Big Bang Theory 24:30 The Big Bang Theory

thursday 26th February BBC1

BBC2

ITV1

CHANNEL 4

CHANNEL 5

itv2

07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Heir Hunters 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Countryside 999 12:45 Real Lives Reunited 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 WPC 56 16:00 The Link 16:45 Escape to the Country 17:30 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 BBC London News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 EastEnders 21:00 DIY SOS 22:00 Death in Paradise 23:00 BBC News 23:25 BBC Regional News 23:45 Question Time 24:45 This Week

07:05 Homes Under the Hammer 08:05 Countryside 999 08:50 Real Lives Reunited 09:20 Wanted Down Under 10:05 Pets - Wild at Heart 11:05 Great British Railway Journeys 11:35 HARDtalk 12:00 BBC News 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 A to Z of TV Gardening 14:05 Cagney & Lacey 14:50 The World at War 15:45 Africa 16:45 Open All Hours 17:15 Three Up, Two Down 17:45 Hi-de-Hi! 18:15 Flog It! 19:00 Two Tribes 19:30 Eggheads 20:00 Wanted in Paradise 21:00 Great British Sewing Bee 22:00 Reinventing the Royals 23:00 Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe 23:30 Newsnight 24:15 Weather 24:20 A Cook Abroad

07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 11:55 ITV News 11:59 ITV Central Weather 12:00 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News 14:55 ITV News Central 15:00 Judge Rinder 16:00 Tipping Point 16:59 ITV Central Weather 17:00 1000 Heartbeats 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News Central 19:15 ITV News 19:45 Emmerdale 20:45 UEFA Europa League Live 23:10 ITV News 23:40 ITV News Central 23:55 The Great War: The People’s Story 24:55 River Monsters

07:00 Countdown 07:45 The King of Queens 08:10 3rd Rock from the Sun 08:35 3rd Rock from the Sun 09:00 Frasier 10:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 11:05 Everybody Loves Raymond 11:35 Undercover Boss Canada 12:30 Shipping Wars UK 13:15 Channel 4 News 13:20 Couples Come Dine with Me 14:05 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 15:10 Countdown 16:00 Deal or No Deal 17:00 Come Dine with Me 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 The Simpsons 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 21:00 Location, Location, Location 22:00 Cucumber 23:00 Gogglebox 24:05 Romanians Are Coming

07:00 Childrens TV 09:00 Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Toby’s Travelling Circus 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 The Hotel Inspector 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 The Billion Dollar Wreck Hunt 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:10 Cedar Cove 18:00 5 News 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 The Classic Car Show 21:00 Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole 22:00 Britain’s Biggest Primary School 23:00 The Mentalist 23:55 Castle 24:55 Access

07:00 You’ve Been Framed! 07:25 Psych 08:10 Emmerdale 08:40 Coronation Street 09:10 You’ve Been Framed! 09:40 Dinner Date 10:40 Catchphrase 11:25 Psych 12:20 Royal Pains 13:10 Emmerdale 13:40 Coronation Street 14:15 You’ve Been Framed! 14:40 Dinner Date 15:40 The Jeremy Kyle Show 16:50 The Jeremy Kyle Show 17:55 The Jeremy Kyle Show 19:00 You’ve Been Framed! 19:30 You’ve Been Framed! 20:00 You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 Two and a Half Men 21:30 Two and a Half Men 22:00 Scorpion 23:00 The Keith Lemon Sketch Show 23:30 Reality Bites 24:15 Educating Joey Essex: Supermodel Student

07:00 Hollyoaks 07:25 Happy Endings 07:45 Charmed 08:35 Made in Chelsea 09:35 Rules of Engagement 10:30 Baby Daddy 11:00 Charmed 13:00 Hollyoaks 13:30 Rules of Engagement 14:00 How I Met Your Mother 15:00 The Big Bang Theory 16:00 Baby Daddy 16:30 Melissa & Joey 17:00 New Girl 17:30 Suburgatory 18:00 How I Met Your Mother 18:30 How I Met Your Mother 19:00 The Big Bang Theory 19:30 The Big Bang Theory 20:00 Hollyoaks 20:30 Melissa & Joey 21:00 The Big Bang Theory 21:30 2 Broke Girls 22:00 Brooklyn Nine-Nine 22:30 Marry Me 23:00 Banana 23:30 The Inbetweeners 24:00 The Big Bang Theory 24:30 The Big Bang Theory

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

showbiz goss I really enjoyed Beverly Hills Cop and it shot Eddie Murphy to international fame. I went to see the follow up and was back in the pub in no time, and I understand BHC 3 was even worse. Last week Eddie baby finally admitted to the indiscretion, and also admitted to doing it for the money. Let’s hope his new movie ´Cook´ where h e plays a cook, is not the same.

by Peter

Mrs Merton, Denise Royle, Gogglebox … Caroline´s got all them covered! THERE ARE only a rare few individuals who break new ground in television, and Caroline Ahrene is right up there in that category. You might know her better if I tell you she co-wrote and played the part of Denise in ´The Royle Family, or possibly Mrs Merton, the character she created that´s the subject of today’s main feature.´ The Mrs Merton Show aired on the BBC from ´95 - ´98, and the new ground she broke was turning the Wogan /Aspel chat show format completely on its head by going for the jugular at every opportunity. Like the question that has become part of broadcasting folklore that she put to Debbie McGee, the then wife of magician Paul Daniels, “So, what first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?,” and looking feminist icon Germaine Greer right in the eye and saying “you were a right old slapper back in the seventies, weren’t you?” Brilliant!! Caroline did the show in the usual comfy sofa set, but had a small audience rapped around the stage in a very intimate way, and was forever calling on one of them to support her when she was on the attack, a style that has been adopted to great affect by Graham Norton. Although Caroline was just 31 years old when she did the show, she dressed like a lady in her late 60´s, always wore a full length floral printed dress and a grey wig, and it was this sweet old lady look she used to such fantastic effect. Like when she said to Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer “Let’s clear something up … which one’s Vic and which one’s Bob?” The fifth series of Gogglebox begins on Ch4 this evening, and the lovely Caroline will be there again narrating the show, a lady who´s been there and done it, and then some.

The Brit Awards take place at the O2 arena in London on Wednesday, and Madonna has managed to convince the organisers she should perform a toon from her latest album. The Daily Mirror reported “Madonna wants to perform to the biggest number of people for the maximum impact.” One gets the feeling it’s all going to end in tears … One truly does!

Taylor

Writer and Broadcaster

Quote of “the Week

“

Fox News anchor-man Bill O’Reilly defending fallen colleague Brian Williams “This destroying people for sport has to stop! The Internet is a sewer!” … Burp!!

A story that beggars belief has come out of the recent Grammys in Los Angeles. It seems that the organisers needed to keep Katy Perry and Taylor Swift seated well apart for fear they might get into a punch-up, and make sure they The Eurovision Song Contest began in 1956 and was put were not even able together for the countries of Europe to compete against to snarl at each each other through song. More and more countries have other. Similarly, been added down the years, with countries as far afield as Rihanna and Chris Russia now involved. Now amazingly Australia will be com- brown got the peting in the 60th anniversary show in Vienna in May, so same treatment ... Is that scary or if you’re going, best take your diggerie-doo! what!!!

