Llangollen among areas to be given extra wildflower meadows

Llangollen is one of a number of areas in Denbighshire where extra wildflower meadows will be created to support an ongoing pilot project to increase biodiversity.

Last year the county council identified 21 sites including highway verges, footpath edges, cycleways and amenity grasslands, to be managed to create wildflower meadows

As part of the ongoing commitment to enhancing biodiversity the council has now identified an additional 29 sites to be included into its Wildflower Project.

This brings the total number of sites being managed for local provenance wildflowers to 54.

These sites, along with the council’s 11 Roadside Nature Reserves, contribute almost 60 acres of local provenance wildflower habitat.

Emlyn Jones, the council’s Head of Planning, Public Protection and Countryside Planning, said: "The sites are managed in line with Plantlife’s Managing Grassland Road Verges guidelines which sees the grass cutting at these sites prohibited between March and August each year, giving wildflowers enough time to grow, flower, and set seed.

“A cut and collect regime has been implemented to reduce soil fertility and provide the wildflowers with the best conditions possible.

“These sites will be monitored and borders cut around the sites to ensure there is no impact on the highway network or road safety.”

The project now includes sites in Llangollen, Prestatyn, Rhyl, Meliden, Rhuddlan, Dyserth, Rhewl, Denbigh, Henllan, Nantglyn, Llanferres, Llanrhaedr, Pwllglas, Ruthin, Corwen and Cynwyd which will all be given a ‘full cut’ in early September.

Reminder for dog owners visiting the countryside

Dog owners are being reminded to act responsibly and keep their pets on leads when walking through the countryside.

Denbighshire County Council and the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB are issuing the advice as lambing season continues.

Dog owners can be prosecuted if their pet disturbs or chases a sheep.

Huw Rees, the Council’s Countryside and Heritage Services Manager, said: “The vast majority of dog owners respect the countryside when walking their pets and I would like to thank them for their efforts.

“We are reminding all dog owners, including those who have a dog for the first time, to be responsible with their pets and to keep them on leads when walking through the countryside with livestock, particularly during lambing season. 

“Livestock worrying, where dogs disturb and chase sheep, is illegal.  Owners can be prosecuted and dogs can be legally shot in the act of worrying sheep, this is a distressing outcome we want to prevent.

“The AONB and the Council have been working with North Wales Police Rural Crime Team for a number of years to help educate dog owners on their responsibilities.

“We urge owners to please plan ahead on your visit to the countryside, respect the countryside code and always use a lead when taking your dog out for a walk.”

You can find more information at https://naturalresources.wales/days-out/the-countryside-codes/the-dog-walking-code/?lang=en

First Minister makes election visit to Llangollen

llanblogger exclusive

* Ken Skates, left, with First Minister Mark Drakeford on an election visit to Llangollen today.

Health centre staff in Llangollen were praised for their “incredible efforts” during the coronavirus pandemic after a meeting with Welsh Labour Leader and First Minister Mark Drakeford today.

Mr Drakeford joined Labour candidate for Clwyd South Ken Skates to speak with GPs and centre manager Tessa Orton-Jones during a visit to Llangollen on Wednesday afternoon (April 7).

The run-down former River Lodge building on the banks of the Dee was bought by the Welsh Labour Government in 2007.

In 2014 Mr Drakeford, then Health Minister, announced £5m of Welsh Government funding to create a new health centre for the town following a campaign launched by previous Assembly Member Karen Sinclair and taken up by Mr Skates following his election in 2011.

Mr Drakeford said: “It was wonderful to be back in Llangollen today and to speak to staff at the health centre, who have all played such an important part in the success of the vaccination roll-out in Clwyd South.

"I know Ken is proud to have helped deliver this facility for local people and extremely proud of its staff, so I was very pleased to have the opportunity to thank them for their incredible efforts during the pandemic.”

