At the weekend, the Viking-age re-enactment society, Nordreyjar Felag, were encamped in Birsay.

Orkney’s wine connoisseurs are in for a treat next week with the start of the second Orkney Fine Wine Festival.

Event organiser, Duncan McLean, said: “There is nothing like this festival in the rest of Scotland, as far as we know. It is truly a unique opportunity to meet some of the world’s leading winemakers, and taste their fantastic wines in an informal and convivial setting.”

The event, hosted by The Longship in Kirkwall, will consist of various evenings hosted by top names from the world of wine.

The event runs from June 2 to June 7.

Mr McLean added: “The festival was a sellout last year, and we expect this year to be just as popular.”

The date for this year’s Stromness Blues Weekend has been announced.

The festival is set to star a line-up of local and visiting talent for the third time, kicking off on Friday, September 19.

New research and material has helped expand and update the definitive book focusing on the history of Orkney.

Now in its third edition, The New History of Orkney by William P. L. Thomson has been described as “a must-have for Orcadians, near and far”.

The book is available from June 12. William Thomson is the author of a number of books on Scottish history, and was rector of Kirkwall Grammar School, from 1971 to 1991.

A former girlfriend of Michael Ross has described his bedroom around the time of the Mumutaz murder in 1994, claiming there was a rifle above his bed.

At the High Court in Glasgow on Friday afternoon, Lynn Marie Neil, 30, said she went out with Ross for three-and-a-half years, from when she was aged about 16.

Asked by advocate depute, Brian McConnachie QC, prosecuting, to describe his bedroom, she said: “It was a typical teenage boy's room. There were posters of the bands, AC DC, Guns N ’ Roses and army magazines.”

She added that there was a rifle positioned above his bed, but did not think it worked, and that he had been issued with a green balaclava as part of his cadet uniform.

A contract for a lift-on lift-off freight service for the Northern Isles has been awarded to Shetland Line (1984) Ltd.

The service requirement is for two round trips to Orkney and Shetland per week on the Aberdeen - Kirkwall - Lerwick route.

Up to a set limit, subsidy will be paid on each tonne carried. The amount of subsidy will depend on the level of usage, expected to be around £600,000 in the first year of the contract. The new contract started from May 31.

A witness told the High Court in Glasgow, on Friday, that racism was common among young army cadets, including murder accused Michael Ross.

Former cadet alongside Ross, Nicola Wylie, 28, a hotel manager, said: “We made jokes, we were just children ignorant to life and, yes, we probably did make jokes just about people’s ethnic origin and where they came from.”

A statement made by Ms Wylie in 1995, was read to the court by advocate depute, Brian McConnachie QC, which said: “I have heard Michael Ross at cadets showing off to an audience and saying things about ‘shooting blacks and putting a gun up to their heads’.”

When asked if this was true by Mr McConnachie, the witness broke down and said she could not remember.

The statement continued: “I have heard him make this sort of thing, boast, before and after the murder. I don’t think Michael approves of girls being in cadets and has said things like, ‘treat the girls like they were n*****s’.”

Ms Wylie was again asked if this was true and she said: “If I said it, it must have been true, but I cannot recall saying that.”

She described Ross as being “the best cadet in Orkney” and said he was a “good shot”. He was known as “Arnie” by his cadet friends, in reference to Arnold Swartzenegger, Ms Wylie added.

“I guess because of his build and the way he was in the cadets.”

Police have released the name of the boy who died following a road accident in Stronsay on Sunday morning.

He was Christopher Findlay (17) of Stronsay, Orkney.

Giving evidence at the murder trial in Glasgow on Thursday afternoon, witness Lynn Railston identified Michael Ross as the man she saw acting strangely in Papdale Woods around the time of the crime. 

Michael Ross denies murdering Shamsuddin Mahmood in Kirkwall on June 2, 1994, by shooting him dead in the Mumutaz Restaurant. 

Ms Railston, 31, told the High Court in Glasgow that she lived nearby and had seen a man acting strangely in the woods. She described the man she saw as wearing a balaclava and stone-washed jeans, with a khaki rucksack of army style, wearing a black hooded top.

