4 November 2016
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.
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. Image copyright Harry Taylor/NHM London Image caption Natural History Museum scientist Emma Sherlock said she was "bowled over" by Dave's size
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.
Within hours, a spoof @PoorDaveTheWorm Twitter account had also been created.
Watch video and read on
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.
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. Image copyright Harry Taylor/NHM London Image caption Natural History Museum scientist Emma Sherlock said she was "bowled over" by Dave's size
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.
Within hours, a spoof @PoorDaveTheWorm Twitter account had also been created.
Watch video and read on
Posts
