The Sun Newspaper

VIOLENT abusers are to be made to stay inside “restriction zones” for the first time under new laws. 

They must remain in certain areas, monitored by GPS tags, with potential jail time for a breach. 

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Current laws ban thugs from an area — normally around a victim’s home. 

Campaigners say that restricts victims’ freedoms, as they feel safe only when they stay in their exclusion zones — and not when elsewhere. 

Probation services will enlist victims to draw up a list of locations offenders are allowed to visit. 

The Ministry of Justice move came after lobbying from campaigners. It may be introduced as part of the Sentencing Bill going through Parliament. 

Victims’ minister Alex Davies-Jones said it “will strengthen safeguards”. 

Announcing the change, Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Alex Davies-Jones said: “Through our Plan for Change, we’re putting victims first. 

“This move will strengthen safeguards for victims.

“I’ve heard firsthand how this innovative approach will give them the peace of mind they deserve and rebuild their lives without fear.”

Diana Parkes CBE and Hetti Barkworth-Nanton CBE, who are co-founders of the Joanna Simpson Foundation, said: “For far too long, victims have had to reshape their lives to avoid their offenders.

“Exclusion zones have made victims feel trapped as though they are the ones serving a sentence, with the victim carrying the weight of someone else’s crime. 

“This announcement from the Ministry of Justice is the much-needed change that has long been called for and is a powerful step forward.

“By placing restrictions on offenders instead, this will now give survivors the freedom they deserve to live, move and heal without fear. “

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WEAPONS

(18) 128mins

★★★★☆

THINGS that go bump in the night have long been a horror-story theme. But what about things that disappear in the night?

That is the opening of this fascinating thriller when 17 kids run out of their houses at 2.17am in a US town.

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No one knows why, or where they have gone. They ran down the street, arms spread like aeroplanes, and then vanished.

They are all in the same primary school class, taught by Justine (Julia Garner). Only one little boy remains, Alex (Cary Christopher).

We meet the pair a month after the disappearances, where tensions in the small town are running high.

The devastated parents think Justine and Alex must know more than they are telling police and become crazed with frustration.

The eerie feeling of the quiet suburban streets — and an entire town after one teacher — builds the feeling that more very bad things will happen soon.

And boy, they really do.

There’s an ensemble cast and the film is divided into several chapters.

Justine is the stressed teacher who is relying heavily on vodka, and Archer Graff (Josh Brolin) is the broken father who watches the CCTV of his son running out of the house on loop and will do anything for answers.

There’s also a troubled police officer, thieving junkie and the school’s head teacher who have their own different journeys around the horror of the town.

Oh, and Alex — the boy who was left behind — played superbly by young Christopher. His flat answers to questions and slow blinks have your palms a bit clammy.

The few horror tropes that are used — dream sequences and jumps — are done with class and control.

Written and directed by Zach Cregger, following on from his breakout and brilliant Barbarian, this often funny and ferocious film is intriguing until the end.

While most of the film gives you little to no clue of what is behind the children’s sudden disappearance, Cregger truly lets loose in the final half hour.

The foot is slammed on to the horror pedal and I found myself watching much of it through my fingers.

It’s both weird and wild — and certainly does not attempt to wrap an explanation up in a nice little bow for the audience.

You’ll leave with a slightly furrowed brow and a palpitating heart.

FREAKIER FRIDAY

(PG) 111mins

★★★☆☆

IN 2003’s Freaky Friday, therapist Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her guitar-playing daughter Anna (Lindsay Lohan) temporarily inhabit each other’s bodies and lives.

In this sequel two decades later, Anna is a music producer and single mother to teen Harper (Julia Butters), while Tess records podcasts and plays pickleball.

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Anna’s forthcoming marriage to Eric, who has daughter Lily, will create a blended family – but it’s a union only the bride and groom are happy about.

Then fortune-teller fun – which sees Anna switch bodies with Harper, while Tess and Lily swap – allows them to see things through each other’s eyes.

Comical silliness and heart-warming schmaltz ensues, with typical Boomer, Millennial and Gen X characteristics teased for decent laughs.

The teens are forced to use Facebook and listen to Coldplay while the adults relish regaining their youthful metabolism.

It’s best when the elders play younger personas, and Jamie Lee Curtis is a treat throughout, flexing her funny bones.

A comfortable and entertaining Lohan is her perfect feel-good foil.

THE KINGDOM

(15) 112mins

★★★★☆

ORGANISED crime on the French island of Corsica makes for both a bloodthirsty and beautiful backdrop for Julien Colonna’s gripping Mob drama set in the 1990s.

Mafia racketeering in Sicily has often been portrayed on screen, but this location, along with some standout performances, feels like a fresh take on the much-told gang wars narrative.

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And Colonna knows his stuff – he comes from a Corsican family with Mob connections.

Teenager Leisa (a brilliant Ghjuvanna Benedetti) is the daughter of widowed faction boss Pierre-Paul.

She is enjoying carefree days at her aunt’s house, playing on the beach with her cousins and flirting with boys.

But without warning she is taken off to spend time with her father, who is planning revenge after a failed attempt on his life.

Leisa bonds with him by fishing, shooting boar, practising her rifle aim and sharpening her awareness of underworld politics.

The pace may be slow at times, but the captivating performances, along with a plot of murders, family dynamics and revenge, will hold your attention to the end.

Laura Stott

THREE in four Brits want all foreign criminals deported, a poll shows.

Two-thirds back building mega-jails on remote Scottish islands to deal with prison overcrowding.

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Nine in ten would rather new prisons be built than see softer sentences.

And 77 per cent want courts open longer to deal with the backlog of cases.

The same number back building temporary “Nightingale-style” prisons.

Julian Gallie, from Merlin Strategy — who carried out polling for campaign group Crush Crime — said: ““There is overwhelming public support for a tougher stance on crime.

“There is a desire for the government to deal with a justice system the country do not think is working.

“Options including nightingale prisons and even deporting all foreign criminals gain overwhelming support.”

Reform MP Sarah Pochin said: “It’s no surprise the public support the need for urgent action to fix the crisis in our prison system.”

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THE family of a boy of two murdered by his grandparents are calling for a change in the law.

Ethan Ives-Griffiths was found injured at the home of his mum’s parents but social workers were turned away.

Now relatives on the paternal side have set up a petition for “Ethan’s Law” — giving child services extra powers to bring in police if denied entry.

Mold crown court was told Michael Ives, 47, and Kerry Ives, 46, subjected Ethan to “casual brutality” in Flintshire, North Wales.

They were convicted after a jury heard he was hit or shaken.

Ethan’s mother Shannon Ives, 28, had been living with them and was convicted of causing or allowing his death.

They will be sentenced in October.

Ethan’s paternal family set up a petition calling for an update in child protection services.

The petition also calls for checks to be carried out every five to seven days as opposed to the current 10-days.

It states: “Let us come together to push for these crucial reforms in child protection services.

