Brighton Pier accidentally charges thousands for rides
And other stories from the stranger side of life

Brighton Palace Pier has apologised after hundreds of visitors were overcharged for fairground rides. The pier blamed the error on processing company Worldpay, which used the date of the transaction instead of the correct amount. Visitors found that £2,104.18 had been deducted in what was described as a “deferred payment.” Worldpay then added to the anger of customers who contacted it by refusing to engage with them on data protection grounds. Refunds are being arranged.
‘Opinionated feminist’ prank
A lonely hearts ad seeking “a non-farting, non-burping, handsome, rich feminist” man for “an opinionated feminist with short hair and piercings” caused amusement and intrigue when it appeared in India’s largest-selling newspaper. However, the viral ad turned out to be part of a game between a brother, a sister and her best friend. One of the culprits admitted to the BBC that the ad was “a small prank we played for Sakshi’s 30th birthday”.
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Ancient human remains discovered
Researchers working in Israel have identified a previously unknown type of ancient human that lived more than 100,000 years ago. The experts believe that the remains uncovered near the city of Ramla represent one of the “last survivors” of a very ancient human group. Dr Hila May of Tel Aviv University said the discovery reshapes the story of human evolution, particularly those of the Neanderthals.
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