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Saturday, December 11, 2010
Guy and Becky duet singing 'Fairytale of New York'
Either side of The Pond, two people with Asperger's and Tourette's syndrome collaborate at Christmas time.
Contains NSFW language.
Guy's website.
Becky's YouTube channel.
Contains NSFW language.
Guy's website.
Becky's YouTube channel.
Camel falls into audience during Christmas show rehearsal
Lula Belle the camel was dropped from the cast after she fell into occupied pews during a dress rehearsal for Friday night's premiere of a West Palm Beach, Florida, Christmas concert. The incident occurred on Thursday night at First Baptist Church of West Palm Beach.
No one was injured in the incident, including the church member atop the camel who was portraying one of the Three Kings, and the camel itself, said worship leader and show producer Chuck Lewis. "He is absolutely A-OK."
"This is an unusual fluke," Lewis said, adding that the church has used live animals in previous shows. "We're thankful no one was hurt."
Animals used in the church's annual Christmas productions are professionally trained and safety is paramount, the pastor said. Two sheep and two lambs will remain in the weekend production.
No one was injured in the incident, including the church member atop the camel who was portraying one of the Three Kings, and the camel itself, said worship leader and show producer Chuck Lewis. "He is absolutely A-OK."
"This is an unusual fluke," Lewis said, adding that the church has used live animals in previous shows. "We're thankful no one was hurt."
Animals used in the church's annual Christmas productions are professionally trained and safety is paramount, the pastor said. Two sheep and two lambs will remain in the weekend production.
Woman finds squirrel in toilet
Lurking in the leaves could be a nutty little intruder. The owner of an Edmond, Oklahoma home discovered a squirrel swimming in the toilet. It was one of the most bizarre requests for help these 911 dispatchers have ever heard.
DISPATCHER: What's going on there ma'am?
CALLER: I have some kind of animal in the toilet in my bathroom.
DISPATCHER: Like, what's it look like?
CALLER: Well, it's gray. That's all I can tell you. I didn't look real good because it scared me to death. I'm sorry.
DISPATCHER: But it's not like one of your animals like a cat or something?
CALLER: No. My cat is in my office behaving herself.
DISPATCHER: Okay ma'am. Well, I will get a police officer over there to see if they can help you figure out what's going on for you okay?
CALLER: Okay. Thank you. I appreciate it.
Officer Derek Kennedy was the first to respond. "As soon as I saw the squirrel I knew I needed back up immediately," Kennedy joked. Cell phone camera rolling, Kennedy and his partner would spend the next several minutes trying to corral this intimidating creature.
"We wrangled up some snake tongs, a dog kennel. After a five minute chase, and him chasing us, we caught him," Kennedy said. The Edmond cops then released him in the park across the street. It's a mystery how the squirrel got inside in the first place. Police speculate it may have crawled through the sewer drain.
Video.
DISPATCHER: What's going on there ma'am?
CALLER: I have some kind of animal in the toilet in my bathroom.
DISPATCHER: Like, what's it look like?
CALLER: Well, it's gray. That's all I can tell you. I didn't look real good because it scared me to death. I'm sorry.
DISPATCHER: But it's not like one of your animals like a cat or something?
CALLER: No. My cat is in my office behaving herself.
DISPATCHER: Okay ma'am. Well, I will get a police officer over there to see if they can help you figure out what's going on for you okay?
CALLER: Okay. Thank you. I appreciate it.
Officer Derek Kennedy was the first to respond. "As soon as I saw the squirrel I knew I needed back up immediately," Kennedy joked. Cell phone camera rolling, Kennedy and his partner would spend the next several minutes trying to corral this intimidating creature.
"We wrangled up some snake tongs, a dog kennel. After a five minute chase, and him chasing us, we caught him," Kennedy said. The Edmond cops then released him in the park across the street. It's a mystery how the squirrel got inside in the first place. Police speculate it may have crawled through the sewer drain.
Video.
Cowboy on horseback lassoes runaway reindeer
What transpired on Thursday morning in Santa Maria is almost too fantastical to believe. It’s the kind of adventure one could expect to find alongside stories of a jolly man in a red suit squeezing down chimneys and talking snowmen. A runaway reindeer scampered through busy Santa Maria streets, fields and residential neighbourhoods until she was at last safely captured by a lasso-wielding cowboy.
