Pregnant teacher lets strangers choose her baby's name... for £3,000

PREGNANT Natasha Hill has sold the naming rights to her unborn baby - for more than £3,000.

The 27-year-old teacher is due to give birth in September.

She doesn't yet know if she's expecting a boy or a girl - but she's prepared to let a group of complete strangers decide what he or she will be called.

Single Natasha from Los Angeles has been handed $5,000 (£3,330) by a US website, which is letting its users vote from a shortlist of five boys names and five girls names.

The site, BellyBallot.com, raised some of the money by letting advertisers nominate names on the list.

The mum-to-be plans to use the windfall to pay off debts and put aside money for her child's future.

She said: “Here’s the chance for me to do something really positive for my unborn son or daughter.”

Website boss Lacey Moler insists the baby won't be lumbered with an embarrassing name, insisting: “Nothing crazy or a brand name or anything."

Voting will take place at the end of this month - and Lacey has already been bombared with suggestions for the shortlist.

But not everyone is thrilled with the idea.

Christian parenting group Rosa Cee has attacked the idea, claiming "certain elements of our family and children must be off limits to advertisers for capitalistic opportunity."

Spokesperson Kasey Candela added: “A baby’s name isn’t like a baseball stadium, up to the highest bidder. Certain elements of our family and children must be off limits to advertisers for capitalistic opportunity.”

Heir Jordan? Michael Jordan's alleged ex-lover suing over love-child claim

US BASKETBALL legend Michael Jordan is being sued by an alleged ex-lover who claims he fathered her 16-year-old son.

Pamela Smith also wants a paternity test to prove Grant Pierce Jay Jordan Reynolds – known as Taj – is Jordan’s son, according US website TMZ.

She claims became pregnant in 1995 after having sex with Jordan who was then married to Juanita Vanoy.

Smith wants to retain full custody but wants child support money and for Jordan to pay her son’s medical expenses.

She also wants the judge to make Jordan the son’s legal surname.

Taj ... claims Jordan is his dad

The paternity suit does not describe any alleged relationship between Smith and Jordan.

Taj posted a video on YouTube in December claiming Michael Jordan is his dad.

In the video he says: “'I have some exclusive, exclusive information I feel like everybody should know. If you've been hearing any rumours on Twitter, Instagram, MediaTakeout, any of that...it's true.”

He also says: “I'm his son. I've met him. I want him to be more in my life.”

The ex-basketball ace is due to marry beauty Yvette Prieto in April and has not commented.

British men held in connection with ‘Cannibal Cop’ probe

TWO Brits have been held in connection with a plot to rape and EAT women - after police were tipped off by US authorities investigating a so-called "Cannibal Cop".

A male nurse, understood to be Dale Bolinger, 57, and a second British man, 30, were arrested in Canterbury last week.

The arrests come after a US court heard how a Brit acted as a mentor to accused New York police officer Gilberto Valle and boasted how he had “eaten two women”.

Kent police said two men were held on suspicion of conspiracy offences, grooming and possession of child abuse images.

Arrested ... Dale Bolinger

Valle, 28, is accused of planning to kill and eat his female friends as well as strangers he allegedly traced using the police computer.

A court in Manhattan has heard he swapped tips on how to cook human meat in online chats with fetishists.

The man, who used the online nicknames Moody Blues and Christopher Collins, was one of those arrested in Canterbury, according to a US report.

A shocked jury has heard graphic conversations between the two in which Moody Blues advised Valle to slow roast his victims, adding that "girl fat (is) great for roasting potatoes and Yorkshire pudding".

In another messsage read to the court, Moody Blues allegedly told Valle he wanted him to dine on the liver of one of his "targets" and have it "lightly cooked to keep it sweet and tender".

Valle is said to have responded: "I'm dying to taste some girl meat."

Court sketch ... Gilberto Valle

He was caught when his wife Kathleen Mangan-Valle, 27, read the chats on his laptop, including plans to put one friend in a suitcase, wheel her out of her building and murder her.

Valle denies plotting a real kidnap, claiming his online conversations were only fantasy.

A Kent Police spokesman last night confirmed officers have been investigating the alleged plot jointly with US federal agents.

The spokesman said: "We can confirm that two men, aged 57 and 30, from the Canterbury area were arrested on February 21 for conspiracy offences, grooming and possession of child abuse images.

"The two men are currently on police bail whilst enquiries continue.

