But parents' fears about any link between the MMR vaccine and autism were allayed. The Daily Telegraph reported that a Japanese study has found 'there is no link between the MMR vaccine and rising rates of autism'.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has won his campaign to ban Turkey Twizzlers in school dinners, reported The Observer, as catering company Scolarest took them off the menu. But the French still spend up to three times more per head on school dinners than Britain, the Sunday Times said.
Two of Britain's biggest ever babies were born last week. The Daily Mail reported that Joanne Stokes gave birth to 'chunky Charlie', weighing 15lb 2oz, while 'Our Mighty Joe', who weighed 13lb 13oz, was born to Sara Griffin.
Finally, The Observer declared that a 'childcare shake-up will send men into the nursery'. The article - whose thrust proved difficult to interpret - said that Margaret Hodge would announce an extra 6,500 places for 'super childminders' by 2006. This category was described as 'parents recruited by their children's schools on to training schemes that could see them progress from childminder, to teaching assistant to eventually teacher or health visitor'.
