Karl Lagerfeld: I want to marry my cat

Designer Karl Lagerfeld has declared that he wants to marry his pet cat Choupette.

The eccentric creative director of Chanel said the one-year-old white Siamese cat was his most prized possession.

Choupette has its own staff, including three maids who are tasked with noting down everything the feline does while Largerfeld is away from their home in Paris so that he can check up on how his beloved pet is spending its time.

"There is no marriage, yet, for human beings and animals… I never thought that I would fall in love like this with a cat," Lagerfeld told CNN's Fashion Week: Backstage Pass.

When asked if the cat flies by private jet, Largerfeld said: "Yes, why not?"

Choupette is well known among fashion circles. As well as its own maids, the cat has 27,000 followers on Twitter. It has its own pillow and dines with Largefeld twice a day, eating food that has been specially prepared.

Australian fisherman spends night with crocodile below bunk

An Australian fisherman was so enraged with finding yet another crocodile on the end of his fishing line that he took the animal home and spent the night with it sleeping below his bunk bed.

Ashley Sala with the 2 metre crocodile that became tangled in his lines while fishing at Ninds Creek, Australia

Ashley Sala spent his birthday fishing at Ninds Creek, in the river mouth at Innisfail, 55 miles south of Cairns, when he thought he'd caught a fish.

"I threw my line out to catch a barra for my birthday and I ended up catching a croc," Mr Sala said.

"I thought I'd caught my one-metre barra. I was so happy, I was yahooing and carrying on.

"Twenty minutes later after fighting it I brought it to the surface and when the moon came out from behind the clouds I realised it was a croc tangled up in my fishing line."

Mr Sala realised the crocodile – which he was "starting to feel sorry for" – would almost certainly drown if the line wasn't untangled. And so, maddened at the frequency with which the crocodiles were stealing his bait, he picked up the reptile, taped its jaws together, and drove it to the house of his local councillor to complain about the crocodile population.

The only problem was that the councillor, Mark Nolan, also in charge of the county's crocodiles, was asleep.

"I went around to Mark Nolan's house because I know where he lives," Mr Sala said. "I was a bit hyped up and shouldn't have been there trying to wake him up but I was sick of going fishing and having this problem with crocodiles."

So the fisherman then decided to take the crocodile home for the night until it could be taken to a wildlife park. His unimpressed girlfriend made the pair sleep in an empty "donga" – cabin – at his family's caravan park.

"I sat on the top bunk and had a few birthday beers by myself and watched the croc on the floor until I fell asleep," he explained.

His councillor later praised Mr Sala's care of the animal, comparing him favourably to Crocodile Dundee actor Paul Hogan.

"Paul Hogan's got nothing on Ashley Sala," he said. "Paul Hogan never slept with a saltie. Ashley has, and I witnessed it.

"So I give Ashley a 10 out of 10 for the way he cared for the reptile during the night and now it's been relocated and it's safely back in a crocodile farm."

Men take six months to do 'little jobs' around house

The typical man takes six months to get around to all the 'little jobs' in the house, new research has revealed.

A study found a lack of time, knowledge or enthusiasm is often the reason for the failure to carry out tasks such as repairing squeaky floorboards, replacing light bulbs, and hanging pictures.

Other jobs which regularly wait six months or more include cleaning stained carpets, touching up paint and mending leaking taps.

A spokeswoman for Homebase, which commissioned the study among 2,000 homeowners, said: "We all have 'little jobs' that we put off around our homes.

"These can appear quite daunting and overtime could lead to more serious problems.

"Knowing how to tackle them is key to staying on top of things, and can mean they take little time and effort to put right.

"It's understandable that many people are unsure how to fix certain little problems that crop up in the home and the best way to build your confidence is to seek advice and practice.

"The potential cost of a project can put property owners off too, but fixing problems early mean they won't cost as much as many of us would expect."

Researchers also found 41 per cent of Brits put off their home improvement tasks because they don't know how to do them.

British homeowners have confessed to not knowing how to do some of the smallest jobs around the house.

Mending a squeaky floorboard, a dripping tap or exposed wires leave many of us scratching their heads.

Fixing a broken TV aerial, broken window panes are also thought of as 'difficult' while cracked tiles have one in ten people searching for help.

