THE month of August started with a sense of sadness as a couple who ran a cafe in Rhyl died within two days of each other.

Jeff Boughey, 62, and wife Christine, 67, were the owners of Jay’s Cafe.

Chris, as her friends knew her, had been battling cancer for seven months. She was taken to St. Kentigern’s Hospice in St. Asaph but died on July 20.

Whilst she was at the Hospice, husband Jeff was diagnosed with tonsillitis which led to sepsis and died two days after her, not knowing she had died.

In the first Rhyl Journal edition published in August, tributes were paid to the pair, with Jeff’s sister telling of how they were inseparable.

In the same edition, two sisters originally from Rhyl told of how they had been caught up in one of the most devastating wildfires in California’s history.

Janette Webber moved to Redding 30 years ago and runs a travel business with sister Sonya Twigdon.

The pair evacuated people from the Carr wildfire, which caused six deaths and ravaged more than 1,000 buildings.

The following week produced a happier tale as a grandmother helped deliver her daughter’s baby at their home in Abergele.

Amy Lewis went into labour but the midwife was unable to get there before the baby started to be born. So, the job of delivering it fell to Lynda May and Amy’s husband, Allan.

At about 3.30am on August 1, a “very healthy” baby boy named Oscar Lewis was born, weighing 10lbs 2oz.

A week later, there was more sad news to bring when a 94-year-old war veteran had to return from a nostalgic visit to the battlefields when his Prestatyn home had been burgled.

Eric Vaughan and wife Beryl were forced to come home early from a cruise trip to find that a laptop and Eric’s wartime souvenirs, including a Nazi Reichmark had been stolen.

The month was capped off with the lively Rhyl Air Show.