Ken Skates said: “Like the surgery in Chirk, Llangollen Health Centre was opened during Mark’s period as Health Minister. It was great to have him back here this afternoon to hear from our local team about their experiences over the past 12 months and the key role they have played in keeping us safe.

“The feedback I have had about the vaccination roll-out in the Llangollen area has been excellent, and that’s testament to the team here. They have also done an excellent job of communicating with patients and keeping them updated, which has been really important.”

 

As part of his re-election campaign, Mr Skates has pledged to help deliver further improvements to local health facilities. 

He has been at the forefront of the campaign for a new health centre for Cefn Mawr, which recently saw Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board identify a preferred site for the facility.

 

He was also involved in the campaign for the redevelopment of Corwen Family Practice and has worked alongside patients pushing for a new facility in Hanmer.

 

Moderna vaccine now being rolled out across Wales

The third Covid-19 vaccine is being rolled out across Wales from today (Wednesday) with patients in Carmarthenshire becoming thwe first in the UK to receive it.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) authorised the Moderna vaccine as safe and effective in January following stringent clinical trials.

Supplies arrived in Wales yesterday (Tuesday 6 April) with 5,000 doses being sent to vaccination centres in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area.

The first doses will be administered at the West Wales General Hospital in Carmarthen today (7 April).

The Moderna vaccine is a two dose vaccine given at an interval of between four and 12 weeks.

Health Minister Vaughan Gething said: "This is another key milestone in our fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. A third vaccine for use in Wales significantly adds to our defences in the face of coronavirus and will help to protect our most vulnerable.

"Every vaccine given to someone in Wales is a small victory against the virus and we would encourage everyone to go for their vaccine when invited.

"I want to thank all those who have been working tirelessly to deliver the vaccine across Wales and help us meet our second milestone of offering a vaccine to all phase one priority groups. I also want to thank the 1.5 million people in Wales that have already come forward for their vaccine and done their bit in this national effort."

Audi A3 plug takes tech to a new level

            

Audi A3 Sportback road test by Steve Rogers

Meet the new Audi A3 plug-in hybrid... every company car drivers dream come true.

There are those who say the only people to benefit from hybrid and electric cars are those driving company cars because of the generous tax breaks.

I drove a company car for more than 30 years and in the early years it was definitely a huge perk until the Westminster politicians spoilt the party piling on the tax burden so much so that I almost threw in the towel. But I didn't.

Now we have turned full circle with electric and plug-in hybrids cheap as chips on the tax scale. Take this A3, a classy, desirable motor and a real steal with a tax bill just 7 per cent or 11 per cent for the S-Line.

This family sized Audi is a desirable car for anyone, if you can afford the premium price. 

The German brand came to life in the early nineties quickly expanding its range building a reputation for quality and luxury and eventually managing to outsell both BMW and Mercedes-Benz. 

Then the dieselgate scandal spoilt the party although it has not stopped them continuing to turn out top notch cars.

This latest A3 is all about technology, something they have been good at for the last 20 years and, of course, the new age of electric power.

So let's looks at that first. The A3 has a 1.4 litre turbocharged petrol engine backed up by an electric motor which can give up to 40 miles of running time and can be charged either from a domestic plug, or better still from a wall mounted charging box.

I have a Podpoint charger which did the job in under four hours and then managed 33 miles on electric power. As I have said before you get the best result by turning into Mr sensible with a light foot on the accelerator and brake pedal.

With a combined output of 200bhp there is no shortage of performance, quick off the line, strong in the mid range, strong everywhere to be honest, while the plug-in can reach the high fifties even when the electric power is used up because regenerative braking puts a little bit of power back into the batteries while on the move.

My test car was the mildly sporty S-Line which I would avoid purely because the ride is overly hard for my tastes and generates a lot of road noise through the 18in low profile boots. It even irritated Mrs Rogers who complained about having to crank up the radio volume to drown out the noise.

But I liked the direct high geared steering and the way it held a tight line through  sweeping bends yet you would enjoy much of the same from a standard A3 but without the suspension thuds although it is not bad enough to put people off.

