Motorists fall foul of hazardous roads

A number of vehicles fell foul of Friday's wintry weather road conditions.

Orkney police officers were out in force dealing with cars off the road as a result of the treacherous conditions following the heavy snowfall. It is believed the police have hired powerful four-wheel drive vehicles to help them reach motorists in difficulty.

Heavy snowfall closes Kirkwall airport

Kirkwall Airport has been closed down as a result of the heavy snowfall, which is expected to continue for the next 24 hours.

Only a few flights made it in and out of the county this morning, but worsening weather conditions earlier today effectively closed the airport.

A spokesman said they will review the situation around 5.00 pm.

Weather hits Hoy and Egilsay power

Around 90 customers on Hoy and Egilsay were without power on Friday following the heavy snowfall.

Scottish and Southern Energy employees travelled by boat to Hoy to try and fix a broken pole, while a helicopter was on standby to go to Egilsay when the weather eased.

SSE district manager, Mr Mark Rough, said: “We do not know what the problem is on Egilsay until we get there. It is the weight of the snow causing the problems.”

House may be hiding more child remains

The remains of more than one child could have been recovered from the ground underneath an Orkney house, police confirmed this week.

Bones – believed to be around 80 years old – were discovered during renovation work at St Olaf Cottage in the Grimeston Road in Harray earlier this month. Local folklore suggests there could the remains of up to 11 children in the area near the house.

Kirkwall police say they are following several lines of inquiry, including local rumour about one woman who lived at the house around the time of World War One, who was seen to be pregnant many times but only ever had one child.

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Police make drinks haul at Harray Hall finale

The last dance to be held in the existing Harray Hall was memorable by the number of underage drinkers, according to police.

While 15 carry-outs were seized from underage revellers, a 17-year-old girl was taken to Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall, virtually unconscious as a result of too much alcohol. There was also one minor drug offence, police said.

Around 380 youngsters, ranging from 13 upwards, attended the dance, where there was a greater police presence at the hall than usual with eight officers on duty.

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No plea from man charged with Boxing day assault

An Orkney man has been charged with assault to severe injury and assault in Kirkwall on Boxing Day.

Kevin Barry Casey (21), Gaitnip Farm, St Ola, appeared in private from custody at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Thursday, before honorary sheriff John Flett.

Casey is charged with assault to severe injury and assault involving two separate victims in Kirkwall on Wednesday, December 26. He made no plea or declaration and was released on bail.

• Police reported that a person had been taken to Kirkwall’s Balfour Hospital on Wednesday morning following an incident on the Strynd. They added that a man was due to appear in court on Thursday morning.

Orkney has escaped the worst of the wintry weather, although there's a warning that more is on the way.

A spokesman for the Met Office said on Thursday that a blast of cold weather was due to hit the Scottish mainland with Orkney being hit on the fringes.

“The worst of the snow and winds will be over the mainland of Scotland but Orkney will not be missed. I fear you are in for quite a battering over the next 24 hours,” he said.

An Orkney food business has won grant assistance from the Scottish Executive and Orkney Enterprise to upgrade their premises.

Tankerness wholesale meat suppliers, ER & T Craigie, have won a 35 per cent Highlands and Islands Agriculture Award of just over £23,000 from the Scottish Executive to go towards a new meat processing shed and chill equipment.

Norman Craigie is lifted high by his supporters as he claims the Christmas Day Ba'. Click the picture for more Ba' images.

Christmas Day has seen the Uppies do the double, with this afternoon's Mens' Ba' also going up.

Thrown up at 1pm by Duncan Currie, just over four hours later, at 5.15pm, the Ba' reached the Uppie goal. There it was awarded to Uppie Norman Craigie.

It the biting cold and gale force winds, the action hovered around Broad Street and Victoria Street, before a Doonie smuggle saw the ba' rushed to Brandyquoy. But Uppie pressure pushed play down to Junction road and onwards to the goal.

Full report of both games in this week's The Orcadian - out Friday.

First blood to Uppies

The first of the season's annual Ba' games went up, with the Boys' Ba going to Uppie Magnus Flett.

The ba' thrown up by Eddie Craigie, Hall of Yenstay, Tankerness at 10.30pm, and reached Mackison's corner around noon. At 1.20 pm the ba' touched the wall heralding an Uppie victory.

It then took until around 2.05pm for the Uppies' champion to be decided, but at the end of the contest Magnus Flett emerged victorious.

It has been a good year for the Flett family, with Magnus' father Marty Flett winning the New Year's Day Mens' Ba' earlier this year.

German producer returns to county for Orkney film premiere

The producer/director of the German film crew who recorded footage of the Ba’ games last year will be in Orkney again next week.

Ulrike Becker of film crew Sudwest Rundfunk will be in Orkney at New Year to watch the Ba’ games, and also to show the film on Orkney she recently finished.

Kathleen Hogarth, who helped with the Orkney side of the filming, explained that the film is not just highlights of last year’s Ba’ games, but also focuses on people and places in Orkney.

The film, which lasts for around 75 minutes, will be shown at the Lynnfield Hotel on Friday, January 4 and Saturday, January 5 at 8pm, and again on Sunday, January 6 at 3pm.

Skara Brae hailed one of Scotland's Best

Orkney’s prehistoric village of Skara Brae has been billed as the best of its kind in the world by the recently released guidebook Scotland the Best.

Orkney features no less than 35 times within the guide, from the best vegetarian-friendly eating place at Woodwick House in Evie to the best distillery tours at Highland Park and Stromness was named in the most interesting coastal village category.

However topping the list was Skara Brae, followed by the Standing Stones of Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar and Maeshowe.

Police seek witnesses to Safeway collision

Police would like to hear from witnesses after a pedestrian was struck by a car in the Safeway car park in Kirkwall on Saturday afternoon.

The 79-year-old man was not seriously injured but was afterwards taken to Balfour Hospital for treatment. Anyone with information should call 872241.

Patients satisfied with Balfour catering

Patients at Kirkwall’s Balfour Hospital have given the “thumbs’ up” to the meals provided.

A survey carried out by the Orkney Local Health Council earlier this year has shown that patients are satisfied with what they were given.

The responses indicated a high level of satisfaction with the catering provided including the timing of meals, the range of choice and the portion sizes.

Forensic results on Grimeston remains expected in New Year

The results of the forensic investigation into the human bones found at a house in Harray earlier this month are not expected until the New Year.

The remains, found under the floor of a house in the Grimeston area of the parish, are suspected to be those of an infant or baby, possibly dating back to the 1920s.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a two vehicle road accident on the outskirts of Kirkwall on Friday.

The incident occurred on the Deerness Road, at the junction with Watson Drive, around 3pm yesterday afternoon. Witnesses are asked to contact Kirkwall police on 872241.

A separate accident on Friday night also closed the Clay Loan in Kirkwall for time.