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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2026

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Where do YOU stand in the divisive debate on how women should age?

Two Mail writers go head-to-head SEE PAGES 20-21

Girl left fighting for life after being plucked from water in rescue operation at Shoreham-by-Sea

THREE FROM SAME FAMILY DROWN IN TRAGEDY AT THE SEASIDE

THREE members of a family drowned in a day of tragedy off the West Sussex coast yesterday afternoon.

Police said a man, woman and teenage girl had died, while a

By Nick Fagge and Gethin Hicks

younger girl from the same family was in a critical condition.

Emergency services were called to reports that four people were struggling in the water at Shoreham-by-Sea just before 3pm.

Police have not released the names

of the victims, but confirmed they were not searching for anyone else.

A witness said the two children got into difficulty, and the adults jumped in after them. A fisherman reportedly pulled one of the children out of the water and raised the alarm.

Victoria Flint, from Horsham, was at

Turn to Page 4

EXCLUSIVE Earl Spencer to reveal the truth about aftermath of Diana's death

SEE PAGE NINE

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Page 2

Daily Mail, Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Weather

Go to: dailymail.co.uk/weather for UK customers today forecast

Summary: Rainy spells

UK TODAY: Rain showers dominate early, easing to sunny intervals by afternoon. Windy remain westerly, strengthening slightly. Temperatures rise to warm levels, cooling off with evening showers. Max 23c.

Today's weather

	9am	12noon	3pm	6pm	9pm
London	○ 18c	○ 22c	○ 23c	○ 22c	○ 18c
Plymouth	○ 18c	○ 21c	○ 22c	○ 21c	○ 18c
Cardiff	○ 18c	○ 20c	○ 20c	○ 19c	○ 17c
B'ham	○ 16c	○ 20c	○ 21c	○ 20c	○ 17c
M'chester	○ 15c	○ 17c	○ 19c	○ 19c	○ 16c
Newcastle	○ 15c	○ 18c	○ 18c	○ 17c	○ 14c
Glasgow	○ 14c	○ 15c	○ 16c	○ 15c	○ 14c
Aberdeen	○ 14c	○ 16c	○ 16c	○ 14c	○ 13c
Belfast	○ 13c	○ 15c	○ 16c	○ 16c	○ 14c

5 day forecast

	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon
London	○ 22c	○ 21c	○ 22c	○ 23c	○ 23c
Plymouth	○ 22c	○ 21c	○ 21c	○ 22c	○ 22c
Cardiff	○ 22c	○ 20c	○ 21c	○ 22c	○ 22c
B'ham	○ 19c	○ 19c	○ 20c	○ 21c	○ 21c
M'chester	○ 17c	○ 18c	○ 19c	○ 20c	○ 20c
Newcastle	○ 16c	○ 16c	○ 18c	○ 18c	○ 19c
Glasgow	○ 17c	○ 17c	○ 18c	○ 18c	○ 18c
Aberdeen	○ 15c	○ 16c	○ 17c	○ 18c	○ 18c
Belfast	○ 17c	○ 15c	○ 17c	○ 18c	○ 19c

Europe forecast

	India	£	1 December	£	1	£	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	0
Amsterdam	October	21	29	June	21	25	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30
Brussels	October	21	29	June	21	25	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31	May	30	31

Around the world yesterday

	weather	£	1	weather	£	1	weather	£	1
Algiers	Sunny	35.95	Florence	Sunny	32.58	New Delhi	Fair	33.18
Amsterdam	Stowers 20.93	35.95	Geneva	Fair	29.61	New York	Cloudy	23.73
Althea	Sunny	35.95	Elkhurst	Fair	30.98	New York	Sunny	23.98
Auckland	Sunny	13.95	Germany	Cloudy	19.66	Ottawa	Fair	18.64
Bahrain	Sunny	40.95	Helsinki	Cloudy	18.64	Palma	Sunny	23.98
Barcelona	Sunny	32.95	Hongkong	Fair	30.98	Paris	Cloudy	26.79
Basra	Sunny	40.95	Stockholm	Thunder	18.64	Berlin	Cloudy	27.63
Beijing	Stowers 30.88	30.95	Istanbul	Sunny	25.77	Prague	Stowers	27.63
Beirut	Sunny	26.92	Jersey	Cloudy	20.98	Rosary	Sunny	23.92
Belgium	Stowers 41.75	41.75	Jamaica	Sunny	32.98	Riga	Stowers	27.63
Belgrade	Fair	27.10	Las Palmas	Sunny	29.92	Rome	Sunny	30.08
Berlin	Cloudy	20.98	Lisbon	Sunny	29.92	Singapore	Sunny	22.90
Biarritz	Fair	26.79	London	Cloudy	25.77	Strasbourg	Sunny	20.68
Brisbane	Thunder	20.98	Los Angeles	Fair	24.79	Strasbourg	Cloudy	27.78
Brussels	Cloudy	20.98	Lyon	Sunny	29.92	Sydney	Fair	18.64
Buckarrel	Sunny	32.95	Madrid	Sunny	34.98	Tangier	Sunny	24.92
Budapest	Fair	24.79	Melissa	Sunny	31.98	Valencia	Fair	30.08
Cairo	Sunny	31.98	Malta	Sunny	31.98	Seaside	Sunny	24.92
Cape Town	Sunny	18.64	Melbourne	Fair	18.64	Tokyo	Fair	30.08
Casablanca	Sunny	27.78	Mexico City	Sunny	22.77	Toronto	Fair	25.77
Copenhagen	Cloudy	18.64	Miami	Sunny	34.98	Tokyo	Sunny	20.08
Corfu	Sunny	30.98	Milan	Sunny	31.98	Vancouver	Fair	20.68
Dubai	Sunny	40.95	Montreal	Cloudy	23.77	Mexico	Sunny	27.78
Dublin	Cloudy	19.95	Moscow	Fair	20.98	Vienna	Fair	22.73
Dubravnik	Sunny	29.92	Mumbai	Thunder	31.98	Warsaw	Thunder	18.64
Faro	Sunny 24.79	24.79	Nairobi	Cloudy	19.98	Wellington	Stowers	12.54

Moon and Sun

MOB: two 2.5pm, sets 10.0pm

Sat from London, 5.5pm, sets 9.5pm

Manchester-Haio 5.95am, sets 8.8pm

WBA 7500, under Bridge 7.05pm

Liverpool 4.05pm

Extremes (24 hrs to 9pm Mon)

Warmest: Heathrow, 29c

Cold: Alhattam No. 3, 7c

Nation: Town, 8.8.8m

Sun: East: Easter Airport No. 2, 8.3m

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Reform suspends Tory defector who criticised Farage and Yusuf

By Greg Heffer

REFORM UK has suspended prominent supporter Tim Montgomerie after he called Zia Yusuf a 'child'.

Mr Montgomerie, 56, used an appearance on a podcast to continue his recent criticism of the party's home affairs spokesman, saying that he 'cannot behave like a child in politics'.

On The Spectator's Coffee House Shots he revealed that Mr Yusuf did not talk to him for three months when he discovered he was involved in former Tory minister Robert Jenrick's defection to Reform.

Mr Montgomerie also agreed with claims that Reform leader Nigel Farage has 'fallen out of love' with Mr Yusuf.

It comes after Mr Montgomerie last week rebuked Mr Yusuf over his 'inter-nerate' use of social media.

He also criticised Mr Farage for skipping the formal declaration of the Clacton by-election result, which saw him

Rebuke: Reform UK leader Nigel Farage with Tim Montgomerie

re-elected to the Essex constituency. It is said Mr Montgomerie was suspended after the podcast was recorded but before it was published online.

In a video posted on his X account yesterday, Mr Montgomerie said he

would appeal against his suspension and lamented how news of the action against him had been 'leaked'.

'I have given my everything, really, to support Reform and if they want to kick me out then they're going to have to kick me out after an argument,' he said.

'All I've ever wanted is Reform to be the best it can be.'

Mr Montgomerie is the founder and former editor of the ConservativeHome website and briefly served as an adviser to Boris Johnson. He quit the Times in 2024 and joined Reform.

Speaking about Mr Yusuf, Mr Montgomerie told the podcast: 'There are a lot of people who are on not-speaking terms with Zia and it's nearly always Zia who initiates it. It needs to end. You cannot behave like a child in politics.'

However, Mr Montgomerie praised Mr Yusuf's work within Reform. 'I genuinely pay tribute to Zia ... he made the party organisation work,' he added. 'He has so many qualities, but he has to be a team player.'

The jobs drought

Vacancies at 12-year low as firms stop hiring amid fears over Labour's 'attacks on business'

By John-Paul Ford Rojas Deputy Business Editor

BRITAIN is enduring a 'jobs drought' under Labour after vacancies fell to a 12-year low and unemployment rose, official figures show.

Yesterday's bleak report revealed many firms have stopped hiring as they face rises 'in labour costs and other operating expenses'.

That is likely to reflect the ongoing impact of Labour's £25billion raid on employer National Insurance as well as sharp rises in the minimum wage and surging energy costs. Firms are also worried about the impact of new workers' rights rules spearheaded by Angela Rayner.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed there were just 707,000 job openings in the three months to July. Excluding the pandemic, it was the lowest level

since November 2014. Business groups said it showed the jobs market is stagnating – and it is workers in the private sector who are paying the price, with pay growth slowing to 2.8 per cent.

That is barely enough to keep pace with inflation and less than half the 6.1 per cent average rate being enjoyed by public sector staff.

The Government's Insol-

vency Service also revealed the pressure is overwhelming more firms, with 1,931 going bust last month, up 5 per cent on the month before.

Ben Harrison, head of the Work Foundation think-tank, said: 'The figures indicate the UK remains trapped in a deepening jobs drought.'

The headline figure for unemployment in the three months to June remained

'Young remain worst affected'

unchanged at 4.9 per cent, according to the ONS.

But the single month figure for June was 5.4 per cent, up sharply from 4.6 per cent the month before. It was 3.8 per cent just before Labour came to power. Unemployment has not been higher – on this measure – since 2015, excluding the pandemic.

It tallies with forecasts, including from the Bank of England, that the headline

jobless rate will climb above 5 per cent this year.

The ONS also revealed the number of employees on UK payrolls fell by 13,000 in July. It is down by 94,000 over the past year and 183,000 since just before the election.

The young remain worst affected with unemployment among 16 to 24-year-olds at 16.2 per cent or 739,000.

Tory business spokesman Andrew Griffith said: 'These figures continue to show that Labour isn't working. Unemployment remains high while there were almost 100,000 payrollled jobs lost over the year thanks to Labour's attacks on business.'

The number of people on benefits not expected to look for work now far outnumbers those seeking work, Department for Work and Pension figures showed yesterday.

Half the record 8.4 million people claiming universal credit were in the no work-related category in May, with just 1.6 million required to search for work.

In his review of youth inactivity, former health secretary Alan Milburn said: 'More and more people believe hard work is not rewarded.

'That undermines the promise that has been at the heart of our country's social contract – if you put in effort, you will be able to get ahead.'

Comment – Page 16

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VI

Page 3

Hold the carbs: Posh enjoys a prawn salad

Salad days for Posh as the Beckhams enjoy la dolce vita

SHE may be holidaying in Italy, but not even the local cuisine could derail her famously frugal diet.

As the rest of her family tucked into pizza on the Amalfi coast, Victoria Beckham stuck to an old favourite - salad.

While her husband Sir David, 51, and son Cruz, 21, were spotted enjoying lunch by the pool of their hotel in Portofino, Lady Beckham, 52, opted for a rather less calorie-laden prawn salad.

Wearing a black string bikini and sheer sarong, the fashion designer then enjoyed a spot of sunbathing. She was also seen playfully tugging at her husband's

By Dominique Hines

overgrown beard, which appeared to be rather less grey earlier this year. She posted a photo online with the caption: 'Time for a trim!'

The couple have been joined on their holiday by son Romeo, 23, daughter Harper, 15, as well as Cruz and his girlfriend Jackie Apostel, 30. Estranged son Brooklyn, 27, was absent.

They have spent the last few weeks travelling between the Balearic Islands and the French and Italian coast aboard their £16million yacht, Seven.

Down time: Posh and Becks in Italy

How to be cultured today... watch these!

A PERSON'S library, especially if it contained a well-thumbed copy of Ulysses and the entire works of Shakespeare, was once an indication of their intellect.

Now, however, it seems that having seen The Matrix and being able to quote Breaking Bad's best bits is the new measure of cultural refinement.

A poll of 2,000 Britons has revealed the 30 films and TV shows you must have watched to be considered learned.

The National Film and Television School (NFTS), a training ground for creative talent across film, television and games, found that 26 per cent of people believe being well-versed in movies indicates taste

Daily Mail Reporter

and intelligence as much as strong literary knowledge.

The definitive list includes The Godfather, The Matrix (starring Keanu Reeves, below), Peaky Blinders, Pulp Fiction and Breaking Bad.

Screen knowledge is also seen as a social asset. Almost half (44 per cent) agreed that discussing iconic films and shows is useful when socialising, while 39 per cent say cinema and television fuel conversations and online debate.

The NFTS said: 'It's encouraging to see such a strong public appreciation for great film and television.'

30 SCREEN GEMS YOU HAVE TO SEE

1. The Godfather (1972)
2. The Matrix (1999)
3. Game of Thrones (2011)
4. Peaky Blinders (2013)
5. Pulp Fiction (1994)
6. Breaking Bad (2008)
7. The Shining (1980)
8. Trainspotting (1996)
9. The Walking Dead (2010)
10. Pride and Prejudice (1995)
11. Line of Duty (2012)
12. Fight Club (1999)
13. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
14. Goodfellas (1990)

15. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

16. Blade Runner (1982)

17. Downton Abbey (2010)
18. Oppenheimer (2023)
19. The Handmaid's Tale (2017)
20. Casablanca (1942)
21. Sherlock (2010)
22. Adolescence (2025)
23. The Sopranos (1999)
24. Chernobyl (2019)
25. The Crown (2016)
26. Taxi Driver (1976)
27. Blue Planet (2017)
28. Dunkirk (2017)
29. Planet Earth (2006)
30. Black Mirror (2011)

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Page 4

VI

Continued from Page One

the beach with her family. She said: 'We arrived at about 3pm and soon after we heard the siren for the lifeboat.'

'We watched it launch, then about 20 minutes later, it came back. Ambulances started arriving. More and more of them. Then the air ambulances started.'

A resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'I heard from friends in the Coastguard that it was a family who had been living in tents by the harbour front.'

'They were camping just between the harbour arm and the fort. They have been there a couple weeks, I've walked my dog

'The children fell in while fishing'

past them. People don't usually camp there.

'I heard the children fell in while fishing in the east wall and the parents followed. It's really sad.'

Chief Superintendent James Collis from Sussex Police said last night the family's next of kin had been informed, and were being supported by specialist officers. He said inquiries were continuing to understand the full circumstances, but all four were believed to have entered the sea from the land, before getting into difficulty.

Mr Collis asked the public to come forward if they had any information or video footage that may help in the inquiry. Last

Tragedy: Emergency services rushed to the scene at Shoreham-by-Sea yesterday afternoon

night, emergency services remained at the scene.

A witness told ITV News: 'I was up near the Coastguard tower when I saw two police officers come past me holding evidence bags after they looked to be going through belongings of, presumably, those who were involved in the incident.'

'The evidence bags did contain what appeared to be a younger child's clothing and other assorted items, and from that, I presume children were involved.' The RNLI said lifeboat crews

were launched at 2.50pm. Two other lifeboats were also launched from the Brighton station shortly after 3pm.

An ambulance spokesman said: 'South East Coast Ambulance Service is currently responding to reports of four people in need of medical attention after getting into difficulty in the water near Shoreham Harbour.'

The Coastguard said it responded at 2.45pm, adding: 'An HM Coastguard helicopter was sent as well as Littlehampton, Shoreham and Newhaven Coast-

guard rescue teams, and an RNLI lifeboat from Shoreham.'

Sussex Police said: 'A section of the A259 in Shoreham has been closed as the incident remains ongoing, and we're urging the public to stay clear of the area.'

Tom Rutland, Labour MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, made a similar request - posting on X: 'Please stay clear of the area around Shoreham Port and Kingston Beach as emergency services respond to reports of several people in difficulty in the water there.'

Imported eggs spark salmonella outbreak

By Zoe Hardy

ONE person is dead and hundreds have fallen ill in a major salmonella outbreak being blamed on imported eggs.

Issuing a national alert, the UK Health Security Agency suggested that those affected had become sick after eating in cafes and restaurants.

The agency confirmed 207 cases - with ages ranging from one to 90 - in the past 12 months. But experts warned they were 'just the tip of the iceberg' because many cases will have gone unreported.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said investigations had identified links to imported eggs 'mainly used by food service and catering establishments such as restaurants'.

It said there was no evidence that UK-produced eggs were affected but urged anyone handling eggs, eggshells or packaging to wash their hands thoroughly in a bid to stop the spread.

So far, 199 cases have been confirmed in England, six in Scotland, one in Wales and one in Northern Ireland. More than a third of those affected needed hospital treatment, while two developed potentially life-threatening bloodstream infections, the UKHSA added.

Salmonella is typically caught by eating contaminated food such as poultry, meat, eggs, raw fruit and vegetables and unpasteurised dairy products. It usually causes symptoms such as a fever and vomiting which clear in a few days. In rare cases, it can be fatal, with infants, pregnant women, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems must at risk.

The UKHSA has identified five unnamed food businesses which two or more of those

Bacterial infection that can be killed by cooking

SALMONELLA is a bacterial infection often described simply as 'food poisoning'. The bacteria lives in the gut of farm animals and is shed through their stool. Most people become infected by consuming food or water that has been contaminated by the faeces. It is

most common in raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs, because the cooking process kills off the bugs. Faeces may get onto raw meat and poultry during the butchering process, while seafood may be contaminated if harvested from contaminated water.

affected reported attending in the week before getting symptoms.

Jacquelyn McCormick, head of incidents at the FSA, said: 'While investigations continue, our advice around eating eggs remains the same. Eggs which are thoroughly cooked and handled hygienically should not present a food safety risk. Infants, young children, pregnant people and older adults should only eat runny or raw eggs if they have a British Lion mark or are produced under the Laid in Britain egg assurance scheme.'

'This advice does not apply to those who are severely immunocompromised and require medically supervised diets.'

London has seen the highest number of cases, with 47, followed by Yorkshire and Humber (38). The UKHSA said the outbreak appeared to be connected to a previous spate of cases last year, which was also linked to imported eggs. Dr Damien Tully, from the

Medical Research Council, said: 'This is a sizeable outbreak, but the number of confirmed cases is likely to be just the tip of the iceberg. Many salmonella infections cause relatively short-lived gastrointestinal illness and people may recover without ever being tested, meaning the true number of infections associated with an outbreak can be considerably higher than the number identified through laboratory surveillance.'

Commercial hens which produce eggs sold in UK supermarkets are vaccinated against the most common strains of salmonella, making any outbreak unlikely to start in Britain.

Despite this, salmonella cases have been on the rise in the UK. Last year, there were 10,406 recorded cases - a decade high. Experts say the majority of these are thought to be linked to imported produce. In particular, the UK has faced multiple salmonella outbreaks originating from poultry products from Poland.

Burnham: I'll get rough sleepers a bed for Xmas

By Martin Beckford Policy Editor

A DRIVE was launched last night to get all rough sleepers off the streets this Christmas. Prime Minister Andy Burnham promised that everyone bedding down in a doorway or outside a station would be offered a route out of the cold.

He said new accommodation and support would be rolled out this winter, backed by an extra £102million of funding from Angela Rayner's housing department on top of the £340million already announced.

'The PM will also host a national summit to bring together business, finance, charity and faith leaders to ask how they can help end rough sleeping.'

Mr Burnham said: 'No one should have to bed down in a

'How will this be paid for?'

doorway or outside a station. But we've seen it for so long that it feels like Westminster has started to accept it.

'I won't accept it. That's why my first instruction as Prime Minister was to end rough sleeping. And it's why we're getting started with a national drive to get everyone in for Christmas.'

His pledge was welcomed by homelessness charity Shelter, whose chief executive Sarah Elliott said: 'The Prime Minister's pledge to get everyone sleeping rough off the streets by Christmas is a game-changing move.'

But Tory housing spokesman Sir James Cleverly said: 'Andy Burnham promised to end rough sleeping in Manchester, and failed because he didn't do the hard work necessary.'

'Now he is pledging to end it nationally without any plan for delivery. There is very little detail on how this will be paid for.'

...and I'm not embarrassed by hoax texts

ANDY Burnham has insisted he's not embarrassed after falling victim to a hoaxer pretending to be President Trump's chief of staff.

The Prime Minister was duped by an unknown individual who posed as top White House aide Susie Wiles. He sent several messages in exchanges that began before he became PM and continued after he took office on July 20.

But when asked yesterday if he was embarrassed about it, Mr Burnham said: 'No, I'm not.'

'Because there was a minimal exchange, nothing of consequence, and actually, I quickly realised that this needed to be reported, and I did so.' Professor Anthony Glees, a security expert from the University of Buckingham, said: 'To be duped like this is not a good look.'

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vi

Page 5

Honeymoon horror

Tributes pour in for newlyweds killed in Greek chopper crash

By Imogen Garfinkel and Will Hallowell

THE British couple killed in a helicopter crash during their honeymoon in Greece were highly respected wealth and marketing professionals who worked in London.

Alexander Cromie, 31, and Marie Ebert, 30, died after the aircraft plummeted to the ground as it came in to land on the island of Sifnos on Monday. The pilot Giorgos Raikos, 55, was also killed.

Greek police believe that a mechanical fault may have caused the privately chartered Bell 206 helicopter to crash as it made the short trip from Markopoulo, near Athens.

Mr Cromie worked as a vice-president in private wealth solutions for asset

'Had extraordinary future ahead of her'

management company Blackstone, which has its UK base in Mayfair.

Ms Ebert was a senior specialist at US management consultants Bain & Company, which has offices on The Strand. The pair had chosen to spend their honeymoon on Sifnos after getting married recently.

A spokesman for Blackstone, where Mr Cromie had worked for four years, said: 'We are shocked by the tragic passing of three people, including our colleague Alex Cromie and his wife Marie Ebert, who were celebrating their honeymoon. Alex was beloved by everyone who knew and worked with him at Blackstone and our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones.'

Bain & Company said that Ms Ebert was a 'much-loved and deeply respected' member of its London team. It said she was 'exceptional' at her job, admired by everyone who worked with her and had 'an extraordinary future' ahead of her.

The company added: 'We are

Highly respected: Marie Ebert, 30, and husband Alexander Cromie, 31

devastated. Our thoughts are with Marie's family, with her husband Alex's family, and with the friends and colleagues who are grieving them both. We also extend our sympathies to the family of the pilot who lost his life as well.'

Ms Ebert had worked at the firm for over a year, having previously been employed at investment firm Coller Capital.

CCTV footage shows the aircraft spinning erratically in the

air as it quickly lost altitude. After hitting the ground in a field near to the helipore, it exploded into a fireball and thick, black smoke could be seen billowing into the sky.

Manolis Fountoulakis, Sifnos's deputy mayor, told Greek news site NewsIT that 'there was nothing left' of the helicopter.

He said: 'People in the area have testified hearing the helicopter making a noise, a strange noise, probably a mechanical fault in

the air and because the propeller was doing something strange.' He said two bodies were found inside the wreckage, while another victim was lying a few yards away.

An investigation has been opened by Greece's National Organisation for the Investigation of Air and Railway Accidents and Transport Safety. The country's civil aviation authority has also recalled all Bell 206 helicopters until further notice.

The Greek fire service said the

crash triggered an alarm heard across the island. A senior police official in Athens said: 'The crash came minutes before the scheduled 6.15pm landing.'

The island's mayor Maria Nadali said: 'We are shocked and are trying to manage, together with the right services, the consequences of this incident.'

On Monday, the Foreign Office said it was in contact with local authorities and was seeking further information.

Air taxi: The doomed helicopter was a Bell 206

Fireball: Smoke billows from the crash scene

First all-women shortlist for best drama performance at the NTAs

VOTERS have selected an all-female shortlist in the best drama performance category at the National Television Awards for the first time.

The five nominees include previous winner Sheridan Smith, who played campaigner Ann Ming in ITV true crime drama I Fought The Law, and Gavin & Stacey's Ruth Jones for her role in Netflix thriller Run Away.

Vicky McClure was recognised for playing Trigger Point's Lana Washington and Ella Bruccoleri for her

Daily Mail Reporter

part in period drama The Other Bennet Sister. Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan in Call The Midwife bagged the final spot. The women were picked over the likes of David Tennant, Tom Hiddleston and Idris Elba by the public.

The categories include a new award, Reality Docuseries, which sees Clarkson's Farm and At Home With The Furys among contenders.

Nominee: Actress Ella Bruccoleri

New album releases linked to rise in fatal car smashes

IT MAY be fun to sing along to music while driving – but album releases may be linked to a spike in car crashes, a study suggests.

Researchers compared US traffic fatalities on the release dates of ten of the most streamed albums from 2017 to 2022, from the likes of Taylor Swift, Drake, Bad Bunny and Harry Styles.

They found on release days, music streaming was 43 per cent higher and traffic fatalities increased by 15 per cent. In all,

Executive Science Editor

there were 139 deaths on release days compared with 121 on other days.

The team from Harvard Medical School in Boston cautioned the findings, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, don't prove streaming caused the increase – and they have no way of confirming that the drivers involved were streaming music.

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Page 6

Families hit with

Bill for pursuing 'incoherent' policy could reach £320bn by 2050, says Tory think-tank

By Claire Ellicott Whitehall Editor

LABOUR'S Net Zero obsession is costing cash-strapped families £540 a year, a Tory analysis claims.

The report found that the price of pursuing the controversial policy for the country would be £320billion by 2050.

A strategy that instead prioritised cheaper energy but resulted in nearly 80 per cent clean power would save consumers significant amounts of money, it found.

The Tory-leaning think-tank Onward modelled the cost of continuing on the path to Net Zero against a strategy of focusing on reducing the price of electricity.

