The post-Christmas storm

Arran got away relatively lightly in the gale that blew up on the Thursday after Christmas. Apart from the total demolition of David Underdown’s shed (pictured) and  of a caravan (also pictured) we were able to carry on as normal. Just across the water, Argyll and Bute was having a terrible time. The Isle of Bute was without power for five days and cold and hungry householders were reduced to trudging to the Rothesay Pavilion, where soup and 9,000 households were left without power. The A&B Council responded rather heroically, putting out an emergency telephone number for people to ring and setting up community rescue centres.

We take our hats off to the teams, both on Arran and worse hit areas, who turned out at the New Year to clear fallen trees and debris and make things as secure as they could.