Residents of a tiny Missouri city say they have no idea why five of their six police officers and several other top officials resigned after their first black mayor was elected. Tyrus Byrd, 40, was sworn into office in Parma last week, but her election victory was overshadowed by the departure of the majority of the police force, the city attorney, clerk and water treatment supervisor. The officials all cited 'safety concerns' in their resignation letters, the outgoing mayor says. There are 713 people living in the community and, according to the US Census Bureau, 57percent are white and 41percent are black. Unwelcome change: Tyrus Byrd, who was sworn in as mayor last week, must find replacements for five of the city's six police officers, the city attorney, the city clerk and the water treatment supervisor. Mrs Byrd, who was sworn in last Wednesday, told Daily Mail Online she still doesn't know why the employees quit - though the outgoing mayor says they cited 'safety concerns' in their resignations . Mrs Byrd, who was sworn in on Wednesday, told the Daily Mail Online on Sunday that she is still not sure why the city employees quit. Her father, former city board member Simon Wofford, insists his daughter has a good relationship with the police department. KFVS-TV broke the story last week. Citizens rallied to Mrs Bryd's side, saying that the town didn't even need as many officers as it had. 'I think it was pretty dirty the way they all quit without giving her a chance, but I don't think they hurt the town with quitting because who needs six police for 740 people?' resident Martha Miller told KFVS. The run-down city, which is 175 miles south of St. Louis in southeastern Missouri, has suffered a spate of break-ins recently. Despite the surge in crime and the comparatively large police force, residents told the TV station that they almost never saw cops patrolling the streets. Mrs Byrd told Daily Mail Online that the election of the first African American mayor should be celebrated instead of focusing on the departures of city employees. Randall Ramsey, the outgoing mayor who has spent 36 years in the job, told the Daily Mail Online he also has no idea why the group quit. Tyrus Byrd (right) was sworn into office in Parma last week, but her election victory was overshadowed by the reported departure of the majority of the police force, the city's attorney, clerk and water treatment supervisor . Randall Ramsey, (pictured center with a past City Board) the outgoing mayor who has spent 36 years in the job over two terms, told the Daily Mail Online he has no idea why the group quit. The new mayor's father Simon Wofford (far right), who was defeated in the election for his seat, says she had a good relationship with the force . He added that most of the officers are part time and work for other towns in the surrounding area. He told KFVS that the officers cited 'safety concerns' when they resigned. Barry Aycock,

Summary: Tyrus Byrd was elected into office in the small city of Parma last week . Five of the six cops in the city reportedly handed in their resignation . The city's attorney, clerk and water treatment supervisor also quit . All employees cited 'safety concerns' in their resignation letters' Mrs Byrd and the outgoing mayor Randall Ramsey insist they do not know why they decided to leave .


Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon boasted tonight how a brand-new £1billion hospital in Glasgow had been 'entirely funded' by Scottish taxpayers. Ms Sturgeon said the state-of-the-art South Glasgow University Hospital – which opened today complete with a fleet of robots delivering linen, a children's cinema and helicopter landing pad – proved the SNP's commitment to the NHS. But Ukip said the hospital had been funded with English taxpayers' money 'shovelled' to Holyrood – despite gaping holes in hospital funding south of the border. Scroll down for video . South Glasgow University Hospital opened today complete with a fleet of robots delivering linen, a children's cinema and helicopter landing pad . The UK's newest hospital has been nicknamed the 'Death Star' by locals because of its giant 14-storey star-shaped design, topped by a landing pad for aircraft . The striking atrium reaches up the entire height of the building, which replaces four ageing hospitals across Glasgow, some of which date back to Victorian times . The hospital has an interactive display for children developed with the Glasgow Science Centre . The former head of the NHS Sir David Nicholson delivered a stark warning earlier this month over the black hole in hospital finances. Sir David said there was a 'substantial financial problem' at the heart of the NHS and claimed the financial peril it faces will soon be 'crystal clear'. The NHS will not publish this year's accounts until after the UK general election on May 7. But by December 2014, more than two out of three NHS hospitals were in the red. Last year, nineteen NHS trusts were referred to ministers after auditors raised concerns about their financial health. One of those referred was Hinchingbrooke, which is the first hospital trust to be run by a private firm, Circle. Despite the growing crisis in funding for NHS England, the SNP has demanded even more cash for Scotland. Dr David Stewart, the medical director for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said the South Glasgow University Hospital 'allows us to truly bring healthcare into the 21st Century' SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has claimed the amazing building proves her party's commitment to the NHS . There are self-service check-in machines and nearly all of the 1,100 beds have their own room, with an en-suite bathroom and views out over the city . The super hospital has a cinema and a roof garden in the children's wing and is the latest to be built in the UK . The building's full 14-storeys can be appreciated as soon as patients, visitors and staff enter the atrium . The hospital cost £842m but the medical equipment inside has brought the final total closer to £1billion . Public funding north of the border is typically 20 per cent higher than in England – with Scots receiving an extra £1,200 on their health care alone. SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, appearing on BBC Newsnight tonight, defended the scale of public funding north of the border - and vowed to push for even more . Last year, nineteen NHS trusts were referred

Summary: A new £1bn super hospital in Glasgow opened its doors to patients today . The state-of-the-art building includes a children's cinema and robots . Nicola Sturgeon said it had been 'entirely funded' by Scottish taxpayers . But Scotland gets £1,200 more per head spent on health than England . This is funded by Barnett formula guaranteeing extra spending in Scotland .


Wallace, the Chelsea defender on-loan at Vitesse Arnhem, has been released without charge after being questioned by police on ‘suspicion of a sexual offence’. The 20-year-old, who has been loaned out to Fluminense and Inter Milan since he signed for Chelsea in January 2013, was with Vitesse’s squad for their trip to Excelsior and fined by the Dutch club. ‘Wallace won't be in the selection for the match against Excelsior,’ a statement from Vitesse read. Wallace is pictured in action for Chelsea during their pre-season tour of Indonesia back in July 2013 . ‘The Brazilian defender was arrested last night in the centre of Arnhem on suspicion of an offence. ‘Based on the fact that he is to refrain from going out in the 48 hours before a match, Vitesse immediately decided Wallace will be out of the team and will receive a maximum fine. ‘Vitesse has no further announcements.’ While the Dutch club refused to comment on the nature of the offence which led to the arrest, a police spokesman is quoted by local media as saying it was 'sexual’. The 20-year-old right back is pictured playing for Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem in February of this year . ‘We still don't know what exactly happened,’ police spokesman Paul Koetsier told RTL. ‘That must be found out during the investigation. ‘We can't make it more concrete than a suspicion of a sexual offence. Maybe there will me more information later today.’ Wallace is on a season-long loan at Vitesse. The Dutch outfit enjoy a close relationship with the Blues and the club’s owner Alexander Chigrinsky is an associate of Roman Abramovich. Wallace, a Brazilian Under-20 international, made his debut for Jose Mourinho’s side during their summer tour of Asia in 2013 before his season on loan at Inter. He made only three appearances for the Serie A club before being sent to Vitesse. Wallace, who signed for Chelsea in January 2013, is on a season-long loan at Vitesse (right) Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

Summary: Wallace, who signed for Chelsea in 2013, is on loan at Vitesse Arnhem . He has been pulled out of their squad for the trip to Excelsior on Saturday . The 20-year-old has also been handed the maximum fine by the Dutch side . Wallace, a Brazilian Under-20 international, made his debut for Jose Mourinho’s side during their summer tour of Asia in 2013 . CLICK HERE for all the latest Chelsea news .


Lewis Hamilton has conceded to feeling more powerful now than at any stage in his F1 career. It is an ominous warning from a man who has won nine of the last 11 grands prix, been on pole at the last four, and who already holds a 27-point cushion in the drivers' standings. It is no wonder after winning in Bahrain, when Hamilton stepped out of his Mercedes, he immediately stood on top of it and pretended to smack an imaginary baseball out of the circuit. Lewis Hamilton stands on his Mercedes after winning the Bahrain Grand Prix . It was another 'home run' performance from Hamilton, a man who claims he is a perfectionist, and who appears to be driving as close to perfection as can possibly be achieved in the sport. It led to the suggestion that perhaps he was feeling unbeatable, to which he replied: 'I don't know what the feeling of being unbeatable is. 'I know I feel very powerful in this car with the package we have, and I feel I'm able to get everything from it. 'I also feel more comfortable in this car than I did in the one last year, and I feel within myself, with whatever approach I have, the power is greater than ever in terms of strength in the car. 'It's like 'yes'. I put the car there and it goes there, I get the exit. 'Naturally you always feel there are things you can still improve on, but it's hard to always pinpoint what those are and to tell the team what to focus on. Hamilton is congratulated by Ferrari rival Kimi Raikkonen on Sunday . 'That's what a team leader has to do, and, along with Nico (Rosberg), I'm trying to guide the team, to tell them where to go next.' So just how close to perfection does Hamilton feel? 'There are always areas. I'll look and think 'Could I have braked later for the pit entry? Could I have done a better outlap?' said the 30-year-old. 'I feel I'm doing the best I can, and I'm learning and improving at the same time, which is all I can ask for.' Yet do not dare to suggest to Hamilton that he does not work as hard off the track in terms of poring over every aspect of what is required to ensure he is at one with his car. In being compared with former McLaren team-mate Jenson Button in the past, or Rosberg at present, the feeling has generally been they are more studious than Hamilton, who simply just drives. 'Of course I analyse. You can't be a world champion without doing that,' Hamilton said. 'I remember speaking about this a long time ago and I don't know if people get a perception as to who you are as a driver, but I work as hard as any other driver. 'Just because I do things differently it doesn't mean I'm worse. Race winner Hamilton celebrates with the trophy on the podium in Bahrain . 'There was a point where

Summary: Lewis Hamilton already holds a 27-point cushion in the drivers' standings . The Brit has won nine of the last 11 races following triumph in Bahrain .