“By signing this petition, you join us in advocating for the safety and security of all children like Ethan, ensuring that no child suffers in silence.

So far, the petition for ‘Ethan’s Law’ has over 400 signatures.

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FASHION accessories chain Claire’s is facing an uncertain future on UK high streets, after its US parent firm filed for bankruptcy.

It is the second time the ear-piercing favourite has declared itself bust, after previously filing for bankruptcy in 2018.

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Its finances are now under pressure from weak consumer demand and supply chain uncertainty.

The filings showed that the parent business reported liabilities of up to $10billion (£7billion) and owed between 25,000 and 50,000 creditors.

Claire’s operates 2,750 stores worldwide, including 280 in the UK.

While British stores remain unaffected for now, the UK arm has lost £25million over the past three years and is at risk of collapsing into administration later this month.

It has been working with advisers to explore a sale or restructuring.

However, potential buyers, such as Hilco Capital, are understood to have walked away.

Retail experts say Claire’s is struggling to stay relevant.

Julie Palmer, from Begbies Traynor, said: “Claire’s low-price offering is clearly not strong enough to win over its core customers — teens and young adults — as they now have access to a vast array of affordable and convenient products online through platforms like Amazon and Temu.”

Claire’s boss Chris Cramer said: “We remain in active discussions with potential strategic and financial partners and are committed to completing our review of strategic alternatives.”

METRO BANK ON THE UP

METRO BANK has bounced back, posting a £43.1million pre-tax profit for the first half of 2025 — up from a £33.5million loss reported in the same period last year.

The lender doubled new corporate and small business loans to £1billion, and cut 8 per cent from its costs by axing a third of its workforce and reducing branch hours.

Boss Daniel Frumkin said: “Our strong performance reflects the decisive actions we have taken.”

Elsewhere, Sabadell shareholders have approved the £2.65billion sale of TSB to Santander.

WE could argue all night about who is the GOAT. 

Messi or Ronaldo? Senna or Schumacher? Tiger or Jack? Ant or Dec? 

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But when it comes to vehicles, it’s not even a debate. 

Greatest Of All Transit. 

The humble Ford Transit has been Britain’s best-selling van since day one – August 9, 1965. 

That’s like Liverpool winning the Prem for 60 years on the bounce. Everyone else might as well give up and go home. 

To celebrate Transit’s 60th, we’ve peppered today’s column with quirky facts, as well as hearing from owners with a cherished van from each decade. 

Ford’s famous Backbone Of Britain telly ad from the Eighties was genius marketing. Yet also 100 per cent true. Transit keeps this country ticking. 

Everything we see and touch was transported in a van. 

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One reason Transit is successful is that Ford engineers sit with owners to find ways of making the next model even more useful.

Like the bloke who shoved a lump of wood through the bottom of the steering wheel to make a lunch table.

The latest Transit Custom has a tilt-up steering wheel with a tray for his quinoa tuna salad. Bosh. 

Retired builder Peter Lee, founder of the Transit Van Club, said: “Transit is like a forklift with two doors.

“Built to work. They’re good honest vans that will do the job.” 

The OG and still the best. 3 MILLION UK sales and counting. Always available in white. 

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PREGNANT Rihanna shows off her baby Flump — sorry, bump — in a bonkers outfit the colour of the marshmallow treat.

The singer, 37, was seen out and about in Los Angeles in a pink and orange dress.

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And the Barbadian star’s vintage 2001 Issey Miyake frock cost a lot more than the sweets — at just over £2,100.

Rihanna, expecting her third baby in weeks, is no stranger to confectionery-themed fashion, wearing a Haribo Heart Throbs-style red dress in 2016.

The pregnant star also showed off her huge bare baby bump while going out for dinner in LA at her favorite eatery.

The business mogul, who announced her pregnancy earlier this year, looked ready to pop.

Stepping out to head for dinner at her favorite Italian restaurant, Giorgio Baldi, Rihanna put her bump on display.

Giorgio Baldi is a “luxurious family-run Italian spot near the ocean” which serves seafood and pasta.

While heading out for food at the spot, Rihanna looked sensational in a navy suit, sheer mesh bra and polka dot tie.

The mother-of-two wore her navy blazer open at the front, with her bump showing.

She wore her hair slicked back, and kept her makeup natural and soft, yet glamorous.

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MADONNA goes hell for feather — posing in a boa and stockings days before turning 67.

The Queen of Pop also crawled on all fours in jewellery and towering heels for a racy shoot.

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She is working on her 15th studio album — a sequel to 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor — which will be her first since 2019’s Madame X.

Madonna is expected to go on hols with boyfriend Akeem Morris, 29, for her birthday next week.

Last year she celebrated in Pompeii.

Other birthdays have included trips to Lisbon and Sicily.

Meanwhile, Madonna has spent the past few years working on a movie about her life.

Actress Julia Garner was lined up to play the Hung Up hitmaker in the film before it appeared to be left on the shelf over two years ago.

Now it seems that plans have been re-imagined with Julia confirming last month she is still lined up to play the iconic popstar in a Netflix miniseries about her life.

Madonna and Julia are working with filmmaker Shawn Levy on the project, which is in the early stages of development.

Confirming that the project was still happening, despite the uncertainty, Julia told the SmartLess podcast: “Yeah, I mean, that’s supposed to still happen.”

However, she did appear to hint that the project may still be far off hitting screens as she affirmed that “anything that’s great, takes time”.

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PRINCE Harry was blasted last night for letting a boardroom battle damage his charity Sentebale. 

A watchdog said the public row risked undermining trust in good causes generally. 

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The Charity Commission said chances were missed to settle differences at Sentebale, set up by Harry and Lesotho’s Prince Seeiso in 2006 for young people and kids living with HIV and Aids. 

It launched a probe when they stood down as patrons in support of trustees who quit in a dispute with Dr Sophie Chandauka over a fundraising strategy. 

Board of trustees chair Dr Chandauka said the “toxicity” of Harry’s brand since his move to live in the US had seen a drop in donors. 

She accused the Duke of Sussex, 40, of involvement in a “cover-up” of a probe into bullying and harassment. 

Last night, she said the “adverse media campaign” launched by those who resigned “caused incalculable damage” to the charity. 

The Times reported a source close to Harry blasted the report and said the prince was “devastated the chair had been allowed to succeed with a hostile takeover”.

His spokesman said those who rely on Sentebale would bear the “consequences of her actions”. 

The Charity Commission said the public airing of the row harmed Sentebale’s reputation and risked overshadowing its achievements. 

The regulator, which cannot investigate individual allegations of bullying, found no evidence of systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir at the charity but acknowledged “the strong perception of ill treatment” felt by some involved. 

David Holdsworth, chief executive of the Charity Commission, said: “Passion for a cause is the bedrock of volunteering and charity, delivering positive impact for millions of people here at home and abroad every day. 

