WHAT ELSE IS AT GARDENCROFT??

C4'S BIG BROTHER IS COMING SOON! GET THE FACTS HERE PLUS ARCHIVE WEBCAMS FROM HOLLAND

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BILLY GATES AND DICKIE BRANSON WANT TO RUN THE LOTTERY (I'M SENDING THEM MY SHIRT AS WELL!)

INTO V.W BEETLES AND CAMPER VANS? CHECK THIS OUT

TESTING BALLISTIC MISSILES ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT?? THEY DID IN THE FIFTIES!! CLICK HERE

THE GARDENCROFT HOMEPAGE--ALL THIS AND MORE

BACK TO CASTAWAY 2000

THE CHASE ON HARRIS

RAY OFF TARANASAY

Castaway Pleads for Rescue

BE SURE TO READ ALL THIS AND THE FOLLOW ON PAGE IT'S ONE OF THE FUNNIEST THINGS I'VE READ FOR A LONG TIME

Last week a tabloid newspaper, the Daily Mirror, was the first to report the latest development in what is becoming a riveting saga, by revealing that they had received a phone call from Ray Bowyer, one of the castaways, pleading to be taken off the island. He was fed up with the vegetarian food and claimed that the BBC had not fulfilled its promises to the castaways. He claimed that "someone could have died here, the care has been so bad." He had pleaded with the BBC to be allowed to leave and had been told "no way".

In fact, it was the phone call (using an emergency phone, without permission and speaking to the press, which broke a confidentiality agreement signed by all the participants) which finally convinced the BBC that he should be removed from the island. Prior to this, Bowyer had been abusive to the other participants, and had been regularly drunk (he had brought a good supply of whisky with him to the desert island). There are reports of video footage showing him pinning another castaway to the wall and threatening him. Bowyer is said to have admitted he had a couple of "run-ins" with other castaways, but claimed they had been caused by "other people being in the wrong, not me." It is thought that the other islanders had asked the BBC to remove him but, until the phone call, this had been refused.

Ray Bowyer

Bowyer is a former builder, aged 59, with a silver pony-tail, whose jovial and forthright personality had made him a popular "character" in the early TV programmes. But even during the selection and training process, the others had noticed that he was prone to slipping off to the local pub to enjoy himself - his beer-belly was perhaps an indication of this. When asked what "luxury" item he wanted to take to Taransay his reply had been " a whisky still". Very droll at the time, but clearly "half in fun, wholly in earnest." He was eventually allowed a home brewing kit. Unlike some of the other castaways who are husband and wife teams or have even brought their children along, Bowyer left his wife and five children in their home in Manchester.

The "Rescue"

On Wednesday, arrangements were made by the BBC to remove him from the island. But gale force winds are a regular feature of the Western Isles and the seas were too rough for a boat to make the two mile crossing from Harris. The next day, before the BBC vessel could arrive, a speedboat hired by the Daily Mirror tabloid whisked Ray Bowyer off the island. They got there just in time - another boat hired by another tabloid was heading for the island too! Local boat hirers have never been so busy or so profitable (charging a reputed 650 pounds (US$1,000) for the round trip). If nothing else, the Taransay project has made a significant contribution to the economy of Harris.

"THE CHASE AND MORE">>>>

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