Golden girl Jessica Ennis proves that she's a model athlete in glossy photoshoot

By Mail On Sunday Reporter


As one of Team GB’s greatest medal hopes for this summer’s Olympics, she is more often seen on the running track.
But these pictures show Jessica Ennis would look equally at home on the catwalk.

The 26-year-old heptathlete from Sheffield broke into her arduous training schedule to star in a fashion shoot for a glossy magazine.

And in an accompanying interview, Jessica admits she loves to ‘glam up’. ‘Because I’m in tracksuits all the time at training, I like to get dressed up and get my hair and make-up done,’ she says.

‘I’ve done quite a few shoots, but I’m not a model so it’s still quite alien to me, though I do enjoy doing them. When you’re working with a good photographer and you get some direction, it’s great.’

Jessica’s fiance, construction site manager Andy Hill, proposed to her on Christmas Eve 2010, but their wedding plans are on hold until after the Games – and her eye is firmly on the top prize.

‘First and foremost, I’ll be there to try to win gold, but what makes the Olympics different from any other competition are the other sports involved and staying in the Olympic Village,’ she says. ‘I might try to sit next to David Beckham in the canteen if he gets into the football team!’

With just over five months until the opening ceremony, she admits to being nervous about the prospect of millions of people around the world watching her perform. ‘Now it has become real – and it’s on my mind,’ she says.

‘I’m anxious to know what the year is going to bring, but really looking forward to it, too.’

The photographs appear in the latest issue of Podium magazine.


Jessica in her usual attire after a win and in the latest issue of the magazine



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BREAKING NEWS: Troubled U.S. music legend Whitney Houston is found dead in Beverly Hills hotel room after drugs battle, aged 48

-Award-winning singer and actress 'found unconscious by on-off boyfriend Ray J in her hotel room'
-Emergency services administered CPR for 20 minutes but were unable to save her
-Speculation that death is drug-related but cause is unknown
-Last appeared in public on Thursday where she looked dishevelled and reportedly smelled of alcohol
-Celebrities flock to Twitter to pay tributes to 'beautiful and talented' singer


By Hugo Gye and Lydia Warren

Whitney Houston, who reigned as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, died this afternoon. She was 48.

Publicist Kristen Foster said today that the singer had died, but the cause and the location of her death were unclear.

She died at the Beverly Hilton hotel. She was apparently found by her on-off boyfriend Ray J in her hotel room, though other reports dispute that account.

A spokesman for the local police department said that emergency services had been called to the hotel at 3.43 this afternoon, arriving minutes later.

Officials rushed to the room on the fourth floor where she was staying as a guest, where they found security staff and firemen attempting to revive her using CPR

Life-saving attempts proved unsuccessful after 20 minutes, and she was pronounced dead at 3.55pm.

Authorities are currently trying to determine a cause of death, according to the spokesman. It was initially unclear whether or not her death was drug-related, as has been speculated by some.

Celebrities, from singers and rappers to television personalities and business leaders, took to Twitter to express their sadness at the news.

Stars praised the singer's unmatched talent and passed on their wishes to her bereaved family, while others expressed their shock at how the award-winning singer passed away at the age of just 48.

'Heartbroken and in tears over the shocking death of my friend, the incomparable Ms. Whitney Houston,' said Mariah Carey, who recorded the Oscar-winning song When You Believe with the late star in 1998.

'My heartfelt condolences to Whitney’s family and to all her millions of fans throughout the world. She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices to ever grace the earth.'

'Shocked we've lost the immensely talented Whitney Houston!' wrote fellow singer Gloria Estefan. ‘Sending prayers of peace & solace 2 her family, friends & fans! Such a loss! Such an amazing talent!'

Rihanna tweeted: 'No words! Just tears. I honestly can't think of anything else!!! Feels so strange being at the Grammy rehearsal right now!!'

But it was not just the music industry that felt the influence of Houston, with other celebrities expressing their condolences and thanks to the award-winning singer.

One high-profile figure to speak out was Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg, who said: 'R.I.P. Whitney Houston. Thank you for the amazing music you brought into the world.'


Performance: Throughout the 80s and 90s, Houston was one of the world's most popular singers


Superstar: Houston will long be remembered as one of the standout performers of her generation

Award success: Houston was a frequent winner at the Grammys and other high-profile award ceremonies

News of Houston's death came on the eve of one of the biggest nights in music - the Grammy Awards.

