Among the stories hitting the headlines in October 2010 was news from a leading airport historian, who revealed that a Largs played a highly significant role in the Allied forces winning the Second World War.
Kenneth Bannerman, the director general of The Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust (ABCT) visited Largs in October 2010 to unveil a memorial dedicated to Largs ‘Airfield’ outside the current RNLI headquarters.
Largs Seaplane Base was a World War II flying boat reception facility as Catalina airplanes would come into land while specialist equipment was fitted onto planes to help them win the Battle of the Atlantic and sink German U-Boats.
The base served as an overflow for the larger Greenock Seaplane Base, and was a civilian facility operated by Scottish Aviation Ltd, which was based at Prestwick. RAF personnel, usually based at Prestwick, would serve on attachment to the seaplane base.
The 1,000 seat Barrfields Pavilion lay across the road from the base, and was requisitioned to provide workshops and administration facilities, while the nearby putting greens were used for aircraft disposal.
Mr Bannerman said: “Largs is a very good example of an underrated and unused airfield. It is not terribly tangible or very well recorded historically but this place played a major part in winning World War Two.
"Consolidated Catalina flying boats were modified with specialist equipment and weaponry which played an enormous part in the Battle of the Atlantic and helped to save countless millions of lives. These flying boats then went to Russia and helped protect the sea and shipping lanes.
“Although Largs didn’t fire a single shot in anger, it played an enormous part in turning the tide and helping to win the war."
In previous years, the Lochwinnoch-based group, led by chairman Nigel Willis, fought several bids to build new wind developments across Clyde Muirshiel Park.
They joined Largs Community Council in their opposition to plans from SSE Renewables to erect 29 turbines at Waterhead Moor, situated on hills to the south east of the town, all of which are set to be 112 metres high - making them visible from Cumbrae. SSE insisted that a “natural landscape bowl” will “reduce the potential visual impact” and that the project is “capable of supplying the needs of more than 40,000 homes.
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Ladies from the Largs-based health club Curves took time out from their exercise schedule to promote Gillian’s Saltire Appeal calendar 2011.
The girls, pictured, all took part in the calendar shoot, with the exception of Brenda Murphy, (centre) Curves’ manager, who was promoting the calendar as part of a company-wide breast cancer awareness campaign in October.
“I’m really proud of the girls for all their efforts in supporting this worthy local charity.”
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Fairlie Council chairman David Telford described the flooding scenes in Fairlieas quite extraordinary but more needed to be done to keep the culverts clear in the village. During a recent meeting, Mr Telford voiced concerns about the state of the culverts which led to the Fairlie Main Road being flooded and blocked to traffic as an overflow came from the back hills.
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The ever popular animal blessing took place at St Columba's Episopal Church with members of the congregation taking along their pets on a Saturday afternoon - and provided some paws for thought!
Largs Thistle turned the tide on the hour mark against Arthurlie to produce a 1-0 win as they notched the only goal of the gamae as Andy Monaghan on the left hand side swept in a low, hard ball into the box which ricocheted off unlucky Arthurlie defender Scott Crawford and spun high into the net.
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