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

'Strong, fearless and kind': Grieving family's tribute to Eton schoolboy killed by polar bear in attack on Arctic expedition camp

-Michael Reid gunned down the bear and has serious head and neck injuries
-Horatio Chapple, 17, died after being mauled by the bear in his tent
-Bear was punched on the nose by boy lying next to victim

By Daily Mail Reporter

Horatio Chapple, left, has been described as 'strong, fearless and kind' by his family. Right, his father David Chapple. His family said he had been excited about becoming a doctor and praised his sense of humour


The grieving family of an Eton schoolboy mauled to death by a polar bear while on an adventure holiday in north Norway paid tribute to him today as 'strong, fearless and kind'.

Aspiring medic Horatio Chapple, 17, died after the bear attacked a party travelling on a British Schools Exploring Society (BSES) expedition whilst they were sleeping in tents early yesterday morning.

Four other members of the group were injured, including Michael 'Spike' Reid, who managed to gun down the rampaging animal, and Patrick Flinders, 16, who was sleeping next to Horatio and punched the bear on the nose in a bid to stop it attacking them.


A trip-wire system which triggers a charge to scare away polar bears failed to activate, the father of one of the survivors said.

The group were camped on the Von Postbreen glacier near Longyearbyen on Svalbard, north of the Norwegian mainland.

Horatio's relatives said in a statement today he had been 'so excited about his plans to be a doctor' - like his parents David and Olivia, and praised his 'amazing sense of humour and ability to laugh at himself'.

Horatio lived with them and his younger brothers Titan and Magnus in a large country home in leafy Bishopstone, near Salisbury.

The teenager's family, who have requested privacy, said: 'He was on the cusp of adulthood and had a clear vision of where his life was going.'

Neighbour Sarah Wilde said yesterday: ‘They are a lovely family. It is just so tragic. Horatio was such a bright boy. David and Olivia work really hard – David is a top consultant and Olivia is a doctor, too.’

The teenager’s aunt, Rachel Chapple, left a tribute for him on Facebook. The mother of four, who lives in New York, said: ‘Horatio, I think of you tall and strong and smiling in your quiet, charming way. You were an astonishing nephew.’

Miss Chapple added: ‘We miss you so. You have such excellent brothers and we are thinking of you both and sending you Horatio-sized hugs.’

Meanwhile the father of Mr Reid, spoke of his pride at his son's bravery. Despite managing to kill the bear, the 29-year-old was left with serious injuries to his head and neck and is still in hospital.

In an email sent from his bed at the University Hospital in Tromso, where the survivors were taken, he told his family how he fired at the bear.

His father, Peter Reid, 65, from Plymouth, said: 'He told us the bear attacked the tent with three people in it, and he and another leader went to help and were viciously attacked by the bear.

'He managed to get away, ran to get a gun and shot the bear.'

He said he did not want to use the word 'hero' to describe his son, but added: 'The other members of the group wanted to know how Spike was, and they said he was very, very brave.'

Also still in hospital is fellow leader Andrew Ruck, 27, believed to be from Aberdeen, Mr Flinders, 16, from Jersey, and Scott Bennell-Smith, 17, from Cornwall, who also underwent treatment overnight.

Mr Ruck's and Mr Reid's injuries were described as severe, while Scott and Patrick sustained less serious injuries. All were stable after operations.

Terry Flinders, from Jersey, said the bear burst into the tent where his son Patrick lay, killing Horatio next to him.

He said Patrick punched the polar bear on the nose in a desperate attempt to save his life. He escaped with head and arm injuries.

Hero: Adventurer Michael Reid, who works in London, with his sisters Juliet and Rosalind

Happy family: Michael Reid with, from left his sisters Rosalind and Juliet, father Peter and mother Rosemary


As the party came under attack, they made a frantic call for help using a satellite phone and scrambled helicopters to the glacier, which has no road access during the summer.

Svalbard’s vice-governor, Lars Erik Alfheim, said: ‘After we got the call we sent helicopters as fast as we could. When we got there we found serious injuries.’

Earlier today Mr Reid said: 'We got a phone call from the BSES in the morning. We were devastated and very worried.

