Section: News:UK News

FAMILIES living in the shadow of two “humungous” warehouses say the buildings have destroyed their view and devalued their properties.

The colossal steel frames, which residents have likened to cruise ships, are part of a 350,000 sq ft industrial site that is dwarfing homes nearby.

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Residents in Tyldesley, Wigan, described being alarmed by the scale, and some are even considering moving.

Plans from developer PLP show the massive site will eventually be home to four vast warehouses, with the council agreeing to a maximum height of 18.3m (60ft) for two of those buildings.

Delivery giant Whistl has already snapped up one of the huge sheds, signing a 15-year deal on a 140,000 sq ft unit.

A council boss insisted landscaping would help soften the appearance, adding that the project followed proper planning processes.

But residents argued the final approved plans from were far bigger than had been originally designed.

They worried about the effect on property values, arguing there was limited consultation before building started.

John Peters, 71, a retired teacher, has lived on the estate since 1978. He said: “It’s a total shock when you walk out of the door.

“The enormity of the thing just strikes you. It shouldn’t be there.”

He said his dreams of a peaceful retirement were “shattered” by the arrival of the structure so close to his home.

A campaign group has been set up to rally neighbours and fight the development, with more than 200 people in attendance at a recent meeting.

Mr Peters claimed the way residents were informed about the project left many feeling blindsided.

He said: “A letter was sent out to 90 residents, but I don’t know how they selected those residents because some of the people who back onto the site didn’t get anything.

“It was just completely random.”

Paula Boardman, 47, lives with her husband and two kids in a house that backs onto the imposing warehouse.

She said: “It’s quite upsetting, because we used to have such a lovely view.

“We knew this was going to be built, but we thought it was going to be a lot smaller.

“As soon as the framework went up, everyone realised the height of it – it’s humungous. I’m worried it’s going to take all our sunlight.

“It’s like a cruise ship at the back of our garden. Even if we wanted to move, I think the value of the house has gone down.”

She raised concerns about damage in her home that she fears could be related to the warehouse’s size and proximity of construction work.

She said: “I noticed a dip in the flooring back in February and a big crack in the wall.”

Steve Retford, 69, said he no longer sits in the garden because of the structure that stands just 30m away – describing the impact as “profound”.

The retired police officer said: “It’s just dreadful. We feel this sense of injustice.

“I don’t profess to be a planning expert, but when you look at the sheer enormity of this, it’s not right.

“It must have taken tens of thousands of pounds off the value of our houses. Every time I think about it, I feel sick.”

Care worker Danielle Edwards, 38, fears the warehouse could make it difficult to sell her home in the future.

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She said: “It’s awful. We bought this house because we’re a young family wanting to stay in the area.

“It would be very difficult to move. I can see it from my back garden. We thought they were going to be low-rise industrial units, but they’re not.”

Retired project manager Eric Earnshaw, 79, has lived in the Tyldesley area all his life but is now preparing to leave for the Lake District.

The keen dog walker said it’s because he’s had enough of constant building work.

He added: “There are walks that take me along fields in the area where there are plans for thousands of homes.

“All the green space around here is disappearing.”

Aidan Thatcher, director for place at Wigan Council, told The Sun: “This planning application went through our planning consultation and committee process.

“The final plans include landscaping which will help to screen and soften the appearance, and mitigate the impact on nearby properties.

“We will continue to monitor the site throughout construction, ensuring this development bringing new jobs and investment to the area is delivered properly.”

A spokesperson for PLP said they would not comment.

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A DESPERATE mum has issued a heartbreaking plea for her missing daughter to “please come home”.

Amy, 36, was last seen near Quarry View Garden Care in the village of Chinnor, Oxfordshire, at around 1pm on Saturday.

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She is known to regularly visit The Quarry in the area, with police urging members of the public to “call 999” if they see her, Oxford Mail reports.

In a fresh appeal to find her, mum Trixie Sophie said: “Ami please come home your family miss you your children.

“Miss you. You don’t need to tell anybody where you are. Just phone your mum.

“Wherever she is I will come and get her. She can come home to me.

“I won’t tell anybody, we just want you home safe my darling with your family.”

Amy has been described by police as a white woman, around 5ft 5ins tall, of a slim build and was last known to have blonde hare – though she frequently dyes it.

She also has three stars tattooed behind her left dear, a black out stop watch and a love heart tattoo on her wrist and fortune cookie tattoo on her ankle.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: “Have you seen Amy? She is 36-years-old and missing from Aylesbury.

“Amy was last seen at around 1pm on Saturday near Quarry View Garden Care in Chinnor.

“She is a white woman, around 5ft 5ins tall, of slim build and was last known to have blonde hair, though she frequently dyes it.

“Amy has three stars tattooed behind her left ear, a blacked out stop-watch and love heart tattoo on her wrist and a fortune cookie tattoo on her ankle.

“She is known to frequent The Quarry, Chinnor.

“If you see her, please call 999. If you have information on her whereabouts, please call 101 or make an online report, quoting 43250444275.”

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DEFENCE chiefs were hit by nearly 300 suspected security breaches every week, latest figures show.

The toll, for the first half of last year, more than doubled in two years.

It included staff posting sensitive information on social media and gaming sites.

Military personnel have also given away secrets on their OnlyFans subscription pages, while restricted papers have been found in the street.

Blunders have included revealing the position of troops and ships, the security of military bases and details on weaponry and manoeuvres.

Figures obtained by The Sun show that in 2023 — the most recent full year with available stats — there were 12,713 security incidents.

In the first six months of 2024 there were a further 7,710. In 2021, the MoD recorded just 5,522.

There are no rules banning personnel from joining social networks as long as they maintain high standards.

This year Apache helicopter pilot Harry Bourne was dishonourably discharged from the Army for sharing videos and photos of himself on OnlyFans which revealed secrets of Wattisham Airfield, in Suffolk.

Security expert Graham Cluley said: “It all sounds like a joke but it’s deadly serious.”

The Ministry of Defence said: “We take data security extremely seriously and are committed to ensuring incidents are dealt with properly.”

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THREE protesters have been arrested after a police officer was punched in a busy shopping centre.

Masked demonstrators became “aggressive” as a peaceful protest took place on the Isle of Dogs, central London, this afternoon.

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Police said that a small group made their way into the Canary Wharf shopping centre before becoming hostile towards officers.

