A man celebrating his fiftieth birthday last night was subject to repeated injuries during a pub fracas. A friendly quarrel turned sour when the man cracked his head on a nearby pool table. His heart stopped after more injuries were incurred from the crowd.

A local managed to resuscitate the man, who was later flown out by naval helicopter around 10:40 pm, and taken to Treliske Hospital. His condition is said to be stable.

The man, a local of a few years, has had legal problems in the past after domestic feuds.

This behaviour will be a worry to the police as tonight we celebrate the new year.

The Isles of Scilly have been named in the Guardian?s Travel supplement as one of five of the hottest global destinations for 2002. Scilly is also the only destination recommended, within the UK.

In the Article, the Islands are classed with the likes of ?Forte dei Marmi? and the second-only-to-Milan-for-fissionability ?Osaka? in Japan. The double page spread is dominated by a full colour Ariel photograph of Tresco, the sky seamlessly blending with the rich blue of the sea.

The author of the piece (presumable friends with someone on Tresco!) describes the Islands as ?Idyllic, truly exclusive and underrated?. The article does mainly focus on Tresco but does call on the opinion of Jude Law, a regular visitor, for his opinion. Law goes on to describe the way that Islands are ?So beautiful, so tranquil and unspoilt?.

The article describes Tresco as ?The second largest but the smartest of the set? although they also praise the rest of the archipelago as an ?eerily, beautiful, jagged seascape?. It is interesting to note the articles two main infatuations are Tresco and Jude laws love of the Islands, but the article fails to note that Jude Law actually spends his time staying at St. Martin?s hotel. In fact, St. Martins and Bryher don?t get a mention at all!

This article will undoubtedly attract tourism to the Islands, which can only be welcomed. We may just have to hope, however, that the exclusivity that the article portrays does not underrate the value of the islands for the more economically challenged ?average? visitor, not up to paying film star prices! Make no mistake, Scilly is one of those rare destinations where the rich and not so rich can enjoy their holiday to exactly the same degree.

In a supplimental earlier this year, the Guardian rated St Martins on the Isle (Island Hotel, St Martin?s) one of the fifty best hotels in the UK.

Official link:
http://travel.guardian.co.uk/saturdaysection/story/0,8922,625317,00.html
The Guardian: “Five Stars for 2002″

http://travel.guardian.co.uk/weekenders/story/0,7454,548413,00.html
The Guardian: “50 of the Best”

The rig that has been in Scillonian waters for the past couple of months is set to stay in St. Marys harbour until a sufficient window appears in the weather to get it to it’s next destination.

The Construction rig, originally based in the Gweek estuary in Cornwall, is bound for Anglesey for its next contract work, but it will need at least a five day spell of clear weather in which to make the trip. A tug is on standby, ready to collect the 40 tonne construction rig and tow it to Anglesey at a speed of four knots. The 300 mile trip is expected to take three to five days.

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The crew of the rig, who laid a new marker at Bartholemew’s ledge and a day mark on St. Agnes (Above), have been given Christmas leave and the rig has been left moored at St. Marys harbour, alongside the quay. Steve Douglas who works in the harbour office Joked, “It may look bad, but it would provide some shelter for boats wishing to moor underneath it!”

If previous years are anything to go by, the rig could be sitting alongside St. Marys Quay for some time as the traditional New Years bad spell of weather looks likely for its annual return soon.

Steve Ottery, the honorary Curator of the Isles of Scilly Museum, has declared his joy at the fact the sword, found on Bryher, will indeed be returning to The Islands.

Speaking to a Scilly News journalist on Radio Scilly, he said that the British museum had taken measures to protect and preserve the sword from any further corrosion and that it will make a welcome return some time early next year.

Mr. Ottery also confirmed that the Sword was in poor condition due to its exposure to the elements over the years but he voiced his hope to reproduce a replica, which could be shown alongside the genuine artefact. Such a replica could conceivably cost up to ?1500.

