Island manager Steve Burns has named the 16 players that will take on the Yorkshire Amateur League in the second round of the Inter-league Cup next weekend.

There are a few changes to the squad that travelled to Limerick in October for the Umbro Quadrangular tournament with several familiar names returning to the travelling party.

First choice goalkeepers Max Thomas (St Mary’s) and Grant Dawson (St George’s) are both back in the fold after being unavailable to travel to Ireland.

Rushen winger turned full-back Stephen Riding and St Mary’s centre-back Karl Clark also didn’t make October’s trip across the Irish Sea, the pair returning for Saturday’s tie at the expense of club-mates Adam Cregeen (Rushen) and Darren Cain (St Mary’s).

Further forward St George’s talisman Calum Morrissey remains sidelined with a back injury, but there are places for Geordies’ team-mates Sam Caine and Conor Doyle who both impressed in Ireland.

St George’s combative midfielder James McStay doesn’t make the trip to Yorkshire, but the Canada Life Premier League leaders still provide 10 players, including island stalwarts Sean Quaye, Johnny Myers, Julian Ringham and Chris Bass Jr.

Laxey strikers Mark Wolfenden and Ashley Webster also miss out on this occasion with Burns instead looking to Caine, Doyle and Gale to provide his attacking cover alongside the established Ciaran McNulty.

Saturday’s game takes place at the West Riding County FA in Leeds, kicking off at 1pm. More in next Thursday’s Manx Independent.

Squad

Goalkeepers Grant Dawson (St George’s), Max Thomas (St Mary’s); Defenders Julian Ringham (St George’s), Karl Clark (St Mary’s), Johnny Myers (St George’s), Sean Quaye (St George’s), Stephen Riding (Rushen); Frank Jones (St George’s), Dan Bell (Peel), Liam Cowin (St George’s), Marc Kelly (Peel), Chris Bass Jr (St George’s); Forwards Ciaran McNulty (St George’s), Lee Gale (Peel), Sam Caine (St George’s), Conor Doyle (St George’s).

Friday, November 29

Paddy Power Masters’ League

8.40pm @ the Bowl

Ronaldsway v Colby A

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Saturday, November 30

BCS Railway Cup Semi-finals

Laxey v Rushen (1.30pm kick-off)

St Mary’s v St George’s (2.30pm kick-off)

2pm kick-offs

Canada Life Premier League

Michael v Ramsey

RYCOB v St John’s

JCK Division Two

Foxdale v Douglas and District

Malew v Braddan

Marown v Gymns

Onchan v Ronaldsway

Canada Life Combination One

DHSOB v Corinthians

Peel v Castletown

Ramsey v St John’s

JCK Combination Two

Braddan v Pulrose

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Sunday, December 1

Appleby 15-17 League

10.30am KO

Corinthians v Onchan

Colby v Ramsey A

Union Mills v St George’s

Peel v Laxey

Paddy Power Masters’ League

Laxey v Colby B 2pm @ Glen Road

Michael v Braddan 2pm @ Balleira Road

Warehouse Fitness Floodlit Cup Group A

Castletown v Corinthians 2.10pm @ the Bowl

DHSOB v Peel 3.40pm @ the Bowl

Round three of the Microgaming Cross-Country League takes place on a new course at QEII School, Peel on Sunday afternoon, organised by Western AC.

There will be adequate car parking space at the front, to the side (next to astro pitch) or around the back of the school so please do not park on the main road running alongside the high school grounds. Toilets and refreshments will be available on the day.

The schedule of events is: 12.45 to 2pm registration; 2pm under-nine boys/girls (one small lap); 2.10pm u11 boys/girls (one lap); 2.15pm u13 boys/girls, short course (two laps); 2.25pm u15 boys/girls, u17 women (three laps), u17 men, junior/senior/veteran women (four laps), junior men (five laps), senior/veteran men (six laps).

The course is approximately one mile per lap. Course maps can be viewed at www.westernac.org

Competitors are asked to be at the start line at least five minutes before the scheduled start of their race.

All competitors must register between 12.45 and 2pm. Entry fees are £4 for under-18s, £5 for 18s and over who are paid-up members of an athletics club, and £7 for unattached runners aged 18 and over. If competing for the first time this season, an entry form must be completed. If you competed in the first round please use the same race number.

