The artist behind the popular Tower of London poppy exhibition has revealed he received death threats from people angry that armed services charities stood to benefit.

Paul Cummins, who has been awarded an MBE, said the police were called in after threats came by e-mail, phone and letter. Millions of people queued to see the Blood Swept Lands And Seas Of Red installation, which saw 888,246 ceramic poppies fill the moat at the Tower – one for each British or colonial military death during World War I.

Cummins told the Sunday Times: “ The threats came, I suppose, because they felt that the money was going to charities which in some way were involved in war.” The poppies were sold off for a reported £10 million once the installation was removed from the Tower and the military charities that stood to benefit included Help for Heroes, the Royal British Legion and Combat Stress.

Nutella billionaire Ferrero dies

The world’s richest confectionery maker Michele Ferrero, famed for Nutella, died on Valentine’s Day.

The 89-year-old, who had been ill for several months, died in Monte Carlo where he lived, surrounded by his family, his company said.

Ferrero was the patriarch of the eponymous family empire best known for its Nutella spread and Ferrero Rocher chocolates. The company’s products also included Tic Tacs and the Kinder line of products, including the famous eggs.

His father, Pietro, started making Nutella when cocoa was still rationed during World War II, Forbes noted in ranking Ferrero and his family 30th on the list of the world’s richest billionaires in 2014, worth $23.4 billion.

King Richard’s death blow

Scientists believe they have determined the blow that killed King Richard III in battle after analysing his skull.

A forensic examination of the skull by Professor Guy Rutty found two wounds at its base and one inside the cranium, indicating a weapon such as a sword or spike had been thrust up from the base of his neck.

Richard III was killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, the last significant clash between the forces of the Houses of Lancaster and York in the War of the Roses.

Virtual twin could save your life

Every person may one day have a “virtual twin” containing all their organs, bones and nerves that can be used by surgeons to plan and rehearse complex operations.

The “cadaver in the cloud” idea is not so far fetched to doctors who are already using the technology in top clinics and medical schools.

Soldiers on their way to combat zones may be the first to have virtual clones created of their bodies. On the battlefield, a wounded soldier’s digitised self could be used to help army medics carry out urgent reconstructive surgery.

Drunks rescued from dumpster

A drunken couple had to be rescued after falling asleep in a dumpster which was then emptied into a bin lorry. The couple were unconscious in the dumpster outside a convenience store near Tampa, Florida, but when it was emptied into the back of the lorry, they started screaming and banging on the sides of the truck, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s officials said.

Rescue crews removed 37-year-old Donald L. Jordan and 49-year-old Lisa Sirbella from the truck, and they were taken to Tampa General Hospital after complaining of back pain.