Why ARE today's stars so short? Actors were once strapping hunks and muscular specimens. Now the modern leading man is more likely to be required to burst into tears, says QUENTIN LETTS

Actors

Hollywood actors were once strapping hunks, thick thighed he-men who made everyone's eyes bulge whereas now today's stars seem to be small to suit the cameras. Generally, films these days are less likely to contain the sort of bar brawls, tough-guy scraps and derring-do scenes requiring brawn. The modern leading man is more likely to be required to burst into tears and go shopping.

The 'terrorist' and the TOWIE fan: One twin is a party girl, the other is a would-be jihadi bride arrested as she tried to travel to Syria 

TWINS

Jalila Henry (main image) of south London is described as a party girl who drinks and wears revealing outfits, while Muslim convert sister Jamila (inset), inset, is a teetoal, wears a traditional headscarf and reads the Koran. This week they were involved in an extraordinary case of mistaken identity after Jamila was seized by Turkish security services allegedly en route to join jihadi group Islamic State - travelling on her twin's passport. Confusion arose in Britain after Turkish authorities named the arrested woman as Jalila - prompting one relative to joke that she was more likely to have ended up in the country after getting carried away after a night of partying. Jamila remained in Turkey last night awaiting deportation hearings to get her back to the UK, where she could face arrest on suspicion of preparing acts of terrorism.

Would you eat a steak that's 180 days old? Tom Rawstorne tries the extreme-aged beef that is all the rage with foodies 

The 180 day steak has been unwrapped and exposed to the air, maturing in much the same way as a fine cheese might, writes Tom Rawstorne.

STEPHEN GLOVER: Clarkson's real crime? He represents everything the Left hates yet is HUGELY successful 

The worst thing of all for the educated, Guardian-reading Lefties who run the BBC is that millions of people find Jeremy Clarkson engaging and amusing.

Fry revs up to replace Clarkson: Petrolhead QI host 'being considered' as possible successor to suspended Top Gear host

He may not come across as a typical petrolhead, but such is his love of cars that I hear BBC bosses are considering Stephen Fry as Clarkson's replacement, says SEBASTIAN SHAKESPEARE.

The ages that define the life of every woman: She has her first kiss at 15, finds 'the one' at 27, earns most at 39 - and gives up bikinis at 48

A new study has revealed the milestones of a woman's life. The mid-twenties is the lowest point of her sexual confidence, whilst she is happiest at 34. Average female life expectancy is 82.9 years.

Britain's fluffiest towels for just £5.99 (And you'll never guess where they're from!)

There are some hotel luxuries that you just can't replicate at home, but now you can get your hands on fluffy towels for your own home. But what exactly is it that makes a super-fluffy towel?

Sun shines on savers: Your savings tax-free up to £10,000, a £3,000 leg up for first time buyers... and bankers to be hit with £5bn bill

Budget

George Osborne (pictured) yesterday used his final Budget before the election to help savers, low earners and homebuyers. Seizing on a run of excellent economic news, the Chancellor portrayed Britain as 'the comeback country' with better times ahead. He sought to blunt Labour's lines of attack - notably on living standards - by declaring that families will be £900 better off this year than they were in 2010. By easing back his austerity plans to match the level of state spending under Tony Blair in 2000, he rubbished the Opposition's apocalyptic warnings of a return to the 1930s. Tax cuts will be paid for in part by a £5billion double strike on the banks. Mr Osborne put thrift and home ownership at the heart of his nakedly political statement and said the 'sun is starting to shine'.

SIMON HEFFER: How could any sane Labour voter not switch to the Tories? 

If a leader is reduced to baseless scaremongering before the election campaign proper has even started, things are desperate for him and for his party.

VICTORY! By winning the ideological battle that's riven Britain, Osborne has proved he's the biggest man in politics, writes MAX HASTINGS

This was not a Budget, but a manifesto. In the House of Commons yesterday, George Osborne set out why the Conservative Party deserves to win the General Election and the Labour Party to lose it.

ALEX BRUMMER: Be in no doubt, this is budget is an awesome success story 

The transformation of Britain's economic fortunes since George Osborne delivered his first budget amid the financial crisin in June 2010, could not have been more dramatic, writes ALEX BRUMMER.

'This will speed up our lives... it's just brilliant': Couple's delight after Osborne announces £3,000 windfall for the first time buyers

A new first-time buyers' Isa will mean those saving for a deposit will get £50 from the Government for every £200 they put away, which was welcomed by Laura and David Picken from Liverpool.

No more income tax on interest paid to 95% of savers! Chancellor heralds revolution by scraping rate paid on regular high street accounts 

It means a basic rate taxpayer can earn £1,000 in savings interest without paying tax, which is 'fantastic news' for Ivan Palmer, 36, and his wife Clair, 41, from Nottinghamshire.

Theresa sat in a suit so low-cut she could have been taken for Sam Fox: QUENTIN LETTS sees the theatre of Budget day unfold

Theresa

David Cameron popped an Extra Strong Mint while Theresa May sitting beside him wore a suit so orange, so low-cut, she could have been Samantha Fox at Guantanamo Bay, writes QUENTIN LETTS. And why not? After all, more than anything, Budget Day is theatre. MPs squatted on the floor while others crowded by the doors, craning through the throng. The public gawped through bulletproof glass. Meanwhile. at the far end of this gilded atrium, Fleet Street's flea-dogs chewed pens, yawned, scratched their hides.

