Llangollen man Mike Edwards was in Ellesmere on Sunday watching his eldest son, Christian, competing in the Olympic Distance Triathlon comprising a 1500 metre swim, 40k bike ride and 10k run.
Mike says: "While I was there I also saw our local vet Clive Bourne, who is in the veteran athlete 60 age group, taking part and I notice from the result he completed the event in 2 hours 48 minutes 17 seconds."
Robin Jones, editor of the monthly Heritage Railway magazine, called in at the Corwen station site to catch up with the progress on work to create a new terminus station.
In the course of a conducted tour of the site, he inspected work on the platform with the recently installed heritage canopy columns, as well as the completed trackwork.
The water tank and signalbox were also features new to him since his
previous visit.
He expressed
himself very pleased with the work undertaken so far, describing the station as
‘magnificent’ and the renovation of the former London Blackfriars station
columns an impressive addition to the platform.
Robin Jones
said: “Whilst other railways might have made do with a wooden platform at the
end of the line, at Corwen a proper station facility has been created by
project members.
“I think the Corwen station is a miraculous achievement and a phenomenal construction in the middle of nowhere.The volunteer effort which has created the station has been against the odds in terms of physical constraints, the labour needs and the ever-present fund-raising requirement.”
Thanking Robin Jones for his visit, project leader Richard Dixon-Gough said: “We still have some way to go yet before the station is ready and able to receive passengers, therefore all kinds of support are still required prior to opening this new build terminus station to the fare paying public.”
Skoda Superb road test by Steve Rogers
Bentley
one week, Skoda the next. Such is the varied life of your car tester.
Turn the clock back 25 years and you could fairly say this was the sublime to the ridiculous but while the brands are poles apart times have changed for the underdog.
Volkswagen buying the Czech company opened up a whole new world. I've
been a fan since my first drive in the Octavia in 1997 and have been banging
the Skoda drum ever since.
The cars are still built in the home country but the parts come from Wolfsburg so it is no surprise to see matching gear in Volkswagen, Audi or Seat models, in fact there is a small connection with Bentley.
The blind spot warning strip in
the Superb's door mirrors is identical to those in the Bentley Continental,
another VW company.
The
Superb has been the flagship model since 2001 building a reputation on a
ginormous cabin. Never mind six footers, there is space for seven footers in
the back of a Superb and no one in its class can match the size of the boot
either.
Not
that Superb has been having an easy ride. Its market has been in decline for
years with customers turning to big SUVs for space and versatility and Skoda is
well placed there as well with the excellent Kodiaq.
Yet
Superb's unique selling point of class leading space and value for money has
given it a strong fan base in the fleet and company car markets where it has
been a regular pain in the backside for main rivals Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall
Insignia and even its Wolfsburg cousin, the VW Passat. What a genius move on
Skoda's part to distance itself from Passat by making it roomier.
The
hatchback's 625 litre boot capacity is streets ahead of the opposition and gets
even better with the seats down - 1760 litres and if that's not enough then go
for the estate where there is nearly 2000 litres of space. You will find just
how big the boot is when you try to retrieve something that has spilled into a
far corner. It requires long arms or a very big stretch.
To
give it a bit of context the hatchback's boot easily swallowed two full sets of
golf clubs and trolleys with the seats up.
Dwelling
on space is an injustice to Superb which is a fine all rounder. The new
dashboard layout is practical rather than stylish with a central eight inch
touchscreen for infotainment - that's navigation, radio and smartlink
technology for Android, CarPlay and Mirror Link along with other car related
features.
This
comes in at SE L level which is the start of the premium trim and there is the
option to spend £475 on the virtual cockpit. It offers five different views,
easily selected from a button on the steering wheel. The show's highlight is a
full width 10.2in Google map gifted, eventually, by its masters at VW-Audi.
Skoda always has to wait its turn for the top tech.
Equipment level is generally good with leather heated seats, powered for the driver, LED headlights, keyless entry, and a host of electronic safety features yet there is one inexplicable omission - a reversing camera.
It is a £385 option unless
you buy the 39 grand top of the range Laurin & Klement model and with the
saloon's high rear window it's needed. Parking sensors with rear proximity
lines on screen don't cut it on a car at this price.
A couple of weeks ago I was lauding the 1.5 litre petrol engine in the new Golf but raised an eyebrow when I saw it was powering the much bigger Superb. Again it was another revelation and would be my choice over a diesel easily topping 50mpg.
With the extra weight and size the economy and performance was even more spectacular than the Golf, so sharp and refined, and working beautifully with the seven-speed DSG auto gearbox. It too has cylinder deactivation right up to 70mph to help save fuel.
