Bird watchers flock to watch stunning starling murmurations
By Adam Dutton
Crowds of bird watchers have been flocking to a rundown multi-storey car park to watch stunning starling murmurations.
Tens of thousands of the birds have been returning every night to the Kingfisher Shopping Centre in Redditch, Worcs.
Local residents started posting videos of the murmurations on social media since they started their displays in January.
Their breathtaking aerial acrobatics have attracted hundreds of people who watch the birds from the top of the shopping centre.
Shop worker Angie Wilson, 30, said she first noticed the starlings while walking home from work one January evening.
She said: “It was just incredible, the entire sky seemed to go dark with birds and the noise was something else, like a screeching that just got louder and louder.
“The way the starlings all moved together as one giant shape was mesmerising. I just stood and watched them for ages.
“Since then I come down most nights when it’s not raining to watch them do their thing.
"They've made their nests in the trees below the Kingfisher. It's quite a thing to have such amazing wildlife in the middle of a busy town.
“It’s getting very popular and some nights there are dozens of people here. I think the car park is as full in the evenings as the days sometimes."
The starlings come together mid-air above their roosting sites and perform what the RSPB call "mass aerial stunts" for a number of different reasons.
Firstly, they do it for protection, with predators like birds of prey finding it difficult to single out individuals from among the flock.
They also do it as a way to keep warm in the colder months and to exchange information with one another, including about good places to find food.
The birds will begin their displays in the early evenings, just before dusk, as the night begins to draw in.
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Eerie moment woman hears her name being called whilst home alone
By Leo Black
This is the eerie moment a woman heard her name being called whilst at home alone.
Melody Rose was in her room filming a TikTok when she heard a voice calling out "Mel" and then "Melody."
The video shows Melody answering at first before remembering she's alone and becomes visibly nervous.
The incident happened around 9 pm which made her even more nervous.
She immediately left her house and only went home when her roommate returned that later that night.
Melody, who lives in Los Angeles, Califonia, has no explanation for what happened aside from the fact that maybe her cat McLovin may have sounded her name.
Even so, Melody is unsure about this and said: "I’m easily scared so anything that goes bump in the night will have me sleeping with the lights on.
"That night I left and didn’t come home until my roommate was home. But I figure if my cats are calm I’m probably okay.
"McLovin sounds human sometimes.
"He does have siblings so I figured maybe they were jumping around making noise. Maybe it was noises from outside?"
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Globetrotting doggy influencer only stays in five-star hotels and has a bigger wardrobe than his owner
By Holly Mei-Yu Stafford
Meet the globetrotting doggy influencer who only stays in five-star hotels and has a bigger wardrobe than his owner.
Bao, a three-year-old Chihuahua, has visited Paris, Mexico, and Alberta, over the last two years.
His devoted owner, Xa Thi Ngoc Tran, 37, refuses to settle for anything but the best for her beloved pooch.
Their most recent retreat was to the Walford Astoria Hotel, in Cancun, Mexico, where Bao was "treated like royalty" with gourmet custom meals, unlimited treats and even poolside massages.
The dynamic duo wear matching outfits when exploring their travel destinations and even have custom-made matching silk pyjamas.
When they're not travelling, Bao is still ''spoilt rotten'' and has his own wardrobe as well as eating a raw food diet- complete with homemade bone broth.
Ngoc, who works in finance, said: "Bao is a diva; he knows what he likes and I don't blame him.
"He's grown to love travelling because we started with short domestic flights and went from there.
"I've always been very particular about where I take Bao because I want him to everywhere when we're on holiday.
"Some resorts say they're dog friendly but pets are limited to a certain area of the premises which doesn't sit well with me.
"Taking him back to the roots of his ancestors in Mexico was amazing, he was treated like royalty.
"He has the best time and it melted my heart to see him so happy.
"At home, he has his own styling rack, he has a bigger wardrobe than me!"
Welcoming Bao from a breeder in Ontario in October 2020, Ngoc waited for Covid-19 restrictions to lift before taking him on his first four-hour flight from Toronto to Lake Louise, Alberta, in October 2022.
Since then, the dynamic duo has travelled to Paris where they stayed in Hôtel Louvre Saint-Honoré and dined in the iconic Café de Flore and Café de l’Homme with the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower.
