15 June 2007: Monumental problems in Rome

The ancient monuments in Rome had a bad time this week.

First a man drove his car down the Spanish Steps, a sweeping 18th-century staircase where visitors are usually banned from drinking and singing, let alone driving. Apparently in the early morning light he mistook the steps for a road. He was found to be well over the drink-driving limit and was arrested.

Then a builder constructing a car park managed to damage a 2,000 year-old water pipe, thus cutting off the water to the Trevi Fountain and several others. The pipe, known as the "aqueduct of the virgin" has been carrying water into Rome since 19 BC. While it is repaired the water company plans to re-route the water down a younger pipe - the "aqueduct of Paul", which has been bringing water to Rome only since 2 AD.