Handling
is safe and predictable and airs on the side of comfort. For performance
seekers this is no BMW 3-Series or Audi A4, not even a Peugeot 508 or Mazda6,
but if you want to stick with Skoda and have some fun then go for Octavia.
Superb
is what it is, a comfortable, very competent large family saloon or estate and
arguably the best car in its class.
Need to know
Superb
SE L 7sp DSG auto
£29,545
- £31,570 tested
1.5litre
TSI; 147bhp
0-62mph
9.2secs; 135mph
42.2mpg
combined
153g/km.
1st year tax £540 then £145
Boot:
625 litres
Insurance
group 19
Butlers Hill,
Llangollen, Denbighshire
10
September — 10 September
Delays
likely - Road closure
Works
location: FROM OUTSIDE MIN Y NANT TO OUTSIDE
PEN Y MAES...
Works
description: REPLACEMENT OF CABLES . OVERHEAD WORKS ONLY...
Responsibility
for works: MANWEB
Current
status: Advanced planning
Works
reference: GY0302100388892G
* Llangollen Library in Castle Street.
Libraries in Denbighshire are now open for customers to choose books, use a computer and print, use a photocopier and access One Stop Shop services via appointments.
The
appointment system will help ensure social distancing measures are adhered to
and appointments can be made by phoning your local library.
Visits to
browse and choose books are limited to 20 minutes, and computer sessions are
currently limited to 45 minutes, and one per week.
You will need
your library card number to book a computer session.
If you require
help at the One Stop Shop with a Council query or to make a payment, please
call the library and ensure you have all the relevant details, so that we can
deal with your query, and arrange an appointment if you need to come in.
Cllr Tony
Thomas, Denbighshire County Council’s Lead Member for Housing and Communities,
said: “I’m pleased we are able to offer further services to residents wishing
to use the library service.
“Customers
will now be able to book appointments to use a range of services in their local
libraries. Our popular order and collect service will continue for those who
prefer staff to choose books for you to collect or have delivered to you.
“Our home
library service is making deliveries of books to anyone who is unable to visit
their local library – please get in touch to find out more about this service.”
All books
currently on loan are being automatically renewed and no fines will be issued,
but customers who have finished with books are asked to drop them off at the
library to ensure stock levels are maintained.
A mum-of-three has told how her violent partner tried to kill her by deliberately crashing his car at speed into a stone wall when she was pregnant.
Terrified Annie, 30, not her real name, miraculously survived the
impact but suffered whiplash, stomach pains and severe headaches while her
raging partner tried to smash the car with a rock.
On other occasions he punched her stomach after finding out she
was pregnant and tried to strangle her.
As well as inflicting a catalogue of horrific injuries to Annie,
the cruel, controlling brute also threatened to throw acid in her mother’s
face.
Thankfully, she escaped after turning for help to the Domestic
Abuse Safety Unit (DASU) which operates across Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire
and Wrexham.
Annie says the organisation saved her and her children, providing
them with a safe haven in a refuge.
DASU provides a 24/7 service for women, men and their children
affected by domestic abuse.
The organisation receives financial support from the North Wales
Police and Crime Commissioner who has made tackling domestic abuse one of the
key priorities in his Police and Crime Plan, the blueprint for policing North
Wales.
In addition to the regular funding he provides to them and
other organisations who work with abused victims in North Wales, Mr Jones has
accessed an extra £238,000 from the Ministry of Justice to help them cope with
the extra challenges caused by the coronavirus crisis.
As a result, DASU has received an extra £71,400 to support service
users and purchase safety screens and signage and source personal protection
equipment (PPE) and cleaning materials.
According to DASU, Annie’s horrific story is all too common place
and they were grateful to the Police and Crime Commissioner for his vital
support.
When Annie first met her partner, there was nothing to
suggest he would turn into a vicious monster.
She said: “I met him through a
mutual friend. He was a year younger than me and was a real smooth talker at
first. He bought me gifts and was great for two or three months but then he
changed.
“I had my own house, it was in
my name and although he never officially moved in he was always there. Very
quickly he would stop me from going out and always demanded to know who I’d
spoke to or who I’d seen.
“I had two children from a
previous relationship but when he found out I was pregnant with his child he
went mad and said he didn’t want the baby. He punched me in the stomach and on
one occasion tried to strangle me.
“I then discovered he was
giving my son emotional abuse, telling him he was fat and that his real dad
didn’t want to see him or want anything to do with him. My son was only six. My
son told his dad who spoke to my mum. She rang the police.”
