1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985   Sixpenny pieces (worth 2.5 new pence) cease to be legal tender Steel strike called off after eight weeks Inflation rises to 21.8 per cent SAS storms Iranian Embassy in London to free 19 hostages Sir Billy Butlin, founder of Butlin's holiday camps, dies aged 80 Bjorn Borg wins Wimbledon for the fifth time Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett, Daley Thompson and Allan Wells win gold at Moscow Olympics British Leyland launches the Mini Metro Britain becomes addicted to the US TV series Dallas Michael Foot is the new Labour leader after the resignation of James Callaghan Ronald Reagan defeats Jimmy Carter to become US President John Lennon is shot dead outside his home in New York by Mark Chapman     Copyright © 1998, NHS