figures released yesterday.

The 22 reporting hotel properties reported a combined final occupancy in October of 71.1 percent compared to 72 percent in 1993 and 62 percent in 1992.

Projections for November (51.6 percent) and January (13.5 percent) are behind last year's.

But BHA president Mr. Stephen Barker believes the continuing trend of late bookings will narrow the gap.

The projection for December (24.0), meanwhile, indicate a healthy increase compared to the same month in 1993, Mr. Barker said.

And the average length of stay increased from 4.8 days in 1993 to 4.9 days in 1994.

STRANDED VISITOR HAS BAG SNATCHED CRM Stranded visitor has bag snatched A pair of handbag snatchers added insult to injury when they preyed on a visitor left stranded after her livery cycle broke down.

The woman was walking along Somerset Road near the Royal Naval field on Monday when two men snatched her purse out of her hand, a Police spokesman reported.

Police believe the offenders ran off along Somerset Road before making their escape along Broome Street.

The offence took place at around 5:30 p.m. Anyone who may have witnessed it should contact Somerset Criminal Investigations Department at 234-1010.

In a separate incident, thieves broke into a Devonshire pre-school on Monday night. They took a 19-inch Sharp television set and a video recorder, a Police spokesman said.

YOUNG RIDER GIVEN A STERN WARNING CTS Young rider given a stern warning Seventeen-year-old Dwon Ivan Trott left Magistrates' Court $300 poorer after he pleaded guilty to riding a motorcycle underage.

Sgt. Kenrick James said Trott, of Cottage Hill, Hamilton Parish, was seen riding a Yamaha motorcycle around 9:30 p.m. on November 6.

When stopped he admitted that he was underage.

Magistrate the Wor. Charles-etta Simmons issued a strict warning: "I don't want to interfere with your job, but if you come back here again within two years I will take you off the road.

She then fined him $300.