9am Briefing: Elderly couple in hospital after blaze

The couple managed to put out the flames before fire crews arrived at 3am but the 82-year-old man suffered burns to his hands while the woman, 86, was treated for smoke inhalation.

The pair woke this morning to find the bedroom of their home in Wallacemill Gardens, Mid Calder, ablaze. Both were later taken to St John's Hospital for treatment.

THE estranged wife of shamed ex-MP Jim Devine could reportedly lose her home to pay his debts – despite splitting from the expenses cheat 15 years ago.

Elizabeth Devine could see the 120,000 house she lives in sold to pay the dues owed by her bankrupt husband.

Experts reportedly said she stands to lose the house in Alva, Clackmannanshire – which Devine, 57, still owns half of – because the couple never officially divorced when the marriage broke down in around 1996.

Insolvency practitioner Matt Henderson, who is taking control of Devine's assets in a bid to repay his creditors, said: "I am dealing with the sale of three properties. He is not formally divorced from his wife and for that reason he owns a half interest in the house where his wife lives."

Last month Devine was jailed for 16 months for making bogus claims for cleaning and printing work. Just before he was locked up Devine was declared bankrupt at Livingston Sheriff Court.

VISITOR numbers at Edinburgh Zoo have slumped by more than 90,000 despite a bumper year for other leading attractions.

The 141 per cent fall – equivalent to 250 visitors a day – is thought to have cost the zoo more than 1 million.

Over the past few months 16 jobs have been axed to help stave off a financial crisis.

The zoo blamed poor weather.

A 68-YEAR-OLD woman was treated for a wrist injury following a car crash in Prestonpans.

Paramedics tended to the woman at the scene while also assisting an 88-year-old man suffering shock as a result of the collision on Redburn Road at 7.30pm last night.

Neither required hospital treatment.