NatWest has apologised to a customer after he claims he was left in the lurch when it closed his island-based offshore accounts without giving him sufficient warning.

Andrew Hirst, who is from the island but now works as a financial consultant in Malaysia, said he was left with no Isle of Man account and made to feel like a criminal following the actions of the bank.

Returning to Malaysia on September 1 after a series of family and business engagements, he was horrified to open a letter from the NatWest dated June 30 informing him the bank had undertaken a review of its worldwide operations and was giving him 60 days’ notice before all his accounts would be closed.

By then it was too late to make alternative arrangements and transfer the funds.

Mr Hirst said no warning had been given to him in May when he had a meeting with the relationship manager allocated to him.

He told the Manx Independent: ‘The bank has the prerogative to close my accounts but my problem is with the way they went about this, and the complete lack of understanding I encountered trying to resolve the issue or even get my own money out.

‘The ensuing fall-out from this is still going on, and I have done very little else but try and work around the mess I’ve been in, ever since. I have been made – repeatedly – to feel like a criminal, yet all my accounts were in the black and had been administered in an exemplary manner.’

Mr Hirst, who has strong links to the island, had held accounts with NatWest for the last three or more years.

He first went to the bank when he was living in Onchan looking after his father and elderly aunt. After his father died, he opened an executor account to administer his estate. He also opened a personal account.

Now spending much of the year in Malaysia, he was transferred to the bank’s international department.

His own accounts held four figure sums, or five figures including the executor account. But the accounts saw in excess of £500,000 go through them, with his own personal accounts holding six figure sums up until this year and the purchase of a home in the island.

With his accounts frozen, he was unable to transfer funds to his UK account, to cover direct debits and standing orders due out at the beginning of the months. As a result, his UK account went seriously into an unauthorised overdraft position.

His wife, who was on a leisure trip in England at the time, was left stranded with no cash and no means of withdrawing any.

In addition, Mr Hirst could not check which of his Isle of Man direct debits and standing orders hadn’t been paid, including the fees for his aunt’s care home.

‘I asked them to unlock my online banking for a day -or even an hour – so I could just transfer the money myself, but no,’ he said.

He reported his case to the island’s financial regulator, the Financial Supervision Commission which has now become the Financial Services Authority.

A NatWest spokesman said: ‘We never take the decision to close a customer’s account lightly.

‘We have reviewed Mr Hirst’s complaint and have acknowledged that we could have done more to help him in this case and for that we are sorry.

‘We are continuing to work with Mr Hirst to ensure that he is not out of pocket as a result of our decision.’

Mr Hirst said was disgusted at the way he had been treated.

He said the bank now accepts it could have handled things more sympathetically and has agreed to stand the charges for the overdraft resulting from his inability to transfer funds across.

A group of 10 young athletes travelled to the English Schools Fell Running Championships in West Yorkshire at the weekend.

Hosted by Calder High School, Mytholmroyd, the event is now well established and continues to attract high quality athletes from schools across the north-west and beyond, including a host of internationals.

There was another huge entry of almost 500 and the standard of all the races was extremely high.

The Year 7s competed over a testing 3km course that included an arduous climb and a fast, technical descent.

Alex Read (Ramsey Grammar School) and TJ Phair (Ballakermeen High School) quickly settled into their race pace, running in close proximity throughout and finishing strongly in 14th and 20th respectively.

Jodie Vaughan (St Ninian’s HS), the 2014 Peel Hill champion, paced her effort particularly well, finishing a creditable 17th.

These were three very impressive performances considering that this was their first off-island fell race.

In the junior event, Lorna Spiers (QEII, Peel) powered round the course to sixth place. She made significant gains on the rocky descent, showing off her fearless descending skills.

Team-mates Lydia Morris (BHS), Kate Cashin and Alice Cashin (both QEII) were close behind, ensuring the girls finished as runners-up in the team competition. David Mullarkey (Castle Rushen HS) is an experienced competitor on the fells and his determination was clear to see in the intermediate boys’ race. After an aggressive start, he climbed extremely well to the summit of Crow Hill, staying in touch with the leading group.

