A stage version of Snow White has proved too ambitious for a small theatre in Germany: audiences have complained that there were only four dwarfs. The Altmark Stendal theatre in Stendal, 60 miles west of Berlin, could afford only six actors for its production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. So two puppets in dwarf outfits were attached to a back wall and the prince was ordered to double up as the seventh. Unfortunately he made only one brief appearance. A spokesman for the theatre explained: “The seventh dwarf wasn’t on stage the whole time because he was stuck down in the mine working overtime.”

Embarrassing accident of the week

A man in a miniskirt spent Christmas Day wedged head-first in a charity recycling bin after trying to donate some clothes. Two police officers investigated after reports that a woman was stuck in the bin in Sydney, Australia. They discovered a 35-year-old man but could not free him. A specialist team was called and the man was liberated early on Boxing Day morning. “It’s his own prerogative why he was wearing a miniskirt,” said a police spokesman. “It’s not really an offence.”

Car enthusiast of the week

A man has won a car after kissing it for 54 hours non-stop. Jose Aliaga, from Santiago, Chile, kissed the car for 54 hours and 22 minutes. He was handed the keys after his only remaining rival fainted. “My desire for the car was stronger,” he told reporters.

Superheroes of the week

Police called to a burger van in the early hours of Christmas Day arrived to find Spider-Man, Superman and Batman trading blows. A fight had broken out between three man in fancy dress after the van, parked near Canterbury, Kent, began to run out of burgers. A police spokesman said: “Spider-Man, Superman and Batman were involved in a minor altercation at 12.32am at Wincheap. The injured party declined to take it any further.”

Apology of the week

In a letter to the Daily Mail, Karina Pickering reports the following notice at the rail station car park in Guildford, Surrey: “We regret to announce that this car park will be free until further notice. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, but it is due to circumstances beyond our control.”

Chutzpah of the week

An investment adviser wanted for fraud has made a DVD asking his clients to give his investments more time and appealing to them not to co-operate with the authorities. Federal agents in Illinois say he shot the DVD in the Caribbean while on the 62ft yacht he bought with his clients’ money.