PRISONER OF AZKABAN

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A couple have been found guilty of keeping a housemate as a slave - forcing him to live in a cupboard under the stairs "like Harry Potter".

Gabriel Nicolae was made to carry out forced labour and his captors controlled his finances and stopped him from eating or drinking in the house.

He was made to eat highly spiced food and ordered to dance and carry out physical challenges.

Mr Nicolae worked full time at an abattoir earning £300 to £350 a week - but he was given just enough money to buy his bus tickets and around £1 a day for biscuits.

Gabriel was even made to drink out of an outside hosepipe and use woodland when he needed the toilet and had eggs and flour thrown at him.

The victim had been using the cupboard under the stairs as a bedroom like "the boy wizard Harry Potter", a court was told.

Neighbours called police after seeing Gabriel washing in the garden in a basin fashioned from a pile of rocks.
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Ion Boboc, 26 and Christiana Tudor-Dobre, 24, were convicted of requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour and fraud.

Mihai-Aurel Dan, who was also standing trial, was cleared of both charges. All three are from the St Anne's Park area of Bristol.

Prosecutor Charles Thomas said police visited the trio's address on July 27 2018, after a concerned neighbour called the Modern Slavery Hotline.

Mr Thomas said: “Police were surprised when Gabriel Nicolae emerged from the cupboard under the stairs. He looked dishevelled.”

Important documents such as his ID card, bank card, financial papers, and multiple phone contracts were in a bedroom used by Boboc and Tudor-Dobre.

The jury also heard that the victim was filmed carrying out tasks set by the defendants.

Mr Nicolae eventually revealed that he would have to wash his clothes in the town centre and was not allowed to eat or wash inside the house, with no use of the kitchen.

Ben Samples of the CPS said: “I would like to commend the victim for the incredible strength and bravery he showed in giving evidence and supporting the prosecution, despite the degrading treatment he suffered at the hands of the defendants.

“I would also like to thank the members of the public who contacted the police with their concerns. Modern slavery often takes place out of sight, and it is only with the support of such witnesses that we will defeat it in the UK.

“Finally, I would like to give credit to Avon and Somerset Police, who acted swiftly following the report and built a strong case against the defendants, working in partnership with the CPS South West Complex Case Unit.”

Officer in the case PC Roger Ibrahim said: “Without the information through the Modern Slavery Hotline this abuse would still be happening.

''When we found this man he appeared underfed and was suffering from sores on his feet. No one should be treated in this way.''

The duo will be sentenced for their crimes on March 19.
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STREET AND TWO VEG

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Meet the woman who has gained almost 50,000 social media followers by creating penis-shaped routes whilst out - JOGGING.

Claire Pisano, also known as 'Dick_Run_Claire' on Instagram, has daily runs almost exclusively shaped like a penis.

The 33-year-old mum has become an Instagram sensation by mapping out penises with her running app and sharing them online.

Claire, from New Jersey, USA, took up running as a hobby aged 28 and mapped out her first 'dick run' by accident in November 2015.

It happened when she went out for a jog whilst visiting a relative in Kansas, in November 2015, and went took a wrong turn.
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She posted her creation online and the Instagram page Dick_Run_Claire was born.

Now Claire has 48,000 followers on Instagram through sharing her penis runs of all shapes and sizes - and has kick started a rude running trend.

Searching for #dickrun on Instagram reveals how thousands of people are getting in on the act to map out a willy on their workout.

Claire, a corporate sector worker, said: " I encourage anyone and everyone to try a dickrun or two.

"Someone once sent me their map of a dickswim, that was pretty impressive actually. I can’t swim in a straight line, let alone draw something.

"The first dick run was a total accident at first. My brother had moved and I was visiting him. I went for a run and took a wrong turn.

"When I got back, I realised what I had accidentally drawn. From what I hear, most dickrunners start out this way. Obviously my friends thought it was funny so I kept it up."
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Claire has taken part in two marathons, a dozen half marathons since taking up running and is already training for her third marathon in autumn this year.

If training for a marathon isn't hard enough, Claire's running routine includes the added challenge of trying to map out a penis.

