MURDER IN THE GRAVEYARD - Award winning BBC documentary

By Don Hale
Don Hale is a former award winning investigative journalist and now a best-selling author who has created a very popular blog post linked to numerous social media sites. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025.

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Bright and breezy at the popular RNLI 5k race on Llandudno prom.

By Don Hale
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*Members of the  Llandudno RNLI team pushed their inflatable craft around  the 5k course last Sunday and cheered on by hundreds of  spectators, Bright and breezy at the popular RNLI 5k race on Llandudno prom... Report by Don Hale.  Most RNLI photos courtesy of Caitlin Faye photography. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   *Pictured above - the NWRRC team at the start of the RNLI 5k race. It was very bright and very breezy on Sunday morning for the popular Llandudno RNLI 5k race on Llandudno promenade, as some 355 mixed ability athletes and walkers, helped to raise tens of thousands of pounds for such a worthy cause. Well organised by  John Hatton  and  Catherine Tudor Jones  from the RNLI, this event was also well supported by many sponsors, and even the weather provided a welcome boost after the previous day’s heavy downpours, and later many participants praised the attendance of so many essential volunteers and marshals. And...
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Stiff competition as youngsters battled the buggy! North Wales Parkrun Results:

By Don Hale
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*Conwy parkrunners are pictured on the Cob with the Castle in the background North Wales Parkrun Results: Stiff competition as youngsters battled the buggy! Report by Don Hale. Conwy photographs by Michael (Pat) Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   There was a keen battle for top placings at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday morning with James Yarwood and his twin buggy facing stiff competition from youngsters Finley Potter and Eben Jones. James  (Wrexham AAC) - pictured right - eventually claimed the top spot in 17.02, but he was pressed all the way around this picturesque 5k course by JM11-14 athlete  Finlay  in 17.21, and JM15-17 youngster  Eben  (Warriors Pentathlon & AC) in 18.11. And quite amazingly, the first ten finishers all dipped under 19 minutes! The first female finisher was  Samia Jones  (Menai T&F) on her debut (11th overall) in 19.24, and she was followed by  Elise 0’Neale with a new ...
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Start of the Urban Night Races in Llandudno.

By Don Hale
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Start of Urban Night Races in Llandudno...   donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Event organiser  Gwen Charlton  confirmed the start of the popular local night race series next week and said: “ The first of our Urban Night Races kicks off on Thursday 8th October, and we’re starting on our home ground in Llandudno!   "Hope to see lots of you there! It’s cheap to enter, with options to run solo, as a team or alongside a junior."  * Enter here:   https://pre-entries.co.uk/.../r/Cid3vRzXQzu3zml8waXgqQ
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OVER £9K RAISED FOR THE RNLI FOLLOWING THE 5K RACE ON THE PROM

By Don Hale
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Read about the amazing success of the RNLI 5k fundraising race on Llandudno prom  - also featured in the NW Weekly News. *Race organiser John Hatton has just confirmed that £9,180 was raised for the RNLI following a very successful race on Llandudno prom. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 : Bright and breezy at the popular RNLI 5k race on L... https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026/09/bright-and-breezy-at-popular-rnli-5k.html?spref=tw  
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Join the Penrhyn Castle Dark Run – Light Up the Night for Hope House Children’s Hospices! October 17th 2026.

By Don Hale
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Join the Penrhyn Castle Dark Run – Light Up the Night for Hope House Children’s Hospices! donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Get ready for a magical evening at the stunning Penrhyn Castle as we light up the night for a truly special cause.  The Dark Run is a family-friendly event in support of Hope House Children’s Hospices, offering a fun and unique 3K route (or 1.5K for little legs) through the beautiful castle grounds – all after dark!  October 17th 2026, 6pm Our warm up will begin at 6.10pm and at 6.30pm sharp we will start the run! Every participant will receive a bespoke glow-in-the-dark medal and a goody bag to remember the night. Dress up in your brightest, most glowing outfits (optional, but encouraged!) and help us bring light and hope to local families who need it most. We kindly ask each runner to raise as much as they can – every penny goes towards supporting the vital work of Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith. Important ...
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Local quartet ran well in the Berlin Marathon.

