Keepers at the park laid on a special Jubilee themed treat for the park’s snow monkeys.  Union jack paper cups were overflowing with primate favourites including frozen fruit juices, pieces of fruit, honey and a mixture of dried fruit and nuts

David Barclay, Senior Animal Keeper at the Highland Wildlife Park, said: “Our group of 21 snow monkeys joined the rest of the nation in celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee.

Snow monkeys have been celebrating the Diamond Jubilee

“We are always thinking of new and exciting ways to provide our animals with enrichment to promote their natural foraging behaviours, and for this special occasion we decided to put a whole host of tasty treats in union jack paper cups for our snow monkeys to tear into…literally.

“The frozen juice in some of the cups puzzled some of them, but only for a while as they soon realised they have to tear the cup to get to the frozen liquid.  Other members of the monkey troop just ran off with the paper cups to play with them, which undoubtedly kept them entertained for a while.”

The 19 strong group will have a royally good time as they indulge in specially designed food.

Alison Bates, Primate Keeper at Edinburgh Zoo, said: “We always look for new ways of enriching our animal’s lives, especially at feeding time.  So for the Jubilee we decided to make union jack and crown inspired food sacks filled with a mixture of hay and lots of their fruity favourites.

“Our chimps are extremely curious about new additions to their enclosure and headed straight for the sacks.  It’s always great to watch how they tackle our enrichment, with a few picking out the fruit carefully and others much messier chimps just tipping the sacks upside down to release the treats hidden inside.”

The five members of The Stagger Rats spent hours in a Serbian police station after crashing their tour van.

But their brush with the law brought them in to contact with the organisers of one of the biggest rock festivals in Europe– and a likely slot on the bill with Guns N’ Roses, Duran Duran and New Order.

Craig McMullen, Callum Easter, a friend, James Page (driver), Terry McDermott, Daniel Paylor and Kai Wallace

The Exit Festival, in Novisad, Serbia, attracts around 100,000 fans.

The Stagger Rats, from Dunbar, East Lothian, were driving their van through the country on a shoe-string tour of the Balkans which already taken in Croatia and Romania.

Guitarist Craig McMullen, 25, said: “When we were in Serbia, we crashed.

“The police turned up and took us back to the station.

“But one of the officers ended up going to his own house and bringing us back some of the local booze they drink there.”

He added: “The woman we crashed into, her friend works for Exit Festival.

“She phoned her up at the time and she gave the phone to our manager, Bonny, so we’re probably getting a gig there.

“It’s a really big one – it’s massive. The four-day festival is one of the biggest in Europe and can attract around 100,000 revellers.”

Band manger Bonny Squair is now in talks with organisers to get the boys signed up.

The band pictured with members of the Serbian police force 

Organist Callum Easter, 24, said: “If it comes off, Exit Festival would be the biggest concert we have ever played. It is supposed to be like Glastonbury but even better.”

Callum Easter, Terry McDermott, Kai Wallace, Craig McMullen, Daniel Paylor  

The tour had already proved disastrous for the band before the collision.

When they were in Romania, they were conned out of 50 euro by bandits and then faced a fine for failing a vehicle spot check in Croatia.

But instead of their crash ending in tragedy for The Stagger Rats, it could be the making of Daniel Paylor, Callum Easter, Craig McMullen, Kai Wallace and Terry McDermott.

“We covered around 5500 miles with seven of us in a Transit van travelling to France, Holland, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Czech Republic and Croatia,” Callum added.

The band also hope to make it in America and are due to play at the famous South by Southwest Festival in Austin,Texas next year.

Their debut album Scorpio Leisure- recorded with producer Owen Morris, famed for working with Oasis, The Verge and Ash- is set for release towards the end of the year.

Driver and spiritual advisor James Page with Serbian police 

Marty, the three year old tiger, is a powerful and agile youngster.  With Amur tigers the world’s largest species of cat, Marty could weigh up to 190kg or 30 stone when fully grown.

Exceptionally rare animals, Amur tigers are formally listed as endangered and it is estimated that there are only between 400 and 450 left in the wild.

From the Amur region of the Russian Far East, next to the Chinese border, the population once numbered less than 50, they are still threatened due to habitat loss, poaching for their skins and the traditional medicine trade.

The Highland Wildlife Park is a great success story when it comes to breeding these rare and striking animals.  Marty’s love match Dominica, and her sister Natalia who recently left for a zoo in Portugal, were both born at the park in 2009 to parents Sasha and Yuri.  Marty will be the first adult male Amur tiger in the Highlands since Yuri passed away in 2010.  Sasha, the Park’s matriarchal tiger, was painlessly put to sleep in March of this year due to a noticeable deterioration in her health and wellbeing.

