A police investigation is on-going after a gun was fired at a property on the corner of Glasgow Road and Station Road in Ratho around 6am this morning.

The area remains cordoned off as forensics teams carried out work at the scene

No one was hurt in the incident.

A police spokeswoman said: “Police in Edinburgh attended at an address in Ratho around 6am on Tuesday September 20 after reports of a firearm discharge.

“No one was hurt in the incident and inquiries are ongoing into the full circumstances.”

A police investigation is underway following the report of a serious sexual assault at a bus stop in Edinburgh city centre.

The incident took place on Lothian Road, near its junction with Princes Street, in the early hours of this morning.

Officers have appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

A police spokesman said: “Police in Edinburgh are investigating following a report of a serious sexual assault, which occurred during the early hours of Tuesday in the Lothian Road area of the city.

“Inquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding this incident are ongoing and anyone with information that can assist officers with their investigation is asked to come forward.”

The East of Scotland Shield Final will be played at Easter Road Stadium on Thursday 22 September, with a 7pm kick-off.

Hibernian under-18s take on Heart of Midlothian under-18s in the oldest ongoing cup competition in world football.

Hibs, who won 10 successive East of Scotland Shields from the 2003/04 season to 2013/14, were defeated in last year’s final.

The last time this fixture was played at Easter Road, Hibernian won 2-0, with Jordan McGregor and Oli Shaw both scoring headers in the victory in 2014.

Tickets for the final can be purchased online and in person at the Hibernian Ticket Office ahead of the match, with all Hibernian fans housed in the north section of the West Stand.

Ticket Prices:

Adults – £5

Over – 65 – £1

Under-16s – Free

Tickets will also be available for both the home and away support on the night, with Hibernian supporters able to purchase tickets from the Hibernian Ticket Office and Heart of Midlothian supporters can buy tickets from the West Stand Ticket Pod, located in the car park.

Police are appealing for witnesses following the theft of a religious object in the west of the city. 

The incident happened sometime between 8pm on Friday 16th and 3.45pm on Saturday 17th September at the Dhammapadia Temple in Slateford Road.

A statue of Buddha was stolen from the garden area of the building, and inquiries are ongoing to trace those responsible.

The theft is being treated as a hate crime and anyone with information is asked to come forward. 

The statue is approximately one metre tall and is made of a lightweight material, similar to fibreglass.

Constable Simon Wotton from Oxgangs Police Station said: “Local members of the Buddhist community who use the temple are extremely disappointed by this theft and we are currently progressing a number of lines of inquiry to identify the suspects and return the statue.

“Anyone who remembers seeing anything suspicious around the Dhammapadia Temple between Friday evening and Saturday afternoon should contact police immediately.

“We would also urge anyone who knows where we can find the stolen statue to get in touch.”

The Dhammapadia Temple’s resident Buddhist’s Monk, Wisanupong Thipra, said: “Our community is deeply saddened by the mindless actions of a small few who have removed and stolen our Buddha statue from its home in our front garden.

“Our statue is our symbol of peace and mindfulness which we give respect to every day with prayers and meditation.

“We thank Police Scotland and our neighbours for the support we have received in response to this criminal act.”

Anyone with information that can assist officers with their inquiries should contact police immediately on 101 or make an anonymous report through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Even if this is not your favourite time of year Hogmanay is full of things to see and listen to. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is organised by Unique Events who have secured a major coup with Scottish singer Paolo Nutini as headline act on 31 December at the concert in the gardens. 

Everything starts with the Torchlight Procession on 30 December 2016 when there are usually about 30,000 taking part in a procession to Carlton Hill. This year participation in the Torchlight Procession and access to Calton Hill will be exclusively available for torchbearers and their accompanying friends and family with new event wristbands which must be purchased to participate in the procession. A donation from the sale of both torches and wristbands will be given to the official Edinburgh’s Hogmanay charity UNICEF, which last year received over £50,000 from Edinburgh’s Hogmanay fundraising to help children affected by the war in Syria.   

On Hogmanay itself we will be entertained with seven stages in the city centre and Paolo will appear then in his only festival appearance of 2016. We are promised that more guests will be announced soon. 

The Charlatans will take to the Waverley Stage which is home to indie music. Salsa Celtica and Mandan will appear on the Castle Stage and Guilty Pleasures who were such a hit last year will be in Frederick Street. 

With a candlelit concert in St Giles Cathedral and the Old Town Ceilidh in Parliament Square the whole city centre will be part of the celebrations. At midnight the fireworks will light up the sky above the castle followed by the world’s largest singsong to Auld Lang Syne. 

Paolo Nutini Scottish singer, songwriter and musician from Paisley, creator of three multi-platinum albums, was described by the BBC as “arguably one of Scotland’s biggest musicians right now”. He is sure to be a big attraction for lots of people buying tickets this year. Paolo this year celebrates the 10th anniversary of his seminal debut album ‘These Streets’ and will be joined by a line-up of very special guests to be announced shortly.

Paolo said :”When they offered us the gig, I was made up, as it was 10 years ago that we had shown up at the castle, lined up to play alongside the Pet Shop Boys and unfortunately it was a washout … forcing the powers that be to cancel. We went back as a three piece in ‘08 to play a small set before legging it to Glasgow for George Square but this now gives us a chance to make up for lost gigs. We had no plans for any shows this year after Wales but this was the only one that over the years I hoped that we would get another shot at. Edinburgh is electric at that time of year and I’m glad we get a chance to be a part of it. Let’s dance ladies and gentleman.”

The Mound Stage (Jazz), programmed in collaboration with the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, features James Brown is Annie, Brass Gumbo and Blues n Trouble.

All stages are live from 9.00pm to 1.00am but the party starts from 7.00pm throughout the Street Party arena.
After the bells on the 31st December, free Hogmanay NightBus Services for revellers will once again run throughout the capital provided by Official Transport Provider Lothian Buses and supported by Diageo. A welcome journey home at the end of the celebrations, which last year helped over 18,000 revellers get home safely. 

On Sunday 1 January 2017 the ‘Stoats Loony Dook’ sees 1,250 ‘Dookers’ in fancy dress, ranging from the weird to the wonderful, welcome the New Year with a dip in the River Forth at South Queensferry. Thousands of spectators are once again expected to line the streets to watch the Dookers parade through the town before plunging into the chilly water under the shadow of the world famous Forth Bridges. The event is supported by Stoats, who’ll be there on the day, warming everyone up with bowls of tasty porridge, giveaways and a fabulous fancy dress competition.

On New Year’s Day, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay presents Scot:Lands, an adventurous journey across Edinburgh’s Old Town with the very best in music, art and theatre created and curated by Scotland’s most innovative artists and musicians; a festival in itself – all FREE. Scot:Lands is supported by the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund and the full programme will be announced in early November.

