Terror suspect arrested in Leith

A fugitive alleged to be part of the Basque separatist group, Eta, has been arrested in the Leith area – more than 10 years after he went on the run. Lothian and Borders Police arrested Benat Atorrasagasti Ordonez – who has been on Spain’s ‘most wanted’ list since 2008 – in a Friday night raid.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said: “A 36-year-old man has been arrested in Edinburgh on two European warrants, in connection with historical crimes committed in Spain and France.

“We can confirm that no armed officers were involved and at no time was any member of the public at risk. The man will appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday under the terms of the Extradition Act.”

The Basque separatist organisation ETA was formed in 1959, waging a campaign of terror that has included bombings, shootings and kidnappings costing hundreds of lives. The group declared a ‘permanent ceasefire’ in October last year – but it’s only the latest of many.

Watch the birdies at Botanics!

Fancy a bird’s eye view of some young birds of prey? You can now get up close and personal with a family of sparrowhawks at the Botanic Gardens!

In partnership with RSPB Scotland, Lothian and Borders Raptor Study Group and the Scottish Seabird Centre a live ‘nestcam’ has been trained on the nest of a sparrowhawk in the Garden.

The Garden has been a key breeding site for these magnificent birds for many years and research on sparrowhawks across the City is indicating that it is one of the most productive breeding territories due to the healthy population of songbirds that make up the prey of sparrowhawks.

Live images of the sparrowhawk family can be seen at the viewpoint in the John Hope Gateway from 10am to 6pm, with interpretation of activity at the nest provided by RSPB staff and volunteers from Wednesday to Sunday 1-4pm.

RBGE

Do you recognise these cats?

The Scottish SPCA is appealing for information after two cats were abandoned outside a Davidsons Mains vet’s surgery on Tuesday evening.

The cats, which have been named Mickey and Donald, were discovered outside the West End Veterinary partnership on Main Street by a local resident at 8.30pm.

SSPCA Senior Inspector John Toule collected the cats and took them to the organisation’s Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Balerno, where both cats are doing well.

He said: “Mickey and Donald are in good condition which suggests they’ve been well looked after up until now. A local resident reported seeing a woman of large build with long hair and wearing a dark raincoat carrying a pet carrier on the street shortly before the abandoned animals were discovered. The female was also accompanied by a child. We are very keen to speak to this person and anyone else who recognises Mickey and Donald.”

Anyone with information about this incident can contact the Scottish SPCA Animal Helpline on 03000 999 999.

Make your own Olympic mascot mobile in Stockbridge!

Excited yet? The London Olympics are only two weeks away, and to help get the children in the Olympic mood Stockbridge Library is holding workshops where the little dears can make their very own Olympic mascot mobile!

With Stockbridge Library still closed, the workshops – for children aged five upwards – will be be held in LifeCare’s Stockbridge House in Cheyne Street from 2.30 – 3.30pm on Tuesday (17 July). No need to book.

Leith Library 80th birthday celebrations

Leith Library is eighty years old next week, and you’re invited to join in a week-long series of events to celebrate the milestone in style!

Leith Library and New Town Hall was officially opened on 20 July 1932. As Leith became part of the capital, it was promised that the library would be built by the City Council and since then, it has gone from strength to strength. Still at the heart of the community, Leith Library is now also host to a Registrar’s office, an office for council enquiries, a wedding suite and, of course, a fantastic, renovated library too!

With reading groups, bookbugs, crafts for kids, free computer classes and even a knitting group, there’s loads going on in the library throughout the year and to celebrate next week’s special birthday they have a whole host of events on offer. Have a look at the programme below – why not pop in to wish them many happy returns…?

13th July , 11am – 3pm Open Day! Stalls showcasing council services and local organisations. Timetable of free family events.
Monday 16th July , 3pm-3.30pm Birthday themed stories for the under 5s.
Tuesday 17th July, 10.30am – 11.15am Birthday Bookbug
Wednesday 18th July, 6.30pm – 8pm My Favourite Place is… Leith – a creative writing workshop for adults.
Friday 20th July, 1pm Leith Time Bank – come together and share your skills in this new initiative.
Friday 20th July, From 1pm Big Birthday celebrations! Be transported back to Leith Library as it was in the 1930s. With music, birthday card making for kids, a photo exhibition of Leith Library through the ages and a display of library artefacts!

Have a look at their Facebook page and keep up-to-date with all their latest goings on!

Dog's life for wrongdoers as Zico strikes twice!

Six men have been detained in connection with alleged housebreaking and thefts following excellent work by police dogs and handlers with the Lothian and Borders Police Specialist Support Unit.

At around 4.25am this morning (Wednesday 11 July), police were called to Craigcrook Road in Blackhall after two men were spotted acting suspiciously in the area. Officers detained one man within a white Transit van but another male made off into nearby woodland. He was tracked by Police Dog Zico, a German Shepherd, who immediately picked up the scent and the man was very quickly traced hiding within foliage.

