This Britain

A Longhorn cow at the last ever Royal Show yesterday

The Big Question: What is the Royal Show, and why is it coming to an end after 170 years?

Inside This Britain

That Summer: Why some years are unforgettable

Monday, 6 July 2009

The sun always shone, the sand was golden and ice cream has never tasted so delicious. We've all had summers that stay forever in our memories. Michael Bywater remembers his favourite

Zoo forced to shut as 30 chimps escape

Monday, 6 July 2009

Chester Zoo was evacuated this afternoon after 30 chimpanzees escaped from their enclosure. The animals found their way into a keeper area where their food is prepared at 12.40pm. More than 5,000 visitors were asked to leave the 110-acre zoo shortly afterwards, as keepers rounded up the chimps. There were no injuries to members of the public or staff and the decision was taken purely as a precautionary measure, the zoo said in a statement. "We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused to our visitors and would thank them for their full co-operation and patience," the statement said. The zoo has more than 1.3 million visitors a year and has been named by Forbes as one of the best 15 zoos in the world.

Minor British Institutions: Izal toilet paper

Saturday, 4 July 2009

It is a discomfiting thing to learn that Izal loo roll is still available. Not as discomfiting as it used to be, in the days when this slightly abrasive product was routinely found in school toilets and public conveniences, the harsh price of spending a penny away from home. Today it is not – quite – so harsh.