Babies cry more in Britain than almost anywhere else in the industrialised world, research has shown. Newborn children in Canada, the UK and Italy topped a survey conducted by scientists who analysed data on almost 8,700 infants to assess how upset they were in their first 12 weeks.

On average, babies cried for about two hours a day in their first two weeks, peaked at about two hours, 15 minutes at six weeks and then gradually reduced to one hour, ten minutes.

Dieter Wolke, from the University of Warwick, the lead researcher, who compiled the first universal “crying chart”, said: “We may learn more from looking at cultures where there is less crying and whether this may be due to parenting or factors relating to pregnancy experiences or genetics.

The new chart of normal fuss/cry amounts in babies across industrialised countries will help health professionals to reassure parents whether a baby is crying within the normal expected range in the first three months or shows excessive crying, which may require further evaluation and extra support for the parents.”

The highest levels of colic, defined as crying for more than three hours a day for at least three days a week, were 34.1 per cent in Canada, 28 per cent in the UK and 20.9 per cent in Italy. Lowest were Denmark (5.5 per cent) and Germany (6.7 per cent).

Where is the £50,000 fiver? Artist denies giving a hint 
A mysterious message on a £5 note could provide a clue to the one remaining note worth £50,000, believes its owner. Four of the plastic notes contain a quote from Jane Austen engraved by the artist Graham Short, who put them into circulation in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Three have been found in South Wales, Edinburgh and Enniskillen. With one still outstanding, Richard Read, 39, from Surrey, was intrigued to find a note with the phrase: “Look for serial number AL22171910.”

Short denies being responsible for the inscription. A colleague told The Sun: “It would seem that somebody has decided to follow in Graham’s footsteps. Perhaps they have set something up with the same idea? We’re very interested in this because most of the notes we’ve been sent . . . have plainly been copies or fraudulently made. Maybe something great lies at the end of this rabbit hole?”

Crop of the Cream join up for supergroup’s rebirth
The Sixties rock supergroup Cream is being reborn with the band’s relatives. Kofi Baker, a drummer like his father, Ginger, and Malcolm Bruce, son of the late bassist/singer Jack, are going on tour to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Fresh Cream, the band’s debut album. The line-up is completed by Will Johns, nephew of the former Cream guitarist Eric Clapton. Glenn Hughes, who played bass and sang with Deep Purple, and the guitarist Robben Ford will share the stage with them in a series of concerts in Australia and New Zealand in May and June.

Explain why child was taken away, judge urged
A family court judge has been urged to reveal her reasons for placing a child into foster care after the girl was locked in a bedroom. The girl, now seven, was living in the West Midlands with the grandparents, who said that social workers had intervened after she was twice locked in a bedroom in an attempt to keep her safe when she started to wander at night. Judge Rosalind Bush heard the case in a private family court hearing in Wolverhampton, they said.

John Hemming, the former Liberal Democrat MP who campaigns for improvements in the family justice system, said the grandparents deserved a written explanation from the judge.