1988 - An explosion aboard the North Sea oil rig Piper Alpha, off the coast of Aberdeen, resulted in the loss of 167 lives. It is the world’s deadliest ever oil rig accident.

2012 - The Shard, Europe’s tallest building to date and ‘a gleaming feat of glass and gravity-defying engineering’, was officially unveiled in London.

1990 - Paul Gascoigne collected a booking against West Germany, which would have ruled him out of the FIFA World Cup final if England got there. This resulted in the famous on pitch crying scenes.

1954 - The end of food rationing in Britain – almost 9 years after the end of World War II. Smithfield Meat Market in London opened at midnight instead of 6am to cope with the demand for beef.

1987 - Moors murderer Ian Brady offered to assist police searches of Saddleworth Moor for the first time since his conviction.

1916 - The Battle of Somme began. The British Empire and France went to war against the German Empire during World War I. The battle lasted until November 18, 1916 and up to 1.3 million people died.

2012 - Rufus, the hawk that patrolled Wimbledon's tennis courts to frighten away pigeons, was stolen from a car parked outside his owner's home. Three days later he was returned, to a national animal charity in London.

1927 - For the first time in 200 years, a total eclipse of the sun was seen in Britain. Those at Giggleswick in Yorkshire were able to see a perfect, full eclipse which lasted for less than 1/2 minute.

2015 - The broadcast of the final episode of Top Gear with presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. Clarkson's contract was not renewed earlier in the year after an 'unprovoked physical attack' on producer, Oisin Tymon at a hotel in North Yorkshire in March 2015. His co-hosts refused to present future shows without him.