Queen becomes a great-grandmother for the second time after birth of baby Isla Phillips

By Pamela Owen


Autumn and Peter Phillips, pictured with their daughter Savannah, announced the birth of their second child Isla Elizabeth who was born on Friday

The Queen has become a great-grandmother for the second time, Buckingham Palace said today.

Isla Phillips was born yesterday at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Gloucester, to Peter Phillips and wife Autumn, weighing 7lb 4oz.

Perhaps in a nod to her great-grandmother’s Diamond Jubilee year, she has been given the middle name Elizabeth.

The Queen is said to be delighted at the arrival of her second great-grandchild who has been give the middle name Elizabeth

She is a second daughter for Mr Phillips, who was present at the birth, and his Canadian-born wife.

Her older sister Savannah was also born at the hospital on December 29, 2010.

The Queen’s press secretary said: 'The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, Captain Mark Phillips and Autumn’s family have been informed and are delighted with the news.

'Isla Elizabeth is the second child for Peter and Autumn, the second grandchild for the Princess Royal and the second great-grandchild for the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

'She will be 13th in line to the throne.'

Buckingham Palace would not confirm if the middle name had specifically been chosen as a tribute to the Queen.

Although he is 11th in line to the throne, Peter does not have a royal title as his mother declined to give her children the HRH title at birth.


Zara Phillips with the Queen's first great-grandchild, Savannah and Peter, right, was present at the birth of his second child Isla Elizabeth who was born at The Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Gloucester


Peter Phillips married Autumn Kelly at St George's Chapel, Windsor, on the 17 May 2008



source:dailymail

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James Major to marry his teacher lover: Son of former PM will wed today - and they have a new baby, too

Second marriage for the former prime minister's son

By Sara Nathan


His path to happiness has hardly been smooth. But today, as James Major marries for the second time, he will, at least, have experience on his side.

The son of former prime minister Sir John Major will marry Kate Dorrell, the woman he fell for when she was the married deputy head at his little boy’s school.

The couple have remained out of the public eye since their relationship was revealed in September 2008.

In the meantime, they have become the proud parents of a baby son called Jude Matthew Major, who was born at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire on April 9 last year.

On the birth certificate, Mr Major, 37, a former nightclub promoter, is listed as a flooring contractor. Miss Dorrell, 34, is described as a headteacher.

The couple first met when discussing the educational needs of Mr Major’s son Harrison, from his previous marriage to model and gameshow hostess Emma Noble.

Miss Dorrell, who was then known by her married name of Kate Postlethwaite, was the deputy head of a primary school in Huntingdon. Now she is head of a different school.

She left her husband of one year, Russell Postlethwaite, to move in with Mr Major. At the time, Mr Postlethwaite accused Mr Major of stealing his wife. ‘Major knew Kate was married,’ he said.

Mr Major retorted: ‘What’s the big difference between stolen and seeing someone?’
The couple went on to settle in Huntingdon near his parents, Sir John and Dame Norma Major. His ex-wife Miss Noble, who has since found a new partner, and their son, now 11, also live nearby.

Mr Major’s marriage and divorce from Emma was played out in the pages of celebrity magazines and in the harsh glare of publicity.

It makes a stark contrast to the low-key arrangements for today’s ceremony, although one similarity is that both his new and former brides are blonde.

He met Miss Noble at a party at London’s Café Royal in February 1998. They became engaged three months later and were married in a lavish ceremony in May 1999 at the chapel of the Houses of Parliament.

Glamour: Mr Major's marriage to Miss Noble was publicised in the pages of Hello! magazine. His latest marriage is expected to be far more low key

The reception was held at The Dorchester in London and was covered extensively in a £400,000 deal with Hello! magazine. The details of the newlyweds’ ‘tropical honeymoon’ were also splashed all over the magazine.

Harrison, known as Harry, was born in July 2000 and later diagnosed with autism.


The marriage collapsed after Miss Noble was alleged to have cheated with actor
Graham McGrath, her co-star in former ITV soap Crossroads, a claim which she denied.

Mr McGrath remained with his wife Sarah, and Miss Noble and Mr Major were divorced in 2004, with Emma accusing her husband of ‘unreasonable behaviour’.

