The Courier Week 34

Edition 34

www.thecourier.es

Friday, October 14, 2011

Five Torrevieja officers facing jail for alleged brutality

By AMANDA BLACK FIVE Torrevieja Guardia Civil officers are facing up to five years in prison for allegedly torturing and injuring a Colombian detainee.

The prosecution claims the officers not only beat the man but also subjected him to degrading treatment while he was held in police cells.

The alleged abuse occurred on October 11, 2009 on a Torrevieja street after an off-duty officer confronted a group of Colombians for making too much noise talking into a door entry phone at six in the morning.

The Guardia man is alleged to have used abusive language to the Colombians - and then dealt several blows and kicks to the face of one of the men.

As two of the group ran off, the officer radioed headquarters for help.

Back at the police station, it is alleged the abuse against one of the detainees continued.

Officers allegedly told him: “It’s wrong to try to kill a policeman” and “(you have) made the biggest mistake of your life”.

Custody The prosecution claims that while the man was kept in custody, he was not allowed to use the toilet or to take medication he needed.

Initially, a case was brought against the Colombians for attacking a police officer.

But this was overturned when the court opened the case against the officers.

If they are convicted, the prosecution is asking for two years for alleged torture and three years for injuries, plus a 10-year professional disqualification for the officers.

GUARDIA UNCIVIL! Brit fraud suspect held in Torrevieja A BRITISH alleged fraudster wanted by the United States authorities has been arrested in Torrevieja.

The 61-year-old man, named only as R.B.A, was detained as he was carrying out some transactions in a property company.

The US fraud dates from March 1999 when the Briton was the main owner of

a company which mis-invested its retirement funds. He and others in the company invested part of the fund in treasury bonds, but the rest was transferred to personal accounts.

The arrest was carried out by agents of the UDEV from Alicante Police Station, coordinated by the fugitive location group of the Judicial Police.

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Friday, October 14, 2011

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Picture of the week

96 692 1003

BLIND FATE

Firemen battle hotel Matador’s slip so costly as bull gouges face blaze

ONE of Spain’s most popular matadors faces permanent blindness in one eye and paralysis down one side of his face after being gouged by a bull.

Juan José Padilla, 38, received horrific facial injuries after slipping as he speared banderillas (small sticks) into the bull’s neck. As the matador fell, the tormented creature fought back, puncturing Padilla’s face with his horn.

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The incident happened in front of a crowd of 20,000 people during Zaragoza’s Fiesta Del Pilar last Friday.

The bull’s left horn penetrated Padilla’s jaw, emerging beside his protruding eyeball.

A screaming Padilla was led from the bullring shouting “I can’t see, I can’t see”.

Doctors initially thought the goring would prove fatal, but Padilla survived a life-saving five-hour operation.

The bull, Marques, gained no reprieve for ‘winning’ the fight and was killed by the

TEMPTING FATE: Padilla taunts a bull

By AMANDA BLACK senior matador on the bill, Miguel Abellan, who put the bull to the sword with tears streaming down his face.

Padilla’s wife, Lidia Cabello, said her husband is putting on a brave face - but shows his emotion when they are alone together.

“With me he cries, with everyone else he smiles,”

Monday Sunny High Temperature: 23°C RealFeel: 22°C

she revealed.

Padilla’s only hope of recovering his vision now lies with the Fernández-Vega clinic, one of the most prestigious ophthalmology institutes in Spain, which is to take over his treatment.

Padilla has been ranked amongst the top Spanish matadors for many years, and is known for facing the

toughest bulls. This is not the first time he has been seriously injured taking part in the controversial sport - in 2001 he suffered serious neck injuries in a fight in Pamplona.

According to Padilla’s brother, Óscar, the matador says he will return to the bullring. However, his family admitted that it is unlikely.

FIREFIGHTERS from Crevillente, Almoradi and Elche were called to a fire at the Hotel Spa Villa in Catral on Tuesday.

The alarm was raised at six in the evening by a number of motorists on the highway, from where black smoke was clearly visible billowing from the empty building.

It took until around 8pm for the fire crews to put out the blaze, the cause of which has not yet been determined.

The hotel, which was once one of the best in the area, has been empty since 2010. Since then it has become a target of thieves and vandals.

Today Partly sunny High Temperature: 24°C RealFeel: 24°C

Saturday Chance of showers High Temperature: 24°C RealFeel: 23°C

Sunday Sunny High Temperature: 24°C RealFeel: 25°C

Tuesday Mostly cloudy High Temperature: 19°C RealFeel: 18°C

Wednesday Partly sunny High Temperature: 24°C RealFeel: 22°C

Thursday Rain High Temperature: 18°C RealFeel: 21°C

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Friday, October 14, 2011

THEY MET 30 YEARS AGO AND HE’S BEEN INFATUATED EVER SINCE

THE GOOD OLD DIEZ

Love wins the day as dotty Duchess weds her toy boy - at 85 What was meant to be a quiet Seville wedding turned out to be a very public event when the Duchess, Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, finally tied the knot with her consort of the last three years.

It was a blissful day for Díez, 60, and the eccentric duchess, who has been married Until a few years ago, few had heard of twice before.

Alfonso Díez Carabantes, but on The wedding bells that at last rang for the Wednesday, his name was splashed all over couple came with a price, though. The the international media.

Duchess had to settle family scores with her The commoner who until last week sons – especially the youngest, Cayetano – worked as a public employee, was catapult- who were suspicious that Díez’s attraction to ed to star status when he married one of the their mother was nothing more than a goldrichest and most famous women on the digger’s interest.

Last summer, the duchess put paid to a Iberian Peninsula. brewing family feud when she summoned the whole family to her lawyer’s office in Madrid. There, she gave them each their living inheritance, sharing out the Casa de Alba fortune. And, she asked Díez, son of a military officer, to sign a prenuptial SPAIN’S population will start shrinking this year as agreement renouncing more people leave the country than arrive amid a claims to any noble titles that three-year slump that’s left almost half of young peohave been passed down in ple out of work. the affluent family for cenThe population, which surged 15 percent in the turies. decade to 2010 as immigrants flocked to work in the Top three booming economy, will contract 1.2% to 45.6 million Díez has been infatuated in 2021, according to a new National Statistics with the duchess since he Institute report. Emigrants will outnumber immimet her some 30 years ago, grants each year beyond 2020, the Madrid-based according to those who know institute estimated, based on current trends. him well. They say he ranked Spain is failing to tame the highest unemployment her among the top three rate in the EU and its export-led recovery from the women he’d always most worst recession in six decades is slowing. admired (Elizabeth Taylor As the economy struggles to find industries to and Ava Gardner are the replace the construction boom that collapsed in other two).

2008, joblessness stands at 21%, with 46% of young “She has always done people out of work. what she has wanted to do,” Spain created about half the jobs in the euro region he would often explain when in the four years to 2006, attracting more immigrants asked why he idolised that year than any other euro nation.

Cayetana.

The Socialist government, which gave work perWhen he first met the mits to 600,000 illegal workers in 2005, has since duchess, she was married to toughened migration laws and encouraged foreignher second husband, Jesús ers who have lost their jobs to go home.

Aguirre, who was a close friend of Díez’s brother Pedro. During one visit to the Liria Palace – her famous Madrid haven, filled with paintings by old masters including Goya, Rubens and Velázquez, as well as documents written by Christopher Columbus and other priceless heirlooms – Díez found the duchess to be radiant and friendly, but a little distant.

From that day on, Díez

THE Duchess of Alba, Spain’s eccentric and much-loved aristocrat turned celebrity, finally got her way last week when, at the tender age of 85, she married the love of her life.

The drain in Spain: Growing exodus rewrites statistics

The Duchess and her new husband lead each other a merry dance

became fascinated with the woman 25 years his senior.

He saw her as half flesh and bone woman and half the mythical celebrity creation that still regularly appears on the front pages of gossip magazines. They went their separate ways, neither of them ever thinking that their paths would one day cross again, and much less believing that they would eventually marry.

As the woman with the most aristocratic titles on the face of the earth, Cayetana spent the next few decades bouncing from one of her palatial homes to another.

She also tended to her five sons and daughter – suffering along with them as their personal and professional lives took rocky turns.

A frequent fixture at Seville and other Andalusian fairs

EARLY WARMING FIREFIGHTERS battled to gain control of a bush fire that broke out early on Monday by the salt lakes near Los Montesinos. The alarm was raised at 6.20am and it took fire crews almost five hours to get flames under control.

Fire engines from two forces attended the scene, while low-flying fire-fighting aircraft were seen flying over the village throughout the morning.

and parties, Cayetana was never shy about performing an impromptu Sevillian dance in the middle of the street – fan in hand, of course. She still often attends bullfights to see her favourite Curro Romero or her much beloved Fran Rivera, the devilishly debonair former husband to her daughter Eugenia.

On the other hand, as a

dedicated civil servant, Díez had a very normal, routine life.

He never arrived at the Social Security agency (INSS) any later than 7.30am to begin his day and, right up to last Friday when he retired, was earning €1,500 a month as chief manager for training and social action in the human resources department.

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Friday, October 14, 2011

Enough to make a macho man sick!

Thoughtless people and MPs get the Mayes treatment this week, along with hospital and public sector workers...

Many years ago a local football manager came to me and suggested my newspaper pay for reports of his team's matches. I had to remind him that his team needed reports more than the newspaper needed to carry them. That was the end of it - and it's the same principle with TV coverage of top league football.

There’s a feeding frenzy with broadcasters competing for live coverage and it’s costing a fortune, so much so that it reduces the amount of money available for more serious TV programmes.

I often wonder how quickly interest in football, cricket and rugby would tail off if the endless viewing ended on our TV screens and in the national press. Grossly overpaid football players would quickly come down to earth.

I've drifted away from the point, but I hope the BBC will end the practice of pouring money into MPs' pockets, and as for MP's, if they spent half as much time sorting out the UK's dreadful economy as they do feathering their own nests, perhaps Britain would be a great deal better off.

One of the first things I did on arrival in Spain was to find the local newspapers, and it saddened me to hear that our local Torrevieja hospital is restricting theatre operation time. The hospital says there is less need now that a backlog has been cleared, but the unions say it's more to do with cost cutting.

Probably the truth is a cut between the two, but it's my guess that the standard of care in Spain is better than in the UK. I really do fear for the future of the heath service when I hear shocking stories about elderly patients being allowed to dehydrate to the point they have to be put on a drip, and being chastised for daring to trouble staff by ringing the bell for help.

How about a return to proper nursing standards and nurses actually caring for their patients? I wonder how many hospital staff these days simply look at their time on the wards as just a job rather than a vocation?

It's a sad indictment when people put their own interests before everything else – and public-sector workers seem to be the worst culprits.

They are prepared to let down the public to maintain their pensions, which are so much more generous than workers in the private sector who are paying for theirs.

WE’RE back in Spain again after enduring almost everything the weather could throw at us on the way down.

Mountainous seas, rain, gales, dust storms - but it was worth it to be in the warm sunshine again. It seems we left Britain just in time to escape the first cold snap of autumn.

I had a little chuckle when I read the prediction in one of the UK newspapers of a -20-degree freeze-up this winter. All a bit silly when the weather people find it near impossible to predict anything beyond five days into the future.

I also had to chuckle on the fast-ferry crossing to Cherbourg. The spray was going right over the ship and everyone bar the staff was seated and looking decidedly ill. Macho men covered with tattoos and dripping with bling (you know the type) were lying in the corridors, sick bag in hand.

Normally they look so intimidating but I loved it as I stepped around them, went to the food counter, ordered lunch and sat down and ate it.

They were nowhere near so intimidating reduced to wrecks. I missed my vocation - I should have been a ship's captain.

Anyway, we're back in Spain and nothing has changed. Still piles of dog poo in the parks, open spaces and pavements, still dogs of all sizes and octaves allowed to bark all day and all night, and still thoughtless people having noisy parties allowing music to blare out until the small hours.

How did we manage to breed so many totally thoughtless people who want to do just what they want to do without considering anyone else?

And on the subject of totally selfish, it’s no surprise to see that our wonderful MPs have found yet another way to get their greedy faces in the feeding trough.

Not content with fiddling their expenses, now they're looking for big cash handouts for appearing on TV shows and giving interviews to the BBC. At a time when the BBC is having to trim its staff (quite rightly when it is such an overstaffed and overpaid organisation, operating outside the real world, financed by the licence fee), it is prepared to pay for the twitterings of MPs whose opinions are valued by less than one third of us, judging by the numbers voting at elections.

Politicians and people involved with sport have long believed that newspapers and broadcasters have a bottomless pit of money to throw away.

Dead Moroccan dumped on roadside A BODY found on a Marbella roadside with shotgun wounds to the face has been identified as a 15-year-old Moroccan boy.

The youngster was found near the La Quinta urbanisation on the Marbella to Ronda road on Monday, with reports indicating he had been thrown from a

moving vehicle.

An investigation is now underway, with an autopsy being held to determine the cause of death.

Despite being identified by his fingerprints, there is no report of a missing person.

It comes as four people have been

arrested in connection with the murder of a Finnish woman whose partially dismembered body was found at a villa in Mijas.

Jenna Lepomaki, 19, is thought to have been killed after refusing to help smuggle cocaine between Spain and Finland.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Canaries rocked by new eruptions

TWO new volcanic eruptions were confirmed on Wednesday near El Hierro island in the Canaries, where 500 people spent another night outside their homes after being evacuated as a precautionary measure.

"I confirm the existence of two points of volcanic eruption at El Hierro," Laura Otero, a spokeswoman for the local authorities, told AFP, adding that there were dead fish and a strong odour of sulfur at both sites.

The head of emergency services in the Canaries, Juan Manuel Santana, said in a statement that "the two points are located at two nautical miles and 1.5 miles southwest of (the village of) La Restinga".

The first eruption occurred at a depth of 700 metres (2,300 feet) and the other at a depth of 200 metres (655 feet).

He said the eruptions "resulted in two stains on the sea surface where there are dead fish and a strong odour of sulfur."

Some 500 residents and tourists were evacuated from the village of La Restinga as a precautionary measure on Tuesday after a 4.3-magnitude quake the previous day, the first volcanic euption in the Canaries in 40 years.

Monday's eruption was detected five kilometres (three miles) from the island at a depth of between 500 and 1,200 metres

(1,640 and 3,940 feet) beneath the sea.

Experts had said the eruption would not be felt on the island.

Most of the evacuees have found refuge with relatives or friends in other villages on the island. But dozens of others, mostly tourists, spent the night in a student dormitory and a local gym.

Pointing to "uncertainty over the coming days", authorities said in a statement that they were keeping Restinga on "red alert", while the rest of the island remained on yellow alert, one notch lower.

"It is recommended to exercise caution," said Paulino Rivero, head of the Canaries administration.

But he said people would be able to return to their homes under the protection of civil safety officials to retrieve medicines or clothes.

Rivero said scientists had noticed no significant changes since Tuesday afternoon.

El Hierro, which means iron in Spanish, is the smallest of Spain's Canary Islands, located in the Atlantic off the coast of Morocco.

Perched atop an ancient volcano, the island of Hierro has undergone some 10,000 tremors since July 19, the vast majority of them not felt by its 11,000 residents.

LORCA municipal council has revealed that some 3,000 people lost their homes as a result of the earthquakes in May, A total of 1,164 homes have already been demolished, covering an area equivalent to 17 football pitches, and 140 imortant buildings are in ruins.

The Councillor in charge of the Earthquake Reconstruction Committee, Saturnina MartĂ­nez, pointed out that

those affected by the earthquake have so far only received money from the Consortium of Insurance Compensation fund and Mesa Solidaria, a charity collecting donations given to the municipality.

She said that 1.4 million euros from the Mesa Solidaria fund had been distributed amongst 751 Lorca families who have lost their homes.

The municipality council has retained a reserve fund of 630,000 euros for displaced families who haven't yet come to the council for help, and has released a further half-million euros to jump-start local businesses.

More than 20% of the town’s shops have still not reopened after the earthquake.

3,000 LOST THEIR HOMES IN LORCA EARTHQUAKE

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Friday, October 14, 2011

Goodbye Gastro Gang THEY ROBBED SOME OF SPAIN'S FINEST MICHELIN-STARRED RESTAURANTS. NOW THEY’RE CHEWING OVER THE CONSEQUENCES

Juan Mari Arzak in his Michelin-starred restaurant in San Sebastian, which was targeted by robbers in July

THEY could go down in history as the Gastro Gang, a group of burglars whose favourite targets in Spain included several three-starred Michelin restaurants.

But police have finally announced they had finally captured the robbers, whose break-ins included restaurants run by chefs Juan Mari Arzak, Pedro Subijana and Martín Berasategui.

Subijana said the gang broke into his three-starred Akelarre restaurant in the northern Basque country six weeks ago, taking out the strong box and ripping it apart.

"They had all the equipment and plenty of experience," he told EFE news agency. "I am surprised they caught them, as I didn't hold out much hope."

The thieves had also broken into the Arzak restaurant in the Basque city of San Sebastián and Berasategui's eponymous eatery in nearby Lasarte-Oria.

The three chefs accounts for half of Spain's three-starred restaurants. Police said the thieves, of eastern European ori-

Family probe mystery of Chris’s death CHRIS LINDSAY, a new father from Edinburgh, was on holiday with colleagues in the Costa del Sol when he went missing.

Doctors believe he was then attacked.

The 34-year-old had been drinking with other members of staff from the Marketing Company in Glasgow on October 1 and became separated from them.

The next anyone heard was when his partner, Vikki Solomon, received a call from a Spanish hospital on October 4 to say he was in a critical condition.

Mr Lindsay’s father and brother flew out to be at his bedside but he died of liver failure last Friday.

With many questions left unanswered, Ms Solomon is appealing for holidaymakers to help piece together what happened to Mr Lindsay.

She hopes someone may have spotted him in the resort of Calahonda between the Saturday night and

Tuesday.

Ms Solomon told STV News: "On Tuesday morning I got a phone call saying he was in hospital in Spain and that he was critical and we had to get out there as he was on his own. I was shocked, I didn’t believe it.

"We don’t know how he got to hospital, all we know is that he went out with work colleagues on Saturday night and then on Tuesday morning we got the call.

"We are in the dark as to who took him to hospital, how he got there, what his injuries were when he was first admitted, what happened to make his condition deteriorate. ‘’We don’t know where he was from Saturday night until he went to the hospital which we think was Monday.

"We need to know if anybody saw him, who he was with, if he was on his own.

We just need to try and piece this together to get some answers because nobody

knows apart from Chris."

Ms Solomon said her partner was trying his best to build a future for her and their three-month-old son.

She said: "Chris was working hard to try and build a future for us and his son and it’s all been taken away from us. We have been left with nothing and we have got no answers and that’s just the hardest part.

"I still can’t quite get my head around it, it’s just so difficult. We all talked ourselves in to believing it was all going to be okay, that he was going to pull through and we still can’t believe it."

A post-mortem examination has been carried out in Spain and the family are still waiting to hear the results.

Doctors told them Chris had been attacked but the official cause of death is liver failure.

gin, disabled alarms and entered through walls, doors or windows. Cars were hired using false documents, or bought under false names.

Arzak said after his restaurant was broken into in July the gang had taken only a small amount of money. "Some 70% to 80% of people pay by credit card, so we don't have much cash," he said. "Apart from the wines, which probably weigh too much to make it worth the effort, there is not much of value kept here. Our kitchen secrets are well-guarded."

But the thieves were reported to have a taken a substantial sum from Akelarre, while the target at Berasategui's restaurant was also cash.

At least four other less well-known restaurants in the Basque region had also been broken into.

Gang members lived in Torrevieja, around 370 miles from San Sebastián, but operated across Spain, with warehouses and other targets also in their sights. They also had safehouses in Madrid.

Bardem: I’m the next Bond villain JAVIER Bardem has confirmed that he is going to play the villain in the next James Bond movie.

Bardem, who won an Oscar for his role in "No Country for Old Men" said he was "very enthusiastic" in the region the possibility to play a part in the saga of the mythical spy, 007.

"My parents used to take me to see the movies and I've seen all of them", said Bardem, who was sure the experience was going to be "entertaining".

"They chose me to play the villain", the Spanish actor confirmed, but without revealing any greater details in the region the project which is going to be directed by Sam Mendes and which sees Daniel Craig playing Bond for the third time. Filming of the 23rd movie in the saga of secret agent 007 is due to begin in November 2012.

No clue to missing kids POLICE on Wednesday conducted a search of the city residence of the paternal grandfather of the two children who, according to their father, disappeared in a Córdoba park last Saturday.

The news comes after officers removed the cordon around the outof-town estate belonging to the grandparents of missing Ruth Bretón Ordiz, 6, and her two-year-old brother José,

where the investigation had been concentrated until now. Police also temporarily suspended their search around the Guadalquivir river for the children. So far there’s no trace of them Officially, nobody is under investigation. Police are ruling nothing out, but say they have been surprised by the lack of emotion the children's father, José Bretón, has shown.

The Christmas Shop THE CHRISTMAS SHOP will once again be opening its doors in San Luis - for the fourth year. The CHRISTMAS SHOP is bigger and better than ever this year with the same quality you would expect from them, but at even less cost.

This year the shop is three times bigger than the last and has every Christmas item imaginable all under one roof.

There are cake decorations, card holders, nick-nacks and stocking fillers, Xmas baubles in 10 different colours, silly hats and costumes, light up villages and the biggest tree selection available in Spain.

Mrs Christmas prides herself on having everything you

are looking for at Xmas, if she hasn’t got it, she will tell you where you can find it. Each year her elves shop around to try to ensure the best prices, with cards from just one euro.

To ensure their prices are truly fair, if you find the same item cheaper elsewhere, Mrs Christmas will refund the difference.

The CHRISTMAS SHOP will again this year be a collection point for various local charities. Last year the CHRISTMAS SHOP donated 33 sacks full of toys to four different charities, two children’s homes and an orphanage. The CHRISTMAS SHOP also managed to donate doggy treat Xmas stockings to all the dogs in care with Animal Aid and S.A.T. on Xmas morning. The fundraising at the C HRISTMAS SHOP is a massive part of the pleasure Mother Christmas gains from running the shop each year. If you work for a charity or collect toys for children in need, please call into the CHRISTMAS SHOP and register your group and they will endeavour to include your charity this year.

