Whether it is after development or demolition, the changing face of a city’s landscape can be difficult to keep track of.

But now, Dundonians are able to look back in time and gauge the sheer scale of change their city has undergone in just under 10 years.

Through the Google Maps street view, people are able to sweep through a timeline from 2008 to the present day.

In the space of eight years, the image of the multis standing on Alexander Street in Hilltown back in 2008 has transformed to an expanse of derelict ground.

The Waterfront, as it was in 2008, is unrecognisable compared to the new road layout and ongoing construction taking place.

People are also able to see both the old and new sites of the Olympia swimming centres go from nothing to the complete construction.

It all depends on what way you click and drag through the Google timeline and most areas of the city can be compared.

Jack Searle, the vice-chairman of the Dundee Civic Trust, said: “The basic key to changing the city’s landscape is economic prosperity.

“Cities have been changing constantly for hundreds of years.

“This is because of the different needs that arise at different times or the want to increase the prosperity of the city and its people.

“The Waterfront development is a perfect example of people making the decision to enhance the economic value of Dundee. The decision was made to take on a project of this scale because people had the aim to bring more to the city than already exists.”

Mr Searle also went on to say the multis were a sign of the times back when housing was top of the agenda.

He added: “The blocks of flats throughout the city were built back in a time when housing was a real issue — compared to today a lot fewer people owned a property.

“The construction of these flats was seen as an efficient solution to house a lot of people at one time.

“Now, as people’s needs change, with more people owning or renting accommodation, the levelling of these flats will make space for what the city’s population is in need of today.

“It is fascinating to see the rate of change in the city.

“I moved to Dundee in 1967 and in that time I have seen the two different Olympia buildings.”

Will Dawson, the city’s development convener, told the Tele today: “From my perspective you don’t make changes for change’s sake — there has to be a reason.

“And, with the Waterfront development in mind, for years the city was cut off from its most valuable asset.

“This project is all about giving that asset back to the people.

“I also think being able to look back on how Dundee used to look shows how far we have come.”

Alan Duncan, the director of the Grey Lodge in Hilltown, said a change in people’s attitudes has coincided with the changing cityscape.

He said: “I’ve noticed, over the 24 years I’ve spent in Dundee, the place has become a lot safer and it’s slowly but surely becoming a happier place.

“People seem to be a whole lot more upbeat about the future now.”

The ever-changing face of Dundee’s Waterfront is slowly progressing towards the £1 billion development project, with the highly anticipated V&A Museum expected to be completed by 2017.

A man has spoken of his “devastation” after losing a First World War medal given to his great uncle, who died during battle.

Brian Weatherburn, 69, who was part of the Battle of Loos centenary commemorative parade in Dundee City Square on Saturday, has issued an emotional plea for anyone who has information on the medal to come forward.

Brian, who is known as Brandy and spent 27 years serving in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers regiment, decided to take his great uncle’s medal on the parade with him.

The medal — awarded to Richard King during the First World War when he was part of the Royal Scots regiment — is inscribed with ‘Private R King R Scots’.

After returning from the parade, Brian noticed that the medal was missing and, despite his best efforts, he couldn’t locate it.

He said: “I was part of the parade in Dundee at the weekend and it fell off the ribbon.

“My great uncle was awarded it in 1915.

“He was killed in action in April 1918 and it was a medal that was awarded from 1914 to 1918.

“I noticed it was missing in the evening when I got back to my hotel — it was devastating.

“I got into the reception and I was having a seat when I noticed that it was just the ribbon, and the medal was gone.

“I just felt completely numb and deflated at the time.

“It is a sentimental thing. It has been in my family for a century.

“It was a big occasion in Dundee and I thought that it would be nice to wear my great uncle’s medal.

“I also have one that was my grandfather’s and they sit together on the mantelpiece.

“I don’t ever take them out, I thought it would be nice to take it on the parade. It was the first time that I’d ever taken them out and I lost it.”

Brian, originally from Berwick on Tweed, but who now lives in Darlington, hasn’t given up hope on getting the medal back.

He added: “If anyone has any information or has seen it I would really appreciate them getting in touch so that I can get it back.

“They can give out replacements but it won’t have his name and it won’t be the one awarded to him.

Brian asks for anyone with information about the medal to email him at brandyweatherburn@hotmail.com.

A specialist child abuse unit has launched four “serious and complex” investigations in Tayside since its formation this year, the Tele can reveal.

The National Child Abuse Investigation Unit (NCAIU) was set up in January to assist or take over inquiries around Scotland for tackling child sexual exploitation, indecent images of children online and child death.

And officers have even set up fake internet accounts pretending to be young children in an attempt to snare potential groomers.

Detective Inspector Scott Fotheringham, of D Division’s Public Protection Unit, and Aberdeen-based Detective Inspector Jacqui Campbell, of the NCAIU, told the Tele how these tactics have been used across Tayside.

DI Fotheringham said: “The techniques and the capability within Police Scotland now to deal with such matters and target individuals actively grooming young people online is extremely well advanced.

“We’re not just responding to cases that are reported to us, we are proactively targeting those individuals who go online to target young people.”

Since the NCAIU’s formation in January, the PPU in Tayside has had to call on their support on four separate occasions.

All are recent cases and do not involve historic crime. DI Fotheringham and DI Campbell said we could expect to see alleged perpetrators appear before the courts soon.

DI Fotheringham said: “Jacqui and I have regular discussions about investigations ongoing.

“I will sometimes request for support from the NCAIU either to lead an investigation or to support us with an investigation.

“In total, we’ve called on the NCAIU on four separate inquiries since its inception and they are all across Tayside.

“They have been different types of investigations and all have come within the remit of the NCAIU and either been very recently concluded or still ongoing.

“Each time that has involved deployment of officers from all over the north of Scotland into D Division to assist and support the investigation.”

DI Campbell added: “Because the cases are live and they’re not concluded, it might be easy for people to associate with particular offences, so it would be wrong for us to highlight the details of them just now.

“But they all fall into our remit at the NCAIU, which is serious and complex child abuse investigations.

“That might include child sexual exploitation, indecent images of children online and child death.”

The NCAIU now comprises of more than 40 officers nationwide, with teams in Inverness and Aberdeen able to be deployed around Tayside at any time.

DI Fotheringham said the unit’s existence now meant a speedier outcome for victims of child abuse.

He said: “We have received considerable support in the last nine months from the NCIU and suffice to say, without their support, several of these investigations we’ve worked on would have not been progressed as quickly or effectively simply with the resources we have at our disposal in D Division.”

Keiran Watson, of Dundee-based 18 and Under charity, backed the formation of the unit.

He said: “I think this is a great thing.

“One of the long-term problems with the police in child abuse cases has been that there’s a high rotation of officers.

“With a completely dedicated unit, hopefully that trend will change.”

City publicans have pledged to get behind our Bald is Beautiful campaign and persuade their customers to part with their pennies while enjoying a pint.

Last week the Tele, in conjunction with Dundee charity fundraiser Charlie Kean, launched Bald is Beautiful to support St John’s High School pupil Megan Fletcher.

Brian and Lynne Mackie, of Ross’s Bar, in Arbroath Road, and Gary Gallacher, of The Weavers, in Princes Street, are among the first Dundee landlords to support our campaign.

“We are delighted to support the Evening Telegraph and Charlie Kean in their bid to raise £20,000 for the families of local children who are fighting cancer,” said Lynne.

“It is a very worthwhile cause and are happy to get right behind it.

“We will be persuading our customers to dig deep to help raise the target.”

Lynne added that she wished Megan well and hoped that her treatment was successful.

Gary was also happy to accept the challenge to get his customers to support Bald is Beautiful.

He said: “We will be asking our customers here to do their bit for the campaign but my dad and I also have plans to go a step further.”

