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BARKS AND BITES -- You can exercise your palate and your pooch at the same time from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Wine & Wags Social on the grounds of the SPCA Paws-Way, 205 Ensminger Road, Town of Tonawanda.

For you, there's an assortment of wines from the Premier Group; Labatt Blue and Blue Ice from Try-It Distributing; and nibbles from area restaurants. For your best furry friend, there's appropriate food, drink, goodie bags and a chance to try the canine agility course.

Also, contests for "Most Naturally Colorful Dog" and "Best Dog Trick," along with canine readings by a pet psychic, the Rev. Renee Karen of Joyous Celebration Ministry.

Tickets are $35 in advance, $45 at the door. For $100 patrons, there are two reservations and a 20 percent discount at the SPCA's Petique boutique. For reservations, call 629-3532 or visit .

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GETTING STARTED -- Holding its first meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday in Olympic Restaurant, Sheridan Drive and Military Road, Town of Tonawanda, is the Western New York Chapter of the cheap ed hardy Parents Division of the National Federation of the Blind, which advocates for the rights of blind people. All parents and friends of blind children are encouraged to attend, says organizer Karen Blachowicz, who has a visually impaired son. For info, call her at 510-4560 or visit .

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VETS NIGHT -- The Ellicottville Historical Society is hosting a chicken and biscuit dinner honoring World War II and Korean War veterans at 6 p.m. Thursday in United Church of Ellicottville, 53 Elizabeth St. All veterans of the two wars will be the society's guests, but all others are welcome, too. Dinner for them is just $6.

A program at 7:30 p.m. will honor Daniel Sirianni, former president of the Historical Society, a World War II veteran, a prisoner of war and former Ellicottville Central School superintendent, who died in 2007. Speaker will be his daughter, Ellen Frank. For information and reservations, call Judy Brown at 699-4618.

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BERRY TASTY -- Yes, it's strawberry season already, thanks to all that warm weather in May. To celebrate, the Holy Name Society of Our Lady of Czestochowa Church will host a strawberry social from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Parish Hall, Center Avenue and Oliver Street, North Tonawanda. In addition to strawberry shortcake, you'll also be able to feast on hot dogs, hamburgers, beans and macaroni salad.

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WALK ON THE GRASS -- It's also lawn fete season. Our Lady of Bistrica Croatian Catholic Church, 1619 Abbott Road, Lackawanna, is staging its from 4 to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Food both days include dinners of roast lamb, pork, chicken, stuffed cabbage rolls and cevapcici, a kebab that's the Croatian national dish. There also will be pork sandwiches, hot dogs, fries and salads.

Other attractions include a bar for adults and a bounce house and games for the kids. For young and old alike, there's Terry Buchwald performing his Elvis show from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday and the Tiffany Jewellery Store Maestral band playing between noon and 9 p.m. Sunday.

The proposal, according to the FIPB, is for design, finance, construction and maintenance related work.

Company officials neither confirmed nor denied the development.

After bagging the Rs 2,960 crore Delhi-Agra project spanning 180 km from the National Highways Authority of India last month, the company emerged as the largest developer of six-laning highway projects in the country. The company plans to more than double its road portfolio to over Rs 25,000 crore by 2012-13.

The eleven road projects currently in Reliance Infrastructure's portfolio comprise a total length of 970 km having an investment outlay of over Rs 11,900 crore.

The company's two projects in Tamil Nadu, Namakkal-Karur and Dindigul-Samynalore Toll, worth Rs 760 crore, are now commercially operational.

The company hopes to achieve financial closure in case of the Delhi-Agra project within the next six months. The project will be executed on design, build, finance, operate and transfer (Toll) basis with a concession period of 26 years, including the construction period. The project connecting Tiffany heart tag toggle link necklace Delhi and Agra via Faridabad and Mathura is significant from both freight as well as tourism point of view. The company bagged the project through an auction where two bidders had participated based on least viability gap funding amount of Rs 180 crore.