Finally, a date for your diary for this year’s FUN DAY is NOVEMBER 19! Come along and take an amazing train ride to see SANTA. The 2011 CHRISTMAS SHOP opens on NOVEMBER 8, so for all those XMAS goodies, go along and have a chat with Mrs Christmas in the CHRISTMAS SHOP in SAN LUIS. SEE OUR ADVERT ON PAGE 10

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Friday, October 14, 2011

Spain’s firework kids are driving me crackers

Feel the noise! Firecracker time at Valencia’s fallas

I CANNOT understand the Spanish obsession with firecrackers – or whatever makes those big bangs that scare the wits out of wrinkly expats like me In a nation where kids are so treasured, it’s astonishing that parents allow seven and eight year olds to set off dangerous explosives in the street.

As far as I know, such irresponsible behaviour is illegal in the UK – and quite rightly so. Apart from the

Send your comments to donna@thecourier.es distinct possibility of the child getting hurt, the sheer noise of the explosion could frighten anyone with a heart condition to death.

Literally.

Fireworks, of course, are part of Spanish cultural heritage…and letting them off randomly just about anywhere at any time is one of the nation’s favourite pastimes. Even if

it does result in a considerable number of people ending up in hospital with horrific burns.

My friend Andrés, who is now 54, almost had his hand blown off by a firecracker when he was seven – and, not surprisingly, he now hates the things. ‘‘This cracker was supposed to explode in the air – but it just fell to the ground,’’ he recalls. ‘’I picked it up and it went off in my hand. The pain was incredible. They took me to hospital and I had to have my hand sewn up. ‘‘Ever since then I have detested firecrackers.’’ So much so that his remonstrations with the cracker chuckers have earned Andres a reputation as a spoilsport in his home town of El Altet.

In a country with a passion for pyrotechnics, the antagonism is understandable. Particularly since the Spanish government fought fire with fire in 2009 by defying Europe on firework safety The EU wanted under 12s banned from having

THIS RUGBY’S A TAFF GAME! But someone forgot to tell the ‘British’ press that England’s World Cup chariot crashed

SORRY, folks, but I can’t resist it. I’ve got to have a quiet gloat at England being Frog-marched out of the Rugby World Cup – and the emergence of my beloved Wales as contenders to become world champions.

Every self-respecting Taff – male and female – is a rugby union fan. And to see our boys (and most of them are little more than boys) playing so brilliantly over in New Zealand makes me immensely proud.

Even if Wales lose to France in this weekend’s semi final, the team have done the nation proud. I mean, there are only three million of us – or one Dragon for every 17 St Georges or 21 Joan of Arcs.

As a little Principality attached to and overshadowed by England, we don’t have a lot to shout about. So you can’t blame us for making a song and dance when we show the English up.

Even if it’s only at tiddlywinks.

Since everyone associates Wales with rugby, male-voice choirs and sheep, we should at least be half-decent at scrummaging and singing (I’ll pass on the sheep bit).

So it was sad that on one

Scots had become World Champions in 1966, Bannockburn would be a distant second to the Mighty Macs for the next 10,000 years.

I was lucky enough to have personal friends among the great Welsh rugby team of the ’70s (which is still revered as one of the finest the game has them – and for onlookers to stay 15 metres from the known).

Sadly, those guys never most dangerous fireworks.

Had Spain agreed, it won the World Cup…primarily because it didn’t would have taken the fire out of some of the counexist until 1987.

That Golden Era team try's best-known fiestas, was brilliant because virtu- like San Juan in midsumally a whole team of world- mer.

Instead, the crackers will n class players all arrived Dragons’ De Sam Warburton in the in pta continue to explode and ca lsh We : on the scene at the same EN BREAD OF HEAV newspapers will keep runtime. of the rare occa- where most of Sunday’s and other major tournaA quarter of a century later, ning horrific stories of peosions we excel ourselves in a news bulletins focused on ments, he reverts in Fleet history seems to be repeat- ple injured by fireworks. major sporting arena, the UK England’s thumping and only Street’s eyes to the status of Andres will remember ing itself. media chose to relegate the mentioned the far superior ‘sweaty sock’ (that’s Jock in the excruciating pain in his And Wales skipper Sam achievement to also-ran Wales-Ireland contest as an Cockney rhyming slang).

Warburton and his fearless hand and continue to status. afterthought.

That’s one of the reasons youngsters are ready, willing preach the gospel of Monday’s Daily Mail devotBy this weekend, the why most Celts have a ‘We abstention to the fireed the back SIX pages of a English media will of course love it when England lose’ and able to paint the Rugby cracker fools.

World Cup red.

72-page paper to England’s have jumped on the band- mentality, whatever the sport.

And I will just marvel at PESSIMISM NOTE: losers. Sports fans had to wagon and be screaming I don’t go with that. If Please be gentle on me if finding an EU guideline I turn to Pages 66 and 67 for about Sam Warburton’s bril- Wales can’t win, then agree with.

France win! the first mention of Wales. liant BRITS flattening the another British team has to The Sun’s website the Frogs. be the best alternative.

Bring on France! Welsh players same day featured FOUR It’s just like the Andy But I totally understand the celebrate their win over Ireland separate stories about Murray scenario. The media thinking of people like England and nothing topical suck up to the Dunblane Welshman’s son Gareth on Wales. racketeer before tourna- Evans, a Scot spending his It was the same on TV, ments as ‘’OUR Andy, first holiday in this region.

Britain’s best’’. This, despite ‘’I wasn’t even born in the fact he is on record as 1966, but I’m fed up hearing saying he’d support ANY about what England did,’’ he team playing England. says. ’’I hope Wales win the Then, when edgy Andy World Cup if only to shut the makes his customary semi- English up.’’ final exit from Wimbledon I somehow think that if the

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Friday, October 14, 2011

Snip hooray for Tabarca cats

BY AMANDA BLACK A COLONY of wild cats on Tabarca island is to get extra care and a population control programme - thanks to collaboration between an Alicante animal charity and local government officials and police.

Fundación Internacional para la Protección de los Animales (FIPARM) has launched the campaign to sterilise and care for the cats through its animal protection veterinary clinics, Clini-Vet. The charity has worked closely with Alicante’s health and environment departments, and also the police, in organising the campaign, and FIPARM president Raúl Mérida hailed the project as “a great

step forward in animal care on the island”.

An abundance of food on Tabarca during the summer months means the cats breed prolifically. But once winter arrives and visitors disappear, the colony is too large for the diminished food supply. So cats become unhealthy and many starve.

A sterilisation programme will keep the population under control and vets will be able to monitor the health of the animals.

The first sterilisations began last week when 10 cats were operated on by the charity’s vets.

Surgery was carried out in a fully equipped mobile theatre set up in a house on the island. All ten cats have recovered

Busby’s blast Merits £15,000 THE last round of the PGA Europro Tour ended last Friday evening at the Mar Menor golf village in Murcia.

And the winner of the competition over here in Spain was James Busby, who ended the three days of play on 14 under par.

Busby, 29 won £15,000 and moved into second place in the Order of Merit, which basically records who has won the most money over the whole tournament.

Busby won a total of £29,000 over the 22-match contest.

Top of the Order of Merit is Chris Hanson, who pocketed a cool £37,000.

The top five in the Order of Merit advance to the next stage as they dream of being on tour with the big names like Rory Mcllroy and Tiger

By PHIL HALL, aged 15 Woods. Next step for Hanson, Busby, Graeme Clark, Luke Goddard and Jamie Abbott is the Challenge tour.

I spoke to Paul Reed, who finished seventh in the Order of Merit. Paul has been on the PGA Europro Tour for four years but has suffered injuries during that time.

I asked him what his favourite hole is on the Mar Menor course. His reply was the same as most of the other golfers - that he liked the 14th best because he could hit a solid tee shot, then a fade shot to leave him on the green.

As I am sure most golfers you ask would say, Paul’s favourite club in his bag is his driver.

Paul Reed: Aiming high

and been included in a census of animals living freely on the island.

A team of vets will visit Tabarca by boat every week to perform more sterilisations and to look after the cats.

FIPARM´s Brigada Azul unit points out that the problem of street cats is, of course, not unique to Tabarca. Large feral cat populations and out-of-control breeding is an issue in many areas.

FIPARM believes that the only way to control numbers and improve the cats’ health is through mass sterilisation. Yet the resources are not available and too few sterilisation programmes are carried out.

BOY, 6, KILLED BY HEAD OF A DOLL A SIX-YEAR-OLD boy who died in Orihuela’s Mercadona supermarket last Friday choked to death on a doll’s head, an autopsy has confirmed.

The child died in his father’s arms after he rushed the choking boy to his mother, who was working in the store.

Horrified shoppers in the packed supermarket saw the whole incident.

Paramedics rushed to the scene and tried to revive the child, but it was too late.

It is thought that both parents work in Mercadona, which closed after the tragedy while National Police authorised the removal of the child’s body.

The supermarket later reopened, but brought in staff from outside of the area as staff on duty were too distressed by the tragic death of their colleagues’ son.

The little boy was buried in an emotional funeral on Saturday afternoon.

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Friday, October 14, 2011

WOOD YOU BELIEVE IT! (otherwise known as A Splinters Tale)

THE first record I bought was Elvis's All Shook Up. The second record I purchased was also Elvis's All Shook Up after I sat on the first disc and broke it.

That unfortunate occurrence taught me two lessons -- always check what's on the sofa before you sit down and, secondly, be prepared for sarcasm when informing the careers advisory teacher what you intend to do in the big wide world after leaving school.

'Erm, so why do you desire to be a rockand-roll performing artiste?' the teacher asked me.

'Because I'm a super-cool hip dude, sir,' I replied.

'I see,' he said, obviously not seeing whatsoever.

'And just how many subject passes do you believe your chosen vocation will require when you take your General Certificate of Education examinations?'

'Dunno, sir,' I shrugged. 'But I hope woodwork isn't one of them. I'm woefully inadequate when it comes to working with wood.'

The careers teacher nodded and deleted the words 'firewood delivery boy' from his list of suitable occupations written on my file.

It was true, though. I was to manual dexterity what my ancestor Long John Silver was to tightrope walking.

Just ask Mr Ash, who was my woodwork teacher at secondary school.

It's funny how I can recall the names of people who shouted at me, even after nearly 50 years.

'And just what is THAT?' Mr Ash barked at the conclusion of one lesson.

'It's a towel rail, sir' I stammered, holding out for inspection the crooked, splintering

criss-cross arrangement of mismatched wooden lengths which oozed rivulets of foulsmelling hot fish glue from every botched joint.

Mr Ash shook his head. 'I wouldn't risk hanging even a PAPER towel on that thing.

'May I respectfully suggest that instead of taking that sorry object home to further upset your no-doubt already depressed parents, you offer it to the school caretaker to keep the heating furnace in useful employ.'

'So you're not impressed with my skills, sir?' I ventured.

'Impressed?' he laughed.

'Of course I am, Silver. You are the Picasso of the woodwork world. Now please leave for your next lesson.'

I stood rooted to the spot.

'Silver, you are still here,' he observed.

'I can't move, sir.'

'Are you ill, boy?'

'No, sir. I've caught the end of my tie in the bench vice.'

Once released, I toddled off to my next lesson.

'So did that Picasso ever do towel rails?' I asked my art teacher, Mr Turner.

He scratched his head. 'Picasso? Paint a towel rail? Well, he might have slapped a coat of varnish on one when decorating his bathroom. But his forte was painting on canvas.'

'You mean he did the stripes on deckchair covers?' I asked.

'Don't be obtuse, Silver. Picasso is regarded by modern art enthusiasts as a genius.

However, his detractors claim his work is a nonsensical mish-mash -- just like that curious glue-splodged thing you're trying to hide behind your back.'

'That's my towel rail, sir,' I said.

'Well,' said Mr Ash, scratching his head again. 'You could have fooled me. But now,

Silver, our pointless conversation must come to a close.

'The going-home bell is about to sound so please go around all the desks and collect the paint brushes -- and don't forget to count them.

'When I take my weekly art class at Strangeways Prison I know all my brushes will be returned. But with you unscrupulous urchins in Class 4D . . . ' I stuffed my towel rail into my satchel and went to get the bus home.

'Sorry, lad, I can't let you on my vehicle with that thing sticking out of your bag,' the conductor said. 'You'll have someone's wig off.'

'But that's my towel rail,' I protested.

'Listen, son,' said the conductor. 'My nephew owns a towel rail manufacturing factory in Rockdale. And that thing you've got there would be a mystery object to my sister's boy.

'Now hold tight, everyone,' and he rang the bell, leaving me standing forlorn on the pavement.

I trudged home and chucked my wooden masterpiece into the dustbin. It took me three attempts to get the bin lid back on.

Still, best look on the bright side. If a man could make his fortune painting stripes on deckchair covers, then maybe one day it would be my turn.

'Had a good day, our David?' asked my mother as I entered the living room.

'So-so, Mother. One of the teachers compared me to Picasso.'

'Wow!' said Mother, pleasantly shocked.

And she plonked herself down on the sofa, breaking my surviving copy of Elvis's All Shook Up.

Friday, October 14, 2011

11

THE SPANISH PRESS 12

Friday, October 14, 2011

Sofia: Haiti is special to me SPAIN’S Queen Sofia visited Haiti last week to inspect aid efforts aimed at helping the Caribbean nation rebuild after the devastating earthquake almost two years ago.

The Queen spent her two-day visit touring reconstruction projects that the Spanish government and her own charitable foundation hope will improve housing, education, sanitation and health in Haiti, one of the world’s poorest countries.

When Sofia arrived on a Spanish government jet, she was greeted on the tarmac by Haitian President Michel Martelly and first lady Sophia Martelly. The president and the Queen chatted amicably before and after the National Palace band performed national anthems from both countries. Several king, politics,” Martelly told dozen Haitian schoolgirls Associated Press after the 20-minute meeting. “It was a waving Spanish flag greeted little opportunity for me to Sofia, including one who meet the Queen, thank her, gave her a bouquet. and do what I’m supposed to “We talked about our fami- do, portray a new Haiti, bring lies, her kids, my kids, the confidence to our partners,

our friends — let them know that this is no longer a country that wants to beg for money.”

Spain and Haiti have not traditionally had strong diplomatic ties but Spain is among the countries that made the

MURCIA, VALENCIA TOP HOME EVICTION TABLES THE number of house evictions in Spain is as high as 5,500 a month. This figure is being blamed on the fact that almost five million people were out of a job at the end of June, and therefore unable to pay their mortgages or rent.

According to figures released last Friday by the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), the number of suits filed for evictions in the second quarter hit 16,464, an increase of 21.2 percent over the same period last year. The previous record was of 15,546 in the first quarter of this year, an increase of 36.8

percent. The biggest increase in the second quarter took place in the Murcia region, where evictions rose more than seven-fold, followed by Extremadura.

Region with the biggest number of evictions was Valencia at 3,297.

biggest pledges to Haiti after the January 2010 earthquake. According to the Office of UN Special Envoy, Spain has pledged $359.7 million (around €267.75 million) for 2010 and 2011.

At a dinner hosted by Martelly, Queen Sofia recalled in a brief statement how she visited Haiti two years ago. “Haiti is a special country for me. Now, and for all time, Mr President, Haiti can count on Spain and all Spaniards,” she said in Haitian Creole read from a script.

The Queen’s visit included a trip to Leogane, which saw thousands of homes destroyed because of its proximity to the quake’s epicentre. The Spanish Red Cross is helping build 1,500 transitional shelters in a housing project funded by the queen’s foundation.

After visiting Haiti, Sofia travelled to Miami to mark the opening of a Spanish cultural centre.

Eggstra special as rare turtles hatch on beach A BEACH in Catalonia has become a safe haven for a rare breed of turtles, with dozens of the tiny creatures hatching from eggs buried in the sand at Malgrat de Mar’s Conca beach.

The extraordinary natural wonder has seen dozens of endangered loggerhead turtles hatching each night and beginning their long journey to the sea.

An adult female came ashore unseen to lay her eggs about 40 days ago. ‘’This is a rare and unusual event," says a spokesman for the Conservation and Recovery of Marine Animals (CRAM). The organisation is keeping watch and protecting the nesting area until all the eggs are hatched.

Beach goers and construction work have scared female loggerheads from nesting on the Spanish coastline, as they did more than a century ago. But they still appear occasionally in Catalonia and in2006, 40 hatchlings were observed at Premià de Mar. Loggerheads are protected by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Fears for island after scientists forced out

By SALLY BENGTSSON A SCIENTIFIC research project on a small island just off La Manga has been scrapped due to lack of funds.

And now it is feared that rare wildlife and sensitive ecosystems could be in danger.

Isla Grosa has been an important research centre for the past seven years, with biologists studying local marine creatures, plants and wildlife.

But the Murcian government has declared it can no longer afford to pay the eight scientists the €70,000 a year that it takes to keep the project going.

Last weekend research equipment was dismantled and researchers left the island by boat for the last time.

Isla Grosa is a sanctuary for protected bird species. While the scientists were in residence boats were not allowed too close to its shores. But now, the departing biologists fear that visitors will come to the island, endangering the ten pairs of nesting cormorants and disturbing the delicate ecosystem.

The biologists fear that all the hard work of the past seven years on the island, which is also home to two fossilised dunes, will have been wasted.

Before abandoning the island, researchers repaired the jetty, in the hope that visitors to the island will at least moor their boats there, rather than damaging the fragile meadows of poseidonia, a type of sea grass and important part of the marine habitat.

But, with the scientists gone, there will nobody to check that boats and visitors behave responsibly.

Friday, October 14, 2011

13

GOLDEN GIRL

By DONNA GEE TO describe Millie Munro as an experienced businesswoman would be an understatement.

In a remarkable sales career, the Lancashire lass has turned round the fortunes of everything from a rundown English restaurant with mega-debts to a family-portrait photography business in New Zealand.

And the success story continued following her move to Spain with husband Terry 11 years ago - with her Health and Funeral plans now market leaders on the Costa Blanca. ‘‘I am a workaholic and can’t ever see me giving work up,’’ says Millie. ‘‘I will probably be writing a plan when they are putting the coffin lid down on me! ‘‘But I love to be of service to people and get a real sense of satisfaction when I know I have been of help - something which is backed up by many testimonials.’'

Life has certainly been a roller-coaster ride for Millie since she left school in the sixties with little more than the clothes on her back. ‘‘I come from quite a poor background where I was the youngest of three daughters,’’ she says. ‘‘Both my sisters worked in a tobacco company after leaving school.

There was no college or further education for us - we had to go out and earn money. ‘’I told my parents I didn’t want to work in a tobacco company and smell like my sisters, so they put me in an electrical company where I had to wire fluorescent lights. I was never allowed to open my wage packet and

A roller-coaster ride through life - but it’s all going to plan for Millie now HAPPY DAYS: Millie Munro (centre) with her telesales girls in New Zealand

Mum use to give me two shillings back for my spends.’’

Although young Millie liked the work, she had already developed an intense desire to better herself. And a night-school typing course and a new job operating switchboard gave her two new skills before she married and had daughters Vikki and Zoe. Her uniquely diverse career in sales began with two years at PHS (Personal Hygiene Services) after the children started school. Then her marriage ended in divorce

– and she ended up in New Zealand.

There, she recruited a team of telesales girls working from home booking family portrait work for a photographer whose income she more than tripled.

Indeed, the business became so successful that Millie was offered a partnership doing the same thing in Bondi Junction, Australia. After her father left her dying mother, Millie returned to the UK. Another successful business venture was about to unfold.

She recalls: ‘’I was feeling pretty miserable, with no job and no money, when the phone rang and a voice said: ‘Please can I have hand dryers in my new restaurant like the ones you supplied to my other restaurants.’’

Millie explained that she no longer worked for PHS and had been in New Zealand – and was promptly offered a job in yet another new environment. ‘’Little did I know I would end up running the whole show because Eddie, the owner, did a runner owing mega debts,’’ says Millie. ‘’ I soon found out why he was in trouble the Head Chef and the Head Waitress were man and wife and stealing from him.’’

After dismissing them and turning the business round, Millie was overjoyed when Eddie turned up out of the blue. ‘’He had had a nervous breakdown and was delighted to see his books back in the black and new staff. I explained that I needed to leave and he bought me a car in appreciation of all my efforts.’’

After meeting and marrying Terry, Millie went back into sales working for the HSA (Hospital Saturday Association) health company.

But Terry had always wanted to live in

Continued on Page 15

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Friday, October 14, 2011

Fox on the run adds to Cam’s smirk rate THE stench over Liam Fox’s “friendship” with Adam Werritty is FRIENDS DIS-UNITED: Liam viler than the aroma of Eric Pickles Fox and Adam Werrity violently breaking wind after one of his famous curries.

The smell will carry on wafting over Westminster until at least next Friday, by which time the Prime Minister will have a full report to chew over on his Downing Street table. For the time being, we’ve had Fox grovelling around - a pathetic sight, as you get the sense that he doesn’t really mean it. And of course, many cabinet ministers have resigned for being far less stupid.

What has the bland Defence Secretary been playing at, in allowing his good friend Werritty to behave as if the Ministry of Defence building was his own personal playpen? And to use Fox as a kind of entry point into all kinds of murky business?

Werrity even printed business cards with the House of Commons logo, professing to be the Defence Secretary’s In fact, many people in the UK broadcasting industry adviser, and he’s tagged along on official foreign visits, many would happily substitute the first letter of Hunt’s surname for of which have been captured on video. the second consonant in the alphabet, as a It gives Prime Minister David Cameron a golden opportu- way of describing his performance in his minnity to dump someone he has little in common with, despite isterial portfolio. His dealings in nosing up to his supportive comments this week. the Murdochs and trying to dismember the Remember that Fox didn’t like Cameron at all when he best public broadcaster in the world at their opposed him in the leadership elections back in 2005, and behest is an absolute scandal. was only given the defence portfolio to appease the right It’s as if British broadcasting policy had wing of the Tory party. He then blotted his copybook badly been dictated from Wapping, and Hunt and last year by almost certainly leaking details of the big the Tories were happy to play along with it defence spending cuts, much to Cameron’s anger. all, just to get the Murdoch press onside.

A quick sacking will almost certainly kill off the story, but That was before the phone-hacking scanwill also allow the Prime Minister a quiet smirk of satisfaction dal took centre-stage, and Hunt had to in shooting down one of his enemies, as well as appearing embarrassingly change his whole viewpoint tough as the dark autumn evenings approach. Next Friday on the wretchedly immoral News could be very interesting indeed!

Corporation.

There’s not been a lot said over the big BBC cuts from He has always come across as someCulture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, after a wretchedly quick body with little passion or interest in the licence-fee deal that must have been scrawled on the back Media, with the personality of a lobotoof a damp, urine-stained fag packet in a Soho bar. mised half-wit. I suspect he’ll be dispatched to the back-

benches once next year’s London Olympic flame has been extinguished in August, and the Prime Minister, as well as the UK broadcasters, will be well rid of him.