'We have been told everyone was saying it was Michael who shot the bear and he was a hero. It was very moving. A lot of the day, we've been thinking about the family of the boy who died.'

Mr Reid said the incident had come as a complete shock.

He said: 'In all honesty, we were more worried last year when Michael went to Afghanistan to climb.This was such a rare and unlikely event, it was inconceivable.'

On hearing his son had shot the bear, he felt a 'mixture of anxiety and pride,' he said.

His son, who lives in London and works as an events co-ordinator for the Royal Geographical Society, spoke warmly of Horatio in his email, he added.

Michael Reid described the schoolboy as 'one of the best members of our group' and wrote 'I am so devastated.'

The young man had been 'really excited' about going on the trip, his first expedition with the BSES, his father said.

'He called us on the sat phone on Saturday and was having a great time,' he said, but had been left traumatised by the incident.

Mr Reid added his son was one of the team leaders responsible for science experiments and had also been involved in training.

He said: 'It's what he loves to do. He was so excited to be going when we spoke to him four days ago. He was having a terrific time and was really in his element.

Survivor: 16-year-old Patrick Flinders tried to punch the bear on the nose to try and stop it from attacking them


'We were shaken by the news, but we have a son alive and under very good medical care in Norway. There's a family in Wiltshire who have lost their son. For us, their grief must be unimaginable.'

A close friend of Patrick, from Jersey was stunned to hear what had happened.

Wesley Riant, 16, who went to Haute Vallee School with Patrick, said: 'It's a bit of shock. I don't think you can imagine anyone trying to take on a polar bear.'

He described his friend's excitement about going on the trip, saying: 'Nothing was going to stop him going. This sort of thing got his attention. He really wanted to do it from day one. It's not like a normal holiday.'

Tragic: Horatio Chapple, left, wanted to be a doctor and his family have praised him for his sense of humour. Mr Reid, 29, right, who killed the bear described Horatio as 'one of the best members of the group'


Hospital staff said it was hoped the survivors could be transferred to a hospital in the UK as soon as possible.

Tributes to Horatio continued to pour in, with scores of messages of condolence posted on a Facebook page by friends, family and well-wishers from as far afield as Australia and New Zealand.

The teenager, from Salisbury, Wiltshire, who had just finished his penultimate year at Eton, had hoped to study medicine at university.

His grandfather was the former head of the British Army.

Corpse: Rescuers haul away the dead polar bear killed by Michael Reid. It ripped through a tent killing Horatio Chapple

Battle with the bear: An aerial view of the camp shows the four tents with the dead polar bear in the middle of the site having been killed by the group during the struggle


Field Marshal Sir John Lyon Chapple, GCB, CBE served as Chief of the General Staff from 1989 to 1992 and was Governor of Gibraltar from 1993 to 1995.

He is the president of BSES and went on one of its expeditions in the 1950s.

About 80 people were involved in the expedition, with the young people in the group aged between 16 and 23.

The BSES said it had contacted every family affected and they had 'shown support and understanding'.

Its priority is providing help and assistance, it said, and executive director Lt Gen Peter Pearson is on the ground in Svalbard.

The expedition was formed of seven teams known as 'fires', the BSES said. The fire affected was formed of 11 expedition members and two leaders.

The society said in a statement: 'They were undertaking a long-term project to study glaciers and document changes since previous expeditions as part of ongoing scientific research into climate change.

'The eight uninjured expedition members of this fire are safe and well. Every other fire in this expedition has returned to the base camp, safe and accounted for. An announcement will be made about their plans within the next 24 hours.

'We extend our utmost sympathy to the family of Horatio Chapple.

'We will continue to focus on providing support and guidance to our expedition members and their families.'

Investigations into the incident are under way.

BSES Expeditions, which is based in Kensington, west London, is a registered charity and has close links with the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme.

The society's expeditions are described as 'a potent combination of personal development through adventurous activity and environmental research in remote wilderness areas'.

Jane Owen, the British ambassador to Norway, has visited the four survivors and said they were 'all bearing up well'.

She said: 'It's clearly a priority to get them home as soon as possible. They're receiving extremely good treatment here at the hospital in Tromso.