He maintained his position on the steep descent, finishing an excellent sixth.

George Dickinson (SNHS) and Alex Bell (QEII) paced themselves very well and improved significantly on their positions from last year, finishing in 14th and 21st respectively.

They were delighted to claim victory in the team competition – a fantastic achievement given the quality of opposition.

It was to the credit of all the Manx athletes that they performed so well on such technical courses. These fine results are just reward for all the hard work they have put in training for the event and no doubt their good form will continue into the winter hill league and cross-country season.

The organisers, Manx Fell Runners, wish to thank Isle of Man Steam Packet Company for assisting in making the trip possible. This type of experience is hugely important for young athlete development and they are all most grateful for the company’s input.

It sounds a little quackers - but the MSPCA need your help to rescue a duck called Smurf!

The hapless duck on the pond in the Governor’s Hill estate will be feeling a little blue as he has somehow become entangled with a small Smurf toy or keyring which has caught up in his breast feathers.

Caring members of the public alerted the MSPCA at Ard Jerkyll to his plight.

Its officers plan to launch a rescue mission at 4pm on Monday but need the public’s help as there are other ducks around and they only want to catch Smurf.

Margaret Mansfield, MSPCA spokeswoman, said: ‘Come along in your wellies – children under 16 will have to bring an adult - so we can have crowd power to keep the other ducks calm and secure while we save Smurf, take him off to have the toy removed and then we’ll put him back on the pond to swim with his friends.’

Why are the Manx judiciary, arguably the pinnacle of the public sector, inured from all the privations and pressures of austerity that Allan and his CoMin buddies demand of public sector workers and others?

Salaries paid to UK judges (including Manx deemsters who are analogued to UK scales) are the highest in the world. Ireland, which the Chief Minister said we can all take lessons from following a recent ‘fact-finding’ mission, had judges only slightly less well of than the Brits until the Dublin government acted.

Several years ago Enda Kenny, Ireland’s Taoiseach, announced that the ‘be-wigged ones’ could not expect to escape that axe of austerity that was falling on everyone else. Despite much opposition from a group used to privilege and getting its own way Kenny and his Justice Minister, Alan Shatter, pressed on with the reforms. The result was that by 2013 the Irish judiciary were claiming their salaries had been cut by a third.

In these difficult economic times, as other classes of public and private workers have had to endure the privation of cuts or freezes in pay, these denizens of the high courts have been immune from such realities.

Kenny had to overcome not just opposition from the judiciary themselves but also constitutional difficulties that required the issue to be put to a referendum.

Not surprisingly, the public, given the opportunity to express an opinion on the salary and lifestyle of judges, overwhelmingly supported the move in the referendum by four to one.

Of course no similar cuts have occurred in the Isle of Man, and the judiciary here continues to enjoy the cosseted lifestyle analogued to the UK they have always had although everyone else is suffering the privations of austerity.

In these difficult economic times, as other classes of public and private workers have had to endure real time cuts or freezes in pay, this chosen few lolling around in the high court have been immune from such realities.

Accurate determinations of pay and pensions of this island elite are hard to come by.

Trying to sort out details of their current pension arrangements via the PSPA website is a bit like wading through treacle!

One interesting fact, however, is that prior to April 1, 2012, the various pension schemes’ accounting records were maintained on a cash receipts and payments basis and there was no requirement to prepare financial statements.

It seems our learned friends were not required to maintain a level of pensions transparency similar to other public servants so I suppose it is a sign of progress that a properly maintained record is now is place.

Perhaps the media could send of one of those queries they like to submit periodically on the public sector and in this instance shine a bright light on the mysterious world of judicial pensions and pay.

Returning to those reforms in Ireland, Justice Minister Shatter, also suggested five years ago that the Irish judiciary might make additional savings by working longer hours and having shorter court vacations.

Such changes might be appropriate here given that the last time I saw a deemster’s job advertised it specified ‘no pre-determined hours of work’. Nice job if you can get it!

