The Nifty 250: News of the day in so many words

PAUL MCCARTNEY’S CHILDHOOD HOME appears on a new National Trust version of the Monopoly board game. Cheshire's Lyme Park replaces Mayfair as the most expensive property and Old Kent Road becomes 20 Forthlin Road, in Speke, Paul’s former home.

The National Trust is the first charity to get its own version of the game, with sales going directly to the trust.

A SAUDI PRINCE HAS CONFIRMED his interest in “acquiring” half of Liverpool FC. Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah al-Saud is ready to pay a £200m to £350m stake, almost double the £174m US owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett paid for the whole club. The interest comes as new investors have been sought in return for a stake in the club.

PLANS TO pedestrianise Castle Street have been dropped over concerns it would cause problems for traffic flow.

But pavements are to be widened from four metres to 10 metres, with a single lane of one way traffic down the middle, and the whole street will be repaved in York stone or granite, as part of the £4m design.

Council officials hope the plan will help encourage a European-style cafe culture. The new designs are on show at the Town Hall from tomorrow until Friday.

A POISONED PEN LETTER WRITER has sent over 50 letters to houses across the UK, including in Merseyside and to the Prime Minister. Police forces across a number of counties are working together to try and trace the person behind the racially and sexually abusive letters. An appeal will be aired on BBC 1’s Crimewatch tonight.