She said the man was of stocky build and presumed he was 5ft 6in or 5ft 7in, approximately.  She further described the stranger as being in his early twenties with a tanned complexion. 

She said he appeared to be “stalking” from tree to tree and described how he eventually removed the hooded top and balaclava to reveal a white sweat-top which had a distinctive white pattern on it — she drew and example at the time for police which was shown in court. 

She said the man walked away with a “confident swagger.”

“Purposeful I suppose,” she added. 

Then she described how she saw him numerous times again over the years. The first time she saw him again she said: “I felt very uncomfortable and couldn’t believe I had seen him again.”

She explained that he was with a group of young friends, which made her realise that he must be younger than she first thought. She said she was aware at the time of one of his friends shouting his name, Michael, and he turned around.

Defence advocate, Brian McConnachie, QC prosecution asked the witness, “would you recognise him today?”

“Yes I would,” she replied. 

He continued: “Do you see him here today?”

“Yes I do,” she replied, and pointed at the accused, Michael Ross, in the dock. 

The trial continues.

The Pier Arts Centre in Stromness has been named as one of the five winners of the Scottish 2008 Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) awards.

The RIBA Awards, among the most prestigious annual architectural awards in the UK, have been running continuously since 1966.  The awards are given for buildings that achieve the highest architectural standards and make a substantial contribution to the local environment.

The award will be presented at a ceremony on June 27, with all five winners going on to be considered for the RIBA National Awards.

A 56-year-old former marine told the murder trial in Glasgow on Thursday morning, that father of the accused, Eddy Ross asked him to lie to the police.

Asked by advocate depute QC prosecuting, Brian McConnachie, witness James Spence admitted that his friend had told him to lie about the amount of 9mm ammunition he had given to Ross.

Addressing Spence, Mr McConnachie said: “At some point after the murder, did you have contact with Eddy Ross?”

The witness said he did. He was then asked who initiated the conversation.

He replied: “Probably me, asking how the murder inquiry was going.”

Mr McConnachie continued: “Did he tell you anything about the inquiry?”

Mr Spence replied: “He said it was the same type of bullet that I had given him that had been used in the murder.”

The advocate then asked: “Did you speak to him again?”

The witness said he had spoken to Eddy Ross a week, or two, after the first conversation and at that point, Ross has asked him to lie.

Mr McConnachie said: “What did he say?”

Mr Spence replied: “Just tell them it was one box of 9mm,” indicating that Ross suggested that is what he should tell police, as they were interviewing everyone in Kirkwall about the murder.

The witness said: “I said there was a box and a half. He said, ‘just tell them there was one box’.”

Mr Spence further explained that in his first statement to police, he did lie, but gave a second statement at a later date containing the truth.

Michael Ross denies murdering Shamsuddin Mahmood in Kirkwall on June 2, 1994, by shooting him dead in the Mumutaz Restaurant.

The trial continues.

Police have confirmed that the 17-year-old involved in a vehicle accident in Stronsay at the weekend has died as a result of his injuries.

He was pronounced dead at 4.24pm on Wednesday at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

A spokesman added that the youth is not being officially named until all next of kin have been informed.

Balfour Castle in Shapinsay could be put on the market for the first time in more than 45 years, the owners have confirmed.

A statement said: "It is with much regret that the Zawadski and Lidderdale families have decided, owing to a number of reasons, to consider the option of putting Balfour Castle and Balfour Mains on the market."

The 19th century property was taken over by Captain Tadeusz Zawadski in the 1960s. Captain Zawadski was a Polish cavalry officer who was posted to Orkney.

A marine told the murder trial in Glasgow on Wednesday that he gave police constable Eddy Ross one full and one partial box of 9mm ammunition.

James Spence, 56, a former Royal Marine, said it was his job to check weapons in and out of the armoury before and after range practice.

One day he found the 9mm ammunition and a half box of .22 ammunition in a cupboard in the armoury. He assumed someone had finished practice and found the mazazine locked, so left the ammunition in the armoury instead, he told the High Court in Glasgow during the trial of Michael Ross.

