March 2011

• 31/03/2011 - Tailgating is 'top driving offence' - Tailgating on the motorway is the most serious offence a driver can commit, according to a survey.

• 31/03/2011 - Plucky dogs survive 150ft fall - Pet pooches Sasha and Moby fell off a cliff in south Wales while chasing rabbits.

• 31/03/2011 - Call for millions of electric cars - Millions of electric vehicles will be needed over the next 20 years.

• 30/03/2011 - 63% say fuel duty cut 'not enough' - A poll has revealed that 63 per cent of motorists do not think that George Osborne's 1p fuel duty cut was sufficient.

• 30/03/2011 - January increase in finance car deals - More motorists pursued car finance deals when buying a new car in January, according to research.

• 30/03/2011 - Rural property prices increased - People buying homes in rural areas have started to see higher price rises during the first quarter of the year.

• 29/03/2011 - Puppy love for music star Lily - Lily Allen has hailed a new arrival in her home - a 10-week old Irish Wolfhound puppy.

• 29/03/2011 - BA workers vote for strike action - British Airways cabin crew have voted more than 8-1 in favour of strike action.

• 29/03/2011 - Customers make dash for sporty cars - Sporty cars such as the Pagani Zonda are being increasingly sought by customers this spring.

• 28/03/2011 - Time up for country house burglar - A burglar who visited country houses looking for security weaknesses has been jailed for stealing items including porcelain worth more than £1 million.

• 28/03/2011 - Fruit could help make car parts - Scientists in Brazil have used fibres from pineapples and bananas to create a new generation of super-strong automotive plastics in the hope that they can eventually be used to build car bodies and even engine parts.

• 28/03/2011 - Winter survey launched in Edinburgh - Edinburgh residents will be given the chance to voice their opinions about ways for the city to combat harsh winter weather.

• 25/03/2011 - Flats damaged after gas explosion - Fifty people were evacuated after a gas explosion ripped through a block of flats in Runcorn.

• 25/03/2011 - ONS issues Census form warning - 2011 Census director Glen Watson poses with the questionnaires before they were sent to 26 million homes across England and Wales.

• 25/03/2011 - Britons worried about Budget impact - More than a quarter of Britons are worried about what the Budget means for them.

• 24/03/2011 - Homes flooded by burst water pipe - Some homeowners have been left without running water after the pipe burst.

• 24/03/2011 - Osborne 'cannot stop petrol hikes' - Chancellor George Osborne cut fuel duty but cannot stop oil firms putting prices up.

• 24/03/2011 - Teenager risks her life for cat - A cat owner on the Isle of Wight had to be rescued after risking her life for her feline friend.

• 23/03/2011 - Dog given mouth-to-mouth after fire - Firefighter Mick Dunn went to extraordinary lengths to save the life of a dog after a house fire.

• 23/03/2011 - Hard-shoulder move cuts accidents - Motorway congestion has been cut down in areas where hard-shoulder running has been introduced.

• 23/03/2011 - Damaged car to be used by Middleton - Kate Middleton will travel to Westminster Abbey in the vehicle that was attacked by student protesters in December.

• 22/03/2011 - No lowering of drink-drive limit - There will be no change to the drink-drive limit, it has been announced.

• 22/03/2011 - Women worrying over car insurance - Some female drivers have raised fears over increased insurance premiums after a new ruling.

• 22/03/2011 - Royal car repaired for wedding - The car was attacked by protesters in December last year as it carried the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.

• 21/03/2011 - Crashed cars yield hazardous cargo - All manner of things are left in the back of cars, including false legs and 200 jars of jam, according to Churchill Insurance - and clutter can be an added danger to drivers during accidents.

• 21/03/2011 - Survey shows fury at fuel duty rise - A recent poll has demonstrated the depth of public anger over the UK's growing level of fuel duty.

• 21/03/2011 - Newer car warning for young drivers - New drivers should try to buy the latest model possible when choosing a first car to minimise their risk of accidents, a leading road safety charity has said.

• 18/03/2011 - Dog sold for £945,000 in China - The Red Tibetan Mastiff is called Big Splash, and is thought to be a holy animal.

• 18/03/2011 - Increase in car production total - Car production rose last month according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

• 18/03/2011 - Squirrel's nut stash damages car - The squirrel caused substantial damage to Mr Gold's car by hoarding nuts in his vehicle's air intake system.

• 17/03/2011 - More properties on house market - The number of properties being put up for sale has increased over the last year.

• 17/03/2011 - 'Petrol prices 'top travel concern' - Petrol prices have become a top concern for Britons, according to a new survey on attitudes to travel.

• 17/03/2011 - Stray dog survivor causes sensation - The potential owners of a new canine sensation look forward to welcoming an addition to their home.

• 16/03/2011 - Car CO2 emissions down 3.5% in 2010 - Research has revealed that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new cars fell 3.5% in 2010, compared to a year previously.

• 16/03/2011 - '46 hours a year spent in traffic' - British drivers sit in traffic for an average 46 hours a year, a report has found.

• 16/03/2011 - Cat looks after owner when he fits - Lilly the cat can detect when her owner is about to have an epileptic fit.