Expat: Detectives are investigating the killing of David King (pictured), a 70-year-old pensioner from Newham, east London, who retired to Normandy . A fight over stolen vegetables may have led to a British expat being murdered and dumped at the bottom of a well, French police fear. The macabre theory has been outlined by detectives investigating the killing of David King, a 70-year-old pensioner from Newham, east London, who retired to Normandy 15 years ago. His body was found by sniffer dogs last week in the picturesque hamlet of Pierres, south-west of Caen, and an unnamed 28-year-old Frenchman has been charged with his murder. The alleged killer was living rough in the area, and is thought to have been behind a number of thefts in the area. Now prosecutor Carole Etienne has said that Mr King, a keen gardener, may well have confronted the man over stolen vegetables. Ms Etienne, who is leading the police enquiry, said: ‘Among the vague attempts at an explanation given by the accused, we are looking at the possibility of a fight over the theft of foodstuffs. ‘In one night, a whole plot of leeks might disappear. One person saw four rabbits vanishing overnight.’ Ms Etienne added: ‘People were getting more and more angry, and some were even threatening to defend their plots with shotguns’. Neighbours of Mr King, who was hugely proud of his vegetable garden, told Le Parisien newspaper that a description of the thief corresponds to the alleged murderer. Discovery: In February, Mr King's car, a Renault Scenic (above) was found parked in Vire, a nearby town, but there was no sign of any body . Family and neighbours of Mr King have attacked detectives for allowing his suspected murderer to remain at large for six months. Interpol, the international police organisation, had initially refused to open a missing person’s enquiry. Instead they believed Mr King had travelled to Australia to see his daughter, Sandie Ray. Mr King had been living in France for 15 years . Ms Ray, who lives in Perth, Australia, said her father’s passport details had been mixed up with another David King, who had indeed travelled to Australia from France. She said this was known by November last year, but ‘the French authorities still hadn’t been formally notified of this via Interpol until approximately three months later’. Ms Ray said a quicker enquiry would have avoided ‘lots of anxiety and frustration for our family and dads friends.’ John King, Mr King’s son, who lives in Brighton, East Sussex, said the botched investigation had been a ‘bureaucratic nightmare’ for all concerned. Other expats living in the area said it was ‘hugely frightening’ to have a suspected murderer living in their midst while the operation went on. ‘This is an isolated part of the world, and everyone is potentially vulnerable to attack,’ said one. ‘Detectives should have worked out what was going on far quicker. The slow speed of the enquiry was unacceptable.' In February, Mr King's car, a Renault Scenic was found parked in Vire, a nearby town, but there

Summary: David King, 70, from east London, retired to Normandy 15 years ago . Body found by sniffer dogs and a man has been charged with murder . Alleged killer was living rough and is 'behind number of thefts in area' Gardener Mr King may have confronted him over stolen vegetables .


An obsessive Arsenal fan made his girlfriend sit a test quizzing her about his favourite football club. Marking her answers with red pen, she scored an impressive 43.5 out of 50, to which he commented, 'Well done Saskia! As a result, I will not be dumping you! (Lucky you)'. Saskia posted snaps of the test to her Twitter account, @saskiaisabxlla, commenting 'Boyfriend made me take an @Arsenal exam!' with emoticons showing she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. We don't blame her. Saskia's football fan boyfriend made her take an Arsenal test and didn't dump her thanks to her A grade . The test took the form of a school exam, with multiple choice questions, tables to complete, and 'in your own words...' section. There were even 'helpful' instructions including 'Read every question at least twice' and 'Check your answers if you have time at the end'. Oh, and 'calculators may be used'. Saskia scored an impressive 87 per cent, but according to her unnamed boyfriend's feedback she 'could have performed better on Q17', needs to 'Learn ALL player positions' and should understand that 'Tottenham are scum'. What does the 'FC' in Arsenal FC stand for? What is the nickname for Arsenal fans? Who is the current manager of Arsenal? Is the kit below (see picture) Arsenal#s current Home kit or Away kit? Name the starting 11 squad of this season in their relevant positions. In your own words, explain why Alexis Sanchez is better than Eden Hazard. Who are our top 2 goalscorers of the season so far? What was the scoreline for the 2014 FA Cup Final vs Hull City? What player scored the winning goal in the 204 FA Cup Final? a) Olivier Giroud . b) Santi Cazorla . c) Aaron Ramsey . d) Per Mertesacker . Why are Arsenal the best team to ever grace English football? Questions put to her in the test included: . 'What was the scoreline for the 2014 FA Cup Final vs Hull City?', . 'What player scored the winning goal in the 2014 FA Cup Final?' 'Name the starting 11 squad of this season in their relevant positions.' She struggled to come up with the 11th player of the starting squad (Koscielny, defence, apparently) and thought Ozil was defence and Wellbeck a midfielder, when in fact they are midfield and striker respectively. Tut tut. She scored some decent points for her more creative answers. Asked to explain why Alexis Sanchez is better than Eden Hazard in her own words, she wrote, 'Sanchez is buff, scores lots of goals, Hazard is a p***k, Sanchez is Chilean'. She got double marks for the Hazard comment, but only got half a point for the last one. Saskia clearly knows how to keep her boyfriend happy, as she humoured his question of 'Why are Arsenal the best team to ever grace English football?' with the answer of 'They've won many FA Cups' and 'Thierry Henry is a legend'. However, when she got an answer wrong, her examiner wrote the correct answer in capitals and drew

Summary: Arsenal fan's girlfriend avoids getting dumped after passing football test . Saskia got an 'A', but apparently needs to work on her player positions . The bemused woman posted pictures of boyfriend's test on Twitter .


Lorenzo Simon was today found guilty of murder after killing his tenant then hacking his body into pieces . A landlord who chopped his friend up and stuffed the body parts into suitcases which he dumped in a canal was today found guilty of murder. Lorenzo Simon, 34, forced victim Michael Spalding, 39, to decorate his flat before attacking him when he refused to work any longer. He then dismembered the handyman using a hacksaw and put Mr Spalding's body parts and tools into two suitcases. Simon, with the help of his girlfriend Michelle Bird, 35, then threw the suitcases into a canal which they weighed down using broken concrete slabs. Today he was found guilty of murder after a jury took 15 hours to decide by unanimous verdict at Birmingham Crown Court. Bird was cleared of murder and manslaughter but admitted assisting an offender following the four-week trial. The court heard Simon murdered Mr Spalding, known as Spud, by stabbing him in the neck at the flat they shared in Smethwick, Birmingham, on April 26 last year. He then hacked the body up and stuffed the head, limbs and tools into a suitcase. Police found his remains when a narrow boat owner spotted one suitcase, containing Mr Spalding's torso, floating in the Birmingham Canal on May 5. It was examined by a Canal Trust contractor on May 12, who opened the case to discover the gruesome evidence. Police divers recovered the second case which contained Mr Spalding's head, limbs and tools - below Pope Bridge, Smethwick, on May 16. Further searches of the canal bed uncovered a hacksaw which was used to saw off Mr Spalding's head. Using futuristic 3D scanning technology experts were able to show a perfect jigsaw fit between the charred bone and a severed limb found in the suitcase. The same technique - which provides image resolution 43,000 times more detailed that a hospital CT scan - proved a link between the hacksaw and lacerations found on other bones. Mr Spalding's body parts were found inside this suitcase, which was dumped in the Birmingham Canal . A second suitcase (pictured) containing Mr Spalding's grisly remains was discovered 11 days later . Drag marks were also found on the towpath near Pope's Bridge where Simon and Bird dumped the suitcases into the canal. Unemployed Simon, who has convictions for robbery, burglary, theft and supplying drugs, moved to Derby in a bid to evade police but was arrested with Bird on May 19. He denied knowledge of Mr Spalding's death, claiming he threw him out following a row over a car crash, but later admitted assaulting him during a fight. Neighbours reported seeing a bonfire in the garden and when officers raided the home they discovered part of a humerus bone inside the drum. Detectives later heard accounts from neighbours who told of 'aggressive, nasty' arguments coming from the flat. One recalled Simon saying: 'I want this place finished, I've got to live here, you are taking the p**s'. 3D scanning technology was able to prove a link between

Summary: Lorenzo Simon, 34, forced tenant Michael Spalding to decorate his flat . Police said Simon forced him to work up until midnight like a 'slave' But following an argument, Mr Spalding was stabbed and dismembered . After hacking him into pieces, Simon stuffed the body parts into suitcases . Police also discovered pieces of bone inside a drum used for bonfires . Simon was today found guilty of murder and will be sentenced next week .


Karen Bell, 42, from Hull, has been jailed for 12 months after blackmailing a man for £55 and threatening to post videos of their sex trysts online . A mother who blackmailed a lover she met on dating website Plenty of Fish by threatening to post footage online of their sex sessions if she did not receive £55, has been jailed for 12 months. Karen Bell, 42, from Hull, East Yorkshire, met the man on the dating website and the pair exchanged flirty texts - before meeting up to act out their fantasy in which she spanked him with a pair of trainers. However, Hull Crown Court heard that after their meeting she contacted the man – who cannot be named for legal reasons – and threatened to post the footage on Facebook unless he paid her £25. She later increased the demands, claiming her son had secretly filmed their tryst and the footage was ready to publish, until she received £55. Bell has now been jailed for 12 months after pleading guilty to blackmail. The court heard that the pair began chatting after meeting on free dating site Plenty of Fish and arranged to meet. The man, who was referred to in court as 'Mr A', began lending Bell money as she claimed she was short of cash. Stephen Welch, prosecuting, said: 'Some time in December last year, the complainant and the defendant engaged in sexual activity at the defendant's home address. 'The nature of it was that the complainant removed his trousers and pants and lay on his stomach while the defendant remained fully clothed. 'She spanked the victim on the bottom with a hand, then with a training shoe. 'This was some sort of sexual fantasy the two discussed before the act took place. 'A while later the defendant contacted the complainant and told him her son had installed a hidden camera and their role play had been recorded.' The couple met on free dating website Plenty Of Fish (pictured) and met up after starting up a conversation . Bell, a mother, was jailed for 12 months at Hull Crown Court (pictured) after pleading guilty to blackmail . Bell sent Mr A more messages informing him the recording had been put on a DVD and that she was 'sitting watching it with her son', the court heard. She told him that if he did not want his friends and family to see the film he should pay her and initially demanded £25. The court heard he was worried and Bell told him if he stopped paying her she would publish the DVD on local websites and on Facebook. Bell (pictured) pleaded guilty to blackmail last week . Mr Welch added: 'He was frightened. He believed the defendant would carry out those threats and didn't want his family or friends to see the footage.' Although he had willingly given her some money, he eventually reported Bell to the police and the total amount she gained by the blackmail was £55, the court was told. When Bell was arrested, she told

Summary: Karen Bell met victim - who cannot be named - on dating site Plenty of Fish . Pair met up and acted out fantasy in which she spanked him with trainers . 42-year-old then claimed son had filmed entire session and demanded £25 . Threatened to post video online unless victim paid cash which rose to £55 .


