Woman's 47 ferrets live large in the ultimate 'ferret mansion'
By Samuel Wightwick
A woman owns nearly 50 pet ferrets who all live in their own "ferret mansion" - complete with mini-beds, hammocks and slides.
Rosie Stubbs, 31, has acquired 47 through breeding, rescuing and her own collection.
Rosie has had ferrets ever since she was 12 and once had a staggering 85 of them at her home.
When she left her family's farm five years ago, Rosie moved into a property in Bilsthorpe, Nottinghamshire that had a large outhouse.
She filled the 35 sq ft building with everything a ferret could wish and dubbed it the "ferret mansion".
She said: “The mansion’s got mini-beds, hammocks, slides, tubes and swings. Anything you can think of!
“It’s split into two sections. One side is full of hutches for when rescues come in and the other half is where my ferrets live.”
Rosie said her love for the animal came from her father, who used them on his farm.
"I just love them. They can be so loving," she added.
Even with all of these luxuries, she said it is hard to stop them getting bored so is always looking for ways to keep them entertained.
She said: "I'm very up for going to car boot sales and finding things second hand for the ferrets to play with.
"It helps the environment and you can always find quirky things for the ferrets to enjoy.
"I found this bean bag for £3 and thought they would like it
"Then when it got all grimy, I decided to take all of the beans out and have a ball party. They loved it!
“We tried feathers too, but they didn’t like them as much.”
As well as having her own group of ferrets, Rosie has been breeding the rarer variety of Angora ferrets for 17 years.
Angora ferrets are pretty much the same as their regular counterparts aside from their coat, which makes them much more sought after.
Rosie said: "The thing people like them for specifically is their coat. Angora ferrets are so much fluffier than regular ferrets.
"I love breeding them and seeing what kind of coats they are going to come out with. It's cool when you get some unusual ones."
Rosie spends approximately £200 a month on upkeep but it can go up and down depending on how many she has.
She added: "They're great pets for working people as they actually sleep 20-22 hours a day.
"Having said that, they do go to toilet about 10-12 times a day and I have to clean their cages out very often."
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Hero saves woman and girl, three, from trapped sinking car
By Adam Dutton
A hero dad has told how he saved a woman and her three-year-old daughter after he saw their car being swept away in a flooded river.
Liam Stych, 28, leapt into the raging torrent after hearing the woman screaming “Help me, help me, please save my baby!”
Dramatic video shows the woman’s car being dragged under a footbridge as floods surged through Hall Green in Birmingham.
The fearless dad dangled off the bridge and smashed the rear passenger window and used ratchet straps to lash the woman’s Fiat Punto to railings to stop it sinking.
Incredibly, he saved the little girl by "hurling" her into the lap of his pregnant partner Tia Draper, 27, who was standing on the bridge.
West Midlands Police hailed Liam a “local hero” but the modest dad-of-two insisted he just acted “on instinct”.
He said: “My partner is five months pregnant so we went out for a walk for some exercise.
“We were walking over a bridge and I heard a woman screaming from inside a car.
“She was shouting ‘Help me, help me, please save my baby she’s in the back!’
“The front of her car was pointing down into the water so I dangled off the bridge but was careful not to put any more weight on the car in case it sank.
“I told the woman to remain calm and unwind her window and to hand me her child.
“I said to her ‘Give me babbie’s hand, I’ll get her out’.
"The woman could only get her window half-way down so I took the babbie and literally hurled her behind me and into the lap of Tia who was on the bridge.”
The roadworks engineer and traffic manager then sprinted back to his work van and grabbed a set of 3.5 tonne ratchet straps.
He said: “Once the babbie was safe I ran to get the straps and climbed back to the car and smashed the back passenger window.
“I secured the car to the bridge with the ratchet straps so it wouldn’t drift any further under the bridge.
“I then told the woman to climb into the back and get out the window.
“She managed to get out and we then held hands and just jumped together into the water after a count of three.
“It was about 5ft deep but was really strong and I dragged her out of the water.
“The ambulance crew turned up and checked her and the child over.
“I think if I hadn’t done what I did the car would have been dragged under the bridge and there would have been no way of getting them out.”
Liam, who has two children from a previous relationship, said he wanted people to understand the lethal danger of floods.
He said: “It was pure luck that we were there when it happened.
"I didn't think about what I was doing, I just acted on instinct.
“The poor lady has lost her car and her shopping which was in the back but she and her daughter could have lost their lives.
“People don’t understand how powerful floods can be.
“It’d been raining heavily but the roads suddenly turned into rivers and the streams turned into raging rivers.
