'My twin sister is a dwarf': But 5ft 1in Sierra is the one who has been looking up to brave four-foot Sienna for all their 13 years

-Baby Sienna was so small she was not spotted on scans until six months into her mother's pregnancy
-Due to a rare brain abnormality, Sienna also has the learning age of an eight-year-old


By Lauren Paxman


Close bond: Sienna looks up to her twin Sierra who is more than a foot taller than she is


Chrissy Bernal was six months into her pregnancy when she realised she was having twins - baby Sienna was so small that she had not been picked up on previous scans.

But it was not until six years after her birth that Sienna was diagnosed with primordial dwarfism, a disorder which means she has had a smaller body size than others her age since before she was born.

Now 13-years-old, four-foot-tall Sienna can't help but look up to her sister, Sierra who measures 5ft1in. And she will look up to her twin more and more over the coming years - as Sierra is unlikely to grow any taller.


The blonde-haired, blue-eyed teens love shopping, wearing make-up and giggling about boys. But due to a rare brain abnormality Sienna also has the learning age of an eight-year-old.

Sienna said: 'Most of the time I don't really care I'm different - it actually makes me feel special.

'Sierra looks out for me and we do loads together - shopping, swimming and singing.

'She can be bossy but she shows me how to flirt with boys, stands up for me if I'm teased and reaches things when they're too high.'

The sisters were born three months prematurely, with Sienna weighing slightly more than a pound.

Doctors warned their mother, Chrissy, 34, that Sierra had just a ten per cent chance of surviving. But after 108 days in neonatal intensive care Sierra was fit enough to join her family at their home near Houston, Texas.


Surprise: Sienna, left, was only picked up on ultrasound scans six months into mother Chrissy's pregnancy because she was so small

Growing up together: The blonde-haired, blue-eyed teens love shopping, wearing make-up and giggling about boys. But due to a rare brain abnormality Sienna also has the learning age of an eight year old

It was only when she was six years old that Sienna was diagnosed with primordial dwarfism, a rare form of dwarfism which affects around 200 people in the world. And Sienna is the only primordial dwarf to have an average sized twin.

Chrissy, who lives with her daughters, their step-dad Joey and his son Austin, 17, said: 'Sienna was five weeks behind in development and they said she might not survive - but I refused to believe the worst.

'I had a C-section at 34 weeks. It was terrifying, the girls were tiny and Sienna looked like an alien.

'She had a big head and her skin was see-though. We could hold her in one hand, she wore nappies that were smaller than an iPod, and we bought her dolls' clothes. But the girls' bond was immediate,'

On top of the world: Sienna has special needs classes, but attends the same school as her twin where she also has lessons in Taekwondo, hip hop dancing and cheerleading

One pound Sienna was so small that a wedding ring could fit around her arm. She immediately had surgery to correct a hole in the heart, and after overcoming chronic lung disease was allowed home.

Sienna still needs surgery to correct a curvature of the spine and the bones in her ears are so small she has to wear hearing aids.

She has special needs classes, but attends the same school as her twin where she also has lessons in Taekwondo, hip hop dancing and cheerleading. Last year the sisters both entered a beauty pageant, too.

Chrissy said: 'Sienna doesn't let it affect her - when she comes home she'll often shout, "Dwarf in the house!". Though it sometimes gets her down that she can't play volleyball like Sierra and the boys don't show as much interest in her.'


Chrissy, pictured with her daughters and their step-dad Joey says: 'Sienna doesn't let it affect her - when she comes home she'll often shout, "Dwarf in the house!"'

Sierra said: 'In a lot of ways Sienna is just me, but smaller. Like any sister,
she's annoying especially when she steals my clothes - even though my tops come down to her knees. But I'll always protect her. If she's teased at school I'll tell the bullies it's not cool.'

Chrissy, an insurance agent, added: 'As Sierra gets more independent, I worry about how Sienna will be affected - stuff like going shopping on her own just wouldn't be safe because she's so small and has a lower learning age.

'But I try to treat the girls as equals. Sienna has a real passion for life and makes everyone laugh. I'm so proud of both my girls.'



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'She-Devil' mother and her feral teenage children left two men for dead after bottle beating and stabbing

-Matthew Howard, 27, missed the birth of his latest child while in hospital after being stabbed 14 times with a machete
-Jordan Daley, 18, needed 51 stitches after being beaten with a bottle

By Rob Cooper


A mother-of-two nicknamed 'The She-Devil' after being involved in savage unprovoked attacks on two men with her feral teenage children has been jailed for 10 years.

