Heroes Returned

The bodies of two soldiers from north-east England who were killed in southern Afghanistan are being brought back home today. The bodies of Guardsman Michael Sweeney, 19, of Blyth and Rifleman Mark Turner, 21, of Gateshead, will be flown into RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire. After a private ceremony, their coffins will pass through Wootton Bassett. A total of 281 UK service personnel have been killed in Afghanistan since military operations started in 2001.

Homes Agreed At Steel Works

A leading regeneration specialist, St. Modwen, has signed an agreement with Newport City Council, allowing plans for the redevelopment of the former Corus Llanwern steelworks into a £1 billion urban community to commence. Over the next 20 years, Glan Llyn will become one of the most significant newly-built communities in Wales. As well as providing around 4,000 new homes and 6,000 new jobs, Glan Llyn will include a new district centre with a variety of retail and leisure facilities as well as schools, a library, police station, supermarket and doctor's surgery. The scheme will also have significant areas of play, amenity and sports space, as well as parks and lakes.

Pembrokeshire Coast Is Tops

The Pembrokeshire Coast Path has been voted the best coastal walkway in the UK by readers of a magazine. Readers of Coast voted the 186-mile route in west Wales, which is celebrating its 40th year, as their favourite long-distance path. The walk is almost entirely inside the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, and was the first National Trail in Wales.

Unionists Agree Fermanagh Ticket

A single Ulster Unionist candidate will be fielded in Fermanagh/South Tyrone in a bid to oust incumbent Republican MP Michelle Gildernew. Rodney Connor will run as an Independent Unionist after the DUP and the UUP, along with its electoral partner the Conservatives, agreed to retract their respective Parliamentary candidates. Mr Connor will take the Tory whip but will exercise a free vote on Northern Ireland matters. Democratic Unionists have been pushing for so-called 'Unionist unity' in both Fermanagh/South Tryone and South Belfast where the incumbent Nationalist and Republican MPs hold a small majority. Ulster Conservatives and Unionists - the Tory/UUP election banner - had shown some resistance to the plans, however their proposed joint ticket, Tom Elliott, last night withdrew his candidacy.

(BMcC/GK)