9am Briefing - Father discovers Black Widow spider in Christmas gift

Published on Tuesday 30 December 2008 09:09

A FATHER-of-one got an unexpected extra when he opened his presents on Christmas morning – a potentially deadly Western Black Widow spider from Mexico.

Fergus Munro, 43, of Easter Hermitage, Edinburgh, was shocked to discover the spider lurking inside the packaging of a box containing an iPod docking system, which was a Christmas gift from his wife.

Mr Munro's wife Kirsty, 43, had bought the gift from HMV at Kinnaird Retail Park the week before Christmas.

Tennant holds strong appeal

DOCTOR Who star David Tennant has been named as one of the most influential people in showbusiness.

He is only the fifth actor to make it into entertainment bible The Stage's Top 20 power list.

Alistair Smith, The Stage's news and opinion editor, said the Bathgate-born star's appeal was so strong he could "read the phone book" and still get people to pay to listen.

Police officers retiring due to ill health 'cost taxpayers 18m'

STRESSED and sick police officers retiring due to ill health have reportedly cost taxpayers 18 million over the past five years.

More than 400 officers have retired early due to ill health, with at least a third of the cases caused by stress, it was reported today.

Lothian and Borders Police said there had been 74 ill-health retirals between 2003-4 and 2007-8, with 17 of these officers being in their thirties.

Christmas prison parcel seized

A CHRISTMAS parcel containing 2500 of drugs was reportedly seized after being smuggled into Edinburgh's Saughton Prison.

Sources at the prison said several inmates had chipped in for the "selection box" containing heroin, ecstasy, valium and cannabis.

But guards seized the package after it was tossed over a fence.

USC's Princes Mall branch to close

THE Princes Mall branch of USC is to be the only Scottish store in the chain's portfolio to close.

Sir Tom Hunter sold the 43 stores judged to be the most viable to Dundonald Holdings, a subsidiary of his West Coast Capital company firm it was reported.

The move came after Sir Tom, Scotland's richest man, had put the chain into administration, resulting in the closure of the 15 stores not being purchased by Dundonald.