Man plucked to safety from raging river

 

Llanblogger exclusive

 

 

 

* Enmergency services gather on the bridge.

 

 

 

* The stranded man speaks on his mobile.

 

 

 

* Firefighters prepare to make their rescue attempt.

 

* The man is brought ashore by the rescue team.

Llanblogger was at the scene when emergency services plucked a stranded canoeist to safety from an island in the middle of a raging River Dee in Llangollen early this evening.

Crowds of onlookers lined the bridge and the platform of the nearby station to watch a team of firefighters specially trained in water rescue inch their way out to the man across the fast-flowing river before helping him into an inflatable boat and winching him ashore.

The man, who did not appear to be wearing a wetsuit and seemed to be clad in black trousers and anorak with the hood raised over his face, was seen speaking to a police officer before leaving the scene.

The drama began just after 4pm when fire appliances, police cars and an ambulance raced to the bridge with sirens sounding and blue lights flashing.

They were accompanied by a Land Rover marked Edale Mountain Rescue but they do not appear to have taken any part in the rescue.

The man, who was holding a metal paddle, was stranded precariously on an island half way across the river, with water sweeping past on either side of him.

For most of the time he was stranded he appeared to be talking to someone on a mobile phone.

Around 4.30pm a fire service boat rescue team, which is based on Deeside, began entering the water from a point just downstream of the ancient bridge.

Using safety lines they waded carefully across the river until they reached another small island from where one of the firefighters carried a line across to the patch of rock where the man was standing.

The team’s bright yellow inflatable boat was then hauled across and the man was helped into it by other members of the team who had by now also crossed over to him.

The boat, with two firefighters and the rescued man on board, was then pulled back to the bank by safety line.  

As he walked up the steps to the roadway he was seen speaking to a police officer before leaving the area.

The ambulance which was standing by on the bridge was not needed as it is understood the man suffered no injuries.

Emergency services then dispersed at around 5.30pm.

For the duration of the drama police controlled traffic driving across the bridge which led to some minor congestion on Castle Street, which is the main shopping street, and both main roads – the A5 and A539 – leading up to the bridge.

Tourists in town for the weekend had a grandstand view of events from the bridge and also from the platform of nearby Llangollen Station, which was packed with people for an appearance by Thomas the Tank Engine.    

Top doc's advice to beat the bug

Wales’ Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ruth Hussey, is asking people to follow simple steps if they have symptoms of a seasonal sickness bug.

 

Following a number of isolated incidents on wards across Wales, Dr Hussey is urging people to use common sense if they become unwell.

 

Sge said: "The sickness and diarrhoea bug, which can be caused by Norovirus in some patients, normally lasts between 24 and 60 hours, though symptoms tend to ease after two days.

 

"People can, in most cases, self-medicate. Take paracetamol to relieve symptoms of any fever and aches, and drink plenty of water to replace the fluids lost through diarrhoea and vomiting. This prevents dehydration.

 

"To reduce the risk of passing the virus onto others, wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water, particularly after using the toilet and before preparing food, and don’t share towels or flannels.

 

"If you think you have a seasonal diarrhoea and vomiting bug, stay at home and don't go to the doctor, because it is contagious and there is nothing the doctor can do while you have it.

 

"Seek advice online or by telephone from NHS Direct, or speak to a pharmacist. However, contact your GP to seek advice if your symptoms last longer than a few days or if you already have a serious illness.

 

"Outbreaks in busy places such as hospitals, nursing homes and schools are not uncommon because the virus can survive for several days on surfaces or objects touched by an infected person.

 

"To help prevent the spread of the bug hospitals may restrict visiting to affected areas. If you already have sickness or diarrhoea, please do not visit.”

 

If you have concerns about your health, call NHS Direct Wales on 0845 46 47 or visit the Choose Well web site. You can also download the Choose Well app.

Warning over Llangollen thefts

Sergeant Paul Hughes, of Llangollen and Corwen Neighbourhood Engagement Team, is appealing for residents to secure their property.

He said: "Llangollen, Corwen and surrounding areas have suffered a number of thefts from sheds, unoccupied premises and vehicles over the last week, most occurring overnight.

 

"While these kinds of offences remain infrequent within our area, I urge local residents to ensure that property is secure and that gates and sheds are fitted with robust locks.

“With the onset of the dark evenings we need to be extra vigilant. If properties have security lighting, please ensure that it is maintained and checked regularly. I would suggest that owners consider post coding their property, especially bicycles, power tools and electrical equipment and to record details of serial numbers, which can assist in the retrieval of stolen property.

"Officers are continuing to target offenders, but I would appeal to members of the public that should they see or hear anything suspicious, to call us at the time.

