Latest news with #McCallum
Sunday World
4 days ago
- Sunday World
Cops probe arson attack targeting Belfast home of loyalist ‘Pipe Bomb Pastor'
Clifford Peeples was jailed for possession of explosives with intent to endanger life in 2001. Petrol bomb attack at a property in the Forthriver Road area on the 25th July 2025 (Belfast Telegraph) Petrol bomb attack at a property in the Forthriver Road area on the 25th July 2025 (Belfast Telegraph) The house belonging to a self-styled loyalist pastor has been targeted in an over night arson attack involving a petrol bomb. The property targeted in the Forthriver Road area of Glencairn belongs to Clifford Peeples, who was jailed for possession of explosives with intent to endanger life in 2001. At the time a pipe-bomb and two hand grenades were found in a car he was travelling in. He went on to lead a Shankill Road church but now describes himself as a writer and political commentator. Clifford Peeples Police and firefighters responded to the attack at the property which took place shortly before 3am. The PSNI confirmed one person was in the property at the time of the incident but no serious injuries were reported. Two fire appliances attended the incident with police remaining at the scene this morning. Detective Sergeant McCallum said: 'At around 3:00am this morning, Friday, 25th July, police received a report that a petrol bomb had been thrown at a property in the Forthriver Road area of the town. . News in 90 Seconds - July 25th 'Officers attended alongside colleagues from Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service, who made the area safe. "It appeared that the petrol bomb had been thrown through the living room window causing damage inside. 'One person was present in the property, fortunately no serious injuries have been reported at this time." DS McCallum continued: "We are treating this attack as arson with intent to endanger life. 'Our enquiries are ongoing and I would appeal to anyone who may be able to assist with our investigation, particularly anyone with CCTV, dashcam or other relevant footage, to contact us on 101, quoting reference 141 of 25/07/25." NIFRS has been contacted for comment.
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Scotsman
4 days ago
- Scotsman
Scottish detectives release new 'aged' photos of missing man in unsolved 20-year case
Police are renewing their appeal for information amid 'unanswered questions' over 20 years on Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox 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... Detectives in Clydebank have released artificial images of a man who went missing over 20 years ago - showing what he would look like now. David McCallum was reported missing in 2003 and was last seen in the Rowardennan area of Loch Lomond. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr McCallum, who was 31 went he went missing, would have turned 54 today. The age progression images, created for police by Dundee University, have been released as part of a renewed appeal for information about the case. David McCallum would have turned 54 today | Police Scotland He was 31 years old when he was last seen near Loch Lomond | Police Scotland Police said there remained 'unanswered questions' around Mr McCallum's disappearance. Mr McCallum's car, a black Ford Focus, was found near where he was last spotted in the Loch Lomond area. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He is described as as 5ft 9ins tall, with a slim build and dark brown hair. So far, there have been no confirmed sightings of Mr McCallum. However, police said there has been two potential sightings of him in Sussex in 2017 and in the Tower Hill Underground Station in London in 2019. Detective Inspector David Lavery, of Dumbarton Police Office, said: 'We regularly review unsolved missing person cases and there have always been unanswered questions around David's disappearance. 'There have been a number of appeals over the years, including by the charity Missing and on television documentaries. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'These latest images show what David may look like now. If anyone recognises David from these images, or has any information that can help our enquiries, please contact us. 'I would appeal particularly to anyone who was wild camping in the Lochan Maoil Dhuinne area the weekend David was last seen, as well as people who have worked with the homeless community in London over the years.'
BBC News
4 days ago
- BBC News
Artificial images show Clydebank man 22 years after disappearance
Detectives have released images showing how a man who was reported missing in 2003 might look McCallum, from Clydebank, was last seen in March 2003 near Loch Lomond when he was aged say investigations to find him have been ongoing but there being no positive age progression images were created by Dundee University to show how David might look now, on what is his 54th birthday. David was last seen on 30 March in the Rowardennan area, east of Loch Lomond, where his black Ford Focus was found. He was reported missing the following say there have been just two potential sightings of him since he disappeared - one in Sussex in 2017 and another in the Tower Hill underground station in London has been described as 5ft 9in tall with a slim build and dark brown Insp David Lavery said: "We regularly review unsolved missing person cases and there have always been unanswered questions around David's disappearance.""These latest images show what David may look like now. If anyone recognises David from these images, or has any information that can help our inquiries, please contact us.
The Herald Scotland
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Have tourists in Scotland reached 'ceiling' for hotel rates?
