Police say they are treating a vehicle fire as suspicious, after a car was found alight last night.
A burning Subaru Impreza was discovered in a car park in Millgate, Arbroath at around 1.20am this morning.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service extinguished the fire and no-one was injured.
Police say the fire is being treated as suspicious and urged anyone with any information that may be useful to get in touch.
Pregnant women in Angus have reacted to the shock news that Montrose Maternity Unit will be closed for births due to staffing problems.
Some mothers-to-be were given no notice that the facility was closing today and now have to make the difficult choice between giving birth at Ninewells Hospital, Arbroath Infirmary or at home.
NHS Tayside said the board had made the “difficult decision” to close the unit until September due to staff shortages.
Kim Cromar, from Brechin, said the news had caused her “stress she could do without”.
Kim, 33, who is expecting her first child in three weeks with husband Kevin, said: “I had my midwife appointment on Sunday and was told the unit was closing for births.
“My husband and I are totally gutted. We’ve gone through the whole pregnancy at Montrose birthing suite, getting used to the midwives there.
“It’s very daunting as we have never been to the other units and, with it being our first baby, we don’t want a home birth.
“I’m very nervous now. I’ve gone to Montrose for all my appointments and we’ve got to meet the midwives.
“It’s nerve-wracking enough without having to get used to other people.
“Where will they find the staff between now and September? I’m not convinced it will open again.”
Justine Craig, head of midwifery for NHS Tayside, said the unit will continue to provide antenatal and postnatal care as usual.
She added: “The unit, which usually supports approximately 12 births per month, is expected to resume births in September.
“We know that this may be upsetting for some women who had planned to give birth at Montrose.
“However, we must provide a maternity service with appropriately-skilled staff.
“Women in Angus will continue to have the full range of options for place of birth, which include Arbroath CMU, the Dundee Midwifery Unit, home birth or birth in a consultant-led unit at Ninewells Hospital.”
A petition against the temporary closure has been started by Montrose woman Amanda Inglis. She said she was “shocked and disgusted such a decision can be made so quickly, without consulting the public.”
A SERVING police officer has appeared in court charged with stalking a woman — at locations including Dundee’s police headquarters.
Simon Donaldson, 39, allegedly kept tabs on the woman for a period of five years — monitoring her movements and demanding to know where she was.
During that time he also allegedly arranged to meet the woman’s partner and allegedly showed him an old video of himself and the woman engaging in a sex act.
Donaldson — whose address was given to the court as care of police headquarters, West Bell Street — allegedly repeatedly and persistently phoned the woman and repeatedly asked her whereabouts and movements.
He also allegedly repeatedly approached, phoned and contacted the woman’s parents and demanded to know her whereabouts and movements from them.
Donaldson also allegedly repeatedly and persistently attended at the woman’s home address and repeatedly drove by her house.
He is also alleged to have seized hold of her, threatened her, shouted at her and attempted to access her email account.
And, on one occasion in 2011, he allegedly arranged to meet her partner and pretended to him that he was in a relationship with the woman.
Donaldson then allegedly showed the man an older video of the woman and himself engaging in a sex act.
At Dundee Sheriff Court, Donaldson denied a charge of engaging in a course of conduct which caused the woman fear and alarm.
The offence is alleged to have taken place between dates in 2010 and 2015 at an address in Angus and at police headquarters at West Bell Street, Dundee, and elsewhere.
Trial takes place on July 11 with an intermediate diet on June 23.
Donaldson was placed on bail meantime. It’s understood that Donaldson has worked as a constable in Dundee.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that a 39-year-old man appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court having been reported in connection with breach of the peace, stalking and computer misuse offences.”
A man was rushed to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee after becoming unwell at sea.
Lifeboat crews from Arbroath were called to rescue the 21-year-old fisherman at around 9pm yesterday.
The fishing boat was near to the Bell Rock lighthouse off the Angus town’s coast.
A spokesman for HM Coastguard said the lifeboat was called out to go to the vessel following medical advice from Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
He said he was not aware of what was wrong with the man but he did say it was a medical condition.
