Visit Mijas Costa News

La Cala de Mijas Property Holds Value

2009-07-13T15:50:00.000+02:00

2009 has been really interesting year so far for the Spanish property market the La Cala de Mijas property market has been no different. In an area of huge over building and very low prices La Cala de Mijas stands out as an Oasis in Mijas Costa as prices have held their value extremely well and compared to the prices

of Calahonda and Miraflores it’s hard to believe La Cala de Mijas in only 5 minutes away and there is no sign of “La Cala” losing its magic in the near future according to Spanish Hot Properties marketing and operations manager Susana Suspenda.

“The first thing you have to understand about the La Cala de Mijas property market is the area itself Although La Cala de Mijas has maintained a level of real authentic Spanish charm, it has in some ways also taken on the feel of being quite international and cosmopolitan with many nationalities living side by side. La Cala de Mijas, often just referred to as La Cala, is a beautiful Spanish village, right at the heart of Mijas Costa, which has effortlessly stepped into the 21st century without losing any of its traditional fishing village charm. It has a lively, bustling town centre with a twice-weekly market, supermarkets, bars, restaurants and every amenity you could ever wish for. It’s perennially popular with increasing numbers of holidaymakers and is home to foreign residents from a range of different countries, including the UK and many other European countries. La Cala de Mijas is in a perfect position to enjoy an enormous range of leisure facilities. Active retirees particularly love the area for its great combination of easy-going traditional Spanish charm and the wide selection of sporting activities in and around La Cala. The area is famous for its wealth of competition standard golf courses, including the magnificent La Cala Hotel and Golf Course Resort which is the biggest golf complex in Spain and has three of its own courses. La Cala Resort also has a luxury golf hotel, an exclusive spa. In the hills just behind La Cala you can enjoy horse riding. Although if you simply enjoy a night of family entertainment watching the horses why not try the "Hipodromo del Costa del Sol", which is situated just on the outskirts of La Cala village. One of the reasons that La Cala de Mijas is so popular is its versatility. Choose from beautiful, tranquil countryside, exquisite beaches or cosmopolitan towns, some within walking distance, most just a short drive away. There’s excellent road and public transport access from La Cala to all other parts of Mijas Costa and it’s just five minutes drive from cosmopolitan Fuengirola with its medieval castle, Blue Flag beaches and stylish shopping. A 10-minute drive into the hills behind La Cala takes you into some of the most picturesque countryside in the area where there are a variety of stables offering riding lessons and trekking, so that you can enjoy an invigorating canter in breathtaking surroundings. All of this is truly wonderful and explains a lot about the area and why people want to be in La Cala but why not just choose nearby Miraflores or Calahonda, well the answer to that question is the village of La Cala hasn’t been overbuilt like the rest of Mijas Costa and you can walk to the Village and Beach and just generally has a relaxed feeling that you don’t get in such areas like Miraflores and La Cala and this is reflected in the property prices where a 3 bedroom apartment can be as much as €75,000 Euros more than nearby towns” Explained Susana.

So why the price differentials between La Cala and the other surrounding towns and Villages. Well in reality it’s about La Cala not being overbuilt the way the other towns are and the fact that La Cala in unique.

Golf challenge at La Cala Resort raises 150,000 euros

2009-07-10T09:46:00.000+02:00

THE Max Clifford Celebrity Golf Challenge for the UK-based charity, the Rhys Daniels Trust, held at La Cala Resort, Mijas, in June was a huge success, raising 150,000 euros. Max Clifford is a famous publicist from the UK and the event has been held a golf competition on the Costa del Sol for the past nine years, raising a total of almost one million euros.

The event consisted of two days of team golf on two of La Cala’s three courses, Campo Asia and Campo Europa. A charity auction was held in Marbella with large sums being paid for the wide range of special items, including a day with the Sky sports football commentary team at any Premier league match. Rhys Daniels Trust provides accommodation around the UK for families to use free of charge whilst their child is receiving life-saving treatment a long way from home. Founder and chairman of the charity, Barry Daniels, experienced the need for this service when his son Rhys was undergoing a bone marrow transplant in Bristol. Barry said he was again delighted with the event and confirmed it would return to La Cala next year.

