Two males were taken to hospital in a serious condition on Friday after taking what police suspect to be ‘legal highs’, commonly bought over the internet.

The incidents happened during the sand racing on Port Erin beach. A third male was treated by paramedics at the scene before going to hospital.

All three of the males have subsequently been released from hospital.

Sergeant Gary Heaton of Port Erin police station said: ‘Upon Police arrival two of the males had already been taken to hospital in a serious condition and the third was being treated by paramedics.

‘As a precaution we cordoned off the area that they were located in and we also recovered a black foil packet which contained a number of small blue and pink tablets with a horizontal line across the tops, there were no other markings on the tablets. The packaging however had the words across the front saying “NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION”.

‘What I would like to say to the public is that just because substances such as this are not illegal it does not make them safe.’

Police have warned anybody coming into contact with similar tablets or being offered them to take not to do so.

If anybody has any information as to what they saw or can help with this enquiry then police would like to hear from you by calling Police Headquarters on 631212.

Forecasters at Ronaldsway meteorological office have had their heads in the clouds recently.

Readers’ photographs of unusual cloud formations caused a stir at the start of July when what appeared to be a tornado appeared over Braaid, prompting a number of similar pictures which were identified at the time as showing funnel cloud.

However, when forecaster and self-confessed cloud geek David Boultbee subjected one of the pictures to closer scrutiny he made an exciting discovery.

‘One of those pictures is not of a funnel cloud, it’s a horseshoe vortex, which is much rarer, one of the rarest formations you can get,’ he said.

Mr Boultbee, who is a member of the Cloud Appreciation Society, said the picture taken by reader Chris Sims of Baldrine was better than any on the society’s own website. And the cloud formation was so rare there were only two or three examples posted from around the world.

‘They produce a publication called the Cloud Collector’s Handbook and it’s nice to be able to pick them off,’ he said. ‘Not only are they very rare but they are also very fleeting, often lasting for only a few seconds, so that is why there are not many photographs. It’s the first one I’ve seen so it’s rather exciting. Of course there are lots of stories about them bringing good luck.’

‘It is made up of rotating air and in America it is something a tornado could form out of. But in this case it makes a horseshoe shape instead caused by wind rushing in from underneath the vortex.’

Leading fungus expert Nev Kilkenny is returning to the island as tutor on a number of mushroom and toadstool identification courses next month.

Open to the public, the courses are organised by the Isle of Man Fungus Group.

Chairman Liz Charter said: ‘He proved so popular over the last two seasons that the committee decided to invite him back again.

‘Nev was trained at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Edinburgh, under Professor Roy Watling and is a professional field mycologist with a great sense of humour and a warm approachable manner.’

The public fungus identification weekend workshop will be held at the Department of the Enviroment, Food and Agriculture’s headquarters at Thie Slieau Whallian Training Room, St John’s (opposite the sawmill) on September 6 and 7 at 10am.

Mr KilKenny will also run a public course on using microscopes to identify fungi.

It will be also held at DEFA HQ on September 2, 3 and 4. All equipment for this three-day training course will be provided.

A revision microscope course for those who attended last year’s will be held at the same venue (DEFA HQ) on Friday, September 5.

The costs to cover Mr Kilkenny’s expenses are £35 for the weekend workshop, £40 for the one-day revision session and £120.00 for the three-day microscope course.

To book ring or email Liz Charter, 204949, liz@iom.com

Able Rate (Mine Warfare) Daniel Gardner, aged 19, has graduated as a mine warfare specialist.

Daniel, who joined the Royal Navy last December, is originally from Colby, where parents Jill and Stephen still live.

The former Castle Rushen High School pupil said: ‘I’ve enjoyed my time during training in the Royal Navy. I now look forward to joining my first ship and to my time within the fleet.’

While on course, Daniel represented the navy at the unveiling of the National Arboretum in Stafford.

Daniel is following in the footsteps of his uncle and cousin who both served within the navy.

He has graduated from HMS Collingwood, Fareham, Hampshire, after completing his Phase 2 training, with Victory Squadron.

Captain Steve Dainton CBE RN, commanding officer of HMS Collingwood, saw the graduation of the new trainees and their passing out into the fleet.

Addressing those who had come to observe and share in the success of their relative, he said: ‘I would like to say a huge thank you to you, the families and friends who are here today. It’s really important that these young men and women know that your support is there.’

