UK’s third-largest baby born weighing over a stone is already eating porridge and bursting out of size 9-12 month clothing - at FIVE MONTHS OLD
A baby born weighing 14lbs 15oz is now so big he's already eating porridge and bursting out of size 9-12 month clothing - at the age of just FIVE MONTHS.
Alpha Stone Mitchell, now 24 weeks, was crowned Britain's third largest new born when he arrived via c-section on 28th October 2021 at John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.
The tot is now a hefty 1st 10lbs and squeezing into size 9 to 12 month baby clothing - despite not yet being six months old.
Mum Cherral Mitchell, 31, says her little boy is now so chunky and hungry that she's having to wean him off milk and start him on soft foods.
He loves porridge and rusk biscuits - despite most babies not being ready to eat solids until they are at least six months old.
The mum-of-four, from Thame, Oxfordshire, said: “Alpha was a whopper.
"We knew he was going to be a big boy as my bump was huge, but we didn't realise quite how big he would be until he was here.
"I'd had three babies before and with Alpha it felt like we skipped the new born stage altogether - and went straight to him being three months old.
"He didn't fit into any new born or 0-3 month baby grows - he went straight to 3-6 month and quickly grew out of them.
"Even now he's in 9-12 month clothing, it's a little tight - it won't be long before he's in the next size.
"And I just found he wasn't feeling full enough after drinking his milk so I've had to start weaning him early.
"Now he gobbles up porridge and he loves rusk biscuits too.
"He's a growing boy."
Alpha’s considerable appetite leads him to eat baby porridge first thing in the morning, before drinking 7oz bottles of Aptamil baby milk every three hours and consuming a whole baby rusk in the evening.
Full-time-mum Cherral - who has Rouge-Angel, five, Lyon, three, and Twyla-Bay, one, with husband Tyson, 36, an electrical engineer, - said: “We just started introducing baby porridge because he still seemed hungry in the morning.
“He’s not quite six months yet, but it’s not affecting his digestive system so it’s fine.
“He also sleeps all night from his last bottle at 9 or 10 o’clock until he wakes at five or six, ready for his next one. He's a good baby."
None of Cherral's other children were as big as their little brother when they were born.
Cherral revealed: “None of my children weighed anywhere near 1.5st at Alpha’s age.
“And they only needed to be fed every four hours - he's definitely the greediest.”
“Because Alpha is so long, he’s not far off his one-year-old sister’s height so people actually say to me ‘ah you’ve got twins!’
“He doesn’t even fit in his carry cot anymore because he’s so long, so he sits in a car seat on the buggy instead.”
Twyla-Bay is only 10 months older than her younger brother, but Alpha already weighs just under 11lbs lighter than her.
Twyla-Bay and her two older siblings were delighted to welcome their baby brother when he returned from the hospital at the end of last year.
Cherral said: “His siblings absolutely love Alpha.
“They always want to hold and feed him and even put his dummy in before I even get a chance to, so they’re helping out a lot.”
During her 30-week scan, it became clear that Cherral was expecting a larger-than-usual baby, and at 36 weeks, her baby bump ballooned.
Doctors believed this was due to Cherral’s gestational diabetes diagnosis - a condition which caused Alpha to consume sugary amniotic fluids in the womb.
But despite doctors’ predictions, Cherral and husband Tyson could never have imagined their son would be born weighing over a stone.
Cherral said: “When we first saw him, my first thought was he was not going to fit into any of the clothes I’d brought in the hospital bag.”
“Tyson even had to go home to bring back some 3-6 month clothes for him.
“When he was first born, I suddenly thought ‘oh wow, you are a big baby’ and then started asking the midwives how big he was.”
Weighing 14lb 15oz, Alpha claimed the title of the UK’s third largest new born baby on record, closely following Guy Carr who measured 15lb 8oz at his birth in 1992, and George King who tipped the scales at 15lb 7oz in 2013.
After delivery, midwives started excitedly Googling the measurements of the UK’s heaviest new born.
