Rare opportunity to own a slice of the Highlands

Loch Na Mang on Ledgowan Estate

By Cara Sulieman

AN HISTORIC Highland estate is on the market with an asking price of more than £2.5 million.

Ledgowan Estate in Wester Ross covers 11,100 acres of land and comes with the lodge house, two cottages and a deer larder.

But it is the deer hunting and grouse shooting rights that estate agents CKD Galbraith think will pull in potential buyers.

Described as “the finest deer stalking in Scotland”, the estate produces 36 stags and 35 hinds every year across the three stalking beats.

Harrods boss to build luxury homes in Highlands

By Cara Sulieman

HARRODS boss Mohamed Al Fayed has caused outrage in a remote Highland community by winning the right to build luxury housing on his estate.

He was given the go ahead earlier this month to build stables and eight houses on the land, despite worries from the nearest inhabitants in the hamlet of Rosehall in Sutherland.

The area has seen a decrease in birth rates and increasing numbers of retired people moving in – sparking worries that it is a dying community.

Residents fear that instead of attracting more people to the idyllic setting, Al Fayed’s development will make the situation worse as he already owns unoccupied property in the village.

Toddler returns home after life-saving treatment

By Cara Sulieman

A TODDLER who suffers from a rare form of cancer has returned from the States where he was undergoing life-saving treatment.

Two-year-old Ross Anterton was diagnosed with a muscle cancer called orbital rhabdomyosarcoma last August.

The condition is so rare that it affects fewer than 60 children a year in the UK.

The tots parents – Andrew Anterton and Lesley Lauder – were told that the best chance for him was a new treatment called Proton Beam Therapy, which is not yet available in the UK.

They started a fundraising appeal and when the NHS agreed to pay £120,500, the family flew to the US in December to start a course of therapy at the Florida Proton Therapy Institute.

Police brace themselves for violent clashes

By Cara Sulieman

POLICE are on stand-by for possible violent clashes between thousands of right wing extremists and anti fascist protesters this weekend.

Anti racist campaigners are expected to march in numbers through the streets of Edinburgh on Saturday in protest against the Scottish Defence League (SDL).

The SDL plans to hold a gathering in Edinburgh on the same day, but details have so far been shrouded in secrecy. SDL is the Scottish branch of the so called English Defence League formed in response to Islamic protests against soldiers’ homecoming parades.

Police have been preparing for weeks after previous similar gatherings across the UK ended in serious violence sparking real fears of a potential repeat in Edinburgh.

Huge rise in number of animals used in experiments in Scotland

By Cara Sulieman

ANIMALS used in experiments in Scotland have risen by a whopping 42 per cent – and it seems to be due to a huge increase in the number of fish used in research.

The figures – obtained by charity Advocates for Animals – show that 555,567 procedures were carried out on animals in Scotland in 2008.

And 184,335 fish were used in experiments – up 258 per cent from 51,497 in 2007.

The figures have shocked Advocates for Animals, who are calling for fewer experiments to be carried out.

BAFTA winning director looking for actors

 

By Cara Sulieman

BAFTA award winning director Kevin MacDonald has started filming his next Holywood epic in the north of Scotland – and are searching for locals to help star as extras.

The Eagle of the Ninth is based on a children’s book about the defeat of the Roman army in Scotland in 140 AD.

Big names such as Jamie Bell and Donald Sutherland star in the movie, which will also be filmed in Hungary.

MacDonald is teaming up with scriptwriter Jeremy Brock for the project after their success with the 2006 hit The Last King of Scotland which saw Forest Whitaker win best actor at the Oscars.

Licensing laws end 18-year tradition

Peter Swanson behind his bar in Edinburgh

By Cara Sulieman

AN EIGHTEEN year tradition is coming to and end as new licensing laws brought in today (Tues) mean stricter rules.

The bar has opened its doors at 6am every morning for shirt workers looking to enjoy a pint after work, but the new legislation means that it can’t be open for more than 16 hours a day.

It has left Peter Swanson, owner of The Gladstones, in Edinburgh with the choice of opening early or staying open later at night.

Lack of firefighters putting lives at risk – claim

By Cara Sulieman

UNION officials have slammed Scotland’s fire services for cutting staff when fire-related deaths are on the rise.

Ken Ross from the Scottish Fire Brigades Union has criticised the cutbacks revealed by a survey carried out by the union.

They found that services across the country have lost one in 12 of their operational firefighters in the past four years as they have been moved to fire prevention.

And overall 220 full-time frontline posts have been wiped out since 2005 – which is the equivalent of 50 emergency crews.

Fewer

The organisation has hit out, saying the cutbacks are leaving the public in danger.

Bravery of officers recognised at awards

By Cara Sulieman

A HERO police dog called Zico who helped ‘collar’ four crooks within the space of a fortnight has received a top gong from his Chief Constable.

But the four-year-old German Shepherd wasn’t allowed into the ceremony at police HQ in Edinburgh today to pick up the meritorious award.

Instead his handler PC Christopher Lannin took the lead and collected the Chief Constable’s Commendation on the brave dog’s behalf, admitting: “Even in modern policing, there’s still no substitute for a good nose.”

The pair had tracked down a suspect who had fled after attempting to break into a car with his friends.

Penguins at Edinburgh Zoo become webcam sensation

By Cara Sulieman

A PILOT trial of a webcam watching penguins at Edinburgh Zoo has been such a hit that it is to be made a permanent fixture.

It was set up in June to capture the Gentoo penguins nesting and bringing up their young and has been attracting 9000 visitors a month so far.

There was even a massive Twitter campaign to get it back up and running after technical hitches saw the camera go down briefly.

Bosses admit they never expected the scheme to be as popular as it has been and are now looking at rolling out the idea to other animal enclosures.