The cost of a job can also leave Brits cowering, as homeowners are looking at spending around £244 to complete all the little jobs which currently need addressing.

It also emerged in the past 12 months, the average household has already spent £190 on home improvements.

Despite all the tedious tasks waiting to be completed, 46 per cent of people said their house was still 'home sweet home'.

Four in ten said they would describe their home as tidy but tired.

British couples row twice a week about the mess in their homes, study finds

A staggering 2.4 million couples row twice a week about who should tidy up with arguments becoming so heated it affects their sex lives and causes some to break up.

The research found one in five couples, 18 per cent, row at least once a week about which one is causing the mess

Two thirds of women have refused to have sex when distracted by clothes that need to be folded, hung up or put away.

The research found one in five couples, 18 per cent, row at least once a week about which one is causing the mess.

Women's biggest complaint was revealed to be their man leaving piles of clothes on the floor, with 36 per cent irritated by this.

Unfortunately for them, 18 per cent of men still believe it is their partner's job to clean the house, with just 5 per cent taking responsibility themselves.

This slack attitude just increases domestic friction, the study by furnishing store Ikea found.

As a result one in six women - 16 per cent - resort to shouting at their boyfriend or husband to get him to tidy up.

And 10 per cent bribe their man with the promise of an "early night" if they keep the house tidy.

But a third concede it is less of a hassle to tidy up themselves than continually nag.

Partners are most likely to row about the amount of cosmetics and clothing their other half owns, and where they leave it.

A fifth of men (18 per cent) complain their girlfriend has too many beauty products, and 17 per cent say they own too many shoes.

A third (31 per cent) believe their partner simply has "too much stuff".

Furthermore, 13 per cent of women say they would break up with a man if he refused to change his messy habits.

Others find cunning ways of dealing with clutter, sneakily throwing it out or hiding it, the study found.

A third of Brits (29 per cent) have intentionally thrown out items belonging to their partner in a bid to free up space, and then claimed it was a "mistake".

And half (47 per cent) remove clutter from communal areas and hide it in their bedroom when expecting guests, because "no one will go in there".

One in seven women, 15 per cent, say the most stressful thing about moving in with a partner is having to share wardrobe space.

Unlike women, just a quarter of men (23 per cent) say they have turned down a night of passion because their partner's bedroom was too messy.

Graphic designer Rachel Hughes, 34, from Portsmouth, Hants, said: "I argue with my boyfriend every week about the state he leaves our house in.

"He seems to think it is acceptable to leave his dirty clothes in a pile at the end of the bed, but then moans about my shoes 'littering' the wardrobe.

"I do nag him to try and get him to pull his weight but I eventually end up cleaning by myself anyway. It is easier than continually nagging him."

Gemma Arranz, from Ikea, said: "People have very different ideas about what 'tidy' means, but it is still remarkable how many couples argue several times a week about mess and clutter in their homes.

"Our findings show stereotypes continue to ring true, with men annoying their partner by leaving piles of clothes in the bedroom, while women have too many shoes and cosmetics.

"It is sad some argue so much it affects their love lives or may even lead to them splitting up, when simple storage solutions could help them live happily."

TV psychotherapist Stelios Kiosses said: "The results highlight that some men aren't pulling their weight when it comes to keeping a tidy home.

"For women, a house left in a mess symbolises that her partner doesn't care about how she feels.

"Women tend to express this by increasing the amount they complain, but men misinterpret this and tend to take it as a remark meant to make them feel incompetent.

"Mess then becomes a barrier between the couple, creating feelings of resentment.

"Few couples realise the importance of dealing with it until it is way out of control.

"Piles of stuff in every room may affect the couples ability to think clearly, relax, and enjoy their living space so it's important to have storage space for every item to prevent more pile-ups."

Five-year-old runs up £1,700 iPad bill in ten minutes

A five-year-old boy ran up a £1,700 bill on his parents' iPad in just ten minutes.

Danny Kitchen aged 5 from Warmley, Bristol who ran up a huge £1,700 bill on the iPad app Zombie vs Ninja

Danny Kitchen had asked for the passcode for the device so that he could download a game, Zombie v Ninja, from the Apple store.

Greg and Sharon Kitchen eventually agreed and left their son alone with the tablet computer as they entertained friends at their home in Warmley, near Bristol.