The latest RSM Hotels Tracker found average daily rates of occupied rooms (ADR) in Scotland increased from £155.27 to £156.04 in May year-on-year, as operators strove to offset the rise in labour costs. This was in contrast with the wider UK ADR, which fell from £152.93 to £149.08 over the same period. However, while room rates increased in Scotland, hotel occupancy across the country decreased year-on-year from 84.4% in May 2024 to 81.9% in May 2025. That contributed to gross operating profits falling from 43.9% to 41.9%. Sale of Glasgow west end care home nets £1m for charity Scotch whisky chief pays price as global turmoil hits industry Why the case for a 'Scottish visa' just got stronger Occupancy was higher in Scotland than the UK as a whole, which saw a slight drop from 79.5% to 79.4%, contributing to a year-on-year drop in gross operating profits from 39.1% to 37% in the UK. Stuart McCallum, partner and head of consumer markets in Scotland at RSM UK, said: 'Scotland's hotels are now facing the impact of April's employer cost rises and price pressures, and profits have continued their downward trend in May, alongside the wider UK market. 'With occupancy also falling in May, there is slight concern among hoteliers around how much it can rise again in the coming months. As living costs increase, Scotland's hoteliers face the challenge of encouraging customers to hotels, and we may be reaching the ceiling in terms of what they are prepared to pay in the current economic climate. 'Scotland's international tourism may also struggle, as US tourists aren't travelling here as much as in previous years. Scotland's economy relies heavily on these tourists to spend significant sums on luxury goods, dining out and experiences. Hoteliers will need to continue investing in their facilities to attract footfall, and also consider diversifying to attract wider overseas markets, otherwise it will become more challenging to increase occupancy levels and therefore profits.' The report is compiled and produced by Hotstats and analysed by RSM UK. It also found that hotels appear to be spending more on IT systems, with a 17.6% increase in Scotland over the past three years. There was a UK-wide increase of 21% over the same period. Mr McCallum added: 'It's clear hoteliers will need to find ways to improve efficiencies to boost profits, and investment in technology is already supporting this, particularly in the budget hotel market. At the premium end of the market though, people are willing to pay high rates for a high level of personal service, and this is unlikely to change any time soon. 'There are some positives ahead too for Scotland's hotels, and with better weather as festival season approaches, international tourism could see an uptick. With recent investment into Edinburgh and Glasgow airports, both now operating under new ownership, new flights into Scotland could help to increase the marketability of Scotland, and hotels could soon see a rise in footfall as a result.'
Scotsman
22-07-2025
- Science
- Scotsman
First blueberry to flourish in Scottish climate produced after ten years of hard work
More than 300 unique blueberry crosses were made to find the perfect result. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox 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... Scientists are celebrating after producing the first ever blueberry to flourish in Scotland's climate. The achievement has come about after ten years' research at the James Hutton Institute's breeding programme during which more than 300 unique blueberry crosses were made to find the right combination. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The result, dubbed Highland Charm, has been made from a selection of blueberries bred from the native north American species (Vaccinium corymbosum), resulting in a berry that grows well in the Scottish climate, the JHI said. The James Hutton Institute introduces the first UK-bred blueberry | James Hutton Institute Blueberry breeder, Susan McCallum, said: 'This cultivar is a real standout. It combines high yields, excellent fruit size, outstanding flavour, with a balanced sugar-acid profile and a satisfying bite, and an impressive shelf life. 'It is reliable and has performed well in our trials year after year, with consistent yield, size and taste. Growers are really excited about it.' The new berry has been successfully trialled in the UK and the EU, constantly performing well across multiple seasons and diverse conditions, the JHI said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scotland's fertile soils, clean water, and milder summer temperatures create ideal conditions for producing high-quality berries. Cooler summers extend the ripening period of soft fruit, allowing for greater accumulation of sugars and acids, resulting in a more intense, well-balanced flavour compared to berries that ripen rapidly in hotter climates. The UK consumers buy around 60,000 tonnes of blueberries a year but 90 per cent of them are imported from overseas, according to JHI. Researchers at the centre believe the blueberry has great potential for expansion and that Highland Charm will meet the demands of the industry for home grown fruit. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They said its climate resilience represents a significant advance for growers. Dr McCallum said she hopes the new berry will encourage consumers to buy in-season, local fruit. 'They are fresher with higher health benefits than imported berries that take six weeks to get from the field to the shelves,' she said. 'The imported fruit is often picked slightly too early and while its colour continues to develop, its flavour does not. I guarantee people will taste the difference with in-season, local fruit and will want to go back for more.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Highland Charm is currently going through the licensing process that will declare it to be a novel and unique blueberry and should be on supermarket shelves in about three years. A sister variety under development is also expected to enter the licensing process next year. Meanwhile, a supermarket has revealed that this year's warmer weather has led to the UK's biggest cherry yield in at least three years. Tesco supplier Place UK, based in Tunstead near Norwich , Norfolk , said the warm weather had led to a "wonderful crop". The supermarket has introduced larger 600g and 1kg pack sizes of the cherries, priced at £4.50 and £6 respectively. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dan Yordanov, of Place UK, said: "It's been a really good season for us so far with the warmest spring on record helping to produce a wonderful crop of cherries - easily the best we've seen for at least three years. "This has resulted in an abundance of great tasting, perfect British cherries being picked at peak ripeness.'
