A TULLIBODY craftsman had a date with royalty as he collected his honour at Holyrood Palace earlier this month.

 

Military history enthusiast Sandy Orr was given an MBE in the Queen’s honour list for his years of work in restoring and maintaining the graves of soldiers who were killed in the two world wars.

 ALLAN Maitland was left to rue his side’s bad luck as two late goals saw the Wasps exit the ALBA Challenge Cup in agonising fashion at the Dens Park on Saturday.

 

Scott Walker powered home a header after 74 minutes to put the club on the verge of a cup upset but late strikes from Colin McMenamin and Sean Higgins ensured that the cup holders squeezed past a determined Alloa side.

 SOME of the most exciting names in music and arts are getting set to take over the Macrobert centre this weekend as the venue hosts its first ever multi arts festival.

 

mFest will feature stars like Scots star Calvin Harris, Tinchy Stryder and Daisy Dares You, as well as attention-grabbing acts such as as La Fura Dels Baus and Bard in the Botanics.

 A SICK student paedo branded one of Scotland’s most disturbing sex predators will be brought to justice on Wednesday (July 21) after a police operation which began in the Wee County.

 

Sex beast Andrew Byrne preyed on 19 boys and girls over a vile two year campaign of horrifying abuse. Cops snared the depraved 21-year-old microbiology student after uncovering online chats with a 13-year-old girl from Clackmannanshire.

 A FLEET-FOOTED Alloa teenager is hoping to dance her way to stardom by winning new Channel 5 talent contest  Don’t Stop Believing.

 

Lornshill Academy pupil Stephanie Armitage will skip on to the nation’s screens in the live semi-final this Sunday (July 25) as part of the all-Scots dance troupe Blok. The 15 strong group are gunning  to become the first-ever winners of the show – a tribute to smash-hit US comedy Glee.

 THE council has asked the Wee County public for help as it braces itself for government- imposed budget cuts.

 

Public sector budgets across the country are expected to be slashed by at least 12 per cent over the next three years, leaving Clacks council chiefs needing to make at least £13 million in savings, or around £4 million each year.