Breaking news

One day to go until T in the Park opens and, right on cue, the heavens open, writes Iain MacPhail. Whisky Kiss have booked Scotland’s biggest limo, so we hope the underfoot (or underwheel) conditions have dried up by Sunday or else we could get that sinking feeling. We're pretty sure a 16-seat Hummer will be a fairly heavy machine!

As you would expect of a souped-up and massively over-hyped ceilidh band based in Broughton, Whisky Kiss have a VIP Guest List and entourage that is both star-studded and influential. We know you’d be disappointed if it were otherwise.

Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses after a woman was critically injured in a collision with a black taxi traveling east on York Place. The incident happened at 1.55am on Sunday 3 July.

The 23-year-old woman suffered a 'serious' head injury and was sent to the Royal Infirmary before being transferred to the Western General. Yesterday she was reported to still be in a critical condition.

Police are appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time of the collision, and saw the incident, to contact them immediately.

The dogged efforts of Mr Osman Simsek (Breaking news, 11.10.10; 4.2.11) to change the use of his shop premises at 3 Elm Row to a hot food takeaway with limited seating have again been turned down (

‘Jaundiced of Claremont’ – a Broughton resident with many and varied strong opinions – recently remarked to the Spurtle that the sure sign of a neighbourhood going downhill is when even the cars start getting tattoos.

He was referring to a distinctive pink Mini, often seen locally, whose surface adornments promote a Morningside tea house.

We disagree, rather like it, and think that – if anything – it adds to the area.

Iain MacPhail continues with tales of the road, in the build-up to T in the Park this coming weekend. Warning: this blog contains images of a stretched limo nature.

Jambo, Jambo! Or hello and welcome in Kiswahili!

This was the greeting that Drummond Community High School gave our friends from Muthambi Girls and Boys Schools when they arrived at Edinburgh Airport on Tuesday 13 June, writes Librarian and Coordinator Annie Scanlon.

It had been a long year’s organising and fundraising but at last all our hard work had borne fruit and our guests were here.

Rodney Street, Saturday 2 July 2011: 7am.

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Headteacher Norma Prentice spoke of her great sense of pride in pupils’ commitment and hard work at Drummond Community High School’s end-of-term Celebration of Achievement.

Speaking on completion of her first full academic year in the job, she said: ‘I now feel I totally belong’.

However, she conceded that in some ways it had been a difficult year, with budget cuts and management restructuring dominating the headlines.

‘Staff have coped in these times of uncertainty with great strength and dignity.

One week to go till T in the Park, and the excitement is building, writes Whisky Kisser Iain MacPhail.

Regular Spurtle readers will be aware that Whisky Kiss recently toured New York (meeting amongst others Donald 'The Donald' Trump, Keifer 'the Leither' Sutherland, and Paolo 'The Weegiefarian' Nutini).

Torrents of thunder, lightning and hail can only mean one thing: it’s July, and time for another edition of Oot! Just think, it’ll soon be Christmas.