A clothing label has started making souvenir handmade retro leather footballs to raise cash for charity. The stitched brown balls are reminiscent of the balls used by greats of the game such as Pele, Alfredo Di Stefano and Puskas. Early footballs were animal bladders or stomachs that would easily fall apart if kicked too much. Improvements became possible in the 19th Century with the introduction of rubber and discoveries of vulcanisation. The 32-panel ball design was soon overtaken by 24-panel...

We’re set for another weekend of Premier League football after a hugely entertaining round last week. Liverpool and Chelsea both played midweek in the Champions League, but clash Saturday night in what is undoubtedly the weekend’s most exciting match. Elsewhere, Wenger’s Arsenal have a tricky away trip to high-flying Burnley, while managerless West Brom visit Wembley to take on Tottenham. Meanwhile the top two Manchester clubs face two of the promoted sides in Brighton and Huddersfield – while David Moyes...

By Elena Orde, The Vegan Society With an increasing rise in plant-based diets, more people than ever will be eating vegan over the festive period this year. That means more people than ever hosting a vegan. If that thought fills you with dread – don't worry, we've got a few tips to ensure your Christmas dining is all plain sailing. The food Let’s face it – the trick to a good Christmas is to make things as easy for yourself as...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...