The Courier Edition 361 by TKO UK

Edition 361

Friday 2nd March 2018

SOCKING IT TO THEM

pack of brand new socks helped to identify a five-strong robbery gang that operated in the Torrevieja area. Four of the group, who were arrested by the Guardia Civil, were members of the same family, namely a Moroccan woman, and three Algerian men who are accused of seven burglary crimes, as they targeted homes in the La Siesta urbanisation. The fifth person in the gang was a 33year-old Spanish woman. Objects worth over 100 thousand euro were recovered by the Guardia, and in one of three house raids, they found a pack of unworn branded socks that had been perfectly described by a home owner who was one of their victims. That exact description helped to match the gang to the robberies in La Siesta. The group seemed to steal anything that they

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could lay their hands on from socks, jewellery and mobile phones, through to cars. They also seemed to operate during the daytime, between 11.00 am and 2.00 pm in the hope that the property owners would be out either shopping or at work. After reports of the La Siesta burglaries, the Guardia launched an investigation, and spotted the same people roaming around the area in different rental cars. They started to follow them, and they checked out their procedures, which including watching properties for several days to work out the routines of their owners. When they were reasonably happy that a home was empty, they would jump over a fence or a wall, and then force their way through what they had worked out previously was the easiest point of access into the building.

3 Bedroom 2 Bathroom Detached Villa with Pool in La Florida Y RT PE E O PR F TH K O EE W

Property ID: 511 - 279,000€ SEE OUR AD ON PAGES 16 & 17 FOR OUR LATEST ADDITIONS The gang leader would drive the getaway rental car, despite the fact that he did not have a driving licence, and in one case, they swapped the hire vehicle for the home owner’s car, which they then used for the next robbery Once the Guardia identified all the individual gang members, they made raids at three addresses, where they discovered items worth a total of over 100 thousand

euro, which also included a couple of stolen cars, in addition to the distinctive package of socks! The three men that were detained by the Guardia were aggressive in custody with one of them damaging the door of one of the jail cells at their barracks. Four of the accused, barring the 52-year-old gang leader, were released on bail after an appearance at a Torrevieja court.

TAXI STOPS ANNOUNCED

rihuela and Torrevieja councils, along with taxi association representatives, have reached an agreement over which stops they would like to use in a reciprocal taxi service agreement to run this summer. As reported in last week’s Courier, the proposals are now being sent for approval to the Valencian transport department for the deal to be authorised. The groups from Orihuela and Torrevieja came together to find a solution to the increasing problems faced by people waiting a long time for taxis dur-

ing the summer months on the Orihuela Costa and the Torrevieja coastal area. The period proposed to be covered is from June 16th to September 15th, with cabs from both municipalities being allowed to drop off and pick up customers from four spots in Torrevieja, namely the Paseo de la Libertad; the Casagrande industrial estate; the bus station; and Torrevieja Hospital. The Orihuela Costa points would be at Playa Flamenca; Zenia Boulevard; Cabo Roig; and Villamartin,

Torrevieja’s transport councillor, Javier Manzanares (pictured left), said that if the scheme

works this summer, then all the parties involved would hope to do it again next year.

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Friday 2nd March 2018

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The keys to Murcia's Corvera Airport were handed over to operator AENA at a special ceremony held at the facility on Saturday, It was confirmed that Corvera will start operating in December, on the back of a closure of the current airport at San Javier, with a seamless switch of services. AENA president Jaime García-Legaz (pictured right) was presented with the keys by Murcia's president Fernando López Miras (left), witnessed by AENA employees and local business leaders. Despite past suggestions of a phased transfer of flights from San Javier to Corvera, García-Legaz said this would not be practical, adding that San Javier would close, and Corvera open up

the following day. The AENA president said that his company would work very hard to make the airport a first-class facility, and that attracting top carriers to use it was "everybody's job". He emphasised that it would not be some kind of second-class neighbour of Alicante-Elche airport, which is also run by AENA. Fernando López Miras said:- "We will have an airport that the Murcia region has dreamt of, and it will become the gateway for millions of people to come to Spain." Projections suggest that around four million passengers will end up using Corvera per annum, as opposed to the one million that currently use San Javier.

The owner of two of the three beach bars closed by Torrevieja council last summer for operating without a license has pulled out of legal action to overturn the council move, according to the Información newspaper. The shutting down of the popular bars in the Cala Piteras area of Punta Prima came after a search of council files revealed that no municipal licenses had been applied for, with the premises being open since 2009.

The company behind the two bars at Rocío del Mar was going to appeal the matter at a higher court back in October, but Información reports that no legal papers have been lodged, and that is the end of the matter. One of the arguments from the bar owners has been that Torrevieja council were quite happy for eight years to pick up their money in return for the businesses putting out tables and chairs in front of them.

Brit’s Smash Escape

Transparency Fall Torrevieja council has failed to reach a benchmark level of public transparency, according to the Index of Transparency of the Town Councils (ITA), which has looked at the 110 most populated municipalities in Spain. Orihuela and Benidorm also fall short of the Transparency International monitoring group’s “acceptable” rating of 90 percent, in terms of councils providing public information and the way they operate. Alicante City has been awarded an excellent 100 percent rating, with Elche on 95; Benidorm rating 78.8; and Orihuela given a 78.1 percent figure, whilst

Torrevieja languishes on 56.9 percent. The Transparency international index has seen Torrevieja drop from 85 percent in 2014 to below 57 percent, in one the biggest falls in Spain. The areas of transparency that are evaluated by ITA are active transparency and information about a council; the municipal website; local relations with citizens and citizen participation; financial transparency; transparency in tendering contracts; subsidies and costs of services; transparency in urban planning, public works and the environment; and finally the right of access to information.

The Mar Menor’s beach cleaning teams are to be strengthened from the middle of this month through to Easter, in addition to a major presence during the summer season. The service is being run for a third year, with Murcia’s Environment minister, Javier Celdrán, announcing the boost during a visit to Los Nietos (work pictured). The aim of teams is to clear rubbish, spills, and algae that have an environmental impact on the area, and they also use a light “dumper” that gets rid of algae on the beach. "The service is showing its effectiveness and we have introduced improvements such as more shifts throughout the year, as well as the use of light machinery, which does not affect the natural environment and significantly speeds up the work and its effectiveness," said Celdrán.

Illegal Breeding

A 42-year-old British female motorist escaped with only minor injuries after her Opel Zafira car collided with another vehicle on Tuesday afternoon in the Benijófar area. The driver of the other car, a 61-year-old Dutch national, was less fortunate, and

had to be released by firefighters, and suffered a broken ankle. The full-frontal crash took place just after 3.30 pm on the CV-940, with the man’s car apparently ending up taking a 180-degree turn. Both motorists were taken to the Vega Baja Hospital.

A San Pedro del Pinatar man who illegally bred and kept 89 tortoises at his home, has been arrested by the Guardia Civil. Shells and eggs were also recovered by the authorities, who discovered a 60-kilo giant tortoise on his property. His activities were rumbled when he tried to sell some of the tortoises, but he has been allowed to keep them for the time being, following an appearance in front of a San Javier judge.

THE WEATHER FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

Stop Press Thursday 18:00 Published by TKO Media & Entertainment S.L. Printed by Localprint S.L Depósito legal A - 188 - 2014 ISSN 2530-6146 The Courier (Torrevieja) The Courier, its publishers, members of staff and its agents do not accept responsibility for any readers letters or claims by advertisers nor can it be held responsible for any errors in advertisements which are reproduced from poor artwork, low quality electronic data or inadequate instructions for text or other layout features. Further no responsibility is accepted for any loss or damage caused by an error, inaccuracy or nonappearance of any advertisement, although all advertisements produced are checked prior to insertion. We regret that we cannot accept responsibility for more than ONE incorrect insertion and that no re-publication will be granted in the case of typographical or minor changes which do not affect the value of the advertisement. E&OE. NO PART OF THIS NEWSPAPER MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE PUBLISHERS.

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Blazing Vehicle

A car caught fire on the AP-7 motorway last Saturday afternoon on the southbound carriageway close to the exit for Almoradi and Dolores. The driver from Elche managed to pull over onto the hard shoulder as he noticed

that his vehicle's engine had smoke coming out of it. He got out without suffering any injuries, with Almoradi firefighters extinguishing the blaze in a matter of minutes, whilst the carriageway was closed off by the Guardia Civil.

Nearly Ready Work is almost finished on building a new bridge that will improve access to Guardamar’s Campico and Moncayo beaches. The wooden walkway has been constructed after longstanding complaints from residents in urbanisations like Pórtico Mediterráneo and Moncayo over the dificulties faced by elderly and disabled people to get to down to the beach from the N-332. The new structure is set to be open in time for the Easter season, and will also reduce the damage o being done to

Filed Away

Plans to build a sports centre and an underground car park in La Mata appear to have been pretty much scrapped by Torrevieja council. The idea for the project on Avenida de los Europeos was launched by the PP when they ran Torrevieja council back in 2014, but lit-

tle has been heard about it since then. Councillor Fanny Serrano from the ruling government team has now asked to see what studies were done before, especially regarding economic viability, but that the plans will almost certainly be archived. The close to 1,400 sq. m.

Roundabout Opening

the dunes as beachgoers try to find the easiest route to the sea.

Power Pilfering

A new roundabout at an accident blackspot in Torre de la Horadada has been officially opened by Pilar de la Horadada mayor, Ignacio Ramos. The work costing just under 100 thousand euros was completed in under three months, and is at the junction between Avenida Valero and Avenida Comunidad Valenciana. Ramos said that it was important to improve road safety on the routes to Torre

de la Horadada, especially during the summer tourist months, and that the round-

Hotel Fire

Electricity providers, led by Iberdrola, have logged 8,200 cases involving people scamming their supplies in Alicante Province last year. That’s a rise of 28% compared to the previous year, with Iberdrola stating that nearly all of the instances of filching power did not involve families living on the breadline, but

site belongs to the council, and one of the question marks according to Serrano concerned the size of the planned facility, as well as the planned private partnership in running the car park on a 40-year lease. Serrano added that it would not have been a publicly funded construction.

involved already large consumers of electricity, be they residential or business customers. Iberdrola regularly carry out inspections of installations, especially if they notice dramatic upward changes in power consumption which their invoices don’t somehow tally up with.

Elche firefighters put out a blaze in the familiar landmark of the empty Hotel Rocas Blancas, off the N332 in Santa Pola on Tuesday morning. The abandoned building is often used by squatters, and the fire crews were called in just after 5.00 am, with the fire starting in a mattress that was on the fourth floor. Nobody was injured as a result of the incident.

about would soon be adorned with symbols connected to the sea.

Friday 2nd March 2018

Just Wait There

A Cartagena man leapt from his apartment balcony as a fire engulfed the building last Thursday afternoon, with footage showing local police officers ignoring him as he lay on the ground. The blaze in the Escudo area of the city led to a large arrival of second responders, with photos and videos showing them get on their radios and focus their attention on the flames, rather than the injured man. Only some two minutes towards the end of the video footage did an emergency worker approach the casualty to check on him. The unnamed man aged in his forties suffered serious head injuries after jumping nearly 20 feet from his balcony as he tried to cheat death. Another three people were treated for smoke inhalation after the fire broke out in a first-floor flat. Firefighters took nearly an hour to put out the blaze, which affected apartments on the

Office Closure

two floors above the first-floor bedroom where it began.. Cartagena local police said that the video The Torrevieja office of footage only featured part of a sequence of HELP Vega Baja is to be events and insisted officers had gone up to closed down on as of April the man on the ground when they reached 1st, barely a year after the the scene. premises on Calle Rambla They said the video didn't show officers de Juan Mateo were calling for back-up from paramedics after reopened after renovation checking his condition and discovering he work. was unconscious. The decision was taken A police spokesman said: 'A person in this by HELP’s elective commitstate cannot be touched because there's a tee due to the very low numrisk more serious injuries could be caused.' ber of people going there for Emergency services workers questioned help and advice, compared the police actions, with one telling the La Opinion de Murcia:newspaper:- "'Several minutes go by without the injured man being evaluated or receiving first aid. It's pretty shocking to see how no-one A dead shark nearly four appears to assist him in a simple gesture of metres long and weighing humanity." 200 kilos was found last week on a beach in Santa Pola. It was first seen on the shores of Levante Beach with the local police contacting transport firm Urbaser to remove the shark. Urbaser had to use a crane to lift the giant shark and move it onto the pier, before taking it back to their warehouse. Western Mediterranean waters are often home to blue fin sharks, which habitually cause alarm when they are spotted near

to the charity’s outlets in La Marina and San Miguel de Salinas, which are still very busy. The charity and their President, Michele Masson(pictured left at last year’s reopening ceremony with Torrevieja councillor Carmen Morate), say that they are still very much committed to Torrevieja, and have written to the council to

emphasise that point. Commenting on the office closure and the cost of maintaining it, as well as the low number of visitors, Michele Masson said:- “We strongly believe that if we allowed this to continue, we would be failing in our duty and that our time, efforts and of course finances can help people if directed in other ways.”

Shark Aground

Spanish Insurance Since August last year our ladies at Spanish Insurance have been frantically fundraising to raise money for Kotukala School in The Gambia. With the generosity of so many kind people the money was raised for the toilet block at the school and the children all had full tummies on Christmas day. The trip was a success in so many ways. An amazing adventure full of laughter , learning and both tears of despair and joy .

beaches but which do not present any danger to

humans, as they entirely on small fish.

feed

Sunday Walkies

No one really knew what to expect. No one was prepared for the amazing welcome or hospitality and we certainly were not prepared for the level of poverty. It´s very humbling but a privilege to make such a trip. To feel the spirit and see the determination to survive and build a better future is truly inspiring. The school we have helped, and will continue to support in every way possible. The teachers who sometimes go months without being paid a wage because there just isn't any money in the pot, still turn up for work knowing that they need to continue to help the children who are so keen to be educated. We will continue to help with funding for the school all year round and are in the process of setting up our official charity here from Spain. We will return to The Gambia in mid September this year to carry out some desperately needed maintenance and to deliver the stationary needed ready for the new school year. If you would like to get involved in any way please feel free to contact Leisa on Tel. 966 731 691

Over a hundred people and their dogs took part in last Sunday’s first ever Perroton (picture from the Información newspaper), which saw them walk a three-kilometre route around

the Orihuela Costa, starting outside Villamartin Plaza. The idea was jointly conceived by the health and international residents departments of Orihuela council, with the predominant

aim of raising awareness about responsible pet ownership, together with publicising the municipal animal shelter in Orihuela, which is run by the ASOKA charity.

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Shakira Pays

Pop star Shakira has handed over more than 20 million euro to Spanish tax authorities, after being accused of not paying taxes despite being a resident between 2011 and 2014. Reports suggested that the Colombian award-winning singer had paid the money "to settle part of the debt claimed by Spain's tax authorities", corresponding to what she allegedly owes for 2011. The fiscal authorities filed an official complaint to prosecutors in Barcelona accusing her of not paying taxes, sparking an investi-

gation, Jose Miguel Company, spokesman for the prosecutors' office, told the AFP news agency. The official complaint only covers the period from 2012 to 2014, however, as the timeframe to prosecute alleged tax offences in 2011 has expired. The singer has been in a relationship since 2011 with Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique, with whom she has two sons, with the 41-year-old transferring her official residency to the Catalan capital, almost three years ago, in 2015.

Expensive Losses A Madrid hospital has once again lost a man's sperm which he had frozen, meaning he cannot now have children of his own, and it could cost the hospital a six-figure sum in a compensation claim. The man in question decided to freeze his sperm when he was 32, back in 2003, after being diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma by a hospital in Burgos, meaning he would need radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The aggressive treatment, which he underwent at Madrid's Puerta de Hierro Hospital, carried a high risk of leaving him infertile, but it cured his cancer completely. Now, aged nearly 47, he was hoping to start a family, and with seven samples of sperm frozen at Madrid's Ramón y Cajal Hospital, looked as though he would have plenty of chances to do so. He and his partner contacted the hospital in 2017 to start fertility treatment, having been contacted regularly until then to confirm the condition of his samples held. But the couple received an unexpected call asking them to attend the hospital for an urgent meeting and, once there, were told that 'an irreparable sperm-bank management error' meant his semen could not be found. This means the would-be

father cannot have children of his own, since the cancer treatment in 2003 did, as oncologists predicted at the time, leave him infertile. The Ramón y Cajal Hospital came under fire just a few months ago when another patient, Javier, who had frozen his sperm 16 years previously, was told his samples had been 'inexplicably lost'. According to the hospital, they had 'searched all the tanks and not found' the samples, and 'did not know what had happened to them'. Javier demanded copies of his entire medical history, but the Ramón y Cajal said it had no records of his being treated there – despite the patient's having gone through various tests to determine the quality of his semen.

The only solution the hospital was able to offer both men was for them to go to the front of the queue for fertility treatment using donor sperm. Their lawyers say that as the hospital has been unable to provide explanations, along with the possibility of the samples having been destroyed or mislaid, there is a 'very real likelihood' that the frozen sperm was used by mistake, in both cases, with another couple without the consent of any of the parties involved, and that Javier's and the latest man's biological children have already been born without their knowledge – and without there ever being any chance of finding out. Both men are suing the hospital for 200 thousand euro each.

Friday 2nd March 2018

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No Messing About

A brave shop assistant jumped over the store counter to wrestle a handgun from an armed robber's hands after he waved it at her sister and told her to empty the till. Itziar from San Sebastian in northern Spain was called from the back office when her sister was confronted by the would-be thief. Her fearlessness caused the robber to panic and she managed to fight the handgun from him. The unidentified thief strolled into the shop wearing a black hood and waving a gun. As the robber demanded money from the till, Itziar came running out of the back office.

The quick-thinking woman startled him by throwing and hitting him with a bottle of water. It bought her enough time to vault the store counter and attack the armed thief. After successfully wrestling the gun from the robber's hand, the assailant opened the door and ran down the street. Holding the gun, Itziar bravely chased after the robber but he got away. The gun was later identified as a replica. Itziar said: 'I play sports and I am a strong woman. The robber saw fury in my eyes and was intimidated.'

The Diet Doctor

A town full of fatties has taken drastic action by bringing in a doctor for some urgent weight loss. Naron near Galicia in north-western Spain has launched an initiative that will see almost 40 thousand residents try to lose a total of 100 thousand kilos over a two-year period. years. Doctor Carlos Pineiro has set up healthy eating plans

in local health centres while restaurants are joining in offer heathier dishes. 20 percent of Naron is said to be obese, whilst 60 percent are overweight". “In 10-year-olds, obesity has gone up by two percent being overweight by five percent, which increases the likelihood of those suffering from chronic diseases,” he said, “We want to stop this.”

Frosty Welcome

King Felipe was met with protests last Sunday on his first visit to Catalunya since last October's failed independence bid in the region. Police held back hundreds of people as the king arrived in Barcelona for the Mobile

World Congress technology fair, which began on Monday. Senior Catalan officials refused to attend a formal reception, with at least 19 demonstrators being arrested.

Friday 2nd March 2018

Hospital Donation

Soul Success Murcia animal charity Cruz Azul raised over a thousand euros, thanks to their recent fundraising event ‘Rock My Soul - Take Two’, staged at the Las Claras Cultural Centre in Los Alcázares. Cruz Azul helps with vet bills for pet owners on low incomes and works with local communities to control feral cat colonies in a humane way. The event was organized by John “J. J. Soulman” whose friends on the local music scene gave their services free of charge. “Words cannot describe how grateful we are to everyone who came and helped raise such an amazing amount at our second Rock My Soul fundraiser. We are overwhelmed by people’s generosity,” remarked Lyn Baines, Cruz Azul President.

Cruz Azul’s Donation Centre is situated on the Avenida de la Unión in San Javier, next door to Yorkshire Linen and is open Monday to Saturday from 10.00 am until 2.00 pm. They sell clothes, accessories, jewellery, household goods, furniture, bric-a-brac

and lots more, and are also of course after items to sell. More details by calling 693 017 616 for more information. Pictured left to right: - Lyn Baines, Christine Newstead, Avril Tait and Lesley Taylor with Red Strokes and J. J. Soulman.

A patient bed lift has been presented to Torrevieja Hospital by local freemasons, namely Quesada’s Caledonia Lodge 68. The equipment had actually been bought by the Lodge initially for their own use, but had barely been used, and so they decided to hand it over to the hospital, who would make much more use of it.

Velvetones Gift

Four In One The ACTS (Actors Community Theatre Society) is staging Peter Quilter’s Duets next week at the Benijofar Cultural Centre, which is essentially four amusing plays about different aspects of life, love, marriage and improbable romance. ‘Blind Date’, is as the title suggests, just that, with all the awkwardness that can ensue, whilst ‘Secretarial Skills’ explores a loving relationship from a couple of differing viewpoints. ‘The Holiday’ tells the story of a couple on the verge of a divorce, but still on holiday in Torremolinos! Finally, ‘The Bride’ shows us

the pre-wedding nerves of an already twice-married bride with her far from supportive brother. Duets will be performed between Thursday March 8th and Saturday March 10th at the Benijofar Cultural Centre, with curtain up at 7.30 pm. Tickets are available by

Phoenix Arises

The Phoenix Concert Band has launched a new era and a new name as it has been rebranded as the Royal British Legion Concert Band, Spain. New musical director David Last took up his position last year, and with his arrival, many of the band members felt that a new stimulus was needed for the band. After talking to senior members of the Royal British Legion, the decision was taken by the musicians to reform under their new name. The RBL Concert Band

now join the long list of bands that are currently affiliated to the charity, and they are now having new formal jackets tailored for every band member, as well as new banners for their music stands. Playing a wide range of the music, the RBL Concert Band Spain continue to rehearse every Tuesday afternoon at 1.30 pm at the San Miguel de Salinas Municipal Library, and there are vacancies for musicians in all sections of the band. For more details, please call David Last on 638 10 80 78.

reservation on email at tickets.acts@gmail.com; or by telephoning, 646 277 724. Alternatively, you can collect them from local outlets:- The Card Shop, Benimar; Redz ,Quesada; Cards and More, La Marina; The Post Box, Doña Pepa; and Restaurante Bar Catorce, Benijofar.

