THE recently retired head of the British security service Dame Stella Rimington has accepted a new administrative challenge, and gone undercover once again. But the new job has less to do with post-Cold War politics and managing moles in the Kremlin and more to do with shifting underwear off the racks at Marks & Spencer, Dame Stella, dubbed the "housewife superspy" when she was first appointed director general of MI5, is to join the doyen of clothing and food retailers as a non-executive director, according to a statement from M&S.

Despite her impeccable security credentials, Ms Rimington is unlikely to be found clutching a mobile and patrolling the aisles on the lookout for light-fingered customers although she may be able to offer the board a new perspective on ways and means to reduce the cost of pilferage. Some counter espionage perhaps?