By MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
12 February 2010
Pair aim 'The Journey's Over' at those who have lost loved ones
IT IS certainly not the cheeriest album you're likely to buy this year.
But Lothian musicians Bruce Birrell and Juliet Nisbet believe they are on to a hit with what they believe to be the very first album of "funeral songs".
And while the pair say the songs from their album The Journey's Over will appeal largely to those who have lost a loved one, they say it could also make a fantastic gift for Valentine's Day.
Bruce, 61, who is from Dalkeith and works for the estates department of Queen Margaret University, said: "Many of the songs are about death but there are also a lot of sentiments in there that would appeal to those with a bit of romance in their heart, which could be very popular at this time of year.
"We didn't set out to write an album of funeral songs but we write from experience. Juliet is in the medical profession so she sees death from a different perspective than most people and some of her lyrics are just beautiful.
"The title song to the album usually brings tears to people's eyes, especially deeply emotional people, but the lyrics have the potential to give comfort to those who have lost, or are about to lose, a loved one."
The pair wrote all 14 songs together, and have released the album under the name Spirit of Love. Nurse Juliet plays guitar and violin and composed the tunes, while Bruce penned some of the lyrics.
The duo's target markets include undertakers, crematoria, solicitors, hospitals, and church and religious groups.
They have also received a request for copies from Premier Christian Radio, in London, and think their album has the potential to make it big in the American "Bible Belt".
Juliet, 47, from Port Seton, said: "Music can be a great comfort to the bereaved and we hope this will be a hit with many people who are mourning a loved one.
"It fills a gap in the market and we're amazed no one seems to have tackled this before."
Juliet has been staff nurse for 28 years, and currently works at Belhaven Hospital in Dunbar as well as part-time at the hospital which cares for elderly patients.
The pair have road tested some of their songs under their other name The Baseliners, which entertains residents at nursing homes, day care centres and hospitals throughout the Lothians. Bruce added: "No-one has ever said the subject matter is morbid. On the contrary, they find the song very uplifting and emotional.
"Although the album has a strong emphasis on coming to terms with grief and loss, our music is also spiritual and romantic. We believe it will be uplifting as well as reassuring. Some of the songs celebrate finding love as well as losing someone dear."
The Journey's Over is available from selected music shops, online at www.spiritoflove.biz or by telephoning 07948-343822 07948-343822 .
INSPIRATION?
* Going Underground - The Jam
* Cemetery Gates - The Smiths
* Living in a Box - Living in a Box
* Light My Fire - The Doors
* Ashes to Ashes - David Bowie
* Don't Fear The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
* Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
* Knocking on Heaven's Door - Bob Dylan
* The Great Gig in the Sky - Pink Floyd
* Spirit in the Sky - Norman Greenbaum
Showing posts with label Oddities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oddities. Show all posts
Sunday, 14 February 2010
NEWS: Hobo Networking
By MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
29 January 2010
THEY may not have a place to live but they've secured a place in the hearts of the city's social networking community.
A raft of Facebook and Bebo sites dedicated to some of the city's most well-known homeless men have sprung up on the internet.
By far the most popular individual is "Beaver Man", a gentleman with a mane of long matted hair resembling a beaver's tail who is regularly seen enjoying a burger and a glass bottle of Irn-Bru in and around Lothian Road.
"Beaver Man" - who has also been christened "Night Beaver" and "Carpetheid" - has more than 3,000 online fans over no less than seven social networking sites, including a dedicated Facebook page, two Bebo pages, three Facebook appreciation groups and a place in the "Edinburgh Cult Celebrities Appreciation Thread".
While many of the sites appear to be poking fun, their creators seem to have a genuine affection for the men.
Nadine Moore, a journalism student, is the creator of "Beaver Man Rocks!", dedicated to the colourful Lothian Road drifter.
She said: "The Beaver Man is definitely one of the cult figures of homeless people in Edinburgh. What sets him apart from his fellow wanderers is most certainly his very distinct appearance.
Beaver Man is also shrouded in mystery, as he has for as long as we loved him always kept to himself."
Other notable Facebook successes include "Meadows Big Issue Man" and "Rastatramp".
"Meadows Big Issue Man" is actually John White, 64, has 361 Facebook fans and calls the Meadows his "salvation".
Mr White, originally from the Home Counties, has been homeless for more than 30 years following the death of a loved one. He moved to Edinburgh to isolate himself from his loss.
He said: "The Meadows has really brought me closer to people again and I am lucky to have my regular customers and people I chat to every day."
"Rastatramp", so called because his dark skin and long white dreadlocks give him the appearance of a Rastafarian, is also known as "The Shaman of Leith Walk" and has two Facebook pages entitled "Does anyone else think Rastatramp could be God?" and "I honestly love the Rastatramp on Leith Walk!".
As well as featuring "Beaver Man" and "Rastatramp", the "Edinburgh Cult Celebrities Appreciation Thread" also pays tribute to "Shamblin' Man", a crooked gentleman with tattered clothes and a bin bag of possessions.
But Graeme Brown, director of Shelter Scotland, housing and homelessness charity, warned against making light of a very serious situation. He said: "While some of the comments are affectionate, there are some which are worryingly derogatory and perhaps serve as a reflection on those posting such comments."
He added: "I wonder whether people posting comments or setting up such pages would make better use of their time, perhaps volunteering, or lobbying for an end to homelessness."
Edinburgh Evening News
29 January 2010
THEY may not have a place to live but they've secured a place in the hearts of the city's social networking community.
A raft of Facebook and Bebo sites dedicated to some of the city's most well-known homeless men have sprung up on the internet.
By far the most popular individual is "Beaver Man", a gentleman with a mane of long matted hair resembling a beaver's tail who is regularly seen enjoying a burger and a glass bottle of Irn-Bru in and around Lothian Road.
"Beaver Man" - who has also been christened "Night Beaver" and "Carpetheid" - has more than 3,000 online fans over no less than seven social networking sites, including a dedicated Facebook page, two Bebo pages, three Facebook appreciation groups and a place in the "Edinburgh Cult Celebrities Appreciation Thread".
While many of the sites appear to be poking fun, their creators seem to have a genuine affection for the men.
Nadine Moore, a journalism student, is the creator of "Beaver Man Rocks!", dedicated to the colourful Lothian Road drifter.
She said: "The Beaver Man is definitely one of the cult figures of homeless people in Edinburgh. What sets him apart from his fellow wanderers is most certainly his very distinct appearance.
Beaver Man is also shrouded in mystery, as he has for as long as we loved him always kept to himself."
Other notable Facebook successes include "Meadows Big Issue Man" and "Rastatramp".
"Meadows Big Issue Man" is actually John White, 64, has 361 Facebook fans and calls the Meadows his "salvation".
Mr White, originally from the Home Counties, has been homeless for more than 30 years following the death of a loved one. He moved to Edinburgh to isolate himself from his loss.
He said: "The Meadows has really brought me closer to people again and I am lucky to have my regular customers and people I chat to every day."
"Rastatramp", so called because his dark skin and long white dreadlocks give him the appearance of a Rastafarian, is also known as "The Shaman of Leith Walk" and has two Facebook pages entitled "Does anyone else think Rastatramp could be God?" and "I honestly love the Rastatramp on Leith Walk!".
As well as featuring "Beaver Man" and "Rastatramp", the "Edinburgh Cult Celebrities Appreciation Thread" also pays tribute to "Shamblin' Man", a crooked gentleman with tattered clothes and a bin bag of possessions.
But Graeme Brown, director of Shelter Scotland, housing and homelessness charity, warned against making light of a very serious situation. He said: "While some of the comments are affectionate, there are some which are worryingly derogatory and perhaps serve as a reflection on those posting such comments."
He added: "I wonder whether people posting comments or setting up such pages would make better use of their time, perhaps volunteering, or lobbying for an end to homelessness."
NEWS: Toad in the Hold
By MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
13 January 2010
HE'S travelled more than 6,000 miles in the freezing hold of an aeroplane so you can forgive him for feeling under par - but at least he didn't croak.
Caarl the Cape Mountain toad gave the Griffin family, of Barnton, the shock of their lives when he hopped out of a golf bag.
Father-of-three David Griffin had just returned from a golfing trip to South Africa when Caarl leapt from the luggage and frightened his 15-year-old daughter Nicola.
He said: "I heard this loud shriek and saw Nicola pointing at the golf bag, and there was this big green lump hopping around."
The extra passenger turned out to be a refugee from a threatened species of South African toad - Capensibufo rosei - that had stowed away in Mr Griffin's golf bag bound for a new life in Scotland.
Mr Griffin, 48, a retired finance director who lives with his wife Leslie, 50, owns a holiday home in Stellenbosch, close to the Pearl Valley Golfing Estate that hosted the South African Open Championships last month.
He added: "There's a river and a large swampy area out the back of the house which has quite a bit of wildlife living in it, including puff adders, cobras, frogs and this species of toad that stowed away in my bag.
"When I found out I'd brought one home I looked it up on the internet and discovered that it wasn't dangerous.
"However, it's only found in South Africa and some of the areas where it lives are developing quite quickly so it's on the threatened list due to habitat loss. I guess you could call it a refugee.
"I didn't know what to do with it so I put it in a box with some grass and some water, and some mealworms to eat, and phoned round a few animal welfare places.
"I found out that Dobbies Butterfly and Insect World would probably be the best place to house him, so I gave them a ring. They reckon he's now the only one of his kind in Scotland."
The Lasswade centre took the toad in and named him Caarl, after the largest town in his native homeland on the Western Cape of South Africa - Paarl.
General manager Andrew McDonald said: "We think he's a male toad and probably not fully grown. He's about the size of a golf ball right now, strangely enough, and we think he may get a bit bigger.
"He was feeling a bit peaky after his cold journey over in the aeroplane so he wasn't eating. It's quite common with trauma cases such as this.
"We've given him a warm place to stay and some little nooks to hide in so hopefully he'll start eating soon - maybe the odd cricket.
"He's still under quarantine so we'll be monitoring everything that goes into him - and everything that comes out - but we're fairly sure that he isn't dangerous."
Edinburgh Evening News
13 January 2010
HE'S travelled more than 6,000 miles in the freezing hold of an aeroplane so you can forgive him for feeling under par - but at least he didn't croak.
Caarl the Cape Mountain toad gave the Griffin family, of Barnton, the shock of their lives when he hopped out of a golf bag.
Father-of-three David Griffin had just returned from a golfing trip to South Africa when Caarl leapt from the luggage and frightened his 15-year-old daughter Nicola.
He said: "I heard this loud shriek and saw Nicola pointing at the golf bag, and there was this big green lump hopping around."
The extra passenger turned out to be a refugee from a threatened species of South African toad - Capensibufo rosei - that had stowed away in Mr Griffin's golf bag bound for a new life in Scotland.
Mr Griffin, 48, a retired finance director who lives with his wife Leslie, 50, owns a holiday home in Stellenbosch, close to the Pearl Valley Golfing Estate that hosted the South African Open Championships last month.
He added: "There's a river and a large swampy area out the back of the house which has quite a bit of wildlife living in it, including puff adders, cobras, frogs and this species of toad that stowed away in my bag.
"When I found out I'd brought one home I looked it up on the internet and discovered that it wasn't dangerous.
"However, it's only found in South Africa and some of the areas where it lives are developing quite quickly so it's on the threatened list due to habitat loss. I guess you could call it a refugee.
"I didn't know what to do with it so I put it in a box with some grass and some water, and some mealworms to eat, and phoned round a few animal welfare places.
"I found out that Dobbies Butterfly and Insect World would probably be the best place to house him, so I gave them a ring. They reckon he's now the only one of his kind in Scotland."
The Lasswade centre took the toad in and named him Caarl, after the largest town in his native homeland on the Western Cape of South Africa - Paarl.
General manager Andrew McDonald said: "We think he's a male toad and probably not fully grown. He's about the size of a golf ball right now, strangely enough, and we think he may get a bit bigger.
"He was feeling a bit peaky after his cold journey over in the aeroplane so he wasn't eating. It's quite common with trauma cases such as this.
"We've given him a warm place to stay and some little nooks to hide in so hopefully he'll start eating soon - maybe the odd cricket.
"He's still under quarantine so we'll be monitoring everything that goes into him - and everything that comes out - but we're fairly sure that he isn't dangerous."
Thursday, 29 October 2009
NEWS: Anyone ever heard of 'Blackfriars Bobby'...?!
By MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
29 October 2009
IT is one of Edinburgh's most famous tales, but the story of Greyfriars Bobby has just got a little darker.
A free city map distributed in the city's hotels, train stations and visitor attractions has accidentally branded the statue of the famous terrier "Blackfriar's Bobby".
