It has famously been a showcase for fast cars, flash watches and high-class liquor - but the latest Bond instalment is set to go one step further by promoting an entire country for tax-breaks. The new movie, Spectre, will be a truly pro-Mexican affair with beautiful shots of the country, a leading role for one of the nation's most glamorous actress and a strict rule that Bond's nemesis is not from Mexico. In exchange for these considerable lengths, the Hollywood producers making the film, who are under pressure to cut their huge budget, will have an extra £14million to spend how they choose. Scroll down for video . Starring role: Glamorous Mexican actress Stephanie Sigman was recently unveiled as new Bond girl Estrella . The Central American country, where the iconic opening scene takes place, offered Hollywood producers a fortune as an incentive to film there, but their generosity came with conditions. Stephanie Sigman, one of Mexico's rising stars, was recently unveiled as Bond girl Estrella, appearing alongside Italian Monica Bellucci, who plays Lucia Sciarra. The Mexican actress, 27, is best known for her role in the award-winning Mexican film Miss Bala, in which she played a beauty queen forced to do a gang's dirty work after witnessing a murder. In addition, Mexico also asked that an assassination target in the film, the Mayor of Mexico City, be changed to an international leader, The Telegraph reports. Tax incentives: It is believed that Hollywood producers making the new Bond movie will save as much as £14million by showing Mexico in a favourable light . These measures are said to have secured tax breaks worth £10million. Around £4million was said to have been earned by filming flattering shots of the country's 'modern' skyline and replacing a cage fighting scene with footage of Mexico's renowned Day of the Dead festivities. Stephanie Sigman will be the first Mexican-born Bond girl on the big screen, but not the first overall. Mexico's Linda Christian - the original Bond girl - starred in the 1954 television adaptation of Casino Royale. The movie's alterations were reported by US website Tax Analysts, which provides information on tax news, based on emails leaked in last year's Sony hacking scandal. Large numbers of internal emails were released by Guardians of the Peace, which the FBI has since identified as a North Korean-backed group of hackers. According to the leaked emails Spectre's budget was at one point exceeding £200 million - which would have made it one of the most expensive films in history. Studio executives spoke of being under 'immense pressure' to reduce the budget. The plan to give Mexico a flattering portrayal was outlined in a memo titled 'Elements needed to preserve Mexican deal'. It spoke of how producers should cast a 'known Mexican actress' as Estrella and female villain Sciarra 'cannot be Mexican'. It also called for aerial shots of 'modern Mexico City buildings'. Rising star: Ms Sigman (pictured left in an advert for her hit Mexican film Miss Bala) will star alongside Daniel Craig and Italian actress Monica Bellucci, who

Summary: New Bond movie, Spectre, sees iconic opening scene filmed in Mexico . Leaked emails suggested country offered huge tax incentives to producers . In exchange, nation is to be portrayed favourably with a Mexican Bond girl . Conditions included flattering shots of Mexico City's skyline and even plot changes .


Police in Manchester stopped a motorist who was about to remove a wheel clamp from his car using a petrol-powered saw. Officers on patrol in the Deansgate area of the city noticed the man with the powerful cutting tool at 11.45pm on Monday. The blue BMW 3-series was immobilised by the DVLA because it was understood to be untaxed. Police spoke with a motorist they observed standing near his clamped car with a petrol-powered saw . The BMW 3 series was immobilised with a clamp by the DVLA in Deansgate, Manchester City Centre . According to Greater Manchester Police no arrests were made at the scene because officers intervened before any damage was inflicted on the clamp. It is understood that the motorist had a two-stroke petrol-powered Stihl saw with a metal cutting disc. The DVLA has the power to immediately clamp or impound any car if it is not properly taxed. Car owners can notify authorities if they are not using the car and sign statutory declaration that the car is off the road. However, if they sign the declaration and continue to use the car, it can be seized. Motorists who have been clamped by the DVLA have to provide evidence that they have taxed their car before it can be released. If a car has not been taxed, the motorist will have to pay a 'surety' deposit of £700 to have it released. According to the DVLA the cost of having a clamp removed increases the longer the car is immobilised. If a driver refuses to pay, the DVLA will destroy or sell the car to recoup some of the costs. The DVLA clamped a number of cars following an inspection in Manchester City Centre last night .

Summary: The motorist was spotted by police in Deansgate, Manchester City centre . The man was observed with a petrol-powered saw near his clamped car . Police spoke with the motorist although he was not arrested at the scene . The DVLA has power to clamp any untaxed cars without any warning .


A man who allegedly beat his girlfriend repeatedly with a hammer laughed and shouted 'Hail Satan' during a Monday court appearance. Jeffery Thomas Scott Jr, 28, was in court in Louisville, Kentucky to face charges of assault and attempted murder after he allegedly struck the 24-year-old multiple times with the hammer despite her cries for help. As he sat in on orange jumpsuit before the judge, Scott grinned at the room and laughed before making hand gestures. Scroll down for video . Jeffery Thomas Scott Jr laughed and pulled hand gestures while he was in court in Louisville, Kentucky to face charges of assault and attempted murder on Monday . He was removed from the court after telling the judge he wanted to represent himself and instead she appointed him a public defender. As he was taken out, the 28-year-old cried 'hail satan!' Scott left the young woman for dead close to Jefferson Memorial Forest last Friday, police said in a report. She was in a critical condition in hospital after suffering serious head trauma and was expected to have lasting damage from the brutal attack. The accused was being held at Louisville Metro Correction on a $100,000 cash bond. Scott was removed from the courtroom after the judge appointed him a public defender (left). He stands accused of brutally beating a woman about the head with a hammer last Friday. Right, he is pictured in his mugshot .

Summary: Jeffery Thomas Scott Jr, 28, was in court in Louisville, Kentucky to face charges of assault and attempted murder . Scott allegedly attacked his girlfriend on Friday close to Jefferson Memorial Forest . The 24-year-old woman was in a critical condition in hospital and was believed to have permanent damage .


A dolphin who was found dead in a river was shot with a shotgun, an autopsy has revealed. The body of the female adult bottlenose, named Graze, was discovered in the Port River, north of Adelaide before Christmas last year, but was only examined this month by scientists. South Australian Museum senior research scientist Catherine Kemper said four shotgun pellets were found in the dolphin's body after she was found in the Barker Inlet area. 'It appears Graze did not die immediately after she was shot,' Ms Kemper told Daily Mail Australia. One of the four shotgun pellets was found on the deceased body of female adult bottlenose named Graze . Graze pictured a decade ago when she was first sighted in 1992 by a Whale and Dolphin Conservation group . 'She was emaciated, and there were signs of disease that may have been related to the shotgun pellets entering her body. 'We believe she died within weeks or even months. The shooting wasn't a primary cause of death but it was a secondary - something else followed after she was shot.' Dr Kemper said there had been about 10 dolphins discovered dead after being shot in Adelaide waters since 1998, despite all mammals are protected by law. 'We're more annoyed and concerned than sad,' Ms Kemper said. 'It's distressing to think someone would injure one and we don't know why they're doing it - either intentionally or accidentally but it's animal cruelty because it's not really a nice thing to do. 'It's an illegal act. We're more concerned and we want to make sure people are obeying the law. 'I also understand that the local people have not been happy with it either so I suspect someone will make a report soon if they see anything suspicious.' South Australian Museum senior research scientist Catherine Kemper (right) dissecting another dolphin . Ms Kemper said it was animal cruelty for a dolphin to be shot with a gun . Whale and Dolphin Conservation group Dr Mike Bossley first sighted Graze in 1992 and had since followed her movements and monitored her behaviour ever since. 'It is clear that despite the implementation of the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary in the area, these dolphins are still under threat,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'It is important that more resources are put into the sanctuary to improve its effectiveness.' Dr Bossley said when he first identified Graze, she had suffered a major wound across the top of her back but fortunately, she survived and went on to have a number of calves. But this was not the first time a dolphin was killed by a shotgun in the local waters. Two dolphins were killed in the Barker Inlet in 1998 and the calf of one of these died shortly afterwards. The South Australian Museum has subsequently found shot gun pellets in dolphins collected in the Adelaide area on a number of occasions but the bodies were found just outside the sanctuary boundaries. Anyone who kills or wilfully injures a dolphin (stock image) could face up to $100,000

Summary: Scientists at the South Australian Museum conducted an autopsy on Graze the dolphin . The bottlenose was discovered mysteriously dead before Christmas . The scientists found four shotgun pellets inside the body . Graze was found in 1992 a scientist has studied her movements since . The dolphin's name comes from the injury on her fin .


Udhai Ri's selfie, accompanied by the 'feeling sad' emoji, clearly shows his uncle's corpse in the background . A man has caused a storm on social media after posting a selfie of himself with his uncle's corpse during a funeral. Udhai Ri, 34, from Jaffna Town in Sri Lanka, stunned friends and family when he snapped himself standing in front of his dead uncle lying on a funeral bed. The photo was then posted onto his Facebook and Twitter accounts. Accompanying it, using the Tamil translation for uncle, were the words: 'My peiriya appa passed away.' This was followed by a 'sad face' emoji and the words 'feeling sad'. But he was soon turned on by shocked online users. Facebook user Dinesh Devi posted: 'Oh, man! Really? This is disgusting. Show some respect.' Som Gamage wrote: 'What is this? A Deady? Could you sink any lower?' Nalin Kodikara added: 'I've never seen anything as disgustingly poor taste as this.' Mr Ri soon took the photo down but not before it had begun doing the rounds on social media. A friend of Mr Ri's said: 'He was very upset and wanted to express that and share his grief and final moments with his uncle with his friends. 'Being upset he wasn't thinking clearly though, as this was obviously a bad idea, to say the least. 'He apologises for any offence he has caused.' Although there's no doubt the selfie has become a bona fide cultural phenomenon, popularized perhaps most famously by Kim Kardashian, there remain some limits to its acceptability. Among the people to have gained notoriety are a man who took a photo of himself in front of his dead grandmother's casket, those smiling cheerily at the scene of the Sydney siege in December and people taking pictures of themselves before sometimes fatal accidents. A friend of Udhai Ri (pictured) said he was very upset and simply wanted to express his grief . Udhai Ri (pictured left and right) has been criticised for posting the selfie in which his uncle was visible .