“I just managed to stay calm and thought clearly about what needed to be done.
“I didn’t want to make the situation worse by panicking and sinking the car with my weight. My only thought was to get them both out safely.”
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"Annual strategy meetings transformed our marriage"
By Leo Black
A couple who have annual strategy meetings to plan the year ahead say their marriage has never been better.
Husband and wife Durelle and Samantha Bailey, both 29, go to an industrious office space every year in Washington, D.C. and hold a two-hour strategy session.
In the meetings, they each set out their goals and lay out plans on how to complete them.
Both Durelle and Samantha, who live in the US capital, say their annual strategy meetings have improved their relationship and their marriage.
Durelle said: "It's been overwhelmingly positive.
"It's something we've been doing for years and we're seeing other couples and single people do the same thing.
"We've done well at quite a young age and we attribute this to the mentality behind the meetings."
The meetings, which are their fourth year running, were initially inspired by the couple's corporate life.
They focus on finance, travel, family and personal and professional development.
The couple even have a spreadsheet, which is complete with categories and budget calculations.
Samantha, who owns a marketing company with Durelle, said: "Working in corporate, I was able to see how businesses do it.
"I liked the direction and accountability. Everyone has a piece of the business they own. They know what is expected of them and what the plan is to achieve the goal."
The couple's plans are set out in advance, which prevents clashes in their schedules, which means they are always able to support each other.
Durelle said: "It's an opportunity to get in lock-step with each other, offer support and ask: 'how can I help you achieve your goals'."
Samantha added: "It’s made for a healthier relationship between us. It helps save our quality time and avoid conflict."
The couple also pitch their ideas to each other and ensure they set themselves 'SMART' goals - a known acronym to guide the setting of goals.
Durelle said: "We challenge each other to make sure we don't overextend ourselves.
"We try to make sure we have 'SMART' goals: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely."
While the meetings may seem sterile and clinical from the outside, Samantha says they are in practice very positive.
She said: "If anything, this prevents conflict. The majority of these meetings have been very positive and fun.
"We have a lot of exciting things going on in our lives and the meetings are a great way to stay on track and continue progressing every year
"We don't run our marriage like a business.
"Our marriage is very intimate and loving but you have to be intentional and strategic in this economy and with the way the world is going."
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Newly public domain Mickey Mouse appears in horrifying video game
By Dean Murray
Mickey Mouse may have only just become public domain, but the character has already appeared in a horror video game.
Steamboat Willie, a 1928 cartoon featuring an early version of the iconic rodent, entered the public domain in the United States on January 1, 2024.
Game developers have been quick to capitilise with a gruesome take on the mouse in the title Infestation: Origins.
The game sees a terrifying version of Mickey lurking in the shadows of a warehouse facility.
Up to four players are tasked with acting as exterminators tackling an "outbreak of vermin in various locations".
Game company Nightmare Forge Games say the title "places players in the role of specialist exterminators responding to infestations in various locations."
They add: "The 1928 Steamboat Willie animation short entering the public domain has allowed us to include our own derivation of the film's starring character in our game, which fits perfectly as an antagonist causing an infestation.
"However, rather than focusing on any one particular antagonist, the game will include multiple twisted versions of classic characters and urban legends. For example, another infestation players will need to overcome is caused by the Mothman, inspired by the urban legend popularised in West Virginian folklore."
Despite Steamboat Willie becoming public domain, later versions of Mickey Mouse are still protected by copyright law.
Disney said in a statement: "More modern versions of Mickey will remain unaffected by the expiration of the Steamboat Willie copyright, and Mickey will continue to play a leading role as a global ambassador for the Walt Disney Company in our storytelling, theme park attractions, and merchandise.
"We will, of course, continue to protect our rights in the more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright."
Infestation: Origins is available to pre-order on gaming platform Steam.
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Penguins steal the show in adorable "parade march"
By Safia Azizi
This video shows a group of penguins being taken on a "parade march" through a zoo.
Adorable footage shows the curious penguins waddling out of their enclosure one by one at Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium in Pennsylvania, USA - much to the delight of spectators.
The event is held from December to February and lets visitors get "up-close and personal" with the aquatic birds.
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Toddler's heartwarming first meet with baby brother
By Samuel Wightwick
This is the sweet moment a young girl is introduced to her baby brother for the first time.
An adorable video shows Mallory Parsons, two, excited to meet her new baby brother Rhodie.
The video shows the two-year-old peering into the basket at her brother before giving him a cuddle and a kiss on the cheek for the first time.
Mum Blaise Dyer, 32, a nanny from Warmley in Bristol, said that she always knew she wanted to capture this moment on camera.
