9am Briefing: Four in hospital after three-car collision

FOUR people were taken to hospital last night after a three-car collision on the A702.

Two females from one vehicle and both drivers from the other two vehicles involved were taken to the ERI after the accident at 9.30pm, at Nine Mile Burn, near Penicuik.

The extent of their injuries is not known.

It is believed that bad weather conditions played a part in the incident.

The females, aged 36 and 65, had to be cut free from their vehicle.

5m widow leaves charity windfall

A WIDOW who amassed a 5.7 million fortune in cash, shares, bonds and property has left most of it to charity.

Dorothy Pustula died last year at the age of 82, having lived alone at her home in Edinburgh's Mayfield Terrace since the death of her husband in the late 1980s.

After gifting about 500,000 to friends and family, Mrs Pustula left instructions for the rest of the money to be divided between the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the United Nation's children's fund Unicef, the National Trust for Scotland and the Children's Hospice Association Scotland.

Airport axes security chief

EDINBURGH Airport has axed its dedicated security chief despite the growing threat of international terrorism.

More than nine million passengers a year pass through the airport, which offers several direct flights to the United States and is trying to attract more.

But now the responsibility for security operations will fall to the terminal manager in charge of the day-to-day running of the airport.

The move was criticised by aviation security experts but airport managing director Gordon Dewar said: "The safety and security of our passengers and staff is our foremost priority and is not compromised under any circumstances."

OAPs saved from fire

TWO pensioners were removed from a property in the city after a fire broke out in its bathroom.

The elderly pair were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation following the blaze on a first-floor property Comely Bank, at around 12.40pm yesterday.

It is not yet known what caused the fire.

Meanwhile fire fighters attended a house fire last night after a bedroom was set alight by a cigarette.

The fire, at Katherine Street, Livingston, occurred at 10.05pm.

A 17-year-old was taken to St John's Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.