Greenock Telegraph archives: cockatiel turned jailbird after arrest

The man found the grey bird in his garden in Drumfrochar Road, Greenock, and took it in because it was being attacked by wild birds.

But the police arrived at his home the next day and arrested him in connection with another matter.

Worried about leaving his feathered lodger, the man took it along in a cardboard box.

And the cockatiel spent a few hours doing time before Allison Black of Petsearch ended his ‘stretch’ after being called in by the law.

LAST WEEK'S FLASHBACK: Inverclyde doctors took part in nationwide strike

Meanwhile, defiant bowling club members said they were refusing to let a blaze that wrecked their clubhouse close them down.

Wellington Bowling Club pavilion was devastated by a fire and it was feared that the Greenock club, which was no longer run by the council, would not be able to recover.

However, club secretary Robert Cummings was certain the 36 members of the small club would not lie back and let their bowling club dissolve.

Half the clubhouse, containing the kitchen and function room, had been completely destroyed by the fire.

The greens were also slightly damaged, and members were certain that vandals started the blaze, although the fire brigade was still investigating the cause.

Despite the extensive damage to the clubhouse, the club bounced back and remains in operation to this day.

Elsewhere, youngsters were visited by royalty at a Greenock secondary school.

During a light-hearted visit to Wellington Academy, Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, laughed and joked with pupils, teachers and youth workers.

He was shown different creative projects young people are working on for their Duke of Edinburgh awards.

They included a DVD about growing up in Greenock, a recycling project and a music and sound effect production.

The prince presented a total of 11 young Inverclyders with certificates for their successes in the Duke of Edinburgh scheme.

In other news, the SNP had said Ferguson’s shipyard should be given a vital contract for two fisheries protection vessels because it was in a deprived area.

The nationalists believed the Scottish Executive should use that argument to get round EU rules that said civil contracts had to go out to tender across Europe.

Speaking during an official visit to the yard on June 27 2005, SNP MSP Bruce McFee said: “There’s an ideal opportunity to award the contract to Ferguson’s on the grounds that the yard is in a deprived area.

“The decision to award this contract is a political decision and the Executive has a clear opportunity to award this contract to Ferguson’s.”

In sport, Andy McLaren looked to have at last sorted out a severance deal with Dundee United but his move to Morton after a successful loan spell was potentially in jeopardy.

It was believed Cappielow manager Jim McInally had already approached at least one other midfielder and talks were at an advanced stage.

The Ton chief, who was holidaying in Cyprus at the time, had also stated that if he did not sign McLaren before an imposed deadline then he would look elsewhere.

It was believed that McLaren’s arrival in Greenock would very much hinge on how far the Morton coffers could stretch.