Cherral recalled: “One of the anaesthetists admitted to me that Alpha’s birth was the first one she hadn’t cried at because she was just so shocked by his size.
"Everyone kept laughing when his head came out. My husband Tyson was like: 'He's a chunky boy'.
“Tyson still calls Alpha his future Strongman, and already says he’ll need to do some more weightlifting training to keep up with his son one day.”
iLOVE YOU - A wife who missed her husband's death by minutes found his final phone notes including how to pay the mortgage - and how much he loved her
A wife who missed her husband's death by minutes found his final phone notes to her including how to pay the mortgage - and how much he loved her.
Katie Coelho, 33, walked into the ICU seven minutes after Jonathan Coelho, 32, was pronounced dead of coronavirus.
She regretted being unable to say goodbye then discovered he had penned an incredibly emotional goodbye in an 170-word phone note.
Beneath instructions on how to pay the mortgage, Jonathan left messages for his wife and children - Braedyn, two, and Penelope, one.
Jonathan wrote it the day before he was placed on a ventilator at a hospital in Danbury, Connecticut.
The note includes reassurance that "if you meet someone, know that if they love you and the kids that I love that for you".
It added: "I love you guys with all my heart and you’ve given me the best life I could have ever asked for.
“I’m so lucky, it makes me so proud to be your husband and the father to Braedyn and Penny.”
The stay-at-home mum from Connecticut, USA, said: “I don’t think if I was in Jonathan’s position, I would have thought to write a note - but that’s just how Jonathan was as a person.
“Trying to understand how he was in that mental state is so hard, but it’s also not surprising because of how much he loved me and loved the kids.
“I turned on his phone to get some pictures and when his phone turned on, his call log was on because he had tried to call me.
“So I cleared that out and right behind it was his notes and at the top of it, it had some personal information - who to contact at his job, passwords and telling me that we had a safe that I didn’t know we had.
“He was the grown-up in the relationship!
“Then I started reading down and the first line said, ‘I love you guys with all my heart,’ and I just screamed.
“I kept reading and it clicked.”
Jonathan’s symptoms included a migraine and a loss of taste and he tested positive for Covid-19 on March 25.
After developing respiratory problems on March 26, he was admitted to hospital and placed on a ventilator on March 31.
One of the last conversations the pair had was when Jonathan first came off the ventilator on April 7 - he told Katie that he might be discharged soon.
On April 22, doctors called Katie at 2:15 am to say that she needed to come say goodbye.
Jonathan's ashes are now part of two grandfather clocks - one set to the time Braedyn was born, and the other to Penelope's birth time.
Katie and Jonathan met at Western Connecticut State University and would go on double dates with their partners at the time.
The pair eloped on Valentine’s Day in 2013 - and got married in sweatshirts in their living room.
They had a larger wedding with family and friends in December 2013.
Katie said: “I never felt so secure in who I was as a person until I became his wife, because he just never made me feel anything less than amazing.
“It sounds so surreal because it’s like a person like that doesn’t exist, but he really did.
“He was my partner - there was nothing else I wanted to do except share my time, my laughter, everything with him.
She added: “Jonathan was just steadfast and I knew he loved me."
Note transcription:
“I love you guys with all my heart and you’ve given me the best life I could have ever asked for.
“I am so lucky it makes me so proud to be your husband and the father to Braedyn and Penny.
“Katie you are the most beautiful, caring, nurturing person I’ve ever met...you are truly one of a kind...make sure you live life with the happiness and that same passion that made me fall in love with you.”
“Seeing you be the best mom to the kids is the greatest thing I’ve ever experienced.
“Let Braedyn know he’s my best bud and I’m proud to be his father and for all the amazing things he’s done and continues to do.
“Let Penelope know she’s a princess and can have whatever she wants in life.
“I’m so lucky…”
“Don’t hold back and if you meet someone, know that if they love you and the kids that I love that for you.
“Always be happy no matter what!”