Following the unrest, cops ordered crowds to remove their masks under Section 60 AA and called in reinforcements.

A Section 35 was also put in place, forcing demonstrators to leave the area.

Shocking footage on social media showed cops tackling protesters to the ground.

The Met confirmed arrests had been made for common assault, possession of drugs and assault on police.

In a statement, the force said: “We have been facilitating peaceful anti-asylum protest on the Isle of Dogs this afternoon.

“Protesters, including some masked, moved into the Canary Wharf shopping centre where a small group became aggressive towards cops.

“We are aware there are young children in the protest area.

“While we deal with any criminality our officers are ensuring the safety of them is paramount.

“One of our officers was punched in the face – luckily they have not suffered significant injury.”

Yesterday, five people were arrested after demonstrators tried to force their way into a migrant hotel in West Drayton, west London.

The Met said a group of masked men attempted to force their way into the Crowne Plaza hotel following peaceful protests.

Nationwide protests were sparked after the landmark ruling to boot migrants out of the Bell Hotel in Essex was overturned.

Epping Forest District Council last week won a bid at the High Court to block migrants from being housed at the hotel.

The temporary injunction meant that the building has to be cleared of its occupants by September 12.

But on Friday, the Court of Appeal overturned the injunction following an appeal by the Home Office and hotel owners Somani.

The latest ruling means the migrants can stay where they are for the time being.

And demonstrations have since continued to spread, with 19 councils vowing to take legal action to boot asylum seekers out of hotels.

The hotel in Essex, has been at the centre of protests after two of its guests were charged with sexual offences.

Angie Claire, 56, who has five grandchildren aged under seven, was protesting outside the building on Friday night.

She told the Sun: “I think it’s absolutely disgusting for the safety of the children in the area.

“I’ve got nothing against immigrants but when they’re causing trouble and problems with our children, they need to be moved on.

“I think they should go home. Why should our government be funding all of this? I think it’s disgusting.

“My children grew up here and they were safe. We never had a worry in the world.

“Now there’s a fear of our children even walking out the front doors so I think it’s best they go.”

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LOCALS in “Britain’s most dangerous” say it has become overrun with knife-wielding kids who are making their lives hell.

In a children’s playground at 2pm on a weekday afternoon, two masked drug dealers bear down on our photographer, spitting threats.

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The two young men had seen him taking pictures in the town centre park and wanted to make sure they didn’t appear in them, one putting on a balaclava and the second pulling up the hood of his jacket.

After threatening to smash up his equipment, one of them explained the reason they were there.

“We’re here to f*** up your society by selling drugs to the white boys,” he snarls.

It’s an alarming – but perhaps not surprising – welcome to Middlesbrough, the Teesside town which now has the unenviable status of “Britain’s most dangerous”.

New Home Office statistics reveal that the town suffered 158 crimes per 1,000 people – or to put it another way, one person in six was the victim of crime in the past year.

The Community Safety Partnership stats show Middlesbrough was eclipsed only by Westminster (423 crimes per 1,000) and Camden (195) – although both have much higher populations.

Another survey, by Statista, found the Cleveland Police area, which includes Middlesbrough, has the highest per capita crime rate in the UK, followed by West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire and the Met.

After encountering the town centre drug dealers, The Sun went to the crime-plagued Hemlington estate on the south western edge of the town to speak to locals.

The hot topic of the day was the suspension of bus routes to some parts of the estate due to stone and brick attacks by children aged as young as 10.

And another community facility, the Cleveland Huntsman pub, had just had its licence revoked after a man was allegedly stabbed and slashed in an altercation following a spate of criminal damage at the premises.

A number of knife-related cases from recent months are heading through the courts, including the murder of 28-year-old Jordan Hogg.

Four men and two youths deny stabbing him to death in the bleak Fonteyn Court.

It was also on Fonteyn Court that a 19-year-old man was stabbed on August 11 at 5.20pm – and within five minutes a 21-year-old man suffered the same fate on nearby Dalwood Court. 

There was a weary acceptance from locals.

“It’s sickening but at the same time it’s just bog standard,” says one elderly woman who stops to chat on Fonteyn Court.

The kids are carrying knives before they’ve left primary school and they learn from the older lads how to use them, the number of stabbings is out of control.

Resident in Fonteyn Court

“The kids are carrying knives before they’ve left primary school and they learn from the older lads how to use them, the number of stabbings is out of control.

“I’d say we need more bobbies, but they have no respect for authority. I mean, just look around you.”

She has a point. The street is split around 50/50 between occupied and boarded up houses. Disconcertingly, voices can be heard coming from behind some of the green shutters.

Mattresses are dumped on pavements and the remains of torched wheelie bins, sofas and shopping trolleys litter the deserted green areas where children might once have played.

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The one rare sign of cheer is that someone has placed a giant paddling pool at the centre of a grassy area, a hosepipe leading through the back gate of a neighbouring house.

People are loath to speak publicly for fear of reprisals, but one shopkeeper tells us “feral” kids are at the centre of the problems.

“You can see them lining up at the side of the road to bomb the buses with bricks,” he says.

“Some of them are tiny little kids, screaming and swearing as they chuck stones.”

Police travelling undercover on buses

The situation became so bad that officers from Middlesbrough Neighbourhood Policing Team travelled undercover on buses in the area, leading to the arrest of a 10-year-old boy on suspicion of four counts of criminal damage and three counts of causing danger to road users. 

He was later referred to the Youth Offending Team while another boy aged 14 was identified and dealt with for separate offences.

Middlesbrough Council identified a further 10 kids involved in nuisance behaviour, with home visits and “diversionary activity referrals” doles out to their parents.

Acting Inspector Des Horton, from Middlesbrough Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “This operation not only helps us to identify those involved in these incidents, but also allows us to build up intelligence and provide reassurance to the drivers of the buses that are being targeted.”

In an unconnected incident, two teenagers have been charged with attempted murder after a 17-year-old was stabbed in the estate’s Phoenix Park in May.

And on August 14, a dozen police vehicles swarmed the estate after a police officer was injured as he responded to reports of a man in possession of a knife.

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An arrest was made following a five-hour stand-off in which cups, bricks and chairs were hurled in the direction of emergency workers.

Chinese takeaway owner Wailan Lau, 48, has lived in Hemlington for the past 25 years.

