Man who claims to have the world’s oldest cat celebrates her 30th birthday
A man who claims to have the world’s oldest cat says she has just celebrated her 30th birthday – complete with a cake with her face on.
Leslie Greenhough, 70, believes his tortoiseshell moggy, Millie, who was born in 1995, is currently the oldest living feline.
The moggy was first owned by Leslie’s late wife, Paula, 55, who first got Millie in 1995 – when the kitten was three months old.
Leslie said the cat’s long life is down to “lots of treats” including “cuddles on the sofa” and Buxton water.
And to celebrate three decades, Leslie decided to a get a cake made with her face on complete with 30 candles.
A big fan of attention, Millie starts her day “messing” about with Leslie before jumping up onto his knee to sit on the back of the sofa in the sun.
Leslie, a former storekeeper, from Stockport, said: “It was a fantastic day, it is such an achievement that she has turned 30.
“I had a birthday cake made with her face on. It was such a hot day she was licking all the cream off.
“My life ambition is to get her in the Guinness Book of records, but I can’t prove her age.
“The only person who can do that is my late wife who sadly died five years ago.”
Leslie met his wife on plenty on the dating site Plenty Of Fish in 2012, and he was introduced to Millie after he over heard her ‘meowing’ in the background of the calls.
The couple got engaged in 2013 on Valentine’s Day and married two years later in 2014.
Leslie had owned a cat once before as a child, named Blackie, but hadn’t had a pet in several decades, until meeting Millie.
He said: “Blackie used to follow me everywhere she was born in a paper mill and such a sweet thing.
“Millie was such a sweet cat when I first met her.
“Over the years Millie was bullied by other cats the her neighbourhood, so she stopped going out and became more of an indoor cat.
“She’s developed a cautious attitude – she’s very shy.
“I think that’s helped her live longer.”
Leslie’s wife Paula sadly passed away four years ago, in 2020, after contracting Covid-19.
His wife’s passing also affected Millie, who struggled to eat after losing her owner.
He said: “It was incredibly difficult on both of us.
“Millie and I had bonded before she died, she would sit on my lap and my wife said she could see how much the cat loved me.
“I think Millie knew my wife wasn’t well.
“Millie wouldn’t eat anything at first, I used to give her prawns and chicken, but over time she’s back to eating cat food.”
Now 30, Leslie credits Millie’s longevity to 12pm wake-up calls, Buxton water and a diet of prawn and salmon.
“She keeps herself to herself, she will wake up around dinner time and I will mess about her with for 30 minutes”, Leslie said
“She only drinks Buxton water and has a diet of salmon, prawns, chicken and tuna.
“Millie likes to do her own thing, I will find her either asleep behind the sofa or asleep in my bed.
“Sometimes she will play out in the garden – a cat is a cat really.”
Han Solo’s blaster set to fetch $2.5m at auction
Han Solo’s blaster from the original Star Wars film is up for auction.
Los Angeles-based Studio Auctions’ claim the prop weapon is the finest, complete version ever brought to market and could fetch at least $2.5m.
The company say the futuristic space gun was used by Harrison Ford’s character in 1977’s Episode IV – A New Hope.
Studio Auctions’ CEO, Brad Teplitsky said the blaster came from a consignor that contacted him after hearing him on a radio broadcast discussing a recently disqualified replica Han Solo blaster.
He explains: “I met the consignor with a little trepidation. I mean, we’d just done months of backflips trying to authenticate a blaster that didn’t pass muster and was proven to be just a very good replica.
“The upside was, we’d become intimately aware of many nuanced “tells” in knock-offs. So, examining this new blaster made it immediately clear that it exhibited none of those disqualifying hallmarks or features.”
“Once I saw the supporting paperwork and provenance, my heart leapt into my throat. So, we set about doing our diligence in authenticating the prop. The case supporting this blaster just grew and grew.”
The prop comes with “impeccable documentary provenance” and Studio Auctions says it has been authenticated by the person who designed it, Academy Award Winner, Roger Christian and by Jason Joyner, considered by many to be the foremost expert on Star Wars props.
The blaster was constructed using an actual antique German pistol, a 9mm Mauser C96, as the base.
