The top-secret operation to eliminate the masked British extremist: From flying to amphibious drones

 

 

The top-secret operation to eliminate the masked British extremist

		A crack team from the SAS tracked down IS executioner Jihadi John and called in the air strike that killed him in Syria, it can be revealed today. Until now the top-secret operation to eliminate the masked British extremist – who beheaded UK hostages Alan Henning and David Haines – was thought to have been conducted entirely from the air without any Western troops. But The Mail on Sunday has learned that the perilous plan depended on a team of eight men from the Special Forces regiment risking their lives to penetrate deep inside the IS stronghold of Raqqa.   +6 Eight SAS soldiers sneaked to within five miles of ISIS's de facto capital of Raqqa in Syria and from there, they flew four 'nano helicopters' fitted with cameras that spied on Jihadi John     ISIS's chief executioner Jihadi John - real name Mohammed Emwazi - was evaporated near a clock tower where the terror group carried out several brutal executions And the secret weapon used to identify Jihadi John was a 1lb helicopter drone launched by the soldiers. The daring mission began in darkness on November 11 when two US Chinook helicopters skimmed low across the Syrian desert to land at an isolated spot. Avoiding all roads, the team of soldiers drove in desert buggies 35 miles south towards Raqqa. At about 3am, they 'dug in' five miles outside the city, where they remained undetected. The following evening, while the rest of the team were on lookout, one man assembled four 3ft nano-helicopters with infrared and night-vision cameras in the nose. They were pre-programmed to fly to Jihadi John's hideout – a six-storey building in Raqqa. The first drone set off towards its target, then entered 'hover and stare' mode, recording the movements of IS suspects at a building near the Sharksa mosque. It beamed footage by satellite back to SAS HQ in Hereford and the US Central Command in Doha, Qatar. David Cameron on reports that Jihadi John has been killed   +6 'At 11.40 a car pulled up and he got inside. The Reaper locked on to its target and Jihadi John was history,' a source said of the strike near the infamous clock tower (pictured) At 8.30pm, with the first drone low on power, a second one took over, and after another fruitless wait, it was replaced at 10pm. But when the third suddenly shot back images of Jihadi John – real name Mohammed Emwazi – the tension in the control rooms was palpable. A source said: 'US commanders re-tasked a Reaper drone armed with Hellfire missiles. At 11.40 a car pulled up and he got inside. The Reaper locked on to its target and Jihadi John was history. The guys were chuffed to get that maniac.' £9million Tornados protected... by a 5ft fence The Mail on Sunday can today reveal glaring security lapses at an RAF base where Tornado strike jets are protected by a flimsy 5ft-high picket fence. Two Tornado GR4 fighter-bombers took off from RAF Marham in Norfolk last week to join the fight against Islamic State in Syria. But the wooden fence at the end of the base's runway appears shockingly inadequate and could easily be knocked down by a would-be terrorist. Although a hedge grows along most of the quarter-mile section of fence on the north-east corner of the base, reporter Andrew Young discovered an 8ft-wide gap, allowing him to go straight up to the fence. +6 Tornado strike jets (pictured) are protected by a flimsy 5ft-high picket fence at an RAF base +6 Two Tornado GR4 fighter-bombers (pictured) took off from RAF Marham in Norfolk last week to join the fight against Islamic State in Syria The spot is just 300 yards from a path on which the bombers, which each cost £9.4 million, taxi down before they take off on the main runway. The reporter, carrying a large rucksack which could potentially have hidden a bomb or weapons, stood by the fence for more than an hour on Wednesday as five of the jets took off on training missions. At no time was he challenged by personnel at the base. An RAF spokesman said last night: 'As a matter of policy, neither the RAF nor the Ministry of Defence discuss security measures. However, we can confirm security measures in place are robust and multi-layered, and are not solely dependent on perimeter fencing.'       A series of transformers-style drones that can can be used to carry cargo or even evacuate troops were unveiled by the Defense Department today. The new concept images revealed on Tuesday show that the modular flying drones could adapt depending on the particular mission. Like other drones, the vehicles can serve as unmanned flying machines but these new devices can also be used in a number of different instances as well.   Changing shapes: Like other drones, the vehicles can serve as unmanned flying machines but these new devices can also be used in a number of different forms The ARES, Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System, could also transport soldiers by dropping them off in dangerous warzones.   Extraction: Rather than remaining unmanned, the drones would be able to both drop off and pick up soldiers in remote warzones, saving them the threat of facing roadside bombs and IEDs Or they can make cargo drops, delivering loads of supplies to areas that are too remote for cars and trucks to drive to. Roadside bombs are one of the biggest threats to soldiers, with a heartbreaking total of 1,389 American soldiers having died to the blasts in Afghanistan alone since 2001. Developers also think that they would be able to extract casualties from warzones. The best and most mindboggling aspect of the machine is that the ARES will theoretically be able to switch from one function to another quite easily. The machines are being built through a partnership between the US Defense and Davanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and  Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. They have been working on forms of this same project since 2009, and- fittingly- it has been titled the Transformer (TX) program. 'Many missions require dedicated vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) assets, but most ground units don't have their own helicopters,' DARPA program manager Ashish Bagai said in a press release.   Turn and adapt: A pair of ducted fans will help provide the push off the ground to allow it to propel, and then those same ducts would convert and push the air backwards, effectively bringing the vehicle both up and out Moving forward: No formal release date has been announced but DARPA has officially decided to pick up the project meaning that they will be created  'ARES would make organic and versatile VTOL capability available to many more individual units. 'Our goal is to provide flexible, terrain-independent transportation that avoids ground-based threats, in turn supporting expedited, cost-effective operations and improving the likelihood of mission success.' Gizmodo reports that a pair of ducted fans will help provide the push off the ground to allow it to propel, and then those same ducts would convert and push the air backwards, effectively bringing the vehicle both up and out. The machines would be able to hold up to 3,000 pounds which equates to more than 40 per cent of the body's weight.   Earlier vision: In 2011, the collaborators at Lockheed MArtin and DARPA announced a 'flying humvee' that was built in a similar way using a pair of air ducts No projected start date has been released but DARPA has decided to move forward with the project. The ARES is only the latest iteration of the Transformers TX development line, with an earlier 'flying humvee' that was announced in 2011. At the time, the flying humvees were expected to be produced and out into the field by 2015 but there have been no updates.		Photographs of amphibious drones suggest country is developing a robotic ground army Ground-based robots were spotted at Russia's Rzhevka training ground Among them was an amphibious model and a smaller six-wheeled robot Their appearance follows Google's acquisition of Boston Dynamics and several other robotic companies Emerging from a lake, a giant amphibious drone gingerly picks its way over Russia’s Rzhevka military training ground. This huge drone is the latest in a menagerie of automated robots to be developed worldwide, adding to what some have described as the creation of ground-based robotic armies. Its appearance comes as large organisations, such as Google and Amazon, invest in drone technology, with some experts claiming the it could lead to a full on robotics war by 2020.  Scroll down for video... Russia is reportedly developing weaponised ground drones, including some big amphibious models such as the ones shown here Air-based drones have been under development in Russia for some time, with reports last year that the country had been developing a new 20-tonne attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). These latest images, however, provide a glimpse into Russia's future capabilities in ground-based drones. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the country is aware of the potential of unmanned vehicles, but does not intend to use them the way other countries do. ‘Today they [drones] are used more and more widely in the world. We won't do it the way other countries do,’ said President Putin in November last year. ‘This is not a game, this is not a computer game, these are serious combat systems, both shock and reconnaissance versions, and it is absolutely clear that they have good prospects. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the country is aware of the potential of unmanned vehicles, but does not intend to use them the way other countries do. Pictured here is a drone at the Rzhevka military training ground in Russia The country is reportedly developing a variety of ground-based drones including smaller six-wheeled models such as the one shown here THE RISE OF THE ROBOT WARS Last year, Google's chief Eric Schmidt warned drone technology proves a serious danger to global security. Mr Schmidt said that the technology for armed unmanned planes will soon pass into the hands of terrorists posing huge security concerns across the globe. He also said that ever expanding drone technology is making smaller and cheaper models, including nano-drones, which could be used by nosy neighbors spying on each other in a dispute. 