CHARITY ABSEIL

THE BIG ONE

NEWS ARCHIVE:

Tuesday 18 December 2007 - Aftermath of fire in Glebe Street, Saltcoats.

At 21:43 on Monday, December 17, Strathclyde Fire & Rescue’s Operations Control received a total of 9 calls to a first floor dwelling flat fire within a 3 storey terraced block on Glebe Street, Saltcoats, Ayrshire.

Fire crews were met with a serious fire within a first floor dwelling and, a report of a person trapped within a separate dwelling on the upper floor. The attending crews quickly made entry into the building with teams despatched, wearing breathing apparatus, to both fight the fire and search the property for persons reported missing.

The fire was quickly brought under control by use of a high pressure hose real jet, at this stage the common close was heavily smoke logged and conditions were arduous for those Firefighters committed within the scene of operations.

Despite the conditions, the search team quickly located an adult male (age unknown) in the dwelling directly above the one involved in fire. He was immediately removed to a safe area within the common access close. Firefighters then assisted our partners in the Ambulance Service with resuscitation procedures prior to removing the casualty to the Ambulance for further treatment and transportation to Hospital.

Strathclyde Fire & Rescue’s Fire Investigation Officers are currently on scene and are undertaking a joint investigation with Strathclyde Police in order to establish the cause of the fire.

Saturday 15 December 2007 - Stagecoach Ayrshire District League live from Ardeer Stadium.

Ardeer Thistle 1 - Craigmark 2

Friday 14 December 2007 - Launch of the 2008 North Ayrshire Council Calendar with designs from variuos pupils at secondary schools throughout North Ayrshire.

Saturday 1 December 2007 - Local MP Katy Clark held a tactics meeting in Saltcoats Town Hall to discuss future actions following the St Cuthbert's Church mobile phone mast situation.

Ayr United 1 - Cowdenbeath 4

Tuesday 27 November 2007 - Despite the rain, crowds turned out in their thousands for the launch of the Royal Navy's third Type 45 Destroyer, HMS Diamond. On the Clyde itself, Strathclyde Fire and Rescue and also the RIB from Strathclyde Police's Maritime Unit made an appearance to mark the occasion.

Saturday 24 November 2007 - BBC Children In Need Charity Abseil.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

Sunday 11 November 2007 - Remembrance Day: They shall not grow old as we who are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Irvine

Stevenston

Sunday 4 November 2007 - Following several years of no official fireworks display in the three towns, thousands of locals flocked to Saltcoats Harbour for this years events, organised by local publican and extreme athletic Jim 'The Running Kilt' Montgomerie.

Sunday 28 October 2007 - Fashion Show at the Brisbane Hotel, Largs, in association with The Cutting Room. Evening Gowns and Wedding Dresses provided by Twilight.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMAGES

Friday 26 October 2007 - Official photographer for the Scottish Car of the Year Awards 2007.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMAGES

PICTURE EXCLUSIVE

Monday 15 October 2007 - Hollywood superstars Orson perform an 'Up Close' secret gig in Troon, Ayrshire.  Only 250 invited guests from around Scotland were in attendance, and only one Press Photographer - ME!

CLICK HERE FOR EXCLUSIVE PICTURES OF THIS UP CLOSE GIG

Sunday 7 October 2007 - Residents of the three towns staged a protest outside St Cuthbert's Church, Saltcoats, as part of the on going action regarding the T Mobile phone mast being erected at the Church. Members of the Community Council, the Caledonian Primary School Parents Association and also Labour MP Katy Clark attended to hand over a petition with over 2000 signatures, in opposition of the mast.

Friday 28 September 2007 - Locals driving through Saltcoats on Friday lunchtime, had to take alternative routes as Argyle Road was closed off by police while Strathclyde Fire and Rescue attended a job at one of the houses. The chimney fire was dealt with and the road re-opened a short time later.

Thursday 20 September 2007 - QE2 returns to the Clyde, with flypast and display from the Red Arrows along Greenock Esplanade.

Saturday 8 September 2007 - Major Chemical Fire in Stevenston at the Nobel Enterprise Facility. The incident involved highly flammable nitrocellulose. The fire began around 8pm on Saturday evening, with flames reaching over 200ft at times and visible from as far afield as Irvine and the Isle of Arran. Three boys have been reported to the children's panel following this incident.

Saturday and Sunday, 1st and 2nd September 2007 - Retro Fest - Culzean Castle

Tony Hadley

Go West

Bananarama

The Human League

Kim Wilde

Belinda Carlisle

Sunday 26 August 2007 - Strathaven Airfield Open Day.

Sunday 12 August 2007 - Ayrodynamic Triathlon Club Triathlon at Dunfoot, Ayrshire. Due to strong currents, the swimming element was removed effectively making this a Duathlon consisting of a 5k run, 20k cycle, and finished with another 5k run.

Saturday 28 July 2007 - East Fortune Airshow.

Friday 27 July 2007 - Special Operations Group at Dumfries:
Members of the 21st Special Operations Squadron USAF made a visit to the Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum as part of a dedication ceremony to the 67th Air Rescue Squadron.

Saturday 21 July 2007 - Largs Lifeboat Open Day.

14/15 July Weekend - Royal International Air Tattoo: RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire.

