This year’s Grangemouth Children’s Day was blessed with magnificent weather and a ton of support from crowds who lined the streets before soaking up the sun in Zetland Park. It was Moray Primary School pupil Erin Simpson’s turn to shine as the 101st Queen of the historic annual event and she enjoyed every second of it – from the procession through the streets, which featured the brand new addition of Queen’s Guards, to the crowning ceremony with Dawn Corbett, of local jewellers Ross Philip, doing the honours. The day was perfect from start to finish and Erin and her family managed to involve nearly every resident of the aptly named Princes Street in the fun with her massive Magic Kingdom arch, which must have featured every Disney character ever created. Stenhousemuir cancer battler raises £10,850 for Maggie’s Forth Valley … [Read more...] about Erin’s day in the Grangemouth sunshine was everything she wanted
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Grangemouth Police Station hit by flooding
Staff at Grangemouth Police Station have had to be moved out of their offices after the building was hit by flood damage. Four working areas in total have been affected by the water damage, caused as a result of the recent bad weather.Chief Superintendent Thom McLoughlin, Divisional Commander, said: “We can confirm that there was flood damage to Grangemouth Police Station on June 16/17. “It was caused by the high volume of rain and wind, plus a blockage in the gutter which meant the water entered the building. “Four offices have been affected, two upstairs and two downstairs, all of which have been relocated to suitable offices within the station. Remedial work started immediately with dehumidifiers.” The Scottish Police Federation recently made calls for “urgent investment” in police stations across the Forth Valley and highlighted a number of issues at the Grangemouth station in particular including poor floor coverings and peeling wallpaper.The … [Read more...] about Grangemouth Police Station hit by flooding
Woman loses appeal against loss of Widowed Parent’s Allowance
A Newry woman whose Widowed Parent’s Allowance was stopped when she began living with another man suffered no unlawful discrimination, the High Court has ruled. Marina Lennon challenged the decision to halt the benefit after her first husband died, claiming it violated her right to private and family life.But a judge dismissed her case after siding with the reasoning behind payments aimed at providing financial support for single bereaved parents with dependent children.Mr Justice McCloskey said: “Where the life circumstances of the surviving spouse entail the formation of a new adult relationship, whether of the cohabiting or married variety, the assumption underpinning the legislation is that the financial need caused by the death no longer exists. “The economic gap will be sufficiently filled by the formation of the new adult relationship.” Mrs Lennon was seeking to judicially review the Department for Communities over the move, claiming it has … [Read more...] about Woman loses appeal against loss of Widowed Parent’s Allowance
Buckfast bottles found in crashed vehicle
When police found a car crashed into a hedge with the rest of it on the road the driver was asleep and two empty bottles of Buckfast were in the vehicle. Mark Branagan (26), Whitehall Road, Aghagallon, had previously admitted driving with excess alcohol in his breath on March 19 this year.The case was adjourned until last Friday at Craigavon Magistrates Court when he was sentenced.He was given three months in prison, ordered to pay a £25 offender’s levy and banned from driving for four years.The court heard that police received a report of a man crashing a vehicle at the Inn Road, Dollingstown.They found the car with its front in a hedgerow and the rear on the road. The vehicle had struck an earthen bank.Branagan was asleep in the driver’s seat and it took several tries to rouse him. There were two empty Buckfast bottles in the car.An evidential breath sample gave a reading of 102.Defence solicitor Pat Vernon said Branagan had a similar offence waiting an appeal and … [Read more...] about Buckfast bottles found in crashed vehicle
Prison term after telling his ex he was going to kill himself
A 28-year-old who sent messages to his ex-girlfriend that he was going to kill himself was given a prison sentence last Friday at Craigavon Magistrates Court. Craig Johnston, Gilpin Park, Dollingstown, admitted two charges of sending messages of a menacing nature by a public communications networks on December 28 last year.For each offence he was sentenced to three months in prison with the terms to run concurrently. He was also ordered to pay a £25 offender’s levy.Johnston appeared in court via videolink from Maghaberry prison.The court heard that at 8pm police were contacted by the injured party that the defendant, her ex-boyfriend, had phoned her to say he was going to kill himself.Johnston was found in the Tullygally area by police and taken to Craigavon Area Hospital where he refused to see a doctor and left.At midnight she was contacted again by him and he said he was going to throw himself in front of a car. Police found him in Portadown.At 2.20am she received a video … [Read more...] about Prison term after telling his ex he was going to kill himself