The Final Fling, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay closing ceilidh, will take place at 5.30pm at the National Museum of Scotland on Sunday 1 January.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay also introduces Sprogmanay – New Year fun for families with young children offering arts and crafts, storytelling, music and dancing over the three days of the Festival including a free family ceilidh and Wee Scot:Lands. Sprogmanay will be concentrated in and around the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Edinburgh’s Festivals and Events Champion, said: “Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is going to kick off 2017 as we mean to go on. Welcoming in the 70th anniversary year of Edinburgh, the Festival City, the three-day festival will see the return of the Torchlight Procession, on New Year’s Eve Edinburgh’s World Famous Street Party and the Loony Dook for those who dare. The musical line-up will be one of the strongest yet with a vibrant mix of traditional Scottish music, jazz, disco and DJs, plus Paolo Nutini showcasing his only festival performance of the year! Come on in to 2017 at the greatest street party on earth.”

Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop said, “Attracting over 150,000 visitors, and with many thousands more watching from home, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is a key event within Scotland’s Winter Festivals programme. There is no better place to bring in the New Year than Scotland and once again we look forward to warmly welcoming people from near and far to the Hogmanay celebrations happening the length and breadth of the country”. 

Tickets for Concert in the Gardens, the world famous Street Party, The Old Town Ceilidh, pre-booked Torches and wristbands for the Torchlight Procession and registration for the Loony Dook, go on general sale on Friday 30 September through www.edinburghshogmanay.com, by calling Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Box Office on 0844 573 8455 or by calling into the Hogmanay Box Office at The Fringe Office, 180 High Street, Edinburgh. Limited pre-sale Concert in the Gardens tickets will be on sale to edinburghshogmanay.com registered users from 10.00am on Thursday 22 September.

Street Party tickets are priced at £25.00 (including booking fee). Early bird tickets for EH postcode residents priced at £20.00 (including booking fee) are available until 30 November. Old Town Ceilidh Tickets are priced at £47.50 (including Booking Fee). Torches for the Torchlight Procession can be pre-booked (priced at £12.00), price includes a wristband for access to the Torchlight Procession, additional wristbands for accompanying friends and family can be purchased at £3.00. Sale of Torches and Torchlight Procession wristbands include a donation to Unicef. Registration for the Stoats Loony Dook is also open (£10.00 including booking fee and 10% donation to the South Queensferry branch of the RNLI). Tickets for the Final Fling are priced at £6.50 (including Booking Fee) and £20.00 for a family ticket, (2 adults, 2 children) and for Candlelit Concert at £18.50 (including Booking Fee).

Limited Premium Three Day packages will be available for Concert in the Gardens and Old Town Ceilidh from Friday 30 September.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is produced on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council by Unique Events, working with partners Underbelly who produce Edinburgh’s Christmas attractions and events. 

Community councils are asking for members to nominate themselves again, or for new members to join their ranks. The nomination process ends on 26 September 2016 so you are advised to get your skates on.

There are 46 community councils but nominations are being accepted for 44 this year. If you are over 16 and interested in what goes on in your area then this might be for you.

What does a community council do? We asked Andrew Brough who is Secretary of Tollcross Community Council about how they can shape what a community looks like. He said: “Well my emails are full of things about bins and their overflowingness in Edinburgh. That is one of the things we deal with on the community council.

“We deal with planning issues, and local licensing. We’re involved in the roads.

What does a community councillor do? We spoke to Andrew Brough of @TollcrossCC to find out! Nominations close 26 Sept. pic.twitter.com/OWuDzHENep

— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) September 20, 2016

“Here in Tollcross we are involved with the Meadows as well and those are the sort of things that local want to interface with the council about. So first of all they come to us.

“We have meetings when councillors attend.

“We take things forward on the community’s behalf. Tollcross currently has space for 12 community councillors although we have eight at the moment as people have moved out of the area, so we hope to bump those numbers back up again.

The local community council in Tollcross has had some effect on local issues. Andrew explained: ” We tend to have lots of student accommodation in Tollcross. You can’t necessarily stop these applications but you can make sure that they look nicer than they would have done.

“We had a major planning application for Wetherspoons in the old Picture House on Lothian Road where they originally wanted to have about 1200 people in there. We got it down to 900 which still makes it the biggest pub in Edinburgh, but it is better than it would have been.”

To find out more about joining a community council you have to get your skates on!

Find out about the nomination process by clicking here. If an election is needed (if more nominations are lodged than places available) then the election will take place on 27 October 2016. Otherwise if the right number of nominations are made then you could find yourself becoming a community councillor!

• Edinburgh’s Christmas 2016
• Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2016
• Broughton High School Community Festival 2016
• MSPs wear it pink
• Kate Rusby at The Usher Hall

Edinburgh will continue to the place to be at Christmas this year with many highlights and some changes to the programme:

• The stunning Street of Light moves to George Street at the Charlotte Square end and opens on 20 November as part of Light Night. This huge 60,000 bulb success in 2015 returns in 2016, this time located on the west end of George Street, spreading the beneficial effect to the West End of Edinburgh; with music from local choirs and bands including the Edinburgh Festival Chorus, Royal Scottish National Orchestra Junior Chorus, the hottest contemporary fiddle music from the Highlands and Islands, Blazin’ Fiddles, and Scotland’s very own bhangra group Tigerstyle. Last year’s spectacular was all about spectating, this year we want to get you singing and dancing. Free to access.

• Edinburgh’s Christmas is delighted to announce a new partnership with one of Edinburgh’s biggest employers, Standard Life, as new sponsors of St Andrew Square and its elliptical ice rink, a much loved part of the Christmas festivities in the city.

As part of the celebrations, Standard Life will be gifting 10,000 free tickets to school children in Edinburgh. They will have a chance to take a free spin around the ice rink in the stunning setting of St Andrew Square between 18 November 2016 and 7 January 2017. Standard Life free tickets for school children will be available from 11 October and all schools in Edinburgh will be eligible to apply and join in the celebrations.

Those applying for free tickets online will also be invited to make a donation to Place2Be, a leading national children’s mental health charity and chosen by Standard Life’s employees as their charity partner in the UK. The Christmas ice rink is always a popular draw for families, last year issuing over 61,000 tickets over the Christmas period. Standard Life will also be gifting some tickets to Place2Be, its official charity partner until the end of 2017, and encouraging people to support their work.

And there is no rest for the wicked (media!) today as it is time for the launch of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay this morning. We will gather at the museum before it opens to be told what wonders there will be in this year’s offering. This will be the first time that Pete Irvine has not been in charge, but it is his company who retain the contract with the City of Edinburgh Council and we are sure that the handover to the rest of the team will have been seamless.

More news for you later this morning, but you have to agree that Edinburgh has come a long way in the last 25 years or so. We now have lots to do on New Year’s Day and in the past few years the concerts and activities on that day have been free of charge. The Scot : Lands event has gone a long way to bringing families into the city on the first day of the New Year. It is about so much more than just the fireworks!

On Saturday 24 September Broughton High School will be holding their Community Festival  starting from 11:00am. You are promised endless activity like a climbing tower, inflatables, drumming, sumo suits, magic shows, hula hoops, face painting, henna and glitter tattoos, burritos, ice cream… the list goes on. They are hooping to celebrate the Olympics with music, sport, dance, crafts and food. Organised by the Broughton High School Parent Council this is one for your weekend diary.