Credit:Ashutosh Kumar

AFTER 300 miles, 27 hours in the saddle, too many carbs and one puncture, my mother and I made it to Paris on two wheels, raising over pounds 4,000 for Racing Welfare

Did we enjoy it? You bet. (Ralph Lauren Outerwear). We may have cursed our way up mountainous climbs, nursing aching limbs and worse, but not a mile passed in which we did not recognise the support of all those who so generously sponsored our cycle ride, without whose kindness we would not have reached this landmark. chanel wallet

Your generosity made this happen and we toasted you all at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. Juicy Couture wholesale

A special mention must go to Richard Negus and Ginny Rose at Racing Welfare, whose enthusiasm and wealth of ideas turned a whimsical notion into a very painful reality

We sported our Racing Welfare T-shirts with pride as Tellwright '1' and '2' tackled the Parisian traffic with flair and aplomb, meandering our way through the rush hour in jubilation

Finally, our thanks go to all those who put up with the 'boring bike chat' and hours lost to training. (Christian Audigier Jeans). That said, hardly had we set foot back in England when plans were being hatched for the next adventure . (Juicy Couture Shoes). . Cheap Bracelet Turia Tellwright BHA Communications officer Tiddles Tellwright

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We'll always have Paris: Tiddles (left) and Turia Tellwright

Get down to Courtenay Road, Wembley, northwest London on February 6 from 8.30am - pounds 5 to get in. It's all sold by the bag: pounds 20 for medium, pounds 50 for huge! A chance to own a piece of film history.

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Luke Edwards and Alistair Scott were also on target for the Northumberland team.

Newbiggin Hall A's participsation in the tournament, however, is over after they lost to Whitley Bay BC A. Brogan Heads claimed a hat-trick, with singles from Michael Dixon, Reagan Hall and Scott Ransay. Hall replied through Reece Burns and Ryan Pitiglio.

North Shields went through against Wansbeck thanks to Tom Webster's treble and a goal from Luke Grant, Wansbeck's sole response from Nathan Jeffrey. Walker Central Blues progressed at North Shields' expense by virtue of strikes from Mackenzie Heaney, Daniel Graham and Callum Fearon.

Shields responded with a double from Callum Bell and singles from Scott Payne and Josh Thewlis.

In the Pin Point League Challenge Shield, Newcastle City Milan put out Wideopen thanks to Cedwyn Scott (2), Ben Smith and Elliot Brown.

In the NASCYP Cup, Cramlington Town Blues gave everything in their game with New Fordley but just could not score.

It was Fordley, through a brace from Jordan Blackburn, who went through.

Stobswood were another team to progress after a comfortable home victory against Willington Quay, the highlight of the match a four-goal salvo from Adam Dunn.

In Division Two, Reece Frost (2), David Harrison and Jordan Jackson were on target for Berwick Rangers against North Shields B. However, they were still on the losing side as Callum Livermore, Luke Anderson, Elliot Taylor and Paul Stoneman (2) netted for Shields.

Montagu BC triumphed at Longhoughton courtesy of Jack Lambert's treble and strikes for Euan Anderson, Lewis Allison and Micheal Brunswick.

In the Under-12 Pin Point League Cup, Wallsend BC only just edged out North Shields.

Shields had Adam Mooney, Jacob Browell, Billy Horne and Mark Atkinson on target, but Wallsend hit back with a Carl Short hat-trick, a double from Matty Maddison and a Robson Stelle effort.

WBBC Whites progressed in the NACYP Cup against Ponteland United thanks to finishes from Joe Burridge and Adam Cass.

In Division One, Cramlington Reds saw off RHF Torino through Matt Nelson (2) and Lewis Robson, Torino replying through Brad Varga and Ryan McKie.

Newcastle City Milan edged a tight game against Coast Soccer, Thomas Robson giving City the points with the only goal.

Hexham defeated Wallsend BC Greens in Division Two with goals from Charteries, Duncan and Lowes.