I have been banging on about the build quality of Audis for decades and still think none of the premium rivals can quite match its high standard. The company has always pushed the boundaries on technology and here the digital concept and new interactive features have taken it to another level.

The driver's virtual cockpit has been around a while and works well but the step forward comes with the 10 inch central touch display which has 10 times more computing power than the previous model so there are any number of interactive functions, if you can be bothered!

Yes, it is the dreaded touchscreen rather than Audi's efficient rotary controller but this is the last time I am going to moan about touchscreens. I think they can be a distraction for a driver but are here to stay so we have to live with them.

This system is lightening quick with wonderful high resolution images for the Google Earth based navigation system. Brownie points are due for a neat line of soft tough switches for the heating controls although some background lighting would finish it off nicely for night driving.

Voice control worked pretty well for navigation destinations and changing the climate control, and it would tune to every station bar the one I wanted, BBC Radio 2. Strange.

So that is the good news on A3. The bad news is Mrs Rogers wants one, but we don't do the lottery...

Fast Facts

A3 Sportback 40 TFSIe S-Line 6-sp S tronic

£34,245

1.4 turbo petrol+electric motor 200bhp

Electric range 40 miles

0-62mph 7.6secs; 141mph

282.5mpg

29g/km. 1st VED £10 then zero

Insurance group 27

      Boot 280 litres (380lts non hybrid)

Maybe footbridge idea isn't such a joke after all

* The footbridge could perhaps span the Dee from Mile End Mill (above) to Abbey

 Road (below) it's been suggested. 

Llanblogger’s April Fool’s Day gag about a new footbridge over the Dee has taken on an air of seriousness. 

Our story, concocted with the help of David Davies and published last Thursday, joked that a new action group was promoting the construction of a glass-bottomed bridge spanning the river between the Aldi car park and an area near the railway on the opposite bank. 

It proved to be one of our most popular April Fool’s gags of recent years and received hundreds of hits.

And a number of people who commented when it was shared on social media said that although they realised it was only a joke, they still reckoned it was a great idea and just what was needed to help easier movement around the town.

Amongst those who supported the suggestion was Stuart Davies, now a town councillor but formerly one of Llangollen’s two county councillors. 

He contacted us to say: “Llanblogger’s April Fool’s Day glass bridge was a good spoof with more than a few people being attracted to the idea. 

“Back in the days of the Health Centre construction a footbridge idea was put forward by myself and Ken Skates with the idea being that patients from the east side of the town could walk across the footbridge to it. 

“The Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board considered it but I believe the cost was too much and the idea was shelved.” 

Cllr Davies, who recently won town council support for his suggestion of an environmental weight restriction of the town bridge added: “The idea of a new Dee crossing near Llangollen is still appealing. 

“Concerns about the weight of vehicles crossing the existing 13^th century bridge have come to the fore recently and perhaps now is a good time to revisit the idea of a new Dee crossing. 

“With works going on to strengthen the A5 to the east of Llangollen and talk of a new traffic scheme for the town,  perhaps some thought could be given to making a new crossing in the near future. 

“Abbey Road to near Mile End Mill would perhaps make a good crossing point, this was where the original idea was.” 

He went on to explain: “There was a plan for a Llangollen Bypass and second Dee crossing up until about 1998. It was supposed to go from by the Golf Course, along Wern Road and it would have come out near where the new print factory is, with the new bridge in that area. 

“Then the Welsh Government (WG) changed its mind and downgraded the A5. 

“The preferred route from South Wales and regions south became the A483 Wrexham Bypass then to Chester and the southern bypass and the A55 to Holyhead and on. 

“The WG put big black signs up, which are still there, pointing the way along the A483 to Holyhead and Bangor instead of turning left at Halton Roundabout and continuing to Llangollen and beyond on the A5.” 

https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1975/mar/04/llangollen-bypass 

https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1975/may/02/llangollen-bypass

County council chief executive leaves her job today

Denbighshire County Council's chief executive Judith Greenhalgh (pictured) will be leaving the council today (Tuesday) after nearly three years in post, it has just been announced.

