AROUND 600 bottles of alcohol were seized in Merseyside parks in one week as part of a police crackdown.

Police data from July 23-29 shows 649 stop checks were carried out as part of the summer-long Safespace campaign, along with 600 seizures of alcohol.

Police have been testing drinks bottles with litmus paper for alcohol, talking to young people and test purchasing to check shops are not selling to those under age.

The two-month initiative aims to dramatically bring down levels of alcohol-related problems – to make Merseyside’s parks safer and more welcoming places to visit.

Bin Laden’s ex-driver jailed

OSAMA bin Laden’s former driver has been jailed after being convicted of supporting terrorism in the first US war crimes trial since the Second World War. Salim Hamdan was sentenced to five years and six months after he was found guilty of supporting terrorism following a 10-day trial at the US Navy base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Hamdan will be eligible for release in six months after the military judge, Navy Captain Keith Allred, earlier ruled he should receive five years of credit for time served at Guantanamo Bay.

Writer dies

PLAYWRIGHT Simon Gray has died at the age of 71. Gray was a prolific playwright but in recent years attracted a new fan base with his highly candid memoirs. The writer also penned five novels, including Little Portia, and Breaking Hearts.

Discharged

ACTOR Morgan Freeman was discharged from hospital yesterday as his lawyer confirmed the star and his wife were set to divorce after 24 years together. The Oscar-winning actor, who was being treated for broken bones following a serious car crash last weekend, was discharged from the Regional Medical Centre in Memphis, Tennessee, the hospital’s spokesman Kathy Stringer said.