In Division Six, Lewis Allsop's hattrick guided six Ryton to a 6-1 success against Wansbeck.

IN the Under-13 Pin Point League Cup, Ryton Vipers put out Newcastle East End out with efforts from Jake Taylor (2), Aaron Fletcher and Michael Harrison.

Wallsend BC Greens overcame KYPC Milan 4-2 in the NACYP Cup.

In the Pin Point Recruitment League Challenge Shield, Prudhoe Reds pushed Montagu BC all the way but fell just short in losing 4-3. Red House Farm Wanderers shocked Wallsend BC in Divsion One, winning thanks to scoring contributions from Jake Donnelly (3) and Matty Elsender, Wallsend'
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The house offers charming character features combined with modern conveniences.

Ellerbrook is approached through double gates along a private driveway over a bridge leading to a parking and turning area.

Inside, the grand entrance hall sets the tone for the rest of the house and gives access to the main reception rooms, which include an impressive drawing room with fireplace and breathtaking views over the grounds as well as a formal dining room which also boasts attractive views and fireplace.

The family kitchen is warm and welcoming and has ample space. The kitchen itself is modern in style wholesale sexy lingerie with contemporary units, granite work tops and integrated appliances including a range cooker, wine cooler, three fridge freezers, dishwasher, microwave, coffee machine and Belfast sink.

To complete the ground floor there is a utility room, a cloakroom and a wc.

Upstairs, the master suite has an extensive bedroom with separate dressing area and access to a balcony plus a luxurious en-suite bathroom.

On this floor, there are four further bedrooms, two with shower rooms, plus a family bathroom.

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He was only a 15-year-old boy when he joined his first cane- cutting gang at Broadwater. It was not a job for the faint-hearted.

The men worked from dawn until dusk and had to contend with rats and snakes in the fields.

During the hotter months the cane exuded a sticky molasses-like substance, which mixed in with the black ash on the skin and attracted stinging bees.

The hard work formed strong bonds in the gangs. Mr McKeough worked in a gang that cut together for 18 years.

In 1974 the last sugar cane crop was harvested by hand, and Mr McKeough worked a harvesting machine for another decade.

Many of the cane cutters haven't seen each other since 1974 and tomorrow they will come together at the cane-cutters' reunion at the Broadwater Community Hall.

Haulers, links of london charms derrickmen and boat crews who worked in the Broadwater area will also join their old comrades.

Some are travelling from as far afield as Moree, Mildura, Brisbane and Far North Queensland.

The reunion has been organised by Mr McKeough and his cane- cutting mate, John Day, of Broadwater.

The men are expecting nearly 300 people tomorrow and are hoping for fine weather.

Cynthia McKeough, like many other wives in the area, has been cooking up a storm to help feed the troops.

Her contribution includes a date and caramel slice and pumpkin scones, which will go down a treat with a hot cup of tea.

REUNION DETAILS

Meet: 10am.

Venue: Broadwater Community Hall.

Who: All cane cutters, derrickmen and boat crews who worked in the Broadwater area prior to the introduction of mechanical harvesting.

Wives and partners most welcome too.

BBQ lunch: $10 per person.

Refreshments: Coffee and tea provided, BYO all other drinks.

Memorabilia: Some cutting knives, photographs, etc.

In the combined Under-17, senior and veteran ladies' race, Clee AC's Bev Wilson was the top performer, taking first place. Under-17 athlete Paige Cooper was next across the line, while fellow Clee runners Pirjo Kivelainen and Lisa Foster were fourth and fifth respectively. In the Under-17 men's race, Clee AC's Howie Davies took a good second place behind Goole's Jack Derham. In the Under- 15 girls' event, Grimsby Harrier Sarah Collins took first place, seeing off competition from Skyrac, Beverley and Kingston Upon Hull athletes. In the Under-15 boys' race, Jordan Spreckley (Clee AC) had a strong run to take first place, while club-mates Henry McTernan and George Waiton also performed well. The leading local runner in the Under-13 girls' race replica breitling watches was Grimsby Harriers' Emma Brown, who finished fourth in a field of 41. Fellow Harrier John Collins was third in the Under-13 boys' race. Large fields assembled for the Under-11 races, and, impressively, Signhills School had three runners in the first five in the boys' event. Kai Jackson, Ryan Jackson and Joe Smith did the business for the Cleethorpes school.

