The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)

Study into growth of college campus ELMWOOD:

A new study will look into how a Fife college campus could benefit the local community and economy over the next decade. Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) has commissioned Sir Ian Boyd to explore growth opportunities in north-east Fife, including at its...

SNP win Fife by-election as Reform come second

The SNP has secured a third Fife Council by-election victory, with Reform again pushing Labour into third place. Zoe Hisbent took the Glenrothes West and Kinglassie seat, previously held by SNP councillor Julie Ford. It was the third Fife Council...

Fife villagers’ homes sold cheap as ‘job lot’ WEST WEMYSS:

A tenant facing eviction from his home in a Fife village has revealed the property was sold to private landlords for around a quarter of its value. Gavin Harrower is among dozens in West Wemyss and Denbeath who have been told to leave their homes by...

Scotscraig challenged by R&A over ‘ancient’ name

The R&A is embroiled in a naming row with the new owners of a Fife golf course over the word “ancient”. St Andrews-based Royal and Ancient has formally opposed the new owners of Tayport’s Scotscraig golf course from registering the company name, The...

Villagers facing mass eviction ‘nightmare’ Residents informed they must leave by July with landlord selling up

Fife villagers have spoken of their “living nightmare” as they face mass eviction from their homes. Many devastated neighbours in West Wemyss and Denbeath have been told they must leave their homes by July after their private landlord announced it is...

‘Mad’ rise to rates bills sees businesses suffer FIFE:

Fife business owners have joined forces in a bid to overturn “mad” rates bills that could impact their futures. Gregor Hannah, of Dalgety Bay-based Hannah Whisky Merchants, is fearful he may have to downsize after an “astronomical” rise following a...

Woman lost 10 stone despite crash injury

A woman who underwent five spinal surgeries after she was left disabled by a car crash has shared her remarkable 10-stone weight-loss journey. Kelly Mcgregor was 23 stone when she started losing weight, but shed more than 63kg over three years and is...

Landmark contract win for giant Fife wind farm

A giant wind farm off the coast of Fife is closer to becoming a reality after a landmark contract win. Berwick Bank will sit in the outer Firth of Forth and has the potential to create 4,650 jobs and power six million homes through clean energy,...

Police probe racist posts after MP’ s mosque visit

Police are investigating after racist and threatening posts were left on a Fife MP’s Facebook page following her visit to a mosque. Melanie Ward, pictured, was at Kirkcaldy Islamic Centre on January 2 to show support for the Muslim community after two...

Rector in vow to ‘fight’ her removal from Fife uni court

St Andrews University’s rector has vowed to “fight” a decision to remove her from the university court after it found she had not followed its governance rules. Stella Maris, pictured, has been removed from her role as court president after the...

Paramedic injured by teen gang as she helped their friend

A Fife ambulance worker spent months undergoing physiotherapy after being attacked by three teenagers as she attended to their unconscious friend in the street. Gillian Sommerville, a technician at Leven ambulance station, was on a nightshift when she...

Hockey players enjoy frosty fun on frozen pond

As freezing temperatures hit Tayside people headed out to make the most of the winter weather. Some took advantage of the conditions to have an impromptu game of ice hockey on the Swannie Ponds in Dundee, while others in Kirriemuir and Pitlochry dug...

Bakery’s £50m turnover gives rise to extra stores

Fife bakery chain Bayne’s has revealed plans to open dozens of new stores over the next decade after taking more than £50 million in sales last year. Bayne’s the Family Bakers, headquartered in Lochore, has expanded its reach across Tayside, Fife and...

Van driver dies after Fife rural road crash

A 47-year-old man has died after a van crash in north-east Fife. Police were called to the collision involving a white Mercedes Sprinter van and a parked Skoda Fabia on a rural road near Stonywynd, Boarhills, at 5.55pm on New Year’s Day. Emergency...

