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

25 years ago

AN ELECTRONIC pet made headlines in the East Lothian Courier on July 18, 1997.

Young Alastair Bath’s cyberpet, Wee Ted, has won him in a place in the record books.

And his REAL pet, a German Shepherd called Storm, has had paws for thought since the plastic pest came into the family’s Haddington home.

His Tamagotchi was 63 days old on Tuesday and shows no signs of dying.

A day equals a year in the life of a cyberpet – and the makers say anyone who can keep one alive for 22 days is doing well.

The average lifespan is somewhere between 11 and 16 days and the previous record was held by a Durham girl who kept one going for 56 days. But the tender loving care that 13-year-old Alastair, of Monkrigg Place, lavishes on his digital dog means it could go to 99 – the maximum its display allows.

50 years ago

SIX people were rescued from Fidra, the East Lothian Courier reported on July 21, 1972.

Six people were rescued from Fidra Island in the Firth of Forth by a North Berwick fishing boat early on Wednesday after they had lost their way in a dense fog.

The party, all aged under 25 and which included two children, set off from North Berwick on Tuesday on a pleasure cruise in the motor launch “Bluebell” owned by Lanark builder Jack Loudon.

But pleasure turned into dismay when thick sea mist cut visibility down to a hundred yards a few miles off shore and the launch, which had no radio, was forced to put in at Fidra.

Two men in charge of the launch decided to try and make their way back to North Berwick and set off, leaving six people, including two 12-year-olds, on the island for safety.

Late on Tuesday it was realised that the party had not returned and a local fishing boat, the “Boy Ian”, skippered by George Hardimont, set out to search for them.

100 years ago

A “MAN hunt” and other strange goings-on took place in Cockenzie, The Haddingtonshire Courier told on July 21, 1922.

Under the auspices of the Wemyss Athletic Football Club, a remarkable series of events was brought forward on Tuesday afternoon. These included a “Man Hunt”.

The man carried a sum of money which he was to deliver to the person who asked for it. Some fun was got out of the mistakes of those who chose the wrong man, but as one lad said, “think of the joy of the man that won!”

The dress parade perambulated Prestonpans and Cockenzie districts. Mirth and music, vocal and instrumental, were provided. The village band and pipers were present.