Daily Post

An Island of Culture

URDD bosses last night paid tribute to fundraisers on Anglesey who made this year's National Eisteddfod possible. As the curtain rose on Europe's largest cultural youth festival,Urdd Eisteddfod director Sian Eirian praised local organisers who raised pounds 210,000 to stage the event at the island's Mona showground.

Todayat the Eisteddfod

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? Adults pounds 9,including parking and entry into the Maes and Pavilion. Concession for competitors, Urdd members and children pounds 4. Reduction for families.

Youth Links with India

THE Urdd and Christian Aid have been working closely on a special project over the past two years raising awareness with young people about life and issues affecting young people in India. A group of young people from the Urdd recently visited two projects in Calcutta under the banner of Croeso Calcutta (Welcome Calcutta).

Tipis for Youngsters On Maes

THERE will be storytelling sessions, writing and scripting workshops,dances,acoustic sessions and youth question and answer sessions held in quite an unusual atmosphere on the Eisteddfod Maes this week. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of its sponsorship relationship with Urdd Gobaith Cymru,HSBC is backing an exciting initiative to hold activities in five tipis, the largest able to house up to 100 children.

Airborne Regiment As Cadets Enjoy Vintage Fairground Fun

Mobile Surgery Cuts Eye Patients Waiting List ; Hundreds of Cataract Sufferers Treated Cataract Waiting Times Slashed

WAITING times for vital eye surgery in Merseyside and Cheshire have been slashed following the arrival of a mobile operating theatre. Hundreds of patients have benefited from the innovation in the last 12 months which has cut the number of people waiting more than three months for a cataract operation by 89% since August.

Car Horror Boy in Fight for Life ; Scott,10,Critical with Head Injuries Boy,10,in Fight for Life After Accident

A 10-YEAR-old boy was fighting for his life last night after being hit by a car near his North Wales home. Scott Ferguson, who lives in Moor Lane,on the Holway estate,Holywell, was taken by ambulance to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd yesterday afternoon.

Decision Soon On Extra Uk Troops

THE Government will decide within weeks if Britain is to send thousands more troops to Iraq,Tony Blair said yesterday. The Prime Minister also said he hoped many British soldiers would return home within a year after securing peace.

Uk Executive Dies in Saudi Carnage

A BRITISH oil executive "devoted to his work" was shot dead at the start of a bloody 24-hour siege in Saudi Arabia which ended with security forces storming the militants' stronghold. Gunmen held up to 50 people hostage in a residential compound after attacking the offices of two oil companies in the eastern city of Al Khobar on Saturday morning.

Coe Loses Bid to Gag Stories of 'Affair'

THE head of Britain's Olympic bid Lord Sebastian Coe failed in a last-minute attempt to stop newspapers yesterday publishing claims he had a secret 10-year-affair. In the High Court on Saturday,Mr Justice Fulford ruled against an application made on behalf of the former Tory MP.

Fruit Fire Alarm On Boeing 747

Guns Probe

Lazy Britons

Lottery

SIX ticket-holders shared Saturday's NationalLottery triple roll over jackpot of pounds 22.2m.The numbers were 1,4, 6,18,19and 40. The bonus number was 30. No tickets won the Lotto Extra jackpot where the numbers drawn were 4,12, 13,40,44 and 45. Notickets won the pounds 250,000 top prize in the Thunderball game,in which thenumbers drawn were 6, 11, 12,13 and 27 and the Thunderball was 3.

Police Get Nerve Gas Attack Antidotes

THOUSANDS of nerve gas antidote injections are being distributed to police forces in case there is a chemical or biological terrorist strike. The 7,000 pen-like devices, similar to those used by diabetics to inject insulin,deliver a shot of potentially life-saving drugs.

'Westerners' Hauled From Vehicles

GUNMEN fired on a convoy of vehicles in the Iraqi capital last night before dragging away several "Western-looking men" from the cars,police and witnesses said. The attack happened at dusk on the main road linking Baghdad and Taji to the north of the capital. Three wrecked vehicles -pocked with bullet holes -could be seen crashed along highway barriers.

Oil Brit's Body Dragged a Mile

A BRITISH oil executive "devoted to his work" was shot dead at the start of a bloody 24-hour siege in Saudi Arabia which ended with security forces storming the militants' stronghold. Gunmen held up to 50 people hostage in a residential compound after attacking the offices of two oil companies in the eastern city of Al Khobar on Saturday morning.

Charged Over Immigrants

TWO men have been charged after the discovery of 13 illegal immigrants. Allan Guy Gallop also known as Allan Hetherington Cleverley and builder Marcus Wakelin of East Sussex, are accused of conspiring to facilitate illegal entry.

Airport Chaos Threat

UNION leaders yesterday warned of travel chaos at the country's biggest airports after baggage handlers and check-in staff voted to strike in a dispute over pay. Around 1,000 members of the GMB backed industrial action by 80% in protest at a 2.5%pay offer.

Hollywood has a Wizard Idea to Spy On the Harry Potter Film Pirates

IGHT vision sights are being issued to cinema ushers as producers of the new Harry Potter movie go to extreme lengths to stamp out pirating. Distributors of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, released nationwide today,are so fearful that illegal copies will be made by cinema goers that the equipment is being sent out with all legitimate copies of the summer blockbuster.