Anti-violence plea from ex-hooligan ‘Once you step over into the other side, it never leaves you’

A former football hooligan has warned young fans against getting involved in violence at matches. Andy Blance, pictured, served a five-year jail sentence for mobbing and violence involving Dunfermline casuals in 1990 and a prison term for assaulting...

Ex-journalist, athlete and MSP dies aged 81

Tributes have been paid to a former Fife MSP, athletics stalwart and Courier journalist following his death aged 81. Andrew Arbuckle MBE passed away peacefully on Christmas Day. Describing him as a fantastic brother, his sister, Gina Logan, said:...

Council boss’ s tribute to wife after flu death

The leader of Perth and Kinross Council has paid tribute to “the wind beneath his wings” after the death of his wife, aged 62. Following complications brought on by a bout of flu, Elizabeth Drysdale died in Ninewells Hospital on Boxing Day. The...

Two hospitalised after ‘meat cleaver’ incident

Two men were hospitalised and later charged after an alleged incident involving a meat cleaver at Kirkcaldy Islamic Centre. Police were called around 3pm on Friday to the mosque car park on St Mary’s Road. It is understood that officers recovered a...

Fife police launch probe after body is found on beach

Police have launched an investigation after a body was found on Kirkcaldy beach. Emergency services, including firefighters and an ambulance, were called to the incident at 11am yesterday. Initially part of the Esplanade was taped off by police, but...

Fife charity hiker in blizzard drama

A Fife estate agent has battled through a “huge blizzard” to make it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro for charity. Leven-based property expert Jim Parker, 59, pictured, spent seven days climbing Africa’s highest peak for Parkinson’s UK. He “finally...

Man and dog die in Fife flat fire tragedy

A man and a dog have died after a fire at a flat in Glenrothes. Three fire crews, along with multiple police vehicles and an ambulance, raced to Brodie Court in the Stenton area shortly after 1am on Christmas Eve. The block’s entrance was taped off...

Judge has to correct 11 mistakes in trans row tribunal ruling

An astonishing 11 new amendments have been made to the ruling in the Sandie Peggie tribunal case, less than two weeks after a bogus quote was removed from it. The Courier exclusively revealed on December 11 how a change had been issued to the 300-page...

Links trust boss to quit job for new role abroad

St Andrews Links Trust chief executive Neil Coulson has announced his resignation. He will leave the charity in charge of the iconic Old Course next year to take up a role overseas. Mr Coulson, pictured, joined the trust in October 2021 at a...

Woman arrested after two dead in Fife crash

A second person has died after a twovehicle crash in Fife. Emergency services were called to the B981 between Cluny and the roundabout at Chapel Junction after 11pm on Friday. The collision involved a black Nissan Qashqai and a white Volkswagen...

Golf degree is world first for Fife college

Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) will launch a “world-first” degree in sustainable golf management next year, as the principal seeks to quash “persistent misconceptions” about the campus’s future. Fears the Elmwood campus in Cupar could close have...

Fife racing prospect is disqualified for 117mph stint on A92

A promising teenage racing driver has been banned from the road after being clocked travelling at almost 120mph through a notorious accident black spot. Jensen Bell, 18, hit 117mph as he drove on the A92 dual carriageway outside Kirkcaldy – almost...

Rebuke for NHS over lack of transparency in trans row tribunal

Scotland’s information commissioner has stepped in to address “serious, significant, and persistent concerns” over NHS Fife’s transparency procedures. The health board has been placed under a level 4 intervention, the highest available, by Scotland’s...

Holyrood accused of ‘bulldozing’ Fife planning decisions

The Scottish Government has been accused of “bulldozing” local decision-making in Fife by repeatedly overturning the refusal of planning applications. St Andrews councillor Al Clark spoke out after Kinnettles Hotel set up four 8ft pergolas and a...

New college campus is ‘tremendous moment’

The opening of a new college campus in Dunfermline has been hailed as a “tremendous” moment for Fife. First Minister John Swinney officially opened Fife College’s £155 million complex yesterday, which is part of the new Dunfermline Learning Campus...

