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Archive: 2004 Articles

DECEMBER 2004

Academy asks Parents' to help cut Truancy
PARENTS are being urged to help Stranraer Academy cut truancy levels ... 22 Dec 2004

Christmas Tree has Shaky Start
THIS year's Christmas tree on Stranraer's Castle Green has experienced a shaky start ... 22 Dec 2004

Soldier Home for Xmas
THE FAMILY of Black Watch soldier Sergeant Graham Parker from Portpatrick got the Christmas present they had been hoping for at the weekend ... 15 Dec 2004

Back to School for Head Teacher
BELMONT Primary School head teacher will meet education officials to discuss his return to school ... 15 Dec 2004

Out of Court Settlement for Policeman's Case
A CASE in which a policeman was suing Dumfries and Galloway's Chief Constable for £25,000 ... 8 Dec 2004

Vandals Force Xmas Tree Move
VANDALS have forced Stranraer's Christmas tree to be moved ... 8 Dec 2004

Pub Watch gets Stranraer Connected
A SCHEME aimed at linking pubs by radio to combat disorder related to excessive drinking to be started ... 1 Dec 2004

Something in the Air in Leswalt!
FARMER John Clark reckons there's a whiff of good fortune around his North Rhins farm ... 1 Dec 2004

NOVEMBER 2004

Harbour Dredging to Start
DREDGING at Stranraer Harbour is due to get underway next week ... 24 Nov 2004

70 Years of Marriage for Rhins Couple
A RHINS couple celebrate their platinum wedding anniversary, an incredible 70 years ... 24 Nov 2004

Surfing in the South Rhins
THE South Rhins has taken a couple of bold steps into the 21st century, with the opening of an internet cafe in Sandhead ... 17 Nov 2004

Lightkeeper Jimmy Retires After 25 Years
POPULAR lighthouse keeper Jimmy Fyfe has retired after 25 years at the Mull Lighthouse ... 17 Nov 2004

Syringe found by Primary Pupil
A DISCARDED syringe was lifted by a pupil in the playing fields at Sheuchan Primary School ... 17 Nov 2004

Portpatrick Lifeboat Saves 3 Sailors
THREE sailors were plucked to safety in a dramatic sea rescue ... 10 Nov 2004

Osprey Success Drives New Idea
COUNCILLORS hope to cash in on the success of the Osprey camera facility at Wigtown ... 10 Nov 2004

Classic Car Clearance
A LOCAL man is holding a garage clearance of distinction — with 5 classic cars up for grabs ... 10 Nov 2004

Public Inquiry into Pier Sale Demanded
LOCAL politicians and harbour-users are demanding a public inquiry into the sale of the pier at Drummore ... 5 Nov 2004

New Hospital a Step Closer
MAJOR steps were taken towards the construction of Stranraer’s new hospital this week ... 5 Nov 2004

Football Club Ordered to Play Away
A SOUTH of Scotland football club have been ordered to play the remainder of this season’s matches away from home ... 5 Nov 2004

OCTOBER 2004

Mothers' concerns for Soldier Son
A MOTHER of an elite Black Watch soldier from Portpatrick has said that she was "devastated" ... 28 Oct 2004

Forster Xmas Homecoming Rumours
RUMOURS are circulating that jailed lawyer Kennedy Forster is to be allowed home at Christmas ... 28 Oct 2004

Phone Mast Go Ahead
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to build a 20-metre-high phone mast was given the go ahead despite objections ... 21 Oct 2004

Stranraer Winning War on Drugs
STRANRAER is winning the war on drugs - that's the view of the police force's officer in chief ... 21 Oct 2004

New Cancer Care Unit for Wigtownshire
CANCER patients will soon have a new state-of-the art palliative care unit in Stranraer ... 14 Oct 2004

Polish Workers Fill Shifts at Uniq
POLISH workers are filling seasonal shifts at the Uniq Prepared Foods fish processing factory ... 14 Oct 2004

Harbour Side Dog Rescue
A NAVY VETERAN needed all his experience to save his dog, in a dramatic harbour-side rescue ... 6 Oct 2004

