About 10,000 fraudulent UK passports are issued each year, according to a study by the Passport Service. Andy Burnham, a junior Home Office minister, said that fraud levels were thought to run at 0.18 per cent of the 6.5 million applications received annually. A spokesman said steps were being taken to strengthen passport security, including face-to-face interviews for all first-time applicants from October next year.

Fostering salary

Foster carers should be paid a wage of up to £20,000 a year to provide full-time care for children and young people in local authority care, a report by the British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering has recommended. It said this should be paid on top of an annual allowance of £6,000 to £12,600 for living costs.

Property award

An unmarried woman who made a claim for a share of a property in her former partner’s name has been awarded £700,000. Penelope van Laethem, 63, claimed that she was entitled to half of the current value of Caradoc Court, Ross-on-Wye, which she bought and renovated with Kim Brooker in 1991.

Critical after ride

A 16-year-old girl from Leicestershire was in a critical condition after going on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride at Walt Disney World in Florida. Leanne Deacon’s heart stopped as she was treated by paramedics after getting off the ride. She was revived and taken to hospital.

Boy soldiers plea

A recommendation by MPs to raise the age of recruitment for the Armed Forces from 16 to 18 has been rejected by the Government. Despite the MPs’ fears that 16-year-olds are too young to face military training regimes, Adam Ingram, the Armed Forces Minister, said that a starting age of 18 would make recruitment harder.

Sex attacker hunt

Police are hunting a serial sex attacker in Bath. Seven women have been indecently assaulted since November and police are appealing for any other victims to come forward. The man is described as white, in his 20s and about 6ft. He was wearing a black balaclava hood and dark clothing when he carried out the attacks.

Two killed in outdoor swims

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