Ross denies murdering Shamsuddin Mahmood in Kirkwall on June 2, 1994, by shooting him dead in the Mumutaz Restaurant.

Mr Spence said he left the ammunition in the armoury, hoping the person who had placed it there would return to put it in its proper place.

Some time later, before an inspection, he removed it to his locker so the commanding officer would not find it.

When he was due for discharge from the Marines, Mr Spence said, he thought his discharge would be delayed if he handed in the ammunition, so he took it home to Orkney.

He told the court he gave all the ammunition to PC Edmund Ross. "He had weapons and always needed bullets," Mr Spence said.

The trial continues.

Over 60 applications have been received by Orkney Towage for a range of posts advertised in The Orcadian last week by the company.

Sixteen sea staff were made redundant in a cost-cutting exercise by the company recently.

However, a number of remaining staff declined to sign new contracts being offered, leaving the board in the position of having to advertise for all ranks — master, chief engineer, mate and deck ratings.

A spokesman for the board of Orkney Towage said on Wednesday: “Although the closing date for applications is not until June 6, the responses that we have had has been overwhelming — over 60 applications for the various posts.”

As Orkney experienced rain on Wednesday for the first time in weeks, the Met Office confirmed that we have enjoyed one of the driest months of May for many years.

A spokesman said: "Looking at Kirkwall Airport, and the readings up until May 26, and there has only been 5mm of rain — the May average is 49.3mm. It has been very dry indeed."

Orkney Islands Council is launching a beverage carton recycling scheme throughout the county this week.

The new project means that used paper-based cartons can now be recycled through special collection bins at Lidl, Bossack, Garson, Cursiter and St Margaret’s Hope recycling centres.

Cartons should not be placed into household recycling bins.

Once collected they will be taken away to be baled and transported to a recycling mill, for conversion into a number of different products, ranging from plasterboard liner to high-strength paper bags and envelopes.

A police dive team were in the county after the discovery of a man’s remains in Scapa Flow on Tuesday morning.

According to police, the remains were discovered near the wreck of the Markgraf and the Grampian Police Dive Team will carry out the recovery operation.

There are currently two missing divers in the Scapa Flow area, but until the body has been recovered and formal identification has taken place police cannot confirm the identity of this individual.

Both missing divers’ families have been informed of the discovery.

The project costs associated with improved access to St Margaret’s Hope and the rebuilding of Millburn Bridge, Hoy, have increased by £446,000 and £293,000 respectively.

Councillors discussed the item in private at Tuesday’s special transportation committee meeting and the increased costs were approved by full council in the afternoon.

It was noted that the cost of completing the Hoy bridge was estimated at £511,900, while the ‘Hope project had risen to £1,234,475 — additional costs of £740,375.

Councillors agreed that the additional sums be funded by a contribution of more than £200,000 from the serviced sites for sale capital programme and the application of additional capital grant, of more than £520,000.

It would be unlikely but not impossible for military ammunition to be found in civilian hands, the jury at the murder trial in Glasgow heard on Tuesday afternoon.

William Willis, a former sergeant major in the Royal Marines at Arbroath, said in evidence in the High Court in Glasgow that the ammunition used during range practices was highly regulated.

In the trial of Michael Ross, who denies murdering Shamsuddin Mahmood at the Mumutaz Indian Restaurant in Kirkwall on June 2, 1994, Mr Willis said that before practice the ammunition was transported to the range separately and then handed to the soldiers. He said the remaining ammunition was then taken back in at the end of the day and again accounted for.

"They take it very seriously," he said. "Everything is counted every week against a ledger."

However, despite this, he admitted some could go missing.

"You could sometimes find ones not handed in — a round found by chance after the exercise."

The witness was shown a box of 9mm ammunition, which he confirmed was military and was told by advocate depute Brian McConnachie that it had come into civilian hands.

Mr Willis said: "It is quite unusual that that would happen, but it would not be hard to miss." He said it could be possible due to the fact that soldiers packed their own kit and may forget to take a box of ammunition out before sending their kit home. However, he did not think that a marine would have breached procedure on purpose.

