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30 November 2022

This England: Phone home

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 paddleboarder who lost her iPhone at sea was shocked when it was returned almost 500 days later – and worked.

Clare Atfield, 39, was reunited with her phone after a dog walker found it in Eastney.

Metro
(Michael Meadowcroft)

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

Top of the world

A new record has been set by a pet in south-east London as the world’s oldest living cat.

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Flossie, 26, of Orpington, was confirmed as the oldest cat by Guinness World Records, which said she had a human equivalent age of 120 years old. Owner Vicki Green said Flossie was deaf and had failing eyesight, but was still affectionate and playful.

“I knew from the start that Flossie was special,” Ms Green said. “But I didn’t imagine I’d share my home with a Guinness World Records title holder.”

BBC London
(Christopher Rossi)

[See also: This England: Just desserts]

Pasty wars

Greggs has revealed its branch in Cornwall’s county town will open on 6 December – despite hostility in the home of the pasty. Locals in Truro say the shop won’t last and one called it “the devil’s spawn”.

Metro
(Daragh Brady)

Message in a bottle

A bizarre red card for an incident involving a fan overshadowed Warrington Town’s FA Trophy defeat to Guiseley.

Goalkeeper Tony Thompson was sent off after reacting to a fan who had apparently urinated in his water bottle behind the goal.

Eventually the referee decided that Thompson, who had squirted the bottle at the fan in retaliation, had to go.

Warrington Guardian
(Richard Fearn)

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

[See also: This England: Flight of fancy]

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This article appears in the 30 Nov 2022 issue of the New Statesman, World Prince