Margaret Gilheaney, 36, was arrested after the first victim, Jordan Daley, was battered with a bottle by her son Joseph, 19, in their 'dirty and smelly' £30,000 terraced property in Accrington, Lancashire.

He needed 51 stitches and was scarred for life following the attack which happened as he celebrated his 18th birthday.

The mother-of-two was then also involved as a father-of-three was stabbed 14 times.

Matthew Howard, 27, thought he was going to die after being attacked by Margaret and her daughter Isabel, 18.

He was dragged out into the alleyway and abandoned. He suffered a collapsed lung, nerve damage and was left disabled.

While he was in hospital he missed the birth of his youngest child three days later when he was in hospital.

Both attacks were meted out for pleasure by the teenage children at separate rowdy parties.

After Margaret and her children were jailed one neighbour said: 'People called her the She-Devil because of all the problems at her house and none of us are surprised her brood turned out to be little horrors too.'

Her daughter Isabel was jailed for six years while her son Joseph was given eight years.

Sarah Booth, prosecuting, told Burnley Crown Court that as Mr Daley, 18, tried to leave the party in August 2010, at the grim family home but Gilheaney and his friends followed him outside and attacked him.

The victim was repeatedly hit and kicked while he lay on the ground screaming for help.

Miss Booth said: 'He believed he was knocked unconscious and a witness described everyone piling on top of the victim and the defendant.

'Another onlooker told how Mr Daley ended up with a hole in his lip, his nose split in half and with deep cuts all over his face and body.

Jailed: Joseph and Isabel, both 19, who carried out the attacks on Jordan Daley and Matthew Howard in Accrington, Lancashire

'Mr Daley and his friends finally got away, were chased as they left and he went to hospital, where he had 26 stitches to his face and 25 in his arms.'

The court heard police later made several arrests.

Then last February, while Gilheaney was on bail, Mr Howard was attacked as he tried to leave the family's 'dirty and smelly' home.

Miss Booth said Maughan locked the door, became aggressive and clenched his fist as if he was going to punch him. The victim took a 'pre-emptive' strike before a brawl broke out.

The prosecutor added: 'Mr Howard felt what he thought were punches to his back, felt warm and weak and turned to see Margaret and Isabel Gilheaney with a machete type knife.

'He collapsed on the floor on his back, felt numb all over and couldn’t move his leg. Isabel Gilheaney passed the knife to her partner who continued the attack.

Grim: The 'dirty and smelly' mid-terrace property, worth £40,000, where Margaret Gilheaney lived with her children

'Maughan wielded the weapon towards the victim’s face, Mr Howard put up his arms to protect himself and was gashed.

'The victim thought he was going to die and drifted in and out of consciousness. He pleaded with the defendant to stop, telling his assailants he had three children.

'Maughan tried unsuccessfully to pull him up by his neck and the three defendants then dragged him into the back yard, down a step and left him in the back street. He believed he was going to die there alone in the alley.'

Margaret later called an ambulance but falsely claimed she had just come across Mr Howard in the street.

Mr Howard said of his attackers : 'I feel the public will not be safe if they are released.'

The court heard when questioned by police, Margaret Gilheaney claimed self defence and her children denied any involvement.

However, she admitted violent disorder and wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

Isabel, who lives with her mother and has racked up 20 previous convictions, admitted wounding with intent.

Joseph, who has 35 previous convictions, admitted wounding with intent and affray. He also admitted chasing two neighbours down the street with a two-and-a-half foot machete in a separate incident.

Isabel’s boyfriend Martin Maughan, 19, from Accrington, was also jailed for three years four months for wounding while convicted robber David Cammack, 28, who is already serving four years jail for a shop raid, was given another 12 months for violent disorder.

Passing sentence Judge Jonathan Gibson said Joseph should be regarded as a 'dangerous offender.'


Behind bars: Martin Maughan, 19, who admitted wounding, and David Cammack, 28, who was guilty of violent disorder


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It was THIS big! Fishermen on the Arabian Sea reel in giant 40ft long whaleshark

By Leon Watson


Reeled in: Pakistani fishermen use cranes to pull the carcass of a whale shark from the water


Try telling someone you caught this 40ft fish that's as big as a whale - because they're unlikely to believe you.

