The end of the world is nigh

Did you read your horoscope in last week's Young Post? If you did, you are among thousands of readers who always turn to this popular column when they get hold of a newspaper or magazine. Predicting the future is big business. Most newspapers run a horoscope somewhere in their pages and fortune tellers do a steady trade satisfying the curiosity of eager customers.

French astrologer Nostradamus, published a book of prophecies in 1555 - the world's most famous predictions. He predicted, in vague terms, events that would happen from the 16th century onwards to the end of the world. Many people have taken Nostradamus' misty predictions and linked them to events that have taken place since his death.

Runner-up to Nostradamus in the prophesy stakes is England's famous prophetess, Mother Shipton. Many of her prophesies, like the predictions of Nostradamus, have come true. But doubters will always tell you that the sayings of both Mother Shipton and Nostradamus are hidden in such vague language that anyone can make them mean whatever they want them to mean.

Ursula Shipton was born one hot summer night in a cave near the market town of Knaresborough in North Yorkshire. Her mother was a young unmarried local girl who had fled from the town in disgrace. As the baby came into the world in the dark cave, a great crack of thunder crashed through the silent night and a smell of sulphur burnt the still air.

And the baby was huge and deformed. Instead of crying like a normal baby, the newly born child laughed and hissed. The women who delivered the baby thought it was a child of the devil.

The child was named Ursula and her young mother managed to look after her alone until she was two years old. Then she was given into the care of a foster family and her real mother disappeared.