Tragic: The group of young explorers from the British Schools Exploring Society aged between 16 and 25 pose for a photograph days before the attack


'We are working with the hospital authorities to establish when will be the right time to arrange for them to be medevaced (given a medical evacuation) back to the UK so that they can be with their families as they go through the recovery process.

'Our priority is obviously to support those involved and respect families' need for privacy at this very difficult time.

'Our thanks should go to the emergency services and the hospitals here in Norway, who are doing a very good job under difficult circumstances.'

Embassy staff have been in contact with the relatives of the survivors to update them on the situation, she added.

Attack: One of the victims of the polar bear attack is carried from a helicopter in Longyearbyen yesterday


'It's obviously still a very difficult time for the families and so we are here to try and help and our sympathies and feelings go out to everyone who's been involved with this awful tragedy,' she said.

BSES chairman Edward Watson said Horatio was a ‘fine young man’ and added: ‘By all accounts he would have made an excellent doctor.’

Horatio had left base camp with a sub-group of 13 to camp on the Von Postbreen glacier which is heavily populated with polar bears and where there have been a number of previous attacks.

Terry Flinders said he nearly fainted after learning about the attack on TV yesterday morning.

‘I phoned up the BSES and said, “Do you have any information?” The man said, “Yes we do, I’ll pass you on to the manager” – and I thought, “Oh, that’s not good”.

‘He says, “I’m sorry Mr Flinders I’ve got to tell you this”, and I said, “Look, just don’t tell me it’s him that’s dead”.


‘He went, “No, it’s not. Patrick’s in hospital in Norway with head injuries and arm injuries but it’s not life threatening”.’

From accounts of survivors, he thought the bear had chosen Horatio simply because he was the nearest.

‘Patrick was the chubbiest one – he probably had more meat on him, bless him.

‘I think he was probably in the middle, because the bear grabbed hold of his head next, and then his arm, and I don’t know how Patrick got out to be honest.

‘The polar bear attacked him with his right paw across his face and his head and his arm.’

Mr Flinders told Jersey’s Channel Television: ‘One of the other chaps came out with a rifle and tried to kill the polar bear and didn’t do it.

‘And then the leader tried to kill the polar bear, but just before he killed him apparently, the bear mauled him and he’s really, really bad.’

Kyle Gouveia, 17, who was on the expedition, said everyone was given shooting practice on the second day of the trip in case a polar bear attacked.

They also took on ‘bear watches’ at their base camp in Svarlbard and practised using ‘bear flares’, he said.

In a blog about the trip on the website posted on July 27, expedition member Marcus Wright described the group’s excitement at two previous polar bear sightings.

He wrote: ‘I think we must of all dreamt of Polar bears because the next day was eagerly waiting for the ice floes to break up so we could move on to base camp. There was a P.bear sighting across the fjord about a mile away.

‘Everyone was in good spirits because we encountered another P.bear floating on the ice, this time we were lucky enough to borrow an kind Norwegian guide’s telescope to see it properly.

Hopes: A small group of the teenagers pose at the airport before flying to Norway for the trip


‘After that experience I can say for sure that everyone dreamt of P.bears that night.’

Another blog entry described the training, saying: ‘The teams learnt how to work their stoves, put up their tents and were even trained in polar bear defence which is a requirement if spending time in Svalbard (not that a BSES Expedition has needed it!)’

The archipelago – which has a population of around 2,400 and nearly 3,000 polar bears – attract tourists with its stunning views of ice-covered mountains, fjords and glaciers.

Visitors are urged to carry high-powered rifles whenever venturing outside Svalbard’s capital Longyearbyen and polar bear safety brochure advices campers against setting up their tents in areas where bears roam.

Polar bear researcher Magnus Andersen at the Norwegian Polar Institute said the number of people involved in the attack made it the most serious he has seen.

The last time someone was killed by a polar bear at Svalbard was in 1995, when two people were killed in two different incidents, he said.

Grim news: Chairman of BSES (British Schools Exploring Society) Edward Watson reads out a statement regarding the death of Horatio Chapple

Remote: The polar bear attack happened on the Svalbard islands north of Norway

The half-ton killer that sees man as its prey

By TOM KELLY

Polar bears are one of the few wild species which will actively hunt humans.

