The Leader Newspaper 28 August 2023 – Edition 986

OPINION

by Tomás Moreno Asociación de vecinos Cabo Roig y Lomas-Orihuela Costa

As spokesperson for the residents' association of CABO ROIG Y LOMAS, Orihuela Costa, I write this article to convey the sense of enormous disappointment and frustration felt by the residents of the coast, at the situation they are living through.

The government team, headed by the Mayor, Pepe Vegara (Partido Popular), was constituted on the 20th June, and the councillors responsible for the areas of government and their 23 advisors (staff of trust) were appointed, with salaries which will exceed, in total, two million euros/year. For his part, Manuel Mestre, leader of VOX, was appointed head of the Orihuela Costa council.

During these past two months, the residents of the coast have observed, perplexed, that practically none of the serious problems they suffer, have been solved, as a consequence of municipal paralysis and inaction, as evidenced by the following facts.

Since the beginning of the year, the beaches of Orihuela have not had beach bars and their associated services (sun beds, umbrellas, water sports). This has led to a considerable drop in the number of users, who have moved to other beaches in the surrounding area.

Not unrelated to this "exodus" has been the time it has taken to get the toilets up and running, which now operate with a deficient cleaning service.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE THE WORST SUMMER

The new government has decided to modify the tendering system, which will delay the resumption of the beach bars until early 2024 at the earliest. This is a torpedo in the waterline of coastal tourism, which is going to cost us nearly a million euros.

The waste collection and street cleaning service continues to be enormously deficient for the needs of Orihuela Costa, both in collection vehicles and machinery, and in containers, which require a total renovation. What are they waiting for to buy the thousand new containers that the coast needs? As a consequence of these shortcomings, the state of our streets this summer, with overfilled containers, bags of rubbish on the pavement, leachate everywhere, lack of sweeping, etc., is calamitous, according to neighbours and as can be seen on social networks.

The summer schools, so necessary for the work-life balance of parents of pupils on the coast, have not been set up, causing serious harm to the community.

The pruning and rubbish collection service is still not working properly, due to a lack of resources, planning, civic-mindedness and police control. As a result, our streets have a third-world appearance, full of debris, household goods and pruning debris. The cleaning up of a couple of rubbish dumps recently carried out by the council is totally insufficient if it is not accompanied by the installation of an ecopark, something we have been demanding for many years.

We have not seen any improvement in the roads along the coast in the last two months, despite having contracted a company for their maintenance. No pothole patching (the Villamartin road is crying out for it!), nor renewal of the vertical and horizontal signage. The lack of materials is seriously hampering the services included in the contract. What are they waiting for to buy asphalt, paving stones, paint, etc.? In the meantime, road safety and the integrity of the vehicles that circulate on our streets continue to be seriously compromised, and citizens wonder how such nonsense is possible.

Our parks, gardens, trees (palm trees, etc.) and children's areas are abandoned because the contract for their maintenance has not yet been awarded. We do not know, to date, when this new contract, which is so necessary, will be operational. As long

as it is not in place, we will continue to have more than 50% of the parks and gardens without proper maintenance, unpruned palm trees spreading their dirt on the pavements, bushes about half a metre high in the streets and pavements, etc.

Finally, we would like to point out that the association presented on 29th June last to the Orihuela Costa councillor, Mr. Mestre, a plan to urgently improve basic services for the summer of 2023. It is extremely disheartening to see that practically none of the 26 actions we proposed have been carried out to date.

Meanwhile, there is unanimity amongst the local residents that this has been the worst summer in the history of Orihuela Costa. And a feeling of anger, impotence, frustration and sadness is settling among them, seeing how time passes and the only tangible thing in these past two months has been the good emoluments established for the councillors and the high number of advisors hired, which, for the moment, do not seem to serve to achieve the objectives.

The citizens of the coast are tired of waiting years and years for basic services and infrastructures that are at least as decent as those of the surrounding municipalities.

Pepe Vegara, Mayor of Orihuela, the coast is close to the collapse of its basic services and the patience of its residents. Please do something, and do it

soon, by publicly informing us of the measures you plan to put in place in the short and medium term. In the past two months, you are undermining the confidence and enthusiasm that you have created in the citizens.

Our support and collaboration will not be lacking to ensure that they fulfil their electoral commitments and that this summer, the worst summer in the history of Orihuela Costa, is not repeated.

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P

O E T R Y C O R N E R OUR LAST GREAT ADVENTURE BEFORE DEMENTIA

Kilimanjaro or Everest base camp

La-di-da,dullsville and samey

Flying up to the moon in a hot air balloon

Oh man,that's so cockamamey

We're moving house,we're not going far

We've purchased a villa in Benijofar

We could have gone on safari

Kissed the Blarney Stone in Cork

Or travelled to China or North Carolina Or dined at the Ritz in New York

But we've bought a new house,I know,its bizzare

We've decided to migrate to Benijofar

It's our last great adventure before dementia While we still have resilience and steam Excitement,elation with some trepidation

Let's face it,we're living the dream

We're jumping ship,we're off in the car To start a new life in Benijofar

Kevin Dale

To see your poem published on this page send to: office@theleader.info

Broken railings litter the promenade

Overflowing bins are everywhere

Beach Toilet service - both late and deficient

Tomás (right) meets the new Councillor

TORREVIEJA: “LIKE LIVING IN A SLUM.”

In June of 2022, Torrevieja was set to become one of the cleanest towns in Spain, thanks to a new waste disposal contract, which, although awarded to the company already operating the service, promised to be better for everyone, but the reality seems to be that the only people benefitting from the arrangement is the company, which now absorbs a quarter of the entire municipal budget, to provide a worse service than ever before.

On the ground, residents now have fewer dustbins, grouped together into zones, which means they have further to walk (or drive, as many now do as a result).

The dustbins are larger and operated by a foot pedal, which many elderly people have said makes it too difficult to open, so they have no choice but to leave their rubbish by the side (we have, incidentally, seen young and very fit people also struggle).

The green and garden waste bins have disappeared completely, recycling bins are constantly overflowing, so, again, rubbish has to be left at the side.

Despite a recent report which saw the Councillor for International Residents, Gitte Lund, saying we can all help by using the correct bins, including blue for paper, these bins do not exist in many of the allocated zones outside the centre. On top of this, in typical victim blaming fashion, there is now a brigade of inspectors who will fine users for not complying, whereas the company running the service can get away with doing whatever it pleases, and failing, without any risk or repercussions, despite the fact that the auditors are saying they are doing a bad job and not complying with the contract, to which the town hall and local government of Eduardo Dolón are simply turning a blind eye.

As one resident who approached us whilst researching this story said, making “Torrevieja is like living in a slum”.

Last week, Pablo Samper, spokesman for Sueña Torrevieja, explained that “14 months have already passed since the signing of the contract, and Torrevieja still does not have the new dustbins that should have been in place since October 30”.

Section 8.5 of the technical specifications that the winning bidder must comply with establishes that "the disposal

of the new containers is mandatory within a maximum period of four months after the signing of the contract".

The PSOE in Torrevieja followed on, with their spokesperson, Barbera Soler, taking to social media to highlight the problems, and also holding a press conference, reporting further “serious breaches” by Acciona, the company in charge of garbage collection.

Soler explained how the company Quipons, another company who are in charge of quality control of the services that Acciona executes, has issued a series of reports in which it states that the said company fails in almost all control indicators, repeatedly and seriously.

“The reports are devastating”, in the words of the socialist councillor, who has referred to part of their content, highlighting a significant lack of personnel and material resources, as well as the absolute failure of the pruning or household collection system, for which there has been a delay of more than two weeks and a lack of a telephone service.

Overflowing containers, lack of maintenance and cleaning of them and their surroundings, deep-rooted dirt, street cleaning of urbanisations absent, old vehicles, employment law violations, and many others are some of the incidents that they report.

Acciona have not only avoided being penalised by the lack of action from the town hall, they may actually end up increasing the price of its services.

So far, the town hall’s response, including that of the mayor himself, Eduardo Dolón, has been silence, whilst the residents are still paying for a considerably inferior service.

Let´s get the boring but important bit over with first, the Spanish elections!

The King last week did indeed meet the political parties, but then went along with the constitution by declaring Alberto Núñez Feijóo of the PP should try to form the Government, as he had the most votes.

But, for now, we will probably not hear too much about it, other than infighting, and no doubt Vox falling out with people again.

Last week, by the way, they reported a picture depicting an attack on their leader as a hate crime, which is a little ironic for a party who claims violence against women doesn´t exist, and are actively persecuting the gay community, and stoking hatred of foreigners!

However, I digress, the president of Congress, Francina Armengol, has decided to hold the investiture debate by Feijóo on September 26 and 27, which allows her to give the term that the candidate had requested for negotiations, and, they hope, avoid the risk of voting at Christmas in the event of a repeat election.

In other words, for the most part, things should be quiet for a coupe of weeks whilst they all get their ducks in a row.

Back to the more pressing point we teased you with last week, the weather, and the prediction models have seemingly come true, and it will be cooler this week, and getting more so, albeit with a bit of rain and storms.

In fact, although we have to wait for the official figures, it looks like Friday was the last of the hottest days of the summer.

As summer is coming to an end, this weekend is a very important time, in fact, notably one of the busiest of the year on the roads, as “Operation Return” is launched from Thursday.