"Kent Police has been in contact with US law enforcement agencies in relation to this investigation."

Titanic II … and III and IV? Meet the Australian millionaire planning his fleet

Clive Palmer's ambitions for a replica Titanic cruise have been met with a mixture of wonder and mockery. The brash mining mogul explains why a whole fleet can bring the world together

To some people the idea of building a replica of the Titanic and launching it on the high seas amid a blaze of publicity is the ultimate act of hubris – sticking two fingers up at fate and inviting a future disaster.

But Clive Palmer, the brash Australian billionaire ploughing millions of dollars of his own fortune into the Titanic II project, does not even think the plan should stop there.

In his mind the future could see a fleet of Titanics afloat, each replicating the experience of the doomed 1912 original which sank after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic but launched a strange afterlife as the most famous shipwreck in history.

"I hope that in a hundred years' time people will look back and say: "Well, we are building Titanic IV and Titanic V in memory of the guys that built Titanic II." We hope that tradition can survive," he told the Guardian in an interview in New York after unveiling the blueprints for Titanic II at a packed press conference held in the bowels of an aircraft carrier-turned-museum.

Palmer's ambitions for the Titanic have created a stir across the world as he has steadily revealed more and more of his plan. Titanic II will be built in a Chinese shipyard – a sign of how far the world has changed since Belfast's docks turned out the original – and then set sail on its maiden voyage some time in the second half of 2016.

Building the ship was an easy decision, Palmer said. The Australian's vast mining interests that have made him one of the world's richest men already means he is heavily invested in the shipping industry. "The idea came from our relationship with the Chinese shipyards. They are building four of our ships at the moment and they wanted to build passenger ships. So I said: 'Why don't we build the Titanic? The world is waiting to see Titanic II. Let's go'," he explained.

The new vessel will look almost exactly like the first, doomed ship. Its silhouette, complete with four graceful backwards-leaning funnels, is virtually the same and its dimensions match the original. Inside much of the original ship – from the Turkish baths to a grand staircase – has been replicated, even while other new features have been added. Titanic II will boast a casino, a modern engine and highly advanced satellite navigation – just like any other modern cruise ship. Of course, it will also – unlike the original – have a large enough fleet of lifeboats to more than cover its projected 900 crew and 2,435 passengers.

Not surprisingly Palmer's plans were greeted with a mixture of wonder and mockery this week. But the portly 58-year-old Australian shrugged off some of the inevitable carping about the idea of recreating an "unsinkable" ship best known for a catastrophe that cost 1,502 people their lives. Almost every sentence he utters is a mix of broad humour and vast confidence.

"There are six and a half billion people in the world today and if you are worried about people criticising you, then you won't get out of bed of a morning, right? So I only worry about people that are very close to me. I realise that if we do anything in the world there are going to be knockers," he said.

But Palmer believes he knows what will best answer his critics. He gestures out of a window at the Hudson River that is visible behind him. "Those knockers will sit in Manhattan in a bar with their salty pretzel and a beer when Titanic II sails into here with an armada of ships, with the media in a frenzy and helicopters buzzing and the world knowing that Titanic II has completed the journey that was started in 1912," he said.

Palmer has every intention of being on board when that happens and there can be little doubt about his genuine passion for the Titanic. But it is one of many. He maintains a fleet of more than 100 vintage cars, owns five private jets and has an extensive dinosaur fossil collection. Prior to the Titanic he explored the idea of building a Zeppelin airship. His business life saw him create one fortune from property that saw him retire in his 40s only to get bored with travelling the world. So he returned to business, invested in mining and built a global empire.

In Australia he is a controversial figure, accused by some of being a self-interested plutocrat who dabbles in politics and yet others see him as a local boy made good on the world stage.

But why rebuild the Titanic? Palmer explains that his love for the ship comes from an appreciation of the Edwardian age with its manners and old fashioned attitudes. "It was how men treated women, the code of chivalry and old English school attitude," he said. "That is certainly gone to a certain extent today. Too many people spend all their time on the internet tweeting all day. As John Lennon said: 'Life is something that happens to you while you are doing something else.' Titanic II is a chance to stop, ponder and take a look at yourself," he added.

Those are nice words, though it is not exactly clear how Titanic II is going to do that. Palmer's current plans seem aimed at creating an Edwardian theme park on the waves where passengers will have the option of wearing period dress. In an odd move, Palmer aims to replicate the class structure of the Titanic – right down to the steerage class inhabited by poor immigrants on their way to a new life in America.

