Millions stop to watch the first solar eclipse of the century - but cloud cover over Britain means most of you DIDN'T get to see this

sun

Millions across Britain stopped to watch the first solar eclipse of this century, which plunged parts of the UK in to brief darkness. Britain's skies began to darken at around 8.24am this morning as the Moon started to move between us and the sun, with the eclipse peaking at around 9.30am. In Norway, left, there was a total eclipse. In the UK, at the Eden Project (main picture) and (bottom right) in Greenwich, the sun's light was almost totally concealed by the moon. Across the nation turning day briefly to night, but watchers could not look directly at the sun because they risked damaging their eyes. In the Hebrides the sun was practically invisible as the Isle of Lewis experienced a 98 per cent eclipse. But cloud coverage meant that millions across Britain were unable to see anything at all of the eclipse. Another 'deep' partial eclipse visible in the UK will not occur until August 12 2026, and the next total eclipse not until September 2090.

'What eclipse?': Twitter erupts as it's more washout than blackout for millions who said it was just 'another thundery day in January'

Thousands of Britons have mocked the 'non existent' solar eclipse with many posting pictures of grey cloudy skies obscuring the view

Many Britons mocked the 'non-existent' solar eclipse after heavy cloud obscured the view. Many have taken to social media to ask 'what eclipse' and post memes, pictured is the Faroe Islands.

What were the mystery black spots seen during the solar eclipse? Observers see sunspots

People in the UK were treated to a partial solar eclipse this morning. But several observers spotted some strange black dots on the sun (shown). These were sunspots, caused by magnetic fields.

How did YOUR pets respond to the eclipse? Birds fell silent and cats 'went nuts' - but all was quiet at London Zoo

Twitter users across the UK said that birds fell silent during the eclipse this morning and that some pets started howling and behaved strangely in the dimmed light.

'The BBC are f****** b******* - but I want one more Top Gear lap before they f****** sack me': Jeremy Clarkson launches foul-mouthed rant at bosses during charity gala

clarksojn

The Top Gear star, speaking at a charity event in north London to raise money to help disadvantaged youths, said that he wanted to do one more lap of the show's track 'before the 'f****** b******* sack me'. Clarkson - whom the BBC has suspended over claims he punched a producer - told guests at the Roundhouse Gala that the driving series 'was a great show and they've f***** it up'.

Lecturer whose wife tricked him into paying maintenance for IVF baby conceived with her ex-boyfriend's sperm wins £40,000 payout

A man has won damages after claiming his wife deceived him over the paternity of her son

The man, who is in his 60s, told the Central London County Court that his wife, who is in her 50s, led him to believe that her IVF son was his, when in fact it was conceived using sperm from her former boyfriend.

'Olivia is suffering from Bone-idle-itus!' Schoolgirl asks mother for a sick note to get her off PE - but her sealed letter asks the teacher to give her 'a few extra laps'

note

Olivia McEvoy, of Cheshire, was desperate to skip PE after claiming it was 'too cold', but she needed a note saying she had a valid medical excuse. In a surprise message to the teacher, her mother Samantha said Olivia had a 'severe case of bone-idle-itus', adding that she was 'perfectly fit' to take part. The mother posted a picture of the note on Facebook and it has since gone viral with over 3,000 shares.

American Apparel starts airbrushing out nipples from models in attempt to make racy brand 'less pornographic'

American Apparel is slowly changing the lingerie photography on its website to obscure nipples and pubic hair on its models. But some images retain the unphotoshopped, more natural look.

In an attempt to distance themselves from their 'pornographic' image, American Apparel this week has begun airbrushing the nipples and pubic hair off of their models.

Grumpy and lethargic with a low libido? How YOUR man may have hit the male menopause 

Some experts - and men themselves - are convinced they go through the male equivalent of the menopause, blaming a drop in testosterone for a host of middle-age problems.

'Somebody REALLY needs a geography lesson!': Twitter advert for Ireland holiday uses picture of Scotland's iconic Eilean Donan castle

The Facebook page of WomenFreebies.co.uk with the caption "Like if you'd love to visit Ireland" featuring a picture of a Scottish castle . See Centre Press story CPWRONG; Dozy holiday contest organisers are advertising an Ireland break -- with a photo of one of Scotland's most famous castles. A competition to win a £2,000 "luxury holiday" to the Emerald Isle is being promoted with a scenic view of Eilean Donan Castle -- which is in the western Highlands of Scotland. The image was posted to the Facebook page of WomenFreebies.co.uk with the caption "Like if you'd love to visit Ireland". The page has almost 800,000 followers and thousands liked the post, but eagle-eyed Scots spotted the gaffe and pointed out the mistake.

The contest to win a trip to the Emerald Isle is being promoted with a picture of Eilean Donan Castle, which is in the western Highlands and seen by many as one of Scotland's most famous castle.

Home to face the music: Zayn Malik arrives back in London to be reunited with fiancee Perrie Edwards after quitting One Direction world tour following 'cheating' claims

zayn

Zayn Malik (left) looked sombre as he arrived back at London's Heathrow Airport in the early hours of Friday morning after being signed off the One Direction world tour with stress. It's expected the 22-year-old heartthrob will be reuniting with fiancée Perrie Edwards for the first time since a picture surfaced of him holding hands with tattooed blonde Lauren Richardson (inset) in Phuket, Thailand, earlier this week. Perrie, 21, (right) was seen leaving the couple's London home with a large overnight bag packed beside her at around the same time, and still appeared to be wearing her engagement ring. Zayn issued a public apology to the Little Mix singer on Wednesday evening after the pictures of him partying with Lauren at Seduction nightclub in Patong emerged online.

