Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Timmy, British Navy tortoise, dead at 160 EXETER, England, April 7 (UPI) -- A tortoise who was a veteran of fighting ships and German air raids has died at his home in a British castle at the age of 160, the BBC said Wednesday. Advertisement Timothy, or Timmy to friends, is believed to have been the oldest living Mediterranean Spur-Thighed tortoise in existence until his passing last weekend. He was first discovered on board a Portuguese vessel in 1854, and served as a mascot on a number of Royal Navy ships, including service in the Crimean War. He was brought ashore in 1892 and moved to his own garden at Powderham Castle, near Exeter. His most recent inherited owner is Lady Gabrielle Courtenay, 91, who said Timmy will be buried at a family plot on the estate. "You could call him, and he would come and say hello and have a strawberry," she said, adding he seemed to recognize different people's voices. During World War II, he was seen digging his own bomb shelter under some steps when bombs hitting Exeter shook the ground. Last summer, he was so active in the garden, staff had to put panels on his old shell to prevent sunburn, the report said. Advertisement China's bosses push dating services BEIJING, April 7 (UPI) -- More and more Chinese managers are acting as match-makers for their increasingly busy workers, the Xinhua news agency reported Wednesday. Dating services, used to having clients that society labeled socially inept, now get half of their business from corporate groups, according to a Beijing dating agency. These single white collar professionals, in most cases, are young and well educated, with considerable income. They have heavy work loads, leaving little time or energy for finding partners, the agency said. Some bosses urge single employees to apply as a group to dating agencies. Zhu Ming, 23, an engineer working in a Beijing high-tech company, said that he will not apply to dating agencies if he is alone, "because it's embarrassing and I'm likely to be cheated." But, he said, would be willing to participate as part of a group. Teen stuck in chimney for eight hours LOS ANGELES, April 7 (UPI) -- A 14-year-old Californian was recovering Wednesday from minor injuries suffered from spending the night stuck in a park building chimney. The boy, who was not identified, was playing in an Orange City park Monday evening when his football went into the chimney of one of the park buildings, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday. Advertisement The youth went feet first after his ball and got stuck about 10 feet into the brick structure. A passing motorist Tuesday heard cries of help coming from the park and alerted police. Following the voice, officers found the cold and disoriented boy clutching the football. They called firefighters for assistance. Firefighters hoisted the teen out of the chimney eight hours after he first got stuck. "He was covered in soot from head to toe, and cold," a police spokesman said. "He had some trouble telling officers information about where he lived."
