They love their pets with everything that they have, and that also stands true financially. A new survey, commissioned by VIP Petcare, considered the financial commitment of keeping a dog or cat and revealed it costs an average of $2,260 to take care of them for an entire year alone. The majority (65 percent) of the pet owners surveyed have …

— WITH PICTURES, INFOGRAPHIC AND VIDEO By Astrid Hall England’s curry hot-spots were crying into their kormas yesterday – after Glasgow was named Britain’s spice capital. According to a study Indian food fans in Scotland’s second city like their dishes hotter than anyone south of the border, including those in Bradford, Leicester and Birmingham. Curry-lovers in Southampton finished …

LIFETIME OF A SOFA The average sofa will witness 1,236 arguments, have 2,728 drink and food spillages on it – and see blokes sleeping on it after getting kicked out of bed 191 times, a study has found. Over the course of the average 11-year life of a sofa, it will also see couples kiss 2,105 times, families …

with infographic By Grant Bailey Infographic Download It’s official, Brighton is the happiness capital of the UK. The popular coastal city beat competition from Leicester and Portsmouth to take the top spot. Oxford, Norwich and Bristol also appeared in the top ten happiest cities to live in, while Manchester, Belfast and Cardiff all took high positions. More than …

– WITH VIDEO & INFOGRAPHIC – by Gemma Francis Pupils returning to school are more likely to get a new tablet device than pencil case, a study into changing classroom habits has found. Researchers found that 55 per cent of children are given a new iPad or similar device as they head back to school, compared to only …

– WITH PUZZLE By Gemma Francis It’s a parent’s nightmare – losing your child’s favourite toy, but can you find the missing dolly in this latest puzzle to sweep the web? The brainteaser shows children enjoying their summer holidays on the beach, but a missing dolly is hiding in the crowd of excited youngsters. The puzzle was created …

– WITH INFOGRAPHICS Grandparents are now the UK’s number one suppliers of childcare, according to new research. Cash-strapped mums and dads of youngsters aged 13 and under spend an average of £89.50 a week on care – almost £4,500 a year and the equivalent to a SIXTH of the average salary. In fact, one in 10 stated that …

– with infographic By Gemma Francis Half the population reckon they are time poor, with eating dinner late at night and buying ready-peeled vegetables among the signs you are too busy, a study has found. A poll of 2,000 adults found ordering takeaways because you don’t have time to cook the biggest indicator you need more hours in …

– WITH VISUAL MAP Folklore and fairy tales like The Giant Killer, Robin Hood and the Loch Ness monster are in danger of dying out – because parents aren’t passing them on to their kids, it has emerged. Researchers who carried out a detailed study among 2,000 adults found two thirds have no intention of regaling their children …