A FEARSOME armoured fighting vehicle which Taliban warlords have dubbed the Desert Devil has become like a second home for two young Moray soldiers.

THEIR knees may be creaking a bit but it was smiles all round for a local family who walked the West Highland Way in aid of an eight-year-old member of the family with cystic fibrosis.

A FORMER Macduff fisherman and Gamrie merchant died last Monday, March 31, at the age of 88.

A LOCAL teenager is on course for an international aid project in Central America.

A LOCAL family are walking the West Highland Way in aid of a young member of the family with cystic fibrosis.

A NORTH-east dog and her owner, who transformed each other's lives, found themselves in the limelight at Crufts, the most prestigious and famous dog show in the world a fortnight ago.

RAINBOWS and Rock 'n' Roll – that's how one Banff teenager is raising money to spend her gap year working with underprivileged children in the Caribbean.

A NEW Byth woman and the dog she saved from death are hoping to win a special award at this weekend's Crufts dog show.

LOCAL girl Amanda Watt walks on stage next week at His Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen as the leading lady in a major musical.

BANFF Academy pupils have been in the pink recently.

BANFF bands and musicians are making a CD, reviving a big local hit from a couple of years back, all in aid of charity.

A FORMER Banff Academy pupil is racing to raise £600 in a few weeks so that she can take part in a volunteering project which will involve a trip to the Philippines.

EMERGENCY services are only a mouse-click away, thanks to an imaginative idea by Banff and District Community Safety Group.

A GREAT granny from Banff celebrated her 70th birthday by jumping out of an aeroplane in her adopted homeland, Australia.

WHILE most teenage boys are returning to school with their new Wii game, or worrying about prelims, one Banff youth faces a very different prospect.

TRIBUTES have been paid to popular Gardenstown man Alan Nicolson MBE, who passed away suddenly at his home on New Year's Day at the age of 84.

A MASSIVE lottery cash boost has funded much needed improvement work to "dangerous" walking routes in the grounds of Duff House.

A MACDUFF serviceman has become one of the first soldiers in Britain to be awarded a civilian degree.

POPULAR Macduff man Bobby Brown passed away suddenly last Friday at the age of 73.

A GARDENSTOWN fishing trainee is the best student on his course.

MACDUFF primary school head teacher Jenny Ewen is getting a permanent musical memento of her time at the school, thanks to her pupils, and with a little help from a pop star from the seventies, who lives in Macduff.

PORTSOY community councillor John Stewart was honoured last week for his 20 years of service on the Portsoy and District Community Council.

A PLUMBING apprentice from Portsoy has taken second place in a national competition.

DESPITE one of the wettest summers on record, five Banff area mountain bikers are due to hand over £2,794 to the Macmillan Cancer Support Fund after completing a gruelling five-day off-road challenge across the Highlands from west to east coast.

SWEDISH officials visited Banff and Macduff last week as part of a tourism and economic development fact-finding tour.

A MEMORIAL garden for those from Macduff lost at sea is now ready for planting and completion next summer.

YOUNG Danny Smith, from Macduff, reckons he's one of the luckiest kids around: the football daft nine-year-old has been 'adopted' by Deveronvale Football Club as their mascot, and runs onto the pitch with them every Saturday to warm up with the team.

BUCKIE High School rector Chris Sugden walked through the corridors for the final time on Friday and take one last look around the building he has spent 20 years turning into a school for the whole community.

A COLLECTION of historical and rare books on Banff belonging to legendary editor of the 'Banffshire Journal’, Dr William Barclay, has been donated to the Banff Preservation and Heritage Society by his family.

PIRATE disc jockey for 40 years and radio station founder, Alastair Galloway – This Is Your Life.

AN ABERCHIRDER woman has been crowned the best school cook in Scotland, thanks to the support and creativity of the pupils she feeds.

A NEW scheme aiming to lessen the load on young carers, broaden their horizons and allow them enjoy themselves more, is being introduced in Banff and Turriff.

NIVVER mind learnin' English, min – jist gang stracht tae Doric.

A MACDUFF organist who has shared his gift for music with the local community was the recipient of a special award last Wednesday.

AT 90 years old, gardener Isabella McArthur from Portsoy has scooped the prize for the best-kept garden in Portsoy.

ONE of Scotland's oldest citizens, Mary Gardiner, has celebrated her 105th birthday.

A BANFF teenager has raised £3,000 in under three months to put towards the construction of a classroom in an Indian community.

FIFTY members of a Macduff fishing family, including ten Canadians, came together to celebrate the visit of Dr Donnie Watt to his old home.

