The people of Thailand are mourning the loss of their much-loved king Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, who died on Thursday aged 88.

On Friday morning, the streets of Bangkok were lined with thousands of grieving Thais - many of whom had camped out overnight.
King Bhumibol's body was moved from Siriraj Hospital to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in the Grand Palace, the official residence of the Kings of Siam, where his funeral rites will take place.
Palace officials said the body would be placed in a coffin with a symbolic royal urn near it.
Soldiers in ceremonial dress have been gathering outside the palace, where the grass appears to have been freshly laid overnight.
The procession was expected to be led by a senior monk, Somdej Phrawannarat, who also led the prayers during the 2008 funeral of the king's elder sister, Princess Galyani Vadhana.
The Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, who has been named as successor, will also be at the procession.
The royal family travelled to the Grand Palace by motorcade.
On Friday evening, Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will conduct the bathing ceremony for his father's body - a traditional Thai Buddhist funeral rite.
Buddhist monks will conduct chants over the king's remains for at least 100 days.
Before a Buddhist funeral, family and friends repeatedly pour scented water over the hands of the deceased using a special flask. The water is meant to ritually purify the body, bringing blessings.
In the grounds of the Grand Palace, thousands of ordinary Thais are queuing for the chance to kneel before a portrait of the king and pour water on it, to replicate the symbolic bathing of his body.
Thais mourn death of King Bhumibol
Thai mourning: What should tourists do?
Thai social media remembers King Bhumibol
As yet no date has been set for the king's cremation, but in the days to come he will be ceremoniously embalmed and tied in the foetal position.
Royal funerals usually last seven days in Thailand, and are held months or even years after the death so the state can prepare a lavish farewell. King Bhumibol's is expected to be highly ceremonial and full of pageantry.
When Princess Galyani Vadhana died in 2008, her funeral ceremony cost an estimated $9m (Â£6.1m). It featured three processions of soldiers, conch shell-blowers, drummers, and musicians, and her remains were carried in a 14-tonne golden carriage.
The Thai word for the death of a monarch is "sawannakhot", which means "return to heaven". The deceased royal is believed to return to the Dawadungsa level of heaven, above Mount Meru, the centre of the universe, where they wait to be reincarnated.
Friday has been declared a public holiday in Thailand. Many Thai newspapers sold out early, reflecting the historic day. Most had printed in black and white, while many online news sites have done the same. Even Google Thailand has muted its usual colours for the occasion.
Flags are set to fly at half-mast for the next 30 days, and concerts, cinema screenings, and sports events have been cancelled or postponed. People have been asked to wear black and avoid "joyful events" for the next month. A government hotline has been established to offer the public grief counselling.


One has a golf course that charges £125,000 to become a member, and the other has a post office said to stock bottles of Bollinger and Dom Perignon.

The towns of Virginia Water and Cobham, in Surrey, have become Britain's first million pound towns - where average house prices are more than £1m.
Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire is also in the millionaire's club, according to research by Lloyds Bank.
They are the first towns outside London where prices have hit seven figures.
The research was based on data from the Land Registry for the first half of 2015.
Prices in Virginia Water - home to the likes of Sir Cliff Richard and Sir Bruce Forsyth - average no less than £1.169m, making it Britain's most expensive town outside the capital.
No wonder that the town's famous golf course, Wentworth, feels able to charge joining fees of £125,000. That is on top of the annual membership fee of £16,000.
Cobham - familiar to Chelsea footballers and their WAGS - has average prices of £1.043m.
And anyone wanting to buy in Beaconsfield can expect to pay £1.003m.
"We're seeing the emergence of towns where the average price is at least £1 million," said Sarah Deaves, private banking director at Lloyds Bank.
"Whilst there are several London neighbourhoods where prices are already at this elevated level, outside of the capital this is a first."
However the figures also show a sharp slow-down in the number of homes sold for more than £1m.
In the first half of 2015 there were 5,599 such sales, down from 6,303 in 2014. That amounts to an 11% fall.
One reason for that is the change in Stamp Duty rates, introduced in December 2014.
The buyer of a £1m house will now pay £43,750 in Stamp Duty, up from £40,000 previously.


Anti-Japanese protests have taken place in cities across China after Japanese nationalists raised their country's flag on disputed islands.

Thousands of people took to the streets in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and a number of other cities demanding that Japan leave the islands in the East China Sea.
In Shenzhen, some demonstrators attacked Japanese restaurants and smashed Japanese-made cars.
The islands are known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.
Early on Sunday, at least 10 activists swam ashore after a flotilla carrying about 150 people reached the Japanese-controlled islands.
The activists - who had earlier been denied permission to visit the islands - swam back to their boats and were being questioned by Japanese customs officials.
However, as news of the action spread, angry protests broke out across China.
In the south-eastern city of Shenzhen, a Japanese-branded police car was overturned and smashed with a metal bar.
Footage carried by Hong Kong Cable TV showed other Japanese-branded cars and restaurants being damaged.
Protesters waved Chinese flags, burned images of the Japanese flag and shouted slogans denouncing Japan's claims over the islands.
Bottles of water were thrown at police when they tried to calm protesters down.
"They [Japan] should return the islands to us and apologise," said one protester quoted by Reuters news agency.
No arrests were made, according to Cable TV.
In neighbouring Guangzhou, demonstrators gathered near the Japanese consulate calling on Tokyo to quit the islands.
In Shanghai, protesters held a banner reading "down with Japanese imperialism".
An estimated 200 demonstrators also marched through central Hong Kong to the Japanese consulate chanting anti-Japanese slogans, broadcaster RTHK reported.
In the south-western city of Chengdu, protests shut down a Japanese department store and a branch of the Japanese clothing store, Uniqlo.
Q&A: China-Japan islands row
The BBC's Martin Patience in Beijing says the outbreak of protests was almost certainly sanctioned by the Chinese authorities, as they were well policed.
In the past, the authorities have used anti-Japanese sentiment to deflect criticism of their rule, he says.
The Japanese launched their flotilla on Saturday, saying they wanted to commemorate the Japanese who died near the islands in World War II.
Early on Sunday, 10 members of the group swam ashore to one of the islets and waved Japanese flags, emulating pro-China activists who had made the same gesture during a previous trip.
One of the politicians on the flotilla, Kenichi Kojima, told AFP news agency: "I want to show the international community that these islands are ours. It is Japan's future at stake."
Earlier this week, pro-Chinese activists sailed to the disputed island chain from Hong Kong in a protest aimed at promoting Chinese sovereignty.
Some of the activists were deported by Japan, and others sailed away from the islands.
The disputed islands - which lie on a vital shipping lane and are surrounded by deposits of gas - are also claimed by Taiwan.
Rows over them have caused Sino-Japanese ties to freeze in the past.
In September 2010, relations plummeted after the arrest of a Chinese trawler captain near the islands.
The captain was accused of ramming two Japanese patrol vessels in the area, but Japan eventually dropped the charges against him.
China claims the islands have been a part of its territory since ancient times, but Japan says it took control of the archipelago in the late 1890s after making sure they were uninhabited.


Household water bills in England and Wales will fall by an average of 5% - not including inflation - by 2020, the regulator Ofwat has ruled.

This would see average bills fall in real terms by about £20 from £396 to £376.
However, consumers will still pay more, as the companies are allowed to add on inflation, as measured by RPI.
RPI is typically higher than CPI inflation, and is currently running at 2.3% a year.
Nevertheless the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) said it was good news for consumers.
"Most water companies and the regulator have listened to customers and delivered a deal which reflects the services they want, at a price most find acceptable," said Tony Smith, the chief executive of the CCW.
After two years of deliberations, Ofwat has now determined the levels at which all 18 water and sewerage companies can set their prices for the five-year period beginning in April 2015.
Thames has been told it will have to cut charges by 5% in real terms, United Utilities must cut by 3%, and Bristol Water - a water-only company - must cut charges by 21%.
Ofwat said the ruling will allow water companies to invest £44bn over the next five years, or £2,000 per household.
"With bills held down by 5% and service driven up over the next five years, customers will get more and pay less," said Cathryn Ross, Ofwat chief executive.
For water and sewage charges, Anglian customers will see the greatest percentage drop in yearly bills, down 10% to an average of £390 by 2019-20.
Northumbrian customers will see the smallest change in their bills, dropping 1% to £382.
The main factor behind Ofwat ordering a drop in bills has been the sustained period in low interest rates.
This has allowed water companies to borrow much more cheaply for infrastructure projects, which are among their main costs.
Companies have two months to accept Ofwat's decision, or seek a referral to the Competition and Markets Authority.
Both Thames Water and United Utilities said they would look at the ruling carefully before coming to a decision.


Police have said they are continuing to investigate the deaths of a couple at a house in Ballycastle, County Antrim.

Kenneth and Rita Boughey were found at their home in the Abbey development at about 21:25 BST on Thursday, after Mrs Boughey's son raised the alarm.
A detective said the pensioners had been dead for a number of weeks.
Post mortem examinations were carried out on Friday and police are waiting for the results of further toxicology tests.
The deaths are still being treated as unexplained.
On Friday, Ch Insp Mark McClarence said they were investigating the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning but were keeping an open mind about what happened.
Mr Boughey, 68, and Mrs Boughey, 79, were originally from Liverpool but had lived in Ballycastle for 10 years.
Ch Insp McClarence appealed to anyone who had spoken to the couple recently to contact police "to assist us and the family in getting to the bottom of what has happened".
Tests for carbon monoxide were carried out by the Fire Service after the alarm was raised, but it was not detected.
"At that stage, it was safe for all the emergency services to enter; there was no sign of carbon monoxide," Ch Insp McClarence said.
"However, we do appreciate that could have been from some time ago and that carbon monoxide may not be a factor now, today."
Forensic investigators have been examining the house.
Sinn FÃ©in councillor Cara McShane told BBC Radio Ulster on Friday that the deaths were "absolutely shocking and devastating for this community here in Ballycastle".
"This was a couple who were elderly and had lived in Ballycastle for some time," she said.
"They would have very much kept themselves to themselves, and the area in which they lived would be a relatively quiet area.
"The mood last night was almost eerie and very sombre."


