As five years as Prime Minister David Cameron should have a decent stock of anecdotes to keep a room of voters entertained. But in an advert break for last night's TV election contest the Tory leader took the chance to perform his own party trick. In front of more than 100 voters and studio crew, he recited a verse from his favourite childhood song: Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West). Scroll down for video . David Cameron revealed the only song he knows the words to is Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West), before reciting the first verse . Initial reports that the Prime Minister had burst into song were disappointingly wide of the mark. During a break he told Sky News presenter Kay Burley how the chart-topping song by Benny Hill was the only one he could sing in full. She tweeted: 'Just heard from PM that he can sing Ernie and nothing else...' The Premier could not be persuaded to showcase this talent, but did prove his love of the song by reciting the first verse. Burley added: 'He didn't sing but he did recite 'you could hear the hoof beats pound as they raced across the ground...' Mr Cameron's love of the song first emerged in 2006 when he appeared on Desert Island Discs and revealed it would be one of the songs he would take to the fictional island. 'This really just reminds me of my childhood,' he said at the time. 'When you are asked to sing a song, this is, I'm afraid, the only song whose words I can remember.' The private rendition for the audience in last night's TV studio might explain why he got a relatively easy time from them when the cameras went live. While Mr Cameron was asked about treating the elderly with dignity and the depth of spending cuts, Mr Miliband faced a series of aggressive questions. Mr Cameron waves to the audience after taking questions in the first TV contest of the general election campaign . The Tory leader's first question from the audience was: 'What do you think are Ed Miliband's best qualities?' One of the few off-the-cuff questions from Burley to the PM was: 'Have you ever had three shredded wheat?' When Mr Miliband face the audience, he was first asked: 'You sound gloomy most of the time, are things really so bad?' Another asked: 'Do you not think that your brother would have done a better job? He was better qualified and better positioned.' Mr Cameron and Mr Miliband faced the wrath of voters - and Jeremy Paxman - last night as they were forced to defend their broken promises, judgement and ability to lead the country in the first prime-time TV contest of the general election. They were interviewed by Paxman for 18 minutes each, and also took questions from a studio audience with Ms Burley acting as moderator on the show broadcast on Sky News and Channel 4. This afternoon Ofcom had received 254 complaints - all of which were about perceived bias

Summary: Prime Minister reveals Benny Hill hit is the only song he can sing in full . Stopped short of bursting into song but recited first verse to prove it . Bizarre moment came while cameras were off during TV election contest . Watchdogs have received hundreds of complaints of bias against Miliband .


Franz Beckenbauer is certain English clubs are not in the midst of a Euro-crisis despite the domino crash which culminated in Everton's five-goal hammering in Kiev. The Merseysiders, the last representatives of the Barclays Premier League in European competition this season, lost 5-2 against Dynamo Kiev and went out of the Europa League with a 6-4 aggregate defeat. It leaves English football with no teams in the last eight of either trophy for the first time in 22 years. Bayern Munich honoary president Franz Beckenbauer insists that English football is not facing a crisis . Dynamo Kiev's Andriy Yarmolenko (right) and Everton's James McCarthy vie for the ball in the Europa League . Kiev left-back Vitorino Antunes (centre) shields the ball from Everton striker Romelu Lukaku (right) Everton players look dejected following their 5-2 loss to Dynamo Kiev in the Europa League on Thursday . 'It is a temporary problem,' said Beckenbauer. 'I am not very happy because there are no English teams in the quarter-finals. But in Germany we are having the same debate. We almost have the same problems. 'We had four teams in the Champions League but only one has survived, Bayern Munich. 'Last year the Bundesliga teams were very successful. And two years before when the final was held at Wembley, we had two teams in the final and everybody said we had the best league in the world. 'It is temporary. Sometimes you are very unlucky and you get defeated. Next year is another year.' Beckenbauer was speaking at the launch of Gazprom's third annual 'Football for Friendship' initiative. Bayern Munich are the only German team to be left in the quarter-finals of the Champions League this season . Midfielder Xabi Alonso (left) goalkeeper Pepe Reina (right) admire the penumbral solar eclipse on Friday . (Front to back) Philipp Lahm, Robert Lewandowski, Arjen Robben and Sinan Kurt warm up in training . He is a global ambassador for the international children's social project, which brings young footballers together from 24 different countries around Europe and will offer many of them the chance to attend the Champions League final in Berlin on June 6. The showpiece will take place without an English team but Beckenbauer, an honorary president for Bayern Munich, a club he served as a legendary captain and manager, will be hoping for a German victory on home soil. 'I hope Bayern Munich will be there opposite whoever, this is my dream,' he said. 'If they are in the final, I will keep my fingers crossed because I am the president and I have to support my team. But there is a long way to go.' Wolfsburg are Germany's only team left in the last eight of the Europa League. Beckenbauer was speaking at the launch of Gazprom's third annual 'Football for Friendship' initiative . Wolfsburg striker Nicklas Bendtner scores a goal during the Europa League tie against Inter Milan . Wolfsburg are the only German team to be left in the quarter-finals of the Europa League this season .

Summary: There are no English teams left in European competition this season . Everton crashed out of the Europa League on Thursday at Dynamo Kiev . Arsenal and Manchester City exited the Champions League earlier this week . Despite this, Franz Beckenbauer says English football is not in a crisis . There are two German teams left in European quarter-finals .


A couple who poured $400,000 into a two-bedroom cottage in a bid to turn it into a stylish family home have been left disappointed after it failed to attract a single bid at auction. The couple paid $1.01 million for the terrace house in Redfern, an inner-city suburb in Sydney, 18 months ago, Domain reports. After months of toiling the house is now beautifully renovated - but it doesn't have a new owner just yet. At the front, a new picket fence, synthetic lawn and roof have been added. Scroll down for video . The house used to be a modest one-floor terrace (left). It has now been transformed into a stylish four-bedroom house (right) The back garden has been modernised, with the washed-out patio being transformed into a stylish, slick grey yard featuring floor lighting. Inside, the home there is now three bathrooms, and four good-sized bedrooms including one with an ensuite. The desirable property also features an open-plan kitchen and living area with plenty of natural light. The only part of the original terrace that still remains is the front room. The property in Redfern, inncer-city Sydney, has been revamped and modernised at a cost of $400,000 . The backyard was once a washed out patio (left), now it is a slick grey outdoor area perfect for entertaining (right) 'Skylights and wide glass fill the space with natural light': As part of the revamp the house has been opened up to become more spacious . The couple had hoped to sell the house on Saturday after their real estate agents, Bresic Whitney, listed it with a price guide of more than $1.95 million. However, despite a current clearance rate of 84 per cent in Sydney’s auction market the house at 1 Charles Street failed to earn a single bid from the 30 people who came to see it go under the hammer. The couple told Domain.com: ‘We actually didn't want to go to auction in the first place. It’s such a unique home we just wanted to put it up for sale.’ The property is listed for sale on Bresic Whitney’s website for $2,150,000. 'JDH Architects-designed, this terrace was rebuilt throughout with obvious attention-to-detail. Skylights and wide glass fill the space with natural light,’ the website says. ‘It's an impressive result for an inner-city laneway setting.’ Daily Mail Australia has contacted the couple for comment. The couple had hoped to sell the house on Saturday after their real estate agents listed it with a price guide of more than $1.95 million . Inside, the home there is now three bathrooms, and four good-sized bedrooms including one with an ensuite . The house at 1 Charles Street failed to earn a single bid from the 30 people who came to see it go under the hammer . At the beginning of February, the Reserve Bank decided to cut the cash rate by 25 basis points meaning the typical standard variable mortgage rate is likely to go down to 5.7 per cent and discounted variable rates to 4.85 per cent; the lowest

Summary: A couple paid $1.01 million for the terrace house . They have spent a further $400,000 renovating the Redfern property, in inner-city Sydney . Over 18 months it has been transformed from a two-bed to a four-bed home . But the stylish house did not earn a single bid at auction on Saturday .


They were a species of early human thought to have roamed Europe and Asia for up to 300,000 years before finally dying out. Now scientists believe they have ruled out one of the major theories for what triggered the extinction of the Neanderthals. They have found that an enormous volcanic eruption in Italy 40,000 years ago had little impact on the species' demise. Neanderthals, shown above from the TV series Walking with Neanderthals, were already on the decline by the time of the Campanian Ignimbrite eruption in Italy 40,000 years ago caused widespread climate cooling . Although the Campanian Ignimbrite eruption was one of the largest volcanic explosions in Europe, scientists say the cooling and increased levels of acid rain that resulted from the explosive eruption would have had little impact in the areas where Neanderthals were living. They argue that Neanderthal populations had already started to decline by the time the volcano erupted and it was insufficient to trigger their extinction. Neanderthals may have created and worn the world's first jewellery 130,000 years ago, according to scientists. Researchers examining eight talons taken from a white-tailed eagle found at Krapina in Croatia say they were used to create necklace or bracelet. The claws bear multiple cut marks, notches and signs that they had been polishing by the Neanderthals that once inhabited the site where they were found. Anthropologists at the University Kansas say the talons appear to have been made into symbolic jewellery 80,000 years before modern humans arrived in Europe. The findings add to mounting evidence that Neanderthals were not the slow-witted and primitive creatures they are often portrayed as. Instead they say that it was likely to be competition with modern humans that led to the demise of the Neanderthals. Dr Benjamin Black, from the department of earth sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, who led the research, said: 'Radiocarbon dating has shown that at the time of the Campanian Ignimbrite eruption, anatomically modern humans had already arrived in Europe, and the range of Neanderthals had steadily diminished. 'Work at five sites in the Mediterranean indicates that anatomically modern humans were established in these locations by then as well.' Anthropologists have for decades debated the possible causes for the extinction of Neanderthals around 40,000 years ago. The species first appeared around 400,000 years ago and spread throughout much of Europe and Asia. Some scientists have suggested that the species were killed off by modern humans - Homo sapiens - as they moved out of Africa or were unable to cope changes to the climate. However, others have proposed that the explosive eruption of a volcano close to what is now modern day Naples threw millions of tonnes of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere that could have led to the final extinction of the Neanderthals. Recent research by scientists at the ANO Laboratory of Prehistory in St. Petersburg, Russia has helped support this view. This image shows the average temperature anomalies in excess of 3°C in the year following the Campanian Ignimbrite eruption alongside sites where Neanderthal and human remains

Summary: Huge volcanic eruption has been blamed for the demise of Neanderthals . Scientists at University of California Berkeley modeled the eruption impact . They found the eruption in Italy cooled Europe's climate by 2-4 degrees C . However, researchers say there was less cooling where Neanderthals lived . This suggests the eruption did not play a role in the demise of the species . Competition with modern humans was most likely candidate, say scientists .


