An Algerian who says he can eat light bulbs, candles, sawdust, nails and over 1,000 boiled eggs in one sitting is itching to enter the record books and earn the pride of his compatriots.
Salim Haini, alias El Akoul (The Eater), discovered his digestive talents eight years ago during the Ramadan month of fasting and prayer, when he found the enormous meals he ate after sunset did little to satisfy his stomach. Since then his appetite has steadily grown.
"I've eaten two barrels of olive oil in one go, 40 loaves of bread, 75 bowls of chorba (Algerian soup)...," Haini said. "I once ate an entire roast lamb weighing 35 kilos."
Like most young Algerians, Haini is unemployed and on some days he goes without a proper meal. His cravings once got him into trouble when he awoke hungry, stole into his uncle's vegetable patch and devoured 50 kg of lettuces, said Haini's manager Karim Rahal.
Friends and relatives in his home town of Ain Defla suggested he put his appetite to work and enter competitions.
"I'm now the eating champion in 30 wilayas (provinces) across the country," said Haini. "God willing, the authorities will help me travel abroad and become the first Arab to eat his way into the Guinness Book of World Records."
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Car drives straight through house
After driving her speeding car through a Kapolei home, an allegedly drunken 19-year-old woman pleaded with the homeowner, "Don't tell my mother," neighbours said.
At about 3:45 a.m. Saturday, the woman's boyfriend was called to a party on Halahinano Street in Kapolei Knolls to pick her up because she was intoxicated, police said. When the boyfriend arrived, the woman got into her car and sped away on Halahinano, a dead-end street.
She crashed into a two-story house at the end of the cul-de-sac, continued through the living room and kitchen, and did not stop until she was on the backyard patio.
Police said a family of four was sleeping upstairs at the time, and no one was injured. The car took out the load-bearing beam, causing the house to sag.
The driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and arrested on suspicion of underage drunken driving, police said.
Mark and Sylvia Tsuda own the home at 91-1540 Halahinano St., which is valued at $340,800, according to the city property tax Web site.
At about 3:45 a.m. Saturday, the woman's boyfriend was called to a party on Halahinano Street in Kapolei Knolls to pick her up because she was intoxicated, police said. When the boyfriend arrived, the woman got into her car and sped away on Halahinano, a dead-end street.
She crashed into a two-story house at the end of the cul-de-sac, continued through the living room and kitchen, and did not stop until she was on the backyard patio.
Police said a family of four was sleeping upstairs at the time, and no one was injured. The car took out the load-bearing beam, causing the house to sag.
The driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and arrested on suspicion of underage drunken driving, police said.
Mark and Sylvia Tsuda own the home at 91-1540 Halahinano St., which is valued at $340,800, according to the city property tax Web site.
Japanese minister resigns over claims he was drunk on TV
Japan's finance minister today said he would resign after being forced to deny that he was drunk at a G7 news conference.
Shoichi Nakagawa's announcement deals a fresh blow to unpopular Prime Minister Taro Aso whose public support is plummeting during an election year, and will do nothing to calm frayed nerves over Japan's economy which is shrinking at its fastest rate in 35 years.
Mr Nakagawa said he would step down after parliament passed budget bills but the opposition has demanded he quit immediately.
Yesterday, Mr Nakagawa blamed a heavy dose of cold medicine for a baffling performance at a G7 news conference that made him appear incapably drunk.
He was filmed at a news conference slurring his speech and closing his eyes repeatedly as if dozing off during the conference with the Bank of Japan governor after a meeting of the Group of Seven finance leaders in Rome.
Nakagawa, 55, a close ally of prime minister Taro Aso, insisted that he had drunk 'no more than a glassful' of wine before the news conference and that his shaky performance was due to having too much cough medicine.
You can see the video with subtitles here.
Shoichi Nakagawa's announcement deals a fresh blow to unpopular Prime Minister Taro Aso whose public support is plummeting during an election year, and will do nothing to calm frayed nerves over Japan's economy which is shrinking at its fastest rate in 35 years.
Mr Nakagawa said he would step down after parliament passed budget bills but the opposition has demanded he quit immediately.
Yesterday, Mr Nakagawa blamed a heavy dose of cold medicine for a baffling performance at a G7 news conference that made him appear incapably drunk.