A statement from the county council says she is leaving to "take a career break for personal reasons".  

The statement adds: "The council would like to thank Judith for her contribution during her time with Denbighshire County Council and wish her all the very best for the future. "      

Cllr Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of Denbighshire County Council, said: "We will be taking steps to recruit a new CEO over the coming months.  

"Our two Corporate Directors will assume leadership responsibilities, supported by the Senior Leadership Team, until such time as the new CEO is in post.  

"Meanwhile, all Denbighshire officers and elected members continue to work together to fulfil our commitment to deliver the best possible service to residents." 

Community centre is a big lottery winner

 

* Work going on at Pentredwr Community Centre. 

Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund major building work at Pentredwr Community Centre has recently been completed. 

Pentredwr and District Community Association is a charity and the centre is dedicated to providing a place for the community to meet and hold events. 

Access to the building has been greatly improved, including disabled access, structures made safe and drainage work completed. 

This will enhance the current facility and hopefully attract increased usage. 

A small, dedicated group of people pushed the project forward even during the pandemic.

Pentredwr Community Association and Gwlangollen CIC have also jointly received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund for a new Rural Futures project. 

This will create Hwb Pentredwr as a rural skills centre.  

Sheep production is central to farming in the valley therefore promoting wool and exploring the wider uses of locally produced fleece is a key element of the work Hwb Pentredwr will be doing.

The aim of the project is to secure a more prosperous future for local people and strengthen the community by reducing the impact of rural and digital isolation. 

The project will work towards securing community prosperity by developing rural skills and enterprise, addressing rural isolation, supporting digital inclusion and access to services thereby strengthening the community. 

It is hoped this will benefit the Parish of Llantysilio residents and community centre users alike as it will hopefully mean that they will have access to a new wifi system, a community transport system from Corwen through Pentredwr to Llangollen, and a wide range of regular heritage craft skills for everyone to enjoy.

Next month Hwb Pentredwr will be advertising a two-year, part time project co-ordinator post, and anyone interested in applying for the post is advised to check Pentredwr and District Community Association Facebook page or website page for details.

These will also contain a full calendar of events, which will include workshops and events and also details of how to book the centre for group or private hire when current restrictions allow this.

Welsh Minister reacts to railway's financial plight

A Welsh Government Minister has said his officials are “happy to talk” to the group fighting to rescue Llangollen Railway from its financial crisis subject to a number of conditions.

As llanblogger has been reporting, on March 1 the board of the railway’s public limited company (PLC) asked its bank to call in receivers after it became insolvent to the tune of about £350,000 and could not legally continue trading.

A firm of liquidators was called in which began the process of selling off the assets of the world-famous heritage attraction.

The Trust board, which remains completely solvent, has declared its intentions of buying as many of the railway's assets as possible and has already raised over £50,000 from a public appeal. https://llangollenrailway.enthuse.com/profile

The board also says in the statement it has meetings arranged with potential funding bodies. 

Last month North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood wrote to Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism making him aware of the railway’s plight. 

In his reply, of which llanblogger has seen a copy, the Minister says: “This is indeed a sad development as this historic line is an important part of the heritage of the area and an important element of regional tourism – it would also be a great loss to staff, volunteers and suppliers. 

“My officials in Visit Wales would be happy to talk to the Trust when the way forward has been established with the receiver, and to participate in any investment discussion as matters progress subject to available funding streams.” 

In response the letter, Mr Isherwood has told llanblogger: “I welcome the recognition in Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas’s response to me that Llangollen Railway is an important part of the heritage of the area and an important element of regional tourism, and that the railway’s demise would also be a great loss to staff, volunteers and suppliers. 