A total of 600,000 maps with Bobby's new name have been distributed around the Capital and the Lothians, leading to dozens of complaints - including one from Greyfriars Kirk.
As well as renaming the legendary loyal dog, the map mistakenly labels the churchyard where he watched over his master's grave as the site of "Blackfriar's Kirk".
The map's creator today held up his hands to the mistakes - which also include showing Broughton Street and Union Street in the wrong place - and said they would be corrected when it is reprinted.
Peter Todhunter, who holds the licence to distribute the maps in the UK on behalf of Canadian company Skycorp Maps Ltd, said: "Greyfriars Kirk did call to complain about the error on the map, which was due to a mix-up during the production stage. I actually produce two maps, one for Edinburgh and one for St Andrews.
"The St Andrews map has a guide to Blackfriars Tours, which does guided walks around the town offering 'twisted tales of St Andrews'. When it came to producing the Edinburgh map I mixed up Greyfriars Bobby and Kirk with Blackfriars tours.
"I also accept there are a few spelling mistakes, and that Broughton Street and Union Street are in the wrong place.
"I've been aware of these errors for quite some time and I do tell people that there are a few mistakes in there when I'm distributing the maps. I'd like to assure everyone that all of these errors will be corrected in the next edition of the map, in April."
Other mistakes include King's Stables Road appearing alternately with and without an apostrophe at the east and west end of the street, a missing apostrophe on Queen's Drive and Spittal Street with a missing "t".
The Evening News found the map in several prominent city hotels and tourists spots, including the Sheraton Hotel in Festival Square, the Carlton Hotel on North Bridge and the bureau de change on the High Street.
The lastminute.com hotel kiosk in Waverley Station also distributed copies - despite the adjacent Waverley Bridge being spelled without an "e" in the map.
The Radisson Hotel on High Street and the Balmoral on Princes Street also admitted stocking the maps, but only provided them as alternatives when stocks of their more authoritative maps ran out.
The Scotsman Hotel on North Bridge said it had received several copies, but put them straight in the recycling bin.
Edinburgh Evening News
29 October 2009
IT is one of Edinburgh's most famous tales, but the story of Greyfriars Bobby has just got a little darker.
A free city map distributed in the city's hotels, train stations and visitor attractions has accidentally branded the statue of the famous terrier "Blackfriar's Bobby".
A total of 600,000 maps with Bobby's new name have been distributed around the Capital and the Lothians, leading to dozens of complaints - including one from Greyfriars Kirk.
As well as renaming the legendary loyal dog, the map mistakenly labels the churchyard where he watched over his master's grave as the site of "Blackfriar's Kirk".
The map's creator today held up his hands to the mistakes - which also include showing Broughton Street and Union Street in the wrong place - and said they would be corrected when it is reprinted.
Peter Todhunter, who holds the licence to distribute the maps in the UK on behalf of Canadian company Skycorp Maps Ltd, said: "Greyfriars Kirk did call to complain about the error on the map, which was due to a mix-up during the production stage. I actually produce two maps, one for Edinburgh and one for St Andrews.
"The St Andrews map has a guide to Blackfriars Tours, which does guided walks around the town offering 'twisted tales of St Andrews'. When it came to producing the Edinburgh map I mixed up Greyfriars Bobby and Kirk with Blackfriars tours.
"I also accept there are a few spelling mistakes, and that Broughton Street and Union Street are in the wrong place.
"I've been aware of these errors for quite some time and I do tell people that there are a few mistakes in there when I'm distributing the maps. I'd like to assure everyone that all of these errors will be corrected in the next edition of the map, in April."
Other mistakes include King's Stables Road appearing alternately with and without an apostrophe at the east and west end of the street, a missing apostrophe on Queen's Drive and Spittal Street with a missing "t".
The Evening News found the map in several prominent city hotels and tourists spots, including the Sheraton Hotel in Festival Square, the Carlton Hotel on North Bridge and the bureau de change on the High Street.
The lastminute.com hotel kiosk in Waverley Station also distributed copies - despite the adjacent Waverley Bridge being spelled without an "e" in the map.
The Radisson Hotel on High Street and the Balmoral on Princes Street also admitted stocking the maps, but only provided them as alternatives when stocks of their more authoritative maps ran out.
The Scotsman Hotel on North Bridge said it had received several copies, but put them straight in the recycling bin.
Monday, 19 October 2009
NEWS: The truth is out there?
Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
October 9, 2009
IT HAS already become Lothian's most famous X-File - and now it's set to feature on the big screen.
The claims by two Edinburgh friends that they were abducted by aliens while driving in 1992 have become the stuff of legend and fierce debate.
In what has become known as the "A70 Abduction Case" Garry Wood and Colin Wright have stood by their incredible story ever since.
The pair are now working with a London production company which is finalising a script to turn their close encounter into a film.
"It's such a fantastic story and I was attracted to it from the first time I heard it," said film producer Dionne Rose, who is financing the film through her company DBR Entertainment.
"I had seen the film Fire in the Sky [based on the experiences of American logger Travis Walton who was purportedly abducted in 1975] which has similarities but Colin and Garry's experience did have unique elements to it."
The two friends have told over the years how they encountered the flying saucer on the A70 near the Harperrig Reservoir, a few miles west of Balerno. The pair drove beneath it in an attempt to get away, and were enveloped in a shimmering energy beam.
When they arrived at their destination in Tarbrax village, about five miles from Harperrig, they were an hour and a half late and could not account for the time.
Medical checks failed to find a cause for the memory lapse, or the severe headaches both men had developed, but hypnotherapy sessions brought forth memories of alien experiments conducted by a translucent-grey, skeletal creature.
Gilmerton mechanic and car-enthusiast Garry, whose workmates took to calling him "Starman", went on to pass a televised lie detector test, and the men's experiences pre-date the spate of alien abduction claims which were sparked by the X-Files television series in the mid-90s.
Shortly after their experience the pair visited paranormal investigator Malcolm Robinson, who was based in Alloa at the time but now lives in London, and he convinced them to go through hypnotic regression.
"These guys were desperate for anything to explain what happened to them," said Mr Robinson, who is also working on the film.
"Under hypnosis they described tall grey creatures quite unique from standard abductee descriptions of five-foot childlike aliens.
"Garry, who's from quite a tough part of Edinburgh, told me that he was strapped to a table with these things prodding him and he desperately wanted to take a swing at one of them.
"It's such a great premise for a film and we're currently going through script negotiations with Colin and Garry to make sure they're happy with everything. I hope they don't add too much salt and pepper to it and make it another Braveheart, based on fact but 80 per cent inaccurate.
"People have asked me who I would like and I usually say Ewan McGregor, although I had a moustache in those days so he'd have to grow one. Colin and Garry are such down-to-earth guys it's hard to imagine any famous actors playing them."
Neither Colin nor Garry wanted to comment on the film plans.
Edinburgh Evening News
October 9, 2009
IT HAS already become Lothian's most famous X-File - and now it's set to feature on the big screen.
The claims by two Edinburgh friends that they were abducted by aliens while driving in 1992 have become the stuff of legend and fierce debate.
In what has become known as the "A70 Abduction Case" Garry Wood and Colin Wright have stood by their incredible story ever since.
The pair are now working with a London production company which is finalising a script to turn their close encounter into a film.
"It's such a fantastic story and I was attracted to it from the first time I heard it," said film producer Dionne Rose, who is financing the film through her company DBR Entertainment.
"I had seen the film Fire in the Sky [based on the experiences of American logger Travis Walton who was purportedly abducted in 1975] which has similarities but Colin and Garry's experience did have unique elements to it."
The two friends have told over the years how they encountered the flying saucer on the A70 near the Harperrig Reservoir, a few miles west of Balerno. The pair drove beneath it in an attempt to get away, and were enveloped in a shimmering energy beam.
When they arrived at their destination in Tarbrax village, about five miles from Harperrig, they were an hour and a half late and could not account for the time.
Medical checks failed to find a cause for the memory lapse, or the severe headaches both men had developed, but hypnotherapy sessions brought forth memories of alien experiments conducted by a translucent-grey, skeletal creature.
Gilmerton mechanic and car-enthusiast Garry, whose workmates took to calling him "Starman", went on to pass a televised lie detector test, and the men's experiences pre-date the spate of alien abduction claims which were sparked by the X-Files television series in the mid-90s.
Shortly after their experience the pair visited paranormal investigator Malcolm Robinson, who was based in Alloa at the time but now lives in London, and he convinced them to go through hypnotic regression.
"These guys were desperate for anything to explain what happened to them," said Mr Robinson, who is also working on the film.
"Under hypnosis they described tall grey creatures quite unique from standard abductee descriptions of five-foot childlike aliens.
"Garry, who's from quite a tough part of Edinburgh, told me that he was strapped to a table with these things prodding him and he desperately wanted to take a swing at one of them.
"It's such a great premise for a film and we're currently going through script negotiations with Colin and Garry to make sure they're happy with everything. I hope they don't add too much salt and pepper to it and make it another Braveheart, based on fact but 80 per cent inaccurate.
"People have asked me who I would like and I usually say Ewan McGregor, although I had a moustache in those days so he'd have to grow one. Colin and Garry are such down-to-earth guys it's hard to imagine any famous actors playing them."
Neither Colin nor Garry wanted to comment on the film plans.
FEATURE: How to Hawks your way around Europe
Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
March 30, 2009
A SERIES of bizarre bets carried out by a popular comedian has inspired an intrepid IT analyst to walk 1750 miles.
Tony Hawks chronicled his attempts to honour his friends' daft pub bets in his books Round Ireland With A Fridge and Playing the Moldovans at Tennis.
Now 28-year-old Toby Renouf, from Mayfield, has set himself the challenge of walking from Edinburgh to Bulgaria to raise money for the Tony Hawks Centre, a Moldovan care home established by the comedian.
Mr Renouf, who works at the Sykes Global Services call centre at Calder House, said: "I was on the lookout for a really worthwhile charity to devote my time to.
"I read Tony Hawks' book and did a bit of research on his charity and I couldn't believe that kind of poverty existed in Europe. Moldova isn't that far from Edinburgh but it may as well be a million miles away in terms of the healthcare the Moldovans receive.
"The Tony Hawks Centre cares for children with things like cerebral palsy and birth deformities, many of which are caused by inadequate birth incubators which keep the babies alive but often leave them with brain damage.
"I'd originally wanted to walk all the way to Moldova but because I don't have a definite date of arrival the visa problems were a nightmare, so I'm going to walk to Bulgaria instead, which is about the same distance, and is as far east as I can go within the EU."
Mr Renouf will be joined at various stages along the way by friends he's made on previous travels around Europe. He will also be travelling to London to meet Tony Hawks himself, who has pledged his support for the charity bid.
Mr Hawks said: "The Tony Hawks Centre started with an off-the-cuff remark to my mates while watching an England v Moldova match on telly.
"All of my travels started out with bets in the pub, which is how I ended up hitchhiking round Ireland with a fridge for a month and heading off to Moldova to play every member of their national football team at tennis.
"When I got to Moldova I thought it would be unfair to be the only one to profit from this book, so half of the proceeds go into a trust for the centre.
"When you start travelling you soon realise how gruelling it can be, so it's a very brave and noble thing that Toby is doing."
While much of Eastern Europe is currently emerging from poverty there is still a great deal of crime, which leaves a lone walker like Mr Renouf exposed to danger.
He said: "I'll be sleeping in a tent and won't be carrying a great deal of money with me, just enough for food and the odd unexpected expense. I'll have someone with me throughout certain parts of the journey, and I'll have my mobile phone with me.
"I'll be in contact with friends and family through internet cafes, so hopefully all these measures, and a bit of positive thinking, will keep me safe."
To donate to Toby Renouf's Tony Hawks Centre Appeal, visit www.tobyswalk.com
Edinburgh Evening News
March 30, 2009
A SERIES of bizarre bets carried out by a popular comedian has inspired an intrepid IT analyst to walk 1750 miles.
Tony Hawks chronicled his attempts to honour his friends' daft pub bets in his books Round Ireland With A Fridge and Playing the Moldovans at Tennis.
Now 28-year-old Toby Renouf, from Mayfield, has set himself the challenge of walking from Edinburgh to Bulgaria to raise money for the Tony Hawks Centre, a Moldovan care home established by the comedian.
Mr Renouf, who works at the Sykes Global Services call centre at Calder House, said: "I was on the lookout for a really worthwhile charity to devote my time to.
"I read Tony Hawks' book and did a bit of research on his charity and I couldn't believe that kind of poverty existed in Europe. Moldova isn't that far from Edinburgh but it may as well be a million miles away in terms of the healthcare the Moldovans receive.
