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  1. Blackleaf

    Racehorse trainer travels to his local pub on the back of a zebra

    Most people stumbling out of the pub having drunk a pint too many of Old Speckled Hen, Town Crier or Bishop's Finger or a bottle too many of Old Slug or Cromwell's Hat would probably blame the sight of a man riding past on a zebra on drunkenness. But if the pub happens to be in Sherborne...
  2. Blackleaf

    The gigolo, his madam and the horse that changed history

    If you're a fan of horseracing, then maybe this article will interest you. The Derby, one of the world's greatest horseraces, took place on Friday. And to celebrate the event, lets look at the story of Eclipse, one of the world's greatest racehorses. Eclipse was so-called as he was born...
  3. Blackleaf

    The Boll Weevils, the Beatals, The Arkansas Rollers - now that's what I call music!

    Have you ever wondered where the name of your favourite band comes from? Why did The Rolling Stones call themselves The Rolling Stones? Did they sit around, having a few beers, desperately trying to come up with a name? In fact, it appears most of the world's most famous bands acquired...
  4. Blackleaf

    So sorry Monsieur Sarkozy and Mr Obama, D-Day was a very BRITISH triumph

    The way the Americans and French react - re-writing history to exaggerate their contribution to the events of 6th June 1944 and other events of WWII - you would think that the British (and the Canadians) were scarcely involved in D-Day. Whether or not this stems from embarrassment at the fact...
  5. Blackleaf

    2010 World Cup qualifier: Europe's most potent attack destroys Kazakhstan

    England travelled to the vast nation of Kazakhstan to play their sixth match in the 2010 World Cup qualifier. Before last night, England topped Group 6 after winning all five of their games so far, and they looked to extend their 100% record in Almaty last night. Kazakhstan is the world's...
  6. Blackleaf

    World Twenty20 shocks: England clogged by Holland and Australia blown away by Windies

    This shortened version of the elegant game may make it more likely for the minnows to beat the big boys, but that can be of no consolation to England and Australia. The second World Twenty20 - the World Cup of the shortened, 20 overs version of the game - has started with a bang. The first...
  7. Blackleaf

    Black Sabbath are the inspiration behind Arctic Monkeys' new album

    The Arctic Monkeys are releasing their new album in August. And it's been revealed that the band have taken inspiration from British heavy metal giants Black Sabbath. The four-piece have been working with Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme on the record. The BBC Psychedelia...
  8. Blackleaf

    Pictured: The moment Royal Navy captured Somali pirate gang after cat-and-mouse chase

    These are the amazing scenes after the Royal Navy frigate HMS Portland managed to capture ten suspected Somali pirates. The warship chased the pirates across the Indian Ocean until its finally captured them in the Guld of Aden. The pirates had no choice but to surrender having come...
  9. Blackleaf

    Stop the pigeon! Stray bird is out for a duck as cricketer's throw hits it in flight

    Cricket is a gentle, summer sport, not known for its high rate of fatalities. So when a death does happen, it is fairly unusual. But that's no consolation for this poor pigeon. Yorkshire and Lancashire are two counties that hate each other with a passion, their rivalry is intense and there...
  10. Blackleaf

    Kebabs and chips: How photographer took incredible close-ups of London's wildlife

    The pigeon is not exactly the most loved animal, being seen as a pest and crowding in huge numbers in places such as London's Trafalgar Square. But photographer Simon de Glanville loves them. Simon has used scraps of food to take incredible pictures of London's pigeons. But, more recently...
  11. Blackleaf

    Get miaow out of here! Terrified kitten stuck 70ft up a tree saved from angry crows

    Usually it's cats going after birds. But on this occasion, the tables were turned. Holly, a hapless feline who got stuck 70ft up a tree, was helpless as a group of crows started pecking at her. Poor Holly could do nothing but cling on for dear life - without food and water in temperatures...
  12. Blackleaf

    Cricket: Team guide to the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 slugfest

    Cricket fans around the world are preparing for cricket's Twenty20 World Cup. The first World Twenty20 was held in South Africa in 2007. India beat Pakistan in the Final. England host this year's tournament. If you like baseball (which is inferior to cricket in so many ways) and think...
  13. Blackleaf

    Cricket: The Jocky Horror Show: Unconvincing England defeat the Scots

    England is hosting this year's cricket Twenty20 World Cup. Twenty20 is the shortest form of the game, where matches last for just one innings and each teams bowls 20 overs. It differs from One Day matches in that One Day matches are the same but with both teams bowling 50 overs, and it is...
  14. Blackleaf

    Giant jellyfish invades Earth... in the form of a mysterious crop circle

    It's crop circle season in Britain again. And the usual bizarre shapes have appeared in farmers' fields, mostly in Wiltshire. But there's a world first. A crop circle in the shape of a JELLYFISH has appeared in a field in Kingstone Coombes, Oxfordshire. It is a whopping 600 feet long, from...
  15. Blackleaf

    Were 50 orange UFOs seen above Liverpool and Lincoln caused by HMS Daring?

    Hundreds of onlookers in two British cities and a town have been looking to the sky in amazement over the last three weeks at up to 50 mysterious orange balls of light. The balls were spotted over Lincoln, Liverpool and Huntingdon. The lights were also spotted in neighbouring Holland. But...
  16. Blackleaf

    Tour of South Africa: British Lions narrowly defeat Royal XV

    Great Britain and Ireland got off to a winning start on their tour of South Africa - but only just. It wasn't a convincing display by the Lions, and they almost suffered their first defeat in an opening tour match since 1971 when they lost 15-11 to Queensland Reds. The British and Irish...
  17. Blackleaf

    Spain grabs miles of British waters to carry out 'environmental protection'

    Spain is still at it regarding Gibraltar. Last week, the Royal Navy vessel HMS Sabre, a Scimitar-class fast patrol boat, which has been a part of the Gibraltar squadron since 2003, chased away a Spanish warship out of Gibraltarean - and British - waters (it doesn't bode well for Spain if all...
  18. Blackleaf

    Battle of Britain hero Sir Douglas Bader honoured with blue plaque

    Last week, Sir Ranulph Fiennes became the oldest Briton to climb Mount Everest. This week, another archetypal British hero is being honoured. Sir Richard Branson today unveiled an English Heritage blue plaque to honour Douglas Bader, a hero of the Battle of Britain. In 1931, Douglas Bader...
  19. Blackleaf

    Big Ben celebrates its 150th birthday

    Big Ben celebrates its 150th birthday today. Contrary to popular belief, Big Ben is not the clock tower but merely the great bell of the clock (but that's being pedantic). The clock tower is St Stephen's Tower. But, if you consider Big Ben to also be the clock (as many people do) then today...
  20. Blackleaf

    Madonna, Kate Hudson and LL Cool J watch Prince Harry play polo in New York

    US celebrities flocked to see Prince Harry play a charity polo match in New York yesterday. The prince hoped to raise £100,000 for the American Friends of Sentebale, the US arm of his charity that supports Aids orphans in Lesotho. Prince Harry's team won 6-5. It is Prince Harry's first...