DAVID ADAMS reports on the odder side of life…
Website of the World Coal Carrying Championships.
• UK farmer Andrew Corrigan snared the World Coal Carrying Championship trophy on Easter Monday after carrying a 50 kilogram sack of coal 1,012 metres in a time of just four minutes and 31 seconds (not far off the record time of four minutes, six seconds, set by David Jones of Meltham). The race dates back to 1963 when two locals got into an argument in the town of Gawthorpe’s Beehive Inn over who was the fittest. Credit too, due to 19-year-old Gabrielle Oldroyd who reportedly completed the race (women carry a 20 kilogram sack over the same distance) after having a kidney transplant nine years ago. Contestants took part from as far afield as the US, New Zealand and Norway.
• The mayor of a Romanian town located in a region famous for its association with the fictional Count Dracula and not-so-fictional 15th century Vlad the Impaler has offered Prince Charles the honorary title of Prince of Transylvania. The mayor of the Transylvanian town of Alba Iulia apparently made the offer because of Prince Charles’ promotion of the region. Prince Charles has previously boasted that he shares a bloodline with the notorious Prince Vlad and is a regular visit to Romania where he owns property. There’s no news whether Prince Charles has accepted as yet but if he does, it will sit alongside his many other titles – including Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Lord of the Isles and Great Steward of Scotland.
• A UK family received a shock recently when they found a cow in their swimming pool. The Bigge family, who live in Dorset, reportedly watched the calf wander into their yard from a neighbouring field and then fall into the pool as it sought a drink. A neighbour lassoed the cow and led it to the shallow end so it could stand before the fire service pulled it to safety. All in a night’s work.
