Orkney Pony Club's senior team

Orkney was to be represented at the Royal Highland Show in Ingliston at the weekend, with the Orkney Pony Club's senior team competing on Sunday afternoon.

The team, made up of Karoline Bain, Joanne Donaldson, Kirsten Learmonth and Kelly and Terri Reid, are taking part in the Pony Club games after qualifying last month.

Assuming the competition went ahead - the wet weather has hit other events at the show - the young riders were asking anyone attending to lend their support by cheering them on on Sunday.

DJ Ali Campbell, from central Scotland radio channel, Beat 106, recorded his early morning shows live from Radio Orkney's Kirkwall studio at the weekend and will do so again next weekend.

The show runs from 8am until 10am on Saturday and Sunday. Although not available in Orkney, the station broadcasts live over the internet.

The DJ will also perform a set in Fusion with Glasgow's Jengaheads on Friday, July 2.

Stronsay were the champions of Friday's annual North Isles Sports, with Westray taking second place.

In the schools' competition, Sanday came first with Stronsay second.

Full results and a report will be in this week's The Orcadian, but in the meantime, thanks to pupils at the Stronsay school, the results are available online - see www.stronsay.orkney.sch.uk.

In last night's semi-finals of the Challenge Shield:

• Hotspurs 6, Accies 0.
• Rovers 4, Dounby 2.

Next Saturday's final at Pickaquoy will be between Hotspurs and Rovers.

Saturday, saw the arrival of the Astor, followed on Sunday by the Astoria, with the Deutschland due on Monday, the Maxim Gorky on Tuesday and the Albatros on Wednesday.

The combined passenger capacity of all the visiting liners is more than 3,000.

The funding is part of a national £1 million investment aiming to give 12 to 16-year-olds better access to activities during the holidays. This, it is hoped, will reduce the petty crime and antisocial behaviour caused by a minority of youngsters.

Orkney's cash will support a range of activities, including free swimming and sports sessions, free entry to the cinema and transport to and from the leisure facilities.

The chief executive of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA) praised the council and the Pickaquoy Centre following the visit of the group to the county on Friday.

Rory Mair was speaking after the meeting at the Pickaquoy Centre this morning ­ believed to be the first time CoSLA has met outwith the Scottish mainland.

He said: "We must pass on our thanks to the operator of the council and the staff for making this visit so pleasant. Amongst other things it has allowed us to come and get some valuable knowledge of how smaller councils operate."

It means the quarry could be able to open on Saturday mornings for the sale of minerals only – against the wishes of residents in the nearby area – but the company will have to abide by 22 additional planning conditions.

Councillors also asked for assurances that when an enforcement officer is employed, the conditions are adhered to by Orkney Aggregates.

The proposed site for a two-storey primary care centre and car parking at New Scapa Road in Kirkwall did not bode well with councillors or residents in the area.

Several councillors claim the developers, Prime UK Developments Ltd, have not made enough effort to secure any other site.

Almost £208,500 worth of grants were approved by Orkney Enterprise in April.

Of the £155,430 worth of business grants, the largest was towards the establishment of a new riding school at Cruan in Firth.

The £53,063 total for community projects included £10,000 for equipment for the Hoy Centre and £8,000 towards the archaeological excavations at Minehowe in Tankerness.

The fire brigade attended a minor fuel spill in Kirkwall on Thursday afternoon.

The petrol spill, in the Castle Street car park, was dealt with quickly, the fire brigade covering the fuel with foam to minimise the risk of fire.

OIC workmen to clean up the spill were on the site shortly after 3pm.

63.5 per cent of Orkney's secondary school pupils take school meals, placing them fifth out of Scotland's 32 local authorities.

Primary school pupils in Orkney are placed second in Scotland, with 78.7 per cent taking school meals, where the Scottish average is 48.9 per cent.

Four divers were found safe, following an intensive coastguard search on Wednesday.

Local dive boat Karin released a distress signal yesterday morning at Rora Head, just south of the Old Man of Hoy after becoming separated from four male divers. The Stromness and Longhope lifeboats were launched and the rescue helicopter scrambled from Shetland.

After a search, the divers were found safe and well, one and a half miles south-west of their original position and returned to the Karin.

Fears have been voiced that Scottish Executive proposals for inshore fisheries could annihilate Orkney's creel industry.

South Ronaldsay creel fisherman, Robert Smith, has slammed fishing leaders for destroying the whitefish fleet and now fears the same could happen because of new rules set to be introduced to govern the inshore industry.

Proposals contained in the strategic review of inshore fisheries include the establishment of new management committees which will carry out European instructions at a local level.

Bringing their late father's ba' back home are, from left, Murray Brough, Moira Harrower and Albert Brough.

A boy's ba', won nearly 80 years ago, has been returned to Orkney.

Young Doonie Albert Brough won his ba' in the 1926 Christmas Day Boys' Ba'.

Albert moved to Edinburgh when he was 17 and when he died in 1995 his treasure ba' was passed to his children.