During his 14-week course, Daniel was trained in the specialist areas of mine warfare, including the various types of mines, how they operate and how they’re used in war, including disposal.

In addition, he also learnt how to detect mines and minefields using mine-hunting sonar and how to launch and operate the remote-controlled mine-disposal vehicle. After successfully completing the course, Daniel now joins the Mine Counter Measure Squadron in Portsmouth where he’ll wait to join his first ship.

HMS Collingwood is the home of the Maritime Warfare School which contributes to the operational capability of the fleet by providing first class training to all officers and ratings of the Royal Navy in their professional specialisations, which include weapon engineering, communications and warfare.

Team RL360 riders dominated the recent Errigal International Youth Tour in County Donegal, Ireland, winning two of the three categories overall and finishing first and second in the team competitions.

The three-day event was staged in sometimes atrocious conditions on the hilly roads around the village of Churchill and consisted of four special stages, including two road races, a time trial and a criterium on the streets of Letterkenny.

Competing in a top field of more than 250 of the best youth riders from England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and as far afield as Malta, Owen Dudley and William Draper won the under-16 and u14 age groups in impressive style.

The two talented young Manxmen set up their overall victories on the opening day when they both won their classes in stage one’s tough road races, which included the notorious Keeloges climb up to Churchill.

In the u16s race Dudley beat breakaway partner Jake Gray (FBD Ireland Talent Team) in the final dash for the line to take a slender four-second lead in the overall standings. His RL360 team-mates came in a little further down the 94-four strong field, with Conor Davies finishing a good 10th, Michael Moss 20th, Nathan Hinks 55th and Daniel Scarffe, who lost a lot of time in a crash, 69th.

Dudley maintained his narrow lead after finishing third behind Ronan Tuomey and Jake Gray (both FBD Ireland Talent Team) in stage two’s hilly time trial. Conor Davies was 16th fastest, Daniel Scarffe 18th, Michael Moss 20th and Nathan Hinks 58th.

Another third place in stage three’s second road race consolidated Dudley’s position at the head of the overall leaderboard. Adam Hartley (Mid Shropshire Whs) outsprinted fellow frontrunner Mark Donovan (Beacon Wheelers) for the victory, with Dudley pipping main rival Jake Gray for the final podium position.

Moss, Davies and Scarffe all came home in the main chasing bunch in 10th, 12th and 23rd respectively, with Hinks further back in 39th.

With the overall honours still in the balance, the fourth and final stage in Letterkenny was a nail-biting affair. However, the RL360 team worked selflessly to protect Dudley’s lead. Michael Moss policed the three-man break at the head of the race, gaining a fine third place as a reward for his efforts, while Davies and Hinks chased down any dangerous attacks, including a bold bid for glory by main threat Gray.

Mission accomplished, Dudley, Davies and Hinks crossed the line safely in the bunch in 10th, 12th and 21st places. At the finish Dudley was declared the overall winner just four seconds ahead of Gray, who in turn had 13 seconds in hand over Adam Hartley. Moss and Davies ended the three days in 12th and 13th positions on GC, with Hinks and Scarffe slotting into 42nd and 62nd spots.

In the u14s age group Will Draper won the first road race by a clear margin, giving him a comfortable 28-second cushion in the race for the overall honours. The ever improving Adam Kelly was seventh, Thomas Bostock 10th, Tosh Teare 19th, Adam Scarffe 23rd and Tara Ferguson the fourth girl in 43rd place.

A third place in stage two’s time trial kept Draper on top of the standings. Kelly was 21st, Bostock 23rd, Scarffe 32nd, Teare 33rd and Ferguson second girl in 34th.

In the following road race Draper was third in the leading bunch sprint, with Kelly and Bostock just behind in ninth and 17th places. Teare was 20th, Scarffe 29th and Ferguson the first girl in 34th.

Entering the final stage’s criterium in Letterkenny, Draper had increased his advantage to 37 seconds. Aided by some great teamwork by Kelly and Bostock, the Douglas youngster finished a solid fifth in the bunch gallop to secure the overall victory a good 36 seconds ahead of Aaron Doherty (Wesport Covey Whs).

Kelly and Bostock were eighth and ninth in the crit to put them in ninth and 10th on GC, while Teare and Scarffe finished 17th and 46th for 16th and 32nd overall.

Tara Ferguson was 45th on the final day which placed her 39th and third girl on GC.