It has seen her draw penises small and large on the streets across America.

Three-and-a-half years after #dickrun was born, Claire says it can be tricky to make each drawing different from the one before.

She said: "I got into running because it was 'me time.- although I always love running with friends.There’s nothing like a run to clear your mind and help you reset.

"The dickruns are funny but there are some super talented people doing #stravaart - really impressive and detailed drawings.

"It depends on the setting. I like the challenge in more rural areas, because you don’t have a lot of roads to work with, so I love finding a random 'road dick'.

"Sometimes they’re super obvious, and I am pretty sure there’s a league of town planners and transportation engineers who are all in on some inside joke making road dicks in their towns."

Whilst some dickruns come naturally, Claire says he spends hours online mapping out new runs.

Claire said:: "I do spend an inordinate amount of time mapping out dickruns.

"I travel for work and for fun, so I map them out anywhere I travel, I have so many mapped that I haven’t run yet."
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Farm becomes the first place in Britain to offer yoga classes - in a field full of ALPACAS

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A farm has become the first place in Britain to offer yoga classes - in a field full of ALPACAS.

Rosebud Alpacas is located on a remote smallholding among rolling countryside and has been hailed as the perfect location for calming exercise.

But to add to the experience owners Nick and Lucy Aylett have decided to run their yoga classes in the same field where they keep their alpacas.

And they say their alpaca yoga classes in South Molton, Devon, are a "unique experience" which are "great for mind, body and soul".

Nick said: "They live outside and the chickens are protected by the alpaca herd who are quick to alert all around to any unwelcome visitors.

“We want our land to be an inviting place for others to come and enjoy.

"It is our home and is a very special place that we would really love other people to enjoy too.

"It's a place where people can come to escape, take time out from technology and busy lives, a chance to spend time connecting with the land, the animals and each other.

"Our dream is for this place also to be a sanctuary for people to come and feel at home as well.”

The pair say all their animals are "raised ethically with freedom of choice, their welfare being paramount".

Each session is led by qualified instructor Sian Bartlett and light refreshments are provided after each class.

In addition to the alpaca yoga, they also offer alpaca walking, alpaca picnics, alpaca art sessions and a special "alpaca connection" package.

The alpaca connection session is where guests are guided in meditations and have the opportunity to "walk amongst the herd in mindful observation".
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Lucy Aylett, 46, runs the alpaca yoga with her partner, Nick Stringer, 55, a former landscape gardener.

Lucy, who used to run a pet supply store, said: "We wanted to move to Devon and change careers, so we bought the alpacas and got some land.

"The alpacas have a very calming presence very much like horses. Being around them we felt very stress-free.

"We started working with them because we breed them and we found that time just flew when you were around them and we wanted to share that with people.

"People go away feeling calm, it's just an experience being around the alpacas.

"They're not lively animals, they're not jumping all over you like goat yoga. That tried to be a thing, but people got fed up with the goats jumping on them all the time.

"You don't get that with alpacas.

"They're very relaxed so it just adds to the feeling of relaxation.

"In our location, there isn't much going on, if you're meditating you don't ear all the traffic, it's all very peaceful and the alpacas add to that.

"We started doing the yoga classes last spring, it just came to me one day. It's difficult to describe.

"I tried some yoga myself, it seemed very peaceful.

"I don't like to force the animals into it, I want to do it in the field so the animals can join the people if they want to but they don't have to.

"It feels more authentic that way."
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WATCH: Floyd Mayweather Sr. sparred in his eponymous boxing club - and got FLOORED

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This is the moment Floyd Mayweather Sr. sparred in his eponymous boxing club - and got floored.

Mayweather, 66, got into an impromptu sparring match with former boxer and boxing coach Ross Thompson, 45, at Mayweather Boxing Club, in Las Vegas.

But Floyd Mayweather Jr's dad did not emerge victorious on Monday Feb 4, 2019 and - ended up on the deck.

“They were having a bit of a trash talk outside of the ring,” said an onlooker, who filmed the video but did not wish to be named.

“Ross told Floyd Senior that his brother Roger Mayweather was a better trainer than him, so Floyd Senior got mad at that and so he threw a few shots about Ross’s career,” claimed the onlooker.

