A flamingo has escaped from a wildlife sanctuary in Cornwall, prompting a Facebook plea to find the bird. Frankie was last seen at Paradise Park in Hayle at around 8am on 2 November before being spotted on the loose two hours later. Nick Reynolds, Paradise Park’s director, told the BBC: “I don’t think she knows what she’s looking for to be honest. She’s just like a naughty teenager.”
Cornwall Live (Richard Fearn)
Tree-mendous offence
A town centre’s bedraggled Christmas tree is to be exchanged for a spruced-up pine after the local council branded it a “disgrace”. The forlorn fir, with droopy, thin branches and browning needles, was placed in the marketplace in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, on 11 November – several weeks before it needed to look its best for the festive season. Passers-by told the BBC the “half-dead” display was a waste of money, and compared it to March, Cambridgeshire’s wonky tree, which became a surprise viral hit in 2023.
BBC (Amanda Welles)
Oat of line
It has been revealed that a Team GB snowboarder had to call her nan to bring Quaker Oats to Russia during the 2014 Winter Olympics. Aimee Fuller, now 34, was told the Sochi Games’ caterers would have “every food under the sun”, but this did not include traditional oats. Fuller’s nan brought out an entire case after her plea for the “vital” food. Their story has inspired a Quaker and Team GB partnership for the Winter Games in Italy in February.
Metro (Michael Meadowcroft)
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This article appears in the 20 Nov 2025 issue of the New Statesman, Meet the bond vigilantes