The Welsh Government has demanded clarification that a delay to a new nuclear power station in Somerset will not hit plans for the new Wylfa Newydd plant on Anglesey.

The unexpected setback for Hinkley Point came because the UK government said it wanted to delay its final decision on the project.
It would be the UK's first new nuclear plant in decades.
But Wales' Economy Secretary Ken Skates is concerned about the impact on Wylfa.
He said the UK government has a "responsibility not to damage confidence levels of key developers".
"Any review must not derail the important Wylfa development," he added.
Business Secretary Greg Clark has said the UK government will "consider carefully" the Hinkley Point plans before backing them.
There have been concerns that difficulties with Hinkley Point C's project would affect Wylfa Newydd's ability to attract investors.
Mr Skates said: "Following the UK government's decision to undertake a further review of the Hinkley project I have written to the Secretary of State Greg Clark seeking urgent clarification that this will not impact on the Wylfa Newydd development in North Wales.
"Wylfa Newydd is an important strategic infrastructure project for Wales which will help to create high quality jobs as well as be important to the future of steel in Wales.
"The UK government have an important responsibility not to damage confidence levels of key developers such as Horizon Nuclear Power and their Tier one supply chain to invest in Wales."
The UK government has been asked to comment.


A coastal railway line repeatedly battered by storms could be rebuilt in Devon at a reported cost of £500m.

Network Rail wants to build a 400m (1,300ft) causeway near Teignmouth.
The project to replace the flood-hit Dawlish line, which connects the south-west to the rest of the country, would see it built about 30 yards out to sea.
The proposal is one of two options being considered by the rail operator. The other would involve stabilising the cliffs.
More on the plans for a new rail line, and other Devon news
Julian Burnell, senior communications manager for Network Rail Western, said it was focusing on areas deemed "most at risk".
"What we've done over the last year or so is compiled an in depth study of the whole coast from Exeter down to Newton Abbot, to work out which areas are the most at risk, and which areas we need to take the most action to protect - not just for the next few years, but over the next 100 years."
The cliffs between Dawlish and Teignmouth have suffered severe damage in the past, with tracks left dangling in mid-air in the wake of storms in 2014.
The line was closed for several weeks in March 2014 and cost the economy up to £1.2bn.
Mr Burnell said that while the Dawlish sea wall is now stronger than ever, the new plans would protect it further.
"We're looking at potentially moving the rail line away from the cliff itself to protect it. That means onto the beach."
Network Rail is launching a public consultation on November 17.
The BBC understands if approved, the project could cost £500m.
Oliver Colville, MP for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport, said he did not want to see a repeat of the damage caused in 2014 and warned of the cost associated with the crumbling cliffs.
"[If] the cliffs come down as well that would be incredibly difficult, and cost the west Devon and Cornish economy an enormous amount of money," he said.
Speaking to the BBC two weeks ago, the prime minister said she was aware of the issue along the Dawlish rail line, but wouldn't commit to making funding available for changes.


The spectacular skyline of Doha has become symbolic of the wealth and development which now characterise this once impoverished country.

A former pearl-fishing centre, Qatar emerged in the 1990s as one of the richest countries in the world, thanks to the exploitation of large oil and gas fields since the 1940s.
The tiny Gulf state is teeming with construction sites, cranes and roadworks, testament to its rapid growth. But Qatar is not satisfied with being just a wealthy country -  it wants to be seen as a serious regional power as well.
It is a role it is already carving out for itself, for example having mediated in peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel, and having opened offices in Doha for the Afghan Taliban.
And, in sharp contrast to its neighbours, Qatar openly supports both the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood and the militant Hamas movement. It has hosted Hamas' political leader Khaled Meshaal since he was kicked out of Damascus for supporting the anti-government protests.
It is a foreign policy principle of Qatar that in the search for peace and stability no-one should be excluded and everyone should be engaged with.
In his residence in Doha Mr Meshaal was confident Qatar will not bow to external pressure to expel him from the country.
"Qatar is courageous enough to host us and they don't accept to be dictated by anyone. We respect their rules and appreciate their support," he said.
It is an example of what Jaber al-Harmi, editor-in-chief of Al Sharq, one of Qatar's leading papers, sees as an attempt by the emirate to forge a new approach to dealing with the region's problems.
"Qatar tried to suggest a new attitude in the Arabic sphere and wanted to say that there is another view to what's prevailing," he said.
This became apparent at the start of the Arab Spring in 2011.
Qatar's government publicly supported protests in the region and its leading pan-Arab news channel Al Jazeera gave voice to those opinions.
"Qatar believed that it had to side with the Arab streets, the people and their aspirations for reforms and freedoms. What distinguished Qatar is its transparency in its policies," said Mr Harmi.
Al Jazeera's audience grew during the upheavals, but the channel has been accused of being biased and politicised.
Its coverage caused fallout between Qatar and other Arab countries, particular Syria and Egypt, where its journalists were imprisoned by the government.
Syria has repeatedly accused Al Jazeera of faking news. Syrian pro-government media denied any protests were taking place in the country, saying Al Jazeera was staging scenes in its studios in Doha.
But the channel's Director General Yasser Abou Hilaleh says criticism levelled against Al Jazeera is unfair.
"In the Arab world, people don't separate between states and media. We are working in very difficult, sensitive and dangerous circumstances. Media is a main player and all parties deal with it as a major player."
Mr Abou Hilaleh says, contrary to a popular view, Al Jazeera's coverage is not dictated by Qatar's foreign policy.
"When I worked for Al Jazeera as a correspondent and now as a director, in both cases, we have nothing to do with Qatar's foreign policy. But in certain countries, our offices are treated as embassies for Qatar.
"Eventually there is a mutual influence that we can't ignore. Governments that have bad relations with Qatar, will have bad relations with us"
Qatar's government has supported opposition groups in many Arab countries, and especially in Syria.
It is, for instance, the only country that has an accredited ambassador to the opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC).
But there are questions surrounding Qatar's role in Syria, and the extent to which they support not just mainstream but also Islamist and jihadist groups there.
It has used its influence with jihadists on occasions, such as mediating the release in March 2014 of nuns who had been abducted by the al-Qaeda-linked group the Nusra Front.
Husam al-Hafez, a former Syrian diplomat who defected to Doha, sees Qatar's policy as pragmatic.
"I believe that Qatar like some other countries has some good connections with all Syrians and with most of the factions on the ground. The fact that most of the factions nowadays are Islamists means that you have to deal with them on a daily basis. That's a positive role to play by mediators."
Qatar today is part of a Saudi-led coalition attacking Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen. It is viewed by many as a proxy war where Sunni Arab countries are trying to stop what they see as Shia Iranian expansion in the region.
Qatar regards Iranian influence as a major threat, and is trying to prevent it strengthening in Syria, where it bolsters the regime with weapons and military advisers.
So far, Doha has achieved some foreign policy successes. There was reconciliation with the Gulf Co-operation Council after a brief fallout and Qatar has mended relations with Saudi Arabia, especially over the issue of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Its policy of inclusion rather than exclusion seems to be working for the moment. But squaring up to Iran is a complex problem, and not one which looks like being solved any time soon.


A cat has had to have his paw amputated after it was caught in an illegal trap, the RSPCA has said.

The pet, named Oreo, was found in Rhostrehwfa, near Llangefni on Anglesey after he managed to drag himself to a local house.
The metal spring-operated device is used to catch animals, but while it is legal to own, it is illegal to set.
A neighbour freed Oreo using bolt cutters and he was taken to a vet but his paw could not be saved.
The RSPCA has appealed for information about the trap being set.
Inspector Mark Roberts said: "We're sure somebody in the local area will know something about this sorry incident."


The Welsh route of the Queen's Baton Relay ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games has been revealed.

The baton will travel across Wales over four days in September ahead of the Gold Coast games in April 2018.
Chris Jenkins, Commonwealth Games Wales chief executive, said the route would "give everyone that can't make it to the Gold Coast a chance to be involved in an unforgettable experience".
In total, it will travel 142,915 miles (230,000 km) in its 388-day journey.
The baton will be passed between people as it makes its way from south to north Wales from 5 to 8 September.
Athletes, celebrities and people who represent their communities are among those who will take part.
Ahead of the 2014 games in Glasgow, Paralympic champion Aled Sion Davies, One Show presenter Alex Jones and Joseph Price - the last surviving deputy from the Six Bells colliery disaster which killed 45 men - all carried the baton.
Prof Nicola Phillips, Team Wales chef de mission for Gold Coast 2018, said: "Not everyone can make it to the Gold Coast, so by bringing the Queen's Baton to Welsh communities we hope to inspire and ignite Welsh pride in our athletes."


A man who appeared on the Channel 4 show Benefits Street has been found dead in a house on the road where the programme was filmed.

