9am Briefing: Teacher says honeymoon car crash injuries are small price to pay for survival

A TEACHER who was left in a coma after being struck by a speeding car while on honeymoon in Italy says his injuries are "a small price to pay" for surviving the accident.

Newlyweds John and Nicola Tams, from Bonnyrigg, were both hospitalised after being struck by the car in the early hours of July 9 as they made their way back to their hotel in the Italian resort of Sorrento.

Mr Tams still has no vision in his right eye and needs crutches.

Now back home, Mr Tams, 30, said: "Considering how ill I have been, being on crutches and losing the sight in one eye is a small price to pay."

Dentist fees reclaim bid

NHS Lothian is attempting to reclaim more than 800,000 in fees wrongfully paid to dentists.

The health board has refused to reveal why such a large sum is owed but the national body responsible for processing dentists' fees said most over-payments were due to a "misinterpretation of the fees and regulations".

The figure is more than the total amount recovered from dentists across Scotland over the past 15 years.

30,000 expenses for Napier principal

NAPIER University principal and vice-chancellor Professor Joan Stringer has racked up 30,000 of expenses in one year.

Her claims included 2787 to attend the First Women Awards in London in June 2008 and more than 10,000 to attend graduation events and development activities in Hong Kong and Beijing, where the university has partner campuses.

The cost of Ms Stringer attending a partner campus in India almost trebled in the space of a year, from 2711 in September 2007 to 7224 in October 2008.

A spokesman for Edinburgh Napier University said: "As the university's main ambassador, the principal travels extensively to attract sponsorship and funding, spearhead international student recruitment campaigns, attract business and research contracts, as well as attending graduation ceremonies in Hong Kong and India."

Schoolboy is new Lord

A 16-YEAR-OLD Edinburgh schoolboy has become the head of one of Scotland's most famous families.

Cody Tennant has inherited the title of Lord Glenconner following the death of his grandfather Colin Tennant, the Third Baron Glenconner, who was a confidant of Princess Margaret.

Cody, who lives in the Grange, paid tribute to his grandfather, who died last week of cancer on the Caribbean island of St Lucia. He said: "I saw my grandfather last summer. I had a sad feeling I wouldn't see him again."