A SCOTTISH teenager who died after applying hair dye could have had an “exceedingly rare” allergic reaction to chemicals within the product.

A GARDENER was threatened with an axe as he tried to go after thieves who made off with a Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece from a castle, a court heard.

Britain’s first two confirmed victims of swine flu left hospital today as it emerged they may have passed the virus on to someone they know.

The first British cases of the deadly swine flu responsible for dozens of deaths in Mexico were confirmed tonight .

Police hunting Rangers hooligans after last year’s riots in Manchester made a further seven arrests today.

A nurse found alive in the boot of her car after having been missing for 11 days was “severely traumatised” police in Scotland said today.

YOU know it is a night for the diehards when a soon-to-be 37-year-old Andrew Cole is the most famous face on show, but Giovanni Trapattoni’s ‘B’ boys did their best to raise their own profiles with a comfortable win over the English visitors.

STEVE STAUNTON apparently didn’t even know his phone number, now he finds himself the apple of Giovanni Trapattoni’s eye. Yep, the world sure has turned for Glenn Whelan.

Kilmarnock 1 Celtic 5

Dundee United and Kilmarnock were among the clubs affected as six Scottish Cup fourth-round ties were postponed today.

CARETAKER manager Don Givens is having to cope with a defensive crisis ahead of Saturday’s Euro 2008 qualifier against Wales.

REPUBLIC of Ireland B manager Pat Devlin has paid a glowing tribute to Steve Staunton, describing him as a “fantastic professional” who will learn from his bruising experience as Irish manager and has a “great future” in the game.

A FORMER loyalist gunrunner was murdered on New Year’s Eve in what Scottish police described as a frenzied attack.

beCogent, one of the UK's leading providers of outsourced contact centre services, today confirmed its plan to open a second major contact centre to extend its customer service capacity and provide a platform for significant growth over the next three years.

TOTTENHAM’S Gary Doherty will start at centre back for the first time in an Irish shirt tomorrow night as Brian Kerr pledged further experiments in the challenge against Czech Republic at Lansdowne Road (7.30 pm ko).

ATTEMPTING to physically undermine Joe Jordan in footballing days gone by was only slightly less dangerous than offering a “no comment” to Tomas de Torquemada.

High street chemist Boots is expected to announce plans to cut 1,000 jobs next week as part of a shake-up by its new chief executive, it emerged today.

First Division champions Falkirk were today told they had lost their battle to win promotion to the Scottish Premier League.

Shelbourne are on the verge of a money-spinning clash with Portuguese club Boavista if they can overcome Malta’s Hibernians in tomorrow’s Champions League first qualifying round second leg at Tolka Park.

Celtic midfielder Paul Lambert has welcomed the £1m (€1.6m) addition of striker David Fernandez to the squad.

Rangers winger Peter Lovenkrands’ stop-start Ibrox career was back on hold today after he was injured in the Old Firm reserve derby.