Cumnock Chronicle
VULNERABLE WOMAN HITS OUT AT ‘INHUMAN’ CARE CUTS
A VULNERABLE New Cumnock woman has warned that crippling social care cuts have ‘pushed her to breaking point’ after a lifetime of severe health problems. Jean Pollock says she has been forced to “fester in her own urine” due to a lack of support after...
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BUSINESS OWNER RUES ‘MISSED OPPORTUNITY’ FOR CELTIC TIE
A BUSINESS owner in Auchinleck says the decision to move Talbot’s Scottish Cup tie against Celtic can be seen as a “missed opportunity” for the village. The historic game will instead be played at Kilmarnock’s Rugby Park on Sunday. Co-owner of...
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BROTHER OF MISSING MAN PLEADS FOR HIS SAFE RETURN
THE brother of a man who was last seen in Catrine almost a month ago has pleaded for his safe return. Jason Anderson was reported missing on Thursday, December 18, having last been seen on Friday, December 12. Police have been reviewing CCTV footage...
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MORE THAN 200 PUPILS EXCLUDED FROM SCHOOLS
MORE than 200 pupils were excluded from primary and secondary schools in East Ayrshire during the 2024/2025 academic year, according to Scottish Government figures. Stuart Reid In total, 371 cases of exclusions occurred from a total of 231 different...
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RIOTS THREE HAVE JAIL SENTENCES CUT AFTER APPEALS
THREE people jailed for their roles in widespread violent disorder in Auchinleck and Cumnock more than two years ago have had their prison sentences cut following successful appeals. Jenna Bryce, 32, Terrence Taylor, 36, and John Gordon, 45, were...
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CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS 13 FOUND WITH WEAPONS AND DRUGS
CHILDREN as young as THIRTEEN have been found with weapons and drugs during police searches in the Cumnock and Doon Valley area. Figures released by Police Scotland reveal the swoops carried out through the force’s ‘stop and search’ powers.
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‘I WANT TO CHANGE THE LAW AFTER MY SON WAS BULLIED’
A DETERMINED Cumnock mum is hoping to change the law after her son suffered bullying at school. Ashley Stirling’s son, Josh, has experienced bullying at school over the past few weeks and months. After researching the issue, Ashley was stunned to...
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FIREFIGHTER HOSTS CPR NIGHT AFTER ALMOST DYING
A DETERMINED New Cumnock firefighter has told how a near-death experience inspired him to organise a training evening teaching life-saving skills. “I’m back fit and healthy and active again,” Tom said. “But during my recovery period I found out there...
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VILE RAPIST JAILED
A VILE rapist who attacked a woman in his Catrine home after brandishing a knife at her and trying to force her to take pills “to make her sleep” has been jailed. Hugh Herman, 55, was handed a prison term of seven years and four months for the...
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MAN JAILED OVER BUS BOMB THREATS
A NEW Cumnock man who claimed to be in possession of a bomb on board a bus in Ayr after assaulting the driver and spitting on a female police officer has been jailed. George Montgomery’s own solicitor told a court hearing that there was ‘no...
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RUDI ‘MAKING HUGE PROGRESS’ AFTER MYSTERY ILLNESS
THE mum of a Mauchline youngster living with a mystery condition says he is making “lifechanging” developments after going through intense therapy. Sarah and Robert Parker have been on a year-long fundraising campaign to be able to take their son Rudi...
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PARENTS GUILTY OF HORRIFIC ABUSE OF THEIR CHILDREN
A MOTHER and father have been convicted of multiple charges of assaulting their own children in a horrific campaign of violent abuse. The children were targeted at addresses in East Ayrshire and elsewhere between 2014 and 2023. The parents, who are...
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RAPIST ADMITS ABDUCTION AND SEX ASSAULT
A SEX offender is awaiting sentence for abducting and raping a woman to her injury after luring her into his house to ‘let the dogs out’. Hugh Herman pleaded guilty to the single charge of rape when he appeared at the High Court in Glasgow last...
