John O’ Groat Journal headlines for April 18, 2014

STARS of the stage were among thousands of people in Caithness plunged into darkness for over three hours as the lights went out across the north of Scotland. Mike and the Mechanics singer Tim Howar and musical director girlfriend, Jodie Oliver, were staying with a friend in Wick when the power cut hit, affecting 205,000 homes across the Highlands and Moray, on Wednesday night.

A NEW civilian security force, which will start work at Dounreay later this year, will not be guarding spent nuclear as it is transport by train from Caithness to Sellafield in Cumbria. That was the assurance given yesterday Dounreay managing director, Mark Rouse. He stressed the civilian guards will be carrying out duties within the plant only.

NORFROST freezers are to be produced again – but in the north-east of England rather than in the north of Scotland. The brand name –made famous by the manufacturing firm set up by Alex and Pat Grant in Castletown, over 40 years ago – is to continue. It will be used by the Durham-based company Ebac which purchased the operating equipment , assets and intellectual property including the Norfrost brand from Icetech Freezers when it went into liquidation last year.

CAITHNESS Motocross Club is to continue long into the future following a successful meeting to find people to take on the challenge of running it. After a recent AGM there had been some concern for the club as it was without a secretary but a recent drive to find someone to take on the role has been successful.

JONATHAN Burt is definitely scaling the heights in his job. For the 33-year-old Wicker has in the past two years worked on some of the tallest building in the world. He spent nearly 10 years in the North Sea before moving to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to take up a job with a company called Total Solutions.
WICK John O’ Groats Airport has seen a 21.7 per cent rise in passenger numbers in what has been the busiest ever year for operator Highlands and Islands Airports. Over the past year, the airport has benefited from an increase in energy-related fixed wing and helicopter operations and additional scheduled flights between Edinburgh and the far north.

FARMING brothers Donny and Iain Miller have become the proud owners of a unique tractor which does not exist anywhere else in the UK. A limited edition Claas Arlon, one of seven special tractors which Claas created to commemorate its 100th anniversary this year, is not being put to use at Buckies Farm on the outskirts of Thurso.