Orkney score their final try in the match against RAF Lossiemouth.

Orkney Rugby Club won their Scottish Hydro Regional Bowl fixture against RAF Lossiemouth on Saturday afternoon.

Orkney were leading by 19 points to nil a half time and despite a spirited fight-back in the second half, by the opposition, the home team finished the match with a 36-5 scoreline.

A farmer yesterday claimed a murder accused told his alleged victim: “Your day is coming.”

Thirty-seven-year-old George Parker said that 54-year-old Bob Rose told him he had been threatened by his love rival John Campbell.

George Parker, 37, was giving evidence at the High Court of Glasgow in the trial of Campbell, 59, and Stephen Crummack, 51, who deny murdering Mr Rose on Sanday on June 6 or 7, 2009 and burying his body in sand dunes.

Mr Parker told the High Court in Glasgow that Mr Rose and Campbell hated each other because of their rivalry over 34-year-old Margaret Johnston who had been both men's lover before leaving the island in February last year.

Mr Parker said that he contacted the police after becoming increasingly concerned when Mr Rose disappeared.

The trial continues.

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Orkney Islands Council's draft Corse West Development Brief has been published for a six week consultation period.

The Brief establishes a framework for development in the area of land which lies on the western edge of Kirkwall, in close proximity to the Pickaquoy Centre and existing housing at Glaitness.

This area of land has been designated for development in both the Orkney Local Plan and the Kirkwall Urban Design Framework.

When the document has been approved it will be a material consideration for all planning applications on this site.

The closing date for comments is March 11 2010.

The woman at the centre of an Orkney love triangle told a murder trial on Thursday, how her two lovers came to blows on a couple of occasions.

Witness Margaret Johnston, 34, was giving evidence at the High Court in Glasgow in the trial of John Campbell, 59, and Stephen Crummack, 50, who deny murdering Mr Rose on Sanday on June 6 or 7, 2009 and burying his body in sand dunes.

She said that murder accused John Campbell had thrown floor tiles at alleged murder victim Robert Rose.

She also claimed that police were called after Campbell, 59, threatened to shoot 54-year-old Mr Rose.

Miss Johnston, who is the mother of Campbell's two-year-old daughter was giving evidence at the High Court of Glasgow at the trial of Campbell, 59, and Stephen Crummack, 51, who deny murdering Mr Rose on Sanday on June 6 or 7, 2009 and burying his body in sand dunes.

The trial before Lord Turnbull continues.

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An Orkney man has been remanded in custody after admitting being in possession of a knife in a public place.

Bryan Spence, 31, 3 Mackenzie Drive, Kirkwall, appeared from custody at Kirkwall Sheriff Court last Thursday.

He admitted carrying a knife while at Lynn Crescent, Kirkwall, on February 2.

Sentence was deferred until March 3 until for the preparation of psychiatric, social inquiry, community service and restriction of liberty reports.

Islands Councillors have backed plans to site two wind turbines within the boundary of Stronsay Junior High School.

The plans, from Stronsay Community Association, will see two 6KW turbines erected to the east of the playing field, to support the island's Community Hall.

The OIC education, recreation and cultural services committee agreed that an area of land, to the east of the football pitch, should be leased to permit the development.

Councillors also agreed that the conditions of the lease agreement should be determined between the solicitor to the council and OIC's director of education and leisure services.

Staff at Balfour Hospital have improved their compliance with national guidelines on hand washing, according to new statistics.

The latest audit shows compliance has climbed to 96 per cent, which is up on the figures from the previous period.

Published by Health Protection Scotland, the report shows that between November 23 and December 2, staff were observed to have washed their hands on 289 occasions from 300 "opportunities".

The national rate over the same period was 94 per cent.

Kirkwall Airport is set to commence rocket shooting at Kirkwall Bay for the remainder of this week to clear geese from the vicinity of the terminal.

An airport spokesman said that rockets will be fired at 6.30am and that the relevant organisations have been informed of the operation.

A Loganair aircraft which was flying from Sumburgh to Inverness, via Kirkwall, had to make an emergency landing at Wick Airport on Thursday morning after crew reported smoke in the cockpit.

The pilots carried out emergency procedures, including shutting down the right-hand engine, which had been identified as the source of the smoke.

Emergency services attended the scene in Wick where all 13 passengers safely disembarked.

A murder accused claimed he was going to kill a neighbour he suspected was having an affair with the mother of his child, a court heard yesterday, Wednesday.

Frances Muir, a community nurse and midwife, said that 59-year-old John Campbell - known as Jack - told her that one day he would go up to Robert Rose and kill him.

She was giving evidence at the High Court of Glasgow at the trial of John Campbell, 59, and Stephen Crummack, 50, who deny murdering Mr Rose on Sanday on June 6 or 7, 2009, and burying his body in sand dunes.

Mrs Muir told prosecutor Alex Prentice QC that she was asked by the island GP to visit Mr Campbell at his home at on the island on April 1, last year.

