Red-letter day for new Scrabble champion

Andrew Fisher, was unsure if the word "buvette" existed when he placed the seven tiles on the board in yesterday's final of the National Scrabble Championships.

But the 74-point word - meaning refreshment bar - ultimately sealed victory, and the 31-year-old accountant from Glastonbury, Somerset, emerged from the three-day event at the Forte Crest Hotel in Regent's Park, central London, as the 25th national champion. Runner-up was Terry Kirk, 34, a financial data editor, of Finchley, north London.

Between them, they saw off the challenge of 68 other competitors who won through to the final stages, including a crossword compiler, a television game show producer, students, civil servants and teachers. The youngest was just 14 years old.