World Briefs

A "remarkable" dog had a lucky escape after jumping off a 300 foot- cliff and landing in the sea below.

Poppy the springer spaniel ran over the edge of the clifftop during a walk in East Sussex, UK. She plunged into the water but survived and managed to swim to shore where she waited until a RNLI crew arrived.

Stephen Winslade, who was taking Poppy out for some exercise, saw her run to the edge of the cliff and disappear. He said: "I think she ran so fast there was no chance of her stopping. I threw myself down and looked over the edge and saw her paddling. I could see there was a beach she was heading for."

Mr Winslade raised the alarm on his mobile phone and a boat was launched to rescue the spaniel from the beach underneath the cliff. Poppy was then taken on board the main lifeboat and wrapped in a blanket. She was treated for a partially collapsed lung but has now made a full recovery. (PA)

10-year-olds deny rape

Two 10-year-old boys denied raping a girl under the age of 13 when they appeared in a UK court yesterday.

The allegation refers to an incident in a park in Hayes, west London, on October 27.

The boys, who appeared before Judge Richard McGregor-Johnson at Isleworth Crown Court, west London, were each charged with two counts of rape and two counts of attempted rape.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges and were released on conditional bail to appear at the Old Bailey on May 10 for trial. (PA)

'Pay-as-you-die' council tax

Poor British pensioners could face pressure to join a "pay as you die" council tax scheme, the Tories claimed yesterday, under what they said were government plans for another "death tax".

The Opposition said a deferment scheme being piloted in Northern Ireland could be extended to England if Labour won a fourth term at the general election.

Under the measures, older people can choose to stop paying local rates - with the outstanding bill, plus interest, collected when their property is sold or they die.

And shadow communities secretary Caroline Spelman suggested it would be applied to council tax as well - turning it into a "second inheritance tax". (PA)

Of mice and men

The mayor of an Austrian town has been sent two dead mice in a chocolate box.

Ansfelden Mayor Walter Ernhard also got an anonymous, hand-written letter that contained personal insults.

Police are trying to track down the sender, whom they suspect is a man from the same town in Upper Austria. (PA)

Escorted trips for pampered toys

A newly formed Czech travel agency is offering escorted trips for pampered toys. Send them your favourite animal and they will whisk it around the sights of Prague, taking photographs of it against backgrounds like Prague Castle or the Charles Bridge.

The Toy Travelling agency was pitched to a panel of local businessmen for a TV reality show "Den D" by 22-year-old decorator Marek Hlavka last week.

In the past week, the venture's website sendyourdarling.com has logged over 15,000 visitors. "We are very surprised with such a massive interest from clients both from here and from abroad - we really did not expect that," Mr Hlavka said in an email.

Requests have been made by toy owners, asking for pictures of their stuffed animals enjoying a picnic or a massage. The cost ranges from €90 to €150. (Reuters)

About time

A family heirloom gold watch stolen in 1959 has found its way back to the owner. It was discovered on top of a rubbish pile in North Fort Myers, Florida by a worker.

The name "John Iwanacki" was engraved on the back and the man found relatives of the same name in the phone book. Police have no idea how the watch got there. (PA)

Dwarf dinosaurs

An island of "dwarf dinosaurs" which was only a theory for 100 years really did exist, scientists announced. The idea of the small prehistoric beasts on Hateg Island, Romania, was proposed 100 years ago by the colourful Baron Franz Nopcsa, whose family owned estates in the area.

He found many dinosaur remains on Hateg were half the size of their close relatives in older rocks in England, Germany, and North America. (PA)