“His statement that his ‘officials in Visit Wales would be happy to talk to the Trust when the way forward has been established with the receiver, and to participate in any investment discussion as matters progress subject to available funding streams’ also looks potentially helpful. 

“This is especially the case given the recent statement by the Llangollen Railway Trust Board that they are considering their options for obtaining the intangible assets of Llangollen Railway PLC, to ease the transition from PLC to Trust, and preparing Business Plans and cashflow forecasts for a Trust-run railway, to be used in support of meetings with potential funding bodies. 

“Assuming positive outcomes from these actions, however, Llangollen Railway should be a priority for the Deputy Minister’s Department. 

“Further, whatever the outcome of the Welsh General Election on 6^th May, Lord Elis-Thomas is not standing for re-election, and it is vital both that the Members of the Senedd representing Llangollen after the election, re-elected or newly elected, pick up the baton and that the next Welsh Government listens and delivers.”

Report rogue traders and doorstep crimes to Crimestoppers

Residents and businesses across Wales who think that rogue traders are targeting their community, or they know someone who has become a victim of a doorstep crime, can now report it anonymously to Crimestoppers. 

Trading Standards Wales and the charity Crimestoppers have joined forces to provide a service that enables members of the public to anonymously provide valuable information to help keep communities safe and healthy. 

It is the latest issue that the two organisations are working on to encourage members of the public to provide information on concerns they might have, 100% anonymously. 

Helen Picton, Chair of Trading Standards Wales, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Crimestoppers and giving members of the public a way to report these crimes anonymously. 

“Doorstep crime can affect anyone but often it is the elderly and vulnerable people that are targeted by rogue traders offering home improvement services. 

“Such callers may offer services including window/gutter cleaning, path and driveway repairs, roofing or building work, gardening and tree lopping or even persuade residents that they must come inside their homes to 'check something'. 

“They can be very persuasive and convincing in their approach and in what they say – it is easy to be taken. These people are unqualified scammers who charge extortionate amounts of money for little or no work.” 

Residents and businesses should be aware of the following signs if a rogue trader is operating in their community: 

1. Unfinished or poor-quality services
2. Increased prices and urgent work required
3. Pressure to agree there and then
4. Upfront cash payments
5. No paperwork and/or cancellation rights given
6. No traders details provided
7. Flyers stating Statutory Cooling off period
8. Ignoring signs or stickers asking the trader to leave and not return
9. Selling goods from a van following an unsolicited doorstep call
10. Sold from unusual places e.g. car boot sales 

“If you think a rogue trader is operating in your community or someone you know has become a doorstep crime victim then report it to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit http://crimestoppers-uk.org and tell them what you know. Your information can help keep communities across Wales safe,” added Helen Picton. 

If it is an emergency or a rogue trader is at the property contact 999, or if you need advice to help with a dispute, concern or suspicion call Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133.

St Collen's hosts its first live service in many weeks

* Vicar Father Lee Taylor begins the worship by fixing in place the Easter candle.

* The four-strong choir fill the church with marvellous sound.

St Collen's Church welcomed back members of its congregation for the first time in many weeks this morning when it held a socially-distanced Easter service.

With half the aisles taped off people were spread at intervals right across the church for the worship led by the vicar, Father Lee Taylor.

He began proceedings by entering with the large Easter candle and fixing in place before the alter.

With the congregation, all wearing masks and not being allowed to sing due to safety rules, the service was heavily reliant on the excellent four-member choir for its musical elements.

This included Leigh Mason, Helen Belton and Shea Ferron, all accomplished vocalists and performers with of Llangollen Operatic, along with John Williams, but also augmented by the voice of the vicar himself.

They filled the church with marvellous sounds, particularly during their flawless rendition of traditional Eastertide anthem the Hallelujah Chorus from Handle's Messiah.     

Campaign aims to cut death and injury to bikers

A campaign aimed at reducing the risk of motorcycle-related deaths and serious injuries on the roads is now underway across Wales.