Ash Denham MSP, Ben Macpherson MSP and Gordon MacDonald wear it pink in Parliament in aid of Breast Cancer Now

Edinburgh SNP MSPs showed support for women affected by breast cancer by dressing up in pink and encouraging everyone in Edinburgh to take part in the UK’s biggest, brightest and pinkest fundraiser, wear it pink, on Friday 21 October.

Wear it pink is back for its 15th year, calling on supporters across the country to add a flash of pink to their wardrobe for the day and raise money for Breast Cancer Now’s life-saving breast cancer research.

Ben Macpherson, Ash Denham and Gordon MacDonald joined fellow parliamentarians in Holyrood to encourage people across Scotland to get involved and help support Breast Cancer Now’s efforts to ensure that, by 2050, everyone who develops breast cancer lives – an ambition shared by the Scottish Government and all party leaders in Scotland.

Wear it pink raises close to £2 million each year for world-class research into breast cancer, and this year it’s going to be pinker and more fun than ever before. Anyone can take part, whether at work, at home or at school. All you have to do is wear something pink and donate what you can.

www.usherhall.co.uk

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The Paralympics in Rio have just drawn to a close with a massive haul of medals, and in a timely move a conference in Edinburgh will discuss the importance of accessible tourism later today.

Representatives of more than 20 tourism organisations from around Europe will gather in Scotland’s capital to raise the level of accessible tourism expertise across the continent.

Jointly organised by the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), VisitScotland and VisitFlanders, the ‘Aiming for Inclusive Growth’ forum is designed to share best practice.

Bringing together the most experienced countries and regions in the field of accessible tourism, the event will give participants the chance to present their policies and achievements, as well as share ideas on how to raise their game in the years ahead.

Items on the agenda will include discussion on an overall strategy for accessible tourism development, industry engagement and customer engagement.

Last year, Scotland’s accessible tourism market was estimated to be worth more than £1.3 billion. To capitalise on this market and make it easier for visitors to identify businesses which can cater for their access requirements, VisitScotland and VisitEngland have been developing a new website which will not only help businesses create their own Accessibility Guide but also allow visitors to search and locate suitable venues for their holiday.

Guest speakers at the two-day event in the Apex Grassmarket Hotel include Chris McCoy, Equality and Diversity Manager at VisitScotland, Kiki MacDonald, founder of the accessible review website Euan’s Guide, and Charlotte Vella, Accessibility Officer at VisitParis.

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, who will provide the opening address, said: “Accessible tourism provides an equal opportunity for disabled people, older people, families with young children and those with temporary or hidden disabilities to be part of the tourism experience. Accessible tourism means families can visit somewhere together, with no-one having to be left out. In Scotland we are committed to making this vision a reality by ensuring a fair, inclusive and equal society, enabling everyone to have the same opportunities.

“The latest 2015 accessible tourism figures confirm the economic importance of the accessible tourism market to Scotland, with an estimated £1.3 billion spent on trips. The Scottish Government has invested £38,000 to support the accessible and inclusive market specifically by delivering three projects to boost the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design.”

Chris McCoy, Equality and Diversity Manager at VisitScotland, said: “VisitScotland’s Accessible Tourism Project aims to harness the growing, high-value accessible tourism market and for Scotland to become internationally recognised as a leading destination for people with access needs. The Scottish tourism industry has made great progress in terms of accessibility over the past few years, but we know there is still much work to be done. We are delighted to be able to showcase exactly what this country has to offer but we are also keen to learn from experts from the likes of France, Denmark and Sweden.

“Aiming for Inclusive Growth will give countries across Europe food for thought about how they can improve their tourism product for those visitors who have specific access requirements, such as disabled people, senior travellers and families with young children, with the ultimate goal of making our holiday destinations accessible to everyone.”

Anna Grazia Laura, President of ENAT, said: “Europe is the biggest tourism magnet in the world and has very high quality tourism products that visitors can enjoy. Yet all countries need to put more focus on making sure that tourism and travel is accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities and the senior market, as these are key growth markets for the future.”

“Given the huge size of the accessible tourism market in Europe, which is worth over 130 Billion Euros per year, there are certainly enough customers to go round.  People with disabilities are yearning to enjoy tourism and travel the way everyone else can but accessible tourism products are in short supply. The challenge all tourist boards face is to improve the quality of destinations and offers, making sure that all the suppliers are working towards better access along the whole tourism supply chain.”

Peter De Wilde, CEO of Visit Flanders, said: “In the last 15 years, Visit Flanders has developed many instruments to increase the accessibility of tourist facilities in Flanders, Belgium. As time passes, the tourism sector in Flanders is moving in the right direction. Yet the goal has by no means been reached. A sustained effort is needed in all areas: investment, awareness raising, providing information and promotion. With the experience gained, further work on an Accessible Flanders will be carried out step by step.

“Several projects of destination development, like the one for the Great War commemoration, in the coastal area and in Bruges fit perfectly within the strategic goal of Visit Flanders of improving the international reputation of Flanders as a tourist destination and developing it into a quality, exciting and sustainable destination, also for people with a disability.

“We look forward to exchanging views and experiences with our peers from several European national and regional tourism organisations during this learning event.”

For more information on accessible tourism in Scotland, go to www.visitscotland.org/accessible-tourism.aspx

Property professionals from all over the UK took over the streets of the Scottish capital and showed they were good sports in a 5k charity race organised by Aberdeen Asset Management.

The firm’s property team staged its second 5K race for Wooden Spoon, the rugby charity which supports children, in Edinburgh earlier this month.

More than 200 property sector professionals signed up for the second race to be organised by Aberdeen Asset Management’s property team, which is one of the largest investors in the UK property market.

Some competitors donned fancy dress for the occasion and all participants enjoyed fantastic views of some of Edinburgh’s most iconic landmarks, including the castle, Holyrood Palace, Royal Mile and Scottish Parliament.
Aberdeen Asset Management property team colleagues Laura Hughes and Elaine McCann organised the race for the second year running as part of a series of fundraising efforts for Wooden Spoon which funds life-changing projects across the UK and Ireland to support disadvantaged and disabled children.

Laura said: “The atmosphere on the day was fantastic. We had 200 registered and we were extremely lucky with the weather.

“We had surveyors, investors and consultants from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Edinburgh. We’re delighted that the race has raised in excess of £7,000 so far, with donations still coming in, and we’d like to thank everyone for their generous support.”

Repeating his triumph of last year, first over the finish line was Graham Evans from Cushman and Wakefield with a time of 18 mins 23 secs. He was slower than last year (17 mins 20 secs) possibly due to the humid conditions which was reflected in most runners’ times.

First female Caitlin McKenzie from MacRoberts LLP in 21 mins 20 secs.
The Cushman and Wakefield team – Graham Evans, Stuart Low, David Davidson and Ollie Barron – lifted the award for winning team for the second year in a row.

