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

25 years ago

EAST Lothian was coming ‘under siege from developers’, reported the East Lothian Courier on February 5, 1999.

Private builders are laying siege to East Lothian, Labour MP John Home Robertson has told fellow members of Parliament.

He spoke out on Monday about the building of more homes in East Lothian for commuters to Edinburgh, at the Scottish Grand Committee during a debate on land reform.

“I strongly support initiatives to make affordable housing available to people who want to live and work in rural Scotland, but I am acutely aware that at this very moment East Lothian Council is under siege by a number of housing developers who have deployed a team of expensive lawyers at a planning inquiry to challenge the council’s Local Plan and to try to foist even more dormitory housing for commuters on rural East Lothian.”

WHILE hopes remained that a ferry could connect North Berwick and Fife.

The dream of sailing a millennium ferry between North Berwick and Anstruther almost sank this week when lottery cash for the project was refused for the third time.

Although disappointed they failed to secure a grant, North Berwick’s community councillors are planning to look at alternative cash sources to keep the project afloat.

50 years ago

‘RADIO Roodlands’ was getting ready to take to the airwaves, told the East Lothian Courier on February 8, 1974.

From a converted washroom and toilet, on February 24, at 12 noon, the Roodlands Radio Network goes “on the air”.

In preparation for the official opening day, the group have been making trial broadcasts this week and the response from patients has been wonderful, with the DJs already getting requests for the patients’ favourite records.

The network will be operating on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for two-and-a-half hours.

The group of 15 Musselburgh people, led by John C Monaghan or John Clark, his radio name, has been working towards the opening day for nearly two years.

100 years ago

A HADDINGTON man was kicked by a horse and badly injured, said The Haddingtonshire Courier on February 8, 1924.

Mr H. Jones, High Street, Haddington, chief engineer in the West Mills, was severely kicked on the body by a horse on Monday while on the public road in the vicinity of the Neilson Park.

Mr Jones was passing two un-yoked horse, one of them being ridden, when the other kicked out.

Mr Jones was removed home in a motor car, and medically attended.