A kidnap gang who cut off a man's finger to get a £20,000 ransom have been jailed.

The victim, 26, was kidnapped at gunpoint and taken to a garage, where he was bound, gagged and beaten.
Five of the 10-man gang received life sentences for charges including kidnapping, false imprisonment, blackmail and GBH at Warwick Crown Court.
Police said the victim's family had been "distraught".
West Midlands Police said the man, from Coventry, was abducted in Milverton Road, Woodend, in September and taken to a lock-up garage. He was left in a van, bound and gagged without food or water, and beaten with a metal bar.
The gang demanded a £20,000 ransom from his family but, when they felt his relatives had not responded quickly enough, the victim's little finger was cut off and left under a brick on a garden wall.
After the family paid the ransom, the victim was thrown out of the back of the van in McDonnell Drive, Coventry.
The money was recovered after police raided a house in Dovedale Avenue, Longford.
Three of the defendants - Ralph McLeod, Lewis Poyser and Yusuf Akbar - were found guilty of false imprisonment, blackmail and grievous bodily harm.
Seven other men had pleaded guilty to charges including kidnapping, blackmail, false imprisonment, and grievous bodily harm.
Det Ch Insp Simon Wallis said: "The family were understandably distraught at the thought of what else could happen to their loved one."
Four of the defendants, Anthony McLeod, Kofi Poyser, Lewis Poyser and Lamar Grant, were also sentenced for their part in an assault on a man outside a Coventry nightclub in June.


Northern Ireland's World Cup prospects have been boosted after defender Gareth McAuley decided to extend his international career.

The West Bromwich Albion player will be in Michael O'Neill's squad for the opening Group C qualifying match away to the Czech Republic on 4 September.
The full squad for the match in Prague will be announced on Wednesday.
When Northern Ireland bowed out of Euro 2016, some wondered if 36-year-old McAuley had played his last NI match.
But boss O'Neill said the 63-times capped stalwart had opted to play on for the World Cup campaign.
"He has started the season in fine form for West Brom and I am delighted he made the decision he did," said O'Neill, whose team reached the last 16 at the summer's European Championship finals in France.
"He had a great championship for us. I have never left him out of the team in my four and a half years in charge and I do not envisage doing it in the next two either."
While McAuley is certain to be in the squad to face the Czech Republic, O'Neill has hinted another long-serving defender, Aaron Hughes, may be left out.
The 36-year-old former Newcastle United and Aston Villa man has signed for Indian Super League team Kerala Blasters after leaving Melbourne City.
"The Indian season does not start until the end of December and Aaron has been training on his own in Australia," O'Neill said.
"He has not done pre-season work of any description and it is a conversation me and Aaron have been having over the last few weeks.
"I have to decide if it is worth taking him."
Northern Ireland's other opponents in qualifying Group C are Germany, Norway, Azerbaijan and San Marino.
Their first home match is against San Marino on 8 October.


China has forbidden its armed forces from wearing internet-connected wearable tech, according to reports.

The People's Liberation Army Daily, the Chinese military's official newspaper, said security concerns had been raised after one recruit had received a smartwatch as a birthday gift.
News site NBC said its sources had confirmed a ban was now in place.
One expert said the move was a natural extension of restrictions already placed by most armies on mobile phones.
The PLA Daily said army leaders had sought the advice of experts last month after being alerted to an incident in which a soldier had tried to use a smartwatch to take a photo of his comrades stationed at the eastern city of Nanjing.
It said the country's agency responsible for protecting state secrets subsequently issued the following decree: "The use of wearables with internet access, location information, and voice-calling functions should be considered a violation of confidential regulations when used by military personnel."
The newspaper reported that teaching materials and warning signs had subsequently been created to ensure that the message was spread among military personnel.
"The moment a soldier puts on a device that can record high-definition audio and video, take photos, and process and transmit data, it's very possible for him or her to be tracked or to reveal military secrets," it added.
A spokeswoman from the UK's Ministry of Defence was unable to provide a statement about its own rules.
But the BBC understands that it does not currently prevent the use of devices that receive or transmit information unless personnel are operating in a security sensitive environment or on operations.
One expert suggested, however, that the rise of wearable tech posed a challenge to military forces across the globe.
"Any self-aware organisation will have measures for operational security," said Peter Quentin, a research fellow at the British defence think tank Rusi.
"Anything that is networked - whether it is in your pocket or on your wrist - can be remotely accessed and exploited by others to provide an advantage to adversaries.
"That can happen inadvertently or be done deliberately, so it needs to be controlled wherever possible.
"It's why you already see leaving of phones outside of areas where sensitive discussions take place."
He added, however, that there could sometimes be benefits from letting soldiers use wearable tech beyond battlefield duties.
Mr Quentin highlighted the case of Our War, a BBC Three documentary series that made use of footage filmed by British troops who had fitted small video cameras to their helmets.
Officials had initially tried to clamp down on the troops' personal use of the kit before it became apparent that the resulting video was useful.
"It helped the Army communicate the realities of the operations in Afghanistan through the soldiers' own eyes, which was very powerful," Mr Quentin said.


The decision to charge for new tickets for a rearranged match between Swindon Town and Bristol Rovers is "shocking", says Rovers manager Darrell Clarke.

Fans reacted angrily on social media to the news that refunds would not be offered for Saturday's game - abandoned after 60 minutes amid torrential rain.
Adults tickets for the rearranged match on 20 September will cost £19-25.
"Shocking, absolutely disgraceful. It's ridiculous for me, that is taking the mickey," Clarke told BBC Radio Bristol.
"I've never heard of that to be honest with you. If a game gets abandoned, you get your ticket refunded or you get a ticket to go and watch the replay of the game.
"For me, it undermines football. It's the general punters that miss out. I'm certainly not happy about that."
Earlier on Tuesday, Mike Welsh, vice-chair of Swindon Town's supporters' trust, urged Swindon to "rethink" their decision.
"Supporters were asked to keep their tickets stubs," Welsh told BBC Wiltshire. "We thought the club could have reached out to the fans and sought some middle ground.
"The club know perfectly well what they can do about it. The ball is very much in their court. We encourage them to come back, have a rethink and see if we can meet the fans halfway."
BBC Wiltshire contacted Swindon Town for comment, but nobody was available on Tuesday.
A statement on the club website said: "Swindon Town would like to advise supporters that the club must still cover matchday costs as they would for any home game."
Season ticket holders will not face additional charges for tickets to the rearranged game, but non-season ticket holders must purchase a new ticket.
A spokesperson for the Football Supporters Federation told BBC Wiltshire that lower-league clubs usually offered refunds when a match was abandoned before half-time, but not after.
Bristol Rovers' club website told fans: "Due to high policing costs for the match, Swindon have taken the decision to charge home and away supporters the full price for admission."


The Mayor of London has called for "last-ditch" talks to avert a strike on the London Underground hours before it is due to begin.

A 24-hour tube strike is due to go ahead after unions rejected a "new deal" from Transport for London (TfL).
But Sadiq Khan has instructed TfL "to continue negotiating".
Workers from the RMT and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) unions are scheduled to walk out from 18:00 GMT.
The strike is expected to cause mass station closures.
Tube strike guide: What you need to know
The Labour mayor said TfL's negotiating team would "be available around the clock to resolve this dispute".
Calling the strike "pointless" Mr Khan said TfL's offer would "ensure station safety and staffing levels across the Tube network".
Steve Griffiths, chief operating officer for London Underground (LU), said the process had already begun to hire 200 extra station staff.
"Taking into account existing vacancies and natural turnover this means that over 600 staff will be recruited for stations this year."
The biggest rail union, the RMT, had walked out of talks at conciliation service Acas on Saturday.
On Sunday, the TSSA announced it had rejected the deal after consulting its members overnight.
TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes said the new deal would not "restore Tube safety levels" with the "urgency that is now needed".
The offer was made after RMT left the meeting, a point the RMT disputes.
In a message to its members, RMT regional organiser John Leach said the talks had "failed" and the strike would go ahead.
Talks between both unions and London Underground (LU) had previously broken down on Friday afternoon.
No details of the latest deal were revealed but Mr Leach told members of the RMT that LU had "given exactly the same offer again" during Saturday's last-ditch talks.
"This is just not acceptable. The unsafe practices and pressure on staff and passengers have to be resisted and will be," he said.
Transport for London (TfL) previously said it would address the recommendations of a recent report, which found the closure of ticket offices had caused "significant issues" for Tube passengers.


More people are cycling in London than ever before, new figures from Transport for London (TfL) have shown.

The statistics also said 432 cyclists were seriously injured or killed on the roads in 2014 - the lowest level since records began.
The total number of cycling journeys rose by 5% to 610,000 a day - 23 million a year, TfL said.
Boris Johnson welcomed the figures, but campaigners said the number of fatalities was "unacceptably high".
The mayor of London said: "These figures are tremendously encouraging and will, I hope, give even more people the confidence to get on their bikes.
"Operation Safeway, which we made permanent feature last year, has already helped improve driver and cyclist behaviour. But we need to do more.
"The cyclist population explosion in London shows why we need all this and why we need to go still further."
Cycling on TfL main roads rose by 11% last year and surveys suggested most people using them were cycling at least once a week.
One journey in every 515,000 now ends in death or serious injury, which is lower than the previous lowest rate in 2006 when one journey in every 434,000 led to a death or serious injury.
TfL said 2014 was the safest year on record. Thirteen cyclists were killed on London's roads last year, and 14 died in 2013.
The charity London Cycling Campaign (LCC) urged bosses to put in place "desperately needed" infrastructure to reduce the danger for the growing number of cyclists.
Rosie Downes, campaigns manager at the LCC, said: "It is heartening that the number of people killed or seriously injured while cycling has fallen, but the figures are still unacceptably high.
"The growth in cycling is welcome, and highlights the urgent need for London's streets to offer safe space for cycling for all."
The Mayor of London's 2013 Vision for Cycling programme has invested Â£913m into four segregated superhighways and a Quietway network of back-street cycle routes, which are currently being built.
Last year Met Police officers issued  were also sent to 166 key junctions during rush-hour periods as part of Operation Safeway, in a bid to improve safety on the capital's roads.
More than 13,800 fines were issued to drivers and cyclists as part of the crackdown.
London cyclist deaths
2010: 10 deaths
2011: 16 deaths
2012: 14 deaths
2013: 14 deaths
2014: 13 deaths
Source: TfL


Subsidised flights between Cardiff and Anglesey could be under threat after a review into the route's viability was ordered by the Welsh Government.

