Downing Street denied any security breach after Prime Minister David Cameron left his official ministerial box on a train table while he was travelling to a wedding.
A fellow passenger took a photo of the well-worn red box – with the key in the lock – while the Prime Minister was in another part of the train.
“It was just sitting there. I could probably have run off with it if I’d wanted to,” he told the Mirror, which published the snap on its front page.
But Downing Street insisted the box was “not left unattended” as the Premier’s security detail “was there at all times”.
The photo was taken on Saturday as Cameron – fresh from the fraught G20 summit in Russia – took the train from King’s Cross, London, to York to attend his sister-in-law’s wedding. (PA)
Wife’s ‘rubbish’ advice ignored
A man who ignored his wife’s request to bin a dirty piece of metal he found in a field has been toasting his instincts after it was declared to be a rare, silver Viking ring.
Instead of throwing away the dirt-encrusted object, David Taylor from County Down, Northern Ireland, gave it a good wash and phoned the nearest museum to ask advice.
Almost 18 months on, the grimy object he spotted lying on a stone in his brother-in-law Andrew Coutler’s freshly ploughed field near Kircubbin on the Ards peninsula has been officially ruled to be treasure. The bracelet-shaped artefact, which has been dated back to between 950 and 1100 AD, will now go for valuation by experts at the UK Treasure Valuation Committee. (PA)
Cyclist’s lost months in Andes
A 58-year-old man from Uruguay has been rescued in good health after spending four months lost in the Andes.
The provincial emergency service says Raul Fernando Gomez was found yesterday.
He had lost about 45lbs and was dehydrated, and is being treated in hospital. Officials say Gomez was reported missing in May while trying to cycle across the Andes between Chile and Argentina. They quoted him as saying his bicycle broke down and he tried to finish his trek on foot, but became disoriented by two heavy snowfalls.
He told the authorities in Argentina that he lived off sugar and raisins he had with him and food left in mountain shelters.
He also said that he ate rats which he trapped. (PA)
Farmers offer marijuana tour
Farmers in Jamaica are offering marijuana tours to tourists visiting the country.
The technically illegal journeys to some of the island’s hidden cannabis plantations let them sample such strains as “purple kush” and “pineapple skunk.”
The tours pass through localities like Nine Mile, the tiny hometown of reggae legend, and famous pot-lover, Bob Marley. (PA)
US judge hit with toilet lid
A judge in America was choked and hit on the head with a toilet lid as he locked up his court after a hearing.
Police in the New York state village of Waterloo say acting Judge Roger Barto was attacked from behind with the lid, which had been placed in a nearby skip during building renovations.
He had been presiding over an arraignment for serious traffic violations, but police are not connecting it to the beating. (PA)
Airbus skids off Bangkok runway
An Airbus A330-300 airliner belonging to Thai Airways skidded off the runway while landing at Bangkok’s main airport, injuring 14 passengers.
The airline said that flight from Guangzhou, China, had a “glitch” in its wheel base while landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport late on Sunday.
“After touchdown at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the landing gear malfunctioned and caused the aircraft to skid off the runway.
“Sparks were noticed from the vicinity of the right landing gear near the engine; the matter is under investigation,” Thai Airways President Sorajak Kasemsuvan said.
“The captain took control of the aircraft until it came to a complete stop and passengers were evacuated from the aircraft emergency exits.”
A Thai Airways spokesman said that the passengers who were injured were taken to hospital. (AP)