Christmas went with a bang as usual in the Islands, Carol singers donned their woollies, churchgoers readied their voices and Bellies were prepared for the vast indulgences so often incurred!

There were church services on every Island over the festive period and in addition, carol singers made their way around sections of he islands, braving the bitterly cold Christmas Eve weather.

Radio Scilly valiantly broadcast through Christmas day, providing the entertainment while travel companies saw a mass immigration of visitors to the islands, many of which were families or friends of the locals.

One Couple, Piers and Rachel Lewin of St. Agnes, had one very special Christmas present. Their first child, Loveday Elizabeth Lewin was born on Boxing Day in Treliske hospital, Truro, after being flown out on Christmas day.

One other was less fortunate this Christmas: Chris Evans was flown out to Treliske by helicopter after breaking his ankle whilst playing football on Boxing Day morning.

The Scilly News team extend their Christmas greeting to all our visitors and hope you will look out for our review of the year coming up before the end of the year.

Three Island Students attending college in Truro have successfully completed an award scheme set up by Millennium Volunteers.

Millennium Volunteers is a national organisation designed to help youth orientated initiatives through community work. Rebecca Brint from Tresco clocked up 100 hours while Steve Duncan from St. Marys and Julian Pearce from St. Agnes clocked up 200 hours each. On receiving the award the students commented that they felt they had benefited personally from the scheme and that they also thought others would have benefited from the work that had been done.

All three students have been involved in the ?Isles of Scilly ? Support our Students? (IOS-SOS) project which aims to help secondary school students make the right choice when moving to the mainland. Additionally Stephen has worked on web sites and Julian has been involved with the national youth parliament.

Area co-ordinator, Laureen Lessels, said ?It always makes me feel so proud when the volunteers achieve their awards?. A special lunch was set up for the students which took place in Truro. Hillary Workman, the chief executive of the Cornwall centre for Volunteers presented the students with their certificates as well as the prizes which are given out at each stage of the award, including t-shirts, fleeces and woolly hats.

For more information on the scheme, contact the head office in Truro on 01872 261441.

Alternatively, visit the website http://www.millenniumvolunteers.gov.uk/

Rumours that less clubs will attend the World Pilot Gig Championships next year, due to the Steamship Company?s increased charges, have been proven wrong.

When we contacted the Steamship Company, they said that the only increase in charge is ?250 for clubs who use the Scillonian or Gry Maritha to ship their gig or gigs over but only when they do not use the Scillonian or Sky Bus to travel to the Islands. This is just ensuring the gig crews support the Steamship during this event, by paying for either the crew or the gig?s transport.

The World Gig Association and the CPGA, Cornish Pilot Gig Association, agreed with the additional costs and were happy with the explaination given.

The standard charge of ?50, mainly for insurance, will still apply to all crews. As in the past, there will be the same special fares for day trip costs for the short break stay.

The Steamship Company then added that they have not had any clubs call to cancel. “In fact, during the past week, we have had 8 clubs making their bookings.”

Thanks to Lisa Soper, Iain Thompson and Jeff Marston of the Steamship Company.

The annual switching on of the Christmas lights in Hugh Town is scheduled for Saturday 15th. It has become an annual custom to sing carols and eat mince pies either in the Town Hall or Parade Park, before the lights are switched on.

One of the centre pieces of the Christmas lights is traditionally staged on ?The Carn? (above)- opposite the Secondary School. This year, building works on the house below ‘The Biggal’ will limit the lights which are usually positioned there. Lights will, however, appear as usual on Star Castle, Buzza Tower and St. Marys Quay giving the compact town a first-class festive feel!

St. Marys is the only Island to have an official lights display but some individual houses on the off Islands regularly make the effort as well. On St. Marys, streams of multicoloured lights will give a carnival atmosphere to Hugh Town during the evening and night as they stretch right across The Strand and up Church Road.

