Council accused man of stealing his garden
And other stories from the stranger side of life
A council has been ordered to pay £32,000 to a man it accused of stealing part of his own garden. Christopher Pinto, 77, a retired magistrate, was accused of altering his garden’s boundaries to encroach on the Parkland Walk nature reserve in Highgate, north London. However, a court found in his favour and ordered the council to pay him thousands in costs. Pinto described the local authority as “dishonest, inefficient and uncaring”, noted Metro.
South Koreans become younger
South Koreans have become a year or two younger after new laws requiring the use of the internationally recognised way of counting age took effect. Previously, people were deemed to be a year old at birth - taking into account time spent in the womb. Their age would increase by a year on 1 January every year, noted Sky News, instead of on their actual birth date, meaning someone born on New Year’s Eve would turn two years old on New Year’s Day.
Blackbirds ruin cherry festival
A pick-your-own cherries festival in Cornwall was cancelled after the cherry trees were stripped of fruits by some “cheeky” blackbirds. The five-day cherry picking festival had been organised at Cotehele, a medieval house and grounds managed by the National Trust in Calstock, but trust officials wrote on Facebook that “unfortunately, the cheeky blackbirds who live at Cotehele have jumped the queue and eaten all of the cherries in the orchard”. Another event is due next summer “if the blackbirds allow it”, said UPI.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
For more odd news stories, sign up to the weekly Tall Tales newsletter
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Mary Poppins tour: 'humdinger' of a show kicks off at Bristol Hippodrome
The Week Recommends Stefanie Jones and Jack Chambers are 'true triple threats' as Mary and Bert in 'timeless' production
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Jaguar's stalled rebrand
In the spotlight Critics and car lovers are baffled by the luxury car company's 'complete reset'
By Abby Wilson Published
-
What the chancellor's pension megafund plans mean for your money
Rachel Reeves wants pension schemes to merge and back UK infrastructure – but is it putting your money at risk?
By Marc Shoffman, The Week UK Published
-
Zoos offer cockroach naming and hippo poo candles
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
NHS tells Scots to walk like penguins
Tall Tales Walk like penguins in the snow, says NHS
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Experts discover why dogs wag their tails
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Peruvian 'aliens' aren't really aliens
Tall Tales And other stories from stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Woman accidentally puts nan in washing machine
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Why Dutch people put pancakes on their heads today
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Fly found in man's colon
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Judi Dench accidentally video called co-star from bath
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published