It worked out that the second scenario could be £540 a year cheaper for households by 2050 – and yet would result in nearly 80 per cent clean energy.

This would also make the cost of electricity a fifth cheaper by 2035 and a third cheaper by 2050, prompting consumers to favour electricity, it found.

The authors of the report concluded that the Government's approach to the electricity sector was 'incoherent'.

'It is rushing to decarbonise the power sector with intermittent renewables whilst ignoring many of the extra system costs

'It is ignoring many of the extra system costs'

that this entails, particularly the costs of building extra transmission and balancing the grid, it claimed.

'This approach is driving up electricity prices. The Government is simultaneously pushing consumers and businesses to adopt electrification technologies, whilst making the electrical input more expensive.'

The document comes as Andy Burnham faces a decision on whether to approve two drilling projects in the North Sea. The Prime Minister has said that he wants to give voters 'breathing space' and has announced a cut in VAT on electricity bills.

However, UK electricity prices rank among the highest in the developed world and have been pushed up by global conflicts.

The report examined a 'Cheap Power' system that would use a bit more gas, a lot more nuclear and far fewer renewables than the current strategy.

This would save money by building fewer pylons and cables to connect wind and solar farms to the grid as well as reducing wholesale costs.

The policy is likely to be adopted by the Tories, who have already pledged to remove taxes on energy bills as well as drilling in the North Sea.

A report on the true price of renewables was first commissioned by former energy secretary Claire Coutinho when the Tories were in power.

She ordered it after discovering that the hidden costs – back-up power, grid balancing and

Choice: Andy Burnham yesterday

Sly-high cost of Labour plan to stop jets' at our trails

LABOUR has come under fire for pouring millions of pounds into a 'daft'. Net Zero scheme which aims to stop passenger planes from leaving vapour trails.

Ministers said they were handing over nearly £3million of taxpayers' cash for the trial, under which pilots flying transatlantic routes will be told to avoid areas where there's a greater risk of forming trails because of atmospheric conditions.

Experts claim the trails can form clouds which trap heat and contribute to climate change.

But critics dubbed the scheme 'pie in the sky' and a waste of money which threatens to push up ticket prices, because changing flight paths can use up more jet fuel.

Under the scheme, UK transport officials and air traffic controllers will team up with the Met Office and tech giant Google to identify where planes are at risk of forming vapour trails and tell them to change altitude.

Aviation minister Keir Mather hailed the 'world-first' trial, adding: 'By testing small tweaks to flight paths over the Atlantic, we can cut the vapour trails left behind by planes.'

But Tory peer Lord Mackinlay said the scheme was 'funacy', adding: 'Hundreds

By David Churchill

of millions of pounds for 'sustainable' flights is more pie-in-the-sky state planning which will add hugely to the price of every flight.

'The behaviour is like children in a sweet shop – unfortunately the sweet shop, funded by taxpayers, has nothing left to give but this seemingly does not stop them.'

Reform UK's Net Zero spokesman Richard Tice said: 'The Government continues to waste taxpayers' cash on daft. Net Zero schemes that will achieve nothing. You couldn't make it up.'

Tory transport spokesman Greg Smith added: 'The public would rightly prefer this Government to focus on the things that actually affect the cost of flying. That means keeping air passenger duty low, which Labour has failed to do, pushing up the price of family holidays.'

The 30-month trial, called Operation Blue Skies, will get under way towards the end of this year, with 20 to 40 test days taking place this winter and the same number next winter.

It will use AI models and forecasting to identify where and when pilots should be told to adjust altitude to prevent leaving trails in the sky.

Home Office's £4.5m on EV chargers

MINISTERS and civil servants on the frontline of tackling the small-boats crisis have been criticised over plans to splash millions of pounds on electric car chargers.

Nearly £4.5million has been earmarked for the Net Zero devices to be installed at Home Office buildings to help staff go 'green'.

But it sparked a furious backlash as critics said officials, who have struggled to get to grips with relentless Channel crossings, should focus all

their resources on tackling the crisis. It came as another 250 migrants arrived on Monday, taking the total since Andy Burnham became Prime Minister just over a month ago to nearly 3,500.

Tory Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'It could not be clearer that Shabana Mahmood's Home Office has no idea how to control our borders. Instead, they are wasting time and money on electric car charging points.'

The Home Office was contacted for comment.

building extra capacity – were not accounted for.

Her successor Ed Miliband cancelled the work when Labour won the general election but it has now been completed by Onward and advisory firm Transira Energy.

Kemi Badenoch said that the report offered a 'common sense' approach and claimed the current strategy should be abandoned.

The Tory leader stated: 'Britain

needs a serious plan to deal with climate change. Seriousness means looking at results, not simply setting targets and congratulating ourselves afterwards.'

Current Net Zero targets have driven up energy costs, weakened our industrial base and made us more dependent on energy imports while doing too little to make the country more resilient to floods, droughts and other con-

sequences of changing climate. This report shows what a common-sense approach looks like.'

Mr Burnham must decide whether to approve the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields in Scotland. Major Labour donor and green energy boss Dale Vince threw his weight behind the plan, saying that it was 'pragmatic' to start drilling. He added this should be contingent on introduc-

ing wholesale price controls and he urged the party not to row back on Net Zero commitments.

Reaching Net Zero by 2050 was introduced by the Conservative government under Theresa May in 2019. Labour has continued the drive and aims to make the grid 95 per cent carbon-free by 2030.

But the Tories argue that it is 'impossible' to meet the target and have pledged to scrap green levies and repeal the Climate Change Act.

Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said of the report: 'By following Reform's lead, the Tories will tie Britain to the fossil fuel rollercoaster and keep bills higher for families.'

She said Labour was investing in more clean-energy jobs and added: 'As global fossil fuel prices continue to rise amid conflicts and wildfires rage across the UK, we can't turn our back on clean power. That won't bring down bills and it won't address the climate crisis. The Tories don't have a clue.'

Comment – Page 16

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Page 7

£540 Net Zero bill

Miliband ditched report knowing it would expose his fantasy promises

COMMENTARY By Claire Coutinho

SHADOW ENERGY SECRETARY

WOULD you rather have clean electricity or cheap electricity? What if you could have both?

It's no secret that Net Zero is making Britain poorer and weaker. But now, for the first time, experts have revealed the true impact Net Zero is having on our electricity prices.

This is the most detailed analysis of our electricity system that has ever been done in British politics.

By crunching the numbers, they have calculated that if we scrapped Net Zero and focused on making electricity cheap instead, we would save consumers over £320billion on their electricity bills by 2050. That's the equivalent of around £540 for every household, every year, for the next two decades.

Our electricity would still be nearly 80 per cent clean – some of the cleanest in the world, in fact – by using a bit more gas and a lot more nuclear. But it would also be much cheaper, cutting costs for you.

At the moment, the biggest problem with energy is cost.

We have the highest electricity prices in the developed world – and that's bad for families, businesses, and the environment.

When I was appointed Energy Secretary in 2023, I started to uncover some of the true hidden costs of relying on wind and solar.

We need to pay for back-up power when the wind doesn't blow, and for the wind farms to turn off when it's too windy, and for all the pylons to transport the electricity from the offshore wind farms to where it's actually needed.

I was astonished that these costs, which end up on your bills, were being ignored.

That is when I realised Net Zero had to go. I commissioned an official analysis of these costs because the public deserves to know the

Power: Ed Miliband led the Net Zero drive as Energy Secretary

truth, too. However, when Ed Miliband took over as Energy Secretary after the general election in 2024, he cancelled that analysis.

Why? Because he knew it would expose that his promise to cut your bills by £300 was always a fantasy. In fact, bills have gone up by £300 instead.

This major new report by Onward finished the work I started three years ago, taking into account the extra costs of renewables and showing that making electricity cheap is better for the environment.

IVEN by their own standards, Labour's Net Zero obsession is failing. Most of our emissions come from cars and home heating. Yet sky-high electricity bills are making it impossibly expensive for ordinary people to shift to cleaner alternatives.

The current approach means higher prices and higher emissions. That is why Kemi Badenoch and I have changed the policy we inherited from our predecessors and pledged to scrap Net Zero and put cheap, reliable, abundant energy first.

Green tycoon says drilling 'could save money for UK'

LABOUR'S eco-millionaire donor Dale Vince has told Andy Burnham that approving new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea can 'save money for the country'.

The green energy tycoon revealed he had dropped his opposition to the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields and said there was 'a way that we can make sense of this North Sea puzzle'.

Explaining his surprise U-turn, Mr Vince said that if new drilling was combined with 'price control' on wholesale energy, bills would come down.

Proposals for the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields are in the

By Greg Heffer

hands of ministers following the closure of consultations on the two projects.

Mr Burnham is under increasing pressure – including from US President Donald Trump – to ease Labour's ban on new drilling and give the go-ahead to both fields.

Rosebank is the UK's largest remaining untapped oil field and lies about 80 miles west of Shetland.

There have been warnings of fuel shortages this winter without the approval of the Jack-

daw gas field, which is 150 miles east of Aberdeen. Mr Vince, who has donated more than £6million to Labour through his Ecotricity firm, once said it would be a 'betrayal of millions of us' to approve the two sites.

But speaking to BBC News-night, the 64-year-old – who advised Mr Burnham when he was Greater Manchester mayor – said he now had 'a different position perhaps than the one you expect me to have'.

He added that he had also urged Mr Burnham not to 'row back' on Labour's commitments to Net Zero.

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Page 8

Warning... Worzel ahead!

Anger as police tell villagers to build scarecrow speed traps to help slow down motorists

IT may prove to be the last straw for many who fear the thin blue line is too stretched to stop crime – as police advertise scarecrow-making workshops to crack down on speeding.

The initiative has angered some villagers in Aughton, Lancashire, where a teenage passenger died when a speeding driver crashed in 2024. Locals have spent years calling for action on drivers breaking the

'An absolute insult'

law. So there was incredulity when police revealed they had sourced straw and timber for the scarecrows, but needed a community effort to make the plan a reality.

Asking for residents to bring 'bright clothing, cardboard and paint for signs', they said they had arranged a workshop at a nature reserve at the end of August.

'We will be constructing the scarecrows and creating SLOW DOWN

By James Tozer

signs to place at approved areas,' a Facebook post from Ormskirk and Rural West Lancs Police added.

The plan appears to have been inspired by Speedo, a scarecrow dressed as a police officer with a speed camera which was created by parish councillor Edie Pope two miles away in Lydiate in 2019.

However some Aughton locals condemned the idea as an 'insult'.

It comes after Max Greenhouse, 17, died when a car driven by Joe McCaldon smashed into a wall.

McCaldon, who was also then 17, was driving at 57mph in a 40mph zone. Three months ago he was sentenced to four years' detention after being convicted of causing death by dangerous driving.

Justine Sleight, who is involved in a campaign by Max's family to educate young drivers, posted: 'How many more tragedies have to happen before meaningful measures are put in place?' Caroline Harrison replied: 'This is an absolute insult.'

Gotcha: Speedo the scarecrow officer

Starmer's sacking of top civil servant cost taxpayer record £500,000 payout

By Greg Heffer

KEIR Starmer's decision to sack the top civil servant he hired only 14 months earlier has cost taxpayers £500,000, it has emerged.

Sir Chris Wormald was ousted as Cabinet Secretary as the then-prime minister rebuilt his No10 team in an attempt to save his premiership.

His exit in February made his tenure the shortest in the role's history, with taxpayers left to pick up the hill for a hefty payout.

It had initially been suggested that Sir Chris had been handed £260,000 as part of his severance package. But several insiders briefed on the settlement have now told the Financial Times it topped £500,000 – which would make it a record payout.

The payment had to be person-

Ousted: Sir Chris Wormald

ally signed off by Sir Keir after Cal Little, the top official at the Cabinet Office, said she needed a 'ministerial direction' on the sum.

In a letter to Sir Keir in February, she said: 'The proposed award is greater than what Sir Chris would be contractually entitled to.'

'However, I am informed that a settlement of this level is necessary given this is a departure from

a high profile, unique role that has been agreed at very short notice.' Ms Little added Sir Keir's sign-off was needed on 'propriety and value for money grounds'.

Sir Chris was appointed in December 2024, with Sir Keir hailing him as the right man to 'rewire the British state'. But he was forced out as part of a 'reset' of the Downing Street operation

'More than he was entitled to'

following the damaging Peter Mandelson scandal.

One Government figure confirmed the payout of around £500,000, telling the FT: 'It shows why they needed the PM to sign it off. People were pretty shocked to find out. He was the shortest-serving cabinet secretary in history, so it makes sense he

wanted a lot if he was to leave with that pretty damning statistic.'

Sir Chris was replaced by Dame Antonia Romeo, formerly the top civil servant at the Home Office.

Full details of severance payments for senior officials will be included in the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts, to be published later this year. A spokesman said: 'We don't comment on individual HR matters.'

There was doubt whether, as a career civil servant, Sir Chris was the right person to drive radical reform in Whitehall, and he was criticised for failing to deliver. He also had ultimate responsibility for the checks over Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador, although he took up the role only days before it was announced.

Conservative leader Kenu Badenoch accused Sir Keir at the time of throwing Sir Chris 'under the bus' to 'save his own skin'.

Comment – Page 16

Greens call for Press curbs after Arday death

By Sophie Church Political Reporter

GREEN Party activists are using Jason Arday's death to call for a crackdown on the freedoms of the Press.

Just days after the Cambridge professor died, Green members have proposed plans that could eventually see the state curbing the media's output.

In a motion titled 'Justice for Jason Arday: Stopping Racist Smear Campaigns and Reforming Media Power' to be taken to the party's autumn conference, Green activists call for every major paper to be made to join a state-backed Press regulator.

Regulators would then 'map and address racism' in their coverage, as well as any perceived 'ableism' or 'harassment'. Under the proposals, media regulator

'Diversity of voices'

Ofcom would be charged with ordering large media platforms to remove 'hateful, discriminatory and conspiratorial' material.

Social media companies would also be required to 'promote and protect' a 'diversity of voices' under the plans.

'The motion is now backed by 89 members, according to The Spectator, which first uncovered the proposals. If it is heard at the party's conference and then voted through, it will become official Green Party policy.'

Kevin Hollinrake, chairman of the Conservative Party, said: 'This is a straight up attack on free speech by the Green Party.'

'The motion was brought forward by Tariq Khawaja, a member of Greens for Palestine.

A party spokesman said: 'Green Party policy is decided democratically by our members, and motions can be submitted to conference, including to reflect developments in national political conversations.'

House blaze widow 'was murdered'

A WIDOW who was killed in a house fire which saw her daughter escape is believed to have been murdered.

Sylvia Townsend, 94, died in the blaze at her home in Hardwicke, near Gloucester, in the early hours of Sunday.

Neighbours described how firefighters desperately tried in vain to resuscitate the pensioner after she was carried out of her burning bungalow on a blanket.

It is believed the mother-of-two lived with her daughter Laura, 63, at the property.

Gloucestershire Police said a woman in her 60s, from Gloucester, had been arrested on suspicion of murder and arson with intent to endanger life before being released on bail pending further inquiries.

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Page 9

Nearly 30 years after her death, Diana's brother writes his own 'deeply personal' memoir lifting the lid on her unhappy marriage

EXCLUSIVE

By Mark Hookham

EARL Spencer has written a memoir about his sister Princess Diana and the tumultuous aftermath of her tragic death, the Daily Mail can reveal.

Set to be published next month, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister is a deeply personal account of his relationship with his sibling, which he has never told before.

The book, described as 'historic' and 'extraordinarily moving', is expected to cover Diana's childhood, her deeply unhappy 15-year marriage to the then-Prince of Wales, and the febrile days following her shocking death in a car crash in Paris in August 1997.

Earl Spencer, 62, said: 'With the 30th anniversary of Diana's tragic death on the skyline, I've been inundated yet again with requests for interviews about my sister.

'This has convinced me to write down my own thoughts and memories, once and for all, rather than having the discomfort of again reading the opinions of others, many of which are based on untruths that have become accepted over time.'

Swan Song, which will be published around the world and

'I want to speak on her behalf'

translated into 12 languages, is expected to provide an unprecedented inside account of a seismic week during which the House of Windsor was rocked by a global wave of public grief and anger.

Earl Spencer famously delivered a raw and defiant eulogy during Diana's funeral at Westminster Abbey, which was broadcast to an astonishing worldwide audience of 2.5billion.

During the oration, he highlighted how his sister 'needed no royal title to continue to generate her particular brand of magic'.

He also pledged Diana's 'blood family' would protect Princes William and Harry 'so that their souls are not simply immersed by duty and tradition, but can sing openly as you planned'.

His words so moved the huge crowds gathered outside that their spontaneous applause was eventually followed by clapping from the congregation inside the abbey.

Earl Spencer added: 'The aim of this book is to tell the truth about Diana from her brother's perspective, just as I attempted to do when speaking at her funeral. As with my eulogy, I want to

Troubled: Diana's 15-year marriage to Charles was turbulent and, above, the book cover

speak on Diana's behalf and do so in an openly positive way.

'I hope this book will be of interest to the many who still cherish the memory of Diana when she was alive, and I would be delighted if those too young to remember her in her heyday feel – after reading this – that they 'get' who she really was: a one-off, dynamic character, full of love, charisma and self-doubt, who gave life a hell of a go, and left the world a far better place, despite exiting the stage while still so young.'

In the days leading up to the

funeral, a row broke out behind the scenes over the decision for William and Harry to walk in Diana's funeral procession.

Writing in his controversial 2023 memoir Spare, Harry disclosed that his uncle objected vocally at the time, describing the idea of having the boys, then aged 15 and 12, following the funeral cortege as a 'barbarity'.

He also revealed that when an alternative plan was suggested of having William walk alone behind the coffin, Harry objected, saying he did not want his brother to undergo the ordeal on his own.

Controversial: William and Harry walked behind Diana's cortege, despite protestations from Earl Spencer

Earlier this year, Earl Spencer described how 'fundamentally unhappy' he becomes every year on the anniversary of his sister's death and how he finds it hard when strangers tell him where they were when she died.

Reflecting on Diana's 'extraordinary' legacy, he added: 'It's different things to different people, particularly to women of a similar age.

'They really invested their lives in hers. Maybe they had an unhappy marriage, maybe they battled an eating disorder.

'There's plenty of Diana to look

into and take your bit out of – almost like a horoscope, you can make it make sense for you.'

Swan Song is due to be published in the UK by Penguin Michael Joseph, a division of Penguin Random House, on September 22.

The book's striking cover features an elegant black-and-white photograph of Diana.

Publisher Daniel Bunyard said: 'This is a book of historic importance, telling as it does the story of one of the 20th century's most iconic and culturally significant figures, but it is also utterly unique in being written by Earl Spencer, from a vantage point of such intimacy.

'Charles Spencer is both a loving brother and an acclaimed memoirist as well as a celebrated historian, and all these facets are brought together in Swan Song.

'It is extraordinarily moving, beautifully written and remarkably candid, in no small part due to Charles's rare ability to access great emotional depth without sentimentality, honest observation without rancour, and warmth without gloss.

'While these pages contain many revelations that will draw considerable attention, readers will find, for the first time – but also for all time – a fitting tribute to the beloved woman who was Princess Diana.'

■ Swan Song by Charles Spencer (Penguin Michael Joseph, £23). To order a copy for £23.89 go to www.mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2957. Free UK delivery on orders over £25. Promotional price valid until 30/09/2026.

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Page 10

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Page 11

By Rebecca English Royal Editor

WHEN Queen Camilla opened the new Maggie's Royal Free cancer support centre in London in January 2024, few knew her private anguish.

For just days before her visit, surgeons had told the King and Queen they had found cancer during routine surgery on Charles.

Camilla kept the news to herself even while speaking to other patients and families coming to terms with their own life-changing situations as she had been sworn to secrecy about his condition.

Now, for the first time, Her Majesty has spoken about her emotions during the official engagement to mark the charity's 30th anniversary and to publicise its vital work supporting those affected by cancer.

The Queen admits she had very different

Camilla: I longed to let it out that the King had cancer, but couldn't...

feelings while talking with patients and their families as she was now there as one of them.

Speaking to the charity's chief executive, Dame Laura Lee, in the seven-minute film, Queen Camilla said: 'It had never really come back to roost at home and suddenly your husband is diagnosed and you think, 'Goodness, I've been talking to all these people and now I'm the one... who has got to help to look after my poor husband and

try to understand it all'. I was just longing to let it out but obviously I couldn't. I was almost questioning them. I didn't... I was just talking to them, but... I felt it was much more deep.'

Camilla, who has been president of Maggie's since 2008, added: '[I] looked at everybody who was suffering and all the relations, and I think it made me realise even more how important these places were.'

It was five days after her visit on January

31, 2024, Buckingham Palace announced King Charles had been diagnosed with the disease.

Last December officials announced that His Majesty has responded 'exceptionally well' to treatment and that it would now move into a 'precautionary phase'.

The full film collaboration between Maggie's and Buckingham Palace will be available to view on the Royal Family's YouTube channel.

By Aidan Radnedge

AN ARCHITECT accused of threatening to kill his clients and their daughter after messing up building plans for their new clinic has been struck off.

Joan Beltri launched a 'campaign of harassment, abuse and threats' via email and voicemail towards his clients over work in Winchester, Hampshire, a tribunal heard.

He also threatened Dr James Escoda-Francoli, 45, and 36-year-old wife Carolina Sampietro - saying he would 'kill them all'.

Dr Escoda-Francoli, a specialist oral surgeon, and Mrs Sampietro, an aesthetics practitioner who performs non-surgical cosmetic procedures, hired Beltri, 50, to work on a beauty clinic they were building.

But the relationship soured after a series of blunders, including a gas pipe being cut through.

Beltri - who describes himself as a structural engineer and an artificial intelligence engineer - failed to secure permission from the council to work on the Grade II-listed building.

It led to Beltri, a Spanish compatriot of his clients, insulting Dr Escoda-Francoli - claiming his wife was sleeping with other men and saying: 'If I saw you in the street, I would spit in your face.'

Dr Escoda-Francoli and Mrs Sampietro, from Southampton, were then horrified

'If I saw you, I'd spit in your face'

to learn their architect had said: 'I will kill them all. It's what I will do. Their parents, their family, and their children.'

Beltri has now been struck off by the Architects Registration Board (ARB).

Dr Escoda-Francoli is a top oral surgeon and was previously an associate professor at the University of Barcelona. Mrs Sampietro is a registered aesthetics nurse who is opening the clinic in Winchester in October. The couple moved to the UK from northern Spain in 2016.

The hearing was told that Beltri registered as an architect in the UK in 2010.

He started working for Dr Escoda-Francoli and his wife in August 2024 after they bought a building in Winchester which they wanted to turn into an aesthetic clinic.

There were disputes between Beltri and his clients, often centred on which work should be subcontracted and which he should do himself.

When he was working on the project, he failed to make a written agreement about the works, failed to ensure the build was in accordance with building control, and did not get planning permission to start work on a Grade II-listed property.

Beltri also carried out work he was not qualified to do, such as cutting a gas pipe because there was a leak after the boiler was changed.

The couple ended Beltri's

Struck off, architect who threatened to kill surgeon's family after row over a renovation

Beauty clinic: Aesthetics nurse Carolina Sampietro

contract in November 2024 and reported him to the ARB.

He became increasingly abusive towards the couple, leaving voicemail messages such as 'I have never come across such a son of a

bitch as you' and 'you're a bunch of mother***'.

He referred to Dr Escoda-Francoli as a 'homosexual', and it was heard that Beltri threatened the couple's daughter while speaking

Threats: Joan Beltri

to ARB officials. Beltri said 'he was so angry he would kill them and their child', and that 'I let Mrs Sampietro know that my only response to any allegation brought by her is that she is a

Grade II-listed: The couple hired the architect to work on their clinic in Winchester

bitch'. Beltri also told an ARB official: 'I will kill them all. It's what I will do. Their parents, their family, and their children.'

Beltri, representing himself, told the ARB tribunal: 'I do not apologise for the communications because I maintain that I did not use abusive or threatening language.'

'I do not accept the characterisation of my conduct as harassment, abuse or threats.'

The ARB ruling panel said: 'The committee accepted the evidence of all the witnesses that they had found the communications from [Beltri] deeply distressing.'

The committee is satisfied that it is appropriate to describe [Beltri]'s actions as a campaign of harassment, abuse and threats from April until August 2025.'

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Page 12

Palantir training for NHS staff axed as row deepens over £330million contract

THE NHS has scrapped plans to train staff in technology made by Palantir over fears of a backlash.

The Florida firm has helped develop a data platform to

By Miles Dilworth

Deputy Investigations Editor

bring together information from across the health service. Official figures show an extra

110,000 operations have gone ahead since the Federated Data Platform was introduced.

But plans to train more staff to use the technology have been ditched after negative publicity. It comes as Palantir's

£330million contract with the NHS is up for review next year. The Labour-led Science and Technology Committee and the British Medical Association have called for it to be scrapped.

Palantir has come under fire from some MPs – particularly those on the hard Left, as well as pro-Palestine protesters – for providing technology for US immigration enforcement and the Israeli army.

Tom Bartlett, former deputy director of data engineering at NHS England, was asked to hold a national 'webinar' by a senior member of the NHS Informatics Skills Development Network (ISDN) – an

'Campaign of intimidation'

NHS-run network created to help digital staff develop their skills. But he was later told that the network's leaders had blocked the session because they did not want to be associated with it.

Mr Bartlett, who has no links to Palantir, said he was told ISDN bosses had said 'because of the articles coming out about Palantir, they don't want to be associated with it' and 'now was not the right time' for his training session.

However, Mr Bartlett believes Palantir has been the victim of misinformation and a campaign of intimidation. He told the Daily Mail he had been called a 'genocide supporter' and had seen

Facing criticism: Yvette Cooper

women followed out of Palantir's headquarters by angry protesters.

Mr Bartlett said this had created a 'culture of silence' around the issue and called on Health Secretary Yvette Cooper to speak out.

