Support 110 years of independent journalism.

  1. World
  2. UK
2 March 2022

This England: Pet rescue

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

Pet rescue

A mountain rescue team came to the aid of a hamster whose owners took it on a rocky walk. Frappuccino was with a girl, 11, and her mother who got lost in the dark after walking in the Brecon Beacons. The Central Beacons Mountain Rescue said the family, “including their little furry companion”, were warmed up by rescuers.
Metro (Amanda Welles)

[See also: This England: Story of my life]

Take a hike

A foul-mouthed phantom who swears at passing walkers is being investigated by ghost-hunters. A “woman in white” has been seen at a beauty spot called Dead Woman’s Ditch, in the otherwise idyllic Quantock Hills, Somerset, with reports claiming that she has been telling visitors to “f *** off”.

The profane poltergeist was first reported two years ago. All then went quiet but now she has apparently returned with her anti-social outbursts. But not everyone in the area is convinced. Local resident Dean Morgan said: “It all sounds a bit Scooby-Doo to me.”
Daily Mirror (Daragh Brady)

[See also: This England: Attack of the clones]

All over the shop

Content from our partners
Resolving the crisis in children’s dentistry
Planetary perspectives: how data can transform disaster response and preparation
How measurement can help turn businesses’ sustainability goals into action

Victoria sponge instead of sponge scourers, duck paste rather than duct tape and sausage rolls in place of toilet roll were among the stranger substitutions to turn up in shoppers’ online grocery orders. Which? found not all substitutions were bad, however, with one Asda shopper getting three £60 bottles of whisky to replace three £25 ones that were out of stock.
Yorkshire Post
(Michael Meadowcroft)

[See also: This England: Once in a blue moon]

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

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday - from the New Statesman. Sign up directly at saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. Sign up directly at morningcall.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.
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • 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
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • 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

This article appears in the 02 Mar 2022 issue of the New Statesman, Hero of our Times