Clan leader hopes to reclaim ancient territory

By Cara Sulieman

A CLAN chief is plotting to take back land that he claims once used to belong to his family.

Ranald MacDonald, chief of the MacDonald’s of Keppoch branch, is hoping to use an ancient law to regain ownership of the entire area of Lochaber.

And he claims that the law stands in his favour – with the government failing to abolish an Anglo-Saxon system of ownership.

The chief wants to use Ur Duthchas – Gaelic for clan territory – to achieve his aims and has now submitted a petition to the Scottish Parliament in the hope that they will agree with him.

Mr MacDonald became the chief of the clan after a legal battle that he took all the way to the Court of Session in 2004 where the judges decided that he was the rightful successor.

Homecoming Scotland boss sacked in “charade”

By Rory Reynolds

A TOP PR boss was sacked from his post at Homecoming Scotland without warning because bosses judged it more “humane”, a tribunal heard yesterday.

Richard Saville-Smith is suing VisitScotland – the public body behind the campaign – for unfair dismissal after he was fired following an episode of stress related depression.

The employment tribunal in Edinburgh heard that the £40,000 a year boss was put through the “charades” rather than tell him directly he would be dismissed at a meeting.

Mr Saville-Smith had previously received a letter to attend a meeting where his return to work would be discussed.

Questioning Paul Bush, chief executive officer of EventScotland which comes under the VisitScotland umbrella, Panel member James Warnock said: “Mr Saville-Smith received your letter regarding his return to work.

Scotland’s popular baby names revealed

By Cara Sulieman

SCOTLAND’S most popular baby names have been revealed, with Jack topping the boys’ list for the seventh time in the last 11 years.

And for girls Sophie is still a firm favourite after five years at the top spot.

In second place for the boys is Lewis, which has been in the top two with Jack for the last 11 years – Lewis reaching number one for four of those.

James climbed two places to third, with Liam staying in fourth place and Logan going up three places to fifth.

The second most popular name with baby girls this year was Olivia, followed by Ava, Emily and Lucy.

And some names have seen an upshot in popularity, with Owen climbing 26 places to 32 and Miley shooting up a whopping 190 places to 95.

Cancer patient stranded after string of cancelled flights

Left to right: Panos Vikis, Nicola McAndrew, Patricia and Alison Vikis

By Cara Sulieman

A CANCER patient was left facing a nightmare before Christmas after a catalogue of travel disasters.

First Patricia Vikis and her husband Panos were left stranded in Cyprus last Wednesday after the collapse of what was Scotland’s biggest airline Flyglobespan.

Disappointed but pragmatic, they instead booked a flight back with low-cost airline easyJet – on for that to be cancelled too owing to heavy snow.

And because the only seats they could get were to London, it meant they also had to cancel their connecting British Airways flight from Gatwick to Edinburgh.

Department store brings back festive spirit for charity

By Cara Sulieman

A DEPARTMENT store is spreading a little Christmas spirit by making a donation to a charity who had their collecting tin stolen from them while they were fundraising.

Members of staff from MSTC Lothian were busy wrapping shoppers’ Christmas gifts outside Debenhams in Ocean Terminal, Edinburgh when a callous thief took the collection jar from their table.

With between £150 and £200 in the tin, the charity were shocked at the crime, describing it as “disgusting”.

Staff at Debenhams heard about the theft and were keen to help out – donating a generous £100 to the charity.