His dad, also called Gary, is one of the men behind the Hilltown Indoor Market.

Gary said: “I have already spoken to stall holders at the indoor market and we have decided to get together to organise some fundraising activities of our own in aid of Megan and the campaign.

“Everyone that I have spoken to at the market so far has been very supportive.

“We just have to decide exactly what sort of things to do, but we plan to move forward with this as quickly as possible.”

Earlier this month Megan, 14, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

The day before travelling to Edinburgh Sick Kids’ Hospital to start chemotherapy, Megan had all her shaved off to highlight Bald is Beautiful.

Megan has now undergone five days of chemotherapy. Initially she felt pretty unwell, but then began to feel better — so good that on a trip home to Dundee she felt well enough to go to school.

She added: “I got non-stop cuddles all day from my teachers and friends.

“It felt like a normal day and I didn’t need to worry about anything.”

A row has broken out at Dundee City Council over a missing apostrophe.

Labour’s education spokesman Laurie Bidwell, who has spent a lifetime working in education, highlighted concerns over punctuation at a council meeting.

Councillor Bidwell said: “At Monday night’s meeting of the education committee, I asked Michael Wood, the executive director of Children and Families’ Service, a question about punctuation.

“I asked why the service he heads as executive director apparently had decided to remove an apostrophe after the S in families.

“This omission was apparent in the title and body of the reports that he had brought to committee. I had previously raised this matter in private with Mr Wood.

“I had hoped the matter would have been sorted out without having to raise it at the education committee.

“As the head of the service that is responsible for the teaching of reading and writing in our schools, I think our executive director of Children and Families’ Service should lead by example.

“Interestingly, the convener of education, Councillor Stewart Hunter, avoided revealing whether he and the SNP group of councillors had been responsible for, or party to, this decision.

“I have sent a copy of the committee report to the Apostrophe Protection Society.”

But Mr Hunter said: “We brought to committee our service plan which showed that we have made some significant progress in education.

“The improvements have a lot to do with the hard work of our staff, pupils and parents.

“It would have been nice to see Councillor Bidwell acknowledge that.

“However, getting the Labour Party to praise the many good things that are going on in the city is a near impossible task.

“Instead we were subjected to a diatribe on apostrophes. I’d have hoped that the fact that the rest of his group were either openly laughing at him or were cringing in embarrassment would have made him realise how foolish he sounded.

“As I made clear at committee, where an apostrophe goes isn’t something I’m going to spend any time on.

“I’ll leave Councillor Bidwell to worry about punctuation in committee reports.”

A pensioner has told of the horrifying moment a naked man abducted her grandchild and attacked her with a cricket bat in a Dundee toy shop.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was speaking exclusively to the Tele after 41-year-old Przemyslaw Kaluzny admitted snatching the child at the Toys R Us Kingsway store.

The woman said: “There was panic everywhere. He ran right towards us, picked up my grandchild and headed for the door.

“It was Easter day and I had gone to Toys R Us with my two grandchildren because they had been given money by my husband.

“As soon as we walked in, an older couple standing at the counter said there was a naked man running about the store.

“I didn’t take it that seriously and said ‘oh, that’s exciting!’.

“No sooner had the words left my mouth than he was right there, coming directly towards us.”

The shocked grandmother added that through panic and disbelief, what happened next was a blur.

She said: “When he picked up my grandchild, the adrenaline kicked in and I thought ‘I have to do something’.

“I swung my handbag at him and I can’t even remember if it hit him, but it got his attention and he focused on me.”

The woman said that the fact Kaluzny had been distracted by her actions meant his grip loosened on her grandchild and the youngster was somehow able to be pulled to safety.

She said: “He started walking towards me and struck me on the cheek with a cricket bat.

“If he had hit me further up, I suppose he could have killed me.

“I wasn’t too sure what had happened, and I didn’t feel any pain at the time.

