March 2013

• 28/03/2013 - Holidaymakers look to flee snowy UK - With much of UK still buried under snow and forecasters predicting that freezing temperatures could remain until the end of April, many Brits are eagerly plotting their escape to sunnier climes.

• 28/03/2013 - Vets: it's chocs away for pets this Easter - Easter can be a killer for pets, with chocolate one of the most common animal poisons, vets have warned.

• 28/03/2013 - Warning for Brits driving abroad - The Foreign Office is launching a special road safety campaign to curb the rising number of accidents overseas involving British holidaymakers and ex-pats.

• 27/03/2013 - Most trusted garages identified in survey - The top 20 garages most trusted by motorists in the UK have been identified in a study from Motor Codes, the motor industry's operator of government-endorsed codes of practice.

• 27/03/2013 - Projects explore ways to cut flood risk - Communities in danger of flooding in nine local authority areas are to have half a million pounds spent on exploring ways to cut the risk, it has been revealed.

• 27/03/2013 - Car directions at root of most arguments - Nearly eight out of every 10 British couples have had a heated argument in the car about directions over the past 12 months, a new poll reveals.

• 26/03/2013 - Quadruplets start kitten season - Employees at a cat protection centre are bracing themselves for scores of unwanted cats over the next few months as 'kitten season' begins in earnest.

• 26/03/2013 - Over five million UK cars built pre-2000 - Millions of the cars being driven on British roads were registered a decade ago, newly released figures reveal.

• 26/03/2013 - Brits 'opting for nearly-new cars' - Most Britons planning to buy a car intend to opt for a used model as finances remain tight, new research suggests.

• 25/03/2013 - Casualty rates high in the City - The car accident rate in the City of London is 21 times higher than the safest area in England, Harrow, only 14 miles away, new figures have revealed.

• 25/03/2013 - Holidaymakers taking up exercise - Holidays are normally a time to put your feet up and relax, but some people are more likely to exercise when taking a break than they are at home, a survey shows.

• 25/03/2013 - Dentures for dinner: it's a dog's life - Underwear, human dentures and mobile phones, are just some of the items dogs have been caught eating, new research shows.

• 22/03/2013 - Ministers announce road safety tables - Local residents can now see their council's performance in reducing road casualties after the Government launched a safety comparison site.

• 22/03/2013 - Gender split over used car purchase satisfaction - Men are more likely to feel they didn't get a good deal when buying a used car than women, research has suggested.

• 22/03/2013 - Churchill art to go under the hammer - Art lovers will get the chance to snap up a painting of Winston Churchill created to mark the 1945 victory of the Allies in the Second World War.

• 21/03/2013 - Driver pothole woe 'more prevalent' - Two-thirds of drivers are taking evasive action to ensure they miss potholes on Britain's roads, a survey has revealed.

• 21/03/2013 - Hotel extras under the microscope - Holidaymakers are all too aware that essentials like travel insurance can quickly bump up the cost of trips abroad, but a new survey suggests they should keep an eye on the price of hotel room extras.

• 21/03/2013 - Osborne scraps 3p fuel duty rise - Chancellor George Osborne announced in his Budget that he is scrapping the 3p a litre rise in fuel duty scheduled for September.

• 20/03/2013 - Saab enthusiasts head for auction - An auction of 78 unique and collectable Saabs is about to open at KVD's marketplace in Gothenburg.

• 20/03/2013 - Brain training makes learners safer - A driving school is launching a scheme to help younger drivers develop the cognitive skills needed to anticipate danger on the roads.

• 20/03/2013 - UK roads among safest in Europe - Roads in Britain were among the safest in the EU last year, while road deaths across the entire continent dropped to a record low.

• 19/03/2013 - Burglar steals rare china statuettes - Rare china statuettes, stolen from a Welsh home as the owners slept on, have been valued at thousands of pounds.

• 19/03/2013 - Motorists 'ignoring' vehicle damage - Cash-strapped motorists are driving on Britain's roads with accident-damaged vehicles in their millions.

• 19/03/2013 - Drivers on mobiles blame wives or bosses - Surrey Police has released details of the excuses given by motorists caught using their mobile phones while driving.

• 18/03/2013 - Texting spells danger for drivers - Driving while well over the legal drink-drive limit is considered by many to be the worst thing a motorist could do, but new research shows texting while at the wheel is just as dangerous.

• 18/03/2013 - Councils compete for clutter award - Councils across the country are competing for an award recognising their efforts to rid their local areas of unnecessary road signs.

• 18/03/2013 - Frank flak for highways 'My Way' vid - Taxpayers have accused highways department bosses of wasting cash on doing it their way - with a Frank Sinatra spoof that encourages the reporting of potholes.

• 15/03/2013 - MPs investigate whiplash claims - MPs have launched an investigation into how the number of whiplash claims can be cut after the UK was referred to as the "whiplash capital of the world".

• 15/03/2013 - Lottery winners take luxury cruise - One couple's 50th wedding anniversary cruise was given an enormous upgrade thanks to a £3 million lottery prize won two weeks earlier. The couple will celebrate both their anniversary and win in a luxury cabin.