He said: 'The Secretary of State for Health hasn't said anything about it. The Prime Minister hasn't said anything about it. No one feels able to talk about it.

'The Federated Data Platform is supposed to be accelerating, not decelerating. There needs to be staff who understand it, but they don't know what it is because they have not had the training.

'They need to set that culture of openness and of collaboration, not of silence and fear.'

NHS England said: 'While NHS England does not run events for this network, five sessions are provided if staff need further information about the technology.'

A Palantir spokesman said training staff was 'an important way' to 'maximise those benefits' brought by the new data platform.

Louis Mosley, UK boss of Palantir, has said it would be 'irresponsible' to scrap its NHS contract when it is delivering better care for thousands of patients.

Meta 'got children hooked then hid truth from public'

META deliberately got children addicted to its Facebook and Instagram platforms, a court heard yesterday as the social media giant's blockbuster trial kicked off.

A coalition of 29 states is suing Meta for an estimated $200billion (£148billion) for allegedly deploying technology designed to exploit young users.

Four lead states – California, Colorado, Kentucky and New

'Being sued for £148billion'

Jersey – had attorneys in court to accuse the company of fuelling anxiety, depression and even suicide, and misleading users over how safe its platforms are.

They also argue Meta has routinely collected data on children under 13 without parents' consent – which would violate US federal law. The company denies all the allegations.

Megan O'Neill, a deputy attorney

By Jamie Boys

general for California, told the eight-person jury in Oakland, California, that Meta's business model was to 'hook the users, hold them for as long as they can, harvest their data, and then hide the truth from the public'.

Alongside a financial penalty, the states want to see major changes to Instagram and Facebook, such as ending 'like' counts and infinite scroll. They also want Meta to adopt parental verification for teenage users, change its 'dopamine-manipulating recommendation algorithms', and remove appearance-altering filters.

But Meta said in a statement: 'We are proud of our record in protecting teens on our platforms and the amount of effort that we've put into developing protections over the years, even before these cases were ever filed, and continuing to the present day. We look forward to showing the judge and the jury those facts in court.'

The case is set to last six to eight weeks, and will feature testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

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Page 13

Return of the Vicar of Tiddly

Disgraced priest who drunkenly crashed Bishop of Lincoln's car lands new role at London church

EXCLUSIVE

By Cameron Charters and Neil Sears

A VICAR who caused havoc by crashing his bishop's car while three times over the drink-drive limit has been given a new job in the Church of England.

Father Sion Hughes Carew was banned from driving for two years in March for smashing the Bishop of Lincoln Stephen Conway's £48,000 Kia Sportage.

Despite the spectacle earning him the nickname 'the Vicar of Tiddly', Carew has controversially returned to the pulpit as a curate in London, the Daily Mail can reveal.

Carew is now preaching at St Michael and All Angels – a Grade II listed church in Chiswick, west London.

At his first mass on August 9, he thanked parishioners for their 'loving welcome' and for extending their hospitality to

'Not faced any consequences'

him. He said this included trips to the 'opera, theatre, galleries, concerts, lunches and even the football. An entirely new and thrilling departure for me'.

'I just managed not to shout bravo as QPR scored a goal and we all at our end of the stands leapt to our feet,' he added.

Responding to the appointment, one former parishioner from Lincoln said it was 'a cover-up.' They said: 'People are pretty annoyed because the drink driving matter was not dealt with properly. He seems to have got off with that. He has just gone from one thing to another and not really had to face the consequences of what he has done.'

'He has been off sick from our

Birthday bash: Carew, left, and Bishop Conway

Crash: The Bishop's Kia halted by a garden wall

parish and then straight into this new role. The thing that is a bit secretive is we were told he was leaving, but there was no mention he was going to something else.'

As curate, Carew will assist the senior vicar by giving sermons and visiting parishioners at their homes. Carew is living with parishioners who attend St Michael and All Angels.

Carew's new role comes after his ill-fated birthday celebrations with the bishop at his palace on a

Friday night in October. A barefoot Carew drove half a mile from Lincoln Cathedral and hit a parked Skoda Octavia owned by Brian Meagher, 78, the partner of Archers actress Heather Bell who plays Clarrie Grundy.

Footage of the crash showed the vicar driving the Kia up a hill but then apparently stalling and rolling backwards into a garden wall. Shocked parishioners gathered round the scene of the crash, which saw Mr Meagher's

Skoda written off. When asked for comment, Carew said he had nothing to say about his new role.

A Diocese of London spokesman said: 'The Diocese and parish ensured additional training and support are in place, given the previous incident for which Fr Sion has apologised.'

Bishop Conway has since been suspended from his office after police opened an investigation into an allegation of sexual assault.

Hotel guests flee as Spain is rocked by second earthquake

Mail Foreign Service

SOUTHERN Spain was hit by its second major earthquake in four days yesterday as a 4.8-magnitude tremor forced hotels to evacuate and injured at least three people.

The quake hit near the tourist hotspot of Granada at 10.38am local time.

Cars in the street were damaged by falling debris, while buildings across the city were scarred by large cracks.

A girl was among three people taken to hospital with minor injuries, local officials said.

Emergency services received more than 500 calls reporting damage after the earthquake, which had its epicentre in the town of Alhendin, around six miles south of Granada.

Hotels and public buildings including Nevada Shopping – a retail centre in the city – had to be evacuated.

Locals rushed from their homes into the streets, fearing powerful aftershocks.

Alfonso Malpica was inside his ground-floor flat in Granada when the walls began shaking.

He told El Pais newspaper that the quake was 'stronger than the

'Rubble strewn across streets'

ones that happen from time to time, the ones we're used to'.

The Alhambra palace – a Unesco world heritage site of medieval Islamic architecture – remained closed for the entire day. The palace is visited every year by millions of tourists from around the world.

Meanwhile, Granada's metro network said that it was reducing the speed of its trains for 'safety reasons', and warned of travel delays.

Videos posted on social media showed rubble strewn across streets and broken wine bottles flooding supermarket aisles.

Several aftershocks followed, including tremors of 4.3 and 4.0 magnitude. More than 350 seismic movements have been recorded in the Granada province since August 14, according to data from Spain's National Geographic Institute.

It came after a magnitude-5.0 tremor woke local residents shortly after 1am on Saturday.

No injuries were reported then, although some buildings were damaged. Andalusia's president Juanma Moreno warned after yesterday's quake of further possible tremors.

30 IVF children 'conceived through the wrong donors'

MORE than 30 children are thought to have been conceived through IVF using the wrong sperm or egg donors, an investigation has found.

Dozens of parents, most of them British, fear fertility clinics in northern Cyprus did not use the donors they had selected.

Families said they chose anonymous sperm or egg donors after considering

By Ciaran Foreman

their medical history, looks, personality and education, with many opting for donors with similar heritage.

However DNA tests are said to have subsequently revealed genetic ancestry from Turkey and nearby countries, despite families being told the donors

were from western Europe. The BBC, which reported the alleged mistakes, said a total of 11 of the 30 children have undergone DNA tests, which are said to have found ancestry that differed from the choice made by parents.

Half of the 30 children were conceived following treatment at Dogus IVF Centre in Nicosia, northern Cyprus. One mother

treated at the clinic, who discovered her selected sperm donor was not the biological father of her son, described the situation as 'absolutely scandalous'.

The woman, named only as Rachel, said: 'I used to think the clinic had made a one-off mistake... it feels like this is something much bigger and more deceitful.' The Daily Mail contacted Dogus for comment.

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Page 14

Farrier charged with killing man, 55, who was 'bitten by dog' in right-of-way row'

A WALKER died after being bitten by a farrier's dog as they argued about 'right of way' on a private footpath, a court heard yesterday.

James Judge, 55, was bitten on the back of his right knee by an Alsatian-Australian hunt-away cross belonging to local man Lee Ellis.

West Yorkshire Police were called to the 'altercation' on the old railway line in the Calder Grove area of Wakefield on Saturday afternoon at 1.30pm.

Mr Judge later died in hospital while the dog was seized and remains in police kennels.

Landowner Ellis, also 55, appeared at Bradford Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with manslaughter and of being

By Adam Pogrund and Mark Duell

in charge of a dog that was dangerously out of control and caused a death.

Mr Judge, who is said to have become agitated during the row, is thought to have filmed Ellis on his mobile phone and threatened to report him to police. The dog

'A verbal altercation'

at some point bit Mr Judge – and Ellis then attempted to get the animal away from the scene, it has been alleged.

Both men are said to have separately called 999.

Ellis, realising Mr Judge had been bitten, is believed to have

called for an ambulance and offered to help him but was told by an emergency operator to leave the area. Soon afterwards, two members of the public found Mr Judge, who was bleeding. He was taken to hospital but died shortly after 7pm that evening.

Rob Pones, representing Ellis, said there was 'a verbal altercation in regards to right of way'.

Georgina Fishwick, prosecuting, told the court an initial post-mortem examination had been unable to determine the exact number of dog bites to Mr Judge.

Father-of-two Ellis, a keen horse-rider and farrier who is separated from his wife, wiped his eyes during the hearing. He is said to frequently post videos of him taking care of horse hooves.

Ellis is believed to have bought his agricultural property for

Accused: Lee Ellis yesterday

£5,000 in 2002 and renovated it with new-built stables. A number of signs warning of guard dogs are on the outside of his house.

One dog walker said: 'We don't normally get trouble here. The path where it happened is a well-trodden route, there are a lot of dog walkers.'

District Judge Mark Daley bailed Ellis to appear at Leeds Crown Court on September 16.

Reform of GP referrals to hospital led to patients dying

Daily Mail Reporter

PATIENTS died as a result of an initiative to ease the pressure on hospitals, a watchdog found.

At least two died and others went months without help after treatment was delayed by the NHS Advice and Guidance (A&G) system. A&G encourages GPs to ask advice from hospital specialists before referring a patient to hospital. But now the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) has warned the NHS to pause its rollout before more people are harmed.

One patient had been suffering from seizures when a GP made an A&G request for advice from a neurology team. This was unanswered for more than a month. A follow-up took another six weeks and, while waiting, the patient died of cardiac arrest. Another patient died waiting for cardiology treatment due to a delay in reviewing test results caused by the A&G system.

Dr Nick Woodiec of the HSSIB, said: '[We] found evidence of harm where implementation has not been adequately designed or monitored.'

18+. UK Only. 16+. Speed 2.5Mbps. Live scheduling may be subject to change. Full terms apply.

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Page 15

Supermodel Karen breaks 30-year silence to say: I suffered horrible things

By Laura Craik

CINDY, Christy, Naomi, Linda – so famous were these supermodels in the 1990s that no surname was required.

Decades later, they're still enjoying the fruits of their highly successful catwalk careers.

Alas, the same can't be said of one of their closest contemporaries. Say 'Karen', and few would think of Karen Mulder, who was one of the highest-earning models of the Nineties, commanding over $10,000 (£7,400) a day and working extensively for Chanel, Dior, Versace and Victoria's Secret, as well as appearing on the cover of Vogue nine times.

Since disappearing from the spotlight in 2000, the Dutch star once known as 'the

'Locked away and silenced'

blonde with class' has opted not merely to live a quiet life, but a silent one. Until now. Ms Mulder, 57, has been unveiled as the new cover star of German Vogue's prestigious September issue, breaking her 30-year silence to give an exclusive interview that sheds light – though not much – on why she disappeared from the fashion world at the height of her career.

Glamorous as her life seemed after being talent-spotted aged 15, the reality was very different. Ms Mulder was an early whistleblower whose accusations of sexual abuse pre-empted the 'Me Too' movement by many years. In 2001, aged 32, she appeared on a French talk show and spoke of coercive behaviour within the industry, including

Star quality: Karen Mulder on catwalk

severe abuse, drug use and threats. While the show never aired, Ms Mulder repeated her allegations to French police in a statement. Several days later, she was admitted to a psychiatric facility in Paris. Leaving after several months, she told police she 'fabricated' her accusations.

In the Vogue interview, Ms Mulder details how she was 'locked away' and 'silenced', saying: 'I was forced to say I had made it all up.' She does not specify by whom, other than to speak of 'horrible, inhumane things' that happened to her.

'I thought that because I was famous, people would believe me,' she tells German Vogue. 'All I wanted was for those terrible things to stop – for men to stop thinking they could do whatever they pleased.'

While Ms Mulder claims she never met Jeffrey Epstein in person, her name has surfaced in relation to the Epstein files

Cover girl: Mulder on the front of German Vogue's September issue

and their exposure of the supply of women to powerful men via modelling agents.

Ms Mulder's agent was Gerald Marie, owner of Elite and former husband of her contemporary Linda Evangelista.

In July, it was revealed Marie, 76, was facing rape allegations by six women, some of whom were models who worked for him in the 1980s and 1990s. In March, 15 former

models wrote to the Paris prosecutor claiming to have legal documents linking Marie to Epstein. Marie denies all claims.

Ms Mulder says she feels 'now is the right time to come back. I'm looking to the future with nothing but positivity'.

A catwalk appearance is planned for next month. Never mind 'the blonde with class' – Karen Mulder is 'the blonde with bravery'.

Send for the ark! First the drought, now it's the floods

By Richard Marsden

FORGET the sunscreen – now brollies and waterproofs may come in handy.

Torrential thundery showers will make their way across much of the country tomorrow, with forecasters warning of flash flooding after five heatwaves have left the ground too hard to soak up the water.

Downpours are set to move south from Scotland, bringing some welcome relief after drought was declared in more than 70 per cent of England and all of Wales.

But Mike Silverstone, of the Met Office, warned: 'As some of these showers could be intense, there is a chance of some surface water flooding as the rain falls on very dry and hard ground. While some of these will be heavy, some areas will miss them altogether.' London and the South East,

1464

'First the fires, now the floods – I hope a plague of locusts doesn't spoil the village fête on Saturday'

in particular, are expected to stay dry and sunny. Temperatures in the coming days are set to reach the low 20s Celsius (70s Fahrenheit) in southern England and Wales but only the high teens in

Shorter showers for 16m

THAMES Water has urged its 16 million customers to shorten their showers in an effort to reduce water waste.

It came as the water company – the UK's largest – warned yesterday that its London reservoir storage is at 74 per cent, lower than it would expect for August, while its Farmoor reservoir in Oxfordshire is 92 per cent full.

The firm, which imposed a hosepipe ban last month,

added July's rainfall of less than 1mm in its catchment area was just 2 per cent of the long-term average.

Martin Padley, water director at Thames Water, said: 'Small changes, such as taking shorter showers, turning off taps and avoiding non-essential water use outdoors, all help reduce pressure on our network while our teams continue working around the clock to find and fix leaks.'

northern areas – more typical for a British summer. The showers are likely to continue into Friday before a fine and dry Saturday. Widespread rain arrived late on Monday, with further showers

yesterday – particularly in northern areas. Patchy drizzle was due to clear from the South East this morning followed by a return of sunshine for most. Mr Silverstone added: 'Many areas are desperate

for rain... some will see the first meaningful rain for a long time.'

The hot weather is not over yet, though, with 'warm, humid spells' possible for the rest of August.

And the Met Office has raised the spectre of a sixth heatwave during the first half of September, especially in the south.

The scorching conditions have

'Ground too hard to soak up rain'

led to dozens of serious wildfires across the UK and drained reservoirs and water reserves. More than 27million people are subject to restrictions on water use, with Wessex Water the latest to bring in a hosepipe ban from yesterday.

July was the driest in England and Wales since records began 190 years ago, with some areas recording no rain at all for nearly two months.

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Page 16

Editorial

COMMENT

Coming clean on cost of Net Zero

WITH official estimates indicating a bill of £4.5 trillion over 25 years, the cost of Labour's ludicrous Net Zero agenda is almost too astronomical to contemplate.

But research suggesting electricity customers will pay an extra £540 a year as a result of this utterly misguided obsession put it in terms everyone can appreciate.

It also shows that prioritising cheap power – from sources like gas and nuclear – over a fully Net Zero grid would still leave us with nearly 80 per cent 'clean' electricity.

It is difficult to disagree with Kemi Badenoch – whose party published the findings – when she says that we haven't heard about this because the Government are 'more driven by ideology than evidence'.

Regrettably, there doesn't appear to be any hope of that changing. All the signs so far indicate that Andy Burnham will do no more than tinker with some of the myriad excesses introduced by Ed Miliband, the former energy secretary.

Nor should it be forgotten should that Miatta Fahnbulleh, Mr Miliband's replacement, is a dyed-in-the-wool eco-zealot of the same stripe as her predecessor.

Granted, the Prime Minister has made some positive-sounding noises on the broader energy issue. But even if he follows through on his word and takes a more pragmatic approach to North Sea exploration, the benefits will be felt more in terms of energy security than lower prices.

The 'Tories' proposals hold out the prospect of real savings for hard-pressed households over the next two decades. Although even a cursory look at the blueprint indicates that it will require major investment in our nuclear infrastructure to make it all happen.

Mrs Badenoch's plan would mean far fewer unsightly pylons and power cables blighting our landscape. More importantly, it would also have a far greater impact on individual family finances than some of the risible money-saving gimmicks announced by the PM since his arrival in No10.

Labour isn't working

JUST a month has passed since statistics pointed to a 'tragile' British economy in the grip of stagflation. The data was released amid a growing chorus of warnings that the nation is careering towards a debt crisis.

Now there is more bad news. Figures show we have been plunged into a 'jobs drought' after vacancies dropped to an almost 12-year low and unemployment spiked.

Yet depressing as these numbers are, they hardly come as a shock. The crippling effects of Labour's increases in employers' national insurance contributions and the youth minimum wage have had a disastrous effect on the jobs market. Throw Angela Raynor's new rules on workers' rights into the mix and it is wholly unsurprising that businesses are reluctant to recruit staff.

No one denies that stimulating jobs growth is challenging. But it won't be made any easier by penalising employers and creating a new generation of union militants.

Pay-off palaver

THE latest example of Labour's profligacy with public funds comes in the shape of Chris Wormald's pay-off.

We are told that taxpayers ended up with a £900,000 bill following the sacking of Sir Chris as Cabinet Secretary last February. The severance payment was signed off by the same man who had hired him just 14 months earlier, Sir Keir Starmer.

None of this should come as a surprise. When it comes to treating our money as theirs, the Left are utterly shameless.

Chilling threats from Putin, a bloated welfare bill and a deepening small boars crisis... but Amy's at a bus depot like the Mayor of Trump

RUMBLES of war are, in hot summer weeks, a nuisance to heads of government.

When Austria's Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914 – the event that sparked the First World War – our prime minister, Herbert Anguilla, was at home with his brandy bottle in Oxfordshire.

Told of the shooting, he murmured that little would come of the matter and resumed writing love letters to Venetia Stanley.

France's President Poincaré was at Longchamp race course. An aide sent Vienna a message of condolence while the president stayed for the last race. Germany's Wilhelm II was at the Kiel sailing regatta. The Kaiser showed more gumption than his counterparts. He yanked on his yacht's tiller, returned to shore and hastened to Berlin.

This strange, arid August we are not yet at such a perilous pass but it might not be long.

Moscow seems to be preparing for war with Nato, increasing its armed presence on borders with Poland and the Baltic states, and has Britain in its sights.

Elsewhere, the ceasefire between Iran and the United States has ended and President Trump's latest contribution to international harmony has been to threaten to 'bomb the s^v' out of pro-Western Oman. The Sultan of Oman is Britain's greatest ally in the Gulf.

On the domestic political front, too, tectonic plates are moving. Reform has announced a policy to cut welfare spending by £50 billion a year. Yesterday the Conservatives signalled their intention to ditch wider aspects of Net Zero, saying this could cut the cost of long-term electricity by a third and still leave it 80 per cent clean. Both policies are likely to prove popular.

You would expect any one of these national and international developments to merit an immediate, vigorous response from 10 Downing Street, particularly

by Quentin Letts

under a new occupant. PMs are said to be defined by their first days in office. Mr Burnham will, tomorrow, have been prime minister for already a month. Apart from announcing a 'No10 North' has he done anything? Has he crafted a character for himself and his premiership? Has he made the weather, or been blown about like a child's kite?

Burnhamites will aver that the PM has been on a tour of the nation, engaged in a whirl of meaningful activity. Along the way he suggested that pubs should pay lower taxes and two days after becoming PM he announced his intention to take rough sleepers off the streets. That second policy will be reannounced today with more specific details.

He agreed, furthermore, that it might be unwise to free PC Harper's killers from prison, even though that is Labour's current policy. The Justice Secretary is struggling to reinterpret the law to satisfy his boss's change of tack.

Thrilling

Mr Burnham has been exceedingly quiet about the small-boats crisis but he did comment on the tragic death of Jason Arday. Nor should we forget that his deputy, Louise Haigh, used the national emergency alert system to tell us not to grill sausages outdoors during the drought. That at least raised a laugh.

To this thrilling list of achievements can be added the fact that our new prime minister yesterday visited... Wolverhampton bus station.

Having previously been a mayor, Mr Burnham is keen on buses. Urban transit provision looms big on mayoral horizons. Some voters do care greatly about such things but should prime ministerial horizons not be wider? Should they not embrace the destination of the kingdom as a whole, rather than Mrs Sprockett's chances of catching the No 53 home in time for her tea? If the amassing of Russian

warheads on Europe's eastern flank is anything to go by, Mrs Sprockett's tea may soon be nuclear-charred. A lurching, unpredictable Moscow seems to be losing its war with Ukraine and is trying to distract attention by picking a fight with the West, particularly Britain.

The Russian embassy has accused us of being an 'accomplice of Ukrainian neo-Nazis' after British-made drones struck Russian military sites, refineries and warehouses. (Fact check: The Ukrainian government is not 'neo-Nazi'. That is simply what the increasingly impatient, and therefore dangerous, Vladimir Putin calls them.)

The drone strikes are said to have caused £35 billion worth of damage in Russia. 'London's actions will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer,' intoned Russia's embassy. 'The deeper its involvement in the conflict and the greater its support for Kyiv's terrorist machinery, the higher the price it will pay.'

A Putin propagandist on Russian state television called for the UK to be hit by some of Russia's Poseidon nuclear torpedoes, which can cause tsunamis.

'Give the British three days to learn to breathe underwater, then hit them with Poseidon,' raged TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov.

Putin's gorillas will have thumped their hairy chests at such rhetoric.

Standing in his bus station in Wolverhampton, how did Mr Burnham respond to this monstrous belligerence? He shifted on his feet, pushed his oversize spectacles up his nose and muttered that British policy to Ukraine would remain the same as it had been under Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer.

This was good to hear, so far as it went, but it might have been more convincing had he not been standing in a bus station at the time, an electronic destinations board vis-

ible over his right shoulder. With that it was back to his Mayor of Trumpton routine, bustling up to every civic incident to impose his good offices before inviting everyone to the community bandstand for a good old knees-up.

Cue the closing credits of Watch With Mother in the 1960s. Andy may not have the tricorn hat and chain of office but there is a lot of Trump-ton's top alderman to him.

One of the charges made against Sir Keir Starmer was that he was too interested in foreign affairs (and foreign travel). In Mr Burnham we may have the opposite.

He is comfortable talking about municipal matters but shies away from anything on the world stage. Is this the result of a shrewd, Maga-style judgment that voters are uninterested in foreign affairs? Or is it driven by lack of experience, even a slight sense of personal inadequacy?

Dither

So far he has certainly shown no inclination to say anything interesting about Britain's place in the world, its defence or its strategic imperatives.

He seems in a dither about the most solvable of those imperatives, the future of oil production in the North Sea. There were no rigs in Manchester, you see.

He did have brief contact the other day with someone purporting to be the White House's chief of staff but that turned out to be a hoax. Meanwhile, for his Defence Secretary he chose Wes Streeting, hardly the most martial of personalities. Corporal in the catering corps, at best.

Margaret Thatcher was still leader of the Opposition when, in 1976, the Russians dubbed her 'the Iron Lady'. What will their modern counterparts, and indeed that lunatic in the Kremlin, be making of Andy Burnham?

Not having been reared on TV's Trump, they may be unachnoled in the limited, unadventurous psyche of the classic British mayor. They may secretly believe there is a great deal more to this parochial waddler than he is letting on.

For all our sakes we must hope they are right.

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Page 17

SarahVine

sarah.vine@dailymail.co.uk

COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR FOUR TIMES IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS!

X @WestminsterWAG

Why I need

a holiday from my so-called holiday. Roll on autumn!

ARE you there yet? I only ask because it's normally around now, in the dog days of August, when it happens to me. After weeks of broiling hot days and sweltering nights, I start to fantasise about pulling on a lovely pair of soft woolly socks or snug- gling into a favourite scarf.

I long for chilly autumn nights and cosy evenings, to put away the cloying summer rosé and crack open a bottle of something dark and sturdy – a nice nebbiolo from bosky northern Italy, or something suitably Carpathian.

Ever since I was a child, I've loved that back-to-school moment – not because I particu- larly enjoyed school. I didn't, and in any case wasn't very good at it. It just meant that I didn't have to be with my family all day, every day, either at home or on holiday, somewhere crowded, hot and overpriced, or being forced to participate in hearty outdoor activities that I loathed and was no good at, such as tennis or sun- bathing – or day-drinking.

As an adult, it was no different. After the hell of the hot long vaca- tion, the cool relief of autumn and the return to a comforting rou- tine. No more trying to dream up new ways of entertaining bored children or, later on, getting in the car at 2am to rescue some hap- less teenager from a resort night- club or post-exam results party.

No more torturous car journeys with dogs and kids, no more queasy ferry crossings, no more five-hour delays in migraine- inducing airports designed and run by sadists. No more being risked by self-important security staff. No more worrying about the hairs on your toes, or whether that annoying bit of fat behind your bra strap is showing.

No more 'what's for lunch?' (why are you asking me?). No more bites, bugs, stings, wasps. No more tourists walking too slowly

in front of you. No more rip-off tavernas and 600-euro sunbeds. No more 'artisanal' local markets that are just cheap tat off Temu.

