In Short

A round-up of today's other stories in brief.

A round-up of today's other stories in brief.

Woman assaulted in park in Belfast

A woman visitor to Northern Ireland was sexually assaulted in west Belfast in broad daylight by a youth who may have been as young as 16, according to the PSNI.

The woman was attacked as she walked in Colin Glen Forest Park about 3pm on Saturday. Police said her assailant first talked to her and then walked with her for a while before dragging her into bushes and assaulting her.

The PSNI has appealed for witnesses. "A number of people walked past the woman and her attacker before the incident and police want to hear from them urgently," a spokesman said.

READ MORE

Woman dies in house fire

A house fire in south Dublin last Saturday night claimed the life of a 52-year- old woman. The woman was the sole occupant of the house in Belgrave Square, Monkstown, at the time of the fire which broke out shortly before 11pm.

The Garda technical bureau was continuing forensic examinations yesterday. The fire is not believed to be suspicious.

Urgent appeal for platelet donors

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service and the Irish Cancer Society have made an urgent plea for more platelet donors.

The organisations say one platelet donation can help save up to three lives, adding that demand for such donations has risen with increased rates of leukaemia and other forms of cancer.

Chemotherapy often damages patients' bone marrow cells where the platelets are made, leaving patients prone to spontaneous bleeding.