Saturday 29 August 2026

The best pubs in every county

telegraph.co.uk

No 53,282

Tally ho for the urban fox William Sitwell: P.21

£5.00

The Daily Telegraph NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR

Life after Clarkson's Farm

America's Falklands threat to Britain

Boost defence spending or we'll withdraw support for sovereignty, says Pentagon

By Connor Stringer in Washington and Joe Barnes

THE United States has threatened to oppose British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands if Andy Burnham does not increase defence spending, The Telegraph can reveal.

The proposal is among measures being drawn up by senior defence officials at the Pentagon as an incentive to hit Nato's 5 per cent spending pledge.

A senior US official told The Telegraph that Britain was likely to receive “special attention” in Washington’s review of its allies’ commitment to Nato, which will examine if member nations have credible paths toward the target. US officials believe that while Britain has the potential to be a leading defence partner, the Defence Investment Plan, announced by Sir Keir Starmer in June, was not enough of a “step in the right direction”.

“I would expect the UK to receive special attention because it has so much potential,” the official said about the ongoing review. “We will therefore continue efforts to incentivise and enable the UK to step up in a major way.”

Asked about the prospect of the US changing its position on the Falklands, they added: “I can say that they [conversations] are candid and nothing is being ruled out as far as options for encouraging the sort of burden-sharing that we seek.”

The discourse from Washington is likely to concern Mr Burnham and John Healey, the Chancellor, whose first Budget on Oct 28 will fail to commit to spending 3 per cent of GDP on defence by 2030. When he quit as defence secretary in June, Mr Healey claimed that

Sir Keir was “unable” and the Treasury “unwilling” to spend the money needed to defend the country. However, government sources told the Financial Times that the Chancellor would not make any commitments relating to the 3 per cent figure in his first Budget.

Donald Trump's administration is pushing Nato into what officials are describing as a new era of the alliance, dubbed Nato 3.0. This would require European countries and Canada to take primary responsibility for the conventional defence of Europe.

“We’ve seen the Defence Investment Plan, and it is a step in the right direction. But a step in the right direction isn’t enough. Given the scale of challenges facing us and our allies, we need allies like the United Kingdom to step up in major, fundamental ways. Some already are. We strongly encourage the UK to do likewise,” the official added.

The US officially adopts a position of neutrality over who holds sovereignty over the Falklands, while recognising Britain's administration of the islands. Argentina also lays claim to the islands, but Sir Keir's spokesman reiterated earlier this year that the Government could "not be clearer" that the islands were a sovereign British Overseas Territory.

An internal Pentagon memo leaked in April suggested that the US might use a potential review of its Falklands stance as diplomatic leverage against Nato allies. Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, played down the leak as a minor internal decision. However, The Telegraph understands the discussion about using the Falklands as leverage is ongoing.

Editorial Comment: Page 17

Harriet Cowan on a tractor at her farm in Derbyshire. The star of the latest series of Clarkson's Farm says she receives 500 messages a day from men asking to marry her – as well as from young girls who want to be farmers like her. Interview: Magazine

Burnham ducks out of debate on assisted dying

By Amy Gibbons

POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

ANDY BURNHAM has refused to back the assisted dying bill in a blow to campaigners fighting for a change in the law.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill returns to Parliament next month, but the Prime Minister, in a letter to MPs, said he would abstain from voting on the legislation to ensure he did not “unduly influence” the debate.

He acknowledged he had his own “personal view” on the issue, but added: “This is a matter for Parliament to decide and my role, as the Prime Minister, will be to lead a government that implements the will of Parliament in this area – whether that is to change the law or not.

“I also do not want to unduly influence the debate as Prime Minister and for every colleague to know it is a genuinely free vote. For these reasons, I have taken the decision that it is most appropriate for me not to vote at second reading.”

Mr Burnham, who is Catholic, was asked about his view on the assisted dying bill soon after taking office in July. Following a speech on social care, he told journalists: "I take the view that that debate – and I don't say that there shouldn't be a debate at some point about those issues – personally, I think there's something that needs to happen first.

“That is the fixing of the funding of palliative care and social care. I think it is very challenging to introduce that wider debate in a context of people not receiving that care and having the peace of mind about that care.”

“That’s the way I kind of see this, and that’s the position that I will stick to.”

The bill, tabled during the last parliamentary session, sought to allow adults in England and Wales with less than six months to live to seek medical assistance to end their lives.

It was controversially introduced as a Private Member's Bill in 2024 after Sir Keir Starmer promised Dame Esther Rantzen, who is campaigning for the law, that a Labour government would allow time for a parliamentary vote on it.

The bill, introduced by Kim Leadbeter, a Labour MP, passed its first Commons hurdle in November 2024, with 330 MPs voting in favour and 275 against, a majority of 55 votes.

Sir Keir voted in favour of the bill, but some Cabinet ministers were opposed. The bill ran out of parliamentary time in the House of Lords, as peers tabled scores of amendments to the legislation.

A near-identical version of the legislation was reintroduced by Lauren Edwards, a Labour MP, in June and is to return to Parliament on Sept 11.

INSIDE

News Focus	22
Obituaries	29
Business	31
Weather	34

Gen Z almost twice as likely to ‘pull a sickie’

NEWS

ISSN-0307-1235

Guards hired to protect public from migrants

NEWS

A Reform-led council is to become the first to pay for town centre security guards to protect residents from asylum seekers. Peter Harris, the leader of Essex county council, said he was launching Operation Vanguard to pay for a private security presence in Braintree, Colchester and Chelmsford, where migrants housed on a former military base were being taken by bus to spend free time. Mr Harris said the security guards were a response to community concerns. Page 4

Paltrow cancels party for OpenAI boss

Gen Z workers are almost twice as likely to take a “sickie” compared with their colleagues aged over 55. More than four in five workers aged under 25 said they had taken a sick day in the past year when they were well enough to work, compared with 43 per cent of staff aged 55 to 64. The survey, carried out by Merlin Strategy for the Centre for Social Justice also revealed that 39 per cent of under-25s reported calling in sick on at least five days in the past year when they could have worked. Page 7

Gwyneth Paltrow has postponed a dinner she planned to host in honour of Sam Altman, the chief executive of OpenAI, after a backlash. The gathering for the artificial intelligence company boss was due to take place today at Ms Paltrow's home in Amagansett in The Hamptons, New York. The plans prompted criticism from Hollywood writers, commentators and other creatives who argued that AI would be detrimental to the entertainment industry. Page 5

MATT

'I went out after work with a group of under-40s. I was the designated drunk'

Miriam Margolyes We're ruining all that makes England great

Review

NEWS

BOODLES 1798

News

The Travel Expert

A new Telegraph podcast with Simon Calder Britain's leading travel journalist and his co-host Greg Dickinson unpack the biggest travel stories – and what they mean for your next trip

Watch or listen every Friday YouTube Telegraph app Spotify Podcasts

Security staff hired to protect public from migrants

Essex to pay for private guards in response to fears over male asylum seekers gathering in town centres

By Charles Hymas HOME AFFAIRS EDITOR

A REFORM UK-led council is to become the first in Britain to pay for town centre security guards to protect residents from asylum seekers.

Peter Harris, leader of Essex county council, said he was launching Operation Vanguard to pay for a private security presence in Braintree, Colchester and Chelmsford, where migrants housed on a former military base were taken by bus to spend free time.

Mr Harris, who visited the former RAF Wethersfield base this month, said it was a response to community concerns, particularly among women and girls, over gatherings of male asylum seekers in the town and city centres.

In what is believed to be the first move of its kind by a council, Mr Harris said it would provide a visible presence of two officers per centre to reassure residents and offer a deterrent to any anti-social behaviour from migrants.

It comes amid demands by the council leader for the Home Office to abandon plans to increase the number of asylum seekers at Wethersfield from 800 people to 1,245, as Labour seeks to move migrants out of hotels into former military accommodation.

It also follows the publication of a Home Office booklet for migrants telling them what rape is, the importance of consent for “sexual contact of any kind” and the need to respect UK laws and culture.

After his visit to Wethersfield, Mr Harris described it as a “holiday camp”, with its gymnasium, fitness room, football pitch and large indoor sports hall, with all the equipment for five-a-side, basketball and cricket.

He said the private security was a “positive and proportionate response to the concerns residents have been raising for many months now regarding the daily bussing of asylum seekers from

Wethersfield to Braintree, Colchester and Chelmsford".

Mr Harris added: “Concerns for community safety are clearly there, particularly among women and girls, because of the daily gatherings of asylum seekers – gatherings which will increase in number and size as the facility expands.

“I have voiced these concerns directly to the Home Office, which runs a fleet of 17 minibuses to the three nearest towns and cities on a daily basis.”

Mr Harris added: “The induction process which migrants undergo at the centre is, in my view, woefully inadequate, especially on their introduction to British culture... But we are not prepared to sit on our hands and wait for the next incident. We are taking action.”

The council said it was in the process of contracting a private security company to carry out patrols, and would be consulting about the initiative with Essex Police, Braintree district council,

‘We are not prepared to sit on our hands and wait for the next incident. We are taking action’

and Colchester and Chelmsford city councils. It said the move was intended as a “stop-gap”, with the contract running for an initial three-month period.

It said this would allow time for the council to seek urgent discussions with Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, over funding for public services to mitigate the effects on communities on facilities such as Wethersfield.

Residents' groups in other areas with asylum camps have set up patrols, but it is not thought any council has taken such an initiative previously.

The cost to the council of hiring security for three months is not known.

Wethersfield is one of two asylum camps operated by contractors for the Home Office. The other is at RAF Crowborough in East Sussex.

Labour is proposing to create three more asylum camps at three other ex-military bases: Linton on Ouse in Yorkshire, RAF Barnham in Suffolk and MoD Bicester.

Cub class Momo and Nima, the first snow leopard cubs born at Marwell Zoo since 2013, are 13 weeks old and “flourishing”, say keepers. There are only about 3,000 left in the wild.

Pakistan rejects plea to take Rochdale rapist ringleader

By Charles Hymas

and Murtaza Ali Shah

PAKISTAN has rebuffed appeals by Ed Miliband for the country to take back a ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang.

In a meeting on Thursday, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Pakistan's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, told the Foreign Secretary that there was no existing law or bilateral mechanism between the two countries that would allow for the transfer of child rapists such as Shabir Ahmed to Pakistan.

Mr Dar said Pakistan would consider the UK's request, but sources indicated that the only way a deal could be reached was if the UK handed over Pakistani dissidents currently resident in the UK – a move that the UK is unlikely to agree to.

“We currently do not have any legislation or formal mechanism under which we can take him back,” the Pakistani side told the British officials, according to sources briefed on the discussions.

Ahmed, 73, was freed from prison last month after serving 14 years of his 22-year prison sentence for 30 child rape offences. Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, has announced she will change 50-year-old immigration laws to close a loophole that had prevented the Home Office from deporting the Pakistan-born rapist, even though he had been stripped of his British citizenship.

Pakistan, however, is refusing to take him back, saying that he has renounced his Pakistani citizenship, has spent virtually his entire life in the UK and is therefore Britain's responsibility.

Mr Miliband is understood to have personally raised Ahmed's case with Mr Dar during talks at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London and asked that Pakistan consider taking him back.

The Foreign Secretary explained the importance of Ahmed's removal from

Britain and conveyed the Government's concerns about the convicted child rapist staying in the country, said a source.

The Ministry of Justice is spending thousands of pounds on accommodating Ahmed, who is subject to electronic tagging, geographical exclusion zones for Oldham, where he lives, and Roch-

Shabir Ahmed was freed last month after serving 14 years of a 22-year sentence for child rape offences

dale, where he committed many of his crimes, strict 24/7 supervision at a bail hostel, and a ban on associating with contacts.

Pakistani officials acknowledged the UK Government's concerns and the domestic political sensitivities surrounding the case, but made clear that under the existing legal arrangements between the two countries, there was no mechanism through which Pakistan could accept Ahmed.

Islamabad's position, according to sources, was that Islamabad had consistently worked closely with the British Government on immigration, deportation and criminal matters.

But a Pakistani source said: “Shabir Ahmed’s case is different because he is a convicted child rapist, on the sex offenders register, and there is no treaty between the UK and Pakistan to exchange or extradite sex convicts.”

Mr Miliband was said to have persisted with the issue and asked the Pakistani government to consider whether a way forward could be found.

The Pakistani side agreed to consider the British request, but also asked the UK to understand Pakistan's view and take into account its concerns. Mr Dar did not spell out those “concerns”, but Pakistan has previously asked the UK to hand over dissidents operating from the

UK in exchange for Ahmed. A formal statement on the talks omitted mention of the Ahmed issue. It said the two sides “reviewed the full spectrum of Pakistan-United Kingdom bilateral relations and agreed to establish a structured mechanism for formal talks between the two foreign ministries to cover all areas of co-operation, to further strengthen bilateral co-operation and regularly review progress in key areas”.

Pakistan has previously warned it would withdraw co-operation in taking back illegal migrants if Britain tried to force it to accept Ahmed.

It is understood Pakistan officials are particularly aggrieved at previous suggestions by government sources that the UK is prepared to impose sanctions, including visa bans on Pakistanis seeking to come to the UK and withholding foreign aid, if Pakistan continues to refuse to take Ahmed back.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are pursuing every available lawful option to deport this criminal."

NEWS BULLETIN

Police dog rescues trapped pensioner

A police dog has been praised after it tracked down a missing pensioner who was trapped in brambles a mile away.

A member of the public reported the man in his 80s acting confused and shouting for help as he suffered from dehydration during a recent heatwave.

The police dog, named Bella, and its handler, Pc Gemma Johnson, were sent to track him down on the Isle of Wight. The German shepherd picked up the scent and led police almost a mile to a field where he had fallen and become wedged in the undergrowth, leaving him unable to free himself.

The man was rescued from the bushes by the police before being taken to hospital as a precaution.

Reform accuses Restore over Greens victory

Reform UK has accused Right-wing rivals Restore of handing victory in a council by-election to the Greens.

Nigel Farage's party were expected to win the Dover district council seat from the Tories, having swept the board at Kent local elections last year.

But Ingrid Dodd, the Green candidate, took the seat by just 34 votes as Rupert Lowe's Restore pulled voters away from Reform.

While Restore said it was delighted with its showing in the poll on Thursday, Reform told the party to “take a look in the mirror” – blaming its Right-wing rivals for the loss of the Guston, Kingsdown and St Margaret’s-at-Cliffe seat.

Official in trouble over Netanyahu death wish

A senior Cabinet Office civil servant has shared a social media post wishing death on Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister.

The staff member is facing disciplinary action over an Instagram story she reposted after Dolly Parton, the country music star, died aged 80 on Tuesday. It had a picture of Parton with the caption: “It should have been Netanyahu.”

The Cabinet Office said: "All civil servants are bound by the Civil Service Code and social media rules.

“This post is clearly unacceptable and appropriate steps are being taken.”

The post was from an account of a Tunisian artist called Pope Art.

Boy downloaded TikTok bomb-making video

A teenager who downloaded a TikTok video on preparing explosives and sprayed racist graffiti on a woman's fence has been spared a custodial sentence. The 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named because of his age, received a three-year youth rehabilitation order at Nottingham Justice Centre yesterday. During sentencing, Judge Paul Goldspring told the boy to stay out of trouble and build a “safe and law-abiding future”.

The teenager, from Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty in July to recording information useful to persons engaged in terrorism, racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage and possessing an offensive weapon.

The Daily Telegraph

is a member of the Independent Press Standards

Organisation (IPSO) and we subscribe to its Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about editorial content, please visit www.telegraph.co.uk/editorialcomplaints or write to 'Editorial Complaints' at our postal address (see below). If you are not satisfied with our response, you may appeal to IPSO at www.ipso.co.uk.

The Daily Telegraph, 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W ODT

Gwyneth's goof over dinner with AI chief

Actress had been criticised for ‘sucking up to our tech overlords’ over Hamptons event for Sam Altman

By Harriet Barber

GWYNETH PALTROW has postponed a dinner she planned to host in honour of Sam Altman, the chief executive of OpenAI, after a backlash.

The gathering for the artificial intelligence company boss had been due to take place today at Paltrow's home in Amagansett in The Hamptons, New York.

The plans prompted criticism from Hollywood writers, commentators and other creatives who argued that AI would be detrimental to the entertainment industry.

The invitation for the “private, off-the-record” event was leaked to Matthew Belloni, a Hollywood entertainment journalist. Mr Belloni wrote:

"I guess summers in the Hamptons just aren't complete these days without sucking up to our new AI overlords. Luckily, Gwyneth Paltrow has you covered."

The invitation listed cocktails at 6pm followed by a seated dinner at 6.45pm on Aug 29.

Kristen Van Nest, a Los Angeles-based thriller writer, accused Paltrow on X of honouring a man whose company was “actively replacing” writers and actors.

Matt Bernstein, a comedian and activist, posted a video describing Mr Altman as “one of the most powerful and evil men unravelling our world as we know it”.

Mr Bernstein asked: “What does the queen of health and wellness have to do with the king of AI? Paltrow is perhaps our best case study on how new age wellness blends seemingly into techno-fascism.”

Paltrow appeared unfazed by the criticism, posting a series of parody

Gwyneth Paltrow, right, posted parody versions of the invitation featuring Shrek, above

versions of the invitation on social media featuring fictional characters in place of Mr Altman, including Jessica Rabbit and Shrek.

“We’re serving swordfish burritos, cheddar foam lattes on request,” she joked on Instagram.

By Thursday afternoon, however, the dinner had been cancelled. Three people interviewed by The New York Times said the dinner had been postponed and no new date had been selected.

The invitation itself then became part of the debate. Shayan Sardarizadeh, a BBC Verify journalist, speculated that the image circulating online was probably created using AI, citing OpenAI's own verification tool.

However, that did not mean the event was fabricated: The New York Times said three people working on the dinner confirmed that the event was genuine.

The Oscar-winner's involvement was perhaps not simply that of a celebrity host. She has increasingly forged links with the technology industry.

The actor, who founded the lifestyle and wellness brand Goop, reportedly invested in Mr Altman's company through Kinship

Ventures in 2023. The fund has backed companies spanning AI, fintech and women's health.

She is also friends with Charles Porch, who joined OpenAI earlier this year as vice-president of global creative partnerships after more than a decade in a similar role at Instagram.

In June, Paltrow made headlines for hosting Trae Stephens, a billionaire defence-tech entrepreneur, on her Goop podcast, where the pair discussed his plans to expand the US's military arsenal.

Mr Altman, one of the most powerful figures in the AI boom, has become a controversial figure in the creative industry.

Under his leadership, OpenAI has faced a growing series of lawsuits from publishers, writers and other content creators.

Paltrow and Mr Altman have been approached for comment.

AI will usher in anti-capitalist movement, says actress

By Craig Simpson

ARTS CORRESPONDENT

MONICA BARBARO believes AI could usher in a 1960s-style anti-capitalist counter-culture.

The American actress, 36, made her name in the revival of Top Gun, and is set to appear in Artificial, about the world of AI companies.

The film is understood to be less than positive about the scruples of AI founders, such as Sam Altman and Elon Musk, and the potential human costs of new technology.

Barbaro, who recently played the 1960s folk revivalist Joan Baez, believes AI could provoke a cultural backlash.

In an interview with The Telegraph, she said: "It sort of reminds me of the Sixties folk-scene era.

“That was a response to being children of the Second World War, and seeing the increasing commercialisation of the world, and wanting to go back to authenticity, speaking truth against the government.”

She added: “I think reverting back to analogue, more human, person-to-person connections, as opposed to succumbing to consumerism and making everything about capitalistic interest – there will always be that counter-movement.”

In Artificial, the actress will star

‘AI could provoke cultural backlash – it sort of reminds me of the Sixties folk-scene era’

alongside Andrew Garfield. The couple are in a relationship, with Garfield set to play tech executive Sam Altman in the film. Since 2019, Altman has been the chief executive of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, a leading AI tool.

Barbaro will play the real-life executive Mira Murati, who served as interim leader of OpenAI after Altman was briefly removed.

While she has reservations about the advances in AI, Barbaro said that she does not believe the breakthrough can be reversed. She said: "I don't know that it will topple what's happening.

“Like, I don’t think we’re going to revert back to non-AI use; that horse has bolted. But that’s a part of innovation: in ways it makes life better and in ways it makes life worse.”

The capabilities of AI have caused concern, including in Hollywood. Lengthy strikes led to the cancellation of numerous projects as writers and other professionals protested against the use of AI in the film industry.

Some stars fear that AI could be used to turn previous shoots, and voice recordings, into new “performances” without the need to pay actors.

On performing in what could be regarded as a “controversial” film, she said: “It feels like being in a minefield. You know, big tech is kind of everybody’s boss now. All our secrets are in our phones. So in terms of totalitarian power, it’s kind of scary.”

Read the full interview in next Saturday's Luxury magazine.

Monica Barbaro, an American actress who starred in the most recent Top Gun and A Complete Unknown, is set to appear in Artificial, a film about the world of AI companies

Bond may yet meet his match as Ronan eyes the baddie role

By Tom McArdle

JAMES BOND producers could cause a marital stir for Saoirse Ronan after she said she wanted to play the secret agent's next villain.

The Little Women actress, 32, is married to Jack Lowden, who is the bookmakers' favourite to be cast as the new 007.

While much of the speculation has been around who will replace Daniel Craig in the spy franchise, Ronan has firmly thrown her hat in the ring to play his nemesis.

In an interview with Empire, she said: "I want to go dark. I said that I wanted to be a Bond villain and I'm dead serious."

Over the years, the majority of Bond's villains have been men. But Ronan said it would be “really interesting” to have a young, female villain.

She added: “Especially for girls and women, to see someone who can just take all that pent-up anger and direct it somewhere, there’s something interesting in that dramatically. So I would love to do more of that.”

Previous female villains include Lotte Lenya as Rosa Klebb in 1963's From Russia with Love.

In 1999, Bond met another in the form of Sophie Marceau, who played Elektra King in The World Is Not Enough.

Saoirse Ronan met future husband Jack Lowden on the set of Mary Queen of Scots

If Ronan were to join the likes of Lenya and Marceau, it is not yet clear whether she would be plotting against her husband.

Slow Horses star Lowden, who met Ronan on the set of Mary Queen of Scots, has long been in the running to take over from Craig, but has only recently emerged as the bookmakers' favourite.

Earlier this month, producer Amy Pascal said it was “a good bet” a decision on a successor would be made by the end of the year.

Pascal, who is producing the next iteration of the spy franchise for Amazon MGM Studios, said: “Daniel Craig is a hard act to follow. And it’s got to be something really different that is stirring, exciting and different.”

Screen tests for Craig's successor are expected to take place as early as the next few weeks.

The names understood to be on the shortlist include Lowden, Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal and Harris Dickinson.

Sir Idris Elba, who was a front-runner to be Craig's replacement, previously ruled himself out of the running and urged the Bond custodians not to make the spy "woke". Debbie McWilliams, who cast the previous 14 Bond films, dismissed calls for a reimagining of the character, saying the spy should remain white and male.

CNN breaks news of Dolly Parton death with photo of impersonator

By Harriet Barber

CNN has apologised after mistakenly airing a photograph of a Dolly Parton impersonator in a broadcast about the country music star's death.

Parton, one of the most celebrated singer-songwriters in country music, died on Tuesday at the age of 80.

During an episode of Laura Coates Live on the evening of her death, CNN showed a photograph of Kelly Vohnn, a Las Vegas-based celebrity impersonator, apparently believing it to be one of Parton.

CNN has since apologised, telling news outlet Deadline: “We regret the error and apologise to the Parton family.”

Vohnn criticised the mistake, saying: "We need reporters to do better due diligence when broadcasting to prevent #fakenews." In a statement on Instagram, she wrote: "I did not give anyone my likeness to be used in any way to fool people into thinking I am the real Dolly Parton.

"This has happened a couple of times now and it's not OK."

She added that she did not own the photographs, which were taken at a red carpet event in Las Vegas for the opening of the film Song Sung Blue, where several impersonators were in attendance. Not-so-lookalikes Dolly Parton and Kelly Vohnn

Parton's death was announced by Brian Seaver, her nephew, on Instagram. "I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven't truly felt it until now," he said.

Parton's team later confirmed that the singer had died on Tuesday "after bravely facing a brief battle with cancer".

The country star won 10 Grammy awards, sold more than 100m records worldwide and wrote more than 3,000 songs. She wrote two of the 20th

Wrote two of the 20th century's most enduring hits, Jolene and I Will Always Love You, on the same day.

Alongside a career spanning seven decades, she was also known for her philanthropy, particularly through her Dollywood Foundation and Imagination Library, which has distributed hundreds of millions of free books to children.

Parton also gave substantial sums to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, where her niece had previously received treatment for leukaemia. In 2020, she donated \$1m to Covid-19 research at the institution, helping fund work that contributed to the development of the Moderna vaccine.

she brought the light, and we are all better because she was here'

In May 2026, she cancelled her Las Vegas residency over health issues.

'She

“I can’t be dizzy carrying around banjos, guitars and such on five-inch heels – and you know that I’m going to be wearing them,” she said in a video message. “Not to mention all those heavy rhinestone outfits, the big hair, my big … uh, personality,” she joked.

Tributes to Parton have poured in this week from her fellow musicians and celebrities. Taylor Swift, who said a world without Parton “doesn’t feel possible, real, or right”.

In a statement to People, the singer said: “Because of the eternally generous way she spent her time on this earth and the countless lives she changed for the better, her legacy will be an everlasting one.”

Oprah Winfrey, the chat show host, said: “This girl from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee dreamed a life and then lived a life bigger than she could have ever imagined. No one like her. She brought the light, and we are all better because she was here.”

Jane Fonda said she was “devastated” after the death of her 9 to 5 co-star, writing in a tribute on Instagram: “Dolly will always be with us because she was so present, so powerful, so generous.”

News

Trail of destruction Kremlin's hand in sabotage across Europe

March 2024 Arsonists target a warehouse in Leyton, east London, storing satellite communications equipment linked to Ukraine. Three British men were later convicted. Prosecutors said they were directed by a Russian handler.

was to be loaded on to an aircraft. Russia was blamed for all three attacks.

May 2025 Two Ukrainian-born men firebombed a property belonging to former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer. The pair were reportedly recruited over Telegram on an account run by Evgeny Lyukshin, a 23-year-old Russian diplomat and the son of a senior official with ties to the upper echelons of the Kremlin.

May 2024 A large fire destroyed the Marywilska 44 shopping centre in Warsaw. Prime minister Donald Tusk later accused Russian intelligence of ordering the arson.

May 2024 A major fire at a Diehl Group factory near Berlin, which produces IRIS-T missiles used in Ukraine, was blamed on Russian saboteurs.

Nov 15-16 2025 Two acts of sabotage on the Warsaw–Lublin railway in Poland. A bomb detonated near Mika as a freight train passed. Authorities identified two Ukrainian nationals who had long collaborated with the FSB and fled to Belarus. Tusk called it an “unprecedented act of sabotage”. Poland later raised infrastructure protection.

July 2024 Parcel bombs explode at a DHL depot near Birmingham and in a DPD truck in Poland. Another incendiary parcel catches fire at a DHL facility at Leipzig airport shortly before it

Putin risks accidental clash with Nato forces

Intelligence sources warn that Russian sabotage attacks in Europe could lead to ‘miscalculation’

By Tom Cotterill and Rozina Sabur

VLADIMIR PUTIN'S sabotage campaign in Europe risks a “miscalculation” that could accidentally trigger a confrontation with Nato, Western officials have warned.

Intelligence sources believe the Russian leader does not want a direct military clash with Nato, but does have an “appetite” to conduct “hybrid operations” against the alliance.

The Kremlin is suspected of being behind several covert attacks in Nato member countries in Europe, including a warehouse in Britain, weapons factory in Estonia and a railway in Poland.

One official said: "The appetite of Russia to conduct... sub-threshold or hybrid operations against Nato countries, whether this is sabotage or cyber, is very clear. President Putin absolutely wants to avoid a direct confrontation with Nato. However, in all of this, there is the risk of miscalculation.”

It comes after a week of Kremlin sabre-rattling, in which Russia threatened to attack British factories after the UK gave Ukraine the blueprints to build Storm Shadow missiles.

Western sources have also revealed that Russia launched a fresh wave of attacks on European armaments factories. The Kremlin is said to be recruiting local gang members to sabotage defence manufacturers, giving it plausible deniability.

In 2023, a group of criminals recruited by the Kremlin set fire to a warehouse in east London owned by a Ukrainian business.

Pro-Russian saboteurs tried to sneak a parcel bomb on to a DHL logistics plane in Leipzig, Germany, in 2024.

A DHL depot in Birmingham was targeted in a similar attack. Russia has also been accused of sabotaging a Polish railway. The Kremlin has grown

Vladimir Putin with officials after landing in Nizhny Novgorod, in Russia, yesterday. Top, civilian training in Kharkiv region, Ukraine

increasingly frustrated by Ukraine's use of British drones to conduct deep strikes across Russia, which have destroyed oil refineries and warehouses.

Putin is under increasing domestic pressure after Ukrainian strikes caused oil production to fall to its lowest level since 2005. Russia is also suffering huge numbers of casualties in the war in Ukraine, with estimates indicating that its army is losing 6,000 more troops a month than it can recruit.

A second Western official said: "Putin's been frustrated by the failure of Russian forces to achieve the goal he sent them at the start of this year to seize the rest of the Donbas by summer.

“Putin’s response to this has been to target civilian infrastructure and civilians in Ukraine ... it’s clear Moscow intends to try to break Ukrainian morale by destroying its energy infrastructure this winter.”

Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukraine president, has speculated that Russia's losses in Ukraine could lead to it drafting a further 300,000 people to send to the front lines.

However, The Telegraph understands that is unlikely as the Russian economy would struggle to replace the loss to the workforce, and the military lacks the equipment for so many new recruits.

John Ratcliffe, the director of the CIA, visited Moscow this week to share his bleak assessment of the state of Russia's military operations in Ukraine. Speaking to Aleksandr Bortnikov, the

‘Russia’s appetite to conduct sub-threshold or hybrid operations against Nato is very clear’

head of Russia's FSB intelligence service, Mr Ratcliffe urged Moscow to cut a deal before their military and economic situation worsened, according to a report by The New York Times.

On Thursday, a Russian foreign ministry spokesman warned the UK would face “catastrophic consequences” for its support of Kyiv.

Officials have tried to downplay the remarks, brushing them off as Moscow rhetoric to try to force Ukraine's allies to reduce support for Kyiv.

One official said: “We do need to remain vigilant, particularly around these hybrid threats. And we shouldn't forget Russia has killed citizens on British soil in the recent past.”

It also emerged yesterday that Chancellor John Healey's first Budget in October will not commit to spending 3 per cent of GDP on defence by 2030. The Treasury said a “pathway” to 3 per cent would be set out in the 2027 spending review.

Mr Healey resigned as Sir Keir Starmer's defence secretary over the issue, saying that hitting the target was vital.

Cabinet minister defends choice to educate her children privately

By Dominic Penna

SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

THE Energy Secretary has defended sending her three children to private school. Miatta Fahnbulleh insisted that she should “have the choice” to pay for their education despite championing Labour’s private school tax raid.

Ms Fahnbulleh told The News Agents podcast: “I don’t think that precludes me or anyone else who holds that belief from being part of the Labour team or part of the Labour family.”

The Government imposed 20 per cent VAT on private school fees in January 2025, which has already forced more than 115 fee-paying schools to close.

Ms Fahnbulleh only became an MP in 2024 but has already been tipped as a potential future Labour leader and enjoyed a rapid rise through the ministerial ranks to her Cabinet position.

Asked by Lewis Goodall whether her children's education would be a problem should she become leader, Ms Fahnbulleh said: "If the question you're asking me is, do I believe that parents should have the choice to send their kids to independent school, I do, I believe that.

“And parents can do that for a whole host of reasons – because it’s a good school, because their kids have special

Miatta Fahnbulleh says her choice for private education should not preclude her from being part of Labour

education needs, because they want schools that are geared towards sports or arts and that is OK.”

Ms Fahnbulleh was privately educated herself, attending the Beechwood School in Royal Tunbridge Wells, where fees are up to £8,199 per term.

She went on to defend Labour's decision to impose VAT on private schools, saying: “We’ve got to get to a system where our state education system is serving all of our children.

“And so I found the debate around the VAT exemption really bizarre because of course government’s not going to subsidise parents sending their kids to independent schools.”

Challenged on whether parents who could no longer afford to send their own children to a private school had the right to be “quite irritated” with her, she replied: “Well, Lewis, you don’t know my personal circumstances and I won’t go into them.”

Ms Fahnbulleh admitted that taxing private school fees was “difficult for some parents” but claimed that it was the right thing to have done at a time when the Government’s budgets were tight.

Labour's decision to remove VAT exemption for school fees has plunged the private school sector into financial chaos, leading to higher costs and thousands of parents unable to afford the fees.

Water suppliers on high alert as Iran launches utility cyber attacks

By James Warrington and Matthew Field

BRITAIN'S water industry has been put on high alert after Iranian hackers launched a series of cyber attacks across the US.

More than a dozen American states have been hit by a coordinated wave of attacks on drinking and wastewater treatment facilities in recent weeks. Researchers suspect that the attacks were carried out by Iran-linked hackers. Security experts have warned that Britain faces similar threats to its water supplies.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which is part of GCHQ, issued an alert this week about the increased risk of attacks on sensors, valves and switches used to automate utilities.

While the NCSC did not name a particular sector or the nations involved, cyber security experts said water companies rely heavily on the type of technology known as “programmable logic controllers”. The same technology was targeted by Iranian hackers in their attacks on US water companies.

One source said the warning from NCSC was aimed at industries including the water sector “for sure”.

The NCSC said it had seen “increased targeting of operational technology sys-

12

The number of US states, at least, hit by Iranian utility cyber attacks, including Minnesota, Michigan and Georgia

tems across multiple sectors globally, including in the UK", and that it had been "engaging with sectors directly in response to this recent targeting".

Businesses face a challenge in ensuring their hardware systems, such as logic controllers, cannot be accessed from the internet by hackers. A water company, for instance, could need remote access to hardware systems, such as a valve or pump. Water businesses contacted by The Telegraph said their hardware would not be accessible remotely from the internet.

Companies have been urged to ramp up their defences against cyber attacks amid a growing threat of disruptive hacks by hostile states such as Iran.

The Telegraph revealed last week that Iran shut down a UK power plant for four days in July. The attacks, which took place at the same time as the hacks on US water facilities, were thought to be the most successful of their kind and marked the first time the Iranian regime had succeeded in closing down such a facility in the UK.

Alan Woodward, a cyber-security expert at the University of Surrey, said hackers were targeting the “systems that keep the water flowing and the lights on”.

A spokesman for Water UK, which represents suppliers, said: “Like other sectors, water companies work closely with the NCSC and follow their guidance.”

Ferguson set to move back to UK, days after Sussexes return

States with their two children, who are to start school in the new term.

By Tim Sigsworth

SARAH FERGUSON is reportedly set to return to Britain.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's former wife, 66, disappeared from public view after she and her ex-husband were evicted from Royal Lodge.

The former Duchess of York relinquished her title alongside Mr Mountbatten-Windsor in October 2025 after repeated revelations about his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

A few weeks later, the King confirmed his brother would be stripped of his remaining titles and that he and Ms Ferguson would have to surrender the lease on their Windsor property.

She has not been seen in the country since leaving the property.

Her expected return will come just days after The Telegraph revealed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were coming back to Britain from the United

According to The Sun, Ms Ferguson will rent a six-bedroom gated property in the Home Counties.

The newspaper reported that removal vans had been seen collecting items of hers from Mr Mountbatten-Windsor's home in Sandringham, Norfolk, this week.

Ms Ferguson is due to move into the property “imminently” and as soon as next week, according to the report.

In the time since leaving Royal Lodge, Ms Ferguson is believed to have been given refuge at a chalet in Verbier, an exclusive Swiss ski resort.

The property belonged to Paddy McNally, the racing tycoon who was one of her closest friend before his death last month aged 88.

There has been speculation that Mr McNally may have left the cash-strapped Ms Ferguson a slice of his estimated £600m fortune.

Wedding belles Former British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari, right, marries partner Danielle Amit in Tel Aviv.

Rail staff threaten to strike over who opens train doors

imum political embarrassment to the Government.

By Gareth Corfield

TRANSPORT CORRESPONDENT

A UNION is balloting members in a dispute over who opens train doors on Labour's £7bn railway line.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) wants guards on Chiltern Railways to strike before the East West Rail (EWR) line is opened to passengers.

The union wants the responsibility for opening train doors to be moved from drivers, represented by the Aslef union, and given to upgraded “customer service inspectors” and known as full guards.

The RMT has said it is a safety issue, although critics suggest it is about shut ting down services in future by getting safety-critical guards to go on strike.

A ballot of Chiltern Railways guards is now taking place, with results due during Labour's conference at the end of September, potentially causing max-

Eddie Dempsey, the RMT's general secretary, in a letter to members sent on Thursday, said: "As you are all aware, this proposed method of operation, DOO [driver-only operation], represents a significant risk to the rail network and the current train manager establishment at Chiltern.

"I have now informed Chiltern Railways that the RMT Union is now in dispute with the company and that train managers will now be balloted for strike action and action short of a strike."

EWR will connect Oxford with Cambridge by the 2030s. A 36-mile Bletchley to Bicester stretch opened last year but no passenger services have run.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “We share passengers’ frustration over delays to services, and the decision by RMT to ballot is a disappointing outcome.” Chiltern Railways was approached for comment.

JEFF MOORE

Gen Z almost twice as likely to ‘pull a sickie’

Four in five workers aged under 25 have taken day off in the past year when they were fit to work

By Emma Taggart ECONOMICS REPORTER

GEN Z WORKERS are almost twice as likely to take a “sickie” compared with their colleagues aged over 55.

More than four in five workers aged under 25 said they had taken a sick day in the past year when they were not too unwell to work, compared with 43 per cent of staff aged 55 to 64.

The survey, carried out by Merlin Strategy for the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), a think tank, also revealed that 39 per cent of under-25s reported calling in sick on at least five days during the past year when they could in fact have worked. That compared with just one in 10 older workers.

The findings will add to a flurry of polls that suggest Gen Z are less likely to be committed to their work compared with older generations and are delaying major milestones, such as moving out of their family home.

Employers have warned that young people no longer leave school “work-ready”, making it more challenging for them to hire inexperienced staff.

Nearly two thirds of people in their early 20s were living with their parents last year, according to the Resolution Foundation, up from 51 per cent in 2011, leading to suggestions that Gen Z is increasingly dependent on the “hotel of mum and dad”.

However, soaring housing costs have

Boots brickbat ‘Non-meaningful work is not for me’

Work that is not “meaningful” can be bad for your mental health, a campaigner has said.

She added: "Jobs need to be meaningful, it can't just be going into any work."

Gigi El-Halaby, who works on youth mental health issues, told LBC that for some people, working in shops such as Sainsbury's or Boots "won't be meaningful and it won't be fulfilling", which could harm their mental health.

Ms El-Halaby told LBC's Simon Marks: "My definition of a meaningful job will be different to someone else's."

Ms El-Halaby has admitted she receives Personal Independence Payment (Pip), a benefit that is intended to cover the extra costs of disability for those with long-term physical or mental illness, which is not means-tested.

Ms El-Halaby's comments came after Labour announced that the first young people to qualify for the

Government's "jobs guarantee", which encourages employers to hire youth workers, started in new

roles at Boots. However, Ms El-Halaby said the Government and businesses needed a more “individualised approach” to getting people into work.

She added: "Working in Boots is not an accessible job for me. For some people it will be."

Ms El-Halaby was contacted for comment.

made it unaffordable for many young people to fly the nest, while a sharp fall in entry-level work has made it challenging to find a secure job.

Official figures showed that the unemployment rate for 16 to 24-year-olds stood at 16.2 per cent in the three months to June as young people across the country struggle to find work.

School leavers and university graduates have warned that despite sending out dozens of job applications, many never hear a response from employers, making the job-finding process even more disheartening.

Despite over-50s being found to take less unnecessary time off, there are concerns that rising numbers of older workers are being cast out of the labour market.

Nikita Malik, of the CSJ, said: "Workers in their 50s and above bring enormous experience and commitment to the workplace, and our polling shows they are much less likely than younger colleagues to take unnecessary time off.”

Government data showed that over-50s were the age group most likely to be made redundant. The polling also found a clear generational divide in the reasons staff gave when telling an employer they were too unwell to work when their symptoms were not serious enough to prevent them from working.

Almost four in five under-25s said being “too tired” had contributed to taking unnecessary time off, compared with 40 per cent of workers aged 55 to 64. Just over half of under-25s added that social reasons, such as a late night or hangover, had played a role in pulling a “sickie” compared to 19 per cent of over 55s.

After heatwave, storms and floods forecast for bank holiday

By Gareth Corfield

TRANSPORT CORRESPONDENT

DRIVERS taking to the roads for the bank holiday getaway are being warned about dangerous aquaplaning after forecasts of stormy weather.

Motorists should expect “challenging conditions” during what is expected to be the busiest summer bank holiday on the roads for more than a decade.

Thundery showers are forecast for much of the three-day weekend, and experts have warned of flash-flooding and travel disruption.

The RAC has told drivers to be particularly cautious of aquaplaning, when a vehicle's tyres lose traction on the road surface because of standing water. It is like skidding on ice, except it usually happens during or immediately after heavy rain.

Breakdown spokesman Harriet Hernando warned of “challenging conditions”. She said: “Flash-flooding could be an issue, so the advice to drivers is to slow down as there’s a very real risk of aquaplaning and losing control. This is especially true with tyres that don’t have much tread, or if the vehicle is travelling too fast for the conditions.”

The RAC has estimated that 20m leisure trips will be made by car between yesterday and Monday, the highest figure since it began analysing drivers' summer bank holiday travel plans in 2015.

Some 3.8m leisure trips are expected to take place today. That figure drops slightly to 3.1m tomorrow before rising to 3.4m on Bank Holiday Monday, when day-trippers will compete with people returning from long weekend breaks.

Yesterday, the Met Office issued a yellow warning for heavy showers and thunderstorms. Much of England and Wales was covered by the warning, in place from midday to 9pm, and the forecaster said flooding was probable, as well as travel delays.

Sixteen areas across the Midlands are covered by the Environment Agency flood alerts, meaning floods are possible. Rain is expected to move east today, but the worst of the wet weather will hit the North West, Northern Ireland and north-west Scotland tomorrow.

Monday is expected to be brighter before showers return on Tuesday.

Make up camp Outdoor beauty preparations under way at the Reading festival yesterday where the headline acts were Charli xcx and Fontaines D. C.

Rain lets steam trains spark but it's still sticky for bees and rivers

By Christopher Jasper and Patrick Galbraith

RAILWAYS across Britain are scrambling to bring back steam trains after a deluge of rain ended a heatwave ban.

Operators of preserved lines will run the vintage locomotives for the first time in months after wet weather cut the risk that sparks from their chimneys would trigger wildfires.

Some operators had been forced to sidelines the coal-fired trains for as long as eight weeks over the summer because of the blaze threat. However, downpours have soaked vegetation running alongside the lines, allowing many to reintroduce them to tap into bank holiday demand.

The Bluebell Railway in Sussex has brought forward plans to bring back steam after judging that conditions were no longer dangerous

James Cummings, Bluebell's marketing manager, said the first steam services to return would be dining trains hauled by the Bulleid Battle of Britain class locomotive Sir Archibald Sinclair, withdrawn by BR in 1966.

The end of the ban is vital for heritage rail sector, which saw visitor numbers plummet and revenues fall by up to 30 per cent as less popular diesel trains were introduced instead.

Jacob Short, from Peak Rail in Derbyshire which is resuming steam operations, said the heatwave had “significantly impacted the industry”.

"One weekend won't save it but it will provide a boost. If everything greens back up we'll be OK, but if we have another heatwave we'll be back to square one," he said.

Some lines tried to keep steam running by curbing speeds s, fitting equipment that stop embers escaping and spraying water on tracksides.

The return of rain has also meant that ageing wastewater systems have struggled to cope. Campaign group River Action said there had been 4,600 sewage spill incidents across the country over the past 48 hours as storm overflows are overwhelmed.

Sewage flowed into the River Derwent in Derbyshire for 15 hours yesterday, while a spill into the River Windrush in Oxfordshire lasted at least 13 hours.

A sewage spill is allowed in exceptionally heavy rain but the water company must only use a permitted outlet. Fear-gal Sharkey, the musician-turned-rivers campaigner, said the situation reflected the poor state of the water system.

He said: “When there’s the merest hint of rain, copious amounts of sewage are dumped into our rivers and into the water around our beaches. Yet again the profiteering and failure of our water companies to invest is exposed.”

Meanwhile, Britain is facing a short-age of high-end heather honey after heatwaves hammered the flowers that bees rely on for nectar.

The “champagne of honey” is expected to be in short supply in the months ahead, along with lavender, borage and sunflower honey.

Leigh Goodsell, the owner of Leigh's Bees in Walsingham, Norfolk, said: "To conserve moisture, flowers will stop producing nectar, so in a few weeks, beekeepers go from healthy supplies to much smaller supplies."

Mr Goodsell said his early summer honey production was good but had "ground to a halt" in the hot weather.

Frynn McBratney, the founder of The Sussex Beekeeper, said his production was down 50 per cent.

'This is your hour': Churchill's VE Day microphone goes under the hammer

By Gareth Corfield

A MICROPHONE used by Winston Churchill to celebrate VE Day is up for auction.

The wartime leader made an inspiring speech to mark the defeat of the Nazis on a Grampian DPL PA mic at Westminster Chapel on May 8 1945.

It is now being put up for sale by Gerry O'Brien, the former landlord of London's Churchill Arms pub.

A brass plaque attached to the microphone is engraved with the words “The Price of Freedom is Eternal Vigilance. Winston S Churchill”.

A typed label on the underside states: "This microphone was used on the VE Day gathering at Westminster Chapel by Winston S Churchill after addressing his Cabinet."

