A MAN was taken to hospital with severe facial injuries after he was assaulted in Darlington last night. The incident happened in North Road, opposite the Morrisons supermarket, at about 5.40pm. The man was last night being treated for a head wound in Darlington Memorial Hospital. Witnesses or anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact PC Wayne Barrigan on 0845 60 60 365.

Cancer hope: A substance found in evening primrose oil may prove to be a powerful weapon against aggressive breast cancer, scientists revealed last night. In tests it not only suppressed an important breast cancer gene but also amplified the effects of a drug used in advanced stages of the disease.

Napoleon's tooth: A tooth said to have belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte is expected to sell for up to £8,000 when it is auctioned in Swindon, Wiltshire, next week. The tooth is believed to have been extracted in 1817 while the former French leader was in exile on the island of St Helena.

'Stamp stays': The Royal Mail has refused to withdraw Christmas stamps after Hindus said the image it represented was insulting to their religion. The 68p stamp is taken from a 17th Century picture and features a man and a woman with Hindu markings worshipping the infant Christ.

Price rise: The cost of fruit juice could rise by 25 per cent because supplies have been hit by poor weather, the British Soft Drinks Association warned yesterday. Hurricanes and strong winds have affected orange growers in the US and the Caribbean, while a summer drought in Poland hit apple production, causing supplies of juice to drop.

On the run: People in Birmingham are being asked to check trees and sheds after a red panda disappeared from a nature centre in the city.

BUDGET fares: Fares starting at £1 are being offered to rail passengers as part of a pilot scheme on two routes operated by South West Trains.