"The Tony Hawks Centre cares for children with things like cerebral palsy and birth deformities, many of which are caused by inadequate birth incubators which keep the babies alive but often leave them with brain damage.
"I'd originally wanted to walk all the way to Moldova but because I don't have a definite date of arrival the visa problems were a nightmare, so I'm going to walk to Bulgaria instead, which is about the same distance, and is as far east as I can go within the EU."
Mr Renouf will be joined at various stages along the way by friends he's made on previous travels around Europe. He will also be travelling to London to meet Tony Hawks himself, who has pledged his support for the charity bid.
Mr Hawks said: "The Tony Hawks Centre started with an off-the-cuff remark to my mates while watching an England v Moldova match on telly.
"All of my travels started out with bets in the pub, which is how I ended up hitchhiking round Ireland with a fridge for a month and heading off to Moldova to play every member of their national football team at tennis.
"When I got to Moldova I thought it would be unfair to be the only one to profit from this book, so half of the proceeds go into a trust for the centre.
"When you start travelling you soon realise how gruelling it can be, so it's a very brave and noble thing that Toby is doing."
While much of Eastern Europe is currently emerging from poverty there is still a great deal of crime, which leaves a lone walker like Mr Renouf exposed to danger.
He said: "I'll be sleeping in a tent and won't be carrying a great deal of money with me, just enough for food and the odd unexpected expense. I'll have someone with me throughout certain parts of the journey, and I'll have my mobile phone with me.
"I'll be in contact with friends and family through internet cafes, so hopefully all these measures, and a bit of positive thinking, will keep me safe."
To donate to Toby Renouf's Tony Hawks Centre Appeal, visit www.tobyswalk.com
NEWS: An Edinburgh walking tour with a difference
Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
March 23, 2009
IT'S not uncommon to walk away from one of Edinburgh's ghost tours with the firm belief that it's all a load of rubbish - but you would not expect the guide to be emphatically agreeing with you.
That, though, is the basis for a new venture by a former ghost tour guide turned sceptic. The city's newest tours will aim to debunk all of Edinburgh's classic supernatural myths.
Theatre and performance artist Alex Pryce is currently putting plans together for the "Ghosts Busted: Skeptics on the Mile" tours starting in July.
The plan has been given a ringing endorsement by celebrity sceptic Dr Chris French, star of shows such as ITV's Haunted Homes, who believes the tours will be a UK first.
Mr Pryce, 26, who moved to Juniper Green from Leicester nearly two years ago to establish his Chimera Productions theatre company, refused to reveal which tour company he worked for, but said the stories he was churning out night after night left enough of a bad taste in his mouth to prompt him to try something different.
He said: "Some of these tours claim Edinburgh is the most haunted city in Europe, but it doesn't even register as the most haunted in Britain. York has more alleged ghost 'sightings'.
"However, regardless of the number of sightings, once you put these things under the microscope, they just don't stand up to scrutiny.
"When I was out doing the ghost tours, I was presenting stories as fact, when most of the time they had several interpretations and on many occasions had no historical basis whatsoever.
"With a bit of research, I was able to discover that the truth was often more exciting than the myths."
Mr Pryce e-mailed his ideas to Dr French, head of the University of London's Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit, who suggested that a good way to gauge the popularity of such tours would be to set up an Edinburgh chapter of the growing Skeptics in the Pub phenomenon.
Dr French said: "Skeptics in the Pub has been going for about ten years in London, but in the last 18 months it's grown from a hard core of around 30 people to a group of over 200 who meet over a pint to hear regular presentations and discuss alternative explanations for supernatural phenomena.
"There are now Skeptics groups springing up all over England, but to the best of my knowledge no one's tried a walking tour before. "
Dr French was among the 30 people who attended the first Edinburgh Skeptics meeting at Nicol Edwards pub on Niddry Street last week - billed as "Edinburgh's most haunted pub".
He believes the popularity of the inaugural meeting is a testament to the potential market for Mr Pryce's tours.
However, Mr Pryce hasn't got the city's ghost tour operators rattling in their ghostly chains just yet.
Ian McKain, manager of Auld Reekie Tours, said: "We're not worried in the slightest! What we do is intended to be tongue-in-cheek and is supposed to be entertaining.
"Alex Pryce has tried to set up tours in the city before with little success - probably because he takes life too seriously."
A DOUBTER'S TRIP AROUND FAVOURITE HAUNTS
Greyfriars Bobby
The story: "A devoted Skye terrier guards his masters grave for 14 years."
Alex says: "He was probably only there to take advantage of the abundant food and shelter offered by a churchyard in the middle of a busy trading street."
Graverobbers find 'undead' corpses
The story: "Graverobbers unearth a woman who wakes up when they cut off her jewellery."
Alex says: "There have been cases of people being misdiagnosed as dead. Even if it did come from actual graverobbers, it's hardly an honest profession."
Nicol Edwards, 'the most haunted pub in Edinburgh'
The story: "There is a black ghost called The Watcher who haunts the entire vault network where Nicol Edwards is built, and another in the ladies toilets, which makes lights flicker, turns hand-dryers on and causes loud bangs."
Alex says: "Again, you have to think of the sources for this one. It's either drunk people or tired bar staff working into the small hours. The ghost in the toilet can be easily explained by electric faults or noisy central heating."
Edinburgh Vaults 'poltergeist'
The story: "They say someone was 'cooked alive' inside the vaults during the great fire of Edinburgh in 1824 and remains to this day as a poltergeist."
Alex says: "Thirteen people were killed in the great fire - all of them above ground."
The Mary King's Close 'ghost' photo
The story: "Staff testing an infrared camera catch a ghostly image at the top of the close."
Alex says: "Photographic anomalies identified as ghosts are as old as photography itself."
Edinburgh Evening News
March 23, 2009
IT'S not uncommon to walk away from one of Edinburgh's ghost tours with the firm belief that it's all a load of rubbish - but you would not expect the guide to be emphatically agreeing with you.
That, though, is the basis for a new venture by a former ghost tour guide turned sceptic. The city's newest tours will aim to debunk all of Edinburgh's classic supernatural myths.
Theatre and performance artist Alex Pryce is currently putting plans together for the "Ghosts Busted: Skeptics on the Mile" tours starting in July.
The plan has been given a ringing endorsement by celebrity sceptic Dr Chris French, star of shows such as ITV's Haunted Homes, who believes the tours will be a UK first.
Mr Pryce, 26, who moved to Juniper Green from Leicester nearly two years ago to establish his Chimera Productions theatre company, refused to reveal which tour company he worked for, but said the stories he was churning out night after night left enough of a bad taste in his mouth to prompt him to try something different.
He said: "Some of these tours claim Edinburgh is the most haunted city in Europe, but it doesn't even register as the most haunted in Britain. York has more alleged ghost 'sightings'.
"However, regardless of the number of sightings, once you put these things under the microscope, they just don't stand up to scrutiny.
"When I was out doing the ghost tours, I was presenting stories as fact, when most of the time they had several interpretations and on many occasions had no historical basis whatsoever.
"With a bit of research, I was able to discover that the truth was often more exciting than the myths."
Mr Pryce e-mailed his ideas to Dr French, head of the University of London's Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit, who suggested that a good way to gauge the popularity of such tours would be to set up an Edinburgh chapter of the growing Skeptics in the Pub phenomenon.
Dr French said: "Skeptics in the Pub has been going for about ten years in London, but in the last 18 months it's grown from a hard core of around 30 people to a group of over 200 who meet over a pint to hear regular presentations and discuss alternative explanations for supernatural phenomena.
"There are now Skeptics groups springing up all over England, but to the best of my knowledge no one's tried a walking tour before. "
Dr French was among the 30 people who attended the first Edinburgh Skeptics meeting at Nicol Edwards pub on Niddry Street last week - billed as "Edinburgh's most haunted pub".
He believes the popularity of the inaugural meeting is a testament to the potential market for Mr Pryce's tours.
However, Mr Pryce hasn't got the city's ghost tour operators rattling in their ghostly chains just yet.
Ian McKain, manager of Auld Reekie Tours, said: "We're not worried in the slightest! What we do is intended to be tongue-in-cheek and is supposed to be entertaining.
"Alex Pryce has tried to set up tours in the city before with little success - probably because he takes life too seriously."
A DOUBTER'S TRIP AROUND FAVOURITE HAUNTS
Greyfriars Bobby
The story: "A devoted Skye terrier guards his masters grave for 14 years."
Alex says: "He was probably only there to take advantage of the abundant food and shelter offered by a churchyard in the middle of a busy trading street."
Graverobbers find 'undead' corpses
The story: "Graverobbers unearth a woman who wakes up when they cut off her jewellery."
Alex says: "There have been cases of people being misdiagnosed as dead. Even if it did come from actual graverobbers, it's hardly an honest profession."
Nicol Edwards, 'the most haunted pub in Edinburgh'
The story: "There is a black ghost called The Watcher who haunts the entire vault network where Nicol Edwards is built, and another in the ladies toilets, which makes lights flicker, turns hand-dryers on and causes loud bangs."
Alex says: "Again, you have to think of the sources for this one. It's either drunk people or tired bar staff working into the small hours. The ghost in the toilet can be easily explained by electric faults or noisy central heating."
Edinburgh Vaults 'poltergeist'
The story: "They say someone was 'cooked alive' inside the vaults during the great fire of Edinburgh in 1824 and remains to this day as a poltergeist."
Alex says: "Thirteen people were killed in the great fire - all of them above ground."
The Mary King's Close 'ghost' photo
The story: "Staff testing an infrared camera catch a ghostly image at the top of the close."
Alex says: "Photographic anomalies identified as ghosts are as old as photography itself."
FEATURE: Real Life Ghostbuster
By Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
December 17, 2008
WHILE visiting a friend in hospital, a woman suddenly finds herself transported to a beautiful garden where she is surrounded by friendly people and the sound of happy laughter, in an apparent near-death experience.
A poltergeist takes up residence in a suburban home terrifying the family who move in there, while a man foresees the mortal danger facing his young son just in time to avert a terrible accident.
It all sounds like the stuff of Hollywood psychological horror films - the kind of thing most of us would probably scoff at if we were told it was happening next door.
But these stories do not come from the imagination of a fiction writer, they are real cases which are being investigated at Edinburgh University.
Each of these stories has been told, perfectly sincerely, to one researcher based at the famous Koestler Parapsychology Institute in recent months, by people who you would otherwise regard as absolutely "normal", sane and healthy.
There, French clinical psychologist Thomas Rabeyron, 27, is undertaking a year's research attempting to trace the roots of paranormal experiences.
During the last six months he's interviewed more than 160 people from across Edinburgh and the Lothians, hearing their tales of everything from telepathy and psychic healing, to ghosts and alien abductions.
"One of the most striking things to note," he begins, "is that most of these people are not crazy.
"They genuinely believe that these things have happened to them, are often very traumatised by these experiences and are struggling to understand them.
"As a clinical psychologist it's very important to me to understand these phenomena, as the ultimate aim of this research is to provide a counselling service for people coping with unexplained experiences."
Thomas - a sceptic when it comes to belief in an afterlife, although more open minded about unexplained phenomena such as ESP (extra-sensory perception) - is fascinated by how these apparent experiences can defy all regular logic.
Some people who say they have been abducted by aliens display symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, he points out, and there are many examples of people once seen as incredibly rational who come to believe they are communing with the dead.
"One of the first cases I encountered was a woman with a very firm scientific background," he explains. "She was an engineer who had never given any consideration to the paranormal until she experienced something like a near-death experience while visiting a friend in hospital. She wasn't actually near death, but she said she was spontaneously transported to a beautiful garden with a lot of people and laughter all around.
"When the doctors snapped her out of it, she became very angry with them because she was so at peace.
"She didn't give it much more thought until a couple of years later when a child close to her died. After that, she began reading up on the afterlife and began interpreting her experience as a near-death experience and soon she started to perceive that she was communing with the child from the afterlife."
Thomas came to attribute the roots of the initial incident to a traumatic hospital experience from the engineer's childhood, but could find no way to explain how this once rational woman had suddenly started believing she was communing with the dead.
"I was told another story from an engineer here in Edinburgh who said he was walking through a building with his son and they became separated," he continues. "Suddenly, the man had a very clear vision of his son falling from a great height, so he turned and ran in a very definite direction to find him perched on the edge of a steep drop, exactly where he'd stood in the vision."
Precognition is one of the most common experiences described to Thomas, alongside spiritual healing, communing with the dead and apparitions.