Exposure to a wide range of bacteria is necessary to prime the immune system early in life, according to the hygiene hypothesis . Western diets and an emphasis on sterile, germ-free food has made us more likely to allergies, new research suggests. A lack of bacteria in the gut means we are less equipped to deal with germs - meaning that our bodies often overreact when we come into contact with bugs, dust or pollen. The findings bolster the theory that modern obsession with hygiene and cleanliness has driven a boom in allergies and health problems. According to the ‘hygiene hypothesis’, exposure to a wide range of bacteria is necessary to prime the immune system early in life. Many scientists believe that modern society, with its mania for sanitation and easy access to antibiotics, makes us hypersensitive to harmless allergens. The latest work, published today in the journal Cell Reports, compared the bacteria in the guts of people from the US and Papua New Guinea - one of the least industrialised nations on Earth. The research, by Canadian and Australian scientists, found that people in the US had far smaller collection of bacteria - called the ‘microbiome’ - than people from Papua New Guinea. Study author Jens Walter, of the University of Alberta in Canada, said: ‘There are several aspects of western lifestyle that have been hypothesized to alter the gut microbiome and decrease diversity. ‘These include diet, sanitation, and clinical practices such as antibiotic use and caesarean sections, but we lack a conceptual understanding of how our microbiomes are altered.’ The research team found that Papua New Guineans have vastly different compositional profiles compared with US residents. Americans lacked 50 different bacterial types present in most Papua New Guineans. Professor Walter said: ‘These findings suggest that lifestyle practices that reduce bacterial dispersal - specifically sanitation and drinking water treatment - might be an important cause of microbiome alterations. ‘We propose a model based on ecological theory that fits the data and provides an explanation for the decline of microbiota diversity in urban-industrialized societies.’ The scientists insisted that treating food and water is still vital - reducing the number of illnesses and deaths from bacterial infections. A lack of bacteria in the gut means we are less equipped to deal with germs - meaning that our bodies often overreact when we come into contact with bugs, dust or pollen (file photo) But they said that Western diets may have contributed to increases in some chronic diseases. Asthma, peanut allergies and hayfever are examples of allergic conditions that have been linked by previous research to the problems caused by insufficient bacteria in the gut. Co-author Andrew Greenhill, a senior lecturer in microbiology at Federation University Australia, said: ‘We can think about how we can reduce the collateral damage of modern lifestyle practices on the gut microbiome without jeopardizing the benefits. ‘The findings from this study provide information that could be used to develop strategies to prevent and redress the impact of westernization and potentially support the dispersal and transmission of microbes that have

Summary: Lack of bacteria in the gut means we are less equipped to deal with germs . Means our bodies overreact when in contact with bugs, dust or pollen . Study: People in the US had far smaller collection of bacteria - called the 'microbiome' - than people from less sanitised Papua New Guinea .


An excitable German Shepherd puppy learned that mothers do indeed know best when its guardian put it in its place with a paw. Videoed outside by its owner Tracy, the young German Shepherd named Kali bounces about the decking playfully. And is at a complete contrast to its adopted mother, who watches the puppy while relaxing on the floor. The young German Shepherd bounces about the decking playfully while its mother relaxes on the floor . Jumping onto its bed before rolling off and crashing into the back of its mother, the puppy drops its ball and chases after it. Its mother, after keeping a close eye on Kali, then gets up and follows the young dog over to the corner of the decking. After creeping up on Kali, the mother begins nudging the young dog with her nose. After keeping a close eye on Kali, the mother gets up and follows the young dog over to the corner of the decking . The mother begins nudging the young dog with her nose and obediently Kali makes a complete turn . Obediently, Kali makes a complete turn and skips off in the direction that she is being sent – the older dog stands over her during the entire walk back. Once the young German Shepherd reaches the bed it makes a lunge for its toy bone, but immediately its mother lifts her paw and pushes it down. Kali then remains very still while lying on her side as her mother pushes her into place and appears to almost tuck her in. The older dog then moves back to where she was at the start of the video and sets about relaxing again. The young German Shepherd skips back to the bed while its adopted mother stands over it the entire way back . Once on the bed Kali makes a lunge for her toy bone but her mother lays her down with her paw . The video concludes with the young puppy immediately becoming unsettled and chewing on the corner of its toy bone while in its bed. According to the video maker the footage, which was shot in California, was taken shortly after Kali was adopted. She said that her German Shepherd naturally took on the role of surrogate mother and supervises the youngster during play and nap time.

Summary: The video was captured in California by the dogs' owner Tracy . Young German Shepherd named Kali jumps around playfully . Adopted mother follows it and nudges it away from its ball . Older dog then uses its paw to push the puppy onto the bed .


Lee Clark admitted Blackpool face a challenge to win back their stay-away fans after an evening in which their relegation into Sky Bet League One was marked by pre-match supporters' protests against Karl Oyston. Disgruntled fans vented their anger at their chairman outside of Bloomfield Road before a 1-1 draw with Reading, hurling eggs at the directors' boxes windows and launching a flare, smoke bomb and firework in front of the main entrance to the West Stand, where Oyston and his family usually watch games. They repeatedly chanted for Oyston to leave a club that became the first in the Football League to be demoted following Rotherham's win over Brighton on Easter Monday. Lee Clark admitted Blackpool face a challenge to win back their stay-away fans after relegation . Jamie O'Hara scored from the penalty spot to give Blackpool a lead during the draw against Reading . But defender Grant Hall scored an own goal just after half-time to leave Lee Clark disappointed . Yakubu tussles with Costa Rica international Jose Cubero, who enjoyed a rare start for Blackpool . Some of those fans did not even enter the ground and missed a contest short on incident, with Grant Hall's own goal 20 seconds after the restart earning the Royals a point following Jamie O'Hara's opening goal for the hosts from the penalty spot. Clark acknowledged that a 'horrendous season' had contributed to the swathes of empty seats at recent home matches but is hopeful of winning back those disillusioned fans by rebuilding his squad over the summer. 'We're down a level and that's going to be hard,' he said of getting fans back through the turnstiles at Bloomfield Road. 'We've obviously had a horrendous season to put up with, but if we do it right with our recruitment process over the summer, we do things in the right way and get the right type of players in - then they can come and watch us over the pre-season and see a new group of players that they can get excited about that we can get them back on to the seats. 'The only way we can do that is by getting a group together that's going to give us a fighting chance to get back up and we hit the ground running at the start of the season.' Blackpool fans gathered outside Bloomfield Road to protest against the Oyston family . Blackpool's main reception at Bloomfield Road was pelted with eggs before their game with Reading . Those that did opt to turn up saw bottom-of-the-table Blackpool gain a third successive draw to move to 25 points, one away from the lowest ever total accrued by a side in the second tier when there have been 24 teams. Following the confirmation of their relegation, Clark was keen to produce a performance for the long-suffering Seasiders faithful. 'It was important that we did put on a lively performance because with the news (on Monday) it has been tough for everybody, but more importantly it's been tough for the supporters,' he stressed. 'I

Summary: Blackpool fans protested against owners, the Oyston family, before their 1-1 draw against Reading on Tuesday night . Thousands of supporters stayed away from Bloomfield Road . Those who did show protested before the game . They are already relegated from the Championship .


For residents of Celoron, N.Y., the statue of hometown icon Lucile Ball is no laughing matter and hasn't been for the past six years. In 2009 the town unveiled a statue of Ball with a face so unlike the beloved comedian that locals have reacted with shock and horror. The depiction is so unflattering a Facebook page called 'We Love Lucy! Get Rid of this Statue' has attracted more than 600 likes. Scroll down for video . For residents of Celoron, N.Y., say a statue of hometown icon Lucile Ball is 'monstrous' The statue is based on a famous moment from Ball's show 'I Love Lucy,' in which she pitches an intoxicating health tonic while drunk . Yahoo reports that the anonymous man behind the page says he's a 'big fan of Lucy's.' 'Lucille Ball was not only an amazing comedienne, but she was a stunning beauty. Her sense of humor only made her more beautiful,” he told the site. 'This statue looks nothing like the beautiful Lucy we all know. If for no other reason than that... the statue should go.' He added: 'I don’t think this can be repaired. Take a look at the beautiful statues Nick at Nite created for ‘Bewitched’ and ‘The Honeymooners’ and Bob Newhart… it needs to be something more like those.' Artist Dave Poulin has declined comment. It would cost an estimated $8,000 to $10,000 for Poulin to recast the statue, according to the Celoron Mayor Scott Schrecengost. While the organizer said he is a fan of Poulin's work, this time he failed to do his subject justice. Artist Dave Poulin has declined to comment on the controversy surrounding his work . 'I think it looks like a monster. That is just my opinion,' he told Yahoo. 'When you see it at night, it is frightening.' The statue depicts Ball during one of her most loved moments on the pioneering show 'I Love Lucy,' her intoxicated pitch for the Vitameatavegamin health tonic. The statue was the latest way the town has tried to honor its most famous resident, with the Jameston area already home to a Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum & Center for Comedy.

Summary: The depiction is so unflattering a Facebook page called 'We Love Lucy! Get Rid of this Statue' has attracted more than 600 likes . It would cost an estimated $8,000 to $10,000 for the statue to be recast . Artist Dave Poulin has refused to comment on the controversy .


