Alloa Advertiser
‘Forth Valley College has to be protected’
THE Scottish Labour candidate for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane has urged the Scottish Government to protect the future of Forth Valley College. Suzanne Grahame has joined dozens of concerned locals in writing to Jenny Gilruth, the Cabinet Secretary...
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Tillicoultry GP retires after 34 years’ service
A TILLICOULTRY GP has retired after working at the town’s medical practice for 34 years. Dr James King first joined the surgery back in January 1992. He clocked out for the last time on Hogmanay, ahead of his 63rd birthday. He said: “I’ll miss the...
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Lisa is given the gift of life for Christmas
AN ALLOA woman was given the gift of life this Christmas after the successful transplant of a kidney donated by her best friend. Suffering from cystic fibrosis, Lisa Hertwig, 35, is no stranger to hospital appointments, and in 2016 received a crucial...
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‘Bravery and sacrifice’ inscribed for all to see
THE name of a soldier killed in the Second World War has been added to the Dollar War Memorial. More than 80 years after his death, Private George Alister Walker Ewan’s name has been inscribed on the memorial in Clackmannanshire. The soldier, who...
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Construction begins on ‘ambitious’ project
FULL construction is underway at what has been dubbed the council’s ‘most ambitious community project.’ The project in question is the Wellbeing Hub and Lochies School, which aims to transform how health, wellbeing, education, and community services...
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Dog owner speaks out after attack on Reggie
A DOG owner has told the Advertiser of a “distressing incident” in which her beloved pet was attacked. Dr Jessica Burrows was walking her dog Reggie in Alloa’s West End Park last week when she claims he was “attacked without warning by an off-lead...
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Drink-driver fell from rock ledge after crash
A TULLIBODY drink-driver on a camping trip fell to his injury off a rocky ledge while waiting for police called by worried kayakers on a nearby loch. Ryan Taylor stumbled out of his van after it left the A821 road at Loch Venachar in The...
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Paul aims to take lead after change of career
ALLOA’S Pets Direct has moved into a new era, with a new boss at the helm. Paul Neil, 61, bought the business from owner Tony Vines who spent 28 years in charge, back in July. Although he loves animals, his career background is in a totally different...
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Crazed Alloa man ‘We are both going Tells partner: to die tonight’
AN ALLOA man left his partner in fear for her life after trying to murder her during a weekend break at a luxury spa hotel, a court heard. Sean Hendry, 29, attacked the woman at the Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa in Edinburgh after they went to their...
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Potential lifeline for FVC campus amid fresh hope
THE Scottish Government will step in to look at ways for Alloa’s Forth Valley College campus to stay open. It comes after months of uncertainty surrounding the site’s future, with the proposal to close it revealed back in September. Now, the...
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‘Brutal and wicked’ torture of kitten
A WEE COUNTY man who tortured a kitten to death in front of his terrified partner has been jailed for four years. Lewis Aitken, 21, who also admitted abusing his partner, was banned from ever owning an animal in the future. People left the courtroom...
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Wee County artist exhibits ‘common people’ display
CLACKMANNAN artist Kyle Blain recently exhibited his latest collection, Common People, at SaltSpace Gallery in Glasgow. The exhibition follows his final year at the Glasgow School of Art, where Blain’s work explored themes of family, memory, and...
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RAAC group calls for First Minister meeting
THE UK RAAC Campaign Group has penned an open letter to Scotland’s First Minister, requesting an urgent meeting to address the situation of Tillicoultry residents along with others who were forced out of their homes. Three blocks of flats on Chapelle...
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Heartfelt event returns to Clacks after six years
A HEARTFELT event, originally in memory of a Clackmannan man, is making a return after six years. It was originally organised by Ashley McEwan six years ago to raise awareness of men’s mental health, and commemorated the loss of her uncle, Brent...
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Alloa man tortured kitten to death in front of ex-partner
AN ABUSER is facing jail after torturing a kitten to death in front of his terrified partner. Lewis Aitken, 21, of Carpenters’ Wynd in Alloa, was in a relationship with the woman, also 21, for two years and began to abuse her when she became a...
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‘...Lives turned upside down’
AN ALLOA woman says her life has been “turned upside down” after healthcare failings led to her father’s terminal brain cancer being missed. Leslie Davis, 78, has been left confined to his living room after being diagnosed with the disease in August,...
