Chirk man gets CBE in New Year's Honours

A scientist from Chirk has been made a CBE in the New Year's Honours List.

For the full story see: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/new-years-honours-katherine-jenkins-6455539

Body found under bridge near Chirk bypass, says ITV

... Traffic Wales said at 4pm that the A483 is now open in both directions from Ruabon to Halton following the earlier closure due to the accident ... 


The ITV news website is reporting this afternoon (Monday) that the body of a woman has been found beneath a bridge over the A483 Chirk bypass.

According to the story, North Wales Police say the body was discovered at around 1.30pm just north of the Halton roundabout.

The woman has not yet been identified, but her death is being treated as unexplained.

A stretch of the A483 - between the A5 Halton roundabout and the A539 J1 Ruabon - will be closed while investigations are carried out. Diversions are in place, adds the story.

Senior church figure retires

* The Venerable Shirley Griffiths with pupils from Ysgol Dyffryn Iâl in Llandegla.

The most senior woman in the Diocese of St Asaph – the Venerable Shirley Griffiths, Archdeacon of Wrexham – will retire at the end of December.

As Archdeacon, Shirley has carried out work on behalf of the Bishop of St Asaph in Wrexham and in parts of Flintshire, Denbighshire and Gwynedd.  She was the first female Archdeacon in the Diocese of St Asaph.

Shirley has served in the Diocese as a Reader (lay leader), a Deacon and a Priest before becoming Archdeacon in 2010.  Her ministry has spanned 40 years.  She was one of the first three women to become Readers in the Diocese of St Asaph before being made Deacon here in 1982 and then being ordained as a Priest in the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds in 1995.

Reflecting on her time with the Church, Shirley said: “Having started at a time when women couldn’t even take a service in the Church I’m retiring at a time when the Church in Wales has just agreed that women can be Bishops – not that I would ever want to do that, there’s enough hassle as an Archdeacon!

“I’ve got mixed feelings about retirement because I enjoy my work very much and I shall miss visiting parishes, working with clergy and being part of the Bishop’s staff team – although there are some problems I shall be happy to stop dealing with – fortunately the good parts have outweighed the difficult parts.”

Shirley has served as Rector of Llandegla and Vicar of Bryneglwys during her time as Archdeacon of Wrexham and helped to see a new school building for pupils at Ysgol Dyffryn Iâl come to fruition.  She has helped the children to produce a banner for their new facilities and will carry on being creative in her retirement.

She added: “I’m looking forward to taking up needlework again.  I used to teach it many years ago and I have very little time for doing it these days so I look forward to improving my needlework skills.”

The new Archdeacon of Wrexham will be the Revd Prebendary Bob Griffiths who will begin work on New Year’s Day.

Fatal collision near Llandegla

Police are appealing for information following a fatal road traffic collision near Llandegla earlier today, Sunday December 29.

Emergency services were called just after 12.30pm to reports of a collision between a Ford Fiesta and a Mercedes van on the roundabout at the junction of the A5104 and the A542.

 

The female driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene and a female passenger was airlifted to hospital in Stoke with serious injuries.

 

The van driver sustained minor injuries and was taken to Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

 

Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to call North Wales Police on 101.

A golden moment for track extension project

* Representatives of the Corwen community on site during their visit

to the railhead near Bonwm.

Representatives of the Cowen community joined volunteers from Llangollen Railway Trust for a landmark occasion in the track extension project yesterday (Friday).

Two separate lengths of track were joined together near the Bonwm Bends on the adjacent A5 road to complete two miles of track west of Carrog station.

A golden fishplate was ceremonially fixed to the final rail joint to mark the volunteer effort which has seen over a thousand yards of track laid eastwards from the restored overbridge, near Plas Derwen, towards the existing railhead at Bonwm.

A volunteer workforce has achieved this milestone working two days a week throughout the autumn to assemble panels of track on a prepared base.

