Daily news bulletin: Firefighters issue warning as mirrors spark two serious house fires

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service are warning people not to put glass, and reflective items on windowsills after sunlight reflecting off mirrors caused two serious fires in six days.

No one was injured in either blaze, but the damage was extensive. Both fires occurred at similar times, between 14:00 and 14:30.

The fire service’s group manager for prevention, Mark Thomas, said: "Fires caused in this way are becoming more and more apparent. Thankfully no one has been seriously injured as a result of these fires, but the damage caused will have a lasting impact on those involved.

"Both of these fires were started by the reflected light from the sun, which directed rays from magnifying mirrors onto combustible items.

“Low sun at this time of year and direct sunlight on mirrors can cause serious problems. Even during cold spells, the sun's rays can be very strong, particularly if they are magnified by glass ornaments and mirrors."

Plans to build 200 apartments at Baltic Triangle rejected

Proposals to create more than 200 co-living apartments in the Baltic Triangle area of Liverpool have been unanimously rejected.

An application to build an accommodation block on the site of the former Bogans Carpets unit in New Bird Street has been knocked back by members of Liverpool City Council's planning committee.

David Wilson, development manager at applicant Crosslane Ltd, urged councillors to rethink planning officers’ recommendations to refuse the plan, claiming that the scheme would create more than 200 jobs.

Warning over NHS dentist numbers

Unions have warned NHS dentistry is "hanging by a thread", with some patients facing two-year waits for routine check ups.

Data from England and Wales shows more than 2,500 dental posts were lost across both countries – made up of more than 1,000 dentists, some of whom worked in multiple areas.

St Helens has seen a 17% reduction over the past year.