Other NI News In Brief

Get Your Skates On!

Excited to see work beginning on Belfast City Council's Bridges Urban Sports Park are the Chairman of the Parks and Leisure Committe, Councillor Peter O'Reilly; Matt Gillespie, Chairperson of Belfast Urban Sports - who helped design the park - the European Union's funding body, SEUPB, which is helping to pay for the park. Bridges - so called because it is under the M3 flyover at Nelson Street - is expected to be up and running by early summer.

Sad RIR Return

Royal Irish Ranger David Dalzell's body was flown home from Afghanistan this week. A coffin carrying the remains of the Bangor soldier arrived at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire accompanied by a second coffin carrying Company Sergeant Major Colin Beckett (36), of 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment. The hearses carrying the two fallen soldiers passed through the nearby town of Wootton Bassett. Ranger Dalzell was killed last Friday in an 'operational accident' in the Nad-e-Ali district of Helmand province.

M1 Victim Named

The name of the man killed in an overnight M1 motorway crash has been released. He was 40-year-old Michael Gregson who was travelling in a car that was struck by an LGV lorry last night. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident and have asked for any witnesses to contact them and said that the tragedy happened between Lurgan and Moira at about 10pm on Thursday.

Swine Flu Tragedies

Four more people with swine flu have died in Northern Ireland according to the latest Public Health Agency figures. The PHA said all those who had died had underlying health problems. The figures - for the week 29 January to 4 February - show there were 11 new confirmed cases of the virus.

Benefit Fraud

A man was convicted at Downpatrick Crown court this week for claiming benefits he was not entitled to. Gerard Martin (47) of Marian Park, Downpatrick claimed Income Support and Housing Benefit totalling £38,438 while failing to declare capital. He was given a one year custodial sentence and one years probation. He will also have to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Social Security Agency.

Swan Death Mystery

Scientists from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) have revealed the discovery of dead swans was the second of its kind to be probed. In the previous case lesions were discovered, suggesting some sort of bacterial infection, but the DARD vets insist there is no evidence to suggest the deaths are part of a rising trend. The five mute swans were found dead on private land in Killyleagh, Co Down and it is understood another two birds have fallen ill. They said the birds were removed so post mortem examinations could be carried out.

Lagmore Housing Welcomed

A SDLP Dunmurry councillor, Brian Heading has welcomed planning approval for the development of 37 units in Lagmore Avenue. "The news that the green light has been given by Planning Service for this development will give hope to the many people in the Dunmurry area who are awaiting social housing. I urge the Housing Association involved in the construction of this unit to get the 'ball rolling' and begin building work as soon as possible," he said, noting that his party colleague, the Social Development Minister Alex Attwood was "continuing to target social need and deliver for some of the most deprived communities in west Belfast".

(GK)