Preview: An eye on ...; national celebrations

National Porridge Day: The launch of National Porridge day on Monday was marred by the theft of hundreds of packets of Quaker Oats from a promotional trailer at New Street Station in Birmingham. "Why would anyone want to steal hundreds of packets of porridge?" a spokesman asked.

National Curry Day: The Firkin Brewery in Birmingham chose National Curry Day on Monday for the launch of their new brew called Dogbalti, described as a "curry-flavoured ale". The recipe includes fresh ginger, chillies, coriander and cumin. A spokesman said: "Beer and curry go great together, so we decided to combine the two". According to the 1998 Good Curry Guide, 18 per cent of the population eat curries regularly, compared with only 16 per cent eating fish and chips. Of the 2.5 million diners who visit curry houses every week, one in six choose chicken tikka masala. 90 per cent of "Indian" restaurants are owned by Bangladeshis.