“However, in the rare cases when things go wrong, it is often because that very passion has become a weakness rather than a strength. 

“Sentebale’s problems played out in the public eye, enabling a damaging dispute to harm the charity’s reputation, risk overshadowing its many achievements, and jeopardising the charity’s ability to deliver for the very beneficiaries it was created to serve.” 

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DEAR DEIDRE: EVEN though my married lover wants to be with me full time, she is terrified about how her husband will react if she leaves him. He is a violent bully.

Her husband is domineering and abusive.

He treats her and her eight-year-old son like dirt. He controls everything.

She has given up seeing her friends, he constantly checks her phone and she has lost contact with all of her family.

I am 33, she is 31 and I can’t tell you how upset I get when she tells me about how he shouts, shoves and lashes out at her.

She works for my sister’s catering business and from the moment I was introduced to her I liked her.

We’d always spend our lunchtime together and I would feel so excited about seeing her.

Recently I bought her a small gift when I went on holiday.

I was taken aback when she dissolved into tears explaining it was the loveliest thing a man had done for her. We ended up kissing and she started coming around to my house whenever she could.

She can’t ever stay for long enough but we have the most wonderful sex.

My sister warned me to stay away because her husband has a bad reputation, she said he was capable of anything, but I refused to listen, and the affair has continued.

I am desperate for my lover to leave this awful man. While she wants to be with me too, she is so frightened that he will become physically violent towards her.

I worry I am being weak because I haven’t stood up to him, even though I know that her safety has to come first

DEIDRE SAYS: Stay away from him. Getting involved will only create more problems and place your lover in danger.

She needs to make leaving him a priority for herself and her son, but it has to come from her.

It’s so damaging for her son to see his mum being treated so badly.

Stress this to her and suggest she talks to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline (nationaldahelpline.org.uk, 0800 2000 247).

While you can be there to support her, she has a better chance of leaving safely if she doesn’t rush straight into a relationship with you.

Even a marriage she is desperate to be out of is a loss and she’ll need to adjust before she can begin to contemplate a future with you.

PARTNER PREFERS HIMSELF

DEAR DEIDRE: MY boyfriend has admitted he pleasures himself three or four times a week, and now I feel he doesn’t fancy me as we rarely have sex.

He blames his low sex drive on being stressed but he has always been like this.

I’m 35 and he’s 36. We’ve been together for eight months. Everything else in our relationship is great.

We only see each other on weekends, which could be part of the problem. We’re both so busy with our jobs, fitness and friends. For example, I go to the gym twice a week and go out with my girlfriends regularly.

My boyfriend insists his low sex drive is because of his new job. It’s very stressful but he’s no different to how he was when I first met him.

Now I realise he masturbates so much, I’m convinced he doesn’t fancy me, rather than there being a problem with his sex drive.

DEIDRE SAYS: There’s not much wrong with his sex drive. It sounds like he has got into the habit of finding sexual satisfaction alone, which is lazy and selfish.

He needs to face up to what is happening rather than using stress as an excuse. Tell him how damaging his behaviour is to your relationship.

Suggest setting aside an evening together each week for chat, kisses and cuddles with no pressure to have full sex, even though that could be the likely result.

My support pack Different Sex Drives will help.

DREAM TO WED BUT BOYFRIEND’S SO CRUEL TO ME

DEAR DEIDRE: ALL I want is to get married and have a family. I constantly fantasise about my boyfriend proposing but deep down I know he won’t – ever.

Years ago, I was told that I would have difficulty getting pregnant.

I am 32 and my boyfriend is 36. We’ve been together for almost three years. He says he doesn’t want to marry or have children.

Recently, he has twice tried to break up with me. I’m sure it’s because I have gained weight – something I am not proud of – but I am dieting and have started running and going to the gym.

He knows I am making an effort but he also says that I don’t keep the house as tidy as he’d like. I work full-time and often do overtime so there isn’t a lot of time for housework.

Most days I only have enough energy to come home, eat and get a decent night’s sleep.

I feel as though I walk on eggshells around him and it is beginning to get me down.

A few weeks ago, I met a man at work who is so kind and makes me feel lovely. I know it is early days, and we are still getting to know each other, but ultimately I am going to have to choose. Which way should I go?

DEIDRE SAYS: After three years together, it is only natural you are thinking about the future, but marriage and children are not the main issue here.

To be blunt, he is being cruel. These are not the actions of a loving and respectful partner. There are serious issues that need to be discussed honestly if you’re going to build a future.

Let him know how his behaviour leaves you feeling, but don’t stay in a relationship where you’re permanently on edge.

Do decide what you really want before involving yourself with another man.

OUR much-loved astrologer Meg sadly died in 2023 but her column will be kept alive by her friend and protégée Maggie Innes.

Read on to see what’s written in the stars for you today. 

♈ ARIES

March 21 to April 20

All the ways a family may frustrate you are in your star spotlight, as you have extra patience now to make changes.

Breaking a pattern is easier when you recognise your own part in it.

As for romance, you may need reassurance more than you think, and there is strength is letting this show at any stage of love.

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♉ TAURUS

April 21 to May 21

You usually stop dreams in their tracks and prefer to stick to the realistic side of life – but today there is such scope for fantasy in your chart.

Letting yourself visualise the work, or love, future you truly want can unlock something inside, and start a process of success.

The luck factor pauses on a group picture.

Get all the latest Taurus horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♊ GEMINI

May 22 to June 21

Cash changes you seek to make may feel out of control – but a little chaos can be a good thing in the long run.

You need to test what won’t work before you find what will.

So do give yourself a little leeway.

If you’re in love, two-way trust is important, so do play your part.

Single? A tender Cancer has so much to give.

Get all the latest Gemini horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♋ CANCER

June 22 to July 22

Mercury’s chart path brings you challenges around who and what you value, but you start to see that your own ideas matter just as much as – and maybe more than – other people’s.

So you can start to take the wrong names off the right list.

At work, instead of imagining what others are thinking, try asking them upfront.

Get all the latest Cancer horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♌ LEO

July 23 to August 23

You know you’ve been holding something back in a relationship – perhaps to protect yourself.

But without your whole heart involved, that future you desire may stay out of reach.

There are choices to make today – but they can be positive ones.

A money decision can’t wait any longer – so address this, too.

Get all the latest Leo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♍ VIRGO

August 24 to September 22

Showing the kind of friendship you would like to receive can be testing at times, but a breakthrough is coming.

So try to keep doing what your heart tells you is right, regardless of your head’s view.

Trusting yourself, first, is what can allow you to trust others more fully – if you know this needs work, start today.

Get all the latest Virgo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♎ LIBRA

September 23 to October 23

The top of your chart is overflowing with love – and you can afford to be generous to someone younger, or less experienced.

But set limits on this, especially in terms of your time.

You have a moon of special conversation insight – so you can read between the lines of any message or chat, and find some surprising truths.

