Vandals strike at Llangollen Railway

* The damaged windows on one of the coaches.

Police are appealing for information after vandals struck at Llangollen Railway.

Hundreds of pounds worth of damage was caused when two windows were smashed on one of the railway coaches on Monday July 18.

PCSO Delia Bellis said: “We are keen to speak to a group of youths who were seen near the railway after 6pm last Monday.

"The railway is run predominantly by a group of volunteers, including youngsters who are part of the Railways Youth Group, who give of their time to ensure everything runs smoothly. 

"They now feel aggrieved by the damage which has been caused."

* Anyone who may have witnessed the windows being smashed is asked to contact PCSO Bellis at Llangollen Police Station on 101 quoting reference is RM160113025. Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or contact the control room direct via the new web live chat http://www.north-wales.police.uk/contact/chat-support.aspx

New Dot's fabulous Fringe night

* Audience members select their cakes before the show.

* The Town Hall stylishly decorated for the evening.

* Accordionist Dave Greenald sets the tone outside the Town Hall. 

* Founder and chair of New Dot Cinema

Jen Sandiford arrives for the show.

* Glamorous vocalist Betzy Jean rounds

off the evening with a song. 

For last year's Fringe Festival, New Dot Cinema partied like it was the 1920s.

This year, there was a stylish 1930's themed evening based around the film, Cabaret.

The evening drew a healthy crowd of locals and visitors, many of whom took the opportunity to dress-up for the occasion.

Outside the entrance, accordion player Dave Greenald played traditional European music in top hat and tailcoat whilst, inside, a party atmosphere was created by the New Dot team, who decorated the hall with foil curtains and tissue paper pom-poms.

Young artists Pebble Hayward, Niamh Connaughton and Rhianna Martin had decorated lampshades to match the theme.

German coffee cake and heavenly florentines were found on the refreshment table, served on vintage crockery.

An impressively sturdy, pop-up Fringe Festival bar served ice-cold German pilsner alongside
locally brewed beverages.

After the Mayor of Llangollen, Cllr Mike Adams said a few words, the audience was treated to some entertaining film footage from the 1930s.

They then settled down to enjoy the classic musical Cabaret which won eight Oscars and was in turns entertaining, exciting and dark.

It received an enthusiastic round of applause from the appreciative audience.

Finally, the evening was topped off with a live performance by glamorous vocalist Betzy Jean.

Her set included well-loved hits of power jazz and heart-felt blues.

Having recently invested in a new mirror ball for the Town Hall, New Dot was able to turn it on for Betzy Jean and it cast magical beams of lights over the crowd.

Founder and chair of New Dot Cinema Jen Sandiford recently announced that she'll be stepping down to spend more time with her family.

"It's been an exciting and satisfying role and I'm really pleased with what we've achieved in the last twelve months," she said.

"I very much hope that others are inspired to get involved and keep New Dot going from strength to strength.

"Llangollen deserves a cinema showing interesting films and I'm especially proud that we've managed to attract a BFI-funded projector to the Town Hall in our first year."

She added: "I'd like to say a particular thanks to co-founder, Simon Proffitt, without whose creative curation and hard work, the cinema nights wouldn't be nearly as successful.

"Also, a big thank-you to all the volunteers that have stepped up to power the cinema. And finally,
thank-you to everyone who bought a ticket and came along to support the first 12 months of New Dot Cinema Llangollen."

Vintage Singers gather at Chirk Castle

Around 40 gleaming machines gathered at Chirk Castle today (Sunday) for the 40th annual Association of Singer Car Owners Vintage Car Rally.

llanblogger was there to record the scene.

Police boss pledges high tech battle on rural crime

* Arfon Jones, Police and Crime Commissioner for

North Wales, on his visit to Dolgellau

Farmers Mart to meet members of the Rural Crime Team.

He is pictured with Dewi Evans and Rhys Evans.

A police boss has pledged to use high tech methods to combat rural crime.