They even hit up the Champs-Élysées where Bao was treated to his very own Channel silk neck scarf and dazzling broach which he shares with Ngoc.
"I never wanted to travel without him because he's my baby boy,'' Ngoc said.
"He's so well-behaved on flights and enjoys the fuss the cabin crew give him.
"From then, we've built up the distance and he's been able to stay in some luxury resorts.
"But the luxury doesn't stop when we're back home in Toronto, his diet consists of nutritious raw food and I give him homemade bone broth to support his little joints.
"Some may say I'm extra with Bao but he's our everything- I want him to have the very best.
"Taking your pet abroad does include additional costs for the airline, hotel stays, meals out and essential pre-flight health checks, but it's more than worth it."
Bao has a 75-piece wardrobe complete with jazzy jackets, exquisite shirts and even chic turtle-neck jumpers- all worth around $2,500.
In March 2021, Ngoc created Bao's own Instagram and his platform now boasts over 162K followers, showcasing his ''sassy personality'', stylish outfits and foreign adventures.
Ngoc said: "It started a visual diary to document Bao growing up, I never thought he'd gain such a following.
"He loves the camera, and the camera loves him back.
"Since he was a puppy, I've liked to match his clothes to my neutral aesthetic with trench coats and denim but Bao is partial to a Hawaiian shirt when on holiday.
"We've since released Bao's own bespoke range of pyjamas and it's so lovely to see his community send snaps of them wearing the collection.
"Owners message me about how much they love Bao- it's wonderful to connect with fellow pet lovers.
"He's honestly my best friend and the best companion- I'm over the moon that the world has fallen in love with him too."
Bao and Ngoc can be found on Instagram and TikTok @baothechi
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Police recover £350k Ferrari stolen from F1 driver Gerhard Berger 28 years ago
By Jim Leffman
A £350,000 Ferrari stolen from Austrian Formula 1 racing driver Gerhard Berger 28 years ago had been recovered by British police.
The red Ferrari F512M was one of two Ferraris stolen from drivers at the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola, Italy, in April 1995.
Ferrari tipped off the Met police in January after they caried out checks on a car being bought by a US buyer via a UK broker in 2023, which revealed it was stolen.
Officers from the Organised Vehicle Crime Unit carried out extensive enquiries across the world which revealed it had been shipped to Japan shortly after being stolen until it was brought to the UK in late 2023.
Establishing the history of the vehicle in just four days, Gerhard Berger’s Ferrari was tracked down and was moved to the Met’s possession to prevent the car from being exported from the UK.
Gerhard Berger raced for Ferrari, winning 10 Grand Prix over 14 seasons, coming in the top three in 48 races and twice finishing third overall in the 1980s and 90s.
Her also drove for Benetton and McLaren during his career.
PC Mike Pilbeam, who led the investigation, said: “The stolen Ferrari – close to the value of £350,000 – was missing for more than 28 years before we managed to track it down in just four days.
“Our enquiries were painstaking and included contacting authorities from around the world.
"We worked quickly with partners including the National Crime Agency, as well as Ferrari and international car dealerships, and this collaboration was instrumental in understanding the vehicle’s background and stopping it from leaving the country.”
Enquiries remain ongoing and no arrests have been made. The second car remains missing.
The Met’s Organised Vehicle Crime Unit is a small team of experienced vehicle examiners, police officers and staff with a wealth of knowledge.
In 2023, the unit recovered 418 vehicles, with a combined value of £31m. Of these, 326 have been linked to organised criminal gangs, making up £21m of the total value of vehicles seized.
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Brit marries Turkish barber she met on holiday - despite having to use Google Translate to talk
By Ben Barry
A British woman has married a Turkish man she met on holiday in Turkey via Grindr - despite having to use Google Translate to talk.
Shane Harding, 28, who is transgender, was in Turkey with her sister whilst she was getting surgery and downloaded the app hoping to meet someone LGBTQ+ friendly to show her around Istanbul.
The first message to come through was from Mert Isrem, 29, who said he would love to meet up and show Shane around the city.
But he couldn't fluent English - and Shane couldn't speak Turkish - so they spent the entire week communicating via Google Translate.
After a whirlwind week-long romance the pair were besotted, and spent a year travelling back and forth between the UK and Turkey.
