A superfit football fan has traveled to South Africa for the World Cup -- after cycling, swimming and running all the way from Cirencester.

Rob Forbes set off on the mammoth 11,800-mile journey last October and has just arrived ready to watch England play.

The freelance ecologist and Spurs fan says he took on the challenge - the world's longest triathlon - to raise money for a charity which ships secondhand bikes to Africa.

He cycled through Europe before swimming the Strait of Gibraltar and then competing in a 56 mile marathon this weekend… and to think we'll just be going to the pub to watch the games.

Speaking of his journey Rob said: "I've finally made it to the promised land of SA.

"Cycling every inch of the way, bar a bit of swimming, running & enforced boat rides, it’s been an incredible adventure and the excitement certainly isn't over yet…"

Rob says he hopes to raise £1 per km (£19,000) for Re-Cycle and has already got to almost £16,000.

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A British man who is the world's oldest football coach has retired after 70 years.

Ivor Powell - who has trained over 9,000 players in his lifetime - has finally retired from coaching players at the University of Bath at the age of 93.

Ivor - who was one of the finest players of his generation before turning to coaching - admitted he would continue to attend training sessions once day a week on a voluntary basis because football is "in his blood".

He said: "I've made so many close friends over the years. I just can't get enough and can't imagine my life without football... I'll still be putting on my boots to keep an eye on things.''

entertainment.stv.tv

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No wonder he looks like the world's most miserable fish... this unattractive creature, the inedible blobfish, is in danger of being wiped out.

These sad-looking creatures, which grow up to lengths of 12 inches, live at depths of 900m.

They spend most of their time gently floating around waiting for food to pass in front of them, which sounds like quite a nice life to us!

Because they live so far from the sea surface they're not often seen by humans.

However, increasing levels of deep-sea fishing in Australia and Tasmania for crab and lobster mean that the sulky sea-dwellers are being dragged up with other catches in increasing numbers.

These gelatinous masses may not be much to look at, but the world would be a less interesting place without them, probably, so let's hope the Australians don't kill them off.

metro.co.uk

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Ardi Rizal is aged just two - but the toddler has already developed a 40-cigarettes-a-day smoking habit after his father let him smoke when he was just 18 months.

Ardi got his first taste for tobacco when his father Mohammed, a 30-year-old fishmonger, gave him a cigarette when he was a year and a half old - and now he throws tantrums if he can't doesn't get his 40 cigarettes a day.

Ardi, from Musi Banyuasin in Sumatra, Indonesia, will smoke only one brand and his habit costs his parents £3.78 a day - in a province where the minimum wage is around £69 a month.

The two-year-old now weighs 4 stone, and trundles round on a toy truck blowing smoke rings as he is too unfit to run with the other children.

His 26-year-old mother Diana, who has been trying to get him to quit but with little success, said: 'He's totally addicted. If he doesn't get cigarettes, he gets angry and screams and batters his head against the wall. He tells me he feels dizzy and sick.'

Officials have offered to buy the family a car if he quits, but his father said: 'He looks pretty healthy to me. I don't see the problem.'

MIA

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When Google added an interactive game of Pac Man in place of their logo this weekend, most people assumed it was a harmless piece of fun.

But business experts now claim the game - there to celebrate 30 year of Pac Man - has cost businesses big in the number of hours of lost work.

It's said office workers around the world spent almost 5,000,000 hours playing the game on the Google shaped maze… mostly when they should have been working.

This means firms lost hours of potentially productive time and taking an average office salary of £17.50 per hour this equates to about £85m in lost productivity.

However it's not know if this is more or less time than is typically wasted checking Facebook pages -- anyway what are yo doing reading this, shouldn't you be working? A spokesperson for software firm Rescue Time said: "The average Google user spends only 4 and a half active minutes on Google search per day, spread over about 22 page views.

"That’s roughly 11 seconds of attention invested in each Google page view.

"This weekend, we took a hard look at Pac-Man D-Day and compared it with previous Fridays and found some noticeable differences. The average user spent 36 seconds MORE on Google.com on Friday."

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A video has been uncovered by film buffs which appears to show the worlds first ever mobile phone… all the way back in 1922.

Archivists at British Pathé say they stumbled on the silent film - titled 'Eve's Wireless' - in their archives, and could't believe what they saw.

The clip shows two well dressed women in New York carrying the hefty-looking device which they connect to a fire hydrant via a long cable.

An umbrella is then erected, which appears to act as an aerial, and the pair to use the phone to make a call.

They are then shown chatting to an operator who then plays a gramophone record for them… kind of like a rudimentary Spotify.

Mark Harris of British Pathe said: "Its amazing that nearly 90 years ago mobile phone technology and music on the move was not only being thought of but being trialled.

