School confiscates girl's Vaseline for her dry lips... due to health and safety fears

By ALISON SMITH SQUIRE

'Not prescribed': Ellie-Maye Wilkins, 7, from Sandbach, Cheshire with a tin of the offending Vaseline

When her seven-year-old daughter complained of dry lips, Joanne Wilkins gave her a tiny tin of Vaseline to apply at school.

But when Ellie-Maye went to use it, it was confiscated – because it is not a prescribed medicine.

And when Mrs Wilkins queried the decision, she was told if she wanted her daughter to moisturise her lips, she would need to take her out of school to apply the Vaseline.

‘This is health and safety gone mad,’ said Mrs Wilkins, 28, a project manager, yesterday. ‘Where has common sense gone? I can’t believe how my daughter was humiliated.


'Health and safety gone mad': The headmaster of Wistaston Church Lane Primary School confirmed that unless the Vaseline was prescribed, Ellie-Maye could not use it in school


‘This harmless ointment was taken away in front of all her friends. She was made to feel naughty and as a result was close to tears – all over a tiny pot of Vaseline.’

Mrs Wilkins took advice over her daughter’s dry lips from her pharmacist.

She said: ‘She recommended Vaseline Lip Therapy. It is the basic original Vaseline – just petroleum jelly - and is colourless and odourless.

‘She could apply it as often as she wished and it comes in a tiny pocket-sized tin that Ellie-Maye could easily carry in her schoolbag.

‘In fact, Ellie-Maye needed help opening the tin and the first teacher of the day helped her and had no problem with the Vaseline at all.

But at lunchtime, when she went to apply the Vaseline again, a second teacher she asked to help open it said she shouldn’t have it in school at all.

source: dailymail

Is this the smallest apartment in America? $800 a month 'shoebox studio' in Manhattan is just 78 square foot

By PAUL BENTLEY

Tiny: Mr Tyler works from home, even though the apartment is so small

If you find your apartment a bit claustrophobic at times, spare a thought for this young New Yorker.

Architect Luke Clark Tyler designs grand houses for clients from his tiny 78 square foot shoebox apartment.

There is no space for a kitchen, or bathroom, and he had to build a bed from scratch because it is too narrow to fit full-sized ones inside.


The smallest? Mr Tyler's place is perhaps the tiniest apartment in America


Handy: Mr Tyler likes having such a small place - so he can rest his feet on the walls


The bed doubles as a sofa - and as a storage unit for clothes and odds and ends.

With no kitchen, a microwave is hidden away with his shoes and a fridge is built into the desk at which he spends most of the day working.


Proud: Mr Tyler shows off his closet/ toiletry cabinet/shoe rack/kitchen cuopboard


He keeps toiletries in his closet and shares a bathroom with three other apartments.

Set in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen, the location couldn't be better, which might explain why Mr Tyler spends so much on so little space.


Crammed: The microwave sits next to the sneakers, beneath a printer, which is next to the cutlery and below his clothes


His rent is $800 a month, which is cheap for the area but extortionate considering the cost per square footage ratio.

The average rental price per square foot in a studio is $72 but Mr Tyler is paying almost twice as much at $123.07.

Mr Tyler, who downsized from a 96 square foot apartment, remains upbeat, seeing the apartment as conveniently snug, rather than constricting.


Clever: The self-made sofa doubles as a bed to save space


Ingenious: The sofa, which doubles as a bed, triples as a storage unit!


Inconvenient: If Mr Tyler want running water, he has to use the bathroom he shares


Location: The apartment is set in the heart of Hell's Kitchen in Manhattan


'I just use it as an excuse not to buy an Ottoman because... I can just prop my feet right up on the wall,' he said.

Mr Tyler, 27, keeps books, cutlery, plates, cleaning products, spices, a microwave, sneakers, clothes and his toothbrush in one small cupboard.

Despite the limited supply of space, he still has a 'man drawer'.

'Having lived in both the largest shelter in the South East as well as the largest slum in East Africa, I don’t think living small is a challenge,' he said.

'So we can call it anything; a room, a hallway, a live-in-closet, but to me it’s just home.'



source: dailymail

First Kenickie, now Cha Cha: Grease star Annette Charles dies at 63

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

RIP: Annette Charles passed away last night in Los Angeles

Just over two months after the death of Grease star Jeff Conaway, another cast member has passed away.