But that's exactly what a group of fishermen will be saying after landing this monster from the deep in the Arabian Sea.

Pictures emerged today of the giant whaleshark being reeled in and brought to port in the Pakistani city of Karachi.


Crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of the beast - believed to be one of the biggest ever caught - as it was hauled out of the water at Charai Fishery.

Two cranes were brought in to pull the eight-ton shark's carcass out. But that failed, so eventually another crane was brought in to complete the task.

The shark was spotted floating unconscious in the sea ten days ago, around 90 miles away from shore.

Bidding for the shark had already begun.


Massive: The 40ft fish was brought to harbour in Karachi, Pakistan


Onlookers crowd around the carcass of the whale shark at a fish harbour in Karachi

Two cranes lift the dead shark as they try to get it out of the water

The largest confirmed whaleshark was 41ft long but it is thought they can grow to considerably greater lengths.

The shark is found in tropical waters and lives for around 70 years. They feed mainly on plankton, microscopic plants and sometimes small fish.

It has a cavernous mouth that can be up to 5ft wide and contains between 300 and 350 rows of tiny teeth.

The whale shark, a gentle giant of the seas, does not pose a significant danger to humans - and in the past some have even allowed swimmers to hitch a ride on their fins.


People stand on the floating fish as it rests in the water, around 90 miles away from where it was caught


Shark attraction: Ropes are attached to the weighty whale in an attempt to get it onto dry land



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Perfect for a Bond villain: One of Britain's most exclusive homes perched on a rock goes on sale for £1m

By Katie Silver


A hideaway perfect for a James Bond villain, surrounded by water with the only way to gain access via Britain’s lone privately-owned suspension bridge, Scaramanga would have found this exclusive abode quite to his liking.

Perched atop a large rock, residents Lord and Lady Long are to move after a decade in the unique Cornwall property.

Originally put on the market two years ago, the couple have dropped the asking price by more than a quarter of a million pounds.

Sitting atop a rock, only accessible by a private suspension bridge, The Island at Newquay, Cornwall seems straight from a Bond story and would indeed be the perfect hideaway for a villain

While navigating the 100ft long bridge, suspended some 90ft off the ground, might excite our fantasies of international espionage, the elderly couple said it is becoming increasingly difficult with age and they are selling up.

The three bedroom house was built on the top of Towan Island on the beach at Newquay, Cornwall, in the 1930s.

When the tide is in the island is completely surrounded by water and from the top of the granite rock there are 360 degree views.

More...Somewhere over the rainbow: Photos of an ice entombed waterfall in China putting on a spectacular display

Terracing means that whoever buys the property can follow the sun all day.

Lord Long, 83, said: ‘This is one of the most incredible spots.’

Lord and Lady Long bought the house as a holiday home in 2001 when it was on the market for 500,000 pounds and loved it so much they stayed.

But Lady Long said the slippery granite steps either side of the swaying Edwardian bridge posed a problem for them.

She has said: ‘We have decided to sell before this becomes a problem.’

It will only be the third time the property has been offered for sale in the last 40 years.


Keen for privacy? This is the view across the 100ft long suspension bridge which sits 90ft off the ground. The path has become hard for the elderly couple to negotiate


It will be the third time in 40 years that the house has changed owners

Sarah Lillicrap, of Lillicrap Chilcott describes the picturesque house as one of the most photographed in the country

Viscount Long, who was a Tory whip in the Lords during the Thatcher and Major years, might now be replaced by a millionaire surfer as Newquay is a popular surfing resort.

Sarah Lillicrap, from Lillicrap Chilcott estate agents, which is dealing with the sale, said: ‘It must be one of the most photographed homes in the country.

‘The bridge is an amazing structure but as I understand it Lord Long is ready for something with a slightly more accessible front door.

‘The bridge was built in 1901 and is the only privately-owned suspension bridge in the country.

‘There was a tea room on the island until the house was built in the 1930s and this will have been only the third time it has been offered for sale in the last 40 years.


Grand: The house was built in the 1930's and can get 360 degree views


View of the beach: In the early 2000s, the beach used to be the home of much partying, where naked revellers would run squealing into the surf, bonfires would be lit and couples would have sex in public


Life in the sun: Viscount Long was a Tory whip during the Thatcher and Major years. Now, the house may be bought by a millionaire surfer as Newquay is a popular surfing resort

‘The house has had various colourful owners since it was built including Sir Oliver Joseph Lodge, the gentleman who invented the spark plug.

