At half-time, everything pointed to another humiliating English defeat in Dublin. Such was the control Leinster had been able to exert on Bath in an utterly one-sided first half punctuated only by a single piece of individual brilliance by fly-half George Ford, it was impossible to see a way back into the contest for the West Countrymen. Outmuscled at the breakdown, bullied in the scrum and laboured in the line-out, Bath were in danger of going down every bit as tamely as England had a month ago. Bath fly half George Ford ghosts past Leinster full-back Rob Kearney on his way to fine individual score at the Aviva Stadium . The England No 10's solo-try was the only score that the West Country outfit managed to register in the first-half . By the end, remarkably, the three-time champions Leinster were hanging on for dear life as wave after wave of Bath attack threatened to deliver one of the great European comebacks. They fell short, but there was pride to be taken in this. Driven on by their pocket general Ford, Bath somehow came within a whisker of finding a way into the last four. Had it not been for a penalty conceded by replacement Matt Garvey with seconds on the clock, they may well have won. ‘There’s a lot of disappointment,’ said Bath head coach Mike Ford. ‘Certainly in the second half we are a lot better than the first. We’re so disappointed because we are a lot better than we showed today, especially in the first half. Ford is congratulated by Bath substitutes Sam Burgess (left) and Max Lahiff following his touchdown . Kearney is taken out in the air by Anthony Watson leading to the full-back being dispatched to the sin-bin for 10 minutes . ‘But it doesn’t dent our belief in what we’re doing. It reinforces it. We lost the game in the first half but I believe that will make us stronger. I’m proud of the boys, but we’ll be even more gutted when we watch the video. It comes down to small margins and I thought the penalty at the end was a dead-set penalty to us.’ He would say that, of course. But his sentiment was correct and Ford insisted his team will retain their determination to attack for the remainder of the Aviva Premiership season. Fly-half Ford was exceptional. Rarely making a false move, dragging his side along with some intelligent kicking, brave distribution and a sharp eye for the gap. His first-half try was a masterpiece of fly-half play as he took the ball flat to line, flashed a dummy and scooted through a non-existent gap before rounding full-back Rob Kearney to score. Bath lock Stuart Hooper crashes over for his side's second try following another dazzling break from Ford . But despite his 21st-minute moment of brilliance, it looked for all the world as if Leinster would repeat Ireland’s Six Nations strangulation of England as Bath’s discipline failed under the pressure of Leinster’s superior set-piece and domination at the breakdown. That impression was

Summary: George Ford scythed through the Leinster defence for sublime try in the first half . Five penalties from Ian Madigan gave Leinster a 15-5 half-time lead . Stuart Hooper crashed over for Bath's second try following another dazzling Ford break . Madigan's sixth penalty proved crucial as Leinster held on for a hard-fought victory .


They are one of the world's most famous couples - and have quickly gained respect among the fashion elite. And now, one esteemed designer has revealed why Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have the midas touch. Olivier Rousteing has revealed that he chose Kim and Kanye to star in Balmain's latest campaign because they 'represent a family for the new world'. Scroll down for video . Fashion's most well-connected designer, Olivier Rousteing, has revealed why he snapped Kim Kardashian and Kanye West up to front his Balmain campaign . The 29-year-old creative director has revealed he was inspired to feature the couple - who have a 22-month-old daughter North - in the label's spring/summer 2015 men's campaign. The French designer, who recruited the loved-up couple for his Army Of Lovers campaign, says they are 'among the most talked-about people' and embody the idea of a modern family. Speaking to InStyle magazine, he said: 'When I was young, I never had a reference of a mixed-ethnicity couple. 'Today they are among the most talked-about people, and North is one of the most beautiful babies on the planet. They represent a family for the new world.' Speaking about his choice of campaign stars, Rousteing said: 'When I was young, I never had a reference of a mixed-ethnicity couple' Kanye West Kim Kardashian rocking Balmain at the BET Honors 2015 at Warner Theatre in January . The 29-year-old creative director says he snapped up the duo, seen wearing his designs, because they are 'among the most talked-about people' and embody the idea of a modern family . Olivier - who regularly dresses Kim, 34, and her siblings for the red carpet - explained that when Kendall Jenner and Kim wear his clothes, they look like a 'fashion army'. The whole family seem enamoured with Rousteing's designs and Kim and Kanye often sport matching outfits by the French fashion house. Kim and Kanye this week made trips to France and Armenia with their daughter, North West. The trip to the religious mecca reportedly included North being baptised in the country where her late father's side of the family originated from. Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and North visit the Geghard Monastery in Armenia and take in the sights . Kim, Kanye and North have become a fashionable family. Pictured here with Alia Wang, Aimie Wang and Nicki Minaj at the Alexander Wang show in February 2014 .

Summary: Olivier Rousteing has revealed why he chose Kim and Kanye for Balmain . Designer says the couple are 'among the most talked-about people' Fashionable couple love wearing matching designs by Balmain designer .


Lewis Hamilton has come under fire for spraying a hostess in the face with champagne after winning the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on Sunday. The reigning world champion won his second race in three to start the 2015 season, but his podium celebrations have drawn some criticism. A leading group which campaigns against sexism has condemned the behavior of the driver as 'selfish and inconsiderate', saying he should be forced to apologise for 'specially directing' the bubbly into the woman's face. Lewis Hamilton celebrates winning the Chinese Grand Prix by spraying a hostess in the face with champagne . The hostess looks less than impressed as she is sprayed with champagne on the podium in Shanghai . Roz Hardie, chief executive of Object, a campaign on media sexism and 'sex object culture', said: 'The photographs appear to show that the woman is not just being splashed, but that the champagne is being very specifically directed into her face, which does not look like a voluntary piece of horseplay on her part. 'If this if the case we think Lewis Hamilton should apologise for his actions and think carefully about how he behaves in the future. For most people, it would be apparent that she is not enjoying it. 'It is surely a very difficult position to be a grid girl and she would have had little option but to stand there and take it. That is something of which he should be aware. But instead, he appears to have abused her position. 'It's unfortunate that a great victory has been marred by what appears to be selfish and inconsiderate behaviour.' Hamilton's celebrations have led to criticism of the two-time world champion . Hamilton controlled the contest in Shanghai to seal his second victory in three races this season . Hardie added that the episode highlighted the more general issue of women being viewed as sexual objects in the motoring world. She said: 'Motor racing appears to unnecessarily portray women as sexualised objects and that probably makes it even harder for the women to stand up for themselves. We would hope people in the industry would be respectful to these women. On Twitter, Hamilton was described as a 'bully' and 'disgusting'. Another user simply said: 'Man please stop spraying Champagne on the Podium Ladies. They don't like it', while one outraged user said he was a 'scumbag - an embarrassment to UK'. Another wrote: 'Have a bit more respect for the ladies please. Spraying Champagne in her face was out of order #child #idiot.' Hamilton sprays a hostess after winning the Spanish Grand Prix in Catalunya last May . And one tweeted: 'Shame on you F1 and Lewis Hamilton for disgraceful treatment of women during champagne celebration#sexism.' It is not the first time the racing icon has whipped out his victory move. He celebrated in a similar fashion after winning Spanish Grand Prix last year, which was his fourth consecutive win in a row and the one that finally put him on top of the driver's standings. And although he lost the

Summary: Lewis Hamilton won the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai . The Brit celebrated by spraying champagne in face of a hostess . Object, which campaigns against sexism, said he should apologise .


Mbaeri, of Hamilton Court, Ashby Place, Portsmouth, denies fraud by abuse of position and conspiracy to commit fraud . A Nationwide branch manager conned elderly customers out of their life savings by setting up bogus standing orders for hundreds of thousands of pounds. Hugo Mbaeri, 25, from Portsmouth allegedly handed over customer names, account details and signatures to a gang of fraudsters while he was working at Nationwide Building Society, a court heard. The alleged ringleader of the scheme, Olawabiyi Ayanwale, who is not before the court, set up standing orders by impersonating the victims, it is said. Mbaeri is on trial for fraud by abuse of position and conspiracy to commit fraud at the Old Bailey. He is in the dock alongside seven others who are accused of using their accounts to siphon the funds away. Abiola Balogun, 22, Gideon Boateng, 19, Tevin Campbell, 20, Joshua Clark, 20, Rebecca Jack, 21, Patrick Reddington, 20, and Christiana Tella, 19, were allegedly paid around £300 each for letting the fraudsters use their bank accounts. Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay described the scam as a ‘nasty little fraud’ that ‘deliberately targeted elderly people with the aim of clearing them out of their life savings’. ‘Hugo Mbaeri is the inside man in this fraud and the remaining defendants in the dock allowed their accounts to be used for the stolen money to be passed through. ‘It wasn’t a particularly sophisticated fraud but it’s a fraud which, were it not detected, would have netted the fraudsters hundreds of thousands of pounds and caused a loss in life savings to the victims. ‘The set-up was quite straight forward - standing orders were set up from these elderly people’s accounts to withdraw money. That’s it, it’s as simple as that. Mbaeri used the bank’s computer system to access nine customers’ details and signatures which he sold on to the fraudsters, the court was told. He worked as a cashier at the Fareham branch in Hampshire until February 2013 when he was promoted to branch manager in Gosport, Hampshire. The fraud was allegedly carried out from May 2012 to May 2013 and many of the victims were elderly or vulnerable, four were in their 80s and another three were over 65. ‘We say Mr Mbaeri looked up those people’s details for a dishonest purpose, not because they came into the branch or were making a genuine enquiry,’ Mr Polnay said. Mbaeri is on trial for fraud by abuse of position and conspiracy to commit fraud at the Old Bailey (pictured). He is in the dock alongside seven others who are accused of using their accounts to siphon the funds away. ‘They were older people, it’s not just a random nine accounts.’ He added: ‘The records show Mr Mbaeri and not anybody else was the one person who accessed all the signature details for all the people who were victims of the fraud. ‘The information was used to set up false standing orders by impersonating those people. ‘Undoubtedly there were other people involved in the fraud as well who recruited people to

Summary: Manager accused of siphoning funds out of elderly customers' accounts . Hugo Mbaeri, 25, Portsmouth, allegedly passed details to fraudster gang . Court heard victims were vulnerable, four of nine targeted were in their 80s . Seven others also accused after their accounts were used to hold the funds .


