JOHN NOAKES R.I.P

When i was growing up i used to watch the cult childern,s show BLUE PETER and one of my favorite presenters was JOHN NOAKES  who in this show for twelve and half years -1965-1978.He was famous for doing daredevil stunts like climbing nelsons column in Trafalgar square ,crashing a bobsled,leaping fro a plane to free fall 5 miles.He had a real on screen chemistry with resident collie co star -SHEP -who died in 1987 -and would say on many a show get down shep which became a bit of a catchphrase .

Rare WHITE sparrow snapped in Wales

The unique feathered creature was spotted hopping around and being fed by its mother in Newport, South Wales, by hobby photographer Claire Griffiths.

The stunning white bird could be mistaken for an albino, but the 46-year-old believes it has a condition called Leucism which only affects the pigment in its skin and feathers giving it its white hue. -READ MORE

WELL DONE EDDIE HALL WORLDS STRONGEST MAN

Eddie Hall has become the first Briton in 24 years to be crowned the World’s Strongest Man as he beat runner-up Hafthor Julius Bjornsson – better known as The Mountain from TV show Game of Thrones.

Hall, who is nicknamed The Beast – made history by winning the competition in Botswana on Sunday.

The 31-stone strongman came out on top in the squat lift, Viking press and deadlift rounds on the way to winning the title.-read more

NEW FITNESS FAD MADNESS

If  you are willing to try yet another fitness fad method please consider the following -BUGGY BOOTCAMP -in which new mums can use their babies as weights no for me .

man lives with magpie

Baa-humbug! Scientists develop face test for sad sheep

LONDON -- They may look placid while grazing in fields but sheep's faces can tell us a lot, according to scientists in Britain who have developed a new system to work out if sheep are in pain or just feeling sad.

The test is based on 500 photos of sheep collected by veterinarians and used to design an algorithm by researchers at Cambridge University that measures five key markers of ovine facial expressions.

When sheep are in pain their eyes narrow, their cheeks tighten, their ears fold forwards, their lips pull down and back and their nostrils change from a U shape to a V shape, according to the scientists.

They now hope to extend the test to other species, including horses, rabbits and some rodents.

By installing cameras in sheep pens, the scientists hope the test will help farmers spot injuries or illnesses early on and find treatment.-read more

Giant sloth remains found in Los Angeles

Fossils found by workers digging a tunnel for a new railway line in Los Angeles have been identified as the remains of a giant sloth and a bison.

The "amazing discovery" of a sloth's hip bone and a fragment of a bison's radius bone was made about 16ft (5m) below ground in Park Mesa Heights.

Scientists say the Harlan's Ground Sloth could have weighed 1,500lb (680kg), and been up to 10ft in length.

The sloth and bison species have been extinct for at least 10,000 years.-read more