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File photo. Shutterstock/Sergey Uryadnikov

Great White Shark "the size of a car" shuts down Australia beaches for 7 straight days

A shark of this size could “bite a person in half,” a beach inspector said.

BEACHES ON AUSTRALIA’s east coast have been closed for a record seventh day after repeated sightings of a giant great white shark.

The shark, which is estimated to be 5 metres in length and weigh 1.7 tons (3,750 pounds), is the largest ever seen around Newcastle beaches, the city council said in a statement.

Newcastle is a city about 160km north of Sydney. The shark has been spotted in an area stretching up to 10km.

A shark of this size could “bite a person in half,” a beach inspector told Australian Associated Press (AAP).

“You don’t get a second chance with these things,” he added.

The animal was first seen on Saturday at Merewether Beach, the website writes.

PA PA

Meanwhile, in a report this morning the Sydney Morning Herald says several massive sharks were seen feeding on dolphins off two of Newcastle’s beaches.

Further north, a shark “as big as a car” devouring a dolphin off ‘Nobbys Beach’ the paper reports.

Sharks don’t generally target people, but such attacks do happen.

“It is not safe for board riders to be out in the water, even close to shore, as sharks are known to move into the surf zone, hunting prey between where the surf breaks and the shoreline,” Newcastle City Council warns.

In an alert, the council said it was unusual for a shark to hang around the same coastal areas for so many days in a row, but did not give an indication why this may be the case.

The AAP suggests that “overcast and warm weather combined with increased marine activity could be responsible for the shark’s prolonged presence”.

The city council is continuing to patrol the waters throughout the day with jet skis, but said they need at least a 24-hour period of no sightings before beaches can be reopened to swimmers.

— Dina Spector for Business Insider, with reporting by Daragh Brophy. 

Read: It was inevitable… Storm Rachel jokes flood Twitter during Ireland’s status red

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    Mute Lolo
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    Jan 15th 2015, 10:55 AM

    We’re gonna need a bigger boat….

    142
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    Mute Enda Boyle
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    Jan 15th 2015, 10:35 AM

    Strewth…

    138
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    Mute Alan b
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    Jan 15th 2015, 10:45 AM

    Wimps

    22
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    Mute Richard Cynical
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:14 AM

    There’s a saaaaaark in the wother

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:23 AM

    Lies blatant lies – the headline states that it is the size of a car – the graphic clearly shows that it is, in fact, the size of two cars.

    I accuse the Journal of covering up one whole car size of Shark – obviously they are in the payroll of the Denis O’Brien controlled Antipodes … Forshame!

    138
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    Mute Alan b
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    Jan 15th 2015, 12:01 PM

    Try reading the article first brains

    44
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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jan 15th 2015, 12:09 PM

    Try looking up sarcasm – and getting a sense of humour.

    168
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    Mute Alan b
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    Jan 15th 2015, 12:11 PM

    Don’t try and let on you were being sarcastic.keep lookin at the pics like a good little girl

    21
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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jan 15th 2015, 12:23 PM

    Of course – I always measure sharks in ‘cars’ I always use the word ‘forshame’ and I truly believe Denis O’Brien owns Australia … right …

    The problem with sarcasm on the Internet is that, absent a modicum of intelligence and cop-on, there are always some self righteous moral crusaders who spend so much time up their own arses that they completely miss the fact that life occasionally has a lighter side.

    If it’s okay with you, I’ll leave you to ponder that whilst your fingers quake over your keyboard pent up with moral outrage & indignation.

    150
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    Mute Alan b
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    Jan 15th 2015, 12:30 PM

    Judging by the red thumbs you got your attempt at being funny didn’t work.dont quit the day job

    14
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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jan 15th 2015, 12:38 PM

    Thankfully, I don’t measure my life in coloured thumbs. That said, it’s very nice of you to acknowledge the fact that your initial comment was wrong, totally wrong, utterly wrong – so wrong in fact that I’ll have to invent a new word for how wrong it actually was – I will call it nabla – it’s an anagram of Alan b and it’s my tribute to you – the Internet king of nabla.