I realise, of course, that not everyone shares my view. I have one friend who absolutely adores the carefree, chaotic days of sum- mer, who is never happier than when on a crowded beach with suntan lotion in her hair and a paloma cocktail in hand – or so she claims. I remain sceptical. A lot of people, I find, feel they must pretend to like the summer holi- days when, in fact, they hate them just as much as I do.

The only exception to this is my friend Hannah, who came on holiday with us once and spent her days locked in her bedroom reading, emerging very occasion- ally in sunglasses and wide- brimmed hat to feed and endure a brief constitutional. I was natu- rally lost in admiration.

Perhaps it's a 'Fomo' thing. After all, social media is awash this time of year with the 21st-century equivalent of the Seventies holiday slide show, although no longer accompanied by Green Chartreuse (those French monks have a lot to answer for) and pickled eggs. But the sentiment is still the same: Not so much 'sharing' one's expe- rence as showing off. Which reminds me, that's another cate- gory to add to the list: Influenc- ers. Worse than the bloody wasps.

Occasionally, one spots a chink in the armour. The other day I texted a friend, same age as me, same child/elderly parents/ extended family configuration.

'How is your holiday going?' I asked, in the spirit of amicable enquiry. There was a short pause

while she was typing, then: 'I want to throttle the lot of them!'

'Ooh, goodie,' I replied. 'Me too. Who shall we start with?' No hes- itation: The menfolk would have to go first, not least since it would

around a pair of Lime bikes that had been chucked on their sides in his path.

I helped him steer round them and we got chatting. He said they've made his life an absolute misery, often forcing him off the pavement and on to the side of the road. Self- ishly, this thought had never

immediately halve the consump- tion of loo paper and cured meats, and generally make the environ- ment more sanitary. There was also some discussion about other relatives and their nocturnal

occurred to me. But when you look around and see how many pavements are being blocked by these things, you realise the potential danger they pose to anyone with any kind of impairment. What started out as a great idea has, as with so much these days, become a total menace.

Kate's the skinny jean queen

DID the late Queen ever wear jeans? I can't recall. Queen Camilla was spotted out and about in Ballater in a pair and looked very relaxed. Hers were the old-fashioned straight- leg variety – rarely seen these days – whereas her granddaughter

Eliza's were wide-leg- ged and baggy, which my daughter tells me is the cool way to wear them, either with boots or trainers. The main thing is they mustn't be skinny. The only Royal who can carry those off is the Princess of Wales, pictured left.

AS WE enter another week of the hosepipe ban, I can't help wondering: How much previous water are the 500-plus data centres in the UK using

every day while our beloved gardens wither and die? If ever there were a metaphor for a future ruled by machines, then this is surely it.

No cause for alarm

THERE is a fine line between a politician who is 'in touch' and one who just comes across as hopelessly patronising. Andy Burnham is fast showing himself to be the latter. In his desperation to seem 'relatable', he is boring us all with his usering ability to state the bleeding obvious. The ultimate expression of

this was that demented emergency alert the Gov- ernment sent to all our phones the other day, informing us that the weather was a bit hot and that perhaps it was not a good idea to run around with naked flames. Seriously? What next, an alert telling us that bears enjoy relieving themselves in woods?

UNLIKE most critics, I must confess I enjoyed Ricky Gervais's Alley Cats. Yes, the language is filthy – but I'm used to that after a lifetime in politics. But it was classic Gervais: Bittersweet comedy with moments of acute awkwardness. Anyway, I see that he and his partner, Jane Fallon, pictured right, are getting married – to avoid inheritance tax. This will surely have neighbours clutching at their

pearls in the north London champagne socialist enclave of Hampstead where the couple live. I can only admire his dedication to getting up all the right noses.

THINGS you see: I was walking to work the other day, and there was a homeless man asleep on the pavement. Some kind soul had left two cartons of milk by his

head. As I got closer, the man in front of me – a well-dressed chap in a suit – suddenly reached down and swiped one of them, before walking on. What kind of a person does that?

habits, best not repeated here, and a spirited conversation about what to do with adult children who leave Chinese takeaways out so that the dog eats them and then throws up in the night. On my bed. You know who you are.

I, of course, have no intention whatsoever of throttling anyone. I love all my family dearly, and spending time with all of them. But I don't think I'm alone in wishing I could just have a small break away from everyone else's pressing needs, preferably some- where dark and cool with good soundproofing. In other words, a holiday from the so-called holidays. Roll on autumn...

I'VE changed my mind about pay-as-you-go electric bikes. I used to love using them – Lime, Forest, Boris (aka Santander) – and was an avid user. But then the other day I was walking along the pavement, and I came across a blind gentleman. He was struggling to find his way

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Page 18

Record breaker: The 851lb monster

Bluefin tuna is caught in North Sea for the first time in 90 years

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Daily Mail Reporter

THIS is one fish that will definitely make a splash.

The first bluefin tuna to be caught in the North Sea for almost 90 years has been celebrated by fishermen and conservationists alike.

The huge creature, which weighed 746lb (338kg), was landed on Monday at Whitby, the port on the North Yorkshire coast that was a centre of big game fishing in the 1950s. Hollywood stars such as Clark Gable and David Niven were drawn to the area for the chance to catch the enormous 'tunny' fish.

Whitby holds the British record for a bluefin caught on rod and line - a 851lb monster in 1933. But due to overfishing of herring stocks the

'Disappeared in the 1960s'

big game species disappeared from the North Sea in the 1960s. Over the last ten years they have returned in huge numbers to waters of the South West where there is now a thriving and sustainable fishery for them.

The seas off Devon and Cornwall are teeming with tunny but now they appear to have returned in great number to the North Sea too.

Under Defra rules, fishing vessels are granted an annual licence to catch and land a small quota of bluefin tuna which they can sell to markets for thousands of pounds.

It was this big: Crewman with bluefin tuna landed in Whitby

The crew of Whitby vessel Dominator caught the whopping specimen, thought to be the first bluefin tuna landed in the area since 1939.

Local Glenn Kilpatrick said: 'I watched Dominator return, sitting noticeably heavy to one side with the weight of the catch aboard.'

Dr Lucy Hawkes, of the University of Exeter, which monitors the return of bluefin tuna to the North Sea, said: 'Bluefin tuna are also top predators who can only be in these waters if the ecosystems underneath them are healthy.'

Town hall lines up a 160% council tax rise

RESIDENTS of a London borough renowned for its low council tax may have to pay more than twice as much next year.

Households in Wandsworth are set to be hit by a 160 per cent increase in the amount they pay to the local Tory-run town hall, which would represent the biggest rise ever imposed in England.

It would mean the average amount for a Band D property soaring from £509 to £1,323.

However Wandsworth town hall only accounts for half of total bills, with the rest set by the Greater London Authority - so the overall amount would not increase by as much as 160 per cent.

Benjamin Elks, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Wandsworth residents will be horrified by the prospect of the biggest council tax hike in English history.

'A 160 per cent rise would be an extraordinary raid on households, even if the borough has historically

kept bills low. Councillors must exhaust every possible saving, cut waste and protect frontline services before asking residents to swallow a tax shock of this scale.'

The Conservatives, who seized control of the authority in May, say they are being forced to increase the bills because of a shake-up imposed by Angela Rayner.

Under the Communities Secretary's so-called 'fair funding' plans, more money is being funnelled to areas with higher deprivation, which means grants to Wandsworth are projected to fall by 40 per cent.

But Wandsworth Labour leader Simon Hogg claimed: 'The Conservatives are pretending the council has run out of money so they can bring in austerity policies.'

The council did not respond to requests to comment.

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Page 19

I will go on,

Celine Dion tells fans after illness

By Jennifer Ruby

Showbusiness News Editor

DIAGNOSED with a rare disorder that left her unable to walk or sing, Celine Dion thought her days of performing were behind her.

But four years after finding out she had stiff person syndrome, the Canadian says she is fighting fit for her five-week Paris residency.

The singer, 58, has been doing 90-minute Pilates sessions three times a week and bi-weekly ballet classes, as well as physical and vocal therapy and immunotherapy ahead of appearing in front of fans in shows next month.

'It's been so long, I would like to offer them something to show how I've missed them,' she told Harper's Bazaar. She last performed on stage at the Paris 2024 Olympic closing ceremony, having had to cancel her Courage world tour the previous year.

How prostate cancer

'could be diagnosed by MRI scans alone'

By Zoe Hardy

THOUSANDS of men with suspected prostate cancer could be spared painful and invasive biopsies, researchers have found.

Scientists say MRI scans alone can accurately diagnose the disease in some cases, raising hopes that patients could avoid unnecessary procedures and get treatment faster.

Under NHS best-practice guidelines, men should first receive an MRI to determine whether an operation is needed. In practice, however, limited scanner capacity and workforce shortages mean many men are still sent straight for biopsy, which

Daily Mail CAMPAIGN

END NEEDLESS PROSTATE DEATHS

carries a small risk of serious infection and bleeding.

Researchers from University College London Hospital (UCLH) looked at the scans of 880 men who attended the hospital's one-stop clinic with suspected prostate cancer. All the men had an MRI scan and a blood test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a potential marker of cancer.

Radiologists then examined the scans and rated how certain they were that a tumour was present. When doctors were 99 per cent

certain from the MRI that a man had prostate cancer, the diagnosis was confirmed by biopsy in every case.

Dr Alex Kirkham, a consultant radiologist at UCLH, said: 'What surprised us was how confidently we could call some of these scans, even when the tumours were small or PSA

'Less costly for the NHS'

levels looked unremarkable. It tells us that a proportion of prostate cancers have a genuinely distinctive appearance on MRI.

He added that patients are already treated for many cancers, such as kidney and liver cancer, 'without putting them through an invasive biopsy

first'. 'This study suggests prostate cancer could, in some cases, join that list,' he said.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, with nearly 58,000 diagnosed each year in the UK.

The Daily Mail is campaigning to end needless prostate deaths and backing prostate cancer screening for men at high risk of the disease.

Writing in the European Journal of Radiology, the researchers said reducing reliance on biopsy could mean faster access to treatment and less discomfort.

Dr Matthew Hobbs, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, said more testing was needed but it could one day transform how the disease is diagnosed, making the process 'much safer' for men and 'less costly for the NHS'.

Ephraim

Hardcastle

ANDREW Mountbatten-

Windsor's team are

apparently nervous as Todd

Blanche becomes Donald Trump's new Attorney General. Formerly the deputy AO, Blanche met Ghislaine Maxwell, the woman who knows where most of Jeffrey Epstein's skeletons are hidden, last August. A week later, Maxwell was moved with unusual speed to a minimum security facility with enhanced privileges, which will have caused those closest to Epstein to sweat. Maxwell has remained in contact with Blanche and, with all her appeals exhausted, her only hope of getting out early is a presidential pardon – something Trump hasn't ruled out. In return, the caged bird would be expected to sing to the consternation of AMW.

LOOKING back on being named the 'Sexiest Woman in the World' 30 years ago, Gillian Anderson, pictured, now plumly reflects in Vogue: 'The ludicrous irony, of course, is that when the

"world" declared me its sexiest woman, I felt anything but. I was raising a toddler while working impossibly long days and at the time was in well-worn oversized flannel pyjamas... I had been single for a while, having split from her father, and I wasn't dating.' Regularly setting pulses racing three decades on, canny Gillian has more than made up for it since.

TO MARK the release of his final novel in October, Jeffrey Archer has chosen former Tory colleague Gyles Brandreth to preside at the launch at London's Leicester Square Theatre. Gyles hasn't always been so flattering about the old rogue. When he boasted, as Tory deputy chairman, of being in 'almost hourly' contact with Margaret Thatcher, Gyles observed: 'They [the Thatchers] have the measure of the man. He's the court jester, not Cardinal Wolsey.'

RECALLING her return to the dating circuit after splitting from barrister hubby Geoffrey Robertson, saucy author Kathy Lette reveals: 'Imagine my joy when the first man I connected with on a dating app was a gynaecologist... but he turned out to be a hypochondriac. When making love he'd stop at timed intervals to check his pulse and respiration rate.'

WHEN future Oscar winner Chariots Of Fire was beset with financial struggles during filming, star Nigel Havers was asked by producer David Puttnam: 'Why don't you ring your dad and ask him to invest in the film?' Remembering calling one-time Lord Chancellor Michael Havers while Puttnam secretly listened in on the call, Nigel chuckles: 'Dad said, "Don't be ridiculous!"' The actor adds: 'Had he invested some money, he'd have made a fortune.'

DELIGHTFULLY dotty William Shatner, 95, submits a list of bizarre demands for debuting his new band The *uckers at Riot Fest in Chicago. It includes an appearance on local TV co-hosting the weather, a DeLorean car to transport him to the stage, an 'asortment' of puppies and his dressing room to be themed as 'Shatner's Shag Shack'. Beam me up, Scotty.

Email: john.mcentee@dahrmat.co.uk

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Page 20

'All that pain and cost to look like an affluent, unhappy woman trying to be 40'

by Susannah Jowitt

IN EVERY woman's life, there comes a fork in the road when they look in the mirror and have a choice. Do they accept the hand dealt them by fate and genetics or tackle 'the problem' with intervention?

In other words, how far will they go for vanity? In many ways I am as vain as the next nearly-60-year-old. I squint closely at the lines on my face and slap on peptide serums when I remember.

I counteract my natural tendency to put on weight with exercise and sporadic bouts of curbing my enthusiasm for food and wine.

I sometimes think my boobs have tipped over from sex bomb into oversized bazooka territory and I'm not a big fan of the way my eyes have become hooded with age.

Sometimes, when caught off guard, my Resting Bitch Face looks more like Passed-Out Pensioner.

But this is ageing. I'm no longer 35 and I'm not trying to be. I'm not going to go gently - or invisibly - into that good night, nor am I going to let waves of judgment force me into fighting back the tides of time. So I draw the line at interventions I consider to be either unnatural or too medical to be justified in the name of that vanity. That means no Botox, no tweakments, no fat jabs and definitely no cosmetic surgery.

WHY would anyone willingly go through the pain, pus-seepage and financial suffering of a boob job or an eyelift just to look exactly like an affluent, unhappy-looking, slightly blurred woman still trying to look 40?

All of which makes me the polar opposite of Claudia. Five years ago she and I met at a photoshoot and I remember thinking how alike we were: Overweight but sassy about it, both of us suffering a little from that Fat Girl Syndrome of needing to be the funniest, jolliest person in the room.

She had me a little on the quick-fire wit and where she won hands down looks-wise was that she had great hair: Thick and lustrous next to my frizzy, peroxided mop.

So I have watched with amazement as she has halved her body weight with Mounjaro and is now the size 8 pin-up for the Femail fashion pages. Along the way, she has had a blepharoplasty to stop her eyelids drooping, taken Botox for years on and off and has seemed always to be on the hunt for the next miracle in face and body treatments.

Now she insists she has never felt or looked better.

Is there envy mixed in with my amazement? Yes, a little, because she's wearing shorts, mini skirts, tightly cinched belts and many other things I have long since said

goodbye to. But there's also a worm of reluctant bitchiness that wonders why, like some of my friends, she seems to have chosen the fork that leads to looking like a little old lady: Chic, smiling, Chanel-thin old ladies, to be sure, but with a bird-like fragility that is at drastic odds with their previous incarnations.

Why is it so important to Claudia and these other women that they are thin and wrinkle-free? So important that they are prepared to age themselves unnaturally and suffer side-effects that wouldn't be tolerated with, say, a headache pill or a skin cream?

A friend told me the other day that she loved her Mounjaro and didn't even mind the days - whole days - that she lost to nausea.

Claudia herself told me that one of the best things about the GLP-Is was the way she had zero desire to drink wine anymore. And

Susannah, 57, is letting nature take its course. Claudia, 60, uses Botox, fat jabs, cosmetic surgery and isn't ruling out a face lift. They both think the other is utterly mad. So...

then wrote about how, because her appetite had been so successfully suppressed by Mounjaro, the resulting malnutrition manifested itself in hair loss, dandruff and dull sagging skin that then needed an expensive supplement to bring back to life. Her wonderful hair was no more.

Another woman I talked to said that she didn't mind losing her hair on the jabs because she then had a hair transplant, so that was OK.

This is not OK. I want to shout, like the lone Cassandra in the room. I don't want to live in a world where I might have to medicate myself against the side-effects of taking drugs to slim, where I have no desire to drink wine and eat good food and have joyful sex; where I lose my hair and my skin, all in the name of getting thin and staying 'young'.

Partly because that just feels

wrong - in an artificial, Brave New World sense - but mostly because I don't believe that ultimately Claudia and these other women will be happier or healthier as a result. The honest truth is that I don't believe Claudia's transformation will bring her lasting contentment.

SHE says she pursues the body beautiful for herself but I fear she will always be battling to stay ahead of her hatred for her own body: That treacherous vessel that looks better right now but still tries to trip her up with drooping eyelids, wrinkly knees and forehead lines. I would say that she is living in fear and that there will always be something else she has to do: A procedure, a nip, a tuck, a pill to take. I've been there. I've had

those long dark teatimes of the soul where I've looked in the mirror and hated what I've seen.

My mother first put me on a diet when I was 11; I yo-yo dieted for the next 30 years all because society told me that I had to be thinner than I was.

I suspect Claudia has had much the same journey. I would like to go back to that moment, whenever it was, when she was told that she wasn't good enough the way she was, and whisk her away with me through the foothills of self-hatred to the sunnier uplands of acceptance.

Because, whereas she's reached 60 and is still fighting her body at every turn, I am the same age and have learned to accept mine as she flawed but beautiful machine it is.

I'm finally more interested in living well for the next 20 or 30 years than I am in satisfying

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Page 21

society's need for me to look a certain way. And by living well, I don't mean yoga and chia seeds - I mean living wonderfully. With summer lunch parties, the odd mini Magnum and bottle of rosé, Sunday dinners of roasties and Yorkshire pud. I look forward to evenings spent clutching my stomach in laughter and feeling the spare tyre there without self-hatred; of mornings holding my face up to the sunshine during long walks taken for enjoyment; of nights zipping myself into

party dresses that don't hide my curves but still make me feel sexy. So while I respect Claudia's choices to needle, lift, freeze and hover over the weighing scales, as being the ones her fundamental lack of body self-confidence has urged her to take, I wish she didn't feel the need to do it. I also accept that she won't see it that way. We have one thing in common, after all: We women of a certain age won't be told what to do.

THERE'S a photo of me in my early teens with my grandmother. I'm wearing the Eighties fashion of the day while she is very much in 'grandma' uniform: Sensible shoes, thick tan tights, a home-knitted cardi with her grey hair tightly permed.

It was only recently that I realised the much-loved 'old lady' in that picture was actually 58 years old, two years younger than I am now.

My friends' grandmothers all looked the same because that's how it was for that generation - no fuss, no pretension and certainly no spending money on fripperies like grooming and skincare.

Today - thank goodness - things have changed. Celebrities around my age, women like Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry, Elizabeth Hurley and Jennifer Aniston, all look as fabulous today as they did 25 years ago. I'm part of a generation that might be approaching pensionable age but are damned if we're going to look it.

We don't just dye our hair and refuse the housecoats our grandmothers wore. Thanks to the advancement of cosmeceutical beauty, we also get nipped, tucked, filled and smoothed.

Well, not all of us. There are those who consider such vanity to be beneath them. They argue that they have better things to do with their time, more important things to spend their money on and look down their noses at the rest of us. I think about them in the same way I do those tedious types who like to brag about never watching television - you're not better than me, you're just missing out.

I might be 60 but if the choice is looking slim and youthful over porky and wrinkled then guess which route I'm going to take? The puzzle for me is why some women - like Susannah - are so resistant. When the choice is looking your best versus looking a bit ropey compared to many of your peers, why would you go for the latter, especially if you can afford not to?

Take fat jabs for example. I've spent this summer as a size 8, the slimmest I have been since my early 20s and it's all thanks to the modern miracle that is Mounjaro.

I took it for seven months, at a cost of around £1,000 in total. It's a sum I can cancel out once I allow for all the money I've saved on groceries, takeaways and wine due to my drug-induced tiny appetite.

I don't believe anyone who insists they are fat and happy. It's a lie people tell to shut down conversation and abdicate responsibility for their health. I know this because I did it myself.

If Susannah is content to be plump then why is she for ever on a diet? When I look at her I see a very attractive woman with great boobs, fantastic hair and a bootylicious backside I'm rather jealous of (mine is as flat as a pancake these days). But I also find myself thinking: 'Imagine how sensational she'd look if she dropped 200bs.'

Susannah and I occasionally cross paths through work and chatted about the jabs once. I was in raptures about how life-changing they were and she told me in no uncertain terms that they weren't for her. She likes food and enjoys a glass of wine. So do I - but I like being skinny much more.

I spent 20 years pigging out - what's left in it for me to stuff my face at yet another all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet, sink my third margarita of the evening and slope home full of self-loathing? Been there, done that - had the size 18 clothes to prove it.

I'm sure Susannah would argue that my new attitude makes me boring. I'd argue that I've been the 'jolly' plus size. I made the self-deprecating jokes about my belly rolls and double chin. I liked to get in early and make gags about the things I knew everyone was thinking.

It might not be right but today I'm treated with much more respect and courtesy as a slim person than I ever was as a fatty.

Although I no longer take Mounjaro (I wouldn't hesitate to return to it if I needed to), my grooming and anti-ageing maintenance bill is still hefty. My naturally curly hair would be a ball of frizz if I didn't pay for £200 Brazilian straightening treatments

'If it's between slim and youthful or porky and wrinkled, I'll take the former!'

by Claudia Connell

every 12 weeks. Haircuts and colour every ten weeks add another £500 to the bill.

I know a couple of women who are very proud of the fact they dye their hair at home with a box colour. Good for them. There's only one problem though - it looks awful. I'd rather pay the professionals.

I first had Botox when I was in my late 30s. The wrinkles on my forehead and around my eyes were becoming pronounced and several of my friends were already devotees of the muscle-relaxing injections. I was nervous but bit the bullet and became an instant convert. For 15 years I didn't look back, having injections every four months at £250 a pop.

Once I got into my mid-50s, I stopped as Botox was starting to make my hooded eyes look more pronounced.

I was also the heaviest I'd ever been and had lost interest in trying to improve my appearance through tweakments. To mangle a certain advertising slogan: I didn't think I was worth it.

LAST year, after shedding 4st, I had upper eye blepharoplasty (the most popular cosmetic procedure for older women) at a cost of £3,600. Removing loose skin from around my eyes left me looking brighter, refreshed and no longer tired and miserable. It also means I can return to Botox and a smooth brow, and have just booked in to have my first injections in five years.

There will be people who question why I feel the need. Why not just accept ageing and wrinkles? Because I don't want to. Because there's an affordable, accessible guaranteed-to-work fix so why not take it?

I've also had expensive beauty treatments over the years from the painful (Praxel laser treatment for saggy jowls) to the exhilarating (cryotherapy) and the ridiculous (bird poo facials and seaweed body wraps).

I don't like fillers - I've seen too many lumpy pillow faces - but I will try anything.

After I had my blepharoplasty, I said that was me done and I wouldn't consider any further surgeries. But then one of my friends had a facelift and looks incredible. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't Googled a few surgeons for future reference.

That's a way off though. So, meantime, I'll keep popping the supplements (around £50 a month), slapping on the anti-ageing moisturises, eye creams and serums (another £50 a month) and dipping into the Botox.

Yes, it can be an expensive business but investing in yourself has guaranteed returns. When you look your best, you're happier, you have more confidence and people treat you differently.

I doubt Susannah and I will ever see eye to eye on this issue. She thinks I'm mad to take medication to lose weight and spend money fighting something as inevitable as ageing. I think she's mad to not even try.

---

Page 22

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Page 23

Panettiere's on-off boyfriend was on scene as medics tried to save star after 'overdose'

HAYDEN Panettiere's on-off boyfriend and his brother were with the actress when she died of a suspected heart attack in a rented Airbnb, a newly released police report reveals.

Brian Hickerson, who has convictions for domestic violence against Ms Panettiere, and his brother Zach witnessed her final moments at the Judson Mill Lofts apartment in Greenville, South Carolina.

Nashville star Ms Panettiere and real estate agent Mr Hickerson are understood to have flown from Los Angeles to South Carolina, where he is from, the day before she died. Greenville Police Department said Mr Hickerson showed police a 'bag of medication' Ms Panettiere had been taking at the time of her death on Sunday afternoon.

An officer said Zach was 'very emotional' as paramedics performed CPR, but added Mr Hickerson did not show any emotion until Ms Panettiere, 36, was declared dead.

The cause of death is under investigation, though the dispatcher who received the 911 call from her apartment described it as a 'cardiac arrest' and mentioned a suspected

By Will Potter

overdose. Sources told website TMZ that Narcan - a nasal medication used to treat an opioid overdose - was found on a mattress. Police said 'the preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances'.

Ms Panettiere began dating Mr Hickerson in 2018, before he was arrested several

'Medication for opioid addiction on mattress'

times for domestic violence. In her memoir released in May, Ms Panettiere alleged he once beat her so severely that she had to remain in her house for weeks to keep her injuries from the public.

In 2021, he was sentenced to 45 days in county jail and four years' probation after pleading no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend.

Mr Hickerson is not suspected of any wrongdoing in relation to her death.

New farming minister 'felt faint at sight of raw meat'

LABOUR'S new farming minister has been accused of 'fainting at the sight of meat'.

Stephen Morgan felt unwell during a visit to a refrigerated storage unit at a food processing plant in the Lake District and had to be helped out by staff.

'He'd been shown large chunks of beef and some steaks but then he felt faint,' one farmer told The Sun. 'He said, "I don't feel too well". It's not a great look for the farming minister to faint at the sight of meat.'

Tory MP Robbie Moore said: 'We already knew Labour don't understand rural communities. What we didn't realise is that seeing high-quality British beef makes Labour ministers sick.'

But Mr Morgan put his wobble down to the difference with temperatures outside, adding: 'I felt unwell moving between the extreme heat and cold storage.'

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Migrant killed flatmate in Britain after identical murder in Romania

A MIGRANT convicted of murder came to the UK and committed a second almost identical killing just three years after being released from prison in Romania, it can be revealed.

