31 December 1981 A man wounded in a fight by a harpoon, after apparently stabbing another man 13 times, escaped from a police guard at the Royal Free Hospital on Christmas Eve, wearing just pyjamas and a dressing gown. A detective said: He had a harpoon

31 December 1981

A man wounded in a fight by a harpoon, after apparently stabbing another man 13 times, escaped from a police guard at the Royal Free Hospital on Christmas Eve, wearing just pyjamas and a dressing gown. A detective said: "He had a harpoon through his stomach, so he won't be feeling all that clever."

The long-standing row between Camden Council, the Foreign Office and the USSR over who owes nearly £500,000 in rates for the Soviet Trade Delegation headquarters on Highgate West Hill is going to hot up.

The council has been negotiating for 13 years about the rates bill and is now considering going to the Ombudsman about it. The Russians say the Foreign Office should pay, the Foreign Office say the Russians should pay.