'I'm not going to pass judgement on whether armies should exist, but I would prefer to not spread and democratise the ability to  fight war to every single human being,' he said. In December, Google acquired robotic firm Boston Dynamics. The firm, bought for an unspecified figure, is the eighth robotics company snapped up by Google in recent years. The Russian government is also in talks to establish an organisation that will develop and produce unmanned aircraft systems, according to theVoice of Russia. It’s not just Russia who increased invested in drone technology. Boston Dynamics, which made the Big Dog machine, was recently acquired by the internet giant Google. The firm, bought for an unspecified figure, is the eighth robotics company snapped up by Google in recent years and is unlikely to be the last. Three of Google’s recent acquisitions make robotic arms, used for lifting heavy weights and unloading trucks. Another, Maku, makes androids that have eyelids, workable fingers and ears that move and flex, while another makes hi-tech cameras that were used to film recent Hollywood hit Gravity. So what is Google, better known for running an online search engine, doing amassing a vast wealth of robotic experts and patents? When asked whether the company is building an army of domestic servant robots, a press officer for Google in the UK laughed, before adding they didn’t know. The Russian government is also in talks to establish an organisation that will develop and produce unmanned aircraft systems, as well as ground-based drones pictured here It's not just Russia who has increased invested in drone technology. Boston Dynamics, which made the Big Dog machine, was recently acquired by the internet giant Google. The infographic shows recent corporate investments in robotic technology Google is not the only American company working on projects that might seem more akin to a Hollywood blockbuster. Amazon recently announced plans to begin offering some deliveries by airborne drones. Called ‘Octocopters’, the flying robots will take orders directly from the warehouse to homes or offices following GPS satellites and could be ready in five years. ‘I know this looks like science  fiction, but it’s not,’ said Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos. Company sources also recently said the group was working on even more ambitious and futuristic projects – but refused to elaborate on what they might be. Meet THE robot that can run faster than Usain Bolt... The appearance of this Russian drone comes as large organisation such as Google and Amazon invest in drone technology, with some experts claiming the technology could lead to a full on robotic war by 2020

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY: Photos embody rural life

 

 

 

Incredible: America's record-breaking big freeze has sparked an array of dramatic, terrifying and often amusing scenes - and the bitter cold is not over just yet. Above, this pressure-fed fountain in Letchworth State Park, New York, was transformed into a five-story-high 'ice volcano' this week following days of sub-zero temperatures and heavy snow. Amazingly, water continues to spout out of its top +32 Stunning: This week, many parts of the eastern US have seen record-breaking low temperatures. Above, the frigid conditions have frozen parts of the Niagara Falls. The waterfalls have been transformed into extraordinary crystalline spectacles, featuring mist-encased trees and lampposts that appear as if they have been sculpted from snow. Tourists have deemed the view 'stunning' and a 'must-see spectacle' +32 Tourists: 'I come here every winter but this is the most magnificent,' said Heather Ferrara of nearby Tonawanda, who visited the Falls with her husband amid minus seven temperatures. Above, tourists take pictures of The American Falls (rear) from the Niagara Falls on Friday   Icy: Tourists view the waterfalls and river at Canada's Niagara Falls (left), while tree branches at the Horseshoe Falls are frozen over (right) +32 An amusing sight: In this photo - which proves just how cold it has been across large swathes of the US this winter - an icy imprint of a Jeep's bumper remains standing in a parking lot in Greenville, North Carolina - long after the vehicle was driven away by its owner +32 Imprint: The sheet of ice was captured outside Vidant Medical Center on Tuesday afternoon. According to WITN.com, the ice sculpture might have happened when 'the Jeep owner left their vehicle running, warming up the engine' then backed out of the parking space +32 Risky leap: Other striking pictures that the sub-zero temperatures, snow and ice have produced include thrill-seekers 'diving' into snow piles from windows and balconies (pictured) as part of what has been dubbed the 'Boston Blizzard Challenge'. The challenge has been condemned by the city's Mayor, Martin Walsh, who said in a press conference: 'This isn’t Loon Mountain. This is the city of Boston' +32 Snow removal: With nearly 100 inches of snow having covered the Boston area over the winter season, snow removal efforts on the MIT campus engineered this new five-story-high mountain of snow (pictured). Volunteers were paid to remove snow elsewhere