NEW YORK PROTEST ARREST - A British photographer has become one of the first members of the media to be arrested and charged while working at the American police brutality protests
A British photographer has become one of the first members of the media to be arrested and charged while working at the American police brutality protests.
Adam Gray, 33, a New York based photojournalist for agency SWNS, had been taking photographs at the rallies in city.
He says he was thrown to the ground by police with several officers climbing on top of him in order to restrain him and force him into handcuffs.
Despite showing his press pass that had been issued to him by the US State Department at the UN Plaza, Adam reports he was arrested and put into a police vehicle.
He was charged with unlawful assembly near Union Square and spent twelve hours through the night in custody amongst the protestors.
Adam said: "The whole time that I was being arrested, I was shouting that I was press and showing them my Foreign Press card but they just didn't seem to care.
"I get that in the heat of the moment you might get pushed or grabbed, but as soon as you say that you're press, it normally stops there but not this time.
"I've worked in many other countries doing work like this and never has it gone as far as this, I couldn't believe it."
Adam had been heading down 13st near Union Square on Saturday 30 May after filing Manhattan protest photos by Astor Place.
During his arrest, police claimed that they had made several orders for people to leave the area before Adam had arrived on the street.
Adam said: "I walked down the street taking photos as I went and then the cops rushed the crowd.
"I photographed the pandemonium that ensued of them pushing and grabbing protesters before one big cop came at me and pushed me to the ground with his truncheon to my chest.
"I smashed into the floor with my three cameras as three or four cops then got on top of me, restraining me and putting me in handcuffs as I shouted repeatedly that I was press."
Adam was put into a police van with about 20 other protesters and waited for half an hour inside before being driven down to 1 Police Plaza, Manhattan.
HE claims police were removing masks from the protesters and not returning them as they sat in close proximity to other people in holding.
Adam said: "I was explaining that I was accredited press at every opportunity.
"I got searched, processed, had my photo taken and then put into a large holding cell of 50-70 people at its fullest with zero social distancing.
"Police had removed masks from some protestors for their photo but then refused to give them back and did not offer any extra masks."
Adam was held in custody for eight hours until approximately 9:15AM on Sunday 31 May when he had his fingerprints and photos taken.
He was given a Desk Appearance ticket for a court date on 10 September 2020 for an offence charged of PL 240.10.
This offence means that 'a person is guilty of unlawful assembly when he assembles with four or more other persons for the purpose of engaging or preparing to engage with them in tumultuous and violent conduct likely to cause public alarm, or when, being present at an assembly which either has or develops such purpose, he remains there with intent to advance that purpose.
Adam was then released from the police station and is now back home in New York with a broken filter on his camera and a court date to wait for.
He said: "I was really shocked when they arrested me, I was just in total disbelief.
"We were held in such close proximity to other people in the holding cell and police weren't letting people have their masks.
"Considering there is a worldwide pandemic right now, it felt very irresponsible and dangerous of the police to do that.
"It was shocking to see how blase the police were about the risk of coronavirus and public health.
"Thankfully, I do not have any injuries but I am in disbelief at what happened."
Jon Mills, SWNS Picture Editor, said: ''It is deeply concerning that the NYPD appear to be trying to shut down honest and objective reporting.
''Bringing charges against a working photojournalist just for doing his job is an utter outrage and we will fight this every step of the way.'
CORONA RECOVERY - This is the heartwarming moment a husband and wife left hospital on the same day after RECOVERING from COVID-19
Image by: Simon Galloway
This is the heartwarming moment a husband and wife left hospital on the same day after recovering from COVID-19 as doctors and nurses cheered them on.
Jeff and Cheryl Poole received an emotional send-off from the entire staff with medics lining the hallways cheering and clapping as the couple were discharged.
The pair had spent more than two weeks in the ICU at UnityPoint Health Meriter in Madison, Wisconsin, USA, battling the deadly virus.
Cheryl, 59, was admitted to the ICU on March 18 and became the hospital's first patient to require a ventilator due for COVID-19.
Husband Jeff, 60, was admitted several days later and also needed a ventilator.
