Queen guitarist Brian May involved in clean boot Boxing Day hunt in Swansea

The animal rights campaigner believes sniffer dogs tracking people is the best way to keep hunting traditions alive, with no fox being torn to pieces.

Renowned guitarist for Queen, Brian May is also an active animal rights campaigner. He was recently involved in what is called the “clean boot” (i.e. boots not coated with blood) Boxing Day hunt, held in Swansea, which sees around a dozen hunters on horseback and a group of sniffer dogs, hunting a bunch of runners instead of foxes.

Wales Online reports that May believes humane (and fun) hunts like this are the best way to keep the hunting traditions alive, but with no fox torn apart in the process. He and the organisers hope the event will bring both animal rights campaigners and hunters together in the preservation of animals and tradition.

Hunters and sniffer dogs track humans

Dubbed the Three Counties Bloodhounds Annual Boxing Day Hunt, the event started shortly after 11:00 AM in Wind Street, Swansea. This hunt involves no animal scents, as the bloodhounds track humans instead of foxes. Reportedly the dogs have not been trained in fox hunting.

According to May, people who take part in the event find it a harder ride than the normal fox hunt, but there is no animal cruelty involved. He went on to say no fox gets torn to shreds and the runners who do get caught get thoroughly licked by a bunch of friendly dogs.

Queen rocker makes unusual friendship with farmer

Hunt organiser Byron John invited May, who is the founder of the Save Me Trust, to the event on Wednesday. John is a farmer who struck up a friendship with May when he attended a hunt three years ago in Swansea. Paying tribute to John, May said Byron was a very "brave man," as he has received criticism from the hunting community, and also from various animal rights groups, who have no real understanding of what he is trying to do.



This was the first event organised by John since he lost his 53-year-old son Bradley. As reported in a BBC article, Bradley took his own life as the result of bullying at school. John told the BBC they have been running the hunting event for five years and while there has been criticism in the past, John believes animal rights campaigners and hunters should come together to stop the hostility.



John said the hunting community needs to look at ways they can make the sport modern, while keeping the traditions.

Fox hunting in the UK

The traditional fox hunting methods were banned in the UK in 2004, but have been replaced by what is called trail hunting. This sees the horse riders and hounds following a pre-set trail of scents, including fox urine.


On Instagram, May wrote the events are the future of hunting in the country, where no animal will be harmed. He added that this type of hunt will not “accidentally” chase foxes.

Wales Online quotes May as posting on his Facebook page to say the public does not want to see cruelty to animals as "entertainment." He said savaging a fox or any other animal using a pack of hounds will never be acceptable. He said there will be other hunts in the coming year that do not support animal cruelty.

Waitrose magazine editor resigns in disgrace after mocking vegans

William Sitwell suggested a series exposing the hypocrisy of vegans, suggesting they be force-fed meat. He also suggested killing vegans, one by one.

When a vegan pitched a series for Waitrose Food magazine, the editor totally insulted vegans. [Image @PeterEgan6/Twitter]

William Sitwell, the editor of the magazine Waitrose Food has been forced to resign following email comments to a freelance journalist. In the email he suggested the killing of vegans, one at a time, quoting their “hypocrisy” and suggesting jokingly they be force-fed meat.

Soon after Sitwell emailed the comments, they appeared in the media, leading him to instantly apologise. However, Waitrose has announced on Wednesday that he will be leaving his job immediately.

Mocking vegans and force-feeding them meat

Buzzfeed News first picked up the story. Selene Nelson, a freelance journalist and herself a vegan had pitched a “plant-based meal series” to Sitwell, which would cover meat-free dishes. Sitwell replied to Nelson’s email, thanking her and going on to make a “joke,” asking what about a series about “killing vegans, one by one.”

Sitwell then went on to ask about ways to trap vegans and properly interrogating them to expose their "hypocrisy." Sitwell then suggested force-feeding vegans meat by making them “eat steak and drink red wine.”

My friend @Selene_Nelson pitched a series of #vegan recipes to @WilliamSitwell at @Waitrose Magazine and got this absolutely mind boggling response: https://t.co/LS5WKsM7Xj pic.twitter.com/FVjNrRJ7cy

— Nick Chowdrey (@nickchef88) October 29, 2018

In a later email, Sitwell said he liked the idea of a new column titled “The Honest Vegan: a millennial’s diary of earnest endeavour and bacon sandwiches.”

Waitrose and John Brown Media, the production agency producing Waitrose Food, agreed that it would be the best decision if Sitwell stepped down from his job.

Waitrose pushing vegan food

Waitrose has this year made a push into supplying vegan food in their supermarkets and recently announced their new range of vegan products, including Christmas meals.

Sitwell had earlier this year made an Instagram post, paying tribute to the team at Waitrose Magazine and saying how proud he was last year of a special edition offering vegetarian recipes. In that edition, the magazine refused to accept advertising relating to meat-based products.

In his apology for his email remarks, Sitwell went on to say how much he had enjoyed working on the Waitrose Food magazine for the last 20 years. He also directly apologised to any vegan who had been genuinely offended by his remarks, made in an “ill-judged joke” and now reported widely in the press.