The relationship went further downhill in 2008 when Miss Noble accused Sir John and Dame Norma of rarely seeing their grandson, and even claimed they had failed to send him a card for his eighth birthday. The Majors denied they had in any way neglected their grandchild.

In December 2010, the Mail reported that Miss Noble had become engaged to diplomat’s son Conrad Baker. In April 2011, she gave birth to their son Roman.

However, their joy was dulled somewhat when it was revealed that Mr Baker, a decade younger than his fiancée, had also recently fathered a son with another woman.

But the couple are still believed to be together.

Yesterday Mr Major confirmed his marriage today, saying: ‘Yes, I don’t want to talk about it.’

And when asked to confirm the birth of his young son, he said: ‘Yes’, adding: ‘Thank you very much.

‘It is a private family matter and that is all there is to it.’


source:dailymail

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Back from the dead: Fabrice Muamba tweets miracle first picture of himself 13 days after his heart stopped for 78 minutes

-Footballer says thank you to millions of fans who have supported him
-Student who posted racists Tweet loses appeal to be released early from jail

By Rick Dewsbury


It's the picture the world has been waiting to see.

Fabrice Muamba sits up his hospital bed wearing a wide smile almost two weeks after collapsing mid-way through a match.

The footballer's fiance Shauna Magunda posted the heart-warming image earlier today to say thank you to the millions of fans who have supported her partner after he suffered a near fatal heart attack.

It shows the Bolton FC star wearing a blue hooded sports top and lying back in his hospital bed. His smile shows the miraculous recovery he has made since the game on March 17.

Heart-warming: Fabrice Muamba sits up smiling in his hospital bed today almost two weeks after collapsing midway through a football match

Ms Magunda wrote alongside the image: 'Fab wanted me to post this pic for you all and to also say thank you for such overwhelming support.'

The picture attracted a string of emotional responses from fans on the social networking site.

One wrote: 'God bless you Fabrice. You keep on fighting, son. Get well soon.'

Muamba's heart stopped for 78 minutes as paramedics - including a cardiologist who leapt onto the pitch from the stands - battled to keep the player alive.

He was rushed to the London Chest Hospital, where he was visited by his Bolton team-mates and a string of football friends.

It was later revealed that 15 defibrillator shocks were administered before the sportsman began to show signs of life.

The incident stunned the football community and heralded a worldwide outpouring of sympathy for the 23-year-old player as his family urged fans to prey for him.

The picture will delight the legions of football supporters who have followed the plight of the youngster. He is likely to undergo a long rehabilitation before he can come close to playing again.

Meanwhile, a student who mocked the footballer on Twitter after he collapsed today lost his appeal against a 56-day jail term.

Liam Stacey, 21, of Pontypridd, south Wales, sobbed as he was taken away following the failed sentence appeal hearing at Swansea Crown Court.

'God is in control': Shauna Magunda, right, Fabrice Muamba's fiancee urged her Twitter followers to keep the Bolton player in their prayers as he fights for life

Mr Justice Wyn Williams told him he rejected an argument that Stacey had already been punished enough. He said the Swansea University biology student had admitted an offence, racially aggravated public disorder, of intent.

'He was intending to say what he said and was intending to produce the effect that he did.'

The court heard Stacey has been treated as a 'pariah' by other prisoners since he was locked up.

High Court Judge Mr Justice Wyn Williams told him: 'There can be no avoiding the conclusion that your offence was committed in the context of a grave illness that had afflicted Fabrice Muamba.

'It was immediately apparent that he was gravely ill and while he was lying prostrate on the pitch you posted comments that were extremely racist couched in terms that can only be described as extremely offensive.

'What was written was capable of being read by any user of Twitter and these messages provoked a very strong response.

'You received responses which were extremely critical but you did not desist - instead you posted eight messages which were extremely abusive and insulting.

'You later realised the enormity of your behaviour and tried to apologise. But you deserve to be punished for your actions. It can’t be argued that a term of 56 days is too long for this offence.

'By pleading guilty you admitted a racist intent to your comments.'

