Horseshoe Pass re-opens after fire alert

According to the latest tweet from North Wales Fire & Rescue Service, the Horseshoe Pass is now open again following its closure yesterday due to a re-ignition of the mountain fire.

It says:

* RT Please * Update on the #Llantysilio #Llangollen mountain fire. Crews carried out inspections overnight checking for hotspots.  #Horseshoepass road reopened overnight. Smoke blowing NW. Advice remains to avoid mountain for safety. Crews remaining throughout the day #Staysafe

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Pass closed as mountain fire re-ignites

llanblogger picture

* Smoke is just visible rising from the mountainside near the Horseshoe Pass.

* The Horseshoe Pass has been closed again.

Following a re-ignition of the mountain fire above Llangollen the Horseshoe Pass was closed again earlier this afternoon.

North Wales Fire & Rescue Service has tweeted ...

* RT Please * Update on the #Llantysilio #Llangollen mountain fire. Following a re-ignition in one area , the road between Llantysilio village and the #PonderosaCafe is CLOSED in both directions. Please avoid the area while crews work. KEEP OFF the mountain #StaySafe #Thanks

Keep the countryside tidy, says county

* A llanblogger reader's picture of barbecue

boxes left at the Horseshoe Falls. She removed these.

Denbighshire Countryside Service is reminding visitors to respect the country and not dump their rubbish at some of the county’s beauty spots.

The call follows complaints that rubbish has been dumped at Llangynhafal Quarry in Moel Famau Country Park, with over two bin bags full of rubbish collected from the location in one clean-up alone.

Councillor Tony Thomas, Cabinet Lead Member for Housing, Regulation and the Environment, said: “We’ve got some of the most breath-taking scenery in the country and we are truly proud of our Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

“However, behaviour like this from a small group of individuals spoils it for everyone.  Dumping rubbish is a blight on the landscape, it’s anti-social and can have a detrimental impact on people’s perceptions of the area.

“All that we ask if for everyone to take their rubbish home or dispose of it in bins provided in communities. By working together, we can rid our countryside of rubbish and allow people to enjoy the great scenery”.

“Improving the environment through clean and tidy streets is a key priority for the Council. Keeping our countryside free from rubbish is equally as important."

Food supply operation is stood down

* A llanblogger picture of the mountain fire at its height last weekend.

The team of dedicated volunteers who have been delivering vital supplies to crews battling the mountain fire above Llangollen have now called off the big operation.

The drivers, who came from across the community, had eight days of intense activity delivering fresh sandwiches and drinks to the parched firefighters around Llantysilio and the Horseshoe Pass.

At the height of the operation they were doing three drops a day with supplies donated by a host of local businesses.

One of the organisers, Cat Meade from Wingetts estate agents in Castle Street, also started an online appeal to buy supplies which raised over £1,500.  

Cat has said that now the fire has at last been brought under control the food-lift has ceased.

She said: “Thank you to everyone who has supported the firefighters and teams on the Horseshoe Pass over the last two weeks, no further donations or funds are required.

“A huge thank you to every individual and business from all over that have supported, a great community and neighbouring spirit which has brought us all together .. amazing people!

“I have a few bits of drinks and snacks left which will be donated to Llangollen food bank.”

A spokesman for the fire and rescue service added: "Thanks again to all those who have supported our firefighters whilst we attended this incident."

* Cat Meade at Wingetts (left) with fellow appeal organiser Town Councillor and Deputy Mayor, Issy Richards. 

Councillor 'delighted' with success of live 2020 session

* Town Councillor Robyn Lovelock (left) and County Councillor Graham Timms during the live Facebook session.

A Llangollen councillor says she is delighted with the reaction to a live Facebook session held earlier this week to gauge public opinion to a scheme aimed at streamlining the town centre’s traffic system.

The Llangollen 2020 Project, which is backed by both town and county councils, Cadwyn Clwyd and the Welsh Government, sets out to create a vibrant town centre that better meets the needs of residents, visitors and businesses.