Ramsey’s Tyler Hannay was RL360’s only representative in the u12 class. Competing in his first major off-island international stage race, he made a good start, finishing 18th on stage one and 15th in stage two’s time trial.

Unfortunately a crash during stage three’s road race dropped him down a few positions on GC, but he recovered well on the final day to take a fine sixth in the criterium, moving himself back up to a respectable 20th overall.

In addition to the two individual victories the RL360 squads also won the u14 team prize and were runners-up in the u16s category.

Minor amendments will be made to the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill following public consultation.

The Bill updates the law governing House of Keys elections and seeks to provide a ‘robust and transparent election process’.

The move comes after the 2010 Douglas East by-election, in which candidate and TV chef Kevin Woodford’s campaign had financial backers whose identities were secret.

Twenty responses were received in the consultation and the Cabinet Office has now published a report with a summary of the main comments, together with its response.

It says there were a number of areas where there was broad support for the proposals .

The Bill requires candidates to declare publicly campaign funding they receive, and to refuse anonymous donations. Comment was made the minimum donation to a candidate that should be declared should be raised above £50 and that the requirement could deter new candidates.

The Cabinet Office responded saying it was a key recommendation of the Independent Review Panel.

The Bill provides for the registration of political parties intending to support or nominate candidates.

Concern was raised that registration of a political party implied approval ‘and the government should not be able to withhold approval of any political party, no matter how abhorrent its policies may be’.

In its response, the Cabinet Office said the process was one of compliance and ‘any refusal would only be made if the Attorney General is of the opinion that the party, or their application, has not complied with the legislation’.

It limits the amount that can be spent on a candidate’s campaign (a maximum of £2,000 plus 50p per registered elector, in the 12 months prior to an election). Comment was made the sum was ‘too low and unrealistic’ and the expense should be variable by order.

The Cabinet Office said: ‘There were a number of comments received on the cap on election expenses, some supporting the maximum amount, and others stating it was too low.’

The maximum amount can be varied by regulations.

The practical enforceability of the cap on election spending was questioned, but the Cabinet Office said: ‘While the system will be self-regulating, it is a vast improvement as candidates will have to declare and the chief registrar will have the ability to verify expenses.

‘There will be an addition to the Bill to allow the chief registrar to nominate a person to verify or investigate complains about election expenses.’

An omission in the draft bill picked up during consultation was that political parties, not just candidates, should be prohibited from retaining anonymous donations. This will be added to the Bill.

A couple of respondents said proxy voting should be removed, but the Cabinet Office said this would disenfranchise groups such as members of the armed forces overseas.

Chris Robertshaw, Minister for Policy and Reform, said: ‘The consultation responses have been welcomed by the Council of Ministers. Following the East Douglas by-election in May 2010, an independent review provided recommendations that have been included in the draft Bill.

‘The Bill will update the law governing House of Keys elections, and provide a robust and transparent electoral process ensuring the Isle of Man’s international reputation continues to thrive and attract inward investment.’

The Cabinet Office will now seek to make some minor amendments to the draft Bill, which will be presented to the Council of Ministers for approval for introduction to the branches of Tynwald.

Fresh from a 10-day break in Wales, Lloyd Taggart romped to victory in Western AC’s Peel Hill race on Monday evening.

The Ballasalla bomber completed the 3.7-mile up-and-down race in a time of 23 minutes 36 seconds to finish well clear of his considerably younger closest rivals.

Having produced a very good run in the previous day’s half-marathon at Ramsey, Northern AC’s Nick Colburn descended hard and overtook respected fells man Tom Cringle on the flat road/pavement section round the quay and promenade to the finish opposite the former Creg Malin Hotel.

Chris Reynolds and Nigel Maddocks filled fifth and sixth ahead of Peel’s own Geoff Rice who edged into second place in the No Rest for the Wicked long course (marathon) series behind Matthew David of the 100 Marathon Club.

Judith Quane won the women’s race in 15th place overall, one place behind former senior island goalkeeper Grant Dawson.

Quane’s Northern AC clubmate Rosy Craine took the runner-up spot but Helen Taylor of the organising club extended her lead in the NRFTW series in third.

Over-60 Peter Cooper ran well to place 19th, but there was also a notable performance from veteran fell man Ian Callister who completed the race for an amazing 43rd time. Ian is coming up to his 61st birthday.

The clear skies of the Isle of Man are being celebrated with a set of stamps.

