By Rory Reynolds THE BACKLASH from the US over the release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi has already begun to hit Scottish hotels hard – just days after his release. Fears are now growing over the potential economic impact of losing tens of thousands of American tourists after the controversial decision to release [...]
By Rory Reynolds A SCOTTISH social worker is to face the daunting task of monitoring the man who killed 270 people and caused an international political storm – from his Barrhead council office 1790 miles away. East Renfrewshire Council’s criminal justice manager Jonathan Hinds will have a video conference with Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi every [...]
By Rory Reynolds HERO firefighters narrowly prevented an early morning blaze from devastating one of Scotland’s most iconic stately homes. A member of staff at Floors Castle in Kelso – home of the Duke of Roxburghe – raised the alarm after discovering the fire in a private living room and immediately evacuated the building at [...]
By Michael MacLeod A BABY-faced thug who kicked a man in the head as he lay helplessly on the ground shouted “at least I’ve still got my PlayStation” as he was led to jail yesterday. Lewis Gosman, 17, attacked George Grant in a Morrison’s supermarket in the Gilmerton area of Edinburgh area on June 14 [...]
By Oliver Farrimond NEW evidence has shown that Scots are starting to ditch their cars in favour of train travel. Statistics released by the Scottish office for National Statistics yesterday has shown a dramatic fall in new car registrations, as well as a drop in numbers travelling to work by car. In total, the number [...]
By Michael MacLeod FORMER death row Scot Kenny Richey will be allowed to stay in America after Scottish prosecutors dropped charges against him claiming he stole a handbag from a pub. The 45 year-old ex-marine had quit Scotland for the States to see his dying father Jim, but faced the prospect of having to jet [...]
By Oliver Farrimond PLANS have finally been released detailing a new eco church to be built in Scotland entirely from beer cans, tyres and shipping containers. Eco-friendly parishioners have gathered almost half a tonne of beer cans for the building in Milton in Glasgow, which will replace their current place of worship. The Church of [...]
By Alexander Lawrie A SCOTTISH student has trotted off with a top Pony Club title against the odds after her horse fell seriously ill the night before the final. Rebecca Stephen, 20, from Whiterashes, Aberdeenshire, romped to the top of the Pony Club Championships in Derbyshire on a borrowed mount after her beloved horse Maggie [...]
By Rory Reynolds POLICE are hunting what was feared to be a massive wolf on the loose after a member of the public claimed to have seen it being chased through a field by a herd of furious cattle. Stunned Keith McDowell said he witnessed the bizarre scene while he was walking along the edge [...]
By Rory Reynolds A BUS driver has been charged with careless driving after his vehicle ploughed into two cars and a lorry – leaving two people in hospital. The smash happened at a set of traffic lights during a busy rush hour on the Edinburgh Road in Bathgate, West Lothian. The incident occurred at 5pm [...]
By Cara Sulieman POLICE forces across the country have received around 200 bottles of booze, more than100 boxes of chocolates and 23 calendars in the last three years. Senior staff from all seven forces, mainly chief constables, were also invited to 61 sporting events including Scotland international rugby matches, Euro qualifier football matches and even [...]
By Cara Sulieman CHILDREN’S comic favourite Dennis the Menace has been given a 21st century makeover. Athough he has kept hold of his trademark stripey jumper and black shorts, it was revealed yesterday that he could have undergone a far more radical change. Designs put forward for the tearaway kid included a spray can-wielding hoodie [...]
By Rory Reynolds CELTIC legend Brian McLaughlin was laid to rest yesterday almost two weeks after his body was discovered after a tragic accident at the Union Canal in Falkirk. More than 400 mourners packed into the Sacred Heart Church in Grangemouth to pay tribute to the player who was once described by Jock Stein [...]
By Cara Sulieman CHILD CARE expert Dr Penelope Leach has slammed politicians for making decisions about family issues they don’t fully understand. Speaking to a packed tent at the Edinburgh Book Festival today (Tues), she said that the problem with the options available to parents today was that the policy makers have never experienced the [...]
By Oliver Farrimond STRUGGLING young parents are to receive a helping hand when trying to travel on public transport. Inventor Michael Ridd, 21, has created a new type of baby buggy that folds completely flat, easing pressure on parents having to squeeze onto buses with young children. The contraption fits easily into small spaces, and [...]
By Cara Sulieman MORE THAN a dozen workers have been suspended from a Scots council after a racist email was sent round a group of employees. It is believed that the staff at City of Edinburgh Council then either replied to the original email or forwarded it on, resulting in their suspensions. The content is [...]
By Oliver Farrimond HI-TECH house hunters will be able to track down information on homes for sale near their actual location – by sending a simple text message. An Edinburgh property firm has launched the state-of-the-art service, which uses satellite tracking to deliver the latest information on the 10 nearest properties on their books to [...]
By Alexander Lawrie A GROUP of Scots schoolkids have attracted help from an army of top celebrities to help them raise much needed cash for their local play area. The quick-thinking youngsters wrote hundreds of letters to stars of sport, stage and screen asking for a personal doodle to auction of in aid of their [...]
By Alexander Lawrie A FORMER-Black Watch war hero has left almost £9 million in his will. Captain John Neil Baillie-Hamilton was a leading member of the Perthshire farming community and owned over 12,000 acres of prime agricultural land near Callander. Capt Baillie-Hamilton served as an officer in the Black Watch and saw service in India, [...]
By Alexander Lawrie A CONTROVERSIAL million pound re-fit of a popular library which forced a family out of their home has finally been given the go ahead. The refurbishment of Morningside Library in the trendy quarter of Edinburgh populated by famous neighbours including Harry Potter creator JK Rowling, Rebus author Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall [...]