He added: “Arbroath lifeboat went to the Kirkcaldy-registered fishing vessel which was not far from the Bell Rock Lighthouse at the time.
“The crewman was taken to Arbroath where was met by a waiting ambulance and transferred to Ninewells Hospital.”
No one from the ambulance service was available for comment this morning and the man’s condition is not known.
A DETAILED bid to secure a £400 million investment in Tayside is likely to be finalised by May next year, the Tele can reveal today.
Dundee City Council leader Ken Guild met with the leaders of the six other city councils in Scotland in Inverness on Tuesday to discuss the joint work that is delivering the UK City Deals across Scotland.
Also present was Lord Andrew Dunlop, Under Secretary of State for Scotland.
It came as a brochure highlighting the potential benefits of such a deal was published.
Mr Guild told the Tele: “This was a meeting of the council leaders of the seven city councils who are part of the Scottish Cities Alliance.
“The main purpose of the meeting was to agree a draft report on empowering city governments. We were going through the proposals, suggesting amendments before the final draft next month.
“We have discussed our plans for the Tay Cities Deal at four stakeholder events to get input from a range of local investors, the chamber of commerce, Dundee and Angus College and the Dundee universities, as well as charitable groups.
“Through those discussions we are identifying projects to put forward for the deal.
“All four of the councils involved have much that they have taken on board, and hope to have a detailed bid ready to put before Holyrood and Westminster by May of next year.
“The advice we have been given from other council leaders has been not to rush things, to take our time and make sure we get the right proposals in there first time around.”
The Tay Cities Deal would see £400m handed to support economic growth in Tayside, with Dundee, Perth and Kinross, Angus and Fife councils working together on proposals for how the money should be spent.
Promoting the tourism sector is a top priority and there is a plan to build on the huge tourism potential of the V&A Museum and the region’s wider assets.
The plan aims to develop regional tourism potential, such as top visitor attractions, golf, food and drink, nature and the outdoors.
Through this, the Tay Cities Deal aims to target the cruise and business tourism markets.
Improving both the transport and digital infrastructure for improved connectivity and workforce mobility across the region are also key issues.
The local authorites also want to promote life sciences, engineering, enhanced manufacturing, and low carbon technologies, such as solar energy, hydrogen power and heat pumps.
The brochure revealed the aspirations of the four councils and a series of graphics highlighted the key things the area already benefits from.
It stated: “We have a shared vision — to create a region where fair business growth, social inclusion and skills development is at the heart of everything we do.
“Our vision is to become a cohesive region of knowledge with a culture of creativity within Scotland and the UK.
“Located on the River Tay, on Scotland’s east coast, the cities of Dundee and Perth are home to half the region’s population and working together they will play a key role in driving forward economic growth.
“The strategic towns of St Andrews, in north-east Fife, alongside Arbroath, Montrose and Forfar in the county of Angus are also vitally important to our economy. Beyond the cities and large towns our landscape is spectacular, punctuated with historic towns and villages, estates and farms, all contributing to our economic productivity.”
Ian Miller, leader of Perth City Council, said: “This is going to be a big deal for the whole of the region.
“We will be looking at the expansion of Perth Museum and Art Gallery, and a new exhibition centre, as well as refurbishment of Perth City Hall.”
Serious drug offences in Dundee rose by more than 8% in a year, the area’s top police officer has revealed.
Chief Superintendent Paul Anderson — who took over as Tayside Divisional Commander last month — has released statistics which show there were 147 detections for drug supply, cultivation and production in Dundee between April 2015 and March 2016.
That compares with 136 for the same period in the previous year.
The figures are included in a report being discussed at Dundee City Council’s community safety and public protection committee meeting in the City Chambers tonight.
Chief Supt. Anderson’s report highlights Operation Slate as a key focus for officers across Tayside throughout the year, targeting drug-related crime across the division.
Raids carried out in Dundee between January and March this year resulted in some significant recoveries of class A and B drugs, including two seizures of herbal cannabis with estimated values of £90,000 and £40,000 respectively and the seizure of cocaine with an estimated value of £15,000.
There were also numerous other seizures of illicit drugs during operations, including thousands of diazepam tablets, and quantities of heroin and amphetamines.
