Literacy Tsar to encourage the Bebo generation

By Alexander Lawrie

SCOTLAND is to get a teenage literacy tsar in a bid to encourage the Bebo generation to read more books.

In a country that has produced literary giants such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Walter Scott and Ian Rankin there are real fears the age-old tradition is suffering.

But now the Scottish Book Trust (SBT) is set to appoint a Virtual Writer in Residence who will use the internet to get youngsters hooked on reading and writing.

The successful candidate will be announced next month after the success of an earlier pilot scheme.

Jasmine Fassl, an SBT spokesperson, said the virtual writer will not be based in any one location, will be working primarily online and will have a large task on their hands.

Scots attack victim suffers another blow

By ALEXANDER LAWRIE

AN ASPIRING author who had his legs amputated after suffering a savage beating has had his specialist wheelchair stolen while in London auditioning for a TV role.

Ian Colquhoun, 31, from Edinburgh, was left disabled after being attacked with a pick-axe handle while he slept during a horrific assault on Christmas Day in 2002.

His attackers were ransacking his then home in the Irish Republic when he was struck repeatedly over the head with the blunt instrument.

The callous thugs, who have never been caught, then set fire to Ian’s home leaving him for dead.

He barely survived the horrific assault after spending seven weeks in a coma and was left with 65 per cent burns to his body.

Now, Ian has been dealt another sick blow as thieves made off with his expensive specialist wheelchair while he was auditioning for a part in the BBC soap Doctors last month.