Further details including downloadable entry forms are on the cross country page at www.iomaa.info

Thursday, December 5 - Ramsey Bakery Firemen’s Road Race League (round three of six). Massed start at 7pm, signing on will be from 6.15 in the fire station.

Sunday, December 8 - Microgaming-sponsored off-road duathlon, South Barrule Plantation, 9.30am start (3km run, followed by a 15km cycle and another 3km run). More details available at www.manxtriclub.com

Sunday, December 8 - Up & Running-sponsored Winter Walking League (round three of five). Sign on at St John’s FC 9.15am.

IMGold, the Douglas-based gold bullion depository and trading company, has appointed Sara Findlay as head of operations.

Responsibilities in her new role include vault management, office security, customer services, key partnership relationships, and operational finance.

Sara grew up in the Isle of Man and has spent the majority of her career in the offshore financial services industry.

This includes 10 years working for the fund administration business of one of the world’s largest banks in supervisory and management roles.

Sara also has extensive experience dealing with corporate and high net worth clients and has worked in the UK and Europe in business development roles.

Sara said: ‘The fact that IMGold is the first business of its type in the Isle of Man was a major factor in my decision to join the company.

‘It’s exciting to be part of a brand new venture, and to play a key role in developing a unique business concept here in the island.’

Ed Pearce, IMGold managing director, said: ‘With a small but dedicated team at IMGold the role of head of operations is a critical one in our business model.

‘We’re delighted to have recruited someone with Sara’s experience and skillset and she will make a significant contribution to the growth of the business.’

IMGold is the trading name of Isle of Man Bullion Ltd which can buy, sell and store gold and silver bullion.

Based in Victoria Street, it has offices and below ground vaults which are electronically protected and monitored by G4S with security systems equalling or exceeding industry standards.

IMGold offers depository facilities to both small and larger-scale bullion owners with amounts from 500g.

Customers also have the freedom to visit IMGold’s premises and withdraw, deposit, or purchase bullion for their holding at any time.

For more information go to www.imgold.com or call 888 888.

One of the island’s radio stations has won an award from an industry body.

Manx Radio has won the North West category of the Radio Academy’s 2013 Nations and Regions Awards for stations serving under a million people.

However, when asked about other entrants, Caroline Evans of the Radio Academy said: ‘I cannot say whether they were any other entrants.’

That information was confidential, she said, and the Radio Academy would not release it.

{http://www.radioacademy.org/events/nations-regions-awards-2012/nations-regions-awards-2011/nations-and-regions-awards-2010/nr-awards-09/|In 2009, the Radio Academy did publish other nominated stations’ names and a volunteer-run station based in Greater Manchester was the other nominee.}

Neither of the island’s other radio stations, 3FM and Energy, entered the competition.

Manx Radio will now go forward into the Station of the Year (under 1 million) category at the 2014 Radio Academy Awards.

The Academy’s verdict on the station was: ‘A station which works hard to deliver a broad and comprehensive service to its audience. Proudly local, but with a world view, there’s a real depth to Manx Radio and a huge passion and dedication to deliver for their audience, but all the while demonstrating excellence across the board.’

Manx Radio competes against commercial media in the island for advertising revenue but is also subsidised by the taxpayer. According to the station’s website, 45 per cent of its £2m annual costs are paid for by the state.

Father Christmas will be in his grotto tomorrow (Saturday) from 10.30am until 1.30pm at Onchan Methodist Church.

Morning coffee and light lunches will be served together with various gift stalls, cakes and crafts.

If milk is stolen from your doorstep, the police want to know.

They have issued an appeal for information about the crime after a theft in Douglas.

In the early hours of Tuesday, several pints of milk were stolen from outside the newspaper shop on Brunswick Road.

A police spokesman said: ‘We would like to take this opportunity to remind all stores and persons who receive milk to arrange with Isle of Man Creameries to have the delivery secured.’

Constable Mike Griffiths said milk theft was a growing problem and that people needed to be more security conscious.

He also said that it was ‘essential’ to report the crime to identify patterns and trends in local areas.

The police sent the picture above and said: ‘You do not need to go to the extent as pictured however, a lockbox would go some way to deter thieves from taking your milk.’

This year’s Santa Dash is to take place on Wednesday, December 18.

The event will see an important change to the route.

