![Click for a larger image Screengrab from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7777126.stm](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGedXojMRRCccHdqL9nWkZBv5LvnW8NhCh8q7qhBIRAvm8jctMoV-Z2jNIi-vJanZQ1tyPSa6N9W-sSd2BFgZaU0b6_LJ2CAmQ-NU68Jj-3xRF75xF6h7gCb3hyphenhyphenI9YUl0OCJzOLuXI_2o/s400/bbc-story-repeated-par.png)
Both pars read: "Pipistrelle, a smaller animal, is among the few species found on the isles."
I'm blogging about this not to mock the BBC but to highlight a common pitfall for busy subs – only completing the first step of a two-step operation.
I have no way of proving it, but I imagine this is what happened in this particular case:
While working on the story, a sub decided to move the 'Pipistrelle...' par. He* completed the first stage of the operation, copying the par and pasting it in a new location. But he was then distracted and failed to complete the second stage, namely deleting the par from its original position.
Anything could have distracted him: an urgent phone call, a crisis meeting, a breaking story, a box of mince pies in the far corner of the office. I speak from experience...
Oh, and here's the link to the BBC News page so you can check whether the story has been fixed yet:
Bat 'may have been blown' from US
UPDATE 13/12: The BBC story has indeed been changed - now it's the third and eighth pars that are identical.
*Yes, I know, I haven't used singular 'they'. Please don't flame me.
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