A difference of ten points has saw Orkney losing out to Shetland in the annual Junior Inter County.

Shetland’s score of 204 against Orkney’s 194, saw the home team lift the Stuart Cup in Lerwick last night.

Orkney won the athletics, hockey and netball but were beaten by Shetland in the football and swimming,

With the first kidney dialysis operation to take place in the county scheduled for Monday, the Orkney Kidney Patient Association are hosting at open day at the Balfour Hospital’s new renal unit this afternoon.

The long-awaited unit, which sees an end to patients having to leave Orkney for treatment, is based in a refurbished section of the St Ninian Ward. It is equipped with four dialysis machines and remotely linked with specialist renal services and staff in Aberdeen.

A group of campaigners in Rousay were among those participating in the nationwide “Make Poverty History” Drum Beat this afternoon.

If more than 10,102 people drummed simultaneously at midday in the various events around the UK, a new world record would be set.

The OIC’s Housing Repairs Service has received a thumbs-up from its customers.

The housing department sent out repair monitoring forms to everyone who made a maintenance request from March 1.

The results show that 92 per cent were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with the time taken to complete repairs and 95 per cent were happy with the standard of work. In addition, 95 per cent of the returned forms stated their overall satisfaction with the repairs.

Following the recent spell of dry weather, Scottish Water tankers were brought in to top up boreholes on Shapinsay.

A company spokesman said: “There was no threat of running dry, but the levels were looking a bit low. As a precautionary measure the supply holes were topped up by tankers.”

It was announced on Thursday that NorthLink Ferries Ltd have been awarded the six-year contract to operate the ferry services to Orkney and Shetland.

The company will take over the routes immediately.

NorthLink Ferries Ltd is a new company formed to deliver the services following the appointment of Caledonian MacBrayne as preferred bidder in March.

Transport Minister, Tavish Scott said: "I am confident that this contract offers the best value for public money and will deliver real improvements for anyone using the service.

"I expect the new company to build successfully on the service previously provided by NorthLink Orkney and Shetland Ferries Ltd."

Almost £117,000 of grants were approved by Orkney Enterprise in June.

Changes at Kirkwall's Somerfield supermarket could lead to redundancies.

Employees were told in April of changes to the store structure as part of the company's commitment to "simplify the business" and enable Somerfield to better "meet the needs" of customers.

A spokesman for the Pickaquoy Road store said: "As a result of these changes, a number of staff have now been informed that they are at risk of redundancy."

Kirkwall police confirmed this afternoon that a “significant” quantity of suspected cannabis was recovered from two addresses in Kirkwall last week.

Following information received, police searched the two properties under the Misuse of Drugs Act last Thursday evening. The occupants of the premises have been questioned as a result of the search.

Northern Isles MP, Alistair Carmichael, has hit out after a proposal to cut fuel duty in Scotland's rural areas was blocked.

Treasury Minister John Healey opposed the plan in Parliament on Tuesday, arguing that, “The price of a pint of beer in London is significantly higher than elsewhere in the country, but we do not make tax adjustments to compensate for that.”

Firefighters had a busy morning on Wednesday, with incidents in Kirkwall and Stromness.

Kirkwall Fire Brigade were called out at 8.30am to attend a tractor fire on the Holm Branch Road. Five minutes later, Stromness firefighters put out a car on fire at the Garson Industrial Estate.

Figures from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) relating to the Outdoor Access Code show that farmers are still reporting problems with access and members of the public.

They report that some problems had worsened since the introduction of the code, most notably litter, gates being left open, or closed inappropriately, and trouble with dogs not being kept under appropriate control.

A woman was taken to Balfour Hospital on Tuesday following a road accident near Barnhouse in Stenness.

A report is being submitted the procurator fiscal following the two-vehicle accident, which occurred at 11.30am.

The woman’s injuries were described by police as minor.

Wideford Burn at Inganess Bay, St Ola, has been given the all clear.

The OIC's environmental health department have confirmed that tests show the burn is now free from Blue-green algae.

Warnings had been posted warning visitors that they should avoid contact with the mouth of the burn and the burn itself.

The growing number of new tourist accommodation in the county has prompted a change on the OIC’s planning policy.

At a special meeting on Tuesday afternoon, islands councillors agreed that "saturation has been reached" and recommended that no further applications for tourist accommodation on the Mainland, outwith approved building areas, will be allowed.

The matter will be looked at again when a further, more detailed, report is presented to the committee later this year.

Transport Minister Tavish Scott has welcomed news that more than 1,000 free ferry journeys have been made to the Northern Isles as part of the National Concessionary Travel Scheme.