Ever wondered if your personality was decided at birth? It turns out, the order in which you were born can not only have an effect on your personality, but also your chances of academic success. According to Canadian duo Mitchell Moffit and Greg Brown, from Toronto, who present an online science show, several theories suggest that where you are in your family determines who you are. Scroll down for video . (Pictured from left to right: Khloé, Kourtney and Kim Kardashian). The Kardashians are a strong example of a large celebrity family where the siblings share very different personality traits . On AsapSCIENCE on YouTube, the pair discuss how being the first, middle, youngest, or an only child affects us. The personality traits are also supposedly affected by whether parents have high expectations and how strict they were. FIRST-BORNS . According to Mitchell and Brown, first-born children are expected to be higher academic achievers and more ambitious. They also have a stronger sense of responsibility and are generally more mature. (Pictured from left to right) Beyoncé and Kate Middleton are famous first-borns. Oldest children tend be ambitious and have strong leadership skills . They also tend to have better leadership skills than other birth orders. The explanation is because although they get a lot more affection and attention from their parents, their parents have higher expectations as the first child. This works as a self-fulfilling prophecy: if there are high expectations placed on you, you are more likely to want to work hard and live up to these expectations. (Pictured from left to right) Kim Kardashian and Madonna are famous middle-borns. Middle children tend to be co-operative and are more likely to be social butterflies . MIDDLE-BORNS . Middle-born children apparently tend to be more co-operative, flexible and sociable. They are also the birth order that are able to make and maintain friendships easily. This is due to the fact that as a middle-born child, there aren't the high expectations of the first child, nor the relaxed attitude accorded to the last child. As a result, they also tend to be less ambitious than their older brothers and sisters, and so will have a more relaxed attitude in life. As middle children receive less attention than their other siblings, they seek out relationships and friendships outside of their family, and can be social butterflies. (Pictured from left to right) Jennifer Lawrence and Angelina Jolie are famous youngest children. Last-borns tend to be charming and confident . LAST-BORNS . The video highlights how youngest children tend to be likeable and charming. Other traits they carry are that they are more creative than older siblings, and have a stronger sense of security and confidence. As their parents have already had other children, they tend to be a lot less strict and are a lot more lenient with their youngest children. Parents' expectations will also be lower. As a result, youngest children will generally be less responsible and mature than older siblings, as they constantly feel like others will take the lead. (Pictured from left

Summary: Mitchell Moffit and Greg Brown from AsapSCIENCE present theories . Different personality traits can vary according to expectations of parents . Beyoncé, Hillary Clinton and J. K. Rowling are all oldest children .


The seeds of the Josh Meekings furore were planted during an otherwise unremarkable match between Hibernian and Dundee in the early weeks of 2013. Easter Road striker Gary Deegan caught Dens defender Gary Irvine high on his right shin in a dangerous challenge. Referee Craig Charleston saw an incident, but not the gory details. The official had his view obstructed by bodies and because of that the SFA could take no action. The governing body immediately took the stance they *should* be allowed to use video evidence to review incidents the referee had clearly missed. They altered the rules. Rules over use of video evidence to retrospectively ban players changed after this challenge by Gary Deegan (right) on Gary Irvine . PFA Scotland chief executive Fraser Wishart disagreed, telling them so. And on Thursday night he renewed his call for member clubs to put the genie back in the bottle amidst widespread unease at the fact Meekings might have missed a Scottish Cup Final because a referee and his assistants failed to see a handball in last Sunday’s semi-final victory over Celtic. Retrospective action, believes the Scottish players’ union, has become too far reaching. Its tentacles now stretch to an uncomfortable distance. ‘The referee had a clear view of it but couldn’t see the actual contact because of the two players’ bodies,’ said Wishart of the critical Deegan and Irvine incident two years ago. ‘When the SFA told us they were considering changing the regulation to allow the use of video evidence, we were strongly against it. ‘Under the rules, they couldn’t charge Gary Deegan because the referee was the wrong side of the incident. They moved to change that. ‘But as has been proven with Meekings, it was opening a whole can of worms as you are effectively re-refereeing the games. Inverness defender Josh Meekings clearly used his hand to stop the ball in the Scottish Cup semi-final . ‘We warned this was too far and it would cause problems.’ Wishart takes no pleasure in being vindicated by the decision of the independent appeal panel which lifted a one-game suspension on Inverness player Meekings on Thursday. Under the existing rules, SFA compliance officer Tony McGlennan was within his rights to charge the player. He had denied Celtic a goalscoring opportunity with his hand. The officials had missed it and, reviewing the video evidence, the governing body believed it was a red-card offence punishable retrospectively. Echoing the views of FIFA vice president Jim Boyce and others, however, Wishart believes the rules have gone too far. That the authority of referees is now being undermined for matters it shouldn’t be. ‘The purpose of video evidence is not to catch minor things,’ he continued. ‘No player has a problem with anyone getting caught giving a fly punch or kick off the ball. They know they deserve it. ‘I know the referees are not happy with this because Steven McLean is being examined after the game. ‘He made a mistake - but does he deserve the continued fall-out from that? I don’t think referees, players

Summary: Scottish PFA chief believes retrospective action is too far reaching . Rules were changed after an incident between Gary Deegan and Gary Irvine . There was clamour to see action taken against Josh Meekings after a handball in the Scottish Cup semi-final that was missed by the referee .


Manchester Airport was forced to temporarily suspend flights today after a drone was reported buzzing around the area, causing disruption for hundreds of travellers. All flights were halted for about 20 minutes after the potential drone sighting raised fears that the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) could collide with a passenger jet. Some departing flights were delayed and some incoming flights were diverted to other airports while a police helicopter scoured the area shortly after 11:30am. Flights were delayed or diverted while a police helicopter scoured the area around Manchester Airport . Flights resumed after the police search failed to turn up any evidence that a drone was operating in air space used by commercial airliners. Manchester Airport opened its second runway to clear the backlog of flights. A Manchester Airport spokeswoman said: ‘Due to a report of a potential drone sighting in airspace near to the airport, some flights have experienced short delays and a small number of flights have diverted to alternative airports while Greater Manchester Police carried out an investigation using their police helicopter. ‘Upon inspection, nothing was found. As the safety and security of all of our passengers is paramount, operations on runway one were suspended for 20 minutes. Radio-controlled drones have skyrocketed in popularity thanks to the growing trend of aerial photography . ‘Runway two, which was unaffected, will remain open for an hour so normal traffic flows can resume.’ Police continue to investigate the report of the sighting. Unmanned drones have skyrocketed in popularity thanks to the growing trend of aerial photography, and they have become a serious problem for airports and pilots as many operators are not aware of the rules or dangers. There have been dozens of reports of drones flying too close to airports or commercial aircraft, and experts say the radio-controlled devices pose a significant threat because they could be sucked into a jet engine. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has successfully prosecuted two UAV operators for safety breaches and it has another three investigations open. UK aviation authorities have successfully prosecuted two drone operators for safety breaches . John Mayhew, Nats’ general manager for air traffic services at Manchester Airport, said: ‘Flying drones in the close vicinity to any airport without permission is completely unacceptable, with the reported sighting causing delays to inbound and outbound traffic and the diversion of a small number aircraft to other airports. ‘The matter has now been referred to the police.’ Last year a device believed to be a drone came within 20ft of an Airbus A320 as it landed at Heathrow Airport, according to a UK Airprox (aircraft proximity) Board report. The passenger plane was just 700ft from the runway when the captain reported seeing a small black object to the left of the cockpit. The object did not collide with the plane and the pilot was able to make a normal landing during the July 22, 2014, incident. Under CAA rules drones cannot be flown beyond the normal unaided ‘line of sight’ of the operator, must always be flown at least 164ft (50 metres) away

Summary: Manchester runway closure caused disruption for hundreds of travellers . Police helicopter scoured the area but was unable to locate a drone . UK aviation authorities have successfully prosecuted two operators .


It's been almost a fortnight since Jeremy Clarkson was sacked from Top Gear, but the news hasn't stopped his estranged wife from enjoying herself after she jetted off on holiday to Barbados. The 53-year-old spent the Easter weekend with friends and family on the Caribbean island where she sunbathed and drove a jet ski. She has previously holidayed in the area with the 54-year-old broadcaster but the pair, who have two daughters and a son, are said to have lived apart for years. Scroll down for video . Holiday: Frances Clarkson, 53, spent the Easter Bank Holiday weekend with family and friends in Barbados . The BBC announced last month they were dropping Clarkson from the hit motoring show after a 'fracas' involving a Top Gear producer. Clarkson left Oisin Tymon needing hospital treatment after punching him at a hotel in Hawes, North Yorkshire, after staff wouldn't serve him a hot meal following a day of filming. He has repeatedly apologised to Mr Tymon both in public and privately and it was announced today that he will not face any criminal charges for the attack. Rushing to his side to comfort him throughout the ordeal has been events organiser Phillipa Sage, 45, who became a feature in his life in 2010 when he was still in a relationship with Frances. It was claimed last year that his marriage had been under strain after reports he had engaged in extra-martial affairs. Last summer he told the MailOnline's Piers Morgan he was 'going through a difficult divorce'. In April 2011 Clarkson was accused of having an affair with Miss Sage while touring Australia, South Africa and Norway with his Top Gear co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May. Sunshine: Frances was spotted in a black bikini as she drove a jet ski and caught some rays in the sun . Relax: The 53-year-old has previously holidayed on the island with her estranged husband Jeremy Clarkson . He was alleged to have spent several nights with Miss Sage and kissed her on the lips in full view of observers on one occasion. Clarkson shrugged off the claims at the time, saying that he and Miss Sage had been simply 'colleagues fooling around'. But shortly afterwards it was revealed that he was spending time during the week living in a bachelor pad in London. He denied that he had moved out of the family home in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, saying he used the London flat when he was editing Top Gear. Clarkson was photographed kissing Miss Sage while on holiday with her in Greece in 2013, and they also visited Australia again. In October 2011 Clarkson lifted a High Court gagging order preventing his first wife, Alex Hall, from claiming that he had had an affair with her after he married Frances. Split: Frances has two daughters and a son with the 54-year-old broadcaster, but the pair are said to have been living apart for years . Distant: The BBC announced last month they were dropping her estranged husband from the hit motoring show after a 'fracas'

Summary: Frances Clarkson, 53, spend Easter Bank Holiday weekend in Caribbean . She was spotted with friends and family as she sunbathed and jet skied . Previously holidayed there with Jeremy Clarkson, but pair now 'live apart' He was sacked by BBC last month after 'fracas' with Top Gear producer .


