The South Ronaldsay businessman who set up his own freight and passenger shipping service across the Pentland Firth threw down the gauntlet, telling the council that if they weren’t prepared to upgrade the Burwick terminal to ro-ro standard - he’d do it himself.

Mr Andrew Banks of Pentland Ferries issued the challenge after the council’s transportation committee recommended not to order a project appraisal for upgrading Burwick to cope with a vessel the size of his own Pentalina B ferry.

Big Brother star Elizabeth Woodcock holidayed in Orkney thanks to a free offer from Orkney Tourist Board, who had heard of her dream to visit the islands.

The flag at the OIC offices in School Place, Kirkwall, was flown at half mast on Wednesday, September 12, as a mark of respect to those who were killed in the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11.

A minute’s silence was observed at the start of a council meeting, while increased security was introduced at Kirkwall Airport.

An Orkney man witnessed the attack on the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers from his own office window in New York, he stated that his instinctive reaction was to just get out of his 38-storey-building in case it was next. Mr Martin Steer, from Stromness, lives and works in New York.

Live sheep sales kicked off at Orkney Auction Mart for the first time in the seven months since the foot-and-mouth outbreak began.

Orkney grabbed the attention of developers at the cutting edge of wave technology with the world’s first floating power station due to arrive in the county in summer 2002. The £2.7 million machine was expected to be launched from Orkney’s marine energy test centre which is set to be developed near the Black Craig at Outertown, Stromness.

Rumours that the Balfour Hospital’s Piper Ward rehabilitation facility was facing closure, were scotched by chief executive of Orkney Health Board, Mrs Judi Wellden.

The Orkney-brewed strong ale, Skullsplitter, showed it’s strength on the south coast by beating rivals at the Portsmouth Beer Festival.

Orkney and Shetland continued to have the lowest rates of unemployment in the Highlands and Islands, according to the figures of the time.

A Caithness man was injured after the Pentalina B ferry collided with the pier at Gills Bay while attempting to berth. The pier worker was said to have suffered a broken leg after being hit by a pipe dislodged during the collision. He was taken to hospital in Wick before being transferred to Inverness.

A local accountancy firm survey suggested that there would be greater losses for beef farmers under the Less Favoured Area scheme than those released by the government indicated. Accountants J. and D. Oddie predicted an average loss of £1,785 per farm under the new Less Favoured Area Scheme this year.

The chairman of the new NHS Orkney Board was named as Mrs Jenny Dewar from Stairwaddy Croft, Stromness. Mrs Dewar was chief officer of the Orkney Local Health Council for six years, the first four years in a part time capacity and full time over the last two.

Orkney Sea Farms planned an expansion of the Orphir coast. It seemed likely that they would start using their site at Toy Ness in Orphir early in 2002.