But after downloading the free app Danny found his way into the game's online store and innocently ordered dozens of costly add-ons - totalling £1,710.43.

His mother knew nothing about his spending spree until she saw a batch of emails from iTunes the following day listing what he had bought.

Her credit card company then phoned to query the payments - and Mrs Kitchen, 44, realised what had happened.

She explained: "Danny was pestering us to let him have a go on the iPad. He kept saying it was a free game so my husband put in the passcode and handed it to him.

"It worried me when he asked for the password but I had a look at the game it said it was free so I didn't think there would be a problem.

"We had lots of visitors in the house and were both a little preoccupied. I woke up Monday morning and looked at my emails and had loads from iTunes.

"I thought it must be a mistake, so I checked my bank balance online and nothing had been taken out.

"I thought nothing of it until I my credit card advisor phoned and told me they had authorised the transaction."

Danny had bought dozens of in-game weapons and keys on the iPad 3 including 12 purchases of '333 keys' at £69.99 a time and seven '333 ecstasy bombs' at £69.99.

He also bought five lots of "9000 darts" each costing £69.99, five lots of '4200 darts' at £5.49 each and additional ecstasy bombs totalling £3.22.

Mrs Kitchen, a mother-of-five, said: "I realised what happened and told Danny he'd better get ready for bed and run and hide before daddy got home.

"He was crying, as the rest of the children were telling him we could have bought a house with the amount he had spent.

"He started to run and through his tears he turned back and said 'But where can I hide?' Bless him - that stopped me being angry but of course it's a lot of money.

"Loads of parents in the playground said similar things had happened to them but for a lot less money. I can't believe he was able to spend so much money.

"It was far too easy a thing for him to do and more should be done to limit stuff like this from happening. That game is very annoying - and who would spend more than £1,700 on a game?

"It's the first time any of our kids have done anything like this - and it will be the last."

Danny said: "I said to dad can you put the passcode for the game he said no and then I said it was free so he said yes.

"The next day it cost lots of money. I was worried and I felt sad. I was crying. I'm not sure how I did it, I thought it was free."

"It was a good game, but I will never do anything like this again. I'm banned from the iPad now, but I am still going to play games when I can, but I will be careful now."

Mr and Mrs Kitchen run their own children's entertainment company and have four older children - Rosie, six, Riley, eight, Conor, 11, and Shannon, 15.

Apple have now told the family they will refund the money.

Mr Kitchen, 44, said: "I was livid - not amused at all. But Danny was very sorry so I couldn't stay mad at him for long.

"I'm relieved that they have said they are going to give us back our money. We had to give them so much information and it's taken three days, but I'm relieved."

An Apple spokesman said such incidents had to be reported as quickly as possible.

He said it was vital people kept their pass code, designed to stop unauthorised electronic purchases on its products, safe and said software was available to prevent children from using the iTunes store even if they have the password.

A spokesman said: "All iOS devices (iPad, iPhone and iPod touch) have built in parental controls that give parents and guardians the ability to restrict access to content, eg internet access and age rated content such as music, games, apps, TV shows, movies etc.

"Parental controls also give parents and guardians the option to turn off functionality such as purchasing from iTunes and the ability to turn off in-app purchases.

"Our parents' guide to iTunes details the steps and measures parents and guardians can take to make sure younger players have access to the right content. The first thing we recommend is not to share your password."

Homeless US man who returned diamond engagement ring rewarded

A homeless US man will soon have well over $150,000 (£98,000) after he returned an engagement ring to a woman who accidentally dropped it in his cup earlier this month.

Sarah Darling's engagement ring was found by Billy Ray Harris (right)

Sarah Darling's fiancé set up a website seeking donations for Billy Ray Harris, who frequently panhandles on Kansas City's Country Club Plaza. By Tuesday morning, more than 6,000 people had donated more than $148,000 to the fund.

"I think in our world we often jump to like the worst conclusion, and it just makes you realise that there are good people out there," Ms Darling said.

Mr Harris discovered the ring about an hour after Darling dumped spare change from her coin purse into his cup. She had taken off her ring earlier that day and put it with the coins.

"The ring was so big that I knew if it was real, it was expensive," Mr Harris told KCTV.

Ms Darling was upset when she realised the next day what she had done. She went back to Mr Harris, squatted beside him and told him that she might have given him something valuable.

