Other NI News In Brief

'Bangers' Stats Revealed

There were less reported injuries from fireworks over the past Halloween. According to the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety 32 persons were injured over the Halloween period (17 October-14 November 2008), a decrease of (67%) from the 2007 figure. Almost half, (47%) of persons injured attended an Accident and Emergency Department or Minor Injuries Unit and of them, 81% were male and 66% of those injured were aged under 18. There were no fatalities and the most common sites of injury were to the wrist or hand (53% of all injuries) and the eye (22%).

£40k Stock Stolen In Robbery

It has just been revealed that stock - valued at up to £40,000 - has been stolen from a mobile phone shop in the Connswater centre in east Belfast. A member of staff was also assaulted in the weekend robbery. Police said that, on Sunday, two men entered the store through a delivery entrance and loaded the stock into a white van. The staff member was forced to accompany them. The van was driven to the Mersey Street area where the goods were moved to a grey van. The white van was set alight. The member of staff was assaulted, tied up and left nearby.

Mussels Alert Tackled

There a fresh move underway today to help restore the ecologically important Horse Mussel (Modiolus) to Strangford Lough. NI Environment Minister Sammy Wilson and Fisheries Minister Michelle Gildernew confirmed their departments were behind a new initiative to conserve the species which plays an important biological role in the Lough. Both Ministers visited the Exploris Centre in Portaferry to see at first hand the progress being made and Mr Wilson commented: "The Horse Mussel is crucial to the ecology of Strangford Lough and forms an important habitat which other species depend on for their survival. The reef beds which they form are unique to the Lough and support a wide range of other important species," he said, noting that Horse Mussels clump together and form reefs on the bed of the Lough, providing valuable habitats for several other species in what is a dedicated European site of Special Area of Conservation. Scientific data has indicated a decline in the extent and condition of the reef beds with the use of mobile fishing gear presenting an immediate threat to the remaining mussel beds so DARD Fisheries introduced legislation to ban the use of the gear and both departments have devised a comprehensive restoration plan to restore the Horse Mussel.

Exporting Success From Cookstown

A Cookstown-based company, FSL Electronics, has achieved over £750,000 of export sales in 2008, including a deal to supply products for the next Soccer World Cup in South Africa, with support from Invest Northern Ireland. The frim designs, manufactures and distributes an array of technologically advanced products for a range of sports organisations and other sectors such as materials handling and security. Its products include digital score boards, message panels, queuing displays, remote control equipment and an innovative electronic fitness mat.

(BMcC/JM)