He was filmed at a news conference slurring his speech and closing his eyes repeatedly as if dozing off during the conference with the Bank of Japan governor after a meeting of the Group of Seven finance leaders in Rome.
Nakagawa, 55, a close ally of prime minister Taro Aso, insisted that he had drunk 'no more than a glassful' of wine before the news conference and that his shaky performance was due to having too much cough medicine.
You can see the video with subtitles here.
British and French nuclear submarines crash in Atlantic
A cross-channel investigation has been launched after two submarines carrying nuclear weapons – from the Royal and French navies – collided in the Atlantic.
HMS Vanguard and Le Triomphant crashed on February 3 or 4, despite both vessels being equipped with sonar.
The British submarine, which has a crew of 135, weighs nearly 16,000 tonnes and is 150m long, is one of Britain's four V-class subs under the Trident programme.
Armed with 16 ballistic missiles, it is now believed to have been towed last night to Faslane, a nuclear submarine base in Scotland, with dents and scrapes to its hull.
Its French counterpart was reportedly carrying a similar number of warheads, and also had around 130 crew on board.
A senior Navy source was quoted as saying that the potential consequences of such a collision would be "unthinkable"."It’s very unlikely there would have been a nuclear explosion," the source said.
HMS Vanguard and Le Triomphant crashed on February 3 or 4, despite both vessels being equipped with sonar.
The British submarine, which has a crew of 135, weighs nearly 16,000 tonnes and is 150m long, is one of Britain's four V-class subs under the Trident programme.
Armed with 16 ballistic missiles, it is now believed to have been towed last night to Faslane, a nuclear submarine base in Scotland, with dents and scrapes to its hull.
Its French counterpart was reportedly carrying a similar number of warheads, and also had around 130 crew on board.
A senior Navy source was quoted as saying that the potential consequences of such a collision would be "unthinkable"."It’s very unlikely there would have been a nuclear explosion," the source said.
Married man travels 400 miles for Facebook affair, only to discover it is a hoax
A married Manchester United fan drove 400 miles to begin an affair with a girl he had met on Facebook, only to discover it had been a hoax set up by two rival Liverpool supporters.
Stuart Slann, 39, made the ten-hour trip from his home in Sheffield to a remote farm in Aberdeen, Scotland last month on the promise of meeting the woman he had been swapping suggestive messages with for several weeks.
However, after arriving at the deserted house and waiting for a further three hours in his car for "Emma" to finish work and show up, the two pranksters called him to confess.
To add to his humiliation, they recorded the conversation and put it on the internet.
Video contains very NSFW language.
It was then that Mr Slann's wife Louise, 32, discovered the "affair". Their marriage is now over.
Mr Slann said: "It was a cruel thing to do. I've been taken for a ride. They wound me up good and proper."
Full story here.
Stuart Slann, 39, made the ten-hour trip from his home in Sheffield to a remote farm in Aberdeen, Scotland last month on the promise of meeting the woman he had been swapping suggestive messages with for several weeks.
However, after arriving at the deserted house and waiting for a further three hours in his car for "Emma" to finish work and show up, the two pranksters called him to confess.
To add to his humiliation, they recorded the conversation and put it on the internet.
Video contains very NSFW language.
It was then that Mr Slann's wife Louise, 32, discovered the "affair". Their marriage is now over.
Mr Slann said: "It was a cruel thing to do. I've been taken for a ride. They wound me up good and proper."
Full story here.
Kissing banned at railway station
Couples have been banned from kissing at Warrington Bank Quay Station because it holds up commuters.
No-kissing signs have appeared in the taxi rank at Warrington Bank Quay Station forcing lovers to use designated areas only.
The signs were erected after concerns that passionate embraces were causing delays for commuters with more passengers being attracted there. Warrington Bank Quay is believed to be the first in the country to put up such signs.
Ruth Sargeant, 38, who uses the station to travel to Manchester, said: "It's ridiculous. I don't see the point of having a no-kissing area, surely people are entitled to say their goodbyes." And Tom Hall, 25, another commuter, said: "It's daft. What are they going to do if they catch couples kissing, fine them?"
The idea of no-kissing signs was first suggested by Colin Daniels, chief executive of the Warrington Chamber of Commerce.
He said: "It was all a bit of fun. But now Virgin Trains have agreed to put them up as part of the refurbishment. They may seem frivolous but there is a serious message underneath."