Meanwhile, there has also been a rise in assaults in Dundee over the past year.
Serious assaults went up by 22.5% and petty assaults rose by 8%, compared with 2014-15. Chief Supt. Anderson explained that the rise in serious assaults was partly attributable to the change in guidelines on the seriousness of some assaults.
Where injuries are glued or stitches are required, assaults are now classified as being “serious”. They were previously classed as being common assaults.
Referring to crimes of violence, Chief Supt. Anderson said: “The focus remains on prevention and detection by deterring and disrupting violence in both public and private space.”
There are some marked improvements revealed in the report.
Crimes of indecency were down 21%, with 419 reported last year, compared to 532 in 2014-15.
There were 57 robberies last year, compared with 73 in 2014-15 — a reduction of 22%.
A man has told of the moment he was left unable to recognise his own fiancee after a horror fall.
Aaron Field, 37, revealed the ongoing battle he’s facing due to a brain injury sustained when he fell down a flight of stairs.
Aaron — originally from the St Andrews area — was living with partner Tasha Clark, 34, in Lancashire when he was seriously injured in November.
It is thought his rheumatoid arthritis may have caused him to fall and it took him almost 24 hours to be seen by specialists at hospital.
When he awoke, he was paralysed down one side, struggled to talk and suffered memory loss to the point where he didn’t recognise Tasha — whom he was due to marry that weekend.
His life was turned upside-down forever when he was diagnosed with a neurological functioning disorder and a traumatic brain injury.
Speaking from his new home in Forfar, Aaron said: “When Tasha came to the hospital and told me who she was, my reaction was ‘When did that happen?’ I just didn’t know who she was.
“I knew there was something between the two of us but I didn’t know what it was.”
Aaron is the owner of a magazine called The Pendle Craft and although his memory is starting to return, he now finds it difficult to read and write — admitting his life is a struggle.
He said: “There is a lot of anger and frustration. I need help to get washed, get dressed and take my medication.
“If Tasha isn’t here I can’t even go for a walk because I could get lost somewhere due to my condition.
“I’ve had to give up my job. Tasha is now running the magazine as I’m struggling to read or write — I don’t understand long words.
“It is really scary. I can get about the house, but I need my wheelchair when I’m outside because I struggle to walk. I also get headaches every day.”
Aaron and Tasha moved to Scotland in May so they could be closer to his family and because they say they had lost faith in the health system in England.
Aaron now has a carer helping him out and he says the treatment he has received at Ninewells Hospital has been of the highest quality.
But life is still a struggle for him and on June 3, he suffered another fall when he tried to get out of a chair.
He suffered another setback with his memory after the fall, but is now on the road to recovery.
He said: “I’ve had far more answers up here and I know far more about what’s going on and how they’re going to treat me.”
Tasha added: “The staff at Ninewells Hospital think Aaron may have had an aneurysm. They have been fantastic with him and explained things really well.”
A man has been charged by police after threatening messages were allegedly left written on the inside of windows and doors at a family home.
The 24-year-old is also alleged to have turned on a gas cooker within the property and left it burning, and lit candles, in a series of “suspicious incidents” at a house in Carnoustie.
Police were called over the claims last month and a man has now been charged in connection with the alleged activity.
A spokeswoman for the force said at the time of the alleged incidents: “Police Scotland is making inquiries after suspicious incidents were reported on May 12 at an address on Taymouth Terrace, Carnoustie.”
Anyone with information was asked to contact officers.
However, the spokeswoman has now confirmed that a man has been held by officers.
She said: “Police Scotland can confirm that a 24-year-old man has been charged and a report will be sent to the procurator fiscal.”
Locals spoke of seeing police in the area in recent weeks.
One woman said: “Officers were at my door last week asking if we had noticed anything unusual going on in the street or at an address.
“I did see a police car there one day and remember wondering what it was about.
“This has been a quiet street in the years I’ve lived here so it was out of the ordinary for the police to be at my door.”
Another resident said: “I did see a car there one day. Most people here keep themselves to themselves.
“I’ve never heard of anything like this.”
The organisers of a cancelled dance event have vowed to “come back stronger” next year.
