Public transport bosses have rejected claims that the new Go travel cards are not as smart as they claim.

Freelance writer Sara Goodwins, co-founder of Loaghtan Books, claims the new system isn’t working as it should – and for a pensioner to make use of it in the most cost effective way they would need three different Go cards.

Meanwhile a glitch on the Go website which meant it was not accepting Visa payments has now been resolved by the suppliers. Isle of Man Transport has apologised to all customers who were inconvenienced.

Ms Goodwins argues the new Go cards are deterring pensioners in particular from using the heritage railways and the system needs to be made simpler and fairer.

She said: ‘Simple. Quick. Effective. That’s what the new Go cards should be. Unfortunately they don’t seem to be working at all.

‘For some pensioners, particularly in Maughold, the heritage rail services are not overwhelmingly a leisure activity. Has Kate Beecroft MHK, member responsible for public transport, caught a Maughold bus recently?

‘It does two round trips to Ramsey on the morning and afternoon of Tuesday and Friday. Shopping for food becomes a matter of careful planning. During the summer the MER runs every day. Shopping for food becomes less of a worry.’

Ms Goodwins said catching the school bus one way and the service bus the other used to be an option on the Maughold route until half-fare travel for pensioners was brought in on bus services during peak hours.

Citing the hypothetical Maughold pensioner, she said: ‘To make the most cost effective use of the new system, he needs three different Go cards. Firstly the Go Silver card, which is free and replaces the 60+ card, for bus journeys in the middle of the day.

‘Then there’s the Go Platinum Rail which can be used on the MER during the summer months only. Finally there’s the Go Places card which replaces the Manx Rider 12-journey tickets.

‘He’d better get a new travel wallet to carry his pack of travel cards.’

Public transport director Ian Longworth said Ms Goodwins’ Maughold pensioner regularly shopping by tram does not exist according to ticket machine records and such journeys are rarely taken.

He said: ‘The first Go cards being introduced are an exact replacement in smart card form for our current range of tickets.

‘We have made the decision to phase in Go cards over a long period to ensure each is fully tested and has a chance to bed in before introducing additional cards – such as the Go Easy 28 day and annual bus cards.

‘In response to the comment that pensioners need three cards – this is true and is the same as currently. Ultimately, the plan is to enable the Go Silver card that will replace the 60+ pass to be loaded with all required products.’

Mr Longworth said the cards are aimed at reducing costs and the substantial subsidy required from government.

The road between St John’s and Kirk Michael will be closed today (Wednesday) and tomorrow.

The closure will affect the stretch from Ballig Bridge to Douglas Road corner in Kirk Michael between 9.15am and 4.15pm.

Carriageway repairs and tree work will be taking place along with line and kerb painting ahead of this year’s TT festival.

Homeowners will be allowed access to their properties and school buses will be unaffected.

The stretch between Ballacraine and Ballig Bridge was closed on Monday and yesterday (Tuesday) to allow similar work to take place.

Seven candidates have come forward to fight in the forthcoming by-elections for the House of Keys.

Two vacancies have arisen after {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/education/d-day-on-nursery-proposals-1-4452015|David Cretney and Bill Henderson} were elected to {http://www.tynwald.org.im/about/legco/Pages/default.aspx|Legislative Council.}

The candidates eyeing David Cretney’s Douglas South seat are businessman and would-be Steam Packet competitor {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/i-d-be-business-friendly-says-captain-kurt-1-7214312|Kurt Buchholz}, homemaker {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/amy-burns-to-stand-for-election-1-6947663|Amy Burns}, who hit the headlines in campaigns against the privatisation of {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/education/d-day-on-nursery-proposals-1-4452015|pre-school nurseries} and the toilet tax, {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/libvan-selects-its-candidates-for-two-douglas-by-elections-1-7178526|Keith Fitton, a registered nurse and charity manager who’ll be standing on a Liberal Vannin ticket}, and former Douglas South MHK and electrical engineer {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/bill-malarkey-quits-liberal-vannin-party-1-1774171|Councillor Bill Malarkey}

It will be a three-way fight in Bill Henderson’s former Douglas North constituency.

The candidates are: businessman and former mayor {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/first-candidates-step-forward-ahead-of-douglas-north-by-election-1-7172199|Councillor David Ashford, businessman Keith Peake} and shipping officer {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/libvan-selects-its-candidates-for-two-douglas-by-elections-1-7178526|Maire Booth} who’ll be standing on a Liberal Vannin ticket.

The by-elections will take place on May 21. Nominations closed yesterday.

