9am Briefing: Fire crews come under attack

FIRE crews came under attack last night as they tried to put out illegal bonfires.

Youths in Clermiston first hurled eggs at fire fighters, then when they were called a second time moved up to stones and sticks.

Police had to be called on both occasions to allow the appliances in to put out the fires at Torrance Park.

* PRINCE Albert of Monaco ran up a bar bill of more than £1300 as he entertained friends in Edinburgh, it has been reported.

The billionaire drank an array of expensive drinks in Lulu on George Street.

The 53-year-old was joined by 10 friends in the Capital.

* OUTDOOR cafes, fairground rides and even live reindeer are set to be brought to Princes Street to boost the city centre over the festive season.

Special events are expected to be laid on as late as 9pm at weekends to encourage visitors to stay in the heart of the Capital. Shops are also expected to stay open until 9pm in the run-up to Christmas.

Once tramworks come to a halt at the end of November, all but one lane of Princes Street will be pedestrianised.

* LABOUR peer Lord Foulkes was today at the centre of the latest SNP smear row after David Linden, leader of the Nationalists’ youth wing, posted a Twitter message saying the former Lothians MSP was “probably drunk again”.

Lord Foulkes branded the comment “obnoxious, defamatory and untrue”.

David Linden, who also works as parliamentary researcher for Glasgow MSP John Mason, later took the post down.

The row comes after another SNP researcher Gail Lythgoe faced calls for disciplinary action after comments about Labour MP Ian Davidson in a leaked email.

* A MAN was treated for smoke inhalation following a blaze at a garage in Leith.

The fire broke out at Dunwell Coachworks, a two storey building on Manderston Street. One man was treated by paramedics for smoke inhalation but was not taken to hospital following the fire yesterday.