The new North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, Arfon Jones, is calling for more mobile Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to be used to catch criminals trying to avoid detection by using back roads.

Mr Jones, a former police inspector who was raised on a farm in Harlech, was speaking during a visit to the farmers' mart in Dolgellau when he also promised to support the pioneering Rural Crime Team which was set up by North Wales Police two and a half years ago.

Mr Jones said: "I used to come to the mart in Dolgellau every week and it's great to be back.

"It's important that the rural areas of North Wales are given the same attention by the police as the urban areas.

"I am determined to make sure the police station in Dolgellau remains open 24/7 because this area needs to be policed properly.

"The work of the Rural Crime Team is tremendously important and they are well respected by farmers and others who are interested in the countryside and wildlife.

"The team have been highly successful since they were established two and a half years ago and have won a number of richly deserved awards.

"A lot of forces are looking to this team as a benchmark of best practice so they can try and emulate what's happening in North Wales.

"I am determined to continue funding the Rural Crime Team. In the grand scheme of things, they don't cost a great deal and I would hope that a number of our partners like Natural Resources Wales would contribute because they also benefit from the team's work.

"Farmers are having a tough time so any losses incurred because of theft, whether it is livestock or machinery, can be a hammer blow to them.

"There is a real need for ANPR in rural areas so we know when criminals are in the area.

"They don't use main roads and use instead smaller country roads so we need to a have mobile ANPR kit so it can be used on these back lanes to see who is using them.

"ANPR cameras can read a registration number and instantly check it against database records of vehicles of interest. Police officers can intercept and stop a vehicle, check it for evidence and, where necessary, make arrests.

"It's important that we are not just reactive but that we are also proactive so that we can stop rural crime taking place before it happens.

"Our rural areas are geographically very large so we need technology to help us in our fight against countryside crime and to catch to offenders.

"This technology is already used in the urban areas and it's important that rural areas like Meirionnydd enjoy the same level and quality of policing.

"They are first class people and they deserve a first class policing service.

"The message to criminals is clear. There is no welcome for them in North Wales and if they come here they will be caught."

The support of commissioner was welcomed by PC Dewi Evans who has been working with the Rural Crime Team since it was established two and a half years ago.

He said: "We have been successful in reducing farm crime and rural crime.

"We have cut wildlife crime by 80 per cent and we reduced farm crime by 40 per cent early on and we are maintaining that level.

"We have a very good relationship with the people who live in the rural areas as well as other agencies like the Snowdonia National Park and Natural Resources Wales, along with the farming unions.

"We have some excellent contacts and that has been a crucial part of our success.

"The fact that the new police and crime commissioner is so supportive of our work is great news for us and more importantly for the people who live in the countryside.

"The continuing support of the team will help us ensure that rural crime remains at a low level."

The commissioner also met Huw Jones, the county officer of the Farmers' Union of Wales, in Meirionnydd, who is fan of the Rural Crime Team.

He said: "The role of the Rural Crime Team is very important and it is something we had been calling for.

"It is important that we see them in marts like this one in Dolgellau and that farmers get to know the members of the team so that they know who to turn to if they need them.

"The farming community can also act as the eyes and ears of the police in the countryside."

Skates welcomes A5 parking restrictions

Assembly Member Ken Skates has welcomed the introduction of parking restrictions on a busy main road in Llangollen.

The Clwyd South AM has been pressing for double yellow lines to stop parking opposite Stans of Llangollen on the A5 for more than a year,

Mr Skates (pictured on the A5), who is based in the town, said: “The Welsh Labour Government confirmed in February that the work would be prioritised, and I’m glad that my constituents’ concerns have been listened to and it has now been completed.

“I hope this will help improve safety on what is a very busy main road.” 

Residents had complained that parked vehicles opposite the garage caused an obstruction, particularly for older pedestrians trying to cross the road.

Mr Skates recently took over responsibility for trunk roads when he was appointed the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure.

