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Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Six ways to stay safe in the water after summer tragedies
'Behind every drowning statistic there are families and whole communities devastated' TAKE CARE Six ways to stay safe in the water after summer tragedies Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WHEN the sun comes out over summer, it's natural to want to cool off. But taking a dip in one of Scotland's rivers or lochs, or going for a swim in the sea can be deadly - if you're not taking care. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Experts say people must follow the safety code 2 Kirsty Doig started a charity after her daughter died Last year there were a total of 33 accidental drownings in the country and a total of 193 across the UK. And just last weekend, when the temperatures soared, three people drowned. Glasgow-based Kirsty Doig, 41, founded the Darcey Sunshine Project after her daughter Darcey tragically died in a pool accident just two months before her fourth birthday. She said: 'Behind every drowning statistic there are families and whole communities devastated. No one should have to go through it. It's preventable with basic water safety knowledge. We need to get it out there fast because it will save lives. 'Reaching as many people as possible we hope will create a ripple effect, so that kids and young people and everyone can learn and pass on simple bits of information. Tell someone today or share the Water Safety Code and you'll already be helping save a life.' Here experts share safety tips everyone should know before they get in the water. WATER SHOCK TOP in the water safety code is to be aware of the possibility of cold water shock. As an automatic response to going into cold water, the blood vessels in your skin close and the output from your heart rises. This causes your blood pressure to increase and puts your heart under strain and could cause a heart attack. The sudden cooling of the skin can also make you gasp involuntarily and increase your breathing rate which can cause you to panic, inhale water and potentially drown. FLOAT TO SURVIVE Water Safety Scotland says if you unintentionally fall into the water, don't try to swim straight away. Four dead after cases of rare flesh-eating bacteria spike in US vacation hotspot – all swimmers need to use caution Fight your instinct to thrash about and, instead, try to remain calm and relaxed. Then, turn onto your back and adopt the 'starfish' float position. Once floating and the initial effects of cold water shock have passed - which will take about 90 seconds - you should then call for help and look around for anything that can be used to help you float or get out of the water. TURNING TIDE The Water Safety Code warns if you're planning to swim in the sea, be aware of rip currents, wind and the tide. It's vital to be aware of tide times to avoid the risk of being stranded. Meanwhile, rip currents - which can reach up to five miles-per-hour - are sometimes identified by a channel of churning, choppy water on the water's surface. Even the most experienced beachgoers can be caught out so it's best to swim at a beach where there is a lifeguard. THROW LINE The safety experts say that if you see someone in trouble in the water, do not get in and attempt to help. You risk putting yourself in danger that way. You should call 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue Service for inland waters or request the Coastguard for coastal emergencies. Meanwhile, you should look for a throw line, life ring or anything that floats to aid the person or encourage the person in trouble to float on their back, if it's possible. STAY SAFE TO SAVE LIVES THE Darcey Sunshine Foundation team will be at Water Safety Scotland's free World Drowning Prevention Day event at Loch Lomond Shores, Balloch, on Friday, July 25 Now in its fourth year, Water Safety Scotland is warning that continued vigilance is essential to save lives. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn life-saving tips, watch live rescue demonstrations by SFRS, Scottish Ambulance Service and the Scottish Newfoundland Club rescue dogs and try out paddleboarding and canoeing. Carlene McAvoy, Founder of Water Safety Scotland, said: 'Every life lost is one too many. 'Events like World Drowning Prevention Day are vital in spreading awareness and equipping people with the knowledge they need to stay safe around water. 'Our focus remains on promoting the Water Safety Code in a fun, engaging, and educational way.' The event will run from 11am to 4pm and is open to all ages with families, school kids and community groups especially encouraged to attend. WILD SWIM The benefits of wild swimming are well documented but the lack of nearby safety equipment and increased challenge in the event of rescue mean it is much riskier than swimming in a pool. Meanwhile, the depth of the water can change and be unpredictable with underwater ledges and objects causing potential problems. Experts advise people to join a recognised open water swimming club, to check the weather, go with a friend and have the right equipment, such as a wet suit, brightly coloured swim hat and a tow float. JACKET MUST With the weather hotting up, adventurous folk like to get out on the water for activities, such as paddleboarding and canoeing. Water Safety Scotland says these come with risks if you don't know how to swim properly or you paddle alone. Meanwhile, weather conditions can hamper participants being able to return to the board or canoe if they end up in the water. This is why they say lifejackets must be worn by every user, regardless of ability.