Bentley Motors' top designer criticized Ford's new Lincoln Continental on Facebook and called the model that was unveiled this week at the New York auto show a 'copy'. Bentley design chief Luc Donckerwolke apparently thought the new Lincoln Continental luxury saloon shared too many similarities with the Bentley Flying Spur. The side windows of the vehicles look similar and both models have chrome trim around their windows and rears. Scroll down for video . Bentley Motors' top designer criticized Ford's Lincoln Continental on Facebook (above), calling it a 'copy' Luc Donckerwolke thought the Continental shared too many similarities with the Bentley Flying Spur (above) Ford is reviving the Lincoln Continental as its top-of-the-line luxury saloon to rebuild the brand's image . Donckerwolke posted a comment on Lincoln designer David Woodhouses' Facebook page that was subsequently deleted, the Automotive News reported, . He wrote: 'Do you want us to send the product tooling?' The designer elaborated to Car and Driver. Donckerwolke added: 'This behavior is not respectable. 'Building a copy like this is giving a bad name to the car design world.' Price: TBD ($100,000 is estimate) Engine: 3.0-liter V6 EcoBoost . Horsepower: 440 . Transmission: Six-speed . Four-wheel drive: Yes . Source: Ford Cars Reviews . Price: $197,825 . Engine: 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 . Horsepower: 500 . Transmission: Eight-speed . Four-wheel drive: Yes . Source: Car and Driver . Lincoln spokesman Stephane Cesareo dismissed the Bentley designer's criticism. Cesareo told Reuters: 'The Lincoln Continental is clearly a Lincoln, we're very proud of it.' A spokesman for Bentley sought to vindicate Donckerwolke's views. In a statement released Wednesday, Bentley wrote: 'Car design is always an emotive subject and one of the reasons so many of us love cars. 'Our designers have strong views and are passionate about what they do, which drives them to create such extraordinary cars.' Donckerwolke posted a comment on Lincoln designer David Woodhouses' Facebook but it's been deleted . A Lincoln spokesman dismissed the Bentley designer's criticism and said the model 'is clearly a Lincoln' Volkswagen-owned Bentley has had a Continental in its lineup since 1984 and Ford retired the name in 2002 . The Flying Spur sells for around $200,000. General Motors president Dan Ammann weighed in on the spat on Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported. Ammann told reporters he 'liked the Bentley designer's comment.' Ford is reviving the Lincoln Continental as its top-of-the-line luxury saloon as part of an effort to rebuild the brand's image in the United States and China. Volkswagen-owned Bentley has had a Continental in its lineup since 1984, while Ford retired the Continental name in 2002. The price of the new Continental has yet to be announced, but it's estimated it could cost up to $100,000 . The Flying Spur sells for about $200,000 and has a 4-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine and eight-speed transmission .

Summary: Bentley executive called new Continental a 'copy' of Bentley Flying Spur . Luc Donckerwolke put remark on designer David Woodhouses' Facebook . Side windows of vehicles look similar and both models have chrome trim . Spokesman dismissed criticism and said 'Continental is clearly a Lincoln' Bentley defended Donckerwolke and called car design 'an emotive subject' General Motors told reporters he 'liked the Bentley designer's comment'


At the grand old age of 75, Jack Nicklaus is still capable of hitting aces. The Golden Bear added another magic moment to his storied career at Augusta National in the Par-3 Contest. Stepping up to the tee on the 130-yard fourth, the greatest golfer of all time saw his shot sail beyond the flag before spinning back into the hole. Jack Nicklaus gave the crowd something to cheer with a hole in one on the fourth during the Par-3 Contest . Nicklaus holds up his ball to an adoring crowd as Gary Player (left) and Ben Crenshaw salute the great . Crenshaw and Nicklaus fist pump following his ace on the 130-yard hole at Augusta National . Nicklaus was playing alongside Gary Player and Ben Crenshaw as the first roar of Masters week filled the skies in a sunswept Georgia. 'I had an interview this morning, and I said "well, all I've got to do is go out and win the Par-3 and make a hole and one", and I make a hole in one,' Nicklaus said afterwards. The ace was Nicklaus' first on the hallowed turf of Augusta, but the veteran saw his achievement eclipsed by that of Camilo Villegas on a day which saw five hole-in-ones, levelling the record from 2002. The Colombian followed Nicklaus with an ace on the fourth and also managed one on the eighth, but he couldn't quite land the title, losing out to world No 74 Kevin Streelman in a play-off. Nicklaus became the youngest person to wear a green jacket in 1963, and collected his sixth in 1986. He is one of five men to complete the career grand slam, an accolade which favourite Rory McIlroy can achieve if he wins his third major in succession.

Summary: Nicklaus, a six-time winner at Augusta, added another glorious moment to his glittering Masters career with an ace on the fourth . The 75-year-old saw his shot sail beyond the flag before spinning back into the cup . The crowd roared in celebration with several players stopping their round to cheer the Golden Bear . Colombian Camilo Villegas later eclipsed Nicklaus' achievement, hitting two aces during his round . Villegas was beaten in a play-off by world No 74 Kevin Streelman .


Phillip Schofield was left speechless today after a guest with Tourette's syndrome blurted out 'silver fox' at him mid-interview. Ellie Grant, 22, was appearing on ITV's This Morning to discuss how she suddenly developed the condition - and how she had found love with fiance Jordan - who is deaf. The pair hit the headlines earlier this year after being labelled the perfect match because whenever she becomes rowdy, he simply switches off his hearing aid. They appeared on today's show to discuss how they met - and how they live with both of their conditions. But in the middle of the pre-recorded interview, Miss Grant suddenly suffered a verbal tic - and blurted out 'silver fox' at Phillip, 53. Silver fox is the nickname of the father-of-two, who smiled, but looked bemused and slightly embarrassed at the remark. Co-presenter Amanda Holden quickly chipped in kindly, saying: 'It's a good one to have', regarding his nickname. Viewers reacted with amusement at the moment, which one person hailed 'the greatest Tourette's TV moment of all time'. During the interview, the couple discussed how after developing Tourette's syndrome aged 21, Miss Grant worried that she'd never find a boyfriend who would put up with her inappropriate outbursts. But months later, she found the perfect match in her deaf partner Jordan, who simply switches off his hearing aid whenever she has a series of loud tics. She told Phillip and Amanda: 'The night before I’d been out drinking, so I went to the shop to get a sandwich. 'I looked at a sandwich and I started shouting "marshmallow" and I thought "this is a dodgy hangover". 'I picked up a bag of crisps and I started shouting "marshmallow" and "Japan". I thought "what the hell's going on?" By the next day, Miss Grant, who had lived a totally normal life until this point, was involuntarily yelling swear words and racial insults and began lashing out with kicks and punches. Ellie Grant, 22, was appearing on the show to discuss how she suddenly developed Tourette's syndrome - and how she had found love with fiance Jordan - who is deaf . But she left presenter Phillip Schofield bemused and speechless after blurting out 'silver fox' - his nickname - at him mid-interview . Co-presenter Amanda Holden quickly chipped in, kindly rubbing him on the back, saying: 'It's a good one to have', regarding his nickname . Miss Grant, from Ironville, Nottinghamshire, was working as a community support worker when she started 'ticking' while queuing in a supermarket last January. She found herself unable to stop blurting out 'marshmallow' and immediately called her doctor for an appointment after she ran back to her car in shame. By the time she saw her GP the next day, her ticks had already increased ten-fold, and she began shouting words like 'n****r' - as well as 'Japan' and 'I'm a t**t'. 'My arms were smacking my face as I was sat there in the waiting room,' she recalled. 'I was being horrible to everyone. There were a lot of swear

Summary: Ellie Grant, 22, was appearing on the show to discuss her condition . But in the middle of the pre-recorded interview, Miss Grant suddenly suffered a tic - and blurted out 'silver fox' at Phillip, 53 . 'Silver fox' is the nickname of the father-of-two, who smiled, but looked bemused and slightly embarrassed at the remark . Amused viewers took to Twitter to say how much they enjoyed the clip .


More than a dozen people were injured on Thursday night after a stage collapsed during an Indiana public high school theater performance, sending students plummeting 10 feet into an orchestra pit. One of the victims suffered critical head trauma as the stage fell half-way through a song during a sold-out showing of American Pie at Westfield High School. The calamity occurred at the worst possible time - just as dozens walked on stage for the finale. 'All of a sudden, everyone was gone,' one parent from the audience told RTV. Terrible: Tragedy struck Thursday night at an Indiana high school's performance of the musical American Pie . Buckled: Just as the entire cast danced on-stage for the finale, the platform beneath them collapsed . Shocking: The performers plummeted through the wooden riser in a spectacle so unbelievable that some audience members initially believed it was choreographed . Nicola Gruszka, a student who was singing in front of the stage when the platform behind her gave way, said they had previously practiced the song with the same number of people with no issue. 'We thought the worse thing that could happen on that song is that someone could miss their cue,' she told Good Morning America on Friday. After the students behind her plunged into the orchestra pit, she was so shocked that she was unable to move, she said, and was still holding the microphone 30 minutes later. Another student, Sam Greathouse, told GMA that he jumped into action. 'As soon as the stage went down I just hopped up and started pulling people out of the hole,' he said, adding that students 'really came together as a unit in that moment'. More than 12 people were hurt and least one person was critically injured, a spokesman for the Westfield Police Department said on Thursday evening. But the two students told GMA that they had heard the critically-injured student was doing much better by Friday. 'The worst ones are comparatively mild to what could've happened,' Miss Gruszka said. Some performers walked out of the pit, which was estimated to measure some 10 feet, but others required more serious medical care . The packed house, seen before the tragedy, was asked to keep calm during the confusing aftermath . The drop from the top of the wooden riser to the floor was likely around 10 feet. Many of the witnesses who'd never seen the show weren't initially sure if it was part of the performance. The confusion didn't last, however, as it soon became clear that a terrible accident had occurred. Screams and gasps can be heard in video taken of the incident, which shows all but the lead singer vanish in the middle of the song Don't Stop Believin'. 'Some parents rushed the stage area,' audience member Mandi McKinley Brown told IndyStar. 'Most of us stayed in our seats to stay out of the way. People were lifting large pieces of the stage out of the pit from on top of the kids.' According to student Zach Rader, an administrator then addressed

Summary: An Indiana public school performance of American Pie ended in tragedy Wednesday when a riser buckled just as dozens danced on-stage . More than a dozen people were injured at the Westfield High performance and one student was taken to a hospital in critical condition . Students said there had been no issues when they previously practiced the song on the stage with the same number of people .


