UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

Man finds treasure with metal detector

STIRLING, Scotland, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Experts said four Iron Age gold necklaces found in a Scottish field by a man with a metal detector are likely worth more than $2 million.

The treasure trove unit at the National Museums of Scotland's Edinburgh headquarters said the necklaces, discovered in a field near Stirling, are the property of the Crown under Scottish laws for relics classified as "treasure troves," The Daily Record reported Tuesday.

However, the government-appointed Scottish Archeological Finds Allocation Panel, which includes museum officials, is currently researching the worth of the objects to determine the amount of compensation to be awarded to the man who discovered them. Experts said the necklaces are probably worth a total of more than $2 million.

A source with the dig team that excavated the site after the necklaces were discovered said the items are in perfect condition.

"The workmanship is breathtaking. Some of the gold wire used is the thickness of your finger," the source said.

Motorized lounge chair auction restarts

PROCTOR, Minn., Nov. 3 (UPI) -- A motorized recliner seized by Minnesota police was pulled from eBay because the listing mistakenly identified the chair as a La-Z-Boy, officials said.

The Proctor Police Department said the 5-day auction for the homemade vehicle, which was seized as part of a drunken driving case, was halted 11 hours shy of completion when chair manufacturer La-Z-Boy filed complaints with the police department and eBay about the item being mistakenly labeled as one of the company's products, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported Tuesday.

Police Chief Walter Wobig said he is planning to restart the auction without using the company's name. He said the new auction will likely last only three days, instead of the previous five.

"In the past four days I've done nothing but dealt with this thing," he said. "I can't go through that again."

The auction, like the previous attempt, will begin at $500, Wobig said. The canceled auction obtained a top bid of $43,500 before it was pulled from the site.

Ad prematurely calls series for Phillies

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- The Philadelphia Inquirer apologized for running a Macy's ad that prematurely declared the Phillies this year's World Series champs.

The three-quarter page ad congratulates the Phillies, who are headed back to New York after Monday's 8-6 win over the Yankees, on becoming "Back To Back World Series Champions," WTOP.com reported Tuesday.

The newspaper apologized for the mistake.

Dog trapped underground for six days

BURLEY, England, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- British firefighters said a dachshund rescued from a badger hole had spent six days wedged eight feet underground.

The dog's owners said 5-year-old Lucy apparently ran down the hole during a walk at New Forest National Park and they spent five days trying to coax the whimpering pooch out of the hole with her favorite foods while authorities sought the proper licenses to mount a rescue operation, The Sun reported Tuesday.

Firefighters said they used echo locating equipment to pinpoint the trapped dog's position and used a mini-digger borrowed from a nearby farm to unearth Lucy Oct. 30.

The dog's owners, John and Janet West of Burley, England, said they would make a donation to Hampshire Fire and Rescue's Animal Rescue Team in gratitude for Lucy's safe return.