The Courier Week 64

Edition 64

www.thecourier.es

Friday, May 11, 2012

Latest edition always online at www.thecourier.es

THE PRICE IS WRONG

EasyJet and Co can cost more than main airlines BUDGET airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet are NOT always the cheapest travel option to and from the UK, according to a new report.

If you are a family with young children, you could save nearly £100 by booking with a mainstream carrier like British Airways.

The survey reveals that when extra surcharges for baggage, seat reservations, priority boarding and administrative services are added, families pay on average £87 more for booking with the cut-price boys.

But before you start rearranging the family’s summer visit, the one route investigated where it is invariably cheaper to travel with the budget boys is London to Alicante!

The comparison website Idealo.co.uk analysed flight prices from 10 airlines over four popular routes from London under “reasonable travel conditions’’ for a family of two adults, a child and an infant.

The investigation involved budget carriers EasyJet, Ryanair, Germanwings and Norwegian, plus mainstream airlines British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, Air Berlin and Swiss. Fares on four return shorthaul flights were studied – the Spanish beach destinations of Palma and Alicante and city breaks in Berlin and Barcelona.

And once “reasonable’’ baggage costs

DONNA GEE reports were added for the family of four, booking with Easyjet and Ryanair did not seem such a bargain after all.

Excluding all surcharges, the EasyJet flight from London to Barcelona was £60.97 less than British Airways. However , the survey found that “the value of checking in a 23kg bag for free with British Airways more than makes up the price difference.’’

The report points out that it would cost between £64.40 and £92.22 to send a 23kg package from the UK to Spain via Royal Mail. It concludes: “The prices from Ryanair and EasyJet were also the least transparent of the four low-cost carriers in the research.

“When comparing the cost per seat found on flight search engines with the ‘real cost’ per seat in our study, the ‘real cost’ was 92% more expensive for EasyJet and 166% more expensive for Ryanair.’’

An Idealo spokesperson said of the research findings: “The results should not vilify budget airlines, as they can provide an excellent value to certain types of travellers.

“However, as in the case of family travel, budget airlines are not always the best choice for short-haul routes.”

Unless, of course, you are heading from London to Alicante...

Torrevieja's Mayor, Eduardo Dolon, raises the EU flag at the town’s European Day celebrations on Wednesday

Ryanair girl falls out of plane A RYANAIR flight attendant has been treated for head injuries after falling out of a Stansted-bound plane.

She plunged from the aircraft to the tarmac during a hurried takeoff in Sweden, according to local reports.

It's believed she was trying to close a rear door when she fell out.

Investigators are examining the possibility that the door flew open due to a sudden gust of wind while the stewardess was holding on to the handle.

Airport CEO Annika Nyberg said: “The stairs had been removed and the door to the plane was closed. What made her open the door we don't know.

“I find it hard to believe that she took a step out, it is more likely that the door flew open while she was holding the handle. It is rather windy today."

The incident happened as flight FR-967 was preparing for a delayed departure from Gothenburg to Stansted after the late arrival of another plane.

Paramedics took the injured crew member to

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Friday, May 11, 2012

So what do I get for taking the puss? Bloody Nureyev!

TELEPHONE

96 692 1003 679 096 309 JUNGLE DRUMS E-MAIL office@thecourier.es WEB www.thecourier.es HEAD OFFICE Calle Luis Canovas Martinez 1. Urb Aguas Nuevas, Torrevieja 03183, ALICANTE PHONE: 96 692 1003 Email: office@thecourier.es OPENING HOURS Mon - Fri 1030 to 1730 EDITOR Donna Gee ADVERTISING SALES 966 921 003 office@thecourier.es TELESALES 966 921 003 679 096 309 Sally Los Alcazares, San Javier 618 391 491 Myra Quesada, Rojales, Torrevieja, San Miguel Tel. 618 583 765 Jean La Zenia, Playa Flamenca, Cabo Roig Tel. 618 898 034 Patrick International Rep 5 Languages Tel 685 901 265 Writers Donna Gee Amanda Black Sally Bengtsson Rebecca Marks Jeanette Erath Alex Trelinski Dave Silver Steve Bott Tony Mayes Jake Monroe

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Picture of the Week

96 692 1003

It will reign today, but as for oneself...

PRINCE CHARLES proved cool under high pressure yesterday (Thursday) when he had a go at presenting a TV weather forecast.

According to the Daily Mirror, the sight of Charles in front of the BBC Scotland weather map caused many viewers to do a double-take as he read the lunchtime weather spot.

The Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall, were on a visit to the BBC’s Glasgow headquarters when he made his appearance.

They were shown the news studio by presenter Sally Magnusson and introduced to the BBC Scotland weather team.

And the Prince’s assured, confident performance – complete with extravagant hand gestures - sparked gales of laughter among the

staff. Half-way through the broadcast, he rumbled that the specially-prepared forecast contained several references to royal residences and quipped: "Who the hell wrote this script?"

After reading about the

poor weather, Charles finished with another ad lib: "Thank God it isn't a bank holiday".

Camilla then had a go herself at reading the same forecast in the studio.

Weatherman StavDanaos

Friday Sunny High 26° Low 14° Chance of rain 0% Monday Sunny High 24° Low 14° Chance of rain 0%

Tuesday Sunny High 25° Low 15° Chance of rain 0%

Sadness as Help group is halted THE Cancer Support Group of HELP Murcia Mar Menor have halted their fundraising activities “with great sadness’’ following AECC’s withdrawal of Cancer Screening facilities.

However, the group will still remain active members of HELP MMM and support their activities.

A statement issued yesterday (Thursday) added that the Cancer Support Group telephone has been stolen, therefore the emergency telephone number 680393257 is no longer valid.

Prostate and Breast screening in Alicante is available to people living in the Murcia Region. For information, contact Maria Wilson on 634198351.

said he may have a new rival for his job.

He added: "They did a great job and were consummate professionals.

"The Prince even ended with his own pay-off line, which is always good."

Saturday Sunny High 28° Low 15° Chance of rain 0% Wednesday Sunny High 26° Low 18° Chance of rain 0%

Sunday Sunny High 28° Lo 15° Chance of rain 0% Thursday Sunny High 24° Lo 14° Chance of rain 0%

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Friday, May 11, 2012

Wanna be a call girl? We’ll teach you the gropes!

The Valencian government has demanded the immediate withdrawal of notices advertising a professional course in prostitution - with a guarantee of work on completion.

And it has asked the public prosecutor to investigate whether the company offering the course has broken any laws.

Concerns were raised after adverts and cards promoting the course began appearing with the words ‘Work Now! Basic course in professional prostitution’.

Celia Ortega, the Social Welfare Council’s Director General for Family and Women, slammed course promoters for “taking advantage of the rate of unemployment that exists” with a course that is “promoting a form of violence against women”.

She said the adverts were aimed at vulnerable groups, such as college students.

The Valencian government has asked the attorney general to investigate if laws against the promotion of prostitution, offering a course from an unapproved training centre, or even pimping – given the guarantee of work – have been broken.

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NATIONAL Police in Alicante have closed down a sex shop that was selling illegal erectile dysfunction pills and other unlicenced drugs across Europe.

Four people were arrested and 5,000 erectile dysfunction pills seized. Among those arrested was a lawyer.

The medication is thought to have been shipped illegally into Spain from India and Lithuania before being sent to various European countries – primarily Britain and Holland – as well as being sold in Spain.

The network was also dealing in smuggled antibiotics, beta blocking agents and premature ejaculation medication.

Police warned that pills are dangerous and have been linked with cardiovascular disease. They can also cause headaches, dizziness, abdominal pain, nasal congestion, back pain and visual disturbances, amongst other conditions.

ETA plotter CAN be extradited – UK High Court

PRIME minister Mariano Rajoy announced on Monday that the government will intervene to save the country’s fourth largest bank.

Bankia, created from a merger of seven savings banks, will need billions to repair a balance sheet devastated by toxic property debt.

The government has not yet revealed where the money is coming from, but Rajoy insisted that any bank bailout would not compromise the tough targets set by Brussels to bring down Spain’s deficit.

Full details of the rescue plan are due to be released today (Friday).

RAJOY EYES £10bn BANKIA BAILOUT

Spanish daily El Pais estimated Bankia would need between €5bn and €10bn to repair its balance sheet. The economy ministry has not given figures but admitted these estimates were

“not far off track”.

Although Spanish and EU leaders have been insisting that Spain’s banks would not need a bailout, the latest crisis has come as no surprise.

Nearly all of Spain’s banks are struggling to cope with exposure to the collapse in the property market after over-extending loans. It is feared the unknown cost of rescuing the industry could derail the country’s efforts to cut its sovereign debt.

COMMUNITY IN EU-NION!

THE sun shone, the people came, the music played and everyone enjoyed Torrevieja’s European Day celebrations on Wednesday.

For the first time, the TKO Roadshow attended the event, with Peter Hurst providing musical interludes in between the different activities.

The festivities started at The British High Court has ruled a suspected ETA terrorist 10:30am with music from CAN be extradited to Spain for the attempted assassination TKO followed by Willie Hume of King Juan Carlos. opening the ceremony propThe ruling overturned an earlier magistrates’ court decision er with traditional Scottish that blocked Eneko Gogeaskoetxea Arronategui being and European pipe music. returned to his own country for trial.

The formal ceremony was Gogeaskoetxea, 44, is alleged to have been part of a plot introduced by the Director of to kill the King during a planned visit to the Guggenheim the Foreign Resident’s museum in Bilbao in 1997.

Office, Graham Knight, with It is claimed he was caught by police, along with other ETA members, filling window boxes with explosives. During their speeches given by local representatives of Torrevieja’s getaway a police officer was shot dead.

Gogeaskoetxea was arrested in Cambridge last July after European community; from being recognised by a Spanish national. He was living in the Ireland, Aoife Leddy and from Sweden, Betty Grans.

Turn to Page 12 Torrevieja’s Mayor Eduardo Dolon and Councillor for Foreigners, Rosario Martinez represented the Town Hall.

The Mayor welcomed the audience and did his address in both Spanish and English, thanking the crowd of more than 500 for coming to the Plaza of the Constitution, and highlighted the cosmopolitanism of the city of Torrevieja.

He said he was very proud of the fact that in Torrevieja

Mompo on bagpipes. In keeping with tradition of citizens of all European dance at the event, a group countries live in union and of French residents enterharmony, which is extended tained the crowd with their to more than 120 nationali- Sevillana dances, colourful ties and makes the city one dresses, fans and capes.

TKO’s Peter Hurst then took of the multicultural in Spain.

After the speeches, over while the next act, an Eduardo Dolon hoisted the international group of musiflag of the EU, to the accom- cians, took to the stage. The paniment of Ludwig van quartet had formed especialBeethoven’s Ode to Joy, the ly for the event and played a diverse selection of music anthem for Europe.

It was then the turn of the from Folk, through the Gypsy entertainers to take to the Kings to Santana.

Graham Knight explained: stage, with the return of Willie Hume and Afael “Each year we commemo-

By KEITH NICOL

rate Europe Day, a celebration that takes place every May 9 in the European Union.

It recalls the ‘Schuman’ Declaration in 1950, named after French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman, who provided the first step in the integration of European states in proposing that coal and steel from Germany and France be shared among other countries. This promoted the creation of the first European Community - making it the source of the current European Union.”

RYANAIR GIRL FALLS OUT From Page One

hospital where she was treated for her injuries before being later released.

One passenger said: “It was very confusing and unprofessional. It

was almost like a state of panic when everything had to be done really quickly.’’

A spokesman for Ryanair said “Ryanair is relieved and pleased to report that the cabin crew member who fell from the rear door of the air-

craft in Gothenburg appears to have suffered no injury and is expected to return to work in the coming days.

“The flight departed with a fourhour delay which Ryanair sincerely apologises to affected passengers for.’’

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Friday, May 11, 2012

Stocks and scares: An election loser WILL Sunday's elections in France and Greece go down in history as the beginning of the end for the euro?

Only time will tell, but one thing is clear, the voting proved that Europe is more divided today than for many years.

Clearly in Greece and France the verdict was Austerity 0 Growth 1. The problem is finding a way to get the Eurozone, in particular, on the path to growth without spending a fortune in a possible abortive attempt to find that elusive growth hormone.

One thing for sure is that the financial markets hated the result of the elections.

In Greece the stock market plunged almost 10% and markets in the remainder of Europe plunged 2.5% while the pound rose almost 2p against the euro. Good news for us Brits living on British pensions - it makes living in Spain that bit cheaper.

There was some more good news out of all the turmoil. The price of oil has now dropped to the price it was a year ago. Let's see if prices at the pumps follow suit (don't hold your breath).

I cannot let last week's local election results in the UK go by without comment. The result was Apathy 1 Democracy 0 as good old (Tory) Boris managed to hold onto his job as Mayor of London while council after council fell to Labour.

Isn't it amazing how fickle people are?

Have they forgotten so quickly which political party got Britain into the financial mess? It was barmy Labour, spending as if there was no tomorrow, borrowing to the hilt, taking away the Bank of England's control of the banks and selling British gold reserves at rock-bottom prices which took us to the brink of bankruptcy.

The Tories bring in belt-tightening and what happens?

The public put up with it for a few weeks and then want to opt out and run back to the borrow-and-spendregardless brigade.

I suppose it's human nature - if there are two choices, taking either the hard or easy road, the easy road will always come up the most popular, regardless of whether it leads over a cliff.

That's what happened in Britain, and in mainland Europe too. Perhaps here in Spain we're lucky that there isn't a spend-and-borrow government in power. But how long can it survive with so many jobless? Interesting and worrying times for prices, pensions and the values of our homes here in Spain.

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BRITISH people are addicted to divorce and it's destroying society. So says a High Court judge who has launched a campaign to promote marriage.

And it has attracted strong support from the Archbishop of York and leaders of other denominations in the UK. Sir Paul Coleridge has launched a campaign to promote marriage, saying there was "incontrovertible proof" that married couples are more likely to stay together.

He said family breakdown was “one of the most destructive scourges of our time” and that family breakdown is harmful to children and many youngsters whose parents are separated see their educational achievements and job prospects damaged.

Sir Paul hit out at the modern Hello magazine attitude to marriage, saying young couples wanted to spend a fortune on a marriage and a honeymoon - money they could use for a home and contents.

The judge warned that courts had 'streamlined' family cases to contend with the growing numbers, making it too easy for couples to split – and suggested they should be required to go through counselling and mediation.

There were 241,000 marriages in 2010, a near 100-year low. As for divorce, while 22% of marriages in 1970 were over by the 15th wedding anniversary, 33% now end in the

same period.

Cohabitation, meanwhile, rose from a million couples in 2001 to 2.9million in 2010 – and is projected to rise to 3.7million by 2031.

Said Sir Paul: “Marriage is not something that falls out of the sky ready-made on to beautiful people in white linen suits.’’

“It involves endless hard work, compromises, forgiveness and love. However right the person is, they might not be right two years later. It doesn't matter how wonderful you appear to be to your partner at the beginning, you will begin to display faults that we all have.’’

"In order for a relationship to last, you have to hang in there and adjust and change and alter and understand.

Long, stable marriages are carved out of the rock of human stubbornness and selfishness and difficulties.’’

He also hit out at silver-haired divorcees, people having had a lifetime together splitting in their 60s, 70s and 80s, often ending their lives in near poverty and loneliness.

It's my belief that divorce has become far too easy. The start of the rot was ending the public examination as to who was to blame for the breakdown of a marriage.

Many, if not most marriages end because of one partner cheating on the other, and the straying one believing that life would be so much more exciting with the new man or woman in his or her life.

One way to end this is to make the predator - man or woman - having an affair with a married person vulnerable to being sued in a divorce court.

Someone would be far less likely to start an affair with a married man or woman if they knew they would be hit hard in the pocket, as well as being named in court and in newspapers.

There's nothing more likely to keep people on the straight and narrow than if their piggy bank is at risk and if they are going to be judged by their peers for their wrongdoings.

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THERE'S a major and growing debate in Britain, long overdue, about the tide of dysfunctional parents raising the next generation of feral children and teenagers, increasingly out of control.

I have written about this in The Courier on several occasions now.

Last week I wrote about a distressing story from the UK that teachers were warning of a lost generation of pupils caused by the recession.

Many teachers believe most of their pupils will end up on benefits. Many see their pupils coming to school dirty and illfed and some even seeing serious malnutrition.

I concluded that the problem today was a generation of too many feral parents bringing up the next generation who will be even more feral.

Sadly, politicians and social reformers equate much of the problem with a lack of money, claiming poor families are less well equipped to raise children properly.

Another survey out last week claimed Britain has the worst social mobility in the western world; the prospects of half the children in the UK are almost entirely linked to the circumstances of their parents.

They point to children of better off parents doing far better in early learning than those of poor parents.

They cite countries such as Denmark and Australia, where the prospects of children from poorer families are far higher.

Yet another survey concluded that middleclass children "hear 23 million more words than poor children before they start school".

The survey showed that middle-class parents are far more likely to talk and encourage their children than those from poorer backgrounds.

Survey staff concluded that in Britain there are too many parents with low aspirations, trapped in poverty where no-one in the family has worked for generations.

These are the type of parents who do not bother to play with, talk to or read to their children, who are left to watch TV or play on computers for hours on end.

However, I really cannot accept that the problem is all to do with money. I was a war baby and my parents didn't have pots of money, and no-one else did.

What they did do was to read to me and get me to read with them, helped me with writing and drawing, learning numbers and simple sums, the value of money and saving.

And, most importantly, they taught me right from wrong and good from bad, lessons which gave me the building blocks for life.

There we have it. You can have the poorest parents raising children who would be a real credit to them, and rich parents creating appallingly selfish, crass children and young adults.

The bottom line is that people should not have children unless they can show they will be good parents. We have to have lessons and tests for almost everything in life, from learning to drive to getting a job. It's about time there were lessons and exams prior to parenthood.

Perhaps adults in many other western countries are demonstrating that they are better at doing the most important things in life than many of the 20 and 30 somethings living in Britain today.

And that doesn't bode well for Britain in the decades to come.

One comment on an on-line website on the subject caught my eye. “Perhaps we should stop paying the unintelligent and dysfunctional to breed and encourage the productive and intelligent”.

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AND now on to something a whole lot happier - scientists believe that having a glass of red wine a day will give some of you a longer life.

Apparently red wine contains resveratrol, which has antiageing powers and can work against cancer, heart disease and obesity and also boosts cell energy.

But there's one snag (there always is, isn't there?). This miracle ingredient is only switched on if you have a particular gene called SIRT1 and it's not yet known if all humans have this gene.

There you have it - at the moment the jury is out whether a glass of red wine actually does you good.

Over the years, scientists have said drinking red wine boosts the immune system, combats colds, shortened your life, was good for you, could cause impotence and could pickle your liver.

All these conflicting conclusions is enough to drive you to drink - so cheers and here's to finding your SIRT1.

Friday, May 11, 2012

THE TECHNOLOGY YVONNE GARNHAM explores the wonders of modern-day science in her own unique style

FAIRY Godmother and Handy Husband often talk about the changes to their lives due to technology.

Remembering their first computer in the 1980’s, an Amstrad which caused great excitement in their house.

Children’s Games purchased for the Amstrad in those days were very different to the games of today which appear on the screen in a nano-second.

The children would wait and wait for a game to load and by the time it did, they had become bored and gone out to play.

Fairy Godmother and Handy Husband now wonder how they ever lived without a computer – but they did.

Thanks to Christmas and birthday gifts from their children who have dragged them into ‘the technology’, they now have a digital camera, IPOD, Laptop and a Kindle to which they have added their own latest purchase - an IPAD. Fairy Godmother’s Kindle (Handy Husband is not partial to reading books) has transformed her reading.

The stack of paperbacks lurking on the shelves has been replaced by this small piece of technology that can store more books than will ever be read.

The Kindle does have its drawbacks, though, such as if you were to fall asleep whilst reading, it might be dropped and broken; and the days of reading in the bath or on a lilo in the pool are over for fear that the precious Kindle might be drowned. When a paperback drowns it can usually be dried out and still be read - albeit with sticky pages.

Handy Husband’s IPAD (because Fairy Godmother doesn’t get a look in) is definitely his new toy. He can speak into a microphone and ask the IPAD for anything he wants on the internet, which is so much easier as he finds typing frustrating because of the large fingers on his ‘handies’.

Skype is fun to use, too. The first time Fairy Godmother and Handy Husband’s young granddaughter saw them appear on the screen of her mummy and daddy’s IPAD, she asked them: ´Grandma and Granddad, how did you get inside the IPAD... is it morning or night-time in your world?’ - MAGIC. Now Fairy Godmother and Handy Husband have an IPAD they can receive free calls from their family who have either an IPHONE or IPAD, using Face time which has a much clearer picture and hardly any breaking up, unlike Skype.

They have downloaded (with help) lots of APPs but would not have known what

an APP was a year ago. For those of you who don’t know, APP is slang for application, which applies to a computer programme - according to Google.

The IPAD has replaced drawing or cards to entertain grandchildren whilst waiting in restaurants. Most of the bars and restaurants now have WIFI (used to think this meant something smelly) and they can be seen playing away happily on a game, watching YouTube or on Facebook.

Children these days are brought up almost from birth with ’The Technology’ and are often able to teach their grandparents how to use the latest innovations.

Would anyone over 60 have ever thought they would be shopping on-line like they do now, ordering anything from groceries for home delivery to items from anywhere in the world? Or be able to send photos to their families from their phones or computers in minutes?

Fairy Godmother and Handy Husband were both sitting in bed recently; Fairy Godmother was reading on her Kindle and Handy Husband watching a film on his IPAD with his ear-phones plugged in.

Fairy Godmother suddenly laughed out loud (or LOL as is more popular these days) at the sight of the two of them and thought, ‘Times have certainly changed’.

Fairy Godmother and Handy Husband enjoy using ‘ T h e Technology’ of today but they have friends who are pensioners and technology has turned them into ‘teenagers’ who need to have their phones with them at all times.

They are constantly checking their emails, sending messages and photos to Facebook or Twittering.

Once Fairy Godmother saw a comment on Facebook from one of them to the other - and they were in the same house at the time!

Love it or hate it, ‘The Technology’ is here to stay and one can only wonder what the next must-have gadget will be.

Now, something that could tackle the ironing would be good.

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Friday, May 11, 2012

WE DON’T LIKE YOUR DRIVING, DO YOU TWIG? BOY RACER Zbigniew Filo swore he would tone down his wild driving and turn over a new leaf.

His neighbours had been complaining about his dangerous behaviour for a good while. Oh, and he hasn't even got a licence.

So the angry neighbours got themselves a crane...and used it to lift his Ford Escort 20ft into the air and onto a willow tree.

Orihuela’s new hours for buses THE timetable for local buses in Orihuela Costa has changed. They still depart every 60 minutes from the Town Hall - but now on the half hour instead of the full hour.

Buses will depart Torrevieja Hospital and the Centro de Salud at Cabo Roig on the hour: 07:30 – 14:00 and .15:30 – 19:30.