A young bride planned a fairytale wedding and married her fiancé just six days after finding out his cancer is terminal. Laura Jordan, 24, was told her now husband, Jack Jordan, 23, had just weeks to live on Saturday April 11, having battled leukaemia since 2013. The couple, from Brixham, Devon, got engaged at Jack's hospital bedside just two months ago after being left devastated by the news. Scroll down for video . Laura and Jack on their wedding day yesterday, April 16, at the Torbay Hospital Chapel . Laura with Jack in hospital, where she sat by his side for more than a year . Friends, family, and hospital stuff rushed to plan the pair's dream wedding, and Laura and Jack got married in Torbay Hospital Chapel just six days after the heartbreaking news - and Ed Sheeran even sent them a personal video. In it he said: 'Hope you have an amazing wedding. And drink a lot, dance a lot and have a lot of sex. You should be doing that. awkward laughter. And, yes, have a wonderful time - see you soon.' The couple first met at school as teenagers but it wasn't until 2012 when Jack worked in Laura's local corner shop that their relationship blossomed. Jack underwent gruelling rounds of chemotherapy after being diagnosed two years ago, but it failed to stop cancer from spreading into his bone marrow. He is hoping to spend his final weeks at home surrounded by close family, his wife and her two-year-old daughter from a previous relationship, Lilly. Laura added: 'As soon as Jack told me that doctors could not offer him any further treatment I turned to him and said 'we need to get married. 'He proposed to me in January but we thought we had our whole lives to plan our wedding day. 'When he was given just weeks to live we had no time to wait, I'm so happy that I can call Jack my husband now, we are soul mates and it seemed like the perfect thing to do. In 2013, Jack knew there was something wrong when he started to feel tired and achy all the time - a blood test confirmed he had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia . At the time Laura was due to give birth to Lilly and needed to focus on her, but the pair kept in touch . 'I surprised Jack by wearing a traditional white wedding dress after I told him I was wearing a smart suit. 'He couldn't stop smiling when he saw me walking down the aisle, I felt like a princess. 'Our wedding day was amazing, we will never forget, it was the happiest day of our lives.' Laura was distraught when Jack broke the news that his treatment wasn't working and he had just weeks to live. She added: 'Jack has undergone so much chemotherapy in the past two years but despite being briefly in remission this year, his leukaemia returned. 'When he told me it was terminal last Friday I thought I would at least have

Summary: Laura Jordan, 24, married Jack Jordan, 23, yesterday . Pair from from Brixham, Devon, found out he has weeks to live on April 11 . Laura, a mother-of-one, planned ceremony in just six days . Told Jack she'd wear a suit but surprised him on the day in a dress . Their music idol Ed Sheeran sent them a personal video message .


A builder who wolf-whistled a young woman only to be accused of sexual harassment said today she is a 'silly little girl' who was 'lucky' to have received the attention. Ian Merrett, 28, is astonished that Poppy Smart, 23, did not take it as a compliment, which he says has helped him 'snog loads of girls' in the past. The builder and his colleagues whistled at her every day for a month as she passed their Worcester construction site. Miss Smart, who compared the wolf-whistling to racial discrimination, eventually filmed them and asked West Mercia Police to investigate alleged sexual harassment. Mr Merrett admits it was probably him whistling but called Miss Smart a 'silly little girl' who should never have gone to the police. He said: 'I'm sure if she walks past again and she is lucky she will get wolf-whistled again. I have wolf-whistled so many girls and got so many birds and snogged so many girls off the back of that, and never had a complaint before. But I've got a girlfriend so need to be careful what I say'. Scroll down for video . Fighting back: Builder Ian Merrett, left, was accused of sexual harassment for wolf-whistling Poppy Smart, 23, right, every day for a month, but he has said she should take it as a compliment . Mr Merrett, who was jailed for 12 months in 2009 for affray, also accused her of damaging the reputation of his trade and 'hard working' builders by trying to get them prosecuted. Miss Smart, a marketing co-ordinator, contacted West Mercia Police over the regular taunts and the force went to the building site in Worcester to warn the men about their conduct. She also filmed the whistles and handed the evidence to officers, who followed up Poppy's complaint but had not taken further action, the force said. Mr Merrett, who was branded 'disgraceful' by the judge when he was convicted for the unprovoked train attack six years ago, said: 'It's highly likely it was me who did that wolf-whistle. I've seen the news coverage and it's not right. 'Wolf-whistling is part and parcel of working on a site, it's complimenting a girl. I'm a builder and my mates are builders. We are all hard working people and our reputation has been damaged' 'I can remember that day when she took the video, we were under-pinning a wall that day. 'I only saw the back of her, I didn't even see her face and you can see in the video the wolf-whistle comes after she had passed the gate. 'I didn't even see her face, and I wouldn't recognise her if I fell over her in the street, so I don't know how that could possibly be sexual harassment. 'Police came to our site and said someone had made an allegation of harassment. They showed us the video so we stopped doing it. 'It's not worth getting into trouble over some silly little girl. I don't know why she complained, she must be thinking things above her station.' Mr Merrett was

Summary: Poppy Smart, 23, accused builders of sexual harassment for wolf-whistling . Ian Merrett, 28, says she was 'lucky' and should take it as a compliment . He said: 'If she walks past again and is lucky she'll get wolf-whistled again' He accused her of damaging the reputation of men in the building trade . Miss Smart went to police who sent officers to warn the builders involved .


Samsung retook the lead in the global smartphone market in the first quarter, as gains in emerging market sales helped it overtake Apple, a research group said Wednesday. IDC said Samsung sold 82.4 million smartphones in the first three months of the year, for a 24.5 percent market share. However, Samsung said its first quarter net profit plunged 39 percent as consumers switched to bigger iPhones, squeezing earnings from its mobile business to less than half what they were a year earlier. Samsung retook the lead in the global smartphone market in the first quarter, as gains in emerging market sales helped it overtake Apple, a research group said ©Jung Yeon-Je (AFP/File) Samsung sold 82.4m smartphones in the first three months of the year, for a 24.5 percent market share. Apple held an 18.2 percent market share after selling 61.2 million iPhones. Even though the number of handsets sold was down seven percent from a year ago, it outpaced Apple, whose iPhone sales slipped slightly from the final quarter of 2014. Apple held an 18.2 percent market share in early 2015 after selling 61.2 million iPhones. The figures were impacted by seasonal and other factors. Samsung notably launched its flagship Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge phones at the end of the quarter in April, while Apple iPhone sales dipped compared with the stronger holiday quarter. In the fourth quarter, Apple and Samsung were virtually tied with around 20 percent of the market each, according to several surveys. 'The challenge made by Apple for the top spot in the fourth quarter returned to a clear lead for Samsung in the first quarter, despite the soaring global demand for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus,' said IDC analyst Anthony Scarsella. 'Samsung's shipments, given that the S6 was not launched into the market for the full quarter, were driven by large volumes into emerging markets and steady demand for its midrange and lower-priced smartphones.' Chinese manufacturer Lenovo was third after completing its acquisition of Motorola from Google. Its 5.6 percent market share placed it ahead of fellow Chinese group Huawei, with 5.0 percent, and South Korea's LG at 4.6 percent. IDC said the overall global smartphone market grew 16.7 percent from a year earlier, with total shipments of 337 million units. 'Apple soared 40 percent annually... Apple's new iPhone 6 portfolio is flying off the shelves in China and the United States, its two biggest markets,' said Neil Mawston at Strategy Analytics ©Peter Parks (AFP/File) Strategy Analytics, which released a similar report, said the figures show Apple is a 'star' performer because it posted strong sales compared with the same period last year. 'Apple soared 40 percent annually... Apple's new iPhone 6 portfolio is flying off the shelves in China and the United States, its two biggest markets,' said Neil Mawston at Strategy Analytics. Microsoft meanwhile struggled as it took over the Nokia brand of mobile phones, once the world's biggest, according to the research firm. Figures for Microsoft smartphone sales were not included in the two surveys but the company said it sold 8.6

Summary: Samsung sold 82.4m smartphones in the first three months of the year, for a 24.5 percent market share . Apple held an 18.2 percent market share after selling 61.2 million iPhones . Apple and Samsung virtually tied with 20%of the market in latest quarter .


