Bacchas A added the Bridgewater’s Men’s Cup to the PwC Men’s Premier Division title with a comprehensive 5-1 victory over Crowe Morgan Valkyrs A on Saturday.

A dominant first-half from the Tromode side put them in the driving seat.

Tom Evans was the hero for Bacchas netting a hat-trick. Further goals came from captain Jamie Brown and Andy Vernon-Browne. Ollie Webster was the only Valkyrs player to find the net.

Bridgewater’s Men’s Plate

LJ Ramsey B secured the Bridgewater’s Men’s Plate with a 6-2 victory over Bacchas Colts. Captain Matt Greenbank led the way for the northerners with two goals. He was joined on the scoresheet by Aaron Bell, Dan Stevenson, Patrick Couper-Woods and John Gower-Jackson. Callum Baker and Mark Parsons found the net for Bacchas.

Bridgewater’s Women’s Cup

Canaccord Genuity Vikings A continued their domination of women’s hockey as they added the Bridgewater’s Women’s Cup to the league title with a 7-1 victory over Crowe Morgan Valkyrs A.

Captain Kim Carney and Kirsty Cooper both scored two goals apiece for Vikings with Louise Slater, Dani Coombes and Kirsty Bowley each adding one goal each. Karmina Kovanda was the only Valkyrs player to find the net.

Bridgewater’s Women’s Plate

Canaccord Genuity Vikings B claimed the Bridgewater’s Women’s Plate as an improved second-half performance saw them defeat Celton Manx Castletown B.

After an even first half Beckie O’Brien’s Vikings took the lead through Mel Bell. Ellis Kerford added a second from the penalty spot with Jan Carney rounding off the scoring to seal the win.

Bridgewater’s Men’s Cup

Bacchas A 5-1 Crowe Morgan Valkyrs A

Bridgewater’s Men’s Plate

LJ Ramsey B 6-2 Bacchas Colts

Bridgewater’s Women’s Cup

Canaccord Genuity Vikings A 7-1 Crowe Morgan Valkyrs A 1

Bridgewater’s Women’s Plate

Canaccord Genuity Vikings B 3-0 Celton Manx Castletown B 0

Animal campaigners say that pet rabbits are being released into the wild in the Isle of Man.

The Manx Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says that can be dangerous for the animals.

Margaret Mansfield of the organisation said: ‘We at the ManxSPCA have recently identified a new problem in that owners of domestic rabbits are releasing them into the wild, presumably because they are no longer wanted.

‘Domestic breeds will not survive in the great outdoors and one who was found recently in Archallagan Plantation was in quite a bad way until we rescued and revived her.

‘She is now known as the Duchess of Archallagan and is looking for a new home so, if you have a rabbit or any other pet who you no longer want or cannot care for, please bring that animal to us, and do not simply abandon it. We will not judge but we will care for it and find it a new and loving place to live.’

Margaret said that rabbits are social creatures and research had shown that they needed company and they needed affection.

Rabbits can be housetrained and will use a litter tray just as a cat will.

Margaret added: ‘When you consider adopting a rabbit you tend to think of it as a first pet for a child but research shows that more and more adult households are adopting these little furry characters.

‘They usually live for between eight and 10 years but with better husbandry they are increasingly living into their teens and the oldest on record lived to around 18 years old.

‘They are, therefore, a long-term commitment, not just a quick compromise pet for a child as that child will go off to university leaving the parents with a pet they don’t really want, so the moral is: it’s a family decision.

‘These little creatures have wonderful personalities, they’re clever, they can be taught to come when called, they bond with their owners and they don’t mind you working all day as they like to sleep. But they need your company when they are awake and, ideally, the company of another rabbit or two as they are really social creatures.’

Permits for use of the Sulby Claddagh campsite can be bought online from today.

Campers will pay a £15 fee for a permit from this year, a measure agreed in Tynwald this month.

A permit will allow camping at Sulby Claddagh over the whole summer season, which runs from May 1 to September 30.

A maximum stay of 14 days at a time will still apply.

People are encouraged to apply and pay for a permit online via www.gov.im/camping but can also apply in person or by post to: Sulby Claddagh Camping Permit, Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, Thie Slieau Whallian, St John’s, IM4 3AS. Cheques should be made payable to the Isle of Man Government.