The event was filmed for Sky Sports and will be shown in a 90 minute programme. The radio station Talk Radio Europe also broadcast a live programme at the welcome dinner, chatting to many of the celebrities. Amongst those who took part were: Des O’Connor, Andy Gray, Ray Wilkins, Gary McAllister, Jean-Christophe Novelli, Bobby Davro, Paul Jewell, Ian St John, John Gregory, Dave Beasant, Dennis Taylor, Steve Sedgley, Stan Boardman, Kenny Lynch, Billy Murray and European Tour winner Philip Golding.

Mijas Mayor says 30% of illegal homes could be made legal

2009-07-06T12:27:00.000+02:00

3,750 illegally-built homes in Mijas and the Socialist Mayor, Antonio Sánchez, says that 30% of them could be brought into legality through revision of the town’s PGOU General Urban Plan.

The Mayor announced last month that no more fines will be issued while the Plan is under revision, but said some 1,000 properties already have proceedings against them which, for their owners, means a fine and demolition. He told the news agency in an interview this weekend that those affected will be given a year to find alternative accommodation before that happens, and a ‘margin’ to attend court. The longer the deadline, Sánchez said, the more time it gives the Junta and the Town Hall to try and find a way of bringing the properties into legality, if that is possible.

The Mayor ruled out the possibility of legalising any more than 30% of the properties.

Campo fires in Mijas and Fuengirola

2009-06-26T17:22:00.000+02:00

A forest fire in Mijas on Thursday led to 20 homes having to be evacuated as fire affected some 15 hectares of shrub.

Some 90 residents of the town were affected in total. It happened in the Cerrado del Águila area, affecting the La Rosa and El Chaparral urbanisations. Finally no property was affected and there are no reports of any injuries.

Three helicopters and a fire-fighting plane were used by INFOCA firefighters, together with support from Mijas local police, fire service and Guardia Civil. It brings the number of fires in the Mijas area to four in the last two months, and police think all of them were started deliberately.

Meanwhile there was another smaller file in Fuengirola in the area of the Las Salinas industrial estate close to the Safa motor company.

Source: www.typicallyspanish.com

Investors in Mijas hopeful of an amnesty for illegal properties

2009-06-23T09:37:00.000+02:00

Real estate investors in Spain whose properties have been affected by the crackdown on illegal planning are hopeful that an amnesty is on the horizon.

They say that the sheer number of properties that have been apparently built on the nod of corrupt officials will make it unlikely that they will all be demolished.

In Malaga alone it is estimated that 40,000 properties were built illegally at the height of the planning law corruption boom.

Marbella is expected to be among the first to announce an amnesty for around 20,000 illegal properties. Malaga is also considering such a move. Salvador Pendón, president of Malaga's Provincial Council, has told property owners privately that he expects to make an announcement soon as many of the illegal properties are not built on protected land.

But on cases where vast blocks of concrete apartments were built on protected land demolition will go ahead eventually, he also said.

'Things are looking more hopeful. I think the authorities are realising at last the demolishing all these properties will not only cost a lot of money but also in many cases simply does not make sense as they are not on beaches or protected land,' said James Jones who owns a property under threat in Malaga.

In Mijas the mayor, Antonio Sánchez, has announced that the town hall will no longer fine owners of illegal properties who fail to carry out demolition orders. Owners will be given breathing space of around a year and a half before a new town plan is passed that will make many of the properties legal.

Meanwhile the latest Spanish property price figures show further declines. The May property index Tinsa, one of Spain's leading appraisal companies.

Prices fell by 9.8% over 12 months to the end of May with coastal areas suffering the most with an average price fall of 12.8%. Cities and provincial capitals saw a 10.1% decline with the suburbs seeing a downturn of 9.6% and the Balearics and Canary Islands a 9.8% fall.