More by-elections could be triggered, depending on the result of {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/three-stand-for-the-two-remaining-legco-seats-1-7214341|elections to Legislative Council} next month. Two MHKs are currently standing.

The next general election, when all Keys seats will be fought, will be in September 2016.

Vandals described as ‘mindless’ by police have attacked a house and car.

The incident happened at 3.30am on Saturday, April 4, when the windows and the door of a house in Willaston Crescent, Douglas, were damaged.

A silver Mitsubishi Shogun parked in the street outside was also attacked.

The police have only just released details of the event.

Officers would like to hear from anyone who has any information about the incident.

KPMG held one of its regular UK and Manx tax briefings at the Claremont Hotel, Douglas, attracting nearly 200 local professionals and business leaders.

As with previous sessions, the speakers covered a wide range of topics and covered a lot of ground in their respective presentations.

Having opened proceedings in his inimitable style, director Greg Jones’ first topic was the UK 2015 Budget.

Although the Budget itself might have been short of new developments in tax, most of the ‘announcements’ having been trailed in the 2014 Autumn Statement, it was clear that the Diverted Profits Tax will need to be considered by larger Manx companies.

It is intended to tackle circumstances where companies aim to divert their profits offshore and reduce their UK corporate tax liability.

Greg also mentioned the wide-ranging changes that will be occurring in the savings/ pensions market.

Although it is the UK Government’s intention to deregulate this market, there are clearly still pitfalls for taxpayers to avoid.

flagged up

Greg flagged up the possible removal of the UK Tax Return and, in the next session from Harley Richards (tax manager), this point was considered in more detail.

Harley’s view was that, while pre-population of tax returns for individuals might be a relatively straightforward and welcome development – it seemed an altogether more complex undertaking for businesses.

Harley went on to outline the actions currently being taken by the tax office in respect of payments made to personal service companies, and HMRC activity around the issuing of accelerated payment notices.

Sandra Skuszka (VAT senior manager) then delivered an update on VAT matters which centred primarily on the use of structures involving non-EU companies.

Sandra talked the audience through a number of recent tax cases where taxpayers had fallen foul of the relevant legislation and flagged up the areas where businesses looking to utilise non-EU companies should exercise caution.

Sandra also explained the operation of a typical ‘Carousel Fraud’ arrangement, and outlined what steps a business can take to reduce the risks of unwittingly becoming involved. Sandra was followed by Sarah Brunswick (audit manager). Sarah’s presentation tackled the new UK GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) regime which provides a significant reduction, and simplification, to the current standards and guidance.

Sarah outlined the key areas that will be impacted by the changes and suggested that it may now be appropriate for businesses to consider adopting full IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) for their accounting systems.

David Parsons (tax director) then examined the 2015 Manx Budget and provided an update on the Auto Exchange regime for financial information.

The Manx Budget, as has been pointed out elsewhere, was not an exciting event but it did increase the rate of tax paid by companies in respect of Manx land and property income from 10 per cent to 20 per cent.

David also referred to the ongoing, and potentially far-reaching, consultation on National Insurance and benefit reform. David’s comments on the Auto Exchange regime made it quite clear this is an issue which will continue to require diligence from businesses and individuals alike, and is seen by governments as an integral part of their challenge to tax evasion. David also referred to the withdrawal of the current disclosure facilities in the UK and their replacement with altogether less financially favourable options. The morning’s final session was from Greg who outlined changes to UK legislation which introduce a potential Capital Gains Tax charge for non-UK resident entities who sell land/ property in the UK. Greg’s message was that any Isle of Man based companies who dispose of UK land/ property should now give careful consideration to the possibility of a UK tax charge arising.

Children are using public computers in Ramsey Town Library to play 18-rated video games and even access pornography, according to a concerned parent.

The issue will be discussed during Wednesday’s public meeting of Ramsey Town Comissioners after Ramsey resident and mother-of-four Joan Yardley repeatedly expressed her concerns.

Mrs Yardley told iomtoday: ‘Every single day between 3.30pm and 4.30pm there’s a row of children playing games that are rated 18. I know that one of the children is only eight.’

She claims to be ‘100 per cent’ certain that she witnessed young people watching pornography on a library computer in one incident last summer.

She added: ‘It’s not appropriate for children to be doing this kind of thing in a library, especially when there’s so much talk of internet safety.

‘I’m not trying to make any kind of personal attack on the librarians or the staff. I just think it’s naive to think that children just use the computers to do their homework. It’s more like an amusement arcade in there.’

Dr Alex Allinson, the commisioner reponsible for parks and leisure who has responsibility for the library, told the Examiner that while there were filters in place, they couldn’t always detect online games that have no obvious age restriction.