Cancer patient has TEN organs removed in 'mother of all surgeries' to treat 'one in a million' disease misdiagnosed as IBS and period pains

Jenny Ramage, 32, from Bristol, had her colon, spleen, gall bladder, ovaries, fallopian tubes, appendix, belly button, removed entirely as well as part of her liver, kidney and diaphragm.

Go to Paris to buy all your beauty favourites - and STILL save money: Forget booze cruises, why hundreds of Brits are travelling to France to stock up on make-up 

Forget the booze cruise - savvy British shoppers are heading to France on beauty cruises. With the current exchange rate bargain hunters can save more than half on their favourite products.

Personalised fittings, sweat and LOTS of lubricant: One woman finds out what it takes to pull off latex like Kim Kardashian as the star's go-to designer makes a bespoke dress for her 

We called on Atsuko Kudo, the designer behind Kim and Rita Ora's famous looks, to custom design a latex dress from scratch for MailOnline writer Hanna Flint, 26, who said she felt 'amazing' in her outfit. From Kate Moss to Dita Von Teese, Kudo has designed risque clothes for a who's who of showbiz and Kim (pictured bottom centre in the same dress as Hanna) just can't get enough of the latex looks.

Was it all just a set-up? Now disgraced former X Factor judge Natalia Kills claims producers on New Zealand show created drama to boost ratings

Former X Factor New Zealand duo Natalia Kills has hinted that her bullying comments may have been set-up, claiming producers plan drama in order to boost ratings.

Police slammed for 'mocking' high-flying teenager who shot himself after drink-driving arrest

A report into the death of Joe Lawton, 17, from Disley, Stockport, found 'evidence of a concerning culture' at the police station where he was held for drink driving, two days before killing himself.

Cameron backed £250,000 Government review into Britain's seagull menace - after a bird once stole the ham from his sandwich

The Prime Minister insisted he had nothing against 'the entire seagull population', despite committing £250,000 in the Budget to tackling the scourge of Britain's seaside towns.

Farage blasts top Ukip MEP over expenses plot: 'It was one of the most incredibly stupid and dishonest things I've ever seen'

The Ukip leader said he was 'deeply shocked' with Janice Atkinson after a member of her staff was filmed apparently trying to get an inflated invoice for a drinks reception to claim the money from the EU.

'Less attractive men are more polite, more likely to seek relationships and less likely to send naked photos' - One woman swipes right to EVERY man on Tinder for a week

Yvette Caster (left), from London, has been single for four years, when she decided to see what would happen if she decided to swipe right to every man on Tinder for a week. She personally found that less attractive men tended to be more polite, more likely to seek relationships and less likely to send naked photos. The 33-year-old went from receiving messages two messages a week, to receiving 22.

Do so-called 'superfoods' REALLY boost your health? Trial reveals which ones may be worth the money

Figures show a huge surge in sales of quinoa, kale and almonds. Now, Newcastle researchers have put certain foods to the test to ascertain whether they have any discernible health benefits.

Is YOUR morning commute giving you wrinkles? From tech neck to severe skin stress, how public transport is wreaking havoc on our faces

From using technology on the go, to encountering all sorts of bizarre bacteria along the way and even damaging our cells through daily travel stress is wreaking havoc with our skin, experts say.

Now THAT'S the tree of life! Biodegradable urns turn ashes of loved ones into plants

The Bios Urn (pictured) has been developed by Barcelona-based estudimoline. Relatives can choose which tree they want including pine, gingko, maple, oak and ash.

Lufthansa passenger records terrifying moment flames shoot out of plane's engine after striking birds over Mediterranean Sea

Flight DLH1307 was forced to make an emergency landing at Beirut's international airport after birds were sucked into the left engine as the plane flew over the Mediterranean Sea.

The photographs that are too upsetting to keep: Artist's intriguing collection of images that members of the public found too difficult to hang on to... but the dark secret of each one remains untold 

Chicago-based Jason Lazarus, 39, began the project - an online archive called T.H.T.K, or Too Hard To Keep - in 2010 and now has over 150 photographs that include a huge range of scenes. With some, the reason for the owner wanting to bin it is easy to fathom. For instance, the collection contains photographs of a bloodied ankle, a female with a black eye and a corpse.

Others are more mysterious.

'I am a survivor of rape, sexual assault and incest': Actress Ashley Judd bravely tells of teenage abuse as she hits back at Twitter trolls

Ashley Judd.jpg

Actress Ashley Judd has penned a powerful personal essay in response to the recent Twitter troll attack against her that threatened sexual violence. In it she recalled her own history of abuse.

Impotent man who bought 'herbal Viagra' on the internet suffers ARSENIC poisoning

A man has been taken to Leeds General Infirmary with arsenic poisoning after it emerged he had been taking three types of herbal erectile dysfunction remedies.

Is this the most ridiculous royal baby story so far? US magazines claim the Duchess of Cambridge has given birth (but surprise, surprise, she hasn't)

According to US magazines OK! USA and Life & Style, the Duchess of Cambridge has given birth to a baby girl. Unsurprisingly, the claims have proven to be entirely without foundation.