“If residents believe they are witnessing criminal activity please make a note of any vehicle details and descriptions of the people involved, and contact us on 101 for non emergencies or 999 if they think that their or neighbouring properties are under threat at the time.

“We are fully committed to making this area an even safer place in which to live and work. To discuss these matters further with the neighbourhood engagement team in the Llangollen and Corwen area, please find our contact details on the North Wales Police website under Your Neighbourhood.

“All officers working in your particular area are highlighted accordingly."

Police hope Halloween goes with a BANG

With celebrations for Halloween and Bonfire Night fast approaching, North Wales Police are once again joining forces with North Wales Fire and Rescue Service to ask people to‘Be a Nice Guy’ with Operation BANG.

North Wales Police has a responsibility to keep its communities safe and by working with other key partners, we are able to promote key messages through the ‘Be a Nice Guy’initiative. It has been identified that this approach, along with targeted diversionary activities which engage young people in fun and entertaining events, can be very effective in ensuring that everyone can enjoy themselves safely.

Throughout North Wales a variety of Halloween and Bonfire activities, which are being organised by Local Policing Teams, will be taking place to engage with young people. These activities have received financial support from the Arson Reduction Team, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and North Wales Police in partnership with the Police and Community Trust (PACT).

Over the next three weeks, posters – one welcoming Trick or Treaters and the other asking callers to move on– will be distributed to vulnerable residents by Local Policing Teams across the force area.

Shopkeepers are also being encouraged not to sell flour and eggs to children in the days running up to the 31^st October, and the teams will also be distributing posters to retailers throughout the area.

School Community Police Officers throughout North Wales will also be talking to young people about how their behaviour can affect others after all, not everyone wants to join in the Halloween celebrations. They will also be reminding them to keep them selves safe if they go out trick or treating and will be distributing specially made bookmarks and postcards which contain advice.

“Local policing teams across North Wales are working closely with their communities to ensure that those who want to have fun on Halloween can do so without causing upset to others,” said North Wales Police Deputy Chief Constable Ian Shannon.

“Although lots of people enjoy this time of year, unexpected knocks at the door throughout the evening can cause some people distress.”

“By placing a sign in the window people will know that particular resident’s preference. Hopefully this will be respected and those who would rather keep their doors closed on Halloween night will not be disturbed.”

He added: “We wish for everyone to have a safe and happy Halloween, but would like to remind people to have fun responsibly rather than disturbing others.”

Police and partner organisations are taking a proactive approach and in conjunction with the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, leaflets containing advice and information regarding fireworks are also being distributed.

Mr Shannon added: “We know the majority of people enjoy this time of year sensibly and we are not out to spoil their fun but unfortunately there is a minority who are intent on causing problems and use Bonfire Night as an excuse to commit crime and act anti-socially.

“We will be working in partnership with other agencies to keep people safe and make sure an exciting and enjoyable period is not tarnished by the minority. To ensure the safety of all, we would also encourage residents to attend organised firework displays, which will be well publicised in the local press prior to November 5^th.”

Gareth Griffiths, Senior Fire Safety Manager for the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “Every year, countless people are badly injured and burnt in the run up to the bonfire season when lighting bonfires and setting off fireworks. Organised community events in North Wales definitely provide the best value for money for entertainment and also ensure that families no longer need to risk the dangers of back garden bonfire and fireworks parties.

“It is illegal to sell fireworks to anyone under the age of eighteen years old. Many types of fireworks are banned from sale to the public. Throwing fireworks in a public place is also illegal – a fine of up to £5000 awaits anyone convicted.”

Anyone wanting a Trick or Treating Yes/No poster can contact a member of their local team by calling 101 or by downloading a poster from here

Top tips for Trick-or-Treaters:

• Young children should always go trick or treating with an appropriate adult
• Plan your route and let people know where you are
• Do not take short cuts
• Make sure you stay in areas that are well lit with street lamps, and take a torch with you
• Never go into a stranger’s house
• Do not knock on doors where a ‘No Trick or Treat’ sign is visible
• Don’t talk to strangers on the street
• Be careful not to frighten vulnerable people, especially the elderly
• Be safe, be seen. Ensure you are always visible; it may be a good idea to wear reflective tape on your costume
• Look carefully before crossing the road
• Remember that throwing eggs and flour at property is classed as criminal damage - and the police will deal with all incidents of anti-social behaviour accordingly
• And finally…..be polite on Halloween night

Hospital campaigners lobby health board members

* KLHS campaigners lobby health board memb ers earlier today.

Members of Keep Llangollen Health Services (KLHS) campaign group today (Thursday) attended the Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board meeting in Wrexham to lobby members, arguing the case for Llangollen Hospital.