Jeff, from Waunakee, Wisconsin, said: "People keep saying this is a fake, it's not a fake.
She almost died. I almost died."
When the couple left the ICU, nurses placed them in neighboring rooms and helped them speak to each other on the phone.
Image by: Simon Galloway
Image by: Simon Galloway
Later they were able to have their meals together before they were discharged last week.
ICU nurse Beth Woodford said: "It was just really wonderful to see them communicate again.
"Of course being the wonderful person he is, Jeff gave Cheryl lots of words of encouragement. They both talked about getting better."
Beth Woodford said that the couples' recovery brought medical staff to tears.
She added: "There were a lot of tears of happiness in the room.
"The fact that they both made it through and they can get home together, it's just fabulous."
The married couple were finally discharged on April 17 after spending almost a month in hospital.
Nurse Dawn Cloutier added: "The send-off we had for them was a bit of a surprise to them and to me too honestly.
"It was just so cool to have people cheering them on as they left."
Jeff promised that once the threat of the virus has subsided, he and Cheryl will return to the hospital to see the staff who saved their lives.
"When everything is lifted, we can come back in here to see everybody."
Video by: Ashley Moran
WALL OF HONOUR - Window cleaner creates giant mural to NHS hero fundraiser Captain Tom Moore on the wall of his business
Image by: Adam Hughes SWNS
A company boss has paid tribute to Captain Tom Moore by having a giant mural of the NHS fundraising hero spray-painted on the side of his business.
The stunning graffiti artwork adorns the walls of Bradley Scott Windows in Tamworth, Staffs., after being unveiled on Monday (27/4).
Director Andy Farrington, 57, said he wanted to come up with a unique way to honour the 99-year-old war veteran who has captured the hearts of the nation.
The former army officer has raised more than £30 million for the NHS by walking laps of his garden in Marston Moretaine, Beds., ahead of his milestone 100th birthday.
The incredible artwork by Graffiti by Title took six hours to complete and covers the 140 sq ft wall at the side of the showroom with the words "Thank You NHS."
Image by: Adam Hughes SWNS
Image by: Adam Hughes SWNS
Image by: Adam Hughes SWNS
Andy said: “I was just totally inspired by Captain Tom and the phenomenal amount of money he has raised.
“On his walks, he has just kept going and going and going. I wanted to do something to honour him.
“We have done murals before and we had the blank space so I thought it would be nice to do some artwork of Captain Tom.
“He is an old school gentleman with a never die attitude that helped make Britain great, that's why we have taken to him I think.
"We should learn off him. He is a wonderful man.
“At 99, he gets up and does that. It’s simply amazing. He just puts a smile on peoples places in these difficult times.
“I am struggling like hell with my business, but it is good to give back a bit."
Graffiti by Title only had a few pieces of paper with four pictures of the pensioner for reference and completed the piece in under a day.
Married dad-of three Andy added: “That’s all he had to work with. One picture with his head and shoulders and one with him on his zimmer frame.
“He had one with the NHS logo on it and then another of the soldiers in the background. That was it. It's absolutely amazing what he has been able to do. It looks incredible.
“He started at 10am and finished at about 4pm. He has made it so lifelike. It looks like it could be a print but it's not, it's done by spray paint.”
Image by: Adam Hughes SWNS
Image by: Adam Hughes SWNS
Image by: Adam Hughes SWNS
Image by: Adam Hughes SWNS
Andy says the reaction to the display has been “absolutely crazy” with people flocking far and wide to come and take pictures.
He said: “I felt a bit bad with the number of people coming to see it, what with social distancing in place, but loads of people have come from everywhere to have a look at it.
“We've had cars stopping in the road and people getting out to take pictures. It has just been absolutely crazy how popular it has been.
“I thought it would get some local recognition but nothing like this scale.
“I have had messages from people in Belfast, one from Canada on social media. People have been so taken with the artwork.
"It's mad, I never expected this scale of reaction or how far it has spread."