A spokesman for Waitrose, the company said that due to Sitwell’s recent email remarks, they have told John Brown Media they believe his leaving is the “right and proper move.” The spokesman then said they would be working with the agency to appoint a new editor. They said they were grateful for Sitwell‘s contribution over the last almost 20 years.

Besides his work on the Waitrose Food magazine, Sitwell hosts food podcasts, comments on food issues and also edits cookbooks.

Fishermen rescued by cruise ship after boat sank in North Sea, two still missing

The Pacific Princess cruise ship saw a distress flare in the North Sea and rescued three of the fishermen, while the coastguard searches for two more.

The Pacific Princess cruise ship was sailing in the North Sea when the captain spotted a distress flare. Three fishermen in a life raft were rescued by the ship after their fishing boat sank 25 miles from Great Yarmouth.

Passengers on the Pacific Princess applauded as the three fishermen were rescued. However, two further fishermen are still missing and the coastguard was alerted to search for them. The coastguard is using a helicopter and other vessels in their search for the missing men.

Pacific Princess passenger tells the story

The BBC quotes Teena Dowd, one of the cruise ship’s passengers from Canada who is who watched the rescue as it happened. Dowd said that at around 6:30 PM, the captain made an announcement to say the ship was stopping, as there was a life raft floating off the cruise ship’s starboard side. Within an hour of being spotted, the men were helped onto the ship.

Dowd said other worried passengers lined the railing of the ship, breaking into applause as the fishermen were rescued from their lifeboat. She said they were on the top deck and everyone was pretty much holding their breath and anxious as the rescue unfolded.

Dowd said the ship’s crew threw a rope out to the lifeboat to enable them to pull it closer to the ship. They then extended a ladder down to the men, so they could climb up onto the deck. One man reportedly fell back into the water as he tried to climb the ladder and had to be pulled back onto the raft before a further, more sturdy ladder was extended down to the life raft.

According to Dowd, the captain had initially said the cruise ship was going to float next to the life raft to block the wind until the Coastguard arrived. However, they managed to get close enough to rescue the men. The cruise ship remained in the area for approximately an hour before the Coastguard took the men on board. The ship then continued its journey to Dover.

Search and rescue helicopter launched

As reported by ITV, the Coastguard operations controller, Lee Duncan said they launched a search and rescue helicopter from Humberside. They said they also launched RNLI lifeboats from Gorleston, as well as other Coastguard vessels to help with the search for the two missing men.

According to Duncan, the crew of the fishing boat consisted of foreign nationals. He said the three rescued men spent four hours in the life raft before being spotted by the cruise ship. Duncan went on to say they believe the two missing crew of the fishing boat were seen entering the water

‘Star Wars: Episode IX’ will feature previously unseen footage of Carrie Fisher

The actress who played Princess Leia and died in 2016 will appear in the latest ‘Star Wars’ film without any CGI.

Image Star Wars/YouTube

Film footage of the late actress Carrie Fisher taken for the 2015 film “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is to be used in “Star Wars: Episode IX.” Disney confirmed that the unseen footage is to be used in the ninth episode in the sci-fi film franchise.

It turns out Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker, will also be back in “Episode IX,” despite the fact that he appeared to have died in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” Filming starts in London on 1 August this year according to the Disney statement. As reported by Digital Spy, the announcement was made on Friday, 27 July.

Star lineup for ‘Star Wars’ episode 9

Carrie Fisher died of a heart attack in December 2016 at the age of 60. This happened at a time when she was reviving her career in the film franchise by appearing with fellow-costars Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

The actor Mark Hamill, whose Luke Skywalker character appeared to die in last year’s "The Last Jedi," will also appear in the next movie, which will start filming in London on 1 August, Disney said in a statement.

Fisher died suddenly in December 2016, aged 60, after suffering a heart attack, just as she was enjoying a career revival with the re-invigorated "Star Wars" movie franchise that reunited her with original cast members Hamill and Harrison Ford in the 2015 film "The Force Awakens." Fisher was in “The Last Jedi” and was supposed to be a central character in episode nine. Talk had been that she would feature as a CGI character, but it turns out some previously unused footage was perfect for the task.

No ‘Star Wars’ without Carrie Fisher

The Guardian quotes “Episode IX” director, JJ Abrams as saying in a statement that they all loved Fisher, but couldn’t find a satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker story without her. He said they would never recast the role or use CGI to portray Princess Leia. However, with the blessing and support of Carrie’s daughter, Billie, they found a solution to the problem and are able to honour Fisher’s legacy in the role of Leia in the ninth episode. He said they would be using previously unseen footage from "Episode VII" for the new movie. According to Disney, the script for the ninth film was in the process of being reworked to suit.

Returning cast for ‘Star Wars: Episode IX’

Besides the presence of Fisher and Hamill, Billy Dee Williams will be back as Lando Calrissian, who was last seen in “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” Daisy Ridley, Kelly Marie Tran, John Boyega, Adam Driver  and Lupit Nyong’o will also return for the film.

Filming for “Star Wars: Episode IX” starts in August 2018 and it is expected to premiere in cinemas worldwide during December 2019.