The Smith Museum in Stirling lets fans hold the oldest football in the world

A selection of your pictures taken across the country over the last week

Ray Farningham leaves his post as Montrose manager to become Barry Smith's assistant at Dundee.

Our guide to who holds power in your area after the local elections

Perth transport group Stagecoach is to buy parts of a US bus firm for about £100m, helping it expand its operations.

A 46-year-old woman dies in hospital after falling and banging her head in a Dundee nightclub.

Clackmannanshire residents are being asked to be considerate neighbours as part of National Noise Action Week from Monday May 21 to Friday May 25, 2012.

Noise can cause disruption and distress to everyone - at home, at leisure, at work and at study. National research shows that two fifths of the population say noise affects their quality of life and in 2008 around half a million people (1%) said they had moved home because of
noisy neighbours. This was more a problem in the private rented sector, where 4% said they had moved because of domestic noise.

Leslie Fisher, Environmental Health and Trading Standards Manager said: "During Noise Awareness Week our officers will be promoting the simple measures that can be taken to prevent noise problems.

"Our primary aim is to help prevent noise nuisance by informing the public and seeking their co-operation to resolve matters. Enforcement action such as fixed penalties is only used when warnings have been ignored. "

During Noise Action Week everybody is urged to:
- Consider the noise they make and the effect it has on others
- Consider the noises that disturb them
- Use practical solutions to everyday noise problems

Leslie added: "Some people may be unaware that Councils have powers under the Anti-Social Behaviour (Scotland) Act 2004, to deal with noise complaints. Noise Control Officers deal with a wide variety of issues including barking dogs, loud music, noisy parties and DIY, and if the fixed penalty for antisocial noise of £100 is ignored then legal proceedings will be enforced via the Procurator Fiscal involving a possible increase of the fine to £1,000 - as was the case for a recent offender at Stirling Sheriff Court."

Last year Noise Control Officers at both Stirling and Clackmannanshire Councils dealt with over 200 complaints of domestic music noise, and where appropriate referred cases to the Procurator Fiscal to take court action against excessive noise.

Noise Action Week is coordinated by Environmental Protection UK. For
more information on NAW nationally, contact noiseactionweek@environmental-protection.org.uk, call 01273 878770 or visit www.noiseactionweek.org.uk

Clackmannanshire Council, working with partners to deliver a faster and more consistent broadband service to residents and businesses across Clackmannanshire, have carried out a survey involving both businesses and the community.

As part of this work, the Council is working alongside Stirling Council and other partners, including Forth Valley and Lomond Leader, to deliver a pilot project called ClacksMax.

Clackmannanshire and Stirling Councils conducted an online survey with businesses between August 2011 and February 2012 to gather evidence on the following:
- Broadband download and upload speeds by geography;
- Information on how broadband is used by businesses; and
- Information on any current issues with broadband service provision.

The evidence gathered will be used by the Councils to support funding applications to improve the existing broadband infrastructure across the Clackmannanshire and Stirling Council areas. The download speeds and post-code information collected by the survey will also be used to map broadband speeds across the area.

The survey was publicised widely by the Councils and the local and community press. A total of 248 businesses completed the survey after networking with staff from the local authorities, with replies from businesses based in:
- Stirling Council area - 75.8%
- Clackmannanshire Council area - 23.4%

A total of 916 returns were received to the communities broadband survey, with replies from residents based in:
- Stirling Council area - 62.3%
- Clackmannanshire Council area - 37.2%

Nearly all respondents (99%) had upload speeds of 2 MB or less.

The project is aimed at providing a new wireless broadband service in parts of Clackmannanshire and rural Stirling. Initially focused on Alloa West, Tillicoultry, Bandeath and Touch Business Parks and nearby villages of Throsk, Cambusbarron and South Alloa, this pilot service will be in place by the end of the year.

Research has shown that businesses that adopt broadband-based processes can improve their employees' labour productivity on average by 5% in the manufacturing centre and by 10% in the service sector.

The Scottish Government has targets to deliver broadband speeds of at least 2Mbit/s to all homes and businesses by 2015 and 24Mbit/s to 90%, also by 2015.

The Government will soon make a limited amount of funding available to help achieve this ambition.

