A 74-year-old Scots woman is teaching nofewer than ten fitness classes every week and vows “as long as I can move, I will groove.” Helen Flannigan, from Edinburgh, has been a fitness and dance instructor for more than 30 years. She is teaching body attack, line dancing, spinning, aqua fitness and flexi-bar and has now [...]
THE GREEN credentials of JK Rowling have been called into question by one of the world’s oldest conservation groups after it objected to her plans to demolish a house in Edinburgh. The Harry Potter author, who owns a 17th century mansion in a suburb of the city, wants to level a neighbouring property to make [...]
AN EDINBURGH helicopter tour company has gone into administration, leaving some customers short changed. Lothian Helicopters yesterday announced that they had shut down after 20 years’ providing tours of the city’s skyline. The company’s website now only shows a message that states: “Please note Lothian Helicopters has gone into administration with effect from 11 May [...]
A HOT-tempered mother head-butted another parent after tensions boiled over at an under-15s football match. Christine Ruthven was fined for headbutting a rival mum at an under-15 football match. Care worker Christine Ruthven broke rival supporter Heather Clarke’s nose during the kids’ game, a court heard. The assault happened after Edinburgh City supporter Ms Clarke [...]
By Kirsty Topping RAF Leuchars will close, according to MP Thomas Docherty RAF Leuchars will close and be handed over to the army, a Scottish MP claimed today. Thomas Docherty said he had been briefed by officials that the Fife airbase was “for the chop.” Docherty, a member for Dunfermline, warned that there could be [...]
A BUSINESSMAN has lashed out at workshy Scots after he spent 25,000 on recruitment fees and only found one new employee. Jeff Sladden, who runs a publishing business in Fife, said he has been trying to recruit for eight months but only 2% of those invited to interview bother to turn up. Sladden is offering [...]
Fiasco: the tram lines were damaged long before a single tram used them PRINCES Street is to be shut to buses for months so that tram lines can be dug up and relaid, it emerged today (Wed). Businesses and residents, who have already suffered massive disruption, are likely to react furiously to the news. [...]
Rescued: In pain but happy to be out of his rocky dungeon, Jim awaits transport to hospital AN intrepid 82-year-old climber had to be rescued after falling in a mine shaft and getting stuck over night. Jim Salvona was on his own exploring the 18ft deep shaft in Midlothian when disaster struck. Jim, from Edinburgh, [...]
By Kirsty Topping THE pub which claimed a firefighters life in a ferocious blaze almost two years ago has reopened and drinkers are toasting his memory. Ewan Williamson, 35, was killed when the floor of the Balmoral Bar in Edinburgh collapsed during a fire in July 2009. The pub reopened on Tuesday afternoon under a [...]
SCOTTISH students are furious after receiving an email informing them about course cuts – in the middle of their exams. A professor issued the warning to students at Strathclyde University and then wished them good luck in their exams. The proposed cuts would save 750,000 by axing up to 25 jobs and cutting courses in [...]
An Edinburgh Zoo boss has been cleared after a smear campaign sparked a probe. A ZOO boss today said he was overwhelmed after being officially cleared of “despicable’ allegations of serious misconduct.Gary Wilson was banned from Edinburgh Zoo while bosses and charity regulators probed anonymous claims against him.But Donald Emslie, who is the executive chair [...]
L/Cpl Liam Tasker, with his Military Working Dog Theo By Kirsty Topping The family of a soldier killed alongside his dog in Afghanistan has been presented with the Elizabeth Cross. Princess Anne presented the award to the family of 26-year-old Liam Tasker in a private ceremony at the Defence Animal Centre in Melton Mowbury. Lance [...]
SIXTH-year pupils at a Scots high school have become an internet sensation after breaking out in a YMCA flash-mob dance to celebrate their last day. The dance by pupils at Bell Baxter High School in Cupar, Fife has already received over 120,000 hits on YouTube. And students from around the world have been getting in [...]
Alyshia Walker in action with her team, the Fauldhouse Foxes A TEENEAGE girl who is the top scorer in her football team has been banned from a national competition because of her sex. Alyshia Walker, 13, has been left “devastated’ by the news that she cannot play in the Tesco Cup with her team the [...]
By Kirsty Topping Edinburgh council plan to allow cycling on some pavements in the city CYCLISTS will be allowed to ride on pavements, under moves being considered by a Scottish Council. As part of a campaign to get more people to choose two wheels over four, Edinburgh City council is looking to allow pavement cycling [...]
By Kirsty Topping SMALL businesses in Scotland are wasting 500m on energy every year, a report claimed. Businesses end up paying more than necessary because they fail to keep track of information such as who their supplier is or when their contract is due for renewal. This means they could end up paying up to [...]
MORE than 100 drivers with one of Scotland’s biggest transport firms are to have their every move monitored from space. Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) has bought an 85,000 driver-tracking system that monitors their every movement while behind the wheel in real time. Using the GPS system, bosses at SPT will be able to see [...]
The cost of ferrying prisoners in Scotland is set to soar. A NEW contract for prisoner escorts in Scotland is set to cost more than 500,000 per week. The current contract has already soared to 24m per year, but the new one is set to add another 2m annually. Taxpayer groups said today they had [...]
ROBERT Carlyle has revealed that his father saved money in case his acting career flopped. Joseph Carlyle had 800 pounds in the bank to give to his son to help re-launch his career as a painter and decorator, according to the star. In an interview with Glasgow-based children’s charity With Kids, Carlyle revealed that his [...]