A bronze cannon from an Armada ship which wrecked off Fair Isle in the aftermath of the Spaniards’ ill-fated attack on England in 1588 will be on display in the Shetland Museum for the first time from Monday.

Evidence which would have supported councillor Jonathan Wills’ claim that the council’s then chief executive David Clark threatened him with violence in a phone call last autumn was never heard by the panel convened to deal with the complaint, according to the Standards Commission.

The winner of the 2009 Shetland Times/Shetland Recreational Trust fit club will set off tomorrow to walk around almost the entire coastline of Shetland to raise funds for the mental health charity Mind Your Head and combat the depression he wants it known publicly that he suffers from.

The councillor who was referred to the Standards Commission after making outspoken criticisms of the then chief executive David Clark last October has been cleared of all 10 charges against him, The Shetland Times has learned.

Labour’s election candidate Mark Cooper said this week that with his family connection he understands the irritation and anger felt by motorists in Shetland at the premium paid for fuel.

David Clark’s father Ian, who is renowned for securing Shetland’s multi-million pound oil funds while chief executive, has made a robust defence of his son, blaming an orchestrated campaign by a “coterie” of people who were determined to uncover faults and failures from his son’s past for his premature departure from the same post.

Shetland Islands Council chief executive David Clark has accepted the tax-free payoff of £250,000 offered to him by councillors and has now left his post amid a mounting public backlash against the decision.

The council is to offer £250,000 to controversial chief executive David Clark in return for his leaving the post, The Shetland Times has learned.

Inter-island ferry fares will have to rise by five per cent, the cost of school meals and meals on wheels will need to be increased by 15p and 20p respectively and an annual charge of £160 must be imposed for children wishing to learn to play musical instruments, if the council is to meet its strict budget targets.

Work on the new bird observatory in Fair Isle is set to be finished by the end of the year – several weeks ahead of schedule.