Funny how the Government continually talks of safeguarding families and looking after workers, but the group it seems reluctant to protect is pensioners. Who was hit the hardest last week by the historic, or desperate, cut in interest rates? That increasingly rare species, savers. And who worked hard to stockpile their wages over the years and now depend on their savings to supplement their meagre standard of living? Pensioners.

Fearne Cotton, 26, is a television and radio presenter. She shot to fame working on children's television shows including Eureka TV and The Saturday Show before moving into more mainstream broadcasting with Top of the Pops, Love Island and The Xtra Factor. Fearne currently hosts the chart show on Radio 1 and presented this year's Golden Globes, Baftas and Oscars award ceremonies for the BBC. She is also the roving reporter for the Walkers ‘Do us a flavour’ campaign, where crisp lovers were challenged to invent a brand new flavour of crisp. The six final flavours are: Chilli & Chocolate, Fish & Chips, Onion Bhaji, Crispy Duck & Hoisin, Cajun Squirrel and Builder’s Breakfast. For more visit: www.walkers.co.uk.

There are plenty of ways to escape Christmas this year, from tiger-spotting in India to a polar cruise. Simone Kane suggests some cunning plans

It seems that Steve Fossett died an adventurer's death. During his 63 years on earth, he had sailed impossible voyages, broken records in hot-air balloons, swum the English Channel, climbed a few mountains, including the Matterhorn and Mount Kilimanjaro. Then, last September, while apparently looking for a site on which to make an attempt at the world land-speed record, he flew his plane into the side of a mountain in the Sierra Nevada, California.

Flora, fauna and heavenly vistas

Any other 19-year-old who had single-handedly restored England's footballing pride might have celebrated with a riotous night out. Theo Walcott marked his elevation to national hero with a session on his PlayStation.

Not sure what to do on your gap year? Check out our listings guide for inspiration.

'Almost anywhere in South America does it for me'

You would not wish it on your worst enemy, but there is no doubt the earthquake, and its aftermath, in China has taken the heat off the Beijing torch relay. It means there is less chance of human rights protesters being shot in Tibet – as the authorities threatened – when the torch is carried there this month. The leg has been reduced from three days to one as the Chinese scale down the global relay, which has been marred by demos, notably in London, since it began on 24 March. It is due in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, on 18 June and it will be interesting to see whether protests are muted following worldwide sympathy over the earthquake and the uncharacteristic openness shown by China over its reporting. This, claim the IOC, would not have happened but for the Olympics. A Chinese delegation visit London this week to discuss a repeat of the torch run here on 31 August prior to the Paralympics, and despite the ugly scenes which characterised its earlier appearance it seems likely a lower-key event will get the go-ahead. But the Chinese will be warned that the role of the tracksuited Chinese minders, labelled "thugs" by Lord Coe, must be curtailed.

'You get a huge rush of adrenalin'

Edward Bramah was the founder of the Bramah Museum of Tea and Coffee, which first opened on Butler's Wharf, near Tower Bridge in London, in 1992 and is now based in Southwark.

'I'd stay outside for 20 minutes and my eyelids would start to freeze up'

Paul Pritchard was left partly paralysed after a rock-climbing accident in Tasmania. He returned a year later and fell in love with nurse Jane Boucher who had helped cared for him. Paul, 32, and Jane, 24, now live in Llanberis, Gwynedd

Mountain biking