The "And in other news..." thread

[AndyPJG]

Crochet Feathers McGraw postbox topper 'stolen'
BBC News, Derbyshire

A lifelike replica of Wallace & Gromit super villain Feathers McGraw has vanished after reportedly being taken from a postbox in Derbyshire.
His creator from Melbourne in Derbyshire, who wishes to remain anonymous, made the crocheted postbox topper earlier this month.
After issuing an appeal on social media, an account called Feathers McGraw mockingly commented that he would return once he "completes being a master criminal".
His creator said she was "gutted" and urged the person who took Mr McGraw to return him.
She said she was "confused" and a "little creeped out" by the social media post which included a picture of the missing topper with the mocking message.
The anonymous artist said it took three days to complete and that it had a hugely positive response online and in the Melbourne community.
She said the crochet wrap she made to keep him around the postbox was cut off to prise Mr McGraw away on Monday.
Aired on 25 December, Christmas Day, Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl has been watched 21.6 million times in the first 28 days since its release.

 

[D6130]

Crochet Feathers McGraw postbox topper 'stolen'
BBC News, Derbyshire

Must have been taken by some knit-wit!

 

[Ashley Hill]

Crochet Feathers McGraw postbox topper 'stolen'
BBC News, Derbyshire

Someone has picked up a penguin.

 

[Calthrop]

Leaving the "puns realm", and possibly topic-drifting a bit, and being a miserable so-and-so; but -- while reckoning the perpetrator['s'?] behaviour as per the news item, deplorable -- having watched Vengeance Most Fowl, I wasn't very favourably impressed. It struck me as laboured, convoluted, over-long, over-the-top, and trying-too-hard to be witty / ingenious / engaging, and mostly not succeeding. I'd reckon the earlier, shorter, more straightforward Wallace-and-Gromit offerings, such as The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave: a good deal more enjoyable.

 

[brad465]

If you think you made a bad bet once, spare a thought for Sergio Aguero, who really ballsed it up:

Sergio Aguero lost huge bet and put testicles on the line with Man City defeat

Wild claims from the Man City legend.

metro.co.uk

Sergio Aguero claimed he would cut off his test***es if Real Madrid beat Manchester City, while he also lost a big chunk of cash on the game.

There was great drama in the first leg of the Champions League knockout play-off between the two heavyweights on Tuesday night at the Etihad.

City twice took the lead through Erling Haaland, either side of a Kylian Mbappe goal and looked in a strong position with 10 minutes to play, 2-1 ahead.

However, Brahim Diaz equalised and then Jude Bellingham scored an injury time winner to give Real Madrid a 3-2 advantage going into the second leg in Spain.

 

[AndyPJG]

Cash machine appears on side of bridge

BBC News
A cash machine has appeared overnight on the side of a bridge.

and now bananas.......
BBC News

'£24.8m' taped bananas appear in village
Bananas have appeared taped to various locations in a village, in an imitation of an artwork that sold for $6.2m (£4.9m) at a New York auction.
Artist Impro, who frequently uses Sonning in Berkshire as a location for his work, claimed responsibility.
He said the sale of his "masterpiece" bananas would enable Sonning's residents to get a "new church roof".
The original work, titled 'Comedian' by Italian visual artist Maurizio Cattelan, was bought by Chinese cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun in November.
Impro, who lives in Oxfordshire, said: "Enough of the japes and pranks! This time I have graced Sonning with bona fide, international standard fine art worth in total £24.8m at auction.
"The sale of just one of these masterpieces would be more than enough to get them their new church roof and to Sonningians [sic] I would say, 'you're welcome!'"
Previous works by Impro include a phone, postbox and door affixed to the side of Sonning Bridge.
He also installed a large, red Google Maps pin on A4155 Reading to Henley road in 2014.
His post box work drew international attention when it caught the eye of famous spoon-bender Uri Geller.
Mr Geller said at the time: "I have never seen anything like this anywhere in the world. It's a new one on me."

