Court.

Marina Esplin-Jones, 25, of Fairylands, Pembroke, pleaded guilty to driving an unlicensed vehicle.

Esplin-Jones, who failed to show up on her scheduled court date earlier this month, was covering the daily plea court session, when her name was called.

Standing in the Press box, she admitted to the offence.

But because of her failure to show up earlier, Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis fined Esplin-Jones $150 instead of the regular $100 penalty.

WOMAN SURPRISES INTRUDER CRM A Devonshire woman awoke on Tuesday morning to find a stranger in her bedroom.

On being discovered the man ran out of the Fort Hill residence.

Another intruder was seen in a Fort Lane, St. George's home hours later. He also ran out of the house when discovered, Police spokesman Sgt. John Dale said.

In both instances nothing was reported stolen.

PLP MPS TO VISIT CASEMATES PTL Soldiers and prisoners will be visited by politicians this weekend as senior Progressive Labour Party MPs go on a walkabout.

And shrugging off criticism of its church visits, the party plans to continue its schedule on Sunday.

Opposition leader Mr. Frederick Wade and his deputy Mr. Walter Roberts will join other party MPs in targeting the West End tomorrow.

Their tour will include a call on Casemates prison and a visit to the Canadian military.

On Saturday they plan to turn their attention to the East End, with Mr. Wade touring St. David's.

He will join other party members for a service at St. Luke AME Church in St.

David's on Sunday, followed by a lunch hosted by St. George's South PLP candidate Mr. Arthur Pitcher.

MARKETPLACE STORES CLOSE EARLY OBT All MarketPlace stores, including A-1 and Modern Mart, will close at noon today out of respect for the owner the late Mr. Alvin Ferreira.

Mr. Ferreira, who died last week in London after a short illness, was also the owner of Wheels Limited cycle business.

And therefore the retail section of Wheels in Hamilton will close from 2 p.m.

A spokesman said the rental section and other Wheels stores throughout the Island will remain open because of the busy cruise ship business.

But he said they will operate with a skeleton staff.

Funeral services for Mr. Ferreira will take place at the Cathedral on Church Street, beginning at 4 p.m.

Interment will follow at St. Paul's Cemetery in Paget.

BOOST FOR YOUTHS IN DRUG TROUBLE FNR The fight to prevent young Bermudians being caught up in drugs has been given a boost.

Youth to Youth -- a group which aims to keep Bermuda's young on the right path -- was handed a $1,000 cheque this week.

It was presented by the Parents Resource Institute for Drug Education (PRIDE).

PRIDE raised the cash through an "ice cream sundae'' social at Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan's private residence in July.

The money will go towards the cost of three international Youth to Youth conferences this summer.

Held in Ohio, Rhode Island, and the Cayman Islands, their aim was to enhance the "personal growth'' of young people.

"We were told how to build self esteem,'' explained 17-year-old Jeremy Blades, president of Bermuda's Youth to Youth group. "We were told to learn acceptance of one another for who we are.'' Jeremy, a Bermuda College student who received the cheque from PRIDE on Monday, said he had never been tempted to take drugs.

Bermuda's Youth to Youth group meets weekly at the Stonington students' centre. It has about 70 members, aged between 12 and 19.