He said: ‘We’re beefing up our acceptable use policy so that any child under the age of 12 will not be allowed to use computers without being accompanied by an adult.’

‘We’re also asking adults to bring any sites that they’re concerned about to our attention and we will manually block them from the computer system.’

But Mrs Yardley said that the proposed age restriction would be difficult to implement. She said: ‘There’s no way to enforce that because the library staff have no way of knowing what age a child is. It seems like a very naive approach.’

Enormous quantities of engine oil and other chemicals were dumped in the Isle of Man’s mineshafts and continue to leach into the environment.

That’s the claim of David Richards, who says he was paid to cover up pollution that came to the surface at Cross’s Mine after heavy rain.

On numerous occasions in the 1990s, while operating a digger for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Mr Richards claims he was sent to bury the sludge that was leaching from the mine.

‘It would happen after heavy rainfall, when the water table would rise in the mine shaft and the stuff would come to the surface,’ he said.

‘I’d go up with the digger, literally with the instruction to bury it. It’s all loose shale up there and I’d dig up dry areas and spread it on the black slimy areas to bury it.’

That problem has not gone away, he said, as the shaft is still full of black sludge.

‘You can smell the pungent chemical and fuel-like mix coming up from the grid, and you can actually see it when you look down there’ he said, ‘You can tell it’s waste engine oil, but there’s no way to know what else is in there, or how long it’s been down there.’

Mr Richards believes that ‘hundreds, even thousands of tons’ of engine oil and other chemicals may have been poured into the mine during decades of unregulated tipping.

He said: ‘There was no facility on the Isle of Man to dispose of engine oil back then. There were no amenity sites.’

Cross’s Mine in particular, he said, was ‘open season’ for those seeking to offload chemicals. ‘They’d drive down and you’d see them hauling out drums and tipping them into what was a completely open shaft,’ he said, ‘They weren’t doing anything sneaky, it was just known as a dumping site.’

He added that although the tipping is a thing of the past, the issues of pollution continue to this day.

‘Everything that’s gone down Cross’s Mine is leaching and working its way to the harbour in Peel and beyond’, he said, ‘We’ve got the legacy of what used to be completely ungoverned tipping rights.’

Mr Richards believes that the mines must be properly cleaned up after a what he describes as ‘a lifetime of condoned abuse’.

‘I suppose the fact that it’s under the ground means it’s out of sight and out of mind’, he said, ‘I think they’d happily leave it there for generations to come, but the same soup that’s still in the mineshaft is leaching downriver.’

In a statement, the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture said: ‘It is almost certain that human activity has played a part in the levels of metals found in our rivers but that is primarily thought to be a result of historic mining activity.

‘Other contaminants such as oil based products will also have been introduced as a result of human activity with examples of this being oil and petrol leaking from vehicles into drains.’

They added that river water sampling takes place in all of the island’s main catchment areas, including the River Neb and Glen Maye.

Government is working in partnership with the business community and third sector on a pilot project trialling the use of tablet technology to help older people keep in touch with family and friends.

Four residents in the south of the island, three female and one male, are taking part in the six-month trial which is one of a number of initiatives to tackle social isolation amongst the older population.

The Isle of Man Government is leading work within the British-Irish Council to promote ‘digital inclusion’, ensuring that all groups in society have the opportunity to share in the benefits of access to the internet.

Co-ordinated by the Cabinet Office, the pilot project involves: the Department of Health and Social Care; Manx Telecom, which is providing tablets and 4G connectivity; Zurich International, which is providing staff support; Age Isle of Man; and Southern Befrienders, of which the trial participants are registered clients.

A detailed guide to business relocation issued by Grant Thornton could help firms to move operations to the Isle of Man.

The Grant Thornton publication 'A Global Guide to Business Relocation' is a comprehensive 138-page document covering topics of importance for any business looking to unlock growth through greater efficiencies.

It explains that the key to successful business relocation is early planning, clear commercial objectives and careful execution, and provides pragmatic advice for executives, including outlining the drivers of relocation and the types of activity commonly relocated.

Martin Kneale, a director at Grant Thornton in the Isle of Man, said the guide will be a useful tool for companies looking at moving to the Island, or local businesses assisting firms with relocation.

He said: ‘Many companies, from large multinationals to entrepreneurial businesses, are exploring relocating part or all of their operations to new territories.

‘While there are a number of cost and commercial reasons why a group may consider relocating part of their operations, it is also very important to understand all the consequences.

‘For example, there may be tax-related costs applied when exiting some jurisdictions, so the in-depth tax profiles of more than 25 countries will help to highlight such potential penalties.