Captain Tom, who served in World War Two, also recently topped the charts singing a duet of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ with musical theatre star Michael Ball.
He is the oldest person ever to get a UK number-one single and was honoured with a Pride of Britain award last Thursday (23/4).
Video by: Gabriella Petty
THE SKY’S THE LIMIT -This mesmerising footage shows a talented group of skydivers moving in a perfectly synchronised pattern that looks like a SPEEDING TRAIN
Image by: Matt Leonard
This mesmerising footage shows a talented group of skydivers moving in a perfectly synchronised pattern that looks like - a SPEEDING TRAIN.
The footage shows a skills training event known as ‘Flock and flow’ organised by ‘Momentum flight’.
Momentum Flight team members Matt Leonard, Max Manow and Tom Baker were on site at Skydive City, Zephyrhills, Florida, USA, to teach the participants necessary and safe piloting skills.
The footage shows skydivers performing 360 degree rolls in the air and lining themselves up in perfect patterns.
The highlight of the day comes when a perfectly timed ‘train’ of skydivers speeds through the middle of two other lines of their fellow Skydivers.
The footage was captured by Momentum Flight on March 12th and 14th 2020, just days before the national shutdown brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic
Full time momentum instructor Matt Leonard, 29, from Boston, Mass., said: “I’m the youngest of the team and currently a full time instructor.
"I used to be an engineering manager but gave it up to travel the world and teach canopy piloting.
“There was about three months of group preparation for planning the jumps, testing out some new ideas, and then trying them out before the camp.
"Myself and Max Manow have been jumping together for over four years and have hundreds of jumps together doing stunt work, exhibition projects, having fun and try out new things to teach the world.
"Between the three of us we have collectively amassed more than 23,000+ jumps in the sport and bring that knowledge to the camps.
“This footage not only reminds me of a time not in quarantine but more seriously it reminds me of the impact we had on so many students lives in four days.
"The skills they learned, the excitement. This is what I see when I watch the footage.”
Video by: Matt Leonard
WATCH: Rhino bursts with excitement when he spots his favourite keeper!
This adorable video shows the moment a critically endangered rhino in a closed zoo got excited to see his keeper - and started running back and forth like a puppy.
The sweet video showed Crockett the black rhino's ears twitch as he spotted zookeeper Kylee approaching - before he started gleefully bounding up and down around his enclosure.
The six-year-old southern black rhino was filmed launching his front feet off the ground, just like an excited puppy, as he followed Kylee, who was skipping along the other side of the fence in tandem.
The footage was filmed at Fort Worth Zoo in Texas, USA, on Sunday afternoon (April 5).
A spokesperson for the zoo said: "Crockett appeared to get excited as Kylee approached his exhibit on Sunday afternoon.
"As he raced around his habitat, we affectionately said he got the "zoomies."
"Although the Zoo has been closed to the public since March 14, keepers and staff have been there every day feeding and caring for the animals.
"Crockett is the youngest of three critically endangered southern black rhinos here at the Zoo. He is playful and excels during training sessions with keepers."
Fort Worth Zoo focuses largely on rhinoceros conservation, specifically the critically endangered southern black rhino.
Conservation achievements have been made in Africa in the form of increased anti-poaching efforts, population monitoring, introduction efforts, and translocations.
The zoo is part of a cooperative breeding program in order to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse population of this species to provide a hedge against extinction.
In 2018, two new bulls made their home in the Zoo's African Savanna: Crockett and Travis - a nod to the Texas Alamo heroes.
Video by: Gabriella Petty
A couple converted a van into a home to avoid crippling rent and are now traveling across continents in the vehicle - accompanied by their beloved dogs
Image by: Crystal Drinkwalter
A couple who converted a van into a home to avoid crippling rent are now travelling across continents with their two dogs - and the coronavirus pandemic will not change their itinerary.
Crystal Drinkwalter, 25, and Jazmyn Canning, 26, decided to spend £15K ($18,400 USD) buying the 92-square-feet 2006 Mercedes Sprinter and turning it into a cosy home instead of renting an apartment.
