'Your Local' Weekender Marina Baixa (North Costa Blanca)

LEE DUFFY STILL SINGING

By Jack Troughton

MUSICIAN Lee Duffy visited the Galaxy Radio Studio on Wednesday to give the station an exclusive spin of his new single ‘Singing the Blues’ – not set for official release until March.

The popular performer regularly plays The Guinness Bar on Benidorm’s Levante beach front – mixing up much-loved cover versions with plenty of his own material.

And the latest recording is

released on Thursday 1st March; Lee’s fans can find the track at the Appstore and other digital outlets like Spotify.

Galaxy will continue to play the track on 106fm between Benidorm and Altea, and 106.8fm from Calpe to Javea or anywhere in the world online or a mobile device.

Back in 1997 Lee was introduced to fellow guitarist Lee Williams and together the pair set off on a musical adventure that still continues today.

Recruiting friends to ‘Halo’, the

new band played its first gig at the Zanzibar Club in Liverpool. It was a success and the band headed off to record a demo – as their name spread, they attracted record company interest but things did not work out and Halo split.

Through their friendship and commitment, the Duffy-Williams songwriting partnership continued.

As The Yaks in 2003, they recorded al album for indie label Brown Moose Records and they were confident bigger and better things were just

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FRIDAY 23RD FEB 2018

Reward in murder hunt

British teenager Bradley Blundell is believed to have fled to Spain to escape trial for murder after a fatal shooting outside an Essex petrol station.

A £10,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of the 18-year-old fugitive believed to be hiding in Ibiza or on the mainland.

Blundell, from Chelmsford, is wanted by detectives investigating the killing; which took place following a confrontation outside the BP petrol station near the Army and Navy roundabout in Baddow Road, Chelmsford, in the early hours of August 5, last year.

Electrician John Pordage, 34, died in hospital a short time later despite the efforts of courageous members of the public and the emergency services. He had been shot in the chest.

After a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was cleared of murder and an alternative offence of manslaughter, but admitted perverting the course of justice and handling stolen goods; and a second teenager, 18-year-old Saul Stanley, was found guilty of various firearms offences and admitted handling stolen

British bouquets Dancing the night away

By Simon Russell

THE fundraising evening by the Denia Dance Academy raised €2,547 for the local branch of the Red Cross it was announced this week. The evening itself featured, of course, dancing, as well as a spectacular light show and various other entertainment. The money raised will go to help the elderly and disabled in Denia where the Red Cross has a number of on-going projects aimed at helping these sectors of society.

A workshop was held in Benitatxell earlier this month to demonstrate flower arranging in the British style. This was run by Lupe Minana who learned floristry

A workshop was held in Benitatxell earlier this month to demonstrate flower arranging in the British style.

This was run by Lupe Minana who learned floristry in London with Shane Connolly, the renowned Florist for the British Royal Household.

Based loosely on the

...From Front Page Sadly, once again important now as it things did not quite was when he was work out and the band a 20 something but failed to make any his quest to reach an major inroads into audience is as strong the music business as ever.

– although the Yaks He believes the will always exist in ability to release one form or other. songs via the internet Lee Duffy is makes is debatable still performing and whether he even believes the dream needs a contract...Lee of a major record just hopes you enjoy contract is not as Singing the Blues.

goods; all charges relating to the incident. The pair will be sentenced on 2nd March.

Detective Chief Inspector Martin Pasmore said police were determined to track down Blundell in connection with the murder after launching an international manhunt.

“We’ve received information to say he may be using Ibiza as a place to hide, although it is not known where he is at present – we have also had information to suggest he has friend who regularly visit Ibiza.”

The detective added: “I appeal to Bradley to give himself up. We will never give up searching for him and we are liaising with the National Crime agency and colleagues abroad.

“We also have a European Arrest Warrant in place to facilitate his arrest and there is a reward via the Crimestoppers charity for up to £10,000 for information leading to his arrest.

in London with Shane Connolly, the renowned Florist for the British Royal Household.

