IN BRIEF

■Scalextric maker Hornby is in talks with its banks to boost its fightback plans. The firm, which also makes toy trains and owns Airfix, has ditched deep discounting just to shift stock.

Travelodge is offering more than 250,000 rooms for £35 or less at 26 of its airport hotels for stays between now and the end of the year. Booking is online at www. travelodge.co.uk.

Phillip Rasmussen, 47, the finance boss of Welsh microchip maker IQE, was killed in a cycling accident while on holiday abroad over the Easter weekend.