New employment figures show that 60,000 more people were out of work – a total of 1.67m were unemployed between April and June. The new stats also reveal the number seeking jobless benefit rose at the highest monthly rate in

Left-handers carry a big advantage when it comes to learning to drive, new research suggests. The study by the AA shows that 57pc of lefties pass first time as opposed to just 47pc of righties. The findings also revealed that

The UK’s tallest yew hedge has undergone a bit of TLC at Lord Allen Apsley’s Bathurst Estate in the Cotswolds. The 300-year-old 40ft high giant costs more than £5,000 to trim once a year with workers amassing a ton of

Local councils are being given fresh encouragement to use terror laws to spy on residents, according to the Metro. The laws were originally brought in to access private phone bills and e-mails to catch bombers but increasingly authorities have used

The Highways Agency has launched a new campaign to combat littering on the UK’s major roads. The ‘Bag It and Bin It’ campaign urges motorists to store rubbish in their cars until they can stop and put it in a

As the new academic year approaches, students are facing a 20pc rise in rent in just four years according to new figures. Undergraduates can now expect to pay an average of £61.64 a week. Exeter showed the biggest price hike

The British Heart Foundation has said people could be putting their lives at risk if they think ‘Hollywood heart attacks’ are actually realistic. The typical movie-style reaction of keeling over and clutching the chest in complete agony could be an

More than 70 per cent of motorists would consider driving an electric car to help the environment. The survey, by insurer esure, discovered the biggest support for the idea of ‘going electric’ came from north-west England while Scots were the

A dip into the family archives has revealed that Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd descends from a clothes thief and a man convicted of stealing sugar. His fifth great-grandmother Mary Wade was about 12-years-old when she was sent packing Down

What could be the world’s oldest joke has been found on a tablet dating back to 1900BC in Sumeria, now southern Iraq. The “hilarious” gag reads: “Something which has never occurred since time immemorial: a young woman did not fart

Nearly three million schooldays were lost due to truancy or other reasons in the spring term this year, new figures have revealed. An estimated 61,000 pupils skipped class without permission and the number of children taking unauthorised holidays has also

Many towns and cities now give you the ultimate chance to get scared – or not – on evening walks around some of your favourite haunts. From Jack the Ripper walks in deepest London town to tours of castle, cellars

Can you name the Seven Dwarves? Or all the children from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? You’d be surprised at how you pass the time when there’s a delay at the airport. Holiday makers have been facing delays recently because

Is your MP backing Britain? A straw poll of what car they drive might give you an idea. And your local authority… or tax office? Which manufacturer do they use for their fleet cars or vans? Is it good business

What happens to all the rubbish in your town centre on a Saturday night? It’s all gone by Sunday morning but who are the mysterious squads that keep the streets clean? Get out there among the pigeons, bottles and chip

South coast footy fans are calling for Portsmouth FC’s FA Cup winning team to be given the freedom of the city. At the very least, manager Harry Redknapp should get it, some are saying. With it come some special, and