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12 October 2022

This England: A home for hogs

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 home for hogs

A village where residents have drilled holes in their fences to create wildlife corridors for hedgehogs has won a national award.

Dale Road in Nottinghamshire has been named Britain’s Biggest Hedgehog Street by two wildlife charities. Residents said they were thrilled at the news.

BBC East Midlands (Hilary Patrick)

[See also: This England: Quack thinking]

Food for free

A pizza fan had the Domino’s logo tattooed on his thigh in a failed bid for some free food.

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Decorator Zak Tucker, 26, of Barnsley, had hoped sharing a snap of his thigh ink online would attract an offer from the chain.

Metro (Michael Meadowcroft)

Fruit fight

A council rejected planting fruit trees in a public place amid fears windfalls could be “used as missiles”.

Work on the Queen’s Green Canopy along Great Yarmouth’s South Quay will not feature apple, plum or pear trees, the borough council decided. A total of 92 “standard” trees will now be planted along the quay.

BBC News: East of England (Catherine Dyer)

[See also: This England: Just desserts]

Potty-mouth parrots

Thieves who stole two parrots from a park may find them squawk-ward to sell because they swear like troopers.

African greys Fozzy and Saucey were snatched from their cage by two men. The birds often told visitors to Saltwell Park in Gateshead to “f**** off” if they got too close. They learned the ripe language from Caesar, a parrot adopted by the park before his potty mouth was noticed, say staff.

Park visitor Mark Swainson, 35, said: “It’s very sad. I hope they’re returned safely.”

Daily Mirror (Daragh Brady)

Each printed entry receives a £5 book token. Entries to comp@newstatesman.co.uk or on a postcard to This England.

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This article appears in the 12 Oct 2022 issue of the New Statesman, Will Putin go Nuclear?