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Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wales' papers: Ethan case review and 'Teacher shortage crisis'
Flood defence and promenade 'like the Med' unveiled Grey-Thompson humiliated by blame for flight delay Athlete dies after competing in Swansea Ironman More from Wales' papers Western Mail Daily Post South Wales Evening Post The Flintshire Leader South Wales Echo The Wrexham Leader South Wales Argus Abergavenny Chronicle Monmouthshire Beacon Brecon & Radnor Express Cambrian News Tenby Observer Barry and District News Penarth Times Free Press Series Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Wales' papers: Bale Bluebirds bid and campsite car crash
Western Mail Daily Post South Wales Evening Post The Flintshire Leader South Wales Echo The Wrexham Leader South Wales Argus Abergavenny Chronicle Monmouthshire Beacon Brecon & Radnor Express Cambrian News Tenby Observer Barry and District News Penarth Times Free Press Series
Wales Online
11-07-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Surgeon struck off after blaming mistakes on 'noise from outside'
Surgeon struck off after blaming mistakes on 'noise from outside' The surgeon, who used to treat patients in south Wales, 'would undoubtedly present a risk to patient safety', a panel found Stock image of a surgeon (Image: Western Mail ) A surgeon who used to treat patients in Wales has been struck off after a disastrous performance in a skills retest. Dr Elroy Weledji blamed his assessment failure on "football fans making noise" outside. Dr Weledji, originally from Cameroon, qualified as a doctor in 1992 from University College Dublin and went on to practise in Monmouthshire and other parts of the UK. His roles included training in surgery and working as a specialist registrar. His problems began when he was working in Scotland and a colleague made a complaint about his performance. An assessment by the General Medical Council (GMC) in 2001 concluded there were "widespread deficiencies" in his skills, including his ability to "work within laws" and his "respect for patients". For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . In the following years he failed to "take steps to improve his performance", according to a 2004 medical tribunal which suspended his registration indefinitely. Five years later he applied for the suspension to be revoked but again a tribunal found no evidence of improvement. Two years ago Dr Weledji made another attempt. He told the GMC he had left the UK around 20 years earlier and wanted to return to the country to practise surgery for the rest of his working life. He claimed he had been victim to racial discrimination in the UK and that his career had flourished since returning home to Cameroon, where he had become a professor of surgery and a gastrointestinal surgeon in a regional hospital. Article continues below Dr Weledji told the GMC his "downfall" in the UK had been orchestrated by an NHS consultant with a vendetta. He alleged he had complained to the GMC about the consultant's attitude and that this had resulted in him being forced to take a proficiency exam. The GMC recently agreed to let Dr Weledji take a three-day performance assessment overseen by two experienced surgeons. He was assessed as a consultant general surgeon with an interest in colorectal surgery. The exam took place at a hospital in Wigan and involved surgery on frozen corpses as well as simulated patient encounters. Dr Weledji was found to have made "serious and persistent errors" and displayed "unsafe" open surgical skills. In a real scenario, patients would have been put in "jeopardy", the assessors concluded. Responding to the findings, Dr Weledji claimed he had been affected by "football fans making noise" outside the assessment venue. He also said he had been hungry. Dr Weledji accepted he did not raise these complaints at the time, while the assessors pointed out he had been given lunch and regular breaks. This month a medical practitioners tribunal panel agreed to strike Dr Weledji's from the GMC register. Chairwoman Ruona Iguyovwe said: "There was some evidence that he accepted that his clinical skills might not be up to the UK standard now required. In this regard he acknowledged that, if allowed to return to practise medicine in the UK, he would need some level of supervision. Article continues below "Dr Weledji told the tribunal that a professor at Kings College would be able to provide that supervisory and mentoring role. However, the tribunal received no objective evidence, such as a letter or testimonial from the professor, to support Dr Weledji's assertion." She added: "There is no evidence before the tribunal to show that he has taken any steps or any adequate steps to address wider concerns raised in the performance assessment that was carried out in 2024. Were he to be allowed to resume unrestricted practice as a surgeon in the UK, he would undoubtedly present a risk to patient safety."