Eugeniu Neamtu, 50, was found guilty in his home country in 2007 of murdering his housemate by stabbing him in the chest in a drunken row over money.

He was freed in 2023 and later moved to London, where he stabbed a flatmate in the chest in 'strikingly similar' circumstances. His earlier conviction can now be reported

Daily Mail Reporter

after he was yesterday found guilty at the Old Bailey of murdering fellow Romanian Gheorghe Trica, 63.

Before the trial, prosecutor Philip Evans KC had asked for the details of the earlier stabbing to be put before the jury due to its 'powerful probative evidence' in the new case.

After the defence argued it would be prejudicial, the judge allowed some details - but not that the first victim, Adrian Vas, died from stab wounds to the heart and lungs, or that Neamtu was guilty of murder.

During the trial, Mr Evans drew comparison between the two incidents, and said Neamtu - known as

Jimmy - had used a similar knife and claimed he acted in self defence.

Mr Evans said there had been an argument between the defendant and Mr Trica at the flat they shared in Walthamstow. Both had shouted insults and Mr Trica was heard to

'Drunken row over money'

say: 'Give me back those £5.' The victim was found in a pool of blood on a communal balcony and died at the scene in February.

Neamtu was seen to throw something from the balcony, with the murder weapon - a steak knife -

recovered from the garden. Following his arrest, he claimed Mr Trica had threatened to kill him and pushed him down the stairs.

He said he picked up the knife to 'scare' Mr Trica and stabbed him to protect himself.

Mr Evans pointed out that Neamtu had stabbed someone before, adding: 'In both cases the defendant was involved in a drunken argument over money. In both cases he took up a knife (and) stabbed the other man in the chest. In both cases he claimed he acted in self-defence.'

Neamtu, who denied murder but declined to give evidence in court, will be sentenced on Friday.

Guilty: Eugeniu Neamtu

---

Page 24

Mail TRUE CRIME

FOR the entirety of her young life, Harshita Brella – a beautiful, exuberant, thoughtful 24-year-old – hadn't put a foot wrong.

Academically excellent, she had attended some of the most prestigious schools and colleges in her area and, after completing her teacher training, spent her spare time tutoring underprivileged children free of charge.

'She loved it,' her father Satbir Singh tells me today. 'She was teaching around 18 children in her free time. She enjoyed it so much.' A beloved daughter and sister, Harshita was inseparable from her family.

'She was a bit of an introvert; she had that childlike innocence,' her sister Sonia Dabas remembers. 'We did everything together, if anyone bothered her, I was ready to fight to protect her.'

'She was the type to stay away from any kind of conflict. She was a soft person, she would go red with nerves if anyone ever raised their voice.'

Yet for all her natural reserve, when the chance came to move to England two years ago – a country which represented opportunity and adventure to Harshita – she jumped at the chance to leave her home in Delhi.

'She had never even gone to another state without me or our parents,' her sister says. 'Of course she was excited. She had dreams. She wanted to make something of herself and help our parents.'

Those dreams, tragically, ended in catastrophe, as her father recalls emotionally in this exclusive interview.

Her family only discovered the full horror of Harshita's new life some four months after she

'She cried herself to sleep every single night'

moved 4,000 miles away to England following an arranged marriage, when her father received a traumatic phone call from his youngest daughter – a conversation he recalls with pimpieric precision.

At 5.30am on August 20, 2024 – just after midnight in the UK – his phone rang. It was Harshita, sobbing uncontrollably.

'I could hear she was running, she was just crying and crying,' he remembers.

Moments before, she had fled the home she shared with her husband Pankaj Lamba in Corby, Northamptonshire, after what her family says was a violent assault. Frightened and alone, she ran wildly through the deserted streets in the middle of the night, clinging to her phone and the sound of her father's voice.

'She said she was running away and had been beaten, and she was trying to save herself,' he recalls. 'I told her to keep going and stay on the phone with me. Then I told her to call the police.'

For him, the helplessness was overwhelming. 'I was very worried,' he admits. 'My blood pressure dropped. I felt dizzy. But I didn't want her to know that I was having problems. I had to stay calm for her.'

That desperate call in the darkness would become a defining moment for Harshita's family.

Until then she had largely shielded them from the reality of her marriage, enduring her struggles in silence.

But after fleeing that summer's night, something changed. Secrets she had carried for

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

by Inderdeep Bains

months finally poured out. 'Before that, she shared nothing with us. After it, she told us absolutely everything,' her sister says.

'She told me she had cried herself to sleep every single night since moving to England.'

Her mother, Sudesh Kumari, adds: 'She had hidden everything to save us from worrying. She always thought about us first.'

Over many tearful conversations, Harshita revealed what she said had been a nightmare existence since joining her husband in Corby in April that year.

She accused him of a disturbing catalogue of domestic abuse offences, including violence, sexual assault, coercive control and financial abuse.

Even mundane routines became, she told them, demonstrations of his authority.

'When he returned from work, he would sit in his car and wait until Harshita came to open the door for him,' Sonia says. 'It was as if my sister was his chauffeur.'

The petite newlywed told her family that night she could not go back to her husband because she feared he would kill her. Tragically, those fears would appear to have been well-founded.

Harshita was murdered by strangulation on November 10, 2024, three months after that disturbing phone call. Lamba, now 25, the prime suspect, remains on the run.

In the weeks leading to her death, Harshita revealed many more upsetting details of her life with Lamba, who apparently referred to himself as the 'king' of the household and demanded complete obedience, scrutinising her every move, while every pound she spent had to be accounted for.

'She told me he said: 'I am the king here and you will have to follow all the rules according to me, or leave', her sister Sonia, 30, a mother-of-two recalls.

The family also claim Lamba had multiple affairs, disappearing for days, leaving his new bride alone at their home on the town's rundown Kingswood estate.

'She would overhear him speaking in English to different women on the phone,' Sonia says. 'Sometimes he would vanish for three or four days.'

According to her family, Harshita's finances were tightly controlled despite becoming the household's main earner after a rapid promotion to an administra-

So many dreams: Tragic Harshita Brella with husband Pankaj Lamba, who is now on the run

tive role at work at a local factory. Even the smallest of purchases were off limits.

'She wasn't allowed to spend even £1 without his permission,' Sonia says. 'She couldn't buy herself lunch or even basic personal

'I am the king – you have to follow the rules'

care items. She was earning well but had absolutely no freedom to spend her own money.'

One example her sister gave stayed with Sonia. 'Harshita told me she wasn't even allowed to buy a razor without his permission. She wasn't allowed even the most basic women's grooming.'

It was a far cry from her life in

Delhi, where, as the baby of the close-knit family, she was cherished and adored. A foodie, who loved shopping and trying on new clothes and experimenting with make-up, Harshita had a true zest for living.

'She was a daddy's girl,' her sister says. 'We gave her a very pampered life. She never wanted for anything. We raised her with a lot of love and here she was telling me she was being treated like a servant.'

Indeed, Harshita's family allege her husband – who was taking a management course at the University of Hertfordshire – had control of her wages.

'He was just exploiting her for money,' her mother says. 'He never gave her a single penny. Once she wanted an ice cream – she always loved ice cream – but he refused and told her 'go eat cow dung'.'

'She was either always working or at home cooking for him. He never let her go anywhere.'

The reality of Harshita's married

life was in stark contrast to the excitement which had greeted her wedding just eight months before her death. Satbir, a driver by profession, had proudly given away his youngest child during a lavish ceremony in Delhi.

The marriage had been arranged after being set up through an acquaintance – a proposal rapidly accepted by Harshita's family, who believed that Lamba, an Indian man studying in England, was a promising match.

Through his relatives, they were given glowing accounts of him, his education and his prospects. After a few months, after a brief meeting at the airport during one of Lamba's visits home, the pair were married.

Looking back, Harshita's family believe much of what they were told about Lamba was untrue.

And it was only after Harshita's death they discovered he had been having a long-running affair with Madhu Pandey, a woman who worked at a spa he visited.

---

Page 25

Dumped: The car that was found with her body in the boot

Betrayed: Sister Sonia and father Satbir with a picture of Harshita

Pictures: NORTHAMPTONSHIRE POLICE / PA / BRADLEY PAGE

he frantically tried to reach her. 'I was very worried,' he says. 'I texted her many times thinking she might not have network and as soon as she did, she will call me back.

'I was asking her in the texts: 'Are you OK?', he says. 'I begged her to please just let me know she was OK. But she didn't.

'She couldn't. Because she was already dead.'

Lamba, who boarded a flight to Mumbai the next day, was back in his hometown of Gurgaon on the outskirts of Delhi before her body was even found three days later.

The discovery sparked an international manhunt, but today, 21 months on, Lamba - who has been charged with her murder and several other offences - remains on the run.

He is believed to still be in India. The family feel deeply betrayed by authorities on both continents.

In Britain, they believe Harshita was failed after taking the brave step of reporting her allegations to police. 'I have heard UK police are among the best in the world, and yet it happened there,' Sonia says. 'He allegedly killed her and left the country under their nose with ease.'

The Independent Office for Police Conduct found four officers had a case to answer over their handling of Harshita's case, two

'We have to keep fighting for her'

for misconduct and two for gross misconduct.

Despite travelling to the UK ear- lier this year in search of answers, the family were excluded from a disciplinary hearing in May.

Northamptonshire Police ulti- mately found the first two officers had no case to answer, while a date is yet to be set for proceed- ings involving the remaining two.

The family's frustration extends to India where they believe crucial opportunities to capture Lamba have been missed.

They say he emptied around $1,800 from Harshita's bank account before allegedly sending the money to his mistress and travelling to India. Despite being wanted, he spent several months in plain sight with his lover in his old neighbourhood.

'He was running a shop in India; he is withdrawing money in India and still they didn't do anything,' her sister says.

He was captured on CCTV at a bank before vanishing with his lover without a trace.

Speaking of the lack of justice for his daughter, Satbir says: 'I just feel broken but my family moti- vates me and tells me we have to keep fighting for her.'

Photographs from Harshita's wedding in March 2024 show a radiant young woman in stunning traditional dress smiling as she prepared for a new life overseas.

Her mother, fighting back tears, adds: 'We thought she would have a better life in the UK.

'My daughter was very intelligent, she had so many dreams but those were never realised. The dreams she had... Pankaj didn't let her fulfil them. 'From day one.'

At 24, Harshita came to Britain full of optimism after an arranged marriage. Eight months later she was found dead in the boot of a car. Now her family share their fury that her husband has fled to India - despite being charged with her murder

'Pankaj was not a nice person, he was a very big liar,' Harshita's sister says. 'He had a split person- ality and was living a double life. We now know he was sending Harshita's hard-earned money to his mistress the entire time.'

The violent August incident which finally prompted Harshita to flee and confide in her family began with something pitifully small. For the first time since arriving in England, she bought something for herself: a black- and-white T-shirt.

'He was furious,' her mother alleged. 'It was the first and only thing she bought for herself. Poor girl bought one T-shirt and, because of that, got beaten.'

Harshita, at the time, was in the early stages of pregnancy. Within

days she suffered a miscarriage. 'She had become very weak, she was just bones... weighing less than 7st,' Sonia recalls. 'She would video call us and try to smile even though she was broken inside.'

One message from her younger sister received in the weeks before her death remains permanently inscribed in Sonia's memory.

'She wrote to me: 'Look at how I came here and look at what has become of me'.' Sonia pauses. 'She had come to England full of dreams and hope, and this was what her life had become.'

Nodding sadly, her father adds: 'She was completely broken by this time.'

With her family's backing, Harshita bravely reported the catalogue of allegations to North-

amptonshire Police after that beating in August.

Lamba was arrested in Septem- ber and released on police bail, with conditions not to contact his wife and later issued with a Domestic Violence Protection Order lasting 28 days.

Harshita and her family were convinced she would be safe in the hands of the British authorities - a hope that would be shattered.

'Harshita was scared but I hoped now she had reported it to the police, she would be safe,' her father says. 'But that didn't happen.'

On November 10, she was stran- gled to death in Corby. Her body was discovered in the boot of a car abandoned more than 100 miles away in Ilford, east London,

days later. The family said despite her allegations, and despite Harshita moving to her own studio flat, Lamba had continued to contact her and demand she cook for him.

On the evening of her death, she had called her family and said he had been pushing for a meeting.

'After talking to us, she must have gone to meet him. That was the last time we spoke to her,' Sonia says.

'She didn't sound how she used to be before. She was a bit quiet and low,' her father added.

CCTV released by the police show Harshita and Lamba walk- ing by a local lake on the evening they believe she was killed. When she failed to answer Satbir's calls later that night, he recalls how

---

Page 26

By Andrew Levy

AFTER residing in a pretty village for 60 years, a group of peacocks appear to think they rule the roost.

The birds can be found strutting about its 45-acre common, hopping into residents' gardens and occasionally even trying to board a bus.

But their future is now uncertain after a village in Mulbarton, Norfolk, lodged a complaint with the council about the noise they make and other residents also raised concerns.

If the authority rules in their favour, it could result in a noise abatement notice requiring the peacocks' owner - retired county court judge Alan Steynor, 80, who lives in the 18th century Mulbarton Hall - to take action.

It is not known who complained to the council but other residents have told of their frustration over the 20-strong muster, as peacocks are known collectively.

'They are really, really annoying,' said one, who lives near to Mulbarton Hall. 'They come into my garden and damage my greenhouse. I know a lot of people who live in this row of houses hate them.'

FOWL PLAY!

The judge, his peacocks and the locals who can't stand the noise any more

Laura Sinclair, who lives on a nearby road, said: 'They do wake you up early, especially in mating season, which is quite long. They are a pain (and) the noise is quite a nuisance.'

However, there are many among the village's 4,000-strong population who support the peacocks. A staff

member at the primary school, which has a policy advising pupils not to feed them and to move away if they are in the playground or buildings, said: 'We love them. They're magnificent creatures.'

Resident Rosemary Hanson admitted that the birds had become 'noisier and noisier every year' but added: 'I live on my own and I quite like it. They come and

sit on my fence on one side of the garden.' Ms Hanson added that she even saw one trying to board a bus, saying: 'The driver looked terrified.'

The noise from the peacocks can start as early as 3am and escalates in April to September during the mating season, when males emit a load screech to court the peahens. But under the

Row: A peacock visits the school. Above: Alan Steynor

law, peacocks are not classed as wild birds and they are the responsibility of their owner.

Mr Steynor has owned the birds for 20 years after they were given to him by a friend who was moving away. He said: 'I'm sorry that people might be upset but I hope British tolerance will continue to apply.'

A spokesman for South Norfolk Council said: 'The way we deal with this is that we write to the people who we believe own the birds and ask them to manage them. We also write to the complainant and say if things haven't improved, let us know.'

But he added: 'The birds have been in Mulbarton for years. It's just one of those things about living in the countryside.'

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Backlash: Russia killed ten in Kharkiv yesterday

Burnham pledges total support for Ukraine as Russia threatens UK

ANDY Burnham said yesterday he will continue 'to support Ukraine 100 per cent' after Moscow warned Britain would 'pay' following confirmation that UK-made drones were used in recent strikes on Russia.

'We are not fair-weather friends, we will be there in Ukraine's hour of need and that won't change,' the Prime Minister said.

Russia was able to destroy only 180 of the 620 drones Kyiv launched at Moscow on Monday night. Officials said three people were wounded as air defence systems scrambled to repel one of Ukraine's biggest attacks on the capital. Energy facilities were reportedly targeted,

By Olivia Allhusen

including a Moscow oil refinery. A warehouse belonging to e-commerce giant Wildberries was hit amid claims the firm supplies components for Russian drones.

In Ukraine, Russian missiles killed ten and injured eight others in a village in the Kharkiv region.

Vladimir Putin faced further humiliation as the fear of drone attacks led to the cancellation of an annual Red Square military music festival this weekend for the first time in four years of war.

With frontline fighting at a near standstill, Ukraine and Russia have stepped up long-range attacks, push-

ing the civilian death toll to its highest since the war began in 2022.

On Monday the Russian embassy in London accused Britain of 'deliberately opting for an escalation of the Ukraine crisis' by supplying the drones, adding: 'London's actions will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer.'

And former deputy foreign minister Andrei Fedorov warned Russia could strike Britain as military figures in the Kremlin believe the US would stop any retaliation. He told Radio 4's Today: 'There are a lot of people in the military community who are saying Russia can strike the UK and Nato will do nothing. Trump will not allow Nato to answer.'

---

Page 27

Eden & Confidential

Former BBC hellraiser l'Anson and husband split

HER exit from Radio 1 was one of the BBC's most memorable dramas of the 1990s.

Now, it's another departure that has got Lisa l'Anson's friends talking.

I hear that the DJ and television presenter has separated from her husband, Amos Pizzey, who was a key figure in London's social scene before he moved to Los Angeles with Lisa.

'They simply grew apart,' a friend tells me. 'Lisa is now focusing on rebuilding her media career.'

The broadcaster, 61, married Amos, 59, in the 1990s at the height of her success and the couple have a daughter together. Lisa also has a son from a previous relationship.

Former Celebrity Big Brother contestant Lisa has now returned to London while Amos remains in LA.

During the heyday of 'rave' culture, Radio 1 used to decamp during August to Ibiza, where former MTV presenter Lisa took full advantage of the Spanish party island's attractions. So much so that on one occasion her breakfast show began while she was still raving at Manumission, one of Ibiza's most debauched nightclubs.

Lisa was reportedly given a final warning, had her wages docked and

Grew apart: Broadcaster Lisa l'Anson and Amos Pizzey

was forced to issue an apology to her fellow presenters and crew. Six months later, she left Radio 1 by 'amicable agreement'.

Amos - whose mother, the author Erin Pizzey, set up the pioneering domestic violence shelter Refuge - became a member of Culture Club, when he was 14 in the 1980s. He went on to be a founding partner of the Met Bar, the haunt of the rich and famous in the 'Cool Britannia' era.

After moving to the US, Amos founded the internet company Talenthouse.

Both Lisa and Amos decline to comment.

THERE may be 30 years between them, but could Jerry Hall and Rob Beckett's blossoming friendship prove they've formed a winning Celebrity Traitors alliance?

The new series of the hit BBC show was filmed in Scotland earlier this year and is due to be broadcast in the autumn.

Clearly, Rolling Stone Sir Mick Jagger's ex, 70, and the comedian, 40, have formed

The new odd couple: Rob and Jerry Hall!

a friendship off screen. For the pair have already enjoyed a reunion.

'Hanging out with my Celebrity Traitors friend Rob Beckett,' writes Jerry alongside this selfie she

posted of them online next to a scarecrow. The Texan model is said to have ruffled feathers during filming because she required producers to accommodate her cigarette breaks.

Serena waves chequered flag on her fashion label

FEW have lived in the fast lane quite like Serena Bute, who, in her youth, survived addiction and hepatitis C - and the disappearance of her first husband, Robert De Lisser, who went on the run after being implicated in a suspected drug-smuggling operation - before she married ex-Formula 1 driver Johnny Dumfries, 7th Marquess of Bute.

But, aged 66, the marchioness is ready for a pit stop, announcing the closure of her womenswear label, Serena Bute London, whose fans included Rita Ora,

Trinny Woodall and Kate Moss. 'I feel that the time has come for me to slow down and spend more time with my family and grandchildren,' Serena says.

Perhaps not as restful as it sounds. Serena and Dumfries, who died in 2021 aged 62, had six children between them, including a daughter, Lola, by their own union who favours a T-shirt bearing the slogan: 'I put the hot in psychotic'.

■ WHAT would the nuns at Nonnatus House think? Helen George, who plays fun-loving Trixie in the BBC's hit drama Call the Midwife, is hooked on body art. 'I am probably a bit

addicted,' admits the actress, 42, who recently had three birds inked on her foot. 'I want to get a high priestess tattoo on my wrist and another one on my other wrist.'

Will Meghan be joining pal Jessica's new girls' club?

THE Duchess of Sussex reportedly froze out her 'best friend' Jessica Mulroney, left, after the Canadian stylist got caught up in a race row in 2020.

However, Jessica's estranged husband, Ben Mulroney, claimed this year that she remained on 'positive terms' with Meghan. So no doubt Prince Harry's wife will be signing up to join her new private members' club.

'The Haus Of Her is described as for 'women reinvesting in themselves'. Jessica, 46, whose sons were page boys at Harry and Meghan's 2018 wedding, booms: 'We are accepting membership requests NOW.'

■ ANN DROID star Diane Morgan has revealed she's the proud owner of Eric Morecambe's signet ring. The actress and comedienne, 50, snapped up the 9ct gold band when the late Morecambe and Wise star's possessions went under the hammer last year, with the lot fetching £2,300 - almost six times its estimate of up to £400.

'I love it,' she says. 'It's really distinctive. He didn't wear it all the time, but occasionally they'll be in sketches. It's had this whole other life.'

'If there was a fire, I'd run and get this. And the dog, obviously. And [my partner] Ben.'

Follow me on X @richardaeden and on Instagram @edenconfidential richard.eden@dailymail.co.uk

---

Page 28

Shaggy dog fraudster

Cabbie said pet died chasing a seagull in £30,000 string of bizarre insurance claims

A CONMAN taxi driver pocketed £30,000 with bogus insurance claims about dogs that supposedly died in bizarre accidents.

An elaborate campaign of fraud saw Romania-born

By James Tozer

Robert Cretu, 40, taking out dozens of policies for pets that never actually existed. He then invented tragic stories of how they had allegedly met their deaths, including one

named Leo that had apparently jumped into the sea from Blackpool Pier while chasing a seagull. Another, Lola, was struck by a lorry during a trip to the Lake District. Cretu maintained. However, other claims were rejected after suspicions

Jail let-off: Robert Cretu outside court

were raised over documents he sent in. Finally, Cretu admitted five counts of fraud by false representation. He had been motivated by financial difficulties due to his taxi breaking down, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

Cretu made 30 false claims to five insurers relating to fictitious dogs being killed, 'usually by being hit by a car', the hearing was told on Monday.

He submitted the false documents and veterinary notes between December 2023 and last August, pocketing £31,700. Sarah Egan, prosecuting, said

'Financial difficulties'

Cretu took out the majority of the insurance policies in fake names - with payments also being made into bank accounts in other people's names.

Sarah Griffin, defending, said he wants to repay the insurers. Cretu, of Kirkby, Merseyside, puffed out his cheeks in apparent relief after avoiding being jailed - and instead got a 20-month suspended term with 20 days of rehab activity.

Judge Gary Woodhall told him fraudulent claims 'increase fees for everybody else'.

FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE

AUGUST 19, 1998

THE man who invented contact lenses, Professor Otto Wichterle, died yesterday aged 84. He invented a polymer which retained water to stay moist on the eyeball and on Christmas Day in 1961 spun his first soft contact lenses using a centrifuge made out of a gramophone motor. AUGUST 19, 2005

MO MOWLAM, who has been unconscious since suffering a fall earlier this month, appeared close to death last night. Dr Mowlam, 55, had suffered difficulties with her balance since undergoing radiotherapy for a brain tumour while she was Northern Ireland Secretary.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

DEBRA PAGET, 93. The US actress starred in The Ten Commandments, whose director Cecil B DeMille said she was 'touched by the hand of God'. She was Elvis Presley's first leading lady in his 1956 debut, Love Me Tender. She said, 'He did ask me to marry him but my parents objected.' JONATHAN COE, 65. The novelist from Worcestershire, 'our country's leading satirist', wrote What a Curve Up!, The Rotters' Club and The Proof Of My Innocence. He has said the British character is defined by a combination of 'nationalism and facetiousness'.

BORN ON THIS DAY

DARIUS CAMPBELL DANESH (1980-2022). The Scottish singer-songwriter and actor failed to win ITV reality shows Popstars and Pop Idol and turned down an offer from Simon Cowell to record an album of Frank Sinatra covers. But he had the last laugh after his debut single Colourblind went to number one and his album Dive In went platinum.

MATTHEW PERRY (1969-2023). The US actor said his most famous part, Chandler Bing in Friends, was so similar to him, it was as if someone had stolen his own jokes and copied his 'world-weary yet witty view of life'. He added, 'It wasn't that I thought I could play Chandler, I was Chandler.'

ON AUGUST 19...

IN 1964, the Beatles began their first tour of America.

IN 1980, Otto Frank - Anne Frank's father, who brought her diary to the world - died, aged 91.

WORD WIZARDRY

GUESS THE DEFINITION

Pseudandry (coined 19th century) a) A falsehood. b) A mistaken belief. c) The use of a male pseudonym by a female writer.

PHRASE EXPLAINED

Rule the roost: To dominate or govern a group; a 15th century phrase alluding to the place where hens perch at night.

QUOTE FOR TODAY

The trouble with words is that you never know whose mouths they've been in.

Dennis Potter.

English dramatist (1935-1994)

JOKE OF THE DAY

WHY are cats so good at video games? Because they have nine lives. Guess The Definition answer: C

Compiled by ETAN SMALLMAN and ADAM JACOT DE BOINOD

Alzheimer's Society

Your Will has the power to make breakthroughs

Do something powerful by leaving a gift in your Will and help beat dementia

Dementia is overwhelming and heartbreaking - but it's not inevitable. Your Will has the power to help beat it.

We're the only charity tackling dementia from every angle by providing care for those who need it now, campaigning for dementia to be the priority it should be, and funding groundbreaking research led by scientists like Dr Ryan West.

This is only possible thanks to the kindness of individuals choosing to include gifts in their Wills, which together, fund a third of all this work.

We're determined to beat dementia, and with your support, that future can become a reality.

Your Will is more than a document; it reflects what matters to you and the future you want for your loved ones and generations to come.

We're at a turning point, and together we have the power to create a world free from the heartbreak of dementia.

Will you do something incredible and leave a gift in your Will to Alzheimer's Society?

Request your free guide to gifts in Wills

Visit alzheimers.org.uk/willguide

Phone 0800 472 8264

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We will never sell your details to any third parties, please see alzheimers.org.uk/privacy for more information. If you'd like to change what you receive from us at any time, please call Suggestor Care on 0330 333 0804.