Tensions rise between university and rector

The rector of St Andrews University spent a meeting wearing earphones and checking her phone in protest over plans she believes diminishes her position, new records show. Stella Maris had her senior powers taken away after backlash to her claims...

£40m UK cash for Fife communities

Two Fife communities are set to benefit from a UK Government £40 million cash injection. Neighbourhood boards in Methil and Buckhaven and West Fife Villages will decide how to spend the new cash. Both areas will receive £20m over the next 10 years to...

Nurse to appeal as tribunal decision blunder revealed

Nurse Sandie Peggie broke her silence yesterday as she revealed why she is appealing the judgment in her trans row with NHS Fife – on the day the document was amended to remove a bogus quote. The tribunal judgment, published on Monday, had found that...

Fife town at war with MoD after footpath refusal

A Fife town has gone to war with the Ministry of Defence over a “petty” decision to refuse permission for a footpath connecting the community with a new high school. Defence bosses are refusing to allow Fife Council to complete a new pedestrian route...

Woman tried to murder toddler with adult drugs

An “utterly wicked” woman from Fife tried to murder a little girl by feeding her antidepressants and painkillers intended for adults, leaving her on a ventilator. Laura Docherty, 35, is behind bars after being unanimously found guilty of attempted...

Trans row nurse wins harassment case against NHS

An NHS Fife nurse was not discriminated against during a transgender changing room row but she was harassed by the health board due to its botched handling of the incident, a tribunal has ruled. Sandie Peggie has been at the centre of an international...

NHS bosses PR-trained ahead of tribunal close

NHS Fife spent up to £5,000 on external spin doctors to prepare bosses for the outcome of the controversial Sandie Peggie, pictured, tribunal. And as the final decision on the trans row employment hearing gets nearer, health board chiefs have been...

Fife school buses open to ‘anyone’

Fife Council has been accused of exploiting a legislative loophole after it was revealed the majority of its school buses do not have seatbelts and can be used by the public. Under the Seat Belts on School Transport (Scotland) Act 2017, dedicated...

Family plagued by ‘gory’ claims over missing son

A Fife family has been inundated with “sickening and gory claims” from psychics about their missing son, saying he was killed and they know where his body is. Allan Bryant, pictured, was seen leaving Styx nightclub in Glenrothes in November 2013 and...

Fife dad shocked over son’ s arrest for spying

A Fife man says it’s “unfathomable” why his son was arrested in Ukraine on suspicion of spying for Russia. Ross David Cutmore, from Dunfermline, could face up to 12 years in prison after being accused by officials in Kyiv of passing sensitive...

‘Doting grandma’ died only yards from home

A family have paid tribute to their “loving and caring mum and doting grandma” after she was killed by a car crashing into a shop front yards from her home. Gillian Piper, 82, pictured, had left her home in Aberdour to use the cash machine on the Fife...

Grandparents paying for private school fees

A Fife head teacher says grandparents are stepping in to help pay for children’s private education as mums and dads feel the pinch of VAT on school fees. The tax added to school fees in January has led to families turning to relatives or delaying...

Council veto halts park takeover by rugby club

A rugby club’s bid to take ownership of their St Andrews ground has failed at the 11th hour due to a Fife Council veto. Following a suggestion by the local authority, Madras RFC spent three years and several thousands of pounds gathering support and...

More than 150 quality pages packed with features, interviews, news and sport

Councillor’s campaign: Mum of twins tells how home town became her whole world Health journey: Sufferer of postpartum psychosis reveals her road to recovery Inside Magazine: We share some family traditions to herald in the festive season Settled...

Woman killed and two injured after car hits shopfront

An 82-year-old woman died and two people are in hospital after a car crashed into a shopfront in Aberdour yesterday. The incident occurred shortly after 10am on the High Street close to the town’s railway station. A major emergency operation swung...

