Jim Black's Open Diary: From Martin Compston to Niall Horan the stars are out in force at St Andrews

SPECTACTORS dining al fresco in the tented village have been able to do so without fear of having their grub nicked from their hands by the dive-bombing rats in the sky. There’s not a seagull to be seen since the R&A employed the services of a Harris Hawk, an Indian Eagle Owl and an African Tawny Eagle to scare off the pesky predators.

It’s given a whole new meaning to birdies and eagles. But heaven help the locals when the visiting wildlife depart and the pests return in their droves seeking revenge for being cleared out of town temporarily.

THERE'S a commemorative plaque at St Andrews highlighting the contribution made by Polish signals officer Jozef Kosacki, inventor of a device for detecting mines. Now there’s another Pole desperate to see his name commemorated in the Auld Grey Toon if he can produce a spectacular finish at The Open.

Adrian Meronk has already made history after registering the first ever victory by an Eastern European on the DP World Tour when he won the Irish Open to earn a passport to St Andrews.

THERE has been no shortage of famous faces and members of royalty in and around the Old Course. Line of Duty’s Martin Compston, Love Island’s Nathan Massey and ex-One Direction singer Niall Horan are among those who’ve been spotted mingling with the punters.

There were also rumours that Robbie Williams was spotted driving around town. And on the royal front, Princess Anne and Prince Albert of Monaco have been guests of the R&A.

WE have had all four seasons this week – wind, rain, leaden skies and glorious sunshine. Given St Andrews’ strange micro climate, it would come as no great surprise if we also got a flurry of snow.

But the risk of hypothermia? That might be pushing it a tad – unless the media