In addition, around ten per cent of his interviewees claim to have had an out-of-body experience, while a handful say they've been abducted by aliens, experienced memories of a past life and even met God during a mystical journey.
He is currently interviewing scores of people who claim to have had paranormal experiences, in an attempt to analyse any character traits which may differentiate them from those who don't.
His initial findings are leading him to the perhaps unsurprising initial conclusion that most people who believe they have had paranormal experiences have artistic inclinations, rather than making a living in a profession where hard facts and analysis are demanded as a matter of course, like accountants and policemen.
"Many sceptics say that it's important to separate people from what they would term delusions," says Thomas, who first took an interest in paranormal experiences while studying for his clinical psychology masters in Lyon. "I have a lot of respect for scientists like Richard Dawkins, whose approach is very logical, but many people who harbour these beliefs actually cope perfectly well in society - and are often happier than some sceptics. It's not enough to say to them that they're putting their faith in nonsense as this can often be more traumatic."
Not all paranormal experiences are comforting, as Thomas discovered during a visit to a very ordinary modern suburban house.
"It was very similar to the Spielberg movie Poltergeist, where this family moved into a new house and started hearing ghostly noises and experiencing things moving around.
"I went to visit them and discovered the woman was going through a very stressful time, wasn't happy about the move and hated the new house, so I began to attribute the experiences to her own resentment of the move. As she started talking about the poltergeist experiences, though, I heard seven very loud, definite bangs coming from the second floor, as though someone was banging on the ceiling.
"I have to admit I was scared but I couldn't let it show, so I went to investigate and couldn't find any rational explanation.
"My theory is that this woman was somehow projecting her resentment and it was manifesting itself in these phenomena."
Thomas tries to deal in hard scientific fact, but it can be a bit of an elusive commodity in the world he now inhabits.
Intriguingly, the institute has just secured a GBP 27,000 grant to attempt to replicate a German experiment where poltergeist activity stopped as soon as cameras were placed in every room in an allegedly poltergeist-infested house.
The problem ghost-hunters have repeatedly stumbled across is that poltergeist activity has a nasty habit of disappearing whenever it's studied objectively.
Thomas and his colleagues are now hoping to find out why, once they have identified a suitably poltergeist-plagued home.
"All we know is that in similar experiments, whenever the cameras were around, the occupants were more comfortable and the phenomena came to an end.
"The only explanations for this would be that the occupants were faking it and didn't want to be caught out, that there was some kind of psychological explanation that was cancelled out by the presence of the cameras, or that the phenomenon was caused by a real poltergeist that didn't want to be caught on film."
Thomas is going to continue his interviews and investigations until the middle of next year, and is soon to begin the process of compiling all of his information to put his theories to the test.
He refuses, though, to be drawn on how many of the stories he actually believes.
"Believing in the paranormal is like believing in an object at the other side of a closed door that you cannot see," he insists. "No matter how many times someone tells you it's there, you'll never believe until you have more information."
If you want to be interviewed as part of Thomas Rabeyron's paranormal investigations, e-mail your details to espexperiment@ googlemail.com
The hauntings are still going on all over the Capital
EDINBURGH and the Lothians have their fair share of ghost stories from over the centuries, but apparent sightings are still reported regularly, especially at some of the Capital's historic tourist attractions.
In April, Koestler Institute parapsychologist Dr Caroline Watt reported hearing ghostly footsteps in Mary King's Close. The following month, the tourist attraction's general manager, Stephen Spencer, found a ghostly image captured on infra-red camera. The more colourful explanations were that it might be the 15th century "Wizard of West Bow", Major Thomas Weir, or the Close's stubborn last resident, Andrew Chesney.
In October, staff at the Playhouse reported a spooky chill in the air whenever they invoked the name of Albert, a former doorman who allegedly haunts the theatre.
And, on Hallowe'en, the general manager of Lennoxlove House, near Haddington, told of a haunted piano, said to have once been played by Fredric Chopin, which plays itself in the middle of the night.
Earlier this month cast members rehearsing a play in the atmospheric Rosslyn Chapel reported seeing two ghosts. One saw a "fairy-like" figure in the grounds and a second figure in the Chapel itself, while producer and writer Simon Beattie reported hearing a child's voice from the crypt. When he went down to check, he said, there was no-one there.
Edinburgh Evening News
December 17, 2008
WHILE visiting a friend in hospital, a woman suddenly finds herself transported to a beautiful garden where she is surrounded by friendly people and the sound of happy laughter, in an apparent near-death experience.
A poltergeist takes up residence in a suburban home terrifying the family who move in there, while a man foresees the mortal danger facing his young son just in time to avert a terrible accident.
It all sounds like the stuff of Hollywood psychological horror films - the kind of thing most of us would probably scoff at if we were told it was happening next door.
But these stories do not come from the imagination of a fiction writer, they are real cases which are being investigated at Edinburgh University.
Each of these stories has been told, perfectly sincerely, to one researcher based at the famous Koestler Parapsychology Institute in recent months, by people who you would otherwise regard as absolutely "normal", sane and healthy.
There, French clinical psychologist Thomas Rabeyron, 27, is undertaking a year's research attempting to trace the roots of paranormal experiences.
During the last six months he's interviewed more than 160 people from across Edinburgh and the Lothians, hearing their tales of everything from telepathy and psychic healing, to ghosts and alien abductions.
"One of the most striking things to note," he begins, "is that most of these people are not crazy.
"They genuinely believe that these things have happened to them, are often very traumatised by these experiences and are struggling to understand them.
"As a clinical psychologist it's very important to me to understand these phenomena, as the ultimate aim of this research is to provide a counselling service for people coping with unexplained experiences."
Thomas - a sceptic when it comes to belief in an afterlife, although more open minded about unexplained phenomena such as ESP (extra-sensory perception) - is fascinated by how these apparent experiences can defy all regular logic.
Some people who say they have been abducted by aliens display symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, he points out, and there are many examples of people once seen as incredibly rational who come to believe they are communing with the dead.
"One of the first cases I encountered was a woman with a very firm scientific background," he explains. "She was an engineer who had never given any consideration to the paranormal until she experienced something like a near-death experience while visiting a friend in hospital. She wasn't actually near death, but she said she was spontaneously transported to a beautiful garden with a lot of people and laughter all around.
"When the doctors snapped her out of it, she became very angry with them because she was so at peace.
"She didn't give it much more thought until a couple of years later when a child close to her died. After that, she began reading up on the afterlife and began interpreting her experience as a near-death experience and soon she started to perceive that she was communing with the child from the afterlife."
Thomas came to attribute the roots of the initial incident to a traumatic hospital experience from the engineer's childhood, but could find no way to explain how this once rational woman had suddenly started believing she was communing with the dead.
"I was told another story from an engineer here in Edinburgh who said he was walking through a building with his son and they became separated," he continues. "Suddenly, the man had a very clear vision of his son falling from a great height, so he turned and ran in a very definite direction to find him perched on the edge of a steep drop, exactly where he'd stood in the vision."
Precognition is one of the most common experiences described to Thomas, alongside spiritual healing, communing with the dead and apparitions.
In addition, around ten per cent of his interviewees claim to have had an out-of-body experience, while a handful say they've been abducted by aliens, experienced memories of a past life and even met God during a mystical journey.
He is currently interviewing scores of people who claim to have had paranormal experiences, in an attempt to analyse any character traits which may differentiate them from those who don't.
His initial findings are leading him to the perhaps unsurprising initial conclusion that most people who believe they have had paranormal experiences have artistic inclinations, rather than making a living in a profession where hard facts and analysis are demanded as a matter of course, like accountants and policemen.
"Many sceptics say that it's important to separate people from what they would term delusions," says Thomas, who first took an interest in paranormal experiences while studying for his clinical psychology masters in Lyon. "I have a lot of respect for scientists like Richard Dawkins, whose approach is very logical, but many people who harbour these beliefs actually cope perfectly well in society - and are often happier than some sceptics. It's not enough to say to them that they're putting their faith in nonsense as this can often be more traumatic."
Not all paranormal experiences are comforting, as Thomas discovered during a visit to a very ordinary modern suburban house.
"It was very similar to the Spielberg movie Poltergeist, where this family moved into a new house and started hearing ghostly noises and experiencing things moving around.
"I went to visit them and discovered the woman was going through a very stressful time, wasn't happy about the move and hated the new house, so I began to attribute the experiences to her own resentment of the move. As she started talking about the poltergeist experiences, though, I heard seven very loud, definite bangs coming from the second floor, as though someone was banging on the ceiling.
"I have to admit I was scared but I couldn't let it show, so I went to investigate and couldn't find any rational explanation.
"My theory is that this woman was somehow projecting her resentment and it was manifesting itself in these phenomena."
Thomas tries to deal in hard scientific fact, but it can be a bit of an elusive commodity in the world he now inhabits.
Intriguingly, the institute has just secured a GBP 27,000 grant to attempt to replicate a German experiment where poltergeist activity stopped as soon as cameras were placed in every room in an allegedly poltergeist-infested house.
The problem ghost-hunters have repeatedly stumbled across is that poltergeist activity has a nasty habit of disappearing whenever it's studied objectively.
Thomas and his colleagues are now hoping to find out why, once they have identified a suitably poltergeist-plagued home.
"All we know is that in similar experiments, whenever the cameras were around, the occupants were more comfortable and the phenomena came to an end.
"The only explanations for this would be that the occupants were faking it and didn't want to be caught out, that there was some kind of psychological explanation that was cancelled out by the presence of the cameras, or that the phenomenon was caused by a real poltergeist that didn't want to be caught on film."
Thomas is going to continue his interviews and investigations until the middle of next year, and is soon to begin the process of compiling all of his information to put his theories to the test.
He refuses, though, to be drawn on how many of the stories he actually believes.
"Believing in the paranormal is like believing in an object at the other side of a closed door that you cannot see," he insists. "No matter how many times someone tells you it's there, you'll never believe until you have more information."
If you want to be interviewed as part of Thomas Rabeyron's paranormal investigations, e-mail your details to espexperiment@ googlemail.com
The hauntings are still going on all over the Capital
EDINBURGH and the Lothians have their fair share of ghost stories from over the centuries, but apparent sightings are still reported regularly, especially at some of the Capital's historic tourist attractions.
In April, Koestler Institute parapsychologist Dr Caroline Watt reported hearing ghostly footsteps in Mary King's Close. The following month, the tourist attraction's general manager, Stephen Spencer, found a ghostly image captured on infra-red camera. The more colourful explanations were that it might be the 15th century "Wizard of West Bow", Major Thomas Weir, or the Close's stubborn last resident, Andrew Chesney.
In October, staff at the Playhouse reported a spooky chill in the air whenever they invoked the name of Albert, a former doorman who allegedly haunts the theatre.
And, on Hallowe'en, the general manager of Lennoxlove House, near Haddington, told of a haunted piano, said to have once been played by Fredric Chopin, which plays itself in the middle of the night.
Earlier this month cast members rehearsing a play in the atmospheric Rosslyn Chapel reported seeing two ghosts. One saw a "fairy-like" figure in the grounds and a second figure in the Chapel itself, while producer and writer Simon Beattie reported hearing a child's voice from the crypt. When he went down to check, he said, there was no-one there.
FEATURE: When is the One O'Clock Gun?
Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
September 25, 2008
IF you have ever wondered when the Regimental Ratatouille is or what time the One O'Clock Gun goes off then rest assured you're not alone.
These were today revealed as just some of the questions asked at Tourist Information Centres (TICs) in Edinburgh by confused, misguided or just plain daft tourists.
Some of the questions come up so often that Visit Scotland has compiled a list to help staff guide tourists in the right direction in the least humiliating way possible.
The list is kept under the counter at the Waverley TIC, and includes some other gems like 'What do they do with the Castle when the Festival is over?'; 'Can I take an open top bus to Inverness?' and 'Is the moon in New Zealand the same moon I see in Scotland?'.
James Lakie, external relations executive at Visit Scotland, said that while the list was certainly amusing it also served a purpose for staff.
"We do have a bit of a laugh over the list but when you think of some of things you would ask when you land in a strange city like Barcelona or Madrid for the first time you kind of have a bit of sympathy for the people who asked these questions.
"Some of it is just down to a plain misunderstanding of geography. Some tourists think Scotland is an hour's walk from end to end, so in that context questions like, 'Is that Edinburgh or Stirling Castle up there?', or 'Can I book a day trip to Orkney or Shetland?' don't seem that silly.
"Come to think of it, you probably could book a day trip to Shetland if you timed the flights right, but you wouldn't have time to see very much."
Parts of the list do stand up to such scrutiny, and a question like 'Can I use Scottish notes in England?' doesn't seem so strange to anyone who has had money turned away by English shopkeepers.