Big earners see pension pots over £1m raided: Warning thousands of middle class savers could be hit by changes to amount person can save before being taxed

The Chancellor'S annoucement that he would slash the amount someone can pay into their pension over a lifetime without incurring tax charges could affect Trevor Osborne, pictured.

Even government advisers are rejecting PM's migrant pledge: Office for Budget Responsibility heaps embarrassment on ministers by criticising prediction

The Prime Minister had promised to reduce net migration to the 'tens of thousands' by the General Election, a pledge reinstated by Theresa May - but the OBR has criticised the prediction.

Is George trying TOO hard to be gorgeous? Osborne delivers Budget with a natty suit and Antonio Banderas-style haircut (but maybe buy some longer trousers next time)

George Osborne (left) delivered his new budget tohttp://molwps.andweb.dmgt.net/begin.html#/femail/article-3000910/Is-George-trying-hard-gorgeous-Mr-Osborne-delivers-budget-natty-suit-Antonio-Banderas-style-haircut-not-everybody-impressed.htmlday but many were more interested in the cut of the Chancellor's new suit. He was also judged on his slim frame, heavy make-up (top right) and modern hairstyle that mirrored the Hollywood star Antonio Banderas (bottom right).

100,000 will be taken out of 40p tax bracket after first real terms rise in the allowance for seven years

George Osborne announced a series of modest increases in the 40p threshold in coming years, culminating in a 1.4 per cent rise in 2017 - just above the forecast inflation rate of 1.2 per cent.

You're getting £10 off a tank with the Tories: Fuel duty frozen for fifth year in a row

The move means a 0.54p-per-litre duty rise planned for September 1 will not go ahead. For the Fox family (pictured) who spend £350 a month on fuel, it will mean a saving of £50 a month.

A double strike on banks to raise £5bn by 2020: Osborne closes highly lucrative loophole and hike levy

George Osborne announced the closure of a little-known loophole that UK lenders have been exploiting for years. They will now be banned from using compensation to shave billions off tax bills.

Employment is at a record high: 73.3% of work age people have jobs after UK enjoys fastest growth of any major economy in past year  

Chancellor George Osborne has declared that Britain has reached a 'massive moment' after new figures revealed that there has never been more people in work since records began.

Help for the high street to take on Amazon: Osborne announces 'wide-ranging review' into crippling business rates

The government has announced a 'wide-ranging review' into business rates amid claims small businesses pay too much. Wedding dress designer Charlotte Balbier (pictured) welcomed the review.

Cheers, but more pain is to come: JAMES SLACK'S budget analysis says there are more severe cuts to come

In order for George Osborne to put Britain back in the black, the cuts will be more severe in the early part of the next Parliament across several Whitehall departments, writes JAMES SLACK.

DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Budget that makes Labour irrelevant

George Osborne spectacularly exposed the hollowness of every Labour attack of the past five years: the undeniable fact is that Britain is on the mend.

Why I wish I had given back my adopted daughter: It's a shocking confession, but read on and you might just sympathise with this tortured mother

Meg and Robert Henderson (inset) adopted all three of their children. Louise (left), their middle child, was diagnosed with severe autism as a teen and her mental illness has had a significant effect on the entire family's life. Due to her condition, Louise will never be able to live by herself, work outside her community or get married and have children. Without medication she is highly likely to suffer a relapse of the psychosis that has plagued her since her diagnosis. Her mother, Meg, says the honest truth is that her greatest regret in life is adopting Louise and keeping her.

Would YOU turn your brown eyes blue? Radical technique claims to permanently change iris colour for £3,000

The technique, developed by Californian company, Strma Medical, works by using something known as 'scavenger cells' to digest and remove the pigment from the iris surface.

Nature's answer to HRT: More and more herbal pills claim to conquer your symptoms the natural way - but do they really work? 

Experts say natural remedies, such as Red Clover and St John's Wort, are an effective alternative to HRT. Herbal pills can be used to reduce the severity of symptoms by up to 60 per cent.

The iconic tennis poster too cheeky for Wimbledon: All England Club forced to apologise over image used to promote forthcoming exhibition

The All England Club was forced to apologise for using the iconic Athena girl image to promote a forthcoming exhibition at the Wimbledon Museum after facing a volley of criticism.

As fillies guzzle it from the bottle, Matthew Bell asks: Just how did champers get so frightfully common?  

At the Cheltenham Festival it was distinguished champagne house Moet & Chandon encouraging drinkers not to bother with a glass 

Champagne used to conjure ideas of sophistication and wealth. Now it is more common and even seen at the races. But what is it that made champagne such an exclusive drink originally?

How we are still living in ancient tribes in 2015: Study shows parts of Britain still has same genetic make-up as 1,400 years ago

Map

Scientists at Oxford University have found that modern Britain can be divided into 17 distinct genetic 'clans' with the Welsh having the most DNA from the original settlers of the British Isles. Despite their reputation for raping, the Vikings left little trace of their DNA, as did the ancient Romans. However, a quarter of English DNA was found to be German and 45 per cent was French in origin. The image above shows the geographical locations where the 17 different genetic groups can now be found in modern Britain.

