Mark Cavendish and Omega-Pharma Quick-Step won the opening team time trial of the Tirreno-Adriatico on Wednesday, putting Cav into the leader’s blue jersey.

The Belgian outfit, which also includes Rigoberto Uran, Michal Kwiatowksi, Tony Martin, Alessandro Petacchi, Wout Poels, Mateo Trentin and Mark Renshaw, completed the 16.9 kilometre course from Donoratico to San Vincenzo in a time of 20 minutes 13 seconds, 11 secs ahead of second-placed Orica GreenEDGE.

Fellow Manxman Peter Kennaugh is also competing in the race for Team Sky alongside Dario Cataldo, Bernhard Eisel, Mikel Nieve, Richie Porte, Kanstantsin Siutsou, Ian Stannard and 2012 Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins. Sky finished the opening stage in sixth place, 27 secs behind Quick-Step.

The race continues until Tuesday.

Two teenagers arrested in connection with a fatal car crash have been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

St Ninian’s High School student Lucia Porter, 14, of Onchan, died at the scene following an accident which took place on the Switchback road near Peel on Saturday night.

In a statement, a spokesman for Isle of Man Constabulary said: ’Two males have been released on police bail pending the further investigation of this matter, one 18-year-old and one 19-year-old, both of whom are local.

‘The car involved is a Ford Fiesta and was registered/owned by one of the people in the vehicle at the time of the collision.

‘The investigation is far reaching and thorough and due process has to be followed in managing an investigation of this nature.’

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Arrests made in connection with Lucia Porter car death

Vagabonds RUFC’s women’s side produced one of their best performances of a tough Championship North Two season to beat Preston Grasshoppers 25-10 at Ballafletcher on Saturday.

With coach Bryan Kennaugh having nothing to lose he opted to make some positional changes to his squad for the last home game of the season.

Vagabonds’ skipper Alana McCaughan asked her girls for a score from the kick off and her side delivered simply that, the Sure-sponsored side opening the scoring within the first five minutes.

A team effort resulted in newly relocated centre Fran Hunt crashing over the whitewash to put Vagas in front.

With the wind at their backs the Manx team continued to pile on the pressure, especially in the scrums, allowing them to secure three more tries before half-time, with one apiece from Corrina Daly, Dee Gimbert and half-back Rachel Beckley.

With the wind changing direction slightly in the second half, and both teams making some substitutions, Vagabonds knew that they needed to keep the pressure on to secure the win.

Preston took full advantage of their fresh legs to put their first score on the board.

However, thanks to some strong ball carrying from prop Becca Quayle and fantastic covering tackles from fullback Abbie Corkish, Vagas were able to put another score on the board through Hunt.

Preston weren’t, however, ready to give up without a fight managing to get a breakaway try from their 22 off the back of a scrum to bring the scores to 25-10.

Minutes later Vagabonds’ number eight Lauren Ellison repaid the favour only to drop the ball when over the try line.

Vagabonds kept the pressure on for the last 10 minutes but were unable to breach Preston’s solid defence, leaving the scores at a healthy 25-10 to Vagabonds as the full-time whistle blew.

Despite the Manx side’s second victory of the season, the Ballafletcher outfit remain bottom of the Championship North Two standings with only a single game away at league leaders Sheffield to come on March 22.

l Round-up of the rest of the weekend’s rugby on page 31 of this week’s Final Whistle supplement.

A military Chinook helicopter spent several hours today (Wednesday) circling in the vicinity of Port St Mary bay.

The helicopter has not been involved in a search and rescue operation, confirmed the coastguard, and the airport did not know its reason for spending so long near the island.

The helicopter is believed to have been involved in a military exercise.

The mother of a teenager who was killed in an accident on Saturday night has told of the moment she heard the news.

Julie Porter was speaking to the media after her daughter, Lucia, a 14-year-old who lived in Onchan, died in a car crash.

‘The police knocked on our door at 2am,’ said Mrs Porter. ‘I was fast asleep in bed.

‘It was just explained to me that there had been an accident and Lucia had died. And that was it.’

Mrs Porter and Lucia’s grandmother, Joan, spoke to the media at police headquarters earlier today.