Shame: Liam Stacey is led away in handcuffs outside Swansea Magistrates Court

Stacey was watching the FA cup match between Spurs and Bolton Wanderers on TV when Muamba fell to the ground.

Earlier he had been drinking while watching Wales win the rugby Grand Slam match against France.

Stacey Tweeted: “LOL, F*** Muamba. He’s dead!!! £haha,” - then posted eight further offensive racist messages.

Stacey was jailed for 56 days on Tuesday after admitting racially aggravated harassment and disorder.

The reviled tweet came at a time when the Bolton midfielder's plight was attracting a wave of sympathy around the world.

Football fans watched in horror as Muamba collapsed after suffering a heart attack during the FA Cup clash.

Millions witnessed the incident at White Hart Lane as Bolton's clash with home team Tottenham Hotspur was screened live on television.

But after a drunken Stacey received a deluge critical replies to his distasteful tweet, he responded with a torrent of racist abuse on the website.

Support for Stacey’s jail sentence was widespread on the day it was handed down, and widely debated on Twitter.

But a significant minority criticised his punishment and claimed it was politically motivated to make an example of him.

His legal team will tomorrow launch an appeal against his sentence at Swansea Crown Court.

The hearing, which is expected to last at least one hour, will go before High Court judge Mr Justice Wyn Williams.

The messages were forwarded to the police by several members of the social network, including former England striker Stan Collymore, himself a victim of abuse on Twitter.

Stacey initially claimed his account had been accessed by somebody else, but later pleaded guilty to racially aggravated harassment, and was sent to prison to ‘reflect the public outrage’ at his comments.

As he spent his first night behind bars, the two teams replayed the fixture that was called off when the midfielder came close to death.

Tottenham and Bolton met again at White Hart Lane, with the home team cruising to a 3-1 victory.

It means Muamba's club are now out of the FA Cup, but this hardly seemed to matter to the fans and players treating the match as a chance to pay tribute to him.

Team-mate Sam Ricketts was seen to wipe a tear from his eye before kick-off. It was a difficult return for the entire Bolton squad, and manager Owen Coyle commended them for their bravery.

Players from both sides wore T-shirts bearing messages of thanks to those who supported Muamba, while the whole of the Tottenham stadium erupted in applause for him.

Stacey, meanwhile, faces expulsion from Swansea University. The third-year biology student had hoped to become a forensic scientist. Describing his tweets, prosecutor Louise Barron told the court: ‘The offence is clearly racially aggravated.

‘There was sustained and gratuitous racism. These were unprovoked comments and persistent abuse. The recipients were disgusted.’

Jailing the student at Swansea Magistrates’ Court, District Judge John Charles said: ‘Not just the footballer’s family, not just the footballing world, but the whole world were literally praying for Muamba’s life. Your comments aggravated this situation.

‘I have no choice but to impose an immediate custodial sentence to reflect the public outrage at what you have done.’


Stacey, seen arriving at the court earlier in the morning, posted a series of vile tweets about footballer Fabrice Muamba


Applause: Rival players join in the applause for Muamba after seeing him collapse on the pitch almost two weeks ago

Bolton teammates applaud Muamba during a tribute at the start of their replay against Tottenham last week

Stacey made his comments about the Bolton midfielder while celebrating the Welsh rugby team’s Six Nations grand slam victory earlier this month.

The judge added: ‘You committed this offence while you were drunk and it is clear you immediately regretted it.

'But you must learn how to handle your alcohol better.’

Stacey, from Pontypridd, South Wales, told police following his arrest at his student home in Swansea: ‘I was at the bar when I heard what had happened to Muamba.

'I don’t know why I posted [the comments]. I’m not racist and some of my friends are from different cultural backgrounds.’

He later sent a text message to a friend saying: ‘I said something about Muamba that I shouldn’t have and tweeted back to some people who abused me.

'Getting police on me now which isn’t good at all.’


Solidarity: Bolton's Nigel Reo-Coker (left) and Tottenham's Jermain Defoe shake hands

Upsetting: Fabrice Muamba is treated by medical staff after collapsing. Liam Stacey, 21, posted mocking tweets as the midfielder was treated on the pitch

Another read: ‘Been bawling my eyes out on the phone to my mother for the last hour, really can’t be dealing with this.’

