China honours its mice

Most countries honour their war dead, but China has erected a monument for a little thought of but altogether more cuddly martyr - the mice, guinea pigs, rabbits and monkeys who gave their lives to science.

Far from basking in the glory of scientific achievement after making strides with a potential Sars vaccine, Chinese researchers had taken time to commemorate the furry martyrs who paved the way for safe human testing, the official Xinhua news agency said.

It did not give details of the monument or say where it was.