A tribute to Sanday-based composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davis is being heralded as the most important concert of an arts festival in Hungary.

Budapest's Autumn Festival began on Saturday, and concludes on October 24 with a concert entitled "Happy Birthday, Sir Peter".

This event will see Sir Peter Maxwell Davis conduct the Danubbia Youth Symphony Orchestra in four of his own pieces - The MacDonald Dances, Symphony No 5, Strathclyde Concerto No 4 for clarinet and An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise.

Police are warning the public to be on the look out for stolen power tools, and to make sure any offered for sale are legitimate.

A report was received that the implements had been taken from a Hatston workshop sometime between Monday and Thursday.

One man has been reported to the procurator fiscal, although police inquiries are continuing.

Local authorities will be given planning controls over marine fish farms to replace the current system of Crown Estate controls and works licences. The Executive is seeking views on how to introduce the changes with as little impact as possible on existing farms.

The new planning controls will mean the disabling of the works licence procedure in Orkney for marine fish farming in coastal and transitional waters. However, works licences will continue to apply for other types of marine development.

The author of a new book on Orcadian genealogy held a signing session in Kirkwall on Saturday afternoon.

James Irvine will be signing copies of Trace your Orkney Ancestors in The Orcadian Bookshop from 2-3pm.

Then, at 7pm in the Royal British Legion, Kirkwall, David Turner was signing copies of his new book The Ultimate Sacrifice: The Battleship World War Two. The book is dedicated to those who lost their lives at sea in the Second World War.

The burned out remains of the tractor in Deerness on Friday morning

Kirkwall Fire Brigade was called out just after 5am on Friday morning to attend a fire at Stove in Deerness.

One appliance attended the fire, which started in a tractor but spread to a nearby trailer. The fire was extinguished by 7.15am.

There were no casualties and, although there are no suspicious circumstances, investigations are continuing into the cause of the blaze.

Police are hunting a vandal who they believe went on a destructive spree in Kirkwall in the early hours of Friday morning.

A phone box was badly damaged on King Haakon Street and several windows smashed in a house in Queen Street. Windows were also broken at the old creamery offices in Deerness Road.

Acting Inspector Bob Mackenzie said: "We suspect the vandalisms are linked and it could be the same person who has caused the damage."

Anyone with information is asked to call 872241.

Eileen Evans' winning entry in the senior category of The Orcadian photographic exhibition

The winners of The Orcadian's 150th Anniversary photographic competition were announced at a ceremony in the Pickaquoy Centre on Thursday night.

Eileen Evans, from Birsay, and Kane MacKinnon, from Kirkwall, took the honours in the senior and junior category respectively. Each was presented with a digital camera from sponsors WHB Sutherland/Focus on Orkney.

The winners of each of the six monthly rounds are on display in the Waterfront Cafe of the Pickaquoy Centre until October 31.

Click here to view the winning entries.

North Ronaldsay does not look like getting a requested second weekly ferry to the island.

Councillors at Thursday's meeting of the inter-isles transportation sub-committee agreed to note the North Ronaldsay community council's request for an extra sailing, but agreed that it would be impossible within current budget constraints and without reducing services to other islands.

A report was been submitted to the procurator fiscal after a third person in two days has been charged with letting off fireworks in a public place.

This time, a teenager was caught setting off fireworks by St Magnus Cathedral and other areas in the centre of the town on Wednesday night.

Acting Inspector Bob Mackenzie said: “You can’t set off fireworks in a public place at all. We will prosecute offenders, as can be seen with arrests made this week.”

Islands councillors have agreed to recommend that a potential £240,000 Orkney Ferries budget overspend be classed as an "inescapable cost".

Members at Thursday's meeting of the OIC's inter-isles transportation sub-committee heard that a 67 per cent rise in fuel costs over the past year has resulted in a potential £240,000 deficit in the company's fuel budget.

Kenneth Toop, Arthur Smith and Herbert Pocock - Royal Oak survivors attending Thursday's memorial ceremony

The annual wreath laying ceremony to commemorate the men of HMS Royal Oak took place in Scapa Flow on Thursday.

Three survivors, pictured right, made their way to Orkney for the ceremony this year, the 65th anniversary of the tragedy which saw more than 800 men lost.

In the annual ceremony, Royal Navy divers replace the the White Ensign on the World War II wreck.

See also: The Tragedy of HMS Royal Oak
A Survivor's Memories of HMS Royal Oak

Orkney MP, Alistair Carmichael, has welcomed a Government undertaking to look again at the problems faced by residents of the northern isles facing extra charges for mail order purchases.