Lee Nutley, who featured in the second series, was pronounced dead at the property in Kingston Road, Stockton.
Police said there were no suspicious circumstances and a file was being prepared for the coroner.
Critics said the show stigmatised the poor and in 2014 residents worried it would portray the town in a bad light.
A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said officers had been called to the scene on Monday by the ambulance service.
Mr Nutley was one of the residents of the street followed by cameras for the controversial documentary show.
In his biography on the Channel 4 website before the series aired last year, it said: "Lee relies on his next-door neighbour Julie and the other residents of Kingston Road more than ever.
"With every appliance in his home broken he can't even cook himself a meal.
"Lee has been claiming Jobseeker's Allowance for the past year, living on Â£45 a week after being laid off by the construction company he worked for."
The biography also said he found himself "in a constant battle with both ill health and the benefits system."


A man in his 20s has died suddenly at a leisure centre in County Armagh.

The PSNI said it attended the scene of a sudden death at the Orchard Leisure Centre in Armagh on Friday night.
Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious.
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council closed the leisure centre on Saturday. It said online that the closure was down to "unforeseen circumstances".


Oxford United have extended the loan of right-back Jonjoe Kenny from Premier League side Everton until the end of the season.

The 19-year-old will now be eligible to play against Barnsley in the Football League Trophy final on Sunday.
Kenny, who joined up with the England Under-20 squad over Easter, has so far made 13 appearances for the U's.
"He has done really well for us and is enjoying his football," said Oxford head coach Michael Appleton.
"He is highly thought of at Goodison Park and has a big future."


The BBC and partners called on the people of Birmingham to donate their used and unwanted sports kit and equipment to help encourage physical activity in the city.

Media playback is not supported on this device
Reclaim Sport is a partnership with Birmingham City Council, Sport Birmingham, BBC WM, BBC Birmingham and BBC Get Inspired.
The teams are working together to collect used sports equipment that can be redistributed to give Birmingham kids a chance to be more active.
Please be aware that the collection period is now over.
Thank you to everyone who generously donated and to the following sports governing bodies who supported the project: England Golf, England Hockey, Basketball England, Badminton England, Lawn Tennis Association and the Football Association.
Throughout October and November 2016 we asked you to collect used sports equipment and clothing so that we can give it to disadvantaged children and adults in Birmingham.
There were collection points  all over the city where the people of Birmingham donated their goods.
Schools all over the city also took taking in Reclaim Sport, encouraging pupils' friends and family to find their unwanted sports goods a new home.
The Reclaim Sport partners will then worked with the local community to make sure the kit and equipment gets to the people who really need them.
The donation drive is building up to this year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year, which will take place at Birmingham's Genting Arena on Sunday, 18 December.


Scotland will be represented at next month's European Curling Championships in Braehead by rinks led by Tom Brewster and Eve Muirhead.

Team Brewster beat the Olympic silver medallists skipped by David Murdoch 7-2 9-5 at Perth's Dewars Centre on Sunday to clinch the men's spot.
Playing third for Brewster is Glen Muirhead, brother of winning skip Eve.
Her rink claimed the women's place with three wins in a best-of-five tournament decider against Hannah Fleming's team.
"I thought it would go to three finals," said Brewster, who will be competing in his first European Championships at the event from 19-26 November.
"Dave's team were throwing the stones really well but we got off to a great start and a three in the third end gave us the lead and we managed to keep it.
"It hasn't really sunk in yet and it will be great to compete in a home event. We have trained really hard, the ice has been good this week and the guys have played great. Now we need to do more of the same at Braehead."
For Eve Muirhead, there is the excitement of playing in a European Championships in her home country.
"I think that makes a massive difference," she said.
"To get the chance to represent your country in your country is something quite special.
"Any team that's there has earned the right to be there so it will be tough as usual and I guess you've got to go there on form. Our new coach Glenn Howard's going to be there with us and he's brought a lot to this team so far."
Meanwhile, Glen Muirhead's long-term girlfriend Anna Sloan, who plays third for Team Muirhead, makes her return from injury this week.
Glen said: "It's going to be exciting for us both. We're going to be motivated to push each other on and likewise with my sister.
"It's just that extra little couple of per cent and, home soil at Braehead, so there's even more to look forward to. I'm excited and it should be fun."


A strand of hair believed to be from the head of former French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte's head has sold for £130 at auction in Dorset.

It was bought by an individual from the Dorset area in a phone bid.
A piece of paper found with the hair said "A single hair of Napoleon Bonaparte's head 29th August 1816" and "5th May 1821' - the date Napoleon died.
The strand of hair was attached to a piece of paper by red sealing wax.
Auctioneer Max Beaumont, of Cottees Auction House, Wareham, said it was found in a drawer by a colleague doing a home valuation.
He said they found a small goldsmith's box and expected to find a watch, but instead they found the folded paper.
The hair is understood to have been owned by the family for the whole of the 20th Century, but has not been professionally analysed.
The initial estimate was £100 to £200.
Mr Beaumont, who at 19 claims to be one of the youngest auctioneers in the country, said: "There has been a lot of interest."
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French emperor who conquered much of Europe. He was defeated in the Battle of Waterloo and  imprisoned by the British on the remote Atlantic island of St Helena, where he died on 5 May 1821.


As bank closures bite and shops disappear from rural communities, one Denbighshire village has come up with a solution.

Cynwyd's shop and post office has been on the market for years - and the community was dismayed to hear the owners would lose the business if a buyer was not found.
A public meeting was held, and the Siop Ni Cynwyd community enterprise formed.
They hope to get funding to keep the shop open.
Delyth Thomas of Siop Ni Cynwyd said the shop was "right at the heart of the community" - and that it would be "dreadful" if it was lost.
"Not only does it provide an all-important service, ensuring that we all have access to some of our daily essentials, but it also acts as a community hub, with friends and neighbours having time to catch up on local issues and bind the community together," she said.
"We are exploring all possible avenues to see what can be done to keep it in the community".
Residents say they would have to travel far to be able to access basic financial services, while a lack of public transport means the village is isolated.
The new group, which has 65 members, has received advice from the Wales Co-op Centre, housing association Grwp Cynefin and the Cadwyn Clwyd rural development agency.
They are working on a study to explore the best options available.
Mabon ap Gwynfor, chair of Siop Ni Cynwyd said: "A lot of people have come forward willing to assist in this venture.
"This is a true community enterprise with everybody offering their services and chipping in. There is certainly a lot of good will."


Scotland could see its best cereal harvest yields in 20 years despite poor growing conditions this year, according to government statisticians.

They estimate Scottish farms will produce 3.3 million tonnes of cereals - including two million tonnes of barley and one million tonnes of wheat.
The rise in production was attributed to an expected 5% improvement in overall yields.
This is despite a 4% decrease in the total area of land sown.
The figures released are provisional estimates.
Oats have seen the largest estimated rise in production, increasing by about 17% to 180,000 tonnes.
Just over a million tonnes of wheat are expected, up from 990,000 tonnes last year, while winter barley production is expected to rise from 410,000 to 430,000 tonnes.
Oilseed rape crops have seen a small production rise from 148,000 to 151,000 tonnes.
Spring barley is the only major cereal crop to see reduced production this year, with wheat replacing barley in some areas.
Production is expected to fall by about 100,000 tonnes to 1.57 million tonnes.
Despite high production volumes overall, industry exports raised concerns over grain quality at the Scottish government's annual crop report meeting.
It heard that the 2015 harvest was late to start and, once underway, was halted several times by poor weather conditions.
This was found to have restricted crop development, which contributed to reduced grain quality in some cases.
Rural Affair Secretary Richard Lochhead said: "This year's cereal harvest estimates are testament to the professionalism and hard work of Scotland's farmers.
"They are a great achievement, especially considering the poor growing conditions we have had in Scotland, with some parts of the country experiencing the wettest summer in a century.
"I am pleased to see such high yields being reported this year, undoubtedly helped by the recent spell of more settled weather conditions.
"However, I am aware that producers in some areas, such as Shetland, have yet to harvest their crops, and the Scottish government, NFUS and other stakeholders continue to closely monitor the situation through our wet weather working group."
Final harvest estimates will be announced by Scotland's chief statistician in December.


Prime Minister Manuel Valls has upset political rivals and historians by invoking the symbol of the French republic, Marianne, in the row over "burkini" beach bans.

"Her breast's exposed because she's feeding the people; she isn't wearing a veil because she's free," he said.
But opponents were quick to seize on his remarks as the race hots up ahead of next year's presidential elections.
One historian said his use of Marianne as a feminist symbol was "moronic".
Mathilde Larrere, an expert on the French Revolution, said Marianne was an allegory and the use of her naked breast "just an artistic code" and nothing to do with femininity.
The issue of the full-body swimsuit, known as a "burkini", has overshadowed French politics in the wake of the militant attack on Nice in July. As campaigning kicks off for next year's presidential election, Republican candidate Nicolas Sarkozy has called for the swimsuit to be banned.
Mr Valls last week defended the right of local mayors to impose beach bans, although France's top administrative court has said the bans breach fundamental freedoms.
And, addressing a Socialist Party rally attended by several ministerial colleagues, he said the French had to reclaim patriotism in the face of Islamist totalitarianism, insisting there should be no compromise on the role of women.
But when he invoked Marianne, Social Affairs Minister Marisol Touraine and Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem did not applaud.
Green politician Cecile Duflot said the prime minister's remark was comical because Marianne's head was covered with a Phrygian cap, another symbol of the French Revolution. She shared several images on social media from a National Assembly exhibition, including one describing Marianne as "a little part of all of us".
Mathilde Larrere set out in a series of tweets why the prime minister had been wrong to invoke Marianne to support his argument.
The renowned Eugene Delacroix painting depicted Liberty, she said, and not a republic.
During the 19th Century there were two competing images of Marianne that mirrored two differing concepts of the republic, she said. A wise, fully clothed, unarmed Marianne and a Marianne with a Phrygian bonnet, sword and exposed breast.
Radical revolutionaries would espouse the naked Marianne and more conservative republicans the clothed figure, Mathilde Larrere explained. And none of the men of that period had imagined giving women civil powers, freedom or the right to vote.
Le Figaro political correspondent Sophie de Ravinel said that Manuel Valls had departed from his text to make the remarks, and she pointed out that while Marianne's breast was exposed, her head was covered too.
Over the years, the faces of several leading French women have been used to symbolise Marianne, including Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Deneuve and Laetitia Casta.
More recently, there was some controversy over the reported use of a topless Ukrainian protester who was said to have inspired the face on France's national stamps.
Inna Shevchenko founded the bare-breasted movement Femen and was granted asylum in France in 2013.