It's a showcase where she once reigned, and her death was sure to case a heavy pall on Sunday's ceremony.

Her longtime mentor Clive Davis was to hold his annual concert and dinner Saturday, and a representative of the show said it would proceed.

Houston was supposed to appear at the gala, and Davis had said that she would perhaps perform: 'It's her favorite night of the year... who knows, by the end of the evening.'

Producer Jimmy Jam, who had worked with Houston, said he anticipated the evening would become a tribute to her, and he expected there to be one at the Grammys as well.

She had been at rehearsals for the show on Thursday, coaching singers Brandy and Monica, according to a person who was at the event.

The source said Houston looked disheveled, was sweating profusely and liquor and cigarettes could be smelled on her breath.

Two days ago, she performed at a pre-Grammy party with singer Kelly Price.

After her death, the executive in charge of the awards issued a statement expressing sadness at the star's death.

'Six-time Grammy winner Whitney Houston was one of the world's greatest pop singers of all time who leaves behind a robust musical soundtrack spanning the past three decades,' Neil Portnow, president of the Recording Academy, said.

'Her powerful voice graced many memorable and award-winning songs. A light has been dimmed in our music community today, and we extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, fans and all who have been touched by her beautiful voice.'

At her peak in the 1980s and 90s, Houston was the golden girl of the music industry and one of the world's best-selling artists.

She wowed audiences with effortless, powerful, and peerless vocals that were rooted in the black church but made palatable to the masses with a pop sheen.

Among her hits were How Will I Know, Saving All My Love for You and I Will Always Love You. She won multiple Grammys including album and record of the year.

Her success carried her beyond music to movies like The Bodyguard.


Relationship: Houston's turbulent marriage to singer Bobby Brown was the subject of tabloid gossip for years


Mentor: Houston's career was started by record label boss Clive Davis, who saw her singing in a nightclub with her mother

But by the end of her career, drug use took its toll as her record sales plummeted and her voice became raspy and hoarse.

Her image became tarnished by her well-documented troubles, including her turbulent marriage to singer Bobby Brown.

By the end of her career, Houston became a stunning cautionary tale of the toll of drug use.

Her album sales plummeted and the hits stopped coming; her once serene image was shattered by a wild demeanor and bizarre public appearances.


Hotel: Houston was found dead at the Beverly Hilton hotel in California

Scene: A police van and fire department officials were spotted outside the Hilton after Houston's death

She confessed to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills, and her once pristine voice became raspy and hoarse, unable to hit the high notes as she had during her prime.

'The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy,' Houston told ABC's Diane Sawyer in an infamous 2002 interview with then-husband Brown by her side.


Successor: Houston with Mariah Carey, one of the young singers who followed in her wake


With Ray J: According to some accounts Houston was found by her on-off boyfriend, who is himself a singer

Duet: Houston sings with Jermaine Jackson during rehearsals for a TV performance in 1984

However, she will be remembered not for the troubles she encountered in her last decade, but for her extraordinary voice and star charisma.

Houston was discovered by record label boss Clive Davis, who once said: 'The time that I first saw her singing in her mother's act in a club... it was such a stunning impact.

'To hear this young girl breathe such fire into this song. I mean, it really sent the proverbial tingles up my spine.'







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'Please look after my hamster, I can't afford her anymore': Is abandoned Snowball the saddest victim of the recession?

By Daily Mail Reporter


For Snowball, it was so nearly the moment she went to the great hamster cage in the sky.

The tiny pet had been abandoned on the freezing streets of London, along with a note from her owner saying: ‘I cannot afford to look after her any more.’

And there the one-year-old albino hamster might have met her end had it not been for a friendly passing commuter.

'Please take care of my friendly hamster': Snowball pictured with the note her former owner left when abandoning her

He spotted her huddled inside her cage, which had been left in a bag next to rubbish bins in St George’s Square, Pimlico, on Tuesday morning.

The note left with her said: ‘Please take care of my friendly hamster. I cannot afford to look after her any more. Thank you.’

The commuter took the freezing hamster to the Blue Cross animal hospital in nearby Victoria.

There, vets checked her over and gave her her wintry name. The charity is now looking to re-home her.

Defenceless: The Blue Cross are now looking for a new home for Snowball, who would have died had she not been spotted by a passing commuter

Blue Cross receptionist Amanda Marrington said: ‘We couldn’t believe it when the man walked in with a dumped hamster.