It is hoped that this young feisty couple, Marty and Dominica, will have the same success when it comes to producing cubs.  The pair seem to have hit it off, with mating behaviour being observed soon after they were introduced, and Marty and Dominica are now spending their days together.  Still separate at night, it is hoped that Marty will move in with Dominica full time in due course.

Douglas Richardson, Animal Collection Manager at the Highland Wildlife Park, said:

“There is a high likelihood that Marty and Dominica will produce cubs together in the future, and it would be wonderful if Dominica takes after her mother Sasha who was a natural at parenting.  Any cubs born to this pair would be the first Amur tiger cubs at the park in three years.  Very significant for the Park, these cubs would help enhance the long term viability of the crucial captive breeding programme and ultimately the survival of this species”.

“The two tigers spend their time together during daylight hours, but we are currently observing their behaviour and gauging their reactions to each other to determine if and when they will be ready to live together 24/7.  All fairly positive so far, particularly as breeding between the two has already been spotted; the initial indications are that they are compatible.

“Bar a few small ‘arguments” – which is to be expected from two fiery animals – this three year old tiger duo seem to have fairly similar characteristics.  Marty and Dominica both enjoying playing, pouncing and giving chase to each other, but obviously due to Marty’s much greater size and power we have to exercise a fair degree of caution!”

But the giant entertainment corporation’s new map seems to be declaring Scottish independence two years before the referendum.

The map was produced as part of an online video to promote the firm’s Scottish tour, which ties in with the release this summer of their Highland blockbuster Brave.

The map appeared to show the Scottish border 100 miles north of where it should be.

The original version the map appeared to show the border between 100 and 150 miles north of where it should be.

In the east, Edinburgh and Fife were shown south of the border. In the west, the border appeared to extend as far north as Fort William, even including Ben Nevis.

After the confusion was pointed out, Disney produced a new version of the video which avoids the problem altogether by doing away with the border.

But the map is labelled with “Scotland” in north and, further south, “United Kingdom”, appearing to suggest that Alex Salmond has already achieved his lifelong political dream.

The original map has been heavily criticised online by dozens of disgruntled Scots.

One, Scott Thomson, wrote on one site: “At no point in history has that ever been the border.”

Referring to the ongoing confusion over names, he added: “This is a ridiculous map. The United Kingdom has never existed without the inclusion of Scotland, and if it’s supposed to be before the Union, which looking at the trailers I presume it is, then the country south of Scotland is England!

“Why is this so difficult for some people?”

Elaine S wrote: “Grrrrrr! As a Fifer I am not amused that we’ve have been left oot of Scotland!

Simon complained: “Disney disnae ken anything.

“It’s a map of Scotland in the future when King Alex is on the throne.”

The Disney video – made to promote their Adventures by Disney tours – has received more than 14,000 hits on YouTube.

It describes the coach tours as an “epic journey across Scotland following in the footsteps of the filmmakers of the new Disney Pixar movie Brave”.

People taking the tour will get the opportunity to ride a Highland pony and canoe on Loch Ness.

Disney will give Brave its European premiere at the Edinburgh Film Festival this month.

The movie includes top Scot actors such as Billy Connolly, Robbie Coltrane and Kelly MacDonald.

The hilarious clip, featuring a baby called ‘Fanny’, will now be shown on national TV after more than 350,000 people viewed the video online.

The Irn Bru advert shows a new father relying on his can of Irn Bru “to get him through” as he listens to his partner, mother and father-in-law talk about new baby ‘Fanny’.

It includes the lines “Aw Fanny you’re just like yer daddy,” and “mum’s a Fanny, gran was a Fanny, she’ll be joining a long line of Fanny’s”.

The advert proved so popular it made the top spot on the YouTube Trends dashboard as the most shared piece of the content in the UK within a week of its release.

‘Baby’ is the fourth in the series of new ‘Irn Bru gets you through’ adverts, and was released online on May 21^.

IRN-BRU Head of Marketing, Adrian Troy, said: “Irn-Bru adverts tend to get a big reaction but ‘Baby’ has prompted an unprecedented amount of chat and sharing online. So we’ve decided to take it to the masses by putting it on TV, and give the nation a laugh.”

The advert caused a buzz on social networking sites, with one Twitter user writing: “Just seen the Irn Bru ad with the baby called Fanny on Youtube, best one yet hahaha!”

The Chief Officer will have a workforce of more than 9,000 firefighters and support staff, with accountability for a multi-million pound budget and responsibility for ensuring the safety of the people of Scotland.

Applications for the post are now being invited, ahead of the new service going live on 1 April next year.

