Daily Post

Weary Mccanns Fly On to Spain

Flytipping in City Is Worst in England ; Exclusive but Council Defends Record and Says Figures Are Misleading

LIVERPOOL'S flytipping record is almost as bad as the combined total for the rest of the country, government figures revealed last night. The city reported a staggering 1,249,527 incidents of rubbish- dumping in just 12 months - more than seven times the number at the next worst local authority.

Woman Seriously Injured in City Bus Accident

A WOMAN is being treated for serious injuries after she became trapped underneath a bus in Liverpool city centre. Emergency services were called to the scene in Cook Street at about 11am yesterday.

Health Trusts in Pounds 8m Underspend ; Managers Insist Cash Will Roll Into Next Year

HEALTH trusts across Merseyside will have underspent their annual budget by more than pounds 8m, government figures reveal. Liverpool Primary Care Trust will be responsible for nearly half of the underspend with pounds 3.8m still in the coffers, while Knowsley and West Cheshire had a combined overspend of pounds 4.25m.

In Brief: Thousands Are 'Denied Decent Education'

THOUSANDS more children are being denied a decent education as the number of failing schools soared by nearly a quarter in just seven months, figures showed yesterday. Inspectors said there had been a 5% rise in the number of England's schools facing closure in Ofsted's lowest category - "special measures" - between January and March.

In Brief: Man Serious After Jcb Crash

A 49-YEAR-OLD man suffered serious head injuries after the Vauxhall Vectra he was driving was in collision with a JCB digger in Huyton yesterday afternoon. The accident happened at 4.50pm on Knowsley Lane, close to the junction with Stockbridge Lane.

In Brief: Royal Opening

In Brief: Libyan Hunt

Little Brother (and Sister) Is Watching - and Talking ; a Voice On the Streets As Wirral Introduces Talking Cctv System

'OI, YOU! Stop being naughty and pick that rubbish up!" Litter louts in Birkenhead were in for a surprise yesterday when angelic voices from above gave them a good telling off. Primary School youngsters who had been shortlisted in a Wirral- wide poster competition were invited to the CCTV control room on Canning Street to give the anti-social a piece of their mind.

Phil Faces Plea to Mute the Music

ORCHESTRAS such as the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic could be encouraged to play more quietly as part of new European Union health and safety legislation. Orchestra managers could even get their musicians to wear earplugs to protect their hearing.

Cooke's Daughter Welcomes New Human Tissue Rules

THE daughter of broadcaster Alistair Cooke, whose bones were stolen after his death by a criminal gang trading body parts, has welcomed new rules on the movement of human tissue in the UK and Europe. When the host of the BBC's Letter from America died, his bones were taken and sold to a New York company supplying biomedical tissue.

Teenager in Court

A19-YEAR-OLD has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Peter Connors, of Victoria Road, Platt Bridge, in Wigan, appeared in St Helens magistrates court yesterday.

Brown Supporter Fights 'Crony' Claims

A BUSINESSMAN who donated money to Gordon Brown's Labour leadership campaign last night angrily dismissed allegations of "cronyism" from the Tories. Paul Myners, who backed the Chancellor's successful bid with pounds 9,700, insisted that although he had previously carried out work for the Treasury it had been unpaid.

In Brief: Mother, 48, Charged with Killing Son, 19

AWOMAN who allegedly stabbed her son to death was charged with murder last night. The body of Andrew Cole, 19, was found at the home he shared with his mother in Thornton, near Fleetwood, Lancashire, on Wednesday. A spokesman for Lancashire Constabulary said a 48-year-old woman, from Thornton, had been charged with murder and will appear before Wyre Magistrates Court this morning.

In Brief: Rapeseed 'Is New Olive Oil'

RAPESEED could be the new olive oil, a retailer said yesterday. Tesco is promoting the high quality British product as a healthier alternative to imported virgin olive oil.

In Brief: Jeans Sales Up

In Brief: Cleaner Beaches

In Brief: 'Cruel' Food

Teachers' Concern at New Powers

TEACHERS declared last night they should not use their new powers to search pupils for weapons without consent. From today, school staff have the legal authority to use force to strip off children's jackets and jumpers and search trouser pockets for knives or guns.

Shuttle Is Set to Fly

OFFICIALS at NASA say they will launch the first space shuttle mission of the year next week, after completing repairs to the spacecraft's external tank caused by a hailstorm. Atlantis will launch next Friday evening to deliver a newpair of solar arrays to the international space station.