Talk of the town: Cold encourages the exhibitionists

THE recent snow brought plenty of misery to the Capital. However, not everyone let the weather get them down, with plenty of people grasping the opportunity to get out and enjoy the winter wonderland.

One local skier hit the headlines when he was captured trying out some daredevil stunts on the snow-covered slopes of Arthur's Seat - and now it seems an urban snowboarder has gone one further.

In a video on YouTube, the snowboarder can be seen trying out the dangerous stunt of "snow-surfing" - being pulled along by a rope tied to the back of a car.

Don't try this at home, kids - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GydtYMRxOQ.

Light fingers deserve a little bit of frostbite

TALKING of the big thaw, some unwelcome visitors to the artificial ski slope at Hillend may be hoping for a fresh burst of the white stuff as we approach the new year.

The Midlothian Snowsports Centre was targeted by thieves who made off with snow tubes from the popular facility.

The blow-up rings, which are booked out for children's parties, have now been replaced and security arrangements at Hillend beefed up to prevent similar thefts.

The police will presumably find the stolen property difficult to spot unless the snow returns though.

Image of the tight Scot just won't stand up

IT probably won't stop the stereotyping but the results of a recent study show what we already know - there's no such thing as a Scrooge-like Scot.

The research found Scots were the most thoughtful and generous when it came to buying Christmas presents for loved ones this year.

A total of 78 per cent of shoppers in the city and across the country spent more than 50 on Christmas presents for their partner or loved one, which was higher than any other region in the UK. We were also the most likely to splash the cash and spend more than 500 on presents.

Improved quality of life will be along in a minute

EAST Lothian has been named as the fourth-best place to live in Scotland, according to the annual Bank of Scotland Quality of Life Survey.

The survey measures everything from average annual income to residents' health and life expectancy, school performance and climate.

Midlothian was eighth, way ahead of the Capital, which didn't even make it into the top ten - perhaps that will all change once the trams are up and running.