9am news briefing

TATTOO organisers were today at the centre of an ageism row after a 30-year-old dancer was told she was too old to take part in the show.

Kelly Mackay, whose career has included the World Highland Dancing Championships, applied to be part of the dance troupe at the Tattoo in August.

Billy Forsyth, the Tattoo's Highland dance director, told her the preference was for dancers aged 14-21 because older dancers were more "streetwise and generally thought they don't need such a disciplined set of rules".

A Tattoo spokesman said the organisation was unaware of the age criteria, apologised and said the issue was being addressed.

• A WOMAN was taken to hospital after two cars collided during the evening rush hour.

Firefighters were called to Lanark Road West after a Peugeot and an Audi were involved in a collision at 5.30pm yesterday. The woman driving the Peugeot was cut out of the car and taken to the ERI following the incident, at the Muir Wood Road junction.

• GLOBAL car repair empire Kwik-Fit has been sold to a Japanese frm for 637 million.

The firm, which has its UK base in Broxburn, West Lothian, has been sold to Tokyo's Itochu Corporation.

PAI Partners owns the firm founded by Sir Tom Farmer.