It comes with several other items, including a pair of photographic prints showing the prime minister delivering his VE Day broadcast to the nation, as reported by What's The Jam. The microphone has passed through the hands of several collectors since 1945. It is believed to have been a showpiece at a restaurant in the US state of New Mexico during the 1950s.

When the restaurant closed, its furnishings and effects were sold off, including the microphone, which made its way back across the Atlantic.

Mr O'Brien later bought it at auction in 2024 and has decided to put it back under the hammer.

He is best known for his 32-year tenure as landlord of the Churchill Arms in Kensington from 1985 until his retirement in 2017.

During his time there, he turned the pub into a tourist hotspot, complete with memorabilia featuring Churchill together with extravagant floral displays.

The typed label, above, on the underside of the microphone, right, that Winston Churchill used to make his VE Day speech

Liz Poole, an expert, said: "Mr O'Brien was a passionate collector of items associated with Churchill over many decades and has even been the subject of books about his tenure as landlord of the Churchill Arms, one of the UK's most famous pubs."

News

Police step back as cars set on fire at vigil for A66 crash victim

Ex-mayor warns criminals are untouchable in town blighted by outbreak of gang-related violence

By Tim Sigsworth, Daisy Graham-Brown, Tom McArdle and Emily Blumenthal

CRIMINALS in Middlesbrough are seen as “untouchable”, its former mayor says.

The North Yorkshire town has been blighted by a spate of suspected gang-related violence since two policemen were killed in a head-on collision with joyriders on the A66 on Saturday.

More than 300 officers have been sent to the town in a police surge amid fears the disorder will escalate following a deadly house fire and a knife attack this week.

On Thursday night, police refused to intervene as several cars were set on fire at a vigil for one of the crash victims. Andy Preston, who served as Mid-

Andy Preston, who served as Mid-

Armed police swoop on a street in Teeside, only five miles from Middlesbrough and, right, scenes from the memorial to Michael Cahill

dlesbrough mayor between 2019 and 2023, told Times Radio: “What we’re seeing now is the product of years of being soft. Years of being desensitised.”

He said the “idiots” seem untouchable, adding: “They frequently seem to be unarrestable or certainly unconvictable and rarely seem to be in prison.

“So there’s a sense that the criminals have been in control of some streets. There’s a sense that the system – whether that’s the police, council or court system – just doesn’t care.”

Police are investigating whether the spate of violence, including the crash that killed Pc Matthew Blades, 37, Pc Tom Clough, 38, and five young joyriders, may be linked to organised crime.

At least five vehicles were burnt in a field near Haswell, Co Durham, during a memorial for Michael Cahilll, 23, one of five joyriders killed on Saturday when a vehicle that had been evading police collided with a marked police car while travelling the wrong way down the A66 dual carriageway.

A group of teenagers set vehicles alight and lit blue smoke flares for Cahill on Thursday. Mourners also set off fireworks and released balloons into the sky that spelt out Michael.

Police decided to let the cars burn because “there was no immediate risk to wider public safety”.

Cahill's mother had written a post on social media calling for “bikes, jeeps, cars, quads” to gather near Haswell to “give him the send-off he deserves”.

Footage online with the caption “Rest in peace Micky” showed cars driving through the muddy field and crashing through hedges before being set on fire.

Anna Turley, MP for Redcar, called the scenes “completely unacceptable”.

Cahill was killed in a Volkswagen Passat, along with Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Worthy, 17, and Jakub Matusiak, 23.

The Telegraph revealed that four of the five joyriders had a combined 37 previous convictions, and police said they might have had links to “serious and organised criminal activity”.

So far, 24 people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Middlesbrough residents fear rising violence could lead to “carnage” in the city, which has the highest crime rate in England excluding Central London.

The crash took place less than an hour after an SUV rammed a house belonging to Worthy's father. A house where Rae's mother lived was also rammed by a vehicle before the crash.

Then on Wednesday, Valentina Foster, 7, and her aunt Natalie McDonald, 34, were killed in a house fire in Grangetown. Two men, 23 and 31, were arrested on suspicion of murder on Wednesday and remained in police custody on Friday night.

On Thursday afternoon, a 39-year-old man was stabbed on the Bankfields estate in Eston, about two miles from the scene of the fatal crash.

Elsewhere, armed officers were called to an incident in Thornaby, near Middlesbrough, on Thursday following reports of an altercation involving a weapon. Andy McDonald, the Labour MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, said: "People are going to their shops and not feeling safe to do so and feeling trapped. "That is just unacceptable. This is terrorism."

ERRY BLACKBURN/BACKGRID

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

Bereaved families demand all killers excluded from early release

By Charles Hymas

HOME AFFAIRS EDITOR

MORE than 35 bereaved families and campaigners have urged Andy Burnham to exempt all killers from his early release scheme.

The families, including racing commentator John Hunt, whose wife and two daughters were murdered, wrote to Alex Norris, the Justice Secretary, warning him that exemptions of only certain types of manslaughter would undermine Labour's pledge to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade.

Mr Norris is proposing to exempt “unlawful act” manslaughter, a subset of the offence that would mean two of the killers of PC Andrew Harper would remain behind bars and would not be freed early halfway through their 13 year sentences for killing the officers.

However, ministers are not thought to be planning to extend it to the two other subsets of voluntary manslaughter – an intentional killing with a partial defence such as sudden provocation – or gross negligence manslaughter where death is caused by extreme carelessness.

The 35 signatories to the letter, however, say that the exemption should be applied consistently across all forms of homicide, rather than creating distinctions between different categories.

They include Emma Webber, the mother of Barnaby, one of three people stabbed to death by Nottingham killer Valdo Calocane, Diana Parkes, whose daughter Joanna Simpson was murdered by her BA pilot husband, and John and Penny Clough, whose campaigning for their murdered daughter Jane has been hailed multiple times by Sir Keir Starmer.

The families warn that limiting the exemption to a single category of homicide risks creating an arbitrary distinction between bereaved families and could leave offenders convicted of other grave homicide offences eligible for accelerated release.

They also accuse the Government of “compromising” justice for victims and public protection at the expense of tackling the prison overcrowding crisis. The

Telegraph previously revealed that Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, the killers of Pc Harper, would be among about 6,000 criminals eligible for early release either halfway through their sentences, rather than two thirds, or

‘Voluntary manslaughter includes cases in which all the elements of murder are present’

one third through, rather than 40 per cent, as part of government plans to tackle prison overcrowding. After a public backlash, Labour initially agreed to exempt 1,000 rapists and child groomers from the scheme, but not those convicted of manslaughter.

Mr Burnham then announced a further review and said he was increasingly confident a way could be found to exempt Bowers and Cole.

In the new letter, the families and campaigners write: “The death of PC Harper was horrific, and the strength of public feeling around this case is huge and shared by us all...

"As the Government considers excluding unlawful act manslaughter from the scheme, it must follow that all forms of manslaughter are also excluded, and notably voluntary manslaughter which by law is a more serious crime. The protection now being considered for one group of bereaved families should not inadvertently exclude others whose loved ones were killed, including in circumstances that resulted in a conviction for voluntary manslaughter.

“Voluntary manslaughter includes cases in which all the elements of murder are present, including an intention to kill or cause serious harm.... These offences can therefore involve some of the most serious and devastating homicides heard by our courts.”

A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said: "We are fast-tracking a plan to keep more of the most dangerous offenders behind bars. That's on top of murderers and those serving sentences for rape, serious child sexual abuse and grooming offences who are already blocked from any changes."

Shopper fights off gunman in showdown on CCTV

By Tom McArdle

A SHOPPER wrestled his gun-wielding attacker to the ground in a corner shop in north London.

CCTV footage showed Ali Unlu wrestle with Mustafa Bolat, 29, who fired at least one shot in his direction at a convenience store in Wood Green.

In the footage, Bolat can be seen cocking the gun before being flung into crates of fruit by Mr Unlu.

The pair exchanged blows as Mr Unlu tried to subdue his attacker.

A shot appeared to miss his head by just inches during the incident in March.

Both men refused to co-operate with police, meaning the motivation for the attack remains unclear.

up Mustafa Bolat's left arm holding the gun.

At the Old Bailey, Bolat admitted possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, but was cleared by a jury of attempted murder and possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life.

He admitted firing the shots but claimed he had only wanted to scare Mr Unlu.

Nicholas Alexander, prosecuting, said: "Mustafa gets up and points the gun towards Mr Unlu, who instinctively puts his right arm out and pushes

"The two continue to grapple with one another, falling into the refrigerated cabinet and then off towards the bottom of the screen."

Bolat had told jurors: “I am not a monster, I am not an angel, I make mistakes like everyone else.

“I was stupid to commit a serious crime. I am not discrediting the crime I have committed, I am just making sure the jury is aware that I am not a killer.”

He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on Nov 13.

The court heard Bolat has a previous conviction for grievous bodily harm relating to a knife attack in July 2017.

Cross-examining Bolat, Mr Alexander said: "That was an incident when you were travelling in a car, and there was a car in front of you, and during the course of that incident you had in your possession a kitchen knife.

“You exited your vehicle and reached through the open window of the vehicle in front of you, and you brandished that knife towards the driver of that vehicle.

"As a result, the driver of that vehicle sustained two injuries to his leg and wrist. So you are somebody who is capable of using a weapon."

Mustafa Bolat points a gun towards Ali Unlu, who tries to wrestle him to the ground

Police seize 76 zombie knives in run-up to Notting Hill Carnival

By Tom McArdle

POLICE have seized 76 zombie knives in the run-up to Notting Hill Carnival.

The Metropolitan Police said it had also taken 30 flick knives and a machete off the streets in the weeks leading up to the 60th anniversary of the bank holiday weekend event.

The annual celebration of Caribbean culture, which is expected to attract around two million people, has been plagued with violence and disorder in recent years.

The Met said yesterday that it had seized zombie knives that could have been used this weekend.

It said officers had confiscated 66 such knives in north-east London, and 10 in east London. There, they also confiscated 30 flick knives and a machete.

On Wednesday morning, officers worked with Greater Manchester Police to carry out raids on London addresses and arrested seven people on suspicion of robbery.

The Met said the group was alleged to be part of a gang that had previously targeted the carnival and “may have had plan to do so again”.

The force said another 330 people either had police bail or probation licence conditions not to attend. In

2025, Scotland Yard said it had made 528 arrests across the two main days of carnival for offences including drugs and knife attacks.

Last year alone, there were four stabbings, while 55 at the carnival were arrested for assaulting a police officer – with two requiring hospital treatment.

Claire Smart, the Met's gold commander for the festival, said the size of the event meant it would “inevitably bring challenges”. She said: “We have strengthened our plans to target those who come intending to commit violence or engage in other criminality.

"Our message is simple: come and enjoy the carnival, look after one another, respect the event, the communities hosting it and the police officers, stewards and other emergency services working to keep people safe.

“Help us ensure everyone can enjoy a safe and successful weekend. But if you’re coming to commit crime, to target others or to engage in violence – stay away or know that we will work relentlessly to identify you and take action.”

The Met said it would be carrying out stop and searches as well as “increased deployment” of live facial recognition cameras. Last year, facial recognition technology identified 98 people, which led to 61 arrests.

'I want to take my husband back home alive'

NHS psychiatrist flies to Nepal to search for missing spouse after deadly flash floods swept the region

By Samaan Lateef FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT in Kathmandu

A BRITISH psychiatrist is among hundreds of people still missing in Tibet and Nepal after deadly flash floods swept through the region on Wednesday.

Pravin Atmakur, 54, was leading a group of 77 pilgrims to Mount Kailash in Tibet when the floods struck, killing at least 475 people.

His wife, Manjula Atmakur, arrived in Kathmandu yesterday morning after travelling from Britain to search for her husband, who has not been heard from since the flood.

The couple both worked as psychiatry consultants for the NHS, and their son studies at Trinity College, Cambridge. Speaking from Nepal, she said her family felt let down by the British government's response to the disaster. More than 1,300 people remain missing in both Nepal and Tibet, including 33 British citizens.

“I came here with the only agenda that I want to take Pravin back home alive,” the 50-year-old from the West Midlands said.

“No one told us anything. We clearly feel let down by the British government. There is no information, they are waiting for China to share the information, updates,” she added.

The massive rescue operation was temporarily paused yesterday over fears that two lakes, which were formed by debris blocking the valley's river, could overflow and cascade down the mountain.

There is also a threat of heavy rain in Trishuli, a bazaar high up in the valley in Rasuwa, where disaster struck, which rescuers say is making it harder to find survivors.

Mr Atmakur was born in southern

India before moving to the UK to pursue his career in the NHS. He has volunteered with the Isha Foundation for more than a decade, and was leading the pilgrimage for the 15th time, travelling with people from 19 countries, including nine Britons.

His wife last spoke to him on Aug 15, when he began the pilgrimage. She

Santosh Sahu, fourth left, Surabhi Manmath Padhy, front right, Spandan Sahu, fourth right, and Syna Sahu, third right, with their tour party from Alpine Eco Tours before they went missing in the Nepal floods

wanted to tell him that his cousin had died, but a poor internet connection made communication difficult. She believes he had completed the pilgrimage and was returning from Tibet into Nepal when the floods struck at around 9am on Wednesday.

Residents salvage belongings from their destroyed home following flash floods

A tsunami-like wave of water, mud and debris, caused by a glacier collapse, ripped through the Himalayan border region at 100mph, destroying buildings and bridges. Footage showed the grey mudslide barrelling down the Trishuli River valley, destroying everything in its path - including Gyirong Port, a Chinese land border crossing between Nepal and Tibet through which thousands of pilgrims pass every year.

At 9.05am on Aug 26, Mr Atmakur sent a message to volunteers at the Isha Foundation saying that the group was waiting at the immigration centre in Timure to cross into Nepal. Timure is around a mile-and-a-half south of Gyirong Port, in the direct path of the flood.

Mrs Atmakur has heard nothing from him since. “I am emotionally broken. I don’t know how my husband is. In which situation. I want him back,” she said.

A millionaire family-of-four from Surrey, including a 13-year-old schoolgirl, are among the other missing Britons in Nepal. Santosh Sahu, 46, and Surbhi Padhy, 42, and their children

Spandan, 18, and 13-year-old Syna were part of a group visiting the Hindu holy sites in Tibet, several media outlets confirmed yesterday.

Mr and Mrs Sahu ran a company in London before the former set up a pharmaceutical business.

Nepal about-turned on a decision to block foreign rescuers from helping search for survivors after dozens of countries offered to help on Thursday.

Kathmandu said it would allow a “limited number of experts” from foreign countries to help.

Roughly 517 foreigners from 31 countries are missing. According to the Nepal Tourism Board, Indian nationals account for the highest number of missing, at 178, followed by 65 Americans, 53 Ukrainians and 35 Australians.

Yesterday, China and Nepal issued alerts over an overflowing lake that has formed in the mountains beyond Gyirong Port, that could cause a second disaster.

The search operation was temporarily paused yesterday, but resumed.

EZRA ACAYAN/GETTY IMAGES
Braced for more destruction Second devastating flood feared as water overflows unstable natural dam formed after glacier crashed down from Himalayan mountain

'I am emotionally broken. I don't know how my husband is. In which situation. I want him back'

A temporary lake overflowing near the Nepal-Tibet border is threatening to unleash a second flood, days after at least 543 people were killed in the region.

Purepu Tsangpo rivers after a mass of ice and rock debris blocked the rivers' natural flow. Scientists say a barrier lake is created when material from a landslide – including rocks, soil, ice and other debris – falls into a river

The lake formed at the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and

The lake formed near the Nepal-Tibet border by flood debris where two rivers meet

basin, a barrier lake is held back by an unstable wall of debris.

Unlike a conventional lake, which is contained by a permanent geological

Once a river has been blocked, water continues to flow into the newly formed basin from upstream.

The water level rises and pressure builds against the debris dam.

The amount of water flowing into the lake depends on rainfall, melting snow and ice, and tributary rivers.

If the dam becomes saturated or the water rises high enough to flow over its lowest point, it can begin to erode.

concrete dam, a barrier made from loose rock, soil and ice can be rapidly washed away. Once water begins cutting into the structure, the channel can widen quickly, allowing increasing amounts of water to escape. This can

Unlike a cause the lake to drain suddenly, sending a powerful flood downstream.

The flood can also pick up rocks, soil and other debris from the valley floor, increasing its destructive force.

The steep terrain of the Himalayas can make such floods particularly dangerous because large volumes of water can accelerate through narrow river valleys.

The lake in Nepal, where about 2.5 million cubic metres of water had accumulated, began overflowing on Thursday.

"high risk of breach".

Another three million cubic metres of water is expected to flow into the lake over the next three days, posing a

The area is also expected to see heavy rain, increasing the pressure as rescue efforts continue to find the more than 1,400 people.

The lake is near the Langtang Lirung peak, where the collapsed glacier which caused the initial flood is believed to have originated.

Drones, boats and bare hands in the perilous search for flood survivors

Samaan Lateef FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT in Bidur, Kathmandu

WHEN Parvati Thapa reaches the noticeboard, she runs her finger down a sheet of paper looking for her father's name. On and on she reads, across a dozen pages taped to the wall of the Nepalese army barracks in the town of Batar.

Like the others who crowd forward behind her, the 49-year-old social worker is hoping to find her loved one on this regularly updated list of survivors. But he is not there.

“I am still looking for him,” Ms Thapa, on the verge of tears, told The Telegraph.

For now, 73-year-old Noor Bahadur Thapa remains among more than 1,300 people whom authorities have not been able to trace.

He could still be out there in the Himalayan valleys that, on Wednesday morning, were flooded with a torrent of ice, mud and water triggered by the collapse of a glacier into the Bhotekoshi River. Or it could already be too late.

As of Thursday afternoon, Nepalese authorities said that the death toll from the flash flood had reached nearly 600, but it was expected to rise as the crucial 48-to-72-hour window for finding survivors passed.

In the morning, fears of a second flood led to suspended rescue efforts as a lake on the border of China and Nepal threatened to burst its banks.

Drone footage showed snow and ice falling into the body of water, which overflowed for a few hours before the water level began to drop and the threat of a fresh disaster “gradually decreased”, according to Chinese state TV.

Helicopters landed every few minutes at Batar and swiftly took off again, depositing survivors then returning to the worst-hit areas.

In Rasuwa, the Nepalese army carried out an extraordinary rescue mission in a tunnel where 100 power-plant workers had been trapped.

Video footage showed camouflage-clad soldiers sliding on their bellies to reach, grab and pull to safety survivors who could barely lift their hands out of a thick layer of mud.

"The search is on to determine how many people are still trapped inside," the Nepalese prime minister's office said in a statement.

On the other side of the border, a Chinese rescue team comprising ‘It was apocalyptic. I have seen Hollywood movies of people fleeing walls of water but not real life’

16 firefighters and a rescue dog reached Gyirong Port, which was submerged in a wall of rock, water, ice and debris when the flood hit on Wednesday morning.

The team was using “water, land and air” to try and find survivors, according to the Xinhua state media service. Some arrived by inflatable boat, others crossed the mountain on foot, while heavy-lift drones flew some into the devastated border post.

By the afternoon, satellite footage showed a second lake rapidly swelling – drawing in water from the first and eventually overtaking it in terms of surface area. Authorities expressed concern that rainfall in the next 24 hours could trigger further flooding, or force further delays to the rescue effort.

In Bidur and Trishuli, the two towns separated by the river a short distance upstream from the army base, police rode around on motorcycles urging people to head to seek safety on higher ground.

With nearly 100,000 people in need of assistance, according to the International Red Cross, the Nepalese government turned down offers of foreign help in the rescue effort – asking instead for funds to help rebuild devastated communities along the

riverside. More than 100 homes were destroyed in Trishuli, residents told The Telegraph.

Debris lined the streets, where rescuers in raincoats mingled with Nepalese soldiers.

“I have never seen anything like this in my life,” says Amrish Kumar Talwar, 48, whose shop in Trishuli was washed away in the flood.

"It was apocalyptic. I have seen Hollywood movies where people are running away and walls of water are chasing them, but never in real life."

Mr Talwar's son fractured his leg in the flood and is being treated at a

Two camouflaged soldiers pull a survivor out of the mud in a tunnel at the Rasuwa power plant

healthcare centre in Trishuli. With the bridge linking the two towns having been washed away in the flood, the shopkeeper – trapped on the other side of the river – was only able to reach him by telephone.

Still wearing the red sari and slippers in which she had fled her home to escape the flood, Parvati Adhikari says: “I have nothing except these clothes I am wearing.”

Her home, too, was swept away, but she, her husband and two daughters are now taking shelter in the home of relatives in Bidur.

British citizens have flown into Nepal to join the search for their family members.

Among the missing are thought to be a family of four, including a 13-year-old girl and an 18-year-old boy who has just completed his A-levels at the Royal Grammar School in Guildford.

In Bidur's Chakra Dev Hospital, overwhelmed staff treat patients on the floor before transferring them by ambulance to hospitals in Kathmandu. Rubble and debris have broken bones and remained stuck in the bodies of the wounded.

Every time a helicopter lands at the Batar barracks, a crowd of people gathered by the concertina wire surrounding the helipad crane their necks to see if any of their family members are on board.

Ms Thapa arrived on Wednesday evening. She will stay as long as it takes, she insists, returning over and again to the notice board to check for her father's name. "I will wait here until I find him on the list," she says.

News

2.5 million caught in the £100,000 tax trap

Frozen thresholds mean 200,000 more workers will pay 62p on every extra pound they earn by 2031

By Alex Marsh MONEY WRITER

MORE than 2.5 million workers will be caught by the £100,000 tax cliff edge in the next four years, as the threshold becomes “increasingly detached from reality”.

Frozen tax thresholds and rising wages will drag a further 200,000 people into the tax trap by 2031, analysis from online traders IG shows.

Experts said that the decision to freeze thresholds for more than a decade and a half means millions will be dragged into the tax trap, “stunting career development”.

A quirk of the tax system means anyone with a salary of £100,000 to £125,140 loses 62p of the next pound they earn to income tax and National Insurance (NI), as their tax-free personal allowance is gradually withdrawn. An estimated two million

Better off, harder hit Wealthy families face steeper rise in costs

Wealthy families were hit with a steeper rise in costs than low-income households for the first time since March 2025, official figures show.

against a 2.7 per cent rise for the lowest-income families.

Costs for the better off jumped by 2.8 per cent in the year to June 2026, according to the Office for National Statistics,

Experts said the data illustrated how wealthy families were being used as “tax-producing machines” and challenged calls for Andy Burnham, the Prime Minister, to target higher earners. Benedict J Smith

taxpayers currently earn above this threshold, a number that will rise to 2.3 million over the next three years, according to HMRC figures. Childcare perks are also completely lost once either parent earns £100,000 or more.

The analysis comes ahead of Prime Minister Andy Burnham's first Budget in October, when the Government is widely expected to raise new taxes. Personal tax thresholds will remain

Michael Healy, of IG, said: “The £100,000 threshold is becoming increasingly detached from reality. It has been frozen since 2010, a time when Gordon Brown was our prime minister and Gary Neville still played for Manchester United.”

'A measure designed to catch only super-high earners could now hit senior employees'

unchanged until at least April 2031. The additional annual tax revenue from not uprating the £100,000 threshold is estimated to reach £7bn a year by 2031, figures from IG showed. Had the threshold risen with inflation, earners today would only start to lose their personal allowance at around £160,000.

When the tax trap was first introduced, fewer than 600,000 people earned enough to cross the cliff edge, 1.9 per cent of all taxpayers. This now stands at 5.6 per cent of taxpayers.

Sarah Coles, of investment platform AJ Bell, said: “A measure designed to catch only super-high earners at the top of their profession could now hit senior employees with a couple of decades of experience under their belt, including head teachers and newly promoted NHS consultants with no private work.”

The Treasury said: “The personal allowance is reduced for those with incomes over £100,000 to ensure support is focused where it’s most needed, including funding public services.”

Large orange and yellow designs painted on to Grange Road West in the centre of Birkenhead with planters and benches

Good riddance to the LTN Wotsits... at cost of £300,000

By Telegraph Reporter

A COUNCIL is to remove road markings that look like “giant Wotsits” following ridicule from residents.

The £300,000 upgrade to a 170-yard stretch of Grange Road West between Charing Cross junction and Clayton Street in Birkenhead, Merseyside, was completed last winter.

The markings, which cover the pavement and the road, were part of a trial one-way system.

Paula Basnett, the leader of Wirral council, said that the furniture on Grange Road West will be removed by the end of August, with the markings removed by the end of September.

The council recently said that letters had been sent to businesses on the road “outlining the next phase of changes” and “new measures to help support local traders”.

The changes were part of a six-month trial to see if a low-traffic neighbourhood system could create safer routes into Birkenhead town centre.

‘Wirral council staff concerned with this development should be disciplined’

Brian Kearsley, a resident in the area, described the system as “an absolute farce from start to finish”.

He added: “Wirral council staff concerned with this development should be disciplined and the consultants never used again. The waste of the cost should be reimbursed to the council taxpayers.”

One shop owner whose shop is on the street described the scheme as “disgusting”. Bernie Cooke, another resident, said: “Will anyone at the council be responsible for this farce?”

Ms Basnett said the trial provided “valuable evidence about what works for the area and what needs to change”. She added: “The one-way system has improved the operation of the Charing Cross junction, and we will retain it.

"We have also heard clearly from residents and businesses that parking and loading provision are important to the success of the area.

“We are therefore moving forward with a revised scheme that brings back parking, provides additional loading and parking provision for businesses, and removes the temporary planters, benches and coloured surfacing.”

MAN UTD

IPSWICH

STREAM sky sports FLEXIBLY ON

NOW

One dead as sign crushes Christian festival-goers

Six others injured in incident at Big Church Festival forcing three-day event to shut early

By Telegraph Reporter

A MAN has died and several people injured after being crushed by a sign at a Christian music festival in West Sussex.

The incident took place at the Big Church Festival near Steyning at about 3.30pm on Friday. Sussex Police confirmed that a 41-year-old man from Eastbourne had died at the scene.

Emergency services were called to the festival after reports that a large sign had fallen and injured a number of people

Det Ch Supt Richard McDonagh said: "At least six other people were also injured during this incident and have been taken to hospital for treatment.

"I recognise the immense distress this will have caused people at the festival, and we are working with a number of partners as we seek to establish exactly what happened.

In a statement on Instagram, Big Church Festival said: “We are devastated by the serious incident that took place at Big Church Festival 2026 today, in which a sign fell, injuring at least seven people, one of who tragically lost their life.” The event organisers added

‘Ambulance crews, critical care paramedics and

specialist response teams are on scene'

that their “thoughts are with those who have been affected, their families and friends, and everyone who witnessed what happened”.

They also confirmed that the festival, which started yesterday and was expected to run until Sunday, has been cancelled.

A statement on the Big Church Festival website initially said the 2026 event had been “paused following a serious incident on site”.

They added: “The campsite will remain open for those who wish to stay overnight, or you’re free to travel home if you wish.

“We know you will have many questions, more information will be on our website when it becomes available.”

Earlier in the day, a safety announcement displayed on a big screen at the main stage told attendees: “Due to circumstances beyond our control, the show has been stopped.

“Any campers, please head back to the campsite immediately. Any non-campers, please remain in the main arena.”

In a post on Instagram shortly after 5.30pm, guests were told yesterday's show had been cancelled and all day visitors “must leave the site now”.

One festival attendee told The Times that he heard the “worship tent sign has blown over and landed on a few people”.

He added that an air ambulance had attended the scene. A livestream of the festival, which was being broadcast on GOD TV, was suspended as the incident

‘We know stopping the show will deeply disappoint the

thousands who have joined us'

unfolded. James Lewis, of Premier Christian News, said guests were not allowed to get in or leave, with the site placed on “lockdown”.

According to its website, Big Church Festival was founded in 2009 and is the UK's biggest Christian festival. The three-day event welcomes up to 40,000 guests every August bank holiday.

The line-up was expected to include about 60 Christian artists and worship leaders performing on various stages across the site

Last night Sussex Police said: "Emergency services are responding to an incident at an event near Steyning. Police were called at around 3.38pm and remain at the scene, assisting other emergency services.

Stitch in time: Tapestry could return home in under an hour

By Craig Simpson

IT has taken 900 years for the Bayeux Tapestry to finally cross the Channel, but the return journey could take just under an hour.

The medieval artwork could be flown back to France after its historic appearance in Britain – the first since it was created in the 11th century.

The Telegraph understands that “all options are on the table” for its return to Bayeux, including alternate modes and routes of transport.

In July, the 1,000-year-old artwork was taken by road under heavy police escort from the French town to the British Museum, where it will be displayed in a public exhibition.

However, security concerns could prompt planners to choose a new method for returning the artefact, as its outbound route to England was heavily

1,000 Years since the Bayeux Tapestry, detailing the Norman Conquest of Britain, was created

publicised. New and elaborately shock-proof transport equipment could also allow other routes to be chosen, without risk of damaging the work.

Should conservation experts sign off on an aerial route for the woven record of the 1066 Conquest, flights from London to Normandy could take under an hour.

The embroidery is considered to be so fragile that vibrations caused by the poor quality of UK roads could have ruined it in transit, meaning the experts were required to prepare for the journey with a training camp.

The Telegraph previously revealed that the lorry carrying the Bayeux Tapestry to London, via the Eurotunnel rail shuttle, was stopped near Calais so police could check the vehicle for Channel migrants.

This route was not the only one technically available, as the Eurostar line runs from central London, beneath the Channel, toward Paris Gare du Nord, while boat services to Normandy are a commonplace.

TV presenter Claudia Winkleman stars as an employee of the British Museum in a trailer for the Bayeux Tapestry, as a new wave of tickets for the exhibition are announced. The work will be on display until July next year

China's guards 'used illegal Taser at demo'

By Gwyn Wright

GUARDS at the Chinese embassy in London have been accused of brandishing electroshock weapons at protesters.

Security workers allegedly pointed the banned weapons at demonstrators last month during a candlelit vigil for Lobga Rangzen, a Tibetan activist who died after setting himself on fire outside the UN headquarters in New York.

Video footage obtained by The i Paper, which appears to show embassy workers waving stun batons at protesters as they approach the embassy gates, is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said on July 3 at around 6pm police were called over a protest outside the embassy.

He said: "Two protesters alleged that embassy staff had pointed a Taser towards them. No injuries were reported and officers left the area once the protesters had dispersed of their own accord.

"The investigation continues as officers review evidence, including video footage supplied by witnesses."

The force added that no arrests had been made.

British officials raised the matter with the embassy. A source said: "Any attempts by a foreign state to coerce, intimidate, harass or harm individuals on UK soil will never be tolerated."

Electroshock weapons are banned under the Firearms Act 1968. Almost 20 human rights organisations, including Free Tibet, Hong Kong Watch and Stop Uyghur Genocide, wrote an open letter to Andy Burnham, the Prime Minister, last week urging him to exempt the Chinese embassy grounds from diplomatic immunity so a police investigation could “proceed unobstructed”.

The organisations argue that the weapons raise questions about potentially unlawful conduct.

Alicia Kearns, the shadow home affairs minister, said on X: “How does the Chinese embassy have them? What else prohibited under UK law have they brought to UK? How dare they threaten people in Britain with them.”

Luke de Pulford, of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, demanded legal action and expulsions, adding: "Carrying stun sticks is illegal but Chinese Communist Party guards have them. The footage is unequivocal."

The Chinese embassy was approached for comment.

Kenyan ‘witch’ wins reprieve from deportation

By Telegraph Reporter

A KENYAN woman accused of being a witch has had her deportation halted after it was judged that the “shame and trauma” of the allegations had not been taken into account.

The woman, known only as JB, had been in an “unhappy” polygamous relationship when her partner’s other wife had died, leading to the accusations of witchcraft.

She fled the country and arrived in the UK, but her application for asylum was rejected because she had not mentioned the accusations.

However, she has been allowed to have the case reheard after it was found the first judge had not taken the information into account.

The 63-year-old had been in “an unhappy household" in Kenya, where her 75-year-old husband had another wife. She had taken care of the single child she had with the man, a 42-year-old son, as well as the three children her husband had with his other wife.

‘The shame and trauma made it extremely difficult for me to specify that I was accused of witchcraft’

JB said there had been pressure for her to accept the polygamous circumstances, but that she had not been prepared to do so.

However, while she was there, her husband's other wife and daughter died, which JB claimed led to accusations that she was a witch. She left her home in 2010 and arrived in the UK in 2014, but did not claim asylum until 2023. She was not followed by her husband or children.

She did not immediately bring up the accusations of witchcraft, explaining: "The shame and trauma I experienced made it extremely difficult for me to specify that I was accused of witchcraft."

She said that it not be possible for her to relocate to Kenya, because the culture of sharing information in communities would mean she would not be able to escape the accusations against her.

The first judge who decided her asylum application said that the accusation of witchcraft had been fabricated to strengthen her case.

Faces of the four men who admit arson attack on Jewish ambulances

By Telegraph Reporters

FOUR men have pleaded guilty to destroying four Jewish community ambulances in an arson attack causing £1m of damage.

Hamza Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, Judex Atshatshi and Saif Ali, both aged 18, pleaded guilty to a charge of destroying or damaging property and being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.

Atshatshi, Khan and Iqbal entered their pleas by video-link from Wandsworth and Pentonville jails, with Ali in the dock at the Old Bailey.

The charges relate to the attack on ambulances in Golders Green, north London, in the early hours of March 23.

Three of the defendants were said to have set fire to the fully stocked vehicles, while a fourth waited in a blue Toyota Avensis. The resulting blaze caused gas canisters inside the ambulances to explode and damaged nearby flats and a synagogue.

On his arrest on April 1, Ali threw his mobile phone out of the window, the court was previously told.

The defendant, then aged 17, had been in contact with someone in February with a view to buying a blue Toyota Avensis and had done research online about how much ambulances cost.

The prosecution alleged Ali went on to source the Toyota that was used in the attack, with WhatsApp messages between him and a co-defendant relating to the purchase.

The ambulances belonged to Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service, and were said to cost between £240,000 and £250,000 each.

The total cost of the damage to the four ambulances destroyed in the arson attack

£1m

Prosecutors said they believed the incident was a targeted attack against the Jewish community.

Four electrical charging stations and cables costing approximately £5,000 each were also damaged during the incident.

Leo Seelig, a prosecutor, suggested the incident had a “terrorist connection”, although no mention was made in court of potential proxies working for Iran.

Previously, counter-terror police looked into the possible involvement of Iranian proxies in the Jewish ambulance arson, as well as other attacks on Jewish sites in London.

Most have been claimed online by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right.

However, in April, Iran's embassy in the UK said it "categorically rejects" allegations of involvement in "violent activities or incidents in the United Kingdom".

Two of the four ambulances burnt in Golders Green, north London, by, top to bottom, Judex Atshatshi, 18, Saif Ali, 18 Rehan Khan, 19, and Hamza Iqbal, 20

News

Global guide boosts care for women heart attack victims

Cardiologists agree big overhaul to how cases are defined and diagnosed to cut deadly delays

By Michael Searles DEPUTY HEALTH EDITOR in Munich

HEART attacks affecting women will be taken more seriously in a “revolution” of how the condition is treated.

World-leading cardiologists have agreed the biggest overhaul to how they are defined and diagnosed in decades to cut deadly delays.

New guidance will upgrade three types of attack that are up to 10 times more common in women and often triggered by childbirth, exercise and emotional stress.

The most serious cases, previously known as “type 1” and now called “primary” heart attacks, had previously prioritised those caused by a clot blocking blood flow to the heart.

However, the types of attacks more common in women involve reduced blood flow for other reasons, such as a tear or tightening of arteries, and are more likely to be missed or not treated as urgently.

The global guidance, which will be adopted by health bodies including the NHS, will also reduce the threshold for any type of heart attack to be diagnosed in women based upon the levels of a protein called troponin in their blood.

Until now, women have had to reach the same threshold as men for troponin – which is released into the bloodstream when the heart is injured or damaged – to get a diagnosis.

Prof Nicholas Mills, a cardiologist at Edinburgh University who led the task-force that developed the guidelines, said it was “the first time that we’ve had a truly global approach to aligning how we diagnose what is probably the most important diagnosis there is”.

"It kills so many people, and we've never got everyone together around the world to agree how we're going to describe it, classify it, explain it to our patients," he said.

"Our job now is to implement this as widely as possible. It's just as relevant for the UK as it is for any other country around the world. It is a revolution. It's going to make care better for patients."

He said there had been “unintended systematic bias against women”, including use of a key blood test for diagnosing heart attacks at an average level, which picks up all men but misses some women.

“This is used for all types of heart attack in every emergency department in the world, and we want to make sure that it’s used correctly,” he said.

The three types of heart attacks that

50pc Research shows women heart attack victims are half as much more likely to be misdiagnosed at first

have been upgraded are a coronary artery spasm, coronary embolism, and spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD).

The first involves the tightening of the artery, which can deprive the heart muscle of blood and oxygen, and can be caused by emotional stress, exercise or extreme cold.

The second is where a blood clot or fatty deposit causes a blockage.

And the third is caused by a tear in the coronary artery, which occurs in women at least 80 per cent of the time, often during or soon after pregnancy. There are 1,500 cases of SCAD per year.

It comes as research shows women heart attack victims are 50 per cent more likely to be misdiagnosed at first.

The changes to guidance were announced at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Munich.

High note Celine Dion arrives in Paris ahead of 16 sell-out concerts. The singer has recently suffered stiff person syndrome and says her comeback is “the best gift of my life”.

NHS pays out £3k per head for private ADHD care

By Tom McArdle

THE NHS is paying private clinics up to £3,000 per patient to carry out ADHD and autism assessments, a report has found.

Health trusts have seen their costs surge as much as tenfold in the past year as they try to tackle “out of control” waiting lists.

The NHS Alliance, which represents trusts and hospitals, said boards were having to cut vital care to meet demand for diagnoses.

Its report examined a “steep and relentless rise” in spending on ADHD and autism assessments across the 42 regional NHS integrated care boards (ICBs) which “are not decelerating in any way”.

Costs are spiralling because 800,000 people are on NHS waiting lists for an ADHD assessment in England.

Under the right to choose initiative, they have a legal right to be assessed privately, the cost of which is covered by the NHS.

Last year alone, the health service

‘We know waits have been too long for too many families, and we are taking action to improve access’

paid for 100,000 private ADHD assessments via the scheme.

NHS Alliance's latest report showed spending in one region increased tenfold, from £1.75m in 2024-25 to £18m in 2025-26. In Cheshire and Merseyside, spending on adult ADHD services went from £11m in 2023-24 to £38m in 2024-25. A cost of £51m was projected for the 2026-27 financial year.

The report found “huge variations” in prices paid, with fees ranging from £300 to £3,000 per assessment.

Rebecca Gray, the director of the NHS Alliance's mental health network, said it was a “very, very rapid increase”. She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: “That is obviously a cause for concern itself. But it feels like, to some extent, it’s out of control.”

Thea Stein, of the Nuffield Trust, said the state had been unable to meet the “dramatic growth” in demand for ADHD and autism services and that patients needed help navigating the “Wild West” of test providers.

The latest figures come before a government inquiry into rising ADHD and autism diagnoses.

4.50%

AER P.A. (VARIABLE)*

*4.41% gross per annum (variable). Includes a 1.64% bonus (AER) fixed for 12 months.

MONEY

WHY SETTLE FOR LESS? SWITCH UP YOUR SAVINGS

√ More rewarding - Earn double the rate the big banks are offering.

√ 24/7 easy access - Take out your money instantly with no penalties.

√ Always here for you - Talk to our UK-based team if you need support.

SAGA EASY ACCESS SAVINGS ACCOUNT

To open your account, scan the QR code or visit saga.co.uk/move50

Interest paid monthly. UK residents only. Designed for people over 50, in partnership with NatWest. Correct as at 20th July 2026. Available to new customers only.

CELEBRATING

SAGA

Experience is everything

Madcap inventors battling invasion of nurdles

Samuel Montgomery

Volunteers bring makeshift machines to collect pellets from the North-East shore following spillage at sea

EAGER volunteers armed with home-made equipment are tackling an invasion of more than a billion plastic pellets, which is causing an environmental disaster.

Small plastic beads, known as nurdles, have spread more than 60 miles along the coast of the North East of England after a wind turbine installation vessel collided with a container ship at the Port of Tyne last month.

Conservationists have raised concerns about an imminent environmental catastrophe, because the nurdles kill fish and birds if they eat them, and persist in the environment for decades. A grassroots movement has sprung up to try to eradicate the nurdle scourge.

Tim Robertson, 53, an IT manager, has spent much of the past six weeks since the spill combing Tynemouth beach for the nurdles. Hunched over a sieve and a bucket, he told The Telegraph nurdle-hunting had been “a steep learning curve”.

“I’m now running Q branch,” Mr Robertson said, as he unveiled a range of homemade gadgets for nurdle-gathering on Fish Quay Beach.

His latest prototype is a series of buckets with holes drilled into the bottom, creating a distillation system that keeps out seaweed before a final bucket of water separates the floating nurdles. “It’s mostly stuff from the kitchen and shed,” he said, handing out the more tried and tested dustpans and brushes.

Volunteer groups with makeshift equipment have mobilised in their droves, working alongside high-vis jacket-clad council workers and professional pickers from Nurdle – an organisations dedicated to microplastic removal – to sift out the pellets, which are used in the making of plastic products. Collection bins have been installed across the coastline, so authorities can understand the scale of the clean-up and dispose of the pellets appropriately.

Tides and currents took the 25 tons of floating pellets out to sea after the boat collision on July 19, and efforts are continuing to find and dispose of as many nurdles as possible.

Jack Bloomer, the chief scientist and technical director of the Tyne Rivers Trust, has warned that the nurdles could disrupt the food chain for years to come. He told The Telegraph: "When ingested, the plastic pellets cannot be broken down and take up space in the stomach. This means these animals can become malnourished and pass the impact up the food chain to their predators like otters, dolphins and seals."

Mr Bloomer said the plastics could also pick up pollutants, which add another pathway for contaminants to

How Denurdler machine works

3 Nurdles, sand and smaller debris enter the water. Sand sinks while nurdles float. Displacement takes the surface water through a hole into the second bucket

A pump funnels the water back up to the hose to complete the cycle

The nurdles and small debris are left in mesh-bottomed tray while the water fills up the bucket and enters the third via a lower opening

Unfiltered sand is tipped into the tray

Water from the hose pushes the sand through three metal mesh levels, removing large items such as seaweed but keeping the nurdles

enter the food chain. He has called for continued monitoring to understand where the pellets travel, which species could be exposed and what the longer term ecological consequences could end up being.

He said: “The nurdle spill is a reminder that our rivers are already facing multiple, interconnected pressures and that we need much greater investment in protecting and restoring them, for the benefit of both people and our amazing wildlife.”

After the spill, Dr Helen Charlton, a volunteer “nurdler”, enlisted the help of a scaffolding firm to make nets, which vary from industrial sized to versions that fit in a pocket.

“We used up all the mesh that we could lay our hands on in the North East, so when I was in Preston for work I brought back as much as I could take,” the 50-year-old said, adding that they had made 90 on the first day and had since lost count.

The business academic from Northumberland said a WhatsApp community created with subgroups for each area had hit the limit of 2,000 members. She said dog walkers often flagged nurdle sightings, adding: “It’s like an intelligence network.”

The Northumberland Wildlife Trust has also been handing out bags created by a community of 30 home machinists making supplies out of donated materials.

Dr Charlton said the spill had brought out the best in the community.

She added: "In the North East we are not afraid of rolling our sleeves up and getting on with it. We are stubborn. We will dig in and keep going. It's a Covid lockdown mentality. You need a lot of hands."

She said the volunteers had collected 550kg of plastic pellets and logged more than 5,900 hours of nurdling, but was acutely aware that the current lull in the conditions would not last.

The back-breaking work may be aided in future by John Lodge's innovation, the denurdler (above).

Mr Lodge said he loved that the spill had given him an “excuse for making stuff”, adding that he had been

John Lodge at a self-made filtering machine in Tynemouth; Dr Helen Charlton, a volunteer, holds a jar of nurdles

‘We are not afraid of rolling our sleeves up. We are stubborn and we will dig in and keep going’

working late with a head torch on to get the latest model finished.

Authorities have come under pressure over the speed of their response to the spill.

Lewis Bartoli, the Tory councillor for Tynemouth, has called for an independent review into the response. "This should not be about pointing fingers or scoring political points. It should be about making sure the lessons are properly learned," he said.

The councillor said volunteers deserved “enormous credit”.

"People have given up hours of their own time, often doing painstaking work by hand at unsociable times, to help clean our beaches. That community spirit has been incredible."

Martin Osborne, Green Party councillor, said: "The authorities were unprepared for this, and going forward, there must be a change in legislation to ensure that companies across the plastic pellet supply chain are obliged to have stronger processes in place to prevent the loss of plastic."

Neighbours protest at ‘monstrous’ home and want it razed

By Telegraph Reporter

A “MONSTROUS” seven-bedroom house being built on the edge of Bath has triggered a planning row with neighbours.

Residents claim it has been built significantly higher and with a larger footprint than what was originally approved by the council.

A retrospective application has been submitted to “validate” the changes.

Bath and North-East Somerset council said enforcement action would only be “considered” after the fresh application has been determined.

More than 70 residents attended a recent site meeting while 100 people lodged formal objections to the home. Thomas Worrall is listed as the applicant for the plans. He is also listed as a director of TKB Property Developments and TK Building Company at Companies House.

Tavis Hamilton, 48, who lives next door and has spent years battling developers, called the house “monstrous” and said: “The new application has been submitted as part of a wider game to avoid enforcement action. The changes are so significant and widespread that all the rest of the drawings from roof light location also require total update.

"A cease order needs to be applied to all works on site whilst a detailed new planning application is submitted. If this had been put in place when the concern over levels was first reported two years ago, this could have been resolved then, reducing the damage that will now be more difficult and costly to rectify."