What’s the connection between Rachel Reeves, Liz Kendall and Chuka Umunna, besides the fact that nobody has ever heard of them? Well, Labour leader Ed Miliband has promoted these first-time elected MPs to his Shadow Cabinet, and got rid of some useless underperforming names you’ve also never heard of, but who were foolishly elected by the Labour MPs. Miliband rightly got his recent conference to give him the sole right of picking his shadow spokespeople, rather than be saddled with deadwood or candidates who decided to openly campaign for an undeserved seat at the high table.

Good on him.

There’s also the return to front-line politics for a gentleman called Stephen Twigg, who’ll be the shadow education secretary after re-entering the Commons last year. He lost his Ealing seat back in the 2005 Election, having famously defeated Michael Portillo in the famous New Labour rout in 1997.

Strange how many cheered Portillo’s serious discomfort 14 years ago, only to find him undergoing a political transformation and launching a successful career as a television pundit/presenter and documentary maker.

We do indeed owe a major debt of gratitude to Mr.Twigg for that blood-stained career-changing night in May 1997!

FLASHBACK: Stephen Twigg and Michael Portillo in 1997

MILLIE THE GOLDEN GIRL From Page 13

Millie and husband Terry on their wedding day. They married on a boat in San Diego

Spain – so a reluctant Millie left her daughters and two grandchildren and headed for the Costas.

After some involvement with an agent of the Exeter Friendly Society (a Health Company) and Avalon, she was contacted by Avalon and agreed to take an Agency on. She also joined El Perpetuo Socorro.

Millie was told that Avalon were the only company legally licensed to sell Pre-Paid Funeral Plans. But in 2002 she heard about Golden Leaves being market leaders in repatriation and contacted their MD Steve Rowland in the UK. ‘’He said they were trying to obtain a licence from the Ministry of Economics in Madrid in order to sell and advertise their plans, but were having great difficulty,’’ says Millie.

‘’So I made it my mission, I spoke to the head of department in Madrid and got the go ahead. They faxed to London the licence to sell plans in Spain, so I was the one who put Golden Leaves on the map.’’

In 2005, Millie opened an office for El Perpetuo Socorro opposite the bank in her home town of Benitachell. Since then, her business has gone from strength to strength. ‘’They have given me tremendous support and I honestly feel that the two companies I am promoting are the very best in Spain,’’ she insists.

Whilst Millie did have total exclusivity to sell Golden Leaves, they appointed a Sales and Marketing Director who, with expansion in mind, offered agencies to other companies.

But her team of three office staff and

five sales consultants are market leaders and she is full of praise for main men Simon Nathaniel, Mike Thornton and Torrevieja-based Paul Bell. ‘’Simon has worked with me for four years and is extremely polite and helpful at all times,’’ she says. ‘’And I feel that we will be a good team now that Mike has joined us. ‘’I am particularly delighted to have Mike on board because of his background with the Co-op funeral service but I liked him right from our first meeting. ‘’He is extremely smart and easy to talk to and I am sure he will put prospects at ease with his lovely manner. He has such a determination about him that I am confident he will be a great success and a fantastic asset to my company.’’

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Friday, October 14, 2011

A LOOK AT THE

£101m mum kicked me and dad out THE bitter son of £101million lottery winner Angela Dawes claims she sent him packing at the age of 12.

The Sun

father John and him out five years ago.

Steven now lives near her home but claimed Steven Leeman, 17, of Wisbech, Cambs, said: that she blanks him in the street. "Since she "As far as I'm concerned, I don't have a mum. kicked me and Dad out, I've seen her ten or 15 There is nothing she could do to make up for what times in town and she just walks straight past me,’’ she has done to me and my dad." he said. She doesn't even acknowledge me, it's He spoke after it emerged that Angela, 43, and like I'm not there. partner Dave Dawes, 47, won Britain's third "If she phoned me and said sorry and offered to biggest jackpot. give me £10million or even all the money she has Steven claimed that Angela had kicked his won, I wouldn't forgive her.’’

Angela and Dave, from the Daily Mirror nearby village of Walsoken, BEFORE won £101,203,600.70 in THE Friday's EuroMillions draw.

Steven, who lives with his BREAK-UP: dad — Angela's ex-husband Angela with John Leeman — told how Steven and John A toddler had his arm ripped off by a washing their marriage collapsed in machine in a freak incident at his home.

2006 when he was 12. outskirts of Wisbech.

Lewis Wrench, 3, managed to open the door He recalled: "I came back He added: "That was the and reach inside the front-loading unit while from a school trip to France last time I spoke to her — the and Mum had kicked Dad day she kicked me out of the the machine was still running.

His distraught mum Rachel, 24, was in the out. When I asked her why, trailer. Since then we've had no contact with her except living room of the family’s home in Crewe she kicked me out too.

"She wouldn't even give when Dad went to court to when she heard the toddler’s screams. She found him lying in a pool of blood, with his me my CDs, DVDs or com- get divorced.’’ puter and she burnt all of John said: "It's three-andsevered left arm still inside the drum.

Dad's clothes. Dad and I a-half years since the Lewis was rushed to Alder Hey Children’s went to live with my nan Hospital in Liverpool but doctors were unable before we eventually got a divorce. I'm now working 60 hours a week to pay our bills. to save his arm. Rachel said: “When I asked place of our own."

She has cleared me out. him what happened, he said ‘I opened the door Steven's parents had been "She has not sent Steven a and went round and round and then my arm living in a two-bedroomed birthday or Christmas card or fell off’.’’ £85-a-week trailer on the paid a penny in maintenance

Horror as Lewis, 3, has arm ripped off in wash

in three years."

John also accused Angela of sending her electricity bills to his address saying he would pay them — which resulted in visits from bailiffs.

Last night Angela said: "I'm saddened by these reports. A lot of what has been said since my divorce has been untrue and very hurtful.

"I've always wanted to be in contact with my son who I love dearly and very much still want to rebuild our relationship."

SIR Bruce Forsyth was all smiles as he was knighted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.

The veteran performer received the accolade for a lifetime entertaining the nation.

Sir Bruce, 83, swept into the palace's central quadrangle in a chauffeur-driven vintage Rolls Royce - and emerged with his family, looking delighted.

He was joined by his Puerto Rico-born wife Wilnelia, a former Miss World, their 24-year-old son Jonathan Joseph, and his daughters from previous marriages Charlotte and Laura.

"It's absolutely wonderful to get the knighthood,’’ he said. "It's a thing that's been going on for a long time but it's not often one can say the press has been right behind you in my business - but they have been.’’

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Friday, October 14, 2011

UK HEADLINES

CHE’S MOTORBIKE PARTNER DIES AGED 88

‘200 suicide bombers on the loose in UK’

MINISTERS WARNED OF OLYMPIC THREAT The Sun MORE than 200 suicide bombers are living in Britain and planning attacks, it has been claimed.

Ministers have been warned about the scale of the threat in the run-up to next year's Olympics.

A secret Government report says the would-be bombers are among 2,000 extremists believed to be based in the UK. Intelligence officials fear public areas, rather than Games venues, could be targeted.

One source said the suicide fanatics would be stopped only by a "chance encounter" or an intelligence operation.

Referring to the 7/7 carnage in London in 2005, an intelligence official said: "We may have had only one successful suicide attack in Britain but the tactic is an enduring threat. The terrorists are learning all the time and adapting."

Official papers published online by WikiLeaks this year showed MI6 officers believed the UK faced a wave of attacks.

It said: "The internal threat is growing more dangerous because some extremists are

JAILED: Saajit Badat (left) and Moinul Abedin conducting non-lethal training without leaving the country."

The Sun has told how up to 70 jailed terrorists being freed this year may not be monitored properly due to cuts in services.

They include Saajit Badat, jailed for 13 years in 2005 for plotting with shoe bomber Richard Reid, and Moinul Abedin, who got 20 years in 2002 for making bomb detonators.

Harry Fletcher, of the National Association of Probation Officers, said: "These men require maximum supervision and we won't be able to do it."

WHAT A WASTE! NHS IN £22M-A-YEAR FOOD THROW-AWAY THE NHS spends £22million a year on food that is simply thrown away.

New data shows that one in 12 hospital meals are returned uneaten — that’s nine million of them every 12 months.

At Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust, a staggering one in four meals is rejected untouched. And in seven out of the 200 NHS trusts studied the rejection rate is currently more than 20%.

Research also revealed the gap in spending on food between different trusts. Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership spends £19 per patient, per day compared with the £2.93 forked out by Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust.

Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust spends £17.20 per patient per day but has the highest proportion of meals sent back

The Sun - 29%. It was 27% at Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and 25% at the University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust.

Health minister Simon Burns said: "Those hospitals with high levels of waste should be looking to learn from the ones that don't."

Judy Aldred, managing director of SSentif, said: ."Trusts have responsibility for their own catering budgets and with no minimum standard set by Government, the result seems to be huge discrepancies between organisations.

"Food waste in the NHS is also a big concern.’’

ash hit £170,000 supercar is a sm ily Mirror

ory minutes after leaving the fact A £170,000 supercar crashed e-off. gates – and may now be a writ sports model had just rolled off The brand-new McLaren MP4-12C another car and the production line when it hit ended up in bushes by the side of a main road.

The V8-engined McLaren – which has a top speed of 205mph and goes from 0 to 60 in just over three seconds – had a smashed bonnet and damage to the wheels.

Mark Harrison, a spokesman

Da

car for McLaren, said: “It was a ucthat had just come off the prod . tion line ‘‘It was going out for a normal OK drive to check everything was of It was driven by an employee the in with all was it McLaren and speed limit. by “He said he pulled out of a laythen out, dab roun the t pas just the just lost control and caught .’’ way r othe the ing com driver

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Friday, October 14, 2011

editor@thecourier.es COURIER POSTBAG: YOUR VIEWS ON OUR NEWS

The weird world of a woman

HOLA Mr Editor, Having read the letter by the lady who had her handbag snatched! in Alicant, it beggars belief that women carry every thing but the kitchen sink in their bags!

1. Why carry your passport? A photocopy, stamped and signed, is acceptable.

2. Why carry all your credit cards around?

Do you need them all when shopping? My

wife and I have one each, and I carry hers until she needs it. (No, I do not carry a wallet).

3. Large sums of money? My wife gives it to me, until she wants it! All she carries is her driving licence and SIP card.

Mind you, some men are as bad. I saw a chap at the Zoco market on Sunday who had more credit cards than the bank!

So, there you go. Read and learn!

TED, Quesada Points taken, Ted. I’ve been warning people for year...but many feel their most important possessions are safer with them than at home. One question that has nothing to do with security. Why do people assume the Editor is a man? Old habits die hard, I suppose...

- EDITOR

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Heartless hospital let my husband down THE JOYS OF LIVING BY THE BOOK

I AM writing with regard to the article in last week’s Courier stating how surgery will take place only in the mornings at Torrevieja Hospital because operations are so well structured there is no need to have surgeons working in the afternoons.

I have heard of an emergency operation needed, and yet they were told the list is closed. Quite a contradiction!

My husband is a heart attack victim who has been treated well and made a full recovery He has been monitored since 2005 and was asked last year to return for a check-up in six months - but was then told they could not fit him in.

A check-up appointment for October 6, which would have been over a year, has now been cancelled due to his doctor leaving. He has been told he will just have to wait till he hears from them.

Absolutely left in the air.

What is going on with this TONY ‘he always has something to shout about’ Mayes wonderful health service? is in despair with the current state of Britain, according Seems like the bureaucrats to his article in the October 7 edition. are at it again. They have folMr Mayes thinks that the current state of Britain is all lowed on from the UK and the evidence he needs to endorse the policies of the are running and cutting back BNP. Am I the only one who thinks this bizarre? in all areas.

Mr Mayes, may I point out to you that the BNP is headWe understand the cut- ed by a man who denies the Holocaust, supported backs, due to the economy, Ayatollah Khomeini and sought backing from Colonel but is there no compassion Gaddafi (pictured)? for a heart attack victim who The BNP only recently dropped its policy of compulis very stressed now that he sory repatriation. Perhaps as a guest of this country he may wish to ponder upon his opinions before rushing to feels so neglected?

HOWARD G DINAH (Rojales) see them in print.

Be our guest Mr Mayes, but as for the BNP...

POUND FOOLISH NICE paper - and a nice article on Cheap Cars that look classy in last week’s Motoring column.

But why are they priced in pounds and not in euros? Is it because we cannot buy them here at that price? If so, I now say this was a wasted page as I would not want a righthand drive model.

So write something that is more for us in Spain!

JAMES, La Marina I wouldn’t worry, James. No car ever looks classy in these parts once the local lunatics have given it the obligatory ‘gentle’ scrape in the supermarket car park. Come to think of it, some of those locals are probably Brits - EDITOR

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HOLA, I am an expat living in Spain - and love it.

Since leaving all the chaos behind me in England I’ve discovered a new and worthwhile life out here.

At the age of 65, I have written two books with another on the way.

What I would love is to do is invite others who have done similar things in their lives and tell us their experiences (good or bad).

A profile on their previous lives before discovering their talent and sharing it with others.

People who until retiring to Spain never had time to read books and now can’t take in enough. They could tell others of great books they’ve discovered, old and new and sometimes by little-known authors.

If you have something similar forgive me, I haven’t noticed anything like that.

I’d be interested in your thoughts on the issue.

SANDRA Sandra, I fear your idea might open the door to some rather boring ramblings.

Still, we welcome all contributions to The Courier, though we cannot guarantee publication. Our mission is naturally to make this newspaper so interesting that no-one in the Costa Blanca can do without it!

- EDITOR

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Donna’s pint of bitter...

GEE!! Donna old girl. I read your article: COR LIMEY, WHERE DID ENGLISH GO? You sound so very bitter towards us Americans. Do you think you did some good? Here's hoping that you did.

Anyway, a week or so after I read your article I ran across another one that I'm sending to you.

Check it out at http://mobile.slate.com/articles/life/the_good _word/2011/09/the_britishism_invasion.html Can you tell the difference in a professional article (this one), and a piece of c**p

(yours)? I can. May I suggest you do the customary British thing and have a nip (drink) before your next try.

From a so-called friend from across the pond who also happens to live here in Spain.

DONNA replies: Chill out, buddy, my article was meant to be a bit of fun!

It’s only natural to defend your own country - I mean, you probably even think that American Football is better than rugby.

Now there’s a good one to debate!

l

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Friday, October 14, 2011

TANKS FOR THE MEMORY It’s battle stations as Murcia goes to war

Noisy pair are sent packing by judge

A VALENCIAN judge struck a blow for everyone with noisy neighbours when he banned a man and woman from their own home for three months as punishment for the noise they had inflicted on their MILITARY history comes to life in Murcia this long-suffering neighbours. weekend with a giant recreation of two famous Residents in the town of battles.

Xirivella sued the pair for More than 40 re-enactment associations will take part in noise nuisance after sufferthe recreation of Murcia’s Huerto de las Bombas of 1706 and ing years of misery.

1944’s Operation Market The unreasonable noise levels, especially at night, Garden. date back to 2006 and the A total of 450 actors will community had kept minutes take part in the battles and of the disturbances.

35 historical vehicles will be Attempts to resolve the TOURISM is booming in used. Many of these vehicles noise issue had resulted in Guardamar del Segura, are the jewels of private greater problems between with hotels recording 68% Spanish collections and canneighbours, including threats occupancy in September. not normally be seen by the and aggression. Police interThat’s 13% up on the public. vened on a number of occasame time last year, and Collaboration sions.

5.5% above the regional The event is being organThe judge agreed that the average.

Well-known local character Joe Billet (aka Joe the Catman) pictured with some of noise levels were “annoying, Occupancy rates for ised by cultural association the participants at last year’s event, which was watched by 25,000 spectators harmful and illegal”.

June, July and August Codex Belix in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence were also higher than the history.

The re-enactment of and Murcia town hall. same months in 2010.

Second World War veter- Huerto de las Bombas is on This is the second year the ans groups will be present, Saturday at 19.30h in Britain supplied 30% of SPAIN’S housing sector has suffered another blow as the tourists - 5% more than re-enactment has been as will diplomatic representa- Jardínes del Malecón.

Spaniards from Madrid m. staged. Last year it attracted tives from countries including Operation Market Garden figures just released for August reveal a depressingly Guardamar mayor more than 25,000 spectators. Britain, Germany, the United will be recreated on Sunday low number of sales.

Compared to the same month in 2010, house sales During the weekend there States, France and Poland.

Carmen Verdú welcomed at 13.00h with Puente Nuevo were down by 38%. Only 27,038 property sales were will also be a military camp in the figures and praised the The main action takes (New Bridge) doubling as efforts of entrepreneurs in the park, Jardínes del place on Saturday and Arnhem bridge. This famous recorded, according to the National Statistic Office, improving facilities and Malecón, which will display Sunday, with events through- battle was depicted in the the second lowest since these figures were first recorded in 2007. Only last April saw fewer sales. attending tourism fairs. film A Bridge Too Far. 2,500 years of military out the day.

(shh, it’s not for real)

Guardamar hotel boom

It’s still hell to sell!

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Friday, October 14, 2011

Budget recipes for autumn Whet your appetite on our five cheap recipes for four people - recipes that cost just €1.75 a head. Our inventive meals are quick, easy, and bursting with flavour.

Sizzling paprika beef with peppers and broccoli An extremely tasty stir-fry supper that contains two of your five a day.

A flavoursome one-pan fish curry recipe that is ready in half an hour. It's also suitable for freezing.

Ingredients 1. 2 x 320g beef rump steaks, cut into thin strips 2. 3 tbsp kecap manis (from Sainsbury’s and Asian food shops), plus extra for drizzling 3. 300g tenderstem broccoli 4. 2 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil 5. 1 red onion, finely sliced 6. 1 red pepper, finely sliced 7. 1 yellow pepper, finely sliced 8. 1 red chilli, thinly sliced 9. 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 10. 1 tbsp hot smoked paprika 11. Small handful fresh coriander leaves, to serve

Method 1. Put the steak in a bowl and toss well with the kecap manis. Set aside for 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.

2. Bring a medium pan of water to the boil, add the broccoli and cook for a few minutes until just tender. Drain and arrange the broccoli in a serving dish.

3. Place a heavy-based frying pan or wok over a high heat, add the oil and heat until smoking. Swiftly add the onion and peppers

Ingredients 1. 2 tbsp sunflower oil 2. 1 onion, finely chopped 3. 2 tbsp tikka masala curry paste 4. 4 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges 5. 1 sweet potato, cut into 2cm cubes 6. 400ml can coconut milk 7. 100ml vegetable stock or water 8. 400g white fish such as coley, cod, pollock or haddock, cut into large chunks 9. 50g frozen peas 10. Bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped, to serve 11. 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges, to serve and toss in the pan for just a few minutes Method until they are beginning to soften.

1. Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan or 4. Sprinkle over the chilli, garlic and papri- wok over a low heat. Add the onion and cook ka and quickly toss together. Add the steak for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the curry and any marinade in the bowl and continue paste and fry for just a few minutes. Add the to cook for just 2 minutes until the steak is tomatoes and sweet potato and toss togethbrowned and cooked, adding about 3-4 tbsp er well. Tip in the coconut milk and the stock water towards the end of cooking.

5. Spoon the pan contents over the broccoli, including all the pan juices, scatter with This pasta recipe makes a coriander and serve immediately with rice hearty supper. Full of warming, autumnal flavours, it's a and extra kecap manis to drizzle over. cheap dish to make and is suitable for freezing so why not make a batch and save some for later?

daily with a full Pub Menu also available.

Bill, who takes care of things in the kitchen, serves up the best steak dinners on the Costa Blanca, so why not try it out for yourselves?

Bill and Greg also have vegetarian and vegan menus available at extremely reasonable prices.

A special Halloween Party has been arranged with a

or water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes until the sauce is thickened and the sweet potato is almost tender.

2. Stir in the fish pieces and peas and cook for just 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the chopped coriander. Serve with pilau rice and a wedge of lime to squeeze over.

Rigatoni with sausage and fennel ragù

CALL IN ON BILL AND GREG BURGOS THEY’RE THE BEST! THE Rincón de Burgos Bar in El Chaparral, reopened just 10 days ago by new owners Bill and Greg, extends a warm welcome to everyone.

With weekly live entertainment, hog roast served up on Saturday afternoons and Sunday dinners, it is proving to be an extremely popular bar with those who live in the area. Breakfasts are served

Chunky fish and sweet potato curry

Ingredients

1. 500g rigatoni pasta Spooky Menu available. A 2. 2 tbsp olive oil good fun night is guaranteed 3. 1 onion, finely chopped with Bill and Greg providing 4. 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped Karaoke. They already have 5. 2 tsp fennel seeds their Xmas and New Year 6. 400g good, spicy Italian sausages menus sorted out and book7. 400g can chopped tomatoes ings are now being taken for 8. 2 tbsp tomato purée both dates. So if you want to 9. 300ml vegetable stock, hot sing, dance on the bar, have 10. Small bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, fineand laugh and enjoy a good ly chopped night out, then Bar Rincón 11. 25g Parmesan or Grana Padano, gratde Burgos is definitely the ed place to be!

Method 1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, then drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in another saucepan over a low heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic and fennel seeds and cook for a further minute.

3. Split open the sausages, add the meat to the onion and gently fry, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until golden. Add the tomatoes, purée and stock, and season well.

Simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened.

4. Toss the pasta with the sausage ragù and chopped parsley. Sprinkle with the Parmesan to serve.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Roast chicken and vegetable soup

Sticky soy and hoisin pork

This pork recipe is full of Oriental flavours and won't Use the remaining chicken from the roast chicken to break the bank either. make this. The carcass and wings can be used to make stock. Vary the vegetables in this soup according to Ingredients what’s in season.

1. 420g-450g pork fillet Ingredients 2. 2.5cm piece fresh 1. 2 tbsp olive oil ginger, grated 2. 1 small onion, fine3. 2 garlic cloves, ly chopped finely chopped 3. 2 celery sticks, 4. 3 tbsp hoisin finely chopped sauce 4. 2 garlic cloves, 5. 2 tbsp honey crushed 6. 2 tbsp soy sauce 5. 1.5 litres good 7. 375g dried medichicken stock, hot um egg noodles 6. 150g small pasta 8. 2 tsp sesame oil shapes 9. 300g mixed sugar 7. 400g mixed sumsnap peas, mangetout mer vegetables, such and green beans, all as courgettes, carrots cut in half lengthways and green beans, 10. 2 tbsp sunflower oil chopped 8. 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed Method 9. 2 cooked chicken breasts (see the Roast chicken 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Place the Caesar salad recipe), skinned and meat shredded pork in a shallow dish and add the ginger, garlic, hoisin 10. Large handful fresh basil leaves sauce, honey and soy and turn to coat the pork. Chill for 11. Extra-virgin olive oil, to serve about 15 minutes to marinate.