‘Among the topics covered in the guide are the effect new regulations may have on international structuring, how relocation can add value, changes to risk models, operational issues such as customers, suppliers and markets, legal issues like employment law and contract renegotiation, as well as tax issues, including residency and controlled foreign corporations rules, transfer pricing and indirect taxes.’

Mr Kneale added: ‘A Global Guide to Business Relocation will be of great assistance to any firm considering moving operations to the Isle of Man, especially when supported by the expert knowledge offered by our island office of Isle of Man taxation, trusts, company law and regulation.’

Grant Thornton's 'A Global Guide to Business Relocation' can be downloaded from.grantthornton.co.im.

Manx equestrian star Yasmin Ingham started her campaign for British team selection in fine style recently, winning the Junior/Young Rider Team Trial at the Weston Park Horse Trials in Shropshire.

Riding Eddie and Sue Davies’s and Janette Chinn’s Imperial Cavalier, the 17-year-old was involved in a very close battle with

The competition was very close between 17-year-old European eventing goal medallist Yasmin and Emily King, the daughter of multi Olympic medallist Mary King.

Emily posted a slightly better dressage score, but Yasmin went ahead after the showjumping phase, putting in a clear round with her opponent having one fence down for four penalties.

They both then went clear over a tricky cross-country course and Ingham secured the victory by 1.5 penalties.

Yasmin’s other ride, Pewit Terceiro, was placed fifth in a different intermediate section on the same weekend.

This was the first of the selection trials for the team who will represent Great Britain in the Junior European Championships to be held at Bialy Bor in Poland this August.

There are two trials before the National Junior Championships in June, after which a long list is announced.

The long-listed riders will then be asked to compete in a further three trials before the final six riders are selected to compete in Poland.

Imperial Cavalier heads to Withington Manor in Gloucestershire at the end of this month for a further selection trial, while Pewit Terceiro will be competing in a two-star competiton at Belton Park in Lincolnshire.

As ever, Yasmin is grateful to the owners of the horses, Mr and Mrs Davies and Janette Chinn, together with her sponsors Isle of Man Sport, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, Comfort Saddles, Neue Schule Bits, Animo UK, PK Clothing and the support from the World Class Programme.

Children and adults in need of help with learning and sensory difficulties have a chance to receive pioneering treatment thanks to Manx Mencap.

In mid-July, specialists from The Sound Learning Centre, in London, will visit the island for the fifth time to provide treatments.

Manx Mencap is again sponsoring the specialists coming over and providing the treatment for about 12 people.

A number of spaces are still available – anyone interested should get in touch with the London centre.

The centre’s principal, Pauline Allen, arrived in the island last week to carry out individual assessments, which involve looking at the auditory, visual and neurodevelopmental systems.

Specialists will be based at Centre 21, in Homefield Road, Douglas, for three weeks from July 22, for individuals to receive 10 days of treatment.

The treatment involves sound and light therapy to target the auditory and visual systems.

Auditory integration training involves listening to music that has been specially modified and filtered through an electronic device, the Audiokinetron.

Meanwhile, lightwave stimulation uses low intensity, pulsed, coloured light to rebalance the sympathetic and parasympathetic sides of the autonomic nervous system.

Since their first visit to the island in 2009, the specialists have treated more than 40 people.

She said they had seen ‘very good results’ with last year’s group.

They included a girl with very severe autism who had to be strapped into her buggy.

She is now calmer and speaking a couple of words at a time.

A boy with no impulse control, and who found it very difficult to sit down for any length of time, is now able to do so.

Another boy had been unable to access the curriculum due to very low self-esteem.

Pauline said: ‘He thanked us no end for believing in him and allowing him to feel he could achieve.’

In their feedback parents have reported a range of educational, behavioural and social improvements.

‘There is no way of knowing what the outcomes are going to be and we always advise them not to build up their hopes,’ she said.

‘But if we didn’t see what we see, we wouldn’t do what we do.’

Last year the Sound Learning Centre celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Pauline said: ‘We are very grateful to Manx Mencap for bringing us over allowing people to be helped.

‘They are a terrific organisation and we are very happy to be here.’

Each year Manx Mencap sponsors a new group of residents, so that they can help as many people as possible.

For more information, contact Heather Benghiat at The Sound Learning Centre by calling 020 8882 1060 or email info@thesoundlearningcentre.co.uk

A backbench MHK says it is ‘hugely disappointing’ that the island appears to have fallen behind the UK over pension reform.

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare MHK told Tynwald that the government had yet to determine whether it will recommend adopting the UK’s new single-tier flat rate state pension that will come into effect in April next year – or whether the island should break away from its reciprocal agreement with Whitehall and have its own pension arrangements.