The Velvetones Harmony Chorus recently presented a cheque for 600€ to ALPE, the Torrevieja school for adults and children with special needs. The school was burgled late last year with many items stolen or trashed.

Watch Meeting

The Rojales Neighbourhood Watch Group will be holding their Annual Meeting in the Municipal Centre, Quesada this Monday (March 5th) at 11.00 am. The meeting is open to anyone living in the 03170 postal area and will be a chance to contribute to the

Group, and even join the committee. If you are not already a member of the Group and want more details, check out the Neighbourhood Watch in Spain website at w w w. n e i g h b o u r h o o d watchinspain.com or contact Helen Tudor on 663 316 310.

AT YOUR SERVICE

We’d love details of your charity events, amateur dramatics, and choral concerts! The Courier would love to hear from you as we gear up for another busy autumn across the Costa Blanca and Mar Menor. Send you snippets and photographs to thecourier@tko media.

The money was raised through the Velvetones performances over the Christmas period. The Velvetones are 25 ladies-strong, plus three social members helping behind the scenes, and are always on the lookout for

new members. The choir meet on Thursday afternoons at El Paraiso at 5.15 pm. To learn more, please call MaryAnne on 966 714 973, or check out their website www.velvetonesharmonytorrevieja.com.

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Flowering Cheques

The Torrevieja Flower Club have donated fifteenhundred euros each to two local charities, namely Torrevieja Stroke Support (TSS) and Animalistas Torrevieja. Many of the club members and representatives from the charities attended a very enjoyable lunch and presentation ceremony at Torreta II in Torrevieja.

International Residents and Volunteers councillor Carmen Morate (pictured left) was also there to pick up the cheque on behalf of Animalistas Torrevieja, whilst Patricia Owen (pictured right) was on hand to receive the money of behalf of TSS. Pictured next to Patricia is Sandra Lambe, chairlady of the Flower Club, and to the

left is Club President, Margaret Atherton. The Flower Club meet every third Wednesday of the month at the Asturias Restaurant in Punta Prima, with the gathering starting at 2.00pm. New members are always welcome. For more details, please phone Sandra on 966 848 220.

Inflation Change

Spain's consumer inflation went up last month, according to official figures from the National Statistics Office. Consumer prices advanced one point one percent year-on-year in February, faster than the

nought point six percent increase seen in January. This was also higher than the projected nought point eight percent. Month-on-month, consumer prices gained nought point one percent in February, confounding

expectations for a drop of nought point one percent. These figures end a downward trend of figures, where a year ago, inflation stood at three percent. Last monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rise is largely attributed to increased electricity prices.

Friday 2nd March 2018

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Is Bitcoin an Investment? Keith Littlewood, International Financial Adviser at Blacktower, Costa Cálida Most people have heard of Bitcoin but do not know what Bitcoin actually is. Bitcoin is one of thousands of Crypto Currencies (Crypto’s)that are now on the market - Bitcoin was the first and has only been around since 2009, after Satoshi Nakamoto allegedly mined the first one the previous year. I say allegedly, because it is now common theory that no such person actually exists and is a persona created by a team of IT wizards, who invented Bitcoin.

money. So, the initial question was‘Is Bitcoin an Investment’? My answer is in the long term I do not know. I would see it as a gamble and would definitely avoid investing significant amounts of a portfolio in Crypto. If you are considering, I would only invest what you are prepared to lose and have a high tolerance to volatility. 2% of your overall portfolio would be reasonable if you’re a ‘speculator’, but I would open a dummy account first and use play money to get used to the huge swings.

Crypto is essentially electronic cash that is used as payment on a peer-to-peer basis and now there are many Crypto’s each trying to develop IT structures that will be able to be used as the payment system of the future. In recent years, large organisations have been looking at their own systems and looking at which Crypto can provide the better service. It is almost like the Space race of the 60s when USA and USSR were trying to be the first to land on the moon. This is what is driving the prices up and down in the Crypto market now - as each takes turns in announcing their latest development. Many think Crypto is a bubble that will burst and others think it will be the way of the future. Esteemed leaders of the world in business and commerce can’t even agree. On one hand, Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, thinks it will be commonplace and how most transactions will occur; on the other hand, Warren Buffet, the world’s foremost investment expert, thinks it will all come crashing down. When you look at how some of the Crypto’s have performed over the last year, you can see why there has been such hysteria. The current 1-year return on Bitcoin is 774%. Other popular Cryptos - Etherium 6,447%, and Ripple 17,187%. Yes, if you had invested £1,000 in Ripple 12 months ago, it would be now worth over £17million!

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In today’s financial climate, it is essential you do everything you can to make sure your money is safe and secure and what you want to transpire in the future has the best chance of happening.

Volatility has been crazy, though, and if you look at the same Crypto –Ripple - and invested your £1,000 early January, it would now be worth less than £300. For every success story there has been a scam with regards to Crypto’s too. The biggest is Bit-Connect, which was a Ponzi pyramid scheme and has resulted with thousands of people losing millions. Every day there are teams of geeks trying to raise money through their ICOs (Initial Coin Offerings) hoping they will strike it big. Most of these come to nothing and people investing lose all their

The local Blacktower office address is: 120 Avenida Dr. Artero Guirao 2C, San Pedro Del Pinatar, 30740, Murcia, Spain. Our office suite is easy to find on the main N332 through road of San Pedro del Pinatar with easy parking. To make an appointment call the local office on 968 187 331 or speak to me direct on 657 684 094 or email keith.littlewood@blacktowerfm.com 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 (Int.) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV in Spain.

Adoption Corner

Pets

Friday 2nd March 2018

Stopping The Lunging

CARLO Carlo is a small to medium-sized dog aged around nine years, who has a very easygoing nature and loves to be near people. He is a very friendly dog, good with people of all ages and mixes well with other dogs. He does have Leishmann’s disease, but fortunately has no health problems from this condition. As Carlo is entering his twighlight years, a foster home would be considered for him, with the K9 charity being resonsible for his vet fees. If you can give him a loving home, please contact the K9 shelter on 600 845 420.

HERMAN Herman is quiet and calm, with a gentle personality and would like his new family to be the same. Herman is sixyears-old and nice healthy, and is good with other dogs but not good with cats or small animals like rabbits. Herman is a strong character, and so his new family should be firm considerate and experienced with dogs. For more information about Herman phone PEPA on 650 304 746 or email p.e.p.a.animalcharity@gmail.com.

NELSON Nelson is a four-year-old mixed-race dog weighing in at 12 kilos who was abandoned by his owner and left to fend for himself. He is currently in a small family-run kennel and gets on well with other female dogs and is good with cats. Nelson loves people and children and would make a lovely family pet. For more information about Nelson please phone PEPA on 650 304 746 or email p.e.p.a.animalcharity@gmail.com.

PUS

Pus is a stunning four-year-old pure white fluffy cat and was abandoned when he was just 18 months old. He is currently being looked after by Pets in Spain, and has been neutered and is in excellent health. Pus isn’t afraid of dogs and loves to lay close to you. To give him a forever home, please call Pets in Spain on 645 469 253. www.petsinspain.com.

When you take your furry friend out for a walk, there’s nothing worse when he or she starts to lunge or bark at other dogs, often when they are on a leash. It can actually be a little embarrassing when your usually calm, sociable dog all of a sudden starts lunging, barking and snapping at other dogs with seemingly little provocation.The key in solving the problem lies in identifying the triggers, avoidance, then gradual reintroduction with counter conditioning.Essentially a dog who is “leash reactive” is most likely experiencing some anxiety, fear or discomfort associated with other dogs. The situation is worse on a lead because your dog can’t approach in a safe and relaxed way. The key to understanding why this behaviour occurs is watching dogs approach each other at say a dog park if there is one in your area. Usually they approach in a wide arc, circling and sniffing each other, reading each other’s body language. The dog that surges up in a straight line, without obeying this ritual is often the one that ends up in arguments.When your dog is on a leash on the footpath, the normal social rules are not allowed. The dogs are approaching in a straight line, usually with direct eye contact. Often unconsciously you tense up on that leash, perhaps even yank on the collar and perhaps even mutter ‘be nice’ in a stern voice, therefore sending the signal that this is indeed a threatening situation. STEP ONE The first stage to try and heal the reactive dog is to avoid the stimulus altogether. Usually the behaviour will get much worse without some work on your behalf. So for the moment, resign yourself to joining the ‘midnight walk club’ and walking your dog when there are no others around. Keep your eyes peeled for other dogs and be prepared to do the ‘wide arc’ around any approaching dogs or cover your dog’s eyes

before he sees the other threat approaching. STEP TWO Work out what your dog’s threshold is with other dogs. Do the dogs need to be just a few metres away, or is just seeing one on the other side of the park enough to set him off? For this step it might be useful to ask a friend with a well behaved dog for help.Otherwise just find a spot at a dog park that allows you to be well away from the other dogs, outside of the zone that makes your dog react. Get lots of tasty treats ready and make sure your dog is a little hungry so he is really excited to get those treats. This next stage can take a little while (perhaps even months), so be patient and keep all your training sessions short. If you are using a friend and their dog, find somewhere that allows your friend to walk their dog within sight of yours, then out again (for example use trees or cars as a barrier). Each time the dog is in view, give a treat and lots of praise. You are aiming to make an association between seeing the dog and getting lots of treats and praise.If you don’t have a friend to help you can do this at the local dog park, just make sure it’s a park where all the dogs will be on leash, in a designated area and you can control the distance between the other dogs and you. STEP THREE Be ready for setbacks and don’t use any form of punishment. Scolding your dog for reacting to other dogs just further cements that negative association he has with seeing dogs and bad things happening. If your dog at any time reacts to other dogs, you are too close and you will need to head further away and start again.Keep all sessions positive, using lots of rewards. Any naughty behaviour should be ignored and taken as a sign that you are progressing to quickly for your dog.

SASHA Sasha has been at the SAT kennels for four years, which is incredible, as she is a very loving dog who has a great personality and would love to be part of any family. She is very popular with all the dog walkers, who all love to take her for a walk. Sasha is over nine years in age, and the kennels team are hoping that she will find her forever home soon. For more on her, please call 966 710 047 or email info@satanimalrescue.com.

TAMMY Rescued when she was 12 weeks old, Tammy is now a medium-sized adult female. She is very clever and obedient and loves to walk on a lead. Tammy is very friendly and sociable, she loves other dogs and would be perfect as a second dog for a family looking for a friend for their dog. To arrange to meet Tammy, please call APAH on either 630 422 563 or 616 210 850.

www.thecourier.es

Pirates Sunk

Warming Spring The areas of the Costa Blanca and Mar Menor are apparently set to experience a drier and warmer than average spring, as drought alerts continue. Forecasters Accuweather suggest that an ‘area of high pressure will build west of the Iberian Peninsula and shield much of western Europe from frequent storm systems’, with eastern Spain, including Alicante Province and the Murcia region getting the highest temperatures, along with the Costa del Sol. The start of this month is forecast to be the wettest period of the season, before

a shift to very dry weather , which is set to occur from late March into May. Infrequent storms will

cause ‘unseasonable warmth' to build from the Iberian Peninsula, Accuweather added.

A Fishy Tale

The Guardia Civil have waged war on pirate download sites and have so far blocked 23 of them, with more likely to follow in the next few weeks or months as new domain names continue to be created. Operation Cascada ('Waterfall') has targeted sites where music, films, serials and video games are distributed via peer-to-peer (P2P) sharing networks from computers without fixed servers or IP addresses. These unauthorised free downloads are a breach of copyright and cause financial loss to writers, musi-

cians, directors, actors and other persons involved who would normally be paid royalties. According to the Guardia, the domain names blocked so far – some very recently created and a few not even launched in Spain yet – had very high traffic with hundreds or thousands of daily hits. Three of them – D i v x t o t a l . c o m , Estrenosdtl.com and Gamestorrents.com – were set up by an undisclosed Spaniard who sold them to a firm based in Argentina. Hiding server locations to

prevent their sites being shut down is one of the most common tactics used by those setting up pirate download pages, say the Guardia – software exists which 'shields' IP addresses and changes them constantly so they come up in different countries worldwide. This means some sites blocked go live again within a matter of hours with nearidentical names. Those who set up illegal download sites do not charge for the downloads themselves, but earn their money through advertising on their pages.

Over half of restaurants across Spain are not being honest in the type of fish they sell to customers. The study by the AZTI Technology Centre showed that the largest percentage of incorrect labelling occurred with grouper, butterfish, dogfish, sole, hake and bluefin tuna. Using DNA analysis, more than 300 samples were taken from 204 restaurants across regions across Spain, including those in Valencia and Murcia. The survey sticks to facts rather than any suggestion may have been hoodwinked in being charged a higher price for a “cheaper” cut.

Better Walking

Pavement renovation work in the barrio de Los Pescadores area of Santiago de la Ribera is on schedule to be finished next month. San Javier mayor, José Miguel Luengo, checked out the progress of the project last week, which will bring wider and higher pavements with better access, especially for the elderly and infirm. Miguel Luengo also said that work is planned to stop flooding in the area, starting with a project in the Calle Jabalina area, as well the building of new drains that

will link to the sewage treatment plant, which will be

then by recycled agricultural use.

for

Friday 2nd March 2018

www.thecourier.es

Killer Flu Strikes

Tractor Tragedy The Guardia Civil is investigating the death of a 91year-old man, who was killed when his tractor overturned on a farm in the greater Madrid area. The incident happened on Saturday afternoon in Brunete, when the farmer was working on an incline, when the tractor slipped down a bank and turned over, trapping him in the vehicle. Despite being pulled out of the tractor, the man did not survive the accident.

Quesada Crime

The national death toll over the winter flu season has been the highest for a decade, according to official figures, with some 472 deaths directly caused by flu.

Madrid's Carlos III Institute of Health have recorded all associated cases involving flu since November, with the medics logging 116 deaths in the first week of February.

The doctors say that the current winter season has produced a greater than expected number of deaths, especially with a big rise happening to those in their mid-sixties and upwards.

The Guardia Civil have organised an urgent meeting for Quesada residents next week to discuss the increasing number of rob-

beries and crimes in the area. The meeting, which will be held in English and Spanish, will take place at the

Quesada Cultural Centre on Calle El Pino on Wednesday March 7th, and will start at 10.30am and will last for an hour.

3 Bedroom 2 Bathroom Semi-Detached Villa in Los Angelis Near Nueva Torrevieja

Y RT E OP THE R P F O EEK W

An opportunity to buy this 3 bedroom 2 bathroom bungalow, one of the bedrooms is en suite. The villa is in the much sought-after location of Los Angelis near the Los Arcos Restaurant. It has an open-plan kitchen leading onto the lounge, air-conditioning throughout the villa and a conservatory. Outside there is a six-person jacuzzi and a bbq area.

Property ID: 502 - 155,000â&#x201A;Ź

FREE EPC CERTIFICATE All domestic and commercial buildings available to buy or rent must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). List your property for sale on EasyBuyProperties.com and we can arrange a FREE EPC Certificate assessment, saving you money straight away and increasing your chance of selling. Terms and conditions apply, but contact us today to find out more

Properties wanted, all areas. We have clients waiting. 6 Bedroom 3 Bathroom Detached Villa in San Luis

2/3 Bedroom 2 Bathroom Detached Villa in El Chaparral

AIN

This impeccable detached villa is accessed by double-vehicle access gates leading to the off-road parking and large patio area with barbecue facility as well as plenty of seating area. To the left of the property is the stunning pool and sunbathing areas. The entire property has been well maintained and furnished to a very high quality.

This property is situated in a peaceful location with the nature reserves and salt lakes accessible by foot. There are good transport links to Torrevieja as the bus stop is a short walking distance away. The property consists of 5 double bedrooms (the main en suite) and 2 further bathrooms. The smaller single bedroom is currently used as an office.

Property ID: 572 - 159,000€

Property ID: 501 - 365,000€

2 Bedroom 1 Bathroom Bungalow in San Luis

2 Bedroom 2 Bathroom Bungalow in El Chaparral D

AIN

Great little 2 bedroom 1 bathroom bungalow in the popular area of San Luis in Torrevieja. This property has had the benefit of a brand new kitchen and is being sold fully furnished. Within walking distance to bars, supermarkets, shops, and restaurants. A well established regular bus route takes you into the centre of Torrevieja within minutes.

This property is situated in a sunny and quiet gated community with a communal pool and garden in El Chaparral. The enclosed conservatory has lovely views of the garden and pool with space for dining. The urbanisation is near all amenities including the health centre and within walking distance of the therapeutic salt lakes.

Property ID: 580 - 69,000€

Property ID: 569 - 79,950€

2 Bedroom 2 Bathroom Townhouse in El Chaparral

1/2 Bedroom 1 Bathroom Upper Bungalow in El Chaparral

ING

U ST

NIN

This is a very well-maintained, spacious townhouse in El Chaparral, which comprises a good size lounge/diner with attractive open fireplace. The kitchen is independent and well fitted. There is a good selection of wall-mounted and floor-standing units including appliances. Bars, restaurants, shops, the water park and health centre are close by.

Immaculate upper bungalow with communal pool located in El Chaparral. The lounge is light and open-planed. There is a modern kitchen with breakfast bar plus a sun-drenched balcony ideal for al fresco dining. This stunning property offers many quality extras including air-conditioning and glazed sliding doors leading out to the spacious solarium.

Property ID: 568 - 77,950€

Property ID: 565 - 69,950€

Health

Friday 2nd March 2018

Zoe Ball set to cycle 300 miles over 5 days in Sport Relief challenge Zoe Ball will be taking the Hardest Road Home for Sport Relief this year, as she's planned a gruelling five day cycling challenge. Her BT Sport Relief Challenge will see her set off from her birthplace of Blackpool to pedal over 300 miles south in just five days â&#x20AC;&#x201C; aiming to reach her hometown of Brighton. Novice cyclist Zoe will set off on 5 March and be joined by friends and family to help her through the tough miles, before she reaches Brighton on 9 March. The presenter will be raising money to support vulnerable people to live healthier lives and is also trying to raise awareness of mental health. "I've been training my heart out for the last few weeks in preparation for this epic BTsponsored challenge for Sport Relief," Zoe said. "A few predictable and embarrassing falls and lots of chafing cream applied but

thinking of the reason I signed up for this challenging adventure will spur me on. "Knowing that every penny we raise will make such a difference to so many different people's lives is a great feeling.

"I'll also be joined by my incredible family and friends, who will be pushing me along the way. I hope that my endeavours inspire others to do something that moves them for Sport Relief too!" Zoe's journey will take in

places like Widnes, Stratford upon Avon and Marlow and the whole week will be captured by a BBC One documentary. The BT Sport Relief Challenge: Zoe's Hardest Road Home will be aired during the week of Sport

Relief, which takes place Saturday 17 until Friday 23 March. Zoe's boyfriend, Billy Yates, tragically died from suicide a year ago and she recently spoke movingly about her tribute to him. "One of the things that Sport Relief is supporting this year is mental health. And that's very close to my heart," she explained on The One Show on Monday (February 5). "I think a lot of people know that my boyfriend struggled with depression, and he died last year. Billy, he worked on this show. "After he died, I was left with lots of questionsâ&#x20AC;Ś Most people you meet are going to have been touched by this subject. Mental health resources are under huge pressure. I think, a lot of people aren't necessarily [getting] the right help as quickly as they could." Since the BBC's 2014 documentary Life After Suicide

was a comfort for the Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two presenter after her own loss, Zoe will also share her story in an upcoming television film aimed to help others. "We're making the documentary, as well as doing this challenge," Zoe announced. "We're going to visit some projects that are funded by Comic Relief that are helping people find ways to move forwards. "And hopefully meet some families that have gone through what myself and Billy's family have gone through. And ask the questions about what are we doing, how are are we helping, and where can we turn for help? What should loved ones be doing?... There's a lot of subjects here so I'm going to go out and visit these projects, see the work that's being done, and encourage people to get involved. "That's why I'm doing it."

Wearable tech aids stroke patients Scientists in the US are developing wearable sensors to speed up the recovery of stroke patients. The sensors are able to send information to doctors continuously. The team developing the

system says it could allow therapists to more closely monitor the effectiveness of their care. Details of the study were released at the recent annual meeting of the American Association for the

Advancement of Science in Texas. Lizzy McAninch had a stroke two years ago. She could not move or speak or swallow for several weeks. Lizzy is testing out wearable sensors that might speed

her recovery. They look like small white sticking plasters, but they send information wirelessly to her medical team. She is a doctor herself and can see how they could help her. "This technology to put sensors on the body to assess which muscle groups work or not can really pinpoint the areas affected by the stroke and can target therapies to specifically improve those issues," she said. The sensors continue to send back readings even after she has finished her exercises. This means that her therapist Kristen Hohl, from the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, can monitor her progress at home. "As a therapist, I think about what my patients are doing at home. Are they able to carry through the recommendations I'm giving them as a therapist to do more? Do we see that they are walking more or do we see them engaging in conversations? "Those are the types of things that I can get feedback from the sensors where currently I have to rely on what they tell me they have done." The challenge for the scientists was to pack a lot of electronics on to a small flexible material and still make it comfortable for the patient to wear for a long time. "It is almost mechanically imperceptible to the patient who is wearing the device," according to John Rogers, of Northwestern University

in Chicago, who developed the sensors. "And you can embed all sorts of advanced sensor functionality, microprocessor computing capability, power supplies and WiFi into this very unusual platform, and that is the unique-

ness of what we do." By the end of this year, the research team will have more information than ever before on stroke recovery. The scientists believe that their study could transform the way patients are treated in the future.

