SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw1:161 day agoGran, 80, beats fear of heights with 100mph wing walkSWNSAn 80-year-old daredevil grandma has conquered her fear of heights - with a wing walk. Brave Suzanne Gratton says she'd always wanted to do a wing walk and finally realised her dream after clambering onto a Boeing-Stearman plane. The pensioner was cheered on by her two children and two grandchildren - who all thought she was mad for taking on the challenge. But after spending ten minutes flying at more than 100mph at dizzying heights of up to 700 feet Mrs Gratton says she's glad she did it. The adrenaline junkie, from Maldon in Essex, also managed to raise £850 for Parkinson's and neurological charities. "It's something I've always fancied doing," Mrs Gratton explained. "I did a parachute jump about two years ago so I thought, 'I've overcome my fear of heights now'. "It was fantastic." Mrs Gratton completed her wing walk at Headcorn Aerodrome in Kent attached to a Boeing-Stearman plane that was once used for pilot training during WW2. The aircraft soared at between 80 and 110mph at heights of between 100 and 700 feet for ten minutes before bringing her back down to Earth. Having ticked the activity off her bucket list, Mrs Gratton has now moved onto her next, slightly less fearsome challenge of learning the ukelele. "I did have a fear of heights," she continued, "but you don't have time to think about it when you're up there, so that overcomes it. "The thing that frightened me most, because I'm 4ft 11, is how I was going to climb up onto the wing. "When I first got up there I did think, 'Oh God, what am I doing up here?'. "You are right above the propellor. "We had to wait for another plane for about three minutes, but it felt much longer. "But once you're up there you just look at the scenery." As well as shortening her bucket list, Mrs Gratton also managed to raise £850 for charities focused on Parkinson's and other neurological decisions. She says she was inspired to fundraise for neurological charities by her work at a tea room in Tiptree in Essex, where she has worked for seven years. "I thought I might as well do it for a reason," the grandmother-of-two said. "I raised money for Parkinson's, dementia and other neurological problems in the hope that one day, they can find a cure." Fearless Mrs Gratton was cheered on by her grandchildren Cameron, who's nearly 18, and Rosie, 14, along with their father Adam and her daughter Amanda. "I'm glad I did it," she said. "My granddaughter was the only one who said she would like to do it. "They all thought I …
SWNSflipped into SWNS1:501 day agoThe top 30 signs you're tired and angrySWNSNine in 10 people suffer from ‘tangry’ behaviour – being angry due to tiredness. A poll of 2,000 adults revealed the signs of being tired include having a slow reaction speed, getting words muddled and putting an item of clothing on inside out. While getting easily annoyed at others, forgetting why you walked into a room and getting the day of the week or date mixed up also featured in the Top 30 list. The research was commissioned by Bensons for Beds who have worked with sleep expert, Dr Sophie Bostock, to develop a ‘Sleep Calm and Carry On’ programme [https://www.bensonsforbeds.co.uk/sleep-hub/sleep-calm-and-carry-on] to help improve the nation’s sleep wellness. Dr Sophie Bostock, said: “Our sleep, wellbeing and behaviour are intimately linked. A lack of sleep can alter the emotional control centres of the brain, making us more sensitive to stress, and reducing self-control.”
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw0:481 day agoFive people narrowly survive sudden gas cylinder explosionSWNSA group of people had a lucky escape when a gas cylinder exploded - creating a large ball of fire. CCTV from Lucknow in India's Uttar Pradesh shows five men sat around the gas cylinder preparing tea. Seconds later, the gas cylinder can be seen exploding, sending the five men sprinting in fear. Four people sustained minor burns and were taken to hospital for treatment.
