Pony mayor banned from pub garden

published 2 August 2022

A pony who was made an unofficial mayor of a Devon village has been kicked out of the pub garden where he met residents, reported The Times. Last month, the miniature Shetland pony called Patrick was given a chain of office in the village of Cockington, near Torquay. However, the council has told the pub that it had no permission for a fenced enclosure. One of the pub’s owners said: “There are rumours that a certain person complained that Patrick was mayor because they thought it looked silly for the village. It’s just one person who has complained.”

Passenger fined for undeclared McMuffins

A passenger travelling from Bali to Australia was fined $1,874 after two undeclared McMuffins were found in their luggage, said CNN. The unnamed traveller was handed the fine just days after Australian authorities brought in tough new biosecurity rules as a Foot and Mouth disease outbreak in Indonesia spread to Bali, a popular destination for Aussie tourists. “This will be the most expensive Maccas meal this passenger ever has,” Murray Watt, minister for agriculture, fisheries and forestry, said in a statement.

Trains halted by tortoise on the line

A tortoise brought trains to a halt when it was found on a railway track in Norfolk, said the BBC. The animal was spotted near Harling Road, north east of Thetford, on the Cambridge-bound line. An eyewitness who spotted the creature on the line said: “I couldn’t believe my eyes to be honest!” Swallow Aquatics in East Harling said the tortoise, Clyde, had gone missing on Sunday and had now been taken to a vets, as it was hit by a train. Greater Anglia said three services were affected by the tortoise's presence.