Saturday 7 July 2007 - Scotland Unites Against Terrorism: Over 1500 people from all faiths and backgrounds converged on George Square, Glasgow, to say with one united voice that Scotland will stand together and fight terrorism. The event took place one week after the Glasgow Airport attack and one year on from the 7/7 bombings in London.
Speaking on behalf of the Scottish Executive was Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, with other speakers representing Strathclyde Police and various organisations within the Muslim community.

Sunday 1 July 2007 - BRITAIN UNDER ATTACK. Following the major events in London and at Glasgow Airport, it is clear that the country is under attack. For the first time, terrorists have targeted Scotland, setting a new chapter in UK terror. Is there a connection with this attack in Scotland and the recent appointment of a Gordon Brown as Prime Minister?

Picture: The street in Houston, Renfrewshire, closed off and guarded by police while forensic and anti terrorist officers search the house that was being rented by the suspects that carried out the attack on Glasgow Airport.

PICTURE SPECIAL - CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMAGES

Tuesday 26 June 2007 - British Airways employees protest at Barcelona Airport following a decision by BA to send staff to Iberia without consultation or agreement of terms and conditions.

Friday 15 June 2007 - Strathclyde Police organised an Emergency Services Day for the S3-S6 pupils of Ardrossan Academy. Strathclyde police were well represented with a variety of specialist units in attendence including Mounted Branch, Marine Police Unit, Dog Branch, Public Order and Traffic Division. Other services included the RNLI, HM Coastguard, Strathclyde Fire and Rescue, Scottish Ambulance Service, Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.

Sunday 10 June 2007 (evening) - Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team were called out to assist in the recovery of four push bikes from Saltcoats Harbour. Search and Rescue with a difference.

Sunday 10 June 2007 - The Ardrossan Highland Games returned this year to the Memorial Fields, Sorbie Road, Ardrossan following a year of absence. The weather was perfect and the crowds poured in throughout the day in what can only be described as the most well attended games in recent history.

Friday 8 June 2007 - On assignment with Helimed 5 - The Scottish Ambulance Service Helicopter based at the SECC heliport, Glasgow.

Thursday 31 May 2007 - RAF Coningsby: 6 (Fighter) Squadron Royal Air Force officially disband marking the end of operational flying of the Jaguar aircraft. 6 Squadron will reform later in the year and begin flying the new Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft once it is fully operational.

Sunday 27 May 2007: Once again at Ayr Race Course, this time for the Sunday Evening Gala Concert featuring Phil Cunninghame, the Scottish Opera Orchestra and Wet Wet Wet frontman Marti Pellow.

Sunday 27 May 2007: Glennifer Agility Dog Show, Eglinton Country Park, Irvine.

Saturday 26 May 2007: Rock at the Race Course. Famous Scottish band Deacon Blue headlined the Rock at the Race Course event held at Ayr Racecourse as part of the Burns an aw that Festival. Huge crowds rocked into the evening to well known classics such as New Born Kid and Dignity.

Saturday 26 May 2007 - While on route from the paragliding event in Symington to the Rock at the Race Course event, part of the Kilmarnock bypass was closed for over an hour following a three car road traffic accident. The Strathclyde Police Helicopter Support Unit was also on scene to assist with the incident.

26-29 May 2007: British Paragliding Championship. Symington, Lanarkshire.

13 May 2007: Over 13000 women converged around Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, to take part in the 10K. Taking centre stage at the event was the missing Madeleine appeal. Yellow ribbons and t shirts were worn by nearly all taking part to ensure that the appeal remains at the forefront of peoples mind. Well done to everyone who took part in this worth while event.

Just Add Wind 2007 - Scotland's First Ever Wind Festival. A truly outstanding weekend promoting all forms of wind related activities including powerkiting, kite buggying and land boarding, microlight flying and general aviation, the Air Training Corps and a whole host of other activities. With thanks to Pegasus Microlight School, Perth, for providing an airborne platform for photography. Well done to all at www.tractionkiting.co.uk for a very great event.

On the 27 March 1943, the Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier HMS Dasher blew up and sank in the Firth of Clyde between Ardrossan and the Isle of Arran, with 379 men paying the ultimate sacrifice. The entire event has been shrouded in wartime secrecy, with many facts still unknown. A connection has also be found between the HMS Dasher tragedy and The Man Who Never Was, an Allied plan to try and deceive the Germans about the invasion point on mainland Europe.
As a tribute to those who lost their lives in this tragic accident, a memorial was built on the Ardrossan shore front, with an annual remembrance service taking place each year on the closest Sunday to the anniversary.

During this period I was working for Comic Relief, travelling around Glasgow, Edinburgh and a few other places covering Red Nose Day related events, many of which involving some well known faces from Television, including many of the cast from the hit Scottish drama, River City. A separate 'Red Nose Diary' page has been created that documents the various photoshoots undertaken during the weeks running up to Red Nose Day 2007 - The Big One!

For the RND 07 Diary - Click Here

Ardeer Beach, Stevenston, was the scene of the highly anticipated Celtic Challenge, a kite buggy racing clash of the titans with Scotland and Ireland facing off against each other. Despite some rather shocking conditions and only one race actually being completed, Kevin Arlott brought home the winning trophy for Scotland. The "social gathering" on the Saturday evening made up for the lack of good weather, and everyone is anxious for the second round of the competition set to take place in Ireland in the very near future. A big thank you to the Glasgow Red Bull team who braved the elements to ensure that all the competitors (and the media!) were energised for the race.