Gareth Jones, defending, said Stacey ‘does not bear [Muamba] any grudge and is glad he is making a good recovery’.

He continued: ‘My client simply lost his head and posted these disgusting comments to the bitter shame of himself and his parents.

'For a moment of madness, his career has now gone.’

Stacey’s father Neale, 49, and mother Hayley, 46, were visibly shocked when the details of his comments were read aloud yesterday.

Jim Brisbane, chief crown prosecutor for CPS Cymru-Wales, said: ‘Racist language is inappropriate in any setting and through any media.

'We hope this case will serve as a warning to anyone who may think that comments made online are somehow beyond the law.’




source: dailymail

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Welcome, home soldier! Chuck the boxer dog goes crazy when he sees his master return after eight months away at war… AGAIN

By Hannah Rand


Chuck the boxer is fast becoming an internet star after the second video of him ecstatically greeting his soldier owner becomes a YouTube hit.

With nearly 1,600,000 views since it was posted on March 22, the big brown and white hound seems to sum up how we'd all like to receive a loved one.

The video begins with the loveable pup in the trunk of a SUV.

Scroll down to watch the videos

Doggone devoted: Lovable Chuck waits to see his master, Nick, after a long, eight month absence

The vehicle's license plate begins with BB, indicating that the location is near Böblingen - a German town near the European headquarters for the Marine Corps.

With the words, 'Daddy's home!', from the returning soldier's wife, Katie, Chuck suddenly realises what's happening and with lightning speed jumps out the trunk and runs over to his master, Nick.

After that we get an eye-misting 59 seconds of the dog's uninhibited joy at seeing his pack leader home again after a military deployment.

'It's been a long eight months,' says Katie.

At one point the boxer lives up to his name and gets so excited he knocks off Nick's sunglasses.


Jump for joy: Chuck leaps out of the car trunk and makes a dash towards the sound of the soldier's voice


Happy hound: Chuck bounds into the arms of his master, licking and barking, unable to contain his joy

Pooch smooch: The soldier's wife, Katie, exclaims 'He's getting a longer welcome than I did!'

Nick has to constantly fix his cap too, least it is lost amidst the canine excitement.

Jealous of the attention the dog is getting, the soldier's wife jokingly exclaims, 'He's getting a longer welcome than I did.'

But who could blame Nick for spending some quality time playing when his devoted dog is just so happy to see him?

And this is not the first time Chuck has become a viral video hit.


Boxer by nature: At one point the dog gets so worked up he knocks off the soldier's sunglasses

Hat's off: And the soldier has to constantly readjust his cap too, least he loses it in the excitement

Last year, he became famous for Nick's first welcome home in February 2011.

In that YouTube video, we see a younger, slimmer Chuck skidding all over a wooden floor and greeting his master at the couple's home.

And just when you thought that your heart's strings couldn't be stretched any further, there's a video of the adorable pooch playing with the couple's daughter, Sydney, in January 2011, when the little girl was just five months old.

Watch Chuck greet his master for the second time:






source:dailymail

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Will that be a jumbo latte, miss? Moment 'Baby' the elephant went on the rampage outside Costa coffee in Cork

By Chris Parsons


On the loose: Baby the Asian elephant wanders near to parked cars in Blackpool, County Cork as her handlers struggle to restrain her

A 2.5-tonne circus elephant caused havoc after escaping her handlers are going on the run through a busy shopping centre car park.

Shoppers in Blackpool, County Cork, Ireland, were stunned to see Asian elephant Baby charging through the town's retail park after apparently fleeing from her circus home just yards away.

The 40-year-old elephant somehow wandered free from the circus in Blackpool to a busy retail park filled with cars and shoppers on Tuesday afternoon.

Stop that elephant: Baby wanders through the Blackpool Retail Park after apparently fleeing from her circus handers during a promotional tour

Courtney Circus had been parading its animals as part of a promotional stunt when Baby apparently decided to take her own route through the small Irish town.

