Blitz News

  Image caption, The MV Hebrides hit a pier at Lochmaddy, North Uist, on Wednesday night Islanders in Uist have been left with no dedicated ferry service to mainland Scotland. South Uist's boat, MV Lord of the Isles, was withdrawn from service on Tuesday for essential repairs to its firefighting system. On Wednesday night, North Uist's MV Hebrides struck a pier and all its sailings on Thursday were cancelled. Ferry operator CalMac apologised and said it was considering moving boats around its network. Western Isles local authority Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has reacted with anger at Uist being left without a service. Islanders are now facing journeys of more than five hours, involving multiple ferry crossings, to get to the mainland. Normally South Uist's Lochboisdale to Mallaig crossing is a three hour and 45 minute journey, while North Uist's Lochmaddy to Uig ferry trip takes one hour and 45 minutes. But now the options available to people wanting to travel from the Ui...

  Image caption, Jodie Stalker started playing golf during the pandemic Jodie Stalker took up golf for something to do outdoors during the pandemic as she could not play netball as usual. The 27-year-old said her new hobby was due to the frustration at her usual routine being disrupted. Her story is not uncommon, as recent data has suggested there are now more people playing golf in Scotland than before the pandemic. There are now more than 200,000 golfers registered across the country. Golf is one of Scotland's most famous exports. In July, The Open Championship will be held at the sport's birthplace at St Andrews. The oldest major marks its 150th tournament this year, returning to the fabled Old Course for the first time in seven years. Recent data from Scottish Golf and the R&A - the organisation that governs golf worldwide - found that 5.3 million adult golfers played nine or 18 holes in Great Britain and Ireland in 2020. The latest figures for 2021 show the figure drop...