Taking hormonal drugs for up to 15 years reduces the risk of breast cancers coming back, a landmark study suggests.

The trial, involving 1,918 patients, which had top billing at the world's largest cancer conference, showed the risk was cut by a third.
Experts described it as a "big deal" that will change treatment for millions of women.
But they warned there were risks, including osteoporosis.
Globally, 1.7 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer around the world each year.
Around 80% of the tumours are fuelled by the female sex hormone, oestrogen.
Such cancers have a low but persistent risk of returning that lasts for years.
It is why women already take drugs such as tamoxifen, to prevent oestrogen getting into breast cells, or aromatase inhibitors, which stop the body making oestrogen, for years after the lump is removed.
The trial, carried out on post-menopausal women, doubled aromatase inhibitor treatment from five to 10 years.
The data, presented to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), showed that cancer recurrence was cut by 34%.
But many women on the trial had already taken other hormonal drugs before starting on aromatase inhibitors and benefited from 15 years of treatment.
Prof Paul Goss, one of the researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, said: "[The study] will have an enormous impact, a reduction in recurrences is a very important finding.
"Aromatase inhibitors are now readily available around the world and therefore our results will further improve the outcome of women with breast cancer globally."
At the end of the study, 95% of women were still cancer-free if they had taken the extra medication, compared with 91% without.
The study did not show an improvement in survival rates, as patients had not been followed for long enough, but scientists expect this to come as "night follows day".
The results, which have also been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, have been widely praised as significant.
Dr Nick Turner, a breast cancer specialist from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, told the BBC News website: "It is a big deal, it's going to be a change of treatment for a lot women.
"Extended letrozole [an aromatase inhibitor] in years 10-15 has benefit in preventing a new breast cancer diagnosis.
"But this won't be for everyone, many will be low risk and can probably safely stop at five years [of aromatase inhibitors], but then we're talking about a substantial number of women keeping going from five to 10 years [of aromatase inhibitors]."
There were side effects to treatment including loss of libido, hot flushes and vaginal dryness.
The treatment also increased the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures.
Experts said it should be a decision between doctor and patient whether to continue.
Dr Harold Burstein, from ASCO and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, said: "I think you can say fairly that for millions of women around the world these data will support longer durations of anti-oestrogen therapy."
But he said the balance of risks and benefits meant the drugs would likely be targeted at those whose tumours were most likely to come back.
He said: "In general, I would imagine that women who had riskier cancers will look to these data and think they are compelling for continuing on longer durations of treatment out to 10 or 15 years.
"But we're certainly not at the point of saying women should be on these drugs for the rest of their lives."
In the UK, more than 40,000 women are diagnosed with an oestrogen-positive breast cancer each year.
Up to three years of tamoxifen, followed by five years of aromatase inhibitors is a common practice.
Dame Valerie Beral, professor of epidemiology at the University of Oxford, told the BBC: "Women who have had hormone sensitive breast cancer can still continue to have recurrences of the disease five, 10, and even 15 years after the cancer was first diagnosed.
"The new trial adds further evidence to support the view that women with hormone sensitive breast cancer should continue to take hormone blocking drugs for at least 10 years, or as long as is feasible."
Baroness Delyth Morgan, the chief executive at the charity Breast Cancer Now, said: "This is a really important study that could one day have a major impact on how we use anti-hormone breast cancer treatments."
Prof Arnie Purushotham, from Cancer Research UK, said it was an "important" finding but called for more long-term studies.
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A County Down medical equipment maker has submitted plans for a £1.5m factory expansion and aims to create 30 new jobs, if the proposal is approved.

Comber-based TG Eakin Limited exports its products to more than 40 countries.
The company said the new posts would pay "well in excess of the average Northern Ireland salary".
The new extension, if given the go-ahead by Ards and North Down Council, would be the firm's  second increase in floor space in as many years.
"We want to continue to invest in our premises at Ballystockart and bring jobs to the area," said managing director Jeremy Eakin.
"We need to recruit highly-skilled people in areas such as research and development, global sales and engineering."
TG Eakin Limited currently employs more than 70 people.


The wife of Martin McGuinness has issued a statement thanking those who offered their condolences following his death.

The funeral of Mr McGuinness, a former IRA leader turned politician, who served as deputy first minister in Northern Ireland was held on Thursday.
Bernie McGuinness also thanked the medical staff who looked after the Sinn FÃ©in representative during his illness.
Mr McGuinness died on Tuesday aged 66.
Mrs McGuinness said the family wanted to express their "deep appreciation of the many thousands of people who attended vigils in the course of the week in many parts of Ireland and overseas".
She said they had been "touched by the efforts of so many to provide solace and comfort".
"From Martin's return home on Tuesday, and until we left for the funeral service on Thursday, long queues of people visited our home.
"The family took great comfort from their presence.
"I want to especially acknowledge the many thousands who attended the funeral. Words cannot express our appreciation at the outpouring of love and solidarity, which embraced us throughout Thursday."
Former US President Bill Clinton was among those who attended the funeral of Mr McGuinness in Londonderry.


The UK's inflation rate remained at a record low of 0% in March, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Cheaper clothing and footwear, offset by a rise in petrol prices, helped to maintain the rate at 0% for a second month, official figures show.
The figure was the lowest rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation since estimates of the measure began in the late 1980s.
It means the cost of living is broadly the same as it was a year earlier.
However, the ONS said that if the rate of inflation was calculated to two decimal places, prices were 0.01% lower than a year before - the first fall on record for the CPI measure.
One of the main reasons the CPI rate remained broadly unchanged was rising petrol and diesel prices between February and March, the ONS said.
But an overall fall in fuel prices over the past year has been a major contributor to low inflation, it added.
The CPI figure leaves inflation well below the Bank of England's 2% target.
There had been speculation that the CPI rate - as measured to one decimal place - would fall below zero in March, and there remains a possibility that the rate could fall in the coming months.
However, few economists think the UK is at risk of the type of entrenched deflation that Japan has suffered from.
"Inflation should start to pick up in the second half of the year, especially as the downward pressure from lower oil prices eases," said Rain Newton-Smith, director of economics at the CBI business group.
She added that falling prices had benefitted households, and lower oil prices had been good for businesses in general. However, North Sea oil firms had taken a hit from the fall in the price of crude.
Martin Beck, senior economic adviser to the EY ITEM Club, said he continued to expect the Bank of England "to wait until early 2016 before raising interest rates".
In March, inflation as measured by the Retail Prices Index (RPI) fell to 0.9% from 1.0% the previous month, the Office for National Statistics said.
Like CPI, RPI inflation is calculated from a sample of retail goods and services. However, RPI is calculated differently and includes data such as mortgage repayments.


The organiser of a Halloween "ride-out" which brought Leeds city centre to a standstill was responsible for encouraging "mayhem", a court heard.

David Armitage did not take part, but filmed a live video on Facebook telling viewers "carnage, that's what we do".
The incident saw a large number of motorcyclists tear through streets and pedestrian areas in the city.
Armitage, of  Headingley, was one of 13 defendants who appeared at Leeds Crown Court on Monday.
All had admitted causing a public nuisance at a previous court hearing and were given bail until sentencing on Tuesday.
Witnesses likened the scenes on 31 October to the Mel Gibson film Mad Max.
Andrew Horton, prosecuting, told the court: "The motorcyclists were travelling en masse with over 100 riders, some not wearing helmets but wearing Halloween-type face masks of varying descriptions."
He said footage showed the bikers speeding, weaving between traffic and performing wheelies.
"The riders showed little or no regard for the safety of others," he told the court.
Mr Horton added that Armitage "directed and encouraged riders... and was shown cheering and embracing riders".
Police received about 160 calls from the public and were forced to close a section of Kirkstall Road.
The court also heard many of the riders had expressed regret when interviewed by police.
Mr Horton said Nicholas Flaherty told police "he would never normally ride in that manner but it was such a buzz, it was like he was in a film".
Another rider, Dean Fawcett, said in interview that he "thought it was a good idea but quickly realised it was turning into mayhem and that was not his intention".
The court also heard the event raised about Â£400, which Armitage initially claimed would go to Children in Need, but later said any money raised would go to the family of a local murder victim.
Deborah Smithies, representing Armitage, said he became confused after his arrest about what to do with the funds, which he still holds, "and stands ready to direct them where appropriate".
All 13 defendants pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to "causing a public nuisance by participating in a large-scale procession of motorbikes and similar vehicles that rode around Leeds in a manner that interfered with the comfort, enjoyment and safety of the public".
Omar Ahmed, 24, of Stonegate View, Meanwood
David Armitage, 26, of Brookfield Road, Headingley
Ashley Benson, 26, of Whingate Road, Armley
Michael Clough, 28, of Torre View, Burmantofts
Ben Colley, 26, of Butterbowl Road, Farnley. He also pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance
Dean Fawcett, 28, of Intake View, Middleton
Nicholas Flaherty, 30, of Prospect Street, Farsley. He also admitted perverting the course of justice
Rachel Taylor, 30, of Grange Park Walk, Leeds
Joshua Hawley, 23, of Mead Grove, Colton
Dylan Lockwood, 23, of Torre Grove, Burmantofts
Adam Nicholson, 27, of Bellmount Close, Leeds
Anton Rojas, 26, of Skelton Avenue, Burmantofts
Jamie Ayres, 26, of Lupton Avenue, Leeds
Hernani Banza, 27, of Shafton View, Leeds, pleaded not guilty to the same charge and is due to stand trial at Leeds Crown Court on 28 November


A man who tried to smuggle £11m worth of heroin into the UK by hiding it in boxes of charcoal has been jailed.

