End of the road for TV drama THE final bell will sound at Greenock-based TV show Waterloo Road, it has been confirmed.

Bosses today announced the end of the road for the BBC One drama — it will finish next year.


TV auction star returns to town for charity event ONE of TV’s top auction programme personalities, Anita Manning, returns to Greenock this month for a charity event.

The Bargain Hunt and Flog It! star is supporting Greenock Rotary Club at its version of the Antiques Roadshow.

Anita, pictured, will be at the Lyle Kirk in Newark Street on Thursday 24 April to value items between 10am and 2pm.

The cost of entry is £3, and the charge for valuation is £3 per item up to a maximum of three.

Rotary spokesman Bob Burns said: “We’re very grateful to Anita for supporting us once again.

“We will have a cafe selling tea and coffee, and all proceeds will go to support the Mary’s Meals Backpacks charity.”
‘Threat to mum’ charge A GREENOCK youth charged with threatening his mum with violence spent Mother’s Day behind bars.

Prosecutors say that Ryan Keenan, 17, behaved in a threatening or abusive manner, shouted, swore and threw household items and furniture around during an incident in Dalmally Street last Thursday.

He is also accused of placing his mother in a state of fear and alarm.

At a hearing held on Monday, Keenan was granted bail by Sheriff Ruth Anderson and ordered to stay with his grandmother until he appears in court again on 13 May.


£10.3m pay-off bill ‘is worth it’ COUNCIL bosses say that a £10.3m bill to pay off hundreds of staff early will be well worth it over the long run.

Annual savings of almost £10m will be made because 305 employees, some of them part-time, left voluntarily under an ‘early release’ programme between 2009 and 2013.

This cost the council an average of £19,000 per person but council leader Stephen McCabe has defended the bill, saying it was a case of ‘spending to save’.

He said: “The one-off costs of £10.3m may seem like a lot of money, but the recurring savings will be just under £10m every year.

“Early release is used only when all other avenues have been exhausted, and, to date, all staff released have done so on a voluntary basis.

“We have been fortunate that our planned and strategic approach to mitigating the effects of the economic downturn has had a limited impact on our essential services and our staff.

“The council has taken positive steps to reduce the impact of reducing its workforce by service redesign, natural turnover and re-deployment opportunities, as well as recruiting temporary staff into vacancies where appropriate to protect permanent staff.”
Tribute to Iain Banks A LATE author who was brought up in Gourock will be remembered at a major book event in Glasgow on Friday.

A tribute to Iain Banks, who attended Gourock High School, will open this year’s Aye Write! Festival in The Mitchell Library.

The Remembering Iain Banks event will feature a series of his unpublished poems. The writer, best known for novels like The Wasp Factory, sadly died of cancer last June. The festival runs until 12 April.


Man grew drug at home A PORT man has admitted growing cannabis at a house in Greenock.

Robert Temporal, 27, produced the Class B drug at an address in Davey Street between 23 October and 11 December last year.

Temporal, of Balfour Street, will be sentenced at Greenock Sheriff Court later this month.


Fundraiser for Holly A FUNDRAISER to help a special youngster and her family is being held in Greenock tomorrow.

Little Holly Watt was born with quadriplegic cerebral palsy and the movement disorder dystonia.

Her mum Margaret Mooney has to carry the six-year-old up and downstairs and says a stairlift would make life a lot easier.

The bake sale and raffle will take place in West College Scotland Finnart Street Campus between 10am and 4pm.

Lindsay Palmer, who is organising the event, has already raised £200 from sales of raffle tickets at RBS Mortgage Centre, EE and a donation from Inverclyde Indoor Bowling Club’s bingo.

To make a donation visit hollywattfundraising@outlook.com
New homes A HOUSING association has been given the go-ahead to build 45 new homes in Greenock’s east end.

Oak Tree will build terraced, semi-detached houses and cottage flats at a site, pictured, between Garvald Street, East William Street and Barnhill Street near to Belville Street.

The Scottish Government is supporting the development to the tune of £2.6m.


Accused is bailed A MAN who is charged with forcing his way into a Greenock home and assaulting two people to their injury has been granted bail.

Prosecutors say that Scott Spalding, 41, punched a 50-year-old woman and a man at the property in Rankin Street last Sunday.

He is further charged with stealing a mobile phone and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and shouting and swearing.

Spalding, of Paisley, appeared from custody to plead not guilty and is due in court again on 13 May.


Country time INVERCLYDE country music fans are being invited to a festival.

Tickets are available now for ‘Spring Into Country’ at David Lloyd Leisure, Renfrew on Sunday 4 May.

For information call Joan Dobie on 07814 371115.


Drink drive charge A SUSPECTED drink driver stopped by police in the middle of the afternoon has been reported to the procurator fiscal.

The 44-year-old Gourock man was pulled over by officers on Main Street, Inverkip, at around 2.15pm on Monday. He was released from police custody on an undertaking to appear in court at a later date.


Thief to be sentenced A GREENOCK man is to be sentenced for stealing from an Oak Mall shop.

Samuel Cowan, 47, admitted taking toiletries from Poundland on 20 November last year.

Cowan, of Kirkwall Road, who is represented by Aidan Gallagher, was on two bail orders at the time of the offence.


Photography class BUDDING snappers can capture some top tips at a digital photography class.

The local ABC Project is offering a free programme which starts on 9 April.

The course will run for 10 weeks in Central Library, Cathcart Street, Greenock.

To book a place call 732700.