A seal found in a farmer’s field before Christmas remains unwell, the RSPCA has said.
The young adult grey seal, now named Dumbledore, was admitted to RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre for specialist treatment after he was found in a field in Merseyside on December 22. Since he was admitted to the centre, he has undergone X-rays and been treated with antibiotics in an attempt to cure his pneumonia but he is still unwell.
Alison Charles, manager of RSPCA East Winch, said: “Poor Dumbledore is still very poorly but we are doing everything we can to improve his condition. At the moment he is still on antibiotics for pneumonia and has little appetite but we are hoping he will start to make an improvement soon. We have changed his antibiotics in the hope that will make a difference.”
Mandarin lessons for Mancunians
Chinese visitors flying into the UK could soon be hearing a version of Mancunian Mandarin.
Manchester Airport is offering free Mandarin lessons to unemployed local people to help them get jobs at the airport following the influx of Chinese visitors since the start of new Hong Kong flights.
To help ensure the Chinese get a proper northern welcome, some of the phrases that will be taught include the Mandarin equivalent of Mancunian sayings such as: “Mad for it”, “You all right, our kid?” “That’s well mint that” (that’s really good) and “Do you fancy getting some scran (food)?”
Abandoned dog up for adoption
People from as far afield as the US have been offering to adopt a dog which was left at a railway station with a suitcase of his belongings.
The Scottish SPCA has been deluged with well over 100 calls from people offering a new home for shar-pei crossbreed Kai, who was abandoned at Ayr station in South Ayrshire in a tale similar to that of Paddington Bear.
He was discovered tied to a railing outside the building accompanied by the case containing items including a pillow, toy, food and a bowl. His story has hit the headlines around the world, from the US to Hong Kong, and the charity has had calls from people in California and Tennessee offering to take him in.
Chips are down as McDonald’s side
Forget the French fries. How about a side of yuca with that Big Mac?
Venezuela’s more than 100 McDonald’s franchises have run out of potatoes and are now serving alternatives such as deep-fried arepa flatbreads or yuca, a starchy staple of the country’s traditional cooking.
McDonald’s franchisers blame a contract dispute with west coast dock workers for halting the export of frozen fries to the country, though Venezuela is the only country in the region to be affected so far. Many Venezuelans assume the shortage is one of many caused by government currency controls.
The US Potato Board says overall Venezuelan imports of frozen fries have dropped sharply this year.
Officer pockets money from meters
A New York parking enforcement officer has been sentenced to jail for stealing more than $90,000 from meters.
Jeffrey Daday wore his Mount Kisco village uniform while depositing $190 to $600 at a time, usually in quarters, into his bank account, authorities said. The thefts occurred over five years, until May 2014. Daday, of North Salem, has been sentenced to up to six months in the county jail followed by four and a half years’ probation.
Suspicious bank workers alerted police to Daday’s deposits.
Investigators then put him under surveillance and he was seen emptying coins from meters into his trouser pocket. He pleaded guilty in September to grand larceny and offering a false instrument for filing.