Based loosely on the famous Covent Garden flower market from “My

Ladies who lunch

By Simon Russell

Lee Duffy will be releasing new single March 1st

famous Covent Garden flower market from “My Fair Lady” Lupe showed 15 participants the tricks of the trade. These included an atypical British spiral bouquet with roses, pitimini, buttercups, anemones and wax flower branches. All flowers used were purchased from the Municipal Market in Benitatxell and had been imported from Holland.

“Bradley and those advising him need to consider whether he should live a life on the run; never knowing whether an arrest is imminent.”

Mr Pasmore said a fair trial would give the 18-year-old an opportunity to explain his actions – and if convicted of Qthe killing would serve a prison sentence and be released as a “relatively” young man.

Anyone with information about Blundell can call Crimestoppers anonymously on freephone 900 555 111 or use the online facility at Crimestoppers-uk.org.

Fair Lady” Lupe showed 15 participants the tricks of the trade. These included an atypical British spiral bouquet with roses, pitimini, buttercups, anemones

and wax flower branches. All flowers used were purchased from the Municipal Market in Benitatxell and had been imported from Holland.

Before the mast T H R E E MASTED Russian frigate Shtandart turned heads when she proudly sailed into Denia harbour and dropped anchor.

The training ship and floating museum is a replica of a warship built on the orders of Peter the Great and launched in 1703 as the first ship of the Tsar’s Baltic Fleet.

Peter I nominated her as ‘firstborn of the fleet’ – and until the Russian Revolution in 1917, all royal yachts were named Shtandart.

Work began on the building of the replica in 1994 by a group

of enthusiasts in St. Petersburg and she was launched in 1999 and now takes part in the ‘Shtandart Project’; a non-profit making charity dedicated to youth development.

Under sail with a crew of 30 trainees and 10 officers, she is designed to reach speeds of up to nine knots under canvas and 13 knots using her twin engines.

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FRIDAY 23RD FEB 2018

Local lookout

Benidorm Trash talk

By Matthew Richards

THE opposition groups in Benidorm have called for hotels to increase the amount they pay towards the cities rubbish collection taxes. Private residents in Benidorm pay €112 per year for this service while businesses, offices and other large establishments pay more depending on

various factors.

There was a proposal voted through in 2016 to increase hotel payments, but these have been blocked by the ruling council since then, something the opposition are asking to be reviewed. Socialist opposition spokesman Ruben Martinez said

“dozens of establishments in the city could already have benefited from the redistribution of the rubbish collection rates.” He argues that hotels generate tons of rubbish compared to other businesses and individuals but pay comparatively little extra.

Bus overhaul

By Simon Russell

AS part of the overall Sustained Mobility Plan, Benidorm’s Mobility Council have been looking at initial proposals regarding changes to the intercity bus network. The main change

is the introduction of a regional consortium from Benidorm and surrounding municipalities which will be responsible for managing the network.

They also plan to increase the amount of stops and improve information given

to customers. Concerning the infrastructure, two new stops could be added, at Elche Park and Calle Jaime I. They also plan to separate the bus traffic stopping at hotels to and from the airport and the regular day to day routes used by residents and visitors.

Mobility Councillor Jose Gonzalez de Zarate said that this could all be achieved without any cost to the public as the city bus network is profitable; around a million people used the buses last year alone.

FRIDAY 23RD FEB 2018

Local lookout

Lighting the way

By SImon Russell

BENIDORM is piloting new illuminated traffic bollards at one of the cities accident black-spots.

The junction of Avenida Beniarda, Calle Jaime I and Calle Alfonso Puchades has had these introduced and town planners are gauging the reaction from pedestrians and drivers before deciding whether to extend the project to other parts of the city.

The bollards are lit from base to top and replace the old green reflective ones. The new beacons not only improve road safety but also look better, says Mobility Councillor Jose Gonzalez

de Zarate, who also said that the local police have given their approval. Most accidents in this area occur at night and hopefully this improved visibility will

improve matters. There are also less required, about 15 of the new type replacing the several dozen old style bollards that were there before.

