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3 March 2021

This England: Get into jail free

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 wanted man rang officers at Burgess Hill Police Station to give himself in because he was so fed up of spending time with the people he lived with, Inspector Darren Taylor said.

The man was wanted for recall to prison but handed himself in to get some “peace and quiet”. Taylor added: “[The man said] he would rather go back to prison than have to spend more time with the people he was living with.”

West Sussex County Times (Ruth Guthrie)

[See also: This England: Don’t get the small stuff]

Norfolk’s Next Top Model

A dog-walker called police after spotting what appeared to be a body stuck in a Norfolk hedge – but it turned out someone was pulling their leg.

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Once officers arrived at the scene, they soon discovered that what looked like the bottom half of a man kneeling in a hedge was, in fact, part of a mannequin. It had been dressed up in a pair of blue jeans and black trainers, and was realistic enough to concern the dog-walker.

In a tongue-in-cheek Twitter post, King’s Lynn Police said: “No two days are ever the same in our job.”

Eastern Daily Press (Janet Mansfield)

[See also: This England: Men who Zoom with goats]

You’ve got to be kitten me

Fire crews were called to help save a cat stuck in a tree. An attempt had been made to retrieve the moggy after it became stranded ten metres up, but the cat’s owner was also left needing assistance.

The RSPCA’s Stephen Wickham said of the incident, which took place in Rochdale: “The owner had to be rescued…  and the cat managed to get down himself.”

Sunday Mirror (Amanda Welles)

[See also: This England: Flight of fancy]

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 03 Mar 2021 issue of the New Statesman, Humanity vs the virus

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
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  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
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  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
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  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
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  • Sport and Recreation
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  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU