The Nifty 250: News of the day in so many words

A 13-YEAR-OLD BOY has died after being electrocuted at a railway maintenance site in Liverpool. British Transport Police found the dead boy along with two other youths yesterday evening following reports three youngsters had been seen inside the Allerton depot. The others had both suffered burns. It is understood the teenager climbed on top of a train and came into contact with the overhead 25,000-volt power-line. Ch Supt Holden said it was "an extremely tragic incident".

A LEADING VOLCANOLOGIST from Crosby will spend 6 months at the once dormant but now active Soufriere Hills volcano. Jonathan Stone, who studied at Merchant Taylors’ Boys School, will spend the next six months at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory translating scientific results into information for the island’s threatened population.

A MAN HAS BEEN CHARGED in connection with a fire at a curry house that left a man seriously ill. The Spice City Balti House on Stanley Street suffered extensive damage when the fire broke out at the back of the premises on Saturday morning. Firefighters rescued four people from the fire and one man, aged 32, was admitted to hospital suffering the effects of smoke inhalation. A 25-year-old man will appear before Liverpool City Magistrates’ Court later charged with arson with intent to endanger life.

WIRRIL COUNCIL is spending £20,000 to set up in “confiscation cops” in a bid to tackle alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour among young people. Residents have been encouraged to call the police to report locations where young people are drinking alcohol.