Solicitor’s word is law in Scrabble

A Belfast solicitor has become the first person living outside England to be crowned UK National Scrabble champion.

Paul Gallen, 26, beat Liverpool accountant Olawale Fashina, 43, in the final in London.

He used high-scoring words such as “neonates” — to do with children and pregnancy — which was worth 71 points and helped him to establish a 100-point lead.