Neighbours unhappy with the seven-bedroom home want it torn down, despite the on-site apology

Residents said the orientation, siting, height, volume, footprint and surrounding landscaping all “significantly” deviated from the original plans and would set a damaging precedent.

In documents related to the latest proposal, the developers claimed it had “tried to keep the building as low as we could” and said they “feel that the overall height of the building is similar to the approved plans”.

Mr Worrall said: "The whole street has been against me from day one. I only bought the site to build my own house with planning permission already on it. Someone else took it all to planning seven years ago.

"There have been complications on the ground and the professional builders were not able to make it work so it was a little bit higher to start with.

"The neighbours all seem to think I have screwed the system and been sneaky. But I am not. I've now pulled all my guys off site... It was just a few mistakes on site. They think I have all this money and want to play the system but that is 100 per cent not true."

He added: “I am sorry to everyone for the inconvenience of it all. But I want to be a good neighbour. It will be a lovely building with green grass on the roof There will be no more work on site until planners are 100 per cent happy.”

The council said: “Only if the application is refused will the council consider formal enforcement action.”

IT'S OK. WHEN YOU'RE OUT FOR THE DAY

Online exclusive Join today theAA.com

40% off breakdown packages to keep your bank holiday moving

AA

40% off breakdown cover packages is only available when you take out a new membership with At Home, National Recovery or Onward Travel on the AA.com The sale starts on 23 August 2026 and ends at 11.59 pm on 31 August 2026. This introductory offer: (1) is only available online at the AA.com; (2) is for new AA breakdown customers only who are UK residents, and not existing AA breakdown members or at renewal; (3) applies to the first year of your membership for annual customers only; for monthly membership, prices may change at any time with 45 days' notice; (4) does not apply when only Roadside Assistance is purchased, or to Parts & Garage Cover, or to Key Cover, or to Commercial Use, or to Tyre Cover; (5) is not available in conjunction with any other offer, discount or promotion or in a breakdown situation; and (6) is not valid and prices are subject to change if you hold your Breakdown membership in relation to a vehicle used for commercial purposes (without purchasing Commercial Use), or if you are in material breach of any other terms of your Roadside Assistance policy; (7) there's no cash alternative, and the AA reserves the right to withdraw or alter this promotion without prior notice at any time. All information correct at time of print August 2026.

News

Eco-activist struck traffic marshall at car boot sale

Victim says he tried to take his own life after assault while ‘arrogant’ Mercedes driver avoids prison term

By Telegraph Reporter

AN ECO-ACTIVIST struck a traffic marshal with a Mercedes at a car boot sale after he was told that he could not drive up a track.

Garry Oates, 66, inflicted “serious injuries” and victim Mark Patterson had to spend six days in hospital.

Oates, who calls himself Captain Oates and runs the Blue Seas Protection campaign group, denied he had touched Mr Patterson at the event on the Isle of Wight in June 2021.

At Portsmouth Crown Court, Oates was handed a two-year suspended sentence for dangerous driving and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was fined £3,000 and disqualified from driving for two years.

Reading out a victim impact statement, Mr Patterson, who lost several teeth in the assault, said: "In regards to the further effects I have felt in the last three years, my mental health has gotten to the stage where I have got so low that I have just wanted to end it all.

"The Isle of Wight mental health unit have saved me greatly from doing so, as I have had to call the crisis team on multiple occasions.

"Nowadays I am having to ring the crisis line weekly as I am feeling so low, and on

Garry Oates had previous offences

three occasions in the last 18 months I have tried to end my life.

"The situation that I am currently going through is having an effect on my family. One of my children can remember the conversations word for word and is constantly having to go through this as we have waited so long for this to go to trial."

The court heard that Oates had been previously convicted of battery in 2009 and 2020, as well as for using threatening words and behaviour in 2022.

Representing himself, Oates asked the judge for an adjournment of sentence based on article six of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which refers to the right to a fair trial.

Judge David Melville KC denied his request and proceeded to sentence Oates. The judge said: "You were told by Mr Patterson that you could not drive

up the track to the car boot. You ignored this and you drove your motor car at him, striking him.

"He ended up on the bonnet and then on the ground and had to be taken to hospital. He was released but then had to be taken back to hospital for a further five days."

He said that this was “disgraceful behaviour” and that Oates had taken no responsibility for his actions.

The judge said: "You are an arrogant man who refuses to accept responsibility for your actions. It is in your nature not to accept responsibility or to accept criticism from others."

He said that the incident was aggravated by his previous offending and the fact Mr Patterson was a pedestrian.

Claws for landing A roseate spoonbill touches down with its huge pink wings fully extended at Orlando Wetlands in Christmas, Florida. The spoonbills were making repeat trips to collect nesting materials. The birds' striking colour is derived from their diet – crustaceans, plant material, aquatic insects, molluscs, frogs, newts and very small fish.

Robber can't be deported because his wife would miss him

By Charles Hymas

HOME AFFAIRS EDITOR

AN INDIAN migrant jailed for robbing a grandmother and a young mother of their jewellery has been allowed to remain in the UK because it would be “devastating” for his wife if he was deported.

The unnamed man was sentenced to five years for robbing a “vulnerable”

grandmother of her gold chain while she waited at a bus stop, and snatching a gold necklace from a woman who was walking with her children in a pram.

The incident, which occurred while he was on drugs, caused the older woman to fall to the ground and suffer cuts and grazes, a tribunal heard.

After marrying a British citizen and having two children together, the judge found that it would be “unduly harsh”

to deport the Indian man and it would be too dangerous for his family to travel with him as they had “threats” made by family members. It was found that his wife, who suffers from a rare form of inflammatory arthritis and mental health issues, would be “devastated” without him around.

The Indian, who cannot be named for legal reasons but was referred to as AB, came to the UK when he was 11 after his father was sentenced in the UK for murdering his mother in an arson attack. In 2017, he met and married a British-born woman of Pakistani nationality, who cannot be named, and although he was a Sikh, he converted to Islam.

Judge Landes said: “Drawing everything together, I have found it would be beyond unduly harsh, indeed devastating for CD to be separated from [AB].”

THE FAMOUS FIVE © Hodder & Stoughton Limited. All rights reserved *Ticket pricing reflects an Advance purchase single fare. These fares are released up to 26 weeks before travel for weekdays and up to 15 weeks before travel for weekends. Availability may vary by route and date of travel. The lowest Advance fares are not available for travel on Sundays. Correct as of 24 August 2026. Terms and conditions apply

Thousands pay tribute to Europe's oldest king

King of Norway dies aged 89 in Oslo hospital after receiving treatment for rare blood condition

By Alexander Butler

KING HARALD V of Norway has died aged 89, the Norwegian royal family has announced.

RUNEHELLESTAD/GETTYIMAGE

The monarch died “peacefully” at Oslo University Hospital at about 6.35am yesterday, the palace said, as it drew the curtain on a reign of three-and-a-half decades.

King Harald, who was Europe's oldest reigning monarch, had been in hos-

In this period, a major hospital was located in the capital since Aug 17 with haemolytic anaemia, which is caused by the rapid destruction of red blood cells.

The royal palace had said the King was in an “extremely serious” condition on Thursday without providing further details. It later confirmed that Norway’s beloved elder monarch had passed away.

"It is with deep sadness that we announce that His Majesty King Har- ald passed away today," the palace said in a statement. "King Har- ald passed away peacefully at Oslo University Hospital on Fri-day, Aug 28 at 6.35am."

His wife, Queen Sonja, and Crown

Prince Haakon and his wife Mette-Marit spent much of Thursday at the King's bedside. The monarch's 53-year-old son now automatically becomes King Haakon VIII.

The death of King Harald comes at a turbulent time for the Norwegian royal family as it emerged earlier this year that King Haakon's wife, Queen Mette-Marit, was once friends with Jeffrey Epstein.

Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Mette-Marit whom King Haakon adopted as his own, was also this year convicted of rape and assault, deepening a public relations crisis for the monarchy.

The King paid tribute to King Harald yesterday morning, expressing “profound sadness” at his passing.

"For 35 years, King Harald served his people with unwavering dedication, guiding Norway through times of great change with warmth and humility," he said.

"As Norway mourns the loss of so towering a figure, my whole family join in remembering a much-loved kinsman and friend whose kindness, compassion

and deep sense of duty and deep sense of duty echoed from across the sea and across the decades."

The flag at the royal palace in Oslo was lowered to half-mast shortly after the death was

announced. On Thurs- day, thou- sands gathered outside the palace in

central Oslo after hearing of the King's worsening condition, laying bouquets.

One well-wisher said King Harald had been “a very steady and warm king” and served as a role model for Norwegians.

“I think the entire Norwegian people see him as a role model and as someone who brings people together,” said Kaspara Bolstad, 24. “Whether you’re for or against the monarchy, I think he’s well-liked across the board.”

Magnus Skaugseth, 27, added: "He was so inclusive and committed to having values that are inclusive in the society we live in today.

"When there is so much division and polarisation, he was a pillar pointing in the opposite direction."

There will now be several days of national mourning leading up to King Harald's funeral in Oslo Cathedral. He

Queen Sonja and King Harald V, top left. King Haakon VIII, inset. People gather to pay their respects at the Royal Palace Square in Oslo

will be laid to rest alongside his ancestors in the royal mausoleum of the Akershus fortress, a 13th-century castle overlooking Oslo's harbour. King Harald will lie close to his mother, Crown Princess Martha, his father, King Olav, his grandmother, Queen Maud, and his grandfather, King Haakon.

In the coming days, the new King will take an oath in the Storting, the Norwegian parliament, in front of lawmakers, and promise to rule over the kingdom in accordance with its constitution and laws. There will not be a formal coronation ceremony where a crown is placed on Haakon's head.

If he chooses, there will then be a consecration at Trondheim's Nidaros Cathedral. If that happens, the royal crown will be on display, but King Haakon will not wear it.

By tradition, the ceremony would be 'His kindness, compassion and sense of duty echoed from across the sea and across the decades'

followed by a tour around the country by the new king and queen.

Born in 1937, King Harald spent the first three years of his life in Skaugum, Norway's royal residence, 12 miles south of Oslo.

He was forced to flee when German troops invaded Norway in 1940, escaping to Sweden by train before travelling to the US at the invitation of Franklin D Roosevelt. The monarch went on to study social science, history and economics at Balliol College, Oxford, between 1960 and 1962.

Similar to the King, he had a deep commitment to nature and the environment, often speaking about the importance of protecting it. He was one of the initiators of the Norwegian branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature and served as president of the Norwegian chapter for 20 years.

Muslim workers' strike threat after Venice mayor blocks mosque

By Nick Squires ROME CORRESPONDENT

MUSLIM migrant workers in a town near Venice are threatening to go on strike after the city's mayor blocked their plans to build a large mosque.

Bangladeshis make up about a quarter of the employees at the Fincantieri shipyards, which are among the largest in Europe.

Bars, cafés and restaurants often employ Bangladeshi immigrants, meaning a strike would also affect tourism, they say.

They want to construct the white-walled mosque on the site of an old sawmill in the nearby town of Mestre, which is located on the mainland. The migrants say their 10,000-strong community deserves to have a spacious, elegantly built place of worship.

Prince Howlader, a representative of the Bangladeshi community, said: "Enough – we are tired of being given the runaround by the city council.

"If they don't let us build our mosque we will protest in the streets. And if we Bangladeshis go on strike in Venice, Mestre and Marghera, the Fincantieri shipyards will grind to a halt, as well as restaurants and hotels."

But Simone Venturini, the newly elected centre-Right mayor of Venice, is opposed to the project. He said not only was the planned mosque too big at 8,000 sq m, he also wanted to see progress on the integration.

"I'm always open to dialogue, but the condition for starting discussions is that we see concrete progress in the integration of the Bangladeshi community, starting with the status of women," he told the Corriere della Sera newspaper.

"I see more and more women wearing full veils and that worries me."

He also wants to see members of the Bangladeshi community make more effort to learn Italian and ensure that their children are sent to school.

Mr Venturini's opposition to the mosque has the backing of Matteo Salvini, the leader of The League, one of three parties that make up the conservative coalition led by Giorgia Meloni. Mr

'I'm open to dialogue but we must see progress in integration starting with the status of women'

Salvini said: “We should say no to the mosque in Venice and anywhere else in Italy.”

Opposition politicians have accused the mayor of taking a hardline position as a way of keeping up with The League and Futuro Nazionale, a hard-Right party established by Roberto Vannacci that has eclipsed The League in the opinion polls.

"The spectre of Vannacci is at the door," said Andrea Martella, a centre-Left politician in Venice.

The controversy over the proposed mosque has been going on for more than a decade.

The Bangladeshi community has bought the site, but they need to secure a change in zoning regulations before the mosque can be built.

They were in talks with Luigi Brugnaro, the previous mayor of Venice, but negotiations have since stalled following the election of Mr Venturini in May.

Mr Howlader said he intended to appeal to Sergio Mattarella, the president of Italy, over the plans to build the mosque.

Raffaele Speranza, from the prime minister's Brothers of Italy party, said the threat to shut down the shipyards was “unacceptable”.

Sadmir Aliovski, the president of an organisation representing the local Islamic community, said: “In Venice and the surrounding province, there is a large and well integrated Muslim community. Let’s sit down and listen to each other so we can find a solution.”

China turns another tiny island into a radar facility to protect base in disputed waters

By Allegra Mendelson

ASIA CORRESPONDENT

CHINA is building a military installation on another island in the South China Sea.

Satellite images from Vantor, a US firm specialising in Earth observation, show three-pronged construction on the tiny Yagong islet, which experts say could be an early warning radar facility.

Yagong is roughly 10 miles north east of Antelope Reef – China's newest artificial island in the South China Sea.

A Vantor spokesman said that while the construction was not yet confirmed, “several structures on Yagong Reef resemble other military radar/early warning facilities seen elsewhere in the South China Sea and are likely associated with the ultimate military functions of nearby Antelope Reef”.

The Telegraph reported last week that China had completed its first phase of constructing the reef, with new buildings, a helipad and a quay taking shape.

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative also reported signs of a new landing strip under construction on the island's north-western side – the only part that could host a 10,000ft runway.

China only started building Antelope

Chinese presence in the South China Sea

Reef, in the Paracel Islands, in December, but in nine months Beijing transformed a tiny sandbar into its largest island in the South China Sea.

In the past, when China has built major outposts on an island, it has utilised smaller rocks and reefs nearby to provide support infrastructure.

Phoebe Pham, a visiting researcher at Taiwan's Institute for National Defence and Security Research, said that these smaller features “give a larger outpost, eyes, ears and a data link”.

"If there is radar or sensing capabilities, that plays into things like maritime domain awareness and goes towards China's goal of having longer air warning," Ms Pham told The Telegraph.

“Most importantly, it also works to improve this network command and communication between the nearby outposts.”

The more infrastructure that China can build, the more it helps “enforce China’s claim of having a valid administrative presence”, Ms Pham said.

There is also a precedent for this. China has used smaller features near other major outposts for support infrastructure in the past.

For example, in the Paracels, China's main outpost is on Woody Island, with a population of around 2,200 people, a supermarket and a hair salon.

It also regularly hosts bombers on its 9,000ft runway, including the nuclear-capable H-6.

Tree Island, a smaller feature about 10 miles away, hosts support facilities such as a harbour, a helipad, wind turbines and a farm.

China has 27 outposts in the South China Sea. The Philippines, as well as Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan, lay claim to many of the same features as China.

Trump wants us here, Britain tells Israel after threat of expulsion over Miliband

By Henry Bodkin

JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT

BRITAIN has reminded Israel that Donald Trump invited its officials to a body overseeing the Gaza ceasefire after Tel Aviv threatened to expel them from it.

Based in Kiryat Gat in southern Israel, the International Gaza Support Centre (IGSC) was established in 2025 to help implement the US president's 20-point peace plan.

British officers and diplomats make up a large delegation alongside Israel, the US and around 50 other countries and international bodies.

But an Israeli government official told The Telegraph on Thursday that the UK could be kicked out after Ed Milib-and threatened sanctions over Israel's El West Bank settlement plan.

In an escalation of the simmering row, the British embassy in Tel Aviv said yesterday: "The UK is committed to the implementation of the 20-point plan in Gaza and playing our part in improving the situation on the ground, at the request of the United States and the Board of Peace.

“And because of that commitment to Gaza’s future, we continue to work at IGSC with the US, Israel, international partners and UN agencies in support of UNSCR 2803 [a UN Security Council resolution]. Removing the UK or other partners would undermine these shared efforts.”

So far, Britain has sanctioned individual Israelis accused of perpetrating or inciting violence against Palestinians in the occupied territories, including government ministers.

However, amid escalating settler

‘Removing the UK or other partners would undermine these shared efforts towards Gaza’s future’

attacks in the West Bank and mounting pressure from the Left in Britain, Whitehall has been drawing up a package of more comprehensive sanctions.

This could include a ban on the trade of goods and services between the UK and West Bank settlements.

The Foreign Secretary has said Israel's proposed E1 development, a large new settlement near Jerusalem, would jeopardise the possibility of a future Palestinian state.

Nearly a year after the ceasefire, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, although it is not known how many were Hamas terrorists.

Most of the population is still living in dire conditions in tents, as reconstruction is blocked while an agreement is sought over how to disarm Hamas.

Mr Trump recently announced an agreement with the terror group that would have seen a staged handover of weapons to a Palestinian security force coupled with gradual Israeli withdrawal from the Strip, a plan rejected by Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Telegraph reported last month that ministerial relations between Britain and Israel had reached a “freeze” under Labour, thanks to the previous imposition of sanctions, criticism of the Gaza campaign and the decision to recognise a Palestinian state.

Earlier this month, Mr Miliband, the new Foreign Secretary, held what he described as a “frank and constructive” phone call with Gideon Sa’ar, his Israeli counterpart.

However, the two have since publicly traded criticisms following Mr Miliband's furious condemnation of plans to build a large new settlement near Jerusalem, which he called an “unacceptable and destructive act”.

SOURCE: TELEGRAPH ANALYSIS OF DATA FROM IRAN COST TICKER

Sprint for victory in Iran is now a slog

President said his 'excursion' would last three weeks. Six months on, the US is waging a protracted war of attrition

By Adrian Blomfield SENIOR FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT

WHEN Donald Trump declared war on Iran in February, he had every reason to believe the hand of destiny rested on his shoulder.

The Islamic regime was weaker than it had been in decades. Its sanctions-afflicted economy was in tatters. Successive Israeli operations had scythed through its proxy network and ballistic missile arsenal. Much of its nuclear programme lay under the rubble of US bombing raids the previous year.

There seems to have been no doubt in the president's mind that all that awaited was a short sprint to victory: a legacy-defining triumph over one of the US's most persistent foes.

His confidence appeared warranted. Iran wilted under the initial onslaught. "It's turned out to be easier than we thought," Mr Trump declared on March 11, predicting his "excursion" would be over within three weeks.

Yet the president's jauntiness would swiftly sour as a war ostensibly about Iran's nuclear ambitions escalated into a struggle over the Strait of Hormuz, whose closure was a consequence of the war, not its cause.

“He’s in a trap of his own making,” said Laurel Rapp, who heads the US and North America Programme at Chatham House, the international affairs think tank. “He has painted the US into a corner with Iran because Hormuz is now the off/on switch that Iran has to coerce the global economy, and there is no easy solution.”

Mr Trump had miscalculated Iran's ability to resist the world's most powerful military force.

Yet Iran now risks making the opposite mistake: assuming that the US president, faced with a long and costly war, would eventually lose his nerve – a conclusion that increasingly seems misplaced.

If Mr Trump has indeed abandoned hopes of an imminent victory and settled in for the long haul, he may have hit on a strategy to outfox Iran. Its hardliners have long believed they could outlast Washington, banking on the assumption that Mr Trump would rather walk away than drag out an unpopular conflict with the US midterm elections looming.

Yet the president appears to accept that a resolution before November's vote is unlikely – and to be ready to press on regardless.

Iran's economy is teetering, and its population is enduring greater hardship than at any time in memory. Time, which seemed to be on Iran's side, may have defected.

That is certainly the conclusion shared by pragmatists in the Iranian government, some of whom have expressed frustration that the hardliners passed up an offer to end the war on favourable terms in June – a deal they fear may not come again.

“They had an opportunity to take that agreement and build positive momentum,” said Farzan Sabet, of the Geneva Graduate Institute. “That was the real off-ramp. They didn’t see it like that. They saw it as an absolute victory, and so my sense is they’re overplaying their hand.”

The war has been a story of miscalculation. Mr Trump misread Iran's ability to resist the world's most powerful military force. Iran may now have misread him in turn.

The president cannot say he was not warned. Shortly before he declared war, Mr Trump sat through a PowerPoint presentation by Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, in the White House's situation room.

Mr Netanyahu laid out the case for why Israel and the US should join forces in the kind of Middle East war Mr Trump had always sworn to avoid.

Iran was ripe for regime change, Mr Netanyahu reportedly declared. All it needed was a final push. Kill the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, wipe out his inner circle and the rest was there for the taking.

It would take weeks to eliminate Iran's ballistic missile programme, supposedly already hollowed out by Israel's 12-day war the previous year.

As for the Strait of Hormuz, an Iranian blockade was unlikely: the Islamic regime would be too weak to mount one. Neighbouring states were safe for the same reason.

But there were sceptics. John Ratcliffe, the CIA director, described aspects of the Israeli pitch as “farcical”, The New York Times reported.

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, put it more simply: "It's bulls---." Gen Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned that the Israelis were overselling.

In recent days, allegations have emerged that even more precise warnings were made. Tulsi Gabbard, then director of national intelligence, shared an assessment that Khamenei's death would probably usher in a more hardline regime open to acquiring nuclear weapons, The Wall Street Journal reported this week.

Mourners in the city of Qom attend the funeral of those killed in the US-Israeli war

She predicted that Iran would close the Strait of Hormuz and launch strikes against Gulf states and US in the region. Military officials expressed concern about the depletion of critical weapons stockpiles. Mr Trump dismissed the warnings, but much of what they foretold came to pass.

The US and Israel quickly asserted overwhelming battlefield dominance. Khamenei was killed, as were more than 40 of the country's most powerful military figures. Some 150 Iranian naval vessels were destroyed, along with ballistic missile launchers and air-defence batteries.

Satellite imagery showed extensive damage to more than a dozen structures, including piers and radar networks, at the US navy's sole Middle Eastern naval base in Bahrain. State-of-the-art US air defences in

Bloodied and repeatedly knocked to the canvas, Iran returned swinging from every setback. Its drones and missiles struck airports and infrastructure across the Gulf and more than 20 US military sites.

State-of-the-art US air defences in the United Arab Emirates were

the United Arab Emirates were destroyed. Iranian strikes killed five US soldiers at Muwaffaq

Salti air base in Jordan and another four at Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait.

Gulf states, which never wanted the war, were aghast at the damage wrought – and at the ineffectiveness of the US security cordon. Having lost faith in Washington's ability to protect them, Gulf leaders have watched Mr Trump's

Worse still, Iran immediately closed the Strait of Hormuz and has maintained its blockade since, spreading economic misery near and far.

every step – and Tehran's reaction to it – with profound misgiving, increasingly aware that they are buffeted by forces over which they have little control.

"The issue for Gulf states is always about the Iranian reaction that is absent from the calculations of the American action," said Yasmine Farouk, of the International Crisis Group, a Brussels think tank. "They welcome US pressure on Iran, but they also realise US use of force never finishes the job. Every time America strikes, or Iran strikes, they know they will be the ones who pay the price."

Mr Trump's grin steadily slipped over the following weeks. Forty days of intense bombardment had depleted missile interceptors, strained the region and sent oil prices rocketing,

but done little to prise open an Iranian blockade of the strait.

The US president groped for another solution – ceasefires, economic pressure campaigns and a counter-blockade of his own. Yet nothing budged the Iranians.

In desperation, Mr Trump acquiesced to an astonishing 14-point peace deal with Iran in June, prompting angry splutters in Israel and among Republican hawks.

In the Islamabad Memorandum, the US promised to end five decades of opposition, provide sanctions relief, repatriate billions of dollars in frozen oil revenues and relax restrictions on present sales. It also opened the door to \$300bn (£222bn) to kick-start post-war reconstruction.

There was no mention of previous US demands to dismantle Iran's ballistic missiles – Mr Trump went as far as to say Tehran needed them – or its proxy network, while negotiations over its nuclear programme were kicked down the road.

Fresh hostilities duly followed, but neither side was strong enough to sustain them, leading to the stalemate from which the US, surprisingly, could emerge with the upper hand.

All Iran had to do was end its closure of the waterway.

Yet within days the agreement was under strain. Iran would allow ships to pass only through its waters and on its terms. Those that passed through Oman's waters soon found themselves at risk of attack.

Mr Trump has often appeared flummoxed by Iran's inflexibility and its refusal to accept a good offer when it sees one.

'He has painted the US into a corner because Hormuz is the off/on switch that Iran has to coerce the global economy'

Ostensibly, the buck stops with Mojtaba Khamenei, Khamenei's son and appointed successor. But Mojtaba, wounded in the strike that killed his father, is a phantom. Some whisper that he is dead or so incapacitated that he soon will be.

In his absence, power is shared and sometimes contested – among the men in suits, the men in uniforms and the men in turbans.

Tellingly, billboards have appeared in Tehran in recent days showing the seven men who have taken charge since Khamenei's death. Mojtaba Khamenei is not among them. Five of the seven wear military fatigues; only one wears a turban.

Some Iranian civilian pragmatists are reportedly aghast that the regime has squandered the fruits dangled in the Islamabad Memorandum.

The country is in economic turmoil. So watertight is the US blockade that its oil exports have effectively fallen to zero, as the central bank governor acknowledged last week.

Near-triple-digit inflation and the collapse of the rial have wiped out many people's life savings. Basic foodstuffs and medicines are scarce. Millions of households have been driven into poverty.

Given that anti-regime protests have become part of Iran's political cycle, the regime is taking an extraordinary risk. Yet its leaders appear determined to remain as uncompromising as ever. Repression has intensified, activists say, as the regime pursues the transformation of Iran from a theocracy into a military dictatorship.

The relaxation of some religious strictures after January's protests has been reversed. Public executions have resumed, the morality police are back on the streets, the veil is once again being enforced, and the faintest whiff of dissent is crushed.

Iran's leaders appear to have concluded that they must control the population more brutally than ever.

Why the generals are proving so inflexible remains a matter of conjecture. Some suggest that the normalisation of relations with the US, which Mr Trump has offered, would undermine the regime's raison d'être.

The Islamic Republic is built on enmity towards the West. How could it survive if the West became a friend?

The generals may also fear that without the constant threat of war, they would be out of a job.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran and arguably the most powerful of the seven men on the billboards, has in many ways known nothing but war. In fact, the shift in the power balance may be less dramatic than it appears. Mr Sabet said that the IRGC and the hardliners “always had the upper hand”.

The hardliners believe the tide is turning in their favour, a confidence Mr Sabet argues could well be misplaced. “Just because the US is failing to reach its goals, it doesn’t mean the Islamic Republic is winning,” he said.

Iran's hopes of replicating the oil shock of the 1970s have also so far failed to materialise. Six months into the closure of the world's most important energy waterway, oil prices remain far below the levels Tehran had hoped to achieve.

"The new phase is now economic punishment. Iran is not going to acquiesce, and so we're just going to stare at each other across the Strait of Hormuz and see who can wait the other out," said Dan Pickering, of Pickering Energy Partners, a Houston-based financial services firm.

The lines have therefore been drawn. Mr Trump has concluded that hurling US military power against an immovable object is counterproductive. The only course left is to force Iran's hand through economic isolation, a strategy unveiled on Monday by Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary. Mr Trump hailed “Operation Economic Outcast” as an “economic D-Day” that would pave the way to Iran's eventual capitulation.

"The pure military strategy they've been pursuing over the past couple of months does not seem to be working, or is facing diminishing returns," said Ms Rapp of Chatham House. "So they have decided to look at the economic toolkit again."

The US is both the world's largest economy and its largest crude oil producer, making it less vulnerable than most major economies to the fallout from the war.

In the end, the measures announced did not live up to the hype. Yet the strategy is clear. Mr Trump has pivoted from an expectation of immediate results to one in which he believes he can afford to wait.

He hopes Iran's leaders, seeing their country reduced to ever greater beggary, will have no choice but to return to the negotiating table and accept a compromise over the strait.

There are other upsides. An economic war of attrition will push Iran from the front pages of US newspapers and out of voters' minds before the midterm elections. The US military is standing back as economic power takes its place.

The US may have failed to prevail on the battlefield. But Mr Trump may have discovered that in a war of economic attrition, he has the bigger guns. “The US is trying to see if economic pressure will work, and the Iranians are trying to see if stalling will work,” Mr Pickering added.

It is not a strategy without risk. Iran may choose escalation over capitulation, expanding the war rather than ending it. Indeed, Arab intelligence officials have picked up evidence that Iran may be preparing a fresh offensive in the hope of raising the costs for the US and pushing oil prices higher.

Yet even another round of escalation may not alter the underlying dynamic if Mr Trump is genuinely intent on pursuing his new strategy of patience.

Trump's approval falls since Iran war

Over \$150bn spent on Iran war

SOURCE: SILVER BULLETIN

ESTABLISHED 1855

The country has no time left for dithering

When John Healey dramatically resigned as Keir Starmer's defence secretary in June, he boldly stated the facts: his boss was “unable” and the Treasury “unwilling” to spend the money needed to defend the country. Hitting the 3 per cent of GDP spending target by 2030 was vital to keep Britain safe from Russia, he insisted.

That broadside helped seal Sir Keir's downfall and cemented Mr Healey's reputation as a man of principle.

So when Mr Healey was put in charge of the country's purse strings by Andy Burnham in July, many wondered how exactly he would handle the £15bn funding gap in the defence investment plan, and whether he would find the money needed to meet the 3 per cent target.

Well, now we know: the Chancellor's first Budget will fail to commit to spending 3 per cent of GDP on defence. Instead, a pathway to hitting the target will be set out at the 2027 spending review.

In other words, the most important decision of all – funding the defence of the realm – looks set to be the victim of penny-pinching equivocation yet again, at a time when Vladimir Putin’s Russia is threatening to attack British targets over UK support for Ukraine.

Perhaps last night's revelation that the United States is prepared to reconsider its position on Britain's claim to the Falkland Islands if defence spending does not increase will focus minds in Downing Street.

The proposal is said to be among a series of “creative measures” being considered by US officials to punish allies who fall short of Nato’s 5 per cent spending pledge.

Labour has committed to spending 5 per cent of GDP on overall national security by 2035, with 3.5 per cent of that going on core defence. But action is clearly needed now. The US pressure will be welcome news to Argentine president Javier Milei, who is a close ally of Mr Trump and has insisted that the Falkland Islands “were, are and always will be Argentine”.

Mr Milei's country continues to aggressively challenge Britain's sovereignty over what it calls "the Malvinas".

This was made clear at the World Cup in July, when Argentina's players unfurled a banner reading “The Falklands are Argentine” just minutes after beating England in the semi-final.

The truth is that if the US position of official neutrality over the Falklands were to change for the worse, and if the Argentines took such a move as licence to launch another invasion, Britain would be in no position to echo Margaret Thatcher in defending them.

By the end of the 10-week conflict in 1982, the British task force numbered 127 ships – 43 of which were Royal Navy vessels. Today, the Navy has just 14 operationally available destroyers and frigates.

Sending a single Type-45 destroyer to the Middle East at the start of Trump's war against Iran in March was a struggle, so sailing a fleet 8,000 miles to engage in military action would be beyond the capabilities of the Navy in 2026. That is the reality Mr Burnham and Mr Healey need to confront.

On Monday, during his visit to Kyiv, the Prime Minister vowed to maintain pressure on Putin and branded Moscow's threats “outrageous”. Words are one thing, but action and serious investment is another – and both are lacking.

Meanwhile, it emerges Mr Burnham is set to delay reforming Britain's broken welfare system until next year at the earliest. The two spending pillars – welfare and defence – are undeniably intertwined: if the Prime Minister can expend political capital on slashing billions from the ballooning benefits bill, there will be more money to fund the Armed Forces.

Such a move would also force the Government to do more to address the youth worklessness crisis, which was laid bare again on Thursday with new figures showing that the number of under-25s not in work, education, or training remains stubbornly close to one million.

But, so far, Mr Burnham – who, with an inherited parliamentary majority of 167, should be feeling at his most powerful – has shown no sign of being capable of making such a seismic decision.

If Britain is once more to be taken seriously on the international stage, the Prime Minister needs to act decisively now.

Picking up nurdles

Sieving for nurdles is the opposite of panning for gold. In place of precious particles, the nurdler seeks bits of plastic the size of lentils that could be deadly to wildlife in the sea. Volunteers around Tynemouth have been collecting them since 25 tons escaped when a wind turbine installation vessel collided with a container ship at the Port of Tyne in July. The plastic was meant to make objects such as bags and bottles. A billion nurdles were lost, of which 20 million or half a ton have been recovered. Nurdling is no cottage resource like woolgathering or blackberrying, but nurdlers count themselves saviours of marine life and seabirds.

LETTERS to the EDITOR

It's no surprise that young people are struggling to see a future in Britain

SIR – Sherelle Jacobs's column, highlighting the difficulties faced by my generation, rings all too true (“Aldi turned me down for a job. Now I know why the young are in despair”, Comment, August 28).

However, the dire job market is only one aspect of the problem. Should a graduate be so fortunate as to secure a role, they can face a marginal tax rate of more than 40 per cent even on a modest salary, while contributing to a welfare state from which they are unlikely to benefit.

It is not unreasonable to ask what exactly is left in Britain for a young person today. James Childs Sheffield, South Yorkshire

SIR – Sherelle Jacobs has exposed the absurdity of many modern job applications, which seem to be driven by box-ticking, and in which knowing the “cheat codes” is more important than the ability to do the job.

Having run several companies during my 40-plus years in industry, I despair. We are letting process trump talent and skill. This really has become a “computer says no” world.

Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk

SIR – Rowan Pelling is sadly correct (“What a bleak world to bequeath our children – and what a world to grow old in”, Comment, August 28).

The prospect of growing old is indeed bad, but for young people it will be worse. There might be cause for optimism if those at the top in politics demonstrated the capacity to take tough decisions and lead. But they cannot do it. Mick Ferrie

Mawnan Smith, Cornwall

SIR – Pat McFadden, the Work and Pensions Secretary, is right that a mental health condition can now easily lead younger people to a life on benefits (telegraph.co.uk, August 26).

The Government should mandate that people with anxiety or depression alone cannot claim any sickness or disability benefits, unless in extreme circumstances. This would include Statutory Sick Pay, the health element of Universal Credit and the Personal Independence Payment.

People with mild-to-moderate mental health problems do not need unconditional financial transfers from government. They need different relationships and activity to ground them. And they need timely, supportive services – such as 24/7 community mental health centres – that can be accessed without waiting so long for a GP appointment and subsequent referral.

Yvette Cooper, the Health Secretary, has made a start by announcing 200 walk-in community mental health centres across England by 2029. She should go faster and further.
Ryan Shorthouse
Executive chair, Bright Blue London SW6

The BBC's finances

SIR – Amol Rajan blames the BBC's financial crisis on the steep decline in licence fee revenue (“BBC ‘screwed’ unless licence fee replaced, warns Rajan”, report, August 28).

I would suggest that the downfall began with the payment of inflated salaries to presenters and correspondents. Consider the obscene amount received by Gary Lineker.

Paying someone close to half a million pounds per annum to read an autocue also indicates a lack of business acumen.

SIR – Amol Rajan's support for the BBC to be run on a “mutual” model (“it actually would belong to all of us”) is fatally flawed.

If it belongs to all of us, we will all have a vote. Voting turnout is likely to be a fraction of those eligible, leaving the corporation's independence open to capture by special-interest groups. It is a non-starter. Michael Grade

London SW1

SIR – After Thursday's episode of Ludwig finished, the time before the BBC News at Ten was filled with a medley of iPlayer trailers and then the “What has the BBC ever done for me?” film.

Many can say what it has not done for them in recent years – and all this padding certainly doesn't help. James Thacker Tanworth in Arden, Warkwickshire

Middlesbrough unrest

SIR – As a former police officer – but, more importantly, a law-abiding citizen – I took a few days to let my anger subside before writing this letter.

What we are seeing in the North East of England and elsewhere (“Police surge to tackle Northern gang wars”, report, August 28) is the result of decades of “softly softly” law enforcement, encouraged by liberal politicians.

If you allow relatively minor offences to go unpunished, criminals and thugs become emboldened to go further.

We have an epidemic of antisocial behaviour. Confronting it will require a brave Home Secretary. The Prime Minister, along with senior police officers, magistrates and judges, will have to be unflinching.

The naysayers will claim that it is unachievable; but until we do something, society will continue to deteriorate, with decent people afraid to go about their daily lives.

The example of Singapore could be one to follow. We can get back to being a law-abiding country. It must be accepted, however, that the liberal system of justice and enforcement has failed, and strong action is needed. Tim Davies

Lampeter, Cardiganshire

The case for marriage

SIR – Annabel Denham's article ("Getting married may soon be an act of rebellion", Comment, August 26) reminded me of Chesterton's fence. According to this principle, there are two responses to seeing a fence that has been placed with no obvious justification.

One is to say that we must get rid of it because it has no purpose; the other is to say that we must understand how it got there before taking action.

It feels similar with the institution of marriage. We can cast it off, seeing it as outdated. Or we can learn from it by steel-manning the arguments in its favour and re-analysing it to understand its worth.

There are valid reasons why it has existed for so long – reasons that are not only rooted in religion, but also to do with protecting the husband, wife and children. The stability it provides far outweighs its drawbacks, and we young ones are beginning to realise this fact.

Henry Bateson Alnwick, Northumberland

A 20mph city

SIR – Birmingham City Council is reportedly broke. How much is the signage for the new 20 mph speed limit going to cost (report, August 26)? Presumably it will be recovered through the speeding fines imposed on residents.

Maintaining 20 mph is almost impossible. It is also dangerous, as it requires too much attention to be focused on the speedometer, rather than the road. I thought the example of Wales had shown this. Roger Fountain Marlow, Buckinghamshire

Much-loved tables

SIR – My granddaughter has recently moved into her own flat, which she has had to furnish.

One of the first items she installed was a dining table (Letters, August 28) that originally belonged to my parents. It must be nearly 100 years old, has pride of place, is used every day and is hugely admired by all her friends - not least because of the saw mark at one end made by me as a young boy practising my woodwork skills some 80 years ago.

Daventry, Northamptonshire

SIR – When I discovered several years ago that I was to be a grandfather (my wife and I now have three grandsons), I said to our children that I didn't intend to tell them how their own children should be brought up – but expected that, whenever they visited, meals would be taken while sitting around our dining-room table, making clear that this included practising reasonable table manners.

I haven't regretted it yet. Dr Graham Blackbourn Linlithgow, West Lothian

SIR – I recommend that anyone looking for a table visits their local auction house.

Entire dining room suites or individual, high-quality tables and chairs can be found at a low cost. My current, quite modern suite was less than £130 – for six chairs, an extending table and small matching sideboard.

People who gather round to eat together enjoy conversations that they just won't experience doom-scrolling on the sofa. Dressed in a pristine white cloth, any table - even an old, slightly scruffy one - looks inviting.
Beverley Trelfa
Darlington, Co Durham

Smart in the heat

SIR – Michael Whitlam (Letters, August 27) describes accurately a mode of evening dress – the “Red Sea rig” – suited to hot climes.

In Malaya (as it then was), that same dress code was known as “Planters”. My father commanded the Life Guards in Seremban at the time. I recall clearly the silk shirt, black tie and cummerbund with ultra-light trousers sported frequently at officers’ dinner parties.

We youngsters had an equivalent but without the cummerbund, and with a necktie rather than bow tie. The

Splash the cash: coins thrown into Rome's Trevi Fountain are swept up

The folly of letting hard cash fall out of use

SIR - Some may not be aware that cash can still be obtained over the counter at Post Offices using a bank debit card (Letters, August 28). The Post Office receives payment for this service, which helps to support local branches.

Cash also provides a valuable fall-back when electronic payments fail. I have been in shops when card systems have gone down, and have completed my purchases with cash.

I keep a modest reserve at home as an insurance policy against losing or having to replace bank cards, power failures making ATMs or payment systems unusable, and the possibility of my bank account being frozen for any reason.

A society that becomes entirely dependent on electronic payments is one in which technical failure can leave people unable to buy even the essentials. Cash may be old-

regimental tailor was kept busy. Charles Scott Alton, Hampshire

SIR - However hot the weather, I will shortly attend a wedding wearing - as I now usually do - the morning coat that I inherited from my father (having handed mine on to my son). He wore it to Thomas Hardy's funeral in Westminster Abbey in 1928. The order of service is still in the tail pocket. Robin Bryer Yeovil, Somerset

Morning orders

SIR – Living near the coast, we find that our peaceful early mornings are often punctuated by the songs of gulls,

fashioned, but it is remarkably resilient. Surely it would be unwise to allow this useful form of financial insurance to disappear. Robert Taylor Ruddington, Nottinghamshire

SIR - The letters extolling the virtues of cash overlook the fact that it allows illegal migrants to work as they cannot get legal employment. Moreover, it facilitates tax evasion, money laundering and crime. It is expensive for legitimate businesses to handle, which is why some supermarkets still offer “cash back” to get it out of their tills.

We should help train those who are still reliant on cash to use digital methods, which would allow them to enjoy the advantages that are currently unavailable to them. Ian Collier Harrow, Middlesex

pigeons or crows. Sometimes one can hear phrases. Yesterday, for example, the dominant call was: "Choose your own lipstick." The bird's message may have been lost in translation. John Naylor East Preston, West Sussex

We accept letters by post, fax and email only. Please include name, address, work and home telephone numbers. 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W ODT FAX 020 7931 2878 EMAIL dtletters@telegraph.co.uk FOLLOW Telegraph Letters on Twitter @LettersDesk

To order prints or signed copies of any Telegraph cartoon, go to telegraph. co.uk/prints-cartoons or call 0191 603 0178 readerprints@telegraph.co.uk

ANDREW ROBERTS

France, do get over yourself. English is the only lingua franca

The French must abandon their absurd linguistic nationalism or risk being left behind

Andrew Roberts's new book, 'Napoleon and His Marshals' is published in October

Will the French never learn? They are about to launch yet another offensive against the English language, one that is as doomed to fail as all the previous ones have.

A new law is being debated by the National Assembly in Paris that is designed to reinterpret the notorious Loi Toubon of 1994 for the internet age. Signed by then president François Mitterrand, it ordained that “French shall be the language of instruction, work, trade and exchanges and of the public services”, and “The use of French shall be mandatory for the designation, offer, presentation, instructions for use, and description of the scope and conditions of a warranty of goods, products and services as well as bills and receipts.” These provisions applied to “any written, spoken, radio and television advertisements”.

The law was used against several American and British companies, such as the Disney Store and the Body Shop on the Champs-Élysées that displayed labels in English. The Georgia Institute of Technology was prosecuted on the grounds that the website of its campus in Lorraine was in English, even though the teachers came from Atlanta and all the students had to be fluent in English to enrol in the courses, which were all taught in English.

The Loi Toubon is still officially in force, but has been widely flouted. Now, Yan Chantrel, a Socialist senator, is proposing that it be reinforced with deeper sanctions. He wants advertising slogans such as “Black Friday” to have to have their French equivalents displayed in French in lettering of the same size and prominence, for British and American companies to use French while addressing their non-French workforces, and to curb university courses presently taught in English.

This kind of linguistic chauvinism – the word derives from Nicolas Chauvin, an extreme Bonapartist – has been tried several times before, and it always runs into the same problem: that language knows no borders, cultural appropriation is endemic, and if a word works it will be adopted no matter what politicians and parliaments may say.

For all that the purists of the Académie française might throw up their hands in horror, words like “le sex-symbol”, “le weekend”, “les drinks”, “l’aftershave” and “le babysitter” have seeped into spoken French, and thus inevitably find their way into the national lexicon. President Macron himself often uses slogans such as “Choose France” and “French Tech”.

Since the Loi Toubon was passed, numerous attempts have been made to clamp down on English, but it is a losing battle, because fewer and fewer people speak French globally and more and more speak – or are at least able to understand – English. Once the coming generation of Chinese, hundreds of millions of whom are adopting English as their second language, are fully conversant, English will be the first truly global lingua franca (ironically enough, given the etymology).

Under Senator Chantrel's proposed law, the government's official guardian of the French language, the Délégation générale à la langue française et aux

langues de France (DGLFLF) – which would be rendered far more concisely in English as French Language Watchdog – would have greater powers to investigate and punish breaches. Yet while they will impose more bureaucracy and costs, they will not stem the flow of their neighbour's tongue.

Since January 1997 40 per cent of all pop songs broadcast on French radio have been legally required to be sung in French, although this was immediately and widely flouted. In 2005, France's Higher Audiovisual Council ordered television channels to translate the titles of popular programmes and cartoons into French. Popstars was instructed to become Vedettes de Variétés, Star Academy became L'Écoles des Vedettes, Funky Cops was transformed into Des Flics dans la Vent and, most unwieldy of all, Totally Spies became Des Espions à Part Entière.

When in 2012, French teaching unions prepared to strike sooner than allow the use of the English language in French universities, Geneviève Fioraso, the higher education minister, warned them that if the anti-English language laws weren't loosened, French universities would eventually wind up with “five people around a table discussing Proust”.

In reply, the Académie française, which regards itself as the guardian of the French tongue, insisted that English words like “marketing” must be replaced with “mercatique”, while Courriel, an organisation dedicated to defending the French language, denounced Fioraso’s liberalisation plans as “linguistic assassination”. Such

If a word works it will be adopted no matter what politicians say

morbid metaphors were echoed by intellectuals like Bernard Pivot, who warned that, “If we allow English to be introduced in our universities and for teaching science and the modern world, French will turn into a commonplace language, or worse, a dead language.”

