The Gorteen Hotel has suffered 25% fire damage. It took more than thirty firefighters to put the blaze out and the police suspect arson. Nobody was hurt, though some time ago when a fire was started in the same place a fireman died when a roof collapsed under him. Woodland Walk is fast becoming a dangerous place because some houses were damaged there only a short time ago when an arsonist set fire to an oil tank.

Our photograph shows the Gorteen in better days. It is a listed building and was built around 1903 by the Boyle family.

Regular readers have no doubt wondered why there have been so few recent entries in our 'Silly Sign' column. This is either due to the fact that we have already discovered most of them or - and this is our preferred reason - because sign-writers have become much more careful since the first appearance of this paper.

Be that as it may. Our editor and chief executive came across the sign above - positioned romantically under a tree in Main Street and secured with a sturdy sand bag. (For readers not familiar with British road signs - we are talking about the sign on the left showing a man who appears to be struggling with a large umbrella).

As the two arrows on the road indicate so clearly: these days Main Street is one way only; hence the question is:

'Who is going to see this sign?'

- apart from pedestrians walking up the road - and reversing drivers?

And here is our customary link to the rest of our unbelievable silly sign collection

 
Locals will have noticed that the days are getting longer, the storms seem to have died down for the moment and we've had three whole days of sunshine. We can draw only one conclusion from all this:

Spring has come.

We suggest you enjoy it while you have the chance!

 
It has been announced that the Limavady Borough council will be abolished in three years' time and the area will be joined with Coleraine, Ballymoney and Moyle to form a council area stretching from Greysteel to Rathlin Island. As far as we can determine, this huge new body is as yet nameless - but no doubt the powers that be will soon come up with a suitably unsuitable name.

Our map graphically shows our lovely green valley with its new acquisitions right on top of the rest of the province!