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Run off their feet

The couple, from Weston-super- Mare, were convicted of claiming £125,000 in benefits for children they didn’t have. David and Nancy received £400 a week to help look after Gareth, Simon, Sandra, Brian, Jason, Rebecca, Philip, Edith, Terry, Barbara, Amanda, Jessica, Miranda, Jemma, Danny and Amber. The Week (Harry Glenister)

Miss Manners

Young people are terribly wellmannered now. They arrive with flowers and bottles of champagne and write thank-you letters. Jilly Cooper in the Independent on Sunday (Harvey Cole)

Ratty makes friends

I am by no means convinced that there is a problem with rats in or near the Lido but in any case the possibility of rodents has never bothered us gentlemen who swim at the open-air ponds, mingling with nature in all its forms. Whatever manner of wildlife is sharing our preferred habitat, it hasn’t done any of us any harm, as far as I’m aware. Letter in the Ham and High (Sigrid Rabiger)

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