40,000 homes set to be made legal in Málaga province

2009-06-17T10:17:00.001+02:00

The properties are in the Axarquía, Marbella, Mijas and Mijas Costa

The Málaga provincial Government, La Diputación, together with Marbella and Mijas Town Halls, has announced plans to bring 40,000 houses built illegally into legality.

The properties include those in inland Axarquía as well as those along the coast, with the President of the Diputación, Salvador Pendón, saying on Tuesday that the illegally built property could be saved in the Axarquía, but that he did not understand why talk in the region was of ‘charging the Mayors’ when in Marbella alone the talk is of 30,000 homes being legalized.

Pendón said that the Regional Council for Territorial Planning and Housing Department was ‘implicated’ in a favourable solution, as they have seen ‘certain possibilities of doing so’. Demolitions are only likely in ‘certain concrete cases’.

La Opinión de Málaga reports that Mayor of Marbella, Ángeles Muñoz, has given an undertaking that there will be no demolitions, while in Mijas the Mayor, Antonio Sánchez, has announced that no more fines will be issued while the new PGOU Urban Plan is being revised.

However the latest PGOU draft plan for Marbella was returned to the Town Hall for its second approval this week. Approval is expected next month, and 18,000 homes will thus be brought into legality. However La Opinión reports that this draft does not include some 1,000 illegally built homes in the municipality, including 400 which are described by Muñoz as being ‘especially sensitive’ given that they have been occupied for years. They are the 300 or so apartments in Banana Beach, and two developments in El Alcate and Rio Real.

Meanwhile it has been revealed that the Junta de Andalucía is to authorize as many as 4,000 new homes to the north of the motorway in Rincón de la Victoria, although an urbanization of 500 villas has been rejected.

Source: www.typicallyspanish.com

Socialists hold on to Andalucía in EU elections

2009-06-08T15:25:00.000+02:00

The Socialist party beat the PP in its stronghold of Andalucía in the EU vote on Sunday, with an eight point advantage. The Socialists obtained 1,250,208 votes, 47.92% in the region, compared to the 1,038,656 votes, 39.81% obtained by the Partido Popular.

The Socialists were the largest party in all the provinces of the region with the exception of Málaga and Almería. The left-wing and green coalition, IULV-CA, were the third force with 136,330 votes, 5.23 %.

Turnout was lower in Andalucía than nationally at 38.63%.

It was the first success for the new Socialist leader in Andalucía, José Antonio Griñán, who took over from Manuel Chaves three months ago.

In Málaga the PP saw a 13% swing to the PP, thanks to a surge in support for them along the coastal towns. The Socialist vote was 8% down while the PP saw a 5% jump. The PSOE won in 75 municipalities and the PP in 25, but the PP picked up the larger towns along the coast incuding, Nerja, Vélez-Málaga, Rincón de la Victoria, Málaga, Torremolinos, Fuengirola, Mijas Costa, Benalmádena, Marbella, Estepona and Manilva as well as the two Alhauríns and Coín.
The Socialists held Ronda and Antequera.

Source: www.typicallyspanish.com

Mijas International Festival June 13-14th

2009-06-04T14:49:00.002+02:00

The festival will take place on Satturday June 13 and Sunday June 14

MIJAS will be turned into a world of colour on June 13 and 14 for the International Festival of Mijas. This festival is the transformation and fusion of the Mijas International Day and the Blues Festival, offering an unforgettable experience, where different cultures, races and gastronomy will blend into a new concept of integration.

The festival will be held in various parts of Mijas Village; the RED ZONE in the Virgen de la Peña main square, GREEN ZONE in the Plaza de la Constitucion and the BLUE ZONE in the open air auditorium and Muralla Gardens. The event will be inaugurated on Saturday at 12 noon and will run until midnight. On Sunday it will start at 12 noon and will finish at 7pm.