This was a classic Gallic exaggeration – there are around 110 million people around the world who speak French as their first language, and 190 million as their second – so French is hardly yet on a par with Latin and Ancient Greek. Yet leaders of the teaching unions, such as Claudine Kahane of the Snesup-FSU, were ready to strike, saying: “It is the cultural heritage that is at stake”. It all pointed to a nagging worry on behalf of the French, who understood that their tongue simply could not compete in the global marketplace, however much it is, as Pivot rightly boasted, “the language of Molière”.

Back when Nicolas Sarkozy was president, a French group entitled Avenir de la langue française (Future of the French Language) claimed that the invasion of English words posed a greater threat to national identity than the imposition of German under the Nazis. Writing in Le Monde and l'Humanité, the group demanded that Sarkozy turn back the English flood. "There are more English words on the walls of Paris," they stated, "than German words under the Occupation."

Although Sarkozy himself speaks almost no English – as I discovered in a torturous conversation with him about the Battle of Waterloo – he was accused by these patriotic groupings of wanting to make France bilingual. It

was untrue; he was simply moving with the times.

For English has become the dominant language of the internet, air traffic control, computers, international business, and AI. English is the official language used by Opec, and the only working language of bodies as diverse as the European Free Trade Association and the African Hockey Federation, while it is the second language of bodies such as the Andean Commission of Jurists.

By 2030 more Chinese people will be able to speak it than there are Americans. English is regularly spoken by more than one in three of the 350 million citizens of the European Union, whereas fewer than one in 10 EU citizens speak French outside France itself. Even in those areas where French influence has historically been strong – Morocco, Algeria, Syria, Vietnam, Cambodia, Chad and elsewhere – English has encroached hugely successfully.

Today the French risk being left behind in the global linguistic marketplace, gasping out outraged complaints in a tongue that fewer and fewer people understand. Instead of trying to produce clunking French equivalents of snappy English words and phrases, the French should fight back by using their undoubted ingenuity to invent French words that amuse and resonate, words that the rest of us want to use.

Otherwise they will continue to retreat, as they have been doing in the 32 years since the Loi Toubon, into an absurd linguistic nationalism, fighting a protracted, yet doomed, rearguard action.

Way of the World Michael Deacon

Next month it will be 25 years since 9/11. But for journalists at CBC, the taxpayer-funded Canadian TV network, reporting on the anniversary could prove tricky.

Because they've been told that they're not allowed to describe the attacks as "terrorist".

We know this thanks to the Canadian newspapers The Toronto Sun and National Post, which have both obtained leaked copies of an internal CBC memo. It was sent by the network's “senior director of journalistic standards and public trust”, a man named Basem Boshra. And, in bold, it said: “Do not refer to the Sept 11 attacks as terrorist attacks.”

Apparently, this is due to CBC's rigorous commitment to journalistic impartiality. The word “terrorist”, CBC believes, is “loaded”. And therefore, its journalists may only use it when quoting someone. They must not use it themselves.

I find this a somewhat curious approach. Obviously I agree that, in general, reporters should avoid taking sides. But in the case of Islamic fundamentalists flying passenger planes into the World Trade Center and killing thousands of innocent people, I feel we can probably relax this rule a little. Anyway, who is CBC scared of offending? Viewers who happen to be members of al-Qaeda?

"Dear CBC, I was extremely disappointed to hear your so-called journalists describe the events of September 11, 2001 as terrorism. This shows blatant bias against the mass-murdering jihadi lunatic community. Such nakedly partisan use of language suggests that you are trying to prejudice your viewers against people who openly wish to kill them and destroy all they hold dear. Please do

better." Then again, even al-Qaeda wouldn't be offended. Because Osama bin Laden himself called 9/11 terrorism. In a video statement released in December 2001, he boasted: "Our terror against America is blessed terror." So, if bin Laden were still around today, he'd probably be pretty miffed.

"Dear CBC, I was extremely disappointed to hear your so-called journalists refusing to describe the events of September 11, 2001 as terrorism. For crying out loud, don't you realise how much effort I put into plotting that atrocity? I worked really hard on it. And yet you make the whole thing sound as if it were some kind of accident. Honestly. Where's the respect?"

Prue Leith says packed lunches nowadays are far

too unhealthy, and that children would be better off eating school dinners. All I can say is: that rather depends on what school you go to. A Scottish ex-colleague of mine once told me that, at his school in Glasgow, lunch was always a choice between the same two dishes. The first was deep-fried pizza. And if you think that sounds bad, wait till I tell you the second.

Boiled pizza.

That's right. Boiled. The dinner ladies would chuck frozen pizzas – still shrink-wrapped in plastic – into a vat of boiling water. And then, once the pizzas were cooked, the plastic would be removed. Although I'm not sure why, because I doubt the pizza would have tasted any worse with the plastic left on.

You may be thinking: “Deep-fried pizza? And BOILED pizza? Come off it. The guy was pulling your leg. There’s no way the food was that unhealthy.”

To which I would reply: you've never been to Glasgow, have you?

Lonely Gen Z men have adopted a rather peculiar method of getting a girlfriend. Influencers on TikTok have told them that women are irresistibly attracted to the scent of male hormones. And so, to intensify this delicious aroma, they're using a technique called "pheromone-maxxing".

Or, to put it more simply: they've stopped washing.

On the face of it, their chances of romantic success may appear slim. But let's not rush to judgment. Their efforts could yet pay off.

I say this because I recall a fascinating story published by The Guardian in 2018. A study, it reported, had found that people who “hate body odour” are “more likely to have Right-wing views”. Or, to look at it another way: people with Left-wing views clearly aren’t quite so bothered about maintaining adequate personal hygiene.

So there you have it. Calling Lefties a bunch of soap-dodgers isn't based on cruel reactionary stereotypes. It's based on hard scientific fact.

Anyway, I believe that this study's findings have a profound significance in the context of the modern dating game. As has been widely documented by pollsters, today's young women are vastly more Left-wing than today's young men – and they won't even consider dating any man who doesn't share their political views. So what are all these poor, sex-starved young men to do?

Answer: “pheromone-maxxing”. Because, once a Gen Z man has stopped showering for a few weeks, Left-wing Gen Z women will smell him and think: “Christ. This bloke absolutely honks. Which means that he’s bound to hold all the correct opinions about Gaza, Farage, JK Rowling and net zero. I simply must go out to dinner with him.

“Although I’d better ask for a table next to an open window.”

CAMILLA TOMINEY

Middlesbrough is the delinquent face of a country coming apart at the seams

Youths in Middlesbrough gather to release balloons in memory of the five men who died driving the wrong way down the A66

The PM can shunt civil servants up North all he likes. It will do nothing to address the deep problems in benighted areas like this

Like any parent of a child at the Reading Festival, I'm sick with worry. Festivals used to be places where young people enjoyed live music while downing a few beers and possibly smoking the odd spliff.

Today, it's a different story. Gone is the peace, love and harmony of Glastonbury, replaced by a sort of microcosm of broken Britain, where festival-goers steal other people's possessions, spike their drinks and set fire to their tents.

So why have I let two of my three teenagers pay for a ticket to what sounds like hell on earth? Because the vast majority of those going are fun-loving, law-abiding young people who are simply out for a good time with their friends. As is ever the case, it's a tiny minority who have the potential to ruin it for everyone.

I'm by no means a perfect parent, but I would like to think that my children would no more consider stealing from someone, spiking their drink or setting fire to their tent than drive the wrong way down an A-road at speed and on purpose.

Yet the fatal crash in Middlesbrough a week ago, which left seven people dead including two Cleveland Police officers, suggests that not all parents have instilled the same respect for human life in their kids. And as I sit waiting for a text to say they're safe, that thought absolutely terrifies me.

smoke, as mourners – in masks – rode scooters, off-road bikes and quad bikes around a field in memory of a quintet of cop-killers who had 37 previous convictions between them. Since then, two men, aged 23 and 31, have been arrested on suspicion of murder after seven-year-old Valentina Foster and her aunt Natalie McDonald, 34, died in a house fire on Wednesday. Police have not ruled out the fire being linked to organised crime, and residents fear yet more gang-related “carnage” to come.

A correspondent compared South Bank to Ridley Scott's Blade Runner: a scene of grim pollution, degradation, and 12-year-old gang members threatening visitors. Even the hardened ex-military crew he worked with was reportedly terrified to drink in the local pub. Can a top-down gimmick like "No10 North" magically solve this?

The nettle Andy Burnham refuses to grasp is that some communities are trapped in a vicious cycle of dependency and delinquency driven as much by demography as geography. Decades of heavy industry, steelmaking, and shipbuilding dominated South Bank before global shifts wiped them out. The 4,500-acre brownfield site is pivoting to green energy, but local residents aren't getting those jobs.

Over 30 per cent of working-age people in South Bank rely on universal credit – double the borough average. Two thirds are in the “searching for work” or “no work requirements” categories. Over 15 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds rely on jobseekers’ support and the area is rated 10/10

nationally for burglary risk, paired with staggering local rates of violence and sex offences (60.4 per 1,000) and arson and criminal damage (35.9 per 1,000). Devolving government offices won't fix a community where generational joblessness and violent crime are deeply baked into the demographic reality.

children in South Bank are single-parent households – nearly double the national UK average. The local Family Hub handles some of the highest case volumes in Teesside for early-years intervention and parenting support, while 55 per cent of pupils receive free school meals.

Nor will a government that turns a blind eye to family breakdown. Nearly half of all families with dependent

successive governments failing the white working class. So is it really any wonder that generation after generation grows up with no respect for education, no respect for work, and no respect for the law?

You could perhaps be forgiven for thinking this is an area plagued by mass migration. Yet South Bank is 90 per cent white. It is ground zero for

Burnham can shunt civil servants to shiny new offices up North all he likes, but it won't do a jot to rescue a community where the toxic mix of generational worklessness, absent fathers, and feral youth crime has become the depressing social norm.

On one hand, the incident does help to restore one's faith in humanity. A GoFundMe effort has amassed over £1m to support the families of stricken PCs Matthew Blades, 37, and Tom Clough, 38. On the other, it lays bare deeply uncomfortable truths about pockets of lawlessness in the UK, where balaclava-wearing youths are causing people to live in fear of their lives.

Until our political class confronts the uncomfortable reality that economic ruin inevitably leads to social rot and broken homes, no amount of decentralisation will drag places like South Bank up from the gutter.

The truth that Labour refuses to confront is that they are literally killing people with kindness. Two fiscally illiterate budgets, which, as Pat McFadden, the Work and Pensions Secretary, rightly put it “tax people to pay others benefits” combined with a complete unwillingness to tackle the welfare bill are actively destroying deprived communities.

All these problems at home and Burnham wants to increase foreign aid. Instead of posturing on the world stage, the Prime Minister ought to get his own house in order. You cannot tax a country into prosperity, and you cannot subsidise a broken culture into fixing itself. Sending taxpayers' cash abroad while abandoning our own and welcoming migrants in their droves isn't just bad economics – it is a moral failure that is tearing the social fabric of Britain apart at the seams.

The Sussexes must play the Windsor game or drop the titles

Although Middlesbrough has been described by its own former mayor, Andy Preston, as the “crime capital of England”, this rampant criminality is not unique to this area – and the youth unemployment crisis only threatens to make things worse.

As Mr Preston told The Telegraph this week: “We’ve allowed bad behaviour to go unpunished, worklessness to become normal and criminals to think they can do pretty much what they like.”

Never was this more in evidence than in South Bank, an industrial town just outside Middlesbrough, on Monday, where a bizarre vigil was held for one of the joyriders Jakub Matusiak, 23, who was killed alongside Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae and Cole Worthy, both 17, and Michael Cahill, 23.

The sky was filled with orange

Even after Prince Harry branded me “exercable” in his memoir, Spare, I have never called for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to be stripped of their royal titles.

The dukedom was conferred by the late Queen on their wedding day – for better or worse – and revoking it would necessitate a formal act of Parliament.

Yet with their return to Britain, a crucial question resurfaces: why cling to these monarchical designations while publicly condemning everything the institution represents?

If “unconsciously biased” members of the Royal family genuinely questioned Archie’s skin tone before he was even born, why eagerly claim the title of “prince” for him? Likewise, why name Lilibet after her great-grandmother and insist on styling her a princess if “The Firm” is so inherently evil that it almost drove Meghan to the brink of suicide?

Their decision to step back on British soil provides much-needed clarity. In their 2021 Oprah interview, 2022 Netflix docuseries, and Spare, the couple consistently cited media intrusion and the withdrawal of official royal security as grave risks to their safety and mental health. Returning directly to the epicentre of that distress indicates a calculated choice, confirming what most of us have been saying all along – that their royal identity remains their primary currency.

When Megxit unfolded in 2020, the official narrative centred on achieving “financial independence” while raising their young family away from the

relentless UK tabloid spotlight in California. To that end, they sought to build a US-based commercial and philanthropic venture spanning Archewell, Spotify and Netflix. They made oodles of cash and Meghan has now expanded her As Ever jam-making empire into a lucrative form of upmarket online influencing.

However, their return to Britain does confront a fundamental reality: that their personal brand is and always will be inextricably linked to the very institution they spent six years criticising.

Enrolling their children in an English prep school further underscores a desire to maintain ties to their royal heritage. After all, what is the value of holding royal titles if one remains entirely detached from the monarchy?

Their personal brand is inextricably linked to the institution

they spent six years criticising

Ultimately, they cannot fully disconnect from the House of Windsor without risking total irrelevance. Despite repeatedly insisting on privacy, they haven't ever wanted to be anonymous. What they want is maximum exposure, provided it is all overwhelmingly positive. It's all they've ever wanted – the good publicity but not the bad.

The contradiction has always existed, but it stands out far more sharply on British soil, where there is a clear distinction between celebrity and royalty. So now they're back in Blighty, Harry and Meghan face a stark choice: drop the titles or drop the grievances.

The Sussexes can't have it both ways: if the Crown is the problem, why remain so determined to cash in on its name?

BOB STEWART

Ratko Mladic killed more people than we'll ever know

While I was commanding British forces in Bosnia, I witnessed the general's monstrous crimes in Srebrenica

Mladic is dead. That message reverberated around the internet on Thursday. My Bosnian contacts were very quick to let me know because of my personal experiences in Bosnia and they knew I had met him. To so many of them General Ratko Mladić was a psychopathic butcher who led the genocide in Srebrenica in July 1995.

In the early 1990s Mladic commanded the Bosnian Serb army which had surrounded Srebrenica since 1992. From 1992-93 I was the British battalion commander in Bosnia. When I first arrived commanding Ist Battalion the Cheshire Regiment, Mladic placed an encircling stranglehold on the town and very little got either in or out.

Finally, in July 1995, he gave the order to take Srebrenica. As he did so he singled out men and boys then trucked them out of the town to lonely places where they were shot in batches, rather like the Nazi Einsatzgruppen operating in the area 50 years before. At least 8,372 Bosnian men and boys were killed by the Bosnian Serb army according to the Sarajevo-based Research and Documentation Centre.

I was not in Bosnia in July 1995, but when I arrived there two years before I became very well aware of the plight of Srebrenica although it was well outside my area of responsibility. I had quite enough to do.

Then in April 1993 the situation there took a turn for the worse. My intelligence section told me that they were picking up frantic pleas for help over commercial radio from a wireless station. The cries for help were heart-rending. Srebrenica was being shelled unmercifully from the heights around the town. The occupants were starving and isolated. They felt abandoned by the world. When it became too much for some and they tried to escape their chances were slight. Any men caught were normally shot out of hand by Mladic's men.

I remember being very upset and feeling helpless. General Philippe Morillon, the French United Nations Commander and my boss, felt the same.

He asked me to try to get some of my men into Srebrenica and see whether our presence would help.

I said I would try, but Srebrenica was well outside my area. However, the excellent B Squadron 9th/12th Lancers was under my operational control and positioned near Tuzla. I asked its commander, Major Alan Abraham, to see whether he could get to Srebrenica and he agreed to try.

The squadron crossed the front lines near Tuzla and took two days getting close to Srebrenica through appalling weather. They reached the small village of Konjevic Polje, about nine miles from Srebrenica, then stopped for a rest. Immediately, seeing white United Nations vehicles arriving, a huge number of locals poured out of their houses and surrounded the vehicles. They joyfully felt that the international community had come to their aid.

Then suddenly the whole area came under artillery bombardment. The squadron had some hard cover in their armoured vehicles but poor civilians around them did not. About 20 were killed and many more wounded. We were lucky no soldier was killed.

B Squadron continued into Srebrenica where they were received as liberators. The shelling stopped a little but not completely. A United Nations Security Council later declared Srebrenica a safe zone in Resolution 819 on April 16, 1993. We were replaced quickly by United Nations Canadian troops. Later they in turn were replaced by Dutch troops who were utterly useless in stopping the genocide two years after I was there. My battalion left Bosnia in early May 1993.

In the event Mladic took little notice of the Security Council. The UN didn't have enough troops in the area to stop him and he continued to bombard and murder those he caught until the town was captured in 1995. Mladic was responsible for many more deaths than the 8,372 formally noted.

General Ratko Mladic was an evil man who allowed genocide to occur. I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, but I shed no tears for Mladic.

≠ PETERBOROUGH ≠

Kemi's not flagging on border control

Kemi Badenoch was in Athens this week to meet Kyriakos Mitsotakis, below, the Greek prime minister, hoping to learn lessons about taking a

Right-wing party from opposition to government. For their lunch at the House of Nymm restaurant in The Ilisian hotel, Badenoch wore a blue dress and white shoes as a

subtle nod to the Greek flag – something that Mitsotakis noticed and complimented her on.

The Tory leader went on to pick her counterpart's brains on migration following the success of his border-control crackdown.

A new entente cordiale

Adding some French flair to next week's annual Reform UK party conference will be Jordan Bardella, right – the president of National Rally, Marine Le Pen's party, which is leading the

Reform leader Niger Farage is chipper ahead of Bardella's keynote speech on Friday. Farage told me: "I think we can say with some confidence that the likely French next prime minister will be speaking at our conference. I'm looking to put together a new entente cordiale from outside the European Union."

Pope springs eternal

Sir Keir Starmer raised eyebrows in recent days by donating a copy of his own biography to the Downing Street library.

Something of a more inspirational choice came from Darren Jones, who served as Sir Keir's right-hand man in Cabinet. He donated a copy of Laudato Si: On Care for our Common Home – the second encyclical by the late Pope Francis, which focuses on the importance of looking after the planet. The library was founded in 1931 by Ramsay MacDonald, with prime ministers and Cabinet ministers contributing throughout the decades.

A laughing matter

As the Edinburgh Fringe draws to a close, one staple of the entertainment extravaganza that will be missed is the Funniest Joke of the Fringe award, withdrawn by television channel Dave after two decades. Fortunately, the Edinburgh Comedy Awards will be

anding out its own £1,001 prize for the best one-liner. One standout entry comes from Welsh comedian and podcaster Anna Thomas who quipped: "The back of my car fell off the other day – and you'll never guess what you

Weakest Link – said one telltale midlife sign was needing to race for the bathroom to change into looser clothes.

She added: "Dear reader, I have the answer. It is the Bamford onesie. A cashmere knit with a bib, worn over a loose T-shirt... Your children will call

you Super Mario. Your girlfriends will say: 'Hello, Andy Pandy.' Ignore. I have bought one in all four colours."

Anne's strongest link

Anne Robinson has been providing advice on how to "comfortably" ease into late middle age. In a blog post for The Oldie, the 81-year-old, above right - still best known for hosting The

No politics for Parton

Now more than ever, it feels as though today's biggest music stars cannot help but force their political

The opposite was true in the case of Dolly Parton, right, who died this week aged 80. In a Telegraph interview in 2017, Parton said: "When you're no "When you're political, if I said something ical, if I said something about one side, the other side's going to be p----d off at me, and I'm gonna lose fans.... I got a lotta fans, and I love 'em all."

Edited by Dominic Penna peterborough@telegraph.co.uk

Christopher Hope is away

THE ULTIMATE BANK HOLIDAY 4 DAY FLASH SALE FROM ONLY £549PP

ALL BOOKINGS SAVE 5% $^{±}$

NO-FLY CRUSING FROM SOUTHAMPTON

DURATION/DEPARTURE SHIP

ON BOARD SPENDING MONEY OF UP TO £650* OR CAR PARKING OR COACH TRANSFERS**

ITINERARY

GRAND CARIBBEAN VOYAGE FROM £80pp PER NIGHT

35nts 04/01/27

Depart Southampton - Santa Cruz, Tenerife - Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis - Bridgetown, Barbados (overnight) - St. George's, Grenada - Castries, St. Lucia - Philipsburg, St. Maarten - St. John's, Antigua (overnight) - Las Palmas, Gran Canaria - La Coruña, Spain - Arrive in Southampton

EUROPEAN CITIES ESCAPE FROM £549PP

7nts 20/02/27

lona

Depart Southampton - Rotterdam, Netherlands (overnight) - Zeebrugge (for Bruges), Belgium - Hamburg, Germany - Arrive in Southampton

CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN FROM £88PP PER NIGHT

21nts 26/02/27

Depart Southampton - Cartagena, Spain - Tunis (from La Goulette), Tunisia - Valletta, Malta - Athens (from Piraeus), Greece - Naples, Italy - Rome (from Civitavecchia), Italy - Barcelona, Spain - Alicante, Spain - Seville (from Cádiz), Spain - Lisbon, Portugal - Arrive in Southampton

SPAIN, PORTUGAL & CANARIES FROM £76PP PER NIGHT

14nts 27/02/27

Depart Southampton - Funchal, Madeira - Santa Cruz, Tenerife - Las Palmas, Gran Canaria - Arrecife, Lanzarote - Seville (from Cádiz), Spain - Lisbon, Portugal (overnight) - Arrive in Southampton

MEDITERRANEAN DISCOVERY ADULTS-ONLY

19nts 20/11/27

Depart Southampton - Málaga, Spain - Palermo, Italy - Athens (tours from Piraeus*), Greece - Ephesus (tours from Kusadasi*), Turkey - Rhodes, Greece - Heraklion, Greece - Gibraltar - Arrive in Southampton

FESTIVE BALTIC DISCOVERY CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS AT SEA

14nts 15/12/27

Depart Southampton - Copenhagen, Denmark (overnight) - Gdańsk (tours from Gdynia*), Poland - Oslo, Norway (overnight) - ★Spend Christmas Day relaxing at sea★ - Hamburg, Germany - Bruges (from Zeebrugge), Belgium - Arrive in Southampton

CANARIES ESCAPE FROM £69PP PER NIGHT

14nts 08/01/28 Other dates available 06 & 20/11/27 Ventura 25/01/28

Depart Southampton - Funchal, Madeira - Santa Cruz, Tenerife - Las Palmas, Gran Canaria - Arrecife, Lanzarote - Lisbon, Portugal - Vigo, Spain - La Coruña, Spain - Arrive in Southampton

WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN FROM £88PP PER NIGHT

14nts 13/10/28

Britannia Depart Southampton - Seville (from Cádiz), Spain - Barcelona, Spain - Toulon (from La Seyne-sur-Mer), France - Florence/Pisa (from La Spezia), Italy - Rome (from Civitavecchia), Italy - Alicante, Spain - Arrive in Southampton

NORTH CAPE ADULTS-ONLY

14nts 23/10/28

Aurora

Depart Southampton - Åndalsnes, Norway - Cruise in Romsdalsfjord - Tromsø, Norway (overnight) - Narvik, Norway (overnight) - Bodø, Norway (overnight) - Haugesund, Norway - Arrive in Southampton

rolcruise.co.uk/telegraph

TRAVEL WITH CONFIDENCE ABTA ABTA No F9255

INSIDE SEA VIEW BALCONY DELUXE MINI SUITE BALCONY SUITE Fare from (pp) £2,799 £4,079 £4,749 £6,079 SOLD SOLD Solo fares are available from £5,529

CALL ONE OF OUR CRUISE SPECIALISTS FREE ON

	INSIDE	SEA VIEW†	BALCONY	DELUXE BALCONY	SUITE
Fare from (pp)	£1,849	£2,099	£2,599	£3,139	SOLD
Solo fares are available from £3,599

	INSIDE	SEA VIEW	BALCONY	DELUXE BALCONY	MINI SUITE	SUITE
Fare from (pp)	£1,069	£1,419	£1,559	£1,919	£2,069	SOLD
Solo fares are available from £2,099

	INSIDE	SEA VIEW†	BALCONY	MINI SUITE	SUITE
Fare from (pp)	£1,529	£1,659	£2,369	£4,369	£5,129
Solo fares are available from £3,019

	INSIDE	SEA VIEW	BALCONY	DELUXE BALCONY	MINI SUITE	SUITE
Fare from (pp)	£1,399	£1,749	£2,069	£2,399	£4,129	£5,759
Solo fares are available from £2,799

	INSIDE	SEA VIEW†	BALCONY	DELUXE BALCONY	SUITE
Fare from (pp)	£969	£1,089	£1,349	£1,779	£2,559
Solo fares are available from £1,819

Solo fares are available from £2,799

	INSIDE	BALCONY†	DELUXE BALCONY	SUITE
Fare from (pp)	£1,229	£1,699	£2,279	£3,269
	Solo fares are available from £2,339

0808 239 8246

QUOTE OFFER REF 644858

WE ARE OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FROM 8:30AM – 8PM

WILLIAM SITWELL

Foxes are diseased vermin and need to be culled

Mr Fox has made it his business to erase my much-loved poultry. We no longer have fresh eggs for breakfast because he dispatched the Rhode Island Reds

GETTY IMAGES

Don't be fooled by their cuteness. It's time to bring riders and hounds into our cities and control fox numbers

For a country-dweller, it was a remarkable sight. Cycling near Waterloo one evening this week, around 10.30pm – street lights on, roads quiet – a fox wandered across the road ahead. It had emerged through the railings of a small public park and was sauntering about, head up, confidently perusing the neighbourhood. It slowed as I neared it and the animal looked up at me before nonchalantly going about its business.

This was a strange encounter for a rural dweller, because if I ever catch sight of a fox in West Somerset it is firmly heading in the opposite direction, and at speed. This is in part because I normally have dogs with me, a pair of eager fox-red labradors. Mainly, though, it's because foxes are wild; they fear humans for we are predators to them.

Despite this, Mr Fox has made it his business to erase my much-loved poultry. We no longer have fresh eggs for breakfast because he dispatched the Rhode Island Reds and a pair of bantams. The latter I was particularly sad about because they lay cute little eggs and look like they are wearing trousers that need taking up.

Mr Fox didn't kill them because he was hungry. He just took their heads off. Anyone who, like me, realised one morning that the henhouse had not been shut up properly for the night will be familiar with the distressing trail one embarks upon, discovering first a cluster of feathers, then a headless corpse and then another and so on until you realise the flock is gone and you'll need to go to Waitrose for your next boiled egg.

And so I support the culling of foxes. They are vermin whose numbers need controlling. It is cruel not to because there simply isn't enough natural food to go round. I lament the snide and pointless banning of real hunting – it's a more effective way of killing foxes than shooting them, the death is quicker and I appreciate what an absolute hoot it is to charge across the countryside, jumping fences, sipping sloe gin and saying "goodnight" before you ride home at three o'clock in the afternoon.

Cut to London, and to Mr Fox glibly making his way about town, rifling through bins, leaving streets looking as though a hurricane has hit them. And that's when he isn't rummaging through the agriculture files on the fourth-floor Westminster office of a Norfolk MP, as one was found doing just this week.

Or - horrifyingly - biting a threemonth-old's head in the comfort of her family home in Watford.

The baby's mother woke to find herself and the poor child covered in blood after the charming creature had let itself in via an open back door and sunk its teeth into baby Josephine's head.

Luckily, beyond some gruesome puncture wounds, there was no permanent damage to her skull, though as the poor mother pointed out: “I feel violated.” She said: “I don’t feel safe in my home with two young children. Clearly there is an issue of either the same fox or multiple foxes being fed or just really acclimatising and becoming comfortable with people.”

What is done in response to this? Nothing. Which is why there are some 150,000 so-called urban foxes in the UK and 10,000 in London alone.

Westminster City Council's view, as detailed in its info pack on urban foxes, is that they are a “pest” rather than a “nuisance” and that they should be tolerated because: “No human in the

UK from any known record has been killed by a fox." It would seem that the London Mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan, is too busy trying to pedestrianise Oxford Street and re-name train lines as apologies to minority ethnic groups to take a view.

Meanwhile, there comes the full support of most Londoners who take the deluded view that foxes are sweet and furry creatures, a sort of child's teddy bear come to life, and to seek to be rid of them demonstrates a filthy, immoral form of barbarism.

Outfoxed: there are 150,000 urban foxes in the UK, with 10,000 in London alone

In reality, Mr Fox is disease-carrying vermin. Folk should not be deluded just because he is cuter than a rat.

His number is out of control and he needs culling. The challenge is how. Traffic wardens earning overtime chasing them down the road with nets would be entertaining but ineffective.

Indeed, nothing would tickle this country-boy more than the sight of riders and hounds trotting through London doing everyone a favour – including the health of the remaining foxes. Tally ho!

If you drive China's fake Range Rover, you're betraying Britain

Have you seen the ghastly thing? Or worse, succumbed to its wily charm? I'm referring to the Chinese-made Jaecoo 7, a mid-size, five-door sport utility vehicle that looks a lot like the Velar and Evoque models manufactured by Jaguar Land Rover.

But the most obvious difference is that a Jaecoo will cost you about half what a fancy Range Rover does. You can buy a Jaecoo 8 for £45,000. If you want the actual Range Rover Sport, it will cost you £77,000, and there are flagship models fetching more than £100,000.

Of course, the price is not the only difference. A Range Rover is the real thing. A Jaecoo 7 or 8 is, to my mind, a fake. One represents the pride of one of the world's greatest brands, and the other is a cheap back-street side-hustle.

The problem is, many Britons are falling for it. In March of this year, the Jaecoo 7 – a name that begins like Jaguar but then trails off to sound like a pigeon – was the UK’s top-selling car. One wonders who these mutts are, willing in the Chinese invaders, ushering into our once-proud nation heaps of metal that shame the concept of chic and style?

Who are these hustled beatniks who think they look grand at the school gates with their upholstered tanks of chrome, leather and plastic? They are nothing more than purveyors of an outrageous con, and paraders of a copycat fake with no more value than a counterfeit Hermès Birkin handbag.

This week, China's BYD revealed its Ti7 - a spurious knock-off of Land Rover's new Defender. The defenders of the fake Defender would say the price of the real thing is a stretch too far. I say, that's the point, and it's why those who can afford it are so smug about it.

I own a VW Tiguan – a sensible, flat-heel of a car, which nervously hobbles towards its annual MOT. It says nothing in particular about me, while not being dishonest.

Remember that when you genuflect to the Chinese beast, you also herald the tragedy that this nation has slipped into superfluous mediocrity. Indeed, the squandering of resources on sham tat should be left to other nations.

We should be proud to walk around in hand-me-downs, drive rickety cars, live in cold houses in moth-eaten jumpers and focus on what's important in life: community, friendship, honesty and some decent alcohol.

I'm living proof that toffs shouldn't talk to tradesmen

'When you've finished slapping the green on to that wall, can we chat about the

architrave?" I asked. It seemed to me a reasonable question. I was employing a light term to the work that Jason Bowman, my Northern Irish decorator, was engaged in. "Good morning," I'd heralded in my best Northern Irish accent earlier that day, as he painted the passages at my hotel in Wiveliscombe, West Somerset. I thought he'd appreciate my attempts to make him feel at home.

In response, though, he breathed in deeply, climbed down from the ladder and said: “I do not ‘slap’ paint on, I’ll have you know. I paint with great care and attention. It’s an art I’ve honed over 35 years.” If you want to appreciate the tone of his delivery, think of Liam Neeson in Taken telling the man who has kidnapped his daughter: “I will find you, and I will kill you.”

“Righto,” I thought. I might even have said it, trying to make light of the situation, while actually dying inside. I retreated, doubly disappointed that he had been unimpressed by my use of the word “architrave”. I’d been practising it for some time. I’m as ignorant of architectural terms as I am of the mechanics of a car.

Speaking of colour, having chosen a green called Beverly by Farrow & Ball, I left the pot for Jason, who later told me he'd colour matched it. He pointed to a few areas where he'd done some tester brush strokes. In various areas of light and shade, they all looked completely different to me. I had no idea what he was talking about, so just said: "Yes, that's great." "Ok," he said. "Don't go changing your mind now." I wouldn't dare. I'm too terrified.

I've now handed everything over to Jessica Coltman, our interior designer. I overheard her telling Jason: "Do the door trim in matt Elephant's Breath." This might have been code for: "Ignore everything Sitwell says." Weirdly, when she sees Jason, she doesn't feel the need to banter and mimic his accent. This toff needs to duck out of yet another aspect of the hospitality business and not even attempt to converse with tradesmen.

Join Sean Fletcher and his very special guests as they celebrate 100 years of the Mother Road

Suzi Quatro

James King

Henry Cole

Ainsley Harriott
Zoey Goto

Sinitta
Phoebe Schecter

This week, presenter and woodsman Ray Mears shares stories from his time exploring the deserts of the Southwest, and highlights the natural wonders along the route

Scan the QR to listen. New episode every Wednesday.

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

YouTube

To scan the QR code, open your phone camera, point it at the code and tap the banner that appears on screen. On older phones, you may need to download a QR code reader first.

News Focus

Abandoning the white working class is a recipe for anarchy

Middlesbrough's descent into lawlessness is a warning of what happens when the state abandons a whole section of society. By Simon Heffer

Almost every town, however affluent, has its rough areas or sink estates. The image projected by Middlesbrough over the past week or so, however, is that the whole town is in the tank. Since the shocking car crash last weekend that killed two policemen, and five louts driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway who ploughed into them, the lid has been taken off a community whose law and order problems are more like those we would normally associate with the worst parts of Los Angeles, Palermo or Johannesburg. For provincial England, this is shocking.

Numerous arrests have followed, with Cleveland Police stating there are links to organised crime. In 2019, the force had such a bad report from HM Inspectorate of Constabulary that it was put into special measures. Officers told inspectors the force was “directionless, rudderless and clueless”, and they found it had “collective and systemic failings”. The heroism of the two dead officers notwithstanding, the mayhem in Middlesbrough suggests their leaders may not have raised their game as much as necessary.

The family home of one of the dead youths was rammed by a vehicle, causing serious structural damage. A second house was rammed on Thursday. Another house was set on fire, with a woman and young girl killed and two men arrested on suspicion of murder. Cleveland Police have not ruled out the fire being linked “to wider organised crime”. On Thursday night, several cars were set on fire at a vigil for one of the victims of the A66 crash.

Locals say this dystopian behaviour has been going on for months. The police say they are expected to deal with a “metropolitan” level of serious crime on funding designed for a “rural” force. It appears that if the law-abiding people of Middlesbrough are to be safe, some drastic law-enforcement action will be required. The growing number of arrests suggests this is, however belatedly, under way.

Unfashionable class

Dealing with the effects, and even the symptoms, is one thing, and utterly necessary.

For decades, they have been pushed aside and left to stew on welfare benefits or in low-esteem jobs

However, dealing with the causes will be far more complicated. What is happening in Middlesbrough appears partly to be the consequence of letting a section of the white working class, or underclass, twist in the wind. In an era of identity politics, their identity appears to be the only one which no one could care less about because of the lack of political value in advancing it.

For generations, the white working class has been pushed aside and left to stew on welfare benefits or in low-esteem jobs. Now, Middlesbrough is one of the most deprived areas of the country, ranking 10th for the number of people deemed to have bad health or classified as long-term sick or disabled, 26th for unemployment (the local rate is 6.2 per cent compared to 4.5 per cent nationally), and 39th out of 361 areas for the number of welfare claimants.

It is easy to blame the de-industrialisation of the Thatcher years for the plight of these people, but it goes back far before that. And now, from being merely mildly disruptive and unpleasant – but largely hidden away – the addition of organised crime to the mix, on a shocking scale, has made it lethal and seen it spill out into mainstream view.

We await word from Cleveland Police about what exactly is the nature of the organised crime in Middlesbrough: but a local councillor, speaking anonymously because of fear of reprisals, said that shoplifting, joyriding and drug dealing were out of control. The town has the highest level of offending per head outside London: its most frequently reported offences are violent and sexual crimes. That is likely to be because one promiscuous crime – drug dealing – is not often reported. Police will tell you that around 80 per cent of crime in Britain is drug-related. If not dealing, it is related to robberies and burglaries committed to raise funds for drugs. Dealing is also linked to prostitution, money-laundering and people-trafficking.

The visible signs of the town's decline were all too apparent this week. In Grangetown, where a seven-year-old girl and her aunt were killed in a house fire on Wednesday morning, empty, boarded-up properties lie dotted along residential streets lined with tired houses.

Old caravans and the odd abandoned vehicle have been left on pavements and in the driveways of derelict buildings, while only one or two convenience stores remain open among several empty or shuttered shop fronts. The Magnet, a pub that might once have marked the heart of Grangetown, was once a popular venue that hosted discos and live music but has now fallen into ruin. Its windows and doors are bricked up or clamped over with green metal security boards.

“It’s been like that for 10 years, maybe even more,” says one woman, in her mid-60s. “I used to go with my husband and his friends all the time and we loved it. Everyone did. They were going to make it flats at one point but I don’t know now. It’s sad looking at it every day.”

In nearby South Bank, the neighbourhood where the fatal crash happened and where the house was rammed on Thursday morning, several teenagers and young men could be seen circling the streets this week in small groups riding bikes, almost all wearing balaclavas. There, too, caravans sat among abandoned properties, just a street away from where new homes are being built. Some of the worst-looking streets were littered with rubbish and bordered by front gardens which were often full of building materials or junk.

Damage wrought by welfarism

All over Britain, and not just in Middlesbrough, disaffected young people – those from dysfunctional families, with poor educational records and no settled employment – are vulnerable to recruitment by “county lines” drug dealing operations. “Organised crime” has become synonymous with this: the days of robbing banks and Securicor vans, as a senior policeman told me not long ago, are over, because we are now a mostly cashless society. It is also why people walk into shops, scoop up goods from shelves, and walk out again. A demoralised, poorly funded police force – further disaffected, doubtless, by the shocking fate

Menacing memorial: top, youths set off flares during a balloon release in memory of one of the young men killed in the wrong-way crash. Above, the home in the Grangetown district where a girl and her aunt died in a suspected arson attack. Above right, boarded up homes in the South Bank area of Middlesbrough

of the two dedicated officers in the A66 crash – seemed to Middlesbrough residents to have all but given up on such crimes. Regrettably, there are lessons here from commissioner Bill Bratton's New York policing policy that pulled that city back from anarchy in the 1990s: if you assiduously pursue minor criminals, they may be saved from becoming major ones.

What is happening in Middlesbrough is a problem of the post-industrial white working class, and self-inflicted. Just over a century ago their forebears on Teesside unhesitatingly joined the Army to fight in the Great War. The next generation did the same in 1939. They were patriotic, brave and generally honest. Even in the 1930s, when some parts of the North East had half their men out of work (in Jarrow before the March unemployment reached 75 per cent) they did not easily resort to criminality or self-pity.

Such vices are the product of welfarism – the encouragement of the notion that one can simply become the state's, or rather the taxpayer's, responsibility – and the idea that any misfortune must be somebody else's fault. Such a mentality has reduced the toughness of a once resilient people and helped dilute the essential distinction between right and wrong. The latter has been aggravated by the ease with which criminals get away with many of their crimes. Today it is Middlesbrough that appears to be in a state of anarchy. How long, given that these toxic attitudes and inadequate law enforcement pertain around the country, before it becomes commonplace rather than exceptional? For make no mistake, there are sink estates all over Britain. Mostly, the middle classes are insulated from them: but the people who have to live on them, who are not

inevitably amoral, are being betrayed by a state whose first duty is to protect them. No wonder so many of them feel no connection with it, and bring up children who can see no reason to adopt its values.

Low expectations and outcomes

A Cambridge don I knew, who grew up in London's East End in the 1950s and (thanks to a superb grammar school) reached university and then the top of his profession, talked to me some years ago about what he perceived to be the death of the respectable working class. He had recently been back to visit his elderly father, a Second World War veteran who still lived in Stepney, and had worked all his life in a lowly occupation. He told his son: “We’ve gone from the salt of the earth to the scum of the earth in a couple of generations.”

Never has the story of the decline of this social group been told better than by Michael Collins in his stunning and still indispensable book The Likes Of Us: A Biography of the White Working Class, published in 2004. Much of it was about the gentrification of the part of Southwark where the author grew up, and the consequent dispersal of those who had lived there and the loss of their distinct culture.

Collins reminds the reader of various London riots of racial motivations, such as Brixton and Broadwater Farm. One takes away the idea that while much has been done, doubtless rightly, to provide outreach schemes and other services and facilities for a marginalised black working class, especially in London, since the 1980s,

Even in the 1930s, when some parts of the North East had half their men out of work, they did not easily resort to criminality

nothing equally targeted appears to have been done for its white counterparts. The widely available grammar schools that offered a passport to the middle class and a professional career, and even university, for self-starting working-class boys and girls in the 1950s were steadily destroyed after 1965 by the privately educated Labour education secretary Tony Crosland. When one looks at Middlesbrough and other deprived areas, schools of low expectations and outcomes are all too obvious. On Teesside, a tiny percentage of A-level students get into Oxbridge, even though admissions tutors are desperate for state-educated students.

Trinity Catholic College in Middlesbrough, the area's best state school in 2020, sent 3.4

ORNE CAMPBEL/GUZELIAN—

per cent that year – just two students; in middle-class Barnet in north London the Henrietta Barnett girls' school, also a state school (which took just one white British pupil in 2024), sent 28.2 per cent of its girls to Oxbridge in 2023.

Nobody pretends that life in these post-industrial areas is ideal: but the state could at least offer young people in those places opportunities to get out of them. Thus far, it has done almost the complete opposite.

It also helps to have ambitious parents. Lord (Shaun) Bailey, a Conservative peer and former youth worker, says of his mother that “she always said: ‘Get an education. Educated people are happier.’ She believes in the dignity of work and in giving back to the community.”

Lord Bailey is a black man, but he (and his mother) superbly articulate what was the ethos of the old white working class. He has argued, utterly convincingly, that a Left-wing obsession with race has removed from consideration the important question of class.

These days, no government wishing to avoid obloquy would dare disregard the underperformance or social marginalisation of an ethnic minority, but is quite willing to do so for a class when that class is a visible part of the ethnic majority. Another black Conservative peer, Lord (Tony) Sewell, wrote in a report for the government five years ago that white working-class boys were the lowest performing cohort in our education system. Today, nothing has changed, and Lord Sewell says it has been made worse by the state “fudging” the figures to try to conceal the problem by “lumping” them in with white middle-class boys who, thanks to their social advantages, did better.

The more invisible the problem is made the

READ MORE at telegraph.co.uk/opinion

less anyone considers treating it; and the worse matters become for white working-class boys and, for those who become criminals, their victims.

Deprivation fuelling crime

In his campaign for the London mayoralty in 2020 Lord Bailey condemned casual drug use by highly paid City workers, because he had seen at close hand (both growing up in poverty and as a youth worker) the damage done further down the supply chain. That brings us back to county lines, organised crime, and the blight they cast on under-educated young men with no career prospects, no chance of going to university, uninterested or incapable parents, but who are lured by the prospect of apparently easy money. That leads to stealing cars, killing themselves and, tragically, killing two decent men simply trying to protect their community.

So no wonder organised crime finds a welcoming home in Middlesbrough. No wonder the local police complain about the absence of state resources that might allow them to police the area more robustly – and provide them with the superior leadership needed to do so. One hopes it has not taken the senseless deaths of two esteemed colleagues to spur Cleveland Police into action against the organised crime gangs around them. But even these arrests, and any subsequent trials, cannot be the end of it.

Statistics show that violent crime and unemployment go together, hence the problem of criminality of post-industrial, predominantly white working-class areas. The biggest increases over the past year were in Burnley, Pendle, Mansfield and South Tyneside (ironically, it fell half a per cent in Middlesbrough). However, only Camden exceeds Middlesbrough for overall crime; and Middlesbrough (at 150 such crimes per 1,000 people) is only a short head in front of decaying Blackpool (146 per 1,000) and nearby Hartlepool (134 per 1,000).

Carrot and stick

It is unquestionably time that the Government listened to Lord Sewell and did something to address the reasons why white working-class young men in particular under-achieve so badly. The fundamental changes must come in schools – not just ensuring that secondary schools turn out young people fit for employment and, if academically talented, ambitious for university, but also that primary schools develop essential skills in young children and forge relationships with parents that encourage them to support the work schools do in preparing children intellectually and morally for life. If they fail, social workers have a key role, and need the support to play it.

Force in mourning: a floral tribute next to the A66 for Pc Matthew Blades and Pc Tom Clough, who were killed in the crash. Below left, the Jarrow Crusade in 1936 when unemployment reached 75 per cent following the closure of a shipyard

Government should look at economically depressed areas and use the tax system to incentivise businesses to set up in them. Such businesses would create not only jobs, but also apprenticeships and traineeships. There has been talk for at least 20 years of zoning areas and offering tax breaks to specific districts where opportunities are needed. Middlesbrough provides all the necessary evidence that it is time something happened to promote the economic revival of these benighted places. Also, we know we have to expand our Armed Forces. If young men have energies to expend and seek thrills, much better to get them in a disciplined context than in criminal activity that creates innocent victims.

However, there has to be the stick as well as the carrot. There seems no alternative, in dealing with those already sunk in criminality and delinquency, other than to get them off the streets to protect the public, and end the anarchy. This means punishing drugs crime ruthlessly, given it is the root of so much other misery. There is even the prospect that some of them might be rehabilitated. But first things first. We have, commendably, signalled abundant virtue for decades by spending time and money securing equality for minorities. One big minority, though, has missed out. In the interests of the serenity of our society, it must miss out no longer.

