Talk of the Town: Royal portrait's a little bit blue

WE'VE seen condoms, sick bags and commemorative nail polish. Now, one royalist has picked up a special piece of Royal wedding memorabilia - a naughty portrait of the future Queen.

More than 200 art fans bid for the painting of Kate Middleton sporting a sapphire belly button stud.

The piece, called Katie Waits, was unveiled at Edinburgh's Braewell Gallery, and was sold for 4500 - nearly four times the asking price.

It portrays Kate in the blue suit that she appeared in at her engagement announcement, but seductively unbuttoned and with a sapphire and diamond belly button decoration.

Not exactly the kind of Royal Stud that Prince William's bride wants to be associated with.

Sofas are just the ticket for bank's queuing farce

CUSTOMERS at an Edinburgh bank have been left less than impressed with a new queuing system that was recently installed.

The Royal Bank of Scotland on Princes Street introduced a ticketing service which involves customers taking a ticket and waiting for their number to be called. One disgruntled customer, who said it was "chaos" in the bank on Tuesday, added: "The bank has bought new leather sofas for customers to sit and wait on, which must've cost a fortune. They have put this new system in when the old queuing system worked perfectly well."

At least customers will be able to wait in style for their number to be called.

What the doctor ordered

WITH a history steeped in medical breakthroughs and pharmacological science, it is only fitting that the hunt for the UK's oldest medicine starts in Edinburgh.

Launched by Lloyds Pharmacy in an attempt to clear the nation's cupboards of dodgy cures past their best, the scheme is sure to throw up its share of unusual finds.

The owners of the ten oldest medicines presented to Lloyds Pharmacy staff before March 22 will receive a 100 healthcare hamper.

Topping the Pizza Games

READY, steady - let the pizza making commence.

Teams of pizza makers from Papa John's Edinburgh stores have made it to the European final of the company's "Pizza Games".

The teams from the Edinburgh and Leith stores beat 26 other UK competitors to battle it out against pizza experts from Russia at the firm's recently opened Quality Control Centre in Milton Keynes.