In simple terms, the majority of remaining domestic holidaymakers start to head home to the inland towns and cities from the coast.

The operation starts on Thursday, but Friday afternoon, and Sunday are usually the busiest times, so it´s worth planning around those days if you need to go anywhere.

Oh, and if you´re a tourist reading this, it´s not that we´re glad to see the back of you or anything. It´s just…

Unfortunately, as anyone working in the emergency services will attest, we have the additional

problem of a full moon on Thursday.

It is actually full at 03:35 on Thursday morning, so with a little bit of luck, and it’s really not just superstition (really, ask ANYONE who works in the sector), it will not have too much of an impact. It is a super blue moon, the second full moon in a calendar month.

In the business and markets sector, the London Stock Exchange is closed on Monday for the bank holiday, but other than that, the week starts with few references at the macro level, with the figures for loans in the euro area to non-financial corporations for July, and Eurostat publishes the international merchandise trade figures for the second quarter.

Investors in the Eurozone will focus on the release of inflation data for August, likewise, the producer price indices (PPI) of France and Italy will be published.

At the same time, the unemployment rate will be published, which will show the dynamics of the labour market, which could determine the ECB's decision to continue with the monetary tightening process or start with a policy of easing.

Although in Spain many town halls are still ignoring the mandatory requirements to implement low emissions zones, in the UK, the expansion of London’s ultra-low emission zone comes into effect on Tuesday.

If you think back to the farce that was the withdrawal of refugees from Afghanistan, those who escaped the Taliban face another dilemma this week, as Thursday marks the deadline to leave temporary accommodation as part of government plans to clear the number of people living in hotels two years on from the fall of Kabul.

Thursday also marks the government’s own deadline to clear a backlog of applications for its muchcriticised Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP). With over 70,000 UK Government people awaiting a decision at the beginning of the year and only two applications processed between April and June.

Other notable events this week include the US Open, Harry and Megan’s Netflix documentary ‘Heart of Invictus’ is released, the Met Police stop attending mental health calls, Russia’s ‘LGBT propaganda’ ban comes into effect, as does the ban on e-scooter rentals in Paris, and CITV closes down, Aerosmith begins it’s farewell tour, and the Thames Barrier will be closed for its annual event.

BLUE MOON.... BLUE MOON....

YY ou saw me standing alone... ou saw me standing alone...

Could Monarch Airlines Return to Alicante?

Having gone bankrupt in 2017, and deeply missed by many passengers flying to the Costa Blanca, the airline media sector has been buzzing with the potential return of a classic or the air, Monarch Airlines. A new website has been set up, letsmonarch.co.uk, which doesn’t yet give too much information away, other than the promise, “We’re working hard building a brand new Monarch, just for you”, with an invitation to follow them on Instagram and Twitter, @letsmonarch, where already they have had to warn of potential scams, detailing how they are not giving anything away in terms of prizes, and you should only follow their official pages.

The website does state how Monarch Airlines Limited and Monarch Holidays Limited are incorporated and registered in England and Wales with company numbers 14600586 and 14600581, set up earlier this year, so progress has been made through official channels already, although industry experts state that they have yet to file any information in an

attempt to obtain an Air Operator’s Certificate.

Whether we will see Monarch flying to Alicante airport remains to be seen, and we have to bear in mind that the slots they once occupied are already filled by

MORE FUN FOR KIDS AT ALICANTE AIRPORT (While you wait for your luggage!)

other carriers, as well as it being an increasingly packed sky, but there is no doubt that if they were return and at a standard they had before, they would be the first choice for many a passenger, price permitting.

Easyjet to connect Alicante/Southend from October

The Costa Blanca will have a flight connection with Southend from October, as Easyjet reactivate their route from Alicante Elche Miguel Hernandez and London Southend airports.

From 29 October, there will be more than 16,300 seats and two weekly frequencies, with flights on Thursdays and Sundays. The company has announced this in a statement, where it explains that its objective is to continue contributing to improving Alicante's international connectivity and bringing its attractive coastline closer to

the main airports in Europe.

This airline recently announced that it will open a new seasonal base at the Alicante-Elche Miguel Hern·ndez airport, in l'Altet. Operational from spring 2024, it will be its fourth base in Spain.

They estimate that it will be around one hundred jobs, direct and indirect. The British company began operating in Alicante in 1999, with a first connection to London, at Stansted airport. It has already transported 28 million passengers between both destinations.

Spanish airport operator Aena has put out to tender the supply, installation and maintenance of children's entertainment areas to be installed at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport.

The contract is valued at 135,000 euro, with a completion period of 27 months, and aims to improve the passenger experience by tending more to the needs of travellers with children, as there is currently only one play area and it is located in the Boarding Gate B area, so not accessible to all passengers.

Specifically, the project calls for the creation of four new children's areas. One will be located in the departures area (boarding gates area C) and the other three in the arrivals area (two in the baggage claim area and another in the rent a car booth area). The location has been chosen to provide entertainment areas for minors while their relatives wait for their flights to depart and their luggage to arrive. In addition to these new areas, the improvement of the existing area and the reinstallation of three previously acquired areas that had to be withdrawn are included.

MASKS ARE BACK AT THE VEGA BAJA HOSPITAL

The decision has also been taken to restrict the number of people who can access the ward floors. The objective is to reduce the risk of transmission due to the number of visitors, so only one visitor per patient will be allowed for the time being.

The use of masks will be specifically reinforced for all professionals, patients and visitors, in all hospital wards, recommending their use with the highest possible level of rigor.

The monitoring and evaluation of these measures will be carried out over a period of the next two weeks.

This rebound in the incidence of covid in the final two weeks of August is not exclusive to Vega Baja. It is also being seen in other areas of the Community. Two hospitals in the city of Valencia have also adopted measures similar to those established in Orihuela this week: the Doctor Peset Hospital and the General Hospital.

The Vega Baja Hospital in Orihuela has decided to strengthen it’s sanitary control measures as a result of the "significant increase" in patients admitted with covid-19.

There are currently 30 patients hospitalised with the disease. As such the hospital has once again made the use of masks mandatory as well as restricting access to the hospital to a single companion.

Thursday saw the distribution of letter addressed to all the staff of the Orihuela

health department in which it is said that in recent days there has been "a significant increase in patients admitted to the Vega Baja Hospital with the diagnosis of covid-19".

The number of those admitted, according to the document signed by the hospital’s covid monitoring commission, has risen from an average of five or six patients to about thirty. Given this epidemiological situation, "a series of temporary health measures" are proposed to supplement those that were still in force, to reduce the transmission of the disease.

PENTAS ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES AND BEES

How many philosophers does it take to screw in a light bulb? There is no clear answer to that yet, because they are still discussing their moral position regarding artificial illumination.

And what if the world started spinning faster and we all lost our balance, as suggested by Tommy Roe in his 1968 song Dizzy: "My head is spinning, I'm going around in circles all the time..." (Tommy will soon be 82, so I hope that hasn't become true by now.) Would such an event turn philosophy completely on its head? It's a three-pipe problem, or a onephilosopher problem, if he has his head screwed on the right way and the light bulb in his brain is working.

I'd pick science over philosophy any time. Well, most of the time, at least. Science does have its curious side. For example, the first scientist may never have existed at all. Like Homer (the Greek one) he is likely to have been a composite figure who was credited with great achievements while really achieving nothing. So an early version of the other Homer, then. As for other boffins in the running for the title of First Egghead, frankly, many of them weren't what they were cracked up to be. Euclid was most likely a team of mathematicians. Ptolemy misguidedly placed Earth at the centre of the cosmos. Even Einstein thought the universe was static, tsk, tsk. Didn't he know about the speed of light?

Limited by their resources, early scientists had to indulge in guessing games, whereas nowadays scientific results rely on experiments to prove a theory, the scientific word for a guess. Writers like to make things up, scientists like to know how things work, and artists splash paint on things when they have been at the absinthe. I believe many artists have to borrow money from church mice, at least until they die, when their pictures become

worth a fortune and they could repay the mice in whatever the collective noun is for cheese boards. A smorgasbord, perhaps.

One of our main advantages over the rest of the animal kingdom is curiosity. It is no accident that NASA's car-sized Mars rover was named Curiosity, when it was searching for signs of life on the red planet. Curiosity supposedly kills cats, so perhaps they shouldn't ask so many questions. Scaredy-cats should cross roads carefully, especially if 8 of their 9 lives have already crossed the great divide between pavements.

But without curiosity, Edward Jenner might never have tried infecting his gardener's son with a mild virus to produce immunity against a deadly virus like smallpox. And the rest is history. And for once we have learned from it, and are only too glad to repeat it. The cure for boredom is curiosity, and fortunately there

is no cure for curiosity.

Or sometimes unfortunately. It may be why we went to the moon (or some of us did) but it also makes us touch hotplates when warned they might burn us. It is why children start smoking cigarettes, or worse. Curiosity makes us act as if horses won't throw us, white-water rafting won't drown us, and love won't break our hearts. It even makes us wonder if cats will come when we call them. For a small fee, I can provide answers to all those questions.

As the Earth goes on turning -- at its usual rate -- we could all be forgiven for feeling, in the words of Alice in Wonderland, that life is becoming "curiouser and curiouser," in a world where normal rules no longer seem to apply. Do you ever wonder why? I do, and am puzzled when people talk about 'idle' curiosity. Mine, like yours I hope, is working all the time.

