Police have arrested a man over a string of assaults on elderly victims who had sneezed in public.
Five women and one man complained to police that they had been slapped while sneezing in Carlisle city centre.
The incidents involving victims aged from 65 to 82 took place over the last month.
Sneezing is not a crime (file picture)
A spokesman for Cumbria Police said: "Police in Carlisle have arrested a man in connection with assaults that occurred in the city centre on elderly members of the public who had sneezed.
"A 49-year-old man from Carlisle was arrested in connection with the assaults today and is currently helping officers with their inquiries."
Fun Facts About Sneezing
New Thinking On Why We Sneeze(01 of10)
Researchers from the department of otorhinolaryngology - head and neck surgery at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia recently answered the question as to why we sneeze. They discovered that we're rebooting, much like a computer does. Reporting in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, the researchers concluded we need to reset our nasal environment every once in a while, and sneezing is how we do it. For the study, the researchers took cells from the noses of mice and watched how they cleared mucus. Then they replicated their experiments in nasal cells from humans with and without sinusitis. (credit:Alamy)
Why Do We Sneeze in Succession(02 of10)
Rarely does the act of sneezing (also called sternutation) involve only one sneeze. Often two or three sneezes come in quick succession. The reason we sneeze in multiples has to do with why we sneeze in the first place, says Marjorie L. Slankard, M.D., an associate attending physician and director of the Allergy Clinic at Columbia-New York Presbyterian Medical Center. You sneeze to rid your nose of what's irritating it. Sometimes that takes two, three, or four sneezes. (credit:Alamy)
Why Sneezing And Snoozing Don't Mix(03 of10)
You may snore, but you don't sneeze when you sleep. It has to do with sneezing being a reflex action. When you're sleeping, the nerves involved in sneezing are relaxed, breaking the chain reaction of the typical sneeze. If someone were to wave irritants under your nose while you were sleeping, however, you might wake up and sneeze. (credit:Alamy)
Your Heart Does Not Stop When You Sneeze(04 of10)
It is a myth that your heart briefly stops when you sneeze. The fact is, when we sneeze, the pressure in our chests changes. These changes can alter blood flow, and that can change the rhythm of your heartbeat. You may feel as though your heart "skips a beat" when you sneeze, but it doesn't. (credit:Alamy)
Sneezing For A World Record(05 of10)
Many people sneeze two or three times in a row for a few seconds. But that's nothing compared to the sneezing done by Donna Griffiths of Worcestershire, England. She's believed to hold the record for the longest sneeze in the world. Sneezing lore has it that she sneezed continuously from Jan. 13, 1981 (when she was 12), until Sept. 16, 1983 -- a total of 978 days. No word on what caused her to sneeze or why she finally stopped. (credit:Alamy)
The Sounds Of Sneezing(06 of10)
Some people are loud sneezers, and others sneeze more softly, but everyone makes some noise when sneezing. Here's why: When you sneeze, air is moving more than 100 miles an hour through your nose. The force of that much air coming through your tiny nostrils and mouth makes some noise, and the size of your nostrils could affect how loud the sound is. What we call that noise depends on where in the world we live: The English say "achoo," the French say "atchoum," Italians say "hapsu," the Japanese say "hakushon," and Swedes say "atjo." (credit:Alamy)
Traveling Germs In A Sneeze(07 of10)
The spray from a sneeze has been documented to travel as far as 3 feet, but Dr. Slankard says she is sure it travels farther than that, estimating the potential distance at 5 feet or more. Her reasoning is that a sneeze moves with such force and the mucus particles are so tiny that it's likely they could travel across a room. That's why it's so important to cover your nose when you sneeze. Use your elbow rather than your hand -- not only because the germs could pass through your fingers but also to prevent spreading germs as you later touch doorknobs, faucets, and other objects. (credit:Alamy)
Cultural Beliefs About Sneezing(08 of10)
Just for fun, some culture-related facts on sneezing:In some cultures, sneezing is a sign of good luck, but one old wives' tale says it is bad luck to sneeze at the same time as someone you're with.In some Asian cultures, when you sneeze it means someone is talking about you behind your back.Saying "God bless you" when a person sneezes stems from the belief that when people sneeze their souls (which reside in the head) sneak out of your body. Others say "God bless you" to keep them safe. Another theory: In ancient Rome, two of the symptoms of the bubonic plague were coughing and sneezing. Pope Gregory VII recommended saying "God bless you" to people after a sneeze (credit:Alamy)
Sneezing: Pepper Spray(09 of10)
Why does pepper, the king of spices, make us sneeze? It contains the chemical piperine, which can be an irritant if it gets in the nose while grinding fresh peppercorns or refilling the pepper shaker. (credit:Alamy)
Color-Coding The Sneeze(10 of10)
When you sneeze, the mucus you spew should be clear, but it can be a rainbow of colors -- green, yellow, or brown. In most cases, if the mucus is one of these colors, it's a sign of an infection, and you should see your doctor for treatment. The color comes from white cells in the mucus producing antibodies to fight the cold or infection. One last related sneeze fact: Your nose produces 1 to 2 pints of mucus every day. (credit:Alamy)