However, some parts of the list do stretch the bounds of logic, such as "Isn't it convenient that they built the Castle so close to the train station!" or "Is there an animal called a haggis and where can I find one?".
Mr Lakie added: "These ones do seem unforgivable and it is tempting to laugh, but we don't want to cause offence so instead we'll use a question like 'Why didn't they build the Castle closer to the airport?' to explain to people just how old Scotland is and its history.
"Some people do actually believe the haggis is an elusive Loch Ness monster -type creature, and we're often reluctant to correct them so that they'll actually go out and try it. When we were out in New York for Tartan Week we did blind tastings and the Americans loved it . . . until we told them what was in it."
TOP TEN REMARKS
1.What time is the One O'Clock Gun?
2. Is the moon I see in New Zealand the same moon I see in Scotland?
3. When is the Regimental Ratatoullie? (referring to the Military Tattoo)
4. Isn't it convenient how they built the Castle so close to the train station!
5. An American gentleman asked: "Isn't there, like, a massive oil refinery at the top of England?"
6. I'd like to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia. What time does the cruise begin?
7. Can I use the stamps I bought in Lancaster to send postcards from Scotland?
8. How often does the Castle go on the market?
9. An older American couple once asked staff to bless them.
10. Which bus will take me to the top of Arthur's Seat and where is the chair itself?
Edinburgh Evening News
September 25, 2008
IF you have ever wondered when the Regimental Ratatouille is or what time the One O'Clock Gun goes off then rest assured you're not alone.
These were today revealed as just some of the questions asked at Tourist Information Centres (TICs) in Edinburgh by confused, misguided or just plain daft tourists.
Some of the questions come up so often that Visit Scotland has compiled a list to help staff guide tourists in the right direction in the least humiliating way possible.
The list is kept under the counter at the Waverley TIC, and includes some other gems like 'What do they do with the Castle when the Festival is over?'; 'Can I take an open top bus to Inverness?' and 'Is the moon in New Zealand the same moon I see in Scotland?'.
James Lakie, external relations executive at Visit Scotland, said that while the list was certainly amusing it also served a purpose for staff.
"We do have a bit of a laugh over the list but when you think of some of things you would ask when you land in a strange city like Barcelona or Madrid for the first time you kind of have a bit of sympathy for the people who asked these questions.
"Some of it is just down to a plain misunderstanding of geography. Some tourists think Scotland is an hour's walk from end to end, so in that context questions like, 'Is that Edinburgh or Stirling Castle up there?', or 'Can I book a day trip to Orkney or Shetland?' don't seem that silly.
"Come to think of it, you probably could book a day trip to Shetland if you timed the flights right, but you wouldn't have time to see very much."
Parts of the list do stand up to such scrutiny, and a question like 'Can I use Scottish notes in England?' doesn't seem so strange to anyone who has had money turned away by English shopkeepers.
However, some parts of the list do stretch the bounds of logic, such as "Isn't it convenient that they built the Castle so close to the train station!" or "Is there an animal called a haggis and where can I find one?".
Mr Lakie added: "These ones do seem unforgivable and it is tempting to laugh, but we don't want to cause offence so instead we'll use a question like 'Why didn't they build the Castle closer to the airport?' to explain to people just how old Scotland is and its history.
"Some people do actually believe the haggis is an elusive Loch Ness monster -type creature, and we're often reluctant to correct them so that they'll actually go out and try it. When we were out in New York for Tartan Week we did blind tastings and the Americans loved it . . . until we told them what was in it."
TOP TEN REMARKS
1.What time is the One O'Clock Gun?
2. Is the moon I see in New Zealand the same moon I see in Scotland?
3. When is the Regimental Ratatoullie? (referring to the Military Tattoo)
4. Isn't it convenient how they built the Castle so close to the train station!
5. An American gentleman asked: "Isn't there, like, a massive oil refinery at the top of England?"
6. I'd like to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia. What time does the cruise begin?
7. Can I use the stamps I bought in Lancaster to send postcards from Scotland?
8. How often does the Castle go on the market?
9. An older American couple once asked staff to bless them.
10. Which bus will take me to the top of Arthur's Seat and where is the chair itself?
NEWS: The Rock Squad
Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
September 17, 2008
A CHUNK of Edinburgh's Castle Rock fell and smashed on to a tourist bus - days after geology experts had given the site the all-clear.
The 20-inch piece of rock became dislodged by Monday night's downpours and fell on to Johnston Terrace at around 5am.
It smashed into the empty bus, causing a number of broken windows and damage to the roof but luckily no injuries.
It comes after Historic Scotland's "Rock Squad" completed a risk management check on the south side of the rock on Friday, and had only just reopened Johnston Terrace after a week's closure.
The road has now been sealed off once again until further safety checks are carried out.
Historic Scotland has ruled out the possibility that its rock scaling exercises might have contributed to yesterday's collapse.
A Historic Scotland spokeswoman said: "We have no way of telling how often a rock fall happens. It is due to the force of nature and depends on weather conditions. All we can do is keep looking, checking and inspecting the rock.
"Rock falls are very rare. As such, the risk of rock falls can be managed but not predicted. Historic Scotland carry out a rock maintenance programme which includes surface inspection and scaling. The Rock Squad use abseiling techniques to remove plant growth and small loose debris.
"Due to its age, the Castle Rock suffers from natural erosion. Very heavy rainfall, frost or plant roots can all loosen joints and cause small rocks to detach.
"The surface area will be re-inspected by Historic Scotland with input from specialist geo-technical engineers."
The street was practically deserted at the time of the rock fall and no-one was injured. The bus is thought to have been driven away at around 11am and taken to a garage in Glasgow for inspection.
A police spokeswoman said: "We have been in contact with Historic Scotland about damage to a parked coach on the roadway caused by a falling rock.
"Work has being going on to make the rock safe. Obviously this work was carried out with some difficulty because of the poor weather conditions, so it may take some time to get it done.
"We have attempted to locate the coach owner but we have not had much joy."
A council spokeswoman said the road would reopen as soon as possible.
There have been a number rock falls in the area in recent years, the most serious occurring in 2006, when a huge boulder fell and smashed into a taxi. Moments earlier the cab's driver had watched as a tourist was hit on the head by a rock as she tried to flee the crumbling stones.
Edinburgh Evening News
September 17, 2008
A CHUNK of Edinburgh's Castle Rock fell and smashed on to a tourist bus - days after geology experts had given the site the all-clear.
The 20-inch piece of rock became dislodged by Monday night's downpours and fell on to Johnston Terrace at around 5am.
It smashed into the empty bus, causing a number of broken windows and damage to the roof but luckily no injuries.
It comes after Historic Scotland's "Rock Squad" completed a risk management check on the south side of the rock on Friday, and had only just reopened Johnston Terrace after a week's closure.
The road has now been sealed off once again until further safety checks are carried out.
Historic Scotland has ruled out the possibility that its rock scaling exercises might have contributed to yesterday's collapse.
A Historic Scotland spokeswoman said: "We have no way of telling how often a rock fall happens. It is due to the force of nature and depends on weather conditions. All we can do is keep looking, checking and inspecting the rock.
"Rock falls are very rare. As such, the risk of rock falls can be managed but not predicted. Historic Scotland carry out a rock maintenance programme which includes surface inspection and scaling. The Rock Squad use abseiling techniques to remove plant growth and small loose debris.
"Due to its age, the Castle Rock suffers from natural erosion. Very heavy rainfall, frost or plant roots can all loosen joints and cause small rocks to detach.
"The surface area will be re-inspected by Historic Scotland with input from specialist geo-technical engineers."
The street was practically deserted at the time of the rock fall and no-one was injured. The bus is thought to have been driven away at around 11am and taken to a garage in Glasgow for inspection.
A police spokeswoman said: "We have been in contact with Historic Scotland about damage to a parked coach on the roadway caused by a falling rock.
"Work has being going on to make the rock safe. Obviously this work was carried out with some difficulty because of the poor weather conditions, so it may take some time to get it done.
"We have attempted to locate the coach owner but we have not had much joy."
A council spokeswoman said the road would reopen as soon as possible.
There have been a number rock falls in the area in recent years, the most serious occurring in 2006, when a huge boulder fell and smashed into a taxi. Moments earlier the cab's driver had watched as a tourist was hit on the head by a rock as she tried to flee the crumbling stones.
Sunday, 18 October 2009
NEWS: Molly put the kettle on...part IV
By Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
August 27, 2008
A PENSIONER who survived a gas explosion which destroyed her home is said to look "ten years younger" as a consequence of the blast.
Molly Hastie, 86, was making a cup of tea when her Uphall home exploded, leaving the pensioner with burns to her hand and face and almost crushing husband Frank, 87, beneath a falling wall.
The couple are now recovering well in sheltered accommodation in Broxburn and son Frank Jr, 57, said his mother's injuries have had an unexpected side effect.
He said: "Without making too light of the matter, my mum now looks ten years younger because the burns on her face caused the top layers of skin to fall off, along with most of her wrinkles. Her hands are still suffering. The doctors were thinking about doing plastic surgery because there is a hole in her wrist which has turned very blue, and you can almost see through her hand and wrist."
He described his mother's state of mind as "chirpy" despite her injuries, but said his father was still struggling to come to terms with what happened.
He added: "For the first two to three weeks my dad was the stalwart of the family. He was the person my mum turned to for reassurance and kept her going, but now that it's all over with he's gone into a bit of a regression. He's been getting mental flashbacks about what happened to the two of them."
The exact cause of the blast is still a mystery, but Frank Jr was able to shed further light on the circumstances that led up to the May 29 explosion on Loaninghall Road.
He said: "My mum remembers the morning it happened very well. She is a woman of habit. She doesn't use the gas cooker in the morning, so the first thing she did was go in and put the kettle on, then she walked through to the living room to put the gas fire on which lit up fine, and then when the kettle clicked off that's when the explosion happened.
"We've not really heard anything about [the cause of the explosion]. It's still in the hands of the insurance company, but I don't know if we'll ever get to hear the final word on it."
He said there were reports from neighbours that they smelled gas around the area the week before the explosion.
"My mum's got a very keen sense of smell and you would have thought she could have smelled the gas," he said.
"The health and safety people initially said they wanted to do a forensic examination of the gas fire, the gas cooker and the gas meter, but when they demolished the house everything was dumped in the back of a huge lorry."
Edinburgh Evening News
August 27, 2008
A PENSIONER who survived a gas explosion which destroyed her home is said to look "ten years younger" as a consequence of the blast.
Molly Hastie, 86, was making a cup of tea when her Uphall home exploded, leaving the pensioner with burns to her hand and face and almost crushing husband Frank, 87, beneath a falling wall.
The couple are now recovering well in sheltered accommodation in Broxburn and son Frank Jr, 57, said his mother's injuries have had an unexpected side effect.
He said: "Without making too light of the matter, my mum now looks ten years younger because the burns on her face caused the top layers of skin to fall off, along with most of her wrinkles. Her hands are still suffering. The doctors were thinking about doing plastic surgery because there is a hole in her wrist which has turned very blue, and you can almost see through her hand and wrist."
He described his mother's state of mind as "chirpy" despite her injuries, but said his father was still struggling to come to terms with what happened.
He added: "For the first two to three weeks my dad was the stalwart of the family. He was the person my mum turned to for reassurance and kept her going, but now that it's all over with he's gone into a bit of a regression. He's been getting mental flashbacks about what happened to the two of them."
The exact cause of the blast is still a mystery, but Frank Jr was able to shed further light on the circumstances that led up to the May 29 explosion on Loaninghall Road.
He said: "My mum remembers the morning it happened very well. She is a woman of habit. She doesn't use the gas cooker in the morning, so the first thing she did was go in and put the kettle on, then she walked through to the living room to put the gas fire on which lit up fine, and then when the kettle clicked off that's when the explosion happened.
"We've not really heard anything about [the cause of the explosion]. It's still in the hands of the insurance company, but I don't know if we'll ever get to hear the final word on it."
He said there were reports from neighbours that they smelled gas around the area the week before the explosion.
"My mum's got a very keen sense of smell and you would have thought she could have smelled the gas," he said.
"The health and safety people initially said they wanted to do a forensic examination of the gas fire, the gas cooker and the gas meter, but when they demolished the house everything was dumped in the back of a huge lorry."
NEWS: Pipe down
By Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
August 25, 2008
ONE of the Capital's best-known bagpipers has called for a licensing scheme for buskers after pipers on the Royal Mile were threatened with Asbos.
Pipe Major Iain Grant said something had to be done to prevent piping buskers tarnishing the image of the Highland soldier.
