UK News: Library buys Hughes poems for £30,000

Poems and letters written by former Poet Laureate Ted Hughes, which have never been seen in public before, have been bought by the British Library.

The material is contained in an archive, purchased for just under 30,000, which belonged to the late poet's sister, Olwyn Hughes.

Defence cuts slammed

The Government's planned spending cuts for defence are so deep they could jeopardise the Armed Forces' ability to maintain current military operations, MPs warned today.

The Commons Defence Committee said the strategic defence and security review was being pushed through too quickly.

Blood test holds key to beating prostate cancer

A SINGLE blood test for men aged 60 could identify those most likely to develop and die from prostate cancer, new research has suggested.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, with 35,000 in the UK diagnosed every year, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The findings in the British Medical Journal suggested the single test could pinpoint which men needed to be monitored closely and others who would need no further checks.

Warning over used cars

CONSUMERS were urged today to learn their rights before buying a used car after a surge in complaints.

The Office of Fair Trading said the advice service Consumer Direct took just over 38,000 complaints about second-hand cars bought from dealers in the first six months of this year - a rise of 18 per cent on last year. Complaints about cars continued to top the list of calls.

Singer starts jail sentence

George Michael is behind bars today after being sentenced to eight weeks in jail for crashing his car while under the influence of cannabis.

A judge told the wayward star his addiction to marijuana put him and the public at risk.

London: The sacrifices of RAF pilots who fought in one of the most pivotal battles in recent British history will be remembered today.

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, veterans, military figures, politicians and other dignitaries will gather for the unveiling of a new statue at Waterloo Place.

Cumbria: A Roman bronze helmet complete with face-mask, thought to be one of only three of its kind to be found in Britain, has been discovered by a metal detector enthusiast.

The helmet is now expected to fetch 300,000 at auction.