Vasil Stoyanov, 30, was caught by Border Force officers with a lorry-load of the class A drug at Dover Eastern Docks in June 2015.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the haul was estimated to be worth £3m wholesale and £11m on the street.
Stoyanov, who had pleaded not guilty, was sentenced to 14 years in prison at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday.
Following an NCA investigation, a border force officer found 130g of the drug powdered and sealed in a plastic bag stuck to the inside wall of one of the shipment's 2,000 cardboard boxes.
A search of the lorry's load found 228 boxes had heroin inside concealed in the same way.
The shipment was addressed to Lizzy86 Ltd, Stoyanov's company which was exposed as a front.
Cambridgeshire police officers searched his home in Swinburne Close, Kettering, and a nearby lock-up.
They found cut open charcoal boxes and documents showing he had spent £66,000 on three large orders of charcoal for a return of £67.
His eBay account listed just two lots of charcoal for sale at £3.50 each.
Mark Harding, senior investigating officer at the NCA, said: "The seizure means serious organised criminals have lost out on a huge revenue stream and street-level dealers won't be able to endanger heroin users and the communities in which they live.
"It's also shut down a smuggling route that could have been used to bring any kind of dangerous commodity into the country."


A warning has been issued after a species of venomous fish was spotted at a beach in South Ayrshire.

The weever fish was sighted recently at the south end of Ayr beach.
The fish bury themselves in the sand during the day, exposing venomous spines along their dorsal fins. If stood on a person's foot can become swollen and painful for weeks.
South Ayrshire Council said it was not aware of anyone being stung but people using local beaches should be aware.
The council's environment director Lesley Bloomer said the guidance was being issued as a precautionary measure.
"Weever fish are common to our coastal areas, but the recent hot weather means there are more of the fish than normal," she said.
"We were contacted by a member of the public with a reported sighting on Ayr Beach recently and are now spreading the word to let people know what to look for."
"I would stress that there have been no reported injuries because of people getting stung and by promoting a common sense approach we hope that families will still enjoy their time by the sea."
The council said that for healthy adults who get stung, the most effective treatment was to put the affected limb in water as hot as you can stand without causing scalding.
The heat helps to break down the poison and it also increases blood flow to the sting causing natural cleaning and healing.
The recommendation for the most at-risk groups - the very young and elderly - is to seek immediate medical attention.


Claims that Sir Elton John sexually harassed a former member of his security detail have been described as "baseless" by the singer's legal team.

In legal papers filed on Monday in the US, Jeffrey Wenninger accused Sir Elton of making sexually suggestive comments towards him and groping him.
Mr Wenninger, a Los Angeles policeman, worked for the star from 2002 to 2014.
The singer's lawyer said he was a "disgruntled" former employee "seeking to extract an undeserved payment".
"These claims are patently untrue and contradicted by numerous previous statements made by this plaintiff," said Orin Snyder, a US lawyer representing the star's Rocket Entertainment Group.
"We will not give in to his latest abuse of the legal system."
In his legal action, Mr Wenninger claims to have received unwelcome attention from the singer on several occasions over the span of several years.
He alleges the incidents escalated "in frequency and intensity" after 2010 and that Sir Elton assaulted him during a car journey to Los Angeles's Van Nuys airport in March 2014.
Mr Wenninger's legal action cites two further incidents that allegedly took place during separate car journeys the following month.
The policeman worked for Sir Elton while off-duty through a private company that he has also launched legal action against, alleging he was improperly removed from working with the star in September 2014.
Sir Elton married his civil partner David Furnish, with whom he has two children, in the December of that year.


A County Antrim tourist attraction, which was closed after storms caused landslides in January, has reopened to the public.

The Gobbins - a dramatic cliff face walk in Islandmagee - was damaged by storms Abigail and Frank.
The path was only opened to the public for the first time in over 50 years last year.
A total of £7.5m was spent restoring it to the standard required for public use.
The Gobbins was the brainchild of Irish railway engineer Berkeley Deane Wise.
It first opened in 1902 and quickly became famous as a white knuckle walk.
Carved into black basalt cliffs, it was an engineering triumph, connected by a network of walkways and bridges, the most iconic of which was the tubular bridge.


BT is looking to remove almost half of Wales' phone boxes which it has blamed on declining usage.

The company has written to local authorities regarding the removal of 1,579 of Wales' 3,394 payphones.
Tenby Town Council, in Pembrokeshire, is due to oppose the planned removal of two boxes, saying they are needed by people without mobiles phones.
Some former phone boxes have been adopted by community groups and used to store defibrillators and books.
Notices of potential removal have been put up in kiosks under threat. Among those affected are 177 pay phones in Carmarthenshire, 60 in Swansea and 53 in Neath.
Many have not been used at all in the past 12 months.
The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park has received notice from BT regarding 36 public phones boxes, including one in Knowling Mead in Tenby which was used 127 times in this time.
The town council wants it retained along with another, which was used 26 times in a year, on the grounds they are close to schools and some elderly residents do not have a mobile phone.
A BT spokesman said the removal of payphones was carried out in "strict adherence" to guidelines from regulator Ofcom and, where appropriate, the consent of local authorities.
"BT is committed to providing a public payphone service, but with usage declining by over 90% in the last decade, we've continued to review and remove payphones which are no longer needed," he added.
"As an alternative to removal, we will continue to actively promote the Adopt a Kiosk scheme to all councils whilst being committed to maintaining the payphones that remain."


"If the police come round to your house don't worry," says the latest wry joke doing the rounds in Tehran.

"It's not your satellite dish they're after. They just want to know if you have any chicken in your fridge."
In recent weeks the soaring price of chicken has become one of the hottest topics in Iran, even sparking unprecedented protests in one provincial town.
Several hundred people took to the streets in Neishabour, in the north-east, when anger at price rises and shortages finally boiled over.
Eyewitnesses told the BBC that the crowds in this usually very quiet and uneventful town were shouting anti-government slogans and demanding an end to price rises.
Chicken is one of the staples of Iranian cooking, and the main ingredient in one of the country's most popular dishes - zereshk polo ba morgh - chicken with rice and barberries.
It is also much cheaper than lamb or beef, making it a big favourite in a country where the economy is under pressure and ordinary shoppers are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet.
But in the past few months chicken prices have almost doubled to the equivalent of almost $5 (Â£3) per kilo at the official exchange rate, and many shops have been running short of supplies.
One key reason for this is that because of international banking sanctions, it is becoming very difficult for Iranian chicken producers to import feed from abroad, or to buy in extra supplies of frozen chicken when domestic stocks run low.
"We used to pay the seller by bank transfer into an international account," one Iranian importer told BBC Persian.
"But that's impossible now. Our only option is to send the money via a bureau de change. That's a big risk for us trade wise so we've stopped importing feed."
The protests in Neishabour have sparked a huge debate on the Iranian blogosphere.
All the more so because the town has not seen any unrest in the past - even in 2009 when protests swept across the country after the disputed presidential election.
Observers have pointed to the fact that the revolutions in many Arab countries began with protests over price rises.
Could this be the start of an Iranian spring, they ask, as ordinary people from the provinces join the urban elite in calling for change?
"Last time the protests were about politics and I didn't take part," a caller from Shiraz told BBC Persian radio.
"But this time it's about food. If I can't feed my family then I will be much more likely to go out on the streets."
The Iranian authorities are certainly taking the situation very seriously.
On Tuesday MPs held a special closed door briefing on the impact of sanctions in various sectors of the economy.
This follows unusually frank warnings from a number of senior government officials and Revolutionary Guards commanders in recent months about the damage sanctions are doing and the possibility they could spark off social unrest.
In June, Tehran's chief of police Ahmadi Moghaddam advised local television channels not to upset hard-pressed consumers by showing people eating chicken.
This week a prominent cleric, Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi suggested that it was actually more healthy to eat vegetables rather than meat.
And even state television has been getting in on the act.
All week one of Iran's most popular TV chefs, Saman Golriz, has helpfully been showing people how to make vegetarian dishes on his hugely popular daily show.
Mr Golriz's efforts have prompted lots of wry comments on Iranian social media sites.
For weeks now people have been sharing online jokes about the chicken crisis.
One popular cartoon shows a chicken fitted with security cameras and a sign saying "burglar alarm in operation".
Another shows some surprised looking airline pilots watching a chicken sail by their cockpit window, propelled into the stratosphere by soaring prices.
But it is clear from the phone calls the BBC Persian service has received over the past few days that for many Iranians the price of chicken is no laughing matter.
"I haven't been able to afford either chicken or meat for the past four months", said Ali from Ardabil.
"How can I expect my children to fast for Ramadan if I can't afford to feed them at the end of the day?"
"I've heard that they're giving subsidised chicken to civil servants," said a woman from Tehran, breaking down in tears as she spoke.
"I work for a private company so that won't help me. I just can't afford the full price."
Iranian economists say they expect the government's immediate focus will be to contain price rises and deal with shortages in key areas in order to prevent a repeat of the Neishabour protests.
An industry insider told BBC Persian that plans are already under way to start importing frozen chicken from Venezuela.
But with sanctions limiting their room for manoeuvre, the challenge for the government will be how to spend money to improve things in one area without sparking off more price rises - and more possible public discontent - elsewhere.


A mystery benefactor who gave money to help reopen a live music venue in Carmarthenshire has been revealed to be comedian Rhod Gilbert.

The television star's donation - reported in local press to be nearly £3,000 - came after he heard about the campaign for the Parrot in Carmarthen.
Gilbert, who was born in the town, contacted the West Wales Music Collective and offered to push the appeal to the halfway mark - £5,000.
He said the town needed live venues.
He said if Carmarthen had had them when he grew up, he would have probably got into stand-up comedy sooner than he did.
When asked by BBC Radio 1 if he was the "mystery benefactor", Gilbert said: "I am not a mystery benefactor any more then...
"My old home town, Carmarthen in west Wales, there is only one music venue, I think I am right in saying, called the Parrot that closed down for one reason or another and now there is a lovely group of artists and musicians -  local do-gooders - who are trying to get enough money to reopen it and improve the place. They are a non-profit type of thing.
"A town like that, in west Wales, a town like that as in a small town, needs music venues, needs comedy venues, need venues, live performance venues... People need them."
Gilbert, who now hosts comedy music quiz Never Mind the Buzzcocks and presents a show on BBC Radio Wales, added: "It took me 33 years to do my first stand-up gig, I hadn't been to a comedy club until I was 27 years old.
"Had we had them in that small town I would have gone.
"I think it's the least you can do is put a bit back in."
A spokesman for the West Wales Music Collective told the FYI: Carmarthen website that it was now hopeful of reaching its £10,000 target.


