IT'S apt that during Coronation week we take a look back at when King Charles wrote for the News on the importance of local newspapers reporting on environmental issues.
Writing for local papers across the country during 2007's Local Newspaper Week, the then Prince Charles said: "I could not be more pleased that this year’s Local Newspaper Week will have an environmental theme.
"Local newspapers are at the very heart of the communities they serve and play an extraordinarily important role in shaping local agendas and priorities.
"National newspapers may have the resources to deploy journalists to international conferences and to monitor the high-level debates that shape national policy on the environment, but no-one should be in any doubt about which half of the old saying ‘think global, act local’ is the more important!
"It seems to me that more and more people are now recognising the severity of the threat posed by climate change.
"They want to see decisive action at the national and international level to reduce the impact on their children and their grandchildren. And they are prepared to do their bit to help in the way they live their own lives.
"What, exactly, can each of us do in our lives to reduce our contribution to climate change? What can we recycle, and where? What does a low-energy light bulb look like? Will it cost more to buy ‘green energy’?
"Can the council be persuaded to provide better facilities for cyclists? Does Friends of the Earth have an active local group? What plants will survive in the garden without watering?"
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The SNP carried out an 'amazing dawn raid' on Cunninghame North as the party dramatically wrested parliamentary power in a count that become mired in controversy.
Defeated Labour MSP Allan Wilson was considering challenging the local constituency result in a move that could have reopened the entire Holyrood election.
Incredibly, SNP candidate Kenny Gibson saw off his Labour counterpart by the narrowest of margins - just 48 votes - after securing a total of 9,295 compared to Mr Wilson’s 9,247 following a dramatic 7.30am recount.
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Also this week in 2007, Hessilhead Wildlife Centre received the seal of approval after having to rescue a slippery customer from the local bay.
The rescue team from Beith headed down to Largs coast after receiving reports of a seal that was in trouble near the RNLI Station. While nursing the animal to health they christened him ‘Nardini’.
Hessilhead owner Gay Christie stated: "We’d had several calls about him, reporting that he was lying on the lifeboat slip, but before our rescue team arrived he returned to the sea. It was late one night when we got a call from the RNLI to say that the seal was out again, and a long way from water.
"We must have had had an inkling that this was to be our lucky night, or perhaps we were just fed up with returning from Largs empty-handed. Not having eaten, we found a take away still open, and enjoyed a seaside bag of chips. By the time we had finished, the pup was out of the water.
“This confirmed that he really was in trouble. A seal that is disturbed would stay in the water a long time, but a skinny one feels the cold and comes out quickly.
Patience paid off, and at exactly midnight, the seal was rescued and taken to Hessilhead for treatment atfter suffering from lungworm and was given fresh fish to build up his strength.
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A variety show was to be at the heart of the 43rd Cumbrae Queen festival celebrations at Millport Town Hall.
Lindsey Brown, 11, was the new Cumbrae Queen and was to be crowned as part of the celebrations on the big day. The primary six pupil was selected as always by random, and grand-daughter of one of the organisers, Christine McDavid.
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Largs Fun Run had a merry band of participants including Santa Claus. The Largs Rotary run event was blessed with glorious sunshine.
And the Largs Boys Brigade were in full uniform for their annual display at the Vikingar which also enjoyed a good blast of warm weather.
This special photograph of a very proud mum, TV actress Daniela Nardini of Largs, cradling her daughter, Claudia after her birth at the Portland Hospital, London.
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