The Queen will lead the nation at a religious service commemorating the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, when Second World War Allied forces finally defeated Hitler's Nazi troops on the continent. The Queen and senior members of the Royal Family will attend the Westminster Abbey service of thanksgiving - the culmination of three days of events marking the milestone. A chain of beacons will be lit across the country, Spitfire and Lancaster bomber planes will take to the skies and a star-studded concert will be held in London from May 8 to 10 as part of commemorations marking the 70th anniversary. The Queen will lead the nation at a religious service . On VE Day - May 8, 1945 - the Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, famously joined the jubilant victory celebrations in London and danced the conga through the Ritz Hotel before joining crowds outside Buckingham Palace. Jean Woodroffe, one of the Queen's first ladies in waiting, when interviewed by the BBC to mark the monarch's 80th birthday in 2006 said: 'What was amusing is that we went into the Ritz hotel through one door and out of the other door, the other end, doing the conga.' She added: 'And then we stood outside Buckingham Palace with the crowd and we all shouted 'We want the King' with everybody else until the King and Queen came out onto the balcony.' On the first day of the festivities a national two-minute silence will be held at The Cenotaph at 3pm on Friday, May 8, marking the moment prime minister Winston Churchill broadcast his historic speech to formally announce the end of the war. It will be followed by the lighting of more than 100 beacons, stretching from Newcastle to Cornwall. The next day cathedrals across the country will ring bells at 11am in celebration. In 1995, the Queen, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to mark the 50th anniversary of VE Day . VE Day 50th Anniversary, 1995, showing enthusiastic crowds at Buckingham Palace . Many veterans were alive to celebrate for the anniversary in 1995, some will still be for the 70th this year . Stars will also perform at a 1940s-themed concert held on Horse Guards Parade in London in the evening, to be shown on the BBC. At the Sunday service the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will be joined by veterans and their families, politicians, members of the Armed Forces and representatives of Allied nations and Commonwealth countries that fought alongside Britain. A parade of bands, veterans and current servicemen and women will then make their way from the Abbey along Whitehall before a reception in St James's Park for 2,000 veterans hosted by the Royal British Legion. The parade will pass the balcony of the Treasury building, where Churchill made his historic speech before vast crowds on VE Day. That afternoon there will be a fly-past of current and historic aircraft from the RAF, including Hurricane, Spitfire and Lancaster bomber planes from

Summary: Three days of celebration to mark the 70th anniversary of VE Day on 8 May . Her Majesty will attend Westminster Abbey service of thanksgiving . In 1995, Her Majesty was joined by Queen Mother and Princess Margaret . Yesterday the Queen distributed alms at Royal Maundy service in Sheffield .


With her contoured skin, glossy hair and high fashion wardrobe, Kim is undeniably the breakout star of the Kardashians. But while Kim has been busy hogging the headlines, her younger sister Khloe has been quietly revamping her look. Khloe, 30, has been showcasing blonder locks, a flawless face and honed physique in recent weeks - and she's looking better than ever, so what's her secret? Scroll down for video . Khloe Kardashian is looking better than ever - and it's all thanks to an intense gym regime, hair colour overhaul and very particular beauty regime . For starters, Khloe has famously shed an impressive amount of weight and is no stranger to flaunting her new curves in glamorous ensembles. She recently revealed she's lost 13 pounds in three months thanks to her grueling exercise regime. Khloe has been showing off her workouts - and her impressive strength - in a series of recent Instagram posts. The 30-year-old reality star displayed her pert posterior while weight lifting close to 100 pounds in the snap she captioned: 'Squat! Squat!! Squat!!!' Khloe, pictured, left, in 2007, and, right, this week, is now showcasing a flawless face and luscious blonde locks, even giving sister Kim a run for her money in the glamour stakes . Khloe showcased her squat skills by holding up a barbell, which had 25 pound bright yellow weights on each side of the 45 pound bar. Khloe shared with E! News the secret to her toned down figure when she attended a Kardashian Beauty Hair Care promo appearance in West Hills, California. The ex-wife of Lamar Odom donned a body hugging black jumpsuit for the event showing off her weight loss results. 'I try to work out like five days a week, its a lot but I feel great when I do it ,' she admitted to E! correspondent Maria Menounos. 'We're focusing on different body parts we're making me more lean rather than big and bulky,' she said. 'Gunnar [her trainer] switches up your workout every single day its something different but all the circuit training is cardio circuit training everything you're doing, you're still running up your heart rate so you're burning triple the amount of calories than you would if you were just weight lifting.' As well as shedding an impressive amount of weight, Khloe, pictured, left, in 2008, and, right, this week, has overhauled her wardrobe and now embraces figure hugging jeans and cleavage-baring blouses . Khloe, pictured, left, at the 2013 Kardashian Kollection cocktail party in Sydney, Australia, and, right, last week, has lost 13 pounds in three months thanks to her grueling exercise regime . Celine Spring 2011 pony skin lined sandals . SOLD OUT but check out similar suggestions below . Visit site . Khloe showcases the Kardashian hair product line perfectly with a stark monochrome outfit and a pop of red on her feet at the Ulta launch. People instantly focus on her golden tresses and we certainly were staring at her flaming hot Celine pony hair lined barely there heels. While these might

Summary: Khloe, 30, has been showcasing a glamorous new look . Star has dyed hair blonder and curated a specific beauty regime . She has also lost an impressive amount of weight .


The days of filling your car with petrol may be numbered because researchers have boosted the efficiency of making hydrogen fuel from plant waste. US scientists have found a way to use discarded corn husks and stalks to make cheap hydrogen fuel that doesn't pollute the environment like fossil fuels. The breakthrough could one day see the fuel being produced locally and drivers stopping to refuel their vehicles at roadside bioreactors instead of pumping petrol into their motor. US scientists have found a way to use discarded corn husks and stalks to make cheap hydrogen fuel that doesn't pollute the environment like fossil fuels and it could accelerate the take up of biogas for cars . Eco-friendly hydrogen cars, which are already a reality, emit only water, but the gas is expensive and is not easy to store, meaning more research is needed for hydrogen cars to become mainstream. Now, researchers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University have shown that it’s possible to convert 100 per cent of the sugar in corn stalks and husks – a by-product of farming – into hydrogen gas, which can be used to power vehicles. It’s previously only been possible to convert between 30 and 60 per cent of plant sugar into hydrogen, by using industrial catalysts or fermenting techniques, The Independent reported. The ultimate aim is to produce large quantities of hydrogen from crop waste efficiently, because many present methods either cost too much or use food crops. The breakthrough could one day see the fuel being produced locally and drivers stopping to refuel their vehicles at roadside bioreactors instead of pumping petrol into their motor. For years, scientists have been working out how to develop fuel cell cars powered by pure hydrogen, but are unsure how to store the substance effectively. Now, researchers from India's Benaras Hindu University may be close to solving this problem using coconut kernels to store hydrogen in gas form. Storing liquid hydrogen is notoriously difficult as it must be held at extremely low temperatures, which is expensive and tricky in the confines of a car. To store it in its gaseous state, would mean that vehicles would have to be fitted with large, pressurised tanks, which is not practical. So instead, experts have focused on finding materials, such as carbon, which can absorb hydrogen and release it on demand. Professor Viney Dixit and his team, at the university’s Hydrogen Energy Centre created carbon from coconut kernels, which contain fatty and organic acids as well as potassium, magnesium and sodium. He says that the kernels, which are easily found, are cheap and can easily be converted into carbon. ‘Unlike graphene, Carbon nano tubes (CNTs) and other type of carbons, the production of carbon from solid endosperm is not time taking, he wrote in a research paper. ‘Therefore, its cost-effectiveness, good adsorption capacity and easy availability are its advantageous factors in regard to hydrogen storage.’ The researchers found that the carbon produced from the kernels could store a ‘considerable’ amount of hydrogen. Two scientists developed a process to make more

Summary: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University researchers found a way to use discarded corn husks and stalks to make cheap hydrogen fuel . Used efficient method to convert 100% of plant sugars into 'green' fuel . It's previously only been possible to convert 60% of sugars into hydrogen . Breakthrough could see motorists filling up at roadside bioreactors .


More than 10,000 dogs a year are poisoned after eating everyday items such as paracetamol and chocolate, a pet charity has warned. The Kennel Club says seemingly harmless foods such as hot cross buns and onions can be killers – and is urging owners to be alert to the threat. Around 56,000 dogs were treated for poisoning between 2010 and 2014, according to figures compiled by the charity and the Veterinary Poisons Information Service. Of those, 470 dogs died. Sick: Around 56,000 dogs were treated for poisoning by vets between 2010 and 2014 . Unlike Crufts prizewinner Jagger the Irish setter, who died last month after eating meat laced with poison, most poisoned pets will simply have eaten something they found lying around the home or fallen ill after being fed treats by their well-meaning owners. Painkillers were the most common cause of poisoning, followed by rat and mouse bait and chocolate – which can cause sickness, diarrhoea and fits and trigger heart problems. Dark chocolate is particularly toxic. Foods such as sultanas, grapes and raisins are also highly dangerous for dogs, causing canine kidneys to fail. Dried forms of the fruit found in cakes are the most toxic. Onions, garlic and leeks can cause life-threatening anaemia. Nick Sutton, a Kennel Club poisons expert, said: ‘There are any number of ways a dog can get access to dangerous and potentially lethal substances, whether by accident, deliberate feeding or through owners mistakenly believing certain products – particularly foods eaten by humans – are fine for a dog to eat. ‘Many seemingly harmless foods can be dangerous for a dog and owners need to be aware of these risks in order to protect their much-loved pets.’ The popularity of e-cigarettes has seen them feature more prominently among poisoning cases, with 64 dogs taken to the vet in 2014 after chewing the nicotine-rich refills – an increase of 300 per cent. However, many more cases are suspected to have occurred, because not all poisonings are reported. Chewing gum was another major cause of poisoning. Just one pack of gum can prove deadly, causing dangerous drops in blood sugar and liver failure. If you fear your dog has been poisoned, the Kennel Club urges owners to contact their vet immediately, even if their dog appears well, as it can take several days before symptoms appear. Mr Sutton said: ‘Dogs are very intelligent, very curious and have a great sense of smell. ‘But we have to be careful about feeding them things that aren’t intended for them.’

Summary: About 56,000 dogs treated by vets for poisoning between 2010 and 2014 . Most had simply found a piece of food lying around or been fed a treat . Painkillers the most common cause, followed by rat and mouse bait . Kennel Club poisons expert warns even 'harmless' foods can be dangerous .


