Lorry spills 18 tons of chicken feathers

A lorry carrying 18 tons of chicken feathers has overturned on a Seattle freeway, closing the road for several hours while workers tried to recover the load. Officials say the driver claims he fell asleep at the wheel. No injuries have been reported.

Broken toilet forces school evacuation

A backed-up toilet has sparked the evacuation of a high school in Charlotte, North Carolina. Emergency crews were called when maintenance staff managed to unblock the toilet, releasing large amounts of sewage gas into the building. Several people were treated for eye irritation and breathing difficulties.

Murder accused blames aubergine for fatal shot

An Australian man accused of the shooting death of a man on a rural property has claimed that he had tripped over an aubergine, causing his shotgun to discharge “without the trigger being squeezed”. The two men had been arguing after the dead man allegedly ran over the accused’s dog earlier in the day.