There will be a fantastic blues concert with international artists in the open air auditorium on Saturday night. On Sunday various small blues concerts will be held in the Blue Zone. Bands will be coming from Canada: Jimmy C and The Blues Dragons, UK: West Westons Bluesonics, USA: Eugene ‘Hideaway’ Bridges – Mingo and Balaguer and The Blue Intruders and The Valvetones from Spain. On Friday June 12 a blues concert will be held at the Hotel Mijas at 9pm. All the concerts are free of charge.

Ethnical and folkloric performances and street parades will be held in all three zones from Egyptian belly dancing to Irish River Dance.

Eight stands will offer typical food and drink, and handcrafts. Two giant BBQs of Uruguay and Argentina will be set up, offering mouth watering BBQ meats. Cuban Mojitos, Brazilian tropical fruit cocktails, and Moroccan cakes are some of the delicacies that will be offered at the stands.

Workshops will be organised for adults and children, including Salsa dancing, making Peruvian bracelet’s, Bolivian dances and percussion, henna tattoos, Tam Tam drums from Senegal, belly dancing from Morocco…

A mini train will be available, with departures from the Blue Zone and Red Zone every 30 minutes.

Visit Mijas Costa

For more information contact the Foreigners Department, Mijas Town Hall

TEL: 952 589 010 or email frd@mijas.es

Source : www.euroweeklynews.com

Dramatic jewellery robbery in Mijas

2009-05-27T09:45:00.000+02:00

The Mijas Diamond and Jewellery Centre was assaulted by three hooded individuals carrying hammers

Three jewellery thieves have made off with a haul estimated to be between 8,000 € and 20,000 € from a shop in Mijas pueblo, the Mijas Diamond and Jewellery Centre. The owner of the store was inside when the hooded thieves attacked carrying hammers.

Dee Iglesias, co-owner of the store told Diario Sur that her husband had tried to detain one of the theives without success; he was thrown to the floor.

Police say it was a professional operation with the thieves dressing as road workers and previously placing a no-entry sign in the Avenida de Méjico to ensure their getaway. A fourth member of the gang drove the getaway car which had been previously stolen and which was found shortly after the robbery.

Source www.typicallyspanish.com
Mijas Costa

Cheap internet telephone calls

2009-03-31T12:46:00.004+02:00

You have just managed to get your broadband set-up in your Mijas Costa property, well done I know the trouble you might have had to just to get a land line from telefonica let alone ADSL.

Now do you know that you now can get free land line calls to the UK 24/7 and a new UK land line number so friends and family can call you at local rates

The best offers come from UK based company called Vonage.
Its very easy setup and you dont need you PC or laptop on to use, click here to view the Vonage website

Time to change you UK broadband provider.
In the UK the broadband market is very competitive and the deals just keep getting better and better, at the moment O2 have the best deals buy far and your new Vonage phone will plug straight in.
They offer free customer help line.
Best Internet speeds for your hard earnt pounds and great discounts if you are an O2 mobile user.
Click here for Great Mobile tariffs with O2
Click the advert for great O2 broadband deals.

The Mijas Costa to Alhaurin el Grande road closed

2009-03-26T19:30:00.002+01:00

Commuters to the coast from Coin and Alhaurin el Grande will have to take a detour through Mijas Village

THE road known as the Carretera del Puerto de los Pescadores or the Coin road, the A-7053, is now closed for a period of 12 months for repairs organised by the Junta de Andalucia.

The A-7053 is the main connecting road between the Guadalhorce valley and the Costa del Sol until Entrerrios. Roadworks will take place over an 8.8 kilometre stretch between the beginning of the road and the round- about at the Venta de Los Morenos. Only residents, garden centre customers and hotel customers will be allowed access to the road. The projects. The 15.6-million-euro project will widen the road to ten metres, with central reservations, slow lanes, and an 11-metre bridge over Arroyo Pilones Triple.

