Costa Blanca Olive Press - Issue 3

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The Olive Press meets British art genius Mat Collishaw at his new exhibition

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HUNDREDS of new British residents have registered to live in Spain.

The number of registered UK nationals in Alicante has zoomed up despite the spectre of Brexit.

Around 3,000 more people were registered at the end of last year compared to 2017.

And the numbers are expected to have risen further over the last quarter, believe experts.

“I think many people are worried, so that has increased registrations,” Anne Hernandez, of support group Brexpats in Spain told the Olive Press.

“A lot of Brits are currently moving to Spain, because they don’t want to leave their dream move any longer.

“Some of them just say they ‘want to escape the UK’.”

Recession

By the end of 2018 there were 69,289 British nationals registered in Alicante province (In 2017 there were 66,397), the first growth since 2013.

The large drop of expat numbers mostly happened over the years following 2013 due to the deep sixyear recession, which was the worst in Spain’s history.

This now looks to be in reverse, despite Brexit.

“I know many British people who are continuing to move to Spain,” said British councillor in Malaga, Dean Tyler Shelton.

“At the same time I think Brexit has been a factor in pushing more British people to register in Spain. Most have no intention of going back,” he added.

Almeria had a total of 15,000 British expats registered by the end of 2018, making it the second-largest British population in Andalucia.

Meanwhile, Malaga had 47,193 registered Brits in Spain in 2018, and there were 330,911 Brits registered as living in the whole of Spain.

Last month, a royal decree was passed giving Brits living in Spain until December 31 2020 to apply for a Foreigner Identity Card, granting them legal status in the country after Brexit.

Vol. 1 Issue 3

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April 25th - May 8th 2019

Brexit brushstrokes, Page 14

FLOODY HELL Thousands of homes flooded, hundreds left homeless... and dozens of roads blocked as Biblical scenes rock Spain’s celebrated holy week IT will go down as the heaviest Easter rain in a century.

An incredible half a year’s rainfall fell in just four days across Semana Santa, with Javea hit by a record 330 litres/m3 of rain in just 12 hours on Sunday night.

Houses were flooded, cars were washed away and trees uprooted as firefighters received more Continues on Page 2

STRANDED: Fireman inspect submerged car as (inset) a home became an island when Javea’s Gorgos river burst it’s banks at the weekend

Opinion Page 6

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Flooding drama

News

April 25th - May 8th 2019

From page 1

than 300 calls in the Marina Alta area alone.

Almost 400 people had to be evacuated from their homes as torrential rain lashed the east coast.

Howling winds of up to 100km/h knocked over trees and residents fleeing their flooded homes, while the onslaught cancelled dozens of religious processions.

Elsewhere, mudslides trapped expats in their homes after gigantic boulders the size of cars came tumbling down hills.

Meanwhile dozens of cars were completely submerged in various parts of the coast.

It is nothing short of a miracle that nobody died.

In officially the worst flooding on the Costa Blanca for

Your reporters, here to help on the Costa Blanca Introducing News Editor Laurence Dollimore and Reporter Joshua Parfitt Contact them with any stories or news on 951 273 575 or email newsdesk@theolivepress.es (Personal contacts on page 6)

CLEAN-UP: Residents rebuilding lives after floods 73 years, more than a dozen near Javea. roads were blocked, while “I heard a massive bang on hundreds of homeowners are Sunday night and now our still mopping up from serious only road to the outside world is shut off,” Gerhard Sundt, flooding.

Around 300 people had to be 62, told the Olive Press. taken to safety in Javea, whi- Sundt, from Austria, revealed le in Denia a further 70 were that a digger that had begun evacuated to the car park of to clear the debris on Monday had quickly pulled out, due to the town’s hospital.

In one of the worst cases, a claims that the property next row of below-ground shops to it was set to collapse. in Javea’s Arenal area were Four days later and they are filled to the ceiling, ruining still trapped.

Another homeowner, Paulilivelihoods.

“We could be out of action ne Jewitt, 65, told the Olive for six mon- Press it was ‘like a scene from ths or more,” hell’ as she fled her home to a spokesper- higher ground on Sunday. son for Javea “When the rain started coming School of Bri- fast through the patio door we dge and Social realised we were in trouble,” Club (left), on she told the Olive Press.

Avinguda de “It was then way past my Tamarits, told knees, so we tried to get to the Olive Press. safety but couldn’t see where Meanwhile, re- to escape from the water sidents of more luckily the police came to our than 80 homes rescue.” found them- Jewitt, and husband Trevor, selves trapped 73, were evacuated to the Red after a garden Cross emergency shelter at collapsed onto Portal del Clot, where they a road in Bal- ‘slept on chairs’ until beds MIRACLE: Some almost drowned con al Mar, arrived at 4:30am.

OVERWHELMED: Roads blocked (above) and (below) Red Cross beds in an evacuation shelter

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April 25th - May 8th 2019

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Zooming in

CAR WHIZZ: Yianni and Harry Styles

Summer sounds THE Low Festival of Benidorm has revealed its poster, featuring British legends New Order.

Headed by Bernard Sumner the Blue Monday stars from Manchester head up the festival from July 26 to 28.

Tickets went on sale on April 24 for the summer bash, that also features Foals and Bastille, with prices starting from just €38.

Around 25,000 revellers are set to attend the event, which is in its 11th edition this year.

Located at the Ciudad Deportiva Guillermo Amor, festival organisers have so far announced 44 of the total 60 acts that will perform.

CELEBRITY supercar whizz Yianni Charalambou has announced an exclusive Grand Tour to London which will head through the Costa Blanca.

The car customiser - whose clients include Harry Styles and Gordon Ramsay as well as a string of Premier League footballers - is calling on motorheads to join him on the road trip.

Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Porsches and Bugattis will make the seven-day journey in June with

Va va vroom AN Alicante stunner has reportedly bagged one of the UK’s most eligible bachelors.

Cindy Kimberly, 20, from Denia, is rumoured to be dating Formula 1 hotshot Lewis Hamilton.

ANTONIO Banderas has once again returned to Malaga to take part in the Semana Santa processions.

The 58-year-old Malagueño film star was joined by his girlfriend Nicole Kimpel, 38, at his family church of San Juan.

“It's my neighborhood, the neighborhood where I grew up,” he said on Palm Sunday, in the church where he was baptized and his parents were married.

Banderas donned traditional white robes to take part in carrying the shrines, along with many of the congregation he grew up with.

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The former babysitter-turned-model - who met the Ferrari driver, 34, in February - first rose to fame in 2015 when Justin Bieber shared a photo of her online.

‘OMG who is this?’ the Ca-

COUPLED: F1 star Hamilton and model Kimberley nadian pop singer asked his Instagram. fans.

But she has kept coy when Cindy, who was just 16 at the pressed over rumours of her time, was soon fighting off the relationship with Hamilton, modelling offers, but even- one of the most successful F1 tually signed with prestigious drivers in history, now worth agency Uno Models. more than €200 million.

The brunette beauty has since “Lewis is my friend, we met worked for Dolce&Gabbana a year ago and we have many and Sephora and even walked friends in common,” she told in Milan Fashion Week and reporters at a fashion show in appeared on the cover of GQ Barcelona this week. magazine.

“We’re really good friends, it’s Born in Holland to a Spanish all I can say.” father and Indonesian mo- It comes after the pair were ther, Cindy has lived most of seen travelling together at her life on the Costa Blanca.

Barcelona’s El Prat airport in She became a big name in February and seen partying the social media ‘influencer’ in the same nightclub during world, with 5.3 million fo- Paris Fashion Week. llowers on photo-sharing app A source said they sneaked out together later in the evening.

They were also rumoured to have met up at the Coachella music festival in Los Angeles this month but they were not pictured toSNAPPED: Celeb couple share moment gether.

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drivers enjoying boozed up party pit stops along the way.

You’ll have to have around €16,000 spare though - as that’s the price for just one of 100 spots available.

The tour will travel up from Marbella through Valencia, Barcelona, Geneva and Paris before ending in London on June 29.

There will also be a film crew travelling with the tour and a movie will be made of the event.

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PORTSIDE: Hilfiger in car FASHION megastar Tommy Hilfiger has jetted into Spain to help launch a new collection designed by his wife Dee Ocleppo.

The fashion power couple toured a boutique at El Corte Ingles in Puerto Banus where Ocleppo will market her exclusive clothes line.

Ocleppo confirmed the clothes, bags, shoes and accessories will be marketed under the Hilfiger brand.

“I’ve always been giving Tommy ideas for his collections until, one day, he encouraged me to launch my own brand,” said Ocleppo.

“I love what I do, I love designing shoes and bags.”

LOVED UP: Tommy and Dee

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Socialist win THE socialist party (PSOE) will hold on to the Valencian government in the upcoming regional elections, according to a market research company.

Sigma Dos revealed PSOE will take between 29-30 seats, while the Popular Party (PP) will see its representation fall from 31 seats to 22-23.

But with the total seats in Valencia’s Generalitat at 99, PSOE will again need to form a coalition to reach the absolute majority of 50 seats.

The poll suggests the PSOE will make a pact with Valencianist Compromis (17-18 seats) and left-wing populist Podemos (6-7 seats).

The regional elections will fall on May 26 the same day as the European elections.

See our election guide on page 6

Wheely fast!

THE owners of a bike shop are appealing for witnesses of a theft of €40,000 of stock - in just one minute!

The theft at Xabia’s Bikes in Moraira saw nine bikes stolen at 4am last Wednesday morning.

One of the bikes, a Trek LR10, was worth €13,000.

“Two thieves broke in and in just a minute and a half stole nine bikes,” Martin Stadlhofer, 40, co-owner of Xabia’s Bikes, told the Olive Press.

“I’m not sure they knew what they were doing as they knocked over a bike worth €12,000 and didn’t take it—which is great for us.”

A BRITISH expat is being handed a prestigious British gong by the Queen for her services to tourists in Alicante.

Candida Wright will receive an MBE for her charitable work as an interpreter in the largest hospital in the Marina Alta, on May 16.

The 58-year-old, known as ‘Candy’, has volunteered with HELP of Denia & Marina Alta since it launched in 1984.

During that time she has helped expats through cancer, bereavement, bureaucracy and court battles.

As the president of the charity, she runs the help desk at the Marina Salud hospital in Denia.

“The most exciting thing was the pink invitation card I was posted with the words BP (Buckingham Palace),” Candida told the Olive Press.

“I thought it meant British Petroleum at first.” she joked.

The expat, who has lived in Spain for 45 years, received a ‘Points of Light’ award

April 25th - May 8th 2019

Mystery suicide

Gong for Candy! two years ago from the British Ambassador to Spain.

Though she is a professional interpreter, Candida often represents victims of sexual violence in Spanish courts for free, as well as offering financial support through her charity.

“One of the hardest things is when someone comes to the desk saying ‘my husband died and I don’t know what to do’,” explained Candy, who lives in Ondara with her Spanish husband. Her two children, 35 and 25, live in Madrid and Valencia respectively. While she helps with hospital procedures, burials and repatriation, she’s often called upon to just be a ‘helping hand’ to someone in need.

“You’re sometimes dealing with people who are cancer patients, or need amputations, and it just gives you a wonderful feeling to think ‘I really helped them today’.”

MEETING QUEEN: Candida

Catch these conmen

British families scammed out of thousands from EXCLUSIVE

By Joshua Parfitt fake holiday A BRITISH family who booked a week’s holiday on the Costa Blanca were shocked to see their villa advertised as available on a completely different website.

Susan Bolton, 61, soon realised she had lost the ₤1,300 deposit when Dream Villas Spain, based in Mallorca, shut off all contact.

The mother-of-two from the West Midlands had spent weeks finding the perfect holiday

Animal horror A BRITISH expat called in police after finding a group of dogs chained in an abandoned house without food.

Roger Ballantine contacted the Guardia Civil after finding the dogs while out walking near Orba.

Ballantine had decided to investigate when he noticed a ‘pungent smell’ coming from the ruin.

Inside he found scenes worthy of a horror film with dogs kept on short chains surrounded by trash and their own excrement.

“It was despicable,” Ballantine told the Olive Press. “It is clear that farmers have chained these four dogs.”

villa, in Moraira, before transferring the deposit.

She has now confirmed that her family have been scammed over the holiday due for June.

“We were this close to leaving for our holiday that never existed,” Bolton told the Olive Press.

“I knew we had been conned when I contacted them regarding an airport pick up and got no response. It made me become suspicious.”

She added the company is now not responding to any calls or emails.

Meanwhile, celebrity chocolate taster Angus Kennedy lost ₤5,000 when his family discovered a German man living at the Mallorcan villa they had booked through Dream Villas Spain.

Kennedy, from Kent, revealed that when the family arrived this month, the owner, who gave his name as Klaus, was completely baffled and knew nothing about the rental or website.

MYSTERY surrounds the apparent suicide of an elderly British resident on the Costa Blanca.

The 84-year-old expat threw herself from a bridge in Javea after being seen ‘pacing frantically’ by the railings.

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, told the Olive Press he saw the woman ‘peering over the edge’ after squeezing between a fence and a steel support pillar at one end of the bridge.

It was about an hour before police were alerted to a suicide attempt over the dry Gorgos riverbed while children played on a nearby football pitch.

“She was holding a white paper bag and kept looking in the bag and then leaning over the edge,” the neighbour told the Olive Press.

“I wanted to ask her what she was doing, but I worried she spoke only Spanish and assumed she was feeding stray cats.”

Quickly

SCAM: Brit family caught by fake villa website He told the Olive Press they tations’. had chosen the villa out of 780 The scam comes almost two different homes for rent on the years since the Olive Press site. exclusively exposed a string of They only realised they had fake holiday websites duping been scammed when an air- tourists coming to Spain. port pick-up never arrived, In a series of investigations and he caught a taxi to the we found dozens of tourists property to find the bewilde- had been scammed millions of red German. euros from the various sites, “What was different in our which illegally uploaded villa case is I was determined to get photos from legitimate sites. to the house, and then contac- Among those scammed were ted the press” Angus told the British Rugby Union star Olive Press.

Dean Schofield, who lost “I think many more have been €50,000 on a fake villa in Maduped and the scam could be llorca. worth millions.”

Spain Dream Villas, who opeThe website he used to book rate as Digital Dreams SL, dethe trip, dreamvillasspain. clined to comment. com, claims its goal is to ‘crea- JWe were unable to contact te your dream holiday expe- anyone at Dream Villas Spain rience and exceed your expec- as we went to press.

Just after 7pm last Tuesday another Spanish eyewitness revealed she had seen the woman jump from the eastern of two bridges on the Avenida de Augusta.

“I was walking to Mercadona when I saw her take off her shoes, climb the railing, and no more,” the woman told the Olive Press. “It all happened so quickly.”

Three police cars and an ambulance raced to the scene to retrieve the body.

Police confirmed the cause of death as suicide, while a spokesperson for the Town Hall said the lady was British and had lived in a block of flats next to the river ‘for many years’.

Neither police or the town hall would reveal her name, suggesting it was proving problematic to contact her next of kin in the UK. None of the residents in the area by the bridge knew the octogenarian.

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EXCLUSIVE: Expats who lost millions to dodgy finance firm CWM fear action group boss may be scamming them too

Voted

By Joshua Parfitt

abuse of trust—a claim she denies.

It comes after she took on scores of CWM casualties in 2017, charging them ₤1,500 for a year’s service and a ₤750 annual retainer.

One member of her Pension Life action group said he was left ‘desperate and depressed’ as he could not continue to front the huge fees.

Now, the Olive Press has discovered that a UK debt collection company has been appointed to pursue a ₤600,000 loan taken out by a company for which

accident.

It was described as an ‘Easter miracle’ that no one was hurt.

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Timber!

AN Easter celebration almost ended in disaster after a 40-metre tree toppled into a crowd.

The Tala del arbol de Mayo festival, geared around a giant tree being cut down, in Cornella del Terri.

But dramatic footage showed the tree swing towards the crowd by

Property property Malaga’s bestmagazine

ANGRY expats pursuing lost millions in the Continental Wealth Management (CWM) financial drama have hit another roadblock.

Sources told the Olive Press a woman supposedly fighting their claims is in fact taking money while in a year a half has not managed to win a cent of compensation.

It comes as Denia court finally began proceedings against CWM’s former directors, including boss Darren Kirby, who we revealed had fled to the UK, this month.

But now disaffected investors have accused expat Angie Brooks, director of a Spain-based company Pension Life, of

A slice of the action Power grab

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Issue 28

April 2019 DREAMY: Period

home restored by

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Spain

WOAH: Emerging from the rock, this stunning home in Valencia is trademark Fran Silvestre, a Spanish architect who is continuing to make his mark in the architectural world.

See Fran-tastic page VI

ROCK STEADY

T

HE average property two consecutive years price in Spain has grown for Prices rise for two The national average for the first time in a decade. consecutive years, house price rose from 3.9% to 8.4%, according between while mortgage However, he added to various sources. ‘at the very least, the Along the Mediterranean values continue to Spanish property continued data suggests that the coasts and on grow Mortgage most foreigners buy, to grow last year.’ the average price hike the islands, where Balearic Islands. lending to cording to Tinsa, Spain’s has been 4.06%, acJanuary to 19,390 newhome buyers meanwhile was up 6.1% leading property appraisal “Prices have been rising in But the figures have loans, according to most company.

Spanish Notaries. the Association of during the long six mostly not yet made up for the big drops but nothing like they did in theyears since the recovery began, The boom years, and nowhere year recession, with average the exception of the enough to claw back the ground near an increase new loan made in January had a value lost in the respected analyst Mark of €135,616, of 0.9% in a year. As long as mortgage lending Stucklin, of Spanish bust,” explained residential acquisitions Property Insight. the last few years, the continues to increase, as it has done for for Spanish property market is set to grow.

See Property Magazine inside

April 11th - April 24th 2019

FACE THE MUSIC

SPAIN’S PP party has set out audacious plans for a power grab to take back control from Valencia and the other autonomous regions.

Leader Pablo Casado announced his commitment to strengthen the central government’s role in the run up to the national elections in a fortnight.

He insisted that such a move would prevent corruption and lead to a drop in taxes.