Open Air Market for Stranraer?
A GLASGOW company have applied for planning permission to set up an open-air market in Stranraer ... 6 Oct 2004

SEPTEMBER 2004

Forster Confiscation Proceedings Begin
DISGRACED lawyer Kennedy Forster was the subject of court action again this week as the Crown began confiscation proceedings ... 29 Sept 2004

Amy Set for Chef Stardom
PORTPATRICK chef Amy Ballin looks set for industry stardom ... 29 Sept 2004

Safety Warning for Fishermen
COASTGUARD officers have urged fishermen to think of their own safety before setting out ... 22 Sept 2004

Lidl Plan Larger Store
JUST five years after opening in Stranraer, Lidl plan to build a new discount foodstore ... 22 Sept 2004

Sandboxes for Sheuchan Primary
Youngsters at Sheuchan Primary School were delighted to find two large sandboxes in the playground ... 15 Sept 2004

A Butcher of the Future!
A GLASGOW business graduate is helping a Stranraer farmer become a butcher of the future ... 15 Sept 2004

Bill Picks up Gold (Again!)
MUSCLEMAN Bill McFadyen picked up his seventh powerlifting gold medal in just three years ... 8 Sept 2004

End to Plans for Leswalt Retreat
PLANS for an educational retreat in the North Rhins have collapsed because of a funding shortage ... 8 Sept 2004

Victory Found
THE FINAL resting place of the ship captained by Stranraer's Sir John Ross to the Arctic has been found ... 1 Sept 2004

Centenary at Thorneycroft
Staff and residents at Thorneycroft Residential Home in Stranraer celebrated a special centenary on Thursday - when one of their own turned 100. Retired vet Nicol Nicolson was joined by friends as staff hosted a colourful birthday party. Nicol, who moved into the home from Portpatrick last September, was formerly a vet in Glasgow ... 1 Sept 2004

AUGUST 2004

Families' Housing Fear
TWO STRANRAER families, living in fear that their flats will collapse, may have to wait months ... 25 August 2004

Boy Racer Crackdown
BOY racers in Stranraer town centre are being targeted for action by police ... 25 August 2004

Lock-in for Nigel!
POLICE had to free a man from a lock-in at his Stranraer local - after he was left behind ... 18 August 2004

Dredging Delay at West Pier
COUNCIL staff given the job of organising dredging knew nothing about how to do the work ... 18 August 2004

Call to Locals for Harbour Involvement
STRANRAER harbour users must be involved in the regeneration of the facility ... 11 August 2004

Street Warden Training
STRANRAER'S first ever street warden team went into training this week ... 11 August 2004

Cheese Company Construction Work Walk-Out
OFFICIALS from McLelland Cheese company remained tight-lipped this week over a dispute ... 6 August 2004

KOSB Family Traditions
TRADITIONS of the King's Own Scottish Borderers as a "family" regiment have been underlined ... 6 August 2004

Police Raid Nets Heroin Worth £11,000
A POLICE raid of a flat in Stranraer resulted in the arrest of two men and seizure of £11,000 of heroin ... 5 August 2004

JULY 2004

Princess Royal Visits Rhins
PRINCESS Anne, The Princess Royal, made a flying visit to the Rhins on Saturday ... 28 July 2004

Amphibious Land Rover "Lands" at Portpatrick
AT FIRST glance, it looks like this driver may have taken a catastrophic wrong turn ... 28 July 2004

"Princess" Sails into Stranraer
TINY cruise liner Hebridean Princess sailed into Stranraer for the first ever time on Monday ... 21 July 2004

Wave Warning Sign Delay
WASH wave warning signs not replaced because Council have yet to decide on wording ... 21 July 2004

Fisherman has Dramatic Escape
A FISHERMAN had a dramatic escape after a "mini tidal wave" almost swept him out to sea ... 15 July 2004

North Drummoddie Farm Blaze
SEVERE damage was caused to farm machinery when a hay shed went up in flames ... 15 July 2004