Roseanna Cunningham, Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs, said:“Reform of the current eight fire and rescue services will help protect and improve local fire services, reducing duplication of support services eight times over and sustaining frontline services. The single police and fire and rescue services will together deliver estimated efficiency savings of £1.7 billion over 15 years.

“I am delighted that we are now at the stage where we are identifying the person to shape, deliver and lead this new organisation. This will unquestionably be one of the most exciting fire and rescue jobs in the UK.

“As we approach the launch of the new single Scottish fire and rescue service, the appointment of a Chief Officer marks the latest step in reshaping Scotland’s fire and rescue services to ensure they are in the best possible shape, more efficient and effective and fit and ready for the challenges of the 21st century.”

The colours of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers (KOSB) will be placed in their regimental museum in Berwick-upon-tweed, Northumberland.

Edinburgh Castle and the city’s Canongate Kirk were also considered as permanent homes for the colours but lost out to Berwick.

The colours have flown in some of the country's most famous battles

The standard has been a rallying point for the regiment for centuries, and carries battle honours from fighting the French in the 18th and 19th centuries to 20th century operations such as Gallipoli, British Palestine and Arnhem.

Other honours for the regiment, which was formed in 1689, include Afghanistan in 1878-80 and Egypt in 1801.

The KOSB colours, currently kept at Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh, are being permanently “retired” because the regiment has been amalgamated and has been presented with new colours.

At last week’s meeting of the KOSB Association, members unanimously decided to host the colours south of the border, due to the town’s close ties with the regiment.

Former soldier Ed Swales, president of the KOSB Association’s Berwick branch, has run a “keep the colours” campaign since November last year.

He said the AGM was stunned by the level of feeling from family members of servicemen and members of the public.

He said: “I presented some responses and press cuttings to the trustees on Thursday night. Their eyes popped out!

“They could see the amazing level of commitment towards the regiment.

“The president of the KOSB Association brought up the need for support from ordinary people in the border area, not just KOSB members.

“We were able to show him the support of thousands of people, particularly through our website.”

Fitting

Mr Swales now hopes rather than rallying troops, as it has done since 1805, the flag will pull in tourists to the regimental museum, hosted in their barracks.

The colours are expected to move to Berwick around August next year, and it is hoped Princess Anne will attend the ceremony.

Clive Fairweather, who commanded the regiment on its 300th anniversary in 1989, says he is glad the colours are returning to the regiment’s “spiritual home.”

The former colonel, who also served as Scotland’s prisons inspector and in the SAS, said: “I don’t see it as the colours moving to England. They’re going to our spiritual home.

“Although we may be an Edinburgh regiment I find myself thinking more often of marching down through Berwick.

“It’s quite a fitting place.”

He joked: “Who knows, maybe Berwick-upon-Tweed will join Scotland one day anyway!”

Historical

Brigadier Andrew Jackson, chairman of the association’s trustees, said the decision was clear-cut.

He said: “Whether it was in Scotland or England wasn’t completely in the discussion.

“It was either Canongate Kirk, because we were historically the Edinburgh regiment, or Edinburgh castle because it had other historical memorabilia.

“Berwick has historic ties with the regiment. It’s been our home for 180 years and we’ve got really strong links with the town.”

He said: “It provided a clear view that such historic colours had to be retired to Berwick.

“Normally, these processes are internal, but this was a unique decision, so it was vital to hear not only from trustees but members of the association too.”

The KOSB were amalgamated with the Royal Scots to form 1 Scots, The Royal Scots Borderers.

The colours are currently held in Dreghorn barracks in Edinburgh.

In July last year they were paraded for the last time before the Queen, who presented the Royal Scots Borderers with new colours.

The current set of colours was presented in 1998, but the regiment carried colours throughout

Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond recently backed down on a proposed plan to scrap all the historical names of several Scottish regiments.

Under the plans, the regiments would have had the remaining names replaced with numbered battalions such as “3 Scots”.

Around one in every 100 Scots are affected by the blood clotting disease Hughes Syndrome – which can cause the placenta to clot leading to the loss of an unborn baby.

The disease is treatable with low doses of aspirin and blood-thinning drugs which improve the chance of preventing miscarriage from below 20 percent to above 80 percent.

Kaie now had baby brother Harris thanks to the test

But current Scottish Government guidelines mean women are not tested for Hughes Syndrome until after they have suffered three consecutive miscarriages.

Kate Hindle, of the Hughes Syndrome Foundation, has criticised the policy, saying women should be offered the simple blood test after they suffer their first miscarriage.

She said: “We realise there are numerous causes of early miscarriage but there are strong medical grounds for testing after one, especially after a later miscarriage.

