Antony from Blue in festival slasher musical

By Oliver Farrimond

BOYBAND favourite Antony Costa and the creator of Holby City have teamed up for a festival musical – with a ripping twist.

“Bloodbath”, which stars the former Blue singer as a high school heartthrob, features a Psycho-style serial killer stalking teenagers in a US town.

The killer, dubbed “The Waterman”, preys on unsuspecting teens, picking them off one-by-one – but only if they are in the water.

Costa – who has enjoyed a series of musical roles since his departure from Blue – surprised festival-goers in Edinburgh yesterday (Monday) with a surprise appearance on the Capital’s Royal Mile to promote the gruesome show.

Flanked by a gaggle of beauties, the star showed off his 1950s quiff while sitting on a Harley Davidson.

This is the first time the singer has worked with Holby City creator Tony McHale, who has also recruited former Hollyoaks temptress Ciara Janson for the slasher-musical.

Biker jailed for knife attack on friend

By Paul Thornton

A BIKER who scarred his best friend for life in a frenzied knife attack has been jailed for over two years.

David Jackson, 43, stabbed and slashed Donald Morrison with a kitchen knife after an all-day drinking session in Edinburgh.

Mr Morrison, who had known the motor cycle enthusiast for over 20 years, was left with life threatening injuries following the assault in and around his own home.

Jackson, who was jailed for three years for another attack 12 years ago, claims his type-two diabetes was to blame for his vicious behaviour despite downing several pints of lager as well as vodka during a drinking binge.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court Jackson was caged for 28 months after pleading guilty to assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement and danger of life.

Fiscal depute Siobhan Monks told the court how the two men had met through a biker club which they were both members of and had known each other for over 20 years.

On the day of the attack, September 20 this year, Mr Morrison had invited Jackson and his partner to have a day out in the capital with him and his wife.

They spent the day boozing around the Leith area of the city before returning to Mr Morrison’s Halmyre Street home.

Miss Monks said: “The accused and his girlfriend started bickering about something and the complainer told the accused not to speak to his girlfriend like that.

“The accused responded by seizing hold of Mr Morrison’s head and trying to poke him in the eye. He then began struggling and fighting with Mr Morrison and this moved from the living room to the common close and eventually outside the block of flats.”

But during the arguing, Jackson had grabbed a blade from a knife block in the kitchen of the flat and launched into a vicious rage with the weapon.

Miss Monks said: “The accused produced a knife and repeatedly struck him and stabbed him on his face, head, neck, abdomen and back. The complainer managed to escape into the back garden of the flats and the accused was locked outside the main entrance by a security door.”

During the attack police had received a 999 call and they arrived to see Jackson walking down the street and throwing the knife into a near-by bush.

They arrested, interviewed and charged the vicious thug, who replied: “It’s absolute rubbish.”

Mr Morrison was raced to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where doctors treated what they described as “life threatening injuries” to his head, forehead, back, neck and body.

As well as slashes to his neck and back, a 6cm deep stab wound on his side had penetrated the internal lining of his abdomen.

Incredibly, despite the massive injuries, no vital organs had been damaged by the attack and he was able to return to work in a fortnight, although he has been left scarred for life by the attack.

Shaven-headed Jackson, who wore a Harley Davidson t-shirt in the dock, was locked up and appeared in private at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in October this year before admitting the attack yesterday.

His solicitor, George More, said that the garden worker has “no real recollection” of the incident. Mr More said this, in part, could be put down to his insulin dependant diabetes from which he had suffered from for 18 years.

He said: “He had obviously drunk too much and had not eaten anything all day.

“He can’t remember the detail but he is horrified at his conduct to a friend.”

Sheriff Lillian Patrick said his previous conviction for a violent attack “made this offence all the more serious”.

She said: “You have pled guilty to s very serious offence and the consequences are tragic. That your friendship is over after an evening of madness.”

Sheriff Patrick sentenced Jackson, from Clackmannan, Clacks, to 28 months in prison, reduced from 42 months because of his early plea.

No nonsense as Choppers go to America 125

 

By Alexander Lawrie

A SCOTS company who specialise in customising Harley Davidson motor bikes are all set to launch in America – after winning a string of top European awards.

No Nonsense Choppers have also attracted the interest of Harley Davidson legend Willie G Davidson who admitted he was “blown away” with their intricate designs.

The company owners are readying themselves to fly out to South Dakota to compete in the World Biker Build-Off Championships – the first time any Scottish company has qualified.

David Lothian, and brother and sister team Helen and Charlie Beaton, have been producing their startling custom built machines for almost 20 years.

The Selkirk-based company has just returned from Faro, Portugal, where they took part in Europe’s top competition, with Logie bagging himself the coveted Best in Show award with his bike ‘Offensive’.

The Beaton’s also picked up a handful of awards at the prestigious American Motorcycle Dealers-sponsored contest.

Mr Lothian said: “Winning in Portugal was amazing. It was a surreal experience with fireworks and flames on staged that burnt the hairs on my arms.

“The buzz of driving onto the stage after I’d won was incredible, and being on stage in front of 30,000 bike fans was just unbelievable.”

The three bike enthusiasts are “delighted” to be heading to the States to compete in the world’s biggest event in custom bike design.

Mr Lothian admits the company has little chance of winning the competition, but any prominent placing could mean the difference between the company going full-time or it remaining a part-time hobby.

He said: “It’s going to be an American that wins it, but if I get my bike in the Top 10 it will be life-changing.

“If you get that kind of break you could be a millionaire in a few years.

“We’d definitely stay out there if things worked out. There’s a lot more interest and the bikes sell for twice what they’d sell for back here.”

But for artist Helen, the prize money is less important.

She said: “It’s a real passion. The bikes are a work of art. I hate it when they sell them and I couldn’t care less about the money. They should be in museums.”

At the 100th anniversary of the Harley Davidson open road tour in Barcelona, the work of the talented Borderers caught the eye of Harley legend Willie G Davidson whose grandfather was one of the original founders of the world-famous bike manufacturers.

Mr Lothian also claims the bikes produced by No Nonsense Choppers are more authentic than most of the other competitors.

He said: “Everywhere we’ve gone to compete, hardly any of the others are actually rideable bikes- they’re just for show.

“We actually turn up having ridden the bikes to the event and I think a lot of people respect us for that.

“The response we get from people on the road is incredible.”

The Build-Off Championships shot to fame in 2002 when it premiered on the Discovery Channel and turned many of the sport’s stars into household names.

The most prominent being Orange County Choppers’ owner Paul Teutul Snr and his son, who have gone on to become stars of the hit TV show American Chopper.