Denbighshire county councillor Huw L Jones, who assisted with fixing the fishplate, said: “A most impressive length of straight track has been assembled in recent weeks by the volunteers.

"Their achievement is clearly visible to users of the A5 road and has raised hopes for the early completion of the project.

"Today’s link up represents 80% of the track work necessary to bring the railway to Corwen in 2014.”

Speaking for Llangollen Railway Trust, the Corwen Extension Project Co-ordinator, Richard Dixon-Gough, from Llangollen, said: “The work has been undertaken by a volunteer workforce varying from 6 - 20 workers on site, comprised mainly of members over 60 years old age. In the course of 16 volunteer working days they have laid 52 panel of track.

“We have to thank many people and organisations for their help with this project. The extension has needed administrative, financial, verbal and physical help which has been forthcoming from Denbighshire County Council, Welsh Assembly, councillors and community leaders, members of the community and the Railway’s members.

“We still have some way to go yet, but with continued support from everyone we will be at our temporary station site in the near future. The next challenge is to lay 46 panels of track, plus installation of our buffer stop. This further stage requires purchase of a thousand concrete sleepers and all their fittings, plus ballast, and will present a financial challenge for the Trust.”

A Corwen Sleeper appeal has been launched on behalf of the Llangollen Trust by member Paul Bailey, aiming to raise £20,000 to finance the acquisition of the material.

A generous response from supporters has so far raised half that sum.

Well wishers may contribute donations to the appeal c/o Mr P Bailey, Dolwen, Bryneglwys, Corwen LL21 9LY, cheques payable to the Llangollen Railway Trust Ltd.

Tips to stay safe from fire over festive period

On average North Wales Fire and Rescue Service attends between one to two fires within the home every day - but over the Christmas and the New Year period this rises to up to five fires in a day.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service is urging people to stay safe and protect their homes from fire by following twelve tips for festive fire safety:

1. Check your Christmas tree lights conform to the British Standard. Always use an RCD on outdoor electrical equipment (safety device that can save lives by instantly switching off the power).

2. Never place candles near your Christmas tree or furnishings. Don't leave them burning unattended.

3. Make sure your family and visitors staying for the festive period know what to do in an emergency. Practice a fire escape plan.

4. Decorations can burn easily - Don't attach them to lights or heaters.

5. Switch off electrical appliances when not in use, unless they're designed to stay on. Take special care with Christmas lights. Always switch off and unplug Christmas lights before you go to bed. Christmas is a time when we use more electrical items such as lights and decorations as well games etc - don't overload sockets and plugs but use correctly fused multi gang safety leads.

 6. Celebrate Christmas and New Year safely. The risk of accidents, especially in the kitchen, is greater after alcohol is consumed.

7.Most fires start in the kitchen - never leave cooking unattended.

8. If you are planning to celebrate with fireworks, store them in a metal box, read the instructions, never go back to a lit firework and keep a bucket of water nearby.

9. Make sure cigarettes are completely extinguished.

10. Check the battery in your smoke alarm every week and use Christmas as a reminder to clean it and remove dust.

11. Keep candles, lighters and matches out of reach of children.

12. Take the time to check on elderly relatives and neighbours this Christmas - make sure they are fire safe.

- See more at: http://www.nwales-fireservice.org.uk/keeping-you-safe/current-campaigns/current-campaigns.aspx?lang=en?lang=en#sthash.oJSm6M7z.dpuf

Dee becomes raging torrent as rain continues

* A raging River Dee this afternoon (Monday).

High winds and rain have turned the River Dee through Llangollen into a raging torrent today (Monday).

Natural Resources Wales has issued a flood alert on the Lower Dee Valley from Llan to Trevalyn Meadows, which was last updated at 2.50pm.

Forecasters say persistent rain will clear during the early hours.

Things will become drier and clearer thereafter with scattered showers, possibly wintry over higher ground.

It will turn colder throughout the night and stay windy.