FREE!
SOUTH EDITION
Your English Newspaper
iSSUE 651
05 APR -12 APR 2012
Ready and waiting by louise clarke
COASTAL MUNICIPALITIES up and down the Costa Blanca are readying themselves for an influx of visitors during the coming weeks as the holiday season kicks in. Fingers are crossed for decent weather but in the meantime, the beaches are being prepared for bathers and both Torrevieja and Orihuela Town Halls have invested thousands of euros in beach safety and coastal monitoring. Torrevieja’s beaches officially opened to the public last weekend and will have lifeguard surveillance every day of the week from 11am until 7pm until Monday 9th April and again from 2nd June until 16th September. The investment by Torrevieja equates to €520,683 and will pay for 26 surveillance points with full time lifeguards during the summer season and 11 monitoring points in the off-peak season. BATHING ACCESS SERVICE
Ernie with his old Head Teacher, Ximo
La Marina’s very own Marine
Ernie Macfarlane, who has lived in La Marina with his parents for the last seven years, has recently passed out as a Royal Marine Commando. Read his story on page 8.
A total of 75 qualified lifeguards will serve on the beaches of Torrevieja in high season, from 2nd July until 2nd September. The Councillor for Beaches, Antonio Boix, highlighted the enormous economic effort being made by the Torrevieja Town Hall for the development and monitoring of the beaches to ensure that the safety and security of residents, visitors and holiday makers alike. He told RTN: “There will be more than 70 qualified lifeguards on duty during the peak season, 44 members of the Red Cross on duty from 2nd June to 1st July, and 38 lifeguards during Easter week.” He added that there will also be a special bathing access service for the physically disabled and a special phone number (965 71 18 18) for those who need help to access the beach and get back home again; a service which will be provided completely free of charge. He said “This service has been in high demand not only by residents and tourists in Torrevieja, but also for disabled people from nearby towns that do not have Adapted Bathing points.” Continued on page 3