The bagpiper, who provides entertainment for guests travelling onboard the luxury Royal Scotsman charter train from Waverley Station, spoke ahead of a new TV commercial for National Express featuring his likeness.
The company has used Pipe Major Grant as the inspiration for a new advert, featuring a two-inch mustachioed piper playing a bagpipe melody at Edinburgh Castle.
But the musician claims the traditional image of the piper risks being upstaged by the furore surrounding loud pipe music on the streets of the Capital.
He said: "These guys are playing in shifts. It can often be four hours of incessant lone piping, so I can see how it could get on people's nerves.
"Other pipers can take in over GBP 100 a time, which is quite a bit of cash, so I don't think paying some money for a licence would be out of the question."
He added: "The performers are representing the city and representing the image of the Highland soldier and, as such, they have to be smart and presentable, but at the moment anyone is allowed to play."
It is understood that police believe a licensing scheme would be unworkable as it could only operate with the consent of residents and licences would be revoked the minute the first complaint arrived.
Pipe Major Grant's likeness appears in the new TV commercial, which uses stop-frame animation and takes place in a specially designed miniature world.
Anita Webster, National Express' east coast campaigns manager, said: "The bagpiper player in full Highland dress is one of Scotland's most iconic images.
"Pipe Major Iain Grant was the perfect role model for our new TV advert given his long association with the railway, particularly the east coast route.
"He is a well-known, popular character and represents everything that is traditional yet fun about Scotland, making it such an interesting destination to visit by train."
A well-known face around the world, Pipe Major Grant has 40 years experience in the entertainment and wedding industry and is the Honorary Pipe Major to the 79th New York Highlanders.
Throughout the summer he can be seen at the Waverley station twice a week as he provides entertainment for guests travelling onboard the luxury Royal Scotsman charter train.
Edinburgh Evening News
August 25, 2008
ONE of the Capital's best-known bagpipers has called for a licensing scheme for buskers after pipers on the Royal Mile were threatened with Asbos.
Pipe Major Iain Grant said something had to be done to prevent piping buskers tarnishing the image of the Highland soldier.
The bagpiper, who provides entertainment for guests travelling onboard the luxury Royal Scotsman charter train from Waverley Station, spoke ahead of a new TV commercial for National Express featuring his likeness.
The company has used Pipe Major Grant as the inspiration for a new advert, featuring a two-inch mustachioed piper playing a bagpipe melody at Edinburgh Castle.
But the musician claims the traditional image of the piper risks being upstaged by the furore surrounding loud pipe music on the streets of the Capital.
He said: "These guys are playing in shifts. It can often be four hours of incessant lone piping, so I can see how it could get on people's nerves.
"Other pipers can take in over GBP 100 a time, which is quite a bit of cash, so I don't think paying some money for a licence would be out of the question."
He added: "The performers are representing the city and representing the image of the Highland soldier and, as such, they have to be smart and presentable, but at the moment anyone is allowed to play."
It is understood that police believe a licensing scheme would be unworkable as it could only operate with the consent of residents and licences would be revoked the minute the first complaint arrived.
Pipe Major Grant's likeness appears in the new TV commercial, which uses stop-frame animation and takes place in a specially designed miniature world.
Anita Webster, National Express' east coast campaigns manager, said: "The bagpiper player in full Highland dress is one of Scotland's most iconic images.
"Pipe Major Iain Grant was the perfect role model for our new TV advert given his long association with the railway, particularly the east coast route.
"He is a well-known, popular character and represents everything that is traditional yet fun about Scotland, making it such an interesting destination to visit by train."
A well-known face around the world, Pipe Major Grant has 40 years experience in the entertainment and wedding industry and is the Honorary Pipe Major to the 79th New York Highlanders.
Throughout the summer he can be seen at the Waverley station twice a week as he provides entertainment for guests travelling onboard the luxury Royal Scotsman charter train.
NEWS: Woof!
Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
June 13, 2008
WHEN Buster the dog got trapped in a hole, it looked as if it would take every tool at the fire service's disposal to free him.
Flushed with success after rescuing a cat from a sink pipe using a vacuum cleaner, the firefighters set about freeing the troublesome terrier from his hiding place in a protected badger sett.
But after deploying a major incident unit, complete with the sort of gear normally reserved for locating earthquake survivors, the firefighters were forced to abandon their search - only for six-year-old Buster to simply crawl out of his own accord.
Fire crews from Newcraighall used a tiny camera mounted on a long flexible cable to try and find the lakeland cross terrier after it crawled into the hole in Davidson's Mains Park yesterday.
The same unit had saved a six-hour-old kitten earlier in the week after it became trapped in a Dunbar kitchen.
But they had to abandon their efforts after being told they could not dig up the protected badger habitat.
Buster's owner Dougie Caddow, 57, said: "I couldn't believe it. I thought I'd never see him again.
"I didn't know it at the time, but friends were saying behind the scenes that it was a 100-to-one chance he'd make it out of the sett alive."
After the firefighters gave up the search, Mr Caddow returned home only to hear that his beloved pet had emerged.
Mr Caddow added: "I had just got him back from the kennels where he was staying while I was on holiday. I felt bad for leaving him so I bought him a big sirloin steak. After the worry he's caused me he'll be getting none of that today."
The firefighters had been preparing to start digging in search of the dog but were prevented from doing so by an Scottish SPCA officer who said they would require clearance from Scottish Natural Heritage.
Senior Inspector John Toule, of Edinburgh SSPCA, said: "Badgers are a protected species and authorities require permission from SNH before they are allowed to disturb badger setts for any reason.
"In this case, because the crews did not have a definite location, that clearance would have been unlikely."
On Monday, 26-year-old Claire Coutts was reunited with her newborn kitten after curiosity almost got the better of the animal and it needed to be sucked out of a pipe using a nozzle from a Hoover with a sock placed over the end.
Colin Emerson, of Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Fire crews have been called to rescue animals three times in the last week, which is quite unusual.
"We normally attend around 15 to 20 incidents a year. We were called out to rescue a cow that had become trapped in a fence, but by the time we got there the cow had managed to free itself.
"It provides valuable training should a major incident occur and they find themselves dealing with a human who is trapped."
Edinburgh Evening News
June 13, 2008
WHEN Buster the dog got trapped in a hole, it looked as if it would take every tool at the fire service's disposal to free him.
Flushed with success after rescuing a cat from a sink pipe using a vacuum cleaner, the firefighters set about freeing the troublesome terrier from his hiding place in a protected badger sett.
But after deploying a major incident unit, complete with the sort of gear normally reserved for locating earthquake survivors, the firefighters were forced to abandon their search - only for six-year-old Buster to simply crawl out of his own accord.
Fire crews from Newcraighall used a tiny camera mounted on a long flexible cable to try and find the lakeland cross terrier after it crawled into the hole in Davidson's Mains Park yesterday.
The same unit had saved a six-hour-old kitten earlier in the week after it became trapped in a Dunbar kitchen.
But they had to abandon their efforts after being told they could not dig up the protected badger habitat.
Buster's owner Dougie Caddow, 57, said: "I couldn't believe it. I thought I'd never see him again.
"I didn't know it at the time, but friends were saying behind the scenes that it was a 100-to-one chance he'd make it out of the sett alive."
After the firefighters gave up the search, Mr Caddow returned home only to hear that his beloved pet had emerged.
Mr Caddow added: "I had just got him back from the kennels where he was staying while I was on holiday. I felt bad for leaving him so I bought him a big sirloin steak. After the worry he's caused me he'll be getting none of that today."
The firefighters had been preparing to start digging in search of the dog but were prevented from doing so by an Scottish SPCA officer who said they would require clearance from Scottish Natural Heritage.
Senior Inspector John Toule, of Edinburgh SSPCA, said: "Badgers are a protected species and authorities require permission from SNH before they are allowed to disturb badger setts for any reason.
"In this case, because the crews did not have a definite location, that clearance would have been unlikely."
On Monday, 26-year-old Claire Coutts was reunited with her newborn kitten after curiosity almost got the better of the animal and it needed to be sucked out of a pipe using a nozzle from a Hoover with a sock placed over the end.
Colin Emerson, of Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Fire crews have been called to rescue animals three times in the last week, which is quite unusual.
"We normally attend around 15 to 20 incidents a year. We were called out to rescue a cow that had become trapped in a fence, but by the time we got there the cow had managed to free itself.
"It provides valuable training should a major incident occur and they find themselves dealing with a human who is trapped."
NEWS: Pipes of Shattered Peace
By Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
June 12, 2008
BUSKING bagpipers have been banned from the Royal Mile and threatened with antisocial behaviour orders if they return.
Police have asked the pipers to sign "Acceptable Behaviour Contracts" promising to stop playing their pipes in Castlehill and Lawnmarket. They face arrest and having their instruments seized if they return, and persistent offenders will be hit with an Asbo.
The move comes after officers were forced to deal with up to 20 complaints a day about noise nuisance in the last year, and gathered the names and addresses of the offending pipers. They then posted out contracts last month to around 20 of them, all of which were returned signed.
Complaints at the top of the Mile immediately ceased, but some pipers simply moved into High Street and Tron Square.
City Centre Sector Inspector Bruce Johnston said the ban would now be extended.
"These pipers are regarded as unlicensed trade and are technically buskers. Most of the pipers do not reside in the city centre and they are receiving quite large sums of money from what they are doing.
"Some of them are coming over from Glasgow, working in shifts and making GBP 80 an hour which they don't pay any tax on so it amounts to quite a good illegal earner.
"There is somewhere in excess of 100 houses with windows looking out on to these areas and most of the complaints have come from residents, some of whom work nightshifts, attend university and study at home, have small children or are very elderly.
"We told the pipers that even though some of them play very professionally they can cause an annoyance and that we have options available to us to deal with it."
The contracts informed pipers that under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act, 1982 they can be prosecuted and may have their instruments seized.
The contract added: "The common law charge of Breach of the Peace (which is an arrestable offence) may also be applicable in these circumstances and one that will be considered . . .
"Furthermore, should further offences be committed the police will seek to apply for an antisocial behaviour order banning you from playing your musical instrument in the city centre area."
However, one Edinburgh-based piper said the suggestion the buskers were making GBP 80 an hour was "dreamland".
Piper Glyn Morris, 29, from Bruntsfield Place, said: "I was basically sent a letter saying that if I returned to the Mile I'd be arrested. I've been busking here for years and I can count on my hand the number of times I've been asked to move on.
" There has been a number of buskers coming in from outside and piping up and down the Mile at all hours of the day, and I think they've spoiled it for the rest of us. I think the only way forward is licensing.
"I'd like to see all of the responsible pipers on the Mile get together and speak with residents to discuss suitable times to play our instruments."
City Centre councillor David Beckett said he supported the police action. He said: "I can understand how some people may think it detracts from the tourist value of the Mile but at the end of the day we have to look after our residents first."
An exception will be made during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe when pipers will have to pay a GBP 50 performance fee for a 20-minute slot outside the Tron Kirk.
Fringe director Jon Morgan said: "The fee is charged for playing within the Fringe's managed performance space, and performers will benefit from the extra profile and advertising the Fringe has to offer."
The ban raised a mixed reaction from Royal Mile traders. Stuart Smith, manager of Royal Mile Whiskies, said: "I have to say I won't miss them. I understand they're part of the atmosphere, but some of them are just awful.
However, a spokesman for International Newsagents said most of their staff had become "immune" to noise by now. He added: "It's a tourist area and people come to Scotland expecting to hear the bagpipers play."
Edinburgh Evening News
June 12, 2008
BUSKING bagpipers have been banned from the Royal Mile and threatened with antisocial behaviour orders if they return.
Police have asked the pipers to sign "Acceptable Behaviour Contracts" promising to stop playing their pipes in Castlehill and Lawnmarket. They face arrest and having their instruments seized if they return, and persistent offenders will be hit with an Asbo.
The move comes after officers were forced to deal with up to 20 complaints a day about noise nuisance in the last year, and gathered the names and addresses of the offending pipers. They then posted out contracts last month to around 20 of them, all of which were returned signed.
Complaints at the top of the Mile immediately ceased, but some pipers simply moved into High Street and Tron Square.
City Centre Sector Inspector Bruce Johnston said the ban would now be extended.
"These pipers are regarded as unlicensed trade and are technically buskers. Most of the pipers do not reside in the city centre and they are receiving quite large sums of money from what they are doing.
"Some of them are coming over from Glasgow, working in shifts and making GBP 80 an hour which they don't pay any tax on so it amounts to quite a good illegal earner.
"There is somewhere in excess of 100 houses with windows looking out on to these areas and most of the complaints have come from residents, some of whom work nightshifts, attend university and study at home, have small children or are very elderly.