‘This is the principal aspect of our review of the social security system,’ he told the court.

But Michael MHK Alfred Cannan said a decision on which path to take should be made urgently – or we will fall further behind.

He told the Manx Independent: ‘It is hugely disappointing that we appear to have fallen so far behind the UK in respect of pension reforms and have left our citizens potentially unable to benefit from new pension freedoms, including withdrawing lump sums on reaching retirement age.

‘It is also regrettable that we have not yet introduced auto-enrolment into workplace pensions, a move that will be important to ensuring our citizens make adequate provision for their retirement.

‘We have failed to keep pace with these important changes and the Treasury now needs to urgently make their minds up about which path we are following before we fall even further behind.’

Mr Teare denied we are falling behind the UK and it was important to come up with a scheme that would solve the overall issue. He said doubts had been express about the wisdom of pension freedoms.

But the Minister accepted that auto-enrolment has a lot to recommend it.

He said reciprocal agreements came in various forms and our present arrangement was more closely tied to the UK than the one which Northern Ireland has.

Mr Teare said if we do follow the UK, we wouldn’t have the IT systems in place until 2017. He said if the UK abolished contracting out as planned this would cost government an extra £6m a year.

This week’s Manx Independent is out now.

Headlines in the paper include:

Roof firm in court after Mount Murray fire

Man ‘found with £22,000 cannabis’

Man smashed into house and assaulted two women

Minister questioned over cancer delays

Minister faces Tynwald over Peel silt

Woman had tray of cannabis in fridge

Whole village put up for sale

Tower of Refuge walk: Picture special

Baby wallaby dies

This week’s glorious and very welcome spring weather is much nicer than the conditions 70 years ago when, on April 23, 1945, an American Flying Fortress bomber became a victim of low cloud – ‘Manannan’s Cloak’ – and flew into the side of North Barrule at full speed.

Although it was a fully-equipped warplane the bomber was on a peaceful mission, taking passengers to Nutt’s Corner in Northern Ireland for a few days of leave.

There were 31 men on board, all looking forward to a time away from their hectic life on their United States Army Air Force base at Ridgewell in Essex where many of them worked as ground crew, repairing and maintaining the bombers which were flying almost daily over enemy territory.

They were all Americans and most had been in England since 1943. Along with their luggage they were packed into every available space in the cramped body of the aircraft; they were sitting on the floor, in the gun turrets and the radio cabin.

Some may have been playing cards and all would have been eagerly anticipating their landing in Northern Ireland.

They never arrived.

In a split second every one of them was killed as the aircraft hit the steep, rocky hillside. It bounced back into the air, debris and men spilling from its torn fuselage, and crashed back onto the rocky slopes where high-octane petrol spilt from the huge fuel tanks in its wings and exploded in a fireball.

Judging by the position of some of the debris and marks which can still be seen on the ground, it is possible to deduce that the pilot may have seen the hillside at the last minute and tried in vain to lift the aircraft’s nose.

Charles Ackerman was no novice pilot, having been flying operationally since February 1944 he had completed 25 missions, been home to the United States and returned to his squadron to have another go at the enemy by flying 27 more missions, many as lead pilot of his squadron.

The reason why Captain Ackerman was some way off his planned route will never be known for certain but it is possible that he had asked his navigator, 1st Lieutenant Martin Matyas, to plot a course for North Barrule because a fellow pilot from the same squadron had been killed there in a crash the previous July.

Could this tragedy be the result of a sightseeing diversion? What bizarre twist of fate could otherwise be the reason for two men, who between them survived 77 hazardous flights over enemy-occupied Europe, dying less than half a mile apart on a Manx hill?

Whatever the reason, 31 young men died there on a cloud-covered rocky hillside far from home.

All were returned to England for burial at the American Military Cemetery at Madingley near Cambridge and after the war several of them were returned home to the USA for reburial closer to their families.

This repatriation of the American dead was carried out in great secrecy. The British government, left virtually bankrupt by six years of war, had no wish for its people to know about it, fearing that they would demand return of their loved ones from their graves all over the world.

Over the years nature has softened the damage to the hillside.

Fire-blackened stones have been covered over by new grass and heather and there are mere fragments left of the 20 tons of twisted wreckage which were once a four-engined aircraft.

In 1995 a memorial and flagpole were erected at the crash site on North Barrule by the Maughold Commissioners and the Manx Aviation Preservation Society.

Every year since then the American flag has been flown there by Mike Corlett from Laxey who remembers the crash happening when he was a boy. Over 80 now, Mike still makes the annual trek up the hill to erect the flag, albeit at a slightly more leisurely pace than before.