She was spotted being restrained outside a Costa Coffee by two concerned handlers, worried whether the freed elephant would trample any nearby cars.

Instead the huge animal galloped through the car park and charged past a barrier into the town centre as her handlers struggled to keep her still.

Coffee shop manager Egle Vilumaite said she had been alerted to the elephant by a customer.

She said: 'One customer just said, 'Look there is an elephant running', and I was like 'Yeah OK', because the day before they were actually walking the elephants around for publicity.


On the charge: Baby continues her impromptu tour through Blackpool by galloping past a barrier towards the town centre

Bid for freedom: Baby's handlers insisted no-one was ever in danger during the incident, despite the 2.5-tonne elephant apparently wandering around of her own accord

'But yesterday elephant actually escaped and he was running around on his own and then you could see the guys from the circus, probably they look after her, and the elephant wasn't happy.

'I'd say she was scared as well because it was around 4 o'clock so there was a lot of cars, a lot of people around and everyone literally stood there.

'It was quick, maybe everything took 3-5 minutes but it was really intense,' she said.

Officials said nobody was hurt and Baby the elephant is now back at the circus preparing for her next performance.

Baby's handlers claimed she ran away from the circus because she did not want to take a shower, but insisted no-one was in danger during the incident.




source:dailymail

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Halt! Who rows there? Meet Tyson the terrifying swan that attacks boaters if they dare venture on his stretch of canal

By Nick Enoch


Joe Davies feels the wrath of Tyson the swan on the Grand Union Canal in Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire

There's a great white beast stalking the waters - but it's wings rather than fins you need to keep an eye on.

A section of the UK’s longest canal has been branded a no-go zone after a spate of attacks on boat users... by a thug swan nicknamed ‘Tyson’.

The 4ft tall bird - which has a whopping 8ft wingspan - viciously attacks rowers, canoeists and even walkers strolling on the river bank.

Tyson’s aggressive behaviour has got so bad that a two-mile stretch of the popular Grand Union Canal in Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire, has been branded out-of-bounds for boat users.

Scroll down for video


Mr Davies, a chef at a nearby pub, admitted he was 'bricking it' when Tyson attacked


Kayakers and canoeists have been warned not to travel on this stretch of water while the swan is rearing his young

... but it was too late for Joe, as he capsized, thanks to the angry bird

Keen kayaker Joe Davies, 20, a chef at a nearby pub, was captured on camera capsizing after Tyson battered him with his huge wings on Tuesday afternoon.

He said: 'He went for me as soon as I got in the water - that made me wobble in the kayak and I eventually capsized.

'He went for me as I was falling in, which really made me panic. I was terrified, it took my breath away.

'I’ve been kayaking on this stretch of canal for five years so I’m a confident boat user. I’d heard the rumours about Tyson but I’ve never seen him before.

'Basically he patrols a good two-mile stretch of the canal which is really popular with boats and barges.


Territorial Tyson patrols a two-mile stretch of the Grand Union Canal - which has now been declared off limits to boat users

Swanning around like he owns the place... During the March to May breeding season, the birds become very territorial and can be aggressive to any intruders

'It’s a bit of a nightmare and I’m worried less able canoeists and kayakers could be really hurt if Tyson attacks them.

'You hear about the damage that swans can do when they attack people so I was bricking it, to be honest.

'I was glad to get out of the water, and I won’t be going back to that stretch of canal again.'

Local resident Linda Sgoluppi, 34, said Tyson had attacked three boat users in the last month.

She said: 'He is quite a character. He has got an aggressive side, especially as he has got a new mate and he is starting to build a nest.

Local resident Linda Sgoluppi, 34, said Tyson had attacked three boat users in the last month

'He recently forced three canoeists to get out of the water. I think all canoeists and kayakers need to be warned that he can hurt them if he launches at them.

'He is always around this stretch of the canal and he sees it as his territory. Anything that is rowed down the canal he sees as a threat.'

During the March to May breeding season, swans become very territorial and can be aggressive to any intruders.

They often threaten humans who venture too close to their nests while issuing a warning call.

In 2009, a swan was dubbed ‘Mr Asbo’ when it started attacking rowers on the River Cam, Cambridgeshire.