Now, nearly ten years on, Albert's three children decided it should be brought back home and have donated the trophy to the Orkney Museum.

Overwhelming support for the proposed £100,000 system was given by councillors at the OIC's policy and resources committee meeting this week.

Director of finance, Albert Tait, said the second phase of anti-social behaviour funding – the first of which paid for community wardens – could be targeted in this area.

One of Orkney's best known historical sites - the Neolithic village of Skara Brae in Sandwick - has been named an "Icon of Scotland".

Historic Scotland's chief executive, Graeme Munro, received the award at an official presentation this afternoon.

The 5,000-year-old village is the winner in the Scottish History and Heritage category - as voted by the readers of Scotland Magazine.

Councillors at the policy and resources meeting this week approved the sum to go towards the cost of training of young members and other civic activities.

The second phase of police crack-down on vandalism was launched on Wednesday.

The Northern Constabulary campaign kicked off in March, with the second phase now targeting damage caused to schools.

Police are urging the public to contact them immediately if the suspect vandalism has taken place or is about to be committed.

Nine Kirkwall airport jobs look safe after islands councillors gave their backing to a £650,000 contribution towards a new hangar.

The proposed £1.45 million building will be used to maintain Islander aircraft, while providing overnight accommodation for up to three of the small planes, which serve the North Isles.

The current Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd hangar is at the end of its life, development director, Jeremy Baster, told members of the policy and resources committee on Tuesday.

"Unless a new hangar is provided, maintenance will cease at Kirkwall airport, with the loss of up to nine jobs."

The report will be distributed following its presentation to the Health Board on July 1, with the meetings beginning on July 5.

NHS Orkney chief executive, Steve Conway said: "It is crucial that people in Orkney are given every opportunity to see and understand the thinking behind the options so that they can be fully involved in the redesign of the county's health services."

Click here for more details and meeting dates

Stromness police officers carried out extensive inquiries resulting in the arrest of a boy, in his late teens. A report is to be submitted to the procurator fiscal.

Meanwhile, a Kirkwall police spokesman reminded all householders to be vigilant in locking doors and windows.

The prototype 'sea snail' tidal generator launch, scheduled for Friday, has been hit by the weather forecast again.

The 20 metre device, which will eventually be tested in the tidal waters of Eynhallow Sound, was originally due to be launched in 2003 but has suffered a series of aborted launches due to the weather.

The sea snake development team confirmed on Tuesday that the weather forecast for the end of the week had once again forced the cancellation, adding that it is unlikely the snail will be launched until at least 2005.

A Kirkwall resident who walked from Lands End to John o' Groats in support of Age Concern Orkney arrived home safely on Tuesday.

Dave Higgins set out from Land's End on April 18, and today, 66 days and 1,167 miles later, he arrived back in Orkney via the Burwick ferry.

Click here to view Dave' online diary

Sandra Towrie

A teacher from Sanday will be one of six Scottish teachers working in South Africa this summer after being accepted as a 'global teacher'.

Sandra Towrie, the Sanday school's support for learning teacher, will spend the next 15 months attending training weekends in England, a Global Teacher conference in London as well as spend five weeks in South Africa.

There, she will help implement an HIV/AIDS policy, as well as establishing school libraries and the support of English language teaching.

Sandra flies out to Johannesburg on July 17.

The electro-fishing equipment allows biologists to catch fish without harming them, so they can be returned to the water after being studied.

Until recently there has been very little information about the state of Orkney's sea trout population, and recent years have seen an apparent decline in numbers. This has emphasised the need for more information to ensure the future health and conservation of Orkney's wild sea trout.

The NFUS is advising its members to contact them if they do not receive entitlement details within the next few days. Anyone with a problem with their estimate is return the relevant form to Seerad. NFUS also plans a number of one-one-one surgeries to help sort out problems.

Seerad will hold information meetings on June 30 at 7.30pm in the Harray Hall and July 1 at 7.30pm in the Tankerness Hall.

A woman was taken to Balfour Hospital on Sunday morning, suffering the effects of the cold.

The police and ambulance service were called after the woman, a visitor to the islands, was seen wading into the water of Skaill Loch in Sandwick.

Police are appealing for witnesses following an assault in Burnmouth Road, Kirkwall, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

They want to talk to two men, both described as being approximately 5ft 10 inches tall, one heavy built with a shaven head and wearing a red top, the other of medium build, with black hair and wearing a black top.

The assault victim was treated for injuries at Balfour Hospital.

The housing association's services were assessed as 'excellent' for property development and 'good' for housing management, property management and governance and financial management.

Stephen Manson, Orkney Housing Association chairman, said: "We are delighted that the quality of service we deliver to all our customers has been recognised by Communities Scotland in this report with our 'B' grade award."

Passenger numbers at Kirkwall airport fell by three per cent last month, compared to May 2003.

9,950 passengers used the airport in May 2004, with 10,256 in May 2004.