The event’s organiser, the Isle of Man Bank’s head of community investment, John Lindon, said: ‘The works by the Department of Infrastructure on Loch Promenade have meant we have had to amend the Victoria Street section of the course. The change has been approved by the police.

‘Instead of going all the way down Victoria Street, as in previous years, the competitors will turn left and enter the lane at the rear of the Royal Bank of Scotland building and then onto the promenade via Villiers Square. After that everything will be as normal - along the promenade and up Church Road to Finch Road, finishing at the entrance to the South Douglas Old Friends Association.’

As the diversion will make the course slightly shorter it has been decided that even if the fastest-ever times are broken they will not count as new records.

The men’s best of four minutes 20 seconds was set by Kevin Loundes in 2011 while Rachael Franklin’s time of five minutes five seconds last year is the quickest to date by a lady Santa.

Entry forms are available in any branch of Isle of Man Bank or by downloading from the bank’s website.

They must be returned to John Lindon at Howard Pearson House in Victoria Road by December 17.

Competitors should be aged 18 or over and running on behalf of a Manx-registered charity.

Participants can raise individual sponsorship for their chosen charities but on-course collections are not permitted.

The Isle of Man Bank will be putting up £2,900 worth of prizes.

Cheques for £300, £200 and £100 go to the first three finishers with £100 awarded to the first lady Santa. There will also be rewards of £100 each for the best dressed Santas and, in addition, 20 spot prizes of £100 each for pre-determined - but secret - finishing positions.

The dash starts from the bank’s premises in Athol Street at 12.30pm but competitors must sign in at the South Douglas Old Friends’ Association, Finch Road, from 12 noon.

That is where each competitor will receive a goody bag at the warm-down reception and where the results will be announced.

Action should be taken to reduce the speed of traffic in Castletown before there is a serious accident.

This was the warning made by residents David and Brenda Brown, whose request that the Department of Infrastructure (DoI) impose a 20mph speed limit on the majority of the town’s roads was rejected by the department.

The Douglas Street residents said the speed of traffic on their street alone has ‘definitely’ increased in recent years, they, and other residents, feel action should be taken.

The town’s local authority is sympathetic to their stance.

Last year, Mr and Mrs Brown made a similar request to the department, but it fell on deaf ears. Prompted by a similar action in Peel, where the local authority’s suggestion for a 20mph limit on all but major arteries was also rejected by the department, the Browns reiterated their request.

‘The DoI have said “no” to Castletown and now “no” to Peel,’ said Mr Brown. ‘Collectively, we need to continue the pressures on the DoI to listen to our concerns, through the various local town commissioners and their respective MHKs.

‘It is a very serious matter and the DoI must put public safety at the top of their agenda. Pedestrians throughout the island are now at risk of serious injury with the increasing number of vehicles on our narrow town roads and the deteriorating standard of driving.’

Mrs Brown added the town has four schools meaning there are a lot of children negotiating narrow pavements.

‘What is needed is some common sense from the DoI to change their position on the introduction of 20mph in residential areas. It works well in many towns and cities across,’ said Mr Brown.

He suggested 20mph be painted on the roads with signposts and ‘twenty’s plenty’ written on them.

In response to their latest bid to impose the limit, Kevin Almond, network traffic and transportation manager at the DoI’s Highways Division said there were no reported personal injury road traffic accidents on any of the residential streets within Castletown within the last three years.

‘Speed data collected from various residential streets shows that only a very small percentage of drivers travel faster than the post speed limits.

He said that the majority of drivers travel within the speed limit so the department ‘would not support creating additional 20mph speed limits within Castletown at this time’.

Mr Brown said: ‘We are all very disappointed as we had the full support of Castletown Town Commissioners and from many residents in the town.

‘It looks as if there has to be a number of reported accidents before any action is taken by the Highways Division, which is baffling as the purpose of our proposal was to prevent accidents happening in the future with a minimum cost factor for signs, etc.’

We should know in the next two to three weeks which routes Flybe will retain and which will go when it closes its island base.

But there’s also a question mark over early morning flights on surviving routes if the airline chooses not to stable aircraft here overnight.

Questions about Flybe’s plans to close six regional bases including that at Ronaldsway from the end of March next year dominated this week’s House of Keys sitting.

Questioned over the impact of the closure, Infrastructure Minister David Cretney said despite looking to shut the base and make most of its island staff redundant, Flybe is keen to stress it will continue to fly scheduled services to and from Ronaldsway.

