Weird Wales? Our top 10 quirkiest stories of 2013 so far – Wales Online
We take a look at the strange, wonderful and weird Welsh news stories from 2013 so far, and there’s certainly plenty to choose from
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For a nation of just over 3 million people, Wales certainly gets its fair share of weird and wonderful news.
From terrifying tales of mutant arachnids, to chilly chimps being given tea and blankets, and hundreds mourning the death of a 22 stone sheep, to celebrating our proudest sporting achievements through the medium of Lego… we've seen some pretty weird news stories so far this year.
And it's only April.
Here we revisit 10 of WalesOnline's quirkiest and weirdest news stories in 2013 so far…
1. Cardiff's asbestos spider
It's fair to say this is not a news headline we ever expected to see on WalesOnline – "Asbestos-contaminated tarantula 'could be on the loose' in Cardiff" . But last month, we ran just such a story. Our man Simon Gaskell told how "a web of intrigue" was surrounding the gruesome discovery of a large tarantula skin in a Cardiff attic. Not only was the beast itself no where to be seen, but a spider expert warned it could still be at large at up to twice its size after shedding its skin, and further tests revealed the skin had been contaminated with asbestos. Cue a huge rush of interest from national media, and the spider itself became an overnight internet celebrity, with its own Twitter account ( @AsbestosSpider) and posters showing huge eight-legged-freaks terrorising the city. Worryingly, the spider has still never been found. According to his last Tweet, he was hanging out in the capital's Chippy Lane…
2. Landmark bridge closed after one year – after thieves steal most of it
It was opened with much fanfare in 2012, with fashion designer Julien Macdonald returning to his hometown to cut the ribbon. But anyone trying to cross from Merthyr Tydfil town centre to Pentrebach via Puddlers Bridge earlier this month will have found it quite a task – after metal thieves made off with large chunks of it . More than 900 metres of steel wire was taken from the bridge sometime between April 2 and April 5, forcing the bridge to close. Local policing inspector Clare Hallet branded the thieves "mindless and reckless" for putting public safety in danger.
3. In The Depot – Torfaen gritters Elvis spoof
When the snow hit in January, gritters up and down the country were hard at work battling the elements to clear our snowy roads and pathways. But in Torfaen, they decided to bring some belated festive cheer to the job, with two of Wales' best known Elvis impersonators making comedy video "In The Depot". Sung to the tune of Presley's 1969 classic "In The Ghetto", it became a YouTube hit, and has racked up more than 488,000 views to date.
4. Cardiff dare-Devil aims to climb Everest – then paraglide off it
As if reaching the peak of the world's highest mountain weren't enough of a challenge, in February we reported the extraordinary ambition of former Cardiff Devils star Jeff Smith, who wants to paraglide off the top of Everest when he gets there. Jeff is planning the dramatic challenge to mark his 50th birthday, and despite still needing to get a licence for the stunt, he's optimistic about his chances – he plans to paraglide off a series of mountains this year so he's full prepared. Rather him than us!
5. Austin Healey's Six Nations gamble
The moral of this story is do not mess with the Welsh. When England motor-mouth Austin Healey tweeted that he would bet "every person in Wales" £1 that England would win the Six Nations ahead of the tournament decider at the Millennium Stadium, we here at WalesOnline decided to take him up on his offer. We converted every like or re-tweet of our posts on the WalesOnline Facebook and Twitter accounts into £1, and presented Mr Healey with a bill when Wales were victorious. Strangely, he's yet to cough up the £2,731…
6. Chimps in blankets
If this doesn't warm the cockles, we don't know what will. As Torfaen gritters worked up a sweat to The King, staff at The Wales Ape and Monkey Sanctuary near Swansea helped these chimps keep out the cold by wrapping them in blankets, and giving them baked potatoes and cups of tea . So cute.
7. Simpsons in the snow
For our final quirky snow story in this top 10, we've chosen Allan Watkins' amazing snow sculptures. Allan, from Church Village, started off making snowmen for his kids, but over the last five years his Arctic artworks have got bigger and better, and this year included giant sculptures of Gandalf, Batman, King Kong, and the entire Simpsons family. Despite a sore back and freezing fingers, landscape gardener Allan said he'd love to do snow sculpture for a living – if only the weather allowed.
8. Six Nations action – in Lego
March 16 was a momentous day. Wales beat England 30-3 at the Millennium Stadium, defending their Six Nations title, and shutting Austin Healey up once and for all (well, probably not, but we can hope). So what better to way to mark this historic occasion than…. recreating the tournament's most memorable moments in Lego? Ashley Weaver put hours of painstaking work into the eight-minute long montage featuring the highs and lows of the Six Nations 2013, and raised money for the Salvation Army in the process. An unusual way to mark Wales' achievement, but an admirable one none-the-less.
9. The Welshman who's made his name in the land of Mae Tse Song
The story of Welsh ex-pat Iain Inglis was another that attracted national and international interest, after we told how he had become a star in China by making dozens of appearances on Chinese TV singing “red songs” – revolutionary songs which hail the wonders of socialism. Iain's novelty act has captured the hearts of Chinese television audiences everywhere, allowing him to reach the top 16 in China’s Got Talent and able to command a fee of up to £5,000 per performance.
10. Hundreds mourn Rhiwbina sheep Nick Boing's death
And last, but by no means least, is the sad story about the passing of Nick Boing – Cardiff's 22 stone sheep. Crowds flocked to a memorial service for the "iconic" animal following his death in January. Nick Boing – a name inspired by his "bouncy" personality – had become a local celebrity in the Rhiwbina area of Cardiff after being taken in by David Palmer and his family as a lamb. He was often seen being taken on walks in the area, and attended many local events. Local councillor Jayne Cowan said he had been "a real focal point of the community", and a tree and plaque have been unveiled in his memory.