Roger Christian said: “I have seen several purported Han Solo Blasters over the years which I could not authenticate. This is the first blaster I have seen that is consistent with the features of my original and with documentation to back it up which bears the serial number on this Mauser.”
Marc Wanamaker, Film Historian, Consultant to the Academy and 20th Century Studios, adds: “This is one of the most iconic props to come to auction in the last 10 years and should fetch at least $2.5m at auction.”
The sale is online from 10 May at Studio Auctions.
Thousands of DVDs dumped in charity’s skip – including several pirate copies
A charity shop was stunned when someone ‘donated’ – 2,500 DVDs.
Cornwall Hospice Care has urged people not to use their sites as a “dumping ground” – after the discs were left in its electrical goods skip.
The charity said the DVDs were left in outside its Bodmin in Cornwall donation centre in two separate incidents.
It said that many of the legitimate DVDs had become unsaleable as they had been rained on or were broken.
Volunteer and staff removed the items from the skip and put them in one of its waste bins that they pay to have emptied.
The charity’s Facebook post read: “This is unacceptable and it is illegal (as it is fly-tipping) and it is taking money directly from our hospice care.
”It’s possible the person doing this thinks that they are doing good and donating to us so we’d like to share this message in the hope it reaches them.
“You can only donate to our donation sites when they are open. Please do not use us as a dumping ground.”
The charity is running a campaign to encourage people to only donate items that they or a family member might buy.
It said about 40% of items handed in cannot be sold due to their quality, condition or for health and safety reasons.
It added a full list of what items it can accept and where and when people could donate them was available on its website.
Man flew to Prague for 15 hours – for the same price as a day trip to London
A man flew to Prague for 15 hours after snagging $45 round-trip flights – and says it cost the same as a theater trip to London.
Robbie Watson, 31, decided to take a day trip to the city after searching for cheap flights and places with sunny weather.
He found $45 round-trip flights and flew from London Luton Airport with Wizz Air – arriving in Prague at around 8:30 a.m.
Robbie spent the morning doing a self-guided walking tour of the city before booking a communism and nuclear bunker tour.
For lunch, he went to a railway restaurant – where food is delivered by a toy train – before heading back to the airport.
Robbie arrived back in the UK just before midnight and says the trip was a “no-brainer.”
Robbie, a chartered construction manager from Luton, said: “Paying less meant I had to get an earlier flight, but I could make the most of my day.
“When you can spend the same amount as you would in London to visit a new European city and do something out of the ordinary, it’s a no-brainer.”
Robbie has been an avid traveler for the last nine years and has done over 30 day trips.
In June 2024, he decided to take a day trip abroad to escape the miserable, rainy summer in search of some sun.
He picked Prague after finding cheap flights and seeing that good weather was forecast.
After arriving in the city center around 9 a.m. on June 8, 2024, Robbie walked around to take in the sights.
He said: “My favorite part of the trip was just wandering and having no set agenda.”
Robbie paid $9 to visit the Old Town Hall and take in the city views from the observation deck.
He said: “This was 100% worth it for the panoramic views over the rooftops.”
He spent the next two hours on a communism and nuclear bunker tour – which cost $31.
Robbie said: “It was something out of the ordinary, exciting, and different.”
He stopped for a late lunch at a restaurant where meals are served by model trains – costing him $29.
Robbie went back to the airport at 7 p.m. for his return flight, but it was delayed by an hour, and he finally arrived back in Luton just before midnight.
The whole day cost him $120 – which Robbie says is the same as a day trip into London for lunch and a theater show.
He said: “When I’ve spent a Saturday in London, it would look like this: Train ticket: $25, parking at the station: $6, theater ticket: $63, lunch: $25.”
Robbie is hoping to do a day trip to Switzerland next with a group from a Facebook community dedicated to extreme day trips.
He said: “For people with less confidence in traveling, it’s really great because you can see what others are doing.”
“My favorite part of the trip was just wandering and having no set agenda.”
Breakdown of day trip to Prague:
- Round-trip flights – $45
- Day ticket for public transport – $5.50
- Old Town Hall – $9
- Nuclear bunker tour – $31
- Late lunch – $29
- Total cost – $120
Robbie’s tips for scoring the best value day trips:
- Book directly with low-cost airlines for the best fares
- Travel during off-peak times – such as January, March, May, September, and November
- Join free walking tours
- Eat like a local
Follow Robbie on Instagram @robbiewatson.