The improvements are taking place in parallel with other work financed by the Junta de Andalucia. There are roadworks on the A-387 between Alhaurin el Grande and Puerto de los Pescadores; and on the MA-3033 between Coin and Puerto de los Pescadores. In the case of the latter, the road was also closed several weeks ago forcing Coin traffic to detour via Alhaurin el Grande. Inconvenience for commuters. Although in the long run the improved road will benefit many road users, the closing of the road will affect many residents who use it on a daily basis to commute from Coin and Alhaurin el Grande to Mijas Costa or Fuengirola.

The suggested alternative for these commuters is the A-387 which joins Alhaurin el Grande with Fuengirola via Mijas Village. Provincial Delegate for Public Works Dolores Fernandez said: “One has to accept that roadworks on this scale will inconvenience people, but they will substantially improve communications between Guadalhorce and the Costa del Sol.” Dolores Fernandez explained that the road closure was necessary for safety reasons. According to Dolores, its closure will also speed up completion of the project.

Mijas Costa Police crack down on illegal taxis

2009-03-16T11:32:00.001+01:00

The Local Police in Mijas have launched a special operation to crack down on unlicensed cars picking up fares. The local economic downturn has been blamed for the increase in pirate cabs operating, especially on residential estates like, La Cala de Mijas and Calahonda, and picking up tourists and foreign residents.

The police work is complicated, however, by the customers using these illegal services claiming that they are friends or relatives of the driver and not fare-paying passengers.

The official taxi drivers maintain that the illegal practice not only affects their incomes but also the rights of the customers. The president of the local taxi association, Jesús Montoya, reminds the general public that the illegal cars and their drivers are not subject to the usual controls and do not have the correct insurance cover.

Look here for local Mijas Taxis numbers

Mijas Costa - Dolores Vázquez has her criminal record erased

2009-03-13T10:23:00.000+01:00

Dolores Vázquez, who was found guilty of killing Rocio Wanninkhof, the teenager from Mijas teenager, and who served 17 months in prison as a result, has managed to get the Interior Ministry to destroy her case file.

Dolores Vázquez is still however awaiting compensation from the state for the miscarriage of justice, confirmed when Briton Tony King was found guilty when the Junta de Andalucía ordered a second trial be held.

Vázquez has asked for four million € compensation but so far the Ministry for Justice has only offered her 120,000 €.

Baby pygmy hippopotamus is new star at Fuengirola Zoo

2009-03-10T12:56:00.000+01:00

A newly born pygmy hippopotamus is proving the new star at Fuengirola Zoo. It’s good news for conservationists as it is an endangered species, with only some 3,000 in the world.

Now three months old, the baby already weighs 25 kilos.

Mother and son are being kept apart for the first year because if not she is likely to reject the baby and even attack him.

Fuengirola Zoo

Restaurante Mijas Playa raises six thousand euros for Cudeca

2009-03-10T12:21:00.002+01:00

A cheque for 6000 euros was presented to Joan Hunt O.B.E., Cudeca´s Founder and President at a sell-out dinner in the restaurante Mijas Playa, La Cala de Mijas. Yet again, our friends there have come up trumps!

Over the festive season John, Jim and Gerry held a number of lunches and dinners with raffles and auctions in aid of Cudeca Hospice. Thanks to generosity of the customers, plus some gentle persuasion from John front of house, and host Steve Shappelle, the grand sum was collected.

Joan thanked the restaurant owners for their support as well as those who had bought raffle tickets and bid in the auctions. She also mentioned the public´s warm response to Cudeca’s appeal for financial support to keep their In-Patient Unit open.

The evening also gave the first opportunity to see and hear Los Divos, an Il Divo tribute group, the brainchild of Steve Shappelle who also sang at the event and was once again the compere for the evening.

Source: EuroWeekly

Paper reports on violent British gang based in Mijas

2009-02-05T10:55:00.001+01:00

A violent British gang which has been carrying out extortion of local businessmen on the Costa del Sol has been linked to several shooting incidents.

The group is known as ‘Pancake’, because it is allegedly led by the known British criminal referred to as ‘Pancake the scouser’, and is involved in drug trafficking and carrying out assassinations in Málaga province. Most of the members are originally from Liverpool and Manchester.

