Olympic champion Callum Skinner and physicist Alex Macdonald have today announced the launch of the Kickstarter campaign for a new cycling safety product it is claimed aids awareness when on the road.

The company called HindSight is pushing what it calls "rear view cycling glasses", which is sunglasses with a mirror section.

It is claimed the glasses are a "game-changer" for urban commuters and performance cycling enthusiasts and professional triathletes and cyclists.

HindSight, which was presented at the Scottish Edge Awards hosted by entrepreneur and BBC Dragon’s Den star Theo Paphitis in December 2019, is now aiming to secure £30,000 of additional funding via the Kickstarter campaign.

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The start-up works on the principle that backers can choose to support the product and provide funding to help HindSight establish itself and set up the supply chain in exchange for the product after the company puts in its first batch order.

This will allow the entrepreneurial duo to begin the next stage of development – and launch the product to the wider consumer market.

Alex MacDonald, HindSight chief executive officer, said: “The birth of HindSight came from a situation with which many urban cyclists will be able to relate, having one near miss too many with road traffic."

Mr Skinner, HindSight co-founder and ambassador, and Rio 2016 Olympic champion, said: “Managing aerodynamic profile is essential for any elite cyclist, and, by turning back to look over your shoulder, you can easily lose efficiencies to your speed and performance."

The cyclist, who was born in Glasgow but moved to Edinburgh when he was 12, also said: "At the edge of the lenses, there’s a slight angle with a transparent mirror, which essentially extends your periphery, allowing you to see behind.”

Morrisons has reduced its petrol prices to a maximum of 99.7p per litre at its UK forecourts.

The supermarket said this is the first time the fuel has been "sold nationally" for less than £1 per litre since February 2016.

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It has also cut its diesel price to no more than 104.7p per litre.

Morrisons' head of fuel Ashley Myers said: "This cut will help people who are travelling to work, those shopping for essentials, and those assisting the elderly and vulnerable.

"We want to play our full part in reducing the cost of living and feeding the nation at this difficult time."

The reduction in the cost of fuel has been driven by a collapse in oil prices due to lower demand as global economies shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Brent crude oil was trading at around 64 US dollars per barrel at the beginning of the year but sunk to under $19 last month.

The price hovered around $31 per barrel on Monday morning.

More than 20,000 "excess" deaths were counted in just one week since the end of March, the highest in two decades, funeral provider Dignity said on Monday.

The business revealed that overall deaths rose by just 2,000 in the first three months of the year, to 161,000.

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Since the quarter ended, the rate has picked up, Dignity said.

However, the funeral provider warned against predictions that its business would reap a major windfall from the coronavirus crisis.

Firstly, if many more people die than the 600,000 predicted by the Office for National Statistics, it is possible there will be fewer deaths over the following two years.

"The group will not speculate on the most likely outcome," Dignity said.
Secondly, as mourners are forced to keep away from funerals due to social distancing rules, most are now cutting back on all but the most essential services.
So far this quarter, 60% of clients are now choosing a simple funeral, as opposed to the full service. This compares with just 20% in the first quarter of the year.

It has meant that the average income per funeral, before ancillary revenues, has fallen to £2,200, compared with £2,648 in the previous three months.

"Covid-19 is presenting a unique set of challenges for the UK as a whole and for Dignity," said executive chairman Clive Whiley.

He paid tribute to the company's staff as "an easily forgotten subset of key workers who all deserve our thanks."

No-one who works for the company has been furloughed, and Dignity will not ask the Government for any direct financial support, apart from business rates relief.

"The various government schemes designed to protect jobs and people's livelihoods are intended for small businesses and sectors that are under threat more directly than Dignity," Mr Whiley said.

Dignity said its underlying operating profit fell 11% to £19.4 million on revenue of £83.1 million in the first quarter.

Dignity has a trust to safeguard the money that customers pay to take care of their funeral expenses. It revealed that this pre-pay trust's assets have a 6% deficit due to the global market downturn.

Mr Whiley added: "We continue to progress the strategic review of the business, initiated upon my appointment in September 2019, which is designed to position the group for all eventualities."