“Then Floyd told Ross that he wouldn’t be able to touch him, because he’s too big… like 'you won’t be able to touch me, I hope I don’t hurt you’ then they got in the ring and went for it,” he said.

“It was really macho, it was great.

“They dodged each other in the ring for a bit, next thing you know Ross put a combination together and Floyd goes down, that’s a sequence of punches, almost like when you’re dancing and you have a sequence of steps, they were pretty fast and it got Floyd Senior laid out on the ground.

“He wasn’t quite unconscious, he was just went down hard, I’d say he was lying dazed on the floor for about 30 seconds after he hit the ground.

“Then he got up, we were all laughing and talking cra*p…they wound up shaking hands in the end.”

Ross Thompson, who threw the winning punch said: “We were getting into it at the club, we have a history, he likes to trash talk at me.

"He likes to trash talk, he's just like his son."
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WATCH: Teen who lost both hands as a child completes entire makeup routine - using a BIONIC ARM

Video by: Sarah Lockey

This incredible video shows a teen who lost both hands to meningitis as a baby completing her makeup routine - using a BIONIC ARM.

Tilly Lockey, 13, can put on her eyeliner, use makeup brushes and blenders effortlessly without any assistance.

The inspirational girl has devoted her time over the years to raising awareness of the complications that can follow meningitis.

She needed 10 blood transfusions and lost both of her hands after contracting meningococcal septicaemia at just 15 months old.

Tilly was given a 0% chance survival by doctors but defied all of the odds to survive the deadly disease.

She has previously been given bionic arms with basic functions and also trialled several others.

But at Christmas 2018, Tilly was given her first set of comic book inspired 'hero arms' by Bristol-based technology company Openbionics.

The high-tech limbs can function as normal hands and were tailor-made for Tilly on a 3D printer.

The bionic arms are the first medically approved prosthesis of their kind in Britain and allow for precise and delicate movements that other prosthetic hands cannot do.

Tilly uses the arm to paint, play games and to give a 'thumbs-up' to her friends but she has also started to use them to put on her own makeup.

She has followed makeup blogs and now posts tutorials and videos online.

Her mum Sarah Lockey, 39, who works for the charity Meningitis Now which supported her daughter, said: "She finds the arm so useful.

"Tilly posted a video doing her makeup on her Twitter last year and everybody seemed to love it.

"She mainly started to put makeup on when she became a teenager so the arm has been such a huge help."

Tilly lost both of her hands and the tips of her toes when she contracted meningococcal septicaemia.

Aged just three-years-old, Tilly got a pair of 'myolectric arms' which only had basic functions of control.

For years after the surgery, Sarah desperately tried ways to get her the best prosthetics, fundraising and researching.

However, in 2016, Tilly was the first child in the world to be given trial 'bionic arms' by Bristol-based technology company Openbionics.
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The new 'hero arms' - given to Tilly in 2018 - use sensors within the casing to respond to movements by Tilly and are designed to have all of the same functions as a usual pair of arms.

It means Tilly can now interact with her friends and family - including her father Adam Lockey, 38, and sisters Tia, 15, Lucyanna, 11, and Hermione, seven - in the same way as any other teenager.

Her mum Sarah, from Consett, County Durham said: "She can do everything with the arms.

"When she was diagnosed with meningitis as a 15-month-old I was told she had no chance of survival.

"To see how far she has come is incredible, I am so proud of her.

"She can use the arm just like anyone would use their hands.

"She now realises how much she can actually do with her 'hero arm' and she uses it for everything in everyday life.

"Tilly has become a triallist for the company now so she gets sent different designs and is used to test them for other children.

"She has tested around eight different designs since 2016 and they can then be altered and developed to be better for people in the same position."

Tilly has had incredible experiences throughout her life including meeting the Dalai Lama.

She has also appeared on hit ITV show 'This time next year..' where she showed the amazing difference being given her bionic arms had on her life.

Last week, Tilly even headed to London to model her hero arm at the premiere of Alita: Battle Angel in the West End - complete with a custom arm to become the character.

