'Peenk Fish' earns Academy pupils third place in Young Enterprise competition

Stromness Academy's Young Enterprise company, SAYE 13, have taken third place in the national Young Enterprise competition.

The group won the Orkney Young Enterprise competition earlier this year with "Peenk Fish and Peedie Tatties" - the cookery book they produced and sold.

Eight members of the group travelled to Glasgow for the final on Thursday where they were awarded third place in a competition entered by around 730 groups across the country.

Orkney to benefit from water quality cash boost

A total of 15 schemes have been targeted in Orkney over the period, including a £2.9 million upgrade of the Boardhouse water treatment works and drinking water supplies on the isles.

"Generations" snapped up by Three Peace Sweet fans

The "Generations" CD went sale on sale on Thursday, according to Neil Stevenson of Grooves music shop, 120 copies were sold before the end of the day - locally outselling the band Travis, whose new album was released on Monday.

The band played a selection of tracks from the new album in Grooves this afternoon.

Health board confirm five cases of viral meningitis

Orkney Health Board have confirmed there have now been five cases of viral meningitis in Orkney, but stressed that the outbreak is not considered to be a serious risk to public health.

Director of public health Dr John Curnow explained that all five were thought to be viral meningitis, and none were considered to be linked.

A sixteen-year-old boy from Orkney is the latest to receive treatment in Aberdeen for the disease. However, doctors had confirmed that he is "doing well", and that he was suffering from the more common viral form of the disease which poses far less risk to the individual than the bacterial form.

MEP questions cost of Highlands and Islands air travel

Conservative MEP John Purvis said that the European Commission could move to insist on cheaper fares on certain routes, if a Member State has already lodged a challenge that an airline is making an unacceptably high profit from their so called "basic fare".

Mr Purvis said: "I shall be joining other MEPs in inviting the Scottish Executive to take a look at these contracts to see if the fare levels can be reduced." he added.

NorthLink reveal ferry fares at roadshow

Artist impressions of the three new NorthLink vessels to serve Orkney and Shetland

Ferry fares from Orkney to the Scottish mainland were announced yesterday by NorthLink - the company taking over the Northern Isles routes from October next year.

The company, which won the contract from P&O Scottish Ferries, say their fares will be cheaper.

NorthLink representatives were in Kirkwall at a roadshow in the Pickaquoy Centre to show off models of their three ferries and announce their fares.

NorthLink say an adult return in low season from Stromness to Scrabster will cost £18.50 - £3.50 less than P&O are charging.

Cathedral concert fulfils choir's dream

Around thirty members of the choir appeared at St Magnus Church, Birsay last night and are performing at St Magnus Cathedral tonight.

Choir member, Stan Muller said: "One of our goals over the past ten years has been a tour to Scotland, ending with a concert in St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall, and finally our dream is coming true."

The programme on the tour has an emphasis on Nordic music, with Swedish, Norwegian and Icelandic composers.

North Sea cyclists visit

A group of cyclists were in Orkney yesterday as part of the launch of the North Sea Cycle route - Europe's first signed long-distance cycle route.

Two groups of cyclists left Hamburg on May 5; one taking a southerly route through the Netherlands and England; the second heading north through Scandinavia, Shetland and Orkney. Both groups intend to meet up in Aberdeen on June 23.

Nineteen cyclists arrived in Stromness on Wednesday night and toured the West Mainland yesterday before heading south on the John O'Groats ferry this morning.

Cash for new harbour developments secured by OIC delegation

The deal was reached on Wednesday morning after mounting concerns over the time left to get the projects off the ground. The work needs to be completed before October next year when NorthLink are due to take over ferry services to the Northern Isles.

A bid for European Regional Development Funding will now be made before the June 26 deadline, with the shortfall being made up by the council.

College extension gets the support of councillors

Orkney College

Director of education and recreation services, Mr Leslie Manson, said on Wednesday that the OIC's contribution of £240,000 towards a scheme valued at almost £1.3 million, "seemed too good a deal to miss."