Olive oil price to soar as bug kills trees: EU orders felling of 11 million trees in Southern Italy that are infected with deadly microbe 

Brussels has recommended that 11million olive trees in Puglia in southern Italy be chopped down after being infected with Xyella fastidiosa, a bacterium spread by insects.

Never ask a man to multi-task, says Taylor Bradford: Best-selling author reveals her top three tips for a happy marriage 

Revered author Barbara Taylor Bradford has revealed her top three tips for keeping a marriage going strong. Giving each other space and not asking a man to multi-task are key, she says.

The secrets of Sam Cam's larder: From a £21 jar of 'healing' honey and a £30 bottle of cooking plonk to Middle Eastern spices and a shockingly pricey fridge to house it all

Cameron

1. John West boneless sardines 2. Russell Hobbs Orleans kettle 3. Russell Hobbs futura four-slice toaster 4. White tin bread 5. Anolon advanced suregrip knife block 6. Jim Barry Wood McRae Shiraz 7. Fine sea salt crystals 8. Carte Noire freeze-dried instant coffee 9. PG Tips tea 10. GreenPan Venice frying pans 11. Vegetable spiralizer 12. Groovy Food virgin coconut oil 13. Goldenfields pure rapeseed oil 14. Bundles of fresh herbs clipped together with a pink peg 15. Waitrose fresh fruit orange marmalade 16. Essential Waitrose mint jelly 17. Marmite 18. Whole Earth organic crunchy peanut butter 19. Zatar seasoning 20. Uncle Ben's long grain rice 21. Knorr beef stock pot 22. Knorr chicken stock cubes 23. Swiss vegetable bouillon powder 24. Fairy cake cases 25. Food colourings and flavourings 26. Toasted pine nuts 27. Mixed herbs 28. Essential Waitrose strawberry jam 29. Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste 30. Micro marshmallows 31. Lyle's maple flavour golden syrup 32. Milk chocolate chunks 33. Baking powder 34. Twinings tea 35. Steens raw 15+ manuka honey 36. Kikkoman soy sauce 37. Tabasco pepper sauce 38. Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce 39. Artisan olive oil 40. Belazu Balsamic Vinegar of Modena 41. Waitrose essential white wine vinegar 42. Neff American-style fridge freezer 43. Semi-skimmed milk 44. Loose vegetables and herbs 45. Greek feta cheese 46. Johnson Estate sauvignon blanc 47. Natoora Sicilian vine tomatoes 48. Heinz tomato ketchup 49. Encona Original Hot Pepper sauce 50. Waitrose espresso roasted and ground coffee 51. Lurpak butter 52. Buckwud maple syrup 53. Assorted cookery books

Police officer 'had sex with four women while on duty': Constable let one handcuff him during tryst at his station, court hears 

Staffordshire Police officer Adam Rushton, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, denies 10 counts of misconduct in a public office and two counts of obtaining personal data of women without permission.

Rising toll of drink driving by stressed working women: Professionals in their 40s more likely to get behind the wheel over the limit

Family problems such as marital breakdown and children leaving home are a factor behind many women getting behind the wheel when they are over the limit, according to a road safety expert.

Woman who makes £25 smoothies for new mothers from their own dried and powdered PLACENTA is investigated by hygiene officers over infection fears 

Mother-of-two Kathryn Beale, 41, from Swindon, Wiltshire, produces the raw
human placenta smoothies for new mothers and insists they are perfectly safe and have many health benefits.

Toxic smog from the Continent set to shroud Britain - and skies will remain cloudy until AFTER Friday's eclipse

Joggers make their way through dense fog at Sale Water Park in Manchester, after the North West was shrouded in fog on this cold spring morning.

Air pollution from Paris will settle across much of the South and Midlands, while high pressure and little wind will mean heavy cloud lingers into Friday, blocking the eclipse for much of the country.

The ping pong shot so good it beat BOTH players: Opponent loses sight of ball after it's hit high into the air... but one could have anticipated what happens next

The match, which took place in Turku, Finland, took a turn for the unexpected. An ungainly shot by the underdog (pictured main) - who was down two points - went flying into the air - seeming to leave both players baffled (top right). But it was what happened when it came back to earth which really took them by surprise (bottom right).

Model born thanks to IVF treatment hits out at Dolce & Gabbana's 'synthetic' jibe, calling it 'ironic for a company charging £1,500 for a nylon jacket'

Former Miss England Charlotte Holmes, 26, from Plymouth, who was born following fertility treatment, hopes designers Dolce & Gabbana will apologise after Domenico Dolce criticised IVF.

'We love Elton John and don't judge IVF': Dolce and Gabbana speak for the first time since 'synthetic' baby row, claiming 'traditional' views were private 

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 01:  Stefano Gabbana (L) and Domenico Dolce attend a private dinner celebrating the Victoria and Albert Museum's new exhibition 'The Glamour Of Italian Fashion 1945 - 2014' at Victoria and Albert Museum on April 1, 2014 in London, England.  (Photo by David M. Benett/Getty Images)

Fashion designer Domenico Dolce has said he 'respects all the world' after his controversisal comments on children born via IVF sparked a furious reaction from Sir Elton John.

