Tributes paid to former councillor and athlete

THE worlds of athletics, politics and education have paid tribute to former Olympian, councillor, author and teacher Donald Macgregor, who has died at the age of 80.

The well-known and respected figure in northeast Fife, who was a Liberal Democrat councillor for many years and taught languages at Madras College i n St Andrews, was also regarded as one of Scotland’s finest endurance athletes.

The marathon runner represented the UK at the 1972 Munich Olympics where he finished seventh.

He also had top-10 finishes when he competed for Scotland at the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh and in 1974 at Christchurch, New Zealand.

Scottish Athletics expressed “deepest sympathies” to Mr Macgregor’s family and friends.

Sadness was also expressed by the organisers of St Andrews Highland Games, who had been supported by Mr Macgregor as a commentator for many years.

A spokesman for Kingsbarns Community Council said: “Donald was a champion of his communities and he would stand up for what he believed to be right.”

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem, former MP for North East Fife, said: “I first knew him as an outstanding athletics student.

“When he became a councillor, he had an independent streak in representing his communities.

“This marked him out from many of his contemporaries.”

Liberal Democrat Cupar councillor Margaret Kennedy said: “Donald was a character. He will be missed by many.”

Mr Macgregor was principal teacher of German at Madras from 1974 until 1999, when he retired from full-time teaching.

Until 2006, he taught French and German parttime i n t he business school at Abertay University in Dundee.

AN author is looking for female fans who “screamed for the Beatles” at their Dundee shows in 1963 and 1964.

Author Eddi Fiegel wants to talk to women in this picture – which was taken by Winnie Forbes Cochrane as part of a series – and hear their stories for a new book.

Dundee was the city where the term Beatlemania was coined and the Monifieth-based photographer’s pictures perfectly captured the reaction of fans in the early days of the band’s meteoric rise to fame.

POLICE and ambulance crews raced to the Hilltown after a disturbance near a busy junction.

Four police vehicles were seen parked on Main Street during the incident, close to the Bowbridge Bar.

One man who captured images of the scene said he was “stunned” at what unfolded just before 3pm on Monday.

He added: “There were police vehicles stationed across the top of Main Street.

“Three officers were at the back of the van with their gloves on.

“Traffic police were involved but I’m not sure if that was because it was a traffic-related incident.

“One woman was giving a statement to an officer near the newsagent.

“I’m not sure if she was involved or just assisting officers with their inquiries.

“The road was still open to traffic when I came past at around 3pm.”

A woman who works in the area said she first heard the sirens at around 2.30pm and went out to see what had happened. She added: “When I looked out there was a first responder unit, an ambulance and two police cars there but I had no idea what had happened.

“It isn’t unusual to hear sirens going down the Hilltown.”

Another woman who lives nearby said officers left the scene shortly before 4pm, while a vehicle was removed from the scene.

She added: “I was just coming home when it was dying down.

“There was one police vehicle stationed on the street and there