In fancy dress, the team from Addleshaw Goddard was crowned Queen of the ladies and Aberdeen Asset Management’s Nick Johnston was King.
Wooden Spoon’s Scottish representative is rugby legend Gavin Hastings who fired the starting gun last year, this time round it was Edinburgh rugby player Alasdair Dickinson who did the honours and Charlie Bryden, Scottish President of the Wooden Spoon charity, presented prizes.

Neil Hanna Photography
www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk
T 07702 246823

Police closed two streets in Leith earlier today following the report of a disturbance at an address in Buchanan Street.

Emergency services were in attendance and the matter was resolved around 7.00pm.

Buchanan Street and Dalmeny Street have now reopened and officers have thanked the public for their patience however no further details have been released regarding the  circumstances at this time.

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: ” Police in Edinburgh were in attendance following a report of a disturbance at an address in Buchanan Street.

“Officers would like to thank the public for their patience.”

Around two thousand people took part in the 2016 Royal Bank of Scotland Kiltwalk yesterday morning. It was great walking weather and they pounded the pavements to raise much needed funds for children’s charities.

The walk started and ended at BT Murrayfield Stadium, and walkers gathered there at 9am to take on the 26-mile ‘Mighty Stride’ or 12-mile ‘Big Stroll’.

The walkers taking part in the Mighty Stride enjoyed a picturesque route taking in some of Edinburgh’s best known sights including Calton Hill and Arthur’s Seat. Meanwhile those on the 5-mile ‘Wee Wander’ took to the streets at 1pm from Gypsy Brae Recreational Ground finishing at Murrayfield.

This special day of fundraising should generate more than £100,000 for children across Edinburgh and the East and beyond and marks the final of four events which took place across Scotland this year in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Moray Speyside.

The Kiltwalk is supported by Sir Tom Hunter and the Hunter Foundation, which means every penny of every pound raised will go to help Scotland’s children.

And there was a celebration at BT Murrayfield where walkers were treated to performances from the world’s most famous ‘bagrock’ band, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers meanwhile Scottish pop legends the Bay City Rollers were on hand to lead a singalong.

Reflecting on the event Paul Cooney, Kiltwalk CEO said: “Today has been a day to remember and what a brilliant way to finish this year’s series of Royal Bank of Scotland Kiltwalks across Scotland. The buzz in BT Murrayfield ahead of the walk and at the end really was electric!

“Thousands from Edinburgh and the East rose to the challenge, all wearing kilts and ready to go first thing on a Sunday morning, unified for one cause; to make a difference to the lives of Scotland’s children.

“A huge congratulations goes out to each and every person who took part today be that Kiltwalkers, volunteers, sponsors and supporters who joined forces to do a wonderful thing that will leave a lasting legacy for the children who need it most.”

Leading out Edinburgh’s Kiltwalk alongside Lorraine Kelly was 7-year-old Rocco Wood from Tranent who suffers from Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy. Charity Cash for Kids have made a real difference to Rocco and his family by helping them purchase a specialised tricycle for the youngster.

Surprising the walkers along the route were well known faces including Jackie Bird, Sean Batty as well as Peter and Roughie. And to help spur walkers along were over 100 volunteers, affectionately known as the Kilties, who were on hand to add additional encouragement.

More than 100 employees from the Royal Bank of Scotland took part as well as a number of other corporate teams helping raise funds that over 150 charities will benefit from.

The Edinburgh Ambassador Programme has been running for 20 years, securing conferences and promoting the city as a business tourism destination around the world.

At their annual dinner last week the occasion was marked by noting that in the last two decades Convention Edinburgh and their members have generated £900 million for the local economy. There have been 1,348 events held here bringing 528,605 delegates to the capital.

They also introduced for the first time Ambassadors Awards recognising those who have worked hard to promote the city.

Winners celebrated on the evening at the EICC included, the VisitScotland #ScotSpirit award, presented to Jessie Kennedy, Dean of Research & Innovation at Edinburgh Napier University; the In Conference Ltd Rising Star, awarded to Richard Reardon, Senior Lecturer in Equine Surgery at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary School and the Conference Legacy Award, sponsored by the EICC, which went to the Rehabilitation International Congress 2016.

The Convention Edinburgh’s Ambassador or the Year Award, recognised the decades of work and support of hepatobiliary and pancreatic disease specialist, Prof. James Garden to bring multiple conferences and meetings to Edinburgh over the years.

James Garden, winner of Ambassador of the Year, said: “The Ambassador Programme is about making best use of this important network and contributing to that network.

“Edinburgh is a fantastic city and its success as host destination should never be taken for granted. When it comes to history, innovation, architecture and culture, I cannot think of any other city in the world that ticks all the boxes. The Ambassador Programme is the ideal way to showcase all that Edinburgh has to offer and it delights me to promote the city that I live in and love to be associated with.”

Elaine Miller, Ambassador & Association Bid Manager, Convention Edinburgh, said: “Our ambassadors are some of the world’s most innovative minds in science, medicine and technology. We’re privileged to have such as high calibre of passionate advocates of Edinburgh in our Programme, each working tirelessly to bring influential global conferences to our city.

“This year’s awards recognise the contribution of just a few of our members, but I want to extend our thanks to all our members, past and present. Edinburgh could not have achieved the success of the last 20 years without you.”

The ambassador programme which now has 500 members is overseen by Convention Edinburgh the business tourism arm of Marketing Edinburgh. John Donnelly, Chief Executive, Marketing Edinburgh said: “Thanks to their hard work, enthusiasm and dedication, our local ambassadors have made a significant contribution to our city, not only in raising the profile of Edinburgh as a global centre of excellence, but also in making a £900 million financial contribution to its local economy.”

Chef Tom Kitchin designed the special anniversary meal enjoyed on the evening celebrating the best of Scottish fresh produce.

This Friday former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond MP will deliver the address to the Saltire Society on the occasion of their 80th anniversary.

This special lecture will take place on Friday 23 September 2016 at The Royal Society of Edinburgh 22-26 George Street, EH2 2PQ.

The title will be ‘Inspiring Scotland ‘ 80 years of the Saltire Society’. The Saltire Society encourages anything which might improve the quality of life in Scotland and works to preserve tradition and culture.

Mr Salmond is expected to talk about the way that the society has made a contribution to Scotland over its long history. He is also to consider Scotland’s future and its changing place in the world.

The event is open to the public and tickets are free but must be booked by emailing saltire@saltiresociety.org.uk. Tickets can also be booked through the Saltire Society website,www.saltiresociety.org.uk.

Jim Tough, Executive Director of the Saltire Society, said: “We are very excited to announce that former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond will be addressing the Saltire Society on its 80^thanniversary. We are enjoying an extremely busy year of events, awards, and lectures to celebrate 80 years of the Saltire Society and I believe this will be another great highlight.

“I am very much looking forward to what I’m sure will be a fascinating and thought-provoking lecture and would encourage anyone interested to come along and join the audience for what is bound to be a very popular event.”