La Opinión de Málaga reports that the group controlled four houses in Urbanisation Jacaranda in Mijas, and that there are at least five members known to the authorities.

The shooting at Nikki Beach last year has been linked to the gang which is under investigation by the UDYCO, organized crime and drug unit of the police. Several witnesses at the scene identified ‘Pancake the Scouser’ as the shooter there last summer.

The gang is also linked to the Puerto Banús shooting last summer and to the shooting of an Irishman at the Aloha Garden bar.

Six britons arrested for Mijas Costa timeshare scam

2009-02-05T10:45:00.001+01:00

National Police from Málaga have arrested six British people from the Fuengirola and Mijas Costa area for defrauding other Britons in the fraudulent resale of timeshare property in the province of Málaga.

The manager and five telesales operators offered timeshares on the Mijas Costa and other areas for one or several weeks across many years, for large amounts of money. It seems the same timeshare rights were resold to different buyers several times, according to a statement from the main police station in Málaga.

The case started after a complaint from a British person about a company based in Alhaurín el Grande.

The company used several different names and closed down, only to reopen in Fuengirola.

The six arrested will appear in court shortly.

Visit Mijas Costa

New 2 bed La Cala de Mijas Apartment for Sale

2009-01-04T17:22:00.006+01:00

Reduced 2 bedroom Mijas costa apartment with nice views over looking La Cala de Mijas and in land view to Mijas Pueblo

Modern 2 bedroom apartment with nice view over looking La Cala de Mijas and in land view to mijas pueblo, also over looking navi golf course.

The property is only 3 years old and the bedrooms downstairs, making them very cool in the summer time, they are 3 very good sized terraces and we have converted the living terrace into another room for dinning.

All the terraces have stunning views over the med, witch is only 15 min walk away.

Valued at €310,000 12 months ago.

Click here to view this La Cala Apartment for Sale

The new Mijas Costa Marina to be built with in the next few years, this could add 30% on the value of the property.

Apartments on this complex are in high demand for long term rental and are selling around this great price.
Long lets are getting easily €800per month

Please feel free to make sensible offers

Click here to view this La Cala Apartment for Sale

Mijas to ban beach bars

2008-12-10T23:33:00.000+01:00

Scores of beach bars on the Costa del Sol could be forced to close next year. 20 years after it was introduced, authorities plan to enforce Spain's Ley de Costas (Coastal Law), which prohibits buildings within 100 metres of the sea.

The regional government of Andalucia has warned that over half of the beach bars and restaurants on the popular Costa del Sol will not be allowed to extend their licences when they come up for renewal next year, according to reports in Spanish newspaper La Opinión de Málaga.

300 establishments - 60 per cent of those on the stretch of coastline - may be forced to shut up shop as Andalucia's coastal authorities plan to enforce the Ley de Costas, although it has been in place since 1988. Many of the bars were established after this date and are now approaching the end of their concessions. The authorities say that the buildings contravene planning regulations and they now want to rectify the situation

"It will be a lengthy, complicated process because nothing has been done for 20 years," Javier Hermoso, chief of the beaches on the eastern end of the Costa del Sol, told the paper.

Some towns have already made moves to ensure buildings fall within the law. Estepona, for example, has built a coastal promenade and moved many of its bars to new premises, leaving only five on the beach.

Other towns, such as Torremolinos, Fuengirola and Mijas, are facing the difficult task of finding space for the businesses, possibly moving their promenades to ensure they leave the required 100 metres free.

Local business leaders have criticised the move. Norberto del Castillo from the Andalucian Federation of Beach Businesses feared the loss of more than 7,000 employees in the province of Malaga, which houses around half of all Andalucia's beach bars and restaurants.

Visit Mijas Costa

Source: holidaylettings.co.uk

Celebrate Food Week in Mijas

2008-11-16T10:44:00.001+01:00

People taking holidays on the Mijas Costa will next week have the opportunity to sample dozens of Spanish delicacies, as one of the Costa del Sol's premier food events gets underway.