Summary: Sri Lankan man causes social media storm after posting selfie at funeral . Udhai Ri, 34, posted the photo showing his uncle's corpse on Facebook . It was accompanied by a sad face icon and the the words 'feeling sad' However, online users labelled it 'disgusting' and extremely 'poor taste'


The Football Association said it was willing to investigate after a victory for England Women over Australia was followed by allegations that a group of spectators from the British Army shouted sexist abuse during the game. An Army contingent based in Cyprus attended England's 3-0 win at the low-profile Cyprus Cup tournament in Nicosia on Friday. Two female England supporters who were at the game said the troops targeted Australian defender Servet Uzunlar throughout the match, as well as the Australian team's substitutes as they took off their tracksuits before entering the field. Australian defender Servet Uzunlar was allegedly the target of sexist abuse throughout the match in Cyprus . Rachel O'Sullivan and Sophie Downey, who cover women's football for www.girlsontheball.com, said the majority of the alleged abuse was made towards the Australian players and substitutes, whose bench was on the side of the pitch where the soldiers were sitting. Downey said: 'We've been to lots of games before and we can engage in banter, but this wasn't banter - it was constant, gender-specific abuse. 'There were around 50 troops watching the game and a group of around 10 of them were directing constant insults - they were on the side of the Australian dugout so it was more focused on their players. The FA will invesigate allegations that a group from the British Army shouted sexist abuse during the game . 'We weren't sure whether to tweet about it because it's the Army and we didn't want to offend people - I'm a very proud English person and I'm very proud of what the Army do - but I was ashamed of them today.' O'Sullivan added: 'One Australian player, number six (Uzunlar), they were harassing her over and over and over again, throughout the game. 'They were making horrible comments, shouting at her, whistling - it was uncomfortable to hear. These are teenage girls and they were sexually objectifying them.' Spectators at the game said the abuse directed at the players was sexually objectifying and horrible . The commander in charge of the troops said he was unaware of the abuse and apologised . An MoD spokeswoman said: 'Behaviour of the kind described is totally unacceptable and is not tolerated in the Armed Forces where abuse, bullying and discrimination have no place. 'We are investigating these claims and if it is found that any UK personnel have fallen below the high standards we expect then appropriate action will be taken.' Downey and O'Sullivan said they complained to the commander in charge of the contingent at the end of the match and he apologised, saying he had not heard the abuse. The England players said that none of them had heard any of the abuse and would not make a complaint . An FA spokesperson said: 'We've spoken to the (England) players, manager and assistant manager after the game and none of them have said they heard anything during the game worthy of reporting or complaining about. 'They appreciated the British Army's support and were happy to have photographs taken with the

Summary: The FA will investigate allegations of sexist chanting during a game . Two female England supporters said troops targeted Servet Uzunlar . They said troops were sexually objectifying the teenage players in Cyprus . News comes after Chelsea club doctor Eva Carneiro was target of abuse .


Soloman Bygraves (pictured) had followed Stanley Evans into his block of flats in Soho, central London, and pushed him over as he lunged for his wallet . A homeless man has admitted knocking a frail 92-year-old widower to the floor to steal just five pounds. Stanley Evans, who lives on his own, was left lying on the ground for ten minutes after being attacked as he returned from a shopping trip in London. Soloman Bygraves had followed the pensioner, now 93, into his block of flats in Soho, central London, and pushed him over as he lunged for his wallet. The assault, which has been branded by police as 'totally unprovoked, callous and sickening', came just months after the elderly man had given his attacker £10. Bygraves, 29, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty at London's Southwark Crown Court via video-link from Wandsworth Prison. Wearing a grey tracksuit, he spoke only to confirm his name and plead guilty. Mr Evans, who suffered an shoulder injury, eventually managed to get to his feet and take the lift to his flat to call 999. He did not require hospital treatment. The retired cameraman who worked on films including the 1947 classic Brighton Rock with Richard Attenborough - said he had been left 'flailing like a seal' after the attack. Speaking before the arrest, Mr Evans described the attack: 'I've gone past anger, I'm frustrated. If I ever came across that one again I was a boxer and aggressive, if someone punches me I punch them back.' 'I was coming up to my flat from the supermarket with a trolley when I saw a large black man sitting on the wall, I vaguely recognised him as someone I had gave £10 to last year. I'm quite friendly with people in the area. 'He was even helpful with the trolley. I left him sitting on the wall and started fiddling with my key. Then he was behind me. He told me he had come to visit someone on the second floor. Scroll down for video . Victim Stanley Evans (pictured) said he was left 'flailing like a seal' on the ground for 10 minutes after the attack . These shocking CCTV images show the moment Mr Evans, then aged 92, was attacked as he waited for a lift in his flat block . 'I let him in behind me and I called the lift. My wallet was in the front pocket of my trousers. Then suddenly whoosh, he came straight at me. He grabbed my wallet, pushed me over and I fell on my side and he ran out. 'When you fall over at my age every bit of your body hits the ground, I was flailing like a seal. It's almost impossible to pick yourself up. 'I waited 10 minutes for someone to come but nobody did. Then I managed to struggle to my feet and go up to my flat and call the police.' The assault and robbery took place at Ingestre Court, central London at around 8pm on Saturday, 31 January. Bygraves is

Summary: Pensioner Stanley Evans, 92, had returned from a shopping trip in London . He was bundled to the ground by Soloman Bygraves as he waited for a lift . The 29-year-old attacker - who was caught on CCTV - made off with just £5 . Mr Evans had given Bygraves £10 just a few months before the incident . Bygraves has now admitted carrying out the 'callous and sickening assault'


A deputy U.S. marshal was killed during a shootout at a Louisiana motel by a fugitive wanted on two counts of first-degree murder. Deputy U.S. Marshal Josie Wells, 27, was fatally shot around 11am on Tuesday at Elm Grove Motel in Scotlandville - an area north of Baton Rouge, according to Drew Wade, a spokesman for the U.S. Marshals Service. The fugitive, Jamie D. Croom, 31, from New Roads was shot and taken to a hospital where his condition has not been released. Croom has been on the run since the February 18 shooting outside the Sugar Shack nightclub in Pointe Coupee that left Lechelle Rita Williams, 42, and her 38-year-old brother Sinica Lee Williams dead. Scroll down for video . Deputy U.S. Marshal Josie Wells (left), 27, was fatally shot around 11am on Tuesday at Elm Grove Motel in Scotlandville - an area north of Baton Rouge. The fugitive, Jamie D. Croom (right), 31, from New Roads was shot and taken to a hospital where his condition has not been released . Wells, who was assigned to the Southern District office in Mississippi, was a part of a task force led by federal marshals, who were serving an arrest warrant when the shootout took place (above scenes from the shooting on Elm Grove Garden Road) Croom has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with Wells' murder, but further details were not provided (above law enforcement gather in front of Elm Grove Motel where shootout took place) Wells, who was assigned to the Southern District office in Mississippi, was a part of a task force led by federal marshals, who were serving an arrest warrant when the shootout took place. No other officers were hurt during the shooting, according to WBRZ. 'Deputy marshals risk their lives every day going after the worst of the worst,' Wade said. 'This is a sad day for law enforcement.' Wells was a graduate of East Central High School in Hurley, Mississippi, and also attended Jackson State University. 'He was a tremendous student,' East Central Principal James Hughey told WLOX-TV. 'He was very well liked.' No other officers were hurt during the shooting (above scenes from the Elm Grove Motel) Wells comes from a law enforcement family, according to Mississippi state Rep. Manly Barton of Moss Point. His father, Obie Wells Sr., is a retired Jackson County sheriff's deputy, and his brother, Obie Wells Jr., is an officer with the Jackson Police Department in the state capital. Wells had been serving as Deputy Marshal since 2011, according to The Advocate. Croom has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with Wells' murder, but further details were not provided, said U.S. Attorney Walt Green of Louisiana's Middle District. The fugitive had a lengthy criminal history between 2000-2014 that included attempted aggravated assault with a fire arm in 2001, aggravated second-degree battery in 2005, attempted second-degree murder in 2005 and 2014, according to an earlier report by NBC 33 News. Croom has been on the run since the February 18 shooting outside the Sugar Shack nightclub in Pointe

Summary: Deputy U.S. Marshal Josie Wells, 27, was killed around 11am on Tuesday at Elm Grove Motel in Scotlandville - an area north of Baton Rouge, LA . Fugitive, Jamie D. Croom, 31, was shot and taken to a hospital where his condition has not been released . Croom was on the run since February 18 shooting when he was accused of killing Lechelle Rita Williams, 42, and her 38-year-old brother Sinica Lee .


