Julie Dunnett

A roundup of Scottish crime stories reports that a nine-year-old girl died after being found seriously injured at Arbroath’s Elliot Industrial Estate; police are treating the death as suspicious and have arrested a 35-year-old man. Three officers were injured when a masked crowd threw eggs and bricks during a protest in Glasgow’s Priesthill area. Gary Hay and Peter Winks were jailed for using a stolen Ford Transit to raid a Dundee Co-op and steal single-malt whisky. In Athens, an Afghan man was charged with the killing of Scottish woman Lisa Jane Ross, whose remains were found in a suitcase. Separately, a 63-year-old man suffered serious injuries in an apparently targeted attack involving motorcyclists and vehicles on the M74 near Lesmahagow.

Angharad Evans won Scotland’s fourth gold medal of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games by taking the women’s 100m breaststroke in 1:06.07. She finished 0.12 seconds ahead of South Africa’s Aimee Canny and became the first Scot to win gold in the event. Reuben Ward, Duncan Scott and Faye Rogers also won gold medals for Scotland earlier in the Games.

Reuben Ward won Scotland’s third gold medal of the Commonwealth Games by taking first place in the men’s individual all-around gymnastics event with a score of 79.650. The 21-year-old, who is from Bury and has family ties to East Kilbride, said winning in Glasgow was especially meaningful. He will delay celebrations while competing in the floor, rings and pommel events, where he is considered a strong medal contender in pommel.

Residents evacuated from Nethy Bridge were allowed to return home after changing weather conditions, fire breaks and firefighting efforts reduced the immediate threat from a major wildfire in Cairngorms National Park. The major incident was stood down on July 25, although 75 firefighters, more than 30 heavy-machinery operators and water-bombing helicopters continued working to contain affected areas. More than 500 firefighters had taken part since the fire began on July 15. Authorities advised people in smoke-affected areas, including parts of Aberdeenshire and Moray, to keep windows and doors closed.

Sean McCann finished eighth in the 400-metre freestyle final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after reaching the final on his debut. His parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, and twin sister Amelie watched from the stands. The 21-year-old swimmer hopes the experience will help him pursue selection for Great Britain at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and is expected to compete in the 800m and 1500m freestyle events later in the Games.

A Cairngorms wildfire that has burned for 10 days, covered around six square kilometres at its peak and involved more than 500 firefighters has prompted First Minister John Swinney to request UK military aerial support. Evacuations, exclusion zones and smoke advisories remain in place around Nethy Bridge, Glenmore and Tomintoul as changing winds make the blaze unpredictable. Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is expanding firebreaks, seeking heavy machinery and deploying specialist units, while local residents express anger and frustration over earlier claims that the fire was contained and adequately resourced.

A major incident has been declared in the Cairngorms after strengthening winds made a wildfire more unpredictable and increased the risk of it spreading toward Nethy Bridge. All residents of the village were evacuated to a respite centre in Aviemore, while access roads and numerous paths across the national park were closed. More than 500 firefighters, helicopters, specialist vehicles and partner agencies are involved in the response. Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Government urged the public to avoid affected areas and follow emergency guidance as crews worked to protect communities and create a new firebreak.