The Daily: August 29

We scour the news so you don't have to.

A well-trained dog’s day out  
A six-year-old terrier, named Frankie, had sneaked out of his home in Kent to climb abroad a 6.56 am train to London. The cheeky Jack Russell, to the surprise of fellow commuters, rode on the train for nearly 30 minutes before being collected by a train manager. After being reunited with her dog, owner Jane Abbott said she was ‘distraught’ to discover that Frankie had gone missing but ‘would love to see the CCTV footage of the trip’ as  ‘it would be a YouTube sensation.’

Gardeners using coffee granules to deter slugs are breaking EU law
Gardeners that sprinkle coffee granules to keep the slugs at bay may be breaching EU laws, the Royal Horticultural Society has warned. The purpose of the EU regulation is to stop people using dangerous mixtures on plants that may be eaten in future or spreading chemicals that may harm wider wildlife.  Dr Halstead, principal scientist for plant health at the RHS, warned that gardeners could face heavy fines –although prosecution is unlikely.  However Anne Wareham, author of the Bad Tempered Gardener, commented that the EU law is ‘ridiculous’.

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry to watch five Paralympic events
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will be seen among the crowds at the Paralympics games, it was announced yesterday. The trio will be attending five competitions between them over the 11 days of sport. They are, however, expected to miss the closing ceremony. A spokesman for Disability Rights UK said: ‘The level of demand for Paralympics tickets is the highest ever and it would be great if everyone could share that enthusiasm. We would love to see the royals attend as many events as possible.’

‘Greatest’ British car named
The original Mini has been voted as the greatest car ever built in Britain, in a poll by Autocar readers. The legendary Mini held off opposition from the original Range Rover, the iconic E-type Jaguar and the sturdy Land Rover. Autocar editor-in-chief Steve Cropley said that the Mini ‘had the biggest impact on Britain’s car industry than any car has had.’ The poll for Autocar comes as Britain prepares to produce more cars on these shores than at any other time in history.

John Lewis is the first to sell the Nook
John Lewis will become the first store, outside of the US, to sell the Nook electronic reader from the American bookstore chain Barnes &Noble. The device will go on sale from October, with details concerning pricing to be revealed closer to the date. In the US the cheapest model sells for approximately £63.