"One of our researchers came across the clip and we were amazed that the idea was so old, we are used to budding technologies appearing in the 1950s and 60s but this is four years before television was first demonstrated.

"The phone even has a lid which makes it the first flip-phone we are aware of, although it is probably not going to win any design awards."

The film is still something of a mystery to British Pathe as there are limited notes with the canister, and they are appealing for anyone with more information to contact them.

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An army of frogs forced the closure of a key northern highway in Greece for two hours.

Giorgos Thanoglou, the Thessaloniki traffic police chief, said "millions" of the amphibians covered the tarmac on Wednesday near the town of Langadas, some 12 miles east of Thessaloniki.

"There was a carpet of frogs," he said.

Authorities closed the highway after three car drivers skidded off the road trying to dodge the frogs. No human injuries were reported.

Thanoglou said the amphibians probably left a nearby lake to look for food.

telegraph.co.uk

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Giant billboards for a clothing shop featuring Adolf Hitler dressed in bright pink has provoked outrage in Italy.

The 18ft posters were put up in the city of Palermo in Sicily, with the caption: "Change your style. Don't follow your leader".

The swastika on Hitler's armband has been replaced by a love heart, reports the BBC.

But the local association of wartime resistance fighters said the adverts were offensive to those who had fought fascism.

Second World War resistance fighters wrote to the mayor demanding their immediate withdrawal.

A spokesman said that the posters violated democratic principles.

The advertising agency behind the posters told Italian media the aim was to ridicule Hitler, not minimise his crimes.

"We have ridiculed Hitler in a way that invites young people to create their own style and not to be influenced by their peers," said the agency's Daniele Manno.

Locals will have to brace themselves for a fresh affront - the company is planning a new poster campaign featuring Mao Tse Tung.

orange.co.uk

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A mobile phone company has suspended the number 0888 888 888 – after every single person assigned to it died in the last 10 years.

The first owner Vladimir Grashnov – the former CEO of Bulgarian mobile phone company Mobitel which issued the number – died of cancer in 2001 aged just 48.

Despite a spotless business record there were persistent rumours that his cancer had been caused by a business rival using radioactive poisoning.

The number then passed to Bulgarian mafia boss, Konstantin Dimitrov, who was gunned down in 2003 by a lone assassin in the Netherlands during a trip to inspect his £500 million drug smuggling empire.

Dimitrov, who died aged 31, had the mobile with him when he was shot while eating out with a model.

Russian mafia bosses – jealous of his drug smuggling operation – were said to have been behind the killing.

The phone number then passed to Konstantin Dishliev, a crooked businessman, who was gunned down outside an Indian restaurant in Bulgaria's capital Sofia after taking over the jinxed line.

Dishliev, an estate agent, had secretly been running a massive cocaine trafficking operation before his assassination in 2005.

He died after £130 million of the drug was intercepted by police on its way into the country from Colombia.

Since then, the number is understood to have been dormant while police maintained an open file on Dishliev's killing and his smuggling ring.

Now phone bosses are said to have suspended the number for good. Callers now get a recorded message saying the phone is "outside network coverage."

A Mobitel spokesman would only say: "We have no comment to make. We won't discuss individual numbers."

telegraph.co.uk

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A doctor who has delivered 18,000 babies over a career spanning more than 60 years is still practising at 100 years old.

Dr Walter Watson, nicknamed "Papa Doc", has been present at the births of generations spanning from grandparents down to grandchildren during his 63 years as an obstetrician.

The doctor from Augusta, Georgia, USA is thought to be the oldest practising medic in the world.

Among his patients is Sabra Allen, 77, who he has treated for 59 years. He has delivered 17 members of her family.

“He delivered all five of my kids and twelve of the grandkids,” said Mrs Allen, a retired hospital administrator.

“There ain’t no one like him, he’s the best.”

Dr. Watson, who still goes to work every day, said: “There is nothing quite as amazing at witnessing the miracle of life.

“Trouble is I remember the births with complications more vividly than the ones that went perfectly. Once you’ve done several thousand they start blending in together.”

Dr. Watson qualified at the brink of the Second World War but served in Korea until 1947.

When the war ended he returned to Georgia, his wife of 65 years Audrey and the practice of medicine.

Dr Watson turned 100 on February 25.

“I get up at 6.45, have my breakfast and get to the hospital by 8.30,” he said.

“I stopped delivering babies when my eyesight got bad but I do my rounds at the nursing stations and operating rooms just like I’ve always done.”

The women’s centre at University Hospital in Augusta, Georgia, bears Dr Watson's name and there is a bronze statue of him holding a newborn baby.

