Carers system, road crash and prison population: Friday's Northern Ireland news headlines

Carers system failing

A charity has warned that the benefits system is 'abjectly failing' Northern Ireland's unpaid carers.

It comes as new research published on Friday shows that nearly half of all people here receiving carers allowance are living in poverty.

Carers NI says the system is forcing many people to make gut wrenching decisions every day by either turning their heating off or skipping meals.

Co. Antrim road crash

A 61 year-old-man has died almost a week after a road crash in County Antrim.

Police say he was the driver of a Tractor which was invovled in the collision with another vehicle on the A8 near Ballynure.

Officers have urged anyone who may have any information about the crash to come forward.

Prison population rises in NI

The number of people in prison in Northern Ireland has increased by nearly 13% in a year.

Figures from the department of justice show the average daily prison population has increased by nearly 270 to a total of1685.

Fireworks safety

Now as Halloween celebrations get underway this weekend the PSNI and the Northern Ireland fire and rescue service has made an appeal to the public to stay safe, especially around fireworks and sparklers.

Emergency services warned each year they see the devastating impact they can have.

NISRA show the age couples marry is rising

The average age at which people marry and have children here is continuing to rise, according to the latest official statistics.

The figures from Nisra also revealed that the number of births to Teenage mothers has fallen to a record low.

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