"'Was it a ring?'" he recalled asking her. "And she says, 'Yeah.' And I said 'Well, I have it.' "

Ms Darling gave Mr Harris all the cash she had in her wallet at the time.

"It seemed like a miracle," Ms Darling said. "I thought for sure there was no way I would get it back."

In explaining why he did not keep the ring, Mr Harris said he had a religious upbringing.

"My grandfather was a reverend," Mr Harris said. "He raised me from the time I was six months old and thank the good Lord, it's a blessing, but I do still have some character."

Britain's worst driver fails record 107 test attempts

Britain's worst driver has failed a record 107 attempts at the car theory test and is still yet to pass.

The car practical driving test is designed to see if motorists can drive safely on different road and traffic conditions

The hapless unnamed 28-year old, from London, has so far spent £3,317 trying to pass the theory test, at a cost of £31 each.

The test includes a 57-minute multiple choice exam which 43 out of 50 questions must be answered correctly and a hazard perception test which requires a pass mark of 44 out of 75. Motorists must pass both parts before they can sit their practical test.

A 40-year old determined candidate logged a record number of practical driving tests - passing on his 37th attempt. The unnamed man from the area of Stoke on Trent forked out at least £2,294 trying to pass, which could have bought him a reasonable second hand car.

The practical test costs £62 for a test on a weekday or £75 for a test on an evening, weekend or bank holiday.

The car practical driving test is designed to see if motorists can drive safely on different road and traffic conditions and know the Highway Code.

An AA Driving School spokesperson said: "This is clearly an unusually high number of test attempts, but it is important to remember that everyone learns at their own pace.

"Their determination to pass highlights how important learning to drive is to most people.

"It is a milestone that many people aspire to achieving because of the freedom and independence it brings."

Drunk man 'tried to have sex with an ambulance'

A 25-year-old drunken man tried to have sex with an ambulance, a court heard.

Callum Ward was seen 'simulating a sex act' on the bonnet of the ambulance

Callum Ward, 25, was seen "pressing" himself against the emergency vehicle before "simulating a sex act" on the bonnet.

Official police logs show an officer who saw him stated: "It looks as though he is attempting to make love to the front of the ambulance".

Ward was drunk and had taken cannabis and amphetamine and was "in relatively high spirits" before the incident in November in Barnstaple, Devon.

He was first spotted setting fire to a packet of peanuts inside a phone box before mounting the ambulance, Barnstaple Magistrates Court was told.

He was found guilty of being drunk and disorderly and in possession of Class B drugs.

He was sentenced to a community order with a supervision requirement for six months and ordered to pay £60.

Ward, of Barnstaple, told the court: "I did start using drugs and drinking. I have seen the error of my ways with that."

In 2007, Robert Stewart, of Ayr, Scotland, was placed on the sex offenders’ register after being caught trying to have sex with a bicycle.

Giant rabbit scares burglar out of family home

A petrified burglar fled a family home in the middle of the night - after coming face-to-face with their giant pet rabbit.

Toby the rabbit 

Kimberley May, her fiance Martin, and their three-year-old daughter Olivia were all sound asleep when the thief broke into their house.

But as the raider rifled through cupboards the noise woke up Toby the family's British Giant bunny in his kitchen cage.

The 4.5kg, two-feet long pet began stomping so loudly on the floor that the intruder was caught on the hop and left.

Kimberley said: "We went to bed on Wednesday at about 10pm. In the early hours of the morning Toby our rabbit did five loud thumps.

"I sort of half woke up then realised he'd stopped and went back to sleep.

"When I went downstairs every single cupboard and drawer were open, there were bits out everywhere, then we started noticing things were missing and we phoned the police."

Kimberley, a nurse, is convinced that two year-old Toby's thumping scared the thief off from their house in Plymouth, Devon.

She found a hoard of items left piled up on the sofa which she thinks the burglar was preparing to take but left behind.

She added: "Because of Christmas and my birthday just gone, I had loads of gift sets and perfumes that they'd laid out across the sofa.

"We think that when the rabbit thumped it scared the burglar off and they left all the stuff they were going to take.

"He's like a little dog, if you whistle him he comes.

"The rabbit was just traumatised in his cage, shaking. He's usually really friendly but he tried to go for the policeman."

The crook still managed to get away with other valuables including a treasured First World War medal that belonged to Kimberley's great-grandad.

