Weird and wacky stories over the years from a man taking home a dead mink to an inflatable Santa theft
Let’s face it - who doesn’t love a weird, wacky and downright head scratching in disbelief type of story - and we have told a lot of them over the years!
From a retired teacher taking a dead American mink home, pink pigeons causing a stir to a Yorkshire puddings complaint, there have been many quirky and unusual stories read in Lancashire.
Here are some of the best.
American Mink
A retired lecturer had to ‘mink’ twice on a walk in countryside near Chorley a couple of years ago when he found what he thought to be a dead cat.
The man who wishes to remain anonymous was walking along the Heapey Reservoir when he came across the dead American mink.
He then took the mink home to inspect it better.
Previous to this spotting, the Post last reported on a mink sighting in 2017 at Yarrow Valley Country Park snacking on a fish.
Yorkshire puddings complaint
This has to be up there with some of the best Christmas stories of December 2022!
Toby Carvery offered to host a dance-off between a pupil and her headteacher - with a prize of unlimited Yorkshire puds for the winner.
The saga began when deputy head girl Skye Taylor sent a tongue-in-cheek email to the head of Flakefleet Primary in Fleetwood Dave McPartlin complaining that the "food of the gods" had been served to staff on their Christmas dinners, but not to pupils.
Mr McPartlin (calling himself Chief Elf) responded in a witty exchange and offered to settle the issue with a dance-off in front of the entire school.
No word on who won the dance off as of yet!
Rat Hotel
Ever heard of a rat hotel? You have now!
A Blackpool boarding house with a difference - for pet rats only - has enjoyed some satisfied customers since opening in the summer.
Arlo’s Ratty Hotel was the novel idea of Leanne Brydon, who keeps pet rats herself and realised that fellow-owners might need someone with experience to look after them when they went on holiday.
The hotel is named after one of Leanne’s six rats.
Pink pigeons
One of the world's rarest birds may have been spotted... in Nelson!
Kelly Lunney couldn't believe her eyes in May 2022 when she saw a pink pigeon fluttering around Netherfield Gardens. For if it was what was known as a Nesoenas Mayeri, a species of pigeon endemic to Mauritius, there are just 500 left in the world.
Kelly was able to take a few photos and video footage of the eye catching bird as it kept returning to the same place.
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Theft of a Stag Statue
In August 2023 a giant stag sculpture was stolen from a busy South Ribble roundabout using an angle grinder.
“Walt”, as he had been christened by locals, was installed at the junction Carrwood Road, Carrwood Way and Valley View, in Walton-le-Dale, last August.
However, within hours of his first birthday, the seven feet-high sculpture was gone – seemingly sawed from his foundations in an almost industrial-scale operation that left his local creator devastated.
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Theft of a 20 ft Santa
A brazen thief was caught on camera stealing a 20 ft inflatable Santa from a family's charity display in Blackpool last month.
A woman smoking a cigarette was filmed sneaking onto the on Condor Grove driveway and pinching the giant Santa.
Dean Thomas, 32, called the theft “disgusting”.
He and his wife, Rachel Thomas 32, along with their kids, Ella, seven, Ava, four, and Noah, two, have decked out their end terrace home on Condor Grove for 11 years, but said this year will be the last time.