Taking place from November 17th to 21st is Mijas Food Week, a celebration of Spanish cuisine and the perfect excuse to tickle your taste buds and sample the work of local chefs.

Now in its 18th year, Mijas Food Week features participants from Marbella, Fuengirola and other surrounding resorts, as well as local wineries.

Visit Mijas Costa

Mijas walker finds body in ditched suitcase

2008-11-16T10:39:00.001+01:00

A human skeleton has been found in a suitcase abandoned on a dry river bed in Mijas.

It is thought that the person whose body was found in a suitcase in a dried-up river bed near Mijas earlier this week, may have died around twelve months ago, according to the degree of composition.

Forensic officers ruled out opening the suitcase at the scene in order to preserve any possible forensic evidence, but believe that the victim may have been a fairly large adult judging by the size of some of the bones found nearby.

The remains are now being analysed by Institute of Legal Medicine experts, who are working to establish identity and cause of death.

The gruesome find was made close to the MA-387 road in the Higuerón area of the municipality and forensic scientists are now analysing the remains. They are trying to establish the identity of the victim.

The court on the Mijas Costa has placed reporting restrictions on the case.

MISSING AMY FITZPATRICK

2008-10-20T21:09:00.004+02:00

Amy Fitzpatrick disappeared on the evening of New Year’s Day 1st January 2008 at approximately 10pm when she left her friend’s house in the tourist resort of Riviera Del Sol on the Costa del Sol to take the 10 minute walk home.

Amy was 15 at the time of her disappearance; she has black hair, blue eyes and has a pale complexion. She is 1.65m tall and was wearing dark coloured crushed velvet tracksuit bottoms and a black T-shirt with the word “DIESEL” in various different colours when she was last seen. She had no money, phone or passport as she was still on her Mum’s passport. She was wearing her friend’s clothes and carrying a bag of her own dirty clothes.

She turned 16 on the 7th February 2008. On the night Amy disappeared she was babysitting in her friend Ashley’s home. Ashley watched Amy walk away from her door and that was the last time Amy was seen.

Amy is originally from Clare Hall on Dublin’s North side and she moved to The Costa del Sol with her Mam Audrey Her Brother dean and Audrey’s partner Dave four years ago.

Her computer and phone have been checked thoroughly and nothing was found to suggest she has left voluntarily with someone. Amy has numerous sites on social networking sites, e.g. bebo, my space, face book and MSN and none of them have been touched since she went missing.

Anyone with information on what happened to Amy or her whereabouts is urged to immediately contact

Amy’s Mam: 0034 617 561 319 or missingamy@live.co.uk

SPANISH POLICE 0034 952 479 030

FOR AMY'S OFFICIAL POSTER PLEASE VISIT HER OFFICIAL BEBO PAGE, http://www.bebo.com/helpustofindamy AND LOOK IN HER ALBUMS.
Amy’s Official website is www.missingamy.com

Amy’s Cousin Beverley has written a song which we are trying to get released for Amy.
Rainbow was written and recorded by Beverley O'Sullivan during her time in pop band Fifth Avenue. When Fifth Avenue's album was released, Amy received a copy from her cousin Beverley and she loved the song Rainbow on the album, mainly because it was her cousin singing it solo and she loved to play it to her friends and tell them it was her cousin!

There are two reasons this song was picked for Amy, The first being that it was her favourite song and also Beverley said that the words (even though it was written 5 years ago) represent all the emotions her aunt Audrey is going through.

Beverley says " I was listening to the song while over in Spain with Audrey a few months ago, and couldn’t believe how each line of the song seems like it’s coming from exactly what Audrey is going through during this very sad time" There are lines like " who said that time was a healer, they can’t be feeling what I’m feeling, I can’t sleep, I can’t eat" And having spent time with Audrey through this I know it’s exactly what she is feeling. So the song is for Amy and also to explain what her poor Mam is going through as well. “I hope that the cd will raise awareness for Amy and also raise funds for forever searching, (who have been a rock to Audrey) and for AMY'S SEARCH FUND. We are looking for someone to help us getting this CD produced and we were hoping you would help us out to get it released for Audrey and Dave. I can pass you on the Song to hear it should you wish.
If you can help Audrey and Dave in any way at all, please contact me on +35386 8124687 or you can contact Audrey Direct on 0034 617 561 319
At any time.

