We continue our round up of the local news from in and around the Fethiye area.

Fire At Bag Shop

A bag shop in Paspatur known as ‘Funda’ was damaged by fire last week. The owner returned to his shop around midnight to find a blaze underway. The Fire services attended but the damage to the shop and stock was substantial. The owner was taken to hospital.

Fethiye Seeks Volunteer Fire Fighters

Fethiye is going to get a Volunteer Firefighter’s Association.

The issue was discussed at the latest Council meeting and it was decided to go ahead with the formation of the group who will work alongside professional fire-fighters and receive appropriate training.

The Mayor said he hoped the formation of this Association would lead to a heightened awareness of the danger of fires, and how to cope with other disaster scenarios, amongst the general public.

Hit and Run Driver Traced and Arrested

A tragic hit and run fatality occurred on the main Antalya road at Çamköy around 23.30 one night this week, when an 81-year old retired teacher who suffered from Alzheimer’s decided to walk along the verge of the main road to visit his son.

He was hit and killed by a car which didn’t stop, but had lost its front number plate in the impact.

Police found the plate and later arrested the driver in Burdur some 200km away from Fethiye.

The Disabled Have a Right to Holidays

To mark ‘Disability Week’ which was 10 – 16 May, the Mayor of Ölüdeniz, Keramettin Yılmaz, held a press conference at the opening of a new camp for disabled young people aged 8 – 18 years.

The camp has been set up in partnership with Bakirköy Council in Istanbul, and disabled young people from Bakirköy will come for holidays at the rate of 100 per week.

Ten full-time teachers have been employed, and will deliver a range of art and craft skills alongside swimming, dancing and other sporting activities.

The project’s slogan is “The Disabled Have a Right to Holidays” and they hope to have lived up to their promise for 2,000 disabled young people, over the next five months of the summer season.

World Paragliding Acrobatics Championship in Ölüdeniz

The week ended with the World Paragliding Acrobatics Championship in Ölüdeniz. Around 45 professional paragliders from 15 countries were taking part and, as we write, the event is still going on and so far without injury.

Although an Iranian paraglider gave the crowd a few heart stopping moments as he did acrobatics in the air one minute, and the next plunged into the sea.

He was rescued without injury and we’ll let you know who won in next week’s news snips.