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Price: 75p (IR 1.05 EURO) Thursday, March 29, 2012

The pride of Northern Ireland

www.newsletter.co.uk

Since 1737

By George! Star back for daily show P3

Titanic builders stand tall
History comes alive as five-year-old Zoe Nicholl, from Elmgrove Primary School, attends the unveiling of an iconic bronze sculpture honouring the workforce which built the Titanic. The unveiling of Yardmen, sculpted by leading artist Ross Wilson, took place at Pitt Park in east Belfast yesterday and was attended by First Minister Peter Robinson. The piece of art depicts three shipyard workers walking home after a days work See page 6
PICTURE: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker

Rangers fans settle ticket debt SEE SPORT

Man dies in road crash

A MAN in his 40s has died following a two-vehicle road traffic collision on the Clanabogan Road in Omagh yesterday. The victim was the driver of a car which was involved in a collision with a bus shortly before 4.30pm. The driver of the bus was not seriously injured and there were no passengers on the bus at the time. Police have appealed for anyone who was on the Dromore Road/Clanabogan Road at the time of the collision or anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them in Omagh on 0845 600 8000.

Gorse fires break out

Ulster to escape UK petrol crisis

BY MICHAEL McGLADE
michael.mcglade@jpress.co.uk

MORE than a dozen gorse fires have broken out across Northern Ireland after several days of soaring temperatures. Firefighters were last night continuing to tackle two large blazes in Co Antrim and Co Armagh. However, it has emerged that crews were called out to another 11 minor fires in locations right across the Province. Speaking to the News Letter last night, Brian McClintock from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said the recent heatwave had made their task more challenging. See page 14

ULSTER motorists have no need to panic-buy petrol as next weeks scheduled tanker driver strike will have no impact here, it was claimed last night. In many parts of Britain sales of petrol have shot up 45 per cent

with diesel sales up 20 per cent, while there were also reports of longer than normal queues at some forecourts here. However, Bob Miller from the union Unite said that just four drivers from Northern Ireland would be taking part in the UK-wide action and warned against scaremongering on

this side of the Irish Sea. There will be no, or minimal, impact in Northern Ireland with the looming petrol tanker drivers strike, he said last night. His comments were echoed by Stormonts Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster. We understand that of the 15 companies that deliver fuel

around Northern Ireland, only one companys drivers have voted for a strike, she said. Meanwhile, Government inspectors have revealed that criminals are offering local businesses do-it-yourself kits to launder their own fuel as prices continue to rocket. See pages 11 and 14 and Morning View, page 18

PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott has spoken out on the recent row sparked by a proposal to change the name of the RUC Athletic Association. Writing in todays News Letter, Mr Baggott defended the role played by Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr, who he said acted with integrity and commitment to the interests of the past, present and future of policing. See Letters, page 18

Baggott on name row

Creation of 264 new jobs helps lift the gloom SEE PAGE 15