The government would be in a win-win situation here because having spent the last few years impressing on the Isle of Man public sector the need for reform they could urge the deemsters to set an example by starting at the top.

The final icing on the cake here, of course, is the business of allocating these sinecures for life involves the Crown and our old friend the Lieutenant Governor so reforming the existing system in conjunction with the Manx government and his real bosses in London would give him something useful to do as well!

So is a cut in deemsters’ (and other’s) pay similar to that which occurred in Ireland coming? Don’t hold your breath! However the government is continuing to make savings via cuts.

Last week it cut unemployment benefit.

That’s right, start at the bottom!

Arts in the Isle of Man has the potential to generate £6.4 million a year for the economy, a survey by the Arts Council has found.

The Isle of Man Arts Council has evaluated the impact of the year-long Island of Culture 2014 event, which celebrated art and culture across the island.

From surveying the general public and schoolchildren the council found that, on average over a year, attending cultural events leads to a £110 spend per person, in addition to admission charges, and based on the population of the last census that means the arts has the potential to generate £6.4 million a year.

The evaluation also found that residents are highly engaged with the arts, revealing 96 per cent of those surveyed attended at least one event in 2014. 77 per cent said they would feel a great loss if forced to give up arts and culture events and three quarters disagreed with a statement that money spent on arts and culture could be better spent on other things.

Six in ten people stated contemporary music, comedians and local stage musicals had been their favourite events in recent years and the survey showed that 85 per cent of young people took part in at least one activity, with live screenings of War Horse from the National Theatre being the most popular event of the year.

Chairman of the Arts Council Geoff Corkish MBE, MLC, said the information gained from the survey is being used to inform the Arts Council’s new arts strategy, which will be launched at the end of this year, as well as a new website, funding scheme and communications strategy.

The Island of Culture event has also allowed the Arts Council to offer a revised bursary funding scheme for talented students who wish to seek higher or further eductaion in the arts off island.

Mr Corkish said: ‘We have spent much of 2015 reflecting on Island of Culture 2014 and planning our way forward to ensure we capitalise on its legacy and we acknowledge that as part of our findings there are continuous improvements we can make.

‘Island of Culture has been valuable not only because of what it created during 2014, but also as a platform that as an Arts Council we are now exploiting for the benefit of our economy, cultural commuity and young people.’

The most popular activities at the 2014 event was the Loaghtan sheep sculpture erected at the Bungalow, Christmas lantern workshops, film events hosted by TV critic Mark Kermode and an audience with actress and singer Patricia Routledge.

St George’s have moved top of the Canada Life Premier League after previous leaders Laxey suffered a shock defeat on Saturday afternoon.

The defending champions were in ruthless form as they put Union Mills to the sword 10-2 at Garey Mooar which, coupled with Laxey’s surprise 1-2 loss at home to Marown, meant the Saints moved a point clear at the top.

The Glencrutchery Road side are ahead of rivals Peel by virtue of goal difference after the westerners were restricted to a 3-0 win away at plucky Corinthians.

DHSOB remain in fourth place after seeing off the challenge of RYCOB 4-1 at Scoill ree Gorree, while Rushen United made it back-to-back wins with a resounding 5-0 success at St John’s.

Bragging rights in the north of the island are firmly in Andreas after Ayre United clinched a fine 5-1 victory over rivals Ramsey, a result which keeps the Tangerines up in sixth place.

In JCK Division Two, Douglas Athletic maintained their 100 per cent winning start to the season but only just as they were pushed all the way at Colby before eventually edging it 2-1.

The battle between second and third was also an extremely tight affair and, in the end, there was nothing to separate the two sides as Castletown and Pulrose United shared six goals at The Stadium.

Douglas Royal recorded one of the results of the season as they demolished Michael United by no fewer than 12 goals to nil at Ballafletcher, while Gymns claimed a 4-2 win over Malew in Tromode.

Braddan have moved up to second in the table thanks to a 2-0 success away Foxdale while Onchan saw off the challenge of Governor’s Athletic 5-2 at the Nivison Stadium.

