Greenock Telegraph archives: Port Glasgow town centre return for Comet

The modern state-of-the-art Clydeview Academy in Bayhill, Gourock, was set to open its doors for the first time later that year, but pupils, parents and the Telegraph had been given a preview of the school that would be home to 1,170 students.

The new £27 million campus was a merger between Gourock High School and Greenock Academy and boasted interactive whiteboards in every classroom, four music classes, five practice areas, an auditorium with 242 seats complete with the latest sound and lighting system and technology for presentations.

The sweeping modern brick-faced facade led to brightly coloured corridors, a library with a picture window on the Clyde and superb sports facilities.

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This included one of the biggest schools’ games halls in Scotland, two astro grass turf pitches and grass park, suitable for rugby, football and hockey and a gym complete with rowing and cycling machines.

Meanwhile, STV weatherman Sean Batty was the star attraction at a school summer fete in Greenock.

The amiable forecaster managed to keep the rain at bay for All Saints Primary to raise a massive £2,000 to help take children on summer trips to attractions such as Seaworld in Queensferry and Blair Drummond Safari Park.

Parents and youngsters queued up to get his autograph and he was taken on a tour of the school by head teacher Gerry Maguire.

Sean spent two hours at the school, which opened in February 2010, and said he was very impressed with the modern facilities.

Elsewhere, a man who suffered from a crippling illness had called on River Clyde Homes to help him get access to his house.

Gordon Lawrence of Greenock had multiple sclerosis, which made it difficult for him to walk.

The 57-year-old former long-distance lorry driver was unable to use the front stairs to his Stafford Road house.

He needed to take his car on to level ground at the back, but potholes there had damaged his vehicle.

Mr Lawrence owned his house, but the ground at the rear belonged to River Clyde Homes.

He had asked River Clyde to fill in the potholes so he can get his car in, but they said they didn’t recognise the road as an access route.

In other news, the lovingly restored replica of the Comet paddle steamer was finally back where she belonged in the heart of Port Glasgow after a painstaking year-long renovation.

The iconic vessel — an exact copy of Henry Bell’s original 1812 ship — was proudly hoisted into place by a giant crane.

It was the final act of a £180,000 partnership project called ‘Comet Rebuilt’, involving Inverclyde Community Development Trust, Ferguson Shipbuilders and Inverclyde Council.

The boat rolled out of the Ferguson yard on the back of an articulated lorry for the short journey to her ‘berth’ in front of the town before being delicately lifted and manoeuvred into position.

In sport, Andy Graham had fulfilled a childhood dream when he completed his move to Morton — the club he had supported since he was a boy.

The 27-year-old, who had left Hamilton Accies at the end of the previous season, grew up in Dunoon and was a regular face in the Cowshed as he supported his local side.

But now Graham was the one who would receive the acclaim of Ton supporters — and the defender could not contain his delight at finalising the deal.