A woman's noisy neighbour has issued a withering reply to her hand-written letter complaining about his hard-partying ways, claiming only the deaf and 'those buried in the cemetery' would have any concerns with the noise coming for his home. The man's sarcastic response comes after Melbourne-based actor, Lucy Gransbury, wrote a two-page rant claiming her neighbours were keeping her awake at night. Gransbury thought the good-humoured note worked wonders after an entire week of uninterrupted sleep until she was woken again just before dawn the following Sunday. So she followed up by dropping a thank-you card and some gifts over the fence to the seven or eight men who lived there because she was 'too scared' to knock on their door. But after a month of not hearing back from any of her boisterous neighbours, Jershon Witehira posted an equally cheeky reply on his Facebook page opening with ' My dearest Lucy'. Scroll down for video . After weeks of not hearing back from any of the boisterous lads, Jershon Witehira posted an equally cheeky reply on his Facebook page opening with this photo holding her two handwritten notes . Witehira said although others may find her crazy he thinks Gransbury is brave and creative . 'I'm impressed by the lengths you went to creatively to get your point across and even more by the audience it reached,' he said. He went onto apologise for the the' music festivals and comedy galas' and added that the deaf man and those buried in the cemetery 4kms away, that Gransbury had referred to, awake occasionally. 'There's probably people out there that think your crazy for what you done but not me I thought you were brave and I respect you for it,' he went on to say. He then took up Gransbury's offer of getting to know each other over a few drinks. 'We look forward to getting to know you also and about that G&T you mentioned let's do it.' But he saved the most hilarious comment for the end. 'P.S We have a room for rent if you know anyone interested. P.P.S I'm deadly serious.' Lucy Gransbury dropped a thank you letter and gifts over the fence to her neighbours because she was too scared to knock on their door after they had been quiet for an entire week . The good-humoured letter asks the seven or eight burly blokes not to throw a hand grenade over her fence . Although a week after her first letter the neighbours woke her at 4.30am when they arrived home, and again at 6.45am when their mates left, Gransbury decided after writing a list of pros and cons that the mostly-reformed dudes, who she fears could crush her 'between their shoulder blades' as 'they seem to be a gang', deserved to be rewarded. The note, which was posted on her blog and on the Mamamia site, began with thanking the less-noisy neighbours for a quieter week and although their voices woke her on Sunday she was grateful there wasn't the 'bass guitar song' interrupting her

Summary: Lucy Gransbury wrote a long handwritten letter to her noisy neighbours . Melbourne-based actor finally erupted after four months of sleepless nights . Also a comedian, she used her humour to tell them what she thought . Photos were taken of her throwing letter and over the fence and running off . After a week of peace and quiet, she decided to send another note and gifts . Despite being woken by them talking twice the following Sunday morning . The cabaret artist finally received a hilarious reply from one of rowdy lads .


Ronald Koeman has promised not leave Southampton this summer, even if Barcelona were to come calling. Eyebrows were raised by some last summer when the Dutch great took the reins of what many expected to be a sinking ship. Koeman, though, has been revelation in his first season in English football, not only steering Saints to calmer waters but new heights. Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has promised not leave Southampton this summer for a bigger club . Barcelona and the likes of Neymar (top) are not of interest to Koeman after his successful season . Even managing Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid does not appeal over England's south coast for Koeman . Only a point is needed to break the record Premier League points tally set last season under Mauricio Pochettino, who returns to St Mary's for the first time since leaving last summer when Tottenham arrive on Saturday. The former Saints boss is unlikely to receive a particularly warm welcome at St Mary's after jumping ship - something Koeman has told fans he would not do this summer. Asked this week at a Barclays Q&A event what he would do if Real Madrid came calling this summer, the Dutchman said: 'Oh, Real Madrid? No, no, no. Not with Real Madrid. Never, never. You can trust me.' When asked what he would say if former club Barcelona came calling, Koeman said laughing: 'Oh, you make it more difficult. No, I stay. Koeman's Southampton only need a point to break their record Premier League points tally set last season . Saints were tipped by many for relegation in pre-season but they have a chance of European qualification . 'I am still young for the manager role. It is good to stay and to be the manager of Southampton. 'It is a very nice experience to be part of the Premier League. It is the best competition in the world and it is nice to be part of that.'

Summary: Southampton manager Ronald Koeman wants to stay on at St Mary's . Dutchman says he would even turn down Real Madrid and Barcelona . Southampton face former manager Mauricio Pochettino on Saturday . The ex-Saints boss quit in the summer to take charge of Tottenham .


Faced with deplorable conditions at a ‘horrendous’ hotel in Cyprus, two lads from Cambridge tried to make the most of it by creating a hilarious video diary for their friends back home. The three-and-a-half minute video, titled ‘Never letting him book a hotel again’, offers a glimpse into every traveller’s nightmare – dirty rooms, antiquated or broken amenities and a swimming pool no one would dare to enter. With scenes reminiscent of The Inbetweeners films, the video was created by Patrick Miller and his friend, Damien, who stayed at the family-run hotel last week when they travelled to the Mediterranean island for a friend’s wedding. Patrick Miller, from Cambridge, 'swims' in the shallow end of the pool, which doesn't have any water . The deep end of the swimming pool at the hotel was filled with green sludge, dead insects and debris . Patrick Miller, a self-employed personal trainer, created the amusing video with friend Damien Rigden . Patrick said in the video, which has thousands of views on Facebook and YouTube, that he allowed Damien to book the room, and they thought they would be staying at a four-star hotel for three nights. But it didn’t live up to its billing and it didn't match the photos they saw online, as the pair were shocked to find conditions that could have made it one of the worst holidays ever. At the start of the tongue-in-cheek video, Patrick tells the camera: ‘I left all the planning to him. ‘He booked the accommodation and flights. He told me it was a four-star hotel, I was chuffed, and this little video’s going to show you how it panned out.’ Patrick's friend, Damien, stands under an outdoor shower, which no longer works, near the swimming pool . This screen grab from the pair's video shows the hot tub filled with stagnant water and dead flies . The pair explored the hotel, including bathrooms with exposed pipes or missing toilets, in the video . It shows the pair looking annoyed during a flight delay at the airport before they were ‘squashed’ on the plane with very little legroom. Things got worse at the hotel, where they found an unstaffed and empty bar, and a disgusting scene inside the outdoor swimming pool. Patrick, wearing his swimming trunks, decides to get a closer look at he climbs down the rickety ladder. The self-employed personal trainer says: ‘I might go for a quick dip. Don’t mind if I do. It’s lovely in here’. Patrick Miller stands in uncut, waist-high grass on the grounds of the 'four-star' hotel in Cyprus . The lads' hotel room overlooked a dirty car park, where a lorry was abandoned, and a busy road . The camera then pans to show him ‘swimming’ on the floor of the shallow end of the pool, which has no water. It then pans even further to the deep end, which is filled with green sludge, dead insects and debris. They find the same problems when Patrick checks out the hot tub. He sarcastically tells Damien: ‘Oh, ledge, I

Summary: Patrick Miller and his friend thought they were staying at a nicer hotel . They arrived to find stagnant, green water in the swimming pool . Hot tub is filled with dead insects and other floating debris . Amenities were antiquated or broken and paint was peeling off the walls . The grounds have uncut grass, dead flowers and downed tree branches .


America celebrated the coming of age of a new sporting hero on Sunday when Jordan Spieth, 21, showed true grace under pressure to win The Masters. As people clamor to find out about this humble champ from Texas, a letter penned six years ago when he was still in high school has surfaced which only reinforces his nice guy image. As a junior at Jesuit High School in Dallas, the grateful golfer wrote the letter to the Murphy family who had funded the scholarship that helped pay for his tuition. Scroll down for video . A letter of thanks penned by Masters champion Jordan Spieth six years ago when he was on a scholarship at Jesuit High School in Dallas, left, has surfaced which only reinforces his nice guy image . As a junior at Jesuit High School in Dallas, the PGA golfer was humble enough to write the letter to the Murphy family who funded the scholarship that helped pay for his tuition . In the thank you note, Spieth wrote that he earned the scholarship from a work grant program, reports The Dallas Morning News. Spieth, already dreaming about winning the Masters, was already an extremely talented golfer in 2009 and he casually informs the family that he's the No. 1 junior golfer in the country. The 21-year-old impressed many following Sunday's big victory with his manners and affable manor as well as his golfing skills. As he stepped off the final green he embraced, in turn, his father Shawn, his mother Chris, his college sweetheart Annie, his brother Steven, who plays college basketball, his grandfather and various friends. He then went back on to the 18th green and formally acknowledged the patrons crammed into every available space. 'He's just a class guy in every way and it's difficult not to root for him,' said golf legend Phil Mickelson. Spieth hugs members of his family after securing his first ever major title at Augusta National . Spieth walks back onto the 18th green to formally acknowledge the large crowd watching on . Spieth (right) pictured with his college sweetheart girlfriend Annie . Another legend impressed by Spieth was Jack Nicklaus, who posted this tribute: 'Congratulations to an exceptionally talented young man. That was an incredible performance. 'Jordan is so beyond his years. I like everything about him. He's polite, he's humble, he handles himself so well, on and off the golf course. And he's obviously a wonderful player and now a Masters champion.' The one family member who wasn't present to enjoy the celebrations was Jordan's 14-year-old sister Ellie, who suffers from a neurological disorder that places her on the autism spectrum. The siblings regularly Facetime each other and every time they talk Ellie asks he brother if he has won yet. 'I'll finally be able to tell her yes,' he said, smiling. 'I know she was watching on television and I think she's going to be a bit jealous of us all hugging round the 18th green,' he said. 'She's going to want a present.' Spieth spends time with

Summary: A letter of thanks penned by Masters champion Jordan Spieth when he was 16-years-old has surfaced which reinforces his nice guy image . Six years ago the PGA golfer was on a scholarship at Jesuit High School in Dallas, which was funded by the Murphy family who he thanks in his letter . 'Thanks again for your kindness,' wrote the then number one junior golfer in the country in his best handwriting . Spieth won countless plaudits following Sunday's Masters victory not just for his golf but also his humble attitude .