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- The Herald Scotland
Please stop blaming campervans for every problem
Fast forward to 2025 and this boom shows little sign of abating. Interestingly, there has also been a demographic shift when it comes to 'typical' campervan and motorhome owners. While traditionally associated with older generations – we're talking well-heeled retirees and middle-aged men – recent times have seen a marked rise of interest among those in their twenties and thirties, particularly women, young professionals and families. Freedom, flexibility, no-frills getaways and a desire to connect with nature, while disconnecting from technology, have all been cited as part of the charm. Yet not everyone is a fan. Campervans and motorhomes have drawn a slew of negative headlines, chiefly in areas such as Skye and the North Coast 500, with fears about the effects of overtourism including infrastructure strain, environmental damage and waste management. Here, we speak to three people from across Scotland who have fallen in love with the magic of campervans, sharing how these home-from-homes on wheels have won their hearts, as well as tackling some of the common misconceptions. The interior of Anna Fleck's campervan (Image: free) ANNA FLECK Every few weeks Anna Fleck and her husband David pack up their campervan and head off on a fresh adventure. But, in their case, it is about more than simply exploring Scotland for fun. It's a vehicle – quite literally – for achieving a much-coveted work-life balance. The Glasgow-based couple are currently travelling around the Highlands and Islands as they pursue their respective vocations. Anna, 36, is a GP, with David, 35, an illustrator and artist. Anna is employed by NHS Shetland under its Rediscover The Joy Of General Practice scheme, covering rural and remote parts of Scotland – an initiative that not only helps to alleviate staffing shortages but allows doctors to share expertise and build experience. David, meanwhile, draws inspiration from the landscapes they encounter along the way for his work, which adorns fine art prints, cards and postcards sold in galleries and shops. When we speak, Anna is halfway through a two-and-a-half week stretch on Shetland. Next month, she will be working on Coll. Where else has been on her GP itinerary? Read more 'This year I have done quite a lot of the North Coast 500: Durness, Armadale, Thurso and Alness,' she recalls. 'Last year, I did down the Kintyre peninsula.' A core part of the appeal, says Anna, is spending quality time as a family with their three-year-old daughter. 'It's about what I'm teaching my wee girl and her getting to explore these places,' she explains. 'When we were up in Harris, she was just learning how to walk and paddling about in the shallow, crystal-clear water. Seeing her get excited about things like climbing a hill or spotting sheep is really beautiful. 'Because I'm working in these communities now, I feel I'm learning much more about what rural life in Scotland is like and some of the challenges people face.' Anna recounts how she and David first fell in love with campervans in 2018 while travelling on the west coast of Australia. 'We loved the freedom that it gave us,' she says. 'When we got back to Scotland, we hired a few campervans to do little trips. 'My husband started thinking he could build us a campervan. We ended up buying an empty van in 2020 and David worked on it as his lockdown project. He did everything: the insulation, the wiring and building all the furniture.' When coronavirus travel restrictions lifted, they made their debut outing. 'The first place we went was Orkney,' she says. The couple have since racked up a long list of incredible locations and have an Instagram account to chart their campervan odyssey. 'Scotland is so cool,' says Anna. 'I love sharing all the different parts. It is also nice to connect with other people who are doing similar things.' She and David have a self-defined mantra when choosing where to visit. 'We do tend to avoid some of the very touristy places, mostly Skye to be honest,' she says. 'Not that we have anything against Skye – it's just because that is where everybody goes. GP Anna Fleck (Image: free) 'We were on the North Coast 500 for work, although thankfully it was before the tourist season. It is beautiful and popular for a reason, but there are so many villages and other places just off the NC500 that people never see because they only follow that one route. 'We always want to be sensitive to the communities that we're visiting,' adds Anna. 'There is no point overcrowding the communities on Skye. We prefer to find different places and Scotland has endless amounts of beautiful places to visit.' She is keen to touch on some of the negative sentiments regarding campervans and motorhomes. 'I can understand if communities are getting frustrated,' says Anna, as we discuss flashpoints around overtourism. 'Being in a campervan, because you are self-sufficient, you are perhaps contributing less to a local community because you're not booking accommodation, but we are aware of that and try to make up for it with how we act in those communities. 