Expect the unexpected

By Matthew Richards

BENIDORM has featured in a list of travel writers “top 10 resorts that aren’t always what you expect”. Compiled in the Daily Telegraph, journalist Andrew Purvis travelled to Valencia to see how authentic paella was made

and then to Benidorm in what he admitted was an exercise to find a poor pastiche of the famous dish.

However he was proven wrong getting excellent and authentic versions in both the old and new town, as people who eat their regularly can vouch for.

In fact he praised the food in the resort generally and said “maybe it is time to banish the rulebook and find gastronomic pleasure in the common place – good food hiding in plain sight.”

Other surprising places on the list included the Falkland Islands (beautiful

Benidorm Valentine's stabbing S q u a re

By Matthew Richards

A 46-year-old British national has been arrested and charged with attempted murder after a pub landlord was stabbed in the city.

The incident happened at around 4pm on 14 February, supposedly after an argument about a bar bill. There was an altercation and the 36-yearold landlord, also British, was stabbed while the other man fled the scene.

The local police were

quickly on the scene and an emergency ambulance called. The man was stabilised by the ambulance crew before being taken to the Marina Baixa Hospital in Villajoyosa.

The assailant was said to be a regular at the bar and other customers were able to describe him to police who later arrested him at his home. He has been detained awaiting an initial court hearing.

and not a cross between Emmerdale and Gibraltar), Albania (reminiscent of

the Italian Riviera) and the Pyramids (still breathtaking despite the crowds).

point of View...

By Simon Russell

A well-known Spanish photographer has used his popular Instagram account to celebrate lines and angles in everyday sights, in particular architecture.

His main inspiration for these striking portraits has been Benidorm and its high rise, angular, sometimes stark buildings have their own beauty, argues photographer Roberto Alcazar.

A homage to the likes of David Hockney and his modernist portraits, beach huts, hotels and even drainpipes all figure, set against a natural backdrop such as a field or blue sky.

Alcazar said that his motto is “ordinary places, ordinary things, ordinary pictures”; his work can be viewed on his @ benidorm_dreams Instagram account or www.instagram. com/benidorm/_dreams/ .

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FRIDAY 23RD FEB 2018

Local lookout

Benidorm

Fugitive filming set to start

By Matthew Richards

MAYOR Toni Perez personally greeted some of the members of the team who will be filming a major new TV series in and around Benidorm over the next month and a half. Described as “a passionate thriller” and starring well known actress Paz

Vega, “Fugitiva” is due to go out on TVE, Spain’s main free to view channel, later this year.

Planned locations include the Dynastic, Levante Club and Deloix hotels as well as the beaches, city centre and Serra Gelada green area. Mayor Perez said “this is a great opportunity to take

advantage of the impact that television series are having in various tourist destinations through indirect promotion of their locations.”

Cities like Seville, where much of cult gothic series “Game of Thrones” was filmed, has seen a huge boost in tourism from people seeking out landmarks and

locations from the series.

A more direct benefit is the estimated €600,000 that will be spent on overnight stays and other expenditure by people connected to the “Fugitiva” project. There are also about 1,500 local residents taking part in the programme as extras.

Keep up to date with all the latest breaking news across the Costa Blanca www.Weekender.news @TheWeekenderSpain

Anniversary walk

By Simon Russell

By Simon Russell

DOZENS of Benidorm Local Police and other hikers walked 16 kilometres from l’Alfas del Pi to Benidorm as part of the forces 174th anniversary celebrations.

The route covered is part of the famous Camino de Santiago and those taking part started at Plaza Mayor in l’Alfas, before setting out into the countryside, across the beach and through the Serra Gelada natural park. They completed

their hike at the Church of San Jaime and Santa Ana in Benidorm city centre.

The event was organised in collaboration with the Friends Association of the Camino de Santiago for l’Alfas del Pi.

Improved access

By Matthew Richards

THE Department of Beaches in Benidorm has improved wheelchair access to Playa Levante, the busiest beach in the resort. Councillor Lorenzo Martinez visited the site this week and saw where the ramp had been strengthened with concrete and parts of the structure and awning renewed. The wheelchair friendly shaded area on the beach itself has been more than doubled in size by adding extra decking.

