Odd news

RAMPAGING COW

Police had to catch an unusual suspect on the run after a cow broke out of its field, charging through fences of three back gardens before it was finally cornered.

Nottinghamshire Police said it was "extremely lucky" nobody was injured after the cow escaped from a field in Bassingfield, Notts, and went on an hour-long rampage.

A spokesman said the animal broke through an electric fence at about 12.30pm and got on to the A52, heading towards West Bridgford, police said. Officers tried to corner the cow but it charged at them, causing one to "take evasive action" to avoid injury. It was finally cornered, calmed down and put in a trailer.

XMAS GIFTS

A selection of pens made of wood found on the wreck site of the Mary Rose are being offered as unusual Christmas gifts to raise funds for a new museum to house the Tudor warship.

A limited edition of 200 pens has been created using oak, beech, elm, boxwood and poplar timber all found on the seabed of the Solent close to the wreck of Henry VIII's flagship.

Each pen is marked with a unique number beginning with "MR", to signify it was recovered from the Mary Rose wreck site, although the wood is not believed to have come from the ship or its artefacts. The Mary Rose Trust hopes to raise £50,000 from the sale of the pens towards the £35 million needed to build the new museum at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Hampshire.

ANCIENT CROCODILE

A species of crocodile that lived 100 million years ago has been identified from a fossil found in Thailand, researchers said.

Komsorn Lauprasert, a scientist at Mahasarakham University, said the species had longer legs than modern-day crocodiles and probably fed on fish, based on the characteristics of its teeth.

The species has been named Khoratosuchus Jintasakuli, after Korat province, and the last name of the director of the Northeastern Research Institute of Petrified Wood and Mineral Resources, Pratueng Jintasakul. The finding was published by The Geological Society of London.

SWIMSUIT REBUKE

Singapore has rebuked its national water polo team for wearing swimming trunks that feature an "inappropriate" likeness of the city-state's flag.

The trunks, which were designed by members of the men's team currently competing in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, show the flag's white crescent moon jutting up from the groin area with five stars to the side on a red background.

COURT BREAK-IN

The Seremban court complex in Malaysia has been broken into again, three months after a similar incident.

Only personal belongings of a few court officials were missing as well as some petty cash from one of the ground floor offices.

Court proceedings were delayed as police forensics unit officers conducted investigations. The court complex is next to the Seremban police headquarters.

DRIVING BAN

The Czech Republic now has a transport minister without a driving licence.

Vit Barta has been banned from driving for six months and fined for using a false licence plate on his car.

Transport Ministry spokesman Tomas Dombrovsky said the ban and fine of 5000 koruna (£177) came after Barta was found driving his Maserati home from his wedding in July.

He had lost his original plate while driving on a rugged dirt road and was using a false one to replace it. That is illegal in the Czech Republic.