The island now has a total of 26 ‘dark sky’ sites, which is by far the greatest concentration of such sites in Europe. 19 sites were recognised in January 2014, which were in addition to the seven that were similarly granted this status by the Dark Sky Discovery Network (DSDN) based at the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh during October 2012.

Dark Sky Status is granted only to sites that have spectacular views of the night sky. One of the criteria for Dark Sky Status is the ability to see the Milky Way clearly on dark clear moonless nights, which is known in Manx as ‘Raad Mooar re Gorry’ or the great way of King Orry, commemorating the landing of King Orry in the late 11th Century. The Isle of Man has many such locations, which have now been formally acknowledged by the DSDN and by many visiting astronomers.

Nicole Stott, NASA astronaut and wife of Manxman Chris Stott gave her full support to the application for the original seven sites.

She said then:’I tried on many occasions to identify the Isle of Man from orbit, but I had great difficulty because it is so dark!

‘I eventually captured an image and it shows how wonderful the night skies in the Island are. The Manx skies are fantastic for astronomy – great from above, on board the ISS (International Space Station) and from below, on the island.’

The stamp issue has been produced following consultation with Howard Parkin FRAS of AstroManx and the pictures used on the stamps show spectacular images of the Manx night skies and feature some of the constellations clearly visible throughout the year from the island’s darker skies.

The stamps show four scenes taken from various locations in the island across the seasons with one or more constellations superimposed on each. The stars as well as the surround of each stamp are distinct in that they are metallic, an essential collectable for all philatelists and astronomy enthusiasts.

The 42p stamp shows Orion, one of the most spectacular winter constellations superimposed onto an image taken from Niarbyl.

The 164p stamp shows Leo, a spring constellation and the skies from Port Erin, the 182p stamp shows the summer constellation of Cygnus with a spectacular view of the Milky Way as seen from Fort Island, and the 230p stamp shows the autumn group showing Pegasus and Andromeda with the sky from Langness.

Dan Hillier, leader of the DSD initiative at the STFC’s UK Astronomy Technology Centre in Edinburgh, said: ‘It’s gratifying that the Dark Sky Discovery Sites have led to the commissioning of these Isle of Man stamps. The dramatic views of the Manx night skies are truly impressive, so having them captured on a set of stamps is a great accolade for the island and for the Dark Sky Discovery initiative.’

Howard Parkin BSc FRAS said: ‘I was delighted to be able to help Isle of Man Stamps & Coins produce these beautiful stamps. They show just how clear the Manx night skies can be, and each stamp shows a different view of just what can be seen from our Dark Skies throughout the year and as such they can be used as a mini star atlas, which we believe may be unique from a philatelic viewpoint.’

The centenary of Douglas Corporation buses is being commemorated with a book by local historian and author Richard Davis.

Douglas Corporation Buses In Pictures – Centenary Edition – tells the story of Douglas buses from their inauguration in 1914 up to nationalisation in 1976 and beyond.

Using many previously unpublished pictures from his own collection and from others, Mr Davis tells the story of the fleet.

He describes the vehicles on a class by class basis and reveals insights into the often unique and unusual buses that once gave Douglas an enviable reputation as an unparalleled attraction for transport enthusiasts from far and wide.

Mr Davis said: ‘As a preservationist and restorer of buses for more years than I care to remember, it has been a great privilege to have met many members of Douglas Corporation Transport staff at all levels.

‘The one thing that came across loud and clear in my conversations with them was their dedicated professionalism and quite rightly justified sense of pride in the bus fleet they all had a part in operating.’

He added: ‘For those who remember Douglas buses, I hope that this book will act as a pleasant reminder of the good old days.

‘For those of you who may have moved to the island subsequent to the demise of the Corporation fleet or are too young to remember it, then I trust you will find this glimpse of transport of a bygone era both interesting and entertaining.’

The Corporation’s fleet operated for 62 years from 1914.

The former Douglas Corporation Transport Department would have notched up 100 years of operation in July.

Mr Davis has had a lifelong interest in the island’s history and transport.

His previous titles include Buses of the Isle of Man: 1945-present day, as well as two volumes of Those Were The Days.

Some of the proceeds from the sale of his latest book will be donated to the Manx Transport Enthusiasts’ Association, a local charity which restores and maintains a collection of vintage buses.

Douglas Corporation Buses In Pictures – Centenary Edition is published by Lily Publications and has an RRP of £16.

It is on sale at bookshops across the island.