Health

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Where To Find Cheap Spanish Properties Confidence is well and truly back in the Spanish property market, and demand is as strong as ever because it’s still very affordable when compared to the UK. Across most of the Iberian peninsula, prices are not back to their 2006 peak either, and with tourism booming it’s also a great time to buy a rental investment in Spain. Spain is a large country with 17 self-governing regions (not just Catalonia, although this region has been in the news the most in the past year) so do your research and remember that purchase costs, rental laws and other fiscal issues can vary between them. As ever, negotiate hard and never buy on price alone. Getting a bargain on the Costa Blanca South Costa Blanca is expat country with beach and golf resorts in Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa. It’s highly popular for a reason - it’s easy to reach and it’s easy to find inexpensive properties, including a new generation of contemporary style newbuilds, though of course the real bargains will be amongst slightly dated resales. North of Benidorm the landscape is lusher and the culture more traditionally

Spanish, with some dazzling fishing-village/resorts such as Calpe and Altea. Denia has been a real spot in the past few months. Show me a bargain If you like a lots of other Brits around, you may like the Orihuela Costa for its affordability. Playa Flamenca and Ciudad Quesada are two of its hot spots, but the resorts of Cabo Roig and Guadamar del Segura are also popular. One-bedroom apartments are €55,000 to €70,000, townhouses under €100,000 and villas with pools less than €200,000. The hard part is finding something that doesn’t feel squashed in, as so many do. For more space at a bargain price go inland to the Hondon Valley for a farmhouse with land for €130,000. Or look at Pinoso, a traditional village inland of Alicante and Torrevieja, where your money goes just as far and you can enjoy wonderful mountain views. Or drive to the very north of the Costa Blanca around Denia where nearby villages such as Pego, La Xara or El Rafol d’Almunia offer apartments or townhouses for a budget of €50,000. The extremities of the

Costa Blanca have the best bargains. For a real bargain look at Oliva. Strictly speaking it’s a kilometre or two north of the Costa Blanca, but there are two-bed apartments in a lively and unspoilt Spanish town there from just under €40,000. The same might be said if you head south into Murcia where Pilar de la Horadada is a growing hot spot, still a little cheaper than the already popular San Pedro del Pinatar - even closer to the lovely warrm waters of the Mar Menor. Getting a bargain in Murcia Where the Spanish coastline turns from east to south, the weather warms up and property gets cheaper. Even in well-heeled enclaves like the famous sporting resort of La Manga the luxury is more affordable than in some costas. There are attractive fishing villages and the city of Murcia, but mostly it’s purpose-builtresort territory, dedicated to relaxation around communal pools and golf courses. Show me a bargain Murcia is one of the Spanish regions that has been slower to pick up, yet it

has much to offer, especially its star feature, the Mar Menor on the Costa Calida in the north. Also known as ‘Little Sea’ it is a large natural lagoon which is six miles wide and more than 10 miles long. With waters that are about five degrees warmer than the Med it’s a paradise for bathers, boaters and water sport fans. It’s also got a few golf courses, including Camposol and several Polaris World resorts where you can get bargains - apartments from

€60,000. The La Torre golf resort is the most popular, but also Hacienda del Alamo and Las Terrazas de la Torre. There are also some attractive seaside villages and towns such as Sucina, Santiago de la Ribera and San Pedro del Pinatar. Townhouses here start at around €110,000. Top tip Have a proper look at Sucina, that sits inland of the two resorts of Pilar de la Horadada and San Pedro del

Pinatar and a short drive from the Mar Menor. It’s a traditional town sitting amongst citrus groves only 15 minutes from San Javier airport. You can get a two or three bedroom home for around €100,000 to €120,000.

If you’re looking to buy or sell then why not contact EasyBuyProperties on +34 966 443 381 or see their website www.easybuyproperties.com

Why Moving to Spain Changed My Life!

Neida and her husband Rob recently bought a twobedroom apartment in San Pedro, on the Costa del Sol. We recently caught up with Neida who explains why moving to Spain has been the best decision that she’s ever made! What were your main motivations for buying a property in Spain? “I don’t want to start with some sad story, but in the past, I’ve suffered from depression and didn’t know why. After meeting my husband Bob, we travelled abroad a lot and in warmer, sunny climates I somehow began to feel much better! However, when returning

home to the UK in the autumn or winter my mental wellbeing suffered again. With no logical explanation available, I consulted my GP who concluded I was suffering from S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder), which is a type of depression that comes and goes in seasonal patterns and is sometimes referred to as ‘winter depression’. Following my diagnosis, Bob said it was time to act and told me there and then we should buy a property abroad. Having now bought our apartment in San Pedro on the Costa del Sol, I am able to spend the winter months in Spain which has massively improved my condition! I feel

so lucky that I can now experience the best of both worlds; I can see my family in the UK during the summer months and escape to Spain to enjoy some much-needed winter sun." Why did you choose to buy a property on the Costa del Sol? “Bob and I had holidayed in the Sol many times with some of our favourite destinations being Marbella, Estepona and Malaga. “We love the lifestyle, pace of life, stunning cuisine and friendly local people. You’re pretty much guaranteed sun all year round and there are so many places to enjoy a leisurely walk, bite to eat or

even a few drinks with friends. As I’m not getting any younger (sad truth!), I wanted to make sure our apartment was close to shops, restaurants and with hope, the beach. In San Pedro, there are regular buses to all the best areas in the Costa del Sol and airport transfers to and from Malaga are affordable and easy to book. Our lovely apartment has a lift, communal pool and is walking distance to the centre of town and a gorgeous beach with a well maintained, level promenade.” Are you glad that you made the choice to buy? “In short, yes! We love our apartment and having improved my condition, Bob and I can enjoy life as we planned to. We can fly out last minute and at a cheap price, plus the short flight is a massive bonus. Sometimes I fly out a couple of days earlier to get some peace and quiet and just lie on the beach. Who knew you could be two and a half hours away from utter paradise? When we know we’re not going to be using the apartment for a while, perhaps whilst seeing the family, we try to rent the apartment out. The excellent rental income we receive helps pay the communal fees and provides a great

secondary income.” What advice would you give to others who are thinking of moving to Spain? “Firstly, just do it! If you know you want to buy, don’t wait around. Some of the properties we planned to see were snapped up within days of coming onto the market. I recommend doing your research on the areas you want to live in. For example, San Pedro and Marbella are only 10 minutes from each other but have hugely varying property prices and amenities to offer. If you can, get out to Spain via a viewing trip, this way you get to see lots of properties

and experience the local areas all in 3-4 days. Some estate agents offer great viewing trip packages and we got ours for only £99 per person – bargain! The trip meant we didn’t have to worry about booking property viewings, dinner, hotels or transfers. They looked after us and showed us multiple properties that were suitable for us, introduced us to UK speaking solicitors and assisted us through the entire buying process.” Three words to sum up the overall experience? “Life-changing, exciting and revitalizing.”

Friday 2nd March 2018

Mexican Chicken & Black Bean Wraps

Ingredients 1 tbsp sunflower oil 1 onion, finely sliced 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp dried oregano 400g can black beans, drained but not rinsed 150g cooked chicken, shredded 4 pickled chillies, chopped 3 tomatoes, roughly chopped small handful coriander leaves, chopped 4 floured tortillas 100g Cheddar, grated

To serve 100g plain yogurt 50g chipotle sauce 1 lime, quartered guacamole (optional) Method Heat the oil in a frying pan, tip in the onion and fry for 5 mins until golden. Stir in the garlic, cumin, paprika and oregano and cook for 2 mins. Tip in the beans and the chicken and heat through, then stir in the chilli, tomatoes and coriander, season and keep warm.

Lay a tortilla in a non-stick pan, sprinkle with cheese and heat until melted. Slide the wrap onto a board, spoon over a quarter of the chicken filling and roll up tightly. Repeat to make three more wraps. Mix the yogurt and chipotle sauce and serve on the side with guacamole and lime wedges for squeezing over. Prep: 15 Mins Cook: 20 Mins Serves: 4

Tajarin Pasta With Sage Butter

Food & Drink

Feta & Kale Loaded Sweet Potato

Ingredients 2 sweet potatoes 210g can chickpeas, drained 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 30g Feta, cut into small cubes 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil pinch chilli flakes 100g kale 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted 80g bag rocket Method Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Prick the sweet

potatoes all over with a fork, then put them in a roasting tin and roast for 40 mins. Add the chickpeas to the tray, then roast for 10 mins more, until the potatoes are completely tender and the chickpeas have crisped a little. Meanwhile, mix the onion with the vinegar and a pinch of sugar and salt, and set aside to quick pickle. In another bowl, marinate the feta with the oil and chilli flakes.

When the potatoes are nearly cooked, cook the kale in a pan with 50ml water for 3 mins until wilted, then season to taste. Halve the potatoes, divide between two plates and top each with the kale, chickpeas, red onion (reserving the vinegar), marinated feta and pumpkin seeds. Toss the rocket with the reserved vinegar, then serve on the side. Prep: 10 Mins Cook: 50 Mins Serves: 2

Chinese Chicken Curry

Ingredients 100g butter small pack sage leaves 100ml chicken or vegetable stock ½ lemon, juiced 350g fresh egg taglierini (or fresh egg tagliatelle or linguine) grated parmesan, to serve Method Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the sage leaves, then cook on a low heat

until the butter turns nutty and smells biscuity. Scoop out the sage leaves and set aside. Add the stock and half the lemon juice, and whisk well. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Tip in the pasta and cook following pack instructions, then use tongs or a spaghetti spoon to transfer it to the butter pan. Toss well, adding a spoonful of the pasta water

if needed to loosen the sauce. Add extra lemon juice and seasoning to taste. Divide between warm pasta bowls and serve topped with the sage leaves, lots of black pepper and parmesan. Prep: 5 Mins Cook: 10 Serves: 4

Mins

Ingredients 4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks (or use thighs or drumsticks) 2 tsp cornflour 1 onion, diced 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 tsp curry powder 1 tsp turmeric ½ tsp ground ginger pinch sugar 400ml chicken stock 1 tsp soy sauce handful frozen peas rice to serve

Method Toss the chicken pieces in the cornflour and season well. Set them aside. Fry the onion in half of the oil in a wok on a low to medium heat, until it softens – about 5-6 minutes – then add the garlic and cook for a minute. Stir in the spices and sugar and cook for another minute, then add the stock and soy sauce, bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Tip everything into a blender and blitz until

smooth. Wipe out the pan and fry the chicken in the remaining oil until it is browned all over. Tip the sauce back into the pan and bring everything to a simmer, stir in the peas and cook for 5 minutes. Add a little water if you need to thin the sauce. Serve with rice. Prep: 15 Mins Cook: 40 Mins Serves: 4

Food & Drink

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Food

Friday 2nd March 2018

Chicken & Sage Traybake

INGREDIENTS 4 chicken legs or 8 thighs, skin on, bone in 2 red onions, cut into wedges 400g piece of pumpkin, peeled and cut into chunks 4 small, ripe apricots, quartered (optional) 1 garlic bulb, separated into cloves, unpeeled

bunch of fresh sage, roughly chopped 2 tbsp olive oil 50g green olives salt and black pepper Marinade 1 tbsp olive oil juice and zest of 1 lemon 1 tsp dried sage 1 tsp dried oregano 3 garlic cloves, crushed ½ tsp chilli flakes

To serve chopped sage, thyme and flatleaf parsley lemon wedges METHOD Put the chicken pieces in a bowl and season them with salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients for the marinade together and pour it

over the chicken, rubbing it into and under the skin. Leave the chicken to marinate for at least an hour in the fridge, but preferably overnight. Remove the chicken from the fridge half an hour before you want to cook it. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Spread the onions, pump-

kin, apricots, garlic and sage over the base of a roasting tin and season with salt and black pepper. Drizzle over the olive oil and mix thoroughly so everything is well coated. Put the chicken on top and drizzle over any remaining marinade. Roast in the oven for 45– 50 minutes until everything

is tender and slightly charred round the edges and the chicken is cooked through. Add the olives for the last 5 minutes just to heat through. Serve sprinkled with plenty of herbs and with some lemon wedges on the side to squeeze over the chicken. Serves: 4

Toblerone Cheesecake

Ingredients: For the base 400g bourbon cream biscuits 150g butter, melted For the filling 400g soft cheese 100g caster sugar 500ml cream, lightly whipped 300g Toblerone, melted For the topping

Toblerone chocolate, roughly chopped Method: Line the bottom of a 23cm cheesecake tin with parchment paper. Place the biscuits in a food processor and pulse until it turns into fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse. Transfer the mixture into the

tin and press it down into an even layer. Refrigerate. Whip the soft cheese, melted Toblerone and the sugar until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream and pour the mixture over the biscuit base. Refrigerate overnight. To decorate, top with chopped Toblerone. Prep: 30 Mins Serves: 12

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.com March starts with the Fiestas de la Magdalena 2018 This month kicks off with some fantastic events in Castellón de la Plana with their Fiestas de la Magdalena. Don't miss this exciting weekend!

They are already here. From 3rd to the 11th March, the Fiestas de la Magdalena will take place in the city of Castellón de la Plana, the Big Week with the city celebrations. During these days, the founding of the city will be celebrated with more than 250 acts. Among these acts, there will be some more traditional, such as the Prego, the Romeria de les Canyes, the Parade of Gaiates and l'Encesa de Gaiates, the offering to the Mare de Déu del Lledó or the Magdalena Vitol, which will put the icing on the cake as in previous years. The Fiestas de la Magdalena are synonymous with gunpowder. From 5th to 11th March, the 24th Contest of Mascletàs Castellón City will take place, while the 8th International Festival of Pyrotechnics City of Castellón will take place from 7th to 10th March. On Saturday 10th, there will be a mixed mascletà in the fishing port of Castellón and they will also offer the popular Nit Màgica, by Xarxa Teatre, and the traditional Enfarolà del Campanar (Bell-tower) del Fadrí. A wonderful show that will make us vibrate! Among the scheduled events, you can also visit the I Romantic Magdalena Festival, with performances by the Jacaranda, a group from Castellón and Parrandboleros from Murcia, who will offer a recital with romantic themes. In addition, the Fiestas de la Magdalena will receive a special guest. David Bustamante will act on the premises of Recinto de Ferias y Mercados on Saturday 10th March. The FAMM! will bring life to the streets of Castellón with the best international music with more than 30 bands, groups and companies. And the Herman’s Moreno, los Ballou, Contaminando Sonrisas or José Ferreas & Isidro Silveira will receive their well-deserved applause in a new edition of the Magdalena Circus. There is much more and you have to experience it all!

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A Taste for Something Different The first motorsport themed restaurant on the Costa Blanca has now opened. Silverstones Bar and Bistro is located in Montebello, Algorfa, just across the motorway from Quesada. They promise high quality food, wine and service, specialising in modern international cuisine, fine dining and fine wines, with a personal service. The opening night this week gave guests a taste of what´s to come, but the best recommendation we can give is for you to go along and try for yourself, as we know you won´t be disappointed. You can find out more information on their website, silverstonesbarbistro.com, and on their Facebook page, just search for Silverstones Bar & Bistro.

Official Sponsors of Whats on Guide! Silverstones the first motorsport themed bar and bistro on the Costa Blanca opening on 01 MARCH and offering a fine-dining experience with quality food, fine wines and excellant service. The Bar and Bistro we have all been waiting for you will find Silverstones Bar and Bistro in Montebello, just off Junction 745 on the AP7. Contact them now on 965 729 140 or email: silverstonesbarbistro.com or find them on Facebook. An experience not to be missed!

Until 4 March, 2018 Torrevieja Art exhibition by Alina Plamada called “Looks That Scream” at the Virgen del Carmen Almoradi IV National Artichoke Congress - lots of events over the weekend around the main square - tapas, displays, exhibitions, tasting etc Benidorm VII Gastronomy Week - Soup and Stew Week Albatera Tapas and Gin Route Until Sunday 11 March, 2018 Santa Pola IX Santa Pola Tapas Route (12pm-4pm and 7pm-11pm) Novelda Tapas Route - Route of the Spices Denia XII Tapas Route Until 18 March, 2018 Crevillente 9th Tapas Competition - Tapa and wine for 2,70€ Until 30 March, 2018 Pilar de la Horadada VII Culinary Easter Fest - Lent Flavours - traditional Lent menus from participating restaurants

Local Markets Friday Albatera, Almoines, Banyeres, Benejuzar, Beniarres, Benidoleig, Crevillente, Daimus, Denia (Rastro), El Verger, Finestrat, Gata de Gorgos, Granja de Rocamora, L’ Alfas del Pi, Monforte del Cid, Monstesinos, Moraira, Muro de Alcoi, Oliva, Onil, Petrer, Pilar de la Horadada, Playa de Daimus (summer evenings), Rafol d’ Almunia, Sella, Tibi, Torrevieja, Villalonga. Saturday Alcoi, Alicante, Almoradi, Alqueria, Banyeres, Bellreguard, Benifairo, Benissa, Callosa d’En Sarria, Calpe, Castalla, Castell de Castells, Catral, Elche, Elda , La Font d’En Carros, La Romana, Gaianes, Hondon de las Nieves, Novelda, Ondara, Pedreguer, Tavernes de la Valdigna (summer evenings), San Vicente del Raspeig, Salinas, Relleu, Santa Pola, Xalo (Jalon) Rastro Sunday Benidorm, Elche, La Nucia, Campoverde, Algorfa, La Marina, Zoco, Almoradí street market, Lemon Tree Road, Mil Palmeras. Monday Agres, Callosa d’En Sarria, Cox, Denia, Elche, Formentera, Granja de Rocamora, Ibi, La Nucia, Llocnou de Sant Jeroni, Parcent, Petrer, Penaguila, Playa de Miramar (summer evenings), Monover, Real de Gandia, San Pedro del Pinatar, Santa Pola, Sax, Torremendo, Xeraco Tuesday Alicante (Rastro), Aspe, Altea, Barx, Bellreguard, Benijofar, Campo de Mirra, Castalla, Elda, Orihuela, Palma de Gandia, Piles, Playa de Piles (summer evenings), Rafelcofer, Relleu, San Fulgencio, Sella, Tibi, Villalonga, Xalo(Jalon), Xeresa Wednesday Ador, Albatera, Alcoi, Alqueries, Almoines, Banyeres, Barx, Benjema, Beniaries, Benidorm, Benilloba, Benitatxell, Biar, Callosa de Segura, Calpe (Rastro), El Campello, Elda, Guardamar del Segura, La Font d’en Carros, La Mata, Muchamiel, Monforte del Cid, Novelda, Orba, Ondara, Petrer, Polop, Potries, Rotova, San Miguel de Salinas, Sella, Teulada Thursday Agost, Agres, Albatera, Alguena, Alicante, Aspe, Benidoleig, Campoamor near Cabo Roig medical centre, Cocentaina, Hondon de los Frailes, Llocnou de Sant Jeroni, Pego, Playe de Bellreguard (summer evenings), Rafelcofer, Rojales, Tavernes de Valldigna, Villajoyosa, Xabia (Javia), Xixona (Jijona)

Saturday 3 March, 2018 Torrevieja Concert by Adda Simfónica - Manuel de Falla and Beethoven at the auditorium Sunday 4 March, 2018 Rojales Open Day at the Easy Care Horse Centre Orihuela Circo Theatre - Cyrano de Bergerac 19h Wednesday 7 March, 2018 Torrevieja Concert by Rozalén at the auditorium Thursday 8 March, 2018 Formentera del Segura Laughter Therapy Workshop 8 pm at the San Roque Social/Cultural Centre Thursday 8 to Saturday 10 March, 2018 Benijófar ACTS theatre group perform Peter Quilter’s Duets at the Cultural Centre Friday 9 to Sunday 11 March, 2018 Albatera Tapas and Gin Route Orihuela Street Food Market at the Glorieta Gabriel Miró Saturday 10 to Sunday 11 March, 2018 Torrevieja Expo Torrevieja III held in the foyer of the International Auditorium Saturday 10 March, 2018 Orihuela Circo Theatre - Rapunzel The Musical - musical in Spanish for the whole family 18h Sunday 11 March, 2018 Orihuela III Urban Cross Race - 5km and 10 km. Starts 10.30 am

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SITUATIONS VACANT Solar Power - Sunlife Solar Solutions have vacancies for both a Solar Installation Engineer and a Solar Thermal Engineer (or plumber with pool heating experience). Call 965 271 717 or send your CV to info@sunlifesolarsolutions.c om RADIO SALES - Come and join the team at TKO. Email your cv to admin@tko.media, full training is given so don´t be shy, email us today. Field and telesales reps wanted, full training given, experience desired, call The Courier 966 921 003. Radio Sales - RADIO COSTA MEDIA needs selfemployed salesperson for Torrevieja & surrounding areas. Call 685 901 265 or please email info@radiocosta.eu Realtor vacancy - Proven track record, experience, local knowledge all essential. Car essential, multi-lingual desired. Send CV to: office@easybuyproperties.com CHURCH SERVICES Torrevieja Christian Fellowship at Avenida de las Cortes Valencianas 68, Torrevieja 03183, all welcome to their friendly and lively 10.30 am. Service each Sunday morning. Tele: 966700391 or visit our website on www.tcfspain.org. International Christian Assembly, Calle Pilar de Horadada 5, Torrevieja. Evangelical non-denomina-

tional church. Sunday services 11am. Children's church 11am.. For more information lease Telephone today: 966 799 273 or 660 127 276. QUIZ MASTER Experienced quiz-master /question setter with personality. If you would like a quiz master that is entertaining, and is available to host quiz nights in local bars. Tel: 664 838 581. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES VENDING ROUTE Good monthly cash income. Financing available. 697 834 934 FOR SALE DUE TO RETIREMENT New and Used Furniture Business, well known, repeat business from regular clientele. Trading for over 10 years. Only serious applicants need apply. For more information Tel: 620 582 063 SERVICES STRUCTURAL SURVEYS Mark Paddon BSC Hons Building Surveying MCIOB. CAAT. Buyer’s and defect reports. Tele. 653 733 066 www.surveryorspain.com PROPERTY WANTED WE NEED YOU PROPERTY Clients waiting. Marketed on Rightmove, Zoopla, 100 property portals. Typically sold in 3 months. Independent Estate Agent, your local agent – 15 years experience. www.independentestateag ent.com 695 175 496

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TRELI ON THE TELLY WITH ALEX TRELINSKI

It’s a decade since Benidorm hit ITV screens and I loved last week’s tribute show with all the great clips and characters, which reminded me how brilliant it was and how it still has the potential to reach great heights. Last season floundered badly at times, especially when creator Derren Litten didn’t pen particular episodes, and also Tim Healy was missed due to his illness, whilst Sherrie Hewson’s appearances seemed to be limited. Fortunately, both were back in Wednesday’s opener as Joyce got married to Monty on Peacock Island, with some laugh out loud moments thanks to Mateo’s wedding speech, and I enjoyed Tony “Spandau Ballet” Hadley’s cameo. Sadly the rest of it barely raised a smile for me, despite the return of Nigel Havers as the slimey dentist looking to set up shop in Wash and Blow at the Solana. The Dawson clan just make you cry out for the return of the old Garvey family, and the script was overall short of humour and

Benidorm’s Wedding Fun

inspiration, barring the wedding scenes. I’ve seen worse episodes though, especially last year, but the fact that Benidorm is “being rested” is not a bad thing at all. If you loved Ryan Murphy’s American Crime Story two years ago about the OJ Simpson trial, the ACS team are back with The Assasination of Gianni Versace (BBC 2), and as

you’d expect, it’s great fun, but also very different from the OJ shows. Watching it at US pace (six episodes in, with three to go), the show title is a bit inaccurate, as it really ought be called Andrew Cunanan:-Serial Killer. It’s a fascinating look at the weird mind of Cunanan, chillingly well played by exGlee star and Broadway performer Darren Criss ,

and why he killed his victims before pulling the gun on Versace in the summer of 1997. Yes you get Ricky Martin as Versace’s boyfriend and Penelope Cruz as Versace’s sister, but many of the episodes don’t feature Versace (played by Edgar Ramirez) and his family at all, as the focus is on Cunanan and what made him go off the rails.