Pentas lanceolata - commonly known as the Egyptian Star cluster, or simply Pentas - is a fast grower that remains in bloom for a very long time, considered an extremely low maintenance plant. They are best known for their attractive star shaped blooms, in colours of vibrant pink and violet, but can also bloom in creamy white, burgundy, or yellow shades.

They prefer to be planted in full sun, but will cope well with partial shade in fertile soil with adequate drainage.

They are a moisture loving plant that thrives in a humid climate and require regular watering to flourish and retain their beautiful bloom. However, they will do fine in dry conditions for a time, but they will not show their best in prolonged drought.

They will appreciate a balanced flower fertiliser routine, once monthly.

For the showiest flowers, opt for a fertiliser that is high in phosphorus or for lots of new leaves, choose a high nitrogen fertiliser instead.

Can be grown as annuals or perennials, as a container plant or mass planted for a living hedge.

If using as a hedge, bear in mind that the flowers form on new growth, so any heavy trimming and pruning will interfere with blooming.

Pinching back young growths can encourage a bushier appearance and simply remove any deadheads to promote new blooms.

They can be propagated in multiple different ways, but the easiest method is to start them from seed. Gardeners keen on attracting butterflies and bees will love Pentas, because their shallow flowers allow them easy access.

Not toxic to people, dogs, or cats, making them a very safe choice for your garden, or as a houseplant.

Curiosity isn’t good for Cats!

Valencia’s Tourism Minister repeals Tourist Tax

The United Kingdom is the main tourist market in the Valencian Community and as such it must be taken care of. That is what the new Minister of Tourism, Nuria Montes, said when sending a message to British tour operators and airlines that work in autonomous territory, giving her guarantees that the tourist tax will not be introduced.

She will do so through a letter that will be sent this coming week, in which she promises to remove the threat of the tax as an obstacle.

This assurance is being provided at a time when British tourism has already reached prepandemic levels, but where the threat of the tax was hindering contracts for 2024, many of which should already have been brought into force.

The tax, approved by the previous government of the Valencian Community, was scheduled to be introduced on January 1 of next year, but only in those municipalities that so wished.

However, it had already caused widespread rejection by the tourism sector, given the dissuasive effect that it was having in the markets.

One of those who was particularly critical of the tax was Nuria Montes, until a few weeks

ago the general secretary of the Hosbec hotel management association, who did not hesitate to denounce the damaging effects that this measure could have.

Well, now in her new position as Minister of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism,

TURNOVER BOOST FOR ALICANTE PORT

one of the first decisions she has made in relation to this issue has been to send a letter of calm to the British tour operators and airlines that work in the Community Valenciana.

In the letter, she writes of her election as minister following the elections held last May,

which led to the change of government. After the introduction, Montes states that one of the first decisions taken by the new Executive has been to repeal the law that allowed the introduction of the tax, so that, she asserts, “no tourist tax can be established in the whole region during the next few years.” The minister said that the Valencian Community includes popular destinations for visitors from the United Kingdom, such as Benidorm, the Costa Blanca, Alicante, Valencia, and many others.

The initiative adopted by Montes has been praised by the association Hosbec, taking into account the importance that the British market has for the Valencian Community, as well as for Benidorm and the Costa Blanca in particular.

Although tourists from the UK have already reached 2019 levels, before the pandemic hit, there was uncertainty about next year.

According to the new general secretary of the association, Mayte García, “we are finding that travel contracts are already being negotiated for next year, and we can see that tour operators are concerned about the tax.

Until now, hotel managers did not know what to tell them, but thankfully now, all the uncertainty has gone.”

The port of Alicante significantly increased its turnover during the 2022 financial year, the first with Julián López as president of the Port Authority (he took over from Juan Antonio Gisbert in March of that year,who died shortly after).

The arrival of new logistics operators to the industrial zone and the boom in cruise ship visits,as well as the recovery and expansion of concessions,boosted the terminal's revenues by 17%.

According to the 2022 annual accounts,the Alicante terminal billed a total of 14.41

million euro last year,that is,17% more than in 2021,when the turnover was 12.29 million euro.In addition,it raised another 1.11 million for ancillary income,although somewhat below the 1.25 million made in 2021.

The substantial improvement in turnover allowed the Alicante terminal to end another year with positive operating results,a trend that has been consolidated in recent years after having previously to resort on the state’s interport compensation fund (FCI) to cover losses.

The threat of the tax was hindering contracts for 2024

THE LAST ‘NESTBOX!’

Today I parted with my last ‘nest box.’

The box was one of a hundred I got made exactly fifty years ago. The boxes, measuring 16”X 14” X 9”, were made of plywood.

I can’t remember who made them for me; but one thing for sure is that they were extraordinarily well made. I carried out the last one this morning, filled with old rusty bolts, washers and stuff and plonked it in the back of the van with other scrap metal before heading for the recycling plant. The last nest box caused forgotten memories to come flooding back.

You are all wondering (or at least the few of you who give a hoot) as to what the hell he is on about this week, or what in heaven’s name is a ‘nest box.’ The nest boxes were used for rabbits to have their litter in when I ran a commercial rabbit farm. I appreciate that we were coincidently on about wild rabbits last week; but this is a very different story and a very different animal.

No story stands on its own and if I am to tell you about the nest box, I have to tell you the story of the commercial rabbit.

In 1973 I erected a purpose built shed to be used as a rabbit farm. We were one of the first such enterprises in the country. Each breeding doe had a cage to herself, as had also the ‘man of the house’, the buck. There was one buck for every ten does. (Not bad work if you can get it!) I had to take the doe to the buck’s cage to mate. If I did it the other way round, the doe attacked the buck. (There has to be a message somewhere there, Lads?)

We had two distinctive breeds: The

‘Californian White’ had black ears, nose and paws; whilst the ‘New Zealand White’ was snow white all over. With 18 hours of artificial light, the mother produced 6 – 8 litters in a year – ranging from 1 to 18. Anyway, each doe averaged more than 50 baby rabbits per year. Her pregnancy was 31 days.

I would try to foster some of the larger litters onto a mother having only 2 or 3 the same day. Sprinkling talcum powder on her own and the adopted usually worked – but not always. Often when I returned there would be disaster where the doe killed all that wasn’t her own flesh and blood.

Attention to detail was vital. Each cage had a record card pinned on the outside. On the 28th day I put the nesting box into the cage, after first lining it with nice clean straw or wood shavings. Nature is unbelievable; as soon as the box arrived, the doe got into it and started pulling out her fur. She spent the next two days making a nest from fine straw and fur and then she sat in, waiting for the arrival of the stork!

The fattening rabbits were fed on a special diet of dried pellets. The conversion rate was scarcely credible. For every 3 pounds of meal, I pound of meat was produced – and the highest protein meat of any type. The droppings fell into a pit underneath the row of cages and was cleaned out once a year. There was no smell off the manure until you stuck a shovel in it … and I often said that my life was a bit like that! I discovered, by accident, that the dried rabbit droppings was so rich in protein that cows would eat it.

At 8 weeks the weaned rabbits would weigh between 4 and 5 lbs. I had an agent in Sligo

who was killing, packing and exporting the rabbit meat to France. As many a food producer to a supermarket, for example, discovered; it is a bad plan to be depending on one outlet for your produce. My friend sold most of the females on to other budding rabbit farmers throughout the country. Anyway, this was the peak of the fledgling business and I was just beginning to make money when ‘Murphy’s Law’ was enforced. The oil crisis struck and my collections were delayed to every second week. The price of the feed went from £48 to £96 a ton overnight and the price of the rabbit meat only went up from 12 pence to 16 pence per lb live weight. I was losing money … Ego kept the thing going for a while – as we had

TORREVIEJA KITCHEN BLAZE

Torrevieja fire fighters were called to a fire which started in the kitchen of an apartment on Calle Bergatin on Sunday.

The fire fighters had to rescue the two people form the property, both of who were treated for the effects of smoke inhalation by medical crews.

The fire fighters remained on the scene once the flames were extinguished in order to vent the building and prevent further ignition.

become a free tourist attraction for families at the weekends. I sold a few rabbits to local butchers and all the remaining luckier ones as pets.

All was now gone except the cages … and the nest boxes! I spent yonks years giving away nest boxes for litter[ally] a hundred different uses. You wouldn’t believe the versatility of that little wooden box.

And now … the last one, serving a use till the end, is gone and I am sad!

DON’T FORGET

The man who lives only for himself runs a very small business.

The last nest box caused forgotten memories to come flooding back.

HOPI EAR CANDLING WITH BODY HARMONY

Thermo-Auricular therapy (Hopi Ear Candles)

What are Hopi Candles?

Hopi Ear Candles are hollow tubes made of cotton, soaked in beeswax, honey and herbs. When lit, the candle acts like a chimney, causing warm air inside it to rise and creating a vacuum at the bottom.

This vacuum gently stimulates the ear, facilitating removal of excess wax and impurities

It is important to note that the candle does not suck wax out of the ear. It stimulates the ear to eliminate the wax naturally, ensuring maximum safety.

How are the candles used?

The treatment should be carried out in a relaxed, draught free atmosphere and the patient should lie in a comfortable position on his/her side with their head supported on a pillow.

