Graduating students at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge were told not to pose for pictures throwing their hats in the air in case someone was injured by the falling headgear.

The justification was that someone had been hurt by a falling hat a few years previously.

Students said university bosses might as well ban the whole ceremony in case someone crashed their car on the way there.

When 98-year-old Florrie Tranter was given the all-clear to leave hospital after suffering breathing problems, the West Midlands pensioner was keen to go home.

But she was kept in hospital while transport bosses deliberated over whether it was safe to do so because of a four-inch step at her front door.

Two safety assessments were carried out and she was only given the go-ahead to be taken home when her son-in-law contacted newspapers about the situation.

For years, Wiltshire pensioner June Turnbell had done her bit for her local village by tending a councilowned flower bed.

The 79-year-old spent hundreds of pounds of her own money on plants and garden tools, but it still wasn't enough for council officials.

They decided that her efforts breached safety rules because of a bend in the road beside the plot.

If she was to continue, she would have to erect "Men at work" signs, wear a fluorescent jacket and even employ a look-out.

The defiant pensioner said: "This is health and safety gone mad. They can send me to jail if they like."

The offices of the Health and Safety Executive should be the ideal place to stay out of danger.

But even there, bosses have taken some puzzling precautions, including banning staff from moving chairs around in case they hurt themselves.

Anyone wanting to move furniture was told to book a porter to do it, and give them 48 hours' notice.