Mrs Porter said: ‘Lucia was just the most amazing, thoughtful, inspirational, beautiful girl that you’d meet.

‘She was a real joy. I was just very proud of her.

‘People would just comment on her smile because she would just make people feel better about themselves.’

Mrs Porter said she didn’t yet know when the funeral would take place.

‘It will certainly going to be something where we can celebrate where we can be so lucky having known Lucia.

‘It’s important to try to do something her friends can come to as well. They are obviously young people struggling to cope with it as well and I think it would be nice for them to get the closure and take part in saying goodbye to Lucia because that’s what she would have wanted.’

Mrs Porter said her daughter had been passionate about music and was a fantastic singer who loved Bob Marley.

The road on which Lucia died is known as the Switchback road because of its bumpy, undulating surface.

Mrs Porter said: ‘I wasn’t familiar with this area. I’d never heard of it. I’ll never forget it now.

‘We drove up there yesterday to have a look.

‘I can see just by looking at how the road is and how narrow it is and the bumps in the road that it’s just an incredibly dangerous place to drive if you’re going at speed.

‘I really hope, if anything comes out of this, that any parents who’ve got teenagers that own a car, that they will just look at this accident and how tragic it was and speak to their kids and get them to slow down.’

She added: ‘It’s so difficult to find the words to explain how we’re feeling. It’s just completely devastating.

‘But thank you very much for all the support we’ve had and the people who’ve reached out to us to send us messages and offer their condolences - and to the police for all the work they’re doing behind the scenes in the investigation.’

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/car-crash-pair-bailed-1-6493366|Two men bailed after car crash}

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/arrests-made-in-connection-with-lucia-porter-car-death-1-6490788|Arrests made after Lucia’s death}

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/investigation-continues-into-fatal-crash-1-6490009|Video of the scene}

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/education/video-headteacher-s-tribute-to-lucia-1-6489995|Headteacher’s tribute to Lucia}

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/headteacher-pays-tribute-to-lucia-1-6489253|The Examiner’s front page after Lucia’s death}

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/girl-14-dies-in-crash-five-teenagers-in-hospital-being-treated-for-injuries-1-6486887|Our first report about the tragedy}

Today, THURSDAY

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL DAY THREE: 1.30 Double Ross 2.05 If In Doubt 2.40 Al Ferof 3.20 ANNIE POWER (NAP) 4.0 Tap Night 4.40 Indian Castle

HEXHAM CHOICE: 1.45 Pixie Cut 2.20 Lady Of Verona 2.55 Kings Folly 3.35 Outlaw Tom 4.15 Bollin Fiona 4.55 Soul Angel 5.25 GREENSALT (NB)

TOWCESTER TIPS: 2.30 Craiglands 3.05 Solstice Son 3.45 Valid Point 4.25 Scots Gaelic 5.05 Priceless Art 5.35 Caught By Witness

WOLVERHAMPTON SELECTIONS: 5.45 Saffire Song 6.15 Lord Buffhead 6.45 Indian Affair 7.15 One Way Or Another 7.45 John Potts 8.15 Lockedoutaheaven 8.45 Spes Nostra

A woman who played a role in the huge Lloyds Bank rebranding exercise last year, has set up her own company in the Isle of Man.

Helen Taylor, 34, has started a business called Taylor Made Marketing.

She told Business News she is aware there is a great deal of competition in the marketing sector in the island.

But she said she is ready for the challenge and believes she can succeed with what her company has to offer.

She is also full of praise for the island and its support for start-up buisnesses.

Speaking from her office, tucked away in Berkley Street Lane, near Woodbourne Road in Douglas, Miss Taylor said it is a specialist marketing consultancy supporting the small to medium enterprise (SME) community with cost effective marketing solutions.

She said one of the highlights of her career involved working on last year’s rebranding of Lloyds TSB into Lloyds Bank across the British Isles.

She said: ‘I had a marketing management role.

‘I was contracted through an agency and I was working on the rebrand for three to four months in Bristol.

‘The impact on the customer is the most important part of it. I think we did a good job. It was a big challenge and a lot happened in that three to four months [working on the rebranding exercise].