‘We are more used to seeing abandoned dogs or cats but it is heartbreaking that someone felt so desperate that they left poor Snowball out in the cold with a note asking for help.

'It is lucky Snowball was found when she was. She’s so tiny that she would not have survived long in plunging temperatures.’

The charity said there had been a 28 per cent rise in animals being dumped or abandoned last year – evidence, it says, of owners finding it hard to support a pet in the current economic climate.

Miss Marrington said: ‘It is never the answer to dump a helpless animal to fend for itself.

'We would always urge people to contact a rescue centre for help if they find they can no longer look after their pets.’


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Anti-poaching campaigners accidentally kill rhino they were using in game reserve demo

Animal rights campaigners accidentally killed the rhino they were using in a demonstration to raise awareness of the threat to the endangered species from poachers, it was revealed today.

The anti-poaching activists invited journalists along to view the rhino in a South Africa reserve being sedated today so vets could treat its horn with dye and insecticide as well as insert tracking and identification devices.

But the demonstration took a disastrous turn when campaigners couldn't revive the male rhino, in his mid to late 20s, after the procedure had been completed.

This rhino died after veterinarians administered a drug to wake him up after a micro chip and tracking device were implanted in its horn at the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve

Lorinda Hern, spokeswoman for the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve, said: 'It's sad for us; it's the loss of another animal. It's a death that I still chalk up to poaching.'

The private reserve near the South African capital, Pretoria, began treating horns to make them unattractive to poachers after losing a pregnant rhino and her calf to poachers in 2010.

Ms Hern said 20 rhinos have undergone the procedure at the reserve and this was the first time a rhino had died.

She added that tests are under way to determine the cause of death, initially attributed to complications from either the sedative, or the drug intended to revive the animal.

But Ms Hern confirmed the death would not stop the reserve from continuing to perform the procedure on their rhinos - which are listed as critically endangered on the ICUN Red list of threatened species.

Staff at the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve, in the Cradle of Humankind outside Johannesburg, claimed this is the first time a rhino has died from the procedure

During the procedure, the rhino's horn is permeated with a neon pink dye similar to the one banks use to mark bills during robberies - helping law enforcers to identify rhino horn if attempts are made to sell it on the black market.

But the insecticide, which protects rhinos against ticks, can cause vomiting and other symptoms in humans.

Ms Hern said her reserve's intention was not to hurt humans but to deter poachers from killing animals to take their horns.

Last year, a record 448 rhinos were poached in South Africa, so their horns could be sold for use in traditional Chinese medicine.

Demand for rhino horn among a growing Asian middle class is believed to be driving the poaching rise in South Africa and elsewhere in Africa.

The male rhino was in his 20s, which is considered old for the species, and may caused the adverse reaction to the sedation

Some Asians believe a rhino horn has medicinal properties - though science does not support that.

Joseph Okori, a wildlife veterinarian and a World Wildlife Fund rhino expert, was an independent observer of the sedation as part of WWF's research into anti-poaching techniques.

Okori said WWF did not support infusing horns with insecticides - which can be dangerous to humans who might eat powdered rhino horn.

But he said the dye, which did not affect the outward appearance of the horn, could help law enforcement officials trace horn shipments as airport security devices can detect the dye.

Okori said he had sedated about 50 rhinos for various reasons, including to relocate animals, in the last 15 years. He said one animal under his care had died.

He said: 'There is always a potential risk that a sedated animal will die.'

But added: 'The whole issue is, we are facing a serious rhino poaching crisis. This is a war. The desperation is quite high for rhino owners, to do whatever it takes to protect their rhinos.'


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Sick teen makes heartbreaking video tribute Selena Gomez star visited in hospital

By Hannah Roberts


She faces a daily battle against a rare genetic disorder that means she may never grow up to fulfill her dreams.

But sick teenager Hana Hwang has now been able to realise one important ambition-to meet her hero, singer Selena Gomez.

The 13-year-old who suffers from progeria, a condition that causes children to age prematurely, was stunned when when her favourite star visited her in her LA hospital in December.

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Pop idol: Sick teenager Hana Hwang has now been able to realise one important dream-to meet her hero-singer Selena Gomez

And now a video tribute she made to thank the singer for her visit has gone viral, making Hana a virtual celebrity in her own right.

Progeria is an incurable disorder that causes children to age eight to ten times faster than the average person .