Kimberley added: "They managed to take a laptop, an iPad and my handbag with my purse and everything in, but the worse thing was my great granddad's medal.

"My gran actually died in 2007, she lived in a council house all her life, hardly had any possessions That was the one thing important thing she had.

"They also took a box which had all our wedding invitations and favours in it, as well as paperwork which I was due to give to the church and reception venue."

Detective Constable Nick Bloom said: "We believe the family was burgled between 10.30pm on Wednesday February 6 and 7am on Thursday February 7.

"The police are asking for any witnesses or anyone with information to come forward."

Toby still has some way to go before he is fully grown - British Giant rabbits can reach up to 5.9 kg.

Owner Kimberley, 30, said monster bunny Toby was so big he lives in a cage built for a Labrador.

Kimberley and online salesman partner Martin, 33, got their prized pet from an animal adoption centre who took him in an unwanted pet.

She said: "He's playful, really friendly, and he doesn't mind my three-year-old crawling all over him. He's like a small dog really.

"He has the run of the house and at night he goes in a dog's crate. It's a Labrador-sized cage.

"When he thumps on the floor its incredibly loud - you can hear it echoing around the house."

On the night of the burglary Toby stomped his five-inch long feet so loudly on the plastic floor of his crate that he managed to wake Kimberley up.

She said: "The rabbit had obviously seen the burglar when he went into the kitchen.

"I heard him thump five times on the bottom of his cage and I woke up, sat up, then turned over and went back to sleep.

"As I've done that the bed springs have made a loud creaking sound, so the guy has probably heard movement and made a run for it."

Although the thief managed to take some valuables Kimberley fears the break-in could have been even worse had it not been for Toby.

She added: "If he hadn't been scared off he could have come upstairs looking for things. My daughter was asleep up there - it could have been really dangerous.

"Toby has done the job of a guard dog. We're so proud of him we've rewarded him with a new tunnel to play with.

"It's a cat's tunnel obviously because he needs a big one."

Richard Clayderman serenades Galapagos tortoises with Chariots of Fire rendition

A pair of Galapagos tortoises at London Zoo were serenaded with a rendition of Chariots of Fire by pianist Richard Clayderman today, in a bid to get the slow-moving reptiles in a mood to mate.

The music – from the French musician's latest album Romantique – appeared lost on the slow-moving giants who didn't appear particularly impressed.

Clayderman played his hit Ballade pour Adeline and a rousing rendition of Chariots of Fire – however neither hit did anything to lift their spirits.

They only seemed to perk up when zookeepers brought them some carrots.

Galapagos tortoises are the largest in the world and can live for over 150 years. But the gentle animals have struggled to fend off predators and are now under threat.

Clayderman said that his golden retriever loved to lie by the piano when he was playing, "so maybe it's good for the animals to listen to music."

Maybe. But it's possible tortoises just don't appreciate what Clayderman has described as his "New Romantic" style.

Clayderman himself seemed a bit bemused by his record company's launch stunt.

"After playing all around the world – I used to do concerts in Asia, in South America, in Europe – it's funny to be here, in this very nice zoo," he said.

Chinese millionaire street sweeper refuses to give up work

A Chinese millionaire has refused to give up her day job as a street sweeper for fear of losing her work ethic and worrying over her lazy children.

Mrs Yu had never been late for work and had only asked for three days off in the last 14 years 

After nearly four decades of hard labour as a farmer, cook, lorry driver and street sweeper, a sudden million pound windfall might tempt sweet thought of retirement.

But 53-year-old Yu Youzhen has a rather more unbending work ethic.

Five years ago, her family land in Donghu village, near the city of Wuhan, was bought by the government for a property development.

She used the compensation money to being building a property empire which now includes 17 apartments worth some 10 million yuan (£1 million), according to the Wuhan Evening News.

Nevertheless, six days a week Mrs Yu dons an orange coat and goes to work as a street sweeper, earning a monthly wage of £142.

"Work is not just about the salary, it makes one focused. Laziness gives rise to all sorts of bad habits," she said, to the Chinese newspaper.

The head of her cleaning team, Fu Guoju, noted that Mrs Yu had never been late for work and had only asked for three days off in the last 14 years in order to attend the funerals of her mother-in-law and father.

