The latest Isle of Man Newspapers’ Team of the Week is ironically dominated by clean sheets and goals following another intriguing weekend of action in the Canada Life Premier League.

The back five in the latest line-up were in unforgiving mood on Saturday as they conceded just one single goal between them, while the hypothetical XI boasts 14 goals between them this week.

Donning the goalkeeping gloves is Sam Holliday after the DHSOB number one produced a superb performance for the Blackberry Lane outfit in their impressive 1-0 win at Peel.

Holliday produced several excellent saves during the match at Station Fields as he kept a clean sheet to all but end the westerners’ fading title challenge. His opposite number, Kiril Velev, also pulled off some fine saves during that match and was perhaps somewhat unlucky to be on the losing side.

One of Holliday’s Old Boys colleagues lines up in a four-man defence in front of him, namely captain Martin King who is joined by Douglas Athletic’s Lewis Daley and St George’s duo Sean Quaye and Jack McVey.

King grabbed the winner in the second-half against Peel and was in inspired form in the heart of defence against the Sunset City side.

Likewise Quaye and McVey were also in fine fettle as they contained Rushen’s attack during their sides’ heavyweight clash at Croit Lowey, while McVey also made his mark at the other end of the pitch by grabbing two goals, one of which was a potential goal-of-the-season contender.

Daley enjoyed a fine game in defence for Douglas Athletic as the Pinks fought from a goal down to snatch a draw against relegation rivals Ramsey at Ballacloan, thus earning a vital point for the survival fund. Just missing out on a place in the latest Team of the Week defence is Eric Kelly who shone for St John’s during their 5-1 victory over newly-promoted Colby on Friday evening while his team-mate Ant Moore, briefly back in the island, returned in style with a fine performance in that game.

The four-man midfield boasts five of the aforementioned goals with three of them being scored by the same player, Corinthians winger Josh Ridings.

In their first game since the sad death of club captain Louis Thornton, the Whites cruised to an emphatic 8-3 victory over bottom-of-the-table Ayre United with Ridings helping himself to a hat-trick.

Also getting on the scoresheet was St Mary’s defender/midfielder Harry Weatherill who enjoyed a more advanced role during his side’s match against Union Mills, helping himself to a rare goal in their 9-3 victory.

Joining Weatherill in midfield is one current team-mate in James Murphy and one former colleague in the shape of St George’s talisman Chris Bass Jr. While Murphy did not get on the scoresheet against the Millers, he pulled the strings in the heart of midfield and thus earns his first Team of the Week call-up of the season.

Bass continued his fine goalscoring start to the season by taking his tally to 10 goals with a well-taken header during Geordies’ aforementioned victory at Rushen United and makes his third TotW appearance of the campaign already.

Narrowly missing out on a place in the TotW midfield is Josh Thomas who was one of Old Boys’ standout players during their win over Peel, producing a dynamic and tireless shift all over the pitch and also ensuring his side claimed all three points with a superb goal-line clearance late on.

The front two both helped themselves to hat-tricks on Saturday as they put their opponents to the sword.

Danny Oram joined Ridings in netting a treble against Ayre United at Ballafletcher, while Rhys Oates was Colby’s chief tormentor as he fired a hat-trick during the Friday night match under the floodlights at Mullen-e-Cloie.

Impressing with the whistle in the latest round of top flight games is John McCallum who claims the refereeing honours thanks to his performance during the Rushen United v St George’s game at Croit Lowey.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Goalkeeper

Sam Holliday (DHSOB)

Team of the Week appearances: 2

Defence

Lewis Daley (Douglas Athletic) TotW apps: 1

Martin King (DHSOB) TotW apps: 1

Sean Quaye (St George’s) TotW apps: 2

Jack McVey (St George’s) TotW apps: 2

Midfield

Harry Weatherill (St Mary’s) TotW apps: 1

James Murphy (St Mary’s) TotW apps: 1

Josh Ridings (Corinthians) TotW apps: 2

Chris Bass Jr (St George’s) TotW apps: 3

Attack

Danny Oram (Corinthians) TotW apps: 2

Rhys Oates (St John’s) TotW apps: 1

Referee

John McCallum (Rushen Utd v St George’s) RotW apps: 1

Coroner John Needham has made a further call for a speed limit on the Mountain Road.

Recording an accident verdict on 55-year-old Shaun Watkinson, a Isle of Man TT visitor from Bolton who died in an accident on Hailwood Rise, Mr Needham said he would again be raising the issue with the new Infrastructure Minister.

The speed limit issue was raised by Mr Needham in 2012 after a fatal accident at the 32nd milestone. On that occasion he wrote to then Infrastructure Minister David Cretney recommending consideration of a temporary speed limit when the TT one-way system is in force.

