| 27th
April : Exciting Displays Lines Up For
Plymouth Sail And Power Show. |
| This year's Plymouth
Sail and Power Show will be taking place at MDL owned Queen Anne's
Battery Marina for the third year (28th-29th April).
|
| The Show will be more
exciting than ever with a whole host of new exhibitors, stunning jet
ski displays and a special guest appearance from championship
wakeboarder, Nick Davies.
|
|
Exhibitors ranging
from specialist boating manufacturers to charities ensure there is
something there to interest everyone.
|
| Some of the many
exhibitors include:
|
| Barbican Yacht
Agency, Marlin RIBs, and Stonefisher Charters. Delphia Yachts will
also be there showing their Delphia 37, the largest boat on the shore
side display, and the brand new Delphia 24 Sport.
|
| Entertainment at the
Show boasts jaw-dropping displays from Freestyle Asylum, one the UK's
leading freestyle jet ski teams. The Show also benefits from a guest
appearance from Wakeboard Champion, Nick Davies.
|
| He will be appearing
at the Show on Sunday 29th
|
| Manager of Queen
Anne's Battery Marina, Chris Price, comments "We are very excited
about what we have to offer at this year's Show. A range of new
exhibitors and crowd-pleasing displays are certain to make this Show a
success."
|
| Whether visitors
fancy an Italian coffee or a quick burger there are facilities to suit
all tastes. Chandlers Bistro and Bar is open all day, offering a
choice of three menus, it is a perfect opportunity to relax and take
some time out from the Show. Alternatively, Gastrodome Catering
Services will be serving delicious fast food from their mobile diner.
|
| The Plymouth Sail and
Power Show is one of many high profile boating events held at Queen
Anne's Battery Marina
|
| www.bymnews.com
|
| 15th
April : Holyhead Coastguard Locate Five
Jetskiers Lost In Thick Fog. |
| At 3pm Holyhead
Coastguard received a 999 emergency call from a jet skier who had left
Prestatyn at 1pm, in a party of five including two children, reporting
that they had become completely lost in very think fog.
|
| Holyhead
Coastguard requested the Rhyl Coastguard Rescue Team and the RNLI
inshore and all weather lifeboats from Rhyl to launch to try and
locate the three lost adults and two children.
|
| The extreme fog
hindered the Search and Rescue operation so Holyhead Coastguard
requested the assistance of a Rescue helicopter, and also for
LLandudno and Hoylake RNLI lifeboats to launch and assist.
|
| Eventually the
loud sound of the helicopter engines and rotor blades enabled the jet
skiers to give Holyhead Coastguard an approximate location.
|
| When the party
was finally located it was clear that they were some 10 miles away
from where they thought.
|
| The jet skiers
are now being returned to dry land by the Rhyl lifeboat where they
will be met by an ambulance and the two children will be treated for
mild hyperthermia.
|
| Carl Hiltunen,
Holyhead Coastguard Watch Manager said,
|
| It has been an
extremely busy day for Holyhead Coastguard as the warm weather has
attracted many people to the coast; but the thick sea fog has caused
many people to become lost and disorientated.
|
| These jet
skiers were fortunate that one of the party held a mobile phone; we
would like to remind everyone to enjoy the coast but ensure they have
a fail safe way to contact the Coastguard for assistance if required,
preferably a VHF radio, essentially a compass and also distress flares
so we can locate their position and rescue them fast.
|
| Maritime
And Coastguard Agency
|
| 15th
April : Dolphin Fans Urged To Keep Away. |
| Jet skiers and
people in motorised boats have been urged to keep away from a dolphin
who has been swimming off the coast of Kent for the past year.
|
| Dave has
boosted the tourist trade in Folkestone since he was first seen last
April 100ft (30m) out to sea on the reef between Folkestone and
Seabrook.
|
| But Kent Police
said there had been several reports of people getting too close to him
during the Easter weekend.
|
| "Dolphins
are wild animals and should be treated with respect," police
said.
|
| Dave has
attracted hundreds of visitors to Folkestone and was given a tourism
award in November by Kent Tourism Academy in Hythe.
|
| A website
devoted to him has received more than 300,000 hits a month and
T-shirts and other memorabilia have been sold for charity.
|
| But police are
asking the public to help protect him by reporting any behaviour that
may cause him harm.
|
| The Kent Police
Marine Unit, which patrols the coast, said action would be taken
against anyone seen annoying him.
|
| Pc Andy Small
said: "Boats, jet skis and kayaks should keep a distance of about
100m from the dolphin and people must not approach, grab, touch or try
and swim with him."
|
| He was forced
to make a similar appeal to tourists last September after kayakers
were seen harassing Dave.
|
| BBC
News
|
| 14th
April : Freestyle Frenzy @ Thorpe Park. |
| Due to the success of the
Easter freestyle weekend at Thorpe Park, Xtreme Action have teamed up
with Thorpe Park again to bring you Freestyle Frenzy.
|
| Freestyle Frenzy starts on
Saturday 16th June at 9am.
|
| Ant Burgess and Iceman will
be on hand to answer any questions you may have and to take you through the steps of pushing your limits for basic tricks up to the
big air tricks.
|
| Thorpe Park is one of the
best waters in the country for show boat freestylers with up to 13,000
spectators each day from the theme
park.
|
| If you don't need any tips from the pro's , why not just come
along and play?
|
| Overnight storage for skis
is available with accomodation close by in local hotels and camp
sites.