Not knowing the story at all, it’s been a riveting watch, which is what you would expect from Ryan Murphy, who recently signed a massive deal to make shows for Netflix. They call it the “happiest show of the week”, and quite right too for Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeway back on ITV last Saturday. I loved the prank on Amanda Holden who

thought she was doing a show on QVC, as things went wrong around her, and what is there not to like about Kylie Minogue? The guys are great and with Ant’s personal life under the spotlight for the last year, you certainly hope that he’s getting a lift out of doing Takeway, as there’s a lot of respect and love out there for him from the viewers and people within the tv industry. The show also benefits from a limited run, so it looks fresh and the production team can cherry-pick the best ideas that work on screen for the best part of a year. There was no happiness to be had with this week’s return of The Walking Dead in an emotion packed episode which saw the expected death of young Carl from a zombie bite back in the autumn. His cool and mature attitude contrasted with that of Lennie James’ character Morgan that’s getting wilder and angrier by the day. This was The Walking Dead producing an absolute top drawer episode.

Friday Jai is horrified to find bruises on Eliza. He calls an ambulance, worried she’s having another seizure. Meanwhile, in Butlers Farm, a flirty Pollard and Faith enter the sitting room. Unbeknown to them, Cain and Moira are getting it on, over on the sofa! Everyone is horrified to discover each other. Elsewhere, Victoria confides in Robert.

Monday Megan and Jai are desperate for answers about Eliza’s condition, but trouble brews when the doctor explains that her bruises may not have come from the seizure. Meanwhile, Brenda tells Dan that she and Bob are setting the date for the wedding as soon as possible. Bob also tries to convince himself that getting married is the best idea. When Laurel arrives, Brenda is quick to tell her they are getting married, Laurel is relieved to think they’ve not been rumbled and congratulates them. Elsewhere, Pete tries to motivate Ross to leave the house, challenging his brother to be the confident Ross he knew. Also today, tensions run high between Cain and Faith.

Tuesday Megan and Jai are delighted for Eliza to be home. However, when Eliza is banned from staying at Holdgate after yesterday’s revelations, Priya

SOAPS

Friday 2nd March 2018 is devastated to realise she is still untrusted. Meanwhile, Frank expresses his concerns to Tracy about whether David is up to the task of being there for her. Elsewhere, a guilty Debbie agrees to try help Pete change Ross’s mind about the skin graft.

Wednesday Cain takes matters into his own hands after hearing that Ross lashed out at Debbie. What will he do? Meanwhile, Jacob teases David for sucking up to Dr. Cavanagh. Vanessa arrives clutching the Hotten Courier and Phil is the main headline, but how will Tracy feel about this? Elsewhere, Priya feels the strain of being under suspicion. Thursday The week goes from bad to worse for Tracy and David after his embarrassment of her past comes to light. Meanwhile, Sam lets slip that Tree Tops is being knocked down, much to the distress of Rebecca. Elsewhere, Faith needs a favour. Also, Joe grows suspicious.

Friday Imran tells Rana that if she goes along with her parents’ plan, it will destroy her. At the same time, Zeedan confides in Leanne that he still loves Rana. Leanne tells him he will find love again. Seeing how upset he is, she agrees to stay for dinner. Concerned that Zeedan is continuing to drink, Leanne is shocked when he makes a pass at her! Meanwhile, as Bethany gets ready for her court case, Craig tries to reassure her, but as she leaves, he gets anxious and his OCD kicks in. Desperate to move out of the house, he is pleased when Kate offers him Luke’s old room. Bethany tells Sarah she may start counselling again. Kate watches with interest as Zeedan chases Leanne down the street, trying to apologise for what happened. When Kate tells Rana what she saw, she is surprised when Rana tells her that she is not surprised Zeedan is showing interest in other women, as their marriage is purely a financial arrangement. Kate and Rana have a heart to heart and declare their love for each other, but how will Zeedan react when he finds them together?

subsiding water. Grabbing his waders, Phelan manages to pull both bodies out. Exhausted, he drops them both in a column mould in the foundations of the mill and turns on the concrete. Back at the house, the party is starting and Eileen calls Phelan to see where he has got to. As his phone buzzes, the vibration causes it to fall off scaffolding and into the foundations. As he tries to retrieve it, Phelan falls into the unset concrete.

With the party in full swing, Eileen is desperately trying to get hold of Phelan but to no avail. Tim offers to run her to the Mill to see if he is there. As the bad weather intensifies, the scaffolding falls on Phelan and he finds himself trapped in the concrete, unable to pull himself out. As he loses consciousness in the rising concrete, will Tim and Eileen get there in time or is this the end of Phelan? Meanwhile, Sophie tells Rosie and Imran that Kate has dumped her. Imran confronts Rana, but she tells him to back off as Zeedan has given them the go ahead for her and Kate to be together. Wednesday After the Mill accident, Tim finds out the truth about Phelan’s part in the Calcutta Street scam. Tim soon decides that Eileen needs to know what went on.

Tracy has had enough – is her marriage to David in serious trouble? Meanwhile, a confused Rebecca lets herself into an empty Home Farm, thinking she still lives there, but is in a muddle over why it’s different. When Joe Tate walks in, she panics and lashes out with a golf club. Elsewhere, Chas is sceptical of Belle and Lachlan’s brewing venture. Also, Rishi plays peacemaker.

Monday As Eileen puts the finishing touches to the party, an uneasy Phelan arrives at the Mill to discover the pumping of the lake is well under way. As the day draws to a close and the workmen leave, he is horrified to see one of the bodies emerging from the

Tim is shocked when Eileen says that she wants him to keep quiet about what Phelan did. Will Tim agree to follow Eileen’s instructions? Meanwhile, Eva decides that the best way to tug at Billy’s heart strings and bring him back home is to start a campaign and include photos of Summer.

Friday The Carter family’s problems get even worse as they fear the consequences of their actions. Are their troubles with Aidan only just beginning? Meanwhile, Kim finally gets her hands on the DNA test results letter. She prepares herself for both possible outcomes, but her advance planning backfires when Denise gets the wrong end of the stick!

Monday Linda insists on calling the police after Aidan strikes again. Mick also pays a visit to Mel when he finds out that she knows Aidan, begging her to help with the worrying situation. When Aidan sees Mick leaving the club, he gives Mel a frightening warning and punches Billy to help make his point. Refusing to be pushed around, Mel gives Mick a number to call if he wants to get rid of Aidan once and for all. Mick rejects the deadly idea, but he soon realises he’s completely out of his depth when petrol is poured in The Vic. Tuesday Mick reconsiders Mel’s risky idea, but is unable to find the number for the hitman. When Phil refuses to help Mick, the Queen Vic landlord turns to Vincent instead, asking whether he wants to join forces to get rid of Aidan once and for all. However, Aidan witnesses the conversation and demands answers from Vincent over

what they were just discussing. Later on, Linda finds the missing phone number. When she hears that Aidan has threatened her children, Linda tells Mick to make the call. It’s not long before the hitman arrives on Albert Square to meet with Mick. How will Mick react when the hitman asks him whether this is what he really wants? Thursday Mick decides it’s time to leave the Square with his family as the threats from Aidan have become too great. Shirley makes one last-ditch effort to sort things out by begging Phil to help Mick. Later on, the Carters say their goodbyes to the pub, but once they reach the Tube station, Mick tells Linda that he’s forgotten his wallet. Arriving back at the pub, Mick waits for Aidan.

Gaskell and Essie are shaken when Fiona returns to the hospital.

As Gaskell fights to save Fiona, he takes drastic action to ensure the future of his trial. Meanwhile, Serena is dismayed to discover that Ric seems to be losing hope in prison. Her determination to find a way to help Ric distracts her from a fight for power within the hospital. Elsewhere, Jac is back on the ward and back on form, but her cheery attitude is drawing suspicion from others.

Week Days 08:00 Breakfast to Brunch with Dennis Christian 12:00 Tim´s Lunchbox with Tim Bridge 14:00 Afternoons with Alex Trelinski - Alex in the Afternoon. 17:00 Drivetime (AKA Tea Time) with Mark Nolan

Weekends Saturday 09:00 Breakfast Medley 12:00 Saturday Afternoons with Paul Norman 15:00 Saturday Sports with Alex Trelinski 18:00 Entertainment Power 20:00 Northern Soul

Sunday 09:00 Breakfast with Tim Bridge 12:00 Soul & Mowtown 14:00 Gary Jackson 16:00 The Retro Chart 18:00 Classic Country

Email: radio@tko.media Facebook: tkospain Phone: 965 50 55 10 Text: 671 33 76 75

Friday TV 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Murder, Mystery and My Family 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Wanted Down Under Revisited 12:45 Caught Red Handed 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 News 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Shakespeare and Hathaway Private Investigators 16:00 Escape to the Country 16:45 Get Away for Winter 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 MasterChef The first quarter-final finds six heat winners with little time to rest on their laurels as they continue their fight to be crowned MasterChef Champion 2018. 21:00 EastEnders The Carters fear the repercussions of their actions. 21:30 Room 101 With host Frank. Stephen Mangan, Phil Wang and Holly Walsh compete to have their pet hates and peeves consigned to Room 101. 22:00 Requiem Matilda meets Laura, who claims to know crucial details about Carys’s disappearance. Matilda starts suffering from disturbing blackouts, and Sean shows himself once again to offer an explanation for what Matilda is experiencing. 23:00 News 23:35 The Young Offenders 00:05 Film - Blades of Glory (PG) 01:30 Weather 01:35 News

07:00 Caught Red Handed 07:30 Get Away for Winter 08:15 Wanted Down Under Revisited 09:00 Back in Time for Tea 10:00 Live: IAAF World Indoor Championship Athletics 14:45 Plan It, Build It 15:15 Yes Chef 16:00 A Place to Call Home 16:50 More Creatures Great and Small 17:20 Greece with Simon Reeve 18:20 Great British Railway Journeys

18:50 Live: IAAF World Indoor Championship Athletics Gabby Logan presents live coverage of the World Championships from Birmingham. The evening session includes the men's long jump final, the women's shot put and 60m finals, and the semifinals of the both the men's and women's 400m. Michael Johnson, Denise Lewis, Paula Radcliffe and Colin Jackson provide expert analysis, while commentary is by Steve Cram, Andrew Cotter and Steve Backley. 23:00 QI 23:30 Newsnight 00:05 The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story 00:55 Film - A Hijacking (PG) 02:35 The Sheriffs Are Coming 03:35 Julius Caesar Revealed 04:35 Royal Recipes 05:15 This Is BBC Two

Brendan O’Carroll fronts new show For Facts Sake

Was Elvis a drug enforcement agent for President Nixon? Is Russia bigger than Pluto? Mrs. Brown’s Boys creator and star Brendan O’Carroll has all the answers in the brand new panel show For Facts Sake on BBC One. Brendan hosts the hilarious new quiz that celebrates ordinary people and their extraordinary facts. Two teams will compete in a series of entertaining rounds and games that uncover some amazing truths about the world we live in. Each team will be captained by a rotating cast of Mrs. Brown’s Boys regulars, with the rest of the panel made up of members of the audience, invited down to join the game. Expect laughs galore as the teams try to outfox each other with their fasci-

nating facts and eye for true trivia. Host Brendan O’Carroll says: “I’m really excited to be doing a show where I don’t have to wear a bra! When we did the pilot it was great fun, if we can capture that on the screen we are all in for a good time.” Charlotte Moore, Director of Content says: "I can't wait for Brendan O'Carroll to bring his own inimitable warmth and wit to a brand new comedy panel show for BBC One." Kate Phillips, Controller E n t e r t a i n m e n t Commissioning, says: “Brendan is extremely funny but also extremely curious and I know our viewers will have a ball laughing and learning with him.” The series will transmit later this year on BBC One.

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07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 Jeremy Kyle 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 News 15:00 James Martin’s American Adventure 16:00 Tenable 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 News 20:00 Emmerdale Victoria confides in Robert. 20:30 Coronation Street Zeedan takes comfort from a sympathetic Leanne. 21:00 Love Your Garden Alan, David, Frances and Katie are in Bideford on the north coast of Devon, where they are helping out the Wood family. Tamsyn Wood, her husband Alex and their four children were living the good life in the south of France but then a terrible brain injury suffered by Alex meant they had to give up that life and return to England. 21:30 Coronation Street Rana admits to Kate that her marriage is a sham. 22:00 Lethal Weapon Riggs and Murtaugh are led into the underground mob world as they investigate a murder in a hospital. Meanwhile, Murtaugh learns that his daughter Riana is secretly dating the son of his neighbour and nemesis. 23:00 News 23:45 Piers Morgan’s Life Stories 00:45 Take Me Out 01:35 Jackpot247 04:00 Alphabetical 04:50 ITV Nightscreen

07:00 Countdown 07:45 3rd Rock From the Sun 08:35 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 11:05 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA 12:00 Undercover Boss USA 13:00 News 13:05 Come Dine with Me 14:05 Posh Pawnbrokers 15:10 Countdown 16:00 A Place in the Sun: Summer Sun 17:00 A New Life in the Sun 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 Extreme Cake Makers 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 News 21:00 Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast Scarlett Moffatt joins Jamie Oliver and Jimmy Doherty at their cafe on Southend Pier. Inspired by a Moffatt family party favourite, Jamie helps Scarlett create the Scotch egg of her dreams. He also cooks a posh twist on a comfort food classic - ultimate fish pie. Meanwhile, Jimmy rustles up a wild game feast in a traditional oven from Down Under and together with Jamie continues to wage war on food waste with a plan to get community fridges onto Britain's streets.

20:00 Inside Kensington Palace A look at the inner workings of the royal home where Queen Victoria was born and raised, and where Hollywood A-listers have partied. 21:00 The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the railway has hired headlining steam engine Royal Scot, but she has a problem with her boiler, carriages that haven’t been serviced in five years, and no-one even knows if she will fit the line.

22:00 Gogglebox Britain’s most opinionated and avid TV viewers comment freely on what the box has to offer.

22:00 Cruising with Jane McDonald Jane gets a feel for New Orleans before boarding the world’s largest steamboat for a trip along the Mississippi. There are sing-along piano bars and a theatre, with excursions to a former plantation and the Louisiana State Penitentiary.

23:00 The Last Leg 00:05 Rude Tube 01:05 Film - 30 Days of Night (18) 03:10 Born to Kill 04:05 Damned 04:35 The Question Jury 05:30 Four Rooms with Sarah Beeny

23:00 Will & Grace 23:30 Jo Brand: Secrets of Her Success 00:30 Jo Brand’s Cats & Kittens 01:15 SuperCasino 04:10 The XFiles 05:00 GPs: Behind Closed Doors

Filming commences on third series of Unforgotten

Filming begins this month on the highly-anticipated third series of ITV and Mainstreet Pictures’ compelling crime drama, Unforgotten. Created and written by screenwriter Chris Lang, the new six-part series sees the return of BAFTA nominee Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar as DCI Cassie Stuart and DI Sunil ‘Sunny’ Khan as they investigate another emotionallycharged cold case. The pair will be joined for the series by acclaimed actors Alex Jennings, Kevin R McNally, Neil Morrissey and James Fleet who play a close-knit group of old

07:00 Milkshake 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:15 Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away! 13:10 News 13:15 GPs: Behind Closed Doors 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 Film - Brace for Impact 18:00 News 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 News

school friends that have stood by one another through thick and thin. However, when the body of a teenage girl who went missing at the turn of the millenium is found at a building site off the M1 motorway, the four men are placed under the spotlight and their relationships are tested to the limit. Set across the south of England in locations including Norfolk, West Sussex, Bristol, Hampshire and London, the new series will explore how everyday lives can be fractured and destroyed by one event, showing that appearances can often be deceiving.”

07:00 The Planet’s Funniest Animals 07:20 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 08:10 Dress to Impress 08:55 Emmerdale 09:55 You’ve Been Framed! 10:25 Ellen DeGeneres 11:15 Who’s Doing the Dishes? 12:10 Dress to Impress 13:15 Emmerdale 14:15 You’ve Been Framed! 14:45 Ellen DeGeneres 15:35 Jeremy Kyle 18:50 Take Me Out 20:00 You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 Two and a Half Men 22:00 Survival of the Fittest 23:30 Celebrity Juice 00:20 Family Guy 01:15 American Dad! ITV 3 07:00 Classic Coronation Street 07:55 Heartbeat 08:55 The Royal 10:00 Judge Judy 11:20 Love Your Garden 12:25 Love Your Garden 13:30 The Royal 14:35 Heartbeat 15:40 Classic Coronation Street 16:45 On the Buses 17:50 You’re Only Young Twice 18:25 Rising Damp 18:55 Heartbeat 20:00 Murder, She Wrote 21:00 Agatha Christie’s Marple 23:00 The Good Karma Hospital 00:00 Secrets of Growing Old 01:05 Film Captain Corelli's Mandolin (14) ITV 4 07:00 Snooker v Darts 07:05 The Chase 08:05 Pawn Stars 08:35 Ironside 09:40 Quincy, M.E. 10:40 Minder 11:50 The Sweeney 13:00 Live: UK Open Darts 18:00 The Avengers 19:00 Storage Wars Texas 20:00 Live: UK Open Darts 00:00 Film - A Dangerous Man

Channel 4 goes on the rampage with the Riot Girls

Channel 4 have announced the commission of Riot Girls, a 1 x 30’ hidden camera prank show fronted by four funny and forthright feminists. Riot Girls – namely Grace Campbell, Sophie Duker, Jen Wakefield and Cam Spence – are some of the UK’s most outspoken and exciting comedic talents. In a series of pranks, stunts and sketches the Riot Girls (working title) will draw attention to just a few issues close to their hearts in a refreshingly bold and brazen way. The Riot Girls will tackle a variety of topical issues; so whilst they highlight the issues surrounding the Gender Pay Gap via the ‘Gappuccino’ one moment, the next they take on women’s bushes with the #savedontshave moment. They also see how passen-

gers deal with them ‘womanspreading’ into their space on public transport, all with unsuspecting members of the public. Becky Cadman, Commissioning Editor for Factual Entertainment at Channel 4 said, “Grace, Sophie, Jen and Cam are four of the freshest comedic talents around at the moment so we are delighted to be working with them on this entertaining and audacious prank show.” Gary Reich, Executive Producer added, “There has never been a more important moment for young women’s voices to be heard, especially when they go about it in such mischievous, riotous ways. And as the home of great mischief we couldn’t be happier to be doing so on Channel 4.” The series will air later this year.

Friday 2nd March 2018

All Together Now: The Final

Churchill's Secret Affair

Saturday - ITV

Sunday - Channel 4

Tonight's the night. Comedian Rob Beckett hosts the Grand Final of All Together Now and the ten finalists compete to be crowned series champion. Whoever wins the title also takes home a life-changing ÂŁ50,000 prize. The finalists each perform a song hoping to get Spice Girl Geri Horner and as many members of The 100 up on their feet joining in. The three acts with the highest scores must then perform one final time in a make or break sing off with a brand new song. The scores are reset to zero, and with so much at stake

Documentary exploring the secret relationship between the prime minister and a woman he met in the South of France during the 1930s. During an important visit to President Roosevelt at the height of the war, he was reunited with his former lover, now stranded in the US and in possession of a portrait that could have a devastating impact during a dangerous period for the nation.

which act will have more of The 100 up on their feet singing along to become champion? The ten finalists include 20 year old Hartlepool busker Michael Rice who scored

the perfect '100' in his heat. Which of the ten finalists has what it takes to win over Geri, Paulus, Mr Fabulous, Lili, Divina and the rest of The 100, and in doing so win the series title and ÂŁ50,000?