The work was done in collaboration with the Valencian Tourism Agency and RA Benidorm, the firm that currently has the concession to look

after Benidorm’s beaches.

These two entities met most of the costs, leaving the Town Hall to pay less than €10,000 towards the improvements. Mr

Martinez said that he was hopeful this work would see the area being granted Universal Accessibility status.

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FRIDAY 23RD FEB 2018

Local lookout

Alfas, Albir & Altea

Movies on the curriculum

By SImon Russell

THE first meeting between the main parties involved in this year’s Alfas de Pi Film Festival took place recently, with the possible educational benefits being one of the main items on the agenda. As in previous years it is hoped that a number of training activities can be organised around the festival. Isabel Munoz, Councillor for Education,

said that previous year’s courses had been very well received with help and advice being given on things such as editing and creating a movie.

There were representatives at the meeting from the Town Hall, the Film Festival and CEFIRE. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Alfas de Pi Film Festival and there will be special events announced through the year.

Am-Dram groups chance to shine

By Matthew Richards

THE selection process and timetable for the Alteatre amateur dramatic exhibition has been announced. Groups wanting to take part in this year’s contest, the sixteenth

event, have until 28 March to submit an application. There will be preliminary viewings and on 28 July the jury will decide their shortlist of participants.

Drama groups taking part

must be non-professional and perform an act of between 75 and 100 minutes in either Spanish or Valenciano. There will be a first prize of €1,000 plus other smaller prizes in categories such as best

direction; the winning group will also receive a grant from the Valencian Federation of Amateur Dramatics. For more information you can contact 96 584 28 53 between 5.30pm and 9.30pm on weekdays.

Gettingpeoplerecycling

By SImon Russell

A major campaign has started to improve the record of recycling in the Albir area of l’Alfas del Pi. Run by the Association Cuidemos El Albir, an initial meeting has been held to decide the way forward with the project.

To start with, slogans will be printed on posters around the town with the message “Thanks for recycling” in Spanish, Valenciano and English while recycling points will all be newly labelled with

clear information about what can be placed in the bins.

The municipality as a whole has around a hundred recycling points and already has a good record on this matter. However there is always room for improvement, especially in the more tourist sensitive Albir area. A Technical Services Councillor said “This is a simple action that has great advantages for the environment, economy and health and can be done by every member of any household, from youngest to oldest.”

FRIDAY 23RD FEB 2018

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Local lookout

Alfas, Albir & Altea tools Census battle

New justified

By SImon Russell

THE Infrastructure Department in Altea have said that the recent acquisition of new tools and machinery should be seen as an investment, as they will improve the efficiency of the town’s manual workforce.

A new compactor has been purchased, which will help greatly with the installation of equipment such as bollards which are set in existing concrete. This is a multiuse tool and can also drill, hammer and cut stone. There is also a high pressure water blaster for cleaning street furniture as well as graffiti

plusseveral other smaller items that the works department needs.

All items were purchased from local suppliers and are as environmentally friendly as such things can be while still having up to date technology, said spokesman Roque Ferrer.

true figure to be some 3,000 higher than that arrived at by the INE, which is the officially recognised data.

By Matthew Richards

L’ALFAS del Pi is contesting the town population figures provided by the National Institute of Statistics (INE). They contend that the true figure is 3,000 higher than the INE has arrived at, meaning a reduced income for the town from central government coffers.

The problem, according to the town council, is that many non-Spanish EU citizens live permanently or semi-permanently in the town but are not recognised as being “true” residents. The consequent loss of funding will affect basic services such as rubbish collection, street cleaning and so on. The Town Hall has its own data based on water usage, taxes and vehicle

registration that show the

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Refresh

FRIDAY 23RD FEB 2018 Family | Garden | Health | Home | Style | Wellbeing

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SURELY PEOPLE CAN’T DIE FROM A BROKEN HEART? WELL ACTUALLY YES, THEY CAN! Family Medical Centre - Albir

Broken heart syndrome is the common term for Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Other terms for the condition are stress cardiomyopathy or apical ballooning syndrome.

