BBC accidentally misses the facts again

Via Jock Coats, the BBC reports that a "wealthy laird" is going to evict tenants from "the tiny Fife mining village of Coaltown of Wemyss.

Apparently these despicable actions are being compared to the highland clearances - all those miners, working class heroes every man jack of them - being turfed out onto the streets by the heartless laird who is probably going to use their miserable hovels to house his flocks of sheep. Strangely, the only source for the "highland clearances" line appears to be the BBC themselves, but we'll let that pass.

There's nothing like setting the scene properly is there? Wicked laird, poverty stricken working class heroes cast out into the cold. I can almost feel the empathy welling up inside me.

Erm, except that Coaltown of Wemyss hasn't had a mine since 1970. It's now a rather cute conservation area. These facts kind of spoil the story though, don't they? Trust the BBC to miss them.

Update: Melanie Phillips notes the BBC sexing up another story today. It's because of the unique way they're funded.