The Festival of House festival was due to take place last weekend but was cancelled following a row over safety and planning.
The open-air event,which had been planned for June 10 and 11, at Panmure Estate, near Carnoustie, was expected to see 15,000 revellers watch acts like dance legends Underworld, Rudimental and Leftfield.
Full refunds were given out to those who had purchased tickets.
However, despite this year’s cancellation, festival organisers have vowed to “learn from the experience” of the cancelled event and put on a shindig for 2017.
Craig Blyth, Festival of House director, said that he was “gutted” this year’s event had not taken place but that wheels were already in motion to hold the event in 2017.
He said: “We are still working away with next year in mind. We don’t have anything concrete about a venue or anything yet.
“It is very much our intention to have the festival next year. We just have to learn from this year.
“We have got a year of planning under our belts and have learned a lot from the experience, so we are looking to come back stronger for next year.
“We have been working away getting the guys who we had signed up gigs elsewhere. They will be playing indoors at various venues and just looking ahead to next year.
“It was important that we did that because we need to think about the future event and make sure we can still get the acts signed up for that.
“We have got to do that if we have any chance of coming back for next year.
“There will definitely be more to follow on the festival front. We haven’t given up.”
Craig said he was “absolutely gutted” that the plug was pulled on the festival at the 11th hour.
He added: “You have no idea how gutting it was.
“It was supposed to be last weekend. We could have been in a much different position right now.
“We have just got to regroup and look ahead to next year.”
Councillors, police and the fire brigade had all voiced concerns about safety and the planning of the event in the build-up to the proposed date.
However, organisers disputed the claims that the event would not be safe for those in attendance and were confident that the event would go ahead as planned.
However, they took the decision at the end of April to pull the plug on the event just hours before a special meeting of the civic licensing committee and Angus licensing board was preparing to decide its fate.
A man was left screaming in agony after a digger crushed his foot after it toppled over.
Emergency crews were called to Carnoustie’s Green Lane just before 4pm on Monday.
The 50-year-old man was operating the mini digger when he fell out and became trapped underneath.
Paul Hutchison, 54, a painter and decorator who lives nearby, was first on the scene and spoke to the Tele.
He added: “I was in my garden when I heard a man shouting and screaming for help. I thought it was maybe someone mucking around but I went along to see what was going on.
“I got there and the digger had tipped over on to the man’s foot. He was screaming in pain for someone to help. I called the ambulance and the fire brigade and they came and lifted it up. I had found a jack to do it myself but they wouldn’t let me in case something went wrong.”
Neighbour Babs Hodgson, 68, said: “I was standing speaking to my friend and I saw an ambulance reverse down the lane.
“They stopped outside my neighbour’s house but I couldn’t see what was going on. I heard that it was a man who had been trapped under a digger.”
Gary Fox, watch manager of Balmossie Fire Station, said they got the call around 3.45pm and added: “When we got there we saw that a mini digger had toppled over and fallen on top of the man who had been operating it.
“He had partially fallen out but his foot had become trapped under the digger, crushing it underneath. It looked extremely painful and his foot was very bruised.”
Mr Fox said his crew managed to release the man’s foot by manually lifting the digger off him, adding: “It took around 20 minutes to free him while paramedics administered pain killers. We would urge everyone operating machinery to use caution.”
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “We attended in Carnoustie at 3.40pm after reports than a man’s foot was trapped by a digger.
“He was taken to hospital for treatment and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) contacted.”
A spokeswoman for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said it was not aware of the incident, but since it was not a fatality they had seven days to be notified.
Nearly 500 kids have been admitted to A&E departments around Tayside for alcohol and drugs misuse in the last two years.
The Tele can reveal that 393 people up to the age of 17 were admitted to A&E for misuse of alcohol, while NHS Tayside A&E departments saw at least another 81 young people and kids for drug-related diagnoses.
Between 2014 and 2016, 22 kids from birth up to the age of four have attended A&E for misuse of alcohol or intoxication, with nine cases between 2014/15 rising to 13 the following year.
Councillor Ken Lynn, Dundee City Council health convener, said the statistics were “not to be welcomed”.