Get all the latest Libra horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♏ SCORPIO

October 24 to November 22

Your instincts about people are usually spot on – but there’s a chance today of being sidetracked by sudden, unexpected attention.

Yes, you can enjoy the moment but still stay in control – if you remember what truly matters.

A friend who has recently changed a home or work address can be a three-times luck link.

Get all the latest Scorpio horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♐ SAGITTARIUS

November 23 to December 21

Shine the light of experience on your own inner thoughts – to see exactly why you may be feeling mixed up.

This is your moment to stop feeling like a passenger in your own life and move to the driving seat.

Love-wise, you are there for the good times, but a more serious emotional strand needs your attention.

Get all the latest Sagittarius horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♑ CAPRICORN

December 22 to January 20

Burying feelings, or memories, may be a short-term fix but you are ready for more.

When you deal with the parts of yourself you usually try to hide, you can feel your world changing.

Your lasting love zone is in Venus’s spotlight, and casual can become committed because you want to, not because you feel you should.

Get all the latest Capricorn horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

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♒ AQUARIUS

January 21 to February 18

Friendships that seem to take a lot from you, but offer little, are up for revision.

Having fewer people in your life, but being open to more genuine connections, can be a positive move.

This may mean a quieter life for a while, but may help you tap into where you really want to go next.

Number five can be your success link.

Get all the latest Aquarius horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♓ PISCES

February 19 to March 20

Ambitions may come and go and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

But closing off external noise long enough to find your inner focus is a positive move.

The fun side of love is to the fore, as partners rediscover what first drew them to each other.

If you’re single, your soulmate wears gingham-style checks.

Get all the latest Pisces horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

LOVE Island star Laura Anderson has backed Toni Laites and Cach Mercer to win when the series reaches its climax tomorrow night.

The Scottish beauty, who was runner-up in the 2018 series, believes former Las Vegas cabana server Toni and dancer Cach deserve to scoop the £50,000 prize.

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Toni brought Cach back from the other villa, Casa Amor, but left him in tears after deciding to reconcile with lothario Harrison Solomon.

However, since Harrison left the show, Toni and Cach have become the bookies’ favourites after winning the hearts of viewers with their rocky romance.

Laura said: “I think if Toni and Cach won, the general public would be very happy.

“Toni is my favourite and watching Cach get upset and then seeing them get back together . . . it was a lovely little story.”

Speaking about the Meet The Parents episode, in which sees the contestants’ families visit the villa, Laura said: “It was incredible to see Toni’s mum say such lovely words to Cach.

“It was a really nice moment. I thought it was really sweet.”

And her thoughts on their rivals for the prize, such as Yasmin Pettet and Jamie Rhodes, and Shakira and Harry?

Laura says: “Yas has really surprised me and I just think she is great, she is just so authentic. Her and Jamie seem really happy and sweet.

“I love Harry and Shakira as a couple. I really hope Harry can prove himself and I think Shakira is really emotionally mature.”

Laura’s comments come as it was revealed Love Island has been hit with more than 9,000 complaints in just one week, mostly about alleged bullying behaviour towards Shakira.

The villa had been split into two girl groups, with Shakira, Toni and Yasmin on one side and Helena, Meg Moore and Megan Clarke on the other.

Laura said: “I think Toni and Shakira’s relationship has honestly been the real highlight of this series, which has been quite nice to see.

“ Normally it is the bromances that hit the headlines.

“There has been a divide between the girls and I think this ‘mean girl energy’ is unacceptable.”

Laura also believes that Love Island is a healthy way to encourage conversations around relationships.

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She said: “I think holding young people accountable for their behaviour is a great thing and I hope that filters through into real life.

“My favourite thing, apart from just watching people fall in love, is watching them grow and develop.

“I honestly think Love Island made me a better person. You become more self-aware.

“There has been so much switching around of couples this series.

“ I don’t think there has ever been so many couples – and that causes a lot of different emotions.

“It has been an emotional rollercoaster.

“There has been a lot of drama, and it is entertaining for us at home.

“I think the after-care will be ramped up a little bit this year just because so much has happened.”

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PEOPLE smugglers who advertise Channel Crossings or try to flog fake passports online face up to five years in prison, under a new crackdown.

The Home Office is scrambling to beef up their laws after a record 25,000 illegal migrants landed on Britain’s beaches so far this year.

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The grim milestone piles massive pressure on Home Secretary Yvette Cooper – who has vowed to “smash the gangs” and stop the boats.

But the Government has been accused of woefully failing to restore control to UK borders.

Ministers will introduce a new criminal offence under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill already going through Parliament.

This will make it a crime to publish material which promotes breaking immigration laws – like flogging small boat crossings, dodgy passports and visas or promising black market work.

These things are already illegal, but ministers say the new law will help beef up the power of the cops and prosecutors.

Anyone caught flouting the law faces five years behind bars or a massive fine.

Ms Cooper said: “Selling the false promise of a safe journey to the UK and a life in this country – whether on or offline – simply to make money, is nothing short of immoral.

“These criminals have no issue with leading migrants to life-threatening situations using brazen tactics on social media. We are determined to do everything we can to stop them – wherever they operate.

“We have to stay one step ahead of the ever-evolving tactics of people-smuggling gangs.”

A staggering 80 per cent of migrants arriving on small boats used social media sites like TikTok to plan their journey, according to the Home Office.

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LONDONERS have seen a 75 per cent rise in the “Sadiq Khan stealth tax” during the mayor’s time in office, we can reveal.

The levy — officially known as the mayoral precept — is added to council tax bills in all 32 city boroughs and has risen steadily since the Labour politician’s 2016 election.

For a Band D home, it has jumped from £280.02 in 2017 to £490.38 today.

In comparison, Liverpool asks £24, Cambridge £36 and Greater Manchester £128.95.

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker charges nothing.

Much of this year’s London fee — £319.13 — goes to the Met Police to pay for cops.

Another £71.72 is for the London Fire Brigade and £77.09 for transport services.

The Greater London Authority, which includes Mr Khan’s office, takes the remaining £22.44.

The Sun told last week that he is on course to rake in £14million, most of it from motorists failing to pay the £12.50 daily ultra low emission zone (Ulez) charge.

City Hall Conservative Group leader Susan Hall said: “Sadiq Khan has taxed the life out of our city. Where has it all gone? Crime is out of control, traffic is at a standstill, nightlife is dead, house building’s virtually stopped and the green belt is at risk.

“To paraphrase the president of the USA, he’s a terrible mayor.”

A spokesman for the mayor said a record £1.16billion had been invested in policing this year, providing 935 neighbourhood cops.

He added: “Keeping Londoners safe is Sadiq’s top priority.”

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OO-La-la! Spooky Jenna Ortega ruffles more than some feathers in a frilly dress in Paris. 

The US star wore the brown frock for the French premiere of the second series of Netflix hit Wednesday, directed by Tim Burton. 