The price per ticket is €1.30.

The new timetable can be collected from the Tourist Office in the Town Hall at Playa Flamenca.

“We received a call from a man saying his car was stuck in a tree, and that his neighbours had put it there,’’ said police spokesman Marta Pierko in Lubczyna, Poland.

“After inspecting the site we instructed him to remove it from the tree.’’

Yes, Filo is the one who has to remove it. Bad luck there, old chap.

“I get the message,’’ he said. “But I think it was a bit harsh.’’

FLOWER POWER!

THIS soaring bougainvillea is set to become top of the crops as it nears the 100-ft mark.

Planted more than 10 years ago, the monster plant has become a unique feature of a university campus, the Daily Express reported this week.

And now the creeper has reached such a height that officials are applying to Guinness World Records for recognition.

Nicknamed 'the flower waterfall', the plant's purple blooms have become a major tourist attraction each spring.

One student at the college in Nanning, southern China revealed that occupants of

the building have been taking time out of their studies to care for the plant.

And now the creeper has reached such a height that officials are applying to Guinness World Records for recognition.

"We all help to keep the plant healthy from the windows of our room with some leaf pruning or feeding," said the student.

"We don't mind that it blocks out the light - it's beautiful to look at when it's in flower."

Have YOU seen a bougainvillea here in Spain to rival the Chinese monster? Send your photographs to office@thecourier.es and we’ll publish the best ones.

Kill off the conmen WORRIED about being ripped off by a con trick or a fraudster?

Rojales Town Hall has organised a series of talks about preventative measures at the end of this month.

Dates and venues are: Friday, May 25 in the Cultural Centre at Ciudad Quesada (6pm) Thursday, May 31 in the Heredades Cultural Centre (6pm).

Friday, June 1, in the Rojales Social Centre (6pm).

Horror as Dad finds babies murdered and wife top suspect A FATHER returned to his London homehome on Wednesday evening to find his two young children murdered and his wife with her wrists slit.

Emergency services were called to the home in Wandsworth, but the 10week-old baby boy and 14-month-old girl were pronounced dead at the scene.

A post mortem was due to take place y e s t e r d a y ( T h u r s d a y ) although, according to the Daily Mirror, reports have suggested the children showed no signs of injury and may have been smothered.

The Mirror said the mother, who is in her mid-30s, was arrested over the deaths and is being questioned by detectives. She is understood to have self-harmed but did not require hospital treatment.

Police are believed to be investigating the possibility that the mother was suffering from post-natal depression.

Neighbours in affluent Killarney Road (pictured) have spoken of their shock at the tragedy, which unfolded around 7.30pm on Wednesday.

One man told Mirror Online how the tragedy had left the tight-knit community in shock.

The 27-year-old said: “They had only just moved in so we hadn’t had the opportunity to introduce themselves.

We were going to go over and say hello this weekend.

“I was working from home when they moved in and saw them unloading baby stuff so I knew they had a young family.

“I saw the police cars and ambulance crews when I got home from work last night. It was clear something serious had happened.

“Forensic teams were still going in and out of the house in the early hours of this morning.

“It’s a lovely community with a great spirit and no one can believe what has

happened. It’s a terrible tragedy.’’

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: “Enquiries are under way after the death of two children in Wandsworth. Police were called to an address in Killarney Road, SW18, at 7.25pm on Wednesday 9 May. “The ambulance service also attended but a 10-week old boy and a one-year old girl were pronounced dead at the scene.

“A woman in her mid-30s was arrested in connection with the incident. She is currently in custody at a south London police station.

“Detectives from the Child Abuse Investigation Command are leading the investigation, and inquiries continue into the full circumstances of the incident.”

Morgan’s race to Help MORGAN´S Bar Eagles Nest is holding a race night next Thursday (May 17) in aid of the superb work done by Help At Home.

As well as a great night of fun with with the ‘gee-gees’, the charity will be holding various games on the night with some fantastic prizes to be won!

Help At Home provide a simply essential lifeline to many expats across the Costas and are desperate to raise funds to enable this excellent service to continue. For further information, call the Help At Home Volunteers on 646 371 465 or Morgans Bar Eagles Nest on 966 189 352.

Friday, May 11, 2012

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There’s something odd about the world of books...

READER OF THE LOST ART

IT’S fair to assume that your average journalist will be an avid reader…but when it comes to books, I’m the ultimate enigma.

I doubt if I’ve read a dozen of the time-consuming things in the last 30 years. And most of those were biographical stuff written by or about people I’d crossed paths with during my career.

Admittedly , I read an awful lot of stuff in my day to day work…but we’re talking about articles and newspaper features here. The sort of thing that takes five, perhaps ten minutes at most to absorb.

My problem is that my attention span is pretty short – so if a book is going to reel me in, it needs to grab me in the first couple of pages. Even then, it’s likely to be left in the magazine rack in the loo to await my next attack of acute constipation…which could be five years down the line.

I’ve dabbled at writing books. Even had one published back in the early 90s. But the project meant me giving up every minute of spare time for six months , and also taxed my creative abilities to the hilt.

Yes, I made a few bob from it and can always put the word ‘author’ on my CV, but as a business proposition it was simply not worth the effort.

So here we have a professional journalist and published author who doesn’t read books. That’s weird, I hear you asking.

But what about a novelist who doesn’t write novels?

Now that is something else. And I suspect there are quite a few of them – some brazenly trying to take the credit for work that is not their own.

At least Katie Price doesn’t try to convince the world that SHE actually wrote the four autobiographies and eight novels which bear her name. Well, she may try…but anyone with an IQ greater than the number of surgical adjustments she’s had will know it’s all the work of ghost-writers.

I’m more fascinated by rich celebrities with no writing background who suddenly embark on literary careers.

Take Eddie Shah, the man who revolutionised the printing industry (with Maggie Thatcher’s help) back in the 80s. He pocketed a reported £22m after his final, botched attempt at launching a national newspaper (The Post) reduced him to a laughing stock among journalists.

Then, after refusing to pay his stricken staff the threemonths redundancy money promised in their contracts, he suddenly resurfaced… as a novelist! Just like that.

Now I’m not saying Eddie the Readies did NOT write Manchester Blue, Fallen Angels, The Lucy Ghosts and Ring of Red Roses - but let’s say I’m not totally convinced.

It seems a little odd that a man who claims to have been a keen writer since the age of 16 left it until he’d cashed in on his newspaper empire before producing his first meaningful literary offering.

I would not question for one minute, Shah’s ability to make money. Only he knows whether he’s flipped a few grand in the direction of a ghost writer…but then, does anyone really care?

And since the guy has owed me around £4,000 in redundancy cash for the last 21 years, you could say I won’t be buying any of his literary masterpieces, either.

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DICK FRANCIS was a quiet man – and quite a simple soul. At least that’s how he came over to me during the time we both worked for the Sunday Express.

The former steeplechase jockey had been catapulted to A List celebrity the day he LOST the Grand National. If you’re as long in the tooth as I am, you will certainly remember Devon Loch’s bizarre fall (see picture below) just yards from winning the 1956 Aintree spectacular for the Queen Mother.

Poor Dick was probably asked about that moment every day of his life from then on. It was something like 15 years later that I got my own chance…by which time we were both working for the Sunday Express. (Here she goes, name-dropping again!)

Already a best-selling author, Dick’s vast inside knowledge of racing made him an ideal columnist – and as an enthusiastic young sub-editor, I was eager to know what made the great man tick.

I found him more than happy to chat to this nosey non-entity about our mutual roots in South Wales - or something equally trivial.

For someone so well known, Richard Stanley Francis was remarkably humble. In fact, Sunday Express sports editor Les Vanter was convinced he lacked the ability to write the riveting racing mysteries credited to his name.

“I’m pretty sure it’s his missus who writes the books,’’ confided Vanter, himself a keen racing aficionado. “We don’t have any proof, but Mary is definitely the brains behind him.’’

I never had the pleasure of meeting Mary but, knowing that Dick was no brainbox, I could understand the doubts among his colleagues in Fleet Street. I mean, it surely takes a pretty lively mind to think up 40 international best sellers. And Dick just didn’t come across as that kind of genius.

Some 25 years later, the theory was thrust into the public arena in a book by the SE’s long-serving Literary Editor. In it, Graham Lord tells of a conversation he had with Mary Francis following an interview with her husband in 1980, when he asked her directly if she had written the books.

"That's an impossible question to answer," she said. "Yes, Dick would like me to have all the credit for them but believe me, Graham, it's much better for everyone, including the readers, to think that he writes them because they're taut, masculine books that might otherwise lose their credibility."

Perhaps it’s just as well that the mystery remains…because mystery is what Dick Francis was all about.

First, there was the mystery of Devon Loch’s fall. Then there remains his legacy - one of the finest libraries of mystery books ever assembled. So, who actually DID write the books?

Do you think it might be worth asking Katie Price or Eddie Shah?

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Friday, May 11, 2012

Friday, May 11, 2012

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10

Friday, May 11, 2012

WHEN CATS AND DOGS REIGNED

I LIKE to look over my old diaries, probably because my life these days is pretty predictable and certainly nothing to write home about.

I have just dipped into my pocket journal for 1999 and found that on May 11 that year I recorded that my daughter's cat went missing.

Thirteen years ago my daughter didn’t live with us any more. And on that particular Tuesday, my daughter's cat did not appear to live with her any more either.

I received the phone call at eight o'clock in the morning.

'It's your daughter, Dad,' she said.

'I figured as much,' I responded. 'There's no other female I know who calls me Dad.' 'I'm in trouble,' she informed me.

'I'll kill him,' I said.

I heard my daughter sigh. 'Don't be daft, Dad. I'm being serious.'

I held up my hand in a 'wait' gesture which was a damned silly thing to do considering she couldn't see me.

'Before you go on, darling,' I said, 'Are you going to divulge something that will spoil my day?'

In those days, when I was still working on newspapers for a living, my weekday off was always every other Tuesday. I was never satisfied with that arrangement.

I would have preferred Monday or Friday in order to secure a long weekend. Wednesday would have been good, too, because it split the working week. Thursday was sort of nearly weekend. But Tuesday? What sort of a day off was that?

In truth, my free weekends were not that rewarding either. I would get depressed on the Sunday in the knowledge that I would be returning to work the following day.

And the first day of the weekend was no better because I would be miserable throughout Saturday thinking how lousy I would feel on the Sunday.

So where was I? Oh, yes, my daughter announced: 'My cat's gone missing, Dad. Could you pop round and help me look for him?'

'But it's my day off,' I pointed out firmly . . . well, to be honest, I was whining just a little bit.

There was a silence at the other end of the phone. And then: 'Your day off is a TUESDAY? What sort of a day off is THAT?' 'Yes, yes,' I said irritably.

'I've already been into that.'

'So are you coming round, Dad?' 'Okay,' I sighed. 'I'll just finish my cornflakes and take my medication.'

My daughter's cat bore the stupid name of Spud, which was appropriate because Spud WAS a stupid cat.

While most felines like to curl up on a rug or a chair or a lap, Spud's favourite sleeping place was on people's heads.

Methinks that in a previous incarnation he was a Davy Crockett hat.

Mind you, I've not known that many cats in my life.

Although my parents had one or two tabbies over the years, they tended to favour budgies, hamsters, tortoises and even the odd ferret.

But my mother was absolutely dotty about dogs and I grew up in the shadow of a long line of pooches.

Indeed, I suspected that Mother doted more on her mutts than on me.

I recall once asking Dad: ' D i d

Mother really want human children?' Dad shrugged. 'I can't really answer that one just now, our David. I have to take Rover out for a walk.'

So I grabbed the bull by the horns (no, we never kept one of those creatures) and collared Mother in the kitchen, where she was preparing the dog's dinner.

'Was my existence planned?' I asked. 'Or was I the accidental result of a perfunctory intertwining while you waited for the Crufts Best in Show result to be announced on the telly?'

'Don't be silly,' said Mother. 'We never had a television then. But then again there wasn't much to do while we waited for the Crufts result on the wireless.

'But anyway,' she sniffed, 'How dare you suggest that I favour my pet above my child? That is a wicked calumny.

'Now, if you don't mind, I need to prepare Rover's meal before your four-legged, furry little brother gets back from his constitutional. Have you no chores to do, our David?'

I sighed. 'No, Mother. I've already vacuumed Rover's fleece-lined dog basket and disinfected his comb and brush set.'

'Hmm,' said Mother. 'Well, you might try checking out the chimney. It's probably due to be swept.'

That night I recorded in my diary: 'Must consult the dictionary to find out what calumny means.'

But back to this day in 1999. I arrived at my daughter's house and asked her when she'd last seen her cat.

'Two nights ago, Dad.' 'Hmm,' I said. 'That would be the evening of Sunday the 9th.'

'You're talking like an investigating policeman,' she observed.

'Nonsense,' I said. 'But if you happen to have any barium sulfate, titanium dioxide and bismuth oxychloride in your medicine cabinet we can dust the cat flap for fingerprints.

One cannot rule out a catnapper.'

Suddenly, we heard a scream coming from next door. We dashed round and there was Spud the stupid cat perched on the startled neighbour's head.

'Get it off me!' the woman yelled. 'I opened the front door only because I heard scratching and I'm expecting the chimney sweep.'

My daughter and I managed to pacify the poor petrified person with a pot of sweet tea and promised her that Spud would be given a severe talking-to.

'We're so sorry about what happened, lady,' I said. 'Will you be all right now?'

'I think so,' she swallowed. 'At least my husband will be here tomorrow to comfort me. Wednesday is his day off.'

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Friday, May 11, 2012

SAY IT IN SPANISH Learn the lingo - with a little help from JEANETTE ERATH LESSON 19 I HOPE you´ve had a good week and are managing to incorporate some Spanish into your life each day. How did you get on with last week’s lesson?

It was a bit tricky, I´ll admit, and I think I´ve pushed you enough for a few weeks. So this week I´ll go a bit easy on you and let you catch up; first of all here are the answers to last week’s homework. We were using the verb IR – TO GO. I am going to learn Spanish – VOY A aprender español.

I go to my house every day – VOY A mi casa cada día. Who is going to the party? - ¿Quién VA A la fiesta? They go to

the shop each Saturday – VAN A la tienda cada sábado, They are not going to be here – No VAN A estar aquí. We´re going to sell the car – VAMOS A vender el coche. Are you going to study? - ¿VAS A estudiar? He is going to speak Spanish – Él VA A hablar español. We are going to live in Spain – VAMOS A VIVIR en España.

If you started learning Spanish with me from Week One, you are nearly 20 weeks into learning the language and you will, by now, have realised that there are no short cuts, that it takes time and effort and that there is still a long way to go.

However, I hope you are also aware of how much you have

learnt in such a short period of time - that you can now make sentences and you should be able to hold a short conversation, assuming you have been practising regularly.

I understand that sometimes it is difficult to get motivated and that sometimes it´s easier to leave the study and find other things to do.

But I would urge you all to keep looking at the books as summer comes and days are spent at the beach or on holidays.

It is easy to think you don´t have the time to read a book or even to check this column. But you will forget what you´ve put so much effort into learning if you don´t use it.

That isn´t to say you have to sit for hours on end every day reading and studying. Just 15 minutes reading is all you need to read the column; the rest of the work can be done at the beach or wherever you are, because the knowledge is in your head.

You may need to refer to your notes or this column on occasions but all you need to keep Spanish in your memory is a bit of thought.

When you are sitting on the beach, remind yourself what the Spanish is for beach, sand, water, waves, fish, birds - and then make sentences with them. The sun is hot, the sand is yellow, I am going home, it is hot, the water is cold.

Just keeping this in mind will keep your language skills up - and each time you read my column or you learn from any other source, use those words. This way you will find that your language skills keep improving and at the very least you don´t lose the knowledge that you have.

If you go to another country for your holidays, don´t forget you can always check out The Courier, including this column, online. There really is no reason not to keep up to date, like anything new it takes time and effort but as I´ve already said the rewards are well worth the energy.

So, let´s remind ourselves of some past lessons with a lit-

tle test. It is good practice to test yourself regularly and I give my students homework at every lesson, which always includes some revision. So take your time, enjoy and see how much you know.

Translate the following into Spanish - and remember all the past lessons, Answers next week: Are there dogs in the street? How many books are in the library? I have to go. Today is Friday. I have 20 cats. Let´s go home. Have you got a red car? I am from England. Are you coming to the party?

You are happy. Where are you going? I have to go to the shops.

How many books have you got? They are my family. London is in England. In summer I go to the beach. I am 45 years old. I am going to eat. They have to read. Tomorrow morning I am going to go. I have some books. We are going to walk. Who has the chairs? We are coming. John is going to the beach. In April I am going to England.

I hope you enjoyed testing your knowledge and you are constantly checking these lessons. Talking every day at least some Spanish will expand your vocabulary and help it sink in. Remember, if you don´t use it you will lose it, not straight away but the knowledge does decrease.

Therefore it is important that you are spending every day with Spanish, like anything, the more you are prepared to put in the more you will get out.

Listen, talk, learn and, most importantly, ENJOY.

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Friday, May 11, 2012

WHY DO THEY DO THAT? Top dog psychologist PETER SINGH writes exclusively for The Courier. Check out www.thedogyouneed.com or email Peter at peter@thedogyouneed.com

THE LOYAL FAMILY

Dog’s nine-year vigil proves man has no better friend

When humans are at rock bottom, dogs will always stay loyal

From Page 3 city with his wife and children under the false name of Cyril Macq.

Gogeaskoetxea is wanted on eight arrest warrants, including placing grenade-launchers aimed at Madrid Barajas Airport and a

police station.

Westminster Magistrates Court ruled he could be extradited on those charges but not for the attempted assassination of the King or three offences of vehicle theft.

Under international law, a

ASKED for the most precious qualities our friends and family could ever share with us, I think the top answer would be loyalty.

Loyalty for me is a cherished virtue and is something dogs share with us unconditionally. That is why they are repeatedly known as man and woman’s best friend.

They are there for us, no matter what our mood is. They never judge us, they simply always want to share this moment with us.

Anyone who has seen the film Hachi (A Dog’s Tale) and shed many tears in the process, will know the extraordinary levels of loyalty a dog will show.

In the film, Hachi goes to meet his owner at the train station each night and when the owner suddenly dies, the dog returns to the terminal every evening for the next nine years faithfully waiting for him to come home.

This is a true and moving story - and also a reminder of how lucky we are to have dogs in our lives.

The loyalty they show to humans is sadly not always replicated and I speak with many people who tell me they need to (and I genuinely despise this phrase) “get rid of my dog because he did this that or the other”.

The phrase “get rid of”. Think about it. It is such an insult and makes it sound like the dog is a piece of junk or rubbish that can just be dumped, a deplorable act that sadly many humans do.

So many people are willing to give up and re-home their dog Abandoned by his because of negative behaviour that was originally caused by the owners, this dog waits human not understanding the psychology of dogs and not meeting in a Spanish rescue their daily needs.

So in the end the dog pays and ends up in a rescue centre, while centre for someone to the same person will go out eventually and get another - and congive him a new home tinue to practice the wrong psychology towards that dog.

This is usually human psychology and again the relationship ends negatively.

Or, worse still, the dog ends up being put to sleep and all because humankind did not understand him and offer the same loyalty he would have given us time and time again.

Just a few minutes before I started writing this piece, I met a man I know, walking along the road where I live with his dog. Right now the weather is miserable. We’ve had more rain in London in a month than Manchester would get in ten years. That’s the way it feels, anyway!

The man and his dog were soaked and on their way home. They both looked totally miserable - and it had nothing to do with the weather.

The reason was that after many happy years of marriage, the man had to say goodbye to his dear wife this morning after she died battling against cancer.

You could clearly see that not only was this gentleman grieving so was his loyal and faithful dog. It was so moving to see and I so passionately wish I could stop their grieving and substitute joy instead.

But I can’t. He will go home, wipe away the rain and the tears and next to him will be his devoted dog. And they will get through country requesting extradition their heartache together. can only try a fugitive on the In my dictionary the word loyalty is described in the following way: charges for which extradition is firm in allegiance to a person, cause, country, party etc, faithful; granted. demonstrating unswerving allegiance.

The High Court’s overturning My dictionary is dependable, but I can’t help but think the pubof the decision means lishers missed out part of the description.

Gogeaskoetxea can now be tried It should have read: Loyalty, the constant emotion of a dog. on all charges in Spain.

Loyalty by Peter Singh Copyright www.thedogyouneed.com 2012

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Friday, May 11, 2012

Fancy vat! Rescuer dives into acid MARTIN Davis, 44, fell 40 feet into a tank of nitric acid taining a broken rib, a punctured lung and burns on his legs while working on the roof of a metal tube manufacturing and side in the fall. Despite his injuries his brother John plant in Clifton, New Jersey - and was in severe danger remained defiant, saying he ‘’ will fight right through this”. when he became fully sub“They had him on a merged in the waist-high liqbreathing apparatus,” he uid. said. “His condition is not so Fortunately he was saved by good. But he’s a young guy. the actions of quick-thinking He’ll pull through.” colleague Rob Nuckols, who Co-worker Nuckols jumped into the vat after him, declined to comment after pulling him out with the help of the incident but told firefightthree other colleagues. ers, “I had to get him out of Rescue workers cut Marrtin there”. out of his clothes and doused Fire officials heralded the him in water to limit burns and bravery shown by Nuckols, he was later airlifted in hospiwho suffered burns on his tal. legs and abdomen in the He was said to be incoher- Martin Davis (right) was in a ‘serious’ condition on incident but was later ent and in shock after susreleased from hospital. his admission to hospital

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Friday, May 11, 2012

Home and away I WENT to the UK recently to visit family.

Normally I go with just my son but this time I went with a Spanish friend.

It was his first time in the UK, his first time on an aeroplane and only his second time out of Spain so I was wondering what he would make of it.

I had told him many times how much I love Spain and how I hope I will never have to return to live in the UK. But he, along with all the other foreigners I know who have never been to England, probably thought I was over-reacting.

Personally I didn´t like living in the UK; I absolutely love living here in Spain and I was looking forward to showing my friend how different the two countries are.

The family I was visiting live in Manchester and we arrived during the day.

The weather was cold, of course, but not freezing, and we had to wait outside a short while, before a taxi took us to our hotel and we soon settled in to our separate rooms. It was a budget hotel, I think it´s fair to say, and as such there were limited facilities in the room. But I had come prepared with kettle and cups and I knew there was a supermarket nearby.

However, the first problem came for my friend when he was told the wifi did not work

in the room. I think he felt a bit left out, having to go to his room to sleep on his own, although I offered more than once to let my son sleep in his room…but he always declined!

The weather, starting out so promising, soon descended into the usual: rain, drizzle, cold, cloudy. I think there were times when my friend wondered what he was doing there.

An English friend came to visit on our first full day and we went in his car to Chester.

We had a nice day with a typical English lunch in a quaint little cafe followed by lots of shopping. The huge amount of charity shops

and pound shops were hit quite heavily, so eventually, laden down by bags, we made our way back to the car and I drove to Manchester to give my friend a rest as he still had to negotiate the motorway back to Wolverhampton.

