TV celeb surprise for cadets

YOUNG cadets based at RM Condor made Scottish history at the weekend – and got the surprise of their lives – when they were inspected at their passing out parade by former Marine and television celebrity Ant Middleton.

The adventurer, who is now chief instructor on the Channel 4 television series SAS: Who Dares Wins, spent the whole day at the Arbroath base on Saturday.

The 16 young members of the Arbroath Division Royal Marines Volunteer Cadet Corps ( RMVCC) knew there was going to be a VIP at their passingout parade but his identity wa s k e p t a c l o s e l y - guarded secret until the very last minute.

They were overwhelmed when they discovered they were to receive their coveted berets from the television star who spent four years serving in the Special Boat Service.

He was a point man/ lead scout and a primary fires operator and sniper.

Before joining the SBS, Ant also served i n the Royal Marines and 9 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers, meaning he has achieved the “Holy Trinity” of the UK’s Elite Forces.

He also caught t he public’s i magination i n 2017 when he captained a team of men in Channel 4 ’s re-enactment of Captain William Bligh’s journey after the infamous Mutiny on the Bounty. AN accountant who received a life-changing cancer diagnosis while pregnant with her son has thanked her “incredibly generous” colleagues after they raised more than £34,000.

Paula McAllister, a senior manager at EQ Chartered Accountants in Dundee and mum to one-year-old Rhys, was diagnosed with bowel cancer when she was seven and a half months pregnant.

Since then, Paula has endured 16 rounds of chemotherapy and a major operation and is now on a break from treatment with regular A POPULAR Monifieth pub which closed its doors unexpectedly last week is set to re-open under new ownership.

Kevin and Jackie Liddell, of Carnoustie’s Stag’s Head, have confirmed they are in the final stages of talks to buy over the Crown Inn.

The Crown was previously run by the family of £148 million EuroMillions winner Gillian Bayford-Deans.

It closed its doors without warning at the beginning of last week with 12 members of staff told the news last Monday.

But it now looks set to be given a new lease of life under new owners. Mr Liddell said: “Nothing is concluded yet but we have been involved in talks to buy the Crown.

“We have already had meetings and more are planned for this week. We hope to be in a position to conclude the deal later in the week. Everything is looking good and on track for us buying the pub

“If everything goes according to plan we hope to re-open the pub on February 1.