Cregneash is to take visitors back 100 years to experience what life was like for the Manx people during the First World War.

The event is part of the annual action-packed Island at War weekend on the Isle of Man Steam Railway, where the popular 1940s wartime events will centre around Douglas, Castletown and Port Erin stations.

It will take place on Sunday, August 17.

Visitors can take bus service number 28 from the events at Port Erin to Cregneash to experience life 30 years earlier.

Helen Ashcroft, Site Manager at Cregneash said: ‘To mark the centenary year, and as part of our efforts to tell the island’s First World War story, we thought this year was a great opportunity to highlight the stories of the farming and fishing community caught up in the national struggle.

‘The event will have a very different feel to our Second World War events from previous years, and we hope we can encourage visitors to see how this momentous event impacted the Isle of Man.’

Manx agriculture flourished during the war and all surplus produce and livestock were exported to England.

Internees were made to work on the farm. And later conscription affected the farming community although appeals were made for skilled workers such as blacksmiths to receive exemption.

In a letter from 1916 John Kermode, President of the Farmers’ Club on the Isle of Man wrote: ‘..young blacksmiths in the island would do much towards the achievement of victory in their present occupations than if sent to the army, because farmers cannot do their work unless their implements and machines are kept in repair.’

As part of the event, Labyrinth History in Action players will bring these and other First World War stories to life on a walking theatre tour around the village. Tours depart 12:30, 14:30 and 16:30 and are bookable on arrival at Cregneash.

The Isle of Man Cadets, 1st Arbory Scouts and Castletown Metropolitan Band will lead a recruitment parade march through the village at 1.30pm and 3.30pm, and the call for volunteers will go out as it would have done in 1914.

Admission tickets are £6 adults, £3 students/child and can be bought in advance from the Manx Museum Gallery Shop and www.manxnationalheritage.im.

They will also be available at Port Erin Bridson Street and Cregneash on the day of the event. The ticket includes the theatre tours and a free return journey on service bus number 28, leaving Bridson Street, Port Erin, at noon, 1pm, 2.20pm, 3pm and 4pm.

For visitors with an interest in the war at sea, Adrian Corkhill, author of the book Hostile Sea will lead a walk on the story of the German U-Boat offensive around the Isle of Man during the First World War.

Participants will be guided around the coastline near Cregneash and learn about the drama of events 100 years ago when German U-Boats attacked and sank ships within sight of the Isle of Man’s southern coastline.

The walk covers the sinking of the SS Downshire in February 1915, HMS Champagne and HMT Waltham in October 1917, and the schooner Tommi in May 1918.

Adrian will lead the walk ‘Hostile Sea – A View from the Coast’ on Saturday and Sunday (August 16 and 17) at 10.30am. Tickets are £6 available from the Manx Museum Gallery Shop and www.manxnationalheritage.im.

The Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK is to hold a charity golf day next month.

The event will take place on Thursday, September 11, at the Mount Murray Hotel and, as in previous years, is attracting strong support from the island’s business community with 16 teams already signed up, an opportunity to win a BMW 1 Series car for any player achieving a hole in one on the 11th hole and a prize presentation dinner in the evening, also at the Mount Murray Hotel.

Since they began in 2011 the golf days have raised more than £60,000 for the fund, committed to bowel cancer research in memory of legendary West Ham United player Bobby Moore OBE, who died of the disease in February 1993, aged just 51.

For the fourth year in succession Celton Manx is to sponsor it.

Celton Manx executive director Bill Mummery said: ‘As operator of the global sports book SBOBET, sponsors of West Ham United Football Club from 2009 to 2013, Celton Manx is an ardent supporter of the Bobby Moore Fund and its pioneering research into a disease that can be treatable if detected early. We are pleased to be contributing to Bobby Moore’s legacy through our association with this event which, thanks to the hard work and professionalism of the organising committee, will not only offer a great day’s golf but also help raise vital funds for the charity.’

Stephanie Moore MBE, who founded the Bobby Moore Fund in 1993 in partnership with Cancer Research UK said: ‘Bobby was great friends with Lars and his wife Geraldine and so all these years on I am proud and grateful to them both, as well as to the organising team, for all the hard work and dedication that will help make this, the fourth Bobby Moore Fund charity golf Day, a tremendous success. It is always a fabulous day of golf and fun camaraderie, culminating in a glamorous dinner. All the proceeds are spent on dedicated bowel cancer research by Cancer Research UK. Bowel cancer is still the country’s second highest killing cancer. Monies raised will help our scientists to find better ways of diagnosing and treating this disease as well as working towards the day when bowel cancer is cured.’