Post in your own envelope to: 'FREEPOST ALZ SOC WILL GUIDE'

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Registered office RESOLATOR ALZLEG00021 LGPRAG8261

---

Money Mail

Page 29

Editor: RACHEL RICKARD STRAUS www.thisismoney.co.uk

Major alert from insurers after long, dry summer...

By Lucy Evans

HOMEOWNERS could see tens of thousands of pounds wiped from the value of their property this year in a so-called subsidence 'super-event', Money Mail can reveal.

An unprecedented summer of heatwaves and prolonged dry weather is expected to trigger the largest number of subsidence claims in more than 30 years, experts warn.

Many will start to see large new cracks suddenly appear in their homes in the coming months, experts warn.

The majority of cases are down to soil drying up during prolonged periods without rain, as it causes the ground underneath homes to subtly move.

Insurers are bracing themselves. Last week, Aviva boss Amanda Blanc sounded the alarm, warning the insurer would have to top up its reserves to cover the expected surge in claims.

Plus, surveyors tell Money Mail they are expecting phones to ring off the hook at the end of summer when people start to notice cracks.

New cracks strike fear into many homeowners. Subsidence can reduce a property's value by as much as 25 pc. Lenders will often refuse to offer a mortgage until it has been resolved.

Worried property owners have taken to social media, seeking reassurance. Hundreds have posted about 'worrying' or 'scary' cracks on Reddit in the past month.

Fixing subsidence can cost £40,000 or more if you have to bolster the foundations of your home with concrete. But there are ways to tackle it without breaking the bank.

Here, experts share their top tips on how to save money - and how to spot the difference between a bad crack and harmless fissure.

WHY CLAIMS WILL SOAR

THIS summer's drought poses a huge risk to homes on clay soil, says Andrew McColl, chairman of the Residential Property Surveyors Association.

'In a wet winter it swells, and in a hot dry summer it shrinks, and a house sitting on it can move as the ground moves,' he says. 'What makes this year unusual is that many parts of southern England have had both extremes back to back. In those areas the ground has swollen and then shrunk further and faster than normal.'

And the expected influx in claims is not simply driven by the extended dry spell this year - it comes after a very dry 2025.

Insurers paid out a record £307 million for subsidence claims last year, according to the Association of British Insurers. It is what the industry calls an 'event year' - a period where subsidence claims skyrocket.

In the past 25 years, 2025, 2022, 2018, 2006 and 2003 were all identified as 'event years'. But this year is shaping up to be a 'super-event year', according to Michael Lawson, chief executive

How to tell if cracks in your wall will knock 25% off your home in a terrifying new

Picture: SHUTTERSTOCK

historic and is now well-managed, it could still wipe up to 10 pc off a property price tag, says house buyer Property Rescue. Plus, it may mean your home is unmortgageable, as lenders view it as too large a risk.

This will restrict your purchasing pool to cash buyers, unless the sinking is resolved.

The properties that are most vulnerable to subsidence this year are those

'subsidence super-event'

of subsidence adviser Property Risk Inspection.

He says: 'Insurers filled up their books with claims last year and thought that the very worst thing that could happen is for 2026 to be a big year. It's the first 'double tap' since 1990-91.'

And this year, there's already a backlog of jobs as professionals are booked up with claims from last year's dry summer.

Lawson adds: 'There's no one to do the repairs. The supply chain is already straining under the weight of 2025.'

The British Geological Survey has warned that millions of homes in London, Essex and Kent are at risk of sinking into the ground. In London, where the risk of subsidence is most severe, up to 26 pc of homes could be affected within 45 years.

WHEN YOU SHOULD BE WORRIED

HOMEOWNERS tend to panic when they spot a new crack in a wall - but that doesn't always mean the house is subsiding. So

what should you look out for? Brian Sullivan, of surveyors Hamblin Sullivan Associates, says the first thing you'll notice is a stiffening of windows and doors.

Frames can warp as the house moves, which means they may be more difficult to open or close.

Subsidence can also produce 'step-like' diagonal cracks as the ground moves.

Sullivan adds: 'Cracks usually occur on the corner of a bay window, for example, or the corner of a house. It tends to be a diagonal crack that's much thicker at the top and thinner at the bottom.'

Close to staircases, around door frames or where walls meet the ceiling are also common places for subsidence cracks.

If you spot a large crack, check if it appears both inside and outside your home, as this can be a sign of a more serious issue.

Cracks typically appear suddenly at the end of a long dry spell. As a rule of thumb, subsidence cracks tend to be at least the width of a pound coin.

Hairline cracks that are two millimetres in width or less are

not usually caused by subsidence and could be due to seasonal temperature changes or cracks in the plaster.

Lawson says you should look out for any changes in your home: 'Is your house behaving as it normally would? Most people know their homes really well.'

Also note if a previously level floor is now uneven or if wallpaper that is unaffected by damp has begun to wrinkle, as these can also be signs.

THE PROPERTIES MOST AT RISK

IF YOUR home has subsidence, its value could be slashed by as much as 25 pc, says estate agency Greater London Properties.

This is because the structural issues can hit buyer confidence, as house hunters fear high repair costs and inflated insurance premiums.

In severe cases a home originally worth £400,000 that develops large cracks and structural issues could be worth just £300,000 on resale. Even if the subsidence is

built on clay soil, which includes huge swathes of London, the South East and the East of England, as well as other pockets across the country.

Victorian and Edwardian properties are also more at risk of subsidence because their foundations are shallower than more modern builds.

Homes with extensions are particularly vulnerable. McColl says he's already seen movement in buildings attached to the main home. He adds: 'Conservatories, porches and garages have much shallower foundations and far less weight holding them down, so they move first. I have seen more dropped paths and driveways this year than anything else.'

Trees near homes with clay-rich soil also pose a risk, as their roots soak up moisture in the ground. Among the most likely to cause damage are oak, poplar and elm. Sullivan says many properties

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will see even more tree-related damage. He explains vegetation is currently lying dormant in the hot weather, but when it starts to rain it will spring back to life.

This means roots will suck even more moisture from the already dry clay soil, causing it to shrink and move under homes.

WHAT INSURANCE WILL COVER

MAKE sure your insurance policy covers subsidence repairs and damages.

Most standard buildings insurance policies include cover for subsidence, but you may need to pay a higher excess, say £1,000, for repair works.

If you don't have cover, you are likely to have to cough up thousands of pounds to fix problems.

Lawson says insurers may have to fork out as much as £600 million to policyholders if there are 50,000 claims this year, as there were in the 2003 event year.

Insurers paid out more than £72 million in domestic subsidence claims between April and June this year as the heatwave took hold, with the average claim hitting £20,000, according the Association of British Insurers data.

That was more than £2,000 higher than in the same period last year. The sum is set to climb even higher if drought conditions in central and southern England persist.

If you notice a crack or other telltale sign, contact your insurer or a surveyor and ask them to visit.

Even once the insurance firm has visited and agreed there may be a problem, you must be patient, as a professional check and work completion can take years.

The 'diagnosis' alone can take six months, which might include installing lasers to monitor how and where the property is sinking - and why. No repair work can start until the root cause of the subsidence is identified.

After any necessary work has been completed you may also have to wait a further six months for a 'certification of structural adequacy' to show the property is stable. This is vital to sell the property at a later date without it losing market value.

HOW TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM

HOW much the repairs will cost depends on the severity of the sinking, but in the most serious cases invoices for the building work required can exceed £100,000.

Solutions for extreme subsidence involve resin injections that fill underground voids or underpinning, where foundations are extended into stable ground.

Most subsidence, however, doesn't need these heavy repairs and can be solved by fixing the underlying issue, such as removing a thirsty tree.

But before you take a chainsaw to an oak tree, get proper advice, especially if the tree is close to a neighbour's home.

This is because sometimes removing a very thirsty tree stops it from absorbing large volumes of water each day, causing the surrounding clay soil to swell.

This can push foundations upward, causing even more structural damage. Always contact your insurer, a tree surgeon and a structural engineer first.

McColl says plants that are especially thirsty, such as weeping willows and eucalyptus, should be planted far away from homes and vegetation should be kept off the walls.

moneymail@dailymail.co.uk

We quit our jobs to sell gold and silver coins online. Now we're raking in up to $1,300 for ANNA MILLER

Oliver and Anna, both 25, reveal the insider tricks they've learned and the traps to avoid

WHEN Oliver Mills, 25, received a text from his father as he gazed at the Eiffel Tower, he was curious about the latest money-making idea sent his way.

The software engineer and his then girlfriend - and now wife - Anna, also 25, were away on a weekend in Paris, and the couple, both 23 at the time, had been looking for suggestions on how to earn some extra money to help them get by.

Back in London, Anna was earning £24,000 as a nurse while Oliver was making £31,000 a year. But it wasn't enough to live comfortably and save for the future.

Little did they know it then, but that text would spark the beginning of a hugely successful business venture that would see the couple quit their jobs and rake in more than £1 million a month.

The text from Oliver's father included a link to an online shopping platform, called Whatnot, where people buy and sell goods in live auctions, including anything from clothes and sports memorabilia to vintage toys.

Oliver downloaded the app and a man holding a gold coin popped up on the screen of his phone. He was selling dozens of coins and would hold them up to the camera one by one, explaining the history of each and offering flash sales.

In the top-right corner of the screen, they could see how much people were bidding on each coin and how much they sold for.

Viewers clicked on the link on the screen to bid on the item as it appeared and the highest bid won. In an hour, the man appeared to have sold around £10,000 worth

By Sophie Warburton

of gold and silver coins. Oliver says: 'I'd never seen anything like it. It is like teleshopping, but way cooler. We loved it and we spent the rest of the holiday watching Whatnot streams.'

Eager to try it out himself, he decided to buy his very first coins on Facebook Marketplace and eBay when he got home.

Just weeks later on November 30, 2024, Oliver hosted his first livestream auction under the profile @oliverstmillion. In 45 minutes, he made £1,300 worth of sales and made a 20pc profit (£125).

Oliver says: 'That was a real lightbulb moment for me. When you see £1,300 come into your bank account in one go and that's nearly your entire month's salary and you earned those sales from 45 minutes of streaming, it's a bit of a wow moment.'

After my first stream, I went off and spent thousands of pounds on any ounce of silver I could find.

He started buying old coins in bulk by the kilo, through Facebook groups and eBay. He says: 'It was quite unpredictable to start

with.' He adds: 'I'd meet people from Facebook Marketplace and hand over £4,000 in cash that I had withdrawn from a petrol station ATM. I'd bring the coins home and I'd sell them. It all escalated from there and we started doing it on a weekly basis.'

Oliver says he knew nothing about coins at the time, including whether they were real or not and didn't know how much any of the ones he had bought would fetch. 'I did a lot of research to compare prices and work out how much I could try to sell them for.'

At the beginning, Oliver would look at what others were selling similar coins for online to get a sense of pricing.

Once bought, he would create an individual listing on Whatnot for each coin and he'd then sell them during his online livestreams. He would include details on the condition and year, which helped determine their value. He says: 'I'd sit down and I would literally break out every single individual coin into its own listing and sell the coins one by one.'

It was only by trying to sell them online that Oliver started to learn how much he could get for different types of coins. Now, having handled thousands, he is familiar with all the different types and

can tell how much they are worth. Oliver also began putting stock purchases on a credit card and regularly asked his dad to lend him £1,000 to help fund purchases. Sales grew rapidly - Oliver and Anna made £3,500 in sales in their second live stream, then £5,500 and £6,000 in successive weeks.

A LEAP OF FAITH

IN January 2025, Oliver and Anna, who met in their hometown Weymouth, Dorset, and who have been together since 2020, created an official business called Oliver's Bullion. It quickly grew far beyond the couple's original plan to make a little extra money.

So successful was it that in August 2025, Anna quit her job to focus on the business full-time.

She took a £34,000-a-year salary to start with, as it was enough to cover the bills and monthly outgoings, while leaving spare cash to reinvest into the business.

'It all kind of happened by accident,' she says. 'Leaving my job was absolutely terrifying. I wanted to be a nurse because I wanted a very stable job. So it was very overwhelming initially.'

Four months later in December 2025, Oliver quit his engineering job too and also started to take a

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MoneyMail 31

Gold rush: Oliver and Anna show off a haul of bullion coins, which they sell online for large profits through website Whatnot

salary of £34,000 from the business. The couple owned a two-bed flat in west London through a shared ownership scheme. If you can't afford to pay for a deposit or mortgage payments, this scheme allows you to buy a share of a property (usually between 10pc and 75pc) and pay rent on the remaining share to a housing association or landlord.

Their monthly mortgage, rent and service charge added up to £2,000 a month. So their new salaries from the business provided enough to cover these costs. He says: 'I was very anxious about leaving a secure job, but we did it.'

The couple split their tasks. Anna packages up all the coins to post to buyers. Oliver jokes: 'She wakes up, makes a cup of tea, packs, sits down, has lunch, packs, sits down, has dinner, packs, goes to bed.'

A MULTI-MILLION POUND BUSINESS

JUST over a year later, the couple – who are now married – have turned these risky career decisions into a huge success.

They are making up to £1million a month in revenue with their biggest individual livestream generating around £320,000 in sales.

They say their profit can vary depending on what they buy and the market but overall the business has been profitable since the beginning and has grown over time to be able to support their salaries. However, for commercial reasons they wouldn't divulge how much they make a month.

They have increased the amount of income they each draw from the business to £50,000 a year and have hired Oliver's sister. They currently buy between 1,000 to 2,000 items a week, spending between £100,000 and £350,000.

Oliver says their home is 'less a flat now and more a warehouse'. Their highest calendar month was February, when they made sales worth £780,000.

Over the past 12 months, they have counted £6.5million in revenue. They say they work 70 to 80 hours a week and once even held a 24-hour livestream. That stream generated around £320,000 in sales, with 3,017 individual items sold and a peak of 1,351 viewers.

On a typical stream, they get 250 to 500 viewers and have over 54,000 followers on social media. Their customers are usually UK-based and are varied. Oliver says: 'We have people buying to diversify their investment portfolio alongside their savings and

Isas, wholesale buyers and also coin enthusiasts – it's a real mix.'

He says a large part of their success is down to building strong relationships with suppliers that allows them to receive stock on 24-hour payment terms.

This means they can receive a delivery without paying, sell the goods on a livestream that day and pay the supplier the following day. In order to build up this level of trust, the pair had to do millions of pounds' worth of business with suppliers first.

They receive deliveries roughly three times a week from distributors, wholesalers, manufacturers, mints and other suppliers in the UK and overseas. The stock is photographed and listed, then sold through their livestreams.

Oliver and Anna have hired an accountant to handle their books and taxes, as there are particular tax rules for buying and selling coins, with some generous exemptions. The amount of tax you pay will depend on the type of coin and whether you make any profit.

Official legal tender coins from the Royal Mint, such as Britannias and Sovereigns are exempt from Capital Gains Tax and VAT for businesses. Foreign coins and bars may be taxed on profits over the annual allowance.

CASHING IN ON FLASH SALES

THE couple schedule livestreams up to 20 weeks in advance, running them on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings, as well as Tuesday and Thursday lunchtimes.

'The process is 'simple', says Oliver: 'I go on to Whatnot on my computer, go live and pick up an item and talk about it until it sells.'

Oliver takes requests for specific items and also runs flash sales.

On Black Friday last November, Oliver ran a flash sale on 1oz silver Britannia coins and sold 150 in six seconds, he says. The Britannia is the official silver bullion coin of the Royal Mint in the UK.

The couple's stock ranges from mainstream bullion to collectable coins, including silver Britannias, Mexican Libertads, gold sovereigns and proof coins.

A proof coin is the highest quality of coin a mint produces and tends to sell for much more than the value of the metal itself as they are often commemorative coins. They also sell special edition 'privy' coins, which have a small additional mark or design and can command higher prices than standard versions. These

tend to sell for a lot more than standard coins. For example, Oliver says he sold a 5oz gold privy coin for around £18,000.

In one big windfall, they sold a full 'monster box' of 500 1oz 2026 Krugerrands for £39,000. These are South African gold bullion coins. Oliver says that, at the time, individual coins were selling for around £85 to £90, while the bulk deal worked out at around £78 per ounce.

ON THE ROCKS

THE price of gold has soared over the past year amid stock market volatility, geopolitical uncertainty and rising inflation.

Over the past 12 months, the price of the precious metal has jumped 32pc to £3,254 per ounce, and over five years it has risen 149pc. However, it has been a bumpy ride for investors, with large price falls in some months.

At the beginning of March prices hit a peak of £4,152 per ounce before tumbling to £3,194 per ounce within three weeks.

At this point, Oliver and Anna's business hit a rough patch, losing up to £15,000 a month. This is because market movements can create a large difference between turnover and profit. Although the pair may generate hundreds of thousands of pounds in sales, movements in the underlying gold and silver prices can mean they are forced to sell stock at a loss.

The couple had made a bulk purchase of coins at around £92 a piece, which they later sold for around £70 each. Oliver says: 'We were losing £10 to £20 quid on every coin we sold. We still had to host the livestream and sell them because the price wasn't going back up any time soon.'

He adds: 'The markets can be incredibly volatile. We are completely at the mercy of the stock market, and Donald Trump's Twitter account, which can influence the price of precious metals. At one point, we lost about £30,000 overnight on market losses and then from then about £10,000 to 15,000 a month.'

One tip Oliver would give to others who plan to buy or sell coins, is if the price of the metal falls, don't panic. He says: 'We notice that people often will sell their collections when spot price goes down significantly as they worry it will continue to go down.'

'On the flip side, we've also seen that people tend to buy more when the spot price goes up quickly, as they worry prices will continue to rise and they'll miss out on cheaper opportunities.'

Buy what you can when you can, there is no rush when it comes to buying precious metals, Oliver says. 'It is something to buy over time and to hold on to. Buy precious metals from those who have good reputations. Read online reviews and compare prices.'

Thankfully, the couple says the stronger trading period they had before the downturn helped absorb those losses and prices have since recovered.

The lack of stability has been a struggle at times for Anna, who says she misses being around colleagues and patients at the NHS, while Oliver says he did enjoy the simplicity of employment.

'I miss the fact that you can just sort of rock up, get paid a salary and go home again,' he says.

But both say they aren't going back any time soon. They hope to sell their London flat and move back to Dorset, where they can be closer to family and have more space to expand their business.

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32 MoneyMail

WHEN Paul Haresnape was packing up his belongings during a house move, he was surprised to find an old piece of paper that said he had £2,000 in a Barclays personal pension.

According to the document, he had paid £30 a month into it for a year while he worked in a hotel in the late 1980s.

Paul, 58, says he had forgotten about the account and assumed it must be worth very little but decided to investigate. An email to Barclays revealed the policy had been transferred to a pension provider called ReAssure.

When he contacted the group, he was astonished to find that the pot had grown to £28,900 over the decades it had been invested.

'It was a wonderful surprise. I didn't imagine

By Tanya Jefferies

it would be worth anything like this. It's not often you get these windfalls.

'It was one of the happiest financial surprises of my life and it was down to a decision I made as a carefree 20-year-old.'

Paul says the money has been life-changing. It allowed him to leave his job as an educational support worker at a college and move from Cornwall back to Devon to be closer to family and friends. He says he used part of the pension to cover his expenses while searching for a new home and job.

'It's allowed me to go freelance, which is something I really wanted to do. I'm now a youth and young offender mentor,' he says. 'Pensions are surprisingly easy to lose track

of, especially if you have changed jobs, got married or moved home and failed to tell all your old pension providers. Savers have lost track of 3.3 million pensions worth a staggering £31.1 billion in the UK, according to think-tank the Pensions Policy Institute.

We're building more pension pots than ever before now that we're automatically enrolled into a new scheme every time we change jobs. Many of us lose touch with old pensions as time goes on. But it's important to keep tabs on them between now and retirement age.

As in Paul's case, they can be worth significantly more than you expect by retirement age because they will have been invested for a long time and have had time to grow.

Workers across the UK could be missing tens of thousands in forgotten pensions, according to analysis by wealth management platform Moneybox. People in Wales are likely

to have misplaced four pots – more than anywhere else in the UK.

There is a disconnect between the number of employers that workers have had during their careers and the number of pension pots they believe they have saved into, according to Moneybox. The gap between the two indicates that many people might have lost touch with workplace pensions they have accumulated over the years. In Wales, people have typically worked for five different employers over the course of their working lives but said they only had one pension on average.

The average value of a lost pension pot is £9,470, according to separate research from the Pensions Policy Institute. That means people in Wales could be missing the equivalent of four pots, worth up to £37,880.

Other areas where savers are likely to be missing out on large amounts of money are the South East, South West, Scotland, Northern Ireland, North East, East of England and West Midlands. The average gap in these regions is three pension pots, representing an average £28,410 in lost retirement savings.

Meanwhile, people in London, the North West, East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber could be missing around two pots each, worth £18,940 on average.

Brian Byrnes, of Moneybox, says: 'Even if each pot seems relatively small, together they can add up to tens of thousands of pounds.

'Tracking down old pensions is one of the simplest actions people can take to improve their long-term financial future.'

Former pensions minister Sir Steve Webb, now partner at consultancy LCP and one of the most knowledgeable pension experts in the country, has written an exhaustive guide to finding old pension pots, which he has shared with Money Mail.

His tips are based on his first-hand experiences of hunting down lost pensions for readers over the years. Use Webb's five key steps to do your own detective work at home.

START WITH THE PAPERWORK

THE best place to begin hunting down a lost pension is digging out any official paperwork that you have at home, Webb says. This can include vital details such as policy numbers, which make the job of tracing lost pensions much easier. He adds: 'For this reason it's important that, even today, people keep all correspondence regarding their pensions rather than throwing it away.'

Increasingly, people have communications from pension schemes in electronic form, such as emails or links to websites where they can log in. So it's a good idea to make a note of things such as the websites of your various pension schemes and your login details so you don't find yourself locked out of your account.

Webb says: 'If you find these details, for example, if you know the name of the company your pension was invested with, then you should

contact it with your plan number, date of birth, your National Insurance number and the date your pension was set up.'

But most people will find they don't have enough details to go down this route, he warns.

FIND OUT ABOUT YOUR FORMER EMPLOYER

IF YOU don't have any old documents and don't know which company runs your old pension scheme, Webb says the next step is to investigate whether the company you worked for is still trading or if it has changed its name. If you can find contact details for your old employer, you should be able to get hold of information about the pension.

He says: 'Companies House is a good source of information. It is a free online database of all UK-registered businesses, provided by the Government, where you can enter details of the name of a company and get information about what happened to it.'

Once you know if the company is still in business and what name it operates under, you can then write to it requesting information about past pension schemes. Go to gov.uk/companies-house.

Another way to check if you had an 'id pension is to look for signs on your National Insurance record that you are one of the millions of workers who saved into what is called a 'contracted out' pension scheme.

This is when your employer paid reduced National Insurance contributions on your behalf and put the money into its company pension instead, Webb explains. Employees who were contracted out will receive a smaller state pension but a larger sum from their workplace one.

HMRC should hold a scheme reference number and name for any period you paid into one of these pensions, he says. That should be enough for you to hand over to a pension provider to claim your pot.

TRY THE PENSION TRACING SERVICE

IF YOU can't find information about your employer using Companies House, Webb recommends using the Government's Pensions Tracing Service, which can be found at gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details.

He says: 'It's a kind of glorified telephone directory that can provide contact details for thousands of pension schemes, trustees or administrators. You will need to know the name of the company that you worked for to use it.'

This service is largely about tracing pension administration firms, which are those that might have been responsible for running your scheme at an old employer.

Most workers today have modern money purchase pensions called 'defined contribution', in which they have built up a personal pot of money.

These pension schemes are managed by a pension provider, not your employer, so your pension should be safe if your employer goes bust.

To track it down, you can bypass your former employer and go straight to the pension provider, if you know it.

You can try to find out whether that business has now been taken on by another company which may hold records for your scheme.

However, if the Pension Tracing Service does not have information on your pension, it doesn't mean it does not exist, Webb says.

Your employer may have changed name, gone bust or you may have saved into a type of pension that the service does not track.

Note that if you type 'trace lost pension' into an online search engine you will be offered a lot of commercial

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MoneyMail 37

With 3.3 million retirement pots yet to be claimed, our guide shows...

It really CAN pay to track down your lost pensions – Paul, 58, found an old piece of paper worth £25,000 and it changed his life!

tracing services, he warns. 'Many reputable companies run free services with no obligation to use their services afterwards, but take care if you follow any links because some firms might charge you, try to sell you something else, or even be fraudulent.'

Gretel is a free service bank-rolled by the finance industry which lets you search for pensions

plus other bank, investment and insurance accounts in one place.

Meanwhile, some pension providers, including Aviva, Aegon and AJ Bell, drum up business by offering to help people find lost pensions for free, then merge and manage all or most of their retirement savings with them.

There is typically no obligation

to do so, though you should check the terms and conditions, because there are often good reasons to leave pensions where they are.

Aviva says more than 110,000 people have used its free 'find and combine' service and discovered 70,000 pots to date. The average value was around £15,000, although the biggest ever was

worth £1 million. 'Many people would be delighted to find £20 in an old coat pocket but we've helped customers uncover pensions worth more than £1 billion in total,' says Sam Nixon, a director at Aviva Wealth.

'People often lose track of pensions after changing jobs or moving house, but this money still belongs to them so tracking down

Windfall: Paul Haresnape

an old pension could make a significant difference to their retirement income.'

FOLLOW ANY MONEY TRAIL

PENSION funds are generally held and managed separately to your employer. The money is usually entrusted by your employer to a specialist pension provider or insurance company.

Track down whether the pension provider was taken over by another business or whether the pension assets may now be held by an insurance company.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has a helpful A-to-Z list of different insurance companies and the changes of name they have gone through over the years, which can be found at abi.org.uk/data-and-resources/tools-and-resources/find-lost-pension.

If you had an older 'defined benefit' pension, which pays a guaranteed income for life based on the employee's former salary, and your former employer has gone bust, you should look to a lifeboat scheme called the Pension Protection Fund (PPF).

