Dunfermline Press
Family’s plea after tragic loss of ‘loveable boy’
THE family of a prolific Dunfermline DJ has urged those struggling with their mental health to speak out after his untimely death on Saturday at the age of 29. Those familiar with Kyle McMahon knew him as a largerthan life character who loved nothing...
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Groups invited to assess facilities for community
A MEETING is set to take place next week at the new high school in Rosyth surrounding community use, as the Inverkeithing High site’s future remains up in the air. Local clubs and groups currently delivering leisure, learning or social activities have...
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‘Unsafe’ bell tower in Kelty to be removed
TIME has taken its toll on the bell tower at Kelty Parish Church which is “unsafe” and will be taken down. The Church of Scotland have applied to Fife Council for listed building consent for works at the 19th century place of worship on Station...
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Fern friends aim to turn over new leaf
A NEW café will open in the New Year in Dunfermline’s city centre. Business partners Jess Beattie, 29, and Kate Morshed, 28, are hoping to open the doors of Fern tomorrow (Friday). It will sit on Douglas Street in place of Plaza Real, the gluten-free...
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Group restores ‘sense of joy’ in woman’s life
A ROSYTH woman has spoken of how a social group for people with sight loss “restored her sense of joy in life”. Sophieana Motayo, 65, attends one of Seescape’s social groups, each week. She travels there in a taxi arranged by the charity. Seescape...
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‘My miracle baby has been absolute dream’
A DUNFERMLINE woman is preparing for her first Christmas with her miracle baby, after a traumatic birth left her daughter fighting for her life. When Nicolle Hollick, 36, finally became pregnant through IVF after an 11-year struggle, her challenges...
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Tributes paid to ‘kind and sensitive’ Gillian
THE family of a woman who tragically died after a crash in Aberdour have paid tribute to their “kind and sensitive” mum. Gillian Piper, 82, sadly passed away after being hit by a car that went off the road and into a shop, on the village’s High Street...
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Mother hits out at school for ‘lies’
The youngster had been lost from Pittencrieff PS last Wednesday, and his mum has since accused the school of lying over the matter.
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Jacob makes history with BBC award win
A DUNFERMLINE musician has been crowned this year’s BBC Introducing Artist of the Year. Jacob Alon, who was the only Scot nominated for a Mercury Prize this year, follows in the footsteps of artists like Olivia Dean, Declan McKenna and Myles Smith...
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Bus driver assault is ‘unacceptable’
A 26-YEAR-OLD man, who attacked a bus driver in Dunfermline, sniggered as the assault was described in court. Patrick Cabral punched the driver after using an invalid bus pass during an incident on Tuesday, after recently being released from jail. He...
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Sex attack on girl, 8, on way to school
A YOUNG girl was sexually assaulted as she walked to school with her brother in Halbeath. She was targeted as she walked along a lane in a shocking incident. The teenage offender admitted that between May 23, 2022, and August 22, 2023 at...
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NHS Fife shut down concerns of closures
NHS Fife have rejected concerns raised by politicians that they’re set to “close or downgrade” the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the Victoria Hospital. Willie Rennie MSP and Wendy Chamberlain MP had written to the Scottish Government to...
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Work starts on new £1.65m city square
WORK is underway on the new £1.65 million city square in Dunfermline and it could run until 2027. The diggers and lorries have moved onto the gap site between High Street and bus station for the makeover, which is set to take 12-15 months. Proposals...
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George completes Forth Bridge abseil
IN A MOMENTOUS charity challenge, a Dunfermline man has completed an abseil from the Forth Bridge, raising cash for Abbeyview Day Centre. George Connolly, 73, completed his abseil on Sunday, September 28, his drop from 194 feet only took him 2...
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‘Depraved’ duo jailed
A CAIRNEYHILL woman who shared footage of a young boy being molested has been jailed. Sylvia Carroll, 42, was also filmed sexually abusing a dog in a catalogue of ‘depraved’ offences. Charges were also brought against her partner Ian Carroll, 41, and...
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Children at risk over dog mess
OWNERS are continuing to allow their pets to pee and poo in play parks in the Kingdom, leaving a disgusting mess that could put kids at risk. Fife Council have called yet again on the irresponsible and ignorant to clean up their act and issued a...