The annual Operation Darwen campaign, which runs from early spring through until the autumn, is aimed at promoting rider safety and will see high visibility patrols being carried out along key routes which have been identified as risk areas.

Over the coming months, officers from the Roads Policing Unit, the Armed Alliance Unit, the Special Constabulary Road Safety Unit and Go Safe will be engaging with riders at popular meeting spots for enthusiasts as well as on certain routes as part of the operation.

Officers will also be checking that bikes are roadworthy, paying particular attention to tyres. Worn or under inflated tyres on motorcycles have been one of the most common themes during collisions, and yet is easily prevented by riders doing basic checks.

Motorcyclists are amongst the most vulnerable groups of road users, and they are at a higher risk of injury and collision than other road users. Although a motorcyclist may not be at fault, their vulnerability invariable means that they suffer more serious injuries in a collision.

In 2020 there were 70 motorcyclists killed or seriously injured in North Wales a - 4.10% decrease from the previous year of 2019.

Motorcycle casualties are highly represented and on average represent 25% of all killed or seriously injured casualties within the region based on the last 3 years.

Chief Inspector Jon Aspinall from the Roads Policing Unit at North Wales Police said: “Reducing casualties on our roads remains one of our top priorities.

“We look at all motorists as part of the Op Darwen campaign, however during the spring and summer months, increased focus is given to motorcycle safety as larger numbers of motorcyclists take their bikes out to take advantage of the good weather and fantastic scenery we have here in north Wales.

“As such, motorists are being urged to be extra vigilant for motorcycles during their journeys and ensure they give sufficient room when following bikers.

“Similarly, drivers are reminded to continually check for motorcycles when moving off, or emerging from junctions.

“Riders also have an important role to play in ensuring their own safety by travelling at an appropriate speed for the road, weather and traffic conditions, wearing high-visibility clothing and always wearing a helmet and other appropriate attire.

“We want people to enjoy travelling on some great roads here in north Wales and in Wales as a whole, but most of all we want them to ride and drive safely and responsibly. We will continue to target, with a view to prosecution, all those that ride or drive dangerously, at excess speed, overtake on solid white lines or commit any other road traffic offences.

“Our officers – as well as partners from other emergency services see far too many tragedies, many preventable on the roads. Staying safe on the road applies to every single one of us, whether we have two or four wheels on our vehicle. I would urge riders and drivers to think about their behaviour and what changes they could make to improve their own safety and that of other road users.

“Op Darwen is not about spoiling people’s fun but encourages all road users to be safe and competent with the aim of reducing the number of collisions on our roads.”

North Wales Police are also encouraging bikers to ensure their machines are ready for the months ahead – paying particular attention to tyres and brakes.

Teresa Ciano, GoSafe Partnership Manager and Chair of Road Safety Wales said: “Motorcyclists are among the most vulnerable of road users and through the engagement and education delivered through Operation Darwen we hope to encourage more bikers to make the safe choice when out riding.

“Ride within the legal speed limit, prepare for your journey, give yourself enough space and time, position yourself in the safest and best place to maximise your visibility of potential hazards and consider further skills training to improve your performance and safety on the road.”

Man says he was injured after tripping over Castle Street bollards

* Castle Street, with the newly-painted white lines around the bollards, at the Market Street junction.

A man visiting Llangollen from Minera has contacted llanblogger to claim he was left with a swollen and bruised knee after tripping over the bollards in Castle Street which a local group as campaigned to have removed.

The bollards were placed along one side of the main street last November by Denbighshire County Council as part of a package of social distancing measures.

But they have since become a highly contentious issue, with the Llangollen Advocate group claiming they were dangerous to pedestrians and lobbying to have them removed while the area’s two county councillors, Graham Timms and Melvyn Mile, argued they were a necessary measure to help people keep their distance, especially as tourism restarts.

Advocate has reported a series of accidents to pedestrians on its Facebook page over the past few weeks.

