9am Briefing: JK Rowling tops female celeb list

HARRY POTTER author JK Rowling has been named the celebrity women most want to be in a new survey.

The writer, who began penning her successful novels in an Edinburgh cafe, secured 26 per cent of the votes in a YouGov poll for AOL's My Daily website.

Other top contenders included Julie Walters, with 21 per cent and Dame Judi Dench with 18 per cent. The Queen scored four per cent of the votes.

Sye Palmer, Edinburgh-based author and education expert, said the choice was encouraging, adding: "JK Rowling is someone who has worked hard to get where she is.

It is a story of pulling yourself up by the bootstrings."

Biscuit threat

A MASSIVE fire in Livingston six weeks ago could mean a UK-wide biscuit shortage in the run-up to Christmas.

Some supermarkets have already had to put up signs explaining that the blaze, which destroyed the Amcor Flexibles packaging plant, has hit supplies of their own-brand custard creams, bourbons and garibaldis.

It took firefighters several days to put out the fire, which started on September 16.

United Biscuits said: "Amcor quickly made other packaging facilities available and we are working hard to minimise any disruption to our factories, customers and consumers."

Bridge delays

COMMUTERS faced major delays and disruption on the Forth Road Bridge this morning due to a "police incident".

Traffic heading towards Edinburgh was being diverted and northbound traffic was held up for a time due to the incident, which occurred on the north side of the bridge.

Fife Police, however, refused to reveal the nature of the incident.

Fall escape

A MAN survived falling 20 feet after he slipped over a wall in the early hours of this morning.

The 21-year-old was sitting on a wall near Bank of Scotland HQ on George IV Bridge at 3.20am, when he fell back and landed in a basement area. Fire crews passed him down a ladder, and he was taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary with a head injury.

Crews were also called to a cooking fire in Milton Street at 9.50pm last night. One male required treatment for smoke inhalation.