There's a news video here.
No-kissing signs have appeared in the taxi rank at Warrington Bank Quay Station forcing lovers to use designated areas only.
The signs were erected after concerns that passionate embraces were causing delays for commuters with more passengers being attracted there. Warrington Bank Quay is believed to be the first in the country to put up such signs.
Ruth Sargeant, 38, who uses the station to travel to Manchester, said: "It's ridiculous. I don't see the point of having a no-kissing area, surely people are entitled to say their goodbyes." And Tom Hall, 25, another commuter, said: "It's daft. What are they going to do if they catch couples kissing, fine them?"
The idea of no-kissing signs was first suggested by Colin Daniels, chief executive of the Warrington Chamber of Commerce.
He said: "It was all a bit of fun. But now Virgin Trains have agreed to put them up as part of the refurbishment. They may seem frivolous but there is a serious message underneath."
There's a news video here.
The dog who saved a man's life
This is Tia the five-year-old dog who proved herself to truly be man's best friend by saving the life of a Norwich pensioner. When Roy Rampley, 83, suffered a stroke in the middle of the night and fell out of bed, his wife Sonia was in such a deep sleep she did not hear the commotion.
However, Tia, a five-year-old Patterdale Terrier, had sensed something was up and began furiously scratching at the 78-year-old's hand until she woke up.
After taking Tia outside thinking she needed to relieve herself, Mrs Rampley turned the bedroom light on to discover her husband lying paralysed on the floor. She was then able to call an ambulance to the scene just in time to save her husband's life.
The couple, who live in Plumstead Road, were looking after Tia and another dog called Fudge for two weeks at the end of January, as part of the Barking Mad dog-sitting scheme, in which dogs are found temporary homes rather than put in kennels.
Mrs Rampley said Tia had been particularly close to her husband while she had been staying at the house and enjoyed sitting on his lap on the sofa. Thanks to her, he is now recovering at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
Mrs Rampley added: “It is so lucky we were looking after them.”
However, Tia, a five-year-old Patterdale Terrier, had sensed something was up and began furiously scratching at the 78-year-old's hand until she woke up.
After taking Tia outside thinking she needed to relieve herself, Mrs Rampley turned the bedroom light on to discover her husband lying paralysed on the floor. She was then able to call an ambulance to the scene just in time to save her husband's life.
The couple, who live in Plumstead Road, were looking after Tia and another dog called Fudge for two weeks at the end of January, as part of the Barking Mad dog-sitting scheme, in which dogs are found temporary homes rather than put in kennels.
Mrs Rampley said Tia had been particularly close to her husband while she had been staying at the house and enjoyed sitting on his lap on the sofa. Thanks to her, he is now recovering at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
Mrs Rampley added: “It is so lucky we were looking after them.”
Police appeal for Roderick’s relatives to reclaim urn
An urn containing the ashes of a man who died 17 months ago is awaiting collection at Ringwood police station after being found at nearby Blashford Lakes.
A walker was enjoying an afternoon stroll at the popular fishing spot yesterday when he made the bizarre discovery.
An inscription on the side of the metal container says the remains are those of Roderick Nigel Jones, who died on September 2, 2007. Now police are urging his next of kin to come forward and retrieve the precious object.
The urn is in the safe keeping of Ian Hunt, a former New Forest beat bobby who retired last year and is now a civilian employee at the police station.
He said: “I don’t think it’s been stolen and can only assume it was left there because Mr Jones either liked fishing or regarded it as one of his favourite places.
“It’s strange that it’s only just been found. Perhaps someone had it for a while and put it there recently. If it’s not claimed it might be destroyed, which would be a tragedy and certainly not something you’d want for a loved one.”
A walker was enjoying an afternoon stroll at the popular fishing spot yesterday when he made the bizarre discovery.
An inscription on the side of the metal container says the remains are those of Roderick Nigel Jones, who died on September 2, 2007. Now police are urging his next of kin to come forward and retrieve the precious object.
The urn is in the safe keeping of Ian Hunt, a former New Forest beat bobby who retired last year and is now a civilian employee at the police station.
He said: “I don’t think it’s been stolen and can only assume it was left there because Mr Jones either liked fishing or regarded it as one of his favourite places.