They finally married in June last year. They now live in Barnstaple, Devon, and Mert is fluent in English after learning from Shane.
Shane, a content creator, from Barnstaple, Devon, said: "When we met Mert didn't speak any English.
"We were using Google Translate, and I felt at home with him.
"We had dinner and walked around Istanbul. The first time we were up spending the night talking about loads of different things.
"By day five I knew I had fallen in love with him. We had a few drinks in our hotel and we both said we had fallen in love with each other."
Mert, a barber, from Istanbul, Turkey, said: "I asked Shane if she wanted to meet with me and she explained how she was in Turkey looking after her sister.
"I thought she was stunning, we had a magical first five days.
"I never thought I would get married.
"Our wedding day was the best day ever, I can't describe how I felt.
"It was a really fun day, it was an amazing time with all our family and friends."
The pair met in June 2022, when Shane booked herself into a hotel and wanted to explore Istanbul whilst her sister was in hospital recovering.
Speaking of using Grindr, she said: "The first message to come through was from Mert. I thought he was really handsome.
"He had this charm about him but he said he was in another part of Turkey on holiday.
"Six hours later he messaged me to ask where I was staying so he knew where to come.
"He said he had a surprise for me and he had cut his holiday short.
"Usually in the UK I am really nervous and anxious when meeting up with people and you think, being in Turkey I would be scared but I was just so excited to meet this charming guy."
Their first date went so well Shane and Mert spent the next five days together.
Shane said she knew she had fallen in love with Mert and sat him down to tell him how she felt before she flew back to the UK.
She said: "I plucked up the courage to tell him how I felt.
"I said 'I don't know how you feel but I have fallen in love with you'.
"He smiled, took my hand and said he had fallen in love with me too."
Shane cried during her entire flight back home, and after nine days apart flew back to Turkey for a two week stay with Mert's family.
She said: "I fell madly in love with him. I got to experience what it is like to be a Turkish family."
Shane then flew back to the UK where she spent seven weeks before going back to be with Mert.
On September 23, 2022 Mert hired a private yacht and proposed to Shane.
Shane said: "The weather was so bad it was thunder and lightning and then all of a sudden the rain stopped and there was a beautiful rainbow.
"Mert turned to me and said 'the LGBTQ+ gods are looking over us'.
"We had a lovely three-course meal and enjoyed the views.
"All of a sudden Mert pointed to the bridge and this laser projected writing on it saying 'will you marry me'.
"I was very giggly. I was so shocked. Never in my life did I think I would find somebody or that I would be engaged.
"I said yes and then the writing changed to 'Shane said yes' and all the boats in the harbour were beeping their horns - it was such a magical moment."
Shane and Mert got married on June 23, 2023, exactly one year after they met for the first time in Istanbul.
Shane said: "It was the most magical day of my life.
"It was a very special day. We got married in an old country pub surrounded by our family and friends.
"Our romance has been a dream. Every couple have their ups and downs especially when one moves to another country but I have loved every minute.
"The fact our wedding day fell on the same day we met just showed that were meant to be.
"Mert is struggling a bit with the British weather, he has found summer to be too hot and a bit too humid.
"He also hates the rain and house spiders.
"Everything else is good, we have a little cat called Lilly and have spoken about the possibility of starting a family one day."
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Friends freak out after buffalo gets too close for comfort at safari park
By Leo Black
A group of friends freaked out after a buffalo got too close for comfort at a safari park.
The group, international students from China, were spending the day at Alabama Safari Park in Hope Hull, USA, when the incident happened.
A videos shows the visitors feeding treats to a deer when a buffalo appeared out of nowhere.
The animal poked its huge head through the car window - sending the friends screaming in fear.
The video was filmed on March 27.
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Man has lucky escape as he narrowly avoids being crushed by huge snowfall
By Samuel Wightwick
A man showed off his rapid reflexes - as he dodged a large snowfall from a roof.
The video filmed in Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province, China shows Jiang Kaixin waiting outside a building on February 7.
Suddenly, he is forced to sprint backwards, narrowly avoiding the large snowfall which tumbles from the roof above him.
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Leap year quadruplets celebrating 'third' birthday - after 12 years
By Lauren Beavis
Britain's first leap year quadruplets are celebrating their 'third' birthday this week - 12 years after birth.