When Award Shows Go Horribly Wrong

Live Championship Boxing: Josh Taylor v Humberto Soto Saturday - Channel 5 Josh Taylor v Humberto Soto. Coverage of the bout for the WBC Silver Super Lightweight title, which takes place at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow. Taylor has won all 11 of his fights since turning professional after claiming gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and is expected to face his toughest opponent in Mexican veteran Soto, who has fought 78 times before and is a former two-weight world champion.

Sunday - Channel 5 Julian Clary narrates a compilation of disastrous moments at awards show, including autocue failures

(as well as one act of sabotage courtesy of Michael Barrymore) and wardrobe malfunctions including Madonna's infamous cape disaster. Featuring contribu-

tions from the stars who were present, including Samantha Fox's first-hand account of hosting the infamously shambolic 1989 Brit awards.

Saturday TV 07:00 Breakfast 11:00 Saturday Kitchen Live 12:30 Classic Mary Berry 13:00 Football Focus 14:00 News 14:15 ITU World Series Triathlon 15:45 UCI World Championship Track Cycling 17:30 Final Score 18:10 A Question of Sport 18:40 Celebrity Mastermind 19:10 News 19:25 Pointless Celebrities 20:15 All Together Now Comedian Rob Beckett hosts the grand final and the ten finalists compete to win the title of series champion and take home a lifechanging £50,000 prize. The finalists include Hartlepool busker Michael Rice who scored the perfect “100” in his heat. 21:20 Casualty Dylan struggles to keep his alcoholism a secret from his colleagues, and Bea pushes herself to impress Ethan. 22:10 Troy: Fall of a City The Greeks' grip on the city of Troy tightens, forcing Hector and Paris to embark on a risky mission to enlist the aid of a nearby ally. With only each other for support, the brothers' ordeal tests and strengthens their bond, but when a familiar face tells Hector the disturbing truth about Paris, the pair's newfound kinship is placed in jeopardy once more.

07:10 Nature’s Weirdest Events 07:25 Naomi’s Nightmares of Nature 07:55 The Pets Factor 08:15 The Dengineers 08:45 Absolute Genius: Monster Builds 09:15 Beyond Bionic 09:45 Robot Wars 10:45 Live: IAAF World Indoor Championship Athletics 14:30 Escape to the Continent 15:30 Me and My Dog: The Ultimate Contest 16:30 Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby 17:30 Hugh’s Wild West 18:30 Live: IAAF World Indoor Championship Athletics The World Indoor Championships. Gabby Logan presents coverage of the evening session on the third day of the competition, which takes place at Arena Birmingham. The schedule includes the finals of the men’s 60m, 400m and 800m, as well as the women’s 400m and 1500m finals. With analysis from Michael Johnson, Denise Lewis, Paula Radcliffe and Colin Jackson, and commentary by Steve Cram and Andrew Cotter. 22:30 A Little Chaos A female landscape gardener is awarded the esteemed assignment to construct the grand gardens at Versailles, a gilt-edged position which thrusts her to the very centre of the court of King Louis XIV. (15)

23:10 News 23:30 Match of the Day 00:55 Film - My 00:20 Film - The Help (PG) Brother the Devil (15) 02:40 02:40 Civilisations 03:40 Weather 02:45 News This Is BBC Two

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07:00 CITV 10:25 News 10:30 James Martin’s Saturday Morning 12:25 Dancing on Ice 14:25 News 14:30 ITV Racing: Live from Doncaster 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 News 19:30 You’ve Been Framed!

07:20 3rd Rock From the Sun 08:10 The King of Queens 09:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00 Frasier 11:30 The Big Bang The Theory 13:00 Simpsons 14:30 Come Dine with Me 15:30 Coast vs Country 16:35 A Place in the Sun: Summer Sun 20:00 Ant and Dec’s 17:35 The Secret Life of Zoo 18:35 The Saturday Night Takeaway the The Geordie duo celebrate Supervet 19:30 News the 100th edition, and put their OBEs to good use as 20:00 Penelope Keith’s they join a secret service Coastal Villages Penelope agency staffed by individu- visits East Anglia, where als with honours as their she is plunged into tales of scandal and latest mystery spoof sketch bravery, on coastal gets under way. Cuba intrigue including Gooding Jr is the guest stopovers announcer, and Michael Weybourne, Cley next the Ball and Alfie Boe help out Sea, Thorpeness and with the End of the Show Dunwich. Show. 21:00 Britain at Low Tide 21:30 The Voice UK Music Tori Herridge explores superstars take on the role more tales of Britain's rich of coaches to find the UK’s maritime history, this time next great voice. The singer visiting the banks of the begins their audition with Clyde. In Glasgow, she the coaches turned away. If finds evidence of a busy the judge likes what they Iron Age waterway and an hear, they hit a button to enormous wall built to spin around and reveal the channel the water, illustrating the complex relationface behind the voice. ship between the city and 22:50 Piers Morgan’s Life the river it was built upon. Stories Former Baywatch Film 10 star Pamela Anderson joins 22:00 Piers to reflect on her Cloverfield Lane A woman career and turbulent per- discovers the horrifying sonal life, including marry- truth about the outside ing her first husband world while living in an underground shelter with Tommy Lee. two men. (14) 23:45 News 00:05 Film The Fast and the Furious 00:00 Film - Predator (18) (14) 02:05 Jackpot247 02:00 Ramsay’s Kitchen 04:00 Babushka 04:50 ITV Nightmares USA 02:50 The Last Leg 03:45 Hollyoaks Nightscreen

07:00 Milkshake 11:10 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 11:40 Dogs Make You Laugh Out Loud 4 12:10 Police Interceptors 15:10 Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away! 18:00 Rich House, Poor House 19:00 The Secret Life of Kittens

07:00 CITV 10:25 News 10:30 Love Your Garden 11:00 Peston on Sunday 12:00 The Voice UK 13:20 News 13:30 Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway 15:00 What Would Your Kid Do? 16:00 Britain’s Brightest Family 16:30 Tipping Point 17:30 News 18:00 The Chase: Celebrity Special

07:20 The King of Queens 08:10 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:00 Frasier 10:30 Sunday Brunch 13:30 Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast 14:30 The Simpsons 15:55 Film Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (PG) 17:55 Film Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (PG) 19:40 News

07:00 Milkshake 10:25 FIA 11:45 Football Formula E Motor Racing 12:50 Police Interceptors 13:50 Film - Wyatt Earp (12) 17:25 Film - The Dirty Dozen (15)

19:00 Dancing on Ice Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby present the semi-final of the skating contest. Only four celebrities remain in the running and only three of them will be going through to next week's grand finale. They must put on a spectacular show to impress judges Christopher Dean, Jayne Torvill, Jason Gardiner and Ashley Banjo, before a final skate-off decides who will be leaving the show.

20:00 Posh Pawn Highend pawnbroker James heads to Marbella to appraise a 75-foot yacht worth £250,000, and an aspiring restaurateur wants to raise £80,000 by selling his Ferrari Spyder.

20:00 Cruising with Jane McDonald Starting in Vancouver, Jane cruises around Alaska, enjoying a dog sledding adventure on an ice field, visiting the Glacier Bay National Park, meeting the cast of the onboard nightly musicals. 21:00 Great British Royal Ships Rob Bell examines RMS Queen Mary, the most famous ocean liner ever built and the first merchant naval ship ever to have been launched by a reigning sovereign. 21:55 News 22:00 Football Colin Murray introduces highlights from the weekend's games in the Championship, including Wo l v e r h a m p t o n Wanderers v Reading, Aston Villa v Queens Park Rangers, Sheffield United v Burton Albion and Middlesbrough v Leeds United at the Riverside Stadium. 23:00 Live Championship Boxing 00:30 Football 01:00 SuperCasino 04:10 Cowboy Builders Builders 05:45 House Doctor 06:10 Nick's Quest

07:00 The Planet’s Funniest AnimalsG 07:10 Emmerdale Omnibus 09:40 Coronation Street Omnibus 12:35 Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway 14:15 Film Looney Tunes: Back in Action 16:00 Film - Nanny McPhee & The Big Bang 18:15 Film Hotel Transylvania (PG) 20:00 Film - Uncle Buck (PG) 22:00 Film - White House Down (14) 00:35 Family Guy 01:35 American Dad! 02:30 The Ibiza Weekender 03:30 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 03:55 Teleshopping ITV 3 07:00 Murder, She Wrote 09:55 A Touch of Frost 14:20 Agatha Christie’s Marple 16:25 Columbo 18:00 Midsomer Murders 00:00 LewisPG 02:00 The Good Karma HospitalMA 15+ 02:55 ITV3 Nightscreen ITV 4 07:00 The Protector 07:25 The Avengers 09:30 FIM World Superbike Series Motorcycle Racing 10:30 ITV Racing 11:35 Storage Wars Texas 13:00 Storage Wars 13:30 Live: UK Open Darts 18:00 Football’s Greatest 18:05 Pawn Stars 20:00 Live: UK Open Darts 00:05 Film - Reservoir Dogs (18) 02:10 Minder 03:10 Tommy Cooper 03:40 ITV4 Nightscreen

Sunday TV 07:00 Breakfast 08:30 Match of the Day 10:00 The Andrew Marr Show 11:00 The Big Questions 12:00 Sunday Politics 13:15 Murder, Mystery and My Family 14:00 News 14:15 MasterChef 16:45 Money for Nothing 17:15 Songs of Praise 17:50 Film Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa 19:05 News

07:05 Coast 07:50 The A to Z of TV Gardening 08:15 The Instant Gardener 09:00 Gardeners’ World 09:30 Countryfile 10:30 Saturday Kitchen Best Bites 12:00 Spring Kitchen With Tom Kerridge 12:45 Lorraine Pascale: How to Be a Better Cook 13:15 MOTD2 Extra 14:00 Live: UCI World Championship Track Cycling 15:45 Live: 19:30 Countryfile Helen IAAF World Indoor Skelton presents a compila- Championship Athletics tion of items from previous 19:00 Back in Time for Tea episodes on the theme of water. 20:00 The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes 20:30 Hold the Sunset Mrs Piers Taylor and Caroline Gale appoints herself mar- Quentin head to Portugal. riage counsellor to Roger They discover four extraorand Wendy. dinary homes, built with great design and crafts21:00 Call the Midwife manship and set within Barbara's condition is not stunning landscapes. improving and she is kept in isolation at the hospital, 21:00 Top Gear Matt leaving her friends able to LeBlanc and Chris Harris do nothing but wait for more head into the Californian news. Dr Turner and woods to test off-road toys Shelagh assist a man being and hunt for Big Foot. held in a remand home whose wife is pregnant. 22:00 Life and Death Row Two men, both admitting to 22:00 Strike Strike and brutal attacks on women, Robin’s partnership reach- with victims including an es breaking point as 11-year-old girl, are the Robin’s wedding approach- next in line to be executed, es and they disagree about as time continues to run out how to ensnare a man who for the State. abuses children. 23:20 The Mash Report 23:00 News 23:30 Match of 23:50 Top Gear: Extra Gear the Day 2 00:30 Film - 00:15 Cleverman 01:10 Reign of Fire (PG) 02:05 Question Time 02:10 Holby Weather 02:10 News City 03:10 This Is BBC Two

21:00 Churchill’s Secret Affair An explosive documentary revealing new evidence of Winston Churchill’s secret affair and how it came to haunt him. 22:00 Homeland Carrie comes face to face with a distressing realisation, and Saul attempts a negotiation. Meanwhile, Keane and Wellington fail to see eye to eye.

21:00 Endeavour A death at an international sporting event leads Endeavour to investigate more than just the crime. Meanwhile, Thursday continues to deal with the threat of under23:05 8 Out of 10 Cats world activity in Oxford. Does Countdown 00:05 23:00 News 23:15 Peston Lee Mack: Hit the Road on Sunday 00:15 The Mack 01:05 Film - The Martin Lewis Money Show Haunting (12) 03:00 KOTV 00:40 100 Year Old Driving Boxing Weekly 03:30 The School 01:05 Marcella Supervet 04:25 Obsessive 02:00 Jackpot247 04:00 Compulsive Cleaners Take on the Twisters 04:50 05:20 Coast vs Country ITV Nightscreen 06:10 Superfoods

20:20 Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away! Max and Steve have a writ to recover a disputed debt owed by the owner of a bridal shop, and also face a challenging eviction. 21:00 Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away! Max and Paul are in central London with a writ to recover unpaid parking fines. Stewart and Vic are chasing a debt owed to a shipping company by a scrapyard owner. 21:55 News Award When 22:00 Horribly Go Shows Wrong The Oscars, the Brits, Golden Globes and the Grammys all going wrong on a spectacular scale. From trips and stumbles on the red carpet to far-fetched acceptance speeches, and from wrong winners announced to sore losers who lashed out. 00:55 Jo Brand: Secrets of 01:50 Success Her 02:05 Cruising 04:10 SuperCasino Cowboy Builders

07:00 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 07:35 You’ve Been Framed! 08:00 Emmerdale Omnibus 10:45 Coronation Street Omnibus 13:40 Mr Bean 14:40 The Voice UK 16:05 Film The Flintstones 17:50 Film Legally Blonde (PG) 19:45 Film - Jack the Giant Slayer (PG) 22:00 The Ibiza Weekender 23:00 Family Guy 00:25 American Dad! 01:25 The Cleveland Show 01:50 Bachelorette ITV 3 07:00 Murder, She Wrote 08:50 Heartbeat 11:00 Columbo 12:35 A Touch of Frost 14:50 Agatha Christie’s Marple 17:00 Lewis 19:00 The Durrells 21:00 Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs 22:00 Tonight at the London Palladium 23:00 Film Chocolat (PG) 01:25 Life of Crime 02:25 Blue Murder 03:40 George and Mildred ITV 4 07:00 Football’s Greatest 07:15 The Sweeney 09:15 Minder 11:25 Storage Wars 13:45 Live: UK Open Darts 18:00 Football’s Greatest 18:05 Pawn Stars 20:00 Live: UK Open Darts 00:00 Film - The Keeper (15) 01:55 River Monsters

32 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Murder, Mystery and My Family 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Wanted Down Under Revisited 12:45 Caught Red Handed 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 News 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators 16:00 Escape to the Country 16:45 Coast and Country Auctions 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 Inside Out 21:00 EastEnders The Carters wait to feel the wrath of Aidan. 21:30 Classic Mary Berry Mary demonstrates a simple version of a classic kedgeree, as well as breakfast drop scones, a chicken, avocado and bacon salad, and easy beefburgers. 22:00 MasterChef Seven more contenders compete in the cookery challenge, with their first task being to invent and then cook one dish using ingredients from the MasterChef Market in an hour and 10 minutes. Only four contestants will survive the first round, and are then challenged to prepare a two-course meal. 23:00 News 23:45 Imagine... 00:50 Have I Got News for You 01:35 Weather for the Week Ahead 01:40 News

Friday 2nd March 2018

07:00 Caught Red Handed 07:30 Get Away for Winter 08:15 Wanted Down Under Revisited 09:00 Hugh’s Wild West 10:00 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 12:30 The Week in Parliament 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Perfection 14:45 Plan It, Build It 15:15 Yes Chef 16:00 A Place to Call Home 16:50 Pilgrimage with Simon Reeve 17:50 More Creatures Great and Small 18:20 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys 20:00 Top Gear Matt and Chris head into the Californian woods to test off-road toys and hunt for Big Foot. Rory invents the sport of reverse camera racing, while Chris tests the new McLaren 720S. 21:00 Only Connect Two teams of round three losers return for a last chance to stay in the competition. 21:30 University Challenge Quiz.

22:00 Collateral As the net draws in, DI Kip Glaspie enters a dangerous power play with MI5. But is it too late to save everyone involved?

22:00 Marcella Marcella needs to take control of her blackouts urgently or risk losing her children. Meanwhile, her pursuit of Phil Dawkins ends with tragic consequences.

23:00 Two Doors Down 23:25 Big Field 23:30 Newsnight 00:15 Natural Curiosities 00:45 Odyssey 02:10 Countryfile 03:05 Royal Recipes

23:00 News 23:50 Serial Killer 00:50 The Detectives 01:40 The Kyle Files 02:05 Jackpot247 04:00 Jeremy Kyle

Monday TV 07:00 Milkshake 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:15 Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away! 13:10 News 13:15 GPs: Behind Closed Doors 14:10 Access 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:20 NCIS 16:15 Film - Forbidden Secrets 18:00 News 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 News

21:00 Dispatches Does the Financial Ombudsman act in favour of banks and against their customers? Dispatches goes undercover to investigate.

20:00 Aviva Premiership Rugby The best action from across the weekend. Exeter and Saracens meet in a crunch clash at Sandy Park. There’s also action from Wasps v London Irish, Gloucester v Newcastle, Harlequins v Bath, Worcester v Leicester and Northampton v Sale.

21:30 Food Unwrapped Jimmy hunts for the mother of all lagers. Plus, can changing the shape of food help our children eat their vegetables?

21:00 Winter Road Rescue Storms Eleanor and Doris drive lorries off the road, cut off a Scottish village and put trafficked migrants in danger.

22:00 24 Hours in Police Custody A man lies dead in a Peterborough park. Detectives are called in to investigate this real-life whodunnit. But rigor mortis has set in and the trail of evidence is going cold.

22:00 The Unstoppable Flying Scotsman With steam on its way out, it fell to enthusiast Alan Pegler to save the mighty Scotsman, but his ambitions saw her stranded stateside. Three owners later, it was revamped by the National Railway Museum in the 00s.

23:00 Electric Dreams 00:05 Married at First Sight 01:10 The £1 Houses: 02:05 The Job Interview 03:00 Obsessive Compulsive CleanersPG 03:55 The Question Jury

23:00 The X-Files 00:55 Traffic Cops 01:55 Britain’s Greatest Bridges 02:10 SuperCasino

07:20 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 08:10 Dress to Impress 08:55 Emmerdale 09:20 Coronation Street 10:25 Ellen DeGeneres 11:15 Who’s Doing the Dishes? 12:10 Dress to Impress 13:15 Emmerdale 13:50 Coronation Street 14:45 Ellen DeGeneres 15:35 Jeremy Kyle 17:55 Judge Rinder 19:00 Take Me Out 20:30 You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 Two and a Half Men 22:00 Family Guy 22:30 American Dad! 23:00 Action Team ITV 3 07:00 Classic Coronation Street 07:50 Heartbeat 08:55 The Royal 09:55 Judge Judy 11:20 Inspector Morse 13:35 The Royal 14:40 Heartbeat 15:40 Classic Coronation Street 16:50 On the Buses 17:55 You’re Only Young Twice 18:25 Rising Damp 19:00 Heartbeat 20:00 Murder, She Wrote 21:00 Lewis 23:00 DCI Banks ITV 4 07:00 The Chase 08:40 Ironside 09:40 Quincy, M.E. 10:40 Minder 11:50 The Sweeney 12:55 The Avengers 14:00 Ironside 15:05 Quincy, M.E. 16:10 Minder 17:15 The Sweeney 18:25 The Avengers 19:30 Storage Wars 20:00 Pawn Stars 20:55 River Monsters 23:00 Film - Rush Hour

Tuesday TV 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Murder, Mystery and My Family 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Wanted Down Under Revisited 12:45 Caught Red Handed 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 News 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators 16:00 Escape to the Country 16:45 Coast and Country Auctions 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 EastEnders The Carters reach breaking point and consider extreme action. 21:00 Holby City Gaskell battles to protect his trial and save his patient, Serena is determined to find a solution as she begins to fear that Ric is losing hope, and Jac returns with a spring in her step. 22:00 Shetland Ignoring Secret Service warnings to the contrary, Perez and Tosh track down Mathias Soderland. Back on Shetland, Drew speaks eloquently at a beach memorial service held for Sally McColl, but Thomas turns up to try and talk to Kate and makes a scene. 23:00 News 23:45 This Country 00:15 The Gap Year Paedophile 01:15 Weather for the Week Ahead 01:20 News

07:00 Caught Red Handed 07:30 Coast and Country Auctions 08:15 Wanted Down Under Revisited 09:00 Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 10:00 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 The Super League Show 14:45 Plan It, Build It 15:15 Yes Chef 16:00 A Place to Call Home 16:50 Pilgrimage with Simon Reeve 17:50 More Creatures Great and Small 18:20 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys

20:30 100 Year Old Driving School Jill Hartley, a 91-year-old from Yorkshire, takes a mature driving test, and cameras also follow 101-year-old 20:00 Saving Lives at Sea Don Showell, whose A father and daughter tread drives around Devon have water for almost an hour left wife Joanie worried. after being swept out. 21:00 What Would Your 21:00 Back in Time for Kid Do? Children are Tea The Ellis’s 80’s home is filmed in a school specially a homage to chintz and rigged with hidden cammagnolia with the exciting eras. In the studio, host addition of some new tech- Jason Manford challenges parents to predict what nology! their child will do in each 22:00 Amazing Hotels: situation, providing an Life Beyond the Lobby insight into the developing Giles and Monica travel to minds of five to seven the Anantara Al Jabal Al year-olds. Akhdar in Oman. It’s the highest 5-star hotel in the 22:00 100 Years Younger Middle East and a resort in 21 Days June Brown, seeking to blend local tradi- Claire King, Roy Walker, Sid Owen, Sherrie tion with modern tastes. Hewson, Shaun Ryder, 23:00 Mum 23:25 The Russell Grant and Sandra Archiveologists 23:30 Martin continue with the Newsnight 00:15 The anti-ageing regimen. World’s Most Extraordinary Homes 01:15 Panorama 23:00 News 23:45 The 02:15 Generation Gifted Cruise 00:15 Benidorm 03:15 Royal Recipes 04:00 01:10 Jackpot247 04:00 Loose Women This Is BBC Two