Mum’s shock as daughter’s condition is so rare doctors had never heard of it
A mum-of-three has spoken out about her shock after her daughter was diagnosed with an ultra rare genetic disease which only affects hundreds worldwide.
Florence Violet, aged just six months, was diagnosed with CHAMP1 in spring last year after her mum noticed she wasn’t reaching milestones, such as sitting up and babbling, as quickly as her two older sisters.
The disease is so rare that none of the doctors at St Luke’s Hospital, Bradford, West Yorks., had even heard of it after the young tot was diagnosed.
Mum Farrah Taylor, 36, said GPs originally put down the developmental delays to the fact Florence, now aged 16 months, had been born a month early.
She said: “I’ve had three children and I just knew that there was something not quite right, we had a lot of hospital admissions, she was poorly quite a bit.
“Every time I went to the GP or I’d take her to the hospital I’d get told the same thing ‘oh, she was born early.”
But the persistent mum trusted her instincts and didn’t back down.
After looking up baby Florence’s symptoms online a hospital doctor agreed to carry out genetic testing, which came back with the diagnosis.
The mum-of-three, who has given up her admin job to take Florence to her appointments, continued: “When we got the initial phone call from her doctor at the time, she rang me and she told me.
“I was so upset, and she said ‘calm down, we don’t know anything quite yet’.
“When we went to see her she explained that she’d never heard of it and none of her colleagues in hospital had heard of it.
“She said she reached out to people who she trained with in university and people she’s worked with in the past and nobody’s actually heard of it.
“That was the first red flag, being so scared – it’s the unknown that’s scary.”
According to the CHAMP1 UK charity, the disease affects roughly 1 in ever 52 million people, with around 170 documented diagnoses worldwide.
The problem comes from a mutation in the CHAMP1 gene, important for maintaining DNA and brain development, and can cause cognitive problems, physical disabilities, and other issues.
Mum Farrah says tests show neither she nor dad Jonathan Priestley, 36, carry the mutation.
Farrah said: “It was scary when we found out, I think it was more frustrating at first trying to get somebody to actually listen, instead of just saying ‘oh it’s because she’s premature’.
“It were more frustrating at first until we got the answers, and then it went from frustration to being very scared and upset.”
Now, 10 months on, the family is counting themselves lucky whenever young Florence reaches a milestone.
Farrah said: “She’s so smiley, she’s so happy. She’s doing so, so well.
“She’s exceeding what we thought she was ever going to do. That’s been quite a blessing because at one point we weren’t sure that was ever going to be the case.
“Every milestone she’s reached has been a celebration.
“When we saw her take her first steps we were in tears, even though I’ve seen it happen twice before with my two other children, this time around everything just feels more… I don’t want to say special, but it just feels more important.”
Family discover potential treatment for non verbal son on Netflix show
A family that has been fighting for years to find treatment for their nonverbal son believes they’ve finally found a breakthrough – after watching a Netflix show.
Toby Woodier, now 11, was nine when he was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder and cannot talk.
But parents Helen, 48, and Craig Woodier, 51, feel there is now light at the end of the tunnel after discovering a treatment on the show Lucca’s World.
Helen watched the show last month on Netflix and learned about Cytotron machine-based therapy – a non-invasive treatment that uses radio frequencies to regenerate tissue and destroy tumors.
The treatment is available at a clinic in Mexico and is not covered by insurance, so Helen and Craig are now hoping to raise $57,000 (£45k) to cover the treatment, flights, and accommodations for a 32-day stay in Mexico.
The couple hopes the treatment will be life-changing for Toby and allow him to live a more independent life.
Helen, an early childhood educator from Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, UK, said: “We would never forgive ourselves if we didn’t give everything a go.
“It is a non-invasive treatment, and there are no side effects.
“The hope is that Toby will be able to talk – he is so desperate to talk.
“He can say four to five words, he can say letters, he just can’t blend them together.
“We also hope the treatment can help with his behavioral issues. We need to give it a go – we need to give it a chance.”
Helen and Craig noticed that as a baby, Toby struggled to feed and wasn’t hitting key developmental milestones.