Even the cowboy who saved the day, Tepusquet rancher Bob Acquistapace, realizes the story is hard to swallow. “I’m glad that it’s going to be down in print, because otherwise people would not believe me,” he said after the incident, clad in a cowboy hat and boots with spurs. The female reindeer escaped at about 9:20 a.m. on Thursday as she was being loaded into a trailer to be taken from the Hopper Bros. Christmas tree lot at the Santa Maria Fairpark to the Hopper Bros. tree lot in Paso Robles.
Acquistapace, who is married to a Santa Maria Fairpark employee, happened to be at a nearby ranch with his horse. At his wife’s request, Acquistapace tried to catch the reindeer on horseback and was finally able to lasso her about noon with the aid of police at the intersection of Granada and Capitola streets. The reindeer, panting after her ordeal, was tied to a lamppost until she could be placed in a trailer with the other deer.
Acquistapace said the asphalt he rode his horse on was slick, and the horse was sliding around during the pursuit. “It was fun now. At the time, it was scary,” he said, reflecting on the adventure. Acquistapace said he had never seen a reindeer before and was surprised at its speed. “They run a heck of a lot faster than I thought. They flat move,” he added. The 9-year-old deer, who doesn’t have a name that Hopper Bros. owners know of, is doing well and back with the tree lot owners following her wild reindeer chase.
Even the cowboy who saved the day, Tepusquet rancher Bob Acquistapace, realizes the story is hard to swallow. “I’m glad that it’s going to be down in print, because otherwise people would not believe me,” he said after the incident, clad in a cowboy hat and boots with spurs. The female reindeer escaped at about 9:20 a.m. on Thursday as she was being loaded into a trailer to be taken from the Hopper Bros. Christmas tree lot at the Santa Maria Fairpark to the Hopper Bros. tree lot in Paso Robles.
Acquistapace, who is married to a Santa Maria Fairpark employee, happened to be at a nearby ranch with his horse. At his wife’s request, Acquistapace tried to catch the reindeer on horseback and was finally able to lasso her about noon with the aid of police at the intersection of Granada and Capitola streets. The reindeer, panting after her ordeal, was tied to a lamppost until she could be placed in a trailer with the other deer.
Acquistapace said the asphalt he rode his horse on was slick, and the horse was sliding around during the pursuit. “It was fun now. At the time, it was scary,” he said, reflecting on the adventure. Acquistapace said he had never seen a reindeer before and was surprised at its speed. “They run a heck of a lot faster than I thought. They flat move,” he added. The 9-year-old deer, who doesn’t have a name that Hopper Bros. owners know of, is doing well and back with the tree lot owners following her wild reindeer chase.
Woman wants to catch burglars with bear trap
An East Texas woman has had it up to here with people stealing her property. Linda Frias of Tyler has come up with an unusual plan to trap a trespasser. She says the only thing stopping her from putting bear traps all over her property are the police. "The bear trap is huge, I mean it is big," said Frias.
But Linda Frias is not talking about trapping a bear. She's talking about people trespassing onto her land, stealing her property. "What I wanted to do was get some bear traps and they sell them around here," she said. "I wanted to hide them underneath that travel trailer right there on those steps and put me some leaves and stuff and let the caretaker know that they were there that way when I heard it go off or heard somebody yell we know we'd caught them."
Frias says she's spotted prowlers rummaging around her property. "It was enough because it was spooky because I saw the guy out in the front yard about 15 until midnight the night before," said Frias. The following night, they returned. Only this time they weren't just looking around. "They broke into my Land Rover, you little skunks and got my Kenwood stereo out," said Frias. "I worked hard you know to save up to pay the guy to put it in."
To trap a trespasser, she says, would not be a pretty sight. At least not for them. "You got your perpetrator because he aint going no where ... you might have his leg left there, but just look for somebody without a leg." For Frias, this is just wishful thinking. Turns out, setting booby traps are illegal. "I don't want to break the law, but what am I supposed to do?" she said.
With news video.
But Linda Frias is not talking about trapping a bear. She's talking about people trespassing onto her land, stealing her property. "What I wanted to do was get some bear traps and they sell them around here," she said. "I wanted to hide them underneath that travel trailer right there on those steps and put me some leaves and stuff and let the caretaker know that they were there that way when I heard it go off or heard somebody yell we know we'd caught them."