The committee agreed to give their approval in principle to the project, and to recommend to the OIC's finance and general purposes committee that the funding request be treated as a priority.

"Underwater Conservation Zone" to protect Orkney wrecks in development

Recommending the idea of promoting an Underwater Conservation Zone in Orkney waters, OIC harbours director, Captain Bob Moore, said "We are trying to educate divers to take nothing but photos, and leave nothing behind them but bubbles."

Illness delays MP's Westminster debut

Orkney's new MP, Mr Alistair Carmichael, could not take his seat at Westminster yesterday because of an infection that required hospital treatment.

Mr Carmichael was taken in to Blafour Hospital in Kirkwall at the weekened to receive treatment.

Mr Carmichael, a Liberal Democrat, was elected MP for Orkney and Shetland at last Thursday's General Election.

Survey of Scapa Flow wrecks underway

The scuttling of the German Fleet in Scapa Flow on June 21, 1919.

Hosted by Heriot-Watt University, the survey is looking at the areas around the warship wrecks of the scuttled German High Seas Fleet in the Flow. It will use sonar marine survey techniques to produce images of the vessels themselves and the debris fields around them.

These will be collected to support the ScapaMAP initiative, a Heriot-Watt University research initiative to promote the better management of the archaeological and historical heritage resources submerged in Scapa Flow.

The survey is due to be completed by Saturday.

Councillors approve fish farm expansion despite a call to defer

Speaking at Monday's meeting transportation of the transportation committee, chairman Councillor Stephen Hagan said that he was "uncomfortable" at considering technical detail about individual applications without any professional expertise on hand.

"That is available, in the form of Dr Alex Simpson. I would rather we defer this until the special meeting of the committee in three weeks time, when he could attend." he said.

However, the application was approved after Councillor Sinclair Scott's attempt to defer the decision failed to be seconded.

More oil removed from HMS Royal Oak

The 17 cubic metres of oil were drawn off by the Navy when it became apparent that oil was now moving through the wreck to areas that had already been drained.

A team of divers are on site this week to carry out a detailed survey of the sunken warship, comparing her current situation with the last underwater survey carried out in 1996.

Orkney's invitation to host international conference accepted

The Islands Commission of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions has formally accepted Orkney Islands Council's invitation to hold its next annual conference in the county.

The CPMR is a non-governmental organisation, which draws together local authorities from Europe's peripheral maritime areas. The Islands Commission was in turn established by the CPMR to help raise awareness within the EU of issues concerning island groups.

It is anticipated that the conference will be held around June next year.

"Growing up in Orkney" consultation launched

The initiative wants to gain feedback from the local community on the proposals and ideas outlined in the county's draft Children's Services Plan 2002-2004.

Titled "Growing up in Orkney," the consultation document highlights the full range of services planned to be available to children, young people, and their families, in the islands over the period between 2002-2004.

"Last chance" man back in custody

Appearing at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Monday, Peter Raymond Walls (36), Junction Road, Kirkwall, admitted breaching the peace again at the weekend, at a Meadowbank address he is supposed to stay away from as a special condition of his probation.

Honorary Sheriff Bill Wright deferred sentence until Tuesday next week and remanded Walls in custody until then. He also called for updated social inquiry and community service reports.

Council agree to assist in ILS land negotiations

Orkney Islands Council have agreed to assist Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd in the landowner negotiations delaying the installation of an Instrument Landing System at Kirkwall airport.

Councillors on the transportation committee heard on Monday that the ILS project at Kirkwall Airport is in danger of collapse because negotiations with four landowners - two at either end of the runway - had reached an impasse because of disagreements over the valuation.

Around 17 acres of land is required to extend special runway lighting 800 to 1,000 metres at either end of the runway as well as providing access for emergency and maintenance vehicles.