Asmall cotton towel should cover the hair.

The lit candle is inserted into the outer ear and the flame is allowed to burn down to within a short distance of the marked red line, when the candle is then removed gently and extinguished in some water.

The practitioner then massages gently around the ear, using draining movements towards the neck. The procedure is repeated on the other ear, and then the patient lies on his/her back for a gentle drainage massage on the face.

It is then important for the patient to have a drink of water and lie still for at least 10 minutes before he/she stands up

What are the benefits?

Hopi candles can be used for many conditions including deafness caused by excess wax, congested sinuses, irritation in the ears, ringing or noises in the ears, helps with tinnitus, glue ear, colds, flu, headaches and migraines.

As their action is so gentle, this treatment is particularly suitable for children

What are the effects?

In most cases the treatment is extremely soothing and relaxing, leaving the patient with a sense of well-being and reduced pressure in the ears or head. Alittle warmth is felt, and hissing and crackling noises are heard, with a little popping. Most people say that it is a very pleasant experience!

The initial effect can be an improvement in hearing or freer nasal breathing and an improved sense of smell. However, improvements can continue occurring for a day or two.

When should candles not be used?

Use of the candles is contra-indicated if:

*The ear drum is perforated Ö...(perforated ear drums can heal up)

*Grommets are in places

*The ear is infected

*The patient is allergic to any of the candles

components ..e.g. beeswax

Safety

I use BIOSUN Ear Candles which are medical products Class IIa according to medical device directive 93/42/EEC, and are regularly tested by independent institutes.

You can therefore be confident that the candles are made of the highes quality and safety standards.

COURSE IN HOPI EAR CANDLING

Body Harmony offers a one day course in learning Hopi Ear Candling which will enable you to offer treatments to others.

With this course you will get a certificate, and a comprehensive manual.

If you would like to book an appointment or receive any further details of treatments or courses, then please contact Christine

Quinlan at Body Harmony

Telephone number: 966 795 103

Email: bodyharmony44@gmail.com

The website is bodyharmonytherapies.co.uk.

BODY HARMONY IS BASED IN LA MARINA

See our advert across the page

Arts & Culture &

CRESCENDO INTERNATIONAL REHEARSALS BEGIN NEXT WEEK

C

rescendo International Choir will begin rehearsals again Monday, September 4.Rehearsals will take place at Rincon de Miguel in Los Montesinos between 17:45 to 20:00 every Monday night.

The choir last gathered to perform a wellattended free concert June 17,at The Club,in Quesada,a new venue for the choir.New singers are most welcome to join us.Here are the songs we sang at our last concert to give prospective new members an idea of our repertoire.

Perhaps,Perhaps,Perhaps,I Say a Little Prayer for You,Make you Feel my Love,The Rose,What a Wonderful World,You Raise me Up,The Rhythm of Life,Sway,City of Stars, Amapola,Historia de un Amor,Clavelitos and Les Misérables.

For more details about the choir,see crescendo-choir.com.You can also follow the group on Facebook at Crescendo Choir.If you have questions,email info@crescendo-choir.com.

The choir would be delighted to welcome new singers.We especially need more basses. Our current choir includes people from England,Scotland,the US,the Netherlands, Germany,and Scandinavia,among other nationalities.This is why we are called Crescendo International Choir.Our Music Director,Irene Oliva,and pianist,Antonio Guillen,are accomplished Spanish musicians.

TORREVIEJA ART EXIBITION FOR UKRAINE

The Torrevieja Casino will be hosting an art exhibition for the next couple of weeks, which is intended to directly benefit the people of Ukraine.

Viktor Fridrikh, originally from Ternopil in the west of Urkaine, has been living in Spain since 1999, and studied at the Torrevieja art school. His works can be found in various exhibitions across Spain, the United States and the United Kingdom, and he previously exhibited his work in the Virgen del Carmen Centre in Torrevieja, and the Casino.

In this latest exhibition, which runs from 26 August until 8 September in the Torrevieja Casino, Viktor wants to do more with his art. He wants to help. As Viktor explains, “My aim is not only to create art, but to do something more. Therefore, I will donate half of the revenue of the paintings sold in aid for Ukraine, to help improve the lives of those in difficult conditions. By buying

SANTA POLA PARTY WEEK

Santa Pola is getting itself ready for a party.

As the Moorish hosts assault the municipality of Baix Vinalopó the town is transformed into a historic setting from August 31 with the celebration of its patron saint festival of Moors and Christians in honour of the Virgin of Loreto.

Then, with the arrival of September, the streets of the fishing village are decorated to receive its most important festivities of the year.

Residents, partygoers and visitors will all be able to enjoy a great selection of events and activities including the Moorish invasion, conquest and reconquest, parades, fireworks, the floral offering to the patron saint, a procession, as well as children's games and sports competitions .

Even now in the coastal town you can already breathe the festive atmosphere although the festivities will not officially start until the lighting and the

Spectacular costumes of the Moors and Christians

proclamation, which will take place on the 31st. This year, María Asunción Pérez Martínez will be in charge of the festival launch.

From September 1, all the events will get underway, that day will begin with the despertà, the traditional call, with the Moorish assault, parades and mascletà.

The Moorish Assault, formerly known as the landing, is one of the most distinguished acts of the festival. This takes place on the Playa de Levante and opens the municipal festivities every year, the explosion of harquebuses, cannons and blunderbusses is sure to catch the attention of all attendees. On the following day it will be the turn of the Christians to make their grand entrance, followed in the afternoon by an arquebus combat involving both sides. An essential act, without a doubt. The full list, including many more events, for both adults and for children, can be found at: https://www.turismosantapola.es/

my works, you are joining a humanitarian initiative aimed at supporting those in difficult circumstances”.

The exhibition can be visited any day, and if you buy one of his paintings, you will be directly helping those in need, as well as supporting a local artist in his craft.

A June concert at The Club in Quesada

Wanted fugitives arrested in Torrevieja

Four fugitives with a European extradition warrant have been caught in Torrevieja.

With the support of the French Gendarmerie, the Guardia Civil has been able to carry out the arrest of two 25-year-old men wanted by the German police for homicide, and another two, aged 40 and 47 years, the subject of an arrest warrant from a Romanian court for smuggling and money laundering.

The Civil Guard has acted on European arrest or extradition orders from different European countries. Those arrested, all wanted by either the German or the Romanian courts, have been placed at the disposal of the National Court of Madrid.

Civil Guard sources explained that in order to guarantee public safety in Torrevieja, due to the increase in the number of tourists, security personnel have been increased, with the collaboration, in this case, of police officers of the French Gendarmerie.

Thanks to this deployment, between the months of June and July, 4 individuals have been located and arrested on whom European Arrest and Surrender or extradition Orders (OEDEs) were pending.

TORREVIEJA TOOLTHIEVES CHARGED

The first of the detainees, a 25-year-old man, who was wanted by the German judicial authorities for the crime of homicide, who was arrested along with his brother, the latter being charged with the crime of violation of civil status.

The second, another 25-year-old man, was arrested for attempted murder and another for drug trafficking in Germany. In this case, he had a 15-year prison

Local Police seize narcotics in Orihuela Costa Cannabis Club

Orihuela Local Police have reported the seizure of more than 2 kilos of marijuana, more than 1,300 grams of hashish, together with 150 products of other cannabis-derived narcotics, with high levels of THC.

The raid was carried out in a cannabis club in Orihuela Costa. During the operation, the Local Police arrested the Association President, a man of German nationality, for an alleged crime against Public Health, as the premises did not have a license. The police operation was carried out on August 19 when officers went to the Lomas de Cabo Roig Urbanization, following complaints of loud music that had been received.

Agents watched a group of three people entering a Cannabis Smokers Club called CSC "The Green Brothers ". However, previously it had been impossible to access the club to check itís documentation as a result of cameras, video intercom and a double door system, which does not allow access unless opened from the inside.

As the three people entered, the agents rushed the door and surprised the occupants. Thee subsequently identified a number of individuls before seized a quantity of narcotic substances and sealing the establishment.

sentence pending with the German authorities.

On July 12 and 13, two other people aged 40 and 47 were arrested. This time, wanted by the Romanian judicial authorities for smuggling and money laundering.

All four of those fugitives arrested in different operations this summer had previously found refuge in Torrevieja and its surroundings.

Officers from the Guardia Civil in Torrevieja, arrested a 24-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman, accused of stealing tools from a vehicle in the town.

In addition, a third party has been arrested for receiving the stolen items.

The investigation began at the end of July when a foreign citizen filed a complaint for the theft of DIYtools from the interior of his vehicle.

After the analysis of the modus operandi used, the investigators were able to prove how two people, a man and a woman, had stopped with

their vehicle next to the victim's, in order to hide the crime, at they immediately opened one of the doors and proceed with the theft of tools, valued at approximately 4,000 euro. Once the perpetrators was identified, the agents began a search and arrest device that culminated in the arrest of the couple. In addition, a third person, a 31-year-old man, was also arrested for the acquisition of the stolen objects.

They have been charged with the crimes of belonging to a criminal group, theft and receipt of stolen property and released with the imposition of precautionary measures pending trial.

In addition, it has been possible to recover a large part of the stolen tools, which have already been returned to their rightful owner.