It was remarkably easy to drive on the other side of the road.

The previous time I had driven on the left had been last October; this time there were only two occasions I tried to change gear with the door handle.

The next day was spent shopping in Manchester centre and finally my Spanish friend seemed to begin to enjoy himself; he started taking lots of photos and relaxed a bit. The rain had held off but it was still cold.

He began to ask for things in cafes -- even if it was just a coffee he found that he had the confidence to say a few words in English, a language he knew nothing of before meeting me, and he actually seemed to enjoy speaking the few words he knew.

I couldn´t help thinking if only some Brits

here in Spain had the same enthusiasm to try the language and the culture. Of course it is harder in England to be Spanish, I have no idea where the Spanish areas are, but my friend didn´t seem fazed and quite enjoyed trying his English.

The next few days passed very quickly and soon I was leaving my family, saying goodbye once more to England and heading home. We were lucky with the weather, having only one bad day of rain, which happened to be our last day when we had to drag all our luggage to the airport via trams and trains. But it didn´t matter to me, I was going home.

So, once my Spanish friend had got over the initial shock of being away from home and in a foreign country, he settled down and enjoyed himself. It is a huge undertaking for someone to go to a foreign country with only a very limited knowledge of the language and try to fit in and become involved, even just for a holiday.

I am proud that I have managed to do it as a life choice and you should be, too. Those of us who have taken the step from holiday to living abroad should be proud. Keep loving it, keep enjoying it and never forget how lucky we are to have this lifestyle that so many back in the UK are jealous of.

15

Friday, May 11, 2012

By the left (and Boris), I got it right!

MY set of political crystal balls are getting a welldeserved rub down and polish after doing the business for The Courier over recent weeks on this page.

They’ve glinted away in the last seven days with correct predictions over the UK local elections, Boris winning in London, Sarkozy being kicked out in France, and the shambles that were the Greek elections. And yes, I used to have a regular flutter on political battles and elections!

So, what’s the truth over last week’s UK local results?

My take is this. Labour did OK, but not spectacular, and privately Ed Miliband will admit to that. If the government is so unpopular, then why did Labour manage to get just 38% of the votes cast, two short of hitting the magic 40%?

Back in England there are a handful of council wards that for professional reasons I always used as a barometer to see which way the wind was blowing. And I have to say that when I checked the results, I was surprised to see that they stayed in Tory hands.

Don’t get me wrong. It was a poor night for the Tories and even more disastrous for the Lib Dems, but it could and should have been much worse. With three years to go before the General Election, anything can and will happen. All I need to say is that a bald-headed Tory leader called William Hague did very well in some local elections, before being destroyed by Tony Blair in the contest that mattered in 2001!

Is there a blond-haired, plump-looking, bicycle-rid-

ing, philandering man wondering today if he could become the next leader of the Conservative Party?

Boris Johnson proved that personality can help you go against the tide by being re-elected as London’s Mayor. It also helped him that Labour had Ken Livingstone, a backward-looking candidate with a seemingly proven expertise in creative accountancy over his tax affairs that just didn’t go down well with the voters.

Having decent Labour folk like Lord Robert Winston saying they would never vote for Ken suggested he didn’t have a chance, but I was surprised how close he did come in the final count.

As for Boris, short of a bomb falling on the House of Commons, I can’t see a realistic possibility of him grabbing the golden prize of the Tory leadership. He’s Mayor of London for the next four years, so the only scenario would be for David Cameron to lose the next election in 2015, and then for Boris to re-enter the Commons at a by-election in a safe seat in 2016. Any leadership contest that did take place for Cameron’s replacement would have happened many months before Boris’s Westminster return, so the timings don’t make any sense. And who says that Boris would win anyway?

It’s all fanciful stuff mainly pouring out of the twisted mind of right-wing backbencher Nadine Dorries, nicknamed Mad Nad. She has regarded Cameron as verging on socialism from day one, forgetting conveniently that without him, Gordon Brown would still be sitting in Downing Street.

Also, Blond Boris would see Mad Nad’s backing as something akin to a chalice dripping in poison, because barring Boris and his Euroscepticism, he’s actually more liberal on most things than Cameron is.

Clearly, Nad is Mad! World leaders are real two-faced purveyors of opportunism. Most of the key players, for reasons best known to themselves, wanted Nicolas Sarkozy re-elected as French President on Sunday, but it predictably didn’t happen. So, at the drop of a hat, led by Germany’s Angela Merkel, the leaders seemed to fall over each other to pass on their congratulations to the new President, Francois Hollande.

As all the diplomatic niceties were followed, David Cameron seemed to forget all about his little mate (and anti-Gaddafi ally) Sarkozy and was fawning to congratulate Hollande, who besides being a socialist, wants a loosening up of the austerity

measures Merkel and Sarkozy had agreed and kissed on. It seems a very long time since the red carpet was being laid out at Buck House for Nicolas and Carla to be given the full British state visit treatment, and a fat lot of long-term good that did for AngloFrench relations!

I doubt very much whether Hollande will be afforded the same courtesy in the foreseeable future!

By the time this has been printed, the Monster Raving Loony Party could well have been parachuted in to make a go of running the Greek government. Sunday’s elections saw the voters stick up two fingers at the two parties that have run the show for over 40 years, and made such a mess of things. The two combined didn’t even get a third of the vote, with all the other parties of mainly left and right-wing extremists dominating.

It’s impossible to work out how to form a new government and some very nasty people have been elected, but that’s what happens when the electorate are ignored. The voters have said a massive no to the austerity measures imposed on their country by Merkel and the EU, and now it’s time for the country to be left to its own devices and be kicked out of the Euro.

It’s the better move in my book, compared to any more time-wasting on trying to mend an unfixable busted flush.

16

Friday, May 11, 2012

THE SPANISH PRESS

ROYALS BREAK GOLDEN RULE El Mundo

The end of Merkozy gives Spain extra time El País

KING Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia have decided not to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Monday.

FRANÇOIS Hollande’s election Sunday as the new president of France has had an immediate beneficial effect on Spain.

According to the Royal household, it is not clear if they will The European Commission (EC) has hold a private ceremony with the family. decided to give Spain an extra year to reach The only gesture to acknowledge the day has been a CD the European Union deficit target of three with 50 images of the couple issued by the palace press per cent of GDP -- which had been set conoffice. tinent-wide for the end of 2013 -- if Spain is The lack of celebration is in stark contrast to their 25th able to consolidate its real estate-blighted anniversary on May 14, 1987. savings bank sector and keep regional On that occasion, their Silver Wedding was marked with an spending in check. official sitting, a family dinner and a reception at the Royal The EC is expected to release the results palace attended by couples from all over Spain who had also of a detailed analysis of Spain’s finances married on May 14, 1962.

The King and Queen on their wedding today (Friday).

Palace officials say there is no official reason for the day (left) and in more recent times After delivering a withering speech pair choosing not to celebrate their Golden Wedding against the austerity measanniversary. ures being propelled by However, since King Juan Carlos’s eventful journey to German Chancellor Angela Botswana in April, when he broke his hip, German media has Merkel and the European been running stories claiming that the monarch has been Union after his victory over having a relationship for the past six years with a DanishNicolas Sarkozy, Hollande German, 47-year-old called Corina Larsen. further beat the drum of Despite their divorce, Ms Larsen continues to use publicly rebellion by saying that the title and the name of her second husband, Prince Casimir France would end the zu Sayn-Wittgenstein.

THE King of Spain days earlier. In a sepa- “inevitability” of austerity.

This week, the German magazine Bunte claimed on its has been declared an rate statement, the party An EU summit meeting will front page that the Spanish king is threatening his marriage unwelcome person published its proposal look at the policy options to and his crown for the love of this woman. by the population of which said the king’s stimulate economic growth Palace sources say the king is not “at the moment” thinking the northeastern “personal behaviour has on May 23, Commission of taking action against Bunte or other German any other town of Berga. been marked by all President Herman Van media groups over the claims. of scandals” Rompuy announced on The town council kinds King Juan Carlos and Greek-born Queen Sofia were marof Berga, with a pop- which, it added, “reach a Tuesday. ried 24 years ago at Dionysius of Athens. ulation of 17,160, climax Both the elections in with the Members of Royal families from around the world attended approved a symbolic Bostwana affair in France and Greece have the marriage ceremony, with 143 Royals from 27 monarchies motion proposed by April.” been portrayed as a there for the big day. the pro-independence The king’s lavish ele- plebiscite against the zeal of Popular Unity phant hunting trip to Berlin and Brussels to wield Candidature party Botswana angered the austerity blade on declaring King Juan Spaniards in the midst Europe’s flanks. has already been Carlos “persona non of austerity measures.

Hollande, who camThe measure - which ng fini rt sta to Boris Johnson - grata”. ng nni yor pla Ma is by l paigned on an anti-austerity nci don cou There was also conLon in city MADRID ile introduced changes planned n off their engines wh The censure against troversy over the platform, warned that mere one of a number of motorists who fail to tur is is er driv the en h the objective of the - even wh 74-year-old monarch’s decision to spending cuts would do nothMadrid city council wit their car is stationary by air d notoriously ba orts El País. monarch was pub- hunt an endangered ing to promote growth and roving the capital’s inside the vehicle, rep a is to reduce the imp tell Bo a An yor lished on the town’s species . could fuel the rise of extremMa of . lity The aim qua a e tem lud d from cars that are being considered inc res website last Saturday ism in the continent. Far right asu me er The royal palace Oth exhaust fumes emitte off tre , perhaps just to drop king charges in the cen after having been declined to comment and left parties took a large porarily double parked 10-per cent rise in par approved by vote in Saturday on Berga’s swath of the vote in the or pick someone up. of the capital.

100 euros. the council chamber two decision.

French and Greek elections.

The fines will be up to

King not welcome after jumbo errors

top s to d e rg a h c ts s ri to o m Fuming

Friday, May 11, 2012

17

18 One of man's oldest sweeteners, honey is produced when the saliva of the bees that collect it breaks down the sugar (sucrose) in the nectar of flowers.

The bees may forage on several flowers, or on areas where a single plant variety dominates, which creates distinctive varieties such as lavender, pine, heather and acacia honeys. Blended honey is a mix of several types to give a consistent flavour.

Honey is available runny (or clear), set, or as waxy honeycomb. The only differ-

Friday, May 11, 2012

Cooking with honey ence between runny and set honeys is the degree of natural crystallisation.

Honey can be drizzled over yoghurt and cream as a sweet sauce or flavouring. When used in cakes it helps to keep them moist longer.

It is good used in barbecue marinades and bastes, as well as in Chinese and Greek cooking. Don't use expensive speciality varieties if the honey is to be cooked at high temperatures as the

distinctive flavour will be lost.

HONEY AND MUSTARD ROAST GAMMON Ingredients

2.75 kg gammon, joint (middle cut) 1.5 tbsp Dijon mustard, or English mustard 2 tbsp clear honey

To decorate: 2 handfuls whole cloves

Method 1. Put the gammon joint

into a large bowl (or spotlessly clean bucket), cover with cold water and leave to soak for 24 hours. Drain well.

2. Set the oven to 160°C/gas 3. Lay a sheet of kitchen foil in a roasting pan that is large enough to take the joint with some room to spare. Lay a second sheet across it, at right angles. Sit the gammon joint square in the middle; bring the silver foil up around the gammon, sealing edges together neatly and comprehensively, to form a loose, airtight wrapping around the gammon.

3. Roast for 2 hours.

Increase the oven temperature to 220°C/gas 7. Open up that foil and lift the gammon out onto a large chopping board. Drain off all the juices. Make a couple of

long cuts through the outer layer of skin (but not the fat underneath). Peel the fat off in strips, taking care, as it will be extremely hot.

4. Mix the mustard and honey together, and then smear thickly all over the layer of fat. Next score the fat with parallel lines first in one direction and then at an angle to it, to cover the joint in a pattern of diamonds.

Push a clove into the centre of each diamond.

5. Return the joint to the oven for a final 25 minutes or until richly browned and glazed. If you are serving the joint hot, let it rest in a warm place for 20-30 minutes before carving. For cold gammon, leave it to cool in its own time.

Ruby’s Tapas Bar A central meeting establishment run by David and Tracey since April 2011.

A bar used by all the com-

munity and a regular organisational point.

Ruby’s has many groups and meetings including: -

Ladies-do-lunch, the amigos group and the local bowls society. They hold fun ‘Darts’ nights and on occasions the bar has artists, bands and comedians, were Tracey provides a 3 – Course meal menu for customers to choose from and enjoy the evening’s entertainment.

Also Ruby’s Golf society, set up by Mr Cliff Ellis and Mr Buck Taylor, with some 40 fully paid up members; with guests always made welcome to come and try their hand and join the society if they wish.

The society arranges its golf meetings at Ruby’s Bar and after a day on the greens return to Ruby’s to ‘chill out’, relax with a beer and talk about the days golf, while Tracey provides them with a light snack. The bar is used for trophy presentations and prizes for the lucky leading golfers, (and of course those not so lucky).

Ruby’s has a friendly atmosphere. It’s a bar that provides ‘Home made’ good food and a variety of drinks to suit all. Situated at the top of El Raso with easy access.

Why not come and join us!!!!

Friday, May 11, 2012

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Friday, May 11, 2012

Quesada Fun Day In the 8 years TKO have been broadcasting, we have always offered our services to various organisations whether it be a charity or a private fun day, TKO have always offered support, so we were more than happy to help the staff at The George Pub in Quesada, to raise money for The Butterfly Chidren and The Rojales Ambulance Appeal. The day was full of fun with a bouncy castle, face painting, cake stalls, burgers and hot dogs, singing from Gemma Jones and other guest singers.

There was also an auction, big prize raffle and of course TKO’s very own Lee Fox entertaining the crowds. Thank You to everyone who came along and supported these worthy causes.

European Day The TKO Roadshow in the Torrevieja Square celebrating European Day on Wednesday 9th May with TKO Gold’s Peter Hurst entertaining the crowds.

Tune in all next week to hear our world famous TKO FM Power Play & TKO Gold Future Gold Track TKO FM - WEEKLY POWER PLAY Cheryl - Call My Name Call My Name is the first song to be released from Cheryl Cole’s third album, “A Million Lights”, with Lana del Rey, Will.i.am and Calvin Harris all featuring on it. The single is due for release on June 10th.

TKO GOLD - FUTURE GOLD TRACK Outlandish - Warrior Worrier Formed in 1997, Outlandish's signature sound is influenced by their various backgrounds of Danish, Moroccan, Pakistani, Honduran and Cuban. Although their songs are primarily in English, they often feature lyrics in various languages.

Let’s see if you can win yourself a meal for two and a bottle of wine at Quesada Fish & Chips POP QUIZ May 12th Welcome to the famous TKO Gold pop quiz!

EVERYONE AT TKO AND THE COURIER WOULD LIKE TO SAY A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS TO LAURA, ANDY, LUCY & AJ ON THE BIRTH OF LITTLE JAKE JAMES.

All you have to do is take the first letter from each answer to find the name of a band or artist. Once you have found the key word, listen in to Chris Ashley´s show on TKO Gold, Saturday mornings 9am – 12pm.

1. His real name is Gordon Sumner.

2. Buddy Holly was born in Lubbock...in which American state is Lubbock.

3. The Bennett sisters Veronica & Estelle made up two thirds of this girl group.

4. Alex Turner is lead singer with this group.

5. First hit for the Move.

6. Brook Benton sang about a rainy night where.

7. Cliff Richard was banned from Singapore for what reason.

8. Which act had Warner Brothers first UK & US number ones.

9. Little Boy Blue & The Blue Boys were a forerunner to this long running rock band.

10. Nickname & stage name of Graham McPherson.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Be Stylish in Summer Summer time is always great. Your energy levels are up, the sun is shining, and if you've been working out all winter, you're in pretty fine shape. But just because your body is looking great doesn't mean it is time to slack off on your style.

Although dressing up in winter is far easier, because you can really pile on the layers, dressing in the summer can be just as stylish.

Follow this fabulous guide to summer dressing and be a sun worshipper:

with pretty embellishments.

Just because you're wearing slops, doesn't mean you should be sloppy!

For lovely lunches by the pool Again, look for a stylish pair of sunglasses. If you're out in the sun, a hat is a great way to jazz up your look and keep you safe from the sun's rays.

Stock up on pretty, lightweight dresses or longer, sheer tops that can be worn over your bikini top, as well as a pair of white, short shorts. Because you never know when you're going to want to take a dip in the pool.

Keep your earrings small and simple to avoid them strangling you when you

For the beach First find a swimsuit that suits your body and complexion perfectly. Try on a variety of styles and see what works for you and your body shape. Black swimsuits are great to dress up, as are metallic fabrics like gold and bronze. Avoid white and silver unless you're in perfect shape and find a fabric that is thick enough to not be see-through.

Dress it up with a pair of stylish sunglasses. Go for a pair that is bold and suits your swimsuit. Then, look for a hat, which not only keeps your face and shoulders covered, but that looks sensational too.

Bangles are a smart way to accessorize a simple swimsuit. Keep them minimal though as the last thing you want is big, white tan marks on your arms. Also remember, if you're lying in the sun, to move the bangle position every now and then to get an even tan.

You can also dress up with sexy, metallic, flat sandals

have a swim.

For a sundowner at the cocktail bar Cocktails in the summer go perfectly together. This is your chance to glam your look up a little more. Because it is late in the afternoon, you can wear a little more than your daytime dress.

Sheer tops with shorts and three-quartered flair dresses are perfect for hanging out at the bar. Lose the hat and the sunglasses and pile on the bling instead. Go for sexy, long and dangling earrings, bold, glittering bangles and high heeled sandals to match your accessories.

Tops with added sparkle and metallic are also sure winners for a summer time splash.

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EAT PURPLE, RED AND BLUE TO STAY HEALTHY If you are looking for a natural way to stay healthy, you may want to add more coloured fruits and vegetables to your diet. New research shows that eating more blueberries and apples and other coloured fruits may help lower your risk of diabetes and other diseases. Fruits and Vegetables become coloured when they contain certain chemical pigments known as phytochemicals. These chemicals have been known and used as drugs for millennia. Scientists now estimate that there may be as many as 10,000 different phytochemicals having the potential to affect so many diseases. Most phytochemicals have antioxidant activity and protect our cells against oxidative damage reducing the risk of developing certain types of cancer. Others protect against breast cancer by stimulating enzymes that make oestrogen less effective. In addition, some phytochemicals bind physically to cell walls thereby preventing the adhesion of disease causing pathogens to human cell walls.

The phytochemicals found in white and brown fruit and vegetables protects the body against bacteria, viruses and fungi by activating the natural immunity of the body. They also prevent cancer and heart disease, balance hormone levels, and lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Some examples of white and brown fruits and vegetables are: onion, ginger, mushrooms, bananas, cauliflower, and turnips. Red and blue fruits and vegetables receive their colouring from a type of phytochemical known as flavonoids also found in cacao bean used to make dark chocolates. Because flavonoids protect plants from the damage caused by toxins in the environment, when we eat foods rich in flavonoids, we gain some of this protective benefit, which is commonly referred to as an antioxidant. Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and red cabbage are examples of flavonoid-rich foods.

Sunglasses: How to Choose Everyone should wear some kind of eye protection from the sun. This is true for all people of all age groups, and for any time of the year, even on cloudy days. Too much exposure of the eyes to the sun's rays can result in severe damage, for example cataracts, vision loss, or even cancer. So it is important to not only wear sunglasses, but to choose the proper kind.

Luckily, most sunglass manufacturers display the protection the sunglasses offer from the sun. They do this by illustrating the “UV Protection” percentage, and perhaps “UVA” and “UVB” on their labels. UV stands for Ultraviolet Radiation, and UVA and UVB are different wavelengths of UV. UV causes skin aging and cataracts, so sunglasses must offer complete protection from it. The best sunglasses offer 99 to 100% protection from harmful UV rays, and so it is prudent to look for sunglasses that offer this degree of safety.

Also important is to get sunglasses that will guard against the sun’s rays from going into the sides of your eyes. Light can sneak in through the sides of some sunglasses if the lenses are too small, causing potential eye damage. But wrap-around types of sunglasses, that go around to the sides of one’s head, help defend against that problem.

Sunglasses should not have lenses that are too dark. That is because, besides being important to block the sun's rays,

sunglasses should allow one to see reasonably clearly, especially when driving. Further, dark lenses are not necessarily the best at blocking rays, since the colour itself really has nothing to do with UV protection. So it is of the essence to choose a lens colour such as green or grey that will not be too dark to weaken one's vision.

Finally, don't be misled into thinking that high-priced sunglasses are best at protecting the eyes from the sun. They may look the coolest, but may not necessarily offer the coolest protection. Then again, cheap sunglasses may offer good protection, but be more susceptible to shattering (besides looking shoddy and second-rate).

It is always best to check the label first to see the UV protection offered, and if the sunglasses feel comfortable and are easy to see from, then they are the ones to purchase. If unsure, it is best to check with your eye professional for further assistance.

Previous studies linked flavonoids with a variety of potential health benefits including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. A recent study at the Harvard School of Public Health suggests flavonoids may also help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is the condition that results when the body does not produce enough insulin or is not able to effectively use insulin to regulate sugar levels in the blood. In the study, researchers used questionnaires to track the diets of approximately 200,000 men and women from 1980 until 2003. None of the participants had diabetes when the project began. About 12,600 people were diagnosed with diabetes during the course of the study.

The results showed that people who ate blueberries two or more times a week had a 23 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with participants who ate no blueberries. People who ate at least five apples a week also had a 23 percent lower risk than those who ate no apples.

This study clearly showed that eating apples and blueberries which are rich in flavonoids has a protective effect against diabetes. From my experience fresh fruits and vegetables can be a bit difficult to come by here in Spain, however if you are willing to explore the interior villages, you will be rewarded!

For more information please send an email to contact@medb.es

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Friday, May 4, 2012

Friday, May 4, 2012

23

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: Mary wanted advice on Dropbox and its alterna- ADVICE: Linda wanted to know how to create multiple tives home pages in Internet Explorer Dear Richard, I have been using Dropbox for the last few months and all has been well. However, a couple of weeks ago I went into it and the setup had completely changed. I cannot find an option to upload documents, nor can I find an option to move files around within the site. I am thinking of giving up on Dropbox and I am wondering if you could recommend another air space provider. I look forward to hearing from you. Regards - Mary Robinson

Q A

Q

Hi Richard, I read your column in the courier every week and find it very informative so it occurred to me that I should ask you this question. I have several Internet pages I frequently go to. Is there any way I can have several home pages, or can I set up a shortcut from my desktop? Many thanks, Linda, Playa Flamenca.

Hi Mary, Dropbox is probably one of the easiest to use cloud storage facilities out there so I would recommend that you stick with it and try to figure out what has changed in your set up.

Perhaps it’s the way that you are using it that is making it complicated for you? I tend to place files within the special Dropbox folder that is on my desktop (or in the tray in Windows), files are then automatically uploaded to the Dropbox account and then replicated to any other computer logged on with the same account.