in the city   The band of air could plunge parts of the country into deep freezes that haven't been felt since the mid-1990s, the National Weather Service said. Up to six inches of snow - adding to previous snowfall - could be seen in eastern Ohio Valley and upstate New York, according to the Weather Channel. Bruce Sullivan, a senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said: 'Higher amounts [of snow] over the next two days will probably be across southern Indiana and Illinois and eastward through Ohio into western Pennsylvania. That's where it looks like the jackpot will be.' This week, many parts of the eastern US have seen record-breaking low temperatures. On Friday morning, at least 72 records were recorded, from Marquette, Michigan (-26 degrees) to Miami (42 degrees). Lynchburg, Virginia, even saw a bone-chilling minus 11 degrees - a new all-time record low. The sub-zero temperatures have resulted in striking scenes, including a fountain in a New York state park that was transformed into a 50-foot 'ice volcano', thrill-seekers 'diving' from windows into snow piles as part of the so-called 'Boston Blizzard Challenge' and a frozen-over Hudson River. The 'Siberian Express' that has been sweeping across the nation has led to the deaths of at least 20 people from hypothermia, the Weather Channel reported. The toll includes nine people in Tennessee, six in Pennsylvania, two in Illinois and one in each of the states: Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. Meanwhile, residents in Toronto, Canada, are still mourning the death of three-year-old Elijah Marsh, who wandered out into the extreme cold dressed in no clothes and succumbed to the freezing conditions. More than $100,000 has already been raised in donations for the toddler's funeral. +32 'Ice castle': In this incredible photo, thousands of icicles blanket a house in Philadelphia, western Pennsylvania, after firefighters tackled an overnight blaze with water hoses. The water froze due to a combination of strong winds and bone-chilling temperatures in the city +32 At work: The blaze, which occurred at Locust Medical Center at 52nd and Locust streets, led to the building being dubbed an 'ice castle' +32 Bone-chilling weather: A Philadelphia firefighter, covered in small pieces of ice, is pictured at the scene of the overnight blaze on Monday +32 Frozen over: The Josephine Shaw Lowell Fountain in Bryant Park in New York remained frozen on Friday amid the 'Siberian Express' +32 Having a joke: This sign, reading: 'Missing: My Body. Last seen: 1/28/15', was erected in Wilmington, Massachusetts, by a local this week   Snowy: Steve Wintermeier tees off from the top of a snow mound (left) at the corner of Boylston Street and Dartmouth Street in downtown Boston last Sunday, while a sign tires to encourage visitors to think optimistically at the Thistle & Shamrock store in Cambridge (right)   'This week ranks among the most intense arctic outbreaks so far in the 21st century for the eastern U.S., and it is certainly one of the most impressively cold air masses we've seen this late in the winter season, coming only a month before the spring equinox,' senior meteorologist Nick Wiltgen said. According to the NOAA and the National Weather Service, at least 500 daily record low temperatures have been broken since Sunday. And more places across the Northeast are expected to see record-breaking cold on Saturday morning as Winter Storm Pandora sweeps across the region. The previous weather system was called a 'Siberian Express' because the winds came in from Russia and traveled over the Arctic Circle, pushing frigid air into Canada and the United States. On Friday, Washington's Reagan National Airport saw a record low temperature of just six degrees. This beat a 119-year-old record low for the day of eight degrees. Meanwhile, New York City's Central Park plummeted to two degrees, breaking the 1950 record of seven degrees. In western Pennsylvania, temperatures dipped to minus 18 in New Castle and six below zero in Pittsburgh - both records. +32 Peculiar sight: A man in a furry white suit jogs through the snow in Boston after a winter storm dumped 16.5 inches of snow on the city +32 Keeping warm: This photo, posted online, shows Boston residents sitting beside in a fire in a hole they carved out of a huge snow pile   Blocked in: According to the NOAA, at least 500 daily record low temperatures have been broken since Sunday. And more places across the Northeast are expected to see record-breaking cold on Saturday morning. Above, snow blocks doorways on Plum Island, New York +32 Picturesque: Snow and ice covers Central Park, which plummeted to two degrees on Friday, breaking the 1950 record of seven degrees       The rolling Montana landscape creates a tranquil backdrop to this series of images exploring rural life in Paradise Valley, a small rural community just north of Yellowstone National Park. It portray the 'salt of the earth' people who live there alongside the ranch animals and  spectacular Big Sky scenery. A rancher takes a drag on a cigarette with the rolling Montana landscape behind him The sun streams across a corral as a wrangler leads his horse towards a barn   A rusting Montana