Amir Khan says being an underdog for the first time as a professional will motivate him against Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in Las Vegas on 7 May.

Khan is jumping two weight classes to fight for his rival's WBC middleweight title, at a catchweight of 155lb.
The 29-year-old Briton believes his superior speed will be decisive.
"For the first time I'm fighting someone who is heavier and also a bigger name, but that will bring the best out in me," said Khan.
"Normally I'm the one who is supposed to win the fight and that puts a lot of pressure on you. This time I don't feel that pressure."
Khan, who weighed in at 147lb for his last contest, says he has felt "strong and explosive" during training and believes he may be fighting at his ideal weight.
"A lot of people think I won't be strong or big enough for this guy," he said. "But at middleweight I will get to hold onto my muscle and my strength.
"The speed is still there too - I've not lost it by putting on more muscle.
"If I was just going to stand there and trade, this would not be a good fight for me. But guys who move well give Canelo big problems. And that is what I do."
Alvarez and Khan came face to face at a news conference in London on Monday. Their three-city promotional tour will also take in New York and Los Angeles.
Their fight will take place at the new 20,000-seat T-Mobile Arena, just off the Las Vegas Strip.
Khan has not been in a world title fight since he was knocked out by Danny Garcia in 2012 and has had only three fights as a welterweight.
It was, therefore, a big shock when he announced he was stepping up to face Mexican superstar Alvarez, who has been campaigning at light-middleweight since 2010.
Alvarez, whose only defeat in 48 pro fights was against Floyd Mayweather in 2013, beat Puerto Rican great Miguel Cotto in his last fight to secure the WBC middleweight title.
However, that fight was at a catchweight of 155lb - only one pound above the light-middleweight limit - an arrangement that will be repeated against Khan.
But Khan was sceptical about Alvarez's claim he would only weigh 165lb on fight night, and speculated his opponent would be at least eight pounds heavier.
Alvarez, who turned pro as a 15-year-old in 2005, said he was surprised Khan took the fight, but added he expected his rival to give him problems.
"He's one of the top fighters in the world, very fast and with great boxing ability. There will be some very difficult rounds for me," said Alvarez.
"But at the same time he's aggressive and likes to fight. That's good for me, because I like to fight as well."
Former six-weight world champion Oscar de la Hoya, who promotes Alvarez, said the fight reminded him of the 1987 classic between Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvin Hagler, in which the former's speed trumped the latter's size and power.
"In fights between speed and power, speed normally prevails," said De la Hoya, who also confirmed there was a rematch clause in the contract, which was put together in less than a week.
"But Amir is also a strong fighter, so we can't underestimate his power. I was shocked to see that they are the same size.
"People are in for a great fight. When has Amir Khan been in a dull fight?"
Meanwhile, Alvarez confirmed negotiations were already under way for him to fight WBA and IBF middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin.
Kazakhstan's Golovkin, who has 31 knockouts from 34 pro contests, fights American Dominic Wade on 23 April.


The vision for a new Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh has moved a step closer after the council revealed the funding shortfall has dropped.

In February, a report estimated the project cost was £43m with a funding shortfall of between £11.3m and £19.8m.
These figures have now been revised to £42m with a shortfall of £6.8m
The new figures are in the latest Meadowbank report going to Edinburgh city council's corporate policy and strategy committee on Tuesday.
The new figures are due to increasing land values, a modified and re-costed design and "no significant issues" from a ground survey.
•An outdoor athletics track with seating for 500
•An indoor 60m six lane athletics track with jumps area
•An outdoor throws area
•A 3G synthetic sports pitch or grass pitch in the centre of the outdoor athletics track for football, rugby and other pitch sports
•An additional outdoor 3G synthetic sports pitch
•An eight badminton court sports hall with 500 permanent seats plus bleachers (the same size as the current Meadowbank Hall 1)
•A four badminton court sports hall with 500 permanent seats (the same size as the current Meadowbank Hall 2)
•A gymnastics hall, gym, studios, changing facilities, café and meeting rooms.
Andrew Burns, Edinburgh city council's leader, said: "This new figure is really encouraging and gives everyone hope that a new Meadowbank fit for the 21st Century can now become a reality.
"Obviously there is still a long way to go with a project of this scale but I want to assure everyone the council is committed to continue our exciting work on redeveloping Meadowbank.
"We will continue to explore all funding options to find the required £6.8m so the existing facility can be demolished and transformed into a brand new sports complex that would serve the sporting needs of the residents of Edinburgh and the east of Scotland."
Meadowbank was originally built for Edinburgh's 1970 Commonwealth Games.
The plans would see the existing site transformed into a new sports centre.
If the funding shortfall is found and the team are appointed in February 2016, demolition could begin next autumn with a new Meadowbank opening in Spring 2018.


The SNP has taken Gordon Brown's former constituency which had been the safest seat in Scotland.

The SNP overturned a majority of more than 23,000 to take Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, once held by the former prime minister.
Labour candidate Kenny Selbie failed to follow the former chancellor to victory.
Labour's Ian Murray was the only MP who managed to retain his Edinburgh South seat in the face of the SNP landslide.
Mr Murray polled 19,293 votes to beat SNP's Neil Hay by 2,637 votes.
Mr Murray said: "We need to get the passion back into Scottish Labour and start talking about the values that run through us like sticks of rock."
Mr Selbie got 17,654 votes, nearly 10,000 less than nationalist Roger Mullin who picked up 27,628.
In the capital, the SNP's Tommy Sheppard ousted Labour's Sheila Gilmore to win the Edinburgh East seat with 23,188 votes over 14,082.
The SNP's Deidre Leanne Brock pushed Labour's Mark Lazarowicz out of the Edinburgh North and Leith seat.
In Edinburgh South West, the SNP's Joanna Catherine Cherry took over from Labour's Ricky Henderson, polling 22, 168 votes against 14,033 votes.
In Edinburgh West, the Lib Dem's Mike Crockart lost his seat to the SNP's Michelle Rhonda Thompson, who polled 21,378 votes against 18,168.
In Livingston, the SNP's Hannah Mary Bardell took Labour's Graeme Morrice's seat with 32,736 votes against 15,893.
In Midlothian the SNP's Owen George Thompson beat Labour's Kenny Young with 24,453 compared with 14,594.
In East Lothian the SNP's George Kerevan secured the seat with 25,104 votes to push Labour's Fiona O'Donnell out.
The SNP's Douglas Chapman secured 28,096 votes over Labour's Thomas Docherty who got 17,744 votes to win Dunfermline and West Fife.
The SNP's Martyn Day won the Linlithgow and Falkirk and East seat with 32,055 votes against Michael Connarty who got 19,121 votes.
In Fife North East, the SNP's Stephen Patrick Gethins took the Lib Dem's seat with their candidate Tim Brett getting 14,179 votes compared with the SNP's 18,523 votes.
The SNP's Peter Grant took the Glenrothes seat with 28,459 votes from Labour's Melanie Ward who got 14,562 votes.
In Edinburgh the turnout was 73.01% from an electorate of 357,718 with 261,165 votes cast.


Police officers in Northern Ireland have made one young boy's Christmas after buying him a bicycle to replace a stolen one.

The boys mother recently reported that his bicycle had been taken from the communal area in their apartments.
Adee, who has Aspergers Syndrome, is a keen cyclist and his bicycle was one of his most prized possessions.
After hearing about the incident, officers from Lisburn and Castlereagh, bought him a new bike.
On Wednesday evening, police asked Adee to come to Dundonald police station for a chat.
He arrived at the station with his mum and dad, and was asked by one of the officers to close his eyes.
The officer brought out the gift, which he then took on a test ride around the station.
According to PSNI Castlereagh's Facebook page, Adee is "a very happy boy again".
As the search for Adee's first bicycle continues, police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.


A 29-year-old man has died in police custody in Dundee.

He died suddenly at the police HQ in the city's West Bell Street at about 13:30 on Saturday.
His identity has not been released but next of kin have been informed.
A police spokeswoman said: "Police Scotland can confirm we are investigating the sudden death of a 29-year old man who sadly died in custody within police headquarters, Dundee, at 1.30pm on Saturday 5 March."
She added: "Next of kin have been made aware. As is normal in these circumstances the matter will be referred to Pirc (Police investigations and Review Commissioner)."


The second Saturday of the EFL season produced plenty of talking points after the big scorelines and memorable moments of the opening weekend.

