Stirling Observer
GANGLAND GETAWAY DRIVER JAILED
A Bannockburn man who admitted being part of a gang war machete attack on an ally of a crime boss has been locked up for almost four years. Joshua Stewart, 21, was the getaway driver for a crew who targeted the man outside his Edinburgh home last...
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IMPROVEMENT WORKSTOSTART ONDANGERROAD
An accident-prone stretch of road near Blairdrummond is set to see new safety improvements as road chiefs unveil plans to reduce crashes. The area of the A84 near the safari park and the Smiddy has been put in the spotlight, with a petition calling...
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SCHOOL’S FUTUREIS INDOUBT
The future of a prestigious school has been thrown into doubt as a consultation was launched with staff. Fairview International School in Bridge of Allan has announced that discussions are underway amid financial pressures and declining enrolment...
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Mclaughlan to face a standards hearing
A Stirling councillor is facing a standards hearing amid allegations he was disrespectful during a meeting. Stirling East SNP Councillor Gerry Mclaughlan is facing a Standards Commission for Scotland hearing in June. The Standards Commission has...
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Katy’s Cambodia trek
A Bridge of Allan mum is preparing for a gruelling trek in South East Asia to support a local hospice. Katy Whitelaw will walk across Cambodia to raise funds for Strathcarron Hospice in memory of family and friends. She decided to take on the epic...
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Council’s new rural buses
The husband of a brave Stirling woman who became a passionate advocate for assisted dying was “overwhelmed” after hearing his late wife’s words being quoted during a debate. Roger Buchanan said he was disappointed by the rejection of the bill on...
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NEWHUB UNVEILED
Residents in Doune and Deanston are celebrating the official opening of a “cutting edge” community facility. Located in Moray Park, the modern pavilion building will be the main base for the Doune and Deanston Youth Project (DDYP), a charity that...
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MANADMITS ROLEINGANG WAR ATTACK
A Bannockburn man has admitted to his part in a brutal machete attack on an associate of a crime boss during a large-scale gang war. Joshua Stewart, pictured, was the getaway driver for a crew who targeted a man outside his home last May. The victim...
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ENDTHETRAUMA OFCANCER TREATMENT DELAYS
A Dollar mum is calling on cancer treatment delays to be tackled as she told how prompt action saved her own life. Tamsen Livingstone is speaking out after it was revealed that over the past five years, around 17,500 extra people would have started...
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It’spartytime!
A major three-day music festival is set to visit Stirling this summer. BBC Radio 2’s flagship Party in the Park event is coming to City Park in August, with top artists set to perform across two stages. DJ Scott Mills shared the announcement on his...
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WE NEED ANSWERS OVER DIESEL SPILL
The investigation into last week’s diesel spill in Killin is ongoing as questions continue to rage over the cause of the incident and support for businesses and wildlife. Drinking water supplies were finally given the green light for villagers on...
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Plans drawn up for the council budget
Proposals to invest in services and addressing an estimated gap of £10.7million have been drawn up by Stirling Council. Councillors will consider and make the decisions on the budget at a meeting of council on Thursday (February 26). The reports...
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Problems with X10 service between Stirling and Glasgow
Passengers waiting for a“lifeline”rural Stirling bus were left waiting in the cold for hours after issues with the service. The problems with the X10 service between Stirling and Glasgow have been detailed in a written complaint from Buchlyvie...
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RENTHIKEIS GREENLITBY COUNCILLORS
A 5.8 per cent rent increase for tenants was pushed through by Stirling councillors at a special meeting on Monday. It was agreed to introduce the rise following a motion proposed by the ruling SNP administration at Viewforth. Stirling Council leader...
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WATERDISGRACE
Fed-up residents of the Mollands estate in Callander have made renewed calls for a solution to water supply issues linked to a new school development. The streets across from the Callander Community Campus project have been facing long-running...
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Bull to the brim with elite cattle
An Aberdeen Angus bull matched a 60,000-guinea record and prices reached a new high for Beef Shorthorn at the prestigious Stirling Galbraith Bull Sales. The first of two bull sales hosted by United Auctions at Stirling Agricultural Centre this month...
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NHS targets improve as outpatient waiting list mounts to over 17,000
Performance figures in NHS Forth Valley are improving in a number of areas, a board meeting heard last week. But almost 3000 patients are still waiting beyond four hours. For Urgent & Unscheduled Care performance in December in the Emergency...
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PUZZLES EXTRA
Touching tributes have poured in for Sir Andy Murray’s grandfather after the former Stirling Albion footballer passed away at the age of 94. Roy Erskine, Judy Murray’s father, has been described as “a well-known and popular figure in Dunblane”, with...
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CAMPAIGNERS HOPEFUL AFTER CRUNCH A84SAFETY SUMMIT
Campaigners have shared their hopes for safety improvements on an accident-prone stretch of road near Blair Drummond Safari Park following a summit. Transport and council chiefs met with the community to discuss the A84 after a major road safety...
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Anne is honoured to be awarded an MBE
A former staff member of a volunteering organisation has told of her honour after being awarded an MBE. Anne Knox was named in the New Year’s Honours List and has been recognised for services to the good governance of small charities. She worked at...
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‘TOUGHCHOICES’ TOBRIDGE £12.25M FUNDING GAP
Increasing parking charges, reducing bus services and dimming street lighting are among measures being considered by Stirling Council to bridge an estimated £12.25million budget gap. The local authority has launched a new survey setting out potential...
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I fear my son was forced to carry drugs by organised crime gang... now he’s in Qatar prison
The mum of a Balfron teen locked up in a Qatar jail after being accused of being a drugs courier is begging for him to be released - claiming he was under threat from a shadowy criminal gang. Nicola Neil’s 18-yearold son Lino is accused of trafficking...
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MBEISMY LASTING TRIBUTE TOEILIDH
A retired police detective has dedicated an MBE he will officially receive next week to the memory of a Stirling schoolgirl after raising thousands of pounds for a charity in her honour. Johnny Dreczkowski has undergone multiple gruelling challenges...
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THANKYOU!
Businesses and organisations across Stirlingshire have been thanked for playing a vital role in our Give A Gift Appeal. Our effort to provide some Christmas cheer to children and young people during the festive season wouldn’t be possible without the...
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MYHANDSOME LITTLEMIRACLE
It was the most special of Christmases for Riverside mum Nicole Ritchie as she celebrated her“handsome little miracle”. Six-month-old Lochlannalexander Graham was born early during a traumatic birth at Forth Valley Royal Hospital. He enjoyed his...
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PITCHTOBE RENAMED INHONOUR OFSIOBHAN
A Callander rugby pitch where tragic ex-scotland star Siobhan Cattigan used to dazzle is to be renamed in her memory. A charity match in her honour will see players from past, present and future from Mclaren RFC and Strathendrick RFC, based in Fintry,...
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MURRAY ‘FAILED’ BYMETA
The mum of a Dunblane teenager who took his own life after an online sextortion plot has slammed Meta for “failing children”. Murray Dowey, 16, ended his own life after he was blackmailed on Instagram and duped into sending private photos of...
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ANGELOFESCAPE
A Stirling musician has told how he helped a “stampede” escape out of an open-air cinema after being caught up in the Bondi Beach attack. Kian Bentley, 22, was working at the theatre as the horrors unfolded during a Hanukkah event on Sunday. Fifteen...
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17YEARSOFGIVING
Thousands of toys are on their way to children who may otherwise have gone without this Christmas as the people of Stirling proved what this community is made of for the 17th year running. As families across the region face rising pressures, readers...
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DECISIONDAYON TOURISTTAXPLAN
A decision on much-debated plans to introduce a ‘tourist tax’ in Stirling will be made tomorrow as proposed changes to address concerns were revealed. Councillors will be asked to vote on whether to impose a levy on overnight stays at visitor...
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CHARITYHERO RECEIVESHER ROYALREWARD
An “extraordinary” charity stalwart has been presented with a British Empire Medal for providing life-changing opportunities to young people with additional support needs. Heather Hall, a former Killearn Primary and Balfron High Pupil, was presented...
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‘CHALLENGES’ TO STIRLING NIGHTLIFE
A Stirling nightclub boss is calling for more support during the festive season as he warned of the challenges being faced across the country. Dave Thompson, area manager of Castle Leisure Group, which oversees Fubar in the city centre, said a change...
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STRIKEACTION ISBACKEDBY COUNCIL WORKERS
Staff at Stirling Council could walk out over proposed “drastic changes” to contract terms which a union claims would make it easier to cut jobs. The bombshell was revealed by Stirling Unison this week as it revealed more than 87 per cent of members...
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CHARITY DRIVEIS TRIBUTETO ‘HAPPYBOY’
The devastated mum of a tragic Cornton youngster has paid tribute to her “fun and bright” son following his brave battle with leukaemia. Kate Thomson has vowed to raise awareness of the disease after 11-year-old Lauchlan sadly died just over four...
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GEORGEGOES THATEXTRA MILEFOR GAYNOR
A devoted husband is taking his late wife’s ashes on an epic journey across Australia in honour of her dream and a local hospice where she spent her final days. George Talbot will travel more than 4500 miles on a motorbike from Sydney to Perth in...
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SNP TAKE COUNCIL CONTROL
The SNP clinched control of Stirling Council during a dramatic meeting this week. The SNP edged out the previous Labour minority group at Viewforth after the by-election victory of Josh Fyvie in Stirling East swelled their numbers to 10. It left them...
