"THE circumstantial evidence alone constituted a compelling case against the appellant."

ARLENE Fraser's family were the inspiration and driving force for officers to keep a massive murder investigation on track even when they felt like they were banging their heads against a brick wall of silence.

IT is a story which has gripped Elgin, Moray and the whole of Scotland for the last 10 years.

THE evidence against him was overwhelming, said the appeal judges, but Nat Fraser remained defiant even as he was led away to prison in handcuffs.

THE Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is to double in size next year – from five days to 10.

ROTHES FC may be languishing at the wrong end of the Highland League table, but they will get an extra boost for their last match of the season tomorrow (Saturday).

MACBETH is set to go into battle next week – in the name of Moray.

THE final cockpit recording from an RAF Kinloss Nimrod, seconds before it exploded and crashed with the loss of 14 lives, was played to families at an inquest this week.

THE man in charge of Moray's most important school building programme in a generation has urged pupils, parents, teachers and councillors to get behind the project to ensure it meets its tight construction timetable.

ELGIN Museum has turned back the clock to the time of its own beginnings with the latest permanent display to take up residence within its walls.

A BIRD-lover is mourning the loss of most of her flock, which she believes was given a helping hand by a thief to take flight.

SAILORS from all along the Moray Firth coast will drop anchor in Buckie next month when they gather for the town's first sailing regatta.

NAN McLean's living room is filled with family photographs and precious ornaments sent to a much loved great-great-aunt.

SCHOOLS campaigners in Moray have welcomed a proposal by the Scottish Government to introduce a presumption against rural school closure in legislation.

TRADITION and innovation continue to go hand in hand at a Speyside distillery where the wraps have come off a £500,000 plus visitor centre.

STAFF at Moray's specialist maternity unit are showing their faith in the service – with an unprecedented number of employees on maternity leave.

TAKE a grand marquee.

NAT Fraser will have to serve the rest of his 25-year sentence for the murder of his wife Arlene a decade ago.

A CAMPAIGN has been launched by Moray Council to recruit home carers in the Forres area.

MOTORISTS in Moray are being urged to take extra care over the next six to eight weeks as roads in the area undergo surface dressing as part of Moray Council's annual roads maintenance programme.

FIRST Minister Alex Salmond was forced to pull out of the launch of the Spirit of Speyside whisky festival last night (Thursday) after taking ill.

A COURAGEOUS Moray woman facing up to her 28th major spinal operation won't let that stand in the way of her Olympic dream.

A PENSIONER has been found dead by fire fighters at her smoke-filled Moray home.

VISITORS could feel less than welcome in Elgin following a decision to relocate the town's tourist information centre, local bed and breakfast operators fear.

POLICE are hunting a man who was seen committing an indecent act in full view of passers-by near Elgin cemetery.

WITH confidence and determination you can achieve anything in the world, leading Scots businessman Sir Tom Farmer told Moray pupils this week.

VANDALS have caused more than £35,000 worth of damage in a four-week wrecking rampage which has blighted communities across Moray.

RICHARD Lochhead is constantly in the limelight – as Moray's MSP and as Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment in the Scottish Government.

A NEIGHBOURHOOD which has been plagued by anti-social behaviour and youth disorder has launched a bid to regain its sense of community.

MUM-to-be Catherine Clark from Kinloss has been recognised for her commitment, hard work and dedication with the presentation of the highest accolade in Guiding.

ELGIN'S Asda store is on course to have its £5.6 mill-ion development finished on time.

BUSINESS leaders hope to get the royal seal of approval for their plans to sell Banffshire the brand to the world during a visit by the Duke of York.

DECISION day is looming for the people of Burghead over the future of its proposed new community centre.

THE removal of public telephone boxes could have serious consequences for rural and coastal communities, a local councillor has warned.

FISHERMEN on the Spey are still being warned to stay away from a huge landslide on one of its banks.

TOURISM and housing hold the key to regeneration of a remote Moray community, an independent report has concluded.

WORK has finally started on construction of the Buckie Skate Park – eight years after the wheels were first set in motion to build the facility.

SPORTING champions, a septuagenarian exercise supremo and a brave youngster who has battled back to full health have all tuned into success.

A FINANCIAL turnaround at Moray College means it is well placed to withstand challenges in the future, declared principal Mike Devenney.

MORAY multi-arts company Wildbird and their tiny fans are packing up their glow-sticks and heading to the summer music festival circuit.

A MASSIVE landslide could cause a huge wave down the River Spey, fishermen have been warned.

About 1,000 tons of earth has shifted on a 120ft cliff at Ordequish, Fochabers, and is threatening to crash down into the water.

Anglers have been told to stay away from the area on the western side of the river.

MORAY motorists have been told not to panic over the two-day strike by workers at Scotland's only oil refinery at Grangemouth.

A CRUEL animal hater could be at large after three cats were found poisoned in the same New Elgin street.

THREE youths who set upon a 60-year-old van driver in what police described as a "completely unprovoked and cowardly" attack are being hunted by police in Elgin.

PICTURES of babies posted on a social networking site created for Moray mums have been copied and passed off as dead children.

THE sight of Moray's MP clad in leathers caught the eye of the Minister of State, who highlighted Angus Robertson's support for the fight to save Elgin's motor cycle test centre during Scottish Questions at Westminster.

MORAY is poised to push the buttons which will take health care into cyber space to create the healthy citizens of tomorrow.