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The show, based on the daughter from The Addams Family, will return next week after the original run became a ratings hit following its release in 2022. 

On the reception to the first series, Jenna, 22, said: “I’m still very appreciative and grateful.

“We didn’t know that anyone was going to watch the show. 

“You do these things and you don’t know what’s to come, so it was very overwhelming.” 

A former child star, Jenna was catapulted into the A list when Wednesday – viewed 252 million times and counting – launched in 2022.

And by her own refreshingly candid admission, that rapid rise to the top was overwhelming.

“To be quite frank, after the show and trying to figure everything out, I was an unhappy person,” she told Harper’s Bazaar in May.

“After the pressure, the attention – as somebody who’s quite introverted, that was so intense and so scary.”

The eight-month shoot in Romania had been challenging, with Jenna revealing: “I was alone. Never had any hot water. The boilers in two of my apartments were broken, so I always took cold showers.”

At least she’ll be getting a warm welcome from Wednesday fans as the show returns to their screens.

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FOR a housewife who started out charging ten pence for after-school drama lessons, Sylvia Young had an incredible ability to spot raw talent.

The 85-year-old, who died on Wednesday, helped hone the skills of a who’s who of the ­British entertainment industry.

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Among those to have passed the audition to join her theatre school in London were singers Amy Winehouse, Leona Lewis, Dua Lipa, Rita Ora and three-quarters of All Saints.

Dua, who has won seven Brit awards and three Grammys, said that she did not know she could sing until a teacher at the Sylvia Young Theatre School told her how good she was.

Actors who attended her classes include Keeley Hawes, Doctor Who’s Matt Smith, Nicholas Hoult, who is in the latest Superman blockbuster, and Emmy-nominated Adolescence and Top Boy star Ashley Walters.

The school was also a conveyor belt for EastEnders stars, with Nick Berry, Letitia Dean, Adam Woodyatt and Dean Gaffney all passing through its doors.

Stage fright

But there were problems along the way. In 1998 one of the drama ­masters was arrested for indecent assault, and the company struggled to survive the Covid shutdown.

The pressures of fame also proved too much for some former pupils, including the late Winehouse and EastEnders’ original Mark Fowler, David Scarboro, who was found at the bottom of cliffs as Beachy Head in East Sussex in 1988.

Sylvia, though, was loved by her former pupils, many of whom paid tribute to the “backstage ­matriarch”.

Keeley Hawes wrote: “I wouldn’t have the career I have today without her help”.

And All Saints singer Nicole ­Appleton commented: “This is going to really affect us all who were lucky enough to be part of her amazing world growing up. What a time, the best memories.”

DJ Tony Blackburn added: “She was a very lovely lady who I had the privilege of knowing for many years. She will be sadly missed.”

Actress Sadie Frost commented online: “What a woman, what a family, what a legacy! Sending everyone so much love and support. She was always so lovely to me.”

And TV and radio presenter Kate Thornton said she “meant so much to so many”.

Sylvia did not boast about the ­success of her students and the school’s website does not mention its incredible roster of ex-pupils.

But it is hard to imagine a single drama teacher ever having as much impact as her. Sylvia’s two daughters, Alison and Frances Ruffelle, who are directors of the theatre school, said: “Our mum was a true visionary.

“She gave young people from all walks of life the chance to pursue their performing arts skills to the highest standard.

“Her rare ability to recognise raw talent and encourage all her students contributed to the richness of today’s theatre and music world, even ­winning herself an Olivier Award along the way.”

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Sylvia made it to the top of the British entertainment industry the hard way.

She was the eldest of nine children born to Abraham Bakal, a tailor’s presser, and housewife Sophie in London’s East End. Born in 1939 just after the outbreak of World War Two she remembered the air raid sirens during the Blitz of the capital.

She was evacuated to a village near Barnsley during the war, only returning home once it was over.

At the local library she was gripped by reading plays and would meet up with friends to perform them.

While still at school she joined a theatre group in North London, but her dreams of treading the boards in the West End were dashed by stage fright.

She said: “I used to lose my voice before every production. When I think about it, they were sort of panic attacks.”

Instead, she married telephone engineer Norman Ruffell in 1961 and stayed at home to look after their two daughters.

When Alison and Frances attended primary school, Sylvia started teaching drama to their fellow pupils. It cost just ten pence and the kids also got a cup of orange squash and a biscuit.

Word spread and when her ­students got the nickname the ­Young-uns, Sylvia decided to adopt the surname Young for business ­purposes.

The first Sylvia Young Theatre School was set up in 1981 in Drury Lane in the heart of London’s theatre district.

Two years later, it moved to a ­former church school in Marylebone in central London, where most of its famous pupils got their start.

Even though it is fee-paying, everyone has to pass an audition — and only one in 25 applicants are successful.

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It costs up to £7,000 per term for full-time students and only has places for 250 pupils aged ten to 16.

There are bursaries and fee reductions for pupils from less well-off backgrounds, plus a Saturday school and part-time classes.

Sylvia was always keen to avoid it being a school for rich kids.

When she took an assembly she would ask pupils, “What mustn’t we be?”, and they would shout back, “Stage school brats”.

Keeping kids level-headed when stardom beckoned was also important for the teacher.

She said: “I offer good training and like to keep the students as individual as possible.

“We develop a lot of confidence and communication skills. Of course they want immediate stardom, but they’re not expecting it. You don’t find notices up here about who’s doing what. It is actually played down tremendously.”

‘Baby Spice was lovely’

A need for discipline even applied to Sylvia’s daughter Frances, who she expelled from the school.

Frances clearly got over it, going on to have a career in musical theatre and representing the United Kingdom in the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing tenth.

Those genes were strong, with Frances’ daughter, stage name Eliza Doolittle, having a Top Five hit with Pack Up in 2010.

The ever-rebellious Amy Winehouse, who died in 2011 aged 27 from accidental alcohol poisoning, claimed to have been kicked out, too.

She said: “I was just being a brat and being disruptive and so on. I loved it there, I didn’t have a problem, I just didn’t want to conform.

“And they didn’t like me wearing a nose piercing.”

But Sylvia did not want Amy to leave. She said: “She would upset the academic teachers, except the English teacher who thought she’d be a novelist. She seemed to be just loved. But she was naughty.”

Other singers were clearly inspired by their time at the school, which moved to new premises in Westminster in 2010.

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Dua Lipa, who went to the ­Saturday school from the age of nine, was asked to sing in front of other pupils shortly after joining.

She said, “I was terrified”, but that the vocal coach “was the first person to tell me I could sing”.

Talent scouts and casting agents would put up requests on the notice board at the school. One such ­posting led to Emma Bunton ­joining the Spice Girls.

Of Baby Spice, Sylvia said: “She got away with whatever she could. But she was a lovely, happy-go-lucky individual with a sweet ­singing voice.”

