Derry Priest Quits

A priest in Londonderry has resigned after he became involved in a relationship with a woman. Fr Sean McKenna, parish priest at the Holy Family Church in Ballymagroarty, told his stunned congregation during Mass services at the weekend that he had fallen in love. The 51-year-old priest, who has been a popular member of the local Catholic clergy for over 20 years, said he had taken the decision to leave after embarking on the relationship. He also said that the celibacy clause inherent in ordination to the priesthood had forced him to make the decision to leave.

Massereene Man Freed

The man arrested yesterday in connection with the Real IRA murders of two soldiers in Northern Ireland has been released without charge. He was questioned about the shooting outside Massereene Barracks, Antrim, in March. Sappers Patrick Azimkar (21), from London and Mark Quinsey (23) from Birmingham were shot dead outside the barracks. They were the first soldiers to be murdered in Northern Ireland in 12 years. Colin Duffy (41) is one of two men already charged with the murders. He has been in custody since March.

Mobile Escape

An accidental fire at the weekend nearly ended in tragedy when a 58-year-old man had a lucky escape after he was caught up in a fire that gutted a mobile home in Co Antrim. Station Commander Gary Davidson said the man was lucky to be alive following the blaze at Feystown Road, Glenarm, which involved six gas cylinders. The officer told the BBC that fire crews from Larne and Carnlough were called to the scene at 7.30pm on Saturday evening. He said the man suffered burns to his hands and face, but managed to get outside where specialist firefighters treated him.

Pensioner Defies Robbers

An east Belfast woman, aged 82, has described how she beat off two burglars with a floor brush after they broke into her east Belfast home. Maisie Chapman was sleeping at her Oberon Street home on Saturday afternoon and yesterday told the BBC that she awoke to find a stranger in her hallway and a second man upstairs ransacking her bedroom. "I have a brush behind the door... I lifted it and gave them a whack," Mrs Chapman said. Earlier, the stranger in the hall claimed he was a policeman. But he had no identity card. Mrs Chapman went upstairs to where the second man was ransacking her bedroom. The men left the house empty handed. Mrs Chapman, a widow, was shaken by her ordeal but as she has lived in her home for more than 50 years and she said she had no intention of leaving it. See: Pensioner Attacks Slammed

Derry Fire Rescue

Two quick thinking young people have helped rescue a man from a flat fire. They spotted smoke coming from the flat in Rose Court, Altnagelvin, Londonderry, at 6am on Sunday. They banged on the door of the flat and woke the man, who was able to get out. The fire had started in a chip pan and had spread to the kitchen. Fire station commander Kevin Lynch said the youths arrived just in time. There was no smoke detector in the flat and it could have been a tragedy, he said.

Poppy Defiled

All the Derry War Memorial wreaths have now been stolen. The police said that the latest incident happened at about 5.30am on Saturday when a man was seen carrying two wreaths on Abercorn Road. Foyle DUP MLA William Hay said it was difficult to describe the type of people that did this. SDLP Foyle MLA Pat Ramsey has condemned those who stole wreaths laid at Derry's cenotaph over the weekend: "I condemn this action without question. These wreaths had been laid by all sections of the community and this sort of behaviour is an affront to the community. People have a basic human right to remember their dead and there is no justification for people to ruin that memory because they disagree. For us to move on as a society we must respect the traditions of everybody within our community. The people who carried out this offer nothing, they have no positive contribution to the future of this area but instead obstruct and cower in the dark of night and think they have gained some sort of victory."

Road Up Opens

One of Belfast city centre's busiest roads has reopened almost a week after it was closed when a hole emerged. Cromac Street was damaged when an air pocket rose to the surface last Saturday, causing the tarmac to buckle. The section of road between East Bridge Street and Victoria Street reopened to traffic on Friday evening. NI Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy said the Roads Service, NI Water and other agencies worked well to fix the road within the promised timeframe.

(BMcC/Gk)