Another few doors for you to peek behind! Historic Environment Scotland is throwing open the doors of the National Records Office this weekend to reveal the hidden gems of Edinburgh’s past.

Leith’s Trinity House Maritime Museum will also open its doors as part of the Scottish Civic Trust’s Doors Open Days programme, put together by the Cockburn Association.

You are invited to John Sinclair House on Saturday 24  September 2016 to explore the national records of architecture, design, archaeology and industry. You will have the chance to see Edinburgh as never before with behind the scenes tours, talks and exhibitions.

Highlights include a never before seen exhibition  of Edinburgh’s historic cemeteries taken by American art curator Robert Reinhardt, and an exclusive preview of HES’s new Paul Shillabeer collection, which captures  Edinburgh in the 1950s and 1960s.

Exclusive talks include ‘Unbuilt Edinburgh’, an opportunity to see how an alternative Edinburgh may have looked. The talk will focus on unbuilt projects for central Edinburgh, starting with designs by Robert Adam in the 1780s’s and travelling through to the present day.

Neil Gregory, Architecture and Industry Operational Manager at Historic Environment Scotland, said: “We’ve been curating the Scottish National Record of the Historic Environment for over a century, and it comprises over 5 million photographs, drawings and manuscripts. Doors Open Day is a great opportunity for members of the public to come and explore what we’ve got to offer. This year, we’re excited to be giving people a trip down memory lane to see photographs of how Edinburgh used to look,  architectural models that have never before been on public display, as well as talks exploring plans for buildings that never made it from the drawing board to our streets.”

HES are also inviting members of the public to get hands on with history by using and adding to the National Record. Demonstrations of the Scotland’s Places and Scran websites will show visitors resources that they can use when  conducting their own historical research, and the team from Scotland’s Urban Past will be on hand with information on how to become an Urban Detective.

Meanwhile in Leith, Trinity House Maritime Museum will also be opening its doors to the public. In its bicentenary year, visitors are invited to gain insight into the stories and voyages of Leith’s seafaring past with self-led tours, object handling sessions, quizzes and a free stained glass craft activity. To mark the Year of Architecture, Innovation and Design, Trinity House will also have a temporary exhibition for visitors to enjoy, exploring 200 years of Leith’s nautical heritage. There will also be opportunities to meet painting conservators and find out more about the work they do to care for HES’s significant collection of paintings.

John Sinclair House is open on Saturday 24 September 2016  9.30am – 4.30pm.

Trinity House Maritime Museum is open on Saturday 24 and  Sunday 25  September 2016 10am – 4pm.

For the full programme of buildings opening across Scotland, visit the Doors Open Days websitehttp://www.doorsopendays.org.uk/

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Edinburgh’s Christmas 2016 today launched its programme of locations and events for this year’s festivities, which for the first time include new and expanded sites in the city’s West End.

The festival, organised by Underbelly for The City of Edinburgh Council, promises to “transform the city centre” and be the “biggest, brightest and best programme of events and entertainment across the city centre to date.”

As well as the usual annual events, such as the European Market in Princes Street Gardens and the Ice Rink in St Andrew Square, the Christmas festival will this year include a brand new site located in Festival Square, in front of the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa. Last year’s successful Virgin Money Street of Light will also be moving to George Street near Charlotte Square.

The Festival Square Theatre will be a pop-up Spiegeltent venue which will play host to a special Underbelly production of Broadway hit musical Five Guys Called Moe. Festival Square will also be part of a broader partnership between The Lyceum, The Usher Hall and the Traverse theatre called Christmas on Stage which will feature live music and theatre throughout the season, opening on November 18th. You will be able to buy tickets for the three Lothian Road theatres on the Edinburgh’s Christmas website.

The Street of Light which last year lit up The Royal Mile with 60,000 lightbulbs will this year be relocated to George Street, which organisers hope will spread the beneficial effect to the West End of Edinburgh. The lights will be accompanied by recorded music by local choirs including the Edinburgh Festival Chorus, Royal Scottish National Orchestra Junior Chorus and performances by contemporary Highland fiddle music group Blazin’ Fiddles and Scotland’s bhangra group, Tigerstyle. The free events will run from Light Night on 20 November 2016.

Speaking about the newly announced plans for Edinburgh’s Christmas 2016, lead organisers Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam said:

“We are looking forward to putting on the biggest event yet, stretching from St Andrew Square to the West End, from the hit musical Five Guys Named Moe in a fantastic new production in Festival Square Theatre, to a partnership with Standard Life offering 10,000 free ice skating tickets to schoolchildren, from Street of Light transforming George Street to the local choirs of Edinburgh on Light Night. Edinburgh in winter is truly world class and proves yet again, it’s the place to be.”

Edinburgh’s Christmas begins on November 18th and runs till January 7th. More details and tickets here.

This weekend the inaugural FLY Open Air festival will take place at Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens.

The Scottish capital’s first inner city open-air house and techno festival will take place on Saturday 24 September at the Ross Bandstand.

It promises to be quite the party with acts as diverse as German duo Booka Shade, Paris based Motor City Drum Ensemble, Amsterdam’s Detroit Swindle,  Glasgow’s Harri & Domenic and Edinburgh’s very own rising star and Radio 1 regular, Theo Kottis all taking to the stage across the day.

After launching three years ago as a weekly residency at Edinburgh’s Cabaret Voltaire, forward thinking Edinburgh based music promoters FLY, have gone from strength to strength, holding court at world renowned clubs like Barcelona’s La Terrazza and hosting regular successful events at Glasgow’s Sub Club in that time.

FLY director Tom Ketley said, “We are excited to launch the first FLY Open Air festival here in Edinburgh. The Ross Bandstand has the potential to be one of the best venues in the world with the stunning backdrop of Edinburgh Castle but at present is rarely used for events. We want to change that by bringing the world’s top acts to our city and really put Edinburgh on the map as a live music destination.”

“The response to the event has been overwhelming. We are approaching a complete sell-out with over 45% of ticket sales coming from outside of Scotland and we can’t wait to welcome people to the festival for the first time”
With only a handful of ticket remaining, make sure you don’t miss out on signing the summer off in style at FLY Open Air festival on Saturday 24^th September.

A limited number of tickets for the event are still available to purchase from the Resident Advisor website here.

A Livingston man who has survived not one but two heart attacks will take part in the SUBWAY Helping Hearts™ Family 5K run this weekend in Holyrood Park to raise awareness of heart health.

John McCabe is a roofer and he had his first heart attack ten years ago. He was put on medication but a year and a half later he suffered a second attack leading to surgery.

Recently John has also had two minor strokes but he has recovered to take up running.. He has dramatically changed his lifestyle and started training for a number of endurance events in recent months.

John said: “After my heart attack I was given tablets and everything seemed fine, but a year and a half later the chest pains returned and I ended up being in hospital having a stent operation. “They discovered that my blood is very thick and they believe this has caused the problems.”

John was generally fit through his roofing job, which means he has to “run up and down ladders”. He stopped smoking after his health scares.