12. Grated Parmesan or Grana Padano, to serve 2. Meanwhile, place the noodles in a bowl, pour over boiling water and leave for 5 minutes until softened. Drain and Method toss with the sesame oil.

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a low heat and 3. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and cook the veggently cook the onion, celery and garlic for 8 minutes until etables for just 2 minutes, then drain and refresh under cold softened but not coloured. running water. Set aside.

2. Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil, then add the 4. Heat the sunflower oil in a large ovenproof frying pan, pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the courgettes, carrots and green beans and simmer for a further 5 minutes until add the pork and fry all over for 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining marinade and a splash of water, then cover with foil and everything is almost tender.

3. Season well, stir in the cannellini beans, chicken and roast for 15 minutes until it’s cooked and the sauce is sticky.

5. Remove the pork from the sauce and put on a board. basil and heat through for a few minutes.

4. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle with Parmesan Add the noodles to the pan with the vegetables and toss well.

Pile the noodles and veg into bowls, slice the pork and serve. and serve with crusty bread.

Turning healthy foods into diet disasters

WE take a look at the ways you can turn a healthy plate of food into a calorific disaster.

Olive oil Extra virgin olive oil is high in "good" monounsaturated fat which can help lower cholesterol but it is also high in calories. So be careful with the amount of oil you use to cook your food in.

The healthy alternative When grilling food glaze it with a pastry brush dipped in oil. And if you're whipping up a stir-fry, dribble a little olive oil on a paper towel and work it around the wok before adding the ingredients.

Marinades You've bought a great cut of chicken from the supermarket and are going to grill it so you can be as healthy as possible but then you add a yummy barbecue marinade for some extra flavour.

Wrong! Some store-bought marinades contain high levels of sugar, so while

they may taste nice they are undoing all the goodness of your grilled skinless chicken.

The healthy alternative Spice up your plain food with homemade marinades. Slather your chicken in a little olive oil and flavour with some chilli powder and paprika. Or for something a little less fiery crush some garlic and mix with rosemary and a little olive oil. Spread over the chicken and voilà a lovely bit of chicken.

Salad dressing It's lunch time and you've made yourself a plate full of salad with fresh vegetables packed with vitamins and minerals but then your smother all that goodness with a salad dressing. Shopbought dressings such as mayonnaise and thousand island are loaded with sugar, preservatives and salt, which contain sodium which is harmful in high amounts.

The healthy alternative Instead, why not opt for a light dress-

ing of olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.

Add a tiny bit of mustard if you want a little more punch.

Added extras with your coffee

Your daily cup of tea and coffee has been found to have some great health benefits including reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes. But it's the added extras you have that can hike up the calorie count. Having flavoured syrup or topping it off with whipped cream can add a whopping 400 calories to a regular cup of brewed coffee which can have as little as 4 calories a cup.

The healthy alternative Swap your flavoured syrups for flavoured coffee beans like caramel or vanilla to supplement the taste of the bean itself. Also by switching from semi-skimmed milk to skimmed you'll be dropping the calorie count and switching your spoonful of sugar for a sweetener will help as well.

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Friday, October 14, 2011

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Friday, October 14, 2011

RICHARD CAVENDER

Bluemoon Solutions www.bluemoonsolutions.es

BlueMoon Solutions is the computer and IT services company on the Costa Blanca, they provide quality computer services at realistic prices and specialise in working with home users and small businesses.

Richard moved to Spain four 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 (usually) 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: Richard had a computer that was displaying a ADVICE: Peter was getting a strange error message when blue screen when it started up. using the Internet

Q

Hi, Richard, for the past few days now every time I start my computer it starts to load Windows and then it goes to a blue screen with lots of writing on it, then it starts to load Windows again; it does this repeatedly until I turn it off! Can you help tell me what’s going on and how I get it fixed?

Hi Richard, this is quite a serious problem, it usually caused by either a change in hardware (something new plugged into your computer) or some sort of software corruption. If you have plugged anything new into your computer since this problem started then try removing it and turning the computer on again, if it boots up without a problem then you know what the issue is. If it continues to “blue screen” then the problem is more likely to be related to some sort of software corruption and I would recommend that you get a professional engineer to look at it for you as the important thing to do in these circumstances is to ensure that your data is secure before starting to look at the blue screen problem.

A

ADVICE: Lorraine wanted advice on buying a Kindle.

Q A

Hello, I am very keen to buy a Kindle but unsure on which model to purchase, I live here in Spain, have Wi-Fi for my computer. If I purchase a Kindle and bring it back from the UK I need to know I can download here. Regards Lorraine

Hi Lorraine, yes you can buy a Kindle in the UK (or anywhere else for that matter) and bring it back to Spain and use it here without any problems, the two key points are that the Kindle should be registered to an address in the UK so that you can shop in the Kindle store and your billing address should be wherever your credit card is registered that you want to associate to your Kindle Amazon account – all sounds very complicated but it’s not really, just give me a shout when you have them and I can arrange to come out and set them up for you.

Update: Thank you so much, there is a minefield of information on the net but nothing so constructive, I just worry about buying something which will be useless and you have put my mind at rest. Do I need the more expensive 3G kindle or will the basic model work seeing as I have Wi-Fi at home.

A. Hi again, the Wi-Fi only model will be fine as long as you are happy to only download your books when you are within range of a wireless Internet connection (i.e. your home)

Q

Hi Richard, this notice keeps popping up on my Internet screen normally top left and/or in the middle from single ones up to 7 in one go.

“Security Warning - Although the page is encrypted the information you have entered is to send over an unencrypted connection and could easily be read by a third party. Are you sure you want to continue sending this information.”

Hi Peter, this is a message produced

by Firefox, when you are sending information to a secure website but the website is not configured to encrypt your information, if you are not actually completing a form on a website when this message is being shown then I would get it looked at as it could be part of malicious software installed on your computer.

A

ADVICE: Jim was having problems getting his old scanner working with Windows 7 Hi, I have an Epson Perfection 1200 Photo scanner and have just bought a new laptop with windows 7, is there a way I can get the laptop to recognise the scanner, the laptop is 64 bit and the scanner is 32 bit, I have been unable to find any programs that will help, regards Jim

Q

Hi Jim, the Epson Perfection 1200 is not compatible with Windows 7, had it been a slightly later model then it probably would have been. Here is a link to Microsoft’s site showing the incompatibility http://tinyurl.com/EpsonPerfection

A

Don’t forget you can follow me on twitter @bluemoonspain Alternatively why don’t you sign up for my newsletter. You can do this by going to:www.bluemoonsolutions.es and fill in the form that is on any page except the front page.

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

Office: 902 906 200

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Friday, October 14, 2011

Larry calls tune as Big Band nights move on

England is everyone’s best friend as beauty show ends

FANS of big band sounds take note – the last night of the Big Band Dance Nights season at the Hotel Spa Costa Narejos, Los Alcazares is coming up.

The fabulous Mr Larry Wright will be singing at this close-of-season extravaganza on October 20.

Tickets cost €6 and are available at the hotel reception now.

Luckily, there’s not long to wait until the start of the winter season at Torrevieja’s La Rustika (formerly Los Arcos).

The first Big Band Dance Night at this new venue will be on Friday November 18.

Tickets cost €7 and are available from the hotel. A raffle on the night will raise money for Help Torrevieja.

Orihuela is no longer home to the most beautiful women on the planet.

For the bevvy of beauties who flocked to the city to compete in the Miss Intercontinental contest have packed away their tiaras, stilettos and bikinis and headed for home.

After a three-hour final gala in Orihuela’s Circo Theatre, Miss USA won the crown.

The host country came in second, with Miss Spain just ahead of Miss Jamaica.

Miss England won the Miss Friendly title.

Music for the glamorous event was provided by Carlos Baute.

Special And, for swing lovers, there are the Special Nights with Swingtet Trio, which start on October 27 at the Restaurante Valle del Sol, on the main C3319 near La Torre.

These evenings include a buffet and dancing, and of course the sensational sounds of the Swingtet Trio. Raffles will raise money for Help Murcia Mar Menor’s cancer support group.

Miss USA s crowned Miss Intercontnental in Orihuela

GOLFERS HELP THE HELPERS!

IT WAS swing-time with a difference for Sucina Golf Society members at their recent dinner-dance at La Vereda restaurant.

After an excellent five course meal, trophies were awarded to the successful players.

This was followed by the presentation of a cheque for €500 to Help at Home (HAH).

This year’s captain, Andy Harvey, said: “We chose HAH as our charity because it is such a worthwhile cause and the work HAH does in the community is something that we may all need at some time.”

HAH received an extra €50 after the raffle winner also generously donated his prize money to the cause.

Nurse practitioner Lynda Christopher said: “We are constantly amazed at the generosity and support shown to HAH, and we are delighted to be able to help so many people in our community.”

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World Mental Health Day was celebrated in Torrevieja with the official opening of a new facility to help people with mental health problems.

The new facility on the Avenida de las Cortes Valencianas will become the centre of operations of ADIEM Vega Baja, the association that helps the mentally ill in the region.

The building has been given free to ADIEM by the City Council for a period of 15 years.

CHEQUE-ING IN: From left, Andy Harvey (captain), Colin Comber (president), Cajamar manager and employee, Lesley Eburne (HAH), John Storey (vice captain), Lynda Christopher (HAH) and Brian Kay (handicap secretary).

FORTHCOMING EVENTS: Below: Diners get a taste of La Vereda hospitality Tuesday October 18:,

HAH: Forthcoming events Fantastic Fashion Show, auction and stalls at La Vereda Restaurant, Sucina. 3-5pm.

3€ entrance (drink and nibbles included). Food available. Tel: Heather 968 371 080.

Wed Oct 19: Chatters, new social group at The Garden (behind Euro Marina) formerly El Jardin. 10am onwards.

Come along for a drink, chat, meet new friends. Tel: Angela on 603 517 770.

Tues Nov 1: Volunteers meeting at Las Claras 11 for specific, main meeting at 11.30am. All welcome. Tel Lesley 968 124 978

Wed Nov 2: Open Day at SOS Fashions in Mercadona Sq. Los Alcazares. 11.30 1.30.

Cava, raffle, super party wear.

Followed by Menu del dia at Angela’s pizzeria (bottom of Rio Nalon, Los Alcazares.

Bookings for meal to Celia on 968 574 576 Sat Nov 12: Smithy (Guitar Vocals) at Lui’s Lounge, Camping La Encina, San Javier. Chicken/Pork with chips and peas 8€. Bookings to Celia on 968 574 576.

Sat Dec 3: Navidad at Las Claras, Stalls, Fashion Show, and much more. See local media for details.

Mon Dec 5: HAH Christmas

Dinner at Campbells Restaurant, (15€) Xmas and all the trimmings. in Roda.

Volunteers ring Celia on 968 574 576 Tues Dec 6: Volunteers meet at Las Claras. 11am for specific. 11.30am Main meeting. All welcome. Tel: Lesley 968 134 978 Sat Dec 10: at Henry’s Bar, Rio Nalon, Los Alcazares.

Back by popular demand.

Race Night and Winter Warmer Beef Casserole supper. Great fun. To book food, call Angela on 868 186 725, Further events in the pipeline. Visit our website on www.helpathome.es

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Friday, October 14, 2011

Life after Dave and all that Chas ROCKNEY legend Chas Hodges has been rabbiting exclusively to The Courier about his recent fourgig visit to this area.

During his week-long stay, the working half of Chas and Dave (stage partner Dave Peacock has retired) wowed audiences at the Rendezvous in Campoamor (twice), the Asturias at Punta Prima and The Club in Quesada And as he prepared to jet back to London celebrity class (OK, with Ryanair), he told us: ‘‘All four shows were fantastic and the audience reaction was really good – better than ever! ‘‘I’ve only been here once before and that was in June of this year when I did a couple of gigs.

Had a great time and loved it.

Can't wait to come back again.’’

While his stage partner called it

By DONNA GEE a day earlier this year, Chas insists he won’t be following suit any time soon. ‘‘Dave and I did a final sell out tour together at the beginning of this year,’’ he recalled. ‘’We were great friends before Chas and Dave and always will be. ‘‘But I'm not looking to retire and from now on it's Chas on his own or Chas and his band.’’

That inevitably means changes in the act – with the football songs already having been kicked into touch. ‘‘We stopped doing them a while ago and I have no plans to do any more,’’ says Chas, a lifelong Tottenham Hotspur supporter. ‘‘I was born close to Spurs and

DRAMATIC LICENCE...

have always been a fan. That’s about it on that front.’’

It’s fully 30 years since Chas and Dave were in their prime – yet Chas still finds it difficult to avoid the limelight. ‘’People recognise me all the time and I'm happy to speak with them when I can,’’ he says.

So what do they say to him… .‘‘Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit?’’ ‘‘It's not just "Rabbit" but often "Gercha" and "Down to Margate" which usually make me smile. I love my fans and friends all over the world.’’

Last and least, what was his opinion of The Courier? ‘‘I thought it was really good.’’

Thanks Chas, you’re clearly a great judge of newspapers…!

Happy to be here: Chas with Jukebox Legends’ Fiona and Peter

Legends go glam for 70s rock tour The ’70s look: Jukebox Legends’ Fiona and (right) Charles Prince as Aladdin Sane

Reece A Message from Mrs s Guild en’ om nsw Tow ale rnd Fa Hello Dears, that we are stagyou all of our little play I just wanted to remind super production a nt in December. It’s ing for your entertainme la crème of our de me crè the t featuring with a star studded cas Guild Dramatic s en’ Farndale Townswom talented ladies in the Society. athtaking perelma Greenwood’s bre You may remember Th y some time ago tion of the Scottish Pla formance in our produc t’s not spoken tha e sh Play . . . the nam luck . . . the . . . you know the Scotti bad g brin to ed pos e it’s sup in acting circles becaus n Shakespeare. one written by that ma t, and then there elled herself in Hamle exc she y, wa Well any our last stupenin n’s memorable role dki Wa ithSm e Jun s wa it in the bars of y are still talking about dous production – the Guildford. she insisted on to do with the fact that Yes I know it had a lot eral sizes too sev s wa ing tube top that wearing that very reveal incident that te una ort unf ely extrem l has nightsmall for her, and the stil she t She tells me tha n breaking ensued in scene three. me of k sic y ghl rou tho t she is she goes. mares about it, and tha ver ere wh Bustin’ Out All Over” ditable perinto song with “June Is cre y ver a in ned tur that, she But if you look beyond formance indeed. ring will be our tee that this latest offe But I can safely guaran ning performwin ard yet, with more aw ge managmost spectacular show sta r Ou es. pris sur t of festive e extra som ances and a whole hos se ani org it upon himself to er Gordon has taken his chest. I to se clo y ver g pin is kee special treats which he stocking. he is going to put in my can’t wait to see what flying off the are ets tick the dears, So don’t miss out my ak. airperson) shelves even as we spe PHOEBE REECE (Ch

THE coast will be rocking to the sounds of the ’70s next month as the fabulous Charles Prince and the Jukebox Legends glitz things up with a bit of Glam rock.

Platform shoes, frilly clothes and painted faces will be the order of the day as David Bowie, Alice Cooper, Freddie Mercury, Slade, Mud, The Sweet and many more ’70s stars are recreated.

The Glam Rock and ’70s tour will take in five venues – The Club, Quesada, November 2, Rocajuna, Punta Prima, November 3, Casa Ventura, San Luis, November 4, The Rendezvous, Campoamor, November 6 and The Lounge Bar, Torrevieja, November 8.

Tickets are available from the venues and most cost €7.50. Tickets to the Rocajuna and Rendezvous shows are €10, but this includes a free buffet. Ticket info line – 695 135 134.

Free cheers for the jobless

By REBECCA MARKS Torrevieja Town Hall has launched a range of free courses aimed at helping unemployed builders back to work.

The collapse of the building sector, which was formerly the Costa Blanca’s boom industry, left hundreds of people out of work, and with little hope of securing employment in their trade in the near future.

The courses are designed to provide unemployed residents with a range of new skills

to make them more employable.

The Councillor for Development and Employment has developed the courses in association with the Agencia de Desarrollo Local (ADL) development agency at a cost of €30,000. It is hoped the courses will help reduce unemployment levels in the city.

The initiative was introduced by the Mayor of Torrevieja, Eduardo Dolon, accompanied by the Delegate for Development and

Employment, Carmen Gomez and ADL technician Juan Carlos Carmona.

Sr. Carmona explained that more than 500 unemployed residents will be given the opportunity to attend the courses.

The courses are tailored to potential employment opportunities within Torrevieja, in both the local authority and private sectors.

Courses cover subjects including English, food hygiene, computer and internet use, administra-

tion of communities, construction problems and surveying, lettings, painting and decorating, drain cleaning, carpentry, business, installation of speakers and sound equipment and use of outdoor gym equipment.

Anyone wishing to enrol on any of the courses must apply at the Agencia de Desarrollo Local on Avenida Habaneras, presenting identification and their SERVEF registration certificate if they are unemployed.

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Friday, October 14, 2011

BE A CARDIO QUEEN GETTING into a gym or workout routine is tough at first, especially if you haven't been involved in a regular exercise routine, or if you are new to the whole "gym scene".

The quickest and easiest way to start a workout routine is by beginning with cardio.

Cardio or cardiovascular exercise involves the fitness of your heart. So, any machine or piece of equipment that gets your heart rate pumping would be considered a cardio machine or cardio workout.

Think of treadmills, stationary bicycles, steppers, rowing machines and elliptical trainers. All these machines help to get your heart and lungs stronger, because they involve the use of large muscle groups to work together.

For example, on the treadmill, stationary bicycle and stepper, you are primarily using your legs as the main muscle group, which result in getting the heart and lungs working harder, thereby increasing the flow of oxygen to the body. This continuous supply of oxygen generated by the lungs and heart provide the working

muscles with the oxygen they need to keep going, thus strengthening the heart and lung muscles themselves.

When you start a cardio routine it is always advisable to start slow and as your fitness level increases, you can progress to the next level. Don't assume that because you were super fit back in high school, you can start where you left off.

Unfortunately, it does not work that way. If your fitness level is not maintained, it will decline. However, the good news is that it can be built up again; it just takes a bit of time, persistence and dedication.

Start your cardio routine by walking for five minutes on the treadmill to get your heart pumping and the blood flowing. After five minutes, if you feel up to it, increase the level by increasing the speed or increasing the incline level on the treadmill.

Try to maintain that pace for at least two minutes.

Keep increasing until you feel you are working out, but do not push yourself or you will only cause damage.

Once you have found your fitness level, aim to increase it by increasing the intensity

ALLERGIES AND PETS WHILE pets bring us joy and companionship on a daily basis, keeping them can be very distressing for people who suffer from pet allergies. Studies show that approximately 15 percent of the population is allergic to dogs or cats. In a study of 341 adults who were allergic to cats or dogs and had been advised by their physicians to give up their pets, only one out of five did. What’s more, 122 of them got another pet after a previous one had died. It’s clear the benefits of pet companionship outweigh the drawbacks of pet allergies for many owners. Living comfortably with a companion animal despite being allergic to him requires a good understanding of the allergic condition and an adherence to a few rules.

WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF IRRITATION TO PEOPLE ALLERGIC TO PETS? Glands in the animal’s skin secrete tiny allergy-triggering proteins, called allergens that linger in the animal’s fur but also float easily in the air. Allergens are present in the animal’s saliva and urine, too, and may become airborne when saliva dries on the fur.

All cats and dogs are allergenic (allergy-causing) to people who are allergic to animals. Cats tend to be more allergenic than dogs for allergic people because cats are constantly cleaning themselves! The major allergen of the domestic cat is produced in the saliva

of your workout ever week or every few days.

Aim to incorporate at least three days of cardio activity into your week. Ideally, you should alternate cardio with weight training exercise or circuit training, and your cardio sessions should not last for more than 60 minutes.

CARDIO OR WEIGHTS FIRST?

Cardio or weight training first? It's the question on many gym enthusiasts' mind. Let us help clear out the confusion and let you choose the best method for the best results.

When it comes to exercising correctly, everybody has his or her own opinion about the right way. One of the

most common arguments is which do you do first, cardiovascular or weight training?

The answer to this happens to depend upon your goals.

In a perfect world, the ideal thing to do would be to have your cardio and weight training days on separate days.

For instance, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays you have your weight training sessions, leaving Tuesdays and Thursdays for your cardio sessions.

Alternatively, if you can go to gym twice a day, the ideal thing to do would be to perform cardio in the morning and then weight training in the afternoon or evening.

However, this in not always an option, and you have to choose which to do first. The way to go would be to begin with your weight training session, and end off with your cardiovascular session.

By doing your cardio before your weight training, you will be using up your glucose reserves for energy, and by the time you get to the weight training portion of your workout, you will have run out of energy and feel fatigued.

When you begin with the weight training portion, you allow your body to use up the glucose reserves for energy to lift heavier weight loads, and by the time you hit your cardio session, your body is ready to start burning fat for energy.

and sebaceous (oil) glands in the skin. Cats' constant cleaning causes this allergen to be spread on their fur.

When it dries, it flakes off with the slightest movement. Cat allergens are as sticky as tape, so they easily adhere to clothes, carpets, and furniture.

Dogs with soft, constantly growing hair—poodles or bichon frises, for example—may be less irritating to some individuals, although this may be because they are bathed and groomed more frequently. One dog or cat of a particular breed may be more irritating to an individual allergy sufferer than another animal of that same breed. The severity of reaction to these allergens varies from one person to the next, ranging from mild sniffling and sneezing to life-threatening asthma, and can be complicated by simultaneous allergies to other irritants in the environment.

WHAT TO DO

If you or a family member’s allergies are simply miserable, but not life-threatening, take these steps to reduce the symptoms: Create an “allergy-free” zone in the home—preferably the bedroom—and strictly prohibit the pet’s access.

Consider using impermeable covers for the mattress and pillows because allergen particles brought into the room on clothes and other objects can accumulate in them.

Clean frequently and thoroughly to remove dust and dander, washing articles such as couch covers and pillows, curtains, and pet beds. Use a “microfilter” bag in the vacuum cleaner to effectively catch all the allergens.