But then you realise that Palmer – who is the son of Australian silent movie star George Palmer – appears to be in love with James Cameron's movie Titanic as much as the historical ship. Instead of talking about the Titanic disaster, with its class-ridden horrors as the rich saved themselves and the poor drowned, Palmer speaks of Titanic II as a symbol of love and togetherness as if Cameron's doomed movie lovers Rose and Jack were real people.

"Titanic II is an opportunity for people all over the glove to come together with an idea. That idea of course is one of love and understanding. It emphasises the things that we have got in common, rather than our differences. A family, you know, someone to fall in love with in our lives as we travel together through time," he said.

But even if Palmer is indeed obsessed with the cinematic Titanic rather than the historical facts behind it, that does not mean he has not stumbled upon a hit idea. Already more than 40,000 people have applied for Titanic II's maiden voyage, including some offering up to a million dollars for a first class cabin. Just like Cameron, Palmer is finding that with the Titanic and Titanic II it is image that people are after. And in that image there might just be a massive business opportunity.

After all, a ship by any other name would just be another cruise liner. "My interest comes from your interest," Palmer said candidly. "Every person around the world is interested in the Titanic. It is a fascination."

Syria crisis: European countries expected to start arming rebels

Syrian opposition representative in UK says 'breakthrough' is expected after relaxation of EU rules

Some European countries are expected to break with Washington and start supplying the Syrian rebels with weapons in the next few months, the representative of the Syrian opposition in Britain has told the Guardian.

The National Coalition's London representative, Walid Saffour, predicted that by the next meeting of the western and Arab Friends of Syria group in Turkey, due in late spring or early summer, "there will be a breakthrough that will end the restrictions of the European countries".

"This would be for the ammunition we require, the quality weapons we need to deter the Syrian regime from using aeroplanes and Scud missiles to bomb villages and bakeries," Saffour said. "We on the ground are advancing steadily but we are suffering from a lack of ammunition. We expect that to change at the next Friends of Syria meeting in Istanbul."

Another opposition figure involved in supplying the rebels said there had been a noticeable relaxation in recent days of the strict restrictions the US and Turkey had put on arms flows over the Turkish border. He claimed a Syrian army helicopter and a Mig warplane had been shot down in the past two days, for the first time by imported missiles.

"These were not weapons that had been captured from Syrian army bases as before. These were released from the Turkish warehouses. These are weapons the opposition had purchased previously but had not been allowed to take across the border," the opposition source said.

"Before, 23mm was the maximum calibre for anti-aircraft guns permitted and we were allowed to bring in RPGs [rocket-propelled grenades] but not armour-piercing shells. But there is a major shift on the ground now. The policy is changing.

"I think the shift in American attitudes goes far beyond the official reports. I think that Washington knows it can no longer allow to let the problem fester."

The EU formally changed its arms embargo on Syria on Thursday to allow the supply of armoured vehicles, non-lethal military equipment and technical aid to the opposition. The move came as the US secretary of state, John Kerry, made his first trip to a Muslim nation since taking office, visiting Ankara, where he met Turkish leaders to discuss Syria.

While Saffour did not name the countries he expected to supply arms, the British government, which took the lead in pushing for the relaxation of the sanctions, is expected to act swiftly in reaction to the new EU rules. Foreign secretary, William Hague, is due to make a statement to parliament next week detailing the new equipment and training the UK will give the rebels. The aid is expected to include civilian vehicles – reinforced to provide protection against shelling – of a kind the British government is already supplying to UN aid workers operating in Syria.

On British insistence, the EU embargo will come up for review in June and the UK is expected to push for a further relaxation in what can be provided to the opposition if there is no let-up in the two-year-old conflict, in which more than 70,000 people are estimated to have died.

Speaking at the Friends of Syria meeting in Rome on Thursday, Hague stressed military aid was possible in the future. "That will be an important decision, of course, and has its own risks, and that is why we haven't done that so far. But I don't rule that out," he said.

A British official said: "We are going to keep on raising the pressure on the Assad regime. The Friends of Syria meeting in Rome was not the end of a process. It is the beginning of a process."