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‘I’M LUCKY MY DAUGHTER IS ALIVE AFTER HORROR CRASH WITH POLICE’
A SHAKEN Auchinleck mum admits she’s lucky her daughter is still alive after a horror crash with a police car. Steph Finlayson was driving with her five-year-old daughter in a car seat on the passenger side last Monday night when a police vehicle...
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DOG RESCUE CENTRE SAVED FROM AXE AFTER ‘OVERWHELMING’ DONATIONS
SELFLESS supporters have been praised for helping to save a dog rescue centre after more than £12,000 was raised in just 24 hours to keep it running. The incredible response means Islay Dog Rescue can continue [email protected] saving and...
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PREDATOR JAILED FOR MESSAGING ‘GIRL AGED 12’
A REPEAT offender caught preying on what he thought was a 12-year-old girl and encouraging them to perform sex acts has been locked up. Paul Matthews was jailed after denying his sexual interest in children - having previously pleaded guilty to...
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SCHOOL DEMOLITION DATE PUSHED BACK
THE planned demolition of the former Greenmill Primary School has been pushed back, as a fresh update has been provided by East Ayrshire Council regarding ongoing work. Plans for the demolition of the school, which has been empty for more than two...
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£2,000 SPENT ON PEST CONTROL
MORE than £2,000 was spent on dozens of pest control call-outs at council properties in the Cumnock and Doon Valley area over the past year, according to new figures. Pest control for East Ayrshire Council-owned properties is carried out in-house by...
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‘HELP IS HERE IN BATTLING ADDICTION’
AN AUCHINLECK support group for those battling addiction has offered a safe space for anyone in need, following the publication of the latest drug death statistics. Janet Smith, peer support worker at ACDI Recovery, opened up the invitation to anyone...
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‘KNOCKSHINNOCH DISASTER VICTIMS WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN’
THE village of New Cumnock is preparing to mark the 75th anniversary of its darkest day with a memorial service taking place this weekend. For those involved, the message is clear: the victims of the 1950 Knockshinnoch disaster will never be forgotten.
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CARER STRUCK OFF AFTER STEALING TV FROM WORKPLACE
A SUPPORT worker has been struck from the care register after stealing a television from his employer and then denying the theft despite being caught on CCTV. The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) said that Chris Gardiner’s behaviour ‘brought...
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RIOT TERROR GANG OF 4 LOCKED UP
FOUR people who were part of a group of rioters who brought ‘great terror’ to the streets of Auchinleck and Cumnock have been locked up. Police were forced to deploy dozens of riot officers and dog units after coming under attack with bricks and rocks...
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MAN DENIES ‘PETROL BOMB THREAT’ TO EX
AN AUCHINLECK man has appeared in court charged with threatening to carry out a petrol bomb attack on his former partner’s home. Alasdair Maciver denies behaving in a threatening or abusive manner in connection with an alleged incident earlier this...
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‘SAVE OUR CHURCH: IT IS SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST A BUILDING’
ONE of Cumnock’s churches could be set for closure if plans are not overturned. Work is underway to save the Trinity Church on Ayr Road from its fate, by aiming to engage the community in its significance and history, before making a bid to purchase...
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DRUG DRIVER HITS POLICE
TWO police officers were knocked down by a driver under the influence of drugs as he attempted to flee. Zac Burinski was eventually caught - after a dramatic chase through Lugar, Cumnock and New Cumnock covering more than eight miles - when he led...
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‘A WALL OF SILENCE’ AROUND WIND FARM DEVELOPMENTS
THE Chronicle’s efforts to find out more about how major new wind farm developments in the area actually benefit local communities have met – for the most part – with a wall of silence. For the final instalment in our threepart ‘Tipping Point’ series,...
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‘IT HAS GONE TOO FAR’ RESIDENTS ‘OVERWHELMED’ BY WIND FARM DEVELOPMENTS
A NEW Cumnock group calling for an end to further wind farm developments claims the situation around the village has “gone too far”. For the second instalment of our three-part spotlight series, we spoke to residents who say they are being...