QUICKIE CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ANSWERS Week 985

QUICK QUICK

ACROSS: 1 Depart; 4 Morass; 9 Circumspectly; 10 Denuded; 11 Adorn; 12 Shape; 14 Devil; 18 Enter; 19 Unleash; 21 Incarceration; 22 Delays; 23 Unless.

DOWN: DOWN: 1 Decide; 2 Parenthetical; 3 Round; 5 Overawe; 6 Authoritative; 7 Saying; 8 Aside; 13 Portray; 15 Behind; 16 Queer; 17 Thanks; 20 Learn.

CR CR YPTIC YPTIC

ACROSS: 1 Tom-tom; 4

ACROSS ACROSS

1.List (8)

5.Former Italian currency (4)

9.Unhearing (4)

10.Sporty (8)

11.Obscene (5)

12.Suite (7)

13.Refilling (13)

18.Sniper (8)

19.Anger (4)

20.African spear (7)

21.Blended (5)

22.Knell (4)

23.Rise and fall (8)

CAN YOU MASTER THE SUDOKU CHALLENGE?

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9.

Solution on Page 22

DOWN DOWN

2.Raise (7)

3.Unbeliever (7)

4.Killing off (13)

6.Profound (7)

7.Old (7)

8.Grasp (6)

13.Relic (7)

14.Reading (7)

15.Badge (6)

16.Warlike (7)

17.Ignore (7)

Drafts; 9 Consideration; 10 Earnest; 11 Ichor; 12 Brace; 14 Envoy; 18 Ample; 19 Lucifer; 21 Electromagnet; 22 Assert; 23 Stayer.

DOWN: DOWN: 1 Tacked; 2 Minor prophets; 3 Olive; 5 Realign; 6 Flight of fancy; 7 Sentry; 8 Testy; 13 Creator; 15 Camera; 16 Sloop; 17 Grater; 20 Coast.

1.An old towel could make one quite wealthy (4-2-2)

5.You can get a large number in one car (4)

9.Silver artist in India (4)

10.Burns out? No penalty! (4-4)

11.Returning a piece of wood (5)

12.Innocence is excellent in the new event (7)

13.Coins a term for a bike (5-8)

18.Can chair be used in a lawless way? (8)

19.Book a girl (4)

20.Inability to move, i.e. train trouble (7)

21.There's no advantage in having two (5)

22.Goodbye and thanks again (2-2)

23.Pet Simon ordered, showing favouritism (8)

DOWN DOWN

2.An avenger's out to write (7)

3.Is a lion out for contact? (7)

4.Name antidote scattered around the Cape to render harmless (13)

6.IRAlies upset the Middle-Easterner (7)

7.In charge of returning a bird from the sea (7)

8.Harsh way to take religious instruction at court (6)

13.Is paint spilled by him? (7)

14.Closest eastern resort (7)

15.Cathy's new boats (6)

16.Threads turn out to be the most difficult (7)

17.Sees a new section (7)

LEADER TRIVIA QUIZ (Answers on page 22)

1. Carfax Abbey was which fictional character's home away from home?

2. Which band leader was the first German to top the US music charts?

3. The name of which famous champion thorougbred racehorse in the late 1920s and early 1930s stems from the Thai word for "lightning"?

4. Which highly toxic chemical compound is sometimes described as smelling like bitter almond?

5. "The mission is a man." was the movie poster tag line to which epic war film?

6. What is the name of the largest and longest nerve in the human body?

7. Which comic book super hero who resides in Malibu is ranked number 5 on Forbes list of the richest 15 fictional characters?

8. The popular name given to which very well known 1877 piece of music is also something to eat with?

9. What are the four most populated cities in Asia that end with the letter 'i'?

10. The following lyrics are all from songs with the word "Right" somewhere in the song title. Can you name the song? a. Now don't you wait or hesitate, let's move before they raise the parking rate, b. So you think your schooling's phoney, I guess it's hard not to agree, c. Daddy let your mind roll on, d. I was just about to say I love you

11. Built between 4,100 and 2,500 BC; quite possibly the oldest free standing structures in the world are found in which European country? a. UK b. Greece c. France d. Malta

12. In a famous match race, who did War Admiral lose to on November 1, 1938?

13. Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan were better known as what?

14. In and around which river delta did up to 500,000 people lose their lives due to a storm surge in November 1970?

15. Who had a cameo appearance as the Corsair pirate captain in 'The Return of the King'?

16. Which group of islands were known as the Danish West Indies until they were sold in 1916?

17. All Boys, Racing Club, Arsenal and Newell's Old Boys are all top flight football (soccer) clubs in which country?

18. The original album cover art work from which David Bowie album was taken off the market because it depicted genitalia?

19. What was the name of the chess playing computer that defeated reigning world champion Garry Kasparov in 1997?

20. Which 1985 Hollywood blockbuster and winner of seven Academy Awards was loosely based on the female central character's 1937 autobiography? 3 words

21. Which famous historical leader met his end in the Largo Argentina square?

ACROSS ACROSS

LA ZENIA RESIDENT THANKS OPTICIAN FOR SAVING HER SIGHT

Gillian Barrett was experiencing slightly blurred vision in one eye and thought she needed new glasses,with a stronger prescription.But during her visit to Specsavers Ópticas in La Zenia,an eye test revealed signs of an artery occlusion,glaucoma and early-stage cataracts. All three conditions can lead to permanent sight loss and therefore she was urgently referred for diagnosis and treatment. Thankfully these conditions were caught early and she is now taking medication,her eyes are healthy and her vision is good.

Gillian comments,‘If it hadn’t been for Specsavers in La Zenia I could have lost my sight.I have a family history of glaucoma, and my mother lost the vision in one eye due to the disease.So, when I started to experience slight blurring in one eye,I thought it was best to have an eye test.

During the test,they discovered a blocked artery behind my eye and gave me an urgent referral for treatment before it caused permanent vision loss.’

Optometrist Jade Rose adds,‘We’re so pleased that Gillian paid attention to her blurred vision and came in for an eye test,as it revealed issues that required urgent treatment.

‘During our comprehensive eye tests,we always take a photo of the retina (retinography).In the photo of Gillian’s retina,we found an artery occlusion and immediately referred her for specialist help.

Blockages like this can be very serious,often causing loss of eyesight,but also increasing risk of stroke if the clot moves to the brain.’

Gillian is now receiving monthly injections in her left eye for the blocked artery and daily eye drops for the glaucoma.As long as

she continues with the treatment her eyesight should not deteriorate.The team at Specsavers Ópticas in La Zenia are also monitoring her intraocular pressure and cataracts during yearly eye tests,to ensure that the conditions remain under control.

Gillian adds,‘I would urge everyone to have regular eye tests to make sure their sight is not at risk.

I would also like to thank the team at Specsavers Ópticas La Zenia for their detailed health checks and taking swift action so I could get the treatment I needed.’

Eye tests are free at Specsavers Ópticas and include a range of health checks as standard. Visit www.specsavers.es to find your nearest store and book a free eye test.

Gillian said, ‘If it hadn’t been for Specsavers in La Zenia I could have lost my sight.”

The Church of JESUS CHRISTof Latter-Day Saints in Torrevieja meet at 10.00 each Sunday in their chapel at Rambla Juan Mateo Garcia, 104. All Welcome. Phone or whatsapp the missionaries on 659 016 733

Join us at the SALTCHURCH Sundays at 10.30 am. We are a friendly church, bible centred in our teaching and informal in our worship. Meets at Calle Daya Nueva 12, PolÌgono Ind. Levante 11, 03187 Los Montesinos. We look forward to meeting you. www.Saltchurchspain.

Facebook SaltChurchSpain

International Christian Assembly, Calle Beniajan 14, Torrevieja -Evangelical Church. Sunday Service 11

a.m.; - Contact 966 799 273 / 660 127 276. Evangelical non-denominational church. www.icatorrevieja.org

The Car of the Month at AUTOMOVILES CRESPO is a very attractive 2019 Ford Ecosport ST-Line Petrol which is priced at just 17,900 euro.

Come along to our large showroom in Elche and see our vast range of new and used cars or call 96 666 22 60 for all our latest offers. See page7. We can assure you of the biggest and best choice of new and used cars in the area for price, choice and quality.

ENGLISH SPOKEN

Los Alc·zares Digital Camera Club. Interested in photography? We invite you to come and join us at our twice monthly meetings. Please contact coordinatorladcc@ gmail.com or see http://www.los-alcazarescamera.club/ for details.

COMMUNITYCARE ASSOCIATION (CCA) Open to residents of Orihuela Costa over 60 years of age. Located at the Centro Civico Alameda del Mar. Open 3 times a week for a programme of English speaking activities, support, information and advice with the support of Orihuela Council. Anyone wanting to join CCAsocial activities can pop along.

Open 2pm -6pm Mondays and Thursdays, Wednesday 2pm - 5pm. You can register between 1pm & 2pm on those days, in the Cafe area where you will find Eva or Norah. email:

communitycare@gmail.com

RAGS CLUB (previously Friendship Centre). Every Tuesday Lunchtime, From a Bun to a Banquet. At Graceys - upstairs La Zenia park in Lidl Carpark. COME AND PLAYRUMMIKUB.