Police seek joyrider after another car theft in Kirkwall

Kirkwall Police are hunting another joyrider after a red Vauxhall Astra car was taken from Manse Lane, Kirkwall in the early hours of Saturday morning. The vehicle was later recovered in Lynn Park in Kirkwall.

Police described the driver of the car as being a young male with dark brown hair, wearing small oval sunglasses and a dark top.

Inspector Paul Eddington said: "We are currently pursuing a number of lines of inquiry, but we would like to hear from anyone else who may know or have seen anything."

Orkney's first writers' festival - the Orkney Skald - launched on Monday.

The brainchild of writer George Gunn, the Skald will allow Orcadians the chance to hear visiting writers giving readings alongside local writers, in schools, hotels and halls at venues including Sanday, Westray, Papay, Stronsay, and Hoy, as well as venues in Stromness and Kirkwall.

Click here for full details.

Isles phone masts finally switched on

The long-awaited mobile phone transmitters on Westray and Sanday have finally been switched on - almost two years after they were built.

After a number of aborted switch-on dates, with various reasons given for the delay, the activation of the masts draws a long-running saga to a close with islanders benefiting from what should be a greatly improved service.

Councillors have agreed to revise local bus services in Orkney, an agreement that will see the cancellation of a number of existing services.

Among the changes agreed at Monday's meeting of the council's transportation committee is the cancellation of the Evie-Tingwall-Kirkwall bus, replacing it with an extended Tingwall-Kirkwall service. The Orphir workers' bus is to be amalgamated with a Stenness workers' bus and the Stromness town bus and Deerness shopping bus are being discontinued.

Councillors heard that financial constraints forced the move, but that revising and rescheduling others would lessen the impact and may even result in a better service.

Additional services proposed are a new Hatston workers' bus and a new Kirkwall-Stromness bus on Sundays.

New books to benefit from council grants

Councillors have agreed to hand over grants to help in the production of four local history books.

William Thomson, the author of the History of Orkney is planning a new updated version, the New History of Orkney and is due to get £750 to help with his project.

The History of Orkney was published in 1987 and councillors were told that many academic papers and publications were now in existence which had a bearing on the content. The result is expected to be almost a complete rewrite.

The same amount will also go to Alastair Marwick for the book Costa Heritage, while Bellavista Publications is due to receive two £500 grants - one for a book about Sandy Watt of Skaill Not born to be Drowned, and another on the Graemeshall Estate and Orkney in general.

September deadline for bedsit murder trial

With a jacket covering his head, Paul Bullen is escorted into Kirkwall Police Station. (Picture: Orkney Photographic)

The trial of Paul Steven Bullen, the man charged with murdering Kirkwall man Tommy Miller on May 29, will take place in September at the latest. To comply with Scottish law, the trial must begin no later than September 25, this year.

Bullen (20) was again remanded in custody on Friday after appearing in private at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on charges of assault and murder.

After his court appearance in the morning, Bullen was flown out of Orkney under police escort in the afternoon.

Lighthouses chairman visits Orkney

Lord Maclay, who comes from a background of commercial shipping, met with Stromness Lighthouse Board depot staff and saw conversion work in progress at the Brough of Birsay lighthouse.

The board are converting the Birsay light from gas power to a solar-electric system, augmented by vertical axis wind powered generators.

No surprises as Carmichael is voted Orkney and Shetland MP

Alistair Carmichael after the election results were announced. (Picture: Orkney Photographic)

There were no surprises locally at the General Election with the Liberal Democrats holding onto their Northern Isles stronghold, albeit with a smaller majority.

The results of Thursday's election were announced just after 11am on Friday morning with Alistair Carmichael - who polled 6,919 votes (41.3 per cent of the total votes cast) - now taking over from Jim Wallace as Orkney and Shetland's MP in Westminster.

Labour managed to hold on to their second place position with Robbie Mochrie's 3,444 votes representing 20.5 per cent of the poll.

Click here for full results.