Mrs Yu's dogged attachment to her orange jacket appears to stem partly from habit and partly from a nagging worry over her feckless children.

Her 33-year-old son, Liang, has had a chequered career, working selling lottery tickets for a while and spending long spells at home, lounging on the sofa.

"I want to be a role model for my children," said Mrs Yu. "I do not want to sit around idly and eat up my fortune".

"My son once stayed at home for two months, and I kept scolding him during that time. Now he is doing pretty well. He said to me later I was right. I was worried he would hang out with bad people and ruin our family."

Her son is currently working as a driver in her home village for £120 a month while her daughter mans the kiosk at a cinema for £200 a month.

Since the Chinese newspapers revealed Mrs Yu's work ethic she has become a minor celebrity. The Communist party's propaganda machine has also been quick to pounce on her as an example of a model worker.

"Starting from loving labour and living a meaningful life to make her feel at ease, Yu Youzhen gives us a good starting point," said the state-run Beijing News in an editorial.

Boy burned as BlackBerry phone 'bursts into flames'

A schoolboy suffered serious burns after a BlackBerry smartphone appeared to burst into flames in the middle of the night and set fire to his bed.

 

Kian McCreath with his duvet that was set on fire by the exploding phone 

Kian McCreath, 11, fled from his bedroom screaming "my bed is on fire" after flames engulfed him while he slept last weekend.

His mother Sarah, 39, awoke to her son’s screams after the new BlackBerry device, bought as a gift for his brother, Mason, malfunctioned and spontaneously combusted.

The youngster was rushed to University Hospital Coventry with serious burns to his legs and feet after plastic stuck to his skin. He has been left permanently scarred.

The year 7 pupil said tonight: "It was really scary. I woke up with my legs in a fire at the bottom of my bed. I'm also having problems sleeping at night."

The family is now demanding the popular BlackBerry Curve 9320 mobile is recalled from shops in time for Christmas.

Tonight, local trading standards officials were investigating the incident, which occurred just after 2.30am last Sunday at the family’s home in Coventry, West Mids.

Research in Motion, the manufacturers behind BlackBerry, also confirmed that an internal investigation had been launched as “a priority”.

Kian’s father, Pete, a 39 year-old carpenter, bought the £13 a month mobile phone for his eldest son as a 13th birthday present, from a Vodafone shop in Birmingham.

No problems were reported for about a week. Mrs McCreath had placed the charging phone in the boy’s bedroom because it is used as an alarm just a few hours before it blew up.

She said that after going to sleep, she heard a loud “pop” sound, before he son started “screaming at the top of his voice, shouting ‘my bed's on fire’”.

They dashed into his room, to find the bottom of his duvet and mattress alight as Mrs McCreath frantically smothered the fire using a quilt.

Kian was immediately put in the bath to cool the burns before being rushed to hospital. Mrs McCreath, an administrative assistant, said her son has been left traumatised by the incident.

She said: “It was just horrific. He was in a lot of pain as his feet had pretty much been engulfed in flames.

"I ran into the room and started battering the flames with his brother's quilt to put them out.

"The bed was charred and the phone itself was just a blackened shell. It could have easily been much worse if he hadn't have woken up.”

She added: "If I had left the phone on the landing, the whole house could have gone up. You just don't expect this to happen with a mobile phone.

"You wouldn't think something so small could do so much damage – my son could quite easily have died. It sends a shudder down my spine to think what could have happened. “

"He hasn't been able to use his own mobile phone since and is having trouble sleeping. He is going to be scarred for life as well.”

She warned that thousands of children will be receiving the phones as Christmas gifts, so “parents need to be aware of the dangers before somebody dies”.

Mr McCreath added: "If Sarah hadn't acted so quickly that room could have gone up in flames within minutes.

"It was just lucky she got there so quickly. I'm shaking just talking about it.

"The phone... needs to be tested. A lot of kids are raving about that Blackberry phone right now. My main concern is for the safety of other kids.”

A spokesman for Birmingham City Council's trading standards office said: "We have received a complaint and we are going to investigate the matter."

The family have since contacted Trading Standards, who have urged them to keep the mobile as evidence, while McCreath has held a video conference with RIM officials over his concerns.

A spokesman from Research in Motion said: "We take claims of this nature very seriously and are investigating this matter as a priority." She declined to comment further.

