WE TAKE a look at the stories making headlines in East Lothian 25, 50 and 100 years ago.

25 years ago

THERE was a dramatic start to the year off the county’s coast, reported the East Lothian Courier on January 12, 1996.

Three lives were saved off the coast of East Lothian on Saturday, as gale force winds ripped across the water.

Two brothers from Dunbar battled against the currents to pull a woman from the sea at the town’s harbour, and two other brothers, from Edinburgh, were washed unharmed on to the shore at Canty Bay, near North Berwick, after a surfing trip ran into trouble.

RNLI lifeboats from North Berwick and Dunbar had raced to search for the young surfers in gale force eight conditions said to be among the worst for many years.

At Dunbar harbour, Scott Davies, who was a lifeboatman for nearly 10 years, helped drag the drowning woman ashore, with the help of his brother, Robert, who is currently serving with the RNLI.

He said the rescue was “one of the most difficult” he had ever carried out.

50 years ago

A COUNTY man who died in the Ibrox disaster was given a military funeral and three-volley salute at his graveside, as reported in The Haddingtonshire Courier on January 15, 1971.

More than 1,000 people attended the funeral of L/Cpl John McGovern, a victim of the Ibrox disaster, when he was buried with military honours at Tranent on Friday.

L Cpl McGovern was one of the 66 who died when the crush barriers gave way as the crowd was leaving the grounds.

As the flag-draped coffin was carried into the Old Parish Church by pallbearers from 37 Engineer Regiment – in which he served for six years – men of 104 (City of Edinburgh) Field Squadron, Royal Engineers, formed a Guard of Honour.

The tiny church was filled to capacity as the Rev. Alex Miller conducted a short memorial service.

100 years ago

TWO men were fined after pleading guilty to stealing rabbits; the story appeared in The Haddingtonshire Courier on January 14, 1921.

In Haddington Sheriff Court, on Monday, before Sheriff Macleod, Thomas Black, carter, Reilly’s Place, Nungate, and Alexander Watson, carter, also residing in Nungate, pleaded guilty to having stolen three rabbits and snares from a field at Clerkington Mains.

It appeared that Black stole two of the rabbits and Watson one.

A previous conviction was libelled against Black.

Accused had been engaged in carting wood at Clerkington, and had seen the rabbits in the snares.

When challenged, they denied the offence, but the rabbits were found in the horses’ nosebags.