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Jailterm for knife attackon stranger
A knife attacker who stabbed a 21-year-old woman in Stirling was jailed for six years yesterday (Thursday). Callum Fisher, 30, knifed the victim as she walked with friends in King Street and inflicted a life endangering wound. A judge told Fisher at...
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SWINNEY TOLD TO RELEASE ‘DAMNING’ REPORTON INGLIS’ MURDER
John Swinney has been pressed to release in full a“truly damning” report on the murder of Stirling mum Claire Inglis. The 28-year-old’s parents Fiona and Ian watched on from the public gallery at Holyrood as the case was raised at First Minister’s...
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TEGAN TAKES PLUNGE IN BROTHER’S MEMORY
A Callander woman is getting ready to face her fears and fall from the skies in honour of her tragic brother who “faced life head-on”. Tegan Cook, 21, will bungee jump in the scenic surroundings of Killiecrankie in Perthshire on November 8 on what...
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‘INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION’
Bridge of Allan’s £16million flood protection scheme has yet to be approved by the Scottish Government after Stirling Council failed to provide “sufficient information”. In May, councillors gave the green light to secure a contract for designing and...
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TIKTOK TASER PRANK PLAN LANDS MAN A PRISON TERM
A man who hoped to “make people laugh” by shocking himself with a stun gun on Tiktok and Youtube has been jailed. Kyle Mcgrath, 28, was arrested after police searched his Callander home and found the illegal device in his bedside table. The...
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FAKETAXIDRIVER ABDUCTEDAND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED AWOMAN
A bogus taxi driver abducted a woman before driving her to a darkened spot where he sexually assaulted her. Mahmoud Kalawizada, 32, touched the 22-yearold’s thigh and demanded she carry out a sexual act on him on a “traumatic” journey from Stirling to...
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LET’S PRESS PAUSE ON TOURIST TAX PLAN
Stirling Council has been urged to halt plans to introduce a ‘tourist tax’ amid concerns it could cause confusion and harm the region’s tourism industry. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has urged the council to either abandon its plans for a...
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YOUNGWOMAN FEARED THAT SHEWOULD DIE IN STREET KNIFE ATTACK HORROR
A knife thug left a young woman fearing she was going to die following a brutal murder bid in Stirling city centre. Callum Fisher attacked the 21-year-old stranger as she walked with friends. She luckily survived the assault having been struck once...
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URGENT DEMAND FOR ACTION AFTER FLOOD MAYHEM
Fresh demands for action to tackle flooding have been raised across rural Stirlingshire after Storm Amy struck towns and villages. Calls have been made for priority to be given to “immediate, practical flood mitigation and improved monitoring systems”...
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STORMAMYBRINGS CHAOSTO STIRLING
Residents were left unable to reach emergency services during Storm Amy which wreaked havoc across Stirling ... causing power outages, severe flooding and fallen trees. The storm battered the area over the weekend, with a lorry toppling over on the M9...
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SAFARI STAFF RACE TO AID CRASH VICTIMS
Blair Drummond Safari Park staff have described racing to help injured crash victims on the A84 as a safety campaign ramps up. Five serious crashes took place on the stretch close to the attraction in less than a month over the summer – prompting a...
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Daughter is left traumatised as parents’ grave is dug up in council blunder
A grieving daughter was left traumatised after her mother and father’s grave was dug up by blundering council workers. Gillian Carlon, 31, lost her mum and dad within just two years of one another. Her mum, Fay, died aged 55 from cancer in November...
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VICTORY FOR ROADSAFETY CAMPAIGNERS
Scotland’s Transport Secretary has confirmed plans to introduce new road signage, a footpath and crossing points for pupils of a primary school on the A84“this financial year”. Mid Scotland and Fife Green MSP Mark Ruskell questioned Transport...
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TIME TO ACT
The boss of a farm shop on a stretch of the A84 where campaigners are calling for improved safety has detailed how a car flipped upside down into a nearby field as their staff rushed to help shocked passengers. Activists in Blairdrummond have called...
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SWINNEY PROMISES TALKS ONA84 SAFETY CONCERNS
First Minister John Swinney has confirmed that the Transport Secretary will sit down with campaigners demanding better road safety measures on the A84 at Blairdrummond. The pledge follows five serious crashes on the stretch close to Blair Drummond...
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WILL A CHILD HAVE TO DIE FOR ROAD TO BE MADE SAFER?
Exasperated parents of pupils at a primary school which sits on the A84 have questioned if a “child needs to die” before measures are taken to improve safety on the danger route. The section of the A84 that runs past Blair Drummond Safari Park is an...
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HELP US GIVE EIREANN HER SAFE SPACE
The family of a three-yearold born with a extremely rare, terminal genetic condition — that affects only five other children in the world — have issued a desperate plea to raise £10,000 to create a safe space for her. Tot Eireann Macfarlane, from...
