The classic 1970s pants worn by Sigourney Weaver at the end of Alien were actually designed by a Mr T Stale of Manchester who won a competition, run by the Guardian newspaper, by correctly answering the question: "Who won at pontoon mother?"

Mr Stale continues to pursue his career in fashion, mainly by leaving soiled handkerchiefs among the lingerie in department stores across the UK.

In the 19th century it was not uncommon for cricketers to carry a small piece of cake in the seat of their under-shorts tucked in just behind the scrotum.

The ritual was believed to please Pardon, the god of all sports involving silly English clothing and other pompous nonsense.

A game of scrabble that had been going on for over 3000 years on a council estate in the midlands, ended in February 1978.

The decision was made by relatives to call the game a draw, when a neighbour noticed that both participants were dead.