Figures show that a total of 7,276 islanders now have their national entitlement card to allow free bus travel in Scotland. As part of the scheme island residents also get four single ferry trips - either inter-island or to the Scottish mainland.

The uptake in Orkney is currently 71 per cent and Mr Scott is urging those who don't yet have cards to apply now via the OIC.

Islands councillors have voted in favour of consulting with the public on proposed traffic improvements in Kirkwall.

Prior to Tuesday's full council meeting, concern had been expressed at the lack of consultation on plans to introduce a number of roundabouts in the town and the pedestrianisation of Broad Street.

However, OIC transportation committee chairman, Councillor Bob Sclater, has now agreed to include public consultation within the proposals.

Archive story: Major changes ahead for Kirkwall's traffic

A Caithness man found in possession of a knife after passing out in a Kirkwall pub, was fined £750 at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Tuesday.

Kevin Allan Banks, 24, of Lower Gills, Wick, appeared from custody after being caught with the knife on Saturday. The court heard how ambulance staff discovered the offensive weapon after Banks passed out in Kirkwall's Torvhaug.

Honorary Sheriff Gary Gibson said: "We look on this very seriously in this small community, we don¹t want to have any repetition of this."

The chairman of the Stromness Branch RNLI management committee has retired after serving 21 years.

Captain Max Gunn retired from his position as chairman with effect June 30. He was originally invited to join the Stromness committee in September 1984 and became chairman in March 1985.

Orkney Ferries is to put a second vessel on the South Isles service.

The mv Thorsvoe will run from Monday,  July 31 until Saturday, August 26, as part of a market research exercise to obtain an accurate indication of the traffic between Houton, Hoy and Flotta.

The ferry will use existing and relief crew from the South Isles with the vessel being based in Lyness during this period.

The published timetable for the Hoy Head will remain, with the Thorsvoe carrying out additional sailings to a fixed timetable.

An Orkney Ferries spokesman stressed, however, that the additional sailings are dependant on operational needs. In the event of technical or other problems it will be withdrawn from the service.

Archive story: South Isles ferry plea repeated

The growing number of new tourist accommodation facilities in the county has prompted a rethink on the OIC’s current planning policy.

At the moment, applications to build new tourist accommodation are handled differently to normal housing applications, with tourist facilities given favourable treatment.

Nearly 40 weapons were handed in to Kirkwall police following a nationwide knife amnesty.

The blades handed in included 19 “non-domestic” knives and 18 domestic.

Orkney’s cyclists can now pick up new advice on access for off-road cycling.

Launched by Rhona Brankin, deputy environment minister, the information aims to outline good practice for off-road cycling, which is covered by the new right of responsible access to the countryside.

The Coastguard is urging boat owners to follow correct emergency procedures at sea to avoid delays in rescues.

The reminder comes after a 19ft wooden dinghy ran into difficulties between Graemsay and Stromness on Saturday afternoon. After the Yorvik was unable to anchor, one of the three people on board used a mobile phone to call 999.

The call was routed to police in Dingwall, who alerted the Aberdeen Coastguard, who then had to call on Shetland Coastguard. The Stromness lifeboat was launched and towed the Yorvik into Stromness.

Police have praised the two Magfest gigs in Kirkwall at the weekend.

The events which attracted over 3,000 people over two nights, were well-run according to Sergeant Angus MacLeod.

A man was arrested outside the Pickaquoy Centre in Kirkwall on Saturday night.

The 22-year-old has been charged with an assault and breach of the police.

Meanwhile, two youths were arrested at the Pickaquoy Centre in the early hours of Sunday morning.The men, aged 16 and 17, have been charged with breach of the peace.

Reports will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.

Transport Minister Tavish Scott has confirmed that, when CalMac takes over the ferry contract for the Northern Isles, the special low freight rate for empty trailers and the “weekend saver” freight rate, currently offered by NorthLink, will be retained.

Jim Wallace had raised the issue with the Minister after representation from local hauliers.

The OIC has appointed a no smoking warden, who is due to start work later this month.

David Brown, of the council’s environmental health department, said the one-year job was funded from Scottish Executive cash.

The warden’s primary role will be to visit businesses in an advisory capacity to give encouragement in how to comply with the legislation.

Fifteen applications were received for the £18,000-a-year job.

Shapinsay’s celebration of the sea is drawing closer.

Seafest will be held over the weekend of July 15 and 16 and aims to celebrate Orkney’s connection with the sea and the harvest it produces.

Organisers of the event are also hoping to hear from anyone, who is not involved, to get in touch if they would like to have a stall or take part over the weekend.