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COUNCIL TO WHEEL OUT NEW BIN
Householders in Stirling are to get an additional wheelie bin - for glass - which will be collected every eight weeks. Members of the council’s environment, transport and net zero committee unanimously approved the move at a meeting yesterday...
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FACTORY GOES UP IN FLAMES
An investigation is underway following a massive fire at a chipboard factory in Stirling. Firefighters rushed to the West Fraser site on Station Road, Cowie, just before 10pm on Sunday as the glow from the blaze lit up the village and smoke clouds...
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DEAR GREEN PLACE IS AN EYESORE IN OUR VILLAGE
A petition signed by more than half of all residents in a west Stirlingshire village is urging Stirling Council and the police to restore an area of green space in the community. Last week, Buchlyvie Community Council rallied to seek the restoration...
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THREE PEOPLE HOSPITALISED AFTER YET ANOTHER CRASH ONA84
Three people were rushed to hospital and seven others received treatment after two cars crashed on the A84 near Blairdrummond – marking the fourth serious collision there in less than three weeks. The crash happened near the junction with the A873 –...
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RESCUE HEROES IN48-HOUR TRIPLE DRAMA
A volunteer mountain rescue team was called into action three times in less than 48 hours, rescuing a man who fell “a significant distance” down an embankment and two walkers stranded on a mountainside near Crianlarich. Killin Mountain Rescue Team...
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NHS CUT SON THE WAY IN BID TO PLUG A £38 M GAP
Finance bosses at NHS Forth Valley have warned of cuts across all health departments to help plug a massive £38million funding gap. The grim financial forecast was revealed at a meeting earlier this week where it was also announced that there was a...
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PERVERT PASTOR’S SICK SEX ATTACKS ON WOMEN
A perverted preacher who sexually assaulted a woman while pretending he was “removing demons” from her body has been caged for 10 years. Walter Masocha, 61, from Stirling, attacked two women. One victim, who gave evidence against him, told how he...
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ORGANISER ISTHRILLED BYFESTIVAL BUZZ
The organiser of Back Doune the Rabbit Hole has hailed the “heartwarming” community response to the revamped festival ahead of its return next weekend. Brian Harkin admits it’s been a “long road” back for the music event, which is under new ownership...
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DEBTWORRIES FORWORKERS
Vital support staff employed at the region’s main hospital have spoken of “serious concerns” around proposed contract changes amid fears they will be forced into debt. The workers are employed by external contractor Serco at Forth Valley Royal...
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£1.25M TO GROW FAMILY-RUN INN
A new waterside lodge on the banks of Loch Lomond is set to create more than 30 new jobs as part of a major £1.25million project. Owners of the family-run Oak Tree Inn are expanding their site in the heart of Balmaha. The new lodge, situated near the...
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JAILED OVER NEIGHBOUR BRIDGE PUSH MURDER BID
A man who pushed his neighbour and friend off a bridge in a murder bid has been jailed. Alistair Murray, 37, attacked the man at Cambuskenneth Bridge on February 13 last year. The duo had earlier had a row over the victim’s house keys while inside...
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GAME FOR A PINT
Stirling Albion fans will be allowed to buy a pint at Forthbank this weekend as part of a trial which sees the return of alcohol Scottish football grounds for the first time in 44 years. The pilot programme has been run by the SPFL, in conjunction with...
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CUSTODYCARE CONCERNS RAISEDFOR VULNERABLE DETAINEES
A review of police custody facilities in Forth Valley has raised concerns about the level of care being put in place for vulnerable detainees. HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) and Healthcare Improvement Scotland carried out a joint...
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HEROIC GWENIS AWARDED FORHER COURAGE
Heroic teacher Gwen Mayor has been recognised with one of the country’s highest honours for public service – almost three decades after she was killed during the Dunblane Tragedy while protecting her pupils. She is named in the second ever Elizabeth...
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BACKLASH OVER ‘INSULTING’ CUTS
Stirling Council is facing a backlash from staff over major changes to their terms including a redundancy pay cut and requirement for Nondisclosure Agreements (NDA). The amendments to workers’ terms and conditions have been branded an “insult”. Key...
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MAN STABBED OWN BROTHER NINE TIMES IN BRUTAL ATTACK
A man has been convicted of killing his own brother after stabbing him nine times in a brutal knife attack. Boan D’arc, 60, assaulted grandfather Jamieson Mclelland at the victim’s home in the village of Thornhill by repeatedly stabbing him on the...
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DANGER WARNING ISSUED TO KIDS AT ‘CRUMBLING’ SITE
Youngsters putting their safety at risk in the “crumbling” former Prudential site have been warned to stay away by cops as the summer holidays start. Officers say they have received “regular reports” of anti-social behaviour including fires - at the...
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