A Sudanese man who works closely with troubled youths says there is a real problem with African gangs in Melbourne. Nelly Yoa, a professional athlete who trialled for leading English soccer teams before becoming a youth worker, has slammed claims gangs are not causing a problem. Mr Yoa (inset), who was himself the victim of a violent machete attack by a gang in 2011, hit out at politicians and police in an aggressive opinion piece for The Age on Tuesday. Following a spate of gang violence (pictured) across Melbourne's west in recent weeks, Mr Yoa says it's time to admit there is 'an issue with Sudanese gangs' but that it can be fixed.

Falls Festival turned into a Tough Mudder course after the heavens opened on Monday afternoon. The mosh pit was reduced to a slosh pit as rain poured down at the Byron Bay festival on New Year’s Day. But it didn’t dampen everyone’s spirits. Punters were seen sliding into 2018 with style as they frolicked in the mud.

They're soon to celebrate their six-year anniversary. And it appears Imogen Anthony and Kyle Sandilands are now ready to start a family. Taking to Instagram on Sunday night, 26-year-old Imogen made the stunning announcement beneath a romantic photo of her and her beau.

A disturbing new trend of inappropriate cartoons specifically designed to entice children to click on dangerous videos is sweeping the internet. The seemingly-innocent cartoons are uploaded to streaming sites like YouTube, featuring popular kids' characters like Peppa Pig, Spider-Man and Elsa from 'Frozen'. But the original cartoons have been doctored to include scenes of graphic violence including murder, cannibalism and pornographic acts.

Australian BMX cycling star Sam Willoughby has married 'the girl of his dreams' in an emotional New Year's Eve wedding - fifteen months after being declared a tetraplegic. Willoughby married his American sweetheart Alise Post (pictured with Willoughby left and right) before 180 family and friends in San Diego, with his former Olympic teammate one of his groomsmen.  The 26-year-old has continued to defy the dire prognosis' of doctors in the US following his life-changing training accident in 2016, where he was left with no movement below the chest. Willoughby (inset after winning silver at the London Olympics) walked down the aisle on December 31.

The partner and children of Australian cricket star Nathan Lyon (inset) have escaped to Fiji for a holiday, in the same week he returned home to Sydney for the final Ashes Test. Mel Waring took to Instagram on Monday to post happy snaps from the beginning of her overseas vacation (right), which she is taking with her two young children and a friend. Lyon and Ms Waring's relationship made headlines last month after a secret romance between the cricketer and a Perth real estate agent were revealed (left) by Mail Online. Seemingly keen to keep her distance from Lyon she boarded a flight for the luxurious island nation on New Year's Day, coinciding with the return to Sydney of him and the rest of the Australian team.

A lifeguard became a knight in shining amour for a child trapped underneath a boat at a Melbourne beach. Nick Mazzeo was relaxing on Safety Beach when 54-year-old driver of the boat lost control near the jetty and accidentally accelerated. The vessel slowly sank into the water and then capsized with two children on board. An 11-year-old boy was quickly pulled from the water but a seven-year-old girl became trapped underneath the boat under the water.

Whisper users from around the world have shared their most embarrassing New Year's party moments. Clockwise from top left: One woman admits to cheating on her boyfriend; cheeky kisses with the ex, a husband and wife got intimate with another partygoer; peaking too soon; breaking up during the party, and the awkward moment when you kiss your best friend who then hooks up with your boyfriend.

Exasperated animal owners from around the world have been shaming their dastardly pet duos online in hilarious posts. Clockwise from top left: Basset Hounds who dug into sanitary supplies; a pair of naughty guinea pigs; a sock-stealing duo; blaming the other one; feline wedding crashers and a murderous pair.

An experienced surf lifesaver has offered his expert tips to avoid trouble at Australia's beaches this summer, claiming many swimmers are unaware of how to spot danger. Former lifesaver Kenny Jewell (inset) took to Facebook in 2015 to share what he believes are the key things to look out for to ensure you stay safe when out in the water. But now, some two years on, his post has gone viral with millions online reading and taking on-board the key messages after a spate of drownings already this summer.

A group of friends determined to celebrate the New Year with alcohol avoided a town-wide booze ban by setting up camp in 'international waters'. Quick-thinking revellers from Tairua, a town on New Zealand's North Island, built a giant sandcastle in the mouth of a river after learning they were prohibited from consuming liquor at the beach. The Kiwis allegedly believed they were protected by a legal loophole because they were drinking the alcohol on 'international waters'.

These snaps shared on social media around the world capture some of the most heinous eyebrow blunders on the web. Clockwise from top left: This woman has forgone brows in favour of face-framing tattoos; a dotty approach; this woman has drawn on a pair of poker straight lines; a woman's full, bushy brows are emphasised by the lack of any hair on her head; an extreme take on the look; another drawn on pair.

Carla Bruni, 50, explained to Into the Gloss how she spends just thirty minutes a day doing her own hair and make-up, avoids slathering foundation on her face and instead opts for tinted balms, and takes care of her sensitive skin with specialist facials from her own personal massage therapist - all to stay looking young. The French-Italian former model, who released her sixth music album this year, says it's more important to take care of your skin as you get older.

A Queensland family has found a giant python hiding in their barbecue. Sunshine Coast 24/7 snake catcher Stuart McKenzie was called to a Twin Waters property on New Year's Day to remove a carpet python hiding under the grill. The incident was filmed and uploaded to Facebook.