It’s been a busy old morning’s work for Zico – an hour earlier police responded to an address in Clovenstone Drive after receiving reports of men trying to steal a car. On arrival, a group of men made off from the scene and were pursued by officers. Police dogs Ellie and Zico were deployed and within a short time all four men had been traced in and around garden areas of Clovenstone Gardens.

The men detained during both these incidents are all currently assisting police with their investigations.

Police are also following a positive line of enquiry following the theft of a quad bike at Ransfield Farm in Ratho around 6am yesterday (Tuesday 10 July 2012). PD Ellie, who was deployed to assist with the search for two men seen stealing the vehicle, soon after recovered a balaclava believed to belong to one of the suspects. The item is now being analysed by police, who are warning would-be thieves to think twice before becoming involved in acquisitive crime.

Chief Superintendent Derek Robertson, Operations Division Commander said: “Lothian and Borders Police are committed to promoting preventative policing and regularly engage with our local communities to offer advice and guidance on how to keep properties and valuables safe from criminals. However, whenever a crime does occur, we will use all the resources at our disposal to identify and trace those responsible and bring them to justice.”

He continued: “Our police dogs are trained to an extremely high standard and are regularly used with great success during the various operations and day-to-day policing duties the Force undertakes. As these recent incidents have shown, those who flee the scene of a crime can and will still be brought to justice based on the competent work carried out by the our dogs, their handlers and the other specialist resources Lothian and Borders Police can utilise during an investigation.”

Dog’s life for wrongdoers as Zico strikes twice!

Six men have been detained in connection with alleged housebreaking and thefts following excellent work by police dogs and handlers with the Lothian and Borders Police Specialist Support Unit.

The men detained during both these incidents are all currently assisting police with their investigations.

Public meeting to discuss Edinburgh Accies plans

Stockbridge and Inverleith Community Council is to hold a public meeting to discuss Edinburgh Accies’ controversial plans to develop their Raeburn Place home. Campaigners have vowed to fight plans for the commercial development of the site which hosted the first ever rugby international, and the public meeting offers an opportunity to hear what exactly is being proposed for the site.

The meeting will take place in LifeCare House in Cheyne Street next Wednesday 18 July at 7pm – all welcome.

Local campaign group SoS Save our Stockbridge was established when the development plans were made public and now has almost 100 members. Explaining the reasons for the campaign on the group’s Facebook site, Ann Mcleod said: ‘This Group is for everyone who is against a 5000 seater stadium being built in Stockbridge in the centre of Edinburgh. The Stadium is to be built over the historic rugby grounds at Raeburn Place. These are the oldest rugby grounds in Scotland and the site of the first ever international rugby match. The area is surrounded by beautiful Victorian and Georgian buildings. It has a unique skyline across to Inverleith Park and beyond to Botanic gardens. I fear that a monstrosity of glass and steel would destroy this skyline and blight this historic area.”

She continued: ‘The current pitches are well used and well-loved by the community. The proposed stadium will require thousands of parking spaces and room for the structure itself, so one of the two historic rugby pitches would almost certainly be lost. Retail outlets are planned as part of the stadium. The Stockbridge area already has empty shops. I believe this massive development would destroy the character of the area. I believe this would adversely affect local businesses and reduce property prices. The chaos generated on the main road by the thousands of cars coming out of the stadium does not appear to have been considered. The drunken hospitality nights would also be unpleasant, there is already a problem with this. There is also concern about the historic walls and protected trees around this ground. This development is madness and totally out of proportion – Edinburgh Accies need to think again.’

However the rugby club believes that it must now ‘sensitively redevelop’ it’s existing facilities and that plans will bring benefits to both the club and the wider community. In an article posted on the club’s website before two pre-application consultation events held at the end of June, Edinburgh Accies said:

‘Raeburn Place is a sports ground with major historical significance. It’s home to the Edinburgh Academical Football Club, the oldest rugby club in Scotland, and the second oldest in the entire world. The first ever international rugby match between Scotland and England was held here in 1871. It’s a landmark of decades of sport and community, although in its current state you wouldn’t know it.

Finally the time has come to begin the sensitive redevelopment of this iconic sports ground and the Club is now in the final stages of the pre-application consultation, following which they will formally lodge for planning. Their main aim is twofold: to provide state of the art sports facilities and, in turn, to add to the vibrant Stockbridge community and benefit neighbouring schools.

The plans comprise two elegant double tiered buildings:

– A clubhouse and function suite facing onto Comely Bank Road. These facilities will be located on the top tier with space for retail units below. Its main entrance will be next to the currently disused Raeburn House Hotel, which has been bought privately to be transformed into a boutique hotel.

– Changing rooms located along Portgower Place. More excitingly, part of the top tier will be dedicated to a rugby museum focused principally on the historical significance of the ground and the Edinburgh Academical Football Club.