At Wednesday’s hearing, Mr Needham said: ‘I will again be writing to the minister in respect of my recommendation for a maximum speed limit being introduced for the one-way system during the TT period.’

The idea was rejected by Mr Cretney at the time who cited lack of public support and wide-ranging measures taken to warn and educate road users.

But Mr Needham said a combination of factors, including the temporary one-way system, lack of a speed limit, large visitor numbers riding faster than they were accustomed, and sometimes beyond their ability, could be seen as an open invitation to treat the road as a track day.

Mr Watkinson died in Noble’s Hospital on June 2 after hitting the back of a Citroen C4 as both were heading towards Douglas. The road is not governed by a speed limit and was one-way for the TT period.

Accident investigator Constable Peter Dyer said Mr Watkinson’s bike was travelling at around 150mph as he approached a slight right-hand kink in the road before Brandywell. The Citroen was on the left hand side of the road and Mr Watkinson’s BMW1000RR approached from the right hand side of the road but then drifted left. Witnesses said the back of the bike lifted, indicating heavy braking just before the impact and Mr Watkinson was propelled over the car, coming to rest at the side of the road. The bike then landed upside-down in a field.

The driver of the Citroen was subject to an R-plate restriction limiting his speed to 50mph. At the time he was travelling at 42mph and told the court in a statement that he saw two dots in his rear view mirror and within about five seconds one flashed past and the other hit the back of his car.

Constable Dyer noted the two vehicles would have had a closing speed of around 100mph.

‘At those speeds, that slight bend becomes tighter and he may well have drifted on to the left hand side of the road inadvertently. I am of the opinion that 150mph is excessive for that section of road where some people are restricted to 50mph and where normal members of the public are using the road on their day-to-day business. I would say speed was a factor in the accident,’ he said.

Mr Watkinson’s friends, who stopped and gave first aid until paramedics arrived, were commended for their efforts by Mr Needham.

Mr Watkinson, who was described as a project manager, was pronounced dead in hospital at around 7.30am, around 45 minutes after the accident happened.

Mr Needham told relatives: ‘He was obviously a much-loved member of the family.’

But he added: ‘If there had been a speed limit in place, there is no suggestion that Shaun would not have observed it, and on that basis the collision would not have occurred and Shaun would be with us now.’

Photographs of food being thrown away from a Co-op in Ramsey have sparked outrage.

The photographs, which were taken at the Christian Street branch, were posted on social media site Facebook by a concerned Ramsey resident who said she was ‘utterly disgusted’ by what she had seen.

Eleanor Mary Bruce posted on Facebook: ‘I understand due to health and safety that food has to be disposed of, as it comes to its sell by date ,which by the way is a guideline, but surely this food could either be reduced to a realistic price or given away as a goodwill gesture to those in need.

‘We have a Wildlife Park and if it was sent out there at least it would serve a purpose.

‘I found it quite poignant when I was taking these pictures that there were small children making comments about how bad it was that this amount of food was getting thrown out regularly.

‘I really think you, as a company, need to find a better answer to this or take a leaf out of the French’s attitude where they are not allowed to throw food away. Plus, the food arriving in the store has a very short sell by date which doesn’t help as we live on an island.’

Isle of Man environmental charity Zero Waste Mann has also spoken out about the issue saying it will demand action on food waste.

In a statement the charity said: ‘We are aware of comments in social media about food being wasted at supermarkets on the island. Food waste is usually a hidden problem but when people see edible food being dumped in bins they start to take notice and ask questions.

‘Zero Waste Mann has always been concerned about food waste. Last year we organised a public meeting with Tristram Stuart, an international expert on food waste, so that the people of the Isle of Man could discuss the subject.

‘The figures were startling. He told us that households throw away 20 per cent of all the food that is purchased, usually because people have bought too much and it has gone past its best before date. A third of all the food produced in the world is wasted.

‘The food wasted in America would feed all the world’s hungry people. 10 per cent of all carbon dioxide emissions come from growing food that is never eaten.

‘Most of our food has been transported across the Irish Sea. It is too precious to waste.’

The charity, which is based at the Green Centre in Chester Street, Douglas, said people can avoid waste by buying just what they need and not creating waste.

‘When it comes to food waste at shops, restaurants and supermarkets we probably need regulations. In Scotland any company that produces more than 5kg of food waste is now required to present it separately for collection. In France they have introduced ‘doggie bags’ at restaurants and community cafés using spare food are common in other countries.’