It's Alexandra by a nose! Bookies try to whip up interest in royal birth bets by staging spoof 'Barkingham Palace' corgi race to determine the name and sex

The Barkingham Palace Gold Cup was staged in London's Bloomsbury Square and was won by a corgi named Alexandra. Bookies are hoping to drum up interest in betting on the royal birth.

'Took me 50 minutes to peel 10 potatoes... life can't go on like this': Ex-Morrisons security guard who threatened to 'bomb the UK' reveals his lonely life as an ISIS jihadi (and he can't even wash his own clothes)

A British ISIS fighter, who used to live at home with his mother and work as a security guard in Morrisons, appears to be living as a hopeless loner in Syria. According to his social media page, Omar Hussain, has real difficulty completing the most basic daily jobs including peeling potatoes for his dinner and washing his clothes. Avidly recording his dull life through an array of pictures and essays, Hussein appears to be a lonely, bored fighter, scrounging off ISIS without ever going to the frontline.

Agony of the Yazidi sex slaves: Survivor, 15, reveals how ISIS killed her brother and sold her to three men before she escaped   

Samiye (left) was captured and sold as a sex slave to three men by ISIS fighters. She escaped with other female survivors to Khanke refugee camp in Iraq. ISIS considers the Yazidi sect to be devil worshippers.

Would-be jihadi bride stopped on her way to Syria 'had been questioned by MI5 after she and her baby spent seven months living with ISIS fighters' 

ANKARA, TURKEY - MARCH 17: A 22-years-old British woman, Jaila Nadra H. (on the picture) who allegedly tries to travel Syria to join Daesh (Islamic State of Iraq and Levant) terrorists through Turkey, has been caught after an operation staged by the Turkey's Ankara Province Police Anti-terrorism department in the city's bus terminal in Ankara, Turkey on March 17, 2015. (Photo by Turkish National Police/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Jamila Henry, from south London, was questioned by the intelligence service after she returned from a previous seven-month stay in the war-torn country, according to a relative.

Horrific moment mob beats Afghan woman, 27, to death before burning her body and dumping it in a muddy river because she set fire to Koran

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Shocking video has emerged of crowds of men stamping on the 27-year-old, named only as Farkhunda, near a mosque in the heart of Kabul, Afghanistan. At one point, one of the attackers can be seen repeatedly striking the woman with a piece of wood while another was filmed hurling a brick at her as she lay on the ground. Some of the men stamped on the victim's limp body while others could be seen punching and kicking her. The mob carried out the lynching after she was accused of setting fire to pages of the Koran.

Are ISIS earning MORE than $2billion a year? New study of terror group's income suggests previous estimates are far too low 

ISIS' finance chief - who operates from Iraqi stronghold Mosul (pictured) - recently approved the terror group's first budget and suggested income is $250 million a year higher than previously thought.

ISIS' feared religious police force carry out another mass cigarette burning in Syria - as they unveil shocking new anti-smoking posters showing lungs being set on fire

Photographs taken in the northern town of Barqah, close to the border with Turkey, show members if ISIS' feared religious police force setting light to vast piles of cigarettes in a field.

Pimp my penthouse! Inside the $20 million New York apartment boasting its own CAR ELEVATOR

Apartment hunting can be stressful. More so if there are some things that you just can't live without. Lots of storage, a view, an en-suite bathroom, air conditioning - how about a garage in the sky? The penthouse at 200 11th Avenue in New York's fashionable West Chelsea gallery district has just that. The 'paparazzi-proof' building is a magnet for celebrities seeking privacy.

The pill that lets you sense other people's pain

The tolcapone drug changes the chemical balance in the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for personality, according to the University of California, Berkeley.

Revealed, the 10 best foods to boost your energy levels (without expanding your waistline)

Nutrition expert Lee Holmes says eating fresh, unprocessed foods can give you way more of an energy boost than reaching for sugary snacks when the 4pm slump hits.

Nigella needs love, Kim Kardashian's beams give bad vibes and Ed Miliband wants to be one of the gang: Now an expert explains what your kitchen reveals about YOU

As David Cameron and Ed Miliband show their family havens to the nation in the run-up to the election, FEMAIL asks a feng shui expert and psychologist for the secrets hidden in celebrity kitchens.

Smelly toilets, scorpion stings... and film stars urinating on the floor: The craziest reasons planes have been forced to return to airports

Last week a pungent toilet situation halted a BA flight in its tracks delaying hundreds of passengers. The incident proved that there is no end to the list of things that can interrupt your flight.

So who is this Lewis Hamilton anyway? Hilarious moment a young family ask the Grand Prix star to take THEIR picture in front of the Sydney Opera House

Lewis

When a pair of sightseers crossed paths with Lewis Hamilton beneath the Sydney Opera House yesterday, a 'selfie' photo with the British Formula 1 Champion was the last thing on their minds. Instead, they stopped to ask the star to take a holiday snap of them with their baby.

Schoolboy, 15, knocked down and killed by police car on routine patrol as he walked home from church 

Harry Kirkham, 15 was hit as he crossed New Sutton Road outside Erdington police station, Birmingham at 9pm on Wednesday. He suffered a heart attack and was rushed to hospital but died the following day.