'That includes supporting local restaurants, buying from local shops, supporting craft fairs and honesty boxes – going out of our way to contribute to the places we visit. 'Even beyond the financial contribution, I'm part of a Facebook group called Campers Against Litter. We often litter pick, so that we are leaving a positive view about campervans. That is really important. 'We have established guidance for ourselves that we stick by,' she continues. 'We don't camp in view of other people's houses. We don't stay in places for more than one night. If there are signs up saying, 'No campervans,' then we go and find somewhere else. 'We don't go to places that we know are going to be really crowded. It is a small number of people acting in ways that they shouldn't that spoils the perception of campervans.' Follow on Instagram @scotland_by_campervan Callum McGowan and his partner Natalie Pirrie before they outfitted the van (Image: free) CALLUM MCGOWAN It is 18 months since Callum McGowan sold his car and bought a van with the bold plan of converting it into a weekend home on four wheels. 'I'm someone who enjoys being outdoors, adventuring and travelling,' he says. 'I have always been a bit of a petrolhead, so I went from having a high-end sports car to driving a van. I bought it thinking, 'Let's convert it ourselves and turn it into a project that we can have fun with.'' Callum, 27, a personal trainer and coach based between Cambuslang and Saltcoats – along with his partner Natalie Pirrie, 30, who works for a mobile phone company, and the couple's dogs Bella and Max – now travels all across Scotland in his trusty campervan conversion. Bringing that dream to fruition took meticulous planning. 'I chose a Vauxhall Vivaro with a high roof because I wanted something that I could stand up in,' says Callum. 'When I did my research, I found that a lot of people tend to go for Transit Custom vans with extendable roofs. 'I was chatting with one of the guys from the gym, who owns a campervan and has converted a few vans over the years. He told me, 'Don't go with the Transit with the extendable roof because the mesh material lets the heat out, which isn't great for winter.' Read more 'When converting my own van, the biggest thing was trial and error because I don't have a background in joinery, plumbing or construction. But I decided I'd make the jump and figure it out on the way down – that became the theme. 'There are some good websites about campervan conversions and those were great for ideas. I also used things like TikTok and YouTube. Originally, we had planned to put a shower in, but that changed when I realised it would be too hard to fit it into the space we had. 'What we do have is a fully extendable double bed. We have enough solar panel power to live off-grid. We have a diesel generator heater and a sink for fresh water. It is nice having a wee home that is yours, but you could be anywhere in the world.' Callum McGowan and his converted campervan (Image: GT) He is aware of the anti-campervan and motorhome sentiment in some quarters. 'I can see it from both sides of the coin,' says Callum. 'With anything, there are always people who, whether they mean it or not, ruin it for others. 'If we are away travelling in the van, yes, we are getting to experience new places, but I'm also aware that place is somebody's home, so I get the frustration. 'There are so many great campsites now that there shouldn't be a reason to not use these facilities. Do your research before you go. I think a lot of frustration comes from the lack of care people show for the local communities they visit.' Matters aren't helped, he believes, by copious road trippers making a beeline for the same, well-trodden loop, particularly during high season. 'One of my friends works for a car hire firm at Edinburgh Airport,' says Callum. 'He told me that every time people come in, wanting to tour Scotland, they all have the same route planned. They travel around Edinburgh for a bit, then go up to Glen Coe, around Skye, do part of the North Coast 500, before heading back to Edinburgh. 'Part of the problem is that a lot of these places were built hundreds of years ago, so the infrastructure is simply not able to cope with that volume of traffic and visitors. 'We should be highlighting different places to visit around Scotland, whether it's on the east coast, the central belt or down towards the Borders. There are so many hidden gems.' When it comes to his own aspirations, Callum relishes being able to explore and seek out new locations. Callum McGowan in his converted campervan (Image: GT) 'There isn't just one standout because everywhere you go offers something that trumps where you were before,' he laughs. 'I think that is the coolest thing about having a campervan; you don't know what is coming next. 'The big destinations, such as Glen Coe or the NC500, tend not to be the places that blow the socks off you. It will be a small village in the middle of nowhere that has the best chippy you have ever tried. 