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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Widnes worm Dave wriggles into record books | Widnes worm Dave wriggles into record books |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| An earthworm named Dave has wriggled into the record books as the largest found in the UK - measuring a whopping 40cm (15.7in). | |
| Experts at the Natural History Museum bestowed the accolade upon the annelid after it ventured above ground in a vegetable plot in Widnes, Cheshire. | Experts at the Natural History Museum bestowed the accolade upon the annelid after it ventured above ground in a vegetable plot in Widnes, Cheshire. |
| The Lumbricus terrestris was studied at the museum before being killed in what staff called "the sad bit of science". | The Lumbricus terrestris was studied at the museum before being killed in what staff called "the sad bit of science". |
| It is now in a jar and will be "kind of immortal", the museum said. | It is now in a jar and will be "kind of immortal", the museum said. |
| However, not everyone was delighted with Dave's scientific sacrifice, and social media sites have been flooded with tributes. | However, not everyone was delighted with Dave's scientific sacrifice, and social media sites have been flooded with tributes. |
| Thousands of people have posted comments on Twitter using the hashtags #justicefordave and #justicefordavetheworm. | Thousands of people have posted comments on Twitter using the hashtags #justicefordave and #justicefordavetheworm. |
| Within hours, a spoof @PoorDaveTheWorm Twitter account had also been created. | Within hours, a spoof @PoorDaveTheWorm Twitter account had also been created. |
| The 26g (1oz) worm was found by Paul Rees. It was given the moniker Dave by Mr Rees's stepson George. | The 26g (1oz) worm was found by Paul Rees. It was given the moniker Dave by Mr Rees's stepson George. |
| Natural History Museum scientist Emma Sherlock said: "I was bowled over by the size of this worm when I opened the plastic box they sent it in. | Natural History Museum scientist Emma Sherlock said: "I was bowled over by the size of this worm when I opened the plastic box they sent it in. |
| "Not only was it really long, it was almost twice as heavy as any other wild earthworm ever seen, weighing the same as a small chocolate bar. | "Not only was it really long, it was almost twice as heavy as any other wild earthworm ever seen, weighing the same as a small chocolate bar. |
| "Dave is now preserved in the museum collections, and will now be useful to science." | "Dave is now preserved in the museum collections, and will now be useful to science." |
| She added: "Although his name on the jar is Lumbricus terrestris, little George did request that his real name, Dave, be preserved forever too - so on the label it clearly states 'known as Dave' and that will be reflected in the museum database forever too." | She added: "Although his name on the jar is Lumbricus terrestris, little George did request that his real name, Dave, be preserved forever too - so on the label it clearly states 'known as Dave' and that will be reflected in the museum database forever too." |
| Ms Sherlock said the previous longest UK worm, unearthed in 2015, grew to 39.6cm (15.6 inches) on the Scottish island of Rum. | Ms Sherlock said the previous longest UK worm, unearthed in 2015, grew to 39.6cm (15.6 inches) on the Scottish island of Rum. |
| She said: "With worms this size Paul must have an incredibly fertile and well-drained vegetable plot with decaying matter quickly recycled back into the soil." | She said: "With worms this size Paul must have an incredibly fertile and well-drained vegetable plot with decaying matter quickly recycled back into the soil." |
| Factfile: Earthworms | Factfile: Earthworms |
| Source: National Geographic | Source: National Geographic |
| Among the tributes to Dave left on Twitter, Jessy Harvey wrote: "Still saddened by the senseless euthanasia of Dave the earthworm." | Among the tributes to Dave left on Twitter, Jessy Harvey wrote: "Still saddened by the senseless euthanasia of Dave the earthworm." |
| Jungle Janet posted: "RIP Dave. You were unique and before your time and it would have been amazing to see a blackbird wrestle with you." | Jungle Janet posted: "RIP Dave. You were unique and before your time and it would have been amazing to see a blackbird wrestle with you." |
| Kevin wrote: "He might have got bigger if you hadn't murdered him!!!" | Kevin wrote: "He might have got bigger if you hadn't murdered him!!!" |
| And Andre Walker said: "It does strike me as odd the Natural History Museum measured the UK's longest ever worm then killed it!" | And Andre Walker said: "It does strike me as odd the Natural History Museum measured the UK's longest ever worm then killed it!" |
| Responding to the tweets, a Natural History Museum spokeswoman said: "This may seem sad but natural history collections have always contained dead individuals of plants, microbes, fungi and animals as evidence for study and reference." | |
| She added that "only very few" earthworms were kept as a record and they were "euthanised humanely to professional standards". | |
| Dave would "have a legacy that lasts beyond all of our lifetimes," she said. | |
| "These specimens help scientists better understand and protect the natural world, from studying an individual species to looking at environmental impacts of climate change, pesticides or human health". |