Attempts to sabotage major cycling event

* A North Wales Police officer tweeted a picture of one of the nails found along the route. 

Reports have been coming in throughout the day of attempts to sabotage this morning's Wiggle Etape Cymru cycling event which took in the Horseshoe Pass and for which competitors registered at Llangollen Pavilion on Friday.

Most comprehensive story is on the cycling website road.cc, which says: "A number of riders on today’s Wiggle Etape Cymru suffered punctures after saboteurs reportedly laid tacks on the route.

"A thousand cyclists took part in the 88 mile course starting and finishing at the Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse in Wrexham.

"Half a dozen of the riders, and one of the safety marshall motorcyclists were said to have had punctured tyres, but no-one was hurt in the incident.
North Wales Police were called to help remove the nails that had been scattered."

The story adds: "Sergeant Mark Jones, of the North Wales Police Roads Policing Unit tweeted: “We’ve had reports of tacks being placed on the road on the Etape Cymru route. Several cyclists suffering punctures. Very disappointing.

“Police are trying to clear as many as possible.

“Approximately six cyclists affected however they’ve managed to repair. We’ve had to lose one of the safety motorcycle marshals though.”

"Cock Bank in Wrexham and near Pentrecelyn, Ruthin were the areas affected.

"It’s not the first time the Etape Cymru has been sabotaged. In 2011 a number of riders got lost after signage was allegedly moved."

Limelight take on Strictly and win with musical odyssey

Those adventurous enough to tear themselves away from the Strictly Come Dancing launch episode on TV last night (Saturday) and get down to Llangollen Town Hall couldn’t have been disappointed with their decision.

Because they were treated to an evening of great music from an amateur stage group with a growing local reputation.

And at the end of the packed programme of entertainment it would have been easy for the judges to hold up a row of appreciative tens.


Limelight has recently branched out from its Wrexham base to start presenting a bill of drama and musical shows here in Llangollen.

Latest of these was Musicals in the Limelight, staged by a talented ensemble cast of 14 performers under the skilful musical direction of Kevin Whiteley.

The production whisked the audience, which should have been larger, on a whirlwind tour of the West End and Broadway by presenting a varied selection of memorable numbers from shows such as South Pacific, Sound of Music, Guys & Dolls, Wicked and Les Miserables.

They opened up with four pieces from Godspell, the show with which they had a recent success at the Town Hall.

And then it was an almost non-stop musical odyssey through shows such as Carousel, Camelot, Phantom of the Opera, Jekyll & Hyde and Oliver!

Although the chorus work was powerful, Limelight proved that it has strength in depth by putting forward a string of very competent soloists to enhance the overall effect of their presentation.

Outstanding were John Clifford, John Whitfield, Jim Davies, Debbie Peate, Liz Jones and Fiona Bassett.

The tempo and mood of the musical offerings ranged from the rollicking – Oom Pah Pah from Oliver! and Master of the House from Les Mis – to the poignant – If Ever I Would Leave You from Camelot and I Dreamed a Dream from Les Mis.

Grand final came, of course, from Les Mis when the entire Limelight cast joined forces behind the Paris barricades to pump out the stirring One Day More.

If he’d been there rather on telly presiding over Strictly 2013 Sir Brucie would surely have said, “didn’t they do well!”     

Next Limelight production in Llangollen is Dixie Or Me, a comedy play penned by local poet and playwright Peter Read about local football hero Dixie McNeil and Wrexham Football Club, on September 18 and 19.
 

Police charge kids with getting creative

Budding young artists across Denbighshire are being set a challenge by police to get creative and design poster which highlights safety in and around the home.

 

The competition is open to all primary school pupils in the county and is being launched by District Inspector Siobhan Edwards at the beginning of a new school year.

 

“Its aim is to educate children about security in and around the home as well as raising awareness of vehicle crime,” said Inspector Edwards. “Designing posters seemed an ideal way to get children thinking about the issues and ways to relay messages effectively.”

 

She added: “By taking part, it’s hoped the pupils’ artwork will help stress the importance of keeping property safe and also reiterate key messages to family and friends and help them and others avoid becoming victims of crime.”

 

Three age groups have been set (• Year 1 - 2 Foundation Phase, • Year 3 - 4 Key Stage 2 • Year 5 - 6 Key Stage 2 Years) and children are being tasked to create an A4 poster around one of the following three categories:

•             Security in the home

•             Vehicle crime

•             Security around the home

 

Head teachers have already been made aware of the competition and pupils have until September 27 to submit their entries.

 

From then on in, a winner from each age group will be chosen by school staff and all winning designs will then be collected. Once in, they will be put before a panel of judges who will select winners who will be invited to an awards ceremony.

 

Inspector Edwards added: “We hope that as many pupils take part as possible and help make it a success. Each year we as local officers issue countless warnings and advice about keeping items and homes secure. We hope that the children will come up with some great designs that will help us in our forthcoming crime prevention campaigns.”

 

The winning entries will be printed and distributed across Denbighshire. 

Railway's Corwen extension update

The following is an update from Llangollen railway on the extension of the line to Corwen ...

During August deliveries of recycled ballast brought in 200 tonnes of stone via the access at Bonwm.

This has allowed the base ballasting of the trackbed to be brought forward towards the access gate and track laying by full time permanent way staff saw the rail head extended by six panels, with a further six to be installed shortly.