Dr Watson also delivered his colleague at the hospital, Dr Michel McDonough, who is young enough to be his grandson.

Dr. McDonough said: “His work ethic is unsurpassed by anybody.

“He was around before beepers – back then you were either at the hospital, at home or at church.”

Dr. Watson says he has no plans for retirement despite suffering from minor arthritis and diminished eyesight and hearing.

“I love medicine and I love having contact with people," he said.

“It gives me a reason to crawl out of bed in the mornings.”

According to records Dr Watson is the oldest practising doctor.

The previous record holder was Dr. Leila Denmark, also of Georgia, who practised until she turned 102 in 2000.

telegraph.co.uk

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A fisherman in China was surprised to catch a mystery creature which looked like a cross between a dinosaur and a turtle.

Sun Yongcheng's catch, in Weishan Lake, Anhui province, was later identified as an alligator snapping turtle, which is not native to the country.

The species is only native to North America and was probably someone's pet before being dumped in the lake, the local fishing department said.

The creature's alien status meant that it could have posed a danger to the local ecological system, they added.

Sun said he was surprised when he netted the alligator turtle, which measures 76cm long and 30cm wide and weighs 7kg.

He said: "I suddenly noticed a black thing was hooked on the net, which scared me. It was struggling and biting the net when I pulled it up."

The spokesman for the Jining Fishing Bureau said this was the first time an alligator snapping turtle had been found in the local water system.

He said: "Somebody may have dumped their pet into the lake, which could greatly endanger the local ecology."

orange.co.uk

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British adventurer Lewis Gordon Pugh has become the first person to swim under the summit of Mount Everest.

Pugh crossed the 1km Pumori glacial lake, which sits at an altitude of 5,300 metres next to the Khumbu Glacier in a time of just 22 mins and 51 seconds.

He undertook the record-breaking swim in a bid to draw attention to the melting of the glaciers in the Himalayas and declining water supplies in the region.

Despite the water being a chilly 2 degrees he wore just a pair of Speedo swimming trunks, a cap and goggles… and the look of someone crazy enough to have carried a boat up Everest.

It had taken Pugh and his team two weeks of trekking to get to the lake where Pugh said: "It was one of the hardest swims I've ever undertaken.

"Because of the altitude you need to swim very slowly and deliberately. Swimming 20 metres at full speed in the test swim, I felt I was going to drown.

"I was gasping for air and if I had swum any faster I would have gone under. I was deeply concerned that I wouldn't make 1km and I'm delighted that I've finally achieved it."

newslite.tv

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An inhaler that allows chocoholics to submit to their cravings without putting on weight is to be released in British stores.

Le Whif, dubbed the world's first breathable food, lets consumers suck in the taste of chocolate or coffee while taking on less than one calorie.

The lipstick-style tube contains hundreds of milligrams of tiny food particles which are small enough to become airborne, but too large to enter the lungs.

Each Le Whif contains enough flavour for about eight to ten puffs and costs £1.99 on its own, or £4.99 for a pack of three.

The inhaler is available in chocolate, raspberry chocolate and mint chocolate models as well as coffee flavour, which gives a dose of caffeine equivalent to a small shot of espresso.

It was invented by David Edwards, professor of biomedical engineering at Harvard University, with the help of Michelin-rated chef Thierry Marx.

Prof Edwards said Le Whif was not designed to replace food but could be used to enhance dining experiences, by allowing people to sample a variety of dishes before ordering their meal.

He said: "In terms of living off whiffing I think we are not even close to being there.

"But there clearly has been a revolution over the last few years where we are eating smaller amounts of food more frequently, and choosing food for its aesthetic pleasure."

In Britain Le Whif is to be sold exclusively in House of Fraser for a month, after which it could become more widely distributed. The product was released in Paris last year.

orange.co.uk

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Police have unveiled their latest weapon in the fight against crime - a pedal-powered patrol car complete with siren and blue flashing light.

Officers believe building their new five-gear vehicle, which has a top a speed of 20mph, will help them combat anti-social behaviour.

The battery-assisted car has full Hampshire Constabulary livery - and a roll bar to protect the driver in the event of a crash.

PC Keith Waller spent 40 hours painstakingly building the car with children at Ringwood Comprehensive School.

"People have made comparisons between me and Mr Plod from Noddy but I take it all in good spirits," he said. "It's just a bit of a laugh.

"Getting youngsters involved gives them something to focus on at lunch and after school so they are not out there committing anti-social behaviour.

"I have been able to reach out to the students and make the police more approachable. It makes me look cooler, we all have fun and the children can come and talk to me."

PC Waller will race his mean machine in the British Pedal Car Grand Prix in Ringwood on July 11.