‘And it is reported that one of his close friends, Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle, visited the island on many occasions.

‘There is a small garden and a terrace so you can follow the sun around all day.

‘It is an iconic property and already there has been a great deal of interest in it.’

Offers around the 995,000 pounds mark are being considered.




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Having a cat nap, the cheetah cub who went under anaesthetic for surgery on fractured leg

By David Baker


Running around at incredible speeds can wear out even the most sprightly of young cheetahs.

But far from taking time out for a quick cat nap poor Juba was in bed for an entirely different reason.

That's because the nine-month-old feline had to endure an anaesthetic and an hour long surgery to help fix its fractured leg.

Having been carried in to the operating theatre by zoo keeper Andy Wolfenden, it took three specialists to operate on the wounded cub.

Led by Rob Pettitt from the University of Liverpool, vet Livia Benato and anaestethtic nurse Tanya Grubb tended to the Chester Zoo resident for its lengthy surgery.

But following the successful operation Juba was up and running again after a metal plate was inserted into its right ankle.

In a statement on Chester Zoo's website, vet Steve Unwin said: 'We believe the fracture has been caused by a weakness in Juba’s leg, which has been aggravated by the rough and tumble antics of young cubs.

'Cats are adept at hiding any discomfort but we are fortunate that we are able to keep a very close eye on our animals and so quickly picked up that something wasn’t quite right.


Helping hand: Zoo keeper Andy Wolfenden carries Juba the Cheetah cub into the operating theatre

Open wide: Surgeons at Chester Zoo operate on poorly Juba the Cheetah cub

'Juba has been a model patient and we are pleased that, at this point in time, the operation seems to have gone well.

'Although Juba will need some rest for the next few weeks, we are hopeful he will be back up on his paws again in no time.'

Juba has now been returned to the cheetah den along with the rest of his family.


Anaesthtic: Juba the Cheetah is put under an anaesthtic whilst a metal plate is inserted in his ankle


Juba: Veterinary staff lift Juba the Cheetah cub onto a set of scales ahead of his operation at Chester Zoo



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Cruel couple facing jail for 'appalling' neglect of sheepdog which became trapped in its own matted hair and had to be put down

-David and Marjorie Massey guilty of causing unnecessary suffering
-'Woody' had two-inch toe nails, chronic infections and a tumour in his mouth

By Graham Smith


Facing jail: David and Marjorie Massey admitted two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to their five-year-old sheep dog Woody

A cruel couple were facing jail today after admitted the 'appalling' neglect of a sheepdog which became trapped in a two-stone tangled ball of its own hair because they were too embarrassed to go to a vet.

David and Marjorie Massey admitted two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to five-year-old sheepdog Woody after animal cruelty officers said the treatment he suffered was 'incomprehensible'.

The owners, from Beeston, Bedfordshire, felt too ashamed to take their pet for treatment despite his mangy coat, painful two-inch toenails, chronic eye and ear infections and an untreated tumour in his mouth.

In bad shape: Emma Midgley helps Woody - who was renamed Floyd - after he arrived at an animal charity following severe neglect

Woody, as he was then known, was dumped at an animal shelter where carers cut his mound of filthy hair, which made it almost impossible for him to see, hear or go to the toilet.

They also gave him the name of Floyd.

Bedford Magistrate’s Court heard it had taken four workers more than an hour to free Floyd from his mangy cocoon and underneath his body was covered in cysts and sores.

Despite their efforts the animal was so distressed vets were forced put him down.
Magistrates today warned David Massey, 62, and Marjorie Massey, 60, they face jail sentences for their cruelty.

Chair of the bench, Dr Disney-Durrant said: 'Because of the length of abuse in this case I have to warn you we will be considering a custodial sentence.'

The Masseys were investigated by the RSPCA after Woody was left tied to a gate at Wood Green animal shelter in Cambridgeshire in August last year.

Mr and Mrs Massey had owned the dog since he was a puppy and said that up until a year ago he had always been groomed and well cared for.

During interviews with an RSPCA inspector, Mr Massey claimed that he did not know that Woody had any problems in his mouth and ears, the court heard.

He also said that he recognised that he should have taken the animal to a vet but that he had become too embarrassed by his condition to get him treated.