Sarah added: "She has achieved so much already in her life.

"We just want to keep raising the awareness of everything she went through and how much these arms can help children.

"I am so proud."
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The 'hero arms' cost approximately £10,000 per arm to purchase, although Tilly has been given multiple different sets to trial due to her role as an ambassador for the company.

Tilly said she loves the simple things about the arms - including being able to hold two items at once.

She said: "I really love how I can now hold two things at once.

"It sounds really simple and it is probably what a lot of people take for granted but to me, to be able to hold a book in one hand and a pen in another while I’m studying is great.

"I also love how cool they look, they’re lots of fun and I’m proud to wear them.”
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Couple order corn on the cob in the Midlands - and get a bread roll filled with sweetcorn

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A couple who ordered a corn on the cob from their local takeaway were baffled to be served - a bread roll filled with sweetcorn.

Paige Hart, 24, and boyfriend William Maddock, 32, popped into a local takeaway in the Midlands, where a bread roll is known commonly known as a 'cob'.

They placed a £14 order - including a £3.50 dish of corn on the cob - before returning home to their flat in Carlton, Nottingham.

But when Page got home she discovered she'd been given sweetcorn on a bread roll.

Paige said: “Me and William wanted something to eat before we got home and couldn’t be bothered to cook.

“It’s a bit like Nando’s so we ordered our chicken.

“I turned to William and said I fancied I corn on the cob so I asked the guy behind the counter if he did it.

“At first he looked at me a bit weird and said ‘of course darling’ and bagged it up.

“We were just gobsmacked.

“We were both in stitches as he took it so literally.

“What some people call baps we call cobs so he took it literally."

Last year a YouGov study revealed how more than 50 per cent of people in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire use the word 'cob' for a bread roll.

“The thing is it didn’t even have butter on," said Paige. “And I still was really craving a corn on the cob.

“It’s not nice without butter. We didn’t eat it in the end. We took a few pics and put it in the bin.”
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Hospital orthopaedic staff start morning ballroom dance routine before their shift

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Nurses at a hospital department have a new daily routine to boost spirits - a ballroom DANCING session on the ward before they start their shift.

The 22 staff members of orthopaedic outpatient team spend five minutes each morning moving and shaking to some upbeat dance tunes to get warmed up for work.

The unique daily fitness routine was only started in the department about four weeks ago.

But Orthopaedic Practitioner Andrew Stewart, who introduced it, says it is already proving a big hit.

Andrew, 58, who works on the orthopaedic outpatient ward at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, said: "It's a great way to warm yourself up, get your spirits going.

"We're always busy on the outpatient department, we can see between 200 and 400 patients in a morning, so it can get a bit intense. The dancing helps to clear the mind.

"It's still very new, but it's already proved to be a big success in the department."

Andrew, who has worked at the hospital for 12 years, loves to dance, and goes to weekly ballroom and Latin dancing classes - which is where he got the idea.

He said: "We do this thing called the Cupid shuffle at the end of each session, and I thought, this is what I'm looking for to bring back to work."

Andrew added: "It's a cross-generational thing, too - anybody can do it.

"One of our staff has had two knee replacements and has a bad hip, but she still comes along and joins in where she can.

"We start our shift at 8.30 in the morning, so we spend five minutes dancing, usually from 8.15 to 8.20.

"We try to get a dance in at the end of our lunch break, too - but it depends how busy we are.

"We get some funky tunes on to get us moving and get our blood flowing. At the moment we're dancing to Uptown Funk and to 5 6 7 8 by Steps."

Andrew said that anywhere between eight and fifteen staff members join in the dance routines - depending on how many people are working that day.

"We don't profess to be fitness gurus - it's just a bit of fun. I think fitness is an all-round thing, and is just as important for your mental health.

"It's about shaking off the sluggishness," he added.
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Stunned teen wakes up from coma to find she’d had a BABY!

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A teenager went to bed with a headache, fell into a coma and woke up four days later - after unknowingly giving birth to a surprise baby.