Permits cannot be bought at the campsite.

The penalty for camping without a permit will be a fine of up to £2,500.

Zac Hall MHK, the politician responsible for forestry, amenity and lands, said: ‘Since the camping permit system was introduced at the Claddagh four years ago there have been few problems associated with the site. However, we receive occasional criticism over camping units being left unoccupied for days on end.

‘This year, the department will monitor the site more closely and may revoke permits for campers who leave their campervans, caravans or tents unoccupied.’

A support group for people with tinnitus will hold its first meeting this week.

Noble’s Hospital’s audiology service, which supports adults and children with hearing loss, tinnitus and balance problems, will launch the Tinnitus Support Group on Thursday, April 30, at 2.30pm.

This initial meeting, at The Lodge training facility near Noble’s Hospital, will be facilitated by Matthew Rudd, advanced audiologist.

The Department of Health and Social Care says the primary purpose of the group is to provide mutual support for people with tinnitus as well as their families.

The monthly meetings will have guest speakers and presentations including the British Tinnitus Association which has accepted an invitation to attend in July.

Tinnitus occurs where a person hears sounds, such as ringing or hissing or buzzing in the ear, when there is no external source.

Most people learn to live with tinnitus, but it can often have a significant impact on day-to-day life. For example, it can affect concentration, cause sleep problems and depression.

An awareness day held last year by the audiology aervice showed that tinnitus sufferers from across the Island would welcome the chance to meet for informal advice. An estimated 15% of the population may suffer from tinnitus.

Mr Rudd said: ‘The support group will provide an informal opportunity for people to come together, chat about the condition, share ideas and concerns in a supportive and friendly atmosphere. Anyone affected by tinnitus, including people who have not received a diagnosis but think that they may have tinnitus, are welcome to come along and join in.’

The audiology aervice aims to facilitate the meetings initially, with a view to members taking on the running of the group in the future.

The first support group meeting will be free, with refreshments and limited parking at The Lodge. Additional parking is available at the Ballafletcher shared car park near to Noble’s Hospital, signposted Vagabonds Rugby Group, a five-minute walk from The Lodge.

A sign language interpretation service, which uses an online video link, has been launched at Noble’s Hospital.

The initiative will provide an improved service for patients who are deaf as well as offering better value for money.

The service is a result of a collaboration between Noble’s Hospital, the Manx Deaf Society, the Isle of Man Government IT department and Sign Solutions.

The Isle of Man has no qualified British Sign Language interpreters.

When members of the deaf community have medical appointments and require an interpreter, the department often hires someone to come over from UK, which in the past has cost as much as £1,000.

In emergency situations, where there is no time to bring an interpreter to the island, deaf patients and staff providing care often find it extremely difficult to communicate effectively.

The service from Sign Solutions connects to a live sign language interpreter via secure video link over the internet on a PC with a webcam or a tablet computer.

Noble’s Hospital is the first area of government to use the video interpretation service, but it is hoped that the scheme could be expanded to cover other departments.

Stephen Griffiths, head of audiology at Noble’s Hospital, said: ‘We need to ensure that all patients can communicate with those responsible for their care and vice versa.

‘In the past patients have sometimes brought a family member or friend with them who can interpret and relay information, but this isn’t always possible and has the potential to compromise privacy and dignity.

‘This new service is an exciting development that will make lives easier for patients and clinicians alike.

Jan Mellows, corporate services manager at Noble’s Hospital, has led its development from initial proposal to today’s launch.’

The formal launch event consisted of a number of presentations on topics such as deaf culture, the challenges of being deaf and real life experiences that members of the deaf community on the island have experienced when receiving medical care.

Lucy Buxton, of the Manx Deaf Society, said: ‘This is a very positive development and the Manx Deaf Society has worked closely with staff at Noble’s Hospital to take the project forward, assisting with the setup costs.

‘Receiving care without the ability to communicate or understand what is happening to you can be a very daunting and frightening experience, especially in an emergency situation. I am pleased that we are now able to ensure proper communication between medical staff and Deaf patients by making use of this innovative and flexible service.’