Eljamel logbooks destroyed by NHS Tayside workers

The inquiry into disgraced surgeon Sam Eljamel has opened with the astonishing revelation that NHS Tayside staff destroyed 40 theatre logbooks containing potentially crucial information – despite being ordered not to. Eljamel was head of neurosurgery...

Tip-off led to police searching farm for missing man Allan

Police descended on a remote Fife farm following a tip-off claiming to know where the body of missing Glenrothes man Allan Bryant Jun was hidden. Officers from the major investigation team (MIT) were acting on fresh information describing the fate of...

Nearly 300 factory staff to strike in pay dispute

More than 280 staff at a Fife engineering firm will take industrial action for a week in a row over changes to contracts. Workers at Glenrothes’ Bosch Rexroth factory claim the changes will cost them £1,000 a month in pay and amounted to a...

£4bn dockyard deal to bring hundreds of jobs

A multi-billion-pound deal will see hundreds of jobs created at Rosyth dockyard. A £4 billion deal struck by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with Indonesia president Prabowo Subianto will see more career opportunities for engineers in Fife. Rosyth...

Pars pay tribute as head scout dies week into job

Dunfermline Athletic’s new head scout has died suddenly while watching a football match – just a week after joining the club. Tributes have been paid to Gary Kirk, pictured, a former coach with Dundee United under Craig Levein and Peter Houston, who...

Iodine plan to lower risk of submarines’ radiation

Around half the population of Rosyth could be given iodine tablets if plans are approved to dock nuclear submarines in the town, it has been revealed. The tablets counteract the effects of radiation and cut the risk of cancer. Rosyth councillor Brian...

Developments concern residents of Fife hamlet

Residents of Kincaple say their community is creaking under the weight of nearby housebuilding and holiday developments. The Fife hamlet is situated on the edge of St Andrews, between Guardbridge and Strathkinness. It is home to only 34 residents,...

Film crews leaving villagers ‘trapped’

Carers and an on-call doctor are among the Culross residents complaining of being trapped in their homes as Hollywood movies and hit TV shows are filmed on their doorstep. And now a councillor is calling for a probe into the “massive” impact the film...

Strike ballot at factory amid dispute over pay

Staff at Bosch Rexroth in Fife are being balloted on potential strike action in a dispute over pay. Unite the Union claims workers at the Glenrothes manufacturer will be £1,000 a month worse off amid ongoing discussions over changes to contracts. But...

Firm fined nearly £1m after man broke skull

A company has been fined almost £1 million after a worker’s skull was fractured by a 130kg metal coil which fell from a furnace at the Mossmorran plant in Fife. Babcock had been carrying out a refurbishment of an out-of-use firebox and was supposed to...

Demolition at last for ‘Fife’ s worst eyesore’

A decaying Fife building once dubbed “Fife’s worst eyesore” looks set to finally be demolished. Fencing has now been erected around the former Co-op building in Glenrothes, as well as the adjoining former Forum Hotel building and adjacent Albany Gate...

Flat owners see roof repair bills slashed by £12k

Fife Council has apologised and taken nearly £12,000 off bills handed to residents of a block of flats in Kirkcaldy. The local authority had sent the requests for cash to private owners of the Ravenscraig flats to help cover the costs of £4.8 million...

Man due in court over death of NHS worker from Fife

A woman found dead after a fire at a property in Dundee has been named as Natalie Egan, originally from Glenrothes. Her body was discovered after emergency services were called to reports of a fire in the Byron Street property shortly after 7am on...

Body found after crews respond to house fire call-out

A woman has been found dead inside a home in Dundee, after emergency services responded to reports of a fire early yesterday morning. Cordons were initially put in place on Byron Street and Kenmore Gardens just after 7am. White-suited forensics...

Angry customers owed thousands by shed firm

A community group has been left £2,000 out of pocket following the collapse of a Fife sheds firm. Inverkeithing Community Garden is just one of several angry customers left in the lurch after Glenrothes-based Central Fife Sheds went into...