There was a very early sending off and a quick-fire hat-trick, plus another tough day for former Premier League champions adjusting to a new division.
BBC Sport rounds up the stories you might have missed from Saturday's action.
Fulham centre-back Tomas Kalas and Reading's Madejski Stadium clearly don't get on.
The Chelsea loanee found himself at fault when the two sides met in May's Championship play-off semi-final second leg when his handball conceded what proved to be the decisive penalty for the Royals.
Less than three months later, the Czech Republic international was back in Berkshire looking to make amends and inspire his side to a first win of the campaign.
But, within 39 seconds of kick-off, he was sent off.
A foul on Reading striker Mo Barrow when the 24-year-old was the last man was enough evidence for referee Simon Hooper to show him a straight red.
But Kalas's team-mates battled back despite playing most of the game with 10 men as former Reading loanee Lucas Piazon popped up with a late equaliser in the 1-1 draw.
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Steve Bruce's Aston Villa, led by captain John Terry, have been many pundits' tip for the Championship title this season, but two games in, they are still searching for a win.
A ruthless Cardiff City beat the visitors 3-0, with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing netting in each half alongside Junior Hoilett's strike on the hour.
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"It really, really is awful," Bruce told BBC WM of his side's performance after the game.
"It's the same old 'Go away from home, don't do the basics against a big physical team'. Once we don't score and we've conceded again, we can't respond in the right manner.
"We have to look at each and every one of ourselves. That simply wasn't good enough."
For boyhood Birmingham City fan Mendez-Laing, scoring against their arch-rivals was no doubt a happy feeling. The 25-year-old now has three goals in two games for his new club after making the switch from Rochdale over the summer.
For Cardiff manager Neil Warnock, celebrating 50 years in football this season, his Bluebirds are off to a perfect start with two wins in two games.
The Premier League has been marking its 25th anniversary this week, but one of the teams to win the title will be giving that little thought as their search for a first point of the campaign continues.
Blackburn Rovers, top-flight champions in 1994-95, started life in League One last weekend with a 2-1 defeat by Southend United and there was little comfort at home for Tony Mowbray's side when they hosted Doncaster Rovers.
These two sides were two divisions apart last season, but it was the team promoted from League Two in May who dominated at Ewood Park, winning 3-1.
John Marquis, James Coppinger and Alfie May's goals had the points wrapped up for Doncaster by 82 minutes before Dominic Samuel's late consolation for Blackburn.
At 25, Kieffer Moore has represented his fair share of clubs in a relatively short career.
The striker, at Rotherham on a season-long loan from Ipswich, has an impressive full name - Kieffer Roberto Francisco Moore - and has already etched it in New York Stadium history.
A first-half hat-trick in the space of 32 minutes in a 5-0 win against Southend United was the first treble scored in a competitive game at the ground Rotherham have called home since 2012.
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It was an afternoon for Southend to forget after the high of their opening weekend win against Blackburn as Phil Brown found his side 4-0 down at half-time.
Brown's half-time team talk could not spark a recovery, as Rotherham added a fifth goal without reply after the break.
"I'm embarrassed, a lot of embarrassment, apologies to the fans for the way we performed," Brown said afterwards.
"The manner of which we got beat was totally, totally unacceptable. The Southend supporters can know full well we'll be doing something about this."
Cast your minds back seven days and the opening Saturday of the EFL season was one of starkly-contrasting fortunes for Luton Town and Yeovil Town.
The Hatters were 8-2 victors over the Glovers at Kenilworth Road in a game which led to Yeovil players reimbursing the 258 travelling supporters who sat through the drubbing.
But a week on, results were somewhat different for the two clubs.
Yeovil showed there was no hangover from their first-day defeat as Southampton loanee Olufela Olomola netted twice in a 3-2 win at home to Accrington.
Luton, meanwhile, made the relatively short trip to north London to face Barnet, but left their goalscoring touch of the week before back in Bedfordshire.
Jack Taylor was the injury-time match winner for Barnet with his 25-yard effort for the game's only goal at The Hive.
And finally, a little bonus story for this week from just outside the EFL.
National League North club Spennymoor Town may already be contemplating a change of coach before playing their first competitive match.
Spennymoor's motorised coach never made it as far as Boston United's Jakemans Stadium after suffering a mechanical failure on the A1.
Despite a delayed kick-off, replacement transport could not be found in time and the match was postponed.
Not the greatest of weeks for Spennymoor after the breakdown of a supporters' coach in midweek for a match at FC United of Manchester.
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Sheffield Wednesday striker Sergiu Bus has left the club to join Romanian champions Astra Giurgiu.

Bus, 24, moved to Hillsborough on a three-and-a-half-year deal from CSKA Sofia in February 2015.
But he struggled to make an impression on the Owls' first-team, making just nine Championship appearances.
Bus returns to his native Romania on an 18-month deal after his Wednesday contract was terminated by mutual consent.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page or visit our Premier League tracker here.


Plans for members of the public to be allowed to speak to council officials in Welsh without translation look set to be challenged.

Carmarthenshire and Flintshire councils are not opposed to the Welsh Language Commissioner's proposals but there is a feeling they are not practical.
It is among a host of standards they need to deliver in Welsh from 2016.
Nine councils are still considering the rules, six are happy but Pembrokeshire said it would cost them Â£500,000.


A new report into the future of maternity services in Cumbria has stressed the need for consultants, rather than midwives, to be in charge.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists study follows concerns about the safety of women and babies at units in Cumbria and North Lancashire.
The report urges the retention of four consultant-led units at Carlisle, Whitehaven, Barrow and Lancaster.
But it also acknowledges investment in staff and resources is required.
The report was commissioned by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in Cumbria and North Lancashire and comes in the wake of criticism of some maternity services
Dr David Rogers, medical director of NHS Cumbria CCG, said: "We know how important maternity services are for the local population and the preferred option is consistent with our intentions.
"However, these services need to be high quality, safe and sustainable and there is much work that needs to be done with both trusts to overcome the significant challenges that they face."
Dr Jeremy Rushmer, medical director at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, added: "We have been very clear about our concerns relating to the sustainability of maternity services and these concerns are clearly reflected within this report.
"This, alongside concerns raised by the chief inspector of hospitals last year, instigated this independent review process.
"We will now discuss the recommendations with our board and staff to understand their views."


Depression is an illness which makes a person have negative emotions for a very long time.

It is more than just feeling a bit sad or upset.
It is a normal human emotion to feel sad occasionally. But depression is a medical condition, where a person has negative feelings that will not go away and it affects their life.
Celebrities like Selena Gomez and Lady Gaga have spoken out about how they have struggled with depression.
At the end of the summer, Selena Gomez announced she would be taking a break from music to deal with problems with anxiety and depression, as they can sometimes come together.
She recently made a speech at the American Music Awards where she said she "had to stop" because of the effect it had on her.
Newsround spoke to an expert on mental health from the charity Mind, Stephen Buckley, to find out more about depression, what causes it and what you can do if you're worried that it's something that's affecting you.
Depression is an illness where a person feels negative for a long period of time and it affects their life. It is not just feeling a bit upset for a few days.
It is a medical condition and can affect people in different ways, as you can read about below. Some may have mild depression, while others might experience it more strongly.
Many people with depression also have symptoms of anxiety.
Stephen says: "Everyone feels a bit down and sad at times, but usually these feelings pass or are for a specific reason.
"If the feelings are interfering with your life and don't go away after a couple of weeks - or if they come back, over and over again - then it could be that you're experiencing depression."
There is no one explanation for why someone might become depressed.
It can happen to anyone, but often is the result of something sad or stressful which happens to someone, which ends up having a long-lasting impact.
It may not be obvious which one thing has caused it or it could be the result of more than one factor.
Stephen says: "People can become depressed for all sorts of reasons. Some common examples are problems at home, problems at school, bullying and experiencing negative feelings about yourself."
Depression affects people in different ways, depending on who they are and how strongly they are experiencing the illness. It will not be the same for everyone.
It can make someone feel sad, worthless and negative about life for a long period of time.
They might feel like they have failed or let people down, when actually they haven't.
It can change people's behaviour and make them feel constantly very tired. They might not be able to sleep or they might want to sleep too much and not leave their bed.
In the same way, they might lose their appetite or they might start to eat too much or eat unhealthily.
It can make concentrating difficult and the person might regularly feel restless and fidgety.
Depression can stop a person from enjoying life. They might not have the energy, confidence or motivation to do things that usually they love doing.
While many people feel negative from time to time, it is not a feeling that you should have to live with permanently.
The most important thing is that you go to speak to an adult you trust about it so that they can help you.
If you think that anything described in this guide might be affecting you, follow these tips below.
Don't beat yourself up. Many people struggle with their feelings, so you mustn't feel ashamed of it.
If you are feel like any of the symptoms above might be happening to you, you should always speak to someone you trust.
They can talk through with you what might be making you feel that way so you can try to work out where the problem is.
They may take you to speak to a doctor or therapist, whose job it is to help with problems like this.
It's extremely important to make sure you're staying healthy, which means eating good food and making sure you're getting exercise.
It's important you don't shut yourself away, as much as you might like to.
Talk to an adult you trust and make sure you are still getting out and spending time with friends and family, or doing activities.
If you are worried about feeling depressed but you are not sure who to speak to, call Childline on 0800 1111 or visit
www.childline.org.uk
Stephen says: "It might seem overwhelming at times but it is really important to tell someone you trust how you are feeling. This could be a parent, friend, teacher or school nurse. There is no right or wrong person to open up to, but it should be someone you feel comfortable talking to."
"If talking to someone you know feels more daunting, then there are phone lines and online forums which can also offer support."
"Remember no matter how small your problems might feel there is someone who cares and will want to help."


When Chris Hill leads out Warrington Wolves in Saturday's Challenge Cup final against Hull FC at Wembley, it will be one of two things that he can celebrate this week.