He added: “My understanding is that examples of youths attending A&E for alcohol and drug issues are coming down long-term. The number of examples is not to be welcomed, but that number has reduced from years previous, which is a good thing.”
The figures, provided to the Tele, reveal that for children aged five to nine, a total of 11 alcohol-related attendances were recorded between 2014 to 2016.
Six of these occurred between 2014 and 2015 and five the following year.
The highest number of alcohol-related A&E admissions was between the ages of 15 and 17, with a total of 282.
Dave Barrie, Dundee service manager for drug and alcohol treatment charity Addaction, described the figures as “concerning”.
He said: “Any young person needing treatment for substance misuse is concerning.
“It shows that there is still a lot of work to do within the communities around the city.
“Drug and alcohol abuse is a serious issue and the safety and wellbeing of our young people is priority number one.”
An NHS Tayside spokeswoman said the health board had implemented a range of measures to offer help and advice to under 18s attending A&E for drug and alcohol misuse.
The spokeswoman added: “Our alcohol liaison teams work closely with many other services.
“We also have a range of information leaflets to allow a young person to make contact.”
A woman was taken to hospital today after a one-vehicle crash in Angus.
Emergency services were called to the A926 following the accident at around 8.30am.
The road remained closed for more than an hour.
Traffic on the road, between Maryton and Padanaram, was diverted away from the scene.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “We attended a collision involving one vehicle on the A926 at 8.30am.
“The road was closed and a female driver was taken to hospital for treatment.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said today: “We received a call following a road traffic collision.
“One female was taken to Ninewells Hospital by paramedics.
“She was taken in a stable condition.”
Her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
A man who smashed a beer bottle off the head of a teenager outside a nightclub has been jailed.
Bruce Lamb, 35, was locked up for 18 months at Dundee Sheriff Court after admitting assault to injury.
The court heard Lamb, of South Street, Forfar, hit a beer bottle off the head of Jack Davidson, 18, a stranger to him.
Fiscal depute Vicki Bell told the court the attack took place in the early hours of January 10, outside the Royal nightclub in Forfar.
Solicitor Andy Lyall, defending, told the court Lamb suffered from post traumatic stress disorder.
Lamb admitted assaulting Mr Davidson by striking him on the head with a bottle, knocking him to the ground and kicking him on the head, all to his injury, at Osnaburg Street, Forfar, on January 10.
Sheriff Alastair Brown imposed 18 months’ imprisonment.
A Dundee man walked free from court after police forgot to bring video footage for evidence.
George Drummond, 38, from Lochee, appeared at Forfar’s Justice of the Peace Court to answer a charge of careless driving.
The charges against Mr Drummond were that he allegedly drove a vehicle without due care and attention and without making proper observations.
He was alleged to have failed to give way on the A932 Friockheim to Forfar road at the junction with the road to Letham.
Mr Drummond allegedly drove into the path of another vehicle, forcing its driver to take evasive action.
But it can be revealed today that the case was deserted after police failed to bring an evidential video from a police car for the court to view.
A last-ditch attempt was made, with officers sent from Dundee’s Bell Street headquarters with a DVD copy of the dashcam footage.
However, when they arrived at Forfar Sheriff Court the disc did not work.
The presiding sheriff then took the decision to desert the case rather than grant the Crown an extension.
Despite the Crown Office’s role in prosecuting legal proceedings, the onus is on police to ensure that any evidence requested by the Crown is available in the correct format for a trial.
In the aftermath of the case being deserted, a message posted online by Mr Drummond said: “Well all went well today, thrown out of court — they still didn’t have CCTV footage which the Crown only requested once back in February.
“And so they ordered the police to send up officers from Dundee with the footage and they raced up with a disc that was unplayable.”
The offences were alleged to have happened on November 4 last year.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “We will look into the circumstances of this particular case to identify the reasons behind what happened.”
A Crown Office spokesman said: “The Crown requested video evidence from the police within appropriate timescales in anticipation of a trial. We are currently considering the decision of the court.”
It is understood the Crown may appeal the court’s decision in due course.
Mr Drummond could not be reached for comment.