license plate, that shows the outline of the state, is nailed to a wall +30 Rows of stirrups hang against the wooden side of a Montana barn +30 Horses gallop towards Jason Lindsey's camera as the photographer captures the wild beauty of Montana +30 The piercing blue eyes of a cowboy stand out in this portrait taken by Lindsey +30 Lindsey was captivated by the people living in Montana's Paradise Valley +30 Lindsey says his affection for 'salt of the earth' people comes from growing up in a small farm town +30 A Montana rancher, pitchfork in hand, takes a break from his work +30 Two wranglers gallop across a ridge under Montana's famed big sky +30 A working dog looks poised and alert as it watches the world pass by on the farm +30 Lindsey's portraits capture rural life in Paradise Valley +30 A rancher drinks from a shot glass as he takes a rest from a long day on the farm +30 A resident of Paradise Valley smiles broadly as Lindsey takes his photograph +30 A cowboy saddles up his horse in the low light of the Montana sky +30 The sun warms the back of a row of horses as they stand in a corral +30 The warm glow of lights shine in a cabin as snow settles on a tree-covered mountain +30 An animal skull and horse shoes hang on the outside of a farm building in Paradise Valley +30 The tools of a cowboy's trade hang from horse-shoe shaped hooks on a rustic wall +30 Lindsey's photos capture the beauty and soft light of Montana's rural regions +30 License plates from Montana, Colorado and Arizona adorn a wall +30 A horse grazes in a meadow as a blizzard whips around it +30 A rancher with a snow-white mustache smiles while leaning against a wall +30 A holly wreath hangs on the door of a barn sat next to a winding mountain road +30 Two women sit on their horses as the long grass of Montana's plains waves in the breeze +30 Lindsey has produced a series of compelling portraits of those living in Montana's valleys +30 +30 A horse gazes peacefully into the distance from its Montana meadow   Ranch hands hold their horses on a rain-soaked driveway +30 Antlers fixed to the outside of a building are dusted with snow as a flurry falls on Paradise Valley A father from Poland has used his passion for photography to capture striking and heart-warming photos of his family.  Sebastian Luczywo's photos embody his rural life; the photos depict innocent scenes of children playing with their charming family pets. He is not a professional photographer, but Sebastian clearly has an ability to capture powerful still life images. +13 Family album: An amateur photographer and father captures his family in their rural life. This snap called 'The good and bad' shows Sebastian Luczywo's sons Jack and Christopher enjoying a wintery afternoon Speaking about his hobby, he said: 'Photography is my passion, though I do not make money taking pictures at the moment, I do not know if I will in the future. I have been a business advisor for 15 years but I am looking for a new direction in life, I have always hoped to be a photographer.' Sebastian mainly photographs his family, including his two sons, 8-year-old Jacek and 11-year-old Krzysztof, Kaya his 15-year-old daughter and his wife Agnieszka. +13 Child's best friend: The father from Poland has used his passion for photography to capture striking and heart-warming photos of his family and their furry friends +13 Enjoying a dip: Sebastian Luczywo's photos embody his rural life and one of his favourite subjects is his wife Agnieszka, pictured enjoying a cigarette in a makeshift bath tub in the garden +13 Inspirations: Speaking about his work, he said: 'I love my wife and children. I love seeing how they change, and I like to photograph the most important events in our lives' +13 Talent: He is not a professional photographer, but Sebastian clearly has an ability to capture powerful still life images +13 True love: Speaking about his hobby, he said: 'Photography is my passion, though I do not make money taking pictures at the moment and I do not know if I will in the future' +13 Hobby: He has been a business advisor for 15 years but is looking for a new direction in life, he says He said: 'I love my wife and children. I love seeing how they change, and I like to photograph the most important events in our lives. I am happy when we do things together because it brings us closer.  'I find the beauty of my wife very inspiring, but my kids also give me a lot of inspiration. Kaja, Christopher and Jacek are so carefree, cheerful and they have a lot of great ideas - there is no better inspiration than spending time with them,' explains Sebastian. He lives with his family in Jelenia Gora, which is located in a valley and surrounded by picturesque mountains.  The budding photographer explains he chose to include his pet dogs in his touching photos, as he feels they are very much a part of his family.  Childhood innocence: Sebastian says he is happy when he, his wife and children do things together because it brings them closer +13 Unusual: His clever and mood-filled photos depict his children and pets in the countryside, often with a touch of the surreal +13 Magical: The resulting images are anything but your standard family portraits and have a real magical element to them   Man's best friend: The budding photographer explains he chose to include his pet dogs in his touching photos, as he feels they are very much a part of his family