Frias says she's spotted prowlers rummaging around her property. "It was enough because it was spooky because I saw the guy out in the front yard about 15 until midnight the night before," said Frias. The following night, they returned. Only this time they weren't just looking around. "They broke into my Land Rover, you little skunks and got my Kenwood stereo out," said Frias. "I worked hard you know to save up to pay the guy to put it in."
To trap a trespasser, she says, would not be a pretty sight. At least not for them. "You got your perpetrator because he aint going no where ... you might have his leg left there, but just look for somebody without a leg." For Frias, this is just wishful thinking. Turns out, setting booby traps are illegal. "I don't want to break the law, but what am I supposed to do?" she said.
With news video.
Bit upset boyfriend takes cruel revenge on love rival
Jason Allen Tattersall was "a bit upset" upon learning his ex-girlfriend had slept with another man while he was in prison. But his act of revenge - in which he bashed a teenager with a baseball bat and tattooed the word "dog" on his forehead - yesterday landed him back in jail, where he'll stay for at least 11 years. Tattersall's victim Steven Jiminez has a number of permanent reminders of the attack - a partially blind left eye, plates in his face and ankle and the degrading tattoo, which he says he can't afford to have removed.
"The tattoo has left me unemployable," he said in a victim impact statement. "I cannot get a job. The shock on people's faces just doesn't describe it. I am always looking over my shoulder and on edge. I don't really care what the sentence is, it won't give me and my mum our lives back." The attack on Mr Jiminez, then aged 18, occurred on the kitchen floor of a house at Albion Park, near Wollongong, Australia, in February. Two days after being freed from jail, Tattersall, a 35-year-old father-of-two, tracked down Mr Jiminez after first phoning him and warning: "Were you with my missus c ... ? I'm coming to get you."
Sentenced to a maximum of 14 years and five months jail yesterday after he pleaded guilty to aggravated kidnapping, Tattersall showed little remorse as Judge Paul Conlon outlined his "sickening" crime in Wollongong District Court.mTattersall had completed a seven-month term in jail for common assault, possessing a knife, breaching an AVO and driving while disqualified when the attack occurred. Once he had tracked down Mr Jiminez, Tattersall punched and kicked him relentlessly in front of four others, while five children under the age of 12 were sleeping in the next room, the court heard.
He then grabbed a baseball bat and continued to hit the teenager, asking him: "Have you learnt your lesson c ... ? I'm gonna overdose you on heroin and leave you to die. That's what a dirty c ... gets." Towards the end of the ordeal, Tattersall used a tattoo gun to scrawl the word "dog" on Mr Jiminez' forehead. Judge Conlon said that the brutal bashing involved "gratuitous cruelty" of a "callous and calculating nature" and described Tattersall as the "ringleader" of the attack. Judge Conlon said he considered the fact Tattersall was "a bit upset" upon being told his former partner had had a sexual relationship with the victim and was "off his head" on drugs and alcohol.
"The tattoo has left me unemployable," he said in a victim impact statement. "I cannot get a job. The shock on people's faces just doesn't describe it. I am always looking over my shoulder and on edge. I don't really care what the sentence is, it won't give me and my mum our lives back." The attack on Mr Jiminez, then aged 18, occurred on the kitchen floor of a house at Albion Park, near Wollongong, Australia, in February. Two days after being freed from jail, Tattersall, a 35-year-old father-of-two, tracked down Mr Jiminez after first phoning him and warning: "Were you with my missus c ... ? I'm coming to get you."
Sentenced to a maximum of 14 years and five months jail yesterday after he pleaded guilty to aggravated kidnapping, Tattersall showed little remorse as Judge Paul Conlon outlined his "sickening" crime in Wollongong District Court.mTattersall had completed a seven-month term in jail for common assault, possessing a knife, breaching an AVO and driving while disqualified when the attack occurred. Once he had tracked down Mr Jiminez, Tattersall punched and kicked him relentlessly in front of four others, while five children under the age of 12 were sleeping in the next room, the court heard.