Earlier this month, an application was made to move the notorious swan to a spot 50 miles away to stop him attacking river users.




source:dailymail

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'I'm too fat to work': Jobless mother-of-six, who weighs 33 stone and spent £200 a week on takeaways, is demanding NHS weight loss operation

-Sara Agintas, 43, admits to downing 12 'small' cans of lager a day while expecting her sixth child, but wants a £14,000 NHS gastric bypass
-Complains she put on weight after each birth because she found it 'too hard to diet' and says exercise 'hurt'


By Jill Reilly


A mother-of-six is demanding an NHS weight loss operation, despite admitting she has spent her life binging on junk food.

Sara Agintas, tips the scales at a hefty 33 stone, but insists tax payers should fork out for the £14,000 operation because she’s now too fat to work and can't fit on a plane seat to go on holiday.

Mrs Agintas, 43, from Milton Keynes, admits to downing 12 'small' cans of lager a day when she was pregnant, but complained in Closer magazine, that she put on weight after each pregnancy because she found it 'too hard to diet' and says exercise 'hurt.'

Wearing a size 36-38, she used to spend up to £200 a week on takeaways, but admitted 'I can’t work because I’m too fat to fit in an office chair and can only stand for two minutes at a time.'

Part of the reason Mrs Agintas wants to downsize, is because she wants to go on holiday, but would need two seats on the plane.

She is mother to Gemma, 25, Lauren, 21, Thomas, 18, Sam, 13, Hannah, 12, and Zoe, nine.

Her husband and six children receive £17,000 a year in benefits.

Mrs Agintas first became pregnant aged 17 by her boyfriend of just a few months.

She said she was delighted by the pregnancy because she had always looked forward to being a mother, and at 6ft, she was 15st.

But it was then that she developed unhealthy cravings for junk food that saw her weight go up and down, throughout the next five pregnancies.

Family values: Sarah Agintas, pictured with her husband Halbin, is mother to Gemma, 25, Lauren, 21, Thomas, 18, Sam, 13, Hannah, 12, and Zoe, nine - but says it was her pregnancies which forced her to binge on junk food

'I ate a jar of pickled onions a day, followed by three cakes and three packets of crisps. For dinner, I’d have two pork chops with veg followed by two Big Mac meals – I ate for two!,' she told Closer.

She moved into a one-bed council flat when she split up with her boyfriend a few months after becoming pregnant.

After giving birth to Gemma, Mrs Agintas weighed 16st and claims she applied for 15 jobs, but gave up looking for work and turned to cheap junk food when she was unsuccessful.

Her weight crept up to 20st in 1990, when she was aged 21 and she measured a size 24.

Then she met a new partner and moved into his three- bedroom council house, quickly falling pregnant with her second child, Lauren.

She gained three stone as her eating habits spiralled out of control, and in one average day she would down three Pot Noodles – at 400 calories a go – two sausage rolls and four packets of crisps.

When she had her third child, Thomas, two years later, she weighed 28st and would think nothing of having four thickly buttered slices of toast for breakfast.

She even fell through the stairs in her house, forcing the council to reinforce the floor.

Mrs Agintas admits doctors insisted that she needed to restrict her food intake and make a drastic change to her diet, but she found it too difficult.

Her children have been raised on a diet of junk food and Mrs Agintas said: 'They ate what I ate – pasties and crisps. I was lazy – it was easier to phone for a takeaway than cook. I gave them chips four times a week,' she told the magazine.

In 1993, Mrs Agintas split with her boyfriend, who left her for another, skinnier woman and was forced to move the family into another three-bed council house.

But her broken heart was mended three years later, when she met her current partner bricklayer Halbin.

After a whirlwind six month romance, the couple were married, although Mrs Agintas could not afford a big enough wedding dress, so was forced to wear a size 30 trousers and blouse.

It was then she began having takeaways meals five nights a week, totalling an eye-watering £200 for the family.

In 1998, she ballooned to 38st after giving birth to fourth child Sam – in the last few months of the pregnancy she gorged on a 24-pack of chocolate bars every day.