At 10ft tall and half a ton in weight, they are the world’s biggest land predators and top the food chain in the Arctic.

The fearsome creatures can smell prey 20 miles away, smash through yards of ice in minutes to reach seals and devour 100lb of meat at a time with their razor-sharp teeth.

They have incredible vision, can run on the ice at 25mph and are also powerful swimmers capable of crossing 30 miles of water at a time, making them extremely difficult to escape.

Although they feed chiefly on marine animals such as seals and young walruses, they are fearless and will stalk any animal when hungry, including humans.

There have been several previous polar bear attacks on humans in Svalbard, the area where the British teenager was killed.

Last summer a polar bear tore a Norwegian camper from his tent and dragged him 130ft across ice and rocks while he was on a kayak expedition in Svalbard.

Sebastian Plur Nilssen, 22, suffered cuts to his chest, head and neck, but survived by grabbing a rifle and killing the bear with four shots.

Locals said there have also been attacks on a man from Austria and a girl, who both died.

Liv Rose Flygel, 55, an artist and airport worker from Svalbard, said: ‘It’s not the first time. The problem is when the ice goes the bears lose their way and cannot catch food.

‘People don’t really know how dangerous they are. One came down to the sea recently and people were running down to take pictures.’

In nearby Spitzbergen a young polar bear was killed after it attacked a camp where 17 tourists and scientists were staying in 1998.

The campers had scared off the three-year-old male once but it reappeared the following day and charged at two men after they fired warning shots.

Polar bears are well adapted for surviving their hostile, barren environment.

Their double layer of fur and four-inch thick layer of fat means they can live in temperatures of minus 50c.

During the warmer seasons, the bears mate and give birth as they wait for the ice to form, usually in October.

Fearsome: An adult polar bear is one of few species that will actively hunt humans


Scientists say there are 22,000 to 27,000 polar bears in the world, 60 per cent of them in Canada. They also live in Alaska, Russia, Greenland and Norway.

The species - Ursus maritimus - is now considered 'vulnerable', as the total number of polar bears has fallen to 25,000. However, hunting restrictions have helped the population to stabilise.

The animal is a formidable swimmer, and can swim up to 100 miles in one go through the icy waters of the Arctic.

The world's most famous polar bear was Knut, who was raised by keepers at the Berlin Zoo but died earlier this year.




source:dailymail

Eton pupil killed by polar bear: 17-year-old boy on £4,000 adventure trip is mauled to death as he sleeps in Arctic tent

By TOM KELLY, MICHAEL SEAMARK and TAMARA COHEN

Corpse: Rescuers haul away the dead polar bear after it ripped through a tent and killed a 17-year-old British camper in Norway

An Eton schoolboy sleeping in a tent was mauled to death by a polar bear yesterday.
Horatio Chapple, 17, was on a £4,000 adventure holiday on a remote glacier near the Arctic Circle.

He suffered terrible injuries to the head and upper body in the early-morning attack.

Four other members of the party were badly hurt as the animal rampaged around the campsite hunting for food. It was eventually shot dead.



Tragic: Horatio Chapple was killed by a polar bear whilst he was sleeping at a campsite in Norway


A trip-wire system which triggers a charge to scare away polar bears failed to activate, the father of one of the survivors said.

Terry Flinders, from Jersey, said the bear burst into the tent where his 16-year-old son Patrick lay, killing Horatio next to him. He said Patrick punched the polar bear on the nose in a desperate attempt to save his life. He escaped with head and arm injuries.


Battle with the bear: An aerial view of the camp shows the four tents with the dead polar bear in the middle of the site having been killed by the group during the struggle


Two trip leaders, Michael Reid and Andrew Ruck, who are in their late twenties and Scott Smith, 17, also suffered head injuries.

They were undergoing surgery last night.

As the party came under attack, they made a frantic call for help using a satellite phone and scrambled helicopters to the glacier, which has no road access during the summer.


Tragic: The group of young explorers from the British Schools Exploring Society aged between 16 and 25 pose for a photograph days before the attack


Svalbard’s vice-governor, Lars Erik Alfheim, said: ‘After we got the call we sent helicopters as fast as we could. When we got there we found serious injuries.’