'Incomprehensible': Floyd undergoes emergency treatment at the animal charity

Floyd after he was trimmed of two stone of fur and his two-inch long nails had been clipped. But he was still too ill and had to be put down

Mrs Massey told the inspector that they had used a professional groomer in the past but that they reached a point where they could no longer afford it and that any neglect was due to a lack of money.

Mark Bellis, defending, admitted that the couple had previously owned two other old English sheep dogs and were 'aware of what was required in keeping the breed'.

He claimed that the problems began when the groomer they had been using moved away and the Masseys were forced to find another.

They claim that as Woody got older his temperament became more aggressive and it became impossible to find a groomer who could get near him.

Mr Bellis said: 'They got to a stage where the condition of Woody embarrassed them so much they couldn't face taking him to see anyone.'

Degrading: Woody's mound of filthy hair (left) made it almost impossible for him to see, hear or go to the toilet. A sheepdog as it should look (right)

It was only when the couple’s adult daughter decided to move back into the family home, bringing her young daughter with her, that the Masseys decided they had to get rid of Woody.

Mr Massey told the court it was his decision to take Woody to the animal shelter in the middle of the night and that he called both the police and the RSPCA to tell them where Woody was.

Janita Patel, prosecuting, asked the magistrates to consider a disqualification order which would ban the couple from keeping any animals for life.

RSPCA chief inspector Mark Thompson echoed her disgust.

He said: 'This poor dog was left in such a terrible condition. It is just incomprehensible that people could allow his condition to deteriorate in such a way.'

The case was adjourned for sentencing until February 8.



source:dailymail

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No kerbs, pavements or nanny-state signs: Britain's longest clutter-free street is unveiled to make things SAFER

By Ray Massey


Before and after: Exhibition Road in January 2010 (left) and November 2011 (right), after the refurbishment. Now the half-mile road, decorated by a criss-cross pattern, is a continuous shared space for cars and people

Britain’s longest ‘clutter-free’ street was opened today with the aim of making cars and people co-exist harmoniously – without the need for hectoring signs and protective steel barriers.

Indeed, the newly revamped Exhibition Road in the heart of London’s museum quarter in Kensington, visited by millions of people from around Britain and the world, doesn’t even have kerbs or pavements.

The idea underlining the project is that when nannying rules and orders - in the form of countless signs, traffic signals and barriers - are removed, motorists take more personal responsibility for their own actions and drive more attentively, making more eye contact with pedestrians.

Ground level: Pedestrians use the zig-zag of walkways on Exhibition Road, Kensington, with more than one million bricks made of Chinese granite used in the project

It may sound counter-intuitive. But experts swear that the idea pioneered in Holland really does work better for everyone and improves safety.

And supporters say it is a blueprint for the 21st century high street in towns and cities across the country.

The entire half-mile long (820 metres) of road and pavement is now one continuous and wide expanse of flat ‘shared space’ surface decorated with a criss-cross chequered pattern created from a jigsaw of a million bricks of Chinese granite.

The new-look Exhibition Road project which began as an idea more than a decade ago, cost nearly £30million to complete, and has taken three years’ work.

It features a kerb-free single surface with no barriers or ‘street clutter’ – all of which have been removed.

Instead, a stunning chequered granite design runs from South Kensington Station to Hyde Park along the full width of the road from building to building in a newly created ‘shared space’.

Pedestrian areas are distinguished from those to be used by vehicles by black iron drainage channel covers and raised and ribbed ‘corduroy-effect’ tactile strips.

These also help warn blind and partially sighted people underfoot that they are moving into or out of vehicle-free areas. The markings run along each side of Exhibition Road, about four yards out from buildings helping to delineate the areas for pedestrians, and those for vehicles.

Cars are slowed by a 20mph speed limit and planners expect traffic to reduce by nearly a third.

Tall, sleek street lighting masts have been designed to complement the grand buildings of Exhibition Road.

The continuously flat surface also improves access, particularly for those using wheelchairs, push chairs and motorised buggies.

Sir Jeremy Dixon of leading architectural practice Dixon Jones which led the project said: ’It’s not a complete free for all.

By night: the new-look refurbishment was thought up 10 years ago and cost some £30million to complete

‘But when the rules by which traffic normally operates are removed -signs, barriers and kerb markings - drivers become more observant.

'They make more eye-contact with pedestrians which produces greater watchfulness.

They use the road more like pedestrians. They take more responsibility for their actions.’