It is also the one-year anniversary of his plumbing business.
England prop Hill, one of the most destructive forwards in rugby league, combines his skipper duties at Wire with running Premier Plumbing Ltd.
"It was just something I've always been interested in stemming back from school," the 28-year-old told BBC Sport.
"It is something for after rugby as well and hopefully it is running itself by then and I can sit back and relax. If not, I can get on the tools and work through it."
Hill approached player welfare manager Karl Fitzpatrick about the possibility of learning the trade and he started on a three-year course around his training and game commitments.
He runs the company with partner Christian Froggat, who he met while on his training. Froggat does the manual labour, Hill runs the administration side and they both go out doing quotes on free evenings.
"Christian takes the mick sometimes as he says my tools have still got the wrapper on," Hill joked.
With training only taking up a minority of the day, Hill generally has afternoons and evenings to himself.
Asked what Warrington coach Tony Smith thinks of his job, Hill added: "He thinks it is a good idea as it can take your mind off rugby league as well, which tends to make you a better player.
"I couldn't recommend it highly enough as it lets you concentrate on something else. And as funny as it sounds, it lets you concentrate on rugby as well."
Asked if it makes him look forward to playing even more, Hill said: "Definitely. It gives you life skills as well in dealing with all kinds of people."
When Hill moved to Warrington from Leigh for the start of the 2012 season, he could not have envisaged a more perfect campaign.
Wolves won the Challenge Cup for the third time in four years and he was crowned the club's player of the season, the players' player of the season award and also won the Vice President's award in a clean sweep at Warrington's awards night.
It has not been quite as rewarding since, as that trophy is the last that Warrington have won, but Hill is focused on making this visit to Wembley a winning one.
"I banned the Wembley word last week," he told BBC Radio Merseyside. "All we found out about was what my wife is going to wear down there.
"My eldest will be walking out with me aged seven so he's buzzing. Everyone in my house has been sorting their travel arrangements, but I just keep out of it."


South Africa did pay $10m (Â£6.5m) to a football body led by Jack Warner, a figure at the centre of Fifa corruption allegations, local media say.

Danny Jordaan, head of South Africa's FA, is quoted as confirming that the amount was deducted from a Fifa payment to the country in 2008.
A subsequent letter requested that money to be sent, instead, to the Caribbean Football Union, reports say.
South African officials deny it was a bribe to secure the 2010 World Cup.
But US prosecutors insist South Africa made an illegal payment after the government promised $10m to Mr Warner - then a Fifa vice-president - in exchange for the "Rainbow Nation" becoming the first African country to host the World Cup.
Fifa chose South Africa as host ahead of Morocco.
Danny Jordaan could not be reached for comment on Sunday, but he is quoted as insisting the money was paid to the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) in 2008 as South Africa's contribution towards their football development fund.
The BBC's Andrew Harding in Johannesburg says unnamed officials have confirmed that the payment was made to support football development among members of the African diaspora - something which does make sense in the political context of the time.
The latest reports come with Fifa - the governing body of world football - in crisis. Senior Fifa officials face a string of bribery charges.
Its head, Sepp Blatter has not been implicated but has faced calls to stand down. He was re-elected as Fifa president on Friday.
In other developments:


A Japanese potters' kiln in Oxfordshire designed to look like a fire-breathing dragon has produced its first pots.

Built with the help of experts from Japan, it has now been used to fire 500 ceramic pots in Wytham Woods after a week being stoked by volunteers.
The 11m-long (36ft) anagama wood-fired kiln is a social anthropology research project led by Oxford University.
The team behind it hope it will help them better understand the processes of making and using ceramics.
It will be the basis of a series of exhibitions and talks that will be open to the public later this year.
It took three days to build up the heat, five days of baking at temperatures of 1,150C (2,100F), and an additional three days before the kiln was cool enough to unpack the fired pots.
Clare Pollard, curator of Japanese art at the university's Faculty of Oriental Studies, said most of the ceramics would be used for Japanese tea ceremonies.
Anagama kilns were first used in Korea in the 6th Century and later adopted by the Japanese.


The firm behind plans for a new whisky distillery and visitor centre in Inverclyde has launched a fundraising drive to raise £17m for the project.

The move by the Ardgowan Distillery Company comes after it secured planning permission for the project at the Ardgowan Estate near Inverkip.
It has already raised more than £500,000 in seed capital.
Construction is scheduled to start later this year, with plans for the site to be operational in 2019.
The new facility will resurrect the name of the Ardgowan Distillery, which was founded in 1896 and located in Baker Street, Greenock.
Ardgowan Distillery chairman Willie Phillips said: "We are planning to build an outstanding distillery of significant scale to make a lowland single malt that will have a distinctive taste and flavour given its proximity to the sea."
Murdoch McLennan, from Campbell Dallas, which is advising on the fundraising initiative, said: "The Ardgowan Estate, where the distillery will be located, is within easy commuting distance from Glasgow and has tremendous historic connections going back hundreds of years.
"In common with other investments of this type, the distillery is anticipating a mixture of equity, debt funding and public grant support."


About 7,000 households in Northern Ireland could face higher rates bills under a proposal from the Finance Minister, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir.

Rates are property taxes paid by households and businesses and are based on the value of the property.
He said the reforms are part of "the biggest shake up in rating policy in a generation".
But the DUP's Emma Little Pengelly said the proposals have yet to get executive approval.
"These are the minister's views.  He has put forward his proposals and there will now be a consultation," she said.
"As chair of the finance committee, we are undertaking a process of taking evidence from a wide range of people impacted by this.
"We will be making up our minds during this process and the proposals will come back to the Northern Ireland Executive."
Households who pay their entire annual rates bill in one chunk currently get a 4% discount as part of what is known as the early-payment discount.
But Mr Ó Muilleoir has proposed phasing this out.
The proposed plan will also mean charity shops, which currently pay no rates, will have to contribute.
The minister pointed to the rest of the UK, where such shops get an 80% discount.
Currently, if a house has a rateable value above £400,000 its rates bill is assessed as though it is valued at £400,000.
The minister is proposing to change the system so that rates are now levied on the portion above £400,000.
That would raise about £4.5m for the executive.
But Mrs Little Pengelly said that the DUP support the capped rate as it stands.
The small business rates relief scheme, which was introduced in the depths of the recession, is to be refocused on retail and hospitality businesses.
A review found that while the current scheme was popular, it had not helped create jobs or economic growth.
The new scheme will provide more support for fewer businesses at a cost of £22m.
A pilot scheme is also proposed for additional rate relief to businesses along the Falls and Newtownards Roads in Belfast.
These "Business Empowerment Zones" will be designed to encouragement investment.
Measures to increase the rates charged on empty commercial properties will raise about £16m.
Currently, an empty property pays no rates for three months and 50% after.
The new proposal is for empty properties to attract a rate of 75%.


Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain has been banned for four matches following his angry reaction to being sent off against Udinese on Sunday.

The 28-year-old, Serie A's top scorer with 30 goals, was dismissed for a second bookable offence in the 3-1 defeat at Stadio Friuli.
Higuain pushed the referee before his team-mates removed him from the pitch.
Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri has been banned for one game "for challenging the work of the match officials".
Napoli are six points behind leaders Juventus with seven matches remaining.
Higuain misses games against Hellas Verona, Inter Milan, Bologna and AS Roma.


Archaeologists from the University of Manchester have been working in Iraq and making "significant discoveries", while Islamic State militants have been bulldozing historic Assyrian sites.

"If the militants think they can erase history we are helping to make sure that can't happen," said archaeologist Jane Moon.
They have been excavating a Babylonian administrative centre from 1500BC.
It has provided more than 300 artefacts for the Iraq Museum in Baghdad.
The Manchester archaeologists, believed to be on one of only two international teams operating in non-Kurdish Iraq, have returned to the UK after three months of fieldwork, near to the ancient city of Ur.
While the Manchester team were working with Iraqi archaeologists to recover their finds, the Islamic State were attacking and bulldozing ancient sites in Nineveh, Nimrod and Hatra.
They are also believed to have smashed objects in museums in Mosul.
Stuart Campbell, a director of the project with Dr Moon, said local people were "appalled" by the attacks on their own heritage and the UK archaeologists attended a protest meeting.
There was "widespread dismay" at the deliberate wrecking of historic sites, said Prof Campbell, in a country that is very aware of its significance as a cradle of civilisation.
"There was a very real feeling of pride that ideas such as writing and cities started in Iraq."
The ancient city of Ur, near to where the archaeologists have been working, has "huge symbolic importance", said Prof Campbell. "It's a very important part of human history."
They have been examining the site of an administrative centre for the Babylonian empire, finding documents and evidence for a "scribal school" where civil servants from 3,500 years ago would have been trained.
There are clay tablets with "practice texts" of lists of animals and precious stones.
"Everyone is quite rightly expressing outrage at the destruction in and around Mosul. The sad fact is, there is very little one can do to prevent deliberate vandalism by well-armed fanatics," said Dr Moon.
But even if objects were destroyed, Dr Moon said, it was still important to be able to gather and retain information for the future.


Three men have admitted running a large cannabis factory in a former nuclear bunker in Wiltshire.

More then 4,000 cannabis plants - enough to produce Â£2m of drugs each year - were seized in a raid on RGHQ Chilmark in February.
Martin Fillery, 45, Plamen Nguyen, 27, and Ross Winter, 30, pleaded guilty at Salisbury Crown Court to conspiracy to produce class B drugs and abstracting electricity.
They will be be sentenced on 11 August.
The former Ministry of Defence bunker was built in the 1980s to protect local dignitaries and government officials in the event of a nuclear attack.
Following a midnight raid Wiltshire Police made their biggest ever cannabis factory discovery.
Det Insp Simon Pope said: "The bunker itself had approximately 20 rooms inside over two floors, and almost every single room had been converted for the wholesale production of cannabis.
"In addition to the growing rooms, there were drying rooms, nurseries and living quarters for the growers - it was a sophisticated set up.
"In all it took approximately 10 days to completely search and clear the site."
Police said the gang had illegally abstracted approximately Â£250,000 worth of electricity for a setup "capable of producing a crop every six weeks".
Fillery, of Pedwell Hill, Ashcott, Bridgwater; Nguyen, of Bartholomews Square, Horfield, Bristol; and Ross Winter, of Maytree Avenue, Bristol, also faced charges of conspiring to hold another person in slavery/servitude.
But Wiltshire Police said these charges had been dropped due to a lack of evidence.


A woman in her 80s punched a robber in the face, causing him to run off.

