Local character and once prominent member of the community, George Leatherbarrow, celebrates his birthday today. Apparently, as a part of his celebrations, the newly 90-year-old local will be flying solo in a Cessna aircraft.
Mr Leatherbarrow had a “good war” in flying boats, so this seems an apt way of celebrating his nonagenarian birthday.
He was once manager of the Island Hotel, Tresco.
Isles of Scilly Travel?s Skybus will be flying from Southampton Airport to St Mary?s (and back) during the coming summer. This is the first time this service has run since Brymon ceased the service in the 1980s.
The brochure states that a normal return will cost ?210, not including the ?36 airport service charge. The flight should last ?90 minutes, and may go via Newquay.
From 2 January, the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company?s head office will also be home to the local tourist information office.
In autumn, the Steamship Company?s chandlery closed. This is where the new reception for the Steamship Company will be; the ?front desk? will then be the tourist information centre.
The building had been used by Isles of Scilly Travel as a travel centre, booking train tickets etc., two years ago.
Researchers for the new James Bond film were looking into location filming on Tresco. One of the key factors researched was whether or not extra air traffic to the heliport would be allowed.
The Council has a limit of 35 helicopters per day that are allowed to land on Tresco?s small heliport. Mr Dorrien Smith asked if extra private air traffic, like for film crews, can be excluded from the limit. This would allow any private helicopters to land at any time of the year, without restriction.
The Council decided that there had to be a restriction on all air traffic due to the SSSI, birdlife and noise interests of the environment. However, they did vote to allow an extra five flights a year.
Toby and Louise Dougan were voted the best food retailer by BBC Radio 4?s Food And Farming Awards. The ceremony was at the Birmingham NEC, in a category that is decribes as a ?food outlet in the country that makes a difference to a local community from the biggest supermarket to the smallest corner shop.?
Well done to St Martin?s Bakery!
Official links:
http://www.scillyonline.co.uk/stmartinsbakery.php
Scilly Online: ?St Martin?s Bakery?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/foodawards2002_winners.shtml
BBC Radio 4: ?Food And Farming Awards 2002?
A German container ship on route to Dublin has lost power off Cornwall and is drifting towards the Isles of Scilly. St. Mary’s (pictured) and Sennen Lifeboats were called to assist the vessel following a distress call, taken by Falmouth Coastguards at around two o’clock today.
Engineers on board the ‘Heiki’ are working frantically to fix the problems and restart the engines. The ship sent out its distress signal from Cape Cornwall and is being pushed towards the Islands by the Easterly winds. Two tugs have been dispatched to the scene to stand by the vessel in case of further problems. The ‘I. B. Harvey, and the coastguard tug ‘Far Sky’ are due to reach the vessel soon.
Falmouth Coastgaurd asked the Master of the ship if he wished the St. Mary’s lifeboat to remain at the scene, when the reply came through in the negative, St. Mary’s lifeboat were asked to return to their station at 19:05hrs. The crew have made no request for an evacuation and the recalling of the lifeboat would suggest that the situation is under control. It is predicted that, conditions permitting, the ship will drift two miles to the north of Sevenstones reef, avoiding catastrophe.
We will update the situation as we receive more information on the state of the rescue.