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Dad given pay out after horror injury
A DUNFERMLINE dad has been awarded a six-figure payout after four of his fingers were chopped off in a horror recycling accident. Barry Pae was working on a high velocity saw blade that activated without warning back in 2021. The 43-year-old needed...
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Cops bungled murder probe then tried to cover tracks
TWO police officers, who tried to cover up their bungling at a gruesome murder scene in Oakley, have appeared in court. Arriving to find a man lying dead in a front garden, they placed a blanket over the body without first checking with the detective...
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TORCHED
FOUR vehicles were torched in one night on a city street, as police sealed off the area while investigations got underway. Two cars and two Transit vans were targeted in the attack in Abbeyview, which took place during the early hours of yesterday...
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Lucky escape as van smashes into house
A RESIDENT in Cairneyhill described the moment a van crashed into the house next door and says repairs may be “a big job”. The incident happened on Main Street, only a couple of feet from his front door, last Thursday evening. The neighbour, who...
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‘Tear it down’
RESIDENTS have called for the burnt remains of the King Malcolm Hotel to be demolished, claiming it has become a magnet for fires and anti-social behaviour. A large blaze engulfed the derelict building on Dunfermline’s Laburnum Road from the early...
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HMS Queen Elizabeth arrives back in Rosyth
THE HMS Queen Elizabeth has arrived on the Forth ahead of a seven-month ‘MOT’ at Rosyth. The aircraft carrier which was assembled at the dockyard - sailed under the Forth bridges last Thursday evening with the crew lined up on the deck as it made its...
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City’s newest cafe is now up and running
DUNFERMLINE’S newest coffee spot has welcomed its very first customers, with its owner calling the opening week a great success. Little Royal Café sits on the city’s High Street, below a number of short-term stay apartments in place of the old Macbeth...
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Writer shares love for home and Malaysia
A WEST Fife writer has launched her new book at an event in the Kingdom, inspired by her life in Malaysia. Gael Harrison, who moved to Scotland to start secondary school, launched the novel with a speech at the North Queensferry Community Centre to an...
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Delivery driver goes above and beyond
A HEROIC Asda delivery driver came to the aid of an elderly Dunfermline resident after she had a bad fall. Steve Carroll, who has worked at Asda for five years, was making his routine delivery round in Dunfermline when he head a cry for help from...
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Peacocks anniversary set to be celebrated
DUNFERMLINE will soon celebrate the 120th anniversary of the city’s beloved peacocks in Pittencrieff Park. The majestic creatures were brought to the Glen in 1905 after Andrew Carnegie asked his friend Henry Beveridge to bring some back from...
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Disabled woman injured in ‘nightmare’ seagull attack
AN INVERKEITHING woman who was attacked by a seagull near her home has described the ordeal as a “nightmare”. Tracey Johnston, 61, was taking her dog Kobi out for a walk when two seagulls swooped down in the town’s Hillfield Road. One of the birds...
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‘Very well liked’ - City says farewell to Andy
A FORMER manager of the Regal Restaurant in Dunfermline has sadly passed away, aged 77. André (Andy) Breau was in charge for nearly two years in the 1970s and lived in the city with his family during that time. The restaurant was above the Regal...
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Missing peahen Ailsa is found after search
A PEAHEN reported missing from Dunfermline’s Pittencrieff Park was found after an extensive five-day search. People came from as far as Glasgow to assist in efforts to trace one-year-old Ailsa. She eventually turned up in the garden of a residential...
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Chip shop worker tried to rape sleeping woman
A CHIP shop worker who gave a lift to a customer he later tried to rape whilst she slept has been jailed. Guray Eskicioglu, 61, preyed on the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, at a house in Nethertown Broad Street, Dunfermline on April 29...
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Ayla’s in focus for new photography exhibition
AN INVITATION to feature in an upcoming photography exhibition focusing on young women navigating Scotland’s jazz scene was music to the ears of Dunfermline’s Ayla Ersoy. She is one of four subjects to pose for Blue Note, a ‘love letter’ from student...
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Ex-soldier raped young girl during years of abuse
A FORMER soldier from Inverkeithing has been jailed for eight years after plying a vulnerable girl with drink, cigarettes and money to exploit her for sexual abuse. Michael Dow, 51, formerly of Manse Place, preyed on the child from when she was aged...
