Railway's TV appearance hailed as a big success

* The fully restored carriage featured in the Channel 4 programme.

Last night's TV programme highlighting work by staff at Llangollen Railway on a vintage carriage has been hailed as wonderful promotion for the town and the Dee Valley.

Channel 4’s Great Railway Restorations presented by train enthusiast Peter Snow threw the spotlight on the heritage railway's long-running restoration of the teak-bodied carriage built in 1912 by the Great Northern Railway but left in a dilapidated state  after being withdrawn from service 40 years ago.

Peter Snow and his crew filmed extensively as facelift work went ahead at the railway's Pentrefelin Carriage and Wagon Works under the direction of chairman Peter Lund. 

In the course of the programme a number of challenges have to be overcome to transform a near-wreck into a coach which now features an open saloon and three second-class compartments in the livery of the former London North Eastern Railway. 

Since it was aired the programme has won widespread praise.

Jim Jones, MD of the influential North Wales Tourism, tweeted: “What a brilliant showcase for craftsmanship and profile of our rail infrastructure in North Wales.

"The programme gave  wonderful promotion to Llangollen and the Dee Valley as an area of outstanding natural beauty. It showed off our stunning scenery and what a fabulous place we are to visit."

In the Radio Times Peter Snow (pictured) says: "Llangollen Railway is one of the best railways  in the world."

A spokesperson for Llangollen Railway said: "We are delighted with the production and recognition it gave to the railway as a major tourist attraction in North East Wales with more to come in Part 4.

"I am sure North Wales Tourism can use this to further promote this vibrant attractive area.

"We are glowing with pride at being part of such a fantastic group of people and being in such a beautiful area of outstanding natural beauty and sitting within a world heritage site."

The coach will be on show from late next week for people to view.

AM blasts government for "failing" North Wales patients

Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has lambasted the Welsh Government for "failing" patients in North Wales.

The North Wales AM was responding to a statement by the Health Secretary on Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board.

Mr Isherwood (pictured) expressed concern that despite being in special measures for three years, and therefore under direct Welsh Government control, the board is still failing to meet waiting time targets and patients are not receiving the support they need.

Speaking in the chamber he said: “When will your Government accept that the consequence of stripping out those community beds has put extra pressure on hospitals, our district general hospitals, on our GP practices, and has actually led not to enhanced care in the community but to enhanced suffering in the community for too many when they can't get the support they previously called for?

“I'll conclude by asking what action you propose to take to ensure that the health board works better with third sector providers, who are delivering a wide range of services, but despite engagement, some of which I facilitated with some of those bodies, years later we're still waiting for new arrangements to go into place to ensure that proper commissioned services, which don't replicate or duplicate but enhance the experience for patients, are finally put in place."

Mr Isherwood added: “For Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to remain in special measures and under direct Welsh Government control after 3 years raises serious questions about the type of leadership and support provided by the Welsh Government to the health board. Both the patients and the hard working staff deserved better."

Youngsters can dig fete's gardening competition

An exciting feature of  this year’s Garden Fete at Plas Newydd  next Saturday June 9 will be  a Garden in a Box competition for pupils from  Ysgol Bryn Collen and Ysgol  y Gwernant.   

Stan's superstore has agreed to sponsor the competition.

All the pupils from both schools have been invited to take part and the winners will be  chosen from  seven finalists  from each school.

Judging will take place at 2.45pm and Steve and Linda from Stan’s will be on hand to help with deliberation. 

The boxes will be displayed in the President’s tea tent .

Fete organisers say they are very grateful to the staff and parents at both schools for their  cooperation and  are pleased that, along with the management at Stan’s, they are able to encourage local youngsters to take an interest in gardening and the environment.   

The fete, starting at 2pm with free admission,  will have all the usual attractions, stalls, refreshments and activities for the children.

The main arena attraction will once again be the Cwmwd Iâl re-enactors but fete organisers say this year’s performance will be even bigger and more spectacular than last year.

War memorial now in place at Centenary Square

The town's war memorial has been installed by contractors in its new place at Centenary Square.

This follows some light cleaning, to remove staining, and a re-gilding of the lettering for which the Town Council has received donations of financial support from individuals, organisations and businesses in the area.

Latest art exhibition at Plas Newydd

New art exhibition in Caban at Plas Newydd for June:

Fringe presents Craig Charles club night

* Craig Charles appears at Llangollen Town Hall on Friday July 27.

One of UK’s most beloved Funk and Soul DJ’s, the legendary actor, host and broadcaster Craig Charles, brings his Funk and Soul club night to Llangollen Town Hall on Friday 27th July. 

From Robot Wars to Red Dwarf, Craig has now grounded himself as a Funk and Soul icon after 10 years of broadcasting on BBC 6 Music with their primetime Saturday night show.

He and his trunk of funk DJs every weekend throughout the UK delivering a night of soul-hitting funk, ‘can you dig it’ attitude and dance-floor jivin’. 

Craig Charles has captivated crowds throughout the UK – he has played at numerous festivals such as Love Box, Park Life, Festival no 6, Wychwood Festival, Common People, Mostly Jazz funk and soul festival to name but a few.

His set will be from 7.30pm - 10pm with a live band playing after.

He is joined on a stellar bill (the festivals biggest to date) by ELIZA CARTHY & THE WAYWARD BAND, LEE SCRATCH PERRY and MARK RADCLIFFE (appearing on separate nights), LINTON KWESI JOHNSON. Plus stand up comedy and the return of BAND FOR A DAY, the music themed STEAM TRAIN and AQUEDUCT BOAT trips, and many other fringe events.

The Fringe Finale at the spectacular Valle Crucis Abbey will this year feature the ethereal sound of GOLDEN FABLE and THE NEW SINFONIA ORCHESTRA.

* Tickets for Craig Charles are £15 each and are on sale now.

Tickets for the whole Festival are also available; priced at just £80 the festival ticket allows access to all of the main events across the ten days so is great value for money. All ticket types are available from www.llangollenfringe.co.uk or by calling the Fringe box office:  0800 1455 779.

MP calls for ban on animal fur imports

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones has called for a ban on the importation of animal fur.

Speaking in a debate in Parliament she reminded other MPs that it was almost 20 years since fur farming had been made illegal in this country and that new tougher legislation was vital to tackle the importation of fur from other countries.

Speaking after the debate, Ms Jones said: "When it became illegal to 'farm' animals for fur in England and Wales in 2000, I don't think anyone would have thought that the fur of two million animals would be imported here every year from other countries.

"Many of these animals are kept in terrible conditions. The animals are usually artificially fattened and spend their whole lives in tiny cages before being killed by gas or electrocution. That isn't right and I really welcome the fact that stores like Gucci and House of Frazer are now refusing to stock fur products.

"However, with public petitions having been signed by half a million people and national opinion polls showing that 69% of the British population support a complete ban, I think it's high time that the Government took action. Fur imports are cruel and unnecessary and we need the Government to show the political will to ban them."   

Figures from charity Humane Society International (HSI), which spearheaded the campaign, claim that more than £74 million worth of animal fur was imported into the UK in 2017.

The UN Comtrade database, which lists international import and export figures, shows around £20m worth of tanned or dressed fur skins - including items such as heads, tails or paws - were imported.

Meanwhile a letter from 50 vets and animal experts states that denying wild animals the chance to roam freely, keeping them in close proximity to one another, is unnatural and leads to psychological stresses - with instances of cannibalism, untreated wounds, foot deformities and eye infections being "well-documented".