The great thing about Dropbox is that it can serve as backup for your most critical files, given that they offer a 2Gb free storage limit for all free accounts, you can store your most critical 2Gb of files on their servers and automatically replicate them to your other computers and even your iPhone.

Hi Linda, I am going to assume that you are using Internet Explorer as you don’t mention which web browser you use. Using Internet Explorer it’s pretty straight forward to create a number of “automatic” pages that will be displayed when you launch it. Firstly you need to launch Internet Explorer and navigate to the page that you want to be your first home page, then open a new window and navigate to the second page that you want to appear as part of your home page group. Continue to open tabs and navigate to pages until you have all of the pages open that you want to be your home pages.

A

There are other providers, Microsoft offer a service called the SkyDrive and it ties into your Windows Live account, they currently offer a massive 25Gb limit to existing customers but that is changing soon to jut 7Gb. You can find out more about SkyDrive at https://skydrive.live.com

Now click Tools, Internet Options and in the home page section at the top of the window displayed click on “use current” and then click the OK button. Now close Internet Explorer and open it again to test that it has worked properly, you should see the same pages that you had when you closed it.

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

Office: 902 906 200

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.

24

Friday, May 11, 2012

WHAT THE UK

WHO COULD DO THIS TO MY MUM? THE daughter of a 94-year-old woman subjected to a sickening assault in her home has issued an emotional appeal for information to bring her attacker to justice.

The Sun

Superman Jon beats the bullies

my heart to hear my frail and defenceless mum in hospital manage to say she was screaming for help and no one Joyce Blencoe described her horror at the came.

Daily Mirror severe injuries inflicted on her mother, “To see your mum viciously beaten Emma Winnall, as she appealed for some- and covered in blood is the most horrific BRITAIN'S Got Talent one to turn in those responsible for the nightmare.” sensation Jonathan Detectives believe that Mrs Winnall, vicious beating.

Antoine has been off school for six months The victim’s daughter, speaking at a news from Moseley, Birmingham, was since the taunts of bulconference in Birmingham, said: “It’s broken assaulted in her own bed between 9pm on April 30 and 9am the lies triggered a nervous next morning, when she Daily Mirror breakdown. was found by her carer.

T r a u m a t i s e d In her brief statement, Jonathan, 17, quit his AMrs Blencoe also thanked level studies in October the police and medical staff and became a recluse for their support since the who did not leave home. attack.

But this week his THE ringleader of an Asian sex gang that preyed on Making a direct appeal for delighted mother Tracy girls as young as 13 was jailed for 19 years on information, Mrs Blencoe, sit- MORE than 8,000 jobs are at risk after Clinton Cards said it revealed that BGT has Wednesday. The kingpin, previously banned from ting beside her brother, 63- was heading into administration. given him back his life.

Hundreds of stores are expected to close in the latest hamcourt for calling the judge a “racist b******”, refused to year-old John Winnall, said: “He’s a different perattend the sentencing after complaining the trial had “Someone out there knows mer blow to the high street, according to The Sun. son since that first audiThe company’s biggest supplier, Ohio-based American been heard by an all-white jury. who did this so please come tion,” she said. “We’ve He was convicted of conspiracy, two counts of rape, forward before they do it to Greetings, is owed a fortune by the UK chain and is set to met some lovely people push it into administration. aiding and abetting a rape, sexual assault and a count someone else. and it has helped him In a statement, Clinton Cards said: “The board has conof trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation.

“If anyone knows what enormously.

Simon Nichol, defending, said of the ringleader: “He happened, if they have sus- cluded that, because it is unable to repay the loan, it has no “Before this, he’d hide does not take back any of the comments he has made picions that certain people option to concur with American Greetings’ proposal.” under a big jumper and American Greetings has already bought Clinton Cards’ during the course of the trial. He believes his convic- may be involved or have hardly go out. Now he’s tions have nothing to do with justice but result from information, then please £35million debt from Barclays and RBS and is expected to putting on a Superman “buy” back the most profitable stores. the faith and the race of the defendants.” come forward.

T-shirt and going off to Clintons runs 730 stores under Clinton Cards and Judge Gerald Clifton called him an “unpleasant and “Don’t let it happen to anyshopping centres.”

Birthdays brands. hypocritical bully”. He also told the nine men at one else.”

Liverpool Crown Court that they were driven by “lust and greed”, adding: “All of you treated (the victims) as though they were worthless and beyond respect.”

The ringleader had ordered the first victim to have sex with Hassan as a birthday “treat”.

A SUSPECTED war criminal has been his application, accusing him of taking a Daily Star He raped her – she was then only 15. The nine men, allowed to stay in Britain thanks to bon“direct role in the massacre of prisowho were all jailed for between five and 19 years, kers human rights laws.

300 Croats were executed and buried in ners”. This was overturned by a judge would chat up girls at kebab shops in the Heywood Milan Sarcevic, who is alleged to have a mass grave. who ruled it breached his human rights. area of Rochdale - choosing victims with little super- helped massacre 300 people, was told Tory MP Andrew Percy blasted: “It’s He was refused asylum in Britain 10 vision from parents. The girls saw the men - eight to leave last year. But a judge sparked years ago but returned eight months inexplicable. He can easily go back to Pakistanis and one from Afghanistan - as boyfriends, outrage by ruling that sending him home later to try again. His case was lost in the Serbia and enjoy a family life there.” and were rewarded for sex with treats. But they were The UK Border Agency said that by system for eight years, allowing him to would breach his right to a “family life”. later passed around men who would pay for sex.

Sarcevic, 60, has denied being invol- set up home with his wife and daughter. summer new immigration rules would Girls who refused were held down and raped.

Last year the Home Office threw out end this abuse. ved in the 1991 Vukovar massacre when

Sex-gang rapist ‘bully’ caged for 19 years

Clinton Cards dealt an administration hand

Fury over human rights ruling

Friday, May 11, 2012

TABLOIDS SAY

DUSTIN THE PAIN MAN Hoffman to rescue after jogger’s heart attack

The Sun MOVIE legend Dustin Hoffman saved a jogger’s life after a heart attack.

Dustin dialled 999 and tended stricken Sam Dempster when he collapsed in London’s Hyde Park.

Sam — who is recovering — said: “I want to say ‘Thank you’ to Dustin Hoffman. He saved my life.”

Lawyer Sam had suffered a heart attack like miracle soccer ace Fabrice Muamba.

His heart stopped while he was running — as happened to Bolton star Muamba in an FA Cup tie at Spurs in March.

Muamba’s life was saved by pitch-side medics — but Sam’s hero was quick-thinking film legend Dustin who saw him fall and rang 999 immediately.

Oscar winner Hoffman, 74, who starred in hit 1970s film Marathon Man, then stayed by his side for 15 minutes as paramedics carried out CPR. Dustin said: “Great job, guys” after Sam’s heart started beating again.

Sam had the same life-saving operation as Muamba, 24.

Sam, 27, told The Sun: “I have no memory of what happened. The paramedics told me I had been

saved by Dustin Hoffman. It’s unbelievable.”

Sam was running at 9am in London’s Hyde Park ten days ago when his heart gave out. Rain Man star Hoffman was taking a walk — and dashed to help.

The actor later told paramedics Sam had been frothing at the mouth and staggering.

Hoffman called emergency services and tended Sam as he waited for paramedics. He watched as medics started his heart with a shock from defibrillator pads.

The Hollywood star — who has a £10million home in nearby Kensington — only left once Sam had recovered.

25

Argentina’s PM hails advert that mocks Falklands war dead THE Argentine president has shamelessly defended her sick Olympic advert showing an athlete training in the Falklands on a British war memorial.

Brazen Cristina Kirchner said the film “reflects the feelings” of her nation.

She insisted in Buenos Aires: “Nobody will make us change our policy and attitude.” Ignoring outrage at the stunt, Kirchner accused Britain of using its position on the UN Security Council to do “immense harm” to the world’s security.

Referring to the Falkland Islands, she added: “Seizing what is not yours, not respecting the UN, not respecting the dead, that is aggravation.”

The Sun revealed last week how the government-funded secretly-filmed video shows hockey player Fernando

The Sun Zylberberg doing step-ups on a First World War memorial.

It finishes with the provocative slogan: “To compete on English soil, we are training on Argentina soil.”

Screened on Argentine TV, it was immediately blasted by Foreign Secretary William Hague.

Sport bosses the International Olympic Committee backed him, insisting: “The Olympic Games should not be a forum to raise political issues.”

The 90-second ad was shot by an office of Young and Rubicam, part of advertising giant WPP — owned by Brit Sir Martin Sorrell. But he blasted the film, saying: “The ad is totally — and I mean totally — unacceptable.”

arge h c lt u a s s a t io r s e c fa Met PC be charged A police officer is to ulting a sa as after allegedly was in he ile wh r ge black teena t las sumcustody following . on nd Lo mer’s riots in ed there cid de lly tia ini s It wa nce to ide ev was insufficient gton rrin Ha h sep Jo charge PC over the incident . dertaken But a review was un cution se Pro n ow Cr and the on d ce announ Service l wil r ice off the t tha Wednesday

Daily Mirror

face criminal charges.

Crown Alison Saunders, chief S London, CP for tor cu se pro now comsaid: "That review is ed that cid de ve ha I d an plete e for a nc de evi t there is sufficien iction nv co of ect sp pro realistic with n gto rrin to charge PC Ha dbo l ua act ing ion cas assault oc 47 n tio sec ily harm contrary to ainst the of the Offences Ag

Person Act 1861." that the She added: "It is clear essive exc ing us of allegation 15-yeard ffe cu nd ha a on force a serious old in custody is matter. vised the “Accordingly I’ve ad PC s on mm su to IPCC n." gto Harrin occurred The alleged assault er Met oth an er aft urs just ho gedly alle ed officer was record ect. sp su ts rio a ing racially abus

Sex-change Jackie, 18, moves closer to Miss England glory A TEENAGER who had the world’s earliest sex change at just 16 is a step closer to becoming the new Miss England.

Jackie Green, now 18, clinched the public vote and will be the first transgender contestant to reach the semi-finals of the pageant.

Jackie, who was asked to enter the contest by scouts who knew

Daily Mirror nothing about her sex swap past, said: “I’m ecstatic to get through. I never expected it.

“It’s been lovely to see the support from everyone and I have had so many people contacting me to say they hope I win.

“Lots of people have been in

touch and it makes me blush to think I have inspired others.”

Born Jack, she had the gender reassignment op, which is not performed on under-18s in the UK, in Thailand on her 16th birthday.

Her mum Susie remortgaged her house to pay £28,000 for treatment and flights after her daughter attempted suicide five times.

Susie, 43, said: “I’m really proud of her. She’s been through an awful lot but she has chosen to put herself out there and at risk.

“There is a lot of prejudice but she is trying to make people understand this isn’t a choice and it can be OK.” She said Jack – the eldest of four boys – liked to play with Barbie dolls.

26

Friday, May 11, 2012

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

Tourist chief must clean up his act and beaches THE Councillor for Tourism, Pedro Mancebo, has a zero tolerance towards graffiti, so why does he not carry through his policy. He removes graffiti and posters from visible areas of the N322 to impress passing traffic, but ignores the beach areas.

The photos attached were taken of the paso area of La Zenia and the connecting walk through to Cabo Roig, and show an abundance of disgraceful graffiti.

The Councillor for Tourism’s responsi-

bility, as his title decrees, should be working to improve and maintain the Orihuela Costa coastal areas. He should be encouraging holiday makers to enjoy and recommend families and friends to visit our beach areas.

If these photos are an example of his strategy, he should consider resigning his position as it is clear for all to see that he has not got the ability or knowledge to successfully market our beach areas.

D TOFT

DIABETES MEMBERS HAPPY WITH CLUB Judge for yourselves, Orihuela Costa folk

WE were very sad to read the letter from Peter Realey in last week’s Courier about his impressions of Medcare’s free diabetes club.

The club is intended as a forum for people with diabetes and operates as a support group where people can share experiences and get advice from a highly-qualified specialist British diabetes nurse.

It is not intended as a sales pitch for Medcare services, although with many new members at the April meeting we did give a short presentation on the services offered by Medcare, which most people present have given positive feedback on and said they found useful.

The club has been running for four years and has many very happy attendees – both Medcare patients and nonMedcare patients, who tell us they find the advice sessions useful and informative.

The nurse who runs the club is an extremely knowledgeable and respected diabetes specialist in the UK and we are very fortunate that she comes to Spain especially to give these talks.

When we have asked club members how they would like the club improved, the main request is that the nurse comes more often.

So, we really do believe that this free club is serving members’ needs and that the majority of those attending are very happy with the club.

We were also extremely concerned to read accusations by the same individual of misdiagnosis by Medcare of a lifethreatening condition.

I WON’T dignify Bob Houliston’s latest hysterical ravings in last week’s newspapers with a tit-fortat answer as to do so would just give him an excuse to continue his campaign of lies, insults and misinformation to the public.

Instead I would like to address this letter to the general public of Orihuela Costa, the people who really matter.

Don’t judge the new coalition government and its councillors by what Bob Houliston says in his letters to the press.

Judge them instead on their actions in administrating Orihuela Costa, which in the end is what really matters as that is what directly affects our lives.

Those of us who have lived here for a long time know full well of the neglect perpetrated on us by the previous PP administrations of Orihuela in the past; therefore we have something to compare the performance of the new government with.

Let that be the only barometer to adhere to and nothing else.

ALAN N McPHAIL Sunshine and style at Torrevieja’s European Day Orihuela Costa

While patient confidentiality means we cannot answer this in detail through the pages of a newspaper, we would like to point out that no misdiagnosis was made as, in fact, no diagnosis was made.

A diagnosis as complex as cancer cannot possibly be made during a single GP visit and the Medcare GP only saw Mr Realey once. He was advised to seek further diagnostic tests in the Spanish system, which he was already under. He did not return to the Medcare GP again.

We heard nothing more from Mr Realey until two years later when he attended the April diabetic club, where he appeared to be very angry.

Anger is a common symptom post diagnosis of cancer and can often be unfairly misdirected towards healthcare staff so we did understand Mr Realey’s behaviour.

However, we obviously cannot allow untrue allegations in the press to go unanswered.

Medcare does have a formal complaints procedure that anyone who believes they have a grievance can use.

AMIM HASAN, Practice Manager, Medcare

celebrations this week

Group IS helpful and lady doctor is lovely I AM writing in response to Peter Realey’s letter concerning the recent diabetic meeting held at Medcare in Benijofar.

I also attended and did not feel quite as strongly about the motive for the talk. The manager did give a little speech about the practice in general but I would not say that anyone was pressured to sign up to join.

As I already am a patient there I cannot comment on the Spanish healthcare treatment of diabetics but I do know that my local Spanish doctor does insist on bringing an interpreter if you are not a competent Spanish speaker.

I must admit that I did not gain much new information but I do know a lot about diabetes as I am an insulin dependent Type 2 sufferer diagnosed 12 years ago.

I think it was helpful for newly diagnosed diabetics and I had gone to ask question, specific a nurse the which answered satisfactorily.

Everyone is of course entitled to their opinion but although I expect this sort of free demonstration is a kind of promotion for the clinic , I do not think it was highpressure sales pitch and no-one was forced to sign up. I have always been very happy with the care I receive from the lovely lady doctor and I do not pay extra for specific diabetic treatment.

ROSALIND EASTLAND, El Raso

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Friday, May 11, 2012

editor@thecourier.es COURIER POSTBAG: WHERE YOU HAVE YOUR SAY

Put down the gin and start networking

MY name is Nick Moore and I am the theatre director of Networks Theatre, Orihuela. Since 1999 we’ve produced 60 theatre shows in Orihuela City, inland from Orihuela Costa.

These have included pantomimes, comedies, musicals, poetry and dramas. We always get a great reaction from our audiences. As writer and director I’m really keen to reach a wider ex-pat audience as I know our shows are enjoyable and well worth-while. So, I recently asked for some audience feedback.

These are some of the comments: “Extremely entertaining evenings, we’ve been coming to Networks Theatre for a few years now and you’ve never let us down, whether it’s a gritty, thought-provoking drama or a hilarious pantomime.”

Another audience member said: “The shows that we have seen are really funny and make us all laugh out loud and provide us with an evening of escapism. The

costumes are great and the use of music fantastic.”

It doesn’t take long to drive from the coast into Orihuela. So why not put down that gin and tonic and discover our shows!

Our next show at the end of this month is called Titanic - Ship of Dreams. It is a wonderful piece of musical theatre. We’d love to welcome new people through

our doors, especially as we’ve just moved into a new, larger purpose-built theatre.

You can find out our address and other details by visiting www.networksenglishstudies.com/theatre or finding us on FACEBOOK. Many thanks.

NICK MOORE Artistic Director, Networks Theatre

AN OPEN LETTER TO MARIANO RAJOY (Spain’s Prime Minister)

I AM a long- term resident of Torrevieja, having been in business here for the last 25 years. I’ve been asking local residents how they feel over the crisis in Spain and what you, as Prime Minister, should do to overcome the hard times.

Are you listening, Mariano Rajoy?

Here are some of the replies, gleaned through www.torreviejaforums.com and using pseudonyms.

El Jefe says: “Spain to sell Mallorca to Germany, that would clear the national debt in one go.”

Martinmw says: “Get out of the Euro and devalue.”

Sandra says: “It’s all gone wrong since Spain changed from the peseta and everything is getting more expensive; taxes, leccy etc. Keep all services and taxes at same or lower level.”

Lamborgini says: “Ditch the euro - pull out of the EU. Have the same EU arrangements for trade and commerce as Norway and Israel do.

“Negotiate a lease deal with the UK as regards Gibraltar.

Enforce sea-lane tolls on non-EU sea cargo traffic through the Gibraltar straits.

“Give free healthcare cover to any import of products, they effectively have expats who have been here moe than exported the jobs those imports represent. three years and who invest 50k or more “The present crisis in Spain and the and own outright.” rest of the EU is a jobs crisis brought about MicealD says: “When a country, or indeed by that short-sightedness.

“The answer is, then, to stop cheap a bloc of countries like the EU, allow the free

Thank you for all your kindness I RECENTLY lost my husband and best friend, Harold Weekes, when he finally lost his battle with lung cancer.

I feel that I must write and express my appreciation and gratitude for the kindness, caring and

compassion shown to my family and I by Tony Smith who is The English Funeral Director. A true professional and a very kind gentleman, and also Keith Brown, again very professional and extremely kind. Together

they created a truly wonderful moving service.

I cannot thank these people enough. Also a big thank you to all who came to pay their last respects.

God bless you all.

PAT WEEKES & Family El Raso, Guardamar

imports in order to recreate jobs and to restart the economy.”

Rocinante says: “Give me my money back from the CAM shares disaster so that I can spend it in Spain rather than selling all of my Spanish assets for whatever I can get and moving on to a more progressive country.

“I think it was Picasso who said that Spain is a country full of peasants who need a strong hand. Look it up. He isn’t far wrong.”

MiniPhil says: “A coordinated effort to encourage tourism, reduce landing charges, passenger taxes, stop treating tourists as cash cows (stupid police fines), entice the airlines instead of deterring them, tidy up entrances to our towns, get rid of graffiti, make sure street lights on all entrance roads and major tourist areas are working and PLEASE make it illegal to walk the streets, except the beach, topless (both sexes).

"Next, reduce the autónomo payments to encourage people to start up on their own perhaps a reduced rate for first few years or based on earnings.

“And finally, don’t build any more AIRPORTS or SHOPPING CENTRES. Almost forgot - sort out planning laws.”

Elsmudgo says: “The one thing Spain has going for it is the sunshine. It has to pull out all the stops to encourage tourism.

“Reduce or remove all charges to airlines from September to May; reduce or remove taxes to hotels, hostels, and other tourist accommodation from September to May; reduce tax on alcohol; deregulate shopping opening hours so that shops can open all day including Sundays.

“All designed to make Spain a very cheap holiday destination once again - and then invest in an extended Europe-wide TV advertising campaign extolling the virtues and cheapness of Spain as a holiday destination.”

Saluki says: “Another one to bear in mind: substantial increase of VAT rate announced for 2013! How will that affect the cost of living and expenditure? During his electoral campaign Sr Rajoy said not even to think about IVA increase. How quickly things can change!”

La Rubia says: “Pay all the schools up to date. Reduce social security for employers, so they can employ more people. Simplify the tax system in Spain. Look after the elderly pensioners.

So Mr Rajoy, if by any chance you do read this, we would all love to hear your reply.

KEITH BARRY, Director, Professional Business Support, Torrevieja

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Friday, May 11, 2012

Light lunch for charity MEMBERS of the Luz de Murcia (Masonic Lodge), HAH Help at Home Mar Menor, their partners, families and friends enjoyed a sumptuous Spanish meal at Ruf Mari restaurant in Los Urrutias last Thursday.

After the three course lunch, diners were entertained by guitarist and singer Nick Barker.

Nick soon got lots of the ladies and a few men - up on the dance floor. The event raised €340.

Luz de Murcia raise funds for different charities each year, and this year are supporting HAH and El Buen Samaritano and others.

For details of the group, visit http://luzdemurcia.com/contact

CANCER COFFERS FILL UP ON PETANCA FUEL THE Horizonte Petanca Club raised €1,025 for cancer research from a tournament involving no fewer than 140 competitors.

Prizes were donated by the Town Hall and club president Monica Bredenberg wrote to Councillor Pedro Mancebo to thank him for the gesture and to inform him the money would be donated to the Aspanion children’s cancer fund.

A further angel in disguise came in the form of Club Activo Las Mimosas in Orihuela Costa, which wished to make a donation to a local charity. The council put them in contact with Caritas who do a lot of good work in Orihuela and Orihuela Costa.

The club has donated items of clothing to the charity and has also been shopping together with Caritas for foodstuffs for needy families on the coast.

Mr Mancebo commented on the community’s generosity, saying: “We have experienced so many acts of kindness where our neighbours and residents are willing to pass on a little bit of their good fortune to others who are not so fortunate. My team and I would like to say a big thank you to these two clubs, and Orihuela Costa is really proving “together we can”.

Helping the nurses is pure Bliss THERE’S now even more Bliss to be had at La Finca, Algorfa, as the popular hair and beauty salon moves to new premises on the ground floor of the golf urbanisation.

The salon not only offers a wide range of treatments, but its busy staff also find the time to do a little fundraising.

Recently, Christine from Bliss presented a cheque for €100 to Susan Reader from Paul Cunningham Nurses (pictured).

Find out more about Bliss’s services at www.blisslafinca.com

The Horizonte petanca tournament attracted 140 competitors

EASY Horse Care Rescue Centre has opened a new charity shop in Los Montesinos (pictured above)it’s third in six months.

And a fourth is planned amid increasing pressure to raise money to keep up with the centre’s daily ongoing costs.

