English towns by fun facts

Henry III had a pet polar bear which went swimming in the river here.

A man in this Norfolk seaside town boasted on Facebook about his armed robbery of the local Tesco. Police arrested him 15 minutes later.

This Yorkshire town hosts an annual bed race.

A man in this western county town was banned by the council from parking his van in his own driveway.

This Sussex resort played host to Japan's rugby win over South Africa, the biggest World Cup shock ever.

A criminal in this Manchester suburb attempted to escape police by hiding inside a giant teddy bear in his house.

In 2023, a drug dealer in this northern resort was caught after police matched a ham sandwich and beer can in his house to a photo shared online with fellow dealers.

Sheep in this town near Huddersfield have learned to roll along the ground in order to get over cattle grids.

A bungling burglar in this South Yorkshire town was caught after he photographed himself in the act, posted the photo on social media and inadvertently sent it to colleagues of the victim.

In 2009, a girl sleepwalked out a castle window near this West Sussex town and fell 25 feet, unscathed.

Derbyshire village whose streets play host to the world's oldest, largest game of football, with goals three miles apart and thousands of players.

A mute man in a suit and tie prompted a mystery after apparently washing up on the beach in this island town in 2005.

A couple in this Simpsons-sounding Lancashire town came home to their house in 2014 to find a Polish man had broken in, done the housework and was fast asleep in their bed.

An ex-convict from this Norfolk town blew the £10m he won on the lottery, then returned to his job as a bin man.