Still fancy those sausages? Pig solves jigsaw puzzle suggesting they are more intelligent that we thought

Moritz the pig in Berlin, Germany has solved a complex puzzle. The pig did it without any help from a human. In a video (shown) the pig puts coloured shapes into a wooden block.

Shouldn't you be paying attention? Bored air passenger turns pre-flight safety demonstration into a dance track

And ingenious air traveller saw the potential to get creative using the sounds on board the aeroplane to produce a thumping dance track, and captured it on camera.

'There was a great hole in his head': Tourist describes full horror of Tunisia massacre as it is revealed terrorists had suicide vests - but didn't detonate them

French tourist Maryline, inset left, from Paris said she was standing directly behind a man who was shot in the head by one of the terrorists during Wednesday's massacre in Tunisia. She survived the atrocity which claimed the lives of 23 people including Briton Sally Adey, inset right, during the attack at the Bardo Museum. Ms Adey was getting off a tourist bus from a cruise ship when the terrorists, one of whom is pictured left, opened fire. Survivors of the massacre arrived back on cruise ships in Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, right, earlier today.

'I was the most humiliated person in the world': Monica Lewinsky on overcoming the 'traumatic' public reaction to her affair with Bill Clinton

Monica Lewinsky, 41, has revealed the 'healing' and 'rehabilitation' that she had to go through in order to overcome the tremendous public scandal surrounding her affair with Bill Clinton.

Mother reveals how her teenage son nearly died after being thrown from 'faulty' fairground ride... and fights five-year battle to bring the manufacturers to justice

Kizzy Nee, from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, said she thought Reece, 14, was dead when he was flung from the Orbitor Extreme at Stevenage's Sonisphere Knebworth music festival.

Revealed: The 'loving and caring young man' who died after jeering crowd goaded him to 'get on with it and jump' from a multi-storey car park

Ian Lam, 42, plunged 60ft to his death on Saturday from the top of the car park outside Southwater Shopping Centre in Telford, Shropshire, as people filmed it on their phones.

Council driver ran over six-month-old Chihuahua puppy Peanut - then asked devastated owner if she wanted her beloved pet's blood-soaked body putting in a bin bag 

Owner Debbie McCarthy, 47, of Essex, screamed in horror after a workman ploughed into her tiny puppy in her local park and says the buggy driver responsible failed to even apologise for the accident.

Nutritionists reveal what they would eat at McDonald's... if they really had to

Huffington Post recently spoke with ten nutritionists about what they would at McDonald's and the results are all over the board. Many of the health experts said they would stick with salads, but others said an indulgence of a chocolate milkshake with fries isn't the end of the world. Most of the nutritionists advised opting for side salads instead of fries, and getting grilled meat instead of battered and fried. Getting protein in the meal was also important, so as not to leave the drive-through hungry.

We ARE better off with George: Expert backing for Chancellor's claim that family incomes are higher now than when Coalition began 

GO

In a boost to Chancellor George Osborne, the Institute for Fiscal Studies said it was 'very likely' that household incomes would be higher this year than in 2010.

A SpongeBob lunchbox, a PlayStation and a Trunki suitcase: Danny Alexander's photocall with yellow cabinet box is ridiculed online

Social media users were quick to post mocked-up images of Mr Alexander, 42, standing with other yellow boxes - including a SpongeBob SquarePants lunchbox and a Trunki ride-on suitcase.

WARNING: Utterly cringeworthy content! Nick Clegg hams it up while filming Lib Dem election broadcast

The Deputy Prime Minister's swift exit from the Commons this afternoon appeared to be so that he could try his hand at a spot of Am-dram in Gravesend, as these pictures show.

That's Nick Clegg for you, always snide and snippy. Truly, the man's an asp: QUENTIN LETTS sees Clegg in a 'don't blame us' mood

One day after the Budget, Danny Alexander held up a yellow box outside the Treasury to promote 'the Lib Dem Budget'. It was chunky, leather, and terribly, terribly yellow.

Pictured: Seven-months pregnant woman whose baby was 'expertly cut from her womb by a former nurse's aide' after she responded to an ad on Craigslist

Pregnant

Dynel Catrece Lane (inset right), 34, allegedly lured pregnant victim Michelle Wilkins (left) to her home (right) in Longmont, Colorado, with a Craigslist advert for baby clothes on Wednesday. The 26-year-old victim was stabbed with a broken glass and had her baby pulled from her abdomen in the attack. Ms Wilkins is in a critical but stable condition in hospital while trying to cope with the 'unimaginable sorrow' of losing her child in such a horrific way. Lane, who has two teenage daughters, is being held in jail. Police are looking for any other mothers who may have responded to her advert.

Unconscious and handcuffed, 'acid attacker who disfigured' two schoolgirls faints as he is dragged through streets of Kathmandu before an angry mob

A man accused of throwing acid in the faces of two schoolgirls after his sexual advances were rejected has fainted while being handcuffed and paraded before an angry Nepalese mob.

The seven deadly sins of house-selling: No dirty dishes, hide the teddy collection, never tell buyers a sob story - and ideally, make yourself scarce...

ftr- housesellingdisasters.jpg

Most sellers know to wash their dishes and tidy away shoes, but many don't realise how their own behaviour contributes to the impression of a house.