‘It was moving from Lloyds TSB to Lloyds Bank. It was making sure that customer communications, signage, branding, that sort of thing, was all in line with the Lloyds Bank brand.

‘I also project managed the Lloyds TSB Enterprise awards for 2013, a national contest for university entrepreneurs.’

She said that working with young entrepreneurs really helped to inspire her to the idea of setting up her own business and working on her own.

‘It’s always been something that has been close to me and it was something that I’d always wanted to do, to have my own business.’

Why the Isle of Man? : ‘The fantastic support for start-ups here, it really is brilliant.

‘I attended the government’s start-ups scheme [through the Department of Economic Development].It was hugely helpful, you meet people in the same position as yourself who are trying to start a business up.

‘Ian Moncrieff-Scott was fantastic and my mentor Andrew Simpson has been very helpful and a fantastic support.

‘I feel I have some very valuable skills to pass on to the business community here in the island. I completed my CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) post graduate diploma, so they have awarded me my chartered status.

‘The work permit committee awarded me my work permit. I had to make a case, because obviously marketing is a challenged area here and it’s competitive.

‘I think my recipe [for success] is the skills and experience I have from working across a variety of locations; the fact I have chartered status, and also my personality.

‘I’ve a lot of enthusiasm and passion for marketing and for what I do.

‘Professionally I’m passionate about putting the customer at the heart of the organisation.’

Director and chartered marketer, Miss Taylor, who lives in Farmhill, Douglas, with her Manx partner Paul Ward, is keen to introduce her wealth of skills and experience in customer focus and measurement for commercial results.

‘Customers are the most important aspect of any business. We offer a professional and friendly approach to helping businesses make the most out of their customer base by building long term, profitable relationships.

‘Every business needs customers and with valuable time and money being invested in acquiring and keeping them, it is important to understand their range of needs to build effective and long lasting relationships.

‘Measuring marketing performance and knowing what works is about creating insight, to inform and shape a robust integrated marketing plan to grow your business. Simple sums can yield significant efficiencies and have marketing as a driving force behind your business success.’

The new company aims to offer the following key services:

l Marketing audits to help identify strengths, weaknesses and valuable opportunities to create growth for island businesses

l Marketing planning, implementation and measurement to help you achieve your objectives

l Specialist marketing advice and training to up skill your in-house resource

l Outsourcing to save you valuable time and money

She said word of mouth is vital in the island. ‘As we all know, word of mouth is a huge part of island business, so all the more reason to invest in customer focus!’

For more information from Helen’s business telephone 491385 or email info@taylormade.im.

The government has launched a new independent survey asking 9,500 employees to give their opinions on their workplace and job called ‘Have Your Say.’

This will be the first ever cross government survey and employees can take part anonymously, online or by completing a paper version of the survey.

The information from the survey is being sent to Essex company ORC International, a professional survey and research company.

Chief minister Allan Bell said: ‘The Isle of Man government is going through a period of unprecedented change, so it is important to listen to our employees.

‘Their responses will result in action that will shape our efforts to create a more sustainable future for the Isle of Man.’

In a letter to all employees, included with the survey, chief secretary, Will Greenhow, says: ‘I have commissioned this survey because I want to know whether we are creating the right environment, teams, leaders and culture to enable you to contribute as much as you can and be successful in whatever service you provide to the Isle of Man.

‘I see this survey as an opportunity for you to have a voice as a whole public service. I know from speaking with people around government that you are passionate about your roles, professions and the services you deliver.’

A government spokesman added: ‘This is an opportunity for everyone working in government, whatever their role or grade, to share their views and thoughts.

‘Among 9,500 people invited to take part are teachers, nurses, emergency service workers, customers service teams, post workers, engineering teams, manual workers and civil servants, plus many many more.

‘The survey has been commissioned by the chief secretary and chief minister who are keen for those working in the wide ranging Manx public sector to have a voice.’

‘Building the survey was a real collaborative effort with all chief officers actively supporting it and all areas of government helping to design the questionnaire, through a group of representatives.

‘This group, led by a team in the chief secretary’s office has worked hard to ensure that the survey is relevant and of value to all departments, boards and offices.