Rail passengers have been warned to expect disruption as the first in a series of planned strikes in a dispute over driver-only trains gets under way.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union is pressing ahead with the industrial action on Tuesday after eleventh-hour talks to try to avoid the walkout broke down.
Train operator ScotRail said tens of thousands of its customers will be disrupted and accused the RMT of building their strike campaign on “misinformation”.
It is estimated the firm will be able to run about 70% of its services during the day of action.
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf urged both sides to keep talking, as he described the action as “very disappointing”.
Services that are affected through Tayside
The RMT, which is opposed to the extension of driver-only (DOO) and driver-controlled (DCO) services during the lifetime of the current Abellio ScotRail franchise, balloted ScotRail conductors last month, saying it had not received the assurances it had sought on the issue from the operator.
These included guarantees the safety role of conductors and their role in operating train doors would not be reduced or abolished.
Guards at the RMT backed walkouts by a ratio of 3:1, prompting the union to announce seven days of strikes during June and July.
The first day-long strike got under way first thing on Tuesday after planned peace talks failed on Monday.
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “The workforce know that any extension of DOO or DCO is a clear attack on our members’ hard-earned terms and conditions.
“RMT members should not have to face the risk of their role and responsibilities being reduced and undermined.
“The workforce also know only too well that there is a very real threat to passengers of watering down and wiping out the safety critical role of the guard on these ScotRail services. That is a lethal gamble with basic rail safety.”
ScotRail managing director Phil Verster said the strike is “totally needless”.
He said: “The RMT have refused point blank to talk to us about how we modernise and improve Scotland’s railway. Instead they have hidden behind a national policy that says that nothing must ever change.
“Tens of thousands of our customers will be disrupted and hundreds of our own people will be hit financially as a result of their intransigence.
“The public will be astonished to hear that this is a strike only about who opens and closes doors on trains, nothing more.
“The RMT are being, at best, disingenuous when they tell people that we are trying to have driver-only trains. We are not. We will still schedule a second person on-board when we bring in the amazing new faster, longer, greener electric trains from next year.”
The Scottish Government urged commuters to consider car-sharing or working from home, with an increase in traffic predicted on the roads.
The government has been discussing contingency plans for the strike at its resilience committee.
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said passengers should be prepared for significant disruption on the railways on Tuesday.
He added: “It’s very disappointing to see industrial action set to go ahead on our railways and we continue to urge further dialogue between ScotRail and the RMT union.
“The walkout will have a significant impact on rail passengers who depend on these services, so I urge both parties to get back round the table immediately and work towards an agreement so that strikes can be avoided.”
A Tayside woman gave birth to her daughter in the front seat of her car — while her husband drove them to hospital.
Jo Smith and husband Jonny were heading to Ninewells in Dundee when daughter Lara made an early appearance inside their Vauxhall Antara.
Joe, 25, was forced to deliver the youngster on her own as they travelled along the A92 between Arbroath and Dundee — while Jonny tried to get them to medical help as soon as he could.
Jo told the Tele: “It was our anniversary and we had planned to go away to Woodlands Hotel for a meal, so it ruined our anniversary plans, but in the best way possible.
“We were getting ready but that was when I really realised we needed to go to the hospital.
“We were coming past Carnoustie and the contractions were getting really, really heavy.
“I said to Jonny, ‘the baby’s coming, you’ll need to pull over’.
“He told me he wasn’t going to pull over and he said, ‘hold on, don’t push’, but she was out within seconds.
“Despite the circumstances it was a really easy labour — a lot quicker than her brother Jay.”
The couple, who live in Arbroath, carried on to Ninewells. But when they arrived they struggled to find their way into the maternity unit.
Jo continued: “We got to the entrance and Jonny jumped out of the car and said: ‘help, my wife’s had a baby in the car’.
“I was absolutely fine but I can’t say the same for him. He was traumatised — and he’d just had the car valeted, which didn’t help!
“But it was a really great, unexpected surprise.
“When we got inside I saw the midwives and I asked how they were, and they said: ‘never mind us, how are you?’
“I was absolutely fine, though, and so was Lara.”
Jonny, 28, a self-employed fisherman, admitted he was still in shock over the unusual circumstances of his daughter’s birth earlier this month.