'We'll lose our freedom to be inspired': Pharrell Williams hits back after Blurred Lines was ruled to have breached copyright rules

Speaking for the first time since a court ruled he and Robin Thicke had copied a Marvin Gaye song to create the hugely catchy single, Pharrell Williams said the judgement could seriously stifle creativity.

Indian woman fights off drunk sex attacker and single-handedly drags him to police station while 50 PEOPLE look on silently

india

Pradnya Mandhare, 20, (pictured) was left stunned by the attack in Mumbai, Maharashtra state, when the media studies student was accosted by intoxicated man on station platform while onlookers did nothing to help. She 'belted' him with her bag and took him to police without aid from witnesses.

Bing
   

DON'T MISS

Town that dared to ban gipsy invaders: Illegal camps like this blight towns across Britain. But now - furious at police inaction - one community has shown you CAN fight back, writes ROBERT HARDMAN 

In Harlow, Essex, the community is delighted that an explosive situation - 109 illegal traveller encampments descending on a single Essex town in just 18 months - is over. They dearly wish that their local police force had taken a tougher line with the neighbours from hell. Illegal campsites are a problem across Britain. They invariably create dreadful divisions between residents and travellers (often at the expense of law-abiding, settled traveller families). This week, the Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said the Tories are determined to introduce tough measures to deal with illegal gipsy encampments, including setting up special magistrates' courts that can order evictions during the night and at weekends.

Scandal of mobile phone charges: Users being hit with £800 fees to get out of deals that 'fail to deliver' decent handsets or coverage 

According to Citizens Advice, mobile customers are being let down because there is no clear information on who is responsible of they have a problem with their phone or cannot get coverage.

Shape up, girls! Men twice as likely to do regular exercise: Only one in six women has regularly been active since childhood 

Research has found that just one woman in six has exercised regularly since childhood, despite Britain's being advised to do 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week.

How getting a mortgage frightens three-quarters of home-owners and buyers: First-timers, the divorced and the Welsh are most worried

DKGNT2 A close-up of a REJECTED Mortgage Application document.

Despite rock bottom mortgage rates and support initiatives such as Help to Buy, many people still see the prospect of being able to get a home loan as a struggle, a study found.

How schools are affecting house prices where YOU live: Graphic reveals how the best schools in England drive up property values 

Each dot on the map represents a school, with the darker coloured dots representing better performing schools and the size of the dot showing the 'house price premium' around that school

EXCLUSIVE - The Bunga Bunga girl, Berlusconi and 'bribes': Ex-model claims she DID see former Italian PM have sex with underage hooker... and reveals what went on at those infamous parties with 'Satan'

Former model Marysthell Polanco (left) claimed that she saw Berlusconi have sex with underage Ruby the Heart-Stealer (right) twice, in a previously undisclosed interview with MailOnline. Berlusconi was finally acquitted of the charge last week (inset), but her evidence could prove crucial in a forthcoming witness corruption trial. Polanco, who apparently confessed to accepting a grace-and-favour apartment in return for her silence, also revealed the secrets of the 78-year-old's sex-fuelled parties.

Pupils taught self-defence techniques in schools after rise in 'bike-jackings': Classes tell pupils to avoid shortcuts and disguise cycles to stop becoming victims

Pupils are attending lessons on avoiding shortcuts, disguising expensive equipment and dressing down, with particular concern being given for 'innocent' middle-class children.

Wrong syllabus fiasco at sixth form college: Teachers to hold emergency classes over Easter after 36 students are taught incorrect health and social care course 

The health and social care course was taught at Solihull Sixth Form College in the West Midlands from September to 36 students whose university places depend on their grade.

Foxes, fawns, hares and hedgehogs: Incredible photos capture the amazing mammals of the British Isles

fox

These stunning pictures capturing nature on the British Isles at its finest were among 300 incredible images of mammals shortlisted for a prestigious photography competition. Leaping to victory was an amazing picture of a pine marten (bottom right) jumping through the trees in County Waterford, Ireland, narrowly beating stunning photographs of rabbits (left), deer (top right) and harvest mice (inset), as well as dozens of other mammals.

SEBASTIAN SHAKESPEARE: Did Wills help land a £1.7million helicopter in the Budget? 

Kensington Palace insist Prince William was not involved in the decision to award his new air ambulance employers a £1.7million helicopter, writes SEBASTIAN SHAKESPEARE.

France rejects imposing a ban on skinny models... because it would discriminate against 'thin people in the workplace' 

Left-wing MPs had demanded six-month prison terms or fines of 60,000 pounds for fashion bosses who 'glorify anorexia' by hiring underweight girls.

Twitter puts your tweets up for sale: Firms will be able to use your data to offer services online and in the real world

In an interview with The Guardian, Twitter's data strategy chief Chris Moody (pictured) said the data could also be used by police to gauge the mood of a football crowd, for example.

Now mums are just as likely to work as women with no children: Only a quarter of mothers stay at home 

Official figures show that 74.1 per cent of mothers with children under 16, or between 16 and 18 if they are still at school, are regarded as 'participating in the labour market'.

HMRC rakes in £160m with war on Britain's hidden economy of prostitution, drugs and cash-in-hand work

The 'hidden economy' is hard to tax as much of the money is never declared, including cash payments to tradesmen.

ANOTHER Cyril Smith cover up: MP was caught abusing boy and pervert policeman hid the truth 

A retired police officer, from Greater Manchester Police, said the 29-stone Liberal MP was protected by a sex-offender sergeant after he was caught at a sex party with two boys.

