blood-sucking crime solvers; haunted village bans Halloween Australia ­— Blood obtained from a leech helped police identify a criminal in northern Tasmania, according to the Daily Mirror.

In 2001, two men committed a burglary, stealing cash and threatening a 71-year-old woman. Though the men did not leave any fingerprints at the crime scene, investigators did find a leech containing a blood sample from one of the burglars. In 2008, Peter Cannon’s blood was found to match the sample after he was charged for a drug offense; he has admitted guilt to the new charge of aggravated armed robbery. This is thought to be the first case solved with aid from a leech. England — In Cheshire, rampaging ostriches fled into a busy road after escaping from a farm; one was killed. According to the Daily Mirror, the incident occurred on Oct. 19, with the public being warned not to approach the birds, as they are known to react violently to perceived threats. After becoming separated, one of the ostriches entered the M56, a motorway in England, and was struck by a driver from North Wales. The second bird took two hours for police to contain before returning it to the owner. Though the driver was unharmed in the collision, his vehicle was reported as damaged. England ­— According to the Daily Telegraph, Britain’s allegedly most-haunted village, located in Pluckley, has banned Halloween. Home to at least 12 ghosts, including a highwayman, a phantom monk, the hanging body of a schoolmaster, and a pub poltergeist, living residents have become overwhelmed by the annual invasion of hundreds of ghost-seekers, especially in response to the vandalism and traffic. This year, Halloween has been marked by the discontinuing of all entertainment for visitors, including the usual barbecue, hog roast, beer tent, fun fairs and ghost tours. Though the town invites visitors looking for “a quiet drink,” they have brought in additional police support to maintain the peace. New Zealand — According to Metro.co.uk., a contest where children throw dead rabbits has been banned on grounds of inhumanity. The annual “rabbit throw” in the South Island has been cancelled after animal-cruelty inspectors came to investigate the annual pig hunt, the event for which the rabbit throw was developed. Event organizers argue that the children of the town love animals and that the banning of the contest is “political correctness gone mad.” On the other hand, animal-cruelty inspector Charles Cadwallader said, “Do you throw your dead grandmother around for a joke at her funeral?” The connection between hunting pigs and throwing dead rabbits is still unclear, and officials have offered no clarification.

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Reference: telegraph.co.uk

Dated 2009-10-30