Stirling Observer
CAMPAIGNERS HOPEFUL AFTER CRUNCH A84SAFETY SUMMIT
Campaigners have shared their hopes for safety improvements on an accident-prone stretch of road near Blair Drummond Safari Park following a summit. Transport and council chiefs met with the community to discuss the A84 after a major road safety...
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Anne is honoured to be awarded an MBE
A former staff member of a volunteering organisation has told of her honour after being awarded an MBE. Anne Knox was named in the New Year’s Honours List and has been recognised for services to the good governance of small charities. She worked at...
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‘TOUGHCHOICES’ TOBRIDGE £12.25M FUNDING GAP
Increasing parking charges, reducing bus services and dimming street lighting are among measures being considered by Stirling Council to bridge an estimated £12.25million budget gap. The local authority has launched a new survey setting out potential...
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I fear my son was forced to carry drugs by organised crime gang... now he’s in Qatar prison
The mum of a Balfron teen locked up in a Qatar jail after being accused of being a drugs courier is begging for him to be released - claiming he was under threat from a shadowy criminal gang. Nicola Neil’s 18-yearold son Lino is accused of trafficking...
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MBEISMY LASTING TRIBUTE TOEILIDH
A retired police detective has dedicated an MBE he will officially receive next week to the memory of a Stirling schoolgirl after raising thousands of pounds for a charity in her honour. Johnny Dreczkowski has undergone multiple gruelling challenges...
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THANKYOU!
Businesses and organisations across Stirlingshire have been thanked for playing a vital role in our Give A Gift Appeal. Our effort to provide some Christmas cheer to children and young people during the festive season wouldn’t be possible without the...
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MYHANDSOME LITTLEMIRACLE
It was the most special of Christmases for Riverside mum Nicole Ritchie as she celebrated her“handsome little miracle”. Six-month-old Lochlannalexander Graham was born early during a traumatic birth at Forth Valley Royal Hospital. He enjoyed his...
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PITCHTOBE RENAMED INHONOUR OFSIOBHAN
A Callander rugby pitch where tragic ex-scotland star Siobhan Cattigan used to dazzle is to be renamed in her memory. A charity match in her honour will see players from past, present and future from Mclaren RFC and Strathendrick RFC, based in Fintry,...
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MURRAY ‘FAILED’ BYMETA
The mum of a Dunblane teenager who took his own life after an online sextortion plot has slammed Meta for “failing children”. Murray Dowey, 16, ended his own life after he was blackmailed on Instagram and duped into sending private photos of...
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ANGELOFESCAPE
A Stirling musician has told how he helped a “stampede” escape out of an open-air cinema after being caught up in the Bondi Beach attack. Kian Bentley, 22, was working at the theatre as the horrors unfolded during a Hanukkah event on Sunday. Fifteen...
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17YEARSOFGIVING
Thousands of toys are on their way to children who may otherwise have gone without this Christmas as the people of Stirling proved what this community is made of for the 17th year running. As families across the region face rising pressures, readers...
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DECISIONDAYON TOURISTTAXPLAN
A decision on much-debated plans to introduce a ‘tourist tax’ in Stirling will be made tomorrow as proposed changes to address concerns were revealed. Councillors will be asked to vote on whether to impose a levy on overnight stays at visitor...
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CHARITYHERO RECEIVESHER ROYALREWARD
An “extraordinary” charity stalwart has been presented with a British Empire Medal for providing life-changing opportunities to young people with additional support needs. Heather Hall, a former Killearn Primary and Balfron High Pupil, was presented...
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‘CHALLENGES’ TO STIRLING NIGHTLIFE
A Stirling nightclub boss is calling for more support during the festive season as he warned of the challenges being faced across the country. Dave Thompson, area manager of Castle Leisure Group, which oversees Fubar in the city centre, said a change...
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STRIKEACTION ISBACKEDBY COUNCIL WORKERS
Staff at Stirling Council could walk out over proposed “drastic changes” to contract terms which a union claims would make it easier to cut jobs. The bombshell was revealed by Stirling Unison this week as it revealed more than 87 per cent of members...