How do you fancy taking a tour of the Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi, seeing Berlin's historic Checkpoint Charlie or exploring Cape Peninsula in South Africa? You can now have a real holiday 'e-xperience' from the comfort of your own home, and importantly, for a fraction of the price. Park Inn by Radisson has today announced the launch of a pioneering, new virtual travel service which redefines the concept of 'holiday'. The Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi is definitely a sight worth seeing . E-scapes is the world's first 'virtual holiday' experience on social media – allowing customers to appear to be on a trip away according to their social channels, whilst actually still at home. For just the fraction of the price of a traditional 'holiday', the holidays take management of an individual's social media profiles and 'transports' them away on the 'e-trip' of a lifetime. While E-scape customers are relaxing at home, their social media accounts - including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat – are updated to give the illusion they're on a trip away. To create these 'e-experiences', a dedicated team of social media specialists prepare a tailored itinerary of airport check-ins, status updates and attendance at all the best destination hotspots and events. The famous Checkpoint Charlie was the famous Berlin Wall crossing between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War . In addition, E-scapes' designers use cutting-edge photo manipulation software to produce flawless photos of customers at their chosen destination, much to the envy of their friends and followers. The rise of 'social media swaggering' has produced a new type of traveller, one who values kudos within their social groups over a physical trip away and the experience it brings. The mirage of being well-travelled on social media, is sometimes perceived more important than the travel experience itself. Berlin . From just €19 (£14) Includes visits to the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie and Berlin Cathedral . Fine dining at the famous Heising restaurant . Wild night (and morning) at techno club Tresor . Price includes unique content across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Cape Town . From just €29 (£21) Includes visits to the Cape Peninsula, Robben Island and Victoria & Alfred Waterfront . Great white shark cage diving . Sophisticated dining at the renowned La Colombe restaurant . Price includes unique content across Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram. Abu Dhabi . From just €39 (£29) Includes visits to the Grand Mosque, Heritage Village and Yas Island . Sunset cruise on the Persian Gulf . Incredible views from the Etihad Towers Observation Deck . Price includes unique content across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. With this knowledge, Park Inn by Radisson becomes the first travel brand in the world to offer a virtual holiday experience for the new breed of digital traveller. At launch, Park Inn by Radisson E-scapes will offer three of the world's most stylish destinations for an 'e-xperience'. Starting from just €19 (£14), Berlin, Cape Town and Abu Dhabi will be available to book directly on parkinn.com/e-scapes, with plans already for an expansion of E-scape locations

Summary: Experience Berlin for £14, South Africa for £21 and Abu Dhabi for just £29 . New concept of 'the holiday' is brainchild of Park Inn by Radisson . Programme will post your actions 'on holiday' to social networks .


It is probably fair to say that never before in the history of the Masters has a crowd 10 deep assembled around the first tee at 4.20pm on the first official day of practice. Normally by then the estimated 70,000 crowd are streaming happily to the exits, savouring the day they saw Amen Corner in the flesh and clutching large shopping bags containing millions of dollars-worth of precious Masters merchandise. Given no phones are allowed in the grounds, how did word spread so quickly that the thing they had waited all day to witness was finally going to happen? They knew all right. Tiger Woods returns to action at Augusta National Golf Club to practice ahead of The Masters 2015 . Woods is given a warm welcome from the crowd and soon stops to sign autographs for some of his fans . Woods was making his first public appearance in 60 days since announcing a hiatus from golf . Woods is greeted by European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke (right) at Augusta National Golf Club . And what a reception they afforded the main man as Tiger Woods stepped back into public life after his 60-day leave of absence. A couple of minutes later, it was like he had never been away as his drive flew wickedly left and spectators were running for cover. In the end, he finished in the middle of the adjacent ninth fairway. What he would give for such luck come Thursday. He had a perfect line to the flag and duly stroked a crisp mid-iron to 10ft and rolled in the birdie putt. Then it was time to practice his chipping from each side of the green — and everyone’s attention went up a notch. After his well-documented chipping problems in January, all eyes are being trained on how he copes with the infamous tight lies at Augusta. Woods practised to spots where he knows the flags will be located over the four days of the tournament. His action looked smooth and confident. He hit 16 chips from the front and right of the green and most finished close to the tee pegs that signified the imaginary holes. None were chunked. So it continued, in positive fashion. At the par-five second, he was putting for an eagle three. At the difficult par-three fourth, he positively skipped off the tee as his long iron finished tap-in distance away. After nine holes where the ball was struck with impressive authority, Woods decided to call it a day. Nothing, of course, can be read into what happens in practice, but one thing is for certain. At this place where he can draw upon so many happy memories, Woods is going to have an awful lot of goodwill to help him along. By contrast, Rory McIlroy practised at the other end of the day. In the past, Masters Monday was one where he would seek out an experienced hand for wisdom. Now he was the one passing on the insight, as he strolled to the tee with British Amateur champion, Bradley

Summary: Both Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy took part in the practice session at Augusta National Golf Club ahead of The Masters 2015 . Woods was making his return to action and his first appearance for 60 days since taking a break from golf to regain form . He was given a warm welcome by the crowd and looked confident as he made his way around the course . McIlroy, meanwhile, teed off with promising young British starlet Bradley Neil .


German air traffic control officials today called for technology that ground staff could use in an emergency to take remote command of a plane. Klaus-Dieter Scheurle, head of the Deutsche Flugsicherung authority, urged the aviation industry to develop the system which could help prevent a repeat of the Germanwings crash last month. Investigators believe co-pilot Andreas Lubitz locked his captain out of the cockpit and deliberately crashed the plane into a French mountainside on March 24, killing all 150 people on board. Disaster: Rescue workers and debris from the Germanwings jet at the crash site near Seyne-les-Alpes, France . Call: Klaus-Dieter Scheurle (above), head of the Deutsche Flugsicherung authority, urged the aviation industry to develop the system which could help prevent a repeat of the Germanwings crash last month . Mr Scheurle said in Frankfurt: ‘Such an event might cause us to reconsider systems which would allow the control of aircraft to be taken over by personnel on the ground in emergency situations.’ He added that it was important to ‘think past today's technology’, explaining that such a system could be used in an emergency on the ground to take remote control of a plane and safely land it. Mr Scheurle said that it was not the ‘simplest solution’, adding that similar technology is already available for piloting drones - but it could take a decade to develop it for passenger jets. Pilots associations are sceptical of the plans, with German pilots' union Vereinigung Cockpit saying the idea of remote control from the ground could be open to abuse. In charge: Investigators believe co-pilot Andreas Lubitz (pictured) locked his captain out of the cockpit and deliberately flew the plane into a French mountainside on March 24, killing all 150 people on board . Tribute: Flowers in front of the monument in homage to the victims of the Germanwings flight in Le Vernet . A spokesman said: ‘We also have to ask whether such a solution would really be an improvement. After all, it's the pilots who are sitting in the cockpit and they're the ones with all the information.’ The British Airline Pilots' Association also urged caution. ‘We must act with careful consideration to ensure new safety risks or concerns are not created, such as those raised by the vulnerability of any form of remote control of a passenger aircraft,’ a spokesman said. Since the Germanwings crash, European airlines have implemented a rule that two people must be in the cockpit at all times and Germany has set up a task force with the aviation industry to consider changes to medical and psychological tests for pilots. Commercial planes could be hacked in flight by passengers using the in-flight entertainment system to access flight controls, a US watchdog agency warned last night. Cyber-security experts said onboard firewalls intended to protect aircraft electronics from hackers could be breached if flight control and entertainment systems use the same wiring and routers. A 'virus or malware’ planted on websites visited by passengers could provide an opportunity for a malicious attack, one expert told Government Accountability Office

Summary: Deutsche Flugsicherung urges aviation industry to develop safety system . Similar technology is already available for piloting drones, but not planes . Co-pilot deliberately crashed jet last month in Alps killing all 150 on board . Separate report says passengers could hack planes using in-flight TVs .


The search for a two-metre South American boa constrictor, on the loose after police mistakenly believed it was a harmless Australian python and set it free, has been called off. The bizarre search began on Queensland's Gold Coast as authorities tried to locate the reptile which could pose a threat to local wildlife and even people's pet cats and dogs. Snake catcher Tony Harrison warned that if the large-predatory boa has Inclusion Body Disease 'it can be unbelievably contagious if that gets loose in Australia'. Mr Harrison told Daily Mail Australia: 'Police should have called the snake catchers and we'd have euthanised it. That was very silly of them.' But Biosecurity Queensland officials have now given up looking for the snake and authorities will instead put up a warning sign. The notice will reportedly tell dog owners and small children to 'watch out', the Gold Coast Bulletin reports. Scroll down for video . Queensland Police found the snake at the base of a tree on a footpath (pictured) in Surfers Paradise and then released it into the wild . Queensland Police say officers were called to The Esplanade at Surfers Paradise on or about March 26, to respond to reports of a large snake spotted at the base of a tree on a footpath. The officers released the reptile into bushland at the Southport Spit, sparking an operation by Biosecurity Queensland officers who say the snake isn't a harmless python after all. Mr Harrison believes the snake - likely to be an illegal import that was kept as a pet - will be found 'within a month' but there are fears if the boa is pregnant there could then be up to 30 live young on the loose. The reptile which could pose a threat to local wildlife and even people's pet cats and dogs (stock photo) South American boa constrictors have varying patterns of cream, brown, tan, gray, and black with ovals and diamonds . 'They can eat up to three times their girth, no more or less than pythons and including a cat or small dog, but the biggest problem is if it was going to give birth,' Mr Harrison warned. Biosecurity Queensland was working with the Gold Coast City Council in a bid to find the snake. 'Police originally caught it in a sheet after spotting it under a tree in Surfers Paradise before they released it in bushland at The Spit,' a spokesman said. 'They say they captured the snake when it started moving towards people.' South American boa constrictors are pinkish or tan in colour and have varying patterns of cream, brown, tan, gray, and black with ovals and diamonds.

Summary: The boa constrictor is still on the loose on Queensland's Gold Coast . Police released it into the wild because they thought it was a python . The South American snake poses a biosecurity hazard . Snake catcher Tony Harrison said it was probably imported illegally . Fears that if the snake is pregnant up to 30 live young could also be loose .


