February 4th

1927 - British driver Malcolm Campbell breaks the world land speed record in his car, Bluebird, with a speed of 174.88 mph.

1998 - Bill Gates has a pie thrown in his face in Brussels.

1998 - Captain Birdseye, aka James Hewson, retires from commercials at the age of 76. The Canadian said he intended to retire to Cornwall, and revealed that his bushy white beard had never been real.

2001 - Divers find the wreckage of Sir Donald Campbell's Bluebird in Coniston Water, 35 years after he was killed in an accident while attempting a world water speed record.

2002 - It is reported that Will Smith has refused to play Muhammad Ali for five years, because of fears of screwing up'. He only changed his mind when the boxing legend had called him personally and told him You are the man'.

2002 - A flight from Gatwick to Faro makes a 500-mile diversion so it can pick up 63 bags of golf clubs for the Jimmy Tarbuck Classic celebrity golf tournament.