American woman named after Lothian Road suicide shocker

By Christine Lavelle

IT has been revealed that the woman who leapt to her death from a fourth floor window of the Caledonian Hilton Hotel in Edinburgh was American businesswoman Melanie Tong.

The 30-year-old was an associate at London management consultancy firm McKinsey and Co, and is believed to have checked in to the five-star hotel on Tuesday.

Ms Tong smashed a window to get out onto the ledge which overlooks Lothian Road, and apparently rocked herself back and forth for around 10 minutes before tipping herself off the edge when ambulance staff arrived.

Onlookers said she appeared “distressed” and “desperate” before she jumped at around 8.40am on Wednesday.

Police search still on for person lost in River Almond

Inspector Stephen Elliot at the scene of the incident

By Cara Sulieman

RESCUERS hunting for a hooded man who plunged into a fast-flowing river said yesterday the victim may actually be a woman.

An RAF Kinloss helicopter joined the search at the River Almond in Livingston after reports a man jumped head-first off a bridge into the gushing torrent 20ft below.

Two drivers who witnessed the fall were left “very distressed” after seeing the mystery person falling into the 10ft-deep river.

Having interviewed other witnesses who saw the person near the murky waters at Kirton yesterday (Thurs), detectives said they have intelligence suggesting they should be looking for a female.

Floods hit Scotland

By Cara Sulieman and Rory Reynolds

TORRENTIAL rain and flooding across parts of Scotland were feared to have claimed the life of at least one man today (thurs) – with forecasters warning of more bad weather to come over the weekend.

At least 20 rivers were last night subject to flood watches as heavy rainfall led to considerable train disruption and several key roads – including the A1 between Scotland and England – being closed to traffic.

In West Lothian police and RAF search and rescue teams spent several hours searching the swollen River Almond near Livingston after reports of a man falling into the fast-flowing waters.

A distraught member of the public called Lothian and Borders Police at 9am to say that they had seen the man fall into the river from a footbridge in the Kirkton area of the town.

Ticket lout escapes road ban 264

By Paul Thornton

A COUNCIL HGV driver forced a traffic warden to jump out of the way of his car as he made off in an attempt to avoid a parking ticket.

Raymond Dixon, 43, ran back to his BMW when he spotted Fleur Collet about to give him a ticket for parking illegally.

But when Miss Collet asked him for his name and licence, he walked past her and jumped in his car.

Despite the warden standing beside his driver’s window he ignored her requests and pulled away, forcing her to dive for safety.

But police caught up with him and Dixon was charged with driving without due care and reasonable consideration.

Yesterday (Wednesday) at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, the Midlothian Council worker kept his licence and his job after a sheriff spared him a road ban.

Fiscal depute Gillian More told Edinburgh Sheriff Court how Miss Collet was on duty in Penicuik, Midlothian, on February 7 this year.

She spotted Dixon’s car parked illegally in the town’s High Street at 2.30pm and was about to give him a ticket.

But Dixon came running from a nearby shopping centre shouting “I’m here”, before making his way to his car.

The warden asked him for his personal details and driving licence but Dixon ignored her, and instead drove off.

Miss More said the warden was forced to jump out of the way of the car to avoid being hit and called the police.

Dixon was picked up 10 minutes later on the road to Edinburgh and told officers he had driven off because he believed the traffic warden had to put a ticket on his windscreen to issue one.

His solicitor, Paul Smith, said that Dixon, an HGV driver with 20 years’ experience, thought the woman was “about a foot” away from his vehicle when he took off.

He added that the father-of-two had left at normal speed and that the incident had been a “momentary lapse in judgement” in terms of how far the warden had been from his car.

But he revealed that Dixon already had seven points on his licence for speeding, adding that if he were disqualified he would lose his job.

Sheriff James Scott said: “It is with some hesitation I have refrained from disqualifying you.”

He fined Dixon, of Assynt Bank, Penicuik, £400 and imposed eight penalty points, meaning that he will be disqualified if he gets any further points.