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22. 01. 13. - 12:45

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22. 01. 13. - 12:45

Its a plant

Kathryn Quinn

Baffled gardener Zhong Li got to the root of the problem after he dug out this bizarre plant from his carrot patch in southern China.

Zhong pulled out the man-shaped root - apparently anatomically correct in every detail - from his garden in Wuming, in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

"I'd planted carrots and I couldn't work out what was going on when I pulled this man out of the ground. I though someone had played a joke and made a model of me. He even looks like me," he said.

Local horticulture experts say however that its not a man made item and it's probably a Heshouwu - or Chinese knotweed - plant, very rare and much in demand as it has been used by local healers for hundreds of years.

Herbalists reckon it can treat hair loss, weak kidneys and was even used as an ancient form of Viagra.

"The more human looking they are, the more magical they are supposed to be," explained one.

Zhong is now planning to sell the plant to the highest bidder.

Tragic Ski Girl Dies
A 10-year-old British schoolgirl has died after skiing into a tree at high speed during a family holiday tragedy in the Austrian Alps.

Peak Performance
Police chiefs in Hamburg, Germany, are celebrating after new crime figures showed there wasn't a single bank robbery in the city last year.

Chinese Fakeaway
Chinese property developers who've been thwarted in a bid to buy up an entire Austrian village have settled on the next best thing - an entire life-sized replica.

Austrian children help Romanian kids
A charity project run by the middle school in Hippach has been recognised with an award for its social work by officials in Tyrol.

Mother kills disabled daughter because she couldnt take care of her any longer
A Romanian woman killed her 8 year-old disabled daughter on Wednesday (yesterday)because she couldn't pay for her care, Libertatea newspaper reports.

Policeman accused of sex with the son of his girlfriend
A Policeman from Vulcan, Western Romania is currently being investigated for having sex with a minor, the son of his girlfriend, Cancan newspaper informs today (Thurs).

Serial killer survivor walks away alive after fall
An 85 year-old woman who survived the most cruel and notorious serial killer in Romania some 40 years ago, recently fell from the first floor of her apartment building and she walked away safe and sound, Cancan newspaper reports today (Thurs).

The son of Qatar Airlines BA beaten up in Romania
The son of the Board of Administration of Qatar Airlines Akbar Al Baker, was beaten up over the weekend at the launching party of a posh club in Mamaia, at the Romanian Black Sea shore, Cancan newspaper reports.

Majority starts president’s suspension procedures
A day after the Social Liberal Union (USL) legislators dismissed with a large majority of votes the two Speakers of the Parliament, the Union started today the procedures for the suspension and possible impeachment of President Traian Basescu. This is the second time when the Parliament asks for Basescu’s suspension.

Some 177 Roma repatriated by French authorities to Romania
Some 177 Romanian citizens of Roma origin were repatriated on Tuesday night from Lille, France, Romania TV news channel informs today (Weds).