The Herald

Police Hunting Rory 'S Killer Find Man's Body in House Neighbours Talk of 'Hillbilly' Who Had Been Living On His Own

POLICE hunting the killer of 11-year-old Rory Blackhall yesterday discovered a body at a house they were searching in connection with his murder. The schoolboy's body was found a week ago in woods near his school in Livingston, setting off one of Lothian and Borders' biggest murder inquiries.

Helping Hand in Town

NEW rules aimed at helping town centres will mean proposed out- of-town shopping developments will face tougher planning obstacles. The guidelines from the Scottish Executive may also lead to a growth in casinos, which could be added to town centre leisure developments if they are justified as a means of regeneration, employment and tourism.

Skateboard Fan's 120ft Death Fall

A TEENAGER has died after falling from the top floor of a five- storey car park while watching friends who were skateboarding. Sean McGee, 19, fell off the ledge of the College Street car park, in Aberdeen, during an illicit skateboarding competition that was being held on the top floor of the building. It is believed he was trying to stop a friend from jumping when the accident happened just before midnight on Saturday.

Criminals Cutting Jail Terms with Early Pleas of Guilty

DOZENS of criminals are pleading guilty before trial in the hope of receiving a third off their sentence following improvements to the court system. After the recommendations of Lord Bonomy to speed up the High Court process, ministers introduced preliminary hearings to encourage people to plead early and help reduce disruption to witnesses and victims.

'She Likes the Way Scottish People Talk with Kindness in Their Voice' How Sabina's New Friends Raised Funds for Treatment

THEY left their home, their jobs and even their son to come to Scotland in the hope that it would save their tiny daughter's life. Florentin and Cristina Cimpeanu, from Romania, then faced another hurdle in raising the funds for the surgery that Sabina, who has a rare form of cancer, needs to survive.

Butterflies Have Had Enough of Scots Sun

IT is a rare downside of Scotland becoming a warmer place: butterflies that once thrived on our normally inclement weather now appear to be on the search for colder climes.

'He Was a Real Loner . . . A Bit of a Hillbilly, Scruffy ' Joiner's Neighbours Speak Out

THE huge manhunt for Rory Blackhall's killer brought a dramatic development last night as police recovered a body after breaking into a house in Livingston. As word spread of the potential breakthrough in the murder inquiry, a crowd of neighbours and young teenagers gathered outside 78 Camps Rigg, Livingston, to watch as police forensic officers in white overalls entered and left the house.

Forget Malls, Planners Want Us Shopping in the High Street Executive Hopes to Reverse the Decline in Local Retail Outlets

NEW out-of-town shopping centres will face tougher planning hurdles under rules laid down by the Scottish Executive that are intended to promote town centres instead. But ministers accept that not all town centres can aspire to the same services, and some will be allowed to decline and die if they under-perform.

'For 20 Years I've Watched the Area Become Like a Ghost Town'

IF tumbleweed grew in Paisley, it would have woven its way effortlessly down the High Street yesterday. In the middle of the day the area was deserted, save for a handful of hardy souls braving the biting wind and swirling rain.

Politicians Frustrated As Gbp4.2m A9 Accident Blackspot Junction Delayed

POLITICIANS yesterday expressed anger at the failure of ministers to deliver on a promised junction at an accident blackspot. The GBP4.2m junction on the A9 at Ballinluig, near Aberfeldy, was supposed to have been opened earlier this year after it was announced in April 2002, a year after four members of an Israeli family were killed in an accident.

Fatal Plunge As Skateboarders 'Jammed' On the Fifth Floor Illicit Car Park Gathering Ends in Tragedy

SCORES of teenagers had turned up to watch a skateboarding "jam" at the multistorey car park where 19-yearold Sean McGee fell to his death at the weekend from the fifth floor. The illicit competition for boarders was held on the top floor of the College Street car park in Aberdeen.

Ramblers On a Roll, Courtesy of Gannett's Grant

EXPLORING the countryside is no longer an uphill struggle for the Forth and Tay Disabled Ramblers. The Glenrothes charity acquired two new scooters this week, after receiving an award of GBP10,500 from a charitable foundation sponsored by Gannett, the parent company of The Herald.

Housebreakers Careful to Keep Thieves Out with Cctv Cameras and Alarms

A THIEF believes everybody steals, an American novelist once remarked. It is no surprise therefore that housebreakers are more security-conscious than ordinary householders, with more having alarm systems or CCTV cameras fitted totheir homes. A survey revealed yesterday that just more than one-third, 34- percent, of householders have an alarm system, as opposed to almost half, 43- percent, of housebreakers. Nearly one-third of housebreakers, 29- percent, also have CCTV cameras fitted to their...

Police Wait to Investigate Fire

Police are waiting to investigate a fire that destroyed a warehouse in Glasgow. A spokesman for Strathclyde Police said yesterday that the building on Yorkhill Quay was still smouldering and may not be declared safe for forensics experts to enter until tomorrow at the earliest.

Two Fishing Crews Rescued

Twelve fishermen were rescued in two incidents yesterday in the North Sea. In the first, Shetland coastguard was alerted at 2pm that the fishing vessel Fertile II was sinking 80 miles north-east of Lerwick.

Partnership for Work Safety

A partnership which aims to improve health and safety across Scotland's workplaces has been launched. It was set up by the Health and Safety Commission after calls for better co-ordination of expertise across the health and safety system.

Teenagers Die in Road Crash

Two teenagers died and four other people were injured in a crash on the ski road to the Cairngorms early yesterday. The C38 CoylumbridgeGlenmore road, the only route to the Cairngorm mountain centre, was closed as a result .

Food Hygiene and Safety Reports Go On Internet

FOOD safety and hygiene reports on restaurants and other food outlets in Glasgow were posted on the city council's website at the weekend. Twenty-one reports are online, ranging from coffee shops to mini markets, nursing homes, newsagents, pubs, and sandwich bars.

Rolf and Friends Paint a Masterpiece

MASSIVE MONA: A giant version of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa was created yesterday by 120 artists. Led by Rolf Harris, the group painted different sections of the masterpiece on 120 canvases that were assembled on a 10-yard long grid in Edinburgh's Mound precinct.

Scotland's Favourite Painting: Your Final Chance to Vote

The Herald is searching for Scotland's favourite painting and today is your final chance to vote. The shortlist is published below and readers can cast their vote by e-mail or text message. All votes must be received by tonight at 5pm. Today's featured paintings Lady Taking Tea, by Jean Simeon Chardin Nominated by Monica Callaghan, a 35-year-old artist from the west end of Glasgow.