Age Concern Costa Blanca Sur is here to help you with problem solving and well being for the over 50ís. We need volunteer Drivers and people to join our Home Visiting Team to visit a Residential Home, and take them out for a coffee. Call into our centre at C/Paganini s/n, Urb. La Siesta 03184 Torrevieja or ring 966 786 887. Or email: costablanca@ageconcern.org.es

Royal Naval Association, Torrevieja Branch now meets on the first Wednesday of the

month at 5pm at the Lakeview bar/restaurant, Quesada. For more info contact Chairman Tony Jenkins on +44 7576 117 222, Secretary Steve Hemingfield 0n Mob/Whats 711 011 373 The RAFACosta Blanca RMG is a social group of caring people and remains affiliated to the parent Association. Contact with the RAFAand the RMG is via the RAFA website rafa.org.uk.

Business Opportunity: LOOKING FOR Silent Business Partner for small Private Care Home. Invest 10K and get 20K back in 14 months. 747 438 225 (4)

Law Services: PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR, Solicitor, Debt Collections, Bad Tenants. 747 438 225 (4)

FREE

CLASSIFIED ADS

If you have items that are WANTED or FOR SALE, ANNOUNCEMENTS, NOTICES and suchlike, advertise them, to a maximum of 35 words, FREE OF CHARGE, on this page. SEND BY EMAIL TO: office@theleader.info

Scourge of Electric Scooters - Where do we begin?

Although they are not the new invention some people think, the first being called the Autoped and dating back over a century, the electric scooter has become both a modern-day marvel, and a futuristic nuisance.

The face of urban mobility has been changing in recent years, and “Personal Mobility Vehicles” have taken off, partly due to their compact size, designed to carry a single person, and their economic and environmental credentials, that make them a choice for many people with environmental concerns, whilst still being able to maintain mobility.

One thing that is most definitely new, however, is the appearance of these vehicles, often in large groups, on the streets and pavements where we live, in the form of rental scooters.

Two companies operating in this local area, Hopp and Hoppy, the former with Icelandic origins, the latter Belgian, are also confusing matters because they look identical, although they need separate apps to control and rent them, as they are different companies.

A quick scan through Facebook, and credit to the respective photographers for the pictures we have found, shows that there is indeed a problem with these vehicles often being left in illegal, and frequently inconvenient locations. Their parking is, incidentally, controlled through municipal ordinance, and the town halls can dictate the terms of their location and operation.

Most of the pictures we found are depicting Hoppy scooters, although, often, it is Hopp who get the blame.

One such case occurred this week when The Leader was contacted because a Hoppy scooter had been left leaning against the gate of the home of an elderly, frail, lady, who uses a mobility scooter. The placement of this vehicle meant she would have been unable to access or egress her property.

Based on these recent findings, The Leader contacted Hoppy via their head office in Belgium, and received a reply, in which they said, “We appreciate your involvement and duly take note of the feedback for our improvement. We have easy recognisable vehicle decals which may prompt concerned citizens to enter in our web and report misplaced LEV´s and be able to report the problem. I believe it must have been difficult for the lady to act in this way and found it easier to reach out to you. We apologise for the inconvenience”.

They continue, “The misplaced LEV on the picture seems to have been ´abandoned´ by a user outside an enforced parking zone while still riding. Hoppy strived to maintain an ordered service, hence the use of enforced parking zones; These are geozones in the form of polygons on the map of our App It is only n these zones that the users may end their ride. In the eventuality that any of our LEVs are illegally parked our local team of operators will relocate the displaced vehicle as soon as possible, within the next 24h. In the case of being informed directly vía the contact details on our web, our local team would take about 1h during working hours to solve the matter”.

The company offered no information as to how these zones were assigned, and with what permissions, so it could be that your front road is designated without you even knowing. Also, some users have reported problems with the parking zones in the app, stating that they were parked in an authorised zone, but the app would not recognise it as such, and continued to charge them.

Whereas Hoppy clearly blames the user in this case, it seems that the problem highlighted is not isolated.

Hoppy have provided an email address where you can report problems with their vehicles, but please make sure that they are Hoppy vehicles first. The email address is: support@behoppy.eu

They conclude by saying, “We are a growing company which looks forward to improving our service and we will soon add a phone number on our website to report this kind of issue. Hopefully this misbehaviour by users or other saboteurs will decline. We are constantly applying methods to reduce these actions”.

In the meantime, as well as reporting such problems to the companies, you might like to send your photographs of badly, illegally, or inconveniently parked (or “abandoned”) scooters. If so, you can email them to us at: office@theleader.info, and we will share the evidence, so either the companies involved can be aware and fix the problems, or, if necessary, the town halls can take appropriate action.

You should also, however, report the problems to the company for immediate action, as they promise.

The first electric scooters (the Autoped) appeared on our streets over a century ago.

The elderly occupant of this property was unable to get in or out of her house

by Tony Mayes

YET ANOTHER FAILURE OF NHS TRUST MANAGERS

Millions of people in Britain and in countries around the world have been gripped with emotion over the past few weeks trying to fathom how a young girl who had a burning ambition to have a career working with children could turn into a heartless killer of defenceless babies.

Lucy Letby was born in 1990, attended a local school and sixth-form college, selecting subjects she believed would help her achieve her goals and aspirations.

She told the jury at her trial: "I have always wanted to work with children," adding she had chosen A-levels "which would best support that career".

She was the first person in her family to go to university and studied nursing for three years at the University of Chester, and during her studies, completed numerous work placements. The majority were based at the Countess of Chester Hospital, either on the children's ward or the neonatal unit.

She qualified as a Band 5 nurse in September 2011 and went on to start working full-time at the hospital from January 2012 before qualifying to work with intensive care babies in the spring of 2015.

There was nothing, in her early career to suggest she would go on to systematically kill or attempt to kill numerous babies by injecting them with air, insulin or force-feeding them with milk.

So, what on earth went so badly wrong for Letby? She still maintains her innocence, but the evidence points undeniably to her guilt. Back in the past such actions would be dismissed as the work of the Devil. But that is nonsense. Something in her past must have triggered the insanity. Was it some kind of rejection, some form of experimentation? I hope that one day she will allow psychiatrists to work with her to discover a cause, so that it can be identified among others early and be dealt with.

The Letby case has much in common with that of the Greater Manchester doctor Harold Shipman, who was convicted of murdering 15 of his patients and left questions over the deaths of up to 250 more.

My wife, Eileen, who was a nurse, escaped Shipman’s reign of death - she and her family were patients of his. He, like Lucy Letby, was a most likeable person, but he systematically injected victims with a lethal dose of the painkiller diamorphine and then signed death certificates attributing the incident to natural causes.

There is another sad similarity in the cases. Shipman had many more deaths in his practice than others, but it took far too long for colleagues to raise questions. With the Letby case, while consultants questioned the number of baby deaths when she was around, their concerns were ignored by senior managers and, for further humiliation, consultants were forced to give Letby a written apology

for questioning her competence.

FAILURE IN THE SYSTEM

And here we have the first obvious failure in the system. Who are the people best equipped to run a hospital, doctors and senior nursing staff i.e. a matron, or very highly paid bureaucrats and local politicians within Trusts? I think the answer is obvious.

NHS trusts are public sector bodies established by parliamentary order by the secretary of state for health to provide healthcare services to the NHS. They have a board of executive and non-executive directors, and are accountable to the secretary of state. Members of Trusts could be retired business people or councillors and probably have little if any medical experience. In my book a total nonsense that they can overrule senior medical staff. Good one Tories (under John Major) for dreaming up that nail in the NHS coffin!

And there you have it – the top brass in true don’t rock the boat brigade form, sat on their hands not wanting to “damage the good name of the hospital”. Sound familiar to you? It happens time and time again, senior, well-paid bosses, close ranks and do their best to eliminate or ridicule the whistle-blower..

SELF INTEREST OF TRUST MANAGERS

What can be done to stop it? If it can be proved that the top brass deliberately ignored a legitimate complaint and put their own self-interest first, and as a result babies died, then that should be the subject of a criminal investigation, and if proved they should be jailed for a long time.

It’s on record that top brass at the hospital ignored consultants’ concerns for months, failed to call in police and in that time Letby was free to carry out more killings. The top brass should be held responsible and police should be investigating.

Now I turn to Letby and other criminals being allowed to refuse to enter the dock to hear victims’ statements, the judge’s summing up and the sentence. It’s a disgrace and it is beyond belief how it could be allowed to happen.

TOO SOFT ON CRIMINALS

Britain has become far too soft on criminals. They should be forced into the dock and if they cause trouble, then Tazer them. They would soon get the message. People try to say that the human race is more caring now. I would argue the opposite is the case – and there is more

pure selfishness and criminality now than way back. Personally, I believe that if we had public hanging for murder and public birching for all crimes of violence there would be far less crime. Question: Why on earth are we spending millions of pounds every year locking up murderers – I could think of many better ways of spending that money.

Here is one of my biggest hates… Bosses at Britain's biggest companies saw their pay rise by almost 16% on average last year.

The average pay of top bosses in the UK now stands at 3.91m in 2022, up from £3.38m in 2021.

The average earnings of a FTSE 100 boss were 118 times more than a typical UK worker on £33,000 a year.

It sickens me that bosses sit around boardroom tables, more than happy to see their pay go up by more than double the inflation rate, while they plot to keep workers’ wage rises as low as possible. And as for the government trying to keep public sector workers’ pay rises even lower, is beyond contempt.