For more information, contact Aubrey Brooks, 827089, 458894, aubreybrookscc@gmail.com

Disabled anglers can now fish from a platform at Cringle reservoir.

Anglers with disabilities have been able to park close to the reservoir – which is on the slopes of South Barrule – for several years but access to the waterside, especially for wheelchair users, was difficult.

The platform is near the disabled users’ car park and can be accessed via either a low gradient ramp or steps with hand-rails.

Part-funded by Troutlodge, the company that supplies rainbow trout to the Island’s reservoirs, the platform incorporates recommendations of the British Disabled Angling Association (BDAA) and is already proving popular with anglers of all abilities.

It is to feature as an example of good design in the BDAA’s new guide to accessible angling, which will be circulated throughout the British Isles.

Terry Moseley, President of the BDAA, said: ‘This is a tremendous opportunity for disabled people on the Isle of Man and tourists to access some of the finest game fishing.

‘The charity has identified that there is a British Isles-wide shortage of quality access and facilities for disabled people to participate in one of the most popular of outdoor activities for disabled people. The accessible angling facility built at Cringle reservoir will go a good way to improving this, offering clubs and fishery owners a template of best practice to help them also improve their own facilities as a result.’

Richard Ronan MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture, said: ‘Promoting the active enjoyment of the Island’s amenities is a key aim of my Department. Reservoirs can, by their nature, be difficult for disabled users to access but this welcome development will ensure everyone can enjoy fishing at the Cringle reservoir.

‘All licensed anglers are welcome to use the platform but I’d urge them to give priority to those who need it most. I’d like to thank Manx Utilities for giving permission for the platform to be built and for their help and cooperation during its construction.’

The reservoir fishing season lasts from March 20 to January 31. A full-price adult licence for the season costs £206 and entitles holders to a bag limit of four trout per day from March to October (two per day from November to January).

Anglers aged 65 and over or registered as disabled can purchase a season licence with a bag limit of two trout per day throughout the season at the reduced price of £145. Day and week licences are also available. More information on freshwater fishing can be found on the Government website www.gov.im/defa and a copy of the Isle of Man Angling Guide can also be requested from the Fisheries Directorate of the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture on 685857.

DEFA is exploring options for further improvements to reservoir access for anglers with mobility issues and would welcome enquiries from potential sponsors.

Anglers who are registered as disabled can obtain a key to the disabled users’ car park at Cringle reservoir from Manx Utilities at the Isle of Man Business Park, Braddan, tel. 687687.

The most-read story on iomtoday.co.im last week was a report about a rough crossing on the Manannan.

Reports on the Steam Packet are usually well-read.

In the top 10 last week, there were three, although one was the promotion story for the Manx Independent.

Meanwhile, the Examiner’s revelation that some hospital porters earn more than some qualified nurses provoked a strong reaction on the promotion story for the paper.

The top ten reports for the week of August 10 to 16 were:

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/passengers-relive-ferry-journey-in-stormy-seas-1-6784944|Passengers relive ferry journey in stormy seas.} 4,674

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/revealed-by-this-week-s-examiner-porters-earn-more-than-nurses-1-6779825|Revealed by this week’s Examiner: Porters earn more than nurses} 4,600

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/sport/isle-of-man-sport/sport-mourns-tragic-loss-of-talented-all-rounder-kate-burge-1-6773808|Sport mourns tragic loss of all-rounder Kate Burge} 3,883

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/passengers-tell-manx-independent-about-ordeal-on-rough-crossing-1-6784577|Passengers tell Manx Independent about ordeal on rough crossing} 3,865

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/setback-for-steam-packet-as-repairs-to-manannan-take-longer-than-anticipated-1-6778735|Setback for Steam Packet as repairs to Manannan take longer than anticipated} 3,450

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/residents-opposition-to-campsite-and-motor-home-park-plan-1-6773025|Residents’ opposition to campsite and motorhome plan} 2,461

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/fire-at-port-jack-1-6779658|Fire at Port Jack} 2,394

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/90k-plan-to-restore-river-bank-and-create-a-haven-for-wildlife-1-6777043|£90k plan to restore river bank and create a haven for wildlife} 2,355

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/business/prom-revamp-lost-us-business-says-cafe-owner-1-6783503|Prom revamp lost us money says cafe owner} 2,027

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/business/use-it-or-lose-it-warning-over-london-city-air-route-1-6784809|Use it or lose it warning over London City air route} 2,003

A hedge caught fire with smoke causing the road to be shut after a car crashed in Jurby today.