Symptoms are similar to that of a heart attack although the two conditions are completely different.

A heart attack occurs when a blood clot forms in a coronary artery reducing or cutting off the blood supply to a part of the heart muscle. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy causes temporary swelling of the heart, the large or small

arteries may narrow and the normal pumping action of the heart is disrupted.

Very little is understood about this condition which was only identified in the 1990s by Japanese researchers. The research is still in it’s infancy but it is thought that the sudden release of stress hormones such as adrenalin and cortisol play a role. The condition can be treated and normally resolves in around a week although it can be fatal. Broken heart syndrome affects more women than men and is more common in the over 50s age group.

An episode of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is normally preceded by a sudden shock, intense physical / emotional pain or fear for example: - Death of a loved one - Accidents e.g. car accident - Natural disasters - Being given bad news - Divorce - Job loss - Public speaking or performance It is even suggested that a surprise party could result in the birthday boy or girl ending up in hospital!

Some people will have more than one episode of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and Doctors may prescribe beta blockers to reduce the effect of stress hormones on the heart.

Any chest pain, especially when accompanied by shortness of breath or other symptoms, always requires immediate medical attention.

There is nothing that can be done to prevent broken heart syndrome apart from avoiding heart break situations which is impossible for most of us in this life! Managing stress is possible however and we should all have healthy strategies for coping

with

life’s

difficulties.

Grahame Milton-Jones provides professional counselling services for the Family Medical Centre. If you have been affected by any of the above think about talking to Grahame. Appointments

with Grahame are for one hour and cost 80€. He also offers a free 20 minute introductory consultation for new patients.

Counselling and therapy when things are tough can literally save lives.

If you’d like to discuss the HPV vaccinations further, would like to be tested to see if you carry the virus, or you have any symptoms of sexually-transmitted HPV, please book an appointment with Vanessa the Sexual Health Adviser on 966 865 072.

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FRIDAY 23RD FEB 2018 Family | Garden | Health | Home | Style | Wellbeing

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GARDENING ON THE COSTA BLANCA - Part 24 Unusual Fruit - Dragon Fuit A pitaya or pitahaya is the fruit of several different species of cactus. Pitaya usually refers to fruit of the genus Stenocereus, while pitahaya or dragon fruit refers to fruit of the genus Hylocereus.

The one occasionally seen locally, is this one the pitahaya and although something of a novelty, it is in fact now grown commercially in Southeast Asia, the United States, Israel, Australia, Cyprus, and the Canary Islands. The fruit’s texture is sometimes likened to that of the kiwifruit because of its black, crunchy seeds. The flesh is mildly sweet and low in calories. The seeds have a nutty taste and are rich in lipids - substances whose importance in human biology is being increasingly realised.

It flowers nocturnally and the flower is normally shrivelled by the morning.

As it is fertilised by bats and moths and

is not normally self fertile, it is not really a practicable proposition for domestic production.

It is not the only cactus eaten elsewhere, of course, and the best known already grows locally and is the Opuntia ficus-india or Prickly Pear.

This can grow pretty enormous – up to about 18 feet (5.5 metres) and is grown both as a nearly impenetrable stock hedge and as a decorative one.

Most of the

cultivated varieties are spineless – a little bit of experimentation will deter you from using any old plants from around the garden!

Both fruit (‘tuna’) and pads (‘nopals’) are widely available in the market in places like Mexico and the latter in particular are an important part of low income diets. The list of both culinary and ornamental (practical) uses seems endless and you can even use a cut piece of pad in the same way as Aloe vera! It is promoted for treating diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity and hangovers.

It is also touted for its antiviral and antiinflammatory properties. Some preliminary evidence shows that prickly pear cactus can decrease blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes Individual taste preferences dictate which varieties are chosen for eating fresh and which for cooking. In Mexico alone, there are over 100 species with edible fruits but while all the fleshy fruit kinds are edible and none is poisonous, only a few are palatable and even fewer taste really sweet.

They range from juicy to dry and sweet to acid.

