The environmental and animal welfare group of the Guardia Civil, SEPRONA, have seized two crocodiles and three snakes from a travelling circus in the Extremaruda town of Fresnedoso de Ibor. The crocodiles were Crocodylus niloticus, more commonly known...

Workers involved in street cleaning and waste disposal in Torrevieja attended a meeting this week, in which the mayor of the city, Eduardo Dolón, attempted to reassure them that their jobs are safe, irrespective of the recent plans to split the ...

Organisers claimed that almost 3000 people attended the rally on Sunday to protest against the construction of a new landfill site in Albatera, situated adjacent to a populated area in an area of natural beauty. A police spokesman, however, suggested t...

A 50 year old man has been arrested in San Pedro del Pinatar on charges of corruption and prostitution after being in contact with almost 500 teenagers through internet, whilst posing as a 17 year old boy, and offering sex. According to Guardia Civil...

Two criminals featuring on the ‘most wanted' list were arrested in Valencia last week. The first, said to be extremely dangerous, was wanted by the authorities in Ireland for murder, while the second, a 37 year old Estonian, was detained when pol...

It was on one of those February days, when starting out in the morning one is unsure whether to put a jumper on or not, a decision to be made as we were attending the RBL Hondon Valley branch walk around Novelda. As it turned out it was a lovely day an...

Local businessman Raúl Fernández has filed a document in Orihuela challenging the tender process for the operation of the Chirunguito bars along the Orihuela Costa and requesting that it be suspended as the current procedure does not allow for free competition. He says that the system is "tailored" to meet the needs of the current concessionaire.

Fernandez, with over 25 years in the catering and leisure sector, says that one of the specific requirements of those companies wishing to tender is that they must be in possession of ISO quality certificates which have been issued by the competent authority. They must also hold the distinctive 'Q' for quality tourism award which the City Council says is necessary if it is to maintain the excellence of its beaches and the services they provide.

He says that it is impossible for any company wishing to operate the beach bars to obtain such certification until such time as they are in that industry so the requirements of the tender do not allow free competition to the companies that are interested in acquiring such services.

Fernandez also criticized the process for awarding the bars as a whole lot, saying that it went totally against the rules of free competition and was little more than a coastal monopoly. He suggested that each of the bar franchises be awarded as individual units.

The current deadline for submission of tenders was due to expire last Thursday morning. Martina Scheurer, the councilor responsible for the tender process, told the Leader that she expected there to be more than a single application but although she had certainly considered breaking the tender up into individual chirunguitos she felt that the standards and the management of the franchise would be much easier to maintain and control if they were allocated as a single entity.

The former mayor of Orihuela, Mónica Lorente, has lost a pre-trial appeal which she hoped would have avoided criminal charges for alleged irregularities in the award of a contract relating to building work at a plaza in the town of El Escorratel...

A young boy remains critically ill and in a coma after falling 15 feet whilst playing on a government building site in the Orihuela village of La Aparecida. The 15 year old is suffering from multiple head injuries and flooded lungs after stumbling thr...

Last Friday saw the official inauguration of the first dog agility park to be constructed on the Orihuela Costa, with the councillor for the coast, Martina Scheurer, officially opening the centre at noon. Located on the south end of calle Pluton, near...

Friday will see the official inauguration of the first dog agility park to be constructed on the Orihuela Costa, with the councillor for the coast, Martina Scheurer, officially opening the centre at noon. Located on the south end of calle Pluton, near...

Residents of some of the most populated areas of Torrevieja have denounced the town hall for lack of action after they have been without street lights at night for six days. The area affected spans the urbanisations of Jardín del Mar 1 and 2, Aquapark and Doña Inés, an area which historically suffers water damage during rain storms and has …