'In Oban last month, we sat in the van at the harbour, with the side door open, just people-watching and eating a chippy. That was bliss.' Follow on Instagram @callum_projectsynergy Hannah Kibble loves her campervan views (Image: free) HANNAH KIBBLE Whether talking about her love of cold-water dips beside secluded waterfalls, walking the dogs along deserted beaches or sipping coffee as the sun comes up, Hannah Kibble has the kind of infectious enthusiasm that tourist boards can only dream of bottling. Hannah, 37, spent most of her childhood and teenage years in Gairloch, Wester Ross. After a stint in Lancashire, where her wider family still lives, she and her partner Steve Glover, 53, packed up their life, sold their home and moved to Muir of Ord on the Black Isle last summer. In recent years, they have spent almost every holiday and spare weekend enjoying Scotland in their campervan. The couple and their four dogs – Skye, Floss, Dolly and Betty – are now putting down permanent roots north of the border. Hannah splits her time between an admin job and working in a pottery, while Steve is a handyman. They regularly share spectacular photography and footage from their campervan endeavours on Instagram. One of the first things the pair did after their move to Scotland: buy a campervan. This means they now own two – the Volkswagen T5 they have had since 2021 and a larger Volkswagen Crafter purchased last year. There's a funny story behind this, as Hannah reveals. 'We had been talking about getting a bigger van for a long time,' she says. 'Then we were on a trip to Skye and our rescue dog, also called Skye, rolled in sheep poo at 11pm – our T5 doesn't have any running water. Hannah Kibble's partner Steve Glover and the dogs soak up some campervan views (Image: free) 'We had the smell of sheep poo all night and Skye trying to climb up onto the bed with us. I thought, 'I've had enough of this. I want a sink with running water …'' By a stroke of luck, on the same morning they arrived back at Muir of Ord, Hannah spotted a van for sale in nearby Inverness. It felt like serendipity. 'We bought this 13-plate Crafter,' she says. 'It was a bit rough around the edges, but I said, 'We are going to turn this into our little home on wheels.' It took a good six months to get to a point where we could actually use it.' A draw of campervan life is its simplicity. 'One of the things I love is the minimalism of how little you can live with in a small space,' says Hannah. 'You get bogged down by so much in real life. 'My absolute favourite thing is stepping out of the van in my dry robe, with a coffee in my hand, literally rolling out of bed, and being on the beach, listening to the waves. Most of our park-ups involve some form of water because that is where I'm happiest.' What lit the campervan spark for her? 'My family were caravanners,' she says. 'My first caravan trip was when I was two weeks old. I then bought my own caravan in my twenties.' While touring caravans have brought many happy memories, she realised owning a campervan would provide greater freedom and spontaneity on her adventures. 'When Steve and I got together we actually both had caravans. We sold two caravans and a car to buy the T5 – or as Steve put it, 'We sold two caravans and a car to camp in a tin can …'' The T5 is now their daily runaround, with the Crafter used for overnight getaways. Kitting the latter out from scratch has allowed them to put their stamp on a blank canvas. Top of the list: hot running water and a fixed cooker. 'The other thing was creating more space for the girls,' says Hannah, referring to their quartet of dogs. 'They have a big space under our bed, which is an area that most people use for storage, as well as things like gas bottles and electrics. 'We put everything in the front of the van as much as possible to give the girls space in the back. That then created further challenges of how to fit everything in. There was a lot of head scratching and changing the plan as we went.' Do they have an all-time favourite location? 'Skye,' she confirms. 'I know it's such an obvious choice. But because we have done all the tourist spots, we're now finding the off-the-beaten-track places, such as cafes where the locals go. 'We love chatting to people and hearing more about the place from them, rather than the guidebooks. They will laugh about the tour guide stories and accounts of history because, while not completely made-up, the truth might have been extended slightly.' Read more Hannah doesn't shy away from addressing key issues, from gridlocked single-track roads and improper use of passing places to littering, that an influx of campervans and motorhomes are being blamed for in this part of Scotland. 'There is a lot of bad press around driving on Skye,' she attests. 'I have witnessed enough from my point of view to understand why locals do get frustrated.' In her anecdotal experience, 'people underestimate the size [of vehicles] and the size of the roads'. The main culprits, she believes, tend to be 'hire cars and foreign motorhomes', noting that 'hired campervans' can be an issue too when it comes to these behaviours. To that end, she finds it unfair when everyone gets tarred with the same brush. 'What does annoy me is how it is always 'the campervans' that are the problem,' says Hannah. 'We pull over on the single-track roads [to let vehicles pass]. We are respectful. If we park up somewhere and see rubbish lying around, we will get out of the van and clean it up. We always leave a park-up cleaner than when we arrived.' Follow on Instagram @roamthehighlands