‘Union representatives have also been part of the development process, and some questions are included in the survey on their behalf.’

The spokesman went on to describe the survey as part of a wider programme of engagement with public sector workers to try to improve communication through a period of substantial change.

The survey sets out 75 statements and asks employees to rate how strongly they agree, or disagree, with each statement.

Among the statements people are quizzed on are; ‘I feel involved in decisions that affect my work’, ‘Senior managers in my department are sufficiently visible’, ‘We act on the feedback we receive in order to serve our customers better’, ‘My department is good at learning from mistakes’, ‘I believe the chief officers have a clear vision for the future of the Isle of Man government’, ‘There is effective cross department working in the Isle of Man government’ and ‘I believe that action will be taken based on the results from this survey’.

Results and actions from the survey will be communicated to employees in May 2014.

The Isle of Man’s travel watchdog, TravelWatch, will be holding its spring meeting and annual general meeting at the Villa Marina in Douglas on Saturday.

Doors will open at 9.30am for a 10am start. A spokesman said: ‘The main focus in the first part of the morning will be on our ever changing air services with presentations covering: changes effective from end March 2014; TravelWatch advice following the above changes; possible further steps to encourage safeguarding air routes.

‘Also, Ellan Vannin Line’s attempts to set up a rival service to the Steam Packet raised public interest in the User Agreement at a time when it is coming up for possible renegotiation.

‘Following the presentation on that topic at our last public meeting, TravelWatch has sent a briefing paper to the Isle of Man Government and an update will be given on Saturday morning.’

Wind farms will also be on the agenda, with news that the UK Planning Inspectorate will be holding an ‘open-floor’ meeting in the island, at which TravelWatch will give evidence as part of its consideration of the plans for the Walney Extension Wind Farm.

The spokesman continued: ‘It is understood that this may be the first time such a meeting has been held outside UK – but it does indicate the UK Planning Inspectorate’s willingness to listen to Manx views before making its recommendation to the UK Government.’

He added: ‘The TravelWatch online guide for visitors to the island has been revised and the sheets providing travel information to/from the main UK ports and airports serving the island have been updated. Both publications are available www.travelwatch-isleofman.org.’

The public meeting will finish at around 12.30pm and will be followed by the AGM.

The Easter Festival of Running, supported by Celton Manx, takes place between Good Friday, April 18 and Sunday, April 20.

Organised by Manx Harriers, the festival is now into its 52nd year and offers locals a rare opportunity to race against big fields of runners of all standards without having to travel off-island.

It opens on Good Friday evening with a 10km road race over a scenic course taking in Port Erin and Port St Mary, starting at 7pm. On Saturday afternoon the action moves to Peel for the hill races. The men compete over a four- mile course at 2.15pm, followed by the three-mile women’s race at 3.05pm. Sunday morning concludes the running with a 5km race for women on Douglas promenade at 10.15am, followed by a 4x5km relay for men at 10.50am.

See www.easterfestival.info for full details.

Market Square Preparatory School could open its doors to children in Douglas from September, if planners approve the application.

It would be a year after Jane Subachus opened the school in Manannan House, in Market Square, Castletown, to reception class pupils (ages four and five) having run a pre-school from January 2013.

In the application (14/00219/B) it states Eaglehurst, in Belmont Hill, would be converted to a private school for children aged three to 11.

The refurbished gentlemen’s residence would feature a pre-school in the basement, accommodating up to 10 children aged three and four.

Each class from reception to year six would have a maximum size of 10.

There would be one teacher for each class, and three administrative staff. Three part-time teachers (music, dance and language) would visit the school twice weekly.

In the application it states: ‘The school will be open between the hours of 9am and 4pm. There will also be the option for early drop off (8.30am) and after school clubs which will stagger the drop off and collection of pupils, helping alleviate congeation.

‘The proposed finishing time for our school is 40 minutes after Ballakermeen High School (3.20pm) which will further alleviate congestion.’

The access is from Belmont Hill, and in the application it states there is adequate space in front of the property for drop-off and staff parking.