• 15/03/2011 - Drink-driving limit 'must be zero' - What Car? buyer's guide wants the drink-driving limit to be cut to zero.

• 15/03/2011 - Charity challenge set to hit road - Robin Blacklock with his son Angus at Celtic Park in Glasgow, during the launch of a challenge to drive 7,000 miles to 21 European Champions.

• 15/03/2011 - Police-dog bites cost forces £770,000 - UK police forces have paid 770,000 pounds in compensation to people bitten by police dogs in the last three years.

• 14/03/2011 - Crufts prize for 'one in a million' - A golden retriever-poodle cross has been named the best "friend for life" in a dog show competition on Sunday night.

• 14/03/2011 - Late snowfall hits road network - Late winter snowfall of the kind that blocked roads and delayed trains in the Highlands can lead to cars breaking down - so it's always a good idea to make sure you have adequate breakdown cover.

• 14/03/2011 - Car owners warned to hide keys - Car owners have been warned against leaving keys on display in their homes after a spate of burglaries in which cars were stolen.

• 11/03/2011 - 120th Crufts show gets underway - The 120th Crufts dog show is underway at Birmingham's NEC.

• 11/03/2011 - Rare painting to sell for £100,000 - The painting of the Liverpool Docks is expected to fetch a six-figure sum when it goes to auction.

• 11/03/2011 - MPs call for insurance fraud team - The House of Commons Transport Committee thinks the insurance industry should fund a police team to combat fraudulent claims.

• 10/03/2011 - Skinner sees funny side of breath test - Frank Skinner faced a breath-test despite being teetotal for 25 years.

• 10/03/2011 - Appeal over £20,000 jewellery theft - Police are appealing for information about the theft of jewellery worth £20,000 from a house in Dundee.

• 10/03/2011 - David Morrissey adopts rescue dog - David Morrissey and his family have taken in rescue dog Billy after being introduced to him on a TV show.

• 09/03/2011 - Drivers told to aim higher in buys - Drivers who want value-for-money have been advised to go for a higher spec car rather than a series of optional extras.

• 09/03/2011 - Ben Fogle backs hearing dogs scheme - Ben Fogle has helped launch a sponsorship programme for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

• 09/03/2011 - Britons still using mobiles at wheel - Most Britons admit to using mobiles at the wheel - despite laws banning them from doing so.

• 08/03/2011 - UK 'dependent' on sat-nav systems - The UK is "dangerously dependent" on the GPS satellite navigation system, according to a report from the Royal Academy of Engineering.

• 08/03/2011 - TV is 'more popular than ever' - People generally view more television than they think they do, according to research.

• 08/03/2011 - Garage sale: yours for £150,000 - A new garage in a city centre could set you back as much as the cost of a flat, it has emerged.

• 07/03/2011 - Osborne hints at fuel duty rise axe - Cash-strapped motorists feeling the squeeze could be handed some respite after Chancellor George Osborne hinted that a 1p fuel duty rise planned for April could be axed amid fears over soaring oil prices.

• 07/03/2011 - Flood defence exercise to be held - A £1.8 million civil defence exercise to test how prepared England and Wales are for extensive flooding will see people rescued from rooftops and a school evacuated, the government has confirmed.

• 07/03/2011 - Petrol prices 'reach record high' - Campaigners have warned of an impending fuel emergency after a garage in England started charging £1.40 for a litre of unleaded.

• 04/03/2011 - 85% want pet dog at work with them - Dogs are likely to be more trouble than they're worth if brought into the workplace.

• 04/03/2011 - Warning on cost of electric cars - Car manufacturers must concentrate on making electric vehicles more affordable, Renault boss Thierry Koskas has said.

• 04/03/2011 - EU car insurance ruling slammed - Women have slammed the EU car insurance ruling in a new survey.

• 03/03/2011 - Millions of pets neglected: PDSA - The PDSA veterinary charity says millions of pets are being neglected across the UK.

• 03/03/2011 - Britons likely to protest over fuel - More than half of Britons are prepared to protest over rising fuel prices, a survey has shown.

• 03/03/2011 - Increase in potential home buyers -The number of people looking to buy a home last month rose by 14.7%.

• 02/03/2011 - Insurance move is 'utter madness' - A European Court decision will prevent gender being used when setting car insurance premiums.

• 02/03/2011 - Diesel vehicles still more expensive - BCA said diesel cars are around a third more expensive than petrol cars, an all-time high.

• 02/03/2011 - Call to cut royal spending to repair roads - A poll of motorists revealed that more than half would like to see spending on the Royal Family cut in order to repair potholes.

• 01/03/2011 - Hero dogs among award finalists - PC Robert Crawford with Jake, a Cocker Spaniel sniffer dog who helped after the 7/7 bombings.

• 01/03/2011 - Speed limit could be 80: Chancellor - The speed limit could be raised to 80mph to help the economy, the transport secretary suggested.

• 01/03/2011 - Drivers angered by 'bad parking' - Parking too close to other vehicles and 'stealing' a space that a driver is waiting for are considered some of the worst parking offences, a new survey has revealed.