The woman was walking her dog in Whitstable, Kent, when she was grabbed in an alleyway by a man dressed in black and wearing a hooded top.
She fought off her attacker by punching him in the mouth. Kent Police say they are looking for a suspect with an injured face.
Det Ch Insp Paul Fotheringham, of Kent Police, said: "It appears the suspect has picked on the wrong person."
The attack took place at 07:20 BST in an alleyway between Bellevue Road and Invicta Road.
Det Ch Insp Fotheringham added:  "I would like to hear from anyone who has information in relation to this incident.
"Do you know anyone who may have been out when the assault occurred and returned home with a facial injury?
"If anyone can help with this investigation."


Sir Bradley Wiggins believes former British Cycling technical director Shane Sutton will be cleared over allegations of discrimination.

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Sutton resigned ahead of the Rio Olympics amid allegations of sexism.
Wiggins said it was Sutton's influence that pushed him to return to track cycling in Rio, where he became the first Briton to win eight Olympic medals with gold in the team pursuit.
He added: "I know Shane better than anyone and I believe he'll be cleared."
Sutton was initially suspended by British Cycling after bullying allegations from cyclist Jess Varnish, while more allegations followed from other athletes, including Para-cyclist Darren Kenny.
British Cycling formed an independent review to investigate the claims before Sutton stepped down in April.
Wiggins thinks Sutton will come back into the British Cycling fold if cleared.
"I spoke to him two weeks ago and he said his life is pretty empty without this. I think he has the right to (return). Why not?" Wiggins said.
"I don't want to dismiss the claims that have been made by certain people, but I understand more than anyone that there are two sides to every story.
"I think the tone of how some things are said can be skewed quite a bit as well.
"There are two ways you can take (something) on board when someone says something. And how it's written isn't necessarily how it's said."
Sutton had been involved with British Cycling for 14 years, helping them to a record haul of medals at London 2012 with eight golds, two silvers and two bronze.
Wiggins worked with Sutton during his 2012 Tour de France victory, and credits the Australian with helping him win five Olympic gold medals.
"I came back to the track squad because he was in charge," Wiggins said.
"He encouraged me to come back and I probably wouldn't have come back had it been somebody else in charge 18 months ago."
And he believes it is Sutton's work up until his resignation that has seen seven cycling medals for Team GB  - so far - in Rio.
"All this stuff is a result of his work. He was in charge of it," he said.
Last week Varnish said she would "not recommend" anyone joining British Cycling due to "cracks" in its culture, citing sexism.
But Wiggins said: "This whole sexism thing, I'd never, ever seen any sign of that, really.
"I think there's a lot of bitter people that didn't make the grade, got the boot and they have now come out picking holes in things.
"I think for every one of those there's equally successful people - the Laura Trotts of this world and Becky James - that have been successful.
"If my daughter wanted to get into cycling, which she does, would I be happy for her to go into British Cycling now? I 100% would be."
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The Williams Formula 1 Grand Prix team has cut half-year losses following a sharp rise in revenues.

Overall revenues for the team's holding company rose by £19.1m to £63.2m for the six months to 30 June.
Losses before interest, taxation and other costs were £1.4m - considerably better than the £19.6m loss reported in the same period last year.
The division that sells Formula 1-derived technology and expertise, had a strong half-year.
Williams Advanced Engineering generated revenues of £10.9m, £3.1m higher than last year, with profits up £200,000 to £1m.
Chief executive Mike O'Driscoll said: "Our first-half results represent a significant improvement over the same period in 2014, with strong revenue growth and positive cash flow.
"The improved performance of our Formula One team on the track is now reflected in both higher commercial rights income and increased sponsorship revenue, bolstering our financial results."
The team finished third in the constructors' championship last year and success had continued into 2015, the company said.
Felipe Massa is currently in fifth place in the drivers' championship with 82 points, while Valtteri Bottas is sixth with 79 points.
However, Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton leads the pack with 227 points.
Williams is in third place on the constructors' leader board with 161 points for this season, but that is some distance behind Ferrari on 242 points and Mercedes on 426 points.
Mr O'Driscoll said the recent agreement of a multi-year contract with global defence firm General Dynamics underlined the progress being made by the engineering division.
But he added: "We face continued cost pressures due to the spending levels of our major Formula 1 competitors, and this challenging environment will undoubtedly continue in the near term."
The team faced an uncertain future following the financial crash in 2008, with a lack of investment, rising costs and spiralling debts.
As well as setting up the engineering division in an attempt to create other sources of income, Williams created a hybrid power business. It worked on adapting F1 technology for buses and trams, and was sold last year to GKN.
Other teams have also diversified, with McLaren creating a large and growing road car operation.


A $100m initiative to listen for signals from alien life is targeting a star with an unusual dimming pattern.

The Breakthrough Listen project, backed by Prof Stephen Hawking, will train a US radio telescope on a target called Tabby's Star.
Tabby's Star has been a subject of attention and controversy over its irregular dimming pattern.
Some scientists have been puzzled by large dips in the star's brightness.
Hawking backs new search for aliens
One of the most favoured explanations for this behaviour is that a swarm of comet fragments is periodically blocking light from the star, which also known by its official designation - KIC 8462852.
One very remote and speculative idea - yet one that has attracted much attention in the media - is that the pattern is caused by some kind of artificial structure, or a collection of structures, around the star.
The co-director of the Breakthrough Listen programme, Dr Andrew Siemion, said he was sceptical of explanations that involved intelligent life.
He added: "The Breakthrough Listen programme has the most powerful SETI equipment on the planet, and access to the largest telescopes on the planet.
"We can look at it with greater sensitivity and for a wider range of signal types than any other experiment in the world."
The team plans to use the 100m Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, US, to observe the star, which is named after the leader of the team that discovered it - Tabetha Boyajian, assistant professor at Louisiana State University.
Previous searches, using the Hubble Space Telescope and the Keck Observatory, have failed to find any unusual signals around the star.
But Dr Siemion explained: "The Green Bank Telescope is the largest fully steerable radio telescope on the planet, and it's the largest, most sensitive telescope that's capable of looking at Tabby's star given its position in the sky."
The unusual behaviour around Tabby's star was first reported in September 2015 by Dr Boyajian, who was then a postdoctoral student at Yale University. The findings were published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
The team was actually looking for evidence of planets orbiting stars other than our own.
While most such dimming by transiting planets is brief, regular and blocks just 1 or 2% of the light of the star, Tabby's star dims for days at a time, by as much as 22%, and at irregular intervals.
Speculation that the phenomenon could be caused by a "megastructure" built by an intelligent civilisation, has been dismissed by most scientists. But it has propelled the stellar object to prominence in the popular media.
"I don't think it's very likely - a one in a billion chance or something like that - but nevertheless, we're going to check it out," said Dan Werthimer, chief scientist at Berkeley SETI, based at the University of California, Berkeley.
Yet Tabby's Star remains a fascinating conundrum for astronomers. Some observations show that the dips in brightness are more irregular than a comet swarm would produce. And another study suggested that it had been dimming at a steady rate for the past century.
The Breakthrough Listen initiative was launched in 2015 at an event in London. It is largely funded by Russian entrepreneur Yuri Milner - who also supports the Breakthrough Prizes for science and maths.


The general in charge of the US Air Force's long-range nuclear missiles has been sacked due to "loss of trust and confidence", officials have said.

The Air Force said Maj Gen Michael Carey's removal was for "behaviour during a temporary duty assignment".
The sacking was not linked to the operation of the nuclear arsenal, which was safe, the officials insisted.
On Wednesday the US Navy announced an admiral overseeing nuclear weapons forces had been sacked from the role.
That was due to illegal gambling activities, officials said.
Michael Carey is a two-star general in the 20th Air Force and was responsible for maintaining intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) at three bases across the US - a total of 450 missiles.
In a statement, the Air Force said Lt Gen James Kowalski, the commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, had made the decision.
It read: "Kowalski made his decision based on information from an Inspector General investigation into Carey's behaviour during a temporary duty assignment.
"The allegations are not related to operational readiness or the inspection results of any 20th AF unit, nor do they involve sexual misconduct."
Gen Kowalski said: "It's unfortunate that I've had to relieve an officer who's had an otherwise distinctive career spanning 35 years of commendable service."
Gen Kowalski oversees all Air Force nuclear weapons, including aircraft-delivered.
The vice commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, Maj Gen Jack Weinstein, is temporarily replacing Gen Carey.
The Air Force's biography of Gen Carey says he is in charge of 9,600 people at three operational wings and served in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. It lists 13 major awards he has received.
On Wednesday the Navy announced that Vice-Adm Tim Giardina had been removed as second-in-command of US Strategic Command.
His job was to oversee the nation's nuclear weapons forces.
He is accused of using counterfeit gambling chips in "a significant monetary amount" at an Iowa casino.
Adm Giardina was demoted to a two-star admiral and is being reassigned pending outcome of an inquiry.
The two sackings follow several other incidents affecting the US military's nuclear establishment.
In August, a nuclear missile unit at Malstrom Air Force base in Montana failed a safety and security inspection, after which a senior security officer was relieved of duty.
In May, it was reported that 17 officers in charge of maintaining nuclear missiles were sidelined over safety violations at Minot Air Force base in North Dakota.


Prosecutors from across the UK have signed up to new commitments to tackle human trafficking and exploitation.