Groups were also formed by ­Sylvia’s ex-pupils.

All Saints singer Melanie Blatt became best friends with Nicole Appleton at Sylvia Young’s and brought her in when her band needed new singers in 1996.

But Melanie was not complimentary about the school, once saying: “I just found the whole thing really up its own arse.”

Casting agents did, however, hold the classes in very high regard.

The professionalism instilled in the students meant that producers from major British TV shows such as EastEnders and Grange Hill kept coming back for more.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of less well-known performers treading the boards of Britain’s stages also have the school’s ethos to thank for their success.

Those achievements were recognised in the 2005 Honours List when Sylvia was awarded an OBE for services to the arts.

Sir Cameron Mackintosh, who has produced shows including Les Miserables and Cats, said: “The show that provided the greatest showcase for the young actors she discovered and nurtured is undoubtedly Oliver! which has featured hundreds of her students over the years.

“Sylvia was a pioneer who became a caring but formidable children’s agent.”

GOALIE Hannah Hampton was England’s penalties hero with two saves as the Lionesses roared to Euros glory over Spain last night.

Hannah starred in the 3-1 shootout win after the sides drew 1-1 in Basel, Switzerland.

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The King hailed their historic victory, three years after winning Euro 2022. He said: “The next task is to bring home the World Cup in 2027 if you possibly can!”

They are the first senior England football team to win a major tournament on foreign soil and the first to retain a trophy after victory in 2022.

It was striker Chloe Kelly who sealed the win — repeating her feat from Wembley three years ago when she took off her jersey in celebration.

She brought it home this time by scoring the crucial penalty, sparking scenes of joy in Basel, Switzerland.

Manager Sarina Wiegman — winning her third consecutive Euros after victory in 2017 with the Netherlands — ran on to the pitch punching the air as she joined the mass of players and staff mobbing Kelly.

The Arsenal ace was in tears as she joined thousands of delighted fans singing Sweet Caroline.

Moments later, Kelly said: “I am so proud of this team. So grateful to wear this badge. So proud to be English. I was cool, I was composed.

“I knew I was going to hit the back of the net. Unbelievable. All the staff and Sarina Wiegman — she has done it again! Unbelievable.

“It is going to be crazy. I hope the whole of England comes out to support us and shows their love to these girls as they deserve it.”

Supersub Michelle Agyemang, the breakout star of the tournament, sank to her knees and wept as Kelly’s penalty went in.

In the stands, Prince William and daughter Princess Charlotte roared with delight at the victory.

Just before kick-off, a snap of the pair was posted on the Prince and Princess of Wales’s X account with the caption: “Let’s go, Lionesses.”

Jubilant Wills later greeted them, giving skipper Leah Williamson a hug, before they were presented the Euro 2025 trophy on the pitch.

King Charles told the Lionesses: “You have my whole family’s warmest appreciation and admiration. The next task is to bring home the World Cup in 2027, if you possibly can!”

The team will be at a Downing Street reception today hosted by Deputy PM Angela Rayner and sports minister Stephanie Peacock.

Ms Rayner said: “Our Lionesses are absolute champions. Not only are they bringing it home for England again, but they’re inspiring the next generation of champions too.”

PM Keir Starmer added: “The Lionesses have once again captured the hearts of the nation.

“Their victory is not only a remarkable sporting achievement, but an inspiration for young people across the country.”

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Former England striker and footie pundit Gary Lineker wrote online: “They’ve done it again. She’s done it again. Kelly’s heroes. Fabulous.”

Dutchwoman Wiegman said after the win: “I can’t believe it! We said we can win by any means and that’s what we have shown again today.

“I am so proud of the team and the staff. It is incredible.”

Spain were favourites on the back of an impressive run of ten straight victories in all competitions, scoring 38 goals in the process.

But England, despite a shaky start to the tournament, were confident after seeing off Sweden in the quarters and Italy in the semi-final.

A crowd of 34,203 watched as England enjoyed a bright start, with the first chance after three minutes.

But as the match wore on, Spain began to dominate and England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton was forced into several crucial saves.

Mariona Caldentey put Spain ahead on 25 minutes, with Alessia Russo heading England level on 57 minutes.

Then, with neither side making a breakthrough in extra time, the match went to a penalty shootout.

Hero Hampton saved twice before Kelly’s trademark hop, skip and run penalty went in to secure the victory.

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IT was the craziest start to a love affair that survived against the odds for more than 40 years.

Superstar rocker Ozzy Osbourne had been given an envelope stuffed with cash to hand over to Sharon Arden, daughter of his band Black Sabbath’s manager.

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Instead, Ozzy blew the money on cocaine — which he was working his way through when Sharon arrived at his hotel.

Despite being completely off his head, Ozzy, who died on Tuesday age 76, never forgot that first meeting when Sharon asked, “Do you have anything for me?”.

He recalled: “‘No, I don’t think so’, I said, all innocent.

“But it didn’t take Einstein to work out what had happened.

“There was a massive bag of coke on the table next to a ripped-up envelope with ‘Sharon’ written on it in felt-tip pen.

“Sharon gave me a monumental ­bollocking when she saw it, shouting and cursing and telling me I was a f***ing disaster.

‘Drunkest and loudest’

“I guess I won’t be shagging her any time soon, then, I thought.

“But she came back the next day, to find me lying in a puddle of my own p**s, smoking a joint.

“She said, ‘Look, if you want to get your s**t together, we want to manage you’.”

That ill-fated meeting led to an incredible marriage that lasted 33 years — despite Ozzy’s drug and sex addiction and even his attempt to strangle Sharon.

He admitted: “I fell for Sharon so badly, man . . . she saved my life every day.”

In one of his last interviews, Ozzy described the reality TV star and X Factor judge as his “soulmate”.

He said: “Sometimes I love her, sometimes I don’t love her, sometimes I’m angry with her, sometimes I’m crazy about her, sometimes I’m very jealous of her, sometimes I wanna f***ing kill her.

“But through it all, at the end of the day, I love her more than anything in the world.”

As Sharon took over running Ozzy’s professional life, the Brummie lad quickly realised that he had never met a woman like her before.

In his 2009 biography, I Am Ozzy, he revealed: “I’d never come across a girl who was like me.

“Wherever we went, we were always the drunkest and the loudest.

“I learned that when Sharon is on a mission, she’ll throw herself at it, lock, stock and barrel, and not stop fighting until well after the bell’s rung.

“I trusted Sharon like I’d never trusted anyone before on the business side of things.”

 Me and Sharon were bonking all over the place. We couldn’t stop. Some nights Sharon would go out of one door and [first wife] Thelma would come in the other

Sharon

When Sharon was relaunching Ozzy as a solo star with a new album, Blizzard Of Ozz, and a tour following his firing from Black Sabbath in 1979, the star’s private life was falling apart.

He was married to Thelma Riley, had adopted her son Elliot from an earlier marriage and they had two kids of their own, Jessica and Louis.

After months of trying, Ozzy finally bedded Sharon after leaping into her bath at a hotel near Shepperton Studios.

He recalled: “Me and Sharon were bonking all over the place.

“We couldn’t stop.

“Some nights, Sharon would go out of one door and Thelma would come in the other.

“I was knackered all the time, ­having two women on the go.

“I don’t know how those French blokes do it.

“When I was with Sharon, I’d end up calling her ‘Tharon’, which earned me more than a few black eyes.

“I’d never known what it was like to fall in love before I met Sharon.

“We were inseparable.

“I realised that when you’re in love, it’s not just about the messing around in the sack, it’s about how empty you feel when they’re gone. And I couldn’t stand it when Sharon was gone.”

But when he split up with Thelma in 1981, Sharon bore the brunt of Ozzy’s anger.

He said: “I was a wreck.

“I was in love with Sharon, but at the same time I was cut to pieces by ­losing my family.

“I’d get drunk and try to hit her, and she’d throw things at me.

“Wine bottles, gold discs, TVs — you name it, it would all come flying across the room.

“I ain’t proud to admit that a few of my punches reached their target.”

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But the following year, Ozzy and Sharon married in Hawaii on the way to a gig.

The rocker didn’t make it back to their hotel room after the ­ceremony.

Sharon recalled: “The manager called and said, ‘Your husband is lying in the hall, will you come and get him’ and I said, ‘No I won’t’.”

While Sharon managed Ozzy’s soaring solo career, the couple welcomed their three children Aimee, 41, Kelly, 40, and Jack, 39.

But she could not curb her husband’s appetite for booze, illegal drugs and prescription pills.

‘Slumped in corridor’

When he got violent, Sharon would take her revenge like the time she took a hammer to all his gold records.

But seven years after their wedding, Ozzy tried to strangle Sharon while high on drugs and Russian vodka, at their 17th Century home in Little Chalfont, Bucks.

The family had gone to their bedrooms after returning from a local Chinese restaurant to celebrate Aimee’s sixth birthday.

Before lunging at Sharon, Ozzy stripped naked and told her: “We’ve had a little talk and it’s clear that you have to die.”

She pressed the panic button, ­alerting the police.

Ozzy woke up in a cell the next morning with no recollection of the attack, to find he had been charged with attempted murder.

Three months later, ahead of his court case, Sharon visited the rehab centre where Ozzy had been sent to dry out.

In his autobiography, Ozzy recalled how she told him: “I’m going to drop the charges.

“I don’t believe you’re capable of attempted murder, Ozzy.

People keep asking, ‘How come you and Sharon have stayed together all this time?’

Ozzy

“You’re a sweet, gentle man.

“But when you get drunk, Ozzy Osbourne disappears and someone else takes over.

“I want that other person to go away.

“I don’t want to see him again.”

But Ozzy instead developed a p­rescription pill addiction.

Sharon almost died from colon ­cancer during the making of their Noughties fly-on-the-wall MTV show, The Osbournes.

While she was still undergoing chemo, the couple retook their vows on New Year’s Eve 2002.

Ozzy revealed: “People keep asking, ‘How come you and Sharon have stayed together all this time?’.

“My answer was the same then as it is now. ‘I’ve never stopped telling my wife that I love her; I’ve never stopped taking her out for dinner; I’ve never stopped surprising her with ­little gifts’.

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“Unfortunately, I’d never stopped drinking and taking drugs, so the ­ceremony ended much the same as our original wedding — with me slumped in a corridor, p*ssed out of my brains.”

A year later, Ozzy had a near-fatal quad bike accident on their estate that required multiple surgeries and affected his long-term mobility. In the ­aftermath of the crash, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, only going public with the condition in 2020.

Meanwhile, Sharon — who described their life together as “a Shakespeare play” — slipped Ozzy extra sleeping pills in 2016 to extract a confession that he had been having an affair with his hairdresser.

It was also revealed that there were more mistresses.

Devastated, Sharon tried to kill herself but was found by a cleaner.

Jessie Breakwell, who worked as their nanny, said: “Ozzy was obsessed with her.

“They’d giggle and make jokes.

“It was genuine love.”

After Ozzy went to rehab for sex addiction, the couple reconciled and renewed their vows in Las Vegas in 2017.

Sharon admitted: “I love him.

“I can leave if I want, take half of everything and go. I don’t want to.”

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Wild and hilarious Ozzy stories

1. Ozzy once told Sharon: “Don’t cremate me, whatever you do.

“I want to be put in the ground, in a nice garden somewhere, with a tree over my head.

“A crabapple tree, preferably, so the kids can make wine out of me and get pissed out of their heads.

“As for what they’ll put on my headstone, I ain’t under any illusions.

“If I close my eyes, I can already see it:

“Ozzy Osbourne, born 1948

“Died, whenever.

“He bit the head off a bat.”

2. Ozzy decided to stop using acid while recording Black Sabbath album Vol 4.

He said: “I took ten tabs of acid then went for a walk in a field.

“I ended up standing there talking to this horse for about an hour.

“In the end, the horse turned around and told me to f**k off.

“That was it for me.”

3. The rocker began tattooing himself as a teenager while growing up in Birmingham.

He said: “I even put a smiley face on each of my knees to cheer myself up when I was sitting on the bog in the morning.”

Decades later he had ‘thanks’ tattooed on his right palm.

He said: “It seemed like a brilliant idea at the time.

“How many times do you say ‘thanks’ to people during your lifetime?

“Tens of thousands, probably.

“Now all I had to do was raise my right hand.”

4. The Osbournes had a donkey called Sally, who used to sit in the living room with Ozzy and watch Match Of The Day.

5. Former slaughterhouse worker Ozzy claimed to have killed his family’s cats while high.

He recalled: “I was ­taking drugs so much I was a f***ed.

“The final straw came when I shot all our cats.

“We had about 17, and I went crazy and shot them all.

“My wife found me under the piano in a white suit – a shotgun in one hand and a knife in the other.”

6. The Prince of Darkness was interested in the Bible.

He said: “I’ve tried to read it several times.

“But I’ve only ever got as far as the bit about Moses being 720 years old, and I’m like, ‘What were these people smoking back then?’”

7. Ozzy met the late Queen at the Royal Variety Performance.

He recalled: “I was standing next to Cliff Richard.

“She took one look at the two of us, and said, “Oh, so this is what they call variety, is it?” then cracked up laughing.

“I honestly thought Sharon must have slipped some acid into my ­cornflakes that morning.”

8. Ozzy loved putting hidden messages in songs.

He said: “On No Rest For The Wicked, if you play Bloodbath In Paradise backwards, you can clearly hear me saying, ‘Your mother sells whelks in Hull’.”

BRITAIN faces war with Russia within the next five years, the previous head of the British Army has warned.