“In addition to the human costs, simple economics show that the cost involved in miscarriage is £1750 maximum, – 25 times more expensive than the cost of testing.”

Suzanne Wilson, (39) from Inverkeithing in Fife, had to endure the trauma of delivering three stillborn babies and losing one at just eight weeks before discovering she had Hughes Syndrome.

She had almost given up hope of having another child until she had a daily dose of heparin, a blood-thinning medicine that helped her give birth to Harris, who is now nine-and-a-half months old.

Suzanne, who also has three other children Callum (19), Jasmine (14), and Kaie (4), became pregnant for the fourth time in 2008 and it was the beginning of a traumatic time for her and partner Andrew Clark (48).

Suzanne said: “My first baby, Cole, died and there were no ‘classic’ miscarriage symptoms. I had no bleeding, I wasn’t in terrible pain, there was nothing.

“It was only after phoning and phoning that they took me in and gave me a scan. And I was right – my baby had already died.

In 2009 Suzanne fell pregnant again, she said: “I got the same telltale signs I had with Cole, my hormones all seemed to switch off and something instinctively told me that something was wrong.”

After an induction her daughter Demi, was stillborn.

In April 2010 there was further heartbreak for the family when daughter Phoebe was stillborn.

Suzanne and Andrew had almost given up hope when she fell pregnant again. This time her obstetrician felt confident the correct dose of heparin would ensure a successful pregnancy.

Happily she gave birth last August to a healthy baby boy Harris, weighing 6lbs 9oz. Suzanne has now joined campaigners asking for doctors to test woman earlier.

Suzanne suffered three still births before having the test

She said: “She said: “It is the most horrific feeling to look at the smallest of coffins.

“I put a rose on Phoebe’s coffin and told her, ‘I’m going to fight for you and change things, so people never have to go through this.’ “Why can’t they test for Hughes as a precautionary measure? Why do girls have to go on losing babies?

“To go through labour and deliver and hold a baby that you’ll never take home is the most traumatic thing I’ve ever had to do in my life.”

“But at the moment the protocol is you have to lose three before you are entitled to have this test.

“All I want is to save someone else the trauma and grief we had to go through. We were told time after time that it was just ‘one of those things’.

She added: “Getting people aware of this would save so much devastation for families. We’ve had to cremate a baby three times and it must be one of the hardest things to do in your life.”

The Scottish Government confirmed that Scottish women would only receive a test after three miscarriages, adding: “Hughes syndrome is a recognised cause of recurrent miscarriage and late miscarriage and testing is offered to women in these circumstances, as well as women who have experienced a late miscarriage or a stillbirth.

“Experts advise it is not appropriate to offer a test for Hughes to women who have had one miscarriage as it can lead to unnecessary further investigation and potentially inappropriate treatment.”

The programme belongs to a mystery female fan from Kirkcaldy who met the Fab Four backstage after winning a national newspaper competition to meet John, Paul, Ringo and George.

The female fan, who has asked not to be named, got all four Beatles to sign her concert programme backstage at the town’s Carlton theatre in October 1963.

The signed Beatles programme cover.

Nearly 50 years later, the autographed programme, which cost the fan a mere two shilling, will go up for sale at the prestigious Christie’s South Kensington auction house in London on Tuesday June 12.

Beatles memorabilia collectors are expected to shell out between £4,000 and £6,000 for the prized relic.

Nearly half a century old, the concert programme is emblazoned with the words: “The Beatles, Scottish Tour 1963, Glasgow, Kircaldy, Dundee”

The Beatles performed two sell-out shows in Kirkcaldy on the second day of a three date Scottish mini tour promoted by Albert Bonici, each of which was watched by 1,500 screaming fans.

The other acts on the bill were Mike Berry and Freddy Starr and the Midnighters.

The concerts were originally to have taken place at the Raith Ballroom in Kirkcaldy but due to a decision by manager Brian Epstein that The Beatles would only perform in theatres, the booking was moved to the larger Carlton Theatre.

This was The Beatles’ only visit to Kirkcaldy. The Carlton, which stood on Park Road, opened in 1937, and was later used as a bingo hall. It was demolished after a fire in 1972.

John Lennon is said to have named the imaginary “Duchess of Kirkcaldy” from the Beatles Song ‘Cry, Baby Cry’ after the wife of the concert organiser.

He was rumoured to have visited Fife on several occasions to stay with the woman, whose name is not known.

Local rumour has it that the manager of rival venue The Kinema Ballroom, Cecil R Hunter, turned down the Beatles’ original booking enquiry to play there because his wife did not like the look of them.

One week after playing Kirkcaldy, The Beatles appeared on ‘Sunday Night At The London Palladium’ and Beatlemania was born.