She said: “So I love filming stuff, just for memories really and for my to keep. So I knew it was a moment that I had to get on film.
"We've been telling Mallory for a while that she was going to have a baby brother so I knew I needed to get her reaction when she finally met him.
"I'm mainly an Instagram user, that's where I post all of my mum content.
"But, I decided to upload this to TikTok, and everyone really loved it- the comments have been so nice."
Mallory's reaction was just as her mum had hoped.
Blaise said: "I was hoping she was going to take an interest and she definitely exceeded my expectations.
"Some adults aren’t as confident handling babies as she was in the video.
"I knew it was going to be a lovely moment regardless of how she reacted anyway."
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Massive brawl between restaurant staff and customers - over undercooked biryani
By Emma Dunn
A bizarre mass brawl broke out in India as staff attack customers with sticks - after they complained about an undercooked biryani.
The family were eating at the Grand Hotel in Abids, Hyderabad, when they complained to staff about the quality of Biryani they were served.
They discovered the food had just been reheated and given back to them when they asked for it to be replaced.
An argument broke out before they began to fight each other.
The waiters claim customers threw chairs at them while they were videoed running out of the restaurant with sticks and hitting people.
The family filed a complaint and the police took down contacts for the waiters and customers involved in the fight.
Six people were also arrested following the incident.
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"My little girl had spinal surgery while in the womb - now she can walk and run"
By Elizabeth Hunter
A little girl whose parents were told she would never walk is now running around - after £9k spinal surgery - while still in the womb.
Georgia Axford and Tyler Kelly, then just 19 and 21, were told their unborn baby had spina bifida after the 20-week scan.
The condition causes weakness or paralysis in the lower limbs - and the parents were told it was likely their child wouldn't walk.
The couple decided to travel to Germany for treatment, which saw the unborn baby operated on in the womb - at a cost of £9,000.
Piper-Kohl Kelly was then born health in July 2018 - and named after surgeon Dr Thomas Kohl.
Now five, she can walk and run - and has even taken part in her school's sports day.
Mum Georgia, now 24, said: "Seeing her run on the tracks was amazing.
“I never thought she’d be able to do something like that.
“Sometimes it doesn’t feel real. I think back to what we were told, and they were really negative about Piper’s diagnosis.
“We were prepared to give Piper whatever support she needed.
“I can’t believe it – we’re so lucky to see Piper achieve what she does.”
Spina bifida can leave sufferers dependent on supports or crutches, and in severe cases, they can be wheelchair-bound.
Doctors were confident that this would be the case for Piper-Kohl, who goes by Piper.
Georgia, from Yate, South Glos., said: "I had Piper at thirty weeks.
“She was in intensive car for 52 days, and then we came home and began living our life like normal.
“Doctors always said there could be a possibility of Piper needing a shunt, so that was a waiting game to see if she was showing signs.
“At about six months, she did have one fitted. She’s had that for the last four years and we’ve never had any problems with it.
“When she was around two, her physio gave her a walking frame – she doesn’t use it anymore, but we have it in case she needs the support.
“She used it for about a year while she was starting to walk, but now she walks completely independently.
“She does get really tired and can’t go for really long distances, but she does so well, especially considering what we were told."
The family also keep in touch with Dr. Thomas Kohl, the surgeon who performed the miracle surgery – and the namesake for Piper-Kohl.
The pair even share a birthday, with the family providing regular updates when Piper has a milestone.
Georgia said: “I think our experience was a lot easier because of Piper’s surgeon, Thomas Kohl,”
“We still speak to him! Piper’s name is double-barrelled, after him – Piper-Kohl.
“She was actually born on his birthday, which is a really funny coincidence.
“We send him updates a couple of times a year. On their birthday, they always FaceTime or send a message.
“Whenever Piper does something which we didn’t think she was going to be able to do, I send him a quick update.
“He’s always been so lovely to us.”
While the family’s journey hasn’t been easy by any means, Georgia and Tyler are filled with pride over their daughter’s progress – and are hoping to continue to witness her do anything she puts her mind to.
“It hasn’t been all rainbows and sunshine,” said Georgia.
“Piper went through a major surgery at six months old and it’s been hard over the years with all her physio and doctors.
“It’s a miracle that she’s been through it and is who she is today. She’s been through a lot in her life.
“She loves colouring and anything to do with arts and crafts. She loves school, and she has a really good group of friends.
“She’s so clever, and she’s such a kind and caring little girl.
“She beats the odds all the time – and whatever she does, I’ll be so proud of her.”
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'My dogs are so huge people stop me to ask if they are bears'
By Leo Black
This woman's dogs are so big and hairy people stop her in the street - to ask if they are bears.