“The police came up and social services. I was given a choice really him or my kids. l That was no contest. On the Wednesday I managed to get out saying I had to go town for a medical appointment with the kids.
“I went to the refuge and never
looked back. I had nothing, just the clothes we were wearing. My former partner
went berserk and threatened my mum that she’d never see her grandchildren again
and that he would throw acid in her face.
“With all the stress I went
into hospital early to have the baby. He found out I was in hospital and tried
to get in to see me but I had a restraining order in place and he never got in.
Annie says she suffered
numerous physical injuries as a result of attacks by her former partner but she
also suffered mental torture and coercion.
She said: “The worst was when I
was pregnant. He got me in the car and said if he couldn’t have me no one
would. He drove like an idiot and drove at speed into a stone wall.
“I managed to get out of the
car, which was his, while he was smashing it up further with a rock. He was
screaming. Luckily someone I knew passed and I jumped in their car and got
away. He’d just totally lost it.
“I’m sure if I hadn’t finally
got away he’d of killed me. I’m still terrified of him but I’ve come to terms
with his behaviour. He just had to control me and abuse me physically and
sexually. For him it was all about control.
“The Domestic Abuse Safety Unit
saved me, there’s no doubt about that. They have been amazing. They got me into
a lovely refuge and we felt safe right from the start.”
Commissioner Jones was pleased
DASU had provided an escape route for Annie and her children.
He said: “Domestic abuse in all
its forms is an abhorrent crime and is something I have addressed through my
Police and Crime Plan.
“It’s important to realise that
domestic abuse isn’t just about physical assault. Domestic abuse comes in many
forms including control, coercion and sexual abuse.”
He added: “The Covid-19
pandemic has really affected the service too and it’s important they have the
funding in place to manage the expected spike in calls for help over the coming
few months.
“I’m hoping the money I have
been able to find for the DASU means they can continue helping lots of other
women, like Annie, to get to safety and to start building a new life away from
their abuser.”
DASU chief executive
Gaynor Mckeown said they have up to 41 refuge spaces across the region.
She said: “When a new
service user arrives we will put together a care plan, a safety plan and help
the service user to access support and advice. We offer specialist practical
and emotional support and advocacy to access accommodation, financial support,
medical and educational opportunities and assistance with reporting to the
police and attending court if appropriate.
“We rely on the help of our
commissioners and partners. The support we receive from the Police and Crime
Commissioner is invaluable, we couldn’t help anywhere near the number of
victims we do without the financial backing we receive.”
“The additional funds from the
PCC will be crucial going forward if we are to help more women like Annie.
“She is doing fantastically
well. When she arrived, as is so often the case, her self-esteem was rock
bottom and she basically only had the clothes she and her children were
wearing.
“She has now moved on and is
getting her independence back but she also knows we are there if and when she
need support in the future.”
* Anybody needing support can
contact DASU via their website www.dasunorthwales.co.uk/contact or by ringing 01244 830436 (Flintshire), 01745 814494 (Denbigh),01492 534705 (Colwyn) or 01978 310203 (Wrexham).
The woman who spearheaded Llangollen's fightback against coronavirus has spoken of what happens to the support organisation she founded as lockdown gradually eases.
Immediately the Covid-19 crisis began back in
March Cat Meade, whose day job is at Wingett's estate agents in Castle Street,
launched the Llangollen Coronavirus Help Group.
Since then she and a team of dedicated volunteers have devoted many unpaid
hours to ensuring people isolated in their homes have been supplied with
everything from food to daily newspapers.
The group also supplied many items of PPE to
the vulnerable and organised deliveries of vital medication to those
self-isolating in their homes across town.
To finance the work and support hard-hit local businesses she started a series
of highly popular daily raffles offering a host of valuable prizes.
There have also been regular updates about the group's work on a dedicated
Facebook page.
Now, as the pandemic crisis winds down and
life gradually returns to normal, Cat has taken to Facebook to explain what
happens to the help group.
Yesterday she
posted: “It’s been a while since I’ve posted, which is good
on one hand, on the other I hope you are all keeping well ... keeping safe,
responsible and mindful.
“I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to every volunteer and resident that has assisted and kept this group going during lockdown, the fundraising, gifting, hours and hours of volunteering to our wonderful community.
“I have had to put my role to one side as work life is taking over, most volunteers are back to their daily routine, kids back at school and a little normality forming.
“The page will stay here (hoping we do not need it again).
“In months to come we may be able to turn it into a different page of support for the community, for now, we will leave it open and our mainstream originators will be here, IF and WHEN, hopefully not needed again.
“Big thank you Llangollen.”
