Men working in factories, as security guards or as chefs had some of the highest Covid-19 death rates in 2020, new figures show. Plant workers recorded a rate of 143.2 deaths per 100,000 males, compared with a rate of 31.4 among men of the same age in the wider population. For security guards and related occupations the figure stood at 100.7 deaths per 100,000 males. Among female workers, some of the highest Covid-19 deaths were for jobs involving assembly lines and routine machine operations, such as sewing machinists, as well as care workers and home carers. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) said the pandemic has exposed “huge inequalities” in the labour market, with those in lower-paid jobs often forced to put themselves at risk.
Careless HGV driver reported after continuing to travel - despite tyre blowout A HGV driver has been reported for careless driving. About 5.30am on Friday, January 21, North Wales Police s Roads Policing Unit received reports of a HGV having had a tyre blow out near to the Llanfairfechan roundabout. The HGV had continued to travel Westbound over the Britannia Bridge leaving tyre debris in the carriageway as it travelled along. A short while later an officer located the HGV parked in Menai Bridge where it was discovered to have been driving on its rim with the mud guard missing and the brackets hanging against the suspension.
DEGANWY residents have won a “David v Goliath” battle to reopen a railway crossing that was shut for 10 years. The 20-foot crossing at the bottom of Ty Mawr Road leads to the Coastal Path towards Conwy and prevents residents having to walk an extra half-an-hour over a busy flyover. It was closed without notice by Network Rail in 2011 when officers removed signage and locked the entrance gate. The path is understood to have been a right of way for centuries, used by fisherman and to transport grain before the railway line was built. A campaign was launched by residents with Marl ward county councillor Mike Priestley and then-MP for Aberconwy, Guto Bebb.
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Mrs Shirajudin is clapped by NHS staff as she is finally able to take her babies home. AN EXPECTANT mother was unable to meet her new-born triplets after being diagnosed with coronavirus. Ashleigh Shirajudin, from Rhos-on-Sea, had to wait a week to see her children at Glan Clwyd Hospital after testing positive for Covid-19 during a routine pre-op appointment just days before giving birth by C-section. “The phone call was a bit of a blur but all I remember them saying is I would probably have to give birth alone and wouldn’t be able to see my babies when they were born until my isolation period was over,” said Mrs Shirajudin, aged 30.
A FAMILY of motorbike racers is gearing up for the 2021 Ducati TriOptions Cup at some of the UK’s top circuits. Brothers Matt and David Jones, who live in Rhyl, are set to represent their family team Dragon Racing at the road racing series which will undercard the 2021 British Superbike Race Series this summer. Former Rydal Penrhos School pupils, the pair won the Wirral 100 Champions while big brother David has competed in the Isle of Man TT in 2010 and previously represented Wales in the British Ducati TriOptions Cup. Their dad and former racer John is chief mechanic of the team and mum Debbie handles hospitality, while Matt’s wife Jen leads pitlane support and designs.