“People kept asking me if I was OK, and I thought I was fine. The next thing I remember is a lot of people sitting on him and the police arriving.

“I could see his foot moving while he was being pinned down and was worried he was going to get away even though there was no chance. I’m always told I have very sharp finger nails so I started jabbing him in the foot with them, but I don’t know why.”

The woman said she tried to hide her involvement in the horrific incident but the bruising caused by the attack made it impossible, even with sunglasses.

She said: “I was nervous to go out shopping for a while, but you can’t let these things stop you getting on with your life.”

A teenager allegedly pulled a scarf around a woman’s neck and restricted her breathing.

The 17-year-old male, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will stand trial at Dundee Sheriff Court on six charges.

It is alleged all of the offences took place on February 10, at various locations in Dundee.

The male denies assaulting Iain Martin, by seizing hold of him, pushing him to the ground, perusing him, and attempting to punch him on the head.

He also denies a second charge of assaulting Lynne Martin by seizing her by the neck and pulling a scarf around her neck and restricting her breathing.

The youth further denies behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by uttering threats of violence towards the same Lynne Martin and shouting.

And he denies a fourth charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by standing on the roadway, in the path of a car being driven by David Christie, repeatedly opening the driver’s door, kicking the driver’s door twice, damaging it, challenging the same David Christie to fight, and shouting and swearing.

The male also denies assaulting PC Claire Murphy by repeatedly kicking her on the legs

And he further denies a charge of wilfully or recklessly destroying or damaging the property of another by scratching and denting the door of a motor car.

Trial takes place on January 28 with an intermediate diet to be held on January 13.

A Dundee woman has died after collapsing at a betting shop in the city.

Pauline Smith, 55, was a well-known figure on Lochee High Street where she was a vendor for DC Thomson.

She collapsed at Betfred, only yards away from the newspaper kiosk where she had just finished a shift around 5.15pm on Monday.

It is believed that staff called 999 and emergency workers tried to resuscitate Pauline at the scene, before taking her to Ninewells Hospital.

Danny Forbes, 60, co-owner of the Furniture Factory on Lochee High Street, said: “Pauline knew everybody around here — she’d often come in and have a cup of tea with me.

“I’d seen her on Monday as I was leaving the shop and she was going into the bookies after finishing work.

“I was told she collapsed shortly after that.

“It’s the last thing you expect to happen, especially since she’d been at work earlier.”

Sandra Duncan, a bakery manager, also paid tribute to Pauline.

The 51-year-old said: “I knew Pauline in passing. She’d come into the bakery and we would have a chat.

“She did a lot of fundraising for charity and a few times she shaved her head — everybody knew her and spoke to her.

“I was talking to her only last week at the bus stop. This has all been very sudden.”

Cliff Robertson, 46, owner of The Sweetie Monster in Lochee, said that Pauline was a very hard-working woman.

He added: “She was at her kiosk all the time, rain or shine. Even in winter when it was cold she was in a good mood.

“I’ve known Pauline for about two years. I’d help her put the shutters on her kiosk down and chat to her at the bus stop.

“She was always so concerned about everybody else, but not so much about herself.”

A spokesman for Betfred said that the staff had tried their best to help.

Mark Pearson, head of media for the company, said: “Our condolences go out to the deceased lady’s family and friends at this sad time.

“The staff did their best and called an ambulance.”

A Scottish Ambulance Service spokeswoman confirmed a crew had attended a call to Lochee High Street at 5.15pm on Monday following a call from a passer-by.
She said: “A female had collapsed and she was taken to Ninewells Hospital.”

Rail services through Dundee were returning to normal today after a derailed freight train was removed from the tracks.

The main east coast rail link was closed between Dundee and Carnoustie on Monday.

Passengers travelling between Dundee and Carnoustie were transferred onto buses at the stations to continue their journeys.

#Camperdown Work following derailment between #Dundee & #Carnoustie was completed as planned overnight. Line is open for normal working.