He said: “It was strange and all a bit of a blur to be honest. It’s hard to explain what it was like at the time — we were driving along one minute, the next she was born.”
Jay, four, and the rest of the family came to visit that evening, and the family were allowed home the next day. The couple settled on the name Lara Kay Smith, taking her middle name from Jo’s mum Kay.
They decided against a name connected to the unusual birth. Jo said: “My dad, Robert, had told a few friends and family for a joke that she was named Mercedes.
“My gran took him seriously and said she didn’t like the name. In the end she was happy with Lara.”
The weather stayed “fair” as Monifieth enjoyed its annual medieval gathering on Sunday.
The Knights of Monymusk, dancers, football and martial arts performers and a host of talented musicians, from The Choir Dundee to ukulele band Dee Ukes, kept the hundreds who turned out entertained.
A funfair and facepainting proved a big hit with the youngsters, while revellers at the medieval fair were able to enjoy a cold pint in the beer tent along with a range of food, craft and charity stalls — with the sky above staying clear for most of the day.
The medieval encampment and archery lessons, along with battle re-enactments from armour-clad knights, retained all the flavour of Monifieth’s medieval history.
In? Out? In? Out?
Locals are far from shaking it all about with excitement about today’s referendum on EU membership — because many still don’t how know they plan to vote.
The Tele reached out to potential voters 24 hours ahead of the UK’s decision over whether to stay or leave the EU.
Views were mixed, with a smattering of support for both sides, but many said they were unsure or unhappy at the information that had been offered by the Leave or Remain campaigns.
Others felt politicians had tried to “pull the wool over voters’ eyes” in the lead-up to the vote.
Alex Chambers, 26, a jewellery shop manager from the Hilltown, said: “I am undecided because I believe that politicians on both sides have their own agenda.
“I wish the pros and cons had just been laid out so people could make their minds up.”
Joan Reid, 54, from Fife, said: “In or out, I think it’s the attitude that’s become the issue.
“I will be voting, I always do, but the result has become secondary to the hatred, from both sides.”
The retired managing director from St Andrews claimed the debate had a nasty tone, and that the result would not be the end of it.
“It’s going to take time and it’s going to be hard to go back,” she said.
Stephen Cruickshank, 51, a storeman from Whitfield, has even chosen not to vote due to a lack of facts.
“I don’t know enough about it,” he said. “There’s conflicting arguments and I just don’t know.”
Ross McLean, 34, a concreter from Douglas, agreed. He said: “I care but we’ve just not been told enough to make an informed decision. It’s the blind leading the blind.”
Student Janette Cruickshank, 22, also from Whitfield, had similar views. She wanted to know how day-to-day life would be affected and didn’t feel either campaign had told her.
Pharmacy technician Moira Cumming, 47, from Broughty Ferry, said: “It’s hard to tell who’s telling the truth — both camps are trying to pull the wool over voters’ eyes.
“I will probably vote out as I just feel like it’s time for a change.”
Abe Hood, 68, is also unsure, but swaying towards the Remain camp.
The retired general manager from the Ferry said: “It is a huge decision and so it’s very hard to choose. I will make a decision at the polls but I’m swaying towards stay.”
Pensioner Cath Knight, 73, from Whitfield, is worried about changes to her pension if Brexit is the result.
“I’m inclined to stay in, as the alternative could be worse,” said the retired cleaner.
Student Rebecca Chalmers, 19, from the Ferry, said: “If something goes drastically wrong after Brexit, we can’t just ask to come back in. Staying in seems the safest option.”
Fellow student Megan Maritz, 21, from St Andrews, agreed. She said: “I don’t think we should leave because there is too much of a risk and I don’t think the country will benefit from being alone.”
Andriana Mentzelopoulou, 30, moved to Dundee from Greece. She explained that her husband is a surgeon at Ninewells, with his contract expiring next year. She is pregnant and said it would’ve been difficult to join him without being part of the EU.
She added: “Many people are worried about paying money to the EU but I think the country benefits more from what EU migrants bring to the economy.”
