Papers consider UK troop deaths

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Several of the Sunday papers focus on the recent deaths of four British Royal Marines in southern Afghanistan.

The News of the World says one of the dead - Cpl Marc Birch - was married for only a few months. Another, Damien Davies, was to become a father.

The Sunday Mirror fills its front page with the striking image of members of 45 Commando erecting wooden crosses.

The Sunday Telegraph carries a picture of each of the men under the words: "Courage of Afghan bomb Marines".

'Sats fiasco'

The news that the head of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has resigned is the lead in the Independent on Sunday.

Its headline - "Exams chief quits over Sats fiasco" - makes it clear why Dr Ken Boston is standing down.

The paper says Dr Boston had clearly failed his own Sats exam.

The Mail on Sunday highlights the perks he enjoyed while in the job but praises Dr Boston for having what it describes as "the courage" to leave his post.

Spending blitz

The eye-catching figure in the Sunday Mirror is £2bn. That is the amount spent on a "Christmas spending spree" on Britain's high streets on Saturday.

Eight million people, apparently, were tempted by further large reductions in prices - with £100m spent in London's West End alone.

The Observer has been finding out how many euros people can get for their money. The answer is not many, it says.

The paper's staff found they got just 18 euros for £19.60.

Royal fuzz

There are several pictures of Prince William's shooting party at Sandringham on Saturday.

Heavy stubble on the royal features leads to a flurry of "hair to the throne" headlines.

It also prompts the Sunday Times to make comparisons with Prince Michael of Kent and George V.

The Mail on Sunday is told by an onlooker that it seemed as though the Prince had not shaved "for a couple of weeks at least".