The bright lights of the city often lure people in with promises of a better way of life. Today, around 3.9 billion people around the world live in towns and cities, with the global urban population growing by about one million people each week. But while urban dwellers may have better access to doctors and hospitals, there are growing concerns that city-living is severely damaging to health. Rat race: The Paris-based International Council for Science has launched a programme that aims to understand how a city environment can be changed to improve the health of its residents Now, scientists at the International Council for Science have launched a global programme to find out exactly how factors such as pollution, overcrowding and crime are affecting overall wellbeing. The 'Urban Health and Wellbeing Programme' hopes to understand what makes a 'healthy urban environment', according to a report by Mark Kinver in the BBC. 'We are facing global epidemics of non-communicable diseases - heart disease, diabetes and so on - and mental health problems,' Professor Anthony Capon, director of the UN University's International Institute for Global Health, told the BBC. Packed: The programme claims that city-dwellers have higher rates of mental illness due to stress and social isolation. Those living in cities also suffer worse from impacts from car pollution 'We are also seeing the health impact of climate change, such as heat-stress in cities and changes in the distribution of infectious vector-borne diseases.' CITIES ARE BAD FOR THE HEALTH OF NEW MOTHERS Women who live in urban areas are more likely to develop postnatal depression than those who live in the countryside, recent research has claimed. Women who live in large cities are three per cent more likely to develop the condition five to 14 months after giving birth. The researchers believe this could be because city living is more stressful and is associated with less supportive communities. Dr Simone Vigod, at Women's College Hospital, in Toronto, said: 'Living in an urban area is a marker of more stress, less support and a potentially higher risk of postpartum depression for women. 'Our study suggests we need to better target our supports and services towards women based on their geographic location to improve their outcomes and reduce their risk of postpartum depression.' For instance, the programme claims that city-dwellers have higher rates of mental illness due to stress and social isolation. It is also looking at how infectious diseases thrive when people are crowded together, or how they emerge when cities expand into surrounding areas. 'The demographic advantage of youth in such countries would be lost unless combined with healthy living' said Indira Nath, Chair of the Scientific Committee at the International Council for Science. 'Policy makers face the challenge of viewing healthy cities as 'systems' consisting of multiple subsystems along with the overarching super system of climate change.'  But Professor Capon said that the programme could offer some hope, by combining expertise between scientists and urban planners on how to better develop cities. The programme will look at everything from the design of public spaces and transport to improvements in housing and free city services. Professor Capon says the key is understanding that cities are really about people. 'We are attracted to cities for economic, educational and social opportunities,' he said 'When we live in cities, they need to work for us. It is not just about the economic efficiencies.'     A Welsh woman has landed her dream job, beating off stiff competition from 300 other applicants to win the role of manager of a remote island. +10 Smitten: Sian Stacey, 26, has swapped her job for a charity in Cardiff to join her boyfriend Mark Carter, 28, on tiny Bardsey Island, a remote isle two miles off the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales +10 Sian will now manage the island, which stretches just one-and-a-half miles in length, and live with boyfriend Mark in his house, one of just nine properties on the island +10 Fell for the island, fell for the man: Sian saw off stiff competition from 300 other applicants who were hoping to land a job in the middle of nowhere, literally It seems the former development manager needed little persuasion to ditch her job for a charity in Cardiff... she fell in love with the island - known in Welsh as Ynys Enlli - long before she fell in love with Mark. The couple met three-and-a-half years' ago during one of Sian's summer visits to Bardsey, which measures just one mile by one-and-a-half miles long and has only nine homes, some of which remain empty in winter. Mark works on the island's bird observatory, and he will now share his tiny solar-paneled home with his girlfriend. When Sian saw the advert for a year-long post as manager on the island, she leapt at the chance, saying: 'I knew I was never going to be able to move to Bardsey without a job but I think I can give a lot to this job, things that