Muriel Garland, chairman of Zero Waste Mann, said: ‘Sadly the latest Isle of Man government’s Waste Policy and Strategy 2012-2020 didn’t even mention food waste. We hope the new team under Mr Quayle will address this problem. Zero Waste Mann will soon be knocking on his door asking for a five year action plan on waste including all kinds of food waste’.

A Co-op spokesperson said the company is conducting trials in the South East of England and Yorkshire where it will donate food waste to local causes, including food banks, day centres and youth projects. If these schemes are successful, Co-Op will look at rolling this out across its 2,800 stores, including its stores in the Isle of Man.

The spokesperson said: ‘We are committed to reducing food waste and work hard to achieve the right balance between keeping our shelves fully stocked, while minimising food waste.

‘We often redistribute surplus fruit and vegetables to the local wildlife park and are in discussion with the Isle of Man food bank to identify ways to redistribute more food to local people.’

In addition, the company explained that all of its nine distribution centres supply a range of chilled food items such as yoghurt, meat, fruit, vegetables and ready meals to UK charity FareShare, donating a million meals each year by ensuring that food within its use by date is redistributed.

In the Isle of Man, the Department of Infrastructure’s (DOI) goal is to work ‘Towards Zero Waste’, as part of Waste Policy and Strategy 2012-2020.

By 2022 it hopes to increase recycling levels from the current 50 per cent to 70 per cent and decrease levels of landfill from 25 per cent to 5 per cent.

The DOI said it has been working with local authorities, industry and environmental groups to develop a clear focus and direction for waste management, and continues to promote a ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ policy to manage the island’s waste responsibly, sustainably and cost effectively.

The Department of Infrastructure/Local Authority Waste Working Group, which was established in 2015, has recently written to island supermarkets and food retailers to explore the potential to work together to reduce food waste.

Households have also been encouraged to play their part by considering their purchasing habits and ‘fridge management’ to reduce the amount of food that is thrown away.

A waste audit carried out in 2006-2007 showed that food waste accounted for 25 per cent of the contents of the average household bin in the Isle of Man.

Mark Cavendish is bidding to claim a second UCI World Road Race Championship title in Doha, Qatar this weekend.

The Manx Missile is part of Great Britain’s team for the prestigious one-day race, the pinnacle of the professional cycling season, the winner of which wears the famous rainbow jersey for the 2017 campaign.

Sunday’s elite men’s road race sees a world class field tackle more than 257 kilometres of terrain in the Middle Eastern country, including 151km of desert before returning for several circuits in the capital city of Doha.

The stage is suited to Cav and is likely to end in a bunch sprint, should everything go to plan for Team GB.

The Manxman is not the only local interest in the race though, as Castletown resident Ian Stannard is expected to be named in the final squad for Sunday while Onchan resident Ben Swift is also vying for a spot in GB’s nine-man team.

Should Cavendish claim victory on Sunday he will join a select group of only seven other riders who have won the world championship title twice, alongside the likes of Greg LeMond and Freddy Maertens.

Cavendish’s previous UCI World Road Race Championship success came in Copenhagen in 2011 when he held off the challenge of his then HTC-Highroad team-mate Matthew Goss and German star Andre Greipel in Denmark.

The latter is again expected to be in the mix in this weekend’s race, while Cav’s main rival could be Slovakian maverick Peter Sagan who is looking to retain the rainbow jersey he won in Richmond, America last year.

Cav’s hopes of glory have been hampered by a recent bout of illness which has somewhat thwarted his preparations for the race, with an intestinal infection forcing him to withdraw from several recent events.

However, the Team Dimension Data rider made his comeback in last weekend’s Paris Tours where he claimed an impressive sixth-place finish.

Sunday’s race will be shown live on BBC2 from 2.30-5pm, while highlights will be shown on Eurosport between 5.30-7.15pm that evening.

Report and photographs in next week’s Isle of Man Examiner, on sale Tuesday.

One of the fundraisers behind attempts to build a stand in memory of Corinthians’ captain Louis Thornton has been surprised by the impressive response to the campaign.

Adam Watterson, who has been helping to co-ordinate the bid to raise £5,000 to help erect a stand at Ballafletcher, said: ‘It has surprised me the amount of donations we have received in such a short space of time.

‘We raised almost £2,500 in two days. Even before setting up the justgiving page we had been approached by other clubs in the island, such as DHSOB and Douglas Athletic, asking about donations and how they could assist with fundraising.

‘It truly does feel like the whole island footballing community has come together at this difficult time.’

A few days on the total stands at nearly £4,000. Nevertheless Watterson, who played for the club with Louis since under-10s level, said this is only the start of the fundraising needed to build the structure on the bank, at the Noble’s Hospital end of the Corinthians’ pitch.