He told The Sun: “It has got worse and worse over the years, the number of stabbings we see now is completely out of control, it never used to be like this.

“Where I live is fine, I have the same neighbours I have had for years and it is a proper community, everyone looks out for each other.

“But some parts of the estate are just dangerous, so much so that buses and taxis will not go down those streets.

“A lot of the problems we face are down to drugs and in a lot of cases it is drug dealers fighting drug dealers, but sometimes innocent people get caught up in that, which is scary.

“Kids seem to carry knives all the time and the ones who do are getting younger. 

“It’s sad to see this town become one of the worst places in the country for crime because it’s a good place full of good people, unfortunately parts of it have become dangerous.”

Asked whether he knew anyone who had recently been a victim of crime, 17-year-old Harvey Wilson initially shook his head and then suddenly remembered: “Oh yeah, I was held at knifepoint.”

The casual way he recounts a terrifying encounter is chilling.

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Harvey, who hopes to become a carpet fitter when he finishes his studies, said: “I’d just gone for a walk near Albert Park in the town and two lads stopped me and pulled a knife.

“Thankfully I’d left my phone at home and didn’t have any money so they just walked away.

“I’ve been able to forget it pretty quickly but I suppose it is quite scary how many people carry knives. I never would but people do.

“There are areas where you know not to go and if you keep yourself to yourself you probably won’t get any trouble, it’s the people who try to make a name for themselves who end up getting hurt.

“If your name gets known you’ll end up getting hurt.”

Things are getting worse and there are way too many young kids getting killed and injured with knives or getting involved with drugs.

John Clark, 82Middlesbrough resident

In the Parkway Centre, just outside Hemlington, John Clark, 82, reflects on the change in his home town over the course of his lifetime.

He started his working life as a hand rammer making sand castings at steel foundry on the river Tees.

John said: “That was my life, working in steel works and foundries and all of that has gone, there’s nothing left of the industry that built the town and that’s a big part of its problems.

“When I was a kid we had prospects and there was work to pay us a wage and keep us occupied, now the young people have nothing.”

He nods down at his young grandson in the buggy he’s leaning on and says: “I don’t worry for myself when I go about in Middlesbrough but I worry for him and younger members of the family.

“Things are getting worse and there are way too many young kids getting killed and injured with knives or getting involved with drugs.

“The brand new sports shop near us got ram raided the other night as soon as it opened by people in flatbed trucks. The place was left in a right mess and he lost all his new stock.”

Rebecca Green, 40, agreed that poverty plays a part in MIddlesbrough’s crime epidemic.

She said: “We live in a part of the world that has high levels of deprivation and that feeds the crime rate, when people are struggling to live they do desperate things.”

Student Shay Thorpe, 18, hopes to be a social worker.

“I’d move away if I could,” she says. “Even though I have always lived here, there are some parts of the town that I wouldn’t go.

“The town centre is scary and you can see from looking round that there’s a major drug problem there.”

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REFORM UK would win a 400 seat landslide if an election were held today, according to a new poll.

Nigel Farage is 15 points ahead of Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Government, as reported by The i Paper.

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Only 20 per cent of voters now say they would vote for Labour – whereas 35 per cent would cast their ballot for Reform.

The poll results mean Farage would win a general election with 400 seats if one was held today.

These figures have been dubbed as “catastrophic” for the PM’s party, as they continue to face backlash over the migrant crisis.

This issue was also reflected in the poll, with 41 per cent of applicants confessing they believe Farage could solve the problem – as opposed to 14 per cent who trust Starmer.

Meanwhile the Tories also trailed behind in the poll, with Kemi Badenoch only gaining 17 per cent of votes.

And, her party ranked last when it came to faith in battling the small boat crisis – with just 8 per cent admitting they believe she could put an end to it.

The poll was conducted this week, as Farage continues to unveil mass deportation plans.

It turns out nearly 40 per cent of Brits thought his ideas were possible.

The Reform UK leader vowed to deport 600,000 illegal migrants in his first term in office – in a crackdown he claims will save taxpayers billions.

The party boss said the public mood over Channel crossings was “a mix between total despair and rising anger”, warning of a “genuine threat to public order” unless Britain acts fast.

Reform’s plan centres on a new Illegal Migration (Mass Deportation) Bill, which would make it the Home Secretary’s legal duty to remove anyone who arrives unlawfully, and strip courts and judges of the power to block flights. 

Britain would quit the European Convention on Human Rights, scrap the Human Rights Act and suspend the Refugee Convention for five years.

Reform would also make re-entry after deportation a crime carrying up to five years in jail, enforce a lifetime ban on returning, and make tearing up ID papers punishable by the same penalty.

The scheme would also see prefab detention camps built on surplus RAF and MoD land, holding up to 24,000 people within 18 months. 

Inmates would be housed in two-man blocks with food halls and medical suites – and would not be allowed out.

Five deportation flights would take off every day, with RAF planes on standby if charter jets were blocked.

The poll this week echos those conducted by YouGov, in which Reform was still 8 points ahead of Labour.

And, 37 per cent of voters say they are satisfied with how Farage is leading the party.

However, 60 per cent are unhappy with Sir Keir Starmer’s performance.

Robert Struthers, head of polling at BMG, said: “Nigel Farage’s net rating of +5 may not appear remarkable on its own, but it contrasts sharply with Keir Starmer’s figures which have dropped to a new low at -41. He’s now as unpopular as Sunak was before the election last year.

“The next election may still be some way off, but there’s no doubt these numbers are catastrophic for Labour. Unless things change, pressure for a shift in strategy and even Prime Minister will only intensify.”

Jack Curry, pollster at BMG added: “There is a striking consensus among the British public when it comes to the issue of small boats. The public sees no real difference between the current Labour Government and the previous Conservative government. Both are viewed as equally ineffective.

“That frustration is clearly fuelling support for Reform. When it comes to what people actually want done, the mood music is for a tougher approach. There’s strong support for protectionist measures like more border enforcement, stricter penalties and offshore processing. That’s especially true among Reform and Conservative voters.”

It comes as a ruling to boot migrants out of an Epping hotel was overturned by the Court of Appeal on Friday.

The Bell Hotel, in Essex, has been surrounded by controversy after two of its guests were charged with sexual offences.

Epping Forest District Council last week won a bid at the High Court to block migrants from being housed at the hotel.