Last week llanblogger revealed that following an inspection county council officers had agreed to replace the line of bollards with planters within the next few weeks.

In the meantime, as the weekend began, white lines were painted around the bollards in an attempt to make them more visible to pedestrians until they are taken away..

On Friday evening llanblogger received the following email from 52-year-old Keith Wilson who said he had been injured after tripping on the bollards earlier in the day.

He said: “I was out with my wife today in Llangollen and I too was a victim of the trip hazard on Castle Street with the new bollards at approximately 14.30pm.

“I was crossing the road to the Nemo Chip Shop from Market Street and tripped over the concrete raised bollard and went flying head first landing heavily on my knee and my head hit into a parked bicycle outside the shop.

“The bollards are hardly visible and an absolute death trap, the police were in attendance as well as a member of the public who was a nurse an ambulance was called to get my injuries checked out.

“After an hour and a half sat on the pavement waiting for an ambulance I decided to cancel the ambulance and go home to rest.

“My knee is swollen and bruised and I can hardly walk .I will be attending hospital in the morning to get checked out.

“I cannot believe it is going to be another two weeks before these death traps are removed.

“Whoever had the idea to build these has no clue. It is only a matter of time before someone is killed or seriously injured.

“I would like to thank the police in attendance who were great and the publican  Craig from the Bull Inn who was really helpful and the lovely nurse who was passing by.

“I will be reporting the fall on Tuesday to the county council. I hope no one else has to suffer what I did today.”

In a further email on Friday he added: “I was very shaken up at the time of the incident and quite light headed.

“The cyclist who had the bike sent video of damage to their bike caused by my head impacting it .

 I think it saved me from more serious injury to be honest as otherwise I would have hit the shop wall .

“The police were there and other witnesses too. The landlord at the pub says he has it all on cctv and I will be calling him tomorrow to get copy.

“The bollards are so dangerous I cannot believe they got approved in the first place, they are the same colour as road and unless you’re looking at your feet, which you aren’t when you are crossing road, it is easy to miss them as I did today.

“If I had been elderly it could have been far worse. I really hope you can get the council to see sense .

“It’s a good job I wasn’t crossing in the opposite direction and falling headlong into the road.”

County announces clamp-down on dog fouling offenders

As part of Denbighshire County Council's community safety and area improvements, the Public Protection team has been working to ensure that dog owners are being responsible when cleaning up after their pets.

They say that the majority of owners correctly dispose of their dog’s mess but there is a minority of people who don’t and that this needs to be addressed.

Dog fouling and associated failures to keep dogs under control is a criminal offence. 

Gareth Roberts, Public Protection, Regeneration & Economic Development Manager, said: "We are clamping down on individuals who think it is acceptable to leave their dogs business on streets and green spaces within the county, to protect our people and our environment.

"Every dog owner can help with the efforts to protect public health and the environment by simply clearing up after their pets. If you witness an offender, we would encourage you to report them.

"A big thank you to all responsible pet owners who are already supporting area safety improvements by clearing up after their dogs."

All dog foul should be collected immediately and be disposed in any public litter bin. 

Officers will be patrolling areas throughout the county and they will continue to hand out fixed penalty notices to fine those who fail to clear their pet’s mess

Denbighshire County Council has also reminded the public that they can provide witness statements to the council about any incidents of dog fouling that they observe. These statements can be used to help prosecute offenders.

* To report a dog fouling incident in your area please contact our Customer contact Centre for free on 0800 2300 234 or report it on line through our website https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/environmental-health/dog-issues/dog-issues.aspx

Trust board gives update on railway's financial crisis

Llangollen Railway Trust Board has issued a statement on the financial crisis affecting the world-famous heritage attraction.

It highlights the fact that employees of the railway's public limited company - from which the board is quite separate - were recently issued with redundancy notices and also outlines the possibility that liquidator may have the option of auctioning off the railway's assets.  