Annette Charles, who played racy Cha Cha DiGregorio, died last night at her home in Los Angeles.

The brunette beauty was 63-years-old and had been suffering from cancer.


The actress is most famous for her role alongside John Travolta in the movie Grease


Cha Cha was the girl who stole Danny Zucco (John Travolta) from Sandy (Olivia Newton John) half way through the film.

Before her role in Grease, Annette had a highly successful television career appearing in several long running series in the 1970s including Emergency! Barnaby Jones and The Bionic Woman.

After retiring from acting in 1978, she became a teacher and taught at the California State University in Northridge.




source: dailymail

Bride has something old sorted as she weds in 127-year-old dress worn by her great-great-grandmother

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Something old, something borrowed: Allison Shellito wore her great-great grandmother's dress for her wedding day - and it was still in almost perfect condition 127 years after it was first worn

On Allison Rinaldi’s wedding day she didn’t have to think twice about what her 'something old’ would be.

For even before her husband popped the question she knew when she said I do she would be wearing a wedding dress that had been in her family for 127 years.

Bought in 1884 for her great-great-grandmother’s wedding day, it has since been worn by her grandmother, aunt and mother too.


Keep it in the family: Jean and John Shellito, who married in 1941 with Jean wearing the wedding dress that belonged to John's grandmother, Nellie, who wore the dress in 1884 for her own wedding


'I always knew I wanted to wear the dress,' 23-year-old Alison said.

'I even tried it on when I was a little girl.

'Not only did I think it was beautiful but I loved the sense of history which came along with it too and I am such a family kind of girl it meant a lot for me to carry on the tradition.


Memories: Allison's mother Mimii also wore the dress on her wedding day in 1982 when she married Jack. 'It looked as stunning on Allison as it had so many years before when I wore it,' she said


'My mum and grandma would always talk about what an amazing wedding days they had had while wearing it, so I thought it would bring me luck if I did too.

'And I was right as our wedding day was perfect and wearing the dress made it even more special.'

It was on June 11th this year when graphic designer Allison married graduate student Chris Rinaldi in St Louis, wearing the same dress as three generations of her women in her family had worn before her.

And there to prepare her as she squeezed into her historic dress was mum Mimi, 55, who had worn the very same dress 29 years before on the 5th June 1982.


Happy times: Allison's aunt Barbara wore the dress on her wedding day too. 'She loved seeing the dress in all its glory again, said Allison

source: dailymail

Possibly the worst Royal lookalikes EVER: Wills and Kate movie hits a new low

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Who are you? William & Catherine: A Royal Romance stars another host of Royal lookalikes

It's time to break out the bunting as another film about how Wills and Kate got together - starring a second crop of Royal lookalikes - is set to be screened.

'William & Catherine: A Royal Romance' will premiere on the U.S. Hallmark Channel later this month and covers the same material as the much-maligned 'William & Kate'.

But, as was the case in the first film which was recorded before the Royal Wedding, viewers may struggle to recognise the characters who in some cases bear little resemblance to the people they are meant to be playing.


Lookalikes: Victor Garber stars as Prince Charles, while Jean Smart is portraying Camilla

The American production stars a full-head of haired Dan Amboyer as the prince, and sole British-cast member Alice St Clair as Kate.

The Queen and Prince Philip, played by Jane Alexander and Mark Penfold, will be flattered with their portrayals as the couple have had years taken off of them.


Starring roles: Dan Amboyer and Alice St Clair play Prince William and Kate Middleton, while Victor Garber takes on the role of Prince Charles


Stars: Jane Alexander plays Queen Elizabeth II and Mark Penfold as Prince Philip


Victor Garber has been said to look more like an ageing version of Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville, than Prince Charles.

Camilla, as played by Jean Smart, looks remarkably more slimmer than in real life, and Prince Harry actor Stanley Eldridge appears to be 10 years younger than the younger prince.

Princess Diana, played by Lesley Harcourt, is the only person semi-recognisable thanks to a 1980s hairstyle.



