Call for help as smoke alarm law comes in

THE Scottish Governme has been urged to more to help househo meet new fire safe regulations next mon as figures show hom across Tayside and F are still without smo alarms.

More than a third (36 of all house fires in F in 2020-21 happened homes where no alarm were fitted, above the Scottish average of 25%.

The figures from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service also show alarms were not present in 24 house blazes across Angus representing 30% of all fires in the area, 61 in Dundee (29%) and 30 in Perth and Kinross (29%).

Laws requiring all households have interlinked alarm systems come into force on February 1, and have been introduced following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

The new rules will cost homeowners an average of £220, if alarms are fitted by the homeowner rather than a tradesperson.

North-east MSP Maurice Golden said he is “concerned the change of law has been introduced with next to no publicity and could cost families hundreds of pounds at very short notice when finances are tight”.

“These regulations are about ensuring people are safe in their own homes, but we know that can only happen if people have the provisions and time to make the necessary upgrades.

“This is why the Scottish Government must do more to help households financially across Tayside to ensure they can afford to meet these strenuous requirements.”

Scotland will become the first nation in the UK to have such legislation.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “It places a legal duty on local authorities to ensure homes in their area meet the new standard.

“The new rules allow flexibility for homeowners unable to install alarms by February 1. No one will be criminalised if they need more time and there are no penalties for non-compliance.

“However, we would encourage everyone to install these alarms which can help save lives.”

Now he’s back on TV as worldweary officer Don Carpenter in new Channel 4 drama Screw.

And despite his star-studded CV, Dundee-born Ron is refreshingly grounded when it comes to his process for picking projects.

“Everybody likes a big movie!” he laughs. “The gloss and the glamour, of course they do. But ultimately, being in things means I get to work.

“So as with any freelance person, the first thing you think about is that you’re not going to be unemployed!

“That being said, there are some things you’re more enthusiastic about than others, and (Screw) is certainly one of them.”

The six-part series, by Killing Eve writer Rob Williams, charts the lives of prison officers (“screws”) in the fictional Long Marsh Prison.

The arrival of trainee officer Rose, played by Derry Girls’ Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, sets in motion a train of mysterious notice that the outdoor shots of “Long Marsh” use the exterior of HMP Peterhead, but the interior has a jollier history.

Filmed at former carnival building Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, Screw has given the derelict landmark a new lease of life – even if that life is behind fullyfunctional prison bars.

Just last month, it was announced the remainder of the building would be transformed into a permanent TV studio, and for Scottish stalwart Ron, getting to work on his home turf was a rare luxury.

“I’ve been an actor for 41 years and I rarely work in Scotland,” he reveals. “And the Kelvin Hall, I remember it being a carnival!”

Ron is equally optimistic about his home city of Dundee, although he reveals he hasn’t been back since the death of his mother last year.

“I think the way things have developed in Dundee has been fantastic,” he smiles.

Screw started at 9pm on January 6 on Channel 4 and will stream on All4.

Dundee actor Ron Donachie in Channel 4 series Screw.