The controversial service was launched in 2007 and has received about Â£1m of public money annually.
It was found to be underperforming in a 2014 report, and operator LinksAir had its safety licence revoked last year.
Welsh Tories said the service, which has lost passengers, should end if the review finds it is not cost-effective.
Figures obtained by the party have suggested the number of passengers on the service have fallen in recent months.
Some 8,937 passengers used it from September 2015 to August 2016, compared to 11,111 in September 2014 to August 2015, according to information provided by Economy Minister Ken Skates to Tory AM Darren Millar.
The Clwyd West AM said: "If the Welsh Government's review of this service can't prove that the route can be cost-effective in the long run then it should be scrapped.
"Right now it seems that the only people who benefit from it are civil servants and politicians.
"Perhaps the millions which have been spent on the air link would be better spent improving the road and rail network in north Wales."
Van Air has operated the service since being awarded the contract in February following the Civil Aviation Authority's decision to revoke LinksAir's safety licence in October 2015.
A spokeswoman for the Welsh Government, which owns Cardiff Airport, said: "Once that review has been completed, the cabinet secretary [Mr Skates] will consider its findings."
She added: "The study commissioned with external aviation specialists will consider the future viability of the air service.
"It will consider the impact/assessment of ceasing all provision; reducing frequency of flights; using alternative airports; and maintaining the status quo.
"It will include passenger forecast data for all options and will build upon the external review of the PSO [public service obligation] undertaken in 2014."


Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to allay Israeli concerns at Russia's military build-up in Syria.

At talks in Moscow, he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Russia's actions in the Middle East would always be "responsible".
Mr Netanyahu is concerned by the possibility of Israeli and Russian forces inadvertently trading fire.
Israel has periodically struck inside Syria against militants it says have been plotting attacks against it.
It has also responded to shellfire from forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who Russia has backed throughout the four-year uprising against his rule.
But in the past week, US officials have confirmed reports that the Russian military has sent warplanes, helicopters, tanks, artillery guns, armoured personnel carriers and 200 marines to an airfield near Mr Assad's ancestral home in Latakia province.
They believe Moscow plans to turn the airfield into a forward operating base that could allow it to send a large number of troops to Syria and launch air strikes.
Israel is believed to have previously targeted Syrian and Iranian weapons convoys in Syria meant for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, though it has not officially acknowledged this.
Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Moscow comes at a time of deepening Russian military involvement in Syria.
The arrival of Russian fixed-wing combat aircraft at the airbase in Latakia only accentuates the questions surrounding Moscow's military presence there.
According to satellite photos obtained by Stratfor - a US think-tank - the jets appear to be four Sukhoi Su-30 multi-role fighters and up to a dozen possible SU-25 ground attack aircraft.
Their deployment came shortly after initial military-to-military contacts between the US and the Russians at the end of last week.
The US is operating warplanes against so-called Islamic State targets in Syrian airspace and Israel too is concerned about the potential constraints on its military freedom of action over southern Syria.
That's why Mr Netanyahu visited Moscow. Clearly all three countries need to have some sense of what the other might potentially be doing if a damaging incident is to be avoided - especially if Russia intends to use its aircraft to support the Assad regime.
Mr Netanyahu said Iran and Syria were "trying to set up a second terrorist front on the Golan Heights", a Syrian plateau which was mostly captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war.
Israel annexed the captured section in 1981, in a move not recognised internationally.
Mr Putin told Mr Netanyahu that Syria had no interest in attacking Israel.
"We know that the Syrian army and Syria as a whole are in such a state that they have no time for a second front. They need to save their own state," he said.
Russia acknowledges supplying weapons to Syria and sending military experts to train government forces in their use, but denies they are involved in combat.


Police are investigating the death of a soldier in Brecon.

Officers received a report of an unconscious and injured man found on Lion Street at about 01:00 BST on Sunday.
He was taken to hospital by ambulance but later died.
The Ministry of Defence has confirmed the man was a soldier and Dyfed-Powys Police said the death was being treated as unexplained.
It is understood the soldier was not wearing army uniform and there was nothing to indicate his death was linked to extremism.
The area has been cordoned off and anyone who was around Lion Street, Bethel Square, Tredegar Street and High Street between 00.30 and 01:30 is asked to call 101.
An Army spokesperson said: "We are aware of an incident involving the death of a soldier in Brecon.
"Dyfed-Powys Police are investigating and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time."


Burton's Foods appears to have ruled out any chance of saving its biscuit factory in Wirral, despite a plea from the council for the firm to reconsider.

The company said in January it was closing the Moreton site, with the loss of 342 jobs.
Wirral Council leader Councillor Jeff Green met Burton's boss Ben Clarke on Friday to ask if further council support would change the plans.
The firm said proposing to close the site was not an easy decision.
A spokesperson said: "The period of consultation with employee representatives at our Moreton site is ongoing during what we recognise is an extremely difficult time for Burton's Foods workers at the site, and their families too.
"Burton's Foods has maintained an open dialogue with unions and others in the local community since announcing its supply chain review.
"Especially given our long history at the site, the proposal to close Moreton was not made lightly and the review was extremely thorough."
The company, which makes Jammie Dodgers and Wagon Wheels, has proposed phasing down production at Moreton from March before completing the closure later in 2011.
It also plans to consolidate its Knowlsey multi-site distribution operations in a single location.
It will, however, invest Â£7m at its manufacturing sites in Edinburgh and Llantarnam, South Wales.


A Briton has completed the first non-stop solo row across the Pacific from North America to Australia.

John Beeden, 53, set off from San Francisco on 1 June and rowed for an average of 15 hours a day.
He had hoped to reach Cairns in north-east Australia weeks ago, but was slowed down by bad weather.
Mr Beeden, who rowed across the Atlantic four years ago, said there were times when he didn't think he could go on.
"To be the first person to achieve something on this scale is incredible really, and I haven't processed it yet," added Mr Beeden, who is originally from the northern English city of Sheffield but now lives in Canada.
He thanked the people of Cairns for a "brilliant reception" after 209 days at sea.
There have been some nine successful rows across the Pacific Ocean.
Some of those crossings were completed in stages while others left from South America, rather than from North America as Mr Beeden did.
John Fairfax and Sylvia Cook crossed the Pacific in 1971-72, leaving San Francisco and arriving at Hayman Island in Australia.
They became the first people to cross the Pacific and Ms Cook became the first woman to cross any ocean. They stopped along the way.
In 1983 Peter Bird set off on a solo rowing trip across the Pacific from San Francisco. He had to be rescued by the Australian navy 294 days later, coming within reach of the Great Barrier Reef.
Mr Beeden's wife Cheryl said: "He's an amazing guy, he's different than a lot of other people - he'll always fight to get the mile when he's having a bad day... he'll always be rowing.
"Always knew he could do it, it just took a lot longer than we expected and just glad that he's home and safe."
She added: "I kind of think it's like childbirth because he says he's not going to get in another boat for a while - but I am sure in a couple of weeks he'll be having some other adventure, and I will have to restrain him a little bit."


Eye doctors are warning about bird-scaring explosives, called bangers, being modified and used as fireworks.

Last year these caused five serious eye injuries when thrown into a crowd at a Bonfire Night celebration in Sussex.
The agricultural products are made to scare off wildlife - but doctors are worried that the trend to use them in this way could spread.
They wrote about their concerns in a letter to the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
The bangers - also known as rookies and deer scarers - have a slow-burning rope fuse that ignites several explosives along the rope. When cut down, the fuse and explosive can be lit and thrown. They are sold to be used to scare birds and deer away from crops.
Edward Pringle, retinal fellow at Sussex Eye Hospital and one of the letter's authors, said: "These banger fireworks are easy to throw into a crowd, people look at them and debris shoots into the eye. It's like a hand grenade going off - a flash in front of the eye, and then the feeling of a blunt injury.
"Doctors normally see these types of injuries in a war zone. We were seeing them in a small market town - those throwing them and the people turning up to public events don't realise how dangerous they can be."
Eight patients attended the Sussex Eye Hospital on the evening of 5 November 2011 after taking part in the Lewes bonfire event attended by over 60,000 people - two were blinded and three now have the risk of life-long glaucoma.
•  Stand beside injured person and  separate their eyelids - ask them to look right, left, up and down while  examining the eye
•    If you can see a foreign object, wash it out by pouring clear water across the eye from the inner corner
•   If unsuccessful then try lifting the object off with the damp corner of a clean tissue
•   If you still cannot remove the object, seek medical help
From St John Ambulance
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) said: "It is worrying that some people feel it is appropriate to throw very dangerous agricultural products around crowds of people.
"Deer scarers, and indeed real fireworks, are not toys. They are explosives and the injuries they can cause can be devastating, as this story sadly shows.
"Going to a public fireworks display remains the safest option, but clearly there is still work to be done to get the message across that throwing fireworks and other explosives is dangerous and unlawful."
The BMJ letter calls for stricter firework controls, with the authors saying: "Numbers of blinding injuries have fallen in countries with legislation that controls the use and distribution of fireworks.
"The UK has legislation to limit distribution, but deer scarers are exempt because they are not actual fireworks."
With just over half of firework injuries occurring at public events, they also ask for better safety restrictions in place at managed displays, suggesting organisers "actively engage their audience in the safer use of fireworks and encourage eye protection".
On average eight eye injuries are recorded across the whole of the UK on Guy Fawkes day each year, data from the British Ophthalmic Surveillance Unit shows.
Of the people that are injured in the eye from a firework - half will need surgery, half will become blind and one in six will need their eye removed. About a third of firework eye injury patients are under 18.