A man who walked off a Qantas flight after he realised an asylum seeker was on board being deported is taking the airline to a tribunal because the airline banned him from flying after the incident. Paul Leary, 51, decided to leave the February 2 flight from Melbourne to Darwin before the flight took off, after an asylum seeker advocate on the plane began protesting the deportation. Mr Leary learned he was on the same flight as a 25-year-old Tamil asylum seeker, known as Puvaneethan, when he arrived at Melbourne Airport to see advocates handing out flyers, and when the female protester refused to sit down as the plane prepared for take-off. Scroll down for video . Paul Leary, 51, made a personal decision to leave the flight he had boarded from Melbourne to Darwin on February 2 but has now been banned from flying with Qantas . Mr Leary said he and a colleague felt faced with a 'moral dilemma.' His female colleague decided she was not comfortable being on the plane and Mr Leary stood by her and also decided not to fly. ‘We couldn’t have been politer. We were travelling for business, we’ve both got executive roles in the organisation we work for… we were not aggravating or inciting other people,’ Mr Leary told Daily Mail Australia. ‘The protester was probably 20 seats behind us.’ Mr Leary and his colleague pressed the assistance light above their seats and a Qantas stewardess came over to speak with them. ‘My colleague courageously and in a polite gesture stood up and pressed the call button. When the Qantas steward came over she indicated she was not comfortable with what was going on,’ Mr Leary explained. They were told to wait and eventually a federal police officer came aboard the aircraft. Mr Leary’s colleague told the stewardess she wanted to leave. ‘I stood up and said “can you explain what’s going on?” and they said the woman is protesting and we are going to have a discussion and I said “look I think I’ll get off too”,’ Mr Leary said. When he and his colleague were back inside the airport the federal police took their details but no one from Qantas informed them at that point of any kind of flight ban. It wasn’t until Mr Leary was returning from Darwin four days later after catching a flight with a different airline that he attempted to return to Melbourne with Qantas and was told he was subject to a no-fly ban. Paul Leary was issued with this 'no fly notification' after he walked off a flight from Melbourne to Darwin which was carrying an asylum seeker thought to have been taken for deportation . ‘A manager came over and said “you are involved in a security review and won’t be flying today”,’ Mr Leary recalled. He was told to email Qantas security to find out more but when he did that straight away he claims he did not hear anything back. After six hours he managed to catch a flight with a different

Summary: Paul Leary, 51, walked off a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Darwin . An asylum seeker on the flight being deported . Protester aboard the plane objected to deportation, causing flight delay . Mr Leary and a colleague told stewardess they were 'uncomfortable' with situation and wanted to leave the flight . Discovered he was banned when he tried to board another Qantas flight . Qantas says Mr Leary is banned while 'on board incident' is investigated . Mr Leary accuses Qantas of discrimination based on his political beliefs .


Nico Rosberg has revealed the secret weapon which he hopes will fire him to victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix. This week's race in Sepang is renowned as one of the most physically demanding on the Formula One calendar due to the extreme heat and humidity. And Rosberg, who finished behind Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton at the season opener in Australia, has a rather unconventional way of dealing with the warm temperatures in Asia. Nico Rosberg revealed he will wear a sanitary towel on his forehead at this weekend's race in Malaysia . Rosberg appeared in the FIA pre-race press conference ahead of the second round of the championship . ‘I have an issue with my eye when I sweat a lot,’ Rosberg began. ‘I do have a sort of headband in my helmet, but it is my trick. ‘I put a women’s… what do you call them? The thing you put in your underwear.’ When asked if he meant tights, Rosberg said: ‘No, inside the underwear.’ Sky Sports reporter Craig Slater then asked: ‘A sanitary towel?’ The German replied: ‘Sanitary towel. Is that what it is called? Yes. I put that on my forehead in the helmet to soak up the sweat.’ Rosberg has described the Malaysian Grand Prix as one of the trickiest of the Formula One season . The German's revelation that he uses a sanitary towel provoked much hilarity in the media pen on Thursday . Since its inception on the F1 circus in 1999, the Malaysian Grand Prix is widely renowned as one of the toughest on the calendar. It takes place at the Sepang International Circuit, just outside the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. With air temperatures in excess of 30 degrees Celsius and humidity levels over 70 per cent, the 90-minute race is a gruelling experience for the driver. They can lose up to four litres through sweat. Temperatures are forecast to be 36 degrees Celsius for Sunday’s race, the second of the championship. But that still falls short of the 42 degrees Celsius recorded at the 2005 Bahrain Grand Prix, regarded as the hottest in recent memory and won by Fernando Alonso (pictured below). Temperatures are expected to nudge 36 degrees Celsius for Sunday’s race with a humidity of 75 per cent. Rosberg added: ‘The race is one of the toughest on the calendar because of the intense heat and humidity, so you have to be very fit. 'It is vital to stay hydrated, too because during the race I can sweat up to four litres which is massive and probably double the amount of a regular race. ‘It will be very demanding. By the end of the grand prix, your concentration levels will not be as high as they were at the beginning.’ Rosberg appeared alongside Fernando Alonso in the drivers' press conference on Thursday. The Spaniard returns to the McLaren cockpit after he was declared fit to race by FIA medics after missing the Australian Grand Prix. Valtteri Bottas, also absent from the curtain raiser with a back injury, has also been

Summary: Malaysian Grand Prix is among toughest on calendar due to extreme heat . And Rosberg has revealed he'll wear a sanitary towel to combat the sweat . He described his unconventional tactic for the Sepang race as 'my trick' Rosberg finished behind winner Lewis Hamilton last time out in Australia .


Arsene Wenger is facing another midfield injury headache after Francis Coquelin suffered a broken nose on Sunday. The Frenchman will discover today whether he needs surgery after he was injured in a nasty collision with team-mate Olivier Giroud before taking another blow in the closing stages. Should he need an operation, Coquelin could expect a prolonged period on the sidelines, but even if a procedure isn't required the midfielder is a doubt for Wednesday's trip to Queens Park Rangers. Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin broke his nose after two knocks to the face on Sunday against Everton . After a lengthy stoppage out, Coquelin was allowed to return the field of play having received treatment . This clash of heads in the second-half left Coquelin with bloody gushing out of his nose . Arsenal are already without key central midfielders Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere, while Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini, who didn't feature on the bench yesterday, only returned to training at the end of last week. 'Yes, Coquelin has broken his nose. If he needs surgery or not I don't know,' said Wenger. Coquelin needed lengthy treatment following the clash of heads in the 67th minute but played on until the 89th when he was hauled off after taking a second blow as he went up for a header with Steven Naismith. Coquelin is evidently in pain on the ground after a collision with Giroud broke his nose at the Emirates . And Wenger revealed it was the 23-year-old's decision to continue playing. 'After he took a hit on it again I had to take him off,' Wenger added. 'I had been told by medical people he could stay on and he wanted to stay on.' Arsenal keeper David Ospina made three excellent saves to shut out Everton and manager Roberto Martinez said: 'I felt we were the ones creating the chances and when you create them you need to take them.'

Summary: Arsenal face another injury blow after Francis Coquelin broke his nose . Gunners star may need surgery after clashing heads with Olivier Giroud . Arsene Wenger must now put up with another midfield selection headache .


The Labour leadership blocked Karie Murphy (pictured), a Unite candidate, from the Labour shortlist for the marginal seat of Halifax . The tweet about Harriet Harman from a senior unnamed official at Unite, Britain’s most powerful trade union, was short and menacing: ‘She will have to answer for her actions in due course.’ The threat this week was made in response to the Labour leadership blocking Karie Murphy, a Unite candidate, from the Labour shortlist for the marginal seat of Halifax. And the reason for their fury at the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party? The list was agreed by an ad-hoc three-strong committee chaired by Harman. And that committee was given a clear instruction by Ed Miliband: block Karie Murphy at all costs. Relations between Miliband and the union were put under further strain when Linda Riordan, the retiring Halifax Labour MP, accused the party leadership of dirty tricks. She has made a formal protest to Iain McNicol, Labour’s general secretary. But the heavyweight the front bench should be really worried about is Len McCluskey, the general secretary of Unite, who is enraged by the actions of Miliband and Harman. For he is the most powerful Left-wing union boss since miners’ leader Arthur Scargill. The snub to flame-haired Murphy, a comprehensive school-educated NHS nurse, is deeply personal to McCluskey - who was married but is no longer with his wife. McCluskey and Murphy - who is separated from her husband - are very close friends. Indeed, some people in the Labour movement have asked - rightly or wrongly - if they are more than just friends. It’s also personal for McCluskey because Harman is a member of Unite, and she presided over the blocking of their candidate. So why was the usually clueless Miliband so determined to stop Murphy? The answer is to be found far to the north of Halifax, in Falkirk, where Karie Murphy’s candidacy in the Labour selection process in 2013 triggered a vote-rigging scandal so serious the police were called in by Miliband. The result then was virtual open warfare in the party. Now, the animus is erupting again. Murphy was cleared of any wrongdoing in an internal inquiry but withdrew from the selection race. In the end, the police took no action over allegations the union had packed the local party with its own supporters, and even signed people up to vote for her without their knowledge. But the damage was done, and her Parliamentary ambitions were thwarted. After the Falkirk row, Miliband - who pointedly refused to apologise to Murphy — announced reforms to the party’s links with the unions. Furious: Len McCluskey (pictured), the general secretary of Unite, is enraged by the actions of Miliband and Harman . But that attempt at firm leadership came at a price, and the response from Unite was swift and damaging. It withheld £1.5 million from the Labour Party, which has debts of £11 million. Now, Miliband has crossed McCluskey again and — only weeks before the General Election — senior Unite officials are privately plotting how to

Summary: Labour leadership blocked Karie Murphy from shortlist for Halifax seat . List agreed by ad-hoc three-strong committee chaired by Harriet Harman . Given Instructions by Ed Miliband to block the Unite candidate at all costs . Unite general secretary Len McCluskey enraged by actions of Miliband and Harman .


