Evening Times

Hearts Star in Court On Gun Charge

HEARTS player Lee Wallace appeared in court today charged with possessing a loaded gun. The 19-year-old player is accused of having the gun in Sighthill Green, Edinburgh, on August 4.

Firemen Warned Over Gay 'Boycott'

NINE firefighters have been disciplined for refusing to hand out safety leaflets at a gay rights parade in Glasgow. One has been stripped of his rank in a move that could cost him up to GBP5000 a year.

Missing Dad Iain Found Dead Tragedy After 6-Week Wait for News

ADEVOTED dad who vanished from his home after losing out on a vital job interview has been found dead. Police today confirmed the body of Iain Cowie, 33, had been discovered in a flat in Govan - six weeks after he disappeared. His partner Margaret Shirkie said today: "It's a nightmare. It's really hard for us to take it in. We had been praying for good news."

Baa Rejects Calls for Airport Break-Up

AIRPORT operator BAA today rejected calls by some airlines for the break-up of ownership of its UK airports, saying it would be "a poisonous cocktail for consumers". British Airways and Ryanair have suggested to the Office of Fair Trading that there be a restructuring of the airport ownership system.

Patient Waiting List at All-Time Low

THE number of patients waiting more than four months for treatment in Glasgow has hit an alltime low, according to the latest figures. Health chiefs say hospitals in the city are exceeding planned targets for inpatient, day care and outpatients' waiting times.

Firemen Disciplined in Gay March Leaflet Row

NINE firefighters have received written warnings after refusing to hand out safety leaflets at a gay rights parade in Glasgow. They have all been disciplined and ordered to undergo training so that they can better understand the lifestyles of same sex partners.

Still Game Starhasnew Granny Role

ACTRESS Jane McCarry, best known for her role as nosey Isa in the television comedy Still Game, has landed a top role on children's TV. She will star as Granny Murray in Me Too! , a new series aiming to follow the success of Scots hit Balamory.

My Space Odyssey . . . From Houston to Houston! Schoolgirl Set to Boldly Go On 10-Day Nasa Trip

SPACE-MAD teenager Eleanor Wilson is taking a giant 4583mile leap for mankind. But the sixth year pupil could be forgiven for thinking she's hardly budged at all. For she'll leave Houston tomorrow morning and arrive more than eight hours later - in Houston.

Pervert Basketball Coach Gets 2 Years 25-Year-Old Is Jailed After Being Caught with 4000 Images On His Computer

AN award-winning basketball coach who worked as a classroom assistant in a primary school and was unmasked as a pervert has been locked up for two years. By day, Alan Chalmers worked in Paisley's Craigielea Primary School and helped out as a volunteer head coach with a basketball team based at St Mirren's Love Street ground.

Carer Training Offer for Single Parents

UNEMPLOYED single parents are being offered the chance to become carers. The training agency One Plus is running two courses in West Dunbartonshire, each for 15people, over an eightweek period.

Cash Setback 'Won't Stop New Zoo Plan' Bosses Upbeat Over Facility's Prospects

BOSSES behind plans for a GBP35million Amazonian animal attraction on the banks of the Clyde today insisted the project would still go ahead despite a funding setback. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland has been denied a GBP250,000 lottery grant which would have allowed it to carry out a detailed feasibility study for the giant futuristic glasshouse planned at Cuningar Loop between Dalmarnock and Rutherglen.

A Novel Event with Tv's Alan

GARDENER Alan Titchmarsh will be in Glasgow to sign copies of his new book next Tuesday. The TV presenter, above, will be at Ottakar's bookstore in Buchanan Galleries from 4pm to promote his latest novel Love and Dr Devon.

Gbp1500 Gem at Charity Ball

Scots Mum Helped Me Write Steptoe

THE classic television comedy Steptoe And Son owed its appearance to a remarkable Scottish lady. Co-writer Ray Galton, who will be in Glasgow next week to launch the final Steptoe adventure on stage at the Theatre Royal, has revealed the inspiration behind the show about the rag and bone men.

Cool Clarkson . . . The Teenage Hero Top Gear Host Voted One of Uk's Hippest Stars

JEREMY CLARKSON may be middle-aged, middle-class and blamed for a slump in jeans sales - but to millions of kids he's a real cool dude. Inthe eyes of the nation's 11 and 12-yearolds, the lanky Top Gear host is the third hippest celebrity in Britain.

Islanders Seeking Lamlash Fish Ban

CAMPAIGNERS want to establish a "No-Take Zone" for fish and shellfish off a Clyde island. Members of the Scottish Parliament's environment and rural development committee were today meeting the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (Coast) which has campaigned for fishing restrictions in the island's Lamlash Bay.

Chance to Swap Ideas with Writer

BOOK fans are in for a treat when awardwinning writer Anne Donovan visits a Paisley library next month. Anne has written short stories, and stage and radio material and has also penned novels.

Rail Travellers Still Remain to Be Convinced Train Bosses' Pledge - P4

IT is a bold assurance by Network Rail bosses that the company is ready to cope with the very worst weather this winter. For years passengers have suffered when the rail system grinds to a halt whenever there's a big freeze or storms.

Police Have Vital Role in Schools Keeping Kids in Line - P15

POLICE officers who have taken to the corridors of three East Renfrewshire schools have an important job to do. The PCs have already been busy in the first weeks of the new term, breaking up a fight and patrolling potential flashpoints at takeaways and stations.

How Much Would You Spend to Avoid Those Bad Hair Days?

SO now it's official - as if it needed confirmation, really. Many women see their hair as the most important part of their appearance. Over their lifetime, the average woman will spend nearly GBP40,000 on her hair.