Other NI News In Brief

Road Toll Rises

There has been further deaths on the roads in Northern Ireland as two people have been killed in separate road accidents. A man crashed his car on the Falls Road in west Belfast when he is thought to have suffered a heart attack at about 6.45am on Sunday. In Dungiven, a motorcyclist died in an accident on the Legavallon Road in Dungiven on Saturday. The victim was later named as 48-year-old Nigel McIntyre who was from the town. The accident happened around 1.30pm and no other vehicle was involved.

Blaze Tragedy Averted

A woman has been rescued after a blaze - that is not being treated as suspicious - damaged a house in the Shantallow area of Londonderry. The alarm was raised at Old School Lane at about 5am on Saturday. She was treated for the effects of breathing in smoke In a separate incident, a man has been taken to hospital following an accidental fire in Omagh. It broke out at a flat at New Brighton Terrace on the Kevlin Road.

M2 Lanes Open to 'Mixed' Response

While the third lane of the M2 has now opened to traffic between the Sandyknowes and Greencastle junctions - making the journey much easier on the Belfast-bound carriageway and for traffic to join the motorway at Sandyknowes - the effect further down the M2 has been less welcome. Traffic has been heavily congested at the M2 foreshore, which has attracted more negative responses to the BBC Radio Ulster, this morning.

Derry Ambulance Crew Targeted

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service has hit out after a crew member was attacked on duty. He suffered an arm injury during a scuffle while he and colleagues helped a woman who had been assaulted in Londonderry's Florence Street on Thursday night. The Ambulance Service said that such attacks were "totally unacceptable". It was also revealed that the incident led to a reduction in ambulance cover for the city for around six hours.

Judge Appointed

A new County Court judge has been named after the Queen appointed Geoffrey Biddall Miller QC to his new role. The judge was sworn into office before Sir Brian Kerr, the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland today. Mr Miller was educated at Queen's University and was called to the Bar in September 1983 and became a member of the Bar of Ireland in February 1996. From 1984 until 2003, Mr Miller practiced in a variety of areas within the legal profession including criminal law, common law and personal injury. From 2003 he has focused primarily on criminal law. He was appointed to the office of deputy Resident Magistrate in October 2002 (the name of this office was subsequently changed in June 2008 to deputy District Judge (Magistrates' Courts).

Road Investment For Stranbane Revealed

Over £4.6m is to be invested in Strabane roads. Making the announcement, Transport Minister Conor Murphy said significant progress had been made on the A5 Western Key Transport Corridor in the area. Four preferred routes for this road were announced last November. Mr Murphy said his department would now been sanctioning the widening and realignment of the Berryhill Road on the approach to Artigarvan from Strabane and the resurfacing of the A5 Mulvin Road, south of Victoria Bridge.

(BMcc/JM)