Beaver Breaks Ground ; Sub-Editors Choke Down The Chocolate

In a break with Easter weekend tradition, the very thin, Bank Holiday Monday edition of the local rag, The Swindon Beaver Herald went out on a limb and published today's front page story as a shocking, gripping hostage situation. In an unwritten gentlemen's agreement, stories are so thin on the ground over the Eater break that paper editors will only publish filler stories.

'' I couldn't believe it when the editor-in-chief rang and told us to run the hostage story on the front page. Usually we have a set of stories we pick out a hat to print on a holiday Monday. We'd prepared one about a runaway Easter chick that held up traffic at Mannington roundabout on Saturday evening. It's a shame really, we'd got a really good picture of a little yellow chick as well.'' That comment from junior cub reporter, Jimmy Olsen of the Swindon Beaver Herald.

Rumours that the same newly born chick is in talks for a future story deal about him stealing a car, robbing a bank and driving the wrong way down the M4 for the May Day Bank Holiday edition of the Beaver have been circulated this evening. The Swindon Beaver Herald has declined to comment.

Swindon Centric Says ; Extra! Extra! Chick and Beaver duo win ITV 1's Grease reality show! Exclusive!