Questions: Matthew Yussman failed part of a lie detector test after claiming he'd been held hostage . A credit union manager who told police he was held hostage, strapped with explosives and ordered to rob $4.2 million from the bank failed part of a lie detector test, it has emerged. Matthew Yussman, 46, had claimed two masked men ambushed him in his home in Bristol, Connecticut in the early hours of February 23 and held him and his mother captive. The next day, they ordered him to rob two Achieve Financial Credit Union branches, he said. He was ultimately found outside one of the banks with a device strapped to his chest, while his mother was discovered on her bed with another explosive beneath it. Both bombs turned out to be fake. Police previously said they had not determined if Yussman was a victim or a suspect but it has now emerged that he gave deceptive answers during a lie detector test the night of the attempted heist. He apparently lied while answering a question about his involvement in the home invasion, according to the Bristol Press, citing a search warrant for Yussman's home. New Britain Police Chief James Wardwell said Yussman later withdrew from the test. 'He made the decision not to continue the interview a short time after,' Wardwell told the Press. The details emerged in search warrants secured this week for Yussman's home, car and laptop. Authorities previously took items, including his laptop and routers, and swabs from his home, and are investigating his cellphone and garbage bags taken from his car, among other items. The suspects reportedly ambushed Yussman in his garage as he returned home around 12.30am. Attempted heist: Police swarm around the Achieve Financial Credit Union in New Britain, Connecticut on February 23 after Yussman was found in the parking lot with a device strapped to his chest . Scare: Armored vehicles were seen on the scene before investigators learned the device would not go off. Yussman said two men stormed into his home that morning and took and his mother hostage . When his mother, who lives in an apartment on the side of the home, noticed he had failed to go inside, she checked on him and found him face-down with his hands zip-tied behind his back. Valerie Yussman, 70, told police that she saw the two 'well-spoken and polite' armed men in the garage and that they ordered her to stay on her bed. The men took Yussman from the home for 30 minutes around 3.30am after unplugging Mrs Yussman's phone, leaving her food and using duct tape to pin her to the bed. Her son told cops he was blindfolded and put in a car before they drove around for 30 minutes and returned to the house. It is not clear why they left the home. Valerie Yussman told police that she overheard the men saying they owed someone money and would kill the Yussmans unless they paid them. Her son and the men left later that morning after vacuuming a couple

Summary: Matthew Yussman, 46, told police he was ambushed by two masked men while in his garage in Bristol, Connecticut on February 23 . His mother, who lives at the home, was ordered to stay in her room with explosives and overheard the men telling Yussman to rob two banks . Yussman was found with a device strapped to his chest outside a branch in New Britain after he called the bank's president about his predicament . Police have now revealed that he was given a lie detector test later that day and failed a question about his involvement . They previously said they had not determined if he was a victim or suspect .


President Barack Obama may have become used to wearing golf shoes after spending the weekend hitting the links in the Sunshine State. The Commander-in-Chief, returning from a Florida trip where he played golf with wealthy donors, nearly took a tumble when exiting Air Force One on Sunday. He gave a wave to media before stumbling for a second and resuming his trot down to the tarmac at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington. Scroll down for video . Welcome back: President Barack Obama returned to Washington on Air Force One Sunday after a weekend in Florida . Rough return: Obama lost his footing temporarily while leaving his aircraft, gripping on to the handrails for support . Near tumble: The president did not fall during his slip, and was able to recover and continue trotting down the stairs . Back to business: Obama avoided a potentially embarrassing fall and went down to the tarmac at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington . Obama kicked off the spring season at the resort where he once caused a stir by playing with Tiger Woods and had no official events scheduled. First lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha were not on the trip at the Floridian National Golf Club in Palm City, less than 50 miles up the coast from Palm Beach. The president's Sunday also featured a golf game with Houston Astros owner Jim Crane, who is a major Democratic party donor with a net worth estimated at $2billion. The pair's foursome was joined by Mitch Carroll, who is on the board of directors at oil company Halliburton, and private equity investor Glenn Hutchins, part owner of the Boston Celtics. Obama flew out of the airport in Fort Pierce, where he arrived before making the short trip to Palm City. The president also took time to reconnect with Florida pizza shop owner Scott Van Duzer, who famously gave Obama a bear hug in 2012. Fearsome foursome: Obama's golf buddies for his Sunday round included Haliburton board member Milton Carroll (left) and Jim Crane (right), owner of the Floridian and the Houston Astros . Sunshine State: Obama embraced Scott Van Duzer, the owner of a Florida pizza shop who famously gave the president a bear hug, while leaving his golf getaway . Leaving on a jet plane: The Commander-in-Chief departed from St Lucie International Airport in Fort Pierce, Florida on Sunday . Security: He spent the weekend at the Floridian National Golf Club (pictured), playing golf with wealthy donors such as club owner Jim Crane . Local media reported the president teed off Saturday with former NBA star Alonzo Mourning, former NFL star and sportscaster Ahmad Rashad and Cyrus Walker, a cousin of Obama's senior adviser, Valerie Jarrett, according to WPTV. Two years ago, Obama played 18 holes at the Floridian with Woods and Crane, who owns the club. He also practiced with Woods' former swing coach. Word of Obama's golf game with Woods in 2013 came initially from a professional sports journalist who was on the course and tweeted about it, even though

Summary: The President lost his footing at Andrew Air Force Base in Washington . Almost had fall after he spent weekend at the Floridian National Golf Club . In 2013 he stayed at the same resort and hit links with Tiger Woods . President played with billionaire club owner and Halliburton board member . Obama played Saturday with sports stars Alonzo Mourning, Ahmad Rashad . He was rumored to also be play Butch Harmon, Woods' former coach .


An elderly couple who had been married for more than 50 years stepped in front of a speeding freight train just minutes after a row with their 50-year-old daughter, an inquest heard. Peter Smith, 80, and his wife Betty, 78, walked a short distance from their bungalow in the picturesque Lincolnshire village of Cherry Willingham, to the unmanned crossing on July 9 last year. Less than half an hour earlier, Mrs Smith and her only child, Jane, who had recently moved back in with her parents, had an disagreement over where she was keeping her belongings. Tragic: Peter Smith, 80, and his wife Betty, 78, walked a short distance from their bungalow in the picturesque Lincolnshire village of Cherry Willingham, to the unmanned crossing, pictured, on July 9 last year . Miss Smith told an inquest that as the couple left the house after the argument, her father turned to her and said: 'Goodbye, you won't see us again'. It was the last time she saw her parents. Yesterday, an inquest into their deaths at Lincoln's Cathedral Centre heard that it had 'not been an easy situation' since Miss Smith and her partner, Tim Evans had moved into the family home. In a statement read to the court, Miss Smith said she and Mr Evans had moved back in two months earlier because there was no running water in their house, The Times has reported. She said that she and her father, a former postmaster, had not had 'the best relationship over the years'. She said: that she and her mother had a disagreement over whether she could store some of her belongings in the spare room. She added: 'Later in the morning my father said that he wanted to go into town. The reason for this was that he wanted to get his glasses altered as they were hurting him. Warning: The inquest heard the couple did not react when the driver of the approaching train sounded his horn. He applied his brakes but was unable to stop in time. Above, the scene where the couple died last year . 'My mother said that she did not want to go but eventually she agreed to accompany him. 'As they left the house my mother walked out with my father behind. 'Once my mother was out of earshot my father turned to me and said "Goodbye, you won't see us again". When my mother got to the gate she turned and waved at me. 'They both then turned and walked out of my sight. That was the last time I saw my parents'. The inquest heard the couple did not react when the driver of the approaching train sounded his horn, according to the Times. He applied his brakes but was unable to stop in time. The couple died almost instantly of multiple injuries. The coroner recorded verdicts of suicide. The inquest heard the couple did not have a history of mental health issues and neither had ever been sectioned under the Mental Health Act. Neighbours of the couple paid tribute to

Summary: Peter Smith and his wife Betty stepped in front of speeding freight train . Just minutes earlier, Mrs Smith had argued with their only child, Jane, 50 . Miss Smith and her partner had recently moved back into the family home . Told inquest she and her mother disagreed over where to store belongings . As her parents left home after row, her father said 'you won't see us again' For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here .


Batsman Joe Root feels England need to make a convincing statement that they belong in the World Cup quarter-finals when they meet Bangladesh and Afghanistan in their final two group games. England must win both matches, against lower-ranked opponents, to have any chance of reaching the knockout stage. An early exit looms large after Sunday's nine-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka in Wellington followed wide-margin beatings by co-hosts Australia and New Zealand. Joe Root has insisted that England must succeed in securing convincing victories in their next two games . Root snicks a ball down fine leg during England's defeat by Sri Lanka in their previous World Cup match . That has piled the pressure on, albeit in two games Root points out that England would have needed to win in any circumstance. 'If you play those two games at the start of the competition you still have to win them,' Root said. 'The way our schedule is, we have these games towards the end. If it was broken up a bit more it might look slightly different. 'But it doesn't take away from the fact that we want to win these two games convincingly.' England's hastened need to restore confidence is underlined by the fact that should they reach the last-eight they will now most likely play the highest-ranked team in Pool B. That will almost certainly be either South Africa or world champions India, who England did beat twice during the Tri-Series leading up to the World Cup. 'We don't want to just scrape through - we want to put in some really good performances and put to bed some of the things we've got wrong so far,' Root added. England captain Eoin Morgan was left with plenty to ponder after suffering his third defeat of the World Cup . Sangakkar and team-mate Thirimanne shake hands with Morgan after Sri Lanka's nine-wicket wi . 'We know that if we get through to the quarter-finals we'll be in a position where we have nothing to lose. 'There will be sides coming up against us who could potentially be quite timid and think they should beat us and that could work in our favour. 'By the time you get to that stage it's crunch time and every side is under pressure; not just us. Hopefully we can get those wins and build some momentum.' Root believes the gap between England and the best teams at the World Cup is not as large as their heavy defeats would suggest. 'I don't think that's fair,' he said. 'Yes, we have been beaten heavily in those three games, but I don't think that we are that far away from beating those sides. 'If we get the best out of every individual and all play as well as we can then we are just as good as sides like that if not better. It's about making sure, for the next two games especially, that we turn up and do everything we possibly can to put those performances in. 'That's got to come from the individuals to make

Summary: England have lost heavily to Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka . Joe Root says they have to impress against Bangladesh and Afghanistan . They must beat both to have chance of reaching World Cup quarter-finals .