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TIPPING POINT
THIS week, the Chronicle launches the first of our three-part series on wind farms. In today’s edition, and over the next few weeks, we’re bringing you exclusive interviews and reaction from residents, campaigners, community groups, developers and...
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MAN JAILED FOR HEAD KICK ATTACK
A THUG who kicked a man in the head in Auchinleck after the victim was warned “Kairn” would be “phoned” to “sort” him out has been jailed. Kairn Anderson pleaded guilty to assaulting the male to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement, while...
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MAN CAUGHT AT DRUG FARM ‘ONLY THERE TO CLEAN’
AN ALBANIAN Londoner who was caught in a sinceemptied cannabis plantation in Muirkirk awaits sentence. Neritan Dybeli pleaded guilty to producing a controlled drug, namely class B cannabis, at an industrial unit on Furnace Road. The 33-year-old told...
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‘OUR LIVES CHANGED FOREVER’
THE mother of a Cumnock man who lost an arm and has been left with a traumatic brain injury following a serious crash has told how the family’s lives will never be the same again. Brian Wylie, pictured, requires round-theclock care after suffering...
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PENSIONER SET TO STAND TRIAL OVER WOMAN’S CRASH DEATH
AN AUCHINLECK pensioner accused of causing a grandmother’s death in a crash more than three years ago is to stand trial. William McComb allegedly drove dangerously on February 11, 2022 and smashed into 67-year-old Margaret Lang’s vehicle. The...
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KRIS WAS ‘ONE IN A MILLION’
LOVING tributes have been paid to the “one in a million” man who sadly died after a motorcycle crash in Auchinleck at the weekend. Kris Leitch, 34, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which happened on Main Street just after midnight on...
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£36 MILLION OWED IN UNPAID COUNCIL TAX
EAST Ayrshire Council is owed an eye-watering £36 million in unpaid council tax, figures have revealed. And more than 2,000 people are said to be owed money in overpaid council tax. The local authority’s current council tax system was put in place in...
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WIN THE ULTIMATE GADGET BUNDLE RIOTS DRIVER FLED AFTER MAN PLEADS POLICE CHASE GUILTY
A DRIVER who smashed into a police car and almost took out a sergeant later fled on foot after being chased during riots in Cumnock 18 months ago. Matt Montgomery pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner after shouting, swearing,...
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‘I LOST THE LOT’: EX-POSTMASTER CONTINUES FIGHT FOR JUSTICE
A FORMER postmaster from Cumnock who “lost the lot” after being falsely accused of stealing thousands of pounds says his fight for justice goes on. Chris Dawson was one of hundreds wrongly claimed to have taken money from the Post Office amid issues...
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SEX OFFENDER CAUGHT WITH 62,000 INDECENT IMAGES
A SEX offender caught with tens of thousands of indecent images of young girls stashed in his home dodged jail after ‘police escorted him’ out of Catrine. Joseph Lampard pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images as well as pseudo-photographs, which...
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COWBOY HANDYMAN JAILED AFTER MURDER THREATS TO EX
A COWBOY handyman who conned thousands of pounds from unsuspecting victims has been jailed after threatening to murder his former partner and torch her home. Gary Lyle pleaded guilty to multiple fraud charges after taking money for jobs across...
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POOL COULD BE OUT OF ACTION UNTIL AUTUMN - BUT £1.4M PLEDGED TO SECURE FUTURE
SWIMMING facilities at Visions Leisure Centre could be out of action until autumn, according to the team in charge. However, volunteers have reassured the community that they are doing their utmost to reopen as soon as possible after the Cumnock pool...
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SEX OFFENDER WHO IS ‘DANGER TO WOMEN AND CHILDREN’ JAILED
A SEX offender branded a “serious risk” to women and children has been jailed after repeatedly trying to drag one young victim into an alleyway to assault her. Steven McMaster was locked up on an extended sentence after admitting sexual assaults on...