The couple, who are currently in San Cristobal, Mexico, believe that the rapid spread of the coronavirus will not impact their travels.
Crystal said: "If we were in a big city, we'd be more worried but we are in the middle of nowhere.
"I feel like we are in the safest position.
"We spent the last few days hiding out in the jungle and only seeing four other people so we're not too freaked out.
"We've seen more sheep than people in the last few days.
"It's not going to stop us."
The millennials renovated the van themselves despite not having any plumbing or electrical experience and relied on YouTube videos to show them how to finish the job.
The mobile home includes a kitchen with running water, a pantry and solar panels on the roof - but no toilet.
The couple, from Barrie in Ontario, Canada, both quit their jobs as waitresses and have spent the last year traveling through North America in their mobile home.
Image by: Crystal Drinkwalter
Image by: Crystal Drinkwalter
Image by: Crystal Drinkwalter
They are now in San Cristobal, Mexico, and plan to continue exploring Central America and South America with their hounds Bella, seven, and Izzy, five.
Jazmyn said: “We didn’t want the van to just be a travel mobile, we wanted it to be our own home mobile.”
Crystal added: “The cost of living definitely deterred us from getting an apartment.
“Rent for a one bedroom apartment in the Toronto area starts at $880 [1200 CAD] and then you are paying bills on top of that.
“How can you do the things you want to do when all your money is going into the roof above your head?
“We wanted to make life our job, rather than make our job our life.”
The pair took five months finding the perfect van and a further eight months to turn it into their home.
“We found a 2006 Mercedes Sprinter with no rust,” said Crystal.
“It took us eight months to outfit the van and it was a lot of trial and error.
“We had no prior plumbing, electrical work or carpentry skills.
“YouTube was our biggest educator.
“We were working full time while we were building.
“The van cost $10,200 [14,000 CAD] and the build cost $8,200 [11,000 CAD].”
The greatest challenge was equipping the van to be a “four season vehicle” so that it could survive the bitter Canadian winter.
“We needed a four season van with a heater as it is freezing about eight months of the year in Canada,” said Crystal.
The tiny home includes a kitchen, a reading nook and a pantry - but no toilet.
“At the front of the van we have a bench that pulls out into a small bed and we call it our reading nook,” said Jazmyn.
“We put our kitchen at the right side of the van.
“It has 127 liters of running water.
“We have a cooktop, a sink and a fridge which can hold 72 beer cans.
“We also have a floor-to-ceiling pantry and that’s where we store all our dried goods, pots and pans, dog food and coffee.
“In the back half of the van we have a bed that we can fold away.
“Our electricity comes from two AGM batteries that are fueled by our solar panels on our roof.
“We don’t have a bathroom.
“We didn’t really want to clean a toilet in such a small place.
“There are so many amenities out there and everyone is kind enough to let us use the bathroom.
“We let the dogs out all the time so when they go to the bathroom, we go to the bathroom.
“We use a shovel and we leave no trace.
“But we do have an outdoors shower.”
Image by: Crystal Drinkwalter
Image by: Crystal Drinkwalter
Image by: Crystal Drinkwalter
Image by: Crystal Drinkwalter
Image by: Crystal Drinkwalter
The van was finished in January 2019 and in February the couple set off on their travels.
They journeyed to the west coast of Canada before entering the United States.
“We went to Washington, Oregon, Utah, California and Arizona,” said Crystal.
“We then came into Mexico, taking the ferry from Baja, a state in Northern Mexico, to mainland Mexico.
“We are almost at the border of Guatemala now.
“We are going to do all of Central America and we will ship the van from Panama to Colombia.
“From Colombia, we will go to Ecuador, Peru, Chile and maybe Brazil.”
In the last year, the couple have only paid for camping once.
“We sleep for free every night,” said Jazmyn.
“We feel a sense of security in the van.”
“The dogs help us out,” added Crystal.
“They are the perfect alarm system when we are sleeping.
“They let us know if anyone is outside the van.”
