1. Flood anguish

A New Orleans man who rescued 200 people during the Katrina flood is being sued for taking a boat without permission. Mark Morice says he "did it for his neighbours", but the owner says the removal of the boat caused him "mental anguish, embarrassment and suffering . . ."

2. Death by McFlurry

McDonald's will redesign its McFlurry containers after the British Hedgehog Preservation Society pointed out that many hedgehogs tempted by leftovers in discarded tubs were getting their heads stuck and starving to death.

3. Liar, liar

No lies could get Kenneth Ray Brooks off the hook after he robbed a bank in Orlando, Florida, and shoved the loot down his trousers. When bank staff activated a small explosive pack of dye among the notes, his pants caught fire.

4. Told you so

A family that tried for ten years to have a 60ft cedar tree in the neighbour's garden cut back was left homeless when it crashed through the roof. Surinder Mann said she had warned Derby City Council many times that the tree was unsafe, but they placed a preservation order on it.

5. Fortissimo

A gospel-singing congregation apologised to locals in Forest Hill, south-east London, for causing noise pollution on Sundays. Residents said hymns coming from the Celestial Church of Christ registered 100 decibels and amounted to an "unholy din".