50 years ago One year ago

Dundee’s most picturesque school, Morgan Academy, was ablaze in the early hours when fire broke out in its eastern wing facing Baxter Park.

It is thought to have started with an explosion in a science lab, with flames immediately seen shooting high through the high sloping roof of the building.

They were fanned by a strong wind into a spectacular blaze stretching to the main tower, pinnacles and lofty chimney stacks. Books and pieces of apparatus were scattered over a wide area of playground.

Firemen directed eight jets on the building as hydraulic platforms at roof level pumped water into the blaze’s core.

LS25 years ago

ord Provost Mervyn Rolfe last night stood accused of breaching Nolan Committee guidelines for public life by embarking on an allegedly “clandestine” visit to South Africa.

Mr Rolfe’s week-long fact-finding trip to Cape Town was paid for by an anonymous retired Dundee businessman who has commercial and personal links with the Republic. He travelled as a member of the Dundee Partnership and is due to report back on a harbour development in advance of Dundee docks’ regeneration.

A council spokesman insisted Mr Rolfe was representing the partnership and had not taken his chain of office with him. cotland should take steps to decriminalise drugs and dare Westminster to try to block it, an international expert is recommending.

Michael Collins was speaking as Dundee’s position as drugs death capital of Europe was discussed by MSPs. The Scot, who has worked with the US Congress on drug policy issues, said Holyrood should look to the likes of Oregon, which voted to decriminalise possession of heroin in favour of a public health response despite federal opposition.

Scotland’s overdose death rate is 15 times above Europe’s average and about three-and-a-half times over the UK’s.