Pregnancy: Mrs Agintas says she developed a craving for junk food when she was pregnant and her children raised on a diet of junk food and said 'I was lazy - it was easier to phone for a takeaway than cook. I gave them chips four times a week'

She developed high blood pressure due to her unhealthy lifestyle, although she did not have any complications during her pregnancies.

When Sam was a baby, she joined a gym, but admitted she would only do five minutes of exercise and then would then go home to a fish and chip meal afterwards - although she still lost 6st taking her down to 32st.

But, in 1999, she piled 2st of the weight back on by the time she had given birth to her fifth child Hannah.

At 34st, Mrs Agintas gave birth to her sixth and final child, Zoe in 2003.

She admits to drinking up to 12 small cans of Heineken a day- 50 units a week- for the last few months of her pregnancy - but insists it was safe because she had watered it down with ice.

Mrs Agintas, who’s now 33st, has tried to encourage her family to eat healthier, but she now suffers from arthritis, diabetes and asthma and believes a gastric bypass is her last and only option.

'I can’t afford a personal trainer or weight-loss surgery – I need help from the taxpayer. I know it’s my fault I’m fat, but my pregnancy cravings meant I couldn’t stop eating,' she told Closer.



source: dailymail

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Booted out for being born a boy: Transgender beauty queen kicked out of Miss Universe

By Laura Pullman


A beauty pageant has booted a contestant out the competition after discovering the buxom blonde was born a boy.

The Miss Universe Canada organizers threw out Jenna Talackova when they found out she had undergone surgery to become a woman.

The transgendered contestant had already successfully reached the finals in the Miss Vancouver pageant before she was banned from continuing in the competition.

Although the pageant organizers described Talackova as a ‘real girl’ they disqualified her arguing that the rules state that each contestant must be a ‘naturally born female.’

According to Denis Davila, the national director of Miss Universe Canada, Talackova claimed on her registration form she was born a female.

But becoming suspicious Davila confronted the 23-year-old about her sex change and the contestant admitted she was actually born a male.

Despite her pleas to stay in the pageant her confession meant that she was pulled from the contest that same day.

'She feels like a real girl and she is a real girl. She didn’t expect people to question it,' Davila told thestar.com.

'She was hoping we could put her back in the competition, but the rules are very clear and there’s no way we can go back on it.'

The decision from the Miss Universe Canada pageant, which is owned by Donald Trump, has sparked outrage with people calling for Jenna to be reinstated into the contest.

Scroll down for video

Suspicious: The transgendered beauty queen was kicked out after pageant organizers became suspicious that the contestant was not a 'naturally born female' as she stated in her registration form

Beauty queen: Jenna Talackova, fourth from right, has competed in a Miss Universe contest before

People have taken to social media pages to express their disgust with one Facebook user writing on the pageant's page: 'Tell us what "requirements" did she not make? This reeks of discrimination...'

In a YouTube interview Talackova says she knew she was a female at the age of four and began hormone therapy ten years later.

And the 23-year-old beauty queen, who has competed in Miss Universe pageants and transgendered pageants before, says that she surgically changed her gender aged 19.

‘I regard myself as a woman with a history,’ Talackova says winking to the camera.

A statement from Miss Universe Canada read: ‘Jenna Talackova from Vancouver, British Columbia will not compete in the 2012 Miss Universe Canada competition because she did not meet the requirements to compete despite having stated otherwise on her entry form.


'Real girl': The pageant organizers recognised Jenna as a 'real girl' but still booted her out the competition


All woman: Jenna missed out on being crowned International Queen 2010 after losing out to Miss Korea (pictured)

Standing tall: Jenna cuts a fine figure of a woman

‘We do, however, respect her goals, determination and wish her the best.’

Talackova's profile has already been removed from the Miss Universe Canada website.

Davila added: ‘Just because she can't compete doesn't mean we stopped loving her.’
Watch video here - Talackova appears at 8.12 minutes in




source:dailymail

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The royal wedding crasher: Moment Queen popped in to congratulate shocked bride

By Daily Mail Reporter



Blessing: Bewildered bride Frances Canning manages a curtsey after the Queen unexpectedly drops in at her wedding

A delighted couple have told how their wedding day was given the royal seal of approval when the Queen walked in on the ceremony.

