Tapie swoop

French bank Credit Lyonnais swooped on the Paris mansion of charismatic politician and soccer boss Bernard Tapie yesterday, staking claim to his furniture and art works after the bank said he defaulted on a debt pay-back agreement, Reuter reports form Paris.

The state-owned bank said the agreement, which gave Mr Tapie five years to pay back pounds 153m, now was null and void because he had not given an estimate of his personal assets by the agreed date of 31 March.