Clackmannanshire Council, in partnership with Stirling Council, hopes to make a further successful bid for funding to help ensure that high speed broadband is available to people in all parts of both Council areas.

The Forth Valley Right On Target Boccia Club hit the spot with their inaugural club championships in Alloa.

As part of Paralympic Year the club, hosting their first club championships, extended a warm welcome to Boccia players from throughout Scotland. The committee did an excellent job in hosting a well organised event.

A total of 32 players from Forth Valley, Dundee, West of Scotland, East of Scotland and Fife travelled to Alloa to compete against each other for medals in BC 2, BC3 and BC4 categories for players with physical disabilities

Medals were won in all categories, including junior, youth and adults players with learning disabilities. All five areas who took part in the event won medals.

The categories were well contested with very close competition for all medals, in particular the BC4 category with Jamie Docherty and Keiran Steer 's game. Ending level on points.
The first tie break resulted in a split end, taking their game to a double tie break which saw Jamie just winning by one point. Both players finished joint first in the table but Keiran took the gold medal and Jamie Silver medal on countback.

Hannah Craig from Dundee Boccia Club beat East of Scotland player Rhona Smith in the final to take first place, with Rhona as runner-up. Hannah's club colleague Margaret Torrie took third place in the BC3 assisted devices.

Rebecca Perry of Dundee Boccia Club and Darren Rooney of Clackmannanshire's Right on Target Boccia Club both put in consistent performances to take Youth and Adult category medals respectively for player with learning disabilities.

Right on Target Club Member and GB Squad Member Jamie Docherty presented medals to winners whilst Jean Duncan, Head Coach and organiser of the event helped Jill Crowe, Club Chairperson to present memorabilia to all competitors.

Chairperson Jill Crowe said: "I would like to thank everyone for making the first club championships a success and look forward to seeing everyone again next year's event."

Anyone wishing to try the sport of Boccia in the Forth Valley area can contact The Right On Target Club Coach, Jean Duncan, on jeanmd@talktalk.net or alternatively can telephone Forth Valley Disability Sport on 01786 466 485.

Results
Junior Players with a Learning Disability
1st Place Owen Anderson Larbert Afterschool Club
2nd Place Correy Patterson Larbert Afterschool Club
3rd Place Maria Thomson Larbert Afterschool Club

Youth Players with a Learning Disability
1st Place Rebecca Perry Dundee Boccia Club
2nd Place Tommy Buller Larbert Afterschool Club
3rd Place Kirstin Law Dundee Boccia Club

Adult Players with a Learning Disability
1st Place Darren Rooney Right On Target Boccia Club
2nd Place Neil Carruthers Right On Target Boccia Club
3rd Place Helen Mason Dundee Boccia Club

Adult Players with a Physical Disability
1st Place Keiran Steer Fife
2nd Place Jamie Docherty Right On Target Boccia Club
3rd Place Lucy Rutledge West of Scotland

Adult Players with Physical Disabilities - Assisted Devices
1st Place Hannah Craig Dundee Boccia Club
2nd Place Rhona Smith East of Scotland
3rd Place Margaret Torrie Dundee Boccia Club

Britain's Andy Murray is beaten 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 6-2 by 16th seed Richard Gasquet of France in the Italian Open third round.

A Dundee man admits raping one woman and seriously sexually assaulting another in Glasgow city centre on a Christmas night out.

A mother who admitted a "momentary lapse" which caused a fatal road accident in Fife is spared jail.

A HUSBAND and wife had their car confiscated after they were caught drink driving in the vehicle within days of each other.

A THUG who bit off a chunk of his attacker's ear was locked up for eight months.

ONLY a handful of staff at Glenochil Prison were left minding the cells as workers joined a national public sector strike last week.

CLACKMANNANSHIRE is set to benefit from a grant of almost £3 million which will be spent on increasing the supply of affordable housing, creating jobs and boosting the local economy, according to the Scottish Government.

Clackmannanshire Council's Community Wardens team gave their full support and backing to a group of unemployed who carried out two environmental projects in two locations in the county.

A group of 10 participants did a terrific job, to help maintain the Community garden at Hawkhill Community Centre, as well as doing a litter pick and clean up of the Devonway from Sauchie to Tillicoultry.

