Boy’s ‘ecstasy death’

A 16-YEAR-OLD boy has died after he was believed to have taken ecstasy-type tablets at a Halloween rave.

The boy died from a suspected overdose in the early hours of yesterday. He is believed to have taken tablets which were pink, with the Rolls Royce symbol on, at the rave in Gwytherin, near Abergele, Conwy.

Police urged anyone who took the tablets and is suffering ill effects to go to hospital as a matter of urgency. A FORMER soldier who survived the Auschwitz concentration camp is selling poppies for the Royal British Legion, aged 100.

Ron Jones, who marked his centenary on April 30, volunteers for up to six hours a day at his local supermarket in Newport, South Wales.

Grandfather-of-two Mr Jones, from Bassaleg, has been collecting for the Poppy Appeal since 1981.

He was called up to fight in 1940 and served as a lance corporal in 1st Battalion Welsh Regiment in the Middle East. Mr Jones was captured in Benghazi in 1942 and, after nine months in Italy, was transferred to labour camp E715, part of Auschwitz. After two years at the camp, he was forced to join the “death march” of prisoners across Europe in 1945.

He was freed by American troops and finally returned home to Newport and his wife Gladys in May 1945.

“I’ve been selling poppies for about 30 years,” he said. “We help dependants, we help the boys coming back from Afghanistan. If they need help, I’m there.”

He usually volunteers for three hours a day, but takes on a double shift of six hours, for three days of the appeal.

When asked whether he would ever retire from his role, he replied firmly: “No.”