
Highland Council to make £100,000 upgrades to play parks
Money for the upgrade has been allocated through the local authority's Capital Programme, as well as other key sources including the Scottish government play park renewal fund.Improvements will include the installation of new swings, seesaws and ziplines in some of the parks, and the creation of a sensory garden in Evanton.
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BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Mum of teenager who was seriously injured tombstoning warns of risks
A mother whose son nearly died during a tombstoning incident in Kent last year has warned people that it's "not worth the risk".Jack Dolan, who is now 16, was left severely disabled after jumping off Margate's Stone Pier last observing an increase in such incidents, the Coastguard and Port of Dover Police - together with Dover District Council (DDC) - are campaigning to stop people from jumping off structures into the sea, known as mum Lisa, who said his accident had taken away much of the family's ability to "lead a normal life", is backing those efforts. She said: "It looks so inviting, it looks like fun, and I just wish people would understand that it's not."It's not even about being able to swim, the impact of hitting that water, the coldness, there's so many things to take into consideration. It just isn't worth jumping."The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said that, since 2004, the Coastguard service had dealt with over 200 incidents in the UK - including 20 deaths. Jack, who is now brain damaged and uses a wheelchair, spent eight minutes under water before he was pulled out by an unknown kayaker while in cardiac to Mrs Dolan, life since has been "surreal, hell on earth". "I wouldn't say it's ruined our lives but it's taken away a lot of our ability in life to be able to lead a normal life. "Not just for Jack but for his sisters and for me - work, home, everything changed," she of a DDC summer safety event this weekend the pair met Matt Pavitt from the South of England Coastguard, who was involved in Jack's rescue Dolan described that first meeting since the accident as "very emotional"."You kind of want to squeeze them but you don't know them," she asked about the risks of tombstoning, Mr Pavitt said: "Very bluntly, it will kill you."If you want to jump from height, go to a swimming pool and do it."


BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
New ride could be built at Landmark rollercoaster accident park
A theme park says it is exploring the possibility of building a new rollercoaster on the site of a ride where two children were injured four years girls, who were from the Scottish Borders and were 12 years old at the time, suffered neck injuries at Landmark Forest Adventure Park in Carrbridge in the girls' families launched legal action last year seeking compensation from the operators of the said its visitor feedback "consistently" identified a new ride as a top request, and said it took its responsibilities around safety "extremely seriously". Police, firefighters and three ambulances were called to the park in August 2021 after a "mechanical failure" affected the Runaway Timber girls continue to be affected by psychological trauma, their families said they hoped there would be "more stringent safety and maintenance checks" around any new ride at the Brown Solicitors in Edinburgh said it was supporting the families with an ongoing claim. 'Exploring options' Landmark Forest Adventure Park has demolished and removed the Runaway Timber said it had taken an an early procedural step through Highland Council's planning system to determine whether an environmental impact assessment would be required for a new concept in the park, which first opened in 1970, is in an area of ancient Scots pine woodland.A spokesperson said it had carried out research into what would most enhance the visitor experience, and support the site's long-term said: "While we've provided an outline concept as part of this process, no final decision has been made - we're still exploring our options and assessing feasibility, including costs, before considering any future steps."On safety, we take our responsibilities extremely seriously. "Landmark fully cooperated with the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) thorough investigation into the 2021 incident, which concluded with no enforcement action against us as the HSE confirmed publicly at the time." Spinning Coaster According to documents submitted to Highland Council, the new ride - called the Spinning Coaster - could involve single vehicles and a series of turns, drops and could reach a maximum height of almost 18m (59ft) - higher than the previous ride's 9m (30ft).The parts for the Spinning Coaster could take up to two years to construct in a factory and then about six months to build at park near Aviemore and currently has more than 20 attractions.


The Herald Scotland
7 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Warning Scotgov seabird plan 'like plaster on gaping wound'
But the RSPB described is as a 'sticking plaster to a gaping wound' - as it comes two weeks after a controversial offshore windfarm was approved. The Berwick Bank farm is predicted to have 4.1 GW of installed capacity and be capable of generating renewable energy to power over six million homes However, the RSPB estimates it would also lead to the deaths of thousands of seabirds. How the Berwick Bank windfarm may look (Image: SSE) Anne McCall, Director of RSPB Scotland said: 'The seabird conservation action plan was meant to be a moment of hope for Scotland's iconic and struggling seabirds. But the decision to consent Berwick Bank has changed that. This plan now looks like applying a sticking plaster to a gaping wound. "Done right, offshore wind and seabirds can coexist, but it's difficult to convey the damage that is predicted to be done by this one, devastating project. Seabirds are already on the brink, Berwick Bank could push them over the edge – quickening some species toward extinction in Scotland. 'The Scottish Government has said positive words about saving seabirds. But it is actions, not words, that nature needs. It's hard to see how the Scottish Government can claim to be safeguarding our seabirds when decisions like this are taken without any detail on what urgent measures will be delivered where and when.' The Scottish Seabird Conservation Action Plan sets out a range of steps to stop the decline seen among seabirds in recent years, including enhancing food availability by improving conditions for prey, and minimising bycatch and tackling marine litter. It would also providine safe nesting areas by eradicating non-native invasive predators such as brown rats and American mink and undertak key research and monitoring of Scottish seabirds to understand how to build resilience and reduce mortality rates The action plan was developed in partnership with NatureScot, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and British Trust for Ornithology. Scotland is home to iconic seabirds (Image: NQ) Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action Gillian Martin said: 'The climate crisis, invasive non-native species, marine litter and access to food are contributing to declining seabird numbers around the world. Publishing the Scottish Seabird Conservation Action Plan today marks a vital step forward in protecting some of our most iconic and vulnerable marine species and sets out actions to collectively tackle pressures affecting seabirds. 'I'm confident that with concerted effort and shared responsibility, we can stop the declines we are seeing in our seabird populations and increase their resilience to a changing climate to secure their future. 'As top predators, seabirds are indicators of the health of marine ecosystems, playing a crucial role in maintaining balance within marine food webs. Seabirds also have a significant role in the economy supporting a thriving tourism industry that is vital to local economies, particularly in rural and island communities.' She added: 'Only by working together can we ensure that Scotland remains a global stronghold for seabirds for the benefit of us all, now and in the future.' Scottish Seabird Centre CEO Harry Huyton said: "From the great gannet colonies on St Kilda and Bass Rock, to the puffin burrows that crowd the grassy slopes of Unst and the Isle of May, Scotland is blessed with extraordinary seabird populations. 'Many are of international importance, yet most seabird species in Scotland are in decline, and urgent, transformative action is needed to save them. 'The ambition and actions set out in the new Seabird Action Plan are exactly what's needed, but it's critical that they are now delivered with urgency and fully embedded across Government."