It continues: ‘There is also the possibility for a second entrance/exit at the bottom end of the grounds, which is already in situ, but will need permission from the land owner.’

The nursery and pre-school in Castletown would remain for two- to four-year-olds.

The Post Office is scrapping cheaper stamps for standard letters sent from the Isle of Man to the Isle of Man.

It means it will cost the same to post a letter a few miles from Castletown to Colby as it will from Castletown to Cornwall.

A stamp for a letter weighing 100 grams or less will be 42p for all post to the Isle of Man, the UK and the Channel Islands from March 31.

At the moment, the price within the island is 40p, while a letter to the UK costs 42p.

Post from the island is still much cheaper than from the UK. From March 31, the price of a first-class stamp there is to increase by 2p to 62p and second-class by 3p to 53p.

The island has only one class of postage.

‘Isle of Man Post Office still remains cheaper than any of its counterparts in the UK and continues to be among the lowest in Europe,’ a spokesman said. ‘Some customers will benefit from the prices that have been held for a further year whilst others will see an increase.’

A standard-sized letter can be a maximum of 240mm long, 165mm wide and 5mm deep.

Other sized letters from the island were already charged the same, whether their final destination was Manx or in the UK.

The changes from March 31 are:

For large letters (353mm x 250mm 25mm), the price rises from 69p to 90p if it’s under 100g. 101g to 250g stays at £1.20; 251g to 500g stays at £1.60 and 501g to 750g stays at £2.30.

For packets, weights will now go up to a maximum load of 5kgs in 1kg increments and the price for 1kg will cost £3.

Special Delivery is to see an increase across all weight bands with prices starting at £4.71 (from £4.53 in 2013) for Isle of Man, which is for the postcode IM1 (Douglas) only, and £6.40 (£6.22 in 2013) for UK.

International letters are to see a rise across weight bands with prices starting at 75p (from 73p) for Europe and £1.21 (from £1.19) for the rest of the world. Similarly packets will now start at £2.74 (from £2.69) for Europe and £3.52 (from £3.45) for the rest of the world.

International Tracked is to replace Airsure and International Signed For has been renamed to International Signed. A new service called International Tracked and Signed that offers full tracking with signature on delivery, online confirmation and availability to 43 destinations will now be available at a cost of £5 plus postage.

To add to this, an above-inflation increase of about 4 per cent will be added to the Post Office ancillary services (KeepSafe, Redirection, Private Boxes – Business and Individual, Collection and Delivery fees, Door2Door, Freepost, and Business Reply).

Geoff Corkish MLC, chairman of Isle of Man Post Office, said: ‘Some customers will benefit from prices being held for a further year whilst others will see an increase.

‘Contributory factors to the price changes include a number of increases to postage and ancillary services as a result of changing commercial agreements with Royal Mail, the need to simplify our tariffs for customers and the continual decline of mail volumes.’

He added: ‘The Isle of Man Post Office is an innovative and forward-thinking organisation and for the last five years posted volumes have been declining at around 4 per cent per annum, due to this situation we are trying to stop this decline by identifying and expanding into new areas of business to ensure the Post Office sustains itself over the long term and continues to provide customers with the most competitive prices it is able to.’

Entries for this year’s TT are over-subscribed for the main solo classes, while numbers have increased for the Lightweight and Sidecar events.

A star-studded line-up of riders will head the Monster Energy fuelled event, which will commence with the first practice on Saturday, May 24 and conclude with the PokerStars Senior on the Friday, June 6.

Top solo riders include John McGuinness, Michael Dunlop, Guy Martin, Bruce Anstey, Ian Hutchinson, Conor Cummins, Josh Brookes, Gary Johnson, Michael Rutter, James Hillier, William Dunlop, Dean Harrison, Dan Stewart, Simon Andrews, Lee Johnson, Horst Saiger, Jamie Hamilton, Karl Harris, Jimmy Storrar and David Johnson. The leading privateer title is likely to be between Steve Mercer, Dan Cooper, Dan Kneen, Ben Wylie and Ivan Lintin.

The Superbike, Superstock and Supersport categories are all over-subscribed and the Lightweight TT (Supertwins), now in its third year, has its highest entry to date with more than 80. These include former leading riders Ryan Farquhar and Keith Amor, both making welcome comebacks to the Mountain Course.