The victims were part of a part of 80-strong group of mainly 16-to-23-year-olds on a five-week British Schools Exploring Society (BSES) trip. They were camping in the Norwegian Arctic archipelago of Svalbard.


Survivors: Andy Ruck, left, and Mike Reid, right, were among the four people injured by the polar bear



Survivor: 16-year-old Patrick Flinders from Jersey was also injured in the polar bear attack


Hopes: A small group of the teenagers pose at the airport before flying to Norway for the trip


Attack: One of the victims of the polar bear attack is carried from a helicopter in Longyearbyen yesterday


Grim news: Chairman of BSES (British Schools Exploring Society) Edward Watson reads out a statement regarding the death of Horatio Chapple


Remote: The polar bear attack happened on the Svalbard islands north of Norway


Fearsome: An adult polar bear is one of few species that will actively hunt humans


Scientists say there are 22,000 to 27,000 polar bears in the world, 60 per cent of them in Canada. They also live in Alaska, Russia, Greenland and Norway.

The species - Ursus maritimus - is now considered 'vulnerable', as the total number of polar bears has fallen to 25,000. However, hunting restrictions have helped the population to stabilise.

The animal is a formidable swimmer, and can swim up to 100 miles in one go through the icy waters of the Arctic.

The world's most famous polar bear was Knut, who was raised by keepers at the Berlin Zoo but died earlier this year.


source: dailymail

Rowan Atkinson 'cheats death' as 240mph supercar hits tree then bursts into flames

By SIMON NEVILLE

Smash: Rowan Atkinson's £650,000 McLaren F1 spun several times, smashed into a tree and ploughed into a road sign before catching fire on the opposite side of the carriageway

Actor Rowan Atkinson cheated death last night after careering off the road in his 240mph supercar.

The £650,000 McLaren F1 spun several times, smashing into a tree and ploughing into a road sign before catching fire on the opposite side of the carriageway.

The Mr Bean star, 56, pulled himself free from the wreck and was looked after by a passing motorist until emergency services arrived on the A605 at Haddon, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, at 7.30pm.


Smash: Actor Rowan Atkinson cheated death after careering off the road in his 240mph McClaren F1 supercar, pictured here in 1998


Firemen tackled the blaze and an ambulance crew took him to nearby Peterborough hospital where he was believed to be recovering last night.

It is not the first time the Blackadder star has crashed the supercar, which can sprint from 0-60mph in just three seconds.

In 1999, a year after buying it following the phenomenal success of his Mr Bean movie, he collided the red vehicle with a Rover Metro in Lancashire.


Accident: The front of the car was wrecked in a previous collision with the rear of a Rover Metro in Lancashire, in October 1999


Recently appearing on BBC's Top Gear 'Star in a Reasonably Priced Car', he listed the vast array of cars he currently owns, before setting the fastest lap.

In 1994, the British car magazine Autocar stated 'it has too much performance for the public road,' but 'will be remembered as one of the great events in the history of the car, and it may possibly be the fastest production road car the world will ever see'.

Mr Atkinson, who has a passion for fast cars has written articles about different vehicles for specialist car magazines.


In style: Rowan Atkinson's character Mr Bean has less of a passion for fast cars


Though his collection of cars changes regularly, he also has a £125,000 Aston Martin Virage, a vintage Rolls-Royce, and an elderly Morris Traveller, which he regularly drives around the Oxfordshire village where he lives in a £1 million former rectory.

He also has a £2.5 million townhouse in Chelsea. Last night an East of England Ambulance Service spokesman confirmed the accident.

He said: 'A man has since been conveyed to hospital with minor injuries after the car he was driving left the road earlier this evening.'


Rowan Atkinson on Top Gear



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.

'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.

'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.

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


'It was so emotional helping Allison get into the dress, but utterly wonderful too as it made me recall my own special day,' says Mimi.

'Like me Allison was getting married on the university campus where she had met her husband, which is exactly what I did when I married her dad Jack.

'And I can safely say Allison’s day was just as wonderful as mine was.