EXCLUSIVE

By Joshua Parfitt It comes as the party attempts to see off the threat from an insurgent Vox Party, whose leader has described the THE beleaguered boss of autonomous parliaments as the ‘cana failed wealth management company which cer of Spain’.

Under the plan, the PP wants to increa- allegedly lost expats more than €20 se resources for regional government million has ignored a summons to delegations and paralyse any further court.

Darren Kirby, of Alicante-based transfer of power to the regions.

Continental Wealth Management (CWM), failed to turn up at Denia court on March 26.

Supremacy According to Olive Press sources he Casado insisted the move would see was due to turn up, alongside Spain being administered ‘more effecformer business partners, who did turn up. tively’.

The case involves a trio of investors, The election hopeful stated that party would carry out a sweeping his who lost substantial amounts of re- money when the company view of how the regional authorities folded in operate looking at ‘efficiency and equi- 2017.

Kirby allegedly fled to Australia ty.’ foSpain’s quasi-federal political system llowing the collapse, finally returning to Alicante last year. of ‘autonomous states’ was added to “Darren has been sent a the constitution in 1978. Prime MinisBurofax ter Pedro Sanchez, whose party drafted which he didn’t sign for, so the court will now have to pursue him in other the constitution, strongly opposed the ways,” a source said. plan, insisting the PSOE would defend ‘tooth and nail’ the principal of regio- “A judge is dealing with this and it’s under legal review,” he added. nal self-government.

“We understand he is currently in

Judge set to take further steps after expat boss of suspect investment company fails to turn up at court

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Vol. 1 Issue 15 www.theolivepress.es November 9th - November 22nd 2017

Govt in exile

BACKING DOWN:

FIND OUT WHY INSIDE

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What do Fatboy Slim, director Paul Haggis, John Travolta, Dean Norris and Pilou Asbaek have in common? They’ve all had links to the Balearics this week

CATALUNYA’S beleaguered leader has vowed to fight on from abroad.

It came after Carles Puigdemont handed himself in to Belgian police when a European arrest warrant was issued.

He and four other politicians are accused on charges of rebellion, sedition, misuse of public funds, disobedience and breach of trust.

A judge in Belgium now has up to two weeks to decide if they will extradite the group to Spain.

Given the whole extradition process can take up to 60 days, it means he may have to run his entire election campaign for the Catalan European Democratic Party from Belgium.

His party wants him to fight for continued leadership of the regional parliament in the December 21 elections.

Puigdemont denied he had fled to Brussels to avoid justice but that he left because the Spanish government was preparing a ‘wave of oppression and violence’ against separatists.

“I’m absolutely convinced that the state was preparing a harsh wave of repression for which we would have all been held responsible,” he said yesterday.

“The Spanish state is committing a brutal repression… if we don’t battle repression together, the Spanish state may win this fight.”

In a show of support to the deposed president, around 200 Catalan pro-independence mayors travelled to Brussels on Tuesday to stage a rally.

Expats who lost millions rage at ‘unauthorised’ deals involving ‘worrying’ signing of blank sheets EXCLUSIVE

By Joe Duggan

Pension peril

BRITISH expats who lost up to €20 million in a failed pension advisory firm believe their signatures may have been photocopied onto investment documents.

Around 300 Brits, most living in Spain, are battling to retrieve their funds after Alicante-based firm Continental Wealth Management (CWM) folded in September, as first reported in the Olive Press a month ago.

Boss Darren Kirby left for Australia following the closure of the company’s main Javea offices.

Victims, who are spread across Spain, as well as in Ibiza, Mallorca, Portugal, France and Turkey, fear illegal practices after being asked to sign blank dealing instructions.

Their pension pots were then invested in high-risk assets which promised to pay out large commissions.

One 69-year-old pensioner told the Olive Press he lost €210,000 after transferring €470,000 despite stating he had a ‘low to medium aversion BOSS: Kirby now in Australia to risk’ attitude to investment.

“I was asked, ‘Can you sign this he said. blank form. We will fill in the “They should have been looking Untitled-1.pdf 1 16/06/2017 15:36 details.’ I did that trusting they out for me but they were just would act in my best interests,” feathering their own nests. To

me they knew what they were doing.”

He added: “I believe some of the investments were made without my knowledge. I think that is the case because I do not recall signing sheets for all the investments I had.”

An email, seen by the Olive Press, shows CWM asking a client to sign and return a blank dealing instruction.

Another British expat, 55, who is trying to recover around €200,000, said some pensioners ‘have lost everything’.

“My paper work that I sent has been altered, my risk level was changed from ‘medium’ to ‘high’ and my dealing instructions have been photocopied repeatedly for buying and selling assets I didn’t authorise,” he said.

“I still have some money left and I am still young enough to get compensation, but my fund

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BACKING DOWN: Carles

Confusion reigns

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They’ve been getting stoned for centuries.

Now UNESCO is interested in Mallorca walls.

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Vol. 1 Issue 13 www.theolivepress.es October 12th - October 26th

As Spain celebrates Hispania Day, the Olive Press runs a rule over Columbus

SEE PAGE 10

SPAIN’S prime minister has accused Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont of causing ‘confusion’ after signing a declaration of independence.

Mariano Rajoy demanded he clarify if he had really declared independence following Tuesday’s nail biting address to the Catalan parliament.

If so, Rajoy insisted he could trigger Article 155 of Spain’s constitution to allow Madrid to take direct control of Catalunya.

“There is an urgent need to put an end to the situation that Catalunya is going through - to

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Continues on Page 7

Who’s paying us?

EXCLUSIVE

Expats lose millions in life savings through

CONFUSION reigns over who failed should foot the bill for Mallorca investment national and Momentum Penhotels hit by the collapse of airsions. scheme line Monarch.

“People are terribly disBalearic hotels are facing a tressed,” Granada-based EXCLUSIVE €10million bill over the colBrooks told the Olive Press.

By Joe Duggan lapse that saw the emergency “They have lost large amounts repatriation of over 110,000 of their retirement savings.”

HUNDREDS of British expats back to the UK, many from She added: “Some of these are battling to retrieve their Palma. people are going to end up pensions after losing up to Administrator KPMG told the back in Britain on benefits.” £20 million in a failed pension Olive Press ‘the debt owed by “I have nothing but praise for investment scheme.

OFF TO OZ: Boss Kirby and (above) Monarch to hoteliers will rank Tony Barnett [Trafalgar MD] team at March Spanish-based financial advias an unsecured claim’ against charity bash and Stewart Davies [Momensory firm Continental Wealth the defunct airline. tum Management (CWM) folded One Marbella-based expat remain anonymous.

“They will have to file a claim to It is believed at least 300 of have chef executive]. They been magnificent in trylast month obliterating many told the Olive Press he sunk “The adviser kept telling me, CWM’s 900 clients the joint administrators for all heartbroken Brits’ life savings. £59,000 through CWM, only ‘This is guaranteed, it can’t go their pension pots have had ing to recoup people’s money.” the money they are owed,” said decimated, The Olive Press understands Many of them had transferred realising he had lost £39,000 below a certain level’.” it a spokesman. with victims shocked to later their private UK pensions when his pension trustees sent His money, and that of others discover the value “It has not been determined of their inthrough the company, whose a statement. (yet) how much money will be “I couldn’t believe it. I have across Spain and France, was vestments had plummeted boss Darren put into high-risk ‘profession- dramatically.

Untitled-1.pdf Kirby has now1 al- 16/06/2017 available to creditors.” lost thousands 15:36 of pounds,” legedly moved to Australia. revealed the victim, asking to al investor only’ assets, it has However, a source close to been claimed. the case insisted: ‘There are still many customers who are is highly happy with their pension port- may be possible legal action taken by some parties folio.’ against CWM, based out of Andalucia-based tax specialist headquarters SPECIALIZING IN: Angie Brooks, a leading expert its executives. in Alicante, and C on pension liberation schemes Both CRIMINAL LAW the office in Javea and and the founder of Pension the website M Life, has now launched a fight The group have recently shut.

CIVIL LAW to help get victims’ money ebrating were pictured celat a charity ball as reBANKING (FLOOR CLAUSE) Y back. cently She is working alongside pen- When as March this year.

CM FAMILY LAW sion trustees Trafalgar Inter- to bossthe Olive Press spoke Kirby he ‘definitively’ MY denied responsibility over the crash. “I have lost my world,” CY he said.

A close associate of Kirby’s CMY said former CWM staff were all ‘very upset’.

K “It is still quite raw for them, and they are working out what to do next,” he said.

e Lions Threpub

e-mail: advocat1@demicco.es mobile number: 636 307 533 WWW.DEMICCO.CH

Find out more on page XX 20

Best English Pub in Palma Great food Live Music Every Night from 12am

Ave de Gabriel Roca 4, Palma

Opinion Page 6

e Lions Threpub

SPECIALIZING IN: CRIMINAL LAW CIVIL LAW BANKING (FLOOR CLAUSE) FAMILY LAW

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A PALMA thief is facing 18 months in jail for stealingCY a leg of ham.

Prosecutors are requesting CMY the lengthy term for taking the eight kilogram leg of 'CinK co Jotas' ¡ jamon from a shop in the capital.

The Iberico ham is valued at €685, and has yet to be recovered.

rying’.

“This negates the very essence of the service they are meant to offer,” said Flores. “It is a blank cheque to invest wherever, whenever.

“If standard practice, this is very worrying. has gone down by half and I “Signing blank documents need compensation to get it would be seen back on track. as irregular in a “But some people court of law. The have lost everyproblem with thing and don’t these firms is that have enough to they were all inlive on. One rePENSION vesting in highly tired victim only risky investments has €50,000 left OUTRAGE without the clifrom €480,000.” ents knowing.”

Andalucia-based He claimed that lawyer Antonio losses sustained Flores, whose by investors firm Lawbird would hopefully are representbe recoverable ing some CWM as the investments that failed victims, said signing blank into perform, or went bust, were vestment sheets was ‘very worlinked to life insurance policies.

Pension trustees Momentum and Trafalgar are now attempting to recoup CMW clients’ losses.

The Olive Press has so far been unable to discover if CWM was registered to provide investment advice with Spain’s official financial regulator CNMV.

Best English Pub in Palma Great food Live Music Every Night from 12am

Opinion Page 6

Carles

Confusion reigns SPAIN’S prime accused Catalan minister has leader Carles Puigdemont of causing ‘confusion’ after signing of independence. a declaration Mariano Rajoy demanded he clarify if he had really independence followingdeclared day’s nail biting address Tuesto the Catalan parliament.

If so, Rajoy insisted trigger Article 155 he could constitution to allow of Spain’s Madrid to take direct control of Catalunya.

“There is an urgent need to put an end to the Catalunya is goingsituation that through - to Continues on Page

7

Who’s paying us?

EXCLUSIVE

CONFUSION reigns should foot the bill over who for Mallorca hotels hit by the collapse of airline Monarch.

They’ve been getting stoned for centuries.

Now UNESCO is interested in Mallorca walls.

SEE PAGE 6

FREE

Vol. 1 Issue 13

expat paper in Spain

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As Spain celebrates Hispania Day, the Olive Press runs a rule over Columbus

October 12th - October

26th 2017

REuse REduce REcycle We use recycled

paper

As sherry gets big in London, we look at some quirky Jerez cocktails

PENSION OUTRAGE

Expats lose millions in life savings through failed investment scheme

SEE PAGE 10

SEE PAGE 20

whose boss Darren It is believed Kir- 300 at by has now allegedly of CWM’s least moved to Australia. clients have had 900 their One Costa-del-Sol- pension pots decibased expat told the mated, with victims Olive Press he sunk shocked to later dis- to end up back £59,000 through cover the value of their ain on benefits.”in BritCWM, only realising he investments had plum- “I have nothing but had lost £39,000 praise for Tony when meted dramatically. his pension Barnett trustees However, a source [Trafalgar MD] sent a statement. and close to the Stewart “I couldn’t believe sisted: ‘There case in- mentum Davies [Moare still chef execuhave lost thousandsit. I many customers who tive]. They have pounds,” revealed of are happy with their magnificent in been the pension victim, asking trying to recoup main anonymous.to re- A n d a l uportfolio.’ people’s c i a - b a s e d money.”

“The adviser tax specialist Angie The Olive Press uning me, ‘This iskept tell- Brooks, guarana leading ex- derstands it is highly teed, it can’t go below a pert on pension lib- possible legal action certain level’.” eration schemes and may be taken by some His money, the founder of Pension parties against CWM, others acrossand that of Life, has now launched and France, was Spain put into a fight to help get pensions through15:36 the company, high-risk ‘professional tims’ money back. vicinvestor only’ assets, She it side is working alonghas been claimed. pension trustees Trafalgar International and Momentum based out of headquarPen- ters sions. in Alicante, and “People are its terribly executives. distressed,” Both the office in Javea based Brooks Granadatold the and the website have Olive Press. “They recently shut. have When lost large amounts of spoke the Olive Press their retirement to boss Kirby he sav- ‘definitively’ ings.” denied She added: of responsibility over these people “Some are going crash. “I have lost the my world,” he said.

A close associate of Kirby’s told the Olive Press former CWM staff were all ‘very upset’.

“It is still raw for them, andquite more on page XX they are 20 working out what to do next,” he said.

Ave de

Balearic hotels are facing a €10million bill over EXCLUSIVE the collapse that saw the

By Joe Duggan emergency repatriation of back to the UK,over 110,000 many from HUNDREDS Palma.

Administrator KPMG ish expats are of Britbattling Olive Press ‘the debt told the to retrieve Monarch to hoteliers owed by sions after their penlosing up to will rank as an unsecured claim’ against £20 million in a failed the defunct airline. pension investment OFF TO OZ: Boss “They will have to Kirby file a claim to scheme. and (above) team the joint administrators at for all Spanish-based finan- March the money they are charity bash owed,” said cial advisory firm a spokesman. tinental Wealth Con“It has not been determined agement (CWM) Man- Many of them (yet) how much money folded transferred had available to creditors.” will be last month their priobliterat- vate Untitled-1.pdf ing many UK 1 16/06/2017 heartbroken

Brits’ life savings.

SPECIALIZING IN: CRIMINAL LAW CIVIL LAW BANKING (FLOOR CLAUSE) FAMILY LAW

Three Lions

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pub

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Best English Pub in Palma Great food Live Music Every Night from 12am

HOW WE TOLD IT: Our 2017 reports England.”

The Olive Press exclusively revealed former member of staff. how CWM abruptly folded in 2017, “It was a prestigious place but one day they just shut the door,” losing hundreds of expats’ life she sa- said, asking not to be named. vings in the process.

Victims had raised fears about The firm, which was based out of the asked to sign blank dealing being Marriott Hotel, in Denia, had ‘eight instructo ten’ telesales staff and clients sca- tions and their pensions being invested in high-risk assets which paid ttered around Europe, revealed a large commissions.

One pensioner based on the Costa Blanca told the Olive Press he lost €210,000 after transferring €470,000 despite stating he had a low to medium risk attitude.

“I was asked, ‘Can you sign this blank form. We will fill in the details.’ I did that trusting they would act in my best interests,” he said.

“They should have been looking out for me and they were just feathering their own nests. To me they knew what they were doing.”

Lawyer Antonio Flores, whose firm Lawbird is representing a number of victims, said signing blank investment sheets was ‘very worrying’.

See pages 26-29 “This negates the very essence of financial advisory services,”said Floe-mail: advocat1@demicco.es mobile number: 636 307 533 WWW.DEMICCO.CH

Find out more on page XX 8

Ave de Gabriel Roca 4, Palma

CMY

K

e-mail: advocat1@demicco.es mobile number: 636 307 533 WWW.DEMICCO.CH

Find out

Gabriel Roca 4, Palma

Pointing the way to two great Easter travel excursions from the hills of Javea to the wilds of Galicia

Opinion Page

6

NO SHOW: Darren Kirby

res. “It is a blank cheque to invest wherever, whenever.

“It is very worrying as they were investing clients’ money in highly risky investments as well as dubious funds just because they paid the higher commissions.”

He added that losses sustained by investors should however, be recoverable as the investments that failed to perform, or went bust, were linked to life insurance policies.

When the Olive Press finally hold of Kirby in October 2017, got denied all responsibility. “I have he lost my world,” he said.

Brooks is still active director.

The GUIDE liquidator, Louise Brittain, from Wilkins Kennedy, has worked on cases involving politicians Jonathan Aitken, Neil Hamilton and singer Kerry Katona, and is now chasing Brooks for the money.

The company Reigate Town Club Ltd - which has not filed accounts since 2009 - owes ₤617,761 to the unnamed debtor, according to the UK’s official Companies House.

Another of Brooks’ companies, Thames Trust Ltd, was ordered to close by the UK government in 2016 following an insolvency investigation.

In alarming circumstances, it was found that the company received ‘significant commissions’ without the knowledge of its clients. Meanwhile Brooks’ UK-based ACA Pension Life Ltd is under ‘active proposal to strike VENDORS

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Are you a victim or former staff member? Do you know more about the case? Contact the Olive Press at newsdesk@theolivepress.es

off’ as no accounts have been filed since December 2016. A British legal source told the Olive Press that Brooks, who lives in Granada, has ‘zero licenses, regulatory status or legal entity in Spain’. Another source demanded to know where the ‘huge retainer fees’ have gone.

The demands come after the Olive Press reported that three victims, who collectively lost ‘hundreds of thousands’ to CWM, are having their case processed by Denia Court.

We revealed that Kirby failed to turn up after other directors appeared in court last month.

Brooks confirmed to the Olive Press that she is ‘not a licenced solicitor’ but said the unpaid loan was linked to two previous directors before she took her position. She said she has ‘nothing to do’ with fraudulent practice at Thames Trust Ltd and only has ‘one tax return’ overdue for ACA Pension Life Ltd. She added her fees were ‘far below’ what other licenced solicitors charge and said the lack of legal action was due significant challenges in finding a suitable legal practice to take on the case. The Olive Press continues to investigate.

April 25th - May 8th 2019

Postcard from the past

THIS is how the Marina Alta looked in the years just before the Spanish Civil War, which ended 80 years ago this month.

Though flats now crowd the coastline and vineyards have given way to wine bars, the semi-circular bay and stunning headlands surrounding Javea still remain—and it was these that attracted Portuguese photographer Antonio Passaporte.