|
| Chertsey Camping and
Caravan Site Telephone: 01932 562405
|
|
| Thames Lodge Hotel
Telephone: 01784 464433
|
| Two Mastercraft wakeboard
boats will be on hand to give that extra lift on your big air tricks.
|
| For two days of riding, and
tuition £75, that's as cheap as day launch.
|
| If you're not into
freestyle why not just come along for the ride.
|
| Insurance must be shown.
|
| Contact Paul Hughes for
more information on 07979 461803 or paul@xtremeaction.co.uk.
|
| Book now, online! www.xtremeaction.co.uk
|
| 12th
April : Ordeal Of Parents At Jetski Death
Trial. |
| The Father of
Alderley Edge school girl Hannah Sutton, killed in a jet ski accident
in Cyprus, spoke of the family’s anguish during the trial of two men
accused over her death.
|
| Stephen Sutton
49 and his estranged wife Lynne 48 were at Limassol District Court for
the trial of two locals allegedly responsible for letting their
16-year-old daughter hire the powerful waterbikes while underage.
|
| Christakis
Ioannou, 46, and Aristos Ioannou, 30, who run the beachside jet-ski
hire firm are accused of failing to check the youngster was 18 and old
enough to hire the powerful waterbike.
|
| Hannah died of
massive head injuries after her boyfriend James Dudley, also 16,
crashed into her while they rode jet-skis at the resort of Pissouri in
Cyprus in the summer of 2005.
|
| Stephen Sutton,
of Fairbourne Avenue, said outside the courtroom: "What I'm
hoping is, even if they just get a fine, it might send a message to
others to tighten up on health and safety and make them realise by
hiring these machines they have to be responsible for the persons
using them. The guy (defendant) operated the following day, absolutely
no cares or concerns whatsoever.
|
| "I don’t
want any other parents to go through what Lynne and I have gone
through or anyone else injured or killed. Hannah's death should not be
in vain."
|
| Mr Sutton said
his daughter’s death was still deeply affecting her family,
including her brothers, Danny, 15, and William, 13.
|
| "They say
time is a healer, but anybody in our circumstance knows that's a
fallacy. You have goals, you get up, that’s a goal, you go to work,
that’s a goal. It’s been like that for the past two years."
|
| Mr Sutton, a
Greater Manchester Police officer, returned to the island to support
his former wife Lynne as she gave evidence in court over the death of
their daughter.
|
| Mrs Sutton, who
now lives in Germany, was on the beach at the time of the accident and
saw her lifeless daughter carried to shore.
|
| At the time she
had worked for seven years as a teacher at the British Army base in
Cyprus.
|
| Hannah and her
boyfriend James had just finished their GCSE exams at the private
Rydal Penrhos School in Colwyn Bay when they went to visit her.
|
| The young
couple were enjoying a day in the sunshine at the packed beach when
James lost control of the powerful waterbike and crashed into his
girlfriend.
|
| After the
accident James, from Colwyn Bay, was briefly jailed, but released
after admitting causing Hannah's death. He was fined by the court.
|
| Hannah’s
family said they did not hold James responsible - but blamed the
Cypriot authorities for allowing the youngsters to hire the bikes.
|
| Mrs Sutton
returned to Cyprus for the trial. Court proceedings were held entirely
in Greek, in front of a single judge, without a jury, with an
interpreter stood by Mrs Sutton’s side to translate.
|
| She reacted
angrily after she was handed a book of photos from the crime scene,
including the picture of Hannah, lying dead from her injuries.
|
| "Why do I
have to see that picture?" she shouted. "Of course I can
identify her. Why do I have to identify that picture? Who is going to
explain?"
|
| She recalled
the day the tragedy unfolded, and said she was sat on the beach
focusing on her mobile phone and saw the lifeguards coming in from the
sea with a girl in their arms.
|
| She said:
"When I reached the lifeguards I recognised the girl was Hannah,
my daughter. She was bleeding from her ears and nose. The lifeguards
tried to resuscitate her but unfortunately she was not responding.
|
| "They kept
trying until the ambulance came but unfortunately she had no
pulse."
|
| She identified
Aristos Ioannou as the man from the jet-ski hire firm, Chris
Watersports.
|
| Mrs Sutton said
Ioannou recognised Hannah from a previous time, three weeks before
when she had hired the water bike from him.
|
| He gave her a
lifejacket and then said, "Do you know how to use it?" Mrs
Sutton told the court.
|
| Seconds later
Hannah drove off into the sea.
|
| James said he
had not hired a jet-ski before and was then given
"instructions".
|
| "This did
not take more than a minute," the court heard.
|
| Mrs Sutton,
raising her voice in the noisy courtroom, added: "I also want to
tell you, the man who hired the two jet-skis never asked me or Hannah
or James how old they were or had a permit to drive those speedboats,
otherwise I would not allow them to drive if it was illegal."
|
| Andreas
Periclous, prosecuting, asked Mrs Sutton if she had read and signed
any documents at the hire firm office.
|
| "They
didn't read anything, there was nothing to read," she replied.
"The transaction took place on the beach, not at the hut, the
office."
|
| Marios Elias,
defending both men, repeatedly questioned Mrs Sutton's account.
|
| He suggested
Hannah had told them she could drive the jet-skis and they had
produced passports or other documents to show they were old enough -
and the defendant had asked their ages.
|
| "That is a
complete lie," she replied.
|
| The hearing was
adjourned until April 23 for the defence to put its case to the court.
|
|
Wilmslow
Express
|