John and Frances Canning could hardly believe their eyes when her Majesty accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh walked into the room moments after they had tied the knot at Manchester Town Hall.

The royal couple had been attending a lunch with 200 local volunteers in an adjacent room, and the Queen had asked if she could pop in to congratulate the bride and groom.

Surprise: The royal couple were having lunch with 200 local volunteers in an adjacent room when the Queen heard about the ceremony and asked if she could meet the bride and groom

The Queen and the Duke then spent about five minutes talking to the newlyweds and even agreed to pose for a few photographs.

Delighted bride Frances said 'It was bizarre that she knew our names. She said: "Hello John, Hello Frances".

Around 40 guests watched in amazement as the Queen, Prince Philip, and several royal dignitaries lined up to congratulate the couple.

Groom John, 48, from Prestwich, a big fan of the royal family, described the Queen's visit as the 'icing on the cake'.

He said: 'She commented on how beautiful Frances looked in her dress and wished us all the best for the future.

Businessman John chatted with the Duke while Frances posed with the Queen for a few photos.

He added: 'He was lovely man. He even asked where in Italy we were going on our honey moon.'

The couple had booked the town hall for their civil wedding last year and were told they would be sharing the venue with an 'V.I.P.'.

When they discovered who it was Mr Canning, jokingly wrote to Buckingham Palace to invite the them to the celebration, but had received a reply politely declining the offer.

But the Palace decided to make their dream come true and got in contact with Manchester City Council to arrange the surprise.

Frances told the Manchester Evening News: 'We never dreamt we would be able to meet her.

'When we had our ceremony, the staff asked us to wait for a moment in the corridor and just a few minutes later the Queen arrived.

'She knew both our names and apparently we had been especially added to her rota.'

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary in November last year.

They wed at Westminster Abbey in 1947 with the ceremony broadcast by BBC radio to 200 million people around the world.

During her day in Manchester and Salford the Queen visited four hospitals and toured the BBC's new headquarters at MediaCityUK.


Stunned: Frances and John had been told the Queen would be in the same building but never dreamt they would get to meet her


Bride to be: Frances arrives at the venue earlier in the day completely unaware who would be turning up


source:dailymail

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Wills chills with Kate: Prince celebrates reunion with wife by whisking her away for romantic ski break in Switzerland

-Royal couple have been apart for six weeks

By Emma Reynolds


Ice to be together: Prince William and Kate Middleton on the slopes of Swiss resort Zermatt in 2007

It was on Switzerland's beautiful, snowy slopes that Kate and William were pictured sharing their first public kiss.

So a high-end ski resort in the Alps was the perfect place for the Prince to choose for a romantic weekend with his wife.

The Duke of Cambridge is whisking Kate away on holiday to make up for missing Valentine's Day, following a long six weeks apart in which he has been flying a helicopter for the RAF in the Falklands.


The royal couple had a joyful reunion earlier this week at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

It ended a long spell apart, in which the Duchess of Cambridge has thrown herself into her role, making solo public appearances at military and charity events.

The 30-year-old's elegant poise has won widespread approbation, on outings that included two trips with the Queen, as part of the monarch's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, and a hockey game with the GB squad at the Olympic Park.

Kate and William were first seen skiing in Switzerland in 2004, and they had their first photographed kiss there two years later, with both holidays taking place at the resort of Klosters.

Royal hit: Kate impressed with her independence and her hockey skills during her husband's absence

This time, they will stay in an elegant chalet at Verbier, according to the Daily Mirror.

The high-end resort has been popular with the royal family for years, with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward having celebrated birthdays there, and Prince Harry spending New Year's Eve partying on its slopes.

Princess Eugenie held a low-key 18th birthday party at Verbier.

William, 29, has been serving as a Sea King pilot in the South Atlantic, while his wife of less than a year has admitted to missing him 'desperately'.

Last year the ski-mad couple reportedly cancelled a planned trip to the slopes over fears it would not be appropriate in recession-hit times.

A Clarence House spokesperson yesterday declined to comment on their holiday plans.


source:dailymail

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