Middlesbrough have confirmed the season-long loan signing of Chelsea defender Kenneth Omeruo and are close to signing Huddersfield's Adam Clayton.

Omeruo, 20, made 14 appearances on loan at Boro last season before playing four games for Nigeria at the World Cup.
"He's someone I love to have because he's a player who came from Chelsea and his mood was always perfect," said Boro boss Aitor Karanka.
Meanwhile, Clayton has reportedly agreed terms on a permanent move.
The 25-year-old midfielder, who is also said to have undergone a medical, scored 12 goals in 94 appearances for Huddersfield following a move from Yorkshire rivals Leeds in July 2012.
Clayton began his career at Manchester City but failed to make a first-team appearance before his departure to Leeds.
Two successful loan spells at Carlisle United attracted the attention of the Elland Road club, who eventually signed the Manchester-born player.


The UK medicines watchdog is to review the safety of a clot-busting drug often used to treat strokes.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency believes the benefits of alteplase outweigh the risks.
But it is revisiting the evidence. Some experts say previous assessments may have been flawed.
The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges welcomed the investigation, saying the review has "huge implications" for patient safety.
A stroke is a medical emergency - and there is one every five minutes in the UK.
Most strokes are caused by a clot blocking the flow of blood to the brain.
Many patients are given alteplase to break down and disperse the clot - treatment known as thrombolysis.
There is an increased risk of dangerous bleeding in the brain, but regulators have concluded this is outweighed by the benefits of improved recovery. However, some experts disagree.
Dr Roger Shinton, a stroke specialist, set out his concerns in a letter published in the Lancet.
He told the BBC: "My concerns using alteplase for stroke have always been that the risks of this drug are quite considerable, particularly with bleeding into the brain. The question is, do the benefits justify that risk? And I am not myself convinced that they do."
Dr Shinton said many stroke specialists shared his concerns.
Responding in the Lancet, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said it had recently examined the issue and concluded that the balance of benefits and risks was still favourable. But it also confirmed it was setting up an expert working group "to ensure all relevant sources of evidence have been taken into consideration".
It said it expected the inquiry would report its findings early next year.
Jon Barrick, chief executive of the Stroke Association, said treatment by thrombolysis using alteplase was part of the great progress in stroke treatment.
"No treatment is without risks. The NICE [National Institute for Health and Care Excellence] recommendation on the use of alteplase is based on current evidence that shows overall the benefits outweigh the risks.
"Eligible patients treated with thrombolysis are more likely to have a good outcome and more people are surviving stroke and leading independent lives."
The manufacturers, Boehringer Ingelheim, say they stand by the safety of the drug.
"Our medicine is an emergency clot-busting treatment for someone who has just suffered  a stroke. Our medicine increases the proportion of patients who are alive and leading independent lives following this life-changing event."
Dr Aseem Malhotra, consultant clinical associate to the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, welcomed the MHRA announcement.
"We support the MHRA in carrying out an investigation as a matter of urgency as this has huge implications not just for patient safety but also for the provision of acute stroke services."


Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood says she will use the election to push for a "rebalancing of power and wealth" across the UK.

Ms Wood told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show "if you don't ask for something you don't get it".
Her party has refused to support a Conservative administration if there is a hung parliament after 7 May.
Ms Wood said Plaid Cymru had "a lot in common" with the SNP and the Green Party.
The Plaid leader also said while not "inevitable", an independent Wales "could very well happen".
Ms Wood said the political equation had changed when the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties all promised to maintain the Barnett Formula in Scotland, which she said was unfair towards Wales.
Main pledges
She called for a "Team Wales" approach to securing more funding from Westminster and parity with Scotland.
"More and more people in Wales want more powers for our national assembly and it is clear our economic situation is not good and we can't carry on as we are," she said.
"Something has to change and we are pushing in this election for the rebalancing of power and wealth throughout these islands."
Policy guide: Where the parties stand
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has said she supports Plaid's call for parity, although not at the expense of Scotland's funding.
Asked about Ms Sturgeon and Green Party leader Natalie Bennett, who she embraced after the second TV debate, Ms Wood said "something different is happening" in politics.
"I'm convinced that we have a lot in common across the three parties... regardless of the three leaders," she added.
However, Labour's Shadow Welsh Secretary Owen Smith has fended off questions about his party working with Plaid Cymru in a hung parliament, calling them "bit-part" players at Westminster.
He told the BBC's Sunday Politics Wales programme that Plaid's call for an additional Â£1.2bn a year of public spending in Wales was "pie in the sky".
For the Conservatives, Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb said the party should not get "rattled" by opinion polls showing it neck-and-neck with Labour.
Also speaking on Sunday Politics Wales, he said the Tories should stress "consistency and a sense of purpose", sticking to the message about "the economic progress that we've achieved to date".


It may be Friday but, while most of us may be looking forward to the weekend, spare a thought for the 10 and 11-year-olds across Northern Ireland awaiting the results of the transfer test on Saturday.

The Belfast Telegraph leads with that theme on its front page, with the splash: "Getting a grammar place is tougher than ever".
Inside, it reports that figures obtained by the paper show the standard needed to get into a grammar school is higher than ever, with many schools accepting only those with the highest marks.
The paper also breaks down its findings for each of Northern Ireland's grammar schools while, in an editorial, it says there should be a "renewed focus on secondary schools so that all children will receive equal opportunities in education".
From education to health, both the Irish News and News Letter pick up on a rise in emergency department waiting times.
New figures show that almost 900 patients in December 2016 waited longer than 12 hours at emergency departments, a number the Irish News says is almost three times bigger than the same month in 2015.
In its editorial, the paper says the issues with the health system "cannot wait until our political institutions are restored".
Over on the front page of the News Letter, the situation is described as an "A&E crisis as 12-hour wait times rise sharply".
Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror's front page reports that a man described as having "Ireland's worst criminal record" has been jailed after causing the death of an 18-year-old in a crash in 2012.
The paper reports that Eamon Lynch, from Londonderry, who has almost 500 convictions, will serve 18 months in jail for careless driving and drink driving.
Back at the News Letter, the majority of its front page turns back to the long-running story that generated more headlines than a tabloid editor after 16 espressos - no, not RHI.
The other one. We're talking Brexit. Or, more specifically, 'Irexit'.
"Dublin should be open for 'Irexit'" reads the headline, with the paper reporting that a former senior Irish diplomat says the Republic should not rule out following the UK out the EU door.
Ray Bassett, writing in the News Letter, says the Republic faces a "momentous decision" on whether to decide to "continue to be a part of Team EU " or join "more with the North Atlantic Anglophone world".
He adds it would be the "height of folly not to consider all options".
Sticking with politics, commentator Alex Kane writes in the Irish News that a Brexit or Trump-style surprise should not be expected in March's assembly election as there is no "populist alternative to... the 'establishment' voices".
"There is no charismatic figure stomping the land with a microphone; an army of social media supporters; a manifesto for change; and an electoral vehicle stuffed with candidates," he writes.
"All those people demanding change on March 2 will be hard-pushed to find examples of that change on their ballot papers."
And still with Brexit, the Daily Mirror says that pharmaceutical firm Almac will create 100 jobs in the Republic to maintain access to the EU.
The company, based in Craigavon, explains that the move would ensure "continued presence within the EU".
And finally, since it's Friday, let's have a bit of fish news - or more specifically ask, where have all the salmon gone?
According to the Belfast Telegraph, not a single salmon has been caught in Ireland in 2017 - and fishermen are concerned over the "troubled waters".
The newspaper's angling correspondent, Vic Thomas, says it's the longest period in 10 years that no salmon has been caught.
"After 26 days, it is worrying," he writes. "Are the fresh fish going to come in later in the season or not at all? It's puzzling."
But, hold on, don't throw out your rod. Edward Montgomery, who oversees the fishery on the River Bann, says there's no need for "great concern" yet.
So don't fish-pair, anglers. Get out there and catch the first one - the weekend awaits.


Employees in Wales could save up to £1,000 a year by not driving to work, a charity has claimed.

Workers could make the saving if they switch from a car commute to cycling or walking, according to Sustrans.
Public Health Minister Rebecca Evans said it would not only save money but "improve people's health and wellbeing".
Sustrans, a walking and cycling charity, is calling on people to take part in the Cymru Travel Challenge.
Funded by the Welsh Government, it aims to get as many people travelling healthily and sustainably for local journeys.
Steve Brooks, national director for Sustrans Cymru, said: "Workplaces need to be encouraged to take an active role in getting their staff to use healthier modes of transport.
"We know that building physical activity into our everyday activities improves our health and well-being which is a crucial contributor to a successful workforce."
A study published in April showed cycling to work can cut cancer and heart disease.
The five-year study of 250,000 UK commuters also showed walking had some benefits over sitting on public transport or taking the car.


Two people have died after two cars crashed in Dumfries and Galloway.