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

ask Sara WITH A background in family and matrimonial mediation, Life Coach Sara Bell helps Readers with their daily worries. If you are having difficulties with relationships, family, work or any other aspect of your life, then help is at hand. by Sara

Bell

Life Coach

Is he cheating? My husband has recently started behaving suspiciously. He hides his phone away, and has started having nights out without me, and coming in late. A friend of mine told me she saw him with another woman. When I confronted him about this, he said it was a work colleague, and was all very innocent. I don’t believe him. He has also started buying new clothes and wearing aftershave. I am at my wits end. I feel like I want to ask him to leave, as I know he is not telling me the truth. How can I find out if he is cheating? If you truly believe that he is cheating on you, then you need to confront him with proof. Otherwise, he will continue to be evasive when questioned. You can always contact a Private Investigator. They can carry out matrimonial surveillance, and take photographic evidence which you can use in divorce proceedings if needs be. A good Family and Divorce Lawyer will be able to recommend a professional firm.

We never asked for help

My 62 year old brother has always used our parents like a Bank. He has the nerve to waltz around acting like a big shot spending money he hasn‘t got. My sister and I have never asked our parents for help. Now they are turning to us for help in their old age. We are helping them, but feel massive resentment towards my brother as a result. Unfortunately your parents made the mistake of giving your brother the wrong kind of help many years ago. The best way of helping a child is to teach them to stand on their own two feet, how to earn their own living and - NOT to expect handouts. Your parents’ adverse treatment of you and your sister has been unfair, and they are now calling on you for help and not your brother. It is hard to understand why parents favour some children over others. There is no easy answer here. All you can do is feel proud that you have done, and are doing the right thing in life, and have not turned out like your brother.

Write to Sara in confidence. A pseudonym will be used if you wish. Sara reads all letters and can give a personal reply. Email your question to agonyaunt@roundtownnews.com or Sara is available for private consultations, telephone 633 614 476.

Crossword Solutions for Last Week Cryptic Solutions Across: 3 Forestall; 8 Paid; 9 Set-square; 10 Region; 11 Seven; 14 These; 15 Romp; 16 Relic; 18 Rout; 20 Route; 21 Third; 24 Switch; 25 Resembled; 26 Lion; 27 St. Bernard. Down: 1 Spare tyre; 2 Single out; 4 Open; 5 Ensue; 6 Tourer; 7 Lark; 9 Sober; 11 Solid; 12 Not up to it; 13 Upper hand; 17 Crowd; 19 Thieve; 22 Robin; 23 Beat; 24 Seer. Quick Solutions Across: 3 Unsavoury; 8 Roar; 9 Samaritan; 10 Absent; 11 Blend; 14 Demur; 15 Turn; 16 Eight; 18 Wind; 20 Amble; 21 Yearn; 24 Disown; 25 Interpret; 26 Knot; 27 Legendary. Down: 1 Breakdown; 2 Parsimony; 4 Neat; 5 Avail; 6 Orient; 7 Real; 9 Snare; 11 Begin; 12 Dumbfound; 13 Indemnity; 17 Tacit; 19 Delete; 22 Rapid; 23 Once; 24 Dear.

Suduko Answer

I feel neglected My boyfriend is divorced and has children from a previous marriage. I knew he had problems with his family being emotionally needy, but hoped all that might change when we moved in together. He constantly puts his family before me, and it is a cause of arguments between us. I realise he still has to be there for his children, who are 13 and 16 now, but he sees them all the time, and I feel neglected. I want us to have children of our own one day, but right now I can only see that will make the situation worse. It’s always difficult when someone has a former life, especially when there are children, but your boyfriend also has to think of his relationship with you, and your future together. If there are no set times for seeing his children, then firm arrangements should be made, and strictly adhered to. Juggling two families is very common these days, but can be done with a little organisation and planning.

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

people

The return of the Tapas Route By Keith Nicol THE TAPAS Route is returning in April. One of Torrevieja’s most successful innovations is the Tapas Route, which is run twice a year around the city centre. The Torrevieja’s Tapas Route 2015 will be celebrated Thursday to Sunday, from 16th to 19th and 23rd to 26th April 2015. Cafes and restaurants will offer their special selections from noon to 4.30pm and from 7.30pm to 11pm. Once again, lots of prizes are on offer for both the participating establishments and the general public, who on having their treasure map stamped, are entered into prize draw. It’s a fun and inexpensive way to spend an afternoon or evening, touring the centre of Torrevieja and discovering some of the hidden delights of the city. All participants can vote for their favourite Tapa. It’s a great event that many other local communities have also copied, and it is a success wherever it

A reminder for all HELP of Denia and Marina Alta members HELP OF Denia and Marina Alta are holding their AGM on 7th March at 10.30am at Monroe’s Carvery, Pedreguer. This is an annual business meeting for members only.

Come and see the busy bees on Montgo!

More than 50 bars are expected to take part in April’s Tapas Route

is held. Prices have been kept low with a Gourmet Tapa plus drink for 2.50€ and

the ‘house’ Tapa and drink for the low price of just 2.00€. More information at: www.rutadelatapatorrevieja.com.

ANYONE WHO would like to visit beehives in the Montgo Natural Park may do so between 10am and 1pm under the supervision of expert beekeeper Francisco Cervera. All are welcome, including children, and the tours are completely free. Register with the agricultural section of Creama or the Citizens Advice Bureau (OAC) or call 96 579 4266 if you would like to visit in a group. The programme is under the auspices of Javea’s Department of Agriculture.

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

what’s on

Networks Theatre presents Last Hope NETWORKS THEATRE in Orihuela presents Last Hope, a touching drama written and directed by Inés Ruiz and Daniel Nieves. Nate is a 16 years old boy diagnosed with leukemia, deciding to face it with courage and hope. His brave decision prompts him to write a list with the goal of helping his friends in their personal lives. Courage, hope and friendship will conflict with one universal truth we all have to face: everything eventually ends.

Performances at the theatre on C/San Agustin, Orihuela, are on Thursday 27th February at 7pm and 10pm and Friday 28th February at 9pm. Tickets at 5€ for Adults and 3€ for Students may be booked online at www.networkstheatre.com. For more information call 96 674 0251 or email theatreinorihuela@yahoo.com.

Nate decides to face his leukemia

Smile Charity Group LIVE Rock ´n´ Roll Night ROCK UP to the El Alto La Dolores Restaurant in Guardamar on Friday 27th February at 7pm for an exciting night of live Rock ´n´Roll with Woody and the Peckers! The evening will raise cash for the Benijofar Crisis Appeal. Tickets at 10€ to include a meal and the show are available from the El Alto La Dolores Restaurant and the Post Room Benijofar – or call 96 671 2382.

20 - 26 FEBRUARY 2015

what’s on

The Costa Fiesta Country Music and Linedance Festival THE COSTA Fiesta Country Music and Linedance Festival began as an idea back in 2006, suggested by a Marjal guest of many years Angie Evans. THE INTENTION was to provide Sunday afternoon ‘get-togethers’ for around 60 to 70 people – more than 300 turned up! Since then the event has grown and now guests travel from far and wide to enjoy this friendly Fun-In-The-Sun event. Great country artists keep the

dancers and music fans tapping their feet and enjoying BBQ and outdoor bar facilities – a great outdoor event from 11am to 5,30pm where you can bring a chair – a camera – a friend – with wonderful costumes and atmosphere. If you would like to join in there

is always a welcome at Marjal Costa Blanca Eco Camping: Catral / Crevillente, 6th, 7th and 8th March. For more details please see Angieslinedancing on Facebook. Call Marjal for accommodation on 96 548 4945. For festival details call Angie on 656 475 334.