07:00 Countdown 07:45 3rd Rock From the Sun 08:35 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 11:00 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA 12:00 Undercover Boss USA 13:00 News 13:05 Come Dine with Me 14:05 Posh Pawnbrokers 15:10 Countdown 16:00 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 17:00 A New Life in the Sun 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 Extreme Cake M a k e r s 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 News 21:00 The Great Celebrity Bake Off: Stand Up To Cancer Comedian Harry Hill, Spandau Ballet's Martin Kemp, actor and writer Roisin Conaty, and broadcaster Bill Turnbull take part in the charity contest. Sandi and Noel guide them through the assorted challenges, and Paul and Prue pass judgment on their baking skills. 22:15 Seven Year Switch Four brave couples take radical steps to try to save their failing relationships by switching partners, in an experiment to help find out if they really want to stay together. 23:25 Gogglebox 00:25 Before We Die 01:35 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA 02:25 World of Weird 03:20 The Supervet 04:15 The Question Jury

07:00 Milkshake 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:15 Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away! 13:05 Access 13:10 News 13:15 GPs: Behind Closed Doors 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 Film - Bond of Silence 18:00 News 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 News 20:00 Loch Lomond: A Year in the Wild It is now June, and the park is bathed in 17 hours of daylight. With the warm temperatures come rich pickings, but for the newborn the summer months are crucial as they learn to fight, find food and avoid predators. 21:00 Secrets of the National Trust with Alan Titchmarsh Alan visits Stowe in Buckinghamshire, a magnificent landscape garden of late 18th-century Britain and the site of a wellknown public school. 22:00 Wild Britain Revealing the hidden lives of the familiar and the more unusual animals in the United Kingdom, including the golden eagle, red deer and reindeer. 23:00 Elizabeth: Our Queen 00:05 The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard 01:05 Weather Terror 02:00 SuperCasino 04:10 Cowboy Builders

08:10 Dress to Impress 08:55 Emmerdale 09:20 Coronation Street 10:25 Ellen DeGeneres 11:15 Who’s Doing the Dishes? 12:10 Dress to Impress 13:15 Emmerdale 13:50 Coronation Street 14:45 Ellen DeGeneres 15:35 Jeremy Kyle 17:55 Judge Rinder 19:00 Take Me Out 20:00 You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 Two and a Half Men 22:00 Film - The Expendables (15) ITV 3 07:50 Heartbeat 08:55 The Royal 09:55 Judge Judy 11:20 Inspector Morse 13:35 The Royal 14:35 Heartbeat 15:40 Classic Coronation Street 16:45 On the Buses 17:50 You’re Only Young Twice 18:25 Rising Damp 18:55 Heartbeat 20:00 Murder, She Wrote 21:00 Midsomer Murders 23:00 Scott & Bailey ITV 4 07:45 Pawn Stars 08:10 Pawn Stars 08:30 Ironside 09:30 Quincy, M.E. 10:30 Minder 11:35 The Sweeney 12:45 The Avengers 13:50 Ironside 14:50 Quincy, M.E. 15:55 Minder 17:00 The Sweeney 18:05 The Avengers 19:10 Storage Wars 20:05 Pawn Stars 21:00 River Monsters 22:00 Britain’s Busiest Airport 23:00 Film - The Outlaw Josey Wales (15)

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07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Murder, Mystery and My Family 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Wanted Down Under Revisited 12:45 Caught Red Handed 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 News 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators 16:00 Escape to the Country 16:45 Coast and Country Auctions 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 Panorama Nick Robinson investigates public concerns about immigration, and addresses some of the big unanswered questions about how a new system could work after Brexit. 21:00 DIY SOS: The Big Build Nick Knowles and the DIY SOS team transform the home of a police officer who was a victim of the Westminster Bridge terrorist attack in March 2017, suffering horrific injuries which left him wheelchair bound. 22:00 Earth’s Natural Wonders Documentary exploring some of the most inhospitable places on the planet concludes by shedding light on the lives of the Kamayura People, who reside in Brazil's Xingu Indigenous Park. 23:00 News 23:45 A Question of Sport 00:15 Film 2018 00:45 Film Memento (14) 02:35 Weather for the Week Ahead 02:40 News

07:00 Caught Red Handed 07:30 Coast and Country Auctions 08:15 Wanted Down Under Revisited 09:00 See Hear 09:30 Great British Railway Journeys 10:00 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 News 12:30 Daily Politics 14:00 Perfection 14:45 Plan It, Build It 15:15 Yes Chef 16:00 A Place to Call Home 16:55 Pilgrimage with Simon Reeve 17:55 More Creatures Great and Small 18:25 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys

07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 Jeremy Kyle 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 News 15:00 James Martin’s American Adventure 16:00 Tenable 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 News 20:00 Emmerdale Cain takes matters into his own hands. 20:30 Coronation Street Tim uncovers one of Phelan’s past crimes.

20:00 Saving Lives at Sea Off the coast of Bridlington, a kayaker has been missing for an hour, and only the crews’ tidal knowledge can track him down.

21:00 Britain’s Brightest Family The Wright-Strong family from Lancashire take on the Spiliopoulou family from Hertfordshire for a place in the quarterfinals of the knockout quiz tournament.

21:00 The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes Piers and Caroline travel to Switzerland in search of four extraordinary homes.

21:30 Coronation Street Tyrone explains to Gemma why he lied to Fiz.

22:00 The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Andrew Cunanan appears in Miami, with the sinister intention of stalking Gianni. 22:50 Live at the Apollo Alan Carr is your host as he introduces two of comedy”s biggest stars, the fabulously funny Francesca Martinez and rising comedy star Nish Kumar. 23:30 Newsnight 00:15 Nature’s Weirdest Events 01:00 Women’s Football 03:10 See Hear 03:40 Flatpack Empire 04:40 Royal Recipes 05:25 This Is BBC Two

22:00 Benidorm The wedding party return after a messy night out sleeping under the stars, but there is no sign of Kenneth. Jacqueline’s concern turns to joy when he arrives back unharmed following a romantic interlude after having been rescued at sea, but her joy soon turns sour when her suspicions that the new dental practice in the Blow & Go is going to come back to haunt her are confirmed.

22:00 One Born Every Minute The award-winning documentary series moves to Birmingham Women's Hospital, following the highs and lows of a new group of soon-to-be parents in the maternity ward. In the first episode, 25year-old Samantha and her partner Tony, who struggled for years to conceive, return to the ward after losing their first child at 25 weeks.

23:00 News 23:45 UEFA Champions League Football 00:45 Play to the Whistle 01:35 Jackpot247 04:00 Tenable 04:50 ITV Nightscreen

23:00 Damned 23:35 24 Hours in Police Custody 00:35 999: On the Frontline 01:30 European Tour Poker 02:25 Film The East (PG)

07:00 Milkshake 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:15 Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away! 13:10 News 13:15 GPs: Behind Closed Doors 14:05 Access 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 Film - Love You to Death 18:00 News 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 News 20:00 Winter Road Rescue Storms Eleanor and Doris drive lorries off the road, cut off a Scottish village and put trafficked migrants in danger. 21:00 GPs: Behind Closed Doors Cases include a man with back pain caused by lifting a TV, a muslim whose dizzy spells are caused by the way he prays, a blind man with whiplash, a teenage insomniac, a cancer survivor with infected cellulitis, and a lady with pain in her abdomen. 22:00 Violent Child, Desperate Parents Laverne Antrobus meets 29-year-old mother Lisa, who is bearing the brunt of extremely violent outbursts from her six-year-old daughter, Demi. Keen to understand what triggers Demi's violance, Laverne attempts to understand why Lisa seems resigned to being hurt by her daughter, and in doing so, she uncovers some past trauma. 23:00 Most Shocking Celebrity Moments 2017 01:55 SuperCasino 04:10 Cowboy Builders

07:00 The Planet’s Funniest Animals 07:20 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 08:10 Dress to Impress 08:55 Emmerdale 09:20 The Cube 10:25 Ellen DeGeneres 11:15 Who’s Doing the Dishes? 12:10 Dress to Impress 13:15 Emmerdale 13:40 You’ve Been Framed! 14:45 Ellen DeGeneres 15:35 Jeremy Kyle 17:50 Judge Rinder 18:50 Take Me Out 20:00 You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 Two and a Half Men 22:00 Hell’s Kitchen USA 23:00 Hell’s Kitchen USA 23:55 Family Guy ITV 3 07:00 Classic Coronation Street 07:55 Heartbeat 08:55 The Royal 09:55 Judge Judy 11:20 Inspector Morse 13:35 The Royal 14:35 Heartbeat 15:40 Classic Coronation Street 16:45 On the Buses 17:55 You’re Only Young Twice 18:25 Rising Damp 18:55 Heartbeat 20:00 Murder, She Wrote 21:00 Endeavour 23:00 Law & Order: UK ITV 4 07:00 The Chase 07:45 Pawn Stars 08:30 Ironside 09:25 Quincy, M.E. 10:30 Minder 11:35 The Sweeney 12:45 The Avengers 13:50 Ironside 14:50 Quincy, M.E. 15:55 Minder 17:00 The Sweeney 18:05 The Avengers 19:10 Storage Wars 20:05 Pawn Stars 21:00 Britain’s Busiest Motorway 22:00 Film Falling Down (18)

4 am Bar and Disco in Torrevieja

Busy Bar/Café in La Marina

Ice Cream Cafeteria and Bar in Alicante

The opportunity to buy such a well-known busy bar in Torrevieja does not come around very often. This is a large, fantastic unit in the heart of where it all happens. No competition and with lots of foot traffic plus a 4 am license. Fully sound-proofed. Inside: 250 sq m and 350 sq m outide terrace. Close to the new location of the Friday market.

EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY to purchase the lease of a café/bar/restaurant located on a busy high street in the centre of a Spanish village just 300 metres from the blue flag white sandy beaches nearby. Huge expat clientele throughout the area. East-facing front terrace with outdoor dining and many more covers inside. Fully equipped.

Located in an eye-catching position near to the Alicante Port, this unit with glass-fronted shop window is ideally positioned to catch shoppers, tourists and local residents all year. The business itself, which is still in its infancy, has boasted a good summer’s trade, and could be expanded to sell other goodies such as smoothies etc.

Property ID: 1070 - 210,000€

Property ID: 1054 - 30,000€

Property ID: 1060 - 15,500€

Laundry and Dry Cleaning Business in San Fulgencio

Well-Known Local Golf Bar in Entre Naranjos

Fish and Chip Shop on the Orihuela Costa

This well-established commercial laundry business is up for sale after 20 years running. The whole premises are being offered freehold and consist of the launderette on the upper level and an additional premises on the lower level that is included too. The business is being sold fully furnished with two washers, two dryers and two ironing tables.

Great business opportunity in a golfing area full of European expats. Very busy and popular bar, with good turnover. This popular bar/cafe has a yearlong full programme of events, shows, bingo, quizzes, karaoke, darts, pool, dominoes, and even a skittle alley. The first bar on Entre Naranjos, so known by a lot of people over the years.

This leasehold property is located between two busy Irish bars and a popular shopping centre. It has 104 covers: 32 inside; 40 on the front terrace and 32 at the rear, with the facility to extend. The leasehold is for another three years and can be renewed. If you fancy setting up a good old fish and chip business, here’s your chance.

Property ID: 1048 - 195,000€

Property ID: 1055 - 60,000€

Property ID: 1053 - 39,000€

Family-Run Bar/Restaurant in a Popular Tourist Area

American-Style Diner-Bar-Restaurant in Torrevieja

Successful Restaurant in La Zenia

This well-established, well-known family run is fortunate to have a continuous passing trade. The business has made its mark due to its warm friendly welcome and delicious homemade English food. Inside and out, 80 customers can be seated. The premises is fully licensed, plus has free wifi, sound system, BBQ area, covered patio and good parking.

This American-style diner is in a great location in Torrevieja and front line to the sea, bringing good passing trade on a daily basis. The terrace is just a stone’s throw away from the water’s edge giving amazing open views with a cool summer breeze. Recentley refurbished, all furniture and installations are new. Air conditioning and plasma screen.

Successful well-known restaurant located in the most popular area of La Zenia, in front of a large shopping centre. Internal seating for 66 customers and an outstanding terrace space seating 86 customers for al fresco dining. Fully fitted and ready to go. Total area: 207m2. This a great investment opportunity which makes this a must-view.

Property ID: 1022 - 49,500€

Property ID: 2597 - 45,000€

Property ID: 1046 - 125,000€

Luxury Dog Kennels with Quality Owner Accommodation These well-designed kennels incorporate quarantine rooms and animal isolation rooms as well as a vet’s room for weekly vets visits. The current owners also offer extra services such as grooming and the shipment of dogs worldwide. The kennels are located in a stunning rural location only 25 minutes’ drive from Alicante and surrounded by farmland and a national park. The 126m2 kennels have excellent facilities and clients from both the Spanish and the English-speaking communities. The living accommodation consists of a three double-bedroom house, all bedrooms being en-suite, bathroom with separate shower, open-plan, large living/dining room and kitchen. Externally, there is a patio, pool house and recently built pool alongside an additional lounge. Both the house and business, which are thermally insulated, are self-sufficient in electricity provided by solar panels, a stateof-the-art battery bank and two generators. The property built on 270m2 also benefits from two water deposits. The 30 kennels are housed in a range of buildings and enclosures and they are of various sizes to accommodate different sizes and breeds of dogs. There is also an office, kitchen, shower room/WC and vets surgery in the kennel complex. General Amenities * Owner Accommodation Included Solar Installation * Well-Established Business * Close to Airports * Panoramic Views Exterior Amenities * Enclosed Swimming Pool * Outside Kitchen

Property ID: 1070 - 395,000€

Friday 2nd March 2018

07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Murder, Mystery and My Family 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Wanted Down Under Revisited 12:45 Caught Red Handed 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 News 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators 16:00 Escape to the Country 16:45 Coast and Country Auctions 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 EastEnders Linda’s nerves get the better of her. 21:00 MasterChef Seven amateurs must attempt to impress the “MasterChef” champions Thomasina Miers and Steven Wallis, and finalist Daksha Mistry. After the four hopefuls have cooked, John and Gregg will decide who has what it takes to go on. 22:00 Not Going Out Lucy’s father reluctantly allows Lee to help Lucy clear up the builder’s mess in their new kitchen extension. 22:30 Still Game Winston appeals to his friends for help as asbestos is forcing him out of his flat for a while, but with nobody keen to take him in, he has to find an alternative arrangement. 23:00 News 23:45 Question Time 00:45 This Week 01:30 Weather 01:35 News

07:00 Caught Red Handed 07:30 Coast and Country Auctions 08:15 Wanted Down Under Revisited 09:00 Earth’s Natural Wonders 10:00 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Perfection 14:45 Plan It, Build It 15:15 Yes Chef 16:00 A Place to Call Home 16:50 A Place to Call Home 17:45 More Creatures Great and Small 18:15 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys 20:00 Saving Lives at Sea In Ireland, the Castletownbere crew race to rescue a lone yachtsman who has lost his mast and is drifting powerless in 10 metre waves, 45 miles out to sea.

07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 Jeremy Kyle 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 News 15:00 James Martin’s American Adventure 16:00 Tenable 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 News 20:00 Emmerdale David struggles with his feelings. 20:30 Tonight The number of potholes is believed to be at record levels across the country, putting lives at risk on the roads and hitting motorists in the pocket. With more vehicles on the highways and councils saying they do not have the funds to repair them, Adam Shaw investigates what can be done.

21:00 Great Continental Railway Journeys rmed with his trusty 1913 Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide, Michael Portillo ventures east to the independent state of Ukraine, a land that was once part of the Russian empire.

21:00 Emmerdale Tracy’s had enough.

22:00 Civilisations Professor Mary Beard explores images of the human body in ancient art, from Mexico and Greece to Egypt and China. Mary seeks answers to fundamental questions at the heart of ideas about civilisations.

22:00 Rachel Nickell: The Untold Story An indepth look at an appalling and tragic case that has changed lives, ended careers, tarnished reputations and ultimately changed policing.

23:00 MOTD: The Premier League Show 23:30 Newsnight 00:45 This Week 01:30 Weather 01:35 News

21:30 The Cruise: Voyage to Alaska Captain Tuvo and his crew are navigating Star Princess to a World Heritage site, Glacier Bay National Park.

23:00 News 23:45 UEFA Europa League Football 00:45 Play to the Whistle 01:35 Lethal Weapon 02:20 Jackpot247 04:00 Tonight 04:25 ITV Nightscreen

Here's why Line of Duty series 5 won't be on until 2019 Line of Duty fans have to wait until 2019 for their next fill of AC-12 action, but there's a good reason for it. Speaking about new spy spoof Action Team, Vicky McClure (right) also addressed the two-year wait between series four and five, despite the previous series arriving only a year after series three. "I think it's Jed [Mercurio] doing Bodyguard because it's quite a big show to write, so that is all I think," she explained. Bodyguard reunites Mercurio with Keeley Hawes who plays Home Secretary Julia Montague in the BBC One series that examines our contentious political climate through the eyes of a

former soldier, played by Game of Thrones' Richard Madden. McClure's Action Team costar Tom Davis (below) had a slightly different take on the show though, jokingly mistaking it for The Bodyguard: "They're flipping it. Vicky's doing Kevin Costner."

Back in January, Adrian Dunbar revealed that Line of Duty series five would start shooting "some time in the autumn" and at least we do know that Mercurio has started writing the next series after he announced it on Twitter. It was announced by BBC Director General Tony Hall last spring that two more series of Line of Duty had been commissioned, with Mercurio teasing that the show will be moving in a new direction. "There does come a point where we have to develop things in a new direction if they're to remain exciting and fresh dramatically," he explained. Line of Duty returns in 2019, while Action Team premieres this Monday on ITV2.

07:00 Countdown 07:45 3rd Rock From the Sun 08:35 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 11:00 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA 12:00 Undercover Boss USA 13:00 News 13:05 Come Dine with Me 14:05 Posh Pawnbrokers 15:10 Countdown 16:00 Crufts Extra 17:00 A New Life in the Sun 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 Extreme Cake Makers 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 News 21:00 Crufts 2018 Claire Balding is live at Crufts, where there’s the judging of the Working and Pastoral Groups, highlights from the hotly contested Agility and Flyball competitions, features and guests. 22:00 Married at First Sight The couples who tied the knot without meeting beforehand enter the final four weeks of the experiment to see if their relationships have a longterm future. Finance director Harriet and police sergeant Richard honeymoon, and police officer Stephanie and quantity surveyor Benjamin are counting down to decision day, when they must decide whether to stay together or seek a divorce. 23:00 The Job Interview 00:05 Gogglebox 01:10 Seven Year Switch 02:05 One Born Every Minute 03:00 Damned 03:30 Electric Dreams 04:25 Dispatches 04:55 Coast vs Country 05:50 Location, Location, Location

Thursday TV 07:00 Milkshake 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:15 Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away! 13:10 News 13:15 GPs: Behind Closed Doors 14:10 Access 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:20 NCIS 16:20 Film - A Bone to Pick: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery 18:00 News 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 News 20:00 The Secret Life of Kittens The kitties experience their first exploration of their home environment. 21:00 Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun Cabaret star Mark is shooting a video. Vina and Nilam are hoping their curry business will be a success. Tattoo kings Blane and Mark are hoping to make big profits, and retired Stan searches for lost change on the beach to afford extra treats. 22:00 Do the Right Thing with Eamonn and Ruth Eamonn and Ruth present this consumer entertainment show, featuring Ann Widdecombe's thoughts on red tape Britain and reports from Michael Underwood and Roman Kemp. In the first show, they report on the epidemic of loneliness in the UK and host a family reunion live in the studio. 23:00 The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door 00:05 Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords 01:00 SuperCasino 04:10 Cowboy Builders 05:00 Now That’s Funny 05:45 House Doctor

07:00 The Planet’s Funniest Animals 07:20 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 08:10 Dress to Impress 08:55 Emmerdale 09:20 Coronation Street 10:25 Ellen DeGeneres 11:15 Who’s Doing the Dishes? 12:10 Dress to Impress 13:15 Emmerdale 13:50 Coronation Street 14:45 Ellen DeGeneres 15:35 Jeremy Kyle 17:50 Judge Rinder 18:50 Take Me Out 20:00 You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 Two and a Half Men 22:00 Film White House Down (14) ITV 3 07:00 Classic Coronation Street 07:55 Heartbeat 08:55 The Royal 09:55 Judge Judy 11:20 Inspector Morse 13:35 The Royal 14:40 Heartbeat 15:40 Classic Coronation Street 16:50 On the Buses 17:55 You’re Only Young Twice 18:25 Rising Damp 19:00 Heartbeat 20:00 Murder, She Wrote 21:00 Lewis 23:00 Unforgotten 01:05 DCI Banks ITV 4 07:00 Snooker v Darts 07:05 The Chase 07:55 Pawn Stars 08:45 Ironside 09:50 Quincy, M.E. 10:50 Minder 11:55 The Sweeney 13:00 The Avengers 14:05 Ironside 15:15 Quincy, M.E. 16:15 Minder 17:20 The Sweeney 18:30 The Avengers 19:35 Storage Wars 20:05 Pawn Stars 21:00 Film - You Only Live Twice (PG) 23:25 Film Full Metal Jacket (18)

Lee Mack: I nearly cancelled Not Going Out over alcohol advertising

Lee Mack has revealed he threatened to cancel his BBC sitcom Not Going Out because it gets sponsored by alcohol brands when it airs on commercial channels. The comedy series, created by Mack in 2006, is originally broadcast on BBC One and is also shown on UKTV channel Dave. Mack, who is am ambassador for Alcohol Concern, said: “We make it on the BBC, but then it ends up on

commercial channels, and is heavily sponsored by beer. “This is my life. I spend 10 months a year doing this, and suddenly I feel like I’m in a brewer’s marketing department, and my work is being used to sell booze. “I said, unless that stops, we’re not going to make any more.” But, he added, that it then “became complex” and “it turned out we were contractually obliged”. He said: “So I said, ‘All right,

we’ll move it on. We’ll change the name of the show, we’ll make a new one’.” He added that he would have done it, “but then Dave relented”. Mack said that he no longer drinks alcohol himself because he “just decided to pack it in”, but that he is “not opposed to the consumption of alcohol” in general. “I’m opposed to my kids watching TV at seven o’clock and being told to bet and drink,” he said. Of no longer drinking alcohol, he said: “I don’t miss it at all. It’s funny, because when you tell people you’ve stopped drinking, there’s an automatic reaction. People ask, ‘Was it a lifestyle choice or were you waking up in a skip?’.” He said that he “would have been regarded as a ‘normal drinker’.” “I’ve had a few wasted days where you go, ‘I’ll stay in bed today; I had a bit of a session last night’, but I mainly just got fed up with the overkill of it in society, the way it’s thrust down our throats.” The series returns for a ninth series this month.

