By Cara Sulieman A SCOTS goldsmith carried a sword through the streets of London to claim his right as a Freeman of the City. Kenneth Moffatt was the first person to carry a sword from Edinburgh to London in over 400 years – the last being James 6th of Scotland who made the same [...]
By Cara Sulieman DESPITE vowing never to move from her humble home, Susan Boyle is being pressured by family and friends to quit her council house in favour for somewhere with more security. Simon Cowell has joined her brothers, Gerry and John, in voicing his concerns over the Britain’s Got Talent star’s safety. They are [...]
By Rory Reynolds FIRMS in Scotland have been awarded just 17 contracts to work on the London Olympics – despite bidding for 2,806. Scottish companies’ share of the contracts to deliver the 2012 games currently amounts to just 2 per cent of the total budget. Another 35 companies have been awarded subcontracts, but the total [...]
By Rory Reynolds SALES of mussels are expected to double in the run up to Valentine’s Day as lovers shun traditional romantic dishes. Couples are turning to mussels because they are cheaper than traditional choices such as oysters and lobster, according to industry experts. The Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group has said that they expect to [...]
By Rory Reynolds SCOTLAND’S oldest wine firm has collapsed after two centuries of trading to some of the nation’s most famous figures. Cockburn’s of Leith, which famously sold Sir Walter Scott 4,200 bottles of wine and 430 bottles of spirits in one visit alone, has gone into administration. The Edinburgh wine merchants, who also supplied [...]
By Cara Sulieman A MOUNTAIN hare found on a high street in the snow has been released back into the wild after being treated for concussion. A concerned passer-by called the Scottish SPCA after finding the animal hopping along Lauder High Street in Berwickshire. Confused and out of his natural habitat, the animal was sporting [...]
By Paul Thornton EDUCATION Secretary Michael Russell MSP has admitted that the “freefall” of teacher numbers in Scotland will not be reversed and could get worse. After seeing the number of teachers plummet by more than 2,000 in the last two years, Mr Russell admitted: “There has been a reduction that I don’t see us [...]
By Cara Sulieman A PRIMARY school has been unable to display a hard-earned eco award outside their building because of health and safety fears. Craigroyston Primary in Edinburgh won a Green Flag award for showing lasting commitment to environmental issues. The skint school could not afford over £2,000 to install a flag pole and were [...]
By Michael MacLeod A POSTMAN stashed over 1,500 letters and parcels in his house and car because he was “stressed” and “mentally exhausted” by his workload. Ross Henderson blamed Royal Mail bosses for changing his delivery routes on a daily basis. But the spotlight landed on the 23 year-old when post went missing and customers [...]
By Michael MacLeod A CARE home assistant has been jailed for dragging an 86-year-old woman along the floor and dislocating her shoulder. Zimbabwean national Carla Nyatsanza, 35, was sacked by the Pentland Hill Nursing Home in Edinburgh following an attack on Jean Burgoyne. The Alzheimer’s patient was left bruised and bleeding after Nyatsanza pulled her [...]
By Rory Reynolds IT IS among the most expensive purchases a woman will ever make and spends most of its life in the cupboard. But now 20 Scots brides have chosen to send their wedding dresses thousands of miles away to Africa – so they can have a another big day. The women, who are [...]
By Rory Reynolds STUDENTS and staff protested outside the Scottish Parliament yesterday over cuts that could see hundreds of university staff lose their jobs. The group protested outside Holyrood over cuts in teacher training that will see Edinburgh University alone lose up to 40 staff. The Scottish government’s cuts in education training will see fewer [...]
by Cara Sulieman & Paul Thornton SHAKEN superstar Susan Boyle has vowed she won’t be forced to flee her family home after confronting a late night intruder in her house. The Scots singer returned from London late on Tuesday night after recording a charity single for Haiti earthquake victims. After opening the door of her [...]
by Shaun Milne SINGING star Susan Boyle discovered an intruder at her home in West Lothian last night – just hours after helping record a song for Haiti. SuBo returned to her council house in Blackburn with a friend shortly before 10pm and confronted the man who was on the stairs at her home. It [...]
By Rory Reynolds A NURSE has been struck off over a catalogue of cock-ups while working on wards for mental health patients. Laura Purdy, 56, gave anti-psychotic drugs to the wrong patient on one occasion and anti-depressants on another. The staff nurse also fell asleep while she was supposed to be watching a suicidal youngster [...]
By Rory Reynolds OFFICIALS have denied reports of a full-scale riot at what has been branded Scotland’s plushest prison. Two prison guards were taken to hospital after inmates went on the rampage at HMP Addiewell in West Lothian at around 7pm on Monday night. But last night it emerged that prison staff lost control even [...]
By Paul Thornton A POLICE force are investigating two officers who have apparently been exposed sleeping while on duty in a Youtube video. A clip titled “Edinburgh sleeping police” appears to have been captured by a member of the public – known as calumbro – who came across the pair napping in a patrol car. [...]
By Cara Sulieman A GUN-WIELDING teacher has been struck off after firing an air rifle at a teenager to frighten off a gang he claimed had attacked him. Allan Dickson was fined £1,000 after he admitted two firearms offences at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in March last year. Dickson, 33, was suspended by Midlothian Council following [...]