David Stanley Brown and Marilyn Ann Brown, of Beechwood, 12 Sartfell Road, Douglas, bought Briardene, 36 Devonshire Road, Douglas, for £370,000.

It was bought from Janet Doreen Robbie.

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

James Keith Armour, of 25 Balleigh Mews, Alkest Way, Ramsey, sold Fergus Lea, Jurby Road, Lezayre, for £365,000, to Jacqueline Mary Teare and Robert Arthur Cannell, of Ballalough, Andreas.

Tristan Robert James Ringham, of 104 Lakeside Road, Douglas, Barbara Jean Ringham, of 34 Sunningdale Drive, Onchan, Justin Jeremy Kenneth Ringham, of 50 Groudle Road, Onchan, and Julian James John Ringham, of 50 Groudle Road, Onchan, and Andrew Alexander Kinley, of 34 Sunningdale Drive, sold 50 Groudle Road, Onchan, for £289,500, to Peter Roy Kennaugh and Jacqueline Margaret Agnes Kennaugh, c/o The Lodge, Lower Dukes Road, Douglas.

Anthony William Cowell and Barbara Ann Cowell sold Arosa, 24 Claughbane Drive, Ramsey, for £265,000, to Allan Stuart Lace, of Great Gates, Main Road, Santon, Stephen John Lace, of Bally Down, Baldhoon Road, Laxey, William Robert Lace, of 43 Claughbane Drive, Ramsey, Karen Ann Cowley, of Ballagarrey Beg Bungalow, Glen Mona, Maughold.

Derek Malcolm Booth, and Helen Gillian Booth, of Mulroy, Beech Road, Port St Mary, sold 3 Close Corneil, Port Erin, for £187,000, to Christopher Thomas Davis and Georgina Owen, both of Flat 2, Waverley House, Bay View Road, Port St Mary.

Mark Mercer, of 38 Douglas Head Apartments, Douglas Head, Douglas, Tracey Mercer, of 5 Tower Road, Ramsey, sold 20 Balleigh Park, Ramsey, for £180,000, to John David Kinrade and Nicole Elizabeth Mercer, both of 20 Balleigh Park, Ramsey.

John David McDonough and Clare Louise McDonough sold 5 Greenlands View, Ramsey, for £172,000, to Sarah Caroline Margaret Linwood, of 2 Romney Wynd, Ramsey.

Craig John Dolman and Lucie-Ann Claire Dolman, sold 22 Queen’s Road, Onchan, for £181,000, to Shirley Ann Quayle, of 16 Berrywoods Grove, Douglas.

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

We are awash with Wimbledon on television and the Daily Telegraph reported last week that tournament officials have warned players about too much swearing on court.

Bad language?

In lawn tennis, that most fragrantly genteel of English summer games?

What kind of thing do they mean I wonder . . .

The scene is the men’s singles:

‘That shot was out, you absolute rotter.’

‘Nonsense, you silly billy.’

‘Don’t you call me a silly billy, you blooming twerp.’

‘You are talking a lot of tosh’

‘That’s enough from you, dash it.’

‘Oh pish, bother and fiddle-de-dee’.

Right, let’s have no more of that kind of language. This a family newspaper.

Meanwhile I wonder if the newspapers might also stop publishing photographs of Wimbledon players with their mouths wide open to the sky.

Andy Murray does it a lot. He looks like a fledgling in its nest waiting for mother to drop a nice juicy worm down there.

The ladies also do it, bearing their teeth ferociously. This is very worrying for a man.

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At an early evening supper and snifters with friends I told the others that my 22-year-old granddaughter Annie had just climbed up Kilimanjaro after a mighty physical and mental struggle.

One of the ladies, famous for her malapropisms, asked: “Did she have to use Klingons?’

When I told Annie this she admitted that the climb had been something of a Trek.

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This week’s crossword clue, sent in by Frank Bond, was in the Yorkshire Post as follows: ‘Manxman, perhaps, without one word of denigration (7).’

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Outside the Prospect Hotel in Douglas there is a blackboard with the following message chalked on it: ‘Thin people are easier to kidnap. Stay safe. Eat pies. Pies served here Monday to Friday 12-2.’

I’d plump for that.

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There is another argument for moving the cars rather than the Douglas horse trams. It’s to do with protecting the environment.

The exhaust systems of horses offer fragrant emissions, good for the roses.

