It is the giant redwood of the coral forest."The new threat adds to the dangers posed to coral reefs by the rising temperature of the Earth's oceans caused by global warming, which could kill off species by causing "bleaching".Coral reefs are estimated to contain one-quarter of the undersea world's diverse species while covering less than 0.2 per cent of the ocean floor.Research in 2000 suggested that without urgent action, 40 per cent of the world's coral reefs will be lost by 2010 due to climate-related bleaching, pollution and disease But preventing white pox will be difficult. The study has not drawn a direct link between the disease and untreated sewage, and S. marcescens is very common in nature.Dr John Bythell, from the Department of Marine Sciences and Coastal Management at Newcastle University, said he thought it was the first time that a bacterium found in humans had been implicated in coral disease. But he said the bacterium might simply be acting opportunistically to attack coral already weakened by other stresses.. The children of men exposed to radiation at the Sellafield nuclear plant in Cumbria have twice the normal risk of blood and lymph cancers, a report says. In 1990 the late Martin Gardner, an epidemiologist from the University of Southampton, produced evidence of a link between doses of radiation received by men employed at Sellafield and the incidence of leukaemia among their children. But the hypothesis has been criticised, with many experts arguing that large numbers of people moving in and out of the area in Cumbria might have spread infections that raise the risk of cancer.Now the most comprehensive study to date into the possibility has reopened the debate.

Heather Dickson and Louise Parker from the University of Newcastle compared the fates of 9,859 children fathered by men exposed to radiation at Sellafield with those of 256,851 children born to other fathers in Cumbria between 1950 and 1991.They found that the incidence of leukaemia and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma – which are cancerous diseases of the blood and lymphatic systems – in Cumbria was twice as high among Sellafield children.The incidence was 15 times as great in Seascale, a small village next to the power plant, New Scientist magazine said. Crucially, the risk to children rose in line with the radiation dose received by their fathers.. Plans for Mellow Park and Spinnette, who disappointed in the Oaks at Epsom 10 days ago, have been redrawn by Jeremy Noseda. The Newmarket-based handler, who was on the mark with Just James in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot yesterday, said that Spinnette – who finished last at Epsom – would now drop back to maiden company, while Mellow Park, who finished sixth, is to have a break from racecourse action.

She has had a bit of a break now and we will try and bring her back in the Lancashire Oaks. If that comes too quickly then we'll take our time, there is no rush."She lost her action a bit coming downhill but picked up on the rising ground and didn't run a bad race in the end, although I wouldn't want to take anything away from the first two [Kazzia and Quarter Moon] who were clearly the best on the day. Even if we'd had our ground and everything went right I think they would have been too good for us."* Ted Durcan was banned for three days after being found to have caused interference to unplaced Online Investor when riding runner-up Steenberg in yesterday's Jersey Stakes.. Graham Bradley is one of eight people who are to face Jockey Club charges following the lifting of reporting restrictions last Friday surrounding the Operation Extend trials. The trials, including, at 14 months, the second longest trial in English criminal history led to 15 convictions for drugs importation. Bradley now has career as a successful bloodstock agent and racing adviser to the footballers Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler.The Jockey Club will also hold hearings to consider imposing exclusion orders on Brian Brendan Wright, his son Brian Anthony Wright, who has been sentenced to 16 years, Ian Kiernan (20 years) and Paul Shannon (5 years).The ex-jockey Dermot Browne is the subject to a 10-year period of disqualification imposed by the Jockey Club in October 1992.