Ebony Stevenson, 18, had no idea she was pregnant, and after going to bed feeling unwell on December 2, 2018, she was rushed to hospital and placed in an induced coma before waking up on December 6 having had a baby girl.

The college student - who studies Sports Physiotherapy - hadn't developed a bump, experienced no morning sickness and had not missed a period.

She had no idea she was expecting as her unborn baby was hidden in one of two uteruses, in a condition called uterus didelphys.

The condition, thought to affect one in 3,000 women, means those affected are born with two uteruses.

In Ebony’s case, only one of them had a fallopian tube to carry an egg, while the other had none – meaning her chances of conception should have been slim.

After suffering a series of seizures on December 2, Ebony was rushed to Royal Oldham Hospital, Greater Manchester, and placed in an induced coma.

Medics performed tests and discovered Ebony had suffered from preeclampsia which had caused the seizures, and she was pregnant.

They told her mum immediately and said that the baby needed to be delivered right away.

She underwent an emergency caesarean on Monday 3 December and gave birth to a baby girl at 1.32am who weighed 7lbs 10ozs - just over three hours after the first fit.

Ebony woke on December 6 to discover she had given birth and was suddenly a mum.

She has now got her head around the news and is enjoying bonding with her daughter, who she has named Elodie.

The first time mum, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, said: "I didn't think I even wanted kids, at least not for another 10 years and never expected to be a young mum.

"Waking up from a coma to be told I had been pregnant and had given birth to a baby girl was overwhelming to say the least.

"Meeting my baby was so surreal. It felt like an out of body experience.

"I worried I wouldn't bond with my daughter because I had no time to get my head around her arrival, but I think she's amazing.

"It's an absolute miracle. I wouldn't change Elodie for the world."

Ebony had thought she was just unwell when she went to bed at 8.30pm on Sunday 2 December, complaining of a headache.

She doesn’t remember anything from then until waking up four days later - suddenly a mum.

Thankfully her mum, Sheree, 39, a stay-at-home mum-of-five, has been able to fill in the blanks.

Sheree said: “At around 10pm that night I heard Ebony shout down to me that her headache had gotten really bad.

“She started being sick so I rushed her into the bathroom and before I knew it she was having a seizure on the bathroom floor.

“I rang 999 immediately as she’d never had anything like this before.”

In the five minutes it took the ambulance to arrive, Ebony had five more seizures.

When paramedics treated Elodie they asked if she was pregnant.

“Despite me insisting she couldn’t be pregnant, the paramedics were certain she was, and to my shock a bump had appeared at her stomach,” Sheree said.

“They think the ferocity of the seizures could have caused the baby to move, making it suddenly visible.”
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Ebony was rushed to Royal Oldham Hospital, near Manchester, where she was sedated before being rushed for an emergency caesarean that same morning.

Proud grandmother Sheree was the first to hold the surprise baby, who was born weighing 7lbs 10oz.

“It was a strange moment because I had no time to prepare for it,” Sheree said.

“I was over the moon that she was happy and healthy, but couldn’t help but worry about my own little girl who remained in a coma.”

For the next four days, Ebony was in an induced coma while Sheree and her mum – Ebony’s grandmother, Geraldine, 56 – stayed by her side, all the whilst looking after the little baby girl – who was later named Elodie.

On December 6, Ebony finally opened her eyes, and it was only then that she learnt she had two uterus’ – one of which was continuing to menstruate and the other which was growing her baby girl.

“When I woke up I remember the nurses telling me I had a baby, and before I knew it they’d put her on my chest,” said Elodie.

“It sounds awful now, but I asked them to take her away as I was so confused and sure they’d made a mistake.

“But my mum explained it all to me while the nurses were there and they gave my little girl back to me to hold properly for the first time.

“Although I was so confused – and pretty scared – it was a beautiful moment and she was so quiet.”

Due to the weight of her little girl, doctors suggest that Ebony carried her to full term, which is astonishing considering she had no idea.

This was made possible by the fact she has two uteruses - one is positioned towards her back so the pregnancy went unnoticed.

Neither Ebony nor her mum had any idea that she had two uteruses, but this allowed her to continue having regular periods throughout the pregnancy, disguising it even more.

