Other NI News In Brief

Sailors Saved

Red Bay RNLI lifeboat has been busy this past weekend having rescued two men after their vessel capsized off the north Antrim coast. The men were travelling from Ballycastle to Scotland in a 9m landing craft when their cargo shifted and the vessel capsized around 7am. Lifeboat crew found the men east of Torr Head and brought them to shore. The men, who were suffering from shock and hypothermia after being in the cold water for more than an hour, were taken to Antrim hospital where they were treated. A helicopter on route from the Irish Republic wasn't needed. Meanwhile, Red Bay volunteers also saved two divers near Cushendun on Saturday afternoon after they got separated from their dive boat.

Sinn Fein Want Unity Poll

Sinn Fein's manifesto for the coming Assembly elections is proposing a referendum on a new all-Ireland constitution, and also wants people in Northern Ireland to be allowed to vote in Irish presidential elections. It also calls for tax-varying and borrowing powers to be transferred to Stormont, and cross-border tax harmonisation. Full details to follow later this week.

Co Down Security Alerts End

A controlled explosion was carried out at a church in Bangor, Co Down, on Saturday. The security alert was put in place after a suspicious object was found at Towerview Crescent in the Ballymaconnell area. The item was later identified as a mini oxygen tank, the PSNI confirmed. Meanwhile, a security alert in Crossgar ended after a suspicious object was found behind a community centre. The discovery was made by a member of the public in a car park at the Downpatrick Street premises, at about 7.30pm on Sunday. Army bomb squad officers examined the object, which was found to contain nothing untoward.

Bookies Robbed

Detectives in west Belfast are investigating an attempted robbery in the Norglen Gardens area on Friday night, 16th April. An employee from a local bookmakers was walking along St Agnes Drive from the direction of Andersonstown Road shortly after 10pm when he was approached from behind by an unknown male. This male threatened him demanding he return to his place of work and remove cash from the safe. He was then instructed to leave the money at a specific location. The male placed an item, which he indicated was a gun against the employees back however no firearm was seen. The employee returned to the premises as instructed before raising the alarm. Now, detectives are keen to hear from witnesses. They would especially like to speak to anyone who was in the St Agnes Drive or Andersonstown Road areas between 10pm and 10.30pm on Friday night and who witnessed anything suspicious. Detectives can be contacted on 0845 600 8000.

Snappers Sought

A new photography competition to promote the discovery and enjoyment of NI's countryside and native wildlife has been announced. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Officers Forum are inviting everyone from across Northern Ireland to submit their photographs for the competition. The photographs must have landscapes or natural world at their heart and can feature people, places, plants or wildlife. The winning images will feature in a wall calendar for 2012 promoting Northern Ireland's biodiversity and the winning photographers will also receive a framed print of their image. See: Photos

Polluter Pays

A Co Armagh business was fined £1,000 plus £22 court costs at Armagh Magistrates' Court recently. C & J Meats Ltd, of Red Lion Road, Kilmore, Armagh, was fined for making a polluting discharge to a waterway. A sample taken at the time of the incident confirmed that the discharge contained poisonous, noxious or polluting matter, which would have been potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving waterway.

(BMcC/GK)