TWENTY YEARS AGO

Saturday 23 November, 1996

Whiting Bay manhunt

A full-scale search involving a police helicopter and reinforcements took place in Whiting Bay after an incident in the early hours of Monday morning.

Around 2am a temporary manager at Whiting Bay Youth Hostel had an al- tercation with a suspected prowler who slipped and fell down an embankment into Glenashdale Burn.

The manager became worried for the man’s safety and contacted the police who conducted a thorough search involving heat-seeking equipment on the helicopter and reinforcement officers but no-one was found. By mid-afternoon the search was called off and the matter closed.

Astroturf progress

Arran’s new sports field may be in use this weekend. Junior and senior hockey teams are likely to be using the new astroturf pitch on Sunday. While the car park and changing rooms are far from being complete, and the grass pitch is still being sown, the use of the astroturf is an essential part of its preparation. The artificial pitch, which lies on a bed of sand, needs to be used to tamp down the sand. The official opening of the Ormidale park is expected to be next spring.

Ambulance attack

A thoughtless act of vandalism saw an ambulance vandalised in the car park in Lamlash.

The damage to the vehicle is estimated at £700, however, the worst is that the ambulance will now have to be taken out of service to repair the broken windscreen, two side windows and the mirrors. Sergeant Jim Weir described the act as totally unacceptable and said police were following a definite line of enquiry.

B47twe05 Winners of the first round of the Cairnhouse Challenge were, left to right, Alex Raeburn who came third on Tariq, Moira MacAlister who came second on Nugget and winner Megan Dee on Scirrocco.

B47twe02 Disconsolate ambulancemen Dougie Henderson and Neil Gillies beside their ambulance which was damaged in an attack last week.

B47twe03 Tess Kennedy, Sue Stuart and mother Beauty encourage a nine-hour-old Arranborn foal into the fresh November air.

B47twe04 Distillery staff and northend residents enjoy a dram after hearing of the distillery’s plans for the visitor centre at a meeting last Friday.

B47twe01 Lyne MacVicar of Sannox graduated HNC Childcare and Education from James Watt College last Friday. Lyne is a peripatetic nursery nurse for Shiskine, Pirnmill and Kilmory.