Tributes paid to lifeboat crew lost 50 years ago

The crew that tragically lost their lives

By Cara Sulieman

WREATHS will be placed at sea tomorrow (Tues) in a touching tribute to eight lifeboat crew from Broughty Ferry who lost their lives trying to rescue stranded sailors 50 years ago.

The tragedy rocked the close knit community when the Mona lifeboat was found run aground on December 8 1959.

They had headed towards St Andrews Bay to reach the crew of the North Carr lightship which had broken adrift of its moorings.

Those who lost their lives on December 8 1959 were Ronald Grant, 28, George Smith, 53, George Watson, 38, John Grieve, 56, James Ferrier, 43, Alexander Gall, 56, John T. Grieve, 22 and David Anderson, 42.

And tomorrow (Tues) they are being remembered as the current lifeboat crew take wreaths out to sea on behalf of family and friends of the men who died.

STV rapped over regulations breach

By Rory Reynolds

BELEAGUERED broadcaster STV has been rapped for breaching media regulations.

Broadcast regulator Ofcom has ruled that the channel’s popular Business Briefing programme was in breach of the Broadcasting Code by being sponsored by STV Jobs.

The Broadcasting Code – which is enforced by Ofcom – prohibits the “sponsorship of news and current affairs programmes”.

STV said that the Business Briefing, which followed the main 10.00pm news bulletin, featured a clause stating that the briefing was a “short specialist report following a news programme – including sport, travel and weather reports – may be sponsored.”

However Ofcom said yesterday that Business Briefing was in breach of the Broadcasting Code.

Elderly dog abandoned by road side

 

Doris who was dumped at the road side

By Cara Sulieman

AN ELDERLY dog which narrowly missed being run over by a lorry after being heartlessly dumped at the side of the road refused to budge for rescuers – hoping its owners would come back.

A passing motorist spotted the dog – dubbed Doris – just two miles from the Scottish SPCA rehoming centre in Mellerstain in the Scottish Borders.

She was seen wandering worriedly up and down the side of the road between Gordon and Greenlaw, dodging cars and barking as she waited for her owner to come back.

At first, the loyal pooch refused to get into the Good Samaritan’s car.

But she was eventually coaxed into the warm and taken to the charity’s centre where she was checked over.

Rangers owner Sir David Murray unveils plans for massive new development

By Oliver Farrimond

UNDER-FIRE Rangers owner Sir David Murray has unveiled new plans for a massive development next to Edinburgh Airport.

The former Ibrox chairman was forced to go back to the drawing board after his initial plans were thrown out for infringing the green belt.

But Sir David’s property firm, Murray Estates, have re-submitted plans for 200 new homes, a care home and a community centre at Ratho Station.

The news comes as Murray yesterday faced angry shareholders at the Rangers AGM, where fans were expected to demand answers over Sir Murray’s sale of the club.

There are also fears that players may be sold to balance the books, and that Rangers’ bankers Lloyds play too great a role in the running of the club.

Police hunt thieves after “despicable” church theft

By Rory Reynolds

POLICE are hunting “despicable” thieves after £2,000 worth of equipment was stolen from a church.

The culprits broke into St Paul’s Church in Galashiels and took a projector used for presentations and classes.

They also damaged several items of furniture during the raid, which occurred between 4.45pm on Saturday and 10.05am on Sunday.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said: “This is a despicable theft that is all the more poignant given the time of year it has occurred.

“Anyone with information that can help us locate those responsible is asked to contact police immediately.

Army instructor grills soft Santas ahead of charity run

By Rory Reynolds

A BRITISH Military Fitness instructor made mincemeat of a bearded bunch of Santas yesterday.

Corporal James McKay introduced the red-suited recruits to gruelling press-ups, star jumps and sprinting, ahead of the Great Scottish Santa Run next week.

Only ‘no no no’s’ could be heard as the screaming drill instructor put the soggy Santas through their paces in the pouring rain.

The run through Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens on Sunday hopes to pull in more entrants than the current record of more than 2,000 Santas.

Duncan Fisher, who has been training for the event, said: “We thought we’d get in some military fitness in preparation for the run next week.