Cameron Donald has not entered, but is expected to ride the Classic TT.

No fewer than 66 of this year’s solo riders have lapped at more than 120mph. There are 11 former winners with a collective 57 TT successes between them.

New names include BSB regulars Martin Jessopp and Peter Hickman and ex-Moto3 GP man Danny Webb.

A young woman was intimidated after she was shouted at by four men in a car.

The incident happened on the junction of Ballakermeen Drive and Peel Road at about 10pm on Tuesday, March 11.

Police say there was ‘a large amount of shouting’, and would probably have been heard by people in the area.

A spokesman said: ‘It has left a young woman feeling intimidated, and in fear for her safety.’

Of particular interest to police is an old, white, hatchback-style car.

‘This car is thought to be quite distinctive due to its age, being very square and angular in its appearance,’ a spokesman said.

‘Inside the car were four males, all of whom are believed to be in their late teens, or early twenties.’

Police are investigating.

This week, IoM FoE’s Cat Turner looks forward to a high-profile visitor from the UK

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Want to hear from the horse’s mouth as to how one of the UK’s most effective environmental campaigning organisations sees the future?

There’s no better opportunity than a forthcoming public talk from Craig Bennett, Friends of the Earth’s personable and well-respected director of policy and campaigns.

It will take place at Keyll Darree, next to Noble’s Hospital in Braddan, on Tuesday, March 18, starting at 7pm.

In addition, we’ll be asking Craig for his observations on what the future might hold for an island economy such as ours – and what actions we and our leaders should be taking to secure a safe, healthy and prosperous future.

The event is free and open to all – don’t miss this chance to hear from this well-informed, well-connected and inspiring speaker.

Craig is the UK body’s lead campaigner and policy strategist.

He leads Friends of the Earth’s tactical response to the changing political and policy context in the United Kingdom.

With more than 15 years of professional campaigning experience, covering everything from climate change to biodiversity and corporate accountability, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share.

From 2007 to 2010, Craig was deputy director at the University of Cambridge’s Programme for Sustainability Leadership (CPSL) and in this role was director of The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change (CLG).

During this time, he built the Corporate Leaders Group into one of the most influential and progressive business voices in the international climate debate, primarily through its series of hard-hitting, punchy statements in support of a strong, effective and equitable global climate deal.

The Copenhagen Communiqué, for example, secured the support of 1,000 companies from more than 60 countries and was widely seen as the definitive progressive statement from the international business community ahead of the UN climate conference in Copenhagen (see www.copenhagencommunique.com).

So it goes to show that campaigning can, and does, work!

Craig also maintains his links with the University of Cambridge, both as a senior associate of the Programme for Sustainability Leadership and as a visiting programme director at the Judge Business School.

He is also an educator at Duke CE, the world’s top rated corporate education provider.

So he’s clearly a busy man, and also an educated one. Craig has a BSc (Hons) in Human and Physical Geography and an MSc in Biodiversity Conservation.

In addition, he is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS), a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and is vice-chair of the charity Stakeholder Forum.

Craig regularly appears in the broadcast media, and has had articles published in several national newspapers and magazines.

So please, why not come and join us? We’ll be really glad to see you there!

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During the trip, Craig will also be meeting members of the Isle of Man Government, visiting the DEFA headquarters in St John’s to meet members of the Environmental Health and Climate Team, visiting the Manx Electricity Authority headquarters for a meeting with director Phil King and DED’s senior manager for Energy Policy, Ken Milne, and to the Queen Elizabeth II High School in Peel to meet senior students who were involved in winning some high profile environmental awards.

The Mystery of the Missing Weetabix is unlikely to make it into the televised adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, or Jonathan Creek. But it’s got me baffled.

I have Weetabix at breakfast every morning. I have always bought one box of Weetabix with two packs in it but the other day, caught unawares by the need to concentrate on negotiating the retail rigours of early 21st century supermarket shopping, I happened to pick up a box with four packs in it for a modest investment of £2.50.