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Halbeath Retail Park bought up for £23million
AN OVERSEAS investment firm has bought Halbeath Retail Park for around £23million. It is home to big names such as Asda, B&M, Argos, Pets at Home and Halfords and was sold by insurance giant Royal London Asset Management. And the new owners are keen...
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AVENGERS ASSEMBLE
WEST Fifers gathered at a Dunfermline store at the weekend to celebrate Free Comic Book Day. The worldwide event, was also held in Dunfermline by Little Shop of Heroes on Saturday, May 3. The Maygate store, which is run by Alby Grainger, his wife...
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Job loss fears at shopping centre
MORE than 20 jobs are set to be shed as a deal to conclude the sale of the Kingsgate Centre is sealed.
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Police hunt two men for statue vandalism
POLICE are trying to identify two men after Dunfermline’s Mercat Cross was hit by vandals two Sundays ago. The statue was snapped in half, with debris left scattered across the High Street, at the junction of Guildhall Street. Police are now keen to...
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Rosyth store caters to ‘casual’ shoppers
A ROSYTH man has launched his own casual clothing store after a father-son project took a serious turn. Barry Paterson, 46, set up shop in the town’s Parkgate area after spotting an opportunity. He said: “It all started a couple of years ago and was...
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Plea as ‘brutal’ intimidation of retail workers continues
CITY retail staff have issued an appeal for support after facing ongoing threats, intimidation and abuse in the workplace. One security guard said: “You shouldn’t leave your house every day wondering if you’re going to have a knife brandished in your...
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‘Pupils were starting to throw chairs at me’: School worker quits over attacks
A DUNFERMLINE school worker has spoken out after quitting her job due to the rising number of violent incidents she is faced with. Alana Gauffre says the job of pupil support assistant (PSA) is no longer “safe” for her and has called on Fife Council...
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Man faces court over murder of Campbell
A MAN was due to appear in court this week in connection with the murder of a Dunfermline businessman in Kenya. Campbell Scott, a former Woodmill High School pupil, was found dead in a forest on February 24, days after going missing in the capital...
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Girls’ bravery hailed after being chased by a serial offender
A DUNFERMLINE cop has hailed the bravery of two young girls after they were chased by a serial offender in the city. Kenneth Grindlay, 40, had a long history of targeting complete strangers in the street and subjecting them to frightening...
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Just £15k for the city from funding pot of £3.8m
QUESTIONS are being asked after Fife Council’s funding plan for voluntary groups left Dunfermline with far less than other areas. The city will get a fraction of the cash, with one councillor stating: “Something is not right.”
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Women endure a ‘nightmare’ at the hands of abuser
A “NIGHTMARE” offender, who subjected three partners to “horrendous” abuse, has been given more jail time. Gordon Gibson, 27, punched, kicked, spat on, choked and smothered his partners, including when they were pregnant. He dragged one partner by...
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‘Significant increase’ with council tax hiked by 8.2 per cent in Fife
FIFERS face an 8.2 per cent hike in council tax from April. The Labour administration said the “significant increase” was painful but would amount to around 50 pence a week extra on average bills and was necessary to pay for council services we all...
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‘BETRAYAL’ City misses out on £5m
A SENIOR councillor says Dunfermline has been “betrayed” after confirmation that the city will not receive £5 million of Levelling Up cash. The money was promised by the Conservative UK Government in March last year. However, in October, the new...
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MAYBE SHARK?
(do-do-do-do-do) Add a little teeth to the spring cleaning... ...with a chance to win shark vacuum cleaner
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Good Samaritan answers call to save a life
A ROSYTH couple have thanked a “hero” neighbour who burst into their home to save a life. Yvonne Bishop had phoned 999 in December after finding husband Steve, 56, unresponsive in their Boyle Drive home. Within minutes, Paul MacDonald had come to...
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Fife sex offender’s plot to burn down MSP’s office foiled
A WEST Fife councillor has spoken of the dramatic moment he was caught up in a plot to burn down a Fife MSP’s office. Cllr David Barratt had been meeting Kirkcaldy MSP David Torrance when sex offender Peter Batten, who had already been banned from...
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‘One great loss’
CRITICS of a plan to close a historic miners’ home have hit out after the trust which runs the West Fife facility says it can’t afford to keep it open. Blair Castle, also known as Carlow Home, first opened its doors in 1927 as a home for miners...