Fears for two Britons caught up in Tunisia museum terror attack that killed 22 as guide reveals terrifying moment 'ISIS militants' gunned down tourists as they got off buses

Seventeen tourists were killed when gunmen stormed the country's national museum yesterday, while a security officer, cleaner, police officer and two gunmen also died. The nationality of one of the tourists is still unknown, but the others are from Japan, Italy, Colombia, Spain, Australia, Poland and France, Tunisia's Prime Minister Habib Essid said. Video showed gunmen in military uniform storm the Bardo Museum, killing mainly foreign tourists who were visiting the attraction's world renowned collection of Roman mosaics. Last night, thousands of people gathered in the capital of Tunis (bottom left) in a show of solidarity against the atrocity as world leaders united in their condemnation. Also pictured: A wounded victim of the attack is evacuated by rescue workers (right), and visitors to the museum helped away from the area by security forces (top left).

It's time we ended the search for Maddie so officers can focus on threats to the public, says police union chief 

Despite costing the taxpayer £10million the investigation by a team of 31 British detectives into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal has not led to a single arrest.

The rapists and killers allowed home on bail AFTER they were convicted: 210 were sent home in 2013 while awaiting sentencing

More than 200 paedophiles, rapists and killers were granted bail after being found guilty of offences in 2013. In the same year, 248 on post-conviction bail, failed to turn up for sentencing.

Inside Heir Force One: The luxury Airbus A320 'Head Of State' Charles and Camilla's took to US - complete with bedroom, private office and bathroom with golden taps - at £250,000 a trip

This is the luxury private jet chartered by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall for their trip to Washington to meet with US President Barack Obama at an estimated cost of £250,000. The jet, which began its life as a normal passenger aircraft, has been extensively refurbished. Now, the jet only has seating for 26 people, left, although it does have its own bedroom in the 'presidential area, top right. The jet, bottom right, collected the royal couple, inset left, from RAF Brize Norton before carrying them across the Atlantic in absolute luxury.

Will the Large Hadron Collider find a parallel universe? Particle smasher could become a gateway to alternate realities, say scientists

Tiny black holes - a sign of a 'multiverse' - could be detected in Cern's Large Hadron Collider in Geneva when it turns on next week, according to scientists in Canada, the US and Egypt.

Now Sir Cover-Up bans civil servants from speaking to the Press: They'll have to get approval from a minister first 

The ban, overseen by Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood - nicknamed 'Sir Cover-Up', will 'intimidate' civil servants into silence, critics said last night.

The tide of wet wipes blighting British beaches: Number found per mile of sand up 50% as part of sharp rise in litter found in some parts of the UK 

An average of 22 wet wipes per mile were retrieved from Britain's shores in an annual clean-up of 300 beaches by the Marine Conservation Society.

Can fish oils help fight prostate cancer? Omega-3 may 'stop the growth of harmful cells'

The Washington State University study adds to previous research that omega-3s reduce inflammation and have anti-diabetic effects.

It's what Lily James claims gave her a tiny waist in her new film, so could a Cinderella corset magic away your mum tum?

Inspired by Disney princess Lily James' (inset) doll-like waist in new film Cinderella, mother-of-four Clover Stroud (pictured) tried wearing the everyday corset. The 39-year-old lost 2lb in a week and says it improved her posture and confidence. Although it's a little impractical for looking after the kids!

Families of Iraqis shot dead by British soldiers could sue MoD for human rights violations after High Court ruling

A judgment stated that cases in which an Iraqi was either shot dead or wounded fall within the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights Act and could lead to more than 1,200 claims.

Hunting makes the heart grow fonder: Scientists find levels of the love hormone are boosted when men return home

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara made the discovery after tracking the hormone levels of Tsimane people in Bolivia's Amazon basin after a day hunting.

Origin of the 'strangest animals ever discovered' revealed: New protein analysis solves Darwinian mystery of South American mammals

Researchers at the Natural History Museum in London used a new proteomics technique to analyse fossils of odd-looking extinct hooved mammals and found they were most closely related to horses.

Now that's cosy! Tiny flat in exclusive Kensington will cost you £500 a month - so long as you don't mind showering under your bed

The one-bedroom studio, marketed as 'cosy' and located in the 'up market area of West Kensington', comes with a bed at the top of a ladder (left) and a tiny kitchenette (right). It's also furnished with a table, chair, wardrobe and a chest of drawers - all within easy reach of each other. The Zoopla advert, which lists a rent price of £120 a week, boasts that tenants have the perk of a 'personal shower' but that does mean they will have to share a toilet with other residents in the building.

Commuters tell of horrifying moment three-year-old girl fell through gap between Tube train and platform 

The three-year-old girl had been standing on platform 2 at Baker Street station in central London with her nanny and another child when she fell between the platform and a northbound Metropolitan line train.

How did they film Sound of Music opening scene in an age before CGI and drones?

She revealed that it took a week to shoot the famous scene in 1964 in Germany where she throws herself into a full-bodied twirl with her arms outstretched.

LORRAINE CANDY: I lost our child on the Tube, he grinned. No harm done! 

Losing a child on public transport is high on the Mum Terror List. But at what age is it OK for a city kid to make her own short-distance journey to school? There's a line between smothering and mothering.

Male teachers flirt to boost their career, says prep school head 

While teaching is a female-dominated profession, recent research shows a disproportionate number of men are in senior positions - and it could be linked to male teachers using their 'erotic capital'.