Bathing your pet on a weekly basis can reduce the level of allergens on fur by as much as 84 percent.

Although products are available that claim to reduce pet allergens when sprayed on the animal’s fur, studies show they are less effective than a weekly bath.

Even cats can become accustomed to being bathed!

Dr. Machi Mannu is a neuro repatterning Specialist.

Email contact@mindspa.es for any question.

Friday, October 14, 2011

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Friday, October 14, 2011

Classic cars that are due a comeback

When carmakers take a classic car and give it a modern spin, the results can be spectacular. Take the modern MINI for instance, or the Fiat 500 - superb reboots that don't trash the memory of the originals. In fact, we reckon there's a treasure trove of iconic autos due an update. Here are our ideas...

Car: Jaguar E-Type Icon status: 10/10 Chances of reinvention: 7/10 Jaguar's E-Type celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2011 so it's ripe for reinvention. Back in 1961 it stunned the world with its performance, price and styling, with Enzo Ferrari calling it "the most beautiful car ever made".

The closest thing that Jaguar sells right now is the XK - a fine car in its own right but not as exciting as the E-Type. However, the spectacular 'jet-engined' C-X75 concept revealed last year by the company could be.

Car: Citroen 2CV Icon status: 8/10 Chances of reinvention: 5/10

company would actually do what VW did with the new Beetle, and make it an overpriced 'lifestyle' car. No thanks.

Car: DeLorean DMC-12 Icon status: 10/10 Chances of reinvention: 1/10

In these times of austerity the ethos of the 2CV is bang on trend. Designed to be versatile, utilitarian, cheap to run and easy to repair, the 2CV lasted 42 years before finally being killed off in 1990. Almost four million were made, and that's not including other vehicles that used 2CV underpinnings. As France's most iconic car, we'd like to think Citroen would stay true to the spirit of the original with a remake; however we fear the

The DeLorean's shady provenance should probably have made it the most infamous car ever, but thanks to Marty McFly, a Flux Capacitor and a set of top-hinged doors, it's actually one of the most adored. The world doesn't need another underpowered, overpriced sports car, built badly on the back of a massive Government kickback. However, for time machine nostalgia alone we'd love to see another DeLorean.

flamboyant successors, the mid-engined two-seat supercar was built for speed. A modern take has been mooted for years, but was made reality in 2006 when Walter de'Silva (then Lamborghini design boss) created the Miura Concept. Sadly, despite its rapturous reception, Lamborghini boss Stephan Winkelmann killed any thought of production, saying: "Retro design is not what we're here for."

Car: Renault 5 Icon status: 8/10 Chances of reinvention: 7/10

Car: Ferrari F40 Icon status: 9/10 Chances of reinvention: 5/10

The Enzo is technically the reinvention of the classic 1987 hypercar, as was the F50 before it. However, from an engineering point of view, the F40 and the Enzo couldn't be more different: the latter is a technological spider's web, the former a bastion of brutal purity. Sadly, with the way the Prancing Horse is going (it doesn't even offer a manual gearbox on the 458 Italia), there'll probably be nothing like the F40 again.

The Renault 5 might sit behind the Citroen 2CV in the classic French car pecking order, but with well over five million sold it tops the sales chart. The same qualities that made the 2CV great are here - it's small, functional, and easy to repair (thankfully) - but the 5 also has a high-performance string to its bow: the Turbo. A sensational turn of speed and outrageously wide body kit made it an instant hot hatch legend, and spawned the equally silly/desirable Renault Clio V6.

Car: Ford Capri Icon status: 7/10 Chances of reinvention: 7/10

Car: Lamborghini Miura Icon status: 7/10 Chances of reinvention: 3/10 Not as famous as the Countach or Diablo, the more aesthetically sedate Miura is still regarded by many as the most beautiful Lamborghini ever made. Still, just like its

DOH!!

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Friday, October 14, 2011 Del Boy Trotter might have dented its pride, but a time existed when the Ford Capri was genuinely cool. It seems a month can't pass without more fuel being added to the 'make a 21st Century Capri' fire - none of it officially sourced, of course. Today's Capri, we trust, would be marvellous: Ford's 'Kinetic' design language and its dynamic excellence are its main strengths. A four-seat coupé would show Ford at the peak of its powers in 2011.

the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. It's electric, and of course it uses an iPad instead of a dashboard, but its clever folding seats show that someone's been thinking about production.

We're almost certain it will be made - albeit minus the Apple tablet.

Car: VW Microbus Icon status: 10/10 Chances of reinvention: 9/10 Volkswagen has been seriously threatening to make another Type 2/Camper Van/Transporter/Microbus/Splittie (delete to taste) for at least the last decade, since the 2001 Microbus Concept. The latest iteration is the Bulli Concept, unveiled at

Motor Show, based on a shortened Audi RS 5, packing a 402bhp 2.5-litre turbo engine and just two seats. Audi has all but officially said it will happen, probably in limited numbers.

Car: Lancia Stratos Icon status: 8/10 Chances of reinvention: 10/10 Someone's already made a modern Stratos - legendary Italian design house Pininfarina. It's a one-off based on a Ferrari F430, keeping the engine but bringing that legendary wedge shape into the modern era. It's the best automotive recreation we've ever seen, and because it's based on the F430 it actually has room for its driver, unlike the original.

Production isn't a given, but the usual noises are being made about a limited run if sufficient interest is shown.

Consider this our official declaration of interest.

Car: Audi Quattro Icon status: 8/10 Chances of reinvention: 10/10 The original Audi Quattro, aka the Ür-Quattro, is credited with popularising four-wheel drive. The 1980 car became synonymous with successful Audi rally exploits, giving it the kind of cool factor that the Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution went on to enjoy in the 1990s and 2000s.

A brand new Quattro concept was unveiled at the 2010 Paris

Pioneers: the cars that started a trend

Every now and again a car comes along that changes the game. Nobody knew what a crossover was until Nissan combined the compact nature of a family hatchback with an SUV's tall, commanding driving position. The Qashqai has spawned a raft of imitators. Debates will always rage about true pioneers, but here are the cars that stake a claim to have started a whole new motoring niche.

PIONEER: Nissan Qashqai Followers: Ford Kuga, Peugeot 3008, VW Tiguan When the Qashqai replaced the bland Almera, nobody quite knew what to make of it. The Nissan caught on pretty quickly though, as it combined hatchback userfriendliness with an SUV's safety and status. Loads of imitators followed, and the word crossover is now a mainstay in car vocabulary.

Luxury 4x4 PIONEER: Range Rover Followers: BMW X5, Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne Gas guzzlers are still popular despite all their bad press. The Range Rover Classic started it all in 1970, when it combined proper offroad ability with luxury car comfort and equipment. The imitators aren't as good offroad, but today's Range Rover is still a proper, all-terrain 4x4.

Four-door coupé PIONEER: Mercedes CLS Followers: VW Passat CC, Audi A5 Sportback The four-door coupé CLS generated much discussion when it was unveiled in 2005 - the sign of a proper pioneer. Based on the EClass saloon, but more expensive and less practical, it was a blatant exercise in style over substance. It worked though, because buyers understood its saloon comfort with coupé style remit. A new CLS is due by the end of the year.

SUV coupé PIONEER: BMW X6 Followers: None One of two BMW pioneers on this list with no imitators, the X6 is perhaps the ultimate gas guzzler. It's supposed to combine a coupé with an SUV, but the sloping roof eats into headroom at

Luxury saloon / hatchback/MPV PIONEER: BMW 5 Series GT Followers: None What is the 5-Series GT, exactly? That's not quite clear, but its awkward proportions combine a hatchback, a luxury saloon and an SUV. It's such a niche car

the rear. It's also limited offroad and its sheer size makes it a million miles from a sports car. Pointless?

Perhaps. But still a great car.

Posh supermini PIONEER: MINI (2001) Followers: Fiat 500, Citroen DS3, Audi A1 There were posh small cars before the BMW MINI - the Audi A2, for example. The reborn hatchback was the first one to transcend its size and become truly classless, though. It also kick-started the showroom customisation craze, copied most notably by Fiat with the 500.

People carrier PIONEER: Renault Espace Followers: Chrysler Voyager, Toyota Verso, Ford S-Max The people carrier is hardly a niche now, but it was back in 1984 when the first Espace appeared. Some claim that the VW Type 2 Camper was the first MPV,

but the Espace set the blueprint for modern imitators.

Hot hachtback PIONEER: VW Golf GTI Followers: Honda Civic Renaultsport Type-R, Megane 250, Mazda3 MPS Who started the hot hatch craze is open to debate, but most fall on the side of the original 1976 Golf GTI. The Alfasud was small and quick before it, though it wasn't actually a hatch.

Undoubtedly, VW's seminal MkI GTI led where others now follow.

Hybrid PIONEER: Toyota Prius Followers: Honda Insight The Toyota Prius is a true global phenomenon. It has become popular to the extent that the word hybrid is now synonymous with Prius. Hybrid models are widespread in the US, though not so much in the UK, where diesel cars can match their economy and emissions.

that it's unlikely to ever be imitated, but the Beemer is still big, posh, practical and different. For many, that'll do nicely.

Hot estate PIONEER: Audi RS2 Avant Followers: BMW M5 Touring, Mercedes E63 AMG Wagon

Supercar performance and estate car practicality were first combined by the Audi RS2 Avant, before fellow Germans Mercedes and BMW got in on the act. It's a compelling combination of qualities, and makes the modern versions true doeverything cars.

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Friday, October 14, 2011

Welcome to The Couriers very first Fashion Fix Page!

This week to tie in with Breast Cancer Awarness month and the AECC Breast Cancer Charity Fun Day in Quesada (this Sunday), we're talking about boobs! Well mostly bras than boobs!

How many women over here have trouble with getting the correct size bra?

Ever walked into a Spanish lingerie shop and been giving a weird look when you want a size bigger than a C? Or maybe you have managed to find the perfect bra but regret paying a ridiculous amount of money for it? Well worry no more! We have scanned the web and compiled a list of the best websites so you can find to perfect fitting bras, that won’t cost a bomb.

85% of women wear the wrong bra size so take a look at our measuring tips and advice so you can always have a perfect fitting bra.

Marks and Spencers have an extensive range of all types of lingerie.

Delivery is international and the cost to Spain is a flat rate charge of just £7.50, so you can order as little or as much as you like! www.marksandspencers.com Debenhams has a variety of different lingerie brands, with prices ranging from £5 upwards. Delivery to Spain costs £7.00 www.debenhams.com

La Senza's lingerie products, are both romantic and sensual at an affordable price. Delivery costs to Spain are £7.95 and usually take between 7 to 10 working days.

For all you ladies out there with large breasts this is the website for you! From sizes 28D to 46FF we are sure you will find something to suit your needs. Delivery to Spain costs £5.95 for European standard or £9.95 for European recorded.

RECOMMENED

BY THE STAFF AT THE COURIER!

Frequent Problems

Finding the perfect bra size will put a smile on your face, so check the column and have a go!

You find that your bra is loose around the edges Try a smaller cup size

You find that the under wire is digging under your armpit.

Try a bra with a bigger cup size.

Bra specialists recommend that women receive a bra fitting or a breast measurement, which can be done at home, every six months.

Bad fitting bras can cause a number of problems from breathing problems to back pains.

You find that your breasts are spilling out of the front of the bra and your silhouette is bumpy.

You find that your breasts are falling out the bottom of the underwire.

Try a bra with a smaller back and a larger cup size.

Try a bra which is smaller in the back and larger in the cup.

You find that your bra band is riding up your back.

You find that your size fluctuates.

Try a smaller back size.

You find your straps are leaving indent marks.

Try a smaller back size so that the band of the bra is supporting you.

This is a common problem for most women. We recommend that you buy a bra with some stretch in it; this will mean that it is more comfortable. If you find that you have large fluctuations in size, it can be helpful to have a larger bra for these times.

How to measure your Bra size Step 1: Put On Your Favorite Bra. First put on your favorite bra that you think makes your breasts the right shape and feels most comfortable. Next you will need to find a flexible measuring tape (the kind a seamstress would use). You may also need to grab a trusted friend to help you measure, since it is difficult to keep the tape level around your body.

Step 2: Measure Around Rib Cage.

The first measurement to take is around your ribcage, just below your breasts. Now add 5 to this number to get your band size. If the resulting band size was an odd number, you will need to round up to the next even number since bra bands only come in even numbers.

Step 3:Measure Fullest Part of Bust.

The second measurement should be taken around the fullest part of your bosom with your favorite bra on. This measurement is your cup size. Next subtract your band size from your cup size to calculate the right cup size. Refer to the bra cup size chart to the right.

Bust Measurement

Rib Measurement

1/2" larger than measurement #2--------------------AA 1" larger than measurement #2------------------------A 2" larger than measurement #2------------------------B 3" larger than measurement #2------------------------C 4" larger than measurement #2------------------------D 5" larger than measurement #2------------------------DD or E 6" larger than measurement #2------------------------DDD or F 7" larger than measurement #2------------------------G 8" larger than measurement #2------------------------H 9" larger than measurement #2------------------------I 10" larger than measurement #2-----------------------J

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Friday, October 14, 2011

CODE CRACKER 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. In this week’s puzzle, 8 represents P and 16 represents Z, when these letters have been entered throughout the puzzle, you should have enough information to start guessing words and discovering other letters.

QUICKIE

Across 1 Competition (4) 3 Small container (7) 9 Tropical birds (7) 10 Calm (5) 11 Between (5) 12 Outlive (7) 13 Shriek (6) 15 Torn (6) 18 For the reason (7) 19 Monarchs (5) 21 Additional (5) 22 Nought (7) 23 Before now (7) 24 Bunks (4)

Last weeks Solution

Down 1 Says again (7) 2 Freight (5) 4 Help (6) 5 Large retail stores (12) 6 Principal (7) 7 Wish well (12) 8 Pure and simple (4) 14 Narration (7) 16 Draws (7) 17 Composed (6) 18 Meat (4) 20 Sound (5)

Across: 1 Fees, 4 Pivot, 9 Caper, 10 Surmise, 11 Example, 12 Nudge, 13 Banish, 15 Causal, 18 Raise, 20 Abolish, 23 Evening, 24 Solar, 25 Thyme, 26 Side.

Down: 2 Explain, 3 Strip, 4 Pester, 5 Veranda, 6 Tried, 7 Ache, 8 Repeal, 13 Barber, 14 Specify, 16 Skilled, 17 Mangle, 19 Inept, 21 Oasis, 22 Hard.

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

CRYTPIC CLUES Across 1 This type of nectar creates a hypnotic state (6) 4 Groans about these instruments (6) 9 An American soldier and New Zealand native can be into a Japanese art (7) 10 By the sound of it, remained very serious (5) 11 Deer with one tongue (5) 12 Interlink nine wet components (7) 13 To be at the forefront I get dung etc, perhaps (7,4) 18 Opposes wrong siblings (7) 20 Convulse when she swallows a little potassium (5) 22 Beheaded a buccaneer because he was angry (5) 23 Mix gelatine, remove the iodine and the result is exquisite (7) 24 Incident begins with Santa Claus eating nine eclairs (5) 25 Heads of television and radio in sort of news broadcast (6) STANDARD CLUES

Across 1 Stupor (6) 4 Keyboard instruments (6) 9 Japanese art of paper folding (7) 10 Sedate (5) 11 Indian language (5) 12 Interlace (7) 13 Forefront (7,4) 18 Opposes (7) 20 Tremble (5) 22 Annoyed (5) 23 Stylish (7) 24 Places (6) 25 Scattered (6)

Down 1 Prize taken from astrophysicist (6) 2 A falsehood not initiated by a stranger (5) 3 An uproar after half a dance by an old Roman racer (7) 5 Tries to change an exam again (5) 6 Magazine adaptation loses the point, it’s awful (7) 7 Bring down some Mossad denunciations (6) 8 He’s keen I add variety to children’s game (4-3-4) 14 Take the limelight from the back of the theatre (7) 15 Most simple to find in exotic asset, that is (7) 16 Paths of planets or particles (6) 17 Funny man Paul becomes a mentor (6) 19 Sounds like soft leather is influenced (5) 21 Not sleeping at a vigil (5)

Down 1 Prize (6) 2 Foreign (5) 3 Roman vehicle (7) 5 Take an exam again (5) 6 Awe-inspiring (7) 7 Make unhappy (6) 8 Children’s game (4-34) 14 Outshine (7) 15 Most simple (7) 16 Circuits (6) 17 London borough (6) 19 Leather with a napped surface (5) 21 Aroused (5)

Last weeks Solution Across: 1 Roast, 4 Robins, 9 Brigade, 10 Imago, 11/13/18 Free for all, 12 Edifice, 14 Emir, 16 Abel, 20 Pincers, 21 Dope, 24 Drama, 25 Elation, 26 Spends, 27 Tense.

Down: 1 Rebuff, 2 Abide, 3 Teak, 5 Original, 6 Imagine, 7 Scores, 8 Defer, 13 Freehand, 15 Mandate, 17 Spades, 18 Asset, 19 Seance, 22 Onion, 23 Want.

FILL IT IN

Complete the crossword grid by using the given words:

3 letter words Abe Age Ago Elf Era Gel Ice Ire Nun Oaf Rid Tea Ten Vet Vim 4 letter words Abet

Acne Aloe Area Aura Avow Beds Bide Cast Dine Duct Each Else Evil Foil Glee Glen Hart Keep

Ogee 6 Race Rail Rare 8 Reek Ribs Rode Rule Sled Slit Sobs Tale This 5 letter words Crane Fault Sleek Sleep

Trace letter words Braces Browse letter words Aardvark Alienate Ancestor Mandarin Seaborne Tentacle 10 letter words Resolvable Unattached

SPANISH-ENGLISH CROSSWORD Improve your Spanish - clues in Spanish, answers in English or vice versa.

Across 1 Weight (heaviness) (4) 3 Lawn (terreno plantado) (6) 8 Otro (en singular) (7) 9 Unhurt (sin lesiones) (5) 10 Between (5) 11 Más enojado (7) 12 Hermana (6) 14 Tongue (anatómico) (6) 18 Champú (7) 20 Tío (5) 22 Daughter-in-law (5) 23 Emperador (7) 24 In addition (6) 25 Island (geological) (4)

Down 1 Oraciones (religioso) (7) 2 Deporte (5) 3 Letters (mail) (6) 4 Picadura (de abeja, avispa) (5) 5 Tarde (últimas horas) (7) 6 Queso (alimento) (6) 7 Hora (periodo de tiempo) (4) 13 Alga (7) 15 Team (sports) (6) 16 Happiness (felicidad) (7) 17 Votantes (6) 18 Arena (4) 19 Salmo (5) 21 Faces (parts of body) (5)

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Friday, October 14, 2011 Across 1 What is the old name for a female aviator? (8) 7 What is the name given to the dome-shaped Eskimo house, typically built from blocks of solid snow? (5) 8/22 “I shall hear in heaven” were the last words of which composer, who died in 1827? (6,3,9) 9/17D Which famous Australian bushranger was hanged in Melbourne in 1880? (3,5) 10 Which stony waste matter is separated from metals during the smelting or refining of ore?

(4) 11 Which word means to formally accuse or charge (someone) with a serious crime? (6) 13 What name was formerly given to a holder of land by feudal tenure on conditions of homage and allegiance? (6) 14 What name is often applied to a person who is excessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning? (6) 17 Which water spirit of Scottish folklore, typically taking the form of a horse, is reputed to delight in the drowning of travellers? (6) 18 What name is given to a pre-arranged contest with deadly weapons between two people in order to settle a point of honour? (4) 20 Which strong emotion is a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance? (3) 22 See 8 23 What name is applied to a metal made by combining two or more metallic elements, especially to give greater strength or resistance to corrosion? (5) 24 Which highly heat-resistant fibrous silicate mineral that

SUDOKU

Quiz Word

can be woven into fabrics, is used in brake linings and other fire-resistant and insulating materials? (8) Down 1 According to Greek mythology, which of one of the Titans was punished for his part in their revolt against Zeus by

being made to support the heavens? (5) 2 What is the name of Cleveland’s Major League Baseball team? (7) 3 What name is given to one of two children or animals born at the same birth? (4) 4 Washington who is best known his short stories Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow? (6) 5 What was the surname of the former surveyor of the King’s (later the Queen’s) pictures, who, late in his life, was revealed to have been a Soviet spy? (5) 6 Which thick paste made of sugar and water and often flavoured or coloured, is used in the making of sweets and the icing and decoration of cakes? (7) 7 What name is applied to a person who does not believe in religion or who adheres to a religion other than one’s own? (7) 12 Which Australasian marsupial is similar to, but smaller than, a kangaroo? (7) 13 What is the administrative centre of the Roman Catholic Church? (7) 15 Which Scandinavian alcoholic spirit is made from potatoes or other starchy plants? (7) 16 What name is applied to any skeletal muscle having two origins, but especially the muscle that flexes the forearm?

(6) 17 See 9 Across 19 By what name is a golf course, especially one on grasscovered sandy ground near the sea, usually known? (5) 21 What name is normally given to the case from which playing cards are dealt one at a time? (4)

SALLY’S SIMPLE SPANISH Verduras - Vegetables

Match these words with their Spanish translations then find them in the wordsearch.

(Answers below)

1. What Was The Name Of The IBM Computer That Beat Gary Kasparov At Chess In 1997?

2. What Was Invented In 1959 By Sir Chrostopher Cockerell?

3. In the Bible who did God appear to on Mount Horab?

4. Which Other 80's Recording Artist Did Whitney Houston Marry?

5. Who is the only female character in the 'Winnie The Pooh' stories?

6. From Which European Country Does The Breed Of Dog "The Dalmation" Originate?

7. Freddie Mercury Had A Hit With 'Love Kills ' Or 'Love Pills'?

8. To which order of mammals does the beaver belong?

9. Which Singing Cowboy Was Born Leonard Slye , & Whose Early Career Was As Part Of The Sons & Pioneers Group?

10. Aileen Wuornos was notorious for being the world's first what?

1. Deep Blue 2. The Hovercraft 3. Moses 4. Bobby Brown 5. Kanga 6. Croatia 7. Love Kills 8. Rodents 9. Roy Rogers 10. Female serial killer

ANSWERS

Last Week’s Solutions Code Cracker Last weeks Quiz Wordsolution Across: 1 Pasadena, 8 Glenn Frey, 9 Boa, 10 Nape, 11 Rodney, 13 Warhol, 14 Dallas, 17 Silver, 20 Nap, 22 Sophocles, 23 Earth, 24 Platinum.