But Mr Cretney, who alongside Chief Minister Allan Bell raised concerns at a meeting with the airline’s chief executive office Saad Hammad last week, added: ‘At this stage the company has not declared which routes it will continue past March 31, 2014. I believe this news will be forthcoming over the next two to three weeks and until their determinations are concluded we can only speculate on the effect this may have on businesses and tourism.’

Mr Cretney said the company was forced to make drastic cuts to try to secure the future of the business as a whole.

He said Mr Hammad had made it clear that only one of its routes out of Ronaldsway is profitable - the Manchester route.

He told MHKs that Mr Hammad was asked if there was an opportunity for island-based staff to transfer to the Manchester base but be permanently rostered to Manx routes - allowing them to continue living here, save on redundancy costs and provide savings on overnight stays incurred by nightstopping aircraft using Manchester crews.

The Minister said: ‘The chief executive said they would look at this proposal. However, it would be dependent on how the aircraft were scheduled as it is unlikely one aircraft would fly to and from Ronaldsway the whole day as happens now.’

It is understood, however, that Mr Hammad told staff during his visit last week there are no plans to stable aircraft here overnight. If all aircraft have to fly in from the UK first, this could have an impact of early morning services.

Mr Cretney told the Manx Independent: ‘He spoke about the costs of overnight staying here but I don’t think anything is finalised yet.’

He said his department was also talking to a number of alternative airlines should Flybe choose to drop some of its routes.

This would include the patient transfer service to Liverpool, for which Flybe signed a three-year contract, worth £1.6m a year, only in September.

He told MHKs: ‘We made it very clear to Flybe that we understand there’s an obligation. However, if it’s obviously going to change in some way we understand others may be able to take up such a service.’

Mr Cretney said he had met on Monday with senior executives from BA CityFlyer and remained confident of a ‘satisfactory outcome’ to talks over restoration of early morning flights to London City, a service currently cut to one flight a day.

Questioned earlier about the impact of Flybe’s base closure, Treasury Minister Eddie Teare voiced misgivings about a suggestion that governent should set up an airline run on a franchise basis.

‘I would be very concerned if government became involved in an airline company. There would be a temptation to interfere in schedules and fares,’ he said.

The island has endured a year of bad news about its air links.

All links to Scotland have ended.

Flybe is to pull out of London Gatwick in March next year, removing four flights a day from the airport.

While EasyJet has increased its, the flights will be less frequent and at less convenient times.

BA CityFlyer has reduced its London City service from three times a day to one.

CityWing has pulled out of Leeds and Oxford.

Secluded by tall trees, Laxey tram station has always exuded an air of timeless charm - the silence between arrivals and departures broken only by the cawing of the rooks.

But the site presents a very different scene today as contractors moved in as part of £678,000 ‘improvement’ scheme.

With the rails ripped up and a number of trees felled, it looks more like a bombsite than a hub of the island’s historic rail network.

Tynwald approved funding for project to replace aging trackwork at last month’s sitting amid warnings that without these vital engineering works the Manx Electric Railway would be forced to close for good. The scheme will also allow the first phase of the Laxey regeneration to begin.

But enthusiasts fear heritage is being destroyed - and the station’s unique atmosphere lost forever.

Manx Electric Railway Society spokesman Richard Dodge said: ‘It remains this Society’s concern and fear that plans for Laxey station, as approved by the planning authority, will effectively destroy the character and ambience of the station and do nothing to enhance the passengers’ MER experience.

‘Although at the site clearing stage, this is already in part evident through the felling of a number of trees and creating a distinct and obvious hole at the point where a ‘hatchet’ shaped walkway is to be created, robbing the station of its secluded timeless charm.

‘But this is just the start. If proposals are fully implemented the area is to be given a modernistic makeover with wholly inappropriate materials and street furniture more suited to a newly built out of town shopping centre than a Victorian station in a conservation area.

‘Comments from the DCCL Minister that money for such an approach is currently not available are largely irrelevant, planning approval has several years until expiry and there is nothing to suggest that funding won’t be found from the railway’s budget or elsewhere in a future financial year.

‘This whole unfortunate episode highlights a lacklustre approach to a rich Manx heritage by a seemingly unconcerned government. Rather than destroying what the island should be proud of, efforts should be concentrated on promoting the island’s unique heritage worldwide.’