The couple said that the desire to take their beloved Australian shepherds with them on their travels motivated them to convert the van.
Jazmyn said: “We really enjoyed traveling together but we always had to leave the dogs behind.
“We decided that if we built up the van, we could travel with the dogs and then they could be our adventure buddies.
“They are the sweetest, most intelligent dogs.
“They are honestly our babies.
“They keep us going - and calm and happy.”
As an LGBTQ couple traveling alone together, Jazmyn and Crystal said they have to take extra precautions.
The couple, who call themselves ‘Van Wives’ on social media, even considered changing their license plate which showed the moniker.
“Our license plate says ‘Van Wives’ and we were thinking about changing it.
“But we are just going to be who we are and we get so much more positivity than negativity from that license plate.
“When we were at the American border, the border security officer said: ‘It’s a shame that you two are gay.'
“But we have moved on from it.
“As an LGBTQ couple, we have to do our research.
“We haven’t had any issue at all in Mexico.
“They have a lot of Pride flags all over the streets.”
The adventurous pair have experienced many breakdowns on their travels but they have learnt to fix most mechanical problems themselves.
“Our vehicle is 13-years-old now, so there are issues that come up,” Jazmyn said.
“It just needs some TLC every now and again.
“You need to get new tires, do your breaks, check the ball joints.
“It has never been anything that is very detrimental to our travels.”
Crystal said: “We have learnt so much - we can figure it out by ourselves.
“We’ve done an oil change and we’ve changed the filters.
“We have learnt from all those breakdowns.”
The couple added that traveling in a van allows them to feel a part of the countries they visit.
“It’s just about getting to call those beautiful places home,” said Jazmyn.
“We open the back doors and feel totally present.
“We enjoy that we have each other, food on the table and a beautiful view.”
The pair share their travel adventures on their Instagram account and YouTube channel under the handle @vanwives.
Image by: Crystal DrinkwalterVideo by: Gabriella Petty
Meet Loki - an overly affectionate raven who likes to CUDDLE
Image by: Elliot Manarin
A filmmaker has become best friends with a raven - and says the bird often comes inside for a cuddle.
The seven-year-old called Loki has grown up in captivity and now has a bond so strong with its owner that it regularly seeks him out for an embrace.
Elliot Manarin was offered Loki by a breeder after its owner passed away - and initially discovered a spiky personality.
But years of hard work, love and attention has seen the pair become best friends - with the animal even comforting the 33-year-old when his mum died.
Elliot, from Essex, says that ravens are misunderstood creatures and are not too dissimilar to humans.
The duo now exchange gifts and share jokes - growing so close that Elliot no longer sees Loki as a bird.
He said: "Loki's owner had passed away and was left to fend for himself for a few weeks before relatives of his owner eventually discovered him.
"He was returned to the breeder who offered him to us. He had no name and was apparently a well mannered and tame bird.
"This was far from the case. Loki was hyper-aggressive and riddled with chronic anxiety.
"He was scared of humans and acted on fight or flight. His mental health, as well as his physical condition, was very poor, his feathers were matte and he was missing his tail.
"It's taken years to establish a bond with Loki.
"I'm not a corvid expert, but over time I have become an expert on Loki.
"Through trial and error, I had to learn what was triggering his aggressiveness and work with him to build trust and make him feel safe and secure.
"In the early days, it was exceptionally tough and we nearly had to have him rehomed, but we all persevered and now we have a loving bird who is happy, healthy and enjoying life to the fullest.
"He is a truly unique individual bursting with so much character. We often exchange gifts and he loves to play with his puzzle toys.
"He has a taste for trickery and can often be found tormenting some of the staff, undoing their shoelaces and trying to trip them up.
Image by: Elliot Manarin
Image by: Elliot Manarin
Image by: Elliot Manarin
Image by: Elliot Manarin
"If given the chance will steal anything he can get his beak on, money, food padlocks anything.
"If we don't provide him with the adequate currency he will disappear and hide whatever item he has stolen until we provide suitable payment.