New Zealand, Turkey and Canada have seen the biggest leap in house prices over the past year, according to a new global ranking.

Estate agents Knight Frank found property markets in the three countries grew between 10% and nearly 14%.
While New Zealand comes in second after Turkey, it tops the list once the impact of inflation is stripped out.
The average house price in Auckland hit NZ$1m (Â£554,000, $743,000) for the first time last month.
Separate data shows house prices in the Auckland region rose 15.9% on last year, making them more than 85% higher than the previous market peak in 2007.
The rise in New Zealand house prices has been fuelled by strong immigration, low interest rates and limited housing.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has consistently warned that the soaring prices are a risk to financial stability.
On 1 October, new rules will come into effect to cool off the market by raising the down payment that residential property investors need to get a mortgage.
New Zealand's property market is among some of the Asia Pacific region's star performers, which also include Australian cities such as Melbourne and Sydney.
Price rises in these cities have been driven not just by domestic demand but overseas interest from Asia, especially China.
"What's interesting is that we've seen governments and central banks in these western countries adopt some of the measures introduced in Asia to take the heat out of their property markets," Nicholas Holt, Asia Pacific Head of Research at Knight Frank told the BBC.
"This is to address domestic concerns such as affordability, reduce speculation and prevent borrowers and banks from over extending themselves," he explained.
In comparison, Taiwan is at the bottom of Knight Frank's ranking, with price falls of 9.4% over the past year.
Hong Kong and Singapore have also seen significant reductions in house prices, according to Knight Frank.


A 14-year-old girl has been taken to hospital suffering from a cardiac arrest after being rescued from the sea near Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear.

A RNLI lifeboat and coastguard search-and-rescue helicopter were called to Cullercoats Bay at around 20:00 GMT.
The girl was taken to the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington, Northumberland.
Three other people thought to have been in the water have also been taken to hospital with minor injuries.


Hundreds of people have protested in the German city of Cologne over sexual assaults and thefts carried out by groups of men on New Year's Eve.

Some held up signs demanding action from Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Mrs Merkel has expressed outrage over the "disgusting attacks" and said everything must be done to find those responsible.
Witnesses and police said that the men involved were of Arab or North African appearance.
Political leaders have warned Germans not to link the violence to the influx of more than one million refugees and migrants in the past year.
"It's completely improper... to link a group that appeared to come from North Africa with the refugees," Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker said, following talks with police.
Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere agreed there should not be any general suspicion towards refugees at least "at this stage of the investigation".
"But if North Africans were the perpetrators, for which there is some indication, there should not be a taboo and people should not gloss over it."
The scale of the attacks, involving groups of drunk and aggressive young men, has shocked the country.
There is an intense debate in Germany about refugees and migrants who arrived in record numbers last year, many of them fleeing the conflict in Syria.
Women have made at least 90 criminal complaints to police about harassment by gangs at Cologne's main railway station on Thursday night.
At least one woman in Cologne was reportedly raped and many were groped, including a volunteer policewoman.
Women were also targeted in Hamburg and Stuttgart in similar attacks, but on a smaller scale.
Up to 300 people, mostly women, demonstrated against the violence near the scene of the attacks on Tuesday evening.
Some held placards reading: "Mrs Merkel! Where are you? What do you say? This alarms us!"
Police were pictured stopping and questioning men near Cologne's central station on Tuesday.
However, the city's police chief, Wolfgang Albers, said no arrests had yet been made over the New Year's Eve attacks.
"We don't currently have any suspects, so we don't know who the perpetrators were," he said.
"All we know is that the police at the scene perceived that it was mostly young men aged 18 to 35 from the Arab or North African region."
He called it "a completely new dimension of crime" and rejected criticism of his force's handling on the night.
Justice Minister Heiko Maas warned against using the attacks to bolster anti-refugee sentiment.
"In criminal law what's important is proving a crime, and everyone is equal before the law," he said.
"It doesn't matter where someone comes from, it matters what they did and that we can prove it."
Mrs Merkel called Ms Reker on Tuesday to discuss the attacks.
She said everything must be done "to find the perpetrators as quickly and comprehensively as possible and punish them, regardless of their origin or background".
The mayor promised preventive measures ahead of Cologne's carnival in February, when hundreds of thousands of revellers are expected on the streets.
One man described how his partner and 15-year-old daughter were surrounded by a crowd outside the station and he was unable to help. "The attackers grabbed her and my partner's breasts and groped them between their legs."
Most of the crimes reported to police were robberies.
A British woman visiting Cologne said fireworks had been thrown at her group by men who spoke neither German nor English. "They were trying to hug us, kiss us. One man stole my friend's bag," she told the BBC.
"Another tried to get us into his 'private taxi'. I've been in scary and even life-threatening situations and I've never experienced anything like that."


A 20-year-old north Belfast man who fell asleep on a bus he allegedly tried to steal has been refused bail.

Joseph McMahon, from the Antrim Road, is charged with trying to steal a double decker bus.
He is also accused of stealing two mobile phones from a shop, causing criminal damage to a phone, and possessing cannabis.
All the alleged offences took place on 19 February.
He is further charged with disorderly behaviour at the Royal Victoria Hospital the following day.
A detective constable told Belfast Magistrates Court that with 128 convictions, along with drink and drug addictions, Mr McMahon "appears to have no concern for the consequences of his actions, so is a danger to both himself and others".
"He passed out on the bus he attempted to steal, so given the circumstances, it's alarming to think about the consequences that may have ensued if he had managed to steal the bus," the detective said.
He also said Mr McMahon had numerous breaches of bail and court orders, adding that he was currently under two suspended jail terms for burglary and theft and was only released from custody last month.
Mr McMahon's solicitor said he had instructed her that he would abide by any bail conditions set by the court, but a judge told the solicitor it was "very difficult for me to say that there's any chance of him keeping to conditions".
The accused is due back before the court via videolink on 20 March.


New photographs of the world's longest aircraft have been released, before it is unveiled for the first time.

The Airlander 10 is 302ft (92m) long, which is about 60ft (18m) longer than the biggest airliners.
A British firm has spent the past nine years developing the prototype in the UK's biggest aircraft hangar, at Cardington in Bedfordshire.
It will be floated inside the hangar for the first time since its completion on Monday.
The airship, which cost Â£25m to build, can stay in the same spot for three weeks and can even fly with bullet holes in it.
The US Army ran out of money to develop it as a surveillance machine, so the British aerospace company behind it bought the rights back.
Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) believes the vessel, which is quieter and emits less pollution than traditional aircraft, could be the future for air travel.
The aircraft needs 1.3m cubic feet of helium - enough to fill 15 Olympic-sized swimming pools - to get off the ground.
It can take off vertically and land on almost any surface, including ice, desert and water.
The firm is hoping to build 12 Airlanders a year by 2018, some as passenger aircraft that will carry up to 48 people at a time.
Chris Daniels, Head of Partnerships at HAV, said: "We will not compete with a 747 flying across the Atlantic, but we can offer the ultimate flight experience for tourism and leisure purposes.
"It's perfect for sightseeing because we can have floor to ceiling clear panels, and we can open the windows because we are not flying as high or as fast as traditional planes, but we will not be offering a service to get from A to B as quickly as possible."
Other plans include providing coastguard duties, military and civil surveillance, filming and academic research.
Companies that deliver heavy equipment to remote corners of the world might also find the aircraft useful, Mr Daniels said, or they might be used in humanitarian missions.
The firm hopes to take the Airlander 10 on its first flight outside of the hangar in the next few months.
Tim Robinson, editor-in-chief of Aerospace, highlighted concerns over the price of "scarce helium" and the impact of the weather on its ability to fly.
However, he said the invention could be the new smart phone, because customers might not realise how much they need one until it is here.
"A comeback by airships has been predicted before and it didn't happen. So there is an element of 'here we go again' but this is a next generation model using new materials and new technologies," said Mr Robinson.
"If you need to transport goods then it's cheaper than aircraft and faster than shipping, so there could be a market there, and the humanitarian possibilities are also really exciting.
"I wouldn't be surprised if the UN eventually ends up buying some, but everyone is waiting for the company to prove itself in demonstrations first," he added.


Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos has said an agreement signed with Farc rebels on reparations and justice for victims of the country's civil war is an "important step" towards peace.