Disabled pensioner, 64, spends thousands on Tunisian toyboy husband 33 YEARS younger... but is left heartbroken after he dumps her when he arrives in the UK

Disabled pensioner Patricia fell for the charms of Mondher, from Tunisia, after they met on a dating website. Despite their differences, the couple got engaged just five days after meeting in the flesh and married in 2012 (pictured) in a wedding funded by the Midlands woman. However, shortly after arriving in the UK, Mondher walked out on his new wife. The 64-year-old, who's story is included on Channel 5's Holiday Love Rats, said she was left devastated as she thought they would be together forever.

Sarkozy's most senior aide mocked him as a 'dwarfish Napoleon' and a 'nutter', claims book

Patrick Buisson, 65, was credited with steering Mr Sarkozy into the Elysee Palace, where he served between 2007 and 2012, but a book claims he frequently mocked the 5ft 5in politician.

Uber everywhere! Controversial firm opens up its system so ANY app can call you a car

Uber has opened up its online booking to allow any app to call a car. The San Francisco firm said it hoped developers would use the system to make their apps 'smarter'.

Bing
   

DON'T MISS

What caused the mysterious silent flashes which lit up Russian sky? Weather experts say the lights 'cannot be natural'

Experts have been unable to explain the strange phenomenon which illuminated the dark sky in Stavropol, southern Russia, in the early hours of the morning. The flash of blue and white light (pictured above) has baffled local residents and sparked theories that it could be the work of a UFO. The strange glow was not accompanied by any sound and captured by a vehicles dashboard camera.

Childline founder Dame Esther Rantzen tells cyber stalking trial she WASN'T told about Jimmy Savile abuse in 1986 

Dame Esther was giving evidence in the trial of Penny Mellor, 53, from Wolverhampton, who is alleged to have sent hundreds of abusive tweets to campaigner Shy Keenan.

Stripper and lingerie model reveals bloodied fingers after Russian manicurist 'filed her nails down completely' when she criticised her for using dirty equipment 

Pic shows: Russian model Maria Lomovskikh needed surgery after the beautician nearly ripped her nails out.\\n\\nA Russian model who went to have her nails done needed surgery after the beautician nearly ripped them out.\\n\\nFormer make-up instructor Maria Lomovskikh, 20, had gone to the beauty salon in her home city of Voronezh in southern Russia where she began criticising manicurist Anastasia Kretova about the quality of service, calling it "shoddy and unprofessional".\\n\\nIn response, the beautician filed her nails so close to the skin her fingers began bleeding and swelling.\\n\\nLomovskikh, who also freelances as a stripper when not modelling lingerie, said: "I was in absolute agony.\\n\\n"I was criticising the woman because she was using dirty nail files and wasn¿t disinfecting her instruments.\\n\\n"But then she went mental, and I realised she had filed them with such ferocity that they were bleeding."\\n\\nAfter going home to bandage her wounds, the local beauty eventually h

Maria Lomovskikh, 20, visited a beauty salon to have her nails done, but criticised manicurist Anastasia Kretova about the quality of her work, calling it 'shoddy and unprofessional'.

Burglar with a guilty conscience returned to family home he raided nearly a year later to apologise and give them £400 cash - and they reported him to the police 

A burglar with a guilty conscience returned to a family's home a year later to say: "I'm very sorry. Here's £400."
Remorseful Lee Bowen, 27, left the family shocked when he turned up on their doorstep to confess to the crime.
And they were more stunned when shame-faced Bowen offered a bundle of banknotes to "make good" on his original crime.
© WALES NEWS SERVICE

Lee Bowen, 27, turned up at the house in Merthyr Tydfil in south Wales with a pile of bank notes to apologise for stealing mobile phones, a laptop and cash cards while they slept on New Year's Eve.

Laughing at justice, killer driver, 80, who was fined only £500: He's got away scot-free, says husband of victim, 75, who was pinned against wall

Thomas Gidman, 80, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, was sitting in his stationary car when he put his foot on the accelerator and the vehicle ploughed into grandmother Irene Wills.

Malaria test developed for ANCIENT human remains - and it could lift the lid on how the disease evolved

Scientists at Yale University looked for tell-tale waste products produced by the malaria parasite in bone marrow, allowing them to diagnose children that died 1,500 years ago.

Couple who fell victim to payday loans are forced to live in their Ford Focus - and celebrate wedding anniversary with a Twix 

car

For the past two months Philip and Victoria Sherlock have been bedding down overnight in their old car, with their worldly belongings in its boot, on an industrial estate in Warrington, Cheshire. Times have become so tough they celebrated their wedding anniversary by sharing a Twix chocolate bar. The desperate pair borrowed £830 from lenders to try and cover their rent after Mr Sherlock, a self-employed landscape gardener, was forced to stop working through ill health in October. Mr Sherlock said: 'It's humiliating how far we have fallen. All I want to do is take care of my wife. But without a job, savings or a home, it's just impossible.'

Slimmer who lost 9st was left with huge 'coal sack' breasts she had to 'tuck in' for fear they would escape her bra

Louise Whitaker, 41, from Bradford lost nine stone but was left with size 48EE breasts, which shattered her confidence. After an operation to remove half her breast tissue, she said she feels 'free'.