Saffour, the National Coalition's representative, said: "If the EU embargo doesn't change, then some of the EU countries will change their policy – if not openly, then quietly." He said US officials had also told the coalition that the White House policy of providing non-lethal aid only would come under review in the next few months, as new members of Barack Obama's administration, such as Kerry and the defence secretary, Chuck Hagel, enter the internal debate.

There have been reports over the past few weeks that the flow of arms to rebel fighters has increased markedly, including some anti-tank weapons made in the former Yugoslavia. The Croatian government has denied reports that its arms industry supplied some of the weapons.

Ivica Nekic, the managing director of the Croatian arms export agency, said: "We would be aware of any sale from Croatia, and no Croatian weapons have been sold to anyone in Syria."

Asked about reports that Croatian arms were supplied through Saudi Arabia, Nekic said Croatia had only sold the Saudi military helmets and was in the process of negotiating a sale of pistols. Asked about other customers in the Middle East, Nekic said: "We sell to more than 50 countries around the world. I can't speculate on every country, and every sale we make. It would not be correct."

Muhannad Hadi, the World Food Programme's regional emergency co-ordinator for Syria and neighbouring countries, said the British donation of armoured cars had already saved the lives of WFP staff delivering food aid on both sides of the lines.

"They turned out to be a life-saving tool. Our weapons were attacked four times in the past several months, by mortar. And the thing is nobody was injured."

The WFP currently supplies food to 1.5 million people in Syria in all 14 of the country's governorates, and in many parts of the country there are pockets with unknown populations which are beyond the agency's reach because of fighting. Hadi said the WFP hoped to increase the number of recipients to 2 million this month and 2.5 million next month, but was facing a critical shortage of funding.

"If we don't have funds in May for Syria, there will be serious problems. There will be breaks in the pipeline. Food needs a lead time to bring it in, with shipping and logistics, so we need the funds very, very soon."

"It cannot be justified”: John Prescott admits to regrets over Iraq war ten years on

Tony Blair insisted just a few days ago Britain was right to take part in the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein

Labour legend John Prescott has said he was wrong to support war in Iraq, admitting it “cannot be justified”.

Tony Blair insisted just a few days ago Britain was right to take part in the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

And Lord Prescott helped make the case for war as Mr Blair’s deputy PM at the time.

But Lord Prescott has changed his mind and said in an interview: “I go through my thoughts trying to justify it, but that’s... it cannot be justified as an intervention.”

Lord Prescott was speaking on BBC1’s This Week politics programme ahead of the 10th anniversary of the conflict on March 19.

He revealed US president George Bush persuaded him to support it by promising a peace plan for Israel and Palestine.

However, the Palestine plan “fell apart as it often does in American politics because the influence domestically is too great”, the peer said.

He added: “Tony Blair obviously said to himself, ‘I’ve promised to do this and I’m going to do it’.”

Mr Blair said earlier this week that he had given up trying to justify the invasion of Iraq, which he admitted “remains extremely divisive and very difficult.”

But he insisted that the situation would have been much worse if the dictator had been allowed to stay, describing him as 20 times worse than Bashar Assad of Syria.

“The answer is not to say to people: I’m afraid we should have left Saddam in charge because otherwise these sectarians will come in and try and destabilise the country.

“The answer is you get rid of the oppressive dictatorship and then you have a long hard struggle to push these sectarian elements out too.”

Foreign Secretary William Hague has written to current Cabinet members urging them not to discuss the justification for the war, reinforcing agreed Government policy not to prejudice the outcome of the Chilcot inquiry into the war due later this year.

Professor who scratched 'polite' graffiti on cars while in his underpants ordered to pay £28,000 compensation

He had mixed alcohol with medication when he scratched ‘polite’ graffiti on 27 cars around his plush neighbourhood

A university professor must pay £28,000 compensation for scratching bizarre graffiti on cars while he was dressed in his underpants and a dress jacket.

City and society expert Stephen Graham had mixed alcohol with medication when he attacked 27 cars.

Judge Guy Whitburn at Newcastle Crown Court accepted his behaviour was totally out of character but said the compensation - the 48-year-old professor and his wife’s life savings - must be paid in full.

The judge suspended a nine month jail sentence for a year.

Graham scratched ‘polite’ graffiti into cars around his plush neighbourhood in Jesmond, Newcastle.

Prosecutor Stuart Michie told the court: “They all had similar words such as arbitrary, wrong and silly scratched onto them.