As economic depression spread across Spain, stirring political rebellion, Passaporte became fascinated with the touristic potential of Spain and began photographing landscapes for the

heliographic firm LOTY between 1927 and 1936, which were marketed as postcards.

“The idea was to promote tourism in Spain, an initiative that fascinated me, and which was perhaps influenced by my name [Passaporte], an indispensable document for any tourist,” he commented before his death in 1983.

And his dream has come true.

In 2018, tourism surpassed construction as Spain’s biggest employer, something which has seen Javea bloom into an international destination, and in the same year Spain become the most visited country in the world.

Contact us at newsdesk@theolivepress.es if you can help

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www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain

A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than 500,000 people a month.

OPINION Jaws of death MANY across the Costa Blanca will be left feeling devastated after heavy rains inflicted severe flooding over the Easter weekend.

Thankfully nobody died during the four days of torrential rain, but the economic impact on communities is yet to fully emerge. Dozens of cars were fully submerged under water and many residents suffered water damage in their homes.But, as the clean-up continues, it is important that we reflect on the reason there were no human fatalities following the bout of freak weather.

Despite occurring during Semana Santa, the answer is not ‘God’. It is thanks to Spain’s fantastic emergency services, who in some cases, literally plucked people from the jaws of death. Some residents were trapped in homes, rapidly filling with water, with no means of escape.

Around 400 people were evacuated in total, with police, firefighters, Red Cross workers and other groups all playing their part in both initial rescue efforts and the ongoing rehabilitation.

As we come to terms with what has unfolded, take a moment to be thankful for those who have your back.

Good news, at last!

THE news that Brits are returning to Spain again, despite Brexit, is the best news we have had for six years.

It emerged that more British nationals had registered on the Costa Blanca in 2018 than the previous year.

The statistics, released by the Spanish Government, mark the first growth in Brit registrations here since 2013, when David Cameron promised an in-out EU referendum.

And the increase was around 3000, taking the total of Brits registered in Alicante province to 69,289.

These numbers should be welcomed by all, because they show that Brits can continue to make the best of Brexit.

One reason for the increase in registrations was that some were from those who lived in Spain undocumented.

It may have taken the UK’s departure from the EU, but British nationals now have that little push they need.

More and more Brits are sorting out their lives here and that can only be a positive thing.

Publisher/ Editor Jon Clarke jon@theolivepress.es

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AWARDS

2016 - 2019 Best expat paper in Spain and the second best in the world. The Expat Survey Consumer Awards.

2012 - 2019 Named the best English language publication in Andalucia by the Rough Guides group.

FEATURE

A guiri’s election guide Don’t know your PACMA from your PSOE? Join the Olive Press on the campaign trail for a whirlwind tour of Spanish politics

P

OLITICAL deadlock has led Spain’s embattled Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to go all-out with a snap election-scheduled for April 28.

Politicians of all stripes are now out trying to woo voters across the country amid a backdrop of persistently high unemployment and out-of-control national debt.

It comes as immigration fears and the Catalan crisis have deeply polarised Spanish society and birthed a resurgence of the far-right.

Pre-election polls suggest Spain’s most important vote in decades is on a knife edge with no main party likely to emerge able to govern on their own.

To better help our readers understand the electoral landscape, the Olive Press has provided a breakdown of each of the main parties running, the key issues on which they stand and, importantly, how expats can get their piece of the political action.

April 25th - May 8th 2019

●●

Spain is a parliamentary democracy with a ruling monarch who acts as head of state and a prime minister as head of government. ●● Women first won the right to vote in Spain in 1933, only to have it taken away by Franco. Universal suffrage was eventually restored in 1977. ●● In Spain the parliament is known as the Cortes Generales which consists of two chambers: the Upper House, which is the Senate of Spain and the Lower House, called the Congress of Deputies. ●● Under Spain’s proportional ‘closed’ list voting system, instead of putting a cross next a name, voters choose between lists of candidates put forward by their parties. ●● Blind people are able to vote without assistance in elections thanks to a system of Braille guides that Spain claims is a world first. ●● The size of the Spanish electorate is almost 35 million voters, 1.2 million of whom live abroad.

DID YOU KNOW?

PSOE

Partido Popular

Ciudadanos

Ideology: Social Democracy European Affiliation: S&D Predicted to get: 29%

Ideology: Christian Democracy European Affiliation: EPP Predicted to get: 20%

Ideology: Liberalism European Affiliation: ALDE + En Marche Predicted to get: 16%

The Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party is Spain’s oldest political group. It traces its roots back to 1879, and forms the country’s current government.

Once proudly socialist and overtly Marxist, the PSOE now clings to more of a centre left democratic socialist position.

PSOE leader Pedro Sanchez became Spain’s Prime Minister by way of a ‘no confidence’ vote against the Partido Popular government of Mariano Rajoy in June 2018.

Sanchez was forced to call the snap election for April 28 after smaller parties that propped up his minority PSOE government withdrew their support and voted down his budget.

The PSOE proposes a socialist platform which looks to strengthen regional parliaments and nationalise water and energy ‘as services of public interest.’

It also seeks new taxes on financial transactions and digital services, alongside an increased rate for high earners.

Sanchez is also considering banning prostitution in a bit to win over woman, who make up 40% of undicided voters.

Founded by Manuel Fraga, a prominent cabinet member under Spain’s longtime dictator Francisco Franco, the rightist PP is now the country’s largest conservative political party.

A member of the European People’s Party, the federation of conservative parties from across Europe, the PP holds 16 of Spain’s 54 seats in the European Parliament.

The party won a landslide victory in the 2011 elections under Mariano Rajoy who was eventually brought down by the massive Gurtel corruption scandal in 2018. Current President Pablo Casado has steered to the right in an attempt to manoeuver the party back to power.

The PP manifesto includes plans to to lower the highest tax rate from 45% to 40% and reduce workers’ rights to make firing cheaper.

The PP election platform also proposes mandatory life sentence for murderers and repeat rapists.

Offering voters a blend of social democrat and liberal policies, ‘Citizens’ is a secular centrist party which emerged out of Barcelona in 2006. ‘Citizens’ was founded by middle class Catalan intellectuals - university professors, writers, lawyers - who are opposed to independence from Spain. The party went on to shed its Catalan identity and expanded rapidly, setting up branches nationwide. In the European Parliament, Ciudadanos is a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe alongside Britain’s Liberal Democrats.

Under Albert Rivera, Ciudadanos defines itself as ‘the party of the centre, progressive, and liberal’ but rivals like PSOE and Podemos are quick to label it right-wing.

The party has already said it would not be willing to form a coalition with the PSOE if Sanchez is in charge.

Citizens go into the election with commitments to tackle corruption and support the middle class. Standout policies include decriminalising euthanasia and subsiding pet adoptions.

FEATURE

www.theolivepress.es

7

April 25th - May 8th 2019 http://www.theolivepress.es

Analytics www.theolivepress.es Audience Overview

olive press online

All Users

100.00% Users

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Users 6,000

Spain and Gibraltar’s best English daily news website

Go to report 

http://www.theolivepress.es 4,000

Analytics www.theolivepress.es Audience Overview

2,000

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Users 6,000

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02:00

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TOP CONTENDERS: (Left) leaders of biggest parties at deUsers bate this week while (above) PSOE predicted to win largest 59,829 of votes share

D

espite being barred from voting in Spain’s general elections, expats seeking their political fix are welcome to vote, and stand, in the local and European elections.

The path to the ballot box begins with registration in the local census, the padron municipal, which enables EU citizens to join the electoral register.

A visit to the ayuntamiento, armed with proof of ID and address and a completed registration form, will secure you some well-earnt democratic rights.

The entire process is free of charge and can be completed before residency papers are received.

An electoral census form should promptly arrive at your door. If one fails to materialise, it can be obtained from the town hall in person or online.

Once securely on the padron, expats are recommended to return

VotING eligibility

Number of Sessions per User

1.19

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Avg. Session Duration Being on the register does grant voting rights but a separate de00:05:16 claration is required.

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1. en-gb On election day you will find a list of the parties running in the 2. en-us polling booth.

3. en-ie Select the lists of candidates that has won your support and place 4. es-es your chosen ones in the envelope provided.

5. nl-nl On vacating the booth, go to the attendant to show your identien-ca fication and hand over the envelope, then go home and 6.wait for 7. sv-se the results.

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BIG WEEKEND

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IT has been another record-breaking month for the Olive Press website, which 1.31is regular81 41,8 1.20 ly getting 50,000 visitors A DAY. Take last weekend, which saw 50,388 visitors on Saturday and a massive 71,000 26.21% 00:03:46 visitors on Sunday, according to Google’s official stats.

Readers from around the world logged in to read about robberies in Mercadona, floods in Alicante and a group of pesky British kids © 2019 Google who nearly died on a Manilva beach.

All exclusive stories from our team of fully-qualified NCTJ-trained journalists not scared to put in a shift over the weekend when needed.

Providing original content on an almost hourly basis, seven days a week, means that our Alexa ranking - created by Amazon. com, the world’s biggest online retailer - has continued to soar.

As well as being in the TOP 10,000 In Spain, we are inside the WORLD’S TOP 180,000 © 2019 Google sites.

4. es-es Number of Sessions per User 5. nl-nl

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PACMA

Ideology: Left-wing populism European Affiliation: GUE/NGL Predicted to get: 12%

Ideology: Right-wing populism European Affiliation: NA Predicted to get: 11%

Ideology: Animal rights European Affiliation: NA Predicted to get: 1%

A patchwork coalition of left-wing parties, Unidos Podemos or United We Can originally formed to contest the 2016 Spanish elections on an anti-austerity platform. The largest party within the coalition is Podemos, a populist anti-capitalist party that grew out of the 2010-11 indignados protest movement under the leadership of Pablo Iglesias.

Podemos’ junior partner is Izquierda Unida, ‘United Left’ which is itself a amalgamation of the Spanish Communist Party and the smaller Republican Left party. The other party to stand candidates under the Unidos Podemos banner is EQUO, a environmental group founded in 2010 by former Greenpeace Spain director Juan Lopez de Uralde.

The coalition is seeking support for a progressive vision for Spain with 100% renewable energy by 2040 and expanded rights for LGBTQ+ groups.

The youngest kids on the political block and by far the most controversial, Vox - which means ‘voice’ - is a right wing party launched by disillusioned PP members in 2014.

Controversial Vox leader Santiago Abascal has called feminists ‘bitches’ and expressed a desire to reverse gay rights.

Abascal has also called for a new ‘reconquista’ - a reference to the violent expulsion of Jews and Muslims from 15th century Spain.

The party ran a successful hardline anti-immigration platform in the 2018 Andalucian elections and emerged with 12 seats, tipping the balance of power in the region to the right.

On a national level, Vox wants to recentralise Spain and eliminate the current system of devolved powers to the regions.

The far-right party also supports the deportation of illegal immigrants and the construction of an ‘insurmountable wall’ in the Spanish African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.

Championing the rights of animals in a country with a rich culture of blood sports, the Partido Animalista has spent 13 years campaigning against animal cruelty.

The party has been leading the fight to abolish bullfighting in Spain as well as the use of wild animals in circus acts. PACMA activists have organised protests against the practice of mutilating and abandoning hunting dogs, which occurs at the end of Spain’s hunting season each February. But the party has struggled to secure parliamentary seats, despite solid grassroots support nationwide. This is partly due to Spain’s electoral system which disproportionately rewards incumbent parties.

PACMA’s policies look to strengthen the welfare and protection of animals with a call to ban hunting and sport fishing.

The party also want to see a ban on animals in circuses broadened to include zoos and aquariums.

The top three most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are:

1

- British expat fuming after chairs and tables don’t fit into tiny new terrace Mallorca town hall painted outside her cafe (46,827)

2

- Level 1 emergency declared as largest Easter storm in 73 years hits the Costa Blanca (39,464)

3 4

- Spain’s Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol to be hit by five days of rain, flash floods and strong winds (33,421)

- BREAKING: British and Spanish children almost die after dangerous game ends in fireball on Spain’s Costa del Sol (26,684)

5

-British expat robbed twice in same Costa del Sol supermarket in just 10 days loses priceless personal mementos from dead daughter (25,218)

Visitors: 530,627

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Benidorm or bust!

A GROUP of rival football fans have teamed up for a rally race to Benidorm from the UK in support of a teenager battling cancer.

Followers of Sunderland and Newcastle will race against each other in the ‘Benidorm or Bust’ event, organised to raise money for 19-year-old Joe Hardman, from County Durham, who has leukemia.

Followers of Sunderland and Newcastle have put aside their differences and will race to the resorts in cars painted in their team’s colours.

Family friend Neil Carr said: “Joe and his dad support Sunderland and the rest of us support Newcastle but we’re bringing the teams together.”

They are raising money for the children’s cancer ward at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle where Joe had most of his treatment.

They have so far raised €5,000.

Holidaymakers witnessed an amazing feat of Red Cross bravery as pensioner saved from death

A DRAMATIC rescue brought a scuba diver back to life in front of hundreds of tourists.

A team of five members of the Red Cross in Javea spent over an hour attempting to resuscitate the 69-year-old man, who kept drifting in and out of consciousness.

The team took it in turns to give him CPR, using a defibrillator to help.

“When the boat came in the man was dead,” one rescuer told the Olive Press.

“His heart stopped beating three times but we just carried on regardless,” he continued. “He kept drifting into a coma.”

They had aided the man who was brought to them in a boat that arrived on shore at 11.35 on Friday by the Avenida del Mediterraneo bridge.

Finally, the man’s life was saved and he was taken to Marina Salud hospital in Denia for further treatment.

“People always come past our Red Cross hut and think we just sit around drinking coffee,” said the paramedic.

“But we are prepared for this, it’s normal for us, the only difference this time was that people were watching.”

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Final walk

A GRIEVING Irish widow has walked part of the Camino de Santiago with her husband’s ashes after he died on the famous pilgrimage route.

Philip Dunlop, 53, collapsed from a suspected heart attack after completing a 250 km section of the walk on the way to the airport this month.

The diving coach had planned to complete another leg to Finisterre, so his wife Joan decided to return on his behalf.

“Phillip wanted to go to Finisterre next

Sam Kelly year so we walked a bit of the Camino to the beach where we scattered some of his ashes.

“Phillip phoned me every night and told me how beautiful the place was.” said Joan.

The 46-year-old, who worked at the same leisure centre, in Bangor, as her husband, was joined on Philip’s journey by 18-year-old son Travis and daughters Taylor, 16 and Jordan, 15.

Runaway rouble IF you thought airport car parks were pricey, be grateful you’re not parking a plane.

A Russian company is being charged €1,000 a day to keep its jet at the Alicante-Elche airport on the Costa Blanca.

The Volga-Dnepr Airlines cargo plane, which arrived from the Ivory Coast on March 28, has already made Spanish airport operator AENA over €25,000.

The plane still does not have a new journey planned, according to airport sources.

The massive aeroplane is usually used to move large loads because it has a capacity of up to 150 tons of weight.

The Antonov plane has previously been in Alicante transporting boats and helicopters.

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Stubbed out MARINA Alta’s first forest fire of the year has been extinguished after burning through nine hectares of land.

The fire was reported at 3.30pm on Sunday, April 14, and was extinguished by 8pm the same day following the efforts of three specialist forest firefighting units and four fire engines from Denia, Benissa, Sant Vincent del Raspeig and Concentaina.

The fire was declared a Level 1 on the severity index due to its proximity to homes.

Eight drones and a Kamov helicopter from the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food were used to evaluate the fire and coordinate its extinction, but the fire was contained before it could cause significant damage.

Silver lining MARINA Alta farmers will save €30 million thanks to the recent flooding, experts have predicted.

According to the Interuniversity Institute of Geography at the University of Alicante, the 150 litres/m2 of rain which fell during the Easter downpour will fill the aquifers and reserves used by farmers for irrigation until at least the end of summer.

Areas like Benidorm, which rely upon rainwater and aquifers for urban supplies, will have enough water stored up to last the whole year.

Costa Blanca bans single-use coffee cups in Spain first A CAFE in Javea has become the ‘first in Spain’ to completely ban single-use takeaway cups.

Caffe Milano, situated next to the Arenal, enforced the ban on April 2 and now offers customers the choice to either buy or rent a reusable cup - or bring their own.

The cafe, which is Marina Alta’s only roastery, has reportedly saved 4,750 single-use cups from landfill after it first introduced

GREEN

April 25th - May 8th 2019

No plastic, fantastic reusable cups last July.

“We brought in compostable cups alongside reusable cups last year, but we weren’t still weren’t happy with it,” owner Matt Lewis, 38, told the Olive Press.

“I saw a picture someone posted complaining about

a pile of rubbish in Javea, and one of my cups was in it - that made me very upset.”

Lewis, who runs Caffe Milano with his partner Federica Marconi, 38, from Milan, said he is the first in Spain to implement such a

Ruffling feathers A CHIRINGUITO in Denia will have its summer season cut short after twitchers spotted endangered birds nesting nearby.

The beach club on Punta dels Molins beach, which was scheduled to open in May, must wait until July 1 to open its doors.

The delay comes after environmental group Pativel recorded a flock of Kentish Plover birds nesting among plants next the chiringuito.

The birds, which hatch their eggs between May and June, are currently being driven out of Marina Alta due to mass development, according to Seo Bird Life.

UNMOVED: Birds block beach bar

The remaining five chiringuitos in Denia—two on the Punta del Raset, two more on Les Marines and another on Playa de la Marinete Cassiana—are allowed to open from May 1.

&

ban.

Caffe Milano has already gone through 750 reusable cups this month, which are sold for €6 a mug, or loaned for a deposit of the same price.

“I think other cafes are scared to lose business, but I’ve only lost one customer in three weeks, and that was only because she didn’t have the money on her,” Lewis said.

“It’s so easy though, everybody should be doing it.”

Till plastic do us part ONE of Spain’s best-known supermarkets has ditched plastic carrier bags in favour of sustainable alternatives.

Mercadona, which owns 1,636 supermarkets across Spain and Portugal, announced yesterday that single-use plastic bags will soon no longer be available at its tills.

The Spanish family-run brand will instead offer three alternatives: paper bags, large raffia bags and longer-life plastic bags containing between 50-70% recycled material.