Velvetones re-vamp website

ARE THERE any budding singers around the Costas to swell Velvetones’ numbers? Basses, Baritones and Leads are all needed to help boost Velvetones’ harmonies! Velvetones will be putting on another show in May (to be confirmed) at their rehearsal venue - Restaurante El Paraiso, Jardin del Mar, Torrevieja - behind Carrefour and McDonalds. Some of the ladies are spending more time with grandchildren in different countries and some have returned for health reasons - so we need you to come along and fall in love with Harmony singing for fun and a great social life! It is surprisingly inexpensive to join and your coffee is included each week - Wednesday mornings 10am to 12.30pm. Check out our new website velvetonesharmonytorrevieja.com or call Ena on 96 570 7598 (email cfraser48@yahoo.co.uk) - or Lorraine 663 751 773 (email lorraine.simpson@yahoo. co.uk to join in singing and raising money for worthwhile charities. We want YOU!

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

tech

with Aunty Virus

Email auntyvirus@roundtownnews.com

Deleting photos off of mobile phone HI AUNTY: Just wondering if you could help - my wife’s android phone Sony Experia J has an auto back up system which doubles up all the photos one takes. We have disabled this function, but the hundreds of pics in the Picasa album are still there. We think we have sorted how to delete these pics, but are afraid to press delete data in case it deletes ALL pics on the phone, including the ones we want to keep, which are in another file on the phone. Hope you can help us. Chris. Aunty says: One way would be to connect your phone to a PC, and move the photos you want to delete to the PC: moving rather than deleting. Therefore the photos will be on the PC, where you can then check to make sure the photos you want to keep are still on the phone. If they are, then you can delete the photos from the phone (or move them to a storage device). If they are not, then you can move them back from the PC to the phone. Or delete the photos using Picasa on the phone, but simply make sure that you do not delete them from the folder you want to keep them in.

I could lose everything on the disc HELLO AUNTY, please can you help me. I recently had the following notice come up on my laptop screen: Windows detected a hard disc problem: Ask me again later. If the disc fails before the next warning you could lose all the programs and documents on the disc. Don’t ask me about this problem again (not recommended). I did a backup and for a couple of days had a problem with my email, Google and Skype. At present everything seems to be working okay but I am still getting the notice every few minutes: how can I get rid of it? Your help will be much appreciated. Regards, Iris Aunty says: Newer versions of Windows has software that can spot potential issues with the hard drive. The drive may appear to function, but if the message continuously appears, then hard drive failure may be imminent. And very close if you heard the hard drive ‘clunking’. Hence why you are getting the warning. The first thing to do is to back up any important information you have on that drive to another drive or USB storage drive, so you do not lose it. And the only way to get ‘rid’ of the warning would be to get a new replacement hard drive, and you would have to reinstall Windows and all your programs and documents onto that drive - which you local PC shop should be able to help and advise you.

Changing homepage HI AUNTY VIRUS: Can you help me please - Last week I inadvertently downloaded RegHunter Euro and Spyhunter I have been in touch with them and they are refunding my payment and I have deleted it from my PC. Since then, whenever I open my PC I get Vosteran as my Home Page - I don’t know where this has come from and I don’t want it. I have tried to Uninstall it but all I get is “you need to close the Vosteran page first” but it isn’t open!! Please how can I get rid of it. I have been into Settings and put in my preferred Home page - Everyclick.co.uk - but it reverts to Vosteran - help! Regards, Sandy. Aunty says: What has happened is that when you have installed free software, using default install options, it has also installed other items also, of which this one has ‘hijacked’ your browser. Some of them simply change the Homepage and search engine settings, which you can change back using your browsers options.

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

people

Red Box Collection Awards Biker Babe EACH YEAR HELP Vega Baja awards Gold and Silver certificates to the establishments that collected the highest amount for the charity in red boxes throughout the year. Acting President Pauline Yates, her husband, Volunteer David Yates and Publicity Officer Michele Masson visited the bars to present the awards. First stop was Bar UK in Torre de Horadada run by Karen Dixon. Assisted by Anthony of ‘Ant’s Fat Fighters’ Karen organised various activities to support HELP such as book sales, raffles and of course the red donation boxes. The next stop was along the coast to Guardarmar to call on Tog and Norma at Hoops Bar. Tog was keen to express his thanks to all his loyal customers who have continued to dig deep to support HELP Vega Baja throughout the year. The boxes play a very important part in HELP’s fundraising, covering a large area - so it is quite a task to get around to everyone. If anyone would like to join our team of volunteers and help to distribute and collect these boxes (particularly in the Quesada and Torrevieja area) HELP would love to hear from you. Contact our San Miguel

First stop was Bar UK

office on 96 672 3733, Monday to Friday between 10am and 1.30pm or email office@helpvegabaja.com for more information. Every single box that is displayed for HELP is much appreciated. There

are too many establishments to thank everyone personally here, but please be assured that HELP is extremely grateful to everyone for their support, particularly as many have experienced financial difficulties over the past year.

Birthday Bash! MORE THAN 40 members of the Harley Davidson Costa Blanca Espana Biker Group turned out to celebrate the birthdays of Lisa Fox and Debbie Gibbons on Sunday. Lisa and Debbie first became involved with the group when they took part in the 2013 Bay Radio Biker Babe Appeal for the Children of Emaus, helping to raise in excess of 15,000€ for the charity. Since that time they have become firmly established bikers, having each bought their own Harley Davidson motorcycle. Pictured are Lisa and Debbie wearing birthday sashes to the right of the photo, with club members assembled during a coffee stop on the Sunday ride out. For information on how you could become the next generation of Biker Babes, contact Peter Emmett on 96 646 1039 or email peter@peteremmett.com

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

music

Strikland

THIS FIVE-PIECE British/Dutch pop rock band has become the ‘go to’ party band on the Costa Blanca since its formation in 2008. ‘New Line-up for Strikland’: well, after an exhaustive search we are delighted to announce that Rob Sweeney is joining Strikland as our new singer. Many of you will know Rob from his solo work. This guy does it all - rock, pop, soul, swing, you name it - great versatile vocalist. Also joining is Bernie Ford (guitar), a highly experienced, great technical player. This completes Strikland’s new line-up, which includes original members Rowdy Willemsen (bass), Phil Cox (drums) and Nick Hollings (keyboards). For the latest information, check out: www.strikland.info or phone: 659 285 347. Strikland has performed at countless weddings, private parties and events. Currently rehearsing, their showcase with the new line-up will be on Friday 27th February in the Don Quijote Bar, Paichi Centre, Moraira – table bookings: phone:606 721 288.