"I'm looking forward to it but do not expect to win - I'm no Lewis Hamilton," he added.

orange.co.uk

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After being revealed yesterday, the London 2012 Olympic mascots Wenlock and Mandeville have faced harsh criticism online.

Olympic organisers say the odd-looking one-eyed creatures represent the UK's rich Olympic history, but not too many people seem to be picking up on that.

Instead people have described the pair as "partly blinded Teletubbies" and "the worst mascots ever" -- and that's before getting onto ones which pick up on the phallic design.

It's said the idea for the characters came from two drops of molten steel dropped while making the last girder for London's Olympic Stadium.

They're designed to be interactive (whatever that means) and even have their own Twitter pages -- so at least you know where to direct you insults.

Speaking of Wenlock and Mandeville, Seb Coe commented: "We've created our mascots for children. They will connect young people with sport and tell the story of our proud Olympic and Paralympic history.

"By linking young people to the values of sport, Wenlock and Mandeville will help inspire kids to strive to be the best they can be."

Wenlock’s name is inspired by the Shropshire village of Much Wenlock, which helped inspire the founder of the modern Olympic movement, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, to create the Olympic Games.

Mandeville's name is inspired by Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire. The Stoke Mandeville Games, widely recognised as a forerunner of the modern Paralympic movement, were first held at the hospital there.

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Footage of men performing the miracle of walking on water has become a huge internet hit – but is not the biblical-style event it seems.

The video shows Ulf Gartner and two friends sprinting on the surface of a lake but it is more an advertisement for shoes than a revelation.

The film has had more than 3million hits on YouTube, with many viewers saying it is a publicity stunt and an advertisement for the footwear worn by the three runners.

In the video, Mr Gartner, Sebastian Vanderwerf and Miguel Delfortrie are seen taking up to nine or ten fast strides on their tiptoes before buckling into the water.

Mr Gartner, 37, told Metro: ‘All throughout history people have been sceptical about progress.

‘Copernicus tried to convince people the Earth was round. Not everyone believed Neil Armstrong stepped on the Moon.’

The trick was a ‘sewing machine’ – a skimming motion after a curved run-up, he added.

The trio came up with the idea of walking on water after getting ‘bored’ with extreme sports, said Mr Gartner. ‘We decided to chase after that epic goal and do what people have tried to do for centuries.

‘After seeing a lizard doing it, we realised we would find a way. It was an amazing experience – like nothing you have ever done before. ‘

However, he admitted the footage was ‘great publicity’ for shoe manufacturer Hi-Tec, which seems to use the video to promote a new brand of waterproof footwear.

The company said: ‘Hi-Tec Poland was contacted by these guys and has supplied a few pairs of shoes and some apparel as “sponsorship” for their crazy new sport.’ It added: ‘We do not recommend anyone to try walking on a liquid surface.’

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A US firm has started taking reservations from apocalypse scaredy-cats who want to book their place in a luxury nuclear bomb-proof bunker.

Those fearing an impending doomsday are said to be paying £35,000 each to guarantee a spot in one of 20 underground structures which are being built across America.

Bunker-makers Vivos claim each bunker will allow residents to survive for at least 12 months in the event of a pole shift, super volcano eruptions, asteroids, tsunamis or a nuclear attack.

Each of the bunkers features 'luxury' surroundings including a gym, atrium and living quarters with computers, kitchens and TVs… let's just hope they haven't only stocked up on post apocalyptic movies.

The bunkers are due to be ready by 2012 in case Mayan predictions of an impending doomsday are correct and there will be a total of 4,000 places up for grabs.

A spokesperson for Vivos said: "The Vivos complexes will be deep underground, airtight, fully self-contained shelters designed to survive virtually any catastrophe.

"Each self contained shelter complex will comfortably accommodate a community of 172 - 200 people, in spacious quarters, for up to 1 year of autonomous survival to ride out the potential events."

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A famous ghost picture mystery has been resolved after 15 years – thanks to an eagle-eyed pensioner.

A photograph that apparently showed a schoolgirl standing in an inferno was actually combined with an image from an old postcard.

The ghostly snap was taken by amateur photographer Tony O'Rahilly, who caught a 1995 blaze that destroyed Wem Town Hall in Shropshire on camera.

Then he set about fooling the world.

After he developed the film he claimed that his camera had picked up the ghost of a young girl standing in the fire.

She became known as the 'Wem Ghost' and the image circulated the world.

Locals were convinced that it was the wraith of 14-year-old Jane Churm who set the town hall on fire by accident in 1677.

Mr O'Rahilly died in 2005 and had always insisted that his photograph was genuine.