Think horror stories of piranhas are exaggerated? You won't after seeing this. Startling video shows what happens when the deadly fish get a chance to eat meat 

This is the shocking moment a shoal of deadly piranha fish turned a quiet Brazilian harbour on the Amazon River into a frenzy of activity when fishermen threw meat into the water. The fisherman had spent the afternoon gutting their catch by the edge of the Amazon River when they decided to throw their off-cuts into the water.

Not so fast! Ryanair says it will NOT be rolling out transatlantic flights for £10 (but may create a sister company in the future)

Despite reports that Ryanair had been given the approval to offer low-cost flights from Europe to the US, a recent statement issued by the Board dashes any hopes of cheap transatlantic fares.

'We are prepared to launch a nuclear attack at any time,' says North Korean ambassador

Hyun Hak-bong (pictured) claims the secretive state could easily launch a warhead, though the communist dictatorship would only do so in the event of an American first strike, he added.

Cash-strapped defence chiefs forced to pay out more than £1million a MONTH in compensation to office-bound bureaucrats

In the last year the Ministry of Defence paid out £13.5million in compensation to civilian staff - which amounts to almost a third of the £45million given to serving soldiers.

Shipshape? No, we look like we work at Kwik-Fit! Royal Navy unveils its first new uniform in 70 years designed to make sailors look 'cool and modern' 

The Royal Navy's new uniform, which is all blue,will be the first new uniform worn by military personnel since World War Two but has been ridiculed and compared to the outfits worn by car mechanics.

EXCLUSIVE: 50 Shades of Harry! Stripper who claims she partied naked with the Prince in Las Vegas is now a dominatrix who charges $1,000 an hour for her services

Carrie Reichert, who claimed to have partied with Prince Harry in his Las Vegas hotel in 2012, has become a Lady. Under the name Lady Dominique, she bills herself as a 'mistress of pain.' She says she was alone with the royal and kissed him for 20 minutes. Palace has described her story as 'untrue.' The 'party girl' was busted on check fraud charges and jailed in Mississippi earlier this year.

How brainy is your child? The answer's in their hands: Youngsters with matching pairs found to be quicker-witted 

Children who have matching pairs of hands are quicker-witted than those with less symmetrical features, research at Edinburgh University has found.

NatWest worker pillaged elderly customers' accounts after taking their details over the phone - but was caught out when his savings rocketed from £8 to £36,000 

Matthew Parkhouse, of Manchester, asked a string of customers for the security digits on the backs of their cards and used the numbers to make payments of thousands into his own account.

Mother-of-two set fire to home as her children slept upstairs 'because voices in her head told her to' 

Aimee Griffiths, 30, (pictured) of Ruabon, Wrexham, told her two children to lie down and go to sleep as she started the blaze. But her daughter, 10, ran out of the house and raised the alarm.

Next boss who earns £4million a year sparks row by declaring living wage 'irrelevant' with 'no basis in reality'

The multi-millionaire boss of Next has sparked anger after declaring the living wage was 'irrelevant'. Tory peer Lord Wolfson, who last year took home £4.6million, said it was 'an invention' and 'not reality'.

Three-year-old girl becomes an online sensation after LL Cool J shares a video of the confident youngster rapping to one of his songs on Facebook 

The 34-second clip shows three-year-old Bostyn dancing and motioning her hand to make it look like she is a DJ spinning records as she raps LL Cool J's classic hit Going Back to Cali. The rapper's fans fans have shared the video nearly 50,000 times on Facebook.

That's mine! Great white shark stuns fisherman when it leaps from sea to steal his catch

A man fishing in the Bay of Islands in New Zealand gets the fright of his life when a great white shark leaps from the water and steals his fish.

Growing old gracefully: China's troupe of 'Ballet Grannies' prove age is no barrier to a pirouette - and get invite to perform in U.S.

The senior ballet team, made up doctors, teachers and even policewomen, have come together in Guiyang, the capital of south-west China's Guizhou Province, to perform.

Radio 2 is too white, say BBC diversity chiefs: Trust demands station urgently improves in attracting non-white listeners 

The BBC's music radio stations are 'too white', the corporation's watchdog said yesterday. Radio 2 had particular difficulties attracting non-white listeners, the BBC Trust said.

Is this the future of gaming? Magic Leap shows how Google-backed virtual reality glasses can turn your office into a war zone

The Florida company, who received $542 million (£352 million) in funding by Google, yesterday released a video that showcases its augmented reality graphics in a real-life setting.

Smile, we're happier than the French: EU table of happiness rates Britain alongside Germany for satisfaction with our lives 

The British are on a par with the Germans when satisfaction with life is measured, and much more cheerful than those worst hit by the euro crisis, including Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece.

Don't believe me, just watch! Dancer performs Uptown Funk routine with high kicks and flips on a moving TREADMILL (and he doesn't break a sweat)

Choregrapher Carson Dean, from Los Angeles, didn't anticipate the reaction he would get when he posted a new 'workout' video. The clip sees him demonstrate an acrobatic routine to Bruno Mars' catchy hit Uptown Funk, while on a fast-moving treadmill. At no point does the dancer lose balance or even seem to appear to be exerting himself.

