9am Briefing: Pair seriously ill in hospital after blaze

The blaze took place at a property on Fernieside Avenue just before 3am.

More than 30 firefighters battled the flames. The couple managed to escape the property before firefighters arrived and were taken to the Royal Infirmary by ambulance.

POLICE are hunting a knife-wielding attacker who sexually assaulted a woman in her own home.

Officers said the 39-year-old discovered the intruder in her property at around 5am on Saturday after he entered through an unlocked door.

The man spent two hours in the house in Oakwood Park, in the Deans area of Livingston, before fleeing at around 7am.

Police said the attacker had threatened the woman and other occupants of the house at knifepoint before the sexual assault took place.

LUKE Mitchell's mother has said it would be "disastrous" if her son was released on a technicality.

Corinne Mitchell said she didn't want her son's conviction quashed by a new legal ruling as it would leave doubts over his innocence.

It comes after the Supreme Court ruled that interviewing suspects without a lawyer was a breach of human rights.

Scots law was quickly changed to reflect the decision and the court system is bracing itself for a flood of appeals.

When Mitchell was interviewed by police over the murder of his 14-year-old girlfriend Jodi Jones in 2003 he was alone.

FORMER Bay City Roller Pat McGlynn was attacked in his car just days after getting out of hospital following a heart attack.

The 52-year-old guitarist was waiting at traffic lights about 200 yards from his home in Liberton when a man approached his window.

Mr McGlynn said he rolled down the window to see what the man wanted but was immediately punched on the face and head, it was reported today.

Police are investigating.

THE Scottish economic recovery remains on hold, according to figures released today.

Economic activity was described as "broadly static" during October in the latest Bank of Scotland Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) report.

However, it said the rate of new business declined for the first time in nine months despite firms continuing to add to their workforces.