Charge on farmers

Farmers could be asked to cover more of the cost of dealing with animal diseases. Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, told The Sunday Edition on ITV1 that recent outbreaks showed the need to give the industry more say in dealing with diseases. “Is it unreasonable to ask [them] to bear more of the cost?” he asked.

Victim remembered

Francis Rattenbury, the eminent architect who was bludgeoned to death with a mallet by his wife’s young lover in 1934, has finally had a headstone put on his grave in a cemetery in Bournemouth. John Motherwell, a friend of his son John, 78 – who was 5 at the time of the murder – has paid to have the grave marked.

Death at wake

A man has been charged with murder in connection with the death of Gavin Regan at a wake. Lee Moffitt, 39, from Harbury, Warwickshire, will appear at Nuneaton Magistrates’ Court today. Mr Regan, 28, a father of two, from Bedworth, Warwickshire, was stabbed at the Bull pub in Exhall.

Driving demands

Government plans to increase penalty points for speeding motorists could lead to many people losing their jobs and criminalise a large section of the workforce, the Driving Instructors Democratic Union said. They called for more speed patrols, clearer signs and police to focus on persistent offenders.

Dragons a health risk

Children’s books are being sanitised to a “crazy” extent by publishers, authors claim. Lindsey Gardiner said that editors opposed her depiction of a dragon toasting marshmallows on flames from his nostrils in one of her books because “it looked dangerous and went against health and safety”.

Britain ‘lacks motorways’

The development of British motorways is far outstripped by the growth in traffic using them, new figures say. The traffic increased by 27 per cent between 1996 and 2006 but the network grew by 8 per cent, the Road Users’ Alliance disclosed. Tim Green, the group’s director, said that the network was “totally inadequate to cope with current demand”.

Deer accidents cost £21m

Vehicle insurance claims after collisions with deer amount to more than £21 million a year, Autonational Rescue, the breakdown service, said. Up to 75,000 deer a year are struck by cars in Britain, it added. A study is to collect data on accidents involving deer.

Work e-mails invade home life

Employees spend an average of ten hours a month dealing with work e-mails in their own time, according to a survey of 3,000 adults by Peninsula, an employment law firm. Respondents checked e-mails before going to sleep, while having a bath or while commuting.

Pensioner killed by sports car

A pensioner has died after being hit by a sports car in Willesden, North London. The 72-year-old woman was struck by the left-hand-drive silver Mercedes SL60 on Saturday. A 31-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident.

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