Grave Danger

Schollevaar: A Dutch woman, Monique Zuydendorp, 40, of Capelle aan de Ijssel was watering flowers on her uncle’s grave in Schollevaar when the grave collapsed.

Suddenly, a neighboring grave subsided and Ms Zuydendorp fell in, landing on the coffin. The grave was that of a woman who had died in September 2005. “It was a horrifying experience,” she told Algemeen Dagblad.

Fortunately she was with a friend who, with other cemetery visitors, managed to pull her out of the grave. Ms Zuydendorp needed medical attention for bruises but says the emotional shock was the only lasting damage.

Hmmm I thought you weren’t supposed to stand on graves when visiting a cemetery? Something about disrespecting the dead?

Old Prostitute, New landmark

Berlin: A prostitute who has been working the streets of a German city for almost 50 years is to feature in a promotional film about the region.

Blonde working girl Brigitte is in her sixties but says, after 47 years on the job in Koblenz, she still has no plans to give up.

“Brigitte is probably the only prostitute in the world who is also a town landmark,” said tour guide Manfred Gniffke.

And she is so well known that producers of a short film promoting the city titled You Are Koblenz hired Brigitte to star in it alongside other local celebrities.

But she says she has no idea why everyone is so interested in her: “I’m just doing my job,” she said.