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CHARITY DRIVEIS TRIBUTETO ‘HAPPYBOY’
The devastated mum of a tragic Cornton youngster has paid tribute to her “fun and bright” son following his brave battle with leukaemia. Kate Thomson has vowed to raise awareness of the disease after 11-year-old Lauchlan sadly died just over four...
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GEORGEGOES THATEXTRA MILEFOR GAYNOR
A devoted husband is taking his late wife’s ashes on an epic journey across Australia in honour of her dream and a local hospice where she spent her final days. George Talbot will travel more than 4500 miles on a motorbike from Sydney to Perth in...
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SNP TAKE COUNCIL CONTROL
The SNP clinched control of Stirling Council during a dramatic meeting this week. The SNP edged out the previous Labour minority group at Viewforth after the by-election victory of Josh Fyvie in Stirling East swelled their numbers to 10. It left them...
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Jailterm for knife attackon stranger
A knife attacker who stabbed a 21-year-old woman in Stirling was jailed for six years yesterday (Thursday). Callum Fisher, 30, knifed the victim as she walked with friends in King Street and inflicted a life endangering wound. A judge told Fisher at...
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SWINNEY TOLD TO RELEASE ‘DAMNING’ REPORTON INGLIS’ MURDER
John Swinney has been pressed to release in full a“truly damning” report on the murder of Stirling mum Claire Inglis. The 28-year-old’s parents Fiona and Ian watched on from the public gallery at Holyrood as the case was raised at First Minister’s...
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TEGAN TAKES PLUNGE IN BROTHER’S MEMORY
A Callander woman is getting ready to face her fears and fall from the skies in honour of her tragic brother who “faced life head-on”. Tegan Cook, 21, will bungee jump in the scenic surroundings of Killiecrankie in Perthshire on November 8 on what...
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‘INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION’
Bridge of Allan’s £16million flood protection scheme has yet to be approved by the Scottish Government after Stirling Council failed to provide “sufficient information”. In May, councillors gave the green light to secure a contract for designing and...
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TIKTOK TASER PRANK PLAN LANDS MAN A PRISON TERM
A man who hoped to “make people laugh” by shocking himself with a stun gun on Tiktok and Youtube has been jailed. Kyle Mcgrath, 28, was arrested after police searched his Callander home and found the illegal device in his bedside table. The...
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FAKETAXIDRIVER ABDUCTEDAND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED AWOMAN
A bogus taxi driver abducted a woman before driving her to a darkened spot where he sexually assaulted her. Mahmoud Kalawizada, 32, touched the 22-yearold’s thigh and demanded she carry out a sexual act on him on a “traumatic” journey from Stirling to...
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LET’S PRESS PAUSE ON TOURIST TAX PLAN
Stirling Council has been urged to halt plans to introduce a ‘tourist tax’ amid concerns it could cause confusion and harm the region’s tourism industry. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has urged the council to either abandon its plans for a...
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YOUNGWOMAN FEARED THAT SHEWOULD DIE IN STREET KNIFE ATTACK HORROR
A knife thug left a young woman fearing she was going to die following a brutal murder bid in Stirling city centre. Callum Fisher attacked the 21-year-old stranger as she walked with friends. She luckily survived the assault having been struck once...
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URGENT DEMAND FOR ACTION AFTER FLOOD MAYHEM
Fresh demands for action to tackle flooding have been raised across rural Stirlingshire after Storm Amy struck towns and villages. Calls have been made for priority to be given to “immediate, practical flood mitigation and improved monitoring systems”...
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STORMAMYBRINGS CHAOSTO STIRLING
Residents were left unable to reach emergency services during Storm Amy which wreaked havoc across Stirling ... causing power outages, severe flooding and fallen trees. The storm battered the area over the weekend, with a lorry toppling over on the M9...
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SAFARI STAFF RACE TO AID CRASH VICTIMS
Blair Drummond Safari Park staff have described racing to help injured crash victims on the A84 as a safety campaign ramps up. Five serious crashes took place on the stretch close to the attraction in less than a month over the summer – prompting a...
