Eideard

Friends of a high-flying Tory MP are ‘facing prosecution’ for chanting offensive Nazi slogans in a crowded restaurant at a French ski resort – where one of the party dressed in an SS uniform.

Aidan Burley, MP for Cannock Chase in Staffordshire, was with 12 friends, some of whom chanted ‘Hitler, Hitler, Hitler’. One toasted the ‘Third Reich’ and one taunted a waiter for being French.

Mr Burley has since apologised for the ‘clearly inappropriate behaviour’, but members of his party now face prosecution after it was revealed examining judges were set to look at video footage of the incident. This is because under the French penal code it is a crime, unless required for a film, a play or a historical exhibition, to wear or exhibit in public anything reminiscent of what was worn or used by the Nazis…

…Another guest, sitting beside the MP at the restaurant in the ski resort of Val Thorens, was caught on film making a speech in which he said: ‘Let’s raise a toast to Tom for organising the stag do, and if we’re perfectly honest, to the ideology and thought process of the Third Reich…’

A French police spokesman confirmed that an investigation could be launched, and said: ‘Anti-Semitic and pro-Nazi crimes are taken extremely seriously in France. Anyone suspected of breaking the law in this respect can and will be prosecuted.’

RTFA. Lots more detail. Nothing that would surprise anyone who knows anything about the history of fascism.

Republicans, like Tories, leap to provide excuses for behavior like this. Just funning around, playfulness, joking about history – even if it’s a history that meant the murder of millions.

When children read to him, Danny does not criticise or correct their pronunciation. He just nods and pricks up an ear, although sometimes he closes his eyes and appears not to be listening.

Danny is a greyhound and a novel way of encouraging pupils at Oakhill primary school in Tamworth, Staffordshire, to read aloud. A “listening dog”, he is part of a scheme that originated in the US called Reading Education Assistance Dogs (Read).

“It helps with their self-esteem in reading out loud because he is non-judgmental,” says the dog’s owner, Tony Nevett, who has a degree in animal-assisted therapy. “He doesn’t judge them and he doesn’t laugh at them. He’s just a tool – the children don’t realise they are reading, which they might not have the confidence to do in class.” Some children even show Danny the pictures as they read.

Danny received five months of training to become a Read dog. Greyhounds are particularly well-suited because they do not bark and their short coat is less likely to trigger allergies.

Nevett hopes that the scheme, piloted in Kent, will spread. “We’ve had some success stories, including a girl with Down’s Syndrome who really took to the dog and improved her reading,” he says. “When Danny goes to sleep I tell the children that he’s dreaming about their story.”

Bravo!

Although my dog ignores anything I try to read to her – unless it’s about cheese.

Officers in Staffordshire have reported 147 accidents involving vehicles in their own police station car parks between April, 2008 and December, 2010 while Cheshire Police have managed 91 crashes in their car parks in the same period.

The list of incidents included a police vehicle crashing into a post causing £2,149 damage; a police car crashing into a wall causing £1,450 damage and a patrol van hitting a car park height restriction barrier causing £1,069 damage.

The combined estimated damage for the forces is £115,784, though the final figures may be adjusted by insurers…

Staffordshire’s £83,902 estimate included injuries or damage to vehicles or property within the car parks, as well as 32 more accidents which involved slips, trips and falls.

Now some officers have been told to improve their driving standards.

What about the accidents where they seem to fall down just while walking about? Do they know how to tie their own shoelaces?

Daylife/AP Photo used by permission

Discovering the UK’s largest haul of Anglo-Saxon treasure has been the highlight of Terry Herbert’s 18-year hobby.

“People laugh at metal detectorists,” said the unemployed 55-year-old, who stands to make a fortune.

“I’ve had people go past and go ‘beep beep, he’s after pennies‘. Well no, we are out there to find this kind of stuff and it is out there.”

He made the find in a field near his Staffordshire home with a detector he bought in 1995.

Experts have said the collection of 1,500 gold and silver pieces, which may date back to the seventh century, was unparalleled in size. One has suggested the find was the hobbyist’s equivalent of uncovering Tutankhamen’s tomb.

Mr Herbert, from Burntwood, said he dug up so much gold over five days in July he was seeing the precious metal in his sleep.

“My mates at the metal detecting club always say if there is a gold coin in a field I will be the one to find it.

“I dread to think what they’ll say when they hear about this.”

The financial worth of the hoard may take months to assess, but its market value will eventually go to Mr Herbert and the owner of the farmland where it was found.

I mostly walk with our dogs – but, that’s the point of a proper outdoors hobby – exercise and fresh air. Getting more than that is always a bonus.