“The doctors said that Elodie was a miracle baby, as women with her condition often struggle to conceive or carry to full-term,” Sheree said.

Both mum and baby remained in intensive care until finally being allowed home on December 13, where little Elodie was introduced to her uncles and aunts – Kennedy, 12, Poppy, eight, Pia, three and Navy, two.

“Ebony has taken to being a mum so well, she’s a natural,” Sheree added.

“And little Elodie is an absolute beauty – we couldn’t love her more if we tried.”

Ebony plans to go back to Hopwood College, Middleton – where she’s studying Sports Physiotherapy – in February, and mum Sheree will help take care of the baby.

“Although I had no time to prepare, I wouldn’t change what’s happened for the world,” said Ebony.

“I’m so excited to wake up and see her every morning, and to get to spend another day with my precious little miracle.”
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Pensioner saved after sinking up to his NECK in manure

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This is the moment firefighters saved a dog walker who was trying to rescue his pet and got stuck up to his neck - in MANURE.

Brian Marshall, 75, waded into the massive slurry pit to retrieve his Jack Russell Archie but soon found himself sinking.

Luckily his desperate calls for help were answered by fellow dog owner Matt Hollick, who heard faint calls as he left a nearby veterinary clinic.

He raised the alarm and firefighters arrived just as Brian's head began to sink into the stinking pile of waste.

“I’d given up trying to get out on my own," said Brian. "I felt like I was digging my own grave.

“I was gradually giving up and didn’t think I was going to make it.”

The drama began as Brian enjoyed a walk near Upper Caldecote, Beds., on Sunday (17/02) with Archie and his other dog Bella.

He said he had no choice but to go in after his pet.

“Using the Duke of Edinburgh’s words, 'I had been a bloody fool, and there was no one but me to blame'," he said.

"However to see the death by drowning of your loyal and trusted pet dog in front of your very eyes was not an option for me."

Trapped in the sludge, he began shouting for help and the wind carried his voice towards nearby Elizabeth Smith Veterinary Practice.

Luckily Mr Hollick heard his pleas as he loaded his dog into his car after an appointment.

Writing on social media, he said: "It's not everyday you take your dog to the vets as it ate raisins, to emerge having saved a guy's life in a farmers field.

"I was placing the dog in the car and taking after care advice with the vet.

"I could hear a faint cry for help which was being carried on the wind which was blowing in my direction.

"Three more calls of help later and I took off to investigate.

"I was greeted by an enormous muck slurry pit with a man stuck in the middle and sinking below the surface.

"I provided some initial advice to stabilise his position and used his dog leads and dog to reduce his decline."
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Brian had been stuck for nearly an hour by the time crews from Sandy and Kempston Community Fire Stations and HART Ambulance reached him.

They used an inflatable hose, inflatable rescue paths and dry suits to pull him out of the pit.

He was then rushed to Bedford Hospital to be treated for hypothermia.

Brian from Ickwell, Beds., is full of praise for the actions of Mr Hollick.

“He masterminded it all," he said. "He called the emergency services and as I was sinking fast he told me to keep my arms up.

"The more I moved the worse it became."

“The fire crews were absolutely awesome. They went into the muck themselves to put a hoist round me.

“I and our two dogs Bella and Archie are so fortunate to all be alive and well.

"The Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service, the Ambulance crew, Bedford Hospital A&E, the police and so many others who were involved.

"Thank you one and all and for those who have phoned and sent messages. It is quite overwhelming.

“Thank you all so very much. Humanity can be very cruel at times but on this occasion nothing but kindness can be described.

"My long suffering wife Christine is busy manuring the garden as she sorts out all my clothes.”

A neighbouring farmer, Simon Maudlin, who had been called by the residents of nearby houses after hearing the cries, said: “Brian Marshall was a very lucky man.

"The wind carried his voice across a large open field towards Elizabeth Smiths Vets and the residential property.

"No wonder the area is called Windy ridge and it carried his voice of distress towards the buildings.”

The veterinary surgery also gave dogs Archie and Bella a clean bill of health.

