9am Briefing: Fifteen saved from burning tenement block

FIFTEEN people have been rescued from a fire in a tenement block in the Capital.The blaze broke out on the ground floor of a block of flats in Tarvit Street in the early hours of this morning.

Firefighters were called to the scene at around 2.30am to find the flat “well alight”.

A man jumped from a first-floor window to escape the flames and was taken to hospital with back injuries.

In total, nine people were taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

* A CITY businesswoman was battered about the head with a wooden pole during a shocking attempted daylight robbery.

The 43-year-old had been walking home from work along South Trinity Road when a man, who had earlier been spotted rummaging though bins, approached from behind and struck her over the head with a pole.

The stocky thug made a grab for her bag before being scared off by passers-by who came to her aid.

She was left with bruising and swelling to the back of her head following the incident at 5.45pm on Tuesday evening.

* CITY council chiefs have been accused of attempting a “hard sell” over the privatisation of services while refusing to discuss plans to keep operations in-house.

Amid angry scenes at a debate last night, members of the public posed questions to councillors and senior council officials over the future of rubbish collection and street cleaning.

The council is scheduled to vote on whether to hand the environmental services contract to the private facilities firm Enterprise or keep them in-house.

* A ROBBER who threatened staff at a bookmakers before making off with a four-figure sum of cash was today being hunted by police.

The robber, who struck at the Ladbrokes in Home Street in Tollcross on Saturday October 22, told staff he was armed although he never produced a weapon.

He is described as white, around 30-years-old, 5ft 6in tall, medium to stocky build, and with distinctive facial features, possibly freckles or acne scars.