Lofty ambitions

Officials at Northampton University, meanwhile, are at a loss as to what to do with their 1m-high former Express Lift tower. The Grade II listed building, known as the Northampton Lighthouse, was opened by the Queen in 1982. The Business School and the lift technology department are canvassing opinion on how to bring the former lift-testing tower back into commercial use. Suggestions so far include oil-rig pipe-testing and microgravity experiments.