Patrick Verwer, London Midland's managing director, said the franchise extension would give the company the stability to "continue to improve our service and focus on providing the reliable, consistent service our passengers expect and deserve".

BBC: London Midland rail franchise extended

It may seem outrageous to extend the vote to children, but the extension of the franchise to women was also opposed.

ECONOMIST: Letters

It unveiled first-person shooter Killzone: Mercenary, an extension to a popular franchise, and Tearaway, an adventure game set in a world made of paper, developed by Media Molecule - the team behind the best-selling LittleBigPlanet.

BBC: Sony acts to boost PlayStation Vita at Gamescom