He added: “The Welsh Government has always maintained its intention to do this. I’m pleased to have been able to act upon local concerns and get this matter addressed.”

Mountain biking film gets local premiere

In association with North Wales Mountain Bike Association, One Plant Adventure in Llandegla is hosting an exclusive advanced showing of the film Mountain Biking The Untold Story for riders in North Wales.

It will be projected on to a 2.4m screen in the café between 5 and 7pm on Sunday July 31.

Tour of Britain race heads for county

* The world's top riders will race from Denbigh to Builth Wells.

Britain’s most prestigious professional cycle race, the Tour of Britain, will return to Wales for two stages once again this September.

Wednesday 7 September sees the world’s top riders racing from Denbigh to Builth Wells, where they will finish on the Royal Welsh Showground.

Thursday 8 September will then see the world’s top cyclists racing from Aberdare across South Wales through Rhondda Cynon Taf, Caerphilly County Borough, Torfaen and Monmouthshire before a finish in Bath.

The two stages will include almost 300-kilometres of racing on Welsh roads, with Stage Four from Denbigh to Builth Wells the longest of the 2016 race at 218-kilometres also including the most ascent of any leg, with over 4,000-metres of climbing.

Stage Four will begin from Denbigh town centre at 10:30 and is expected to finish on the Royal Welsh Showground at Builth Wells at around 15:29.  It will mark the first time that Denbighshire has hosted a stage start of the Tour of Britain and the first time that a stage has finished in Powys.

Flintshire will host an intermediate Yodel Sprint, sponsored by parcel delivery company Yodel, in Mold and the day’s opening SKODA King of the Mountains climb to the village of Rhydtalog.

Two further SKODA King of the Mountains climbs will come at Bwlch-y-Safn in Denbighshire’s Berwyn Mountains and at Dyfnant forest in Powys, with the final Yodel Sprints in the villages of Foel and Newbridge-on-Wye.

The Tour of Britain will resume a day later from Aberdare Park in Rhondda Cynon Taf at 11:00 on Thursday 8 September for a 205-kilometre stage to Bath.  From Aberdare the stage will pass through Mountain Ash, Ystrad Mynach and Pontypool, before the opening Yodel Sprint on Monmouth Road in Usk.

The Stage Five route continues through Monmouthshire to Tintern, crossing the River Wye into Gloucestershire via the Bigsweir Bridge north of Llandogo.

Commenting on the Welsh stages, Tour of Britain Race Director Mick Bennett said; “We are looking forward to this year’s Welsh stages of the Tour of Britain and taking in new venues and new climbs.  As always the Welsh stages will be amongst the hardest in the Tour, and this year is no different with both stages in excess of 200-kilometres and containing plenty of climbing.”

Anne Adams-King, Chief Executive Officer at Welsh Cycling said; “Welsh Cycling is delighted to once again welcome the Tour of Britain to Wales. A stage start is a first for the town of Denbigh, and to finish at the heart of Wales at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells will be spectacular. We are also pleased to see Stage Five depart from Aberdare as the race travels across the border to finish in Bath.

“We have a fantastic summer of cycling activities here in Wales for everyone to enjoy. With our elite athletes competing in the Tour de France and Rio Olympic Games, and major events like the Tour of Britain on our doorstep, we hope that Wales will be inspired to cycle this summer.”

Councillor Huw Jones, Denbighshire County Council’s Cabinet Lead Member for Tourism, Leisure and Youth “We are absolutely delighted to have secured the start of Stage Four of the race this year, as we feel it will have great benefits to the tourism industry here in Denbighshire, as well as showcasing what the region has to offer.

“We are working closely with our colleagues in Flintshire and the rest of North Wales to make sure that the level of public support shown over recent years is repeated again this year.

“North Wales is fast earning itself a reputation for hosting and staging major events, with the Tour of Britain a prime example of how councils and event organisers work closely together to deliver these spectacular events.”