Former Chief of the General Staff General Sir Patrick Sanders, 59, said the UK must accept that armed conflict with Vladimir Putin by 2030 is a “realistic possibility”.

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Gen Sir Patrick, who retired from the military last year, cautioned that the Army is currently too small to survive more than the first few months of such a war.

And he added that he did not know how many more “signals” ministers needed to realise it must strengthen the nation’s defences.

He said: “If Russia stops fighting in Ukraine, you get to a position where within a matter of months they will have the capability to conduct a limited attack on a Nato member that we will be responsible for supporting, and that happens by 2030.

“I don’t know what more signals we need for us to realise that if we don’t act now and we don’t act in the next five years to increase our resilience … I don’t know what more is needed.”

The former rifleman fell out of favour with the Government while leading the Army for being seen as too outspoken against troop cuts.

It was announced under the previous government that the Army would be reduced from just over 80,000 personnel as of October 2020 to 72,500 by 2025.

Gen Sir Patrick said: “At the moment, the British Army is too small to survive more than the first few months of an intensive engagement, and we’re going to need more.

“Now the first place you go to are the reserves, but the reserves are also too small.

“Thirty thousand reserves still only takes you to an army of 100,000.

“You know, I joined an Army in the Cold War that was about 140,000 regulars, and on top of that, a much larger reserve.”

Gen Sir Patrick said he was disappointed the Strategic Defence Review published last month “didn’t touch on this at all”.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves last month committed to the defence budget rising to 2.6 per cent of the UK’s GDP by April 2027.

And PM Sir Keir Starmer pledged the UK would spend 5 per cent of GDP on national security within 10 years, with 3.5 per cent of that amount going to core defence matters.

But Sir Gen Patrick said that during his time at the head of the Army there had been unsuccessful “conversations” with the government about building bomb shelters for civilians and underground command centres for the military to prepare for an attack.

He said: “It always came down to a conversation of it being too costly and not a high enough priority and the threat didn’t feel sufficiently imminent or serious to make it worth it.

“Finland has bomb shelters for 4.5 million people. It can survive as a government and as a society under direct missile and air attacks from Russia. We don’t have that.”

Despite the biggest threat coming from Russia, Gen Sir Patrick also warned that Iran could act through proxies “to attack British interests in the UK”.

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THE number of summer jobs available has fallen to the lowest level for seven years, as cautious firms cut back on hiring.

Figures from job-matching platform adzuna.co.uk show seasonal vacancies down by 13 per cent on 2024, but there are still more than 20,000 roles on offer nationwide.

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The temporary roles can boost your CV, help you learn new skills and even open up a permanent role.

Adzuna’s Andrew Hunter said: “A summer job might not seem like a big deal, but it’s one of the smartest moves a young jobseeker can make right now.

Beyond the extra cash, these roles offer a chance to build up the kind of soft skills that AI can’t replicate — emotional intelligence, communication, interpersonal skills and teamwork.”

Among the roles which are seeing a surge in hiring are lifeguards, festival crew, theme park assistants and hospitality staff.

Here are Sunemployment’s top tips to land a summer job to supercharge your career . . . 

Seek out a summer role which can lead to long-term work: Not all seasonal roles end when the sunny weather does. Big firms will often have year-round opportunities.

For example, start serving drinks in a beach bar, then move on to an apprenticeship or front-of-house role for a pub or restaurant chain.

Try an alternative industry: They may not seem like an obvious choice, but plenty of sectors from trains, airlines, hotels and coaches to gardeners, warehouses and call centres recruit for the summer.

All of these offer permanent contracts to summer staff.

Use a recruiter: Fed up applying for summer roles then getting ghosted? Recruitment consultants can put your CV in front of hiring managers to speed up the whole process.

Zahida Ahmed joined South Western Railway aged 21 as a temporary event supervisor through Adecco.

Although the initial job only lasted a week, she continued to work through the recruiter and is now a contract consultant with the firm.

Zahida, from Sunbury, Surrey, said: “My summer job was transformative and allowed me to step confidently into the working world and discover a career path I hadn’t considered before.”

Neil Carberry, chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, said: “Recruiters can offer people from every background a chance at a job by working at a festival, concert or sporting event this summer, or something calmer in an office, shop or construction site.

“Agency work is a fantastic way to get experience over the summer in ways that suit you — and even kick-start your career.”

HOLIDAY park operator Haven has 1,200 roles on offer. There are positions in areas including food and beverage, activities and leisure, security and accommodation services.

Ed Camp, 28, joined the firm in summer 2019 on a seasonal contract as a commis chef at the Littlesea park’s Mash And Barrel restaurant.

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He was later offered a permanent job and put on the Grow to Team Manager talent programme. He is now the restaurant’s kitchen team leader managing 16 staff. Ed said: “I’m excited to see where my journey takes me next.”

Apply at jobs.haven.com.

SIX TIPS RELATIVE TO WORK

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THIS week saw the Gallagher brothers take to the stage together for the first time in 16 years. While working with family isn’t always so stressful, it may still throw up extra challenges.

Peter Duris, co-founder of Kickresume.com, said: “A family member on your team means having a colleague you can really trust.

“But, as in the case of Oasis, it can also mean spending too much time together or making big, stressful decisions with someone who knows how to push your buttons.”

Here, he shares his advice.

1. Set clear boundaries between your work and personal life: If your co-workers are family, it’s a necessity.

You might choose to use email only for work-related communication, while using your phone’s messaging apps for things like planning your dad’s birthday party.

2. Make sure the fact that you’re family doesn’t shape how you treat each other at work, so you don’t favour family members over others.

3. Keep your professional expectations the same: Never expect more or less because someone is family. Expecting more might make things more stressful and harm your personal relationship.

4. Be mindful of your past: Working with someone who knows you really well can be stressful, especially if there is already some tension between you.

For instance, if you’ve always had a bit of a competitive relationship with your sibling, or maybe grew up feeling like you were compared to each other, working together can be very tricky.

If you find yourself getting wound up, it might help to stop and think, “What am I really annoyed about?” When working on a project together, focus on your shared goals.

5. Consider your policies: Many UK companies have policies relating to family members, such as banning direct relatives being line managers over each other. These help you prevent a conflict of interest when it comes to issues like pay rises or performance reviews.

6. Sort your succession planning: If you work for a family business where multiple generations are involved, take professional advice on succession planning to avoid damage down the line.

MAKE FAST ‘BUCKS

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Starbucks has opened applications for its accelerated leadership programme – a fast track for future store managers.

The course offers a Level 3 management qualification which usually takes three years to achieve – but 20 trainees will be able to get it in 13 months.

Positions are available in major cities including London, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Glasgow. No previous hospitality or work experience is required.

Alex Rayner, general manager of Starbucks UK, said: “Whether you’re leaving school or exploring a fresh start, Starbucks is a place where you can work with great people.”

Apply by July 21 at corndel.foleon.com/starbucks/starbucks-learner-hub.