Some of the most common pregnancy cravings are chocolate, ice cream or even pickles. But one unlucky woman from New York had a craving for something rather unusual and potentially very damaging - rocks. For Silvia, star of the series My Extraordinary Pregnancy, suffered from pica, an eating disorder that makes people crave non-food substances. In the Discovery TV show My Extraordinary Pregnancy Silvia revealed how she suffered from pica during her third pregnancy meaning she wanted to eat rocks . In the programme that followed Silvia throughout her pregnancy, she is seen picking up tiny rocks from out side of her house, saying: 'I feel really upset and guilty, I feel ashamed but I have to do it.' The New Yorker is then heard saying: 'Over here are the ones that are easy to break,' as she walks around the garden. Silvia says on the show which airs on TLC: 'If I could trade with someone that's craving pickles or sushi I would do it, I would love that, I would trade that any day. 'When I see certain kind of rocks my mouth waters. Literally. It's like when you see something you really really want to eat. 'I try not to look down at the rocks and I try not to go by construction sites Because my system goes haywire and I get so excited. I want to eat some, I want to eat some, you know.' Dr Robert K Silverman Silvia's obstetrician explains: 'Pica is just eating any substance that is not food. It can be as simple as something like ice or it could be as complicated as eating nails. Silvia picks up the rocks outside her house, she is seen picking the ones that are small and soft . Silvia finds the rocks outside in little piles and then hides them around her house . 'We've talked about the risk of taking in pebbles, there are all different kind of diseases that you can get, there are all different types of parasites. 'And the fact that they can fill up their stomach can cause an obstruction. Pica can be very dangerous.' Silvia says: 'Obviously I need to stop, I've tried just about everything they've told me to try, I've tried eating corn starch, I've tried eating different type of candies that got the same consistency, but nothing so far has helped.' Silvia is seen hiding her tiny rocks around the house, behind lamps and behind the curtains, or even in a tea cup in the kitchen. But she is worried about the effects her bizarre eating habits are having on her unborn child: 'I could go the whole day without eating which is not healthy because the baby is not gaining the weight that he is supposed to be gaining. 'I'm not gaining the weight that I'm supposed to be gaining, there's no nutrition going in my body.' 'I've had a lot of stomach pains from eating rocks which is kind of scary, I worry about mine and the baby's health.' Silvias obstetrician says that pica can

Summary: Silvia, from New York, developed a non-food craving while pregnant . The eating disorder, called Pica, makes people crave inedible items . Both she and partner Estevan are worried about what it will do to the baby .


The parents of a California boy who was briefly kidnapped as he slept in the family car while it was stolen from their driveway have now filed a complaint against the very same police force that found him just hours later. Paul Guzman of Fairfield, California, the father of 8-year-old Brock Guzman, took video that he claims shows police throwing his wife Suzanne on the ground in handcuffs just moments after they reported their son missing. This after Suzanne refused to let the officers into their home, something Paul claims she was doing for their own safety. Scroll down for videos . Brock Guzman (above with parents Paul and Suzanne) was taken from his home when someone stole the family car from their driveway as he slept inside Monday morning . His parents, Paul and Suzanne, are now filing a formal complaint against police for the way they were treated after they reported the incident, with Suzanne being thrown to the ground handcuffed (above) Shortly before this incident, at around 4:45am on Monday, Paul claims he was getting ready to drive Brock to school when he left the sleeping boy in the car to run inside and grab something. While inside, someone stole the car, and he and his wife immediately called officers. When they arrived on the scene they said Suzanne refused to let them in, and that they thought appeared to be blood inside the home. That is when Suzanne reportedly grew belligerent, and can be heard cursing on their body cams, at which point they restrained her. She can be heard saying at one point; 'I can't breathe! I can't breathe!' Paul told ABC 7 however that his wife was just trying to protect the officers from one of their two dogs in the house, who would have likely attacked them when they came inside. Suzanne (above) was handcuffed and thrown to the ground by officers, something Paul claims he captured in a video . And while police found their son in the car roughly two miles away shortly after, and the young boy read a letter thanking them, Paul is still upset. 'We were treated like criminals,' he said. They have now hired an attorney, but former FBI agent Rick Smith seems to think they may not have a case against police. 'The people being interviewed get a little defensive, which is natural, police are used to that,' he explained. 'But I think there's a little bit of undue sensitivity here on the part of the family.' Meanwhile, police are still trying to determine who took the car with Brock.

Summary: Brock Guzman, 8, was taken from his home when someone stole the family car from their driveway as he slept inside Monday morning . He was found shortly after a few miles away in Fairfield, California . His parents, Paul and Suzanne, are now filing a formal complaint against police for the way they were treated after they reported the incident . Suzanne was handcuffed and thrown to the ground by officers, something Paul claims he captured in a video . Cops say this happened because they say what they thought was blood inside the house and Suzanne refused to let them in . The family says they wanted to protect police from their dog who they thought would attack the officers .


A passenger flying from Newcastle Airport to Gatwick was pulled aside at security after staff thought his pease pudding was Semtex, a plastic explosive. The part-time actor was going through customs to board his EasyJet flight, when airport staff discovered he had six £1.80 tubs of the traditional pudding and North East delicacy in his hand luggage. The boiled-legume dish was removed from his bags, along with several Greggs pies. Pease pudding is a traditional dish made with split peas and a favourite in the North East of England . The 58-year-old, who previously appeared in the BBC TV series Blackadder, was surprised at the mix-up. 'I love my pease pudding,' he told The Mirror. 'I think the resemblance to Semtex was pushing it a bit far as it was in containers marked pease pudding.' Security staff told the traveller his pease pudding could 'technically' be classed as Semtex . However, the traveller did admit he was carrying six tubs of the pudding along with pies from the Greggs bakery - which became synonymous with the 'pasty tax' introduced and then scrapped by Chancellor George Osborne in 2012. After being told that the consistency of the pudding could see it 'technically' classed as Semtex, he reportedly offered to let security taste the delicacy to prove it wasn't. Luckily for the pease-lover, who lives in Sussex, he was allowed through with his snacks and was simply warned to pack them in hold luggage the next time he was travelling. The traveller has also placed several Greggs pies in his hand luggage for the journey . An customs spokeswoman said: 'There is no customs policy with regard to pease pudding so far as I am aware.' When MailOnline contacted a Newcastle Airport spokeswoman, she said they do not comment on security matters. It is not the first time unusual items have been picked up by airport security scanners. Stansted Airport has previously confiscated items including furry handcuffs, while two Italian women were stopped at Munich Airport, in Germany for trying to transport a human skeleton belonging to a dead relative. Last year, customs officers at Birmingham Airport seized a giant squash from a passenger who was trying to smuggle it into Britain from Asia. The 4ft-long vegetable, which weighed in more than at 4st, was found with 175lb (79kg) of fish and 94,000 cigarettes from Bangladesh. A spokesman for Solihull Council said: 'It is a bit of a rare find, as you can imagine we do get cigarettes a lot, but not a squash, especially not one of this size.' America's TSA (Transport Security Administration) even has an Instagram account where it documents the weird wonder, and sometimes downright dangerous, items confiscated at security.

Summary: The Geordie passenger was pulled aside at customs by security . Six tubs of pease pudding, and several Greggs pies were removed . Staff thought the North East delicacy was the plastic explosive, Semtex . Pease pudding is made from split peas, boiled with onion and carrot .


A 30-stone Texan woman has used her eight-foot belly to entice men from around the world, including latest hubby, Lance. Gayla Neufeld, 52, struggled to deal with her family's unusual legacy of piling weight around the midriff for years. But the happy couple, who live in Manitoba, Canada, are now using Gayla's 96-inch asset to launch her new career - as an international webcam model. Scroll down for video . 30 stone Gayla Neufeld met her truck driver husband Lance on a fat-fetish forum . She said: 'Growing up I used to be ashamed of my belly but now I have a great following of men who really like it. 'There have been men from all over the world. I have had doctors, lawyers and even bodybuilders, lots of bodybuilders, approach me, which really amazed me. 'They tell me it's the perfect belly. They say it's not marred or scarred and that they love the shape of it because it is a single belly. Some larger women they have a double-layer or a two-tier belly but mine is a single. That is really attractive to a lot of men.' The 52-year-old says men love her 'perfect belly' and she gets approached by bodybuilders and doctors . Thirty stone Gayla wasn't always so body-confident and for years she struggled to deal with her family's unusual genetic legacy. 'Women in my family have always gained weight around the belly, especially after having children,' said Gayla, whose favourite foods are homemade cookies and ice-cream. 'My mum was fat and my favourite sister was fat, as were my grandparents, my grandmother and my great-grandmother. Gayla inherited her big belly from her family. 'My mum was fat and my favourite sister was fat, as were my grandparents, my grandmother and my great-grandmother,' she said . Aged eight, Gayla already weighted 13 stone. She used to get bullied at school and felt ashamed of her weight . 'Growing up, kids at school would point and laugh at me and say "boom, boom, boom" with every step I took. I was really ashamed to be fat.' Aged eight, Gayla already weighed a whopping 13st and continued to pile on even more weight in her teens. One doctor even prescribed her amphetamines to curb her sweet tooth, but it failed and made her even more depressed. Her burgeoning curves made her popular with boys at high school, though, and Gayla had many admirers - but she was too embarrassed at the thought of being naked. Despite her body issues she eventually married at 19 and embarked on a mission to battle the bulge. Gayla's curves attracted boys when she was a teenager, and she married at the age of 19 . However, her husband was embarassed by her size as she continued to pile on the pounds, and they divorced . But instead of maintaining any weight loss, she found herself hovering between 21 and 28 stone. Her wavering confidence was further diminished when her husband said he was embarrassed by her weight and they divorced in 1999. It was

Summary: 30-stone woman's 'perfect belly' attracted men from around the world . Gayla Neufeld always struggled with her size, weighing 13 stone aged eight . The 52-year-old now embraces her belly and works as a webcam model . Texan Gayla met her husband Lance, from Canada, on a fat-fetish forum .