Do you have a pet VAMPIRE crab? Researchers find two creepy crustaceans sold as pets are actually new species

Experts have discovered two new species of the spooky crustaceans - Geosesarma dennerle and Geosesarma hagen, which live in rivers on the island of Java, Indonesia.

Buy your OWN drugs, Welsh NHS board tells patients as free prescription scheme becomes 'unaffordable'

Betsi Cadwaladr health board, has asked GPs to reduce 'unnecessary prescribing of simple medications', including painkillers, laxatives, vitamins, hayfever and head lice treatments.

Skoda's million car milestone: Czech company passes figure for annual global sales for first time in 120-year history 

Czech car maker Skoda has reached another milestone by selling a million cars last year for first time in company's 120-year history. It now sells 1.4% of cars in the world.

Michael Schumacher's 15-year-old son crashes at 100mph while testing Formula 4 race car

Mick Schumacher was racing through the Lausitzring speedway in Brandenburg, eastern Germany, when he skidded out of control and onto the gravel, it has emerged.

EXCLUSIVE: 'It left scars...we had no inkling he was using heroin': Naomi Watts's mother opens up about death of star's dad from an overdose when she was just seven, and says Liev Schreiber is her 'father figure'

naomi

Two-time Oscar nominee Naomi Watts once admitted she felt a part of her was missing having known her father briefly until a heroin overdose cut his life short, when she was just seven years old. A then tiny Naomi and her family were left reeling when Pink Floyd sound engineer and road manager, Peter Watts, was found dead in his flat in Notting Hill. And his untimely death in August 1976 still runs deep within the Birdman star, according to her mother Myfanway Edwards, who has opened up to Daily Mail Australia in her very first candid interview about the actress and her family's tragic past.

Britain's worst-ever conwoman who posed as a witchdoctor to steal more than £5million from sick and dying claims she is penniless and cannot pay them back 

Conwoman Juliette D'Souza, of Hampstead, north London, was jailed after she persuaded 11 vulnerable victims to hand over 'sacrifice payments' to cure terminal illnesses and fertility problems.

Top QC is ordered to hand over £1.2million for failing to pay inheritance tax bill 10 years after his father died

Romie Tager QC

EXCLUSIVE: Romie Tager QC repeatedly refused to reveal how much his father's estate was worth and did not respond to requests to pay inheritance tax.

The £1.6m gipsy Butlins: Cash-starved council builds luxury site for just 13 families... much to the fury of local residents

Carrswood View is the first permanent traveller site to be developed in Bath but has been open to criticism as the council continues to make millions of pounds of savings cuts and deal with a housing shortage.

Female paediatrician locked out of Pure Gym changing room - because computer assumed everyone with 'Dr' title was a MAN

Dr Louise Selby said code to get into the female changing rooms at Pure Gym, Cambridge, didn't work, and staff told her this was because all those with 'Dr' title were automatically registered as male.

Cloudy with spells of IRON RAIN: Earth's four-billion-year-old forecast reveals it had showers of vapourised metal

Scientists in New Mexico have a new theory for the origin of Earth's scattered iron in its mantle. Research suggests iron was vapourised in impacts and rained back down (arist's impression shown).

Obese woman who can't have children slims to size 14... but is told she is STILL too fat to adopt because her BMI is too high

Donna Adams, 31, from East Grinstead, shed four stone to reach 15st and a healthy size 14 but as her BMI is three points too high West Sussex County Council say her weight exceeds their criteria.

Dog that looks like a mop has buckets of fun: Shaggy Puli's fur flies everywhere

dog

The breed of dog is a Puli, a small to medium-sized breed from Hungary, and is famous for its incredibly long and shaggy fur. Monika Wegler captured the moment the dog leapt into the air while it was out with its owner outside Schäftlarn Abbey in Germany. The pooch's waterproof coat requires a controlled matting process to achieve the desired fur which looks like dreadlocks. It needs a large amount of grooming to keep the fur neat and clean. As it grows older, the fur gets much longer and reaches the ground.

Drunken flatmate attacked his friend with a meat cleaver after pair rowed while preparing spaghetti Bolognese dinner 

Peter McKay, 35, had been living with Leslie Bidgood for around six months in Sheppey, Kent, when he attacked his flatmate while chopping ingredients for their spaghetti Bolognese dinner.

Father-of-two who plastered stickers on supermarket chicken claiming 'Halal is barbaric and funds terrorism' says he is an animal rights activist and not a racist

Liam Edwards, 29, admitted criminal damage but denied he was racist after walking into a Sainsbury's in Salford, Greater Manchester, and plastering #BanHalal stickers on meat packets.

Walk this way! Hi-tech 'catwalk' could solve the mystery of how the penguin got its waddle

Feeling under the weather, some of the Penguins at London Zoo have apparently caught malaria. Penguins this morning.

Scientists from the Royal Veterinary College and the University of Texas at Austin worked with penguins at London Zoo to try and solve the mystery of why penguins move so strangely.