Down: 1 Pagan, 2 Sleeper, 3 Dank, 4 Narrow, 5/7A Bobby Moore, 6 Belarus, 7 Myanmar, 12 Goulash, 13/18 Wounded Knee, 15 Lanolin, 16 Pen pal, 17 Spark, 19 Epsom, 21 Gout.

13. pimiento, 14. guisantes, 15. judias-verdes, 16. espinaca, 17. coliflor, 18. col, 19. lechuga, 20. apio, a. cauliflower, b. spinach, c. celery, d. swede, e. onion, f. radish, g. cabbage, h. horse-raddish,

O C R CAGAC X C W O R LJ N H VAI P S H N O Y K C E U A I B P B J I I C L A A O C D B R G G BAC O NALOAH I A I R O H A N A Z A L X R U A R V O Z B I B O B I S O P G S R I F A P O I A B D B Z M A V I A L E S O Z N C L U E C E E MAP U LAC E SAAQ M V R C C E U C F X J C I N N F Z D P C G U I S A N T E S I C Q E O U T Q O T N E I M I P P O S C O L I F L O R P J P X B S J P HAL L O B E C NAB OAE L R H F O U X B A I Y K Z L S Soduko

Span - Eng

i. green-beens, j. cucumber, k. parsnip, l. lettuce, m. pepper, n. beetroot, o. carrot, p. turnip, q. pumpkin/squash, r. courgette/marrow, s. aubergine, t. peas.

Answers: 1f, 2h, 3o, 4k, 5p, 6d, 7e, 8n, 9q, 10j, 11s, 12r, 13m, 14t, 15i, 16b, 17a, 18g, 19l, 20c.

general QUIZ

1. rabano, 2. rabano-blanco, 3. zanahoria, 4. chirivia, 5. nabo, 6. nabo-sueco, 7. cebolla, 8. remolacha, 9. calabaza, 10. pepino, 11. berenjena, 12. calabacin,

APIO

JUDIAS-VERDES

BERENJENA

LECHUGA

CALABACIN

NABO

CALABAZA

NABO-SUECO

CEBOLLA

PEPINO

CHIRIVIA

PIMIENTO

COL

RABANO

COLIFLOR

RABANO-BLANCO

ESPINACA

REMOLACHA

GUISANTES

ZANAHORIA

Quizword

Fill It In

34

Friday, October 14, 2011

Horoscopes

By Pandora Aries March 21 - April 19 Acrobatics, especially on trampolines, are well starred from the middle of the week ensure your clothing is appropriate to avoid any unnecessarily crude body bouncing which could upset elderly ladies passing by.

Kiddy in the middle is no fun

Taurus April 20 - May 20 Taurus born street beggars with a limp are set to benefit this week from a moment of interplanetary juxtaposition which will force passers by to give cash, and valuable lessons on life, after the 17th.

Dear Rose, Please try to help me. I feel so awful. I have been seeing a man for over a year and love him deeply.

The only thing is that he has a child by his first marriage and has started to see her every other weekend, so we now have to take her with us when we go out. Our time together is very precious to me and I resent this. I know I should not feel like this, but I can't help it. The child is a sweet little thing aged four, and it is not her fault. What can I do?

Gemini May 21 - June 20 Multiple conjunctions, involving five stars that haven't even been named by your kind yet, will cause your critics to gossip and point repeatedly - ignore them, don't ignore them, makes no difference to the stars.

Cancer June 21 - July 22

you at times, just go back to the hotel.

Hen parties are very important for brides, so come on, lighten up and let your hair down to JULIE, San Miguel please your friend. It is This is a hard one. I only for one weekend, so can see how you feel grin and bear it. about sharing your man with his daughter, but I realise you are not blaming the child. At this stage in your relationship, you must just tolerDear Rose, ate this situation, as if I am dating a really you say anything to your gorgeous boy. He is lover, I think you will extremely good looking and open a whole can of super fit! My problem is that worms. He only sees her I am very jealous when I once a fortnight, so try to see him talking to other make your time alone girls. I know this is wrong, even more precious and but I can't help it. He is a special. Things may very popular lad and has change, so just bear with loads of friends. When we it for now. go to the beach the girls

l

Jealous of my fit fella

Benidorm not for me Dear Rose, My girlfriend is getting married next month and has invited 10 friends to go to Benidorm for a hen weekend. I have agreed to go as we are good friends, but I am dreading it! I hate things like this. Dressing up in outrageous clothes and being lewd and rowdy is just not my scene. The other girls are so excited about it are calling me a killjoy and misery, but I can't help it. Should I cancel and let my friend down, or go and hate every minute? What do you think?

STACEY, Punta Prima.

Dear Stacey. If you l want my advice, I will tell you to go! Who knows, maybe it won't be half as bad as you think.

Benidorm has a lot going for it for a weekend. You don't have to be with your friends 24/7, and if you think it is too raunchy for

just seem to flock around him. He says that I am the one he loves and resents my jealousy. What can I do to stop these feelings?

BELLA, Lo Crispin Dear Bella. Your feelings are perfectly natural. The trouble is keeping them under control.

No one likes to be watched in everything they do and this could mean the end of your relationship.

Try to lighten up and if he says he loves you, believe him! You are a lucky girl, but I expect he also thinks he is a lucky guy having you as his girlfriend.

You are both very young, so just enjoy your time together.

If you have a problem Romany Rose can help you with, email her at office@thecourier.es about being single. I am 26 and have never had a girlfriend, not through the lack of trying.

People are often surprised because they say I am good looking but I have always had self-esteem issues after being bullied at school. I have tried hypnosis CDs to make me more confident and they haven't helped. I have read books on confidence dating and seduction but nothing seems to make a difference.

I never know if I am trying too hard, or not hard enough. I have good personal hygiene, dress well, can make most people laugh and am loyal and get on with most people.

Where am I going wrong?

JASON, Santa Pola Dear Jason. Please don't despair just yet!

You are only 26 years old and I know you are feeling wretched at the moment. I am sure things will change.

I think your problem is that you are trying too hard and girls are worried by this as you may come across as desperate.

Try to be more natural and if you find a girl you like and know she is unattached, start by becoming friends.

After this, you can go one step further and ask her out for a drink or something else low key.

See how things progress from that.

The other thing you can do is internet dating. As long as you use a reputable site, many people Dear Rose, What can I do about have found relationships this way. being single?

Good luck.

I want to know what to do

l

Why am I the lonely one?

l

Cruel sister upsets our family I am a girl aged 18 and my sister is 20. She makes life hard to deal with because of her rudeness and lack of respect. She shouts in our mum's face, puts her down and calls her a rubbish mum – which she's not. It is so hard for the rest of us to keep our mouths shut.

She calls me fat and ugly which I know I'm not, but if I stick up for myself mum gets angry with me for rowing with her. My stepdad and sister argue too, because he's had enough of listening to the way she talks to our mum.

Now my younger brother and sister, who are 13 and 11, are starting to treat mum with little respect because they copy what they hear her get away with. She just needs to get a job and stop sitting around the house all day listening to music and going online.

What can we do, we are all so fed up with living like this and just want some peace and quiet at home again.

HAYLEY, Torrevieja It sounds like you all walk on egg-shells around your sister. Your mum and stepdad need to set firm boundaries.

Find a quiet moment and talk to your mum. Tell her how much it upsets you to see your older sister putting her down and being so rude. Knowing you're on her side she may open up to you, and it may start a family discussion about how you can all get on together better.

l

A frisky goat will decide on a course of action which will subject you to a tempest of ridicule around the 18th. If possible, in the ensuing melee, attempt to fall on top of the guy with the video camera recording your hilarious exploits.

Leo July 23 - August 22 The stars suggest an avoidance of Egypt in all of its forms this month, especially Fez's, those 'smoky bubbly-pipes' and hot tea in glasses which burn your fingers because the glasses are so tiny and so full of hot steaming liquid...

Virgo August 23 - September 22 Your favored luck-giving dog which you should pet when you see it on the street this week is any small yappy type dog, especially ones dressed in a tartan jacket. Avoid tongue twisters on the 18th

Libra September 23 - October 22 A magician's coat is set to provide you with answers to countless questions this week in a mysterious and glittery way.

Patience towards a small fish will reap dividends this month in cute ways involving bubbles.

Scorpio October 23 - November 21 Avoid the baking of any new puddings from packets bought in a supermarket, especially if they are chocolate in nature, or take on the appearance of a healthy Caucasian tan.

Sagittarius November 22 - December 21 Your night time sleeping pattern is set to be disrupted for interstellar, cosmic, reasons over the coming weeks (260 weeks, that's 5 years) and is nothing to do with the incessant snoring of your partner.

Capricorn December 22 - January 19 A pan-fried meal of chicken and, the charts suggest, something green, on the 15th, is set to dominate conversation for all the wrong reasons well into the endof-year holiday season.

Aquarius January 20 - February 18 Beware children in masks and especially trick or treaters intent on bringing you to your knees at the end of the month.

Foam and bicycles are well starred this week, as is in-flight catering (but not air travel).

Pisces February 19 - March 20 Is it possible you have forgotten something important this week? The charts suggest the 19th is fraught with difficulties involving a card shop and a slow moving old person.

35

Friday, October 14, 2011

TRELI ON THE TELLY BENIDORM, BURP AND A FUNNY ITV TURN with ALEX TRELINSKI

COMEDY and ITV1 are like oil and water. They hardly seem to mix these days, with fun moments as hard to find as the proverbial rocking horse dung.

Barring ‘Benidorm’, which I think is past it’s sell-by date, and the hilarious ‘TV Burp’ with Harry Hill, the commercial network has little to get the funny bone going, which is a disgrace, since entertainment is meant to be its main ingredient.

So you can imagine ITV1 controller Peter Fincham having a major cardiac seizure with the news that the bespectacled Hill wants to call it a day for his madcap TV review.

ITV clearly loves the show as it’s repeated no fewer than five times in five days across its channels, but it’s the only comedy half hour they have, and fortunately for them, it always delivers big time!

Hill returned in wonderful acerbic form last Saturday, and one of my highlights was the less-than-enthusiastic reaction from Louis Walsh’s X-Factor contenders to having Sinitta as their star guest judge to whittle them down to just four. I was glad that Harry shared my thoughts there, and I loved him tearing the tasteless ‘Secret Millions’ series to shreds.

Hill looks funny without even opening his mouth, and with ITV1 offering him an open cheque to return with the multiaward winning ‘TV Burp’ next year, and Harry hinting on his blog that he hasn’t totally closed the door on a new series, I hope he has a change of heart and continues to front what is consistently one of the funniest programmes on the box.

The British public have great taste! As yours truly predicted, Edwina Currie was the first to get the boot from BBC 1’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’. Now I can watch the rest of the series without hiding behind my sofa whenever she appears.

Even my dog had to be restrained from getting into a state of hysteria whenever Edwina popped up.

It’s been a fantastic week or so with the return of some truly outstanding American dramas. The only shame is that they are on subscription TV, like ‘Boardwalk Empire’ which has started series two on ‘Sky Atlantic’, and is soon to be on ‘Digital Plus’.

Set in the American prohibition era of the ’20s, the drama is based in Atlantic City. The central character, played by Steve Buscemi, is trying to run a variety of illegal operations, whilst holding high public office. He’s very much a likeable villain, but he plays to all sides, like licking up simultaneously to the black community and a bunch of Ku Klux Klan fanatics.

It’s beautifully filmed and comes from the same team that

brought us the ground-breaking ‘Sopranos’ over a decade ago.

It’s much-watch TV of the highest order, worth looking over and over again, and the first episode ended with Buscemi’s character of Nucky Thompson being carted off by the police for electoral fraud. I think he gets out somehow!

I’d also use ‘much-watch’ to describe Hugh Lawrie’s portrayal of the grumpy medic, Gregory House. Incredibly, we have reached series eight on Sky One, with House coming to an end of a prison term for crashing into his former girlfriend’s house.

That friend being, of course, his ex-boss Cuddy, who has left the hospital for pastures new.

The opening episode saw House dealing with the last few days of prison life before being released on parole, and of course solving a medical mystery on the side. The only mystery for me is why Lawrie has never won a Best Actor Emmy award for one of the most distinctive TV characters in the last decade.

Make the most of this series, which starts on the Spanish channel ‘Cuatro’ in the New Year, as all the indications from Lawrie and the production team are that this will sadly be the last one.

They want to go out on a high - perhaps an appropriate way of describing House’s condition at times!

My Friday evenings are complete with tonight’s return to BBC 1 of ‘Have I Got News for You’. Forget guest hosts, though we have a good one tonight with Jo Brand….and forget the guest panellists as well. The success of this 21 year old show depends on how good a mood Paul Merton is in.

If he’s fully charged up, it’s hilarious, but a half-power Merton is no good to anybody, and much as I’m a fan, I don’t think he’s delivered as much as he should in recent seasons.

Come on Paul, give it some welly - and remember that you’re being paid for being on the programme!

TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT 15 THE year is 1988 and Topher Grace plays recent college graduate Matt Franklin. Matt is extremely smart and went to MIT, but upon graduating moved back home with his parents and instead of pursuing his career is underachieving as a video store clerk.

Since high school Matt has been obsessed with Tori Fredreking (Teresa Palmer), a beautiful and successful college graduate that he thinks is way out of his league. One day, Tori walks into Matt's video store and he decides that this is finally his

CAST: Topher Grace, Anna Faris, Dan Fogler, Teresa Palmer DIRECTOR: Michael Dowse GENRE: Comedy, Drama RATING: 4/5 RUNNING TIME: 114 min. moment. Matt pretends that he doesn't work in the store and re-introduces himself to Tori as a successful college graduate working in a financial firm. They make plans to meet up later at his twin sister Wendy's (Anna Faris) boyfriend's (Chris Pratt) annual Labor Day party.

Meanwhile, Matt's best friend, Barry (Dan Folger), has been fired from his job as a car salesman and isn't taking it well. Barry convinces

Matt to help him steal a car from his former-employers in order to take to the party so that Matt can impress Tori and continue his lie. Along the way Barry finds some hidden cocaine in the car, which leads him into all kinds of trouble, especially with an older woman and a man who

likes to "watch." Wendy confides in her brother that she has applied to graduate school in England but is reluctant to leave her townie boyfriend. Eventually, Matt begins to impress Tori but as he does his lies get bigger and bigger. As Tori and Matt begin to fall in love, the question remains: will she still love him when she finds out the truth? As the party, and the evening goes on, Matt

This dvd review was brought to you by MOVING MOVIES - OVER 7000 DVDS IN STOCK. Delivering all over Spain and the UK Visit www.movingmovies.biz Tel 650 751 072 or email movingmoviesdvds@gmail.com

must finally decide what he really wants from life and must perform some desperate measures in order to achieve his goals.

"Take Me Home Tonight" is similar other "decade party" films that we've seen before but it’s really, really funny and entertaining. If you love comedies, party movies and the '80s music, then you will love this film.

36

Friday

14th October

00:35 This Week 01:20 Holiday Weatherview 01:25 BNP: The Fraud Exposed Panorama 01:55 Countryfile 02:55 Antiques Roadshow 03:55 Food Fighters 04:40 Reel History of Britain 05:10 Newsday 05:30 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Helicopter Heroes 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 Dirty Tricks of the Tradesmen 12:45 Cash in the Attic 13:13 BBC News; Weather 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Celebrity MasterChef 16:00 BBC News; Weather; Regional News 16:05 Sofa Surfers 16:35 Prank Patrol Down Under 17:00 Dick & Dom Go Wild 17:30 Planet Dinosaur Files 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 Weather 19:30 Regional News Programmes 20:00 The One Show 20:30 Nigel Slater's Simple Cooking 21:00 EastEnders 21:30 Celebrity MasterChef 22:00 Have I Got News for You 22:30 Would I Lie to You? 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 Come Fly with Me

00:20 00:50 02:20 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30

Burnistoun Anita & Me Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report

04:45 Sport Today 05:00 Witness: Apartheid, South Africa 06:00 Race - Division or Diversity?

07:00 Little Robots 07:10 Guess with Jess 07:20 The Pingu Show 07:35 Little Charley Bear 07:45 Rastamouse 08:00 Outback 8 08:30 Trust Me I'm a Genie 08:40 Leon 08:45 Pet Squad 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Trapped 09:30 Mr Bloom's Nursery 09:50 Dirtgirlworld 10:00 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:15 Driver Dan's Story Train 10:35 Charlie and Lola 10:45 Nuzzle & Scratch 11:05 Get Squiggling!

11:20 Zingzillas 11:45 Waybuloo 12:05 In the Night Garden 12:35 The Pink Panther Show 13:00 Daily Politics 13:30 GMT with George Alagiah 14:00 World Gymnastics Championships 16:00 Wanted Down Under 16:45 Escape to the Country 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Antiques Road Trip 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Strictly Come Dancing - It Takes Two 20:00 The Culture Show 21:00 Gardeners' World 21:30 Autumnwatch Live 22:30 Autumnwatch Unsprung 23:00 QI 23:30 Newsnight

00:35 71 Degrees North 01:30 The Zone 01:35 ITV News Headlines 03:30 Taking Control of the Classroom: Tonight 03:55 ITV Nightscreen 05:35 The Jeremy Kyle Show 06:30 ITV Morning News 07:00 Daybreak 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 Meridian News and Weather 15:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 There's No Taste Like Home 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight and Weather 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Wild Britain with Ray Mears 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 DCI Banks 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 Troy

TROY Epic period adventure based on the first part of Homer's poem The Iliad, starring Brad Pitt, Eric Bana and Orlando Bloom. When Paris, Prince of Troy steals Helen, the wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta, the angered Greek forces set sail to retrieve one of the world's great beauties - the face that launched a thousand ships.

00:05 Fighting on the Frontline 01:10 Random Acts 01:15 The Film Show 01:45 Taio Cruz's Arthur's Day Diary 02:00 The Album Chart Show 02:10 Embarrassing Bodies 03:05 Mother of Many 03:15 Southland 04:00 Britain's Rubbish: Dispatches 04:55 Unreported World 05:20 Grudge Match 05:30 Countdown 06:15 Cookery School 07:10 The Hoobs 08:00 Freshly Squeezed 08:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 10:00 Supernanny USA 10:55 Supersize vs Superskinny 12:00 Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 The Restoration Man 14:05 River Cottage Bites 14:25 They Rode West 16:05 Channel 4 Presents - Nathan Stephens 'True Grit' 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal Live 18:00 Celebrity Coach Trip 18:30 Celebrity Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:30 Unreported World 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Come Dine with Me 22:00 Comic Strip Presents - The Hunt for Tony Blair 23:00 8 Out of 10 Cats 23:35 Ricky Gervais: Science

00:00 Big Brother's Bit on the Side 01:00 SuperCasino 04:55 County Secrets 05:05 Michaela's Wild Challenge 05:30 Michaela's Wild Challenge 05:55 Rough Guide to Bang for Your Buck 06:10 HouseBusters 06:35 House Doctor 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 Roary the Racing Car 07:20 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 07:35 Elmo's World 07:50 Peppa Pig 08:00 Little Princess 08:10 The Mr Men Show 08:30 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Roary the Racing Car 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with Gabby 13:05 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: Miami 16:15 I Do (but I Don't) 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:25 OK! TV 20:00 5 News at 7 20:30 Fifth Gear 20:30 5 News Update 21:00 Ultimate Police Interceptors 22:00 Big Brother: Live Eviction 23:00 The Bachelor

37

Saturday 15th October

00:05 Come Fly with Me 00:35 The National Lottery Friday Night Draws 00:45 Metro 02:35 Weatherview 02:40 Question Time 03:40 Town with Nicholas Crane 04:40 Reel History of Britain 05:10 BBC News 05:30 British Olympic Dreams 06:00 Formula 1: The Korean Grand Prix - Qualifying 08:30 Breakfast 11:00 Saturday Kitchen Live 12:30 Nigel Slater's Simple Cooking 13:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 13:15 Football Focus 14:00 Formula 1: The Korean Grand Prix - Qualifying 15:15 Racing from Ascot 17:30 Final Score 18:10 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 18:25 Celebrity MasterChef 19:25 Strictly Come Dancing 21:15 Merlin 22:00 Casualty 22:50 The National Lottery Saturday Night Draws 23:00 BBC News; Weather 23:20 Match of the Day 23:20 National Lottery Update

00:00 00:45 00:50 01:55 03:20 04:20 04:30 04:45

The Review Show Weather Later with Jools Holland The Big Kahuna The Culture Show BBC News Click Newswatch

05:00 BBC News 05:10 Close 07:00 Zigby 07:10 Guess with Jess 07:25 The Pingu Show 07:35 Dipdap 07:40 Gigglebiz 08:00 Roar 08:30 Arthur 08:55 Dennis and Gnasher 09:05 Pixelface 09:35 Splatalot 10:00 Live 'n' Deadly 11:00 Who Let the Dogs Out? 11:30 I Want My Own Room 12:00 Deadly Art 12:15 Sorry, I've Got No Head" 12:40 MOTD Kickabout 13:00 Top Hat 14:35 Racing from Ascot 15:15 Coast 15:30 Escape to the Country 16:30 The Great British Bake Off Masterclass 17:30 World Gymnastics Championships 19:10 Six Days Seven Nights 20:45 Flog It! 21:15 Dad's Army 21:45 A History of Ancient Britain 22:45 QI XL 23:30 Lulu - Something to Shout About

02:25 The Zone 02:30 ITV News Headlines 04:25 The Three Musketeers 06:15 ITV Nightscreen 06:30 ITV Morning News 07:00 Mini CITV 08:25 CITV 09:00 Live Rugby World Cup 12:45 ITV News and Weather 12:54 Meridian Weather 12:55 Coronation Street 15:15 Racing Stripes 17:15 Rugby World Cup Highlights 18:15 Meridian News and Weather 18:30 ITV News and Weather 18:45 New You've Been Framed!

19:15 All Star Family Fortunes 20:15 Harry Hill's TV Burp 20:45 The X Factor 22:55 The Jonathan Ross Show 23:55 ITV News and Weather

LULU:

SOMETHING TO SHOUT ABOUT Documentary charting the singer's career, which has spanned almost 50 years, and exploring the projects she is currently working on. Cameras follow Lulu as she records in the studio with Jools Holland, rehearses for shows, choreographs new dance routines and prepares for a concert on the banks of the River Clyde in her old home city of Glasgow. Featuring contributions

by Elton John, Kylie Minogue, Cliff Richard, Robin Gibb and Barry Manilow.