— Network Rail Scot (@NetworkRailSCOT) October 1, 2015

After three days of engineering works, the line was cleared overnight on Wednesday.

Crews faced a ‘complex’ task in rerailing the wagons, which were ironically carrying rails, before repairing the tracks.

A woman is to stand trial accused of attacking three nurses at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.

Tracy Balfour, 42, of Kinbrae Park, Newport, faces four separate charges following an alleged incident in July.

Balfour denies behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at the hospital by repeatedly shouting, swearing, lashing out with her arms and legs and spitting on July 1.

She further denies assaulting nurse Catherine Kerr by repeatedly lashing out with her arms and legs and spitting at her. Balfour also denies assaulting nurse Alexander Buck by repeatedly lashing out with her arms and legs and spitting at him.

She further denies assaulting nurse Mark McQueen by shouting, swearing, lashing out with her arms, kicking out with her legs and spitting at him.

Her trial will take place on January 28.

Union chiefs have asked the council for compulsory medical assessments for taxi drivers aged over 65 in a bid to avoid tragedies like the Glasgow bin lorry crash.

Six people lost their lives in December when driver Harry Clarke suffered a medical episode while at the wheel and crashed in Glasgow’s George Square.

Now GMB, which represents accessible vehicle taxi drivers in Dundee, has asked the city council to impose assessments on them to try to identify safety risks.

Officials from the union will meet council chiefs to discuss the request.

Drew Duffy, a regional organiser for GMB, said: “The taxi branch I deal with has asked the council to have compulsory medical assessments once drivers are over 65 and we are having a meeting on Friday.

“They want to do this to protect their health and the health of the public. In light of the incident in Glasgow, the consequences of not having a medical could be tragic.

“This wouldn’t cost the council a penny, it would come from the pockets of taxi drivers, but at a recent branch meeting it was clearly something they felt strongly about.

“If you work for National Express, they make sure you are fit to drive and they do it every five years, but taxi drivers don’t and it’s hard to understand why.”

His comments come as it emerged at least 142 Scots who admitted having blackouts have been allowed to drive HGVs and buses.

More than 9000 others who flagged up different medical problems that could affect driving were also given licences by the DVLA.

Even applicants with dementia, sleep apnoea and alcohol problems were granted licences to drive heavy goods and passenger-carrying vehicles last year, according to a Freedom of Information request to the DVLA.

GMB branch secretary William Lees added: “All we want is for every taxi driver to have a regular medical assessment once they reach 65 years old.

“That way the people of Dundee can be safe in the knowledge that their taxi driver is fit enough to drive.”

Welfare cuts have cost Dundee an estimated 300 jobs and £52 million a year, according to a report.

Research from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) said, as a result of reduced disposable income due to social security cuts, £1,520 million has been removed each year from the Scottish economy — equal to £440 for every single adult of working age.

The financial impact of the measures is estimated to be costing Dundee £52 million a year.

Dundee’s independent councillor Ian Borthwick said the figures were a shocking indictment of the effects of Government policy to cut benefits to the extent that they have.

He said: “I’m not surprised to hear these figures.

“I am very well aware that there are very many families in Dundee who are suffering severe hardship as a direct result of welfare reform — many normal Dundee families are struggling to keep their heads above water while they cope with job losses.”

The figures come on the back of expert evidence from Sheffield Hallam University to the Scottish Parliament’s Welfare Reform Committee.

Dundee City West SNP MSP Joe FitzPatrick said the figures show welfare cuts are “failing by every conceivable measure”.

He said: “Not content with pushing vulnerable people even further into poverty while doing nothing to support people into employment, we now know that Tory social security cuts are actually costing 300 jobs in Dundee by sucking spending power out of our poorest communities.

“With less money in the economy in communities across the country as a result of these welfare cuts, 300 people in Dundee now find themselves without work as the consequences of the Tories’ ideological right-wing attack on the poor intensifies, creating a vicious circle of unemployment in the areas where this is already acute.