Acoustic Music Club

THE NEXT meeting of the club will be on Tuesday 24th February at 8.30 pm and thereafter on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at Bar Ambiente, Moravit, Moraira. The aim of the club is to create a forum for acoustic performance in the area with a view to putting on occasional professional acts in front of a listening audience as and when funding (via the sale of raffle tickets) becomes available. All genres of music will be welcome - there will be full PA available and a stage on which to perform. For more information contact Ian on 620 020 068 or email: ianmmunro46@gmail.com Karaoke and backing tracks are not suitable for this evening, or drums kits due to the size and location of the venue. The Bar Ambiente is located on the Moraira-Calpe coast road, opposite the Moraira Fitness Club by Pepe La Sol Supermarket.

The Hot Dogs Jazz Band THE HOT Dogs Jazz Band the Costa Blanca’s premier Trad Band, usually perform every Thursday night, at the Bolero Restaurant, Edf. Turmalina, Playa La Fossa in Calpe, from 9pm, playing a great mix of Dixieland, Swing and Standards. The Hot Dogs Jazz Band has been in existence for over 10 years and continues to go from strength to strength. They would like to remind all their loyal followers that the band has been laid off by the Bolero for a few weeks: their next gig will be on Thursday 12th March. The band is comprised of: Werner Kitzig (clarinet & tenor sax), Dave Bullock (tenor sax, clarinet & vocals), Gerry Carter (trumpet, flugel horn and vocals), Patrick Clancy (piano and banjo), John Anthony (bass) and Christian Gibaud (drums). The Hot Dogs are available for any function e.g. hotels, restaurants, concerts and private parties. Contact: Gerry 619 177 752 or Dave 685 321 594.

20 - 26 FEBRUARY 2015

spanish

Basic Spanish for everyday needs by Jane Cronin

Irregular verbs “ir” and “haber” IT’S AMAZING really just how much hard work the present simple tense is in Spanish. IT’S FOR that reason that I like to tackle a few other tenses and verb forms first which are not only easier but in many ways more useful. Things like expressing intention - “voy a hablar” and the recent past tense - “he hablado” may crop up more in our day to day communication than simply “hablo” – “I speak”. However, let us not be faint-hearted, especially as we have covered nearly all of the present simple tense in theory, with only our four irregular verbs to go. So now here they are, in all their glory. The first one is haber which goes like this: Haber he hemos has habéis ha han If you can’t remember what this means, it’s because it doesn’t actually mean a great deal on its own. In fact, this is the verb we use in the tense just mentioned, the one that refers to the recent past, for example - “He visto la película” (“I have seen the film”) and such like. “Haber” is a grammatical type of word that is only used on its own in limited ways and principally helps us to form tenses by combining it with other verbs. Of course we could say that “haber” means “to have” but that can cause confusion with the verb “tener”. We need to keep the difference clear: “tener” means “to have” generally in the sense of possession (“Tengo un perro” “¿Tienes una bolsa?”), whereas “haber” is the grammatical “have”. In the sentence “I have seen the film” there is no sense of possessing the film, only an

indication that it was seen some time in the past. Our second irregular verb is ir meaning “to go”. This one is just weird in every way. Here it is: voy vamos vas vais va van As you can see these changes bear no relation whatsoever to its infinitive form. In fact, they look as though they belong to an “–ar” verb, perhaps “var” which unfortunately doesn’t exist, but it would make more sense if it did. Again, we have come across most, if not all of these forms in our previous articles, particularly in relation to “intentions”. If we put the word “a” after each of these we can express the equivalent of the English “I’m going to” “you’re going to” etc. However, this is far from the only use of IR which can be used in the straightforward present simple tense as follows: “Voy a clases de español” (I go to Spanish classes). Here we are added “a” again, but in the meaning of “to”. “Vamos a la playa los domingos” (We go to the beach on Sundays) is a similar use. IR is a good example of a verb that, although it is irregular, is used so commonly that it becomes second nature very quickly. Well, our final two irregular verbs are SER and ESTAR and clearly I cannot possibly do them justice at the end of this article, so I will devote the whole of next week’s article, just for them. If you like I will talk about the uses as well as the irregularities. I can sense the anticipation already – what sad people we are!

20 - 26JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 8-14 2010

health

Richard G Sykes, RHAD FSHAA Premier Hearing Services

Adjusting to a better life with hearing instruments CHOOSING A hearing device is just the beginning of the journey to better hearing. How quickly you adjust to wearing hearing aids depends on how often you wear them. INITIALLY YOU will notice an increase in the noise levels around you. This background noise has always been there but with your hearing loss you might not have noticed these sounds. As with anything that is new, it will take time and patience to adapt to this new way of hearing. Hearing is only part of how we exchange thoughts ideas and feelings. Reading lips, facial expressions and gestures can help. The following steps make communicating easier when you are adjusting to a new hearing system: Look at the person who is speaking and sitting face to face in a quiet room Minimise distractions: for example, washing dishes at the sink and trying to have a conversation is difficult even for those with normal hearing Move closer to the speaker and within sight Try different locations in a room with poor acoustics

When you use your instruments for the first time, you will notice that the hearing process feels different. That’s because your brain has to relearn how to hear sounds- especially the complex range of frequencies in speech. The following are observations that first-time hearing aid wearers have made: It takes time to adjust to wearing hearing aids Your voice may sound different at first Hearing situations with background noise should improve, but probably not as much as in quiet places This period of adjustment is completely normal but before long you will begin to hear sounds that you have been missing as well as some you didn’t realise were gone - such as the hum of household appliances. Research suggests that speech comprehension increases over time and also the more the instruments are worn.

If you have a concern about your hearing then call Richard G Sykes, RHAD FSHAA of Premier Hearing Services on 659 644 106 (premierhearing@hotmail.co.uk /www.premierhearingaids.es) for professional and personal advice. Richard covers all of the Costa Blanca area, and offers a free Hearing Test. The latest digital hearing aids are available and Richard is able to offer 50% off UK prices. Call now – you have nothing to lose and your hearing to gain!

