The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Men rescued from sinking fishing boat
Two men were rescued from a sinking fishing vessel which ran aground just off the Fife coast in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The alarm was raised at around 6.15am when the boat suffered a mechanical problem and hit rocks in squally conditions not far from Pittenweem Harbour.
Coastguard operations paged volunteers from Anstruther RNLI to assist and both the station’s lifeboats – the all-weather and inshore lifeboats – were launched to attend.
The stricken vessel’s two crew were both returned to shore without the need for any medical treatment.
It is understood the boat, which started taking on water and eventually sank, had been afflicted by a fouled propeller, which tends to be caused by rope or n e tt i n g which has tangled around it and affects propulsion.
Ma r t i n Ma c N a m a r a , spokesman for the RNLI at Anstruther, said: “The boat suddenly lost power and that’s what put them on the rocks unfortunately.
“The boat was high and dry because of the tide and there was nothing we could do to save her.
“By the time the tide was starting to come in the boat had taken on too much water and the last I saw of her she was about to go under.”
Local woman Je n n y Hoggan described it as a “very, very sad sight” but admitted the outcome could have been far worse.
“I’ve spoken to one crew member and, as he says, at least the kids have got their fathers home,” she said.
Photographers are being encouraged to ge t closer to nature this winter as part of a Perthshire s c h o o l ’s new camera competition.
The contest, run by Glenalmond College with support from the Scottish Wildlife Trust, aims to get youngsters and their families away from their screens and exploring the world around them.
The Go Wild This Winter competition, for ages five to 18, was inspired by the work of Glenalmond students, as well as stunning images by local photographer Rosanna Forbes which were used for a charity calendar.
Sasha Baldwin, ecogroup co-ordinator at Glenalmond College, said the school was delighted to be working with the Scottish Wildlife Trust on the project.
She said: “We know that being outdoors and feeling close to nature is very good for the physical and mental wellbeing of children, and whether you are in a city centre or a rural location, it is possible for everyone to get closer to wildlife.”
“With the restrictions currently in place, many people of all ages are walking more, and we hope the competition will encourage them to take the time to really notice and learn about the nature around them.”
The contest is split into four age groups – 5-8 years, 9-12 years, 13-15 years and 16-18 years – and entries will be judged by Ms Forbes and Mrs Baldwin, alongside Karen Chambers, vicechairwoman of the Scottish Wildlife Tr u s t , and wildlife photographer Eric McCabe.
Prizes include bird feeding stations and hedgehog houses for the successful pupils’ schools, as well as goodie bags, and the overall senior and junior winner will each receive a year’s membership to the Scottish Wildlife Trust.
The competition mascot is a red squirrel that was photographed by Ms Forbes in the grounds of Glenalmond.
The deadline for entries is December 11.
For full details, as well as tips and advice, visit glenalmondcollege.co.uk