00:35 Random Acts 00:40 Comic's Choice: Lee Mack 01:45 Scissor Sisters' Arthur's Day 02:00 Stereophonics' Arthur's Day 02:15 On Track 02:40 My Name Is Earl 03:05 The Real Housewives of New Jersey 04:00 The Iron Giant 05:30 Countdown 06:15 Cookery School 07:10 The Hoobs 07:35 The Film Show 08:00 British F3 International Series 08:25 Glasgow Riverside Rat Race 08:50 Channel 4 Presents - Lee Pearson 'The Colour Gold' 08:55 The Morning Line 09:50 Professor Green's Hijack: Party Starters Top 20 10:50 Smallville 11:45 James Morrison Featuring Jessie J: Video Exclusive 11:50 The Big Bang Theory 12:20 Made in Chelsea 13:25 The Big Bang Theory 13:55 The Simpsons 14:25 Road to London 2012: That Paralympic Show 14:55 Channel 4 Racing 17:05 Channel 4 Presents - Jonnie Peacock 'Speed' 17:10 Come Dine with Me 19:45 Channel 4 News 20:15 4thought.tv 20:20 Father Ted 20:45 Terror Weapon of the Somme: A Time Team Special 21:45 World War II: The Last Heroes 22:45 Die Hard 2

00:00 Big Brother: The Eviction Interview 00:30 Big Brother's Bit on the Side 01:15 SuperCasino 05:00 Motorsport Mundial 05:30 Fifth Gear 05:55 Animal Rescue Squad 06:10 HouseBusters 06:35 House Doctor 07:00 Peppa Pig 07:05 Fifi and the Flowertots 07:15 Fireman Sam 07:30 Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs 07:40 Elmo's World 07:55 The Save-Ums! 08:05 Milkshake! Monkey 08:10 Roobarb and Custard Too 08:25 Make Way for Noddy 08:40 Hana's Helpline 08:55 Little Princess 09:10 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 09:30 Angelina Ballerina 09:45 Rupert Bear 10:00 Olivia 10:15 The Mr Men Show 10:30 Roary the Racing Car 10:45 Animal Families 11:00 The Gadget Show 12:00 Big Brother: The Eviction 12:55 Big Brother: The Eviction Interview 13:25 The Hotel Inspector 14:25 Captain Horatio Hornblower 16:40 Clash of the Titans 19:00 Jason and the Argonauts 20:50 5 News Weekend 20:55 NCIS 21:55 NCIS 22:55 Big Brother 23:55 Extraordinary People: Hayley - World's Oldest Teenager

38

Sunday 16th October 00:45 The Football League Show 02:00 Weatherview 02:05 BBC News 02:30 The Bottom Line 03:00 BBC News 03:30 Dateline London 04:00 BBC News 04:30 Our World 05:00 BBC News 05:30 Click 06:00 BBC News 06:30 The Record Europe 07:00 Formula 1: The Korean Grand Prix - Live 10:15 The Andrew Marr Show 11:15 Sunday Morning Live 12:15 The Politics Show 12:20 Weather for the Week Ahead 13:20 A Question of Sport 13:50 Match of the Day Live 16:00 Formula 1: The Korean Grand Prix 18:00 Lifeline 18:10 Points of View 18:25 Songs of Praise 19:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 19:25 Countryfile 20:25 Strictly Come Dancing 21:00 Antiques Roadshow 22:00 Spooks 23:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 23:25 Have I Got a Bit More News for You

01:00 My Year without Sex 02:30 Later with Jools Holland 03:35 The Hearse 05:05 Close 06:45 Live MotoGP 08:00 Roar 08:30 Sam & Mark's Big Friday Wind Up 08:30 Bernard 09:35 Match of the Day 11:00 Something for the Weekend 12:30 MotoGP 13:45 Hondo 15:05 EastEnders 17:00 World Gymnastics Championships 18:25 Dances with Wolves 21:15 Top Gear 22:00 Fry's Planet Word 23:00 Match of the Day 2

00:09 00:10 01:10 01:40 03:40 04:30 06:30 07:00 08:25 09:30 12:40 12:49 12:50 14:35 16:45 18:00 19:00 19:15 19:30 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:15 23:45 23:59

Meridian Weather This Is Michael Buble Dating the Enemy The Zone Heist ITV Nightscreen ITV Morning News Mini CITV CITV Live Rugby World Cup ITV News and Weather Meridian Weather Smokey and the Bandit The X Factor Downton Abbey Rugby World Cup Highlights Meridian News and Weather ITV News and Weather Harry Hill's TV Burp Holding Out for a Hero The X Factor Downton Abbey That Sunday Night Show ITV News and Weather Meridian Weather

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS Romantic comedy starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher as a mismatched pair who wake up in Las Vegas and discover they have married each other following a drunken night on the town. An immediate divorce seems the obvious solution, but a three million dollar win on a slot machine rather complicates matters.

01:00 8 Out of 10 Cats Uncut 01:50 Rude Tube 02:50 Mithya 04:50 Without a Trace 05:35 Hill Street Blues 06:25 Countdown 07:10 The Treacle People 07:20 The Hoobs 07:45 Channel 4 Presents - Nathan Stephens 'True Grit' 07:50 The Great East Swim 08:45 One Tree Hill 09:30 Hollyoaks 12:00 Professor Green Unseen 12:25 Live and Lost: Chipmunk 12:30 Celebrity Coach Trip 15:10 The Simpsons 15:40 The Simpsons 16:10 Grand Designs 17:20 Deal or No Deal Live 18:20 Channel 4 News 18:50 The Political Slot 18:55 4thought.tv 19:00 Night at the Museum 2 21:00 River Cottage Veg 22:00 The Secret Millionaire 23:00 What Happens in Vegas

00:55 Inside Hollywood 01:05 SuperCasino 05:05 The Great Yorkshire Run 05:35 Michaela's Wild Challenge 06:00 Hana's Helpline 06:10 The Milkshake! Show 06:35 Thomas & Friends 06:45 Roary the Racing Car 07:00 Peppa Pig 07:05 Fifi and the Flowertots 07:15 Fireman Sam 07:25 Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs 07:40 Elmo's World 07:55 The Save-Ums! 08:05 Roobarb and Custard Too 08:25 Make Way for Noddy 08:35 Hana's Helpline 08:55 Little Princess 09:05 Milkshake! Monkey 09:10 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 09:25 Angelina Ballerina 09:45 Rupert Bear 10:00 Olivia 10:10 The Mr Men Show 10:25 Roary the Racing Car 10:40 Animal Families 11:00 Inside Hollywood 11:10 Superior Interiors with Kelly Hoppen 12:05 Highland Emergency 12:35 Big Brother 13:35 The Love Bus 14:05 Angels in the Outfield 16:00 TMNT 17:35 Toy Story 19:20 Close Encounters of the Third Kind 21:55 5 News Weekend 22:00 Big Brother 23:00 Behind Enemy Lines

39

Monday 17th October

00:10 Ask Rhod Gilbert 00:45 American Flyers 02:30 Weatherview 02:35 A Farmer's Life for Me 03:35 Holby City 04:35 Reel History of Britain 05:35 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Helicopter Heroes 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 Dirty Tricks of the Tradesmen 12:45 Cash in the Attic 13:13 BBC News; Weather 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Celebrity MasterChef 16:00 BBC News; Weather; Regional News 16:05 Barney's Latin America 16:35 Prank Patrol Down Under 17:00 Dick & Dom Go Wild 17:30 Blue Peter 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Regional News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 Inside Out 20:30 BBC News; Regional News 21:00 EastEnders 21:30 The Great Fuel Robbery Panorama 22:00 Motorway Cops 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 A Question of Sport

00:10 00:45 01:15 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:20

Mock the Week Never Mind the Buzzcocks Bedrooms and Hallways Reporters Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Close

07:00 Zigby 07:10 Guess with Jess 07:20 The Pingu Show 07:35 Dipdap 07:40 Gigglebiz 08:00 Outback 8 08:30 Trust Me I'm a Genie 08:40 Leon 08:45 Pet Squad 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Trapped 09:30 Mr Bloom's Nursery 09:50 Dirtgirlworld 10:05 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:15 Driver Dan's Story Train 10:30 Charlie and Lola 10:45 Mister Maker 11:05 I Can Cook 11:25 Louie 11:30 Baby Jake 11:45 Waybuloo 12:05 In the Night Garden 12:35 The Pink Panther Show 13:00 Daily Politics 13:30 GMT with George Alagiah 14:00 Diagnosis Murder 14:45 Royal Upstairs Downstairs 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Wanted Down Under 16:45 Escape to the Country 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Antiques Road Trip 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Strictly Come Dancing - It Takes Two 20:00 A History of Ancient Britain 21:00 University Challenge 21:30 Home Cooking Made Easy 22:00 Origins of Us 23:00 Never Mind the Buzzcocks 23:30 Newsnight 23:30 Weather

00:00 Someone's Daughter, Someone's Son 01:00 Anglo-Welsh Cup Rugby Union 01:55 The Zone 01:55 ITV News Headlines 03:00 British Superbike Championship Highlights 04:20 Motorsport UK 05:10 ITV Nightscreen 06:30 ITV Morning News 07:00 Daybreak 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 Meridian News and Weather 15:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 There's No Taste Like Home 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Little England 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Doc Martin 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather

A HISTORY OF ANCIENT BRITAIN Neil Oliver explores the age of Celtic Britain, a time of warriors, druids and kings of unimaginable wealth. He learns about a celebrated warrior from 300BC, the owner of a remarkable Iron Age sword, and tries his hand at divination as he explores the power of Celtic priests.

00:55 Comic's Choice: Jo Brand 02:00 American Football Live 05:40 Freesports on 4 06:10 Brief Encounters of the Sporting Mind: Kickboxing 06:20 Countdown 07:05 Sali Mali 07:10 The Hoobs 08:00 Freshly Squeezed 08:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:25 Frasier 10:00 Undercover Boss USA 10:55 Supersize vs Superskinny 12:00 Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Beeny's Restoration Nightmare 14:05 Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard 14:30 Man with the Gun 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal Live 18:00 Celebrity Coach Trip 18:30 Celebrity Come Dine with Me: Return of the Worst 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Brave New World with Stephen Hawking 22:00 Embarrassing Bodies: Back to the Clinic 23:00 Rude Tube

01:00 UFC Main Event: Dan 'The Outlaw' Hardy 02:00 SuperCasino 05:00 County Secrets 05:15 Nick's Quest 05:35 Divine Designs 06:00 Hana's Helpline 06:10 The Milkshake! Show 06:35 Thomas & Friends 06:45 Roary the Racing Car 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 Roary the Racing Car 07:20 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 07:35 Elmo's World 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 Little Princess 08:10 The Mr Men Show 08:25 Thomas & Friends 08:35 Mio Mao 08:40 Noddy in Toyland 08:50 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 08:55 Milkshake! Monkey 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Roary the Racing Car 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with Gabby 13:05 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: Miami 16:15 Chinese Food in Minutes 16:20 The Wishing Well 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:25 OK! TV 20:00 5 News at 7 20:30 Celebrity Wish List 21:00 The Gadget Show 22:00 New Hotel Inspector 23:00 Big Brother

40

Tuesday 18th October

00:05 Spooks 01:05 Bigga than Ben: a Guide to Ripping Off London 02:25 Weatherview 02:30 The Great British Bake Off 03:30 The Body Farm 04:30 Reel History of Britain 05:00 Newsday 05:30 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Helicopter Heroes 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 Dirty Tricks of the Tradesmen 12:45 Cash in the Attic 13:13 BBC News; Weather 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Celebrity MasterChef 16:00 BBC News; Weather; Regional News 16:05 Barney's Latin America 16:35 Prank Patrol Down Under 17:00 Hotel Trubble 17:30 Blue Peter 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Regional News Programmes 20:00 The One Show 20:30 EastEnders 21:00 Holby City 22:00 The Body Farm 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 The Kid's Speech

07:00 Zigby 07:10 Guess with Jess 07:20 The Pingu Show 07:35 Dipdap 07:40 Gigglebiz 08:00 Outback 8 08:00 Bernard 08:30 Trust Me I'm a Genie 08:40 Leon 08:45 Pet Squad 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Trapped 09:30 Mr Bloom's Nursery 09:50 Dirtgirlworld 10:05 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:15 Driver Dan's Story Train 10:30 Charlie and Lola 10:45 Mister Maker 11:05 I Can Cook 11:05 Chuggington: Badge Quest 11:25 Louie 11:30 Baby Jake 11:45 Waybuloo 12:05 In the Night Garden 12:35 The Pink Panther Show 13:00 Daily Politics 13:30 GMT with George Alagiah 14:00 Diagnosis Murder 14:45 Royal Upstairs Downstairs 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Wanted Down Under 16:45 Escape to the Country 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Antiques Road Trip 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Strictly Come Dancing - It Takes Two 20:00 The Booker Prize 2011: A Culture Show Special 20:30 Escape to the Country 21:00 Coast 22:00 This World: Spain's Stolen Babies 23:00 Later Live - with Jools Holland 23:30 Newsnight

00:35 That Sunday Night Show 01:05 Wildlife Patrol 01:35 The Zone 03:35 Champions League Weekly 04:05 ITV Nightscreen 05:30 The Jeremy Kyle Show 06:30 ITV Morning News 07:00 Daybreak 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 Meridian News and Weather 15:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 There's No Taste Like Home 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Mayday Mayday 21:00 High Stakes 22:00 71 Degrees North 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 DCI Banks

THIS WORLD:

00:20 Dragons' Den: How to Win in the Den 01:20 Fry's Planet Word 02:20 Newsday 02:30 Asia Business Report 02:45 Sport Today 03:00 Newsday 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Sport Today 04:00 Newsday 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 E20 05:25 Primary Class Clips 06:25 Primary Class Clips 06:45 Primary Class Clips

SPAINS STOLEN BABIES Katya Adler investigates allegations of baby theft and trafficking in Spain, and talks to mothers who were told their children had died at birth. Beginning at the end of the Spanish civil war, hundreds of thousands of babies are thought to have been traded by nuns, priests and doctors during the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco. Adler meets some of those desperately seeking their biological families.

00:05 Fresh Meat 00:55 Random Acts 01:00 Fighting on the Frontline 02:00 Late Night Poker 02:55 Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year 05:35 Accidentally on Purpose 06:00 Hill Street Blues 06:50 The TV Book Club 07:20 Sali Mali 07:25 The Treacle People 07:35 The Hoobs 08:00 Freshly Squeezed 08:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:25 Frasier 09:55 Undercover Boss USA 10:55 Supersize vs Superskinny 12:00 Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Beeny's Restoration Nightmare 14:10 Channel 4 Presents - Nathan Stephens 'The Sharp End' 14:15 Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard 14:45 Comanche Station 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal Live 18:00 Celebrity Coach Trip 18:30 Celebrity Come Dine with Me: Return of the Worst 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Gok's Clothes Roadshow: Get the Look for Less 22:00 Mary Queen of Frocks 23:00 Shameless

00:00 Big Brother's Bit on the Side 01:00 Ultimate Emergency Bikers 02:00 SuperCasino 04:55 County Secrets 05:10 Grey's Anatomy 05:55 Animal Rescue Squad 06:10 HouseBusters 06:35 House Doctor 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 Roary the Racing Car 07:20 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 07:35 Elmo's World 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 Little Princess 08:10 The Mr Men Show 08:25 Thomas & Friends 08:40 Noddy in Toyland 08:55 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:30 Roary the Racing Car 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with Gabby 13:05 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: Miami 16:15 Picking Up and Dropping Off 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:25 OK! TV 20:00 5 News at 7 20:30 Real Food Family Cook Off 20:30 5 News Update 21:00 Superior Interiors with Kelly Hoppen 21:00 5 News at 9 22:00 CSI: Miami 23:00 Big Brother

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Wednesday 19th October

00:25 Cherry's Parenting Dilemmas 01:25 Weatherview 01:30 Village SOS 02:30 History Cold Case 03:30 Reel History of Britain 04:00 Newsday 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 Newsday 05:30 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Helicopter Heroes 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 Dirty Tricks of the Tradesmen 12:45 Cash in the Attic 13:13 BBC News; Weather 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Celebrity MasterChef 16:00 BBC News; Weather; Regional News 16:05 Barney's Latin America 16:35 Prank Patrol Down Under 17:00 Hotel Trubble 17:30 Serious Explorers: Raleigh 17:30 Deadly 60 Bites 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Regional News Programmes 20:00 The One Show 20:30 Waterloo Road 21:30 Planet Dinosaur 22:00 Britain's Child Beggars 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 The National Lottery Wednesday Night Draws 23:45 Ask Rhod Gilbert

00:20 RTS Huw Wheldon Lecture 2011: TV: Modern Father of History 01:00 Damages 01:45 HARDtalk 02:00 Newsday 02:30 Asia Business Report 02:45 Sport Today 03:00 Newsday 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Sport Today

04:00 Close 05:00 Class Clips 07:00 Zigby 07:10 Guess with Jess 07:20 The Pingu Show 07:35 Dipdap 07:40 Gigglebiz 08:00 Outback 8 08:30 Trust Me I'm a Genie 08:40 Leon 08:45 Pet Squad 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Trapped 09:30 Mr Bloom's Nursery 09:50 Dirtgirlworld 10:05 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:15 Driver Dan's Story Train 10:30 Charlie and Lola 10:45 Mister Maker 11:05 I Can Cook 11:20 Louie 11:25 Baby Jake 11:40 Waybuloo 12:00 In the Night Garden 12:30 Daily Politics 14:00 See Hear 14:30 Lifeline 14:40 Coast 14:45 Royal Upstairs Downstairs 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Wanted Down Under 16:45 Escape to the Country 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Antiques Road Trip 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Strictly Come Dancing - It Takes Two 20:00 A History of Ancient Britain 21:00 All Roads Lead Home 22:00 Faster Than the Speed of Light?

23:00 Rab C Nesbitt 23:30 Newsnight 23:30 Weather

00:35 Joanna Lumley's Greek Odyssey 01:30 The Zone 01:30 ITV News Headlines 04:05 Heist 04:50 ITV Nightscreen 06:30 ITV Morning News 07:00 Daybreak 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 Meridian News and Weather 15:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 There's No Taste Like Home 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight and Weather 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Live UEFA Champions League 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 UEFA Champions League: Extra Time

BRITAINS CHILD BEGGARS Panorama investigation into the gypsy child beggars who can earn hundreds of pounds a day on London's streets. Reporter John Sweeney traces them back to luxury homes in Romania, where he confronts the adults exploiting these children to make money.

00:10 Random Acts 00:15 True Blood 01:30 UK & Ireland Poker Tour 02:25 Sailing 02:50 Beach Volleyball 03:45 KOTV Boxing Weekly 04:10 British F3 International Series 04:40 FIM Superbike World Championship 05:05 That Paralympic Show 05:30 The Great East Swim 06:25 Grudge Match 06:40 The TV Book Club 07:10 The Hoobs 08:00 Freshly Squeezed 08:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:25 Frasier 09:55 Undercover Boss USA 10:55 Supersize vs Superskinny 12:00 Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Beeny's Restoration Nightmare 14:05 River Cottage Bites 14:15 Panic in the Streets 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal Live 18:00 Celebrity Coach Trip 18:30 Celebrity Come Dine with Me: Return of the Worst 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Kirstie's Handmade Britain 22:00 Grand Designs 23:00 Fresh Meat 23:50 Shameless

00:00 Big Brother's Bit on the Side 01:00 Ultimate Police Interceptors 01:50 Inside Hollywood 02:00 SuperCasino 04:55 County Secrets 05:05 Michaela's Wild Challenge 05:30 Michaela's Wild Challenge 05:55 Animal Rescue Squad 06:10 HouseBusters 06:35 House Doctor 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 Roary the Racing Car 07:20 City of Friends 07:35 Elmo's World 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 Little Princess 08:10 The Mr Men Show 08:25 Thomas & Friends 08:40 Noddy in Toyland 08:55 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Roary the Racing Car 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with Gabby 13:05 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: Miami 16:10 It Had to Be You 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:25 OK! TV 20:00 5 News at 7 20:30 New Highland Emergency 21:00 Dangerous Drivers' School 22:00 Paul Merton's Adventures 23:00 Big Brother

42

Thursday 20th October

00:20 Film 2011 with Claudia Winkleman 01:00 Morvern Callar 02:35 Weatherview 02:40 See Hear 03:10 Watchdog 04:10 Made In Britain 05:10 Newsday 05:30 BNP: The Fraud Exposed Panorama 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Helicopter Heroes 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 Dirty Tricks of the Tradesmen 12:45 Cash in the Attic 13:13 BBC News; Weather 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Celebrity MasterChef 16:00 BBC News; Weather; Regional News 16:05 Barney's Latin America 16:35 Prank Patrol Down Under 17:00 Copycats 17:30 Sorry, I've Got No Head 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Regional News Programmes 20:00 The One Show 20:30 EastEnders 21:00 Watchdog 22:00 Hidden 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 Question Time

00:20 1971 01:20 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:30

The Lions - New Zealand Damages Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Bitesize Art Class Clips: Creative & Media

- Art & Design 06:30 Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: Behind the Scenes with the Royal Ballet 07:00 Zigby 07:10 Guess with Jess 07:20 The Pingu Show 07:35 Dipdap 07:40 Gigglebiz 08:00 Outback 8 08:30 Trust Me I'm a Genie 08:40 Leon 08:45 Pet Squad 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Trapped 09:30 Mr Bloom's Nursery 09:50 Dirtgirlworld 10:05 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:15 Driver Dan's Story Train 10:30 Charlie and Lola 10:45 Mister Maker 11:05 I Can Cook 11:25 Louie 11:30 Baby Jake 11:45 Waybuloo 12:05 In the Night Garden 12:35 The Pink Panther Show 13:00 Daily Politics 13:30 GMT with George Alagiah 14:00 Diagnosis Murder 14:45 Royal Upstairs Downstairs 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Wanted Down Under 16:45 Escape to the Country 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Antiques Road Trip 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Strictly Come Dancing - It Takes Two 20:00 A History of Ancient Britain 21:00 The Great British Bake Off Revisited 22:00 Mixed Britannia 23:00 Mock the Week - Again 23:30 Newsnight

00:35 Ladette To Lady: Australia 01:30 The Zone 01:35 ITV News Headlines 03:35 The Four Musketeers 05:20 ITV Nightscreen 06:30 ITV Morning News 07:00 Daybreak 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 Meridian News and Weather 15:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 There's No Taste Like Home 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight and Weather 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Eddie Izzard - Didn't We Fix Famine?: Tonight 21:00 Emmerdale 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Joanna Lumley's Greek Odyssey 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 The Jonathan Ross Show

BEENY’S RESTORATION NIGHTMARE

New series. Sarah Beeny continues the challenge of saving East Yorkshire stately home Rise Hall from ruin. The property expert and her husband tackle the restoration of an old dining room, originally one of the most lavish rooms in the house, but risk taking on too much when they decide to host a full-scale Regency dinner as a charity fundraiser.