A mother and daughter who starved their pet dog so badly he was left as only 'skin and bone' have been banned for keeping animals for five years. Rosemary Robinson, 41, and daughter Rachel, 19, starved their pointer cross, named George, to the point where he was able to tuck his knees under his ribcage. Hastings Magistrates Court heard that the pet was also covered in sores, and was suffering from a lung condition due to a lack of worming. Rosemary Robinson, 41, and daughter Rachel, 19, have been banned from keeping any animals for five years after starving pet pointer cross George . The dog was so emaciated he was able to tuck his back legs up under his ribcage, and was also covered in sores and masses, according to the RSPCA . George was in such a bad state and living in such pain that vets were forced to put him down. Neither of the owners, from St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, turned up to the hearing, and so were sentenced in their absence to a multitude of animal welfare offences. Rosemary was also given a community order for six months, a six month curfew and made to pay £1,063 costs and fines. Rachel was handed a 12-month community order, 100 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £763 in costs and fines. The RSPCA was called with concern in February after George was finally taken to a vet. George was also suffering from a lung condition due to a lack of worming, and was in such constant pain that vets had to put him down . Ms Robinson and her daughter failed to appear at their court hearing and so were sentenced in their absence to a multitude of animal abuse charges . One RSPCA worker said that George's condition was only discovered after the owners eventually took him to the vet, and concerned staff called them . RSPCA inspector Zoe Ballard said: 'George was one of the thinnest dogs I have ever seen and had clearly been deteriorating and suffering for some time. 'As well as being emaciated he had lumps and masses all over his body and was suffering from a chronic lung condition caused by lack of worming. 'He had deteriorated to such an extent that he was living in constant pain - It was obvious at first glance that he should have been taken to a vet a long time before.'

Summary: Rosemary Robinson, 41, and daughter Rachel, 19, neglected pet George . Pointer cross starved, covered in sores and was suffering lung condition . Vets said he was living in such constant pain that he had to be put down .


An Ohio couple charged with imprisoning three of their adopted children - two girls and a boy - for 22 hours a day and abusing them have pleaded not guilty, in a case that began after the girls managed to escape the 'house of horrors' and crashed the family van. The 58-year-old adopted father is charged with sexually abusing the two girls, who were 11 and 13 at the time of the alleged ordeal. He and his 64-year-old wife are both charged with kidnapping, felonious assault and endangering children in Ashtabula County, about 50 miles east of Cleveland. The suspects are not being named, in order to protect the identities of the victims. Abuse: Between September 2011 and September 2013, two juvenile girls and a mentally handicapped adult male were locked in their bedrooms 'virtually all day every day' and abused, prosecutors say. Their adoptive parents - who are not being identified - plead not guilty Wednesday to a variety of charges . County Prosecutor Nicholas Iarocci said the couple also abused and neglected their adopted son, now 21, who is mentally disabled. Iarocci said Wednesday that the couple 'repeatedly and harshly' beat the girls and older son with a paddle that police found to be stained with blood. The three victims were given little to eat and were malnourished, Iarocci said. He called living conditions inside the home 'deplorable.' The victims were typically allowed out of their rooms for two hours a day for school lessons, to eat and to use the bathroom, Iarocci said. They were not allowed to socialize with other children in recent years, he said. Iarocci could not explain why a younger adopted son, now 13, was not abused. Indictments allege the abuse occurred over a two-year period starting in September 2011. The investigation began after the two girls managed to pick the lock on their shared bedroom - the windows of which were boarded up - and escape in August 2013, speeding away in the van before getting into an accident, Iarocci said. After telling responding officers that they feared going home, the girls reluctantly revealed their squalid living conditions. The sisters did not mention the alleged abuse until after they were charged in the accident, and then they told their probation officer, according to the prosecutor. 'To be honest with you, as these children told me the story, it was hard to hold back some of the tears,' Iarocci told Fox 8 Cleveland. House of horrors: Two girls and an adopted boy were locked up in bedrooms in the couple's home, pictured, and the abuse only emerged after the girls escaped and stole the parents' car - but later crashed . Buckets and a metal container were left in the bedrooms for them to use as a bathroom when they were locked away, he said. The three children and the man were removed from the home and placed in foster care a month after the crash. The couple adopted six children about 11 years ago but the abuse began only after two older boys left

Summary: Father, 58, of Ashtabula County, pleaded not guilty to sexual abuse . He and his wife, 64, charged with kidnap, assault and child endangerment . Abuse emerged after the two girls escaped their locked room, stole their parents' car and crashed it . They told police they were 'locked up for 22 hours a day, made to use a bucket for the bathroom and sexually assaulted' The couple 'also abused an adopted son, who is mentally challenged'


An alleged fraudster who claimed to own half of Facebook has vanished from his home just weeks before his New York-based trial after ditching his ankle monitoring bracelet, his lawyer has said. Paul Ceglia, 41, of Wellsville, sued the social network's billionaire founder, Mark Zuckerberg, in 2010, claiming he had been promised a 50 per cent share in the business in exchange for start-up money. In 2012, he was charged with fraud after federal authorities said he had fabricated and destroyed evidence to falsely support his case against Zuckerberg, 30. He was due to go on trial on May 4. However, it has now emerged that Ceglia is missing from his home after somehow removing his ankle bracelet. 'I don’t know where he is,' his attorney, Robert Fogg, admitted. 'I haven’t got a clue.' Scroll down for video . Lawsuit: Paul Ceglia (left), 41, who sued Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg (right), in 2010, has vanished from his home just weeks before his New York-based trial after ditching his ankle tracking bracelet, it has emerged . Speaking to Reuters, Fogg said Ceglia's tracking device had been found at his home, in New York's rural Allegany County, after the U.S. Marshals Service was dispatched to check on him on Sunday. He said he has not heard from Ceglia, adding that U.S. District Judge Vernon Broderick has now scheduled a court hearing for Tuesday that was 'most definitely spawned by the recent event'. Last April, Buffalo federal judge Richard Arcara officially closed the book on Ceglia's multibillion-dollar lawsuit claiming half-ownership of Facebook, granting Zuckerberg's motion to dismiss it . The ruling affirmed a magistrate judge's recommendation from a year earlier, saying the suit should be thrown out because the 2003 software development contract Ceglia had based it on was faked. Ceglia had claimed that he and Zuckerberg had signed a contract, 'The Face Book', that included a provision entitling him to half-ownership of Facebook in exchange for start-up money for the firm. At the time, Zuckerberg was a freshman at Harvard University. Although Facebook's lawyers agreed the pair had a contract, they said references to the social network were slipped in for the lawsuit. Missing: Ceglia (pictured), of Wellsville, was charged with fraud in 2012 after federal authorities said he had fabricated and destroyed evidence to falsely support his 2010 lawsuit against 30-year-old Zuckerberg . Claims: Ceglia - who claimed he had been promised a 50 per cent share in Facebook (pictured) - was due to go on trial on May 4. However, he is now missing from his home after somehow removing his ankle bracelet . Zuckerberg had previously done some programming work for Ceglia's company, StreetFax.com. The lawyers argued that the the only valid contract between the pair related to that company. At the time of Ceglia's arrest, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said the suspect - who also provided allegedly falsified emails - was seeking a 'quick payday based on a blatant forgery.' 'The contract is a cut-and-paste job, the emails are complete fabrications and this entire lawsuit is a fraud,' attorneys

Summary: Paul Ceglia, 41, sued Facebook's billionaire CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, in 2010 . Claimed he was promised a 50% share in firm in return for start-up money . But in 2012, he was charged with fraud for 'faking' contract to support suit . Ceglia was due to go on trial on May 4 and given ankle monitoring bracelet . Now, he is missing from his New York home after removing tracking device . 'I don’t know where he is,' Ceglia's attorney admitted. 'I haven’t got a clue'


England proposals for men’s Team GB football at the Rio Olympics have already been kicked into the long grass by the other home nations — and the women’s hopes are going in the same direction. There were strong hopes that a women’s team could still represent GB in Brazil in 2016 when the strength of the opposition for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland soon made it obvious that the men’s initiative was a non-starter. Team GB are unlikely to reform for 2016 Olympics after coming together for London 2012 . But the Celtic countries, having been promised that the two football sides at London 2012 were a one-off, have informed the FA that they see no reason to treat women’s football any differently because it still threatens their independence — however many times they’re reassured by FIFA that it won’t. The FA will announce imminently that both Team GB football sides have been scrapped. Such are football’s sensitive politics that after FIFA president Sepp Blatter had praised UEFA’s work in his opening speech at the UEFA Congress in Vienna, the president of the European body, Michel Platini, left out his one dig at Blatter contained in advance copies of his speech. Michel Platini (right) seemed to bite his lip during his speech about Sepp Blatter's FIFA at the UEFA Congress . Platini, in an obvious nod to Blatter’s regular references to steering the world football ship, was due to say: ‘I regard myself as a simple team-mate, at most your captain. But not the captain of a ship that is being battered by a storm, clinging to the helm for dear life.’ But he skipped the bit about ‘clinging to the helm for dear life’. Nothing sums up Blatter’s presidential election trickery more than the decision to have a special meeting in Zurich to decide future numbers of World Cup places — the day after the Congress vote in May. This will allow Blatter at least to make promises about more World Cup places to the confederations who support him. FIFA say the issue has to be debated afterwards as candidate Luis Figo (right) has increasing World Cup participation as part of his manifesto. England return to Dublin for a friendly against Ireland after riots saw the last game abandoned in 1995 . There is confidence England’s powderkeg friendly against the Republic of Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on June 7 — the first time England have played in Dublin since a riot forced the abandonment in 1995 — will pass without trouble. All the focus in Ireland is on the crucial Euro 2016 qualifier with Scotland on June 13. No whitewash for Gill . There was no surprise about David Gill being elected British vice-president on the FIFA ExCo at the UEFA Congress on Tuesay. But FA of Wales’ outspoken president Trefor Lloyd-Hughes, who has made increasingly outlandish claims about FA skulduggery, received 10 votes out of 54 which is nine more than many expected. Meanwhile, Gill said that rather than ask ‘awkward’ questions of the Zurich regime which FA chairman

Summary: Opposition from home nations is set to scrap plans for Women's Team GB football team at the 2016 Olympic Games . Michel Platini held back comments about Sepp Blatter at UEFA Congress . England face Ireland in June hoping there will be no repeat of the 1995 riot . Greg Dyke has angered clubs with his proposals to reform 25-man squads .