“With his welfare cuts failing by every conceivable measure, it’s time for David Cameron to finally admit that his unfair policies simply don’t work — and for a long overdue U-turn from this Tory Government who are more interested in punishing unemployed people than in supporting them back into work.”

The Scottish Conservative Party did not respond to a request for comment.

The Bald is Beautiful Campaign has grabbed the attention of people throughout Dundee.

Top city fundraiser Charlie Kean, who has launched the campaign in conjunction with the Tele, said people all over the city want to get involved.

And the dad of 14-year-old Megan Fletcher, who is the figurehead of the campaign, also revealed he has major plans to raise money himself.

David Fletcher said that he and some friends plan to walk and run up Ben Nevis in a major push to raise money to help reach the target of £20,000.

David added: “We are currently looking at possible dates for this but we want to do it as soon as we can before the weather begins to turn.

“I have been overwhelmed by the response to the campaign. So many people, including family and friends, have been in touch with their fundraising ideas.”

David said that he had also been touched by the response from the local Muslim community.

He added: “I have a lot of friends who are Muslims and they have told me that representatives of Dundee Mosque have fundraising plans.

“There has been so much solidarity shown. It has been amazing.”

David said that many people had told him that they were keen to organise their own events to raise money as they felt they could make much more than just pledging money online.

Meanwhile, Charlie said he too had received many calls and messages of support.

He added: “People have been contacting me since the campaign was launched a week ago telling me of their plans for fundraising activities.”

“We really need to get the funds rolling in now so every promise of help is great.”

Charlie said planned events included a sponsored walk, a run across the Tay Bridge, a bag packing session at a local supermarket, a sponsored shoot and a possible parachute jump as well as a collection at Dundee’s Cineworld next week.

To donate, visit crowdfunding.justgiving.com/charlie-kean

Tayside experienced an unusually dry and sunny September following the wet and miserable end to August.

But don’t expect those shorts to be in use much longer — the wet and cooler weather is set to return next week.

Two spells of settled weather contributed to the drier than average month, according to statistics released by the Met Office.

The temperature was also cooler than normal, as Tayside had a mean temperature of 10.7C, which is 0.2C cooler than the average.

Met Office forecaster Emma Sharples said although it was a significantly drier and sunnier month than average, it was not notably warmer.

The region saw normal maximum and minimum temperatures as well, with a high of 21.3C and a low of 6.8C.

The region has been basked in sunshine this week, with Dundonians revelling in the warm weather, and also getting a chance to view stunning sunsets.

Ian Black, 33, was paddling in the Tay at Broughty Ferry beach with his two-year-old daughter, Star.

Ian said: “It is a beautiful Indian Summer, we’ve been down here the last two days. It really is fantastic because we’ve been down a lot during the summer and it has been nowhere near as warm as this.

“The water is freezing, but you get used to it and it does not seem to be as cold as it was yesterday.”

Ms Sharples said Dundee’s weather would remain settled throughout the weekend before a band of low pressure is tipped to move in from the west and trigger more changeable conditions.

Ms Sharples said: “The settled conditions will persist for the next few days, with cloud developing at the weekend.

“A band of low pressure will affect the latter part of the weekend and the weather will become breezier and wetter.”

She said the cause of this week’s settled weather was a band of high pressure, when winds tended to be light and blow in a clockwise direction.

The low pressure band forecast to arrive in Dundee early next week will see the air rising and cooling, bringing with it the potential for rain.

Forecasters said to expect a more changeable, damper and colder month than September, with potentially strong winds.

The rest of the UK has also experienced an Indian Summer with sunny spells throughout.

It was one of the most dangerous roads in Tayside and now it is being described as “tremendous”.

The A92 from Dundee to Arbroath duel carriageway opened on September 27, 10 years ago at a cost of £53 million.

Since then, the number of road traffic fatalities has significantly reduced, according to community leaders.