Mo, the charity shop coordinator, explains: “We moved in over the Easter period, but the actual opening was just slightly delayed as there was a cherry picker and pile of marble slates right outside the shop, which is located in the lovely square of Los Montesinos opposite the pharmacy.”

The shop is a treasure trove of bargains and is also a place where you can recycle your unwanted clothes.

As always, more items of clothing are needed to sell, along with bric a brac and coat hangers.

Mo says: “Please take your items to any of our shops; in Quesada, La Siesta or Los Montesinos and we will distribute them accordingly.”

She adds: “We also need more volunteers to man the shop here in Los Montesinos.”

PAWS AND CLAWS: CAN YOU THESE puppies are approximately nine weeks old and in need of homes. They will be small to medium size when fully grown, are very friendly and good with other dogs and cats. Call: 966 725 975.

www.petsinspain.com info@petsinspain.info

THE three kittens pictured here were found in the campo, emaciated and dehydrated.

We immediately arranged a foster home for them where they received lots of love and care.

They are now fighting fit and ready for homes. They are approximately six weeks old and all boys.

Call 645 469 253.

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Friday, May 11, 2012

Swimming success TORREVIEJA Swimming Club achieved outstanding results against 267 swimmers from 13 regional clubs at the fourth Regional Control in the Municipal Pool Petrer.

Louise Brassington set a new time in the 800m freestyle of 12:31:90, beat her previous 400m time by three seconds and knocked a massive 10 seconds off her previous 200m time.

Sister Ruth Brassington recorded a 400m time of 5:29:75 and then knocked five seconds off her 200m freestyle time, placing her second in the girls’ 1997 category.

Edurne Moreno improved her 200m freestyle time by four seconds, while Yovanna Arguelles gained second place in the girls 1995, 50m and 100m freestyle and fourth in the 200m.

To round off the fantastic results by the girls, Emma Cagigao won both backstroke events and came second In the 200m medley with a new best.

For the boys, Joel Tereba broke the one minute mark in winning the 100m freestyle in his age group.

Yuriy Lymar followed with a new time 1:01:02. Joel then swam the 1500m freestyle for the first time in

19:17:11 and on Sunday knocked six seconds off his 200m freestyle. Yuriy took four seconds off his 200m.

To round off the weekend achievement Adam Stewart knocked a massive 18 seconds off his 200m butterfly mark with a time of 4:06:64. This gives Adam the qualifying time he needs to compete in the Downs Syndrome World Championships.

For details on the club contact Eddie Cagigao on 637 869 602, Rosa on 665 454 126 or the president, Felipe, on 609 418 776 or email info@clubnataciontorrevieja.com

MUSICAL MOMENTS Rascals’ night of show tunes a hit

THE premiere of A Night at the Musicals wowed audiences as the rousing sounds of show tunes filled the School of Music theatre in Los Montesinos last week.

Sweet music.... The Rascals turn on the style that wowed the Los Montesinos audience

For two nights the Rascals performed their latest show to packed houses.

And it wasn’t just show-goers who were delighted, but local charities, too, which benefited from large donations.

Ticket sales brought in €2,696 and the Rascals rounded this up to €3,000.

At the end of the run, Adismon and Age Concern each received a cheque for €1,500.

There is a second chance to see this musical extravaganza on June 14 and 15 at the Virgen del Carmen, Torrevieja.

Tickets, which cost €6, are available from the theatre box office or can be reserved by calling Sue on 96 678 4874 or Jill on 96 672 7282 or booked online at Servicam.

Here they go again group offers up variety THE Cardenal Belluga Theatre Group will be performing Here We Go Again A Night of Variety at the San Fulgencio Theatre on May 25.

The show starts with some old-time music hall, with lots of audience participation expected.

Then, after the interval, a beach and seaside theme takes over.

The songs are sure to take you on a trip down memory lane and the group promises the comedy sketches will have you rolling in the aisles.

Expect some stunning costumes, too, especially when the cast goes to the ball.

Tickets, costing six euros, are on sale at the Tourist Information Centre and The Butterfly Children’s Charity shop, both in La Marina. Or contact Maria on 966 715 891.

The show starts at 8pm.

GIVE ONE OF THESE PETS A HOME? ALL THEY NEED IS LOVE SALLY was found in April near the k9 shop. She is a terrier cross and was born around February. We’ve had her checked by the vet and she is healthy and has clearly been well cared for. She is going to be a beautiful little dog.

She is black with ginger highlights and lovely black eyes. Sally will make someone a CHICO is an adorable black very loyal comcat with special needs. He is panion. Call k9. five, fully blood-tested and vaccinated. He was brought www.k9club.es 633 936 501 to us when his owners had to k9clubinfo@gmail.com return to the UK. Contact k9.

BORN in 2007, poor Libby was dumped at the vet’s, along with her three kittens three years ago. She would love a home and would make a lovely companion. Call k9.

MARTA is a beautiful black and tan German Shepherd cross. She is medium sized.

Marta has been spayed and undergone regular worming and flea treatments.

She is a very gentle and affectionate dog and would give someone years of pleasure.

Marta would be loyal to her owners and although used to living outside would quickly adapt to a home environment.

She is good with other dogs and very responsive towards people.

We believe that Marta was born around October 2010. Call k9.

To advertise abandoned animals for rehoming, email details and photos to office@thecourier.es. We will include as many as we have space for each week.

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Friday, May 11,16, 2012 Friday, December 2011

SAUBER F1 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHELSEA FC

SWISS Formula 1 team Sauber has announced a surprise new partnership – with English Premiership football team Chelsea FC. The deal had been previewed by intriguing engine cover logos reading ‘Out of the Blue’ and True Blue’, seen at the Chinese and Bahrain Grands Prix.

Now, the identity of ‘the Blues’ has been revealed, and the Chelsea FC logos will be seen on Sauber’s F1 cars for the first time at the Spanish Grand Prix on 11-13 May. It’s an innovative deal, said Sauber, one never attempted before in F1. However, there are numerous possible synergies, said Sauber F1 Team CEO Monisha Kaltenborn.

“In either case we are talking about team sport at the highest – and international – level. The Sauber F1 Team and Chelsea FC are dealing with many of the same sporting and commercial topics and we want to strengthen each other in these areas.”

Chief executive of the Champions League finalists, Ron Gurley, said the aim was to unite the fans, through the various similarities between the two top-tier teams.

“We share many philosophies when it comes to how the respective organisations are run, from the development of young talent to constantly striving for success.

Both Sauber F1 and Chelsea FC benefit greatly in one key area – exposure. Sauber’s logos will be seen on Chelsea’s interview walls and pitchside advertising boards, while Chelsea’s crest will be seen on the F1 car’s engine cover.

Look out for the Premiership football team looking to launch the new partnership with a bang at the Spanish Grand Prix…

Wrong turn

“Sauber’s philosophy towards grassroots development has produced some of the best drivers in F1, which mirrors our dedication to develop promising young football talent through our Academy.

“This partnership will benefit us both greatly, with the potential to create unique commercial opportunities. It is a shared vision to unite the two most attractive sports in the world.”

We've all taken wrong turns in our cars but have you ever got one this wrong? A less-than-attentive tourist attempted to drive his Dacia Duster 4x4 into a Paris subway station thinking it was a car park last week.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Poland’s £100k supercar ARRINERA AUTOMOTIVE has revealed Poland's first ever supercar - and it's been designed by a Brit!

Renowned British sports car expert Lee Noble has created the ground-breaking Arrinera, which will launch in 2013 for prices confirmed to start from £100,000 - half the price of a Ferrari 458 Italia.

Famous designer Noble left the company which bears his name in 2009, to set up another supercar company called Fenix Automotive Ltd. Arrinera has since bought a 50 per cent stake in this firm, and it is this partnership that will help the Polish company create and manufacture its own supercar - in Poland.

Arrinera plans to create a range of three supercars and sports cars, building around 600-700 units a year.

Today's supercar is the first of the stable to be revealed, and comes with some very bold performance claims to match its very bold styling.

Visually, the Arrinera's styling ticks all the usual supercar boxes - edgy styling, low to the ground, forward-set cabin, and strong wedge shape. It doesn't break any new ground here but some of the details are quite eye-catching, not least the Lamborghini-style front end and, of course, the bold gullwing doors.

The rear end is very dramatic, with lots of sharp lines, some striking buttresses and the most incredible rear taillight, bumper and diffuser arrangement. It's by far the Pavlo Burkatskydesigned Arrinera's strongest aspect.

The Arrinera supercar will use a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 from a Corvette ZR1, producing 650hp and 604lb ft of torque. Combined with a kerb weight of just 1,300kg, this means performance claims are bold.

Arrinera estimates its supercar will accelerate from 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds, and hit 124mph from rest in 8.9 seconds. The top speed is said to be in excess of 210mph. Other supercar must-haves defined by the company include a cornering force of over 1g, a standing quartermile time below 12 seconds and a centrally-positioned engine: the car easily beats all these targets.

Slowing the Arrinera down are massive six-piston front brake callipers that are almost 14 inches in diameter. Hefty four-piston callipers are fitted at the rear.

19-inch wheels with 335/30section rear tyres should

provide ample grip - and are large enough to take an even bigger set of brakes should they provide necessary.

An intriguing option is the addition of a thermal vision camera, which scans the area in front of and around the car at night. Images will be displayed on the centre console, which 'significantly' improves safety at night, says the firm.

Fully independent multilink suspension has been designed by Lee Noble himself. His track record here suggests the Arrinera already has potential to be a

premier league drive out on the road.

An upscale interior is promised, with lots of leather and composite materials. Air conditioning is standard and each seat gets its own fourpoint seatbelt harness.

Supercar upstart Arrinera certainly has ambitions plans, including the construction of an even lighter version of its new model made from carbon fibre and Kevlar. With more extreme engines, this will make it a genuine Lamborghini-beating supercar - yet all for prices much lower than the thoroughbred competition.

Will this make it a surprise new bargain contender in the supercar arena? It's certainly one to watch - find out more when the Arrinera rolls out later this year.

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Friday, May 11, 2012

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, 7 represents M and 21 represents C, when these letters have been entered throughout the puzzle, you should have enough information to start guessing words and discovering other letters.

QUICKIE

Across 7 Long journey (6) 8 Stops (6) 9 Completely unclothed (4) 10 Cooking utensil (8) 11 Enormous (7) 13 Coat part (5) 15 Imbecile (5) 17 One who lives in solitude (7) 20 Enjoyable (8) 21 Embed deeply (4) 22 Spitefulness (6) 23 Number of players in a football team (6)

Down 1 Musical composition (6) 2 Look after (4) 3 Deeply thoughtful (7) 4 Clean with hard rubbing (5) 5 American sport (8) 6 Watch out (6) 12 Rarely occurring (8) 14 Cultivated (7) 16 Monetary unit (6) 18 County of south-east England (6) 19 Enthusiastic (5) 21 Cow meat (4)

Last weeks Solution Across: 1 Accept, 4 Split, 8 False, 9 Pertain, 10 Avarice, 11 Deal, 12 Dip, 14 Menu, 15 Into, 18 Sea, 21 Aura, 23 Concave, 25 Thin air, 26 Copse, 27 Range, 28 Decent.

Down: 1 Affray, 2 Collage, 3 Precious, 4 Serf, 5 Leave, 6 Tinkle, 7 Speed, 13 Pinnacle, 16 Trample, 17 Banter, 19 Acorn, 20 Select, 22 Reign, 24 Bare.

Scribble Pad

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 Own up to cooking scones with loud music (7) 5 Incinerates Scottish poet (5) 8 Maps a sailor returns (5) 9 Calls briefly to draw attention to wickedness (5,2) 10 Male teacher awards said to be unexpected things (9) 12 Half a century that is an imposter (3) 13 Lets Ed play around although he's not the youngest (6) 14 Judge faces reversal on end of sentence (6) 17 Employ Sue by mistake (3) 18 Somehow it is clear and practical (9) 20 I turned badly and enter uninvited (7) 21 Pigment mixing chore (5) 23 Mysterious English monarch that is (5) 24 Official documents from patients I lose (7)

Down 1 Cold girl showing high social standing (5) 2 The first three quarters of the river produce nothing (3) 3 Makes certain changes to sun seer (7) 4 Betting the Spanish silence is a sensation (6) 5 Spots second rate sales goods (5) 6 Lies inert becoming bouncy (9) 7 Name bus 'Rebel Ray' (7) 11 Gun dog for a Marxist linotypist (3,6) 13 Being deceptive, little Susan goes out in a veil (7) 15 Prolong a race incident (4,3) 16 Fabricate war paint (4-2) 18 Soldier out in road (5) 19 Board game commences with children holding every single square (5) 22 Bird found in the nick of time (3)

STANDARD CLUES

Down

FILL IT IN

Complete the crossword grid by using the given words:

3 letter words Are Art Ate Awe Aye Bad Erg Err Gas Inn Mac Per Sir Sly Sot Yes 4 letter words Alit Area Asks Aura Bras

Coda Cope Done Egos Ekes Ewer Eyes Fore Glen Hoar Knee Lark Lyes Lyre Malt Mews Moas Near Obey Oboe Orca Rage Rare

Melds Saga Messy Skin Owner Snag Savvy Solo Scare Sore Seven Star Solve Talc Souse Thou Staid Tsar Study Yeah 5 letter words 6 letter words Arcane Agate Desire Agree Gluten Aorta Siesta Array 8 letter words Baulk Eyeglass Costs Mannerly Crane Steerage Deans Stormier Fresh Gable Lacer Logos

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

Across

1 Lesson (5) 1 Admit (7) 2 Nothing (3) 5 Ignites (5) 3 Makes certain (7) 8 Collection of maps (5) 4 Shower (6) 9 Makes a short visit (5,2) 10 Catches red handed (9) 5 Stains (5) 6 Hardy (9) 12 Falsehood (3) 7 Ray of sunlight (7) 13 First born (6) 14 Respect (6) 11 Breed of dog (3,6) 17 Utilise (3) 13 Indefinable (7) 18 Lifelike (9) 15 Prolong or extend (4,3) 20 Interrupt (7) 16 Cosmetics (4-2) 21 Orange-yellow colour 18 Course (5) (5) 19 Board game (5) 23 Weird (5) 22 Female bird (3) 24 Grants right to (7) Last weeks Solution Across: 1/23 Laid down, 3 Uppercut, 9 Nuclear, 10 Cares, 11 Marks, 12 Solder, 14 Retina, 16 Rattle, 19 Engine, 21 Table, 24 On top, 25 Rancour, 26 Nameless, 27 Gene.

Down: 1 Landmark, 2 Incur, 4 Parish, 5 Excel, 6 Current, 7 Task, 8 Season, 13 Rehearse, 15 Tiny Tim, 17 Attend, 18 Debris, 20 Impel, 22 Booze.

Across

Down

1 Canciones (5) 4 Centre (middle) (6) 9 Reign (of king, queen) (7) 10 Comb (for hair) (5) 11 Mala hierba (4) 12 Lentil (7) 13 Corbata (3) 14 Coffee (4) 16 También (4) 18 Month (3) 20 Stewardess (7) 21 Well (for water) (4) 24 Round (of drinks, golf, quiz) (5) 25 El más rico (7) 26 Letters (of alphabet) (6) 27 Cocina (aparato) (5)

1 Tornillos (6) 2 Ruido (sonido) (5) 3 Cicatriz (4) 5 Sponges (for washing) (8) 6 Servicios (retretes públicos) (7) 7 Sheep (pl) (6) 8 Oak (tree) (5) 13 Cobweb (8) 15 En contra de (7) 17 Barrel (6) 18 Mother (5) 19 Dessert (6) 22 Obese (5) 23 Helados (4)

33

Friday, May 11, 2012 Across 1 What name is given to the science of improving a population by controlled breeding to increase the occurrence of desirable heritable characteristics? (8) 7 See 1 Down 8 Eugene Luther were the real first names of which American novelist, dramatist, and essayist whose satirical comedies include Williwaw and Myra Breckenridge? (4,5) 9 See 1 Down 10 What name is given to an actor’s part in a play or film? (4) 11 What was the surname of the English composer who is best known for pastoral works such as Brigg Fair?

(6) 13 Which large dung beetle of the eastern Mediterranean area was regarded as sacred in ancient Egypt? (6) 14 Which black religious cult, practised in the Caribbean and the southern US that combines elements of Roman Catholic ritual with traditional African magical and religious rites, is characterised by sorcery and spirit possession? (6) 17 From the Hebrew for ‘peace’, which word is used as a salutation by Jews at meeting or parting? (6) 18 By what forename is the British actor Sidney Edmond Jocelyn Ackland normally known? (4) 20 Which small peg with a concave head is often placed in the ground to support a golf ball before it is struck? (3) 22 The name of the surgical operation for delivering a child by cutting through the wall of the mother’s abdomen is known as a what section? (9) 23 Which American group wanted to Kiss You All Over in 1978?

(5) 24 Which large cask gives its name to a measure of capacity for wine, equal to 52.5 imperial gallons or 63 US gallons (238.7

SUDOKU

Quiz Word

litres)? (8) Down 1/7A/9 Which American short-story writer and poet’s most notable works were The Fall of the House of Usher, The Murders in the Rue Morgue and The Raven? (5,5,3)

2 Which powerfully built great ape is the largest living primate?

(7) 3 What name is given to the central part of a church building, intended to accommodate most of the congregation? (4) 4 From the Latin for ‘square’, what name is given to small groups of people specially trained for a particular purpose or profession? (6) 5 In cricket what is the name of the arc-shaped fielding position close behind the batsman on the off side, for catching balls edged by the batsman? (5) 6 In Christianity, what name is often given to the abode of Satan and the forces of evil, where sinners suffer eternal punishment?

(7)7 What name is given to people or animals that have a congenital absence of pigment in the skin and hair (which is white) and the eyes (which are usually pink)? (7) 12 What name is given to a length of decorative drapery attached to the canopy or frame of a bed in order to screen the structure or the space beneath it? (7) 13 Which tools used for cutting crops such as grass or corn, have long curved blades at the end of long poles attached to one or two short handles? (7) 15 In the Christian Church, what name is given to a district under the pastoral care of a bishop? (7) 16 The name of which Spanish dance in simple triple time is also the name of a woman’s short open jacket? (6) 17 Which brown pigment is prepared from a black fluid secreted by cuttlefish? (5) 19 What name is applied to an assembly of the clergy and sometimes also the laity in a diocese or other division of a particular Church? (5) 21 Russian blue, Siamese and Persian are all breeds of which domesticated animal? (4)

SALLY’S SIMPLE SPANISH prepositional phrases

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

(Answers below)

geography QUIZ

1. Scotland 2. London Heathrow 3. The Bridge Of Sighs (St John's College) 4. Panama 5. Mountain Range 6.

Reno 7. the occident 8. Florida 9. New Hampshire 10.

Toronto 11. Jewellers Have Had The Monopoly Since 1593 12. "5,5 Billion People" 13. The Equator 14. Asia

ANSWERS

Last Week’s Solutions Code Cracker Last weeks Quiz Wordsolution Across:1/13D Benjamin Britten, 7 O'Hare, 8 Lancaster, 9 Kip, 10 Skip, 11 Armada, 13 Big toe, 14/17 Edward Gibbon, 18 Drew, 20 Two, 22 Episcopal, 23 Eight, 24 Trespass.

Down: 1 Bulbs, 2 Nanking, 3 Ajax, 4 Intern, 5 Kafka, 6 Leopard, 7 Orlando, 12 Doublet, 15 Agrippa, 16 Dozier, 17 Gorge, 19 Wales, 21 Acts.

al sol

a ciegas

al sur

a la derecha

a mano

a la sombra

a maquina

al día siguiente

a mi parecer

al izquierda

a pesar de

al lado de

a pie

al norte

a solas

a lo largo de

a través de

Match the English and Spanish names of fruit and vegetables.

You will find the answers at the bottom of the page. i. alone, j. despite, 14. a la derecha, 1. a caballo, 2. a mano, k. in my view, l. by touch, 15. al sur, 16. al norte, 3. a ciegas, 4. a solas, m. by machine, n. blindly, 17. al izquierda, 5. a pie, 6. a maquina, o. in the sun, p. along, 18. al día siguiente.

7. a mi parecer, q. in the shade, r. on foot, a. across, b. to the south, 8. a través de, s. on the right c. the following day, 9. a pesar de, 1 d. by hand, e. on the left, 0. a lo largo de, 11. a la sombra, 12. al sol, f. on horseback, g. to the north, h. next to, 13. al lado de,

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

1. In which country is Loch Ness?

2. Where Is The World's Busiest International Airport?

3. Which Cambridge Bridge Took Its Name From An Architectural Masterpiece In Venice?

4. What Central American country's name means 'many fish'?

5. What is the Hindu Kush?

6. If you landed at Cannon airport where are you?

7. What's the opposite of the orient?

8. In which state is the Kennedy Space Center?

9. In what state is Concord?

10. "What's the most southerly city; Toronto, Seattle, Budapest or Bordeaux? "?

11. What Type Of Shop Predominates On The Ponte Vecchio In Florence?

12. To The Nearest 500 Million How Many People Are Alive Today?

13. "Apart from water, what runs through the mouth of the River Amazon and Lake Victoria? "?

14. Which Of The Worlds Continents Has The Highest Population?

a caballo

Soduko

Span - Eng

Quizword

Fill It In

34

Friday, May 11, 2012

TRELI ON THE TELLY

A viewer’s nightmare - right on schedule IT’S got to be the wonderful Pudsey the Dog to win the Grand Final of Britain’s Got Talent tomorrow night on ITV1!

As I feared, though, the overall quality of the acts has been mediocre, though compensated by an entertaining panel, plus Ant and Dec making live TV entertainment presentation seem so easy that even Steve Jones could do it.

But with BGT being shunted a few weeks early this year because of The Voice, we ended up with a scheduling nightmare last weekend.

Take Sunday night, where we had Rocket Ronnie in the World Snooker final on BBC2, BGT on ITV1, and simultaneously, the start of a prestige series of Planet Earth Live on BBC1, with wonderful animal footage

with ALEX TRELINSKI from around the world.

I’ve got digital recorders coming out of my proverbial at all angles, but add that lot to all the regular shows I watch, and its been quite a challenge for a TV fanatic like me to keep up with it all. I can say one thing, though.

Nobody could complain that there was nothing to watch on what turned out to be a

Pudsey the Dog: He’s Treli’s favourite for Briain’s Got Talent

wet Bank Holiday weekend in the UK! It was miles better compare to the rubbish in years gone by.

All we seemed to get was extra horse racing, a cheap edition of Disney Time, and the usual film repeats in the so-called Golden Age of TV. The mind really does play tricks on us. Just dig out some old schedules and see for yourself!

I should give a special mention for Adrian Edmondson’s enjoyable ITV1 nostalgia trip, Britain Beware, last Monday. It featured all those great Public Information film fillers we used to get, especially after Watch with Mother, or before the channels closed down for the night. My favourite, sadly lost from the archives, was the useless man who couldn’t park his car properly, Reginald Molehusband.

I am that man, and I also loved the cartoon characters Joe and Petunia, who were too busy enjoying their ice creams to realise that a sailing dinghy was in trouble.

Dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard! Great stuff!

Yet another new quality US series to talk about, and yet another Brit starring in it! This time it’s Jason Isaacs in a drama called Awake, airing on Sky Atlantic. The plot is intriguing with Isaacs playing a detective who is in a car crash, and on returning to work wakes up every day with either his wife surviving the accident, alternating with his son as the survivor. So you get two stories for the

price of one, and it works really well. It’s played to rave reviews in the States, and on the basis of the first episode, I can see why. Cut-throat network TV as it is, the ratings are king and it has struggled to get viewers for the NBC network. And that, despite all the plaudits, may mean the show being cancelled for next season, which in terms of artistic merit is plainly ridiculous.

I promise to stop writing about Homeland simply because the first series has now finished on Channel Four. The finale was exceptional, nerve-racking and in the vein of shows like 24, had me shouting at the TV, wanting the second series to start ASAP. And yikes, what a jawdropping ending, which I’ll keep quiet about for those of you watching a few weeks behind on the Spain’s FOX channel on a Saturday night.

Why can’t British TV produce such a thrilling and intelligent series like this?

With my other half coming from the catering world, we are watching BBC 2’s Great British Menu religiously. As somebody who can just about grill a sausage and make some instant mash, I am amazed by what is produced and the skill that’s involved. I have just one gripe. If I hear the words ground-breaking and original once more, I’ll scream in the vain of Mr. Munch’s famous

Jeremy Clarkson: Roasted on Have I Got News For You

painting. As a consumer, I’m just interested in good wellproduced nosh, sourced from quality products, not artyfarty twaddle that might appeal to the champagne drinkers of Kensington and Chelsea. Otherwise it’s a great watch.

I loved last Friday’s roasting of Jeremy Clarkson when he hosted Have I Got News For You on BBC1. With his connections to the Murdoch empire, both socially and professionally, Messrs.

Hislop and Merton tore him to shreds, and it was quite clear that the two captains had no time for him personally, which added extra venom to the fun.

I presume Clarkson had to have a quick change of underwear once the cameras stopped rolling.

Two must-view shows, which I’ll talk about in more detail next week. The award winning comedy, Episodes, is back tonight on BBC2, with Matt LeBlanc playing himself in an entertaining satire on US TV comedy shows.

Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Greig offer great support as the script-writing couple LeBlanc has come between.

Give me this over the rest of BBC2’s alleged comedies any time (I‘m talking Rev, Roger and Val, and Grandma’s House here).

Over on BBC1 on Tuesday night, Maxine Peake is back for a well-deserved second run of the legal drama, Silk, with the all-important letters QC after her name. I can’t wait for all the back-stabbing and plotting to get going again!

SHERLOCK HOLMES 2: A GAME OF SHADOWS 12 Hardly 10 minutes of Guy Ritchie's delirious new Sherlock Holmes action fantasy had whizzed past when it hit me. Surely Ritchie, and his writers Michele and Kieran Mulroney, should be handed the keys to the James Bond franchise right away? Because, for pure entertainment and fun, with a debonair hero and an excellent and plausible baddie, Ritchie has outdone himself. Robert Downey Jr is great as the outrageous Holmes – he makes Iron Man look tinny – and as Watson, Jude Law relaxes and shows us that cool

seducer-of-the-camera-lens we first saw in The Talented Mr Ripley.

What's more, this stylised world makes sense of all the Ritchie mannerisms. There's Irish music, lairy London types and hyper-kinetic fight sequences suddenly slowing up for zero-gravity "bullet time" sequences. Cleverly,

Ritchie often uses these flourishes to capture not simply a punch-up in progress, but something happening in Holmes's mind, his lightning-fast sizing-up of any conflict situation, and his scoping out of minuscule clues The 19th century is drawing uneasily to a close; anar-

CAST: Robert Downey, Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Stephen Fry DIRECTOR: Guy Ritchie RATING: 5/5 RUNNING TIME: 129 min.

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 650 944 934 or email movingmoviesdvds@gmail.com

chist bomb outrages are cranking up tension between the great European powers, and Jared Harris plays Professor Moriarty, the Napoleon of crime who is directing a detestable new plan for global domination.

The only person who can stop him is Holmes, who at present is distracted by a petulant sense of grievance that his wingman Watson is deserting their bachelor paradise to get married. But the irrepressible genius-sleuth hijacks poor Watson's stag night to set the wheels of adventure in motion and the two men chance upon a

woman who is to be the key to the mystery: Simza, played

by Noomi Rapace.

Stephen Fry puts in a funny turn as Sherlock's cleverer brother, Mycroft, a man with a fastidious reluctance to shake hands, but, bizarrely, a habit of parading around stark naked in his own home. But it's all great fun, and a sure bet for those seeking thrills and spills and laughs: quite elementary really.

35

The Courier Friday TV 00:35 This Week 01:20 Holiday Weatherview 01:25 Countryfile 02:25 Antiques Roadshow 03:25 Modern Spies 04:25 Great British Railway Journeys 04:55 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 Heir Hunters 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 Robbed, Raided, Reunited 12:30 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 Escape to the Country 16:00 BBC News; Weather 16:05 Dick & Dom Go Wild 16:35 Lockie Leonard 17:00 Copycats 17:30 Blue Peter 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Regional News Programmes 20:00 The One Show 21:00 EastEnders 21:30 Would I Lie to You? 22:00 Have I Got News for You 22:30 Not Going Out 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 The Graham Norton Show

07:00 Wibbly Pig 07:10 Lunar Jim 07:20 Timmy Time 07:35 Chuggington 07:45 Dipdap 07:50 Pinky Dinky Doo 08:00 Roar 08:30 League of Super Evil 08:40 Leon 08:45 Frankenstein's Cat 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Ed and Oucho's Excellent Inventions 09:30 Nina and the Neurons Go Inventing 09:45 Big City Park 10:00 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:10 Little Charley Bear 10:20 Driver Dan's Story Train 10:30 Bob the Builder: Ready, Steady, Build!

10:45 The Koala Brothers 10:55 Mr Bloom's Nursery 11:15 Baby Jake 11:25 64 Zoo Lane 11:40 Waybuloo 12:00 In the Night Garden 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Nature's Top 40 14:30 Instant Restaurant 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Wanted Down Under 16:45 Hairy Bikers' Best of British 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Antiques Road Trip 20:00 Great British Menu 20:30 Mastermind 21:30 Gardeners' World 22:00 Maestro at the Opera 23:00 Episodes 23:30 Newsnight

00:20 01:20 01:30 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30 04:45 05:00 06:00

The actor opens up to Piers about his career, which has spanned five decades, and his colourful love life, which has been played out under the media spotlight.

Known as one of TV's tough guys after becoming a household name in The Sweeney, Minder, and more recently New Tricks, he reveals how allegations of domestic violence have haunted him since his split with third wife Rula Lenska.

The 70s BBC News HARDtalk Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Schools - Bitesize Science Schools

00:35 The Cube 01:30 Jackpot247 04:00 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 60 Minute Makeover 16:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 Rosemary & Thyme 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Poms in Paradise 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Piers Morgan's Life Stories 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 The 40 Year Old Virgin

00:55 Random Acts 01:00 More Sex Please, We're British 02:05 Embarrassing Bodies 03:00 Extreme A&E 03:55 Marrying Prince Harry 04:25 Hidden Talent 05:20 Deal or No Deal 06:15 Countdown 07:00 The Treacle People 07:10 Sali Mali 07:15 The Hoobs 07:40 The Hoobs 08:05 Freshly Squeezed 08:35 According to Jim 09:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 10:00 The Secret Millionaire 11:00 Come Dine with Me 11:30 Come Dine with Me 12:00 Come Dine with Me 12:25 Come Dine with Me 12:55 Come Dine with Me 13:25 Channel 4 News Midday Summary 13:30 River Cottage 14:30 Channel 4 Racing 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 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 8 Out of 10 Cats 22:30 Very Important People 23:00 Alan Carr: Chatty Man

PIER MORGANS LIFE STORIES

Horoscopes Aries March 21 - April 19 Parts of you feel like giving up the ghost today, but feeding those parts with icecream and bacon bits may revive them, to an extent. It's never too late to accept that you're a complete fraud. Brown is your unlucky colour for today. Avoid it whereever possible. Damage caused by rage might cost you around â‚Ź250 this weekend.

Avoid posh bars.

Taurus April 20 - May 20 Sing a song inside and to hell with the dark clouds that await you. It all used to be so much easier, but with age you're finding certain things much more difficult.

Although your subtle forms of persuasion have worked well in the past, your partner may start to get tired of your spontaneous stripping to initiate sex.

Gemini May 21 - June 20 Perhaps it's true that you're not the immense stud you once were. See how clever you can be today by attempting to count your lose change inside your pocket WITHOUT taking your hand or the money out. Time and time again you are asked to wait outside the room whilst the "adults" discuss your situation.

Cancer June 21 - July 22 Painting the inside of your mouth is probably not a good way to change who you are on the inside. Although, you would be successful in your aims. Today might find you requiring a move of the left-hand and right-hand side speakers or earphones you use to listen to music.If some things start to appear impossible, it may be time to invent robots.

May 11

01:10 SuperCasino 04:55 House Doctor 05:20 HouseBusters 05:45 HouseBusters 06:10 Wildlife SOS 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 The WotWots 07:20 City of Friends 07:35 Jelly Jamm 07:45 Mio Mao 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 Castle Farm 08:00 Little Princess 08:15 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:25 The Mr Men Show 08:40 Thomas & Friends 08:50 Make Way for Noddy 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Roary the Racing Car 09:50 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Olivia 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Dangerous Drivers' School 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 Chinese Food in Minutes 16:20 Jane Doe: Til Death Do Us Part 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News at 6.30 20:00 War Hero in My Family 21:00 Dirty Great Machines 22:00 The Mentalist 23:00 Castle

By Pandora Leo July 23 - August 22 Moving house is very stressful. Not that I'm saying that's what you're doing or even planning to do. But it is stressful, you have to agree. Kissing horses in an otherwise empty paddock is fair game today. Enjoy yourself and try not to go too wild. You will be provoked by a spotty teenager. Don't rise to him.

Virgo August 23 - September 22 Your tendancies may land you in trouble today. You are a complete fraud - the sooner you accept it, the better. Although danger is never far away, you may have an exhilirating time in the coming days. Boom! And there goes the last piece of evidence that you were ever here...no-one will ever suspect. Hexes may impair your vision today if you attempt to cross an invisible boundary.

Libra September 23 - October 22 Although your faults are easy enough to see, you must really make an effort today to let people truly understand the depth of your problems. Don't shun your naked body, express yourself in lots of new happy naked ways. Every part of your body will cry out in pain today, although there is no explanation as to why this should be.

Scorpio October 23 - November 21 Banning people from your house can work, especially if reinformed with large heavy blocks of swingable wood. Giraffes are one of natures most bizarre creatures.

Whilst this may seem like a "fact" out of the blue, you'll soon see the relevance over the coming fortnight. Hopefulness can be a virtue, but naivity can bring you trouble.

Sagittarius November 22 - December 21 Walking to work in a clown costume can help you in your search for humility. You are everything you always hoped you would never be. Today may be the day for a quick change. Many things that people say over the coming days will appear nonsensical, but may start to make sense towards the end of the week.

Capricorn December 22 - January 19 Potato salesmen may call today and leave you a spud on your doorstep. The crystal ball which I sometimes use for divining fortunes for those like yourself...is smashed beyond repair. I can see bits of your future, and they look bloody. But I can't tell whether it's *your* blood.

Aquarius January 20 - February 18 Everyone wants what's best for you, in terms of reducing the amount of time you are allowed to show your face outside of your house. Limericks are great, but perhaps you might avoid talking incessantly in one large storybook of tall tales. Jail sentences between 5 and 10 years may be applicable to your situation today.

Pisces February 19 - March 20 The odds against surviving today without any of your limbs is low. In a world full of people like yourself, who cares if you want to behave like an orangutan? Your ideals are starting to shape the way you're living, so congratulations. This week is going to be a series of ups and downs.

Mostly downs, but also mostly ups.

36

The Courier Saturday TV

May 12

00:20 The National Lottery Friday Night Draws 00:30 The Matt Lucas Awards 01:05 EastEnders 03:00 Weatherview 03:05 Bomber Boys 04:35 Question Time 05:35 On the Road With 06:00 BBC News 06:30 Our World 07:00 Breakfast 11:00 Saturday Kitchen Live 12:30 Football Focus 13:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 13:10 Formula One 15:15 Live Challenge Cup Rugby League 17:30 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 17:45 Madagascar 19:10 The Voice UK 20:45 The National Lottery: In It to Win It 21:40 Casualty 22:30 BBC News; Weather 22:50 National Lottery Update 22:50 The Proposal

05:40 Close 07:00 Wibbly Pig 07:10 Charlie and Lola 07:20 Timmy Time 07:35 Chuggington 07:45 Pinky Dinky Doo 08:00 Extreme Animals 08:30 Dennis and Gnasher 08:40 The Scooby-Doo Show 09:05 Alesha's Street Dance Stars 09:35 Prank Patrol Down Under 10:00 The Slammer 10:30 The Ministry of Curious Stuff 11:00 Animals at Work 11:35 Splatalot 12:00 Copycats 12:25 OOglies 12:40 MOTD Kickabout 13:00 The Sky at Night 13:20 Picnic 15:10 Bye Bye Birdie 17:00 Flog It! 18:00 Antiques Road Trip 19:00 BBC Young Musician 2012 20:30 Dad's Army 21:00 The Story of Light Entertainment 22:00 I Love 1979 23:00 Top of the Pops: 1977 23:35 Cabaret

01:40 The Store 03:40 Criminal 05:15 ITV Nightscreen 06:30 ITV Morning News 07:00 Mini CITV 08:25 CITV 09:25 Saturday Cookbook 10:25 ITV News 10:30 The Jeremy Kyle Show USA 11:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show USA 12:20 The Real Housewives of New York City 13:15 Murder, She Wrote 14:15 ITV News and Weather 14:24 Meridian Weather 14:25 The Planet's Funniest Animals 14:35 Carry On Cruising 16:15 Dr No 18:20 Meridian News and Weather 18:30 ITV News and Weather 18:45 Keith Lemon's LemonAid 19:30 The Cube 20:30 Britain's Got Talent 23:00 ITV News and Weather 23:14 Meridian Weather 23:15 Ocean's Twelve

THE PROPOSAL 00:00 00:45 00:50 01:55 03:20 03:30 04:00 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:30

The Review Show Weather Later with Jools Holland Taken BBC News The Record Review BBC News Click Newswatch BBC News On the Road With

Romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Uptight Manhattan book editor Margaret Tate treats her assistant Andrew like dirt. So when she's threatened with deportation to her native Canada because of an expired visa, she pressurises him into marrying her. But just as the authorities question the validity of their relationship, Margaret is invited to spend a weekend with Andrew's family.

00:05 Stand Up for the Week 00:55 Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan 02:30 Random Acts 02:35 My Name Is Earl 02:55 My Name Is Earl 03:20 Dirty Sexy Money 04:05 Franklin & Bash 04:45 St Elsewhere 05:35 Deal or No Deal 06:30 Countdown 07:15 The Hoobs 07:40 European Rallycross 08:05 FIM World Superbikes 08:30 The Grid 08:55 The Morning Line 09:55 The TV Book Club 10:30 Koko Pop 11:05 Dark Shadows: T4 Movie Special 11:40 Made in Chelsea 12:45 The Big Bang Theory 13:15 The Big Bang Theory 13:45 The Simpsons 14:20 Road to London 2012: That Paralympic Show 14:55 Channel 4 Racing 17:55 Come Dine with Me 19:00 Channel 4 News 19:30 4thought.tv 19:35 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 23:00 Transporter 3

00:55 Inside Hollywood 01:00 SuperCasino 04:55 Motorsport Mundial 05:20 HouseBusters 05:45 HouseBusters 06:10 Wildlife SOS 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Peppa Pig 07:05 Fifi and the Flowertots 07:15 City of Friends 07:25 Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs 07:40 Abby's Flying Fairy School 07:50 Roobarb and Custard Too 07:55 Bananas in Pyjamas 08:10 Family!

08:15 Noddy in Toyland 08:30 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 08:40 Little Princess 09:00 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 09:20 Angelina Ballerina 09:35 Rupert Bear 09:50 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:10 The Mr Men Show 10:25 Roary the Racing Car 10:35 The Milkshake! Show 11:00 Animal Rescue Squad 11:15 Meerkat Manor 11:45 The Gadget Show: World Tour 12:45 Police Interceptors 13:45 War Hero in My Family 14:45 Major Dundee 17:10 Return of the Magnificent Seven 19:00 5 News Weekend 19:05 Ben Hur 22:30 CSI: NY 23:30 Live Boxing

37

The Courier Sunday TV

May 13

07:10 Charlie and Lola 00:35 Have I Got a Bit More News for You 01:20 Things to Do before You're 30 02:55 Weatherview 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 Breakfast 10:00 The Andrew Marr Show 11:00 The Big Questions 12:00 Sunday Politics 13:10 Formula One 16:15 Tiger - Spy in the Jungle 17:15 Points of View 17:30 Final Score 18:25 Songs of Praise 19:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 19:25 Countryfile 20:25 The Voice UK 21:00 Planet Earth Live 22:00 Death in Paradise 23:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 23:25 Match of the Day

01:35 Carry On England 03:00 Close 07:00 Wibbly Pig

07:20 Timmy Time 01:25 The Store 03:30 In Plain Sight 07:45 Pinky Dinky Doo 04:15 ITV Nightscreen 08:00 Extreme Animals 06:30 ITV Morning News 07:00 Mini CITV 08:30 Dennis and Gnasher 08:25 CITV 08:40 The Owl 09:25 Dinner Date 09:05 Scoop 10:25 ITV News 10:30 Ade in Britain 09:30 Wingin' It 11:30 May the Best House Win 09:50 Shaun the Sheep 12:30 The Cube 10:00 Friday Download 13:25 ITV News and Weather 11:00 Saturday Kitchen Best Bites 13:34 Meridian Weather 13:35 Dickinson's Real Deal 12:30 Great British Menu 14:30 Murder, She Wrote 13:00 Put Your Money Where Your 15:30 Columbo: Last Salute to the Mouth Is Commodore 13:45 North West Frontier 17:30 The Hungry Sailors 18:30 You've Been Framed!

15:50 Live Challenge Cup Rugby 19:00 Meridian News and Weather League 19:15 ITV News and Weather 18:15 Formula 1 19:30 All Star Family Fortunes 19:00 BBC Young Musician 2012 20:30 Emmerdale 21:00 Vera 21:00 Indian Ocean with Simon 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather Reeve 23:14 Meridian Weather 22:00 Coast 23:15 David Jason's Greatest 23:00 The Lost World of the Seventies Escapes 07:35 Chuggington

THE BONE COLLECTOR Crime thriller starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. When a serial killer starts terrorising New York, a paralysed forensic expert and a rookie female cop join forces to interpret the cryptic clues he leaves at the scene of his crimes.

01:00 02:00 02:45 05:05 05:45 06:30 07:10 07:15 07:40 08:05 09:05 09:30 09:55 10:30 11:00 13:10 13:40 14:10 14:40 15:10 17:25 18:25 19:25 19:55 20:00 21:00 23:35

Rude Tube Stand Up for the Week The Fisher King Smallville St Elsewhere Countdown Sali Mali The Hoobs The Hoobs FIA GT1 World Championship Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Sunday Brunch The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Simpsons The Simpsons Runaway Bride Deal or No Deal Time Team Channel 4 News 4thought.tv Celebrity Deal or No Deal New Moon Because I Said So

01:00 SuperCasino 05:00 Great Artists 05:25 Great Artists 05:50 County Secrets 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 Roary the Racing Car 07:15 Fifi and the Flowertots 07:25 City of Friends 07:35 Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs 07:50 Castle Farm 07:55 Abby's Flying Fairy School 08:05 Roobarb and Custard Too 08:10 Bananas in Pyjamas 08:25 Family!

08:30 Noddy in Toyland 08:45 Milkshake! Monkey 08:50 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 08:55 Little Princess 09:05 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 09:20 Angelina Ballerina 09:35 Rupert Bear 09:50 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:10 The Mr Men Show 10:20 Roary the Racing Car 10:35 The Milkshake! Show 11:00 Zoo Days 11:05 Grey's Anatomy 12:00 The Restaurant Inspector 13:00 Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed 14:45 Miss Congeniality 16:55 Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment 18:35 The Witches 20:35 Ultimate Police Interceptors 21:00 Once Upon a Time 22:00 World's 22:55 5 News 23:00 The Bone Collector

38

The Courier Monday TV

May 14

00:55 02:15 02:20 03:20 04:20 05:05 05:30 06:00 06:30 06:45 07:00 10:15 11:00 11:58 12:00 12:30 13:13 13:15 14:00 14:30 14:45 15:15 16:00 16:05 16:35 17:00 17:30 Magic 18:00 18:15 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00 23:25 23:35

Perfect Creature Weatherview Empire Holby City Antiques Road Trip Newsday HARDtalk BBC News World Business Report BBC News Breakfast Heir Hunters Homes Under the Hammer BBC News; Weather Robbed, Raided, Reunited Cash in the Attic BBC News; Weather Bargain Hunt BBC News; Weather Regional News and Weather Doctors Escape to the Country BBC News; Weather Dick & Dom Go Wild Deadly 60 Bites Copycats Help! My Supply Teacher Is Newsround Pointless BBC News Regional News Programmes The One Show BBC News; Regional News EastEnders Panorama Chatsworth BBC News Regional News and Weather A Question of Sport

00:00 Episodes 00:30 Grandma's House 01:00 Ae Fond Kiss..

02:40 From the Killing to Borgen: The Danish Secret of Success 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 Newsday 05:15 Close 07:00 Wibbly Pig 07:10 Charlie and Lola

07:20 Timmy Time 07:35 Chuggington 07:45 Dipdap 07:50 Pinky Dinky Doo 08:00 Roar 08:30 League of Super Evil 08:30 Leon 08:45 Frankenstein's Cat 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Ed and Oucho's Excellent Inventions 09:30 Nina and the Neurons Go Eco 09:45 Big City Park 10:00 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:10 Little Charley Bear 10:25 Driver Dan's Story Train 10:35 Bob the Builder: Ready, Steady, Build!

10:45 The Koala Brothers 10:55 Iconicles 11:20 Woolly & Tig 11:25 64 Zoo Lane 11:40 Waybuloo 12:00 In the Night Garden 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Nature's Top 40 14:30 Instant Restaurant 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Wanted Down Under 16:45 Hairy Bikers' Best of British 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Antiques Road Trip 20:30 Great British Menu 21:00 The Money Programme 22:00 The 70s 23:00 Sounds of the 70s 2 23:30 Weather 23:30 Newsnight

00:15 Premiership Rugby Union 01:10 The Store 03:15 British Superbike Championship Highlights 04:05 Motorsport UK 04:55 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 60 Minute Makeover 16:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 Rosemary & Thyme 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 The Dales 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 56 Up 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 The Interpreter

56 UP New series. Nearly 50 years since viewers first met a group of British seven-year-olds in Granada TV's 7 Up documentary, Michael Apted returns with another update to find out how their lives have changed. Now in their mid-50s, the participants - who include Andrew, Bruce, Jackie, Lynn, Neil, Paul, Sue, Symon and Tony - discuss the highs and lows of getting older, reveal whether they have achieved their ambitions and reflect on their appearances in previous instalments of the landmark series.