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‘OUR TOWN IS A WEE GEM - REOPENING RAILWAY WOULD BE HUGE BOOST’
A STEERING group bidding to bring a railway station back to Mauchline after almost 60 years says the reinstatement of the transport stop would benefit the whole of East Ayrshire. Campaigners revealed last week that concept plans are now in the hands...
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‘STRENGTH IN UNITY CAN CHANGE OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM’
THE sister of a teenager who was murdered in Drongan almost 20 years ago is teaming up with a rape survivor to fight for change in the justice system. Michelle Stewart, pictured, was stabbed to death by John Wilson in the village in 2008, when she was...
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TWO YEARS OF LOSSES FORCED FIRM TO WALL
MOUNTING losses over the last two years forced an award-winning Cumnock company to the wall with almost £3.5 million now due to creditors, the Chronicle can reveal. In January we reported how specialist business advisory firm FRP Advisory was...
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EX-PARATROOPER IS JAILED AFTER ATTACK LEAVES MAN BRAIN DAMAGED
A VIOLENT ex-paratrooper who brutally attacked a man in Cumnock leaving him brain damaged has been jailed for more than five years. Ian McDonald, 52, turned on the victim while out walking his dog in the town on November 16, 2023. The injured male...
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‘WILL IT TAKE A CHILD GETTING HURT BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE?’
THE safety of primary pupils is at risk in Auchinleck due to council cost-cutting measures, concerned parents have claimed. Youngsters at Auchinleck Primary School are being let down by a lack of staff to monitor the roads, according to members of the...
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PERVERT JAILED AFTER BUGGING FAMILY’S BEDROOM
A PERVERT has been jailed for more than a year after sneaking into a family home and hiding recording devices in a bedroom to secretly listen to private sex acts. James McKenzie was placed on the sex offenders register for the next decade after he...
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DAD CLAIMED ‘IT WAS JUST A SKELP’ AFTER BRUISING CHILD
A FATHER who smacked his toddler in Cumnock leaving bruises on the child was told “Dad, you’re f ***** g s**t” by the weeping victim. The man in his 30s, who we have not named to protect the identity of his son, pleaded guilty to assaulting the boy,...
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‘MY LATE DAD COULD STILL BE HERE TODAY’
A GRIEVING daughter whose dad died just one hour after her family was told by ambulance crews he wasn’t a priority has blasted health teams for their lack of accountability. Kayleigh Davidson said “a lot of pain and anger” was being felt by her family...
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FUNDRAISERS PAY TRIBUTE TO ‘GREAT FAMILY MAN’
MORE than £1,000 has been raised for the family of a lifelong Auchinleck Talbot fan who sadly lost his life last month at the age of 39. Kevin Higgins was a well-known face at Beechwood Park and volunteered in any way he could for the club throughout...
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‘WORDS CAN’T DESCRIBE OUR HEARTACHE’
A HEARTBROKEN family has paid tribute to a ‘one in a million’ teenager after he tragically died following an accident in Storm Eowyn. Calum Carmichael’s car was struck by a fallen tree on the B743, near Mauchline, on Friday, January 24. The...
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FAMILY ‘NUMB’ AS TEEN’S KILLER GRANTED PAROLE
THE family of Drongan teenager Michelle Stewart say they are “numb” after learning that her killer is free to walk the streets. Michelle’s sister, Lisa, spoke of the overwhelming emotions felt among the family, as her murderer was granted parole last...
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48 JOBS LOST AS COMPANY ENTERS ADMINISTRATION
A RESPECTED Cumnock company known for its ecofriendly ethos has entered administration, resulting in the loss of almost 50 jobs. Connect Modular and Hope South West, both strands of The Wee House Company, based at Caponacre Industrial Estate, have...
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MAN HID DEVICES IN FAMILY HOME TO RECORD SEX ACTS
A MAN has admitted sneaking into a family home and hiding recording devices in a bedroom to secretly listen to private sex acts. James McKenzie pleaded guilty to engaging in a course of conduct which caused fear and alarm to the victims, who lived in...
