George Osborne abandoned his plan to impose VAT on the Cornish pasty yesterday. All familiar high street foods, including pasties, sausage rolls, and meat and potato pies, are to be free from the taxman's grasp after a campaign of protest orchestrated by Greggs, the nation's largest chain of high street bakers.

Game shooting – the blasting of large numbers of pheasants and other birds out of the sky for enjoyment – has so far escaped the widespread opprobrium attached to fox hunting, largely because it takes place out of the public gaze. But that may be about to change.

George Osborne has abandoned his plan to impose VAT on the Cornish pasty. Take-away foods including pasties, sausage rolls and meat-and-potato pies, are to be free from the taxman's grasp after a campaign of protest orchestrated by Greggs, the nation's largest chain of high street bakers.

He is meant to be the Government's wildlife champion. So why is Richard Benyon backing a plan to destroy the nests of protected birds of prey in the interests of pheasant shooters?

Serves 4

Warming climate may have enticed first pair of the Continental herons to mate in Britain

Paperback reviews of the week

It ain't over till the fat man sings ... and eats up all those roast chickens

My parents were... My mum was a grafter and my dad very imaginative. I hope I've inherited both those qualities.

Justin Rose handed Darren Clarke a 6&4 drubbing at the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain yesterday.

High street shops are overloading their sandwiches with salt and fat, a survey suggests today.

West Ham have denied producing a new away kit for next season featuring the Barclays Premier League logo after a mock-up picture appeared online and apparently riled play-off opponents Blackpool.

Carroll Shelby," the great American racing driver Dan Gurney said, "was an automotive visionary and leader. His West Texas down-home bib overalls style had a huge emotional impact on me and when he launched his now legendary Ford-powered Cobra team, I found myself a very willing volunteer to lend my driving ability to his quest to take on the established European teams on their home turf."

The maker of Birds Eye fish fingers has followed Weetabix as the latest household British brand to attract takeover interest from Asia.