The work, carried out over three days, was organised by ASCEnt to Employment, a social enterprise based in Stirling with charitable objectives that provides employability services and training. The council's Community Warden's team, in conjunction with the Stirling based social enterprise group, helped in the planning and supervision of the project.

Head of Community and Regulatory Services, John Gillespie, said: "A running theme during the overall 10 week programme is the importance of communities, encouraging participants to be more socially aware and to take pride in the areas they live in."

The community project consisted of two elements, beginning with a clean up of Hawkhill Community Centre's garden, where the learners spent two days digging up the turf and weeds in order for new turf or bark and new plants. This was followed on the final day with a litter pick along the Devon Way, from Sauchie to Tillicoultry.

Ally Scott, Learning Adviser for ASCEnt Scotland, said: "We actively encourage the participants to engage in the project on every level in order for them to achieve maximum value and to create a sense of ownership.

"This also increases employability skills through team building, planning, project management, leadership skills, risk assessments, communication skills, health and safety awareness and motivation."

It is a programme delivered on behalf of the Department of Work and Pensions which gives unemployed people who are 18 years and over the opportunity to build their confidence, their experience and their employability skills to enable them to make positive strides in their career and life choices.

Strathdevon Primary School from Dollar produced a highly creditable performance when they flew the flag for Clackmannanshire in the national finals of the Scottish European Trust's Euroquiz at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh this week.

The Dollar schoolchildren came up against 29 other primary schools from around Scotland, as far afield as Stornoway in a bid to lift the coveted prize.

The final was held on the Monday, 14th May, on the floor of the Scottish Parliament Debating Chamber at Holyrood.

The Strathdevon Primary School team consisted of Riccardo Calzetta, Isobel Findlay, Martha Tindall and Jack Wilson, with Lucy Murchison as travelling reserve - all P6 pupils. They were accompanied to the final by Head Teacher, Judith Edwards.

Strathdevon Primary School won through to represent Clackmannanshire at the Edinburgh final, after closely fought heats in Alva Primary School in March.

The final in Edinburgh was sponsored by individual donors and Trusts, the European Commission office in Scotland, Ian Hudghton MEP, David Martin MEP, Alyn Smith MEP, Struan Stevenson MEP and Catherine Stihler MEP.

Strathdevon PS and the other 29 finalists faced Quizmaster Elaine Smith MSP, Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament with questions covering history, geography, current affairs, sport, culture, the European Union and general knowledge.

Head of Education, Belinda Greer said "Euroquiz proved to be a great experience for the pupils at Strathdevon Primary, not just educationally but also gave them the opportunity of competing in the Chamber of the Scottish Parliament."

Judith Edwards, Head Teacher at Strathdevon Primary School, said, "We are all so proud of the team's achievement. The children did really well, answering a whole range of questions. It was a fabulous occasion to be a part of."

The Strathdevon team just missed out in getting into the top five after three rounds of questions and only the two top scoring teams qualified for the final round. The overall winners were St Mary's Primary School from Duntocher, representing West Dunbartonshire, with the runners-up being Bearsden Primary, who were the qualifiers from East Dunbartonshire.

Clackmannanshire Council agreed its new administration at a meeting today.

Councillor Tina Murphy was appointed Provost.

Provost Murphy said: "It is a great honour to be re-elected as the civic head of Clackmannanshire Council and I look forward to the next five years. We will be firmly focussed on the work ahead of us."

The SNP took control of the council by way of a minority administration

Councillor Gary Womersley was appointed Leader of the Council, with Councillor Craig Holden as Depute Leader.

Councillor Womersley said: "I would like to thank everyone who has voted for me, the first time that the SNP have ever had a Council Leader re-elected to the position. As a minority administration we want to work with all people around the table.

" It is a huge endorsement for our administration since taking over in January. We had one more councillor elected than we had before and we can now begin the work of carrying through the promises on our manifesto and to work for the people of Clackmannanshire."

Councillor Irene Hamilton and Councillor Donald Balsillie were each elected as Depute Provosts of the Council.

Two men are jailed for nearly eight years after a police operation uncovered £750,000 of illegal drugs.