'The American people like you more than our politicians!': President Obama admits royal envy to Prince Charles and Camilla, as couple visit the White House

The pair met in the Oval Office for the second time since Obama took office. The pair shook hands and smiled broadly for the cameras as Camilla and Vice President Joe Biden sat nearby on a sofa.

Elephant rib shows early signs of prehistoric BUTCHERY: Animal residue found on ancient tools unearthed in Israel

The remains (shown) were discovered in Revadim, Israel. The researchers said the handaxe was prehistoric man's 'Swiss army knife' capable of cutting and breaking down bone and tough sinew.

The ultimate American road trip - and you'll never need to touch the wheel: Self driving car sets off on coast to coast trip

This undated photo provided by Delphi shows an Audi Q5 crossover outfitted with laser sensors, radar and multiple cameras.  The autonomous car developed by Michigan-based auto supplier Delphi Automotive will soon be making a 3,500-mile journey across the U.S. A person will sit behind the wheel at all times but won't touch it unless there's a situation the car can't handle. The car will mainly stick to highways. (AP Photo/Delphi)

Detroit firm Delphi Automotive is set to attempt what it bills as the 'longest automated drive ever attempted in North America', driving from San Francisco to New York.

Elon Musk reveals software to banish 'range anxiety' - and says Tesla model S cars could soon drive themselves

The Californian company's updated software will map out the best route to a driver's destination based on the location of charging stations. It will also warn drivers if battery power is low.

Cut-price Easter getaway: Nine in ten overseas holidays for a family of four are cheaper than a year ago   

Nine in ten holidays this Easter could be cheaper than a year ago due to the strength of the pound.
Sterling has risen sharply against dozens of foreign currencies recently leading to cheaper breaks.

Cardiff University rugby team banned from P&O; ferry after 'drunk' trainee medic 'urinated in a passenger's food'

A rugby team from the School of Medicine was on a tour to Amsterdam when the incident was alleged to have taken place on a ferry from Dover bound for Calais in France.

The mane attraction, 1920s-style: Incredible pictures show horses - and their brave riders - jumping off platforms twice the height of Olympic diving board into just 12 feet of water

Horse diving became one of the most popular attractions in Atlantic City in the 1920s, with the death-defying stunts drawing huge, adoring crowds to the famous Steel Pier. The act involved a woman, clad in a swimming costume, jumping her horse off a platform which could be as tall as 60 foot - almost twice the height of the tallest Olympic diving board - into the water below (pictured).

Fury at Sir Cover-Up's 'whistleblowing ban': Backlash over curbs on civil servants talking to Press 

Ministers are struggling to contain a spiralling row about contentious plans to bar 430,000 civil servants from talking to journalists. Critics say the change to the civil service code could stifle open government.

Rhys Jones's parents tell of their anger after thug who supplied gun that killed 11-year-old attempts to lift ban barring him from estate where killing took place

James Yates, who provided the Smith & Wesson revolver used to kill the 11-year-old child, cannot enter the Croxteth Park neighbourhood of Liverpool where the murder took place.

Men held over rape 'should get anonymity,': MPs call for shake-up in laws after high-profile figures were arrested and named before cases were dropped 

MPs have urged for a shake-up of the law after several high-profile figures, including DJ Paul Gambaccini, were arrested and named only to see their cases dropped.

Puppies saved from the dinner plate: The moment 57 dogs as young as two-days-old were rescued from filthy and cruel South Korean meat farm

The mistreated pups (pictured) as young as two-days-old were set to become some of the two million dogs consumed in the country every year - before two animal rights groups heroically intervened (inset). 57 of them had spent their entire lives in small, filthy cages where they waited to die. Some were captured from the street while others were grown in special farms that supply the inhumane trade in South Korea. Humane Society International worked with animal rights groups inside the country to rescue the dogs who are on their way to be adopted into 'loving homes' in northern California.

Fashion tips, 'passengers' posing like runway models and a hip soundtrack: Air France releases new in-flight safety video... and it's tres chic

Air France has released a new in-flight video which uses attractive women and a hip soundtrack to get passengers to pay attention to safety instructions before take-off.

Computer programmer killed girlfriend and almost got away with it - but after post-mortem ruled it was an accident her friends told police of abusive relationship 

Edward Metcalfe has been convicted of the manslaughter of his girlfriend Tracey Topliss after initially claiming she fell down the stairs in an accident at their home in Birmingham.

Google join forces with Intel and Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer to make luxury smartwatch to take on Apple

The watch, which aims to combine Swiss watchmaking know-how with high-end technology, is expected to hit stores by the end of the year, Tag Heuer chief Jean-Claude Biver told the Baselworld watch fair ©Sebastien Bozon (AFP/File)

The trio revealed at a Basel luxury fair they hope to develop a high end luxury smartwatch to take on Apple's $349 watch - and said it will be on sale by the end of the year.

Are grumpy old men a MYTH? Researchers find we actually trust people more as we age

ITV Media High Stakes...INTERNET OUT.  Richard Wilson (left)  - whose grumpy Victor Meldrew character met his end last night in BBC's One Foot In The Grave -  and Jack Shepherd star in ITV's Television Programme : High Stakes - a brand new comedy set in the dog-eat-dog world of international banking.  See PA story TV Media.  PA photo: Handout_ITV_Carlton_...A

Chicago and Buffalo researchers found getting older doesn't necessarily make people cynical and suspicious - in fact, it can make them more trustworthy.