The temporary injunction meant that the building had to be cleared of its occupants by September 12.

It also caused a ripple effect across the UK as more councils launched their own bids to boot migrants out of hotels in their towns.

But the Court of Appeal on Friday overturned the injunction following an appeal by the Home Office and hotel owners Somani – meaning the migrants can stay where they are for now.

It also gave permission for the Home Office to appeal against Mr Justice Eyre’s ruling not to let it intervene in the case as their involvement was “not necessary”.

It came after Home Secretary Yvette Cooper made a last-ditch bid to join the battle.

But, more than a dozen councils are still poised to take legal action to shut asylum hotels.

These include at least four Labour-run authorities, such as Wirral, Stevenage, Tamworth and Rushmoor councils.

A full hearing is scheduled for October to conclude whether the council’s claim that the use of the Bell Hotel to house asylum seekers breached planning rules.

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AN EASYJET cabin manager has lost an appeal after being sacked for calling female co-workers “lovely ladies”.

Ross Barr was fired for gross misconduct after crew members and passengers logged multiple complaints about his inappropriate behaviour.

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He had worked for the airline for eight years, and defended his actions as “flirty banter”.

Mr Barr also claimed he was discriminated against or his sexual orientation, alleging it would have been accepted if “a gay colleague” have made the same remarks.

The former cabin manager appealed the decision to let him go at an employment tribunal, but lost.

Mr Barr began working at easyJet in 2014 and became a cabin manager in 2017.

He was hauled into a disciplinary hearing in 2022 and issued a final warning after a sexual harassment complaint.

More allegations of a similar nature were recorded against him in both 2023 and last year.

Customers also claimed he would refer to his team as “lovely ladies” over the PA system.

Passengers further reported he used the tannoy as an opportunity to perform his own comedy routines rather that conduct proper safety briefings.

Mr Barr had confessed to telling a stewardess “oh I have just brushed past your boobs” as he moved past her.

He was also overheard telling another cabin crew member on a separate flight: “I’m not doing anything.. I’m just staring at your ass.”

The comment was made in front of flyers, including young children, according to witnesses.

In another complaint, one woman said: “The entire shift pretty much he was talking about sex or making jokes about it.

“He explained that he had been suspended before due to a speak up speak out that someone previously put in against him because ‘all I said was that her tits would get bigger if she got pregnant, and guess what they did’.

“She also said that he had referred to her and another crew member as his ‘much more attractive colleague’.”

A different complaint was logged after he told a staff member “having a problem trying to stuff it in? Bet you’ve never had that problem”, while she was packing a bag.

Mr Barr argued he did not mean to make anyone uncomfortable and dubbed his comments “banter”.

He was sacked in September 2024 after the hearing but appealed the decision.

The former easyJet worker argued his case had been tainted by previous hearings.

But employment Judge Muriel Robison ruled: “As the cabin manager you are in a position of trust and I feel there has been a breakdown in trust in relation to these situations, you should conduct yourself in a manner that ensures your crew feel safe onboard the aircraft.

“This is not the first time you have been in this situation with regard to your conduct and comments made to female crew members.

“You raised that you were treated differently compared to others under similar circumstances due to your protected characteristics.

“My investigation did not uncover any evidence to substantiate this claim.

“It’s my belief the process followed was consistent and fair, and you were not treated any differently to your colleagues.

“On 19 March, 2024, you successfully completed training that included a thorough focus on diversity, inclusion and equality in the workplace.

“Despite this, your continued behaviour demonstrated a failure to uphold the values and principles outlined in this training.”

This comes after we reported how a mum was left furious after a British Airways flight attendant allegedly lifted her nursing blanket while she was breastfeeding her seven-month-old daughter.

Passenger Shayanne Wright made a sexual harassment complaint against the male host and said the incident left her feeling “violated.”

A British Airways spokesperson confirmed the allegations were being investigated and said the airline “have been in contact with our customer directly to resolve the matter”.

Wright said the airline did not apologise to her, however offered a $250 gift card, later increased to $1000.

THE National Lottery Set For Life numbers are in and it’s time to find out if you’ve won the top prize of £10,000 every month for 30 years.

Could tonight’s jackpot see you start ticking off that bucket list every month or building your own start-up as a budding entrepreneur?

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You can find out by checking your ticket against tonight’s numbers below.

Good luck!

The winning Set For Life numbers are: 06, 18, 21, 25, 34 and the Life Ball is 10.

The first National Lottery draw was held on November 19 1994 when seven winners shared a jackpot of £5,874,778.

The largest amount ever to be won by a single ticket holder was £42million, won in 1996.

Gareth Bull, a 49-year-old builder, won £41million in November, 2020 and ended up knocking down his bungalow to make way for a luxury manor house with a pool.

1. £1.308 billion (Powerball) on January 13 2016 in the US, for which three winning tickets were sold, remains history’s biggest lottery prize
2. £1.267 billion (Mega Million) a winner from South Carolina took their time to come forward to claim their prize in March 2019 not long before the April deadline
3. £633.76 million (Powerball draw) from a winner from Wisconsin
4. £625.76 million (Powerball)  Mavis L. Wanczyk of Chicopee, Massachusetts claimed the jackpot in August 2017
5. £575.53 million (Powerball)  A lucky pair of winners scooped the jackpot in Iowa and New York in October 2018

Sue Davies, 64, bought a lottery ticket to celebrate ending five months of shielding during the pandemic — and won £500,000.

Sandra Devine, 36, accidentally won £300k – she intended to buy her usual £100 National Lottery Scratchcard, but came home with a much bigger prize.

The biggest jackpot ever to be up for grabs was £66million in January last year, which was won by two lucky ticket holders.

Another winner, Karl managed to bag £11million aged just 23 in 1996.

The odds of winning the lottery are estimated to be about one in 14million – BUT you’ve got to be in it to win it.

BRITAIN must ramp up missile defences – like Israel’s Iron Dome – or risk its nuclear bases being obliterated in the first hours of a war with Russia.

Moscow would target RAF jets and Royal Navy nuclear submarines if it launched a surprise attack, a report by the Rusi think tank has warned.

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A pre-emptive strike could “cripple” Britain’s nuclear deterrent and conventional military power – as most of the UK’s best weapons are “concentrated on just a few sites”.