The ailment is so rare that only about ten children in the US are affected. They survive on average just 13 years, Hana’s age.

The sick teen had dreamed about meeting the 'Love You Like A Love Song' singer, and listens to her song 'Who Says' on repeat to give her strength during treatment sessions.

The lyrics 'I'm no beauty queen. I'm just beautiful me. You got every right to a beautiful life,' especially strike a chord with the 13 year old, the hospital said.

The Selena, who was contacted by Ryan Seacrest about her young fan, visited Hana at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA).

Touching tribute: Hana, pictured here at her work station, wanted to thank Selena for visiting by making her a bracelet and a video message

Friendship ties: Hana holds up the matching bracelets she has made for herself and the star. Her tiny one is on the right

Hana was so shocked to meet her pop idol that she was dunmb struck, her tutor Sara Kim told Ryan Seacrest’s Kiss show afterwards.

The brave patient told her tutor that she couldn’t speak because she was afraid she would cry and ‘look like a baby’

But later she wanted to thank the teenage starlet, who is dating Justin Bieber, by making her a bracelet and a video message.

Big hearted: Selena visited Hana in hospital in LA in December after Ryan Seacrest put them in contact

Caring: This week the singer posted this picture compilation of Hana and her on Twitter writing 'This is my #iwontgiveup photo. Hana is so beautiful and one of the most incredible people I've met. Love you'

The poignant accolade to Selena was posted on the Children's Hospital’s YouTube channel, and immediately went viral, clocking up more than 1.5 million views.

The footage, shot in her hospital bed, shows Hana making bead bracelets for herself and the singer, her own tiny bracelet a third of the size of Selena’s, a touching reminder of the teen’s devastating diagnosis.

The dedicated fan also explains how she painstakingly copies the lyrics of Selena's songs into her diary.

When asked what Selena means to her, Hana said, 'She's my hero, because she's a singer as well as an actress and she has been on both TV shows and movies.'

And the singer hasn't forgotten her either. This week Selena posted a picture compilation of Hana and her on Twitter writing 'This is my #iwontgiveup photo. Hana is so beautiful and one of the most incredible people I've met. Love you'.


Starlet: Actress and singer Selena is dating singer Justin Bieber

Glamour girl: Selena poses on arrival at the 2011 American Music Awards in Los Angeles

Watch the video




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Like codfather, like son: Angler breaks his dad's 22-year-old fishing record by reeling in 36lb monster

By Katie Silver


Angler Marc Hemsley, 41, holds aloft a monster 36lb 8oz cod he took 25 minutes reeling in

Angler Marc Hemsley holds aloft a monster cod in a photo taken by his fisherman father whose record he had just broken.

Marc and dad Des Hemsley, 65, were on a fishing trip off Shoreham, West Sussex, when the 41-year-old son snared the 36lbs 8oz fish.

He spent 25 minutes reeling in the cod before taking it back to shore where it was officially weighed.

Des Hemsley, 65, held a 22 year record for the biggest cod caught off a boat in Shoreham Harbour, Shoreham, West Sussex. Pictured here in 1990, Des' fish weighed in at 34lb 8oz

It was then that roofer Marc realised he had broken his dad’s 22 year record of 34lbs 8oz for the biggest boat-caught cod in Shoreham Harbour.

But Des had the last laugh after he took home the prized catch and made 15 extra-large portions out of it.

It is thought a fish mongers would have paid between 100 to 150 pounds for such a specimen.

Des, also a roofer, said: ‘I knew as soon as I saw the fish on the deck that it was going to beat my record.

‘Marc was pleased but I was even more chuffed because it felt like we are keeping the records in the family.

Shoreham harbour, Sussex, where te record was broken. In the background the Norman church of St Mary de Haura can be seen

‘He doesn’t eat fish so he ended up giving it to me. I filleted it and made 15 portions out of it.

‘The flakes on it are about the size of two 50p pieces. It’s gorgeous to taste, especially in bread crumbs.’

Marc, whose previous biggest catch was a 26lb cod, said: ‘I knew it was a decent size when it took my bait of cuttle fish.

‘When we got it on the boat the first thing dad said was "you’ve beaten it."

‘He is more chuffed than I am to be honest because we have kept the record in the family.’

The heaviest cod caught ever in UK waters was a massive 58 pounds 8 ounces. The fish was caught from association boat Sea Trek back in 1992 at Whitby.



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'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.




source:dailymail

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