A spokeswoman for the fire service said: "If you ever find yourself in a position where a pet or other animal is caught in water, mud or in this case a muck heap - please call 999 immediately for advice before getting yourself in to a situation where you are unable to tell emergency services where you are or more seriously putting your life in danger."
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Speaking today (wed), Brian Marshall said it was his 16-year-old white Jack Russell Bella who had got stuck in the slurry, while Archie watched on.

The former owner of a horticultural business and his 68-year-old wife Christine have owned Bella since she was a newborn puppy.

Mr Marshall said the lucky dog was recovering well, adding: "She's absolutely fine. She's almost back to wanting her two-hour walk a day."

Asked what his wife said when she heard of the incident, Brian replied: "She said, 'Where's that lovely jumper that I knitted you?'

"She had knitted me this lovely blue jumper and they [the rescuers] had to cut it off me."

Describing the ordeal, he said: "I don't know how Bella go in that far but she just did. I looked round and she was howling her eyes out.

"I couldn't bear to see her drown. It was a silly thing to do. It was mad.

"I went in upright. I was getting further and further into the muck but in the process of pulling her out, it sent me onto my back."

He added: "I will live to fight another day when I thought there would be an early funeral round a manure heap."


Seven-year-old girl with incredibly rare birthmark set to feature in international exhibition

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A seven-year-old girl born with a large birthmark on her face is featuring in an international exhibition with a message to 'love the skin you are in'.

Rosabella Harrison attracted the attention of world-renowned fashion photographer Brock Elbank after she was chosen to be the face of the charity Caring Matters Now.

The organisation provides support for those affected by Congenital Melanocytic Naevi (CMN) - a rare type of birthmark affecting one per cent of infants worldwide.

A photo shoot for the charity in September perfectly captured Rosabella's enchanting personality, which in turn grabbed the eye of photographer Elbank.

She will now appear in his "How do you C Me Now" exhibition in March, which celebrates the lives affected by the condition and is set to travel the world.

The youngster, from Beccles, Norfolk, was born with CMN which appears in less than one in 20,000 newborns in the UK.

However, Rosabella is particularly unique as her birthmark's placement and composition are both very rare.
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Her mother, Chantelle Harrison, 29, said: "It's incredibly rare. People normally have the birthmarks somewhere on their body but not normally on the face.

"We're just little people - things like this don't normally happen to us. But Rosabella loves it - any excuse to be in the lime light. It's lovely."

The condition is not just cosmetic and also poses the risk of future neurological problems and melanoma.d Rosabella returns to hospital once a year for tests.

Elbank partnered with CMN - the only UK charity dedicated to those affected by the condition - to celebrate beauty that is more than skin deep.

The London-based fashion photographer is best known for his captivating series of 150 portraits of individuals with freckles - which captured their beauty and uniqueness.

His latest exhibition uses images of adults and children of all ages affected by CMN, representing 13 countries from five continents.

The exhibition title encourages the audience to consider their current perceptions of individuals affected by a visible difference.

The "How Do you C Me Now" exhibition will open at Oxo Tower Wharf on London’s South Bank on March 14 for two weeks before travelling around the world.

Speaking about Elbank, Chantelle said: "He's absolutely fantastic. He really makes you feel at home. We had breakfast made for us.

"He managed to get what we wanted and what he wanted. He really captured her personality."

Rosabella's mother also praised Lowestoft’s Picture Studios who took the original press shots for the charity and have been a great support for the family.
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A Caring Matters Now spokesman said: "The aim of the exhibition series is to give a clear message to the world – love the skin you are in.

"We want this beautiful series of images to reduce the public’s negative perceptions of visible differences."

Rosabella, who lives on a farm with her mum, is also an accomplished horse rider and is part of the dressage and show jumping team at her school - and has her own pony, Rosie.

Chantelle said: "Rosabella has been riding all her life because we live on a farm and she is part of the dressage team at school.

"She has only just turned seven and that is a massive achievement for her.

"She was part of the Beccles Royales Gymnastic Club too and plays piano, guitar and ukulele.

"She just wants to try anything that is going on - she is so fearless and is just good at everything she turns her hand to.

"She is going to do an amazing things."