An online campaign set up to raise money for a Blackpool pensioner who is being sued by the club's owners has reached its £20,000 target. Frank Knight, 67, posted an apology on his Facebook account last week to Blackpool and the Oyston family, who run the Fylde coast club, over allegations he made on his social network account last year. In that statement, addressed to the 34 Facebook friends he had at that time, Knight said he had agreed to pay damages of £20,000 to the Sky Bet Championship club, which prompted fellow Seasiders supporter Joe Atherton to set up an account on the website gofundme.com where fans could pledge donations. Blackpool fans vent their disgust at the Oyston family before their Championship game against Reading . Supporters have been protesting against the Oystons before matches and then not attending the games . Over 1,000 supporters did just that, ensuring the target was met in only three days, and the account will now be kept open to provide more financial aid to fellow supporters such as Steven Sharpe, who Blackpool announced they had taken legal action against in January following posts he made on a forum regarding Oyston and the club. An update on Knight's campaign page read: 'WE'VE DONE IT! £20,000 reached in 3 days. Phenomenal stuff. Thank you to all Blackpool fans for digging deep, and football fans of other clubs throughout the land (and world!). 'I've been in contact with the Knight family and they want me to express their gratitude to every single one of you that's donated and promoted this campaign. Frank's total may've been reached but the fight continues.' Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston speaks on his mobile phone during Blackpool's draw with Reading . Owner Owen Oyston watches the match huddled under a blanket in the stands . Blackpool fan Frank Knight posted an apology on a supporters' messageboard last week . Blackpool became the first Football League side to be relegated when their demotion into the third tier was confirmed on Easter Monday, and they still need one point to equal the lowest ever points total in the second tier when there have been 24 teams. The day after that relegation was confirmed, disgruntled supporters threw eggs at the back of directors' boxes before their game with Reading and hurled a firework, flare and smoke cannister into the cordoned-off area in front of the main reception area in angry protests against chairman Karl Oyston. Over the weekend, actor-turned-activist and West Ham fan Russell Brand even asked what he could to do 'help' the situation on his official Twitter account. Blackpool's main reception at Bloomfield Road was pelted with eggs before their game with Reading . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

Summary: Lifelong Blackpool fan Frank Knight forced to pay £20,000 in damages . The pensioner made allegations about the Oyston family on Facebook . Seasiders fan Joe Atherton set up an online account to raise money . Football supporters have now met the £20,000 target . Club is owned by Owen Oyston, while son Karl is Blackpool chairman . Knight ordered to make a public apology following Facebook comments .


Theo Walcott will finally open formal talks about his future in the next two weeks. The 26-year-old has got just over 12 months left on his current £90,000-a-week deal which has alerted Liverpool and Manchester City, who are keen on the England winger. And Walcott is scheduled to sit down with Gunners chiefs over the next fortnight as the club look to resolve his future one way or another. Theo Walcott will open talks with Arsenal in the next two weeks as the club look to resolve his future . Walcott, pictured arriving at Turf Moor on Saturday, has struggled for playing time so far this season . The England winger has attracted interest from Premier League duo Manchester City and Liverpool . Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has said negotiations have taken place but Walcott has publicly denied that. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers views Walcott as a potential replacement for Raheem Sterling, whose future at Anfield is unclear. Walcott will wait to discover how he fits into Wenger's plans before making a decision on his future. He has been a peripheral figure this season and wants to be playing regularly at the age of 26. But with the likes of Danny Welbeck, Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Santi Cazorla all vying for attacking positions, Walcott could struggle for first team opportunities. Walcott, pictured in training last week, is looking for assurances over his role in Arsene Wenger's squad . The 26-year-old has just over 12 months remaining on his current £90,000-a-week contract .

Summary: Theo Walcott has just over a year left on his current £90,000-a-week deal . Liverpool and Manchester City are interested in the Arsenal winger . Walcott has fallen down the pecking order at the Emirates this season . The 26-year-old wants to be playing regularly under Arsene Wenger . Walcott will open talks about his future over the next two weeks .


The man widely considered the leading referee in the world will be in charge of the richest fight of all time. Kenny Bayless has the honour of being the third man in the ring with Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao on May 2. The appointment will be welcomed by both camps. Referee Kenny Bayless (left) holds back Floyd Mayweather during his fight against Marcos Maidana . Bayless breaks up the tension between Mayweather (right) and Maidana during their bout in September 2014 . Manny Pacquiao conducts a training session after his morning jog in Los Angeles on Tuesday . Pacquiao is watched by a group of fans who gather to see their man in action ahead of the super-fight . Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter, says: 'Bayless is the best out there.' Bayless, a veteran of countless big fights in Las Vegas, will celebrate his 65th birthday two days after supervising the Fight of the Century in the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The Nevada State Athletic Commission, acutely aware that the officiating has to be of the highest order, given that the fight is likely to attract an audience well beyond those who usually watch boxing, have wisely put their trust in the large physical presence and unflappable personality of Bayless. Recent controversial results have put the Commission under pressure to bring in officials from outside Nevada for the mega-fights here and have made one concession in that regard. Glenn Feldman, a much respected judge from Connecticut, will be among the three wise men scoring a fight which most expect to go the 12-round distance. The two other judges are Las Vegas resident Dave Moretti and Burt Clements, from Reno. Serious consideration was given to including a judge from overseas and John Keane, a British Boxing Board Class A-star official from Wellingingborough, Northampton was thought to be the favourite. Bayless has refereed previous super fights involving Mayweather and Pacqiao. Recently, he was in charge of Mayweather's difficult physical battle against Marcos Maidana and Pacquiao's spectacular knock-out by Juan Manuel Marquez. He will receive $25,000 (£16,600) for the night's work in May, while the judges will each receive $20,000 (£13,300). It is still peanuts compared with the $180 million and $120 million which are the respective minimums expected to earned by Mayweather and Pacquiao but the officials are being paid somewhat more than expected. Pacquiao continues his crunches and workout in the LA park ahead of his clash with Mayweather . The first and only eight-division champions Pacquiao will face the undefeated Mayweather in Las Vegas . Bayless holds back Pacquiao (left) as he stands over Ricky Hatton during their bout in 2009 . Pacquiao (left) stands over a knocked down Hatton as Bayless begins his count during the fight in 2009 .

Summary: Veteran Kenny Bayless has been named the third man in the ring for the highly anticipated bout between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao . Bayless has supervised countless high-profile fights in Las Vegas before now, including several of both Mayweather's and Pacquiao's . He will celebrate his 65th birthday on May 4, two days after the fight .


When Jade and Ross Morley were told that their first baby, Floyd-Henry, had a rare form of dwarfism called Achondroplasia, they made the decision that their son would be celebrated instead of pitied. The Morleys, from Casuarina on the north coast of NSW, released a video to explain Floyd's condition to their friends and family, in a bid to make their community a kinder place for their 'little legend'. Less than two years later, Floyd is now a big brother to three-week-old twins, and his mum Jade said that she knows the two newest additions to their family will be his biggest supporters. Scroll down for video . Jade and Ross Morley have welcomed twins into their family, making their son Floyd-Henry, who has Achondroplasia dwarfism, a big brother . Harrison Stone Morley and Cleo Téa Morley were born at 37 weeks on March 20, meaning the Morley household now has three children under 20 months- a fact which Jade said is 'crazy'. 'It was pretty unexpected. We were utterly shocked when we found out we were having twins,' Jade told Daily Mail Australia. The twins were born on March 20 this year . The Morley's aren't strangers to unexpected news, finding out when Floyd was only five months old that he had a rare genetic condition which meant he didn't grow as quickly as other kids. 'When we had Floyd we thought he was just a normal, happy baby. At about four months we noticed that he had really chubby arms and legs and knew something wasn't right,' Jade said. 'Even when our pediatrician ordered x-rays, we still didn't think anything was wrong. But when they came back with his notes on them, mentioning characteristics like short legs and low muscle tone, I Googled them and dwarfism just jumped out at me from every page,' she said. 'The day the pediatrician called to tell us Floyd had Achondroplasia was the day that changed it all.' Jade said that she and her husband Ross were 'utterly devastated' by the diagnosis, especially because the only information she could find about Achondroplasia was quite negative. 'We couldn't find anything that told us that we would be fine, that this wasn't a death sentence and that we wouldn't be going through big surgeries,' she said. While the couple were still grappling with the news, they decided to tell a few of their close friends about Floyd's Achondroplasia. The Morley household now has three children under 20 months- a fact which Jade said is 'crazy' 'It was pretty unexpected. We were utterly shocked when we found out we were having twins,' Jade said . Harrison Stone Morley and Cleo Téa Morley were born at 37 weeks . The twins are healthy and feeding well and are much loved by their big brother Floyd . 'When we told one of our friends, she gasped, she couldn't believe it. I decided from that day I was going to educate my friends and family because I didn’t want them to be sorry for Floyd, we wanted to celebrate him

Summary: Jade and Ross Morley released a video to explain to their friends and family that their first child Floyd-Henry had Achondroplasia dwarfism . The couple said he would be a 'little legend' and he was 'small, that's all' The video was shared to social media and went viral around the world . Jade and Ross have now welcomed twins, Cleo and Harrison, into their family, making Floyd a big brother and the Morley household very busy . The Morley's are passionate about raising awareness about Achondroplasia and making the world a 'kinder place' for Floyd .


Serena Williams claimed her eighth Miami Open title in 14 years after ruthlessly brushing aside the challenge of 12th seed Carla Suarez Navarro in Saturday's final. The world No 1 won the final 10 games in a 6-2 6-0 demolition of her Spanish opponent to claim her third straight title at an event she has dominated since winning her first crown back in 2002. Serena Williams poses on the beach with the championship trophy after defeating Carla Suarez Navarro . Williams poses with the road to Singapore sign post on Crandon Park beach after her straight-sets victory . Williams was presented with the Butch Buchholz Trophy by Martina Navratilova . Williams, who earlier this week claimed her 700th career victory, never looked back after breaking Suarez Navarro in the sixth game of a one-sided final. Williams, who dedicated the title to her father, paid tribute to Suarez Navarro after the win. She said at the post-match presentation: 'Congratulations to Carla, she had a fabulous two weeks and this is just the beginning; I'm really proud of you and we get along so it's always good to see you do really well. Serena Williams never looked back after claiming a crucial break in the sixth game . 'I would like to dedicate this to my dad, he's not here. I miss him, I hope he's watching. I love you daddy and this one's for you.' The opening five games had gone with serve but Williams moved up a gear and from then on she never looked back. Suarez Navarro, who beat Williams' sister Venus in the quarter-final, saved the first two break points but a wayward backhand handed the American the first of five breaks of serve. World No 1 Serena Williams claimed her eighth Miami Open title on Saturday night . The error count continued to creep up for Suarez Navarro, who had not won a set in her previous four meetings with Williams, and another long backhand gave her opponent the first set. Williams saved a break point in her opening service game and then broke to love in the next to leave Suarez Navarro with a mountain to climb. There would be no way back, with Suarez Navarro winning just two points on serve in the second set. Williams, meanwhile, won 21 of 22 points on her first serve. Spain's Suarez Navarro started strongly but was no match for Serena Williams . Williams once again broke to love to move 5-0 ahead before clinically wrapping up the match inside 57 minutes. Suarez Navarro was quick to hail Williams, adding in quotes broadcast by BT Sport 1: 'All that you have, you deserve and for me you are the number one right now.'