"I do not know anyone who would forget that. It's drilled into you what to do."

The trial continues.

A fuel surcharge is to be introduced on passengers and private vehicles travelling with Orkney Ferries in a bid to offset a £300,000 overspend due to rising oil costs.

But at a special meeting of the OIC transportation committee and subsequent full council sitting on Tuesday afternoon, councillors have agreed to foot the bill for 75 per cent of the additional costs, with ferry customers having to stump up the remaining 25 per cent. Commercial vehicles will be exempt.

Councillors further agreed that the convener, Councillor Stephen Hagan, should write to the Scottish Government Finance Secretary highlighting the council's ongoing financial difficulties in providing the lifeline inter-isles ferry services. 

The father of murder accused Michael Ross possessed four 9mm pistols and seven other firearms, which included two rifles, two revolvers, a pistol and a shotgun in 1994, the High Court in Glasgow was told on Tuesday morning.

Northern Constabulary firearms licensing manager, Norman MacLeod, gave details of a full firearms licence record for Eddy Ross, covering the period including June 2, 1994, the date when Shamsuddin Mahmood was shot dead in the Mumutaz Indian Restaurant in Kirkwall.

Michael Ross denies murdering Mr Mahmood.

Mr MacLeod said the documents included a change of address notification dated April 25, 1994. The firearms certificate from Eddy Ross’s previous address covered the period from December 17, 1992, to December 16, 1995.

The trial continues.

After a number of complaints about wedding blackenings, the OIC is reminding participants that public facilities should not be used as a clean-up point.

According to a spokeswoman, there have been a number of complaints about the mess left behind in public toilets afterwards and council cleaners have to spend extra hours cleaning up the toilets, which can disrupt the use of them to both locals and tourists.

Orkney’s Natasha Groundwater has missed out on the Miss Scotland title.

She made it through to the final ten and attended a star-studded event in Glasgow on Sunday evening.

Following a burlesque performance, the group was split in two, with one half told they had been unsuccessful, including Natasha, 24, a dental nurse, from Kirkwall.

Stephanie Willemse, 19, from Glasgow, was crowned Miss Scotland.

A 17-year-old male has been transferred to hospital in Aberdeen following a road accident in Stronsay at the weekend.

The incident occurred around 12.30am on Saturday and left the youth, who has not been named, seriously injured.

Police have reported a number of incidents of vandalism in Orkney over the weekend.

On Friday afternoon, a red van was struck and damaged by another vehicle while parked and unattended in Kirkwall town centre.

Overnight on Friday, three parked cars in Stromness were damaged. Over the weekend, windows in three premises in Stromness were smashed.

Anyone with information on any of the above is asked to call the police on 872241.

The implications for Orkney Ferries of increasing fuel costs will be outlined before councillors at a meeting of the OIC's transportation committee on Tuesday morning.

The price paid for fuel on May 1, 2008, is 73 per cent higher than that paid on the same date a year ago.

Four options will be considered - find savings from within the company; apply a fuel surcharge to the existing tariff; the council stump up additional cash or a combination of an increase in fares and additional council funding.

The members' recommendation will then go forward to a special meeting of the full council on Tuesday afternoon for ratifying.

A free place at a summer school studying the islands’ cultural traditions, worth £200, is up for grabs.

This year, the Orkney school runs from July 7 to July 11, while a similar event in Shetland is from July 14 to 18.

The free place, for either the Orkney or Shetland school, will go to the person who can put forward the best reason for attending. Information and downloadable registration forms for both schools can be found here.

Prospective students should also bid for the free place by pitching   their reason for attending to Dr Donna Heddle at donna.heddle@orkney.uhi.ac.uk.

The late Gunnie Moberg (Picture: Alistair Peebles)

An exhibition of photographs by the late Orkney artist and photographer Gunnie Moberg opened at the Pier Arts Centre on Friday.

The exhibition, entitled Three Island Groups, focuses on Orkney, Shetland and Faroe - places that were very close to the artist’s heart. 

Also, to celebrate the life and work of the artist, a special “Gunnie Day” has been set for July 19, at the Pier Arts Centre.