Facebook the musical hits Edinburgh

A scene from the musical

By Cara Sulieman

ONE of the world’s most famous social networking sites is being brought to life on stage.

Facebook: The Musical opens at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival next month taking its inspiration from real life relationships forged – and broken – over the web.

The producers describe the show as “a very modern romance” where five characters experience almost every emotion through Facebook.

After setting up a fictional character on the site and then seeing how far other users would go to get to know them, Matthew Graham knew he had the plot for a musical.

Family suffer twin tragedy as son dies following dad’s fatal smash

By Oliver Farrimond

A SCOTS businessman suffered double-heartbreak after two deaths within hours of each other, it emerged yesterday.

First skip-hire boss David Gallagher was involved in a fatal road smash when a biker collided with the lorry he was driving.

Then police called at his home later that same day to break the news that his son had been killed in a 4×4 accident.

Friends said Mr Gallagher, from Gilmerton in Edinburgh, was left “shattered” by the news.

One said: “It’s just unbelievable.

“He is a fantastic guy, a real diamond. He would take a bullet for his son if he had to.”

Pensioner is suing her council after losing her front teeth

Marion's missing teeth

By Cara Sulieman

A PENSIONER is suing her council after losing her front teeth in two separate falls on the same stretch of pavement.

Marion McKeller, 82, faces an eye-watering £1,000 dentist bill after losing five teeth when she fell on wobbly paving slabs on Easter Dalry Road in Edinburgh.

Now she wants the council to repair the cracks on both sides of the road so others don’t fall victim.

She said: “The state of the pavement is just shocking. It is uneven and there are dips in it up to two inches deep. Even when you are being careful it is incredibly easy to fall down.

Shocked onlookers dial 999 as yobs attack “whale”

By Cara Sulieman

SHOCKED onlookers called out the coastguard when they saw a crowd of yobs beating what looked like a whale that had been washed up on to the beach.

Worried that the six savages were going to kill the animal, people in East Lothian dialled 999 to get help for the beast.

But when the coastguard arrived they soon realised it was a false alarm.

Instead of a stranded whale, the group had surrounded a wave generator that they were experimenting with.

Paisley Man diagnosed with swine flu dies

BREAKING: By Oliver Farrimond

AN ELDERLY man diagnosed with swine flu has died after spending 15 days in intensive care.

The 73-year-old man, from the Inverclyde area, had serious underlying health problems and died at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley last night.

The man is the second person diagnosed as having influenza A (H1N1) to die in the UK, as the number of infected cases in Scotland nears the 1,000 mark.

Nicola Sturgeon, Health Secretary, said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the patient at this tragic and very sad time.

“The family has asked for the patient’s identity to be kept private.

Partner’s tribute to Mark

By Paul Thornton

RELATIVES of a father allegedly beaten to death in a street have paid an emotional tribute to the “loving family man”.

Mark Johnston, 31, died in an incident during the early hours of Sunday morning.

Police say he was rushed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary following an alleged assault at around 3.45am.

Despite efforts to save him, Mark passed away at around 5pm on Monday night.

Yesterday, his partner Pauline described the loss as “devastating” in a joint statement with Mark’s family.

Touching tribute to hit-and-run dad

By Cara Sulieman

THE DAUGHTER of tragic dad Paul Bonnar killed when he was hit by a car at the weekend has left a heartfelt message to him on a makeshift shrine at the spot where he was hit.

Gabrielle Bonnar, 12, placed her tribute letter among the flowers and balloons laid at a tree on Walter Scott Avenue in Edinburgh where the popular 30-year-old died after being struck by a car.

She wrote about how much she would miss her dad and what he meant to her.

The letter read: “Dad I can’t explain how much I miss you. I miss how you smiled and said ‘Hiya my girl.’

Hero dad of two stabbed while rescuing friend

By ALEXANDER LAWRIE and OLIVER FARRIMOND

A HEROIC dad of two has been brutally stabbed to death – after going to the aid of a friend who was suffering a beating.

Sean Stark, 25, from Lochgelly, Fife, was found dying in the street outside his home around 2am on Sunday morning.

Locals have described Mr Stark as a “loving father” and a “devoted partner”.

Mr Stark is believed to have two young daughters, aged three and one-years-old, and it is thought that he and his partner Melanie Gray were trying for a third.

Swine flu hits Edinburgh

By REPORTING TEAM: Cara Sulieman, Paul Thornton, Alexander Lawrie, Lauren Crooks and Oliver Farrimond

BREAKING NEWS: A newlywed couple from Edinburgh have been quarantined at home over fears they have been infected by Swine Flu.

Peter and Jennifer Marshall, from Gorgie, returned from their honeymoon in the area Cancun of Mexico last Tuesday (21st) and started to show signs of flu-like symptoms.

Last night Peter, 37, a flower wholesaler, said they had “voluntarily” confined themselves to their cottage home while awaiting test results to confirm whether or not they had the virus.

He said: “We just feel a little under the weather.”

Staff ‘warned about methadone dose’

By PAUL THORNTON

STAFF at a rehab clinic were warned that a patient may have had too much methadone just hours before he died from an overdose, an inquiry has heard.

Kieran Nichol was just 20 years old when he died from a methadone overdose in the Castle Craig clinic, near Peebles, in the Scottish Borders in December 2005.

His parents believe staff gave him methadone despite Kieran not being a heroin addict.

And an inquiry into his death heard from a fellow patient who claimed he raised concerns about Kieran’s methadone dosage on December 10 – the day before he died.

Giving evidence at Edinburgh Sheriff Court Ross Dixon, 32, said staff had been aware that Kieran had possibly had an overdose but did not seem concerned.