Experts in intensive care and anesthesia have predicted that the current swine flu pandemic could overwhelm critical care beds and ventilators in England, with hospitals on the South East Coast, and in the South West, East of England and East Midlands, being worst hit.

THE country's first "space academy" was launched yesterday for students aiming for a career in Solar System exploration. It has been set up by the National Space Centre, in Leicester and will provide education programmes, summer space schools, roadshows and conferences.

Ryanair has announced that it will launch three new services from the UK to connect Liverpool and East Midlands with Paris, and the London Stansted Airport with Agadir, Morocco.

A Community hospital and health centre is to be built in Ashbourne. The pounds20m development will benefit more than 35,000 people when it opens in 2011. It will replace the Ashbourne Health Centre, in Compton Street, and St Oswald's Community Hospital.

More people can see a GP in Derbyshire within two days than in other parts of the UK, according to a patient survey. Ninety per cent of patients in Derby and 89% across the county say they can get an appointment within two days, compared to a UK average of 87%.