“It just shows my heart is quite strong,” said John. “It could have ended up being a lot more serious, but I decided I was not just going to sit around and wait for something else to happen and I am going to enjoy these running events.”

To prove it’s the perfect day out for the whole family to enjoy, not only will there be lots of free, fun activities on the day, but everyone who takes part will also receive a FREE T-Shirt, a FREE SUBWAY® lunch, a finisher’s medal and access to the Family Village!

Children under 12 go FREE and it’s then just £7 per person for the rest of the family when they register online. Go to www.5ksubway.com for race information and to register.  There will also be a limited number of places available for families to come along and register on the day – £9 for adults, under-12s go free.

Filming on BBC Three’s latest production ‘Clique’ has begun today in the capital.

Created by Jess Brittain (Skins), Clique is a brand new six-part drama by BBC Drama and Balloon Entertainment, which tells the story of how two best friends – Holly and Georgia – drawn into an elite clique of alpha girls led by lecturer Jude McDermid in their first few weeks at university.

In her television debut, Synnove Karlsen will star as Holly alongside The Fall’s Aisling Franciosi as her best friend Georgia, while Sherlock’s Louise Brealey will star as Jude McDermid and Emun Eliot (Prometheus; Game of Thrones; Star Wars: The Force Awakens; Filth) as her brother, Alistair McDermid.

Film Edinburgh, Edinburgh’s film office, is supporting the production in terms of locations and facilitation on behalf of the city Council. Edinburgh’s Filming Charter outlines the Council’s recognition of the benefits of filming to a city, and confirms its commitment to facilitating filming.

Edinburgh plays host to over 350 film & TV productions a year. Recent productions include: One Of Us, The Secret Agent and The BFG. Coming hot on the heels of Trainspotting 2, Clique confirms Edinburgh as an attractive place for filmmakers to work.

Rosie Ellison, Film Manager for Film Edinburgh said: “It’s wonderful to be welcoming another exciting TV drama to Edinburgh. It’s testament to the city’s reputation as a film-friendly destination that we are able to attract such high-profile productions such as this, with council and community supportive of filming in recognition of the value it brings to a city. Film & TV are important influencers in visitor decisions, and if Clique helps to promote the city’s university offering, this is an added bonus. “

Gabriel Silver, Clique producer, said: “It’s been truly inspiring scouting a city as handsome and diverse as Edinburgh – our director Robbie McKillop studied and lived here for many years and has a great instinct for capturing an utterly contemporary Edinburgh for our bracingly contemporary story. We have some stunning locations and I can’t wait to showcase them in our drama.”

We met Bookbug at the Central Library this morning who is trying to encourage children to read books by laying down the Bookbug’s Library Challenge. He was joined by two year-olds Gavin and Nia who are already well acquainted with the character and with reading

At all libraries across Scotland children can register for the challenge and get a stamp each time they borrow a book.

This year the free incentive scheme is sponsored by childrens’ publishers Nosy Crow, Bloomsbury, Oxford University Press, Little Tiger, Macmillan and Childs Play. Bookbug aims to give children the best start by encouraging reading and singing.

Catriona Wallace, Head of Early Years at Scottish Book Trust, said:

“We’ve decided to re-launch Bookbug’s Library Challenge as it’s the perfect incentive to get parents and carers borrowing books for their children. We’ve got some fantastic new resources for librarians on our website and beautiful new certificates for those taking part. We hope that Bookbug’s Library Challenge will inspire families to discover new stories and explore their libraries!”

Ten libraries in ten different local authorities across Scotland will host celebrations to mark the re-launch and have been allocated funding from Scottish Book Trust to hold author visits and celebratory Bookbug Sessions.

Jacqueline Haldane, Librarian from South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Trust, said: “We’re delighted to be involved in the re-launch of Bookbug’s Library Challenge. Bookbug is hugely popular in South Lanarkshire with over 130 sessions a month delivered across all our libraries. The re-launch of the challenge will be an excellent opportunity for us to encourage all our Bookbug families to read together at home and enjoy choosing books.”

Parents and carers who wish to attend any of the launches are advised to get in touch with their local library for further information:

It’s all about the three B’s this September as Printing Press Bar & Kitchen launches ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ as an autumn treat.

On offer are beers, bites and burgers hoping to attract some hungry men with a taste for craft beer, with their Boys will be Boys food and drink platter which they can share with friends.

Customers will choose from a selection of craft beers, a sharing platter of tasty bites including; pea and ham croquettes, smoked mackerel pate with rustic bread and a selection of Scottish charcuterie. This is followed by a tweed valley beef burger each served with beef tomato, baby gem, and red onion in a brioche bun and finished with tomato sauce and mustard.

Mike Lewis, General Manager, said: “We get a lot of guys coming in with friends looking for some great food, something nice to drink and great chat. Our Boys Will Be Boys package offers the perfect combination in a relaxed and sophisticated atmosphere.

“With a great mix of tasty bites and a hearty burger, it gives our customers a great opportunity to get a flavour of some of the fabulous menu options available at Printing Press.”

The ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ package is priced at £25 per head and is available all day every day. The package includes three craft beers per person.

The Printing Press Bar & Kitchen has launched a new seasonal food menu, created by Head Chef, Colin Fleming, giving visitors a real taste sensation for autumn, making full use of seasonal, Scottish produce.

Visit www.printingpressedinburgh.co.uk for more information or to book.

A Commonwealth Games medallist and Edinburgh sportsman has been honoured with a memorial plaque and a meeting room dedicated to him at the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh.

Sir Peter Heatly died aged 91 in September last year. He was a self-taught diver and dominated the sport in Scotland for more than 20 years winning five Commonwealth Games medals.

A member of Portobello ASC, he was Scottish freestyle champion and record holder over several distances in the 1940s before deciding to concentrate on diving, becoming Scottish champion from 1946 to 1958.

In three consecutive Commonwealth Games, he was a gold medallist. At the Auckland Games in 1950, he won the 10 metre platform and also the silver medal in the 3 metre springboard. At the Vancouver Games in 1954 he won the 3 metre springboard and also the bronze medal in the 10 metre platform and at the Cardiff Games in 1958 he again won the 10 metre platform. In 1954 in Turin he won a bronze medal at the European Games in the 10 metre platform and also competed in two Olympic Games, London in 1948 and Helsinki in 1952.

A distinguished career in sports management included becoming Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland (now Commonwealth Games Scotland) from 1967 to 1971, Chairman of the Scottish Sports Council (now sportscotland) from 1975 to 1987 and Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Federation from 1982 to 1990. His association with the Commonwealth Games is unique, having attended 17 consecutive Games from 1950 to 2014 in an official capacity as Competitor, Manager, Organiser, Chairman of the Federation and, latterly, as Life Vice President of the Federation.

His commitment to swimming, particularly diving, endured. He was President of Scottish Swimming on two occasions including the Centenary year of 1988 and Chairman of the GB Swimming Federation. He served in many roles, including Secretary and Chairman, on both the European (LEN) and World (FINA) Technical Diving Committees from 1966 to 1988.