Many people have complained of companies who refuse to deliver to Orkney and Shetland, or having surcharges added for delivery.

Speaking after Wednesday's debate Mr Carmichael said:"For the first time I am left with the impression that a Government Minister has listened, recognised the nature of the problem and is prepared to look seriously for a solution."

Police are seeking witnesses to a single-vehicle road accident in St Ola on Wednesday afternoon.

An Audi car left the road on the Wideford Brae around 1.45pm on Wednesday. The driver was transferred to Balfour Hospital, where she was kept in overnight for observation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Kirkwall police on 872241.

Two men are to be reported to the procurator fiscal for throwing fireworks in Kirkwall's Broad Street on Monday night.

The incident highlights this week's police warning that misuse of fireworks will not be tolerated.

The conference will look at the impact on wildlife and landscape of all forms of energy, including the use of fossil fuels and renewable electricity, such as wind and hydro.

Highlighting the opportunities for Orkney to contribute to greenhouse gas emission reductions and benefit economically, SNH's Orkney manager, John Uttley, said: "An important aspect of developing best practice in sustainable energy, especially in places like Orkney, will be designing and locating projects where they avoid the most serious impacts on wildlife and landscape."

With the approach of Hallowe'en and Bonfire Night, police have repeated their warning that they will be cracking down on misuse of fireworks.

PC Jim Mollison, said: "Unfortunately at this time of the year we receive a large number of complaints from members of the public concerned about the misuse of fireworks.

"There will be increased patrols of uniformed and plain clothes officers over the next few weeks and our aim is to detect and deter offences of vandalism, under-age drinking and misuse of fireworks."

Incidents of firework misuse can be reported to Kirkwall Police station on 872241.

The outcome of the debate on the new EU Rural Development Regulation (RDR), which begins in 2007, could be as important to Orkney's farmers and the wider rural economy as CAP reform, according to National Farmers' Union Scotland (NFUS).

One issue the NFUS has highlighted as a priority is the future of Less Favoured Area support, worth £60 million to Scotland.

The Orkney Branch will be updated on the negotiations at a meeting next Monday evening in the Lynnfield Hotel, Kirkwall.

The changes will see the minister personally, and publicly, hold the performance review meeting for each health board in Scotland.

Mr Kerr said: "The National Health Service is a public service and it is vital that local communities can find out how their own health service is performing.

"I want to see more openness in decision-making about services and more accountability in the way they are organised.

If the proposal gains enough support in Westminster to become law, Scotland will either have to follow suit or operate an hour behind.

Opposition remains strong north of the border, with any change from GMT meaning prolonged dark mornings in the northern winter, with the sun only rising in Orkney after 10am.

The grants are aimed at securing specialist coaching as well as providing travel costs for those heading south to compete.

The new grants are: Coaching for Coaches/Officials Grant, Specialised Coaching Grant, Travel Grant - Outer-Isles Coaches Grant, Travel Grant - District/Regional Junior Athletes, Disclosure Scotland Grant, Sports Development Incentive Grant, Sports Equipment Grant.

Details of the grants are outlined in a booklet which can be downloaded from the Sports Development website alongside the relevant application forms.

Stuart Ranford, who took up the post earlier this month, addresses a long standing concern of the OIC planning committee, said chairwoman Ann Sutherland.

Any member of the public suspecting or aware of unauthorised developments or construction work is urged to contact Mr Ranford on 873535 as soon as possible.

A Renault Clio and a Ford Focus were involved in the incident at 9.30pm on the Finstown to Kirkwall Road.

Both vehicles were extensively damaged and the drivers received minor injuries.

Police would like to hear from any Orkney businesses that may have fallen victim to a nationwide postal scam.

A number of companies have received an official looking letter which implies that if businesses do not register - at a rate of £75 per employee - they may face investigation into the laundering of money.

The return address for the payments is Lyme, House, Plant Tree Drive, Crew, Cheshire.

Anyone who has sent money or responded to this address is ask to contact Jim Mollison at the Kirkwall Police Station (Tel 872241).

43-year-old David McHugh, of South Park, Eday, denied the offences at Liverpool Crown Court. The offences involve him allegedly dishonestly obtaining about £40,000 worth of services, between October 22 last year and May, by deception.

A date for his trial, which is expected to last three days, was fixed to begin on November 22 and McHugh was further remanded in custody until October 25 for a review hearing.