Matchday tribute set for lifelong Raith fan

Raith Rovers fans are planning a tribute for a lifelong fan who died while on duty with the Scottish Ambulance Service. A minute’s applause is set to be held for season ticket holder 41-year-old Gary Todd, pictured, during this weekend’s game against...

Company fined £176k for chemical plant pollution

Energy giant ExxonMobil has been fined £176,000 after admitting breaching pollution control regulations at its Mossmorran chemical plant in Fife. It follows more than 900 complaints from residents about excessive noise and smoke during six days of...

Partner of carbon monoxide poisoning victim tells of injustice 10 years on

SNP under fire as Fifers ‘robbed’ of shipbuilding jobs

A Fife shipyard employing welders from overseas shows how the SNP has short-changed Scots, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has claimed. Due to a lack of skilled applicants from Fife, Babcock International was forced to recruit 300 Filipino...

Winners in The Courier Business Awards celebrate

From modest beginnings, our Business of the Year is now one of the leaders of its industry. Dundee e-commerce company Direct Soccer received the top award at last night’s black-tie Courier Business Awards ceremony. The business today is almost...

Masterplan for 900 Fife homes takes step forward

Plans which will see around 900 new homes built in Kelty over the next 15 years have taken a step forward. A Fife Council committee approved an approval of matters specified in an application for a development on land to the south of Cocklaw Street....

Babcock forced to employ 300 Filipino welders

A dearth of skilled Scottish workers led to a Fife shipbuilder bringing in 300 welders from the Philippines. Babcock called in help from overseas earlier this year to help build the two aircraft carriers being assembled at Rosyth dockyard. And the...

Bayoh inquiry in chaos after chairman resigns

The Sheku Bayoh death inquiry has been thrown into turmoil with the resignation of its chairman. Lord Bracadale has presided over the inquiry since May 2022, examining the circumstances of Mr Bayoh’s death in police custody in Kirkcaldy, its aftermath...

Gangster was respectable face of Fife cannabis farm

An Albanian gangster helped build a Scotland-wide drug empire using his language skills and tricking landlords into thinking he was a respectable family man from Italy. Afrim Krasniqi, 29, was the face of a group that used properties in St Andrews,...

SNP blamed for blocking Rosyth-France ferry link

SNP ministers are being accused of “cynically blocking” the Rosyth-Dunkirk ferry link, despite confirmation they have the power to approve a temporary border control solution. Graeme Downie, who is Labour MP for Dunfermline and Dollar, is “furious”...

Girl, 13, is charged with police assault

A teenage girl has been charged with assaulting a police officer after an incident of antisocial behaviour in a Fife town. As many as 50 youths were involved in the disturbance at Cowdenbeath’s Stenhouse Street on Thursday night, with footage on...

Owner heartbroken after animal dies in centre fire

A Rosyth woman says she is heartbroken after a fire at her hedgehog rescue centre left one of the animals dead. Nadia Al-Dujaili watched in horror as huge flames took hold of one of the sheds at her Forth Hedgehog Hospital, which operates at her home...

Takeaway boss avoids jail for Fife sex attacks

The disgraced former boss of a rowdy St Andrews takeaway convicted of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl has been spared a prison sentence. However, Ugur “Jack” Emre, pictured, is on the sex offenders register for five years for attacks he carried...

Rogue Fife officer is jailed over role in blackmail plot

A corrupt Fife constable, who helped two sisters drive a sex work client they were blackmailing to the brink of suicide, has been jailed. Police officer Steven Charletta, pictured, has been locked up, while racketeers Freya Shaw, 5, and Chloe...

PCs fined for evidence blunder at murder site

Two Fife police officers have been fined after they binned potential evidence connected with a brutal murder. Louise Lawson and Kimberley Jandu, who have now both resigned from Police Scotland, previously pled guilty to neglecting or violating their...