Samaritan killed

A BRITISH woman, 67, died in Valencia's La Fe Hospital after being attacked by a pit bull that she took into safe-keeping a few days earlier after seeing it had been abandoned.

The unnamed animal lover suffered head and arm injuries when the animal lunged at her on a path in Macastre, close to the CV-425. When paramedics arrived at the scene, they could not help the woman because of the danger posed to them by the pit bull. They had to wait for Guardia Civil officers who shot the animal, which had no microchip identification.

Medical sources told the Las Provincias newspaper that the Brit 'went into a state of shock' after suffering 'catastrophic bleeding' from her arms.

under the law's remit and is covered by separate regulations.

It also fails to come under the national law, which finally came in after much controversy a fortnight ago.

However, it was the exclusion of hunting dogs from the national bill that led to protests in 44 cities around Spain in February.

Animal rights group PACMA was furious welfare measures were watered down to exclusive animals involved in traditional hunting activities. The government had made changes to the bill at the last minute amid fears it could cost it vital rural backing in this year’s local and national elections.

Dogs are used to track or catch animals, such as deer, boar and rabbits, with the hunting industry generating an estimated €5 billion each year.

POLICE have been called out to help a giant whale off the coast of Valencia.

It came after a boat captain spotted the ailing mammal 3km off Cullera.

The huge 17-metre whale was behaving in a disoriented way and drifting closer to the shore.

A Valencia Guardia Civil patrol boat took an Oceanografic Foundation rescue team with five vets and two marine biologists to inspect it.

The experts noticed a worrying malformation in the whale, known as scoliosis, which they established could be the reason why it was in distress.

The condition is where the spine twists and curves to one side, and is usually caused by a trauma such as a collision with a boat or ship.

The rescuers tried to place a tracker on the dorsal fin, but because of the condition of its tail it was not possible.

The whale drifted out to sea and away from the coast, but the expert team warned it could reappear in the next few days.

Unhealthy problem

ALICANTE province had the third-highest number of assaults and threats made to health workers in Spain last year, according to the Policia Nacional.

The region had 16 assaults last year - six more than in 2021 - with five people additionally charged with threatening behaviour.

One of the most dramatic cases was at an Alicante health centre where a doctor and nurse were attacked. They had to lock themselves in a room to protect themselves from the assailant before calling the police.

Some 241 complaints were processed across Spain in 2022.

Metro strikes

VALENCIA Metro workers have announced strikes across the final days of the city's Fallas celebrations.

It comes over safety concerns around the maintenance of trams and track installations.

Two unions have united to call two strikes next week (March 15 and 19), while further strikes will be scheduled from April 2.

Fishy Taste

TEN Villajoyosa restaurants are taking part in the annual Marine Cuisine promotion that starts on Friday and runs until March 19. Gourmet set menus featuring locally-caught fish will be available for between €30 and €40.