‘Sean Nicholson, CEO at Sign Solutions said: ‘It’s no surprise that with 10 million people in the UK having some sort of hearing loss, a growing number of consumer-facing businesses and organisations are recognising the need to provide better access and communication for deaf people.

‘We’re seeing more and more sectors inquire about our service, which represents a step towards a more positive future for deaf people. We hope that other governmental departments across the UK will follow suit.’

Minister for Health and Social Care Howard Quayle MHK said: ‘We are so often reminded that communication is a fundamental part of good patient care.

‘While we all accept that living on an island brings with it some unique challenges, it has been a concern that in an emergency situation patients and clinicians can find themselves unable to communicate. This can be very distressing for patients, so I am delighted that staff at Noble’s Hospital have been able to identify a solution.

‘As well as improving communication during an emergency, we can also use this cost effective service for pre-planned appointments, greatly enhancing care and providing better value for the taxpayer when compared to bringing interpreters over to the island in person.’

All interpreters through this service are fully qualified and have been vetted by the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly the Criminal Records Bureau or CRB) and are bound by the UK Data Protection Act 1998.

The Isle of Man is hosting a conference of European telecoms regulators, with 60 delegates expected from across the continent.

Running from today until Thursday, the conference is being held at the Claremont Hotel in Douglas.

The regulators are part of a working group of administrations from the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications (CEPT), meeting in preparation for the forthcoming World Radio Conference in Geneva in November this year.

ManSat is sponsoring the conference, alongside EchoStar, SES, SpaceIsle, Sure, Telesat, ViaSat and 3FM, together with the government’s Department of Economic Development and several non-governmental organisations – International Institute of Space Commerce, Society of Satellite Professionals International, Space Data Association, EMEA Satellite Operators Association, and Satellite Interference Reduction Group.

ManSat chief executive Chris Stott said: ‘It’s a welcome and wholly unique opportunity for market-leading Isle of Man companies in the field to interact with some of the foremost telecoms regulators in Europe at a crucial time for the telecommunications industry as a whole.

‘The World Radio Conference only happens once every four years and there are many challenging topics to be debated that will affect all in the global industry. The working group will touch upon all uses across the spectrum, from radio to cellular to satellite and beyond.’

Four men from the north of England have pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping at Douglas courthouse.

Muhammad Khan, Amman Sohail and Zishaan Sharif, from Bradford, and Abdul Ahad from Burnley, appeared before Deemster Alastair Montgomerie at the court of General Gaol Delivery today (Monday).

It’s alleged that the four men, aged between 19 and 24, travelled to the island on October 31, 2014, to take another man to the UK against his will. They were stopped at the Sea Terminal in Douglas after the alleged victim was able to alert police officers.

Each of the four defendants pleaded not guilty to one charge of kidnapping.

Deemster Montgomerie adjourned the case until Thursday, June 25, when a pre-trial hearing will take place and trial dates will be fixed.

Bail was granted in the sum of £1,000 for each of the four defendants. A family member must continue to act as a surety for each of the four, in amounts of up to £10,000.

They must not contact any witnesses in the case, nor attempt to acquire replacement passports having surrendered the original documents to the court.

Each must also report once a day to Trafalgar House police station in Bradford, with the exception of Mr Ahad, who must attend Burnley police station.

As part of the bail conditions, the men must not return to the island except on court business.

A 50-year-old man has denied causing the death of a local father-of-two.

James Ricketts, who lives in Matlock, Derbyshire, appeared before Deemster Alastair Montgomerie at Douglas courthouse yesterday.

Mr Ricketts pleaded not guilty to one charge of causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving on August 6, 2014, while travelling on the Ramsey to Laxey coast road.

Forty-three-year-old Neil Walker, a well-known retained firefighter from Ramsey, was killed at Bulgham rocks when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a car.

Mr Ricketts was granted bail in the sum of £5,000.

Deemster Montgomerie adjourned the case until June 23, when a pre-trial hearing will take place.

Richard Gerrard limbered up for the Manx Telecom Parish Walk with a start-to-finish victory in the Sara Killey Memorial Walk on Sunday.

The defending Parish Walk champion repeated his Sara Killey success of last year with a time of 4hr 46min 16sec.