Additional reporting by Ben Butcher and Daisy Graham-Brown

THE ADULTS-ONLY 5★ NO-FLY Vibrant Baltic Capitals

SAVE UP TO 30% $^{±}$

FREE GRATUITIES, WI-FI & SPECIALITY DINING $^{++}$

FREE HOUSE DRINKS PACKAGE $^{++}$

OR

SHORE EXCURSION CREDIT OF UP TO \$800 $^{**}$

FREE CAR PARKING $^{++}$ FOR ALL BOOKINGS

5★ ADULTS-ONLY CRUISING

Intimate and luxurious, Oceania Marina hosts no more than 1,250 guests, creating an atmosphere that feels effortlessly refined and personal. This boutique scale allows for generous space, attentive service, and a relaxed rhythm that larger ships simply cannot replicate.

The timeless décor of your chosen stateroom or suite reflects the very best and offers you a restful homelike space to relax and rejuvenate. Bathed in soothing tones and detailed with multiple layers of luxurious furnishings, accents and artwork, each stateroom and suite is a welcoming home away from home.

Open seating dining and uncrowded teak decks, and ocean-view lounges foster a sense of calm sophistication. The Finest Cuisine at Sea $^{®}$ defines the Oceania Cruises experience. Their culinary program celebrates the ingredients, techniques, and traditions of the world's great culinary regions - reflecting the destinations they visit. From sourcing premium artisanal ingredients from around the world, to the spacious state-of-the-art galleys and their distinguished chefs who are continually inspired by their Executive Culinary Directors and Master Chefs of France, Alexis Quaretti and Eric Barale.

14 NIGHTS DEPARTING 8 $^{TH}$ JUNE 2027

JUNE 2027

Tue 8 Embark the elegant 5★ Oceania Marina and depart Southampton for your adults-only voyage

Thu 10 Skagen, Denmark

Copenhagen, Denmark See another side of this lovely city with a cruise along its charming canals. Visit the quaint old harbor at Nyhavn and beautiful Rosenborg Castle and, of course, the famed statue of the Little Mermaid. Or venture into the

Wed 16

countryside and enjoy its panoramic vistas, fairytale castles and the village of Fredensborg

Sun 13 Stockholm, Sweden

Enjoy the lovely countryside beyond the towered walls and take in the view of this former Hanseatic League town

Visby, Sweden (depart early pm)

★Recommended Excursion*: Highlights of Stockholm & Vasa Museum Enjoy an orientation drive through Sweden's watery, wonderful capital city, passing sights like the Royal Palace, the Royal Opera House

Thu 17

and the Swedish Parliament Building. Then, tour the Vasa Museum, where the world's oldest complete ship sits reassembled after 333 years under water

Riga, Latvia

Mon 14 Helsinki, Finland

Tallinn, Estonia (depart early pm)

before exploring its narrow, winding lanes, marvelous ruined medieval churches and impressive St. Mary's Cathedral. Or visit an intriguing Bronze Age burial in the midst of farmland and take in the cliff-top view of the precipitous coastline

Step back in time as you walk through this beautifully preserved medieval town and discover its upper and lower levels, the guild houses, the churches and squares, the famous apothecary shop and the exquisite town hall. See delightful parks, Baroque palaces and a ruined $15^{\text{th}}$ century convent. Or visit a lovely recreated rural Estonian village by the sea

Fri 18 Berlin (from Warnemünde), Germany

Sat 19 Aarhus, Denmark

Tue 22 Arrive in Southampton

Dates not mentioned are spent relaxing at sea

WHAT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR ROL CRUISE SALE

EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS OF UP TO 30%*

FREE CAR PARKING FOR ALL BOOKINGS $^{++}$ PLUS, book by 8pm 31 $^{st}$ August 2026 to receive a FREE Duo of Wine Gift $^{+}$

√ 5★ adults-only luxury cruising on board the elegant Oceania Marina, including $^{++}$ :

- FREE House Drinks Package – including Champagne, wine & beer during meal times

OR

- FREE up to \$800 shore excursion credit

- FREE gratuities & Wi-Fi for all bookings

- FREE speciality dining for all bookings

- FREE specialty dining for all bookings - Experience 'The Finest Cuisine at Sea' $^{®}$ with multiple open-seating speciality dining venues at no additional charge - FREE soft drinks, bottled water and speciality coffees

- FREE room service 24-hours a day

- FREE shuttles from the pier to city centre in most ports of call

EARN EXCLUSIVE CRUISE MILES®

worth up to £135 off your next booking $^{++}$

YOUR EXCLUSIVE ROL CRUISE FARES

STATEROOM/SUITE	GRADE $^{<}$	FULLFARE (PP)	ROL CRUISEFARE (PP)
Inside	F	£6,119	£4,099
Deluxe Ocean View	C	– SOLD OUT –
Veranda	B3	£7,739	£5,399
Concierge Veranda	A3	£8,069	£5,639
Penthouse Suite	PH3	£9,569	£6,799

JUST A DEPOSIT REQUIRED TO BOOK

CALL ONE OF OUR CRUISE SPECIALISTS FREE ON

0808 239 9075

The Saturday Interview

‘Russia is in a very bad place and revolution could come overnight’

It was, perhaps, the highest praise ever offered by one intelligence agency to another – and it was certainly the most British. As chief of MI6 in 2022, Sir Richard Moore publicly declared that “pound for pound” the “brilliant” Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service “probably knock us into a cocked hat”.

In his first interview with a British newspaper, the head of Estonia's spy agency tells David Blair how a beleaguered Vladimir Putin could target his country next

Kaupo Rosin, the Director General of that service (known as EFIS), is delighted by the compliment, though he asks with polite bewilderment what this expression about cocked hats could possibly mean? “It’s always good to see that our partners value us and our activities,” he says, after I offer assurances that Moore’s phrase was a great tribute. “But I have to say the same about the British services who are actually top-notch, with world-leading, excellent capabilities, and are doing an incredible job.”

I meet Rosin at EFIS headquarters in Estonia's capital, Tallinn, where it could hardly be more necessary for intelligence officers to do incredible jobs. Russia is only 130 miles away: the border is a two-hour drive down what was known in Soviet times as the M11 highway. Vladimir Putin's home city of St Petersburg, meanwhile, is four hours away.

No country understands the dangers of being a neighbour of Russia more acutely than Estonia, which endured five decades of Soviet then Nazi and then, again, Soviet occupation before regaining its independence in 1991. The nation has been reborn as an increasingly prosperous democracy with, since 2004, membership of both Nato and the EU.

Yet Putin's burning ambition to re-establish the Russian empire casts a long shadow. Estonia is the smallest of the three Baltic states, both in population (1.3 million) and land area (17,500 square miles, just over half the size of Scotland) and it has the longest border with Russia (180 miles). That perilous combination means that if Putin were to seek a new target after – or perhaps during – his onslaught against Ukraine, then Estonia could be in his crosshairs, and there have been plenty of warnings recently about the possibility of a Russian attack on Nato.

If the Russians were to strike across the border, then Britain, too, would be at war. Estonia is a Nato ally and 1,000 British troops lead a multinational battlegroup in the country, amounting to the Army's biggest overseas deployment.

So Rosin and his spies must do everything humanly possible to understand Russian intentions and capabilities for the simple reason that the very survival of their homeland may depend upon it. Their special insight and expertise on Russia is what earned them the public praise of MI6.

Perhaps for that reason, Rosin believes that we should abandon euphemisms like “hybrid warfare” and call Putin’s escalating campaign of sabotage and subversion across Europe by its proper name: “state-sponsored terrorism”.

But since his service is superbly informed on developments inside Russia, I begin by asking how Putin and his circle view their bloodsoaked predicament in Ukraine? “What he expresses or emanates is that victory for Russia will come at one point – and that we just have to continue and keep going. But I’m not sure if people around Putin are as convinced as he might be,” replies Rosin.

"There are certainly voices which express that he should keep going, but I think the voices which, let's say, urge [him] to maybe reconsider the situation are becoming stronger and stronger." Rosin adds: "What he has, at this point, are only bad options. And each decision he makes has different risks for him. So the decision to continue has the risk that with the heavy losses, with the economic situation, that the internal problems – internal tensions – in Russia mount

Kaupo Rosin

“That might have, at some point in the future, an impact on his political future, if people around him come to the conclusion … that it is better to continue without him.

“But if he stops, that has the risk for him that he will be shown as a weak person. So there is really something for him to think about at this point. But I think, objectively, Russia is in a very bad place at the moment, and many people understand this in Russia, especially people in the economic field, probably some of the oligarchs already. So I’m sure they have serious discussions.”

Rosin, 48, is tall and burly and speaks in carefully considered English. Like most intelligence chiefs, he speaks in public but sparingly – this is his first set-piece interview with a British newspaper – and only the bare bones of his previous career is disclosed. Family life is not something that spies discuss with journalists.

Rosin fixes me with a firm gaze through partially rimless glasses. As he talks about Russia – and uses the word “objectively” – he reminds me of a quizzical and dispassionate doctor describing the condition of a particularly troublesome patient.

Rosin provides a list of Russia's Putin-inflicted ailments. “The losses on the battlefield exceed the recruitment numbers,” he says. “The economy has taken a serious hit. One of the reasons is the Ukrainian long-range strikes against oil infrastructure, which is the main income for the Russian budget. There are huge financial problems already. The budget deficit has already exceeded the planned deficit for this year and it will be, we assess, maybe around 10 trillion rubles [£86 billion], which is half of the defence budget.”

Putin would normally cover a deficit of that size without difficulty, except that sanctions have largely excluded Russia from the biggest financial

markets, making it far harder and more expensive for the Kremlin to borrow.

"The question is: how do they mitigate that issue?" asks Rosin. "Probably tax increases, asking oligarchs for contributions, and companies for contributions to the state budget, which, let's say, creates an additional reason for internal discontent and internal pressure."

Rosin continues: “We see that overall unhappiness levels with this war are increasing in all echelons of society, starting from normal people and throughout, up to the oligarchs.”

He adds: “More and more people do not want this war. The question is: what impact does this have on his [Putin’s] decision-making?”

Rosin is candid that he cannot answer that question, prompting me to wonder out loud whether the level of discontent might reach a level where Putin's grip on power could be threatened? "I do not see a street revolution happening at this point," says Rosin. "More important is what people who have access to money, weapons and information – what do they think? In these circles, there is no more talk about total victory. People are discussing different scenarios, and mainly how to end this [war] in a proper way."

Rosin adds: “But I would say, if something changes in Russia, then it will happen in a very rapid manner and we will all be surprised. It will be an overnight thing, if it ever happens.”

Just how swiftly change could occur is shown by the sudden and abortive rebellion against Putin led by the mercenary commander, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in June 2023, when a column of mutineers advanced to within a 90-minute drive of the

Kremlin. “For us it was a sign of how hollow the system might be inside – and that’s often the case in such regimes. They look very hard from outside, but inside they might be surprisingly weak,” says Rosin.

If Putin decides to ignore the voices of caution and persevere with his onslaught against Ukraine, he will have to find a way of replacing his battlefield losses, which total about 500,000 Russian dead, according to the British intelligence service GCHQ. His only option could be to order a mobilisation and press-gang hundreds of thousands more Russians into service.

Putin has always been viscerally reluctant to take this step, fearing both popular discontent and the economic consequences of depriving the workforce of masses of able-bodied males. But he was compelled to resort to a partial mobilisation in September 2022 after Ukraine's successful counter-offensive against his invasion.

election is out of the way. I ask Rosin whether he expects a Russian mobilisation? “What we see is that in Russian society, by now, everybody ‘knows’ that the mobilisation will come,” he answers. “There is a lot of talk about it in Russia. Everybody knows somebody who works in the military who has said that mobilisation will come.”

He adds: “This can have an effect where society somehow makes peace with this idea, and that would be for the Kremlin another incentive then maybe to do it.”

On balance of probability, I ask, will Putin mobilise next month or not? "At this point, it's an equal chance," says Rosin. "Everybody thinks it's coming.

The system is ready. We haven't seen any decision."

Another danger that many believe is coming – particularly if Putin mobilises hundreds of thousands more troops – is a Russian attack on a Nato ally,

possibly Estonia or against Nato was at least part of the message. I quote a report in the Wall Street Journal that Ratcliffe's purpose was to "deliver a warning to Russia not to attack Nato countries". Is that correct, I ask?

“I think that’s a bit exaggerated and there were other topics discussed, but I cannot really comment on other countries’ foreign relations,” replies Rosin carefully.

Did the CIA director discuss Nato and deterrence? Rosin again comes up quickly against the limits of what a spy can say. “It’s very hard for me to comment,” he agonises, before settling on an acceptable form of words: “I’m sure that his visit did not weaken deterrence.”

Later, the New York Times reports that Ratcliffe delivered a message strikingly similar to Rosin's assessment: that the Kremlin should understand the severity of Russia's strategic and economic predicament.

“I think, at this point, Putin understands that Article V is actually still valid. So we don’t see a near-term threat,” says Rosin.

For now, Rosin's considered view is that Nato is continuing to deter Putin and Article V, the alliance's mutual defence clause, remains credible despite Donald Trump openly questioning whether America would defend its allies.

the West's own hands. If European countries press on with backing Ukraine and increasing defence spending, while keeping America inside Nato, then Putin should continue to be deterred.

“If we take the Russia threat seriously, continue to invest in our defence, maintain a credible deterrence posture, and have credible resourced defence plans, then we are able to deter Russia, yes,” he says.

He spells out exactly what he means: for the next “one year plus”, he does not expect Russia to launch a conventional military assault on a Nato ally. “The question is rather what does the future look like? Where are we in the West in one year, two years, five years from now and if deterrence still works?” he adds.

But he enters a vital caveat. “If we ourselves in the West somehow screw it up, then this would create a new situation for Russia to recalculate, perhaps,” adds Rosin. “So it heavily depends on our activities, our investments and our seriousness.”

Estonia's own seriousness is demonstrated by its defence spending of 3.4 per cent of GDP last year, according to Nato, well above Britain's 2.4 per cent and even America's 3.2 per cent. A country with a population little bigger than Birmingham's could deploy 80,000 trained reserve soldiers within days of any emergency (the trained strength of the British Army, by comparison, is 71,000).

The answer, says Rosin, is largely in

Everything about EFIS conveys the deadly seriousness of its work. The location of its headquarters in Tallinn is not secret, but nor is it advertised, and the building reveals itself to a visitor like – and this may be an insensitive metaphor – a Russian matryoshka doll.

From the street outside, you see nothing except a high wall shielding an anonymous office block with no sign or nameplate. Once through the perimeter entrance, the building begins to hint at its true purpose when you encounter three flagpoles, two flying the blue, black and white of Estonia, one displaying the yellow and blue of Ukraine.

You notice that all of its windows are hidden by screens. Then, safely behind the front door, the organisation finally declares itself: a large white sign displays the lion of Estonia and the word “Valisluureamet” – the Estonian name for EFIS.

In British terms, EFIS is MI6 and GCHQ combined, collecting both human and signals intelligence. Rosin,

'He [Putin] only has bad options. The decision to continue has the risk that internal pressures mount'

a professional intelligence officer, has been in charge since November 2022.

Since then, he has doggedly avoided any repetition. Yet there is now mounting speculation that Putin will order another

I meet Rosin soon after the surprise visit to Moscow by John Ratcliffe, the CIA director, reportedly to warn the Kremlin against testing the alliance.

He began his career as a 19-year-old recruit in the Estonian army in 1996, completing a tour with the American-led coalition in Iraq in 2005, before rising to command Military Intelligence between 2013 and 2018.

JULIAN SIMMOND'S FOR THE IT Intelligence between 2012 and 2018. He then spent four years with Nato's Intelligence and Security Division at alliance headquarters in Brussels. He returned to Estonia in 2022 to take charge of Cyber Command, handling all military cyber operations, and was soon promoted to lead EFIS.

another mobilisation, perhaps next month, once Russia's sham parliamentary

As we talk, young and casually dressed intelligence officers are arriving for the working day. Rosin is clear that one of their biggest tasks is foiling the Kremlin's ever-expanding campaign of sabotage and subversion across Europe.

to say what he believes his American counterpart told the Russians, though he obliquely confirms that deterring aggression

The latest incident was at Leipzig-Halle airport in Germany on Aug 4, where an armed drone slammed into a Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane on the tarmac. Only the chance failure of the drone's bomb to explode avoided the giant aircraft going up in flames, causing a sudden conflagration at an airport used by two million passengers every year.

“It’s almost everywhere by now. It’s a campaign orchestrated by the Russian government through the GRU [Russian Military Intelligence] mainly,” says Rosin.

“It is becoming more and more violent and dangerous. We see that the main targets, currently, are defence industry production sites, but also logistical sites.”

Russia's goal, he adds, is to “disrupt European supplies, European weapons equipment deliveries to Ukraine”.

In Britain, for example, five men have been jailed for burning down two London warehouses in 2024 where supplies for Ukraine were being stored. Earlier this month, the Russian Embassy responded furiously to reports that Britain was supplying Ukraine with components for long range strikes deep inside Russia and openly threatened “consequences”.

President Putin may have to call up thousands of Russians in a new mobilisation

Rosin is politely scornful of how “hybrid warfare” has become the catch-all term for these attacks. “Hybrid schmybrid,” he says derisively, adding that “hybrid” is a “nice and cosy word” that “distorts from the reality”, which is “sabotage, unconventional activities, cyber attacks, information warfare. This is what it actually is.”

So far, he adds, “we in the West have been relatively successful in disrupting this: that’s a matter for intelligence services, counter-intelligence services. This is our work.”

Rosin adds: “Especially in the sabotage campaign, we could also use the term state-sponsored terrorism because this is what it technically is.”

And, so far, Russia's campaign has failed to weaken Europe's resolve to support Ukraine. But EFIS and dozens of allied intelligence services are waging a constant – and largely covert – effort to protect their respective countries.

I mention the Leipzig-Halle airport attack. “It could be classified as terrorism, I would say. It’s a civilian target,” he says.

Rosin's EFIS might have earned the plaudits of MI6, yet the price of living in peace and freedom just down the road from Russia is eternal vigilance.

CLIVE LIMPKIN/ANL/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK/ALAMY/JOHN LAWRENCE—

Features

The Thorpe saga destroyed my father. This is the real story

Peter Bessell was called a compulsive liar in the Liberal leader's trial. His son tells Guy Kelly of his hunt for the truth

Paul Bessell spent a lifetime reading other people's words about his father. Seldom were they true, and rarer still were they kind. This much was undeniable: Peter Bessell was a Liberal Party politician and the MP for Bodmin for six years in the 1960s. He was also a husband, a father and a businessman.

It was just as irrefutable that Bessell Snr was a leading prosecution witness in “the scandal of the century” – the 1979 trial of his one-time best friend, Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe, for co-conspiring to murder his lover, Norman Scott, four years earlier. The verdict of that case, especially Mr Justice Cantley’s scathing summing-up, which characterised Bessell Snr as having fabricated his evidence, came to attach itself to his name for the rest of his days.

As for everything else? Paul has heard the lot; his father was, according to various people, a fraudster, a murderer, an MI6 agent, a CIA agent, an FBI agent, a fabulist, a “grass”, a sex addict, a self-publicist and, above all, a compulsive liar. Given Bessell was a man who led a life of mystery and compulsion, none of this seemed entirely implausible.

Peter Bessell died in 1985. At the time, Paul was busy building his own life. Yet the question always nibbled away at him. How much of it was true? Today, speaking at his home in Buckinghamshire, the 74-year-old wishes he'd found an answer years ago. "It was a classic case of, when your parents die, you always wish you'd asked them about themselves."

Eight years ago, he decided to do something about it. The 2018 BBC dramatisation of the Thorpe affair, A Very English Scandal, starring Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw as Thorpe and Scott, and Alex Jennings as Bessell, had revived the story for another century. “Fair to say I wasn’t enamoured of it,” Paul says with impressive understatement. He didn’t like the “Carry On” nature of Russell T Davies and Stephen Frears’s telling, which he says minimised the trauma that case brought to so many people.

The renewed interest, though, did put him in touch with the investigative journalist and spy author Tim Tate, who had a suggestion. "He said, 'Why is it that you've never written a book about your father?' I told him I didn't know what I'd write. He replied that my father's life is far, far more interesting than the Thorpe case. That's the book, then, my search for the truth."

So it was that Paul came to try and stop reading other people's words about his father and start writing his own. The product is Finding Dad, a book attempting to provide answers to the many questions Paul always had.

Born in Somerset in 1921, Bessell's brushes with the law began almost as soon as he reached adulthood. A report in the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette on May 3, 1941 details his request for military exemption during the Second World War, registering instead as a conscientious objector

(CO) on religious grounds. As with a lot of things in his life, his account of that chapter would differ from the official record. “There is no doubt in my mind that he felt a degree of shame about his war record,” Paul writes, “not because he thought it was wrong to be a CO, but because the moral attitudes of society at the time demanded it.”

After the war, Bessell Snr married Pauline and moved to Torquay, where he was a lay preacher and continued his late father's tailoring business. They had two children, Paul and his elder sister, Paula ("I think he just really liked the name 'Paul'"), and Bessell became a popular local figure. He soon caught the eye of the then ailing Liberal Party, who badly needed parliamentary candidates. After an educational decade losing various elections in Devon, he finally won in Bodmin, Cornwall, in 1964.

Thorpe, who became leader of the Liberals three years later, became Bessell's closest friend and confidant in Parliament. "He became a family friend, too, we all knew about his sexuality. It would be different now, of course, but Dad tried to protect Thorpe – he thought something awful might be said and Thorpe would lose his career. He thought he was a good man at the time."

Paul may well have met the young Norman Scott (now Josiffe), too. "I certainly knew all about him. He was a pain in the backside even at the time."

Bessell had impressive energy. Running concurrently with his work as an MP, which saw him shuttle between Cornwall and Westminster, his tailoring business had morphed into laundrettes, which he soon opened in London. “Research” trips to America would yield new business ideas, too - including introducing coin-operated washing machines and felt-tip markers to the UK. Before long he was a wealthy man and was moving into finance. In addition to that, he started what he’d always tell his son was “secret work for the government”.

As Paul writes, Pauline was often seen dressed in designer clothes and fur coats. “His London laundry business was so successful that he sold his interest and opened an investment brokerage [...] He had an office in Mayfair; a large house in Cornwall, with cleaning and gardening staff; two children at expensive private boarding schools; a non-working wife; several very expensive cars; stratospheric travel expenses, mostly between London and New York; a West End apartment for his mistress, Sally; and a few secretaries and research assistants.”

Add to this weekends away with other “girlfriends” plus a very expensive taste in clothes, restaurants and clubs, and “his total outgoings, in today’s money, must have been about £120,000 a month, to which he was able to give very little time.” Adjusting for inflation, MPs were paid roughly £50,000 per year at the time. Even if he did have a mysterious income stream, it wasn’t enough: debts swiftly mounted.

He left politics in 1970, choosing not to stand in that year's general election. Instead he carried on his business interests in the US, including opening a financial brokerage firm in New York. Paul, then 21,

'He was castigated by the judge and torn to pieces. But today whistle-blowers are heroes'

moved there to work for him, until one day in 1974, when Bessell announced that he was going away for a few days.

"He said if he wasn't back by Sunday, there were details in the safe of a property deal I was to close. Well, there weren't. There were letters for me, my sister and our mother, stating that he was disappearing and the company was in substantial debt," Paul recalls. As he had likely committed fraud, they thought he might have run off to South America. "It turns out it was Mexico." He'd left Paul with \$200 and an air ticket home, to start a new life.

At the time, Paul thought he might never see his father again. And Bessell likely thought he'd never set foot in Britain again. Several months later, Bessell reappeared in Oceanside, California, where he settled with his mistress. But then came the Thorpe scandal. Scott had become a problem for Thorpe, threatening to reveal their relationship to the world – which, owing to homosexuality being criminalised at the time, would have ended his political career.

Thorpe allegedly took the step of conspiring to have Scott killed. The alleged attempt happened on Exmoor in October 1975. It went wrong. Someone died, but it wasn't Scott, it was his dog, Rinka. Thorpe denied all involvement, but the press sniffed at every avenue. Eventually their searchlights reached Oceanside, where

Thorpe's old pal was hiding. "Dad had protected Thorpe in the late 1960s, when Scott was a bit of a loose cannon. Dad helped

Scott find jobs, basically to keep him happy. Then when Dad disappeared, no one was there to keep a lid on things. Thorpe had these fantasies about having Scott murdered, and Dad would basically ridicule it or pretend he wasn't going to do it. When Dad vanished, that's when the whole thing of having Scott 'frightened' came about. Dad had gone by then."

Returning to Britain under a storm of camera flashes and questions from newspapermen, Bessell decided to testify against his old friend. "He went through agonies trying to decide whether to. I was there when he was going through them, but he decided that despite having once committed fraud himself, the honourable thing to do, and the only way he could live with himself afterwards, was to do it."

Thorpe was acquitted of murder 'Cover-up': Jeremy Thorpe, top, leaves court after being cleared; above, Peter Bessell gave evidence for the prosecution; left, his son Paul

charges, of course, and walked away from the Old Bailey a free man. In what is now considered one of the great establishment cover-ups and most famous miscarriages of justice, the prosecution were ridiculed and made to look like aggrieved fantasists. Bessell's evidence was declared a "tissue of lies" by Mr Justice Cantley.

"He was castigated by the judge, the establishment, torn to pieces publicly," Paul says. "But the irony is that today, whistleblowers are lauded as heroes."

After the trial, Bessell returned to California, where he had married Diane, his longtime mistress. Despite emphysema, which killed him only six years after the trial, he still made regular trips to Los Angeles for “work”. It later transpired that he had a mistress there, too.

Paul only saw him a handful of times after he ran away in 1974 – during the trial, once in Oceanside, and not long before his death. Paul became a laidback hippy, a family man and a successful music publisher, including of Billy Joel and Billy Ocean's songs.

More recently, he has found late-life success as a social media star with the thoroughly charming channel “Sign or Decline”, on which he is played contemporary music by Daisy, the youngest of his three children, and asked to decide whether he’d have signed the artist back in the day. As for his father’s broader failings, Paul is sanguine. “He was a complicated man, and it may sound ludicrous to say, but he was a decent man. There were those sides to him. I know it is difficult to marry the things up, but he was brilliant.”

Finding Dad by Paul Bessell (published by Mirror Books) is available now.

Saddle up for a day at Britain's poshest place to shop

Beyond sturdy boots you'll find elite brands loved by royalty at the Burghley trials, says Alexandra Fullerton

With a roll call of royal spectators that has included Elizabeth II; Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh; Harriet Phillips; and Diana, Princess of Wales over the years – along with four days of epic evening action – Defender Burghley has always been an elite date in the country calendar.

But over the past decade, the horse trials has also upped its game to reflect the glamour of the guest list, building a prestigious position as the poshest place to shop in the UK.

For those in the countryside areas now known by some as the “Notswolds” (comprising Rutland, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and Cambridgeshire), London trips are no longer needed. Some surprisingly luxurious names are pitching up on parkland in Stamford to fulfil every rural retail requirement. At this year’s trials, taking place from Sept 3-6, fine jewellers Boodles will have diamonds and gems aplenty, while the Hermès stand will offer a small selection of products from its equestrian métier.

Enticing Hermès, one of the most rarefied Parisian heritage brands, to Lincolnshire is quite a coup. Closer to home, the burgeoning British country scene is represented by Fairfax & Favor and Holland Cooper (a favourite of the Princess of Wales), along with an array of independent fashion labels, totalling more than 500 stands to shop this year. The average spend at Boodles' stand is around £10,000, but it has seen purchases run into six figures. James

Retail therapy: upmarket shops at the Burghley eventing include Holland Cooper

Amos is the managing director of Boodles, which started exhibiting at the horse trials in the late 1990s. "There was a big change [in the retail experience] around 10 years ago," he notes. "The Defender Burghley team are always working to improve things, and they've curated a luxury area where we are based." Yet, despite the presence of some high-octane brands across the shopping arena, Amos reiterates the relaxed nature of the event. There might be royalty present, but "people bring dogs as well as children and it's not stuffy in any way".

Unspoken dress code

Given the elite shopping opportunities, there are, naturally, unwritten expectations about what attendees should wear.

The refreshing lack of pretension doesn't mean you can arrive in muddy jods and moth-eaten cashmere. "When people have made so much effort to

‘There are thousands of influencers talking about Burghley and country-chic is a huge movement’

Gen X women are done with ‘dressing their age’

Midlifers love the trend for shorts and minis, and have given up on perfect legs. By Laura Craik

Gen X women are a stubborn cohort. While we don't, perhaps, attract the same degree of dislike as boomers, there are those who would opine that we are still taking up too much space. We own our own homes. We're "out-out" just as often as, if not more often than, our teenage kids. As for our wardrobes, they're fecund with a heady mix of treasured clothes collected through the years, topped up with the occasional new purchase. The idea of shrinking ourselves to accord with some outdated notion of how "women our age" should dress is given short shrift by a generation that roamed the streets untracked by their parents via smartphone, and dealt with stress by chewing the end of a Bic.

If you're wondering why your Instagram feed is lit up with glorious pictures of midlife women in lace-trimmed cami shorts and denim minis, the simplest answer is: why wouldn't they be? Even if Britain hadn't been basking in an unprecedentedly long

'Fashion is definitely more ageless – there are no hard and fast rules as to what you can and cannot wear'

heatwave, many Gen X women wouldn't think twice about joining their younger cohorts in embracing the current trend for shorts and minis. To borrow from ZZ Top: we have legs. And we're going to use them – to wear exactly what we want.

"I think we spend far too much time waiting for our bodies to look a certain way before we allow ourselves to wear the things we love," says Chloe Samwell-Smith, a content creator. "I'm about to turn 49; my legs have pigmentation, little marks, cellulite – all the completely normal things that come with getting older – and of course I notice them sometimes. But I don't want those things to become reasons to hide myself away."

Many Gen X women feel similarly minded to reject society's ridiculous and ever-increasing standards of perfection. When I wrote about my legs for this paper in May, a male reader commented that I had knock knees. Rather than being shame d into wearing maxi skirts for the rest of the summer, he confirmed my long-held belief that however you look and whatever you wear, there will always be someone who disapproves, and thinks you shouldn't.

Which is precisely why you should. "If you love a mini or a pair of shorts, wear them. You don't need perfect legs, perfectly even skin or to be a particular age to enjoy clothes," says Samwell-Smith. "I suspect the older version of all of us would simply wish we'd spent less time scrutinising ourselves and more time enjoying the body we had at the time."

For most midlife mini-lovers, the idea that they would stop wearing an item they've always enjoyed wearing is anathema. "I've always loved mini skirts. Even at school, I'd roll over the waistband of my skirts to make them shorter," says fashion blogger Kate Hiscox, 53. "Fashion is definitely more ageless now - there are no hard and fast rules as to what you can and cannot wear past a certain age - and if there are, we should be breaking them. My mum is 78 and still wears her shorts all summer."

“I was blessed with long legs, so I’ve always dressed with them in mind,” says stylist and art director Gabriele Hackworthy, who is in her late 40s. “They’ve definitely been one of my greatest styling assets. Although I don’t really wear minis anymore – I find them too restrictive. I’ve moved on to shorts in all their iterations: Bermuda, sports, tailored, paper-bag waisted and tap shorts. I love the freedom they give

prepare the best horses in the world and a team has worked for 12 months to create an exquisitely designed cross-country course, guests want to reflect that in what [they] wear," says Lucy Higginson, the marketing manager at Defender Burghley.

While there isn't a specific dress code, in true aristo style, expectations run the gamut from resolutely smart casual, centring around heritage pieces with a twist, to purposefully laid back.

“Nobody minds if you wear trainers, shorts and a T-shirt, especially on cross-country day,” says Higginson. While the skirt-suit and patent shoes Diana donned in 1989 now seem incongruous, the perfect Defender Burghley outfit involves jeans, sturdy boots and tailored tweed.

Country chic

Jade Holland Cooper, founder of Holland Cooper, has been going to Defender Burghley since she was a child. “Over the years, it’s become more centred around what people are wearing. There are thousands of influencers talking about Burghley, and country-chic is a huge movement, whether you’re from the country or you want to look like you’re from the you. There's something wonderfully nonchalant about a great pair of shorts – they feel far more modern than a mini.” Many women seem to agree.

ARNOLD JEROCKI/GCIMAGES—

'I share clothes with my adult daughters all the time – we'll wear the same piece but style it differently'

While Lyst reports that searches for mini skirts are up by 60 per cent, demand for mini shorts, meanwhile, has jumped by a not inconsiderable 197 per cent. While the driver for this is likely to be Anthony Vaccarello at Yves Saint Laurent (at his autumn/winter show in Paris, front-row guests Zoe Kravitz and Hailey Bieber looked persuasively cute in their lace-trimmed mini shorts), the trend is also being embraced by older women. "My favourite is a pair of upcycled Adidas shorts with added lace trim from Second Stories (£50), worn with a T-shirt or vest for casual days," says Hiscox. "I find shorts really versatile, and wear them in many different ways. If I was wearing shorts in the city, I'd pair them with a smart blouse or linen shirt to make them feel more acceptable."

Most midlifers seem to agree that simplicity is key. “I’ve lived in my Agolde denim shorts and Adidas Sprinter shorts this summer, but tend to keep everything else very simple,” says Samwell-Smith. “I’ve always been quite comfortable showing my legs, but the way I style shorter pieces has definitely changed over the years. These days I’m much more likely to wear denim shorts on holiday with a T-shirt, flip-flops and a cap, or a mini skirt with a really simple vest or shirt. I like balancing the proportions so that if there’s a lot of leg on show, everything else feels quite relaxed and understated.” Which isn’t to say that

Lace trimmings: above from left, Hailey Bieber, Zoe Kravitz, Charli XCX and Rosé at the Yves Saint Laurent autumn/winter show in Paris last September

you shouldn't wear heels. “Shorts with heels can be fabulous, but so can shorts with a flat sandal, a sock and a loafer or Birkenstock,” says Hackworthy. “It’s a personal choice.”

Hackworthy. "It's a personal choice." Happily, Gen Z seems supportive of their mothers' hemline choices, as opposed to walking 10 steps behind them in the street. "My two adult daughters are actually my biggest cheerleaders," says Samwell-Smith. "We share clothes all the time, which I love – we'll wear the same piece but style it completely differently. I think that says quite a lot about fashion now because clothes don't necessarily belong to one age group. They've never made me feel as though there are things I shouldn't wear because I'm their mum."

Which isn't to say they don't offer guidance. "My 19-year-old daughter is the fashion police in our household – and, annoyingly, she's usually right,"

country." Holland Cooper plans her outfits for each day of the event, and tweed is an essential element. "In the run up to Burghley, I think, 'I'm never going to be in heavy tweeds'. And the weather changes without fail. Every year, I walk onto the show ground in something properly autumnal."

For those planning to walk the four-mile cross-country course, common sense is a major decision driver. Spanish-style riding boots, such as Fairfax & Favor's Regina style, look polished but are still a practical and incredibly popular choice.

Any other accessories? Higginson believes “a hat is an essential and really sensible idea. Whether it’s sunny or windy... many people wear hats, [but] these are practical hats, not racing hats.” A simple pheasant feather on a brown Hicks & Brown fedora is appropriate. A feather-encrusted pink fascinator is not.

The equestrian look

The appearance of Burghley-centric Instagram hashtags has secured a new audience for the event. It's an influencer must-visit, with outfit pictures

Royal approval: fans of country chic have included Zara Phillips, left, and the Princess Royal and Princess Diana, inset right

For those who feel reluctant to wear minis because their legs have seen better days, Karen Williams, 52, a stylist, suggests starting where you feel comfortable. "Maybe that means a longer short or a skirt just above the knee, then experiment from there. There's no one magic length, because everybody's proportions are different. As a stylist, I always look at where the hemline hits the leg. A mini that sits around mid-thigh is my sweet spot.

CHRIS JACKSON/GETTY IMAGES—

"I like showing leg, but I also want to be able to sit down, walk around and live my life without constantly pulling my skirt down. I also love an A-line mini because it gives you that little bit of movement, and can be incredibly flattering."

says Hackworthy. “She has absolutely no problem telling me when something doesn’t look quite right.”

While fake tan and body oil can bring a confidence boost, Williams thinks that we should all stop chasing perfection. "Perfect legs don't exist. We can become so focused on cellulite, pigmentation and veins that we forget to actually enjoy our bodies. Women with darker skin tones should also feel included in that conversation. Whatever your skin tone, your legs do not need to look airbrushed before you're allowed to show them. My legs aren't the same as they were at 25, and I don't expect them to be. They're 52-year-old legs, and they're still coming out."

"I always think about the 80-year-old me," says Samwell-Smith. "I know she'd look back at me now and wish I'd appreciated this version of myself a little more."

in front of the house now mandatory to showcase eventing's appeal to less traditional attendees.

Alongside this social media moment, fashion houses are also looking for new muses beyond the obvious fields of cinema and music. Every sport is now a target for brands

and the Trot Up - a traditional opportunity to vet each horse before competition - can bring as much attention to the outfits as it does to their mount.

“Riding can be a very glamorous sport, and brands want to be associated with some

Anyone putting together a last-minute look for the Trot Up will be spoilt for choice. “I don’t think anyone’s ever expecting to come and buy jewellery in the middle of a muddy field,” laughs Amos, “but they do, and it seems to work year in, year out.”

of the best riders in the world," says Marcus Fairfax Fountaine, co-founder of Fairfax & Favor, which sponsors the Trot Up. "It works as a fashion show... and that raises the profile of the sport." There are even awards for best-dressed woman and man.

Now it has the shopping opportunities to match. London, Paris, Milan? Head to Lincolnshire instead.

Announcements

Weekend birthdays

Today: Mr Elliott Gould, actor, is 88; Ms Angela Huth, writer, 88; Sir Adam Roberts, President, British Academy, 2009-13, 86; Dame Susan Bailey, President, Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2011-14, 76; Mr JWR Goulding, Headmaster, Shrewsbury School, 2001-10, 76; Earl Jellicoe, 76; Sir Lenny Henry, comedian and actor, 68; Mr Martin Ivens, Editor, Times Literary Supplement; Editor, The Sunday Times, 2013-20, 68; Mr Simon Thurley, Chairman, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, 64; Sir Andrew Pollard, Ashall Professor of Paediatric Infection and Immunity, University of Oxford, 61; the Earl of Moray, 60; Mr Chris Salmon, Executive Director of Markets, Bank of England, 2014-18, 58; Ms Mirga Grazinytė-Tyla, conductor; associate artist, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, 2022-23, 40; and Mr Laurence Whiteley, rower; Paralympic gold medallist, mixed double sculls, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, 35.

Tomorrow: Mr Warren Buffett, global investor; chairman, Berkshire Hathaway, will be 96; Warrant Officer Keith Payne, VC, 93; Sir Peter North, KC,

Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, 1993-97, 90; Ms Sue MacGregor, broadcaster, 85; the Rev Jonathan Aitken, Prison Chaplain, HMP Pentonville; former Conservative Cabinet minister, 84; Mr Nigel Hall, sculptor, 83; Dame Frances Cairncross, Rector, Exeter College, Oxford, 2004-14, 82; Mr Martin Temple, Chairman, Health and Safety Executive, 2016-20, 77; Sir Antony Gormley, sculptor, 76; Sir Ben Bradshaw, former Labour Cabinet minister, 66; Lord Finkelstein, journalist, 64; Mr Justice Fancourt, 62; Sir Julian Smith, former Conservative Cabinet minister,

Email: announcements.ads@telegraph.co.uk Book online: announcements.telegraph.co.uk

55; Miss Cameron Diaz, actress, 54; and Ms Ellie Robinson, swimmer; Paralympic gold medallist, Rio 2016, 25.

Today is the anniversary of the defeat of England by Australia at The Oval in 1882, which led to the formation of the Ashes cricket series. It is also the anniversary of the births of Ingrid Bergman in 1915 and of Richard Attenborough in 1923, and of the death of Ingrid Bergman in 1982.

Tomorrow will be the anniversary of the births of Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein, in 1797 and Ernest Rutherford in 1871.

Forthcoming marriages

The engagement is announced between Augustus, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Andrew Dodd, of Notting Hill, London, and Julia, younger daughter of Mr Peter Marano, of Miami, Florida, and Elena Bowes, of Belgravia, London. Online ref: W0052119

The Daily Telegraph.

Mr H.J.C. Dymond and Miss E.L. Rutledge
The engagement is announced between Hugo, younger son of Mr and Mrs Christopher Dymond, of Compton Abbas, Dorset, and Emily, only daughter of the late Major General (Retd) Martin Rutledge and Mrs Rutledge, of Child Okeford, Dorset. Online ref: W0051871

The engagement is announced between Luke, elder son of Mrs Fabienne Barden de Lacroix, of Weybridge, Surrey, and Georgina, younger daughter of Mr and Mrs Colin Keogh, of North Oakley, Hampshire. Online ref: W0052151

Online ref: W0052151

LONDON, AUGUST 1926

Miss E.M. Melville-Brown The marriage will take place today, at Mount Edgcumbe, Cornwall, between Mr Jacob Moore and Miss Emily Melville-Brown. Online ref: W0052089

Wedding

Mr J.L.R. Dalrymple Hamilton and Miss I.B. Cuthbert-Brown
The marriage took place on Saturday, Aug 22, 2026, at St James' Church, Ashurst, between Jack, son of Mr and Mrs J.H.R.
Dalrymple Hamilton, of Horsley, Gloucestershire, and Isabella, daughter of Mr P. Cuthbert-Brown, of Singapore, and Mrs H.D.
Cuthbert-Brown, of Ashurst, West Sussex. Online ref: W0052063

Bridge news

The Oxford Congress has taken place at Abingdon School, writes Julian Pottage, Bridge Correspondent. The winners are:

Swiss Pairs: 1st Nevena Senior and Stephen Fordham 115 VPs
2nd Charlotte Bedford and Andy Cope 105 VPs
3rd Graham Orsmond and Jackie Fairclough 102 VPs
4th Martin Lerner and Nathan Piper 96 VPs
5th Sally Matson and Charlie Bucknell 95 VPs
Swiss Teams: 1st Charlotte Bedford, Andy Cope, Steve Raine and Adam Hickman 107 VPs
2nd Jen Middleton, Andi Boughey, Magnus Spence-Jones and Duncan Thomas 100 VPs
3rd Tim Gauld, John Pemberton, Nathan Piper and Martin Lerner 90 VPs

Church services tomorrow

WESTMINSTER ABBEY: 8 HC; 10 Morning Prayer with hymns; 11.15 Sung Eucharist, Rev Aidan Platten; 3 Evensong, Ven Jennifer Adams-Massmann; 5 Organ Recital, Thomas Hawkes; 6 HC with hymns, Rev Paul Nicholson. Streaming details: westminster-abbey.org

ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL: 8 HC; 8.45 Morning Prayer; 11.15 Sung Eucharist, Sacrist; 3 Choral Evensong, Chancellor; 5.30 Eucharist.

SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL: 8.30 Morning Prayer; 9 Eucharist, Chancellor; 11 Choral Eucharist, Chancellor; 3 Choral Evensong, Librarian; 6 Compline (online only). Streaming details: cathedral.southwark.anglican.org

ALL HALLOWS BY THE TOWER: 11 Parish Eucharist, Sarah Alder. Streaming: ahbtt.org.uk

Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity

ALL SAINTS, Margaret St: 8.30 Low Mass; 11 High Mass; 5.15 Low Mass; 6 Solemn Evensong and Benediction. Streaming: asms.uk

ALL SOULS, Langham Place: 9.30 and 11.30 Morning Service, Simon Dickson; 5.30 Evening Service, David Turner. GROSVENOR CHAPEL, South Audley Street: 11 Sung Eucharist.

HTB Brompton Rd: Informal Service 9.30 and 11.30, Rev Will Van Der Hart. 11.30 Service streamed: htb.org HTB Onslow Square: Informal Service 10.30 Rev Louise Powell, 4.30 Lydia Bennet and 6.30 Rev Louise Powell. HOLY TRINITY, Sloane Square: 11 Choral Eucharist, Canon Michael Robinson. ST BARTHOLOMEW THE GREAT, Cloth Fair 2 Said Eucharist, De Louvre

ST GILES-IN-THE-FIELDS: 11 Sung HC, Rev Tom Sander; 6.30 Evensong, Rev Tom Sander.

ST JAMES'S, Garlickhythe: 10.30 HC, Rector.

ST JAMES'S, Piccadilly: 11 Sung Eucharist, Rector. Streaming via: sjp.org. uk

ST JAMES'S, Sussex Gardens: 10.30 High Mass; 12.15 Family Mass. Streaming via: stjamespaddington.org.uk

ST MARTIN-IN-THE-FIELDS: 10
Eucharist, Rev Phillippa Boardman
Archer; L30 Service in Cantonese; 5
Choral Evensong. Streaming: smitforg
ST MARYLEBONE, Marylebone Rd: 8.30
HC, Rev Lydia McLean; 11 Choral
Eucharist, Rev Lydia McLean. Streaming details: stmarylebone.org
ST PAUL'S, Covent Gdn: 11 Eucharist. Streaming: actorschurch.org
ST PAUL'S, Knightsbridge: 9.30 Morning Prayer; 11 Solemn Eucharist. Streaming: spbk.org

SUCCESS AND FAILURE IN A CHANNEL SWIM RACE.

AMERICAN WOMAN WINS.

ENGLISHMAN MISSES BY MILE.

For the second time within a month the English Channel has been successfully swum by a woman. On Aug. 6 Miss Gertrude Ederle, the young American girl, set up a record by completing the swim in 14½ hours. On Saturday afternoon Mrs. Clemington Corson, the Danish-American swimmer, succeeded in reaching Dover after being 15h 28min in the water. The total number of successful Channel swimmers has thus grown to seven.