‘The committee had previously looked at examples of stands as part of the Ballafletcher move so we had a general idea of costs and the styles of stands that were available.

‘For the moment, the structure is still to be confirmed and is reliant upon planning approval.

‘The cost of the stand will be approximately £30,000 and the justgiving crowdfunding campaign has given us a great start to achieving our target.

‘We are still on the lookout for corporate sponsors or donations which will help us move closer to our goal – we could perhaps offer companies the opportunity to buy a seat.

‘In addition to the 26th minute applause that was arranged for Louis at the Riverside Stadium a few weeks ago, we are also in contact with Middlesbrough FC to see if a charity football game could be organised.

‘There will definitely be more fundraising events over the coming months. Some of the ideas that have been suggested are a 24-hour sponsored football game, entering the Parish Walk, raffles and we may even have friends climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.’

The initial idea to build a memorial stand came from a players’ discussion at a Corinthians’ committee meeting held shortly after Louis passed away.

‘It seemed like a very fitting tribute considering the contribution that Louis made to the club and how big a part the club played in Louis’s life.’ Watterson continued.

‘The Thornton family are completely supportive and fully behind the idea.

‘Corinthians played a massive part in Louis and his family’s lives. Louis’s dad Andy is the first-team manager.

‘Louis’s family and friends have visited the pitch almost daily since Louis passed away; the flowers and messages left on the pitch over the last few weeks have really brought strength and love when it was needed most which just reaffirms why the memorial stand at the pitch is so important.

‘We would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone for their kind messages, flowers, and football memorabilia placed on the pitch over the past few weeks.

‘We would also like to thank everyone for their generous donations thus far.’

Search ‘inmemoryoflouisthornton’ on justgiving.com to make a donation.

The Isle of Man will be joining in with a campaign aimed at encouraging more people to enjoy the benefits of digital technology.

Get Online Week, which runs from Monday to Sunday next week, will see events taking place in communities throughout the British Isles to show people how the internet can make life easier, healthier, cheaper and more fun.

A statement released by the government this afternoon (Friday) said: ‘It is widely acknowledged that getting online can benefit people financially and socially, helping them to keep in touch with friends and family and to access training and employment opportunities, leisure activities, research and information.

‘Island organisations will be hosting activities next week to build on the support and guidance already delivered year-round by local authorities, businesses, charities and voluntary groups.

‘Get Online Week also aligns with the Isle of Man Government’s Digital Inclusion Strategy, which is helping to reduce social isolation and its associated health risks, particularly among older people. The focus is on breaking down the barriers that people face in terms of skills, access to equipment and broadband, trust and motivation.’

The government is encouraging organisations to sign up to its Digital Inclusion Charter, while a number of public servants are volunteering as Digital Friends to help others develop their skills.

As part of Get Online Week, the Harvey Briggs Onchan Library will be hosting two special events on Thursday.

A Tea & Teach session takes place between 2pm and 4pm, with a Code Playground for children from 4pm to 6pm.

Places can be booked at onchan.library@onchan.org.im

Help and advice is available at the library on Tuesday mornings and people can also drop in to the computer sessions at the Leonard Cheshire building on the main road in the village.

Weekly computer club classes are also available through Age Isle of Man in Peel, Ramsey, Douglas and Port St Mary.

Peel: House of Manannan – Monday AM/PM

Ramsey: Ramsey Town Hall – Tuesday AM and Friday AM/PM

Douglas: iMuseum Kingswood Grove – Wednesday AM/PM and Thursday AM

Port St Mary: New Southlands, ground floor library – Monday AM/PM and Thursday PM

Barry Hodge who runs the classes said: ‘Everybody is welcome, from beginners who have never switched on a computer to the more experienced users who just want to ask a question or two.’

Further information is available from www.ageisleofman.org.im and on Facebook.

The Henry Bloom Noble Library in Douglas has computer facilities available for public use.

Borough librarian Jan Macartney said: ‘Our IT suite is well used and many people bring their own devices as we provide charging points and free wi-fi. We also have online services at www.douglaslibrary.im including ebooks, emagazines, comics, graphic novels and online encyclopaedias. These resources are available 24/7, so can be invaluable for people working unsocial hours or those who cannot visit the library in person.’

The Chamber of Commerce is also helping its members to improve their digital skills by holding workshops for small businesses.

A Marketing Through Social Media event is being held on Tuesday 18 October to be followed later in the year by workshops on search engine optimisation, online security and managing social media reputation. Further details are available at www.iomchamber.org.im

Any organisations wishing to sign up to the Digital Inclusion Charter or learn more about the Government’s Digital Inclusion Strategy should contact change@gov.im

Questions were raised over the future of Douglas Golf Club at a recent meeting of Douglas Council.