20 - 26 FEBRUARY 2015

Horoscopes The midweek entry of Venus brings love into a situation that needs tender love and care to see it through. You are indecisive and bashful when you should be taking all this full on now. There are many things to sort and there are some questions still to ask that you know will bring you to your knees, but it will be all very well worth it in the end!! Venus enters Aries and dallies provocatively with a warring Mars. Keep your eye on the agenda in hand this week and make sure you do not stray from the principles in hand. This is a learning curve, and you will find your enger and need to challenge are silenced nicely by just looking at things from another angle, because you can and you will. Hard working and resourceful Mercury is in cahoots with a wily domestic Saturn and if ever there was a message to send, it is now. Everyone will love you for your honesty and down to earth treatment of the facts in hand. It would be easy to be judgmental and authoritarian, but it wouldn’t be you and your energy is paramount right now. The dramatic shift of the Moon midweek brings you new goals, and a better understanding from somebody of how your relationship is really going. This is not a stark warning but it does play directly into your unique ability to uphold all that you truly do believe in; with motive to send it out with love and understanding across the Universe. The tried and tested is also the most boring way of doing the job in hand, and intervention by you right now will certainly be controversial and set those cats amongst the proverbial pigeons. There are options, but with the Sun squaring up to Saturn towards the end of an eventful week you are doing your best to well deserve the limelight. Time was when you would have let things go by, but you seem to have a bee in your bonnet about something this week that has brought anger and disappointment into play. This can be traced back to Saturn working overtime with Mars and Mercury; but these three together could take things any which way, and for you there is only one true direction. As Venus juggles Saturn with Mars in the background something needs to be met full on if it is to keep the momentum and do the real job in hand. Whatever you do don’t lose track of what’s on offer to you, and check out the best bid, and the consequences, before you make any decision now that you may very well live to regret some day. Courted by Mars and spurred on by Aries there must be something silently motivating you right now. However this is not a time to put all your eggs in one basket; and it is true to say that the grass is always greener on the other side. Something isn’t quite right and you are right to hang back and to err on the side of caution while you can. With Jupiter acting up with Ceres there is a hidden agenda and you are doing your very best to take care of number one. This is long awaited and totally without any selfish motive, but it does show that you are on the way up and catching up fast in the current scheme of things. The past is over, and the future more distinct than it ever was. Check out finances as a substantial corner reflects on your outgoings and warns you to balance the books once more. Tightening your belt is the result of actions by Neptune and the subsequent end of week conjunction with the Sun. Look before you leap, and once money is less tight to mention you’ll be there on the right track Accept the offer you know will take you to where you need to be, and do not play up to sentiment, or make any unusual changes to your already tight schedule. It is always flattering to have choices, and the current ones seem to have your head spinning. Uranus has a little twist for you that may just change everything, but do keep your feet on the ground! The Sun shines on Neptune and it would seem that the time is right to make your move. You have been biding your time and waiting for some sign to give you the go ahead, and a green light shines well and truly on your forward plans right now. You have discovered a loophole, and it will serve you well to help you believe in yourself.

If It’s Your Birthday This Week

Sudoku

Abandoning a project that was going nowhere is just the right thing to do since now your talents can really start to be appreciated. A great astrological year peppered with change and diversions is on the cards.

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

Bad tenants SELDOM DOES a week go by without my receiving a request for information about removal of domestic entities, and how to cleanse a property suffering from the result of Earthbound Spirits. Such entities that wish to remain here on Earth are in the wrong place, but the action of moving them on often isn’t very easy. Neither so should it be that difficult, but every case is a different one and each property houses its deepest secret surrounding those who have lived in it. During the history of older houses there have been events that may just appear attractive to those Spirits who know that they don’t belong, but who take advantage of every situation. So too if you live in a new home, what was on site before your build? What happened on the land surrounding? There are those who happily live alongside ghosts and who openly embrace their right to exist under the same roof. However there really should not be a place made welcome to those who are not living in the here and now, and it can bring problems and mean trouble. Whilst some entities can live a silent life merely hidden away; there are those who wish to bring attention to their rights to inhabit, as if to justify a situation that they know very well is wrong. Noises felt, cold shivers experienced, moving objects and furniture, I have experienced it all. Once it is made visible or audible or sentient to me there comes a state of defiance almost as if the entities are teasing or goading me into taking action, which, since they have ignored everyone and everything for many years, are convinced that nothing will make them do the absolutely correct thing and depart. I have to start in a very friendly manner. Initially I have to ask the entities to move on and I tell them openly the truth, that they are dead and buried and should be moving on. Rarely has that hit home so fast, but when it does then your entity may not know that they are dead. This leads to a service of forgiving and a most sincere wish that they find their way to where they should be right now. Some entities were never buried, and so they need

Kenny‛s Postbag

to hear the service of committal under the relevant law of God. To remove a Spirit in the ways of peace almost makes me sorry for them, the departed departing, but other Spirits are free to attach themselves to the most innocent of entities, and a problem could therefore escalate. Something has to be done. If my polite asking does not remove the Spirit in question the very first time around then more force has to be used, and fear though it may rise, has to be conquered, since you well know that you are following the instruction that connects Spiritual Law with the right that every living person has, to live comfortably and fearlessly in their home. Fear has to go out the window, but force must be applied, allbeit through a constructive reasoning that correctly informs the wayward Spirit that there are better options for them to take up. This is what they have a problem with, especially if they have been squatting for some time. Like any bad tenant they feel that they have rights that they do not, and for them the legacy of life as they know it in this World isn’t theirs in any way. They have to go to the light. This intense energy of light will in fact greatly help those who need to move on to travel onwards to where they should be. Everyone has a place, and each and everyone deserves to have the guidance to take them to where they are happiest to be. At both of these stages care and consideration is bestowed on the entity, always with the intention that they have to seriously re think and relocate, and taking into consideration the difficulties they are put under. When guidelines are not being followed then there is no option but to start the action of Exorcism. This removes the option and demands that in the name of God the undead shall be removed by any force, reasonable or unreasonable. It starts a chain of event that challenges the wayward Spirit like none other, and it culminates in the act of banishment, which removes the rights of the undead and forces them to be removed from this Earth. It is maybe not surprising that on the issue of such a banishment hesitant some Spirits make their move finally. Once the ritual starts it cannot be stopped and such action denotes that it really is the very last chance of moving on freely.

Email your letters to me at: kennycorris@roundtownnews.com

KENNY, I try to meditate every day, but if I don’t fall asleep then I start to think of other things. When is the best time to meditate and how can I keep my focus? Matt. G. Matt, meditation is all about mind control. Above all choose to meditate when and where you want to...but try not to be tired when you do, as you may very well fall asleep. This means of course, that you needed the sleep. Successful meditation comes from being fully awake and aware, and learning to shut out all of the outside whilst you work with your inner self. It can be daily of course, but I feel that it is most successfully done when you need it, or it seems right, don’t make a chore of it! Start always by clearing your mind of all the current things going on and do establish a rhythmic breathing pattern. Good luck with meditation, it takes time to master, but it can be so beneficial.

Last weeks crossword answers can be found on page 39.

Quick or Cryptic Crossword

ACROSS 1. Accumulate (5) 4. Salary (7) 8. Delight (7) 9. Squeeze (5) 10. Frank (4) 11. Cape (8) 13. Dash (4) 14. Advance payment (4) 16. Exactness (8) 17. Saucy (4) 20. Unsuitable (5) 21. Ruin (7) 22. Innate (7) 23. Lock of hair (5) DOWN 1. Cluster (13) 2. Proverb (5) 3. Team (4) 4. Vocalist (6) 5. Cheeky (8) 6. Raise (7) 7. Drawbacks (13) 12. Story-teller (8) 13. Charm (7) 15. Real (6) 18. Banish (5) 19. Revise (4)

ACROSS 1. The spirit of the over-venturesome (5) 4. Does old inconsequential designs (7) 8. They pinch children (7) 9. Musician seen in Chapel Gardens (5) 10. Restricted, we hear, but free to come in and go out (4) 11. In which there’s many a patient rehearsal (8) 13. Poisonous growth from Pennsylvania in America (4) 14. See 23 Across 16. He has progressed to some degree and remains unmatched (8) 17. Stimulus needed to produce endless acceleration (4) 20. One needs to do business to achieve this (5) 21. Beginning to make a breach (7) 22. Shows contempt for a bad deed, sir (7) 23 & 14 Across. Excellent pace in bottom gear? (5-4) DOWN 1. Italian unable to see window fitting (8,5) 2. Quick and quiet in attack (5) 3. A word of agreement by eastern observers (4) 4. What is wanted of French king (6) 5. Garment that’s worn out (8) 6. Fuel to set fire to after the end of the coal! (7) 7. Waits upon you and me properly - it’s our fault! (6,2,5) 12. Put a name to the boy embracing the pretty girl (8) 13. Faint - when relative arrives? (7) 15. This clue won’t hold water (6) 18. Previously the Father of the House? (5) 19. Chain of rocks here - furl the sails (4)