He then grabbed a baseball bat and continued to hit the teenager, asking him: "Have you learnt your lesson c ... ? I'm gonna overdose you on heroin and leave you to die. That's what a dirty c ... gets." Towards the end of the ordeal, Tattersall used a tattoo gun to scrawl the word "dog" on Mr Jiminez' forehead. Judge Conlon said that the brutal bashing involved "gratuitous cruelty" of a "callous and calculating nature" and described Tattersall as the "ringleader" of the attack. Judge Conlon said he considered the fact Tattersall was "a bit upset" upon being told his former partner had had a sexual relationship with the victim and was "off his head" on drugs and alcohol.
Virtue rewarded as Filipino man wins $17m on lottery
Good manners have paid dividends for a man in the Philippines who won 741m pesos ($17m: £10.5m) in a lottery. An official for the national lottery said the father-of-three was next in a queue to buy a ticket when a woman rudely pushed in ahead of him.
He graciously let her go ahead, and in turn he bought the winning ticket, choosing "lucky pick" numbers. He is believed to be a Filipino in his sixties, living in the US, who was back in the Philippines visiting family. The lottery agency has a policy of keeping the names of winners secret, partly to protect them from kidnap attempts.
When the draw was made on 29 November, nobody had won the lottery since 15 May. The prize money had accumulated over 86 consecutive draws to become the country's biggest ever jackpot and millions of people bought tickets. The winner beat odds of one in nearly 29m.
But the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) says he forgot to check the lottery numbers for a week and when he realised he had won, his response was gracious. "When he won, he kept thinking: how sad for that woman. She could have won the big prize if she had just been patient," PCSO chair, Margie Juico said.
He graciously let her go ahead, and in turn he bought the winning ticket, choosing "lucky pick" numbers. He is believed to be a Filipino in his sixties, living in the US, who was back in the Philippines visiting family. The lottery agency has a policy of keeping the names of winners secret, partly to protect them from kidnap attempts.
When the draw was made on 29 November, nobody had won the lottery since 15 May. The prize money had accumulated over 86 consecutive draws to become the country's biggest ever jackpot and millions of people bought tickets. The winner beat odds of one in nearly 29m.
But the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) says he forgot to check the lottery numbers for a week and when he realised he had won, his response was gracious. "When he won, he kept thinking: how sad for that woman. She could have won the big prize if she had just been patient," PCSO chair, Margie Juico said.
Burial gives students a lesson in life
Medical students in Taiwan are being buried alive in coffins - to help them appreciate the value of life.
Teenagers at Rende Medical College are being given the unusual lessons which tutors say should give them an insight into death.
The students have to write a will, dress in a funeral shroud and then climb into a coffin while they are buried under floorboards before they are released.
Professor Qiu Daneng explained: "Although it's just 10 minutes, the effect is equal to real death." Student Xiao Lin said: "I felt like I was reborn when I came out and now I know that every second counts in life."
Teenagers at Rende Medical College are being given the unusual lessons which tutors say should give them an insight into death.
The students have to write a will, dress in a funeral shroud and then climb into a coffin while they are buried under floorboards before they are released.
Professor Qiu Daneng explained: "Although it's just 10 minutes, the effect is equal to real death." Student Xiao Lin said: "I felt like I was reborn when I came out and now I know that every second counts in life."
US criminals using film quality masks during bank robberies
A company that sells "movie quality" silicone masks that incorporate human hair to achieve what its adverts call "ultra high realism" is at the centre of a snowballing police investigation after detectives discovered that it had become the favoured supplier of disguises to America's most wanted bank robbers. The Los Angeles company SPFX Masks, set up to cater to the film industry, said yesterday that it is "proud" of the fact that its range of hand-painted products look realistic, "but not proud of the way they are being used" after learning that they had been linked to a string of unsolved crimes.
In Ohio, a Polish immigrant called Conrad Zdzierak last week pleaded guilty to using one of the masks to transform himself from a 30-year-old white man into a black character he called "The Player," who carried out a string of robberies in the state. The disguise was so effective that local police mistakenly arrested a young African American for the crimes, holding him in custody for several months. Witnesses, including six out of the seven bank employees who took part in a photo line-up, went so far as to wrongly identify the innocent black man as the culprit. "We showed the picture [of the masked perpetrator] to his mother, and even she thought it was him," the detective in charge of the case, Keenan Riordan, told reporters. After that little misunderstanding had been ironed out, Zdzierak was convicted on six counts of robbery.