Mr Santos said Colombia was on track to meet a deadline set for 23 March next year for ending the conflict.
The deal offers an amnesty for all but the most serious crimes.
An estimated 220,000 people have been killed as a result of the five-decades long war.
The Colombian leader said the two sides had tackled "one of the most sensitive and complex points of the peace talks" in the latest agreement.
Under the deal, special tribunals will be created to try former combatants, once a final peace deal is signed.
"2016 will be the year that Colombia sees a new dawn," said Mr Santos.
"The dawning of a country without war, in hopefully a united country that can move towards its maximum potential... The hour of peace has arrived in Colombia."
Chief Farc negotiator Ivan Marquez said the agreement showed reconciliation was possible.
"If you don't put adverse obstructions in the way of common sense, we can get closer to our higher purpose of reconciliation," he said.
Over the past 18 months, 60 victims of the conflict travelled to the talks in the Cuban capital Havana to give testimony.
Ten attended Tuesday's ceremony. Jineth Bedoya, spokesperson for the victims, said they were "celebrating that after so many decades of impunity a way has been found to recognise" what they went through.
Tuesday's agreement fleshed out the details of the transitional justice system which had been agreed by both sides in September.
In a joint statement, the two sides said that they hoped that "the implementation of these and all of the accords will ensure dignity for the victims, do justice, and lay the foundation for ending the violence of the conflict in our country once and for all".
Official peace negotiations between the Farc and government have been going on for more than three years.
The two sides have now reached agreement on four key issues that they had laid out in an agenda at the start of the process: victims' rights, land rights, the political participation of the rebels, and how to deal with the problem of drug trafficking.
They have yet to agree on how the rebels will disarm once a final agreement is signed.
The Farc is the largest of Colombia's left-wing rebel groups, founded in 1964 to overthrow the government and install a Marxist regime.
Special courts and a peace tribunal will be set up to deal with alleged crimes related to the conflict and will try all participants in the conflict, including members of the security forces.
Yes and no. Combatants will be covered by an amnesty, but war crimes and crimes against humanity will not fall under it.
That depends. Those who confess to the most serious crimes will see their "freedom restricted" and be confined, but not in ordinary jails. It is not yet clear where they would serve their sentence instead. Those who confess past a certain deadline or refuse to admit their crimes altogether will go to prison for up to 20 years.
Even those who are not sent to prison will have to carry out work aimed at repairing some of the damage caused in more than 50 years of conflict, such as helping to clear landmines and plant alternative crops where coca was grown.


Former Liverpool and England striker Robbie Fowler does not believe it would create a problem if a current player came out as gay.

Retired German midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger, who played in England for Aston Villa, Everton and West Ham, recently revealed his homosexuality.
The 31-year-old told Football Focus it is "difficult to say" if there is a homophobic atmosphere in football.
"Certainly it would not be a problem in the dressing room," Fowler said.
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"I don't think it will be a problem on the terraces."
Hitzlsperger is the most prominent footballer to publicly reveal his homosexuality.
England Under-21 international Justin Fashanu did likewise in 1990 and former United States and Leeds United winger Robbie Rogers followed suit last year.
Earlier this week, former Chelsea and England defender Graeme Le Saux welcomed Hitzlsperger's decision to make his sexuality public.
Because of his desire not to live the archetypal footballer's life, Le Saux suffered abuse from players and fans during the 1990s, even though the 45-year-old is not gay.
Fowler, 38, has apologised after making an offensive gesture towards his former international team-mate in a game between Liverpool and Chelsea in 1999.
"I am genuinely sorry," said Fowler. "It was used as a wind-up but looking back I shouldn't have done it. Looking back, it is embarrassing."
Fowler was speaking while working as a pundit on Football Focus alongside Robbie Savage, who was named in a 2007 book by Le Saux as having also taunted him.
"His book was his version of events, and I genuinely can't remember the incident," said the former Crewe, Leicester, Birmingham, Blackburn and Derby midfielder.
"But what I will say is that they weren't my views then, more importantly, they are certainly not my views now."


Chances to protect a six-month-old baby from his potentially violent parents were missed by authorities in London, a review into his murder has found.

The child, known as Baby R, died from head injuries inflicted by his father in January 2015. He was convicted of murder in December.
After his death, it transpired that his mother was a convicted murderer.
She had served nine years of a 12-year jail sentence in her country but fled to the UK while on parole.
It was revealed she was subject of an European Arrest Warrant.
The baby, who cannot be named, died in Haringey - the same north London borough at the centre of the Baby P scandal where a mother and her boyfriend were jailed for causing or allowing his death.
The serious case review criticised:
A spokesperson for Haringey Council said the death of Child R was "tragic" and while the review concluded it could not have been anticipated, "we fully accept that the council, police, courts, probation and health missed opportunities to assess the family and share information".
It said it had improved social work practices and working with other organisations since the review but "we should never forget responsibility for the death of Child R rests with the father."
Lib Dem councillor Liz Morris said she was very concerned another baby had died in Haringey.
"It is unacceptable that the police and Home Office did not contact Haringey's social services to warn them about the mother's conviction and European Arrest Warrant," she said.
"I am also concerned to see that Haringey Children's Services failed to put vital information on their database for monitoring vulnerable children."
The Met said recommendations, for the force to ensure officers and police were properly trained in procedures for such a case, were being addressed.
It also said it was making officers in its Extradition Unit aware of the need to create reports and share that information when a child comes to police notice.


Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz has quit an advisory panel to Panama's government set up after the Panama Papers scandal.

Some 11.5m documents, leaked from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca, revealed huge offshore tax evasion.
The government appointed a panel to look at Panama's financial practices.
But Mr Stiglitz and Swiss anti-corruption expert Mark Pieth, who also quit, said government interference in their work amounted to "censorship".
The seven-person panel also included Panamanian experts.
"I thought the government was more committed, but obviously they're not," Mr Stiglitz told Reuters news agency. "It's amazing how they tried to undermine us."
A statement by Panama's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said "the Panamanian government understands both resignations and internal differences", adding that it maintains a "real commitment to transparency and international co-operation".
The ministry said it had already acted on some recommendations made in the panel's preliminary report and was considering others, without specifying which measures had been taken.
But a statement by Mr Stiglitz and Mr Spieth to Reuters said they were concerned that the panel's final report would not be published.
"We can only infer that the government is facing pressure from those who are making profits from the current non-transparent financial system in Panama," Mr Stiglitz said.
The Panama Papers were investigated for months by hundreds of investigative journalists, including staff from the BBC.
The documents, which were first detailed in April, revealed the hidden assets of hundreds of politicians, officials, current and former national leaders, celebrities and sports stars.
They list more than 200,000 shell companies, foundations and trusts set up in tax havens around the world.
Mossack Fonseca said it had been hacked by servers based abroad and filed a complaint with the Panamanian attorney general's office.
The company said it did not act illegally and that information was being misrepresented.
Eleven million documents held by the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca were passed to German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung, which then shared them with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. BBC Panorama and UK newspaper The Guardian were among 107 media organisations in 76 countries which analysed the documents. The BBC does not know the identity of the source


The plans for a new headquarters for Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) have been unveiled.

DARD is leaving its existing Belfast base in the Stormont estate and moving to Ballykelly in County Londonderry.
The aim is to decentralise hundreds of civil service jobs to outside Belfast.
Agriculture minister Michelle O'Neill said DARD has "identified more than 1,500 civil servants who would want to move to Ballykelly".
Ms O'Neill unveiled an artist's impression of the new HQ building on the same day that her department submitted the planning application to the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
"Today is a key milestone in realising the Â£20m vision we see for DARD and the potential positive impact this move will have for the north west," the minister said.
She added that work will soon begin to match civil servants who have expressed an interest in working in Ballykelly to jobs in the new building.
"The level of interest in this location shows the executive has got it right when it comes to decentralising jobs," Ms O'Neill said.
About 700 DARD posts are due to be relocated to the new site, at the former Shackleton army barracks, over the next five years.
The jobs will be decentralised in two stages, with approximately 350 staff taking up position in Ballykelly in 2017 and the remainder moving by 2020.


Scotland midfielder Robert Snodgrass does not believe Saturday's draw with Lithuania will prove to be a 'Georgia moment' in World Cup qualifying.

Defeat in Tbilisi last September was generally regarded as the most damaging result of the Euro 2016 qualifiers.
"There will be many twists and turns," Snodgrass said after the Hampden draw.
"Obviously you want to be winning your first home game. But, in the end, it is a point that might be vital. Hopefully it is a good point."
Scotland had fallen behind to Fedor Cernych's fine strike 14 minutes into the second half at Hampden.
But Gordon Strachan's side eventually pulled level with a minute of normal time remaining through a James McArthur header.
Snodgrass, 29, thought the Scots missed an opportunity to take more points against Lithuania.
"They got it down and tried to play a bit, but every time we put pressure on them, I felt they gave us the ball," said the Hull City player.
"Let's be honest, they had two chances and took one of them, so fair play to them.
"The second half, they had their backs to the wall a little bit and we had chance after chance.
"We eventually got the goal and I thought we were going to go on and win it, but it wasn't to be."
Fellow midfielder Barry Bannan also preferred to take the positives from the match ahead of Tuesday's trip to face Slovakia, who were beaten 1-0 in Slovenia.
"We set out to win the game and we're disappointed, but in the last 10 minutes, we were 1-0 down, so it could be a huge point at the end of this group," said the Sheffield Wednesday player, 26.
"Lithuania showed they are going to take points off people in this group.
"They stopped us from playing. I think they pressed high up, which we didn't expect.
"Slovakia have lost again, so if we can go there and get a point or three points then it's been a good two games for us."
James Forrest, a second-half substitute for Oliver Burke, thought the Scots could take confidence from the way they salvaged a point.
"We've only played two games, we've got four points and we just need to build on that," said the 25-year-old Celtic winger.
"There's still a long way to go and there are a few upsets in this group to come."


Cases of scarlet fever in Wales have soared over the past three years, figures from Public Health Wales have shown.

