Wealthy Chinese are playing £2,000 a month for nurses to give them daily doses of human breast milk as a health food.
Breast milk supplies are big business in China after the country was rocked by a scandal over poisoned baby milk formula.
But now some suppliers say they are expanding to cater for a booming new demand from adult customers.
Breast milk dealer Lin Jun, who runs the Xinxinyu Household Service Company in Guangdong province, explained: “Wealthy people are always busy and their health is at risk from stress and strain. This is a way they can get all the nourishment they need.”
For their £2,000 a month clients get a deluxe service, where their personal wet nurse visits their home or office so the customer can get their supply direct from the source.
“For the bashful, we can sell breast milk that has been expressed by a pump,” explained Lin.
“This is quite common in my social circle. The younger, prettier wet nurses can charge even more. They are very popular,” he added.
But a restaurant which offered a whole menu called the Human Milk Dinner had to scrap the banquet in Changsha, when furious locals complained.
“This is treating human beings like cows,” grumbled one.
Cannabis worth £3.6m hidden in sardines
Police seized a consignment of frozen sardines and found it stuffed with £3.6 million worth of cannabis. Customs officials had tracked the cargo from Morocco to a dockside warehouse in Cadiz and then onto a luxury villa in Marbella.
The operation led to the arrest of 14 suspected traffickers and the confiscation of 900 kilos of cannabis.
“Officers found 325 kilos of hashish hidden inside the frozen sardines in the refrigeration truck,” said a police spokesman.
“A further 570 kilos was intercepted in a warehouse of El Puerto de Santa María in Cadiz,” he added.
Police had been monitoring the gang for more than a month after the syndicate leader arrived in Spain from Morocco to plan the shipment.
Darth Vader’s Death Valley sprint
An American runner has spiced up his exercise regime by dressing up as Darth Vader and running in 53 degrees in the sweltering Death Valley.
As part of an annual tradition which started in 2010, Jonathan Rice dons the Star Wars costume and sprints one mile across the national park near the California-Nevada border.
“I decided to come up with my own challenge,” Rice told The Huffington Post. “Something that would be more appropriate for a middle-aged guy with a little ponch these days.
“That is as fast as I can run a mile, I’m giving everything I got.
“The mask lets hardly any air in – instead, you’re just breathing in your own carbon dioxide.”
Welshman’s delight at ‘Shed of the Year’ prize
Alex Holland has fought off fierce competition from over 1,900 fellow ‘sheddies’ to be crowned winner of the 2013 Shed of the Year competition.
Holland, from Machynlleth in mid Wales, made his shed from a recycled upturned boat and uses a 20w solar panel to power LED lights.
Located at an altitude of 750ft above sea level in the Cambrian Mountain range, the rustically charming shack is made entirely from recycled materials and contains a wood burner, 12v sound system and gas cooker – as well as a refrigerator to store chilled drinks.
Holland said: “I am absolutely delighted. The standard and creativity shown by the other entrants has been incredible so I am genuinely surprised to have reached the top spot!
“With the £1,000 prize from the sponsors Cuprinol I intend to buy a second hand 400w 12v wind turbine to augment the solar panel to give me enough electricity to make ice in the fridge for gin and tonics, and to ensure the cider and beers are always chilled.
This year’s winner was selected by a high profile judging panel including Channel 4 property presenter Sarah Beeny and British designer, writer and TV presenter Kevin McCloud.
Post published in: World News