Why can you never find a tonic tanker when you need one?
'200 yds away from 32,000 litres of spilt gin,' wrote a Twitter user. 'Heartbreaking that I don't have a straw.'
Yes, the jokes were flying after a minor lorry 'gincident' on the M6 in Cheshire last night saw 32,000 litres of gin spilt across the carriageways — including the 'sloe' lane.
Nobody was hurt in the crash, and firemen were reportedly on the scene to pump away the gin — which cleared the road and sorted out their Christmas party in one simple step.
A brilliant autumn awaits
Forestry England has predicted an impressive display of autumn colours that will start now and continue through to mid-November.
A spell of very wet weather in mid-June, with some parts of the UK receiving 2.5 times the monthly average rainfall, followed by the abundance of sunshine in July, are the perfect conditions to produce a colourful display in the nation’s woodlands.
There is also great news for our forest wildlife, with experts predicting a bumper year for fruit and nuts.
Carnivorous plants return to Britain
A conservation group is working to boost numbers of the endangered great sundew (drosera anglica).
The plant was once abundant in England, but its numbers have plummeted over the last century due to loss of wetland habitats.
Thanks to Joshua Styles, the founder of the North West Plant initiative, work is being carried out to bring the endangered plant back from the brink.
On this day... Muhammad Ali wins Olympic gold
On September 5, 1960, a young boxer called Cassius Clay wins gold in the light heavyweight boxing at the Olympics in Rome. That boxer would soon change his name to Muhammad Ali and become one of the most influential sportsmen of the 20th century, a man whose influence rippled across America and the world.
Peta advert claiming wool is 'as cruel as fur' is banned
A PETA advert claiming ‘wool is just as cruel as fur’ has been banned.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that the advertisement was misleading and that sheep ‘were not killed for their wool as animals were in the fur industry’.
The authority also referred to government guidance to farmers that sheep should be shorn regularly.
Full story (Country Life)
Homeowners under threat of rising sea levels
Residents on the coast of East Anglia have discussed the encroaching threat of rising sea levels, after communities advised to conduct a ‘managed retreat’ inland, in a paper published in Science.
‘In nature, the most successful animals are not necessarily the biggest and fastest, but the most adaptable to change,’ said one of the homeowners, Juliet Blaxland.
And finally... how eavesdropping helps squirrels stay safe
Apparently they listen out to birds conversations to steer clear of danger — at least somebody has found a practical use for twitter.
Full story (Science Daily)
Country Life Today: Brexit 'turbo-charges' zoo breeding, terrifying barn owls and a royal takeaway
In today's news round-up we bring you an unlikely benefit of Brexit uncertainty, a study into the hunting powers of
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Dawn Chorus: A Blue Plaque for Marc Bolan, holidaying in the Caribbean with Francis Ford Coppola and a history of the National Gallery in 25 picturesPlus the best of the property pages, and how the railways will save the countryside.
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Game, set, match: 12 of the world’s most beautiful tennis courtsFrom Italy to Indonesia, when it comes to hotel amenities, a picturesque tennis court will always trump a 24-hour gym. So, before you book your next holiday, take a look at our pick of the 12 best.
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The brilliant tractor tribute to the NHS from a group of Warwickshire farmersPeople around Britain have been paying tribute to the efforts of our NHS workers at the time of the coronavirus pandemic — but few have been as creative and clever as this one.
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London's iconic red bus at risk and 6,000 year old chewing gum gives clues into our DNA historyCuts to industry subsidies and an increase in fares has left bus use at its lowest point ever, while DNA extracted from ancient 'chewing gum' allows scientists to decipher the genetic code of a Stone Age woman.
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90-million-year-old 'swimming dinosaur' skeleton found by dogs out walking in Somerset, and the nonchalant moths who don't bother fleeing enemiesA superbly intact dinosaur skeleton — described as being 'museum quality' — has been discovered on a beach in Somerset.
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Battle to ban 4x4s from the idyllic Lake District spot bequeathed by Beatrix Potter, eagle fights octopus and the 'snail's pace' climate talksThis morning we look at Little Langdale's fight for peace, reflect on the climate change talks in Madrid and discover the soundtrack for Brexit.
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Country Life Today: How Greta Thunberg shifted the dial on climate change — and the backlash shows just how muchThis morning we ponder whether Greta Thunberg is the Joan of Arc for the environmental movement, look at a key election — one from 19 years ago — and ponder the marvel of 'dad tidying'.
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Country Life Today: Great news for those who love our great country pubs — the years of decline are overThere is a great sign of health in the pub industry, we look back at Edward VIII's abdication message and fret about Greenland's melting ice.
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Country Life Today: Spain accused of being 'a deplorable choice' for UN climate conferenceA no-holds-barred assault on the Spanish fishing industry, Banksy raising awareness of the homeless and the woes of the Christmas jumper are in today's news round-up.
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Country Life Today: 'This is perhaps the ultimate wake-up call from the uncontrolled experiment humanity is unleashing on the world’s oceans'In today's round up, we examine why oxygen loss is putting oceans at risk, discover that action to cut air pollution brings almost immediate benefits to human health and find out which bird's arrival marks the start of winter in Gloucestershire.