Results from Saturday, October 3

Canada Life Premier League

RYCOB 1-4 DHSOB

Union Mills 2-10 St George’s

St John’s 0-5 Rushen

Laxey 1-2 Marown

Ayre Utd 5-1 Ramsey

Corinthians 0-3 Peel

JCK Division Two

Castletown 3-3 Pulrose

Foxdale 0-2 Braddan

Onchan 5-2 Governor’s Athletic

Douglas Royal 12-0 Michael Utd

Gymns 4-2 Malew

Colby 1-2 Douglas Athletic

Canada Life Combination One

DHSOB 4-1 RYCOB

St George’s 2-4 Union Mills

Rushen 2-3 St John’s

Marown 1-4 Laxey

Ramsey 1-5 Ayre

Peel 2-4 Corinthians

JCK Combination Two

Pulrose 2-2 Castletown

Braddan 7-0 Foxdale

Governor’s Athletic 1-7 Onchan

Michael Utd 3-6 Douglas Royal

Malew 1-2 Gymns

Douglas Athletic 6-0 Colby

Patients in the island will be able to recieve treatment for a larger range of minor illness at their local pharmacy.

The Minor Aliments Scheme, launched in 2008, has expanded their service to allow patients to obtain treatment on prescription for a wide range of non-serious conditions, direct from the local pharmacy without an appointment.

There are now 16 treatments available from the scheme launched by the Isle of Man Pharmacy Contractors’ Association and the Department of Health and Social Care, which treats 14 different minor illnesses such as hayfever, shingles and toothache, as well a nappy rash and oral thrush in children.

Local pharmacist and spokesperson for the Pharmacy Contractors Association, Ian Hemensley said: ‘Pharmacy teams are increasingly supporting people to improve their health and wellbeing. The Minor Ailments Scheme is very popular, reducing the need for GP appointments for some of the more common minor ailments, such as bacterial conjunctivitis, impetigo, thrush and cystitis.’

To receive treatment patients will first need to have a private consultation with their local pharmacist before being given the appropriate treatment and treatments in the scheme cost £3.85.

In some circumstances patients may need to be referred to their GP if further treatment is needed.

Dr Iain Kewley, executive director for intergrated care, said: ‘The scheme will help to reduce the pressure on GP practices and the Manx emergency doctors service. This will enable GPs to focus on caring for and treating patients with more serious conditions.’

For more information contact you local pharmacy or pick up an information leaflet from your pharmacy or GP practice.

The Isle of Man audiology service has pledged its support to help raise awareness of hearing condition tinnitus.

The audiology service has signed up as a member for the British Tinnitus Association (BTA) to help support the charity raise awareness of the condition and improve the quality of life of people affected .

Tinnitus is a term that describes the sensation of hearing a noise in the absense of an external sound. The noise can have virtually any quality such as ringing, whistling or buzzing and the charity helps the one in ten people in the UK who experience tinnitus and in particular the 10 per cent of those who find it severely affects their quality of life.

Stephen Griffiths, head of the Isle of Man Audiology Service, said: ‘We have had first-hand experience of working with the BTA at our tinnitus information days, sign posting patients to the BTA and the recent inauguration of the island’s very first tinnitus support group.

‘The support that the BTA provides to us as clinicians and of course to our patients is of immeasurable value given the distress tinnitus can cause. We are only too pleased to reciprocate that support with our continued membership.’

Helen Goldsby-West, from the BTA, said the charity supported over 335,000 people last year and needs to raise over £500,000 a year through donations and fundraisers to continue with their work.

‘The corporate membership scheme is a great way for organisations to demonstrate their commitment to our work and the wider tinnius community. We are extremely grateful to Stephen and the team at the Isle of Man Audiology Service for their backing in our endeavours.’

The Isle of Man audiology service, based in Noble’s hospital, provides a comprehensive tinnitus service and other free audiology services.

If you would like advice about tinnitus call the BTA’s helpline on 0800 018 0527 or visit www.tinnitus.org.uk.

