Ken Banks

2 weeks ago | bbc.com | Eva Runciman |Ken Banks

I'm looking for all our surviving lighthouse keepersEva Runciman and Ken BanksConor GaultDavid Fraser is one of the lighthouse keepers photographed by Conor GaultVery few people know what it was like to live and work in a lighthouse, stationed in the outermost reaches of the country, tasked with keeping a lifesaving navigational aid alight. However, the hardy ones who do will have some unique working memories.

3 weeks ago | bbc.com | Louise Hosie |Ken Banks

Worry for learner drivers 'waiting months' for testsLouise Hosie and Ken BanksBBCTeenager Dylan Whiteley is among those awaiting his driving testLearner drivers in rural parts of Scotland have told BBC News of their frustration as they wait months to sit their tests. One said they were unable to book a test in their local area at all, while another faces a wait of up to five months. It has led to fears that the mobility and employment prospects of young people in rural areas is being jeopardised.

4 weeks ago | bbc.com | Laura Goodwin |Ken Banks

Laura Goodwin and Ken BanksBBC ScotlandNorthern Scotland has one of the highest rates of Huntington's disease in the world, according to a new study. Huntington's is a hereditary disorder that slowly damages the brain, affecting the ability to walk, talk, eat, drink, make decisions and live independently. There is currently no cure. The study confirmed the rate of Huntington's disease in northern Scotland is 14.5 per 100,000 people - more than five times the estimated worldwide rate of 2.71.

1 month ago | bbc.com | Ken Banks |Louise Hosie

Safety warning after school ceiling collapseKen Banks and Louise HosieAberdeenshire CouncilThis image showing the partial ceiling collapse is in a confidential reportScottish councils are being told to be aware of "potential issues" with certain roof types after a school ceiling collapsed in Aberdeenshire. The dramatic partial collapse was discovered at Slains School in Collieston on Monday 10 March, before children had arrived for the day.

2 months ago | bbc.com | Ken Banks |Louise Hosie

Ken Banks and Louise HosieBBC Scotland, AberdeenBeth Taylor struggled to get out of bed after she was told she had miscarried at her 12-week pregnancy scan. Her boss, she says, asked 'would she be back tomorrow or the next day?'The 25-year-old from Aberdeen had envisioned a life for her first child - one that was lost in an instant during the appointment last summer. "Even if it's a week into the pregnancy and you lose it, you've still lost the whole future that you were going to have," she said.