“It’s strange that it’s only just been found. Perhaps someone had it for a while and put it there recently. If it’s not claimed it might be destroyed, which would be a tragedy and certainly not something you’d want for a loved one.”
Insurance form blames 'fat chav' for crash
An insurance report in which a car crash victim was described – and drawn – as a "free-loading fat chav" has emerged. The humorous account was submitted by the man accused of causing the accident in frustration at what he saw as the other driver's exaggerated compensation claim.
In his written report, James Edwards admitted that he nudged the woman's bumper after she stalled at traffic lights, but insisted she was not hurt.
"We each got out. There was no damage and Miss Pywell is a fat chav who definitely does not have whiplash," he wrote.
Click for bigger.
He illustrated the report with a drawing of a bloated Miss Pywell wearing a baseball cap. Mr Edwards also sketched himself pointing at the woman and shouting "Chav!", and drew a bird's-eye view of the incident, labelling the two drivers as "fat chav" and "me".
The form was submitted to the insurer AIG but was leaked on to the internet. The insurer is promising "action" against whoever made the document public.
The full text of Mr Edwards's report read: "I was stopped at traffic lights. The lights changed. Mrs Pywell started to move and then stopped (stalled). I had just started to pull away and then broke. As i stopped I very slightly touched the rear bumper of the car in front. We each got out. There was no damage and Miss Pywell is a fat chav who definitely does not have whiplash."
In his written report, James Edwards admitted that he nudged the woman's bumper after she stalled at traffic lights, but insisted she was not hurt.
"We each got out. There was no damage and Miss Pywell is a fat chav who definitely does not have whiplash," he wrote.
Click for bigger.
He illustrated the report with a drawing of a bloated Miss Pywell wearing a baseball cap. Mr Edwards also sketched himself pointing at the woman and shouting "Chav!", and drew a bird's-eye view of the incident, labelling the two drivers as "fat chav" and "me".
The form was submitted to the insurer AIG but was leaked on to the internet. The insurer is promising "action" against whoever made the document public.
The full text of Mr Edwards's report read: "I was stopped at traffic lights. The lights changed. Mrs Pywell started to move and then stopped (stalled). I had just started to pull away and then broke. As i stopped I very slightly touched the rear bumper of the car in front. We each got out. There was no damage and Miss Pywell is a fat chav who definitely does not have whiplash."
As of yesterday it is now illegal to photograph British police
From yesterday, anyone taking a photograph of a police officer could be deemed to have committed a criminal offence. That is because of a new law - Section 76 of the Counter Terrorism Act - which has come into force.
It permits the arrest of anyone found "eliciting, publishing or communicating information" relating to members of the armed forces, intelligence services and police officers, which is "likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism".
That means anyone taking a picture of one of those people could face a fine or a prison sentence of up to 10 years, if a link to terrorism is proved.
The law has angered photographers, both professional and amateur, who fear it could exacerbate the harassment they already sometimes face.
Yesterday, a group is gathering outside New Scotland Yard for a "mass picture-taking session" in protest. The event was organised by the National Union of Journalists. It insists the right to take pictures in public places is "a precious freedom" that must be safeguarded.
NUJ organiser John Toner said: "Police officers are in news pictures at all sorts of events - football matches, carnivals, state processions - so the union wants to make it clear that taking their pictures is not the act of a criminal."
It permits the arrest of anyone found "eliciting, publishing or communicating information" relating to members of the armed forces, intelligence services and police officers, which is "likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism".
That means anyone taking a picture of one of those people could face a fine or a prison sentence of up to 10 years, if a link to terrorism is proved.
The law has angered photographers, both professional and amateur, who fear it could exacerbate the harassment they already sometimes face.
Yesterday, a group is gathering outside New Scotland Yard for a "mass picture-taking session" in protest. The event was organised by the National Union of Journalists. It insists the right to take pictures in public places is "a precious freedom" that must be safeguarded.
NUJ organiser John Toner said: "Police officers are in news pictures at all sorts of events - football matches, carnivals, state processions - so the union wants to make it clear that taking their pictures is not the act of a criminal."
Monday, February 16, 2009
This lady has just missed her flight
Filmed at Hong Kong international airport on February 4.
She'd just discovered that she was too late for her Cathay Pacific flight to San Francisco.
I think it's fair to say she's not happy.
She'd just discovered that she was too late for her Cathay Pacific flight to San Francisco.