She will soon make her theatre debut with Loot, where she plays a hot nurse, who has five men after her! Aashka had made her TV debut with a comedy show Acting Acting seven years ago, even though she became more popular with Kkusum. She's very excited now about doing a comedy again. Every actor, she believes, must experience theatre atleast once in their careers. The play Thomas sabo charms replica hublot watches is being directed by Imtiaz Khan, brother of late Amjad Khan. Incidentally, this play was made twenty years ago by Amjad along with Imtiaz.

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For Reprint Rights: timescontent.com

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THERE'S SOMETHING a bit different about the three Rafik brothers proudly leading us around their field of lanky green trees, grown from the rich soils of Wadi Dahr, north of Sana'a.

Unlike three-quarters of Yemeni men on the afternoon of a day off, there are no little green flecks around the teeth of Abdullah, Nabil and Ahmed: they are not chewing qat, they are growing it.

The bitter and mildly narcotic leaf is key to Yemen's economy, and yet its enormous need for water is on course to make the capital, Sana'a, the first in the world to die of thirst. The problem extends across the nation - the country is almost literally chewing itself to death.

From high on the scorched brown rock face that surrounds the Wadi Dahr valley, half an hour's drive northwest of Sana'a, the fertile carpet of vegetation below looks miraculous. Like most of Yemen, these northern mountains are a dry and barren land. But the irrigation needed to grow qat, coupled with an exploding population, means Sana'a's water basin is emptying Clip on charms out at a staggering rate: four times as much water is taken out of the basin as falls into it each year.

Most experts predict Sana'a, the fastest-growing capital in the world at 7% a year, will run out of economically viable water supplies by 2017, the same year the World Bank says Yemen will cease earning income from its oil, currently responsible for three- quarters of state revenues.

The cost of water in some suburbs of Sana'a has tripled the past year, and armed conflicts over water resources around the city are increasing. Summer shortages leave thousands of families with dry taps, forcing them to spend a third of their meagre incomes on buying water from trucks.

According to Mahmoud Shidiwah, chair of the Yemeni government's water and environment protection agency, 19 of the country's 21 main water aquifers are no longer being replenished following a long drought and increasing demand. He says Yemen, the poorest country in the Arab world, receives under 200m2 per person per year, well below the international water poverty line of 1000m2. The water basin in Taiz, one of Yemen's largest cities, has collapsed. Neighbouring Amran is close, as is Saada in the north.

The water situation is so serious the government has considered moving the capital, as well as desalinating seawater and pumping it 2000m uphill to the capital. A third plan Thomas sabo charms is to transfer water over the mountains. "We have a very big problem," says Shidiwah. "All options have been found to be unacceptable."

The best solution, everyone agrees, is to reduce the qat growing, which sucks up the largest share of water use. But this is also fraught with political problems, he says, because in a country where half the population earn less than $2.86 a day, it provides many jobs.

A meeting of Yemen's Gulf Arab neighbours this weekend in Riyadh, following a London conference in January, is expected to make pledges of development assistance to the failing state. However, the UN's appeal for $US177 million ($254m) in humanitarian aid this year is so far only 0.4% funded, leading the World Food Programme earlier this month to cut back rations for around one million Yemenis. A recent WFP survey found one in three Yemenis - 7.5m people - suffer chro
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One of replica tag heruer watches the most vocal advocates is Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association Executive Director Don Welsh who is confident demand will he strong enough in five years to warrant another large hotel.

Five years from now, the city will have hosted NCAA men's Final Four basketball tournaments in 2010 and 2015, and a Super Bowl in 2012. In addition, the Indiana Convention Center is expected to draw more visitors once the expansion is completed in February 2011.