The exhaust systems of cars make them, like 007, licensed to kill.

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Philip Bannan says he has been sent a bill by Manx Gas which is not for his supply of gas but for work on a boiler at his house.

The bill said it was from ‘Manx Gas, Murdoch House, Douglas, United Kingdom.’

They should look out of the office windows now and again.

The company also advertises on Manx Radio and offer to help householders get rid of their ‘old boiler.’

That’s no way to talk about the wife.

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Not for the first time the Treasury has sent me an income tax rebate, this time for £85.21. The signature on the cheque is a wholly undecipherable squiggle.

Is it somebody in the Treasury who doesn’t like it to be known that they give money to people instead of taking it off them?

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In my Funnies File I have found a story sent to Manx Radio by Independent Radio News saying: ‘A spectacular open-air performance of “Aids” is to take place at the Temple of Luxor in Egypt.’

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This week’s London underground driver’s message: ‘Let the passengers off the train FIRST – Oh go on then, stuff yourselves in like sardines. I’m going home.’

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Crossword: ISLANDER

Police are appealing for information regarding damage to a Manx Independent Carriers van.

The incident accurred around 3.30pm on Friday, June 26, in the area of Lheannag Park, Douglas, and saw damage caused to the side door of the van.

Police say the damage was caused by a person rather than another vehicle.

If you can help, contact police headquarters on 631212.

Voters will go to the polls in the west of the Isle of Man on Thursday, September 10.

By-elections will take place in Peel and Glenfaba following the elevation of Tim Crookall and David Anderson to the Legislative Council last month.

Nomination day – the date when candidates confirm their intention to stand – will be Monday, August 10.

A government statement released this morning (Thursday) says public notices including further information will be published at the beginning of next month.

Leslie Hanson announced his intention to stand for the seat in Peel on June 26.

TT star John McGuinness has spoken of his dismay after being fined for taking his daughter out of school so she could watch him race.

The Morecambe Missile, whose Senior Race victory earned him £18,000, was fined £120 for taking five-year-old daughter Maisie on holiday during term-time for this year’s TT festival.

He said he was aware he would be fined for his daughter’s absence from Great Wood Primary School, Morecambe, during the race fortnight.

The family were granted permission for an earlier trip to Australia but were told another trip would result in a fine.

McGuinness, 43, said he would take the fine on the chin but questioned why the money does not go to the school.

The father-of-two told our sister newspaper the Morecambe Visitor: ‘I just can’t understand why the money doesn’t go back into the school.’

The motorcycle ace, who won his seventh Senior TT title this year, his 23rd TT victory, said he simply cannot compete without his family by his side.

He said: ‘The TT is the biggest most dangerous thing for me and I have my family around me for it.

‘I do a mainly risky job, you can’t concentrate without your family around you, they are my rock, I need them around me in situations like this.

‘My dad goes to the TT and most of the family are in the Isle of Man so I can’t leave the kids with nobody. When we are there my wife takes the children everywhere, to museums, so they are learning all the time. For as long as I am riding they will be there.’

The McGuinness family are looking at other options next year for the TT races when 14-year-old Ewan will be sitting his GCSEs.

John said: ‘Ewan is 15 next year so we will have to think about that. We have been speaking to Morecambe High for him to maybe do exams in the Isle of Man.’

Permission needs to be granted by the head teacher if parents want to take their children on holiday during term-time.

This can only be done by completing an application to the head in advance or if there is exceptional circumstances.

John Ross, head teacher at Great Wood, said: ‘It would be inappropriate for us to comment on individual pupils.’

CCW Trust Limited (CT) is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

The fiduciary services arm of accountancy firm Crowe Clark Whitehill, CT was formed as Athol Fiduciaire Limited (AF) in 1985 by the late Charles Colvington and Brian Hyslop, both leading figures in the offshore finance sector who had well established business contacts in Switzerland.

In 1995, when AF’s founding principals were looking to retire, the firm was acquired by its auditors Horwath Clark Whitehill, partners in which were Roger Barrs and John Cowan. Both are now directors of Crowe Clark Whitehill with Phaedra Bird.

The firm went on to acquire the business of Will Tickle, Investaid Ltd, in 2009 and that of the late Philip (‘Pip’) Thomas, Whitebridge Corporate Services Ltd, in 2014.

