Scots councils pay for weather forecast

By Cara Sulieman

THREE SCOTS councils are shelling out £90,000 for someone to predict the weather.

Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire Councils are paying the Met Office to provide them with a detailed forecast so they can decide how much grit is needed for roads in their area.

It comes after the country was brought to a standstill last winter when local authorities across Scotland ran out of salt.

But motoring organisations say they need to prepare for a bad winter no matter what the forecast says to avoid a repeat of last year’s chaos.

Flood warning as rain hits Scotland

Tourists sheltering from the rain

By Amanda Keenan

SCOTLAND was put on flood alert last night as heavy rainfall swept in across much of the country following weeks of sunshine which had caused some areas to issue drought warnings.

Flash warnings of heavy rain have been issued by the Met Office for large parts of Aberdeenshire, Moray, Tayside, Fife, Lanarkshire and the Lothian’s.

Persistent and heavy rain saw around 15mm fall within just three hours in some places early on and as much as 35mm was expected in others.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency said it was monitoring water levels on rivers across Dumfries and Galloway – just weeks after the region was subject of a drought order application.

Revellers gear up for Scotland’s biggest music festival

Becky Cutler, Lauren Gibson and Zoe Kinnaird arrive at the festival ready to party

By Cara Sulieman

THOUSANDS of excited music fans started to descend on the small town of Kinross today as T in the Park got underway for the 17^th time.

The festival – which grew from a humble 17,000 capacity back in Strathclyde Country Park in 1994 – will see 85,000 people gather to listen to live sets from headliners Eminem, Muse and Kasabian.

And although most of the revellers will congregate from Friday an advance guard of some 30,000 were pitching their tents today for an evening of fun before the full festivities.

Bar that claimed Ewan Williamson’s life to reopen

The Balmoral Bar after the fire last July

By Cara Sulieman

THE BAR where firefighter Ewan Williamson died tackling a blaze is to be rebuilt and may even house a tribute to the fallen hero.

Plans have been submitted to restore the Balmoral Bar on Dalry Road in Edinburgh almost a year after a fire gutted the building and claimed Ewen’s life.

The owner – Trust Inns – plans to keep the old design and have held discussions about whether or not to place a plaque in memory of 35-year-old Ewan.

He had been with Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service for seven years when he died rescuing people from a blaze at the pub on July 12 last year.

Although around 20 people – including a baby – were evacuated from the building, Ewan tragically lost his life – the first Edinburgh based firefighter to die whilst battling a blaze in living memory.

Scottish police to use spy planes

By Cara Sulieman

SCOTTISH police forces could soon be using unmanned spy planes to keep tabs on citizens in a bid to crack down on crime.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles have already been trialled by Strathclyde Police who used one in rescue operations in rural Argyll.

And Scotland’s largest police force is keen to be at the forefront of the new technology, which is being looked at by all forces in the UK.

The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland has joined forces with their English counterpart to form the Unmanned Aerial Systems Steering Group, who meets regularly to discuss the use of the planes, and report to the Home Office.

Study could improve automated booking phonelines

By Cara Sulieman

THEY ARE supposed to make our lives easier, but end up trying to book us in to see a film at a cinema miles away.

Now scientists at Edinburgh University are hoping they can improve automatic phone booking lines after pinpointing the most common errors made by the computers.

Companies use the systems to cut out a call centre – using computers that can understand what customers are saying to book cinema tickets and taxis.

But it doesn’t always work, and can lead to a frustrating conversation with a computer.

Call to pray for police

By Cara Sulieman

A GROUP of policeman think that they can cut crime by getting community groups to “adopt a cop” and pray for them.

The Christian Police Association are urging churches of all denominations to pray for cops all over the country – saying it will reduce crime, ease community tension and protect the boys in blue from temptation.

Harry Pearson, branch leader of Strathclyde Christian Police Alliance, said that it “may well bring tangible results”.

The initiative is part of Coact, a national scheme which aims to build bridges between Christian communities and police across Britian.

Old Labour government planned to give Scotland more international powers

By Rory Reynolds

A LABOUR government planned to give Scots control over their foreign policy to appease “maverick” nationalists, according to newly declassified documents.

James Callaghan’s administration, which was voted out of government in 1979, feared that denying Scotland a role in European affairs would fan the flames of nationalism.

Scottish Office civil servants drew up a classified dossier named The Brussels Connection to outline the plan, which warned that denying Scotland a voice would “risk fuelling demands for full independence”.

The documents, released by the National Archives of Scotland after 30 years, refer to a future devolved Scottish government, and contrast with the current UK government, which reserves the power to negotiate with European states.

Grandmother found frozen on doorstep

The doorstep where Jeanette was found

By Rory Reynolds

A GRANDMOTHER was fighting for her life in hospital last night after becoming locked out of her home for seven hours in sub-zero temperatures.

Jeanette Wright was discovered “frozen in a ball” by a 17-year-old neighbour after spending the night out in the open as blizzards raged.

Neighbours said the 60-year-old pharmacy assistant from Gorebridge, Midlothian, is thought to have put the wrong key into her own lock by accident after returning from a Christmas party in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The temperature dropped so low that Jeanette’s heart stopped with paramedics battling to save her at the scene.

She was rushed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary shortly after she was discovered at 9am.

Imaginary family lands gambling addict in jail

By Michael MacLeod

A MAN who made up an entire family and claimed to be fighting for custody of his kids to con a workmate out of £30,000 has been jailed for 15 months.

Former Scottish Water employee Alexander Shields looked for pity from his “naïve” workmate Lynn McFarlane by pretending he was embroiled in a custody battle and asked her for cash.

She fell for his elaborate domestic nightmare – before it was revealed he had made up having a wife and kids simply to dupe her.

The 26 year-old Bathgate man then recklessly gambled the lot without making a penny back.

Today (Thurs) at Edinburgh Sheriff Court he blamed a gambling addiction and said he “always intended to give the money back.”

But Sheriff Neil MacKinnon branded him “dishonest, calculated and callous.”