'She had a few more guests than I did, but both weddings were full of joy and laughter.

'Allison looked amazing in that dress and it will be a day we all remember for a very long time.

'I just hope the dress brings Allison as much joy, love and happiness as it gave every other woman who wore it before us, as each of us went on to have long and happy marriages.'

The dress, of tone-on-tone ecru silk brocade patterned with flowers, was made in 1884.

Allison's paternal great-great-grandmother, Nellie Campbell, first wore it when she married A.G. Shellito in 1884 in Iowa.

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


But unlike Allison and Mimi, Nellie’s wedding was much smaller and held in the family home in Iowa.

Allison said: 'It always surprised me to find out Nellie had chosen such a grand dress for a wedding at her home.

'We don’t know much about the day apart from that it was on December 30th 1884 and no more than around 12 people attended.

'But she really must have felt like a princess to have worn such a dress in her own front room.'

The dress then skipped a generation, until Jean Lawman married Nellie's grandson, John Shellito in Iowa on December 26th 1941.

Jean was too frail to attend grand-daughter Allison’s wedding this year and sadly passed away two weeks after the ceremony, but Allison tells of Jean’s joy when she found out she was also going to wear the dress.

'Grandma had a long life and passed away in her sleep when she was 91, just days after my wedding, ' she said.

'And I know she wished she could have been strong enough to make it to the wedding as she was so excited to see the dress again.

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


'Chris and I made sure we told her all about it though before she passed and she was over the moon to hear how it had also made me as happy as it had made her on grandma’s big day.

'I asked her how she had come to wear it she told me before she died: 'It was beautiful, it was offered and it fit!

'She actually tried it on the night Pearl Harbour struck and then my granddad had to enlist, so they were married a few weeks later.

'Like me they also got married in a church and then after had a small reception at a hotel. '

Next to wear the dress was Allison’s mum Mimi Balazs Shellito when she got married in 1982 to Jack, now 58.

Mimi said: 'I loved the way the dress caught the light, it was just made of the most exquisite material I had ever seen.

'And that’s why it lasted and I am glad to say it looked just as stunning on Allison as it had so many years before when I had worn it.

'The dress just glowed and so did my daughter.'

Barbara Shellito of Boston also wore it, when she wed Jean's son Paul on July 12th 1975 in Wichita, Kansas.

Allison said: 'My Aunt Barbara was there on my wedding day and I know like my mum, it brought back so many happy memories of her wedding day when she married Uncle Paul.

'She loved seeing the dress in all its glory again.'

Considering its age the dress is in pristine condition thanks to it being lovingly stored in linen sheets for the past 127 years.

So much so Allison tells how she made barely any alterations to the dress on her big day.

The only thing she had to do was go on a diet so she could fit in it.

he said: 'The dress is just stunning and I would have loved it even if my mum and all my other relatives had not worn it.

'To me its vintage look is so modern and it just has this sheen which glows.

'And it is so different from all the usual strapless gowns girls today always seem to wear.

'My mum had some patching done to it before her wedding, but apart from that it was in perfect shape, it was just so well made and so carefully looked after.

'The only issue that at my age my mum was smaller than me so I knew it was going to be a tight fit to get in it.

'But before my wedding I dieted like mad and thankfully it fit me like a glove.

'The only thing I did differently was that I wore a bustle under mine.'

Allison could not have been happier with the results and neither could her doting new husband.

'Chris was a bit jealous that everyone had seen the dress before him, but he understood how important it was to me, ' tells Allison.

'And when I saw the look on his face as I walked down the aisle I knew I had made the right decision.

'He loved it and thought it was beautiful.

'He was so nervous though it took him a little while to register what I was even wearing, but once he did he absolutely loved it.

‘It was a magical day.'

Allison hopes if she has a little girl the tradition will continue and to ensure the dress continues to stay in immaculate condition she changed into a different dress for her reception.

'I would love nothing more than if I have a daughter she will want to wear the dress, ' said Allison.

'It's just got such sentimental value now for all of us.

'With that in mind I wanted to make sure I did not spill anything on it or tear it at the reception.

'And so I changed into a short 1960s cocktail dress.