Home Computing

www.thecourier.es

RICHARD CAVENDER

BlueMoon Solutions www.bluemoonsolutions.es

BlueMoon Solutions is the computer and IT services company on the Costa Blanca. BlueMoon Solutions comes to you at home or at work. Their personal service covers from Alicante to Pilar de la Horadada.

Richard moved to Spain ten years ago having left his management background behind in the UK and decided to use his IT skills to help home users and small businesses with their PC problems. Now a relaxed 'computer man' he is out and about in the Spanish sun every day, making house and shop calls and using his vast experience and qualifications to sort out the problem there and then. Computers are his hobby as well as his work so don’t be surprised to get an answer to your email in the early hours!

ADVICE: Warren wanted to know why he was having prob- ADVICE: Kathy wanted to know how to enable double line spacing in Open Office Writer lems opening .pdf files.

Hi Richard. Can you help me? I brought an older laptop out to Spain after getting it whipped. When I tried to access a user manual on disc it comes up in gibberish and I can’t read it. I know it’s a settings problem but don’t know how to correct it?

Hi, it’s always a good idea to give old laptops a good whipping, they appreciate it ;-)

Hi, Richard could you please confirm how I enable double line spacing in Open Office? Kathy

Hi Kathy, to enable double line spacing in Open Office Writer, you need to change the paragraph property, you can do this by clicking Format > Paragraph > Indents & Spacing > Line spacing: double.

In terms of your problem, it looks like you are trying to open up an Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) document in Microsoft Word (or some other Microsoft product) – this won’t work, as you have discovered. You will need to go to http://get.adobe.com/reader and download Adobe Acrobat Reader, this will then allow you to open up your manual.

Email: office@bluemoonsolutions.es Mobile: 655 044 970

Website:www.bluemoonsolutions.es NEW: Tel: 965 987 032

Don’t forget, you can follow me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/bluemoonsolutionsspain/ Alternatively, why don’t you sign up for my newsletter. You can do this by going to:www.bluemoonsolutions.es/newsletter.

FILL IT IN

CODE CRACKER

Fit the words into the boxes.

Code Cracker is a crossword puzzle with no clues; instead, every letter of the alphabet has been replaced by a number, the same number representing the same letter throughout the puzzle. All you have to do is decide which letter is represented by which number.

DOUBLE CROSS-WORD Solve the Double Cross-Word puzzle using either the standard or cryptic clues, the answers are exactly the same.

2 letter words Me On 3 letter words Beg Dip Egg Era Eve Ewe Son Use 4 letter words Abet Ages Alms Bode Dame

Dine Ewer Ghee Glow Gnat Gyps Halo Hare Idea Joke Lure Ogre Once Ores Pall Pert Plug Reed

Rote Rune Slot Test Tint Tire Tsar Wean Yang 5 letter words Alien Alive Basis Bated Calms Carat Caved Chars

Circa Colon Irate Jaded Lager Liner Needy Oasis Oiled Owned Pitta Poker Poses Sales Scrum Sneer Tests Those

Wages Wives 6 letter words Arrest Balboa Baleen Comedy Corset Grille Shares Stigma 8 letter words Cosmetic Deranged 9 letter words Eiderdown Enunciate

Standard Clues

Cryptic Clues Across

Down

Across

7 Prohibit a North American fruit (6) 8 Sent as disguised approval (6) 9 Hung on to oddly keen pet (4) 10 Constituent of the air that produces retoning (8) 11 Plots get revolutionary leader in a terrible mess (7) 13 Opted out of storage facility (5) 15 Sack the Spanish roll (5) 17 Left Dave and his cat in a bad way (7) 20 Within the fold, it will grow (8) 21 Weak camel lost its head, sadly (4) 23 It's dead simple if Alec goes off (6) 24 Reluctant to produce a piece of poetry (6)

1 Caused to be insane before the end of June (4) 2 Upset baby's plaything (6) 3 Overawed by undated characters (7) 4 Moves quickly for the board game (5) 5 On land with fire residue and mining product (6) 6 Animal or insect run away (8) 12 Rebuild winch as a cutter (8) 14 Alter the French on the side (7) 16 Insect that can be found in, or near, Wigan (6) 18 Associates that the gangster misrepresents (6) 19 I leave waiter to get the melted ice (5) 22 Fail to spot the young woman (4)

7 Yellow fruit (6) 8 Agree (6) 9 Retained (4) 10 Common non-metallic element (8) 11 Strategies (7) 13 Storehouse (5) 15 Dense bread roll (5) 17 Abandoned (7) 20 Become greater (8) 21 Hobbling (4) 23 Shallow (6) 24 Reluctant (6) Down 1 Constructed (4) 2 Child's toy (6) 3 Intimidated (7) 4 Pub game (5) 5 On the beach (6) 6 Deer-like ruminant (8) 12 Mechanical power-driven cutting tool (8) 14 Sideways (7) 16 Listen in (6) 18 Friends (6) 19 H2O (5) 22 Fail to hit (4)

Quiz Word

Across 1 1963 World War II film, based on Paul Brickhill’s book, starred James Garner, Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough and Donald Pleasance? (5,6) 7 Verb to ‘state or say further’? (3) 9 Fables such as The Fox and the Grapes, The Tortoise and the Hare and The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf are all accredited to which Greek slave who lived from about 620 to 560 BC? (5) 10 American writer and humourist best known for his novels about Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn? (4,5) 11 British rock music vocalist best known as the lead singer of rock band Deep Purple, and for his two-year stint in Black Sabbath? (3,6) 12 Round wire, cut or clasp, oval wire, masonry and lost head are all types of which metal fasteners? (5) 13 State of great inner peace is the culmination of the pursuit of liberation in Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism? (7) 15/18 Author of best-selling 1958 novel Exodus, about the struggle to establish and defend the state of Israel? (4,4) 20 In Greek mythology, the first woman, fashioned by Zeus as part of the punishment of mankind for Prometheus’ theft of

the secret of fire? (7) 23 Smooth thin-walled nut in a woody cup-shaped base is the fruit of the oak tree? (5) 24 From the Greek for ‘overseer’, adjective meaning ‘denoting or governed by a bishop or bishops’? (9) 26 Ancient Athenian philosopher, student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great, who wrote books on physics, poetry, zoology, logic, rhetoric, government, and biology? (9) 27 Word meaning ‘morally pure’ or ‘not written or printed on’? (5) 28 Name normally applied to the land force of the military? (3) 29 Tight-fitting hat with visors front and back often associated with Sherlock Holmes? (11) Down 1 Word describing the measure of the slope of a straight line? (8) 2 City in eastern Denmark best known for setting of Shakespeare’s Hamlet? (8) 3 Nickname of actress Nathalie Hedren, who appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds and Marnie? (5) 4 Mogadishu is the capital of which republic in eastern Africa? (7) 5 Name of triangle-shaped endocrine glands that sit atop the kidneys? (7)

QUICKIE Across

Down

1 Stockpile (7) 5 Turned to ice (5) 8 Lockjaw (7) 9 Capital of Egypt (5) 10 Vast multitude (5) 11 State of elated bliss (7) 12 Military greeting (6) 14 Hydrophobia (6) 17 Put into a proper order (7) 19 Go get (5) 22 Twit (5) 23 Small and of little importance (7) 24 Regal (5) 25 Knives, forks and spoons (7)

1 Bungle (5) 2 Supply food (5) 3 Not strict (7) 4 Seal (6) 5 Concentration (5) 6 Japanese art of paper folding (7) 7 Names derived from a person (7) 12 Disperse (7) 13 Theft (7) 15 Trouble (7) 16 Feverish (6) 18 Asian country (5) 20 Rubbish (5) 21 Christmas plant (5)

SPANISH-ENGLISH CROSSWORD

Improve your Spanish - Clues in Spanish, answer in English or vice versa.

Fill It In

Sudoku

Across

Down

1 Foot (3) 3 Ribbon (5) 6 Alquitrán (3) 8 To suck in (air or dust) (7) 9 Ajedrez (5) 10 Behind (at the back) (5) 11 Otro (en singular) (7) 12 Pirata (6) 14 Tin (ore) (6) 17 Towels (7) 19 Especia (5) 21 Late (after usual time) (5) 22 En contra de (7) 23 South (3) 24 Árboles (5) 25 Un (3)

1 Silver (metal) (5) 2 Emperador (7) 3 Faces (5) 4 Noruega (6) 5 Anchovies (salted, tinned) (7) 6 Dientes (5) 7 Rosary (7) 12 Ducklings (7) 13 El más alto (7) 15 Breath (respiration) (7) 16 Fuga (6) 18 To open (5) 19 Costuras (puntadas) (5) 20 Between (5)

6 Reginald Kenneth Dwight is the real name of which British singer/songwriter? (5,4) 7 In musical tempo markings, word indicateing the piece is to be played ‘slowly’ [but not as slow as largo]? (6) 8 Nationality of physicist Niels Bohr, writer Hans Christian Andersen and former footballer Allan Simonsen? (6) 14 Somerset Park is the home ground of which Scottish football club? (3,6) 16 Name given to an exposed partial weather platform on the stern superstructure of a ship? (4,4) 17 William who was the Nobel Prizewinning writer whose novels includes The Sound and the Fury, As I Lay Dying, Light in August, The Unvanquished and Absalom, Absalom? (8) 19 Name of the ornamental staff held by a ruling monarch? (7) 20 First name of American showman, Barnum founder of the famous circus that bears his name? (7) 21 Capital of Cuba? (6) 22 Name given to line of argument rationalising the course of action of a government? (6) 25 Name of the dried and partially fermented fatty seed of the tree from which chocolate is made? (5)

SUDOKU

Last Week’s Solutions Quizword Across: 1 Skids, 4 Bricks, 9 Alabama, 10 Minim, 11 Icon, 12 Annuals, 13/17 Mel Brooks, 14 Apia, 16 Agra, 18 Ian, 20 Rangers, 21 Java, 24 Orion, 25 Avocado, 26 Sonata, 27 Gross. Down: 1 Static, 2 Imago, 3 Slag, 5 Romanian, 6 Centaur, 7 Samosa, 8 Halal, 13 Max Ernst, 15 Pension, 18 Isaac, 19 Majors, 22 Alamo, 23 Gong. Double Crossword Across: 1 Apse, 3 Massacre, 9 Reading, 10 Otter, 11 Cheap, 12 Silver, 14 Topper, 16 Impede, 19 Goatee, 21 Regal, 24 Edict, 25 Acacias, 26 Mastered, 27 Zeus. Down: 1 Apricots, 2 Snare, 4 August, 5 Scowl, 6 Catseye, 7 Ears, 8 Simple, 13 Recluses, 15 Profits, 17 Morgan, 18 Beware, 20 Tithe, 22 Gripe, 23 Germ. Quickie Across: 1 Pastoral, 7 Shake, 8 Gladstone, 9 Boa, 10 Nail, 11 Genius, 13 Cravat, 14 Caress, 17 Beckon, 18 Limb, 20 Par, 22 Salvation, 23 Chaos, 24 Feckless.

Span - Eng

Down: 1 Pagan, 2 Stamina, 3 Oust, 4 Apogee, 5 Daubs, 6 Remains, 7 Seminar, 12 Carcass, 13 Compact, 15 Edifice, 16 Collie, 17 Break, 19 Bonus, 21 Back.

Code Cracker

Friday 2nd March 2018

AUDI SPORT TAKES A NEW TURN WITH THE NEW R8 V10 RWS Coupé and Spyder variants are first Audi production models available with rear-wheel drive

Front wheels, rear wheels or four wheels – Audi Sport is acknowledging that performance car enthusiasts have personal preferences when it comes to the way their power is transmitted to the tarmac by bolstering the acclaimed R8 range with the limited edition R8 Rear Wheel Series. Even more uncompromising in its pursuit of driver reward, this latest version of the much loved V10 super sports car makes history as the first ever rear-driven series production Audi model, following the global success of the R8 LMS GT3 racing car. Priced from £112,450 OTR, the new R8 Rear Wheel Series (RWS) has been available to order in the UK as a Coupé or Spyder since September, and first deliveries of UK examples, which are all built almost exclusively by hand at the Böllinger Höfe Audi Sport facility, will commence this month. Despite the overtly rearward bias in the drivetrain, performance off the line and beyond remains reassuringly breathtaking, with the 0-62mph sprint being dispatched in just 3.7

seconds (Spyder: 3.8 seconds) and the pace remaining furious until v-max at 198mph (Spyder: 197mph). The mid-mounted V10 engine, which is now one of the last naturally aspirated powerplants in the segment, produces 540PS and peak torque of 540 Nm (398.3 lb-ft) at 6,500 rpm. Its enthralling, visceral sound can be further enhanced by the fitment of a sports exhaust. Combined fuel economy in the R8 Coupé V10 RWS amounts to 22.8mpg, corresponding to 283 grams of CO2 per kilometre. For the Spyder, these figures are 22.4mpg and 286 grams of CO2 per kilometre. The Coupé weighs 1,590 kilograms (without driver), 50 kilograms (110.2 lb) less than the R8 Coupé with all-wheel drive which needs additional components like the propshaft, multi-plate clutch and centre differential.

ROLLS-ROYCE THE ‘SILVER GHOST COLLECTION’

One motor car changed the course of automotive history. Today, the legend is re-told as Rolls-Royce Motor Cars proudly announces the creation of a collection of 35 model year 2018 RollsRoyce Ghosts, created in homage to the original Silver Ghost’s achievement. In 1904, a pioneering motorist, a brilliant entrepreneur and an intrepid engineer were united by a desire to succeed. Three years later, this success was recognised by the world’s media. An unfathomable challenge unprecedented of its time and legendary to this day, was completed by The Hon. Charles Rolls and Claude Johnson in Sir Henry Royce’s ‘Silver Ghost’. The car achieved a non-stop long distance endurance record of 14,371 miles. This challenge was to shape automotive and luxury history, creating a worldrenowned benchmark for excellence in the process.

It was the twelfth 40/50hp chassis, completed with a Barker & Co 4/5 seater touring body, commissioned by Claude Johnson, then Managing Director of Rolls-Royce Limited that was quickly recognised for its ability to demonstrate the marque’s prowess. The ethereally quiet running of this extraordinary automobile and the silver paint with silver fittings, led Johnson to select this very car for high-profile competitive trials, bestowing the name, ‘Silver Ghost’ upon it. In celebration of this extraordinary feat of engineering excellence, a special collection of model year 2018 Bespoke Ghosts will be created at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex. Thirty-five patrons of the marque will delight in a contemporary masterpiece of automotive history, as the Bespoke Collective of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars envisions the ‘Silver Ghost Collection’.

DUCATI UK ANNOUNCE 2018 TRACK DAYS AT DONINGTON PARK AND SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT

This year Ducati UK will host two exclusive track days for Ducati owners at Silverstone circuit on May 31 and Donington on July 5. Both the track days will be 108db days and will take place on the full GP circuits priced at £199, breakfast and lunch is included in the price for those riding. A unique feature of Ducati track days will be the chance to hire a Ducati to ride on track. For those who do not wish to take their own bike on track or would like to test ride a Ducati in a controlled environment then there is an opportunity to hire the spectacular new Panigale V4S, the 959 Panigale and the Supersport. These can be reserved during the booking process. It is advisable to book early as there is a limited number of hire bikes available. The track events will again be conducted with the assistance from California Superbike School, who will be there providing expertise and guidance as well as monitoring track activity. There will be a number of Ducati dealers attending, bringing technical support as well as members of the Ducati UK team hosting the day.

*Price of hire includes fuel and tyre usage. A £1,000 returnable damage deposit is required. Costs are limited to repairs, only if required. Session only prices on application. Hire Bikes (cost per day) Supersport S £265 Panigale 959 £285 Panigale V4 S £365 Leathers can be hired at a cost of £39 (booked in advance) Full one piece leathers or two piece leathers that zip together hip to hip. Full face helmets, boots and gloves are required by the circuits and kit will be inspected on the day before you are allowed on track. To book your places at any of the above track days please contact California Superbike school 01327 855554

ASTON MARTIN AT THE 2018 GENEVA MOTOR SHOW Aston Martin marks the 88th Geneva International Motor Show with an allnew show stand and location fit for the marque’s biggest-ever presence at the opening event of the European automotive show calendar. Aston Martin’s spacious new home is stand #2229, located in Hall 2 of the Palexpo Exhibition Centre. The move was required to accommodate what promises to be the most diverse and exciting display of road and race cars Aston Martin has ever gathered at Geneva. At the heart of this display is the new Vantage, which is making its global show debut. Yet to be tested by the world’s media, this is the first opportunity for press and public alike to have a close look at Aston Martin’s thoroughbred twin-turbocharged V8 sports coupe. Underlining its credentials as the most sporting model in Aston Martin’s series production range, the Vantage road car is joined by Aston Martin Racing’s new Vantage GTE race car. Built to contest the World Endurance Championship (WEC), including the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, the striking racer is in the final stages of an intensive development programme ahead of its international race debut at the 6 Hours of SpaFrancorchamps in May. Joining the road and race Vantage siblings is the V8-powered DB11 Coupe together with the recently launched DB11 Volante. It’s the first time both derivatives of the DB11 and the new Vantage have been shown collectively. Together they provide a vivid demon-

stration of Aston Martin’s unfolding ‘Second Century’ product strategy. Adding further excitement to the brand’s presence at Geneva is the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing F1TM show car. Sporting the new 2018 livery to celebrate Aston Martin’s title sponsorship, the new F1 challenger will be accompanied on press day one (March 6th) by Red Bull Racing’s Team Principal, Christian Horner and Chief Technical Officer, Adrian Newey. Looking forward to the 88th Geneva Show, Aston Martin’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Andy Palmer said: “Geneva is a highlight of the industry calendar and a motor show with a rich history and great atmosphere. It’s an indication of Aston Martin’s growth that we have adopted a new stand location for 2018: one that affords us the extra space we need to display our growing range. I’m especially excited to see how people react to the new Vantage. “We also have the recently launched and extremely beautiful DB11 Volante on the stand, and I’m certain motorsport fans will be thrilled to see Aston Martin Red Bull Racing F1 car and Aston Martin Racing’s all-new Vantage GTE World Endurance Championship challenger. “It’s always a proud moment to see the fruits of the company’s efforts on show in one place, but this year’s Geneva Show promises to be extra special. Who knows, we may even have one or two surprises in store.” The 88th Geneva Motor Show is on from 6 March to 18 March 2018.

A CAR OF NO COMPROMISE: THE ALL-NEW KONA ELECTRIC A car of no compromise: The All-New Kona Electric

The All-New Kona Electric is the latest addition to the successful family reinforcing the company’s leadership in the ecocar segment. It merges the strengths of SUV with the power of electric powertrains. Hyundai is the first automotive brand in Europe to make a fully-electric subcompact SUV available to everyone. By already offering the broadest range of powertrains, Hyundai is at the forefront of eco-mobility. The company marketed the first mass-produced fuel-cell vehicle, the ix35 Fuel Cell, and recently introduced its successor, the All-New NEXO. Additionally, the IONIQ is the first car available with three different electric powertrains in one body type. Winning several prestigious accolades from media and industry organisations, the IONIQ is one of the most awarded ecocars in Europe. The success story of Hyundai’s SUV range began 17 years ago with the launch of the Santa Fe. Since 2001 Hyundai has sold more than 1.5 million units of Santa Fe, Grand Santa Fe, Tucson and All-New Kona in Europe. They all carry the dynamic, progressive style of Hyundai and make it an established brand in this still-growing segment. The All-New Kona Electric enables customers to combine the two fastest growing automotive trends – electrification and SUV style and carries the same expressive design and functionality of

the regular Kona. The fully-electric version reflects the individual lifestyle of modern customers who benefit from great fun-to-drive and the low environmental impact of a fully-electric car. The completely new platform of the Kona enables a space-saving integration of the battery packs without compromising the roominess. The All-New Kona Electric features two different powertrain versions, offering customers one of the most powerful electric motors. The long-range battery version provides driving range of up to 292 miles*, delivering a maximum output of 204 PS (150 kW). With a battery capacity of 39,2 kWh, the basic version drives up to * on a single charge with the motor delivering 135PS (99 kW). With 395 Nm of immediate torque and an acceleration of 7.6 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, the All-New Kona Electric provides a fun-to-drive experience. The All-New Kona Electric adopts the expressive-looking and powerful front from the regular Kona. The key design differentiator is the closed grille which gives a clean and stylish appearance, while also enhancing aerodynamics. Another characteristic element of the front design is the Composite Light enhancing the visual impact, with the LED Daytime Running Lights positioned on top of the LED headlights.