Royal cast: It is the second film to chronicle the relationship between William and Kate

source: dailymail

Is that a face in the clouds? Footage shows spooky shape shifting display that formed during Canadian storm

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Ominous: Amateur cameraman Denis Farmer filmed the coincidence of cloud formation from his backyard in the town of Grand Falls, Canada

An ominous display of clouds billowing over New Brunswick in the shape of a face has sparked debate over whether it was just a a spooky coincidence - or a message from God.

Amateur cameraman Denis Farmer filmed the dark cloud formation from his backyard in the town of Grand Falls, Canada.

He watches amazed in a YouTube clip as a giant face morphs through the dark sky, moved by heavy winds.


Features: A profile emerges, complete with a pointed nose, an eye and what appears to be a smiling mouth


A profile emerges, complete with a pointed nose, an eye and what appears to be a smiling mouth.

And all the shocked cameraman managed to say as the storm swirled above him was: 'Face! It's a face! Holy frig!'

But within seconds, the clouds shape shift.


Going viral? The three-minute clip has earned 6,617 hits since being uploaded to YouTube on Monday


As the camera shakes and Mr Farmer pans to his surroundings, he returns to the formation to find it quickly dissipating.

The three-minute clip has earned 6,617 hits since being uploaded to YouTube on Monday.

And other users are entangled in heated debate over whether the spooky clouds were just a coincidence, or carried with them a more meaningful message.


Debate: Some users said the face looked like Jesus, while others said it was a message from the devil


hackmaster1995sicho wrote: 'Looks like Jesus!' while while thetippyshow argued 'it looks like the devil.'

knarflehcar posted a passage from the Book of Ezekiel, and argued God could not be in the clouds.

But others took a more lighthearted view, as one viewer added: 'So Harry Potter hasn't finished yet? Voldermort is back.'

jcshorey wrote cynically: 'Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny are right behind him spreading their cheer as well.'



source: dailymail

Botox for dogs? The goofy toy that brings a huge smile to your pooch's lips

By ANNA EDWARDS

Barking mad for it: This pooch looks thrilled with his new toy

Most dogs are simply content to fetch a stick if thrown one.

So this squeaky plaything is sure to bring a goofy smile to any pooch's face.

The novelty plush dog lips, made by pet product business Ancol, is guaranteed to give even the grumpiest dog the cheesiest grin.


One cheesy grin: This dog can't help but beam from ear to ear with his new plaything

In fact, it's almost certain they'll be grinning from ear to ear once they got this soft toy clamped between their chops.

With its oversized lips and huge teeth, any dog would be barking mad not to enjoy it.
Even lazy pets might be given a new leash of life once they pucker up and get their teeth into it.

And any owner would be thrilled to play with their pet if it meant seeing their mutt beam back at them.

The unusual toy is 16cm long, made from plush material and retails for around £3.50.


Open wide! With the plush toy clamped firmly in its jaws, this dog has got the biggest grin


source: dailymail

The marble cathedral of Chile: Are these the world's most beautiful caves?

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


Ancient: The caves have been formed by flowing water over thousands of years

Welcome to the Marble Cathedral - a natural wonder that could be the world's most beautiful cave network.

An azure temple created by nature, the walls of this network of water-filled marble caverns show just how magnificent the precious geography of our planet can be.

Visitors to the water-sculpted blue caverns see light reflected off the turquoise waters of South America's second largest freshwater lake, General Carrera in Patagonia, Chile.



Azure temple: Lake General Carrera in Patagonia, Chile, could be the world's most beautiful cave network


Light bounces into the caverns and strikes the carved marble walls, creating this enchanting lightshow.

The incredible set of pictures has been captured by landscape photographer and environmentalist, Linde Waidehofer, 67, from Colorado, USA.

'It is the water that formed the unique shapes of the marble walls,' explained Ms Waidehofer in her book on the caverns, Blue Light.

'Originally great ice-fields blocked the western end of the lake - today its glacier-fed waters drain into the Pacific Ocean.

'Geologists have a simple explanation for the breath-taking blue of this giant lake.
'They talk of finely ground glacial silt which makes the water an unearthly blue and crystal clear.

'These waters are magic.'



Photographer's dream: Photography students have travelled the world to learn about light in what could be the world's most astonishing classroom


To reach this remote place located in the far southern tip of Chile visitors must fly from the capital, Santiago, 800 miles to the next nearest large city, Coyhaique, and then drive on challenging dirt roads 200 miles south to the lake.

