Man takes stunning pictures of wildlife while recovering from a stroke
A man who suffered a stroke so severe he almost lost his ability to speak has won a prize after he turned to photography to help him recover. Richard Raynor, 36, was even able to give a speech at his wedding with the help of slides he had taken. The former business consultant from Chilton, Oxon., developed aphasia - a communication difficulty with speaking, reading and writing - after his stroke in 2012. His sensational snaps have now won him...
Poignant scenes as last iron foundry in historic Ironbridge closes for the final time
Heartbroken workers at the last ever iron foundry at Ironbridge hung their boots and masks on the gates yesterday after it closed for the final time. The Coalbrookdale Aga Rangemaster foundry has been in production in the Shropshire town since 1946 and was the last symbol of the industrial revolution. Ironbridge was the birthplace of ironworks after Abraham Darby I first smelted iron ore using coke instead of charcoal in 1709. The process, which was far more efficient than traditional...
Brits are enjoying ketchup, mayonnaise and yoghurt with their roast dinners
Move over gravy - Brits are enjoying ketchup, mayonnaise and even yoghurt with a roast, according to research. Gone are the days of roast beef smothered in gravy as Brits are opting for alternative condiments. Salad cream, BBQ sauce and sour cream also appeared among the list of side sauces for dunking roasties into. The study of 2,000 adults was commissioned by McCain to launch an experimental restaurant experience especially for roast dinner lovers. Mark Hodge, from McCain, said: “As...
Can you spot the one-armed bandit in this barmy bank heist?
We nortmally associate the sight of a one-armed bandit with a chance to pocket some extra dosh. Not so in this baffling puzzle, as a one-limb crim looks to make off with his swag bag. It’s chaos in the streets in this latest puzzle, and while a gang of thieves haul away their cash from the bank vault, only a single perpetrator has truly committed one-armed robbery. Can you spot the one-armed bandit in this bank-heist blowout? In a sea...
Outrage as council plans to charge rough sleepers £1,000
Stoke City Council’s proposals to fine rough sleepers in the city has been met with outrage. The proposed Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) will make it an offence for a person to 'assemble, erect, occupy or use' a tent. Anyone who fails to pay their £100 on-the-spot penalty notice can be prosecuted and fined up to £1,000 in court. GMB, the union for workers in the Potteries, says the decision is an outrage, adding that "we’re not going to solve...
Rebekah Brooks told Cameron’s Conservatives: I’m running the government now
News International CEO Rebekah Brooks told Ken Clarke that she was running the government with David Cameron just days after a dodgy deal helped the Tories win the 2010 General Election. Clarke, who served as Cameron’s Justice Secretary, said Cameron may have done “some sort of deal” with The Sun’s owner, Rupert Murdoch, to gain support ahead of the 2010 general election. In a meeting shortly after a victory, in which the Tories secured a majority in parliament, Clarke was told by Brooks that...
Rest without the risk – the natural alternatives to sleeping pills
We’ve all been there. You’re laying in bed at 3.00 AM, staring at the ceiling and counting down the hours till you have to get up and function in the outside world. Struggling to get to sleep is frustrating at best, but it can even be damaging to our mental and physical health if it becomes a chronic issue. With this in mind, it’s no wonder many of us are seeking out solutions to this problem. But what if you’re...
The top 3 ways dance can lower stress
There is something instinctual about dancing, an echo from our ancestors that calls to us like a forgotten song in early childhood. Dancing makes us feel ‘alive’. It can boost brain-power and allow us to overcome social anxieties, helping us form better social groups with workmates, family members, even complete strangers. And yet the health benefits of dancing remain under-represented and under-rated. As though it’s a practice restricted to either professionals on stage or, at the other extreme, to the...
Pre IPO: Aberdeen Standard European Logistics Income – “Regular and attractive income”
Aberdeen Standard European Logistics Income (ASLI or the company) is a new company that intends to qualify as an investment trust. It will invest in a diversified portfolio of ‘big box’ logistics and ‘last mile’ urban warehouse assets in Europe (this includes both the UK and the Nordic countries - see page 3 for more detail on the investment proposition) with the aim of providing its shareholders with a regular and attractive level of income return together with the potential...