Pensioners aged over 75 will be guaranteed same-day appointments with their GP, as part of Tory plans for a huge cash injection for the NHS. David Cameron will announce the move today as he pledges to commit £8billion to fund the health service. This is the figure named by NHS boss Simon Stevens as the amount needed to help plug a £30billion hole in the health service’s accounts over the next five years. David Cameron will announce the move today as he pledges to commit £8billion to fund the health service . Prime Minister said last night he was ‘utterly committed’ to health service . The move is designed to demolish cynical Labour claims that the Tories would ‘cut the NHS to the bone’ and will mean ‘at least’ an extra £8billion a year for the NHS by 2020. The Prime Minister said last night he was ‘utterly committed’ to the health service. However, the promise that all over-75s will get a guaranteed same-day GP appointment will raise eyebrows among critics who say GPs are already struggling to cope. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt last year announced a plan to ‘train and retain’ an extra 5,000 GPs, which Tory sources said last night would allow them to deliver the same-day pledge. The Royal College of GPs welcomed the move as a ‘good start’, but warned that, on current trends, an extra 8,000 GPs would be needed by 2020 just to stand still. Mr Hunt said: ‘The NHS has set out its vision for how we best improve the health service for patients, and today we are backing that plan with the money it needs. But we can only have a strong NHS if we have a strong economy. ‘We need to do much more to ensure our vulnerable elderly can be treated in the community. That is why we are building on our decision to bring back named GPs for the over-75s by ensuring that, as part of this, they are guaranteed a same-day GP service when they need it. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt last year announced a plan to ‘train and retain’ an extra 5,000 GPs . ‘This means family doctors can focus on giving elderly people the care they need, and prevent unnecessary trips to hospital.’ The guarantee will build on the new ‘proactive care programme’, which requires GPs to offer a priority service to their most vulnerable 2 per cent of patients. The decision to back the ‘Stevens plan’ is designed to neutralise Labour attacks on the issue. Mr Cameron said the commitment to find the money would be included in next week’s Conservative Party manifesto. Referring to the care given to his late son Ivan, the Prime Minister said: ‘As someone who has been supported by the NHS at the most difficult time in my life, I’m utterly committed to ensuring it is there for everyone when they need it too. ‘That’s why I’m backing the NHS’s own plan with the cash required to ensure it can continue to deliver an amazing service to patients and their families in

Summary: David Cameron set to announce move today to help plug NHS £30bn hole . Move is designed to demolish cynical Labour claims of Tory cutting NHS . Prime Minister said last night he was ‘utterly committed’ to health service .


A New York man has been caught on camera catcalling women in the street – completely oblivious to the fact that the interview he is taking part in is meant to highlight the horrible and derogatory culture of catcalling. Patrick Jones of Buzz60 was covering a recent anti-catcalling campaign, which saw signs a series of pro-feminist signs being placed on several streets around New York City, when he took to the street to hear opinions from the public. And while the women he spoke to all called the practice 'disgusting,' saying it makes them feel 'horrible' and 'uncomfortable,' one man was only too happy to demonstrate his own tactics for harassing women in public. Scroll down for video . Clueless catcaller: This New York man, right, didn't realize Buzz60's Patrick Jones, left, was doing a segment criticizing catcalling; the man showed his own catcalling techniques throughout the interview . 'Sometimes, you know, you gotta call a girl,' says the man, who is wearing sunglasses and a T-shirt with a logo of what appears to be the Playboy bunny with a marijuana leaf for ears. Unprompted, the man begins demonstrating by whistling and making ticking and kissing noises with his mouth. When Patrick, who looks surprised to have found one of the very street harassers that his other interviewees hit out at, asks the man how he would call a dog, he unabashedly replies: 'The same way'. Demeaning dude: The man on the right laughs as he admits he would call a dog with the same whistling noises he uses to call out to women on the street . 'It feels good,' the New York man says in response to a question about how catcalling makes women on the receiving end feel. The man, who throughout the interview can be seen casting his eyes around seemingly looking for women, then demonstrates his tactics again on a passerby. 'If it's far away it's even better because they're not that scared,' he continues, not acknowledging that his comment implies that when women are close to their catcallers, they feel a sense of fear. 'Sometimes you've gotta have a little distance.' Highlighting the problem: The video was made in response to anti-catcalling signs like these, which have been put up around New York City . Totally oblivious: The man being interviewed didn't seem to notice that he was being filmed in front of a sign like this one, which says 'no catcall zone' Before the video wraps up, the man finally realizes that the interview is not meant to show catcalling in a positive light, asking: 'Wait a second, are you reporting that girls don't like this?' 'They don't like catacalling,' says Patrick insists. 'Get the f** out of here,' says the man, who becomes visibly irritated. 'We're acknowledging that you did a good thing today getting up out of bed,' he adds, before getting distracted by another woman and whistling at her while yelling: 'Yo, sweetheart!'

Summary: The New York man unapologetically demonstrates how he harasses women on the street while taking part in an on-camera interview . He insists that the ticking, whistling, and kissing noises he makes at strangers makes them 'feel good' The man also explains that choosing a woman who is far away from him is better because she won't be as 'scared'


Another 19 Kids and Counting star is one step closer to saying 'I do'. Josiah Duggar, 18, has revealed that he has entered into a courtship with 17-year-old Marjorie Jackson, who he met while the pair were taking Spanish lessons together. And just like several of his siblings before him, as the two embark on the path towards a potential marriage, Josiah and his new love interest will have to follow his family’s incredibly strict courting rules, which require the couple to go on chaperoned dates, with ‘side hugs’ the only permitted form of physical contact. 'I met Marjorie a few years ago, when I was taking Spanish lessons at her house and I was very impressed with the way she was with her siblings and her love for the Lord,' Josiah told People. Scroll down the video . Future wedding bells? Josiah Duggar, pictured, is the latest 19 Kids and Counting star to announce that he has entered a courtship . The teens' courtship officially began on April 6 - the same day his 23-year-old older sister Jill gave birth to her son Israel David, her first child with her 26-year-old husband Derick Dillard. Per the Duggar family's rules of courtship, hand-holding is forbidden until they are engaged and they must also save their first kiss for their wedding day. While Josiah has known Marjorie for a number of years, he explained that he first started thinking about her in a romantic way when they both went on a mission trip to El Salvador in December. 'She really caught my eye,’ he said. 'That is really where I noticed her.' Josiah, who works at his father Jim Bob's construction company, noted that their courtship has been 'going very well'. And Marjorie also hails from a big family. The teen, who was born to Greg and Analucia Jackson, is one of five girls. Special day: The 18-year-old, who can be see with his parents Michelle and Jim Bob, revealed that he officially started courting 17-year-old Marjorie Jackson on April 6 - the same day his sister Jill gave birth . Love story: Josiah met Marjorie a few years ago when he was talking special classes at her house . She admitted to 'liking' Josiah since she met him in Spanish class a few years ago. 'For me it was an immediate thing,' she told People. 'I have always admired him and his family.' Interestingly, when the Duggars recently weighed in on who would be the next family member walk down the aisle, the 18-year-old was not mentioned. Josiah and Marjorie's budding relationship will likely be chronicled on his family's reality series, just like his sisters Jill and Jessa were filmed getting to know their now husbands. The news of Josiah's courtship with Marjorie is just one of the Duggar family's major announcements in the past year. Jessa, 22, and her husband Ben Seewald, 19, revealed that they were engaged in August with the two saying 'I do' in November. Big day: Derick Dillard and Jill Duggar welcomed their son Israel David into

Summary: Josiah met Marjorie Jackson, 17, a few years ago when he was taking Spanish lessons at her house . Per the Duggar family's rules of courtship, their dates will be chaperoned while they get to know each other in preparation for a potential marriage .


An angry neighbour who stormed onto the catwalk at Sydney's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week while fashion designer Kym Ellery was taking her bow has compared the noise being made at the event to a jumbo jet. Maurice Thibaux, 67, caused quite a stir at Sunday night's opening show held at the Carriageworks in Eveleigh - in Sydney's inner city. The French native - who lives next door to the venue - crashed the stage to make a complaint about the noise, which he claims was 'similar to a jumbo jet taking off over your head'. Scroll down for video . Maurice Thibaux stormed the catwalk at Sydney's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week on Sunday night at the Carriageworks . Mr Thibaux said he had no problem with the music but the rumbling that came with it. 'I was watching TV and I use headphones, which are noise cancelling, so normally it cuts out all the noise. In fact I can't even hear the telephone,' he told 9News. 'I could hear a rumble... so I took of my headphones and the rumble continued. It felt like the house was shaking.' Mr Thibaux said he did not even know he was walking into a fashion week event because the bright lights obstructed his vision. Mr Thibaux, who lives next door to the Carriageworks, points at where the fashion show was taking place at the Eveleigh venue . The 67-year-old French native said he had no problem with the music but the rumble that accompanied it . 'I had no idea where I was to be honest. I could have been on the moon. It's embarrassing,' he said. The 67-year-old said he was 'very sorry' to have disturbed the show, which finished at 7pm. But he was not the only neighbour of the Carriageworks that found the noise disturbing. Jane Houselander said she did not sleep on Sunday night and neither did her neighbour who was 'incredibly upset' and 'very anxious'. Footage of the incident shows Mr Thibaux storming the stage with his hands over his ears, wagging his finger and shouting at a security guard who escorted him from the runway. He claims the noise was as loud as a jumbo jet flying overhead and was trying to make a complaint about it . Sunday night marked the start of Sydney's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. This photo is from the Ellery show . Mr Thibaux was eventually escorted off the catwalk by a security guard at the Carriageworks . Hardcore electronic music with a heavy bass line boomed throughout the space for the duration of the show, which lasted about 15 minutes. He was overheard complaining that show organisers were showing little respect for the local community. 'The noise is way too loud, this is disgrace,' eye witnesses overheard him say, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. 'It was loud but it was all part of the dramatic vibe,' a guest at the Ellery show told Daily Mail Australia. The Australian designer was not fazed by the disruption, the eye-witness added. 'Kym ran out merrily at the end,

Summary: Maurice Thibaux stormed stage at Sydney's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week . The 67-year-old was making a noise complaint to the Carriageworks venue . He compared noise of the show to 'a jumbo jet taking off over your head' Mr Thibaux said the rumble felt made his house feel like it was shaking . He apologised to organisers, saying he did not mean to disturb the show .


