Joshua Parfitt

Joshua James Parfitt is the Costa Blanca correspondent for the Olive Press. He holds a gold-standard NCTJ in multimedia journalism from the award-winning News Associates in Twickenham. His work has been published in the Sunday Times, Esquire, the Mail on Sunday, the Daily Mail, the Sun, the Sun on Sunday, the Mirror, among others. He has appeared on BBC Breakfast to discuss devastating flooding in Spain, as well as making appearances on BBC and LBC radio stations. Contact me now: joshua@theolivepress.es or call +44 07960046259. Twitter: @jjparfitt

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Locked in a cupboard in an abandoned warehouse, Manolo was one of the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre’s most traumatised rescues, writes Susan Weeding

EVERY rescued animal has a story to tell, but I do believe Manolo’s to be one the most horrific cases of psychological animal abuse. In

10 Nov, 2019 @ 18:19

Columnists·Costa Blanca·Environment

With Javea Connect Facebook members getting nasty over a new restaurant, Loraine Gostling turns to John Bercow for advice

So, what has been going on these last weeks with the happy ‘connectors’ on my Facebook group? What makes people talk to each other? What

10 Nov, 2019 @ 17:50

Columnists·Loraine Gostling: Getting Connected

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Former British travel agent on Spain’s Costa Blanca launches hugely successful online business in wake of Thomas Cook collapse

THOMAS Cook’s collapse shocked the travel industry and left many pointing fingers at the internet. But for one British former travel agent on the Costa

6 Nov, 2019 @ 10:15

Costa Blanca·Travel News

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Aquatic sports company that ignored weather warning before team of 22 paddle surfers became trapped in Javea could face costs of rescue mission

THE aquatic sports company that ignored an orange weather warning and led a party of 22 to near-fatal danger in Javea is now facing the

6 Nov, 2019 @ 08:46

Costa Blanca·Lead·Other News·Travel News

“I’M GAY” Man who slit ex-partner’s throat in Denia tells court they never had a relationship and can’t remember murdering her in her sleep

THE Russian man who allegedly slit his his ex-partner’s in Denia last month has told a judge he is ‘gay’ and ‘can’t remember’ committing the

5 Nov, 2019 @ 13:19

Costa Blanca·Crime & Law·Lead

Revolutionary app to help the visually impaired navigate frenetic stations lifted from Alicante to one of New York City’s busiest subways

AN INNOVATIVE app developed by the University of Alicante for the visually impaired has been implemented at one of the busiest subway stations in New

5 Nov, 2019 @ 12:13

Business & Finance·Costa Blanca·Lead

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Tapa and a drink for just €3 at Denia’s XV Ruta de Tapas – here’s what’s on offer

IT’S a luxury to have a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy right on your doorstep. And a downright steal to sample the best of it

5 Nov, 2019 @ 11:16

Costa Blanca·Food & Drink·La Cultura·Lead

Camping holidaymakers can now buy RAIN insurance in Spain

CAMPING holidaymakers can now buy insurance against the infamous rain in Spain. The innovative insurance allows customers to cancel their holiday 72 hours in advance

5 Nov, 2019 @ 10:08

Business & Finance·Lead·Other News·Travel News

Flu vaccination campaign rolled out TODAY across entire Valencian Community

MORE than 1,700 health centres have today begun a Valencian Community-wide campaign urging the elderly to get their flu jabs. The Department of Health has

4 Nov, 2019 @ 13:05

Costa Blanca·Health·Lead

Squatters who broke into 94-year-old woman’s house while she visited her ill sister forced out after hundreds of angry neighbours descend on property in northern Spain

A FAMILY of four squatters have been forced out after hundreds of angry residents descended on the house of a 94-year-old woman in Portugalete, in

4 Nov, 2019 @ 12:16

Crime & Law·Lead

Government official calls in Guardia Civil to investigate ‘robbery’ of sensitive documents before cleaner admits throwing them out to ‘make some space’

A GOVERNMENT official called in the Guardia Civil to investigate the ‘robbery’ of sensitive documents before a cleaner admitted to throwing them out to ‘make

