'Mitchells & Butlers denies it has hit cash crisis'

Mitchells & Butlers, which effectively put itself up for sale this year, went on the attack yesterday after a City analyst alleged the pub company may be running out of cash. Shares in Mitchells & Butlers lost almost a fifth of their value - a one-day record for the firm - after Julian Easthope, an analyst at Lehman Brothers, warned that the company may need more cash to stay afloat - The Guardian​

Mitchells & Butlers was forced to issue a strong defence of its funding arrangements after questions raised by an analyst about the pub group's cash position prompted a sharp fall in shares - The FT​

Boozed-up "saga-lout" Brits - the over 55s - are landing in trouble by getting drunk abroad, says the Foreign Office - The Daily Mirror​

The differences between the sexes extends to the dinner plate with men preferring meat and women opting for fruit and vegetables. Research has found that women are programmed to choose a healthier diet - The Telegraph​

Garden centres and online suppliers are unwittingly helping fuel the illicit trade in timber. Vietnam has become a clearing house for illegally logged hardwood timber which ends up as outdoor furniture in Britain - The Telegraph​

Hundreds of schoolkids wrecked a village hall after getting drunk at a 14th birthday party. They kicked holes in walls, ripped down a urinal, left toilets full of vomit and condoms and smashed glasses in a kids' play area - The Sun​

There is a real possibility that, within a few months, there will hardly be a pig left in Scotland. That was the stark message delivered yesterday by Jim McLaren, president of NFU Scotland, and his prognosis is supported by official figures tracking the decline in the breeding herd over the past decade - The Scotsman​

The first white Easter for 25 years is forecast this weekend. Three inches of snow are predicted in parts of North and Central England and Scotland on Saturday night - The Daily Mail​