The NorthLink ferry Hamnavoe sailed for dry-dock in Germany, after completing her final sailing from Scrabster on Sunday evening, where remedial work on the structures which support the propellor shafts will be carried out. She is expected to be back in service on Monday, May 24.

During this time, the freight vessel Hascosay will cover the Pentland Firth service.

The company say that the Hascosay has passenger facilities and will operate a car, freight and limited passenger service. However, they have made arrangements with John o’ Groats Ferries to carry passengers who cannot be accommodated on the Hascosay.

Sweyn Kirkness, 18, of Weyland Bay, Kirkwall, has been successful in his eighth appearance in Channel Four's Countdown programme and joins the champions who will compete against each other later this year.

Sweyn, a student in Edinburgh, won on Friday by 76 points to his opponent's 47, and was told by the presenter, Richard Whiteley, that he was the fifth contender to go through to the next round and that he was number two seed.

Current operators of the Northern Isles ferry services, NorthLink, have submitted an expression of interest in continuing to run the route.

The company had to ask the Scottish Executive for an additional £13.4 million in subsidy since taking over in October, 2002 – on top of the £11 million already provided.

They join Orkney Ferries, former operators P&O, Faroese company Smyril Line and possibly short-sea operators, Pentland Ferries in showing an interest. It is hoped that the new six-year contract will be in place by the summer of 2005.

Archive story: Ferry services to be retendered

Campaigners for local ownership of renewable energy have taken a big step forward this week with the Burray Community Wind project.

The brainchild of the Orkney Renewable Energy Forum, the Burray project has become a reality thanks to the efforts of Albert Spence and colleagues at Orkney Renewable Energy Ltd.

Work has begun on the site preparations for an 850kw Vestas wind turbine to be installed at Northfield farm in Burray. It is expected the project will be completed by August this year.

The chief executive of Loganair has announced that the £2.50 per flight sector fuel surcharge announced by British Airways will not apply to BA franchise services operated by Loganair.

Mr Jim Cameron said: “Loganair is, however, concerned about the impact of the significant increase in fuel costs on operations and we will be monitoring the position closely. Should such high fuel prices be sustained, we may have to consider passing the cost on through the introduction of a surcharge at a later date.”

Kirkwall police are appealing for information on 872241 after vandals set alight the Whitechapel toilets in Junction Road, Kirkwall, on Wednesday night.

Two fire engines from Kirkwall attended and extinguished the small blaze within a cubicle at 9.30pm.

A spokesman from the Fire Brigade said: “The toilet roll holder had been set alight, destroying it and causing smoke damage to the toilet cubicle.”

The OIC's new vice-convener, Sinclair Scott

Councillor Sinclair Scott has been appointed the new vice-convener of Orkney Islands Council, narrowly beating Councillor Mike Drever by 11-10 votes.

In a “surprise” result, Councillor Scott, who represents Sanday, North Ronaldsay and Stronsay, replaces Jim Sinclair, who has retired from the post. Councillor Scott, said to fellow members of the special council meeting on Thursday: “I do not know if you are more surprised than I am – I do not think that is possible.”

Mr Sinclair, who is to remain as councillor for Shapinsay and Kirkwall harbour, was reduced to tears following a moving speech by convener Stephen Hagan.

Orcadians are near the top of the Scottish league table for shunning the car in favour of walking or cycling to work.

A total of 1,978 people choose either to walk or cycle – representing 23.3 per cent of the working population. Only Edinburgh with 25.5, Dundee with 23.7 and the Borders with 23.5 are ahead of Orkney.

In Scotland as a whole, only 16.5 per cent and in Shetland 14 per cent have adopted such a healthy lifestyle.

Two of Orkney's new marinas are set to be officially opened later this month.

Captain Max Gunn, former deputy manager of Flotta Oil Terminal and deep sea master mariner, will open Stromness marina on Sunday, May 16, and former Westray yachting club commodore, Norman Cooper, will open Westray's on Tuesday, May 18.

The opening of Kirkwall's marina has been postponed pending completion of further study work.

An elderly visitor had to be flown to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after falling into one of the Stone Age houses at Skara Brae this week.

It is believed that the man, who was in his 70s, and on a bus tour, suffered a fractured leg after stepping backwards to take a photograph while visiting the village on Tuesday.

