Businessman John Bogie has spent #21,500 at auction on a personalised car number, BOG1E. Already, a rival bidder has offered to buy it from him for #5000 more.

''I definitely will not be selling,'' said Mr Bogie, 41, who owns a skip firm in Dumfries. ''I've always wanted this number but the DVLA did not put it out until recently.''

Sports awards

TEENAGE judo star Alastair Carson has been named Nithsdale Sports personality of the year. Carson is the youngest person in the area to achieve a black belt in judo and has won medals for Scotland at junior international level. The female award went to 21-year-old triathlon star, Eleanor Reid, the most outstanding athlete at Glasgow University. The awards were presented in Dumfries yesterday by former provost Mrs Jean McMurdo.

Comic vision

Comic Relief has brought a smile to the faces of members of Fife Society for the Blind. The society has just been awarded a #22,500 grant to enable the appointment of a part-time social and recreational project worker. The society helps more than 1800 visually impaired people, many of whom live alone, are elderly, and socially isolated.

More tourists

MORE than 400,000 visitors used tourist information centres in Dumfries and Galloway last year and the increase in the number of tourists visiting the South- west has been put down to better marketing of Scotland through major films. The region is expecting another big increase this year.

Perth housing

A project to redevelop a derelict shopping site in the centre of Perth, costing #3.5m, will start next month. The project will be run by Perthshire Housing Association, which will build 33 one and two-bedroom flats, and Servite Housing Association, which plans 30 sheltered homes. Work on the former Co-op site is expected to last 18 months and financing of the project will also be shared by Scottish Homes.

Traffic survey

THE Scottish Office is to contribute to a traffic survey which could lead to a big cut in the number of heavy goods lorries using Annan town centre. The study will look at the need for better lighting on the town's A75 bypass. It is believed that many vehicles heading for the town's industrial estates miss the signed routes because of poor lighting.

Paper plant fire

Damage running into thousands of pounds was caused by a fire in a specialist paper-making machine at Tullis Russell of Markinch, Fife, early yesterday. Six workers escaped uninjured.

Fare changes

Changes to concessionary bus and taxi fares were announced yesterday by Dundee City Council. From April 1, senior citizens and the disabled will pay 25p for all bus journeys and people with learning difficulties who have problems understanding the value of money will receive a free pass after an assessment by the Medical Advisory Service.