A total of 1,234 cases were reported in 2015, compared to just 190 cases in 2013, but down slightly from 1,375 in 2014.
The infection comes into its peak season typically between late March and mid April.
Public Health Wales urged people to be aware of its symptoms.
These include a pink-red rash, high temperature and a red, swollen tongue, with the disease most common in children under 10.
Cases of scarlet fever in England and Wales taken together are now at their highest level for almost 50 years, according to Public Health England.
In Wales, 283 cases have been reported so far this year.
Dr Chris Williams, consultant epidemiologist for Public Health Wales, said: "Most cases of scarlet fever will clear up on their own, but it is still best to seek medical advice."


Seven members of one family have drowned in a failed attempt to rescue a teenager who fell into a reservoir in Shantou, Guangdong, state media report.

Officials said the 17-year-old girl fell into the water while washing her hands, said the Xinhua news agency.
Six relatives, including her parents and her younger sibling, then dived in to try and save her, but all drowned.
The family had just finished cleaning the graves of deceased relatives on China's traditional Tomb-Sweeping day.
The Associated Press quoted local officials as saying the dead included a 13 and a 15-year-old.


Newcastle winger Jonas Gutierrez has been discharged from hospital following treatment for testicular cancer.

The 31-year-old had an operation in his native Argentina to remove his left testicle in September after the discovery of a tumour, before undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
Writing in Spanish on Twitter, the Argentina international said: "Today I was given a medical discharge.
"Thank you very much to all who accompanied me at this time."
Newcastle expressed their joy at the news on social media, writing: "Everyone at #NUFC is delighted to share the news that @elgalgojonas has been discharged from hospital in Argentina."
Gutierrez, who had a spell on loan at Norwich last season, has scored 10 goals in 177 league appearances for the Magpies since joining the club in 2008.
He became a fans' favourite when he played a starring role in helping the club win the Championship in his second season in the north-east.
After being largely overlooked by manager Alan Pardew last season, Gutierrez joined Norwich for the second half of the campaign, where he made his last league appearance in a 1-0 defeat by West Bromwich Albion in April.


A new chair-based gymnastics exercise programme has significant benefits for people with dementia, says a report.

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More than 150 people have taken part in the Love to Move scheme run by the British Gymnastics Foundation (BGF).
And research by Age UK found the scheme to have "demonstrable benefits in the physical, emotional and cognitive aspects of older people".
The organisers now aim to train more people to deliver the programme and make it more widely available.
"This age and dementia-friendly programme is astonishing people with its life-changing benefits," said BGF manager Patrick Bonner.
"So many people involved are seeing their lives improving as a result and it is unthinkable that people are regaining functions which were thought to be lost because of participating in the Love to Move classes."
I thought the programme would, at best, just be able to slow down the rate of dementia progressing, but I am finding some participants appear to be regaining functions which were thought to be lost
In South Korea and Japan, results have been so positive the programme has been completely state-funded and runs in every care home across the two countries.
Exercise in any form can have a multitude of health benefits for those with mental and physical illnesses. Dementia is no exception.
When the BGF discovered a chair-based exercise programme was working wonders throughout care homes in Japan and South Korea, it was determined to bring it to the UK.
Based on results published in 2016 from the original Japanese programme, it was clear to the BGF that these simple exercises - based around cognitive stimulation, memory arousal and music - could have a huge impact on the lives of dementia sufferers.
By taking the core principles of the Japanese scheme and adapting them to suit British culture, the BGF developed the Love to Move programme in a pilot scheme.
Can you tap your head and rub your stomach at the same time? Even if you can, it takes a lot of concentration.
By practising it, you are increasing your ability for the right and left sides of your brain to process information independently of each other.
The Love to Move programme is based on the concept of bilaterally asymmetrical movement (performing different movements with the right and left sides of the body at the same time).
By increasing the capacity to perform bilateral movement, the brain increases the number of connections it makes between its neurons, resulting in an increase in cognitive ability.
For people with dementia, the Love to Move programme has been proven to increase their capacity to process everyday tasks such as feed themselves, do crafts and play bingo, as well as socialising with friends and family.
Do you know a family member, a friend, a co-worker, who has dementia? Chances are you do.
Download the booklet here
Whether they've just been diagnosed, or have had the illness for a number of years, those close to them would give anything to see an improvement in their health.
The BGF understands this and is keen to share its exercises with the public in the hope they can provide those affected, both now and in the future, with a practical and gentle way to improve their health.
The BGF has created a downloadable booklet containing some of the key exercises for people to try with top tips from head coach Kim Hall.
The guide aims to give an insight into the structure and history of the programme, as well as showing some of the key co-ordination exercises.
Over a period of two years in the Cambridgeshire region, the Love to Move programme has delivered sessions focusing on improving co-ordination, posture, movement and core strength.
In conjunction with the pilot scheme, staff from one care home were asked to complete feedback forms for a sample of residents who took part in the exercise classes.
Two residents involved were keen not to go off with their visitors…they did not want to miss the class, so they got them to join in as well!
Key results from pilot scheme feedback:
Results from the pilot scheme indicate exercises such as hand rotations, finger and thumb tapping, drawing shapes in the air and nose and ear grabbing, are effective ways to enhance co-ordination, whereas exercises focusing on balance and core have better equipped participants to sit, unaided, in their chairs.
Those with more severe cognitive decline were seen to develop a more positive emotional state.
By joining the classes, it was visible to the care home staff that participants were visibly enjoying themselves, appeared more relaxed and even remembered the class and looked forward to the next one.
Social interaction is often difficult for those with dementia, especially for those who would not normally have the opportunity to mix with other residents in the same home.
The pilot scheme gave these residents the opportunity to build bonds with one another, provide encouragement to their fellow Love to Movers, and socialise after the session.
As with any pilot scheme, the aim is to learn, adjust and expand; and this is what the BGF hopes for.
I feel stronger. I have difficultly moving, but I've started to move more than I have before
The findings from Age UK reveal sessions need to take place in a social, fun environment, be lead by confident, patient staff and include time for refreshment afterwards.
The BGF aims to replicate Japan's success and offer the Love to Move programme to all care homes up and down the country.
They say a large amount of staff training is required, in addition to a nationwide awareness campaign and a group of trained coaches to deliver the sessions.


Billy Waters' first-half goal was enough to give Cheltenham a hard-fought 1-0 win at Grimsby.

The forward struck after some smart work from a free-kick to give Gary Johnson's side just their third victory of the season in League Two.
Grimsby made a bright start as Omar Bogle and Dominic Vose went close to giving the hosts the lead inside the first five minutes.
But it was Cheltenham who took the lead as a well-worked free-kick was played to James Dayton on the edge of the box and he laid the ball on to Waters to slot home.
Bogle had a glorious opportunity to bring the hosts level in the second half as the ball fell to him just a few yards away from goal but, not for the first time, he found Robins goalkeeper Russell Griffiths in his way just as he got his shot away.
But Cheltenham held on to their lead well as they frustrated their hosts, and claimed a third win in a row against their former National League rivals.
Reports supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Grimsby Town 0, Cheltenham Town 1.
Second Half ends, Grimsby Town 0, Cheltenham Town 1.
Foul by Aaron Downes (Cheltenham Town).
Josh Gowling (Grimsby Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Robert Dickie (Cheltenham Town) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Kayden Jackson (Grimsby Town).
Foul by Kayden Jackson (Grimsby Town).
Robert Dickie (Cheltenham Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
James Dayton (Cheltenham Town) is shown the yellow card.
Corner,  Cheltenham Town. Conceded by Zak Mills.
Attempt missed. Kayden Jackson (Grimsby Town) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right.
Attempt missed. Danny Andrew (Grimsby Town) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Jack Munns (Cheltenham Town) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Tom Bolarinwa (Grimsby Town).
Billy Waters (Cheltenham Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Josh Gowling (Grimsby Town).
Danny Parslow (Cheltenham Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt saved. Omar Bogle (Grimsby Town) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Brandon Comley (Grimsby Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Billy Waters (Cheltenham Town).
Corner,  Grimsby Town. Conceded by Danny Parslow.
Substitution, Grimsby Town. Shaun Tuton replaces Dominic Vose.
Substitution, Grimsby Town. Brandon Comley replaces Luke Summerfield.
James Dayton (Cheltenham Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Dominic Vose (Grimsby Town).
Attempt saved. Omar Bogle (Grimsby Town) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Substitution, Cheltenham Town. Amari Morgan-Smith replaces Harry Pell.
Danny Andrew (Grimsby Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Jack Barthram (Cheltenham Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Danny Andrew (Grimsby Town).
Attempt blocked. Danny Andrew (Grimsby Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Harry Pell (Cheltenham Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Harry Pell (Cheltenham Town).
Craig Disley (Grimsby Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Jack Barthram (Cheltenham Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Dominic Vose (Grimsby Town).
Corner,  Grimsby Town. Conceded by Danny Parslow.
Attempt missed. Robert Dickie (Cheltenham Town) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right.
Harry Pell (Cheltenham Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Danny Collins (Grimsby Town).


Hovercraft crossings on the Solent are being cut back due to ongoing technical issues with two new vehicles.

Hovertravel said it would operate a "one craft service" between Southsea and Ryde until the end of February.
Managing director Neil Chapman said resolving operational issues had "taken considerably longer than we had planned".
The Solent Flyer and Island Flyer, costing Â£10m, were launched in the summer.
When the vessels were named by sailing champion Sir Ben Ainslie, the company said the investment would "improve passenger comfort through speedier and easier boarding, a quieter ride and better visibility".
However, "bedding in" problems led to cancellations and refunds offered to customers in October and November.
Mr Chapman said: "It's clear to us all the implementation of the two new craft has had several operational issues, and whilst these are resolvable it's taking considerably longer than we had planned.
"In addition, we are managing the continued use of the existing craft."
Its current Island Express craft is also being repaired, leaving only Freedom 90 to operate the reduced timetable.
Hovertravel has been running ferries between Southsea and Ryde since 1965.