A spokesperson for the company said that in support of the ‘circular economy’ the recycled bags use plastic packaging from their own supermarkets.

Social media users hit out at the supermarket’s massive consumption of plastic in their products, including plastic gloves in the bakery section—something which Mercadona has said it is ‘working on’.

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Rising to the top

Rave review DENIA has taken part in a worldwide rave as part of World Dance Day 2019.

Held across 103 towns and cities in 41 countries, the danceathon aims to ‘unite all humanity’ by having participants listen to the same songs on their headphones.

Organiser Liberators International then compile a video of people dancing in unison across the world while raising money.

“With last year’s event we made it into the top five participating towns, with over 100 people attending,” Denia Dance Day organiser Kris Vandenreijt told the Olive Press.

“We are all in this because we want to do our part in creating a world of unity - and Denia’s World Dance Day is on exactly the same frequency.”

Vandenreijt, who manages the Buddha Theatre, has in the past put on World Hug Day 2018, Eye Contact Experiment 2018 and Denia’s Kindness Day.

Gig guide Friday April 26 Altea: The Church Bar, from 5:30pm - Dave La/Jim Rhodes Denia: Paddy O'Connell's 12am Late Night with Lol i Pop Jalon: Can Tallarina, 9pm Karaoke with Steve Solo Javea: V-Thos Vean Rte 8pm - Paco and Nadine Quo Vadis - 8:30pm - Ramon and Lydia Moraira: Saxo Garden Chill Out - 6pm - Rafa

Expat sculptor who uses foam to create art lands government gig

EXPANDING foam is not known as an artistic medium, but for one expat on the Costa Blanca a chance encounter with it has completely changed his life.

Georgie Poulariani, 49, quit his job managing a transportation logistics business two years ago to become a full-time artist after he found his calling in a burst polyurethane can.

By Joshua Parfitt

The expat, originally from Georgia in the US, has now installed his first sculpture commissioned by a Spanish town hall outside the Parroquia Virgen de la Nieves church in Calpe.

“I saw the can with expanding foam burst out of it, and I began shaping it to

SUCCESS: Government backing for Poulariani’s art look like a clump of mushrooms,” Poulariani told the Olive Press.

“Little did I know that this moment would change my whole life.”

Proud of his mushrooms, Poulariani moved on to a

Ancient runes THE mysteries of Spain’s very own Stonehenge have been uncovered by a joint team of Spanish and American archaeologists.

Dolmen de Soto, a 6,000-year-old megalithic monument, was discovered in 1923 near Huelva, where excavations revealed carved and painted standing stones depicting figures holding weapons.

An investigation by the universities of Alcala, Huelva, Sevilla, Castilla-La Mancha and Texas revealed an entire ancient complex buried beneath a 60-metre wide mound.

11 11

April 25th - May 8th 2019

Experts also found eight skeletons in the monument which has been dated back to the fourth millennium BC.

‘small elephant’ and then a ‘mouse’, and then rapidly moved up to the iconic metalwork he sculpts today.

From recycled scraps of metal, Poulariani has exhibited his work at exhibitions in Denia, Calpe, Altea, Malaga and Toulouse—and in October he received his first commission from a Spanish governing body, Calpe’s town hall.

The sculpture (above) shows Fransisco Sendra Ivars, a rector of Calpe who was martyred in 1936 and beatified in 2001, and was installed on April 10.

“I use recycled metal because it gives it a second chance, like the second chance I had,” Poulariani said.

“Until I was 45 I had never even been in a gallery, but I’m so in love with what I do I’m even sculpting in my dreams.”

Saturday April 27 Albir: The Church Bar 9:30pm - U2 Tribute band The Fly Benidorm: Camping Almafra - 9pm - Moonshine Duo Benissa: Oceana Club 6:30pm - Becky BB Denia: World Dance Day Afterparty! In Plaza de Consell from 5-7pm Arena Bar: 8:30pm - The 3 Musicteers Paddy O'Connell Bar 11:55pm - Black Glitter Band Moraira: My Way - 4pm Adam Daniels Saxo Gardens Chill Out - 6pm - Mr Pink Sunday April 28 Albir: The Church Bar - 7pm John The Fiddler Caple: Club 7-9pm - Don Dimo Denia: Arena Bar - 2:30pm New Jubilee Jazz Javea: Quo Vadis - 7:30pm Matt Mason Moraira: Saxo Gardens Chill Out - 4pm - Helena & Valkir Trio & 6pm - Palanca y Cambio Orba: Bar Citrus 4pm - Soggy Bottom Band

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April 25th - May 8th 2019

Well done boyo!

LA

The Welsh Don Juan who believed a Welsh group founded America and helped a President strike the greatest land deal in history, writes Jack Gaioni

P

LOT INGREDIENTS: Take onepart ancient Welsh mysticism and mix thoroughly with one man’s enthusiastic sense of adventure.

Add a dash of opium and a generous splash of whiskey. Stir well, then bake for 200 years at a low heat y está! You have the fascinating saga of ‘Don Juan’ Evans - a man who

never set foot in Spain, nor knew one word of Spanish yet remains a significant figure in the history of the Spanish New World.

Although hardly anyone’s ever heard of him.

He was born plain John Evans in 1770’s Wales under the shadow of Mount Snowdon, a mystical environment of otherworldly tales and legends. The son of a preacher, John was described as having a penchant for all things pious and patriotic.

At 21 he moved to London and fell in with a group of radical Welshmen who were dedicated to preserving and maintaining their literary and cultural traditions.

The group, known as the Gersedd, and led by the eccentric but infamous poet Iolo Morganwg (born Edward Williams), met to discuss elaborate mystical philosophies and celebrate ancient Druid, Celtic and neo pagan rituals, including spell-casting and sorcery, while heavily

CLUELESS: Welshman went in search for British ‘tribe’ he beleived landed in the Americas before Columbus

under the influence of wine, whiskey and opium.

One tale that held currency with the Gersedd was what has become known as the Madoc Legend. According to folklore, a Welsh prince named Madoc sailed west from Wales in 1170 and landed in America - 300 years before Columbus. After finding a ‘new world’ Madoc sailed back to Wales and persuaded 100 men and women to return to the PRESIDENT: Thomas Jefferson western land. This group of intrepid pioneers was never heard of again.

Yet, the legend of Madoc persisted. Stories of white-skinned Indians who spoke Welsh and had Welsh customs began to gain credibility with the Gersedd group.

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pressionable John Evans decided to Arikara tribes and was also chased give it a go: he would travel to Ameri- hundreds of miles by the warlica and settle the issue once and for ke Sioux Indians who wanted his all. ‘Either Madoc or Death...God is scalp. my Shield!’, Evans proclaimed upon His trek was fuelled by rumours of a tribe living upriver (near present his departure for America.

He arrived in Baltimore in 1792, day Bismarck, North Dakota) with worked for a year as a surveyor whiter skin than other Indians who (more about this later) all the while didn’t roam the plains like their noseeking advice on travel into Ameri- madic neighbours, lived in huts not ca’s western frontier - an uncharted wigwams and raised crops instead and unsettled wilderness occupied of tracking buffalo. Surely if there

by Indians. But young John was on were Welsh Indians out there, this was the tribe! Don a mission. Crossing Juan Evans believed mountain ranges and he was on the brink navigating America’s A British spy until of proving the Welsh eastern river systems, he worked his way he cut a deal with myth. Or so he thought. west to St. Louis whehis captors to Don Juan did indeed re the mighty Mississippi River meets the become Spanish, meet up with that tribe. Known as the Missouri.

The city was contro- turn counter-spy Mandan, they did seem quite fair-skinlled by the Spanish ned but by now Crown but with British and French interests close by, Evans had already observed that Evans was thrown into jail as a Bri- Native Americans’ complexions tish spy until he cut a deal with his varied as much as Europeans. He captors to become Spanish, turn stayed with the tribe for six moncounter-spy and lead an expedi- ths, learning their culture, studtion up the Mississippi to chart and ying their language and hoping to find evidence of something … claim land for Spain.

This suited John just fine as he was anything … Welsh. But there was convinced the white-skinned Wel- no denying it - these were Amerish Indians roamed the vast prairie can Indians with NO, repeat NO, to the north. He agreed to the plea Welsh characteristics. Linguistibargain, cally their language had no Welsh b e c a m e sounds and their housing, diet and a Spani- way of life was anything but Welsh sub- sh. Don Juan wasn’t just dejected; ject and he was spiritually crushed. With changed his dreams of finding any Welsh his name Indians in shreds, he decided to officially to return to St. Louis. Before leaving, Don Juan he raised the Spanish flag and Evans. He claimed the land for the Spanish then pro- crown. (The Mandan tribe found ceeded up this gesture highly entertaining!) the river Back in St. Louis, he turned in his with a few crude map and notes to Spanish men, a few officials, then turned to the whiskey trinkets for tra- bottle and hit it hard! A broken man, ding and some he wound up an alcoholic, unemployable and destitute as his health raSpanish flags.

John proved to be pidly deteriorated. Sadly, Don Juan indefatigable. Over died before his 30th birthday and the next year he be- was buried in an unmarked grave. came riddled with di- Despite Don Juan’s perceived faiseases, was perpetua- lure and tragic demise, he did not lly hungry, temporarily die in vain. Within a decade, seisblinded by the summer mic geopolitical changes occurred sun and nearly frozen on America’s western frontier. In to death in the extreme 1803, American President Thowinter of the great plains. mas Jefferson was able to purHe walked a thousand chase (with Spain’s assistance) miles, lived with the vast areas of land in the Mississifriendly Omaha and ppi/Missouri River drainage area.

TRIBAL: Native American

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April 25th - May 8th 2019 ●● Technically, the Louisiana Purchase was a land deal between France and the United States. In a complicated series of political events, Napoleon had taken control and assumed all Spanish Crown lands in North America (except Mexico and Cuba) in the decade following Evans death. ●● Opium (also known as Laudanum) was rather fashionable during the late 18th and early 19th Century Great Britain. It was highly addictive, widely available and could be purchased in pubs and at food stalls. It was cheaper than alcohol and especially loved by artists and self-proclaimed ‘visionaries’

HISTORIC: The so-called Louisiana Purchase came about thanks to a Welshman

Known as the Louisiana Purchase, this notable achievement is viewed by many as ‘the greatest land bargain ever made in human history’.

It effectively doubled the size of the young United States and provided much needed waterways and natural resources to the burgeoning country.

Remember that Spanish flag planted by Evans upon leaving the Mandoc tribe? It turns out that it marked the 49th parallel which became a legal and significant boundary specified by the terms of the Louisiana Purchase.

Remember that crude map crafted

by Evans and turned into Spanish

officials upon his return? That same map played a major role in the infamous Lewis and Clark expedition which President Jefferson sponsored to chart the newly acquired lands in hope of finding a route to the Pacific. But it was the myth - the belief that Welsh Indians roamed the America West - that truly intri-

gued President Jefferson; to the point that he instructed Lewis and Clark to ‘find the descendants of the Madoc Welsh Indians’.

Don Juan Evans efforts were not futile. He had an amazing adventure and his strong belief in the legend gained credibility with the President of the United States. RIP, Don Juan.

●● Iolo Morganwag, John Evans’ mentor in London, went on to become one of Wales’ most prolific poets. Later in life he was convicted and disgraced as being a literary forger. It could be that the opium got to him. His Welsh group, The Gorsedd, continues to this day (sans opium).

They promote and preserve Welsh literary scholarship, music and language.

DID YOU KNOW?

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April 25th - May 8th 2019

Brexit brushstrokes

One of Britain’s leading conceptual artists speaks to the Olive Press as he opens his first solo Spanish exhibition about Brexit, the bible and Goya in Madrid

N

EXT door to the Prado, there is a 1,000-year-old tree that appears and disappears like magic depending on which angle it is viewed from.

Surrounded by bursts of colour from Madrid’s Royal Botanical Gardens, it is propped up by scaffolding as its trunk rots and it threatens to keel over.

One tree, which really does exist in Sherwood Forest, has been con-

By Heather Galloway in Madrid

verted into Albion, a work by the somewhat ghoulish artist Mat Collishaw while member of the late eighties movement known as the Young British Artists, along with Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin – a former girlfriend.

Now in the turmoil of Brexit, Mat, 52, links the installation to his perception of the UK’s desire to be set adrift which is already affecting the UK artist as EU funded exhibitions are cancelled.

“The tree is like the old mythical England and there is an illusion of taking back control of something that should maybe be left to die,” says the artist in a darkened corner of the Villanueva Pavilion.

“Brexit is about getSHADOWS: Like Goya, Collishaw explores a darker side ting back the empi-

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re, a lost time.” pushed Mat in a different direction A contemporary of Hirst at Golds- to focus on making connections – mith’s College, Mat often between the became the talk of past and the present. the art world in 1988 Fat man flogging His favourite Spanish when he exhibited for example, a naked woman artist, Bullet Hole at the is Goya probably becollective Young Briticause he believes the and people sh Artists exhibition, artist spans the clashurling babies Freeze. sical and the contemBullet Hole was shocfrom balconies porary. king, and fashionable, “He lifted the curtain and snapped up by to show the darker gallery owner Charles side of human behaSaatchi. But its on-trend credentials viour,” he tells me. “He was a wit-

ness to the terrible deeds that occurred at the time and that were largely ignored by more devotional and triumphant painting. An inquisitive and courageous artist, champion of the underdog. “ There was no TV in the religious household Mat grew up in in Nottingham. Mat’s father made false teeth and Mat concentrated on drawing.

He drew a lot – footballers and soldiers but now he is more likely to use technology to tease out the morbidly fascinating elements of material otherwise mundane and easily

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While the majority of Easter parades were cancelled due to rain, Joshua Parfitt, got an eyeful at Elche’s Palm Sunday celebrations

Palmed off GHOULISH: Artist Mat Collishaw

overlooked, linking not only the past with the present, but also nature with the supernatural, and monstrosity with beauty.

But the pieces that leave a lasting impression in his first solo Spanish exhibition, Mat Collishaw Dialogues curated by the Sorigué Foundation,are those elevating death and violence to a higher plane.

Inspired by the Bible’s The Massacre of the Innocents, All Things Fall is a carousel of evil that shows tiny figures performing acts of outrageous depravity, such as a fat man flogging a naked woman and people hurling babies from balconies.

As we watch mesmerised, Mat explains, “I was exploring what draws us to violence. It is as though we might learn something from it, as though we were drawn by some primal instinct that might help us avoid death.”

Similarly, the Seria Ludo zoetrope spins to animate miniaturefigures engaged inorgies of debauchery, inspired by the passage from The Book of Ecclesiastes, “Eat drink and be merry, for tomorrow you die.”

Influential

Death, is clearly something Mat spends time brooding over, an obsession one can only assume is shared by his partner, taxidermist artist Polly Morgan who lives with him, their small son Cliff and Mat’s son Alex from a previous relationship, above his studio in Camberwell, London.

But when I ask him what inspires his work, he tells me, “It could be anything from a conversation on a bus, to a TV show or a book. I am always looking for a connection, matching subject matter with form; and seeking novel ways to present ideas – ethical ideas that are pertinent to the present day.”

Hailed as one of the most influential artists coming out of Britain, Mat has managed to carve himself a very different niche from his contemporaries. While he hasn’t deliberately distanced himself from the YBA movement, he says: “Any label is inherently a way of generalising, which is helpful for easy consumption, but not deep understanding. And I’m definitely not a ‘young’ anything I’m afraid.”

At the end of the day, there is nothing gimmicky or frivolous about Mat. He does not depend on shock tactics for attention and avoids the personal and confessional.

“Like Goya,” he tells me. “I like to lurk in the shadows.”

THE only thing biblical about this year’s Semana Santa was the floods.

Of the 28 Easter processions declared a ‘Fiesta of International Tourist Interest’ in Spain, three are in the province of Alicante... and two were rained off.

It wasn’t a good image for a religious observance that is for believers the very crux of Christianity.

It’s like a power cut during the World Cup final.

Semana Santa holds a special place in Spanish hearts. It’s like Christmas to the British, or St Patrick’s Day to the Irish.

Every nationality gravitates towards its annual celebration, so it’s no surprise the parental guidance, happy-ending-loving British went for the birth of Jesus and not his drawnout murder. But in Spain, where it’s common to have a dead pig’s leg on your breakfast table, they chose the warts-and-all version of Christendom.

And, as it’s Easter they have to contend with the weather, particularly in April, with the celebrated phrase: ‘Abril, agua mil’.

I had planned to visit the trio of key Easter events in Alicante, but in the end only saw one: Palm Sunday, in Elche.

If you thought re-planting

UNIQUE: UNESCO-protected Elche avoided the Easter rain of other towns

your Christmas tree was the pin- His father, Pascual, 75, started nacle of getting in touch with your when he was seven, and was immeroots, wait till you hear what Elche diately made to climb the 30ft palm has to boast about. trees to harvest the famous white The inland town has the largest fronds. palm grove in Europe (it’s UNESCO “I hated it, but when your parents protected, by the way) and supplies tell you to do it, you have to,” he inmost of Spain with the iconic white sists. palm fronds.

Parents have a strong hold on their Locally, thousands of dedicated arti- children in Spain. It’s why the Spanisans weave biblical stories from the sh verb for ‘going mad’ at a party is fronds, and each year send one to desmadrar, or ‘to unmother’. the Pope, one to the But it’s largely thanks King and one to the to family ties that Queen.

The Spanish verb Semana Santa is “We have a Spanish alive. Each float for ‘going mad’ still saying that ‘On Palm depicting a scene of Sunday, whoever the passion of Christ at a party is doesn’t wear new is owned by by a desmadrar, or ‘to clothes doesn’t work ‘brotherhood’, many hard enough’,” Elche of which date back unmother’ local tour guide Irene centuries, and where Gonzalvez, tells me. membership is pasIt sort of carries the sed down through the same message as a Christmas Ca- generations. rol, in that parents must be gene- “Many brothers aren’t believers, but rous and buy pretty new outfits and they do it every year because they’re intricately woven palm fronds for with family or friends they’ve known their children. all their lives,” Irene tells me.