Less than an hour's drive from one of Earth's great fresh water sources, some people in Flint are searching for a drop worth drinking. Since the financially struggling city broke away from the Detroit water system last year, residents have been unhappy with the smell, taste and appearance of water from the city's river as they await the completion of a pipe to Lake Huron. They also have raised health concerns, reporting rashes, hair loss and other problems. A General Motors plant stopped using the water, saying it was rusting its parts. Officials say recent state tests show the water meets federal safety guidelines, and the city will be better off free of the leviathan Detroit system once the pipeline is complete by 2016. And while many Detroit suburbs have long dreamed of breaking their dependence on the city's water, further-away Flint is the first to risk it — and test whether the potential savings are worth going it alone. Scroll down for video . Fresh and clean? In this January 21, 2015 image, LeeAnne Walters shows water samples from her Flint home that were collected that month . Giveway: In this Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015 photo, Genetha Campbell carries free water being distributed at the Lincoln Park United Methodist Church in Flint . 'Unfortunately, some of our problems aren't quickly or easily solved,' said Jerry Ambrose, Flint's state-appointed emergency manager, adding that the 'challenges' resulting from the temporary reliance on the river 'were greater than we expected.' 'The potential to leave (Detroit) was well-supported by a business case, and in the long-term will benefit this region as well as the city of Flint,' Ambrose said. While there won't be 'magical reductions' in rates, he said, cost increases should be much less. Flint had long chafed at the Detroit Water & Sewerage Department's rising prices. Flint officials estimated the cost of buying water from Detroit this year at $16 million, and the overall annual cost of switching to the new Karegnondi Water Authority would be $12.5 million. Still, the long-discussed divorce has brought real and figurative headaches. Tests released last week show the water is safe, but complaints from residents persist. They say the water looks brown or rusty, and tastes and smells of chlorine. People have protested at council meetings, held community hearings, hosted water giveaways and marched through downtown. Facebook pages have been forums for complaints and concerns. Last month, the county started distributing bottled water to about 1,300 preschool students and a children's museum recently blocked access to water fountains, citing Safe Drinking Water Act violations because of high levels of a disinfectant byproduct. High bacteria levels forced boil-water advisories last year. Resident Tony Palladeno Jr., 53, said he gets bottled water from a grocery store or spring water from his cabin further north, but uses city water for showers. 'No matter what, if I go in, one time it's going to be my eyes, or I'll get headaches or my lungs,' he said, adding that he's lost hair and produces a bottle of it to illustrate. 'People say,

Summary: Since Flint, Michigan, broke away from the Detroit water system last year, residents have been unhappy with the water's taste and smell . They also have raised health concerns, reporting rashes, hair loss and other problems . Residents are waiting for completion of a pipe to Lake Huron . Officials say recent state tests show the water meets federal safety guidelines .


Cristiano Ronaldo shed tears of joy when he finally usurped Lionel Messi as the Ballon d’Or winner for 2013. He was also officially crowned the world’s best player, above Messi, for 2014. But here’s the bad news, Cristiano. Despite the gongs and the widely-held opinion that Ronaldo was superior to his great rival over the past two years, Messi still contributed more valuable goals to his club and country in 2013 and 2014. That is the view of the number-crunchers at The Economist, who have calculated the worth of each player's goals, based on how crucial the goal was to the match result (and the subsequent gains from that result), as well as the importance of the game. Lionel Messi (left) and Cristiano Ronaldo (right) in action during last Sunday's El Clasico duel . Messi's Barcelona beat Ronaldo's Real Madrid 2-1 at the Nou Camp, with the Portuguese scoring . The explanations of the precise formulas used and the value of certain matches in relation to others are both long and complicated, so to read them in full click here. Sportsmail’s calculator also seems to be broken, so again to see the full numbers, let The Economists’s boffins guide you through. Be warned, though: the introduction contains a reference to 'The Pythagorean Formula Extended for Soccer', so it’s not for the faint-hearted. But the key facts are these. Messi’s (still fantastic) total of 86 goals over the period does not compare with Ronaldo's superhuman 105. Ronaldo shed tears of joy when he won the Ballon d'Or over Messi in 2013 . The Real Madrid hero stripped off to celebrate his goal in the Champions League final last season . But Ronaldo's penalty against Atletico Madrid was virtually worthless, according to The Economist . Each of Ronaldo’s 105 goals, however, were worth an average of 0.40 points to his team in relation to the most likely result of the match before the goal was scored. By contrast, Messi’s 86 goals were worth an average of 0.47 points each. And if that sounds like gobbledegook, essentially this can be explained in simple terms: a goal in a match where the score is tied 1-1 in the final minutes yields more points (or aggregate value in cup ties) to his team than a goal scored in a match where the player's team is already winning 3-1. The Economist uses Ronaldo’s three goals in the semi-final and final of last year’s Champions League as an example to show their relative lack of value. In the second leg of the semi-final against Bayern Munich, Ronaldo scored when Real led 3-0 and 4-0 on aggregate. And in the final against Atletico Madrid, his penalty in extra-time when Madrid were 3-1 ahead had a virtually negligible value. Messi has rediscovered his best form this season after losing out to Ronaldo since 2013 . Messi is on international duty with Argentina and is pictured here training in Washington . Messi was all smiles here at the 2013 awards nominations but Ronaldo walked off with the prize . The importance of

Summary: Cristiano Ronaldo has won the last two world player of the year awards . Lionel Messi had won previous four but Ronaldo beat his long-time rival . Real Madrid superstar is widely acknowledged to have deserved gongs . But The Economist argues that Messi is still the superior player . READ: Ronaldo or Messi? Rio Ferdinand wades in on the debate .


Work at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Norfolk country mansion is so behind schedule that the couple might have to postpone moving in until after the birth of their second child next month. The Mail on Sunday understands that William, Kate and Prince George have been living at one of the Queen’s private shooting lodges instead and that Kate may even move back in with her parents after the new baby is born. Local sources said decorators were still painting as recently as ten days ago at Anmer Hall, and that the Duchess, who has suffered from extreme morning sickness, has been unable to stay there. Work at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Norfolk country mansion (pictured) is reported to be far behind schedule . Instead the Cambridges have been residing at Wood Farm, a shooting lodge five miles down the road in the small village of Wolferton. A source in the village of Anmer said: ‘All the locals had expected it to be finished months ago and that they would be in by now. But things have just run on and on for two years. They’ve been living at Wood Farm and popping in to Anmer every few days to check on the progress.’ The shooting lodge is set in remote marshland on the north Norfolk coast down a long private road. If Anmer is not finished in time, Kate is said to be keen to move into her parents’ Berkshire manor house after the birth, just as she did when Prince George was born. A source said: ‘Kate just wants to be looked after at her mum’s house and for the work on Anmer to be completed in her absence.’ A Kensington Palace spokesman declined to comment. The couple (pictured during a public engagement in London on Friday) are understood to have been living at one of the Queen's shooting lodges while they wait for renovations on their home to be completed .

Summary: Work is so far behind they may postpone moving in until after baby's birth . William, Kate and Prince George have been living at Queen's private lodge . Local sources say decorators were still painting as recently as 10 days ago .


A New York Police Department sergeant who never took a sick day in his 42-year career has died weeks shy of his retirement. Sgt Francis 'Buddy' Murnane was just weeks away from his 63rd birthday when he died on Sunday after an apparent heart attack at his home on Staten Island. The NYPD said Murnane was the department's longest-serving active officer. 'He wasn't just my big brother,' said Terence Murnane, a retired NYPD detective. 'He was my best friend.' Sgt Francis 'Buddy' Murnane (right) was just weeks away from his 63rd birthday when he died on Sunday after an apparent heart attack at his home on Staten Island. He joined the NYPD in 1973 - and had not taken one sick day (pictured left in the 1980s) He added: 'He was also the person I went to whenever I was stumped on a case because he had seen and done it all so many times. He always knew the answer.' Murnane worked on nearly every major case in the last 20 years, including the 2011 killing of Brooklyn Officer Peter Figoski and the fatal stabbing of a six-year-old boy in an elevator last summer in east New York. 'If you are the bad guy, the worst of the worst ... Buddy Murnane has been part of the team looking for you to bring you to justice,' then-Councilman James Oddo said at a 2010 City Hall ceremony, according to the Staten Island Advance. 'He has truly put community, city and country above all.' His wake is being held on Wednesday at the Colonial Funeral Home. His funeral is Thursday. He would have reached mandatory retirement age on April 30, his 63rd birthday. The highly regarded sergeant joined the New York City Housing Police Department on September 17, 1973. He served most recently in the Detective Bureau’s Major Case Squad. He was promoted to Detective in December 1981 and to Sergeant Detective Supervisor in June 1995. A Police Combat Cross recipient, Sergeant Murnane, affectionately know to his friends as Buddy, was also honored 13 times for Excellent Police Duty and five times for Meritorious Police Duty. He is survived by his wife Linda, son Robert, daughter Kim and four granddaughters – Emily, Kaitlyn, Allison and Riley Frances. The distinguished NYPD sergeant and his wife Linda pictured with their new granddaughter earlier this month. Murnane passed away at his family home on Sunday .