At 18 months old, Toby was diagnosed with global developmental delay and was put forward for the 100,000 Genomes Project by his pediatrician.
Through the study, managed by Genomics England, Toby underwent genetic testing and was diagnosed with Syngap1 – a rare genetic disorder that causes intellectual disability, seizures, and other developmental problems – in August 2022.
Helen said: “It was a shock, as none of our other children have this. We were also tested, and we don’t have this disease either.
“As a mom, you worry that you did something during your pregnancy to cause it – you carry that guilt.”
Craig, a full-time caregiver for Toby, added: “In a way, it was a relief – we finally had an answer at last. So many people go undiagnosed.
“His diagnosis allowed us to do more research into it, as it is an extremely rare condition.”
Helen described watching Lucca’s World on Netflix – a true story about a family who takes their son with cerebral palsy for pioneering treatment – as a lightbulb moment.
After seeing the film, Helen and Craig started researching Cytotron machine-based therapy – a groundbreaking treatment available at NeuroCytonix in Mexico.
Helen added: “The film was a true story about a mom and dad whose son was born with cerebral palsy, but they never gave up hope.
“I watched the film, and they spoke about the treatment. At the end of the film, they said how Lucca can talk and walk.
“I messaged Craig right away and told him – we then did our own research.”
Shortly after watching the film, Helen and Craig connected with a neurologist from NeuroCytonix, who approved Toby for treatment.
Toby’s treatment has been scheduled for July 2024, and he will be the first person to receive the therapy for Syngap1.
The hope is that after the treatment, Toby will be able to talk.
Craig said: “If the treatment is successful, it would be amazing for people to see.
“This would give hope to so many other families who have children with special needs.
“It’s not about the money – we want to be able to help as many families as possible.”
Toby’s four siblings – Zach, 24, Beth, 22, Isobel, 15, and Abi, 10 – are all getting involved to help raise funds.
Helen said: “The community support has been amazing – thank you so much to the people who have donated.
“You don’t know the difference it can make to Toby’s life and ours.
“If this treatment works, it would help him gain more independence.”
Despite his challenges, Helen and Craig say that Toby is a “joyful” and “loving boy” who loves the Blackpool Tower and strobe lights.
“Toby is a joyful, funny, loving boy who adores the Blackpool Tower, the circus, fireworks, music, and flashing lights,” Helen said.
“He loves to happy-flap and jump while watching his favorite YouTube videos.
“Toby can say ‘mama,’ ‘dada,’ ‘nana,’ and ‘yeah,’ and he knows all the letters of the alphabet.
“He can spell his name but struggles to blend sounds into words or say his name aloud.
“His desire to talk shines through as he tries so hard.”
Those wanting to donate to Toby’s fundraiser can do so here: https://gofund.me/58b7190d.
The family is sharing Toby’s journey on social media at The Trouble with Toby.
We have a 32-year age gap but tied the knot after meeting through Twitter”
A couple with a 32-year age gap have tied the knot – after meeting through Twitter and falling in love while living 4,207 miles apart.
Heather McGreachy-Irwin, 36, and her wife, Sue, 68, bonded over their love of Star Trek despite being on opposite sides of the Atlantic.
The pair started messaging on Twitter and, after just two weeks, decided to video chat on Zoom – where they instantly hit it off.
Due to the pandemic, they couldn’t meet in person for a year, until Sue – originally from Florida, US – flew to London to see Heather.
They spent the next 20 months traveling back and forth, realizing their feelings for each other – despite both only having dated men before.
After coming out to their families, they eloped in a small Central Park ceremony in May 2023. The following month, Sue moved to the UK permanently.
The couple says their relationship has been “life-changing” and they hope to celebrate their marriage with family and friends in the future.
Sue, a retired project manager from Orlando, Florida, said: “The initial connection was because we were both huge Star Trek fans.
“I had recently won a competition to have a Zoom chat with Kate Mulgrew, and I was talking about it on Twitter.
“Heather saw it, responded, and that was how we connected.
“I think we both knew very early on that we had deep feelings for each other.
“We were both closeted at the time, but we reached the conclusion that we wanted to make the changes in our lives to be out.”
Heather, a mental health nurse from Luton, Bedfordshire, had only dated men when she met Sue on Twitter in December 2020.
