Yesterday was a ...

Good Day for Mary Esposito of Forest Park, Georgia, who won first prize in a nationwide contest to find the worst cockroach-infested homes in the United States. Roaches live in her dishwasher, refrigerator, oven, coffee-maker, VCR, wallpaper, dresser drawers and bathtap. "While I cook, roaches fall from the ceiling fan into my food," she said. "I keep a clean home and am frustrated that roaches keep coming back." Mrs Esposito wins $1,000 and a supply of cockroach control products.

Bad Day for debutantes, as a survey conducted to celebrate the centenary of Country Life magazine revealed that debs are not what they used to be. Of the young ladies currently adorning the front cover only 3 per cent have a horse, compared with 50 per cent in the 1930s. They also marry later (at an average age of 27, compared with 22); have children later (30, compared with 23); and 32 per cent have pet fish.

Sticky Day for wallowing, as a circus elephant, which was taken for a swim in a Stockholm canal, got stuck in the mud and had to be lifted out by a crane. "Elephants love the water, and sometimes things like this happen," the circus director Bo Roennberg said.