Talk of the Town: Gearing up for a forgettable day

AS they pound the streets trying to sway the city's voters, you would think the date of the Scottish Parliament elections would be ingrained in the mind of all election hopefuls.

Not so, it seems, for the Liberal Democrat candidate for Edinburgh Central, Alex Cole-Hamilton.

In a letter sent to residents, Mr Cole-Hamilton embarks on an attack on Labour's economic performance in government at Westminster and praises the work of the Con-Lib coalition in getting the economy "back on track".

He then says Edinburgh Central is one of the most marginal constituencies in Scotland and rallies voters with the claim: "Every vote on May 6 will count".

Er, that would be May 5, Alex.

Long way down for zoo's terrified young explorer

THERE was no monkeying about for one ten-year-old boy when he took a turn on Edinburgh Zoo's Sky Trail.

The four-metre-high ropewalk might look like fun from the ground, but the youngster found himself frozen with fear not long after he started along its 80-metre stretch of ropewalks and beams.

Staff tried to coax him down, but he was too frightened to let go and the fire brigade had to be called.

Firefighters put up a ladder and helped the boy down to safety.

A zoo spokeswoman said: "The brave boy didn't let his day out end there and stayed in the zoo for the rest of the afternoon."

All glow at Science Festival

THIS year's Science Festival has featured everything from a lecture about surviving the zombie apocalypse to a debate about the science of miracles.

It has also included a Guinness World Record, set by Dr Bunhead and hundreds of volunteers at the Usher Hall, for the longest glow-in-the-dark necklace.

To mark the end of the festival and celebrate the world record, a free glow stick will be given to every child visiting the City Art Centre before noon tomorrow.

Take to the floor

IT'S a case of new but old at the National Trust for Scotland's Georgian House in Charlotte Square.

A new carpet has been made by Brintons in Kidderminster using a 1797 pattern - exactly right for the Georgian House which was built in 1796.

Property manager Sheonagh Martin said: "The carpet was sourced by Ian Gow, the head of interiors and collections for the trust. He travelled to Kidderminster to look through the extensive archive of carpet designs held by Brintons. We hope that visitors appreciate our final choice."