The 50km course covers the northern sector of the Parish Walk course between Peel and Ramsey fire stations.

Gerrard was almost 20 minutes ahead Richard Wild, who pipped David Walker in the final few kilometres. Michelle Turner was the leading woman in fourth place.

Full report in this Thursday’s Manx Independent

Police are hunting a graffiti artist who caused a lot of damage in the Sulby Claddagh area at the weekend.

He or she used red and white paint to damage property.

A road side property has had slogans and a symbol spray painted onto the gable end of the house, a road sign and the road itself in the area have also suffered similar spray paint damage.

Graffiti was also discovered in two other locations the first being the road surface on the Garey Road near to the Lezayre Road junction.

The damage was identical in nature to the damage found in the Claddagh.

The second was on the road surface at the entrance to the Manx Utilities sub station on the Clanagh Road, Sulby.

All of the graffiti is similar in content using red and white spray paint.

There was also spray type insulating foam on the road surface at the sub-station, an empty tin of Larsen Lartex injection resin was found in the area believed to be connected.

Police are appealing for any witnesses or anyone that has any knowledge of the damage to contact Ramsey Police on 812234.

The investigating officer, Constable Steve Grainger, said: ‘The graffiti is no more than mindless vandalism, which has only caused upset and inconvenience to everyone concerned, from the victims to the people who have to clean up the mess.

‘I would urge anyone with any knowledge to please contact Ramsey police station on 812234 or any police officer.’

There are no plans to make work permits available only for jobs which pay at least a living wage, Tynwald was told.

Economic Development Minister Laurence Skelly, replying to the question from Peter Karran (Lib Van. Onchan) said it would be ‘inappropriate at this stage’ to introduce a living wage to the work permit process.

He explained there were several reasons for this.

There is no common generally accepted definition of a living wage and whereas by law all employers must pay their workers at least the minimum wage, there is no basis in the work permit legislation for taking the living wage into consideration.

Mr Skelly added that under the work permit legislation his department may already take into account the extent to which new workers will be able to afford to live in the Island - based on the size of the applicant’s family and dependants, and whether wages and conditions offered are less favourable than those for similar Manx workers.

In a separate question, Mr Karran asked the Treasury Minister Eddie Teare what action he plans to take to enable young people to enter work without being worse off than when they were on benefits.

Mr Teare replied than an 18 to 20-year-old who takes a full-time job of 40 hours a week, paying the minimum wage, would receive £37.71 per week more in take-home than they would have received on benefits, including the maximum allowance which may be payable towards housing costs.

He pointed out that the current review of the Social Security system includes recommendations as to how to ensure people are better off in work.

Kewaigue School’s £25,000 minibus appeal is on the move following a successful novelty transport fundraiser to launch the project.

Some 110 children as well as parents and staff took to trikes, scooters, space hoppers and go-karts to complete as many laps of the National Sports Centre’s athletics raceway as possible.

Through sponsorship, they raised about £3,000 for the school’s Friends’ Association’s appeal.

Head teacher Adrian Shorthouse said the idea came after a consultation to create a vision for the school.

‘Staff, governors and parents expressed a desire to give pupils greater opportunities to develop an interest an awareness of their community, and play a more active role in it,’ he said.

‘Transportation poses the main barrier to children accessing such educational opportunities. It’s all about community and getting into the community.

‘Children not only getting to know their island community but making a difference to it. The location of the school is not ideal to enable us to do that.’

Proposed trips include visits to the elderly and helping voluntary organisations such as the Manx Wildlife Trust.

He said the novelty transport fundraiser – which launched the appeal – had been ‘superb’, with everyone enjoying the challenge.

And he said a number of parents had been ‘really proactive’ gaining sponsorship through business colleagues.

‘It puts us right on track with the minibus,’ he said.

Their next big fundraiser will be a summer fair on the afternoon of Sunday, June 28, featuring giant inflatables, bucking bronco entertainment and a barbecue.

And in fact Mr Shorthouse expects the £25,000 target will be reached sooner than expected: ‘I thought it would probably take a year or two to reach the target. Now I’m quietly confident that by July we will have the money.’