However, 77-year-old Brian Lear spotted a postcard printed in the Shropshire Star's Pictures from the Past section that shows a street view of Wem in 1922 – and a little girl standing in the doorway of a shop who bears an uncanny resemblance to the so-called Wem Ghost.

Mr Lear said: ''It is interesting to compare the two pictures.

''I was intrigued to find that she bore a striking likeness to the little girl featured as the Wem ghost.

''Her dress and headgear appear to be identical.''

So it appears that the mystery has been solved once and for all.

However, Mr Lear's eye for detail could cost the town dear – it's been marketed as a 'ghost town' and attracts hundreds of tourists every year who are fascinated its supernatural heritage.

But on the plus side, the town will seem a lot less spooky for its residents…

metro.co.uk

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Archaeologists at a dig site in Mexico found a 2,700 year-old tomb. According to Associated Press, this may be the oldest tomb found in Mexico to date. It was in Chiapa de Coro.

Reports say the man died around 50-years-old. Archeologists at said it was likely the tomb was from 500-700 B.C and because of how he was dressed, he was likely a priest or ruler of Chiapa de Coro. The man was buried with ancient artifacts such as ceramic vessels, pyrite objects, and jade collars.

The tomb in itself was unusual due to its wooden construction. It's being considered as one of the oldest pyramid tombs discovered in the Americas. Two skeletons have been found and it is believed that they were at the top of society in Chiapa de Coro.

Next to the body of the male inside the tomb was that of a 1-year-old child. The New York Times learned that the child could have indeed been a human sacrifice for the deceased "ruler" or "priest". Pyramids are not uncommon in the Americas, contrary to popular belief, when compared to Africa the Americas had many more pyramids.

postchronicle.com

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It takes some freaky luck to end up in a swimming pool - or midway up the side of a house. Check out these very weird accidents.

Car Vs Side of Building

This Fiat Uno taxi in Tunisia ended up in the most remarkable position of being wedged part way up a building after the driver hit a bump and took off. Let's hope that he didn't charge the full fare.

Plane Vs SUV


This light aircraft crashed head-on into an SUV shortly after taking off from an airport in Johannesburg, South Africa. There were three people in the people carrier and two in the plane and, amazingly, they all survived.

Car Vs Swimming Pool

This is one way to make an entrance at a pool party! The driver left his car in neutral and it rolled right into the water, leaving the party-goers at this Florianopolis bash in Brazil with a major cleaning-up headache.

Lorry Vs Other Lorry

The driver of this truck in America fell asleep at the wheel and woke up to a complete nightmare.

Car Vs Other Car

Believe it or not, this isn't clever photoshopping. This freaky accident actually happened in Beaverton, Oregon. It happened after the driver of the car on top rammed the car beneath, sent it into the ditch, where it flipped over, with the other car landing on top. Cosy.

metro.co.uk

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A Japanese man was arrested for throwing thousands of pounds onto the motorway.

The 49-year-old man was found flinging stacks of 10,000 yen notes - each worth an estimated $105 - from a tollbooth in the Aichi region, and has been detained in custody while police investigate the incident.

More than $30,000 worth of Japanese notes were handed into the authorities or recovered by police in the area, but police fear much may have been stolen as the man claims he had at least $75,000 in his pockets.

It is not yet known why the man, who had earlier abandoned his car in a lay by, had tried to dispose of his money.

entertainment.stv.tv

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The bride wore white, the groom was in a tuxedo and the wedding officiant was bolted to her chair.

A humanoid robot married a Japanese couple on Sunday. The robot's manufacturer says it was the first wedding ceremony performed by a robot.

I-Fairy, a 4-foot-3 robot from Japanese company Kokoro, pronounced Tomohiro Shibata and Satoko Inoue husband and wife at a rooftop ceremony at a Tokyo hotel.

The white and grey plastic robot is human-shaped and performed the ceremony in Japanese in a soft female voice. The I-Fairy wore a wreath of white flowers on her head and her LED eyes flashed green, blue and purple as she spoke.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds posed for photographs with the I-Fairy, the bride and groom each holding a robotic hand.

The bride, Satoko Inoue, works at Kokoro. She told the Associated Press that being married by a robot was "a lot of fun."

"I think the Japanese have a strong sense that robots are our friends," she said. "Those in the robot industry mostly understand this, but people mainly want robots near them that serve some purpose." Her husband, Tomohiro Shibata, said it would have been nice if the robot was "a bit more clever." Kokoro (the name means "spirit" or "heart" in Japanese) began building large-scale moveable dinosaur robots in 1984, and has since moved on to develop humanoid robots.

The company's mission is to "build robots which can live and coexist with us human beings, entertaining and communicating with us."

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Bananas may be one of the most recognisable fruits but this particular one might make a person think they were seeing double.

