Tuesday 7th September 2010 Extra £1m for new Robert Burns museum
A new museum dedicated to Scotland's national bard Robert Burns has
been promised extra funding of more than £1m by the Scottish
government to ensure will open in December. The Robert Burns
Birthplace Museum in Alloway, Ayrshire, is aiming to draw visitors
from all over the world. With the new funding the National Trust for
Scotland will be able to develop more Burns-themed sites in Alloway.
The schemes include a footbridge linking new heritage trails to five
other Burns sites. The extra funding means the Government has
supported the £21m project with a total of £8.6m. Culture Minister
Fiona Hyslop said: "Burns is a Scottish cultural icon, recognised all
around the world. His legacy brings thousands of tourists to Scotland
every year. The Robert Burns Birthplace Museum development will
provide a single experience telling the story of the man in a way that
has not been possible until now." Ayrshire and Arran

Thursday 31st December 2009 How many firemen does it take to rescue a dog? Answer: 17
If we ever needed proof that a dog is a man’s best friend then look no
further than the efforts taken to save a cocker spaniel who took a dip
in an icy pond while chasing ducks in Kilmarnock. Matt, who is
eight-years-old, had to be rescued fro the water by a team of 17
firemen using an extendable ladder.

Stevie Logan, Kilmarnock Fire Brigade's station commander, used the
occasion to warn owners of the dangers of attempting rescues
themselves: "The people in this case did exactly the right thing by
phoning us, and not attempting to rescue it themselves. Too many
people have drowned trying to rescue their dogs, and although it is a
hard thing to do to stand by and watch the dog struggling, we do have
the specialist knowledge and equipment to carry out a rescue." Ayrshire and Arran

Friday 11th September 2009 Drunk on the rocks skipper prosecuted
A skipper who had to be rescued after running his boat aground on 23 August was found to be drunk. Breath tests after the accident revealed the sailor was well over the drink-drive limit. George Wood, a 52 year-old scallop fisherman who first went to sea at the age of 15 and has been a skipper for 21 years, was found guilty this week of being in charge of a boat with 81 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of his breath. The legal drink drive limit is 35 microgrammes, skipper Wood was heading for three times over the limit when tested by police after the accident.

The hapless boatman had to be rescued along with his six man crew after he ran Honeybourne III aground near Filey on the North Yorkshire coast. Wood, from Ayr, admitted that he had spent the previous night revelling as he celebrated his birthday in nearby Scarborough. Ayrshire and Arran

Wednesday 5th August 2009 Planning permission sought for ghost to haunt lighthouse
The Point of Ayr lighthouse off Scotland’s coast could soon have a permanent ‘ghost’ in residence, if the owners succeed in getting planning permission. Talacre Beach Leisure group, who own the historic but now disused lighthouse, have submitted detailed plans for a sculpture to be erected on the rails of the structure.

The move comes after several reported sightings of a ghostly figure standing high up on the lighthouse in front of the glass dome. The figure has been seen wearing an old fashioned dark worsted lighthouse keeper’s coat and hat - even in sunny weather. As the lighthouse is very firmly locked and secured, there are no rational explanations offered for the sightings. On hearing of the ghostly goings on at the Point, the owners decided to erect a statue on the lighthouse to represent the ghost. Ayrshire and Arran