He said the school had a history of being able to raise substantial sums of money – raising £30,000 to replace its school field with artificial grass.

‘It shows the fantastic support we get from our school community,’ he said.

To make a donation to the appeal, contact the school office on 673951.

A plant sale will take place at The Deanery, in Albany Road, Peel, to raise money for the development of the gardens at St German’s Cathedral.

The sale takes place on Saturday, May 16, from 10am to 4pm. Refreshments will be available.

Anyone who would like to donate plants to the sale are asked to contact Vivien Roworth on 840457 or take them to her home, 9 Peveril Terrace in Peel.

The £1 million gardens are taking shape.

They will develop the story of the engagement of Christian and Manx culture over 1,500 years with each garden telling a story century by century.

There will also be a labyrinth, an apple tunnel and a replica of the Maughold cross.

A charity walk is likely to be cancelled because of a lack of interest.

The Walk the Southern event, in which people walk the Southern 100 course, raises money for Robert Owen House, a facility in which Manx families and carers of patients at Broadgreen Hospital in Liverpool stay.

The Walk the Southern event is due to take place on Sunday.

A charity spokesman said: ‘During the early years of the walk there were no other events around at the time.

‘However, now there are at least six large events, within a few weeks of each other, all trying to raise money.

‘To stage the walk can cost at least £500-700 to cover printing, advertising posters, etc, which has to be recovered before a profit is made. We can no longer compete with other events supported by banks and finance houses that appear to have deeper pockets than us.’

He added there was still time for people to try to save the event by downloading an entry form from.robertowenhouse.org and turning up on Sunday at 2pm at the Southern 100 HQ end of Castletown bypass.

He said it was ‘crunch time’ for the future of the walk.

The mission to breed the best Manx bee possible gathers pace this week with the visit of bee specialist Roger Patterson.

As a trustee of the British Beekeepers’ Association and vice chairman of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders’ Association, he first visited the island in January to advise the IoM Beekeepers’ Foundation.

His visit was in anticipation of the EU decision to allow the island to ban the importation of bees, to protect it from the deadly varroa virus, which is decimating hives worldwide.

The federation established the Bee Improvement Committee, a subcommittee which is focused on breeding the best bee – the most fertile with the best temperament.

Committee member Johnny Kipps said: ‘Roger’s main mission is to find queens from the best apiaries and use those to improve the gene stock. He will give instruction on queen-rearing. He will visit as many apiaries as he can to assess them and find as many black bees which give evidence they are more docile but productive.’

This Friday and Saturday he will give demonstrations of making nuclei, setting up colonies for raising queen cells and queens at the training apiary in St John’s.

On Sunday, he visits colonies in the north and east and turns his attention to colonies in the centre and south of the island on Monday.

Johnny said since the ban was introduced, ‘there has been quite a lot more interest from people wanting to be bee keepers and from people – some from across – who want to buy Manx queens.’

This week’s Isle of Man Examiner is in the shops now.

We were in court when a Douglas-based bank manager was sentenced to jail for stealing from his own branch.

The full story is in this week’s paper.

Inside, we reveal how much the recent trip by the Health Minister and his top civil servant to New Zealand cost the taxpayer.

They say why it was a good idea.

The paper also includes a report about the work on the regeneration of Douglas town centre.

The money’s run out but there is still plenty to do.

If Ed Miliband becomes prime minister over the water in a week and a half, what would that mean to the Isle of Man? Our chief minister has concerns. Find out what they are in the paper.

The paper also has lots more from the courts including a report on the sentencing last week of a murderer.

The Examiner includes your letters, Terry Cringle’s look at Times Past, all the sports action from the weekend and the first results from the Guild.

It’s in the shops now.

Ayre continue to set to the pace in group B of the Kirby Estates Cowell Cup.

The Tangerines have a 100 per cent record after inflicting St Mary’s first defeat of the campaign on Monday evening at Groves Road.

The Andreas outfit triumphed 4-1 thanks to goals from Andy Crowe (2), Elliott Cureton and Jack Murray.

Also in group B Onchan notched up their second win with a 3-0 triumph over Colby, while Marown drew 1-1 with Castletown, Jack Sheppard netting the Town equaliser.