This is the moment a topless woman and her friend attacked a man who appeared to grope one of them at a New Year's Eve music festival. Revellers at Rhythm & Vines festival (inset) in Gisborne, on New Zealand's North Island, watched on as a male attendee crept up behind a woman (pictured left and right) wearing only glitter on her breasts before seemingly touching her. The astonishing clip, filmed by Gianne Reece, shows the pair turn in unison and follow the man back to his perch on the grass before launching into a surprise attack.

Dashcam footage has captured the moment a cyclist and a 4WD collided in Queensland. A red 4WD can be seen turning into a shopping complex car park off Caloundra Road as the cyclist rode on the footpath. Instead of braking, the cyclist attempted to swerve out of the way of the car before he was sent flying onto his back.

A second day of festivities was on the cards for keen partygoers on Monday as thousands flocked to festivals on New Years Day.   Just hours after Sydney Harbour was lit up with over $1 million worth of fireworks, revelers strapped their dancing shoes back on for Sydney's Field Day festival. Floods of music fans clad in an array of wacky ensembles converged on The Domain for the city's annual January 1 concert.

Sex sells - whether through words in books, pictures in magazines or a brothel business. One photographer found out firsthand. Marc McAndrews, a man who had never stepped foot inside a strip club before nervously walking into his first Nevada bagnio, was kicked out after he informed one of the escorts he was only visiting for work purposes. In 2011, McAndrews published his book, 'Nevada Rose,' which details all the bracing experiences he had at brothels across 11 counties in America's only state with legal prostitution.

The Tar Bar'l fire festival in Allendale got underway just before midnight as the colourful procession lit up the town in the black of night. Each of the men carried a whisky barrel filled with burning hot tar along the streets, all while wearing fancy dress. Only men are permitted to take part and are known as 'guisers'. To become one, they are required to have been born in the Allen Valleys. Locals and visitors flocked to the town to see the guisers called on to fulfil their duty and crowds gathered from 11pm before the barrels were ignited at 11.30pm.

Kurt Russell, from Essex, also fractured his skull and suffered a bleed on the brain after falling from a three-storey building on the Dutch island of Sint Maarten. The 32-year-old father-of-two is now in an induced coma because of the severity of his injuries and his sister has launched an appeal to help pay for his treatment. Mr Russell was helping a friend to move house on December 27 when he fell off the edge of a balcony, according to sister Tyla, 28, from Welwyn Garden City.

An unfortunate driver had a startling beginning to 2018 when her morning commute was interrupted by a washing machine. Dashcam footage captured the amusing moment that the machine tips out of the trailer and bounced along the road on Monday morning. At first glance the machine looks to be tied down securely, but as the truck turns right the appliance is dislodged onto the street.

Ellie Jones, a 30-year-old healthcare worker from Woolston, Hampshire, turned to comfort food after her relationship broke down. Pizza and ice-cream binges saw her weight soar to 25 stone and her GP recommended a gastric sleeve. After losing 12st 13lbs, the petite health worker says that she's rediscovered her love of vintage clothes. (Pictured: Ellie at her heaviest, weighing in at 25 stone. Right: showing off her new figure in vintage clothes. Inset: With her fiance Calum)

Fascinating images from around the world, collected by Bored Panda, reveal how everyday objects from furniture to toys are constantly being worn down without us even noticing. Clockwise from top left: The same childhood toy 33 years apart; Trinity Abbey in the Loire Valley in the midst of cleaning; perfect circles on the floor of a barber's; a path beaten by superstitious people; a bicycle that's part of the tree trunk after its owner never came back from war, and the ghosts of LA's Union Station.

A report on the Great Escape from Stalag Luft III, in Poland, was written after the Second World War but was never published and laid unread until it was discovered by historian Martin Mace. The paper details the inner workings of the camp and the Planning Committee which was responsible for the escape attempts, as well as accounts from prisoners who broke out and managed to survive the war. One man, Lieutenant Alexander Neely, tell of how he made it all the way to Berlin only to be recaptured because he was given the address of a brothel rather than the rendezvous point where he was supposed to meet an ally willing to sneak him out of Germany.

Fanie Heymans, 52, was in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa when she spotted female leopards Miera and Tsamma engaged in a fierce fight over control of some territory. She captured the two wild cats throwing themselves at each other, going tooth and nail in mid-air as the contest was decided. While the fight only lasted for around 15 seconds, neither of the deadly predators held back. Ms Heymans said: 'With adrenaline pumping, growling sounds and a lot of dust, the moment was both exciting and scary.'

Cassandra Hili, now 23, from Sydney in Australia, was warned she might not live to attend her end of year school formal because her 117kg frame had caused her blood pressure to sky rocket. Carb addicted Cassandra (seen left before her transformation) used to binge eat chips and pasta, but seeing her idol Christina Aguilera perform in the movie Burlesque proved to be a 'lightbulb moment'. She resolved to overhaul her lifestyle, and the now 23-year-old has lost an astonishing 55kg (8st 6lbs) and is a dress size 8 to 10.

Newlyweds Carl and Dannie Mountford (seen left on their wedding day on December 18), from Rowley Regis in the West Midlands, had to dash out of their own wedding reception after Dannie's waters broke on the dancefloor (the couple are seen inset at the party). Dannie was still in her wedding dress as the couple dashed to hospital, where she gave birth to baby Jasmine (seen right with her parents) in the early hours of the following morning.

Jodi O'Shea (pictured right) took one-year-old dog, Bear, for a walk on Boxing Day. He got a fright after hearing a gun shot go off and he ran away. He was found two days later in CRanwich Heath dog walking field, Thetford, Norfolk. The pooch survived two nights in the freezing cold weather.