Stranded cyclists complete marathon UK journey

Rhona Quarm and Glenn Thistlethwaite (Orkney Photographic)

Two charity cyclists have completed their attempt to travel the length of the UK by bike, after being stranded in Orkney earlier this week.

Rhona Quarm and Glenn Thistlethwaite looked as though they would have to abandon their attempt earlier this week because of the lack of a ferry connection from Orkney to Shetland.

But they managed to get a lift north on board a freighter which allowed them to make the final leg of their journey to Muckle Flugga in the far north of Shetland

See also: Ferry timetable scuppers cyclists

The remains of the shed destroyed by fire in Rendall on Saturday (Orkney Photographic)

Police cordoned off an area in Rendall after fire destroyed a shed in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The Fire Brigade attended the blaze at Layburn, Rendall, around 1.20am, where it was discovered that among the items in the shed was a quantity of diesel and an acetylene cylinder.

Because of this police placed a 200 metre hazard zone around the area. They say that no approach would be made for 24 hours after the fire was extinguished.

Orkney man jailed for £60,000 fraud

An Orkney man has been jailed for two years after embezzling over £60,000 from a Caithness Bank.

Neil Rowan McCallum (34) had pled previously guilty to the charge of embezzlement after missappropriating funds totalling £60,650 from TSB branches in Wick and Caithness between February 1, 2000 and January 24, 2001.

Police confirm inquiry into Casey assault case

Northern Constabulary have confirmed they are to carry out an internal inquiry into its handling of an assault case in Orkney.

Richard Rendall, of Islands View Road, Kirkwall, complained about the police investigations following the assault on his son, Barry, by Kevin Casey on Boxing Day, last year.

Mr Rendall alleges that officers did not investigate the case properly, and if they had, Casey would never have been released on bail following the attack on his son.

See also: Man jailed for five and a half years for street assaults

Talisman and St Magnus Festival award

The St Magnus Festival and one of their sponsors Talisman Energy have won an Arts & Business Scotland award for last year's opening concert.

London Brass gave the opening concert of the 25th festival and Flotta oil terminal operators, Talisman, sponsored the event, which involved 40 young brass players from Orkney secondary schools.

The award was one of several announced on Thursday night by Arts & Business Scotland, who encourage businesses to support the arts.

Refurbished Papay school opens its doors

The refurbished Papa Westray community school officially opened its doors for the first time on Friday.

The long-awaited extension cost in the region of £370,000 and has seen the school extended into the adjacent former schoolhouse.

Taiwanese official on sightseeing visit

The director general of the Taipei Consulate in the UK, Mr Abraham Chu, paid a personal visit to Orkney this weekend.

Mr Chu who is based in Edinburgh was due to meet Orkney MSP, Mr Jim Wallace, in Kirkwall on Friday afternoon.

A spokeswoman for the Taiwanese Consulate said that Mr Chu was very much looking forward to his trip to Orkney which was a personal sightseeing visit, not an official one.

Presentation sees bishop's painting back home

The Orkney Museum were presented with a painting on Thursday from the daughter of the last occupant of Tankerness House - now the home of the museum.

Mrs Jean Clarke, from New Zealand, is the daughter of Robert Baikie of Tankerness who lived in the Kirkwall house until 1910.

The painting, which used to hang in Tankerness House, is of Bishop Murdo Mackenzie, the last Bishop of Orkney, who served in the late 17th century.

Council seminar on fish farm licences

Islands councillors met in private on Thursday to discuss how to handle works licences for fish farms in future.

The seminar was addressed by OIC officials with representatives from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Orkney Trout Fishing Association.

It aimed to give members a clearer perspective on the council’s responsibility to balance environmental concerns with that of economic development.

Chickenpox shows highest incidence among notifiable diseases

Chickenpox, measles and rubella were the only notifiable diseases recorded in children under 15 in Orkney during 2000, according to new Government figures.

There were no cases of mumps, scarlet fever, whooping cough or meningococcal infection according the Information and Statistics Division of the Common Services Agency.

Chickenpox affected 168 children, while there was only one instance of measles and one of rubella.

Legal action threat over Scrabster delay

NorthLink's chief executive has threatened legal action if the new Scrabster ferry terminal is not ready for the official handover date of October 1.

Mr Horton’s comments came in response to a statement issued yesterday by Scrabster Harbour Trust who said that the contract was likely to overrun.

Click here for full story
See also: Countdown to NorthLink - the story so far

Orkney Tories to select candidate

The Orkney Conservative Party are due to adopt Christopher Zawadski as their prospective parliamentary candidate to stand in the next election.

Mr Zawadski, from Greenlaw, near Duns in Berwickshire, but who has close connections with Balfour Castle in Shapinsay, contested the Orkney seat at the Scottish Parliament in May, 1999. He was beaten into second place by Liberal Democrat Mr Jim Wallace, now Orkney’s MSP.

Six per cent rise in councillors' expenses

Expenses claimed by islands councillors have risen by six per cent over the past year, according to figures published yesterday by Orkney Islands Council.

Orkney's 21 councillors cost the taxpayer £395,666.29 in allowances and expenses in 2001/2002 - an increase of £22,516 over 2000/2001.