John said: ‘Acquiring AF was a good a good fit with our operation.

‘Its focus was principally corporate business in mainland Europe, while Crowe Clark Whitehill’s was mostly UK-based trust clients.

‘The two areas of complementary skills made for a compelling combination that continues to this day, shaping our business and lending it strength, stability and resilience, qualities which are all the more vital now at a time of ever increasing financial regulation.’

Phaedra said: ‘What distinguishes both practices is the professionalism of every member of our highly qualified 30-strong team allied to our access to global expertise as a member of the Crowe Howarth International network.

‘Over the past 30 years the industry has changed enormously, not least in terms of the way technology plays such a crucial role in the conduct of business. That said, we have never lost sight of the importance of the personal approach. This has been central to the success of the business and has led to our celebrating 30 years of service excellence.’

International organ recitalist Dr Gail Archer, from the USA, will give a free organ recital on Saturday at 7.30pm in St German’s Cathedral, on the cathedral’s historic 1883 pipe organ.

Dr Archer is known for her interpretations of French organ works.

The programme will include popular music by composers JS Bach, Robert Schumann, Fanny Mendelssohn and Cesar Franck.

Isle of Man Flower Festival 2015 has got off to a good start with many visitors already calling in to see displays at the 17 venues around the island.

The festival got underway on Sunday and runs until this Saturday.

Flower Festival committee chairman Judy Matthews said: ‘Lots of people have already passed through the doors of the venues and we have had a lot of positive feedback.

‘The bad weather at the start of this week may have put a bit of a damper on Tynwald Day, but it certainly hasn’t stopped people visiting Flower Festival venues.’

Judy added: ‘A big thank you to all of our volunteers and organisers who have helped the festival get off to such a good start.’

The festival also features a photographic competition, open to digital entries. Pictures must have been taken in one of the venues.

The official list of venues is St Mary de Ballaugh, Ballaugh; St Patrick’s Church, Jurby; St Andrew’s Church, Andreas; Milntown; The Grove Museum, Ramsey; Trinity URC, Ramsey; Ramsey Independent Methodist Church; Christ Church Dhoon, Glen Mona; Christ Church, Laxey; Onchan Elim Pentecostal Church; Onchan Methodist Church; St Matthew’s Church, Douglas; The Abbey Church, Ballasalla; The Nautical Museum, Castletown; Port Erin Methodist Church; St Peter’s Church, Cregneash; St German’s Cathedral, Peel. Many of the venues have arranged additional activities during the week. Visit www.flowerfest.im for details of opening times and events.

A special team of staff known as Business Sense have released a book based on a series they ran in the Examiner’s Business News.

The book is called 40 Steps to Business Success and contains no-nonsense information on a spectrum of business ideas that should be considered when setting up and running a business.

Bransom Bean, Business Sense project manager at Moore Stephens based in Athol Street, Douglas, confirmed that the book was inspired by the team’s series of articles in Business News.

The articles ran over 40 weeks in Business News last year.

The articles were judged to be a great success by readers who enjoyed picking up tips and ideas.

Mr Bean said the Business Sense team had edited the original articles for the new book which is free.

latest tool

Business Sense has also released their latest tool to help small and local businesses – The Business Sense Business Assessment Form.

The company says using the comprehensive online form provides business owners with a deeper understanding of their business and its current state, with a free no obligation assessment of key business parameters. When completed, the Business Sense team provides a detailed analysis on the answers provided.

Moore Stephens partner Andrew Dixon said: ‘Starting up a new business is a mammoth challenge – not for the unfocused. Our Business Sense team aims to provide tools and services for new businesses and even businesses in distress, to help them succeed.’

Bransom Bean said: ‘Our aim is to provide owners and managers of new and local businesses with a springboard for their business; anyone who has set up and managed a new business knows the challenges and sometimes even pain that has to be endured before any rewards are realised.’

‘We just want to help them get those rewards quicker.’

To download the new assessment form or request your 40 Steps to Business Success book, visit the Business Sense website at www.bizsense.im or call the marketing team on 662020 for more information.

The Southern Mission Partnership, which is made up of the church parishes of Malew and Santon, Castletown, Arbory and Rushen, holds its annual songs of praise service in the grounds of Rushen Abbey, Ballasalla on Sunday at 2.30pm.

The partnership thanked Manx National Heritage for the use of the grounds and for the free admission to those attending the service.