Authorities are now starting to wonder if the notorious "Geezer Bandit," an elderly man who has held up a string of banks in Southern California, might actually be a younger person wearing one of the SPFX masks, which retail for between $600 and $1,200 (£760). The products are hand-made by a crew of six craftsmen who use a special variety of silicone that looks and feels like skin, down to its individual pores. They are individually painted, again by hand, and finished with real human hairs which are individually stitched in place. In October a Chinese man seeking asylum in Canada used one of the masks to disguise himself as an elderly male as he negotiated airport security in Hong Kong. "We're very embarrassed this has happened," said Slusser, of his company's sudden notoriety. "We were shocked that this happened."
The masks, which have only been on the market for a couple of years, are particularly effective because they move in synch with facial muscles. Several Hollywood stars have even used them to evade paparazzi, claimed Slusser, though he declined to mention names. Zdzierak can no doubt testify to their effectiveness. He would have got away with his crimes had his girlfriend not gone to the police after finding a large stash of money and one of the masks in his hotel room. When detectives searched Zdzierak's home, they found two masks in a safe, one of a young black man – "The Player" – and another of an ageing white man known as "The Elder". A search of his computer hard drive revealed videos of Zdzierak modelling "The Elder" mask and trying to speak like a person of that age. It also turned up emails he had sent to Slusser claiming to be a film producer wanting to know if a white man could pass himself off as an African American in one, and whether the silicone hand coverings sold alongside them might tear in a fight.
In Ohio, a Polish immigrant called Conrad Zdzierak last week pleaded guilty to using one of the masks to transform himself from a 30-year-old white man into a black character he called "The Player," who carried out a string of robberies in the state. The disguise was so effective that local police mistakenly arrested a young African American for the crimes, holding him in custody for several months. Witnesses, including six out of the seven bank employees who took part in a photo line-up, went so far as to wrongly identify the innocent black man as the culprit. "We showed the picture [of the masked perpetrator] to his mother, and even she thought it was him," the detective in charge of the case, Keenan Riordan, told reporters. After that little misunderstanding had been ironed out, Zdzierak was convicted on six counts of robbery.
Authorities are now starting to wonder if the notorious "Geezer Bandit," an elderly man who has held up a string of banks in Southern California, might actually be a younger person wearing one of the SPFX masks, which retail for between $600 and $1,200 (£760). The products are hand-made by a crew of six craftsmen who use a special variety of silicone that looks and feels like skin, down to its individual pores. They are individually painted, again by hand, and finished with real human hairs which are individually stitched in place. In October a Chinese man seeking asylum in Canada used one of the masks to disguise himself as an elderly male as he negotiated airport security in Hong Kong. "We're very embarrassed this has happened," said Slusser, of his company's sudden notoriety. "We were shocked that this happened."
The masks, which have only been on the market for a couple of years, are particularly effective because they move in synch with facial muscles. Several Hollywood stars have even used them to evade paparazzi, claimed Slusser, though he declined to mention names. Zdzierak can no doubt testify to their effectiveness. He would have got away with his crimes had his girlfriend not gone to the police after finding a large stash of money and one of the masks in his hotel room. When detectives searched Zdzierak's home, they found two masks in a safe, one of a young black man – "The Player" – and another of an ageing white man known as "The Elder". A search of his computer hard drive revealed videos of Zdzierak modelling "The Elder" mask and trying to speak like a person of that age. It also turned up emails he had sent to Slusser claiming to be a film producer wanting to know if a white man could pass himself off as an African American in one, and whether the silicone hand coverings sold alongside them might tear in a fight.
Holy Thorn Tree of Glastonbury cut down in 'strike at heart of Christianity'
Callous vandals have destroyed one of the most celebrated Christian pilgrimage sites in Britain and chopped down a tree that can trace its roots back 2,000 years to the death of Jesus. The Holy Thorn Tree of Glastonbury, Somerset, is claimed to have sprouted from the staff of Joseph of Arimathea, who prepared the burial tomb for Jesus after lifting him off the cross. Thousands visit the site near Glastonbury Tor to pay homage and leave tokens of worship – but many were left in tears on Thursday after finding the tree cut to a stump.
The sacred tree is unique in that it blossoms twice a year – at Christmas and Easter – and sprigs taken from the thorn are sent to The Queen each year for the festive table. Vandals had hacked off the branches of the iconic tree, leaving just part of the trunk remaining – and dumped the remains of its proud thorns on the ground. Police believe religious fanatics may have deliberately targeted the holy site - visited by thousands of pilgrims each year – overnight.
