26/04/2010

Other UK News In Brief

Teacher Training Slammed

Only 25% of secondary teachers say they have had good training on the new curriculum being phased into schools, according to an unpublished survey. The study, carried out by Ipsos-Mori for the Scottish government, is based on responses of almost 15,000 teachers. Three in four also said they were not confident about delivering lessons for senior pupils. The Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) is to be implemented in secondary schools across Scotland in August.

Fire Tragedy

There has been a fatal fire in Swansea. A 47-year-old man died following a blaze at a terraced house in Port Tennant. Three fire appliances were called to the house in Baglan Street at 7am after neighbours woke to find smoke in their house. A man was rescued from the property by firefighters but he was pronounced dead at the scene. The fire was confined to the kitchen of the property, according to Mid and West Wales Fire service.

Farm Death Victim Named

The man who was killed while moving a herd of cattle at a Cumbrian farm on Saturday has been named. He was Peter Coutts, 53, from Lazenby, and a contract worker at the farm, in the area of Calthwaite, near Penrith. Emergency crews were called following reports that a man had been injured but he was found dead at the scene. A police spokeswoman said it appeared to be a "tragic accident" and a joint investigation with the Health and Safety Executive was under way.

NI Student Critical After US Mugging

A student is critically ill in hospital in Chicago after being brutally mugged on Friday. The victim, 23-year-old Natasha McShane, is from Silverbridge in Co Armagh and was attacked while on her way home from a night out along with her friend Stacy Jurich (24) in the Bucktown area of the US city. During the incident, a robber wielding a bat struck the pair then stole their purses around 3.30am. Her parents have travelled to the US to be with their daughter. She remains in critical condition at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, while her friend Stacy remains in serious condition at the same hospital, a spokeswoman said.

(BMcC/GK)

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