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    Mute Alan b
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    Jan 15th 2015, 1:59 PM

    You’ve to much time on your hands

    8
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    Mute Paul Parsons
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    Jan 15th 2015, 3:28 PM

    Jesus jesus

    8
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    Mute Daithi O'Slatraigh
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    Jan 15th 2015, 8:43 PM

    You got wiped out

    4
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    Mute Thomas Lyndon
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:17 AM

    I’d be more concerned about that rogue seal in that photo. He just slapped that shark right out of the water!!!

    119
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    Mute Tony Le Blanc
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    Jan 15th 2015, 4:36 PM

    LOL, thanks Thomas… needed a laugh

    13
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    Mute everlast mccarthy
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    Jan 15th 2015, 10:36 AM

    Sharks were kind of here first you know..

    97
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    Mute Jack Kelly
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    Jan 15th 2015, 4:35 PM

    Yeah and then people complain when they are in the water. I mean, who is the one trespassing into who’s territory?

    Also millions of sharks are killed each year for Shark Fin Soup.

    Many chinese people seem to think it helps their skin, sex life, and reduces diseases.

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    Mute Jack Kelly
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    Jan 15th 2015, 4:37 PM

    By the way they just cut the fin of the shark off and leave it in the ocean, unable to swim to catch prey or avoid other predators; or else they suffocate.

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    Mute Chewey Bacca
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    Jan 15th 2015, 10:58 AM

    If your ever in the sea and come across a great white shark who then decides to attack you, just stay calm and as he lunges at you grab him and simply turn him on his back. The shark will float calmly in a trance coma like state called “tonic immobility”. But be warned you have only about 15 mins until the shark comes round. This works with stingrays as well although in fairness stingrays are less aggressive and are similar to dogs in that they like their chests ticked and are social unless really annoyed.

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    Mute mrs b
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:04 AM

    Great advice..but i reckon I’d have problems with the ‘staying calm’ & ‘turning’ a 1.7 ton fish over

    263
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    Mute Tallaght two
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:07 AM

    Chewey…. would love to see you demonstrate that technique on the 3750lb shark in the article. You could take a selfie beside its docile, upside-down body (you have 15 minutes after all) and maybe write an article about your exploits for the Journal. Can’t wait to read all about it.

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:25 AM

    Chewey – you obviously didn’t think through the practicalities of your comment – wookie mistake.

    73
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    Mute Chewey Bacca
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:32 AM

    Yes I do agree it takes practice but one must have a positive attitude in such situations. What i do is wave at the shark with my left hand and draw circle shapes with my right hand. This confuses the shark allowing you time to prepare for the turn. The turn itself is straight forward, similar to pushing a car that runs out of pertrol to the side of the road and this Shark has similar weight and size to an Avensis. Also sharks look bigger in water than they actually are so size never really comes into it.

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    Mute Rory J Leonard
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:51 AM

    Chewey,

    What’s in that bacca…

    51
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    Mute Brian Gormley
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:53 AM

    Bell end

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jan 15th 2015, 12:26 PM

    Brian – best edit your profile name, you appear to have misspelled ‘gormless’

    41
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    Mute Martin O Connell
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    Jan 15th 2015, 12:44 PM

    I know what your saying Chewey but there’s no way that shark would go to sleep considering the massive amount of Shi@e that would be floating in his face.

    17
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    Mute Munster2014
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    Jan 15th 2015, 1:21 PM

    Thanks for the laugh chewey. The first image that popped in to my head of a shark in a “trance coma”, was it laying on its back humming Darude – Sandstorm.

    12
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    Mute EM
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    Jan 15th 2015, 1:34 PM

    Actually it’s already been proven in that documentary about the Shark Tornado, scary shit that, surprised it didn’t get more coverage, that the best thing is to be eaten whole so it doesn’t bite you then cut your way out of its belly with a chain saw saving a large breasted girl in the process. Easier than trying to turn over a car sized shark.

    27
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    Mute Ignoreland
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:38 AM

    I’m not sure about the accuracy of the scale of that drawing above. It says they can grow from 12-18ft, yet that shark is almost as big as Australia??

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    Mute Chief
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:57 AM

    Near & far away dougal

    66
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    Mute Ignoreland
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    Jan 15th 2015, 12:21 PM

    So it’s a flying shark?! Now I’m even more confused!