New lead in hunt for missing chef Claudia: Unseen CCTV footage of two people walking near missing chef's home on evening she vanished

Police believe the footage - recorded just one hour before she spoke with her parents for the last time - could 'hold the key' to unlocking the six-year-old mystery. This afternoon, on the sixth anniversary of the chef's disappearance, the previously unseen clip was broadcast on a giant screen near Miss Lawrence's house in York. In a determined attempt to locate the two murky figures seen on camera, officer have marked the footage with the words 'Is this you?' and 'who is this?'. The university chef, 35 (left) was last seen on Wednesday March 18, 2009 and reported missing by her father two days later, when she failed to turn up for her 6am shift at York University. Police believe she was murdered. The new CCTV footage, taken at about 7.15pm, shows a tall man walking down Heworth Place (right), which leads to the rear of Miss Lawrence's house. A second man is also seen walking past, in the same direction (inset).

Fitness fanatic, 25, is lucky to be alive after living with undiagnosed heart condition that should have killed her before the age of ONE

Karen MacLachlan, from Glasgow, had no idea she had the deadly disease - which is usually diagnosed at birth - until her heart suddenly stopped beating 24 years after it should have killed her.

I was not involved in any cover-up says Hillsborough police chief who has admitted responsibility for death of 96 Liverpool fans 

David Duckenfield, 70, has admitted his failure to close a tunnel in Sheffield caused dozens of deaths but denied claims he then helped conceal 'very serious professional failings'.

Boyfriend charged with murder of young mother who was found dead at home on Mother's Day

Melissa Liddle, 23, was found dead at the house she shared with 24-year-old Anthony Ross and her two young children in South Shields, South Tyneside, on Sunday evening.

A gangster's paradise: Al Capone's Florida mansion undergoes £1m renovation to restore the estate to its Prohibition-era glory

The former Miami Beach mansion of Al Capone is being renovated to it's former Jazz-era glory by new owners, MB America. Marco Bruzzi, co-founder of the property investment company says they paid $8million for the home, and are investing $1.75million into renovations. When renovations are completed, the company plans to rent out the estate for video and photo shoots.

Will the solar eclipse create an EERIE WIND? Scientists hope to observe strange impacts of partial eclipse on weather

Meteorologists at the University of Reading are asking members of the public to record the weather conditions during Friday's eclipse in the hope of understanding the 'eclipse wind'.

Outrage as NHS patients are charged £10 a day to watch TV while prisoners pay just £1 for the privilege

To use a bedside TV showing terrestrial programmes at Southport Hospital, patients are charged £10 every 24 hours. But inmates at a nearby prison pay just £1 a week to have a TV in their cell.

'Despicable' carer who was caught red-handed on hidden camera as she stole £30 from pensioner's purse is jailed

Sheryvone Brooks, 20, was filmed taking £30 from Evelyn Nicholson, 85, after her family installed a recording device in the elderly woman's home in in Stourbridge, West Midlands.

Going against the tide? Two Polish men caught trying to LEAVE Britain by paddling across the Channel in a stolen rowing boat

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The two Polish men, who are believed to be in their 20s, are thought to have stolen the boat from Folkestone, Kent, before setting out on the 21-mile trip across the English Channel just after 8am today. The men were rescued by the Dover Lifeboat crew after they were spotted (pictured) just two miles into their journey.

Post-war powdered eggs, Angel Delight in the 1970s and Eighties' microwave meals... how food has changed over the decades (as women went out to work)

Food historian Dr Polly Russell took a trip down memory lane for the taste buds on This Morning today as a new BBC programme, Back In Time For Dinner, looks at family food through the decades.

War veteran chosen to carry Olympic torch accused of lying about having PTSD and cancer and being in the SAS

Picture shows army veteran and PTSD campaigner Simon Buckden appearing at Leeds Magistrates Court on fraud charges lying about his cancer. See Ross Parry copy RPYFRAUD : A war veteran turned fundraiser and public speaker has been charged with fraud over claims he lied about his military and medical history. Simon Buckden, from Bramley, Leeds, is due in court next month to face seven fraud charges. The allegations include claims the ex-Royal Signalman lied about having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and cancer to obtain money.
Glen Minikin / rossparry.co.uk

Former Royal Signalman Simon Buckden, from Leeds, is accused of pretending to suffer from the illnesses in order to obtain money and other perks such as therapy.

Vodafone customer gets £15,000 phone bill issued by mistake cancelled - but only after staging a three-hour sit-in at their HQ

Edward Martin.  A businessman staged a successful sit-in protest outside one of Britain's largest phone companies  - after they issued him a £15,000 phone bill.   See SWNS story SWBILL.  Edward Martin, 52, forced Vodafone to scrap his enormous phone-bill - but only after a three-hour sit-in at the firm's Newbury headquarters.  Edward, who runs a clothing business in Tiverton, Devon, said his troubles began when the mobile phone giant upgraded his service.  After the upgrade staff at Vodafone realised they had made a mistake, put him on another tariff and issued him a series of corrected bills totalling £14,949.41.

Edward Martin, from Devon, was sent the huge bill after the mobile phone company put him on a new tariff, but after eight hours on the phone he was unable to get them to admit their mistake.

Sweetie, I am so, so sick of my bloody job! Moaning love letter sent by future Edward VIII to mistress he had an affair with before Wallis Simpson

Edward, who was known as the Prince of Wales, right, at the time, wrote the letter, inset, to Freda Dudley Ward, left, a married mother-of-two, who had a five-year affair with him before he married Wallis Simpson. In the letter, which is expected to fetch £3,000 at auction, sees the former king say how he was 'sick of my bloody job' and moan about a 'f****** world trip' he was about to embark upon in his royal capacity.