Reuben, Samuel, Zachary and Joshua Robbins were all born within six minutes of each other on February 29, 2012.
They celebrate their birthdays on March 1 each year but, every four years, get to mark the 'real day'.
But dad Martin Robbins, 50, says they are still finalising their plans for 2024 - as each child wants to do something different.
He said: "One wants to go tenpin bowling, another go-karting, one wants to do archery - so we've got to come to a happy decision!
"The difficult thing about having multiples is that they are all the same age but competition is fierce.
"They are still sorting out their pecking order and do require space - which is challenging when there is four of them!
"We will have to come to a decision, but it's not set yet.."
Mum Emma Robbins gave birth to the boys via emergency Caesarean.
Reuben was delivered first, weighing 2lb 14oz, followed by 2lb 8oz Zachary, his twin 3lb 1oz Joshua and finally Sam - 2lb 13oz.
The quads have an older brother too, Luke, 14, who the quads "love very much".
They often shadow him around because they look up to him, Martin said.
Three of the quadruplets are genetically identical - Reuben, Zachery and Joshua.
Samuel is not identical to his brothers, but looks like his older brother Luke, and his mum.
Martin and Emma moved to the UK from South Africa 14 years ago.
They lived in Bristol before moving to Wales.
Luke is now living with his mum overseas back in South Africa and the quads are living with their Dad in Chepstow.
Martin, who works as a self-employed sign maker and graphic designer, said the boys are all different.
He said: "Sam is like the ring leader - who socially and mentally seems to be the boss of the four.
"The other three are all one in the same! Just like me, they are fair-haired and Sam has dark hair.
"All the boys are quite different in themselves and as they've gotten older, they have become more engaged in other interests.
"Because they are quads people look at them as a four - and have even commented about wanting us to dress them the same!
"That's insane. They are all individual in their own rights, sometimes people want to put them in a basket and I've never understood that.
"Josh is very sporty, he loves football and basketball.
"Zach and Reuben are very musical - they like to sing and dance and play keyboard.
"Reuben and Zach are very arty and creative.
"Sam is the technical one - he has a curious mind and is always asking questions.
"The boys love school; they are all bright kids and love different parts of education".
Martin says the kids have been "super excited" to have joined a new school this week at Chepstow Secondary.
Martin said: "They couldn't wait to be joining clubs and sports teams, integrating and meeting new friends.
"My boys are looking forward to all the challenges, friends, social life - and are all joining scouts!"
Martin says all the boys are tight with one another - particularly the identical brothers Reuben, Zachery and Joshua.
He said: "They are all one in the same person: same characters, they act the same, and stick together.
"But now they have started a new school I wanted to get them in their own individual classes.
"Though have only been at school two days and the identical boys already got a nickname 'copy and paste'!
"It's the most important time for them, and is important for their social development so they can come into their own individuality.
"It helps them make new and solid friends and have something to talk about when they come home".
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Lead actor from 'shambolic' Willy Wonka-inspired experience reveals ‘red flags’ before disastrous event
By Douglas Whitbread
The lead actor in a ‘shambolic’ Willy Wonka-inspired 'experience' has lifted the lid on the disastrous event - which brought kids to tears and left parents furious.
Paul Connell, who played the part of ‘Wonka’, branded the £35 a head showcase an “absolute mess” after police were forced to break up angry crowds of visitors.
The event was staged at a site in Glasgow, where guests had been promised a “journey filled with wondrous creations and enchanting surprises”.
But when families arrived on Saturday morning (Feb 24), they were left fuming by the lacklustre set design at a "dirty" near-empty warehouse.
Paul said ‘red flags’ began to emerge about the “immersive experience” when he found out he had been cast as Wonka – and not an Oompa Loompa.
And he revealed he was given just hours to learn a 15-page script - made of up “AI generated gibberish” - before people started arriving.
Paul was later forced to “hide” as visitors vented their anger at the organisers, House of Illuminati, who cancelled the event within hours of its opening.
And despite the best efforts of actors, who still have not been paid for their services, he said it was one of the “most embarrassing things” he had ever witnessed.
Paul said: “I really hope that everyone gets their refunds that they deserve.
