THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

For over a month, 80 men, women and children have been adrift on the ice of the Karan Sea on board the Salovic. A message asking for help was received on March 31 and the Russian ice-breaker Sviatogor left Rosyth on April 23 for Bergen to rescue the distressed ship. Some anxiety as to whether she would be in time or not was caused by delay which occurred at Bergen where Captain Sverdrup, the Arctic explorer, took command and refused to have any Britishers on board. There is little food and no coal on the Salovic.

50 years ago

Hundreds of gallons of detergent are being sprayed on to beaches near Dundee in an effort to disperse the heavy oil which has been washed up in the last few days. Yesterday a team of sprayers were on Broughty Ferry beach at 7am. In four hours, before having to stop work because of the incoming tide and high wind, they pumped 250 gallons of detergent on to the oil which has also fouled beaches at Monifieth, Newport, Tayport and Stannergate. Altogether, about 500 gallons will be sprayed on to the beaches.

25 years ago

Following recent reported sightings of a panther-like animal in the Blairgowrie area, police at Perth yesterday logged another – this time at Rosemount, near Blairgowrie. A motorist heading towards Coupar Angus contacted the police shortly after 5am to say a darkcoloured creature resembling a cat but the size of a large dog had crossed in front of his car. Police were unable to provide particulars of the driver and, apart from noting the sighting, they were taking no specific action. Matters Local

One year ago

All three of the killers of Angus man Steven Donaldson were behind bars last night. Friends Steven Dickie and Callum Davidson will serve life sentences, having been found guilty by majority of murdering the 27-year-old oil industry worker from Arbroath. Tasmin Glass, who lured the father of her four-month-old son to Kirriemuir Hill on the night of June 6, was convicted of culpable homicide on the unanimous decision of the jury at the High Court in Edinburgh. The verdicts came on the 22nd day of the case.