Mrs. Corson, who was very exhausted after her long immersion, said on completing the swim: "I am glad I did it, but I would not do it again for a million pounds." She entered the water at Cape Gris-nez at 11.32 on Friday night, and stepped ashore at Dover at three o'clock on Saturday afternoon. She was given an enthusiastic reception by the crowds on the beach, many of whom waded into the sea in their excitement to assist her ashore. Mr. Corson, the swimmer's husband, conversing with The Daily Telegraph representative afterwards, emphasised the fact that his wife was unaccompanied except for a motor-boat

The start almost simultaneously with Mrs. Corson of Frank Perks, the Birmingham swimmer, gave to the event all the characteristics of a race. For many hours they swam within half a mile of each other, but where Mrs. Corson achieved triumph Perks had to admit failure, and after 13½ hours in the water abandoned the attempt when only one mile off Shakespeare beach. He made a plucky attempt to continue when the flood tide set in, but was unable to fight against it.

From Our Own Correspondent. Dover, Sunday. Showing little trace of her strenuous feat in swimming across the Channel yesterday, Mrs. Corson was out with her husband on Dover sea-front by ten o'clock this morning, and later went to the bathing station intending to have a short swim. So great was the crowd there clamouring to shake hands and asking for autographs that after complying for about an hour she gave up the idea of a swim till later, and returned to her apartments.

PERFECT CONDITIONS.

The swim was started from Cape Gris-nez at 11.32 on Friday night, and throughout the whole time sea conditions were excellent, a calm night being followed by a day with the sea like a mill pond. Mrs. Corson is a powerful swimmer, using the American crawl stroke, which propels her through the sea at a great pace. She swum this stroke throughput, the only variation being that the strokes per minute sometimes dropped from 18 to 16. Mrs. Corson was accompanied by the Folkestone

GUARDS CHAPEL, Wellington Barracks: 11 Choral HC, Band of the Grenadier Guards, Rev Dominic Holroyd. OLD ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE CHAPEL: 11 Choral Mattins, Rev Dr Robert Tobin. CROWN COURT (C-o-S), Covent Garden: 11.15 Morning Worship, Rev Tara Porr Granados. Streaming via: crowncourtchurch.org.uk ST COLUMBA'S (C-o-S), Pont Street: 11 Morning Service, Rev Angus MacLeod. Streaming: stcolumbas.org.uk WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL: Masses: 8, 10 (Sung), 12 (Solemn), 5.30 (Sung) and 7; 9.30 Morning Prayer; 4 Evening Prayer. Mass at 12 streamed: westminstercathedral.org.uk THE ORATORY, Brompton Rd: Masses: 8, 9 (Latin), 10 (Family), 11 (Solemn Latin), 12.30, 4.30 and 7; 3.30 Sung Vespers and Benediction.

The swimmer made splendid progress throughout the night, and at five o'clock on Saturday morning was twelve miles across the Channel from her starting-point. She was very cheery, and the party on the motor launch assisted to keep her in good spirits by singing popular American songs. When the sun came through on Saturday morning Mrs. Corson swam with increased vigour, and chatted and joked animatedly with the accompanying party. She was much heartened by the syrens of passing steamers and the cheering from their decks as they passed quite close. The first sight of the white cliffs of Dover was another cheering experience for Mrs. Corson. She got in splendidly on the ebb tide, going rather to the west of Dover, and getting into an excellent position for landing on Dover western beach, where great numbers of people had assembled, the accompanying boats having been in view for several hours.

SALVATION ARMY, Oxford St: 11 Morning Worship, Captain Blake Fewell. Streaming: salvationarmy.org.uk/ regent-hall

GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL, Moscow Rd: 9.15 Mattins and Divine Liturgy.

OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION AND ST GREGORY, Warwick Street: Masses: 10.30 (Solemn) and 5.

motor launch Viking and a rowing boat, from which she was fed. There were eighteen people in the accompanying party, including the pilot, Harry Peerson, of Deal, who piloted Burgess on his successful swim across the Channel, and William Kellingley, of Brighton, who was Mrs. Corson's trainer and in past years trained Wolff and other Channel aspirants.

An enthusiastic ovation was given Mrs. Corson as she waded ashore. The change from swimming to the walking position and the reaction caused her to stumble half unconscious as she reached the beach. Mr. Corson and Kellingley had landed from the small boat, and as Kellingley rushed to congratulate her on her success she fell against him. Mr. Corson embraced his wife, who after a short rest was taken into the boat again and landed near the sea baths, where she had a hot bath. Afterwards she was driven to her apartments and had a sleep. Mrs. Corson's only nourishment during the swim was cocoa, biscuits, and some lumps of sugar.

WESLEY'S CHAPEL, City Rd: 9.45 HC, Canon Dr Jennifer Smith; 11 Service of the Word, Rev Tony Franklin-Ross. Streaming: www.wesleyschapel.org.uk WESTMINSTER CHAPEL, Buckingham Gate: 11 Family Celebration Service. Streaming: westminsterchapel.org.uk WESTMINSTER METHODIST CENTRAL HALL: 9.30 Church online; 11 Morning Worship; 6 Evening Worship. Register and stream: mchw.live ARMAGH: 10 HC; 11 Eucharist, Dean; 3.15 Choral Evensong. BATH ABBEY: 8 HC; 9.30 Family Communion; 11.30 Sung Eucharist; 4.30 Choral Evensong; 6.30 Informal Service. Streaming: bathabbey.org BIRMINGHAM: 9 HC; 11 Sung Eucharist, Rev Prof David Cheetham; 3.30 Evening Prayer. Streaming details: birninghamcathedral.com BLACKBURN: 9 Parish Eucharist; 10.30 Cathedral Eucharist; 4 Choral Evensong. Streaming: blackburncathedral.com BRADFORD: 8 HC, Canon Jude Smith; 10.30 Choral Eucharist, Canon Jude Smith. Streaming details: bradfordcathedral.org BRISTOL: 7.40 Morning Prayer; 8 HC, Rev Paul Barrett; 10 Cathedral Eucharist, Very Rev Mandy Ford; 3.30 Evening Prayer.

CANTERBURY: 8 HC (BCP); 9.15 Morning Prayer; 11 Sung Eucharist, Archdeacon; 5.30 Evensong. Streaming via: canterbury-cathedral.org CARLISLE: 7.40 Morning Prayer; 8 HC; 10.30 Sung Eucharist, Ven Michael Everitt; 3 Evening Prayer. Streaming details: carlislecathedral.org.uk CHELMSFORD: 8 Said Eucharist; 9.30 Eucharist; 11.15 Choral Eucharist; 3.30 Evensong. Streaming details: chelmsfordcathedral.org.uk CHESTER: 8.30 HC; 10.30 Cathedral

PACKARD.—On 3rd August 2026, at Yale New Haven Hospital, to Celia (née Keck) and Ian, a daughter, Antigone Wilby Doone, sister to Wilfred and the late Willoughby. Online Ref: W0052111

Later in the evening she gave your correspondent an interview. Although still lying down, Mrs. Corson looked bright and was delighted with her success. A great point she wished to make was that although she was not the first woman to swim across the Channel, she was the first mother who had done so. She added: "It has been my ambition for a year to swim the Channel, and as a mother I am proud I have been able to do so. I have been training hard since October, walking and swimming in America, and then continuing the training since I came over to England. It would have broken my heart if, after all that striving and sacrifice, I had not succeeded on this attempt. I thought about my two little ones all the time I was swimming. I want to say what a splendid lot I had with me on my boat. There were about twenty of them, and I don't think one of them took their eyes off me for one minute of the swim. They were all splendid, and I should have had to be a 'quitter' in front of all those people who were doing all they could to cheer me on.

A PROUD MOTHER.

Asked whether she felt at any time during the swim if she would be unable to finish it, Mrs. Corson said, "At one time during the swim I did not feel particularly well, and I said to Mr. Kellingley, 'Get the lifebelt ready, but don't attempt to have me out unless you see I go flat on the water. I leave it to your judgment whether you must take me out or not.'

Eucharist; 3 Choral Evensong; 6 Compline.

Births

Compline. CHICHESTER: 8 HC; 9 Children, Families and Caregivers Service; 10 Choral Mattins; 11 Sung Eucharist, Treasurer; 3 Choral Evensong. Streaming: chichestercathedral.org.uk COVENTRY: 10.30 Cathedral Eucharist; 4 Choral Evensong. Streaming details: coventrycathedral.org.uk DERBY: 8.30 HC, Rev Romita Shrisunder; 10.45 Cathedral Eucharist, Rev Romita Shrisunder; 5.15 Evensong. Streaming details: derbycathedral.org DURHAM: 8 HC; 10 Sung Eucharist, Canon Charlie Allen; 11.30 Morning Prayer and Address, Rev Kathryn Tiernan; 3.30 Evensong and Procession for the Eve of Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne. Streaming details: durhamcathedral.co.uk ELY: 8.15 HC; 10.30 Sung Eucharist, Canon James Reveley; 4 Evensong. Streaming details: elycathedral.org EXETER: 8 HC; 9 Morning Prayer; 10 Choral Eucharist; 4 Choral Evensong. Streaming: exeter-cathedral.org.uk GLASGOW, ST MUNGO's (C-o-S): 11 Morning Worship, Rev Mark Johnstone. Streaming: glasgowcathedral.org GLOUCESTER: 8 Eucharist; 8.30 Morning Prayer; 10.15 Choral Eucharist, Precentor; 3 Choral Evensong, Precentor. Streaming details: gloucestercathedral.org.uk GUILDFORD: 7.30 Morning Prayer; 8 HC; 9.45 Cathedral Eucharist; 6 Choral Evensong. Streaming details: guildford-cathedral.org HEREFORD: 8 HC; 10 Cathedral Eucharist, Rev Dr Belinda Stanley; 11.30 Morning Prayer; 3.30 Evening Prayer. Streaming: herefordcathedral.org INVERNESS: 8.30 Holy Eucharist; 11 Choral Eucharist, Rev L. Symon; 5.30 Contemporary service of the Word. Streaming: invernesscathedral.org ISLE OF MAN: 8.30 Communion; 10.30 Eucharist; 3.30 Evening Prayer. LEICESTER: 10.30 Cathedral Eucharist; 3.30 Evening Prayer. Streaming: leicestercathedral.org LICHFIELD: 7.40 Morning Prayer; 8 HC; 10.30 Choral Eucharist; 3.30 Choral Evensong. Streaming via: lichfield-cathedral.org LINCOLN: 7.45 Litany; 8 HC; 9.30 Mattins; 10.30 Sung Eucharist, Chancellor; 12.30 HC; 3.45 Choral Evensong. LIVERPOOL METROPOLITAN: Masses 9, 10 (Family), 11 (Solemn) and 7; 2 Organ Recital, Simon Leach. Mass at 11 streamed: liverpoolmetcathedral.org.uk LLANDAFF: 8 and 9 Holy Eucharist; 11 Choral Eucharist; 4 Choral Evensong. Streaming: llandaffcathedral.org.uk MANCHESTER: 8.45 Morning Prayer followed by HC; 10.30 Sung Eucharist; 3.30 Evening Prayer; 6 Pride Eucharist. Streaming: manchestercathedral.org. NEWCASTLE: 8 Eucharist; 8.30 Morning Prayer; 10 Sung Eucharist, Dean; 4 Evensong. Streaming details: newcastlecathedral.org.uk

GARNIER.—Rear Admiral Sir John, KCVO, CBE, died peacefully on 31st July 2026, aged 92. Devoted and greatly loved husband of Dodie; father of Thomas, William and Louisa; and grandfather of Philip, Peter, Catalina and Oscar. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held in Sherborne Abbey on Wednesday 14th October at 2.30 p.m. Donations if desired may be made online to alzheimersresearchuk.org Enquiries to Peter Jackson Funeral Services, Henstridge, BA8 OPP. Tel: 01963 362570. Online Ref: W0052115

WELLS-COLE.—On 19th August 2026, to Alice and David, a daughter, Matilda Mary Cecily, a sister for Maximilian and Clementine. Online Ref: W0052088

NORWICH: 7:30 Morning Prayer; 8 HC; 10.30 Sung Eucharist, Vice Dean; 3.30 Choral Evensong, Canon Susanna Gunner. OXFORD: 7:30 Said Mattins; 8 HC (BCP); 11 Choral Eucharist, Rev Charlie Kerr; 2 HC in BSL; 6 Choral Evensong with the Commissioning of the Cathedral Songers Scholars. PETERBOROUGH: 8 HC; 9.15 Morning Prayer; 10.30 Cathedral Eucharist, Dean; 3.30 Evening Prayer. Streaming details: peterborough-cathedral.org.uk PORTSMOUTH: 8 HC; 9.30 Pompey Sundays; 11 Choral Eucharist, Canon Nick Ralph; 5.45 Choral Evensong, Canon Richard England. Streaming details: portsmouthcathedral.org.uk RIPON: 8 HC, Dean; 9.30 Mattins; 10.30 Sung Eucharist, Canon Matthew Pollard; 12.30 HC; 3.30 Evensong. Streaming: riponcathedral.org.uk ROCHESTER: 8 HC; 10.30 Cathedral Eucharist with Baptism, Dean; 3.15 Choral Evensong. ST ALBANS: 8 Eucharist; 9.30 Parish Eucharist, Dean; 11.30 Choral Eucharist, Rev Jason Wratten; 4 Evensong, Chancellor. Streaming details: stalbanscathedral.org ST ASAPH: 9.30 Parish Eucharist; 11 Cathedral Eucharist; 3.30 Evening Prayer. ST DAVIDS: 8 Holy Eucharist; 9.30 Parish Communion, Canon Sheridan James; 11 Choral Eucharist, Canon Julian Smith; 4 Choral Evensong, Precentor. ST EDMUNDSBURY and IPSWICH: 8 HC; 9 All Age Eucharist; 10.30 Sung Eucharist, Precentor; 3.30 Evening Prayer; 5.30 Beer and Hymns. Streaming details: stedscathedral.org SALISBURY: 8 HC; 9.15 Morning Prayer (said); 10.30 Eucharist, Rev Maggie Guillebaud; 4.30 Choral Evensong, Precentor. Streaming details: salisburycathedral.org.uk SOUTHWELL: 7:40 Litany; 8 HC, Rev David McCoulough; 10 Southwell Music Festival Eucharist, Very Rev Frances Ward; 3.30 Evensong, Dean. Streaming details: southwellminster.org TRURO: 8 HC; 10 Choral Eucharist, Canon Alison Hogger Gadsby; 4 Choral Evensong, Mr Charles Howlett. Streaming: trurocathedral.org.uk WAKEFIELD: 8 HC; 9.15 Sung Eucharist; 11 Said Eucharist; 3.30 Evening Prayer. WELLS: 8.30 HC; 10.30 Cathedral Eucharist and Baptism, Rev Rosey Lunn; 3 Choral Evensong, Precentor. WINCHESTER: 7:40 Said Mattins; 8 HC; 11 Congregational Eucharist, Canon Andrew Micklefield; 3.30 Evening Prayer with hymns, Canon Tess Ruin Lawton; 6 Taizé Service. Streaming details: winchester-cathedral.org.uk WORCESTER: 7:30 Morning Prayer; 8 HC, Dean; 10.30 Sung Eucharist, Dean; 4 Evensong. Streaming details: worcestercathedral.co.uk YORK: 8 HC; 10 Choral Mattins; 11 Sung Eucharist; 4 Choral Evensong. Streaming details: yorkminster.org

Information correct at time of compiling

Deaths

ADDA.—The Adda family are very sad to announce that Michael Elie Smouha died peacefully, after a short illness, on 12th July 2026, aged 80 years. Adored by his devoted wife, Judith (dec'd), his children, Gavin, Benjamin, Alexia and Maximilian (dec'd) and his grandchildren, Joseph and Hamish. The funeral service was held at Notre-Dame-de-Sanilhac in Périgueux on Thursday 16th July 2026. Online Ref: W0052015

ANTHONY.—Denyse (née Wright) died peacefully on 21st August 2026, aged 76 after a long illness. Beloved wife of the late Rear Admiral Derek Anthony MBE, adored and adoring mother of Sarah and Vanessa, mother-in-law of Andrew and Nathan and exceptional grandmother to her nine grandchildren. Online Ref: W0052117

BOURNE.—Timothy, died aged 83 on 17th August following a short illness. Much loved and missed. Funeral Service at St Edmund King & Martyr, Bury St Edmunds, 11 a.m. on 14th September. Donations please to www.msatrust.org.uk in lieu of flowers. Online Ref: W0052148

DAVIDSON.—Terence, of Coln St Aldwyns, peacefully on 13th August 2026 aged 89. Much loved husband of Fiona, father and grandfather. Thanksgiving Service at St John the Baptist Church, Coln St Aldwyns on Thursday 10th September at 2 p.m. Enquiries A Slade and Son. Tel: 01285 656336. Online Ref: W0052136

DIXON-SMITH.—Georgina (née Cook) died peacefully at home on 16th August 2026 aged 89. Beloved wife of Bill, and loving mother to Adam and Sarah. Devoted grandmother to Guy, Kit, Harry, Archie, Oscar, Giles and Camilla and great grandmother to four. Thanksgiving Service on Friday 16th October at Holy Trinity Long Melford at 2 p.m. Donations to Alzheimer's Society UK (c/o W.A. Deacon. Tel: 01787 248282). Online Ref: W0051949

HEWES.—Deborah Hewes (née Pittis). Predeceased by her husbands, Ken Pepperell and George Hewes, her son, Martin Pepperell, and stepson, Jeremy Hewes. She will be greatly missed by her daughter, Justine, granddaughter, Tallulah, and stepson, Mark. Funeral to be held in Brighton on 14th September. All enquiries to Sussex Funeral Services on Tel: 01273 736469. Online Ref: W0052134

TYRRELL.—Peter died peacefully on 20th August 2026 at St Nicholas Hospice after a short battle with cancer, surrounded by his immediate family. A true ‘Norfolk Gentleman’, Peter was an adored husband of Caroline (Dindy), cherished father of Arabella, Simon and Alastair, father-in-law to Nick, Abi and Sarah and loving grandfather to Lox, Poppy, Charlie, Jasper, Hugo, Tian, Archie and William and friend to everyone who crossed his path. The family are holding a private ceremony in September. Donations in lieu of flowers to St Nicholas Hospice (Charity No 287773) or The Excelsior Trust (Charity Number 285899). A celebration of his incredible life will be held in November for further details please contact pjtyrrell26@gmail.com Online Ref: W00521I3

WILTSHIRE.—Jennifer Susan (née Pallot), died peacefully on 26th July 2026 at Sobell House Hospice. Much loved and greatly missed wife, mother, sister and GMa. A Memorial Service to celebrate her life will be held at St Michael's Church, Bray at 12 noon on Saturday 12th September. No flowers, please, but donations if wished to Sobell House via https://jenny-wiltshirel.muchloved.com/Online Ref: W0052159

Memorial services

LANCASTER.—Cara. There will be a Memorial Service for Cara at St Luke's, Sydney Street, Chelsea, SW3 6NH at 2 p.m. on Thursday 24th September. Followed by refreshments at the church. Contacts: louisa@live.co.uk or michaelthomson142@gmail.com Online Ref: W0052154

In memoriam

MY PRAISE shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. Psalm 22.25 (AV)

WALEY.—Hendelah and Simon. Remembered always by all the family. Online Ref: W0051925

GRATEFUL THANKS St Jude et al. Prayers answered. MSL Online Ref: W0051739

Text for the day

Personal

Messages

General personal

Announcements Team

Bank Holiday Monday opening times

Saturday 29th August - 9am - 1pm Sunday 30th August - CLOSED

Monday 31st August - 9am - 2pm Notices sent by email after 11.30am and booked online after 12.30pm on Monday 31st August will not be published in the paper until Wednesday 2nd September at the earliest (subject to space available).

Court and Social notices

Deadline for Monday 31st August and Tuesday 1st September publication is 11am on Friday 28th August (subject to space available).

Notices sent by email or booked online after 11am on Friday 28th August won't be published in the paper until Wednesday 2nd September. Deadline for Wednesday 2nd September publication is 11am on Monday 31st August. (subject to space available).

Normal working hours of 9am to 5pm will resume on Tuesday 1st September

To book your notice please either email announcements.ads@telegraph.co.uk

Or book online at announcement.telegraph.co.uk

The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph

While we take reasonable steps to check our advertisers are bona fide, readers should carry out their own checks before entering into any contract or arrangement. Conditions for advertising: All advertisements are accepted subject to the publisher's standard conditions of insertion. All advertisements, promotions, announcements, references to insertion or to articles appearing in the respective magazines relate only to copies of the Telegraph distributed in the UK

Data privacy

When you respond to Telegraph Media Group Holdings Limited's competitions, offers or promotions, we may use your information for marketing purposes.
* We will contact you by mail or telephone to let you know about any of our special offers, products and services which may be of interest to you unless you have asked us not to. We will only contact you by email, text message, or similar electronic means with your permission. We will only pass your name on to third parties if you have consented for us to do so.

* In some cases our special offers, products and services may be provided, on our behalf, by our partners. If you have agreed to be contacted by us, your personal information may be passed to our partners, however, in all such cases we remain a data controller of your personal information.

* When responding to competitions, offers or promotions by postcard, if you do not wish for your detailsto be used by us to send you special offers, please make this clear by stating "No Offers"

* We respect your data privacy. You may modify your preference or get further information by writing to us at Data Privacy, Telegraph Customer Service Victory House Meeting House Lane Chatham Kent ME4 4TT or by email to data.protection@telegraph.co.uk

The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph

Published by Telegraph Media Group Holdings Limited, 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W ODT, Tel: 0207 931 2000, Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office. @Newspapers support recycling. In 2024 the recycled paper content of UK newspapers was 35%, Printed in Newsprinters Ltd - Broxbourne, Great Cambridge Road, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire EN8 8DY; Knowsley, Kiting Road, Prescot, Merseyside L34 9HN; Eurocentral, Byramsurir Road, Holytown, Motherwell ML1 4WH; Webprint - Dublin, 2023 Bianconi Ave, Citywest, Dublin, Ireland, D24 EH50, Also printed by Mediterranee Offset Press, France; Milkro Digital Hellas Ltd, Greece; Milkro Digital Cyprus Ltd, Cyprus; Miller Newsprint Ltd, Malta; International News, Portugal and Eucles Daily, France. To obtain permission to copy cuttings from this newspaper contact the NLA on 01892 525273 or email copy@nla.co.uk, For all other reproduction, copying and licensing inquiries email syndication@telegraph.co.uk.

READER SOLUTIONS BY TELEGRAPH MEDIA GROUP

A bespoke gift brought to you by The Telegraph

The Telegraph Custom Book From £70

CHOOSE YOUR SPECIAL DATE AND STEP BACK IN TIME

A birthday or anniversary is cause for celebration. It is also the day on which world events unfolded – as you will see from this book of past pages from The Telegraph. Simply specify a particular date and receive a book with every front page from that date for every year of the recipient's life.

◆ Recipient's name printed on the front cover

Size: 15 x 12in (38.1 x 30.5cm)

Available with a gift box

Made in the UK

Call 0330 029 4085

telegraph.co.uk/LS-custom

As this is a personalised gift, all sales are final. The product cannot be returned, refunded or exchanged. For personal use only: Publication, reproduction, advertising or commercial use is prohibited without written permission. Due to the historic nature of the product, page quality may vary. If no newspaper exists for the requested date (e.g. due to a strike or non-publication), the next available front page will be used. Supplied by Historic Newspapers. Please allow up to 3 business days for production, plus shipping time.

The English antiquarian Anthony Wood (1632-1695)

King Harald V of Norway

Popular monarch whose marriage to an Oslo department store assistant was a happy love match

King Harald with Queen Sonja in a portrait to mark the 25th anniversary of his accession: he made his motto 'All for Norway'

H IS MAJESTY KING HARALD V OF NORWAY, who has died aged 89, reigned as King from 1991, when he succeeded his father, King Olav.

King Harald's was a stable reign, and he was a popular monarch, though he was not faced with the same challenges that gave his father the chance to show the panache and style that made him such a lasting favourite with the Norwegian people.

King Harald was the first Norwegian prince to be born in Norway for 567 years. His ancestry was diverse; he was descended from kings of England, Denmark and Sweden. Edward VII was his great-grandfather, and when he was born on February 21 1937, his English-born grandmother, Queen Maud, was still living.

King Olav had been born Prince Alexander of Denmark, the only son of Prince Carl of Denmark, who in 1905 was elected King of Norway. Once the election had been confirmed by a plebiscite, he arrived in that country with his wife and his little boy. King Olav, in turn, married Princess Martha, daughter of Prince Carl of Sweden, a grandson of King Oscar II. Thus Harald was closely related to his Scandinavian counterparts, and was a second cousin to Queen Elizabeth II.

Although born at Skaugum, in Asker, the youngest of three, on February 21 1937, Prince Harald soon left Norway with his mother and two elder sisters for the United States to spend the war years in Washington. His grandfather, King Haakon, and his father, Crown Prince Olav, were forced to leave Norway after the German invasion of April 1940, establishing a government-in-exile in Great Britain.

When Norway was liberated in May 1945, the Royal family returned and Prince Harald was educated at Smestad School in Oslo, then Oslo University. He underwent 16 months of military service at the Cadet College for Cavalry Officers, and then, as his father had done, he attended the Norwegian Military Academy and Balliol College, Oxford, where he read Modern Greats and rowed in the Balliol first VIII.

He endured his fair share of early sadness. His mother died in 1954, shortly after his parents had celebrated their silver wedding, and he became Crown Prince on the death of King Haakon in 1957. As Crown Prince, he represented Norway abroad, visiting the US in 1960, and served as Regent in the occasional absences overseas of King Olav.

His task was always to promote Norwegian interests, and this he did with zeal. But his great passion was yachting, at which he excelled, representing Norway in the 1968 Olympic Games. A creature of the outdoors, he also enjoyed fishing, hunting, shooting and skiing.

The Crown Prince lived in an era when it was still uncertain whether royalty should pursue dynastic marriages, or whether they might be allowed to marry for love. His was decisively a love match, with an assistant in an Oslo department store, Sonja Haraldsen. His wish to marry her was not achieved until nine years after they first met, and was the cause of some controversy, but it was eventually found acceptable in the Norwegian constitution that the couple should be permitted to wed.

They did so in August 1968, though no member of the British Royal family was present, owing to mourning for Princess Marina, who had died two days previously.

When King Harald succeeded his father, he adopted the motto “All for Norway”. He was consecrated and blessed at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim; he then made tours of the country. As a constitutional king he held a weekly Council of State at the palace, and was commander-in-chief of the armed forces and head of the State Church.

In 2001 the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh paid a state visit to Oslo, during which she appointed him a Knight of the Garter. He was installed at Windsor in the presence of many other foreign sovereigns at the special Golden Jubilee Garter ceremony in June 2002. The King was also a GCVO, and held the Royal Victorian Chain, given to him by the Queen in Scotland on his state visit in 1994.

The King and Queen had a daughter, Märtha Louise, born in 1971, and a son, Haakon Magnus, born in 1973. Märtha Louise had three daughters with her first husband, the late writer and artist Ari Behn, and subsequently prompted raised eyebrows when she married Durek Verrett, an American celebrity shaman; she also claimed to be in contact with angels.

The bearded Haakon Magnus was also the subject of matrimonial controversy when he elected to marry Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, who already had a son, Marius, born out of wedlock, by a man of equivocal reputation. King Harald, perhaps mindful of the opposition to his own marriage, which had proved so successful and happy, was glad to give his consent to this union, and the young couple were married in Oslo in August 2001.

The Crown Prince acted as Regent when King Harald was treated for cancer in 2003-04 and for heart trouble in 2005. He served again in September 2020.

King Harald ceased to be formal head of the Church of Norway in 2012. He showed considerable leadership during the New Year's Day Storm, a windstorm which caused considerable damage in 1992, and after the 2011 attacks in which a lone terrorist killed 77 people in an Oslo bombing and an attack on a summer camp. The King and Queen visited the survivors and he attended a special sitting of Parliament.

He also expressed sympathy for refugees, with a self-deprecating remark about his own rather tangled background: “It is not easy to say where we come from... home is where the heart is.”

He became the first reigning monarch to visit Antarctica, in 2015, and the following year he competed in the sailing world championships on Lake Ontario in Canada, coming second in the classic fleet category. Only in April 2024, aged 87, did he permanently scale back in duties.

King Harald remained personally popular, but by the end of his life the monarchy in Norway seemed far more fragile, embattled by scandal. In June 2026 his step-grandson, Marius Borg Hoiby, was sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of 34 of 40 charges, including two counts of rape, abuse in close relationships, assault, drug possession and supply, and restraining order violations.

His daughter-in-law, the Crown Princess, meanwhile, was revealed to have maintained close links to the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein long after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

According to one poll by the newspaper Aftenposten, support for the monarchy among the Norwegian people had sunk from 72 per cent in 2024 to 54 per cent by early 2026, with further polls concurring that almost half of Norwegians believed that Crown Princess Mette-Marit was not fit to become Queen.

The end of the monarchy in Norway is a far more vivid and immediate prospect than it would be in Britain, because constitutionally, every four years, the parliament is asked to vote on whether Norway should become a republic, a motion requiring a two-thirds majority to pass.

It was perhaps a credit to King Harald personally that, when the quadrennial vote came around at the height of the scandal, fewer MPs voted for a republic than had four years previously. In February 2026 only 26 were in favour, with 141 opting to keep the monarchy.

King Harald is survived by Queen Sonja and their children, Princess Märtha Louise, and Crown Prince Haakon, who succeeds him.

King Harald V of Norway, born February 211937, died August 28 2026

Sir Billy Boston

One of the greatest rugby league players, and the first to be knighted in the game's 131-year history

Boston runs with the ball for Wigan against Hull at Wembley during the 1959 Challenge Cup final

SIR BILLY BOSTON, who has died aged 92, was the first rugby league player to be knighted in the sport's 131-year history; when he received the honour from the King at Buckingham Palace in June 2025, the prime minister, Keir Starmer, declared that "it was a historic wrong" that no rugby league player had been knighted.

He was born in Cardiff, and it was Boston's dream to represent Wales at rugby union; he reluctantly turned professional for Wigan in 1953, amassing a record 478 tries in 487 appearances. He won three Challenge Cup finals at Wembley and scored 24 tries in 31 internationals for Great Britain.

His overall try tally of 571 makes him the highest British try-scorer in rugby league history, surpassed only by the Australian Brian Bevan, who totalled 796 between 1946 and 1962. But he always maintained that he would have continued in the then amateur code had the Welsh Rugby Union not operated an apparently discriminatory policy against black players.

"I was disappointed that Cardiff never showed any interest in me, and I think that was because of my colour," he said. "I used to catch the bus from Cardiff's ground to play for Neath. Cardiff didn't want to know. I wanted to play for Wales with all my heart. But it wasn't to be.

“They wouldn’t let me into their clubhouse after I turned professional. I don’t think I would ever have been picked for Wales at union.” He has been described as “the best international rugby union player Wales never had”.

Other black players such as Roy Francis, Johnny Freeman and Colin Dixon also became league internationals after being snubbed by the WRU. The rugby historian Tony Collins explained: “It’s clear that if you look at the record of rugby union in Wales, if you were a black player at the time you would struggle to reach the highest level because no black player ever played international rugby union for Wales until the 1980s, whereas black Welsh players were playing international rugby league from the mid-1930s.”

It was not until 30 years after Boston switched codes that the Pontypool flanker Mark Brown became the first black player to represent Wales when he made his debut against Romania in 1983.

William John Boston was born on August 6 1934 in Butetown, a dockland district known as Tiger Bay which also produced the singer Shirley Bassey and the heavyweight boxer Joe Erskine. He was the sixth of 11 children born to John Boston, a merchant seaman from Sierra Leone, and Nellie, who came from Cardiff's Irish community.

His rugby prowess was soon noticed by Cardiff Schoolboys and he began his career with the newly formed Cardiff Internationals Athletic Club, which represented the docks area of the city and whose players reflected the community's multicultural pedigree. He was selected for Wales at youth level, and in 1951-52 his club side won all their 32 matches.

Boston played briefly for Neath and Pontypridd before being called up for National Service, and it was when he was in the Royal Signals at Catterick that rugby league clubs began to take an interest in the winger with the try-scoring reputation. The 18-year-old was described by Pat Marshall, the Daily Express rugby union correspondent, as “quite simply one of the best running backs I’ve ever seen”, and that praise was borne out when he scored 126 tries in a single season.

When he scored six tries for the Royal Signals in the Army Cup final against the Welsh Guards at Aldershot in March 1953 there was a stampede for his services.

“Club directors from rugby league clubs used to come down to South Wales, but as soon as I saw any fancy cars I didn’t go home. One day they caught up with me and they offered £1,500, but I said: ‘Get rid of them, mum, I want to stay here.’”

“So she said: ‘Put £3,000 [about £75,000 today] on the table and he’ll sign,’ so they did. Mum said she couldn’t go back on her word. I signed when I was in the Army and they kept it quiet. Considering I hadn’t seen a rugby league game it was fantastic from the start. It was the best thing I ever did.”

Boston made a try-scoring debut against Barrow in November 1953 and soon became a firm favourite with the Wigan supporters. In 1954 he became the first black player to be selected for a Great Britain tour to Australia and New Zealand, setting a record of 36 tries in 18 matches, and he scored another 22 tries on the 1962 Lions tour.

Boston's versatility allowed him to perform equally well in almost every back position: he played on the wing in Wigan's Challenge Cup final successes over Hull and Hunslet in 1959 and 1965 after playing in the centre in the 1958 Wembley victory against Workington. He was also on the losing side for Wigan in three Wembley Cup finals, and represented Great Britain in the 1957 and 1960 World Cups.

Boston was a natural athlete with explosive pace, immense strength and outstanding balance. He could bulldoze through tackles or glide around defenders with panache. Though he was known primarily for his wing-play, Boston's rugby intelligence allowed him to adapt and read the game brilliantly. His positioning, support play and decision-making were outstanding.

Despite his accomplishments Boston remained modest, down to earth and approachable. He became an ambassador for the Rugby League and worked in local communities after retiring.

Joe Egan, the former Wigan and Great Britain hooker, had no doubt about Boston's impact: "Billy was the most perfect rugby player I have ever seen."

Eddie Waring, the BBC commentator, remarked: “Billy had that magnetic quality that had the crowd on its toes whenever he touched the ball. He was the ultimate crowd-puller.”

Waring's successor at the BBC was the former dual international Ray French, who played against Boston for St Helens and Widnes. Boston's weight increased to 15st, and French described trying to stop him as "enough to scare the most dedicated of tacklers. If you made contact with the swivel of his hip or the force of his thighs you were often left with a lasting memory imprinted in your flesh. His hand-off was like being hit with a shovel.

“He cultivated a short, neat sidestep and developed an outside swerve. He could run round you or through you depending on his inclination, and was the complete footballer.”

After establishing a Wigan record of 478 tries, he was persuaded to enjoy a brief farewell stint with Blackpool Borough in 1969, scoring five tries in 11 games before retiring.

Boston met Joan, a Wiganer, on a blind date at the old Hippodrome Theatre in the town, and they married in 1956. They were licensees of the Griffin Hotel, close to Wigan's old Central Park ground, for 16 years.

Boston was inducted into three Halls of Fame: Rugby Football League in 1988, Welsh Sports in 1990 and Wigan Warriors in 1998.

He was appointed MBE in 1996 and in 2025 he was knighted for services to rugby league. Stands at Wigan's old and new grounds were named after him. There are three statues in his honour: he is one of five rugby league legends depicted outside Wembley along with Alex Murphy, Martin Offiah, Gus Risman, and his former Wigan and Great Britain centre partner, Eric Ashton; in 2016, a statue of Boston was unveiled in Wigan; and in 2023 he was immortalised alongside Gus Risman and Clive Sullivan with a statue in Cardiff Bay.

Boston, who suffered from vascular dementia in recent years, never lost his love for rugby league and was often seen at Wigan matches. Despite his illness he maintained his mischievous sense of humour. His family accompanied him to Buckingham Palace for his investiture, and his son Stephen recalled: "The King said to dad: 'I played rugby in the Army, but it's not as dangerous as the sport you do.' My dad turned round to him and said: 'No, your job's a lot more dangerous than mine!'"

Earlier this year the prolific fundraiser Kevin Sinfield became rugby league's second knight, for “services to rugby league, rugby union and the MND community”.

Billy Boston died a few weeks after his wife Joan, and he is survived by their two daughters and a son; another daughter died in 2016. His grandson Wes Davies played rugby league for Wigan, Salford and Wales and rugby union for Cornish Pirates.

Sir Billy Boston, born August 61934, died August 24 2026

Sacred Mysteries

A Transylvanian burial in Rochester Cathedral

CHRISTOPHER HOWSE

One night in October 1661 thousands turned out for the funeral and burial at Rochester Cathedral of Cossuma Albertus, a Prince of Transylvania.

His body was met at the West door “by the Prebendaries of the said church in their formalities, with the gentry and commonality of the said city and places adjacent, with torches before them. Near the cathedral they were met by the choir, who sung Te Deum before them; when divine service was ended, the choir went before the body to the grave (which was made in the body of the church) singing Nunc Dimittis.”

The Dean and Chapter paid for the ceremony because the prince had been horribly murdered. As often in such cases, a dog walker knew something was up when his dog brought him a man's arm. His head and body were soon after discovered. This was at Strood.

Meanwhile, two men had tried to sell a hanger or short sword at a sword-cutler's in Birchin Lane in the City of London. According to the contemporary True and Exact Relation of the Horrid and Cruel Murther, the Prince's coachman Isaac Jacob had stabbed him to death when his coach was benighted in the mire and, with the footboy or page, Casimirus Karsagi, had mangled his face so he might not be recognised.

The two were apprehended in London and tried in December at the Old Bailey. Found guilty of murder by the jury, they were nevertheless ordered to be sent to Maidstone Assizes where they were sentenced to be hanged, with the body of the coachman sentenced to be hanged in chains at the place of the murder.

There is much that is odd about the murder (and the double trial), but newsbooks of the time were often full of disjointed accounts. With the copy of the True and Exact Relation belonging to that crabbed but lovable antiquary Anthony Wood (1632-95) is a note: “Twas commonly reported that he was a cheat and no prince.”

No one seems to have followed up Wood's remark until 1989 when Gabriel Ronay published an article about the affair in The New Hungarian Quarterly, concluding that there was no Transylvanian prince of this name. Mr Ronay, a journalist and historian, had fled Hungary after the revolution of 1956 and is still active at the age of 96.

An edited account of the murder as reported in 1661 is now included by Justin Lovill in his new book Historical Mischief, a collection of 10 episodes from British history as recounted at the time. He gives full credit to Mr Ronay and concludes with some outstanding queries from the case.

Lovill is an unusual author. I first came across his work in his entertaining Ringing Church Bells to Ward Off Thunderstorms and Other Curiosities from the Original Notes and Queries (2009). He

leaves his name off the cover of his new volume, though it is given on the title page. In an endearing explanation to another chapter in the new book, he says that he made notes in 2000 in the British Library and has been unable to find the original items again, in which case he has given the source as “Old note”.

A great benefit of reading Mr Lovill is that we are plunged into contemporary accounts, with all their prejudices and discrepancies, with the assurance that the editor is at hand to haul us out of the mire.

But among questions he raises about the Strood murder are: were the coachman and the footboy in on the imposture of the traveller pretending to be a Transylvanian prince?

Henry's super Swiss

Chess

By Michael Adams

I PLAYED Henry Adams in the first round of the Cambridge Open in 2023. Although I outrated him by more than 800 rating points, soon after move 20 my position was a smoking ruin. I hopefully proposed a draw, which he accepted, perhaps out of respect for my Elo, or solidarity with my surname.

Henry recently had a great result winning the Kingston Invitational Swiss with 7.5/9. How did he finish this game? N Bevis – H Adams. Black to play:

J Rothari – H Adams 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4 Bg4 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.Nd2 e6 9.Ngf3 Bd6 10.Bxd6 Qxd6 11.0–0 0–0 12.Rael (A bit committal, as it is not clear the rook will be useful on fl, 12.Rfe1 was more flexible) 12...Bxf3 13.Nxf3 Qc7 14.g3 Rab8 15.h4 (15.a4 slowing down Black's play was a decent idea) 15...b5 16.a3 (Not 16.Bxb5? a6) 16...a5 (16...Na5 17.Qc2 Nc4 was another option, this is more direct) 17.Qc2 Rfc8 (17...b4? is premature: 18.cxb4 axb4 19.Rcl) 18.h5 (White has a one-track mind in this game, but the position requires all board play, whilst White gradually prepares kingside action when possible 18.Rcl Qb6 19.Qd2 b4 20.cxb4 axb4 21.Rc2 is balanced, or 18.Qd2 b4 19.cxb4 axb4 20.a4) 18...h6! (Preventing h6, and now White is forced to make concessions to prevent the pawn on h5 being picked off) 19.Qe2 Qb6 (19...b4 was already possible, due to the double attack 20.cxb4 axb4 21.a4 Qa7!) 20.Ne5 Nxe5 21.dxe5 Nd7 22.g4 (22.Rcl1 b4 23.cxb4 axb4 24.a4! was required. This rebounds spectacularly – White goes under remarkably quickly) 22...b4! (White's structure is collapsing) 23.cxb4 axb4 24.g5 Qd4 (24...hxg5 25.Qg4 bxa3 26.bxa3 Rc3 also works, but the very generalisation is a very good choice)

25.g6 (25.gxh6 also falls short: 25...bxa3 26.hxg7 (26.bxa3 Rb3; 26...Rxb2 27.Qf3 Nxe5 28.Qf6 Qg4+) 25...bxa3 26.gxf7+ Kf8! (The king is totally secure here) 27.bxa3 Rc3! (Activating the rook laterally) 28.Bg6 (28.Rd1 Nxe5 is little better, if 29.Bg6 Rg3+ 30.Kh2 Qh4 mate) 28...Rg3+! Exploiting the pinned f-pawn, White resigned due to 29.Kh2 Qh4 mate.

P Sowray – D Gormally Kingston Invitational Swiss 2026 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 0–0 5.e4 d6 6.Bd3 c5 7.d5 Bg4 8.Be2 e6 9.0–0 exd5 10.exd5 Re8 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Bxf3 Nbd7 13.Bf4 Ne5 14.Be2 a6 15.a4 Nfd7 16.Qc2 (Here 16.Bd2 f5 17.f4 is a thematic idea to deprive the knights of the e5-square) 16...f5 17.Bd2 (Unlucky timing – one move too late, now 17.g3 was better) 17...Qh4! 18.f4 (18.Be1 was relatively best) 18...Ng4!

19.Rf3 (19.hxg4 Bd4+ leads to mate) 19...Bd4+ 20.Kh1 Nf2+ 21.Kh2 Nf6! (Another knight jumps in, and Peter is already lost) 22.Rg3 N6g4+ (Black could also play 22...Re7 23.Rfl Rae8) 23.Bxg4 Nxg4+ 24.Rxg4 fxg4 25.Ne4 gxh3 26.g3 Qg4 27.Re1 Qf5 (Pinning the knight ends all hope) 28.b4 Re7 29.bxc5 Rae8 White resigned, as 30.cxd6 Rxe4 31.Rxe4 Rxe4 is hopeless.

Answer:

35...Rxe4 Forced resignation, as 36.Qxe4 Nf2+wins the queen, or 36.Qxe4 RxeI mate.

POSITIVELY DIFFERENT

4497	1825	3i	2828	-6	3.0	3098
399 $\frac{1}{2}$	325	3i Infrastructure •	395 $\frac{1}{2}$	—	3.4	404
820	606	Aberdeen New India	726	+8	—	803
1394	1178	Alliance Witan	1379*	+6	2.1	1445
764	448	Allianz Tech Trust •	712	+13	—	761

GUINNESS GLOBAL INVESTORS
Support services +0.08%

Trump to strike Venezuela deal

By Ben Marlow

THE Trump administration is closing in on a “massive” deal to become a key investor in Venezuela’s vast oil fields – months after the US’s daring capture of the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro.

A deal has the potential to be transformational for US energy security at a time when supplies have been severely affected by the prolonged war with Iran.

The White House is negotiating to take a stake in up to 17 of Venezuela's most promising oil and gas fields, according to The Wall Street Journal. With the fields housing an estimated 90 billion barrels of proven reserves, it would enable the US to double the amount of oil and gas it is sitting on.

Venezuela says it has 300 billion barrels of proven reserves, the world's largest.

A US official told the news site Axios: “Calling this deal huge would be an understatement. It is massive.”

A second official said: "President Trump is close to securing America's energy future for generations to come, not just in the US but in the hemisphere."

A deal is expected to open the door to the return of US corporations and contractors who would oversee the day-to-day running of the fields.

US businesses have been reluctant to return to Venezuela despite its huge reserves. Decades of neglect and corruption have left the country's oil and gas infrastructure in a broken state.

Before Maduro's capture, Venezuela had accused the US of the “greatest extortion” at the United Nations Security Council in New York. The outburst was prompted by Washington’s seizure of two Venezuelan oil tankers.

It came after Mr Trump had ordered a naval blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, after repeatedly accusing Mr Maduro of leading a drug cartel.

The oil talks come with US strategic petroleum reserves at a 40-year low of under 300 million barrels, in the wake of the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

China accused over anti-AI propaganda

By James Warrington

ELON MUSK'S X has accused China of spreading anti-data centre propaganda online.

The social media site said that its safety team had carried out an investigation into suspected inauthentic Chinese accounts circulating negative claims about AI infrastructure.

The company said it had identified a bot farm of 200,000 accounts.

About 200 were found to be posting “in a manner that could manipulate a legitimate debate about American AI and energy policy”.

The posts contained claims that data centres were driving up household electricity prices and putting the grid under strain. Others included AI-generated cartoons that depicted data centre operators enriching themselves at the public's expense.

Data centres have become a flashpoint in US politics as the rapid development of AI has driven up demand for the infrastructure.

Political discussion has centred on the high levels of energy consumption at data centres and whether this will push up bills for residents.

Concerns have also been raised about the large amounts of water required to cool servers, while residents have also opposed new sites because of complaints about noise and the effect on the local environment.

