Other NI News In Brief

Fair Tragedy

Preparations for a town fair arts performance across the border took a tragic turn on Wednesday after a large falling prop killed a female performer. The woman, who was 30 years-old, was a member of a touring British group that was practicing for an aerial display involving a large metal globe suspended from a crane. It is understood the globe from which the woman was also suspended fell from the crane, crushing the woman after a 30ft drop. She died at the scene. The incident happened during a practice for an event planned as part of an arts festival in Letterkenny, Co Donegal.

Candidate Fined

A candidate and her husband have been fined for submitting fraudulent nomination forms for last year's assembly elections. Workers Party member Marcella Delaney, who failed to get elected for South Antrim, was fined £750, and her husband Thomas £600. The couple, from Hightown Rise in Newtownabbey, admitted naming electors in nomination forms without obtaining their consent.

Flags Furore

Police in Scotland have had to apologise for trying to remove a flag from Northern Ireland fans attending last night's friendly in Glasgow. They thought the image was an illegal symbol of hate and asked the NI supporters on board a bus to remove the Ulster flag – bearing the Red Hand of Ulster– because they thought it was an outlawed sectarian emblem. But after complaints, Glasgow police sent the officer in charge of monotoring the city's football matches to personally apologise to Northern Ireland fans at Hampden Park stadium.

Footballer Silent

Northern Ireland's record goalscorer, David Healy has refused to comment on speculation that Sunderland boss Roy Keane is bidding to steal him from Fulham, despite missing a penalty in NI's friendly 0-0 draw against Scotland at Hampden Park last night which should have been his 35th goal in 65 appearances had it not been saved.

(BMcC)