Scots and Ukrainians working side by side in Ayr   Doug Maclean reports –   Spending time with the Ukrainian community in Ayr brings the war into sharp focus in a way headlines never can. It stops being a distant conflict measured in maps, statistics or political statements and becomes something far more human, personal and immediate.   One of the people who brought this home to me was Anatolia Artemenko, a 79-year-old Ukrainian scientist who now lives as a refugee in Troon.

At around 10.40pm on Saturday, 13 September, 2025, an accelerant was thrown at a property in Whiteford resulting in a fire. A member of the public forced entry to the building and assisted a 21-year-old woman within. There were no injuries. A male was seen running away from the scene, towards Assel Place, around the time of the incident. He is described as being in his late teens and was wearing dark-coloured clothing and a black baseball cap. Detective Constable Stewart Gord

A Stagecoach South Scotland–backed dementia programme has successfully achieved its goal of establishing a sustainable, ongoing community activity for people living with the syndrome and their carers after celebrating its one-year anniversary. Launched last year in partnership with club charity, Ayr United Football Academy, the Dementia Friendly Walking Football initiative has grown from a six-week pilot into a well-attended, permanent programme. Many of those taking part are