Summary: Serena Williams won her eighth Miami Open title on Saturday . She won the final 10 games in a 6-2 6-0 demolition in Miami . The unbeaten world No 1 has now won 12 consecutive finals .


The man accused of murdering bride-to-be Stephanie Scott is like an invisible man in the small rural town he moved to just 13 months ago. Leeton has a close-knit community of only 6,700 people, but little is known of the casual school cleaner who has swept the halls of Leeton High School since October. The 24-year-old man charged with the murder of local English and drama teacher Ms Scott on Easter Sunday was born in Tasmania and lived in Holland with his family before returning to Australia as an adult. Vincent Stanford moved into a single-storey home with his mother and elder brother in Leeton, in the Riverina region of New South Wales, which is 550 kilometres south-west of Sydney and 450km north of Melbourne, with just a small bag of belongings each. His neighbours in Maiden Avenue say the family were welcomed by the community but Vincent Stanford made few connections. Scroll down for video . High school teacher Stephanie Scott (left) was at Leeton High School on Easter Sunday finishing off some lesson plans in preparation for going on her honeymoon to Tahiti . Vincent Stanford, the cleaner at Leeton High School, moved into this single-storey home with his mother and elder brother 13 months ago . Bill Scanlan, who lived next door to Stanford, told the Sydney Morning Herald: ‘He was a nice enough sort of bloke, clearly a loner.’ His wife Gail Scanlan told Daily Mail Australia Stanford was a ‘big strong fellow with dark, black eyes’ who she and her husband would chat to over the fence. She described him as a beautifully mannered and polite young man who wanted to get ahead in life. Mrs Scanlan said the accused and his family mostly kept to themselves but were friendly and 'would come over for a cup of coffee'. His mother Anika, a qualified nurse, worked at a local nursing home and Stanford, along with his brother Luke, worked shift work so Mr Scanlan said they did not see the family often. Meanwhile, as Stanford adjusted to life in Leeton, his identical twin brother – who moved from Holland back to Australia in June 2013 - settled in South Australia. Mr Scanlan, the retired pensioner living next door to Stanford, confirmed on Friday that photographs of Stanford's twin that had circulated in the media were correct. ‘That’s definitely him. They really look identical. Vincent is a little broader and fatter in the face but you can’t mistake who it is,’ he told Daily Mail Australia. ‘They look exactly the same in the face – the image of each other. He also has the same receding hairline. Looking at him is like looking at Vincent.’ Vincent Stanford's identical twin brother (pictured) returned from Holland and now lives in South Australia . Hinting at a possible family rift, the alleged killer’s twin wrote on Facebook on January 4: ‘One good thing about not being able to go home, been back to Swan Reach and Gawler for the first time in 4 years.’ Before moving back to Australia, Stanford -

Summary: Vincent Stanford was born in Tasmania before moving to Holland . Arriving back in Australia in recent years, he has lived with his mother and elder brother in a small house in Leeton, NSW, for 13 months . His identical twin returned from Holland in June 2013 . 'He was a nice enough sort of bloke, clearly a loner,' neighbour says . Stanford gained employment as a casual cleaner in October . He cleaned Leeton High School where Stephanie Scott worked . His employer said he passed all the national criminal record checks . Stanford was charged with Stephanie Scott's murder on Thursday . The school keys she was loaned were allegedly found at his home .


Britain is paying professional aid workers up to £1,000 a day. David Cameron has been criticised for ramping up aid spending . Britain is paying professional aid workers up to £1,000 a day to work in Africa and Asia as part of a huge push to meet government targets on aid spending, it was claimed last night. Spending on consultants has doubled to £1.4billion over the past four years and now makes up more than ten per cent of all foreign aid spending, an investigation revealed. Hundreds of ‘team leaders’ working on aid projects earn at least £120,000 a year once the costs of their expenses, security and accommodation are taken into account, an investigation found. Daily rates of between £800 and £1000 are commonplace, the Times newspaper claimed. The revelations will return attention to Britain’s growing aid budget, which now accounts for some £12 billion of public spending a year. The Coalition government committed to spending 0.7 per cent of national income on foreign aid – and even passed legislation to enshrine the target into law. That target means that aid spending will increase every year if the economy grows, even if other areas of government spending face swingeing cuts. David Cameron has been criticised for ramping up aid spending while slashing funding for the police, defence and justice. The details of consultant spending sparked outrage among backbench Tories who have opposed the aid target. Philip Davies, who is Tory parliamentary candidate for Shipley said: ‘When people think of overseas aid they think of people who have aid their homes damaged by an earthquake, a hurricane or a tsunami. They don’t expect to be lining the pockets of consultant fat cats. ‘This is what happens when you are judged only by how much you are spending. How you actually spend the money becomes immaterial. It leads to grotesque waste and overspending.’ The Department for International Development said it uses private sector companies as well as charities to deliver aid projects if they were the best placed to do the job. But officials insisted that spending on external consultants giving advice to the department had fallen. A spokesman said: ‘DfID has slashed spending on external consultancy and advisory services by 98.9 per cent since 2009, down to just £200,000 last year, but we rightly continue to use the private sector where it delivers aid projects on the ground that are effective and the best value for money.’ Afghan widows queueing up and waiting to receive aid in Kabul, Afghanistan . The Times quoted anonymous ‘insiders’ claiming that private firms were making huge profits of 50 per cent on aid projects. A report in January by the National Audit Office found civil servants at the department went on a £1billion spending spree over eight weeks to hit the government target. Money was spent at the end of last year on humanitarian programmes but MPs questioned whether the rate of spending meant it achieved value for money. The coalition aid commitment – meant Dfid was required to spent some £11.46 billion in 2013.. But

Summary: Spending on consultants doubled to £1.4billion over the past four years . Daily rates of between £800 and £1,000 are reportedly commonplace . David Cameron has been criticised for ramping up aid spending .


Negotiations to make a fight between Paul Smith and Andre Ward are set to be concluded this week, with the Liverpool super-middleweight set to meet one of boxing's biggest talents on June 20. Sportsmail understands discussions are virtually finalised for the summer showdown, with a formal announcement of the fight expected imminently. Elements of the deal are still being rubber-stamped and Ward’s WBA world title is unlikely to be on the line. However, the fight, which will be staged in Oakland, California, will run over the 12-round distance. Liverpool boxer Paul Smith (left) is in line to take on Andre Ward on June 20 . Ward (right) has won all of his 24 bouts but has not fought since defeating Edwin Rodriguez in November . It is a huge opportunity for Smith but an even bigger task against a fighter who outclassed Carl Froch in 2011. Smith, 32, has lost back-to-back world title challenges in Germany against Arthur Abraham, albeit in controversial circumstances in the first of those fights when a wide decision was handed to Abraham from a close bout. Smith has lost his last two world title challenges to Arthur Abraham (left) of Germany . Ward defeated Carl Froch in 2011 and could be set for a rematch if he beats Smith . Smith's hope this time round will be that Ward, usually so slick and brilliantly accurate, has diminished through inactivity. The 31-year-old, an Olympic champion and winner of all 27 of his professional fights, has not fought since November 2013. That period of absence will add a fascinating dimension to a fight that will catch the attention of Froch, who would postpone retirement for a home rematch against Ward.

Summary: Paul Smith is set to face Andre Ward in Oakland, California on June 20 . Liverpool fighter is not expected to challenge for Ward's WBA world title . Smith has lost back-to-back world title challenges against Arthur Abraham while the American is undefeated in 27 games .


Council bosses spent more than £7,000 on a lavish three-course Christmas banquet and disco for staff as a last blow-out before the local authority shut up shop. Ards Borough Council in Northern Ireland, which will merge with its neighbouring authority next week, put on the taxpayer-funded dinner to ‘maintain morale’ and to encourage workers to do a good job. Staff feasted on roast turkey and potatoes cooked in duck fat before moving to the dance floor at the party, which was adorned with almost £500 worth of balloons and Christmas crackers. Ards Borough Council (offices pictured) spent more than £7,000 on a lavish three-course Christmas banquet and disco for staff . The Christmas party (file picture) is the first the council has hosted in recent years, and will be their last as the authority no longer exists after a merger with its neighbour . Council chiefs paid £5,225 for caterers for the dinner in December last year at the Queens Hall in Newtonards, County Down, with hire of the venue costing £265.80. A further £950 was spent on a photo booth, disco and security for the 190 staff at the Christmas do, with nearly £500 spent on festive decorations. The council recouped £1,920 of the £7,280.85 costs from deposits from workers who attended the party. The three-course menu, revealed to MailOnline under Freedom of Information laws, started with carrot and coriander soup, served with freshly baked bread and herb butters. Staff had a choice of roast turkey with baked ham and sage and onion stuffing, or Irish salmon with tarragon and white wine sauce for their main course. Both were served with duck fat roast potatoes and root vegetables. There was no vegetarian option. For dessert, workers could have either sticky toffee pudding and vanilla ice cream or keep with tradition and have Christmas pudding with brandy custard. Tea and coffees were also served. Starter . Carrot and coriander soup with freshly baked bread and herb butters . Mains . Roast turkey with baked ham, sage and onion stuffing and gravy . Baked Irish salmon with tarragon and white wine sauce . Both served with duck fat roast potatoes and root vegetables . Desserts . Sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream . Christmas pudding with brandy custard . Tea and coffee . The Christmas party is the first the council has hosted in recent years, and will be their last as the local authority merged with North Down Borough Council on April 1. The council said the dinner was ‘a one-off initiative supported by the council to thank staff for their dedication and hard work over many years and to acknowledge that this was the last year of Ards Borough Council’. The local authority added that funding was approved as ‘the event would maintain morale’ and ‘encourage continued high quality service delivery’. Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Christmas is expensive enough for hard-pressed taxpayers without picking up the bill for somebody else's party. 'When we're trying to make big savings right across local and

Summary: Ards Council spent £7,000 on three-course Christmas dinner and disco . Staff feasted on roast turkey with all the trimmings - paid for by taxpayers . Almost £500 was spent on balloons and Christmas crackers for the party . Celebration was to 'maintain staff morale' as the council was closing down .