The largest earthquake to hit Britain this year shook buildings across southern Scotland yesterday.
Many families were sent running into the street as the quake rattled windows, shook walls and caused a loud bang, which some thought was a massive explosion. Hundreds of people in the Dumfries area reported their houses shaking violently at around 10.45am as the result of a 10-second tremor that seismologists said measured 3.5 on the Richter scale.
The bang was heard across Dumfries and Galloway - from Langholm to Stranraer - and was recorded at a depth of 4.6 miles in the Earth’s crust.
Marie Brown, a receptionist at the Station Hotel in Dumfries, said: “I thought there was a convoy of trucks going past. But it didn’t stop. The walls then started shaking and I became quite frightened.”
The emergency services took hundreds of phone calls from residents fearing there had been a natural disaster or terrorist attack. Although there was no report of any damage or injuries, a police spokesman at Dumfries said the incident was “scary”.
The British Geological Survey in Edinburgh said the size of the quake was “significant” but not uncommon.
There were some reports that people almost didn’t go Boxing Day sales shopping … almost …
December 27th, 2006
Meet the Connors, a depraved bunch of animals who collectively set about firebombing a family over a school-bullying row, using petrol poured through the letterbox and set alight.
From left to right; Michael Connor, Jane Connor and Natalie Connor.
Only one of the family who were targeted survived, although she will be scarred for the rest of her life due to the severe injuries sustained during the arson attack.
The Connors were earlier found guilty of the double murder of Alex and Maureen Cochrane and the grevious bodily harm of Lucy Cochrane as well as other charges.
The killer family was jailed for murdering a “decent and honest” couple in a firebomb attack over a school bullying row.
Michael Connor, 40, was jailed for life with a minimum 32-year sentence before parole, after he poured more than a litre of petrol through the letterbox of the home of Maureen and Alex Cochrane, killing the couple in a 1000 degree centigrade “vortex” of flames.
He had been plied with drink and urged on by his ex-wife, Jane, 40, who kept watch as he carried out the attack at 12.30am on the house in Wythenshawe, South Manchester, on January 12 this year.
Both Connors had been found guilty of the double murders after a six-week trial ending last Friday.
Jane Connor was also jailed for life with a minimum of 32 years by Judge David Maddison.
The daughter, Natalie, 18, who made up “entirely false” claims that the Cochranes’ daughter Lucy, 17, had been bullying her at school - prompting the arson attack - was jailed for 11 years after being convicted of two counts of manslaughter.
The family targeted by evil - Alex Cochrane, Maureen Cochrane and sole survivor, Lucy Cochrane.
Jane Connor clung on to the bar of the dock then clapped her hand to her mouth as the 32-year sentence was handed down.
How satisfying to hear the sentence handed down to Jane Connor caused her some distress. It’s unlikely to be remorse or guilt pricking her conscious but at least there was a visible reaction - her surviving victim has the visible and invisible scars to deal with every day for the rest of her life.
Further reading in the Manchester Evening News:
A world apart, the Cochranes and the Connors
How Lucy became the target for bully Natalie
December 21st, 2006