“At the beginning weaving is tough,” When the float with a sculpture of 44-year-old Eduardo Garcia Maicia, triumphant Jesus on a donkey is fiwho is manning one stall, tells me. nally put down before Elche’s cathe“But before long you can do it wi- dral, I think I overhear one of these thout looking”. rudimentary believers muttering He started weaving when he was ‘damn, I can’t wait for that glass of eight, continuing a family tradition wine’. probably stretching back to the re- Even the winner of this year’s ‘white conquista of Elche in 1250. palm’ weaving competition, Francisca Teresa Diez, has a shaky knowledge of her life’s work.

“This palm tells the story of the denial of Peter,” she tells me, adding it took a full three months to make.

It seems an on odd choice on Palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem, to weave a story about one of his top disciples denying he knows him.

“Oh, don’t ask me about religion, I don’t know anything about it,” Fransisca admits.

Indeed, only 16.9% of Spaniards now attend mass at least once a month, so what keeps these traditions close to the Spanish heart?

It’s much to do with pride. Even though she’s not a believer, Irene talks about palm leaves the way my grandfather talked about Winston Churchill, teary eyed.

If Christmas were Spanish, they’d have declared brandy butter a Bien de Interes Cultural by now, Swansea would be declaring Santa’s grotto a Fiesta of International Cultural Interest and elves would be run by religious brotherhoods. They hold on to tradition here even if the only biblical thing about it is the names; it’s the culture they’ve built around it TRADITION: White palm weaving (inset) is an important part of Elche’s Palm Sunday celebrations (main picture) that they believe in with blind faith.

LETTERS

LE T T E R S

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April 25th - May 8th 2019

Check out our issues online at www.theolivepress.es Andalucia Issue 316

Brexpats

Online readers react to news of ‘bonkers’ Benidorm expats flying from the UK to Spain to support Nigel Farage’s new Brexit party

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A Estepona A KIND OF MAGIC ll about

Estepona has managed to avoid the mass market tourism of the rest of the Costa del Sol, writes Charlie Smith A WOMAN holding the world in her hands above the blue Mediterranean sea.

This is a fitting image for Estepona and is the subject of the town’s latest mural.

Called Atlantis, it is the 49th work in the town’s series of street art, located up the steep hill of Avenida de los Reales, which offers unparalleled views down to the sea (see page 20).

But this new painting by Jose Fernandez Rios, unveiled on International Women’s Day, reveals more than just a celebration of female contributions to society.

It captures the constantly evolving nature of Estepona and its impressive global credentials, despite being a medium-sized town.

Within Estepona’s mural series alone, you have the largest vertical mural in Europe, and even the first braille mural in Spain, using ceramic pieces, to assist the learning of the visually impaired.

Perhaps one of the most unusual examples of Estepona’s worldwide appeal is Disney’s discovery of the area in the ear-

Photo by Jon Clarke

Vol. 13 Issue 316 www.theolivepress.es April 24th - May 7th 2019

SHOP HORROR SPAIN’S biggest supermarket chain has refused to up its security despite a string of British expats claiming

“By the time I had gone out they had EXCLUSIVE jumped into a waiting car and been

By Laurence Dollimore driven off.”

Another Brit, Laureen Pye, who splits they had fallen prey to brazen thieher time between Mijas and the UK, ves in the La Cala de Mijas branch of said she was Mercadona. targeted in November last year.

The group, who are appealing “My purse was tucked in rifor action, warned that the ght at the bottom of my same problem is occuring bag,” said Pye, who works at various other branches of the store along at the Lions Club charity the coast. shop.

One expat, Dee March, Finally a fourth victim 55, from Portsmouth, revealed she was robbed claimed she was robbed at the same supermarket a shocking TWO times in by two eastern European men while a third distrac10 days at the same branch. ted her by asking her about The mother-of-three, who li‘the sugar levels in the bread’. ves near to the store, lost hundreds “I never take my bag into any store of euros alongside ‘priceless’ menow, everything I need is in my pocmentos of her dead daughter. kets,” she said.

“I was so upset yet they didn’t even Meanwhile, Teresa Jane Sykes, take me to an office or offer to call rethe vealed she had police,” she said. been robbed at a Mercadona store in nearby Coin.

But when she asked for the store for Appalled CCTV footage, it was refused, despite insisting she would be able to identify “The female manager simply couldn’t the assailant. care less. I was appalled.”

“The thieves took my purse with €180 and all my credit cards the CCTV first time and €30 the second time, “Even the Guardia Civil in Coin refuas well as priceless mementos from sed to let me see the CCTV. And Mermy daughter who passed away three cadona wouldn't years ago. look at the CCTV without police authorisation.”

“One was a card from her funeral Despite the complaints, a spokesman which I can never replace, it’s terrifor Mercadona insisted that current ble.” measures are sufficient.

She insists the supermarket should He added that the company would now erect barriers at tills, introduce not be introducing more cameras, more cameras and hire more security erecting barriers at tills or hiring guards to deal with the problem. seAnother victim, 64, who has lived curity guards.

“When we get a report of a theft in Spain since 1972, added: “I was we targeted in the same hand over CCTV to police to deal shop when two wo- with,” he added. men stole a purse and Dee March meanwhile has decided to vote with her feet and will shop my mobile phone. el“I realised instantly sewhere from now on. what had happened “I’m now going to Lidl and Carrefour, and ran to an assis- which are no dearer in any case, and tant who called a co- with much better security,” she adUK BASED lleague for help. He ded. watched two women stroll out of the shop Have you been a victim at Merand said it was them, cadona? Contact newsdesk@ but made no effort to theolivepress.es stop them. for Spanish Opinion Page 6

they were robbed at one of its stores.

It comes after half a dozen British shoppers told the Olive Press how

My Brexit vision Brexit brushstrokes, Page 14

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Brits flocking to Spain HUNDREDS of new British residents have registered to live in southern Spain.

The number of registered UK nationals in Malaga has zoomed up despite the spectre of Brexit.

A sizeable 600 more people were registered at the end of last year compared to 2017.

And the numbers are expected to have risen further over the last quarter, believe experts.

“I think many people are worried, so that has increased registrations,” Anne Hernandez, president of national support group Brexpats in Spain told the Olive Press.

“And a lot of Brits are currently moving to Spain, because they don’t want to leave their dream move any longer.

“Some of them just say they ‘want to escape the UK’.”

Growth

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Vol. 4 Issue 95 www.theolivepress.es April 24th - May 7th 2019

Eyes in the sky

MILITARY drones will be patrolling the Strait of ready for action later this Gibraltar this year after year.

Spain signed a huge €216 It comes as the Guardia Civil has struggled to million deal with the US. tackle the surging drug Four MQ-9 Reaper epidemic drones are to carry out trafficking surveillance to tackle ille- which has seen outbursts gal immigration and drug of violence along the coasts over the past two trafficking.

The unmanned aircraft years. will soon be arriving at It has been suggested this their new base in Tala- summer will see even vera la Real in Badajoz, more drug activity than last year.

STILL IN DANGER

By the end of 2018 there were 47,193 British nationals registered in Malaga province, the first growth since 2013.

That year, there were 76,000 Britons in Malaga - the highest of any year while 10 years ago 63,000 Brits wereaccounted for in the area.

The large drop of expat numbers mostly happened over the following couple of years due to the deep six-year recession, which was the worst in Spain’s history.

This now looks to be in reverse, despite Brexit.

“I know many British people who are continuing to move to Spain,” said British councillor in Manilva, Dean Tyler Shelton.

“At the same time I think Brexit has A RIGHT wing coalition government been a factor in pushing more British EXCLUSIVE people to register in Spain. Most have that includes Vox could cause difficulBy John Culatto ties on the border with Spain, former no intention of going back,” he added.

Almeria had a total of 15,000 British Chief Minister Sir Joe Bossano has their jobs here,” Bossano, who was expats registered by the end of 2018, warned. knighted last year, told the Olive making it the second-largest British The Minister of Economic Develop- Press. ment’s stark words come after population in Andalucia. the “The PP has proven that before and I Meanwhile, Alicante had 69,289 regis- rising political force vowed to close think there will be an tered Brits in Spain in 2018, compared the border if it got elected into gov- right wing, because advance of the they have taken ernment in the April 28 national elecwith 66,397 in 2017. advantage of the disenchantment tions.

There are 330,911 Brits registered as there is.” livThis would be a disaster for the ing in Spain, as of 31 December 2018.

Gi- Vox’s aggressive stance on Gibraltar STARK WARNING: From former leader Joe Bossano Last month, a royal decree was passed braltar economy that relies on thou- would turn the clock back 50 years sands of workers from Spain to cross giving Brits living in Spain until 1969 when General Franco orderedto Britain’s ‘colonisation’ of the Rock.

Andalucia last December.

De- the frontier every day. a “We are fed up with the pirates cember 31 2020 to apply for a Foreignborder closure. who In a wide-ranging interview, harass our fishermen and use er Identity Card, granting them legal “If there is a right wing majority gov- The party, led by former our also warned that Spain, likeBossano military of- compatriots as hostages,” ernment they would not care about all EU status in the country after Brexit.

Abascal member states, could the 15,000 people who would lose ficer, Santiago Abascal, has consis- said about those ruling still veto legisGibraltar. tently been critical of what it sees lation on the future relationship as “While we recover Gibraltar bewe will tween make them pay taxes This the UK and the EU. or go live with the mon- ping is despite the Government stopSpain from having a Clause keys,” said the contro- 24-style veto that would allow the versial leader during his Rock to remain in a Brexit transition election campaigning. stage.

Vox had previously “We do not know what that future rehelped unfurl a huge lationship will be, and even if we want UK BASED Spanish flag on the to Lettings | Sales be in that future relationship at all,” Rock, before gaining Bossano said. “But what we do know Reliable private hire transfer Investments | Relocations their first 12 regional is services for any occasion seats in neighbouring it that the veto is when Spain believes Commercial and Residential TMcan corner us.”

Border problems loom if Vox gets into a coalition government, warns Sir Joe Bossano

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DREAMY: Period home restored by British couple in Spain

WOAH: Emerging from the rock, this stunning home in Valencia is trademark Fran Silvestre, a Spanish architect who is continuing to make his mark in the architectural world.

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ROCK STEADY

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HE average property price in Spain has grown for two consecutive years for the first time in a decade.

The national average house price rose from between 3.9% to 8.4%, according to various sources.

Along the Mediterranean coasts and on the islands, where most foreigners buy, the average price hike has been 4.06%, according to Tinsa, Spain’s leading property appraisal company.

But the figures have mostly not yet made up for the big drops during the long six year recession, with the exception of the

Prices rise for two consecutive years, while mortgage values continue to grow

Balearic Islands.

“Prices have been rising most years since the recovery began, but nothing like they did in the boom years, and nowhere near enough to claw back the ground lost in the bust,” explained respected analyst Mark Stucklin, of Spanish Property Insight.

However, he added ‘at the very least, the data suggests that the Spanish property continued to grow last year.’

Mortgage lending to home buyers meanwhile was up 6.1% in January to 19,390 new loans, according to the Association of Spanish Notaries.

The average new loan made in January had a value of €135,616, an increase of 0.9% in a year. As long as mortgage lending for residential acquisitions continues to increase, as it has done for the last few years, the Spanish property market is set to grow.

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April 12th - April 25th 2019 Vol. 3 Issue 52 www.theolivepress.es

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SUMMONS: Kirby

Judge set to take further steps after expat boss of suspect investment company fails to turn up at court

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THE beleaguered boss of a failed wealth management company which allegedly lost expats morea than €20 million has ignored summons to court.

Darren Kirby, of Alicante-based Continental Wealth Management (CWM), failed to turn up at Denia court on March 26.

According to Olive Press sources he was due to turn up, alongside former business partners, who did turn up.

The case involves a trio of investors, who lost substantial amounts of money when the company folded in 2017.

Kirby allegedly fled to Australia following the collapse, finally returning to Alicante last year.

“Darren has been sent a Burofax which he didn’t sign for, so the court will now have to pursue him in other ways,” a source said.

“A judge is dealing with this and it’s under legal review,” he added. “We understand he is currently in England.”

The Olive Press exclusively revealed how CWM abruptly folded in 2017,

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BACKING DOWN: Carles

FIND OUT WHY INSIDE

beleaguered CATALUNYA’S to fight on leader has vowed from abroad.

PuigdeIt came after Carles in to mont handed himself a EuroBelgian police when was ispean arrest warrant sued. politicians He and four other of reare accused on charges misuse of bellion, sedition, disobedience public funds, and breach of trust. now has A judge in Belgium to decide if up to two weeks the group they will extradite to Spain.

Expats who lost millions rage at ‘unauthorised’ deals involving ‘worrying’ signing of blank sheets EXCLUSIVE

By Joe Duggan

Confusion reigns

Pension peril

SPAIN’S prime minister has accused Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont of causing ‘confusion’ after signing a declaration of independence.

Mariano Rajoy demanded he clarify if he had really declared independence following Tuesday’s nail biting address to the Catalan parliament.

If so, Rajoy insisted he could trigger Article 155 of Spain’s constitution to allow Madrid to take direct control of Catalunya.

“There is an urgent need to put an end to the situation that Catalunya is going through - to

who lost up BRITISH expats a failed pento €20 million in believe their sion advisory firm been phosignatures may have Fight docutocopied onto investment ments. living extradition Given the whole up to 60 Around 300 Brits, mostretrieve rying’. very essence process can take may have in Spain, are battling to “This negates the are meant to they were days, it means he election their funds after Alicante-based of the service they “It is a blank me they knew what Wealth Manto run his entire the Catalan firm Continental offer,” said Flores. wherever, doing.” folded in Sepsome of campaign for Party agement (CWM)reported in the cheque to invest He added: “I believe European Democratic were made tember, as first whenever. the investments this is I think from Belgium. him to fight Olive Press a month ago.

“If standard practice, without my knowledge.I do not left for AusHis party wants of Boss Darren Kirby of very worrying. that is the case because documents for all the for continued leadership in tralia following the closure ofhalf and I Javea “Signing blank recall signing sheets has gone down by to get it the regional parliament would be seen the company’s main elections. investments I had.” need compensation the December 21 by the Olive as irregular in a he had fices.

An email, seen asking a cliback on track. who are spread across Puigdemont denied court of law. The Malto avoid jus- Victims, Press, shows CWM “But some people with a blank fled to Brussels left because Spain, as well as in Ibiza, and problem ent to sign and return France have lost everytice but that he these firms is that was lorca, Portugal, dealing instruction. thing and don’t fear illegal practices 55, who the Spanish government they were all inof oppres- Turkey, Another British expat, around to sign blank have enough to preparing a ‘wave vesting in highly against after being asked is trying to recover pensionlive on. One rePENSION risky investments sion and violence’ dealing instructions. were then €200,000, said some pots tired victim only the cliseparatists.

OUTRAGE without convinced Their pension assets ers ‘have lost everything’. has €50,000 left “I’m absolutely preparing invested in high-risk large that I sent ents knowing.”

“My paper work my risk level from €480,000.” that the state was repression which promised to pay out He claimed that has been altered, ‘medium’ to Andalucia-based a harsh wave of losses sustained have all commissions. pensioner was changed from lawyer Antonio investors instrucfor which we would by he One 69-year-old whose he lost ‘high’ and my dealing Flores, been held responsible,” photocopied would hopefully told the Olive Press Lawbird tions have been firm after transferring and sellrecoverable said yesterday. be is com- €210,000 despite stating he BOSS: Kirby now in representrepeatedly for buyingauthorise,” are that failed “The Spanish state repression… €470,000 aversion Australia as the investments bust, were ing assets I didn’t ing some CWM mitting a brutal repression had a ‘low to medium blank into perform, or went policies. he said. investment. victims, said signing ‘very wormoney left if we don’t battle to risk’ attitude to you sign this he said. state linked to life insurance looking “I still have some enough to vestment sheets was Momentum together, the Spanish “I was asked, ‘Canwill fill in the “They should have been Pension trustees now attemptwere just and I am still young 15:36 We may win this fight.” but my fund 16/06/2017 1 out for me but they to the blank form. and Trafalgar are Untitled-1.pdf that trusting they feathering their own nests. To get compensation, clients’ In a show of supportaround details.’ I did ing to recoup CMW interests,” deposed president, would act in my best losses. so far been 200 Catalan pro-indepentravelled to The Olive Press hasif CWM was dence mayors to stage unable to discover investBrussels on Tuesday registered to provide Spain’s offia rally.

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October 12th - October 26th 2017 Vol. 1 Issue 13 www.theolivepress.es

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SPAIN’S prime minister has accused Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont of causing ‘confusion’ after signing a declaration of independence.

Mariano Rajoy demanded he clarify if he had really declared independence following Tuesday’s nail biting address to the Catalan parliament.

If so, Rajoy insisted he could trigger Article 155 of Spain’s constitution to allow Madrid to take direct control of Catalunya.

“There is an urgent need to put an end to the situation that Catalunya is going through - to

Who’s paying us?

EXCLUSIVE

CONFUSION reigns over who should foot the bill for Mallorca hotels hit by the collapse of airline Monarch.

Balearic hotels are facing a €10million bill over the collapse that saw the emergency repatriation of over 110,000 back to the UK, many from Palma.

Administrator KPMG told the Olive Press ‘the debt owed by Monarch to hoteliers will rank as an unsecured claim’ against the defunct airline.

“They will have to file a claim to the joint administrators for all the money they are owed,” said a spokesman.

“It has not been determined (yet) how much money will be available to creditors.”

SPECIALIZING IN: CRIMINAL LAW CIVIL LAW

BANKING (FLOOR CLAUSE) FAMILY LAW

e-mail: advocat1@demicco.es mobile number: 636 307 533 WWW.DEMICCO.CH

Expats lose millions in life savings through failed investment scheme

national and Momentum Pensions.

“People are terribly disGranada-based tressed,” Brooks told the Olive Press.

“They have lost large amounts of their retirement savings.”

She added: “Some of these EXCLUSIVE people are going to end up

By Joe Duggan back in Britain on benefits.”

“I have nothing but praise for HUNDREDS of British expats Tony Barnett [Trafalgar MD] are battling to retrieve their and Stewart Davies [Momen(above) team at March pensions after losing up to OFF TO OZ: Boss Kirby and tum chef executive]. They £20 million in a failed pension charity bash been magnificent in tryinvestment scheme.