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Daughter is left traumatised as parents’ grave is dug up in council blunder
A grieving daughter was left traumatised after her mother and father’s grave was dug up by blundering council workers. Gillian Carlon, 31, lost her mum and dad within just two years of one another. Her mum, Fay, died aged 55 from cancer in November...
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VICTORY FOR ROADSAFETY CAMPAIGNERS
Scotland’s Transport Secretary has confirmed plans to introduce new road signage, a footpath and crossing points for pupils of a primary school on the A84“this financial year”. Mid Scotland and Fife Green MSP Mark Ruskell questioned Transport...
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TIME TO ACT
The boss of a farm shop on a stretch of the A84 where campaigners are calling for improved safety has detailed how a car flipped upside down into a nearby field as their staff rushed to help shocked passengers. Activists in Blairdrummond have called...
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SWINNEY PROMISES TALKS ONA84 SAFETY CONCERNS
First Minister John Swinney has confirmed that the Transport Secretary will sit down with campaigners demanding better road safety measures on the A84 at Blairdrummond. The pledge follows five serious crashes on the stretch close to Blair Drummond...
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WILL A CHILD HAVE TO DIE FOR ROAD TO BE MADE SAFER?
Exasperated parents of pupils at a primary school which sits on the A84 have questioned if a “child needs to die” before measures are taken to improve safety on the danger route. The section of the A84 that runs past Blair Drummond Safari Park is an...
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HELP US GIVE EIREANN HER SAFE SPACE
The family of a three-yearold born with a extremely rare, terminal genetic condition — that affects only five other children in the world — have issued a desperate plea to raise £10,000 to create a safe space for her. Tot Eireann Macfarlane, from...
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COUNCIL TO WHEEL OUT NEW BIN
Householders in Stirling are to get an additional wheelie bin - for glass - which will be collected every eight weeks. Members of the council’s environment, transport and net zero committee unanimously approved the move at a meeting yesterday...
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FACTORY GOES UP IN FLAMES
An investigation is underway following a massive fire at a chipboard factory in Stirling. Firefighters rushed to the West Fraser site on Station Road, Cowie, just before 10pm on Sunday as the glow from the blaze lit up the village and smoke clouds...
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DEAR GREEN PLACE IS AN EYESORE IN OUR VILLAGE
A petition signed by more than half of all residents in a west Stirlingshire village is urging Stirling Council and the police to restore an area of green space in the community. Last week, Buchlyvie Community Council rallied to seek the restoration...
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THREE PEOPLE HOSPITALISED AFTER YET ANOTHER CRASH ONA84
Three people were rushed to hospital and seven others received treatment after two cars crashed on the A84 near Blairdrummond – marking the fourth serious collision there in less than three weeks. The crash happened near the junction with the A873 –...
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RESCUE HEROES IN48-HOUR TRIPLE DRAMA
A volunteer mountain rescue team was called into action three times in less than 48 hours, rescuing a man who fell “a significant distance” down an embankment and two walkers stranded on a mountainside near Crianlarich. Killin Mountain Rescue Team...
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NHS CUT SON THE WAY IN BID TO PLUG A £38 M GAP
Finance bosses at NHS Forth Valley have warned of cuts across all health departments to help plug a massive £38million funding gap. The grim financial forecast was revealed at a meeting earlier this week where it was also announced that there was a...
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PERVERT PASTOR’S SICK SEX ATTACKS ON WOMEN
A perverted preacher who sexually assaulted a woman while pretending he was “removing demons” from her body has been caged for 10 years. Walter Masocha, 61, from Stirling, attacked two women. One victim, who gave evidence against him, told how he...
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ORGANISER ISTHRILLED BYFESTIVAL BUZZ
The organiser of Back Doune the Rabbit Hole has hailed the “heartwarming” community response to the revamped festival ahead of its return next weekend. Brian Harkin admits it’s been a “long road” back for the music event, which is under new ownership...