In a similar vein, studies have shown that when traffic lights are removed from crossings, traffic flows more freely and efficiently because drivers take more care, he said.

Even before the road was officially opened today by London Mayor Boris Johnson, Sir Jeremy noted people’s behaviour had changed:

‘You see people promenading down the street, sometimes ten abreast. It’s marvellous.’

A spokesman for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council said: ‘We have introduced a 20 mph speed limit on the road, and we expect the scheme to reduce traffic by approximately 30 per cent to the south of Prince Consort Road.


Relaxing: A couple sit on one of the benches in the refurbished street. The project which began as an idea more than a decade ago, cost nearly £30million to complete, and has taken three years' work

By day: The new design is intended to make drivers more observant

‘The removal of street clutter, such as conventional traffic signals, barriers, signs and road markings, will encourage motorists to slow down when they enter the road and engage with their surroundings.’

He added: ‘Traffic is restricted to the east side of Exhibition Road, away from the busiest pedestrian flow between South Kensington Station and the Science Museum.

'We have improved the pedestrian crossings by making them wider, to accommodate larger numbers of pedestrians.’

The scheme has been developed and delivered by a partnership of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, which contributed £14.6millon, the Mayor of London whose office added £13.4million and the City of Westminster which spent £1million.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: ‘This clever approach to rearranging the streetscape at the heart of one of the most important cultural and academic corners on the planet will heighten the whole experience for visitors.

'In particular it will make it much easier and even more pleasurable for families visiting these unique attractions with space to wander unhindered in an area that puts people first.’

Councillor Sir Merrick Cockell, leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, said: ‘It has taken us the best part of ten years to get here but South Kensington and Exhibition Road finally have the setting they deserve.

'We now have a unique streetscape that will delight our many millions of visitors and which sets a new standard for urban design.’


The speed limit will be 20 mph and traffic is expected to decline 30 per cent

Councillor Daniel Moylan, deputy chairman of Transport for London (TfL), said: ‘The reimagining of the space has transformed Exhibition Road, improving the quality of life for people living and working in, and for those visiting, the area. In addition, the uplift in local retail has helped nearby business and dramatically improved the pedestrian experience.’

He continued:’The psychology of this scheme is fascinating. Experience seems to show that when you dedicate space to traffic and control it with signs and green traffic lights, motorists develop a claim on it. It becomes ‘my space.’ Drivers become annoyed if people move into it.

'They get angry if a mother pushing a buggy moves across the crossing just as the lights are about to change.’

‘This new scheme is more like the behaviour in a supermarket car park. Drivers know there are people around pushing shopping trolleys and so drive more cautiously. They are looking out.

They don’t feel that pedestrians are invading their space. They don’t therefore get annoyed.’

Planners have also planted more trees to improve the ambiance and help delineate the pedestrian and traffic zones.

Traffic will flow in both directions.


source:dailymail

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'Why not charge?': Eamonn Holmes shocks This Morning viewers as he asks sex addict why she hasn't turned to prostitution

By David Gerges


Critical: Holmes, right, during the maligned interview with Crystal Warren


Eamonn Holmes stunned ITV viewers after he asked a female sex addict why she hadn't turned to prostitution.

The This Morning host was interviewing Crystal Warren who claimed to have slept with more than 1,000 men.

The 42-year-old revealed that she was unable to keep a job as a result of her constant need for sex.


During the candid discussion, Holmes queried: 'If you need this five or six times a day, have you never thought about making a business of it? Charging for it?'

To which, Miss Warren replied: 'What, becoming a prostitute?'

'Then it becomes a business, then I become maybe like a robot.

'This way I am enjoying it, I do it when I want to do it, I get to choose who I sleep with.'

Holmes' interrogation led to an outrage on Twitter with TOWIE star Lucy Mecklenburgh amongst those to vent her anger.

She said: "Omg !! Can't believe eamon holmes just said to a sex addict on this morning 'y dont you start a business , and charge for it !' illegal !"

Harry Bradshaw added: "The awkward momentEamonn Holmes asks you why don't you just become a prostitute live on TV. #thismorning."

Whilst another person wrote: "Eamonn Holmes is disgusting! #EndOf"


Stunned: Crystal Warren defended said her need for sex meant she was unable to hold down a permanent job

An ITV spokesman told The Sun: 'Eamonn's question was in the context of a wider balanced and frank interview and we have had no complaints.'