A motion put forward by Murray’s ward Councillor Falk Horning calls on councillors to consider alternative use for the golf club site.

The motion proposes closing the golf club, which is subsidised by Douglas Council, once obligations have been met to season ticket holders and selling off the clubhouse and equipment.

It suggests redevelopment of up to one third of the golf course for single family homes while the remaining area should be retained for recreational purposes.

Councillors agreed for the motion to be referred to the council’s executive committee.

Members of that committee can then consider the proposal and report back to the full council for debate in the new year.

Castletown resident Jonathan Rea could seal back-to-back world superbike titles this weekend in Spain.

The reigning champion heads into the penultimate round of the 2016 series with a 48-point lead over Kawasaki team-mate Tom Sykes.

With only two races at Jerez this weekend and two in Qatar at the end of the month to go, there’s a maximum of 100 points left to play for. This means Rea could secure the title in Spain as he did last year.

Rea said: ‘Jerez holds very special memories so I am excited to go back there.

‘It seems like we are in a good way with the bike in races and this is the first opportunity I have to win the championship this weekend.

‘If we do a good job we can achieve our target of being world champions.

‘That is in the back of my mind but also we have to be clever, because Tom and Chaz [Davies] are riding really strongly and I am sure some others will also be strong in Jerez.

‘I’ll just try to go out and have two solid races. I have a lot of support coming from back home.’

A 45-year-old builder from Douglas has been fined £750 after a pub row with a former friend of 40 years escalated.

Alexander John Gelling, of Brunswick Road, also had a suspended sentence previously received increased from two years to three years.

On that occasion, he received 16 weeks’ custody, suspended for two years, in February 2015 after admitting disorderly behaviour at the Heron pub in Anagh Coar.

Prosecutor Hazel Carroon told the court how, at 6.20pm on January 16, police were called after an incident at the Woodbourne pub in Alexander Drive in Douglas.

Gelling pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly behaviour on licensed premises but entered a basis of plea in which he said he had been drinking in the main bar when a man with whom he had been friends for around 40 years entered the pub.

Gelling said that the man was clearly intoxicated and was being loud and obnoxious. He said that he was being verbally abused by the man but kept turning his back on him.

Gelling said that he was embarrassed by the abuse and finally stood up and gestured for the man to go outside with him.

He admitted that, in the pub corridor, the pair grabbed each other by the jacket and said that the man tried to throw a punch at him but missed.

The two men then left the pub by separate exits.

Defending Gelling in court advocate Andrew Marshall said: ‘Mr Gelling and this man had been friends but their friendship had deteriorated.

‘Mr Gelling had only consumed two pints of Guinness while the other man had been out drinking for five hours.

‘My client admits grabbing his jacket but it had been a heated argument between old friends.

‘Mr Gelling has been back to the pub a number of times since and apologised to the landlord and that was accepted.

‘He has worked as a self-employed builder and joiner for 28 years and has a good reputation on the island.’

Mr Marshall went on to say how his client had been ‘no stranger to the courts’ in the 1980s and 90s but had since turned his life around.

Gelling supplied seven letters of reference, including one from the Woodbourne landlord, who said that he had known Gelling for more than 10 years and had never encountered any trouble with him. Another reference, from a former police inspector, described Gelling as ‘honest, reliable, hardworking and respectful’.

The other man involved in the incident was dealt with separately.

Gelling was also ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs by Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes.

The Magicians of Mann were treated to a masterclass in playing card magic at the Columba Club in Douglas.

American magician Steve Beam visited the island as part of a lecture tour and stayed for several days.

The secretary of the magic club, Mike Clague, said that this was Steve Beam’s fourth visit to the Isle of Man.

He added: ‘He was blown away by the island’s history and castles on previous visits and he decided to make time for even more exploring on this occasion.’

Local conjurors attended a lecture, which was supported by the Isle of Man Arts Council.

Mike said: ‘It was really amazing. Steve invents new routines with cards, and has written dozens of books that are admired by magicians all over the world. Luckily for us, they are all effects that aspiring magicians can learn and perform, after plenty of practice, of course!’

Following the lecture, chairman Paul Martin announced that the club members had unanimously agreed to make Steve an honorary lifetime member of the Magicians of Mann, and presented him with a pin badge and a copy of The Magic Isle book published in 2015.

Steve also led a four-hour workshop, giving hands-on tuition of magic sleights and related miracles.

