by Cara Sulieman

SCOTLAND’S bothies are under threat from commercial groups who are illicitly using them as overnight accommodation.

The Mountain Bothies Association – who maintain many of Scotland’s wild shelters – have warned that the buildings may even be closed down if the practice doesn’t stop.

Scotland is currently home to around 100 bothies, which provide essential shelter to outdoor enthusiasts for free.

But some companies offering guided hikes in the Scottish Highlands are including them in their itinerary without getting the owners’ permission first.

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By MICHAEL MacLEOD

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EDINBURGH: A SHAMED Scottish gymnastics coach faces jail for a 22-year campaign of sexual assaults on girls as young as seven years-old.

Perverted Mitchell Dolphin, 51, wept in the dock as he was found guilty today (THURS) of abusing six girls who he taught at his gym in Midlothian.

The verdict from the jury of four women and 11 men was swung by the evidence of a handful of former pupils at Dolphin’s Lo-Gy Centre gym, who were victims of his sickening abuse.

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By Cara Sulieman and Rory Reynolds

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LIVINGSTON: TORRENTIAL rain and flooding across parts of Scotland were feared to have claimed the life of at least one man today (thurs) – with forecasters warning of more bad weather to come over the weekend.

At least 20 rivers were last night subject to flood watches as heavy rainfall led to considerable train disruption and several key roads – including the A1 between Scotland and England – being closed to traffic.

In West Lothian police and RAF search and rescue teams spent several hours searching the swollen River Almond near Livingston after reports of a man falling into the fast-flowing waters.

A distraught member of the public called Lothian and Borders Police at 9am to say that they had seen the man fall into the river from a footbridge in the Kirkton area of the town.

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By Cara Sulieman

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LINLITHGOW: A BABY has had a miracle escape after sick yobs smashed a brick through a bedroom window – showering her moses basket with razor sharp shards of glass.

Tiny 11-week old Chloe Girdwood only cheated injury because she was ill and being comforted in the arms of her doting mum Fiona Wallace when the thugs struck.

Fiona, 25, revealed it is the THIRD time in as many weeks that her Linlithgow home has been targeted – leaving her and partner Andrew Girdwood, 28, living in fear.

She said: “I don’t want to think about what could have happened to her.”

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By Cara Sulieman

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CARDENDEN: A MOTHER has been reunited with the son she was forced to put up for adoption more 44 years ago – never knowing that he had grown up living only a few miles away.

Margaret Wilson, 64, had to give her son David up for adoption when she was just 19 because being a single mum was frowned upon at the time – and she lost all hope of ever seeing him again.

But at the start of August she received a mysterious phone call that would eventually lead to her meeting her son – now called Stephen Basey.

A few days later Margaret, from Cardenden, Fife, received a touching letter from David, 44, asking to get back in touch.

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By OLIVER FARRIMOND

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EDINBURGH: THE battle to save hundreds of jobs at one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries entered was stepped up tonight as MSPs backed by workers took their fight to Holyrood.

Despite announcing profits of almost £2bn for the last year, drinks giant Diageo plans to axe 700 jobs at its Johnnie Walker plant in Kilmarnock as part of a 900 job cull.

Angry workers from the plant travelled to the Scottish Parliament, along with the whisky band’s iconic ‘Striding Man’ and the Johnnie Walker girls.

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By OLIVER FARRIMOND

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EDINBURGH: SCOTS tycoon Sir Tom Farmer has launched a blistering attack on both the UK and Scottish governments accusing them of “limping from one crisis to the next”.

Speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, the hugely respected businessman blamed a “lack of leadership” for political dithering he blames for strangling the economy.

He also called for business leaders to stand in local elections, in order to circumvent bureaucracy and red tape, and to send a message to those in power.

Sir Tom, who will celebrate his 70th birthday next year, said: “Government is floundering, and limping from one crisis to another.

“We were promised less bureaucracy, but we have more.

“We were promised less red tape which strangles our businesses, but we have more.

“And although there are many politicians, both local and national, who work hard and do a very good job for us, there are too many who are milking the system.”

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By CARA SULIEMAN

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EDINBURGH: MSPS are being urged to take action to prevent hedge rage from ruining lives.

A new nationwide campaign launched by ScotHedge calls on new laws to be introduced so planning chiefs can put an end to neighbour disputes.

Campaign leader Dr Colin Watson said: “We call it vegetation tyranny.”

“In the most extreme cases it can leave people living in terror from threats of violence and the need to involve the police.”

Now the group is calling on “victims” of high hedge disputes to come forward and lend support to their cause.

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