Fisherman catches rare lobster twice in two weeks
Marc Newton, 35, hauled in the brightly-coloured crustaceans from the English Channel just 12 days apart.
The fourth-generation fisherman, from Beer, Devon, caught the electric blue lobsters despite extreme odds, which some marine biologists have estimated are about two million to one.
The rare colour is caused by a genetic mutation, which prompts the over-production of a certain protein.
Mr Newton released the lobsters back into the waters on both occasions.
The family fishing boat, Bess, is skippered by his father Jim, who has been fishing since he could walk.
Mr Newton said: 'Our family has been supplying fresh local fish from our shop on Beer beach for the last 45 years.
'We're now the fourth generation carrying on this tradition.'
He wrote in a social media post: 'Here he is again. On the left, we caught what looks like the same rare blue lobster as the other day.
'What do you think? Same or a different one?'
Blue lobsters have been caught near Plymouth, Polperro, and Bangor, Northern Ireland, in recent years.
It is even rarer for lobsters to be white in colour – only about one in 100 million are.
In 2019, an albino lobster was caught near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, and donated to the National Trust.
The lobster's appearance was caused by a genetic defect called leucism, which leaves it with no pigment in its shell.
Blue lobster is considered a delicacy, and starred in a lavish state dinner hosted by Emmanuel Macron for King Charles in 2023.
The Élysée Palace spent close to €500,000 on the September visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla, which included about €40,000 on wine.
The starter of blue lobster and crab was inspired by Louis XIV 's tastes.
The feast was executed by a team of 45 chefs led by Yannick Alléno, Anne-Sophie Pic and French pastry chef Pierre Hermé, all of whom have Michelin stars.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
5 hours ago
- BBC News
Harvington Hall priest hole challenge will have 'mental effect'
The manager of an Elizabethan manor house, spending 48 hours in one of its priest holes, says the exercise was going to be "quite a mental challenge".Phil Downing will be spending the two days in the hiding space which was "about the same size as a coffin, just taller" in order to raise money for Harvington Hall in Worcestershire. He has previously spent 24 and 36-hour spells in the hide "and I've got it on recording that I would never do it again," he added. "It's going to have some kind of effect on me psychologically," he added. The hiding places were built by families that carried on practising Catholicism in the Elizabethan period when it was could hide in them to avoid "priest hunters", said Mr Downing. The house has seven hides in total, some of which are "the most ingenious in the country". One is situated behind a swinging beam, with another above a bread oven in the kitchen. It was going to be "pitch black," in the hiding place, he added, "it's just me and my own thoughts for two days". He explained he would cope by "putting myself in the mindset of a 16th Century priest."They could be in there for over a week, and they didn't know if they were going to starve to death or not," he said. "I could imagine it would be much tougher for them than it will be for me." Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Independent
6 hours ago
- The Independent
Girlguiding's new badges are a vital ‘woke' revamp for Gen Alpha
Forget Cobbler, Rabbit Keeper, Farmer and Sea Lore badges – Girlguiding has had a revamp. And rather than demonstrating a strong knowledge of the deep blue sea, the ocean floor and associated trade routes, as their young bearers needed to do in 1935; or the 1943 challenge of 'keeping rabbits for one year, including rearing a litter' – the charity, which is the largest youth organisation in the UK dedicated to empowering girls and young women, has gone modern (and as some critics would say, 'woke'). And it's about time, too. In a nod to a new generation of wannabe vloggers and YouTubers, Gen Alpha can now swap the old-fashioned Book Lover badge (which used to specify reading six books from a list of authors like Mary Molesworth, Charlotte May Yongel and AA Milne) for BookTok to earn a Book Reviewer or Blogging badge. There's even a brand new books and activism (or, Booktivist) badge! How fitting for 2025 – an age when we've become accustomed to Just Stop Oil chucking soup at priceless Van Gogh works of art; when Youth Demand activists are getting arrested for sharing biscuits at Quaker meeting houses; when hundreds are battling heavy rain each weekend to protest for Palestine. Young people are impassioned and active – and Girlguiding, uniquely, appreciates that. In fact, the organisation says that Rangers (members aged 14-18) will now be able to take their reading habits to the next level by exploring 'what empowers them through books,' such as 'feminism, stories by Black British authors or the environment'. Right on. Girlguiding was never this cool when I was at school. I remember quite distinctly the disgust I felt when I realised my first Brownies uniform was actually brown (the clue was in the name, but there we go). I also have vague memories of a church hall, a mirror on the floor representing water, and a lot of outdoor pursuits. My hatred of camping remains well-documented to this day, as does the memory of falling in the King George's Reservoir where we went to practice kayaking (the horror, the horror). My leader decided it would be a really fun game to make us get out of the boats to race up and down the length of the kayaks, right next to the sign warning us there was 'toxic blue-green algae' in the water. Fabulous. Is there a Dunking badge I should have earned? Reluctantly, I will admit that being a Brownie was mostly life-affirming and quite fun – if more than a little damp. I still have fond, if reluctant, memories of trying – and failing – to build a fire out of soggy sticks and flint; of getting completely lost in the woods because none of my group knew how to use a compass or the meaning of the word 'orienteering'; and of eating cold beans out of a tin because of the aforementioned fire failure. But we're not in the 1990s anymore. There's a whole new digital, Taylor Swift-infused world out there in 2025 – and I applaud Girlguiding's attempts to keep up with the times. It's not only refreshing, it's vital. If an organisation like Girlguides doesn't modernise and appeal to a very different generation this time around, it risks dying out altogether. And who will be getting their Healthy Sleep, Clean Planet and Laughter or Fandom badges then? What's more, the organisation has proven that it really understands what's important to teens today. What use is a Hostess badge – earned by putting on a tea party – in 2025? Gen Alpha are impassioned mini- Greta Thunbergs, and they really care about the climate crisis. The stats prove it: almost two-thirds of the youngest job seekers have expressed interest in pursuing 'green' jobs, according to recent data, while college administrators say soaring numbers of students are pursuing environmental-related degrees and careers. Other research has shown that younger generations – including us wizened old millennials and Gen-Zers, all radicalised by Blue Peter – experience greater levels of fear, guilt and outrage about the impacts of climate change compared to older Gen-X, baby boomer and post-war groups. With that in mind, the new Girlguiding Bee Rescuer or Conscious Consumer badges are spot on. We don't live in Enid Blyton times anymore – given the racism and xenophobia, it's just as well – we live in a world in which screens are second-nature to our kids; where I get eye-rolls from my 13-year-old because I have no idea how to set a self-timer, let alone use Snapchat – and if I did use Snapchat, she'd be mortified. It is a world in which more young boys than ever are listening to the likes of Andrew Tate and where lessons on misogyny have joined the curriculum; where programmes like Adolescence have become mandatory viewing (even according to the prime minister). With the very tricky trials facing girls today, we need My Voice and My Views badges more than ever. That's what Girlguiding is doing: modernising the way they interact with young people. Speaking their language. After all, what use is an organisation for girls if nobody wants to join it?
BBC News
7 hours ago
- BBC News
Youth homelessness in London 'a real crisis'
A record high of 13,231 people were recorded as sleeping rough in the capital in this year, a 10% increase on the previous year, according to recent number of people classed as living on the streets in London has increased by 27% in the last year too, according to the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (Chain).It is said to be the highest ever annual rise, equating to another 3,000 people making the streets their home. Youth homelessness is of particular concern, with 11% of those rough sleeping in the capital aged 25 and under, figures show. London Youth Hub, a pan-London youth emergency accommodation centre, said it had been able to keep most residents who had stayed there off the streets permanently - but it was struggling to keep up with demand. For one 24-year-old resident, who preferred to remain anonymous, his four-month stay at the hub has turned his life around after he had nowhere to go. Now coming to the end of his stay, the BBC caught up with him as he was on his way out to a viewing for a studio flat."Me and my mum were, constantly fighting. We had a broken relationship. So I couldn't live there anymore and I had to get out," he said."I stayed with friends for a period of time but I couldn't do that forever."Before he arrived at the hub, he was also dealing with grief from his recent father's death."I was struggling with the grieving process with my dad and they said that they could help me here with that."I found the hub via the council. I started just staying in my room but soon I made lots of friends."Now it feels good. I'm ready to take on the world and go out there and get to it and do whatever I can to stay afloat with the help I've got here. "My progression coach said I can always get in touch for support and so that's great."The hub, run by De Paul UK charity, provides psychotherapy sessions for the residents, as well as progression advisers to support them and help find long-term accommodation. 'A real crisis' "Our young people are often quite traumatised and have often been through a lot of stuff that they need to try and process so they can successfully move on with their lives," explains Luton Sinfield, the hub's manager."It's the only emergency accommodation for the whole of London dedicated to youth homelessness. "Everybody gets their own room, their own bathroom and then we work with them to help them move on. "The challenge is we haven't got enough spaces for all the people we need to accommodate, and that's really sad." Mr Sinfield added: "Part of the reason for that is the shortage of move-on accommodation is because of the housing crisis in London in terms of the general stock, places that are affordable access for young people and indeed support accommodation. That's a real crisis."We really want the government strategy to reflect this and to have a special chapter about youth homelessness because it is distinct and different and it needs a response that's credible nationally and supported by regional and local government."The total number of rough sleepers in 2025 is 63% more than 10 years government said it had increased funding for homelessness services by £233m this year, bringing its total expenditure to £1bn, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing added that the latest spending review protected "this record level of investment to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping beyond this financial year".
