Dateline: AUGUST 1993


THE BIG STORY

Self-styled 'Hairy Cornflake' Dave Lee Travis resigned live on air from BBC Radio 1 because of sweeping changes being made to the corporation by managers.

He had joined the radio station when it first went on air in 1967, along with Tony Blackburn, Johnny Walker, John Peel and Noel Edmonds.

Nicknamed the Hairy Monster, he changed this to Hairy Cornflake after taking over the breakfast show slot from Noel Edmonds.

Changes at the station were brought about by then director general John Birt, who wanted to make the station more youth orientated and employ 'younger, trendier presenters', according to leaked report.

DLT, a former graphic designer whose first radio presenting job was for the pirate station Radio Caroline, famously stopped the music during his show to make the bombshell announcement. He pledged to leave the BBC in October when his contract was up for renewal.


The HEADLINES

Two Leeds United fans were left in hospital after running battles broke out following a 'friendly' between Leeds and Hibernian in Edinburgh. Rampaging fans stormed through the city centre after Leeds beat Hibernian 2-0.

The Cold War waged on as German authorities announced they had unmasked a mole suspected of passing top secret files to the East German authorities for more than a decade. The 47-year-old, named as Rainer R –codenamed Topaz – was arrested in Brussels, with his wife Christine-Ann.

Organisers of the 48th Harewood Show hit the headlines after they put up bright yellow posters to advertise the event, only to have them taken down following complaints from "petty and small-minded" residents who said they were too bright. Council officials agreed with residents but then sided with the organisers.

British Airways announced it was to ban smoking on European short-haul flights of 90 minutes or less from September. The move was set to affect more than 400 flights.

Former Formula 1 star Nigel Mansell won the Michigan International Speedway in the USA after he became Formula 1 world champion in 1992. He remains the only person to hold both titles simultaneously.

TV listings included Strike It Lucky, hosted by Michael Barrymore, The Jack Dee Show and Blooming Bellamy, with bearded botanist David Bellamy. Job advertisements from this month included: £16,500 to become a fibre cable inspector for Yorkshire Cable; £17,000 for a field service engineer for Abbott healthcare; a two-bed semi in Garforth, with central heating, lounge, kitchen and gardens to front and rear was on the market for £51,000.


THE GOSSIP

Princess Diana of Wales was in the news again, following speculation over her relationship with William Van Straubenzee, after the two of them – and princes William and Harry – went on holiday together to Scotland. It was known the pair had been very close in the past but media speculation about their 'tryst' was quickly put down.

Pizza boss Lester Kent, 36, heir to the Canadian Pizza Crust Company, refused to team up with Coronation Street and Brookside actors Mike Baldwin and Ron Dixon in a charity golf match because their TV characters spent most of their time being unfaithful to their wives. He said: "I'm a family man and I don't think children should be watching this."


THE WORLD

In the US, a federal judge sentenced Los Angeles Police Department officers Stacey Koon and Laurence Powell to 30 months in prison for violating motorist Rodney King's civil rights. Their acquittal in a state court the previous year sparked riots.


AND FINALLY

Madcap Roundhay man Tony Quinn changed his name twice so he was last in the telephone directory. He first changed it to Zacharia Zzzxpster in 1990 but was bested by a pal who entered himself as Zebadie Zzzzzzzzyt in 1991. The former Mr Quinn then changed his to Mr Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzxpster III in 1993 and claimed if he ever met a girl who wanted his phone number, he only needed to tell her it was the last entry in the book.