Scilly News will hopefully have photos of the lights mid week.

p class=”smalldetail”Photo courtesy of George Kershaw.

For all you Scilly boffins who ever wondered how the Steamship Company freight boat the “Gry Maritha” got her name, you will be pleased to hear that Scilly News has contacted the daughter of the man who built her. The name has an interesting tale as she goes on to explain…

“Gry” was built in 1981 in a place called Kolvereid in the middle of Norway. She was set on water in July that year, and my grandmother was the “godmother” when they gave her the name. The reason why it was called Gry Maritha” is, of course, that it’s my name. Earlier, my father owned a boat that was named after my brother (Agnar jr.),so when I was born, it was already clear that the ship should have my name. In the beginning they wanted to name her “Gro Maritha”, but they did not get permission by the government. It was too alike the name of another ship. Then it was changed to Gry Maritha. So in a way you can say the name was chosen after the ship, not Me.

Now a little bit about my father, Tor Kristian Sevaldsen. His family has been working on the sea for many generations. It was my great-great grandfather who first started what now has become a “tradition” in the family. He built his own ship out of a big sailboat; he was captain on it. After that, the family has had 10 or 11 ships. My father started working with my grandfather in the holidays when he was 13 years old. At 17 he started working there full time. Since then he has always been working at sea, as captain on his own ships.

After he sold “Gry” in 1989 he bought a new ship, which he also called “Gry Maritha” (you can watch it on “www.rimship.no).Its bigger, and older, than the one he sold to the Islands. Today he works together with my brother Agnar, who co-owns the ship with him. They are probably the last generation of sailors in the Sevaldsen family…(there has been 8 that I know about, all captains)

It`s sad…but I don’t think there will be a place for small firms like that here in Norway until my son grows up… “

Gry Maritha Sevaldsen

The website reffered to in the article can be viewed at
a href=”http://www.rimship.no/sider/opening.html” target=”_blank”www.rimship.no/a

According to the IMDb, BBC and HBO have produced the best TV series in the World. 900 International voters voted ?Band of Brothers? an average of 9.6 out of 10. It is the highest score (as voted for by a reasonable number of people, i.e. 200 voters) for any TV series on the huge database.

But what has this got to do with the Islands? Well, a week ago I asked you that question a week ago, but nobody had the correct answer.

Dexter Fletcher, the second most promenant British actor in the series, had been to the Islands 12 years before BOB to film Michael Morpurgo?s ?When the Whales Came?.

Dexter Fletcher

Since filming ?When the Whales Came?, Dexter Fletcher?s other major success was his role in ?Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels?, playing a character called ?Soap?.

When the Whales Came

?When the Whales Came? was the only film to be soley filmed on the Islands. It was written by Scilly enthusiast Michael Morpurgo.

The story was about a pair of children who befriend an old man. This man knows a terrible secret about the Islands and the Narwhales who sometimes come.

Michael Morpurgo

Morpurgo has written several fictional books about the Islands. One of his other successful books was called ?Arthur?. It was about the legendary King Arthur, and set on the Islands. In the ledgend, during the Battle of Camlann, King Arthur was removed to the Isle of Avalon, which is proposed to be the Isles of Scilly.

Official links:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bandofbrothers/ > BBC: “Band of Brothers”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bandofbrothers/features/dexter_fletcher.shtml > BBC: “Dexter Fletcher”
http://www.sendit.com/video/item/7000000014188 > BlackStar: “When the Whales Came” - Buy the video
http://www.britannia.com/history/arthur/dozmary.html > Britannia.com: “King Arthur”
http://www.hbo.com/band/landing/we_stand_alone_together.html > HBO: “Band of Brothers”
http://uk.imdb.com/Title?0098638 > IMDb: “When the Whales Came”
http://www.komedia.co.uk/0111/200111121830_t_whythewhal.shtml > KoMedia: “Why the Whales Came”