Scotsman
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Glasgow VFX studio celebrates supporting role in bringing The Penguin to life after Emmy recognition
Colin Farrell stars as Oswald Cobblepot in The Batman spin-off The Penguin | HBO Govan-based FixFX was involved in bringing Colin Farrell's character in The Penguin to life, as well as creating effects for shows including Stranger Things and Outlander. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... One of Scotland's leading special effects studios has said it is 'thrilled' to have been involved with TV series The Penguin, after the show received more than 20 nominations at the 2025 Emmy Awards. Glasgow-based FixFX worked alongside the show's Oscar-winning makeup team to bring Colin Farrell's titular character to life, with the widely acclaimed series receiving 24 nominations, including Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup and Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Single Episode. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While FixFX may have played a supporting role in The Penguin's success, their subtle but impactful work has attracted some of the biggest names in entertainment to Scotland. 'To have had a major involvement in two of its incredible 24 nominations is enormously exciting and it's very flattering, you know, to be recognised for that kind of work – although it's not ourselves that are directly recognised,' said Colin Kennedy, chief executive of FixFX. Colin Kennedy is the CEO of FixFX, a Glasgow-based VFX studio which has worked on shows such as The Penguin and films including Civil War. | Contributed 'We know where we've fitted into the process and it's great to be operating at that kind of level.' The Penguin among FixFX's first projects to be highly recognised FixFX was commissioned to add the finishing touches to Colin Farrell's prosthetic makeup for The Penguin, helping develop the show's gritty tone. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Chris Duffy, the Studio VFX Supervisor at FixFX, a Glasgow-based VFX company. | Contributed VFX studio supervisor Chris Duffy said: 'Basically 99% of the work was just Colin Farrell's prosthetics and tidying them up. 'The art we do is all invisible, so the recognition we get is always when someone doesn't notice the work that we've done.' The team began working on the show in 2023, but it wasn't smooth sailing for them to finish the project. Mr Duffy said: 'We got going on maybe about 50 odd shots, and then it completely stopped because of Hollywood strikes. There was lots of delays because of that. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It was a particularly tricky [job], because it was such fine, detail stuff, that took us a while to go back into afterwards as well.' Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO Max FixFX spent six months working on The Penguin, which saw the team handling 800 shots in total. In comparison, Mr Kennedy highlighted their work on Outlander. He said: '[Outlander] was about the same sort of length of time as The Penguin, but we did 800 shots on The Penguin and we did nearly 3,000 on Outlander, and we've managed to do sort of both projects over a period of about six months. 'It was very intense.' Having worked on Outlander for several seasons, Mr Kennedy said the show's contribution to the Scottish filmmaking industry has been 'absolutely brilliant'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad FixFX has worked on several series of Outlander. | Starz/Shutterstock 'Outlander has really helped us to expand our spectrum of work and talent within the company. It's been fantastic to have their trust and investment in us, and they've created an awful lot of jobs and supported an awful lot of new talent in Scotland, specifically through us but also through every single aspect of filmmaking disciplines,' he said. Glasgow VFX company's work includes Stranger Things In addition to beauty work, the studio also provides everything from general clean up to getting rid of crew members and rigging. 'We did a lot of work on Civil War, for example, where we got rid of all of the vehicles and stuff that were in the streets to make it look more apocalyptic,' Mr Kennedy highlights. The 2024 Alex Garland film is just one of many projects which FixFX has had an invisible hand in making. The team has also contributed to shows such as Lockerbie: A Search For Truth, Nautilus and Stranger Things, which was among Mr Duffy's favourites to have been involved with. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Despite having previously been involved with the Netflix hit, Mr Kennedy suspects that they won't be getting a call as the new season rolls around. 