The fruit was among a batch destined for participants in the World Cancer Research Fund's (WCRF) Beat the Banana! fun run in London's Hyde Park.

It was discovered just a day before the charity dash last Thursday.

Teresa Nightingale, general manager for WCRF, said: "We've been doing fruit giveaways as part of our Fruity Friday campaign for some years now, but no one here has ever seen anything like this before.

"If I had not seen it with my own eyes I would probably have thought it was a joke - I'd love to know whether anyone else has ever seen anything like this or has any idea of how rare this is.

"It just seems such an amazing coincidence that we discovered our 'double banana' the day before our Beat the Banana! fun run. I think it's this banana that will take some beating."

The bananas were donated by Dole Fresh UK, which sponsored the annual Fruity Friday event, designed to raise awareness about the importance of eating fruit and vegetables.

telegraph.co.uk

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Prahlad Jani, an 82 year Indian yogi is used to living with empty stomach. He claims that he receives his energy from space.

At first medics thought him to be a swindler, but when they examined him they were of a different opinion. The unique yogi was placed in a hospital for observation. The first results shocked scientists and now they are trying to find out if other people can be taught to live without food and water.

Prahlad Jani says he has been living without food and water for over 70 years. He said that when he was eight he was homeless and lived in a cave near a Hindu temple where he was allegedly visited by an Indian goddess. She felt sorry for the child and bestowed these wonderful capabilities on him. Since then all he needs to survive is a drop or two of magic nectar sent to him by a goddess every day. The nectar penetrates his body through a special channel on the roof of his mouth. Scientists have no comments about it.

The unique yogi has been in complete isolation in the hospital for a week already and he is observed 24/7 with specially installed cameras. He has not been eating or drinking for the entire week. Every day doctors examine him trying to find signs of weakness or dehydration, but to no avail. They found that his brain cells are at the level of a 25-year old person, and his body is strong and young.

The doctors say they are dealing with a biological miracle because within 108 hours in the hospital he has not eaten or drunk and has not used a restroom even once. This raises complex questions . A human being can live without water and food up to 12 days. There were cases when people lived without food for 16 and even 30 days, but they drank water on the 8th day.

Jani is studied by 35 doctors. They say that yoga practice caused biological changes in his body. He explains it with the “life energy” given to him by the Indian goddess. This “energy” is especially interesting for military doctors.

The doctors are hoping this case will help them to research the ways of survival in extreme conditions without food or water. They believe it could be a real breakthrough in their attempts to send piloted spacecrafts to Mars. The unique patient will be examined for two more weeks. It will take the scientists another two months to meticulously study the results. Only then it will be obvious whether this is a coax or sensation.

pravda.ru

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Eighty six-year old veteran Ivan Nikulin from Chita is lively and full of energy.

He goes to get groceries by himself, cleans his house and gets the table ready for guests who come for a visit on his biggest holiday, Victory Day.

On this day he usually remembers his bitter story. Sixty six years ago a fascists’ bullet that nearly took his life got stuck in his head.

Ivan Nikulin was 18 in 1942 when he began fighting in a war as an intelligence officer. The military service ended for him in Warsaw, in September of 1944.

“It was my last, very complicated task. Together with 17 other soldiers I got into the enemy’s headquarters. We killed two German generals and thought we had a successful mission. Suddenly, a third general appeared. To this day I don’t know how I failed to notice him . He raised his hand with a gun and put it next to my temple. It got dark. I was falling into the emptiness; it was cool, quiet and light… At that moment I did not want to come back to the war,” the veteran remembers.

He opened his eyes 20 days later in a Moscow hospital. A nurse told him that his friends brought him back from the German headquarters and then he was delivered from Poland to Moscow on a train.

“The bullet got stuck in the brain. If the shot was made from a greater distance, it would have gone through,” doctors explained.

First they wanted to operate, but closer examination of the X-rays showed it was too dangerous.

It is hard to imagine that a person with a wound like this could survive. The commanders of his division could not believe it either and sent a death note to his family. When he was treated and sent to his hometown his parents cried for a few hours: “Go away, our son is dead!”

Then they acknowledged it was him, and cried for a long time over his bad injuries. He was wounded in the head, and his left arm and leg were partially paralyzed.

Ivan was provided disability benefits and for a while he forgot about his complex injury. A few years ago his wounds reminded of themselves, and his arm and leg stopped functioning. He was recommended to go through a series of tests. Yet, the hospital he came to for help refused him. Doctors looked at his medical history and stated: “People don’t live with wounds like this!” Ivan replied “But I am a human! And I am alive!”

