PLANS for an allotment had to be put on hold after horrified council workers discovered more than a dozen used syringes on the site. Instead of harvesting a vegetable crop, the workers will have to dig out the syringes found at the Kirkcaldy plot. The sickening discovery was made in an area where children regularly [...]
A RESIDENTIAL care worker caused mayhem at a children’s home after he turned up drunk and wrestled with staff and youngsters. Martin Ross Phillips turned up while under the influence of alcohol at Craigellachie children’s home in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, in December 2010. Mr Phillips punched and slapped a child, put a child in the [...]
WARNING: Distressing Image A MAN who allowed his dog to suffer severely has been banned from keeping animals for ten years. Steven Drewett, 65, of Logie Place, Aberdeen, was sentenced at the city’s sheriff court on Wednesday and fined £850. Drewett had previously pled guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to his female springer spaniel, named [...]
A GROUP of Scots police officers are to take beatboxing lessons from famous a cappella group The Magnets. Lothian and Borders Police choir will get a private lesson from the “six-man sound machine”. They will learn to replicate sounds from drums and percussion instruments using only their voices. Beatboxers use their voice to replicate instrument [...]
A SHOPKEEPER has told how he fought off a robber brandishing a knife – with nothing more than a plastic stool. Akbar Ali was threatened by the thug as he served customers in his West Lothian corner shop. The man waved an eight inch blade at Mr Ali and demanded he hand over cash. The [...]
BUNGLING tourism bosses mixed up two historic Scottish villages on a map given away to a thousands of visitors. The map of Scotland was given away to newspaper readers in the UK and Ireland in a bid to boost “staycation” tourism. But two communities in the picturesque East Neuk of Fife were put in completely [...]
A TRAGIC sports student who jogged every day has died of a heart attack aged just 22. Gael Mackinnon collapsed on Sunday morning after a night out with friends during which she talked about her plans for the future. Gael, who worked part-time as a barmaid, was enjoying a sports science degree at Edinburgh University. [...]
BREWDOG are planning to take revenge on the corporate drinks giant that tried to rob them of an industry award. The Scottish firm has asked fans to come up with names for a new ale to commemorate Diageo’s failed bid to stop them winning Bar Operator of the Year. Diageo was forced to apologise for [...]
A DOG which has been made homeless twice is looking for a new home. Dakota, a seven year old cross breed, originally arrived in the Scottish SPCA’s care as a stray three years ago. Unfortunately, after being found a caring new home he was taken back in February due to his owner’s personal circumstances. Dakota [...]
SCOTTISH Arctic Convoy veterans must be recognised for their dedication and courage, Veterans Minister Keith Brown said today. Whilst meeting the veterans and their families at a reception held in their honour, Mr Brown thanked them on behalf of Scotland and presented a £5,000 donation for the proposed Arctic Convoy Museum on the banks of [...]
A SOLDIER who lost both his legs in Afghanistan still plans to walk down the aisle at his wedding, with the help of hi-tech artificial legs. Private Paul Lambert, of the 1 Scots, had both of his legs blasted off in an explosion in 2009, which also stopped his heart. The 31-year-old, from Polwarth, Edinburgh, [...]
A SOCIAL worker, Susan Forsyth, from East Kilbride, had previously pled guilty to benefit fraud after claiming means-tested income support and incapacity benefit to a value of £34,774.63. She was employed as a social care worker at Glasgow City Council at the time of the offences, which took place over a six-year period from 2004 to [...]
THE NATIONAL Institute for Health and Clinical Exchellence (NICE) announces today that they are going to start recommending – the breakthrough treatment for advanced prostate cancer – but only for NHS in England and Wales. The Prostate Cancer Charity has welcomed the announcement, but has vowed to continue campaigning until the drug is available on the NHS for all [...]
THE SCOTTISH campaign group representing victims of the PiP implant scandal has once again called on the Health Secretary to conduct a Public Inquiry into the scandal. The call follows yesterday’s Governmental review of the scandal, which has caused considerable harm and distress to thousands of Scots. Having previously failed to state her support for [...]
A HEARTS fan battling a terminal illness is flying 11,000 miles to see his team play in the cup final. Gary York suffers from motor neurone disease and is confined to a wheelchair but did not think twice about booking flights from New Zealand to Glasgow. The 52-year-old emigrated to New Zealand when he was [...]
A DRIVER who transports disabled children has been hit with 27 fines for driving in bus lanes – despite police telling him he was allowed to. Thomas Renwick uses his nine-seater minibus to transport severely disabled youngsters to school in Edinburgh. Despite police advising him that vehicles with more than seven passengers could use the [...]
THE JUSTICE Secretary will join Hearts and Hibs legends, local school children and the Scottish Cup to take part in Cashback Street Football coaching sessions in Edinburgh tomorrow morning. Children from schools across the city will join Kenny MacAskill, Hearts and Hibs legends Jimmy Sandison and Keith Wright in training sessions on portable pitches in [...]
HEARTS fan Ian Downie was so proud of his ticket for the cup final – he decided to iron it. But the 34-year-old’s attempt to have a perfect ticket for the game may end in disaster after he severely scorched the precious piece of paper. Ian said: “I saw my mate’s ticket which looked fresh [...]
A SKIN cancer drug which can extend the lives of patients by up to five years has been denied to patients in Scotland. Even though the treatment can be accessed by patients in England. The Scottish Medicines Consortium refused the Ipilimumab drug on the grounds it was too expensive, despite being described as a “wonder drug” for those with severe [...]
GRAMPIAN Police have released images of a man connected to the theft of a tanker in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. They are appealing to the public for their assistance in identifying this man. The theft took place in an industrial yard at around 7:00 pm on Friday 16 September 2011 on Keithall Road. This man caught on [...]