If wet, the service will be held in the Abbey Church, Ballasalla.

One of the last members of the Cunningham family to remember the famous holiday camp at its height has died aged 88.

Angela Drower was the granddaughter of Joseph Cunningham who founded the Cunningham Young Men’s Holiday Camp in 1879.

Mrs Drower spent her youth in the Isle of Man where her father Harley Cunningham ran the farm at Ellerslie, near Crosby, which supplied fresh produce for the holiday camp kitchens. During this time, Mrs Drower lived at Eastcliffe, in Victoria Road in Douglas, opposite the holiday camp, and Ellerslie. A family friend at this time was the artist William Hoggart and this, along with her love of the Manx countryside, especially the glens, inspired her as a painter.

Initially educated in Douglas, she later went to Cheltenham Ladies’ College before studying art at the Regents Street Polytechnic in London. During this period she met her husband, BBC announcer Denys Drower and they married in 1947. Their three children Annabel, Jill and the late poet and satirist Roly Drower were brought up near London but when Mr Drower retired the couple moved back to the Isle of Man in the early 1980s.

Mrs Drower’s daughter Annabel said: ‘The move opened up a new, happy and creative period for both of them. While Denys developed his interest in steam and began to write, Angela went to art classes, firstly in Foxdale and then in Ramsey, and spent more time with her paintbrushes, producing watercolours of Manx life and scenery.’

Her paintings included scenes of Peel Harbour, Tynwald Day and Snuff the Wind.

While living near London she had been a Red Cross volunteer and she renewed this interest in the Isle of Man, fundraising, helping out on the TT course and helping the old and infirm. For a few years they lived in lower Foxdale before moving to a bungalow in Ballaugh.

After suffering a stroke in 2001, Mrs Drower and her husband were forced to move back to the UK in 2009 to live near family in Cambridge, though they did manage two return visits to the island.

She leaves behind two daughters, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

The family is planning to stage an exhibition of her artwork in the Isle of Man some time in the spring of 2016.

The Isle of Man is not in the running to host the 2019 Island Games.

It was announced during last week’s games, held in Jersey, that Menorca, the selected venue for the next-but-one edition in 2019, have pulled out.

Despite speculation that the Isle of Man might step into the breach, an initial offer has been made to another unnamed island.

According to Gary Jakeman, chairman of the Isle of Man Island Games Association, the mystery venue has been given three months to decide whether they can put together the 2019 edition by the International Island Games Association (IIGA).

‘When we heard that Menorca were unable to host the games we did have an informal meeting with the IIGA about finding a new venue,’ Mr Jakeman said. ‘They did pursue it with one island - I’m unable to name it - and have asked them to formulate a plan to host the 2019 games. It is in that island’s court at the moment.

The choice of host venues is no longer decided by competitive tender - the practice was discontinued as it was proving too expensive for the respective islands to prepare their bids.

Instead would-be venues declare their interest to the IIGA, who then invite selected candidates to prepare bids.

According to Mr Jakeman the IIGA should know ‘in three or four months time’ whether the chosen island is in a position to offer a bid.

‘We’ve agreed that until this island comes forward with a bid saying yes or no, we’ll leave them to it,’ he said.

In a statement the IIGA said: ‘The 24 member islands were informed that Menorca, following a mutual agreement between the Menorca Island Games Association and the IIGA Executive Committee, will not be hosting the NatWest Island Games 2019. A new host island for 2019 will be announced later this year.’

The IIGA added that several member islands, including the Isle of Man, have declared an interest in hosting an edition of the games from 2021.

The next edition of the games will take place in Gotland in 2017.

This will be the second time the Swedish island in the Baltic Sea has hosted the games, having previously done so in 1999.

Businessman Roy Tilleard has won a high court bid to overturn a planning decision on his Callow’s Yard development in Castletown.

Callow’s Yard Limited had been refused planning consent for proposals to convert unused commercial premises at the complex into residential accommodation.

Mr Tilleard’s company appealed against that decision and the planning inspector recommended that the appeal be allowed and planning permission be granted.

But Lib Van MHK Kate Beecroft, member for the Department of Infrastructure, decided to go against the recommendation of planning inspector Alan Langton and dismissed the appeal, citing lack of parking.