Big skies, steaming funnels, cawing seagulls and a white wake following at the back... what's not to like about a ferry voyage to a fascinating outpost of our beautiful British Isles? This has to be one of the most hassle-free ways to travel - where passengers can take their own car and the journey is all part of the experience. Just load all the luggage you like in the boot and head to the coast, drive aboard the ferry, then start your holiday in relaxing surroundings, with great food, shopping and entertainment on board. Just load all the luggage you like in the boot and head to the coast, drive aboard the ferry, then start your holiday in relaxing surroundings, with great food, shopping and entertainment on board . Not forgetting time spent enjoying the views and fresh air on the open deck, before it's time to disembark for an exciting island adventure. Bikes and even pets are welcome, too. That's because it's all about freedom, as Discover Ferries' National Ferry Fortnight has been highlighting for the past two weeks. Tomorrow it draws to a close. so this weekend is the very last chance to take advantage of the brilliant offers at nationalferryfortnight.co.uk that include free places, discounts and prizes. Jump aboard for less and discover the new face of ferry travel, as enjoyed by more than 39 million passengers last year. Your ferry freedom awaits! THE HOLIDAY STARTS HERE . 1) The Isles of Scilly steamship Company makes it smooth sailing to the stunning scilly Isles. Travellers can buy a pass on board for a special excursion boat to the Abbey Gardens on car-free Tresco. 2) The stunning Isle of Man is laced with sandy beaches, Viking and Celtic history, great walking routes and incredible local cuisine. And wildlife enthusiasts will often be treated to the sight of seals, basking sharks, kittiwakes and even wild wallabies. Sailings from Heysham, Liverpool, Birkenhead, Dublin and Belfast make getting there on the Isle of Man steam Packet Company's vessels hassle-free. 3) Red Funnel has partnered with some of the Isle of Wight's best attractions, such as Dinosaur Isle, Isle of Wight Zoo, seaview Wildlife encounter, Blackgang Chine and Wight karting, to offer up to a third off entrance tickets when booked with ferry crossings from southampton. And the Isle of Wight is just a short hop of less around 45 minutes from Portsmouth or Lymington with Wightlink Ferries. Jersey and Guernsey offer sandy beaches, delicious seafood dining, and a unique Anglo-French culture, not to mention some of the warmest weather in the British Isles, and is a short hop on the ferry . 4) Orkney offers interesting craft trails, a rich Viking history, stone circles and the miraculously preserved, 5,000-yearold village of skara Brae. On Shetland, visitors will find famous woollens, ancient sites, midnight sun In June and lots of modern fun for families. Both are reached by NorthLink Ferries. 5) Unlock the magic of the west coast of scotland with a visit to Mount stuart, one of Britain's most elaborate Victorian gothic mansions,

Summary: National Ferry Fortnight ends on Monday . Ferry travel is an easy, hassle-free way to discover the British Isles . Bikes and pets are welcome on ferries . More than 39 million passengers enjoyed travelling on ferries last year .


They are seen by many as uncomfortable relics from the Victorian age. But it seems corsets are undergoing a revival – as well as the hourglass figures they create. One leading retailer, What Katie Did, which specialises in the garment, said it had seen sales grow by half in the last three months. Online retailer eBay also boasted of a 54 per cent surge in modern corset sales since December. Scroll down for video . Reality TV star Kim Kardashian posted a picture of herself wearing a corset in October, sparking a trend . What Katie Did founder Katie Thomas said she believes part of the rise in popularity is down to reality television star Kim Kardashian 'with her tiny waist and big hips'. Miss Kardashian posted a picture of herself wearing a corset on her Instagram page in October last year with the hashtag 'waist training'. Mrs Thomas said: 'It's more about being confident, powerful and being in control while looking good as well. It has absolutely nothing to do with men at all.' She added: 'This year is a peak year and the last peak year was 1955; before that it was 1895.' More recently, actress Lily James has shown off a tiny corseted waist in pictures for the Disney film Cinderella. Actress Lily James, 25, wears a pale blue ball gown, which goes in at the waist before billowing out . In pictures released ahead of the film, which will be shown in cinemas later this month, actress Lily James came under fire for her tiny waist. In the film, Miss James, 25, wears a pale blue ball gown, which goes in at the waist before billowing out. Rather than an extreme diet, Miss James, who rose to fame in television series Downton Abbey, revealed that her slimline figure was created by a corset. Speaking to American entertainment website E! Miss James told of how she had been restrained to a liquid diet in order to fit into the contraption. She said: 'If you ate food it didn't really digest properly, and I'd be burping all afternoon […] and it was just really sort of unpleasant. 'I'd have soup so that I could still eat but it wouldn't get stuck.' In an interview with The Huffington Post, Miss James added: 'I'm very healthy and I always have been. 'The costume is beautifully designed; it goes in at the waist and the skirt is big and full and accentuates the shape. I felt like a princess in it. Corsets are always hard to wear.' Miss James said she had been restrained to a liquid diet in order to fit into the tight-fitting corset . Madonna (left) sported a risque custom-made Givenchy corset at The Grammy Awards last month, while Kylie Minogue (right) wore a scarlet bodice during a performance in Australia last night . Costume designer Sandy Powell said that getting Miss James into the corset took up to 10 minutes. In an interview with fashion magazine ELLE, she said of the corset: 'Of course it feels different from wearing

Summary: One leading retailer - What Katie Did - reported sales boom in three months . Founder Katie Thomas says rise in popularity down to Kim Kardashian . Miss Kardashian posted picture of herself wearing a corset in October . More recently Lily James has shown off tiny-corseted waist for Cinderella .


The white police officer who shot and killed a black Air Force veteran while he ran around his apartment complex naked has been pictured. Robert Olsen responded to a call at the Heights of Chamblee in Atlanta on Monday and gunned down Anthony 'Tony' Hill, 27, who had been climbing over balconies and crawling along the floor. One witness said the cop told Hill to go inside otherwise he was going to get arrested, but was shot when he started running toward Olsen and ignored orders to stop. On Wednesday, the former soldier's girlfriend Bridget Anderson revealed he was being treated by a Veterans' Association (VA) doctor for bipolar disorder but stopped taking the medication a week or two ago because he didn't like the side effects, including stiffening in his jaw. She described how she was on the way to his house to cook and celebrate their three-year anniversary when she found out he was dead. Scroll down for video . Robert Olsen gunned down Air Force veteran Anthony 'Tony' Hill, 27, who had been climbing over balconies and crawling along the floor at his Atlanta apartment on Monday . Concerns: Neighbors called police to report the naked man on balconies and knocking on doors . Hill had served more than four years in the U.S. Air Force when he was medically discharged a few years ago. Anderson, 22, said she didn't notice any changes in her boyfriend after he stopped taking his medication and she'd never known him to behave strangely. 'This is totally out of the blue,' she said, referring to the strange behavior police and others described before Hill was shot. Hill is black and the officer who shot him is white. No weapon was found, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into the shooting. More than 100 protesters gathered in the city of Decatur on Wednesday night to protest his death. Most said they hoped the latest shooting would become part of an ongoing national discussion on how police officers interact with citizens, especially minorities. Veteran: Police said it was reasonable to assume that Hill, who was an Air Force veteran who had served in the Middle East, was suffering from a mental illness at the time of the incident . Killed: Hill, pictured with his girlfriend Bridget, was shot after he ran at the officer, police have said. His girlfriend has revealed he was off medication he was taking for bipolar disorder at the time . Demading justice: More than 100 protesters gathered in the city of Decatur on Wednesday to protest his death . Emotional: Justin Grant, center, is comforted by Jakalia Brown (left) and community activist who gave her name as Queen K (right) as he mourns the loss of his high school friend, Anthony Hill . The relationship between law enforcement and civilians — particularly in poor, minority and high-crime neighborhoods — has become a contentious issue in many states across the U.S. following the high-profile deaths of unarmed men and teens by police officers, some of whom have been exonerated

Summary: Robert Olsen gunned down ex-soldier Anthony 'Tony' Hill on Monday . Authorities said Hill was running at Olsen when he shot him . His girlfriend, Bridget Anderson, has said he was off medication at the time . Was being treated for bipolar disorder but didn't like the side-effects . She was preparing to celebrate their three-year anniversary when she found out he had been shot and killed . More than 100 people have since taken to the streets to protest his death .


Michel Platini insisted that UEFA 'loves FIFA' after he was re-elected unopposed as UEFA president for a third four-year term. Platini has made it clear he does not support Sepp Blatter standing for a fifth term as FIFA president on May 29 - but he used his acceptance speech to say people are trying to turn the rest of the world against UEFA. Platini told the UEFA Congress in Vienna: 'This means more to me than you can possibly imagine. I know I can count on you, and you know that you can count on me. Michel Platini insisted that UEFA 'loves FIFA' after he was re-elected unopposed as UEFA president . The Frenchman used his acceptance speech to say people are trying to turn the world against UEFA . 'This allows me to continue for another four years. I do want to say that we love FIFA deeply, and it's precisely because we love and respect FIFA that we want it to be perfect. 'We are only demanding about the people and institutions we care about.' Addressing the presidents of the other five confederations, he added: 'We want a FIFA that is respectable and respected. Certain people are trying to turn us against each other and isolate us and call us arrogant and selfish Europeans - but don't believe everything you hear. 'We know we are in a privileged position and we will work for the good of the 209 national associations and the good of FIFA as well. 'Whatever the results of May 29, that's why we are going to continue to work together.' Platini has made it clear he does not support Sepp Blatter standing for a fifth term as FIFA president .

Summary: Michel Platini has been re-elected as UEFA president . The Frenchman has been handed a third four-year term . But he used his speech to say people are turning the world against UEFA .


Photographs of Yosemite's iconic Half Dome peak have revealed the astonishing extent of California's historic drought. The images, which show the peak in the third week of March each year between 2011 and 2015, reveal how swiftly snowfall has depleted year to year. The snow is typically at its deepest in the area in late March and, as seen in the 2011 photograph, it previously covered peaks including the Half Dome. But this year, the fourth consecutive year of drought in California, the 9,000-foot peak doesn't bear a single flake of snow. Earlier this month, officials reported that the Sierra Nevada snowpack, which gives an indication of upcoming water supply, is just five per cent of its normal depth - and barely above the record low set in 1991. The lack of water comes after the winter of 2014 was the hottest on record for California. Scroll down for video . Hidden: A photo taken by a Yosemite Conservancy webcam on March 19, 2011 shows Yosemite's Half Dome peak covered with snow . Depleting: The following year, in March 2012, the iconic peak is similarly covered in deep snow . In response, state regulators voted earlier this month to impose a new set of water conservation rules, such as bans on watering yards and stopping restaurants serving customers water unless they specifically ask for it. Farmers have said they expected to leave as much as a million acres unplanted, nearly twice the amount of last year, the New York Times reported. 'It looks like we are on our way to the worst snowpack in history,' state climatologists Michael Anderson told the Times. 'Unless we end up with some particularly good snows here in March, we are going to end up with a new lowest rank here.' But the Half Dome peak is likely to stay clear of snow because there are no major snowstorms forecast for the rest of the month. Earlier this month, the United States Department of Agriculture noted that as well as California, droughts are ravaging Nevada and Utah and also parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Washington and Oregon. The photographs were taken by the Yosemite webcam provided by Yosemite Conservancy, which is funded by donations. While all years show the peak on March 19, the 2014 image shows it on March 17 as a March 19 photograph was not available. Warming temperatures: But by March 2013, the peak is drastically different - with far less snow as temperatures stay higher . Depleting: The following year, 2014, also shows far less snow than in previous years as drought ravages states on the West Coast . Dry: By March this year, the fourth consecutive year of drought in California, the peak barely shows a flake of snow .