Mike is one of the founders of the Manx Aviation and Military Museum.

I have been to the crash site several times with Mike when he’s been raising the flag and it is a very moving occasion.

It is such a beautiful, peaceful spot; on Monday there was only the sound of skylarks and sheep and it’s impossible to imagine that it was a place of devastation and horror 70 years ago, with 31 young lives snuffed out in an instant.

Nature has hidden most of the scars but here and there you can find twisted pieces of metal which provide vivid reminders of that terrible accident.

It is, in a way, a place of pilgrimage; a place where we raise their flag to and say a quiet ‘thank you’ to those young Americans who played their part in overthrowing tyranny and who lost their lives so far from their homes.

Mike doesn’t know this but when we’re up there I also say a silent thank you to him for his dedication to these men and for starting what I hope will continue to be a tradition in the island.

Relatives of several of the victims have visited the site over the years and Mike’s efforts in raising the flag and in guiding them to the site are very much appreciated by them.

Over the years many objects have been found at the site and some of them can be seen along with photographs and names of the victims in one of the many fascinating and moving displays in the Manx Aviation and Military Museum at the airport. T

The museum is open every Saturday and Sunday through the year from 10am to 4.30pm and daily from TT Practice Week to the end of September. Admission is free.

Josie the rescued baby wallaby has died, the ManxSPCA has said.

The charity had been caring for the orphan since it was found by a concerned member of the public.

Round the clock care included three-hourly feeds.

Earlier this week we reported Josie, while being in a fragile condition, was feeding well and had put on weight.

But the wallaby died on Tuesday night due to stress caused by not being with her mother. Margaret Mansfield said that capture myopathy posed a significant risk when caring for wild animals.

She said the milk, recommended by experts at Blackpool Zoo, was also not as good as that which she would have got from her mother.

She added: ‘Everyone’s very upset. It was such a lovely animal.’

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Rescued baby wallaby is ‘doing well’

Baby wallaby in ‘fragile’ condition after being found in north of Isle of Man

The Manx Classic three-day sprint and hillclimb fires into life this afternoon, Thursday.

It promises to be an exciting high-octane event with cars from plenty of eras represented on the start line.

From Edwardian racing cars and vintage thoroughbreds, through much loved classics to modern performance cars, this year will see almost 100 cars, spanning 1911 to 2015, lined up to compete for the fastest time of day title at each of the three venues.

A whole class of Bugattis will compete this year, 80 years since the marque won on Manx soil in the 1935 Mannin Moar ‘around the houses’ race in Douglas. MGs and Rileys for the same era will be represented too, with one competitor coming all the way from Germany to compete on the island for the first time in his 1932 MG J2.

The three-wheeled Morgans are making a return again this year, competition was close in 2015 between Ewan Cameron and Sue Darbryshire, this year Nancy Thomas will be joining the line up too.

And there’ll be lots of interest in the battle of the Minis in Class 2A (pre 1968 cars up to 1500cc), with regular local competitor Dave Musgrove looking to retain his winning form.

Connor Corkill and Steve King, in their Ford Escorts, will be vying for wins in Class 4 (rally cars), and Class 8 (4WD & Turbo cars) is shaping up to be an interesting battle between locals and visitors, with Volkswagens, Mitsubishis, Mazdas and Nissans all in the mix.

Manx Classic schedule:

Thursday, April 23

Governor’s Sprint, Douglas:

Roads closed: 12 noon to 3pm and 6pm to 9.30pm

Friday, April 24

Creg Willey’s Hillclimb, Glen Helen:

Roads closed: 9am to 5pm

Saturday, April 25

Lhergy Frissell Hillclimb, Ramsey:

Roads closed: 9am to 6pm

Full road closure information on the website at: http://www.manxmotorracing.com/localinfo.htm#roadclosureinfo

TravelWatch thinks there should be a review of the Isle of Man’s travel links with the outside world in the light of the shutdown of our sea and air services a short time ago. But what can we do?

I suppose we could row our island as close to England as possible, to Liverpool for example, so that people could simply step on and off shore dry shod. But I think there might be problems with this.

In the circumstances, why not build a road bridge from the Isle of Man to somewhere else in the British Isles? Then we could all drive on and off.

Now don’t think this is a new idea. I can remember it being talked of in Tynwald 30 odd years ago. The notion came from the then MHK for East Douglas Mr David Martin who, as a Douglas seafront hotelier, was understandably concerned about the security of our external travel links.

A fixed link he called it. But where to build it?