Ideas it is looking at include creating a more pedestrian-friendly area, an improved network of parking options and improved signage on the approach to and within the town centre.

A team of consultants has been tasked to support the initiative and they ran a fact-finding session outside the Town Hall recently during which members of the public attached post-it notes with their ideas for traffic improvements to a large map of the town centre.

Town Councillor Robyn Lovelock and one of the area’s county councillors, Graham Timms, who are both supporting the project, took to Facebook for a 50-minute live session on Tuesday evening, inviting comments about 2020 from the public.

Cllr Lovelock said: “I’m delighted the clip has been viewed by so many people - over 1,200 - and that it appears to have been appreciated as a way of engaging residents in the process and decisions that will need to be made. “It was the first public Facebook live session for Graham and I so we were pleased that there were no major technical issues - and I was happy that my nerves didn’t get in the way too much!” She added:  “We hope this is the first of several conversations about the Llangollen 2020 project, with future sessions possibly discussing the findings from the consultants, the options they propose, and the economic impact study as all of these are published. “For now, we just want to get as much input into this ideas stage as possible and really encourage those residents and visitors who haven’t yet completed the online survey to do so.” Cllr Lovelock said today (Friday) was the last day for people to complete the online 2020 survey, which has so far received over 300 responses. They can do so at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Llangollen2020 The Welsh link is: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Llangollen2020Cymraeg

Preferred candidate for police chief announced

 *  Carl Foulkes is in line for the top job with North Wales Police.

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones has announced his preferred candidate as the region’s new Chief Constable.

Gulf War veteran Carl Foulkes’ appointment is subject to confirmation by the North Wales Police and Crime Panel, which will take place on September 10.

Mr Jones has informed the Police and Crime Panel about his choice which follows a rigorous two-day interview process.

Mr Foulkes, 47, who hails originally from Caergwrle, near Wrexham,  is currently the Deputy Chief Constable of Merseyside Police.

He started his policing career with British Transport Police in 1993, having previously served in the Royal Navy and seeing active service in the first Gulf War.

After spending 10 years working for British Transport Police in London, serving in a variety of local policing and support roles, he was promoted to the rank of acting Chief Inspector.

In 2003, he joined West Midlands Police as a Detective Chief Inspector in Walsall.  He moved into the Criminal Investigation Department prior to becoming Operations Superintendent in Birmingham.

In 2008, he was promoted to the position of Solihull Commander and two years later he assumed command of Force Intelligence, before moving on to head Force CID, the largest single department in the Force.   As head of Force CID, he managed the force’s response to serious organised crime, homicide and acquisitive crime.

He has national portfolio responsibility for Assisting Offender Debriefing under SOCPA, Open Source Investigations and UK Protected Persons Service (UKPPS).

Mr Foulkes is married with a teenage son and enjoys outdoor pursuits including running, walking and cycling. 

In 2012 he represented Great Britain at the World Duathlon Championships in France and he often runs and cycles run and cycle in support of Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

Mr Foulkes said: “I am proud and privileged to have been chosen as the preferred candidate to serve the people of North Wales.  

“I look forward to meeting the Police and Crime Panel at my confirmation hearing and subject to their approval of my appointment,  I very much look forward to leading such a dedicated and hard-working force.”

The commissioner said: "I am delighted to name Carl Foulkes as my preferred candidate for North Wales’ new Chief Constable.

“His experience, enthusiasm and commitment was clear from the interview process and I am pleased to be able to put his name forward to the Police and Crime Panel.

“I will not be making any further comment until the Panel have had the opportunity to review the appointment at a confirmation hearing.”

The job was advertised after Mark Polin revealed he was retiring after nine years as chief constable.

Until a new chief constable starts, the current Deputy Chief Constable, Gareth Pritchard, will become the Temporary Chief Constable in the interim and Richard Debicki who will be the Temporary  Deputy Chief Constable, while Neill Anderson will step up as the Temporary Assistant Chief Constable.

Horseshoe Pass is now open

The Horseshoe is now open. There are traffic lights in operation between the layby at the top of the Pass and the quarry.