Another cactus is used as the basis for

All editions of “Gardening on the Costa Blanca” can be found at www.weekender.news/CBGC or visit www.costablancagardeners.weebly.com

for more information.

tequila while yet another is actually banned in the United States because the hallucagenic drug mescaline in made from it. (Though if you are a member of one of the Native American tribes with a long history of using the drug in religious ceremonies, you are excused this ban!)

There are, obviously, many varieties cultivated for decorative purposes which fall outside the scope of this article and in fact the cactus family constitutes one fifth of the estimated 10,000 known succulents!

We are a friendly group who enjoy gardening and gardens. Our meetings are normally held on the 1st Wednesday of each month from October to June in Meeting Room (Aula) 1 on the 1st floor of La Senieta in Moraira next to the free car park used for the Market on Fridays. Next month’s meeting will be on 7th February and feature Barry Lemon, a retired professional grower, speaking on the subject of ‘Bonsai’. Meetings commence at 2:30 pm and finish at about 4:30pm. Visitors including holiday makers are always welcome – admission is by a donation of 3€ per person. Our attempts at a regular meeting date are sometimes interrupted by Fiestas etc Please contact Joan Birch on 697 320 169 for details.

Residencia canina y felina Boarding kennel & Cattery

Since nce 11977 97 desde/si

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RESIDENCIA CANINA Y FELINA BOARDING KENNEL & CATTERY Habitaciones individuales Ozono Hilo musical Calefacción Parques ajardinados Servicio a domicilio Admitimos todas las razas

Individual rooms Ozono Music Heated floor system Landscaped playgrounds Free home delivery service All types of dogs & cats allowed

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Property

FRIDAY 23RD FEB 2018

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FRIDAY 23RD FEB 2018

Property

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British buyers back in action www.spanishpropertyinsight.com Though down from 24.2% market share in Q4 2015, British demand rose from 14.7% of the foreign market in Q3 2017 to 15.6% in Q4, suggesting that Brexit has had a limited impact on this key market.

British demand is growing again in volume terms, though by value I suspect British investment is stagnant or even declining, as more buyers have been forced by a weaker pound to reduce their budgets.

This final chart comparing demand from the three biggest markets of the UK, France, and Germany illustrates how

large and dynamic the British market is for Spanish property. The UK dwarfs the other two, and changes much faster.

The registrars also revealed that Spanish house prices rose 7.6% last year, according to their index and repeat-sale methodology.

So the last quarter of 2014 was a buoyant period for the Spanish property market, and there are no obvious threats to this recovery on the horizon, with the exception of the constitutional crisis in Catalonia, whose effects so far appear to be limited to that region.

Spanish Property Sales By Big Three Markets Quarter

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FRIDAY 23RD FEB 2018

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Sport

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By Eric Malpus

There was 1 Monday Night game between last Season’s Champions Chelsea and the doomed West Brom and only 7 Premier teams which took part in the 7 F.A. Cup Ties that contributed to this weeks Fantasy 21 goals,6 clean sheets, only 9 yellow cards and no red ones.There was a couple of penalties awarded one of which was saved by Chelsea’s reserve Keeper Cabellero and the other scored by deadly goalscorer Spur’s Harry Kane.Last Week was the lowest scoring Week of the Fantasy League so far with the average score being a lowly 19 points.

Darren’s team Daz XI exchanged places with last week’s leaders Pauline’s Vodka Army at the top of the Alfaz Fantasy Football League by taking a 14 point advantage. Joe’s team Keith Lard F.C.came back in the reckoning by moving into 3rd place while Dominic’s Barnsley Braves slip down to 4th spot.

At the other end of the table, Laura’s Legends have been stuck at the bottom for most of the Season and they don’t look like making ant progress as they now are trailing Reggie’s Rejects by 65 points.

Keiron’s Clowns F.C. are beginning to take a firm grip at the top of our U.K.T.V.SPAIN Junior League as they have increased their lead at the top to 31 points over Wade’s team Alli Barber.

Balutellitubbies & Tea & Busquets remain in 3rd & 4th place while Bailly’s Boys are making a late challenge for a top 4 place by moving into 5th place.Down at the foot of the table, Harley’s Ginger Ninjar had a good week scoring 17 points which helped them close the gap on Gian Luca’s team Messi or Tidy to 33 points.