I‘m no communist, but we cannot keep seeing the rich get richer and the poor poorer – it’s obscene, and in the end will lead to extreme trouble in the UK.

NEW DRIVING LICENCE TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN JANUARY NEW DRIVING LICENCE TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN JANUARY

As of January 1, 2024, the DGT will allow those over 16 years of age to obtain a type B1 driving licence.

This is a new category for driving licences in Spain, although similar exists in some other countries, and is aimed at giving younger people more mobility.

With the new B1 licence, people between the ages of 16 and 18 will be able to drive vehicles that do not exceed 60 km/h in any case, and are technically classed as quadricycles, although that technical definition does include some small vehicles that look like cars, in the same way as what is commonly referred to as a “microcar” is, by technical definition, a moped, or ciclomotor.

This licence is considered an entry into mobility for young people, so that they can get used to driving and the realities of traffic before they move onto more powerful vehicles, so that once they reach the age of 18, they will already have a practical knowledge of the roads and will therefore, in theory, be able to continue their literal journey safer than if they start with a car.

A number of brands are already publishing information about some of the vehicles available that satisfy the criteria.

Be careful though, much in the same way that microcars were advertised by some dealers as being vehicles you can “drive without a licence”, this is not true.

You do need a licence, albeit not a traditional B car licence, which is why the B1 was created. You are able to drive these vehicles if you have a full class B licence incidentally, and in fact some can be driven by AM licence holders.

Citroën are offering the AMI which fulfils the characteristics, which does not even reach 50 km/h and can be obtained for around 7,000 euro depending on discounts.

The Renault Twizy e-tech measures 2.34 metres long. It has 100 kilometres of autonomy and can be purchased from 12,105 euro. e-Aixam, the most famous European microcar brand, offers e-Aixam Coupé GTI, which has an attractive design and very good finishes. It has 130 kilometres of autonomy but will set

you back over 20, 000 euro, for which you could buy a Kia Ceed, Renault Clio, or Fiat 500, and still have change.

The other benefit of the new licence is that is means that it will encourage electric mobility

to be promoted, which is great news for brands and for the economy of Spain. Most of the quadricycles for sale are electric, hence the direct relationship with the growth of this sector.

The new licence is considered an entry into mobility for young people

Less than an hour south of Torrevieja lies the Cartagena town of Cabo de Palos, undoubtedly one of the most charming coastal towns in the Region, according to the specialised travel guide Lonely Planet, which also selects it as among the most beautiful on the Spanish coast.

There are many reasons to fall in love with this small town, that has one of the most impressive lighthouses in the country. Its coves, its seabed, its houses, its marine atmosphere, its restaurants... all make Cabo de Palos a tourist destination that many of us seek.

But nothing is perfect, not even this little town that looks out over the sea and where bougainvillea bushes peek out from the walls.

CABO DE PALOS LIGHTHOUSE

One of the most popular attractions is the Cabo de Palos Lighthouse, constructed in 1863, lighting up for the first time two years later. At that time, olive oil was used, which was stored in a well inside the tower, which was raised with a pulley. Its 54-metre height made it the tallest lighthouse in the Mediterranean and the second in Spain, 269 ??steps loaded with history and anecdotes leading to the top.

Unsurprisingly, the Lighthouse has witnessed many historical episodes such as the shipwreck of the Sirius, the Italian steam liner in which nearly three hundred passengers and which is remembered by a plaque on the base. They say that the captain and the officers reacted cowardly, being the first to get into the lifeboats; that the zarzuela singer Lola Millanes was traveling on board, whose body washed up in Torrevieja; and that the safe was found open and empty, but with no signs of having been forced. The fisherman Vicente Buigués is also remembered, for saving numerous passengers, being decorated for it on the only day, they say, in which he was ever seen wearing a suit.

In 1938 El Faro also witnessed the most important naval battle of the Civil War between Nationals and Republicans, which resulted in 700 deaths and around a hundred missing. Franco commissioned a film about

THE ENCHANTING TOWN OF CABO DE PALOS

the battle, El crucero Baleares, but the film did not pass the censor and all copies were ordered to be destroyed. This symbol of Cabo de Palos has also become the subject of the film The Last Lighthouse Keepers.

TOURIST DESTINATION

Although Cabo de Palos is a tourist destination with its population increasing exponentially in summer, it is still a town with a fishing tradition. A manifestation of this is its port, where the nets are set very early in the waters where the fishermen rest. That seafaring flavour is present throughout the town, its architecture and gastronomy, it’s famous fishmonger in the heart of the town where you can find all kinds of fresh fish.

Cabo de Palos also has a beach, the Paseo de Levante, but also numerous coves with crystalline waters (in one of them, as a curiosity, there is a duck-shaped rock formation). In addition, funds from the Cabo de Palos-Islas Hormigas Marine Reserve have made this area one of the favourites in Spain, and in Europe, for scuba diving. Even David Bisbal has been seen Cabo de Palos on more than one occasion diving with one of the many diving schools that are in the town. It is a type of tourism that lasts throughout the year, not only during the summer months.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, Cabo de Palos has been, in addition to being a charming fishing village, the exclusive holiday destination for wealthy families who chose this part of the coast to build large summer residences in which to gather the whole family during the hot summer months. From the Paseo de Levante to the cliffs, passing through La Zeneta or Calaflores, there are many magnificent houses that, among the bougainvillea, azalea and other flowering shrubs, leave the visitor speechless.

PASEO DE LA BARRA

Have breakfast on the terrace of Paseo de la Barra, in front of the breakwater an ideal location to ‘people watch’, as you can watch the comings and goings of passers-by; or taste a caldero, the star dish of the Mar Menor, in the restaurants of Cabo de Palos, just some of the pleasures that the gastronomy of this Cartagena town offers.

In fact, the small community concentrates a large number of establishments specialising in many different types of cuisine. They are the mythical El Mosqui ("from the sea the grouper and from El Mosqui the cauldron"), La Tana or the Miramar, to which we could add many others that have earned a reputation over the years.

"It's not perfect, but it is closer to what I just dreamed of," Pablo Milanés sang. And yes, Cabo de Palos, as much as we like it, does have some aspects to improve. To highlight just a few, the excess of brick; mobility prob-

lems (especially traffic in the summer months); the abandoned Telegraph Station, for which UPCT students devised different uses, the lack of pavements in some areas, or the plot that the El Katy restaurant has left at the entrance of the town after it was demolished.

WELL WORTH A VISIT

But it still one of the many jewels and one that is certainly worth a visit.

If you don’t already know Cabo de Palos, well, you’ve got some homework to do! It’s wonderful setting, marine atmosphere and beguiling coastal promenade are only a short trip away from the southern Costa Blanca, and what’s more, a wonderful meal awaits in the restaurants that line its peaceful seafront.

Have breakfast on the terrace of Paseo de la Barra

This picturesque Village is less than an hour away by car

LOCAL BOXER AND FORMER WORLD CHAMPION KIKO MARTINEZ ANNOUNCES HIS RETIREMENT

and puncher,with a great combat rhythm.

After many years training at the Daya Nuevo Boxing Club with Alberto,fighting locally on boxing shows around the local area,he established a cult following,but on making the split and moving to the Elche Boxing Club,although he went on to establish himself on the international stage, he lost a lot of that following.

Nevertheless it was from Elche that he gained most of his success,with many great fights against boxers such as Carl Frampton,Scott Quig,Leo Santa Cruz, Josh Warrington,Gary Russell Jr.,and Kid Galahad.

On his Instagram account,Kiko wrote an emotional message addressed to all his followers.

boxing

One of the truly great representatives of Spanish boxing in recent years,Kiko Martínez,has announced his retirement from the sport.After almost 20 years as a professional,he made the announcement in an emotional interview on the TeleElx Radio Marca on Thursday.

As an amateur in Daya Nuevo,coached for many years by Alberto González,young Kiko was achieving great feats many years before the world would get to see his talent.

He fought in 40 amateur bouts and never

lost a single one,with 38 of those victories coming by knockout.

He could so easily have been an Olympian, and according to Martinez,"I could have gone to the Olympics – the Spanish amateur boxing association wanted me to sign a four-year contract but I wanted to turn professional."

The Spaniard was a double European champion at two weights and world champion in two categories - super bantamweight and featherweight.He always stood out for being an aggressive boxer

"24 years ago I asked my parents to sign me up for boxing and since that day I have not stopped.I did it with the aim of being a world champion and being able to buy a house.I have not stopped thinking about what to say.Everything is incredible that I have lived in boxing...I just want to thank everyone,especially my friends,family,my wife,who has been supporting me from the beginning,and all the sponsors that have supported me in victory and defeat. Now it is time to say goodbye to boxing and leave healthily from this beautiful sport that I love so much".

So,on Thursday,at the age of 37,he leaves

LA MARINA TREAT THEMSELVES TO A DAY OUT AT LAS COLINAS

24.08.23 ñ Another hot day on the golf course this week for the members of the La Marina Golf Society, however the splendid Las Colinas Golf Course was well worth it. This week the members were playing for the Multibuilt Trophy and a special thanks to Multibulit for sponsoring the day. After the game all the members met back at the La Marina Sports Complex for a Cold beer and Paoloís homemade pizzas, a brilliant end to the day.