No one from the DCCL was available for comment. It is understood that a number of trees have been cut down to make way for a pedestian walkway to a proposed new ‘Town Square’. The rustic-looking station building and kiosk will be retained.

After a loud and lively second heat of Amber Bar’s battle of the bands competition, the four acts that will take the stage for this Saturday’s (November 30) big final have been decided.

With the Gentlemen’s Musical Emporium and Teresa McNulty already booking their places in the first heat, there were two slots remaining as 9 Bar Gypsies, Deady Long Legs, Dr Q and The Evil Empire and Your Gold Teeth prepared to play.

There was no shortage of energy or bodyheat that night, and 9 Bar Gypsies added an element of tongue in cheek theatre with their spandex-clad, 1980s hair metal-themed visual assault.

In the end it was a quick decision as the judges totted up their scores: the original grooves of Your Gold Teeth took top spot, with the riffilicious covers of Dr Q and the Evil Empire earning them second.

A three-piece for much of their lifespan so far, Your Gold Teeth (Steve Henthorn and siblings Jack and Lily Wolter) have added a new dynamic with the keyboards of the inimitable Brian Brough; his complementary layers sit well.

It is a shame that Dr Q, led by force of nature frontman Andy Frankland-Davis, are unavailable to play on Saturday, so their slot is taken up by the next-highest points scorers over both heats 9 Bar Gypsies.

Also worth a look this Saturday is the visit of Manchester-based hip hop collective The Mouse Outfit to Carnival Live Lounge in Douglas, courtesy of promoters Dark Horse IOM. Expect a vibrant blend of soul, jazz, funk, reggae and classic hip hop breaks.

In the more immediate future at Carnival – this evening (Thursday) to be exact – is another worthwhile.

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The Manx Sound Exchange is Lee Brooks’ ramblings on the rumblings of the Isle of Man’s music scene and appears each week in the Manx Independent. Help support the scene by emailing lee.brooks@newsiom.co.im or calling 695674 with Manx music news, reviews and photos

Samanthan Barks will be appearing on Channel 4 show Sunday Brunch on Sunday.

The Manx actress and singer, pictured, is expected to be promoting her new film, The Christmas Candle, on the show, which screens between 9.30am and 12.30pm.

Set in the English village of Gladbury in 1890, the plot follows the legend of an angel visiting the village candlemaker every 25 years, touching one candle during each visit.

Whoever lights the candle receives a miracle on Christmas Eve.

The film was released in the USA earlier this month, to mixed reviews.

But Manx film fans can make their own mind up when the film is screened twice in the island during December.

A special one-off showing will take place at the Villa Marina’s Broadway Cinema in Douglas on December 8. See cfvg.gov.im/ for ticket details.

And the Films in Peel team have arranged for the movie to receive another one-off screening at Peel’s Centenary Centre on December 18.

Doors will open earlier than normal on the night at 6.45pm for mulled wine and mince pies before the film begins at 7.45pm.

Tickets can be reserved at HMV in Douglas, Shakti Man in Ramsey and Thompson Travel in Port Erin.

Sure-sponsored Vagabonds welcome Dukinfield to Ballafletcher in South Lancs/Cheshire Two on Saturday.

Vagas will have their targets set on nothing less than a win at home against a team with just two wins from 12, though the Greater Manchester side will have taken confidence from their solid performance against Ramsey last week.

Conversely, Vagabonds will be looking to put last week’s trip to Liverpool Collegiate behind them.

The cause will be helped by the return of the likes of Sam Liver and Tom Gascoyne to the backline, and though Vagas will miss the Latin flair of injured scrum-half Lucas Veradi, his replacement – former captain Leigh Kennaugh – will bring some additional leadership to the team.

Back-rower Ross Pulman hasn’t yet recovered from a hand injury, and also absent are regular wingers James Noonan and Sam Games, the latter having put in a big shift at inside centre last week.

This gives young Alex Callister the chance to stake his bid for a regular place in the back three.

The experienced heads of Andy Pease and Franz Germishuys are also likely to feature in the match day squad.

It’s been a yo-yo six weeks for Vagabonds, with four big wins marred by two heavy losses on the road - a big performance on Saturday would go some way towards redressing the balance.