The report warned a single Russian Yasen-class submarine could launch 40 cruise missiles from the Norwegian Sea with “relatively low warning”.

Yet the UK lacks both the radars to detect them “skimming over the sea” – or the weapons to shoot them down.

The report’s author Sidharth Kaushal said the immediate threat comes from sub-sonic Russian cruise missiles which can be launched from planes and submarines.

By 2035 the main risk will come from intermediate range ballistic missiles, like the Oreshnik blasted at Ukraine last year.

By 2040 the UK will need to defend against “hypersonic glide vehicles” which can travel at 20 times the speed of sound.

He also warned short range drones could be smuggled close to targets and launched from sea containers – like Ukraine’s Operation Spiders Web – or launched by Spetznaz special forces.

Kaushal said calls for a British Iron Dome were warranted by Russia’s focus on “long-range conventional precision strike” weapons.

He said: “The initial priority is the expansion of its capacity for the defence of critical military installations against what is primarily a cruise missile threat.”

The report urged Keir Starmer to buy space based sensors and long range radars that can see 3000km away, the equivalent of Lands End to Moscow.

He said “long-range precision strikes” was central to Kremlin military doctrine.

He said: “The destruction of aircraft on the ground is particularly salient. The destruction of nuclear attack submarines that carry submarine-launched cruise missiles is also described as a priority.”

Russian targets would likely the Royal Navy Bases at Devonport and Clyde and RAF Marham in Norfolk, where the nuclear capable fleet of F-35 stealth jets is based.

It comes after RAF war games showed Britain would be overwhelmed if it faced a Russian missile attack like the first night of the war in Ukraine.

Air Commodore Blythe Crawford said: “It was not a pretty picture.”

The drills suggested bases would be blown to smithereens and £100 million fighter jets could get blitzed before they could hide.

Air Cdre Crawford, who was head the RAF’s Air and Space Warfare Centre at the time, said it showed the UK “home base” was no longer safe.

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The drills used a £36 million wargaming system to test the UK’s responses to “hundreds of different types of munitions” attacking from multiple different directions.

It exposed multiple vulnerabilities including a chronic shortage of airfields and a lack of hardened shelters for protect and hide jets on the ground.

The government sold off scores of airfields and watered-down the RAF’s powers to commandeer civilian runways.

The Armed Forces rely on RAF Typhoons, which scramble from RAF Lossiemouth, to shoot down incoming drones and cruise missiles.

The only British missiles that could intercept Russian ballistic missiles are based onboard the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyers.

Air Cdr Crawford warned Britain had got lax by standing at the edge of Europe and “feeling as though the rest of the continent stood between us and the enemy”.

He said: “Ukraine has made us all sit up.” The government announced last week it was buying six more launchers to for its Sky Sabre air defence systems.

The weapons, used by the Royal Artillery, can shoot down targets the size of a tennis ball at two times the speed of sound.

FIREFIGHTERS are tackling a massive blaze involving 250 tonnes of manure with locals warned to shut windows and doors.

Emergency services scrambled to the scene in Brigstock, Northamptonshire, to try and douse the flames.

It is expected that the blaze will burn for several days, said firefighters.

Villagers and others living nearby were advised to stay away and keep their windows and doors shut.

A spokesman for Northants Fire and Rescue said: “We are currently at the scene of a large fire in Brigstock, involving 250 tonnes of farm manure. 

“People living in the village and surrounding areas are advised to keep their windows and doors closed.

“This fire is expected to continue burn through the night, and, over the coming days.”

Tributes have poured in to a “beautiful” 21-year-old woman killed in a horror, late-night crash outside a shopping centre.

Emergency services raced to Brassington Avenue in Sutton Coldfield on Friday night, after two women were struck by a car.

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One victim was sadly pronounced dead at the scene shortly after midnight – despite the efforts of medics.

Although her full name hasn’t been released, the victim has been named locally as Natasha.

The other woman survived, though sustained a leg injury.

Meanwhile, two men were arrested by police on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

One suspect was released with no further action while the other was bailed with conditions while detectives continue to investigate.

A heartbreaking 25ft (7m) long shrine – featuring hundreds of tributes and flowers – has since appeared at the scene of the tragic smash.

One poignant note from her parents reads: “I hope you know how much you were loved. You will never know how much you are missed.

“Keep dancing my beautiful little girl. Love you forever, Mom, Dad, Georgia and Milo Xxxxxxxx woof lick.”

Another from her sister says: “Sis, Totally hilarious, kind and witty. You are one in a million. Party hard up there girly.

“We will love you and miss you forever. Until we meet again, G.”

Another bouquet along the makeshift shrine, which also features dozens of photos of Natasha, added: “Beautiful inside and out. You will never be forgotten.”

One particularly poignant note from one of Natasha’s friends read: “My beautiful Tash, you were the best friend I could have ever wished for.

“You were so funny, caring and crazy. I’m so incredibly grateful for our time together. You changed my life.

“I will never ever forget you. I love you more than you’ll ever know.”

One tribute from her uncle and auntie, read: “To our darling Tish, we are broken. You will be with us forever.”

Officers from West Midlands Police are still appealing for any witnesses who may have seen the collision outside Gracechurch shopping centre to come forward.

Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes, from the force’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “I would like to thank all those who have contacted us so far and all those that went to the aid of the two young women on the night.

“Our investigation is continuing, and we would particularly like to hear from anyone who saw the car involved, a silver Toyota Corolla immediately before the collision happened.

“If you have any CCTV from the surrounding area, you should get in touch with us to share what you know.

“This was a heartbreaking incident which has robbed a young woman of her life.

“Our officers are working with her family, who remain in our thoughts at this desperately sad time, and I would ask that their privacy is respected”.

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting log number 5911 of August 22 or email detectives directly at [email protected].

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THE family of a fairground worker who died after being “hit in the head by a ride” have paid tribute.

Corrie Lee Stavers, 28, tragically died in the accident at the Spanish City Summer Fair in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, on Saturday afternoon.

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The dad-of-one suffered fatal injuries after a ride hit his head while he was trying to retrieve his jacket, his family said.

Speaking to MailOnline, Corrie’s dad Lee Stavers, 50, paid tribute to his son as an “amazing father”.

He explained that Corrie’s son Lennie had been “left without a father”, saying: “He absolutely doted on that child. He was an absolutely wonderful father to him.”