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

coffee break interview

David Climent Most people recognise David as either the ´Ring Master with the whip´- not to be confused with 50 Shades of Grey, but from the Circus or as the illusionist at Benidorm Palace. Incredibly he does both, or will be as the circus re-opens next Saturday, 28th February with a brand new show called ´Bravisimo´. This is a very traditional show, full of clowns, juggling and fun – harking back to how most envisage the circus to be, except without animals obviously! He is also busy preparing for the new show at the Palace, this year called ¨Q¨, which will start at the beginning of May. He loved performing the illusions in the current show and will be doing 2 big magic slots in addition to the laser light show this year. There will also be a new concept this time – a pre-show leading up to the start of the main show. As he works most nights his free time is during the day, which he likes to spend either at the gym - he needs to maintain his fitness and stamina or taking his dog ¨Lady´ on long strolls in the mountains surrounding Benidorm. He used to play a lot of cricket and would love to continue but the risk of an injury is unfortunately too much of a risk – he did the broken bones and fractures in his teens! Where are you from in the UK? Widnes in Cheshire How long have you lived in Spain? Most of my life What do you like most about living here? Way of life and the culture What did you eat for breakfast today? Coffee Describe yourself in 3 words Friendly, Passionate and Ambitious Marmite, love it or hate it? Never tried it What´s your guilty pleasure?

Scotch whiskey What´s your proudest moment? First show at Benidorm Palace What makes you see red? Ignorance Do you have a hero? Guardiola – ex Barcelona player and now a football coach Favourite food? Paella What´s your tipple? JB whiskey Favourite music? Spanish pop Desert Island song?

Wonder Wall by Oasis Favourite film? Forrest Gump Favourite read? Biography of Che Guevara Is the glass half full or half empty? Full X-Factor or Strictly? X-Factor Who is your favourite Benidorm series character? None…. Refuse to watch it! Old Town or New Town? Old Town Beach or pool? Beach

20 - 26 FEBRUARY 2015

Focus on Golf Powered by Campbell Lamont Golf, partnered by BayRadio

Stop Press... stop press... stop press! Lady Golfer wins Golf competition. By Tony Myles IT MAY not be the most earth shattering headline but it is exceptional and hence the hype. We have discussed it here and on Bay Radio in the past and had little impact on the situation. Status quo in fact. There is no doubt that every competition, that has an open entry, attracts up to six times more male participants than female competitors. So I am doubly delighted to give some column inches to a lady who is relatively new to the sport and manages to play only a couple of times every month. The motivation behind this is to encourage more ladies to compete alongside the men and, at a time when the sport is losing numbers, I would suggest that any initiative that persuades a section of the community to engage in it, should be welcomed. So - well done Debbie Askew!! Debbie is one of the busiest people you could meet and runs the popular Cafe Ole in the Jalon Valley which is open for business every day apart from Sunday, which is why the new schedule of events in Campbell’s calendar is particularly good news as they now include

a Texas Scramble on one Sunday every month. When I asked about her previous golf experience she admits that before leaving the Ipswich area she had a “bash”, but it was her friends and colleagues in Spain who persuaded her to take it further. This recently produced an outstanding result when, on a day when many were happy to score in excess of 30 points, Debbie eased passed the field and lifted the winner’s trophy with 41 points. Her objective is now to reduce her 28 handicap and to encourage more lady golfers to take up the challenge.

Head2Head Campbell - I have noticed a lot of people now using our Social Medial facilities. Tony M - Yes and it is an efficient way of getting information distributed quickly.

Campbell - Do you use Twitter? Tony M - I do but of course it has a limit on how many words you can write. Campbell - Is that a problem?

All of a Twitter Tony M - Well it can be. For instance I just posted a Tweet because I have just discovered the secret of hitting a drive long and straight every time. All you have to do is . .

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

sport

Torrevieja Swimming Club TORREVIEJA SWIMMERS were in action this weekend in the ‘4th Time Control’ of the season, an opportunity for regional swimmers to earn autonomous and national qualifying times. The Municipal pool in Torrevieja hosted the day’s events for 14 of the region’s clubs. For Torrevieja swimmers it was a day of unusual races as many of the team’s girls faced racing against each other in the same heats, which doesn’t happen very often. In the 400m Freestyle event, Paula Garcia, Zoe Connolly and Piroska Rideg stood side by side, nerves racing and ready for the 400m challenge. On the day Zoe came in first followed by Piroska, Paula and team mate Vicky in a previous series. Other good swims for the day were Vicky Pignuer in the 100m and 200m Backstroke, Zoe in the 100m Breaststroke and 200m Medley and Piroska in her 1500m, 800m Freestyle. Continuing on this positive theme Alexandra had a good swim in her 50m Breastroke and Skye Burns in her 100m Backstroke and 100m Freestyle races. Paula and Louise also swam well and all the girls had two good relay events, the 4 x 50m Medley and the 4 x 50m Freestyle. The team were placed 3rd and 4th in these races. With a slightly depleted male side of the team, Elian Del Rio Castillo and Yuriy Lymar both had good swims. Yuriy in the 50m, 100m and 200m Freestyle races and Elian in the 200m Medley 100m Butterfly and 100m Freestyle events. Elian, Zoe, Paula and Vicky all gained new Autonomous qualifying times for the Winter Regional Championships in Castellon on The 7th and 8th March. girls For more information regarding Torrevieja waiting Swimming Club please contact Rosa 665 454 126, for the President Felipe on 609 418 776 or Vicki 669 637 400m libre 015 or email info@clubnataciontorrevieja.com

Javea Green Bowlers represent Spain in Malaga TWO MEMBERS of Javea Green Bowling Club travelled to the Costa del Sol as part of a 10-man Spanish squad to compete in the annual Spain v Malaga match, a tournament of intensive bowling which takes place over two days. The event took place at Miraflores Bowls Club, just outside Marbella, and despite cold and windy conditions drew large crowds of spectators. Members of the Spanish team for many years, Paul Brown and Nick Cole have represented Spain in various world events including World Bowls Australia, Hong Kong and China, Cyprus, New Zealand and South Africa. They were chosen to play the men´s singles on this occasion and won all four of their matches. Both players are eagerly awaiting news of the team of 5 men and 5 women who will be selected to represent Spain in the Atlantic Rim competition in Cyprus in October, an important event which will act as qualification for the next World Championships in New Zealand in 2016.

