Squirrels are real live-wires

Electricity suppliers in the East Midlands have been at a loss to explain a recent spate of power blackouts to customers.

Residents waking up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in some of the most densely-populated areas of the UK have been grumbling about the lack of electricity caused by the cuts.

But the Diary can now reveal the source of the problem. Two of the major local power suppliers have pinpointed the cause of the power cuts. They are apparently caused by squirrels, which are short-circuiting overhead cables when their tails brush against the high-voltage wires.

Hopefully the grim discovery will put an end to this tale of woe.