Sue, who had been married for 36 years and has a daughter, also came out after meeting Heather.
The pair jumped on a Zoom call just two weeks after first talking and ended up chatting for hours – but couldn’t meet in person for another year.
It wasn’t until November 2021, when they finally met in London, that they realized they had a connection – and were gay.
“Sue had booked to go to a Star Trek convention in London,” Heather said.
“She came for a week, and the convention was at the end of that week.
“Sue is a photographer, so I took her to places where she could get good pictures.
“We went to Buckingham Palace and all the typical sites.”
After Sue returned to Florida, the couple spent the next 20 months flying back and forth across the Atlantic.
In October 2022, they finally came out to their families and friends.
“The toughest thing for me was coming out – I was terrified to tell my daughter,” Sue said.
“But when I told her I was gay, she looked at me and said, ‘Mom, I always knew you were.’
“It made me realize it was time to make the changes in our lives to be out.”
Heather also found coming out difficult:
“It was tricky for me – my family and friends had only ever known me dating men.
“I told my parents separately. I was a little more nervous about telling my dad.
“He said he already knew what was going on between us but asked why I didn’t tell him sooner.”
The couple took a trip to New York City in December 2022 to make their relationship official.
“It was on that trip that I proposed to Heather,” Sue said.
“We were at Summit One Vanderbilt, which is all glass, and it was nighttime in the city – it was beautiful.
“I found a quiet corner in the very busy room and proposed.”
Instead of having a big wedding, they decided to elope in Central Park in May 2023, with only two close friends as witnesses.
“The wedding itself was very small – we didn’t invite any family,” Heather said.
“We had spent so much time apart and accommodating other people, we didn’t want to worry about the logistics of getting everyone there.
“We wanted the wedding to be just about us – and it was a great day.”
In July 2023, Sue moved across the Atlantic to be with Heather in the UK.
“The biggest adjustment was moving from the ‘Sunshine State’ to rainy England,” Sue joked.
She had just retired and was looking forward to traveling in retirement.
“Flying to Europe and other destinations was much more expensive from Florida than from London, which was a big factor for me.
“Plus, the idea of living abroad had always been appealing to me.
“Heather has a six-year-old daughter and a career in mental health nursing, so it made more sense for me to move than for her.”
The couple says their age gap doesn’t impact their relationship or draw negative reactions from others.
Although Sue has occasionally been mistaken for Heather’s mom, they don’t mind explaining their relationship.
“Nobody has had an issue with it – even though it’s a pretty big age gap,” Heather said.
“When we first realized there was something between us, Sue was concerned about the gap.
“But I compared it to the age gap of Holland Taylor and Sarah Paulson.
“We know we have a time limit, and one day I’ll be on my own. But we both want to have whatever time we can together and make the most of it.”
Woman discovers she’s the spitting image of a 1909 painting
A woman was left shocked after a stranger pointed out that she was the doppelgänger of a 1909 painting.
Riley Madison Ladner, 22, had never heard of At the Dressing Table, a painting by Russian artist Zinaida Serebriakova.
But after receiving a message on TikTok, she was told about the uncanny resemblance.
At first, Riley brushed it off, but as more messages came in, she decided to look it up – only to be stunned by what she saw.
The painting depicts a young woman with loose, dark hair sitting at a dressing table – and the similarities between them were striking.
From her features and hair to a nightgown she already owned, the resemblance was so eerie that she decided to recreate the look.
Riley, a content creator from Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, USA, said: “It was very chilling – almost unnerving – because it was so similar.
“I thought it was so interesting and cool because I’m a painter myself.
“The painting looks so modern, so I was surprised to learn it was over 100 years old.
“When I showed my husband, he said, ‘Oh my gosh, you have a nightgown just like that!’
“So when I made the video, I intentionally wore it – but I already had it.”
The resemblance has sparked theories online, with some joking that she could be a reincarnation of the woman in the painting.
Riley is even considering taking a DNA test to see if she has any connection to the artist.
She said: “I’d love to do a DNA test just for fun.
“It would be so interesting to see if there’s any link – or if it’s just pure coincidence.”
“My husband trained in spray tanning to save me $1.6k-a-year”
A husband became a board-certified spray tanner after his wife asked him for a tanning subscription for Christmas.
