Appeals are being made for volunteers to join a search party for a missing 22-year-old in Lifford.

David Colhoun from Lifford, hasn’t been seen since the early hours of Sunday morning.

Mr.Colhoun was being held in custody at Strabane PSNI station in the early hours of Sunday morning. He escaped when officers were putting him from one police car into another. He hasnt been seen since and hasn’t contacted his family or girlfriend.

Searches along the river bank and surrounding areas were carried out but there have been no sightings of Mr. Colhoun.

The new search will begin tomorrow, with the search party meeting at McCauleys resteraunt at 8am.

In the Donegal Senior Football Championship at the weekend there were eight first round first leg matches. No big surprises to report but the defending champions Noamh Conaill were held to a 0- 6 to 0-6 draw with Glenswilly. The other games had seven winners with Ardara, St Michaels, Kilcar, Four Masters, Glenfin, St. Eunan’s and Gweedore all taking victory in their respective first legs.

Sports Editor of the Donegal Democrat Peter Campbell looked back on the championship first round action with Oisin Kelly.
 

The north’s new Health Minister has reversed a decision which saw plans for a multi million euro cancer treatment facility in Derry shelved.

Just two months ago, Edwin Poots’ predecessor claimed the money wasn’t there to fund the radiotherapy unit at Altnagelvin.

But the DUP minister announced today that he’s releasing the millions in sterling that are needed, and he said authorities in Dublin had given ‘firm assurances’ that they would honour their commitment to provide 19 million euro in funding.

The unit is now expected to open in 2016.

It now means – patients in the North West won’t have to travel to Belfast for treatment.

Health Minister, Edwin Poots speaking in the Northern Assembly this afternoon.

The high winds we’re experiencing are playing havoc with electricity supply and motorists.

Fallen trees are blocking or partially blocking many roads across Donegal.

The ESB says they’re working to re-connect 25 thousand customers this afternoon, with the northwest and midland regions worst affected.

A spokesperson says the high winds are bringing down trees and branches – which are pulling down their supply lines.

The public is being urged NOT to go near any electricity lines they may see on the ground – but to report it to the ESB.

Their number is 0850 – 372 – 999.

Derry safely progressed through to the semi-final of the Ulster Senior Football Championship after an eight-point victory over Fermanagh at Celtic Park on Sunday. Eoin Bradley’s goal as well a number of other well-taken scores had paved the way for the Oak Leafers in the opening 35 minutes. Three defenders, as well as six other players, managed to get on the scoresheet for Derry who lead at the half-time break 1-12 to 0-2. The scoreline actually got worse for Fermanagh at the start of the second period as Derry’s Enda Muldoon, Joe Diver, Eoin Bradley and Mark Lynch all got their names on the score sheet to put the Oak Leaf county sixteen points in front. Fermanagh corner-back John Woods advanced high up the pitch to net a superb right-footed strike but it was too little too late. The Erne county did claw back a number of scores but the damage had been done with Derry running out winners 1-18 to 1-10.

At the Spanish Open in Madrid, it was another good weekend for Chloe and Sam Magee from Raphoe. Chloe reached the last eight of the singles event. On route to the quarter finals Chloe beat England’s Nicola Cerfontyne in straight sets and the number three seed Nicole Grether from Canada who withdrew in the third set with Chloe leading 15-8. The Raphoe Olympian bowed out of the singles losing to home favourite Carolina Marin 21-16 21-23. In the mixed doubles Chloe was once again joined by her brother Sam and the Donegal pairing reached the semi finals. To make the last four they won two matches beating a French pair in straight sets and then overcoming Belgium in three sets. In the semi final Chloe and Sam lost out to the number 1 seeds in straight sets 21-13 23-21

Derry’s Jason Smyth set another new 100M Ulster record with a third place finish on Saturday in Florida, USA. Smyth set the new time of 10.22 at the NTC Classic meeting knocking .10sec of his existing mark. The time is also a B standard for the 2012 London Olympics and this years World Championship’s which will be held in Korea.

Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty is to table a  Dáil motion calling on the Government to apologies to the families of the Ballymanus mine disaster.

19 lives were lost in the incident which occurred in west Donegal on 10th of May 1943.

A mine washed ashore at Ballymanus and a crowd of young people gathered to watch the event, it exploded at 10pm causing the massive loss of life.

Deputy Doherty is backing family claims that the state acted with negligence:

Gardai are investigating an bomb attack on a house in the Muff area of North Donegal.

It is understood the device was thrown in to a house at Wheattfield at around  midnight and exploded.

It is thought one man was in the house, he escaped injury.

It is the same house that was the victim of a gun attack earlier this year.

The attacks are blamed on dissident republicans

Local Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn says those responsible see them selves as self appointed vigilantes:
 

The North’s Health Minister is expected to announce today if he will give the go-ahead for a new radiotherapy unit to be built at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.

Edwin Poots is expected to tell the assembly his plans after consulting with patients and cancer specialists.

The former health minister Michael McGimpsey had said there were no funds to run the unit and had shelved it indefinitely.

Minister Poots first official function after his election was a visit to Altnagelvin Hospital last week, Chairman of the Western Trust – Gerard McGuckian explains why feel that will be crucial in his decision making: