Broker Simon Burgess, of British Insurance Ltd of Essex, gave dozens of interviews about his 'clients' in Inverness, never suspecting that he would have to back up his information.

Unfortunately he had not counted on re-encountering a journalist who had interviewed him about a similar scam when he was a broker for Goodfellow Rebecca Ingrams Pearson (GRIP) in 1996 when he claimed to have sold the same insurance policy to "four and twenty nuns from Inverness" - a reference to a well known rugby song.

When the accuracy of his claim was challenged a decade ago he threatened to sue the reporter and make sure he never worked again if the claim that he had lied to the media saw print.

Unfortunately for Mr Burgess that same reporter saw his latest claim that the policy had been sold to three middle-aged virgin sisters in Inverness and recognised the story. Mr Burgess was confronted and again insisted his story was true and that this was the first time such a policy had ever been offered by any insurance company.

He was soon identified as the same person who had been interviewed about the claim in 1996. The Inverness Courier reports Mr Burgess' response:
"Well okay there was maybe a bit of poetic licence. My main business is selling unemployment insurance but that is rather dull.
"It is only when I have nonsense stories like this that people want to speak to me.
"It is actually rather refreshing to talk to a journalist who is doing his job properly for a change."

An unemployed father of five has built a 1:10 scale replica of the Titanic as an ornament in his back garden. Stan Fraser, who suffers from ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis - chronic fatigue syndrome) has spent the past six years recreating the famous Olympic class passenger liner.

Now half way through the project, it has cost him less than £100 so far thanks to friends who have donated materials and enough other maritime artefacts that Stan now wants to convert his house and garden into a maritime museum with the 88-feet-long Titanic as its star attraction.

He aims to complete the Titanic, several other large models of famous ships and open the museum by 2012 - the 100th aniversary of the Titanic's maiden voyage and loss.

This week he has launched the Titanic Inverness web site to keep the world informed of his progress.

As well as Norman Cook (Fat boy Slim), Mylo, Carl Cox and Audio Bullys featured on the bill. Only a few arrests and then only for minor offences. There's talk apparently that next year could see Rock Ness develop into a two day event.