A 36-year-old man died at the scene of the incident on the A75, near Kirkcowan, Newton Stewart, on Saturday.
He was driving a Suzuki Grand Vitara east-bound which was in collision with a Vauxhall Meriva travelling in the opposite direction.
A 77-year-old woman who was a passenger in the Meriva died a short time later at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.
Police said another four people were injured.
The 81-year-old driver of the Meriva was taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow by helicopter.
Medical staff said his condition was serious.
A woman aged 70, who was a passenger in the Meriva is being treated at the Dumfries hospital, while another passenger - a 72-year-old man - is at Stranraer Community Hospital.
A 33-year-old woman who was travelling in the Vitara was released from hospital in Dumfries after being treated for minor injuries.
Any witnesses to the collision are asked to contact Police Scotland.


A Bangladeshi pastor has survived an attempt to slit his throat by men who visited his home pretending to want to learn about Christianity.

The 52-year-old pastor, Luke Sarker, suffered minor injuries when three suspected militants attacked him in the north-western district of Pabna.
The pastor's wife came to his rescue and the men fled.
There is concern over rising Islamist violence in Bangladesh following killings of foreigners and bloggers.
Police arrested a member of the student wing of the Jamaat-e Islami party on Tuesday in connection with the attack.
The men attacked Mr Sarker with a knife on Monday after calling about two weeks ago saying they wanted to visit him to learn more about Christianity, he told the news agency Associated Press.
The South Asian nation is on alert after two foreigners, a Japanese agricultural worker and an Italian aid worker, were shot dead last week.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility, although police said there was no evidence the group was behind the attacks.
The past year has also seen the hacking to death of four secularist bloggers in Bangladesh.
In a separate incident on Tuesday, police in Bangladesh said a senior military leader of banned Islamist group, Jamaat-ul Mujahideen, was killed in a grenade explosion.
The 26-year-old Mohammad Javed was arrested on Monday night in possession of weapons.
Senior police official Babul Akter said Javed was killed while he was helping police recover more weapons in Chittagong.
The account could not be independently confirmed.
Jamaat-ul Mujahideen was held responsible for a series of suicide bombings in 2005.
However, they are not thought to be behind recent killings of foreigners and secularists.


A second-half hat-trick from the in-form Akwasi Asante gave Solihull Moors back-to-back wins for the first time this season as they brushed aside Southport.

Following a dominant first half, Asante gave Solihull the lead five minutes after the break, scrambling home after a long throw by Connor Franklin.
It was 2-0 on 70 minutes, when Omari Sterling-James' tame shot from the right-hand side somehow found its way past Magnus Norman after the winger linked up with Jamey Osbourne.
Asante, who also scored a hat-trick against Maidstone on Saturday, wrapped up the points with two goals in the last 20 minutes.
First he latched onto Ryan Beswick's pass to finish well before completing the rout eight minutes from time after peeling away from the Southport backline.
Report supplied by the Press Association
Match ends, Solihull Moors 4, Southport 0.
Second Half ends, Solihull Moors 4, Southport 0.
Substitution, Solihull Moors. Darryl Knights replaces Shepherd Murombedzi.
Goal!  Solihull Moors 4, Southport 0. Akwasi Asante (Solihull Moors).
Substitution, Southport. Declan Weeks replaces Jordan Lussey.
Shepherd Murombedzi (Solihull Moors) is shown the yellow card.
Goal!  Solihull Moors 3, Southport 0. Akwasi Asante (Solihull Moors).
Goal!  Solihull Moors 2, Southport 0. Omari Sterling-James (Solihull Moors).
Substitution, Southport. Bobby James Moseley replaces James Caton.
Ryan Higgins (Southport) is shown the yellow card.
Substitution, Southport. James Gray replaces John Cofie.
Andrai Jones (Southport) is shown the yellow card.
Goal!  Solihull Moors 1, Southport 0. Akwasi Asante (Solihull Moors).
Second Half begins Solihull Moors 0, Southport 0.
First Half ends, Solihull Moors 0, Southport 0.
First Half begins.
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.


Mama's Boys, a short YouTube film based on Draupadi's polyandrous marriage to five Pandava brothers from the ancient Hindu epic Mahabharat, is a hit with online audiences in India, but has angered some hardline Hindus, writes the BBC's Geeta Pandey in Delhi.

The hilarious 16-minute film has Bollywood actress Aditi Rao Hydari playing Draupadi as a saucy, salacious modern woman who is flirtatious and shops for sexy lingerie.
Mahabharat, created more than 2,000 years ago, is a complex story of the mythological Kurukshetra war. It is the longest known epic poem in the world, about 10 times the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey combined.
Director Akshat Verma's Mama's Boys is a modern take on the curious tale of Draupadi's five husbands, although it remains faithful to the narrative of the original story. The actors and actresses are dressed as mythical kings and queens in reams of beautiful silk and heavy gold crowns, but the setting is contemporary and they speak in a mix of Hindi and English.
The film opens with the warrior prince Arjun, one of the Pandava brothers, bringing home his new wife Draupadi and trying to introduce her to his mother, Kunti.
As Kunti is busy doing household chores and has her back turned to the couple, she tells Arjun to "share whatever you've brought with your brothers".
Now Arjun is obviously not happy with this arrangement - who can blame him for not wanting to share his wife? - and starts lobbying his brothers to tell their mother that it's not a great idea and that she should reconsider.
There have been attempts in the past to retell the Mahabharat from Draupadi's perspective, but generally she is unhappy at the idea of being "shared". In Mama's Boys however, she's excited at the prospect of multiple husbands and actively seduces them.
Not just Draupadi, the Pandavas of Mama's Boys are also very different from the way they were in the original epic and Verma's script is full of risque and suggestive dialogue.
The eldest Yudhishthir - a virtuous man who never lied - is a rakish gambler who lusts after Draupadi as she emerges from the swimming pool in her almost-backless blouse.
Bheem, the bodybuilder, can't take his eyes off her posterior as they sweat it out together in the gym.
Nakul and Sahdev - the twins and the youngest of the siblings - are gay but realise that having Draupadi as their wife will help them keep their cover intact.
Over the past week, many Indians have taken to social media to praise the film as "mischievous and irreverent", "funniest" and "interesting":
But this unusual take on the epic has predictably not gone down well with some Hindu hardliners and one group, called the Hindu Sena, has lodged a complaint with the police.
"Akshat Verma and the team of Mama's Boys have deliberately and maliciously acted intending to outrage religious feelings of Hindus by insulting its religion and religious beliefs by making fun of its religious book," the complaint said.
Reports say the police are investigating the complaint to see if there is any merit in it.
Following the complaint, Mama's Boys can no longer be watched on the YouTube channel of the LargeShortFilms, as the makers have decided to restrict its viewing, although the film is still available on the internet.
Director Verma, meanwhile, has said his intention was not to offend anyone and that he was just trying to explore what went on in the minds of the characters.


Tax officials have been banned from examining material seized from Newcastle United's ground, following a legal challenge mounted by the club.

St James' Park and West Ham United's ground were raided in April by HM Revenue and Customs as part of a Â£5m National Insurance fraud investigation.
Newcastle's managing director Lee Charnley was among several men arrested and later released without charge.
The ban remains in force until a court hearing on 22 June.
High Court judge Mr Justice Supperstone imposed the ban after lawyers for Newcastle United applied for a judicial review against HMRC.
He directed that any material retained by HMRC must be returned to the club.
He also directed that the legal action involving the Magpies, who have just secured promotion to the Premier League, must return to court on 22 June.
It is expected the club will then have to show that it has an arguable case to take to a full judicial review hearing.
No details of the grounds of the challenge were revealed during Thursday's short court hearing.
Lawyers for both the club and HMRC said they could not provide any further information.
During the raids HMRC said it had seized business records and financial records as well as computers and mobile phones.


Wales wing George North starred as Northampton came back from 13-0 down to beat Exeter at Franklin's Gardens.

The 24-year-old scored his third try in four games before teeing up debutant Rory Hutchinson to edge Saints 14-13 ahead at half-time, after Olly Woodburn had crossed to put Exeter in control.
Chiefs retook the lead after the break, with Gareth Steenson passing 2,000 points for the club to make it 19-14.
But Harry Mallinder kicked two late penalties to snatch victory for Saints.
Despite trailing for much of the contest, Northampton were good value for their win - a result that meant they avoided losing three successive home games for the first time in five years.
While France flanker Louis Picamoles caught the eye as a potent ball carrier and hard hitter, it was the brilliance of North that turned the game on its head in the space of three first-half minutes.
With his side trailing 13-0 early on, the former Scarlets back side-stepped his way inside for a trademark finish to reduce the deficit and then superbly set up Hutchinson after a jinking run straight from the restart.
Exeter, losing Premiership finalists in May, remained in touch after the interval and still looked on course for victory thanks to Steenson's accuracy from the tee.
But Mallinder, son of Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder, landed a 78th-minute penalty to give Saints their second win of the season.
Northampton Saints forward Courtney Lawes:
"Harry is growing as a player, he is learning from every mistake he makes - unfortunately when you are young you do make a lot of mistakes. He is growing as a character in the team and he is a brilliant player, he did fantastic today with unbelievable composure to get the win at the death.
"We were desperate for that win and I think it really showed out there - we came back twice.
"We really back ourselves, we know we have been playing in patches and if we can string it together for the full 80 minutes there are not many teams who can live with us. We are just looking to stop these lapses of concentration."
Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter:
"We never really grabbed control in that final quarter. There was an opportunity to squeeze the game out, but crucially we needed to hold up a bit better in the line-out, that is where we lost possession and it started to get a little bit messy.
"We looked a little bit too edgy in that final quarter, we didn't really look like the team going out to win the game and we were on the back foot for too long.
"There was a pretty clear block that opened up some space in their second try, but that is a bit churlish, we missed a couple tackles and sometimes when you get bumped it is because you are not focused."
Northampton Saints: Foden (capt); K Pisi, G Pisi, Hutchinson, North; Mallinder, Groom; Waller, Haywood, Brookes, Lawes, Paterson, Gibson, Clark, Picamoles.
Replacements: Clare, Ma'afu, Hill, Dickinson, Harrison, Kessell, Olver, Tuala.
Exeter Chiefs: Turner; Woodburn, Devoto, Slade, Whitten; Steenson, Chudley; Moon, Yeandle (capt), Holmes, Lees, Parling, Dennis, Horstmann, Waldrom.
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Hepburn, Williams, Welch, White, Lewis, Hill, Nowell.