William (72) gets his Suez Medal: half a century later
THE GENERAL SERVICE Medal has been awarded to local man - for his war efforts more than 50 years ago ... 15 July 2004

Stranraer Housing Boost
HOUSING in Dumfries and Galloway is in line for a boost - with an area of Stranraer earmarked for cash ... 07 July 2004

Waterfront Investigations
INVESTIGATIONS will get under way at Stranraer's former Marine Lake to assess site condition and examine options for redevelopment ... 07 July 2004

JUNE 2004

Funding for Stranraer Sports Facility
LOTTERY funding has been awarded to build a new all-weather sports facility in Stranraer ... 30 June 2004

Rail Service Frustration
RAIL services in Wigtownshire were brought to a standstill on Monday morning ... 30 June 2004

Portpatrick Lass Stands for Scotland
A LOCAL lass will be flying the flag for the whole of Scotland this Monday as a Miss Great Britain finalist ... 23 June 2004

Councillors' Warning for Stranraer
COUNCILLORS have warned that "Stranraer will die" if the seafront project is jeopardised ... 23 June 2004

Drug Profits Recovered
THE FATHER of two convicted Stranraer drugs dealers has been forced to hand over £165,000 ... 16 June 2004

MBE Surprise for Mrs Collins
A STRANRAER woman has been awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours ... 16 June 2004

Samurai Sword Warning
POLICE in Stranraer have sent out a warning after a young girl found the remains of a Samurai sword ... 9 June 2004

Top Dog Ty!
TY the working sheepdog was written off as "unmanageable" just nine months ago ... 9 June 2004

Maternity Beds Cut
CONCERNED mums-to-be have hit out at plans to cut the number of maternity beds in Stranraer ... 2 June 2004

Watt Wins Award
STRANRAER manager Neil Watt was named Bell's Third Division Manager of the Year ... 2 June 2004

MAY 2004

Academy Receives Excellence Award
STRANRAER Academy have been rewarded for their determination to increase levels of attainment and motivation within the school ... 26 May 2004

Luce Valley Windfall
LUCE VALLEY residents are in line for a £405,000 windfall over the next 25 years ... 26 May 2004

Soldier Making Miracle Recovery
THE FAMILY of a Stranraer soldier critically injured in Iraq spoke of their relief this week ... 19 May 2004

Unveiling of Mystery Portpatrick Monument
A MYSTERY monument to Portpatrick life-boatmen is to be unveiled in the village on Saturday ... 19 May 2004

Bill Strikes Gold Again
Bill McFadyen has brought the gold home from the World Powerlifting Masters Championships ... 12 May 2004

The Blues' Head to the Sun
STRANRAER boss Neil Watt has dug deep to reward Stranraer's players ... 12 May 2004

Monument Halts By-pass
AN ANCIENT monument no-one can see has halted plans to build an A75 by-pass at Dunragit ... 5 May 2004

Reliance to take charge of Prisoners
PRIVATE security firm will take over the custodial duties at Stranraer Sheriff Court this month ... 5 May 2004

APRIL 2004

Lucky First Flutter
LUCKY Jean Bowe came to Stranraer to visit her nephew at the weekend - and left £1221 better off ... 28 April 2004

Seaweed Invasion in Lochryan
AN invader seaweed has been found in Lochryan, the first time it has been seen in Scotland ... 28 April 2004

Late Night Bite - Hours Cut
A LATE NIGHT caterer is threatening to close his takeaway after councillors cut late bite hours ... 21 April 2004

Backtrack Success
A TWO MONTH drive to clear up a backlog of unsolved crime has been hailed a success by police ... 21 April 2004

"Record" Fundraising for New Care Unit
A MASSIVE fundraising effort for a new palliative care unit for Stranraer has almost reached its target ... 14 April 2004

Lifeguards Rescued
TWO lifeguards found themselves on the wrong end of a rescue on Friday afternoon ... 14 April 2004

Work Experience Down Under!
STUDENT Linsey Maxwell has organised some work experience with a difference ... 07 April 2004