The RSPCA was called out to catch a stray snake in a loft which turned out to be a child's cuddly toy.

A welfare officer made the discovery at a property in Surrey after being contacted by a distressed homeowner in December.
It is a one of a string of calls made to the animal welfare charity where people have mistaken objects for living creatures.
The RSPCA is urging the public to double check before raising the alarm.
Other call outs include a report in November that an owl had been sitting on a roof for more than four days and appeared unable to move.
Inspectors discovered that the creature was in fact made out of plastic.
A month later animal collection officer Alan Farr was asked by a homeowner to help find a trapped bird which was making a "peeping noise" in her loft.
"After searching around and unable to find the mystery bird, I then went into her front room and found a smoke alarm beeping after the battery had gone flat," he revealed.
Others include:
The charity's 24-hour cruelty line received 1,153,744 calls in 2016, 3% more than the previous year.
It has urged the public to make sure they have a genuine problem before getting in touch.
RSPCA spokesman Dermot Murphy said: "We know that people mean well and most of these calls are not made in malice, and although we would like to be able to help everyone, we simply haven't got the staff to personally investigate each and every issue that the public brings to us.
"We must prioritise to make sure we get to the animals most in need."


The girlfriend of Oscar Pistorius was shot in quick succession as she fell down, a forensics expert has told the South African athlete's murder trial.

This differs from a police ballistics witness who said there was short break between the first and second shots.
Mr Pistorius denies intentionally killing Ms Steenkamp in early hours of Valentine's Day last year.
He says he fired rapidly in fear through the toilet door after he mistook Ms Steenkamp for an intruder.
The prosecution says the 29-year-old model and law graduate was deliberately killed after the couple had an argument.
The double amputee Olympic and Paralympic athlete faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder.
The trial has been adjourned until Thursday, which will be the last day before a break; proceedings will resume on Monday 5 May.
By Pumza FihlaniBBC News, Pretoria
The focus has now shifted from Oscar Pistorius' distress on the stand to some technical evidence from his team's second expert witness, forensic geologist Roger Dixon. He may not be an orator but his testimony forms a crucial part of bolstering Mr Pistorius' version of events.
Mr Dixon, who is something of an all-round expert having formerly worked with the police, gave wide-ranging evidence on the stand, including his findings on the light in Mr Pistorius' house at night, sound tests and ballistics analysis.
But it is this wide-ranging nature of his evidence that Prosecutor Gerrie Nel is calling into question. Mr Nel suggested to the court that the methods used for the tests were quite pedestrian, implying that a layman could have done them.
Mr Dixon conceded, perhaps more than he would have liked to, that he was not an expert on many of the fields he testified on, but stuck to his findings. He tried to explain to the court how, as a scientist, he has used the fundamental principles applied in geology to analyse the crime scene and all its elements.
Forensics expert Roger Dixon, a defence witness, says Ms Steenkamp was standing at an angle to the door and that all four bullets hit her as fell to the ground.
Earlier in the trial, ballistics expert Captain Christiaan Mangena said he believed Ms Steenkamp was standing up facing the closed door when she was hit in the right hip.
He said she then fell back onto a magazine rack next to the toilet before three more bullets were fired at the door, one of which missed her.
The BBC's Pumza Fihlani in court says Mr Dixon's testimony challenges the state's version that Ms Steenkamp would have had time to scream after the first bullet and that Mr Pistorius then changed aim and continued firing.
On Tuesday, Mr Dixon told the court his tests showed that with the light out, Mr Pistorius' bedroom would have been almost completely dark on the evening of the shooting, despite a couple of LED lights.
This also supports Mr Pistorius' evidence that he did not see whether Ms Steenkamp was still in bed when he got up.
The court also heard sound recordings Mr Dixon had made - of a cricket bat striking a door similar to the one in Mr Pistorius' toilet, and of gunshots fired through the door at a distance of 60m (196ft) and 180m.
Mr Dixon seemed to struggle to tell the sounds apart, which the defence will use to cast doubt on what neighbours say they heard that night, our correspondent says.
Prosecution witnesses have testified to hearing a woman scream followed by gun shots, but the defence disputes their testimony, saying the only scream came from Mr Pistorius - after he had fired.
But prosecutor Gerrie Nel has sought to cast doubt on Mr Dixon's credibility and qualifications as a forensics witness during his cross examination on Wednesday.
By Andrew HardingAfrica correspondent
Mr Dixon is a geologist and university lecturer who worked as head of materials analysis at a police forensic laboratory in Pretoria for 18 years until 2012 and repeatedly said he was not a ballistics expert.
Mr Nel also sought to prove that he was out of his depth when he was testifying about marks on Ms Steenkamp's body.
He had identified one as a bruise which other pathologists had not, Mr Nel said.
At one stage Mr Dixon used the phrase "in my layman's understanding".
"Now you call yourself a layman. You see how irresponsible it is to make inferences that aren't in your area of expertise," Mr Nel replied.
Mr Dixon took the stand after seven days of testimony from the sprinter came to an end with him reading a Valentine's Day card from his girlfriend.
If Mr Pistorius is acquitted of murder, the court must consider an alternative charge of culpable homicide, for which he could receive about 15 years in prison.
He also faces charges of illegally firing a gun in public and of illegally possessing ammunition, both of which he denies.
There are no juries at trials in South Africa, and his fate will be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors.
Mr Pistorius is known as the "Blade Runner" because of the carbon-fibre prosthetics he uses on the track.
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Mr Pistorius said in his statement at the start of the trial that he woke in the early hours and  walked on his stumps to the balcony, pulled in two fans, closed the sliding door and drew curtains. He said that shortly before he had spoken to Reeva, who was in bed beside him.
He said he rejected prosecution claims that a witness heard arguing coming from the house before the shooting.
Mr Pistorius said he heard the bathroom window sliding open and believed that an intruder, or intruders, had entered the bathroom through a window which was not fitted with burglar bars.
"Unbeknown to me, Reeva must have gone to the toilet in the bathroom at the time I brought in the fans," he said.
Mr Pistorius said he approached the bathroom armed with his firearm, to defend himself and his girlfriend, believing Ms Steenkamp was still in bed.
Both sides agree four bullets were fired. Ms Steenkamp was hit three times.
Mr Pistorius said he fired his weapon after hearing a noise in the toilet which he thought was the intruder coming out of the toilet to attack him and Ms Steenkamp.
He said he was in a fearful state, knowing he was on his stumps and unable to run away or properly defend himself.
Mr Pistorius said he rejected claims that he was on his prostheses when he shot at the door.
A witness told the trial she woke to hear a woman screaming and a man shouting for help. She said that after the screams she heard four shots.
Mr Pistorius said he went back to the bedroom after shooting at the toilet door, still shouting for Reeva. Lifting himself up onto the bed, he felt over to the right hand side of it and noticed Ms Steenkamp was not there.
Mr Pistorius said this was when he realised she could have been in the toilet.
Mr Pistorius said he went back to the bathroom but the toilet was locked, so he returned to the bedroom, pulled on his prosthetic legs, turned on the lights before bashing in the toilet door with a cricket bat.
Forensics expert Johannes Vermeulen told the court that the height of the marks on the door caused by the cricket bat suggest Mr Pistorius was on his stumps at the time.
Mr Pistorius's defence team say he then called security at the gated housing complex and a private paramedic service before carrying Ms Steenkamp downstairs.
A security guard claimed it was the other way round, and he had called Mr Pistorius first after reports of gunfire. However, phone records shown to the court revealed Mr Pistorius called the estate manager at 3:19am, a minute later he called the ambulance service and at 3:21am he called estate security.
A minute later he received an incoming call - estate security calling him back.
According to police phone expert Francois Moller, Mr Pistorius called his friend Justin Divaris a short time later and just after 4:00am he called his brother Carl.


Two men arrested on suspicion of sexual offences against underage girls between 1994 and 2003 have been bailed.

The men, aged 36 and 37, were arrested on Monday in the Rotherham area.
South Yorkshire Police said the arrests were part of an investigation into allegations of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.
Three men, aged 35, 38 and 39, arrested in Goole, East Yorkshire, in November as part of the same inquiry remain on bail.


An American woman held in China since last year has been charged with espionage, according to China's foreign ministry.

Sandy Phan-Gillis, 56, was first detained in March 2015 while in China as part of a US trade delegation.
Her husband, Jeff Gillis, said the charges were "absolutely false" and called for her release.
The news comes ahead of President Barack Obama's visit to China for a G20 summit in Hangzhou.
The president is scheduled to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Saturday amid heightened tensions between the US and China over Beijing's territorial claims in the South China Sea as well as cyber hacking.
Ms Phan-Gillis, a Texan businesswoman who is of Chinese ancestry and is a naturalised US citizen, travelled to China to promote business opportunities in her hometown of Houston.
She was detained while trying to travel to Macau from the southern city of Zhuhai.
In June, a UN panel ruled that China had violated international human rights by denying her access to legal assistance and holding her without bringing her before judicial authorities.
A State Department official told Reuters the US remains "deeply concerned" about Ms Phan-Gillis and has "repeatedly pressed" Chinese authorities to provide more information on the case.
The US consulate in Guangzhou has provided consular assistance to Ms Phan-Gillis, which includes monthly visits, according to the State Department official.
Mr Gillis said his wife was accused of travelling to China on a spy mission in 1996, but her passport shows that she did not make a trip to the country during that period of time.
Ms Phan-Gillis has denied any wrongdoing and said her detention was political and not criminal, according to a letter transcribed by a US consular official in China.