Locals wept openly at the foot of the historic tree, on the town’s Wearyall Hill opposite its world-famous Tor, as they struggled to contain their emotion. Katherine Gorbing, curator of Glastonbury Abbey, said: ”The mindless vandals who have hacked down this tree have struck at the heart of Christianity. It holds a very special significance all over the world and thousands follow in the footsteps of Joseph Arimathea, coming especially to see it.
”It is the most significant of all the trees planted here and can be linked back to the origins of Christianity. When I arrived at the Abbey this morning you could look over to the hill and see it was not there. It’s a great shock to everyone in Glastonbury – the landscape of the town has changed overnight.”
The sacred tree is unique in that it blossoms twice a year – at Christmas and Easter – and sprigs taken from the thorn are sent to The Queen each year for the festive table. Vandals had hacked off the branches of the iconic tree, leaving just part of the trunk remaining – and dumped the remains of its proud thorns on the ground. Police believe religious fanatics may have deliberately targeted the holy site - visited by thousands of pilgrims each year – overnight.
Locals wept openly at the foot of the historic tree, on the town’s Wearyall Hill opposite its world-famous Tor, as they struggled to contain their emotion. Katherine Gorbing, curator of Glastonbury Abbey, said: ”The mindless vandals who have hacked down this tree have struck at the heart of Christianity. It holds a very special significance all over the world and thousands follow in the footsteps of Joseph Arimathea, coming especially to see it.
”It is the most significant of all the trees planted here and can be linked back to the origins of Christianity. When I arrived at the Abbey this morning you could look over to the hill and see it was not there. It’s a great shock to everyone in Glastonbury – the landscape of the town has changed overnight.”
Thief digs car out of snow then steals it as neighbours chat to him
A brazen burglar duped neighbours into thinking he was picking up a car for repair when he was actually stealing it. The cheeky, suit-wearing thief broke into his victim’s house to steal the keys to the white Audi A4, before boiling the owner’s kettle to defrost the car while chatting to neighbours – some of whom are members of the Neighbourhood Watch scheme.
Neighbours assumed he was from a garage and was legitimately picking up the car, which had been on the drive of the Darlington house since the start of the heavy snowfall. Police said the case is unusual, but have warned people to be on their guard in the hope of preventing other similar incidents.
The victim, 36-year-old Mark McMullen, said: “It is unbelievable. I can’t understand the bare-faced cheek of some people. To break into my house, steal my keys, then boil the kettle and clean all the snow off my car while talking to my neighbours, then to put the key into the ignition and away he goes – it beggars belief. It is ludicrous.” The incident happened on Monday, between noon and 1pm, in Park Crescent, Darlington. The burglar also stole other items from the house, including a laptop computer.
“I am just glad my wife and daughter weren’t in the house at the time,” said Mr Mc- Mullen, a stockbroker. I want everyone to be aware of this so it doesn’t happen to anyone else. “I hadn’t driven my car since it started snowing, it had just been sitting on the drive for about two weeks. The thief was smartly dressed in a suit, so my neighbours just thought he was from the garage to pick it up. One of them is even involved in the local Neighbourhood Watch scheme.”
Neighbours assumed he was from a garage and was legitimately picking up the car, which had been on the drive of the Darlington house since the start of the heavy snowfall. Police said the case is unusual, but have warned people to be on their guard in the hope of preventing other similar incidents.
The victim, 36-year-old Mark McMullen, said: “It is unbelievable. I can’t understand the bare-faced cheek of some people. To break into my house, steal my keys, then boil the kettle and clean all the snow off my car while talking to my neighbours, then to put the key into the ignition and away he goes – it beggars belief. It is ludicrous.” The incident happened on Monday, between noon and 1pm, in Park Crescent, Darlington. The burglar also stole other items from the house, including a laptop computer.
“I am just glad my wife and daughter weren’t in the house at the time,” said Mr Mc- Mullen, a stockbroker. I want everyone to be aware of this so it doesn’t happen to anyone else. “I hadn’t driven my car since it started snowing, it had just been sitting on the drive for about two weeks. The thief was smartly dressed in a suit, so my neighbours just thought he was from the garage to pick it up. One of them is even involved in the local Neighbourhood Watch scheme.”
