Lest we forget - Martin Newell remembers the war dead

War poet

The First World War inspired some of the country's most famous poets - figures such as Rupert Brooke and Wilfred Owen.

But now 90 years on, a former rock musician from Essex has written his own epic poem about that tragic event.

Martin Newell is known as Britain's most published living poet.

Read more extracts from the poem by Martin Newell

He was also lyricist for Captain Sensible (formerly of The Damned), and has worked with many rock bands over the years.

Martin is also poet in residence for the Sunday Express.

Inside Out travelled with him to the battlefields of France which inspired him to write A Return to Flanders.

Credit

Poetry published by kind permission of Martin Newell. The complete A Return to Flanders is available from Jardine Press.

Links relating to this story:

• BBC Inside Out - War poetry
• BBC: History: World War One
• Martin Newell
• Jardine Press

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Junk food

William Guntrip - suffering from the healthy eating boom?

Although just 13-years-old William Guntrip from Towcester is a budding businessman, whose hero is Richard Branson.

But his plans to make a quick fortune came unstuck.

His school threatened to expel him after his latest money making wheeze.

On a good day William could make £50.

But William's school say they're promoting healthy eating, and that's why they've banned fizzy drinks, chocolate and crisps.

However, it seems that William's fellow pupils just can't get enough his snacks.

Threat of expulsion

While William's school have threatened to expel him, 25 miles away in Daventry another school is also clamping down on the sorts of food its pupils can eat.

Healthy eating - fingerprinting can record a child's diet

But this school has not just banned rubbish food, they've also fingerprinted all the students because it helps the school to keep track of the types of food the kids eat.

A special screen is used to read each child's fingerprints - food bought is charged to their personal account and a computer remembers what each has had for lunch.

Although schools may have stopped serving junk food, it seems the local sweet shop is unlikely go out of business just yet, particularly if young entrepreneur William Guntrip has his way.

He's defiant, and plans to keep selling sweets and crisps to his schoolmates.

Links relating to this story:

• BBC News - Junk food to be banned in schools
• BBC News - The chips are down
• Department for Education and Skills
• School Food Trust

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites

Roadside verges

Most of us probably don't even notice them - the roadside verges of country lanes which flash by as we drive past at speed.

But the battle lines are drawn - between tidy and wild.

On one side are nature lovers who want to preserve and encourage rare flowers.

But local councils have to ensure safety - visibility and the effect of weather.

It's a fine balance between cutting and preserving wildlife.

Julia Napier is a wild flower lover:

"This is a typical roadside verge and it's completely devastated. It's an invisible tragedy, you are not living in the country. I was born in. As a child I would look out the window of my car and there would be great swathes of colour."

But with 2,300 km of rural verges to look after, Cambridge County Council came up with a novel idea.

It recruited volunteer wardens to advise highways on the most effective cutting schedules.

It's helping to ensure more wildlife is preserved.

Links relating to this story:

• Cambridge County Council

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites