A woman describes horrific story after her hand was bitten off by rescue dog
Video by: Tom Maddick SWNS 
Image by: Tom Maddick SWNS
A woman yesterday told how she had her hand bitten off by a huge rescue dog which savaged her in attack which 'seemed to last for hours.'
Sue Scarlett, 64, was savaged by the 90kg - 14 stone - cross-bred beast while cleaning its kennel and looked down to the ground see her 'right hand on the floor.'
The care home nurse was set up by the dog last October when the animal locked its teeth around her right arm.
Despite two people trying to get the dog off her hand, the male dog gripped on to her wrist with his teeth and wouldn't let go.
The grandmother, who described the dog having a grey and black brindle coat with paws the size of her hand, said: "I shouted to him to let go but he just held on tighter.
"After what seemed like hours my husband heard me and tried to pull the dog away but was unable to do so.
"I remember thinking that I would have a few broken bones when he finished.
"But at that time I looked down and saw my right hand lying on the concrete in a pool of blood."
The kennels which had a run outside where caged - the dogs slept in the kennels and were able to have water in the run before running outside into a surrounding field to play.
As Sue let the dog out of the kennels to go into the field to clean the room and change the water in the run.
But the dog put his head partially into the run of out of the kennel and grabbed her right arm.
Sue, who is a nurse at Ashlynn Grange care home, in Peterborough, Cambs., shouted at the dog to let go but he continued to "gnaw" at her arm.
She said she had to go on her knees to push the kennel gate against him because she "knew that if he got into the kennel he would kill" her.
Sue screamed for her husband, who was also helping to look after the other dogs, to call for an ambulance and police as her friend tried to get the dog off her arm.
After a couple of minutes, the dog eventually let go in which they were able to isolate him back into the kennel.
She added: "As I looked up I saw him looking at me and there was blood all round his mouth.
"As a nurse I knew that I was in big trouble so told my husband that he needed to put a tourniquet - compressing device - above the wound, which he did using his jacket.
"My friend and my husband held my arm in the air to try and prevent more blood loss and continued to do so until a paramedic took over."
The East Anglian Air Ambulance arrived at the scene a long with two doctors, a paramedic and police.
Sue said: "I don't remember much else about the journey or going into the hospital or the emergency surgery which was needed to save my life.
"But what I know is that without a shadow of a doubt is that without the swift action and interventions of the East Anglian Air Ambulance crew I would not be here today.
"I might have lost part of my arm but I am alive and will always be grateful to the crew".
The dog was put down after the attack.
Since the attack Sue as thanked East Anglian Air Ambulance service after their life saving efforts.
An East Anglian Air Ambulance spokesperson said: "The Anglia Two team of Doctor Pam Chrispin, Doctor Antonia Hazlerigg, CCP Mark Milsom and Pilots Rosh Jaypalan and Martin Polding were tasked at 12:24 and arrived on scene in Wisbech at 12:46.
"The clinical team provided IV Access and haemorrhage control, dressing and splintage to Sue’s arm.
"They administered pain relief and antibiotics at scene before packaging Sue and flying her to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, arriving at 13:39."
Sue is now volunteering to help raise funds "that are needed to keep these heroes and horoines in the air" for East Anglian Air Ambulance, which is not government funded.
She will be taking part in the Big Leeap, the tandem skydiving event in May.
Sue was forced to give up for the last six months while recovering from her injuries.
DON'T LOOK DOWN, BOY! - Meet Britain’s paragliding DOG that takes to the skies with his owners
Video by: Joe McCarthy 
Image by: Joe McCarthy
Meet Britain’s paragliding DOG - that regularly takes to the skies with its owners.
Henry the three-year-old cockapoo has flown more than 20 times over the hills of west Wales - and even in the Alps.
Owners Amy Jones, 38, partner Joe McCarthy, and Amy's dad Rob, 67, leap off mountains and hills with the dog strapped on their laps.
Weather conditions must perfect to paraglide - and Henry flew this weekend as it was dry with low winds.
Video footage shows Henry looking relaxed as he flies with Rob, 67, over hills near his home in Tywyn, west Wales.
The pooch also enjoyed a bird’s eye view of his favourite beach on Boxing Day as he swept along the Dyfi Estuary.
He started high on the hills above Aberdyfi before paragliding down to the seafront - enjoying panoramic views across the stunning landscape.
He hops up onto the pilot's knee and is “ready to go as soon as he gets his harness on”.
Image by: Joe McCarthy
Image by: Joe McCarthy
Amy, who runs a roofing firm with dad Rob, said: “Henry is hilarious - his expressions are very funny because he is always so happy.
“We go over to the Alps every year in a VW campervan and Henry comes with us and flies.
“As soon as he gets his harness on to paraglide you can tell he wants to go - as soon as it is on he’s ready.
“But Joe and I are very active and he does everything with us.
“We take him to Lake Annecy where he flies, swims and cycles in the trailer - it’s great.
“Passersby expect it to be a kid in the back but then they see his little head. People think we are bonkers but it’s so funny.”
The little dog also paddleboards with Amy, travels in a trailer with her on long bike rides and enjoys long walks up Cadair Idris mountain in the snow.
Henry’s love for the outdoors is a trait mirrored by Amy and Joe who met three years ago when he was a puppy.
He often flies with Amy’s dad, Rob, who has over 30 years of paragliding experience and was one of the sport's pioneers.
Amy says playful Henry is small and will often disappear into the snow during walks on Cadair Idris. She added that Henry has flown “20 to 30 times” in total.
Partner Joe, a commercial photographer and videographer, described Henry as “so calm” as he flies.
Henry spends his time at home in Bryncrug, Gwynned, Wales napping and eating so he is ready to go outdoors.
Joe, who met Amy in a paragliding class, added: “Cockapoos are really lovely natured, gentle and caring dogs.
“He doesn’t shed so is a brilliant house dog but loves to go out. When I’m working he will nap, then he eats and is ready to go out again.”
Image by: Joe McCarthy
MUM IN A MILLION - Meet the young woman who has become 'mum' to her five siblings at the age of 21 - after they lost their mother to a sudden illness
Image by: Shannon Ellis
Meet the 23-year-old who has become mum to her five siblings as well as her own two kids - after her mother's sudden death.
Shannon Ellis was just 22 when she stepped up to care for the brood of seven after her mum Shelley, 39, died in January this year.
This Mother's Day she received handmade cards, boxes of chocolates and bouquets of flowers from her brother and sister.
The brood will also paid tribute to Shelley by visiting the tree where they spread her ashes near the park she used to take them to.
Shannon - who was already a mum to her own children - Harrison, three, and Rowan, two - was devastated when she lost her mum.
But rather than see her siblings placed in care, Shannon volunteered to raise them as her own, under one roof.
She took them in with her partner, Kieran Ferguson, 23, at their home in Hartlepool, County Durham.
She is the legal guardian for her five siblings - Mia, 16, Neve, 15, Bracken, 13, Keevie, 10, and Blaine, eight.
Shannon, who is a full-time mum, said: "I always wanted to be a mum, but I never imagined I'd have to fill my own mum's shoes and go from a mum-of-two to a mum-of-seven overnight.
"But I promised mum I'd look after my brother and sisters.
"She'd have hated to see them split up or in care, I never would have let that happen.
"We have our moments, but we're still one big, happy family - just as mum wanted.
"Mum was just brilliant.
"She did everything to provide for us - despite being a single parent and raising us all on her own.
"She'd take us on family trips to the seaside and would muck in with us playing games. On a Saturday night she'd always rustle up a huge home-cooked feast.
"We had an amazing childhood and always felt very loved and protected by her.
"She made me want to have children of my own and she was over-the-moon when she became a grandmother to my two little boys."
Shannon was born seven years before her next sibling, so for the first years of her life, she and mum Shelley were inseparable.
“I was her mini-me,” Shannon said. “We would do everything together.
“She was both mum and dad to me as my father wasn't on the scene - but she was also my best friend in the world.
“I remember watching in admiration as she put her make-up on in the mornings and thinking, I want to be just like her when I grow up."
Image by: Shannon Ellis
For many children, the sudden arrival of new siblings after years of undivided attention would cause upset - but not for Shannon.
Sliding with ease into her role as their big sister, she doted on her younger siblings from the very first time she set eyes on them.
“I remember the first time I met Mia and mum said I could give her a kiss,” Shannon said.
“She was sleeping so peacefully and I carefully kissed her tiny face – I was so scared of breaking her, she was perfect.”
As the number of her siblings grew, the Ellis’ became one big happy family.
“We were all really close,” Shannon said.
“We’d have the odd fight as brothers and sisters do, but all-in-all we looked out for each other and mum made sure we were always happy.
“I would help her out where I could - getting my younger brother and sisters ready for school and out the door – mum couldn’t do it all by herself!”
By this time, Shelley was no longer with her partner and the father of the younger children, but the family got on perfectly fine with the help of Shannon.
They enjoyed trips to Headlands Beach or Summer Hill, near their home in Hartlepool, and caring Shelley would make sure the car was packed with everything they would need.
She helped with homework and tucked each one of her six children into bed each night, with more than enough love to spread between them all despite having barely any time for herself.
Keen to start a family of her own, Shannon fell pregnant aged 18 after she and Keiran had been dating for eight months and had two sons - who Shelley doted on.
"I remember taking the pregnancy test at home first thing in the morning before work,” Shannon said.
“I ran screaming and shouting into mum’s room, jumping on her bed and telling her she was going to be a grandma.
“Mum knew before Kieran did – that’s how close we were!
“She was over the moon and although I was nervous about being a young mum, I knew I could do it if I just followed the amazing example my mum had set.”
Harrison, three, was born in May 2015, followed by another grandson for Shelley, Rowan, two, in January 2017.
Shannon and Kieran moved just around the corner after the birth of their two boys to give the family some more space – but that didn’t mean they weren’t together all the time.
Shannon said: "Mum was an amazing grandmother - she absolutely adored the boys.
“Not a day went by where I wouldn’t see my mum.
“She helped look after the boys if we were busy and taught me the tricks of the trade.
“She was besotted with her grandchildren, the same look I’d seen when my siblings were born all those years earlier, and I was so happy to have her help throughout their early years.
"I always thought she'd be there for me to give me guidance and to watch her children and grandchildren grow up."
But the family's lives were turned upside down after Shelley was taken unexpectedly ill in January 2018 - and told she had just days to live.
Shelley was rushed to the University Hospital of North Tees, Hartlepool, where medics discovered she had a rare disease.
Shannon was told by medical staff that her mum Shelley would never be the same, and had a maximum of two years to live.
“I’ll never forget hearing those words,” Shannon said.
“I couldn’t contemplate losing her but the doctors assured that would be the case.”
When Shelley heard she didn’t have long left, she became unbelievably worried about what would happen to her children left behind.
“It was horrible seeing the worry in her face, she loved us all so much,” Shannon said.
“But I promised her that the kids would never be alone and that I would step up to look after them.”
Shelley’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and just two days later they were told the end was imminent.
Shelley was moved to Alice House Hospice, Hartlepool, to make her final days more comfortable, and the family gathered around to make their heart-breaking goodbyes.
“I can’t thank the staff there enough, they were brilliant to poor mum,” Shannon said.
“They were so lovely and understanding and made sure she had everything she could have needed until the time came.”
Image by: Shannon Ellis
On January 25, 2018, Shelley sadly passed away aged 39 - just nine days after she first started to feel unwell.
Shannon was there when she passed, and curled up on the bed next to her beloved mum until she knew the time had come to tell the rest of the family.
“There’s nothing to describe her death other than a feeling of emptiness,” Shannon said.
“My best friend, my biggest support and my incredible mum had been taken from our lives and I felt so empty.
“But I had to be there for the kids, and we sat together sobbing for what seemed like hours.”
Having gone from speaking to her mum every single day, Shannon was left lost without her.
But she found strength in her siblings and the unity of their family.
Shannon - who was the eldest of her siblings - knew she had to keep her final promise to her beloved mum and stepped up to become the legal guardian for her five siblings.
She said: "Losing mum was horrendous - it came so out of the blue. It hit us all so hard.
"One minute she was there and seemed fit and healthy and the next we were told she had days left to live.
"When she passed away, it didn't hit me straight away. I just felt numb.
"But the one thing that kept me going was my brother and sisters and my own boys. I knew I had to get up each day to be there for them and to look after them.
“I couldn’t have done it all without Kieran – he had no experience of looking after girls, let alone teenagers. But he took my siblings under his wing and was a pillar of strength for all of us.
“Mum was always a brilliant judge of character and she adored him, so I’m glad she will have known that he will always look after us.
“I can’t believe how strong my brother and sisters have been.
“To be so young and suffer such a devastating loss is heartbreaking, but to still act as maturely as they have is amazing.
“They are coping really well and I’m really proud.
“We talk about mum all the time and constantly get photos out and laugh about the joy she brought to our family.”
The family all moved in together after the death of their mum, and Shannon and Kieran have taken them on as their own – just as Shelley had wanted.
From being a mum-of-two to a mum-of-seven overnight, Shannon says she has learnt a lot over the past year and says it gets easier every day.
“It has been hard but it’s given me more of a reason to get up and get on with every day normal life. Their strength has given me the strength to carry on,” Shannon said.
“I think she’d be smiling down at us, proud of how we’re doing.
“She will always be the head of this family, and I am trying every day to follow the incredible example of motherhood she set.”
Great-gran who risked her life for a facelift is so pleased with the results she's saving to go under the knife again
Video by: Paul Davey
A great-gran who risked her life for a facelift is so pleased with the results she's saving to go under the knife again.
Toni Goldenberg became one of the oldest people in the country to have a lower face lift, ridding her of a dreaded 'turkey neck' and making her look years younger.
The 80-year-old said it was like a dream come true when she looked in the mirror for the first time after the her three-and-a-half hour procedure and saw "the old woman had gone."
She began saving her pension five years ago for the £10,000 procedure and has already began putting money away in her giant Coca Cola bottle for an upper face lift.
Toni, from Wallington in south London, said: "I feet absolutely fantastic. It's like a dream come true.
"The old woman has gone and I hope she doesn't come back.
"When I look in the mirror, I thought I looked like a completely different person.
"But now I just see me and I forget what I looked like before.
"My neck and jowls made me look cross and miserable but now I look fresh and happy.
"You could not ask for anything better, especially at my age."
Image by: Paul Davey
Doctors warned Toni could be left partially paralysed or even die from surgery and that the risks of general anaesthetic were much greater at her age.
But she was determined to fulfil her long-held dream and told doctors "at least I would look good in my coffin."
She said: "I was told that I could die or that half of my face could be paralysed but I was willing to take that chance at my age.
"There is no use worrying if you are going to die - you go out onto the street and get run over or die at any moment.
"I understood the risks but I told the doctor 'at least I would look good in my coffin.'"
Toni, who was widowed 46 years ago, underwent extensive tests to evaluate her suitability for surgery and assessed her medical history, general health and level fitness.
She also faced a risk of poor wound healing and even tissue necrosis - where skin cells break down and die.
Toni said: "I was not really that nervous before the operation.
"When they put me on the operating table, I started to think about it all but then the anaesthetist said he was going to give me some drugs.
"I didn't have time to think or worry it and the next thing I remember was waking up in bed after the op.
"Everybody at Harley Street was fantastic, I couldn't recommend them enough."
Image by: Jon Mills
Image by: Jon Mills
Toni went under the knife at the world renowned Harley Street Skin Clinic on February 15.
While she insisted she is "too old for romance" Toni's new fresh look has done wonders for her confidence and she is set to start yoga and gym classes.
She said: "I am too old to get back in the dating game but I would consider going out for a nice meal with somebody and sharing a man's company.
"I feel much more confident and plan to go to the gym every day except for Tuesdays when I look after my great-granddaughter."
Toni, who has two great-grandchildren, saved for the £10,000 op by putting all her loose change in a giant Coca-Cola bottle.
She filled her "face lift fund" with spare pennies from her pension before starting again with pound coins and again with only £5 notes.
Toni is now saving for a £6,000 upper face lift which she expects to have before the age of 85.
She said: "I am already using my Coca Cola bottle - I was saving for some new clothes but I will have to go to the charity shop for them now.
"I look in the mirror now and I see the baggy eyes so I'm saving up again to have the area around my eyes and forehead lifted - that will be another few years.
"My friends said it's the best thing I've ever done and they have already chipped in towards my next face lift."
Six weeks on from surgery, the Harley Street team are impressed by Toni's "extraordinary" and speedy recovery.
Image by: Jon Mills
Image by: Paul Davey
Lesley Reynolds, co-founder of Harley Street Skin Clinic, said: "Toni surprised us all by her swift recovery from the surgery which is a testament to her tremendous energy and force of life.
"Her general health is such that she bounced back very quickly after the operation - her bruising and swelling were minimal.
"This is in part due to the skills of our surgeon Mr Hagen Schumacher and the anaesthetist, but also perhaps down to Toni's general health.
"Usually people of Toni's age have some sort of health issues that would increase the risk of a general anaesthetic to the point of it not being advisable to have cosmetic surgery."
Surgeon Mr Schumacher told Toni that the results will continue to improve over the next year.
Toni said: "After the surgery, I had a bit of swelling for a few days but no pain at all – it was brilliant.
"It will take a year for it to be completely healed so it will just keep getting better.
"The surgeon was really, really good and I would recommend him to anybody."
The great-grandmother began dreaming of having cosmetic surgery in her 20s when she noticed wrinkles appearing on her face.
She has always worked hard to maintain a size ten and had hoped she would take after her mother, who had "barely any wrinkles" before she died aged 84.
But as she grew older, Toni felt her face no longer matched her body.
She said: "I expected my skin would age in the same way as my mum but it didn't.
"I had wanted it done for decades and decades - I would read about it in the papers and I did a lot of research."
She added: "People won't tell you if they've had a face lift - they don't talk about it but I think people should.
"It has made an awful lot of difference to my confidence and I feel a lot better about myself - I don't even wear make up.
"I'm so pleased with it - it looks natural rather than having that drawn, wind-swept look.
"I can't wait to have the area around my eyes and brows lifted to match."
Farm becomes the first place in Britain to offer yoga classes - in a field full of ALPACAS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
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".
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
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."
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
STREET AND TWO VEG
Image by: Claire Pisano
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.
Image by: Claire Pisano
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."
Image by: Claire Pisano
Image by: Claire Pisano
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."
Image by: Claire Pisano
Image by: Claire Pisano
Image by: Claire Pisano
PRISONER OF AZKABAN
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
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.
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
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.
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNSVideo by: Ashley Moran
CHUBBY CHIHUAHUA
Image by: Patty Stanton
An obese Chihuahua who could barely move has shed more than half her body weight after ditching her indulgent diet.
Bertha tipped the scales at 13lbs when she was handed in to Muttville Senior Dog Rescue in San Francisco after her owner passed away.
The 11-year-old pooch was more than three times the recommended weight for a Chihuahua and could barely carry the massive weight on her tiny legs.
She was adopted by Allison Hackett, 35, in August 2017, who knew she could help the dog slim down and lead a happier life with a calorie-controlled diet.
Image by: Patty Stanton
Bertha committed to her diet of low-calorie, low-carb dog food and trained her palette to enjoy new offerings like carrot and apple.
Since embarking on her weight loss journey, the Chihuahua has shed 8lbs - more than half her body weight.
Allison, a mergers and acquisitions associate, said: "She was unable to move well and she was definitely hindered by her weight.
"She looked like a sausage.
"My friend said she looked like a loaf of bread on tiny legs.
"She is a Chihuahua so she should weigh about 5lbs, but when she was handed into the shelter she was about 13lbs.
"That’s almost triple what she should have been.
Image by: Allison Hackett
Image by: Allison Hackett
"She didn’t have a history so there was no evidence of what her diet had been like before but it was clear that it was bad.
"She lost about a pound during her time in Muttville so when I got her she was 12lbs.
"My vet advised me to start her on a low calorie and low carb dog food.
"We wanted her to lose weight slowly and healthily.
"She would have a quarter of a cup of this food a day in total.
"She reached 5lbs about a year into her diet and her vet is super happy with her at the moment."
Senior dog Bertha experiences regular seizures and can’t go too hard when it comes to exercise.
Image by: Allison Hackett
Image by: Allison Hackett
However, the pint-sized pooch loves to run around her house and can even climb the stairs, which she wasn’t able to do when she was obese.
Allison, of Saint Helena, California, said: "She is a much happier dog and is leading such a happy life now.
"We’re really strict about her diet. She’s not allowed any people food or high-calorie treats.
"Now she can go up and down the stairs, she can stand on her hind legs, she can run around.
"She has so much energy now and it’s so nice to hear the click of her toenails running around the house constantly especially when she could hardly move before."
While the pooch is on the straight and narrow, Bertha still loves her dinners and Allison said food is never far from her mind.
Allison said: "She definitely loves her food. She is always looking for it, she is constantly on the lookout.
"I can tell she's always thinking about it, but she is happy and healthy now and everyone is pleased with her progress."
Video by: Patty Stanton
LIVING NIGHTMARE
Image by: Patricia Rodrigues
A restaurant owner puzzled by her sky-high electricity bills says she was horrified to discover she had also been paying the bills for a nearby bowling alley and hotel.
Patricia Rodrigues, 29, couldn't understand why she was paying around £1,300 a month for her pizza restaurant until she had an electrician come round to check it out.
The pizzeria boss claims she was stunned to find she had also been paying for an adjacent hotel and bowling alley - adding nearly £42,000 extra to her bills over the seven years.
The Mondragone Ristorante e pizzeria in Brandon, Suffolk is part of a complex that includes the Brandon Lodge Apartment Hotel and Mr G's Bowling centre which are both owned by landlord Nolan Guthrie.
Image by: Patricia Rodrigues
When Patricia queried her bills with Mr Guthrie, he stated in a letter that it had been agreed she would pay all the power bills as part of the terms of renting out the restaurant.
But Patricia, who has been running the business since 2011 with her brother Fabio, claims she has never formally signed any terms or conditions or even lease.
She claims Mr Guthrie had delayed agreeing a formal lease when she first rented the property and only confirmed the rental amount.
Image by: Patricia Rodrigues
The single mother-of-two said: "When I opened the restaurant, it didn’t enter my mind that we would be paying for someone else’s electric.
"Then we started seeing that our bills were getting really high.
"I have been asking for a contract and a lease to be set up since I have moved in and I think this is why he never done so".
Patricia says her electricity bills started off at £150 and then gradually increased.
She added: "My electricity bill went up gradually - it went to £250 then £300 and so on.
"I was thinking maybe it is just getting busier at the restaurant which means we would be using more electricity - but then it went to £600, £700, £1,000 and kept going".
Image by: Patricia Rodrigues
Image by: Patricia Rodrigues
After having an electricity meter built into her restaurant, Patricia discovered that she should be paying between £400 and £500 a month.
An average household pays around £1138 a year in electricity bills and uses an average of 3,100 kWh a year.
But Patricia, who pays £833 a month on rent, was paying around this in one month and claims she would be using around 100 kWh on a "busy" day.
She added: "When the electrician switched the meter board off, the lights in the whole building went out.
"The landlord came running into the restaurant and tried to throw the electrician out - there was a big argument between them - and he said what they were doing was illegal".
A letter from Weeting-based Forest Electrical, states: "Following my visit to your premises today, I can confirm that the three phase electricity supply contact through a standard meter is also supplying electricity to two further circuits in separate premises to your own.
"In short, you are paying for the electricity to two different dwellings/businesses other than your own."
Patricia claims he has not paid her back the money she is owed and has since stopped paying the electricity bills for the last three months.
She adds: "It has been really hard for me.
"I held on for so long, because if they threw me out I would have nothing.
"I have had the police in here because I was worried about him.
"I just wanted to run away and disappear - it has been so expensive for me."
The Mr Guthrie has denied comment.
Image by: Patricia Rodrigues
Patricia says she is now moving her restaurant after being unable to settle the dispute.
Patricia later said she believed the two extra electricity circuits were connected to hotels rooms on the ground floor next to her restaurant, and rooms on the first floor above - but NOT the nearby bowling alley.
She said she thought there were eight to ten rooms in total.
Speaking today (wed), Nolan Guthrie advised OFF THE RECORD that Patricia Rodrigues had been aware of the extra electricity circuits.
He said this had been an informal arrangement as the rent for her business premises was low.
He denies her claim that she was unaware of this.
Seven-year-old wows crowd with rendition of ‘This Is Me’ - in sign language
Video by: Michael Deegan
This adorable seven-year-old girl has become an internet sensation after wowing a crowd with a rendition of the song ‘This Is Me’ - in sign language.
Jessica Deegan’s dad Michael posted a video of her performing the song on Twitter, which has attracted over 240,000 views.
The youngster performed the song from the film The Greatest Showman at a talent show last Saturday and won a prize in her category.
Jessica, who is not deaf and has been learning sign at school, entered the open category of Next Step's Got Talent competition in her home of Livingston, West Lothian.
Proud dad Michael Deegan, 28, posted the clip of his daughter on Twitter and received more than 1,700 retweets and 14,000 likes.
Michael said: "It was a local dance group she goes to and they put on a talent show for the kids.
“Jessica chose to go into the open category to do sign language - she had learned it in school and really enjoys it.
“She cares for everyone and wanted to involve something that includes other people and lets others enjoy something different."
On the day, dad of two Michael attended the show with his parents Rose, 55, and Phil, 68, and Jessica's little brother Kobin, aged four.
Michael claimed Jessica was "really confident" and couldn't wait to perform her act which she had been practicising for weeks ahead of the event.
He said: “She had been practising for a couple of weeks before she had to put her entry in.
"She was really confident with no nerves and looked forward to it.
“Her family that went along knew what was happening but apart from that no one else knew.
“Not many people knew what was going on."
Image by: Michael Deegan
The amazing performance received a standing ovation and even moved a judge to tears.
Dad Michael said: “Everyone was getting drawn into it and emotionally attached to it - the place went silent.
“She only had a minute and a half then everybody jumped up in a roar.
“One of the judges said it brought tears to their eyes while watching it.
"She’s had a lot of support and messages since."
Michael, a customer resolution analyst, hopes his daughter will continue to learn sign language, which he believes could benefit her further down the line.
He said: “I’m hoping she does keep it up, she’s enjoying it and I’m hoping the school continue to offer it.
"But if they don't then I will speak to her and if she wants to continue it I will try and find her a tutor.
“I know myself it would be something very useful for her going into a working environment."
Michael said the response from family, friends and online has been "overwhelming".
He said: “Everybody’s over the moon with her and I still can't find the words with how proud I am with her.
“Everybody said it was so good.
“It’s overwhelming for us, never mind Jessica."
He added: "She likes to play with everybody and include others in the group - it shows everyone how much of a caring child she is.”
Image by: Michael Deegan
