Four things you should know this morning

IT’S never too early to learn something new like who is stripping down for charity and what animals are Haggis, Irn Bru and Oat Cake?

Where is the worst station for delays? Picture: Ian Georgeson

Stripping down for charity

A group of horse owners are heading towards raising over £5000 for cancer research - after stripping down for a charity calendar.

The friends, who hire stables at Lawmarnock Farm, near Johnstone, Renfrewshire, decided to launch a fundraising campaign for the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre after two of their fellow equine enthusiasts were diagnosed with the condition.

The resulting calendar, Kits Off For A Cure, has proved a hit with the public and sales are on course to break £5000.

What are Scotland’s worst performing train stations?

Just one train out of 16 arrives on time at Scotland’s worst performing rail station.

The Dutch firm that now operates ScotRail, Abellio, has revealed just how bad its record is for punctuality.

Arbroath station in Angus came out as the worst performing station in the country with just 6.1 per cent of the services terminating at Arbroath in the year up to October arriving on time – within a minute of its schedule.

Second bottom was Ardrossan Harbour, in Ayrshire, with an 10.9 per cent punctuality rate.

What are the best performing stations? >>>

Facts about Saint Andrew

He was never in Scotland - alive

Born in Bethsaida, in Galilee, which is now modern day Israel. His remains were moved 300 years after his death to Constantinople, now Istanbul, by the Emperor Constantine. While he was generally favoured in Scotland from around 1,000 AD, he didn’t become its official patron saint until the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320.

Saint Andrew is buried in Italy

The remains of the saint are at rest in Almafi, Italy, where they have lain since 1210, when they were stolen from Constantinople, their original resting place.

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Want to adopt Haggis?

Dogs Trust Glasgow pups named in honour of their Scottish roots

Dogs Trust Glasgow has named a litter of eight bonnie puppies after the nation’s best-loved Scottish icons in the hope that it will help them all to bag a loving new home this St Andrews Day.

The three-week-old Staffie cross pups, three boys and five girls, named Haggis, Whisky, Thistle, Tartan, Oatcake, Irn Bru, Heather and Shortbread were born at the rehoming centre in Uddingston earlier this month and are currently being cared for by staff at the rehoming centre until they are ready to find loving new homes.

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