By Don Hale
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*Will Evans and his daughter Molly at the Berlin Marathon. Local quartet ran well in the Berlin Marathon. Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   A quartet of local runners took part in the famous Berlin Marathon over the weekend, and they all celebrated following good performances. This prestigious televised event is one of the major World Marathon Championships and attracts many of the top global athletes who compete for record finishing times and bumper pay rewards. The local runners, however, simply ran just for fun, and to share the amazing experiences, and this year included  Emma Alofs  (Cybi Striders) who dipped well under the three-hour mark with an excellent time of 2 hours 54 minutes and 33 seconds.    *Emma Alofs (*above left) with Nia Lister. Will Evans  (NWRRC) was also pleased with his result in 3.08.27. And plaudits also went to Will’s daughter and club colleague  Molly Evans , who recorded 4.11.04...
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Christmas cracker at the NWRRC handicap race...plus other race results.

By Don Hale
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*North Wales Road Runners are pictured (*above) just before the start of the festive handicap race on the promenade at Rhos on Sea. Christmas cracker at the NWRRC handicap race. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Twenty-four members of NWRRC took part in the annual Christmas club handicap race, which this year was staged from the Rhos on Sea clock tower to the renovated far end of the promenade and back over a 4.5-mile course. Well organised with times recorded and verified by  Carla Green  and  Elizabeth Driscoll , with support from other members, the handicap rules this time included each runner having to hand in their watches and mobile phones, and the need to predict their finishing times, so that no one knew their exact pace, or whether their estimated times were likely to be accurate, until they actually reached the finish line. The top three female winners , who were the closest to their times included the winner –  Kay Hatto...
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Proud moment for athletics coach John Hatton and a popular former midwife Sharon Buckley.

By Don Hale
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*John Hatton (*above left), with Sharon Buckley at the Conwy half-marathon. Proud moment for athletics coach John Hatton and a popular former community midwife Sharon Buckley. It was a proud moment this weekend for athletics coach, MC and promoter, John Hatton as he saw his new running protegee  Sharon Buckley – a well-known former North Wales midwife - cross the finish line at the challenging Conwy half-marathon with a remarkable time. John, who is heavily involved with North Wales Road Runners , Conwy parkrun , and is also a keen supporter and promoter of a host of charity events, confirmed: “Over the last 6 months I have been training Sharon, who is 60, to run her first half-marathon which she did today in 2.34.17, which is a fantastic achievement. “Sharon was a highly respected midwife in North Wales, and at one time she received an award as the top midwife in the Betsi Cadwalader Health Board for her dedicated service to the community.” *John Hatton was on hand last ...
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North Wales parkrun results round-up from a very wet morning.

By Don Hale
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*Pictured above - the start of the Landrillo yn Rhos parkrun. North Wales parkrun results round-up from a very wet morning... Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Michael (Pat) Finnie, John Hatton, and Rhos parkrun officials. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   *Run directors and volunteers (*above) near the finishing funnel at Rhos, and (*below) the NWRRC  Marshalls, pacers and volunteers last Saturday. Nearly four-hundred mixed ability athletes and walkers took part in a very wet and windy Llandrillo yn Rhos 5k parkrun last Saturday morning, which attracted a generous number of additional volunteers and six pacers from North Wales Road Runners. This local athletic club boosted the run director’s established team of supporters and their regular and excellent team of volunteers and marshalls, with all credit given to everyone involved on such a horribly wet day. Visitor  Simon Croft  (Red Fose Runners) was the first finisher overall in just 16 minu...
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Spectacular 5k fundraising race on the prom for the RNLI.

By Don Hale
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*Pictured above and below - the fast start of the spectacular 5k fundraising race on the prom at Llandudno for the RNLI. Spectacular 5k fundraising race on the prom for the RNLI. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Caitlin Faye and others. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 It was a spectacular morning on Llandudno promenade last Sunday as bright warm sunshine greeted over 300 athletes and their supporters to an amazing 5k fundraising race for the town’s essential RNLI group Well organised by race director  John Hatton  and backed by a large and enthusiastic team of hard-working volunteers and marshals, this event attracted a wealth of elite, club and social runners, who recorded some very fast times in near perfect conditions; and this event also included some very popular junior races for children and their parents. John later confirmed:  “I have been working with  Catherine Tudor-Jones , who is the Community Manager. She was so thrilled the event went so well. Originally, th...
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