Academy Cup Final Date
STRANRAER Academy under-13 side have a cup date at Firhill in the final of the Scottish Shield ... 07 April 2004

VIP Visit
HUNDREDS of late night drinkers in Stranraer had a VIP visit at the weekend ... 07 April 2004

MARCH 2004

Forster a "Disgrace"
DISGRACED Stranraer lawyer's fraudulent past has been condemned by Scotland's top solicitor ... 24 March 2004

Churches Unite
STRANRAER congregations are facing massive changes ... 24 March 2004

Girls' Team heading to Semis
STRANRAER ACADEMY girls will be heading to Lesser Hampden next month ... 17 March 2004

Stranraer Actor plays Starring Role
A STRANRAER actor will play a starring role in popular musical in Glasgow ... 17 March 2004

Stranraer Upgrades Security
STRANRAER TOWN CENTRE will undergo a £100,000 security upgrade later this year ... 10 March 2004

McLelland Spell Out Position
CHEESE giants McLelland have spelled out their threat not to expand further in Stranraer ... 10 March 2004

Bomb Scare Closes Courthouse, Twice
FOR THE second time in a week, a bomb scare closed Stranraer Sheriff Courthouse ... 03 March 2004

Stranraer Soldier Injured in Iraq
A YOUNG Stranraer soldier is critically ill after being struck by an Iraqi truck while serving in the Gulf ... 03 March 2004

FEBRUARY 2004

Stranraer Street Wardens
COMMUNITY wardens will soon patrol Stranraer's streets after the council secured funding ... 25 February 2004

A New Lease of Life
AN ELDERLY couple from Portpatrick are relishing a new lease of life ... 25 February 2004

Car Yard Development Warning
A SENIOR cheese company executive has warned that their future investment in Stranraer could be jeopardised ... 18 February 2004

103rd Birthday Celebrations
ONE of the most senior of Stranraer's senior citizens celebrated his 103rd birthday ... 18 February 2004

Stranraer FC Score a Double
STRANRAER FC toasted a memorable double last week when they received two awards from Bell's ... 11 February 2004

Forster Sentencing Delayed
CONFUSION surrounds the likely fate of crooked ex-lawyer Kennedy Forster ... 11 February 2004

Son of "Mr Big" in Jail
THE SON of the man dubbed the Mr Big of Stranraer's heroin trade has joined his father in jail ... 04 February 2004

Pensioners' "Prison"
A STRANRAER pensioner is a virtual prisoner in her tiny first-floor livingroom ... 04 February 2004

JANUARY 2004

A75 Upgrade Delay
WORK on upgrading the A75 Euro Route will not begin until 2005 at the earliest ... 30 January 2004

Boys and Girls Kept Apart on Buses
SCHOOL pupils are being segregated by gender in a bid to curb trouble on the buses ... 30 January 2004

Cheese Workers Advised to Accept Settlement
UNIONS at the Caledonian Cheese Company recommend that workers accept company's offer ... 21 January 2004

Manhunt Underway
A MANHUNT is underway after a police car chase ended dramatically near Portpatrick ... 21 January 2004

Flood Tragedy
A YOUNG canoeist died and villages were hit by flooding as severe weather caused havoc ... 14 January 2004

Spartan Army on the March!
A SCOTTISH Cup run has thrust a former Stranraer footballer into the national spotlight .... 14 January 2004

Pay Rise Sought for Cheese Company Workers
UNION bosses are seeking a pay rise for workers at Caledonian Cheese Company ... 7 January 2004

Flooding Prevention for Portpatrick
FLOODING could soon be a thing of the past in Portpatrick ... 7 January 2004

NEW YEAR HONOURS
TWO Stranraer residents have received awards in the New Year Honours. They are Seamus Donnelly, area adviser, Scottish Agricultural College Advisory Service who has been awarded the MBE for services to farming and the community in Wigtownshire and Jessie Robertson, who also received the MBE, in her case for services to the community in Wigtown and Stranraer.