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DEBTWORRIES FORWORKERS
Vital support staff employed at the region’s main hospital have spoken of “serious concerns” around proposed contract changes amid fears they will be forced into debt. The workers are employed by external contractor Serco at Forth Valley Royal...
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£1.25M TO GROW FAMILY-RUN INN
A new waterside lodge on the banks of Loch Lomond is set to create more than 30 new jobs as part of a major £1.25million project. Owners of the family-run Oak Tree Inn are expanding their site in the heart of Balmaha. The new lodge, situated near the...
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JAILED OVER NEIGHBOUR BRIDGE PUSH MURDER BID
A man who pushed his neighbour and friend off a bridge in a murder bid has been jailed. Alistair Murray, 37, attacked the man at Cambuskenneth Bridge on February 13 last year. The duo had earlier had a row over the victim’s house keys while inside...
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GAME FOR A PINT
Stirling Albion fans will be allowed to buy a pint at Forthbank this weekend as part of a trial which sees the return of alcohol Scottish football grounds for the first time in 44 years. The pilot programme has been run by the SPFL, in conjunction with...
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CUSTODYCARE CONCERNS RAISEDFOR VULNERABLE DETAINEES
A review of police custody facilities in Forth Valley has raised concerns about the level of care being put in place for vulnerable detainees. HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) and Healthcare Improvement Scotland carried out a joint...
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HEROIC GWENIS AWARDED FORHER COURAGE
Heroic teacher Gwen Mayor has been recognised with one of the country’s highest honours for public service – almost three decades after she was killed during the Dunblane Tragedy while protecting her pupils. She is named in the second ever Elizabeth...
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BACKLASH OVER ‘INSULTING’ CUTS
Stirling Council is facing a backlash from staff over major changes to their terms including a redundancy pay cut and requirement for Nondisclosure Agreements (NDA). The amendments to workers’ terms and conditions have been branded an “insult”. Key...
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MAN STABBED OWN BROTHER NINE TIMES IN BRUTAL ATTACK
A man has been convicted of killing his own brother after stabbing him nine times in a brutal knife attack. Boan D’arc, 60, assaulted grandfather Jamieson Mclelland at the victim’s home in the village of Thornhill by repeatedly stabbing him on the...
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DANGER WARNING ISSUED TO KIDS AT ‘CRUMBLING’ SITE
Youngsters putting their safety at risk in the “crumbling” former Prudential site have been warned to stay away by cops as the summer holidays start. Officers say they have received “regular reports” of anti-social behaviour including fires - at the...
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LARCH NEMESIS
A plan which would see larch trees removed across a more than 4000 hectare stretch of woodland near Strathyre has attracted strong opposition. The proposals have been published by Forestry and Land Scotland in response to the presence of ‘Phytophthora...
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TEENAGER SPARED JAILFOR DEATH CRASH
A teen motorist who caused the death of a father-of-two just three weeks after he passed his driving test was spared a jail sentence yesterday. Calum Anderson, then 17, lost control of his works van and drifted into the path of a car driven by...
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SHOCKING RISE IN KNIFE ATTACKS
There has been a “shocking” surge in knife crime incidents in Stirling over the last two years — according to newly-released data. The figures were discovered by Central Scotland MSP Stephen Kerr in a parliamentary question at Holyrood which asked...
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MUMS-TO-BEIN LIMBO AS PRAM SHOP FOLDS
Mums-to-be have been left in limbo and out of pocket after an established city centre pram store went into liquidation. Stirling Pram, at STEP’S business park, closed its doors suddenly. But families — some of whom say they have forked out over £1000...
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The Fratellis pull out of headline slot at music festival
Scots rockers The Fratellis have pulled out of a headline appearance at the revived Back Doune the Rabbit Hole music festival – blaming promoters for“not fulfilling our contractual obligations to pay deposits”. The group had been set to headline BDTRH...
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TROTTING TRACK BID FALLS AT PLANNING HURDLE
Scottish Ministers have rejected two significant planning applications for Whins of Milton, citing their impact on the Bannockburn battlefield. Controversial plans for a trotting track - and a separate bid for a golf driving range - have now been...