“The defendant said he had a vague memory of walking down the street in a dream-like state and damaging one or two cars by scratching words.

“He said he took a screwdriver from the kitchen. He said he had a problem with 4x4 vehicles, he thinks they are too large for a town.”

The court heard a total of 10 of the cars damaged were 4x4s, but the first vehicle targeted was a small Audi.

Mr Michie said Graham was “very remorseful and apologetic” during police interview and admitted he had downed three quarters of a bottle of gin as well as antibiotic and anti-depressant medication.

Judge Guy Whiturn QC said: “He was not wearing trousers, only underpants. He was bare chested under his dress jacket.”

Graham pleaded guilty to four charges of damaging property at an earlier hearing.

The four charges related to a Volvo, an Audi, a Mercedes and a Mitsubishi. 

Today he asked for 23 similar offences to be taken into consideration.

The judge hoped the professor would not lose his job, but said he had no influence on what happened.

A Newcastle University spokesman said: "Following today's court appearance of Professor Stephen Graham, we will be considering the matter through normal university procedures.

"We are unable to comment further on an individual employee."

Rockin’ sporran as Jermaine Jackson hits Scotland

MICHAEL Jackson’s brother Jermaine gets in the swing of things — by donning a kilt on stage in Scotland last night.

Jermaine, 58, wore the tartan for a gig with siblings Tito, Jackie, and Marlon at Glasgow’s Clyde Auditorium.

The group — famous for hits like Rockin’ Robin as The Jackson 5 with late brother Michael — are on their first overseas tour in 29 years.

An insider said: “Jermaine asked to wear the kilt. The crowd loved it.”

Sneaky ring thief was pawn into temptation

I READ a heartening tale of charity shop staff who discovered £9,000 down the back of a second-hand sofa.

At this point you may well be thinking “Ker-Ching”.

Well, don’t. The staff immediately phoned the owner and reunited him with his stash.

The former owner had forgotten about the windfall — which was in £50 notes and stuffed inside a string bag — but he showed his gratitude by rewarding them with a £500 donation.

In one simple action my belief in humanity had been utterly reinforced... well, it was until last Saturday night.

Picture the scene. Me and Mrs G were out for a romantic dinner in an upmarket diner.

The food was exquisite, the service attentive and the atmosphere was cordial. We don’t go out that often but we agreed that the whole evening had been pretty much perfect.

That was until we arrived home and I discovered that my wedding ring was not where it was meant to be — on my finger.

Call me OCD but I have a habit of removing my ring every time I wash my hands.

Taking it off prevents it tarnishing and becoming gummed up with soap residue.

That said, over the years I’ve had several close calls. In fact, I’ve lost count of the number of times the ring has been left by the sink in a pub or restaurant toilet — only for me to return some time later and miraculously find it still there.

Unfortunately, my luck ran out. The fact that I’d been in my wife’s company the whole evening, apart from my call of nature, is clearly the only reason we’re still wedded.

Any married man who leaves the house wearing his wedding ring, only to return home to his missus with the third finger of his left hand bare, is asking for trouble — not to mention extreme interrogation.

Mercifully, my wife had my back on this occasion, though she was far from enamoured with my carelessness.

After returning to the eaterie and searching the premises with the management, I’m afraid my specially commissioned 18-carat white gold wedding band — with rotating diamond bezel no less — was nowhere to be seen.

Me and my wedding ring were divorced after more than 25 years.

I left all my details with the restaurant, as I did at the local police station the next day. But to date I have heard nothing. Zilch. Nada.

How anybody with a conscience could go into a restaurant toilet, chance upon a valuable piece of jewellery, knowing full well it belonged to somebody else, remove it and fail to inform the establishment’s supervisor is beyond me.

Was it a fellow diner? Surely not a member of staff? I’ll never truly know, though I guess we live in desperate times and an unattended desirable item is way too tempting for some.

Forgive me for coming over all bitter but society has become seriously greedy — corrupt politicians and fat cat bankers have done little to pacify life’s have-nots.

Times are getting harder — for every high street shop that closes a pawnbroking loan outfit is ready to spring up and fill the void and they are only too happy to relieve us of our unwanted valuables in exchange for a wad of wonga.

And, according to the police who took my details, it is all done with few questions asked about evidence of ownership.

You can barely turn on the TV these days without being bombarded by these companies, tempting you with offers to pay “top prices” for your unwanted jewellery.