He had a strong connection with the City of Edinburgh, serving as a Councillor and was instrumental in the development of many of the City’s sporting facilities. His connection with the Royal Commonwealth Pool was particularly strong serving on the original Planning & Design Group and serving in key roles at most of the Pool’s key events including the Official Opening by HRH Princess Anne in 1970, the Commonwealth Games later that year and again in 1986, the re-opening in 2012 and the Commonwealth Games Diving in 2014 when the Royal Commonwealth Pool became the only venue ever to have been used for 3 Commonwealth Games.

Peter was awarded a CBE in 1971, created a Deputy Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh in 1984 and Knighted in 1990. He was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2002, the Scottish Swimming Hall of Fame in 2010 and the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2016.

Claire Rusack, Manager at the Royal Commonwealth Pool, said:  “The name Heatly is synonymous with diving in Scotland with Sir Peter being the most decorated diver of them all. So we’re delighted to be able to commemorate Sir Peter’s achievements in diving with a memorial plaque and the renaming of one of our meeting rooms in his honour.

With his grandson, James, continuing to make a splash in the diving world, as well as training at the Commonwealth Pool, we hope it will inspire other youngsters to explore and take up this great sport, especially with the fantastic diving facilities and coaches that we are so lucky to have at the Commie Pool here in Edinburgh.”

One of Sir Peter’s four children, also Peter, said:  “We are delighted to see our Father honoured in this way.

We know how much the Royal Commonwealth Pool meant to him and it is great to know that future generations will be able to read about his Legacy and that he will have an ongoing link with this superb facility.”

James Heatly, Sir Peter’s youngest grandchild, who had dived in the 2014 Commonwealth Games cheered on by his grandfather, had the honour of cutting the ribbon to open The Sir Peter Heatly Meeting Room on Friday 16 September 2016.

• Edinburgh’s Christmas
• Edinburgh LIVE! 
• North Edinburgh at the weekend
• Winter print edition
• Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre

Today it really is Christmas in Edinburgh with the official launch of the Edinburgh’s Christmas programme set to wow us all later this morning. Keep an eye on our Twitter account here to find out what is going to be big news this December!

Today we have set up a Live page to accumulate all the news that we can find about Edinburgh. Take a look – it will be updating all the time with news from a variety of sources from 8am!

Yesterday there was lots on in North Edinburgh with the Inverleith Festival of Walking and Cycling taking place in Inverleith Park and the Harvest Festival in the Botanics. Sadly we missed the music in the Botanics, but we did see lots of lovely flowers and vegetables. You can see them on our Facebook page here.

The purpose of the Festival of Walking and Cycling is to show people how easy it is to incorporate some exercise in their daily routines.

Enjoyed the Inverleith Festival of 🚶walking and Cycling 🚴 today! pic.twitter.com/qxjZzflMFG

— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) September 18, 2016

We met members of the Edinburgh Southern Orienteering Club who are always looking for new members to come along to try out orienteering. Their next scheduled event is on 15 October 2016 in Holyrood Park. Find out more by emailing events@esoc.org.uk or take a look at their website by clicking here.

We met up with local MSP Ben Macpherson who explained that while he is not too keen on bikes, he does walk everywhere to keep fit!

Matthew co-founder of Veloeye explained to us that 650,000 bikes are stolen in the UK every year and only 5% of those are returned to their owners.

He has developed an app which runs alongside a QR code on a tamper proof sticker which is put on your bike in a visible position.  (We now have these on our bikes!) When you scan this it will help you by uploading all your details to the site. If your bike is ever stolen all the details on the system will allow you easy access to send out a message on all forms of social media and hopefully help you get your bike back.

We met Councillor Lesley Hinds who is Chair of Inverleith Active Travel Group who funded the event who explained that this was the second year they had held the event. She said :”What we want to do is encourage active travel. There are lots of organisations here and lots of activities. I think this is a real success and I hope we can do this every year so that we get more people walking, cycling and using public transport.”

Enjoyed the Inverleith Festival of 🚶walking and Cycling 🚴 today! pic.twitter.com/qxjZzflMFG

— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) September 18, 2016

We also asked her about the new 20mph zone in the city centre. She said that she thinks that this – which is Phase one of the plan – is quite a success, but they are learning from the first rollout. “We must remember that 20mph is about residential and shopping areas. Arterial routes are still at 30 and 40mph. It is about making our streets safer for our children, our elderly and in our communities.”

Councillor Nigel Bagshaw said: “It is great to see so many people here, all celebrating cycling and walking. Hopefully we can get more of it going on in Inverleith and across the city as a whole.”

Our summer newspaper was a bit of a success, and so we have decided to publish another one in time for Christmas. If you have an organisation or business which you would like featured in the next print edition then do get in touch with us now!

You can read the Summer edition here:

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We had a meeting to discuss content yesterday and we have lots of ideas but would love you to be a part of it. Get in touch if you would like to be a sponsor, advertiser, writer or distributor! (5,000 copies is a lot of newspapers!) editor@theedinburghreporter.co.uk

At Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre there is a lot going on this autumn!

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What is happening in Edinburgh today? We know it is the Edinburgh holiday but there is always something going on in our city! So keep up to date with the news here as it unfolds.

Embracing social media is key to communication in the 21st century. Acknowledging that, Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association has launched a new Facebook group this week for their residents, their friends and relatives to share news, views and useful tips and to ask any questions they may have about Hanover’s services.

‘Hanover Blether’ went live on Monday 29^th August 2016 and was made a reality after a resident suggested it would be beneficial to have an online ‘hub’ to connect with other Hanover residents and to share their experiences, news about the local community, events and group activities as well as allowing their friends and family to easily interact with their loved ones.

The group is thought to be the first of its kind in Scotland and although it is maintained jointly by Hanover staff and Hanover residents, the group is completely independent and residents are encouraged to share their views on the organisation and about life in Hanover properties, good or bad.

The Association believes this is a more informal, way for residents to get in touch with Hanover directly and to ask anything about the organisation and their tenancy. Hanover noted that the group was not to be used in emergencies or to report a repair, when the usual channels should be used.

Hanover resident, Patrick O’Shea, the brains behind the group said: “I thought it would be a good idea to give Hanover residents a platform to raise issues that they may have and to find out about the problems and experiences of other residents. I also felt that there are many good reasons for staying in Hanover and we should talk about those as well.”

Helen Murdoch, Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association Chief Executive, said:“I’m absolutely delighted Hanover Blether is up and running and look forward to seeing the tremendous benefits it will bring to both ourselves and to our Facebook users.”

“Resident engagement is a key strategic priority for Hanover. More and more of our service users, their carers and their relatives are online, and Facebook is a great way to communicate, which will in turn help us to work closely with those people we engage with to improve our services. It will also provide a great forum for our residents to share tips and get to know each other.”

Five people have been charged after a laser pen was shone at an aircraft in Edinburgh.

Officers on patrol in the Drylaw area observed a green light emanating from Marine Drive just before midnight on Friday.

The officers made contact with Edinburgh Airport, who confirmed a pilot had reported a laser pen incident during the aeroplane’s descent.

