A growing number of people are keeping giant leeches as pets, and letting the bloodsucking parasites feed on their blood for sustenance. The breed of choice is the buffalo leech (Hirudinaria manillensis), which hails from southeast Asia and can grow up to two feet long. Breeders recommend the creatures feed every three to six months, … Read more
Fury as ambulance trust bosses ‘tell paramedics NOT to take up a Brighton hospital’s offer to have the Covid jab’ because there are ‘protocols to follow’ Brighton and Sussex University Hospital offered vaccines to ambulance staff There was an alleged surplus of vaccines on December 27 so staff given chance South East Coast Ambulance Service … Read more
The offer that sparked Captain Tom’s £33m NHS appeal: War hero started fundraising challenge after his son-in-law offered him £1 for every lap he walked of his garden – as he tells nation ‘things will get better next year’ Daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore explained how the fundraising idea was born Sir Tom’s efforts earned him a … Read more
‘I’d rather eat Christmas dinner alone than with a vegetarian’: Lonely widower, 75, who appealed for company REJECTS the only offer of company because they didn’t eat meat Tony Williams launched his appeal after losing his wife to cancer earlier this year He received several offers from women but decided to spend Christmas alone Mr … Read more
What 300 years of smallpox epidemics in London can teach us about Covid-19: Infection with a small amount of virus can IMPROVE survival rates — and might be a beneficial side-effect of wearing masks Researchers from Canada analysed London death records from 1664–1930 This covered the introduction of health measures, variolation and vaccination The period … Read more
People smuggling gangs offer a ‘Christmas discount’ of £300 a head to migrants wanting to cross the English Channel to Britain illegally The UK Border Force prepares for a surge in crossings over the festive period Intelligence reports suggest average costs for migrants around £500 to £1,000 Means illegal crossings now available for less than … Read more
Austria will offer coronavirus tests to its entire 8.8 million population, with those testing negative receiving ‘more freedoms’ as the country prepares for third lockdown. The European country will go into coronavirus lockdown for a third time after Christmas, the government confirmed on Friday, just 11 days after the country’s second lockdown ended. Austria’s lockdown … Read more
Frasers Group pulls out of making full takeover offer for Mulberry despite buying over a third of the business this year The Takeover Panel insisted that it make a solid offer by Dec 17 or withdraw Mulberry has been badly affected by Covid-19’s negative effect on tourism Frasers Group has expressed interest in buying Debenhams … Read more
No festive table setting is complete without a Christmas cracker but dinner party guests rarely appreciate the plastic whistle, ruler or throwaway corny joke found inside. But thankfully there are crackers that will not only add a bang to your festivities but will also provide something much more enjoyable than the usual cheap trinkets included. Since Britons … Read more
Stylists have offered Boris Johnson some tips on his hair ahead of crunch dinner talks in Brussels tonight. Freelance celebrity hairstylist James Johnson and the CEO of Pall Mall Barbers Richard Marshall questioned whether his barnet was done at home. TV viewers also hit out at the ‘scruffy’ politician who looked ‘like he’d been on … Read more