Summary: Images taken in the third week of March each year between 2011 and 2015 show stark difference in snowfall . It comes as California battles the fourth consecutive year of drought following record hot temperatures in 2014 .


Eight teenage girls from the same school have been radicalised under the noses of their teachers, it emerged last night. Four girls from Bethnal Green Academy in East London have already run away to Syria to join Islamic State. Now four more from the same school have expressed an interest in Islamic extremism. The worrying rise in fanaticism among girls at the school was laid bare at the High Court yesterday. All eight girls attended the Bethnal Green Academy in Tower Hamlets, east London . Kadiza Sultana, 16, Shamima Begum, 15, and Amira Abase, 15, from their homes in east London in February . A judge banned five girls – three of whom are 16 and two 15 – from travelling abroad after they showed an interest in going to Syria. He ordered their passports to be taken off them and for them to be made wards of the court. Four of the girls, from Bethnal Green Academy, are associated with the four girls who have already joined IS to become ‘jihadi brides’. The fifth is schooled at home. Concerns for their welfare were raised by police after classmates Kadiza Sultana, 16, Shamima Begum, 15, and Amira Abase, 15, fled to Syria last month. Lured to jihad: Kadiza Sultana, 16, left, Shamima Begum, 15, centre, and Amira Abase, 15, right, at Gatwick . The trio followed in the footsteps of 15-year-old Sharmeena Begum, also from Bethnal Green Academy, who left for Syria in December. Mr Justice Hayden made the move to bar travel following an application from Tower Hamlets social services. He was told social workers had raised concerns that the girls might flee to areas controlled by IS. A number of adults involved in their care have also had their passports seized. There was evidence to suggest family members had not been ‘full and frank’ with social services, the judge said, and the girls were becoming ‘more radicalised’. The judge said the identity of the five girls should not be revealed but the name of the school could be published because most staff and pupils would know who they were.

Summary: Five teenage girls given travel bans all went to Bethnal Green Academy . Same London school as three girls who have already fled to join ISIS . Judge lifts order preventing the naming of the school in the public interest .


A dog has been praised for digging up a veteran's Purple Heart 25 years after the treasured medal went missing. Smuckers, a Labrador-golden retriever, found the award buried in the backyard of his owners' Denver house in 2004. His discovery prompted an 11-year journey to find Korean War veteran Cpl Richmond Litman, who is buried nearby in Colorado's Fort Logan National Cemetery. Hero: Smuckers, a Labrador-golden retriever, being embraced by Leatra Plick after he dug up her father's Purple Heart while playing in the backyard. Her father, Cpl Richmond Litman, was a Korean War veteran . Treasured: This is tiny heart-shaped medallion which is awarded to U.S. servicemen wounded in battle . Decorated: Cpl Litman, who died in 1990, served in South Korea between 1948 and 1950, when he was hit . Finally, after calling every Litman family they could find, Smuckers' owners Steve Jankousky and Tom Unterwagner saw an advert for a veterans reunion which led them to the serviceman's daughter Leatra Plick. On Monday, at a ceremony beside Cpl Litman's white marble headstone, Smuckers presented Plick with the small medal on a purple ribbon. Plick, whose father died in 1990, told the Denver Post: 'I will honor it as much as he honored it when he was alive. I truly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.' According to the paper, Cpl Litman joined the army in 1948, when he was immediately dispatched to South Korea. Discovery: Smuckers' owner Steve Jankousky has spent 11 years trying to track down the family . Sniffing around: Jankousky was gardening when Smuckers ran up with the award at home in Denver in 2004 . Finally returned: The family got in touch with Purple Hearts Reunited, who helped connect them with Plick . Salute: Members of Purple Hearts Reunited salute Cpl Litman's grave in Denver, Colorado . Two years later he was wounded in battle. He would later receive his Purple Heart for putting himself in the line of danger for his country. Litman relocated to Denver, Colorado, where he lived with his family until his death in 1990. Describing the moment Smuckers discovered the medal, Jankousky told USA Today: 'I was just trying to put the dirt back in the hole, when I saw something shiny and that was it. 'And I went back inside and told [Unterwagner], "You're not going to believe what she dug up."' Ret. Col. Jeff Roy, of the Military Order Of The Purple Heart, told the station: 'It is very important to remember the veteran that either gave his life, or shed his blood for his country, and that it remain with the family.' Ceremony: Jankousky gave Smuckers a purple ribbon leash for the occasion on Sunday . Special occasion: Dogs are not normally allowed in the cemetery but the directors made an exemption . Delighted: Leatra Plick, pictured with her husband, told Fox she was delighted to finally receive the medal .

Summary: Smuckers dug up the medal in his Denver back yard in 2004 . Owners spent 11 years trying to track down Cpl Richmond Litman . Finally, they have found his family, the Korean War vet died in 1990 . Ceremony was held at his grave on Monday, Smuckers delivered award .


A Seattle baby can be seen running around the city, perching atop buildings and performing some impressive stunts in a clever photo series created by his doting father. Seattle-based photographer Brandon Hill conceives and executes the images of his one-year-old son Maddex's acrobatic adventures, with the help of a little Photoshop, as a part of his ongoing picture series Madd Stunts. 'This series is all about him blending in with the city, having fun at local tourist spots, and doing stunts,' Mr Hill told the Huffington Post of the pictures, which capture his adorable son flying behind a speeding moped and hanging from trees. New skill: One-year-old Maddex can be seen walking across the length of his crib in this photo taken by his photographer father Brandon Hill as a part of his picture series Madd Stunts . Over the edge: With the help of a little Photoshop, Mr Hill made it look as though Maddex was perched on top of his play chair . The photographer explained that all of photos in the series were taken in Seattle, a city he said that he will always 'cherish' because it is where he and his wife had their son. Maddex can be seen getting into precarious situations at Pike Market, Kerry Park and Seattle's famous gum wall among other locations and neighborhoods across the city. He has been photographed doing a handstand on the kitchen counter, tight-rope walking on the ledge of his crib and stuck to a wall littered with gum. Mr Hill has been working on the project, which celebrated his son's childhood, for several months. Held up: Maddex blew a bubble as he hung from Seattle's famous gum wall . Daredevil: The adorable baby was also photographed holding on to a speeding moped . When he first started, Maddex was unable to walk and had to be probbed up by Mr Hill's assistant, who would later be edited out of the image. Mr Hill told Feature Shoot that when Maddex became nine months old he started 'sharing playful expressions while remaining quiet and still' during the playful photoshoots. And the pictures are so good that at least one person thinks that they are actual depictions of Maddex's amazing feats. After Mr Hill shared a photo of Maddex 'balanced' on top of his baby chair on his Instagram page, one concerned commenter wrote: 'Is [that] baby really standing like that? Because that is idiot parenting.' Sheer strength: Maddex used one hand to hang from a tree in the park . Budding gymnast: Maddex used upper body strength to do a handstand on the kitchen counter . Mr Hill jokingly replied: 'Yep, cause he's amazing.' But the exchange didn't stop there. When the commenter noted that Maddex's balancing act was 'extremely dangerous', Mr Hill let her in on his secret. 'Photoshop: endangering children everywhere,' he wrote. Admiring the view: He happily hung out on the roof of Seattle's Public Market . Precious moment: Mr Hill cuddled up to his son for this adorable father-son photo .

Summary: Seattle-based photographer Brandon Hill snaps his one-year-old son Maddex's adventures as a part of his ongoing series Madd Stunts . He conceives and executes the images of his son's acrobatic feats with the help of Photoshop .


A man has been reunited with his wallet after it was found in a wall cavity more than 100 miles from his home - 35 years after it was stolen. John Steel, 45, lost the brown leather purse aged 10 when a thief climbed into his caravan while he was on holiday in Devon. But the square wallet - containing a photo of himself and a £1 note - turned up again during renovation work at a house in Shaldon, Devon, now owned by Shelley Davies. The wallet and photograph of 10-year-old John Steel found in a wall cavity 35 years after it went missing . Builders found it in a wall space in this alleyway during renovations at a house in Shaldon, Devon . Builders found the wallet in a wall cavity and she set about finding the boy in the photograph. The picture of the schoolboy had 'John Steel' written underneath and the address 'The Lye, Seend' in Wiltshire on the back. She posted the photo on the Melksham Town Council's Facebook page and within hours Mr Steel's friends recognised him and tracked him down. Mr Steel - who has now been reunited with his wallet - said: 'I was about 10 at the time on holiday in either Dorset or Devon staying with a friend and his family in a caravan. 'My friend's dad woke up at night just in time to see someone climbing out of the window. Luckily mine was the only wallet taken.' Shelley Davies (pictured) said the return of the wallet illustrated the 'power of Facebook' Mr Steel, from Neston, Wiltshire, added: 'As for why I had a picture of myself in the wallet I've no idea. Not sure what to spend the £1 note on though!' The wallet was found by Mrs Davies when builders pulled up wall boards to install a kitchen extension at her property earlier this month. Her property backs onto the former caravan site and was once part of a pub. The deli owner posted a photo of the wallet and its contents on the Melksham Town Facebook page and it was 'shared' 50 times before Mr Steel was tracked down. Her post said: 'We would love to return it - and maybe she'd some light on how it managed to get wedged up behind the fascia boards of our ground floor extension which runs along an alleyway in a small South Devon Village. 'Guessing it was put there in 70's looking at the photograph. 'Maybe the wallet was stolen and hidden there (it contains a small amount of money) or was it hidden there as a prank? Who knows?' Speaking after it was handed back to Mr Steel, Mrs Davies added: 'It goes to show the power of Facebook. I think John is quite amazed and really, really, pleased. 'The sentimental value is huge, but the £1 note isn't going to get him very far these days.' He added: 'It's nice to know that there are still good people around.'