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Lloyds set to close ‘under occupied’ Dunfermline HQ
A BANKING base which currently employs around 1,500 workers in Dunfermline is to close next year. Lloyds Banking Group has this week revealed plans to exit their centre on the Pitreavie Business Park by the middle of 2026. Workers now face a...
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Panic and a ‘lot of swearing’ as mum gives birth to baby boy on bathroom floor
A DUNFERMLINE mum shared her excitement, panic, joy and stress after her baby boy was born on the bathroom floor. Morgan Guthrie, 23, has a healthy and happy son called Navy but this was not the delivery she had expected. She said: “I was at hospital...
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Trouble flares at Pars match
FIVE males were arrested as “disorder and violence” broke out before, during and after Friday night’s match between Dunfermline and Falkirk. Two 14-year-old boys were also charged with possessing pyrotechnics and a 26-year-old man was charged with...
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Santa’s Sleigh raises more than £8,000 this festive season
A SANTA Sleigh collection in Dunfermline managed to raise £8,800 towards local good causes. Organised by Dunfermline Round Table, Santa and his elves travelled around Dunfermline to spread festive joy in the run up to the big day. They posted on...
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Fife commuters are being ‘priced out’ of rail travel
FIFE rail commuters are paying at least an extra £400 in annual fares just to cross the Forth Bridge, as many travelling to Edinburgh have complained about being “priced out” of rail travel since ScotRail reintroduced peak time fares. An annual pass...
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FIGHT CLUBS Pupils from Dunfermline high schools taking part in secret bare-knuckle brawls
PUPILS from two Dunfermline high schools have set up secret “fight clubs”. The Press understands that students at Queen Anne and St Columba’s are pooling their money to buy equipment and charging people to watch the brawls. Police Scotland conbeen...
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Residents flee from fire at high rise flats
A BROOMHEAD Flats resident has told of the moment he and his teenage daughter had to flee after a fire broke out in a neighbouring property of their eighth floor flat. Aaron Taylor and daughter Sophie, 15, escaped from the tower block on Broomhead...
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Dog attack terror as people ‘scared to walk streets’
A DUNFERMLINE mum has been left with a broken collarbone after a vicious dog attack, with one councillor saying that people are afraid to walk the streets due to outof-control pets. Multiple incidents have been reported in the city’s Touch area, with...
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Held prisoner in his own home
A KELTY man who “suffered serious trauma” at the hands of his Grindr date who attacked him in his own home, has shared details of his assault. Conner Burdett had matched with 31-year-old Dean Slessor on the app, had been chatting with him for a couple...
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‘...We will remember them’
Communities across West Fife pay their respects to the fallen
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No child should ever go without
THE Dunfermline Press and Central Fife Times are launching our Christmas Toy Appeal for 2024 - and we need your help! In the past, the people of West and Central Fife have never been afraid to show their generosity when helping those in need with our...
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£20k boost helps treatment for our Wee Jamie
A MASSIVE £20,000 has been raised to help Dunfermline schoolboy Jamie Tierney thanks to a glitzy ball held in the city. The annual fundraiser took place in the Glen Pavilion in aid of the five year-old who was diagnosed with Duchenne...
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City’s pubs at breaking point
PUBS in Dunfermline and West Fife are at crisis point, with some at risk of closure due to soaring energy bills and the cost of living.
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‘Further investigation needed’
SEVEN NHS Fife buildings including the Queen Margaret and Lynebank hospitals in Dunfermline have been identified as containing crumbling concrete. The health board said there was “no risk” to patients or staff and that, initially, 29 blocks in their...
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Falling objects from bridge ‘risking lives’
WEST FIFE residents have raised concerns that objects falling from the Forth Bridge, including large chunks of metal, are “risking the lives of pedestrians”. Attendees at a recent meeting of the North Queensferry Community Council claimed that...
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Lights out as staff in the dark over closure and pay...
A STAFF member from a Dunfermline restaurant that went into voluntary liquidation this week has spoken out about their anger at the situation, after being told they may get around 50 percent of the pay they are owed. Speaking after the surprise...
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Calls to rid ‘forgotten street’ of drug issues
A CALL has been issued for residents to stand up and take action against ongoing crime issues in a Dunfermline area, after problems with needles and drug paraphernalia found in the street. Locals have been urged to contact the police about persistent...
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