A former Kirkwall resident and his pregnant girlfriend have been locked up after stealing more than £6,000 from a pensioner’s bank accounts.

Carl Howley, 19, and his 17-year-old girlfriend Samantha Dickson took the bank cards belonging to 78-year-old Christian Walker at her Inverness home last Christmas. Dickson admitted nine offences and Howley pleaded guilty to four charges when they appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday.

Howley, described as a prisoner in Inverness, was jailed for ten months, and Dickson was sentenced to six months in a Young Offenders Institute.

The long awaited instrument landing system is to be switched on at Kirkwall Airport this weekend.

The system will ensure that passengers flying to and from the county should encounter significantly fewer delays and cancellations in weather conditions which, until now, have closed the airport.

Welcoming the switch on, Orkney MSP Jim Wallace said: “This will be a worthy repayment for the efforts of the many individuals and organisations which have fought for ILS for so many years.”

A stark warning has been issued to dog owners that their pets could be shot if caught worrying livestock in the county.

Kirkwall Inspector David Miller said several farmers had been in touch expressing concern at dogs being allowed to run free in occupied fields. "This is lambing time and cattle are out," he said.

"If a dog is seen in a field worrying livestock, the owner of the property can, or has the authority, to shoot the dog," Inspector Miller added.

Orkney Islands Council has received a £3 million pound windfall for housing.

The award – £1,329,000 this year and £1,314,000 next year – is part of the Scottish Executive's private sector housing grant.

The money will be used to buy land for housing development – both for sale and rent, to provide loans to improve energy efficiency, research homelessness among young people and to install a “handy person” service in the isles.

A major strategy aimed at maximising sport in Orkney was launched on Monday night.

Orkney Islands Council’s sport and recreation strategy kicked off with a presentation in front of a large audience at the Pickaquoy Centre’s New Phoenix Cinema.

The strategy, which will run until 2007, has been produced with a clear vision of how sporting and recreation opportunities can be maximised in Orkney.

A substantial quantity of suspected class A and class C drugs have been seized by police in a raid on a house in Orkney.

Following an intelligence-led operation, officers swooped on the property in St Ola on Friday with a search warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Two men, aged 31 and 19, were detained and released, pending analysis of the suspected drugs. Kirkwall Inspector David Miller said it is expected that a report will be sent to the procurator fiscal in due course.

Kirkwall police are concerned that a number of fake £20 notes have been offloaded in the county.

Despite being poor quality, with no metal strip or water mark, two turned up in a Kirkwall cafe on Friday.

Inspector David Miller warned businesses and the community to be on the lookout for the counterfeit cash. “We very rarely see two at the same time in the county,” he said. “We are a bit concerned that someone is offloading a few of them here.”

Plans are underway for a significant project to provide Hoy and Flotta with a first-class supply of drinking water.

Work on a state of the art £1.5 million water treatment works for South Hoy and Flotta is due to begin in the late summer. There are also plans to lay new water mains to replace pipes dating back to the Second World War as part of the project.

Project manager Mike Grieve said the water will be filtered through a series of fine membranes which remove solids and bacteria.

The Hall of Clestrain was officially unveiled on Saturday night as one of 21 historic buildings to be featured in the BBC2 programme Restoration.

The series’ launch show featured all 21 buildings, whose fate will be in the hands of viewers when the series returns in the summer.

The Hall of Clestrain will then feature in a one-hour programme, when viewers will be asked to choose whether the hall, Portencross Castle in north Ayrshire or Knockando Wool Mill goes forward as the Scottish representative for the final vote.

Restoration - click here for more

NHS Orkney has dealt with its first case of HIV.

The news will create unease among a community, which for some time, has been the only remaining health board in Scotland with no reported cases.

However, because of patient confidentiality, the authority was unable to say whether or not the person was resident in Orkney or just passing through.

Five-piece rock group Peter’s Finger carried off the Battle of the Bands title at Fusion Nightclub on Thursday night.

The group - Jordan Merriman, Robert MacGreggor, Wayne Drever, Barry Leslie and Malcolm Dowell - were the popular choice among the sell-out crowd and judging panel.

The third of six bands to take the stage during the final, their set included cover versions of My Sherona and I Heard It Through the Grapevine, plus a couple of originals.

The Battle of the Bands was sponsored by The Orcadian.