Talk of the Town: Facebook campaign prompts direct action

SOCIAL networking sites have become a powerful tool for galvanising the masses against oppressive regimes around the globe.

Never mind all that though. More importantly, they've now helped sort out a malfunctioning door at Linlithgow Station.

The Facebook group "Will somebody at Linlithgow Station please fix the door that keeps banging" gathered 61 members, and forced staff to take note and mend the door.

There is now talk of what the group should concentrate its considerable rage and righteous indignation on next. Members' suggestions range from a broken TV aerial to the political situation in Burma.

Caroline has it all sewn up in election fight with Darling

ALISTAIR Darling now knows who provides the threat to his seat from the far left flank - the Communist League has unveiled factory sewing machinist Caroline Bellamy as its candidate in Edinburgh South West at the next General Election.

The 47-year-old says "working people need to take power", and naturally the bulletin came to Talk of the Town printed in red ink.

'Swiped' sign in custody

A RESTAURATEUR launched a frantic Twitter appeal to track down a sandwich board that went missing from outside his restaurant - only to learn that the council had swiped it.

AC Muir, the owner of Lothian Road restaurant Illegal Jack's, turned up for work on Saturday to find the heavy wooden advertising board was gone. He said: "The staff forgot to bring in it the night before, and when we arrived the next day it was gone, so there were some words spoken.

"A few of the staff were pretty upset, there were tears on the restaurant floor and I was one very angry Jack."

Mr Muir launched a Twitter appeal offering a free meal in exchange for information that would lead to the return of the board, but his efforts drew a blank.

He said: "I had pretty much given up hope, but then on Monday morning I got a call from the council saying 'Have you lost your sandwich board?'

"Apparently the police had spotted it and called for it to be taken in for the night in case it ended up going through a window, or taken home as a trophy by some drunk students."

He was reunited with his sandwich board and all that for no charge.

Rudy can't fail to impress

NEW hotel Fraser Suites Edinburgh has unveiled its secret weapon to keep the tourists happy - especially the female ones. It's Rudy Crane, a chiselled, 6ft 4in, 27-year-old, kilted, multi-lingual concierge.

He'll be at the beck and call of the hotel's guests and promises to "show off Scotland's stylish side".