Cricket in the news

Cricket fans in England are very happy. Cricket fans in Australia are not.

The two countries have been playing a series of games in Australia for the trophy called The Ashes (which is the burnt remains of cricket stumps in a small pot). Last year, England won the Ashes.

They have won enough games in the current series to retain the trophy, but now they are likely to win the series as well - the first time they have done so in Australia for 24 years. The England team have been supported by a loud group of fans, the Barmy Army, and did a mad dance before one game which is now popular on the web.

British men get fatter

The average British man gained more than a stone (7.7kg) between 1986 and 2000, according to new research. Most of the extra weight was put on because men are eating more. But men are also exercising less.

The average woman gained 12lb (5.4kg) in the same time. All of this weight gain was caused by women eating more. The research team at Oxford University which did the work thinks men may be exercising less because they are watching more television and have jobs which involve sitting at desks.

More than half of all adults in the UK are either overweight or very overweight. The heart disease charity which funded the research says it shows there is a "ticking time bomb" for men's health, and a greater risk of heart and other health problems for men.

Strange way to attract shoppers

British people love a bargain. Supermarkets like to attract people with offers called "BOGOF" which stands for Buy One, Get One Free. This also sounds slightly rude in English.

One shopkeeper in Bournemouth has discovered a new way to attract customers. John Roberts has put a sign outside his Ganesh gift shop which says "Buy two, pay for three." Yes, you did read that right. It would be an expensive way to shop.

Mr Roberts says his "reverse marketing" gets people through the door - even if they only come in to point out his mistake.

Winter weather problems continue

Around 40,000 people's water supply was cut off for days in Northern Ireland just after Christmas because of burst and leaking pipes.

The UK has had its coldest December for a century, and many of the main water pipes in Northern Ireland were badly damaged. When the weather got warmer, there were huge numbers of burst pipes and leaks. Lots of water was lost from reservoirs as well.

Most households now have a normal water service again but the chief executive of Northern Ireland Water has resigned. A million attempts to contact the company were made during the crisis, but the system was "overwhelmed".

by Susan Young
susan@englishuk.com