A well known Largs man of today accepted an invitation to take part in elimination rounds for the Olympic games in Rome in 1960. Who is this person and what was the sport?

 Mr Aldo Nardini, who was secretary of Largs and District Gun Club, had accepted an invitation from the British Clay Pigeon shooting association to take part in the elimination rounds to choose two British representations for the Olympic Games at Rome in 1960. The honour had come to Mr Nardini, pictured, following successes in open competitions in North Wales where he won two of the major competitions.

When did the Largs branch of the RNLI open?

7 April 1964. The first lifeboat was placed on the station on 23 April by founders Ian Hale, Ian Mackie, Robert Watson and Hugh Swanson. This boat was housed in the a basic hut or shed near St Columba"s Episcopal at Aubery. No dry suits or helmet in those days, smock top, leggings, wellingtons and woolly bunnets were the uniform of the day. The "D" class inflatable, known as the rubber duck to crews, was replaced in 1974 by the new Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable boat. In 1981, a new shed was provided, constructed mostly by the RNLI crew. HRH Princess Anne opened the new lifeboat station as it is today on Largs seafront, opposite the Vikingar! in 1998.

Proposals were made in the 1870s to run a tramway line from Largs to Wemyss Bay. Why did it not materialise?

Because the "gentry" who lived in houses in Greenock Road raised objections. A later proposal to run a tramway lane between Largs and Inverkip also failed to get sufficient support. About the same time a petition was raised asking the Glasgow and South Western Railway to have a railway built to Largs preferably down the Glen from Bridge of Weir rather than bringing it along the front, thereby spoiling the amenities. The petition was opposed by landowners in Renfrewshire. Eventually the Fairlie tunnel was built and the line to Largs was opened in 1885.

What is the Prophet"s Grave in Largs?

The Prophet"s Grave is situated in a secluded spot just off Brisbane Glen Road and marks the tomb of the Rev. William Smith who was minister at Largs Chuch from 1644 until his tragic death just three years later. A fearsome plague was ravaging Largs and several inhabitants had fallen pray to raging fevers, disfiguring skin eruptions, gradual paralysis and agonising stomach pains. Medical services were inadequate and victims faced an excruciating, lingering death once they were afflicted with the horrendous symptoms - to such an extent that many of the townspeople from Largs literally took to the hills. They fled to the upper reaches of Brisbane Glen and built huts of wood, turf and branches.

Did Rev, Smith"s bizarre prophecy ever come true?

Sadly, the valiant young minister contracted the dreaded disease himself but continued to minister people in their darkest hours. He was aged 28 at the time of his death. In accordance with his wishes, he was taken to the Brisbane Glen where for so long he had ministered faithfully and friends later erected the impressive tomb over the grave in the glen where he had been buried.

As his life ebbed to a close, the Rev. William Smith allegedly said in his dying gasps that as long as the two holly trees overhanging his grave did not link their boughs, the plague would never return to the Parish of Largs.

But by a weird quirk of fate, the neighbourhood was devasted by two severe outbreaks of cholera during the 19th century. It is not known if the branches of the two holly trees had inter-twined by the time of the deadly epidemics.