The First Minister Arlene Foster is travelling to China on Sunday.

Mrs Foster was originally going with the Deputy First Minster Martin McGuinness but he pulled out due to "unforeseen personal circumstances."
She will hold a series of meetings during the trip including a visit to the Northern Ireland Bureau in China.
The First Minister is also hoping to meet Liu Yandong, the Chinese vice-premier.
Mrs Foster will also meet representatives from Bombardier, who have a site at Shenyang.


Ronnie O'Sullivan risked a fine by briefly playing in his socks as he took a 7-2 lead in his World Championship opener with qualifier Craig Steadman.

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The five-time champion almost recorded a maximum break in the first frame, potting 13 reds and blacks, but suffered discomfort four frames later.
By playing without shoes he broke the dress code, before borrowing some from tournament director Mike Ganley.
The Rocket pounced on errors to build a lead with the resumption on Wednesday.
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It is not the first time O'Sullivan has had to consider his footwear in a tournament, having played December's UK Championship in soft shoes after breaking his ankle while running.
This time around a fan was given the discarded pair but while O'Sullivan continued to dominate, he could not match his standard set in the opening frame, when he even asked officials what the prize money was for a maximum on his way to a 104.
The world number two was twice fortunate to see his opponent miss routine blacks, one to level at 2-2 and another to extend a break of 55 which could have seen the score move to 5-3.
Instead, world number 81 Steadman found himself 6-2 down and contributions of 54 and 75 extended O'Sullivan's lead to five frames.
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Elsewhere, two-time finalist Ali Carter progressed to a second-round meeting with Neil Robertson with a 10-5 win over Scotland's Alan McManus.
Carter, who got the all-clear from cancer for a second time in December, said: "I've been working hard on my fitness and the practice table.
"Peter Ebdon is here to help me on the practice table. All things considered, today will bring me on leaps and bounds and I'm here to win this tournament."


Liverpool have been fined 16,000 euros (£13,404) by Uefa following crowd disturbances during their Europa League final defeat by Sevilla in May.

The Reds were punished after fans displayed an illicit banner and used fireworks, as well as scuffling with Sevilla supporters.
Sevilla were fined 17,000 euros (£14,242) for crowd disturbances and the throwing of objects.
Liverpool were beaten 3-1 as Sevilla retained their title in Basel.
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The financial regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is considering a deadline for claims over mis-sold payment protection insurance (PPI).

It anticipates that PPI customers would still have at least until 2018 to claim compensation.
So far more than £20bn has been paid out for PPI mis-selling to more than 10m consumers.
The policies were supposed to protect people against loss of income or sickness, but were often inappropriate.
The regulator will now launch a consultation, on whether there should be a deadline on compensation claims.
It said there should be a window of at least two years after the deadline is set.
This would not be before the Spring of 2016 - meaning that consumers would have until the Spring of 2018 to make a claim through their bank or the Financial Ombudsman.
Shares in Lloyds, the bank most exposed to PPI, jumped by nearly 3% in early trading.
It has set aside £13.5bn to cover claims.
The banking industry welcomed the announcement, saying it provided further clarity for consumers.
A very small sigh of relief this morning from Britain's biggest banks following the decision of the Financial Conduct Authority to consult on a final deadline for Payment Protection Insurance claims.
Banks such as Lloyds have long argued privately that there should be a cut-off point. They are convinced that many of the claims are bogus and are driven by claims management firms rather than by irritated customers.
Of course, many say that the banks are rightly reaping the effects of their appalling past behaviour.
The FCA move today is all about the "normalisation" of relations between regulators and the City.
As George Osborne signalled in his Mansion House speech earlier this year, the government is keen to see a new "settlement" with the financial services sector.
The former, combative head of the FCA, Martin Wheatley, was removed by the Treasury.
And the PPI deadline means another thorny legacy issue looks close to being dealt with.
The number of complaints about PPI is falling, but still runs in to hundreds of thousands every month.
In the first half of 2015 more than 883,000 customers complained about mis-selling, a fall of 16.6% on the same period in 2014.
The FCA said a deadline would "bring the PPI issue to an orderly conclusion, reducing uncertainty for firms about long-term PPI liabilities and helping rebuild public trust in the retail financial sector."
The watchdog said too many people were taking too long to bring their claims, and that a deadline - along with an advertising campaign promoting any potential deadlines - would spur any outstanding claims to be brought.
Some people will have an even shorter time in which to complain.
Three years ago, the regulator ordered banks to write to as many as 12m customers, advising them they may have a valid complaint.
Those who received such letters were given a deadline of three years in which to submit their claims, meaning some may have already lost their right to complain.
The consumer group Which? warned that any deadline could encourage banks to hold up compensation payments.
"A time limit must not reward those that have dragged their heels over paying out compensation," said Richard Lloyd, Which? executive director.


Cardiff Blues have signed 33-year-old South African lock Franco van der Merwe from Ulster for the 2017-18 season.

Once-capped van der Merwe has spent three seasons with Ulster, making 68 appearances to date.
"We need to add depth in leadership and in that position," said Blues coach Danny Wilson.
Van der Merwe played Super Rugby with South African sides the Lions and Sharks before joining Ulster. He was capped against New Zealand in 2013.
"He has been a fantastic player for Ulster, he knows this competition (Pro12) and he's played at the top end of the game in terms of achievements in this competition," said Wilson.
"He's a big leadership figure which in our front five is what we need.
"(He's) an on-field presence, but also an off-field and training ground presence for our younger pros."
Cardiff Blues currently have former New Zealand international Jarrad Hoeata, South African George Earle and James Down as senior specialist locks.
Macauley Cook and Josh Turnbull have been used at both lock and flanker, while academy pair Seb Davies and Shane Lewis-Hughes have made senior appearances.
Van der Merwe told Blues' website: "When I was approached earlier this season I spoke to (former Ulster number eight) Nick Williams and George Earle, who I played with for the Lions, and they had so many good things to say about the club.
"They were really positive about what's happening and going to happen and made it an easy decision for me.
"Whenever I have played them it's been a tough game, especially at Cardiff Arms Park where I have been on the wrong end of the result a couple of times."


The parents of a zookeeper killed by a tiger have said her love of animals was "a joy and privilege to behold" and their daughter was "living her dream".

Rosa King, 34, died at Hamerton Zoo Park in Cambridgeshire on Monday.
It is understood she died after a tiger entered an enclosure, but police and the council are still investigating and an inquest has yet to take place.
Her parents Peter and Andrea King said an "abundance of love" had been shown by all for their daughter Rosa.
Ms King, whose family home is in Chippenham, Wiltshire, was dedicated to her job at the zoo where she had worked for 14 years, her parents said.
"She lived and breathed a vocation that meant the world to her", her parents said in a statement released through Cambridgeshire Police.
More news from Cambridgeshire
Referring to their "beloved daughter", Mr and Mrs King said she was a "dedicated professional when it came to her work".
"Rosa was passionate about animals from the age of two when she first sat on the back of a horse. After that, her life was always going to be about animals," they added.
Details of how Ms King died have not yet been released, and an inquest is expected to take place next week.
A joint investigation by police and Huntingdonshire District Council - which is responsible for licensing the zoo - is currently under way.
Meanwhile the zoo remains closed to the public and staff have not said when it might reopen.
The tiger that killed Ms King has not been put down and was unharmed, police said.
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The BBC News website looks at key questions about the publication of school performance data in England.