There were no passengers in the car and the driver was uninjured after it crashed into the hedge at around 12.10pm.

The accident led to about 100 metres of gorse being set alight.

The fire service attended and the incident was brought under control.

Charlotte Atkinson won a silver medal at the Summer Youth Olympics in China on Monday.

The Manx swimmer, who was in the island’s Commonwealth Games squad, was part of Great Britain’s 4x100m medley relay team that clinched second place behind Australia.

Peter Kennaugh has been selected to ride the Tour of Spain for Team Sky.

It starts with a team time trial on the Jerez GP circuit on Saturday.

But there was no mention of Mark Cavendish’s name when the Omega-Pharma Quick-Step team was announced late yesterday afternoon.

A statement from the Belgian team released later in the day said: ‘Mark has proven that he’s worked very hard since his crash at the Tour de France.’

‘Just six weeks after his injury, he took part in the Tour de l’Ain and worked as an important supporting rider to his teammates, even though obviously he is understandably not yet back to 100 per cent condition. We really appreciated Mark’s behaviour and his desire to get back into racing as soon as possible. Now the team believe that Mark needs a further intermediate step, which will be the Poitou Charents, in order get some more competition kilometres into his legs and continue his progress of gradual re-entry into competition. After the short French stage race, the plan is for Mark to line up for the start of the Tour of Britain with the aim of definitively rediscovering his race feeling by competing and trying to get good results.’

Cavendish said: ‘After the injury both myself and the team set a goal to get slowly back into a race environment at the Tour de l’Ain which I’ve now done.’

‘It was not an easy race for me because naturally my shoulder was still bothering me a little as it continues to get stronger each day. Now the next step is another shorter stage race at Poitou Charents. We will continue to monitor my condition week by week; as things stand it’s impossible to know how I’ll be feeling each week considering the severity of the injury and the accelerated recovery time. One thing is for sure, I would like to be at the start for the Tour of Britain for another chance to race in front of British fans again this year which holds lots of fond memories. My goal there will be to do the best I possibly can depending on the condition I’m in.’

Cav will race the Tour du Poitou Charentes (August 26-29) with the Tour of Britain taking place between September 7-14.

Jake Kelly is to ride the Tour de L’Avenir with the Great Britain under-23 squad.

Rushen parish fete on Saturday, August 23, will be opened at 2.15pm by Rushen MHK Laurence Skelly.

It features a range of stalls including craft, cake, gift (some made by the St Mary’s Ladies’ Working Party) and bottle plus entertainments in St Catherine’s church hall and grounds. Refreshments will be provided for which a donation is requested.

The event is the main fundraiser for the parish churches.

To make a donation for any stall, leave the item at one of the parish churches at either St Mary’s, St Catherine’s or Kirk Christ, or contact Gerry Callister, phone 474924.

Blind student Juan Greggor has won his category in a horse-riding competition.

Juan, aged 21, is from Peel originally and is a student at the Royal National College for the Blind (RNC).

He rides for the Herefordshire RDA, where he trains with support from a college volunteer.

He spent his childhood years in the saddle and was keen to continue his lifestyle hobby despite his other daily challenges.

Juan was registered blind in 2010 with a condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa, which causes deterioration in sight and often leads to blindness.

Because of this, he entered the Total Visual Impairment (TVI) Walk, trot and canter dressage test for the championships.

The three-day competition took place at Hartpury College, with more than 400 competitors covering all disabilities; learning, physical and sensory.

Juan became national champion in his field once again.

He said: ‘The test I took is one of my favourites to ride, there’s a bit of everything in it and accuracy is crucial.

‘I compete because it betters my riding, because it betters my quality of life. I enjoy it because it gives me freedom of mobility.’

Among his supporters at the event were Juan’s parents who travelled from the Isle of Man to see him compete, and Ian, the RNC volunteer who overcame his own fear of horses to help accompany Juan to the riding centre.

Horse-riding is an essential part of Juan’s life. It helps with his ataxia, a condition that effects balance, and provides a sense of freedom through the independence it gives him.

