9am Briefing: Pupils to act out drunken roles to learn about alcohol

A TEACHING pack which gets children to act out drunken roles in a bid to teach them about alcohol is to be rolled out across Scotland after being hailed as a success in seven East Lothian primary schools.

The role play, called Alcohol Interactive, aims to educate 10 and 11 year-olds about safe levels of drinking instead of the "just say no" approach.

The initiative is run by two former drama students, Kimberley Bale and Kirsty Hunt, both 23, who developed the project at Queen Margaret University.

• FORTY police officers in Scotland have been convicted of criminal offences in the past two years, new figures revealed today.

The figure includes two constables from Lothian & Borders Police, one convicted of breaching the Data Protection Act, the other of speeding.

Both were off duty at the time at the time of the offence.

• FIREFIGHTERS were called to a blaze in a groundfloor flat after a pan of food set alight.

The fire, at Standhill Court, in Bathgate was spotted by a neighbour at 9.53pm last night.

A 52-year-old man was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

• SCOTTISH Labour leader Iain Gray will kick off the party's election campaign today with the message to voters: "We are ready to work hard for you again."

On the eve of the 100-day countdown to the parliamentary election on May 5, Mr Gray said the party would fight to regain the trust of those who left Labour in the 2007 vote.

The leader said the SNP had not done enough for Scotland and that Labour's soon-to-be published plans for jobs and growth would see Scotland "walk tall" again.

• THE COST of burials is more expensive in Edinburgh than anywhere else in Scotland, it was reported today.

On average, a plot and burial costs 1,737 in the Capital compared to Shetland, which costs only 220.