Other News In Brief

Man, 40, Arrested After fire

A man, aged 40, has been arrested on suspicion of murder, following the death of an elderly woman in an East Sussex fire. Fire crews were called to the bungalow in Grand Crescent, Rottingdean, at around 1.30pm on Wednesday. Sussex Police said a woman in her 70s was found dead in the property, while a second person was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. A post-mortem examination is due to take place later to determine the cause of the woman's death.

Man Hospitalised After Arm Impaled

A man has been treated in hospital after his arm was impaled on a railing at a park in Cardiff. South Wales Fire Service were called to Victoria Park in the city centre at 5.20am on Thursday. Firefighters used an electronic saw and hydraulic equipment to cut the railing and man free. The man was transferred to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff by a rapid response vehicle. There are no more details at present.

Radon Map Published

A new map showing which areas of Scotland have the highest levels of the naturally occurring radioactive gas radon has been published to help homeowners identify whether they need to take any action. Radon occurs in all rocks and most soils and while quickly diluted if it escapes into the air, it can get trapped inside buildings and, over time, exposure can increase the risk of lung cancer. The maps - produced by the UK Health Protection Agency for the Scottish Government - shows 'Radon Affected Areas', where at least one house in a hundred can be expected to exceed the HPA's Action Level. The HPA advises that any house showing a radon build-up above this level should have work carried out to remedy the problem.

Pensioner Dies In Blaze

A 79-year-old man has died in a house fire in Lancashire. The blaze broke out in the early hours on the first floor of the property at Bedale Place, in Anchorsholme. The pensioner was unable to be saved by firefighters. An 80-year-old woman was rescued and taken to hospital suffering from the effects of smoke. The cause of the fire is not believed to be suspicious. The bedrooms of the house were damaged by fire, while the downstairs rooms had smoke damage.

Officer Treated After 'Unidentified' Chemicals Find

A police officer, and a number of other people had to be taken to hospital after a man was found dead in a car containing unidentified chemicals. Emergency services were called to the scene at Emma Terrace, Blairgowrie, at about 6pm on Wednesday. A cordon was put in place around the car and people in the area were told to stay away. Tayside Police said the hospital checks were a precaution while the substances were tested. There were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.

Scottish Construction Sector Contracts By 1.7%

The construction sector in Scotland has contracted by 1.7%. The figures for the year ending December 2008 were announced by Scotland's Chief Statistician in the final quarter Gross Domestic Product publication which measures growth. The main findings showed GDP rose by 0.5% annually and fell by 1.7% in the fourth quarter of 2008 (seasonally adjusted). In the year to end December 2008 the Scottish service sector grew by 1.0%, the production sector fell by 0.5%. Also in the In the fourth quarter of 2008 the construction sector fell by 4.7%, the service sector fell by 0.8% and the production sector declined by 4.7%.

(JM/BMcC)