Sport

Friday 2nd March 2018

Matt’s La Manga Quest

Europe’s number one amateur player Matt Jordan is heading up a top field in the prestigious Copa S.M El Rey at Mar Menor’s La Manga Club, which started this week, and finishes this Sunday. Jordan, a member of Great Britain and Ireland’s 2017 Walker Cup team, is one of five players ranked in the world’s top 50 that will be bidding to follow in the footsteps of an illustrious list of former winners, including Masters champion Sergio Garcia and fellow Major winners José Maria Olazabal and Darren Clarke, by winning the Spanish International Amateur Championship. The 22-year-old, a member at Royal Liverpool and ranked 17th in the world, is one of 21 English players in the 115man field who will be chasing victory on La Manga Club’s renowned South Course. Joining him are fellow England squad members GianMarco Petrozzi, Charlie Strickland and David Hague, while rising English stars Ben Jones, Todd Clements, Tom Sloman and Alex Fitzpatrick – younger brother of European Tour star Matt Fitzpatrick – will also have high hopes of good performances on the Mar Menor course. Ireland’s nine players are led by Dundalk’s Caolan Rafferty and Mark Power, the Irish boys’ champion, but the home nations will face strong opposition from an international line-up that features players from 21 different countries. Heading the Spanish challenge will be Angel Hidalgo Portillo, ranked 33rd in the world and winner of the tournament two years ago, while world number 43, Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan, will also be among the favourites to lift one of Europe’s most sought-after titles. La Manga Club’s South Course is the ideal venue for the continent’s rising stars to put their skills to the test, with the 7,149-yard layout having hosted numerous high-profile tournaments in the past including the Spanish Open five times. The Spanish International Amateur Championship, which was won by Ireland’s Reeve Whitson when it was last held at La Manga Club in 2013, will begin a busy period on the fairways for the venue. As well as staging the PGAs of Europe La Manga Club Pro-Am for a fifth successive year from April 30 to May 4, the resort – named Europe’s Best Golf Venue at the 2017 World Golf Awards – will also host the prestigious IAGTO Trophy from May 24-26, and the 22nd edition of the popular Footballers’ Golf Classic in early June.

Orihuela Held

Orihuela CF drew nil-nil draw with La Nucia on Sunday, which means that they went down to third in the Valencia regional third division table, and now go to mid-table Alzira this weekend. Rivals Levante and Castellon both won to leap frog Orihuela in the table, and then with Orihuela sitting out a full Wednesday night fixture list (because of the odd number of teams in the division), the two teams both won again, which means that they now have a

four point advantage, but crucially Orihuela are ten points clear of the teams vying to get into the playoff’s. Crevillente recorded onenil wins over Paiporta and then Silla, and now entertain play-off candidates CD Olimpic, whilst Elche Ilicitano built up a threepoint breathing space above the relegation zone, by beating bottom club Borriol threeone, and then drawing oneall at Recambios Colon on Wednesday. They now take on La Nucia this weekend.

Pitch Perfect

New artificial turf is to be laid down on Torrevieja’s football pitches at Gabriel Samper and Esteban Rosado, along with a new athletics track at Sports City in a package of improvements worth nearly 750 thousand euro. The work is scheduled to be carried out during the summer to minimise any disruption to sporting events, according to Torrevieja’s

sports councillor, Victor Ferrandez. Around half a million euros will be spent on the athletics track which was laid down in 1997, and which Ferrandez says is in urgent need of upgrading. The councillor reiterated that a contract to demolish and replace the grandstand at CD Torrevieja’s Vicente Garcia stadium will be “awarded imminently”.

Bat And Ball

With the arrival of March, local cricket clubs are beginning to look forward to the forthcoming season, and are after players, coaches, and umpires to join them. Several clubs across the Costa Blanca and Mar Menor are after new members, with age and experience not a factor at all. The teams are based in

Torrevieja, La Manga, Alicante, and further north at Alfas del Pi, and take part in a league, as well as playing friendlies, including contests against teams from the UK and around Europe. For more details, get in touch with Graham Shelton on 605 319 889 or send an email to torreviejacricket@live.com.

Sport

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Two In A Row

BENFERRI CF 1 CD TORREVIEJA 2 Successive wins for Torrevieja have totally banished any outside chance of a relegation battle, and if anybody is in an optimistic frame of mind, the team are only nine points behind thirdplaced Alicante University, who occupy the the final play-off slot. Sunday’s victory at struggling Benferri took Torrevieja’s ever-changing side to ninth position in the

Preferente Group Four table, with 35 points to their name. New signing Tomillero scored with a scorching shot from the edge of the penalty area to put Torry ahead in the 14th minute pretty much against the run of play. Cristian levelled up for Benferri in the 33rd minute, as the home side piled on the pressure before halftime.

A Beltran shot for Torrevieja was saved in the 68th, but Walid picked up the pieces to put the visitors in front, and then they held on to record two victories in a week. Torry’s new found confidence will them a decent bet for a hat-trick of wins, as third-bottom Pinoso come to the Vicente Garcia stadium this Sunday, with the earlykick off time of 11.45 am.

Almoradi’s Goal Feast

Thader Setback

HERCULES CF B 2 CD THADER 1 Successive narrow defeats for Thader (in orange kit shaking hands with the Hercules players prior to kick-off) against fellow play-off contenders has seen the Rojales-based side drop from third to sixth in the Preferente Group Four table. They are now five points

The arrival of Roberto Cases as Almoradi coach has clearly done something to the players, with two wins in just over a week to give them an eight-point cushion above the Preferente Group Four relegation zone.

This was a Sunday romp at the Sadrián stadium against a team that were just a point behind them in the table. Confi led the goal parade with two strikes, with Burguillos, Javi, Del Cueto

and Fran Rivera getting onto the scoresheet. Almoradi face an interesting test in their new-found form when they go to fourthplaced Villajoyosa this Saturday afternoon, with a 5.00 pm kick-off.

had the best chances in the first half. Thader need to get their play-off hopes back this weekend, and they have another tricky task ahead as they entertain the team just below them in the table, Elda Industrial, at Rojales this Sunday morning with an 11.30 am kick-off.

Five Star Monte

CD MONTESINOS 5 CF BARRIO SAN GABRIEL 2 Even without the suspended Valencia Primera Division group eight top scorer Vaz, Montesinos were too much for the Alicante-based side who before kick-off shared fifth position in the table with the home side. The result saw Monte get their 11th win of the season, which took them to fourth in the table in front of over 200 supporters, with San Gabriel taking the game to their

CD ALMORADI 6 CALPE CF 1

behind third-placed Alicante University, with last weekend’s other results not doing them any favours in addition to their loss at Hercules B. Two Hercules goals from Solbes (74m) and Tari (79m) gave the home side the victory, after Rubén Sanz had put Thader ahead in the 54th minute, after Thader

opponents. Strangely referee Joan Gonzalez handed out 12 yellow cards in a match, though keen, was hardly dirty, with a San Gabriel sent off in the second half for a second caution. Ex-Torrevieja player Patri opened the scoring for Monte in the fourth minute with a majestic free kick before sloppy defending gifted Barrio an equaliser from a corner ten minutes later.

Monte fought back with first half goals through Guirao and Maccan. Patri scored his second of the game on the hour mark to put the home side fourone ahead, and Monte skipper Ferando made it five, with ten minutes remaining, before San Gabriel got a second in added time. Montesinos are away to CD Altet on Sunday at the Campo Municipal, El Altet (kick-off 4.30pm).

Sport

Friday 2nd March 2018

Six Of The Best

Moreno Shocker

BARCELONA 6 GIRONA 1

ESPANYOL 1 REAL MADRID 0

Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick as Barcelona came from behind to set a club record of 32 games unbeaten, thrashing Catalan neighbours at the Nou Camp on Saturday night. The visitors took a shock early lead as Cristian Portu pounced on a mistake by Samuel Umtiti to find the net (3), but Suarez equalised two minutes later with a composed finish from Lionel Messi's through ball. Suarez then turned provider for Messi to give Ernesto Valverde's side the lead (30), and the Argentine stretched Barcelona's advantage with a sublime free-kick (36) underneath the Girona wall. There was still time for Suarez to convert Philippe Coutinho's cross to make it four prior to the break (44), and the former Liverpool midfielder then got in on the act, scoring a sensational fifth (66) before Suarez completed the rout, tapping in from Ousmane Dembele's cross (76). Barcelona were scheduled to play at strugglers Las Palmas last night, after The Courier went to press. Their next match is at home to second-placed Atletico Madrid on Sunday afternoon, with a Barca victory realistically ending off the La Liga title battle as a realistic contest.

Gerard Moreno scored a dramatic 93rd-minute winner as Espanyol beat La Liga champions on Tuesday. Real Madrid's five-game winning run came to an end as Moreno's fine finish from 15 yards flew past Keylor Navas, handing Espanyol their first win over Real in 22 attempts. Espanyol arguably had the better of the chances beforehand, going close on three occasions through Moreno, while Gareth Bale went close with a point-blank header early on in an otherwise poor game. Cristiano Ronaldo was rested for the clash, while Karim Benzema was left on the bench. Real entertain Getafe this Saturday, but they will have half an eye on their Champions League return clash with Paris SG this Tuesday night, leading three-one with the first leg, and knowing that PSG’s Neymar is out injured.

Pacheta Appointed

Sunday’s defeat at Ontinyent and the manner of it (see below) was enough for the Elche board to get out their firing gun and dismiss unpopular coach Josico, who the fans never took to after the controversial sacking of Vicente Mir back in November. Mir had taken Elche to second in the Segunda Division B table, but the quality of play left the board unimpressed, only for them to put in somebody who made things even worse. José Rojo Martín, known as Pacheta' is Josico’s replacement. Pacheta is an experienced 2B manager having formerly coached Real Oviedo, FC Cartagena and Hercules. As a player Pacheta was best known for a five year stint in midfield for Espanyol, and is the fourth man to take the reins at Elche this season. Meanwhile, Josico did not go quietly as he slammed players that he did not name and Elche’s sporting director Jorge Cordero at a news conference. Josico alleged that the decision to dismiss him was made by Cordero after consultation with, among others, several players. "It does not matter whether Guardiola or Zidane is on the bench, the problem is the attitude", commented the ex-coach.

Josico’s Farewell Five In A Row Griezmann Latest ONTINYENT CF 1 ELCHE 0

REAL MADRID 4 ALAVES 0 Real Madrid made it five consecutive wins for the first time this season last Saturday as Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in a comfortable victory over Alaves at the Santiago Bernabeu. A Gareth Bale strike and a late Karim Benzema penalty completing a routine win. Alaves had their moments in the first half, with Keylor Navas denying Ruben Sobrino and Alfonso Pedraxza, but a mistake from Alexis just 28 seconds into the second period resulted in Bale doubling Real's lead and ending the contest.

Barcelona are closing in on the signing of Antoine Griezmann with reports claiming he has an ‘agreement’ to join the Camp Nou club this summer. Griezmann, the France forward, was expected to leave Atletico Madrid prior to the start of this season, with Barca and Manchester United two of the interested parties. However, he committed his future to Atleti in June 2017, penning a one-year contract extension that took his deal to the end of the 2021/22 campaign. But that deal seems to have only pushed Griezmann’s departure back by one year, with Esport3 reporting saying the 26-year-old has already reached an agreement to join Barcelona this summer. Ernesto Valverde, the Barca head coach, is a big fan of the forward, and he will trigger Griezmann’s €100m release clause when the transfer window opens in July.

After a good home performance the previous weekend, Elche reverted to type with an injury time goal leading to defeat at Ontinyent, with the quality of what was offered leading to coach Josico’s sacking (see above). Around 500 travelling Elche fans made their feelings known at the end of yet another underwhelming Ilicitanos performance, as a 92nd-minute goal for the home side by Leonardo Rocha settled the clash. Elche looked dreadful over the 90 minutes, and the full-time whistle brought shouts for coach Josico to quit the club, with the Ilicitanos board duly obliging. Elche are third in the Segunda division B table, with a whole bunch of teams around them. Their next match, and Pacheta’s debut as coach, sees them at home to struggling Llagostera this Sunday with a 6.30 pm kick-off.

Marc’s Deal

Reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez has signed a new two-year deal at Honda to keep him with the factory team until the end of the 2020 season. Spain’s Marquez, 25, made his premier class debut with Repsol Honda in 2013 and has gone on to become the youngest rider in history to win four MotoGP titles, the latest of which came after a dominant 2017 season. “I‘m excited to continue to race for Honda’s factory team... I‘m proud to race as a member of the Honda family, and I appreciate how Honda and the team always do their best to provide me with everything I need,” Marquez said in a statement. The highly-rated Spaniard previously won the 125cc championship in 2010 and the Moto2 title in 2012. “Marquez has consistently pushed himself to the limit and matured as a rider, and given Honda many titles. We were able to announce the contract renewal at such an early stage due to our mutual trust, and our common passion for racing,” Honda President Yoshishige Nomura said. Marquez’s compatriot Maverick Vinales, who finished third overall last season, signed a contract extension with Yamaha for two more seasons last month, while veteran Valentino Rossi is also expected to remain with the Japanese manufacturer. The MotoGP season starts in Qatar on March 18th.

Weekend Rugby

The Mar Menor Squalos senior team lost their FERRMUR Top Five clash with Rugby Murcia at San Javier by 47 points to 12 at the weekend (match action above.) Meanwhile, the ITV Vega Baja Orihuela cadets were beaten at home by Murcia University, 64-20, in their FERRMUR league match, not helped by the fact that they only had eight players, compared to Murcia’s 11. Orihuela played bravely in the first half, going into the interval, just 20 points to 17 down, but the extra player advantage for the visitors was a clear factor in their second period dominance. The Orihuela cadets go to Cartagena University this Saturday, whilst the senior team entertain Cartagena University on Sunday morning at the Miguel Hernandez University ground, with an 11.30 am kick-off.

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Valverde Win

Murcia’s Alejandro Valverde won the Abu Dhabi Tour on Sunday after victory on the final stage of the five-day race. The Movistar rider broke clear with Astana's Miguel Angel Lopez on the summit of Jebel Hafeet with four kilometres to go. Valverde prevailed to win the 199km stage and the race, while Team Sunweb's Wilco Kelderman was 17 seconds behind him in second place overall. "I'm super happy with this victory," said 37-year-old Valverde. "Before anything, I just want to thank the whole team for their phenomenal work all week, keeping me well protected leading up to the weekend and Sunday's climb, so I just had to push when it was needed. "It's our first WorldTour victory of the season, which makes it all the more important against the top guns." Overnight leader Rohan Dennis struggled on the climb and ended up one minute and 45 seconds behind Valverde. World time trial champion Tom Dumoulin suffered a puncture in Saturday's time trial and endured a mechanical problem on the final stage.

Lifesaving Tasks

Over 400 competitors from 51 swimming clubs, including those from the Costa Blanca and Murcia, came to Torrevieja last weekend for the 32nd national rescue and lifeguard championships. The indoor municipal swimming pool hosted the event which featured a variety of different exercises, with the swimmers from Club Noja Playa Dorada in Cantabria running out as the victors. Tests in being proved to be the best lifeguards in Spain included swimming round a 200 metre obstacle course, and a 100 metre challenge with a mannequin dummy! The event was organised jointly by the National and Valencian lifeguard federations in association with Torrevieja council.

FIXTURES Friday 2 March English Football League - Championship 20:45 Middlesbrough V. Leeds United Scottish Championship 20:45 Dundee United V. St. Mirren Saturday 3 March English Premier League 13:30 Burnley V. Everton 16:00 Leicester City V. Bournemouth 16:00 Southampton V. Stoke City 16:00 Swansea City V. West Ham United 16:00 Tottenham Hotspur V. Huddersfield Town 16:00 Watford V. West Bromwich Albion 18:30 Liverpool V. Newcastle United Scottish FA Cup 13:30 Celtic V. Morton 16:00 Aberdeen V. Kilmarnock English Football League - Championship 16:00 Aston Villa V. Queens Park Rangers 16:00 Barnsley V. Norwich City 16:00 Bolton Wanderers V. Preston North End 16:00 Brentford V. Cardiff City 16:00 Bristol City V. Sheffield Wednesday 16:00 Derby County V. Fulham 16:00 Ipswich Town V. Hull City 16:00 Millwall V. Sunderland 16:00 Nottingham Forest V. Birmingham City 16:00 Sheffield United V. Burton Albion 18:30 Wolverhampton Wanderers V. Reading English Football League - League One 16:00 AFC Wimbledon V. Charlton Athletic 16:00 Blackpool V. Northampton Town 16:00 Bradford City V. Portsmouth 16:00 Doncaster Rovers V. Bury 16:00 Gillingham V. Rotherham United 16:00 MK Dons V. Bristol Rovers 16:00 Oxford United V. Fleetwood Town 16:00 Rochdale V. Plymouth Argyle 16:00 Scunthorpe United V. Oldham Athletic 16:00 Shrewsbury Town V. Peterborough United 16:00 Southend United V. Walsall English Football League - League Two 16:00 Barnet V. Port Vale 16:00 Cambridge United V. Luton Town 16:00 Carlisle United V. Grimsby Town 16:00 Cheltenham Town V. Notts County 16:00 Coventry City V. Lincoln City 16:00 Crawley Town V. Wycombe Wanderers 16:00 Crewe Alexandra V. Forest Green Rovers 16:00 Exeter City V. Chesterfield 16:00 Morecambe V. Colchester United 16:00 Newport County V. Accrington Stanley 16:00 Stevenage V. Mansfield Town 16:00 Swindon Town V. Yeovil Town Scottish Premiership 16:00 Ross County V. Partick Thistle 16:00 St. Johnstone V. Hamilton Academical Scottish Championship 16:00 Dunfermline Athletic V. Livingston 16:00 Inverness Caledonian Thistle V. Brechin City Scottish League One 16:00 Airdrieonians V. Stranraer 16:00 Albion Rovers V. Queen's Park 16:00 Alloa Athletic V. East Fife 16:00 Arbroath V. Ayr United 16:00 Forfar Athletic V. Raith Rovers Scottish League Two 16:00 Berwick Rangers V. Stirling Albion 16:00 Clyde V. Elgin City 16:00 Edinburgh City V. Cowdenbeath 16:00 Montrose V. Annan Athletic 16:00 Peterhead V. Stenhousemuir Sunday 4 March English Premier League 14:30 Brighton and Hove Albion V. Arsenal 17:00 Manchester City V. Chelsea Scottish FA Cup 15:15 Motherwell V. Heart of Midlothian 17:15 Rangers V. Falkirk English Football League - League One 13:00 Blackburn Rovers V. Wigan Athletic Monday 5 March English Premier League 21:00 Crystal Palace V. Manchester United Tuesday 6 March English Football League - Championship 20:45 Birmingham City V. Middlesbrough 20:45 Burton Albion V. Brentford 20:45 Cardiff City V. Barnsley 20:45 Fulham V. Sheffield United 20:45 Hull City V. Millwall 20:45 Norwich City V. Nottingham Forest 20:45 Preston North End V. Bristol City 20:45 Queens Park Rangers V. Derby County 20:45 Sheffield Wednesday V. Ipswich Town

Information correct at time of publication but subject to change at short notice.

Sport

ASHA’S QUEST

EDDIE’S SELFIE SHOCKER The 2018 World Indoor Athletics Championships started yesterday at the Birmingham Arena, with a feast of action running through to Sunday involving over 600 athletes from nearly 150 countries. Britain’s Asha Philip is tipped for gold in the 60 metres today, with the final scheduled to take place just after 9.30pm. She is the British record holder over the distance and has won international titles.

Scottish Rugby has condemned the abuse suffered by England coach Eddie Jones at the hands of a number of Scotland fans as “disgusting behaviour”, whilst he was posing for a selfie photo. Jones revealed on Wednesday that he feared for his safety after being targeted with verbal and physical abuse while catching a train from Edinburgh to Manchester on the morning after England’s Calcutta Cup defeat at Murrayfield.

The Australian travelled alone via standard class to be a guest of Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford for Manchester United’s Premier League game with Chelsea on Sunday afternoon, before receiving similar treatment on the final leg of his journey from Manchester to London. He has now resolved to not use public transport again. “The disgusting behaviour of those involved does not represent the values of our sport or its fans,” a Scottish

Rugby statement read. “The dignity Eddie and the England team showed on Saturday is in stark contrast to this ugly incident.” Video footage obtained by the BBC showed Jones posing for selfies with fans, who then turn on him. “I’m a human being. I don’t consider myself any different from anyone else, so for me to travel on public transport I thought was OK. But I’ll make sure I won’t in future. It’s as simple as that,” Jones said on Wednesday.

COACH RASSIE

MURRAY ON THE MEND

South Africa have appointed ex-player Rassie Erasmus as head coach until the end of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The 45-year-old, who will also continue to work as director of rugby, takes over from Allister Coetzee, who left his post last month following a falling-out with SA Rugby. Erasmus, capped 36 times, had a stint as Munster director of rugby before returning to South Africa in 2017. "I'm privileged. It's a huge task to coach the Springboks," he said.

Andy Murray is preparing to return to the court following hip surgery and could be back in match action before the grasscourt season starts. The former world No.1 went under the knife in Melbourne in January after being sidelined since Wimbledon due to the problem in his right hip. There were serious fears for his career when he abandoned an attempt to come back at the Brisbane International at the start of January and then wrote a heartfelt post on Instagram. He was much more upbeat following surgery, however, and targeted a return on the grass in June. It now appears he could even be back before then, although whether he would want to subject his body to the rigours of clay at, for example, the French Open appears highly doubtful.

Murray’s likely comeback tournament looked set to be Queen’s, which begins on June 18th, although there are ATP Tour events on grass the previous week in Germany and Holland, while he could even choose to play one or more of the lower-tier UK tournaments. Murray is now back working hard in the gym and has been doing regular pilates sessions ahead of an anticipated return to on-court training towards the end of March. Having had to abort planned comebacks at the US Open last summer and then in Australia, Murray does not want to push too hard and will have to see how his hip copes with being back on the court. He is planning to head to sunnier climes for a warm-weather training camp once he has returned to on-court training.