A bunny born without ears has been given a crocheted pair to help him blend in with his siblings. The four-month-old, named Van Gogh, was born at Smithills Open Farm in Bolton. One of the farmers, who runs a crocheted hair scrunchie business too, created the tiny ears. A spokesperson for the farm said: “We crocheted him some ears for fun, so he could experience what it was like having ears. We thought this was the perfect opportunity to make Van Gogh feel more included.”
Lancs Live (Amanda Welles)
Hounds of Barton
Three “wolves” caught by police officers in Lancashire were in fact German Shepherd dogs rather than fearsome predators. Barton locals had called the police after hearing howls and some thought the dogs were wolves, coyotes or even golden jackals. Preston City Council has said the dogs are now “safely in their kennels”.
Metro (Daragh Brady)
Bedeviled
The Wind in the Willows is one of the most beloved books of British children’s literature. But Kenneth Grahame’s 1908 story has a darker side. And it was a step too far for the Beadle security guards at Westminster Abbey, who told a visitor wearing a sweatshirt with an illustration from the book that she had to take it off because it was “an image of the devil”. “He said I’d have to take off the top or cover it up because it was an image of the devil and it might offend people in the abbey.”
Guardian (Andrew Steed)
[Further reading: Twilight in Kyiv]
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This article appears in the 26 Nov 2025 issue of the New Statesman, The Last Stand