Yet photography students have travelled the world to learn from Ms Waidehofer about light in what could be the world's most astonishing classroom.



Beautiful: But the unspoilt majesty of Lake Carrera is under threat from development


Since falling in love with the Marble Cathedral during her first visit in 2003 she has decided to make it a major part of her life.

'I love it so much I've visited the marble caverns dozens of times,' she said. 'I don't know anything quite like them anywhere.

'I was so crazy about visiting that I decided to buy land, build a house and spend half the year here. My new home sits above two marble caves and even the floors are cut out of pure marble.

'I am living my dream in this wondrous place.' More information about Linde's book on the marble caverns,'Blue Light', can be found at www.westoneye.com/books

source: dailymail

He's a granddad at 29, she's a granny at 30 (and the child's mother is only 14): The baby with Britain's youngest grandparents

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Happy family: Jordan, bottom left, with Tia and Gracie, and proud grandparents Shem and Kelly

An unemployed man, 29, has become one of Britain's youngest grandparents after his daughter gave birth at 14.

Shem Davies and his former girlfriend Kelly John, 30, were overjoyed when their daughter Tia, who was born when her parents were 15, gave birth to little Gracie earlier this month. Tia's boyfriend, Jordan Williams, is 15.

Shem said: 'It is an absolute joy to see Gracie thriving. I'm incredibly proud of Tia. She'll be a brilliant mum. At first I wasn't overly pleased that she was pregnant but I soon got over than. Now it's all about being positive.


Fighter: Tiny Gracie is thriving but will be in an incubator for a few weeks


'I've got to know Jordan and he's shaping up to be a decent young man,' Shem told The People.

However, nurses at the maternity unit were left embarrassed after they thought the young grandfather was in fact the teenage father of Gracie.

Apparently when he entered the ward they thought the 29-year-old looked so fresh-faced they asked him to prove he was over the age of 16.

But the arrival of Gracie wasn't easy as Tia was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, seven weeks before her due date.


Proud parents: Jordan and Tia with their newborn daughter Gracie who was born prematurely


Father and daughter: Shem with his daughter Tia and granddaughter Gracie


The latest figures show in 2009 38,259 girls under 18 became pregnant, but nearly 50 per cent had a termination.

The UK still leads the way when it comes to young mothers, and our rate is five-times higher than in the Netherlands and twice that of France and Spain.

source: dailymail

Sharing the love: Jenson Button celebrates his 200th Grand Prix with girlfriend Jessica Michibata and teammate Lewis Hamilton

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Group hug: Jenson Button celebrates his Hungarian Grand Prix win with teammate Lewis Hamilton and girlfriend Jessica Michibata at the Hungaroring race track in Mogyorod

After winning the Hungary Grand Prix and driving in his 200th Grand Prix, Jenson Button was on top of the world today.

And after clinching pole position in Budapest, the 31-year-old was certainly sharing the love as he joined his girlfriend and teammate Lewis Hamilton for a group hug.

As he joined the McLaren team for a group celebration, Button and Michibata were pulled together by an over-enthusiastic Hamilton.


One big happy McLaren family: Button was joined by his father John (front left) while Hamilton was accompanied by his brother Nicholas (back left)

With Button still in his white driving uniform, he was surrounded by the McLaren team, Michibata and his father John all wearing the familiar red McLaren T-shirts.

Despite being surrounded by dozens of people, affectionate Button was spotted sharing a few kissing with his stunning Japanese model girlfriend.

After pipping Germany's Sebastian Vettel to the post, Button's win is his second of the season.

He wrote on his Twitter page: 'Woohoo!! I think that win deserves a little celebration! What do u think!?

'Big love to the whole of #TeamButton for all there support. #winners ;-))


Team effort: Button celebrates with the whole McLaren Mercedes team after his victory

'My fans rock!! Thanks for all your lovely congrats messages. Enjoy the summer break and we'll come back and do the same at Spa! ;-).'

Hamilton himself didn't too badly, ending up in fourth place, but was clearly still feeling high from winning the Spanish Grand Prix the previous weekend.

He said today: 'Jenson was pushing me hard the whole race and the better man won today.

'I was struggling a lot with the graining on my left front tyres. I don't know whether that was my fault by pushing too hard....