A Canadian town has apologised after a water treatment plant turned the water supply pink.

Residents of Onoway, Alberta, complained to the town office when taps began running pink water on Monday.
In a statement, Mayor Dale Krasnow said there was no public health risk but the town "could have done a better job communicating what was going on".
The mayor said it was the unfortunate side-effect of a common water-treatment chemical, potassium permanganate.
The chemical is commonly used to remove iron and hydrogen sulphide from water, and the town office said it got into the reservoir when a valve malfunctioned during "normal line flushing and filter backwashing".
"The reservoir was drained, however some of the chemical still made it into the distribution system.
"While it is alarming to see pink water coming from your taps, potassium permanganate is used in normal treatment processes to help remove iron and manganese and residents were never at risk."
The chemical can cause skin irritation, according to the World Health Organization, but there were no reports of any adverse effects.
Complaints were more about being kept in the dark - residents said they were annoyed they were not told why the water was fluorescent pink until Tuesday morning.
"This is a situation we can certainly learn from and develop a strategy for better response and communication should we ever face the same or similar situation in the future," the mayor said.


A flat lens made of paint whitener on a sliver of glass could revolutionise optics, according to its US inventors.

Just 2mm across and finer than a human hair, the tiny device can magnify nanoscale objects and gives a sharper focus than top-end microscope lenses.
It is the latest example of the power of metamaterials, whose novel properties emerge from their structure.
Shapes on the surface of this lens are smaller than the wavelength of light involved: a thousandth of a millimetre.
"In my opinion, this technology will be game-changing," said Federico Capasso of Harvard University, the senior author of a report on the new lens which appears in the journal Science.
The lens is quite unlike the curved disks of glass familiar from cameras and binoculars. Instead, it is made of a thin layer of transparent quartz coated in millions of tiny pillars, each just tens of nanometres  across and hundreds high.
Singly, each pillar interacts strongly with light. Their combined effect is to slice up a light beam and remould it as the rays pass through the array (see video below).
Computer calculations are needed to find the exact pattern which will replicate the focussing effect of a conventional lens.
The advantage, Prof Capasso said, is that these "metalenses" avoid shortfalls - called aberrations - that are inherent in traditional glass optics.
"The quality of our images is actually better than with a state-of-the-art objective lens. I think it is no exaggeration to say that this is potentially revolutionary."
Those comparisons were made against top-end lenses used in research microscopes, designed to achieve absolute maximum magnification. The focal spot of the flat lens was typically 30% sharper than its competition, meaning that in a lab setting, finer details can be revealed.
But the technology could be revolutionary for another reason, Prof Capasso maintains.
"The conventional fabrication of shaped lenses depends on moulding and essentially goes back to 19th Century technology.
"But our lenses, being planar, can be fabricated in the same foundries that make computer chips. So all of a sudden the factories that make integrated circuits can make our lenses."
And with ease. Electronics manufacturers making microprocessors and memory chips routinely craft components far smaller than the pillars in the flat lenses. Yet a memory chip containing billions of components may cost just a few pounds.
Mass production is the key to managing costs, which is why Prof Capasso sees cell-phone cameras as an obvious target. Most of their other components, including the camera's detector, are already made with chip technology. Extending that to include the lens would be natural, he argues.
There are many other potential uses: mass-produced cameras for quality control in factories, light-weight optics for virtual-reality headsets, even contact lenses. "We can make these on soft materials," Prof Capasso assured the BBC.
The prototypes lenses are 2mm across, but only because of the limitations of the Harvard manufacturing equipment. In principle, the method could scale to any size, Prof Capasso said.
"Once you have the foundry - you want a 12-inch lens? Feel free, you can make a 12-inch lens. There's no limit."
The precise character of the lens depends on the layout and composition of the pillars. Paint-whitener - titanium dioxide - is used to make the pillars, because it is transparent and interacts strongly with visible light. It is also cheap.
The team has previously worked with silicon, which functions well in the infrared. Other materials could be used to make ultraviolet lenses.
Or to get a different focus, engineers could change the size, spacing and orientation of the pillars. It simply means doing the computer calculations and dialling the results into the new design.
The team is already working on beating the performance of its first prototypes. Watch this space, they say - if possible, with a pair of metalenses.


The US and Cuba have reached an understanding on resuming regular commercial flights between the two countries.

Unnamed officials in Cuba and the US said an announcement was imminent.
It is unclear when the flights would start because negotiations between the Cuban government and the US airlines could take months.
The move is a significant step nearly a year after the former Cold War enemies began restoring diplomatic relations.
The US reopened its embassy in Havana in August after a 54-year absence.
Small charter flights have been running between New York and Havana for several months, but these flights can be complicated to book.
The understanding reached on Wednesday in Washington is a key development as Cuba and the US continue to negotiate over a number of issues which could ultimately see the US trade embargo lifted.
The announcement comes as travel between the US and Cuba has surged in recent months.
Thousands of Americans are visiting the island and hotels and hostels are booked for months.


A newly discovered life form could help resolve one of the most contentious conundrums in modern biology.

All organisms on Earth are classified as either prokaryotes, which have simple cells, or eukaryotes, which have larger, more complex cells.
But the two cell types are so divergent that understanding how one evolved from the other has foxed biologists.
The new microbes, reported in Nature journal, go some way to bridging that gap.
They have been named Lokiarchaeota, partly after the Loki's Castle volcanic vent system lying 15km away from the site where the microbes' genetic material was isolated in cold marine sediments of the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge.
Prokaryotes are single-celled organisms and comprise all bacteria and archaea (a group of microbes that were once considered to be bacteria, but now form a separate domain of life).
Eukaryotes comprise some single-celled life forms, as well as all multi-cellular organisms, such as animals, plants and fungi.
The gulf between these two groupings is vast. The eukaryotes possess cellular structures that are enclosed within a lipid envelope. The defining trait is the nucleus, which hosts the cell's genetic material.
Another would be mitochondria; these are found in most eukaryotes and act as a cell's "batteries". According to a widely accepted theory, mitochondria began as bacteria and were gradually incorporated into eukaryotic cells, perhaps through some relationship of mutual benefit.
Lokiarchaeota have genes that code for proteins only otherwise found in eukaryotes, such as parts of the cytoskeleton - a matrix that supports cell shape and movement.
"Archaea and eukaryotes are sister groups, sharing a common ancestor," said lead author Thijs Ettema, from Uppsala University in Sweden.
He told BBC News: "This has been a leading model for 20 years or so. What happened a few years ago is that the branch in the tree that had the eukaryotes jumped on to the archaea branch. More specifically, it was affiliating with a group known as the TACK archaea."
Lokiarchaeota fall within the TACK grouping and represent the closest prokaryotic organisms to the eukaryote state.
According to Dr Ettema, the similarities between them show that Lokiarchaeota shared a common ancestor with eukaryotes roughly two billion years ago, and that this ancestor possessed a "starter kit" of genes that supported the increase in cellular complexity seen in eukaryotes today.
He explained: "The fact that we have found these same genes in [Lokiarchaeota] does not mean that they have the same function as they do in eukaryotes.
"But what we need to do to find out what those genes do in Lokiarchaeota is to carry out experiments, and for that we need actual cells."
The team had to reconstruct the new organisms from genetic material found in the cold marine sediments. But the effort to isolate cells will be a challenge.
"Getting the samples is not easy, and the amount of nutrients in these harsh environments is extremely limited. So the number of cells in these sediments will be extremely low and in general life down there is very slow.
"Some people have made predictions about how often cells divide down there and they have come up with numbers like one division every 10 years. If you want to grow them in the lab, these are not timescales that are feasible."
But the researchers are looking for "Loki-like" organisms in other locations, including hot springs in Yellowstone National Park, in the US, and New Zealand.
"We might even find Loki-like organisms that have more recent ancestry with eukaryotes. We could try to reconstruct their genomes and find additional pieces of the puzzle of how complex life might have originated," said Dr Ettema.
A key event in the evolution of eukaryotes was the acquisition of mitochondria. Lokiarchaeota do not possess them - making this organism no different from any other prokaryote. So precisely when cells first merged with the ancestors of these cellular powerhouses remains an open question.
"The acquisition of mitochondria really got things started," said Dr Ettema, adding: "The genes we find in Loki provide some pointers."
One critically important gene in eukaryotes is that which encodes a protein called actin. This has many functions in eukaryotic cells, but one of them is "phagocytosis". This process enables cells to engulf other cells, "eating" them.
"In Loki we also find genes that are related to those that encode actin proteins. Although we don't know what they do in Loki, we can infer that the last common ancestor had these genes," said Thijs Ettema.
Commenting on the research in the latest edition of Nature, Newcastle University cell biologists Martin Embley and Tom Williams write: "The identification of Lokiarchaeota so early in the history of this nascent field suggests that more closely related archaeal relatives of eukaryotes will soon be discovered."
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The relationship between a Tory MP and his constituency members has collapsed over a £10.25m loan to a football club, a senior party figure has said.