8 Ball Leisure Quesada Pool League report WEEK 19 was the start of the second half of the season and featured the reverse matches from last week. Four out of the six matches had different winners to last week, with only the two Green Baize teams managing to win their games on both weeks! Green Baize Amigos were obviously in the mood this week, after a very narrow 5-4 win last week against Booking Pub, as they had a comprehensive 9-0 win against the same opponents. Shenanigans Shakers reversed their loss last week against Mr Sniffs to win 7-2 this week and with Bar Pepito again having a bye, the Shakers and the Amigos have stretched their lead at the top of the league. Green Baize Minis won 7-2 against Bull Flanagan for the second week in a row. Both Monos A, who had a 7-2 win over Coopers Arms, and Rayz Bar, who this week won 5-4 against Shenanigans Movers, reversed losses from last week. The recent good run of results from Monos B came to an end against The Tavern with a 6-3 loss. For more details please visit www.quesada-pool.com

20 - 26 FEBRUARY 2015

road test

Tim Saunders Independent unbiased car reviewer

Volvo V40 D3 R-Design LASER RADAR: It sounds like something from a sci-fi thriller but we’re actually talking about technology fitted to Volvo cars, those traditionally staid and dull vehicles, favoured by the ‘flat cap brigade’. Today’s hip and trendy Volvos are anything but and are packed with sophisticated technology that keeps the brand at the forefront of car design and manufacture. Its laser radar systems are a key ingredient. I’m testing the V40 D3 R-Design, a performance five door hatchback. And it’s fitted with an intelligent yet simple to operate cruise control. As you might expect this keeps the car travelling at the desired speed but unlike most systems it also measures the distance of the car in front. This ensures that it keeps the Volvo at a safe distance behind. It does this by automatically braking and accelerating thanks to the information relayed by its clever laser radar. This distance can be changed from reasonably close to quite far away depending on driving conditions. In theory this is a valuable tool that should mean that the driver can relax. Not so though. My test takes place in torrential downpours and high winds and I discover that the radar is not infallible. This becomes particularly noticeable while at 70mph round a bend on a dual carriageway. The Volvo is in the outside lane but on approaching the bend there is a car on the inside and the radar picks this up and brakes abruptly despite there being no cars in front of me. This annoys me and I cancel the function. On another occasion we are on a straight road and high winds cause a flashing red warning bar on the driver’s

side of the dashboard to light up – accompanied by a really loud beep - for absolutely no reason whatsoever. My sleeping children wake up. High side winds seem to completely throw the radar and despite there being no traffic in front the Volvo brakes sharply from 70mph to 50mph. That said this cruise control is quite impressive when you bear in mind that it can be set at say 50mph and if a sharp incline appears the resulting gear change does not cancel out the cruise control. Often this is the case in many other vehicles. Another safety feature is the Blind Spot Information System. There’s a little light on the inside of the wing mirror that glows red whenever a vehicle appears in the blind spot. This is useful because the design is prone to blind spots especially at the rear making it a little awkward to reverse but there are helpful

sensors fitted that bleep to alert the driver of nearby obstacles. FACTS AT A GLANCE: Volvo V40 D3 R-Design New price: 38,243€ 0-60mph: 9.1 secs Top speed: 130mph Economy: 65.7mpg Fuel capacity: 60 litres Watch the video at www.testdrives.biz

Advanced motorist Tim Saunders is the former Business and Motoring Editor of the Bournemouth Daily Echo. His regular test reports appear in numerous newspapers, magazines and websites throughout the UK, Ireland and Gibraltar. For more independent unbiased car reviews and videos visit www.testdrives.biz

Classified Ads 20 - 26 FEBRUARY 2015

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UK-SPAIN-IRELAND All european destinations Removals with the personal touch. Full/part loads. Parcels, flat packs, luggage, door to door service, short/long term storage. Competitive rates,

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20 - 26 febRUARY 2015 IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A DOG OR PUPPY please join our Facebook group. We have many dogs, large, small, scruffs and pedigree! Just go to Facebook and search Costa Blanca Dog Homing. Even if you cannot offer a home, rescues are always needing foster homes, and just sharing the dog posts really helps us to help them. HOUSE SITTING, PET SITTING Daily or longer. Your home or mine.Key holding service.References.637160545 COSTA BLANCA PET TRANSPORT TO UK DEFRA registered. Excellent rates. www.costablancadoghoming.com or call 965 698 052

PET ONLY TRANSPORTATION We only use fully fitted out ex police vehicles to transport your pet.DEFRA Registered.k9transportation@hotmail.com UK (00)442380 668 000 SPAIN 671 797 151 PET TRAVEL UK Family pet transporters Spain/UK. Travel with your pets for free. All air conditioned vehicles (no vans) www. pettraveluk.co.uk. Removals also arranged in other vehicles. Tel UK 0800 612 4922 or Spain 960130537

GOLD WANTED English Jeweller wishes to buy broken or unwanted Gold and Silver jewellery & coins for cash. Call for an appointment. Peter (7 days) 664 890 990. Member of the Nat. ASSN of Goldsmiths

YOUR BLINDS IN SPAIN Family run business supplying the best quality products at rock bottom prices. Rose Fabrics, Railux designer Roller blinds, Awnings & Canopies, Venetian Blinds, Pleated Blinds, PVC Blackout fabrics, Rainforest Fabrics, Mosquito Screens. Contact us now for a free no obligation quotation or visit us at Zoco Market every Sunday. Tel: 965 701 984 658 338 123. Website: www.yourblindsinspain.com Email: info@yourblindsinspain.com

REFLECTIONS BUILDING SERVICES All aspects of Building work including Roofing. Tel: 648 453 365

VENDING MACHINE ROUTE on the Costa Blanca 30,000euros NET P.A. No overhead all cash income.49,000 euros . 20 Pringle Vending Machines NET. 300€ P.W . 19,900€ Call:0044 2392 160 657 FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY Own your own lingerie, clothing and swimwear boutique. Prices from 10,000 Euros including stock and shop fittings. Full help and support given throughout. Established company with over 10 years trading in Spain. Call Peter on 660 170 355 without obligation.

DONCHIMENEA Chimney Sweep North Costa Blanca,Denia,Calpe and Inland. Telephone or Whatsapp: 647 897 710 www.donchimenea.com or email: donchimenea@yahoo.co.uk

TAPPY TOES DANCE CLASS FOR BABIES from 18 months, at 4kwatro in Albir, 11am, call Louise on 655 781 068 for more information. LADIES DANCEFIT WITH L.A DANCE at 4kwatro in Albir, Mondays at 7.30pm, call Louise on 655 781 068 for more information LA BAMBA’S - BALLROOM / LATIN / SEQUENCE DANCING Los Rosales Restaurant, Guardamar CV895 [near Lemon Tree Sunday Market] Monday - SOCIAL DANCE 8.30pm - 10.30pm [SEQUENCE CLASS 7.30pm - 8.30pm] Friday - SOCIAL DANCE 7.30pm - 10.30pm Wednesday - New Beginners Class [new beginners welcome every Wednesday] 2pm -3pm Intermediate Class 3pm - 4pm Intermediate Plus Class 4pm - 5pm For more information contact Andrea and Brian 616 478 157

BYTEBACK MICROS computer repairs/upgrades in your home. Qualified technician. Systems custom built. Whatever your problem call: 965-312-006 or 606-127-424

MINI DIGGER AND DUMPER WITH DRIVER Covering North Costa Blanca Telephone: 648 052 911

MR FIXIT FOR ALL YOUR ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, GENERAL & Appliance Repairs. No Callout Charge. 698 320 434 REPAIRS Washing machines, Dishwashers & Dryers. Also Boilers and any electrical problems. 24hours. Cheap prices Tel 604103909