The occupants of two vehicles within Marine Drive were subsequently detained and then arrested in connection with this offence.

A 16-year-old male and four females aged 16, 17, 19 and 22 will all appear in court at a later date.

Chief Inspector Mark Rennie said: “The use of laser pens to distract or obscure the vision of a pilot is an extremely serious offence, which can have very serious consequences.

“We regularly patrol roads below approach routes to deter offenders and respond quickly to any notifications from pilots.

“Anyone found committing this offence will be arrested and charged’

On a lovely sunny morning in East Lothian over 5,000 runners lined up for the Half Marathon and the Scottish 10K which both finished at Musselburgh Racecourse.

The event raised about £500,000 for the official charity Cancer Research UK.

Scott Stirling from Falkirk won the Scottish 10K in a time of 31 minutes 19 seconds. Second was Peter Avent in 32 minutes 50 seconds and third was Andrew Lawler in 32 minutes 59 seconds.

First female home was Sarah Laverty from Edinburgh in 37 minutes 53 seconds, followed by Jennifer Carrasco in second place in 39 minutes 26 seconds and Kristin Lownie in third in 40 minutes 49 seconds.

The Scottish Half Marathon set off from Meadowmiall Sports Centre at 11am on a flat 13.1 mile route. First home was Bryan Mackie of Edinburgh AC in 1 hour 11 mins 36 seconds. James Bennett from London was second in 1 hour 13 minutes and 22 seconds and Craig Reid of Bishopton was third in 1 hour 13 minutes and 55 seconds. Dianne Lauder from Hawick won the women’s race in 1 hour 20 minutes and 14 seconds setting a new course record. Mia Putsch of Edinburgh tussled with Jo Newens on the finish straight but held on to second place in 1 hour 26 minutes 21 seconds. Newens was third in 1 hour 26 minutes ad 24 seconds.

Natasha Wilson ran (and finished!) in both races : first the Scottish 10K at 9am and then two hours later she set off on the half marathon for another 13.1 miles. She has had a bit of a year as she was struck by the official motorcyclist when competing for Great Britain in the Duathlon event. Soon after she was back on her bike, but when she competed in Wales she was dragged into the slipstream of a passing lorry and flipped off her bike. She walked away with some internal bleeding and an AC dislocation, although at first it was suspected that she might have broken her neck.

Race Director Neil Kilgour said: “We hope everyone had a brilliant time today. We were delighted to see so many runners take part in the first ever Scottish 10K in the morning and ten to see thousands more crossing the half marathon finish line later in the day. The weather was kind to us and the atmosphere at the finish line at Musselburgh Racecourse was fantastic.”

Police are appealing for witnesses following a suspicious incident in the Dedridge area of Livingston which took place  around 4.15 p.m. on Friday at a play park near to Ambrose Rise.

A 9-year-old girl was playing in the area when a man approached and engaged the child in conversation before attempting to put his hands on her.

He then made off towards St Ninian’s School.

The girl was unharmed and reported the matter to her parents, who contacted police.

Officers are now urging anyone who can assist with their inquiries to come forward.

The suspect is described as being of Indian/Pakistani or Bangladeshi appearance, 18-20-years-old, around 5ft 10ins tall with black hair, brown eyes and a clean-shaven complexion. He was wearing a light-grey hooded top with navy blue lining on the hood, grey skinny jeans, dirty white-coloured trainers and spoke with a Scottish accent.

Detective Sergeant Graham Garvie from Livingston CID said: “At this time we are trying to establish exactly what took place during this exchange and would ask anyone who was in the area and saw anything suspicious to contact police immediately.

“The young girl has given us a good description of the male we are looking to trace and anyone who recognises him should also get in touch.”

As part of the ongoing investigation local officers from the Community Action Team will be out on high-visibility patrol to speak with residents in the area, gather information and offer local reassurance to the community.

Inspector Darren Cook from Livingston Police Station said: “Our inquiries are ongoing to establish exactly what has taken place during the exchange between the girl and the suspect and we will have officers out on patrol in the area to engage with the local community.

“This appears to have been an isolated incident, but we recognise the impact it can have on the public and so we will be providing a visible presence, should anyone wish to come forward and speak to us face to face.

“Alternatively, people can contact 101 or make an anonymous report to Crimestoppers if they have any information relevant to this investigation.

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers on 101.

Police are appealing for witnesses following a suspicious incident which took place around 2.10 a.m. this morning at the Central Mosque in Potterrow.

An object was thrown at the building, which caused minor fire damage to the door and a small bush within the garden area.

Inquiries are ongoing to trace those responsible and anyone with information is asked to come forward.

Detective Inspector John Kavanagh said: “Fortunately no one was injured as a result of this incident, but the consequences could have been far worse had the fire taken hold and spread.

“I would ask that anyone who remembers seeing any suspicious activity around the Mosque, or within the Potterrow area, contacts police immediately.

Chief Inspector Mark Rennie, Local Area Commander for South East Edinburgh said: “This was a despicable and reckless act, which we are treating as a hate crime.

“We have launched a thorough investigation to identify anyone involved and anyone who believes they have information that can assist with our inquiries is urged to get in touch.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

Hibs’ Head coach Neil Lennon blamed a poor refereeing performance from Nick Walsh for his team losing their 100% league record at Easter Road yesterday.

Hibs completely dominated the first half before Jason Cummings gave them the lead in the 49th minute with a spectacular 25 yard strike and Lennon’s men appeared to be cruising to victory before Walsh controversially producing a red card to Marvin Bartley following a challenge on Jamie Adams.

That decision changed the game and United scored twice in the latter stages to secure a shock victory.

Speaking to Hibernian TV immediately after the final whistle Lennon said: “We paid the price for a poor refereeing performance and a decision that ultimately influenced the course of the game.

“It’s not a sending off. He has gone in with one leg. He’s low, off the ground and there’s no malice in it. He’s caught the guy late which was going on all over the pitch.

“We will have to look at it but I don’t think we got much from the referee today. I don’t know how many yellow cards there were today but there were plenty.

“Teams come here to make life as difficult as possible and that’s what happened today.

Could we have been a few ahead before they scored? No question.

“When we were down to ten men we didn’t handle that as well as I would have liked.

“We had good control of the game for a long time but we have to stop being wasteful in front of goal because things like that happen sometimes.

“We can’t keep relying on Jason. it was a great goal and again he had chances after that to put the game to bed but I’m looking at other players and we lack a bit of composure in front of goal for some reason.

“We had all the possession. They had the ball in our box twice and scored two goals. From a defensive point of view we have been outstanding. It’s annoying to lose a goal from a set play. That’s a real bugbear of mine and it’s unacceptable.

“The second goal happened because we were down to ten men and were stretched but I have nothing but praise for the players. We have been brilliant so far. We have to regroup and go again.

“All the talk has been about our 100% record which is good and it’s disappointing that its gone but I think this team is capable of going again.

“I’ve not seen any complacency. I thought the attitude was good but it was just that lack of quality which can happen sometimes.”