Pond power

Driven by fluctuations in oil prices and seduced by the prospect of easing climate change, experts are intensifying efforts to squeeze fuel out of a promising new organism: pond scum. As it turns out, algae - slimy, fast-growing and full of fat - is gaining ground as a potential renewable energy source. Experts say it is intriguing for its ability to gobble up carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, while living happily in places that are not needed for food crops. While no one has found a way to mass produce cheap fuel from algae yet, the race is on. University labs and start-up companies across the country are getting involved.

Marriage on the cheap

A couple enjoyed a lavish champagne wedding reception for just £51 after the bride bid for the event on eBay.
Colette Palin, 25, and Lee Clark, 34, could not believe their luck when the cut price bid for the reception at the three star Buckatree Hall near Telford, Shrops, was accepted. The hotel put the event up for auction on the website after a last minute cancellation.
Staff laid on a red carpet arrival for the happy couple followed by a champagne reception, a three-course wedding breakfast with wine for 35 guests and an evening buffet for 50 people. The pair were able to start married life without debts from a lavish wedding,