PwC Mixed Premier Division

Vikings B will go head-to-head with IOMA Group Bacchas B in this Saturday’s lunchtime fixture at the NSC.

Dave Millward’s Vikings side are currently in the relegation spot and will know that victory is essential for their survival.

Although Vikings were victorious last time the two sides met, they must overcome a two-match losing run if they are to claim victory this time around.

PwC Mixed Division One

Fearless Sabres can seal the PwC Mixed Division One title if they secure a win over relegation-threatened HQ Harlequins A and their nearest rivals IOMA Group Bacchas C lose. Steve Cottier’s Sabres side have the title in their sights and will be confident of claiming victory and also extending their winning run to five games.

For opponents Harlequins, victory is essential as defeat here could see them relegated.

PwC Mixed Division Two

Celton Manx Cushags will be looking to extend their lead at the top of the PwC Mixed Division Two with a win over Paragon Valkyrs D.

Anthony Cooke’s Cushags side have suffered only a single defeat so far this season and will feel confident of claiming another victory.

Donna Harrison will be hoping her side can maintain last week’s momentum which saw them push Rookies close and cause an upset here.

PwC Mixed Under-16s

Vikings can claim the PwC Mixed Under-16s title if they can secure victory over Paragon Valkyrs and nearest rivals Bacchas A lose away at Castletown.

Vikings are unbeaten so will be aiming to maintain that record here.

Valkyrs were narrowly defeated last time the two sides met and will hope to go one better here and claim the win.

The BCS Railway Cup semi-finals take top billing in Manx football this Saturday.

Kicking the day off hopefully in style at 1.30pm will be the semi between the well-matched outfits of Laxey and Rushen at Glen Road.

The former took advantage of a final-furlong wobble by St John’s to sneak into fourth and the final cup spot at the Premier League campaign’s halfway point.

Having said that the Miners’ inclusion in the festive jamboree isn’t just down to the Johnners’ late slump in form. Derek Melville and Keith Brown’s men have lost only once in their last 11 games and that was against all-conquering St George’s.

The Glen Road outfit have also only dropped two points at home all season suggesting a tough game in store for a Rushen side smarting from a 3-0 reverse at the hands of Geordies last time out.

It’s fair to say defence will be the key areas for both teams on Saturday with both sets of combatants possessing a potent-looking attack that have struck on average more than three goals a game this season.

Laxey have supplemented island forwards Mark Wolfenden and Ashley Webster with the summer signing of Michael Fernandes from Ramsey.

Melville and Brown have elected to play all three at times this season and with Lee Cowley also in form for the club’s second string it will be interesting to see if they opt for a three-ponged frontline against a Rushen side that can boast the firepower of Josh Kelly, Mike Williams and wingers Jack Saxon and Ste Riding.

Both sets of defences have been a tad porous leaking nearly two a game. As already mentioned whoever tightens this statistic up on Saturday should advance through to Boxing Day’s final. As if to underline this fact, when these two met in the league Rushen triumphed 1-0 thanks to a Saxon goal and one of just three clean sheets Neil Curphey’s men have kept so far this term.

Kicking off an hour later at the Bowl will be the battle of the Saints as St Mary’s host St George’s.

Geordies, who are chasing a fourth Railway Cup crown in a row, will begin the tie at the national stadium as favourites having won both of the encounters between the two thus far this season.

On each occasion, however, the victories have been by just one goal suggesting another close semi-final is in store.

St George’s have adapted to life without injured talisman Calum Morrissey surprisingly well adapting their game to make the most out of their pacy front line of Ciaran McNulty and Morrissey’s replacement Sam Caine.

McNulty and co will this week face a defence that has only been bettered by its own in the league. The St Mary’s back three of Neil Brogan, Dominic McGreevy and Karl Clark plus keeper Max Thomas have been breached just 11 times in 14 games, giving the celebrated attacking talents of Messrs Priestnal, Glover and Crellin a solid platform to build upon.

With Geordies’ defensive unit also back to its miserly best, it could be that on Saturday victory goes to the side who is the most potent in front of goal.

A Tynwald inquiry into the government’s bail-out of the Sefton Group found no evidence of preferential treatment.

Controversy surrounded the bail-out deal announced in April, in which government approved a £1.3m loan repayable over five years and a £3.2m sale and lease back agreement for the Middlemarch site. At the time, Chief Minister Allan Bell said it was designed to prevent the debt-ridden group from going under.

