The Olympic torch took a wrong turn today shortly before it crossed the Clifton Suspension Bridge in a spectacular display of fireworks.

70 police officers to guard one little flame might seem excessive, but the seven and a half thousand Olympic torch bearers still to run will no doubt be glad of the protection, after it has emerged that the torches they will carry have a street value of more than £100,000.

Newcastle, winners of the inaugural Premiership title in 1998 but bottom of the heap this time round, are 50 per cent out of the mire. Bristol's 29-18 victory over Cornish Pirates in the second leg of their Championship semi-final at the Memorial Ground yesterday was not enough to avoid an aggregate defeat and, as a result, one of only two contenders capable of replacing the Tynesiders in the elite league fell by the wayside.

Bristol's hopes of promotion to the Aviva Premiership took a hit when they were beaten 45-24 by the Cornish Pirates yesterday.

A rapper called Dappa Dred today lost a copyright battle with film-makers when senior judges ruled that his case was not worth fighting.

As well as being Head of Painting at Falmouth School of Art from 1958 until 1981, Francis Hewlett will be remembered for his extensive body of work, including portraits, still life, landscapes and large ceramic sculpture.

Cities that fail to adopt the idea of electing their own US-style mayors will lose out on jobs and investment to UK and overseas rivals, David Cameron said.

A father of five who accidentally shone a laser pen at a police helicopter, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing, was told by a judge he had avoided jail by a "whisker" today.

No Education Secretary has ever embarked on such radical reform, so quickly, since Kenneth Baker

Five people have been charged today following a disturbance at a multimillion-pound mansion occupied by squatters.

March is with us and a countryman's thoughts turn to his vegetable patch. There is a lovely old medieval poem which assigns a certain outdoor task to each month, and the line for March is: "Here I sette my thynge to sprynge," which means, "Now I sow my seeds." For the full jaunty early-English effect, by the way, make sure you pronounce the final "e" in "sette", "thynge" and "sprynge".

A gas fitter was convicted today of the manslaughter of a millionaire's daughter who died from carbon monoxide poisoning following the botched installation of a boiler.

No 8 forced to return to club rather than rest with country while Narraway chooses move to France

The man accused of the murders of vicar John Suddards and retired teacher Betty Yates made his first appearance before a High Court judge today.