PODCAST: Margaret Robertson – Hjaltibonhoga fiddles and Vikings at Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

When the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s Brigadier David Allfrey first visited Shetland he discovered the heart of Shetland’s musical heritage – fiddles. When he requested a troupe of Shetland fiddlers to perform at the 2014 tattoo Margaret Robertson formed, along with others, Hjaltibonhoga. Since then Hjaltibonhoga have been invited back time and time again – […]

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Isles medics to get forensic training to stop agony of victims’ flights to Aberdeen

Scottish Justice Secretary Michael Matheson has been in Shetland to highlight a pilot project aimed at ensuring sexual abuse victims can remain in the isles for forensic medical examinations. Three GPs are taking part in the programme, which has been discussed following concerns rape victims had to endure agonising trips south. During his visit to […]

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Interim ban for man who crashed and overturned car

A 30-year-old man who drove at excessive speeds, collided with a roadside barrier and overturned his car, has been banned from the road while he awaits sentencing.

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Unpaid work for pair after violent struggle with police

Two men who struggled violently with police officers responding to a noise complaint have been given fines and unpaid work. William McCover, 25, of Veester Hill, Sandwick, and Geordan Sales, 22, of Burnside, Lerwick, admitted the charges when they appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Thursday. The offences date back to 11th December last year, […]

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Hilditch fails to have jail sentence imposed in Lerwick reduced at appeal court

A serial offender from the isles Nathan Hilditch has failed in a bid to have his jail-term cut.

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Hilditch’s 20-month jail term no miscarriage of justice

A LOCAL serial offender has failed in his bid to have his jail term cut. Back in May, Nathan Hilditch had been sent to jail for 20 months for a string of crimes – including obstructing police and making almost 30 bogus 999 calls.

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Government invests in training programme to help isles' sexual assault victims

A TRAINING programme that will allow forensic medical examinations for victims of sexual crimes to take place in Shetland is underway after the Scottish Government granted £76,000 of funding to the pilot project. The news was confirmed on Thursday afternoon when justice secretary Michael Matheson visited the isles to meet with NHS Shetland, the local Rape Crisis team and members of the Shetland Domestic Abuse Partnership.

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Crashed and failed to provide sample

A MAN from Lerwick who overturned his car in Cunningsburgh after driving at an excessive speed before refusing blood sample to police has been disqualified from driving ahead of sentencing next month.

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Struggled violently with police officers

TWO men who obstructed police officers and struggled violently with them after they followed up noise complaints have been punished with community payback orders and fines.

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Greencroft couple furious at Alexander McQueen's unethical use of their product

GLOBAL fashion label Alexander McQueen has been accused of ripping off a tiny family-run craft business by prominently displaying an image of one of its products on a catwalk runway without giving them any credit.  Couple Luke and Kate Holt, who run Quarff-based firm Greencroft Shetland Ltd and produce a popular series of replica crofthouse-style planters, said they were “really, really angry” when they found out.

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Film festival screens Hillsborough documentary

A SPECIAL screening of a new documentary about the fight for justice after the Hillsborough disaster will take place at this year's Screenplay festival alongside a Q&A session with an expert on the tragedy.

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SSEN confident jobs will be retained once subsea cable replaces Lerwick Power Station

CONCERNS over potential job losses from replacing Lerwick Power Station with a subsea cable to the Scottish mainland have been played down by those behind the proposal, who predict that employment levels will be “reasonably comparable” to existing levels. Shetland MSP Tavish Scott previously suggested that 25 people could lose their jobs with power station operator Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) once the building reaches the end of its life in 2020.

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Loganair signs codeshare with British Airways

LOGANAIR has announced that it has struck a new codeshare agreement with British Airways to enable islanders to book directly onto services going through three major London airports. The agreement, which comes into effect on 1 September when Loganair’s existing tie-up with Flybe ends, allows customers to book services through BA’s network at Heathrow, Gatwick and London City, which serves over 200 destinations.

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Pupils to get extra days off as AHS flits across town

THE SCOTTISH Government has given its approval for the Anderson High School to have five extra closure days during the process of moving to the new school buildings at lower Staney Hill this autumn.

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Isles ‘monkey flower’ is a new species

Scientists have discovered a new “monkey” flower near Quarff – with bigger petals than its Alaskan ancestors. Researchers from the University of Stirling’s department of biological and environmental sciences have identified the new species of Mimulus guttatus. It has also been given a more colloquial name – “Shetland monkey flower” – which refers to the […]

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Three on drugs charges

THREE men, aged 20, 32 and 36, have been charged with drug offences following raids on two houses in Lerwick on Tuesday.

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Scientists discover 'Shetland’s monkeyflower'

A NEW type of monkeyflower has been found in a Shetland ditch by researchers from the University of Stirling. The new plant is a descendant of a non-native species, the yellow monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus), which colonised the United Kingdom in Victorian times.

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Lifeboat tows creel boat

THE LERWICK lifeboat was called out on Wednesday morning to help a creel boat which had lost its steering off Noss.

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Drink driver warned he could be facing jail

A repeat drink driver has been warned he could face a prison sentence after admitting being at the wheel at more than four times the limit.

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Drink driving sentence deferred

A MAN from County Durham who drove while over four times the alcohol limit has been warned that he could face imprisonment.

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