DOLLS designed by a creative young woman from Aberchirder are selling fast in London, New York and even Japan.

A WHITEHILLS RAF recruit is turning out to be a real high flier.

A BANFF Academy pupil has landed the star part in a high profile national theatre production.

PORTSOY Primary pupils gave an emotional send-off to their head teacher, Lorna Summers, who retired at the end of term.

A BANFF-born teacher turned travel writer is celebrating the publication of his third book.

TWO members of Cornhill WRI have been honoured for their combined 80 years of service to the rural – with one receiving an accolade not given in at least 40 years.

FOOTBALL shirts signed by three of the world's top footballers are to be auctioned in Banff to raise money for youngster Keane Gowan, who suffers from autism.

A BANFF music student returns to his home town this week, bringing Extreme Cairnage with him.

THE ADMIRAL'S son turned Banffshire fisherman and artist, Peter Anson, is to be caught in a newer sort of 'net' – the internet.

WORK could start on the proposed Ladysbridge Village residential development this year say the consortium behind the scheme, after councillors took the development a step further last Tuesday.

AN AMERICAN family who moved to Macduff from Charleston, South Carolina, USA, are singing the praises of the North-east coastal town and its welcoming inhabitants, especially after their little dog got lost just after they arrived.

THE son of a Boyndie based RAF pilot killed in action during the Second World War, has travelled from Australia to view the former airfield where his father served.

POPULAR Aberchirder councillor Kenny Benzie has been honoured for his service to the community.

A NEIGHBOUR’S good deeds were rewarded by having his portrait painted by a well-known local artist for a new exhibition.

MEALS-on-wheels have been frozen out by a new frozen meal service for the elderly folk of Aberdeenshire.

A DESCENDANT of Banff who became an 18th century Prince of the Russian Empire was commemorated with a life-size statue worth £200,000 last month.

THE Banff Harbour Marina, which is set to be officially opened later this month, has a new man at the helm.

A BANFF teenager who underwent plastic surgery for injuries to her forehead, sustained in a car crash, recorded a video diary of her operation for daytime TV programme 'This Morning'.

A BANFF man is one of only a handful ever to receive a special Rotary award, thanks to his charity work in Sierra Leone.

A COUNCIL benefits officer from Macduff has spent eight weeks in Ghana as a volunteer school teacher. The experience made such an impact on Ricki Lyon that he is to continue supporting the school.

FINNISH was heard in a Banff church last week during an unusual wedding ceremony.

A LOCAL sculptor who specialises in recreating life-size models of animals has seen copies of his work sold to celebrities, including footballer turned actor Vinnie Jones, and Deal or No Deal TV host Noel Edmonds.

A BANFF student is heading for America this summer to work with children and adults with severe learning difficulties.

A LOCAL fishing boat owner and skipper is taking over one of the top jobs in the Scottish fishing industry – and is looking forward to better times ahead for the industry.

DEVERONVALE football legend Dougan Duncan has died at the age of 86.

TWO Banff Academy pupils are to further their ambitions of becoming fashion gurus by going to India to gain experience of the textile trade there.

THE Macduff Walking Club celebrated their 10th year, and founder Jim Garden's retirement as club president, with a walk from Rothie Vale to Fyvie Castle.

GARDENSTOWN minister Donald Martin is off on a special mission – to work with street children in Africa.

BANNFFSHIRE Masons (from left) Past Provincial Grand Master of Banffshire, Jim Davidson, reigning Provincial Grand Master Bill Legge, and immediate Past Provincial Grand Master Mackie Tawse, congratulate Michael John Chalmers, the newly installed Right Worshipful Master of Lodge Marnoch No 1325.

A BRAVE Banffshire youngster, afflicted by an incurable illness, fulfilled a dream of meeting his hero, Mickey Mouse, thanks to the efforts and generosity of folk in his local community.

A BIG black panther-like animal has been seen only yards from the edge of Banff.

CLEOPATRA may have bathed in ass's milk, but you can be just as exotic and wash with goat's milk soap, thanks to a new venture by a Gamrie crofter.

A SECOND police inspector has been appointed for Banff.

AN ABERCHIRDER farmer who is skilled at water divining and faith healing has seen sales of his book run into the thousands since its release in August this year.

A WHITEHILLS poet, inspired by her village, has had an excerpt of her work published in Aberdeenshire Council's Christmas card.

THREE Banff Academy pupils are to represent their country in a national contest after the gas powered mini racing car they designed won them the accolade of Scottish Champions of the Formula One In Schools Technology Challenge contest 2006.