00:55 Random Acts 01:00 On Track 01:30 The Album Chart Show 01:45 The Album Chart Show Introduces - Joe Jonas 02:00 4Play: Slow Club 02:15 Momma's Boy 02:35 Without a Trace 03:20 Laid Off 03:35 The History of Mr Polly 05:10 Catastrophe 06:05 Countdown 06:50 The TV Book Club 07:15 The Hoobs 08:05 Freshly Squeezed 08:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:25 Frasier 09:55 Undercover Boss USA 10:55 How to Look Good Naked 12:00 Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 The Restoration Man 14:05 Channel 4 Presents - Nathan Stephens 'True Grit' 14:10 River Cottage Bites 14:25 The Hound of the Baskervilles 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal Live 18:00 Celebrity Coach Trip 18:30 Celebrity Come Dine with Me: Return of the Worst 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Beeny's Restoration Nightmare 22:00 Educating Essex 23:00 Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA

00:00 Impossible?

01:00 Poker: The Big Game 01:55 SuperCasino 05:00 The Family Recipe 05:05 Michaela's Wild Challenge 05:30 Michaela's Wild Challenge 05:55 Animal Rescue Squad 06:10 HouseBusters 06:35 House Doctor 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 Roary the Racing Car 07:20 City of Friends 07:35 Elmo's World 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 Little Princess 08:10 The Mr Men Show 08:25 Thomas & Friends 08:40 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:10 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Roary the Racing Car 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with Gabby 13:05 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: Miami 16:15 Out of the Woods 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:25 OK! TV 20:00 5 News at 7 20:30 Live UEFA Europa League Football 23:15 Big Brother

Friday, October 14, 2011

43

44

Friday, October 14, 2011

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Tel: 688 800 960 (40) Brand new clothing for Sale. 10,000 pieces of mixed childrens, ladies and mens wear. Ideal for market traders. Bargain price of 5,000 €. Call now on 651 885 200. (34)

AWNINGS / POOL COVERS

BOATS Storage available with trailer from 20 euro month a month, safe, secure, further details Tel 666 526 396 Los Montesinos (33) BOATING LICENSES ARE NOW A LEGAL REQUIREMENT IN SPAIN Serenity Sailing RYA Training Centre, Competent Crew to Yachtmaster, VHF & ICC Own boat tuition on sail and power. If you have a yacht or powerboat get qualified and certified Contact Richard 0034 638 056 224 enquiries@serenitysailing.com/www.serenitysailing.com

CHURCH SERVICES International Christian Assembly. Calle Pilar de Horadada 5, Torrevieja.

Evangelical non-denominational. Sunday services 11:00am.

Children’s Church 11:00am. House groups in Torrevieja, Los Balcones, San Javier.

Ladies meeting Thursdays 11:00am.

Pastor, Rafael Restrepo.

All nationalities welcome 966 799 273 // 660 127 276.

Pilar Christian Community Church Calle Canalejas 3. Pilar de la Horadada.

Sunday Service at 11am, and Thursday at 5pm for Bible study and Prayer. Home groups meet during the week. All welcome from any church background or none. For further information contact Pilar ChristianCommunity Church@gmail.com or contact Reverend Eddie on 966 7693 00 or 650 509 606. Reg No:2009SG/A

CARS FOR SALE Tata 4 x 2 2 litre TD EX 7 seater 2002, 86,000 km, fully serviced, alloys, aircon, bullbar side steps, CD etc, silver 3.600 euros Tel 600 726 221 - 965 687 976 www.fwreurocars .com Fiat Punto 1.2 5dr 2004 74,000 km, fully serviced, silver, 3750 euros tel 600 726 221 - 965 687 976 www.fwreurocars.com

Renault Kangoo combi 1.5 dci 2004 twin sliding doors, air con, alloys, cd, white, lovely condition, FSH 4950 eurosTel 600 726 221 - 965 687 976 www.fwreurocars.com Nissan Micra Cabriolet 1.4 90bhp 2006, 2 owners 84,000km, FSH, stunning car with solid power roof finished in metallic burnt orange, alloys, aircon, blue tooth etc etc 7755 euros Tel 600 726 221 965 687 976 www.fwreurocars.com Renault Scenic 1.9 dci 2004 1 owner 95,000km, fsh, 6spd alloys, rain and light sensors stunning condition pearlescent silver 7750 euros Tel 600 726 221 - 965 687 976 www.fwreurocars.com Mercedes!

Mercedes! good selection of Mercedes over 10 different models in stock new and used vehicles sourced Tel 600 726 221 965 687 976 www.fwreurocars.com

CAR SALES

FINANCE

PROPERTY FOR RENT Viva Villa and Vacation Services, For Short or Long Term Rentals visit: www.villaandvacation.co m or Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 49, 2nd floor one bedroom apartment situated conveniently located in the town centre of Torrevieja, with a small sun balcony overlooking the lovely communal pool.

Short or long term rental available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 112, Spacious 3 bedroom detached villa with its private pool is located on the El Raso urbanisation near Guardamar.

Convenient for all amenities, shops, supermarket, restaurants and bars.

Short or long term rental available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 63, Two bedroom 1st floor apartment situated in Monino Blanco. The property overlooks a superb communal pool area, in within walking distance of bars, restaurants and shops. Short or long term rental available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 155, Luxurious Three Bedroom Villa With Private Pool, in Quesada Close to shops and restaurants within a five minute drive, and Guadamar Beach is within a ten minute drive.

Long term rental €800PCM, Short term available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 709, A lovely 1 bedroom apartment in Aguas Nuevas, within a 5 minute walk of the beach. There is a terrace outside with views to the sea. Short or long term rental available.

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397

PAVING COMPUTERS

REMOVALS

SURVEYS

CARPENTER

SECURITY

45

Friday, October 14, 2011 Ref: 708, A lovely two bedroom, one bathroom corner ground floor apartment in Algorfa, with a spacious patio & Residents off road parking. Communal pool near by. Short or long term rental available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 70, Superb 3 bedroom detached villa set on a large plot in San Luis. The Property is close to the Habaneras Shopping Centre, Aquapark and other amenities. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 117, A Lovely 3 Bedroomed 1st floor apartment on the outskirts of Torrevieja (Mar Azul).

The Apartment is in walking distance of the excellent beaches and a good selection of restaurants, shops and bars. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 33, A lovely large 2 bedroom, ground floor apartment within walking distance to the beach.

Large lounge, 1 double bedroom and 1 twin bedroom on a gated community. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 61, A lovely two bedroomed groundfloor

apartment, located in the centre of the small Spanish town of Los Montesinos, With a pleasant communal swimming pool adjacent & all amenities in walking distance.

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 516, Well situated studio apartment in San Luis. The property has a balcony which has been glazed to create another room. Close to all shops and amenities, on a local bus route & 10 minutes from the beach. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 La Finca. 2 bed, 3 bath townhouse. Long let.

Fully furnished. Air con.

Lovely location. Gated community. NO PETS. T.V. Views. Communal pool, Solarium, Contracts. €450 month. 690 731 160 (34)

PROPERTY FOR SALE Gran Alacant, corner semi detached 3 bedroomed, 2 bathrooms, large garden, enclosed terrace, fully furnished, private drive for 2 cars, on gated desirable urbanisation Monte Faro, many facilities priced for

quick sale 185,000 Tel 680 333 242 House for sale. Santiago de la Ribera, 3-4 bedrooms, lovely garden, two balconies, two fireplaces, quiet neighbourhood, five minutes walk to beach.

Tel: 616 596 647 or 672 192 482 (22).

Balsares, terraced 4 bedroomed house, 3 bathrooms, large underbuild, private underground parking direct to house, small gated urbanisation, directly over looking proposed new golf course opposite Gran Alacant, priced for quick sale at original off plan price 195.000 Tel 680 333 242 Gran Alacant, 3 bedroomed, 3 bath mid terraced Altomar 1, views of Alicante Bay, close to communal pool, walking distance to bars and resturants opportunity at reduced price 125,000 Tel 680 333 242 Gran Alacant, front line, 2 bed, 1 bath, downstairs toilet, fully furnished, roof terrace, walking distance to beaches, large communal and resturants, beach front property priced for quick sale 125,000 Tel 680 333 242

Quesada, detached 3 bedroomed, 2 bath, all large rooms, front enclosed conservatory, fully furnished, oiled fuelled heating, outdoor poolside kitchen and bbq area enclosed, large pool, outside toilet, garage for 2 cars, newly refurbished, established garden with fruit trees, set in a cul de sac on 1000m2, the overall plot can be divided, as registered as two plots, so this house could be a substantial investment opportunity, situated in the Dona pepe area close to Quesada town centre, priced 255,000 negotiable Tel 680 333 242 Viva Villa and Vacation Services are pleased to offer property sales for the Torrevieja and Oriheula areas of the Costa Blanca, Spain.

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 or Visit : www.villaandvacation.com Ref: 513, €115,000. Two bedroom ground floor apartment, in Aguas Nuevas, close to all amenities including the beach. It has a good size lounge, kitchen and has off road parking facilities.

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397

LOCKSMITH

Ref: 521, €105,000. This comfortable bungalow is located in San Luis with a new roof and solarium tiles. It is close to supermarkets, bars, restaurants and is on the local bus route. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 520, €85,000. Two bedroom apartment in Dream Hills, with a fully equipped kitchen, large lounge, glazed-in terrace and a large solarium. This property comes with a large communal swimming pool. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 516, €39,999. Studio apartment in San Luis, close to amenities. Open plan fully equipped kitchen. Good sized lounge, bedroom and out onto balcony which has been glazed to create another room. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 510, €79,999.

Bungalow located in San Luis. It is close to the supermarkets, bars and restaurants and is on the local bus route. An Opel Corsa car is included in this sale. mCall: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: KP3100, €198,000.

Three bedroom, two bathroom detached villa, located in San Luis, on a 450sqm plot, with communal pool. Garage to side of house. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397

Ref: 30, €119,000. Two bedroom detached house with large front terrace.

This villa is in the Punta Marina area close to Playa Flamenca , Close to amenities. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 78, €120,000. Three bedroom Quad in Jardin Del Mar VII. There is offroad parking and small storage shed in the enclosed garden area, communal pool nearby.

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 709, €60,000 A lovely 1 bedroom apartment in Aguas Nuevas, within a 5 minute walk of the beach.

There is a terrace outside with views to the sea.

Short or long term rental available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref. 526, €49,900. A lovely bright 1 bedroom apartment in the area of Torreblanca.There is a large communal pool and well maintained gardens, with tennis courts and childrens play area. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397

SOLICITORS Need English Speaking Solicitors in Torrevieja?

Let us help to solve your problems with debt recovery, divorce, property, accident claims, legalise land. Call us on 966 923 963, give us brief details and get in touch with your specialist solicitor.

WANTED A private buyer looking to buy a cheap car directly from the owner (middleman please do not call)Tel 638 811 881(35)

BLOCKED DRAINS Unblock a Rod SL 24 hours Emergency Service Tel 966 720 109 - Mobile 618 356 270

PLUMBERS

GENTLEMAN’S BARBER

SWIMMING POOL MAINTENANCE

PETS

LOCKSMITH

46

Friday, October 14, 2011

The Football Alphabet TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BEAUTIFUL GAME IN ANOTHER INTRIGUING A TO Z QUIZ WHICH A, a small mining town in Northumberland, did the Charlton brothers put on the map?

WHICH UEFA n a t i o n ’ s Premier League is called Ligat Al?

WHICH B nation in Euro 2012 were on the wrong end of Andorra’s best-ever result?

Euro club beginning with R actually represents Trondheim?

THE tiny FIFA-member Caribbean island of Montserrat took its name from a mountain in which country?

OF current i n t e r n a t i o n a l WHICH one-club World Cup hero is now in his 20th strikers, which J season with Roma? tops the world goal-scoring list with 69?

WHICH C is the only league club in Scotland to contain all the first five letters of the alphabet?

WHICH K nation would have the longest trip of the UEFA nations if they were to play in Dublin or Reykjavik?

THE Kaiser Chiefs band took their name from a S o u t h African football club, but what is their own hometown club?

WHICH major current international striker was M brought up in Paris but has played all his club WHICH football in Le Mans, Brittany, Marseilles and team was the first to conLondon? cede a hatWHAT is the most recent African nation to be trick in the admitted as a full FIFA member. first round of WHICH F has the “biggest” hair in UK Premier Euro 2012?

League football?

WHICH brilliant World Cup-winning N lost out on several years of selection for his national side because of crippling anxiety?

WHAT U was the first name of West Germany’s 5ft 7in talisman striker in the 1958, 1962, 1966 and 1970 World Cups?

WHICH occasional Serie A club (last seen relegated 2002) plays all in black?

WHICH New Zealand club travels an enormous distance to club games in Perth Glory as an “outTWO questions in one...which OP resigned as sider” member of Australia’s A-League? manager of his team on the eve of the 2006 World IT’S not a Cox or a Fox, but name the only post-war Cup finals, only to be talked round in the nick of England player whose surname has three letters time? including an X.

TOUCH of WHICH Serie A football club’s formal name the “dancincludes the word cricket? ing in the of WHO is the only non-Englishman among the top streets eight all-time scorers in the English Premier Raith” here, League? but what top

Win Rugby Sevens tickets - FREE IT’S not often that rugby fans get to see top players in action in this part of the world.

So the European Sevens tournament at Elche’s Martinez Valero football stadium on November 1 is one event NOT to be missed. And the Courier is giving away two pairs of tickets for the international showdown in a simple, easy to enter

competition. The Elche tournament, a prelude to the IRB Sevens world circuit, will feature national teams from Spain, England, Wales, Scotland, France and Portugal.

There will also be a women’s competition involving Spain, Portugal, France and Holland.

The action is on a Spanish bank holiday and will run from 10.30 to 19.00. Entrance fee is €5 - or €10 with a commemorative T-shirt. Tickets and T-shirts are available from Garry (Dutch) on 692 767 242.

To win a pair of free tickets, just email the answer to the following question to office@thecourier.es under the heading ‘Rugby Competition’ How many caps did Courier rugby correspondent Wade Dooley win for England?

The first correct entry received will win two tickets.

THE Golden Glove Award at the World Cup was up until 2010 named in honour of which famous keeper?

ANSWERS Ashington; Belarus; Cowdenbeath; Didier Drogba; Eritrea; Marouane Fellaini of Everton; Genoa Cricket and Football Club SpA; Thierry Henry; Israel; Stern John of Trinidad & Tobago; Kazakhstan; Leeds United; Malta (to Israel); Jesus Navas of Spain; Otto Pfister of Togo; Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets; Rosenborg; Spain; Francesco Totti; Uwe (Seeler); Venezia; Wellington Phoenix; Graham Rix; Lev Yashin; Muzzy Izzet.

WHO are the two 2010 World Cup final players with a Q in their surnames?

47

Friday, October 14, 2011

ENGLAND AND WAILS Like Jonno’s flops, I got it wrong - but Welsh have champion look

WALES OF DELIGHT: Mike Phillips dives in to score against Ireland

WHO’D be a rugby pundit? My tally of one correct prediction from the four quarter finals was almost as woeful a performance as the embarrassing England debacle against France.

My predictions were the All Blacks to beat the Argies - that was the easy one, reigning World Champions South Africa to beat the Aussies, the streetwise and experienced Paddies to beat the Taffs - and the Red Rose to beat the dysfunctional Bleus.

All England had to do, or so we all thought, was turn up and watch France - the team that has been in turmoil for the majority of this World Cup - fall to pieces. Well, exactly the opposite happened. The French, despite their supposed differences came out as a unit, England like a group of players who had hardly met.

With the French putting on the pressure, England buckled at the scrummage, were last to breakdowns, gave up at the lineout, missed too many tackles and made so many schoolboy mistakes and handling errors that it was difficult to believe this was an international side.

Unsuspecting The sight of Ben Youngs passing the ball into the shoulder of an unsuspecting Mark Cueto, who was looking the other way or maybe watching himself on the big screen, summed up England's performance in one word. Incompetent.

France now play an impressive Wales side, who in their quarter-final win against Ireland looked every bit like World Champions in waiting.

Its 24 years since Wales made the semifinals in New Zealand – where they were thrashed by the All Blacks, who then went on to become World Champions.

Unlike the Wales of '87, this is a young side (average age 24), who seem to play without any sort of restraint or fear under the captaincy of 23-year-old Sam Warburton.

Last Saturday, unlike England, they pro-

duced a mature and masterful display to outplay and outsmart the more experienced Irish in every department.

Ireland had 60% of the territory and 57% of possession in the first half after falling behind to an early spectacular Shane Williams try out wide. But resolute Welsh defence in which Sam Warburton and Luke Charteris tackled themselves to a standstill kept Wales 10 - 3 to the good at half-time.

The Irish briefly got back into the match at 10 – 10 with a try from Keith Earle but man of the match Mike Phillips snatched a brilliant solo try, and Jonathan Davies sealed it with a dash to the line, breaking a couple of missed tackles on the way.

Ronan O'Gara was never allowed to settle into his rhythm, being hounded at every opportunity by the younger Rhys Priestland.

And the big Irish forwards were scythed down time and time again as they drove at the Welsh defence.

Brave In Auckland, a brave Agentina kept New Zealand at bay for the best part of 70 minutes. But chunky little scrum-half Piri Weepu kept the All Blacks on course for the crown with a superb kicking performance.

However, the Puma's disrupted the All Black advances for most of the match, forcing them into uncharacteristic handling errors that continued to plague them.

Despite Julio Farías Cabello’s exciting opening try, a tackle count at 134 against New Zealand’s 54 suggested it was only a matter of time before the Pumas started to wilt. And tries by Kieran Read and veteran Brad Thorn cemented a 33-10 win.

It also set up a semi-final against Australia, whose Houdini-style victory over South Africa in Wellington was scarcely believable.

All pre-RWC 2011 debate was about the Wallabies’ dynamite backline and their ability to play on the front foot, but their 11-9 win was built on superbly disciplined defence and achieved very much on the back foot.

With brilliant flanker David Pocock the chief escapologist, ably supported by Rocky

Elsom and inspirational captain James Horwill, Australia made 147 tackles, relying on suffocating defence that soaked up everything the Springboks threw at them.

South Africa played a totally forward orientated game but their dominance also played into Australia's hands. Reluctant to try anything flash in attack, the Boks opted for physical, direct ball-carrying in narrow channels, even when Australia's legs were tiring.

The lack of invention cost the Springboks.

Leading 9-8, a debatable penalty at the line out enabled Wallabies wing James O'Connor to kick the decisive score with less than 10 minutes to go. The Houdini act was complete - and the better side lost.

THE FINAL BIT So the die is cast with an all-Northern and an all-Southern hemisphere semi-final, Wales taking on France tomorrow (Saturday) and New Zealand against their trans-Tasman rivals Australia on Sunday.

With the All Blacks still smarting from their defeat in the final Tri-Nations match, Captain Richie McCaw is relishing the chance to avenge Australia’s victory in August.

I for one can’t wait to see the outcome of the McCaw-Pocock head to head.

Wales, for their part, can be full of confidence going into their encounter with France.

I for one will be glued to the TV but, having learnt my lesson, I am not making any predictions. Having said that, if I could make a wish list - how about Liverpool to beat Manchester United and a New Zealand v Wales World Cup Final on October 23.

Mouth watering!!

As for England, as Martin Johnson and his side arrived home and slipped out of the back door at Heathrow, the inquest had already begun as to why our national side performed so badly both on and off the pitch.

Should Johnson continue in the post of England manager? Watch this space.

FANS SEE RED IN MONTE FLARE-UP

By ANDREW ATKINSON CD Montesinos 2 Sporting Orihuela 1 TEMPERS flared at the final whistle as CD Montesinos defeated their local rivals in a game that saw two red cards and six bookings.

In angry scenes, players and spectators became involved in scuffles and both clubs could now face a heavy fine from league officials.

The referee – who had no linesmen to assist him – saw the game turn on its head in the latter stages.

CD Montesinos led 2-0 through goals

by Fernando and Chulo and looked comfortable, despite losing their star

striker Vazquinho with a hamstring injury which will sideline him for at least four weeks.

Trouble escalated in the wake of CDM keeper Cubano being red-carded for bringing down a Sporting player – and Orihuela pulling a goal back from the resultant penalty. In the end, the referee played seven minutes added time, enough for the visitors to be issued with a red card of their own.

Tomorrow (Saturday), CD Montesinos have another ‘home’ game which kicks off at 5pm. For more info, check the club website at www.cdmontesinos.com, email thefullmonte2011@hotmail.com

48

Friday, October 14, 2011

ROO-INED! England can forget about Euro glory if Wayne’s not playing

By STEVE BOTT SO England go into the European Championships without Wayne Rooney - and with as much chance of making progress as a chocolate fireguard in hell!

Rooney's petulance has cost England any chance they might have had of lifting their first trophy in 45 years.

They are by no means a one-man team but, like at Manchester United, when he doesn't play or play well it makes a massive difference.

It is all a little immaterial anyway as reigning champions Spain put down an emphatic marker in Alicante on Tuesday night when they casually demolished Scotland 3-1 - and without Andreas Iniesta and

Fernando Torres to name but two of their absent stars.

Granted, Scotland are not the best benchmark to judge by and teams like Holland and Germany will still give Spain a run for their money. But Marquis Vincente del Bosque has got Spain so well drilled that most teams have trouble getting the ball of them, let alone do anything with it!

England, under normal circumstances, would have a better chance than most to run Spain close, but as it is they are going to have to accumulate points in their vital opening two games with a new-look strike force that is going to have very little time to get bedded in.

Fabio Capello has made the right decision in declaring that Rooney will not feature in any warm-up games

until after his ban. What's the point if he is not going to play? And it would serve him right if, by some miracle, Capello did come up with a winning formula and decide to stick with it once Rooney becomes available again.

Capello is not entirely blameless, though. He should never have played Rooney under the circumstances.

Following his father's arrest and his own track record for flying off the handle he was an accident waiting to happen.

You can just imagine the verbals he would have had to put up with throughout the game from fans and opponents alike and the way he reacted at the end to me epitomised the reaction of a man goaded beyond his limits.

WADE DOOLEY’s Rugby World Cup verdict - Page 47