They even run a “post” service where you simply drop your bangles, rings and bracelets into a Jiffy bag and they send you back a cheque.

For a fraction of the real value.

Some of these pawn-shops-on-steroids are turning the once morally sound into a nation of Artful Dodgers.

Now I can’t prove my lost piece of jewellery was swapped for some dosh but I have little doubt that had I lost my ring prior to the upsurge in these easy finance firms, I’d have a greater chance of being reunited with it.

When once a visit to the police station in the hope of a reward might have been top of the agenda, a trip to the gold shop now takes precedence.

Right now, it’s just far too easy to make a fast buck out of someone else’s misfortune.

These outlets are all too often sighted in poor or rundown areas and act as magnets to thieves and petty criminals looking to cash in their swag — gained forcibly or otherwise.

If only those kind souls who found the cash down the sofa in the charity shop had been next in line to visit the loo that night.

But you have more chance of being asked for proof of purchase at your local stash for cash shop.

Liam Gallagher and Idris Elba are NMEs

Rocker squares up to actor at awards afterparty

LIAM GALLAGHER has picked a few unwise scraps over the years – one in Germany left him without any front teeth.

And after the NME gongs at London’s Troxy on Wednesday night he bit off more than he could chew yet again with IDRIS ELBA.

You might know him better as Luther, or Baltimore’s feared gangster Stringer Bell from The Wire. In real life the Londoner is a lovely big man — but not the kind of bloke you would want to have a dust-up with.

At the Warner’s afterparty at the plush Ivy Club, Liam and Idris exchanged a few stern words and squared up in a packed room full of great bands and drunk musicians.

It definitely made up for a lukewarm night at the Brits.

An onlooker said: “Liam was in full rock’n’roll swagger mode.

“He bowled up to the party after midnight and made his presence felt pretty quickly.

“He had a row with a Scottish actor called MARTIN COMPSTON, mocking his accent.

“Then he had a few words with Idris, poking fun at his bobble hat among other things. Idris looked like he was going to flatten him — they were on completely different wavelengths.

“They were toe-to-toe at one point. Neither of them backed down. Idris was in a good mood, so left it, which was probably for the best. Liam left soon after.”

The former OASIS frontman pulled out his full repertoire of rock-star poses at the front door of the club in the West End as he popped out for a cigarette.

He always has a good jacket on, but his slippers would definitely fit in the psychedelic category.

Idris was on top form — giving everyone the time of day.

His Luther co-star, pal and partner in crime WARREN BROWN, was with him too.

He’s a former World Thai boxing champion — so not really the kind of man you would want jumping in on a fight.

It’s not the first time it has happened and probably won’t be the last for as long as Liam has a pulse.

The old NOEL GALLAGHER quote still stands up: “Liam is a man with a fork in a world of soup”.

Girls... do you have what it takes to nick Nic’s crown?

IT’S coming soon folks — the biggest and best Miss Scotland contest ever, launching online and LIVE on March 16.

St Enoch Centre in Glasgow will be main sponsor again after the amazing success of last year’s contest, when Nicole Treacy, 23, took the title.

So girls, get these dates in your diary — March 16 and 17 — if you fancy your chances as Miss Scotland 2013.

March 16 is when you can send those all-important snaps in. But if you want a head start in the contest, try to get down to St Enoch Centre over that weekend. We’ll have stylists, photographers and writers waiting to give YOU the best possible chance to win the title... and scoop that amazing £10,000 prize.

How about this for a fast-track into the contest?

Our STYLISTS will do your hair and make-up FREE and make sure you look a million dollars. Then our professional PHOTOGRAPHERS will take your picture for the entry.

The judges in the first stages only have a picture to go by. So make sure it’s a belter.

To cap it all, we’ll have top WRITERS and former Miss Scotland contestants on hand to help you fill in your entry online.

But remember — it’s not all about looks.

The new Miss Scotland will know how to behave in public.

Olympic champion Victoria Pendleton to answer your questions in live webchat

CYCLING champ Victoria Pendleton will be taking your questions in a live Sun webchat at 4pm on Monday.

The 31-year-old Bedfordshire babe was a key part of Team GB's record-breaking efforts at last summer's Olympics.

She scooped gold in the keirin event and silver in the sprint before announcing her retirement from the sport.

But rather than sit back and soak up her Olympic glory, Victoria got stuck into a string of projects, including writing a best-selling autobiography.