Blackberry devices were the biggest selling smartphones in Britain last year.

Music graduate gets job as human scarecrow

A student who graduated university with a degree in music and English is putting his skills to good use in a Norfolk field, after being employed as a human scarecrow.

Jamie Fox will use a ukulele, accordion and cowbell to frighten away troublesome partridges

Jamie Fox, 22, who recently graduated from Bangor University, will use a ukulele, accordion and cowbell to frighten away troublesome partridges.

While his fellow students may be pulling pints, going travelling or desperately seeking their first professional role, Mr Fox will earn £250 a week patrolling the ten-acre field.

Wearing a bright orange coat, he will play the musical instruments in a bid to finally scare off the hardy birds, which were unperturbed by ordinary scarecrows.

His employer, a farmer from Aylsham, Norfolk, even warned him to “bring a deckchair and a good book” for his days in the oilseed rape field, where he will also practice his ukulele in the hopes of getting a full-time job in music.

Mr Fox, who says his friends are “slightly envious” of his role, is now saving to pay for a trip to New Zealand next year.

"I get to sit and read for a lot of the time but whenever I see the partridges, I have to get up and scare them off," he told the BBC.

“I ring a cowbell and I've even played the accordion, but the ukulele doesn't seem to have any effect on them.

"The farmer said to me, 'Bring a deckchair and a good book'. A couple of my friends in busier, more generously-paid jobs, are slightly envious.”

Farmer William Youngs said he resorted to his human scarecrow after partridges were not put off by more ordinary methods of frightening them away.

"The only way to get rid of them is to walk down the field and push them off," he said. "Jamie's doing a good job. You can really see the difference."

Has the Loch Ness monster finally been caught on camera?

A monster hunter who has spent 26 years searching for the Loch Ness Monster claims to have taken the "best picture ever" of the beast, after dedicating 60 hours a week to his quest.

Nessie hunter George Edwards waited 26 years for this moment - and he now believes he has the best picture ever taken of the Loch Ness monster.

He spends his life on the loch - around 60 hours a week - taking tourists out on his boat Nessie Hunter IV, and has led numerous Nessie hunts over the years.

But this image is the one that's convinced him that there really is a monster or monsters - out there. It shows a mysterious dark hump moving in the water towards Urquhart Castle.

"I was just about to return to Temple Pier (in Drumnadrochit) and I went to the back of the boat which was facing the pier and that's when I saw it," said 60-year-old Mr Edwards, a lifelong believer in the monster.

"It was slowly moving up the loch towards Urquhart Castle and it was a dark grey colour. It was quite a fair way from the boat, probably about half a mile away but it's difficult to tell in water."

After watching the object for five to ten minutes, Mr Edwards said it slowly sank below the surface and never resurfaced. "I'm convinced I was seeing Nessie as I believe in these creatures.

Far too many people have being seeing them for far too long," he said. "The first recorded sighting was in 565AD and there have been thousands of eye witness reports since then.

"All these people can't be telling lies. And the fact the reports stretch over so many years mean there can't just be one of them. I'm convinced there are several monsters."

Steve Feltham, who has dedicated the past 21 years to hunting for Nessie was unequivocval.

"It is the best photograph I think I have ever seen," he said.

From his base on Dores beach and has studied many Nessie sighting photographs.

"I think the images are fantastic - that's the animal I have been looking for all this time," he said yesterday.

"I would say it doesn't prove what Nessie is, but it does prove what Nessie isn't, a sturgeon which is a fish that has been put forward as one of the main explanations as to what Nessie could be but this hasn't got a serrated spine like the sturgeon.

Mr Edwards his vessel's sonar to make a contact but to no avail. "I hung around for a good half-an-hour and used the deep scanning sonar to try and pick it up, but I'm afraid I had no luck at all."

Mr Edwards took the photo at 9am on 2nd November last year on a compact Samsung digital camera that he always keeps on the boat.

Before releasing it publicly he sent it to the USA for analysis, though he can't reveal further details.

"I did not want to mention my sighting until I was sure that I had not photographed a log or something inanimate in the water in the water," he said.

"I have friends in the USA who have friends in the military.

"They had my photo analysed and they have no doubt that I photographed an animate object in the water. I was really excited as I am sure that some strange creatures are lurking in the depths of Loch Ness."