Afghanistan veteran is cleared of attacking two other soldiers - including a woman - because he thought one called his wife 'FAT'

Sgt Edward Keteca, 35, told police he'd heard Gnr Gary Doyle say 'something derogatory' about his wife Aimee as they left an officer's mess party at Larkhill Royal Artillery Barracks, in Wiltshire.

Proof that a mother's love knows no bounds: Dog saves her litter of puppies from a forest fire by digging a hole for them to hide in as flames lick around them in Chile

The dog, who has now been nicknamed Blacky, desperately dug a hole to allow her nine week-old puppies to take shelter in and stay safe beneath a metal container near Valparaiso in Chile.

'Billions of stars' in the Milky Way may have planets that contain alien life: Scientists say our galaxy is teeming with watery worlds

Astronomers at the University of Copenhagen used an improved version of a 250-year old theory to calculate how many stars in our galaxy could have planets in zones where liquid water could exist.

The pervert at the South Pole: Scientist tried to arrange sex with eight-year-old girl

Simon Rouen, left, sent a string of emails to undercover police officers, thinking they could arrange for him to molest an eight-year-old when he returned to the UK. The lab manager was arrested at Heathrow after flying back from the South Pole, right, where he had been working for the British Antarctic Survey. Yesterday he was sentenced to three years in prison, after being convicted in January following a trial.

Dazzling white diamonds, 153 carats of jewels and a matching pear-shaped rock: World's most expensive timepiece worth £27 MILLION is unveiled

The Fascination, which was unveiled at the watch industry's biggest trade show in Basel, Switzerland, is worth a staggering £27 million and can be worn as a bracelet and a ring.

The northern lights of Mars: Nasa spots huge aurora and vast dust clouds on red planet

Nasa scientists in Houston have discovered aurora on Mars reach deep into the atmosphere. They also made the unexpected discovery of dust up to 190 miles (300 km) above the red planet's surface.

Frail pensioner whose family snatched him from care home and flew him to Turkey died five months after daughter was secretly jailed by Court of Protection

An inquest into the death of John Maddocks, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, has heard how his daughter Wanda, 52, was jailed for taking him out of a care home and to her Turkish home.

Outrage as Jonathan Ross returns to Radio Two - the station that sacked him over prank call to Andrew Sachs

The chat show host is once again standing in for Steve Wright, 60, on his afternoon show - despite the BBC receiving 100 complaints since his last cover shift and a raft of criticism of social media.

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The moon's newest scar: Biggest explosion seen on lunar surface leaves giant crater

Nasa scientists in Houston watched the object explode on March 17 2013 as it hit the surface in Mare Imbrium creating a flash of light 10 times as bright as anything ever recorded on the moon before. The team predicted the crater's size based on the energy, and then eagerly awaited Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera's next pass over the location to confirm their calculations. The crater itself is small, measuring 61.7ft (18.8 metres) in diameter, but its influence is large; debris excavated by the sudden release of energy flew for hundreds of metres. On the left is the surface before impact, and on the right the crater after the explosion.

Life of a Victorian adventuress: Incredible story of clergyman's daughter who braved malaria, floods and wars to trek across China

A new book celebrates the success of the intrepid traveller, who only began writing in her early forties and didn't discover photography until she was 60 years old.

Teddy on tour! Globetrotter takes holiday snaps of his bear in glamorous locations... because his wife is too shy to pose

The adorable bear is the star feature of amateur photographer Christian Kneidinger's extensive holiday snaps and has visited over 21 breathtaking destinations.

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It's a cat-astrophy! The hilariously cute photos of 'Catzilla' wrecking a dollhouse 

A photo of a giant cat coming down the stairs of a house, teeth bared and biting for the chandelier has gone viral on Reddit and imgur. Users have nicknamed the creature Catzilla, Kat Kong and Fluffy Destroyer of Worlds. Others have suggested it would make a great horror movie. It's actually a photo of a kitten in a dollhouse taken to help find foster homes for cats in Austin, Texas.

'I want to look pretty like you!' Four-year-old beauty lover raids her mother's make-up bag before offering up an endearing explanation for her over-the-top makeover

Mia was caught on camera by her mother after covering herself in bright pink blush and dark purple lip gloss, which she quickly revealed was an attempt to look and act just like her mom.

From ordinary home to style haven: Star interior expert Celia Sawyer reveals her top ten design secrets... as she unveils her latest £30million property

The designer gives us a peek inside her latest project on Avenue Road in London's posh St John's Wood and reveals how experts create the perfect interior - whatever the property's size or budget.

In awe of aurora: Sensational light shows wow crowds across the globe as a 'severe' solar storm strikes the planet

Stargazers were wowed last night by displays of Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis. Light shows were spotted in Alaska, the UK, as far south as Germany and across and New Zealand (pictured).

Can YOU complete the world's most difficult jigsaw? Puzzle contains 1,000 pieces - and each one is a different colour

colour

The '1000 Colours' jigsaw was designed by Paris-based illustrator Clemens Habicht. Each of its 1,000 pieces are a different color and despite being touted as the world's hardest jigsaw, its designer said it easier than it first appears. The puzzle is available from Australian firm Lamington Drive for £40.

   

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