Three artists who represented the Isle of Man at the hugely successful Lorient Festival in the summer are giving residents the chance to see the works they displayed.

Eileen Schaer, Juan Moore and Julie Roberts will be bringing a selection of work they exhibited to thousands of festival-goers in the Manx art show to the Sayle Gallery, in Harris Promenade, Douglas.

The exhibition, Lorient Reprised, is described as ‘showcasing their individual practises and some of the best that the Isle of Man has to offer’.

It opens on Tuesday (October 6) and runs until October 25,

Three 18-year-old cadets from the island have received awards from Lieutenant Governor Adam Wood in a ceremony at Government House.

Cadet flight sergeant Stephen Isherwood, 18, from Douglas, cadet sergeant Benjamin Awkal, from Castletown, and cadet flight sergeant William Bradley, from Laxey, all received the lieutenant governor’s Certificate of Merit.

The Lieutenant Governor’s award system is used by the North West Reserve Forces and Cadet Association (RFCA), to recognise service by their adult and cadet forces.

The area commanders of the cadet forces recommend, where appropriate, a cadet or adult member to receive a Certificate of Merit for exceptional service.

The RFCA then consider and approve these recommendations and pass them to the lieutenant governor (in respect of Isle of Man units) for final approval and presentation.

All three Manx cadets won this award.

In addition the cadet forces in each area may nominate a Lieutenant Governor’s cadet and the successful candidate becomes the Lieutenant Governor’s cadet (in the island) for a year, carrying out various parade and escort duties for the governor during their year of service.

Stephen Isherwood is the outgoing Lieutenant Governor’s cadet and has received the Certificate of Merit in recognition for his year of service.

Ben Awkal started his cadet career in 2010 and is a cadet in the RAF section of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) at King William’s College. He has participated in all aspects of the RAF section training programme and completed his bronze Duke of Edinburgh award. He is working towards his silver award and has become a CCF under officer helping to operate the training programme for other cadets in his charge. He has been a standard bearer attending national and local parades.

William Bradley started his Air Training Corps (ATC) career in the 440 (1st Manx) squadron in 2010 and quickly advanced in the squadron. During his time at the squadron he has participated in all aspects of the training programme, achievig the rank of cadet flight sergeant. He also helps operate the training programme for other cadets and was nominated for Best Cadet Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) last year.

A 96-year-old woman who fell down in her bathroom died by accident, an inquest has ruled.

Coroner John Needham heard Mary Ann Johnstone McManus was found by staff lying on her back in the en suite bathroom in her room at Brookfield nursing home in Ramsey, where she had lived for the past five years.

The court was told she was lying on her back between the toilet and the bathroom door.

Staff helped her up and she complained of shoulder and neck pain. She had also suffered bruising to her hip, forehead and hand. Staff at the home decided she needed to go to hospital and she was admitted to Noble’s Hospital the same day, August 24, for treatment and observation.

After conductiong hospital tests, doctors discovered what appeared to be an old fracture to her neck. According to records held at the home, Mrs Johnstone McManus had apparently fallen down several times recently, in May, June and July.

She was discharged from hospital on August 28 but died at the Brookfield home on September 17.

Her GP, Dr Hilary Clarke, of the Ramsey group practice, noted various factors contributing to her death, including fractures to vertebrae in Mrs Johnstone McManus’s neck, heart disease and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (an intermittently irregular heart beat).

She was discharged from hospital four days later and returned to the Brookfield old people’s home. But the court heard her condition gradually deteriorated over the next three weeks. She was given pain killers and in mid-September an End of Life form was prepared.

Recording his verdict, Mr Needham said: ‘At 96 she was suffering from the debilitating effects of old age; arthritis in the neck, atrial fibrillation and heart disease, which are all too common in a 96-year-old.

‘She was at high risk of falling and there had been three previous falls at the home since May this year,’ he said.

Mr Needham said he had noted in previous inquests the difficulty presented in caring for frail old people who, at the same time, wanted to maintain an element of privacy and dignity.

