Take a trip down Memory Lane - October 23

October 20, 1993

Parks bosses were set to get TURF with thieves who stole half a football pitch.

Soccer players were caught offside by the bizarre theft of 65 square yards of turf from the High Park playing fields in Lennoxtown.

The theft was the latest incident to take place at the park in recent months - and had forced leisure bosses to cancel all games on the field until at least the end of the year.

A council spokesperson said: “They have obviously got a market for the turf so we have decided not to replace it this time, but to seed the area instead,

“So far the turf has cost us £405 and to seed the area will cost £215. It’s not just the waste of time and effort - it’s the waste of public money.”

October 26, 1983

A Kirkintilloch man wrote in protest to the Spanish Tourist Board after claiming theives were running amok in Benidorm.

Bill Orr was robbed of a camera and jewellery he had bought for his daughter while staying at the popular resport.

And he insisted that holidaymakers were not being adequetly warned about the rising crime rate in the Costa Blanca.

He said: “Crime is rife and I think that soo many people are playing it down instead of giving tourists the proper warning.

“When I was there I learned of at least 10 cases of tourist being robbed.

“Not enough is being done to prevent this sort of thing happening.”

October 24, 1973

Fire swept through the dispatch warehouse of a foundry causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

The blaze happened at the Lion Foundry, in Kirkintilloch, at around 6.30am and took around an hour for four firemen to bring under control.

A spokesperson for the firm said that work and production at the company “woudl not be too seriously affected”.

Managing director David Smith said: “We are astill at the estimating stage in regard to the cost of the damage.

“There was extensive damage to the office block and the six works offices. Wer also lost a hundred feet of the fitting shop roof.”

October 23, 1963

Pressure was being applied to members of Kirkintilloch Town Council to reverse a decision to bring spring and autumn holidays inline with Glasgow.

The change had provoked furious arguments and shopkeepers were said to be united against the move.

Councillor Hugh McCartney, who had come up with the idea, said that he and his supporters were “voting for the unification of family life” for those who worked in Glasgow.

But Bailie James Peter said that the council had to take into account local businesses - many of whom did a huge amount of trade over the Glasgow holidays and had vowed to remain open no matter what the decision.