Summary: Sgt Francis 'Buddy' Murnane was weeks away from his 63rd birthday when he died suddenly on Sunday at his home on Staten Island . His brother,Terence Murnane, a retired NYPD detective, said: 'He was my best friend... He always knew the answer' Murnane worked on nearly every major case in the last 20 years, including the 2011 killing of Brooklyn Officer Peter Figoski .


Bolton have captured Crystal Palace centre-back Paddy McCarthy on loan until the end of the season, who was the subject of a prank call by a man impersonating Neil Lennon. West Brom manager Tony Pulis seemingly fell victim to a call from prankster Blain Morrison pretending to be the Bolton boss and requested taking Baggies defender Gareth McAuley on loan. Pulis refused to consider letting McAuley leave during the call last month but instead suggested Bolton pursue McCarthy from his former side Crystal Palace and remarkably Lennon has appeared to seize upon the opportunity and has signed the Irishman. Wes Hoolahan battles for the ball with Paddy McCarthy during the npower Championship match back in 2011 . McCarthy has twice spent loan spells at Sheffield United this season but will now link up with Bolton . The 31-year-old defender has been at Selhurst Park since 2008, but has found his first team opportunities limited since Palace's promotion to the Premier League. McCarthy has twice spent loan spells at Sheffield United this season, but joins Lennon's Championship side and goes into the squad to face Blackburn Rovers. He will join up with fellow Eagles loanee Barry Bannan at Wanderers, with Lennon's outfit currently 17th position in a tight Championship table. The Trotters are also keen on a deal for Chelsea youngster Islam Feruz but face competition from Cardiff and Bolton for his signature. Feruz is highly rated at Chelsea but their resolve to keep him will be tested next month. West Brom manager Tony Pulis (right) suggested McCarthy during the prank call last month . Bolton boss Neil Lennon (right) has seemingly taken the advice from Pulis given in the prank call . Islam Feruz of Chelsea in action during the NextGen Series match between Chelsea U19 and Ajax U19 .

Summary: Paddy McCarthy has signed for Bolton Wanderers on a short term loan . 31-year-old defender goes into the squad to face Blackburn on Wednesday . Irishman was subject of a prank call involving West Brom boss Tony Pulis . Championship side also interested in Chelsea's Islam Feruz on loan . Bolton are currently 17th in the division safely away from relegation .


Hein Verbruggen will be asked by the UCI to resign his position as honorary president of cycling's world governing body after an independent report accused him of colluding with Lance Armstrong and other riders to conceal doping offences. The man who stood as UCI president between 1991 and 2005, and remains in a senior position in the organisation as well as an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee, was accused of being complicit in one of the biggest cover-ups in sporting history in an independent report into cycling's doping past. Here at the UCI headquarters in Aigle today the current president of the organisation, Brian Cookson, said he would be writing to Verbruggen personally to call for him to stand down. Hein Verbruggen is being asked to resign from his position as honorary president of the UCI . Verbruggen (left with Lance Armstrong in March 2003) is alleged to have interfered in doping issues to protect his star riders such as the disgraced former American superstar . Brian Cookson, the current UCI president will write to Verbuggen personally calling for his resignation . 'I am very concerned by what I have seen in the report and I will be writing to him asking him to consider his position as an honorary president, which was awarded to him by the Congress of the UCI when he retired as president,' said Cookson. 'Not everything Hein did was bad or wrong. He built this organisation into a strong organisation. But clearly, as is shown in report, decisions were made at that time which were about protecting the reputation of the sport rather than the integrity of the sport. 'There were serious errors of judgement and Hein really should consider his position now.' If Verbruggen refuses Cookson said it would then become a matter for the UCI Congress. 'The UCI Congress was the body that awarded him that status and maybe it would be that they reconsider that in September,' he said. Matt Lawton's exclusive scoop on the Armstrong doping scandal, Daily Mail back page from November 18 . Cookson also accepts the CIRC report is right to suggest that doping remains a serious problem for the current professional peloton. 'One of the things it says is that things have improved substantially in terms of doping in cycling,' said Cookson. 'But it does still say that there is room for further improvement. 'I think what they have said is a pretty accurate reflection. But there is some interpretation there. There are a whole range of contributions, some of which have been picked up by the media. For instance, one person said 90 per cent of the peloton is still doping. Others have said the problem is much much less than that. I'd like to think that it is the latter rather than the former. But there will always be people who will cheat.' Reports allege that the UCI acted favourably to Armstrong by not target-testing him despite suspicions .

Summary: UCI honorary president Hein Verbuggen has been called to stand down . Current UCI president Brian Cookson will write personally for his resignation . If Verbruggen refuses, it could then become a matter for UCI Congress . Verbruggen is accused of colluding with riders to conceal doping offences .


Chelsea captain John Terry praised the character of his Premier League-title chasing team to bounce back from conceding a two-goal lead to beat Hull and enter the international break on a high. Draws against Paris St Germain - a result which ended the Blues' Champions League participation - and Southampton may have knocked confidence. And when Hull came back from going 2-0 down after nine minutes to draw level at 2-2, Chelsea had to dig deep to win 3-2 through Loic Remy's strike. John Terry praised Chelsea's character after recovering from allowing Hull back into the match against Hull . Terry and Nemanja Matic celebrate with Eden Hazard after the Belgian gave Chelsea an early lead . Terry talks to the Chelsea players after Diego Costa put the Blues 2-0 up at the KC Stadium . It leaves Jose Mourinho's men with a six-point lead and a game in-hand on second-placed Manchester City. 'The importance of the win showed on the players' faces and that of the manager afterwards,' Terry said. 'When you set the standard so high as we have done from the word go, then start dropping points at home and go out of the Champions League, once again it comes back down to character. 'It's immense in the dressing room, there is an awful lot of experience in there. It will serve the younger lads well, too. 'It was an important three points going into the international break. For everyone to dwell over that for two weeks was massive.' Terry and his team-mates applaud the Chelsea fans after beating Hull 3-2 on Sunday . Jose Mourinho looks disgruntled after watching his Premier Leaders throw away a two-goal lead in first half . Mourinho reflected on a commanding advantage which he hopes will help Chelsea win a first Premier League title since 2010. 'It's the best position since the beginning of the season,' Mourinho, who is chasing a third Premier League title, told Chelsea TV. 'The maximum points (advantage) we had was eight points and when we had eight points we were speaking about 20 matches to go. 'In this moment we have six points (advantage) with one match in hand with 24 possible points for our opponents. 'We know our opponents are there, we know football is very unpredictable, we know that what is happening to us for the last two or three months we cannot control. 'But we also know that we are strong, we are together and we are going to fight to get the points we need to be champions.' Hazard jumps for joy after his fine strike put Jose Mourinho's side into the lead in Hull . Diego Costa doubled the visitor's advantage with a fine curing effort past Hull goalkeeper Allan McGregor . Mourinho was referring to the incidents, such as in the draw with Southampton, which he believes denied his side more points than they earned. The win at the KC Stadium was Chelsea's third in seven games. The Blues had followed the Capital One Cup win over Tottenham at Wembley with victory

Summary: Chelsea beat Hull 3-2 at the KC Stadium on Saturday in the Premier League . Jose Mourinho's side raced into a two-goal lead inside 10 minutes . Hull pegged the league leaders back with two goals in two minutes . John Terry praised the character in the dressing room to bounce back . Chelsea are six points clear of Manchester City with a game in hand . Jose Mourinho says Chelsea are in a great position to become champions .


Henry Slade enjoys a challenge. The lavishly gifted Exeter threequarter has already overcome more hurdles than many encounter in a lifetime. Stand his ground with troubled foster children? Naturally. Ignore advice from coaches that he was too small for rugby as a teenager? Absolutely. Battle Type 1 diabetes to forge a burgeoning professional rugby career? No problem.Outshine Jonny Wilkinson on his first European appearance? By a distance.Be included as the wild card in Stuart Lancaster's World Cup squad? Just maybe. Exeter playmaker Henry Slade (right) is being touted as a potential wildcard for England's World Cup squad . The 22-year-old has been in superb form for Exeter this season and could slot in nicely in the England set-up . For his many talents, Slade, 22, named Aviva Premiership player of the month for March, remains humble, grounded and reluctant to talk up his World Cup prospects. But his consistently high-quality displays in the Exeter midfield are making his case hard to ignore. The only player name-checked by Lancaster as a possible World Cup bolter after impressing on attachment to the squad during the Six Nations, the lithe left-footer from Plymouth has been told he will definitely feature in England's pre-World Cup camp where he can stake a claim for inclusion. Many believe he could yet prove England's missing midfield link as a physically robust, footballing 12 of enormous potential. 'It's nice to have that knowledge that I'll be there and have a chance to stake my claim,' he said. 'Everyone likes to feel they're ready for that next step. I feel I'm capable but it's not up to me. It doesn't get any bigger than a home World Cup and of course I'd love to be involved. Who wouldn't? But I realise I'm still some way down the pecking order and have plenty to do.' Slade's humility is evident as we sit and talk in Sandy Park's main stand enjoying the milky Devonian spring sunshine. On the field, he has more of a strut; confident in his skills and sure of his intent. A first international cap is a matter of when, not if. But just like the Exeter club he joined as a teenager, Slade refuses to get carried away by success. He is wise beyond his years, having lived with diabetes since a chance diagnosis at the age of 18. Standing up for his younger brothers when his parents took on foster children also opened his eyes to a world beyond the rugby field. 'Mum used to own a hairdressing salon but sold it when she had kids and became a respite foster carer instead,' he said. 'It puts things in perspective seeing kids my age who'd had such difficult upbringings or had been taken away from their parents because they weren't fit to look after them. It's not nice. 'When they started kicking off you'd have to stop them but I'd always try to take a minute to sit back and think, 'Bloody hell, they've had it tough' and think about why they'd be reacting in that way. It

Summary: Exeter's Henry Slade is being touted as a potential wildcard for Stuart Lancaster's World Cup squad . The 22-year-old has been in superb form for his club this season . Slade was named Aviva Premiership player of the month for March . He has overcome a number of hurdles in his career, including Type 1 diabetes .