They handed leaflets to each board member on arrival and discussed the proposals with them.

 

The board’s vice chair Dr Lyndon Miles and director of primary, community and mental health services Geoff Lang came out to discuss the proposals with the campaigners.

Mabon ap Gwynfor, of KLHS, said: “This was an opportunity to lobby board members directly. We gave them plain and simple leaflets, which set out what the board is proposing using their own words and what our concerns were.

“The board’s document, Health Care in North Wales is Changing, has only one page on Llangollen, and in it they only make two promises – the first is that the GP surgery will move to a new primary care centre and the other is that the hospital will close, losing our nurse-led minor injuries unit and the hospital beds. Everything else is up in the air with no guarantees or certainties.

“It says a new centre ‘could be completed by 2015’ but this is subject to a successful bid for money which is currently unavailable, planning permission, finding an appropriate site and all sorts of other uncertainties that the board has no control over. It then goes on to say that minor injuries services may be provided by GPs.

 

“This isn’t good enough as we are facing losing what is currently a nurse-led minor injuries service.

 

"Will the GPs have the resources to carry out minor injuries services as well as their regular surgery work?

 

"Then finally the document says care in a community-based bed should be provided from local care homes, but we know that there is not enough beds in the Dee Valley. In addition, care homes are not required to meet the same clinical standards as the NHS, let alone the questions about who is expected to pay for this private service.

“It was very revealing that Mr Lang could not give any guarantees that the funding needed for the health centre would be in place.

 

"That’s a huge concern given the capital funding cuts the Welsh Government has already seen and it’s unlikely to improve significantly in the coming years under the present regime.”

The consultation is coming to an end on October the 28. Anybody wishing to contribute can do so online at www.bcuhbjointhedebate.wales.nhs.uk emailjointhedebate@wales.nhs.uk or send comments on a letter to Join The Debate, BCU Health Board, Freepost RSZZ-SGXY-TSEZ, LL17 0JA.

Documents behind controversial plans now online

* The Dobson & Crowther site where permission has been given for the
supermarket to be built 

The official documents behind the granting of permission to two controversial planning applications in Llangollen are now available for public inspection.

They relate to the scheme to build a new supermarket on the site of the Dobson & Crowther printworks off the A5 and the related plan to relocate the factory to farmland at nearby Climedw.

Ian Weaver, Denbighshire County Council's principal planning officer, has written to local campaigner Martin Crumpton to say: "You will be aware that, having regard to the submissions, representations received, and the planning issues, Denbighshire County Council's Planning Committee resolved to GRANT planning permission for the applications proposing development of a foodstore on the existing Dobson and Crowther site, and for a replacement print works on land at Cilmedw, Llangollen, on September 19th.

"The County Council has now issued the Certificates of Decision on the applications. The Certificates can be viewed on the Council's website."

Reference numbers of applications are:

03/2012/0029
Erection of new print works building, with associated car parking, servicing, and related accesses, construction of substation, new package treatment plant and soakaways, surface water attenuation system, and new vehicular and pedestrian accesses off trunk road
Land at Cilmedw, Llangollen.

03/2012/0030
Demolition of existing printing works, erection of Use Class A1 foodstore with associated access, parking, servicing, landscaping, surface water attenuation system, and construction of new vehicular and pedestrian accesses
Berwyn Works, Llangollen.

The county council website and planning section is at http://planning.denbighshire.gov.uk/lg/plansearch.page?org.apache.shale.dialog.DIALOG_NAME=gfplanningsearch&Param=lg.Planning

Feed the reference numbers into the search field and the documents should be available.

Society goes on trial over ageism

Society will be put on trial on a charge of ageism at a special court hearing being staged in Denbighshire later today (Thursday, October 25).

The mock trial is being arranged by Denbighshire County Council Older People's Team as part of the No Limits! Don't Stop Me Know' event being held at Denbigh Town Hall.

The event, which aims to promote activities for the over 50s, is being supported by Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council and Age Concern North Wales Central.

The court hearing will have defendants accused of ageism and they will face questions from real barristers and a high court judge that are giving their time to support the event.

Expert witnesses will be called to assist in making the event realistic.

A range of other activities will be arranged during the day, including hand massage, a smoothie bike for you to get peddling to create their own healthy smoothie, speed dating for the over 50s, information stands and activities from the Welsh Judo Association.

Councillor Bobby Feeley, Cabinet Lead Member for Social Care and Children's Services, said: "In Denbighshire, we have one of the highest populations of older people in Wales which means that we need to adapt what we have on offer. Older people are living longer, they want to stay independent for longer and as a result, their needs are changing.

"We want to change attitudes towards getting older and events like this really show that life does begin at 50."