Floods & Snow Hit NI

Bad weather returned to NI this past weekend with the heavy rain and strong winds bringing flooding in parts. The main road between Londonderry and Dungiven is reported to be particularly bad, as is the Tamnaherin Road near Eglinton and the police have said the Limavady mountain road has been closed because of the conditions. The A2 Clooney Road has been closed at Gransha Roundabout due to flooding. There are also reports of flooding between Derry and Strabane, the Ardlough Road, Greysteel, Claudy and in Dungiven. In Belfast, major routes affected by flooding include the A55 Knock Road, the Annadale Embankment, the Sydenham Bypass in Belfast and the A20 between Newtownards and Portaferry. Drivers are advised to exercise caution.

Gary Moore Dead

A Belfast-raised former member of the legendary Irish group Thin Lizzy, the guitarist Gary Moore has died in a hotel room in Spain. Mr Moore, 58, was originally drafted into Thin Lizzy by its singer Phil Lynott. He later gained acclaim for his solo work . The Northern Ireland guitarist was only 16 when he moved from Belfast to Dublin in 1969, to the group Skid Row, which featured Lynott as lead vocalist and was later brought into Thin Lizzy by Lynott to replace the departing Eric Bell, another guitarist from Northern Ireland. See: Gary Moore Dies On Holiday

Blaze Rescue

The cause of a fire in Co Antrim at the weekend is being investigated after a man and woman were rescued from a flat in Carrickfergus. Three fire engines attended the scene of the blaze at Sunnylands Grove on Sunday at about 2.30am when the two people were led to safety by fire officers.

Dentist's 'Mistress' In Dock

The trial of the Coleraine woman accused of murdering her then husband and her alleged former lover's wife is due to start later today and will see Hazel Stewart, 47, deny murdering Trevor Buchanan and Lesley Howell in Castlerock in May 1991. Former dentist Colin Howell, admitted the charges in November and was later sentenced to a minimum term of 21 years.

Kildare Hypothermia Tragedy

The man found dead in a field in the Broadford area of Co Kildare died from hypothermia, according to a post mortem examination. The dead man has been identified as Jason O'Dea, a 30-year-old who went missing in Dublin two months ago. Detectives have now established that he was having a drink in a local pub before he disappeared. It is believed the father of one may have left the pub and lost his way. Gardaí are not looking for anyone in connection with his death. Last week, an elderly woman from a Co Down village was found to have died from hypothermia, after falling at her home in Portaferry during the severe New Year weather.

Farmers At 'A Standstill'

NI's Agriculture Department is calling on all herd and flock keepers to take heed of the importance of full compliance with standstill rules. "If you bring cattle, sheep or pigs onto your holding from a sale, show, market or another farm, your holding is subject to a six-day standstill," said a DARD statement. "This means that you cannot move any of these species off your holding for six days. The standstill applies to all herds and flocks associated on the APHIS database with yours." Among exemptions from standstill include movements directly to a slaughterhouse, and movements to or from a veterinary treatment centre or an artificial insemination centre. Dealers can also be registered to operate approved 'Trading Premises'. This allows dealers to move bought-in animals to another premises within six days, providing the animal moves only once to a farm or premises of final destination. Standstill arrangements are a legal requirement designed to limit the spread of epizootic disease.

Master Builders Accolade

NI's Fortfield Construction has scooped a prestigious Master Builder of the Year Award, taking the prize for Best Large Renovation Project in Northern Ireland. The north Belfast firm will now go through to compete in the national Master Builder of the Year Awards with the winners to be announced on March 11 in London. A spokesperson said: "The standard of entries in Northern Ireland this year is amongst the highest we have seen in the 10- year history of the Awards and reflects the expertise, attention to detail and dedication of the nation's builders. The results are stunning, including some highly complicated building projects that marry the latest technology and energy efficiency features with traditional quality craftsmanship."

(BMcC/GK)