Despite there having been 18 serious accidents on the road in the last 10 years, there have be no fatal accidents in that time period.

It was once known for being littered with accident black spots but has seen drastic safety improvements in the 10 years since it was made into a dual carriageway.

Previously, the route had severe issues with road accidents, including a high number of head-on collisions, often due to cars overtaking.

One incident claimed the life of 30-year-old Fife resident Simon Lee Corner, whose motorbike collided with two vehicles on the opposite side of the road, in September 1996.

The crash led the then Angus East MP Andrew Welsh to call for upgrading of the road as “a matter of urgency’’.

Another case which showed the precarious nature of the road was 30-year-old Dundonian James Murray — who was killed on November 28 1996, when his car was involved a crash with a lorry and van.

Angus Police Inspector Ally Robertson, the county’s deputy area commander, thinks that the steps taken 10 years ago were imperative and have had a hugely positive impact on the work that police carry out in the area.

He said: “I actually can’t believe its been 10 years since the A92 was duelled — it doesn’t seem that long ago.

“Road safety is a huge thing for us and from our perspective fatalities from 10 years ago on the road were significantly higher than now. The number of accidents have been significantly reduced. The benefits of duelling the A92 road have been wide reaching.

“It isn’t just in terms of reducing casualties. There have been extensive industrial benefits since the work was done 10 years ago.

“We do patrol the road and will continue to do so, but the last 10 years have definitely seen a drastic improvement.

“I would say that it’s been a huge benefit to the area and the local communities that it serves. You can ask the people in Arbroath, Monifieth and Carnoustie and they will tell you just how much the work improved the road.

“It is tremendous now. It is a great road that has had a really positive impact on the whole, as far as we are concerned. From an engineering standpoint it is a great road with well set out slip roads and other technical aspects.

“We are delighted there has been a significant reduction in casualties.”

Councillor Donald Morrison, who represents Arbroath East and Lunan, said: “When you look at the road itself you just think ‘what a feat’.

“It is remarkable that it’s the 10-year anniversary of the duelling being done. I remember how bad the road was, there was a large number of accidents taking place and the number of accidents was tremendous.

“The last 10 years have seen safety significantly improved upon and there are far less accidents now.

“The rate has been greatly reduced and that was one of the main reasons for the work being carried out to make it into a dual carriageway.”

A 35-year-old Tayside man smashed a glass bottle off his cousin’s friend’s head and then hit him in the face with a dumbbell.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard Michael Smith carried out the violent attack on Stephen Laird, 18, within his cousin’s home.

The pair, Smith’s cousin — a mutual friend of Smith and Mr Laird — and a group of others were drinking together at Smith’s cousin’s home on East High Street, Forfar, on June 27.

Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson told the court that later that evening, Smith’s mother came to the house and was “upset and under the influence of alcohol”.

She dropped her mobile phone and it fell under the couch, before leaving with Smith and without her mobile phone.

A short time later, she returned and retrieved her phone.

However she had already told Smith her phone was missing. The fiscal said: “The accused entered and shouted that his mother was upset.

“He picked up a glass bottle and threw it and it smashed off the floor.

“He then picked up another bottle and threw it and it smashed off the complainer’s head.

“The accused then went into the bedroom and re-emerged with a dumbbell, which he used to hit the complainer on the face.”

Smith shouted that he had a knife and would stab whoever took his mother’s phone.

Everyone within the property ran out and the police were contacted a short time later.

An agent acting on behalf of the accused said: “He has a fairly unenviable record — all of which was committed whilst under the influence of alcohol.

“He had abstained from alcohol for one year before this offence.

“He thought it was time to try having a few drinks and things unravelled from there.

“He knows now him and alcohol do not mix and he cannot have any alcohol.”

Smith, a prisoner at Edinburgh, admitted assaulting Stephen Laird by striking him on the head with a bottle and striking him on the face with a dumbbell, to his injury, at a property on East High Street, Forfar, on June 27 while on bail.

