Rory Fell

A Police Scotland report recorded 20 incidents in the Tillicoultry area during July, including six acquisitive offences, five violent incidents, four cases of anti-social behaviour, four vandalism offences and one driving offence. Reported incidents included suspected perfume theft, attempted extortion, use of a counterfeit £20 note, shoplifting at the Nike store, attempted vehicle entry and an attempted theft from a van. Several suspects had not been identified when the report was submitted.

A police report presented to the community council covering Tillicoultry, Coalsnaughton and Devonside recorded 20 incidents in July, including five violent crimes. Women were the alleged victims in at least four incidents, including domestic assaults and a suspected attack, while arrests were made in some cases and one investigation remained ongoing. The report comes amid figures showing that domestic violence crimes in Clackmannanshire more than doubled from 16 to 34 in the previous year.

The Alloa Real Ale Festival is scheduled to return to Alloa Town Hall on November 6 and 7. Organized by the Forth Valley Campaign for Real Ale, the event will offer more than 50 real ales, 16 real ciders, and a gin and prosecco bar, with hot food supplied by Michael R More Quality Butcher. The festival will support The Gate as its official charity partner.

Police Scotland is investigating after a memorial bench dedicated to Jimmy “Papa” Robertson was damaged with a saw at Clackmannan County Cricket Club in Alloa. Robertson, who died the previous year, was widely known as a devoted Alloa Saints supporter. His son Paul said the bench’s plaque was carved out and expressed frustration that the memorial appeared to have been deliberately targeted. The damage overshadowed the club’s annual football tournament.

A GoFundMe campaign that raised £2,214 for Coalsnaughton families evacuated because of ground movement linked to historic coal mining was redirected toward Carron Huskies Community FC after the organiser said no suitable residents’ association had been established. The Falkirk-based football charity declined the money, saying it was raised for a different purpose and that accepting it would be inappropriate. Donations have been paused and the funds placed on hold, while GoFundMe works with the organiser to ensure they reach the affected residents. Donors were also offered the option of requesting refunds.

Forth Valley College’s Alloa campus was selected to film a pivotal scene for the BBC’s six-part science-fiction thriller Sutherland. Set between Scotland and outer space, the drama follows flight director Mirren as she plans the UK’s first crewed mission to the stars while unexplained events unfold. Location manager Barry Laird said the campus’s entrance, stairwell and corridors best matched the director’s creative vision, and hoped the local production would make careers in the screen industry more accessible to students.

An Alloa fishing crew caught an extremely rare live orange lobster in the Firth of Forth, a color variation estimated to occur in roughly one of every 10 million European lobsters because of genetic mutations. Fisherman William McBrien said the crew plans to donate the lobster to an aquarium rather than send it to restaurants. A marine biologist named the lobster Billy, and its exact capture location has been withheld to protect the crew’s preferred fishing grounds.

A new Alloa-based support group called Autism Parents Sanctuary has been created to help parents of autistic children share experiences and advice. Founded with help from Katie Boyd, the group will meet bimonthly at Bowmar Community Centre and aims to address challenges related to healthcare, education, and everyday planning. Organizers also plan children’s events such as Halloween and Christmas parties to strengthen community support.