"I realize it's a pretty bullish statement, but it's time to start thinking about another 1,000-room hotel," Welsh said. "Our success in booking business will drive it."

Welsh's optimism could he expected. As the city's top tourism cheerleader, his job is to champion Indianapolis as an attractive location for meetings and conventions. And a larger convention center should improve the city's status as an appealing destination.

Even so, the ICVA is getting more aggressive in its marketing efforts to ensure the additional meeting space is occupied as much as possible. An extra $1.5 million the association is receiving from the city will help it hire four additional salespeople and promote Indianapolis in more cities.

Another $5.4 million was donated to the ICVA last month by the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation. The grant is earmarked for convention and tourism marketing.

The convention center's $275 million expansion adds 420,000 square feet to the mix. Including Lucas Oil Stadium, the ICVA will have 1.2 million square feet of convention space, 65 percent more than it had in the convention center and RCA Dome. That will push the city rank in convention space to 16th from 32nd.

So, will the additional convention space tempt another developer to build a complement to the J.W. Marriott? Possibly, said Mark Eble, a hotel consultant and regional vice president for Philadelphia-based PKF Consulting Corp.

"It's not flawed logic," he said of Welsh's vision. "The big 'if' is that developers will certainly wait until they see the absorption of the J.W. before they put the shovels in the ground."

Downtown Indianapolis boasts nearly 5,500 hotel moms. Adding 1,600, including 600 from three smaller hotels that will accompany the J.W. Marriott as part of the Marriott Place project, will increase the total almost 30 percent.

The downtown hotel occupancy rate in 2009 grew to 67.4 percent from 62.8 percent the previous year, a particularly strong increase given the severity of the recession. Nationally, the rate fell 8.6 points to 55.1 percent, according to Nashville, Tenn.-based Smith Travel Research.

Hospitality consultants agree the influx of rooms from the J.W. Marriott will keep Indianapolis' downtown occupancy rate from growing for several years. How quickly the city can absorb the additional hotel rooms depends upon the timing of an economic recovery and ICVA's success in luring more conventions.

What's clear to Tim Worthington, owner of Indianapolis-based hospitality consultancy The Worthington Group, is the uncertainty in the downtown market.

"I know what the hotel market is in this town right now, and it's tough," Worthington said. "Everyone is nervous about the J.W. coming in." Clip on charms

The ICVA last year hosted 37 "cit
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"Mobile Gaming in China: Waiting for a 3G Boost" examines the state of mobile gaming in China, paying particular attention to the role of mobile data networks, the lessons of the overall gaming industry in the country, and the need for more gaming-friendly handsets. This 16-page report analyzes different types of games and identifies the challenges facing mobile gaming today, as well as the factors that will determine the success of mobile gaming initiatives in the market. The report contains two case studies: one on the free- to-play model and one on Chinese Internet giant Tencent's mobile gaming activities.

Apart from the growing game download business, the biggest opportunities in China reside in online multiplayer and casual mobile gaming, said Luis Portela, author of the report; however, mobile gaming market development has so far been hindered by handset capabilities and data access costs.

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"The licensing of 3G, however, did not occur until 2008, and network rollouts are still underway. The arrival of 3G has raised the profile of mobile online games and mobile operators, as well as Internet and gaming players are eager to expand their Internet footprints through mobile access. We expect increased 3G adoption to boost sales of devices with stronger gaming capabilities, including replica breitling watches smartphones."

Mobile Gaming in China: Waiting for a 3G Boost is part of Pyramid Research's Asia/Pacific Telecom Insider report series.

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More than 700 peoplewere in the cathedral and hundreds lined the streets for the funeral of Dan Read, the second farewell to a bomb disposal expert in Truro in less than three months.

Capt Read, 31, was killed in Afghanistan on Officer, Colonel Gareth Bex, was still on tour in Afghanistan, commanding women and men like Dan in the Counter IED Task Force.