'That's because they changed their visual effects supervisor, producer, and this business is very much relationship driven,' he explained. FixFX worked on the second half of Stranger Things Season 4. It was FixFX's longstanding relationship with The Penguin's visual effects producer which helped them secure the job, with Screen Scotland's PGF Project Post also supporting the production. The production growth fund aims to attract large scale film and TV productions to Scotland – something which Mr Kennedy says is starting to work. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We are finding that [the] fund is starting to attract more people and, of course, with the nominations and the successes and the hype around The Penguin, then it's great for that fund to be associated with such a high profile project,' he said. Creative Scotland attracting major projects to country Over the past year, a number of large productions including Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, Apple TV+'s The Buccaneers, and Edgar Wright's upcoming remake of The Running Man have spent time filming in Scotland. Christopher Nolan has been shooting his upcoming historical epic The Odyssey in Moray, while filming for J.J Abrams' untitled blockbuster took place in Edinburgh and Glasgow last month – something which Mr Kennedy is hopeful that FixFX could potentially get involved in. Christopher Nolan has brought filming for his Hollywood blockbuster The Odyssey to Moray. | AFP via Getty Images He said: 'We are trying to get work on that. We're not on it yet, but hopefully there might be something. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'These productions are at least now aware of small companies like us with great thanks to the work that's been done at Creative Scotland through their funding. They are managing to attract really, really major projects to the country. And of course, there's a benefit for us as well.' In particular, Mr Kennedy credits this recognition to the work of Creative Scotland's executive director Isabel Davis and her team. Film production crews filming J.J Abrams' "Ghostwriter" in Edinburgh. | Lisa Ferguson 'They have really turned things around there in recent years and helped put Scottish filmmakers and talent on the international map.' Due to the 'unpredictable' nature of the industry – particularly with recent events such as the Hollywood strikes and Covid – it has been a quiet period for FixFX recently. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Having said that though, looking at the forward order book and the amount of inquiries that are coming in, inquiries are definitely going up in recent weeks – which I could get a lot more inquiries – and I guess we could turn about 50% of that into actual jobs and that does make me feel quietly optimistic. 'But I am Scottish, you know. It feels like there's always going to be a little bit of 'well, you never know.'' Though there isn't much that can be said about what comes next for FixFX due to non-disclosure agreements, Mr Kennedy did reveal that there is work in the pipeline for clients including Warner Brothers, Sony Pictures, Netflix and Apple.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
‘Hitman' accused of blasting Ross Monaghan & Eddie Lyons Jr to death in Spain faces extradition hearing
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AN alleged hitman accused of killing Scots gangsters Ross Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jnr in Spain won't face an extradition hearing until November - five months after his arrest. Michael Riley, 44, is charged with the murders of the underworld figures at Monaghan's Bar in Fuengirola, Costa del Sol, on May 31. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 The hitman accused of murdering Ross Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jr (both pictured) is facing extradition Credit: The Scottish Sun 3 The pair were gunned down inside Monaghan's Bar in Fuengirola Credit: Google Maps Authorities in Spain want him sent there to face criminal proceedings. Riley, of Huyton, Liverpool, was arrested by Merseyside police on June 13 under an international arrest warrant issued by the Spanish authorities. His extradition hearing was due to take place on October 9 at Westminster Magistrates Court, but it will now be heard on November 20. Riley was not on a video link from Wandsworth Prison for the hearing. Judge Timothy King said: "I am prepared to vacate the hearing. "I make directions for the extradition hearing to be heard on 20 November. 'The next call over date will be on 15 August. Hopefully Mr Riley will have been produced via video link.' Monaghan, 43, and Lyons Jnr, 46, were key Lyons crime gang members. Malaga-based Spanish police chief Pedro Agudo Novo has described Riley as a member of the rival Glasgow-based Daniels gang. Bizarrely, Police Scotland have denied a link between the 30-year feud and the murders. 'Godfather' Eddie Lyons Snr bids farewell to gunned down son & kingpin pal at double gang funeral The victims - who were laid to rest in a joint funeral earlier this month - were watching the Champions League final with friends when they were gunned down at the bar on the beachfront. Lyons Jnr died after he was hit by a single bullet outside the bar in front of horrified drinkers. CCTV showed the gunman pursuing Monaghan inside the pub before shooting him dead. Riley remains in custody.