01:25 Uski Roti 03:20 The Birthday 03:35 Hollyoaks 05:35 Deal or No Deal 06:30 Countdown 07:15 The Hoobs 07:40 The Hoobs 08:05 Freshly Squeezed 08:35 According to Jim 09:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 10:00 The Secret Millionaire 11:00 Location, Location, Location 12:00 The Restoration Man 13:00 Channel 4 News Midday Summary 13:05 River Cottage Bites 13:20 Glamour Puds 13:50 Escape to Athena 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Dispatches 22:00 The Secret Millionaire 23:00 Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA

01:20 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 02:15 SuperCasino 05:00 The FBI Files 05:50 Rough Guide to Beaches 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 The WotWots 07:20 City of Friends 07:35 Jelly Jamm 07:45 Mio Mao 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 Castle Farm 08:00 Little Princess 08:15 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:25 The Mr Men Show 08:40 Thomas & Friends 08:50 Make Way for Noddy 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:20 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:30 Roary the Racing Car 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 09:55 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 10:00 Olivia 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Highland Emergency 13:45 Mexican Food Made Simple 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 The Mentalist 16:15 Desperate Escape 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News at 6.30 20:00 World's 21:00 The Gadget Show: World Tour 22:00 Robson's Extreme Fishing Challenge 23:00 The Walking Dead

39

The Courier Tuesday TV

May 15

00:05 The Graham Norton Show 00:50 Dan in Real Life 02:25 Weatherview 02:30 Our Food 03:30 Super Smart Animals 04:30 Antiques Road Trip 05:15 Great British Railway Journeys 05:45 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Heir Hunters 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 Robbed, Raided, Reunited 12:30 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 Escape to the Country 16:00 BBC News; Weather.

16:05 Dick & Dom Go Wild 16:35 Lockie Leonard 17:00 Copycats 17:30 Who Let the Dogs Out? 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Weather 20:00 The One Show 20:30 EastEnders 21:00 Holby City 22:00 Silk 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 The Matt Lucas Awards

06:40 Ask Lara 07:00 Wibbly Pig 07:10 Charlie and Lola 07:20 Timmy Time 07:35 Chuggington 07:45 Dipdap 07:50 Pinky Dinky Doo 08:00 Roar 08:30 Leon 08:30 League of Super Evil 08:45 Frankenstein's Cat 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Ed and Oucho's Excellent Inventions 09:30 Nina and the Neurons Go Eco 09:45 Big City Park 10:00 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:10 Little Charley Bear 10:25 Driver Dan's Story Train 10:35 Bob the Builder: Ready, Steady, Build!

10:45 The Koala Brothers 10:55 Iconicles 11:20 Woolly & Tig 11:25 64 Zoo Lane 11:40 Waybuloo 12:00 In the Night Garden 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Nature's Top 40 14:30 Instant Restaurant 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Wanted Down Under 16:45 Hairy Bikers' Best of British 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Antiques Road Trip 20:30 Great British Menu 21:00 The Town Taking on China 22:00 Great Ormond Street 23:00 Later Live - with Jools Holland 23:30 Weather

01:55 ITV News Headlines 04:00 Champions League Weekly 04:25 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 60 Minute Makeover 16:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 Rosemary & Thyme 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Countrywise Kitchen 21:00 Martin Clunes - Horsepower 22:00 Dirty Britain 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 Celebrity Juice

HIDDEN TALENT 00:20 01:20 01:30 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30 04:45 05:00 06:00 06:15 06:25

This World BBC News HARDtalk Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Life Stories Life Stories Ask Lara Ask Lara

Charity contracts manager Jayson Khun-Dkar is astonished to learn he could be a potentially gifted opera singer - despite not being able to read music.

Musical director Stuart Barr and vocal coach Joy Mammen help Jayson hone his raw talent, before he auditions for a production of La Boheme after only five months of training. Elsewhere, science teacher Adele Rhea is identified as having a natural aptitude for navigation, though she admits to often getting lost in the country lanes near her home

00:00 8 Out of 10 Cats Uncut 00:50 Random Acts 00:55 Road, Movie 02:40 Peggy Sue Got Married 04:25 F2.8 04:45 St Elsewhere 05:35 Smallville 06:15 Deal or No Deal 07:10 Sali Mali 07:15 The Hoobs 07:40 The Hoobs 08:05 Freshly Squeezed 08:35 According to Jim 09:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 10:00 The Secret Millionaire 11:00 Location, Location, Location 12:00 The Restoration Man 13:00 Channel 4 News Midday Summary 13:05 River Cottage 13:20 Glamour Puds 13:55 The Professionals 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Embarrassing Bodies: Live from the Clinic 22:00 Hidden Talent 23:00 Sex, Lies and Rinsing Guys

00:25 Quarantine 02:05 SuperCasino 04:55 House Doctor 05:20 HouseBusters 05:45 HouseBusters 06:10 Wildlife SOS 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 The WotWots 07:20 City of Friends 07:35 Jelly Jamm 07:45 Mio Mao 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 Castle Farm 08:00 Little Princess 08:15 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:25 The Mr Men Show 08:40 Thomas & Friends 08:50 Make Way for Noddy 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:20 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:30 Roary the Racing Car 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 09:55 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 10:00 Olivia 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Highland Emergency 13:45 Mexican Food Made Simple 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 Law & Order 16:15 Sacrifices of the Heart 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News at 6.30 20:00 Dirty Great Machines 21:00 War Hero in My Family 22:00 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 23:00 CSI: NY

40

The Courier Wednesday TV

May 16

00:10 Kevin Bridges: What's the Story?

00:40 The Estate 01:10 Weatherview 01:15 The Apprentice 02:15 Super Smart Animals 03:15 Horizon 04:15 Great British Railway Journeys 04:45 Antiques Road Trip 05:30 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Heir Hunters 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 Robbed, Raided, Reunited 12:30 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 Escape to the Country 16:00 BBC News; Weather 16:05 Dick & Dom Go Wild 16:35 Deadly 60 Bites 17:00 Copycats 17:30 HH: Gory Games 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Regional News Programmes 20:00 The One Show 20:30 Planet Earth Live 21:00 DIY SOS: The Big Build 22:00 The Apprentice 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 The National Lottery Wednesday Night Draws 23:45 Cast Away

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

The 70s BBC News HARDtalk Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report

04:45 Sport Today 04:55 Ask Lara 07:00 Wibbly Pig 07:10 Charlie and Lola 07:20 Timmy Time 07:35 Chuggington 07:45 Dipdap 07:50 Pinky Dinky Doo 08:00 Roar 08:30 League of Super Evil 08:45 Frankenstein's Cat 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Ed and Oucho's Excellent Inventions 09:30 Nina and the Neurons Go Eco 09:45 Big City Park 10:00 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:10 Little Charley Bear 10:25 Driver Dan's Story Train 10:35 Bob the Builder: Ready, Steady, Build!

10:45 The Koala Brothers 10:55 Iconicles 11:20 Woolly & Tig 11:25 64 Zoo Lane 11:40 Waybuloo 12:00 In the Night Garden 12:30 Daily Politics 14:00 See Hear 14:30 Instant Restaurant 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Wanted Down Under 16:45 Hairy Bikers' Best of British 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Antiques Road Trip 20:30 Great British Menu 21:00 Antiques Uncovered 22:00 Felicity Kendal's Indian Shakespeare Quest 23:00 The Apprentice: You're Fired 23:30 Newsnight

00:20 Nature's Fury: Hurricane 01:15 ITV News Headlines 04:00 Loose Women 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 60 Minute Makeover 16:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 Rosemary & Thyme 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 The Unforgettable 21:00 Lewis 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 My Dad Is a Woman

SECRET EATERS New series. Anna Richardson puts overweight families under 24-hour surveillance to scrutinise their eating habits, highlighting the compulsive snacking and mindless munching that means they will never win the battle of the bulge. Brother and sister Stuart Raphel and Jill Hamill from the Wirral are the first in the spotlight, with cameras set up in their fridges, shopping trolleys, cars and cupboards, while two private investigators follow their every step - and every mouthful.

00:05 Alan Carr: Chatty Man 01:10 Random Acts 01:15 Poker 02:20 KOTV Boxing Weekly 02:45 Sailing 03:10 The Grid 03:40 European Rallycross 04:05 FIA GT1 World Championship 05:00 FIM World Superbikes 05:25 Road to London 2012: Paralympics Extra 06:20 Deal or No Deal 07:15 The Hoobs 07:40 The Hoobs 08:05 Freshly Squeezed 08:35 According to Jim 09:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 10:00 The Secret Millionaire 11:00 Location, Location, Location 12:00 The Restoration Man 13:00 Channel 4 News Midday Summary 13:05 SuperScrimpers 14:05 Channel 4 Racing 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Secret Eaters 22:00 24 Hours in A&E 23:00 The Killing 23:55 2 Broke Girls

00:00 CSI: NY 01:00 CSI: Miami 01:55 SuperCasino 04:55 House Doctor 05:20 HouseBusters 05:45 HouseBusters 06:10 Wildlife SOS 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 The WotWots 07:20 City of Friends 07:35 Jelly Jamm 07:45 Mio Mao 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 Castle Farm 08:00 Little Princess 08:15 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:25 The Mr Men Show 08:40 Thomas & Friends 08:50 Make Way for Noddy 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:20 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:30 Roary the Racing Car 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 09:55 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 10:00 Olivia 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Highland Emergency 13:45 Mexican Food Made Simple 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 Law & Order 16:15 Defending Our Kids: the Julie Posey Story 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News at 6.30 20:00 The Gadget Show: World Tour 21:00 Emergency Bikers 22:00 NCIS 23:00 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 23:55 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

41

The Courier Thursday TV

May 17

02:00 Weatherview 02:05 See Hear 02:35 The 70s 03:35 Great Ormond Street 04:35 Chaplains: Angels of Mersey 05:05 Great British Railway Journeys 05:35 Panorama 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Heir Hunters 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 Robbed, Raided, Reunited 12:30 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 Escape to the Country 16:00 BBC News; Weather.

16:05 Dick & Dom Go Wild 16:35 Lockie Leonard 17:00 Copycats 17:30 Young Dracula 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Regional News Programmes 20:00 The One Show 20:30 BBC News; Regional News 21:00 Planet Earth Live 22:00 New Tricks 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather

07:35 Chuggington 07:45 Dipdap 07:50 Pinky Dinky Doo 08:00 Roar 08:30 League of Super Evil 08:45 Frankenstein's Cat 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Ed and Oucho's Excellent Inventions 09:30 Nina and the Neurons Go Eco 09:45 Big City Park 10:00 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:10 Little Charley Bear 10:25 Driver Dan's Story Train 10:35 Bob the Builder: Ready, Steady, Build!

10:45 The Koala Brothers 10:55 Iconicles 11:20 Woolly & Tig 11:25 64 Zoo Lane 11:40 Waybuloo 12:00 In the Night Garden 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Nature's Top 40 14:30 Instant Restaurant 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Wanted Down Under 16:45 Hairy Bikers' Best of British 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 London 2012: The Olympic Flame Handover 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Antiques Road Trip 20:30 Great British Menu 21:00 Two Greedy Italians 22:00 The Great Euro Crash with Robert Peston 23:00 Grandma's House 23:30 Weather 23:30 Newsnight

00:35 Total Emergency 01:30 ITV News Headlines 03:30 All Creatures Great and Small 05:00 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 60 Minute Makeover 16:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 Rosemary & Thyme 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Tonight 21:00 Emmerdale 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Long Lost Family 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 Piers Morgan's Life Stories

SNATCH 00:20 01:20 01:30 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:20 07:00 07:10 07:20

The Town Taking on China BBC News HARDtalk Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Ask Lara Wibbly Pig Charlie and Lola Timmy Time

Comedy crime drama starring Brad Pitt, Jason Statham and Benicio Del Toro. In Antwerp, jewel thief Franky Four Fingers steals a huge diamond, but before he can deliver it to his New York boss he is ambushed in London by a Russian mobster's henchmen. Elsewhere in the capital, crimelord Brick Top demands that Irish boxer Mickey One Punch take a dive in an unlicensed fight. When Brick Top joins the hunt for the missing gem, mayhem ensues.

00:30 Desperate Housewives 01:30 Random Acts 01:35 Great Escape Festival 2012 02:05 Spotlight 02:20 4Play 02:30 4Play 02:45 Mercury Prize Sessions 03:00 Launched at Red Bull Studios 03:10 The Crush 04:05 Smallville 04:50 St Elsewhere 05:35 Deal or No Deal 06:30 Countdown 07:15 The Hoobs 07:40 The Hoobs 08:05 Freshly Squeezed 08:35 According to Jim 09:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 10:00 The Secret Millionaire 11:00 Location, Location, Location 12:00 The Restoration Man 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 SuperScrimpers 14:05 Channel 4 Racing 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 22:00 The Hoarder Next Door 23:00 24 Hours in A&E 23:55 Law & Order: Criminal Intent

00:55 Poker: The Big Game 01:55 SuperCasino 04:55 House Doctor 05:20 HouseBusters 05:45 HouseBusters 06:10 Wildlife SOS 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 The WotWots 07:20 City of Friends 07:35 Jelly Jamm 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 Castle Farm 07:55 Little Princess 08:10 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Make Way for Noddy 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 Olivia 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Highland Emergency 13:45 Mexican Food Made Simple 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 Law & Order 16:15 I Dream of Murder 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News at 6.30 20:00 Cricket on Five 21:00 World's 22:00 The Restaurant Inspector 23.00 Snatch

42

Friday, May 11, 2012

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Call us on 966 923 963 for your first consultation free of charge.

BOATS 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.c om / www.serenitysailing. com

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

Evangelical non-denominational church. Sunday services 11am.

Children's church 11am. House groups in Torrevieja, Los Balcones, San Javier. Ladies meeting Thursdays 11am. Craft club, Tuesdays, 2pm.

Pastor, Rafael Restrepo. All nationalities welcome. Call 966 799 273 or 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:2009-SG/A

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PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Viva Villa and Vacation Services, For Short or Long Term Rentals visit: www.villaandvacation.com or Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 TipTop Villa Care, for all your property needs. Meet and Greets.

Cleaning.

Holiday and Long Term Rentals. Advertising. Baby Equipment Hire. www.tiptopvillacare.com e-mail linda@tiptopvillacare .com Tel 667848582 (60)

LONG TERM RENTALS ROLDAN UNFURNISHED DETACHED VILLA 3 Bedroom 2 bathroom Community POOL 525€/mth plus Bills Tele. Linda

667848584 (61) ROLDAN FURNISHED DETACHED VILLA opposite Park 3 Bedroom 2 bathroom Community POOL 525€/mth plus Bills Tele. Linda 667848584 (61) LOMAS DEL RAME LARGE PLOT LARGER THAN AVERAGE VILLA 3 Bedroom or 2 Bedroom /OFFICE 2 bathroom 600€/mth plus Bills Tele.

Linda 667848584 (61) EL CARMOLI 3 Bedroom 2 bathroom LARGE REAR and FRONT TERRACES Tele. Linda 667848584 (61)

PROPERTY FOR RENT Viva Villa and Vacation Services, For Short or Long Term Rentals visit: www.villaandvacation.com 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 33, Ground floor spacious 2 bedroom apartment, located in Torre la Mata.

Close to all amenities and beach.

3 month rental €300pcm 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: 78, Three Bedroom Quad house in Jarden Del Mar. Close to all amenities, bars, shops, restaurants. €425pcm 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

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43

Friday, May 11, 2012 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 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: 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: 61, A lovely two bedroomed ground floor 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 Ref: 104, 2 Bedroom apartment in Torrevieja, (near gypsy lane), small balcony, near all amenities and Friday market. €350pcm Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref 702: Beautiful 2 bedroom apartment, located near los Locos beach, beautifully furnished. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397

PROPERTY FOR SALE Excellent cover for your house and home, includes travel assistance for when you go away. Interesting prices for expats; policies available in English or

German. Call 966 923 963 for a quote EL CARMOLI STUNNING VILLA with Private Pool Large Corner Plot REDUCED BY 100,000€ NOW 249,750 MUST BE SEEN (61) HOUSE FOR SALE 3-Bed, 2-Bath, Detached Villa near Algorfa and Golf Course.

Pristine condition, fully furnished. Too many extras to mention, must be seen. €169,000 Tel: 966 844 490 (64) Lovely Corner property in Novamar V, Gran Alacant. 2 bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms Being sold fully furnished including appliances, Has secure underground parking and faces large oasis communal pool. Walking distance to beach. 139.000 Euros, Call 627 711 155 and quote Ref No. K10 Ground floor duplex, with splendid views. Quiet location in Gran Alacant.

Immaculate condition. Price has just been reduced to 105.000 and includes everything. For viewing call 627 711 155 Ref. No K27 Rare opportunity to purchase on Mediterrania III, Gran Alacant. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Private Parking, F/Furnished, Large communal pools & Tennis courts S/W facing, Dramatically reduced for quick sale to 126.000 euros.

Ref No. K58 Call 627 711 155 for immediate viewing Don Pueblo, Gran Alacant. 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, Large Kitchen with Galleria, Secure underground parking, Gas Central Heating, Glazed in Porch, Solarium with stunning views.

Viewings absolutely essential. Very large property at reduced price of 190.000 euros. Ref No. K38 Call 627 711 155 Opportunity to purchase at the off plan price of 195.000 euros. Large 4 Bed, 3 Bath Brand new property. Secure underground parking for 2 cars and communal pool.

Situated opposite Gran Alacant and over looks projected golf course. Ref No. K52. 627 711 155 2 Bed, 1 Bath Ground floor

DAMP PROOFING

duplex. Central heating, Grills, Fully furnished, Glazed in Galleria, 2 communal pools, private parking and walking distance to the Gran Alacant commercial centre. Situated in the popular urbanisation of Puerto Marino. Now only 96,500 euros for quick sale Ref No. K46. 627 711 155 Immaculate ground floor Duplex, 2 beds, 2 bath, Private Parking, Situated in Novamar, Gran Alacant.

Price includes very tasteful furniture and white goods.

Walking distance to all local amenities and beach. Now only 129,750 euros. Ref No K24. 627 711 155 Gran Alacant Detached villa, located in a very sought after location.Situated on a 560m2 S/W facing plot and constructed in 2005.

Comprising of 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (2 full baths), Lounge-Diner, fully equipped Kitchen, Porch and Solarium with Alicante & Sea Views. ref.L81. €258,000 neg.

Tel. 680333242 Gran Alacant villa located in a very quiet area , situated at the end of a cul-de-sac means there is no through traffic.3 bed, 3 bath, 330m2 plot, established large gardens, working fireplace, solar panel for hot water,private parking, south facing great views, fully furnished, fantastic opportunity. ref.

L85. €215,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant Opportunity to purchase a beautiful 3 bedroomed, 3 bathroomed,large kitchen, detached property with roof- top solarium. Well established gardens and drive way for 2 cars, whilst also overlooking the projected 18 hole golf course.

Comprising of fitted wardrobes, utility room, air con H/C, alarm system, electric wall heaters, intercom system, fireplace, ceilings fans, 8x7 gazebo, use of 2 large communal pools, immaculate condition with many extras. ref K12. €180,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant bargain, detached villa with pool on 400m2 plot. Briefly comprising of 3 bedrooms, 3 bath-

ENERGY SAVER

ELECTRICIAN

FISHING

rooms, Lounge Diner, independent kitchen, solarium with views, well maintained gardens. Quiet location yet within walking distance of all amenities. Top quality furniture and appliances included in the price. Extras include, mosquito nets, grills, toldos blinds, built in wardrobes, gas fire, electric heating, ceiling fans, English & Spanish TV, tastefully tiled & graveled garden with irrigation system. ref K43. €229,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant Gem! Fabulous detached Villa, with Alicante sea views to the front and wood land views to the rear, means this immaculate villa is very private and un-overlooked.

Comprising of 2 large bedrooms with fitted wardrobes, 2 bath, large fully equipped kitchen,glazed porch sitting area, solarium, Attractive Pool with cover, well maintained Gardens. Central Heating, Air Con, Ceiling fans, Private Parking, Alarm system, Decorative working Fire Place complete with electric Fire. Outdoor workshop/storage area, Quality Pergola & BBQ. Constructed in 2006, on plot size of 380m2 and being sold fully furnished including white goods. ref L80. €234,995 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant immaculate villa, 3 bedroomed, 3 bathroomed property maintained to a very high standard inside and out and the interior furnishings are top quality, offering a feeling of luxury and good taste. The plot size is 400m2 and has been beautifully tiles, and graveled and has established palms and plants. Oil fired central heating throughout, log effect fire place, ceiling fans in all rooms, towel heater rails, glazed in shower units, instant hot water, water purifier, free English TV, phone & internet lines, fitted double hanging wardrobes, safe, glazed in front porch, vanity units and much more. The pool is an 8 X 4 m2 salt water pool, meaning maintenance is much easier plus outside toilet and shower. Sea views

to front with Greenland views to the rear. ref K51. €245,000 Tel 680333242 Top floor Duplex. Very good price of 108.000 euros for a quick sale. Furnished to a very high standard, 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, Lounge Diner, Glazed in Porch, Large Roof Top Solarium.

Choice of Communal Pools, Private Parking. Walking distance to all amenities and on the First urbanisation as you enter Gran Alacant.

Viewing essential. Ref No. K44. Tel. 627 711 155 Beach front Line property, over looks Carabassi Beach, Gran Alacant. 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Secure Underground Parking, Fully furnished, Roof Top Solarium. 3 Large Communal Pools, Fantastic communal Gardens, Tennis Courts and much more.

125.000 Euros Ref No. K23.

Tel. 627 711 155 Gran Alacant Town House with a difference.

2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Glazed in Porch, Quiet Location, Extra storage areas, and South Facing Private Pool as well as 2 communal pools. Fully Furnished, All mod cons.

Greenland Views and all

HOT TUBS/SPAS

local amenities close by.

Ref. No L79. 179.000 euros 680 333 242 Gran Alacant south-facing, very private villa, with woodland and Alicante views.

Situated at the end of a small cul-de-sac which means this villa enjoys a very peaceful location.3 Bedrooms with fitted wardrobes, 3 Bathrooms, lounge-diner with working fireplace, fully fitted kitchen with including white goods, large front porch, solarium,workshop and storage in under build, central heating, air con H/C, ceiling fans, grills, UK T.V, off road parking and plenty of outside parking also. Due to its orientation of this property enjoys full sun, all day, something very important in the winter months. Ref.K24. €237,000 Tel 680333242 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

INTERIOR DESIGN

EURO COAT PAINTING SERVICE

FANCY DRESS

HEARING AIDS

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Friday, May 11, 2012

Gran Alacant detached villa with converted under build and pool. Comprising of 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, Lounge- Diner, Front Porch, Large Solarium, decoratively tiled, Irrigated Garden.