It comes as figures suggest trafficking prosecutions in England and Wales have increased since the introduction of the Modern Slavery Act in April.
Victims forced into jobs as labourers or domestic workers are now thought to exceed those who are sexually exploited, the data shows.
A summit will be held later to react to the changing nature of the crime.
The Modern Slavery Act has already increased maximum sentences and given courts powers to restrict the activities of suspected traffickers and gang-masters.
Since it was brought in, 12 slavery and trafficking prevention orders have been put in place and 183 people were taken to court between April and December, four short of the total for the previous 12 months, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
The new commitments set out the ways in which prosecutors in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will work closely together in order to disrupt networks, prosecute traffickers and safeguard victims' rights.
These include working closely with the police in order to ensure that the strongest possible cases are prepared and prosecuted; reviewing and updating the training of staff that investigate and prosecute trafficking and ensuring the rights of victims, witnesses and potential victims of human trafficking are upheld.
Alison Saunders, Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales, said: "We have seen an increase in trafficking people for the purpose of sham marriages and it is also now the case that the number of victims, many of whom are men, trafficked to be labourers or domestic workers is exceeding those for sexual exploitation."
She added: "Our focus on these crimes is already paying dividends. This year we're already on track for more people facing trafficking charges in England and Wales than ever before.
"We are also working with national and international partners in priority locations in Europe and Africa as part of the UK effort to disrupt people smuggling and trafficking at their source or in transit."


A 200-year-old bible that was stolen from an East Sussex church 42 years ago has been returned by the man who took it.

Simon Scott, treasurer of Holy Trinity Church in Hastings, said a German man had taken the book in 1971.
He had come to the town with his wife to take an English language course, but was not satisfied with the teaching.
He then took the bible intending to read it and improve his English, but never got round to it.
Mr Scott said that he received an anonymous letter from the thief, which said: "You won't believe receiving this letter and you certainly won't believe receiving a bible in the post shortly."
A big box containing a huge leather-bound edition of The Holy Bible with brass clasps, later arrived.
"He found the course was very much below par, it fell very short of expectations, despite being quite expensive," Mr Scott said the man had written.
"Some of the lessons were held in the church premises and he said he saw these bibles just sitting there, unused he felt.
"And by some sort of compensation for this very poor, expensive course, he decided to take one and try and read it at home and improve his English that way.
"In fact, he said in the letter 'I never got round to doing it'."
The thief said his wife had been "pretty angry" with him for taking the book.
"Whenever I came across the bible I would have this guilty conscience about doing it," he added in the letter.
"I've never managed to pluck up the courage to come and hand it back personally.
"But now that I've retired, I've definitely decided to get on the right side of things."
Mr Scott said he did not think the book was worth much.
"These kind of bibles were kind of standard for well-to-do families in the old days," he said.
"They used to bring it out at meal times and read it to the children but these days of course, we don't do that sort of thing and so there are a number of them lying around in churches.
"We've got ours back."


A man who raped a "vulnerable" woman has been jailed for 24 years.

Ferdos Rabani, 48, currently at HMP Marshgate but formerly of Sheffield, was sentenced at the city's crown court.
Rabani, who is also known as Joshua Abdul, was found guilty of rape in November, said South Yorkshire Police.
In April 2016, he approached a 34-year-old woman, offered her a lift home before he drove to a remote area and raped her.
Rabani had offered her cigarettes, believed to have been drugged to make her drowsy, before the attack.
Several weeks afterwards the woman came forward to report to police what had happened.
PC Jess Hawley said: "Rabani could clearly see that the victim was vulnerable.
"He preyed on her and took advantage of her, leaving her incredibly traumatised by what happened."


Northern Ireland Water is raising its prices for 80,000 business customers, including farmers.

The firm said bills will rise from April by an average 1.65% for metered users, which is below inflation.
As examples, it estimated an average medium-sized factory will pay an additional £54 annually and a farm an extra £3.
NI Water agrees annual tariffs for water and sewerage services with the Utility Regulator.
It said it was able to keep the increase low because of efficiency savings it had made over the last number of years.
Finance Director Ronan Larkin said: "NI Water was able to hold tariffs with no increase in the last financial year.
"Since then, inflation has risen steadily, creating pressure on our operating cost base.
"We have. however, been able to ensure that not all of this inflationary pressure has been passed on to our customers."
About 73,000 business customers have water meters and their charges are slightly lower than those based on property rateable values.
NI Water raises about £73m annually from charging - but the vast majority of its revenue is by way of a subsidy from Stormont in place of household bills.
In 2017/18 this will amount to £270m.
Mr Larkin added: "Taking into account inflation, our non-domestic customers are paying 12% less, on average, for their water and sewerage services than they did five years ago."


Achievement in Scottish schools is above international averages - but the gap is narrowing, a review has found.

Particular concerns were raised about maths where performance has fallen from high to average over the past decade.
The review of the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) was undertaken by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The international experts said CfE was at a "watershed moment" and changes could deliver a world class system.
The curriculum has been operating in schools since 2010 and gives teachers more flexibility over what and how they teach.
The OECD review, commissioned by the Scottish government, focused on the "broad general education" element of the curriculum up the age of 15 and found "much to be positive about", including;
The review team also highlighted some "problems and challenges", including;
The CfE aims to give learners a "holistic understanding" of what it means to be a young Scot growing up in today's world.
It aims to equip learners with four key "capacities" - successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens, and effective contributors.
However, the report noted there was still some confusion about what constitutes the CfE and suggests setting out clearer definitions.
It also highlighted concerns from school inspectors that assessment results are often not used to improve pupils' learning progress - and a lack of clarity over what should be assessed.
The experts concluded: "Current national assessment arrangements in Scotland do not provide sufficiently robust information, whether for system-level policy-making, or for local authorities or an individual school."
The report notes that these problems may be remedied by the new system of national testing announced recently by the first minister.
The experts called for more academic research into how the curriculum is being implemented and suggest it be less centrally managed, with a greater role for schools themselves and local authorities.
They added: "To achieve the full potential of CfE, building on the valuable consensus and the clear enthusiasm, and for this watershed moment to be 'take off point' there is a more ambitious theory of change needed."
Scotland's largest teaching union, EIS, said the report painted a "largely positive picture" of Scottish education.
General secretary Larry Flanagan said: "It confirms previous data that indicates that Scottish schools and levels of pupil attainment compare well both internationally and with other countries within the UK.
"It also highlights the well-established challenges facing Scottish education, including the poverty-related attainment gap that continues to have a negative impact on too many young people across the country."
The Scottish government said it "broadly supported" the OECD recommendations - and said the review supported its plans to introduce national testing as part of its National Improvement Framework.
First minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "We share their view that we have a great opportunity to lead the world in developing an integrated assessment and evaluation framework.
"I firmly believe the Framework will play an important role in driving work to close the attainment gap and continually improve Scottish education."
Scottish Conservative young person spokeswoman Liz Smith said the review confirmed many encouraging signs including good levels of achievement in science and reading.
"However, it also confirms that there are major issues in numeracy and it sends out a very stark message about addressing failing schools,' she added.
"A range of recent statistics prove the extent of the attainment gap and the fact that literacy and numeracy are not as strong as they should be."


Striker Jonathan Kodjia scored twice to help Bristol City move eight points clear of the Championship relegation zone with victory at MK Dons.

Kodjia put the Robins ahead just before the break, slotting in at the back post from Lee Tomlin's cross.
Joe Bryan came close to doubling the lead when he cut inside, before firing narrowly over the bar from distance.
But Kodjia sealed the points shortly after when he shot into the bottom corner after being picked out by Bryan.
MK Dons failed to register a single shot on target, and drop below City to 21st in the table, five points above the bottom three.
Kodjia's goals, his first in 11 league games, helped maintain Lee Johnson's perfect start as Bristol City head coach.
The Frenchman could have had a hat-trick had he been able to direct a first-half header on target, while Luke Freeman also shot wide before the break as the visitors earned a well-deserved third win in three matches.
MK Dons manager Karl Robinson:
"We were unrecognisable in many areas of the pitch and I have to take responsibility for that.
"The blame for today rests on my shoulders because my players have been outstanding this season.
"But let's be honest, I thought Bristol were just as bad as us in the first half and I think that's probably one of the worst first halves of football I've seen all season."
Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson:
"I think the solidarity and the team shape was the most pleasing thing for me today.
"We were dangerous throughout and we have a lot of attacking players who can cause teams a lot of problems.
"The players restricted a good MK Dons side from creating any chances and I don't think we can ask for any more really."
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Millions of adults under 40 will be able to use a new Individual Savings Account (Isa) to buy a home or a pension, the chancellor has announced.

The Lifetime Isa will be launched in April 2017, and savers will receive a 25% bonus from the government.
They will be able to put in up to £4,000 a year, with the annual bonus of up to £1,000 paid until the age of 50.
And from April 2017 all savers will be able to put up to £20,000 a year into Isas, up from £15,240 at the moment.
So it will be possible to have both a standard and a Lifetime Isa, subject to the £20,000 limit.
The chancellor said that savers would be able to withdraw money from a Lifetime Isa at any time, and would not pay any tax on it.
Those wanting to use the money to buy a home will be able to do so after just a year; those wanting to use it for retirement will have to wait until the age of 60.
Investors will be able to put their money into either a cash, or a stocks and shares Isa.
Savers who have already taken out a Help to Buy Isa will be able to move their money into a Lifetime Isa.
If they have both types of Isa, they will only be able to use the bonus from one of them to buy a home.
The Help to Buy Isa scheme, which is slightly less generous than the new Isa, is due to end in November 2019.
Those using the Lifetime Isa to buy property can spend up to £450,000 on a home, but they have to be first-time buyers.
The government said savers would be allowed to withdraw money in the event of "other life events", such as a terminal illness.
But those just wanting to take money out for other reasons will not qualify for the bonus. They will also have to pay a 5% charge.
"The Lifetime ISA is a fantastic boost for anyone under 40 who's fighting the growing cost of getting on the property ladder," said Hannah Maundrell, editor-in-chief of Money.co.uk.
"It's not quite so appealing if you already own a house, as your cash will need to be tied up until you're 60 to get the free top-up."
More details of the Lifetime Isa here.
For those wanting to save for retirement, the Lifetime Isa raises the issue of whether it is better to save through a traditional pension, or through the Isa system.
Pensions are tax-free when you put the money in, but consumers pay income tax when they take the money out.
Under the Lifetime Isa, money would be put in tax-paid, but would be free of all tax when taken out.
"There is a huge risk that the Lifetime Isa will undermine pension contributions, undoing the hard work to get people saving'", said Mick McAteer, director of the Financial Inclusion Centre, a think-tank.
Before the Budget, George Osborne had been considering introducing an Isa-style pension to replace traditional pensions, but rejected a change for the time being.
However, some experts believe the Lifestyle Isa has similarities to that idea.
"Philosophically it does seem to be a Pensions Isa, with a nod towards first-time buyers," said Nigel Barker, a personal tax partner at accountancy firm Deloitte.
"You're not as locked in as a pension fund; it feels more flexible."


