Dr Nigel Poole of Zeneca called the process "like cutting someone's artery and letting them bleed to death".Karen Holt, the project manager, said: "I planted the more mature trees myself so I was very sad to see them destroyed. The environment will suffer as the research was demonstrating that less energy and chlorine would be used in treating wood pulp for paper. In the process, protesters destroyed an equal number of normal poplars used as comparisons in the trial, which began in 1995 and had the approval of English Nature. Five trees survived. The trees had been engineered to contain less lignin, the "woody" element of trees, so that less chlorine would be needed in the bleaching process during paper-makingand less energy needed to turn the trees into paper.Anonymous activists claimed responsibility for the damage, in which younger trees were broken, exposing pink wood that indicated their genetic modification. The attack, at the Jealott's Hill site in Bracknell, Berkshire, belonging to Zeneca Plant Sciences, was on Sunday night. Almost half the schools that responded to questions from the Portman Group, which promotes sensible drinking, said their pupils received between one and five hours of alcohol education..

ECO-WARRIORS have cut down the UK's only genetically modified (GM) trees - more than 50 poplars that had been developed to make the production of paper more environmentally friendly. Ministers have introduced daily literacy and numeracy hours into primary schools but they are particularly concerned about standards among older pupils who have benefited from these initiatives for only a short time.Ms Morris was speaking at a conference in London to review the Government's literacy and numeracy strategies.t Children in some schools are receiving only an hour's education on the dangers of alcohol in their entire school careers, says a survey published today. Estelle Morris, minister for School Standards, announced pounds 70m for the classes, which will start in September.Ministers have promised that 80 per cent of 11-year-olds will have reached the expected standards in English by 2002 and 75 per cent will have done so in maths.Literacy booster classes at Easter were "phenomenally popular" with teachers and parents, according to government sources. In a Tyneside project young people who were formerly homeless or unemployed are advising their peers on jobs, education and drug and alcohol abuse.A Bill to be introduced into Parliament this autumn will set up a body to run education and training for people aged 16 to 19 and ensure that all pupils have access to careers advisers in an attempt to stop them dropping out of school.Meanwhile, primary school pupils are to be invited to attend booster classes in literacy and numeracy after school, during the holidays or at weekends. Ministers have already set targets to bring 85 per cent of 19-year- olds up to a minimum standard of education by 2002.The report recognises that some 16-year-olds will continue to take jobs but it will emphasise that legislation introduced by the Government gives young people the right to have time off to study while they are working.The Social Exclusion Unit was asked by the Prime Minister to assess how many young people dropped out of education and employment, to analyse why and to produce proposals to reduce the numbers.The Department for Education is already running pilot projects to persuade disaffected teenagers to gain qualifications.

The males are more likely to be involved in or to become involved in crime, and about half the girls are either mothers or caring for relatives. All are more likely to face long-term unemployment than those who continue in some form of education or training.David Blunkett, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, aims to keep all young people in education or training until they are 18. A report from the Social Exclusion Unit will also show that a further 160,000 - about one in 11 - are in dead-end jobs without hope of further training. Aged 16 to 18, the subjects of the project are much more likely than their better- educated peers to be homeless, ill or depressed, the report suggests. RESCUE PLANS for a lost generation of 160,000 teenagers who have dropped out of education, training and employment will be announced by the Government today.

The millionaire novelist met Cooper through his sport and charity links.The Archer bandwagon received another push when Edward Lister, leader of Wandsworth Council for the past seven years, agreed to be his running mate for the deputy's position.Lord Archer said he was "delighted that one of the most respected council leaders in Britain has agreed to stand as my deputy".But Trevor Phillips, the television presenter who hopes to become Labour's candidate for Mayor, seized on Mr Lister's policies in Wandsworth, where he was criticised by police after seeking to recruit householders to patrol the streets as unofficial crimefighters."Now we know the truth - Jeffrey Archer is simply the front man for the hard-faced ideologues of the hard right," said Mr Phillips.Meanwhile, Richard Branson, the Virgin boss, said from Shanghai that he was considering standing for mayor.. In September, the party's London members will choose their mayoral candidate for next May's election. Tory officials denied that Mr Major's endorsement signalled that William Hague would support Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare, who faces a challenge from Steve Norris, a former transport minister.Lord Archer and Mrs Shephard were both members of the so-called "East Anglian mafia" who lived near Mr Major's Huntingdon constituency and became close allies - although Mr Major dashed Lord Archer's hopes of a ministerial post. The birds had died out in England and Scotland by the late 19th century, although a few remained in Wales They have been reintroduced gradually since 1989 Photograph: Charles Knight. JEFFREY ARCHER claimed heavyweight backing for his campaign to become mayor of London last night after winning the support of John Major and Henry Cooper, the former boxer.