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VIP Visit

HUNDREDS of late night drinkers in Stranraer had a VIP visit as they queued for their burgers at the weekend.

Galloway MP Peter Duncan, his Scottish Parliamentary counterpart Alex Fergusson and recently-appointed police Divisional Commander Mike McCormick went on a "see for themselves" visit round the area.

And what Peter Duncan saw in Rose Street, Stranraer, the congregating point for late bite locals, astonished him.

"It is extraordinary how at 3.30 in the morning the place is milling with people", he told the Free Press.

"It was absolutely full of people - extraordinary".

While there the group witnessed someone who had been spotted on CCTV hiding two knives being arrested. The corner of Rose Street and St Andrew Street has been highlighted by police as a major troublespot at weekends with people leaving nightspots and collecting there for a late night bite before going home.

So the police superintendent, MP and MSP had a look for themselves around 2.30 on Sunday morning. Said Mr Duncan:

"When the clubs chuck out, the first thing people do is to go for some food. Between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. they are just filling that corner. It was certainly interesting".

Earlier in the evening, the group were in Newton Stewart which has had its share of problems. The MP said that he understood there was normally a burger van in the Dashwood Square area. It was not there when he and the others were there and it was noticeable people coming out of the pubs were just going home.