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‘Inhumane’ conditions nd
A WEE COUNTY woman has branded the conditions at Forth Valley Royal Hospital as “inhumane”, after her mother was left in a bed that was “not fit for purpose”. The 53-year-old, was suffering from fluid in her lungs, but staff were run off their...
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Alloa abuser is jailed for two years
A “MAXIMUM RISK” domestic abuser from Alloa who subjected his partner to a terrifying in-car assault as he drove her along a dual carriageway has been jailed for two years. Mujtaba Choudry (pictured) grabbed his victim by the hair as he drove at...
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Alloa mum’s call over ‘dangerous crossing’
AN ALLOA mum has called for action after several near misses on a busy route through the town. Pleh Sneh wants something to be done to improve safety at a crossing on Clackmannan Road close to the Forth Valley College campus. She has now launched a...
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Murdoch reflects on the ‘greatest feat of my life’
AN 86-YEAR-OLD Alloa man has described attempting a charity mountain climb as “the greatest physical feat” of his life. As previously reported in the Advertiser, Murdoch McGregor, who is originally from Alloa but now lives in Sauchie, planned to climb...
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NHS Forth Valley fails on critical stroke care
NEW figures have revealed that Forth Valley is failing on critical stroke care for patients. According to Public Health Scotland, of the 628 strokes in Forth Valley in 2024, 60 percent did not receive care defined by the national standard. Figures...
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‘Absolutely crazy’ to score Hollywood film
A YOUNG Clackmannanshire jazz artist is behind the score of a new film by a renowned Hollywood director. Jazz pianist Fergus McCreadie said it was “absolutely crazy” to have contributed to the soundtrack for Spike Lee’s latest film, Highest 2 Lowest,...
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Clacks families face summer poverty crisis
THE summer holidays “have pushed a lot of families across Clackmannanshire into very tough spots”, according to a charity. The Gate Community Hub sits at Alloa’s Ludgate, outlined the trouble many families find themselves in right now. It said: “None...
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Solar energy helps power nd water works
A NEW solar energy scheme is now powering a major wastewater treatment works. The £1.3 million project in Alloa is delivering nearly a third of the energy used at the site, which serves thousands of residents in and around the town. The scheme...
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NHS threatened with action over FOI replies
NHS FORTH VALLEY has been warned it could face enforcement action if it does not improve its response times to Freedom of Information requests. The Scottish Information Commissioner David Hamilton has written to the health board over a lack of...
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Fujitsu bosses are getting o ‘scot-free’
AN ALVA postmaster who was wrongfully convicted due to the post office scandal has said that Fujitsu is getting away from the affair “scot-free”. 65-year-old Rab Thomson was one of many workers across the UK to be accused of theft due to a fault with...
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‘It felt like they just didn’t care’ as GP misses Alloa man’s cancer
AN ALLOA grandfather now has to use a prosthetic voicebox after GPs failed to spot his throat cancer. Steve Barton, 68, repeatedly contacted his local practice when he was experiencing issues with breathing and swallowing. However, his concerns were...
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Centenary celebrations for beloved Sauchie man
AS A FIREFIGHTER he was used to putting out flames but luckily for Andrew Dawson he didn’t have to blow out 100 candles as he celebrated his centenary. For his milestone birthday the Sauchie man was surrounded by friends and family, including his...
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Teenager avoids prison following fatal A977 crash nd
A TEENAGE motorist who caused the death of man just three weeks after he passed his driving test has been spared a jail sentence. Calum Anderson, then 17, lost control of his works van and was on the wrong side of the road when it smashed into a car...
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Royal visitor drops in to chat with seniors
VILLAGE Kitchen welcomed a special royal guest to their Thursday Lunch Club. Prince Michael, the Duke of Kent, visited the Hive Community Centre on May 29 to chat with local seniors who had just enjoyed a three-course meal. The Duke, 89, was...
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Woman terrorised by armed man who forced way into flat
A ROBBER armed with a handgun terrorised a woman in a bid to get money after targeting a flat where he believed a sex worker lived. The High Court in Edinburgh heard that David Hunter, 39, of Lambert Terrace, Alloa, forced his way into the property in...
