A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With ... Too Much Luggage

After a hard day of reading financial stories, and fretting about the markets and liquidity, a girl sometimes just needs to relax. So, a colleague and I began chatting today about our favourite news stories of 2008 (so far.) It is, of course, only two months into the year. But the following is far and away my favourite, from the BBC early last month.

I think it's a favourite because there is, of course, the element of the ridiculous. Plus, I'm kind of partial to if not giant knickers, at least ample undies.

I'll post a link as well, in case anyone want to see the piece on the BBC website, in all of its glory. With photos, and with a video.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tees/7167549.stm

So here it is:

Giant knickers put out house fire

A family home was saved from burning down when a pair of giant knickers were used to put out a fire.

Jenny Marsey's size 18-20 cotton pants were a lifesaver when they were grabbed to cover a frying pan fire at her home in Meryl Gardens, Hartlepool, Teesside.

Her son and nephew were trying to fry some bread when the blaze broke out.

But the quick-thinking pair used the Marks & Spencer underwear from a pile of washing, doused them in water, and threw them over the fire.

Mrs Marsey, 53, said: "My £4.99 parachute knickers have come in handy for something. We've had a good laugh that they were a bit like a fire blanket."

The incident happened on Sunday, while Mrs Marsey was out for the day. Her son John and his cousin Darren, 23, were cooking, when they went to answer a knock at the door, only to return to a blazing kitchen.

Mrs Marsey said: "When they found the pan on fire they did what most people do and panicked.

"But they found a pair of my knickers in a washing basket and basically used them as a fire blanket to put out the fire."

Mrs Marsey, who is also mother to Sarah, 23, Joanne, 24, and Donna, 27, added: "I think if they had been my daughter Sarah's skimpy knickers they wouldn't have done any good.

"I'm taking it all in my stride and it's quite a funny start to the New Year."

A spokesman for Cleveland Fire Brigade said: "They did the right thing in the end. We advise everyone to get fire safety advice."