Newfoundland terriers Leo and Teddy weigh 70 and 75 kilos (11 and 11.8st), around the same as the average British woman.
Both of the dogs are taller than their owner, Sanela Becovic, 44, who is 175cm (5.6ft) tall but both are gentle giants.
Sanela bought Teddy, six, from a breeder at ten weeks old, and Leo, four, at eight weeks old.
The dogs were expensive and cost €1,300 (£1,138) for Teddy and €1,800 (£1,576) for Leo.
The giant pooches have earned themselves celebrity status in Laholm, Sweden, where they live with Sanela.
They often get Sanela, a librarian, stopped when she's walking them, and everyone in town knows them by name.
Sanela said: "We live in a small city and everyone here knows them, but we still get stopped by people.
"It's hard to get places because people are always stopping us to talk and pet the dogs."
They may be gentle giants, but they still often give passers-by a fright when walking about Laholm.
Sanela explained: "People tell us they look like bears, they ask us 'what is that, is it a bear'?"
In fact, the dogs look so much like bears that Sanela bought Teddy originally because he looks like a bear.
She was scared of dogs before having Teddy but wanted a huge, fluffy bear to cuddle, and this was as close as she could get.
She said: "I was deathly afraid of dogs, but I was going through a hard time and always wanted a big bear to cuddle.
"It's hard to explain but I wanted one, and Newfoundlands are gentle, cuddly and have lots of hair, he was perfect."
The big dogs are quite spoiled by Sanela and her husband, Thomas Petterson, 50, and they get anything they want.
They bought a new car to fit the dogs into the boot, which set them back €130,000 (£113,897).
They even took the time and added a ramp that would make their dogs' trips more comfortable, by helping them climb in.
Sanela said: "It's basically a minibus that we made into Teddy and Leo's special car, we bought a special mattress and took the seats out."
The car wasn't the only accommodation they made, shortly after Leo's addition, they rented a new flat for the pooches.
Their old flat was too small so they chose another that cost them €400 (£350) more per month and included another bedroom.
Sanela said: "It was worth it, I'm planning on turning the extra bedroom into Teddy and Leo's room."
Sanela is wary of people thinking keeping a Newfoundland terrier is as expensive as she has made it.
She said: "You don't need to put this much money into them, I don't have kids so they are my kids.
"I'm obsessed with them and I spend much more money on them than normal people do."
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"I'm a thrifty mum - here are five dishes to feed your family for less than £2"
By George Mathias
A mum who creates budget-friendly meals has given her top tips for keeping costs down - and revealed five dishes which can feed a family for less than £2.
Grace Mortimer, 30, came up with Instagram page My First Meals after hearing about families struggling to put food on the table amid spiraling living costs.
Her account now has more than 450,000 followers and has spawned a book which has featured on the Sunday Times' bestsellers list.
Grace, a mum-of-one, says her dishes "don't compromise on flavour" despite the tiny costs.
And she's now revealed her latest tips for feeding the family on a budget.
Grace, of Gloucester, said: "With the cost of food rising to all time highs at the moment, I think we’re all feeling the pinch.
"My weekly food shop has risen by 50 per cent on average. I shop at Aldi because I find it to be the cheapest.
"Plus other supermarkets price match with them, so it makes coming up with a meal plan a lot easier for people to use who don’t have one nearby."
Grace advises that people steer clear of the branded goods where possible.
And she also says that you should always check the world food aisles in larger supermarkets - as they often have products such as tinned tomatoes and coconut milk for much cheaper.
Another big tip, she says, is "storing your leftovers separately."
Grace said: "If you’ve made spaghetti bolognese, don’t chuck the sauce and the pasta into the same Tupperware or pot because then your only option when it comes to using them is, well, spaghetti bolognese!
"The pasta can be used in a pasta bake for example, with some tinned tomatoes, friend bacon, steamed spinach and mozzarella.
"And the bolognese sauce can be turned into a cottage pie using some leftover or frozen veg and topped with mashed potato."
She also says that people should be wary of supermarket deals.
Grace said: "These are usually endorsing big brands and can appear great value but below the price ticket on each shelf is a weight to price ratio and sometimes you’re better off buying a different brand altogether or the supermarket own if you need multiple tins of something."
She also says that people should stop looking down on frozen veg.
"There’s just no need for the snobbery around frozen veg, It’s brilliant value, keeps for longer and often has higher nutrient density than some fresh veg which has been sitting in chilled warehouses for weeks.
Finally, she says social media is a great tool for scoping out great budget meals.
