The plane's gone,not the pilot

A pilot watched in horror as his plane took off without him.The airman saw it soar into the sky and do a loop before crashing.The unnamed pilot had clung on to the wing to prevent it taking off at Barton Aerodrome,UK,but lost his grip and fell off.The drama began when the engine of the single-seater Luton LA4A cut out while the plane taxied.The pilot left the the cockpit to restart the motor manually but accidentally nudged the propeller,the engine roared into the life and plane surged down the runaway leaving the flyer stranded.The plane was severely damaged but the pilot escaped with cuts and bruises.The pilot did not realise he had knocked the throttle on because he was wearing padded clothing.

Emu rips off police-man's trousers

A german policeman had his trousers ripped off after he tried to arrest a giant emu.The emu had been pestering passers by at a park in Kaarst,western Germany.The officer,when he saw this happening,tried to arrest him.However,the bird got enraged and charged at the cop,ripping his pants.This was not the only incident of birds being arrested in the park.A day later,a three foot red and green parrot ripped the arm of a policeman's jacket when the cop tried to grab it after it was spotted screeching at hikers in a forest at wallduern in southwestern Germany.Both birds are being held by the police while they search for the owners.The cops,however,are keeping their distance from them.

Window cleaner nods off on the 20th floor

A window cleaner fell asleep on the job-while working on the 20th floor of a US skyscraper.Passers-by in Nashville,Tennessee,called the fire department after noticing the man was not moving.Assistant fire chief Lee Bergerson said that it "looked like he just fell asleep."The man woke up after the firefighters tugged on his ropes,then held up a sign from inside the window to get his attention.The cleaner lowered himself to the pavement,where he walked over to an ambulance to be examined by paramedics.Leroy Anderson,who watched the man for 30 minutes before fire engines arrived,said,"I figured he had just either passed out or maybe he had fallen asleep.It's sunny and warm up there,and there's no wind."

'SANTA' ?Ask the kids

A teacher has been sacked for telling children that there is no Santa.Parents were furious when their kids returned home telling them they had also been taught elves and fairies did not exist either.The supply teacher,in her 30s,had her contract terminated after complaints to the head of the school.Says a student's mother Amanda Piovesana,"It's taken away the magic."Another mother of the pupil at Boldmere Junior School in Sutton Coldfield,West Midlands, said:"Everyone is disgusted."Head Diane Thomas-Wood confirmed:"We have followed up the matter with the agency."

BULLET EMERGES FROM HIDING AFTER 21 YEARS

This is one childhood memory that has surfaced quite unexpectedly.A woman has coughed up an air rifle pellet-21 years after she was shot in the face.Sue Allaker's brother Craig accidentally fired the up her nose in 1985 at their home in Hull,East Yorkshire,UK.Twenty one years later,it has emerged again from 'hiding'.Says Allaker,"I coughed up a round ball.I took it to the kitchen,not wanting my family to see,only to find it was the pellet my brother shot me with all those years ago."Doctors believe the pellet,not picked up on X rays ,became lodged behind a piece of bone.It hid there for over two decades till sue coughed it up.This childhood accident 'misfired' what shall we say?