'Amazingly after all these years nobody had split or torn the dress and I certainly did not want to be the first.

'Thankfully I managed to not get a single mark on it and now it is back wrapped in the linen cloth and in storage, safely put away until the next girl in our family hopefully wants to wear it.'


source:dailymail

Royals on a shoestring: Air passengers stunned as Kate and Wills settle into budget Flybe seats, while Harry goes EasyJet

By Emily Allen


Weddings can be expensive occasions not just for the bride and groom - but for their guests too.

But it was perhaps surprising the learn that even three members of the Royal family were feeling the pinch this weekend when they chose budget airlines over private jets to make their way home from the wedding of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall in Edinburgh.

Passengers were shocked to see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge settle into seats with the rest of the public after boarding a Flybe jet in Edinburgh for their hour long journey to Manchester.

It is understood they flew with body guards - but went through the usual check in and security procedures.

Meanwhile, a hungover Prince Harry chose EasyJet to make his way home to London - although it is not clear whether he landed at Stansted, Gatwick or Luton.

The 26-year-old army helicopter pilot also flew to the Scottish city with the airline - checking in his green army-issue bag for £10 - after paying around £16.50 for the flight.

Flying high: Many passengers were shocked to see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on board the Flybe flight to Manchester


News of the thrifty Royals will no doubt be welcome among taxpayers - millions of whom are struggling to make ends meet themselves with rising food and fuel prices as well as cuts to services.

During the recession the Queen urged her family to show restraint in the recession and to avoid overt displays of extravagance.

However, not all members of the Royal family are so purse-conscious.

Harry on a budget: The Prince arrives at the Palace of Holyroodhouse with his army-style bag after flying with EasyJet - his luggage label clearly on display


Prince Andrew - dubbed Airmiles Andy for his extravagant use of publicly funded travel - has a particular fondness for the Queen's helicopter which he uses to hop around in from engagement to engagement - at great expense.

Kate and William are understood to have sat with other passengers on their Flybe flight as the airline does not have a first class section.

They landed at Manchester because Prince William is based at Anglesey, where he carries out flying duties for the RAF and it is their nearest international airport.

Why pay more? Prince Harry flew with EasyJet to and from the wedding shunning his VIP lifestyle


The royal couple arrived at the airport at 7.40pm on Sunday after boarding Flybe flight BE298 - but they were quickly whisked off in a private car waiting for them on the airfield.

Flybe's one concession to extra luxury is Economy Plus where passengers are treated to complimentary drinks and snacks on board. Fares for the one way trip from Edinburgh start at £36.

One way flights from Edinburgh to Manchester with the airline start at £37.99.

Airport bosses spent £20,000 on a makeover for their Royal lounge.

Staff feared the exclusive haunt - the location of which is top secret - was lacking the wow factor and splashed out on a major refurbishment.

But they will have to wait a little longer to find out if it gets the Royal seal of approval - because the couple didn't enter the terminals this time.

A Manchester Airport spokesman said: 'With the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge living not too far away in North Wales, we were hoping to see them more often and become their local international airport of choice and we are looking forward to welcoming them through our doors over the coming years. We've even given our Royal Lounge a makeover in time for their next visit.'

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FANCY FLYING ON A BUDGET AIRMILES ANDY?

If three Royals are happy to fly on a budget - maybe someone should have a word with Prince Andrew.

In May last year, the Duke Of York spent almost £5,000 on a helicopter jaunt to Silverstone – so he could race around the circuit in a Formula 1 car.

He chartered the Sikorsky S-76C to make a round trip of just 120 miles, despite the £4,700 bill. A first-class rail ticket, in contrast, would have cost £167.

In June 2009 he spent £2,000 on a helicopter flight so he could spend an hour at a party at one of his favourite golf courses.

He made a 226-mile round trip from Royal Lodge in Windsor to the exclusive Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club in Deal, Kent.

The cost of a return train ticket from Windsor to the golf club would have been just £30.70.

In October 2009 the prince flew himself to work in a £1,200-an-hour hired helicopter - with Buckingham Palace insisting it was the only way he could get through his six engagements.

In July 2008 the Duke went to the Farnborough International Airshow by helicopter - costing £6,000.