"We told the pipers that even though some of them play very professionally they can cause an annoyance and that we have options available to us to deal with it."
The contracts informed pipers that under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act, 1982 they can be prosecuted and may have their instruments seized.
The contract added: "The common law charge of Breach of the Peace (which is an arrestable offence) may also be applicable in these circumstances and one that will be considered . . .
"Furthermore, should further offences be committed the police will seek to apply for an antisocial behaviour order banning you from playing your musical instrument in the city centre area."
However, one Edinburgh-based piper said the suggestion the buskers were making GBP 80 an hour was "dreamland".
Piper Glyn Morris, 29, from Bruntsfield Place, said: "I was basically sent a letter saying that if I returned to the Mile I'd be arrested. I've been busking here for years and I can count on my hand the number of times I've been asked to move on.
" There has been a number of buskers coming in from outside and piping up and down the Mile at all hours of the day, and I think they've spoiled it for the rest of us. I think the only way forward is licensing.
"I'd like to see all of the responsible pipers on the Mile get together and speak with residents to discuss suitable times to play our instruments."
City Centre councillor David Beckett said he supported the police action. He said: "I can understand how some people may think it detracts from the tourist value of the Mile but at the end of the day we have to look after our residents first."
An exception will be made during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe when pipers will have to pay a GBP 50 performance fee for a 20-minute slot outside the Tron Kirk.
Fringe director Jon Morgan said: "The fee is charged for playing within the Fringe's managed performance space, and performers will benefit from the extra profile and advertising the Fringe has to offer."
The ban raised a mixed reaction from Royal Mile traders. Stuart Smith, manager of Royal Mile Whiskies, said: "I have to say I won't miss them. I understand they're part of the atmosphere, but some of them are just awful.
However, a spokesman for International Newsagents said most of their staff had become "immune" to noise by now. He added: "It's a tourist area and people come to Scotland expecting to hear the bagpipers play."
NEWS: SOOOOOOK!
By Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
June 9, 2008
RESCUING cats stuck up trees has long been regarded as one of the fire service's more quirky public services - but when one six-hour-old kitten became trapped in a kitchen pipe it called for some fast thinking.
Fire crews and a major incident unit were dispatched to a house in Kellie Place, Dunbar, last night after the newborn kitten strayed into a pipe under the sink.
One specially adapted appliance carrying the latest rescue equipment including an ultra-light fibreoptic camera attended.
But when crews located the puss in peril the fire crew's solution was a little more basic.
A fire spokeswoman said: "The crews used a nozzle from a Hoover with a sock placed over the end to remove the kitten from the pipe. The sock was used to catch the kitten at the end of the pipe."
Owner Claire Coutts, a 26-year-old housewife, said the kitten was one of four born to one-year-old Alvin yesterday at 4.15pm. By late evening one of the litter was missing.
She said: "It was about 11.15pm and I could hear this whining coming from beneath the dishwasher.
"I counted the kittens and realised that one of them had gone missing, and that it had become trapped in a pipe underneath the sink.
"We tried various ways to get it out and I could almost get my arm down the hole but the kitten had become trapped far down the hole and round the bend.
"The fire brigade suggested tearing out the units and ripping up the floorboards.
"I said to them there must be an easier way to get the kitten out than destroying my kitchen so we decided to get the Hoover out and see if we could suck it out the hole. We put a sock over the end of the Hoover, stuck it down the hole and out it popped."
Crew manager Caroline Ellis, of Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service's Newcraighall Major Incident Unit, said: "The kitten's mother had obviously made its bed under there and went there to give birth. By the time we got there the cat and its bed had already been removed, so we've got no idea how the kitten got into the pipe.
"We decided that we were being a little too gentle, and after several frustrating tries we just jammed the nozzle into the pipe and got it as close to the cat's head as we could.
"We switched the Hoover on and the cat just went 'soooook!' up into the nozzle. We knew it was in there because the Hoover was struggling, so we pulled it out and there it was at the end of the nozzle safe and well."
Edinburgh Evening News
June 9, 2008
RESCUING cats stuck up trees has long been regarded as one of the fire service's more quirky public services - but when one six-hour-old kitten became trapped in a kitchen pipe it called for some fast thinking.
Fire crews and a major incident unit were dispatched to a house in Kellie Place, Dunbar, last night after the newborn kitten strayed into a pipe under the sink.
One specially adapted appliance carrying the latest rescue equipment including an ultra-light fibreoptic camera attended.
But when crews located the puss in peril the fire crew's solution was a little more basic.
A fire spokeswoman said: "The crews used a nozzle from a Hoover with a sock placed over the end to remove the kitten from the pipe. The sock was used to catch the kitten at the end of the pipe."
Owner Claire Coutts, a 26-year-old housewife, said the kitten was one of four born to one-year-old Alvin yesterday at 4.15pm. By late evening one of the litter was missing.
She said: "It was about 11.15pm and I could hear this whining coming from beneath the dishwasher.
"I counted the kittens and realised that one of them had gone missing, and that it had become trapped in a pipe underneath the sink.
"We tried various ways to get it out and I could almost get my arm down the hole but the kitten had become trapped far down the hole and round the bend.
"The fire brigade suggested tearing out the units and ripping up the floorboards.
"I said to them there must be an easier way to get the kitten out than destroying my kitchen so we decided to get the Hoover out and see if we could suck it out the hole. We put a sock over the end of the Hoover, stuck it down the hole and out it popped."
Crew manager Caroline Ellis, of Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service's Newcraighall Major Incident Unit, said: "The kitten's mother had obviously made its bed under there and went there to give birth. By the time we got there the cat and its bed had already been removed, so we've got no idea how the kitten got into the pipe.
"We decided that we were being a little too gentle, and after several frustrating tries we just jammed the nozzle into the pipe and got it as close to the cat's head as we could.
"We switched the Hoover on and the cat just went 'soooook!' up into the nozzle. We knew it was in there because the Hoover was struggling, so we pulled it out and there it was at the end of the nozzle safe and well."
NEWS: Did Forth Ports check behind the couch?
By Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
June 6, 2008
THE Royal Yacht Britannia has become the latest victim of the soaring trade in stolen scrap metal.
Two massive spare propellers for the famous craft were stolen in a raid on a Leith Docks warehouse.
The seven-foot long phosphor bronze propellers, worth more than GBP 7000 each, were taken from a Forth Ports-owned warehouse situated to the south-west of the boat's moorings at Ocean Terminal.
Inspector Steven Gibb, of Lothian and Borders Police divisional intelligence unit, based in St Leonards Street, said the theft was "incredibly ambitious", and highlighted the extreme lengths to which criminals would go to cash in on the metal boom.
He said: "The two 7ft propellers would have required specialist lifting gear, and a flatback or heavy goods truck to lift."
Warehouse bosses reported the theft to police just before 2pm on Tuesday.
A Forth Ports spokesman said: "There was a fire at the warehouse on Thursday, May 29, and fire crews had to break into the warehouse to extinguish the flames.
"An emergency joiner was called to fix the doors to the property, but as with many emergency repairs the integrity of the security is not what it was.
"It is believed the theft was an opportunist attempt by a group of people who realised that the building was unsecured and seized the opportunity. The propellers were redundant parts in the sense that all mechanical machinery has been stripped out of the Britannia as it is no longer an operation vehicle.
"I would have to stress that the Forth Ports compound is an extremely secure compound, and permits are required to gain admission.
"However, while this warehouse was on Forth Ports ground it was not within the secure compound."
A Britannia spokeswoman said various unused spare mechanical parts had been stored in the shed off North Sands Road since the yacht arrived ten years ago.
The theft comes after a bumper month for metal thieves in May, with police recording at least 20 crimes.
It happened just two days after thieves put their lives on the line by breaking into two 11,000V electricity substations outside the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena in Ratho to steal metal cabling worth less than GBP 20.
Thieves got away with just a few yards of cable, which substation owner Scottish Power described as "virtually worthless".
Metal prices have soared in the past five years due to high demand from the booming economies of India and China.
Amongst the thefts reported last month were GBP 4000 worth of cabling stolen from an unmanned building site in West Granton Road on May 6.
There had also been a spate of manhole cover thefts in the Lothians in recent months, as thieves look to cash in on demand.
Edinburgh Evening News
June 6, 2008
THE Royal Yacht Britannia has become the latest victim of the soaring trade in stolen scrap metal.
Two massive spare propellers for the famous craft were stolen in a raid on a Leith Docks warehouse.
The seven-foot long phosphor bronze propellers, worth more than GBP 7000 each, were taken from a Forth Ports-owned warehouse situated to the south-west of the boat's moorings at Ocean Terminal.
Inspector Steven Gibb, of Lothian and Borders Police divisional intelligence unit, based in St Leonards Street, said the theft was "incredibly ambitious", and highlighted the extreme lengths to which criminals would go to cash in on the metal boom.
He said: "The two 7ft propellers would have required specialist lifting gear, and a flatback or heavy goods truck to lift."
Warehouse bosses reported the theft to police just before 2pm on Tuesday.
A Forth Ports spokesman said: "There was a fire at the warehouse on Thursday, May 29, and fire crews had to break into the warehouse to extinguish the flames.
"An emergency joiner was called to fix the doors to the property, but as with many emergency repairs the integrity of the security is not what it was.
"It is believed the theft was an opportunist attempt by a group of people who realised that the building was unsecured and seized the opportunity. The propellers were redundant parts in the sense that all mechanical machinery has been stripped out of the Britannia as it is no longer an operation vehicle.
"I would have to stress that the Forth Ports compound is an extremely secure compound, and permits are required to gain admission.
"However, while this warehouse was on Forth Ports ground it was not within the secure compound."
A Britannia spokeswoman said various unused spare mechanical parts had been stored in the shed off North Sands Road since the yacht arrived ten years ago.
The theft comes after a bumper month for metal thieves in May, with police recording at least 20 crimes.
It happened just two days after thieves put their lives on the line by breaking into two 11,000V electricity substations outside the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena in Ratho to steal metal cabling worth less than GBP 20.
Thieves got away with just a few yards of cable, which substation owner Scottish Power described as "virtually worthless".
Metal prices have soared in the past five years due to high demand from the booming economies of India and China.
Amongst the thefts reported last month were GBP 4000 worth of cabling stolen from an unmanned building site in West Granton Road on May 6.
There had also been a spate of manhole cover thefts in the Lothians in recent months, as thieves look to cash in on demand.
NEWS: Molly put the kettle on...part III
Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
June 4, 2008
AN elderly couple whose house was destroyed by a gas explosion are facing a struggle to rebuild their lives after all of their identification was destroyed in the blast.
The daughter of Uphall pensioners Frank, 87, and Molly Hastie, 86, said they were finding it difficult to withdraw money and arrange for replacement documents following the accident.
Mrs Hastie is still in hospital, and it is understood her injuries have also made it difficult for her to sign official forms, adding to their problems.
The couple, formerly of Loaninghall Park, have been left without a home after the explosion ripped through their property last Thursday.
Mr Hastie has been staying in the family home of his daughter Angela McConnell, at Park Road in Broxburn. Mrs McConnell called their difficulties "bureaucracy gone mad". She added: "They are trying to get replacement cards and take out money, but without identification it is very difficult.
"The insurance company is still investigating and have been fine with us so far. The family are in good spirits and very happy our parents are still alive. I think the shock of what has happened is just beginning to hit them now, with all of these problems, but they are holding together.
"We've been told by the hospital that mum will be in for another week, so hopefully we'll have her home early next week."
West Lothian Council issued an emergency building warrant for the demolition of the couple's home after the explosion.
The family have been able to rescue one picture from the rubble of Mr Hastie and his Belgian-born wife which was taken on their diamond wedding anniversary.
The couple are likely to be placed in emergency accommodation until a new house can be found, and discussions about a temporary home were expected to continue today.
Mrs McConnell said that the problem of identification was not helping the search for a temporary home, but insisted they were meeting officials this morning and hoped to get everything sorted out then.
A council spokesman confirmed they were in the process of finding emergency accommodation. He added: "We have been consultation with the couple and their family about emergency accommodation. One of the people involved is currently still in hospital, but we will be assessing their options once they have been released."
The Evening News told last week how Mrs Hastie had been making an early morning cup of tea when the kitchen exploded around her. An investigation into the blast is focusing on a gas escape from an appliance that was either faulty or accidentally left on.
Scotland Gas Networks, which initially investigated the blast, today confirmed that it has handed over all further investigations to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). A spokesman added: "Initial results would still indicate that the fault had nothing to do with our equipment."