If you're on a diet, look away now. There's a global obsession with fast food, which shows no signs of slowing down. With extra cheese, extra bacon and extra portions, these calorific dishes are among the most unhealthy in the world. Femail investigates the top ten most heart-stopping, artery-squeezing burgers. 1. KFC's Double Down Dog is topped with cheese, honey mustard and relish dressing . 1. Kentucky Fried Chicken caused a stir with the introduction of its heart-stopping Double Down Dog - a traditional hot dog that opts for a not so traditional fillet of fried chicken rather than a bun. The 'Dog' is then smothered in cheese sauce, honey mustard and relish dressing. AVAILABILITY: It was only available over a two-day period in the Philippines. CALORIE CONTENT: 540 calories . 2. Burger King's X-tra Long Chili Cheese Burger is compiled of three flame-grilled beef patties, cheddar cheese and chili cheese sauce . 2. Burger King is offering up not one, not two, but three beef patties in Burger King's X-Tra Long Chili Cheese burger. The sub is then topped up with cheddar cheese slices, chili cheese sauce and fiery jalapenos. Let's not forget, the 'X-tra' is extra indeed; the sandwich is supposedly 17.5cm in length, which is 4.8cm longer than the chain's largest burger. AVAILABILITY: Germany and Austria. CALORIE CONTENT: 808 calories. 3. Burger King's fondue burger is composed of cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, Emmental, Gouda and even a splash of white wine . The fondue sauce comes by itself, or with the Beef Fondue Burger (right) or the Chicken Fondue Burger (left) 3. Forget ketchup or mayonnaise, Burger King's Fondue Burger is definitely one of the more bizarre burger concoctions, combining an American favourite with the French delicacy. The sauce supposedly includes cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, Emmental, Gouda and even a splash of white wine. It's available by itself or with the Burger King beef or chicken burger. AVAILABILITY: Japan . CALORIE CONTENT: 782 calories. 4. McDonald's McGrillschnagg includes a layer of bacon with grilled pork sausage curled on top, topped with cheese, all resting on top of a rösti - the Swiss version of hash browns. 4. Just as terrifying as it sounds, McDonald's McGrillschnägg has a double meat combo of a sausage made from 100 per cent pork, laid on top of strips of crispy bacon. All of this is nestled on top of a rösti - the Swiss version of hash browns - and topped up with grilled onions and a spicy mustard sauce. AVAILABILITY: Switzerland . CALORIE CONTENT: Unknown . 5. KFC'S Zinger Double Down King is comprised of a beef patty, bacon, cheese sauce and barbecue sauce sandwiched between two slabs of fried chicken . 'No bun, all meat': The advertising slogan of KFC's Zinger Double Down King says it all, as the sandwich forgoes any sort of bread bun . 5. A variation on KFC's aforementioned Double Down Dog is its South Korean burger cousin, the Zinger Double Down King. In a similar manner to the 'Dog', the bun is omitted in place of two fried

Summary: Bizarre ingredients include donuts, mashed potato and cheese fondue . Available in countries such as Austria, China, Canada and Korea . Reaching calorific heights of 1,996 . 98% of a woman's recommended daily intake in one meal .


Thanks to missions like Nasa's Curiosity rover, we know Mars once had water - but until now we didn't know how much. Scientists have provided the best estimates yet, claiming it once had more water than the Arctic Ocean - and the planet kept these oceans for more than 1.5 billion years. The findings suggest there was ample time and water for life on Mars to thrive, but over the last 3.7 billion years the red planet has lost 87 per cent of its water - leaving it barren and dry. Nasa scientists in Maryland have calculated how much water was once on Mars. They found that 3.7 billion years ago it had more than the Arctic Ocean. Most of this would have been in the northern hemisphere of the planet (illustrated). Since then, 87% of the water has been lost to space, with the rest stored in ice at the poles . The study by scientists at Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, is the first to determine just how much water Mars had in its past. During its wet Noachian period - 4.1 to 3.7 billion years ago - it is estimated that it had enough water to cover the entire surface in a liquid layer 450 feet (137 metres) deep. However, it’s likely that most of the water formed an ocean that occupied the northern hemisphere of Mars, which would have been as deep as one mile (1.6km) in places - comparable to the Mediterranean Sea on Earth. Published in the journal Science, the research estimates that, in total, what is now the planet’s arid northern plains would have contained at least 12.4 million cubic miles (20 million cubic kilometres) of water. Microsoft’s ‘HoloLens' headset, which allows wearers to see 3D images superimposed over their vision, may look like it belongs in a sci-fi film. And now Nasa has revealed the prototype technology will be used to enable its scientists to work virtually on Mars. The headset will work with OnSight software to give scientists a means to plan experiments on the red planet, with the help of the Curiosity rover. The software was developed jointly by the two companies, including a team at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. ‘Our study provides a solid estimate of how much water Mars once had, by determining how much water was lost to space,’ said Dr Geronimo Villanueva, first author of the paper and a scientist at Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Center. ‘With this work, we can better understand the history of water on Mars.’ It is thought that while 87 per cent of the water has since been lost to space, owing largely to the planet losing its atmosphere, the remaining 13 per cent resides in the ice caps. But in the past, the ocean would have covered about 20 per cent of the planet’s surface area. The most interesting conclusion, though, is that Mars stayed wet for longer than previously thought, which means it was habitable for longer. ‘We now know that Mars was wet for

Summary: Nasa Goddard scientists in Maryland studied past water on Mars . They found that 3.7 billion years ago it had more than the Arctic Ocean . Most of this would have been in the northern hemisphere of the planet . Since then, 87% has been lost to space and the rest is in ice at the poles . But the scientists now know Mars was wet for more than 1.5 billion years . This is 'longer than the period of time needed for life to develop on Earth'


A new international study has revealed that intelligent girls 'choke' because of the pressure they put themselves under in employment leading to them ending up in lower paid jobs. The Organisation for the Economic Co-operation Development (OECD) report on gender equality in education has said that girls do not aim for high-paying jobs in maths and science, because they lack confidence. Young girls 'may be choking under pressure' the report said. A new study revealed girls do not aim for high-paying jobs in maths and science, because they lack confidence . Reviewing the report The Australian reported that high-achieving girls are more likely to suffer from high levels of anxiety than high-achieving boys. 'Given girls' keen desire to succeed in school and to please others, their fear of negative evaluations, and their lower self confidence in mathematics and science, it is hardly surprising high-achieving girls choke under often self-imposed pressure,' the OECD report said. The OECD report said that just three per cent of Australian teenage girls contemplate a career in engineer or computing, compared to 17 per cent of boys. Intelligent girls 'choke' because of the pressure they put themselves under, says the report . The report is based on the OECD Program for International Student Assessment, which tests 400,000 students from more than 65 education systems worldwide. 'Women are predominantly employed in fields where they have fewer opportunities to express their potential, and develop and maintain their skills - at the price of lower wages and slower career paths,' the report said. High-achieving girls are more likely to suffer from high levels of anxiety than high-achieving boys . The report said that girls tend to hold particularly ambitious, but unrealistic, expectations. 'They may thus be particularly disappointed when they fail to achieve their career goals,' the report said.

Summary: OECD report highlights girls lack of confidence in employment field . Intelligent girls 'choke' because of the pressure they put themselves under . Girls hold particularly ambitious, but unrealistic, expectations, report says . 400,000 students from 65 education systems worldwide were tested . It is based on the OECD Program for International Student Assessment .


Professor Stephen Hawking's revealed how he has always tried to 'lead as full a life as possible,' in response to a plea for inspiring message. The physicist, who was portrayed by Eddie Redmayne in The Theory Of Everything, was one of a host of celebrities to provide a motivational messages. Other A-list stars, including actor Sir Ian McKellen, athlete Jessica Ennis-Hill, actor Sir David Jason and sailor Dame Ellen MacArthur also shared some words of wisdom. In his message Professor Hawking told how he has always tried to lead as 'full a life as possible' Jessica Ennis-Hill revealed that just like everyone else she has days when she does not want to get out of bed . The famous faces put pen to paper for Simon Rhodes after he asked them for encouraging quotes to spur on staff at his legal firm. The first to arrive was from the 73-year-old scientists and author, who suffers from motor neuron disease. Professor Hawking wrote: 'I have always tried to overcome the limitations of my condition and lead as full a life as possible. I have travelled the world, from the Antarctic to zero gravity.' He accompanied his message with a thumb print. Sir Ian McKellen said: 'All we do is decide what to do with the time that is given to us' Actor Sir Ian McKellen said: 'All we have to do is decide what to do with the time that is given to us.' Olympic medal winning athlete and mother-of-one Jessica Ennis-Hill revealed that she struggles to get out of bed on Monday mornings. Sailor Dame Ellen MacArthur and rugby star Mark Regan used their quotes to give an insight into their achievements. Mr Rhodes, 46, from Southampton, Hampshire, fired off 25 letters to some of the most famous names in the country and in total 18 replied. In return, he made a £100 donation to a charity of the celebrity respondents choosing. Mr Rhodes, who is the managing partner at law firm Trethowans, said: 'I was pleasantly surprised that so many came back and it's the little bits where they have gone over and above. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said: 'Nobody has enough talent to live on talent alone. Even when you have talent, a life without work goes nowhere.' Ellen MacArthur revealed that when she was 'out there' she was 'never alone' Rugby player Mark Regan explained how he couldn't have won the Heineken Cup without his 14 team mates . Former footballer Matt Le Tissier encouraged people to 'meet things head on, even the tough things' 'But the one where I sat down and held it because I didn't expect to get it was Stephen Hawking. It made me smile the most. 'It had another edge and it was the icing on the cake.' Mr Rhodes came up with the idea last year to motivate the 150-strong staff but wanted to use words that were not 'corporate speak'. He said: 'We all look at these motivational messages like 'sell more' and 'buy more' but they can have the opposite effect.