4 Nov, 2019 @ 11:20

Costa Blanca·Lead

Zebra crossing ‘in the middle of nowhere’ sparks outrage in rural northern Spain

A ZEBRA crossing ‘in the middle of nowhere’ has sparked outrage and confusion rural northern Spain. A video shows the freshly-painted crossing complete with four

4 Nov, 2019 @ 10:04

Lead

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HAM RUN: Alicante resident launches one of Spain’s first home ham cutting services

An ALICANTE resident has launched one of Spain’s first home ham cutting services. Expert ham cutter Gonzalo Pérez Martínez created his ‘Jamonero on tour’ business

4 Nov, 2019 @ 09:35

Food & Drink·La Cultura·Lead

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Six examiners on Benidorm’s Policía Local selection board to appear in court after allegedly leaking exam answers to candidates

SIX examiners on Benidorm’s Policía Local selection board are under investigation after one candidate spotted other aspirants cheating on a written exam. The candidate made

4 Nov, 2019 @ 08:35

Costa Blanca·Crime & Law·Lead

‘Superstar’ Guardia Civil dog Elton given national award at animal protection summit – read here the major crimes he worked on

GUARDIA CIVIL’S ‘superstar’ dog Elton has been awarded a national distinction for his service in the force at an animal protection summit last month. The

1 Nov, 2019 @ 18:33

Crime & Law·Environment·Lead

SMOKED OUT: Blaze at cannabis farm in Costa Blanca urbanisation leads to arrest of 48-year-old British mastermind

A BLAZE at a cannabis farm installed in a Costa Blanca urbanisation has led to the arrest of a 48-year-old British behind a string of

1 Nov, 2019 @ 16:00

Costa Blanca·Crime & Law·Lead

Fell runner races up mountain with defibrillator to save expat hiker suffering suspected heart attack on Spain’s Costa Blanca

A FELL runner sprinted for over 20 minutes with a defibrillator to save an expat suffering a suspected heart attack on a Costa Blanca mountaintop.

1 Nov, 2019 @ 14:21

Costa Blanca·Health·Lead

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Six charged with fraud and falsification of documents after expat received three traffic violations for car unknowingly purchased and insured in her name

A BAND of criminals that fraudulently purchased cars in the name of unknowing expats has fallen after a police sting led to the arrests of

31 Oct, 2019 @ 18:55

Costa Blanca·Crime & Law·Lead

Costa Blanca cemeteries in panic Halloween visitors could cause mosquito boom by leaving flowers in vases and glasses

CEMETERIES on the Costa Blanca are panicking that visitors leaving flowers in vases and glasses could cause a boom in mosquitos on this week’s All

31 Oct, 2019 @ 14:23

Costa Blanca·Health·Lead

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WATCH: Car spotted parking ON TOP of another in Benidorm street

WE all know Spanish drivers are notorious for parking in unlikely spaces. But this video shows the moment a grey Audi was spotted parked ON

27 Oct, 2019 @ 18:52

Costa Blanca·Lead

A carousel pony savagely beaten begins his rehabilitation at the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre, writes Susan Weeding

Well, here we have the next instalment from the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre in Rojales! Last week we castrated one of our 30-odd ponies,

27 Oct, 2019 @ 15:18

Columnists·Costa Blanca

Northamptonshire men arrested in Elche following brawl with Spaniards have ‘lost their jobs’ after court order bans them leaving Spain

A GROUP of Northamptonshire men have ‘lost their jobs’ and ‘face sleeping rough’ after they were arrested following a bar fight on August 30 in

22 Oct, 2019 @ 12:30

Costa Blanca·Crime & Law·Lead

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Russian man under restraining order beheads ex-partner after scaling her apartment with a ladder in Denia

A RUSSIAN man under restraining order has beheaded his ex-partner after scaling her apartment with a ladder in Denia. The 54-year-old entered the apartment on

22 Oct, 2019 @ 11:19

Costa Blanca·Crime & Law·Lead