Lee said he believed Corrie enjoyed his work, saying he was “happy” in pictures at fairground sites.

Describing his late son, Lee said: “He was just a very kind, loving lad. He would do anything for anybody, if anybody asked him to do anything, he would just do it regardless.

“He was always one of them lads who just wanted to please. He just wanted to be loved. He was a brilliant father.”

The 50-year-old also explained how the police had spoken to them about the “absolute tragedy”, saying they understood Corrie had been operating the ride when he was hit.

They believe he may have gone to grab his jacket or another item but had then been hit by the ride.

Lee, who does not use social media, tragically revealed that he only found out about his son’s death after a colleague told him to urgently contact his family. 

A GoFundMe page has also been setup in honour of “our beloved Corrie” by his family.

The fundraiser states: “It’s with broken hearts that we share the devastating news that our beloved Corrie has passed away.

“He was tragically taken from us in an accident while working on a fairground ride. None of us were prepared for this, and the pain of losing him so suddenly is impossible to put into words.

“Our lives will never be the same without him, but his memory will live on in our hearts forever.

“We love you endlessly Corrie, and we miss you more than words can ever say. Your with your mam now. Rest in peace Corrie.”

The family added that any donations would be “highly appreciated”, since the family were “not financially ready for this”.

They continued: “Any donation towards giving our beloved Corrie the send off he deserves our family will be ever so grateful.

“We know he was a much loved young lad,any donations left over after the funeral costs will be put in a trust fund for Corrie’s five-year-old son Lennie-Lee.”

Lee revealed that Corrie used to be a very keen boxer but had been forced to stop after suffering a nose injury.

Almost £3,000 of the £4,000 target has already been raised, at time of writing.

Northumbria Police is working alongside the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) to investigate the tragedy.

A MUM who swindled more than £75,000 in benefits to pay for a boob job and luxury holidays then turned to running an illegal puppy farm to make more cash.

Tammy Hart, 48, made at least £35,000 from her criminal farm after being released from jail for wrongly claiming tax credits to fund her plush lifestyle.

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Hart had also lied that she was single – when she was secretly married to the father of her two children.

A court heard she and her husband Neil Hart, 53, lived a “lavish” lifestyle after wrongly pocketing taxpayers’ money.

After being jailed for two years, she then turned back to crime, becoming an unlicensed dog breeder following her release.

Hart’s illegal puppy farm was busted, and the benefit swindler was ordered to pay more than £40,000 as a result.

The mum-of-two – then going by the name of Tammy Gunter – had already been ordered to pay back £23,358 from her benefits fiddle.

At the earlier hearing seven years ago, prosecutor Nuhu Gobir said Hart was granted tax credits by saying she was a single mother – and also made false claims for student finance and a £2,000 NHS bursary to train as a nurse.

Overall, Hart was handed £76,008.63 in tax credits between 2007 and 2016, the court heard.

The couple splurged the money on holidays to Las Vegas and Florida in 2011 and 2013.

She also took out a loan of £22,000 at one point for a holiday home in the US.

Mr Gobir said: “They were already in a relationship and had been living together as a family since 5 December, 1997.”

He said Hart claimed tax credits for nine years when she was working part-time in a shop and a garage.

Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard Hart even forged a letter purporting to be from HMRC.

Mr Gobir said: “Tammy Gunter made a claim that she was a single person working at least 16 hours per week.

“She stated that she had two children and no other income. The defendant dishonestly maintained she was single. She enjoyed a lavish lifestyle.”

Describing her false claim, Mr Gobir said: “She stated that she was separated and was a single parent with two dependent children.

“Neil Hart lied about his address to assist Tammy Gunter with the application. The total loss to the public purse in effect is £87,450.”

The DWP, HMRC and the HS Counter Fraud Service Wales began a joint investigation in January 2015 and the couple were arrested.

Hart admitted being knowingly concerned in fraudulent activity undertaken with a view to obtaining tax credits, one count of forgery and four counts of fraud.

Byron Broadstock, defending Hart, of Blackwood, South Wales, said the couple had a “tumultuous” relationship.

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He said: “Many of the purchases that have been described as extravagant, they are out of the ordinary. They were often gestures in reconciliation.”

He said the plastic surgery “wasn’t simply for purely cosmetic reasons. It was psychological reasons.”

Hart was jailed for two years, while her husband was jailed for six months.

But when she was released she set up her dog breeding business.

Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard between September 2021 and May 2022 Hart had advertised 17 litters for sale, with puppies sold at upwards of £1,500 each.

She was found with 29 dogs cooped up in pens which were covered in faeces and urine. The animals were found to have serious health conditions with one puppy suffering from deformities.

Hart was given a suspended prison sentenced for unlicensed dog breeding and has been ordered to pay back the money in a Proceeds of Crime hearing.

She was sentenced to a 16-week custodial sentence suspended for 52 weeks for charges including causing unnecessary suffering to one of the 29 dogs.

She also admitted three counts of a banned practiced under The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 for not declaring selling puppies in course of business, two counts of unlicensed dog breeding and three counts of failing to look after the needs of animals.

Hart was also disqualified from dealing in all animals for a period of seven years under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Hart was ordered to pay a Confiscation Order of £35,639.43, to be paid within three months or face a custodial sentence of 12 months at Cardiff Crown Court.

She was also ordered to pay costs of £8,000, to be paid within three months after the confiscation order is paid.

Cllr Philippa Leonard, Caerphilly council’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “Unlicensed dog breeding is a serious matter, and it is hoped that the outcome of this case will serve as a strong deterrent to those who operate illegally.

“This case serves as a reminder of the importance of adherence with dog-breeding regulations and the necessity to obtain the required licences so that we as a council can monitor and safeguard animal welfare at dog breeding establishments.”

“Whenever possible Caerphilly County Borough Council will use the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act to deprive convicted unlicensed dog breeders of their ill-gotten gains.

“If anyone is concerned or suspicious of illegal dog breeding, please contact our Trading Standards or Licensing teams. Your information will help us tackle illegal puppy breeding in Caerphilly and will help stop animals being exploited by unscrupulous breeders.”

MILLIONS of mobile phones across the UK will be sent an emergency text alert next weekend.

Phones will emit a loud siren as part of the second test of the national emergency alert system.

This will be the first time it is tested nationwide since 2023.