I think it's fair to say she's not happy.
Jesus found on crisp
Brian and Linda “Lyn” Hershey have one potato chip that won’t get eaten any time soon. It has a likeness of Jesus Christ cooked into its surface. Brian was poised to chomp down on the chip two weeks ago when his wife stopped him with a shriek.
“She just screamed, ‘Don’t eat that!’ and I thought, ‘What the heck.’ I was just eating my dinner,” Brian says.
Sitting across from him at a table in C R Bucks restaurant in Chambersburg, Lyn spotted the Christ-like image just in time to preserve it. “I don’t know if it was the way the light was shining or what, but I just looked over as he was about to pop it in his mouth, and I could see it clearly,” she recalls. Brian says, “We don’t usually look for Jesus in our food, but it’s there.”
The image of Christ is obvious to nearly everyone who looks, says the couple, who live in Shippensburg.
On the chip, the image is a head-and-shoulders view, with the head slightly inclined and Christ’s hair and robed shoulder in outline. The couple stashed the iconic morsel in a foam dish with a clear plastic lid and say they plan to keep it.
Both Lyn and Brian think there may be some spiritual meaning attached to the chip. “We both just accepted Jesus in the last six months, so I think it’s a sign that we’re doing the right thing,” Lyn says.
“She just screamed, ‘Don’t eat that!’ and I thought, ‘What the heck.’ I was just eating my dinner,” Brian says.
Sitting across from him at a table in C R Bucks restaurant in Chambersburg, Lyn spotted the Christ-like image just in time to preserve it. “I don’t know if it was the way the light was shining or what, but I just looked over as he was about to pop it in his mouth, and I could see it clearly,” she recalls. Brian says, “We don’t usually look for Jesus in our food, but it’s there.”
The image of Christ is obvious to nearly everyone who looks, says the couple, who live in Shippensburg.
On the chip, the image is a head-and-shoulders view, with the head slightly inclined and Christ’s hair and robed shoulder in outline. The couple stashed the iconic morsel in a foam dish with a clear plastic lid and say they plan to keep it.
Both Lyn and Brian think there may be some spiritual meaning attached to the chip. “We both just accepted Jesus in the last six months, so I think it’s a sign that we’re doing the right thing,” Lyn says.
U.S. foreclosure image is 2008 World Press Photo of the Year
A picture of an armed sheriff moving through an American home after an eviction due to a mortgage foreclosure was named World Press Photo of 2008 on Friday.
Jury members said the strength of the photo by American Anthony Suau for Time magazine was in its opposites - it looks like a classic war photograph, but is simply the eviction of people from a house.
"Now war in its classic sense is coming into people's houses because they can't pay their mortgages," jury chair MaryAnne Golon said.
Fellow juror Akinbode Akinbiyi said: "All over the world people will be thinking: 'This is what is happening to all of us'."
You can see all the winners here and here.
Jury members said the strength of the photo by American Anthony Suau for Time magazine was in its opposites - it looks like a classic war photograph, but is simply the eviction of people from a house.
"Now war in its classic sense is coming into people's houses because they can't pay their mortgages," jury chair MaryAnne Golon said.
Fellow juror Akinbode Akinbiyi said: "All over the world people will be thinking: 'This is what is happening to all of us'."
You can see all the winners here and here.
Teen posts film of him abusing cat on YouTube
In a disgusting case of animal abuse, a cat being abused was filmed by the culprits and posted on YouTube. A teenage boy slammed a cat against a wall and repeatedly struck it. It was a hot topic on the internets all day yesterday. (Link contains NSFW language.)
The teenager - who calls himself "Timmy" entered a bathroom that he called his laboratory. Inside the shower was a cat which the boy picked up by its neck and slammed against the wall and floor before beating it with his fists. The attack continued for more than a minute.
This video is an edited, censored news report.
YouTube removed the video in the afternoon and disabled the user's account. Authorities confirm that they are investigating the video, and Lawton Police say the Comanche County Sheriff's Department is investigating.
I made the mistake of watching the video yesterday and I really hope they lock the little bastard up.
The teenager - who calls himself "Timmy" entered a bathroom that he called his laboratory. Inside the shower was a cat which the boy picked up by its neck and slammed against the wall and floor before beating it with his fists. The attack continued for more than a minute.
This video is an edited, censored news report.