On economy grounds it was thought it would have to be as short as possible, perhaps stretching from the Point of Ayre to the southern coast of Scotland at Burrow Head, a distance of 10 miles. The next shortest would be from the Point of Ayre to St Bee’s Head in Cumbria. Unfortunately Mr Martin’s notion got nowhere.

In view of the present day concerns, however, I think it should be looked at again by Tynwald.

But what would we call this fabulous fixed link? Well, there is one resonant Manx name which was at the centre of last week’s problems

We could call it Manannan’s Bridge.

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On Manx Radio the Mandate programme presenter John Moss chose to say that something had been done ‘in one fell swoop.’ But he didn’t say ‘fell.’ He used another word, which was incorrect, and which he acknowledged as such when a listener rang up to take him to task.

What he did not do was tell people whether he was trying to say ‘in one fowl swoop’ or ‘in one foul swoop.’

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That Manx crossword clue wag Frank Bond in Doncaster revealed how he got ‘kitten’ last week. He told me: ‘My wife asked me-ow I got it. I said I’d looked it up in a catalogue. She said it would have been a catastrophe if I hadn’t got it.’

That’s purrfect Frank.

On another waggish tack Frank asked me: ‘Now that I can bring my caravan to the Isle of Man, do you think I would need just one permit or one for each camel?’

Just don’t get the hump about it, Frank.

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In the Examiner last week, covering pages 27 and 28, there was a photograph of hundreds of people downing a few snifters at the CAMRA beer festival and at least two readers, Jon Callister and Richard Davies, told me they recognised President Putin sitting up at the bar. There is a remarkable resemblance here but I leave it to other readers to pick this man out for themselves. He might not be too pleased if I told the world who he looked like by re-running the photograph. Mind you it could be that President Putin really was there. But it’s not for me to blow his cover.

He might be planning to stand for the House of Keys next year, with his eye on becoming Chief Minister Putin.

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In a list of Sky TV channels, where programme names are often fore-shortened, at 5.30pm on Sky 2 there was on offer: ‘Terry Prat.’

I think I know who they mean and he wasn’t.

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At Walk and Talk last week I encountered a lady marching along with her iPhone held up in front her and looking intently at the display panel. She told me she was rehearsing the words of a song she was going to be singing in the Guild. I wanted to ask her name but she was leaving me behind; nearly all the ladies are faster than me.

But is it going to be Walk and Talk and Sing in future?

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My Manx crossword clue enthusiasts had little trouble deciding why, as asked last week, the answer to ‘Capricious Manx cat not acceptable in stage show (9)’ should be ‘Whimsical’.

Answers came in from Heather Horsburgh (daughter of Lockie), Barbara Taylor, Frank Bond and Ken Fogelman. Heather, for instance, offered: The cat is whip as in cat-of-nine tails. Manx cat becomes whi. Not acceptable stage show, non-u musical, becomes msical.

A forum for owners of electric vehicles was launched on Saturday.

And the first meeting also included an information and display day between 10am and 3pm at the Green Centre in Douglas.

It was great to see a whole herd of Leafs – cue lots of jokes over the collective noun for these lovely vehicles – assembled outside the Centre.

The display also featured electric bikes and even an electric scooter, which attracted lots of interest from passers-by.

The meeting itself was virtually standing room-only in the – admittedly not very large – Green Centre.

Around 20 people, variously owners, infrastructure providers and the curious, assembled to discuss a packed agenda.

Chris Burton, of the Manx Energy Advice Centre, chaired the meeting and was ably supported by Dan Brook, whose excellent Facebook page EVIOM was the initial inspiration.

Chris and Dan are the driving force behind the group and have lots of information and experience to share.

For instance, did you know that provided you arrange in advance, you can charge your EV on certain Steam Packet sailings? This is a great facility, and hats off to the company for offering it.

It was also good to see the Manx Utilities Authorities’ Richard Bujko in attendance, both to share the MUA’s ideas on developing tariffs and charging infrastructure and to take back feedback from the group.

Richard gave us lots to think about and invited feedback on a planned tariff structure – we appreciate the chance to comment.

The agenda covered everything from affordability and charging points, to connectivity issues, maintenance and battery life.

There was lots to discuss and many items will be revisited at the next gathering, to be held on a date to be confirmed.

What was clear, though, was that EV owners aren’t just motivated by environmental issues or a wish to be freed from the ‘slavery of the petrol pump’ – they genuinely love their vehicles.

More than one person described their car as the best drive they’d ever had, bar none. Clearly, choosing an environmentally sustainable option doesn’t mean opting for second best!