The veteran had to visit doctors for a week to stand up for himself. Finally, his information was sent to Chita Medical Academy, where a doctor allowed him to get tested. The results of his tests revealed that the bullet was indeed stuck in his head. It was a rare case, but people do survive such injuries. Nikulin is still offended thinking about the story.

“ The war got literally stuck in my head . I am used to not paying attention to the throbbing pain. But it’s so painful when now, in peaceful times, I have to prove that I fought in the war and stayed alive despite the bullet in my head.”

pravda.ru

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An Australian boffin has spotted an error in the Oxford English Dictionary which has gone unnoticed for 99 years.

While researching an article, Dr Stephen Hughes, from the University of Technology in Brisbane, noticed the definition for the word "siphon" was wrong.

The physics lecturer saw the famous dictionary stated it's atmospheric pressure makes siphons work, when (as we all know) it's the force of gravity.

Hughes says he was shocked to have spotted the error and quickly fired off a letter to OED to point out the mistake.

A spokesperson for the Oxford English Dictionary said the error was introduced in 1911 but it would be fixed in the next edition… they also said Dr Hughes's letter was perfectly written.

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Hollywood actress Ruth Ford has left her entire £5.6m fortune to her Nepalese butler - cutting her family out of any inheritance.

Mrs Ford, who died last year at 98, owned two homes in New York's Dakota Building and they now belong to Indra Tamang, who was raised in a mud house in rural Nepal.

He has spent the past three decades working as a loyal servant for the Ford family.

In her will, the actress, model and wife of film star Zachary Scott left her estate, which included the two flats and her valuable collection of Russian surrealist art, to Mr Tamang.

Her clothes and some jewellery were the only things kept back.

Mrs Ford barely spoke to her estranged daughter Shelley Scott and both she and the star's two grandchildren were written out of her will.

Mrs Scott challenged it in court and received a modest settlement.

Mr Tamang, 57, cooked, cleaned and cared for Mrs Ford's brother, writer Charles Henri Ford, until his death and then did the same for her.

He lived with his own wife and three daughters in a small house in a modest part of Queens.

Mr Tamang said he was "grateful, honoured and humbled" by Mrs Ford's generosity, according to the Telegraph.

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A rare 12-foot long Giant Oarfish - the world's largest bony fish, also known as the 'king of herring' - has been found off the coast of Sweden for the first time in 130 years.

The dead fish was spotted in Bovallstrand on Sweden's west coast by 73-year-old resident Kurt Ove Eriksson, who found it floating near the shore on Saturday.

'It was very long and shiny,' Eriksson told The Associated Press on Wednesday. 'It also had whiskers, even though it looked like they had been broken off. And a strange light-pink dorsal fin.'

It was handed over to The House of the Sea aquarium in the town of Lysekil, where expert Roger Jansson says it's being kept pending a decision on what to do with it.

Johansson said on Wednesday the Giant Oarfish can grow up to 36 feet (11 meters), and is believed to live in deep waters. He says the last recorded discovery in Sweden was in 1879.

'I've been fishing around here since 1957 and I've never seen anything like it,' said Eriksson. 'But I've seen enough fish to know that it was a deep-water fish.'

Sightings of the Giant Oarfish are believed to have inspired tales of sea serpents.

metro.co.uk

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A group of "desperate and starving" islanders have been rescued by a British sailor on his way to Australia.

Alex Bond, from Penryn, Cornwall, docked his 33ft yacht Mary Powell on Kanton Island - a tiny atoll between Hawaii and Fiji - for a rest.

But he soon discovered the atoll was home to 14 adults and 10 children, who had been without supplies for months because the ship due to deliver them had got stuck.

The families had been surviving on coconuts and fish and were desperately low on water.

So Mr Bond shared everything he could spare with the islanders.

The skipper - who is a fundraiser and supporter of the ShelterBox charity based in Cornwall - contacted Falmouth Coastguard for help and they, in turn, called their American counterparts and the Honolulu authorities to arrange for a fresh boat-load of supplies.

"When the British sailor arrived, he was met by the desperate and starving islanders who had not been delivered any supplies for months," explained the Falmouth coastguard.

"The supply ship which should have brought them provisions was stuck at a nearby island. They had been living off just coconuts and any fish that they could catch for months."

The coastguard told Sky News Online there was no way of knowing who would have found the starving population, had Mr Bond not decided stop off.

Richard Williams, Falmouth's watch assistant said: "The British sailor has given the islanders all the supplies that he can spare from his 33ft yacht.

"We are now working with the Americans to drop supplies or land on the island. As the island was used by the Americans and the British during the war it does have a runway.

"We don't normally get requests like these, but hopefully we will be able to help the islanders to get the supplies that they need.

