Dramatic sea rescue at Ayrshire harbour

Get the stories that interest you straight to your inbox every day with our personalised newsletterNorth Ayrshire Council has started the phased re-opening of its public toilets as Covid-19 restrictions are eased nationwide.The facilities were closed in March as lockdown was introduced to combat the spread of Coronavirus.Now, as Scotland enters the latest stage of the route map out of lockdown, the council is starting to re-open the public toilets which are under its ownership.The toilets at

Get the stories that interest you straight to your inbox every day with our personalised newsletterIrvine’s MSP today thanked North Ayrshire residents for playing their part in suppressing the spread of Covid-19.Ruth Maguire MSP also welcomed the announcement from the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that the Scottish  Government will begin to ease into Phase 3 of its exit from lockdown.The announcement came with additional dates for further relaxations to lockdown restrictions.Ruth Maguire MSP

A huge search and rescue mission is currently underway at Loch Ness after two men fell into the water. Emergency services were called to the scene near Dores Bay at around 6.50pm Thursday.One of the men has since been rescued after falling from a boat but a search is ongoing to trace the other.

The Scottish SPCA’s Ayrshire Animal Rescue Centre is back finding animals their forever home after lockdown saw rehoming completely suspended for almost two months.After trialling a limited rehoming service in May, the centre is now rehoming animals using a combination of an online-only application system, carefully controlled appointments and ‘virtual home checks’ where prospective owners and their homes are vetted via Zoom calls.Now the charity have this lovely girl (pictured above) in their

Ayrshire, according to figures released today. The National Records of Scotland's data shows that there are no new deaths linked to COVID-19 between Monday, June 29 and Sunday, July 5.This is the first time no coronavirus deaths have been declared since the pandemic began.

"We have been in discussions and expressed our disappointment at the lack of information and practical support, including finance, for our semi-professional level of the game.  "We have a Zoom meeting with Ian Maxwell on Thursday July, 9. We will keep you posted on the outcome of these discussions."In the meantime, all clubs must continue to observe Scottish Government guidelines which means no training or matches can take place until formally advised.The statement concluded: "To do otherwise

Pitlochry Theatre and Horsecross Arts have welcomed the prospect of receiving part of a fund worth £10 million, set to offer oxygen to the region’s struggling arts organisations closed by the coronavirus.Arts venues have been appealing for months that they need funding to survive, with little prospect of shows or concerts being held in the coming months.Perthshire school 'didn’t close for financial gain’On July3, Scottish culture secretary Fiona Hyslop announced the Performing Arts Venues Relief

Join thousands of others who have signed up for the Daily Record newsletter.A rescued circus bear at a popular Scots zoo has died after battling a tumour.Suzy the bear was put to sleep at The Five Sisters Zoo after vets discovered a malignant tumour.The animal was used in performances at a French circus for 28 years before she was rescued alongside two other bears, Peggy and Carmen, and brought to the West Calder animal sanctuary in 2012.The trio had been kept in tiny cages no bigger than

Border after a rehoming site stopped accepting new arrivals.The move has caused anger among conservationists, who campaigned to have the rodents reintroduced into the Scottish eco-system.The dam-building mammals are usually given safe sanctuary in Argyll.But the quango which manages the area is refusing to add to the numbers.Scottish National Heritage (SNH) said the sprawling woodland now has its full beaver quota.Campaigners have accused the Scottish Government of caving in to pressure from

beauty spot. A major rescue operation was launched as emergency services raced to the scene in Arbroath at around 8.30pm on Thursday evening.  The walker, whose age is unknown, slipped off the coastal path and sustained a leg injury.

rescue call out. Aberdeen lifeboat was scrambled to reports of wreckage near the small harbour at Cove, around five miles south of the city.

A theatre star who turned to metal detecting during lockdown believes he has uncovered one of Scotland’s most ancient finds.Chris Taylor, who admits he bought the amateur kit off the internet for a laugh, is now in possession of a Bronze-age axe head.Online experts believe the discovery dates back 4000 years – and want to claim the treasure for a museum.Dad-of-one Chris, 37, said: “It’s a ridiculous story and could only happen to me.“I was having a few drinks one night watching a documentary

Ayrshire and Arran has reported no new COVID-19 cases for TWO consecutive days.

Schools in South Ayrshire will return with a “soft start” on August 12, council chiefs have confirmed.Education chief, Douglas Hutchison, said attempts to fully reopen that day may prove beyond reach.It follows a move to scrap the planned policy of blended learning, which came just days before the start of the school summer holidays.“Schools will now work to make a number of changes before pupils return,” said Mr Hutchison.But he added that the “late announcement from the Scottish Government”

Ayrshire.

An Irvine school branded 'weak'  by inspectors has been praised for turning things around after taking on a series of improvements over the last year.Education Scotland this week published their latest review on Loudoun Montgomery Primary and Nursery which highlights the ‘brisk pace of change across the school and nursery class’.It follows a damning inspection report in March 2019 when both the nursery and school were urged to up their game.The education watchdog has found the school to be

A total of 292 people in Ayrshire and Arran have died as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak, latest figures have shown.Figures from the National Records of Scotland show that 112 people in South Ayrshire have tragically lost their lives since the start of the pandemic, while death toll for East Ayrshire is 75.In North Ayrshire, the tragic death toll is 105.The weekly report, out today, shows that four people died during the reporting period (Monday, June 15 and Sunday, June 21).That local

Ayrshire, new figures show.

Kilmarnock coronavirus deaths have taken place in some of the town’s most deprived areas, new figures show.One of Kilmarnock’s most poverty-stricken regions also has the worst COVID-19 death rate in East Ayrshire, the National Records of Scotland (NRS) report has revealed.Altonhill North and Onthank has a death rate of 307.2 per 100,000 after 14 people died in the area as a result of contracting the virus between March and May.According to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), this

There have been no reported deaths from coronavirus in Scotland in the last 24 hours.Latest figures show the national death toll remains at 2,472 - the same as yesterday.Across the country there have been 26 new confirmed cases of the disease.In Ayrshire, cases hit the 1250 mark - a rise of just one from yesterday's figures.There remains fewer than five people in Ayrshire hospitals with confirmed coronavirus.Fewer than five patients are in intensive care with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.A