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Further news expected soon in latest Scots investment battle
Mr Jourdan and his team had been in charge of the VCT since its launch in 2005 as the First State AIM VCT. The fund, whose mandate is to invest in London's junior Alternative Investment Market (AIM), followed the team through a series of name changes and mergers prior to the 2010 establishment of Amati in Edinburgh, after which it became the Amati AIM VCT. Read more: The name changed again in May of this year when the board of directors led by chair Fiona Wollocombe appointed Glasgow-based Maven Capital Partners as the fund's new manager. Formed in 2009 from a management buyout of the private equity business of Aberdeen Asset Management, Maven has been owned by wealth manager Mattioli Woods since 2021. Shareholders did not have a chance to vote on the switch to Maven prior to the decision being implemented. Ms Wollocombe said at the time that Maven was selected because it was one of relatively few VCT fund managers with experience of both AIM and private capital investment. The past few years have been tough for AIM investors as liquidity in smaller companies has dried up, with small-cap stocks viewed as particularly vulnerable to higher inflation and rising interest rates. To counteract this, the board had proposed that under the new fund manager the VCT should switch to an "AIM Plus" strategy combining investments in the junior market with a pipeline of deals in private companies. Paul Jourdan said directors of Maven Renovar presented investors with a fait accompli However, this strategy was rejected by a majority of shareholders voting at the VCT's annual general meeting in June. In addition, Ms Wollocombe and fellow directors Julia Henderson and Brian Scouler failed to be re-elected, as did new board member prospect Neeta Patel. The remain in place on a caretaker basis until new directors are elected at another general meeting, the date of which could be confirmed next week. They have claimed that the cost of Amati's fees relative to the company's losses was 'wholly unsustainable' and there was therefore 'no choice' but to change manager. They further say that the defeated resolutions at the AGM would have likely passed but for a "significant portion" of dissenters who were employees, close friends or family of Amati, a claim that Amati has firmly refuted. A group of investors led by Mr Jourdan has now served a requisition calling for Ms Wollocombe, Mr Scouler, Ms Patel and fellow Maven Renovar VCT director Robert Legget to be replaced by Mr Jourdan, Charles McMicking, Hector Kilpatrick and Kathleen McLeay. Read more: 'To see a former investment manager with such a dismal recent track record now seek to appoint himself and two of his fellow requisitioners to the board is quite extraordinary,' Mr Leggett said earlier this week. 'Taken together, the proposed resolutions themselves are designed to be board-controlling and represent a nil premium takeover by a very small minority of shareholders and are not in the interests of shareholders as a whole.' Mr Jourdan, however, maintains that the current board erred significantly in failing to give shareholders a vote on the change of manager and investment strategy. 'The difference here is the change of manager was made in order to make a change to the investment policy," he told reporters earlier this week. "The signatories to [our requisition notice] believe that the board should have given shareholders a vote on the change of investment policy before they made the change of manager, rather than presenting a fait accompli. 'The reason why the board were voted out at the AGM was because shareholders would rather make their own decision about buying a VCT with a different strategy. They wish this VCT to remain focused on AIM.'