Devices connected to 4G and 5G networks will emit a siren sound for up to 10 seconds at around 3pm on Sunday, September 7.

Mobile phones will also vibrate during the test, and users will be sent a message to make clear that the alert is a drill.

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A WOMAN has tragically died in hospital after she was pulled from the sea at a popular UK beach.

Emergency services raced to the scene on the Promenade, opposite the Belvedere Hotel in Blackpool yesterday.

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Lancashire Police, HM Coastguard and the town’s beach patrol all responded to the incident.

Officers have confirmed that a woman in her 30s was rushed to hospital after receiving treatment on the scene.

She has since sadly passed away and her next of kin has been informed.

Cops said the tragic death is not being treated as suspicious, a file is being prepared for the coroner.

A spokesperson for the force said: “We were called at about 10am today, August 25, following reports a woman had been pulled from the sea opposite the Belvedere Hotel at Blackpool.

“Despite the best efforts of emergency services at the scene and at the hospital, the woman sadly later died.

“Following enquiries, the woman, in her thirties, has now been identified and her next of kin has been informed.

“Our thoughts are with her loved ones.

“The death is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will be prepared for HM Coroner.”

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A MUM received a £3,500 payout after “disgusting” police officers were caught throwing her lingerie around and laughing at her sex toys while raiding her home.

Nichola Corr, 51, claimed the cops were like “children in a playground” as they searched her house as part of a drugs investigation into a family member.

Bodycam footage captured them discovering her £1,000 collection of erotic gadgets and chucking her racy G-string knickers at each other on her bed.

Nichola said: “The male officer that threw the underwear was looking through my whole toy box, laughing, joking, going: ‘Oh, look at this. Jesus Christ, look at this!’

“They were taking the absolute piss! It was like they were children in a playground the way they were acting. It was disgusting.”

She complained after no arrests, charges or prosecutions were brought by Suffolk Police following the raid of her home in Essex in October 2023.

Its Professional Standards Department found the officers’ behaviour was “unacceptable and unprofessional” but formal disciplinary action wasn’t required.

Nichola, who is now getting a divorce from her husband, added: “I don’t trust the police anymore.

“I always used to say if you ever need the police, they’ll be there for you. But no, not in this day and age. They’re using their power over people.”

Suffolk Police claimed the cops were all “very young in terms of service” and their behaviour was “considered to be more due to immaturity than spite”.

One officer had already left the force when the complaint was received but the remaining two were required to apologise and undertake ‘Reflective Practice’.

Last week, Hertfordshire Police cop Marcin Zielinski, 27, was jailed for four months after nicking a woman’s underwear while searching her home.

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A WOMAN has been raped in a horrific late-night attack close to a popular park.

Police launched an investigation after receiving a report that a woman had been sexually assaulted late last night in the Burnham Park area of Slough, Berkshire.

Thames Valley Police said the victim was attacked at some time between between 11.45pm yesterday and 12.30am today.

She is being supported by specially trained officers, cops confirmed.

Superintendent Clare Knibbs said the force was now hunting for the attacker as it “carries out a thorough investigation“.

She said no arrests have been made at this time but that officers were “following a number of enquiries”.

Supt Knibbs added that the force was working with the victim to gather further information.

She said: “We would ask anyone who was in the park or anyone who has further information to please come forward and call 101 quoting reference 43250434481.

“Additional reassurance patrols will be conducted in the Burnham Park area.”

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A SEASIDE town made famous by former world heavy-weight boxing champ Tyson Fury is on the ropes.

Gritty ITV cop drama ‘The Bay’ attracts five million viewers, but has done nothing to restore Morecambe’s fortunes as a tourist and holidaying hotspot.

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Dilapidated buildings, boarded up shops, closed hotels, and vandalised shopping arcades blight the Lancashire seaside resort.

And homeless down-and-outs, swigging cans during the day, plague the streets.

Morecambe FC has been besieged with talks of going under after 105 years, with the beleaguered club enduring a chaotic summer since being relegated from League Two, with staff and players not even paid.

Some football club workers have been offered food parcels. As it stands, the National League club is on the brink of extinction, though takeover talks continue.

Eden Project Morecambe – a sister to the popular Eden bio-spheres in Cornwall – is hoped to breath new life into the area and bring tourists flocking back to the resort. But that is at least three years away.

Brother and sister Liam, 14, and Lola, nine, were visiting Morecambe from their native Canada and were drawn to the vandalised and graffitied former shopping arcade, which is fenced off to the public due to a rusted and collapsing roof.

They were accompanied by their aunt and nan Kay Robinson, 73, who remembers the good old days of the seaside resort.

It used to boast such attractions as the Super Swimming Stadium lido, the pleasure park Frontierland and sea life centre Marineland.

“It’s gone down hill since the 1970s,” said Kay.

“There used to be fairgrounds, illuminations, an amazing swimming pool, there used to be everything. We liked coming here better than Blackpool.

“Even the outdoor market has gone now. Everything has gone or is going now.

“You can’t go round the pubs like you used to, it used to be a great night out around Morecambe, but not now.”

Visitors love taking selfies beside the statue of the late comedian Eric Morecambe, which was unveiled on the promenade by Queen Elizabeth II in 1999.

Holidaymakers Paul and Alison Johnson, from Glossop, posed with grandson Ralphie, eight, as they enjoyed the summer sunshine.

Paul, 59, who has visited Morecambe over the years, said: “It seems to be getting cleaner, now this sea front has been done up.

“We have a caravan near here.”

Alison, 51 said: “It’s lovely in the sunshine.”

But directly opposite the iconic bronze tourist attraction stands reminders of the resort’s decline.

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Standing side-by-side, Eric’s Cafe and the Tivoli Bar, are closed down at what should be the height of the summer season.

And the town centre, just a streets from the prom, is lined with abandoned shops, closed down pubs and eateries and empty banks.

A homeless rough sleeper was slouched by the entrance to the tired Arndale Centre, which stands beside a boarded-up pawnbrokers and opposite empty shops and the shell of the former Santander bank.

In a shaded doorway down a run-down street a couple of scruff-looking men, one sitting beside his crutches, were swigging from cans of super-strength Oranjeboom beers, as parents and kids walked past.

Back on the sunny promenade where the popular outdoor swimming pool, which used to be home of the Miss Great Britain beauty contest between 1956 and 1989, John and Lynda Ritchie were taking a stroll.