The highest-ranking military officer in the United States has apologized to a bereaved military mom after saying the Iraqi city where he died is 'not symbolic in any way'. General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sent a letter saying he regretted that he 'added to the grief' of Debbie Lee, whose son Marc was killed in Ramadi on August 2, 2006. The 28-year-old, the first Navy SEAL to die in Iraq, was fatally wounded while providing covering fire from a building in the heavily-contested city. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star for his bravery. Humbled: General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, apologized to a military mother for belittling the sacrifice of her slain son . Fallen hero: Marc Lee, right, was killed in Ramadi in August 2006. His mother Debbie, left, was outraged when Dempsey wrote off the city as 'not symbolic in any way' while discussing operations against ISIS . Dempsey had spoken dismissively of the city last week at a briefing when asked how damaging to U.S. and Iraq's military efforts it would be were the city to fall into the hands of ISIS. Responding to a journalist's question, he said: 'The city itself is not symbolic in any way. It hasn’t been declared the caliphate or central to Iraq. 'The issue isn’t brick and mortar. It is about defeating ISIS. I would much rather that Ramadi not fall, but it will not be the end of a campaign.' The remarks outraged Lee, who said she was shaking and reduced to tears to hear the general trivialize the city for which her son had died. In response Lee, from Surprise, Arizona, posted an angry open letter on the website for America's Mighty Warriors, a charity she set up to help servicemen and honor her son. She said: 'I am shaking and tears are flowing down my cheeks as I watch the news and listen to the insensitive, pain-inflicting comments made by you in regards to the fall of Ramadi.' Ramadi was a center of Al-Qaeda operations in 2006, when Petty officer Lee and his comrades were sent in to recapture the city, an effort which ultimately took months and saw some 80 U.S. casualties. Valor: Lee, who was the first Navy SEAL to die in Iraq, was posthumously awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart . Lee continued: 'My son Marc Lee was the first Navy SEAL who sacrificed his life in Ramadi Iraq Aug 2, 2006. His blood is still in that soil and forever will be. Remember that was when so many of our loved ones were taken from us.' Rounding on Dempsey later in the letter, she wrote: 'You, sir, owe an apology to the families whose loved ones blood was shed in Ramadi. Ramadi matters to us and is very symbolic to us. 'You need to apologize to our troops whose bodies were blown to pieces from IEDs and bullet holes leaving parts and pieces behind, Ramadi matters to them.... You and this administration have

Summary: General Martin Dempsey sent apology to Debbie Lee, whose son died in Iraq . Petty Officer Marc Lee, 28, was killed in 2006 in battle over Ramadi . Dempsey had belittled importance of Ramadi at a news conference last week . Lee said hearing Dempsey trivialize son's sacrifice brought her to tears . Castigated general in open letter online, to which he has now responded .


As healer Mangu Ram rests with a threadbare blanket over his creaking knees, the 82-year-old looks to the future. It is almost 70 years since he fled the violence that followed the partition of India, and he is still regarded as a second class citizen in Indian Kashmir – unable to own property or vote in state elections. But now Ram and thousands like him are daring to hope they will finally be able to shed the refugee status that has plagued them for decades, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party won a share of power in India's only Muslim-majority state. Mangu Ram was 14 when he fled to Kashmir as a refugee - now an old man, for the past 70 years he has been denied citizenship rights . A Hindu, traditional healer Ram lives a slum house within India's only Muslim-majority state. Its rulers have refused to give the West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs) the right to own property or vote in state elections - meaning three generations are caught in abject poverty . ‘If something can be done, then maybe I will finally have some enjoyment in this life,’ the traditional healer said from his slum home on the outskirts of Jammu, Kashmir's winter capital. ‘If only the gods could show us some mercy.’ Ram, a Hindu, was born in an area of Punjab province, part of modern-day Pakistan but within India’s boundaries before the country became independent in 1947. Hundreds of thousands of families fled across both sides of the border during the conflict which led to the partition of the sub-continent. Around one million people were killed in the bloody war between the two countries . Ram, aged 82, with the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party at a recent state vote, he says he is hopeful change will come for the West Pakistan Refugees: 'If something can be done, then maybe I will finally have some enjoyment in this life' Around 100,000 people are classified as refugees - despite most of them never visiting Pakistan, and living in the Jammu region of India . Most of those refugees were quickly absorbed in towns and cities of the newly-independent nations. However the fate of the West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs) like Ram who decamped to Jammu and Kashmir state became mired in the dispute with Pakistan over the territory. Because of this, its rulers held off granting the refugees residential rights, including the right to buy land, vote in state polls or work in the state government.. Observers say the reluctance of successive state governments to grant full rights to the overwhelmingly Hindu WPRs stems from fears of upsetting the demographic balance in India's only Muslim-majority state, which has special autonomy enshrined in the constitution. A Hindu refugee washes pots at a communal hand pump in Surej Chak, on the outskirts of Jammu. The area has evolved into one of the many slum settlements in Hind-dominated areas of the city region of Jammu, within India's only Muslim-majority state . Generations of families have become

Summary: Thousands of people caught in poverty because successive governments refuse to change their refugee status . Laws mean that the West Pakistan Refugees living in Jammur and Kashmir cannot vote in elections or own property . Hopes that election of Hindu nationalist party as a coalition partner could herald historic change for the community .


Deborah Fuller has been banned from keeping animals after she dragged her dog behind her car, causing wounds as she drove at 30mph . A dog breeder and exhibitor who dragged her pet behind her car at a speed of 30mph and failed to get painful wounds to its paws and chest treated, has been banned from keeping animals and had her dogs confiscated. Deborah Fuller, 56, dragged her dog Tango for 400 metres behind her car as she drove along the B1066 near Long Melford, Essex. The Rhodesian ridgeback was left with injuries to all four paws as well as grazing to his chest and a deep wound on his elbow. He is believed to have somehow escaped from the boot of her car and was dragged along the single carriageway because his lead was attached to the vehicle's tailgate. Fuller, of Lawford, Essex, denied causing unnecessary suffering to an animal by not taking it to the vets and failing to take steps to safely secure a dog within a vehicle, but was convicted following a hearing at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court. Fuller has also been banned from keeping animals for five years and had her 27 other dogs confiscated. Chairman of the bench Anthony Ealden said if Tango had been taken to the vet earlier 'unnecessary suffering' could have been avoided. He said: 'We believe for whatever reason, known only to yourself, you had no intention of getting veterinary treatment as a matter of urgency. 'We do not accept your reason for delaying treatment as reasonable.' The incident took place on June 11, 2014, when the dog was seen being dragged along the B1006 behind the car. Tree surgeons working nearby spotted what had happened and tried to get Fuller, who is a Rhodesian Ridgeback breeder and exhibitor, to stop her car. She didn't stop until she reached the end of the carriageway and they took her registration number and reported her to police who called the RSPCA, the court heard. Tango was later found by inspectors in an outbuilding at Fuller's home with bandages on his paws. He was taken to a vet and given treatment for his injuries, which took eight weeks. Tango was left with considerable injuries to his paws and stomach, as well as a deep elbow wound . Tango, a Rhodesian ridgeback, pictured before being injured by being dragged along the road . Fuller claimed she had not been aware the rear hatch of her car had opened and claimed she had given the one-year-old dog first aid, and had already arranged for him to go to the vet when police turned up. Mike Fullerton, defending Fuller, said: 'When Deborah Fuller was being restrained she asked why she was not allowed to take the dog to the vet.' RSPCA inspector Sam Garvey said after the sentencing: 'Eyewitnesses report they saw the dog being dragged about 400 metres at a speed of 30mph. 'This must have been horrific for poor Tango. So painful, and so distressing. 'It is hard to say what caused Tango to be dragged

Summary: WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT - Deborah Fuller dragged her one-year-old dog behind her car for 400 metres at a speed of around 30mph . Animal was left with wounds to paws and elbow and grazes on his stomach . Fuller, a breeder, failed to quickly take the animal to vet which could have reduced the 'unnecessary suffering' of the Rhodesian ridgeback . She was banned from keeping animals for five years and given a curfew .


Untrained home carers are putting the elderly and disabled ‘at risk of serious harm’ while giving medication, performing intimate procedures and looking after patients with dementia, warns a survey today. Care staff say they are increasingly being asked to perform tasks previously only carried out by nurses. These include changing catheter and colostomy bags, feeding through a tube and even administering morphine. 'Frankly terrifying': Care staff (not pictured, file image) say they are increasingly being asked to perform tasks previously only carried out by nurses. These include changing colostomy bags and administering morphine . The worrying conclusions come in a survey of 1,000 workers employed by councils and private firms by trade union Unison. Almost a quarter – 24 per cent –giving medication such as morphine and insulin had received no training while 27 per cent said they were not trained in working with dementia patients. More than three-quarters asked for more training to cope with the extra procedures but only 49 per cent had received any. Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: ‘The idea that untrained care workers are administering drugs like morphine is frankly terrifying. ‘It is no exaggeration to say that frail older people are being put at risk of serious harm or worse.’ George McNamara, of the Alzheimer’s Society, added: ‘Two-thirds of people with dementia live in the community and it is a disgrace that these people are being let down so profoundly. Survey findings: Almost a quarter giving medication such as morphine or insulin had received no training . ‘It can also have devastating consequences if care workers don’t have enough training to be able to appropriately communicate – with people with dementia often ending up in hospital as a result.’ Dot Gibson, general secretary of the National Pensioners Convention, said: ‘This is further evidence of how our care system is in crisis.’ Other findings include that more than half of home carers have not been shown how to care for people with colostomy bags and 45 per cent have not been trained to change a catheter bag. Nearly four in ten had not been shown how to carry out peg feeding, where food is inserted directly into the stomach via a tube. One female home care worker in south-east England said: ‘I see clients with dementia despite having never had any training. ‘When administering medicine, you often have to phone the office to ask what to do.’ A Midlands-based male worker reported: ‘I’ve been a care worker for almost 20 years and received formal qualifications working for other companies in the past. ‘Now, there are people who have never been trained. ‘They are just sent out with another carer to show them how things are done.’ Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: ‘If homecare workers aren’t receiving adequate training, there could be fatal consequences.’ The UK Homecare Association, which represents firms running services for councils, admits workers are ‘often called upon to undertake roles previously undertaken by registered nurses’. It blames spending cuts, forcing its members to do more with less money. A spokesman

Summary: Care staff 'increasingly being asked to perform tasks nurses used to do' Some untrained carers are changing catheters and administering morphine . Age UK director has called the findings in a new survey 'frankly terrifying' Survey questioned 1,000 workers employed by councils and private firms .