Now the Economic Policy Review Committee has published its report into the affair – and has concluded the government was right to act as it did.

It states: ‘We have not found any evidence of preferential treatment connected with the support by the government.’

It concludes it would be fruitless to speculate what would have happened without the bail-out – but that government was reasonable to assume that its support was needed to guarantee that the Sefton Group was saved.

Its report into the affair states: ‘It is quite clear the Sefton Group was in serious difficulties. The Sefton Group found it necessary to approach the government for support.

‘Based on the evidence we have seen, we find it quite reasonable the government should assume that without its support the future for the Sefton Group was limited.’

The committee conclude there was a substantial risk of considerable job losses if the Sefton Group had failed which would have been a serious blow to the island’s economy at a difficult time.

‘There is no doubt in our mind that the collapse of all or part of the Sefton Group would have had significant effects on many local businesses throughout the island – many of them small businesses which might well not have survived,’ it added.

It accepted the acting Attorney General John Quinn, a former legal counsel and company secretary for the group, played no role in the negotiations and there was no evidence of special treatment because the Sefton Group’s chairman is former Chief Minister Sir Miles Walker.

The committee said a matter of concern had been the buy-back option on the Middlemarch site but concluded this arrange had made sense as it would not have been to the benefit of the economy if plans to develop the site had been undermined.

But it found the government stretched its authority in using the Land and Property Acquisition Fund to acquire the Middlemarch site – a use which it said was ‘well beyond’ the fund’s fundamental purpose.

Its report outlines a series of recommendations including a review of the law to government to support a company which falls foul of the Enterprise Act 2008 over payment of income tax and national insurance, but, where there is no suggestion of dishonesty.

Today, Friday

NEWBURY SELECTIONS: 12.30 Dawalan 1.0 Definite Dream 1.30 Minella For Steak 2.05 Wonderful Charm 2.40 Niceonefrankie 3.15 Carole’s Spirit 3.45 Sign Of A Victory

MUSSELBURGH TIPS: 12.10 Tears From Heaven 12.40 Dispour 1.10 Muwalla 1.45 Mandarin Sunset 2.20 Quito de Tresor 2.55 Rhymers Stone 3.25 Wilcos Mo Chara

DONCASTER CHOICE: 12.50 Rolling Maul 1.55 Arctic Ben 2.30 Waltz Darling 3.05 Tweedo Paradiso 3.35 Rendezvous Peak

WOLVERHAMPTON PICKS: 3.55 Debt Settler 4.25 Angel Flores (NB) 4.55 Roxy Beat 5.25 Honey Of a Kitten (NAP) 5.55 Docofthebay (each way) 6.25 George Fenton 6.55 Solemn

Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK gave a rousing speech at the Isle of Man Newspapers Awards for Excellence ceremony last week.

The event was screened live online here at iomtoday.

But many people have been in touch to say they would like the opportunity to see Mr Bell’s speech via our on-demand video facility.

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Cheers and tears at the Isle of Man Newspapers Awards for Excellence ceremony
The winners in Isle of Man Newspapers’ Awards for Excellence

Firefighters were called to a pub this morning to deal with a fire started by a candle.

Following a 999 call three fire engines, two from Port Erin and one from Castletown, an aerial ladder platform and the duty officer from Douglas responded at about 6.50am to the report of an a smouldering fire and smoke logging at the Shore Hotel in Gansey

On arrival the officer in charge, Andrew Collard, confirmed that the fire was small and confined to a wooden mantlepiece above a fire in the restaurant side of the pub.

Firefighters entered the property to put out the fire.

The incident was dealt with in under 30 minutes, and the burnt materials were removed from the property while fire crews cleaned up the small amount of water that was used to put out the burning embers. A fan was also used to clear the smoke from the ground floor.

The fire alarm in the property alerted the occupants in plenty of time so that they could exit safely.

Damage to the property was confined to the area around the seat of the fire and the Shore Hotel should be open for business as usual today.

The cause of the fire was thought to be a candle that had been left burning overnight.

The fire service said fires caused by candles are not uncommon.

A spokesman said: ‘When using candles, everyone should be aware of the impact of a naked flame and melting wax on adjacent combustible materials, and ensure they are not left burning in rooms that are unoccupied.’