YouTube removed the video in the afternoon and disabled the user's account. Authorities confirm that they are investigating the video, and Lawton Police say the Comanche County Sheriff's Department is investigating.
I made the mistake of watching the video yesterday and I really hope they lock the little bastard up.
Burglary victim drives off in thieves' van
Patrick Rosario had a clever way of making sure a pair of burglars didn't get away with his three flat-screen TVs: He stole their van.
The 32-year-old was in the basement of his Bellevue home on Tuesday afternoon when he heard the thieves upstairs. He called 911 as he snuck out of the house and, against the advice of the dispatcher, hopped into the getaway car — a white Ford van that was parked in front of his house, still running — and drove away.
The burglars took off on foot, leaving a pile of televisions, a laptop and a jewellery box by the door. A witness who was visiting a home across the street saw them. According to the detectives' report, "the males looked back ... and appeared startled."
"I wish I could have seen the look on their faces," Rosario said. He said he recognizes it probably wasn't the wisest thing to do, but it nevertheless earned him some high-fives from responding officers.
"Two pulled up, and they looked over at me and go, 'You stole their car — way to go, dude. That's awesome,'" Rosario said. "Another told me that I just made her month."
The suspects remained at large.
The 32-year-old was in the basement of his Bellevue home on Tuesday afternoon when he heard the thieves upstairs. He called 911 as he snuck out of the house and, against the advice of the dispatcher, hopped into the getaway car — a white Ford van that was parked in front of his house, still running — and drove away.
The burglars took off on foot, leaving a pile of televisions, a laptop and a jewellery box by the door. A witness who was visiting a home across the street saw them. According to the detectives' report, "the males looked back ... and appeared startled."
"I wish I could have seen the look on their faces," Rosario said. He said he recognizes it probably wasn't the wisest thing to do, but it nevertheless earned him some high-fives from responding officers.
"Two pulled up, and they looked over at me and go, 'You stole their car — way to go, dude. That's awesome,'" Rosario said. "Another told me that I just made her month."
The suspects remained at large.
Level crossing jumper who had shoe sliced off by train was late for work - Update
19-year-old Craig Grant’s trainer was sliced in half by the impact after he jumped over a level-crossing barrier – but amazingly he escaped with only minor damage to his ankle.
‘It’s scary when you think about it. The shoe was mangled. It was literally cut in half – the back was hanging on by a bit of thread. It was destroyed. I’m just lucky that wasn’t my leg or my foot or, in fact, my life. If the train had hit me I would have exploded on impact.’
The factory worker was going to work on December 17 last year when he decided to jump the level-crossing safety barrier and walk over the tracks at Rainham station in Essex. He had seen another man climb over and cross and as he was late he decided to follow on his way to the Albright Industrial Estate on the other side of the tracks.
Craig said: ‘I didn’t really look because normally when you wait for the trains to come past, they wouldn’t come for two or three minutes, so I thought I had my chance to get across. So I jumped it and, as I go across the railway line, I see the train literally inches away from me.
‘Instead of jumping back like some people do, I darted forward and it kicked my ankle and took my shoe completely off. And with that I felt this pain rush across me as I got over to the other side.’
He left his white Reebok Classic trainer behind him on the track and, in spite of the searing pain, carried on running until he got to the other barrier, fearing another train could be on the way. The stranger who had jumped the barrier ahead of Craig helped him to walk over to the industrial estate. He was then taken by ambulance to Queen’s Hospital in nearby Romford and treated for torn muscles and a minor fracture of his right ankle.
‘It’s scary when you think about it. The shoe was mangled. It was literally cut in half – the back was hanging on by a bit of thread. It was destroyed. I’m just lucky that wasn’t my leg or my foot or, in fact, my life. If the train had hit me I would have exploded on impact.’
The factory worker was going to work on December 17 last year when he decided to jump the level-crossing safety barrier and walk over the tracks at Rainham station in Essex. He had seen another man climb over and cross and as he was late he decided to follow on his way to the Albright Industrial Estate on the other side of the tracks.
Craig said: ‘I didn’t really look because normally when you wait for the trains to come past, they wouldn’t come for two or three minutes, so I thought I had my chance to get across. So I jumped it and, as I go across the railway line, I see the train literally inches away from me.