Sarah Baus, 27, would get a spray tan twice a month — costing $1,600 a year.
Due to the high cost, Sarah asked her husband, Joseph Bass, 27, an engineer, for a membership package at the place where she gets her spray tans.
Instead, Joseph came up with the genius idea to pay $399 for a spray tan kit and took part in a one-hour course to become a board-certified spray tanner.
Despite being nervous at first, Sarah said that Joseph did a great job and she didn’t turn out too orange.
Sarah, a content creator from Charleston, South Carolina, said: “Joseph loves spending time with me; he is very into acts of service.
“He was very proud of the spray tan, especially the second one he did when I was going to an event.
“He thinks it is really funny; we laugh so much when we are doing it.
“Joseph is always looking for ways to do things like this; I don’t understand how he can get any better, but he does — it is alarming.”
Sarah would usually get a spray tan twice a month, spending $140 a month.
She realized the cost was adding up, so she asked her husband, Joseph, for a membership package for Christmas — but Joseph had other ideas.
“I have been pro-tanning for years. I was getting more and more spray tans for events and things,” Sarah said.
“I asked for a membership package for Christmas. I don’t know what inspired Joseph or how he found out about it, but he learned to become a spray tanner.”
Instead of buying Sarah the membership package, Joseph bought his own spray tanning kit for $399 and enrolled in a one-hour online course.
Sarah said: “He bought a kit from the National Spray Tan Certification Board and took an hour course.
“He has the whole kit; the first one was a bit of a test, but he did such a good job.
“I was a little nervous; the only thing I wasn’t sure about was the color — I was worried it might have go too orange.
“Once we got the first one out of the way, we were off to the races — it was great.”
Joseph, an engineer, from Charleston, South Carolina, added: I decided to buy the kit firstly because I knew it would be far cheaper over the long run than getting her a spray tan subscription.
“I also thought it would be a fun challenge to try out and would be a good bonding experience for both of us.”
Joseph has spray-tanned Sarah three times since he got the kit, and Sarah said he gets better each time.
“The second spray tan was for a huge event, I was like, ‘You have to remember this is for a special event,’ Sarah said.
“But I didn’t need to worry, it turned out great, and we had so much fun doing it.
“I have texted him this morning to book a spray tan for tonight.”
Joseph said: I love doing things for her so this is just another thing to add to my services list.
“Doing the first one was a little rough. Even though I took the training and read the book there were still a few things I needed practice with.
“Sarah said the first one looked good and the second one was even better so I hope it’ll come with practice.”
Bride planned wedding in 24 hours – so dying dad could walk her down the aisle
A bride planned her wedding in less than 24 hours – so her dying father could walk her down the aisle.
Maurice Haynes, 69, is currently receiving care at St. Giles Hospice in Whittington, Staffordshire, after being diagnosed with terminal tonsil cancer in October 2024.
His daughter, Hannah Haynes, 29, was desperate for him to be there for her upcoming wedding – knowing that he had always dreamed of walking her down the aisle.
So, she made sure his wish came true.
With the help of hospice staff, Hannah and her fiancé, Josh, also 29, organized their special day in less than 24 hours.
Caregivers transformed the hospice’s chapel into a beautiful wedding venue – complete with bunting and candles – and Hannah managed to find a wedding dress the morning of the ceremony.
Just hours later, on February 18, Maurice, from Cannock, Staffordshire, proudly walked his daughter down the aisle in an emotional moment captured on video.
Hannah said: “What St. Giles has done for my dad is unbelievable.
“He was unsure about coming to a hospice at first, but now that he’s here, he’s comfortable and happy in his environment.
“Having our wedding in a hospice wasn’t what we originally imagined, but having my dad there to walk me down the aisle – nothing else mattered. It didn’t matter where we were getting married, as long as he was there.”
Leon Ratcliffe, interim director of clinical services at St. Giles Hospice, shared how honored the staff was to be part of such a special moment.
“It was such an honor to help create a very special moment for Maurice, Hannah, and their family,” he said.
“Hannah was determined that her father would be part of her wedding day, and we were delighted to assist in making that happen.
“We wish Hannah and Joshua a long and happy marriage and thank them for allowing us to be a part of such a memorable occasion.”
