By Michael MacLeod THE Royal College of Surgeons had almost half a million pounds plundered from its bank account after falling victim to an outlandish con. Fraudsters posed as employees of the Royal Bank of Scotland and duped a worker at the institution to accept a new banking “smart card” last year. But £465,000 was [...]
By Michael MacLeod POLICE hunting for a stolen computer in a pub were stunned to find an illegal Chinese immigrant guarding a £150,000 stash of cannabis plants under a hatch below the bar. Ming Lee, 40, was the “gardener” of 353 hash plants, which police said he had managed to cultivate to an “advanced stage.” [...]
By Michael MacLeod A MAN looking after his ill brother’s Post Office was subjected to a “terrifying ordeal” when two prostitutes burst in and robbed him of £11,000. After asking for a book of stamps, one of the pair posed as a fake hostage while the other demanded money from the petrified stand-in postmaster. A [...]
By Michael MacLeod A NORTHERN Irish man has appeared in court over the alleged rape of a 17 year-old girl at the Royal Highland Show near Edinburgh. Alister Boyd, 29, was arrested on Friday after the teenager claimed she was sexually assaulted during the Young Farmers’ Ball at the Ingliston event on June 27. Officers [...]
By Rory Reynolds A CORPORATE team-building firm reckon they have the perfect getaway weekend for busy businessmen – for a staggering £18,000. Team Challenge are offering firms the chance to take 30 employees to The Open at St Andrews next year to enjoy a golfing weekend – at a cost of around £600 each. The [...]
By Rory Reynolds A WOMAN has been taken to hospital after surviving a 70-foot fall from a cliff onto the rocks below. A lifeboat crew – who were just 300 yards away – raced to the scene at Kinghorn beach in Fife, before ambulance and the coastguard arrived. The incident took place around 3:20pm this [...]
By Rory Reynolds AN animal rights group is pressuring MSPs to amend the Scottish Marine Bill to protect hundreds of seals from being shot by fishermen. Advocates for animals are demanding that licences to kill seals are revoked after the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation stated that 489 seals were shot in 2008. But the group [...]
By Oliver Farrimond UNDER-fire Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill yesterday declared that the Scottish Government would be “relaxed” about any full inquiry launched into the Lockerbie affair. Asked if he supported convicted terrorist Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi’s call for a public inquiry, the Justice Secretary added that the government would “fully co-operate”. Mr MacAskill was facing questions [...]
By Rory Reynolds A NEW cutting-edge device is being installed in the homes of elderly and vulnerable people to help to cut the number of injuries from falls. Over 300 people in Edinburgh will be given a neck pendent linked directly to the emergency services, to ensure that injuries from accidents are minimised. And their [...]
By Cara Sulieman A SENIOR medic is warning of a dramatic shortage in doctors working on specialist children’s wards after a mini baby boom wiped out a quarter of junior staff. A worrying report claims that 23 per cent of UKs junior doctors specialising in paediatrics are off on maternity leave leaving hard pressed colleagues to [...]
By Rory Reynolds MASTER whisky distillers Ardbeg have launched a new malt they say is inspired by one of the world’s largest whirlpools. The new single malt – Corryvreckan – will be released later this month at an eye watering 57 per cent strength. Costing around £60 a bottle, Dr Bill Lumsden, Head of Distilling [...]
By Rory Reynolds @ the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival AWARD-winning actor Dominic West has mocked media mogul James Murdoch while collecting the award for the hit TV show The Wire. West ridiculed the News International boss on Saturday after Murdoch launched a savage attack on both regulation and the BBC the night before, during the keynote [...]
By Rory Reynolds @ the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival DAVINA McCall has revealed she wants to enter the Big Brother house as a contestant for the last series, after it was announced the hit reality show is to be axed. And the presenter reckons she’ll go out with a bang – by streaking through the house [...]
By Rory Reynolds @ the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival A TOP reality TV guru has slammed Britain’s Got Talent for “manipulating” vulnerable hopefuls like Susan Boyle and Hollie Steel. Professor David Wilson – a former senior consultant for Big Brother – blasted Britain’s Got Talent, saying that vulnerable contestants Boyle and ten-year-old Hollie should never have [...]
By Cara Sulieman DESPERATE Housewives star Maria Cross has been signed up to bring a touch of glamour to the humble potato. The 44-year-old – who plays uptight housewife Bree Hodge in the series – has agreed to do the spoof ads for Scottish company Albert Bartlett, who sell Roosters. In the tongue in cheek [...]
By Cara Sulieman CASH machines could soon be dispensing money in the Scots language following the introduction of Cockney ATMs in London. Manufacturer Bank Machine is considering operating up to 250 cash machines in Glasgow and Edinburgh using the Scots language to give them “local interest”. And the move has been welcomed by pioneers of [...]
By Cara Sulieman UNION officials have slammed Scotland’s fire services for cutting staff when fire-related deaths are on the rise. Ken Ross from the Scottish Fire Brigades Union has criticised the cutbacks revealed by a survey carried out by the union. They found that services across the country have lost one in 12 of their operational [...]
By Rory Reynolds @ the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival PETER ANDRE has said he’ll never date another celebrity after his high-profile car crash marriage to glamour model Jordan ended in turmoil. Speaking at the Edinburgh International Television Festival yesterday (Saturday) the pop star revealed that his marriage to Jordan has put him off ever going out [...]
By Rory Reynolds @ the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival Britain’s Got Talent hosts Ant and Dec leapt to the defence of the show after it was slammed for its treatment of Scots singing sensation Susan Boyle. Blackburn-born Boyle, 48, ended up in The Priory after becoming an overnight global sensation in the wake of her performance [...]
By Rory Reynolds @ the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival TOP GEAR star Jeremy Clarkson rolled into Scotland for the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival to deliver a master-class about the hit BBC 2 show this afternoon (fri). Ditching his trademark jeans for a more formal look of tanned jacket, white shirt and beige trousers he wowed [...]