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WARNING FOLLOWING STUDENT’S TRAGIC DEATH
A warning has been issued after mountain rescue teams were called to three incidents at the Devil’s Pulpit in recent weeks - including the tragic drowning of a student. Lomond Mountain Rescue Team returned to the Devil’s Pulpit on Tuesday, May 28,...
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HANDGUN THUG THOUGHT TARGET WASASEX WORKER
A robber armed with a handgun terrorised a woman in a bid to get money after targeting a Stirling flat where he believed a sex worker lived, a court heard yesterday. David Hunter, 39, forced his way into the property after brandishing the weapon when...
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TRAGEDY AS MANDIES AT DEVIL’S PULPIT
Tragedy struck at a rural Stirling beauty spot this week after a man died in the water at Finnich Glen near Killearn. The Devil’s Pulpit, made famous by the TV show Outlander, has become a popular tourist attraction for walkers and nature lovers. But...
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CENTRE WILL BE IN PEAK CONDITION
Work on a £1.8million transformation of The PEAK leisure centre is to begin in August. The redevelopment project will double the size of the current gym and see the creation of two large, purpose-built studios for group fitness. The PEAK opened in...
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DIFFERENCE COMPETENT OF OPINION ON ASSISTED DYING VOTE
The region’s politicians have spoken about their votes after a landmark bill aimed at legalising ‘assisted dying’ passed an initial vote at Holyrood. The bill would allow terminally-ill, mentally adults to seek medical assistance in ending their own...
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HISTORIC HOUSE HIT BY VANDALS
Concerns have been raised over the future of a historic Stirling building earmarked for development after it was targeted by vandals. Windows have been smashed and graffiti has been daubed on the white facade of Craigforth House. Residents walking...
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RURAL ASYLUM PLANS SPARK CONCERN
Housing asylum seekers in Stirling’s rural areas with no support would be “harsh” for them and have a “major impact ”on the communities themselves say SNP councillors. Stirling Council has unanimously agreed to write to the Home Secretary to highlight...
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Don’t cross vital role out
A campaign has been launched to save a beloved 82-yearold lollipop man who has protected children at a Bridge of Allan junction for more than a decade. Ian Wright has helped children cross the road safely for 12 years and does not want to retire. But...
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PUMP THE FUNDS
A group has made a rallying community call to help raise the remaining funds needed for a pump track in Killin. Killin Sports and Recreation Hub has its sights set on creating the high-quality cycling loop to provide a vital recreational space for...
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RESIDENTS NEXT TO HMP STIRLING FORCED TO MOVE AMID MENTAL HEALTH FEARS
Fed-up residents right beside £85m HMP Stirling have been forced to move and seen their mental health decline, MSPS have been told. Residents of the Forth Park estate near Bridge of Allan have been plagued with issues since the opening of the women’s...
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TRAGIC GRAHAM FAILED BY 85-MINUTE WAIT FOR 999CREW
An office worker from Stirling who died after waiting 85 minutes for an ambulance was “overlooked” as a patient, a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) has ruled. Graham Anderson, 59, was found lying face down on the floor by a colleague at his work Calachem,...
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SHAMELESS THIEF STOLE CHARITY TIN
The big-hearted owner of a Stirling chip shop has been left gutted after a brazen thief nicked a charity tin full of money for Women’s Aid from his counter. The incident took place at Vincenzo’s Fish and Chip Shop in the city’s Cowane Street. CCTV...
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SHOCKAS SHOPS TO CLOSE DOORS
Traders in West Stirlingshire faced a double blow this week after two separate businesses announced they are to close for good. The popular Rhubarb Lime coffee shop, in Kippen, and the Mcfarlanes Hardware & Ironmongery store, in Balfron, have both...
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FEARS OVER CASHPOINT ACCESS
Concerns over access to “lifeline” banking services in Bridge of Allan have been raised as the fate of the town’s only ATM remains unclear due to store improvement works. With the Co-op store undergoing works, the local community council and residents...
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