The PPF takes on defined benefit pension schemes for employers that go into liquidation and do not have sufficient funds to honour all their pension commitments.

You can check to see if your pension has fallen into the PPF by using the A-to-Z list of schemes it covers on its website at ppf.co.uk/schemes. If your old pension scheme is covered by the PPF, contact it directly.

USE YOUR OWN NETWORKS

THINK about whether you are in touch with anyone you worked with at your old employer, Webb suggests. He says: 'If enough time has gone by, a former colleague may be in receipt of a pension from the very scheme you're trying to locate. They may be able to give you the right contact details.

'If you are no longer in touch with anyone you used to work with, you may be able to track them down through social media sites. For example, although LinkedIn is mainly used by those who are active in employment, people may still have a profile even if they have retired.'

Some larger firms will have organisations for their retired employees, he adds. The members of such groups will undoubtedly have a lot of 'folk knowledge' about past pension arrangements and could be contacted to point you in the right direction.

■ READ Sir Steve Webb's guide to tracking down old pensions at po.lcp.com/lost-pensions.

moneymail@dailymail.co.uk

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38

MoneyMail

Sylvia Morris

The expert at boosting your savings

sy.morris@dailymail.co.uk

GOOD news arrived yesterday for the 22 million-plus holders of Premium Bonds who will get one of the biggest boosts in the 70-year history of the cash prizes.

It's no surprise - National Savings & Investments is desperate for our money.

Earlier this month, I predicted that the Government-owned bank would have no choice but to boost its Premium Bond prize rate and the amount it pays on its fixed-rate bonds and easy-access accounts.

NS&I has been tasked by the Government to bring in an extra £150illion - plus or minus £4billion - in the year from April 1. It is way behind this target, as savers have become disheartened with Premium Bonds, its best seller, and have abandoned their holdings for richer, guaranteed deals elsewhere.

The state-backed bank needed to pull something out of the

Biggest jump in Premium Bond prizes for YEARS ...and 4.35% rate could soon be hiked again

bag because sales have been sluggish. It appears to have pulled out the big guns.

The Premium Bond prize rate has been given a huge boost to 4.35 pc from the September draw, up from 3.8 pc last month.

It is the second increase in the prize fund this year, up a total 1.05 percentage points since April - despite the Bank of England base

rate staying firmly at 3.75 pc. The hike in the prize fund means that an extra £63million will be dished out in prizes in the draw next month compared with August, bringing the total to £497.3million. There will be an extra 308,000 prizes (6.5million in total).

Bondholders will also have a greater chance of winning a bigger prize, as there will be 572,300 fewer small £25 prizes up for grabs and more big prizes.

The biggest hike comes in the £50 and £100 prizes, up 434,921 a piece, with thousands more payouts of £500 and £1,000. There will also be 12 more prizes of £100,000 and 27 more of £50,000.

There will still be two

£1million jackpots each month. But only time will tell if it's enough to tempt savers back to Premium Bonds. If it's not, the rate will have to go up again.

NS&I also hiked the rates on its fixed-rate Guaranteed Growth and Income Bonds, in the fourth boost this year and the second in three weeks. Customers with bonds maturing from August 18 will automatically get the new rate.

The fixed-rate Guaranteed Growth Bonds will pay 4.82 pc for one year (up from 4.72 pc), 4.81 pc for two years (up from 4.70 pc), 4.83 pc for three years (up from 4.68 pc) and 4.85 pc for five years (up from

4.75 pc). The one-year bond is just a whisker below the top rate of 4.85 pc from MBNA Bank (part of the Lloyds Banking Group).

The Guaranteed Income bonds at 4.72 pc, 4.71 pc, 4.73 pc and 4.75 pc, for one, two, three and five years respectively, are also good - the one-year rate currently puts it as the top payer along with Vanquis Bank.

If you opt for a longer-term Guaranteed Growth Bond, watch out for your tax bill. They pay out at the end of the term rather than yearly, so interest earned during the whole term counts towards your personal savings allowance for the year it matures and is not spread across the years.

There is no such problem with the income version, which pays out interest each month.

Also up are NS&I's variable-rate Income Bonds, popular with pensioners because they pay out interest monthly and give you easy access to your money. The rate is rising to 3.69 pc from 3.4 pc, while the rate on its Direct Saver, its easy access account, is increasing to 3.75 pc from 3.45 pc.

Its Direct Saver appeals to those with large sums, as all your money with NS&I is guaranteed by the Government, rather than the £120,000 limit with other providers under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

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SYLVIA'S SAVINGS STAR BUYS

ONLINE ACCOUNTS

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TYPE	PROVIDER	ACCOUNT	RATE%
Easy-access	Spring (max £5,000)	Accelerate Saver	5.00
	Oxbury Bank (1)	Easy Access Summer 1	4.33
Fixed-rate bond	MBNA Bank	One-year fixed	4.85
	NS&I/Vanquis Bank	One-year fixed	4.82
Easy-access cash Isa	Hargreaves Lansdown	Easy Access Cash Isa	4.52
	Atom Bank	Easy Access Cash Isa	4.25
Fixed-rate cash Isa	Vida Savings	One-year fixed	4.70
	Vanquis Bank	One-year fixed	4.69

BRANCH ACCOUNTS

(2) books only

TYPE	PROVIDER	ACCOUNT	RATE%
Easy-access	Family BS	Market Tracker Saver	3.93
	Harpenden (2)	Hart Saver 1	3.81
Fixed-rate bond	Penrith BS	One-year fixed	4.70
	Skipton BS	One-year fixed	4.60
Easy-access cash Isa	Kent Reliance	Easy Access Isa 78	4.24
	Family BS	Market Tracker Isa	3.98
Fixed-rate cash Isa	Coventry BS	To Sep 30, 2027	4.60
	Santander/Leeds BS	One-year fixed	4.50

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Easy-access	Family BS	Market Tracker Saver	3.93	03330 140141
	NS&I	Direct Saver	3.75	08085 007 007
Fixed-rate bond	NS&I	One-year fixed	4.82	08085 007 007
	Access Bank	One-year fixed	4.60	01606 815440
Easy-access cash Isa	Buckinghamshire BS	Easy Access Tracker	3.90	01494 879500
	Family BS	Market Tracker Isa	3.98	03330 140141
Fixed-rate cash Isa	Coventry BS	To Sep 30, 2027	4.60	0800 121 8899
	Scottish BS	To Aug 24, 2027	4.51	0333 207 4007

---

MoneyMail 39

Sally Sorts It

Our fearless readers' champion

Dear Sally

IN JUNE, I ordered 200 Zapain pain relief tablets from a website called LoyaltyPharma.com, which I found following an online search. I paid £102 by bank transfer to someone called DM. The tablets were never supplied and my frequent emails chasing my order have been ignored. I checked with my bank Santander, and it said the money had been paid. Please can you help?

J.F. East Sussex.

YOU are 84 and had been searching for pills, as you suffer serious back pain and wanted a stock to fall back on when your prescribed supplies run out. I sensed immediately you were the victim of a scam as it is highly unusual to pay for items from an online retailer by bank transfer. And when you said the payment was to a named individual rather than a company, I was even more certain a scammer was at work.

I checked out the website for myself. At first glance it looks convincing. Photos of uniformed pharmacists reaching for drugs from well-stocked shelves give it an air of professionalism. But on closer examination there are red flags aplenty.

Notably, much of the text under various headings, including the 'About Us' section, is in Lorem ipsum, a standard dummy text in meaningless Latin used by publishers while they await the real wording for the space.

These lazy crooks couldn't even be bothered to copy text from genuine websites. That said, they have used a name that is similar to the website of a real online pharmacy, changing just a couple of letters and using .com rather than .co.uk. Other alarm bells included an email address that bounced back, and the list of options for paying for the goods, including bank transfer, PayPal and cryptocurrency.

Since you had clearly been tricked into paying by bank transfer to a fraudster's account, I was optimistic you might be reimbursed by your bank under the Authorised Push Payment Fraud Reimbursement scheme.

The rules, introduced in October 2024, say banks must refund victims who've been defrauded this way up to a maximum of £85,000.

I asked Santander to investigate and it agreed you'd been a victim of fraud and would reimburse you. However, under the rules, banks are permitted to deduct an excess of £100 in most cases. This left you with a measly £2.

I asked Santander to reconsider, as the deduction of an excess is not mandatory. The scheme also says anyone who is vulnerable should not have to pay the excess. I pointed out you are 84 and were only looking for the pills in the first place because you were in serious pain, making you vulnerable.

I am pleased to say, on taking these points on board, Santander changed its mind and reimbursed the full £102. A spokesman said: 'We're sorry to hear about J.F.'s experience at the hands of criminals. After carefully reviewing her case, and in line with the Payment Systems Regulator's mandatory reimbursement requirements for authorised push payment scams, we've reimbursed her losses.'

BumCock / YOUTH MAIL

LET ME KNOW

ARE you worried about paying mansion tax? I'd like to hear your thoughts on the new levy. Email sally@dailymail.co.uk

registered charity. Given that they have ditched us, should they return the money we paid to buy the machine we can no longer use?

T.L. Greater Manchester YOU and your bell-ringing friends had been using the SumUp payments machine for more than two years without any issue. You said no one had asked if your group was a registered charity at the start and you parted with £75 for the machine.

All went fine until your group decided to move its bank account to Nationwide Building Society. When you contacted SumUp with the new details, this appeared to ring alarm bells and prompted a closer look by SumUp at your group's credentials.

This is when it told you it could no longer let you use the device, citing the fact you were not a registered charity. You never said you were previously, but could not get the message across as the SumUp app stopped allowing you to verify the account.

I contacted SumUp on your behalf and asked if it would reimburse the £75 cost of the machine. It did not explain why it had been fine for you to use the device previously but not now. However, it agreed to refund you.

A spokesman said: 'As part of our onboarding and then ongoing merchant account management, SumUp does require specific documentation alongside, in cases such as this one, charities to be properly registered.' You were pleased to have the money back and are now investigating how to take donations by mobile phone.

■ WRITE to Sally Hamilton at Sally Sorts It, Money Mail, 9 Berry Street, London, W8 5HY or email sally@dailymail.co.uk - include phone number, address and a note addressed to the offending organisation giving them permission to talk to Sally Hamilton. Please do not send original documents as we cannot take responsibility for them. No legal responsibility can be accepted by the Daily Mail for answers given.

I paid £102 for pain relief tablets from an online pharmacy but they never arrived

She added: 'We would urge customers to remain vigilant to the threat of scams when buying online and verify that they are buying from a genuine merchant before making payment. If someone is concerned they have been scammed, they should contact their bank immediately on a verified number or by calling 159.

You may have been burnt by a sham site, but it could have been a lot worse. There are fraudulent websites that not only take victims' money but send out fake drugs or those obtained illegally.

Anyone purchasing drugs online should be wary and confirm that the vendor is regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency or is listed on the General Pharmaceu-

tical Council register and check reviews carefully. Report suspicious websites or online sellers to mbra.gov.uk. I've done this on your behalf and also alerted HSBC, the bank to which you transferred your payment.

It could not comment on your specific case, but a spokesman said: 'When we receive a report that an HSBC UK account is being used for criminal purposes we act immediately, taking appropriate action to prevent further criminality. We have stringent processes to verify the identity of customers opening accounts, and apply a range of measures to spot signs of criminal activity and minimise the risk of fraud and scams.'

I have omitted spelling out the name of the person who received

your money because when I searched for it online, I was taken to a phishing website designed to steal personal and financial details of people. I do not want readers to have the same experience if they look this person up.

WE ARE a group of friends who ring the local church bells, and undertake bell-ringing activities to raise money for cancer charities. We set up a loose organisation called Festival of Bells for this purpose. In this cashless society we decided to purchase a SumUp portable card machine to take donations. After using this for some time, SumUp has decided we are no longer eligible, as we are not a

I HAD an Octopus Energy heat pump installed last year for £11,500, of which £7,500 was covered by a government grant. But it only heats the home to a maximum of 18C - some rooms struggle to go above 12C in winter. Energy bills are now higher than before we had the heat pump installed, and were up to £20 per day in the winter. Octopus never mentioned the maximum temperature to us.

S.C. Gloucestershire.

OCTOPUS says while the heat pump isn't faulty, your home was losing slightly more heat than its original calculations predicted. It is carrying out work to improve the home's heat retention and will refund the £4,000 you paid.

I TRANSFERRED a £40,000 cash Isa from

STRAIGHT TO THE POINT

Lloyds to HSBC on April 20, 2026, but the money never arrived. HSBC's customer service team have been unhelpful. I've now gone to the ombudsman but I'm no further along in getting my money.

A.Z. via email.

HSBC apologises and says you have now received your Isa funds along with backdated interest and compensation.

AT THE start of July, my family and I visited Skiathos, in Greece, on a package holiday with Loveholidays. When we landed we discovered our hotel wasn't on the island, it was on the Greek mainland. The last ferry had left so we had no way to reach the hotel we'd paid for. We called Loveholidays to be told it wasn't its problem. We had to pay for a replacement hotel that evening ourselves.

E.U. via email.

LOVEHOLIDAYS apologises. It says that due to an error on the website, you were able to book a package holiday that included a hotel that was on the mainland, while your flight landed on a nearby island. It has refunded you the cost of the hotel booking and given you an extra £600.

---

40 MoneyMail

MY neighbour bought a car that is too big for his driveway and it hangs over on to mine. I can just about fit my car next to his but it makes it much harder to get out once I've parked as I can't fully open my door. Do I have any rights?

Name and address supplied. YES, you do. Assuming you can establish exactly where the boundary lies, you appear to have a good argument that the overhanging part of your neighbour's car is trespassing on to your property.

The key legal principle is trespass. Your ownership of the driveway extends not just to the ground itself but the airspace above it, to the extent that is reasonably necessary for the ordinary use and enjoyment of your land. So if your neighbour's vehicle crosses your boundary, that can amount to trespass regardless of whether all four wheels remain on his side of the boundary.

There may also be an argument in private nuisance if the positioning of the vehicle substantially interferes with your reasonable use and enjoyment of your driveway (if you have difficulty getting in and out, for instance). However, trespass is the more straightforward argument where part of the vehicle is physically intruding over the boundary.

The sensible first step is to have a friendly conversation. Just ask him to reposition the car. If that doesn't work, put the complaint in writing. Clearly explain where you believe the boundary lies and ask him to stop allowing the vehicle to encroach.

Keep dated photographs showing the position of the car and, if possible, the boundary and the extent of the overhang. If the boundary itself is disputed, you may

My neighbour's car is too big for his drive and hangs over into mine – what can I do?

DEAN DUNHAM KC

@deandunham

Our consumer lawyer answers your questions

need evidence establishing where it lies. If your neighbour still refuses to move the car, you could seek a court injunction requiring him to stop the trespass. But start with the neighbourly approach – it is almost certainly preferable to a court battle.

THE local authority started charging me a yearly fee to collect my garden waste bin. So far this year it has missed three collections. Do I have a contract with the council and can I claim a refund?

B.F. Cheshire.

YES, you do have a contract. Ordinary

household waste collection is a statutory council service but garden waste is different. Councils can choose to operate it as a paid, opt-in service.

When you pay, you are entering into a contractual arrangement. The fact that your service provider happens to be a local authority does not, by itself, take the arrangement outside consumer law. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 recognises that the activities of a local authority can amount to acting as a 'trader'.

Under the Act, a service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill and,

where the contract does not specify a particular time, within a reasonable time. If those requirements aren't met, a possible price reduction may be enforced.

So, if you've paid for an annual service and the council has repeatedly failed to make scheduled collections, you have a good basis for asking it to put matters right. You'll need to look at the council's particular terms and its arrangements for missed collections, but a refund, credit or other appropriate remedy is certainly something you can request.

Helpfully, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has previously upheld complaints involving repeated missed paid-for garden waste collections and required the council to remedy it.

So write to the council, list the dates of the missed collections and explain that you've paid for a service that has repeatedly not been provided. Ask it to arrange any outstanding collections and provide an appropriate refund or credit.

If it refuses, use the council's formal complaints procedure and, if necessary, take the matter to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. It specifically says it can consider complaints about repeated missed garden waste collections.

One final tip: Photograph your bin on each collection day, ideally with a time or date stamp, and keep a record of every missed collection and every complaint you make. This could prove extremely useful if the dispute escalates.

WRITE to Dean Dunham, Money Mail, 9 Derry Street, London, W8 5HY or email d.dunham@dailymail.co.uk. No legal responsibility can be accepted by the Daily Mail for answers given.

MONEYBEST BUYS

... OUR PICK OF THE TOP DEALS

MORTGAGES

LENDER	RATE	DETAILS	DEPOSIT	FEE	CONTACT
TWO-YEAR FIXES
Coventry	4.91 pc	to 31/12/28	35 pc	£0	0800 121 8899
Santander	4.98 pc	to 2/12/28	15 pc	£0	0800 068 6064
Leeds	5.22 pc	to 30/11/28	5 pc	£999	0345 045 4049
FIVE-YEAR FIXES
Allied Irish	4.82 pc	to 31/10/31	25 pc	£0	0289 047 9221
Allied Irish	4.90 pc	to 31/10/31	15 pc	£0	0289 047 9221
HSBC	5.24 pc	to 31/10/31	5 pc	£0	0800 494 999
BASE-RATE TRACKERS
HSBC	Base +0.37 pc	for two years	40 pc	£999	0800 494 999
Nationwide	Base +1.20 pc	for two years	5 pc	£0	0800 302 010
Barclays	Base +0.60 pc	for five years	40 pc	£999	0333 202 7580
BUY-TO-LET
HSBC	4.98 pc	to 31/10/28	40 pc	£0	0800 494 999
NatWest	4.66 pc	to 30/11/31	40 pc	£995	0800 400 999
TSB	5.59 pc	to 31/10/31	20 pc	£995	0800 056 1088

Source: L&C Mortgages (0800 694 5444 / landc.co.uk)

CREDIT CARDS

CASHBACK AND PERKS			American Express, 0800 917 8047
PROVIDER	CARD	APR	PERKS
American Express	Cashback Everyday Credit Card	29.10 pc	Spc cashback for first five months then 0.5 pc on spends up to £10,000 and 1 pc above £10,000
American Express	Cashback Credit Card	34.60 pc	Spc cashback for first three months then 0.75 pc cashback on spends up to £10,000 and 1.25 pc above £10,000
SPENDING
		TSB: 0345 835 3846, Halifax: 0345 944 4555
PROVIDER	CARD	INITIAL RATE	APR
TSB	Platinum Purchase Card Mastercard	0 pc for 26 months	24.90 pc
Halifax	0 pc Purchase & BT Credit Card Visa	0 pc for 25 months	24.90 pc
BALANCE TRANSFERS
		TSB: 0345 835 3846, HSBC: 0345 7404 404
PROVIDER	CARD	INITIAL RATE	APR
TSB	Platinum Balance Transfer CC MC	0 pc for 38 months	3.49 pc (no min)
HSBC	Balance Transfer Credit Card Visa	0 pc for 36 months	3.09 pc (min £5)

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NATIONWIDE FLEXDIRECT

Get 5pc interest fixed for 12 months on balances up to £1,500. The account does not charge any fees. After the first 12 months, the interest drops to 1pc AER. You must pay in at least £1,000 a month, not counting transfers from other Nationwide accounts.

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LHV CURRENT ACCOUNT

Earn 3.75 pc on balances up to £1million and have no fees when spending abroad. LHV Bank is online only and accounts must be opened via an app.

lhv.com

IFAST MULTI-CURRENCY ACCOUNT

Earn 2.62 per cent on balances in your account and pay no annual fees. The account can support 11 different currencies, but the bank is online only.

ifastgb.com/en/home

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STARLING BANK CURRENT ACCOUNT

15pc interest on pre-agreed overdraft limit. Unarranged overdraft won't incur any charges or interest on the overdrawn amount.

0207 930 4450

FIRST DIRECT FIRST ACCOUNT

0 pc overdraft up to £250. 39.9 pc variable above £250.

0345 600 2424

Source: moneyfactscompare.co.uk

CPI INFLATION 2.60 pc RPI INFLATION 3.00 pc HOUSE PRICES 2.70 pc BASE RATE 3.75 pc

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42 TELEVISION

SHOCKING CASE

Love You to Death, 9pm, Ch4

MATTHEW Johnson was born in 2001 and failed to resolve many of the issues that came from being born prematurely at 33 weeks, relying on feeding tubes and a wheelchair. He received a Children of Courage award from Queen Camilla in 2005, but behind the scenes, medics and police were investigating whether Matthew was as unwell as his

mother Lisa (pictured) claimed. This three-part documentary on a case of fabricated or induced illness, aka Munchausen's by proxy, is unusual for featuring three of the key players speaking openly for the first time. Mum Lisa, once dubbed 'Britain's Most Evil Mother' is among the contributors, as well as her daughter Laura and, most crucially of all, Matthew himself.

PICK OF TODAY'S TV

PROFESSOR T, 9PM, ITV1

BEN Miller's OCD academic Jasper Tempest (pictured), is back to consult on more cases in Cambridge but he is troubled by intrusive thoughts —

another neurosis to add to his extensive library — of the shock death of DS Donckers at the end of the last series. Joining the regular cast for this fourth series is Zoe Wanamaker as the prof's eccentric aunt Zelda, who takes more of an interest in her nephew's work than his mother (Frances de la Tour) ever did, but before she can. Tempest has to start consulting with the police again, having backed away after Donckers's death. Can

his therapist (Juliet Stevenson, pictured with Miller) persuade him that the time is right? Part of this show's success has always been down to the presence of de la Tour and Stevenson as strong female figures in Tempest's life (read into that what you will Mr Freud) and the addition of Wanamaker promises more of that. Tonight's first case involves a young woman who goes missing on a luxury yacht cruise during a storm. Her boyfriend was somewhat under the thumb of his overbearing mother, whose ashes the couple were at sea to scatter. Can Tempest be tempted to dip his toes back in the water and crack the case?

	BBC1	BBC2	ITV1	CHANNEL 4
6.00 Breakfast 9.30 Countryfrie Treasures (R) 10.30 Garden Rescue (R) A well-being garden in Stockport. 11.15 Homes Under the Hammer (AD) Properties in Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire and Liverpool. 12.15 Bargain Hunt (AD,R) Teams compete in the Herefordshire market town of Leominster. 1.00 BBC News at One; Weather 1.35 BBC Regional News; Weather 1.45 BBC News at One; Weather 2.00 Money for Nothing Sarah Moore is on the lookout for quality items she can save and sell on at Witley recycling centre in Surrey. 2.45 Escape to the Country (R) Alistair Appleton helps an artistic couple escape to the Scottish Highlands. 3.30 The Repair Shop (AD,R) The experts restore a village sign. 4.30 The Answer Run Quiz show, hosted by Jason Manford. 5.15 Pointless (R) Quiz show, hosted by Alexander Armstrong. 6.00 BBC News at Six; Weather 6.30 BBC Regional News; Weather	6.15 Homes Under the Hammer (AD,R) 7.15 Money for Nothing (R) 8.00 Great Japanese Railway Journeys (AD,BSL,R) 8.30 Great Continental Railway Journeys (AD,BSL,R) 9.00 BBC News 1.00 Richard Osman's House of Games (R) With Nina Conti, Nick Helm, Athena Kugbleau and Toby Tarrant. 1.30 The Finish Line (R) Quiz. 2.15 Do You Know Your Place? (R) 2.45 Animal Park Summer (AD,R) A tiger cub is fighting with its family. 3.30 Serengeti II (AD,R) The young animals learn to hunt in the aftermath of the flood. 4.30 Vintage Antiques Roadshow (R) From Lake Bala, north Wales. 5.15 Flog IR (R) From Barrow Hill Roundhouse in Derbyshire. 6.00 Richard Osman's House of Games (R) With former winners Edith Bowman, Rhys James, Anita Rani and Simon Rimmer. 6.30 Bear Grylls: Wild Reckoning (AD,R) The adventurer revisits some of the people he helped.	6.00 Good Morning Britain 10.00 This Morning A mix of celebrity chat, advice and competitions. Including Local Weather. 1.00 News; Weather 1.20 Regional News 1.30 ITV Racing: Live from York Francesca Cumani and Ed Chamberlin present coverage of the opening day of the Ebor Meeting, including feature race the Juddmonte International Stakes. Analysis comes from Jason Weaver, Adele Muirennan and Ruby Walsh, with reporting by Matt Chapman, Dil Bell and Mick Fitzgerald, and commentary from Richard Holles; Regional Weather 4.30 Tipping Point: Best Ever Finals (R) Compilation of some of the most dramatic endgames from the arcade-themed quiz show. 5.00 The Chase (R) Julie from Londonderry, Abby from Newcastle, Mahesh from Bolton and Paul from Wiltshire take part. 6.00 Regional News 6.30 News; Weather	6.30 The King of Queens (AD,R) 7.45 Everybody Loves Raymond (AD,R) Triple bill. 9.10 Frasier (AD,R) Four episodes. 11.10 Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA (R) Gordon Ramsay strives to transform a Puerto Rican restaurant in Yonkers, New York. 12.05 Channel 4 News Summary 12.10 Find It, Fix It, Flog It (AD,R) A mother and son hoping to restore a windmill in Lincolnshire. 1.10 The Great House Giveaway (R) A plumber and a joiner get together to fix a property in West Yorkshire. 2.10 Countdown With Debbie McGee. 3.00 A Place in the Sun (R) Sara Damerig helps a couple find a holiday home in Fuerteventura. 4.00 The Great B&B Challenge (R) Jacqui and Rob fail to learn from their mistakes. 5.00 Chateau DIY (AD,R) Becky and Mark rush to get everything ready for an open day. 6.00 American Pickers (AD,R) Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz are spoilt for choice in Ohio.
7 PM	7.00 The One Show Presented by Clara Amfo and J.B. Gill. 7.30 EastEnders (AD) It is the day of Cindy and Kim's hen dos.	7.00 Today at the Test England v Pakistan. Action from the opening day of the First Test in the three-match series.	7.30 Inside the Langham: Britain's First Grand Hotel (AD) The team celebrates the 160th anniversary of the Langham. Last in series.	7.00 Channel 4 News
8 PM	8.00 Fake or Fortune? What Happened Next (AD) An update on a 2018 edition exploring whether two sketchbooks found in a garden shed in France were really the work of a young Toulouse-Lautrec.	8.00 Digging for Britain (AD,R) Alice Roberts explores treasures in the west of Britain, including the remains of Snodhill Castle in Herefordshire and the oldest house ever found in Cardiff.	8.00 Emmerdale (AD) Key makes a confession that leaves Billy stunned and later he smashes Caleb's laptop. 8.30 Coronation Street (AD) Idris coaches Ollie ahead of the poker night at Speed Daal.	8.00 Extraordinary Extensions (AD) A Croydon couple build a barn extension inspired by their passions for cars and crafts. Plus, a revisit to a Manchester property to see whether a glass extension has been a success.
9 PM	9.00 Celebrity MasterChef (AD) Joe Pasquale, Jason Mohammad, Emily Campbell, Shakira Khan and Jay McGuinness cook a pie for guest Paddy McGuinness.	9.00 Murder Trial: Death of a Dog Walker (AD) Part two of two. With Brian Low's family seeking answers, David Campbell takes the stand to defend himself against a murder charge built on circumstantial evidence.	9.00 Professor T (AD) New series. PICK Jasper is no longer consulting for the police following Lisa's death but he is lured back in when a woman disappears. Drama, starring Ben Miller.	9.00 Love You to Death (AD) New series. The story of Lisa Hayden-Johnson's deception, during which she fabricated her son Matthew's illness and subjected him to unnecessary procedures. Continues tomorrow.
10 PM	10.00 BBC News at Ten 10.30 BBC Regional News (Followed by Weather) 10.40 MOTD: UEFA Champions League Action from the play-off round first-leg ties.	10.00 Couples Therapy New series. Dr Orna Guralnik talks Marjorie and Jason through their differences. 10.30 Newsnight (Followed by Weather)	10.00 News (Followed by Weather) 10.30 Regional News 10.45 Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace — What Happened Next (AD,R) Foundling Susanne Barrow reveals further discoveries after meeting her half-brother Ian.	10.00 Outback Murder Highway (AD) PICK New series. Crime documentary investigating killings along a 500-mile Australian road, beginning with two student nurses who went missing while hitch-hiking in 1972.
11 PM	11.25 Monkey Man (2024) (18) ▲ WITNESS OBEC Premiere. Action thriller, starring Dev Patel and Sharito Copley. A man unleashes a campaign of vengeance against the men who killed his mother.	11.05 Couples Therapy Chris opens up about his infidelities. 11.35 Couples Therapy Jason turns to ChatGPT for support.	11.40 British Touring Car Championship Highlights Highlights of the sixth weekend of the 2026 British Touring Car Championship from the Knockhill circuit in Fife.	11.05 Outback Murder Highway (AD) PICK An investigation into the murder of New Zealand motorcyclists Karen, Gordon and Timothy, who were shot dead near a caravan park at Mount Isa.
12 MNT	1.20 Weather for the Week Ahead 1.25 BBC News	12.05 Buried with Michael Sheen (AD,R) 1.05 Amityville: An Origin Story (AD,BSL,R) 1.55 Evolution (BSL,R) 2.55 This is BBC2	1.05 Shop on TV 3.00 Love & Death (AD,R) 3.50 Inside the Langham: Britain's First Grand Hotel (AD,BSL,R) 4.15 Unwind with ITV 5.30 Tom Kerridge Cooks Italy (AD,BSL,R)	12.05 Murder Case: The Digital Detectives (AD,BSL,R) 1.00 Celebrity Hunted (AD,BSL,R) 1.55 Celebrity Hunted (AD,BSL,R) 2.50 Ramsay's Hotel Hell (AD,R) 3.40 Yorkshire by the Sea (AD,R) 4.35 Kirstie's House of Craft (R) 4.55 Couples Come Dine with Me (R) 5.50 Countdown (R)

