Lester Atherfold, 67, from New Zealand, trimmed the 10ft long British classic car to a mere 7ft 10ins.He sliced 2ft from the middle, narrowed the chassis, and fitted a new transmission, sub-frame, clutch and dashboard.Mr Atherfold, of Napier, bought the 1964 Mini 850 for the equivalent of £200 in 1988.He said: “It’s fantastic. It gives us total freedom from the motor home when we are away on holiday.“The Mini was the only car in the world that would fit in the motor home, all the others were too big and tall.“We can see and do things that would otherwise be impossible. What other car would fit under your bed?” — Reuters.
COCK UPA BRITISH baker has revealed his pies contained Viagra after a batch was stolen by thieves on the way to a pie eating competition.The pies were stolen en route to the World Pie Eating Championships in Wigan, reports Metro.Baker Vince Bowen says they all contained traces of the pharmaceutical sex aid, which he used as a preservative to keep the potatoes firm.The event’s organiser and bar-owner, Tony Callaghan, told locals to be on the look-out for a group of “hardened criminals”.Mr Callaghan said: “It’s a right cock-up. It’s going to be very hard to sort this one out.”The world famous pie-eating championships have long made use of special ingredients.The bakery came up with the idea of using Viagra after over-mushy potatoes led to record-breaking times in 2007. — Reuters.DISABILITY NOT INABILITYA CHINESE woman with no legs who taught herself to walk on two stools has brought up more than 130 orphaned children.Xu Yuehua, 55, lost her legs at the age of 12 when she was hit by a train while gathering coal by the railway.She also lost both parents during childhood and was eventually taken in by the Xiangtan Orphan’s House, Hunan Province, when she was 17.It was in the orphanage where she taught herself to walk using stools and started to work, helping out with the other children.Xu helped with washing, feeding, changing nappies, cleaning and even making shoes for the orphans.Over the past 37 years, Xu has worn out more than 40 stools, and brought up more than 130 orphans, who all call her Big Mum. — Orange news.
‘HUSBAND’ IS A WOMANAN INDIAN woman lived with her “husband” for a year before finally discovering that “he” was really a “she”.Minati Khatua, 26, of Rourkela, says she and her family were completely taken in by Sitakant Routray, 28.“He had impressed everyone in my family and they willingly agreed to our marriage,” she said.As is traditional in India, Sitakant received a substantial dowry including an Indica car, gold ornaments and more than £350 in cash. But Minati grew suspicious after the wedding when Sitakant avoided any physical contact on the pretext of a religious vow.“I would try hard to find out and confirm his gender but failed repeatedly,” she told the Calcutta Telegraph.“However, one day I managed to force open the bathroom door when he was having a bath. My worst fears came true. He was a woman.” Inspector Jyotirmaya Hota confirmed that police were investigating the case.— Orange news.