Some of the Young Magicians of Mann, a separate club, were also able to attend on both days.

The Magicians of Mann are staging an evening of magic at the Peel Centenary Centre on Friday, November 11, at 7.30pm.

The show, produced by Lexi Watterson, will incorporate a competition for the Arthur Culpin Challenge Cup and the title of Magician of Mann 2016.

Lexi said that the show would provide guaranteed amazement and fun for all the family.

She added: ‘It’s great to be able to support the Centenary Centre, and their terrific volunteers, and we’re hoping for a full house, as it was when we last performed there in 2014.’

Tickets are available online at www.centenarycentre.com/whats-on, Celtic Gold in Peel, Shakti Man in Ramsey, Peter Norris Music in Douglas and Thompson Travel in Port Erin.

The story of Hospice Isle of Man has been told in a new book to celebrate the charity’s 33rd anniversary.

Well-known island author Derek Winterbottom has penned ‘Our Island Hospice 1983 - 2016’, which tells the story of how a charity that started with one nurse and one doctor is now making a difference to over 400 patients in the island each year.

The book continues on from 2003 book ‘A Promise Fulfilled’, written by Nadene Crowther and Peter Vickers, about the charity up until that year.

This year Hospice celebrates 33 years of specialist palliative care and it also marks nine years in its purpose built accommodation at Strang on November 5.

Mr Winterbottom has covered all printing costs so all proceeds from the book will go to Hospice.

Chief executive of Hospice Isle of Man Margaret Simpson thanked Mr Winterbottom for his generosity, time and for funding the book.

She said: ‘He has told our story beautifully, it is an interesting tale of everyone involved with us who passionately care about our patients and their families. We cannot thank him enough.’

‘Our Island Hospice’ is priced at £10 and can be bought from all Hospice shops.

All money raised will go to Hospice Isle of Man.

Each year the charity needs to raise £4million to meets its running costs.

Parents of children who are educated either at home or privately have been warned they must register with the Department of Education and Children.

The rules apply to those teaching their children at home or sending them to private – rather than state – schools.

Andrew Shipley, legal and administration manager, said: ‘Responsibility for ensuring a child is educated rests with parents/guardians. If they do not register their child with one of the DEC’s 37 schools, they are legally required to complete a form advising how and, if at a private school, where their child is educated.

‘This should happen within three months of a child reaching compulsory school age, which is five.’

To get a registration form, visit www.gov.im/education

Otherwise, contact staff by calling 685820 or email admin@doe.gov.im

Discover the history, music and dance of Hop- tu-Naa with an activity pack.

Culture Vannin, in conjunction with the Department of Education and Children, has produced the pack in time for this year’s celebration of the ancient Manx custom on October 31.

It includes audio files with the songs and an account of the Jinnie the Witch story along with puzzles and recipes all in a format suitable for primary schools.

Download the pack from http://manxmusic.com/news_story_448141.html

An animal lover from Pulrose has adopted eight kittens after she discovered them in Tesco’s car park.

Marian Duggan, 62, spotted the litter and began feeding them with the intention to trap them and keep them safe.

The kittens were all 13 to 14 weeks old when she caught them last month and took them to her home.

Mrs Duggan now shares her home with 13 cats, a lizard and a Jack Russell.

But it’s no trouble for Mrs Duggan, who said that all you need to do is ‘give them tip-bits and play with them’.

Concerned for the welfare of the kittens’ mother, who looked to be pregnant again, she returned to the car park to catch it.

She said: ‘I set the trap and hid it, making it look like a cardboard box. Within a few hours, I had caught her.’

She took the cat to Mann Cat Sanctuary in Santon, where it gave birth to a litter of kittens four days later.

The cat fell ill due to the high number of litters it had given birth to in such a short space of time. But after attention from a vet, the mother recovered, along with five kittens.

There have been frequent issues with feral cats in Tesco car park, with several cats being caught in the last year.

Juana Warburton, general manager at the MSPCA, said: ‘We have trapped and neutered 14 cats in the last 12 months from Tesco car park area, using up to three traps at any one time.

‘But within the last four to six weeks, the traps we have set have been triggered by someone and therefore have stayed empty.

‘Cats come to the Tesco area from local houses because it’s a food source and so removing one set of feral cats does not solve the problem long term. Therefore we will continue to set traps, and monitor them daily.’

The ManxSPCA works all over the island to trap, neuter and release feral cats.

All cats that are caught are then to Ard Jerkyll for health checks. Then, if there is an appropriate food source, they are returned to where they were found, or they are placed in the hands of farmers or land owners who need help with rodent control.