What is school performance data?
School performance data is statistical information showing how well pupils in England have done in public examinations taken at key points in their educational journey.
Data is published for children's attainment in national curriculum tests, often known as Sats, which are sat at the end of primary school at age 10 or 11.
At secondary school level, data is published detailing pupils' performance in GCSEs (and equivalent exams) at age 16 and A-levels (and equivalents) at age 18.
Secondary schools are considered to be "underperforming" if fewer than 40% of their pupils get five GCSEs at grade A*-C, including English and maths, and if the school has a below average score for pupils making the expected progress between Key Stage 2 (end of Year 6) and Key Stage 4 (end of Year 11) in English and maths.
Yes. From this year, only a pupil's first attempt at a qualification is included for league tables, aiming to end the practice of schools repeatedly entering pupils for exams in order to could boost their ranking.
The list of qualifications included has also been restricted to those which the government says are of the highest, academic quality and the number of non-GCSEs counting has been capped at two.
This is part of government reforms designed to make the exams and accountability system more rigorous.
The recognition of some popular unaccredited International GCSE qualifications have been phased out and no longer count for league table purposes.
Overall GCSEs have been toughened with exams taken at the end of the course and detailed changes to core subjects.
This year, primary schools are considered to be "underperforming" if fewer than 65% (up from 60% last year) of pupils get a Level 4 in maths, reading and writing, and pupils are not making the expected progress in these three subjects between the end of infants (age six or seven) and age 10 or 11, when they prepare to leave primary school.
Results of English grammar, punctuation and spelling tests are not taken into account in these floor standards.
In the past, only media organisations used the data to produce rankings in the form of school league tables.
But now the Department for Education effectively publishes tables, with a facility on its website that allows users to rank schools by different measures.
Wales and Northern Ireland abolished league tables in 2001, followed by Scotland in 2003. Scottish exam data is still published online.
It is not in a format where schools can be easily compared.
Wales recently began publishing tables placing schools in one of five performance bands.
The performance data in league tables is used widely by parents to judge how well schools in their area perform.
Supporters argue that the tables help drive up standards by increasing the accountability of schools and providing valuable information for parents.
Research carried out by Bristol University suggested the abolition of league tables in Wales had led to a drop in standards in the lowest 75% of schools.
Opponents say comparing schools in this way is too crude a measure of a school's quality, achievements and character.
They argue that the tables often say more about the intake of a school than the teaching and learning that goes on there.
And increasingly head teachers says the constant state of flux in the exams system makes comparisons between not very meaningful.
It is claimed they encourage competition rather than collaboration between schools in local areas and can lead to middle-class parents pushing to get their children into top schools, further driving down standards at less popular schools.
There are also suggestions that children are pushed into subjects and choices that make the school look good, rather than broadening their education.
The tables show how well a particular year group of pupils at a given school has performed in tests or exams. Most of the pupils will have started school a few years before taking the tests or exams and there may have been changes of staff or policy at the school in the interim.
The tables do not include information about the more holistic elements of a school such as extra-curricular activities on offer - for example, sport and drama - or details about a school's pastoral care system.
Some of these details may feature in the school's Ofsted report.
It is always advisable to visit a school - most schools run open days or evenings for prospective pupils and parents.


President Barack Obama has announced ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday that there is no "specific or credible" threat of a terrorist attack in the US.

In the wake of the deadly Paris attacks, he said it is understandable that Americans fear something similar happening in the US.
"We know of no specific and credible intelligence indicating a plot on the homeland," he said.
He said the US is doing everything it can to keep Americans safe.
There have been more than 8,000 airstrikes on strongholds of the so-called Islamic State, he said, and work is continuing to stop the terrorist group's financing and supply lines.
Mr Obama and French President Francois Hollande agreed on Tuesday to step up co-ordination on airstrikes.
"I want the American people to know entering the holidays that the combined resources of our military, our intelligence and our homeland security agencies are on the case. They are vigilant, relentless and effective," said Mr Obama.
He said that in the event of a threat, the American public would be informed.
IS had released videos threatening attacks on the US in New York City and Washington following the Paris attacks that left 130 people dead and scores injured.
Mr Obama reiterated security measures the US has taken since 9/11 and said the country continues to adjust tactics to fight terrorism as necessary.
He urged people to report it to authorities if they see something suspicious.
"While the threat of terrorism is a troubling reality of our age, we are both equipped to prevent attacks and we are resilient in the face of those who try to do us harm and that's something we can all be thankful for," he said.


An upturned catamaran with personal items still on board, including clothing and maps, has been discovered off the coast of Kent.

The vessel was spotted by a merchant ship shortly before 16:00 BST on Saturday about 25 miles north-east of North Foreland in Thanet.
Coastguard crews have been searching the area nearby.
The catamaran is a white new Hobie Cat 12 model with the serial number 7064-1999 and make number K-0566.
A spokesman for the RNLI said the craft still had a sail rigged when it was found.
It has been recovered and is being kept at the Port of Ramsgate.
Anyone with information about who may have been sailing the vessel is asked to contact Kent Police or the coastguard.


The father of Australian tennis player Bernard Tomic has been sentenced to eight months in prison for assaulting his son's training partner before the Madrid Open in May.

John Tomic head-butted Thomas Drouet, who suffered a broken nose.
John Tomic claimed he was acting in self-defence.
Under Spanish law, John Tomic will not go to prison because he has no criminal record and his sentence is for less than two years.
Australian media has reported that he is likely to be banned from all Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) tournaments following his conviction.
The ATP had already banned him pending the outcome of the court case and said on Friday that its initial 12 month suspension from the tour remained in place, but that there was no change to their position at this time.
Mr Drouet, 30, from Monaco, welcomed the sentencing as "good news".
"He should never be allowed to attend matches again," he told Australian media.
Last month a court in Madrid heard how Mr Drouet, who had been a member of Bernard Tomic's team for seven months, had complained about John Tomic.
He was assaulted at a hotel in Madrid when John Tomic asked him "to step aside for a quiet word".
Mr Drouet said that he was expecting to receive an apology, but instead John Tomic spat in his face and head-butted him.
He suffered a broken nose, bruised vertebrae and had to have corrective surgery.
Bernard Tomic, 20, is ranked at number 52 in the world by the ATP.
One of the highlights of his career so far was a quarter-final appearance at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships.
In November he was fined and put on a 12-month good-behaviour bond after twice being stopped by police for driving offences near his Gold Coast home.


Two possible ice volcanoes have been identified on the surface of Pluto.

They are seen in images returned from the New Horizons probe, which flew past the distant dwarf planet in July.
The mountains are several km high and tens of km across, and each has what appears to be a depression in the top.
Unlike Earth volcanoes that spew molten rock, Pluto's volcanoes - if that is what they are - would likely erupt an icy slush of substances such as water, nitrogen, ammonia or methane.
The suggestion was raised at the 47th annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences, where the mission team is presenting over 50 research reports from the flyby.
The scientists still need to do further work to confirm their volcano idea.
What would help in particular is information on the composition of the materials making up the local terrain.
"If we can constrain the compositions of these features then we'd have something to work with, with respect to modelling how this particular ice would behave if it were to be erupted volcanically, and what sort of relief it might be able to sustain," said Dr Oliver White from the US space agency (Nasa).
This information may come in due course. New Horizons has not yet returned all of its data from the July encounter.
Only about 20% of its observations have so far been downlinked to Earth.
But if cryo-volcanism can be established, it would be an immensely exciting discovery.
While the phenomenon has been postulated to occur on several outer Solar System bodies, nothing really convincing has been detected; certainly not in terms of mountain-building.
The two candidates at Pluto are found just south of Sputnik Planum, the smooth plain on the planet's equator.
They have been informally called Wright Mons and Piccard Mons.
On Earth or Mars, their shape recalls shield volcanoes - broad, tall edifices that develop from repeat eruptions of low-viscosity fluids.
As well as their putative calderas, they display a hummocky texture on their flanks that may represent old "lava" flows.
How recently they might have been active, though, no-one can say currently.
Pluto is a small body that should have lost most of its heat to space over the course of Solar System history.
That said, not a lot of energy would be required to melt and mobilise the cocktail of ices that coat the planet.
"It's just astounding that in all of the exploration that we have done, that the nearest neighbour analogy to these constructs occurs on Mars," commented Prof Alan Stern, the principal investigator on the New Horizons mission.
"You have to look all the way to the 'other Red Planet' to find something similar.
"Across all the worlds of the middle Solar System, we've seen nothing like this. It's truly amazing."
It is now almost 120 days since New Horizons made its historic flyby of Pluto and its moons.
In that time, the probe has moved 140 million km deeper into the outer Solar System, some five billion km from Earth.
Mission managers last week oversaw the last of four engine burns that put the spacecraft on course to meet its next target - a small icy body known simply as 2014 MU69 - in just over three years' time.
However, the team does not yet formally have funding from the US space agency to operate the probe at the roughly 45km-wide object.
A science proposal to win that support is likely to be submitted to Nasa some time next year.
Meanwhile, the Pluto flyby data will continue to trickle down to Earth.
It is taking so long, in part because the vast distance to New Horizons limits bandwidths, but also because the mission must share time on Nasa's deep-space communications network with other probes trying to relay their data back home.
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos


A 67-year-old man has said he escaped death by clinging to a bag of maize flour after the boat he was on capsized on Lake Malawi.

Graciam Kondowe was among 54 passengers who police say survived after the boat overturned in stormy weather on Sunday.
Five people drowned while 11 are still missing, police said.
The boat was packed with worshippers returning from Easter celebrations when it capsized in the remote Rumphi district in northern Malawi.
Mr Kondowe told Malawi's privately owned Zodiac radio station that heavy winds buffeted the boat about 15 minutes into their journey.
The crew decided to return to shore, but the boat capsized before they could get back, he added.
Mr Kondowe said he held on to a bag of maize flour which fell out of the boat, and eventually swam his way to safety.
Eight of the 54 survivors are being treated in hospital after sustaining injuries, police officer Denis Banda said.
Locals residents used canoes to rescue most of the passengers, Malawian journalist Joab Chakhaza told the BBC.
Search operations are continuing for the 11 people still missing, but the chances of finding them alive are slim, he adds.
Boats are a common mode of transport on the vast Lake Malawi, and accidents of this magnitude are rare.
In 2012, 47 migrants fleeing drought and conflict in Somalia and Ethiopia drowned in the lake after their boat capsized.


Holywood runner Paul Pollock has been selected in the three-man Irish marathon team for the Olympic Games.