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw1:571 day agoBirmingham's famous canals turn GREEN after being taken over by duckweedSWNSPhotographs show how Birmingham's famous canal network has turned GREEN after being taken over by a carpet of thick duckweed. The usually clear waters have been transformed into "a swamp" around Gas Street Basin - the heart of the city's canal network. The murky weeds have exploded after recent high temperatures as well as rainfall which has caused them to rapidly bloom. Photos show kayakers paddling through pea soup-like waters while other parts of the canal are completely covered by a blanket of green. The aquatic plants are harmless in small amounts, but can prevent oxygen getting into the water when there are high volumes causing a blanket across the surface. It can also cause issues for narrowboats on the canal, has an unpleasant smell and be mistaken for grass by unsuspecting dogs. A Canal and River Trust spokesperson said: "Duckweed highlights a real challenge that the Trust faces going forward. "Due to climate change we are seeing a real growth in its presence and growth. "The main cause is down to an increase of nutrients being washed into the canals through intense rainfall. "Unfortunately, it multiples in the summer at a phenomenal growth rate and is incredibly difficult to manage and impossible to remove from the waterways. "The Trust spend thousands every year trying remove it and mange it, but the growth rate is far beyond what we as a charity can deliver and afford, and this will only get worse. "This isn’t just a problem for the local canals, this is a challenge across the country. "We will continue to do what we can with our limited budget and resources but we are always looking for people to help us manage this and anyone wishing to support can visit our webpages to see how they can help." Jack Vurlan, 39, a commuter who regularly walks into Birmingham city centre via the canal towpaths said: "It just seems to be getting worse and nothing is done. "It looks like green sludge. This part of the city is usually lovely to walk along but now it's been turned into a swamp."
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw1:431 day ago"We live by a Premier League training ground - sweary players make life a misery"SWNSResidents living near a Premier League training ground say swearing footballers, blasting music and parking chaos is making life a misery. Wolverhampton Wanderers FC's multimillion pound training facility Compton Park sits next to a swanky housing estate where house prices average £430,000. Some homeowners have now revealed how they are fed-up living in such close proximity to the club which has resulted in them complaining to the council. They say "shouting and swearing" footballers as well as pumping music coming from the academy is shattering the peace and tranquility of being in their gardens. Loud machinery which mows the pitches most days before 8am also contributes to the "constant" noise and makes them feel like they are "living next to a farm". On top of that, locals claim autograph hunters and the parents of youth players block off driveways and cause traffic chaos while parking up at the ground. The sprawling sports complex, officially named the Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground, has been in use since it opened in 2005 and features five pitches. One resident, Narinder, lives just 100m away on Newbridge Avenue and said she struggles to park when academy players parents are dropping off. She said: “Overall I don't mind the presence of the club here but we have had issues with the parents of academy players parking across driveways. "When they drop off the players they park across the street and I've had to complain to the council a few times times about it." Another local resident, who did not want to be named, said she had complained multiple times to Wolverhampton City Council about the loud music. She said: "I have previously complained to the council three times about the music coming from the academy. "It can be going on all day until 9pm at night. I've even walked past and not seen any players in there, in can just be the coaching staff listening to it. "And the machinery used for cutting grass starts up before 8am most days and its like living next to a farm. "If you're close enough you can hear all the shouting and swearing from the players as they are running about. It's not ideal as there's a school nearby too. "It can be hard to get on and off our driveways as you have autograph hunters turning up - combined with the school traffic and teachers parking everywhere. "There's signs up asking fans not to come along for safety reasons - but they still do. "A lot of training grounds are in rural areas or industrial sites but we have to live …
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw2:091 day agoCreepy bat-like drone can crash into trees and perchSWNSA creepy bat-like drone can crash into trees and perch. The innovation sees the vehicle smash into the trunk and fold its wings around to hug it to keep it in place. The gliding-winged robot, called PercHug, can also latch onto poles and could be used for inspection, maintenance, and biodiversity conservation. A team from the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) say they have taken influence from flying squirrels and geckos, the latter of which exhibits head-first "crash-landing". The researchers say: "While flying animals substantially reduce their kinetic energy at landing by wing flapping, specialised gliders, like flying squirrels and geckos, land on trees at high speeds and endure elevated forces utilising their limbs or head. "We took inspiration from flying geckos, which exhibit head-first crash-landing at speeds." Perching with winged Unmanned Aerial Vehicles has often been solved by means of complex control or intricate appendages. The team investigated a method that relies on passive wing morphing for crash-landing on trees and other types of vertical poles. An upturned nose design means the robot can passively reorient from horizontal flight to vertical upon a head-on crash with a pole, followed by hugging with its wings to perch. The team say: "Inspired by the adaptability of animals’ and bats’ limbs in gripping and holding onto trees, we design dual-purpose wings that enable both aerial gliding and perching on poles." They were able to demonstrate "crash-perching" on tree trunks with an overall success rate of 73% "The method opens up new possibilities for the use of aerial robots in applications such as inspection, maintenance, and biodiversity conservation," the team add. A paper on the project is published in the journal Communications Engineering.