Summary: Simon Rhodes wrote to celebrities asking them for motivating messages . Father-of-two sent off 25 letters and received 18 replies from A-listers . First message he received was from Professor Stephen Hawkins . Sir Ian McKellen, Jessica Ennis-Hill, and Jose Mourinho also replied . Rhodes, 46, wanted the notes to inspire his 150 strong workforce .


The knowledge that your son has committed murder is more than any mother should have to bear. For one mother though, the news was even worse - the victim was her own mother. In 2008, Franky Regan Lamb faced the news that her 21-year-old son Rakeim Regan had fatally stabbed her mother, Pat Regan, in her own home, in Leeds. Scroll down for video . In a new episode of Britain's Darkest Taboos, Franky Regan Lamb has spoken out about the horrifying incident in 2008 when her son, Rakeim Regan, murdered her mother Pat . Now in a new episode of Britain's Darkest Taboos, which aired yesterday on the CI channel, Franky, her brother Shane and their friends have spoken out about the horrific incident which will haunt the family forever. Rakeim, who had become heavily involved in gang and drugs culture, killed his grandmother whilst under psychosis. His mental state seriously deteriorated after his Uncle Danny - Pat's son - had died five years earlier and he became heavily involved in the drugs scene. Rakeim had been close to his uncle and looked up to him - something that had always worried his family who felt that Danny, a notorious drug dealer, might be a bad influence on him. Danny, who mixed in such a dangerous crowd that he often wore a stab vest and carried a firearm, was shot to death in 2002, following what was thought to be an altercation about drugs. Following her son's death Pat went on to be a staunch anti-gun activist and, according to Franky, had a close relationship with Rakeim. Murdered Pat Regan (right) was an anti-gun campaigner, pictured here with fellow campaigner Michelle Forbes outside Downing Street in 2008 . Slain uncle: Pat's son Danny was murdered in 2002 in what was thought to have been an altercation over drugs . She said: 'If he was in trouble, he'd go to my mum probably more than me because my mum had probably dealt with it better. He was her grandson - they were just really close.' Despite this closeness the family began to seriously worry about Rakeim as he slipped deeper into a world of gang violence. His uncle Shane admitted: 'We had worries about him, because it seemed that he was impressed with, kind of gang culture or the big man in the area and all that kind of stuff. 'You know, there was a lot of that around us at the time and we were just, kind of like, saying, "You don't need to be focused on that kind of stuff. You need to focus more on your education, your music" - you know, things that are quite playful, things that are positive. 'Don't look at the negative and don't be, you know, tempted to follow that kind of lifestyle.' Sadly, there was nothing the family could do to help him and as Rakeim started to dabble more and more in drugs, his paranoia started to increase. Franky said: 'He kind of lost his way a little bit and I, kind

Summary: Franky Regan Lamb's son Rakeim Regan killed her mother in 2008 . At the time, the 21-year-old was under a state of psychosis . Rakeim has been detained under the mental health act indefinitely . Devoted Franky, from Leeds, still sees her son to this day .


Police are searching for the owners of a collection of gold and silver bullion, coins and doubloons which were discovered under a hedge in Hertfordshire. The £50,000 find was made in London Colney last month and detectives believe the bullion may have been stolen in a burglary. The items were mostly found individually wrapped in cellophane or were held in plastic containers. Hidden treasure: This silver bullion was among a stash of valuable items handed into Hertfordshire Police . Detective Sergeant Karen Lewis, from the St Albans Local Unit, said: 'Despite several enquiries, we have so far been unable to trace the owners of these items. 'The items are very distinctive so we hope that someone might recognise them and that they can be returned.' Anyone who recognises the collection, or who has any information about where it may have come from, is asked to contact DS Lewis on 101. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111. Also found in the stash, valued at £50,000, were a collection of gold and silver coins and doubloons . The box, containing the coins, doubloons and bullion, was discovered under a hedge n Hertfordshire last month .

Summary: Stash of treasure was found underneath hedge in Hertfordshire last month . Police believe the items were stolen in a burglary before being abandoned . So far, officers have been unable to locate the owner of £50,000 hoard .


It was a mainstay on the NASCAR circuit for nearly five decades. But now, North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina - once filled with thousands of fans at a time - lies silent and deserted. The legendary track, which opened its doors to a crowd of more than 10,000 in 1947, was recently caught on camera by photojournalist Seph Lawless. The photojournalist, also an activist, captured the dilapidated arena as part of an ongoing project which focuses on 'the most abandoned' sites in America. He told Daily Mail Online: 'This arena was once filled with thousands of people now it sits eerily silent and completely abandoned. It was apocalyptic.' Scroll down for video . Empty: North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina - a mainstay on the NASCAR circuit for nearly 50 years - now lies silent and deserted . Legendary: The track, which opened its doors to a crowd of more than 10,000 in 1947, was caught on camera by photojournalist Seph Lawless . Deserted: Mr Lawless captured the dilapidated arena as part of an ongoing project which focuses on 'the most abandoned' areas of America . 'It was apocalyptic: 'This arena was once filled with thousands of people now it sits eerily silent and completely abandoned,' Mr Lawless said . Flashback: Terry Labonte (No 5) and Elton Sawyer (No 27) bring the field to the start of the First Union 400 at the speedway on April 14, 1996 . Hopes: Mr Lawless, also an activist, continued: 'Certain parts of America decline so fast these days, they should paint racing stripes on it' Damaged: Mr Lawless's stunning photos show faded racetrack signs, thousands of vacant seats and buildings with damaged ceilings (above) Out of use: A building at the speedway is pictured in a state of disrepair (left), while a sign showing drivers' positions is no longer lit up (right) Racetrack: The short speedway, measuring five-eights of a mile, held races in NASCAR's top three series from 1949 until its closure in 1996 . He added: 'Certain parts of America decline so fast these days, they should paint racing stripes on it.' The short speedway, measuring five-eights of a mile, held races in NASCAR's top three series from 1949 until its closure in 1996. That year, it was sold to ex-New Hampshire Motor Speedway owner Bob Bahre and Speedway Motorsports's CEO Bruton Smith due to its age and lack of modern facilities. Its spring date was taken over by Smith's new Texas Motor Speedway, while its fall date was given to Bahre's New Hampshire track. In 2010, North Wilkesboro Speedway briefly reopened, playing host to several Stock Car series. However, it closed again in the spring of 2011. It has sat empty since. Seph Lawless's stunning photos show faded racetrack signs, thousands of vacant seats, buildings in various states of disrepair and stained parts of track. The refreshments section of the arena lies abandoned, while red paint is ripped off the wall surrounding a sign reading, 'President's Lounge'. 'It's not every day that you come across an abandoned NASCAR race speedway,' Seph

Summary: North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina was a mainstay on NASCAR circuit from 1949 until September 1996 . But now, it lies empty after being sold in 1996, briefly reopening in 2010, then closing again in the spring of 2011 . Pictures of legendary track were captured by photojournalist Seph Lawless as part of 'Autopsy of America' project . They show faded racetrack signs, thousands of vacant seats, buildings with damaged ceilings and stained ground . The site 'now sits eerily silent and completely abandoned. It was apocalyptic,' Seph Lawless told Daily Mail Online .


A pit bull mauled to death a man who was apparently trying to save its owner from a heart attack. Roy Higgenbotham Jr, 62, was savaged by the animal on Sunday evening while trying to revive David Wallace, 63, police said. The two men appear both to have lived in the same house in Wheeling, West Virginia, which had been adapted to be two separate residences. Attack dog: The pit bull, a three-year-old female pictured above in quarantine, attacked Roy Higgenbotham Jr, 62 . Protective: The animal lashed out as its owner, David Wallace, 63, was suffering a medical emergency . Wheeling police said they were called to the home and had to force their way in. At that point police say they found the two men, one of whom was unconscious and the other badly hurt. They were taken to a nearby hospital, where both were pronounced dead. The pit bull, a three-year-old female, was also found in the room. According to local news channel WTRF, the dog has now been quarantined. Though police believe the dog killed one of the men, they have said the official cause of death is still undetermined, and that tests and autopsies are being carried out. Wheeling police have said the dog was not on their register of dangerous animals. Neighbors who spoke to WTRF said they had never known the animal to be violent before. Home: Police had to break in to the house shown above in Wheeling, West Virginia, where both men apparently lived separately inside the same building .

Summary: Three-year-old dog attacked Roy Higgenbotham Jr, 62, on Sunday . Police say he was trying to rescue housemate David Wallace, 63 . The two appear to have lived separately but at the same address . Investigators believed Higgenbotham was trying to save Wallace .


