By ALASTAIR DALTON; FRANK URQUHART URGENT action was being taken last night to protect the fragile environment of St Kilda - Britain's first World Heritage Site - amid fears that rats could leap ashore from a stricken fishing boat.

By MARTYN McLAUGHLIN IN THE darkness of their burrows, the puffin chicks starve to death while food lies decomposing in front of them. They are not able to swallow the snake pipefish brought back from the North Sea by their parents because it is covered in a hard exo- skeleton.

By Alan Roden Transport Reporter THE National Trust for Scotland and wildlife charity RSPB are leading a new campaign in support of Edinburgh's tram scheme. The organisations have linked up with nine other leading charities and campaign groups to support the GBP 592 million project.

By JEREMY WATSON IT MAY not rank with the liberation of Europe, but it is a battle of which the Supreme Allied Commander would have been proud.

By Ian Herbert The granddaughter of General Dwight Eisenhower has joined with the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) to fight the latest battle over the construction of wind turbines in Scotland.