"It seems only a few, sad, short days ago that I was in this same spot speaking to you," he said.

"Dan and Lou were both here, paying their respects to Staff Sgt Oz Schmid. Dan was recovering from the injuries he sustained when he was just two to three metres from the device which tragically killed Corporal James Oakland, a member of the Royal Military Police, who was part of Dan's team as a weapon intelligence specialist."

Maj Head said Dan was immensely proud when he qualified as an Ammunition Technical Officer and then as a High Threat IED disposal operator.

He said that for Clip on charms Dan to return to his team after his injuries from an IED took an unbelievable amount of courage: "A very, very special type of man. Dan was that officer, was that soldier. Dan was, like all high threat officers, an emperor amongst men."

See a video and photographic slideshow from the funeral at January 11, as he was attempting to defuse a roadside bomb.

He links of london charms had saved many lives before the fatal blast which took the life of a man desperately missed by his widow, Lou, his mother and father, his sisters and his nieces and nephews.

He was a man the Army could not afford to lose, as the second-in- command of 11 EOD Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, Major Kier Head, said at his funeral.

Major Head said the Commanding

Call police on 0345 1233333.

With the Super Bowl and the Daytona 500 over, the next national sporting event of prominence is a month's worth of bracket guessing away.

The Southeastern Conference will have five representatives in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, according to Monday's bracket projection on CollegeRPI.com, but just three according to ESPN. Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Tennessee are entrenched in both 65-team estimates, while Florida (17-8, 6-4 SEC) and Ole Miss (17-7, 5-5) are the two in question.

Mississippi State (18-7, 6-4) is considered on the edge as well, but none of the coaches involved plan to stress the early bubble status to their teams.

"Zero discussion, and I mean absolutely zero," Mississippi State's Rick Stansbury said Monday. "You can't waste time worrying about things you can't control. All we can control is what happens between those lines. Worrying about what someone else thinks is an absolute waste of time."

Florida and Mississippi State have the same SEC record through 10 games as last season. MSU's Bulldogs took themselves out of NCAA tournament talk a year ago by slipping to 7-7 in the league but then won six straight games, including four in four days at the SEC tournament, to snatch the league's automatic bid.

The Gators, meanwhile, inched into the NCAA picture by improving to 8-4 in conference contests but then dropped three straight to miss out on the fun for a second consecutive year.

"There is always going to be that speculation, whether it's Clip on charms a team jockeying for seeding position or jockeying to get in," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "That's just part of the game. It happens all the way through the season, but after Selection Sunday, it never gets talked about again. To me, it's all just speculation and creating interest in our sport."

Facing the Tide

Saturday's game between Alabama and Georgia in Athens may be the most meaningless all week in relation to SEC divisional races, but it will be unique for Georgia first-year assistant Philip Pearson. Last February, Pearson was the Crimson Tide's interim coach following Mark Gottfried's resignation.

Pearson was an 11-year assistant under Gottfried in Tuscaloosa before briefly taking over. He played for the Tide along with Robert Horry, Antonio McDyess and Latrell Sprewell.

"That's his alma mater, so, sure, it's a special game for him, and there is just no way around that," Georgia coach Mark Fox said. "It's where he earned his degree and played, and he has a lot of pride in that institution."

Odds and ends

LSU has an 0-11 record in SEC games, and five more losses would result in the Tigers becoming the first team to go winless in league play since Georgia Tech was 0-14 in 1953-54. ... Vanderbilt 6-foot-7, 210-pound sophomore forward Jeffery Taylor links of london charms was named Monday as the SEC player of the week after averaging 20.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in wins over Tennessee and LSU. ... Tennessee is 6-4 in SEC play but only 2-4 against East teams entering games this week against Georgia and South Carolina.

McClatchy Newspapers

Mustaches are turning up in lots of places other than faces.

Curlicued facial-hair silhouettes evocative of the Pringles can man are printed on pencils, pillows and pint glasses. Waxed whiskers adorn infant onesies and the covers of stylish greeting cards.

