ORKNEY athlete Mags Macrae has clinched bronze in the Island Games women's 200m in Ã…land this evening, coming home in a time of 25.46secs in what was a very close race.

Gold went to Gemma Dawkins of Jersey in 25.08secs, with Hariet Pryke of the Isle of Man clocking 25.20 to win silver.

The bronze medal for Mags takes Orkney's tally to six medals in all at the Games, and makes up for her disappointment at being pipped for third in the final of the 400m earlier in the week.

THE CANADIAN Spirit Dancer canoe is due to arrive in Orkney tomorrow morning (Friday) after a journey north up the west coast of Scotland.

The 42 foot canoe which left Glasgow on May 6 is set to arrive off the Hamnavoe after being paddled most of the way up the west coast. It will then be put back in the water and paddled to Scapa beach.

ORKNEY have won their first gold medal at the Natwest Island Games in Aland.

The Orkney archery team, consisting of Alan Bowmer, Ian Kennedy, Jim Middlemas, Stewart Stanger and Norah Bowmer. beat the Faroe Islands 214-209.

This is now the fifth medal that Orkney has won, after silver medal success in the sporting team shoot and the women's shot putt.

Orkney also won bronze medals in the single FITA mens' archery compound competition and the mens' automatic ball trap final.

A HILL fire near Norseman in Rendall on Wednesday afternoon destroyed around eight acres of heathland before it was brought under control by firefighters from Stromness and Kirkwall.

AN EXPLOSION in a residential garden in Berstane Road, Kirkwall, is currently being attended to by fire fighters.

A Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said two appliances from Kirkwall attended the scene, after receiving the call at 12.54pm.

He said: "Two propane gas cylinders had overheated and were venting air; they had to close the cylinder heads and apply water for at least an hour. One of the cylinders had exploded, but the cause is not known."