Wales Online
06-07-2025
- Wales Online
Secluded sandy Welsh beach is a stone's throw from the perfect cafe
Secluded sandy Welsh beach is a stone's throw from the perfect cafe The cove is regularly ranked among the best in the UK The two beaches sit adjacent to each other on the Pembrokeshire Coast (Image: Western Mail ) It's one of the lesser-known beaches in Pembrokeshire but those who are familiar with it rate it among the very best in the UK. Surrounded by steep cliffs which offer the most scenic views, the two coves have even been described as a "geological wonder". Nestled away not far from the iconic streets of Tenby, are Skrinkle Haven and Church Doors Cove in Manorbier, two beautiful sandy coves which sit adjacent to each other and offer a quiet retreat perfect for a sunny day. Church Doors beach is surrounded by two arched caves in the sandstone cliffs which resemble their namesake - the doors of a church. The cove regularly finds itself on lists of the top 10 best 'secret' sandy spots in the UK and is compared with the likes of Cuckmere Haven and Cornwall's Lantic Bay. The towering cliffs have been eroded by the sea to form an ornate cathedral door-like shape which shows off a highly impressive rock formation. The impressive rock formation has been compared to Durdle Door (Image: Walesonline ) Article continues below Church Doors Cove can be accessed at low tide by 140 steep, concrete and metal steps. You can also get there by sea kayak but this is only advised if you are an experienced paddle boarder. However accessing Skrinkle Haven can be slightly more challenging as the steps have collapsed and are no longer usable. Instead, beach lovers must scramble around the headland from Church Doors Cove or through the huge 'church door' in the rocks. During low tide Skrinkle Haven's beach is small and rocky but an impressive sandy beach is revealed when the tide draws out so it's definitely worth checking the tide times so you can soak in the full beauty of the beach. It's also worth noting there are roughly six hours between high and low tide. Skrinkle Haven is one of Pembrokeshire's hidden beaches (Image: Walesonline ) Even better yet, the beaches are dog friendly all year round and free parking is available at Lydstep Head National Trust car park or at Manorbier Youth Hostel situated roughly 500m from the beach where there are also toilets and a café. The YHA Manorbier also serves both lighter food options and proper meals. The hostel boasts free parking, wifi, a clean communal kitchen and cosy lounge area, alongside brilliantly priced rooms if you fancy an affordable seaside stay. The café serves a broad selection of well-priced food and drinks and has been described as having excellent service whilst also being the perfect spot to grab lunch on the coast path. At the spotless café bar with fuss-free food, a pizza will set you back £10 to £12 and other mains cost around £9 to £13. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . At low tide you just about walk between the beaches (Image: WESTERN MAIL ) Article continues below It also serves up gluten free and vegetarian options too and is the perfect place to leave you car when you venture down to the beach. The hostel even hosts a variety of live music events which are definitely worth keeping your eyes peeled for. But if you want to enjoy a bit more nature on a stay along the stunning Pembrokeshire coast you can also opt for one of their budget-friendly camping options, whilst enjoying the facilities offered at the Manorbier hostel.
Edinburgh Live
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Anton Du Beke confronts ex Strictly partner over harsh response to career change-up
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Anton Du Beke seemingly wasn't expecting such criticism from his former Strictly Come Dancing partner, Judy Murray, when he sought advice from her about one of his novels. The 58-year-old, who rose to fame as a dancer on the BBC show, switched up his career in 2018 when he released his debut book One Enchanted Evening. When he later worked on a separate novel, he reached out to self-professed "grammar and spelling geek" Judy to proofread what he had written so far. In response, she sent him back notes about what he could improve on, which included grammatical errors. Seemingly caught off guard by her thorough feedback, Judy recalled how Anton called her up and half-jokingly queried why she couldn't have been more complimentary. As reported by the Western Mail, she remembered: "He phoned me and said, 'Could you not just have said, 'Well done, Anton. That was brilliant?'". In retort, Judy humorously reminded him that he had requested her honest opinion, which she provided. The mother-of-two went on to reveal that it was Anton who encouraged her to pen her own 2023 novel, The Wild Card, based on her experiences in the world of tennis. The pair struck up a friendship when they were paired together on the BBC programme in 2014. Judy managed an eight-week run in the competition, before losing out in a dance-off against actress Sunetra Sarker at Blackpool. Discussing her exit with host Tess Daly at the time, the mother of tennis stars Andy and Jamie Murray thanked Anton for his support. She commented: "He is great fun to be around and has made my Strictly experience very, very special." Judy has also previously told Good Housekeeping Magazine that participating in the show allowed her to reveal a different side to the public. She elaborated: "[Strictly] helped a lot because, up until that point, you get used to seeing horrible pictures of yourself in the paper portraying you as grotesque or aggressive. "It helped me to stop feeling that everyone thought I was a nightmare pushy mother." Anton has similarly also shown fans a different side to him in recent years by venturing into writing. The Strictly judge previously told fans that the inspiration behind him becoming an author, was through stories he heard in the world of dance. At the Henley Literary Festival, he was quoted by The Independent as saying: "I always wanted to do stories and dancing was a great avenue to tell stories through. Its just kind of the story and the narrative is everything." Meanwhile, Anton is also gearing up to return to the Strictly Come Dancing judging panel later this year, alongside Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, and Craig Revel Horwood. Names of the celebrity contestants signed up for the upcoming series are expected to be revealed from next month.
