2. David Laws, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, claimed up to £950 a month for eight years to rent rooms in two properties owned by his partner. The claims could be against parliamentary rules governing MPs’ second home expenses. On Friday night, Mr Laws apologised and announced that he would “immediately” pay back tens of thousands of pounds claimed for rent and other housing costs between 2006 and 2009. He also referred himself to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. Mr Laws said: “I regret this situation deeply, accept that I should not have claimed my expenses in this way and apologise fully.” His controversial claims were not uncovered by an official inquiry into MPs’ expenses last year because Mr Laws did not admit that his landlord was also his long-standing lover. “My motivation throughout has not been to maximise profit but to simply protect our privacy and my wish not to reveal my sexuality.”

4. POLICEMAN Colin Swan risked his own life to save 50 children and adults from a burning coach. The PC was driving with his family on his day off when he spotted the vehicle was on fire on the M3. After realising the driver hadn't spotted the smoke, he drove in front of the bus, forcing it to stop. Then he evacuated around 20 kids on the lower deck. But smoke was getting thicker by the minute and many of the distressed youngsters on the upper deck were panicking and struggling to get down the staircase. So Colin ran halfway up the stairs, grabbed the children one by one and carried them to safety. While he was doing this, the coach was rocked by a small explosion. The vehicle shook violently and listed over to one side but there were still about 25 people on board, so Colin carried on with his rescue. He said: "With the diesel tank directly below the stairs, I knew the coach could blow any minute. After helping everyone off the coach, Colin dashed upstairs to double-check everyone was out then ran back downstairs and threw himself out. Seconds later the bus exploded.