02-05-2025
Ex-army officer to row 2,000 miles around UK – and five more local stories you missed this week
A former army officer who will row solo around the UK for 2,000 miles is one of our best local stories of the week.
Gloucestershire Live reported how ex-Parachute Regiment member Mike Ellicock, 49, will take on the challenge of rowing around the country in fewer than 80 days.
Elsewhere, a Warwickshire man who used to drink 14 cans of Pepsi Max a day has managed to quit his habit after hypnosis, while a first date on a beach went rather awry when a car got stuck at the seaside in Dorset.
You can read the full version of each of our selected articles through the links under each story – or read more top headlines from around the UK's regions on the Yahoo UK local news page.
A former Parachute Regiment officer is on a mission to set a new record as the quickest individual to row solo around Great Britain for 2,000 miles.
Mike Ellicock, hailing from Lewes in East Sussex, sustained injuries during a hostage rescue operation in Sierra Leone in 2000 when he was just 25 years old.
He managed to recover fully and later led a team of paratroopers during missions in Iraq. Now at 49, the father-of-three is embarking on a historic attempt to circumnavigate the UK by rowing boat in less than 80 days, which would make him the fastest to achieve such a feat.
Read the full story from Gloucestershire Live
A Bedworth dad who drank 14 cans of Pepsi Max a day and 'couldn't stop' has ditched his habit - after being hypnotised.
Dean Gavin, 52, would have his first can when he woke up, and would even take a Pepsi Max to bed with him to sip on through the night.
But the £3,000 a year 'heavy addiction' was wreaking havoc on his sleep and making his Tourettes tics worse. In a desperate bid to help him stop reaching for the sugar-free fizzy drink, Dean turned to a hypnotherapist.
Read the full story from Coventry Live
Yorkshire Wildlife Park is celebrating as they welcome the birth of two Amur Leopard cubs.
The award-winning park says it is a 'remarkable step forward' in the battle to save the big cats from extinction.
The new duo is only the second and third of their specifies to be born in the whole world this year.
Mother Kristen, 13, gave birth last week and is currently spending all her time nursing the babies.
Read the full story from Hull Live
An East Lothian family was amazed after capturing breathtaking footage of a shark swimming just feet off the shore of their local beach.
Alan Nash, who shot the footage from a drone, said the creature was so close you "could have just swam out to it," estimating it was only 100 metres away.
Alan and his family of five discovered the basking shark off the shores of Longniddry Beach around 5pm on 30 April.
Read the full story from Edinburgh Live
We've all had a difficult first date – but this one is perhaps up there as being one of the trickiest.
A Bournemouth resident drove on to the sand at Boscombe beach, east of the pier, which could have been a romantic spot to get to know his date.
However, his Jeep Cherokee became wedged in the soft sand – not too far from the water – despite having four-wheel drive and a 'sand' mode.
Read the full story from The Daily Echo
An eight-year-old girl has found her passion in go-karting racing and is now racing on the track competitively.
Ava-Lily first went in a go-kart when she was just seven and less than a year later she is now competing at various competitions across the county each month.
Back in January 2024, Ava-Lily's brother had a birthday party at Gridline Racing in Lincoln but at the time she was too small to join in on the fun.
Read the full story from Lincolnshire Live
