11th February

1878 - The first weekly weather report is published by the Met Office.

1990 - After more than 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela walks to freedom from Victor Verster Prison, near Paarl, South Africa.

1998 - 18-year-old Michael Owen becomes the youngest footballer to play for England since the 1880s.

2001 - Ellen MacArthur becomes the fastest woman and youngest person to sail a single-handed race around the world. The 24-year-old covered 25,000 miles in 94 days.

2002 - Robbers escape from a top security area of Heathrow airport with £4.6 million. It is thought that the two men may have been workers at the airport.

2004 - A snorkeller in Sydney is attacked by a shark and then swims to shore before driving to get help - with the shark still attached to his leg.