Summary: A man has been reunited with his wallet stolen from him as a 10-year-old . John Steel, now 45, lost the brown leather purse while on holiday in Devon . Builders found it in a wall cavity while renovating Shelley Davies' home . She then posted it on Facebook and Mr Steel was eventually tracked down .


It wasn't one for the scrapbook, but Ronald Koeman won't care a jot. When Sadio Mane fired home eight minutes from time, not only did it end a run of three games without a win - it ended a 387 minute spell without a home league goal. This wasn't a display that said much for Southampton's Champions League credentials, nevertheless their top-four dream is still alive after this scrappy win over Crystal Palace. Sadio Mane races away to celebrate following his 83rd minute strike at St Mary's . Mane watches on as his strike secured a much-needed three points for Ronald Koeman's side . Southampton (4-2-3-1): Forster 6.5; Clyne 6.5, Fonte 6.5, Yoshida 6, Bertrand 6.5; Wanyama 6.5, Schneiderlin 6.5; Elia 6 (Tadic 59), Djuricic 6 (Ward-Prowse 78), Mane 6.5; Pelle 5.5 (Long 70). Subs not used: Kelvin Davis, Gardos, Steven Davis, Alderweireld . Manager: Ronald Koeman 6 . Goal: Mane 83 . Crystal Palace (4-4-1-1): Speroni 6.5; Ward 6.5, Dann 7.5, Delaney 7, Kelly 6.5; Ledley 6.5, McArthur 7; Zaha 6.5, Puncheon 6.5, Bolasie 6; Gayle 6. Subs not sued: Mariappa, Hangeland, Hennessey, Ameobi, Boateng, Gray, Souare. Manager: Alan Pardew 6 . Booked: Delaney, McArthur . Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire) 6.5 . Attendance: 28,351 . Click here to check out our brilliant Match Zone for pitch maps, heat maps and all the stats from Southampton's late victory. 'We scored and we won at home, so I'm relieved, but I can't say we deserved to win,' said Koeman. 'It's all about confidence and we didn't have that tonight. But I think it can one of the key moments in our season. 'Qualifying for the Champions League will be difficult, but we will try our best.' Palace manager Alan Pardew wasn't as contented in his post-match press conference, however. The Eagles boss was angered by referee Martin Atkinson's decision not to award the his side a second half penalty after Jose Fonte bundled over Yannick Bolasie in the 70th minute. 'Fonte was over aggressive in the box,' insisted Pardew. 'It should have been given, but we've been harshly treated by officials in the last few games and sometimes you get a run like that.' In response to Pardew's comments, Koeman said: 'It's easy to tell that story after losing game, the ref wasn't involved in final result. 'We scored, they didn't. I know that feeling, it's too easy and people talk too much about referees. I don't like that.' Pardew may change his mind once he sees replays of Fonte's shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bolasie. Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha (right) controls posession under pressure from Southampton defender Maya Yoshida . Eagles forward Zaha makes a run as Saints midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin (left) gives chase at St Mary's Stadium . Perhaps the Palace manager, who was without skipper Mile Jedinak, who on Tuesday accepted a four match suspension for elbowing Diafra Sakho on Saturday, was trying to mask his disappointment at leaving the south coast with nothing when they could easily have left with all three points. The fact Palace players hardly appealed for

Summary: Sadio Mane pounced in the 83rd minute to score Southampton's first home goal in four games . The Senegalese fired past Julian Speroni after the Palace eeper failed to deal with James Ward-Prowse's shot . Graziano Pelle started up front for Southampton despite despite the Italian scoring just once in 13 games . The Saints dominated possession but struggled to make an impact in the final third of the pitch . Palace were without captain Mile Jedinak who was serving a four-match suspension for elbowing Diafra Sakho .


World No 1 Mark Selby booked his place in the second round of the China Open after beating Mark Joyce 5-3 despite suffering from neck pain. The 31-year-old world champion's form was hampered by a neck problem three years ago but he persevered on Tuesday to advance - having raced into a three-frame lead over Joyce. Wallsall's Joyce fought back to win three of the next four before Selby sealed his spot in the second round courtesy of a 90 break in the eighth frame. World No 1 Mark Selby booked his place in the second round of the China Open after beating Mark Joyce 5-3 . 'Yesterday I pulled my neck again, as I did a few years ago. So I felt a bit uncomfortable out there,' said Selby. 'Hopefully it won't be as bad as it was before and I'll be okay within the next few days. Yesterday I was struggling so I did some stretches, took some painkillers and had a massage. 'It felt OK before the match started, then at the interval I went to the toilet and slipped, and felt it. I can get down on the shot, it's just a little bit of pain so hopefully it will wear off. My health is more important than anything else.' Judd Trump, who staged a tremendous comeback to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan and claim the World Grand Prix crown earlier in the month, ended Andrew Higginson's hopes of turning the tables as he also recorded a 5-3 win to progress. Judd Trump ended Andrew Higginson's hopes of turning the tables as he also recorded a 5-3 win to progress . Having gone 3-1 up courtesy of two three-figure breaks, Trump saw Higginson battle back to 3-3 before taking the final two frames. There were also wins for John Higgins and Mark Williams, who saw off the threat of two Chinese players in Yu Delu and Zhao Xintong, respectively. Joe Perry lost the final three frames to be eliminated 5-3 by David Gilbert whilst Michael White beat Ken Doherty after a 74 break in a deciding frame. Elsewhere, Shaun Murphy and Michael Leslie eased through whilst Graeme Dott came from 3-2 down to beat Daniel Wells and reach the second round.

Summary: Mark Selby through to the second round of the China Open . World No 1 beat Mark Joyce 5-3 despite suffering from neck pain . Judd Trump also among the winners after beating Andrew Higginson .


A chicken which nearly died after it was savaged by a fox has recovered thanks to an innovative form of bird physiotherapy. Seven-year-old Rosie was attacked in the back garden of her owner Jean Hull, and vets said she was 'almost split in two' following her ordeal. Mrs Hull resolved to do all she could to save the bird's life, because she was the favourite pet of her late husband Maurice, and spent five months nursing her back to health. Scroll down for video . Injured: Rosie the chicken was attacked by a fox in her owner's garden in Sussex last November . Rosie underwent a pioneering physio procedure which involved her limbs being carefully manipulated and exercises to build up her strength. Mrs Hull, from High Salvington in Sussex, said: 'She clearly wanted to live and wasn't going to let that fox beat her. 'She was my late husband's favourite, so that is where the extra feeling comes from. She is a little bit of him.' The couple bought Rosie and another hen in 2008 because they could not find eggs which were both fresh and organic. But in November last year, she was suddenly grabbed by a fox while she was running free in the garden. Treatment: Rosie has since undergone a new form of avian physiotherapy to help her recover . Stretches: The treatment involves manipulating her limbs to enable her to walk normally again . Mrs Hull said: 'This fox came whizzing down the garden and grabbed her and dashed down the bottom of the garden. I screamed and I just had to try to stop the fox. 'Eventually, the fox did drop her and ran off but Rosie was just laying there bleeding and there were feathers everywhere.' Rosie was rushed to a nearby vet's office, where Tania Parsons carried out emergency surgery to save her. But as the chicken recovered she was having difficulty walking because of the scar tissue which had formed over her wounds. Hale and hearty: The physio has apparently been a success and Rosie is now back to full health . Ms Parsons said: 'Last year, Rosie came in almost split in two and had to have quite major surgery to stitch her back together. 'I had never heard of physiotherapy for chickens but she responded to it really well. 'I've only seen it done on chickens on YouTube videos in America. Rosie is a very special hen and Jean looks after her very well.' Mrs Hull also took Rosie to a pet blessing service as church, which she says helped to speed her recovery.

Summary: Rosie was attacked by a fox in the Sussex garden of owner Jean Hull . The bird lover was determined to save chicken's life because she was her late husband's favourite . Rosie has undergone physiotherapy to help her walk properly again .


A teenage girl has been charged with robbery after she was caught lying on Facebook about her involvement in the fatal ambush. Haley McKibben, 18, was allegedly involved in a plan to rob 23-year-old John Kinsey Jr who was found shot dead in his car last Saturday in Indianapolis, Indiana. McKibben was asked to 'set up' Kinsey by Julius Gordon, 19, so that the pair could rob him of a stash of marijuana and Xanax, according to an affidavit seen by Daily Mail Online. The 18-year-old reportedly got in the car to smoke with Kinsey and then sent a text message to Gordon to let him know where they were parked. Haley McKibben, 18, has been charged with felony robbery for her part in an ambush on John Kinsey, 23, who was fatally shot in his car, allegedly by Julius Gordon (right), for his stash of Xanax and marijuana . She also warned Gordon that Kinsey was armed. The 23-year-old was later found dead in his blue Buick with a gun and his driver's window shattered. Police named Gordon as a possible suspect when he went to hospital to be treated for a gunshot wound. The teenage girl at first told police she had been sitting with Kinsey in his car when someone tried to rob him. She was shown pictures of potential suspects - including Gordon - but said that she did not recognize anyone. Investigators then took to Facebook - and found that Gordon and McKibben were friends on social media. Police then discovered phone records of their text messages. Gordon has been charged with two counts of murder, robbery and being a felon in possession of a handgun. McKibben has been charged with robbery. Both suspects were being held in the Marion County Jail.

Summary: Haley McKibben, 18, was allegedly involved in a plan to ambush 23-year-old John Kinsey in Indianapolis on Saturday . McKibben was asked to 'set up' Kinsey by Julius Gordon, 19, so that the pair could rob him of a stash of marijuana and Xanax . The teen claimed to be an innocent bystander and not know the shooter - but detectives later found out they were Facebook friends .