In todayís game third place went to Jeff Wiszniewski with 35pts and on count back in second place also with 35 pts was Roy Harris and the winner with 39pts and Therefore, winning the Multibuilt Trophy was Charlotte Tranberg. There was also a semi-final match of the LMGS Knock out Cup being played which saw Charlotte Tranberg

win over her opponent Alan Janes 7/6. Charlotte will be playing, either Gerry Mc Cabe or Vic Smith in the final,

their match has yet to be played.

The nearest the pin winners were Charlotte Tranberg for hole 5, Louvain Smith for hole 7, Jimmy Scott for hole 10 and Sarah McCabe for hole 14. Nobody won the twos pot so there will be a double rollover at our next game at La Finca. Well done to all of today's winners.

Despite his departure from professional boxing,however,Martínez will continue to be linked to boxing,since he is training his nephew,Sergio Martínez,with everything aiming at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games

ROLL OF HONOUR

European-EU super-bantamweight title

2x European super-bantamweight title

WBO Latino interim super-bantamweight title

WBC Latino super-bantamweight title

IBF World super-bantamweight title

2x European featherweight title

IBF World featherweight title

PATIÑO WINS AUSTRIAN WORLD MASTERS GOLD

SAN Miguel star cyclist Raúl Patiño won the Austrian World Masters international race for the 50-54 year-old category. Vega Baja's Patiño, a member of the Encaco team, dominated the World Masters, finishing ahead of the 3,000-plus cyclists at St Johann in Austrian Tyrol.

with 44 wins,12 losses and 31 knockouts.

Kiko winning the IBFWold Title. Photo Credit Instagram

Early days in Daya Nuevo with mentor Alberto González in the corner.

QUESADA BOWLER PLAYING FOR SPANISH PRIDE DOWN UNDER

One absentee from this year’s Valencian Championship is Quesada Bowls Club member Terry Morgan who is seeking glory for Spain ‘down under’ where he is competing in both the World Championships and the Champion of Champions Tournament on Australia’s Gold Coast.

In the World Championships Terry will represent Spain in both the singles and the pairs, the latter alongside John Pooley, late of the Emerald Isle.

This will be the first World Championship since it was last played back in New Zealand in 2016. Originally planned to be held in 2020, the Gold Coast edition was postponed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Terry, was due to arrive in Australia on 25 August with the championships scheduled to get underway on Tuesday, August 29, with

the final matches taking place on Sunday, September 10.

A total of 13 premier greens were used across five clubs on the Gold Coast to host the event.

Unfortunately, as we go to press, we have no idea how Terry and John got on, but they certainly had our best wishes.

If Terry did get to the latter stages of the World Championships he would then have had just a couple of days to ready himself for the Champion of Champions tournament which quickly followed starting on Tuesday 12th September and with the finals on 16th. Thirty-three nations from around the world will be competing for a World title in the men’s and women’s singles at the 2023 World Champion of Champions.

Club Robina on Australia’s Gold Coast is the

host for this prestigious international event, with thirty-two men and twenty-six women competing at a Club set in beautiful, landscaped gardens in a private and tranquil setting with three manicured greens. More than half of the players will be fresh off the World Championship and include World class players such as Lucy Beere (Guernsey),

WILLY RIGHT MAN IN PLACE AT MONTE

QUOTE:

'I speak to President Joni - from 7am, and at 1am at times! His wife commented about being on the phone at 7am. He has a lot of passion - that's why I'm here really'Monte manager Willy

By Andrew Atkinson

Joni Lorente has gone through the last few decades of his home town club CD Montesinos, from youth player, senior team, under19s coach - to that of the new President!

"Now, to take the role as President, the position my father held for many, many years, I'm excited about that," Joni told The Leader.

In a Leader Exclusive, Joni said: "I'm still the under-19s coach, a role I took in 2022, and I'm happy to continue that."

EX-TORRY STAR LÓPEZ JOINS SAN MIGUEL

Shot-stopper RamÛn GarcÌa LÛpez has joined Racing San Miguel CF from CD Almoradi for the 2023-24 campaign.

Former SC Torrevieja goalkeeper LÛpez has extensive experience, including promotion with Torry,

Joni will be alongside new manager Dani Pérez Williscroft, whom he knows well: "Willy is the new boss, formerly of Racing San Miguel.

"I've known Willy for a while, we've spoken a lot. He has his ideas, and made those very, very clear.

"I'm happy with that, as they are on the same lines as mine. Willy is chomping at the bit to start," said Joni.

"In Willy we've got the right man in place as manager. He will show that this season," added Joni.

Willy said: "I know the new President Joni very well. I have faced him, as a manager and player. I'm 31 now, and had to quit football, due to injury.

"Joni is very motivated, because it's something new and he's really looking forward to it.

"Joni is putting his best into it and we speak every day - from 7am, and at 1am at times!

"His wife commented about him being on the phone at 7am - talking about football!. Joni has a lot of passion and that's why I'm here really."

CD Torrevieja in the First Regional, UD Horadada in Preferente and Pinatar and Pinatar Arena in the Third Division.

Midori Matsuoka (Japan), Selina Goddard (New Zealand), Lal Chand Prasad (Fiji), Anthony Loh Kee Sin (Singapore) and Edward Morris (England). Karen Murphy, Australia’s most decorated and best-known world champion, is back on the international stage after winning the 2013 Champions of Champions in Christchurch, New Zealand. Terry has previously represented Spain on 3 occasions, twice in Cyprus and once in Wales, which was his only experience of ever playing on grass, and which he found much slower. Nevertheless, against International opposition that included Australia, South Africa, Wales and Ireland, Terry managed two gold medals in Cyprus, including the overall gold, and a very creditable bronze medal in Wales in the Triples competition.

Prior to leaving for ‘Aussie’ he said that he was very much looking forward to playing, once again, against some of the very best bowlers in the world, although he did say that playing 3 matches every day was a little daunting against the many youngsters that would be in evidence.

having played in the Preferente with Almoradi. LÛpez was also on the books of

"The goalkeeper position is covered in an unbeatable way. We are delighted to have two high-level goalkeepers, who will improve day by day. It is excellent news to have RamÛn with us," said president, Chema Valero.

QUIZ FROM PAGE 14: 1.Dracula, 2.Bert Kaempfert (Wonderland by Night), 3.Phar Lap, 4. Cyanide, 5.Saving Private Ryan, 6. Sciatic, 7.Ironman (Tony Stark), 8. Chopsticks, 9.Shanghai, Karachi, Mumbai, Delhi, 10.a.All Right Now (Free), b.Boody Well Right (Supertramp), c.Walk Right In (Rooftop Singers), d.You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (Meatloaf), 11.Answer d.Malta (Megalithic Temples), 12.Seabiscuit, 13. Milli Vanilli, 14.Ganges (also known as Bengal Delta or the Sundarbans Delta), 15.Director Peter Jackson, 16.US Virgin Islands, 17.Argentina, 18.Diamond Dogs, 19.Deep Blue, 20.Out of Africa, 21. Julius Caesar

SUDUK SUDUK

Club President Joni Lorente.

NEW CARPET FOR QUESADA

Our non members club house also provides shoes and bowls for hire.

In the past,Quesada Bowls Club was the home venue for the Spanish national team,but in recent years it simply plays host to the International Squad with many of it’s own members gong on to represent Spain at one time or another.

From September we will also be the new home of The Legionairres,with many of them becoming members of QBC.

They will be joining us following the closure of La Siesta Bowls Club,using the green on Thursday and Saturday afternoons.

Founded in May 1998,Quesada bowls club is currently celebrating it's 25th anniversary,being very much in the ascendancy. with a celebratory event being planned for 2 December this year,when both old and new members can raise a glass to the success of QBC.

Our membership this year has noticeably increased,courtesy of an influx of novices,plus many experienced bowlers arriving from other clubs. We can also boast a brand new carpet, which was laid by two expert fitters from a Dales,Stephen Foddering and Mick Thorn,who flew out from the UK during the last two weeks of August.

At the opening of our new green,the club president,Mark France,watched as life members Joe & Tina Brinton rolled the first woods,along with one of the club’s longest serving members, Brian Trinder.

Joe is also our oldest member,having reached the grand old age of 92.

We were also delighted to have the club owner,Santi Scannaliato,on hand,to celebrate the occasion with us.

The old carpet was 10 years old,and well overdue a top quality replacement.

We are fortunate to have experienced builders as members of the club,for Andy,Dave & Chris,along with numerous helpers,have totally transformed the image of the club in recent months. In addition to tiling the exterior wall, they have constructed wooden benches,

as well as rectifying the many maintenance problems that may have occurred.

Recently,Quesada Bowls Club has not only been successful in winning various league titles,but it’s members have also won numerous discipline events in both National,Valencian and Champion of Champions tournaments.

In fact,we have had the honour of hosting all these tournaments at various times over the 25 years of our being.

For those members / non members who prefer a less competitive life style, there is a friendly bubbly roll up on Tuesday mornings,also a chicken drive on Saturdays.

Tina Brinton rolled the first wood on the new green, with husband Joe and long serving member Brian Trinder looking on.

The inauguration party: owner Santi Scannaliato with Joe, Club President Mark France, Tina and Brian.

ABOVE: The QBC Committee.

BELOW: The Club Groundsmen with the fitters from Dales.