Ousamn Jatta, 45, (right) took wife Beryl, 88, (centre) to a care home while he went to Africa for three weeks but when he returned was not allowed to take her home with him . An African husband who took his elderly British wife to a care home for respite while he went to Gambia is threatening to go on hunger strike after she was not allowed to return to him. Ousman Jatta, 45, married wife Beryl, 88, in Gambia 13 years ago and moved back to the UK with her when she became ill with dementia in 2006. Mr Jatta, who is his wife's carer, had taken her to a care home in February while he returned to Africa for three weeks. But when he went to pick her up he was told social services had intervened and ruled she could not go home with him. Mr Jatta had threatened to go on hunger strike unless Bristol City Council hand over his wife, who he says has pleaded to return home to her husband. 'They have used their power against me to keep my wife in a nursing home against her and my wishes,' said the supermarket security worker. 'I care for her better than anyone and I feel very sad. 'Every time I go to the Gambia I contact social services for respite, but they never told me they were going to keep my wife. 'To me Beryl is not old, she is a human being and no matter if she is old or young she is my wife. 'I would never neglect Beryl. I love Beryl. I'm feeling bad to see her in a nursing home whilst I am ready to look after my own wife. 'As soon as I came to this country I'm looking after her and nothing has happened to her. 'I don't say that the nursing home is bad but to me the belief I have is that you take a person to a home if that person has no-one to look after her but as far as Beryl is concerned, I am ready to look after her until God finalises.' Retired shop worker Mrs Jatta moved to the Gambia more than 17 years ago and met Mr Jatta when he helped translate for her in a local shop. The pair became firm friends and dated for four years before they got married in 2002. But they were forced to come back to the UK when Mrs Jatta fell ill and doctors advised the mother-of-two that she would get better treatment at her home in Bristol. Mr Jatta became her primary carer along with local authority carers who visit during the day while he is at work. Mr Jatta featured in promotional material for Bristol City Council but is now at odds with the local authority over the way he feels he and his wife have been treated . He booked her in for respite care at Avon Lodge Care Centre in Bristol while he went on a break to the Gambia on February 5,

Summary: Ousman Jatta married to wife Beryl 13 years ago after meeting in Gambia . Couple lived in Africa until 2006 when Mrs Jatta became ill with dementia and they moved to Bristol . Mr Jatta took wife to care home in February when he went to Africa . But he says Bristol City Council have not allowed her to return home .


Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has claimed there is no crisis at Anfield despite successive morale-sapping defeats by rivals Manchester United and Arsenal. Saturday's 4-1 defeat at the Emirates left Liverpool off the pace for the Champions League places and it seems that Wednesday's FA Cup quarter-final replay at Blackburn now represents the Merseyside club's best chance of making tangible progress this season. But speaking at Melwood on Monday morning, Rodgers denied suggestions that a training-ground meeting on Sunday was designed to quell dissent among his players. Daniel Sturridge (left) and Raheem Sterling are in stitches as they share a joke in training on Monday . Mamadou Sakho (left) and Emre Can were also in jovial mood as Liverpool prepared for Blackburn . Captain Steven Gerrard listens in as Brendan Rodgers addresses his players at Melwood . Gerrard smiles as he chats to team-mate and fellow Liverpudlian Rickie Lambert . 'We have lots of meetings in terms of analysing things and it was no different to a host of meetings,' said Rodgers. 'Those are the meetings which allowed us to recover from a bad start this season. 'It was nothing, just analysing performance, looking where we're at. 'We have seven Barclays Premier League games to go and an FA Cup quarter-final. We know what our objectives are. 'I have a great bunch of players who tirelessly give me everything. Italian striker Mario Balotelli looks in thoughtful mood at the session on Monday morning . Rodgers has insisted his side are not in crisis despite two successive defeats against their rivals . Fabio Borini has a laugh with coach Mike Marsh ahead of the FA Cup quarter-final replay at Ewood Park . 'We might be short in certain elements but in terms of commitment and work ethic, that's been pretty clear since I have been here.' Liverpool head to Ewood Park on Tuesday night without suspended trio Steven Gerrard, Martin Skrtel and Emre Can. Rodgers believes his team have the mental strength to cope, though. 'We will go there focused and desperate to play after the disappointment of the weekend,' added Rodgers. 'It's Important to have this game quickly after losing. Brendan Rodgers catches the ball during Liverpool's 4-1 defeat by Arsenal on Saturday . Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet screams at defender Kolo Toure after another goal is conceded . The fallout from Raheem Sterling's controversial interview overshadowed the build-up to the Arsenal game . Liverpool will be without Emre Can on Tuesday night after the German was sent off at the Emirates . 'The group is committed to winning this trophy but Blackburn will be tough for us. 'We are where we are. We're in fifth and up to now this season has been an up-and-down one. 'We have a lot of young players still adapting and learning, unfortunately. It's not a mental barrier. 'It's something we need to keep working at as a team. It's a very difficult challenge when you look at the four above us in the league.'

Summary: Liverpool seven points off fourth place after 4-1 defeat by Arsenal . Reds take on Blackburn in FA Cup quarter-final replay on Tuesday night . Manager Brendan Rodgers insists the club are not in crisis .


Chris Smalling says Manchester United have Arsenal and Chelsea in their sights following their resounding victory over champions Manchester City. United are third, eight points behind leaders Chelsea, who they face on Saturday and play second placed Arsenal in their penultimate league game. Smalling scored United's fourth goal in their 4-2 derby demolition. It means he has now scored the same amount of Premier League goals this season as former teammate Danny Welbeck at Arsenal with four. Chris Smalling showed his hunger to beat a lethargic City defence to Ashley Young's free-kick . Smalling is greeted by Juan Mata following his goal in Manchester United's impressive win over their rivals . He said: 'It’s massive [to win six in a row]. I think a lot of people probably saw our fixtures as the hardest of the lot, but if you play teams like Tottenham and Liverpool and win, they’re real six-pointers. It makes a massive difference, and I think confidence comes from beating these top teams. 'We weren’t ourselves in the first 15 minutes, but we dominated from there on. 'We came in at half-time and Giggsy said it was a good show of character to come back from a goal down, but in the second half we needed to get the ball down and take a few more risks. Mata once again showed his value to the side and pointed the way with a display full of energy and poise . 'We were a bit cautious and didn’t try to play out [from the back] too much, but in the second half we really kicked on and made a print on the game. Smalling ghosted into the area unmarked to head Ashley Young's free-kick past Joe Hart on 73 minutes. Wayne Rooney leaps onto Marouane Fellaini's back after United took the lead through the big Belgian . 'I wanted to try to get a run on early; I was ready to pop up and it finished the game,' he added. 'I think today put us up another step and I think we’re on a roll; we can look up the table and not behind us. 'You could sense even from the warm-up that the atmosphere was going to be special. We lost against City earlier in the season so today was massive and I think the fans really stuck with us.' All of United's outfield players celebrate as they gave noisy neighbours Manchester City .

Summary: Chris Smalling scored as Manchester United beat rivals Manchester City . Win sends Louis van Gaal's side four points clear of the Citizens in third . Manchester United now sit just one point of Arsenal who occupy second . Smalling is confident of chasing down both them and leaders Chelsea . READ: Five things Van Gaal has done to transform United's results .


A mother-of-two who was abused by her own father throughout her childhood has spoken out after he was jailed for 22 years. Mandy Greenwood, 39, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, said: 'My dad used to tell me he only did it because he loved me. I was more like his wife than his daughter. 'Now he's in jail the sense of freedom and relief is incredible. He can never hurt another child again.' Brave: Mandy Greenwood has spoken out about the father who abused her as a child . Mandy carried the terrible secret around with her for more than 20 years – and it was only after she confided in her husband, Dave, that she felt strong enough to seek help. She has waived her right to anonymity in the hope that other victims of abuse will come forward too. Mandy's abuse began at the age of seven, when her father, Keith Whitworth, now 61, came into her bedroom and woke her up during the night. What began as touching became rape on an almost daily basis. Mandy said: 'I would cry myself to sleep each night. There was nobody for me to confide in. I felt so alone and so sad. I wasn't close to my mum at all. 'Sometimes he would take me to the park – what seemed like a nice trip out – but he would abuse me then too. Guilty: Keith Whitworth has been jailed for 22 years for a catalogue of abuse against three children . 'He would tell me: 'I'm only doing this because I love you.' 'In my child's mind, I thought of myself as his wife rather than his daughter.' As a child, Mandy was given a choice at bedtime; she could either go to bed early or take a beating with her father's belt. She said: 'My siblings would go to bed but I would take the belt because I didn't want to go to bed. I was scared of going to bed. 'It was a no-win situation and it was only as an adult that I realised how twisted and cruel he was.' New family: Mandy escaped home life by getting pregnant with her daughter at 15, and son four years later . In a desperate effort to escape her home life, Mandy became pregnant. At 15, she had a daughter, and four years later she had a son. She said: 'To me, sex was nothing special. It was a dirty, unpleasant thing. I wanted a baby because I needed my own family. 'When my daughter was born, I felt a surge of love and happiness that I had never experienced before. I left home and I was determined to be a good mum. It was my focus in life.' Mandy did not return home and the abuse stopped. But her father lived nearby and she saw him on a regular basis. She said: 'At first, I tried to keep a friendly relationship, for the sake of appearances. But he was very touchy-feely – always pushing the boundaries. 'The abuse was

Summary: Keith Whitworth was jailed for 22 years in 2013 for abusing three children . One of the victims was his daughter Mandy Greenwood, now 39 . Mandy, from Greater Manchester, was raped almost daily as a child . The mother-of-two has spoken out to try and help other victims of abuse .