The dress that divided the internet with millions debating its colours has been adopted by the Salvation Army for the focus of its latest anti-domestic violence campaign. Why is it so hard to see black and blue? is the charity's latest advert and highlights the plight of women who are victims of domestic violence. Launched in South Africa today, where one in six women are the victims of abuse at home, it features a model wearing the Roman Originals dress in white and gold. The Salvation Army in South Africa has adopted the dress for its newest campaign against domestic violence . Capitalising on the garment's notoriety, the tag line reads: 'The only illusion is if you think it was her choice. One in 6 women are victims of abuse. Stop abuse against women.' It also carries the logo for Carehaven, a home for abused women and their children. Since being posted this morning the image has been shared thousands of times online. It has been shared thousands of times online, with Twitter users among those to praise the charity's clever adopting of the trend. Twitter users praised the campaign with thousands retweeting the image and sharing their views online . Internet sensation: This picture of the dress sparked debate, with millions disagreeing over the colour . When aspiring singer Caitlin McNeill uploaded a photograph of a dress to her Tumblr blog, the 21-year-old thought it would do little more than serve as a source of light entertainment for friends. But within hours of sharing the image millions of people and the world's rich and famous were discussing its subject. The question on everyone's lips was: is the dress black and blue or white and gold? Celebrities offered their input while memes mocking the debate flurried. Soon #TheDress was the number one hashtag on Twitter and was being poured over by millions. While it was determined once and for all that the dress was indeed black and blue, the company has since produced a limited edition white and gold number. According to scientists the reason so many viewed the dress differently is down to genes, lighting and a person's age. True colours: This photograph of Cecelia Bleasdale in 'the dress', left, with daughter Grace Johnston and son-in-law Keir Johnston, reveals that the frock is royal blue with a black lace trim . 'So clever! Advertising at its best!' was how one user described it while scores of others lauded its 'powerful' message. 'Really like this clever way @SalvationArmySA used #TheDress to send a powerful message' said Hayley Slaughter while Kara Rose described the campaign as 'clever and powerful'. Andrew Blakeley added: 'The best hijacking of the online culture I've seen recently. Bravo to the Salvation Army.' 'The dress debate put to socially good use! I like a lot,' said another. A spokesperson for The Salvation Army said: 'The Salvation Army sees the devastating effects of domestic violence on women, men and children every day. 'We support people who are affected in our human trafficking work, our specialist services, Lifehouses and community centres.

Summary: 'The dress' took the internet by storm with millions debating its colours . Salvation Army South Africa has adopted trend for its newest campaign . The advert against domestic violence has been shared thousands of times . 'The only illusion is if you think it was her choice' is its tagline .


Tim Cook has revealed that Steve Jobs once phoned his mother because he was concerned about how hard he was working. In a new book about the Apple co-founder, Cook also reveals the moment Jobs asked him to take over as CEO - just weeks before his death. The book, Becoming Steve Jobs, a new biography by technology reporter Brent Schlender and Fast Company executive editor Rick Tetzeli, was given . Scroll down for video . Apple CEO Tim Cook (left) tried to offer his liver to his ailing mentor and predecessor Steve Jobs (right), a new book claims. Here they are pictured together during a product question and answer session. In a recent interview Cook revealed his average working day - which still leaves little time for socialising. He gets up at 3:45am every morning and begins to check his email, goes to the gym at 5am and to work at 6:30am, already fully briefed and with the day ahead planned out. He goes to bed early: by 9:30pm or sometimes 10pm. 'The Steve I knew was the guy pestering me to have a social life, not because he was being a pest, but because he knew how important family was in his life, and he wanted it for me, too,' said Cook in the book, an extract of which was published by FastCompany.. 'One day he calls my mom—he doesn't even know my mom, she lives in Alabama. 'He said he was looking for me, but he knows how to find me! 'He talked to her about me. There are lots of these things where you saw the very soft or caring or feeling or whatever you want to call it side of him. He had that gene. 'Someone who's viewing life only as a transactional relationship with people...doesn't do that.' In a recent interview Cooks revealed his average working day - which still leaves little time for socialising. He gets up at 3:45 every morning and begins to check his email, goes to the gym at 5am and to work at 6:30am, already fully briefed and with the day ahead planned out. He goes to bed early: by 9:30pm or sometimes 10pm, according to the Telegraph. The book includes unprecedented interviews with Cook and other Apple executives, many of whom were disappointed with the official biography written by Walter Isaacson. 'I thought the [Walter] Isaacson book did him a tremendous disservice,' said Cook. 'It was just a rehash of a bunch of stuff that had already been written, and focused on small parts of his personality. 'You get the feeling that [Steve's] a greedy, selfish egomaniac. It didn't capture the person. The person I read about there is somebody I would never have wanted to work with over all this time. Life is too short.' Cook also revealed the moment Jobs asked him to take over as Apple CEO, when on August 11, he went to Jobs' house. 'He said, 'I want to talk to you about something,' ' remembers Cook. 'This was when he was home all the

Summary: Cook claims the official Jobs biography 'did him a tremendous disservice' Reveals the Silicon Valley entrepreneur had a 'soft, caring' side .


A ten-day-old clouded leopard kitten at a Tampa zoo just melted everyone's hearts by relaxing and just being cute as he was washed under a water faucet. The endangered kitten, who has not yet been named and is being cared for at the Lowry Park Zoo, has just began to open his eyes and hasn't even taken his first step. And when zoo staff members wash him in the sink and feed him with a bottle, he's as cute as ever. The ten-day-old clouded leopard kitten, who has yet to be named, is being fed and watched over by staff at the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida . Staff members said he has barely opened his eyes, has yet to walk and will be watched 'round-the-clock' for the next few months . The kitten is given 'round-the-clock' care where he'll be fed and watched after for about three months by staff, according toFOX Tampa Bay. He is expected to start walking in about two weeks, and zoo staff will determine his future home in the next few weeks. Four-year-old clouded leopards Yim and Malee were paired as potential mates in 2011, when they arrived at the zoo, by the Clouded Leopard Species Survival Plan, which supports the conservation of the endangered animal. They then conceived their first born - the kitten who was born this month. Vice President of animal science and conservation at the zoo Dr Larry Killmar said the birth 'signifies a milestone accomplishment' for the conservation programs. 'Species survival programs for animals like the clouded leopards take years of planning, development and staff commitment. The kitten will contribute to the long-term viability of our conservation efforts within the managed population,' Killmar told FOX. The kitten is expected to start walking in a couple weeks. He is the baby of two four-year-old clouded leopards at the zoo who were matched as potential mates in 2011 by a conservation group . The clouded leopard is an endangered species and it is common practice in zoos to hand-raise all new born kittens . Clouded leopards are the smallest of the 'big cats', weighing between 30 and 50lb when fully grown. The cat - the most talented climbers among the cats - is classified as 'vulnerable' on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN) and its total population is no more than 10,000. This is down to factors such as deforestation, illegal trading and poaching commercially. Some parts, such as claws, skin and teeth are also consumed for decoration purposes. As such, it is important to do as much as possible to ensure the health and well-being of the threatened animal. It is common practice in zoos to hand-raise all newborn clouded leopards. The cat is most commonly found in the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia into China.

Summary: The kitten is being cared for at the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida . Since he's only ten day old, he's given 'round-the-clock care' by staff . He is the kitten of two four-year-old leopards who were paired up in 2011 as potential mates by a conservation organization . Clouded leopards are classified as 'vulnerable' by the ICUN . It is therefore common practice to hand-raise new cubs in zoos .


Manchester City's prospects of success in the Champions League next season could be damaged after crashing out of the competition at the last-16 stage in Barcelona. City are borderline whether they are placed in either the second or third group of seeds for the 2015-16 group stages and risk a potential draw with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, or Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid, if they don't improve their UEFA coefficient and drop into pot three. Pellegrini's men - who lost 1-0 in the Nou Camp on Wednesday and 3-1 overall on aggregate - are currently ranked the 16th best team in Europe but that could fall after they failed to make this season's quarter-finals. A Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona edged out City with a 1-0 win in the Nou Camp to end their Euro dream . Manchester City could drop down into pot three after crashing out of the Champions League . Vincent Kompany and his Manchester City team-mates could not overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit . Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Schalke, Arsenal, Porto, Manchester United, Paris St Germain, Borussia Dortmund, Valencia, Zenit St Petersburg, Bayer Leverkusen and Manchester City . *Liverpool are only ranked 40th so are guaranteed a tough draw if they finish in the top four. Coefficients are based on European performances over the last five seasons which is why Manchester United are placed higher than City despite not qualifying last season. Arsenal's ranking also remains high because they have reached the Champions League knockout stages every year in the time span. City have complained in the past of unfavourable draws in the Champions League group stages hampering their progress. Despite more than £1billion invested into the club since 2008, the Abu Dhabi owners have not seen their side progress beyond the first knockout stage of the competition. They failed to qualify from a tough group in 2011-12 after being paired with Napoli, Bayern Munich and Villarreal and suffered the same fate the following season against Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Ajax. Their co-efficient has risen since and they were able to finish second in their group this season after being placed among the second seeds and being drawn against Bayern Munich, CSKA Moscow and Roma. However, UEFA have changed their seeding policy for next season and the domestic champions of England, Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Portugal and Russia will automatically be top seeds alongside the winners of this year's competition. Man United will be placed in pot two if they finish inside the top four despite last season's poor campaign . Chelsea are ranked the fourth best side in Europe - behind Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich . The second pot will be made up of the next eight highest-ranked clubs – and City can't be certain of that. Among the clubs just below them in the listings are Juventus who look certain to be top seeds as Italian champions and Sevilla, Inter Milan and Napoli who are all still in the Europa League and can improve their coefficient in that competition. There

Summary: Manchester City are currently ranked the 16th best team in Europe . Man City could drop down to pot three after elimination by Barcelona . European league winners will now automatically be placed in pot one . READ: Man City have changed just two first-team players since 2011 . CLICK HERE for Martin Samuel's match report .