I wish now that I had stuck with the usual box of two packages. It was simpler to manage. I would take out one package and open it ready for the next morning’s breakfast and put it on the bottom shelf of the kitchen cupboard, placing the other one in reserve on the top shelf.

But the next morning, down for breakfast, I opened the cupboard and saw, to my astonishment, that there were now only two on the top shelf. One had disappeared in the night.

I instituted a search of all the other kitchen cupboards. No sign of it.

I searched elsewhere – even in the washing machine and tumble drier. A blank.

I widened the search to the rest of the premises. I looked under the bed. I moved to the bathroom and looked into the toilet cistern on the principle that Weetabix soaked in toilet water would dry out eventually.

But it had vanished and I had absolutely no idea what had happened to it during the night and who had done it, which was the most troubling thing of all.

Had the Weetabix disappeared into the space-time continuum, which is not a nice item to have among one’s domestic arrangements?

But better that than a nocturnal visit by the Lady Dementia.

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You have to watch what you’re doing in the Isle of Man because often enough there is somebody else watching you do it.

In the Examiner last week I told how I had made a solemn promise to a lady traffic warden who caught me on double yellow lines that I would never do it again, marking the deal with an exchange of high fives.

The day the Examiner was out I was on my morning way to my office at Manx Radio and I went to Athol Street to pay a visit to my money in the Douglas offices of the Britannia Building Society.

Five minutes later in my office I was confronted by an email addressed, anonymously, to ‘Dodgy Old Duffer’ and saying that I had been seen parked on the double yellows in Athol Street, treacherously breaking my promise.

In my defence, I can say that was actually on a single yellow.

I’m not actually sure what a single yellow means. But it might have been only a half-broken promise.

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I have been sent a list, a genuine list, of church bulletins. The first is: ‘The Fasting and Prayer Conference includes meals.’

The latest property sales recorded at the General Registry.

Kirindolam 10 Limited, whose registered office is at 51 Victoria Street, Douglas, bought International House, Victoria Road, Douglas, for £1,250,000,

It was bought from Dreamtown Limited, whose registered office is at the Sefton Hotel, Harris Promenade, Douglas.

Other recent transactions lodged at the General Registry in Douglas are as follows:

David Michael Furnival and Jillian Elaine Furnival, of Mullen Rhenass House, Rhenass Road, Cronk-y-Voddy, sold Mullen Rhenass House, for £637,500, to James Stuart McKenzie, of 5 The Fountains, Ballure Promenade, Ramsey.

Mark Luis Carlos Edington and Diane Elizabeth Edington, sold 32 Devonshire Road, Douglas, for £410,000, to Steven Alexander Whorrall and Karen Lisa Whorrall, of 2 Auckland Road, Douglas.

Joyce Minnie Mooney by executor, and Malcolm Paul Mooney, as executor, sold Bramhope Plantation Road, Port St Mary, for £386,000, to Richard Andrew Sidebottom and Clare Elizabeth Powner, of 7 Hamilton Close, Lower Foxdale.

Jeremy Fong and Jennifer Anne Fong, sold 47 Ballagarey Road, Glen Vine, for £380,000, to Stefan Marinov Markov and Ellina Petrova Foutekova, of 55 Lhon Vane Close, Onchan.

Kristan Robert McDonald and Lauren Elizabeth McDonald, sold 42 Murray’s Road, Douglas, for £305,000, to Hartford Homes Limited, of 2 Middle River, Douglas.

Tim McNulty, sold 31 Glebe Aalin, Ballaugh, for £280,000, to Lisa Jayne Sims, of Ballacloan, Gardeners Lane, Ramsey.

Andrew William Wright and Jenna Bridget Wright, sold 9 Oakhill Close, Glen Park, Douglas, for £188,000, to Joanne Elizabeth Lowe of 4 Cushag Drive, Ballawattleworth, Peel.

David Peter Walker sold 44 Berrywoods Avenue, Governor’s Hill, Douglas, for £188,000, to Lyncot Properties Limited, whose registered office is situated at 8-9 Hill Street, Douglas.

