News Monday June 23rd Helicopter night ban ‘unacceptable’ Lack of helicopter pilots trained to fly at night is leaving the Isle of Barra without air ambulance cover, according to Western Isles MP Angus Macneil. Mr MacNeil has written to the Scottish Ambulance Service and Bond Air Services after four incidents where helicopters were not able to fly to Barra during the night. Mr MacNeil said: “The crux of the matter is that an air ambulance service should be able, weather permitting, to access islands at all times of the day and night. I have notified Health Minister, Alex Neil of my concerns. We cannot have a situation where we have a fifth such event. If an air ambulance is required, by its very nature it is an emergency and avoidable delays are totally unacceptable.” Half Century for RNLI Leverburgh Leverburgh RNLI Lifeboat responded to their 50th shout at the weekend – with crew called from the wedding party of one of their team to the aid of kayakers in distress. Press officer Catriona was married to Donald on Friday, and the shout came in mid-way through the celebrations at 7.15pm. Once on scene the kayakers were found to be safe and well, and the call was treated as a false alarm with good intent. Lifeboat volunteers were able to enjoy the rest of the wedding dance without incident. Police news Two men aged 28 and 29 are still to appear in court in Stornoway after an assault on Monday which left a 47-year-old man with burns to his arms, face, head and back. The assault was thought to have been carried out with aerosols and lighters in Vatersay on the evening of Monday last week, and the man is receiving treatment at St Brendan’s Hospital in Barra. Police are appealing for witnesses to the theft of a mountain bike on Seaforth Road last Wednesday at 5.30pm. A man was seen to get out of a white transit-style van driven by a second man, take the bicycle from a garden on Seaforth Road and ride it round the corner to Campbell’s Garage, where he rejoined the van and loaded in the bike before they drove away. The bicycle was a red Trek X-Calibre mountain bike and anyone who has seen it, was witness to the theft or knows anything about the incident is asked to contact Stornoway police or to dial 101. A 17-year-old girl is to appear in court after she was arrested for a breach of the peace in Newmarket around midnight on Friday. And a man is to appear in court from custody today charged with drink-driving, after the motorcyle he was riding left the road at Breasclete at 6am on Sunday. He was subsequently tested and found to be over the limit and will appear in Stornoway Sheriff Court today. Gas and electricity investigation Ofgem is to investigate how much householders in the Western Isles pay for gas and electricity, after meeting representatives of Hebridean Housing Partnership and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar last week. The energy regulator says it wants to understand fuel poverty on the islands and will be carrying out groundbreaking research with customers. A report published by Scotlands Rural College last week suggested that Orkney and the Western Isles have the highest levels of fuel poverty in Scotland, with older people especially affected. Katie Morag is back Katie Morag is coming back to Lewis – or at least a new series of the children’s programme is to be filmed here. Production company Move on Up has been commissioned to produce a second series of the programme, which is based on the books by Mairi Hedderwick and which was filmed last year in and around Uig and other locations. Filming is due to start soon for the second series, which has been jointly commisioned by CBBC and Cbeebies. Cherry Campbell, who has family connections in Lewis, will reprise her role as Katie Morag in the new series. St Kilda swim With less than a week until the possible start-date of the St Kilda Swim, the team are building up their fundraising profile. A Pub Quiz at Stornoway Golf Club on Saturday raised £1200 to be split between the three charities the swimmers are supporting – the Leanne Fund, Yorkhill Childrens Hospital and the Fishermen’s Mission. June 28th is the proposed start date for the swim from Harris to St Kilda, which will be done in relays with kayakers and a support boat alongside. Sport First leg, first round football matches in the Eilean an Fhraoich cup will be played tonight between Point and Lochs, Carloway and Back, and Harris vs West Side.
Posted on: Mon, 23 Jun 2014 08:30:00 +0000
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