25 years ago: Governing bodies at all 280 schools in the Bradford district were sent letters asking them to decide whether they wanted to continue using corporal punishment.

50 years ago: Sixty passengers escaped unhurt when fire broke out under a trolley bus in Little Horton Lane, Bradford.

Also in the news...

1883: A Mr Ashwell, of Herne Hill, London, patented the Vacant/Engaged toilet door sign.

1909: Geronimo, the great Apache leader, died. His real name was Goyathlay, which means ‘one who yawns’.

1972: Volkswagen broke the record held by the Model T Ford by selling the 15,007,034th production model of the Beetle.