Please help to bring Amy home

Thank you

Fire sweeps over Mijas Mountains

2008-09-04T21:47:00.008+02:00

A fire is devastating large amounts of forest land behind the Pueblo village of Mijas, Costa del Sol.

The fire started around 7pm on Thursday the 4th September and seems to be spreading down the mountain near to San Anton, Los Osunas and Bueno Vista.

Due to is location fire fighters seem to be not in control situation yet.

The fire can be seen from Calahonda, Riviera del Sol, La Cala de Mijas, Mijas Costa, Fuengirola and Las Lagunas.

The fire could also been seen live from the Mijas Costa Webcam some 7 miles away in La Cala

Update: The fire is still seen to burning at 7am on Friday 5th but has almost been totaly extinguished with only small pockets of fire remaining.

Local police soft the evacuation of over 300 local residents from the Buenavista urbanisation in the town overnight.

The local sports centre at Las Lagunas is being used as a reception centre for the people.

10 fire-fighting units and a team of 70 people continued to work against the flames overnight, while the Mayor of Mijas, Antonio Sánchez, told the press that the fire had been started deliberately.

No news of loss of property or life have been reported.

Visit Mijas Costa

Lew Hoad Tennis and Padel Tournament

2008-08-07T17:09:00.001+02:00

EDWARD DODD was a lover of tennis and spent many happy hours at the Lew Hoad Tennis Club. After his passing on July 30 last year, the family decided to create a tennis tournament in his memory.

This resulted in the first Cudeca Cup which took place on September 11, 2007 - what would have been his 84th birthday - with the grand sum of 2000 euros raised and donated to Cudeca Cancer Care Hospice, where he spent his last days.

This year’s funds are desperately needed to continue our good work and we would like to improve considerably on the previous figure. We are pleased to have the confirmed support of last years sponsors, for which we are very grateful, and are also privileged to have Banco de Halifax, Axa Insurance Co and Norrbam Marketing sponsoring the event too. Thanks to all for their great interest in supporting this event.

Come along to this great day out at Lew Hoad Tennis Club (Ctra. de Mijas) on Saturday August 16 from 10am. Tickets are priced at 30 euros per person for the Tennis Tournament and 15 euros per person for the Padel Tournament (both include lunch, t-shirt and raffle ticket) and just 10 euros for those who wish to have lunch only. For those non-tennis or padel enthusiasts, there will be stalls selling bric-a-brac, home made cakes, books etc. and also a fantastic raffle following the lunch.

For more information and to reserve your place in the tournament, please contact the Lew Hoad reception on 952 47 48 58.

Source: Euro Weekly News

Lew Hoad Tennis

Visit Mijas Costa

International schools on the Costa found without correct licenses

2008-08-06T14:05:00.002+02:00

The problem has been highlighted by the arrest of the owner of the St Javier's International Nursery in Marbella.
The case of the dangerous conditions at the St Javier’s International Nursery in Marbella, has led the authorities to take a closer look at other international schools in the area, and it’s now thought that at least twelve international schools are operating in the province of Málaga without permission and licenses.
The owner of St Javier’s has been arrested and she has been working there for 12 years without the regional Educational authorities knowing about it.

The Málaga Hoy newspaper says that there are at least a dozen international educational centres on the Costa del Sol which are not authorised. It says most of these are international establishments, in Mijas, Marbella and Estepona, and are operating without the approval of the regional authorities. They are generally nurseries but some teach up to the Bachillerato level.

Those that are correctly authorised are listed on the Regional Education Authority website - www.juntadeandalucia.es/educacion/

Source: typicallyspanish.com