Superman Dies
Christopher Reeve is shown in this scene from the first 'Superman' film in 1978. Although he will always be remembered for portraying 'Superman,' the greatest role of actor Christopher Reeve's life was as a champion of sufferers of spinal cord injuries and an advocate of stem cell research. Reeve, paralyzed from the neck down in a 1995 riding accident, died on October 11th, 2004. Extra image - roll mouse over picture to the left.

Young Conservatives
Barely able to see over the podium, 17-year-old Jessica Lever, from Elstree in Hertfordshire, becomes the youngest person ever to address the Conservative Party Conference, Thursday October 7th 2004, in Bournemouth. Jessica has urged would-be MPs to get out to schools and colleges and woo young voters.

Michael Fish was a Weatherman
Michael Fish, the BBC weatherman with the milkbottle glasses, dubious fashion sense and threadbare moustache, retired 6th October 2004 after charting Britain's climate for more than 30 years. Britain's longest-serving meteorologist and one of the world's veterans in the field, will certainly be remembered and will never live down his biggest gaffe: dismissing the great storm of 1987. The gales that devastated Britain that night were the worst in 300 years.

With his flamboyant screen presence and singular dress sense, Mr Fish entertained audiences with his predictions for sunshine and showers. Attempting to justify some of his clothing choices, he said: "I do have to be up at four o'clock in the morning to come into work.

For your Lyneham weather forcast and archived data, why not visit our comprehensive weather section, click here

Houdini Dog - Great Escape
Battersea Dogs Home staff were beginning to think they had a resident ghost because the dogs were being let out at night and helping themselves to food in the kitchen. However, the installation of security cameras revealed the truth, to show that 4-year-old greyhound 'Red' was letting himself and eight other dogs on his corridor out of their locked pens. Clever Red had studied staff unlocking the doors and realised he could operate the catch by using his large teeth as prongs.

USA Volcano Erupts
Mount St. Helens spews steam and ash high into the skies above Washington state 1st October 2004 as it awakes from years of slumber, but remains far below the scale of the catastrophic 1980 eruption that killed 57 people. The volcano, 100 miles south of Seattle, last erupted, without serious damage, in 1986.