Caithness Courier headlines for October 12, 2016

PEOPLE are being invited to demonstrate their opposition to downgrading health services in the far north by joining a bed push from Thurso to Wick. Caithness Health Action Team wants at least 100 people to take part in a mile-long section of the relay between Dunbar Hospital to Caithness General Hospital, to mark public concern in maternity cover and other NHS services in the area.

TRIBUTES have been paid by the farming community to the managing director of one of the county's best known agricultural firms who is standing down after 30 years. Andy Nicolson has retired from W & A Geddes with his long involvement in the Caithness agricultural scene recognised at a special event where farmers and customers thanked him for his years of service.

THE artificial pitch at Wick High School has been shut down temporarily after an incident in which paramedics struggled to access the site to treat an injured schoolboy. The popular sports venue will remain out of commission until a route is established, which will allow ambulances to reach the pitch easily in the event of future emergencies.

CYCLING clubs and safety campaigners need to come together and promote Caithness as a cycling county to improve the safety of riders on the road. That is the view of Brough cyclist Julian Smith, who thinks more need to be done to recognise the number of cyclists who travel on two wheels in the county and reduce the number of accident on far north roads.

A VINTAGE ploughing match has attracted challengers from across the HIghlands and raised thousands of pounds for local charities. The Caithness Vintage Tractor and Machinery Clubs annual charity ploughing match saw a crowd of spectators, many of them families turning out to watch the entrants as they attempted to plough to perfection.

PLANS to switch the out-of-hours medical cover based at the GP practices in Armadale and Tongue to Thurso, have not gone down well with community representatives. They are particular unhappy with the prospective loss of the services at Tongue, given the long treks patients would face to go to Thurso.

ALMOST 75 per cent of trains arrive late in Wick with only 25 percent on time. The figures - released by ScotRail - have shocked north MSP Rhoda Grant who wants the company and the Scottish Government to take action to address the problem.

WORLD-CLASS mountain runner Andrew Douglas and his coach Sophie Dunnett have been shortlisted for prestigious awards at the 2016 Scottish Athletics Awards.