TWENTY YEARS AGO

Citizen action

A curious case of citizen action took place last week which is being applauded by the Machrie community. Mike Lunan, an independent financial adviser, purchased a supply of paint and an aerosol can and was seen perched up a ladder repainting signs on the Machrie Road last Thursday.

When approached by the Banner and asked if he was tired of complaining about the signs to the council, Mike replied: ‘No, they’ve been needing painting for years, I just went and did it. Citizen’s action, I thought.’

But North Ayrshire Council island roads engineer, Geoff Norris, was far from happy. He said: ‘He’s not been in contact with us. He shouldn’t be doing them.’

Forgotten notice

Work began on the construction of the new Brodick slipway this week.

It is being built opposite the gift shop and work should have started six weeks ago and, had it done so, the low tides would of allowed work by the contractor John Corbett to go ahead quickly.

However, one of the committee members forgot to place official notification of the project in the Marine Notices which must allow 40 days to lapse before work can start. It means that the tides are now less favourable and it is unlikely to be completed before the autumn.

When completed, the project will see more car parking spaces as well as provide a new slipway.

Narrow escape

Pierhand Jim McCrae got a nasty shock on Sunday.

Releasing the hawsers at the bow of the ferry as the 1.50pm departed, his foot became entangled in a rope that was being winched in. He was wheeched off his feet into in the sea between the ship and the pier.

Lucky to not have hit his head on the way down, he remained in the water for a short while – watched by all of the ferry passengers – until a lifebelt was thrown to him and he was pulled to safety.

B29twe04 Winners of the five-a-side football team at Wednesday’s Lamlash gala were the Lamlash Dream Team who won in the 10-14 category.

B29twe03 Right: Grace Sillars is presented with a bouquet of flowers by Fergus MacDonald after husband John declared the Pirnmill fete open last Sunday.

B29twe05 There was piping, magicians and competitions at the Lamlash Gala Week. Getting the best view of all of the proceedings was Daddy Long Legs who made for an unusual sight on stilts on Lamlash green.

B29twe02 Monday night was the first night of the Lamlash play Just the Ticket by John Waterhouse. The comedy set in the 1960s stars Allan Little as the traffic warden, Helen Macfarlane as his wife and Eilidh Campbell as the mother-in-law.

Left: The Catstone on the Corrie to Sannox Road has been cleared of shrubs and saplings after the village committee raised concerns about obstructed views for vehicles. B29twe01

B29twe06 Children escape from a net at the obstacle course during the Kildonan fun week which included the Kildonan road race, a car treasure hunt and five-aside tournaments.