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw1:161 day agoGran, 80, beats fear of heights with 100mph wing walkSWNSAn 80-year-old daredevil grandma has conquered her fear of heights - with a wing walk. Brave Suzanne Gratton says she'd always wanted to do a wing walk and finally realised her dream after clambering onto a Boeing-Stearman plane. The pensioner was cheered on by her two children and two grandchildren - who all thought she was mad for taking on the challenge. But after spending ten minutes flying at more than 100mph at dizzying heights of up to 700 feet Mrs Gratton says she's glad she did it. The adrenaline junkie, from Maldon in Essex, also managed to raise £850 for Parkinson's and neurological charities. "It's something I've always fancied doing," Mrs Gratton explained. "I did a parachute jump about two years ago so I thought, 'I've overcome my fear of heights now'. "It was fantastic." Mrs Gratton completed her wing walk at Headcorn Aerodrome in Kent attached to a Boeing-Stearman plane that was once used for pilot training during WW2. The aircraft soared at between 80 and 110mph at heights of between 100 and 700 feet for ten minutes before bringing her back down to Earth. Having ticked the activity off her bucket list, Mrs Gratton has now moved onto her next, slightly less fearsome challenge of learning the ukelele. "I did have a fear of heights," she continued, "but you don't have time to think about it when you're up there, so that overcomes it. "The thing that frightened me most, because I'm 4ft 11, is how I was going to climb up onto the wing. "When I first got up there I did think, 'Oh God, what am I doing up here?'. "You are right above the propellor. "We had to wait for another plane for about three minutes, but it felt much longer. "But once you're up there you just look at the scenery." As well as shortening her bucket list, Mrs Gratton also managed to raise £850 for charities focused on Parkinson's and other neurological decisions. She says she was inspired to fundraise for neurological charities by her work at a tea room in Tiptree in Essex, where she has worked for seven years. "I thought I might as well do it for a reason," the grandmother-of-two said. "I raised money for Parkinson's, dementia and other neurological problems in the hope that one day, they can find a cure." Fearless Mrs Gratton was cheered on by her grandchildren Cameron, who's nearly 18, and Rosie, 14, along with their father Adam and her daughter Amanda. "I'm glad I did it," she said. "My granddaughter was the only one who said she would like to do it. "They all thought I …
SWNSflipped into SWNS1:501 day agoThe top 30 signs you're tired and angrySWNSNine in 10 people suffer from ‘tangry’ behaviour – being angry due to tiredness. A poll of 2,000 adults revealed the signs of being tired include having a slow reaction speed, getting words muddled and putting an item of clothing on inside out. While getting easily annoyed at others, forgetting why you walked into a room and getting the day of the week or date mixed up also featured in the Top 30 list. The research was commissioned by Bensons for Beds who have worked with sleep expert, Dr Sophie Bostock, to develop a ‘Sleep Calm and Carry On’ programme [https://www.bensonsforbeds.co.uk/sleep-hub/sleep-calm-and-carry-on] to help improve the nation’s sleep wellness. Dr Sophie Bostock, said: “Our sleep, wellbeing and behaviour are intimately linked. A lack of sleep can alter the emotional control centres of the brain, making us more sensitive to stress, and reducing self-control.”
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw0:481 day agoFive people narrowly survive sudden gas cylinder explosionSWNSA group of people had a lucky escape when a gas cylinder exploded - creating a large ball of fire. CCTV from Lucknow in India's Uttar Pradesh shows five men sat around the gas cylinder preparing tea. Seconds later, the gas cylinder can be seen exploding, sending the five men sprinting in fear. Four people sustained minor burns and were taken to hospital for treatment.