RNC encourages Juan in his riding, not simply by having dedicated voluntary support and providing financial aid, but with help through mobility techniques and independence skills that are learnt as part of his weekly timetable and can be transferred to other areas of his life.

Students at RNC are encouraged to continue their extra-curricular activities, including those which the College may not provide initially such as horse-riding, opera singing, and piano lessons, along with the College’s own endeavours like Duke of Edinburgh, Young Enterprise and the Angling Club. To find out more about RNC visit www.rnc.ac.uk

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/wilma-and-juan-are-a-perfect-match-1-5433644|A previous story about Juan}

The winners of the Energy Awards 2014 were announced at the Isle of Man Energy Expo, which was held as part of the Royal Manx Agricultural Show at Knockaloe, near Peel.

The awards recognise the achievements of local private and public sector organisations in making improvements to their energy efficiency and reducing their energy consumption and associated costs.

Graham Cregeen MHK, the Department of Economic Development’s Political Member with responsibility for Energy, presented the awards.

He said: ‘I’d like to congratulate the winners and all those who entered the awards. This year’s entries demonstrated significant energy savings and reduced energy bills.

‘These achievements support the government’s energy policy, which commits us to securing the efficient use of affordable energy and minimising the impact of our energy use on the environment.’

There were three categories of award: Biggest Saving; Best Practice; and Most Innovative Project.

Awards were given in each category for both public and private sector organisations.

The organisation demonstrating the biggest saving in the private sector was Catalina Property Services, St Mary’s Court, supplied by SNX Ltd, which saved approximately £10,250 and 39.2 tonnes CO2 in the first year.

The Best Practice award went to Netcetera for its 100 per cent carbon neutral data centre hosting with power supplied from 100 per cent green renewable sources.

The award for Most Innovative energy efficiency solution was given to Tremon Farm, supplied by Stiebel Eltron and Manx Solar Energy.

Among the public sector winners were Manx National Heritage (MNH) and Manx Utilities Authority (MUA).

Manx National Heritage won the award for Best Practice, through a programme of LED light installations across its extensive property portfolio.

Pat Mitchell, properties executive for Manx National Heritage said: ‘Manx National Heritage has undertaken a programme of introducing replacement LED lamps and fittings, enhancing the appearance of collections and artefacts in our public galleries and exhibition rooms over the last few years.

‘Introducing lighting controls to dim down and switch off lighting when it is not required has also produced energy savings for our organisation and the careful, considered renewal programme of lighting has shown the benefit of saving money on our energy bills, without the loss of quality to our visitor experience.’

James Kneen, revenue protection manager, Manx Utilities, collected the award for Biggest Savings in the Public Sector following their achievement in saving £20,000 per year from its energy bills.

He said: ‘The award vindicates what we have been doing in looking at new technology, we trial it and if it works, we roll it out across the whole organisation. The cost savings achieved mean that we can pass on the benefits to our customers.’

The award for Most Innovative Project went to Douglas Council for the architectural illumination of the Jubilee Buildings, supplied by Professional Lighting Design Ltd.

The Isle of Man now has 70 trained ‘energy champions’ within local businesses and over 60 within government departments. The Department of Economic Development says it is keen to see more energy champions within Isle of Man organisations.

Anyone interested should ring the department on 682367 for further details.

The annual memorial lap to commemorate the career of the TT’s most successful competitor is to take place during this year’s Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT.

The Joey Dunlop memorial lap started in 2010, to remember the 26-times TT winner 10 years after his death.

Since then it has taken place annually with participants making donations or buying T-shirts in aid of the Joey Dunlop Foundation, which provides disabled holiday accommodation for island visitors.

Foundation chairman Kevin Quirk said: ‘Due to the success of the first ride out, the charity has held a memorial lap each year on July 2. However, for 2014 it was agreed to have this event during the Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling.’

This year the event will take place on Tuesday, August 26, starting out from the TT Grandstand at 6.30pm, and organisers are hoping some TT riders will take part too. Police are to deal with traffic control to keep the lap flowing but roads will be open and speed limits will apply.

The charity is fundraising to build two more flats at the Joey Dunlop House at Braddan Bridge.

JDF T-shirts and Simon Andrews lap T-shirts will be sold at the grandstand or online to buy in advance at www.joeydunlopfoundation.com

Riders can also create a charity account at www.justgiving.com/joeydunlopfoundation.

Riders are asked to buy a T-shirt and arrive by 6pm for a prompt start.