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Lives ‘totally destroyed’
RESIDENTS at a village on the Fife-Clacks border insist their lives have been “totally destroyed” by a business at a quarry nearby. The community in Bogside had previously spoken out against the activities of Paterson’s Quarries. They claimed that...
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Hillfoots man selected to represent Scotland
AN ALVA man is fundraising in the hopes of travelling to Italy to represent his country at powerchair football. Kieran Steer has been named in the Scotland squad for the Euros, set to take place this September. The 29-year-old, who plays for Lothian...
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Mission: Impawsible
A DOG became trapped at a Clacks beauty spot after it suffered a fall. Members of the Ochils Mountain Rescue Team was called out on Saturday, May 10 to assist a hillwalker’s pet who had got stuck at Dollar Glen. The owner had worked their way down to...
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‘...A connection that went beyond words’
STAFF at a Wee County care home paid thanks to a therapy horse company after they provided help to a resident shortly before his death. Stewart Marsland passed away on Friday, February 14, following 16 years of care at Hillview Court in...
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Clacks pond ruined by construction company
CONCERNS for wildlife have been raised after a pond was destroyed by a construction company – without planning approval. Residents observed diggers and other vehicles clearing the water space north of Alloa Fire Station, while a significant number of...
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Plea over lack of transport options for the disabled
RESIDENTS declared that “it feels like the walls are closing in” during a discussion on the lack of transport options for disabled people. A public meeting went ahead at the Sauchie Hall on Thursday, with people invited to work towards more choices...
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Two reported over Alloa road crash
TWO people have been reported for road traffic offences following a serious accident that resulted in an air ambulance being called to Alloa. Clackmannan Road was closed on Friday afternoon by emergency services, after a car crashed into a motorbike....
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‘Kicked in the teeth’
CONFUSION remains surrounding the future of an Alloa care home after staff were told part of it would be closing down. The Advertiser has been informed that Ludgate House’s respite units are being removed, but nothing official has come from the...
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Care home to close in Wee County as decision approved
RESIDENTS within Menstrie House will be dispersed to other care homes after it was decided to close the facility. A paper was put forward to the Clackmannanshire and Stirling Health Care Partnership seeking approval to cease residential facilities at...
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Bus attacks ‘must stop’
A CALL to end increasing violence on buses serving Tillicoultry has been made by a Clacks MSP. McGill’s Midland Bluebird’s number 51, 52 and H2 routes were suspended from stopping at Murray Square in the town due to a rise in anti-social behaviour.
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Council backs rebuild plan for Carsebridge
A PROPOSAL to rebuild the exterior of an iconic historic building in Alloa has been backed by the council’s planning committee. An option to have the shell of Carsebridge House reconstructed was voted in by councillors during the meeting on Thursday,...
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‘...I want to go home’
HOMEOWNERS in Tillicoultry displaced by the presence of RAAC in their roofs could have their buildings repaired. The Advertiser has been informed that potential remedial works are being considered alongside other options for the three blocks of flats.
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Buses come under threat from gang of masked thugs
BUSES in Tillicoultry had to be cancelled after a ‘group of youths’ attacked and smashed windows. Midland Bluebird, operated by McGills, was forced to withdraw services through the town following repeated attacks on their fleet. The operator...
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Shock after council rent set to soar
AN ALLOA resident has voiced their concern after finding out their rent will increase by 18 per cent. The council granted a 10 per cent rise in base fees for their tenants during their full meeting on Thursday, January 30. Additionally, elected...
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Message sent as community rallies to help save public hall
A PUBLIC event held last to allow residents to meet the new committee dedicated to saving Sauchie Hall had an amazing turnout from the community. The meeting saw over 60 people turn up and sign up to save the hall - which is due to close on April 1...
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MAYBE SHARK?
Add a little teeth to the spring cleaning with a chance to win a vacuum cleaner
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Police reveal number of sex offenders in Clacks by postcode
POLICE SCOTLAND has revealed new figures that show that there are 298 Registered Sex Offenders (RSOs) living in Forth Valley. New data showed that as of January 1, 2025, there were a further 128 RSOs in custody or in hospital in the district, which...