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jan 15th 2015, 12:25 PM

    Alan b will think you mean that …

    45
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    Mute Antrim
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    Jan 15th 2015, 10:49 AM

    20 quid if ye can swim to the other side of the bay…..

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    Mute Jimmy
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:16 AM

    I’ve only just realised sea lions and seals are not the same thing!

    51
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    Mute Djr
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    Jan 15th 2015, 1:00 PM

    And then you have the Leopard seals. Why do they(who ever they are) like naming other animals after large cats?

    8
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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jan 15th 2015, 1:24 PM

    Don’t forget the masters of marine stealth killing – the magnificent and powerful Tiger Prawn !!!!! Rumour has it that it can only be defeated by the holy hand grenade of Antioch

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    Mute Jane Travers
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    Jan 15th 2015, 1:42 PM

    Dara, I reckon throwing the Holy Stone of Clonrichert at it might do the trick too.

    8
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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jan 15th 2015, 1:54 PM

    That’s only a class 2

    17
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    Mute Jane Travers
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    Jan 15th 2015, 2:32 PM

    It’s a pretty heavy lump of class 2.

    6
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    Mute John O'Neill
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    Jan 15th 2015, 3:18 PM

    That shark would decim-ate ya Jane!

    4
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    Mute Jane Travers
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    Jan 15th 2015, 3:33 PM

    Groan :)

    2
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    Mute tlc
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    Jan 15th 2015, 12:12 PM

    Are they sure it’s not just some newly arrived big white Irish guy swimming about?

    35
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    Mute William Willis
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    Jan 15th 2015, 10:38 AM

    By crikey!

    22
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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Jan 15th 2015, 10:38 AM

    It’s still a stupid name for a shark.

    13
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    Mute Ignoreland
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:35 AM

    Such power, it’s raw power.

    13
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    Mute BrianGuilfoyle
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    Jan 15th 2015, 1:10 PM

    They say it’s as big as a Jaguar….

    11
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    Mute CitizenSmith©
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:07 AM

    Racist sharks

    11
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    Mute Frank
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    Jan 15th 2015, 10:54 AM

    A real terrorist strikes Australia for a change.

    9
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    Mute CitizenSmith©
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:08 AM

    Any good conspiracy stuff today Frank, I’m a believer

    32
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    Mute Frank
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:18 AM

    They did shut down Australia beaches for SEVEN straight days.

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    Mute J
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:19 AM

    False fin operation.

    33
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    Mute Jake Race
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:19 AM

    WAKE UP SHEEPLE!

    14
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    Mute Frank
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:21 AM

    We would normally call that a week,

    18
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    Mute Glen
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:21 AM

    Sharks eat sheep … Sometimes

    10
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    Mute Frank
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:21 AM

    I wonder did they FLAG the beaches?

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    Mute Chief
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:51 AM

    I sharknominate Frank and Glen to go for a swim. All money raised goes to The conspiracy nuts foundation.

    38
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    Mute Glen
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    Jan 15th 2015, 12:06 PM

    Can my share go to http://www.soberIndians.com

    8
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    Mute John O'Neill
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    Jan 15th 2015, 12:42 PM

    And nights too I heard…

    1
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    Mute Glen
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:20 AM

    What’s with the deletion of my jaws quotes ?

    8
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    Mute David Carino
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:27 AM

    And mine ???

    8
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    Mute Glen
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:31 AM

    Must not be a fan of the movies !! We didn’t break policy !!
    Well that’s it I’m dun dun dun dun dun dun dun …. Talking about it

    26
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    Mute KeiKe
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    Jan 15th 2015, 1:05 PM

    Magnificent animals

    6
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    Mute David adams
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    Jan 15th 2015, 11:32 AM

    I would love to live on an island on my own all i would want is supply’s/ broadband/and sky/ no drink or tobacco.. Dont need them.

    5
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    Mute mrs b
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    Jan 15th 2015, 2:22 PM

    I laughed at your comments dara- hilarious

    4
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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jan 15th 2015, 2:42 PM

    Thanks Mrs b :)

    7
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