The Callow’s Yard developer lodged a petition of doleance and the high court has now ruled in his favour, with Deemster Andrew Corlett concluding that Mrs Beecroft’s decision was ‘unlawful’ as she failed to take into account ‘relevant material considerations’.

He quashed the decision and ordered that the appeal be reconsidered with reference to the contents of the inspector’s report.

Deemster Corlett said it was not the court’s role to interfere with the merits of a particular development or planning policy.

He said: ‘Those are matters ultimately, of course, for the Minister. The court’s role is to review the lawfulness of the decision and the process whereby the decision has been arrived at.

‘The Minister (or someone delegated by him to fulfil that role) is entitled, particularly in relation to matters of planning policy, to depart from the recommendations of inspectors, but if the Minister is to do so, he or she must give reasons and those reasons must, crucially, engage with the key findings of the inspector with which the Minister disagrees.

‘It is self-evident that a developer is entitled to know how the Minister has addressed the otherwise favourable findings of the inspector so that he can tailor any re-submitted planning application accordingly and, also, be able to know whether to mount a further legal challenge.’

Callow’s Yard Ltd had sought planning permission (14/00338/B) to convert from retail to residential use properties on Arbory Street and the Fusion Bar, retaining retail on the ground floor in all bar one property.

It represented, said Mr Tilleard, the latest effort to regenerate and advance Callow’s Yard as a ‘successful location for residents and businesses’.

There would be a net increase in residential accommodation from 35 to 50 units, but the number of bedrooms would rise by just seven from 63 to 70.

On the issue of parking, the planning inspector thought there would be a likely increase of about five vehicles which he did not think would be ‘harmful to parking stress or the safe, free flow of traffic’.

He said the permanent closure of the Fusion Bar would, by itself, lead to a reduction in demand for parking in the town and there were plentiful parking opportunities within acceptable walking distance.

But Mrs Beecroft, who had been given delegated responsibility to determine the appeal by Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne, disagreed with Mr Langton and suggested that 14 spaces could be required.

She said: ’It has not been demonstrated that a reduced level of parking for the proposed development will not result in unacceptable on-street parking within the locality.’

But in his judgment, Deemster Corlett said Mrs Beecroft had failed to address competing arguments set out in the inspector’s report. He said those arguments were more ‘nuanced and fact-sensitive’.

Following on from last week’s column and tales from the offices of Small Bear Records and Ballagroove Records, this week it has been brought to my attention that we have another label that hails from the island.

UK based MST Sounds work from their offices in Derbyshire and was founded by Manx born Matt Taylor.

The recording studio and record label are just about to release their first single from Wigan based Charlie Hughes in the shape of ‘Strawberries and Stars’.

For more information visit www.mstsounds.com

After a brief post TT break, the Amber Bar in Douglas re-opens its doors once again this Saturday night for their next round of gigs.

First up will be the return of ever growing and popular acoustic night Songs From The Sofa, which is now on part eight of the series.

Having spread his musical wings recently with a number of shows in the UK as part of the promotion for his debut album Diamonds In Your Tree, Songs From The Sofa’s founder Chris Gray has invited UK based singer/songwriter Lawrence Bray to join a line-up that also includes Gaz & Chon from Peel based indie boys 3 Million and another local relative newcomer to the scene, Eugene Wilson.

Hailing from Milton Keynes, Lawrence released his first EP ‘Best Served Loud’ back in October.

This was followed up with a debut single ‘Behind My Eyes’.

His next EP is due for release this summer and will see two singles lifted and due for release entitled ‘Stories’ and ‘All That I’ve Done’.

Lawrence’s influences are The Beatles, The Kinks, Crosby Stills Nash, and The Who.

The doors for the event open at 8pm and it is free entry.

For more information please visit the Amber Bar on Facebook.

Fresh from their recent TT shows, Cubzoa make a return to the live scene tomorrow (Friday) night with a show at the Noa Bakehouse in Douglas.

Having been described as a mixture of John Lennon with early leanings towards Nirvana, it is indeed a heady mixture of cathartic noise, shoegaze, light and shade, quiet and loud and general greatness that has garnered Jack Wolter’s project some fantastic reviews in recent weeks.

Support for this show comes from sibling and Your Gold Teeth bass player Lily Wolter, who is back from university in the UK playing with new band KookieLou.

Having listened to them on their Soundcloud page, it sounds like a very strong set of debut songs.

Lush layered vocal harmonies and strong pop sensibilities make this very impressive stuff.