In our Mark Carter Ladies Section, Pauline’s Vodka Army are over the hills and far away with a massive 105 point lead over Isabel’s team The Bluebells Rachell’s team Mrs.Max & Paddy are in a rich vein of form and have slotted into 3rd pace 7 points ahead of Val’s Borobabe.

No change at the bottom with Laura’s Legends still hovering over the trap door.

With so few goals being scored points were hard to come by in our Golden Boot League. Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku’s 2 goals at Huddersfield helped Wayne’s team Two Years Running,Maybe stretch their lead at the top over Pauline’s Vodka Army to a comfortable 60 points.

At the other end of the table Len’s team, Nelson’s Flagship is finding it hard to keep afloat and are now 13 points adrift of Laura’s Legends.

Big Sam’s Army is our highest scoring team this week with a tally of 46 points of which 12 came from Chelsea’s Edin Hazard who scored a brace of goals against the Baggies in the Monday Night game.

Our lowest scoring team was young Gian

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Luca’s Messi or Tidy who scored a minus 2 thanks to Spur’s Alderweireld who was his only player who was involved at the weekend. Both teams will go into the hat for our Wyndham’s Monthly Wine Draw which was won last Month by Winnie’s team Le Hombre Rioja.

Manager of the Month for February is being kindly sponsored by the Universal Lounge Bar in Albir who have a fine selection of beers as well as serving up some delicious home cooked food at reasonable prices. With just one week to go Darren’s Daz XI have a slight 4 point advantage over Andy’s Triple Trouble.

Joanna’s Rosado Blancos & Big Sam’s Army are also in with a chance of winning this super meal for 2 courtesy of the Universal Lounge Bar which is situated near the outdoor Sunday Market in Albir.

Big Sam’s Army has won our Breakfast for 2 sponsored by the Bar Code in Alfaz after moving up 25 places from 109th to 85th position in the Main League.

The F.A.Cup League will be updated next week after the Monday Night Tie between the Wigan Pie Men and the Champions Elect Manchester City has taken place.

The draw for the Weekender 5th Round K.O.Cup Competition is now up on our website. The favourites Barnsley Braves will play Hup Hannah City whilst the lowest ranked team in the Competition Chris’s Anirtak Hotspurs(189th) take on the in-form Mrs.Max & Paddy(18th).All ties will take place on the Weekend of the 10th of March if any games are drawn the replays will take place the following week.

As we are heading for the business end of the Season it’s important to follow your teams progress in all competitions by logging onto our website which is www.alfazffl.com.

Jukebox Football Predictions League

ALFAZ FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE

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FRIDAY 23RD FEB 2018

Sport

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VILLARREAL DEFENDER CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER GUN FOUND IN BASEMENT

Villarreal defender Ruben Semedo left court in handcuffs and has been charged by a Spanish judge with attempted murder.

Court officials in Lliria say the 23-year-old former Portugal under-21 international, who has been temporarily detained without bail, has also been charged with assault, robbery, illegal detention, and illegal possession of

firearms.

A gun was reportedly found in the basement of Villarreal defender Ruben Semedo, following on from the 23-year-old’s arrest on Tuesday morning for assaulting, kidnapping and robbing a man in central Valencia.

Semedo was arrested for the third time in four months on Tuesday, despite currently being out injured.

He made the move to Villarreal in the summer from Sporting CP, but after this latest turn of events, the player’s footballing career is very much in the air.

The full-back, along with two others, has been accused of assaulting a man - resulting in many bruises and a broken ankle, before tying him up and heading to his house - robbing the

victim of €23,000, as well as evidence that could incriminate Semedo.

The Valencia High Court of Justice said: ‘Magistrate court number 6 in Lliria [Valencia] has ordered Villarreal player Ruben Semedo to be held without bail but with visiting rights. Semedo’s agent, Catio Balde, insists the defender is innocent.

‘Ruben was the victim of a set-up,’ he said.