The stack of concrete sleepers at Bonwm has now been cleared thanks to a further period of hire for a JCB Load-all machine and sleepers have been dispersed along the track bed towards Corwen. A calculation of the short fall in sleepers can now be made for a further quantity to be ordered.

Further deliveries of 1,000 tonnes of ballast will provide for the base towards over bridge 28a, with pegging out of this section to be undertaken during September. It is now envisaged that track laying during the autumn will begin at bridge 28a working backwards towards Bonwm, a stretch of approximately 900 metres.

Tenders for the repair of the under arch and abutments to bridge 28a are awaited from contractors who have expressed interest in this work, but, in the meantime, a volunteer team has started repairs to bridge 28, a fisherman’s access underpass.

The repairs to the road/railer machine have been completed and, following certification, the machine is now on site at Bonwm as the essential tool for further track laying. Two members of the full-time staff are passed competent to operate this machine and two volunteers will be similarly instructed. A volunteer work force is being assembled to undertake the track laying through to bridge 28a and beyond to the Corwen platform site.

Dwyrain Corwen East Station site

The complications with the under bridges within the area of the platform appear close to being resolved. We are advised that Denbighshire County Council has let a contract for the installation of the flood relief scheme outfall to the river which will involved the removal of bridge 30. Subject to confirmation, we can expect the contractor to be on site from September with construction work taking place during the next few months.

We are further advised by Denbighshire Countryside Services that the flood relief scheme also has implications for the route of the link foot path to bridge 29. This will provide access to the nature reserve and some grant aid may be in prospect for work on refurbishing this bridge, if it can be completed during September.

Elsewhere, within the wider context of Corwen, discussions are underway with the artists for the design of the access pathway from the Corwen car park to the station site. Wide ranging discussions are also taking place with regard to the opportunities to promote the new station at Corwen as a destination in 2014 and initial plans for the train timetable have started.

Whilst it is intended that a first train will arrive at Dwyrain Corwen East on St David’s day, 1^st March 2014, it is now likely that an official opening occasion will be held some weeks later to obtain maximum publicity, subject to all the work being completed, including the acquisition of the outstanding funding.

A promotional display for the Corwen Extension was provided during the period of the National Eisteddfod held at Denbigh during August with thanks to Denbighshire County Council for providing facilities.

Busy time for Tidy Town Team

Llangollen's Tidy Town Team has been out in force today (Friday).

A large number of the group, which keeps the town looking clean and tidy on a voluntary basis, were seen clearing ivy and other unwanted foliage and generally tidying the grounds of the museum in Parade Street, working on the railings on Riverside Walk and renewing flowers in the planters in front of the Town Hall in Castle Street.

* Top, members of the team at work around the museum in Parade Street and (below) on the railings in Riverside Walk.

Outbreak of sickness bug at Maelor

The BBC is reporting today that an outbreak of the norovirus sickness bug at Wrexham Maelor Hospital has affected two wards.

According to the story, hospital managers say it also led to some delays in admissions amid reports of hold-ups in the accident and emergency department.

Admissions to the two wards have been suspended until patients' symptoms have gone.

About nine patients are suffering from the bug whose symptoms include diarrhoea or vomiting.

The Betsi Cadwaladr health board which manages the hospital advised anyone with the symptoms not to visit for 48 hours to avoid passing on the bug more commonly seen during the winter.

Llyr Gruffydd, AM for North Wales, said: “These are problems entirely of Betsi Cadwaladr’s own making because it recently closed four community hospitals and lost 50 beds. The chickens are coming home to roost.  

 

"Back in March, when Llangollen and Flint hospitals were closed, we warned that a lack of spare capacity and losing community facilities without adequately replacing them would create bed-blocking problems in district general hospitals such as Wrexham Maelor.

 

 “The Health Minister has sent in a new team to sort out senior management in North Wales but there’s little sign that the sort of changes needed to improve our health service are taking place. Reducing bed blocking so that ambulances aren’t being used to treat A & E patients should be an immediate priority. ”

 

Mabon ap Gwynfor, of the North Wales Health Alliance, said : “If hospital occupancy rates go above 82% it’s recognised that hospital-acquired infections including norovirus are far more likely to occur.

 

"Health experts understand this so it’s surprising that Betsi Cadwaladr has not considered this in their recent review, which centralised services and has seen occupancy rates in our general hospitals of 87%.

 

“Rushing the closure of community hospitals without planning for their replacements is putting more pressure on clinical staff. Managers have got it wrong and need to rethink their plans.”

Cytun holds AGM

Llangollen Cytun (Churches Together) will hold its annual general meeting in the Upper Room at St Collen's on Tuesday, September 10.

The AGM at 7pm will be followed at 7.30pm by a speaker on the theme Action for Children  in Llangollen.

When Thomas Bowman Stephenson arrived in London in 1869, he couldn’t believe how many homeless children there were. Determined to help, he set up The Children’s Home, (later the National Children’s Home, and then simply NCH) – a place where children would be safe from poverty and crime. 

In 2008 the organization became Action for Children to better describe what they do today.

There are now over 650 children’s projects in many different communities – including Young Carers and the Bridge Project here in Llangollen.

A representative from Action for Children will come along to give an informative talk and answer any questions.

All are welcome.