And in the case of best friends Clover Cooper and Rayane Thorburn, facial fuzz lines their index fingers. In permanent ink. She and Thorburn are 33. "We got the tattoos as a joke for her birthday," said Cooper, a hairstylist in St. Joseph, Mo.

"When we're together, we're the biggest nerds, holding our mustachioed fingers above our lips, giggling and laughing our heads off."

Mustache tattoos have become a recent trend, even appealing to those in the corporate world because they're concealed between fingers.

Thorburn, a design planner for the gift presentation department at Hallmark, likes how her mustache tattoo can be her secret.

"When someone is having a bad day, I just show them my mustache," Thorburn said.

Why are old-school mustaches suddenly so en vogue? They offer an antidote to this depressing economy, that's for sure, and trend watchers say you'll find lots of humorous decor in 2010.

"I think people in their 20s and 30s always thought of mustaches as a joke, and nobody had one because their dads, porn stars and 'Magnum, P.I.' had them," said Derek Fagerstrom, co-owner of the Curiosity Shoppe and gallery in San Francisco.

"Mustaches are iconic of a bygone era, and people smile at their retro vibe."

But now Fagerstrom is seeing interest peak with mustache parties and competitions to raise money for charity. Some young guys are sporting the real deals.

"There's a transformation that takes place when you adhere one above your lip," said Marisa Bode, a member of the Kansas City Fake Mustache Club.

Yes, you read that right. Kansas City, Mo., and a handful of other cities worldwide have fake mustache clubs.

"Not too long ago, fake mustaches were hard to find," Bode said.

Now you'll find them everywhere - if not right below your nose, then maybe between your fingers.

Shelley Rudman's moment of honour at the opening ceremony in the early hours of Saturday morning was overshadowed by the death just hours before of a Georgian competitor on the same track on which she will compete for gold on Thursday.

The 28-year-old, from Pewsey, is competing alongside her fiance Kristian Bromley, who goes in the men's skeleton bob event later this week. The couple have brought their young daughter Ella, two, with them to Vancouver.

The luge track at Whistler was controversial even before the horrific death of Nodar Kumaritashvili, the Georgian skeleton bob athlete who crashed and was killed on Friday.

Following the death, Shelley said she was taking stock of the safety issue: "I will be doing a track walk on Monday and we will have a team meeting afterwards. As long as the track is considered safe then, yes, I will compete."

"My safety would be absolutely paramount, and all my team will be thinking of the safety of the athletes," she added. "It is a terrible tragedy, and not something that happens every day. I can't begin to imagine what his family are going through."

Shelley and Kristian compete in the skeleton event, where competitors lie on the special Clip on charms 'tea-trays' on their fronts and go head-first, while the dead Georgian was practising for the luge event, where competitors lie on their backs and go feet first. Both use the same 100mph course.

Other skeleton competitors had criticised the Canadian authorities' policy of deliberately limiting the number of practice runs athletes could make on the new track before the event, while their own athletes were allowed hundreds of descents.

"I would have loved more runs on the track - every other international athlete would have wanted to have done so," said Shelley, who has been down the track just 40 times compared to her main Canadian rival's 400 attempts. "The fact is we had the runs we have been given and we can't do anything about that."

The British skeleton performance director, Andi Schmid, raised concerns even before the Georgian's death, links of london charms and said Canadian authorities were risking the safety of competitors with their controversial policy.

"I would say, especially for speed sports, that you need to have more access to tracks and whoever organises the Olympics needs to offer that," he said. "Not only so that everyone has a fair chance, but also because of the danger. We need to be careful so that these sports stay great action sports and don't become dangerous killer sports."

Since the fatality on Friday, the wall at the exit of the corner where Kumaritashvili came off has been lengthened, the concrete pillars that he crashed into at 90mph have been padded and organisers now say it is safe. Shelley goes for gold in the early hours of Friday morning and has six training runs before the competition starts for real.

WINTER OLYMPICS: SEE SPORT