She said: "He had been feeling depressed and hadn't got much money and we were trying to help him.

"He was quite down at first then quite agitated about what had been going on because his partner Margaret Johnston had left him and taken their child.

"He said he thought she was seeing someone else and there were messages going back and forward between her and Bob Rose."

Mrs Muir was asked how Campbell appeared and replied: "He was angry with Bob. He said that one day he would go up to Bob and kill him."

The trial before Lord Turnbull continues.

Islands Councillors have approved plans to make two Kirkwall car parks pay and display from March 1.

After lengthy discussion it was decided at Tuesday’s transportation committee to make the car park in front of the Kirkwall Police Station, and the opposite area on Burgh Road, pay and display.

Members went against the recommendation to make the car park in front of the Ayre Hotel and at the Shore Street roundabout pay and display.

Following discussion, a final vote was taken, after which, having the casting vote, chairman, Councillor Jim Foubister, decided to have two car parks pay and display.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, an altercation took place between two men near Grainpark, Kirkwall.

At about 11.30pm on Monday, a vehicle was damaged while travelling along Easdale Loan, Kirkwall. The damage was caused by an object being thrown from a passing car.

And, a window was damaged in a house in Lynn Crescent, Kirkwall at about 6.25am on Wednesday.

Anyone with any information on the above incidents is asked to contact Kirkwall police on 872241.

Orkney Islands Council was forced to make a humiliating u-turn on Tuesday, and issue an apology to the county's sheltered housing tenants, after admitting that the consultation over the removal of wardens was flawed.

The OIC's convener has also acknowledged that the council's reputation has been damaged by the sorry state of events.

However, the residents and their lay advocates have been modest in their current victory and have called for an "urgent reconstruction of confidence between sheltered housing tenants and the council".

Wave energy developer Aquamarine Power have received a major boost this week, securing £5.1 million of public funding to support the manufacture of its second generation wave energy device, Oyster 2, which will be manufactured later this year for testing at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney in 2011.

Aquamarine Power received the grant from the Marine Renewables Proving Fund, a £22 million initiative funded by the UK Government’s Department of Energy and Climate Change and managed by the Carbon Trust.

The fund aims to accelerate the leading and most promising marine energy devices towards the point where they can qualify for the UK Government’s existing Marine Renewables Deployment Fund support scheme and, ultimately, be deployed on a commercial scale.

Orkney Islands Council has admitted that projected reductions in public spending could mean "significant" cuts in council services and jobs from 2011 onwards.

At Tuesday's policy and resources committee meeting, the local authority's director of finance, Albert Tait, said setting the budget - some £85.21 million - for 2010-2011, had been difficult, although councillors have pledged to maintain the freeze on council tax for the third year in a row.

If ratified by full council it means that the band D council tax level in the coming year will be £1,037.

Psychology services for school children in Orkney are among the best in Scotland, a report published on Tuesday has confirmed.

The report follows an inspection in late 2009 by HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) which looked at the effectiveness of Orkney Islands Council’s Educational Psychology Services.

Across the 19 quality indicators reported on, the Orkney Islands Council’s Educational Psychology Service was rated as “good” or “very good” in 18 areas.

Inspectors also praised the Educational Psychology Service for its work in leading and guiding a range of partners as Orkney develops its response and approach to the national initiative Getting it Right for Every Child.

The generosity of Orkney residents was highlighted at the weekend, after people braved the snow to raise £460 for the Haiti earthquake disaster appeal.

In aid of those affected by the disaster, Rev Jack Muir, of the Peedie Kirk in Kirkwall's Palace Road, held a fundraising lunch on Saturday.

From 12 noon until 2pm, in the kirk's hall, soup and sandwiches were on offer in return for donations to the appeal.

Rev Muir said: "It was an atrocious day, and we were in two minds as to whether we should go ahead, but the people still turned out in the snow."

Householders are being warned to be on their guard following reports of traders calling unannounced at homes in Mainland Orkney, trying to sell generators.

The best advice is to not buy goods or services from anyone who is unknown to you and who comes calling uninvited at your door. Whilst the goods on offer may seem like a bargain, it is unlikely that they are.

If you think you have been the victim of unscrupulous doorstep traders please call Orkney Islands Council Trading Standards Department on 873535) or Kirkwall Police on 872241.

Police are appealing for witnesses, or any information relating to a commercial premises in Victoria Street, Stromness being unlawfully entered overnight on Friday/Saturday and a sum of money removed.

Orkney Islands Council has awarded the Sanday public bus contract to the Sanday Development Trust, for the period April 1, 2010, to January 5, 2015.

The dial-a-ride service will start on April 1 and will meet all scheduled ferry arrivals and departures at Loth Ferry Terminal.

In the intervening period, the temporary on-demand service operated by A. & F. Tulloch will continue to operate on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until March 4, and on Fridays and Saturdays between March 4 and March 27, meeting ferries as per the ferry refit timetable.