Engaged ... Victoria hugs fiancé Scott Gardner after pounding the track at the Olympics

After years of wearing lycra Victoria also jumped at the chance to embrace her girlie side by entering hit BBC1 show Strictly Come Dancing.

Enviable physique ... Victoria shows off her buff bosy as she dances with Brendan Cole

While Victoria - who was partnered with Brendon Cole - didn't win, she won over the nation with her charm, stunning looks and sensational stomach.

Turning up the heat ... Victoria Pendleton on Strictly Come Dancing

She's since been inundated with offers to pose for beauty and style magazines and even has plans to develop her own fashion range.

Eukanuba ambassador ... Victoria Pendleton

Since retiring from cycling Victoria is also focusing on spending time with her family, including her two Dobermans, Stella and Mr Jonty.

The former track cyclist has been revealed as an ambassador for Eukanuba, the premium brand for dog nutrition.

Wowing on the red carpet ... Victoria is now a regular at showbiz events

Victoria says: “Stella and Mr Jonty are an incredibly important part of my life.

"Since retiring I’ve been able to spend much more time walking them. They feature heavily in my exercise routine.

"I have started doing some running since I retired so they are my new training partners – we all really enjoy it. They motivate me to get outside even when the weather is bad."

Animal lover ... Victoria Pendleton with her beloved pooches

From cycling to fashion to fitness; this is your opportunity to quiz Victoria on ANYTHING you like.

Victory lap ... Victoria Pendleton salutes her fans

Tune in here at 4pm to watch the chat live.

Horror images show 30-tonne train speed through London

THESE terrifying images show a Tube worker jumping to safety when an out-of-control 39-tonne train careered through central London.

The maintenance driver can be seen leaping from the 66ft train at Highgate tube station after its brakes failed.

The worker puts his hands on his head as the train hurtles off into the London rush hour.

Passengers can be seen in one frame waiting on a packed platform at Archway station as the train speeds past.

Video:

CCTV: Worker leaps from runaway train

ASTONISHING moment maintenance man jumped from out of control Tube with no brakes

A court heard yesterday how the runaway train came within 600 metres of causing a "terrible tragedy".

London Underground and its contractors were fined almost £300,000 yesterday afternoon for safety failings after the train caused chaos and put passengers at risk on Friday the 13th.

The maintenance wagon hurtled through seven stations on the Northern Line before it could be stopped.

Terror ... worker forced to jump from speeding maintenance carriage

A train in front of it was told to keep going and not stop, while its passengers were told to run to the front carriages, the Old Bailey heard.

London Underground, Tube Lines Ltd and Schweerbau GMBH pleaded guilty to endangering passengers and staff under Health and Safety law. They were each fined £100,000.

Tube Lines and LU are part of Transport for London while the German company manufactured the wagon and its tow-bar.

Judge Richard Hone said: “There was the potential of terrible tragedy.”

'Frightening' ... worker watched helplessly as carriage speeds off into London rush-hour

He said the runaway train was out of control for four miles during 16 minutes.

“To those involved it must have seemed an extremely frightening eternity,” he added.

The court was told that a fault had now been remedied and the incident was extremely unlikely to occur again.

Jonathan Ashley-Norman, prosecuting for the Office of Rail Regulation, told the court that the rail grinding unit was being towed when it broke away during the early morning.

It started rolling downhill without brakes from Highgate and into central London in August, 2010.

Halt ... the train came within 600 metres of causing 'terrible tragedy'

“It could have led to tragedy but thanks to the immediate actions of LU staff, no one was hurt,” said Mr Ashley-Norman.

Speeds of 30mph were reached as it raced after the passenger train which was told to speed out of the next station at Archway, north London, and to keep going.

Control staff watched helplessly as they saw the flashing lights of both vehicles turn into one as the grinder got within 600 metres of the fleeing train.

Mr Ashley-Norman said attempts were made to slow the runaway train down using points at Camden Town and Mornington Crescent, and the trains were diverted onto different lines.

It eventually stopped at Warren Street central London when it reached an upward incline.

Bemused ... passengers at busy Archway station watch train speed past

“In the event, and fortunately, no-one was harmed,” added Mr Ashley-Norman.

Keith Morton, QC, for the Tube companies, said: “London Underground is one of the safest railways in the world - if not the safest.”

He said a billion passenger journeys were made on London’s Tube network each year.