"Each item he steals has a value unique to him for example, a cleaning sponge is worth about 3 grapes, a padlock, a chocolate biscuit!
"If we don't provide him with what he wants the item stays hidden, sometimes for months!"
Elliot said he has now grown to view Loki as more than a bird, adding that ravens are much more like humans that we would think.
He said: "Loki is very much like a human, ravens have complex emotions coupled with their exceptional intelligence to problem solve, stimulation and companionship remain a top priority.
"We need to devise new games and tasks for him to work out whilst keeping his mental health in check, not allowing that to overcome him.
"But like most of us, he just wants companionship, he enjoys spending time with us and being in our company.
"People are also fascinated with his vocalisations of which he has many, these all symbolise various emotions from jealousy, fear, anticipation and joy.
"He's been known to laugh and chuckle at the precise moment someone tells a joke, slips over or otherwise endures something humorous.
"If he sees me trying to locate an item he's stolen and having difficulties, the sound of an evil chuckle can be heard coming from his aviary as he watches me bumble around in bewilderment!
Elliott said he has shared numerous moments with Loki - including one that particularly sticks out.
He said: "When my mum passed away two years ago, he knew I was sad. It wasn't emotional mirroring like dogs, this was something much more sentient.
"He walked over to me and locked eyes. He hopped onto my lap and rolled upside down onto his back, legs in the air.
"He rocked side to side whilst cooing the most dainty, affectionate sounds. I'd never heard him make these vocalisations and to this day he's never done it since.
"There is so much going on in their minds we don't really give them credit for. I've learnt so much from him and stopped looking at him as a bird a long time ago."
Loki was rehomed at Coda Falconry in Waltham Abbey, Essex.
Video by: Elliot Manarin
Spectacular video shows moment Peak District waterfall appeared to flow BACKWARDS during Storm Ciara
Video by: Helen Gant
This is the spectacular moment a waterfall in the Peak District appeared to flow BACKWARDS during Storm Ciara as it was battered by high winds.
Helen Gant filmed the extraordinary footage of water cascading upwards at Kinder Downfall in Derbyshire on Sunday (9/2).
Powerful winds caused the 98ft (30m) waterfall to blow in the opposite direction at the natural beauty spot which is located on the edge of Kinder Scout mountain peak.
Helen uploaded the footage to her Facebook page with the caption "Not crowded up here today" where it has been shared and viewed hundreds of times.
Keen hiker Helen said: "I've been scrambling up hills and mountains since I was little.
"Watching the downfall blowing up was pretty exhilarating.
“I've been up there quite a few times when it's been blowing uphill but this was the most spectacular so far."
When frozen in harsh winters, the downfall is also a venue for daredevils to take part in ice-climbing.
The natural wonder is part of the famous Pennine Way trail, which begins in the Peak District and stretches for 268 miles all the way to Kirk Yetholm at the Scottish Borders.
Helen, 45, a school data manager, said: “I’ve only really got into climbing recently but I have been walking and rambling since I was a kid.
"I love it and walk a lot. My mum and dad used to take us out to the hills all the time so I have been doing it forever.
“It was really exciting to see the falls behave like that. It was crazy. It was exhilarating walking along the top.
"I’ve been up a few times as I can see Kinder from my garden.
"I love exploring it when it does that. I’ve never seen it as dramatic as it was last Sunday though.
“The water was coming over the footpath so you get absolutely soaked when you get up there.”
Helen, of New Mills, Derbys., said she felt completely safe up the top and said others should not attempt the climb unless they feel comfortable.
She added: “It felt perfectly safe because the wind was constant. It was buffeting a bit but it was never blowing us towards the edge, always inland.
“I say it’s perfectly safe but I don’t want to encourage anyone to go up there this weekend. We felt secure in those conditions.
“It was still exciting, but you always have to take the risks carefully. A couple of days later it was incredible too, as it was frozen and covered in ice.
“People do go ice climbing on it sometimes, but its nowhere near stable enough at the moment.”