It has found the 'God particle', and could soon reveal a mysterious force known as 'dark matter'. But when it turns on next week, some scientists are betting the Large Hadron Collider will detect something just as exciting; a parallel universe. This is according to a new study that claims miniature black holes - a key sign of a 'multiverse' - could be detected in Cern's LHC in Geneva. Scroll down for video . It has found the 'God particle', and could soon reveal a mysterious force known as 'dark matter'.But when it turns on next week, some scientists are betting the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva will detect something even more exciting; a parallel universe . The Rainbow Gravity theory suggests that gravity's effect on the cosmos causes different wavelengths of light to behave differently. This means that particles with different energies will move in space-times and gravitational fields differently. The theory was proposed 10 years ago in an attempt to reconcile difference between the theories of general relativity and quantum mechanics. One consequence of rainbow gravity is that our universe stretches back into time infinitely with no singular point where it started. 'Just as many parallel sheets of paper, which are two dimensional objects (breath and length) can exist in a third dimension (height), parallel universes can also exist in higher dimensions' Mir Faizal from the University of Waterloo told Dailymail.com. 'We predict that gravity can leak into extra dimensions, and if it does, then miniature black holes can be produced at the LHC.' Professor Faizal and his team have calculated the energy at which they expect to detect these mini black holes in gravity's rainbow, according to a report by Lisa Zyga at Phys.org. 'If we do detect mini black holes at this energy, then we will know that both gravity's rainbow and extra dimensions are correct,' added Professor Faizal. When it's activated, the energy with which the LHC smashes particles together will be twice what it was during the time when it made the discovery of the Higgs boson. Billions of particles flying off from each LHC collision are tracked at Cern detectors to establish when and how they come together and what shapes they take. The Cern theoreticians say this could give clear signs of dimensions beyond length, breadth, depth and time. At such high energy gravity many be even tracked disappearing into them. Parallel universes can exist within these dimensions, the thinking goes, but only gravity can leave our universe into these extra dimensions. If extra dimensions do exist, the study suggests that they would lower the energy required to produce black holes which the LHC could pick. Professor Faizal suggests the reason these black holes have yet to be detected is because our current model of gravity gets modified at very high energies. According to Phys.org, in the latest study, the new theory of gravity's rainbow has been used to account for why the LHC has not yet found tiny black holes. The new theory of gravity's rainbow has been used to account for why

Summary: Scientists predict gravity can sometimes leak into an extra dimension . If this happens, it will create tiny black holes that can be found by LHC . LHC has failed to find any, but study claims it has gravity model wrong . Theory says it should be looking for black holes at higher energy levels . The LHC is due to be turned back on next week with double the energy .


Waking up one morning, Leesa Barrell was alarmed to find that everything seemed very different. ‘It felt like somebody had put a brick wall up against my right side,’ she says. ‘I called out to my husband Lee and when he replied I could only hear his voice in my left ear.’ Leesa Barrell (pictured) woke up one morning unable to hear out of her right ear . Initially, Leesa, 45, who lives in Norwich with Lee, 49, a school caretaker, and their son Ashlee, 12, thought the problem was probably caused by a wax blockage and would correct itself within a few days. But when it didn’t, a week after her first symptoms she went to see her GP and was referred to an ear, nose and throat consultant. The specialist dropped a bombshell — she had lost the hearing in her right ear, possibly for good. ‘At that point I became very tearful. I was so worried my hearing would never return,’ she says. Leesa, a finance assistant, was even more overwhelmed when doctors could not explain why it had happened. Leesa is one of up to 6,000 adults a year estimated to develop idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss, or unexplained hearing loss, that usually develops suddenly, or within three days, usually in one ear. Often, sudden hearing loss can be attributed to infections, certain medications, head injuries and meningitis, because these can all affect the inner ear. But in some cases, such as Leesa’s, there is no clear explanation. The hearing organ, the cochlea, is found deep in the inner ear. It is filled with fluid — when soundwaves enter it, the fluid moves and tiny hair cells then trigger signals to the auditory nerve, which passes the signals to the brain. These are recognised as sounds, allowing us to hear. Sensorineural hearing loss is down to problems in the inner ear or with the auditory nerve. The other type — conductive hearing loss — occurs when something has physically blocked transmissions of sound, such as wax. ‘Eighty-five per cent of the time no one ever knows why sudden sensorineural hearing loss occurs because we can’t get to the inner ear to examine it without risking damaging it, or damaging the brain,’ says John Phillips, the consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust who treated Leesa. The most popular theory is that it’s caused by a virus damaging the nerve in the inner ear. Another is that a blood clot blocks a blood vessel that leads to the inner ear. A benign tumour on an inner ear nerve may also cause sudden hearing loss — but this is rare. Whatever the cause, losing your hearing suddenly can be ‘very traumatic’ says Mr Phillips. ‘Hearing loss usually occurs in one ear so people get scared it will happen in the other ear, too. They often get balance problems because the inner ear contains the balance organ, the labyrinth, too. Leesa (pictured) initially assumed that the problem was caused by a wax blockage and

Summary: Leesa Barrell woke up one morning unable to hear out of her right ear . She initially assumed that it was a build up of earwax that would soon clear . When she still couldn't hear a week later she was given steroid tablets . She has regained 50 per cent of her hearing but needed a hearing aid fitted .


Eating nuts and peanuts reduces the risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke, a new study claims. Researchers found they were linked with a reduced risk of death from heart disease among people on low incomes. And they believe their findings suggest peanuts may be a cost-effective measure to improve cardiovascular health because they are so cheap. However experts cautioned today that salt-covered nuts would not have the same health benefits. Scroll down for video . Nuts reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke - and could be an easy, cost-effective way to prolong life . Nuts are rich in nutrients and peanuts, although classified as legumes, have nutrients similar to tree nuts. The new study, led by Dr Xiao-Ou Shu, of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Tennessee, analysed various groups of people. One involved 72,000 low-income black and white men and women living in the US, the other 134,000 men and women living in Shanghai, China. In both groups, men ate more peanuts than women. In the US group, about half of the nuts consumed were peanuts, and in the Chinese group only peanut consumption was assessed. Catherine Collins, Principal Dietitian at St George's Hospital NHS Trust, said: . 'Research over the past few years has shown heart-health benefits of including nuts and legumes (like peanuts) as part of a varied diet. 'This is probably because nuts and peanuts contribute a valuable source of protein, dietary fibres, healthy fats, vitamins B1, B6, folic acid, vitamin E, magnesium and zinc to the diet. Although almost half the weight of a peanut is fat (48%), the majority is of the heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated types. Studies where nuts have been added to the diet (such as the European PREDIMED study), and long-term population studies have consistently shown a reduction in death from heart disease when nuts and legumes are included in the diet. The researchers found that across the board, eating nuts reduced the risk of death from heart disease. This was regardless of gender, race, BMI, smoking, alcohol consumption and conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. In the US, the highest consumption resulted in a risk reduction of 21 per cent. In the Chinese group, it was 17 per cent. Dr Shu said: 'We observed no significant associations between nut or peanut consumption and risk of death due to cancer and diabetes.' She added the findings highlight the large public health impact of nut or peanut consumption in lowering deaths from heart disease - especially given their affordability. The research was published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Dr Mitchell Katz, deputy editor of the journal, added: 'Of course, peanuts are not really nuts - they are legumes since they grow in bushes, unlike tree nuts. Nuts reduced the risk of death regardless of gender, race, BMI, smoking, alcohol consumption and conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity . 'But who cares if they help us to live longer at an affordable price?' However experts have cautioned that people should not start eating 'large quantities' of

Summary: Peanuts may be a 'cost-effective measure to improve heart health' Not only are they cheap, they are readily available, researchers point out . Findings held regardless of gender, race, BMI and other health conditions . But eating salted nuts does not count, say experts commenting on study .


Tourism Thailand’s latest effort to lure holidaymakers to its idyllic beaches and ancient temples may have backfired after a marketing campaign featured a creepy ‘stalker’ video. The Southeast Asian country’s tourism board released the short film, titled ‘Love en Route’, which tries to tell a cute love story involving a lovesick American tourist who tracks down a young Thai woman through her Instagram photos. But the clumsy 16-minute video, released along with a five-minute trailer, has been criticised and received negative reviews from those within the travel industry. Tourism Thailand's short film features a lovesick American man (left) who follows a young Thai woman . The video tells the story of a US tourist who takes a solo trip to Thailand 'to heal a broken heart' Produced by Thailand’s tourism ministry and the National Federations of Thai Film Associations, the video is intended as a love letter to the country’s sights, sounds and culture while encouraging visitors to share their photos with their social media friends. It features an American man who takes a solo trip to Thailand ‘to heal a broken heart’, and a Thai woman who is travelling in remembrance of her sister. Various scenes show him looking longingly out of his hotel room window – after travelling halfway around the world – and vowing to find the young woman as he scrolls through her Instagram photos. ‘It would be nice for us to meet and maybe become friends,’ the man said. With the story told from both perspectives, the man eventually tracks down his internet obsession. The man takes a liking to the woman after following her on Instagram, and vows to track her down . After their first encounter the woman is unsure at first, but they eventually tour Thailand together . She initially resists his advances as he attempts to pursue a friendship, but she eventually gives in and they spend time touring Thailand together. But as his holiday comes to an end it’s time for an awkward goodbye at the airport, where the man explains his feelings and is met with silence. After the young woman walks away, she realises her travel companion may be her ‘destiny’ after all, and posts a photo of the pair on Instagram. While the man is trying to mend a broken heart, the woman is travelling in remembrance of her sister . One scene shows the woman telling the camera, which an elephant holds in its trunk, she is falling in love . There is awkward silence after the man explains how he feels shortly before he boards his flight home . It’s not the first time Thailand’s tourism ministry has been slammed for one of its marketing gimmicks. Last year the tourism authority offered tourists a chance to win a luxury holiday and free plastic surgery. It said the ‘extreme makeover’ winners would be selected after a panel of medical experts judged photos and written submissions. The contest was open to non-Thai women aged 25 to 45.

Summary: Tourism Thailand released the video to promote country's sights, culture . But it was met with negative reviews from within the travel industry . Video tries to tell a cute love story involving a lovesick American man . Man eventually tracks down his internet obsession, but she is unsure . Pair travels Thailand together before awkward goodbye at the airport .