There is a debut album in the offing, which I’ll bring further news of as I have it.

The night concludes with a DJ set from Manx Radio’s Ed Oldham.

Tickets can be purchased for £5 from Noa Bakehouse.

For more information, please visit Wavey Head’s Facebook page.

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Steve Leach brings the latest rumblings, murmurings, news and views on forthcoming events in and around the island’s music scene. Help support the scene by emailing leachsteve@hotmail.com

If you shopped at the Co-op on Tuesday, it’s possible you’ve been charged twice.

Hundreds of thousands of customers across the UK and Isle of Man have potentially been charged twice in a blunder involving people using their cards in the retailer’s food stores or petrol stations.

​A spokesman for The Co-operative Food said: ‘Due to a processing error customers who shopped with us or used a petrol filling station on July 7 using a credit or debit card were charged twice.’

He was unable to say how many people were affected but it is thought that it could run into hundreds of thousands.

The spokesman added: ​‘We would like to apologise to all those affected, and reassure customers that refunds will be made directly in to their accounts within 24 hours.

‘We will also reimburse any customers who have incurred bank charges as a result of this error. These customers should contact our customer careline.’

The Co-op runs 2,800 food stores and 200 filling stations. It said all of them could potentially have been affected and any type of debit or credit card could have been involved.​

Not everyone shopping on Tuesday with Co-op will have been affected, and if people are unsure about whether they have been affected they should check their statement.​

The Co-op’s customer careline number is 0800 0686 727.

The annual Ballaugh Children’s Day and Sports will be held this Saturday commencing at 2pm in the Parish Hall Field, Station Road, Ballaugh.

This will be the 101st sport day.

A Fancy Dress Competition will be followed by the children’s sports.

There will also be afternoon tea and adult sports in the evening.

Two Isle of Man College students undertook a charity trek from one side of the island to the other last week, travelling from Douglas to Peel along the old railway line.

And on the face of it, it doesn’t sound much of a challenge, as many people walk the line every day quite happily.

What made this trek so special and difficult is that both Aeden Kennaugh, 18, from Castletown, and Reece Moffitt, 17, from Willaston, both suffer from the muscle wasting condition Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and are both in wheelchairs.

Aeden and Reece, accompanied by Ben O’Hare and James Bettridge from the college, set off at 9.30am from the Nunnery grounds, and from there made their way to the old railway Line.

The first few miles of track have been relaid to a relatively smooth level, which meant that they were able to make good progress initially. Their powered wheelchairs are able to travel at around 4mph in good conditions, and between Douglas and Glen Vine, they made good time.

However, as the journey wore on, and the track became rougher, the boys found the going extremely hard and painful.

The nature of their condition means they tire easily, and the constant jolting and bouncing caused them a great deal of pain and discomfort.

Also, it took a lot of skill and concentration to be able to retain control of the wheelchairs over such terrain.

While taking a break at St John’s, Reece said: ‘Its very difficult and challenging.

‘The most difficult bit is just getting over all the bumps. It’s quite tiring and shakes all our bodies. It’s also very hot. We have to drink plenty of water. But it is good fun.’

Aeden said: ‘I’m finding it difficult really, because of all the bumps, and we get really tired easily.

Although they started early, the pair knew the journey would take all day.

They were forced to take frequent breaks and the limited battery life of the chairs meant that they were forced to stop for an hour to literally recharge the batteries.

After rejoining the line, more difficulties presented themselves: gates were locked, meaning that they had to squeeze through kissing gates and they also came across a boggy stretch near the Raggatt, just outside Peel.

This proved impassable for the chairs, and they were reluctantly forced to leave the line and complete the journey on the road.

They eventually reached the House of Mannanan at 6.30pm, nine hours after setting off.

Both were left sore and drained at the end of the 12 mile trek. Aeden needed strapping on his left arm to relieve the pain of the constant jolting, and an exhausted Reece went straight home to a well earned rest.

‘I’m OK now I’ve finished,’ said a visibly tired, yet delighted, Aeden. ‘But it is a bit painful. At the start I did think it would be possible to complete it, but as we went on it became more difficult. We just carried on until the end.’

The challenge helped raise money for the Pahar Trust Nepal, in support of schools for students with disabilities.

They had aimed to raise £500, but have since decided to try and raise £100 per mile they covered. So far the boys have raised almost £1,000.