However, Doctor Thaddeus Birchard, who specialises in sex addiction, said: 'It was an irresponsible comment.'

He added: 'It shows no understanding of the true nature of sex addiction.

'I meet people all the time whose lives are in disarray because of their sex patterns and people are very distressed by this.'

Sex addiction is described by the relationship counselling service, Relate, as any sexual activity that feels out of control.

Addicts are unable to control their urges and actions despite the problems they may cause in their relationships and work life.

This addiction is similar to substance abuse because it is caused by the powerful chemical substances released during sex.

Sex addiction is often rooted in childhood or adolescence. Early trauma, neglect or depression may be factors, according to the NHS.

Miss Warren, who blames her sex addiction on witnessing the breakdown of her parents' marriage when she was five, lost her virginity at 15.

By the time she was 17, she had had 40 lovers, sometimes sleeping with as many as seven men a day.

For many years, she believed her behaviour was relatively normal and attributed it to having a high sex drive.

But when she hit 40, she finally admitted she had a problem.

'I know I’m a sex addict, but I can’t face getting professional help. Sex is the only thing that makes me feel good about myself,' she told The Daily Mirror,' she said.

'I guess when the men start saying no, I’ll stop having sex. I know some people must think I’m a terrible person, but believe me I’m not proud of myself.'

The retail manager said that she feels moody and frustrated when she does not have enough sex.

'I’d go on the prowl for men on my lunch breaks. If I didn’t manage to have sex I’d be unproductive all afternoon,' she said.

'If I go without for a few days I start to feel desperately low, depressed and lack energy.'

Miss Warren's sex drive is still so high that she will spend her weekends finding men at pubs or coffee shops to pick up and take home.


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The owl and the (peckish) pussycat: Children scream in horror as lion eats blundering bird

By Andrew Levy


Ash, the barn owl from Colchester zoo who was eaten by a lion during a display

IT is a scene played out in thousands of gardens every day...albeit on a rather smaller scale.

But when a cat caught and devoured a bird at a zoo, it caused pandemonium among visitors.

In this case it was a lion that ate a barn owl which had become ‘spooked’ during a falconry display and flown out of the arena.

One of the lions at the zoo that is believed to have pounced on the owl after it was knocked out of the air by a lioness

The unfortunate bird, a female called Ash, had been left dazed and disoriented after clattering into a window.

She landed unsteadily in a couple of other spots before swooping down to a ledge in the lion enclosure.

The bird then appears to have lost her footing and was clubbed out of the air by a lioness before a male pounced and made short work of her as screaming zoo visitors looked on.

Staff at Colchester Zoo in Essex quickly moved in but were unable to prevent Ash’s untimely death.

Gavin Duthie, who witnessed the gruesome scene with his two-year-old son Daniel, said: ‘He was in tears, along with most of the people who were there. Women and children were screaming but it was all over in seconds.


Colchester Zoo where an owl was killed in front of children during a demonstration

‘It’s in the lion’s nature. I have taught Daniel that lions are not fluffy animals.
He was very upset but we will be back in the zoo again.’

The drama took place on Saturday afternoon as dozens of visitors gathered around the falconry arena.

The owl, who was nine and might have lived for up to 20 years in captivity, is believed to have been frightened by a noise or a camera flash and veered into a nearby window.

She then flew on to the roof of a meerkat enclosure before entering the lion’s habitat, where she lost her footing and was swiped by a waiting paw.

Moments later she was swallowed up by another of the big cats, five-year-old Bailey, whose diet were he on the African plains would be more likely to include wildebeest, zebras or buffalo.

It was no contest between the 8ft, 550lb king of the jungle and the 19oz barn owl – also known in folklore as the Death Owl.

The crowd was moved on and the area closed off as zoo keepers tried to restore order. Ash was one of a handful of barn owls that had been bred in captivity at Colchester.

Describing the bird’s final moments, the zoo’s marketing director Alex Downing said yesterday: ‘Although she landed on the side of the enclosure, she very sadly lost her footing and fell in, whereupon she was killed by one of the lions.’

She added: ‘Everyone is obviously extremely upset about such a combination of events.
‘But there is nothing that anyone could have done at the time to avoid such an awful outcome.

‘In 25 years of falconry displays a fatality has never occurred as the birds do normally instinctively know that this isn’t a safe place to go.

Unfortunately, we can only assume that it was because she was dazed that she flew across the enclosure.’



source:dailymail

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