Mrs Warburton said: ‘Feral cats thrive on the island because we don’t have other predators here like foxes or badgers. They kill smaller mammals but they also predate birds, with ducklings and small ducks being a particular favourite.

‘Feral cats are often a nuisance to people. Howling, scavenging for food and sometimes fighting with domestic cats, this can cause injury and spread disease. So it is in everyone’s best interest for the feral population to be controlled. A female cat and her unneutered offspring can have 40,000 kittens over a 10 year period.’

For help from the ManxSPCA call 851672.

Blue Point is the location for Sunday’s (October 16) Beach Buddies cleaning session.

Beach cleaning gets under way at 10.30am for the first visit to this area since the end of the summer nesting season.

Beach Buddies’ co-ordinator Bill Dale said: ‘Blue Point has its own Beach Buddies bin, kindly sponsored by Aston International, and it is regularly filled by people using the beach, and the beach in the immediate vicinity of the car park is always in very good condition, but further along the coast we expect to find a fair amount.’

All necessary equipment will be provided for volunteers, including hand wipes and hand gels afterwards. The charity has welcomed a number of new volunteers to most of its sessions this year and so far has enjoyed the help of approaching 7,000 volunteers since 2014. New volunteers, including families and well-behaved dogs are always welcome to attend by just turning up on the day. Sessions end no later than midday.

The Department of Infrastructure has responded to criticism over the recent re-opening of Laxey bridge.

As we reported last week, residents and business owners have complained about the bridge, as it is unclear who has the right of way.

In a statement this week, the DoI claims the bridge ‘reduces the volume and speed of vehicles that may be using Old Laxey as a shortcut through the village.’

It said: ‘The road layout and design of the bridge achieve this by making drivers slow down to low speeds and by increasing their awareness of other road users.

‘As before, the new bridge is not a two-lane highway and vehicles have to show great consideration to others using the bridge.’

The DoI feels the addition of the bridge is in keeping with the pedestrian-friendly character of Old Laxey.

Taking into account the complaints from residents, Nigel Dobson, chairman of Garff Commissioners, said that ‘it is something that we will take a look at’.

Recently elected MHK for Garff, Daphne Caine, urged her constituents who have issues with the bridge to contact her.

She said: ‘We need to be a little bit patient, and residents should speak to me if they have any issues.’

Bill Snelling, 69, who lives on Glen Road, described the response from the DoI as ‘absolutely ridiculous’.

Mr Snelling also claims that the height of the railings on either side of the bridge could cause an accident as it ‘makes it difficult to see small approaching vehicles’.

The old bridge collapsed in December last year due to damage caused by flash flooding, but the new bridge has been designed to withstand far higher forces.

The DoI said this will ‘improve community protection and resilience in the event of any future flooding’.

The bridge is not officially finished and the department will continue to monitor the situation.

World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea lent a hand this week to dig the foundations for the extension to Braddan Bridge House.

The Joey Dunlop Foundation’s disabled holiday accommodation, which was opened in 2010 by TT star John McGuinness and Joey’s widow, Linda, is to be extended by a further two flats.

Kevin Quirk is a trustee of the foundation and manager of the holiday complex. He said the success of the flats and their growing popularity over the past six years had prompted the expension.

‘When the charity’s objectives were discussed 15 years ago, it was apparent there was a shortage of disability-friendly, accessible facilities on the island.

‘We believe that the success of the JDF flats has been a catalyst for other holiday providers to expand into this market.

‘With demand far exceeding our greatest expectations, it is essential that the additional apartments are completed before summer 2017.’

Mr Quirk said the plan was to complete the project before next summer. The expansion will see the accommodation increase by half, from offering 12 beds to 18 beds.

The accommodation has been available from March to January each year and has provided somewhere to stay for people of all ages and disabilities. The work means the season this year will be slightly curtailed but the objective is for all five flats to be fully operational again by next April.

Mr Quirk said Castletown resident Jonathan Rea’s visit, to begin digging the foundations, had been a highlight for the charity. There’s even a family link as Jonathan’s father Jonny Rea competed against Joey Dunlop at the TT races in the 1980s.

‘Jonathan was impressed with our superb facilities and we hope to welcome him back to our grand opening next year,’ Mr Quirk said.

The foundation trustees are hoping to have a grand reopening of the extended facilities, which is provisionally set for Mad Sunday during the 2017 TT race fortnight.

‘My task now is to ensure that the facilities are fully occupied,’ Mr Quirk said.

The charity is always keen to receive any funding or donations. Further information about this or about the accommodation and bookings can be found on the website at www.joeydunlopfoundation.com

A fight between two men on Bucks Road is being investigated by police.