If you would like to sponsor Aeden and Reece, visit www.justgiving.com/IsleofMan PowerchairChallenge

While residents are being told we will have to work longer to get our state pension, plans to tackle the huge public sector pension deficit have been delayed – and some proposals abandoned altogether.

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare this week announced he would be seeking Tynwald support for a package of measures aimed at reforming the ‘unsustainable’ state pension and welfare system.

These include a new £180-a-week flat rate pension, phasing out the Manx pension supplement, raising the retirement age, a £25,000 cap on benefits and replacing working age benefits with a single Manx benefit.

Mr Teare said steps had to be taken now as the National Insurance Fund - out of which the state pension and many benefits are paid - will run out by 2047.

Meanwhile, however, plans to reform public sector pensions – which have liabilities totalling £3bn and a funding gap of £30m and rising – have been delayed.

Members of the government’s unified pension scheme have now been informed by the Public Sector Pensions Authority’s pensions committee that the July timescale for reaching agreement on reforms is ‘unrealistic’ and is being put back until the end of the year.

And two key proposals have been removed altogether, with the approval of Council of Ministers – raising the normal minimum retirement age from 55 to 58 and taxing lump sums above £200,000.

The committee, which is made up of employer and staff side representatives, justified this by saying the cost savings were ‘only marginal compared to their contentiousness and potential to obstruct progress towards a more sustainable scheme’.

It says other measures such as increasing employee and employers’ contribution rates will do more to tackle the shortfall.

But this will be greeted with dismay by many non civil servants who under proposals being put to Tynwald this month will be told that retirement should last no more than a third of the individual’s working life.

We will have to pay National Insurance contributions for 45 years, instead of the current 30 - and 10 years longer than the 35 proposed in the UK – to claim the state pension. Retirement age will be linked to life expectancy. Someone born today may have work until they are 74.

Michael MHK Alfred Cannan said: ‘I just can’t support the idea of Isle of Man workers being asked to work a decade longer than their counterparts in the UK to qualify for the full state pension.

‘We’ve got ourselves into a real pickle here. We’ve got a reciprocal agreement with the UK and it would have been easy to simply follow George Osborne’s reforms.

‘There are significant cash flow issues for public sector pensions. I’m very disappointed to find out to two key measures have been dropped. Why have we not had significant changes brought forward?’

A report to Tynwald by the public sector pensions joint working group last December revealed that projected shortfall between contributions and payments is 23 per cent of pay.

It warned that the public sector employees pensions reserve fund is expected to be exhausted by 2025, by which time pension expenditure will have risen to £150m a year.

Some 60 per of last financial year’s pension expenditure of £89m had to be met from the reserve, and consequently the taxpayer - money that could have been used for public services.

The report recommended increasing employee contributions by 3 per cent, phased in over three years - and a doubling of Tynwald member contributions from 5 to 10 per cent.

Unions have accused the government of breaking an undertaking made when the unified pension scheme was introduced in 2012, not to increase member contributions before 2020. Policy and Reform Minister John Shimmin, vice chairman of the PSPA, has insisted there had been no intention to deceive or introduce a scheme not considered affordable from day one.

Following a request by the staff side on the PSPA’s pensions committee, an independent actuary has been brought in to validate the figures used in the working group report.

A 25-year-old man denied 40 offences relating to damaging property and theft when he appeared in court yesterday (Thursday).

Daniel Sydney Andrews, of Church Avenue, Onchan is accused of committing 35 offences of criminal damage, one of attempted criminal damage, two of destroying property and two of theft, all on the evening of November 29 last year in Castletown.

He is principally alleged to have damaged car wing mirrors and wipers to a total value of more than £7,600.

He was bailed to reappear on Thursday September 3.

A surfboarder was reluctantly rescued by Ramsey lifeboat last night (Thursday).

The RNLB Ann & James Ritchie was launched at around 9pm to go to the assistance of the man, who had been spotted drifting a mile off Port Lewaigue, near Ramsey.

On reaching the scene, the crew found that he was not in any actual distress.

However, Coxswain Mark Kenyon was concerned about leaving him as night was approaching, the tide was ebbing and the offshore wind increasing.

The surfer agreed to board the lifeboat and, together with his surfboard, was safely delivered to the beach.

Anyone who observes someone in trouble at sea is advised to dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.