Adapted pig hearts could be transplanted into patients within three years, according to the surgeon who pioneered heart transplantation in the UK.Sir Terence English, speaking on the 40th anniversary of the first successful heart transplant, told The Sunday Telegraph that his protege from that operation will try to replace a human kidney with a pig's later this year."If the result of xenotransplantation is satisfactory with porcine kidneys to humans then it is likely that hearts would be used with good effects in humans within a few years," the 87-year-old said."If it works with a kidney, it will work with a heart."That will transform the issue."Pigs' heart anatomy and physiology is similar to that of humans so they are used as models for developing new treatments.Hopes for a "holy grail" heart attack treatment were raised in May after a genetic therapy showed promise in pigs.An international team of researchers including British scientists found that delivering a small piece of … [Read more...] about Pig hearts could be suitable for humans
Murder, gossip and extraordinary stories from Plymouth in 1904
It's not every day you find a century-old copy of The Herald folded in between the walls of a house. But that's exactly what happened to a group of renovators working on an ancient property last week. Ben Edwards discovered the newspaper dating back to 1904 whilst knocking down a wall for a client. The 28-year-old who is undertaking improvements on a house in Kingsand was carrying out renovation work to an interior wall when he found the antiquated broadsheet tucked inside. "We were excavating the walls, taking them down because we need to get them back to what they were before, when we found it," explained site manager, Ben. "We found other newspapers as well, but not as old as that one. "They [previous owners] were just hiding stuff around I guess, just putting stuff behind walls and under floorboards and things." Ben suspects the house being renovated on Fore Street dates back to the 15th century. The idea that someone had hidden a copy of the then titled 'Western Evening Herald' in … [Read more...] about Murder, gossip and extraordinary stories from Plymouth in 1904
The Plymouth girl, aged 5, put in prison for stealing spoons
Plymouth once locked up a five-year-old girl for stealing some spoons, an old newspaper reveals. Mary Elizabeth Smerdon, aged 5, of George Street, Stonehouse, was remanded on a charge of stealing six spoons. The offence reportedly took place in May of 1904 according to an edition of the Western Evening Herald which was was found largely intact in a wall last week. The 115-year-old publication was unearthed by renovator Ben Edwards, 28, who exposed it whilst working on a property in Kingsand. "So we're taking off the walls which were probably about just under 100 years old maybe," said Ben. "It was folded up yeah, behind the wall. We couldn't really believe it, to see something so old that was in quite good condition. "I thought it would be crumbled and destroyed." There is also the court copy detailing how an 18-year-old woman bashed a burglar around the head with an umbrella - much to the amusement of the court. The notice in question, which can be found on page two of the ancient … [Read more...] about The Plymouth girl, aged 5, put in prison for stealing spoons
Fifty arrests for coercive behaviour in Notts
Victims of domestic violence are urged to record incidents of abuse over the summer holiday period, as cases of domestic abuse rise over the summer period.On December 31, 2015, coercive control became a new offence under Section 76 of the Serious Crime Act 2015, which means that actions intended to intimidate, restrict and control a partner’s behaviour are now a criminal offence.Figures obtained from police by Ridley & Hall Solicitors under Freedom of Information show that Nottinghamshire Police recorded 50 arrests for ‘controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship’ between January 1 and December 31 last year, of which just nine charges were made.Of these incidents, an outcome of ‘No further action’ was recorded 28 times.Family lawyer and domestic violence campaigner, Emma Pearmaine, said gathering enough evidence for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to bring a charge against violent spouses is exceptionally difficult, but … [Read more...] about Fifty arrests for coercive behaviour in Notts
Monkey-eating tigers and a cat in a parachute
Ferry Inn, Horning. Date: May 1956 Archant Much has changed over the last two centuries, but pubs have always played a role in our communities. After we put a special focus on the role of a pub landlord, and how it is evolving, we've delved into the Norfolk Pubs website, which aims to provide a record of all pubs in the county, past and present, to find stories from the county's watering holes.Here are some of the more interesting titbits from pubs in and around Norwich.MORE: What is life like as a landlord in Norfolk and Suffolk?- In December 1788, a tiger died after eating two monkeys - complete with metal collars - at a licensed house called The Bear. The pub, at 13 Gentleman's Walk, in Norwich, had opened in 1761, and the tiger had escaped from a menagerie kept at the house. It closed in 1877.- It came after, in 1751, the Norwich Mercury reported that, at the same pub, Mr Blaker "the modern living Colossus or wonderful giant" could be seen.- The Causeway Tavern, at 101 Heigham … [Read more...] about Monkey-eating tigers and a cat in a parachute