diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
index 8f1a236134..6f398ec9d6 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def _config():
     c.add_opt('column_map', default=ALL_COLUMNS,
               help=_('Columns to be displayed in the book list'))
     c.add_opt('autolaunch_server', default=False, help=_('Automatically launch content server on application startup'))
-
+    c.add_opt('oldest_news', default=60, help=_('Oldest news kept in database'))
     return ConfigProxy(c)
     
 config = _config()
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/scheduler.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/scheduler.py
index cdbf0a6dcd..64966b0961 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/scheduler.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/scheduler.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ from calibre.gui2.dialogs.scheduler_ui import Ui_Dialog
 from calibre.web.feeds.recipes import recipes, recipe_modules, compile_recipe
 from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import SearchQueryParser
 from calibre.utils.pyparsing import ParseException
-from calibre.gui2 import NONE, error_dialog
+from calibre.gui2 import NONE, error_dialog, config as gconf
 from calibre.utils.config import DynamicConfig
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.user_profiles import UserProfiles
 
@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ class SchedulerDialog(QDialog, Ui_Dialog):
         self.connect(self._model, SIGNAL('modelReset()'), lambda : self.detail_box.setVisible(False))
         self.connect(self.download, SIGNAL('clicked()'), self.download_now)
         self.search.setFocus(Qt.OtherFocusReason)
+        self.old_news.setValue(gconf['oldest_news'])
         
     def download_now(self):
         recipe = self._model.data(self.recipes.currentIndex(), Qt.UserRole)
@@ -308,6 +309,11 @@ class Scheduler(QObject):
         self.dirtied = False
         self.connect(self.timer, SIGNAL('timeout()'), self.check)
         self.timer.start(int(self.INTERVAL * 60000))
+        self.oldest_timer = QTimer()
+        self.connect(self.oldest_timer, SIGNAL('timeout()'), self.oldest_check)
+        self.oldest = gconf['oldest_news']
+        self.oldest_timer.start(int(60 * 60000))
+        self.oldest_check()
         
         self.news_menu = QMenu()
         self.news_icon = QIcon(':/images/news.svg')
@@ -318,6 +324,13 @@ class Scheduler(QObject):
         self.connect(self.cac, SIGNAL('triggered(bool)'), self.customize_feeds)
         self.news_menu.addAction(self.cac)
         
+    def oldest_check(self):
+        if self.oldest > 0:
+            delta = timedelta(days=self.oldest)
+            ids = self.main.library_view.model().db.tags_older_than(_('News'), delta)
+            if ids:
+                self.main.library_view.model().delete_books_by_id(ids)
+    
     def customize_feeds(self, *args):
         main = self.main
         d = UserProfiles(main, main.library_view.model().db.get_feeds())
@@ -412,7 +425,9 @@ class Scheduler(QObject):
             self.connect(d, SIGNAL('new_schedule(PyQt_PyObject)'), self.refresh_schedule)
             self.connect(d, SIGNAL('download_now(PyQt_PyObject)'), self.download)
             d.exec_()
+            gconf['oldest_news'] = d.old_news.value()
             self.recipes = load_recipes()
+            self.oldest = d.old_news.value()
         finally:
             self.lock.unlock()
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/scheduler.ui b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/scheduler.ui
index 5986e2b75a..e4084cfee7 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/scheduler.ui
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/scheduler.ui
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
     <normaloff>:/images/scheduler.svg</normaloff>:/images/scheduler.svg</iconset>
   </property>
   <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout" >
-   <item rowspan="2" row="0" column="0" >
+   <item rowspan="3" row="0" column="0" >
     <widget class="QGroupBox" name="recipe_box" >
      <property name="title" >
       <string>Recipes</string>
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@
         <item>
          <widget class="QLabel" name="last_downloaded" >
           <property name="text" >
-           <string> </string>
+           <string/>
           </property>
          </widget>
         </item>
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
-   <item row="1" column="1" >
+   <item row="2" column="1" >
     <widget class="QDialogButtonBox" name="buttonBox" >
      <property name="orientation" >
       <enum>Qt::Horizontal</enum>
@@ -272,6 +272,22 @@
      </property>
     </widget>
    </item>
+   <item row="1" column="1" >
+    <widget class="QSpinBox" name="old_news" >
+     <property name="toolTip" >
+      <string>Delete downloaded news older than the specified number of days. Set to zero to disable.</string>
+     </property>
+     <property name="suffix" >
+      <string> days</string>
+     </property>
+     <property name="prefix" >
+      <string>Delete downloaded news older than </string>
+     </property>
+     <property name="maximum" >
+      <number>1000</number>
+     </property>
+    </widget>
+   </item>
   </layout>
  </widget>
  <resources>
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/library.py b/src/calibre/gui2/library.py
index 96a03c1a57..7b2ac8e20a 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/library.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/library.py
@@ -188,6 +188,19 @@ class BooksModel(QAbstractTableModel):
             self.endRemoveRows()
         self.clear_caches()
         self.reset()
+        
+    def delete_books_by_id(self, ids):
+        for id in ids:
+            try:
+                row = self.db.row(id)
+            except:
+                row = -1
+            if row > -1:
+                self.beginRemoveRows(QModelIndex(), row, row)
+            self.db.delete_book(id)
+            if row > -1:
+                self.endRemoveRows()
+        self.clear_caches()
 
     def books_added(self, num):
         if num > 0:
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/database2.py b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
index 0b9a8729ab..8c74620a3d 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/database2.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
@@ -749,6 +749,18 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase):
         return categories
         
     
+    def tags_older_than(self, tag, delta):
+        tag = tag.lower().strip()
+        now = datetime.now()
+        for r in self.data._data:
+            if r is not None:
+                if (now - r[FIELD_MAP['timestamp']]) > delta:
+                    tags = r[FIELD_MAP['tags']]
+                    if tags and tag in tags.lower():
+                        yield r[FIELD_MAP['id']]
+                
+            
+    
     def set(self, row, column, val):
         '''
         Convenience method for setting the title, authors, publisher or rating