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

25 years ago

EAST Lothian was showcased on the nation’s television screens, told the front page of the East Lothian Courier on January 15, 1999.

North Berwick, once known as the Biarritz of the North, was portrayed as an ideal holiday destination once again in a television holiday programme this week.

Scottish Passport, an ITV production, visited the town as part of a focus on East Lothian.

Showing footage of the harbour area, beaches and golf courses, the programme showed the town at its best as a beautiful holiday location.

Also featured in the programme was Clarissa Dickson Wright and her new restaurant at Lennoxlove House, also the Greywalls Hotel at Gullane, which is world-famous, especially among the golfing fraternity, and the restaurant La Potiniere in the same village.

50 years ago

STORM damage had caused havoc across the county, reported the East Lothian Courier on January 18, 1974.

Early estimates of the cost of damage done by gales which swept the area at the weekend put the total at many thousands of pounds and tradesmen estimate that repair work will go on over many months.

Early on Friday evening, first reports of damage were being received by police stations in the area.

The high winds brought hundreds of trees crashing down – some of them across roads, including the A1, which was partially blocked for a time at East Linton and Macmerry.

County Roads Department staff cleared almost 60 trees from roads by mid-afternoon on Saturday, thanks in part at least to the cooperation of contractors and others who loaned chainsaws for use by County Council employees.

By the early hours of Saturday morning, the winds were gusting up to 80mph, pulling down telephone lines and causing havoc to housing schemes, caravan sites and woodlands.

100 years ago

A HADDINGTON resident labelled ‘the grand old man’ was celebrated for reaching his 90th birthday, according to The Haddingtonshire Courier on January 18, 1924.

In common with friends all over Scotland, we offer our heartfelt congratulations to Mr James Swan, the “grand old man” of the livestock sale ring.

He celebrated the 90th anniversary of his birthday on Tuesday of last week.

The staff of Messers John Swan & Sons visited Mr James Swan at his home and offered him their congratulations. To mark this unique occasion, they presented him with a walking-stick, suitably inscribed.