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw1:571 day agoBirmingham's famous canals turn GREEN after being taken over by duckweedSWNSPhotographs show how Birmingham's famous canal network has turned GREEN after being taken over by a carpet of thick duckweed. The usually clear waters have been transformed into "a swamp" around Gas Street Basin - the heart of the city's canal network. The murky weeds have exploded after recent high temperatures as well as rainfall which has caused them to rapidly bloom. Photos show kayakers paddling through pea soup-like waters while other parts of the canal are completely covered by a blanket of green. The aquatic plants are harmless in small amounts, but can prevent oxygen getting into the water when there are high volumes causing a blanket across the surface. It can also cause issues for narrowboats on the canal, has an unpleasant smell and be mistaken for grass by unsuspecting dogs. A Canal and River Trust spokesperson said: "Duckweed highlights a real challenge that the Trust faces going forward. "Due to climate change we are seeing a real growth in its presence and growth. "The main cause is down to an increase of nutrients being washed into the canals through intense rainfall. "Unfortunately, it multiples in the summer at a phenomenal growth rate and is incredibly difficult to manage and impossible to remove from the waterways. "The Trust spend thousands every year trying remove it and mange it, but the growth rate is far beyond what we as a charity can deliver and afford, and this will only get worse. "This isn’t just a problem for the local canals, this is a challenge across the country. "We will continue to do what we can with our limited budget and resources but we are always looking for people to help us manage this and anyone wishing to support can visit our webpages to see how they can help." Jack Vurlan, 39, a commuter who regularly walks into Birmingham city centre via the canal towpaths said: "It just seems to be getting worse and nothing is done. "It looks like green sludge. This part of the city is usually lovely to walk along but now it's been turned into a swamp."
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw1:431 day ago"We live by a Premier League training ground - sweary players make life a misery"SWNSResidents living near a Premier League training ground say swearing footballers, blasting music and parking chaos is making life a misery. Wolverhampton Wanderers FC's multimillion pound training facility Compton Park sits next to a swanky housing estate where house prices average £430,000. Some homeowners have now revealed how they are fed-up living in such close proximity to the club which has resulted in them complaining to the council. They say "shouting and swearing" footballers as well as pumping music coming from the academy is shattering the peace and tranquility of being in their gardens. Loud machinery which mows the pitches most days before 8am also contributes to the "constant" noise and makes them feel like they are "living next to a farm". On top of that, locals claim autograph hunters and the parents of youth players block off driveways and cause traffic chaos while parking up at the ground. The sprawling sports complex, officially named the Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground, has been in use since it opened in 2005 and features five pitches. One resident, Narinder, lives just 100m away on Newbridge Avenue and said she struggles to park when academy players parents are dropping off. She said: “Overall I don't mind the presence of the club here but we have had issues with the parents of academy players parking across driveways. "When they drop off the players they park across the street and I've had to complain to the council a few times times about it." Another local resident, who did not want to be named, said she had complained multiple times to Wolverhampton City Council about the loud music. She said: "I have previously complained to the council three times about the music coming from the academy. "It can be going on all day until 9pm at night. I've even walked past and not seen any players in there, in can just be the coaching staff listening to it. "And the machinery used for cutting grass starts up before 8am most days and its like living next to a farm. "If you're close enough you can hear all the shouting and swearing from the players as they are running about. It's not ideal as there's a school nearby too. "It can be hard to get on and off our driveways as you have autograph hunters turning up - combined with the school traffic and teachers parking everywhere. "There's signs up asking fans not to come along for safety reasons - but they still do. "A lot of training grounds are in rural areas or industrial sites but we have to live …
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw2:091 day agoCreepy bat-like drone can crash into trees and perchSWNSA creepy bat-like drone can crash into trees and perch. The innovation sees the vehicle smash into the trunk and fold its wings around to hug it to keep it in place. The gliding-winged robot, called PercHug, can also latch onto poles and could be used for inspection, maintenance, and biodiversity conservation. A team from the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) say they have taken influence from flying squirrels and geckos, the latter of which exhibits head-first "crash-landing". The researchers say: "While flying animals substantially reduce their kinetic energy at landing by wing flapping, specialised gliders, like flying squirrels and geckos, land on trees at high speeds and endure elevated forces utilising their limbs or head. "We took inspiration from flying geckos, which exhibit head-first crash-landing at speeds." Perching with winged Unmanned Aerial Vehicles has often been solved by means of complex control or intricate appendages. The team investigated a method that relies on passive wing morphing for crash-landing on trees and other types of vertical poles. An upturned nose design means the robot can passively reorient from horizontal flight to vertical upon a head-on crash with a pole, followed by hugging with its wings to perch. The team say: "Inspired by the adaptability of animals’ and bats’ limbs in gripping and holding onto trees, we design dual-purpose wings that enable both aerial gliding and perching on poles." They were able to demonstrate "crash-perching" on tree trunks with an overall success rate of 73% "The method opens up new possibilities for the use of aerial robots in applications such as inspection, maintenance, and biodiversity conservation," the team add. A paper on the project is published in the journal Communications Engineering.
