9am Briefing: City sees rise in property prices

The Capital is leading the nation's market recovery, with homes now selling for an average 212,000 – a six per cent increase on this time last year.

The price increase coincides with a 50 per cent rise in property transactions across Scotland.

Neil Harrison, spokesman for Edinburgh Solicitors' Property Centre, said: "This is a major breakthrough for our market, to begin showing year-on-year increases again."

Council snubs bid to buy HQ

CITY council bosses have turned down an offer to buy its Waverley Court headquarters.

A UK pension fund offered to buy the building for "110 million-plus", believing it could then rent it back to the council for continued use.

City economic development leader Tom Buchanan said the offer did not "stack up" when rental costs were compared with low public-sector borrowing rates.

Woman saved from flat blaze

A 28-YEAR-OLD woman was rescued from her flat following a pan fire.

Firefighters used breathing apparatus to enter the Balfour Street building at 3:10am yesterdaywhere they found the woman, conscious and breathing. She was treated at the scene and she did not go to hospital.

Firefighters also battled a blaze at a shop in Whitburn in the early hours of this morning.

The fire broke out in the ground floor of a building on West Main Street at 12:20am. Nobody was injured.

Tragedy-hit family blessed with new birth

THE mother of a toddler who died earlier this year from leukaemia has given birth to another child – claiming she was sent by her deceased big sister.

Vikki Thomson, 25, and Stuart Jackson, 32, from Wallyford, have spoken of their delight at welcoming their daughter Chloe into the world a fortnight ago.

Bethanie Thomson, who was three when she died in February at Rachel House children's hospice in Kinross, chose the baby's name when she was told her mum was expecting.