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Feb 2025 ==

20/2/25:-
New scorpion wrangling club holds first meeting
BBC News - Kent

A new scorpion wrangling club has held its first meeting on the Isle of Sheppey.
Scorpions are believed to have lived in the long stretch of wall that borders Blue Town High Street for more than 200 years after they stowed away on a shipment of granite from Italy.
Jenny Hurkett, from the Blue Town Heritage Centre, formed the club after advertising for a chief scorpion wrangler due to the previous post holder retiring, and was bombarded with applicants of all ages.
"We make children aware of what we have in our dockyard wall and island," she said.
"We need to protect their natural habitat, but it's also a lot of fun when you actually see a scorpion because they shine up under UV lights that the children get in their membership packs."
The club aims to meet once a month at the Blue Town Heritage Centre, with three of the elusive creatures spotted at the inaugural meeting this week.
Children receive training on how to protect the scorpions environment and collect free membership packs, which include an ultraviolet torch to make the scorpions glow in the dark and a membership card, in which they can keep a record of how many scorpions they find.
Outgoing scorpion wrangler, John Nurden, said he was happy to pass on the mantle to a younger team.
....

 

[AndyPJG]

Toad spotters asked to help with sex assault case
BBC News Somerset

Police are appealing to toad spotters to help them track down a man accused of sexually assaulting a woman.
The incident occurred on the footpath between Charlcombe Way and Charlcombe Lane in Bath at about 20:00 GMT on Thursday, Avon and Somerset Police said.
The force said that more people than usual might have been in the area that night to witness the annual toad migration.
Anyone with any information, or who may have relevant doorbell or dash cam footage, is urged to contact the police.
The woman has been offered support via The Bridge Sexual Assault Referral Centre, police said.

 

[Trackman]

Toad spotters asked to help with sex assault case

I wonder if they have spotters books like Platform 5

 

[Sun Chariot]

"Yes officer, it was warty, slimy and it had a bit of a smell"

 

[styles]

Blenheim Palace £4.8m gold toilet stolen in minutes, court hears

Three men are standing trial over the theft of the gold toilet which had been part of an exhibition.

www.bbc.co.uk

Gold toilet worth £4.8m 'stolen in five minutes'

Two things made me chuckle:

Mr Christopher told the court the raid took just five minutes.

He added: "The work of art was never recovered. It appears to have been split up into smaller amounts of gold and never recovered."

This brought to me an image of wheeling it into some Cash 4 Good merchant in bits so it can be melted down, with the thieves spending the money on stolen power tools and some guitars from the pawnbrokers.

It weighed 98kg and was insured for $6m. Gold prices at the time would have seen the gold alone worth £2.8m in September 2019, the court was told.

I know this is how art works, but the idea that moulding the gold into the shape of a toilet has added £2m to its valuation is wild.

If I had £3m cash on the hip I would buy £2.8m of gold, spend £200k turning it into some other inanimate home item like a TV, and go round art galleries offering it up for a cool £4m. Sounds like easy money!

 

[Gloster]

Panning for gold?

 

[Sun Chariot]

Spending a penny or £2.8m

Where there's muck, there's brass gold

 

[D6130]

I expect the culprits will be feeling pretty flush by now..

 

[PG]

Mr Christopher told the court the raid took just five minutes.

He added: "The work of art was never recovered. It appears to have been split up into smaller amounts of gold and never recovered."

Perhaps the thieves were just sitting on it until the wind blew over..

 

[AndyPJG]

The Police had nothing to go on.....

 

[PG]

The Police had nothing to go on.....

Seems like they were caught with their trousers down...

 

[GusB]

Apparently the toilet was called "America"...

Thieves stole £2.8m gold toilet at Blenheim Palace in just five minutes, court hears

The 18-carat gold toilet, titled America and made by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, weighed approximately 98kg and had been insured for the price of $6m (£4.75m), the prosecution told Oxford Crown Court.

news.sky.com

The 18-carat gold toilet, titled America and made by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, weighed approximately 98kg and had been insured for the price of $6m (£4.75m), the prosecution told Oxford Crown Court.

 

[AndyPJG]

Apparently the toilet was called "America"...

Thieves stole £2.8m gold toilet at Blenheim Palace in just five minutes, court hears

The 18-carat gold toilet, titled America and made by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, weighed approximately 98kg and had been insured for the price of $6m (£4.75m), the prosecution told Oxford Crown Court.

news.sky.com

previously known as the 'gulf' of Mexico prior to Trump's edict

 

[edwin_m]

The judge must have been cis-stern faced when passing sentence.

 

[GusB]

You're never too old to be a raver!

