This week’s round-up is inadvertently animal-themed as bears and birds terrorise the bakery world. 

Bearing up after theft

We always thought that leaving the last one of something on a plate was a very British thing to do. How many times have you seen one olive, or one roll left as everybody is just too ruddy polite to take the last one?

Apparently, the same affliction affects Canadian bears. Clearly the season of gorging is upon us as a bear broke into a bakery in Lyons, Colorado by smashing a window and climbing onto the oven. He proceeded to eat 24 pies, as well as bags of ingredients.

You may assume he’d guzzle anything on offer, but it turns out he saved some for the next hungry customer. Mikaela Lehnert, daughter of the owner, told The Guardian: “He went for the apple and the cherry, but left behind the strawberry rhubarb, so he was a picky little guy.”

As well as being polite and thoughtful, the bear’s midnight snack has caused much welcome publicity for the bakery, and business has boomed since, so there are no hard feelings should he want to come back.

Note: It is unlikely that this is the same bear mentioned above.

Greedy gull

Would you consider the theft of your food a crime? Could you blame a man for reporting such a theft to the police?

It turns out you can – when the criminal in question is a seagull. A peckish man caused widespread derision this week after logging a call to the police to complain about the bird. Just as he was launching into a full blow-by-blow account of the greedy gull’s scavenge attempt, the operator sharply cut him off with: “Yes, but what does this have to do with the police?”

Maybe this is a valid query – who IS policing the animals? What do you do if you are chased by a badger or attacked by a ram?

During a 24-hour tweetathon by Avon and Somerset Police, 41 calls deemed of “inappropriate” substance for 999 were recorded. Other examples included someone complaining of a tight taxi seatbelt offering no leeway and someone else who had been splashed by a puddle.

On balance, the man with the seagull issue was making a fair point. 

Note: It is odd how the bird is scarier than the bear.

Cat loaf love

British Baker purred with delight when we came across these adorable cat-shaped loaves. Admittedly, the painted-on eyes, nose and mouth were essential to recognising what would otherwise be a lumpy loaf as a cat – but adorable all the same.

The loaves have cat ears added, with painted yet edible cat faces.

Creator Lou, from Lou Lou P’s Delights, said: “The inspiration behind Cat Loaf is my elderly cat Marble. Marble is now 20 years old and is almost completely blind, yet she still remains content and packed full of spirit. I adore the expression ‘Cat Loaf’, that pose a kitty takes when she folds under her paws, perfectly mimicking a nice big bloomer.”