SCIENCE at Moray College has been handed a double boost. Moray Science Festival has been given a £10,000 grant from the Scottish Government.

A MEDICAL practice has moved to allay fears that a proposed move from a town centre location could inconvenience elderly and disabled patients.

MOURNERS have come under attack at Moray cemeteries. Now they are being advised to go armed – with a brolly – when they go to pay their respects at gravesides.

ONE of Scotland's most successful businessmen will share his wisdom and experience next week with Moray pupils undertaking innovative leadership and confidence training.

A MAJOR boost for Moray's efforts to strengthen its profile as a tourism destination was delivered this week through the launch of a new visitor guide.

A PLEA to upgrade a village's bus shelter before a tragedy occurs has been rejected because of Government cutbacks.

A NEW online radio station will hit the airwaves next week when Moray MP Angus Robertson officially launches Elgin Radio on Thursday.

THE MORAY parents of a woman who lost her life to a heart defect saw their daughter's wish come true last weekend.

THE cry "umoja" – a Swahili word for togetherness – will echo round three Moray schools over the coming months as pupils and staff look to make global connections.

A SPEYSIDE community has come a step ­closer to turning its dreams of creating a games court into a ­reality by being gifted land for the project.

THE discovery of illegal deer snares in the Buckie area has prompted a warning to dog owners.

MORE than 700 motorbikers brought roads across Moray to a standstill last weekend in a mass protest against the closure of the local motorcycle test centre.

MURDERED Elgin woman Arlene Fraser's mother fears her faith in the justice system will be shattered – if her daughter's killer walks free from prison a second time.

THE discovery of used syringes in a toilet in a busy community centre has sparked fears it has become a hang-out for junkies.

MOVE over gorgeous George Clooney – another George is ready to make his premiere appearance on the film scene in the Mecca for the movie world's rich and famous, Cannes.

A CAMPAIGN has been launched to put the historic old county of Banffshire back on the map to help hundreds of Scots descendants trace their local roots.

CHEMISTRY student Rebecca Leitch has discovered the formula for musical stardom after experimenting with her acoustic pop sound.

HOUSE-hunters in other parts of the country are being cautious in the current economic conditions, but the Moray property market remains as buoyant as ever.

WAITING restrictions in residential streets surrounding Moray's flagship hospital are to be imposed in a bid to curb indiscriminate parking by hospital workers and visitors.

INADEQUATE car parking on the site of a proposed entertainment and visitor centre could have resulted in vehicles parking on a one-kilometre stretch of roadside verge.

A WARRANT officer from RAF Kinloss has died in a road accident in the north of England.

A PART-TIME social worker who ran his Buckie nightclub like a 'rave club' allowing underage drinking and smoking, had his licences revoked this week.

LITTLE Amber Lewis rushed to meet her mum after her first day back at school following the spring break.

A WILL to walk ensured there was a spring in the step of walkers at the official launch of a health promoting initiative in Moray.

COMMUNITY Councils in Scotland have been told they must comply with the Data Protection Act.

A MAJOR maritime and air training exercise will swing into action from Moray bases next week.

CHILDREN from Moray in crisis situations have been cared for at a pilot unit at Forres rather than having to be found more costly out-of-area placements.

WORKING together towards zero tolerance of domestic abuse will be the key theme of a Moray conference next week.

A FRESH storm is brewing over a hike in berthing charges at Moray Council-owned harbours.

A MAJOR national retailer is being used as a pawn in the planning process in an effort to bolster an application for a new out-of-town retail park, it has been claimed.

ALL roads will lead to Moray this weekend, with up to 1,000 motorcyclists taking part in what is being billed as the largest biker protest rally in Scotland.

PARENTS on the school run will be targeted in a new road safety campaign by Grampian Police.

IT only takes five seconds to save a life – all anyone has to do is fasten their seat belt.

AS the new owners of one of the last remaining cooperages in Scotland, the Francois family expected a few visitors to drop in and wish them well in their new venture.

A MORAY woollen mill weaved its magic for the heir to the throne after his favourite pair of breeches were becoming rather tatty.

THE Duke of Rothesay was reminded of his school days in his visit to Moray this week when he opened the new headquarters of Walkers Shortbread in Aberlour.

FEARS have been raised over the long-term future of a dedicated dementia unit after health bosses refused to rule out the possibility that it could close.

WELL-wishers for Alves youngster Kyle Whyte have helped raise over £4,000 for a bone marrow donor charity.

MORAY Council is to make an investment of almost £400,000 over the next four years in a bid to improve the health and fitness of school pupils.

THE footballing dreams of enthusiastic youngsters look set to be shattered by a lack of adult support.

LESS than a year ago, some of Moray's fledgling fitness enthusiasts were more likely to be found running a relaxing bubble bath than a 5k road race.

IT is decision time for a Moray town where bypass plans were developed – then ditched.

THE family behind the successful Elgin-based Abbeyside Nursing Home has strengthened is portfolio with the acquisition of three local care businesses.

EXCLUDING pupils from school is the only meaningful sanction left available to head teachers to deal with disruptive pupils, a councillor has suggested.

TEXT in your reports of vandalism, mobile phone-users in Moray are being urged by police.

FOOD for thought was on everyone's lips as an opportunity to join the national discussion on what are the right ingredients for the future of food in Scotland, was served up to a Moray audience.