Northampton South MP David Mackintosh was criticised in a report over the loan to Northampton Town from the borough council when he was leader.
His successor as leader, Mary Markham, said his conduct had "undoubtedly damaged" the Conservatives' reputation.
Mr Mackintosh said he had "never asked or pressured officers to cut corners".
He said: "I apologise for the part I played in the granting of the loan to Northampton Town Football Club, and I am sorry that our efforts to support the club ended as they did.
"I do however refute the suggestion that undue pressure was put on officers to deliver the loan."
Mrs Markham, who is a member of the local Tory party's executive board and resigned as council leader in October, said: "I'm disappointed that David Mackintosh hasn't spoken out to his electorate, hasn't spoken out to the association.
"The Conservative Party in Northampton has undoubtedly been damaged because he has not communicated."
Northampton Town was given the loan to redevelop Sixfields stadium, with much of it being passed to a company called 1st Land Ltd.
The company is now in liquidation while the work on Sixfields was not completed.
A BBC investigation found that Mr Mackintosh benefited from "hidden" donations to his general election fighting fund from 1st Land, which are currently subject to a separate police investigation.
But Mr Mackintosh previously said he had "no reason to believe" the donations were from anyone other than the named donors.
Mrs Markham claimed the MP had been "very distant" from his constituency party.
She said he had not been able to attend executive board meetings since January and that he does not attend association meetings.
"It's fair to say there isn't really a relationship," she said.
But Mr Mackintosh said: "My door has always been open to constituents and members of the party who want to speak to me about the loan or any other issue."


An undercover officer was shot at after confronting two men "acting suspiciously" in south west London in the early hours.

Two plain clothes police officers approached the men just before 04:30 BST in Sandmere Road, Clapham.
Both men ran off, and one pointed a gun at the officer before firing one shot.
Neither of the officers were hurt or injured. A man has since been arrested and is in custody in south London.
No firearm was recovered and police enquiries continue.


Worcestershire's summer signing John Hastings has reported fit to New Road for a full season's duty.

There were doubts over the Australia all-rounder's fitness when he tore a knee tendon on 6 December while playing for state side Victoria.
Worcestershire initially looked to sign a replacement overseas player as cover for the first half of the season.
But Hastings has now flown into England in readiness for Worcestershire's Championship opener on 14 April.
He will link up with the rest of the squad this week when they return from the pre season camp in Abu Dhabi, where they played two matches against Warwickshire.
Before Worcestershire's Division Two campaign gets underway, they face the Leeds & Bradford MCCU students in a three-day first-class fixture at Weetwood, in Leeds, starting on 7 April.
"John is really excited and looking forward to getting going and cracking on," said new Worcestershire skipper Joe Leach, who inherited the captaincy from Daryl Mitchell over the winter months.
"He comes across as someone who is just going to be brilliant for our dressing room. I've heard a lot about him from the Durham lads and there is no-one I spoke to said a bad word about him.
"He is exactly what we need. He wants to come here and win, he wants to come here and do well for us. He has worked his backside off by all accounts to make sure he is fit to play for us and he has come over early."
Sydney-born Hastings has won one Test cap and also played 28 one-day internationals and nine T20 matches for Australia.
Hastings played in England for Durham in both 2014 and 2015, when he took seven second-innings wickets at New Road to turn a likely defeat into a Durham victory. But his hopes of returning in 2016 were thwarted by a shoulder injury.
"His qualities as a cricketer speak for themselves," said Leach. "He is someone of proven international pedigree who has taken wickets in the Sheffield Shield and has taken wickets over here for Durham."
He has also played Twenty20 cricket in the Big Bash for Melbourne Stars and for Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.
Worcestershire also have New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner booked to return for T20 Blast duty in July, following last year's injury-ruined campaign.


Sci-fi sequel Star Trek Into Darkness has received positive reviews from the British press ahead of its opening in the UK and Ireland next week.

The film, starring Chris Pine as Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock, has its UK premiere on Thursday in central London.
Britain's Benedict Cumberbatch stars as villain John Harrison, described as a "one-man weapon of mass destruction".
The eagerly awaited follow-up to director JJ Abrams' 2009 series "reboot" will be released on 9 May.
Here are excerpts from the reviews it has received so far.
Director JJ Abrams has followed up his sensational 2009 Star Trek reboot with a sparkling 3D sequel.
Abrams also maintains the glistening visuals of his earlier film; Into Darkness is slathered in so much lens flare it looks like a Kylie Minogue video. And the flashes of crackling, knowing comedy have been retained, punctuating the shuddering fight scenes and chase sequences that are the very currency of the action blockbuster.
People are unlikely to charge out of the cinema with quite the same level of glee as they did in 2009; but this is certainly an astute, exhilarating concoction.
Read More
The revived Star Trek films are shaping up to be the opposite of Christopher Nolan's Batman tales in that they're light on bleakness and attitude. There are enough gags (Simon Pegg is fun again as Scotty) and wit (the tension between Kirk and Spock is winning) between darker bouts of space fighting and ship-saving to keep the mood airy and unpretentious.
It's compulsory for blockbuster villains to be British of course, and Cumberbatch runs with an imperial theatrical haughtiness rather than trying to bury it.
His bad guy is distinctly human, if a little two-dimensional, and he succeeds in showing real ice running through his veins and bringing some weight to a cast that generally offers more geniality than gravitas.
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Cumberbatch's Harrison may be dressed for a GQ cover but he is, in essence, a one-man army.
It is a testament to the power of his performance that, although his early appearances are greeted with the most over-the-top Evil Musical Motifs imaginable, he manages to make Harrison ambiguous and chilling throughout.
If this is Abrams' final frontier, he has left Star Trek in a good place, both in the fictional universe and as a franchise. In some sense, the title is misleading.
Into Darkness is a blast, fun, funny, spectacular and exhilarating. The rule of great even-numbered Trek movies continues.
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Mostly, this is fantastic fun: a two-hours-plus blockbuster that doesn't bog down in exposition or sag in the middle. There are reversals and rug-pulls galore, most of them executed with whiplash skill.
Trouble is, at a certain point peril-fatigue starts to creep in, putting the story (like the overtaxed Enterprise) at the risk of burning out.
What's more, this wild, plot-driven ride has a tendency to leave character moments on the back seat. Often, minor figures first time out remain minor figures, some of them left out in the rain until the narrative calls for them to make a reappearance.
But man of the match is, of course, Abrams. His aim with Into Darkness was to mint a standalone adventure, one that welcomed total Trek neophytes at the door. Mission accomplished - there's buried treasure here for long-term fans, but this is a franchise flick that demands fanboy foreknowledge far less than it does slack jaws and high stamina.
Read More


Iraqi Christians are fleeing Mosul after Islamist militants threatened to kill them unless they converted to Islam or paid a "protection tax".

A statement issued by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis) was read out at the city's mosques.
It called on Christians to comply by midday on Saturday or face death if they did not leave the northern city.
Isis has control of large parts of Syria and Iraq and said last month it was creating an Islamic caliphate.
The ultimatum cited a historic contract known as "dhimma," under which non-Muslims in Islamic societies who refuse to convert are offered protection if they pay a fee, called a "jizya".
"We offer them three choices: Islam; the dhimma contract - involving payment of jizya; if they refuse this they will have nothing but the sword," the Isis statement said.
"Christian families are on their way to Dohuk and Irbil," in the neighbouring autonomous region of Kurdistan, Patriarch Louis Sako told the AFP news agency.
"For the first time in the history of Iraq, Mosul is now empty of Christians," he said.
The patriarch, one of the most senior Christian clerics in Iraq, said militants had been seen tagging Christian houses with the letter N for "Nassarah", a term used for Christians in the Koran.
Iraq is home to one of the world's most ancient Christian communities but its population has dwindled amid growing sectarian violence since the US-led invasion in 2003.
Prior to 2003, the number of Christians in the city had been as high as 60,000, but that had dropped to about 35,000 by June this year, Mr Sako said.
He said another 10,000 fled Mosul after Isis took control at the beginning of June and numbers dropped have fallen rapidly since.
Isis issued a similar ultimatum in the Syrian city of Raqqa in February, calling on Christians to pay about half an ounce (14g) of pure gold in exchange for their safety.


New Colchester United manager Kevin Keen wants more solidity from his side against local rivals Southend United, his first match in charge.

Keen's side are bottom of League One, having leaked 55 league goals.
"We need to make sure defensively we are tighter and at the same time express ourselves," he told BBC Essex.
"If it means we lose a fraction going forward that might have to be so. The only priority is to win against Southend, Gillingham, then Oldham."
The U's take on a Shrimpers side who are just one place outside the play-off places having won promotion from League Two last season.
Southend boss Phil Brown, who takes charge of his first Essex derby match, said: "We're preparing for this game the same as any other game.
"The importance of it is the fact that we're knocking at the door of the play-offs and they're bottom of the league, and they'll be smarting from that.
"It's a massive game for both clubs - it's a local derby and we just want to give it our best shot."
Keen took his first permanent role in management by replacing Tony Humes at the Weston Homes Community Stadium on Monday after leaving his post as Reading assistant manager earlier in December.
"It's a fantastic game to come in to," added the former Stoke player. "I went to Southend on Friday and was really impressed with them, in the first half especially.
"It's a great challenge for the players and myself to get our teeth into.
"And I think it's tremendous there will be a full house and I hope the Colchester fans get behind the team because we're currently sitting bottom of the league.
"It's time for the true supporter to stand up and say 'come on, we're behind you, let's get going'."


Sunday's World Snow Day at Scottish mountain ski centres was a success, according to Ski-Scotland, a national body that promotes snowsports.

The day is marked at CairnGorm Mountain, Nevis Range, Lecht, Glenshee and Glencoe Mountain every year when there is adequate snow cover.
All five were able to host events this year, including skiing, snowboarding and snowman building.
In total, Scotland has had more than 18,000 skier days so far.
Ski-Scotland said this figure was much higher than would be expected for this time of year.
A skier day means one person who skis or snowboards on one day. Many of the same people return to the slopes several times during the season.
Last season involved 230,634 skier days. There were 235,303 in the 2013-2014 season.