Not very intimate: Michibata pulls Button in for a kiss, despite being surrounded by his teammates



My favourite people: Button poses for a photo with his father John and Michibata after his win


Still going strong: The couple have been dating for two and a half years, despite living in different countries


Winners circle: Button celebrates winning the Grand Prix with second place Sebastian Vettel (left) and Fernando Alonso (right)


Get some friends: Button urged his hacker to get a life and do something more exciting on a Saturday night on his Twitter page


Feeling nervous: The couple arriving at the paddock before the big race



Candid camera: Jessica posted a photo of Jenson-themed biscuits made to celebrate his 200th Grand Prix on her Twitter page

source: dailymail

Una Healy, Katherine Kelly and Kirsty Gallacher lend some celebrity glamour to Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall's wedding

By EMILY SHERIDAN

Making a statement: Singer Una Healy (left) wore a floral bandeau dress and tilted hat, while actress Katherine Kelly wore a pale pink asymmetrical number at the wedding of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall yesterday

At the extravagant April wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, Westminster Abbey was full of royals, heads of state and politicians.

But at the smaller scale nuptials of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall yesterday, it was somewhat of a more glamorous guest list with stars from the world of pop, TV and sport garnering attention.

Leading the famous faces in the pews of Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh were soap star Katherine Kelly, The Saturdays' singer Una Healy and TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher.



Interesting fascinator: TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher, pictured with husband Paul Sampson, wore a multi-coloured dress, nude heels and unusual jade fascinator


And of course, there was plenty of representation from the world of sport, with both Tindall's teammates past and present and Phillips' colleagues from the riding world in attendance.

One of the first to arrive was Coronation Street actress Kelly, who went for a Seventies-look in a pale pink asymmetrical ankle-length dress by James Stewart Couture and a striking orange H'atelier hat and oversized clutch bag.


Top heavy: Irish singer Healy wore a tilted champagne hat created by Philip Treacy while Kelly opted for an eye-catching wide-brimmed orange hat with fuchsia bow by H'atelier


Kelly, 31, is an old schoolfriend of Tindall, with her parents living close to his father Phil and mother Linda in Yorkshire.

She said recently: 'I went to school in Wakefield with Mike. Our parents live in the same village and we’ve stayed really good mates.'

Going for a much sexier look was Irish singer Healy, 29, in a black floral-print bandeau dress and white and mocha peep-toe heels.

She accesorised her tight dress with an oversized saucer hat by milliner Philip Treacy, pale pink pashmina and a nude clutch.


Dapper: Healy's date was her boyfriend and Tindall's teammate Ben Foden


Healy attended with her boyfriend, Northampton Saints and England player Ben Foden - a teammate of Tindall.

Ahead of the nuptials, she wrote of her excitement at being invited on Twitter: 'Thanks to my stylists Frank Strachan and Lloyd Powell for sorting me a Philip Treacy Hat for The Royal Wedding tomorrow!

'Just about to take off for Edinburgh with Ben, really excited for the weekend.'


Well heeled: TV presenter Natalie Pinkham (left) in red, and Olympic skeleton racer Amy Williams in pale pink, both wore nude heels


Sky Sports presenter Gallacher, who wed rugby player Paul Sampson last year, found her pretty multi-coloured dress overshadowed by her unusual jade fascinator.

Gallacher has become good friends with the bride thanks to their respective spouses, who were previously teammates for Bath.

The TV presenter even became one of the lucky few to see Zara's Stewart Parvin dress before the big day.


Ready to party: England rugby player Jonny Wilkinson (left) and former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio and his wife Alice leave after the wedding


The 35-year-old said: 'Zara's so cool, she's going to look amazing, she's chosen a beautiful dress.

'Mike and Zara are brilliant together. She's so good for him, she's so chilled out and he's quite laid back as well so they fit together really nicely.

'Obviously she's really into sport and he loves the life they lead together with the horses and they've got lots of dogs so it's lovely.'


Suited and booted: Racing driver Sir Jackie Stewart and his wife Helen (left) and equestrian William Fox-Pitt and his wife Alice Plunkett


Just married: Zara Phillips and her new husband Mike Tindall's official wedding photo in Holyrood Abbey

source: dailymail