WE TAKE a look at the stories making headlines in East Lothian 25, 50 and 100 years ago.

25 years ago

SUCCESS on the ski slopes made back page headlines in the East Lothian Courier of September 3, 1999.

An Ormiston teenager triumphantly took the Giant Slalom gold medal, in an exhilarating final, at the Scottish Ski Championships, on Sunday.

Blair Aitken held off a determined Irish challenge from Ciaran Lee by four hundredths of a second over the kilometre-long course at Midlothian Ski Centre to win gold.

The current European Dry Ski Slopes Junior Champion, he made a barnstorming comeback after a three-year break when he won the title early last month during the Wycombe Cup at the Wycombe Summit in London.

He won the 19-and-under age group, finishing third overall, in a highly competitive field of over 200 racers, which included teams from all over Europe.

Prior to this, he won his first dry ski competition in June, following a three-year lay-off at Hillend Ski Centre, before going on to win the junior and overall category in Sunderland two weeks later.

50 years ago

A FISHERMAN was unaware that a search for him had been launched... as he was asleep at sea, told the East Lothian Courier on September 6, 1974.

As 64-year-old local fisherman Mr Jack Combe lay sleeping in the bottom of his boat after losing his way in thick fog on the Firth of Forth on Saturday, a full-scale search for him was in progress.

And when Mr Combe woke up later in the evening, he found the fog had lifted and was able to make his own way back to North Berwick harbour – unaware that the Coastguard was planning to resume its search at five o’clock the following morning.

AND a “shock” rise in rates for Prestonpans residents also made front page headlines.

Ratepayers in Prestonpans will be hit by massive increases in both domestic and non-domestic rates for 1974/75.

The domestic rate has rocketed to 70p in the £ – a leap of 30p over last year – while that for commercial properties is up by 55p to 87p in the £.

These shock figures – approved by the Town Council on Wednesday – represent increases of 75 per cent and 58 per cent respectively.

The rate increases are due almost entirely to the large rise in the County Council Requisition, which has soared from £238,237 last year to £300,527 for 1974/75 – an increase of £62,290.

100 years ago

A PRESTONPANS man was given the choice of paying 10 shillings or going to prison, reported The Haddingtonshire Courier on September 5, 1924.

At a Justice of the Peace Court held at Haddington on Monday, George Stewart, miner, 88 Summerlee Street, Prestonpans, pleaded guilty to having cycled at night without a light on the road between Tranent and Prestonpans.

He stated that he had been at a dance and was late. The road was unfrequented at the time. He was fined 10s, with the alternative of 10 days’ imprisonment.