Recent polling showed that seven in 10 Americans oppose the construction of a data centre in their area.

A similar backlash is also taking place in the UK, with complaints from residents in data centre hubs such as Slough.

Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, called this week for a moratorium on the approval of new data centres because of concerns about their environmental impact.

He told the BBC: "We need to slam the brakes on these energy-guzzling, water-guzzling data centres.

"At a time when three quarters of the country are in drought, it is outrageous that these are being considered critical infrastructure."

A recent report by ChatGPT-maker OpenAI separately concluded that China was likely to be behind an online campaign aimed at influencing US views of AI and data centres.
World market indices

		Index		Change
$\uparrow$ Australia	All Ordinaries	9294.30	+51.10		+0.55pc
$\uparrow$ Brazil	Bovespa	175664.62	+529.21		+0.30pc
$\downarrow$ China	Shanghai Composite	3952.18	-4.39		-0.11pc
$\uparrow$ France	CAC General	8401.18	+81.31		+0.98pc
$\uparrow$ Germany	DAX	26569.99	+202.75		+0.77pc
$\uparrow$ Hong Kong	Hang Seng	25584.79	+19.05		+0.07pc
$\uparrow$ India	BSE S&P SENSEX	77264.51	+330.92		+0.43pc
$\uparrow$ Japan	Nikkei	66405.56	+273.58		+0.41pc
$\uparrow$ Singapore	Straits Times	5699.93	+15.81		+0.28pc
$\uparrow$ Spain	Madrid SE	1988.00	+16.90		+0.86pc
$\uparrow$ Switzerland	SMI Index	14399.77	+15.40		+0.11pc
$\downarrow$ USA	Dow Jones	53559.99	-9.45		-0.02pc
$\downarrow$ USA	Nasdaq	26402.42	-138.93		-0.52pc

Commodities summary

		Price	Change
♦ Gold	per troy oz	$4456.19	-146.54	-3.18pc
♦ Silver	per troy oz	£48.83	-2.11	-4.15pc
♦ Krugerrand		£3234.90	-119.28	-3.56pc
♦ New Sovereign		£755.80	-24.07	-3.09pc
♦ Maples		£3263.03	-114.73	-3.40pc
♦ Platinum	per oz	£1340.04	-18.78	-1.38pc
♦ Palladium	per oz	£1043.69	+48.07	+4.83pc
♦ Copper $\dagger$	grade A	£10523.02	-2.29	-0.02pc
♦ Tin $\dagger$	high grade	£40143.65	-707.59	-1.73pc
♦ Lead $\dagger$		£1403.31	-3.76	-0.27pc
♦ Zinc $\dagger$	special high grade	£2857.83	-3.05	-0.11pc
♦ Aluminium $\dagger$	high grade	£2388.21	+16.23	+0.68pc
♦ Nickel $\dagger$		£12353.59	-61.80	-0.50pc
♦ Baltic Dry Index*		3186.00	+79.00	+2.54pc
♦ Wheat	per tonne	£215.75	+3.25	+1.53pc
♦ Brent Crude	Oct settlement	$89.31	-0.39	-0.43pc
*Copyright Baltic Exchange Information Services Ltd. †Data provided by the London Metal Exchange

Exchange rates

	£ > € Rate 1.1681 Change +0.18¢		£ > $ Rate 1.3575 Change -0.08¢
		Tourist £1=	Sterling £1=	1 Euro =	1 Dollar =
Australia	Aus $	1.8419	1.8892	1.6173	1.3917
Canada	Can $	1.8255	1.8843	1.6132	1.3881
Denmark	Krone	8.3293	8.7315	7.4749	6.4323
Euro	€	1.1411	1.1681	...	0.8605
Hong Kong	HK $	10.163	10.6423	9.1108	7.8399
India	Rupee	97.41	129.4837	110.8499	95.3875
Israel	Shekels	3.7764	4.0404	3.4590	2.9765
Japan	Yen	211.6065	217.0087	185.7791	159.8650
Kuwait	Dinar	...	0.4193	0.3589	0.3089
New Zealand	NZ $	2.2032	2.2878	1.9585	1.6853
Norway	Krone	12.1466	12.7060	10.8775	9.3602
Pakistan	Rupee	340.39	376.5906	322.3956	277.4250
Saudi Arabia	Riyal	4.8567	5.0964	4.3630	3.7544
Singapore	$	1.6454	1.7281	1.4794	1.2731
South Africa	Rand	20.8722	21.8278	18.6866	16.0800
Sweden	Krona	12.3263	12.9823	11.1140	9.5637
Switzerland	Franc	1.0621	1.0955	0.9378	0.8070
Thailand	Baht	43.272	44.7212	38.2854	32.9450
UAE	Dirham	4.8234	4.9855	4.2680	3.6727
UK	£	...	...	0.8561	0.7367
USA	$	1.329	1.3575	1.1621	...

Tourist rates for indication use only. www.travelex.co.uk

© 2026 Tradeweb Markets LLC. All rights reserved. The Tradeweb FTSE Gilt Closing Prices information contained herein is proprietary to Tradeweb; may not be copied or re-distributed; is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely; and does not constitute investment advice. Tradeweb is not responsible for any loss or damage that might result from the use of this information.

Tradeweb

$937\frac{1}{2}$	$613\frac{3}{8}$	Drax Group •	775	+8	3.9	37.4
$1428\frac{1}{2}$	1000	Nat Grid	1170	+10	4.1	17.9
$2767\frac{1}{2}$	1597	SSE	$2449^{*}$	+68	2.8	23.2

Engineering / Industrial -0.41%
98%	73%	Coats Group •	81%	-%	3.0	18.7
540	230	Cropper J	520	+5	—	16.9
28500	9292%	Goodwin •	18460	+260	1.8	25.0
3166	2216	IMI	3112*	-12	1.1	25.0
1065	660	Mondi •	870%*	-8%	1.4	27.2
40	21%	Severfield	38%	-%	—	-3.2
2754%	2088	Smiths Gp	2612	-14	1.8	30.5
8050	5950	Spirax Gp	7110	-30	2.4	32.1
3580	2254	Weir	2846	-6	1.5	29.7

Government securities

2359	1729 $\frac{1}{2}$	Ass Brit Fds	2052	-12	3.1	14.5
5195	3270	Coca-Cola HBC	4570	+6	2.2	20.6
5810	4775	Cranswick •	5390*	+10	2.1	18.2
842 $\frac{1}{4}$	447 $\frac{1}{4}$	Hilton Food •	636	+5	5.5	7.2
138	92	REA Hldgs	111	+1	—	-215.3
5542 $\frac{1}{4}$	3644	Unilever	4776*	-24	3.5	12.9

Gas & Water +0.98%

52 week			Price (£)	+/-	FlatYield	RdmYield
High	Low (£)	Stock
107.15	103.38	Treas 6% 28	103.56	-0.16	5.79	4.33
102.33	0.01	Treas 4% 32	97.88	-0.23	4.34	4.67
99.39	92.65	Treas 4% 36	93.73*	-0.25	4.53	5.09
102.00	93.84	Treas 4% 38	94.94	-0.31	5.00	5.32
Index Linked Securities

220 $\frac{1}{4}$	151 $\frac{1}{2}$	Centrica	155 $\%$ *	+3⁄4	3.6	-103.6
606	439 $\%$	Pennon Gp •	479*	+4 $\frac{1}{8}$	6.1	24.7
3335	2381	Severn Trent	3146	+46	4.0	25.5
1497	1072	Utd Utilities	1431	+12	3.7	16.6

General financial +0.46%

	Yield%	Spread Vs Bunds	Spread Vs T-Bonds
France	4.01	+0.74	-0.71
Germany	3.27	-	-1.45
Japan	2.90	-0.37	-1.82
Great Britain	5.06	+1.79	+0.34
United States	4.72	+1.45	-

The share prices, price-earnings ratios and dividend yields below are supplied by Interactive Data (Europe) Ltd. The yields are calculated using historic dividend payments divided by the closing share price multiplied by 100.

276 $\frac{1}{2}$	145 $\frac{1}{2}$	Ashmore $\bullet$	224 $\frac{1}{2}$	$1\frac{1}{4}$	7.5	18.4
351 $\frac{1}{4}$	212	Bridgepoint Grp $\bullet$	322 $\frac{1}{2}$	+3 $\frac{1}{4}$	2.9	64.5
1865	1240	BrooksMacdonald	1485	+15	5.5	11.4
1956	1016	IG Group	1400*	+6	3.0	9.7
2340	1424 $\frac{1}{4}$	ICG	2022	+14	4.3	12.1
690	499 $\frac{1}{4}$	Investec	663*	+18	5.8	8.6
75	48	IP Group $\bullet$	72 $\frac{1}{4}$	+ $\frac{1}{4}$	1.7	10.0
365	223	Liontrust	317 $\frac{1}{2}$	-1	6.0	20.6
10140	6684	Lon Stock Ex	9000*	+20	1.8	37.8
367 $\frac{1}{4}$	247	M&G	351	+2 $\frac{1}{4}$	5.8	27.9
327 $\frac{1}{4}$	154 $\frac{1}{4}$	Man Group $\bullet$	309*	+1 $\frac{1}{4}$	4.1	27.2
209	150 $\frac{1}{4}$	Quilter $\bullet$	194 $\frac{1}{4}$ *	+1 $\frac{1}{4}$	3.3	21.8
2458 $\frac{1}{4}$	1620	S & U	2000	+25	5.8	10.2
599 $\frac{1}{2}$	358 $\frac{1}{2}$	Schroders	584	—	3.8	17.1
132	75	Vanquis Banking Gp	80 $\frac{1}{2}$	+1 $\frac{1}{4}$	—	25.2

Aerospace & defence -0.78%
	52 week
	High	Low (p)	Stock	Price (p)	+/-	Yld
1527	902 $\frac{1}{2}$	Babcock Intl		1056 $\frac{1}{2}$ *	-25 $\frac{1}{2}$	0.7
2360	1529	BAE Systems		2044	-48	1.8
576 $\frac{1}{2}$	398 $\frac{1}{2}$	QinetiQ •		507 $\frac{1}{2}$	-4 $\frac{1}{2}$	2.2
1586	990	Rolls-Royce		1530 $\frac{1}{2}$ *	+ $\frac{1}{2}$	0.7
318 $\frac{1}{2}$	161	Senior •		294 $\frac{1}{2}$	+ $\frac{1}{2}$	0.7

Healthcare -0.48%

416 $\frac{1}{8}$	274 $\frac{3}{8}$	Haleon	368 $\frac{1}{4}$ *	-1 $\frac{1}{4}$	2.0	19.8
1441 $\frac{1}{2}$	1046	Smith & Nep	1062 $\frac{1}{2}$	-10	2.8	20.0

554 $\frac{1}{4}$	352 $\frac{1}{4}$	Barclays	496%*	+4	2.3	11.3
556 $\frac{1}{4}$	318 $\frac{1}{4}$	Close Bros •	412 $\frac{1}{4}$	- $\frac{1}{4}$	—	-6.2
1610	942 $\frac{1}{4}$	HSBC	1528 $\frac{1}{4}$ *	+24 $\frac{1}{4}$	3.6	17.1
117 $\frac{1}{4}$	77 $\frac{1}{4}$	Lloyds Bk Gp	110*	+ $\frac{1}{4}$	3.6	15.7
726	500 $\frac{1}{4}$	NatWest Group	679 $\frac{1}{4}$ *	+1	5.2	12.7
1122	690	Santander	1082	+12	1.5	13.9
2278	1351 $\frac{1}{4}$	Standard Ch	2177*	+30	2.3	15.1

1376 $\frac{1}{2}$	976	Burberry	1084	+12	-	-
214 $\frac{1}{2}$	106 $\frac{1}{4}$	McBride	206	+38 $\frac{1}{2}$	1.5	10.6
114	65 $\frac{1}{4}$	PZ Cussons	103 $\frac{1}{2}$	-	3.6	22.0
6522 $\frac{1}{2}$	3664	Reckitt Benck	5132*	+16	4.2	11.0

Beverages +0.44%

Construction +0.04%

2109	1295 $\frac{1}{2}$	Diageo	1709	+7 $\frac{1}{4}$	2.2	29.7
Chemicals +1.32%
3520 $\frac{1}{4}$	2437	Croda Intl	3459*	+30	3.2	77.9
3245 $\frac{1}{4}$	2224	Johnson Mat •	2276*	+50	4.5	-29.8
855	515	Victrex •	841	+5	7.1	26.3

973	579 $\frac{1}{2}$	Balfour Beatty $\bullet$	884 $\frac{1}{2}$	+4 $\frac{1}{2}$	1.6	16.8
410 $\frac{1}{4}$	235 $\frac{1}{4}$	Barratt Redrow	318 $\frac{1}{4}$	-1 $\frac{1}{4}$	5.4	23.4
4442	2796	Berkeley Grp $\bullet$	3570	+28	—	10.8
237	133 $\frac{1}{2}$	Boot H	146	-8 $\frac{1}{2}$	5.4	8.3
241	124 $\frac{1}{4}$	Costain $\bullet$	230 $\frac{1}{2}$	—	2.3	16.6
1062 $\frac{1}{4}$	788 $\frac{1}{2}$	Grafton Gp $\bullet$	1041 $\frac{1}{4}$	+3 $\frac{1}{4}$	3.6	14.8
5730	3915	Morgan Sindall $\bullet$	4400	+12	3.7	11.8
1552	947 $\frac{1}{4}$	Persimmon	1178 $\frac{1}{2}$	-3 $\frac{1}{2}$	5.1	13.2
116 $\frac{1}{4}$	74 $\frac{1}{4}$	Taylor Wimpey $\bullet$	85 $\frac{1}{4}$	- $\frac{1}{4}$	4.9	30.4

Electricals -1.12%

570	195	Dialight	554	-12	—	—
840	505	discoverE Grp •	813	-9	1.6	26.9
4902	3194	Halma	3632	-40	0.7	36.8
5490	3110	Renishaw •	5105	-40	1.5	44.3
2060	843	XP Power •	1786	-76	—	-42.5

52 week
High	Low (p)	Stock	Price (£) +/- Yld NAV
150 $\frac{1}{2}$	137	UIL Fin ZDP 2026	150 $\frac{1}{2}$	—	—	150
302	243	Utilico Emerg •	279	—	3.5	309
401 $\frac{1}{2}$	320	Worldw HealthTr •	389 $\frac{1}{2}$	-3 $\frac{1}{2}$	0.6	421

Net Asset Values © 2026 Morningstar Estimated at previous day's close see www.Morningstar.co.uk.

52 week
High	Low (p)	Stock	Price (p)	+/-	Yld	NAV
331	277	Baillie Giff China	306	$-1\frac{1}{2}$	0.8	338
133	91%	Baillie Giff Euro Gwth	$127\frac{1}{2}$	$+1$	0.6	136
154%	121%	Bankers Investmt Tst • $151\frac{1}{2}$ *	$+3\frac{1}{2}$	1.9		165
1786	882	Biotech Growth	1738	-30	—	1879
289%	201	BlckRockAmlnc	279*	-1	5.3	276
205	123	BlackRockEnergy&Res	186	$-\frac{1}{2}$	3.1	196
208	164%	BlckRock Frolnv	194	$+\frac{1}{2}$	3.9	194
625	507	BlckRock Grt Euro •	610	+3	1.2	653
240	200	BlckRock Inc&Grth	234*	+3	3.3	261
288%	230%	BlackRock Small •	$276\frac{1}{2}$ *	$-\frac{1}{2}$	2.9	317
1076	562	BlackRock Wild M •	1060	+12	2.3	1083
1588	1336	Brunner •	1580*	+14	1.7	1741
402	312	Caledonia •	397	—	1.9	584
599	486	City of Lon •	591*	+2	3.7	578
467	208%	CQS Nat Res G & I	433*	+3	6.5	402
330	270	CT Glbl Mgd G	327	+1	—	338
135	114	CT Glbl Mgd I	131	—	6.1	134
592	439%	CT Priv Eq Ord	490	+5	5.8	697
373	320	CT UK Cap & Inc	358	—	3.8	376
126	97	CT UKHighIncTst	122	+3	4.9	120
480%	460	Dunedin Ent #	475	—	4.8	—
867	737%	Edinburgh Inv Tr •	860	+1	3.7	925
294%	188%	Edin Worldwide •	266%	+1	—	291
1332	325%	F&C Inv Trust	345%	+2%	1.2	375
672	546	Fidelity Asian V	626	+2	3.3	657
339	241	Fidelity China Sp Sits •	264	+1%	3.4	281
447%	367%	Fidelity Euro Tst •	439	+1%	2.3	460
479%	372	Fidelity Sp V •	473%	—	2.2	470
902	706%	Finsbury Gwth •	836	+2	2.4	897
198%	162%	Gibl Small Co Trust •	$193\frac{1}{2}$ *	$-\frac{1}{2}$	1.6	204
214	173%	Hend High Inc	207	-1	5.4	217
998	769	Hend Smaller Co •	989	+2	2.9	1077
3290%	2285	Herald Inv •	2995	+15	—	3344
512	318%	HgCapital •	440%	$-9\frac{1}{2}$	1.1	530

Media +0.12%
52 week			Price (p) +/- Yld			P/E
High	Low (p)	Stock
828%	418%	Autotrader	528*	-8%	2.2	15.5
690	435	Bloomsbury●	643	-8	2.5	19.4
1000	719	Informa	901%*	+10%	2.5	—
87%	65%	ITV●	71	-%	7.0	12.0
1337	874%	Pearson	1233%*	+4	2.1	24.0
73%	40%	Reach	42%*	+1%	13.8	-1.0
3575	1991	RELX	2672*	+4	2.6	23.7
767	391%	Rightmove●	510%	-3%	2.1	18.2
412%	218%	WPP●	382%	-1%	3.9	7.6

4321	2206% Anglo Amer		4269*	+26	0.7	-17.5
4475	2115	Antofagasta	4039	—	1.4	40.7
3592	1918	BHP Group	3543	-4	3.6	24.8
81	81	Evraz #	81	—	—	0.5
4472	1738%	Fresnillo	3170*	—	3.5	22.9
707%	281%	Glencore	5861%	+1⁄4	2.1	—
858	266%	Hochschild Mng •	6671⁄2	-5	1.0	23.2
330	178%	Kenmare Res	190	-3	—	-0.7
9117	4528	Rio Tinto	7674*	-14	4.5	17.0

609 $\frac{1}{8}$	399 $\frac{1}{8}$	BP	514 $\frac{1}{2}$ *	$-\frac{1}{8}$	4.8	—
28	9 $\frac{1}{4}$	EnQuest	25 $\frac{1}{8}$	$+\frac{1}{8}$	3.2	—
553	300	Hunting $\bullet$	408 $\frac{1}{2}$	$-4\frac{1}{2}$	2.5	21.2
3758 $\frac{1}{2}$	2553 $\frac{1}{4}$	Shell	3344 $\frac{1}{2}$ *	$+33\frac{1}{2}$	4.5	15.0

52 week
High	Low (p)	Stock	Price (£)	+/-	Yld	NAV
141	107 $\frac{1}{4}$	HICL Infrastructure • 137 $\frac{1}{2}$ *	+1 $\frac{1}{4}$	6.2	159
161 $\frac{1}{4}$	1288 $\frac{1}{4}$	ICG Enterprise Tst •	1494*	+8	2.8	2028
986	791 $\frac{1}{4}$	JPM Claverh'se •	978*	—	3.7	989
153	124 $\frac{1}{2}$	JPM Eur G&I •	147 $\frac{1}{2}$ *	+3⁄4	3.7	150
867	661	JPM Japanese •	818	+3	1.1	886
726	522 $\frac{1}{2}$	Land Secs	686 $\frac{1}{2}$	—	6.0	—
191 $\frac{1}{4}$	145 $\frac{1}{2}$	Lowland Inv	186 $\frac{1}{2}$	-1⁄2	3.6	204
290 $\frac{1}{2}$	234 $\frac{1}{4}$	Mercantile InvTr •	289	+1⁄2	2.9	320
691	536	Merchants Tsf •	684	—	4.3	717
1664	1366	Monks •	1636*	+8	0.1	1716
1036	854 $\frac{1}{2}$	Murray Income •	1002*	+5	4.1	1070
376	293	Murray Intl •	372 $\frac{1}{2}$	-1 $\frac{1}{2}$	3.4	367
56 $\frac{1}{2}$	47	Northern 2 VCT	53*	—	5.7	55
86 $\frac{1}{2}$	79 $\frac{1}{2}$	Northern 3 VCT	82*	—	5.5	86
59 $\frac{1}{2}$	53	Nthn Venture	56*	—	5.5	59
437	345	Pacific Assets	425*	+1	—	450
409	325	Pantheon •	394	+1	—	521
2645	1932	RIT Cap Ptnrs •	2565	—	1.8	3106
319	281 $\frac{1}{4}$	Ruffer Inv Pref •	299 $\frac{1}{2}$	+1	2.1	312
738	492	Schroder Asian TR •	712	+7	1.6	733
572	480 $\frac{1}{4}$	Scott American •	565*	+2	2.9	604
1563	1015 $\frac{1}{2}$	Scot Mortgage	1492 $\frac{1}{2}$	+14	0.3	1613
253	215 $\frac{1}{2}$	STS Global Income	229	—	3.7	233
352	198 $\frac{1}{4}$	Timpletn Em Mt •	322 $\frac{1}{2}$	+1⁄2	1.6	348
364 $\frac{1}{2}$	291	TR Property •	305	-1 $\frac{1}{2}$	5.3	341

52 week
High	Low (p)	Stock	Price(£)	+/-	Yld	P/E
Pharmaceuticals -0.82%
15732	9892	AstraZeneca	11970*	-144	2.0	24.6
3228%	1943	Genus •	2348	+16	1.4	80.1
2282	14401⁄4	GSK	18531⁄4*	+11⁄2	3.8	13.1
1865	1187	Hikma •	1616*	-12	3.9	12.1
Property -0.38%
16	61⁄2	Alina Hldgs	91⁄2	—	—	17
1208	8001⁄2	Big Yellow Gp •	8771⁄2	-91⁄2	5.4	—
451%	318%	Brit Land	4261⁄4	-11⁄4	5.4	—
2196	14691⁄4	Derwent Ldn •	2048	-2	4.0	—
377	270	Gt Portland Est •	3371⁄4	-3	2.4	—
2021⁄4	1491⁄2	Grainger •	1731⁄4	+1⁄2	4.8	6.3
3911⁄4	2631⁄4	Hammerson •	3171⁄4	+11⁄4	4.8	—
9971⁄4	603	Segro	9611⁄4*	-21⁄4	3.3	—
1551⁄4	1241⁄4	Shaftesbury Capital •1471⁄4*	—	-3⁄4	2.9	7.9
139	104	Town Centre	128	+1	3.9	—
175	1321⁄4	Tritax Big Box	1571⁄4*	-11⁄4	5.2	184
Retailers +0.28%
1691⁄2	106	Currys •	1511⁄4*	+11⁄2	2.0	9.8
1246	707	Dunelm •	870	-4	8.0	11.3
845	598	Frasers Group •	8321⁄2	+9	—	9.6
2046	14071⁄4	Greggs •	1854	+7	3.7	15.4

Results Roundup Previously Published * (2)
Company	Turnover(£)	Pre - tax(£)	EPS(p)	DIV(p)	Pay Day	XD
Andrada Mining	Fin 30.1m (22.4m)	9.4m (-8.5m)	-0.690 (-0.630)	n/a (n/a)	-	-
Beowulf Mining	Int - (-)	-834k (-1.0m)	-1.390 (-2.290)	0.000 (0.000)	-	-
Berkeley Energia $	Fin - (-)	-9.4m (-4.7m)	-1.950 (-1.220)	0.000 (0.000)	-	-
CT Private Equity Trust	Int - (-)	501k (975k)	0.700 (1.360)	7.100 (7.010)	Oct 30	Oct 08
FIH Group	Fin 37.4m (36.6m)	-2.9m (-7.2m)	45.400 (-41.000)	5.500 (5.500)	tbc	tbc
Forgent €	Int 197k (636k)	-2.0m (-2.1m)	-0.020 (-0.400)	n/a (n/a)	-	-
GenIP $	Int 54k (125k)	-800k (-666k)	-3.500 (-3.800)	n/a (n/a)	-	-
Halo Minerals	Int - (-)	-2.9m (-442k)	-3.000 (-2.000)	n/a (n/a)	-	-
Hochschild Mining $*	Int 844.4m (520.0m)	365.8m (140.1m)	37.000 (18.000)	4.000 (1.000)	Oct 02	Sep 03
Prudential $*	Int 5.9bn (5.3bn)	1.2bn (1.7bn)	37.900 (49.200)	8.880 (7.710)	Oct 22	Sep 10

52 week
High	Low (p)	Stock	Price(£)	+/-	Yld	P/E
276%	123%	Halfords •	273%*	+6%	3.3	18.0
981	713	Howden Joinery	794	-10%	2.8	16.1
106%	64	JD Sports Fash	86%	+3%	1.4	10.0
372%	240%	Kingfisher	315%	-2%	3.9	22.5
418%	301%	Marks & Spen	394%	+3%	1.1	31.1
3%	%	Mothercare	%	+1⁄4	—	-0.9
15900	11200	Next	15575	+40	1.7	20.5
347%	140%	Ocado •	239%	-1%	—	5.1
575	200	Pinewood Tech	452	-2%	—	94.2
747	192%	Saga •	679	-8	—	—
380%	292%	Sainsbury J	333%	+1%	4.1	19.3
714	378%	Smith WH •	412%	+3%	—	-3.7
510%	411%	Tesco	457%	-2%	3.2	16.6

2886	1981	Bunzl	2792	-10	2.7	19.8
416	215	Capita	280 $\frac{1}{2}$	+ $\frac{1}{2}$	—	-1.9
6740	4188	DCC Energy	6370	-20	3.4	—
115 $\frac{1}{4}$	78%	Essentra	108%	-2 $\frac{1}{4}$	1.9	—
3987	2203	Experian	3044	-1	1.7	25.1
5860	3519 $\frac{1}{2}$	Intertek Group	5845	—	2.8	26.8
250 $\frac{1}{4}$	163 $\frac{1}{2}$	Int'l Workplace •	190	+1 $\frac{1}{2}$	0.5	—
172 $\frac{1}{4}$	123 $\frac{1}{4}$	Johnson Serv •	148 $\frac{1}{4}$	+ $\frac{1}{4}$	3.2	15.9
214	134 $\frac{1}{4}$	MITIE Gp •	208%	- $\frac{1}{4}$	2.2	31.6
507	329 $\frac{1}{4}$	Rentokil	345 $\frac{1}{4}$ *	+1 $\frac{1}{4}$	2.7	25.2
325 $\frac{1}{4}$	212 $\frac{1}{4}$	Serco Group •	258*	+1	1.8	18.0
12	6 $\frac{1}{4}$	SIG	9 $\frac{1}{4}$	+ $\frac{1}{4}$	—	-1.7
723 $\frac{1}{2}$	493 $\frac{1}{2}$	Travis P •	651 $\frac{1}{2}$	-1 $\frac{1}{2}$	1.8	-7.8

Telecommunications +0.48%

242 $\frac{1}{8}$	173	BT Group	205 $\frac{1}{4}$ *	$-\frac{1}{8}$	4.1	18.7
1914	638	Telecom Plus •	875*	+12	5.7	8.6
131 $\frac{1}{8}$	83 $\frac{1}{8}$	Vodafone	118 $\frac{1}{2}$	+1 $\frac{1}{8}$	3.3	-83.9
Tobaccos -0.43%

5326	3677	Brit Am Tob	4129	-23	5.9	11.8
3632	2476	Imp Brands	2527*	+4	6.6	10.1

Transport +1.49%

490	294 $\frac{1}{2}$	ZIGUP●	441 $\frac{1}{2}$ *	+6 $\frac{1}{2}$	6.1	13.1
Travel & Leisure 0.00%
683 $\frac{1}{4}$	332 $\frac{1}{4}$	easyJet ●	674	- $\frac{1}{2}$	2.0	10.2
915 $\frac{1}{2}$	500 $\frac{1}{2}$	Entain	513 $\frac{1}{2}$ *	-2 $\frac{1}{4}$	3.9	-4.9
227 $\frac{1}{4}$	152 $\frac{1}{4}$	FirstGroup ●	179	+1	4.0	8.4
776	550	Fullers 'A'	752	-2	2.8	19.2
492 $\frac{1}{4}$	332 $\frac{1}{4}$	IAG Intl Cons Air	438 $\frac{1}{4}$	+1 $\frac{1}{4}$	1.6	7.2
13305	8618	Intercont Hotels	11982*	-11 $\frac{1}{2}$	1.2	33.1
301 $\frac{1}{4}$	223 $\frac{1}{2}$	Mitchells&But ●	281 $\frac{1}{2}$	-2 $\frac{1}{4}$	—	9.5
34 $\frac{1}{4}$	17	Mobico Group	23 $\frac{1}{2}$	- $\frac{1}{2}$	—	-1.1
447	210	Playtech ●	406 $\frac{1}{2}$	+1 $\frac{1}{4}$	—	1.0
144 $\frac{1}{4}$	86	Rank Group ●	103 $\frac{1}{2}$	-2 $\frac{1}{4}$	3.4	16.1
865	530 $\frac{1}{2}$	Wetherspoon ●	851 $\frac{1}{2}$	-2 $\frac{1}{2}$	1.4	14.2
3302	2098	Whitbread	2459	-13	3.9	19.9
AIM -0.65%

52 week
High	Low (p)	Stock	Price(£)	+/-	Yld	P/E
214%	1461⁄2	Chevron $	201%	+1%	3.5	1.5
113%	84%	Coca-Cola Euro $	108%	+1%	2.2	0.8
99%	74%	Colgate Palm $	90%	-%	2.3	1.2
168%	136	ExxonMobil Hldgs $	1561⁄2	-%	2.6	1.9
388%	268	Gen Electric $	342%	-%	0.5	4.5
426%	289%	Home Depot $	328	-%	2.8	1.5
268	180	Honeywell $	215%	-4%	1.3	5.0
32%	17%	HP $	30%	+1⁄2	4.0	2.2
332%	199%	IBM $	235%	-31⁄2	2.9	1.7
142%	23%	Intel $	89%	-2%	—	—
50%	29%	Intl Paper $	39%	-%	4.7	2.9
3661⁄2	279%	JP Morgan Ch $	357	+2%	1.7	3.9
276%	173%	Johnson&John $	266	+1⁄4	2.0	1.6
33%	24%	Keurig Dr Pep $	32%	+1⁄2	2.8	1.7
63	25%	Manpower $	62%	+3⁄4	2.3	1.5
341%	259%	McDonalds $	262%	+2%	2.8	1.7
156%	77%	Merck $	1471⁄2	-2	2.3	0.4
553%	349%	Microsoft $	5161⁄2	+11%	0.7	4.9
28%	23%	Pfizer $	27%	-%	6.2	0.4
167%	137%	Procter & Gamble $	143%	+1⁄2	3.0	1.6
226%	150%	Raytheon Tech $	211%	-%	1.4	2.0
497%	332%	Rockwell $	428%	-4%	1.3	1.9
505%	348	Trane Tech $	447%	-7	0.9	3.1
135%	95%	Wal Mart Strs $	102%	+1⁄4	1.0	2.9
119%	92%	Walt Disney $	107%	+1⁄2	1.4	3.2
4%	1%	Xerox Hldgs $	3%	+1⁄2	3.2	74.0

89%	36%	Afentra	73%	-%	—	-71.0
1100	765	Arbuthnot	795*	-15	6.9	7.3
244	125%	Central Asia Met	178	+3%	8.7	-5.7
872%	98	Ceres Power●	392%	-11	—	-16.0
460	271	Churchill China	370	—	5.7	9.3
380	194	CML Micro	307%	—	3.6	-931.8
1538	881%	Cohort	1226*	-10	1.5	23.5
172	101	Eleco	135	+3	0.9	84.4
10%	%	Futura Medical	%	...	—	-0.1
161%	112	James Halstead	136%	+%	6.5	14.1
405	200	Mpac Group	342%	—	—	-10.8
1800	1120	MS Intl	1695*	+5	1.5	25.1
66	34%	Premier Miton	39	-%	7.7	50.0
74	46	Tribal Gp	62	-1	2.1	14.8
1%	%	Xtract Resources	1	...	—	-4.3

Europeans +1.20%
The Alternative Investment Market is for young and growing companies. Shares may carry higher risks than those with a full quotation, and may be difficult to sell.

Americans +0.59%
52 week
High	Low	Stock	Price	+/- GrsYd		Cvr
84%	30%	Alcoa $	49%	-1%	0.8	9.8
387%	291	Amer Express $	333%	-1	1.1	4.1
65%	46%	BankAmerica $	62%	+1%	2.1	3.4
254%	176%	Boeing $	207%	-2	—	—
1073%	410%	Caterpillar $	800%	-16%	0.8	3.6

67%	461⁄4	AkzoNobel €	611⁄4	+3⁄4	3.2	2.3
97%	56%	BMW €	62%	+21⁄4	7.0	2.7
171⁄2	12	Carrefour €	151⁄2	...	7.5	1.6
771⁄2	531⁄4	Continental AG €	70	+3⁄4	3.9	0.3
62%	42%	Daimler €	47	+11⁄4	7.5	2.9
801⁄4	60%	Danone €	641⁄4	-3⁄4	3.5	1.2
58%	37	Deutsche Post €	561⁄2	+1⁄2	3.4	1.6
34%	231⁄2	Deutsche Tele €	281⁄2	+3⁄4	3.5	2.0
801⁄2	631⁄4	Heineken €	721⁄4	+1⁄2	2.7	2.4
6541⁄4	440	LVMH €	4581⁄4	+101⁄4	2.8	1.7
821⁄2	601⁄4	LafargeHolcim SFr	73	+1⁄4	2.3	1.9
101⁄4	61⁄4	Lufthansa €	8	...	4.1	9.0
15	31⁄4	Nokia OYJ €	9	...	1.5	0.9
351⁄4	251⁄2	Michelin €	341⁄4	+1⁄2	4.0	1.7
1071⁄2	58%	Pernod Ricard €	631⁄4	-11⁄4	7.4	1.4
271⁄4	201⁄4	Philips (Kon) €	231⁄4	-3⁄4	3.7	0.6
2911⁄4	198	Siemens €	2891⁄4	+21⁄4	1.8	2.0
841⁄4	511⁄4	Societe Gen €	721⁄4	+11⁄4	2.4	3.9
101⁄2	41⁄4	Stellantis €	41⁄4	+1⁄2	14.5	1.1
2791⁄4	2121⁄4	Thales €	2441⁄4	-2	1.6	2.1
811⁄4	491⁄4	Total €	741⁄4	+1⁄2	4.7	2.0
441⁄4	281⁄4	UBS AG SFr	441⁄4	+3⁄4	1.9	2.3
371⁄4	271⁄4	Veolia Environ €	321⁄4	+3⁄4	4.6	0.3
1101⁄4	71	Volkswagen €	781⁄4	+21⁄4	6.6	2.6

52 week
High	Low (p)	Stock	Price (p)	+/-	Yld	P/E
190	140	Bravura Solutions	163*	$+\frac{1}{2}$	8.2	12.3
300	125	Coastal Africa Group	200	—	—	—
5%	3%	Mendell Helium	5%	...	—	-1.5

Bold FTSE100 Stocks • FTSE250 Stocks * Ex-dividend † Ex-scrip ‡ Ex-all § Ex-rights # Suspended Cover relates to the previous year's dividend. Yields are net of basic rate tax. Data is provided for information purposes only and is not intended for trading purposes. Speak with a financial advisor before using any data to make transactions.

BIGGEST RISER SSE 2449p +68 (+2.86pc) BIGGEST FALLER Babcock Intl 1056 $^{1/2}$ p -25 $^{1/2}$ (-2.36pc)

Business

Online Sign up for our free daily Business Briefing ▶ telegraph.co.uk/business-briefing

MARKETS

CURRENCIES

FTSE 250	24938.79
▲	+39.93 (+0.16pc)
FTSE All Share	5842.37
▲	+16.28 (+0.28pc)
FTSE All Share Yield	3.06
▼	-0.01
FTSE Eurotop 100	5060.82
▲	+30.67 (+0.61pc)
Nikkei 225	66405.56
▲	+273.58 (+0.41pc)
EURO STOXX 50	6485.67
▲	+60.94 (+0.95pc)
S&P 500	7711.76
▼	-19.23 (-0.25pc)
Nasdaq	26402.42
▼	-138.93 (-0.52pc)

GOLD \$44.56.19

(£3283) -146.54 (-3.18pc)

BRENT CRUDE

\$89.31

(October) -0.39 (-0.43pc)

Fading stream Netflix pioneered ad-free viewing but with boom times fading, it is turning to traditional TV staples

Page 33

Up for a fight Business leaders need to join Mike Ashley's attack on this anti-enterprise government Matthew Lynn

Asda boss: Labour is harming the economy

Retail chief Allan Leighton warns Britain faces tipping point as tax rises put ‘heavy costs on consumers’

By Tom Haynes

LABOUR'S economic policies are damaging growth by piling costs on businesses and households, the boss of Asda has warned.

Allan Leighton said the decision to put up taxes had depressed consumer confidence and discouraged companies from investing. He said Britain was approaching a “tipping point” before the Budget.

Mr Leighton said: “The economic model that we’ve been pursuing, or the Government is pursuing, has inhibited growth because it’s put heavy taxation and heavy costs on consumers.

"When that happens, consumers spend less, their confidence goes down, and businesses invest less.

“You don’t have to go to Harvard to work that out.”

He said the next Budget would determine whether the Government could avoid further damage to the economy.

"We can either inhibit growth, which has been the strategy so far, not inhibit growth, which in itself would be something, or thirdly, do something that really helps growth. That's why I think we're at a tipping point."

He stopped short of urging Labour to reverse the tax rises it has imposed so far, but warned that “anything that puts a cost on business, that the business then has to recover in some way, shape, or form is a problem”.

Mr Leighton described John Healey, the new Chancellor, as “very sensible” and “very objective”, adding that he would reserve judgment on Andy Burnham until the Prime Minister had set out his economic agenda.

Mr Burnham has made tackling cost of living challenges a key priority, but Mr Leighton warned that rising food prices were inevitable after the summer heatwaves.

Fresh produce is likely to be hardest hit, he said, after the hot weather and lack of rain damaged crops.

Mr Leighton said: "If there's going to be inflation, which there will be, it's more likely to be in produce and fresh than it is in ambient," referring to dried foods such as pasta, rice and flour.

The warning comes as 7lpc of England remains in drought, with growers reporting crop damage and reduced yields after one of the hottest and driest summers on record.

Mr Leighton's comments came as Asda returned to sales growth for the first time in more than two years, with like-for-like sales rising by 0.2pc in the seven weeks to Aug 18.

Food sales rose 0.7pc in the second quarter of its financial year.

Mr Leighton returned to Asda in 2024 to oversee a turnaround of the struggling supermarket, more than a decade after previously serving as its chief executive.

He was credited with helping transform Asda into a major challenger to Tesco during his first stint in the 1990s. He later led the recovery of the Royal

‘Anything that puts a cost on business, that the business has to recover in some way... is a problem’

Mail before its privatisation. Mr Leighton said Asda was “still in the foothills of recovery” after a bruising period in which it lost ground to rivals and embarked on a sweeping cost-cutting drive.

Its recovery was disrupted by the costly separation from former owner Walmart's technology systems, a project which had cost close to £1bn.

Asda reported a pre-tax loss of £989m in 2025, while revenue, including fuel, fell 3.4pc.

Mr Leighton has been reducing costs to fund a drive to lower prices.

This cost-cutting drive has led to a row with unions about plans to outsource around 3,500 cleaning jobs to contractors.

Earlier this year, the supermarket also announced plans to outsource distribution of its George clothing range, putting about 1,200 jobs at risk.

Mr Leighton said that outsourcing was already a model many of Asda's competitors followed. He said: "Our number one value is we're all colleagues, one team."

No laughing matter Gordon Brown discusses his new book at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. The Future Starts With Us examines global instability and civic unrest.

Page 32

Petrol prices soar to highest level in almost four years

By Louis Goss

PETROL prices have hit their highest levels in almost four years as motorists prepare for the busiest bank holiday weekend on the roads in over a decade.

The average price of petrol has now hit 161.6 pence a litre, according to figures from the AA.

It marks the highest levels since November 2022 when petrol prices climbed as high as 191p per litre in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The most recent spike has been caused by the Iran war, which has pushed up oil prices. A near four-year high for petrol comes ahead of what is anticipated to be the busiest bank holiday weekend in 11 years as millions of drivers prepare to travel.

Drivers are expected to make 20 million leisure trips across the three-day weekend, according to figures from RAC, making it the busiest bank holiday weekend on the roads since its records began in 2015.

Motorists now pay an extra £15 for a full tank of petrol compared with a year ago. It costs £89 to fill up an average family car, compared to £74 a year ago.

Brent crude oil prices have risen again to around \$90 a barrel this month, compared to \$73 prior to the outbreak of the war in Iran.

This has led to higher prices at the pump. However, the RAC said the problem had been made worse by a lack of competition in the fuel market.

Simon Williams, the RAC's head of policy, said petrol stations have failed to pass on lower wholesale prices to consumers, even though they are down since the start of May.

Mr Williams said: “It’s concerning that margins on fuel remain historically high, competition is still lacking and that some retailers were deemed not to have reduced prices as quickly as they should have when the diesel wholesale price fell earlier in the summer.”

Wholesale prices for fuel hit 72p a litre in May, before falling to 68.5p a litre in August, according to AA.

Luke Bosdet, the AA's spokesman on road fuel prices, said: "In many ways, UK pump pricing is back to its worst: too often overpriced and uncompetitive, with too many communities denied road fuel at a reasonable price – hence the competition watchdog's stinging criticism."

The Competition and Markets Authority has raised concerns that retailers have been too slow to pass on savings to drivers.

Higher fuel costs threaten Andy Burnham's pledge to reduce the cost of living after he promised households "breathing room" after years of painful price rises. It also increases pressure on John Healey, his Chancellor, to extend the 5p cut to fuel duty, which is set to run out at the end of the year.

Rayner warned that Khan's Oxford Street plan risks traffic chaos

By Pui-Guan Man

ANGELA RAYNER has been warned that Sir Sadiq Khan's plan to pedestrianise Oxford Street risks creating chaos in nearby streets.

The Housing Secretary has been drawn into a battle between the Mayor of London and Westminster city council over his plans to turn the busy shopping street into a traffic-free boulevard.

Council leaders fear the mayor is rushing the project through without proper consideration of whether it could create gridlocked roads and noise disruption elsewhere across the West End.

They have raised concerns that the scheme will shift traffic from Oxford Street to surrounding roads.

Councillor Tim Barnes, Westminster's deputy leader, said: "London deserves a world class shopping district at its centre and instead we're headed for an unmanaged mess with noisy, gridlocked roads, poor air quality and waste in the streets."

Westminster council has written to Ms Rayner demanding a full assessment of the economic effect of the plan.

Mr Barnes said: "Our position on pedestrianisation is simple; if you must [do] it, get it right. A needlessly rushed scheme will be a disaster for residents and worse for business. This scheme will have an impact way beyond Oxford

Street affecting bus routes and traffic flow right across the capital."

The Conservative-led council wrote to Ms Rayner's officials yesterday after Transport for London (TfL), acting on behalf of the Mayor, sought permission from her department to forgo a full assessment of the project's potential effect on the area.

TfL made the request after sending her team a less detailed decision, deeming that the project did not require a more thorough study. Ms Rayner's office will make the call on whether it requires a full investigation or not.

Mr Barnes said: "The Mayor is trying to cut corners when it comes to ensuring this plan is safe for Londoners.

'The Mayor is trying to cut corners when it comes to ensuring this plan is safe for Londoners'

That's cheating them of the reassurances they are entitled to and the Government should not let him get away with it."

The row is the latest chapter in a long-running battle over the future of one of Britain's most recognised shopping destinations.

Sir Sadiq effectively seized control of the street from the council in 2024, when he set out plans to create a mayoral development area covering Oxford Street, backed by the Labour government. The move paved the way for the creation of a development corporation, which was formally established at the start of this year.

Mr Barnes and Paul Swaddle, the council leader, are part of its board.

The first section of the street is expected to become traffic-free as soon as October this year.

A spokesman for the Mayor of London said: “The mayor will continue working closely with the council and all other stakeholders on these plans to create a vibrant, world-class, accessible destination, restoring the nation’s high street to its former glory as we build a better London for everyone." The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has been contacted for comment.

As part of the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street, permanent live facial recognition (LFR) cameras are expected to be installed. Roving LFR vans have been used increasingly by the Metropolitan Police and forces across the country to scan faces of passers-by and compare them with a police watchlist.

A spokesman for the Housing Department confirmed that it received a request from TfL to determine whether the scheme needed a full assessment and that it will “provide an update in due course”.

Fed chief signals that he could defy Trump

By Hans van Leeuwen

US BORROWING costs have jumped after new Federal Reserve chairman Kevin Warsh signalled he could defy Donald Trump and raise interest rates.

Yesterday Mr Warsh told the Fed's annual summit of central bankers at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, inflation trends had not “meaningfully improved”.

“We must be confident that underlying inflation is moving to our objective, clearly and at sufficient speed. Otherwise, we have work to do,”

he said. The market interpreted Mr Warsh's comments as opening the door to higher interest rates.

Traders pushed up the yield on two-year US government bonds by almost 0.1 percentage point to 4.33pc, the sharpest one-day increase since June.

The benchmark 10-year bond yield also rose.

Market pricing now implies a 60pc probability that the Fed will raise its benchmark interest rate in September, up from 34pc before Mr Warsh spoke.

“Warsh has now positioned himself much more firmly in the group of centrists [at the Fed]... who have indicated they are prepared to hike absent meaningful near-term progress on inflation," Capital Economics said in a note.