Elaine Smith, 48, from Fintry, was voting remain, while daughter Jen, 23, was undecided.
Elaine said: “If we were to leave I don’t think we’d be OK on our own, I think the economy would suffer.”
But retired operations director John Clark, 64, from Ballumbie had a different viewpoint, strongly leaning towards Brexit. He said: “I think the EU is one of the most undemocratic organisations.
“It’s a huge call but I think the choice is long overdue for voters.
“That said, I think it’s a disgrace how the campaigns have been conducted, with scaremongering from both sides.”
Charles Barrie, 75, meanwhile has voted to leave, through his postal vote.
“Immigration is an issue for me — we are only a small island and can’t accept more people when we don’t have enough jobs and resources,” said the retired butcher from Craigie.
Stephen Edwards, 61, a retired engineer from Lochee, also wants out due to EU regulations and immigration.
Polls open tomorrow at 7am, staying open till 10pm. All British, Irish and Commonwealth citizens aged 18 or over who are resident in the UK or Gibraltar can vote.
Unlike the Scottish independence referendum, 16 and 17 year olds will not be able to cast their vote tomorrow.
Most opinion polls have put the result as too close to call. A national result is expected by breakfast time on Friday.
A 38-year-old man has been airlifted to hospital in Dundee after his leg was broken by a digger.
The man was understood to have suffered severe injuries during the incident, which took place at around 6pm on Wednesday at a construction site in River Street, Brechin.
The man, who is employed by Morrison Construction, was working on the Brechin Flood Protection Scheme. He is not local to the area.
A trauma team was called to the scene and the casualty was airlifted to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
Inquiries into the incident are now being carried out by the Health and Safety Executive.
A spokesman for the HSE said: “I can confirm we are aware of the incident and are making initial inquiries.”
Part of the digger was said to have fallen on top of the man, trapping his leg underneath.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance confirmed that the helicopter had been called to the incident.
She said: “We were able to land in a field near to where it happened and took a man to Ninewells Hospital.”
A Police Scotland spokesman said they received reports from the Scottish Ambulance Service that machinery had fallen on a 38-year-old man’s leg.
He said he could give no further details about the man’s condition.
Brechin resident Carrie Milne, 35, who lives nearby, said her husband, Barry, 34, witnessed the incident.
She said: “Barry was walking the dog when he saw the digger lying on top of the man.
“Barry said the guy’s injuries looked pretty bad with his leg stuck underneath the digger.”
A Morrison Construction spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that an incident occurred just before 6pm on Wednesday on the Brechin flood project. A Morrison employee sustained a leg injury and was taken to Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.
“The emergency services were informed of the incident immediately and attended. An investigation at the site is under way to establish the precise circumstances that led to the accident.
“Naturally, our concern and first thoughts are with our colleague.”
The percentage of Taysiders seeking dental check-ups has fallen over the last eight years.
More than a quarter of adults in the area have not contacted the General Dental Service (GDS) for an exam or treatment within the last two years.
As recently as March 2008, 100% of children and 99.3% of adults had visited an NHS dental surgery within the last two years.
But as of March 2016, those figures were 88.5% for children and 74.6% for adults.
Derek Richards, director of the Centre for Evidence-based Dentistry in Dundee, said: “The number of patients attending an NHS dental practice has increased, although registrations have seen a larger increase, resulting in an overall lowering of the participation rate.
“For adults who are liable to pay NHS dental charges, concern over cost may cause some not to attend — even though check-ups are free.”
Monifieth-based dentist Patricia Barry-Murphy said a number of factors could have contributed to people’s decisions not to get NHS check-ups.
She told the Tele: “I think an increase in the uptake of private dental services could be a factor.
“But I’d say now more than ever before people are aware of their dental health. It is the case that in tough economic times some people deprioritise it but the increased uptake of private and cosmetic treatments not available on the NHS is something a lot of dentists are noticing.”
NHS Tayside clinical dental director Morag Curnow said: “Over the last 10 years, registrations to the GDS have risen substantially.
“This is due to the improved access to NHS dentists across Tayside.
“The best way to care for your teeth is to attend your dentist for regular check-ups, restrict your sugar intake and brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.”