The forum aims to help EV enthusiasts network and share ideas and experience - but it’ll also be a useful lobbying body, and will be one of the groups feeding into the newly established EcoVannin forum (www.ecovannin.im) through its Transport stream.

If you’d like to know more, or to be added to the group’s mailing list, email Chris Burton csburton@manx.net, contact Dan Brook through the EVIOM Facebook page or call/text EcoVannin co-ordinator Cat Turner on 482077.

Douglas Promenade will be jumping on Saturday, May 2, when fitness fans take part in a one-mile burpee challenge to raise funds for The Children’s Centre.

Individuals or teams of four will have to complete hundreds of the exercises to make it to the finish line. All money raised in the ‘Burpee 4 Charity’ event will go towards The Children’s Centre’s charitable projects.

The burpee exercise has become a staple part of fitness regimes for the military, boxers and other combat sports, and for many keep fit enthusiasts.

Mark Eastham, the charity’s fundraising co-ordinator, said: ‘This is going to be a real challenge for fitness fanatics, but a lot of fun too.

‘Everyone will have to complete a burpee followed by a forward jump before starting the next burpee over a one-mile course.

‘The fun starts at the Summerland end of Douglas Promenade at 11am on May 2, and we expect that all the competitors will have to complete around 800 burpees and jumps to complete the full distance. But there’s a generous time limit to allow those of all abilities to take part.’

Entry costs £10 per person, and £40 for a team of four.

The Burpee 4 Charity event was inspired by fitness expert Martin Malone, who will be taking part on the day, and will also be the instructor at a series of classes to learn how to do the perfect burpee.

There are several versions of the burpee exercise, but the one used for the Burpee Mile challenge is demonstrated by Martin in a video {http://www.thechildrenscentre.org.im/events/burpee-4-charity/|here}

Burpee classes will be held at the Summerland end of Douglas Promenade tonight (Thursday) and on Monday at 7.30pm.

All entries must be made online {http://www.thechildrenscentre.org.im/events/burpee-4-charity/|here} - there are no entries on the day. For more details contact The Children’s Centre’s fundraising team by phoning 676076 or emailing adventuremann@thechildrenscentre.org.im

Ulla Irene Hieala-Beavers, of Ballacain, Little Mill Road, Onchan, bought 17 Fairway Drive, Ramsey, for £510,000.

It was bought from Alan Thompson and Yvonne Thompson.

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

Alan John Harding and Frances Ann Harding sold 18 Sunnybank Avenue, Birch Hill, Onchan, for £395,000, to Patricia Margaret Donegan, of Sunnyside, Lower Dukes Road, Douglas.

Marcamp Limited and Manor Park Management Limited, whose registered offices are at Freeport Centre, Ballasalla, sold 23B Manor Park, Onchan, for £385,000, to Paul Bell, of 12 Manor Park, Banks Howe, Onchan.

Adam Price and Victoria Louise Price sold 32 Sunningdale Drive, Onchan, for £277,000, to Jonathan Harrison Carling and Monika Karolina Carling, of Flat 5, 3 Derby Road, Douglas.

George Michael Lewin and Avril Mary Lewin, of The Firs, Pinehurst Avenue, Braddan, sold 8 The Crofts, Ballagarey Road, Glen Vine, for £275,000, to Alison Mary Sutton.

Strategic Associates Limited, whose registered office is situated in Jersey, sold 15 Ballabrooie Grove, Douglas, for £250,00, to Colin Gyph Bowen, of Creg Beg, Main Road, Crosby.

Frank Peter Benton, of Newport, sold 1 Crovens Close, Governor’s Hill, Douglas, for £235,000, to Lyncot Property Limited, whose registered office is at 8/9 Hill Street, Douglas.

Michael James Playford and Jeanette Louise Playford sold Tengah, Dukes Road, Douglas, for £265,000, to David Frank Corris and Theresa Bernadette Corris, of 4 Fairfield Terrace, Douglas.

Paul Allen and Charlotte Frances Allen, of York, sold 5 Richmond Grove, Douglas, for £190,000, to Nan Wu and Lude Sun, of 13 Stanley Terrace, Douglas.

Georgios Tsapakis and Tabitha Elworthy, sold 24 Lakeside Road, Governor’s Hill, Douglas, for £181,000, to Elmfield Limited, whose registered office is at 99 Cronk Liauyr, Tromode Park, Douglas.

Bornfields Limited, whose registered office is in the British Virgin Islands, sold land at Foxdale for £75,000, to James William Cubbon and Denise Catherine Cubbon, of Kennaa Estate, Kennaa Road, St John’s.

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We publish details of all house sales unless we receive a written request from the police or probation services.