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Storm Eowyn takes its toll on Wee County
SCHOOLS were closed and trains ground to a halt as Storm Eowyn hit the Wee County on Friday. Winds reaching as high as 80 miles per hour battered the whole of the central belt, with a red weather warning put in place across Clackmannanshire. The...
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Alloa Football Memories group praised in Parliament by MP
A HISTORIAN who launched a group to help those with dementia connect and reminisce through football has had his work praised in the UK Parliament. John Glencross brought the hugely successful Football Memories project to Alloa, starting with just six...
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Respiratory illnesses dominating hospital
ONE in six beds at Forth Valley Royal Hospital are occupied by patients with respiratory illnesses. NHS Forth Valley revealed that they have seen a sharp increase in the number of people coming in with flu, Covid-19 and respiratory syncytial virus...
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Delight as Magnificent Seven are recognised
YOUNGSTERS at a Wee County scout group have been awarded the highest accolade of their age category. The West Alloa Scout Group Beaver section saw seven of their members achieve the Bronze Award after completing a series of challenges throughout the...
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Inside this week’s
Facelift keeps Alva community hub cosy...P6 Call for free bus passes to revoked if abuse continues...P7
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Tillicoultry mum joins think tank on energy tariffs
A TILLICOULTRY mum has become part of a Scottish Government working group to introduce social energy tariffs. Carolynne Hunter has spent years campaigning for better energy bill support for people with disabilities or who are terminally ill. She...
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High number of ‘danger dogs’ in Clacks
ONE postcode in the Wee County is among the top 20 places in Scotland with the highest number of XL Bully dogs. Figures obtained by the Sunday Times have revealed the number of exemption certificates issued by the Scottish Government since a ban on...
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Trust hoping to prevent closure of Ben Cleuch Centre
A PLAN is being put together to keep a community centre in Tillicoultry open after the council has decided to close its doors. The newly formed Tillicoultry, Coalsnaughton and Devonside Community Development Trust are hoping to put together a project...
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SCHOOL DECISION MADE
ST MUNGO’S Roman Catholic Primary School has been permanently relocated to Alloa Academy. Councillors made the decision to keep the schools under the same site during a full meeting of the council on Thursday. This proposal was first suggested...
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Help to spread a little cheer this Christmas
BUSINESSES have partnered up with the Advertiser as part of our annual Christmas Toy Appeal. We believe that every child deserves a gift this Christmas and we have been blown away by the levels of support shown by the community in previous years. As...
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Man bitten in neck and eye during dog attack in Sauchie
A MAN was bitten in the neck and eye when he tried to protect his pet which was being attacked by another dog in Sauchie. A destruction order has now been imposed at Alloa Sheriff Court on the dog, a Staffy, after its attack on a smaller animal. Its...
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Lornshill Academy hosts careers event for pupils and parents
A SCHOOL in Alloa is hosting a careers event to support pupils’ future plans. Lornshill Academy is inviting youngsters from third to sixth year and their families to engage with local employers, universities and colleges about opportunities after...
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The Advertiser Toy Appeal is back for 2024
THIS week, the Alloa Advertiser launches its annual Christmas Toy Appeal in the hopes of bringing a little comfort and joy to those in need this festive season. Last year’s campaign proved so successful that we are once again asking readers to support...
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Father and daughter duo complete all Great Trails
A FATHER and daughter duo have completed all 29 of Scotland’s Great Trails after trekking for nearly two years. Ian and Eve Alderman, who are both autistic, challenged themselves to trek across the country in January 2023, raising nearly £7,000 for...
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Ex-soldier jailed over crash that nd injured woman
A PAEDOPHILE ex-squaddie has been jailed after crashing a van with no effective brakes and a window blacked out with plastic into an oncoming car, seriously injuring its woman driver. Kevin Convery’s Vauxhall Combo had a smashed passenger window...
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Family pays tribute to tragic Graham a er explosion
TRIBUTES have been made to the victim of an explosion which rocked a block of flats in Alloa two weeks ago. Formal identification has yet to take place but the family of Graham Green have been informed. Emergency services were called to reports of a...
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Horror as man dies in shock explosion at house in Alloa
A MAN was killed after an explosion rocked a property in Alloa on Sunday evening. Emergency services raced to Kellie Place after reports of the blast came in at 6pm, with police, ambulance and firefighters in attendance. Police Scotland immediately...
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