– Players can enjoy a full-sized rugby pitch and two smaller training pitches. The plans also provide for the relocation of the cricket pitch which has been absent from the ground for the past 5 years.

The benefits of the development are numerous:

– Income from the development will go to supporting sport at junior and youth levels throughout North Edinburgh.

– Schools, residents and clubs can enjoy high standard sports facilities.

– It’ll be one of the few sports facilities not owned by the council or a school and so will enjoy flexibility of use.

– It will also provide a top quality function space for Stockbridge.

– The museum will add culturally to the area as well as going towards preserving the history of the site, brining in new visitors to the area.

– The trees running along Comely Bank Road will remain.

– Perhaps most importantly though, the development is required to ensure the longterm survival of this iconic and historic club, not to mention the survival of sport at this 157 year old sports ground. Although there will be some space (only 5% of the development) allocated for retail units, this is nothing compared to what could materialise should the Club not be able to secure its future as proposed. These retail units will be a modest yet effective addition to Stockbridge business, and will provide the income to the Club to sustain the high standard of the sports facilities.’

Representatives of the club have been invited to attend next week’s meeting, and members of the SOS Save our Stockbridge group have confirmed their attendance. For more information about the meeting email: contact@stockbridgeandinverleithcc.org.uk

Green cash boost for Botanic Gardens

The Botanic Gardens is to receive £1.5 million to replace ageing glasshouses, Finance Secretary John Swinney announced today. The money is part of a £26 million investment package of which will lead to a greener Scotland.

The money supports renewable energy and low-carbon projects, as well as projects which will help people enjoy Natural Scotland, and comes as part of an overall £105 million package of economic stimulus announced by Mr Swinney last month.

The Scottish Government has repeatedly called on the UK Government to provide resources for capital investment in order to support economic recovery. The projects funded can be taken forward quickly and will support jobs and investment.

The £26 million will go to the following projects which will support Scotland’s environment:

£2.8 million to the Green Bus Fund, to further support the wider roll out of low-carbon buses across Scotland.
£800,000 to the Rutherglen Low Carbon Zone.
£2 million for plant and estate improvements at Arnish Yard.
£16 million for other renewable energy projects.
£700,000 to accelerate the upgrade of visitor facilities at David Marshall Lodge, Aberfoyle.
£500,000 to upgrade visitor facilities at Queen’s View, Perthshire (pictured below).
£1.8 million to improve visitor facilities within the National Parks.
£1.5 million to commence replacement of ageing glasshouses at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh (above).

Finance Secretary John Swinney said: “Scotland’s astounding natural resources are recognised throughout the world, and I am pleased that this funding will support a suite of projects which will help us to take proper advantage of these resources to deliver economic growth for the Scottish people.

“Careful stewardship of Scotland’s resources has allowed us both to identify funding for these capital projects, and to ensure that Scotland’s environment will continue to be an economic and natural asset to be enjoyed for generations to come. The funding for renewable energy and low-carbon projects will help us to capitalise on our world-leading expertise in this area to support jobs and attract further investment. And as we look ahead to next year’s Year of Natural Scotland we will support a number of projects in our National Parks and through the Forestry Commission and Botanic Gardens which will enhance facilities for visitors.”

Weather warning – more heavy rain expected

The Met Office has upgraded a weather warning of more heavy rain for many parts of eastern Scotland, with an amber warning for Wednesday centring on Edinburgh with up to 50mm of rain possible. The Met Office said that there is still uncertainty about the exact areas which would be affected but localised flooding is likely.

The warning of further heavy rain comes just days after torrential rain caused flooding in many parts of the city including Stockbridge, Cramond and Warriston.

Environmental protection agency SEPA has issued an amber flood alert for Edinburgh and Lothians. In a statement on the organisation’s website, residents are warned:

‘Persistent rain is expected to affect the area from Tuesday through to Wednesday evening. River levels are expected to rise in response to this rain and may cause some flooding from rivers from later on Wednesday morning. There is particular concern for the East Lothian area.

SEPA duty officers will monitor the situation and update as further information becomes available.

Remain vigilant and remember, it is your responsibility to take actions which help protect yourself and your property. Advice and information is available through Floodline on 0845 9881188. This FLOOD ALERT is now in force until further notice and was sent by phone and sms free of charge to registered customers of our Floodline direct warning service. If you haven’t already signed up to receive free flood messages, please call Floodline on 0845 988 1188 or register online at sepa.org.uk/floodingsignup.’

Last month was the dullest and wettest June since records began over a century ago and, with wet weather forecast to continue, it’s already looking likely that July will follow June into the record books.

The scientific explanation for the worst summer on record is that the jet stream is further south than it should be at this time of year – over France and Spain, meaning Britain is under a blanket of low pressure on the northern side of it. That brings depressions, resulting in the record rainfall levels we’re currently experiencing.