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SCHOOL DEMOLITION DELAYSCONFIRMED
THE planned demolition of Auchinleck Academy and subsequent move of sports pitches to Merlin Park has been delayed, according to information released by East Ayrshire Council. A Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by the Chronicle to the...
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A ‘DUMPING GROUND’ FOR WIND FARM DEVELOPMENTS
A CAMPAIGN group in New Cumnock is demanding action over plans for 500 wind turbines within an eightmile radius of the village. The New Cumnock Wind Farms group is rallying against any further wind farm plans being drawn up for the area. According to...
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SEX OFFENDER IS SPARED JAIL
A CUMNOCK sex offender caught with child abuse images and secretly-recorded films in toilet cubicles and school changing rooms has avoided jail. Greg Richard was placed under strict supervision and will have his internet usage and any relationships...
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TEENAGER GETS TOP AWARD FOR HIS CHARITY WORK
A CHARITY hero from Cumnock has snapped up another award for his outstanding work. Lochlan Murdoch is one of the driving forces behind Lochlan’s Legacy, which was set up to educate people on type 1 diabetes. The teenager launched the charity...
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LAST-DITCH EFFORT TO STOP CENTRE’S DEMOLITION
A GROUP campaigning for the future of Auchinleck Leisure Centre has said it has secured funding for a feasibility study to potentially save the building from the brink of demolition. Auchinleck Leisure Community Committee (ALCC) said the money will...
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ACCIDENT FEARS OVER ‘DANGEROUS’ ROAD CLOSURE
A CONCERNED resident in Cumnock has said they wouldn’t be surprised if they still witnessed an accident on a currently closed road, despite deterrent work being put in place. The local contacted the Chronicle last week to say they were waiting for...
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‘MY SON’S HEALTH IS AT RISK IN DAMP FLAT’
A WORRIED mum has said that her son’s health is being put at risk due to apparent dampness in her Auchinleck home. Dionne Mcatee lives in the property with her partner, John, and son, Kailer, who has suffered from a series of serious health issues...
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CREEP CAUGHT WITH SICK CHILD ABUSE IMAGES
A CUMNOCK creep caught with sick child abuse images was found with secretly recorded films and photos taken in toilet cubicles and school changing rooms. Greg Richard was placed on the sex offenders register after admitting charges of making and...
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‘WASTING PUBLIC MONEY ON OLD HOUSE’
EAST Ayrshire Council will be wasting public money demolishing an abandoned building on Cumnock’s Ayr Road, according to a local who has a connection to the old home. The former janitor’s house that was in the grounds of the old Cumnock Academy...
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PENSIONER WHO ‘FLASHED’ CHILD ACQUITTED OF CHARGES
AN AUCHINLECK pensioner has been acquitted of lewd behaviour towards two young girls despite admitting to police that he ‘flashed’ a child. William McComb faced three historic charges dating back to the 1970s and 1980s involving two...
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DANGER JUNCTION SET FOR UPGRADES
UPGRADES are set to be carried out at a problem junction on a section of the A76. Last year, MSP Elena Whitham and Ballochmyle councillor William Lennox wrote to Amey and Transport Scotland regarding an “accident blackspot” near Catrine. They were...
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£8K DRUGS FOUND IN BEDROOM DRAWER
A CUMNOCK drug dealer was caught with a stash of heroin and thousands of pills in a bedside cabinet after police searched his home as part of a missing person enquiry. James Reid pleaded guilty to possessing more than £8,000 worth of class A...
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PARENTS’ APPEAL TO HELP ‘PRECIOUS ANGEL’ SON
LOVING Mauchline parents are doing everything in their power to improve the life of their “precious angel” living with a mystery condition. Sarah and Robert Parker have embarked on a fundraising plea to be able to take their six-yearold son Rudi to...
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‘TWO PERFECT ANGELS’
HEARTBREAKING tributes have been paid to “two perfect angels” following a fatal crash between Catrine and Auchinleck last week. Rebecca Hill, 32, and her six-yearold daughter Arianna Aliu tragically lost their lives in the accident on the A76 last...
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