“It was an absolute mess. And the fact that I was a part of it is one of the most embarrassing things that’s ever happened to me.”
“I feel for anyone who bought tickets to this event – people who were expecting a magical chocolate experience and got me in a top hat in a dirty warehouse in Glasgow. People who wanted Timothe Chalamet and got Timothee Charlatan.”
Paul, who revealed his experiences in a video posted to TikTok, said he was initially concerned by the part he had been cast in by organisers.
He said: “The first red flag for me was when I was cast as Willy Wonka. Anyone who looks at me and thinks Willy Wonka and not Oompa Loompa is out of their mind.
"I give off major Oompa Loompa energy. But not like a good Oompa Loompa - like one that is at the back during the dance numbers, like falling over like your aunt at a line dancing class on holiday.”
Paul said he only found out about his part on Thursday and was then handed a 15-page script to learn for the following day.
And while he had dutifully memorized it, he said it had barely made any sense.
Paul said: “The script was a 15-page monologue, pretty much of AI-generated gibberish.
“One of my favourite lines was: ‘There’s is a man who lives here, his name is not known, so we call him the unknown. The unknown is an evil chocolate maker who lives in the walls.’
“What is an evil chocolate maker for a start? Does he make evil chocolate or is he an evil man who makes chocolate? And what do you mean he lives in the walls?
“I had to perform that line with gusto and validity - and that was a challenge as an actor.”
Paul was shocked when he arrived at the venue on Saturday to see the sparsely decorated warehouse, which he called a “health and safety nightmare”.
And he was told to give kids attending the event a single jelly bean each and a quarter of a glass of lemonade when they arrived.
He said the actors, who accepted at the start of the day they were unlikely to get paid, had decided to keep going in the interests of the children who visited.
But shortly after taking his lunch break, he returned to find chaos had broken out as furious parents demanded refunds.
Paul said: “When I came back in, that’s when things had got a little bit out of control.
“Rightfully so, people were furious, they were shouting. There were people filming things on their phones, there were things being broken.
“I just walked into this after my lunch and was told to hide... I was like, ‘What has happened?’”
Police Scotland confirmed that officers were called to the venue as angry crowds started to gather outside.
And the House of Illuminati was later forced to issue more than 800 refunds to disgruntled visitors.
Writing on their social media page yesterday (Wed), the group said they would not be holding any event in the foreseeable future.
They said: “I am truly sorry for any upset and disappointment caused at the weekend. Refunds have been issued and will continue to do so.
“This was an event gone wrong, The House of Illuminati will NOT be holding any other events in the foreseeable future.”
House of Illuminati has been contacted for further comment.
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Ed Sheeran hired out entire Lourve so mum and dad could see Mona Lisa crowd-free
By Faye Mayern
Ed Sheeran treated his art-loving dad to an exclusive tour of one of the world's most famous museums, it emerged today.
The singer-songwriter's dad revealed his son had surprised him with a three hour tour of the Louvre museum in Paris, France, the day after a star-studded charity gig.
John Sheeran, 67, said it was an "unforgettable experience" for him and Ed's mum Imogen.
He explained: "Imogen and I went to Paris to see Edward perform at the Global Citizen gig in front of the Eiffel Tower, which was extraordinary enough.
"He then surprised us on Sunday evening by taking us with his wife Cherry to the Louvre - he’d arranged to have the whole place to ourselves for three hours.
"I think it was his way of saying thank you to us.
"It is the only time I’ve been able to study the Mona Lisa without the crowds - it was an unforgettable experience."
The Sheeran family had their exclusive tour of the museum on Sept 26 - the day after the Global Citizen concert which campaigned for the end of extreme poverty.
It is not known if Sheeran paid to hire out the museum.
John Sheeran has worked for over 40 years as an art curator including as a custodian in the Chapter House at Westminster Abbey and curator of Dulwich Picture Gallery.
The Louvre museum is home to some of the world's most famous artworks including the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo.
John has always been a big supporter of his son, 33, even curating an exhibition charting the singer's rise from schoolboy to international star in 2019.
He also supported his son who was under scrutiny over his absence from his grandmother's funeral last year, saying he had to "defend his integrity" in Marvin Gaye copyright trial in the US.
A jury in New York would later rule that Ed Sheeran was not liable for copyright infringement of Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On.
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