Woman celebrates 105th birthday with care home rave

Hilda Jackson enjoyed dance classics, rave lighting and glowsticks on her big day.

www.bbc.co.uk

Woman celebrates 105th birthday with care home rave​

"We're having a bit of a rave. I've always loved dancing. I'm enjoying it, every minute of it."
Hilda Jackson proved herself a twisted retire-starter by celebrating her 105th birthday with a DJ, rave lighting, UV paint and glowsticks.
The care home resident, from Derbyshire, kicked off her big day by being interviewed by BBC Radio 2's Scott Mills, who told listeners: "Hilda loves the rave."
She said she loved every minute of her party on Tuesday and felt grateful for the dozens of birthday cards and well wishes, adding it was "nice to see all these people".

Image caption,
Hilda told Scott Mills she did not have a secret to living to the age of 105
Scott invited Hilda to take part in the show's The Birthday Game, in which guests are presented with a selection of song choices.
She was not keen on the first song - Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) by Edison Lighthouse - which was number one on a previous birthday.
However, Scott then played 2 Unlimited's 1993 dance classic No Limit, to which Hilda moved along, gave the thumbs-up and responded: "I rather like that."

 

[brad465]

Looks like Reform UK have managed to get JD Vance to do door-to-door campaigning for the party in Havant:

https://x.com/ReformUK_Havant/status/1896925827834724529

Young Reformers leafleting in Leigh Park, Havant, yesterday and today! Feel free to say hi or ask questions


(Images on Reform UK leaflet campaigners from the linked tweet)

 

[generalnerd]

'Beyond anything...': Trump warns of 'big monster' nuclear weapons that pose 'greatest' threat to US

The US president Donald Trump said he thinks nuclear weapons are more dangerous threat than the climate crisis. Trump spoke of the dangers of nuclear stockpiles around the world and lamented the huge amount of money spent on maintaining the ‘big monsters that could cause the end of the world...

m.economictimes.com

Nuclear weapons are the biggest threat to humanity

Donald trump has come out with the shocking statement that nuclear weapons are the biggest threat to humanity! Who’d have thought it!!

 

[brad465]

I know climate change is a serious matter, but this story is full-blown irony:

Amazon rainforest cut down to build highway for COP climate summit

The infrastructure required to host COP30 in Belém is undermining the cause, campaigners say.

www.bbc.co.uk

A new four-lane highway cutting through tens of thousands of acres of protected Amazon rainforest is being built for the COP30 climate summit in the Brazilian city of Belém.
It aims to ease traffic to the city, which will host more than 50,000 people - including world leaders - at the conference in November.
The state government touts the highway's "sustainable" credentials, but some locals and conservationists are outraged at the environmental impact.
The Amazon plays a vital role in absorbing carbon for the world and providing biodiversity, and many say this deforestation contradicts the very purpose of a climate summit.
Along the partially built road, lush rainforest towers on either side - a reminder of what was once there. Logs are piled high in the cleared land which stretches more than 13km (8 miles) through the rainforest into Belém.
Diggers and machines carve through the forest floor, paving over wetland to surface the road which will cut through a protected area.

 

[bleeder4]

I know climate change is a serious matter, but this story is full-blown irony:

Amazon rainforest cut down to build highway for COP climate summit

The infrastructure required to host COP30 in Belém is undermining the cause, campaigners say.

www.bbc.co.uk

COP isn't worthy of the name anymore. It got started with the best of intentions but in recent years it's been taken over by oil dependent countries who shake each others hands for sponsoring a few green projects whilst doing back room deals that will make them filthy rich.

 

[Sun Chariot]

COP isn't worthy of the name anymore. ... countries who shake each others hands for sponsoring a few green projects whilst doing back room deals that will make them filthy rich.

 Corrupt
 Obsequious
 Politicians
Sounds about right.

 

[brad465]

COP isn't worthy of the name anymore. It got started with the best of intentions but in recent years it's been taken over by oil dependent countries who shake each others hands for sponsoring a few green projects whilst doing back room deals that will make them filthy rich.

Yes I think we should follow the Chinese approach and just do it (I know they have a coal problem, but they also are leading the way in new renewable capacity to the point they're exceeding already ambitious targets).

 

[GusB]

Are pit bulls dangerous? They are when they have access to guns!

Tennessee man shot by his dog while lying in bed

A bullet grazed the Memphis man’s thigh after his one-year-old pit bull got his paw stuck in a gun’s trigger guard

www.theguardian.com

Dog bites man is hardly news, but in Tennessee, a dog recently shot a man.