Model who was cruelly labelled 'a cow' for having Michael Jackson's skin condition proves doubters wrong in glamorous new shoot

The 19-year-old, who has vitiligo, a pigment condition that causes white patches to form on skin, is the star of a glamorous new shoot in Vienna - and she looks incredible. Winnie, a former America's Next Top Model contestant, whose real name is Chantelle Brown-Young, was diagnosed with vitiligo around the age of four. She was cruelly nicknamed 'zebra' and 'cow' because of the white patches covering her face and body growing up.

Lawyer jailed for siphoning off £50,000 of her clients' cash - including £10,000 belonging to a hospice she used to fund a luxury ski trip

Yvonne Painter, 47, from Stoke Prior, Worcestershire has been jailed for two years after using £50,000 of her clients' money to fund a three-week family holiday to France.

Toddler who almost drowned in frozen river defies the odds and survives after 101 MINUTES of CPR

In what doctors are calling an extraordinarily rare case of survival, a 22-month-old Pennsylvania boy whose lifeless body was pulled from an icy creek was re...

Being ambitious and power-hungry could send you to an early grave by increasing the risk of heart problems

It's bad news for relentless power-seekers like Frank Underwood on House of Cards. But those who get to the top by being nice actually increase their health benefit, say Utah researchers.

The keyboard of the future? Google patent hints you could one day type on ANY flat surface

Google, based in Mountain View, California, has been granted a patent that shows a virtual keyboard could be conjured using audio sensors to detect tapping.

Today's hottestfashion finds

  • Natasha

    Keep it covered in a Nasty Gal sheer dress

    Read more ›
  • Blake

    Brighten up your winter wardrobe with a yellow maxi dress

    Read more ›
  • Dakota

    Work some white on your next holiday like Dakota Johnson

    Read more ›
  • Kate

    Get prim and proper in an overcoat like the Duchess of Cambridge

    Read more ›

 
   

MORE DON'T MISS

Make your best offer! Florida private island goes on the market for an immediate sale (but it is valued at around £24.5million) 

Little Bokeelia Island, perfectly positioned between Sarasota and Naples, consists of 104 acres and includes a manor house (pictured inset) that was originally built in 1928. The elegant property consists of four bedrooms and four bathrooms. As well a large main house, the island near Bokeelia, Florida, also includes several small cottages.

The woman whose parents thought she was leaving home every day to work as an accountant... but was secretly building a $10 MILLION fashion empire on her laptop

Sydney entrepreneur Jane Lu's(pictured) success started like many others. She got up early each morning, put on a suit, waved goodbye to her supportive parents and took off to start work. The only difference was that the 28-year-old didn't have an office to go to, a formal job title or a boss to report to. Now her booming business ShowPo has turned over $10 million dollars in one calendar year.

WORLD NEWS

       

Nice (o)ink! Pigs TATTOOED with Disney characters and Louis Vuitton logos before being sold for more than £50,000

Wim Delvoye began tattooing live pigs in 1997 in the US, before doing it in China from 2004 to 2008, where animal welfare laws are more lax. The Belgian artist claimed the pigs were spoiled - with locals in Yang Zhen, Beijing, said to have been amazed at how well they were treated. Up to three artists applied a tattoo simultaneously while each pig was under anaesthetic, and carers regularly moisturised the pigs' skin. But animal rights campaigners complained that the pigs were suffering unnecessarily and being abused for improper commercial profit.

Solar bear: Tourist travels to the Arctic for best view of the eclipse...but gets mauled by a polar which is shot by his friend's mother 

A local representative of the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard walks toward the dead body of a polar bear that attacked a tourist camp  in Svalbard, Norway Thursday March 19, 2015 . A Czech tourist suffered minor injuries when a polar bear attacked the tent he was sleeping in on the remote Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, Norwegian authorities said Thursday. (AP Photo/Arild Lyssand Svalbard Police, NTB scanpix) NORWAY OUT

Jakub Moravec, 37, had travelled from his home in the Czech Republic to enjoy the solar eclipse on Norway's Svalbard islands when the bear attacked as he slept. He escaped with minor injuries.

She's mad as a March hare! Veterinary nurse will live in a human-sized rabbit hutch for 48 hours to highlight cramped conditions pet bunnies are forced to live in

Emma Purnell, 30, from Upton-upon-Severn, will live in a rabbit hutch for 48 this weekend to raise money for bunny rescue centres and highlight the cramped spaces our pets are forced to live in.

War is declared on Salisbury Plain: Tank columns and Apache helicopters among hundreds of vehicles taking part in three-week exercise to test Army's ability to deploy at short notice 

There are thought to be 570 military vehicles on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, including Challenger 2 battle tanks, which were seen hurtling across the fields as soldiers ducked for cover.

Would you want your corpse to become COMPOST? Seattle firm proposes giant tower to turn dead bodies into plant food

image001.jpg

Called the Urban Death Project, the Seattle firm proposes corpses are placed into a giant tower by families and left to decompose - with compost being taken from the bottom.

Time for a spring clean! Rigby the hedgehog lathers up as he takes a warm bathtub

With daylight saving time now in full swing, maybe its time for a spring clean. And that was certainly the thought Rigby the hedgehog's owner had this week. Andrea Pruden, 20, from Coral Springs, Florida, decided to give the spiny critter a well-earned wash.

   

TOP SPORT STORIES