It is believed at least 300 of haveto recoup people’s money.” anonymous.

Spanish-based financial adviCWM’s 900 clients have had ing Olive Press understands it Marbella-based expat remain sory firm Continental Wealth One the Olive Press he sunk “The adviser kept telling me, their pension pots decimated, The guaranteed, it can’t go with victims shocked to later Management (CWM) folded told through CWM, only ‘This is last month obliterating many £59,000 he had lost £39,000 below a certain level’.” discover the value of their inmoney, and that of others vestments had plummeted heartbroken Brits’ life savings. realising his pension trustees sent His across Spain and France, was dramatically.

Many of them had transferred when statement. their private UK pensions a couldn’t believe it. I have put into high-risk ‘profession- However, a source close to investor only’ assets, it has the case insisted: ‘There are through the company, whose “I thousands of pounds,” al highly possible legal action been claimed. boss Darren Kirby has now al- lost still many customers who are is be taken by some parties revealed the victim, asking to legedly moved to Australia. happy with their pension port- may against CWM, based out of folio.’ in Alicante, and Andalucia-based tax specialist headquarters executives.

Angie Brooks, a leading expert its the office in Javea and on pension liberation schemes Bothwebsite have recently shut. and the founder of Pension the group were pictured celLife, has now launched a fight The at a charity ball as reto help get victims’ money ebrating cently as March this year. back. the Olive Press spoke She is working alongside pen- When boss Kirby he ‘definitively’ sion trustees Trafalgar Inter- to denied responsibility over the crash. “I have lost my world,” he said.

A close associate of Kirby’s said former CWM staff were all ‘very upset’.

“It is still quite raw for them, and they are working out what to do next,” he said.

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Who’s paying us?

EXCLUSIVE

CONFUSION reigns over who should foot the bill for Mallorca hotels hit by the collapse of airline Monarch.

Balearic hotels are facing a €10million bill over the collapse that saw the emergency repatriation of over 110,000 back to the UK, many from Palma.

Administrator KPMG told the Olive Press ‘the debt owed by Monarch to hoteliers will rank as an unsecured claim’ against the defunct airline.

“They will have to file a claim to the joint administrators for all the money they are owed,” said a spokesman.

“It has not been determined (yet) how much money will be available to creditors.”

SPECIALIZING IN: CRIMINAL LAW CIVIL LAW BANKING (FLOOR CLAUSE) FAMILY LAW

They’ve been getting stoned for centuries.

Now UNESCO is interested in Mallorca walls.

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PENSION OUTRAGE

Expats lose millions in life savings through failed investment scheme EXCLUSIVE

By Joe Duggan

HUNDREDS of British expats are battling to retrieve their pensions after losing up to £20 million in a failed OFF TO OZ: Boss Kirby pension investment and (above) team at scheme.

Spanish-based finan- March charity bash cial advisory firm Continental Wealth Man- Many of them had agement (CWM) folded transferred their prilast month obliteratvate UK pensions Untitled-1.pdf 1 16/06/2017 ing many heartbroken through15:36 the company, Brits’ life savings.

whose boss Darren Kirby has now allegedly moved to Australia.

One Costa-del-Solbased expat told the Olive Press he sunk £59,000 through CWM, only realising he had lost £39,000 when his pension trustees sent a statement.

“I couldn’t believe it. I have lost thousands of pounds,” revealed the victim, asking to remain anonymous.

“The adviser kept telling me, ‘This is guaranteed, it can’t go below a certain level’.”

His money, and that of others across Spain and France, was put into high-risk ‘professional investor only’ assets, it has been claimed.

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It is believed at least 300 of CWM’s 900 clients have had their pension pots decimated, with victims shocked to later discover the value of their investments had plummeted dramatically.

However, a source close to the case insisted: ‘There are still many customers who are happy with their pension portfolio.’

Andalucia-based tax specialist Angie Brooks, a leading expert on pension liberation schemes and the founder of Pension Life, has now launched a fight to help get victims’ money back.

She is working alongside pension trustees Trafalgar International and Momentum Pensions.

“People are terribly distressed,” Granadabased Brooks told the Olive Press. “They have lost large amounts of their retirement savings.”

She added: “Some of these people are going

to end up back in Britain on benefits.”

“I have nothing but praise for Tony Barnett [Trafalgar MD] and Stewart Davies [Momentum chef executive]. They have been magnificent in trying to recoup people’s money.”

The Olive Press understands it is highly possible legal action may be taken by some parties against CWM,

based out of headquarters in Alicante, and its executives.

Both the office in Javea and the website have recently shut.

When the Olive Press spoke to boss Kirby he ‘definitively’ denied responsibility over the crash. “I have lost my world,” he said.

A close associate of Kirby’s told the Olive Press former CWM staff were all ‘very upset’.

“It is still quite raw for them, and they are working out what to do next,” he said.

Ave de Gabriel Roca 4, Palma

Opinion Page 6

Ave de Gabriel Roca 4, Palma

HOW WE TOLD IT: Our 2017 reports in Mallorca

losing hundreds of expats’ life savings in the process.

The firm, which was based out of the Marriott Hotel, in Denia, had ‘eight to ten’ telesales staff and clients scattered around Europe, revealed a former member of staff.

“It was a prestigious place but one day they just shut the door,” she said, asking not to be named.

Victims had raised fears about being asked to sign blank dealing instructions and their pensions being invested in high-risk assets which paid large commissions.

One pensioner based in Mallorca told the Olive Press he lost €210,000 after transferring €470,000 despite medium risk stating he had a low toUntitled-1.pdf attitude.

“I was asked, ‘Can you sign this

blank form. We will fill in the details.’ I did that trusting they would act in my best interests,” he said.

“They should have been looking out for me and they were just feathering their own nests. To me they knew what they were doing.”

Lawyer Antonio Flores, whose firm Lawbird is representing a number of victims, said signing blank investment sheets was ‘very worrying’.

“This negates the very essence of financial advisory services,”said Flores. “It is a blank cheque to invest wherever, whenever.

“It is very worrying as they were investing clients’ money in highly risky investments as well as dubious funds just because they paid the higher commissions.”

He added that losses sustained by investors should however, be recoverable as the investments that failed to perform, or went bust, were linked to life insurance policies.

When the Olive Press finally got hold of Kirby in October 2017, he denied all responsibility. “I have lost my world,” he said.

Letter

of the

week

So a British couple return to their own country, to have a say in the democratic process that is dividing the country. What is so ‘bonkers’ about that? They are not anti-Spain, they are anti EU, just like the ‘majority of their country folk’. This couple choose to live, and spend their money in Spain, just like the millions of people for the last 40 years. Many people chose to live, work, and retire, in many European countries, long before the EU, and I’m sure plenty will continue to do so, when this unelected Mafia finally disbands. Viva España.

You dopes!

Dear Olive Press,

It is really amusing how stupid some people can be, especially in an area as secure as one of Spain’s busiest airports (British father and son arrested for smuggling cannabis through Alicante aiport, online, April 9).

How did the British father and son decide it was a good idea to bring hashish through the airport?

They must have forgotten that there are cameras, monitoring people’s every move 24 hours a day in these places.On top of this, scanners, trained police dogs and officers are in place at most airports around the world.

To people who are considering doing this in the future, match the dots before doing something as stupid as these two men.

Michael Bath, London

Get the hell out Really? Do these people even have a brain in their heads?

Farage is a total fraud. He’s an MEP. He gets paid a lot of money for that. Now he wants to form a ‘Brexit’ party. This man has caused more problems for the British public than anyone else. Seriously get a brain, and think for yourself. And if you really believe in Brexit, then get the hell out of Spain.

Jill Handley, Valencia

Coma Berenices, Alicante

Bad logic

Are you a victim or former staff know more about the case? Contact the Olive Press at newsdesk@theolivepress.es

Do you 15:36 16/06/2017 1 member?

They live in Spain, a country that will stay in the EU. Their rights to stay in Spain will be affected by Brexit, and yet they support it. That’s why it is so mental.

M

Y

2/8/18 17:01

1

Democracy in action

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CRIME SPREE: At La Cala supermarket

Expats demand action after spate of robberies at Mercadona

The Olive Press meets British art genius Mat Collishaw at his new exhibition

•

TEL: 622 08 45 13

CALLE CARIDAD, 46, 29680 ESTEPONA, MÁLAGA

HUNDREDS of new British residents have registered to live in southern Spain.

The number of registered UK nationals in Malaga has zoomed up despite the spectre of Brexit.

A sizeable 600 more people were registered at the end of last year compared to 2017.

And the numbers are expected to have risen further over the last quarter, believe experts.

“I think many people are worried, so that has increased registrations,” Anne Hernandez, president of national pport group Brexpats in Spain told suthe Olive Press.

“And a lot of Brits are currently moving to Spain, because they don’t want to leave their dream move any longer.

“Some of them just say they ‘want to escape the UK’.”

Opinion Page 6

A town in bloom...

Estepona special inside

Continues on Page 18

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We’re here to stay!

Continues on Page 4

April 2019

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Vol. 13 Issue 316

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Joe Fry, Malaga

2/8/18 17:01

Families at war We too were disenfranchised, because we have lived in Spain for more than 15 years. The Remain side also told lies and £9 million was spent on a leaflet to all UK households. Unfortunately the referendum has split many families and friends but everyone is entitled to their own personal opinion.

Gillian Fry, Benidorm

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I am sorry to hear this (British pensioner’s €35,000 Rolex stolen on Costa Blanca, online). It’s becoming all too common because of scum who can’t understand that earning a living for yourself is far more rewarding than stealing. I hope the watch is traced by serial but unfortunately, a watch of that vintage will be easy to lose in the system and re-sold as they’d rarely come with papers at that age.

Wayne Goodman, Manchester

Dodgy doctor I was recently given Nolotil five minutes after having a lengthy conversation with the doctor about it and her acknowledging the rules and issues, and telling me she wouldn’t give it to me (Nolotil action still needed, Issue 2, pg 5). When I got my prescription I also noticed she had prescribed it for home use along with paracetamol.

Not only was I baffled, I was really pissed off.

Anna Fulton, Valencia

Lucky escape We are lucky (Baggage claims, Issue 2, pg 23). Over many years only one bag went missing. We had flown from Tenerife to Malaga where we live with Norwegian Air. We reported it at Malaga and were assured we would have it delivered to our home the next day. We live in a village one hour from Malaga. By 1pm the next day it was delivered to our home after they called us to ensure we would be there. Such a brilliant service, could not fault them.

Angie Benson, Mollina

Has anything piqued your interest in this week’s Olive Press? Have your say on the matter by emailing newsdesk@theolivepress.es or alternatively message us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OlivePressNewspaper or Twitter @olivepress

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BUSINESS

17

Eyes in the sky

Bedding Success A BRITISH medical furniture business is set to supply beds and trolleys to hospitals and care homes across Spain.

Suffolk-based Seers Medical secured a five-year contract for more than 120 items with support from the British Department for International Trade.

The firm agreed the deal with Hidemar, a medical distributor based in Madrid, after showcasing at MEDICA - the largest medical trade show in the world.

“We are an ambitious business and know that there’s demand for our products worldwide,” said Matt Clarke, Seers Medical marketing manager.

“The Spanish market was one of the few countries in Europe we were yet to do business with.”

Seers Medical is a market leader in manufacturing medical furniture for the healthcare sector and counts the NHS as a customer Clarke said: “If we can export our equipment worldwide, other British brands can, too.”

Army drones deployed to fight drug dealers and human traffickers MILITARY drones will be patrolling the coasts this year after Spain signed a huge €216 million deal with the US. Four MQ-9 Reaper drones are to carry out surveillance in the Straits of Gibraltar to tackle illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

The unmanned aircraft will soon be arriving at their new base in Talavera la Real in Badajoz, ready for action later this year.

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It comes as the Guardia Civil has struggled to tackle the surging drug trafficking epidemic which has seen outbursts of violence along the coasts over the past two years.

It has been suggested this summer will see even more drug activity than last year.

The military deal includes a state-of-the-art camera system for surveillance and a powerful long-range radar.

The drones have the capacity to be armed with missiles

On your bike!

COMING SOON: Drones above southern Spain

but Spain’s will not be carrying any.

Weighing in at two tonnes,

Port of call ALICANTE port is set it break new records with 59 cruise ships planned to dock this coming tourist season, bringing a whopping 110,000 passengers.

The stopovers will exceed last year’s 50, and will see one cruise liner docking every three days during the high season.

The expected 110,000 passengers is equivalent to a third of Alicante city’s resident population.

“We are working to improve the

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infrastructure and the conditions we offer to tourists arriving on cruise ships, who are people of high-purchasing power in the city during their stopovers,” Alicante’s councillor for tourism Mari Carmen de España said in a statement last week.

The world’s largest privately held cruise company, MSC Cruises, has also begun tests to make Alicante an embarkation point on its cruise routes.

the wings span 20 metres and allow the aircraft to fly up to speeds of 400km/hr for around 14 hours, meaning they can cover distances of around 2,000km.

Patrol

The drones will work on surveillance missions alongside the ‘P.3 Orion’ maritime patrol aircraft that the army has been using in the Straits for years.

The ‘P.3 Orion’ is able to fly for more than 12 hours and has a network of sensors capable of locating a small boat from miles away, even at night or in extreme weather conditions.

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THE Dutch firm behind Javea’s rent-a-bike scheme are planning to install 135 more machines.

The iconic yellow bicycles, which already number 65, are unlocked through an app and can be picked up and dropped off all over the municipality.

Bike2Use charges €1 for a 30-minute trip, €25 for a week, or €89 for an annual fee of up to four 30 minutes rides a day.

Riders are encouraged to drop the bicycles off at designated parking stations, but they may park anywhere legal and notify the company, who have a van circling Javea to pick up any strays.

The Bike2Share scheme started in the Netherlands and Denmark and its launch in Javea is the first in Spain.

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BUSINESS

Top tips

Three snippets of car advice from Linea Directa and why we should be the insurance company you choose

Mad about motoring?

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Greenspiration

A major Spanish solar farm company has seen its profits soar thanks to an unprecedented boom in renewable energy.

Grenergy Renovables SL posted a net profit of €13.1 million for 2018, more than doubling its initial forecast for the year.

The rise is almost triple the amount attained in 2017.

The company saw total revenues soar by 16% to €55 million thanks the construction and development of solar farms in Chile and wind farms in Argentina and Peru.

17:01

Turning sour

Trump threatens Spain’s booming citrus exports

SPAIN’S booming citrus market is facing a rocky future after Donald Trump threatened to impose harsh tariffs.

The US president included Spain’s citrus exports on a list of products in line for more than €9 billion worth of tariffs as part of an ongoing feud with the EU. Growers are now fearing for the future after betting on the US as one of the key markets for growth.

Last year saw a significant in-

UNDER THREAT: Spain’s lemons and (right) Trump crease in lemon shipments to the US, with figures showing Spain exported 6,315 tonnes in 2018/19. This was a 71% increase on the 3,700 tonnes

Get in the know

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The series of seminars from May 8 to 10 involves a string of key businesses with knowledge of the important areas.

The Finance Tour is returning to Spain for the third year bringing experts from INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT – PENSION OPTIONS – TAX PLANNING BREXIT – RESIDENCY – INHERITA NCE TAX –WEALTH TAX FTSE-listed UK institutions George Forsyth to answer your questions directly.

The seminars start with a Chris Wanless short presentation from each company, that incluSam Kelly des Prudential international and Rathbones, set up in 1742, followed by an Wednesday 8 May, 3pm – La Laguna open Q+A. Hotel, Quesada Wednesday 8 May, 6:30pm – La Zenia Hotel, Orihuela Costa Thursday 9th May, 2:30pm – Suitopia Sol At the end of the session Y Mar Hotel, Calpe Thursday 9 May, 7pm – Hotel Mas Camarena -Valencia Friday 10th May, 4pm – The Parador Hotel, Javea you can enjoy a coffee while having the opportuFor bookings & information visit www.thefi nity to speak one-on-one nancetour.com, CALL 693 107 044, or email info@thef inancetour.com. with the panel of experts.

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shipped the previous year.

“The US is indeed an export market with potential for growth for Spain and is framed as a key destination within our strategy to increase our sales outside the EU,” Citrus export body Ailimpo’s Raul Alcazar said.

“Evidently this news is not positive and generates concern but at the moment we do not have any more information about the additional tariff that would be established or about the date from which it would be applied.”

Spain exported more than €50 million of fruit and vegetables to the US in 2018, with stonefruit, citrus, apples, pears and avocados among the main products.

Brexit fear MORE than a third of Spaniards fear Brexit will have a ‘very negative’ impact on their country’s economy.

A survey by El Cambio en Europa found that 37% thought the UK’s departure from the EU would have a direct impact on their economic well being.

Meanwhile, 45% believe the negotiations have not been carried out effectively and that Spain’s national interests were not defended enough.

The survey also revealed many people do not know what the European Parliament does (63.5%), while even more see the European Commission as a mystery (66.3%).

The UK has until October 31 to find a solution to Brexit.

PROPERTY Building blocks

EASTERN Spain is much loved for its natural limestone walls that perfectly match the rugged cliffs along the Mediterranean shore.

But now one builder has pioneered a new technique to brings the natural stone into your very bathroom.

Daniel George, owner of Ace Construction, has been working with natural stone for 17 years and just this month put his unique method to use.

“I really enjoy the job satisfaction you get from working with a natural material and always find limestone is sympathetic to work with and very pleasing to the eye,” George, 32, told the Olive Press.

He explained how he dressed the limestone, built it as a stone cladding onto a false wall and then used a natural stone sealer to bring out the grain and fossils in the rock.

“It gives it a lot of quirkiness, but I think it looks great,” said George, who started working with natural stone when he was 14.

“It’s hard work, but the end product is amazing and the tradition is getting lost as not many y o u n g people want to go into natural s t o n e work,” he NEW: Limestone fitting added.

19

April 25th - May 8th 2019

Brexit be damned Brits return to Valencia as property purchases beat pre-Brexit levels last year

BRITS bought more houses in the Valen- share of the market after latest figures cian Community in 2018 than in the year showed Brits have been rushing to Spain of the Brexit referendum, new statistics ahead of the dreaded departure from the have revealed. union.

According to the Spanish Ministry of In Alicante alone, the number of British Development, British buyers purchased residents shot up by more than 3,000 5,092 houses in 2016 when the UK voted between 2017 and 2018. to leave the European Union.

It comes after Alicante and Valencia But despite uncertainty over residency ri- were revealed to be in the five top pro- GRAN Hotel Sol y Mar has ghts, healthcare and pensions, homes sold vinces in Spain in terms of sales last been announced as the to British buyers in 2018 reached 5,559. year. Madrid ranked first with 14%, fo- best-rated hotel in Spain, acThe UK continues to be the biggest foreign llowed by Barcelona (10.82%), Alicante cording to one of the world’s investor in Valencian property, but other (7.3%), Malaga (6.30%) and Valencia leading travel websites. countries are creeping up the percentages. (5.89%).

Kayak.com made the announSwedes bought the lion’s share of houses cement as part of their firstin Torrevieja, for example, purchasing 1,028 of 4,197 last year.

Meanwhile Algerians bought the majority of houses in AliMADRID is no stranger to Real Madrid this cante city, and Italians in Vato superstar footballers summer. lencia city. and another could be The Belgian forward Though British buyers have about to move in. is said to be looking at shown loyalty and trust to the Chelsea ace Eden Ha- homes in La Finca, one Spanish property market, the zard has reportedly of the most luxurious marketing of property to other been looking for pro- and expensive postco- reside, including Welcountries has seen their lead perty in the Spanish des in the capital. It is shman Gareth Bale, in house purchases fall from capital, as speculation also where many of the Sergio Ramos and ma23.5% in 2015 to 17.3% in 2018. grows that he will move Real Madrid players nager Zidane.

But the UK could see its compatriots claw back their lion’s

Top of the stops

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The Gran Hotel Sol y Mar, based in Calpe, came out top, with three more Valencian hotels, three in Barcelona, two in Madrid and one in Cordoba making the top ten.

The four-star ‘adults only’ hotel boasts an infinity pool overlooking the Penya d’Ifach and 311 days of annual Mediterranean sunshine.

In second place was the RH Bayren Hotel & SPA in Gandia, with Benidorm’s Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa trailing just behind in fourth.

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PROPERTY

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The property exploits natural stone sourced directly from the site to create the illusion that it is growing out of the landscape.

The staircase up to the entrance was excavated out of the bedrock while the sunken garden, complete with pool, uses the contours to shield it from strong winds sweeping over the hills.

The main living space floats above the terrain in a cantilevered block with vast windows commanding views to the far horizon.

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PROPERTY

Seat of engineering A LEADING independent furniture store on the Costa Blanca has revealed to the Olive Press its all-time best seller sofa.

Harris Furnishings, which owns a 400m2 showroom in Pedreguer, said the traditional Aldo design has outcompeted L-shape sofas, leather sofas and sofa beds in the three years since the shop has been open.

Owners David and Jayne Harris, who have a combined experience of 58 years in the furniture trade, and are experienced upholste-

rers, say the popularity is also down to the customisable nature of the product, given the designs are open to customer input.

“The Aldo is the all-time best seller at Harris Furnishings, and it’s easy to see why,” Jayne said.

The sofa, which features fixed cushions, is also reclinable and can be fitted with a USB port, proving that simplicity combined with customisation is a winning combination.

The sofa has performed better than more luxurious

leather, and leather and fabric blend sofas, such as Harris Furnishings Henley and Angelo models.

L-shaped sofas have also been popular thanks their modularity, allowing them to be put together in a variety of combinations suitable to each home.

Jayne lamented that quality sofa beds are particularly hard to come by in Spain, but despite the business’ deep-mattress Lapponia range, the Aldo is still the rock of their competitive trade.

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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

Tapa in to the senses

JAVEA’S Municipal Market is using food to draw in the crowds on Friday evenings.

The Primera al Mercat, or ‘first one in the market’, aims to woo residents in for their ‘first’ tapa and aperitif of the night before they move on elsewhere.

It comes after the Association of Market Vendors of Javea banded together to promote their products, and held their first large-scale tapas festival, the MercaTap. “On Fridays of each month the Market of Javea will promote La primera al Mercat, so that when you go for your first tapas, first beer, or first glass of wine, you’ll go to the Market,” a spokesperson for the Association said. The next events will be held on October 19 and December 7, but the market itself is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 2pm, and then 5pm to 8pm. On Saturdays it is open from 8am to 3pm.

Trouble brewing

Popular gin company plans to leave Scotland for Costa Blanca over Brexit fears AN award-winning gin distillery has set up a base in Alicante to ‘safeguard its sales abroad’ in the event of a problematic Brexit.

Oro Gin, which distills its 43% botanical alcohol in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, will likely be hit by extra tariffs once Britain exits the European Union.

The company’s head distiller, Ray Clynick, has been coming to Alicante for 20 years for leisure but has now had to make

the area his office in the fight to keep his product competitive.

“With Brexit happening one way or another we knew that creating a business in Europe was of paramount importance,” Clynick, 29, told the Olive Press.

He added that in the event of imposition of tariffs his business would be able to ‘protect itself’ through its pricing strategy.

He said that in the worst-case

Lucky boy LIONEL Messi has spoiled his nephew this Easter with a huge mona cake crafted in the shape of a football stadium.

The Barcelona striker gifted the chocolate treat - a traditional Resurrection Sunday

23

treat in Catalunya - to the son of his brother Rodrigo. The boy, Benjamin, was also given a golden boot, a caricature of Messi and a cut-out of the club’s stadium with the motto ‘more than a club’ written on the stands.

April 25th - May 8th 2019

Bacon barmy A BRITISH tourist has been left fuming after the ₤4 bacon sandwich he ordered on a flight from Alicante turned up ‘dry and undercooked’ and ‘nothing like the picture advertised’.

Customer Nile had spent seven days in Benidorm and was looking forward to some ‘nice proper food’ when he ordered the bacon ciabatta on a TUI flight to Nottingham this month.

But the ‘crusty stone-baked

roll’ turned out to be a sorry excuse for a sandwich with two slices of bacon barely touching the sides.

“I had been eating cats and dogs most probably for a week, and when you see a little normality it looks proper nice,” Nile posted on social media with accompanying photographs.

The airline apologised and asked the disgruntled passenger to make a formal complaint.

Something for everyone at

HILL TOP GASTRO PUB scenario, he may even consider building a distillery here, meanwhile he is in contact with distributors further afield in Romania.

Clynick turned to distilling after a career as a scientist, and despite only being in operation for a year his company just picked up a silver award at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2019 this month.

Oro’s flagship gin, made in traditional copper pot stills to ensure a ‘fresher taste’, is made from juniper, coriander, orris root, lemon and orange peels and the more unusual cassia bark, Malabar cardamom, pink peppercorns and lemongrass, as well as a secret ingredient.

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FOOD,DRINK &

24

April 25th - May 8th 2019

Biowars Spain’s fruit and veg is facing its biggest threat since Brexit and this new nemesis also involves pests and parasites – but local science has found one solution, writes Charlie Smith

B

REXIT spells much uncertainty for Spanish fruit and veg on its way to the UK. Import tariffs, working restrictions, border queues - the list goes on.

But this year alsobegan with Spain’s fresh produce facing down a series of threats much closer to home.

Pests and parasites. Not the Westminster or Moncloa kind but the insect, fungal and animal varieties.

In March came news from the north of Spain that olive harvests had decreased by as much as 50% in some areas.

The olive fly was behind the devastation in Aragon, one of Spain’s worst-hit regions.

Meanwhile the Balearics announced it was flying 46 people out to California to study the Xylella bacteria, another pest which attacks olives.

The pathogen has decimated crops in Mallorca, since it was found on the island for the first time in November 2016.

But it isn’t just olives, Mallorca and Ibiza’s almonds are also under threat.

In Palma, a study of Xylella was conducted on 17 almond and 29 olive varieties to test which are the most resistant.

Balearic nuts also face an assault by the Asian wasp ‘Vespa velutina nigrithorax’, which has brought significant economic damage to the region.

Another big concern is bees after it emerged that the Costa Blanca had seen its bee hives on the decline by 13.5% over the past decade.

Now it’s emerged that a small mite called the ‘Varroa destructor’ clings to bees and slowly kills them.

In February more bad news broke that Malaga was beginning to import prickly pears - or chumbos - which usually doesn’t happen until the end of summer when stocks run low. The reason: cochineal beetles. A plague sweeping through Spain saw some plantations totally wiped out.

Now avocado harvests are firing up and set to keep growers busy until mid-May - that’s if the avocado’s arch nemesis - the ‘Rosellinia necatrix’ fungus - doesn’t wreak its usual havoc.

But there is hope on the horizon.

Recently Andalucian researchers discovered that a unique fungus is able to surround an avocado tree, fighting off Rosellinia necatrix while leaving the plant unharmed.

‘EnHV1’ is the name of this heroic pathogen.

But while there may be an answer to ensure the continuation of the avocado boom, not all Spanish crops are created equal.

Here we look to Spain for the fruit and veg most under threat from pests.

Chestnuts

At this time of year pests pose little threat to chestnuts but come October, all hell looks set to break loose in Andalucia again.

Last Christmas, the chestnut gall wasp from China was responsible for plunges in the crop’s production of up to 30%.

The tiny Asian creature was behind a trail of destruction in Ronda’s Genal Valley where chestnuts bring in €10 million annually.

The female of this wicked wasp (below) lays eggs in the buds of the tree, disrupting the fruiting process and reducing the yield of a tree by up to 70%.

EARLY: Chumbos imported to Malaga, while (right) the cochineal beetle

Prickly pears The cochineal beetle is farmed and bred to produce the ‘carmine’ dye that colours red food and many other products. But in Spain it is the enemy of the prickly pear, locally known as the ‘chumbo’ and the fruit this bothersome beetle likes to call home.

In February a beetle plague devastated crops in five Andalucian provinces: Cadiz, Huelva, Malaga, Granada and Almeria.

Only Cordoba and Almeria are still growing prickly pears with each province having just 14 hectares of dedicated land.

The fruit you can often pick up from a roadside seller for next-to-nothing had to be imported early on in the season from as far away as Sicily, with prices oscillating between €2.40 and €3.50 a kilo.

Honey PARASITES: ‘Varroa destructor’ and (right) zoomed in

Almonds Ibiza saw a devastating 65% drop in its almond harvest last year, while neighbouring Mallorca experienced a 40% drop.

As well as bad weather, the Xylella bacteria was largely responsible for this nut slump.

The Balearic Islands are famous for almonds, producing most of Spain’s 60,000 tonne total last year.

Bees pollinate about 80% of the Balearics’ cultivated and wild plants, including almonds but they also have a nemesis: the Asian wasp ‘Vespa velutina nigrithorax’, which wreaks significant economic and ecological damage on the insect’s populations.

The threat from this pest to the region is so real that an app Vespapp - was even designed at the University of the Balearic Islands in order to detect Asian wasps.

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For honey-lovers bees are man’s best friend but the ‘Varroa destructor’ is definitely not the best friend of bees.

This parasitic mite feeds on the bee’s fat reserves by latching on to its abdomen and slowly killing the insect. And the Costa Blanca is one of the areas where honey production is most at risk from this pest.

It emerged in February that 13.5% of Valencia’s hives had disappeared since 2008, while bee organisation Asaja Alicante said it was at a ‘clear disadvantage’ to other communities.

Meanwhile Jose Luis Herguedas, secretary of the Apicultural Fair Foundation, said: “At the moment, it is the disease that is causing the greatest number of bee deaths in apiaries.”

TRAVEL

25

April 25th - May 8th 2019

Avocados

Olives Aragon in northeastern Spain has just rounded off the olive season from hell - largely thanks to its foe, la mosca del olivo - the olive fly.

Some areas in the region have seen downturns of 50% compared to last year thanks to the pesky insect.

But Mallorca too faces an olive threat, namely the ‘Xylella fastidiosa’ bacteria, which can be carried by 309 different insects.

This pathogen can cause so-called ‘olive quick decline syndrome’, which can cause the fruit to whither and drop from the tree prematurely, or cause fungal infections.

Female flies can also lay larvae in olives which can lead to a 30% decrease in yield.

The ‘green gold’ is Alicante’s most important crop, yielding a bumper harvest of over 600,000 kilos in 2017 - 50% up on the previous year.

It is also very important to Malaga’s Axarquia region.

S p a niards devoured 19 million more avocados than they ate in 2017, a 35% increase, according to the World Avocado Organisation.

But avocado amor could be nipped in the bud if ‘Rosellinia necatrix’ has its evil way. This fearsome fungus rots the plant’s roots, an affliction that could prove fatal to the Spanish avocado sector.

The Hass avocado - the common bumpy kind, which accounts for 70% of national production - is particularly susceptible to this predatory pathogen.

So despite scientists locating a ‘counter fungus’ in the EnHV1, to rely so much on one variety of avocado could spell trouble for Spain in the future.

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FOOD,DRINK &

26

April 25th - May 8th 2019

Albarracin, Teruel Height: 1,182 Population: 1,054

STUNNING: Albarracin has some of the most incredible Moorish and medieval architecture in Spain and has been crowned the country’s ‘most beautiful’ town in the past

Getting high

ANCIENT: Roman bridge is stunning feature of Navarredonda de Gredos in Avila, pictured from above below Navarredonda de Gredos, Avila Height: 1,523m Population: 458

You’ll have to work hard to find better views at Spain’s most vertiginous villages

YOU’VE heard of the ‘most beautiful towns in Spain’ list, but now there’s a new way to rank the incredible collection of hilltop white villages dotted around the country - by how high above sea level they are.

Spain’s cliff-hanging enclaves hark back to the times of medie-

val conquest and even Roman occupation when they were built strategically on summits to command the best view of enemy invasions.

However as populations continue to move to the cities and coastlines, these historic marvels are coming under threat.

While some have benefited from nearby ski resorts, others are facing extinction with populations as low as 41.

Below we have rounded up a guide to some of the loftiest villages from around the country which you should visit while you have the chance.

THE paper not to miss in Costa Blanca THE Olive Press is now distributing all over the coast in a whole host locations.

Found at golf courses, tourist offices, museums and petrol stations, it has become the most sought-after English newspaper on the Costa

SERVING YOU: Olive Press locations

Blanca every fortnight. Look out for one of our many stands, as seen below at local newsagents.

We print around 15,000 copies every issue and take our distribution very seriously, and

DENIA DENIA DENIA DENIA

Carrefour Consum Denia market Tourist office

JAVEA JAVEA JAVEA

Iceland Yorkshire Linen Bay Radio

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Iceland Pepe Sal

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Pepe Sal Iceland Quick Save Telitec

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Carrefour Tourist office

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Consum Mendoza Albir Sur

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Consum Britannia clinic Calpe Dental

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Harris Furnishing Monroes

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We also want to know where you would like to see it and where you don't think we should bo-

ther. Here are a select group of a few dozen key drops.

Please get in touch at Newsdesk@theolivepress.es to find your nearest drop or suggest another.

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Lady Elizabeth School Javea golf club

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Advertise with The Olive Press TEL: (+34) 951 273 575 EMAIL: sales@theolivepress.es

TRAVEL

27

April 25th - May 8th 2019 Gudar, Teruel Height: 1,588 Population: 73

Hoyos de Miguel Munoz, Avila Height: 1,534m Population: 43

JAW-DROPPING: Gudar (above) nestled atop a hill while the charming Meranges and Navadijos (below) have less than 150 inhabitants between them

Meranges, Girona Height: 1,539m Population: 91

Navadijos, Avila Height: 1,520m Population: 41

Bronchales, Teruel Height: 1,575 Population: 480

Griegos, Teruel Height: 1,601 Population: 143

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28

April 25th - May 8th 2019

Listen Up EXPERTS have warned that hearing loss has become increasingly common among young people in Spain, with lifestyle being the main cause.

Research by hearing aid company, GAES, has found that increased exposure to loud noises has caused aging-associated hearing loss to appear at earlier ages.

Half of the people between the ages of 12 and 35 years old are at risk of hearing loss according to the World Health Organisation.

GAES has attributed this trend to the fact four out of 10 young Spaniards admit they listen to music above the recommended volume.

HEALTH

Beard bugs

Human face fuzz is dirtier than dog hair … or is it just a case of pogonophobia?

IT’S ‘ruff’ justice for hipsters but men with beards harbour more germs in their whiskers than dogs carry in their fur, scientists claim.

The astonishing news follows a study that found every sampled beard was crawling with SPAIN’S top oncology scientist has found a cure for pancreatic cancer in mice that could offer hope for human sufferers in the next five-to-10 years.

Multi-award winning molecular biochemist Mariano Barbacid and his team in Madrid achieved the modern ‘miracle’ by suppressing two genes during the disease’s embryonic phase that have a major influence on cancer development.

‘Tumours’ were not only stopped from spreading, they completely disappeared within weeks, with no secondary effects.

But Barbacid is ‘worried about creating false hopes’.

bacteria, and nearly half had bugs that were hazardous to human health.

By contrast, a number of the dogs tested proved to have lower levels of microbes. Now men have been left bristling with fury, with claims that

Mice work

“I want to make clear that our discovery won’t be useful for the people who are currently suffering pancreatic cancer”, he said, adding that the medical application would only be available “in the next five or ten years, at best”.

Although pancreatic cancer represents just 2.2% of all cancer cases in Spain, a staggering 95% of patients don’t live beyond five years of diagnosis. Surgery is usually the only ‘cure’ and it depends on early detection.

the results stem from pogonophobia – the irrational fear of beards.

Ironically, researchers had set out to discover whether humans were at risk from picking up a dog-borne disease from an MRI scanner that was also used for examinations by vets. They took swabs from the beards of 18 men and the necks of 30 dogs, across a range of breeds. The startling results give paws for thought.

All the bearded men, aged from 18 to 76, showed high microbial counts, but only 23 out of 30 dogs had high counts. The remainder had moderate levels.

Seven men were even found to harbour microbes that posed a threat to human health.

After the MRI exams of the dogs, the scanners were disinfected and showed a ‘signi-

GROSS: Beards dirtier than dogs ficantly’ lower bacteria count compared with levels seen when used by humans.