A spokesman for the HSE said an investigation was under way to establish what had caused the explosion.
He said inquiries were still ongoing, but they were "nearing completion" and that a result was expected within the next few days.
Edinburgh Evening News
June 4, 2008
AN elderly couple whose house was destroyed by a gas explosion are facing a struggle to rebuild their lives after all of their identification was destroyed in the blast.
The daughter of Uphall pensioners Frank, 87, and Molly Hastie, 86, said they were finding it difficult to withdraw money and arrange for replacement documents following the accident.
Mrs Hastie is still in hospital, and it is understood her injuries have also made it difficult for her to sign official forms, adding to their problems.
The couple, formerly of Loaninghall Park, have been left without a home after the explosion ripped through their property last Thursday.
Mr Hastie has been staying in the family home of his daughter Angela McConnell, at Park Road in Broxburn. Mrs McConnell called their difficulties "bureaucracy gone mad". She added: "They are trying to get replacement cards and take out money, but without identification it is very difficult.
"The insurance company is still investigating and have been fine with us so far. The family are in good spirits and very happy our parents are still alive. I think the shock of what has happened is just beginning to hit them now, with all of these problems, but they are holding together.
"We've been told by the hospital that mum will be in for another week, so hopefully we'll have her home early next week."
West Lothian Council issued an emergency building warrant for the demolition of the couple's home after the explosion.
The family have been able to rescue one picture from the rubble of Mr Hastie and his Belgian-born wife which was taken on their diamond wedding anniversary.
The couple are likely to be placed in emergency accommodation until a new house can be found, and discussions about a temporary home were expected to continue today.
Mrs McConnell said that the problem of identification was not helping the search for a temporary home, but insisted they were meeting officials this morning and hoped to get everything sorted out then.
A council spokesman confirmed they were in the process of finding emergency accommodation. He added: "We have been consultation with the couple and their family about emergency accommodation. One of the people involved is currently still in hospital, but we will be assessing their options once they have been released."
The Evening News told last week how Mrs Hastie had been making an early morning cup of tea when the kitchen exploded around her. An investigation into the blast is focusing on a gas escape from an appliance that was either faulty or accidentally left on.
Scotland Gas Networks, which initially investigated the blast, today confirmed that it has handed over all further investigations to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). A spokesman added: "Initial results would still indicate that the fault had nothing to do with our equipment."
A spokesman for the HSE said an investigation was under way to establish what had caused the explosion.
He said inquiries were still ongoing, but they were "nearing completion" and that a result was expected within the next few days.
NEWS: Molly put the kettle on...part II
Mark McLaughlin
Evening News
May 30, 2008
NEIGHBOURS of a pensioner couple whose home was destroyed in a massive gas blast today told how the elderly woman had been making a cup of tea when the kitchen exploded around her.
Frank Hastie, 87, and his wife Molly, 86, walked away virtually unscathed after being rescued from the rubble of their home in Uphall yesterday morning.
An investigation into the blast is focusing on a gas escape from an appliance that was either faulty or accidentally left on.
Neighbour Tom Perry, 69, a semi-retired janitor, risked his own life to pull the couple from the wreckage of their Loaninghill Park home. He said the explosion emanated from the kitchen.
"It seems Molly had just got up to make a cup of tea," said Mr Perry. "She got out of bed and went to put the kettle on and the kitchen just exploded around her.
"It's mostly older people who live in these houses and they're all single storey, so they're ideal for the more infirm ones.
"Frank is registered blind so the house was great for him, but as it turned out their bedroom shared a wall with the kitchen and the wall just collapsed in on him.I heard the explosion and ran out to help them. When I ran into the garden Molly was still standing there, still in the kitchen.
"She had some burns and she was bleeding from her leg, but otherwise she was okay.
"I had to climb over the kitchen wall to get to Frank, and luckily he was okay as well."
The pair remained in hospital being treated for their injuries as relatives spoke of their incredible escape.
The couple's son Frank Jr, 57, rushed from his home in Newcastle yesterday to be by his parents' side and help pick up the pieces of their decimated home.
The retired oil worker was soon followed by his sisters Angela, 47, and Shirley, who had to cut their holiday in Cyprus short and catch an emergency flight home.
The couple's fourth child, Tommy, was also thought to be coming over from his home in Canada to help comfort his parents. He said: "My mum's had to have dressings put on her burns, but otherwise she's okay.
"The damage to the house was so bad that health and safety officers said it would have to be demolished straight away, so we're going to have to see what we can salvage."
Son-in-law Jim McConnell said the family "could have been attending two funerals" rather than visiting the shaken pensioners in hospital.
The family were only able to retrieve around half a dozen drawers worth of clothes.
Remarkably, much of the internal furniture remained intact after the blast.
It included two vases of flowers, photo frames and a glass sideboard - but the family were prevented from retrieving the items for safety reasons.
A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive said an investigation was under way to establish what caused the explosion, and confirmed the house would now have to be totally demolished.
However, fire crews said they were "almost positive" that a gas escape from inside the property was to blame, and that they were concentrating their investigation on internal appliances.
Evening News
May 30, 2008
NEIGHBOURS of a pensioner couple whose home was destroyed in a massive gas blast today told how the elderly woman had been making a cup of tea when the kitchen exploded around her.
Frank Hastie, 87, and his wife Molly, 86, walked away virtually unscathed after being rescued from the rubble of their home in Uphall yesterday morning.
An investigation into the blast is focusing on a gas escape from an appliance that was either faulty or accidentally left on.
Neighbour Tom Perry, 69, a semi-retired janitor, risked his own life to pull the couple from the wreckage of their Loaninghill Park home. He said the explosion emanated from the kitchen.
"It seems Molly had just got up to make a cup of tea," said Mr Perry. "She got out of bed and went to put the kettle on and the kitchen just exploded around her.
"It's mostly older people who live in these houses and they're all single storey, so they're ideal for the more infirm ones.
"Frank is registered blind so the house was great for him, but as it turned out their bedroom shared a wall with the kitchen and the wall just collapsed in on him.I heard the explosion and ran out to help them. When I ran into the garden Molly was still standing there, still in the kitchen.
"She had some burns and she was bleeding from her leg, but otherwise she was okay.
"I had to climb over the kitchen wall to get to Frank, and luckily he was okay as well."
The pair remained in hospital being treated for their injuries as relatives spoke of their incredible escape.
The couple's son Frank Jr, 57, rushed from his home in Newcastle yesterday to be by his parents' side and help pick up the pieces of their decimated home.
The retired oil worker was soon followed by his sisters Angela, 47, and Shirley, who had to cut their holiday in Cyprus short and catch an emergency flight home.
The couple's fourth child, Tommy, was also thought to be coming over from his home in Canada to help comfort his parents. He said: "My mum's had to have dressings put on her burns, but otherwise she's okay.
"The damage to the house was so bad that health and safety officers said it would have to be demolished straight away, so we're going to have to see what we can salvage."
Son-in-law Jim McConnell said the family "could have been attending two funerals" rather than visiting the shaken pensioners in hospital.
The family were only able to retrieve around half a dozen drawers worth of clothes.
Remarkably, much of the internal furniture remained intact after the blast.
It included two vases of flowers, photo frames and a glass sideboard - but the family were prevented from retrieving the items for safety reasons.
A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive said an investigation was under way to establish what caused the explosion, and confirmed the house would now have to be totally demolished.
However, fire crews said they were "almost positive" that a gas escape from inside the property was to blame, and that they were concentrating their investigation on internal appliances.
NEWS: Molly put the kettle on...
By Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
May 29, 2008
AN elderly couple had a lucky escape when a suspected gas explosion ripped through their home.
The front and back walls of the bungalow were blown out in the blast in Uphall, West Lothian at around 7.40am today.
An investigation has been launched by the Health and Safety Executive, police and gas suppliers into the cause.
The damage is so extensive the house is expected to have to be demolished.
Around 30 surrounding residents of the close-knit community, many of them elderly, were taken to an emergency rest centre set up at the nearby Uphall Community Education Centre until the street was secured.
Neighbours identified the elderly couple as Frank and Molly Hastie. They have been taken to St John's Hospital.
Mrs Hastie was taken out of the building by ambulance crews suffering what has been described as "minor burns" while Mr Hastie was said to be conscious.
Neighbour John McGregor, 71, said he felt his entire house shake when the explosion happened.
He said: "They are a devoted old couple. Around here they were known as 'Derby and Joan' because they were always seen out walking hand-in-hand together."
The cause of the blast is being investigated.
A spokesman for Scotland Gas Networks said the explosion did not appear to have been caused by a leak in the mains but nothing "was being ruled out".
Co-ordinating officer Inspector Drew Mutter of Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue, said: "The lady's injuries are currently being assessed. She was seen by a doctor inside the ambulance who assessed her injuries as minor burns but these will be looked at further by the hospital.
"We have gas personnel, West Lothian Council staff looking at the premises in relation to building control and someone from the Health and Safety Executive who will be looking at the building from a safe vantage point.
"There is no danger of any further gas explosions but the building itself may be posing a danger."
Two of the local councillors were quickly on the scene including Uphall Labour Councillor Graeme Morrice who grew up on the street.
His mother May Morrice, 75, was one of the residents evacuated this morning.
He said: "My mother heard the explosion at around 7.45am this morning. We've had information from West Lothian Council's emergency planning people and our role as a council is to support the emergency services."
Scotland Gas Networks were informed of a gas emergency shortly after the incident happened and rushed to the scene.
Spokesman Denis Kirby said: "Our engineers conducted tests around the house and in the surrounding area to make sure everything was safe. Until a full investigation is done we won't know what the cause is. We're not ruling anything out. It's a relief that no one was seriously injured ."
A spokesman for West Lothian Council said: "People living in Loaninghill Park have been evacuated from their homes following this morning's incident.
"Around 30 people, most of them elderly, are being looked after at Uphall Community Centre, where we have opened an emergency rest centre."
"The rest centre is being operated by community education, social policy and nursing staff and the WRVS.
"Council building control staff are on site at Loaninghill Park to assess the situation. It is anticipated that the property will have to be demolished."
Edinburgh Evening News
May 29, 2008
AN elderly couple had a lucky escape when a suspected gas explosion ripped through their home.
The front and back walls of the bungalow were blown out in the blast in Uphall, West Lothian at around 7.40am today.
An investigation has been launched by the Health and Safety Executive, police and gas suppliers into the cause.
The damage is so extensive the house is expected to have to be demolished.
Around 30 surrounding residents of the close-knit community, many of them elderly, were taken to an emergency rest centre set up at the nearby Uphall Community Education Centre until the street was secured.
Neighbours identified the elderly couple as Frank and Molly Hastie. They have been taken to St John's Hospital.
Mrs Hastie was taken out of the building by ambulance crews suffering what has been described as "minor burns" while Mr Hastie was said to be conscious.
Neighbour John McGregor, 71, said he felt his entire house shake when the explosion happened.
He said: "They are a devoted old couple. Around here they were known as 'Derby and Joan' because they were always seen out walking hand-in-hand together."
The cause of the blast is being investigated.
A spokesman for Scotland Gas Networks said the explosion did not appear to have been caused by a leak in the mains but nothing "was being ruled out".
Co-ordinating officer Inspector Drew Mutter of Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue, said: "The lady's injuries are currently being assessed. She was seen by a doctor inside the ambulance who assessed her injuries as minor burns but these will be looked at further by the hospital.
"We have gas personnel, West Lothian Council staff looking at the premises in relation to building control and someone from the Health and Safety Executive who will be looking at the building from a safe vantage point.
"There is no danger of any further gas explosions but the building itself may be posing a danger."
Two of the local councillors were quickly on the scene including Uphall Labour Councillor Graeme Morrice who grew up on the street.
His mother May Morrice, 75, was one of the residents evacuated this morning.
He said: "My mother heard the explosion at around 7.45am this morning. We've had information from West Lothian Council's emergency planning people and our role as a council is to support the emergency services."
Scotland Gas Networks were informed of a gas emergency shortly after the incident happened and rushed to the scene.
Spokesman Denis Kirby said: "Our engineers conducted tests around the house and in the surrounding area to make sure everything was safe. Until a full investigation is done we won't know what the cause is. We're not ruling anything out. It's a relief that no one was seriously injured ."
A spokesman for West Lothian Council said: "People living in Loaninghill Park have been evacuated from their homes following this morning's incident.
"Around 30 people, most of them elderly, are being looked after at Uphall Community Centre, where we have opened an emergency rest centre."
"The rest centre is being operated by community education, social policy and nursing staff and the WRVS.
"Council building control staff are on site at Loaninghill Park to assess the situation. It is anticipated that the property will have to be demolished."
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