Cat summons police by dialling 999
Police responding to a 999 call in Swansea discovered they had been summoned by a cat. Ginger's owner Howard Moss was fast asleep in bed when he was woken by officers banging on his front door. After letting them in during the early hours of Tuesday they found the pet reclining next to the unhooked phone with one of his paws on the keyboard.
Mr Moss said police took the false alarm in good humour and Ginger was unaware of the commotion he had caused. The retired lecturer said it was only recently Ginger had started sleeping on the table next to the phone. He said he was fast asleep in bed when police knocked on his door. They had received a 999 call from his home in Brynmill but no message had been left.
"I was puzzled because I was alone in the house and fast asleep," he said. "I didn't know what was going on to be honest. The phone was slightly off the hook and Ginger had one of his paws on the phone keyboard." He said police quickly came to the conclusion that it must have been Ginger who had dialled 999.
"He has never dialled a phone number before but the chances of it happening must be so small." South Wales Police confirmed that officers had responded to an emergency call early on Tuesday. "It would appear that the call was made as a result of a family cat laying across the phone," said a spokesman.
Mr Moss said police took the false alarm in good humour and Ginger was unaware of the commotion he had caused. The retired lecturer said it was only recently Ginger had started sleeping on the table next to the phone. He said he was fast asleep in bed when police knocked on his door. They had received a 999 call from his home in Brynmill but no message had been left.
"I was puzzled because I was alone in the house and fast asleep," he said. "I didn't know what was going on to be honest. The phone was slightly off the hook and Ginger had one of his paws on the phone keyboard." He said police quickly came to the conclusion that it must have been Ginger who had dialled 999.
"He has never dialled a phone number before but the chances of it happening must be so small." South Wales Police confirmed that officers had responded to an emergency call early on Tuesday. "It would appear that the call was made as a result of a family cat laying across the phone," said a spokesman.
Pet rat starts fire after taking smouldering cigarette to bed with him
When Nelly Banks saw her rat’s cage burst into flames, she never expected to see her beloved pet again. But she got quite a shock when the rascal rodent ran around on the floor – after sparking a full scale 999 alert. Nelly’s pet – called No Name – stole a smouldering cigarette butt from her ashtray and took it to bed with him.
But the cigarette continued to smoulder, set fire to her cage and left her entire flat on Westminster Road, Morecambe, smoke-logged. The 43-year-old has no idea how the rat made the miracle escape. She said: “He is a little pincher, he is always taking stuff and hiding it and this time he took one of my cigarettes and put it into his cage which is obviously flammable.
“He had beer cans and bits of paper and all sorts in there, so it did not take much to send it up. I don’t know what he thought he was doing, it was about 3am and I woke up and there was smoke everywhere. I just grabbed a blanket and put it over the cage and then rushed outside to get a fire extinguisher because there was no way I was leaving him to take his chances.”
But, when she was outside the flat, her neighbours stopped her from rushing back in to rescue her pet as the fire brigade arrived. Mark Bateson, of the green watch crew at Morecambe fire station, said he believed the rat was building a nest and scurried away through an open door when it realised its home was about to go up in flames. He said: “Fortunately, the fire alarm detected the fire and everyone got out, but people need to be careful with carelessly discarded cigarettes.”
But the cigarette continued to smoulder, set fire to her cage and left her entire flat on Westminster Road, Morecambe, smoke-logged. The 43-year-old has no idea how the rat made the miracle escape. She said: “He is a little pincher, he is always taking stuff and hiding it and this time he took one of my cigarettes and put it into his cage which is obviously flammable.
“He had beer cans and bits of paper and all sorts in there, so it did not take much to send it up. I don’t know what he thought he was doing, it was about 3am and I woke up and there was smoke everywhere. I just grabbed a blanket and put it over the cage and then rushed outside to get a fire extinguisher because there was no way I was leaving him to take his chances.”
But, when she was outside the flat, her neighbours stopped her from rushing back in to rescue her pet as the fire brigade arrived. Mark Bateson, of the green watch crew at Morecambe fire station, said he believed the rat was building a nest and scurried away through an open door when it realised its home was about to go up in flames. He said: “Fortunately, the fire alarm detected the fire and everyone got out, but people need to be careful with carelessly discarded cigarettes.”
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