Other News In Brief

M8 Death Driver 'On Wrong Side'

A 65-year-old man who died in a tragic four-car collision on the M8 in Glasgow yesterday was driving the wrong way down the motorway. According to a spokesperson from Strathclyde Police, the accident occurred near junction 15 Townhead, close to Glasgow Royal Infirmary, at about 11.30 pm so the east bound M8 was closed throughout the night until 6.45 am. The Scottish Ambulance Service sent seven vehicles to the scene, where a woman driver received pelvic injuries and there were also three walking wounded.

Ex-Cop Jailed After Causing Crash

A former police officer, who killed a man called Steven Campbell and left his wife in a wheelchair, has been jailed for four year and has been disqualified from driving for five years. The hit-and-run crash happened in Greater Manchester last Christmas. The officer Mohammed Mian, who admitted causing death by dangerous driving, was speeding at nearly 60 mph. The court was told Mr Campbell's wife, Rosemary, had been left permanently disabled and the victim died at the scene from multiple injuries, was thrown more than 100ft away from the point of impact. Mrs Campbell spent six days in a coma and was given a 20% chance of survival. Her left leg was amputated below the knee and she now uses a wheelchair.

Prize For Promoting Sustainable Tourism

The Clwydian Range, in Denbighshire and Flintshire (Wales), has won European recognition for its promotion of sustainable tourism. The award for this area will make earn the region £550,000 of rural development plan funding towards eco-regeneration. According to Denbighshire Countryside Services, the cash will pay for accessibility facilities and improved rights of way to enable people to travel sustainably between the area's villages. Holidaymakers will be encouraged to use local farmers' markets and support the region's outdoor activity industry as well as they will be offered Nordic ski poles to leave cars and to tackle byways on foot. Carina Edwards of Cadwyn Clwyd said this shows the importance of "the work being done to preserve the area and enjoy it responsibly".

Bridge Needs Lottery Cash For Revamp

Middlesbrough's Transporter Bridge needs lottery cash in order to do a revamp. Being one of two of its kind still operating in the UK, it will mark its 100th anniversary in 2011 and Middlesbrough Council has asked the Heritage Lottery Fund to back a £2.7m improvement plan, which includes lifts to make easier people access to the top. The bridge uses a gondola on rails - that is suspended on a platform and pulled by two cables - in order to carry 200 passengers or six cars across the River Tees in 90 seconds. It is 850ft long and 225ft high at the tallest point and his construction cost £84,000. In 1985, it was granted Grade II Listed Building status and eight years later, it received the Institution of Mechanical Engineers' highest honour, The Heritage Plaque, for engineering excellence.

(CL/BMcc)