He told the court: ‘She fell in the bathroom. All available aids were provided such as a panic button. She fell due to the debilitating effects of old age. She had not been in the bathroom for long before she was found and she was taken back to bed. She was complaining about pain and a sensible decision was taken to call an ambulance so she could be assessed.’

But he added: ‘It is difficult to know what treatment to give someone of that age. The fracture seems to have been old but the fall seems to have worsened the effect in terms of the neck and shoulder pain. There was really not much to be done for her at that age.’

Mr Needham said Mrs Johnstone McManus was discharged back home and died peacefully on the morning of September 17 as a result of the debilitating effect of a neck fracture caused or aggravated in a fall in her bathroom.

The court heard Mrs Johnstone McManus was born at Gretna in Scotland in 1919. She spent time serving with the RAF in the south of England in the war. She and her husband had also lived in Yorkshire and she had been employed as a seamstress.

Mrs Johnstone McManus’s daughter-in-law told the court her mother-in-law had enjoyed her time at Brookfield, and felt she had received good care at the home in her latter years.

Offering his condolences to Mrs Johnstone McManus’s family, Mr Needham said: ‘A fall is an accident and therefore the correct verdict is accidental death.’

Police are investigating an unprovoked attack outside Domino’s Pizza takeaway in Pulrose.

A man was assaulted in his vehicle outside the premises in Groves Road on Friday at 8.30pm.

Officers say this was an ‘unprovoked attack’ and are keen to speak to any witnesses.

Anyone with information should call police headquarters on 631212.

Sure has provided mobile phones to The Foundry’s Duke of Edinburgh Award Group for use in emergency situations.

The handsets have been given to students to take on expeditions in case they need to make contact with their supervisor or the emergency services.

The Foundry is a voluntary youth organisation based at Broadway Baptist Church in Douglas which offers local young people the opportunity to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Bronze, Silver and Gold level Duke of Edinburgh students will have use of the handsets which have been equipped with the Memory Map app. Memory Map works with a phone’s inbuilt GPS capabilities to pinpoint locations which can be shared with other users – in this case the location can be shared with the supervisor.

The first group to take the handsets on an expedition was a Gold level expedition to the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland.

The four day expedition saw eight young people walk from Rostrevor to Newcastle in County Down with three nights of camping on the mountains.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award is available to young people aged 14 to 25 and it encourages them to try new activities as well as giving credit for existing interests.

The volunteering, physical and skill sections encourage young people to get out into the community, helping others and taking part in positive activities.

John Harris, Duke of Edinburgh co-ordinator for The Foundry, said: ‘The phones provided by Sure are extremely important for getting in touch with groups of students if there is an emergency situation during an expedition.

‘The phones add an extra level of reassurance for the supervisor that the students can always be contacted.

‘We would like to thank Sure for providing the phones for use by our students.’

Sarah Jarvis, marketing manager at Sure, said: ‘The Duke of Edinburgh Award is an exciting scheme for the island’s young people to get involved in.

‘The expedition element of the award is a fantastic opportunity for the students to go on an adventure; helping build their team work, communication and leadership skills and make some amazing memories. Safety is an extremely important part of the expedition.’

Antiques Roadshow expert Eric Knowles will be valuing island residents’ antiques to raise money for Hospice.

The Trash or Treasure event, hosted by Hospice Isle of Man, will be held at The Claremont Hotel in Douglas on Saturday, October 24, from 11am to 2pm.

Cream tea will be served and tickets are £10.

For tickets or more information call 647433 or email fundraising@hospice.org.im

A charity fashion show, hosted by Isle of Man Breast Care, will be held on Friday, October 23 at the Villa Marina.

The Fashion for Life show will start at 8pm with doors opening at 7pm.

The evening will be compered by Dot Tilbury and Geoff Corkish.

For more information visit www.iombreastcare.co.uk/fashion-for-life-2015

The Noble’s Park bandstand has been renamed in honour of Ian Clague, who recently retired from Douglas Council after 37 years’ service.

The borough engineer and surveyor was instrumental in having the bandstand placed in the Villa Marina Gardens to mark the Council’s Centenary in 1996. And since its move to Noble’s Park it has been regularly used by a number of local brass bands.