In group A, Corinthians suffered their first defeat going down 1-0 to RYCOB and Tom Hall’s goal.

There was an entertaining 4-4 draw at Douglas Road between hosts Peel and Braddan.

Will Morris, Shaun Quayle-Dillon and Max Crookall gave the westerners a slender 3-2 lead at the break before Quayle-Dillon scored a second after half-time. On target for the Swans were Kyle Sum-Warrender (2), Cian Geoghegan and Michael Hutton.

Holders Rushen edged past Union Mills 3-2 thanks to a double from Ryan Crawley and one from Haydn McLarney.

Group A’s other game saw Laxey beat Ramsey 2-0 with Matty Kent-Lloyd netting his 11th goal in six games joining Conor Prescott on the scoresheet for the Miners.

The competition’s group games continue on Thursday.

Monday, April 27

Kirby Estates Cowell Cup - Group A

Corinthians 0-1 RYCOB

Union Mills 2-3 Rushen

Laxey 2-0 Ramsey

Peel 4-4 Braddan

Group B

Marown 1-1 Castletown

Onchan 3-0 Colby

St Mary’s 1-4 Ayre

Tim Knott produced a personal best time of 2hr 40min 52sec to top the local performances in Sunday’s Virgin Money London Marathon.

This placed the Manx Harriers man 708th in a total field of more than 38,000 competitors, 309th male.

Nigel Armstrong did 2:58.32 to cross the line seven seconds ahead of Alan Sandford.

Fellow fell runner David Griffin did 3:27.53 and Paul Curphey 3:29.37 in what was his 22nd consecutive appearance in the event.

The leading local female finishers were Lisa Dunwell 1,149th woman in 3:34.36 and Helen Taylor, 1,940th woman in 3:46.41.

A full report will appear in Thursday’s Manx Independent. Email times to sportsdesk@

newsiom.co.im

Billionaire John Whittaker and his family are the wealthiest in the Isle of Man, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.

The property tycoon is ranked 43rd overall in the list which reveals that the 1,000 richest men and women in the British Isles are collectively worth £547 billion.

You need £100m to get on the list. That is £45m more than in 2009 and £15m more than last year.

Bury-born Mr Whittaker, 73, and his family are said to have a fortune worth £2.37bn, an increase of £70m on last year.

At least three of his four children are said to work at his Peel Group, which owns shopping centres, ports, airports, including Liverpool John Lennon airport, Pinewood Shepperton Studios and Salford’s Media City.

A new container port is due to open this year in Liverpool.

Also making the cut this year is Jim Mellon, 58, who has dropped from 117th place to 128th place but has wealth estimated at £850m, the same figure as last year.

Mr Mellon, viewed by some as Britain’s very own Warren Buffett, is much sought-after for his views on investing.

Three-times Grand National-winning owner Trevor Hemmings has seen his wealth increase by £50m to £675m, according to the Rich List. But he has fallen slightly in the rankings to be the 166th wealthiest person, after being 164th last year.

The Preston North End owner, 79, who lives in the north of the island celebrated success in the Aintree race with his horse Many Clouds.

Last Saturday he was at Sandown Park to receive another trophy as Many Clouds was hailed the British Jump Racing Horse of the Year.

Mark Shuttleworth has a fortune of £160m and is in joint 608th place, down from 571st place last year. The 41-year-old, who lives in the island, sold an internet company for £400m, says the Rich List, adding that he has pledged half his fortune to charity.

In joint 707th place, down from 666th place last year, is caravan parks and leisure tycoon John Morphet, who lives at Bishopscourt near Kirk Michael. But his wealth is listed at £135m, the same as last year.

The 60-year-old Lancastrian owns Pure Leisure.

He also owns the Royal Westmoreland complex in Barbados.

Manxman David Higgins chalked up his seventh consecutive Oregon Trail Rally victory at the weekend continuing his 100 per cent start to the Rally America Championship season in the process.

The the third round of the series is its most diverse with a varying mix of road types that include both high-speed flowing and tight and technical roads.

Higgins’s 2015 Subaru WRX STI met the challenge perfectly as he won all but two of the rally’s 18 stages.

More in Thursday’s Manx Independent.