Hampshire enjoyed a much-needed strong opening day to their County Championship Division One game against Durham at Chester-le-Street.

Hampshire, 14 points adrift at the bottom of the table, closed on 319-6 after new opening pair Jimmy Adams (86) and captain Will Smith (67) shared 160.
Michael Carberry, batting at four, made 48, while Barry McCarthy took 2-73.
England all-rounder Ben Stokes, on his return from knee surgery, was named in the Durham side but did not bowl.
For the hosts, in the chasing pack behind leaders Lancashire, a disappointing day that began with asking Hampshire to bat after winning the toss was compounded by the loss of opening bowler Chris Rushworth to a hamstring injury.
In his absence, the medium pace of Keaton Jennings made the breakthrough, enticing an edge from ex-Durham skipper Smith, leading Hampshire in the absence of James Vince on England duty, to end the opening stand.
Adams drove McCarthy to mid-wicket five overs later, but Hampshire continued to progress - Tom Alsop and the recalled Adam Wheater also passed 40, the latter in a stand of 74 in only 15 overs with Carberry.
They took 28 off five overs delivered with the second new ball, but three wickets for 21 runs at the end of the day gave Durham some late solace.


An international court has ordered to Russia to pay damages to the Netherlands over its seizure of a ship protesting against oil drilling.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague said the amount of damages would be decided at a later date.
Russia did not take part in the hearings and it is not clear whether it will comply with the ruling.
The Russian authorities confiscated the Dutch-flagged Arctic Sunrise in September 2013.
The ship and 30 people on board were detained after activists from the Greenpeace campaign group tried to scale a Russian oil rig.
The court found that Russia had breached its obligations under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
It said the Netherlands was "entitled to compensation (with interest) for material damage to the Arctic Sunrise".
Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders welcomed the ruling, saying it "makes clear that the Netherlands - as the flag state - had the right to stand up for the ship's crew".
"The Netherlands sees freedom of expression and the right to demonstrate as public goods that are worth defending," Mr Koenders went on.
The detainees - known as the Arctic 30 - were initially charged with piracy, but the charges were later reduced to hooliganism.
They were released on bail in November 2013 and the charges were later dropped after an amnesty law was passed.


About 20 parents of pupils at De La Salle College in west Belfast have met to express their concerns about ongoing incidents at the school.

They gathered at the Andersonstown school's entrance on Tuesday morning.
Many expressed concerns about the high level of staff absence in the school.
At least 24 teachers were absent on Monday out of a teaching staff of about 70. Some parents said the staff absences were affecting pupils about to sit GCSE and A-Level exams.
On Tuesday, over a third of the teaching staff in the school were off for a second day in a row.
Around 50 pupils from the school's sixth form also walked out of the school at about 10.30 GMT.
They joined parents at the school's gates.
Two parents subsequently held a meeting with the school principal.
There have been ongoing industrial problems at the school over the past few months.
Its principal said the school was "dealing with some internal issues".
There were a number of days when significant numbers of staff were absent in early November 2015.
Following that, several meetings were held involving school staff, governors, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) and the teaching unions.
Sixth former Niall Burns said pupils were afraid the situation could affect their future academic prospects.
"We're all falling behind, every one of us. It's taking its toll now," he said.
"It's not just the past week - it's been over a good few months and we need something done about it now.
"With the teachers not being in, we're not getting the work done and it's going to affect us in the long run when we go to open our results and don't get the results we want."
In January 2016, a "strategic plan for renewal" was drawn up and a "strategy group" was established "to address a range of issues raised by staff relating to the operation of the school".
Education Minister John O'Dowd said he was "very concerned about the ongoing issues at the school and the impact on its pupils".
He added: "I understand the school, employing authority and unions are working together to resolve the situation and I would urge all involved to bring this to a resolution as soon as possible.
"I will be keeping the situation under close review."
The Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) said that when issues first arose, a strategic group was set up, comprising the board of governors, the CCMS, and unions.
"A strategic plan for renewal was devised by the group and work began immediately to implement this plan," it said.
"The intention was, and remains, to resolve any internal issues within the school through the implementation of this plan.
"The immediate priority remains the full educational provision for all students in the school."


James Craigen's three-year spell with Partick Thistle has ended, with the 24-year-old Englishman among five players being released by the Glasgow club.

He is joined by fellow midfielders Dale Keenan and Chris Dillon, plus defenders Ben Richards-Everton and Ryan Finnie.
Craigen, who joined Thistle from Edinburgh University, has made 30 appearances this season.
Keenan, the 20-year-old who arrived from East Fife in 2013, had made eight first-team appearances this term.
Richards-Everton signed from Tamworth last summer, but the 22-year-old England C cap spent the season on loan to Airdrieonians, making 19 appearances for the League One side.
Former Scotland Under-19 cap Finnie joined Thistle after leaving Rangers in January, but the 20-year-old failed to break into the first team at Firhill.
The 19-year-old Dillon did not break into the Thistle first-team and made one appearance this season on loan to Berwick Rangers.


A Danish Superliga game between Brondby and FC Copenhagen was marred when home fans threw dead rats at a player.

Brondby supporters threw the rodents at Copenhagen defender Ludwig Augustinsson as he went to take a corner.
Leaders Copenhagen won the match 1-0 to open up a 13-point lead over nearest rivals Brondby.
"It's unfortunate that there are some visitors who could not figure out how to behave properly," said Brondby's sports director Troels Bech.
Footage of the incident shows Slovenia international Benjamin Verbic helping team-mate Augustinsson clear at least two rats off the pitch at the 28,000-capacity Brondby Stadium.
Brondby are 10-times champions of Denmark while FC Copenhagen, managed by former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Stale Solbakken, have won the title 11 times.


A Canadian judge is expected to deliver a verdict on Thursday in the sexual assault trial of Jian Ghomeshi, once one of the country's top broadcasters.

The trial, which attracted a flurry of media attention, has spurred debate about how victims of sexual assault are treated by the Canadian legal system.
Mr Ghomeshi's three accusers came under intense scrutiny from the defence during the eight-day trial.
He is charged with sexual assault and choking his victims.
Mr Ghomeshi, 48, has denied the charges. He has said the encounters were consensual, describing them as "rough sex".
If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.
Police said the assaults took place in 2002 and 2003.
During the trial, defence lawyer Marie Henein questioned why his accusers remained in contact or on good terms with Mr Ghomeshi after the alleged assaults.
One sent Mr Ghomeshi a picture of herself in a bikini after she said he had punched her in the head. She told Ms Henein that she wanted to bait Mr Ghomeshi into incriminating himself.
But prosecutor Michael Callaghan said "post-assault contact was not relevant to the sexual assault that took place" and every victim coped with assault differently.
Some advocates for sexual assault victims worried that women were being put on trial rather than the alleged attacker.
Others were concerned the scrutiny would discourage other victims from coming forward in future cases.
Mr Ghomeshi, who hosted the radio show Q, was sacked by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) in 2014 after the allegations became public.
The CBC began an inquiry into Mr Ghomeshi's sexual activities after the Toronto Star newspaper began investigating allegations by an ex-girlfriend that he had engaged in non-consensual, violent sex with her.
The report found that CBC management knew about Mr Ghomeshi's behaviour, or should have known. It said the members of management did not take steps to stop it.
A number of women came forward after the Star's report, accusing him of punching, strangling and battering.


Gateshead got their National League campaign off to the perfect start, recording a 3-0 victory over Chester.

There were chances for both teams in an open but scoreless first half but the hosts flew out of the blocks after the break.
They almost took the lead in the 55th minute when James Bolton headed narrowly wide, before finally breaking the deadlock seven minutes later.
Wes York's effort hit the goalkeeper and ended up in the back of Chester's net and he then doubled their advantage in the 82nd minute, firing in after good work from substitute Ryan Bowman.
The home side, beaten 4-2 at Chester on the final day of last season, added a third five minutes later when Manny Smith nodded in from close range.
Report supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Gateshead 3, Chester FC 0.
Second Half ends, Gateshead 3, Chester FC 0.
Corner,  Gateshead.
Corner,  Gateshead.
Substitution, Gateshead. Sam Jones replaces Wes York.
Substitution, Chester FC. Sam Hughes replaces Tom Shaw.
Goal!  Gateshead 3, Chester FC 0. Manny Smith (Gateshead).
Corner,  Gateshead.
Goal!  Gateshead 2, Chester FC 0. Wes York (Gateshead).
Corner,  Chester FC.
Substitution, Chester FC. Craig Mahon replaces Jordan Chapell.
Substitution, Chester FC. James Akintunde replaces Johnny Hunt.
Corner,  Chester FC.
Corner,  Gateshead.
Substitution, Gateshead. Toby Ajala replaces Danny Johnson.
Substitution, Gateshead. Ryan Bowman replaces Reece Styche.
Goal!  Gateshead 1, Chester FC 0. Wes York (Gateshead).
Corner,  Gateshead.
Second Half begins Gateshead 0, Chester FC 0.
First Half ends, Gateshead 0, Chester FC 0.
Corner,  Gateshead.
Corner,  Gateshead.
Corner,  Gateshead.
First Half begins.
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.