EXCLUSIVE RTN ADVERTISERS OFFER 3 MONTHS FOR 49.99€

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

STAFF REQUIRED New restaurant opening in Los

Narejos (from mid/end March). Staff Required: Chef/Bar Staff/Waitresses. Reference required... Please send CV to: lindsaynevin@hotmail.com or call 634379626 for more information. MODELS REQUIRED Females and Couples Required 18-70 for Adult Website Modelling.No Single males. Excellent Rates 966 182 714

WEIGHT LOSS/FITNESS/HEALTH Weight Loss guarenteed.Personal Trainer.Former World & USA Kickboxing Champion.25 Years experience. Call Andy: 619 343 633

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

SOS INSURANCE IN SPAIN Best prices available. CALL US FIRST for all your insurance needs, including best deals on Funeral plans. Buildings and contents cover from just 82 euros per year & cars from 120 euros. Tel 966787123 / 622275561 / 686116297 email

info@sosinsuranceinspain.com

GOLD WANTED English Jeweller wishes to buy broken or unwanted Gold and Silver jewellery & coins for cash. Call for an appointment. Peter (7 days) 664 890 990. Member of the Nat. ASSN of Goldsmiths

MJB MOBILE WELDERS Gates, grills, hinges etc., repaired or new. No job too small. Fast service. Low prices. Free Quotes. Call Terry: 966 845 414 / 625 995 470 WANTED I BUY ANY CAR van,Caravan,4x4 Etc.British, Spanish. Immediate cash 600-781-873 ibuyanycar@hotmail.com

PROBLEMS WITH INSECTS? Cockroaches, rats & mice. Call 626 828 974 All insects

XBOX 360 FOR SALE 12 Months old,8 Games,Can be seen working Tel:680 185 741

MR FIXIT For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No Call out charge. 698 320 434

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

VILLAMARTIN Villa for Sale 3 Bedrooms,2 Bathrooms including 3 Bed Self Contained Apartment,Communal Pool,Gated Community ,Villamartin Area €180,000. Telephone 637 558 176 WANTED FOR CLIENT Wanted for client who has sold and is looking to buy: 1 Level villa 3-4 beds within 5 kms of Javea town or Port or Beach.Budget up to 350,000 Euros.Please Contact Vicens Ash Properties Javea.Tel: 966 461 643 Info@vicensash.com BENISSA-MONTEMAR Modern detatched Luxury Villa built 2001 828/275 sq.m.Peaceful S-W sea/hill views.Private 9x4 Pool. 5 Beds/flex.

Suit extended Family.Balcony.3 Baths.Living,enc. Naya.2 Kitchens,Utility.All upgraded.Gas c/h.Garage/ Workshops.Nice Garden 499,950€ 966 497 841 SUCINA Detatched Villa 3 bedroom,2 bathroom,fully furnished,110,000€ Ideal investment.Occupants willing to remain as tennants 968 371 233 ABSOLUTE BARGAIN Large 1 Bedroom,Bathroom First Floor Apartment centre Sucina village.Furnished,A/ C,Lift,Parking,Storage Room 45,000€ 628 799 971 3 BEDROOM 2 BATHROOM Detatched villa in villotel.Including a self contained 1 bed apartment.a/c hot and cold in lounge and bedroom.Wood burning stove,Satelite TV.Glazed nia,south facing with Mountains and valley views.

Garage with Parking for 2+ cars.Room for pool,Large communal pool Available. plot:750sqm Build: 117 sqm Private Sale 198,500€ Call: 966 495 111 SOUTH FACING AMIGA BUNGALOW Quiet area San Luis. 2 Bedroom,1 Bthroom,Large Kitchen,well appointed. Fully furnished.Well worth viewing. 60,000€Contact: 664 574 574 SPACIOUS VILLA LA NUCIA Close to Elians British School.4 Bedrooms,3 Bathrooms.Private pool,Lush Gradens,Parking 220,000 Tel: 966 897 515 SENIJA NR BENISSA Old style village house,part renovated,1 small shower room,modern fully fitted kitchen and open lounge.Courtyard. House 240square metres BARGAIN 70,000€ Call: 627 074 045

SENIJA NR BENISSA Fully renovated village house with modern airy feel.3 bedrooms en suite shower room and full family bathroom.. Garden and street parking.165,000€ reduced for quick sale Call: 627 074 045

SENIJA NR BENISSA,VILLAGE HOUSE Totally renovated with a modern airy feel.3 bedrooms en suite and full family bathroom.Garden and street parking 495€+ utilities per month Call: 627 074 045

MORAIRA Looking for a 3 bedroom house with a small garden for long term rent.Moraira Area.Email: gila.kwiatkowski@gmail. com Tel: 965 745 177

SPANISH MOVES Small removals and deliveries. Spain/UK Budget prices. Last minute jobs undertaken. www.spanishmoves. net. Pet transport also

GENERIC VIAGRA Blue Pill Spain supplies all your generic Viagra at the best prices. Buy Super Kamagra, Kamagra, Kamagra Polo, Super P-Force, Aurogra, Tadalafil/Cialis or weight loss pill Sibutril. email bluepillspain@gmail.com NEW LADY IN ORIHUELA COSTA La Florida, ARIANA venezuelan 35 years old. Natural big breast, loving... 651 176 716 LA FLORIDA, SALMA from Canarias, 30 years old, tall, slim, the best massage, the most passionate 654 043 043 SEXY MATURE ENGLISH BLONDE 15 minutes alicante airport.Over night stays possible. Ring Karen 662 049 021

SOPHIE ESCORT Slim elegant naughty lady. Hotel/ home visit available. Tel:693 357 526 GENERIC VIAGRA EXCLUSIVE First time in Spain 120mgs. Also Kamagra 100mgs, Generic Cialis 20mgs, and jellies. Local and Nationwide service. Pay on Delivery. colin@costablue.co.uk or phone Colin 680 878 735 CASA ANGELA TORREVIEJA Luxury Private Chalet, parking. Drinks invitation. Feeling alone? Just want some company? Exotic girls from South America. Call us, come and enjoy! Also Escort Service. Full discretion. Street: Avenida Asociacion Vistimas del Terrorismo. 609-573-468 or 639-832-118

arranged in our air conditioned pet/people carriers. Telephone UK 0800 612 4922 or Spain 960130537

20 - 26 febRUARY 2015

day,we are also looking for a rythm player or keyboard player Call: 661 350 963 or email: norman.lavisher@gmail.com I BUY RECORDS LP´S SINGLES AND CD´s ANY STYLE, JAZZ, BLUES, POP, PUNK, ROCK, ETC... TOP CASH PAID. 622 750 117 RECORDS AND CDS WANTED Pop,Rock,Jazz,Blues.Top Cash Paid. 630665363 TURN YOUR UNWANTED FURNITURE Electrical, Household Goods and Bric-a-brac into Cash. Anything! Anywhere! 965-319-220/663-012-541

JAVEA SKIP HIRE 626 670 038 Moraira, Benissa, Calpe, Denia from S&W TOOL HIRE & FERRETERIA MORAIRA

CLASSES/TUITION Learn Spanish in 6 months Guarenteed.Certified American Teacher.Course Included.Call Andy: 619 343 633

Private Security

WANTED SINGER Singer wanted to join a general covers band playing music from the 60¨s to present

DIRECT WINDOWS All aspects of Double Glazing and Window repairs. Tel: 648 453 365