“On the basis of these findings, dogs can be considered as clean as bearded men,” said Professor Andreas Gutzeit, of Switzerland’s Hirslanden Clinic.

But Keith Flett, founder of the Beard Liberation Front, which opposes discrimination against the hirsute, said the results are barking.

“I think it’s possible to find all sorts of unpleasant things if you took swabs from people’s hair and hands and then tested them,” he said. “I don’t believe that beards in themselves are unhygienic.”

“There seems to be a constant stream of negative stories about beards that suggest it’s more about pogonophobia than anything else.”

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Health & Beauty

April 25th - May 8th 2019

Look better in the buff: Get your sexy back without giving up everything you love The stronger sex

WE’VE always known it but now the World Health Organisation has published the first ever stats to prove it: women top the longevity league table, outliving men by 4.4 years.

A report that separates figures by gender for the first time shows that men have less healthy habits than women, see their doctors less frequently and smoke and drink five times more.

Biology

Pointing out that greater consideration must be given to gender differences in creating health policies, the WHO says: “In many circumstances, men are less healthy than women, and although biology plays a big part, gender roles amplify this”.

The study also showed that men are 75% more likely to commit suicide and have double the risk of death from traffic accidents since they have more driving-related jobs than women. However Alzheimer's affects more women than men since they live longer.

The report also highlighted a shocking 18.1-year longevity gap between first and third world countries.

STRONGER: Women

Mite-y bad

All four the meat

A CASE of ‘highly conta- and itchy when doctors SPANISH men eat four times the recommended amount gious’ scabies has been discovered he was ‘riddof red meat, an NGO has warned. reported in Spain after led’ with mites.

According to the Alliance of Food Justice-Vets Without a doctors treated a man The severe and rare skin Borders, a Spanish man eats 525 grams of red meat a with a scaly rash all over condition is caused by tiny week—more than four times the recommended amount his face, back and geni- mites that burrow into the of 125 grams.

Going at such a rate would be equivalent to a single Spatals. skin and lay eggs. nish man eating through a leg ofLooking jamon every months.

The 71-year-old had gone but The additional disease is normally sexy,two svelte or built by BPT treatments loving their truSculpt iD The NGO also claimed the Spanish eight is times to A&E complaining his may passed through in your eat clothing onemore thing. be on required forprolonoptimal results. In a separate study processed meats than they should. skinand wasyoga extremely red sculpting ged skin-to-skin CONTAGIOUS: Scabies enthusiasts Looking better in the buff is a runners results. contact. of individuals who had the

whole other ballgame. Clothing - even low-cut necklines, shortshorts or tight-fitting tees - can hide your flaws and accentuate your assets, but when you are nude, there’s nowhere - or way - to hide anything.

If you want to look better naked, you are not alone. Far from it. More and more people are into healthy living and getting fit these days. The good news is that there is finally something you can do about it that doesn’t involve giving up carbs and sweets, doing excessive crunches or having invasive cosmetic surgery.

Fullyafter one-third of Husband facing jail helping Americans opt for minimally suffering wife end herfatlife invasive reduction or body sculpting treatments to look A HUSBAND who helped better ady insuffered the buff, enough accordingand to his chronically ill wife to die a new wanted to commit suicide,” survey of 500 men and because ‘she had suffered Hernandez told the court. from Cutera, Inc. And enough’ is to stand trial in women His defence council will who the exercise Madrid for gender violence. those appeal case regularly on the The controversial ruling has aregrounds that it to washave ‘an act most likely a put euthanasia right back at body-sculpting of love’. treatment, with

topping the list.

“TruSculpt iD is a very According to board- exciting new development in certified plastic surgeon non-surgical body contouring.

Walter L. Bernacki, MD The lower abdomen and love of Ohio Plastic Surgery in handles can be treated in just a Central Ohio, “The newest single 15-minute comfortable non-surgical body contouring treatment session. Our patients system is Cutera’s truSculpt have been very pleased with the iD that uses radiofrequency body sculpting results they can (RF) technology to target and achieve with this innovative permanently destroy fat in your system,” says Dermatologist trouble spots (think muffin tops Jeffrey S. Dover, MD, FRCPC and love handles) - in just 15 of Skincare Physicians in comfortable minutes with no Chestnut Hill, MA. downtime. We have found that By and large, people are the treatment works on all skin types, sizes and physiques, including individuals who were previously not considered candidates for body contouring procedures.”

What’s more, truSculpt iD produces an average fat reduction of 24 percent, and visible improvements are seen Angel Hernandez who helped his wife die inTRAGIC: 6 to 12 weeks following the a pardon forMultiple Hernandez first treatment. areasif of humanity that I’d like sohisbeparty gains in the meone to offer me if I were can treated in power one session,

Euthanasia wars the top of Spain’s political agenda.

The case against Angel Hernandez was justified as the action of ‘a man against a woman, without considering intention’. Hernandez’s wife Maria Jose Carrasco had suffered from multiple sclerosis since she was 32 years old and up to her death at 61.

“She was tired of her situation, because she had alre-

Euthanasia is regarded by Spanish law as murder and can carry a six-to-10-year jail term although assisting in another’s suicide in cases of ‘a permanent and unbearable illness’ usually carries a reduced penalty.

The Partido Popular recently took a stand against euthanasia while rivals like Podemos have attempted to decriminalise it.

Pablo Iglesias has promised

General Elections, as an ‘act

Death by food POOR diets claim more lives than smoking, a new medical study has revealed.

Junk food is responsible for one in five deaths a year or 22% of the world’s adult population, according to The Lancet medical journal.

While tobacco kills seven million people a year, pollution 4.2 million and traffic accidents 1.3 million, fast

food, red and processed meat and sugary drinks are more lethal than smoking.

In the 195-country study, Uzbekistan headed the rankings for poor diet, followed by Afghanistan and the Marshall Islands.

At the other end of the scale, Israel, France and Spain are the three countries with the healthiest eating habits.

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in the same circumstances’.

procedure, 100 percent said they were satisfied, would get it done again and would refer a friend for truSculpt iD. And everyone felt better in - or out ofFAD - their clothes. diets are ‘fairy tales’ that could an unhappy So, ifhave you’re thinkingending about for yourinto health, sayskind Spain’s looking a new of consumer watchdog. personalized body sculpting Trendy new weight loss regimes without resortingdiet, to the drastic like the seawater starmeasures, findand a the truSculpt iD vation detox baby food diet arenear ‘absurd and without provider you by searching any kind of basis’ says the Orhttps://trusculpt.com/find-aganización de Consumidores y provider.

Usuarios (OCU).

Fake diets

They may promise short term weight loss which makes them appealing but the physical exercise factor is what really makes them effective, says OCU. Diets focused on one element, like the artichoke or blood type diets, or only eating food of certain colours, have huge nutritional deficiencies which can even be dangerous ‘if maintained through long time periods.’

As the beach season approaches, OCU advises consumers to forget quick fix fads and talk to a specialist before making radical changes to your daily diet.

COLUMNISTS Loraine in Spain 30

April 25th - May 8th 2019

S

O I sat myself down on Sunday evening and started to do my usual pondering on what I should write about in my column this week.

I had only just put the brain into first gear when suddenly the grey skies that had been overhead for what seemed the past two years or so, turned a deadly shade of black and all the mountains around me disappeared from view.

Well yes, we had been warned by the weather powers that be, to expect a Gota Fria, but with so much previous wolf-crying on that particular subject over the years, we just all made sure we knew where the umbrella was sto-

GetTING ConnectED By Loraine Gostling

Biblical storms and flash floods might not be all bad news, writes Loraine Gostling, of Javea Connect

red and satisfied ourselves that we did not immediately need to clean the red dust-covered car, safe in the knowledge that a wee shower was probably due, but nothing that would water the wine down too much!

Boy, was I wrong. Within minutes the drizzle had turned into a biblical storm, thunderbolts were diving everywhere and lightning was striking all around me.

Not being a nervous sort, I still thought it would pass over quickly and settled back into my ponderings about cleaning, which I had no intention of actually doing, Someone who will remain nameless told me how astounbut I did want to ded he was that a pet shop existed dedicated to solely the inform my reasale of ferrets. ders of the poIntrigued by this, I started to mentally scour the area whetential dangers re he saw this shop and could not picture it at all, plus I of embarking on wondered how on earth anyone could make a living sesuch activities. lling these little cute but rather weasley creatures.

But soon I had to “The Ferretaria,” he declared. leave those thou“Ah yes,” said I, “That well known store owghts for another ned by the multinational Ferrets-R-Us. day as it was clear Of course, the store stocking hammers, naithat I was needed ls, gas cylinders, plugs, oh and Mediterrato go take a look nean Polecats! at my Javea ConBless the little nect group as I rookie. could no longer igBy the way...a nore the dreaded group of ferrets is multiple ‘bings’ called a business. screaming at me from my phone.

For all your ferreting needs

Those of you who live in, or close to Javea will not need telling that Sunday night’s storm was some seriously freaky weather.

Cars were quickly abandoned, with water reaching the top of the tyres within minutes.

After a few hours of this incessant H2O, Javea was in danger of becoming the next Atlantis as the river Gorgos burst its banks and only expert surfers were able to get through to McDonald’s.

But seriously, as is usual in many Costa Blanca communities, people were there to help each other if needed, and apart from one or two people who still wanted to promote their kite business or sell their villa, most of my members kept to the disaster of the day and community has not been functional since 1476. spirit prevailed as it did in the dreadful I have to admit though, there is a joker about these parts who must have waifires of 2016. ted until the thunder Whilst the worst I perhad headed over to Besonally suffered was having to go get the es- McDonald’s staff nissa before grabbing his wellies and a box of tufa out again and put all managed to matches to sneak out to some socks on, I did, at garden to ignite one the time, have a visitor row to work and his huge firework. who is fairly new to the area and who ended up the estate agents Yes, as what everyone needed after four hours rather stranded. had a day off of ear-bashing bangs, Unfortunately, my ark was...well need I finish has not passed this this sentence? year’s ITV, mainly due to the windscreen wipers now being pretty In the meantime, my stranded visitor rare and out of stock at the local Chine- could not return over the rainbow to Benitachell and was, therefore, forced to occuse bazaars.

Plus, of course, the Ark Lane in Ondara py the haunted spare room for the night.

When I awoke on Monday, said visitor had ‘legged it’ but Pedro the Poltergeist was in good spirits and was happy for the company he said.

So there we are folks, at the time of writing this, the rain has stopped, the sky is still grey, but as someone who likes always to look on the bright side of life, the McDonald’s staff all managed to row safely to work, the estate agents had a day off anyway, the beach sunbeds have had a free power wash, and life on the Costa Blanca will, by the time you read this, have probably resumed normal service.

All we have to worry about now is the Sahara red dust that is still heading our way.

But then again, ever the optimist me, still no need to clean the car yet.

Yes Sí Oui Ja Da …

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SPORT

Norrie state

BRITISH number two Cameron Norrie lost 6-2 6-2 to Spain's Albert Ramos Vinolas in the first round of the Barcelona Open this week.

The 23-year-old, who climbed to 45 in the latest ATP world rankings, lost serve at the start of both sets before losing the final three games.

Vinolas, 31, is ranked far below the Briton at 83 and will now face Russia's Daniil Medvedev in the second round of the Open.

Norrie is set to play at next month's French Open at Roland Garros.

The loss comes less than a week after Norrie exited the Monte Carlo Masters in the round of 16 to Italian Lorenzo Sonego, ranked 40 places below him.

31

Pedal power

April 25th - May 8th 2019

Expat, 58, completes epic bike ride to raise funds to fight cancer AFTER four knee operations, a bulging disk and 30 years of excruciating back pain, most 58-year-olds would choose the bar stool over the bike saddle.

But British expat Carol Webb has just completed a 320km journey from Miami Platja, Tarragona, all the way down to Calpe on the Costa Blanca.

Carol, originally from Waltham Abbey, celebrated her finish at the Tea for Two tea house last Saturday with 11 close friends, raising €1,200 for the cancer department at Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus along the way.

“My back was hurting all t h e time, but you tell

Super hoop CELTIC legend Billy McNeill has passed away shortly after he was honoured in Spain for only playing at one club during his entire career.

McNeill, 79, was to be presented with the ‘One Club Man’ award by Athletico Bilbao but died before he could collect the prize after a long battle with dementia.

During his 19-year career, McNeill played all of his club matches and broke the club’s appearance record.

The centre-half captained the team, dubbed the ‘Lisbon Lions’, to their first ever European Cup in 1967 by defeating Inter Milan 2-1.

yourself there’s probably 100 people who have died of cancer today, and you keep on going,” Carol told the Olive Press.

“My legs are like rocks but I feel so strong, like I can do anything.”

Carol’s journey began the previous Sunday, March 31, from Gino’s Miami Platja bar, and she rode around 60km each day.

She was closely followed in a car by mum Ruby, neighbour Pat Allworthy, and friend and sports massage therapist Julie Robinson, 61, who gave regular massages to help Carol with her back.

She said Harley Street doctors had told her to get her verte-

RAFAEL Nadal has revealed he was very emotional while watching fellow sporting great Tiger Woods win the Masters.

The 32-year-old said: “What happened during the last year for Tiger is an inspiration for everyone.”

The 17-time Grand Slam-winner also said the American is probably his ‘favourite sportsman in the world’.

Nadal is currently defending his title in the Rolex

Pride of padel brae fused some 30 years ago, but she refused as the operation would have left her bedridden for six months and with less flexibility.

“Julie waited with a blanket on the roadside for me every day, and at one point an ambulan-

Wood friends

Monte-Carlo Masters, a competition he has won 11 times.

ce stopped to ask if she was alright!” Carol said. “I couldn’t have done it without her help.”

Carol said she felt she had to act after her circle of friends lost two members to cancer in the past year.

“If Carol wants to do something, she will,” Julie told the Olive Press, adding that seven years ago Carol ran 26km to raise money for the British Heart Foundation following the death of her father.

She said Carol gets her adventurous spirit from mum Ruby, who only gave up quad biking aged 79 after rolling one on a mountain side.

“It was emotional with my friends in my thoughts, but I felt they were with me every single day.” She said she couldn’t wait to get back and get back to playing padel and golf, which she’d ‘put on the backburner’ since September.

THE World Padel Tour has arrived in Alicante this week for a six-day celebration of padel tennis’ finest players.

The Estrella Damm Alicante Open is the third stop on the World Padel Tour, after competitions in Marbella and Logroño, and will continue on to nine more world-wide opens from Sao Paolo to Sweden after the April 28 finale.

Padel was invented in Mexico in 1969, and has boomed in popularity especially among expats who enjoy its community spirit and doubles format.

Argentinian men’s duo Sanyo Gutiérrez and Maxi Sánchez, and Spanish women’s duo Marta Marrero and Marta Ortega are tipped as this tournament’s favourites, having won both opens so far this year.

Of the men’s top 10 padel players, only one, a Brasilian, is non-Spanish speaking, owing to the sport’s hispanic origins.

The best British padel player, Christian Medina Murphy, is ranked 186 in the world.

Voted

Citizen Spain

BEST

ALTEA council is organising two courses to prepare foreigners for the Spanish citizenship exam, taking place from April 29 to May 13 and May 14-27 at the Centro Social.

expat paper in Spain

Fine

FINAL WORDS

AIRBNB has been hit by a €30,000 fine imposed by the Valencian government for advertising tourist apartments without showing the necessary registry numbers.

Elections SURVEYS suggest the socialist party (PSOE) is set to lead Valencia’s regional elections on April 28, estimating they will take 30 of 99 available seats.

Fried chicken A FIRE that broke out in a chicken factory at 11pm on a Sunday in Redovan, Alicante, led to the death of 20,000 birds.

Fly away DENIA is the municipality that has lost the most population, 15.3%, in the last 10 years in the whole of Spain. Experts believe it is largely down to foreign workers and expats returning home.

Dope cookie alert

(Free or paid for)

FREE

Vol. 1 Issue 3

Good Samaritan accused of abandoning dogs outside supermarket collected them minutes later POLICE have warned social media addicts about fake news postings in the Costa Blanca.

It comes after a Good Samaritan who helped an ill neighbour home from a supermarket became the centre of a vicious online attack leading

www.theolivepress.es

Fake news shocker

to a police investigation.

It happened after the Gandia local was spotted by a young woman leaving two dogs in the car park of Mas y Mas in the town.

Jumping to conclusions - in classic fake news fashion - she posted a picture of his car and

Floating unicorns!

NOT everyone was upset with the torrential rains that led to flooding and chaos over Easter.

A group of teens in Elche jumped into the Vinalopo river with rubber rings and dinghies and even a blow up unicorn.

April 25th - May 8th 2019

Videos show onlookers stunned as two young men tried to surf through the town centre, until one fell head first into the muddy torrent.

In another video, two boys were spotted commandeering a pink unicorn.

number plate on Facebook.

Under the claims of abandonment, she described him as a ‘son of a b****’ and appealed for ‘help’.

Police were soon called and traced the car to his home, finding his ‘abandoned’ dogs at home, well-cared for.

They also had obligatory microchips and up-to-date vaccinations.

The man explained that since dogs were not allowed in the supermarket he had expertly trained them to wait in the car park.

And they were there waiting patiently when he returned ten minutes later.

He had simply taken the neighbour home and was caring for her when police called around.

Police have now warned Fa-

cebook users to be careful of publishing un-checked facts online.

This is exactly what newspapers and journalists are carefully trained to do.

THE Food Safety agency has issued a warning over cannabis found in children's cookies from the Netherlands.

The Girl Scout Cookies Chocolate Kush and Girl Scout Cookies Ginger Cookie Kush, by Dutch company Dr Greenlove, are made with '100% real cannabis bud'.

The alarm was first sounded in the Canary Islands during a routine check, in which health authorities queried the products for not correctly labelling the type of flour used.

Despite having a large marijuana leaf on the package, it was later discovered that the cookies contained an unauthorised ingredient: cannabis.

The Spanish Ministry of Health has launched a nationwide investigation and believes the cookies are likely to be in establishments around Spain.

Other products advertised on the Dr Greenlove website include Cannabis Bears, Cannabis High Tea, Cannabis Lollipops and Cannabis Instant Chocolate.