The US core inflation rate is 3.3pc, well above the Fed target of 2pc. But President Trump still wants interest rates to fall to stimulate the economy and lower the cost of servicing the US government's \$40tn (£29tn) debt pile.

He waged a bitter campaign against Mr Warsh's predecessor, Jay Powell, for refusing to follow his wishes.

Blacklisting of 'woke' AI giant was illegal

By Chris Price

A US judge has ruled that a Pentagon decision to blacklist Anthropic was unlawful after Donald Trump had accused the AI giant of endangering national security.

In a court order issued late Thursday, a judge said the US government had acted illegally by punishing the AI firm, which President Trump had accused of being a “radical Left, woke company”.

In February, Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary, declared Anthropic a US supply chain risk – a label usually reserved for Chinese military suppliers.

Mr Trump painted the Claude-chatbot maker as a rabble of “Left-wing nut jobs” after bosses criticised the Department of Defense’s views on AI use.

But Dario Amodei, Anthropic's chief executive, refused to back down over concerns the company's products could be used for mass surveillance or autonomous armed drones.

Rita Lin, a district judge, wrote: "The undisputed record shows that the challenged actions constituted unlawful retaliation in violation of the First Amendment."

The White House did not respond to a request for comment, but the US government is expected to fight the ruling.

US government departments and the military were ordered to strip Anthropic's AI tools from their systems, despite their use in planning for the Iran war.

Judge Lin, appointed by Joe Biden, added the government's actions “were based on a desire to make a public example out of Anthropic for its ‘arrogance’ in criticising the government.”

David Stevenson Don't panic over the US bond chaos...yet

THE bond markets look to be in turmoil, with rising yields, US treasury interventions and dollar debasement talk feeding chatter on trading floors.

Yields on US 30-year bonds have risen well above the psychological threshold of 5pc in recent weeks, prompting the treasury to announce it has bought bonds to keep yields down.

The intervention by Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, has been sold somewhat euphemistically as “normal” liquidity management. But bond investors haven’t been fooled.

However, the 30-year bond yield rose to 5.27pc last week, while the 10-year yield hit 4.71pc, undoing all the market reaction to Bessent's buyback.

If this turmoil continues and yields keep rising – not just in the US – the implications for all of us could be huge.

'Corporate US debt is actually lower relative to GDP than before Covid'

But before we get too carried away with the bearish prognostications, let's just say what this market turmoil isn't and why there is no need to panic.

First, none of this should surprise anyone looking to invest in G7 government

bonds, and US bonds in particular. Since Covid, investing in government bonds has been a painful exercise and not unsurprisingly, everyone and their aunt has switched to the stock market.

Equities and bonds go in long cycles, and while equities remain in a bull market, the current bond cycle has been unremittingly bleak for years.

Yields on G7 government bonds have been rising across the board; the UK is now top dog, with 10-year yields at 5.05pc and 30-year yields at 5.8pc.

Secondly, if investors were really worried about the risk of the US government defaulting, then you'd expect to see the price of “credit default swaps” – insurance policies that pay out if governments default on their debt – increasing. In reality, pricing hasn't moved much at all in the last few years. For all the talk of high

yields, even if 10-year Treasury bond yields hit 4.7pc, nominal US GDP is growing at 6.5pc. We are back to long-term historic averages before the global financial crisis. It's also probably not a big inflation scare, even though inflation has been rising in the US and the UK because of the Iran war.

According to Bank of America analysts, US investment-grade debt issuance is up 36pc year on year to \$1.5tn (£1.1tn), while corporate debt in the US is actually lower relative to GDP than before Covid.

So, no need to panic yet. But a handful of trends could affect your investments. The first big concern is that once a government starts buying longer-dated bonds, they may not be able to stop. Governments buying the bonds need to keep yields down so the interest bill doesn't bound upwards.

We know how that could end as Japan is a live example. Buying local bonds has kept yields low, and the Bank of Japan has anchored interest rates to those low yields. But the markets aren't fooled, and investors don't feel suitably rewarded for taking the risk of buying local bonds. That's shown up in a deteriorating exchange rate, as the yen has weakened.

That could happen in the US with a falling dollar, which, paradoxically, could help US exports and boost corporate profits, but also raise import inflation and stoke fears of currency debasement. And of course, if you own US assets and the dollar falls, your assets are worth less. I've seen analysts saying the dollar could hit \$1.44 to the pound (from its current level of \$1.36).

All of these developments have an unfortunate impact on the UK. Owning our debt is viewed as arguably the riskiest in the G7, and if US yields rise, ours might need to rise to compensate.

Andy Burnham, the Prime Minister, visits Tata Steel in Port Talbot, ahead of Parliament's return next week; Mike Ashley, inset

That could push gilt yields above their current levels: two-year yield 4.35pc, 10-year 5.05pc, and 30-year 5.8pc a year. If yields rise, that could translate into higher swap rates that mortgage lenders use to price up.

But some investors have a much bigger global concern. What happens if those long-duration yields shoot above 5.5pc or even 6pc, with corporate bonds yielding even more?

At those levels, bonds could seem very attractive again, and investors could sell equities they think are overpriced. Morgan Stanley say it matters more when investors think bonds “offer more compelling risk-reward than other assets” (stocks) than how yields affect investments.

But when does this become more compelling than, say, investing into the US stock market? My guess would be when yields get above 6pc, a level that doesn't seem that impossible now.

If that happens, then the dismal bond cycle could finally turn, dragging down equities globally with it.

Mike Ashley is right to call out the ‘disastrous’ Government

One last, left-field thought. For those retiring and planning for a 30-year retirement, a 30-year UK gilt yielding around 6pc might be decent return if you think inflation will stay below 5pc and the UK government will pay its debts. And unlike annuities, you should get your capital back at maturity.

MATTHEW LYNN

It's time for other business leaders to join the Sports Direct boss in his ferocious criticisms of Labour

THEY are “disastrous” and “delusional”, amounting to nothing more than “populist proposals” that will prove “too little too late”.

The Sports Direct and House of Fraser boss Mike Ashley has never been a man to mince his words, and he certainly didn't hold back in his criticism of the Prime Minister Andy Burnham this week.

As it happens, he is completely right. The problem is, Ashley can't take on the most anti-business British government in 50 years or more all by himself – and it is time other retailers, and indeed the rest of business, join the campaign.

We can safely assume that the knighthood has been shelved for now. In one of the most extraordinary public letters a leading British business leader has ever sent to a sitting Prime Minister, Mike Ashley laid into Burnham with a ferocity that was as brutal as it was unusual. Forget about the cosy invites to No10, the task forces on the future of AI, and of course the honours that are usually dished out to FTSE 100 chief executives.

Relations between the Burnham administration and the business community were already frosty, to put it mildly, with not a single major corporate leader coming out in his support as he staged his coup against Sir Keir Starmer. But Ashley has now ramped it up to a whole new level.

“Shortsighted or populist reactions to underlying business challenges are not the answer,” he wrote. “You have the chance to make a difference or get it horribly wrong.” The High Street would be “further devastated” without major reforms, he argued, and the changes to business rates pencilled in for the Budget in October, are likely to prove “too little, too late”.

He is of course completely right. Burnham is trying to position himself as on the side of businesses, and will be setting out more ideas when he finally condescends to address the House of Commons next week. And yet everything he has announced so far will only make it even tougher for companies that are already struggling to survive. There may be some relief for pubs and restaurants on business rates, but if that has to be recouped with higher levies on warehouses, a cost that will be passed on to other retailers, it won't make any difference.

Forcing the vape shops to apply for licences – and reading the “applications” should at least provide a few laughs for someone – might free up some space in town centres, but if no one can run a viable business then all the boarded up windows will only make the crisis even worse.

Meanwhile, a series of fiddly interventions such as targeting “phony discounts” will only add to the crushing burden of regulations on business. It is hard to believe that anyone in 2026 can genuinely believe that what the High Street needs is yet another consultation, leading to an extra “task force”, imposing more “standards” on shops that are already barely able to meet the rent and the tax bill. But apparently Burnham and his team think one more round of state intervention is the answer. Ashley’s choice of the word “delusional” could hardly be more appropriate.

Instead, as Ashley quite rightly argues, the Government has to start addressing the fundamental issues. Business rates have been allowed to soar out of control, with the total

amount collected by local authorities rising by 70pc in cash terms over the last 20 years, even though very few small businesses have noticed a near doubling in the level of service.

Employers' National Insurance has been raised even though the impact falls mainly on the business, such as shops and cafes, that need lots of people to operate. Energy costs are now among the highest in the developed world, twice those of France, and four times the United States, punishing companies that need to light the aisles or fire up the coffee machines. The Living Wage has been pushed way ahead of the rate of inflation, making it more and more expensive to meet the payroll every month, while banning zero-hours contracts will push it up even further. The list goes on and on.

Instead of either controlling its spending, or, if that is not possible, raising the money it needs by increasing the rate of income tax, the Labour government has shifted all

Labour government has shifted all the costs of its profligacy onto business. Until that starts to change, there is little hope of anything improving.

Here's the problem, however.

Ashley can't fight this battle all by himself. There are some signs that the trade bodies at least are

willing to take the fight to Burnham and his ministers. The British Retail Consortium has turned more aggressive, criticising all the extra costs heaped onto the sector. Likewise, UK Hospitality has stepped up its criticism, on behalf of the dwindling number of members still open.

But everything is still coached in the conciliatory language of “talks” and “co-operation”. That is not good enough. Sure, we all understand that businesses are reluctant to pick sides in a political fight. They prefer the quiet word behind the scenes, and they don’t want to alienate any of their customers. But retailers, pubs and restaurants are getting wiped out. Pubs are currently closing at the rate of two a day. The retailer LK Bennett has started closing stores after going into administration, TG Jones, the renamed WH Smith, is retrenching, and even Poundland has been shutting stores.

It is a bloodbath and, more seriously, one for which this government is entirely responsible.

In reality, this is the most fanatically anti-business, anti-enterprise British government since the dark days of the 1970s, and arguably of all time.

By himself, Ashley can't make much difference. A genuine, co-ordinated campaign by business leaders, ranging from the FTSE 100, to the small shops and cafes across the country, would be far more effective – and it needs to start before it is too late.

READER SOLUTIONS BY TELEGRAPH MEDIA GROUP

Equity Release provided by Royal London Equity Release Advisers

Lending a hand with a house deposit?

Realise your family's dreams with a lifetime mortgage

There's no feeling quite like getting the keys to your first home. However, the cost of reaching this milestone is ever growing. In November 2025, UK property prices had risen by 2.5 per cent compared to the previous year. This has made family support more important than ever for first-time buyers.

If you want to help family members experiencing this strain, a lifetime mortgage is a solution for UK homeowners aged 55 and over. The most popular equity release product, a lifetime mortgage could free up funds for you to give a financial gift to your nearest and dearest.

With a lifetime mortgage, you can release a tax-free cash lump sum from your home without needing to make any payments in your lifetime. You repay the money, plus interest, through the sale of your home when the last homeowner passes away or moves into long-term care.

If helping a loved one onto the property ladder has got you thinking about your own plans, there are options that allow you to access further equity later. This could be for home improvements, unexpected costs, or other important goals.

To get an estimate of the amount you could gift, call the number on this page and we will introduce you to Royal London Equity Release Advisers. Their Information Team will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Bear in mind that a lifetime mortgage is a loan secured against your home. It will

reduce the value of your estate and may affect your entitlement to means-tested benefits. Therefore, it is essential to seek advice when considering equity release.

Royal London Equity Release Advisers are qualified advisers who will help you understand the options available to you and your family – with no obligation to proceed.

Get in touch

To find out how much tax-free cash you could release, simply call or go online to use the equity release calculator. You will also receive a free copy of the Equity Release Guide by email and/or post.

0330 037 7162

telegraph.co.uk/er1

Please refer to the Data Privacy Notice in today's personal column. The Telegraph Media Group Equity Release Service is provided by Royal London Equity Release Advisers, a trading style of Responsible Life Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (reference 610205). Registered office: Princess Court, 23 Princess Street, Plymouth PL1 2EX. Only if your case completes will Royal London Equity Release Advisers charge an advice fee, currently not exceeding £1,890, Equity release is only available to homeowners that own a property in the UK. Lines open Monday 8.30am-6pm and Tuesday to Friday 8.30am-5.30pm. *Source: UK House Price Index.

Farmers' union urges minister to ban Brazilian beef imports

contrast, in Brazil, cattle are often grazed where rainforest has been felled.

By Patrick Galbraith

FARMERS are calling for a ban on Brazilian beef imports amid fears that a flood of cheap meat could put local producers out of business.

The four regional heads of the National Farmers' Union (NFU) have written to Angela Eagle, the Environment Secretary, urging her to prohibit imports of the meat until Brazilians can demonstrate it is being produced responsibly.

This follows an EU ban on importing meat products from animals treated with certain antibiotics.

Brazil has failed to give guarantees that its exports will comply with the legislation. The new rules are poised to take effect from September, and there are fears that Brazilian farmers will redirect exports to Britain in response.

Last year, the UK imported almost 12,000 tons of Brazilian beef. The EU imported more than 80,000 tons.

The NFU leaders said Brazilian beef could put farm businesses at risk by undercutting them and damaging public health.

In a joint statement, the four regional presidents of the NFU said: “Ensuring the health and safety of the nation is a core responsibility of any government and the UK has long recognised the risks posed by this type of antibiotic use.

Last year, the UK imported almost 12,000 tonnes of Brazilian beef

"The absence of any government response is unacceptable, particularly when there is a direct risk to public health and credible reports of significant disruption across the GB supply chain. We have less than a week until the bans in the EU come into force."

The use of antibiotics in Brazil suppresses germs in the gut, allowing nutrients to be used to grow cattle faster and shortening their lives by ensuring they are ready for slaughter sooner. This lucrative process has been banned in the UK since 2006.

Tom Gurney, a cattle farmer in Norfolk, said he was worried about being undercut by a deluge of Brazilian beef.

He said: “If we are going to take beef produced in a way that we would not be allowed to operate here, then immediately British farmers would be undercut. We should only be importing products bred to the same standard.”

Mr Gurney said that on some farms beef cattle improve habitats for rare birds. Their dung attracts worms and insects the birds eat, and their hoof marks create habitat for the birds. By

A Government spokesman said: “Our experts have sought urgent information and assurances from Brazil as part of a rapid assessment of beef and poultry production systems to ensure our high food and animal welfare standards are being met, while closely monitoring market impacts of the EU ban.”

Earlier this month, farmers warned that Britain faced food shortages within months as they could not afford to plant crops. More than a dozen farming groups said they were at “crisis point”, warning that next year’s food production was at risk without government action.

The worst harvest since 1984 and a spike in livestock deaths have left many farmers without the cash needed to sow their fields for the coming year.

Tom Bradshaw, the president of the NFU, said: "Farmers face an immediate crisis in cash flow and confidence.

“Rain has come too late for lost harvests and slashed yields, while livestock farmers are dealing with the worst bluetongue outbreak to reach our shores.”

Meanwhile, fertiliser, which currently costs about £460 per ton, is imported through the Strait of Hormuz. The war in Iran has put a squeeze on supply and driven up prices.

The NFU and other agricultural groups have called on the Government to provide interest-free loans linked to losses caused by drought, which would give farm businesses the capital to produce next year's food. They also want financial support to help farmers cover the costs of paying for dead sheep to be collected and disposed of.

Cancelled Iran heating oil orders honoured

By Telegraph Reporter

HUNDREDS of people whose suppliers cancelled heating oil orders when prices surged after the start of the Iran war have been told they will receive compensation, the UK's competition watchdog has said.

Around 800 people have been notified and hundreds more are set to be, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said. It added suppliers had joined its compensation scheme after it raised concerns about possible breaches of customer contracts.

Wholesale gas and oil prices spiked when the US-Israel's war with Iran began at the end of February, leading average heating oil prices to soar by 92pc at their peak.

Some customers had contracts cancelled by suppliers as a result and were forced to reorder at much higher costs.

The CMA said some 1,700 customers were likely to have been affected, with some people paying between £150 and £350 more for replacement heating oil.

Customers whose suppliers have joined the compensation scheme, and who paid more for replacement oil, will receive a payment covering the different between the original and replacement order.

Those whose contracts were cancelled but who did not purchase a replacement will have their original order honoured at the agreed price.

Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, said: "Heating oil isn't a luxury, it's a necessity that many people rely on to have hot water and warm homes.

“During the price spikes earlier this year, hundreds of customers were left out of pocket or without fuel after their orders were cancelled. That’s why we’ve pressed suppliers to put it right.”

“They’ve now agreed to compensate those affected by issuing compensation or honouring their original contracts.”

Home heating oil is used by around 1.5 million households in the UK.

Netflix turns to traditional TV as streaming boom dries up

On-demand service is adopting classic staples such as live sports and advertising breaks. By James Warrington

AS TV executives arrived in Edinburgh for the industry's annual gathering this week, the shifting power balance in British broadcasting was clear to see.

Just days before the luvvie exodus across the border, new accounts revealed that Netflix's UK sales had eclipsed those of ITV for the first time.

Netflix revenues topped £2bn last year, while ITV's broadcast and streaming division made £1.9bn.

It marks a milestone and a clear sign of how streamers have upended the TV industry.

But after years of unencumbered growth, the streaming boom may now be hitting the buffers with subscriber numbers plateauing and viewers losing patience with price rises.

This has forced Netflix to turn to an unlikely source of inspiration for its next move: the broadcast model it sought to disrupt in the first place.

Alongside new forms of media such as podcasts, gaming and short-form videos, Netflix is falling back on the hallmarks of traditional TV, including live sports and advertising breaks.

It means that the great disruptive media force of the past decade is fighting hard to stop being disrupted itself.

"The growing question flowing from all of this is whether Netflix can avoid a gentle slide into becoming increasingly like the cable bundle it sought to replace," says Mike Darcey, Sky's former chief operating officer.

That Netflix needs to do something to arrest its slide may not be not immediately apparent.

The company, now widely acknowledged as the victor of the streaming wars, reported global revenues of \$12.6bn (£9.3bn) in the second quarter and quarterly net income of \$3.4bn.

Yet it seems this simply isn't enough. Shares have fallen 34pc in the past 12 months, wiping \$175bn from the company's value.

The backlash underscores the challenge facing Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters, Netflix's co-chief executives, who are under constant pressure to maintain breakneck growth even as the market starts to saturate.

Tom Harrington, at Enders Analysis, says Netflix is moving from a period of substantial growth to one that is “increasingly profitable but with a more predictable future”.

“This means that there will be friction from the market and a massaging of its narrative,” he explains.

"It also means that “It also means that management will probably keep throwing up things that give the illusion of potential growth, even though it will have no discernible impact.”

Darcy adds: “Netflix has not suddenly become a bad business, but it has fallen off a pedestal.”

In recent years, crackdowns on password-sharing and the introduction of a cheaper, advertising-supported tier helped keep revenues up even as subscriber growth has slowed.

Subscribers have also faced constant price rises.

Research by Ampere Analysis this week revealed that Western Europe experienced the largest average price increases across all streaming services in the past three years, at \$1.86 or 16pc.

Yet these increases have started to slow, suggesting consumers are reaching the limit of how much they're willing to fork out.

Jaanika Junton at Ampere says: "As streaming businesses mature, revenue growth is becoming less reliant on price increases, while intense competition is also making streamers increasingly

Netflix's biggest hits

Squid Game ▶ 265m Record viewing figures achieved in its first series

Bridgerton▼

mindful of how they are positioned against rivals."

Price sensitivity is such that both Netflix and Disney have hinted at rolling out a free version of their streaming services to lure people into paid subscriptions.

45m Now into a fourth series, its audience peaked in series three

This rather drastic option aside, however, Netflix is exploring another radical option: incorporating aspects of the live TV it once hoped to smash.

When Netflix first emerged, its on-demand service offered a radical break with mainstream television, which had forced viewers to follow a schedule of weekly programming chosen by TV controllers.

Now, however, it is mirroring some of these old tricks. Increasingly, Netflix is moving away from releasing all episodes of a series at once, opting instead for a weekly release schedule akin to conventional TV.

And despite repeatedly insisting it would not move into sports and live events, Netflix has plunged two-footed into this world. The company struck a \$5bn deal in 2024 to stream WWE's flagship wrestling show, which has broadcast the Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua fights and holds the rights to the Women's World Cup. It is said to be considering offers for the 2030 and 2034 men's World Cup.

The Gentlemen ▶ 12m Viewers that series one attracted in the first three days. It returns for series two on Sept 3

These flagship events – known in the industry as “appointment-to-view” – have proved to be a significant source of revenue for Netflix, both in advertising revenue and new subscriptions.

While live TV accounts for only about 5pc of Netflix's total content spend and 1pc of viewing hours, six out of 10 of its biggest new-member sign-up days in the past five years came from live events.

As a result, live TV – once the antithesis of the streaming revolution – has become its major growth engine.

Netflix's encroachment into traditional television does not stop there.

The streaming service launched a landmark partnership with TF1 in

June, bringing subscribers both live channels and catch-up shows from the French broadcaster.

The move has triggered speculation about whether this could provide the blueprint for streamer-broadcaster deals elsewhere.

Podcasts, including a tie-up with Gary Lineker's The Rest is Football, games and short-form videos – launched in direct response to the likes of TikTok and Instagram – are also in its arsenal. The streaming service hosted an exclusive trailer for the eagerly awaited Grand Theft Auto VI video game on Thursday.

Netflix has also reportedly considered launching live channels dedicated to certain shows or genres, as well as bringing rival streaming services such as Peacock and Murdoch's Fox One into its app.

Yet this practice of bundling different channels into a single subscription bears an uncanny resemblance to cable TV – or, in the UK, Sky's pay-TV service – that

Jake Paul v Anthony Joshua 33m Average minute audience attracted by the boxing bout

dominated the market in the pre-streaming era.

"The more advertising they take, the more they respond to the need to grow reach, the more they succumb to the lowest common denominator as regards content, the more like the cable bundle they become," says Darcey.

Ultimately, as these growth-hungry media companies expand ever further into new areas, the next era of streaming could start to resemble Chinese “super apps” such as WeChat and Alipay, which offer everything from instant messaging to digital payments.

“Further along, nothing would surprise, including the immersion of streamers within mega apps, especially if that is where we are spending a big proportion of our time,” says Harrington.

Regardless of where streaming's new era ends up, however, it is likely to come at an extra cost. Harrington adds: “I don’t think we have seen where the ceiling is yet on how much people will pay.”

SUMMER SALE 6 issues for £10

THE ENGLISH GARDEN JULY 2026

Summer splendour

Petersham Nurseries' GORGEOUS GARDEN plus six more SUN-DRENCHED spaces

SAVING 72%*

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Call 01858 438833‡ and quote ZSS26 Visit chelseamagazines.com/TZSS26

Terms and Conditions: This offer is open to UK customers only when paying by Direct Debit or Continuous Credit Card. Offer ends on 31st August 2026. *All savings are calculated as a percentage of the standard shop price. You will pay £10.00 for 6 issues renewing at £27,99 every 6 issues thereafter. For overseas pricing, please visit: chelseamagazines.com, For our privacy policy, visit: chelseamagazines.com/privacy-notice, Lines open Weekdays 8am-9:30pm; Saturdays 8am-4pm. ! Calls are charged at your standard network rate.

provided by Findmypast

FAMILY HISTORY BY TELEGRAPH MEDIA GROUP

Every family has a story – discover yours

Build your family tree and add colour to your past with a wealth of historical sources.

Family stories are precious. With the help of Family History, you can paint a vivid picture of previous generations. Drawing on extensive British and Irish genealogy records, newspaper archives and other members' family trees, find out where your relatives lived, worked and travelled.

In partnership with Find my past

Based on 16,900+ reviews Trustpilot

From only £14.17* a month

With an Everything subscription:

Access billions of genealogy records: births, marriages, deaths; 1921 Census; 1939 Register and more

◆ Explore 2,000+ newspapers online from the 18th century onwards

◆ Use smart tools to reveal richer stories

Discover the story of your family at telegraph.co.uk/LS-history or scan the QR code

Terms and conditions: "From £14.17 price valid for the annual Everything subscription, Customers can choose a monthly plan (£24.49), quarterly plan (£19.99 per month, total £59.99), or annual plan (£14.97 per month, total £169.99). All plans auto-renew unless cancelled. Automatic renewal can be disabled at any time by adjusting settings at least two working days before expiry. Services are provided by Findmypast Ltd (company no. 4369607), independent of Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd. For full terms, conditions and privacy policy, visit findmypast.co.uk

Forecast

General situation

Mostly cloudy in England and Wales today with rainy periods, some heavy and thundery. Bright or sunny breaks in Scotland and Northern Ireland with isolated showers, especially later in the day.

♦London, Cent S England, Channel Is, SW England, E England, SE England, E Anglia, Midlands: Mostly cloudy today with periods of rain, some heavy and thundery. Max 58-70F (15-21C). A gentle to fresh S to SW wind. Showers early tonight, then clear periods. Min 54-62F (12-17C). ♦NW England, Lake Dist, IoM, Cent N England, NE England: Showers today. Max 52-68F (11-20C). A light and variable wind. Clear periods and a couple of showers tonight. Min 48-58F (9-15C). ♦Wales:

Occasional rain today. Max 55-70F (13-21C). A light to gentle W wind.

Clear periods tonight. Min 50-60F (10-16C). $\clubsuit$ N Ireland: The odd shower today. Max 52-66F (11-19C). A light NE wind. Clear spells tonight. Min 46-55F (8-13C). $\clubsuit$ SW Scotland, NW Scotland, Glasgow, Cent Highlands, Argyll, W Isles, SE Scotland, NE Scotland, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, Moray Firth, Orkney, Shetland: Broken cloud with isolated showers today and tonight. Max 48-68F (9-20C). A light to gentle and variable wind. Min 41-55F (5-13C).

The Telegraph • TRAVEL

MAKE THE WORLD YOUR OWN

Expert opinion, trusted reviews and travel planning advice ♦ telegraph.co.uk/travel

British readings Last night's report for 24 hours to 6pm - *estimated readings

	Sun hrs	Rain in	Max/Min °C	Daytime weather
Aberdeen	0.2"	0.35	17"	15" showers
Aberystwyth	3.9"	0.07	20"	16" showers
Antrim	0.9"	0.34	22"	15" showers
Aviemore	0.5"	0.05	18"	14" showers
Barnstaple	3.9"	0.34	22"	16" showers
Barrow-in-Furns,	1.9"	0.40	19"	16" showers
Basingstoke	6.3"	0.02	23"	15" showers
Bedford	4.8"	0.08	22"	14" showers
Belfast	4.7"	0.36	22"	16" showers
Berwick	0.6"	0.33	18"	15" showers
Birmingham	5.9"	0.15	23"	15" showers
Bodmin	7.2"	0.08	19"	16" showers
Bournemouth	6.4"	0.00	23"	13" windy
Braintree	6.7"	0.13	23"	15" showers
Brecon	1.5"	0.49	20"	14" showers
Bridlington	1.2"	0.77	20"	16" showers
Brighton	6.5"	0.02	22"	15" windy
Bristol	5.0"	0.18	23"	14" showers
Camborne	5.1"	0.06	21"	17" showers
Cardiff	7.0"	0.34	23"	17" showers
Carlisle	0.0"	0.24	19"	15" showers
Catterick	2.8"	0.18	22"	16" showers
Cheltenham	4.8"	0.28	23"	14" showers

	Sun hrs	Rain in	Max/Min °C	Daytime weather
Isles of Scilly	5.8*	0.05	22° 14"	showers
Jersey	7.6*	0.12	23° 15"	p/cloudy
Keswick	0.9*	0.53	18° 16"	showers
Kew Gardens	7.1*	0.08	24° 15"	showers
King's Lynn	4.9*	0.24	23° 16"	showers
Leeds	0.7*	0.44	19° 15"	showers
Leek	1.3*	0.62	19° 15"	showers
Leominster	2.7*	0.17	21° 15"	showers
Lincoln	0.6*	0.24	22° 15"	showers
Liverpool	2.3*	0.22	19° 15"	showers
London	5.8*	0.04	25° 15"	windy
Manchester	4.4*	0.20	20° 16"	showers
Middlesbrough	2.0*	0.30	22° 15"	showers
Newcastle	0.3*	0.07	20° 15"	showers
Newquay	5.7*	0.12	20° 17"	showers
Nottingham	0.5*	0.53	21° 15"	showers
Orkney	1.0*	0.29	17° 14"	showers
Oxford	6.4*	0.04	23° 14"	showers
Perth	0.0*	0.20	21° 15"	showers
Peterborough	1.2*	0.14	24° 15"	showers
Plymouth	8.2*	0.07	21° 16"	showers
Portsmouth*	7.8*	0.01*	23° 14"	windy
Prestwick	5.0*	0.04	23° 15"	showers

	Sun hrs	Rain in	Max/Min °C	Daytime weather
Chester	0.5"	0.38	19" 16"	showers
Coventry	2.5"	0.20	22" 15"	showers
Doncaster	2.8"	0.48	21" 16"	showers
Dover	3.8"	0.31	22" 17"	showers
Dundee	0.1"	0.09	21" 15"	showers
Eastbourne	6.2"	0.09	23" 16"	windy
Edinburgh	0.2"	0.75	20" 15"	showers
Epsom	6.5"	0.11	23" 14"	showers
Falmouth	5.5"	0.06	20" 16"	showers
Farnborough	7.7"	0.10	23" 14"	showers
Fort William	0.4"	0.05	22" 14"	showers
Glasgow	3.7"	0.02	22" 15"	p/cloudy
Great Malvern	3.7"	0.11	22" 14"	showers
Grimsby	1.1"	0.56	22" 14"	rain
Guernsey	7.3"	0.02	21" 15"	p/cloudy
Hereford	4.0"	0.37	22" 14"	showers
High Wycombe	6.4"	0.10	23" 14"	showers
Holyhead	1.3"	0.16	19" 16"	showers
Huddersfield	0.2"	0.79	18" 14"	showers
Ipswich	7.0"	0.04	24" 14"	showers
Isle of Man	6.0"	0.06	20" 16"	p/cloudy
Isle of Skye	6.0"	0.08	18" 12"	showers
Isle of Wight	8.4"	0.01	22" 14"	windy

Atlantic front

Noon today: Spells of rain and thunder in the southern U.K. and northern France into the Benelux region. Thundery showers likely in Poland.

Sun & moon (Greenwich)
High water

Sun rises	0609
Sun sets	1955
Moon rises	2009
Moon sets	0734
Last quarter	Sep 4

Yesterday

Warmest	London/Heathrow 25C (77F)
Coldest	Aberdeen 15°C (F)
Wettest	Leconfield 1.23 in.
Sunniest	Tiree 10.0 hr.

Lighting up

Lighting up
Aberdeen	2014 to 0606
Belfast	2024 to 0628
Birmingham	2003 to 0615
London	1955 to 0611
Manchester	2006 to 0615
Penzance	2013 to 0634

Aberdeen	0140	4.3m	1413	4.1m
Belfast	1137	3,2m	2338	3.5m
Cardiff	0739	11,7m	1956	12,0m
Dover	1138	6.6m	2354	6.5m
Falmouth	0556	4.9m	1804	5.2m
Harwich	0019	3,9m	1227	3.8m
Holyhead	1058	5,3m	2308	5.7m
Hull	0643	7.4m	1917	7.2m
Liverpool	1147	9.1m	2357	9.5m
London	0226	6,8m	1442	6.9m
Portsmouth	--	--	1214	4.6m

Provided by the National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit

Four day forecast

Southampton 0151 4.0m 1117 4.4m
Source: © Crown copyright, All rights reserved
Pollen count
Fungal spores are high. Weed pollen is moderate. Tree and grass pollen are low.

	Sun hrs	Rain in	Max/Min °C	Daytime weather
Ramsgate	5.1"	0.01	22" 17"	showers
Rhyl	1.7"	0.52	18" 16"	showers
Rugby	4.3"	0.31	22" 14"	showers
Salsbury	6.2"	0.16	23" 14"	showers
Scunthorpe	2.3"	0.47	21" 16"	showers
Sheffield	2.8	0.48	21 16	showers
Shetland	4.9"	0.43	17" 13"	showers
Shrewsbury	1.6"	0.17	21" 14"	showers
Skegness	2.1"	0.26	22" 16"	showers
Southampton	6.9"	0.01	24" 14"	showers
Southend-on-Sea	5.6"	0.13	24" 15"	showers
Stockport	0.9"	0.48	19" 16"	showers
Stornoway	5.3"	0.00	18" 11"	cloudy
Swansea	3.6"	0.42	22" 16"	showers
Swindon	7.9"	0.08	22" 14"	showers
Thirsk	0.5"	0.32	22" 16"	showers
Tiree	10.0"	0.00	18" 13"	p/cloudy
Weymouth	10.0"	0.01	22" 14"	p/cloudy
Whitehaven	0.1"	0.66	18" 16"	showers
Windermere	0.8"	0.52	18" 16"	showers
Worcester	2.8"	0.07	22" 14"	showers
Yeovil	7.6"	0.27	24" 13"	showers
York	2.0"	0.25	21" 15"	showers

Sea forecast

S North Sea: A moderate to strong south-southwesterly wind today. Seas will be moderate. Visibility will be poor.

Dover Strait, English Channel: A fresh to near gale southerly wind today. Seas will be rough on the east and will be smooth on the west. Visibility will be poor.

St. George's Channel: A gentle to moderate east-northeasterly wind today. Seas will be very rough. Visibility will be fair.

Irish Sea: A light to gentle northeasterly wind today. Seas will be very rough. Visibility will be poor.

European readings Last night's report for 24 hours to 6pm

	Max °C	Min °C	Daytime weather
Akrotiri	33	25	sunny
Alicante	31	26	showers
Amsterdam	23	16	showers
Athens	34	25	sunny
Barcelona	32	26	p/cldy
Bari	37	25	sunny
Belgrade	33	21	sunny
Benidorm	28	25	showers
Bergen	17	11	rain
Berlin	24	19	showers
Biarritz	26	17	sunny
Bodrum	36	26	sunny
Bordeaux	25	16	p/cldy
Brest	23	11	p/cldy
Brussels	20	16	rain
Bucharest	26	16	sunny
Budapest	31	19	p/cldy
Cagliari	41	26	haze
Chamonix	21	14	storms
Copenhagen	19	17	rain
Corfu	40	25	sunny
Cork	22	14	showers
Corsica	34	27	haze
Crete	33	26	sunny
Dublin	23	15	showers
Dubrovnik	34	24	sunny
Faro	24	15	sunny
Florence	36	25	sunny

	Max°C	Min°C	Daytime weather
Frankfurt	28	19	windy
Funchal	23	20	p/cldy
Gdansk	23	12	p/cldy
Geneva	27	20	showers
Gibraltar	26	20	sunny
Hamburg	24	16	showers
Helsinki	20	9	p/cldy
Innsbruck	32	18	storms
Istanbul	26	19	p/cldy
Kyiv	23	9	p/cldy
La Rochelle	23	16	showers
Lisbon	25	16	p/cldy
Locarno	26	21	rain
Luxembourg	22	17	showers
Madrid	26	10	sunny
Majorca	32	27	p/cldy
Malaga	28	21	windy
Malta	39	26	haze
Marseille	33	26	storms
Menorca	33	27	p/cldy
Milan	31	22	storms
Monaco	31	26	storms
Moscow	20	10	p/cldy
Munich	28	17	p/cldy
Naples	36	26	haze
Nice	31	26	storms
Nicosia	37	21	sunny
Oporto	22	17	showers

World readings

	Max °C	Min °C	Daytime weather
Accra	28	24	rain
Addis Ababa	25	14	haze
Adelaide	18	7	haze
Alexandria	31	26	haze
Algiers	34	22	sunny
Amman	33	22	sunny
Anchorage	15	11	rain
Ankara	27	17	p/cldy
Ascension Is.	28	23	p/cldy
Auckland	16	9	rain
Baghdad	46	31	sunny
Bahamas	33	27	storms
Bahrain	43	34	haze
Bamako	33	22	storms
Bangkok	33	26	rain
Beijing	24	19	rain
Beirut	36	25	sunny
Bermuda	31	27	storms
Bogota	20	11	p/cldy
Bridgetown	29	27	showers
Brisbane	24	13	sunny
Buenos Aires	17	12	sunny
Cairo	37	23	sunny
Canberra	17	3	p/cldy
Cape Town	26	12	p/cldy
Casablanca	27	18	windy
Chicago	26	19	p/cldy
Christchurch	19	10	showers
Colombo	32	26	rain

	Max°C	Min°C	Daytime weather
Oslo	17	9	showers
Palermo	36	28	haze
Paris	23	17	showers
Perpignan	33	24	p/cldy
Prague	27	15	p/cldy
Reykjavik	11	5	p/cldy
Rhodes	35	27	sunny
Riga	23	9	p/cldy
Rome	38	25	sunny
Saint Malo	25	12	rain
Salzburg	36	19	p/cldy
Santander	27	16	p/cldy
Santiago/Comp.	21	14	showers
Sofia	30	15	sunny
St. Petersburg	20	12	p/cldy
Stockholm	21	10	p/cldy
Strasbourg	28	20	showers
Tenerife	28	21	windy
Tirana	37	22	sunny
Toulouse	27	19	sunny
Valencia	30	24	p/cldy
Venice	30	22	sunny
Vienna	32	20	windy
Vigo	22	14	rain
Vilnius	21	7	sunny
Warsaw	25	13	windy
Zagreb	37	19	p/cldy
Zurich	25	18	rain

	Max °C	Min °C	Daytime weather
Damascus	36	20	sunny
Dar es Salaam	30	21	sunny
Dhaka	33	27	rain
Dubai	43	35	sunny
Falkland Is.	7	3	p/cldy
Harare	23	8	sunny
Havana	33	22	rain
Hong Kong	32	28	rain
Honolulu	26	26	rain
Jakarta	34	25	haze
Jeddah	38	31	haze
Jerusalem	31	21	sunny
Johannesburg	21	7	haze
Kabul	34	19	haze
Karachi	31	27	windy
Kolkata	34	27	rain
Kuala Lumpur	33	26	haze
La Paz	17	0	sunny
Lahore	38	30	haze
Lima	24	20	sunny
Los Angeles	31	24	sunny
Maldives	32	28	storms
Manila	28	25	rain
Marrakesh	33	19	sunny
Melbourne	17	8	showers
Miami	33	27	storms
Montego Bay	32	28	storms
Mumbai	31	28	rain
Nairobi	27	10	sunny

	Max °C	Min °C	Daytime weather
New Orleans	31	24	storms
New Delhi	35	27	haze
New York	27	20	storms
Ottawa	19	14	showers
Perth	18	9	sunny
Port-of-Spain	30	25	storms
Rio de Janeiro	26	18	sunny
Riyadh	46	29	sunny
San Francisco	16	15	showers
Santiago	16	5	showers
Seattle	16	14	p/cldy
Seoul	32	25	showers
Seychelles	30	26	rain
Singapore	32	27	p/cldy
Sydney	23	10	sunny
Taipei City	34	26	cloudy
Tangier	25	19	sunny
Tel Aviv	33	25	sunny
Tokyo	32	26	p/cldy
Toronto	22	14	p/cldy
Tunis	42	29	haze
Vancouver	19	13	showers
Washington	30	23	storms
Wellington	17	9	showers
Winnipeg	23	10	showers

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather.com ©2026

Weather watch

A robin has a birdbath in wet conditions

How reassuringly familiar to have bank holiday rain

By Joe Shute

AN EARLY job I had in newspapers was writing the On This Day column of the Halifax Evening Courier.

Essentially, this meant spending a few hours in the archives of the venerable newspaper (where I was also a junior reporter), to find interesting stories all published on a given Saturday – 25, 50 and 75 years apart.

I remember once doing this for the August Bank Holiday, looking for tales of Halifax families flocking to Blackpool and being struck by a stark similarity between them, despite being published nearly a century apart.

The outfits changed, the language of the reporters changed, and the cars morphed from Morris Minors to Ford Escorts, but the chief protagonist remained reassuringly constant – the rain always played havoc.

There have been some especially notable washout August bank holidays.

In 1992, for example, 152.2mm rain was recorded in the Scottish Highlands, which must have made for a wet time for the Royals in Balmoral.

Meanwhile, in 1986, Walshaw Dean Lodge in the West Yorkshire Pennines notched up 121.1mm. This weather station is in the hills over Hebden Bridge, only a few miles from Halifax, so Courier readers would have had an especially bleak bank holiday.

The outlook this weekend? Wet, in a word, with rain moving across England and Wales although it is looking a little more dry further north. Happily, even where the rain is at its heaviest it shouldn't be on the torrential scale of recent days.

On Sunday there will be more thundery showers, but also some gaps through which the sun may even make an appearance. Monday brings the best of it, particularly in the south.

For a future reporter scouring the archives for summer 2026, it is good to know that after all the heatwave stories, it ended as it always should.*

Prize Crossword 31,331 telegraph.co.uk/puzzles

Across

1 Tests were designed to keep one cool (10)

Three prizes of a boxed Telegraph fountain pen will be awarded to the senders of the first three correct solutions opened from all those received. Five crossword companion notebooks will be awarded as consolation prizes.

6 Fools around in places for pampering (4)

9 Fix components of motor I've tested (5)

10 Deficit the result of brief American season (9)
12 Smooth unusually bad tempers having been automatically approved (6-7)
14 Drunk pirate providing drink (8)

15 Engage troops for fellow from Rome? (6)

17 Note circulating that hurt? You got me! (6)

19 "Heap" and "lot" possibly about right – for this? (8) 21 Journalist's second report redrafted to include leader of Norway (13)

24 Come into view carrying child last of all, he thought (9)
25 Love large character (5)
26 Appear with spy and his boss? (4)

27 Rich American going after Miranda's father (10)

To enter by email: Scan or photograph your filled-in solution and coupon and send to: prize.puzzles@telegraph.co.uk with DT 31,331 in the subject field. To enter by post: Send to DT 31,331, Telegraph Media Group, 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W ODT.

1 Father ultimately shows anger (4)
2 Dream I will be held in respect (7)
3 NHS timetables ruined business (13)
4 Climber regularly waits at sea, wind rising (8)
5 Vocally scares away e.g. animals or trainers? (5)
7 Quietly put down writing instrument – small child here? (7)
8 Laugh about a young man dressing (5,5)
11 Dish, one hotel had it prepared (4-2-3-4)
13 Man getting the sack, the present supremo? (5,5)
16 Empty, set off – pigs in these? (8)
18 Country with bad weather: finally, locate another (7)
20 Busy, about to get £200 in Monopoly? (2,3,2)
22 Great Russian ruler, favourite with our old Queen (5)
23 Girl showing style, not the first (4)

Solution No 31,330

Closing date: 9am Friday. Solution and winners' names published Mon, Sep 07. See telegraph.co.uk/prize-terms for terms and conditions.

Name....

Down

Address.

......

Quick Crossword

Yesterday's Quick Solution

Email address

Help with today's Quick Crossword clues Single clues 0905 757 0122. Solution 0905 757 0123. Calls cost £1/min, plus network access charge. You must be 18 or over and have the bill payer's permission. Services open Mon-Sat. SP: Spoke – Helpline 0333 202 3390.

For more information about how we use your data, please visit telegraph.co.uk/privacypolicy.

Across: 1 Egg, 3 Sit, 5 Poles, (Exit polls)
8 Tulip, 9 A priori, 10 Ibex, 11 Espousal,
13 Extraordinary, 15 Harmless, 17 Idle,
19 Ravioli, 20 Scoop, 21 Eerie, 22 Nay,
23 Née.

Across

1 Find the heaviness of (5)
4 Cram; things (5)
8 Culinary herb (5)
9 Courage (7)
10 Grantee (anag.) (7)
11 See; small quantity (4)
14 Rainbow colour (6)
15 Dealer in textiles (6)
17 Crikey! (4)
19 Outdo (7)
21 Commotion (7)
22 Drug (5)
23 Underwear (5)
24 Long musical note (5)

Down: 1 Eat like a horse, 2 Gilbert, 3 Saps, 4 Transgression, 5 Periodic, 6 Lions, 7 Shirley Temple, 12 Calliope, 14 And so on, 16 Rover, 18 Espy.

Down

1 Stray (7)
2 Maritime hazards (8)
3 Nun's apparel (5)
4 Mark left by an injury (4)
5 Expend (3,2)
6 Whimsical (3)
7 Top-notch (8)
12 Dreary (8)
13 Scary (8)
16 Item used for communion (7)
18 Unwanted mark (5)
19 Clean vigorously (5)
20 Defeat (4)
21 16 Down, e.g. (3)

The UK's largest homelift provider helps you stay in the home you love

Stiltz™

for safety, comfort & style

0808 239 2682 www.stiltz.co.uk

Regain bathing confidence with a new Aquability shower FITTED IN JUST ONE DAY*

At Aquability, we can help you regain the confidence to shower and bathe safely in as little as one day*. Our walk-in and sit-down shower solutions are designed to help you feel more comfortable, confident and independent in your own home.

and more than 55,000 installations completed, we know a thing or two about creating bathing solutions that work. So, if you are finding it difficult to get in and out of your old bath, pick up the phone and give us a call.

- Easy access – low step in

○ Optional seat and grab rail

○ Slip-resistant floor

○ Thermostatic shower controls

○ Hygienic easy clean tile effect panels – no re-tiling or mouldy grout!

If only I'd discovered Aquability sooner! The whole process of taking out my old bath and fitting a new shower in just one day has been so simple. Mrs G, Southampton

WITH ANY SHOWER PURCHASED**

RATED 'EXCELLENT'

For more details and a FREE brochure call 0800 316 0110

ASK FOR EXT. 84037

FREE TOILET & BASIN

or visit us online at AQUABILITY.COM

*Time based on straightforward fitting,
**Not in conjunction with any other offer,

For more information and a FREE colour brochure return this coupon to FREEPOST RRGY-AHAX-AHSX, Aquability UK Ltd, Farnborough, GU14 0NR.

Name

Tel

Address

Postcode ____

Email ____

84037