Good evening, and welcome to the 10 o’clock news. Tonight’s main news:

An elephant has escaped from the local zoo. Eyewitnesses say that the animal wandered out of its cage during feeding time this evening. It remained unnoticed for twenty minutes, by which time it had left the zoo grounds and caused havoc in the local streets. Animal welfare officers are now trying to coax the elephant back. Until then residents are being warned not to approach it.

The vegetarian farmer’s group is holding an awareness day this Saturday at Hill Farm. All produce is fresh and organically produced. Families are welcome and there will be face painting and outdoor games for the children. Tickets can be purchased in advance from the organisers.

A local pub has defied all public expectations by becoming the first successful alcohol-free pub in the country. Sales have rocketed since the quiet country pub stopped serving alcohol, and owners say families love the atmosphere there now.

Local charity shops are appealing for people to bring unused pairs of glasses to their shops this week. The request is part of a nationwide appeal to offer people in other countries the chance to use the glasses. A previous appeal, made five years ago, was extremely successful, and it is hoped that this year’s will be even more so, particularly due to the increase in contact lens use.

As from tomorrow, mountain bikes will be banned in the city centre. Police say there have been too many accidents on the ring road this year. It is hoped that they will make cycle paths in the near future.

And now for the weather: Today will be bright for the most part, with top temperatures reaching 25 degrees Celsius. Tonight will be warm too, so perfect weather for barbecues! Overnight the pressure of these temperatures may result in a few storms in the South.

That’s all from the 10 o’clock news team. Thank you for watching.