Steven Gerrard will play alongside Chelsea captain John Terry and former Liverpool team-mates Xabi Alonso, Luis Suarez and Fernando Torres in a mouth-watering line-up at Anfield later this month. The Reds captain, who will also team up with Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, is to feature in an all-star XI for a charity game organised by the Liverpool FC Foundation on March 29. Gerrard will also manage the side with his former Liverpool team-mate and Sportsmail columnist Jamie Carragher leading the opposition. Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher will go head-to-head in a charity match at Anfield later this month . Gerrard and Sportsmail columnist Carragher took turns in picking their first XIs for the charity clash . The legends stand by the teams they have selected for the match organised by the Liverpool FC Foundation . Brad Jones; John Arne Riise, John Terry, Stephen Warnock; Ryan Babel, Xabi Alonso, Steven Gerrard (C), Kevin Nolan; Luis Suarez, Fernando Torres, Thierry Henry . Pepe Reina; Alvaro Arbeloa, Jamie Carragher (C), Martin Kelly, Craig Noone, Raul Meireles, Jonjo Shelvey, Craig Bellamy, Luis Garcia, Didier Drogba, Dirk Kuyt . Gerrard and Carragher appeared in a relaxed mood as they faced the media at Anfield on Thursday . The game gives Liverpool fans one last opportunity to see Gerrard in action alongside the best players from the array of sides he has captained throughout his time at Anfield before he leaves for LA Galaxy at the end of the season. A number of current Liverpool first-team players will also be involved. Gerrard and Carragher took turns selecting from 22 star players with Reds stopper Brad Jones the surprise first name out of the hat. Gerrard revealed he was ‘staying loyal’ to his current team-mate. The former England captain then selected the ‘best defender' he has 'ever played with' as Terry was picked to line-up at centre-half. Fernando Torres, in action for Atletico Madrid, will play alongside Luis Suarez and Thierry Henry . Luis Suarez will return to Anfield for the first time since his £75million summer switch to Barcelona . Carragher claimed his fellow Sky Sports pundit and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry is 'excited' about the match . Carragher responded by joking that the Chelsea captain, whose side were dumped out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night, ‘couldn’t run’. Bayern Munich midfielder Alonso was hailed as a ‘top passer’ by Gerrard and was the 35-year-old's first pick in midfield. Suarez, the Barcelona striker deemed to be 'the man in form’ was selected to lead Gerrard’s attack. Carragher responded by picking Chelsea legend Didier Drogba to go head-to-head with club team-mate Terry. Torres was then chosen by Gerrard to team up with Suarez and Henry was also selected by the Liverpool legend to form a tantalising three-pronged attack. Xabi Alonso, now of Bayern Munich, will team up with Gerrard after he was selected by the Reds skipper . Suarez celebrates after scoring for Liverpool against Crystal Palace in the Premier League last season . Torres pictured scoring for Liverpool against Wolves. He was sold to

Summary: Steven Gerrard selects his former Liverpool team-mates for charity game . Gerrard will also line up alongside Thierry Henry in match on March 29 . Sportsmail columnist Jamie Carragher will play and manage the opposition . Carragher's first XI includes Pepe Reina, Craig Bellamy and Didier Drogba .


An army of feral cats rules a remote island in southern Japan, curling up in abandoned houses or strutting about in a fishing village that is overrun with felines outnumbering humans six to one. Originally introduced to the mile-long island of Aoshima to deal with mice that plagued fishermen's boats, the cats stayed on - and multiplied. More than 120 cats swarm the island with only a handful of humans for company - mostly pensioners who didn't join the waves of migrants seeking work in the cities on mainland Japan after the Second World War. Scroll down for video . Watching: Originally introduced to the island of Aoshima to deal with mice that plagued fishermen's boats, the cats stayed on - and multiplied . A daring leap: More than 120 mostly ginger cats now patrol the remote Japanese island with only a handful of humans for company . Company: The majority of the humans on Aoshima island are pensioners who didn't seek work on mainland Japan after the Second World War . Never lonely: The majority of Aoshima island's human residents left to work on mainland Japan in the late 1940s and early 1950s . Resting: The only sign of human activity now is the boatload of day-trippers from the mainland, visiting what is locally known as Cat Island . Aoshima, a 30-minute ferry ride off the coast of Ehime prefecture, had been home to 900 people in 1945. The only sign of human activity now is the boatload of day-trippers from the mainland, visiting what is locally known as Cat Island. With no restaurants, cars, shops or kiosks selling snacks, Aoshima is no tourist haven. But cat lovers are not complaining. 'There is a ton of cats here, then there was this sort of cat witch who came out to feed the cats which was quite fun,' said 27-year-old Makiko Yamasaki. 'So I'd want to come again.' Fangs: With no restaurants, cars, shops or kiosks selling snacks, Aoshima is no tourist haven. But cat lovers are not complaining . Furry friend: Aoshima, a 30-minute ferry ride off the coast of Ehime prefecture, had been home to 900 people in 1945 . Everywhere you look: Cats surround people as they get off a boat at the harbour on Aoshima Island in Ehime prefecture in southern Japan . A purr-fect feast: A cat carries a fish on Aoshima Island. The allure of cats is not surprising in a country that gave the world Hello Kitty . On the prowl: The cats of Aoshima are not too picky, surviving on the rice balls, energy bars or potatoes they cadge off tourists . Picturesque: An overview shows the main part of the fishing village on Aoshima Island in Ehime prefecture in southern Japan . The allure of cats is not surprising in a country that gave the world Hello Kitty, a cartoon character considered the epitome of cuteness. Cat cafes have long been popular in Tokyo, catering to fans who can't keep the animals at home because of strict housing regulations that often forbid pets.

Summary: More than 120 feral cats live on Aoshima Island, where they have just a handful of humans for company . The cats were originally brought to the remote Japanese island to kill mice living on fishermen's boats . Most of the local residents left Aoshima Island to work on mainland Japan after the Second World War . But the cat population stayed and have since multiplied - meaning they now massively outnumber humans .


A mother whose son suffered brain damage at birth has been awarded £5.2million after a 16-year battle with the NHS. Scotland’s highest court had twice rejected Nadine Montgomery’s claim that medical negligence caused her son’s physical disabilities. But in a landmark legal ruling seven judges of the Supreme Court in London upheld the 40-year-old mother’s claim in what was described as ‘the most significant medical negligence judgment in 30 years’. Nadine Montgomery, whose son suffers from cerebral palsy after he was starved of oxygen during birth, argued she was not properly advised on having a Cesarean by medics at NHS Lanarkshire . Mrs Montgomery expressed delight yesterday that the care of her son, Sam, who suffers from cerebral palsy, was now guaranteed. The biologist from Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire, said: ‘This is an enormous relief after a long legal fight, ensuring Sam receives the best care for the rest of his life.’ First-time mother Mrs Montgomery gave birth to her son in Bellshill Maternity Hospital, run by NHS Lanarkshire, in October 1999. The slightly-built Type 1 diabetic claimed that during her pregnancy she expressed concerns about the birth. Shoulder dystocia occurs when a baby becomes stuck during delivery, potentially starving the infant of oxygen and leading to brain defects. It is particularly common among the children of diabetes sufferers, which are often larger than typical children. Ms Montgomery, a type 1 diabetes sufferer, said the risks of natural delivery, and the prospect of having a Cesarean, were not discussed with her. Her son, Sam, suffered from shoulder dystocia during birth, and now has cerebral palsy. It is recognised that diabetic mothers can deliver larger babies, placing them at higher risk of complications, including the possibility of ‘shoulder dystocia’ where a newborn gets stuck in the pelvis. In her case, Sam’s shoulder stuck after delivery of his head. Staff released the shoulder but during a 12-minute delay he suffered oxygen deprivation. He was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy, caused by permanent brain injury at birth. Mrs Montgomery claimed that had she been advised properly, she would have opted for the alternative of a Caesarean section and Sam would have been born uninjured. But she said her obstetrician Dr Dina McLellan decided not to discuss the risks or suggest a Caesarean. At an earlier hearing, judges heard it was not Dr McLellan’s ‘practice’ to discuss the potential risks of shoulder dystocia, claiming that the risk for the baby was very small, and that Caesareans were not in the ‘maternal interests’ of women. Mrs Montgomery’s case for compensation had twice been rejected by the Court of Session in Edinburgh. But Lord Reed, who delivered the Supreme Court Justices’ decision yesterday said: ‘An adult person of sound mind is entitled to decide which, if any, of the available forms of treatment to undergo, and her consent must be obtained before treatment interfering with her bodily integrity is undertaken. Her claim for compensation was twice rejected by Scotland's highest court, but she was yesterday awarded £5.2million after London's Supreme Court overturned the ruling (file image) ‘There can be no

Summary: Nadine Montgomery's son was starved of oxygen during birth in 1999 . That led to brain defects meaning he now suffers from cerebral palsy . Said she was not properly informed of risks and Cesarean was not offered . Scotland's highest court twice rejected her compensation claims . But yesterday London's Supreme Court overturned the earlier rulings .


A French pensioner was arrested for trying to smuggle his new Russian bride home in a suitcase -before discovering she was free to travel anywhere in the EU. The unnamed man, who is in his 60s, was one of thousands of Western men who visit Russia every year to find love. It is not known where or how he met his young wife, but he assumed that she would not be allowed into the EU without a visa. A French pensioner was arrested for trying to smuggle his new Russian bride home in a suitcase -before discovering she was free to travel anywhere in the EU (file picture) Because of these fears, he 'folded' her into a suitcase and placed her in the luggage rack of a train as he set off back to Nice, in southern France. At Terespol station, on the border between Poland and Belarus, the woman was found by immigration officials, who immediately arrested the couple. After searching the suitcase, Polish customs spokesman Dariusz Sienicki said: 'The Russian wife of the owner of the bag was inside.' There were initial fears that she might have been kidnapped or abused in some other way, however it became clear that she was fine. Mr Sienicki added: 'She was in good shape and wasn't in need of any medical attention.' Despite this, the arrests were deemed valid because the couple had attempted to avoid border controls, which is a criminal offence. The newly-married couple were on their way back to Nice (pictured), France, when their bizarre ploy was rumbled . The wives of men with EU passports can travel wherever they like in the EU, so if the woman had simply sat next to her husband there would have been no problem. The Russian bride was said to be in her thirties and extremely supple, making it relatively easy for her to fit inside the suitcase. The couple had risked a three-year jail sentence by attempting to evade border control. Mr Sienicki said: 'This was the first time I've seen someone travel like this. She very well could have been a victim of human trafficking.' The couple were eventually released after questioning and were allowed to carry on with their journey.

Summary: Pensioner assumed his new Russian bride wouldn't be allowed into France . Frenchman, in his 60s, thought wife could not travel in the EU without visa . He hid her inside a suitcase and placed her in the luggage rack of a train . She was found by a border guard in Poland and the pair were arrested . Wives of men with EU passports can travel wherever they like in Europe .