And he admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by uttering threats of violence, throwing bottles, handling knives, shouting and swearing, on the same date and location.

Smith was jailed for 192 days.

A Dundee man, who suffers from arachnophobia, had his worst nightmare come true when he discovered spider’s nest in a bunch of bananas.

The 27-year-old, from Mid Craigie, made the discovery as he was preparing his breakfast.

He said: “I was absolutely stunned when I saw it — it totally freaked me out.

“My ankles have been itching ever since I saw it.

“I bought the bananas from Asda’s Milton of Craigie store for 77p.”

The man, who did not want to be named, said he knew something wasn’t right when he saw what appeared to be a spider’s web on the side of one of the bananas.

He added: “I’ve heard stories about people finding tropical spiders in bananas before, and when I looked it up on the internet, I saw that people had been evacuated from their house in order to fumigate them.

“I got more and more anxious and upset the more I thought about it.”

The Tele took the bananas to Camper-down Wildlife Centre, where they were examined by Bradly Yule, a conservation network manager.

Mr Yule confirmed it was a spider’s nest and added: “Given the orb shape, I think it is likely to be a Nephila.

“There are lots of different types of orb web spiders and most of them carry venom, and some can be dangerous to people, but I don’t think this type would harm a human.

“But, without putting it under the microscope, it’s impossible to say exactly what type it is.”

Nephila spiders are species found in warmer regions across the world.

Its venom is not lethal to humans but a bite can cause pain and redness.

An Asda spokeswoman said: “We’d like to apologise to the customer and reassure all of our customers that checks are taken place on our fruit.

“However, sometimes insects tag along to give us a fright.”

Police were called to an accident involving a lorry in Dundee this morning.

The two-vehicle smash happened just before 8am on the slip-road at Coupar Angus Road heading on to the Kingsway.

Traffic coming from Birkhill faced delays while the vehicles, which were moved on to the grass verge, were being recovered.

No one was injured in the accident.

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: “We were called to a two-vehicle road traffic collision at 7.50am.

“No one was hurt.”

Work is set to start on a £185,000 multi-games area in Dundee next week.

The new games area will be installed in Whorterbank, between the Anrum Court and Burnside Court multis, in Lochee. Seating areas and landscaping improvements will also be carried out in the works.

Extra car parking spaces will be created behind Ancrum Court on Burnside Street.

The new instalment, which local residents had a say in the design of, is part of the multi-million pound regeneration of Lochee.

Will Dawson, convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee said: “This work is being done to help us achieve a key target set out in the Lochee Physical Regeneration Framework.

“I am particularly pleased that local residents had input and a say on the design and layout of the proposed development at a consultation event we held in July 2014.

“Other agencies, including Police Scotland, have also helped in the creation and the location of the improvements, which I am sure will be welcomed and well used by the community when they are finished.”

Money for the majority of the work is coming from the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund with the multi-games area itself paid for through Dundee Partnership’s Community Regeneration Fund.

Contractors Tayside Contracts are due to start work on site next week with the project completed by the end of the year.

Emergency services dealt with two separate road accidents in the space of half a mile this afternoon.

Two women were left injured following a crash on Strips of Craigie Road at the roundabout with Broughty Ferry Road shortly after 2.30pm.

Moments later a car went off the road after colliding with another vehicle and into railings on Arbroath Road at the Scott Fyffe Roundabout. No one is believed to have been injured in the smash.

Traffic is reportedly being delayed on the Arbroath Road while the incident is being dealt with.

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: “We attended Strips of Craigie at the junction with Broughty Ferry Road, Dundee at 2.30pm following reports of a road traffic collision involving two vehicles.

“We are currently in attendance at a road traffic collision involving two vehicles on Arbroath Road, Dundee which happened at about 3pm.  It is understood no one has been injured and inquiries are continuing.”

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “We were called to Strips of Craigie Road at 14.33 after a report of a road traffic collision.

“Two females were treated by paramedics.”