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20 July 2022

This England: Running on empty

This column – which, though named after a line in Shakespeare’s “Richard II”, refers to the whole of Britain – has run in the NS since 1934.

By New Statesman

A police force is struggling to keep officers on the road because its new fleet of electric vehicles keeps running out of charge.

Chris Nelson, the police and crime commissioner for Gloucestershire, said: “I’ve heard of officers driving around in electric vehicles and having problems trying to find recharging facilities. Running out of puff and then having to get another vehicle.”
i (Peter Willmott)

Moo-ving on

Passengers awaiting their train at Pollokshaws West station in Glasgow were joined by an unlikely traveller on Monday: a young bull.

The animal, which had wandered on to the platform in the evening thanks to some loose fencing, was caught on CCTV appearing to look at the train times.

A ScotRail spokesperson said: “We’re not sure if this customer was trying to get to Cowdenbeef or not. We’re happy to confirm the wee coo is safe.”
Aberdeen Press & Journal (Ron Grant)

Ninth life

A cat that has been missing for six years has been rescued from a building site in Banbury.

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Cherwell Cats Protection said: “His owners were contacted and they were over the moon as Sam had been missing for six years. He escaped soon after they moved house. They showered him and he loves being clean, fed and loved again. He is loving having his real life back and it’s as though he has never been away.”
Banbury Guardian (Nancy Collinge)

[See also: This England: better late than never]

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This article appears in the 20 Jul 2022 issue of the New Statesman, The Broken Party