A BANFF woman hears shapes when she listens to music and has a colour for every letter of the alphabet.

A QUARTER century of service to a learning difficulties' support group has been honoured.

A WELL-KNOWN former Banff lady died peacefully last Thursday at the age of 92. The loss of Laura Wilson, South Colleonard, Banff, will be mourned by many.

VALE must have one of the most loyal family of fans in Scottish football.

A BANFFSHIRE woman who has "adopted" a disaster-stricken area of Java is packing her bags to set off on a fresh mercy mission.

THERE's a wealth of stories about local characters, village happenings and country lore between the pages of a new book in Doric that features the life and times of one of Foggie's farming community, Neil Mutch.

AN artist who is inspired by the special qualities of the Banffshire coastline has won a prestigious award for her work.

AT the tender age of 10 Ena Lovie was diagnosed with diabetes – but unlike today's overweight youngsters whose diets are blamed for its onset, her condition was not caused by excess.

A SOCCER enthusiast who has collected football programmes since childhood has secured a coup with the purchase of a local programme via the internet bartering facility eBay.

A BANFF man is celebrating the launch of a new edition of his sell-out book on his memories of National Service.

THE last batch of secondary pupils to be educated in the old Banff Academy are planning a reunion this month.

JUST a week after Prince Charles was in town, the trust he set up is looking for ideas to help young people embarking on a new course launched at Macduff.

A WOMAN who works at Chalmers Hospital in Banff is having an experience of a lifetime climbing mountains and venturing over rough terrain on horse back in Mongolia – to support people with Alzheimers and dementia.

A NEW photographic archive to preserve the identity and heritage of Whitehills is just one of several initiatives tackled in a new action plan drawn up for the town.

THE Banffshire community of Portknockie united to proudly mark the restoration of its

A FIFTH Year Banff Academy pupil has sent judges 'Google’-eyed with a competition entry she designed.

A PORTSOY architect picked up three gongs at the Aberdeenshire Council’s Design Awards ceremony at Haddo House on Thursday, September 7.

THE new session of the Buchan Presbytery started last week under the leadership of a new Moderator.

PLASTIC blue and white markers embedded in the pavements of Macduff to map out a walking route will highlight the industrial history of the town.

FLYING high again is Banff Primary School where, for the second year in a row, pupils have landed prizes for their model aeroplane building skills.

BUCKIE and District Flower Show attracted more than 500 entries at the Fisherman’s Hall, slightly up on last year.

A GARDENER finally achieved a long-held ambition at Gardenstown Flower Show.

ALMOST 60 cyclists raised £6,000 with a bike run for four Banff girls with special needs.

A GROUP of youngsters from the Banff Friday Night Team have created their own radio show.

ROMANCE blossomed for two former Banff Academy pupils on the other side of the world – but only after Ben Cowie returned to Scotland from his new home in Australia and met up again with Michelle Wright.

TWO local food outlets are included in the latest edition of a Scottish food and drink guide.

THE tale of a heroic Banff bobby who helped nobble Nazi spies trying to sneak into Scotland has resurfaced after recently recovered ceramics belonging to William Gladstone were found to be wrapped in a newspaper of the time detailing his remarkable story. More than 80 items kept in storage during the First and Second World Wars, owned by the former Prime Minister, fetched more than £30,000 last week when they were sold at Bonham’s in Edinburgh.

AT an age when many folk are thinking of taking it easy, Forglen man Robin Daykins and his wife, Annette, are enjoying life very much in the fast lane.

PEOPLE reading mobile phone text messages in the streets of Banff could soon be learning about the history of the town.

A YEAR in the life of Macduff Parish Church is charted through a new book devoted to its 200th anniversary.

A DISUSED listed building on Old Market Place in Banff has had to be cleared of bird droppings several feet deep prior to plans being drawn up for its future use as a mini-museum.

A PORTSOY artist has had a portrait accepted for a major art exhibition in London.

A LOCAL community group has helped a Portsoy teenager raise more than £1,200 towards a mercy trip she is making to Africa this summer.

A MYSTERY surrounding one of Banffshire’s most outstanding landmarks could soon be solved.

THREE couples from Banff have been commended for a total of 51 years of service as foster parents.

A FORMER Banff Academy pupil is exhibiting paintings in a London gallery, inspired by his recollections of fisherfolk and coastal life in the area where he grew up.

A CLASSROOM assistant at Banff Primary School took to the skies and contributed £1,500 for a new adventure playground for pupils.

AN RAF war veteran from Banff has had an emotional and rather noisy 80th birthday - in a World War II bomber.