In what is only the latest instance of a kind of accidental shooting that intermittently occurs in the US, Jerald Kirkwood reported to police in Memphis that he and a woman were lying in bed with a firearm when his dog jumped up and inadvertently caused the weapon to discharge.

A bullet grazed the man atop his left thigh, according to the local news station WREG, which cited police. WREG recounted how Kirkwood’s one-year-old pit bull, Oreo, had gotten his paw stuck in the trigger guard of his owner’s gun. Oreo ultimately squeezed the trigger and shot his owner, whom the station and multiple other news outlets identified.

The woman accompanying Kirkwood and Oreo reportedly left the home where the shooting occurred and took the gun with her while the wounded man was brought to a hospital in non-critical condition.

Memphis’s Fox 13 news station said it later spoke to the woman, who described to the outlet how Oreo “is a playful dog, and he likes to jump around and stuff like that, and it just went off”.

Asked whether she woke up because Oreo jumped on the bed or because her companion was shot, the woman told Fox 13: “The gunshot. Yeah, a combination of the two.” Oreo’s owner and the woman – whom the station agreed not to name in its coverage – reportedly said they would be sure to engage the safeties of any guns in their home moving forward.

“Keep the safety on or use a trigger lock,” the woman said after the shooting, which police classified as an accidental injury requiring no action against Oreo or his owner, according to Fox 13.

The mind boggles! I can see why someone might want to keep a firearm close by, but keeping one in the bed is just bizarre (and with no safety catch, either).

 

[43055]

Saucepan or bomb? Navy called after beach discovery​

Suspected ordnance on Charmouth beach turns out to be saucepan

Bomb experts discover potential ordnance on Charmouth beach was not what it seemed.

www.bbc.co.uk

Bomb experts called after the discovery of a potential ordnance on the beach have determined the object was not what it seemed.
West Bay Coastguard Rescue Team and Dorset Police were called after 10:00 GMT on Monday to reports of an unidentified item.
After finding the "heavily weathered metal object" part-submerged in the sand near Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, they contacted Royal Navy bomb disposal experts.
However, on arrival, the team from Plymouth found item was "a very old straight sided saucepan, or similar metal container".
Lyme Regis Coastguard posted a statement, external explaining the report of the item initially came in from the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI).
Photos and measurements of the object were taken and passed on to Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) experts for assessment.
A 100m (328ft) cordon was put in place while investigations were carried out.
The statement explained the navy experts "expressed interest based on the object's appearance and measurements".
But after digging it up for closer inspection, they were able to confirm what it actually was.
The statement added: "We would like to thank the first informant who contacted the NCI regarding the item.
"Ordnance is known to wash up on our shores, and if there is any doubt, please call 999 and ask for the coastguard."

 

[PG]

The mind boggles! I can see why someone might want to keep a firearm close by, but keeping one in the bed is just bizarre (and with no safety catch, either).

...he and a woman were lying in bed with a firearm...
Oreo’s owner and the woman – whom the station agreed not to name in its coverage –...

Maybe the gun was in case her other half turned up!!

 

[Thirteen]

'At least 25' people attacked by Harris's hawk roaming Hertfordshire village

Hertfordshire villagers are living in fear of an aggressive hawk which has attacked up to 25 people.

www.hemeltoday.co.uk

The hostile Harris’s hawk has been swooping on residents at Flamstead and seems to be targeting tall men.

One of the victims is six foot four retiree Roy Lambden, 68, who was putting out his bins when he was attacked a week ago.

Roy said he was "left bleeding" and with "scratches" on the back of his head after the bird of prey, believed to be a Harris hawk, swooped down and nicked him.


"I had just gone outside to take the bins out and all of a sudden there was a big crash on the back off my head. It was only when I looked up and saw a bird flying away when I had realised what had happened." Roy caught the rogue attack on his home security camera. He claims at least 25 other people in the village have been attacked, including five others who live on the same street as him. He said it mainly goes for "tall men". Roy said he had spoken to other victims who had been left "bleeding" some even with "gashes" on their heads. He believes the hawk is still roaming the sky's near his house.

The Independent Bird Registry has suggested that the bird could be trying to mate, explaining the attacks on men. "It may be that the bird was hand reared when a chick and is now coming into breeding condition so looking for a mate (a human)," a spokesperson said.

"We have concluded that it is not because she is hungry. I would advise that residents do not feed her as I am told someone is, which prevents her coming to a falconer for food making it easier to recover her." The spokesperson asked residents to refrain from "shooting" the bird.