The fracas happened soon before 10pm on Friday night (October 14). Both men were injured in the altercation and have now been arrested. Police would now like to hear from a number of people in the area who witnessed the fight.

Anyone with information should contact police headquarters on 631212. The police investigating the incident are Constable Adam McLoughlin and Constable Beckie O’Brien.

Reigning Canada Life Premier Division champions St George’s lost in the league for the first time since January 2015 on Saturday afternoon.

Corinthians triumphed 4-3 at Glencrutchery Road to bring to an end Geordies’ 42-match unbeaten run.

The Whites raced into a 4-1 lead at the break thanks to goals from Stephen Whitley, Darren Cain and Connor Gorman before Geordies pulled a couple more back in the second 45.

St Mary’s are now only two points back on Geordies in second after they beat Ayre 11-0 in Andreas.

Peel boosted their chances of Railway Cup qualification with a 3-0 win at rivals Laxey. Daniel Bell’s header gave the westerners the lead before Adam Cregeen added a second. Fellow defender Dominic McGreevy completed the scoring for Steve Falconer’s side.

Rushen are up to fourth in standings behind Peel after they beat southern rivals Colby 4-1 at the Station Fields. Mike Williams led the way for the Spaniards with a hat-trick joining Aaron Hawley on the scoresheet. Carl Hickey bagged Colby’s consolation.

St John’s are only behind Rushen on goal difference. The Johnners beat Douglas Athletic 3-1 thanks to goals from Sam Batey, Stuart Morrison and Ant Moore.

Josh Green grabbed the Pinks’ first-half leveller.

In the top flight’s other game DHSOB’s edged past Ramsey 3-2 at Blackberry Lane.

In JCK Division Two league leaders Braddan triumphed 12-0 over bottom side Malew. Top scorer Andy Glover grabbed eight goals to strengthen his lead at the top of the Silver Boot standings.

Foxdale remain second after they triumphed over Governor’s Athletic 11-3 at Bemahague.

Douglas Royal stay in third, three points behind the top two. Royal defeated Michael 6-0 thanks to three own goals, a brace from Andrew Lancaster and a single strike from John Quirk.

Pulrose dented Gymns’ promotion hopes with a 2-1 win at Springfield Road, while Castletown remain in the top-four mix after they edged past in-form Onchan 3-2 at the Stadium.

Saturday, October 15

Canada Life Premier League

Ayre 0-11 St Mary’s

St George’s 3-4 Corinthians

Colby 1-4 Rushen

Douglas Athletic 1-3 St John’s

DHSOB 3-2 Ramsey

Laxey 0-3 Peel

JCK Division Two

Pulrose Utd 2-1 Gymns

Governor’s Athletic 3-11 Foxdale

Castletown 3-2 Onchan

Braddan 12-0 Malew

Marown P-P Douglas and District

Michael Utd 0-6 Douglas Royal

Canada Life Combination One

Corinthians 0-2 St George’s

Rushen Utd 5-1 Colby

St John’s 2-1 Douglas Athletic

Ramsey 3-9 DHSOB

Peel 1-1 Laxey

JCK Combination Two

Gymns 2-2 Pulrose Utd

Foxdale 2-1 Governor’s Athletic

Onchan 3-0 Castletown

Malew P-P Braddan

Douglas & District 2-7 Marown

Douglas Royal P-P Michael Utd

Watercolour paintings by the late Manx artist Angela Drower will go on display in London.

The private view exhibition, My Isle of Man, takes place at Putney School of Art and Design tomorrow (Sunday).

Angela (1926-2015) was born in Douglas, the youngest granddaughter of Joseph Cunningham who founded the Cunningham Young Men’s Holiday Camp in 1879.

Her time as a child was divided between the holiday camp in Douglas and her father Harley Cunningham’s farm at Ellerslie.

It was there that she grew to love Manx wild open spaces, scenes she returned to paint later in her life.

Angela’s parents had a keen interest in collecting art and bought many paintings from their close family friend William Hoggatt.

Inspired by Hoggatt, Angela took to watercolours at a young age, later going on to study art at the Regents Street Polytechnic in London.

It was during her studies there that she met her husband, the BBC newsreader and presenter Denys Drower and they married in 1947.

Their three children, Annabel, Jill and the late poet and satirist Roly Drower were brought up near London but the couple moved back to the island in the mid-1980s after their retirement, living in Lower Foxdale and then Ballaugh.

The move meant that Angela was able to return to painting what she loved most: the Manx countryside, specialising in watercolours of Manx scenes and cottages.

Her paintings included scenes of Peel Harbour, Slieau Whallian, Tynwald Day and Snuff the Wind.