The council's convener, Councillor Hugh Halcro-Johnston received the highest amount - £33,163.51.

Finstown man fined £1,000 for landing undersized scallops

James Meason Ward (34), Grimond Place, Finstown, pled guilty to the charge. Fisheries officers had found 13.5 per cent of Ward's catch to be undersized during an inspection in Lerwick earlier this year.

Sheriff John Newell ordered the undersized scallops to be forfeited and fined Mr Ward £1,000, payable at £50 per week.

Burger vans to move....but where?

Kirkwall’s late night burger vans will move to a new location, if recommendations by councillors at Wednesday's OIC licensing sub-committee meeting are followed.

The vans look set to move from Burnmouth Road at weekends – but councillors were unable to give a recommendation as to where they should go.

It means that the vans could pitch on any road that is within agreed street trading zones, including on Great Western Road, which seems to be the favoured option.

Archive story: Burger van saga rumbles on

Flotta wind turbine in the pipeline

A planning application by the company Scotwind is being lodged to erect a wind turbine on Flotta.

They intend to reassemble the two megawatt windmill, formerly operated by NEG Micon on Evie's Burgar Hill, on Flotta's West Hill, to the south of the oil terminal.

The dismantled turbine is currently lying opposite Orkney Auction Mart at Hatston.

Princess Royal praises Orkney Cheese during opening of new factory

Princess Anne officially opens the Orkney Cheese Factory on Tuesday. (Orkney Photographic)

Princess Anne praised the quality of Orkney Cheddar during her visit to the Orkney Cheese Company on Tuesday.

Low cloud delayed Princess Anne’s arrival by 20 minutes, before she officially opened the new Kirkwall factory.

She travelled out to Longhope to open the new lifeboat museum, before leaving the county.

Artisans, musicians and archaeologists gather around Minehowe

A five-day event centering on the underground chamber of Minehowe in Tankerness kicked off in the county on Wednesday.

Running until June 2, Minehowe Know How is a series of workshops and demonstrations, complemented by evening lectures and films.

More details

Ferry timetable scuppers cyclists

Two charity cyclists travelling the length of the UK have run into a problem in Orkney.

Rhona Quarm and Glenn Thistlethwaite have cycled from the Channel Islands to Orkney, where they planned getting the ferry to Shetland to continue their journey.

But the next boat is on Sunday - when they are due back in Oxford, having taken a month off for the marathon cycle. The couple are appealing for alternative transport to Shetland and can be contacted at 850055.

Burger van saga rumbles on

Following complaints of additional noise and trouble in the Burnmouth Road area, councillors will be considering relocation of the vans to proposed sites on Great Western Road, Ayre Road, Burnmouth Road and Shore Street.

Orkney man jailed for five and a half years for street assaults

Orkney man Kevin Casey was jailed for five and a half years on Monday after inflicting “shocking” injuries on a man in a street attack in Kirkwall.

Click here for more details

Two year contract awarded for removal of Royal Oak oil

Work on removing the remaining oil from the sunken battleship Royal Oak will resume this summer.

Briggs Marine have been awarded a two-year contract by the Ministry of Defence to carry out the work, which started last year.

A process known as "hot tapping" will be used to remove the rest of the oil from the warship's bunker tanks.

Closed doors meeting with deputy minister

Deputy Justice Minister, Dr Richard Simpson, was in Orkney on Monday for a meeting behind closed doors with the local Drug, Alcohol and Smoking Action Team (DASAT).

The former GP was to discuss local progress on national objectives with DASAT, but the meeting was held in private.

Helicopter wreck raised from sea bed

The helicopter wreckage is recovered from the sea off the Brough of Birsay. (Picture: Orkney Photographic)

The wreckage from Friday's fatal helicopter crash in Birsay was lifted from the sea bed on Sunday.

The remains of the Bolkow 105 helicopter will be taken to Farnborough in England, where they will be examined to try and establish the cause of the incident.

Police have repeated their plea for witnesses to the incident, asking anyone with information to contact them on 01856 872241.

Archive stories:Pilot's name released as helicopter crash investigations begin
Body of pilot recovered after Brough
of Birsay helicopter crash
Board "saddened and shocked" by Birsay helicopter incident

Tea date with Queen on Jubilee Tour

Representatives from 20 of Orkney’s charitable and children’s organisations were among those taking afternoon tea with the Queen in Wick, Caithness on Monday afternoon.

The group - which includes army cadets, brownies, and members of Voluntary Action Orkney - were invited meet the Queen, who is touring the country to mark her Golden Jubilee.

Silver medal for Stromness archer

Steve Hogsden in training. (Picture: Orkney Photographic)

Stromness archer Steve Hogsden won a silver in Saturday's Scottish Short Metric championships for disabled archers in Hawick.

Competing in the men's recurve event, Steve's win has earned him a place in the National Disabled Championships in Rugby in July.

Archive story: Stromness Archer wins gold in Scottish Championships

Rural Affairs Minister, Ross Finnie, announced on Friday that island show parks no longer have to be free from livestock for 28 days before an agricultural show ­ provided all livestock taking part are local.

Orkney MSP, Mr Jim Wallace commented: "The Minister¹s special treatment island shows is very welcome."