‘Instead of jumping back like some people do, I darted forward and it kicked my ankle and took my shoe completely off. And with that I felt this pain rush across me as I got over to the other side.’
He left his white Reebok Classic trainer behind him on the track and, in spite of the searing pain, carried on running until he got to the other barrier, fearing another train could be on the way. The stranger who had jumped the barrier ahead of Craig helped him to walk over to the industrial estate. He was then taken by ambulance to Queen’s Hospital in nearby Romford and treated for torn muscles and a minor fracture of his right ankle.
Scientists study what the cat brought in
Wildlife researchers have hired the services of some unusual helpers: 200 neighbourhood cats equipped with electronic tags. The animals have been recruited in an attempt to discover how much wildlife destruction is wrought by feline pets.
Some experts believe Britain's 9m cats could be killing more than 150m birds, mice, rabbits, moles and other creatures every year. For species such as the house sparrow - whose numbers are dwindling sharply - cat predation could be a serious threat. Others, however, say cats mainly kill sick, weak or old creatures and are not a major problem.
The Reading University project, led by Rebecca Dulieu, a biologist, has been set up to provide answers, using electronic tracking and computing analysis to monitor cat movements in unprecedented detail. "We know what cats do in our homes - they sleep," said Dulieu. "But we have virtually no idea of what they get up to outdoors, particularly at night. Now we can find out. We have found our cats are bringing back, on average, 4.8 dead animals a year. Most are mice but there are also rats, dormice and shrews. Birds make up about a third of the total. One cat even brought back a weasel."
The kill rate found by Dulieu would therefore suggest that British cats bring back about 40m creatures a year to their homes. However, previous studies have also indicated that only 30% of dead animals are actually returned to homes. Large prey, such as rabbits, are too heavy, while very small creatures are usually eaten on the spot, for example.
That analysis suggests, in turn, that the average cat's annual kill record must be closer to 16 - which in turn suggests that about 145m wild animals are perishing at the paws and claws of the nation's feline population every year. However, even that figure may be an underestimate. Some studies put the cat's kill return rate at about only 20% - which would raise their overall toll even further, to almost 200m. "The trouble is that we do not have enough reliable data about cats' outdoor activities, especially at dark," said Dulieu. "We could be overestimating or underestimating their kill return rate quite significantly.
"For the first time, cats will be fitted with data loggers that will show their movements, range and behaviour 24 hours a day. We will know when one kills an animal - typically by the way it plays with its prey. We will then be able to work out precisely how many animals a cat is killing every year, and from that estimate a national figure. It will be a pretty formidable number."
Some experts believe Britain's 9m cats could be killing more than 150m birds, mice, rabbits, moles and other creatures every year. For species such as the house sparrow - whose numbers are dwindling sharply - cat predation could be a serious threat. Others, however, say cats mainly kill sick, weak or old creatures and are not a major problem.
The Reading University project, led by Rebecca Dulieu, a biologist, has been set up to provide answers, using electronic tracking and computing analysis to monitor cat movements in unprecedented detail. "We know what cats do in our homes - they sleep," said Dulieu. "But we have virtually no idea of what they get up to outdoors, particularly at night. Now we can find out. We have found our cats are bringing back, on average, 4.8 dead animals a year. Most are mice but there are also rats, dormice and shrews. Birds make up about a third of the total. One cat even brought back a weasel."
The kill rate found by Dulieu would therefore suggest that British cats bring back about 40m creatures a year to their homes. However, previous studies have also indicated that only 30% of dead animals are actually returned to homes. Large prey, such as rabbits, are too heavy, while very small creatures are usually eaten on the spot, for example.
That analysis suggests, in turn, that the average cat's annual kill record must be closer to 16 - which in turn suggests that about 145m wild animals are perishing at the paws and claws of the nation's feline population every year. However, even that figure may be an underestimate. Some studies put the cat's kill return rate at about only 20% - which would raise their overall toll even further, to almost 200m. "The trouble is that we do not have enough reliable data about cats' outdoor activities, especially at dark," said Dulieu. "We could be overestimating or underestimating their kill return rate quite significantly.
"For the first time, cats will be fitted with data loggers that will show their movements, range and behaviour 24 hours a day. We will know when one kills an animal - typically by the way it plays with its prey. We will then be able to work out precisely how many animals a cat is killing every year, and from that estimate a national figure. It will be a pretty formidable number."
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