Douglas Mayor Sara Hackman said Mr Clague served the Council diligently throughout his career, adding: ‘He has been in that post longer than I and most of my colleagues have been members of the Council, and it is with sadness that we see him go, because we have lost a reliable point of reference.

‘His advice has always been readily given, and based on the sound precept that whatever the Council does should be for the benefit of the people of Douglas and the Isle of Man.’

She added: ‘Ian has always made time for his interest in the promotion of music for young people, particularly in the sphere of brass bands.

‘His enthusiastic pursuit of excellence in this field, as a very early member of the Manx Youth Band and Manx Concert Brass, later as musical director, led to him being awarded the MBE in 2000.’

Plans to charge government staff and politicians to park at work in central Douglas will go before Tynwald this month.

If approved, charges will be introduced from April next year, starting at £192.50 a year but rising in phases to £770 a year by 2019.

Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne said the current system of allocating parking spaces was neither ‘fair nor defensible’.

Plans to end free parking appeared to have stalled after senior civil servants expressed concern about ‘complex’ issues.

The original plan had been to charge £275 a year from April this year.

Under the detailed proposals to be put before this month’s Tynwald, charges for spaces in central Douglas will apply to all public servants including Tynwald members, the judiciary and Crown officers. Essential users, volunteers, those working night shifts and staff at executive office grade or below will be exempt.

Tynwald is scheduled to sit over October 20-22.

Manx Mountain Bike Club’s winter series kicks off on Sunday, October 18 at South Barrule Plantation.

Signing on will be from 9am for a 10am start.

It will consist of eight rounds across the island, with the best six to count. There are classes for all abilities, men and women, but there is a strong emphasis on novices.

With so many fun riders in the recent End2End Challenge, the club would like to keep the momentum going with a two-lap race for relative newcomers and novices.

The first round will involve a course of approximately 4km course, meaning a 13-15 minute lap for the elite riders. Novices should be able to finish well within the 90-minute cut-off.

The course is designed to not be too extreme and any particularly technical parts will have an easy B route marked.

Each rider must complete one practice lap before the race. The course is usually marked out on the Saturday allowing practice the day before the race.

Classes are as follows: elite (six laps), expert (five), juniors aged 16-18 (five), sport (four), novice (two).

Register online at manxmtb.com or enter on the day at a higher fee.

Eight marshals are required for each event. If there are no marshals there will be no race. All riders volunteering to marshal will automatically get 100 points added to their overall score.

Sign on will be at the South Barrule Plantation classroom where the awards for last year’s series will be presented. Tea, coffee and cake will be provided.

So, if you have a mountain bike and fancy a go, please feel free to come along and have a try.

Douglas and District registered their biggest ever Masters’ League win on Sunday defeating RYCOB 10-4 in the Paddy Power-sponsored competition.

The Noble’s Park side led 3-2 at the break, Robbie Corrin (4), Konrad Kumor (3), Peter Kirkham, Nikolay Neshkov and Anton Teare finding the target.

The northern response came via a Davide Rosseau hat-trick and a Stewart Murphy strike.

Peel had to come-back from behind to register a 3-1 victory over Laxey. Roger Davies gave the Miners a first-half lead, however, second-half strikes from Steven Corkill (2) and Nigel Shimmin secured victory for the westerners.

A full round-up of all the Masters’ football will appear in this week’s Manx Independent.

Vagabonds B beat Noa Nomads 41-0 in the only game to take place in the Manx Shield on Saturday.

Tom Gascoyne was the star for Vagas with four tries. Arno Cruywagen ran in two and Shaun Atkinson one. Jack Rowlands converted two and Aaron McFee one.

South Lancshire/Cheshire Division One

Wigan 33-10 Douglas

Cheshire (South)

Dukinfield 39-24 Ramsey

Congleton 17-31 Vagabonds

Shimmin Wilson Manx Shield

Vagabonds B 41-0 Noa Nomads

Full round-up in Tuesday’s Examiner.