Pollock was only the fourth fastest Irish athlete but he got the nod ahead of Sergiu Ciobanu, who clocked the third quickest time.
A superb World Half Marathon run sealed Pollock's place along with Belfast's Kevin Seaward and Mick Clohisey.
North Belfast athlete Breege Connolly is in the women's team with Lizzie Lee and Fionnuala McCormack.
Fellow North Belfast competitor Gladys Ganiel is the first reserve for this summer's Games - Barbara Sanchez of Clonliffe Harriers is second reserve.
Ciobanu, who can appeal his exclusion from the team, is first reserve for the men with Rathfarnham's Sean Hehir second reserve.
Pollock, 29, set a personal best of 2:15.38 set in the Berlin Marathon last September but that was bettered by  Ciobanu with 2:15.17.
However, Pollock impressed by finishing 14th at the World Half Marathon in Cardiff in March, with Mo Farah the only European ahead of him.
Pollock hoped to improve his marathon time in London last month but he was forced to pull out because of a foot injury.


A dental nurse whose boss sparked the "biggest NHS patient recall in history" has been suspended indefinitely.

Sally Hague was suspended from Daybrook Dental Practice in 2015 after being recorded not washing her hands or changing gloves between patients.
She worked with Desmond D'Mello, who was struck off after being secretly filmed breaking hygiene rules.
A General Dental Council (GDC) panel on Tuesday heard Mrs Hague's failings were "serious and significant".
Its report said it had seen "no evidence" she had sought training to rectify the hygiene issues and had received an email from her saying she did not wish to continue as a dental nurse.
The committee said an indefinite suspension was "appropriate and proportionate".
Following an investigation Mrs Hague admitted 20 charges, which included not washing her hands between procedures, failing to change gloves between patients and re-using non-sterile apparatus.
She was suspended for 12 months in 2015, which was extended for a further year in 2016 after a committee decided the misconduct "was remediable, but had not been remedied".
The professional conduct committee heard on Tuesday the failings made by Mrs Hague - who did not attend the hearings - "could have had wide-ranging consequences for patient safety".
It said: "The committee had no evidence before it of any steps taken by Mrs Hague to address the failings identified.
"Further, it had no evidence to demonstrate that Mrs Hague may have developed any insight. It could not be satisfied that she now understands the severity of the failings in this case.
"It noted that Mrs Hague had been given multiple opportunities to address the failings identified, which she has not. The committee concluded that given the persistent lack of engagement and lack of remediation and insight, there remains a risk to the public."
A total of 55 allegations of malpractice against Mr D'Mello were proven in August 2016.
Footage of his actions prompted the recall of some 22,000 patients, 4,500 of whom were tested for blood-borne viruses.


North Wales Police has received more than 40 calls after an artist's impression of a unidentified murder victim was broadcast on Monday.

The image, of a man whose remains were discovered in a forest at Pentrellyncymer in Conwy last November, was revealed on the BBC's Crimewatch programme,
The body is thought to have been in the forest for several years.
Forensic tests showed the man had suffered a serious head injury.
"A number of calls were received into the incident room and we are following up various lines of inquiry including some possible names to try and identify the individual," said Det Supt Iestyn Davies.
"There will be a loved one, friends, family that may recognise this person.
"Once we get the name, we can work on why did this person become a victim, who would be responsible for that and why would they want to have killed him."
The remains were discovered by two brothers camping in the forest ahead of the Wales Rally GB.
Police launched a large scale forensic search and were able to recover virtually an entire male skeleton.
Mr Davies said the man was probably in his sixties when he died and was between 5ft 8in and 5ft 10.5in (1.73-1.78m) tall.
His nose had been fractured at some point and he suffered from arthritis.
He also had an issue with his spine which would have caused "limited mobility".
"I think he was killed elsewhere," added Mr Davies. "It is our belief that the body would have been deposited in that location some time between 1995 and 2005.
"We have a full DNA profile of the victim but unfortunately it does not match anyone on the national database."
The new, detailed image of what the victim may have looked like was produced with the help a forensic artist and an odontologist.


Scientists have long believed that dinosaurs became extinct 65 million years ago, because of a giant asteroid hitting the Earth.

19 April 2016 Last updated at 17:36 BST
But now researchers think that dinosaurs may have already been dying out, long before the asteroid hit, because of changes to the planet.
By studying fossils, they have found evidence that dinosaurs might have been struggling to adapt to changes in the environment tens of millions of years before finally dying out.
Ayshah's been looking at three of the possible culprits that caused their demise...


Andy Murray's defence of his Wimbledon title ended with him limping to defeat in his quarter-final against Sam Querrey on Wednesday.

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The 30-year-old Briton will retain his world number one ranking for now, because Novak Djokovic was forced to retire from his match against Tomas Berdych later on the same day.
But what should Murray and his injured hip do next?
Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker explains how top tennis stars cope with advancing age and chronic injury - and why we should not give up hope of seeing the Scot manage a third triumph on Centre Court.
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The next Grand Slam is the US Open, from 28 August. Murray, the 2012 champion, lost in the quarter-finals in New York last year. Before then, he is scheduled to play at ATP tournaments in Montreal from 7 August and Cincinnati a week later.
Becker: Andy Murray's defeat should not be seen as the beginning of the end of his chances of winning another Grand Slam. Absolutely not.
I think what has happened so far this year has actually proved that, the older you get, the better you are - look at Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, what Serena Williams was doing and what Venus is doing now. They are all older than him.
Age is only a number, but you only have one body. Andy has to look after his.
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He has got to think long-term, not worry about making the US Open - if he is moving there like he did at Wimbledon, then he won't win it anyway.
So, the worst thing that can happen if he skips New York is that he misses one Grand Slam - that doesn't matter, because the Australian Open is around the corner at the start of 2018.
His ranking should not be a concern either. Again, he will not defend it if he is not healthy, so he should just forget it.
He has been there and done it and he does not have to prove anything anymore that he is good enough to be number one.
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Rafael Nadal pulled out of the French Open in May 2016 with a wrist injury and did not play again until the Rio Olympics in August. He won his 10th title at Roland Garros earlier this year. Roger Federer missed the final five months of 2016 to recover from his knee injury but returned to win the Australian Open in January.
Becker: With this injury, there are limitations to Andy's movement. There are some players who depend more on their serve who can get quick points, but Andy relies on his speed and footwork, which are an integral part of his game.
That is why he needs to be 100% fit. It's no good for him to be 75% - yes, he is maybe good enough to get to the quarters, like he did here, but he is the number one in the world and he enters tournaments to win them.
The Tour is a gruelling schedule and I would give the same advice to Novak too - rest.
They should both look at the examples of Rafa and Roger. Look at what they have done since coming back fully fit.
Nadal struggled last year with injuries, so he took some time off to get fully fit and look what a year he is having.
So maybe that is a lesson learned for Andy and Novak to really take care of their bodies - take their time and get healthy, and don't play when they can't.
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Murray admits he has managed his hip condition since he was 22. He has also suffered from chronic back pain that affected him earlier in his career, and he had surgery on an injured disc in 2013. Djokovic revealed after his Wimbledon exit that his elbow has been bothering him for more than 18 months.
Becker: Injuries are part of tennis. Most players have niggles and pains right through the year and usually you are able to manage them with the physios and recovery schedules you are given.
But in Grand Slams you play longer matches and there is more chance they can flare up.
I understand why Andy played Wimbledon, because it is his number one tournament every year, and he was also the defending champion. He was desperate to make it work.
I was always the same. In hindsight, I should not have played some of my matches but, in the heat of the moment, I always wanted to play the next round or the next event.
But you run the risk of doing yourself more serious damage if you play on, and that happened to me. I had my struggles with certain injuries, especially with my right ankle, and I am paying a heavy price today.
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Andy is now at the point where he needs to be really honest with himself because if he can't run, he can't play.
It looked bad for him on Wednesday but he probably does not know yet what is going to happen next.
I credit him for not wanting to use the hip injury as an excuse for his defeat but he needs to get a couple of opinions from doctors before he thinks about coming back.
Becker won Wimbledon twice as a teenager in 1985 and 1986. His last Grand Slam victory was the 1996 Australian Open at the age of 28. He retired at the age of 32 in 1999.
Becker: Turning 30 is a milestone for a tennis player but it is not a reason to be injured more. That is down to the amount of tennis you play, and how you deal with your injuries.
The attractions for me when I was unable to play were always the same - every week brought another tournament and more ranking points, and of course you want to get back to doing something you love.
I am sure Andy is the same - that desire to keep playing tennis is not his problem, but I think emotions are the wrong things for him to follow right now. He has to follow logic and just think about the rest of his career.
As you get older it does get harder to come back. If it is a new injury every year then it is manageable. If it is the same injury for a number of years, then eventually it can affect your mind-set - and that is the crucial thing here.
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In my experience, your motivation changes with age. It cannot be the same at 30 as it was at 20, and you cannot have the same motivation to win Wimbledon again when you have already won it once, because the second time is not the same.
You have to find different ways to stimulate yourself, because ultimately that is what prolongs your career and means you keep coming back.
Look at Roger Federer, who is playing the best tennis ever at the age of 35 because he has got everything right in the rest of his life too.
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The four players left in the men's singles have won a total of 19 Grand Slam titles between them. Seven-time Wimbledon champion Federer has won 18 of them - Marin Cilic, who won the 2014 US Open, is the only other major winner left in the tournament.
Becker: Roger will never admit it but he is the clear-cut favourite now.
But, having said that, the Wimbledon semi-final is never easy because your opponent has won five times to get there and is full of confidence.
Tomas Berdych will have nothing to lose when he plays him, and for Roger things are different this year.
No man has won eight Wimbledon titles and I think history is as much of an opponent for him as any of the players left in the tournament.
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In the other semi-final, I would give the edge to Cilic over Sam Querrey, because he has won a Grand Slam before and it just feels like his number has come up this year.
Cilic had gone out in the quarter-finals here in the past three years, so he has been knocking on the door for a while, and he has eventually gone through.