She said: "It's a fantastic free resource full of recipe creators and the comments section are the equivalent of trip advisor!
"If they don’t work, you’ll be able to see, if people are raving about it, it’s probably a great recipe!"
Grace's £2 family meal ideas are as follows, with all prices based from Aldi:
Seriously Garlicky Seafood Spaghetti
INGREDIENTS:
500g spaghetti - 28p
250g seafood sticks - 99p
1 tin of chopped tomatoes - 35p
1 bulb of garlic - 16p
1 red onion - 12p
TOTAL = £1.90
METHOD:
Slice the onion and mince the garlic.
Add both to a large saucepan with a good drizzle of oil and fry until golden.
Then add the chopped tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
Dice the seafood sticks and add them to the bubbling tomato sauce.
Meanwhile, boil the spaghetti according to packet instructions, saving a little pasta water before draining it.
Once the pasta is cooked, add it to the sauce along with the reserved pasta water and give it a good season (if you wish).
Serve!
Chicken, Broccoli & Potato Pie
INGREDIENTS:
1 whole broccoli - 75p
2 baking potatoes - 25p
1 tin cream of chicken soup - 67p
Total = £1.67
METHOD:
Turn the oven to 200 degrees fan.
Slice the whole broccoli (including the stalk) and chop one of the potatoes into cubes.
Add both to a large pan with a good drizzle of oil and sauté until the potato has crisped up.
Then transfer to an ovenproof dish if you don’t have a cast iron pan (if you do, leave it in the pan) and pour over the chicken soup.
Give it a good mix.
Finely slice the remaining potato and arrange over the top of the top.
Brush the potato slices with a little oil and place in the oven for 30 minutes or until the potato on top is golden and crispy.
Then remove and serve.
You can add any random veg you have lying around into this or perhaps some fried bacon lardons if you wish but it’s delicious on its’ own and very filling! Alternatively this makes a lovely side dish with roast chicken.
Roasted Carrot & Coconut Soup with Garlic Bread
INGREDIENTS:
1 kg of carrots - 66p
1 tin of coconut milk 79p
1 garlic baguette - 37p
1 stock pot (I used chicken but veggie is fine) - 25p
Total = £2.07
METHOD:
Turn the oven to 180 degrees c fan.
Peel and chop the carrots and add them to a lined tray along with some oil. Season if you wish with salt and pepper.
Roast the carrots for 1 hour.
After which, remove them and add them to a food processor along with the coconut milk, stock pot and 500ml of boiling water. Blitz until smooth.
Add the mixture to a large saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.
Meanwhile, place the garlic bread in the oven for 15 minutes.
Serve!
Refried Butter Bean Flatbreads
INGREDIENTS:
1 drained tin of chickpeas - 55p
1 drained tin of butter beans - 59p
1 red onion - 12p
500ml of plain yoghurt - 35p
2 cups of self raising flour - 40p
Total = £2.01
METHOD:
Turn the oven to 200 degrees (fan).
Add the chickpeas to a lined tray along with a drizzle of oil and season if you wish.
Once the oven is up to temperature, roast for half an hour.
Combine 400ml of yoghurt with 2 cups of self raising flour and bring together to form a dough. If too wet to handle, add a little extra flour.
Roll the dough into flatbreads on a well floured surface - it makes approximately 8.
Add the flatbreads one by one to a hot frying pan with a little oil and fry on both sides until golden.
Slice the onion in half and dice both halves - add one half to a frying pan with a little oil and fry until crispy then add the butter beans. Once the the mixture starts to dry out - add a little water to loosen it and break the beans down, then bring to a simmer.
Finally, add the other half of sliced onion to a bowl with a sprinkling of salt to part-pickle them.
Then assemble the flatbreads with a spoonful of leftover yoghurt, refried beans, roasted chickpeas then pickled onion and serve.
(I added a little coriander and chilli sauce to mine but they are delicious as they are.)
Pea Green Crispy Gnocchi with Pangrattato
INGREDIENTS:
500g gnocchi - 99p
2 cups of frozen peas - 40p
1 sliced red onion - 12p
1 vegetable stock cube - 5p
1 slice of white bread, grated - 2p
Total cost = £1.58
METHOD:
Add the peas, stock cube and 100ml of water to a food processor and blitz until smooth then set aside.
Add the onion and gnocchi to a hot frying pan with a little oil and fry until crispy and golden.
Finally, add the grated bread to a separate frying pan with a good glug of oil, season if you wish and fry until crispy and toasty.
Then add the sauce to the gnocchi and bring to a simmer. Top with the crispy breadcrumbs (pangrattato) and you’re done!
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