"So far, we have been given a shopping list of provisions such as cooking fat, rice, sugar and flour which we have passed on to the Americans."

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A newly-married couple have won a six-month job which will see them touring some of the world's best destinations, and getting paid for it.

Mark and Denise Duffield-Thomas have scooped the 'Ultimate Job' of testing honeymoon holidays for website RunAwayBrideandGroom.com.

They will now spend six months in luxurious surroundings and even get £18,000 for their 'troubles' - they start off by jetting to Zanzibar.

Next up will be a trip to Mauritius and a private escorted safari in Kenya and all they have to do is report back with their impressions of the various breaks.

Gruelling 'duties' will include sunbathing on beaches, swimming in infinity pools and sipping champagne… all while you are sitting in front of that computer.

"We have had the most amazing weekend in Kinsale and we hope to make you all proud as ambassadors for Ireland around the globe in the next six months," said Mark who underwent several interviews and challenges to get the job.

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A woman in New Zealand reportedly found a piece of fruit with a demonic face carved on it when she opened a can of budget pear halves.

Wendy McMahon bought the tinned fruit from Invercargill Pak'N Sav and discovered the unusual halved pear on May 1, The Southland Times reports.

McMahon said: "I thought, 'Oh my God, is that a face'... it really kind of shocked me."

She later called an 0800 number on the tin and left a message before posting photographs of the pear on the TV3, Facebook and Trade Me.

When her call was returned by Safeway Traders Ltd in Auckland, McMahon claimed that the company denied the carving was possible due to its automated manufacturing process and became angry that she had "gone public" with the images.

However, she received a letter last Thursday containing NZ$15 (£7.25) before being asked to send back the pear for investigation by manufacturer Heinz-Wattie. The following day the company conceded that the pear could have been carved during manual quality control checks and offered her NZ$30, which she refused.

"I said that wasn't good enough, then she turned on me and got nasty again," McMahon said. "She said 'You're just after money aren't you?' - I asked her to send the pear back."

digitalspy.co.uk

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Around a third of British adults have suffered an injury while having sex or afterwards, a new survey has revealed.

The questionnaire from mobile phone recycling firm PhonePiggyBank suggests that 18 million people have hurt themselves having sex, with four in ten also claiming to have broken a household item in the act.

Sofas were deemed to be the most dangerous locations for sex, followed by stairs, cars, showers and the bedroom. The top ten of risky sex sites was made up by chairs, kitchen tables, the garden, toilets and work cupboards.

A company spokesman said: "'Sex is a risky business these days. There are numerous hazards in and around the home which can inflict severe injuries if people aren't careful.

"We were amazed to find out that even the bedroom can prove a hazardous location for certain people. Our advice would be to remove any dangerous objects well before you plan to start making love and take care while in the act."

Most common injuries during sex were as follows:

1. Pulled muscle

2. Injured back

3. Carpet burns

4. Cricked neck

5. Bashing elbows / knees

6. Bruised shoulder

7. Twisted knee

8. Sprained / strained wrist

9. Sprained / strained ankle

10. Bending fingers back

digitalspy.co.uk

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The word Meteora means literally 'hovering in the air' and of course brings to mind the word meteor. What created this rare geological phenomenon is one of the mysteries of nature and there are many theories though they remain theories and none have been proven.

But as amazing a marvel of nature as these giant rocks are the buildings on the top of these are a marvel of man and seem just as miraculous and make Meteora one of the most spectacular places to visit in Greece.

The area of Meteora was originally settled by monks who lived in caves within the rocks during the 11th Century. But as the times became more unsure during an age of Turkish occupation, brigandry and lawlessness, they climbed higher and higher up the rock face until they were living on the inaccessable peaks where they were able to build by bringing material and people up with ladders and baskets and build the first monasteries. This was also how the monasteries were reached until the nineteen twenties and now there are roads, pathways and steps to the top.

The two closest villages to Meteora are Kalambaka and Kastraki and these are where most people stay. The name Kalambaka comes from the Turkish word Kalembak which means beautiful fortress. The village of Kastraki in the shade of the rocks of Meteora is a popular destination for the rock climbers who can walk out the door of their hotel and be climbing in a few minutes.

-Agia Triada or Holy Trinity was founded in the 15th century and was the monastery used for the James Bond film "For Your Eyes Only";

-Varlaam Monastery was founded in 1517;

-Roussanou Monastery was founded in 1545;

-Monastery of Agios Nikolaos Anapafsas was built in the 16th century;

-Megalo Meteoro or Metamorphisis, the first church of the Transfiguration is the best known of the Monasteries and is built upon the highest rock;

-Agios Stefanos is the only convent in Meteora and has an unimpeded view of the plain towards Kalambaka;

wikipedia

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