As llanblogger has been reporting, on March 1 the board of Llangollen Railway PLC asked its bank to call in receivers after it became insolvent to the tune of about £350,000 and could not legally continue trading.

A firm of liquidators was called in which began the process of selling off the assets of the world-famous heritage attraction.

The Trust board, which remains completely solvent, has declared its intentions of buying as many of the railway's assets as possible and has already raised over £50,000 from a public appeal. https://llangollenrailway.enthuse.com/profile

The board also says in the statement it has meetings arranged with potential funding bodies. 

The board statement, posted as a PDF document on the board's own Facebook page, says: "The PLC has been formally under the control of the Administrators since Monday 22nd March and PLC employees were issued with redundancy notices over the weekend of the 27th. 

"As far as the Trust board is aware no bid has been accepted for the entire PLC. 

"We are not party to the intentions of the Administrators but one option they have is to auction the assets and this has been mentioned in responses to bids from individuals. 

"We expect further details from the Administrators and their agents over the next few days. 

"The Trust board is considering our options with regard to obtaining the intangible assets of the PLC (for example website, key contracts, information contained within IT systems) so as to ease the transition from PLC to Trust.

"Trust Board members have been preparing business plans and cash flow forecasts for a Trust-run railway, these will be used in support of meetings with potential funding bodies over the next few days. 

"Assuming positive outcomes from all the above, detailed commercial, operational and engineering plans for reopening the railway need to be compiled, and the board will be asking volunteers to become involved in this process over the coming weeks. Much of this work has already been done but needs to be revisited in the light of the demise of the PLC."

Sun Trevor quiz raises £1,600 for hospice

* Simon Baynes (right) hands over the £1,600 cheque. He is with Sue Williams of Nightingale House, quizmaster Maggie Smith, Paul and Katy Jones, their daughters Seren and Darcey and Poppy the dog.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes made a socially distanced visit to the Sun Trevor in Llangollen to meet the team involved in running a highly successful online weekly quiz which has been raising money for charity since the start of lockdown last year.  

Mr Baynes joined owners Paul and Katy Jones, quizmaster Maggie Smith and Nightingale House Community Engagement Officer Sue Williams for the handing over of a cheque worth £1,600 to the hospice following the culmination of fundraising efforts over the last 10 months. 

The Sun Trevor quiz has been running since 2008 and has raised over £16,000 for charity since it started.

Katy Jones said: “Thank you to Simon Baynes for being able to come over and help present this fantastic amount of money to Nightingale Hospice. 

"We want to say a massive thank you to Maggie Smith who has kept the quizzes going not just for the last year online but the last 10 years!

"And thank you to everyone has taken part. It’s been great seeing Zoom quiz meetings being organised and catching up with family and friends over lockdowns.”

Sue Williams from Nightingale House said: “Thank you to Paul, Katy, Maggie and all of those who loyally support The Sun Trevor’s quiz each week. 

"It is fantastic how they have adapted the hugely successful weekly pub quiz taking it online and continued to raise much needed funds despite the challenging times we have all experienced.

"Nightingale House Hospice relies on the support of local businesses and individuals to continue to provide patient care and family support services to our community.  We are very grateful to you for your continued generosity, thank you.”

Simon Baynes said: “It’s so wonderful to see the team at the Sun Trevor and all their customers using their weekly pub quizzes to raise such large amounts of money for charity. 

"They’re a shining example of a Clwyd South business and their efforts are a great reflection of their community spirit and passion for giving something back.

“Everyone locally knows about the brilliant work of Nightingale House Hospice and this money will allow them to continue their vital work. 

"I want to congratulate Paul and Katy as the owners of the Sun Trevor and I want to pay special tribute to Maggie Smith who does a truly wonderful job as the quizmaster.

"I’d highly recommend fans of a pub quiz take a look and consider get involved with their next virtual session.”

* The quiz, which takes place via Facebook, can be found on the Sun Trevor’s page: www.facebook.com/TheSunTrevorLlangollen