“This is where they are going to build the Eden centre, if it ever gets off the ground,” said John, 80, visiting with wife Lynda, 80, from Kendal.

“It can’t come soon enough. It’ll hopefully save the town.”

“We used to bring our lads here to swim in the pool, but it is such a shame what it is like now,” said Lynda.

“Hopefully things will change when the Eden Project comes, but I wish they’d hurry up, I’d like to see it.

“The place has very much gone down hill, as many seaside towns have since people started to go abroad.”

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First-time visitors David and Lynn Buswell, from Leicestershire, were walking their Staffie Tyson – aptly named as Morecambe is the home town of former world heavyweight champ Tyson Fury – along the prom after parking up their motorhome.

“Never been here before. I’m here because my mum and dad had a photo taken with the Eric Morecambe statue and we want to recreate it,” said David, 64, a music producer.

“It looks like an average, typical English seaside town, nothing special. Okay for the kids, but not us.

“We will be parking up the motorhome for one night – not for two though. I think we will be moving on.”

Lynn, 69, said: “We have just come down from the Lake District, which was beautiful. This is a stark contrast.”

South of the town centre, the Cumberland View pub is boarded up.

Beside the former almost seafront railway station – closed now and turned into a pub – is the Festival Market.

Trains, no longer full or excited holiday makers and day trippers from West Yorkshire, now pull in to a dowdy wooden platform next to a boarded up former restaurant 500 yards of more inland.

Festival Market trader Karen Brown, 66, has been running her stall The Beauty Box for 50 years, and has seen the decline of the town.
“The place has gone really down hill since the glory days. The job is tougher now,” said Karen.

“I don’t do too bad in summer with the tourists. They come to buy things. But, in winter, the locals don’t tend to to use the market. They should do, they’ll whinge if it goes.

“The visitors come round saying what a lovely market it is and they appreciate it, but the locals, not so much.”

Fellow market trader Julie Norris, 58, has run sweet stall, Sweet Tweets, for five years.

“I’m finding trading in Morecambe alright because all the other sweet shops are shutting down,” said Julie.

“The kids are coming here for their holiday treats. And we also do well from people coming here to buy snacks and sweets before going to the cinema next door.

“They don’t want to pay rip-off cinema prices so stock up here before going to see a film.

“I love working here and if the Eden Project comes it will be fantastic. It’ll be very family orientated.”

Tyson Fury

Fury is arguably the town’s biggest name, living in the area with his wife Paris and their seven children there.

And today, it was revealed that he had sold a property in the area – for a knockdown price of £700,000.

Speaking last year, he told TNT: “17 years, it’s become my home. A new home, away from home. I actually cast myself now as from Morecambe, I don’t say I’m from Manchester anymore.

“It’s been keeping me grounded – I have always likened Morecambe to Alcatraz island… because if you go 200m that way you hit the sea, and if you go a couple of miles that way you hit the M6 motorway, and you’ve got to drive an hour to get to any city.

“It’s a big island, there’s not much distractions, there’s not much stuff to do, you can’t spend your money here because there’s nothing to spend it on, apart from Asda… That’s it, really, it’s a good place for a fighter…

“It’s kept me grounded, away from all the limelight.”

He added that locals are very respectful and leave him alone when he goes for runs. “If I go to any other city in the world, oomph Elvis has landed.”

The “Gypsy King” has previously expressed interest in buying Morecambe FC and told talkSPORT: “I was thinking I invest X amount of millions in them. Basically throw it at them and keep them going up. I’ve been offered to buy Morecambe Football Club.

“I own all the training facilities anyway and the training gym. So who knows? You might be looking at a football club owner.”

The Tyson Fury Foundation sits in the north-east corner of the football club’s Mazuma Mobile Stadium.

However, the Telegraph has claimed that Fury currently has no interest in buying the Shrimps.

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POLICE are urgently searching for two women who “may be together” after they vanished months ago.

Lorna Nightingale, 70, was last seen in Lowestoft, Suffolk, in February while Emma Nightingale, 36, has not been seen since being spotted in Colchester, Essex, in June.

Cops said it is known that both women have connections to Essex, suggesting that they may have travelled there.

Suffolk Police added that officers believed the women “may be together.”

Both women are from Lowestoft, cops said.

Lorna is described as being 5ft 2in tall, of a slim build, with short grey hair.

Emma is described as 5ft 8 in tall, with mousey-coloured long hair.

If you have seen Lorna or Emma, or have any information about them, contact police by calling 999.

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BANK Holiday revellers donned fancy dress at the booze-fuelled Otley Run as they kicked off celebrations for the three-day weekend.

Hundreds of rowdy drinkers took to the streets in their best and brightest for the famous pub crawl with pals.

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The booze trail is seen as a rite of passage for many and happens multiple times a year attracting thousands.

James Bond, Ginger Spice and the Fantastic Four were all out in force as they trekked all 17 venues on the trail.

The iconic Otley Run starts at Woodies pub in Far Headingly and finishes at The Dry Dock at the edge of Leeds city centre.

The aim of the game is to have a drink in each of the 17 pubs along the way.

One group of girls were all spotted wearing bridal gowns and wedding dresses

While another group donned cowboy hats and colourful dresses for the West Yorkshire drinkathon.

Another girl was even snapped all smiles in a toothpaste tube outfit.

The lads were also dressed up for the Bank Holiday bonanza as James Bond and The Joker with others wrapped in St George flags wielding swords as English knights.

Others were kitted out in lederhosen with one even spotted with a traffic cone on his head – but that might just be the booze talking.

Pirates, princesses and policewomen alike were also spotted in the excited crowds as they enjoyed the three-day weekend.

Participants begin at Woodies before swilling snifters at 15 other watering holes during the challenge, which takes place several times a year.

Drinkers sip a final brew at the aptly named Dry Dock – a narrow boat-turned-pub.

The list of boozers you’re supposed to stop at has changed over the last few years but still stands at 17 strong.

Punters are tasked with a drink at every stop in their best fancy dress with themes ranging from the simple to the outlandish.

It’s particularly popular among students and locals in Leeds and is often a vibrant and chaotic journey through some of the city’s most beloved watering holes.

Revellers often opt for superheroes, animals, or film characters but, honestly, anything goes.

It can often make for hilarious encounters as multiple themes and characters all mingle in one pub.

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