Robert Arthur Garrett, of Kerrowkeil Farm, Grenaby, sold a parcel of land, part of Kerrowkeil and Ballagilbert, for £42,000, to Matthew Robert Sheffield and Emma Siobhan Sheffield, of Castruan, Cregneash.

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We publish details of all property sales, unless we receive a written request not to do so by the police or probation service.

The appointment of acting Attorney General could be extended rather than the post being readvertised, the House of Keys was told.

John Quinn was appointed for 12 months in March last year. Treasury Minister Eddie Teare said that with plans to introduce a Solicitor General, the UK Ministry of Justice was considering a recommendation to extend rather than re-advertise the post. Attorney General Stephen Harding remains suspended.

There ‘wasn’t time or inclination’ to consult over the decision to take control away from schools for catering, caretaking and maintenance, the Education Minister told MHKs.

Tim Crookall came under fire in the House of Keys over a government policy to save £4m a year by bringing staff and budgets together in shared services, with catering centralised within the new Department of Health and Social Care from April 1, and caretaking joining maintenance in the Department of Infrastructure.

Replying to a question from Michael MHK Alfred Cannan, Mr Crookall said: ‘Given that the decision affected significant numbers of employees it was not possible to consult with head teachers prior to those employees being informed.’

He said there wasn’t the time or the inclination to consult fully as it was ‘something that had been decided’. ‘Yes, it could have been handled better,’ he said.

The Minister said senior officers from his department had met with all primary and secondary head teachers on Monday January 20 – two days before the policy was confirmed in Tynwald – to discuss the move to shared services in caretaking, catering and cleaning.

But Brenda Cannell (Douglas East) said the change in policy had been presented as a fait accompli. ‘That’s hardly proper consultation,’ she said.

Mr Cannan said the majority of head teachers supported the principle of devolved management and its removal undermined their ability to spend locally, which could result in imported food being served in school canteens. ‘Isn’t it the responsibility of government to focus on building the community of our island?’ he asked.

In a written reply to a question from Mr Cannan on the same issue, Treasury Minister Eddie Teare said the health department’s catering budget for 2013/14 will be £1.6m net. The catering balance to be transferred in to the Department of Health and Social Care is a net amount of £0.9m (based on total gross expenditure of £4.8m and gross income of £3.9m). The number of catering staff will increase from 45.57 full time equivalents to 166.25 after the transfer.

Mr Teare said target savings of £200,000 (7.8 per cent of net spending) have been applied to the total in 2014-15.

In a written reply to a Tynwald question last month, Chief Minister Allan Bell said some island secondary schools have stopped using Manx bread. He said there was no government policy requiring departments to use Manx produce. The prison, too, has stopped using Manx bread as have some care homes.

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare told MHKs he is very concerned at the reduction in output from Laxey Glen Mills - and feared it could reach a ‘tipping point’.

In the House of Keys, Mr Teare was quizzed by Michael MHK Alfred Cannan over what action the government was taking to support flour production.

The Minister replied: ‘I’m very concerned about the reduction in output from Laxey Glen Mills over the last decade and consequently the reduction in the purchase of wheat.’

Mr Teare said the production of flour had gone down by about 20 per cent and the wheat purchased by the Mills had shrunk by an even bigger factor.

He said he would meet with colleagues from the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture next week to discuss the matter and see what can be done to deal with the ‘wave of imports that are causing problems in the local market’.

And he warned: ‘If we are not careful we are going to reach a tipping point where it will no longer be economically viable to maintain the mill.’

The government is the sole shareholder in Laxey Glen Mills and also pays an annual grant of £36,000.

Peter Karran (Lib Van, Onchan) said the mill needed to diversify and suggested a distillery would provide a new customer.

Mr Teare replied: ‘We have to accept in some areas there will be a virtual reliance on one of two customers. But we are trying to encourage supermarkets to actually buy local. We have to recognise if the boat doesn’t sail the product will not appear on the shelves.’

Mr Cannan suggested that if an extra 15,000 loaves were locally baked and sold a week this would go a long way to maintaining the mills’ financial stability and increase wheat production by about 30 per cent. He called on Mr Teare to review the government’s central purchasing policy.

But the Minister said that policy was having only a small effect on local baked produce and the supermarkets were the real targets.