He left Kensington Palace in London and landed at Farnborough 15 minutes later and flew home four hours later.

Also that summer he spent £4,000 on a 146-mile helicopter trip to a number of official engagements in the same area

Buckingham Palace insists that all his travel details are arranged through the Royal Travel Office, which is independent of the Prince’s office.

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A spokeswoman for Flybe said she was unable to confirm if the couple flew with the company because the airline 'respects the privacy' of all its passengers.

An EasyJet spokesman said it could not disclose the names of any passengers either. A one-way flight from Edinburgh to London costs from £26 depending on when you travel.

Zara, 30, and her new husband Mike Tindall left the Palace of Holyroodhouse on Sunday, following their wedding - but it is not clear how they made their way home.

England rugby player Mike Tindall and his new bride Zara Phillips leave their wedding ceremony - many guests including three Royals travelled on budget airlines


source:dailymail

The waitress Vs Cameron: Prime Minister on holiday asks for three coffees... and cafe worker tells him 'I'm busy, get them yourself'

By Nick Pisa


He prides himself on his 'common touch' when it comes to politics but even David Cameron might think being asked to muck in at a local cafe is going a bit far.

The Prime Minister, who is on holiday in Tuscany with his family, ordered a round of coffees at a village cafe - and was told to get them himself.

Cameron had asked the waitress, 27-year-old Francesca Ariani, if she would bring the drinks to a table outside where he was sitting with wife Samantha and a Downing Street aide.

Do it yourself, Dave: David Cameron and wife Samantha enjoy their coffees at a cafe in Montevarchi, Italy - after he was told by a waitress to get the drinks himself


She snapped that she was too busy, leaving the PM to do the job of delivering the cappuccinos to the terrace of the Dolcenero bar in Montevarchi.

Miss Ariani said: 'I’m so embarrassed. I didn’t know it was the British Prime Minister. I’m so sorry if I appeared rude - I didn’t mean to be. It’s just that I was on my own and really busy.

'He asked for two cappuccinos and an espresso and said he would be at a table outside but I just said he would have to take them out himself because I was behind the bar.'

It seems that the Prime Minister was left less than impressed with the service.

Bitter taste? David Cameron takes a gulp of the cappuccino on the terrace of a cafe in Montevarchi after Francesca Ariani (right) refused him table service


The waitress added: ’I made them for him and he waited and then took them outside with his wife. He was there for about five minutes and then left - he paid with a 50 euro note but didn’t leave a tip.

'I suppose that was fair enough as I hadn’t taken them to the table but still he could have left the odd coins.'

The Camerons are on holiday at a £10,000-a-week villa with two other families. They arrived on Saturday, landing at nearby Florence Airport on a British Airways flight from London City Airport having travelled in business class.

The 15-bedroom villa is on the Petrolo wine estate and is close to the village of Bucine where Sting and wife Trudie Styler have a home.

A smaller house on the estate has been taken over by Cameron's security team.

The villa features in Jamie Oliver's cookbook, Jamie's Italy.

The chef is a close friend of Petrolo’s owner Luca Sanjust and visits every year with a team of his students.

Mr Sanjust said: 'They are just enjoying themselves by the pool. They have played tennis and are spending time relaxing.'

The 300-year-old property has a private garden, swimming pool and tennis court.

There is also a billiards room, lake, working vineyard and olive groves.

The PM is paying his family's £5,800 share of the bill for the two-week stay out of his own pocket.

During his brief visit to Montevarchi on the first morning of his trip, Cameron was presented with the town's coat of arms by Mayor Francesco Grasso.

Mr Grasso also suggested a couple of tourist attractions to the PM including several museums and churches, along with a Prada outlet store on the outskirts of the town.

Maybe it was something to do with his dress sense that led to the Italian mayor's suggestion.

During the public walkabout in the Italian village, Cameron opted for a rather bizarre off-duty look of crumpled shirt in navy, a pair of black trousers and his creased black work brogues - minus the socks.

Italian getaway: David and Samantha Cameron are on holiday in Tuscany with their children and two other families

Luxury: The villa in Tuscany where the Camerons are enjoying a two-week break


source:dailymail