BBQ and Log Storage Cupboard. Raised walls for Privacy. Also many extras, toldos blinds, freshly decorated interior, Grills, Mosquito Nets, Air Con H/C, Ceiling Fans, Log Burner Fire, Electric Radiators, Heated Towel Rails, Alarmed, Phone Line, Satellite UK TV, private parking. Plot size 310m2 under build 100m2. price includes all furniture.The under build consists of 2 beds, lounge, kit/utility room. ref L79. €250,000 Tel. 680333242 Gran Alacant beautiful detached villa with very large pool and within walking distance to the Gran Alacant Commercial Centre.

This villa comprised of 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, lounge-diner, Independent kitchen, roof top storage, solarium, porch & terrace.

Large private pool, BBQ area, established gardens and private terraces, Private Parking, Solarium with Views to Alicante. 450m2 plot, fully furnished including white goods. Located in very quiet desirable road. ref.L96. €255,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant large detached villa with 3 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, lounge-diner, fully equipped kitchen, large porch, roof top solarium, 400 m2 Plot, with established low maintenance very private gardens with irrigation system, electronic gates, private parking, outside wc, sink & shower, terraces, air con ( h & c ), mosquito nets, grills, alarmed, large spa pool with separate Jacuzzi section.

LOCKSMITH

Within easy walking distance to Gran Alacant commercial centre and close to local bus and tram route.

Ref K33. €260,000 neg Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant limited edition villa, not very often available on the market. Only a few of this type were ever constructed- Very large 5 bedrooms, 4 bathroom(2 ensuit) property, situated on a large corner plot with a 10 x 5 private pool and private parking. Lounge-diner with working fireplace, fully equipped kitchen with utility room. Large landing area, leading onto solarium, with extra storage external room.

Front porch area leading into large well established gardens with irrigation system and fruit trees. Being sold fully furnished. Within walking distance to Gran Alacant commercial centre and 5 minute drive to Carabassi beaches. ref.

K11. €270,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant Limited edition bungalow. Only six of this type available in Gran Alacant. Constructed in 2003 and immaculately maintained on a large plot size of 500m2 with a 10 x 5 pool.Comprising of 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, lounge-diner leading out onto front porch, independent kitchen including white goods, outside galleria, court yard, large garage with electric door, roof top solarium and private parking. Also built in wardrobes, Toldos blinds, air con H/C, security

MASSAGE

grills, alarm, security doors, bathrooms heaters, outside toilet, outdoor lighting, irrigation system, attractive and well kept gardens, beautifully tiled inside and out, fire place, English TV, phone line. Being sold with top quality furniture. ref L95. €275,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant immaculate outstanding south facing villa in sought after road. Set on a 350m2 plot with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths,large porch, solarium and terraces. The large under build includes a lounge, kitchen, bedrooms, bathroom and patio doors leading to pool area. Internal & external access for under build. Extras include electric radiators, air con H/C, ceiling fans, gas fire, heated towel rails, extended walk-in shower, fitted wardrobes.

Decorative tiling inside and out.

Panoramic views towards Alicante Bay, Sky TV, phone line and Internet & Private parking, established gardens, water features and fruit trees. Being sold with exquisite furniture and all white goods.

Immaculate finishes and decor. ref L84. €278,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant South facing attractive corner house Situated in the sought after urbanization of Monte Faro, this secure gated urbanization offers a stunning oasis pool, with mountain views, tennis courts and football courts. Consisting of 3 double beds with balconies, 2 bathrooms, kitchen leading onto court yard which can easily be converted into an

PET TRANSPORT

extra room, lounge diner with working fireplace, front garden with private parking for 2 cars. Being sold fully furnishes with white goods, built in 2006 so immaculate condition hardly lived in. Ref K48 €168,000 priced for quick sale Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant South facing attractive corner house Situated in the sought after urbanization of Monte Faro, this secure gated urbanization offers a stunning oasis pool, with mountain views, tennis courts and football courts. Consisting of 3 double beds with balconies, 2 bathrooms, kitchen leading onto court yard which can easily be converted into an extra room, lounge diner with working fireplace, front garden with private parking for 2 cars. Being sold fully furnishes with white goods, built in 2006 so immaculate condition hardly lived in. Ref K48 €168,000 priced for quick sale Tel 680333242 Balsares is opposite Gran Alacant where the proposed golf course is now being started so this property will virtually be on the golf course, it is an investment not to be missed. The property is on a small gated urbanisation of 18 houses with private underground parking for 2 cars and direct access to the house, communal pool and toilets/changing rooms etc.

The house is brand new and consists of 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, lounge with working fire place, large kitchen 12 m2, large galleria/ utility room, bedroom balcony and front tiled terrace. This property also has

a converted under build for an extra lounge or bedroom. ref K52 € 198,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant, this mid terraced Puerto marino townhouse has been priced low purely for a quick sale.

Briefly comprising of: 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Lounge-Diner, Independent Kitchen with Galleria, Porch area, Front tiled garden, Private gated Parking & the use of 2 large communal pools Ref. K22 €123,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant, Situated front line to the famous blue flag beaches of Carabassi, the real beauty of this property is its proximity to the beach, but also on offer is a fantastic communal pool situated in beautifully kept gardens with little Spanish walk ways.Comprising of 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, lounge diner, American style kitchen including all appliances, roof top solarium with stunning views, front porch area with front garden and a secure underground garage. fully furnished Ref. K23 €125,000 rare opportunity Tel 680333242

PERSONAL

PLASTERER

PAVING

MOBILE GARAGE SERVICES

MOBILE CAR REPAIRS

NEWS AGENTS PLUMBERS

PETS

PEST CONTROL

PARTY PLANNING

Recovery & Breakdown Services

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Friday, May 11, 2012 Gran Alacant, Situated in the "Alto" part of Gran Alacant, this 3 bedroomed, 4th floor apartment, offers luxury accommodation, with absolutely stunning sea views, as well as views of Alicante bay and the famous Santa Barbara Castle.The apartment is 89 square meters with open plan kitchen / living room and includes all electrical appliances & furniture also there is a utility room, open terrace, and private parking.

The urbanisation also offers many communal pools, tennis courts, restaurants and bars. Ref. K20 €109,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant, Large detached villa with beautiful gardens set on 550m2 plot, built in BBQ area and large 10x6 pool.Comprising of 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms,

RAG AND BONE MAN

REMOVALS

Lounge Diner with fire place, Independent Kitchen, air con H/C, Solarium, front porch, converted under build with 3 extra rooms, private covered parking, irrigated gardens, close distance to beach and amenities. Ref. K18 €250,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant, detached villa in desirable road close to all amenities, comprising of 3 double bedrooms, 3 baths, lounge diner with working fire place, brand new kitchen with all appliances and black granite work tops, private pool, plot of 550m2, established irrigated gardens and fruit trees, private parking, solarium, also there is a converted under build giving more bedrooms ,bathroom & kitchen, this house has many extras and is being sold fully furnished.

Ref.k47. €280,000 neg Tel 680333242 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: 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. Call: 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: 78, €120,000. Three bedroom Quad in Jardin Del Mar VII. There is off-road 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 Ref 532: 3 Bedroom Detached villa Located on the edge of a small spanish village with 3,800 sqm of landscaped gardents, Private Pool, Bargain €180,000 Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397

SATELLITES

SURVEYS

Ref 533: Lovley 2 bedroom Townhouse located in the popular area of Punta Prima, the property has a large lounge and fully equiped kitchen, 2 double bedrooms, one with balcony, bathroom with double shower. €126,000 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.

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46

Friday, May 11, 2012

Greenside Gossip IVIE DAVIES takes a weekly look at the golf scene - golfdavies@gmail.com

SWING SOMETHING SIMPLE

IT may be that you are contemplating the season with a new white Taylor Made or pink Ping driver.

Or, of course, maybe you’ve blown last month’s pension on a new set of clubs and are dreaming of the competitions you are going to win.

But isn’t it rather odd that despite the multi-billion dollar industry dedicated to making golfers better players, the huge majority have a 20-plus handicap?

To put it another way, I could hear Winston Churchill saying: “Never in the history of sporting endeavour has so much been devoted to so many with such little effect.’’

It may be that you are contemplating the season with a new white Taylor Made or pink Ping driver.

Or, of course, maybe you’ve blown last month’s pension on a new set of clubs and are dreaming of the competitions you are going to win.

But isn’t it rather odd that despite the multi-billion dollar industry dedicated to making golfers better players, the

Forget all the technical mumbojumbo and remember the words of the old Scots pro: ‘Just go up to the bloody thing and hit it’

TIP OF THE WEEK 1. Never smash a club over an opponent’s head.

You cannot replace it under the 14-club rule. huge majority have a 20-plus handicap?

To put it another way, I could hear Winston Churchill saying: “Never in the history of sporting endeavour has so much been devoted to so many with such little effect.’’

Today’s golfer has in his or her possession the largest amount of modern technology - but still embodies lots of problems. The crammed bag is an indication that underneath the Titleist cap the brain is also crammed with perplexing theory.

These days, advice is bombarding the golfer from every angle and source, and although there is a lot of it, it does not seem to be working.

Otherwise the Chinese would be better players than

they are, we would be able to play a fourball in less time than it takes to fly from Alicante to Manchester, and Butch Harman would be out of a job (well he is, isn’t he?).

One teaching Pro I know said to me the other day that he has to undo some of the things golfers read and see from well-known teaching gurus.

I watched the Golf Channel the other day, and boy the gadgets they came up with!

Even when I was watching the up and coming pros at the Europro Tour, they had gadgets that border on bondage.

Just imagine a woman with a balloon pinned between her arms and, even more disturbing, a beach ball gripped between her knees, trying to swing a golf club.

Now I am no prude but where I was brought up, they would be calling in the vice squad and asking the pupil to take counselling.

Now this is an exercise to enable the golfer to maintain correct posture at address.

Then there is the other teaching aid, swing tips.

When I was in Florida they sold you Flash Cards, which featured the main points to remember before you swung the club.

There were about 25 headings. That’s about 20 more than a 747 pilot has to concern himself about before he safely delivers 350 passengers and many tons of metal onto the runway at his destination.

So I started to think about all the advice I have had (about golf, silly) and absorbed over the years,

which I am supposed to be programmed with when I play.

There’s the grip - do not strangle the grip; imagine it is a pigeon in your hands, be gentle. Then the hands should be not too far away from the body.

I should imagine I am having a pee - that is where the hands should be (Two hands - I should be so lucky!)

Then there’s the angle of my posture, which should be as if I’m sitting on a bar stool looking over a fence.

The take away should be smooth and no jerking.

Imagine a bucket of water in your hands and take it back from the address position without spilling any. Or imagine a sheet of glass with your head through the centre.

This is the plane of the swing so you should not break the glass - that one has stuck with me like poo on a blanket.

Next is that at the top of the back swing, the head of the club should point at the target and the right leg should be rigid as though it

was enclosed in plaster.

There’s more. To facilitate a proper action in the down swing, transfer the weight from the rigid leg to the flaccid leg - at the same time pulling down on a rope as in bell ringing.

So there you have it!

Sitting on a bar stool looking over a fence while having a pee, with my head stuck through a pane of glass and my right leg in plaster, and I have yet to hit a ball!

If other human goings-on were dissected into individual movements and scrutinised in such detail, they would become much more difficult and not very enjoyable.

Just think of the consequences if any of these golfing gurus worked on the sexual act, breaking it down into sections and fed it back with their overloaded advice and drills.

The confusion as men and women struggled with weight transfer, the principles of torque, not to mention the clearing of the hip to allow the body to go through.

So when I go on the tee I clear my head of all the technical mumbo jumbo and just remember what an old Scottish Pro said: “Just go up to the bloody thing and hit it.”

It’s a ‘win some, lose some’ attitude, I grant you but it will slow down the process of making millionaires of the gurus and fools out of us.

Sami putts on style LO Romero Golf member Sami Papunen won the club’s first putting tournament on 2012 with a 2 under par score of 34 shots.

Second place went to James Stephens with 37 and third was Susan Benning with 38, won on count back.

A total of 30 players took part.

TITTER ON THE TEE A YOUNG married man gets home from his Saturday golf and takes a shower before joining his wife in bed.

His missus is looking over the sheets. The guy comes out of the shower and preens himself in front of the fullllength mirror.

He draws in his stomach and puffs out his chest and says: “Look at that, 12 stone of pure dynamite.”

His wife replies: “Yes, shame about the two-inch fuse!”

Crocked Puyol vows: I’ll be back

KEY defender Carlos Puyol is out of Spain’s European Championship campaign.

The Barcelona star will need an estimated six weeks to get over a knee operation - and 34-yearold Puyol admits that recovering in time for the tournament is "impossible".

However, he will not say farewell to La Furia Roja just yet.

"The rumours that I will retire from the national team? I want to retire on the pitch, not in

the operating room," Puyol said at a press conference.

"I was looking forward to playing my 100th game for Spain and to be at Euro 2012. I think it will very difficult to make the tournament, though.

Looking at the recovery time needed, it's impossible.

"However, I'm in good spirits. These things happen, although it's at a bad moment. I'm looking forward to starting the recovery process after the surgery.

"I want to go on for many more years. I always say five or six. I will take care of myself.

If I can make my 100th appearance for Spain later on, that's fine too."

Puyol made his official Spain debut in November 2000 in a friendly against the Netherlands.

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Friday, May 11, 2012

BLUE SWOON

IT'S twitchy bum weekend as the Premier League reaches its climax and nothing but victory is required if Manchester City are not to be left with egg all over their faces.

Make no mistake, if City do what is expected and see off the challenge of relegation fighters QPR at the Etihad, they will have thoroughly deserved their first title in 44 years. And Roberto Mancini should rightly be crowned Manager of the Year.

Their rivals Manchester United have a far tougher task at Sunderland, despite the fact that the Black Cats have nothing to play for but pride. United have had their chance, though, and blown it, particularly with those recent results against Wigan and Everton. So no excuses. The bottom line for them is "Must try harder!"

I do fear it will be United that will be left licking their wounds. Not because they have been mauled by the Cats but because City will put an emphatic stamp on their right to be champions.

The trick after that for City will be to go on and win more major trophies. With the money and squad they have

at their disposal that will be more than possible - but I do not think that one team will ever again dominate things as United have done for the last 20 years.

City's immediate future is assured but if their Arab owners fall out with Manchester City Council as they seek planning permission for all their other business plans on the land around the Etihad, it could spell disaster for the club. Councillors are not the brightest buttons in the box but like politicians they are driven by money and power so plenty of that there if they continue to go hand in hand with the Arabs.

The big problem for City as it would be for all the other clubs would be if a capping system were to be put on the import of foreign players. I for one would welcome such a move; not only would it open the doors again for more home-grown talent to come through, it would provide a truer test of a manager's abilities.

With a cap on imports, a manager would have to be far more selective and make sure he buys exactly the right type of player he needs at any given time.

Only a Cat-astrophe can halt City’s dream now And with the advent of the new FA centre at Burton in the Midlands, which is geared to nurturing our best young talent, there could be a push on from the powers that be to bring in such a capping system - albeit in the face of strong opposition from worldwide right-to-work groups!

Whatever happens, one player who will be on everyone's radar after his two-goal match-winning performance for Atletico Madrid in Wednesday night's Europa Cup final is Colombian striker Falcao.

He was simply superb and his industrious team-mate Diego not far behind.

Those two would be fantastic acquisitions for any team and it will take a King's ransom, which City have, to sign Falcao at least. They have links with the club, having signed Sergio Aguero from Atletico and that might help.

I just hope United show an interest too and more to the

point, the Glazers give them e n o u g h money to match any bid by their n o i s y neighbours.

Chelsea warm up for t h e i r European Champions League final showdown with Bayern Munich with the perfect game at home to relegated Blackburn Rovers.

With the pressure off now for Rovers, Chelsea will have to guard against any possible backlash, but to be honest I see more sting in a dead jellyfish than Rovers will be capable of at Stamford Bridge.

It is looking

Racist Messi made me mad LIONEL MESSI has been plunged into a racism row by controversial former Alicante star Royston Drenthe.

The volatile Dutchman claims Messi – who has just broken Barcelona’s alltime record by scoring 50 La Liga goals in a season – constantly taunted him about his colour during his time at Hercules.

Drenthe — now on loan to Everton from Real Madrid — said he was constantly taunted by Messi in Spain. And he added: “I played many times against

him and we always had problems with one another.

“You know what bothers me so much? That tone with which he always says, ‘negro, negro’. I understand that ‘negro’ is commonly used in South America. But we can’t stand it.”

Dutch international Drenthe also claimed Barcelona genius Messi did not shake his hand after a Hercules’ shock 2-0 win at the Nou Camp in September 2010..

He said: “I had a minor clash with Messi. He shook my hand before the game but during it he again said, ‘Hola negro’ to me a few times.

“I didn’t get a handshake from him afterwards. I don’t expect an invite to his birthday party.”

A source close to Messi — voted the world’s best by FIFA for the past three years — contacted a Spanish sports paper, which reported: “The player himself and those close to him do not understand why these quotes have come to light now, when the Dutchman left

increasingly like Tottenham Hotspur will clinch that fourth Champions League spot as they are home to Fulham while Newcastle United have a far trickier task away to Everton.

I do hope Newcastle end up with something, even though it might only be a Europa Cup place. Their manager Alan Pardew has worked wonders in turning a mediocre club into one now capable of challenging for a top four slot and must also be in the running for that Manager of the Year award.

His task now is to hang on to the likes of Cisse, Ba and the rest if they are to go on and maintain that massive improvement.

Finally, congratulations to Blackpool as they head for a rapid return to the Premier League and commiserations to the Championship play-off losers Birmingham and Cardiff.

West Ham v Blackpool should provide a cracking play-off final. But as we are all well aware, nerves and tension tend to dominate in these affairs with so much at stake. So let’s just hope for a goal or two rather than a gritty, badtempered affair.

MONTE HOME IN WITH SIX OF THE BEST CD Montesinos 6 Albaterense 3

Spain two years ago.

“Messi denies ever having insulted Drenthe as this is not his way and he has never behaved like that. He also calls on Drenthe to prove his accusations — if he has any proof.”

Drenthe scored four goals in 27 games for Everton but has been told to stay away from the club after a bust-up with manager David Moyes and is not expected back.

He also fell out of favour at Real Madrid and is now aiming to land a contract with Feyenoord in his home city, Rotterdam.

THERE was a party atmosphere at the Campo Municipal as CD Montesinos celebrated their final home game of the season with an exciting victory.

The town band played before, after and during the game, and the players came out with a banner (in Spanish and English) thanking the supporters for their support throughout the season.

Two goals from Macan and one a piece from Edu, Dimitry, Fernando and Chulo, meant the three points went Monte’s way and they ended the season unbeaten at home.

Monte’s final match is away to Rafal next weekend, and although promotion has not been achieved, it has still been a thoroughly entertaining and dramatic season. All that’s now left is the End of Season Players’ Presentation Dinner on Thursday May 17. Some tickets are still available for this event.

For additional information about CD Montesinos or their Internacional Supporters’ Club, The Full Monte, go to the website www.cdmontesinos.com, email thefullmonte2011@hotmail.com or phone 637 869 602.

HATS OFF TO SAMU

SAN FULGENCIO ended the season on a high – thrashing Benijofar 8-3 In their final home game. Man of the match Samu hit a hat-trick – including the first and the last – with the other goals coming from Jairo, Bonmati, Gary, Fernando and Libbi.

Friday, May 11, 2012

CHEL RAISER

48

Skipper Terry can inspire England to Euro glory, too JOHN TERRY is the only choice to lead England into the 2012 European Championships.

Any earlier decisions should be immediately rescinded, all talk of his poor form discarded to the rubbish bin and all true English football loving folk should get right behind Terry and the squad selected by Roy Hodgson.

Just to give the new man a helping hand ahead of his selection next Wednesday, I will now outline my 26 for the Euros preliminary squad - led by Terry with Rio Ferdinand alongside him.

I don't think there will be a problem for the two to continue playing together. They have done so reasonably successfully in the past and if one or two people want to jump on the politically-correct bandwagon and crucify Terry for one or two alleged observations about an opponent, I don't see why that should hinder his undoubted right to attempt to lead his country to glory, as he has his club.

How the criminal court will deal with the Anton Ferdinand affair is another matter.

If Rio does feel strongly about it, and to be fair it is his brother Terry is supposed to have racially abused, then leave him at home and pick someone else. Big

STEVE BOTT reports

boys should be able to stand a bit of name calling and if they can't they should take up origami or knitting instead.

We've all been called names and anyone with any bottle simply smiles back at their antagonist and gets on with it. If they persist, then deck ‘em and let the PC brigade sort that out!

Anyway, in goal I would have Joe Hart as my number one, backed up by Robert Green and, because he’s had plenty of practice with relegated Blackburn Rovers this season, Paul Robinson.

The defence would consist of Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Gary Cahill, Michael Dawson, Glenn Johnson, Micah Richards, Ashley Cole and Joleon Lescott and in midfield Aaron Lennon, Scott Parker, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Gareth Barry, Ashley Young, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner, Paul Scholes (after persuading him to come out of international retirement) and Adam Johnson.

Despite his ban, Wayne Rooney is a must pick up front in the hope that England at least make it through the group stage. And I would have Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe, Theo Walcott and Daniel Sturridge as the other forwards.

Carroll has come good at just the right time for England. His impact when he came on as a substitute for Liverpool in the FA Cup final against Chelsea was immediate and dynamic. He is simply the best we have if you are looking for a big, raw, hard, goalscor-

ing target man. Peter Crouch is good - a lanky, awkward handful. But Carroll is the real deal and goes for it at the sharp end for 90 minutes.

I would be tempted to partner him with Defoe, utilising Rooney's many talents just behind them. That would mean playing just three in either defence or midfield depending on the opposition. My midfield three would be Lennon, Parker and Young and the back four Richards, Terry, Ferdinand and Cole.

Cahill has shown his potential since moving to Chelsea after long being tipped as a contender while at Aston Villa and Bolton. He would be my choice to come in if there were injuries or suspensions affecting Terry or Ferdinand. He would also be in my threeman defence alongside Terry and Ferdinand.

A four-man midfield would consist of Lennon, Parker, Gerrard and Young.

I would love to see a Spain v England final. That would be a big step forward after falling at the quarter-final or semi-final stage in the major competitions for years. Whatever happens, I just hope everyone gets behind Hodgson and makes no reference to what Harry Redknapp might have done if he, as many people hoped, had been given the job.

England have got to be more than convincing in the group matches. No half measures and some emphatic scorelines in their favour are required. Then they can march on and try for the ultimate - a first big competition win in 46 years.