• 15/03/2013 - Low emission car sales double in 2012 - Sales of more environmentally friendly cars that put out less than 100g/km of CO2 and are exempt from road tax skyrocketed last year.

• 14/03/2013 - UK turns into 'whiplash epidemic' - A "whiplash epidemic" has spread across the UK and needs to be brought under control, it is claimed.

• 14/03/2013 - 'Deadly diets' putting pets at risk - Poor diets are putting millions of pets at risk of an early death, according to a new study by a veterinary charity.

• 14/03/2013 - UK golf breaks tee into action - Golfing holidays in the UK are growing in popularity, according to a travel website.

• 13/03/2013 - Road repairs 'could cost up to £10.5bn' - Local authorities believe they need up to £10.5 billion to bring roads in their area up to scratch, according to a report.

• 13/03/2013 - Road closed to allow for toad crossing - Motorists in south-west London may have to allow extra time to their journeys later this month as a road in Richmond is set to close to allow toads to cross safely to a pond to breed.

• 13/03/2013 - Celebs stuck on snow-covered roads - Unseasonable snowfalls have caused havoc on roads across parts of the country in the last 24 hours, with Twitter proving celebs are just as vulnerable as the rest of us.

• 12/03/2013 - Leeds number plate auction on way - Motorists wanting to get their hands on the latest personalised registration plates will be heading to an auction in Leeds later this month.

• 12/03/2013 - Drink-driving charge for Shilton - Ex-England goalkeeper Peter Shilton is getting ready to appear in court charged with drink-driving.

• 12/03/2013 - Weather leaves drivers stranded - Hundreds of motorists have been left stranded in their cars, some for as long as 10 hours, as the cold weather caused chaos on the roads.

• 11/03/2013 - New campaign targets biker safety - Drivers are being urged to think of the person behind the helmet in a new Government drive tackling biker safety.

• 11/03/2013 - RSPCA launches 'foster a pet' appeal - The number of families seeking to shield their pet from domestic abuse has reached unprecedented levels, according to the RSPCA.

• 11/03/2013 - Breeder on 'cloud canine' after triumph - Dog breeder Gavin Robertson was on cloud canine after his pooch Jilly scooped the top award at dog show Crufts

• 08/03/2013 - Woman gives birth on commuter train - Gob-smacked commuters were greeted with the surprising sight of a woman giving birth on a packed train.

• 08/03/2013 - Dogs arrive for Crufts extravaganza - Birmingham has been invaded by a host of pampered pooches for the annual Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre.

• 08/03/2013 - Drug-driving 'won't affect prescribed meds' - The Government has moved to reassure those on prescribed medication that they will not be penalised under proposed drug-driving regulations.

• 07/03/2013 - King Charles spaniel thief jailed - A man who stole a pensioner's cavalier King Charles spaniel from outside a supermarket has been sent to prison.

• 07/03/2013 - Crufts 2013 begins in Birmingham - Thousands of competitors and dog owners are heading to the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham for Crufts 2013.

• 07/03/2013 - Deals push car sales to new high - Attractive deals and private purchases helped new car sales move into a new gear in the traditionally low-volume month of February, according to new data.

• 06/03/2013 - Proposals could lower car insurance - Car insurance premiums for young newly qualified drivers could fall by around 15% to 20% if the Government implemented Safe Young Driver proposals from the Association of British Insurers (ABI), according to the insurance industry.

• 06/03/2013 - Dogs prepare to make Crufts appearance - Three rescue dogs have been limbering up before taking part in the agility section of this year's Crufts.

• 06/03/2013 - Scared dog hampers waterfall rescue - A frightened dog hindered efforts to rescue a man who had slipped at a waterfall, preventing paramedics from helping him.

• 05/03/2013 - MOT changes to come into effect - MOT tests are to be updated to reflect new vehicle technology, with changes for cars and large vehicles to come into force later this month.

• 05/03/2013 - Speeding drivers 'avoiding points' - Speeding drivers are getting away without points on their licence due to administrative shortcomings, it is claimed.

• 05/03/2013 - Car fuel economy 'falling short' - Global efforts to improve vehicle fuel efficiency are falling short of targets, a new report warns.

• 04/03/2013 - Border officers seize dried caterpillars - Border Force officials at Gatwick Airport have seized tens of thousands of dried caterpillars that a passenger was hoping to eat.

• 04/03/2013 - Cats 'seen as part of the family' - Cats might be a lot more independent than their canine rivals, but research has shown they still develop a remarkable relationship with their owners.

• 04/03/2013 - March 'busiest for MOT checks' - Nearly 2.7 million cars are examined to see whether they are roadworthy in March - making it the busiest month of the year for MOT checks, according to Halfords.

• 01/03/2013 - Mars mission wants married couple - By 2018, a married couple may be in a spaceship flying to Mars in a risky private odyssey that would shoot them around our closest planet, a financial mogul and his team revealed on Thursday.

• 01/03/2013 - MP calls for motorway 80mph U-turn - Plans to trial an 80mph motorway speed limit have been branded "crazy and dangerous" by the Shadow Transport Minister.

• 01/03/2013 - Campaign targets drink-drivers - British motorists have been urged to think again before getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol as the Government launched its safety spring offensive.