Orihuela Costa town hall attempts to inject order into the chaotic postal address fiasco

AROUND one hundred residents of all nationalities attended a meeting held in Orihuela Costa town hall on Wednesday to inform them of their new postal addresses.

Chief secretary of the statistics department María Dolores Moreno admitted the scheme to name and number most streets and properties in Orihuela Costa had created controversy and chaos. According to Sra Moreno some house numbers have been changed because they did not match with the numbers included on official town hall maps. The old numbers had been recorded by the builders to identify the properties to secure licences or title deeds but most of them were found to not match with the official records.

Sra Moreno added: “Local police and ambulances could not find most properties because the builders’ numbers did not match with their maps. “The blue number is the correct one.”

Residents who have had a blue number set on their house entrance or on their urbanisation are welcome to check their new postal address at the registry office (padrón). Residents’ padróns have already been changed to match the new addresses.
As part of the scheme urbanisations have had only one number placed on the main entrance.

The original house numbers will now be considered ‘door names’ and they must be attached to the new property number – for example Calle Mercurio 3, puerta 77, 03189 Orihuela. Sra Moreno also admitted some private urbanisations had the number placed at the wrong entrance.

She said: “Our maps are not perfect and we will correct these mistakes, but we have to be told about them by the residents.”

As part of the new scheme, apartment blocks have also had only one number placed at the main entrance. The different communities (or escaleras) have been named by letter and so have been the floors and apartments – for example Calle Venus 77, escalera 1, 3º-M, 03189 Orihuela. Sra Moreno added: “Residents with any problems or questions about the address or post boxes are welcome to enquire at the town hall.”
Councillor for the coast José Antonio Aniorte said a meeting will be held next weekend with SUMA and the post office and they will hand over a copy of the official maps.

Sra Moreno and Sr Aniorte asked all residents to phone their suppliers – Iberdrola, Aquagest, Telefónica, banks – a soon as possible to change their postal address.
Sr Aniorte promised they would hand over a copy of the maps to Iberdrola and Aquagest but he warned residents that the addresses will not be changed by the suppliers unless the client phones the company.

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Lorraine (top left) and her daughters Samantha and Lauren

The daughter’s twin sister and a friend could only look on in horror as the tragic accident unfolded. Disaster struck at about 00.30 when 47-year-old Lorraine Cullen was driving her daughters and the friend to their home; a villa in mountainous land about three kilometres from the town of l’Ollería south of Xàtiva.

After incessant downpours, the path they normally used to get home was flooded, with torrents reaching about a metre deep.

Seeing the situation, Lorraine decided to stop the car and cross the water on foot, hand-in-hand with her daughter. But it all went terribly wrong when one of them slipped on the treacherous surface, falling and dragging down the other, unable to hold on to any firm ground to save their lives.

The twin sister and the friend could do nothing and ran off to search for help, contacting the local police. Officers quickly followed them to the scene but could not hope to rescue the victims who had been swept down the ‘river’. Soon the police were joined by Guardia Civil officers and even a group of neighbours who had heard the terrible news. But it was not until 02.30 that the two lifeless bodies were found some 300 metres from the path.

The husband and father, 49-year-old Mark, was on his way back from England at the time and received the tragic news on arrival at Alicante Airport. Family friend Kevin Dulake said “We were very hurt by what happened… you just cannot imagine what Mark is going through. He is devastated.”

Everyone in the town had heard about the tragedy and knew the victims, English and Spanish residents alike as the Cullens were completely integrated into their Spanish life. Mr Dulake added: “The twins were very popular at their school and blended in perfectly.

“They spoke good Spanish and spent more time with Spanish people than with the English.” When asked about the family as a whole, Mr Dulake said they were ‘warm’, ‘friendly’, ‘lovely’ and ‘wonderful’ – it is obvious the sentiment is shared by all who knew them.

Residents said the family have lived there for about four years and the husband is involved in construction. Since the accident, town mayor Julià Engo has made a psychiatrist available for the members of the family to help take them through these dreadful days.

The mayor also spent some time with them on the day after the accident and said many English people had come to the town after hearing the news.
A memorial service was held on Tuesday and the whole town turned out to pay their respects.
Lorraine and Lauren have left a heartfelt mark and will not be forgotten.
They leave feelings of despair and pain but also many happy memories and a positive lasting impression on many people and relatives who will keep them in their hearts.

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