weren't even advertised.' +10 City life is overrated: Sian says every time she visits she discovers a new part of the island, despite its diminutive size   The island's often inclement weather means residents on Bardsey can be left stranded for weeks...and Sian must now get used to growing her own vegetables and relying on tinned food during winter months +10 Meet the neighbours: Of the island's nine houses, only some of them are inhabited year-round Leaving the cosmopolitan confines of the Welsh capital will see Sian swap her local supermarket for a vegetable patch where she will have to grow her own food, and her only means of transport is a privately-operated boat run by a local boatman. She said: 'I've grown up there and I love the place. I have been going there for 15 years and I still find different places to explore. 'Food is going to be quite challenging, especially in the winter. There's not many boat trips to the mainland in the winter, so tinned food will be my new best friend.' Should the couple choose to leave their forgotten hideaway, they'll be at the mercy of Mother Nature; the weather sometimes dictates travel plans. However, they will be celebrating Christmas and New Year - presumably it'll be a low-key affair - on the island. For communicating with family, there is an internet connection and some mod-cons are available including a fridge and lighting, all powered by solar panels. +10 The future's bright, Sian says she's hoping she can persuade others to fall in love with the island she has been visiting for 15 years, and found love on... +10 Living the dream: With cobalt blue waters and green lands, in summer Bardsey does a good impression of a more exotic isle +10 More wildlife than humans: up to 100 puffins and 200 grey seals make their home on blustery Bardsey Mark's oven is oil-powered and there's a back-up generator should the lights go out. Sian, who grew up in Llansteffan, said she's hoping to grow the population by encouraging more people to choose an isolated life. After winning the role, she spoke at an Inspire Cardiff event, saying: 'I'm looking forward to encouraging more volunteers to come to Bardsey. There's a great group but I want to try to increase the numbers.' 'I'm going to be learning a lot of new skills.'     Reuters photographer Jim Urquhart recently captured these scenes from a fading culture, as he followed Montana ranchers on their final horse drive, moving more than 300 horses down from their winter range. Every spring the Mantle family, along with with a group of wranglers, drives the herd north over 35 miles and three days, through the small town of Three Forks to their ranch. After decades of supplying and tending to horses, the Mantles, citing financial challenges, now plan to sell off their herd and shift to raising beef cattle. Take a moment to travel with the Mantle family through big sky country, on a journey once so familiar and iconic, now fading into memory with the rest of cowboy culture. Wrangler Shad Boardman rides into a pasture during Montana Horses' final horse drive outside Three Forks, Montana, on May 6, 2012. The Mantle family, who own Montana Horses, held their last horse drive where they rounded up approximately 300 horses and drove the herd 35 miles from their winter range to the Mantle ranch. The horses will be picked up by leasers to be used as pack and trail horses at dude ranches and national parks. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) 2 A view of the 500 acre Mantle ranch outside Three Forks, Montana, on May 3, 2012. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 3 Renee Mantle rides in a truck on her way to the wrangler camp before Montana Horses' last annual horse drive, on May 3, 2012. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 4 Kail Mantle give instructions to wranglers before the horse drive on May 4, 2012. Kail, a former rodeo champion, and his wife Renee have been operating Montana Horses off a plot of land north of Three Forks since 1995.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 5 Renee Mantle checks the hoof and shoes of a horse during Montana Horses' annual horse drive on May 3, 2012.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 6 Wrangler Lori Young readies her horse before the start of the horse drive, on May 4, 2012. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 7 Wranglers ride along railroad tracks during Montana Horses' last horse drive, on May 6, 2012. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 8 Wranglers gather a herd of horses off the winter range south of Three Forks, Montana, on May 4, 2012.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 9 Horses cross a river during Montana Horses' annual horse drive, on May 4, 2012. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 10 Wranglers work to gather horses outside Three Forks, on May 4, 2012. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 11 Wrangler Shad Boardman rides his horse through a river on May 4, 2012. The drive is not without dangers -- over the years, a number of wranglers have suffered minor injuries, from head injuries to broken bones. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 12 Wranglers gather at camp outside Three Forks, Montana, on May 3, 2012. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 13 A spur on a wrangler's boot during Montana Horses' last horse drive outside Three Forks, Montana, May 6, 2012.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 14 Wranglers visit beside a campfire under a moonlit sky on May 3, 2012. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 15 Wrangler Denise Boyd laughs by the campfire on May 4, 2012. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 16 The last of the daylight fades over the wrangler's camp outside Three Forks, Montana, on May 3, 2012.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 17 The belt buckle of wrangler Sara Tharp, seen before Montana Horses' last horse drive on May 4, 2012.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 18 Renee Mantle chases a horse trying to break away on May 6, 2012. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 19 Horses run to the corrals during Montana Horses' last horse drive in central Montana, on May 4, 2012.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 20 Wranglers from lead a herd of horses down a paved road on May 6, 2012. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 21 A horse shakes itself off after the second day of Montana Horses' last horse drive on May 5, 2012.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 22 Wranglers lead a herd of horses outside Three Forks, Montana, on May 6, 2012. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 23 Renee Mantle sorts a herd of horses in a corral on May 5, 2012. The Mantles know each of their 300-plus horses by name.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 24 A wrangler's hand rests on a saddle horn during a horse drive on May 6, 2012. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 25 Wranglers lead a herd of horses during Montana Horses' last horse drive on May 5, 2012. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 26 After the drive, Renee Mantle enjoys a moment in the pasture with her horses as they vie for attention, on May 6, 2012.(Reuters/Jim Urquhart) # 27 Wrangler Nate Cummins takes the opportunity to ride by moonlight, the night before the "Super Moon" during Montana Horses' final horse drive outside Three Forks, Montana, on May 4, 2012. A combine cuts rice in a field near Tucker, Arkansas, on August 16, 2012. Arkansas rice farmers planted 1.135 million acres in 2012, equal to 59 percent of the nation's rice crop this year, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service.(AP Photo/Danny Johnston) #   Boys and girls compete with their sheep at the West Virginia State fair on August 11, 2012 in Lewisburg, West Virginia. (Image was created using an iPhone 4s with Snapseed's vintage filter) (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)   A nodding donkey pump extracts oil from the earth at an abandoned farm near the old ghost town of Dore, North Dakota, on April 19, 2012. Dore has seen a rebirth with booming oil activity in western North Dakota.(AP Photo/ James MacPherson)   A firefighting helicopter fills a bucket of water in heavy smoke as the North Merna wildfire burns in the Bridger National Forest west of the town of Pinedale in Sublette County, Wyoming, on September 16, 2012. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #   Visitors walk through the "infinity room" before a public memorial service for U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong at the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio, on August 29, 2012. Armstrong, who took a giant leap for mankind when he became the first person to walk on the moon, died in August at the age of 82. (Reuters/Matt Sullivan) #   A bear cub with second-degree burns to its paws is examined and treated at the Garden Valley Ranger Station in Idaho, on August 28, 2012. The cub, who is about four months old, was injured in the Mustang Complex Fire. Wildlife veterinarian Mark Drew said the cub, nicknamed Boo Boo, will require long term care to survive. Efforts to locate the cub's mother were unsuccessful. (Reuters/USFS/Kari Greer) #     Kameron Hays, 7, sports a mohawk while attending the Iowa 80 truck stop's 33rd Annual Truckers Jamboree in Walcott, Iowa, on July 12, 2012. The Iowa 80, located along Interstate 80, is said to be the world's largest truck stop.(Reuters/Adrees Latif)   A view of Monument Valley Tribal Park in Utah, on August 14, 2012. (Reuters/Charles Platiau) A cowboy rides his horse through town as he watches a Cinco de Mayo celebration in Beardstown, Illinois, on May 6, 2012. There are approximately 900 immigrant workers from 34 countries employed in Beardstown at the Cargill meat packing plant and most are willing to work hard at just about anything for a better life in the United States. While both longtime community residents and immigrants agree that most people accept the newcomers, the beginnings were rocky and some problems still remain.(Reuters/Jim Young)   Beach visitors watch the sunset in Dauphin Island, Alabama, on August 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Dave Martin) #   View from the south Rim of the Grand Canyon near Tusayan, Arizona, on August 10, 2012. (Reuters/Charles Platiau)