A painting that was missing for almost a century is expected to fetch a six-figure sum at auction when it is offered for sale alongside work by some of the biggest names in 20th century British art.

John Duncan Fergusson’s Poise had not been seen since it was exhibited in London in 1918 until it was found by its present owners, a brother and sister, who were clearing the attic of their home. The work, by the experimental Scottish painter, dates back to 1916 and is valued at around €127,000.

It will be offered for sale in the Modern British and Irish art sale at Christie’s in central London next month.

Also included in the sale are several works by sculptor Henry Moore, including a maquette for Curved Mother and Child which was previously owned by Oscar-winning actress Lauren Bacall, and LS lowry’s Coal Barge (pictured).

Pet’s plight led to ‘halo’ invention

A Los Angeles woman made a promise when her dog fell ill and its vision started to dim: if her toy poodle lived, she would help it overcome any disabilities and give a paw up to other pooches.

Silvie Bordeaux kept that vow after Muffin survived a cancer scare but lost his sight. She created Muffin’s Halo Guide for Blind Dogs, a device that encircles a dog’s head and prevents blind pets from running into walls and furniture.

The halo is made of lightweight copper tubing that attaches to cloth wings and a harness fitted around the neck and chest.

Bordeaux’s devices range in price from about €50 to €100, and come in different designs, such as angel’s wings, butterflies and sports strips. “They can eat and sleep and play and run with it on,” she said. “It’s like their superpowers.”

Bumper Christmas for gadget fans

More money is expected to be spent this Christmas on gadgets like smartwatches and fitness trackers than ever before.

Some devices might be particularly useful – according to a report, €36 million of the Christmas 2014 wearable spend will be on devices that track movement, heart rate and calories burnt throughout the day.

Research commissioned by technology giant Samsung says it expects spending on technology to wear on wrists, heads and beyond to increase by 182 per cent this Christmas, compared to last year. In the UK alone, the firm forecasts that around €130 million will be spent on wearables this Christmas.

Worms wriggle out of trip to space

A consignment of worms was among the cargo lost when a supply rocket exploded over Virginia after taking off for the International Space Station.

Eighteen groups of students had science projects on board the rocket, including a team from the Urban Promise Academy in Oakland, California, who were testing red worms to turn garbage into compost in space.

Urban Promise student Cithlali Hernandez said the explosion surprised her and she admitted she was sad thinking about the worms dying. No humans were injured when Orbital Sciences’ unmanned Antares rocket blew up moments after lift-off from Wallops Island on the Virginia coast.

‘Fed up’ fan took a 130-mile hike

A US man who went missing during a game of American football later told police he walked out because he had had “his fill of football”.

Paul Kitterman left his seat at half time during Denver Broncos’ NFL match with San Diego Chargers at Sports Authority Field. His stepson reported him missing, and friends and family scoured the stadium and searched Denver for him.

The 53-year-old was found two days later in Pueblo, a town 130 miles away in southern Colorado, and told police he had walked and hitchhiked there. Police in Pueblo said he looked tired but was otherwise unharmed.

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