The Sky Falling In

A hailstorm in Emden, Germany, with hail the size of tennis balls, has caused a major problem for 30 000 vehicles at a Volkswagen plant. They were parked outside and the damage caused to the body work of the new cars could amount to €100 million (£79 million).

A spokesman for the car maker said that each of the vehicles would have to be examined for damage so they could be repaired before being sold, but luckily Volkswagen is insured against hailstorm damage and would not suffer financially.