(R) Repeat. (HD) High Definition. (AD) Audio Description. (b/w) Not in colour. (BSL) British Sign Language.

Family viewing

Generally suitable for all

Caution recommended

---

TELEVISION 43

TRUE-CRIME SERIES

Outback Murder Highway, 10pm, Ch4

THIS four-part true-crime series explores Flinders Highway, a 500-mile road in the Australian Outback where, since 1970, 11 people have been reported missing or murdered. A team of experts, including forensic archaeologist Louise Steding, revisit four cases from Flinders, including the 1972 murders of student nurses Robin and Anita and, at 11.05pm, the massacre of three Kiwi tourists in 1978. There's more tomorrow.

FILM CHOICE

Monkey Man, 11.25pm, BBC1

THIS graphically violent thriller is the directorial debut of Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel, who also stars as a young Indian man seeking bloody revenge on the men who murdered his mother. A big inspiration comes from the Hindu deity Haruman, and the stories Patel was told as a child by his grandfather.

CHANNEL 5

6.00 Milkshake! Peppa Pig (AD,R) 6.05 Peppa Pig (AD,R) 6.10 Tweedy & Fluff (R) 6.15 Odo (R) 6.20 Thomas & Friends (R) 6.35 Fireman Sam (R) 6.45 Peppa Pig (AD,R) 6.50 Pip and Posy (R) 6.55 Paw Patrol (R) 7.10 Move It Milkshakers! (R) 7.20 Rubble & Crew 7.35 Peppa Pig (AD,R) 7.40 Peppa Pig (AD,R) 7.45 Tim Rex in Space (AD,R) 8.00 Stan & Gran (R) 8.15 Paw Patrol (R) 8.30 The Adventures of Paddington (R) 8.40 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom (R) 8.50 Kangaroo Beach (R) 9.05 Peppa Pig (AD,R) 9.10 PAWsome Puzzles (R)

9.15 Jeremy Vine

11.30 Storm & Alexis

12.45 5 News at Lunchtime

12.50 Matt Allwright

2.20 The Body in the Attic (2023) (PG)

FILM @ Thriller; starring Abigail Hawk, Donny Boaz and Marc Herrmann.

4.00 Castle (R) Last in series.

4.55 Love Nature (R)

5.00 5 News with Dan Walker

6.00 Capri: Jewel of the Med (R) Cameras focus on one of the Mediterranean's smallest inhabited islands.

6.55 5 News Update

7.00 Car Pound Cops (R) Tracking cars as they are seized for a variety of offences, with access to car pounds, police forces and local council enforcement agencies. Last in series.

7.55 5 News Update

8.00 Casualty 24/7: Every Second Counts As the team at Barnsley Casualty deal with winter pressures, Dr Darya Pospyelova looks after a woman who has been bleeding heavily from her nose for over three hours.

9.00 999: Critical Condition A man worries that he may never walk again after a road traffic accident and a mother fights for her life during a severe asthma attack. Last in series.

10.00 A&E: Crash Scene Emergency (R) The work of medical teams at University Hospital Coventry's trauma unit. Emergency services and helicopter medics perform CPR on a 76-year-old man in cardiac arrest.

11.05 Ambulance: Code Red (AD,R) Critical Care Paramedics Sarah Folley and Fay Pollock are dispatched to help 64-year-old David, who has collapsed at work with a cardiac arrest.

12.05 A&E After Dark (AD,R) 1.00 Cruise TV with LoveItBookIt (R) 2.00 GPs: Behind Closed Doors (R) 2.50 Castle (R) 3.40 Friends (R) 4.05 Friends (R) 4.30 The Highland Vet (BSL,R) 5.25 Entertainment News on 5.5.35 Paw Patrol (BSL,R) 5.45 The Adventures of Paddington (BSL,R)

▲ Particularly liable to offend

ADHD, a money-making industry... and the children paying the price

ARE you easily distracted? Do you fidget? Are you talkative, and apt to interrupt others or blurt out answers before the question is finished? Do you lose your keys and feel frustrated in queues?

Congratulations! You have ADHD — or at least, you've got it if you want it. All those traits, unbelievably, are officially symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to the bible of psychiatric medicine, the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

What was a largely unknown condition until recent decades has become an epidemic, with an estimated 2.5 million adults now claiming to have ADHD in Britain. Diagnosis among children aged ten to 17 has more than doubled since 2018, with many of them on heavy-duty medication that has been compared to 'slow-release cocaine'.

Practically every famous person you've ever heard of now claims to have ADHD, said the Daily Mail's Dr Max Pemberton as he Googled celebs from

BEACH BEAST OF THE NIGHT:

Rivals on the sandcastle contest Race Against The Tide (BBC2) were making sculptures that evoked a traditional seaside holiday... except one, Yusuf, who carved a camel. What's wrong with old-fashioned donkey rides?

Emma Watson to Ryan Gosling, on The Great ADHD Myth?. But he vigorously challenged the popular idea that this means 'their brains are wired differently'. That's simply not supported by scientific evidence, he insisted.

This bold assertion was backed by a panel of experts who were unafraid to debunk ADHD in even stronger terms. 'It's certainly not a medical condition as far as I'm concerned,' said Dr Iona Heath, a former president of the Royal College of GPs.

'The industry around ADHD is about making money, at the cost of misery for others,' said Professor Dinesh Bhugra, a past president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Dr Rami Timimi called it, 'a big cultural experiment,' and warned, 'We're drugging so many young people's developing nervous system. We have very little idea about what the long-term consequences might be.'

Max's main case study followed a ten-year-old boy, Mason, who wanted to stop taking his ADHD meds because, he said, the pills stripped all the 'funness' out of his life. In place of

N. IRELAND TV VARIATIONS

BBC1 10.10pm The Big Deal with Death McGovern. The six-pairs team up to source and set artwork for luxury homes. 11.40 WEDD: UEFA Champions League. Action photo the year-off round first leg ties, including Celtic v LASK at Celtic Park. 12.25am Have I Got Nowc by You. 12.55 BBC News. UTV: 11.15pm Abbey Groovy Celebrity Homes.

WELSH TV VARIATIONS

S4C: 6.05am Cyse. 15.00 Camac Each. 12noon Newyoblon. 12.05 Carthall Curves. 12.30 Nana. 1.00 Lover Morgan, Her 215. 1.30 Sackido - a Man. 2.00 Newyoblon. 2.05 P'yrhaven Da. 3.00 Newyoblon. 3.05 Sienna Scandi Chris. 4.05 Awr Fawr. 5.00 Shuluh. 5.00 Dan Do. 6.30 Athletatry 'Freudsteed' Camp Out More. 7.00 Herts. 7.50 Newyoblon. 8.00 Fidbury Clem. 8.25 Carthall Curves. 8.55 Newyoblon. 9.00 Prindos Pum Mil. 10.00 Y Ono. 10.30 Ty Fht.

CHRISTOPHER STEVENS

LAST NIGHT'S TV

The Great ADHD Myth? (C4) ★★★★☆

drugs, he tried to regulate his behaviour by cutting down on sugar and screen time, and taking more outdoor exercise.

The condition is both so nebulous and so widely recognised that it seems almost anyone can qualify for the label. To prove

the point, Max took an online test with a private clinic. Yes, he was forever losing his phone, he said. Yes, he tended to work into the small hours and then zonk out. The instant verdict was unambiguous. Max was diagnosed with the 'combined type'

of ADHD: impulsivity, hyperactivity and inattentiveness.

What the documentary failed to explore was how widely these tests are being exploited for benefits claims. More than 100,000 people claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP) cite ADHD as their main 'disability'. This one-off programme could have made an even more compelling case if it had tackled this side of the problem, perhaps over two hours. We've got the attention span.

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44 DIGITAL & ON DEMAND

vi

PICK OF DIGITAL & ON DEMAND TV

LOVE IS BLIND: UK, NETFLIX

RUMWIG in the US (and various other countries around the world) since 2020, this dating show format is intriguingly simple. Fifteen men and 15 women spend ten days chatting to each other from inside purpose-built 'pods', without ever seeing who it is they're talking to. It's only when they decide to propose to one of the disembodied romance-seekers that they get to see if the voice-to-voice connection they've forged can survive face-to-face contact. If it does, then subsequent dates might just lead

to a wedding at the end of the series. Real-life husband and wife Emma and Matt Willis (pictured) she from shows such as Big Brother and he from the band Busted) take on the hosting duties on a smart and addictive reality romance show that's been quite a hit. In this third and latest series the daters include 30-year-old chef Jack from Cornwall, who thinks he's 'one of a kind' and seems to talk without a filter. He strikes an early spurt with 25-year-old executive assistant Faye – will it blaze into something bigger?

ANCIENT HISTORY

Rome: A History of the Eternal City, 8pm, BBC4

IN 2012, the historian Simon Sebag Montefiore presented a three-part series looking at how every event in ancient Rome revolved around religion. Simon investigates how the Romans worshipped and sacrificed to the gods, and reveals that nothing could happen without calling upon the pantheon of Roman deities first. Before your chance to see the first episode at 8.15pm, Simon tells us how the series came about and of the challenges they faced filming in one of Europe's busiest places. All episodes are on BBC iPlayer.

FOOTBALL BIOPIC & Beautiful Obsession, Amazon Prime Video

DIRECTED by Oscar-winner Kevin Macdonald (Touching The Void) and closely produced with Manchester City, this four-part documentary takes us inside manager Pep Guardiola's last two

seasons at the club. The series is extraordinary in a couple of ways. Firstly for its level of access, which takes us into changing room meddlewins, boardroom meetings and even into the voice notes exchanged between club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and CEO Ferran Soriano. Macdonald partly explained that access by the fact that both men are keen film fans, and apparently wanted to go the extra mile to make the series special. The other extraordinary element is how much raw emotion is on display, from the players' unfiltered reactions to wins and losses to Guardiola (pictured) himself, who never shies away from showing his true feelings.

TIME	BBC 4	E4	ITV2
	9 (Scot 24)	13	6
7.00pm	Villages by the Sea Ben Robinson explores Cuskendall in Ireland	Hollyoaks Confrontations take place as secrets come into the open	The Floor The competition is heating up with just 33 players left as Bob Brydon holds another fense round of quiz duels
7.30pm	Canal Boat Diaries Robbie Cumming explores the waterways of the north of England	The Simpsons Grampa boosts Homer's love life
8.00pm	Simon Sebag Montefiore Remembers – Rome: A History of the Eternal City	The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer Danny Dyer, Wout Gilbert, Leigh Francis, and Vinka Bokera make miniature biscuit people	The Tis Club Quiz hosted by Lee Mack in which the questions are about logic and common sense, with 80 contestants having a chance of winning up to £100,000
8.30pm	8.15 Rome: A History of the Eternal City
9.00pm	9.15 Mary Beard's Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit Scholar Mary Beard takes an in-depth look at identity and citizenship within the Roman Empire	Gogglebox The armchair critics share their opinions on Obsession, Married at First Sight Australia, Britain's Got Talent and Absolutely Over: Danny and Dave Do Italy	Family Guy Peter is arrested and charged with a hate crime
9.30pm	10.15 L Claudius Sejanus seeks permission to marry		Family Guy Quagmire is reunited with a former lover
10.00pm	10.15 L Claudius Sejanus seeks permission to marry	Gogglebox Television shows including 7m a Celebrity South Africa, Citadel, Celebrity Handed, Britain's Got Talent, Reunion Hotel, and Canal Boat Diaries are reviewed	Family Guy Stewie becomes addicted to ADHD medication
10.30pm	10.30 pm	11.05 L Claudius Caligula is hailed as the new Caesar (To 12.00)	10.35 Family Guy Joe's long-estranged father visits Quirlog
11.00pm	11.00 pm	11.05 First Dates Twenty one-year-old post-grad student Madeleine is paired with rugby-playing Tom Hardy impersonator Ewan (To 12.00)	11.05 Family Guy Stewie replaces Brian with a super-intelligent robot
11.30pm	11.30 pm		11.35 American Dad! Stan goes on a wild night out with some co-workers (To 12.05)

ENTERTAINMENT & FACTUAL

SACTION Freetree 33 Sky 150 11.20am Gunsmoke 12.25pm FILM: Seven Men from Now. (1956) (U) 2.05 FILM: Run by Cover. (1955) (U) 4.00 Highway Thru Hell 5.00 Motorway Cops: Catching Britania Speeders 6.00 Police Interceptors 8.00 Motorway Cops: Catching Britania Speeders 9.00 Police Interceptors 10.00 Police: Night Shift 9/01 11.00 The X-Files.

BBC THREE Freetree 23 Sky 155 Virgin 107 7.00pm The Cuck's Up 7.05 Deadly 60 8.00 FILM: Mission: Impossible. (1996) (PU) 9.45 Guy Montgomery's Guy West Spelling Bee. 11.20 FILM: Yesterday. (2019) (U)

COMEDY CENTRAL Sky 153 Virgin 132 12noon Sahitya the Teenage Witch 1.00 Friends 9.00 Michael McIntyre's Big Show 10.00 Out of 10 Cats 10.00 Out of 10 Cats Best Bits 11.40 Whose Line Is It Anyway? USA

DISCOVERY Sky 135 Virgin 177 11.00am Building Off the Grid 1.00pm Dr Jeff Rocky Mountain Vet 3.00 New It's Made 5.00 Alaska: Homestead Rescue 7.00 Wheeler Dusters 10.00 Mighty Truckers. 11.00 Expedition X.

E4 (DAYTIME) Freetree 13 Sky 135 Virgin 106 12noon The Simpsons 2.00 Brooklyn Nine-Nine 3.00 Modern Family 5.00 The Simpsons 6.30 Hollyoaks.

SSTAR (DAYTIME) Freetree 32 Sky 135 Virgin 126 12noon Traffic Cops 2.00 Police Interceptors 5.00 Car Pound Cops 6.00 Home and Away.

S SELECT Freetree 46 Sky 153 Virgin 138 12noon Ben Fogle New Lives in the Wild 1.00 Murder, She Wrote 3.00 Columbo 5.00 Elemental: Wonder of the West Country 6.00 Abandoned Dogmaveng 7.00 Ben Fogle New Lives in the Wild 9.00 Angela Rigoons River Cruises 10.00 Keeping Faith 11.05 Prisoner: Cell Block H.

5 USA (DAYTIME) Freetree 21 Sky 145 Virgin 120 11.55am Law & Order 6.00pm NCIS.

FOOD NETWORK UK Freetree 43 Sky 144 Virgin 108 11.00am The Great British Bake Off 1.00pm James Martin's Islands to Highlands 3.00 The Harry Bikers Go Local 4.00 James Comfort Food 5.00 The Pioneer Woman 6.00 James Martin's Islands to Highlands 7.00 The Great British Bake Off 9.00 Sophie Grigson: Slice of Italy 10.00 Jamie Cooks Italy 11.00 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

GREAT! TV Freetree 34 Sky 157 Virgin 170 12noon Little House on the Prairie 1.00 The Madison 4.00 Little House on the Prairie 6.00 The Irish Rift 7.00 NYK'S'Y! 9.00 FILM: All Creatures Great and Small. (1979) (PU) 11.00 NYK'S'Y!

ITV2 (DAYTIME) Freetree 6 Sky 118 Virgin 118 10.15am Dawnette Creek 11.10 Charmed 12.10pm Deal or No Deal 1.10 Supermarket Sweep 2.10 The Floor 3.10 The Only Way Is Essex 4.10 The Real Housewives of Potomac 5.00 The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills 6.00 Celebrity Catchphrase.

ITV3 (DAYTIME) Freetree 10 Sky 119 Virgin 117 11.30am Heartbeat 1.35pm Midsummer Murders 3.35 Classic Emmerdale 4.40 Classic Coronation Street 5.50 Heartbeat.

ITV4 (DAYTIME) Freetree 26 Sky 120 Virgin 118 10.15am The Professionals 11.25 Robin of Sherwood 12.30pm Magnum, Pl. 2.35 The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes 3.45 Soon 4.50 The Professionals 5.55 Minder.

MODIE4 (DAYTIME) Freetree 18 Sky 136 Virgin 147 12.40pm Come Dare with Me 3.20 Four in a Bed 5.50 Car S.O.S.

INVESTIGATION 2.00 Hitler's Last Stand 4.00 Lost Treasures of Egypt 5.00 Destruction Decoded 6.00 Planes that Changed History 7.00 Air Crash Investigation 8.00 Lost Treasures of Ancient Greece 9.00 Lost Gold of the Dark Ages: Treasure Board 10.00 Workmen of Ancient Medicine 11.00 Air Crash Investigation.

PBS AMERICA Freetree 84 Sky 173 Virgin 167 11.50am The Truth About Franco Spain's Forgotten Dictatorship 1.00pm Weathered Earth's Extremes 1.35 World of Stonehenge 2.40 The Stuarts 3.50 Dad's Secret War France 1944 5.00 The Truth About Franco Spain's Forgotten Dictatorship 6.15 World of Stonehenge 7.20 The Stuarts 8.30 Dad's Secret War France 1944 9.40 The Truth About Franco Spain's Forgotten Dictatorship 10.55 The Stuarts

REALLY Freetree 44 Sky 142 Virgin 165 12noon The Yorkshire Auction House 1.00 Celebrity Yorkshire Auction House 2.00 The Repair Shop 3.00 Salvage Hunters 5.00 Who Do You Think You Are? 6.00 The Repair Shop 7.00 The Yorkshire Auction House 8.00 Antiques Road Trip 9.00 Long Lost Family 10.00 Who Do You Think You Are? 11.00 Help! My House Is Haunted.

SKY ARTS Freetree 36 Sky 132 Virgin 123 12noon The Art of Film with Ian Nathan 1.00 Tales of the Unexpected 2.00 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour 3.00 The Nineties 4.00 Discovering Jack Nicholson 5.00 Portrait Artist of the Year 2013 6.00 Tales of the Unexpected 7.00 Alfred Hitchcock Presents 8.00 Voices of the Valleys 9.00 Battle of the Irish Dancers 10.00 The Eighties 11.00 The Art of Architecture: Great Museums of the World.

SKY ATLANTIC Sky 109 Virgin 111 10.15am House of the Dragon 12.35pm Homicide Life on the Street 2.30 Billions 4.40 Dongs 6.45 House of the Dragon 9.00 Task 10.35 Station Eleven.

RADIO

RADIO 4 FM: 924/945/8012 5.00am News Summary. 5.04 BBC Inside Science. 5.32 Weather. 5.34 Shipping Forecast. 5.43 Prayer for the Day. 5.45 Farming Today. 6.00 Today. 9.00 Sideways. 9.30 Breakin' the Cycle. 10.00 Woman's Rose. 11.00 Saving Young Men from Murder: The Homeboy Story. 11.40 This Week in History. 11.45 Book of the Week: The Fire in the Mountain: Sicily, Etna and her People. By Helena Attlee. 12noon News. 12.04 You and Yours. 1.00 The World at One. 1.45 Fame! Human Intelligence. 2.00 The Archers. 2.15 Drama: United Kingdoms.

SKY COMEDY Sky 113 Virgin 112 12.20pm Based on a True Story. 1.40 The Comeback 3.00 Will & Grace 4.00 The Reluctant Landlord 5.00 Community 6.00 Will & Grace 7.00 The Office (US) 8.00 The Reluctant Landlord 9.00 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver 9.45 FILM: Warm Bodies (2013) (12) Comedy: Instruct with Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer. 11.40 Based on a True Story.

SKY DOCUMENTARIES Sky 114 Virgin 121 12noon Being Mary Tyler Moore. 2.20 I Am Luke Fury 4.00 The Directors. 5.00 Discovering: John Malkovich. 6.00 FILM: The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52. (2021) (PU) 8.00 Black Widow 11.00 Premier League 360 – Big Sam's Button.

PICK OF TODAY'S RADIO

HUMAN INTELLIGENCE, 1.45PM, RADIO 4

NAOMI Alderman takes up the challenge to summarize the life and work of Sigmund Freud in just 15 minutes. A trailblazer in psychoanalysis, Freud believed that our unconscious was the driving force behind who we are, and he developed the idea

of the talking cure. She is joined by the psychoanalyst and academic Dr Eve Watson and together they paint a picture of a man with an insatiable curiosity and quest for knowledge but who was also prepared to admit when he had made a mistake.

3.00 The Grand North Atlantic Home Video Archive. 3.30 All Under One Magnetouphere. 4.00 The Power of Guilt. 4.15 The Media Show. 5.00 PM: Weather. 6.00 Six O'Clock News. 6.30 Best Medicine. Ed Wild shares a gene therapy for Huntington's.

7.00 The Archers. The Malik family have a bone to pick. 7.15 Front Row. Arts programme. 8.00 The Moral Maze. New series. Debate on ethical issues, chaired by Michael Bueck. 9.00 Invisible Hands. The academic who led America to disaster in Vietnam.

SKY HISTORY Sky 123 Virgin 131 11.05am Storage Wars. 12noon Rust Valley Restorers 1.00 Storage Wars. 2.00 Storage Hunters. 6.00 American Pickers. 7.00 Forged in Fire. 8.00 Rust Valley Restorers. 9.00 History's Greatest Warriors. 10.00 Airport Security USA.

SKY ONE Sky 106 Virgin 109 12noon Afrixia Hunters. 1.00 Hawaii Fire 0. 3.00 SWAT. 5.00 The Simpsons. 6.00 Rob & Emmsh vs Fashion. 7.00 The Simpsons. 8.00 Surviving Earth. 9.00 Never Mind the Buzzcocks. 10.30 The 'Burbs. 11.25 Grimm.

SKY SCI-FI Sky 145 Virgin 140 11.00am Star Trek Enterprise. 12noon Star Trek Voyager. 1.00

Stargate Atlantis. 2.00 Warehouse 13. 4.00 Stargate SG 1. 5.00 Star Trek Voyager. 6.00 Star Trek Enterprise. 7.00 Stargate Atlantis. 8.00 Stargate SG 4. 9.00 Resident Alien. 10.00 Grimm. 11.00 The Walking Dead.

SKY WITNESS Sky 107 Virgin 110 12noon FBI. 2.00 The Rookie. 3.00 Law & Order Criminal Intent. 4.00 Nothing to Declare. 8.00 Caught on Business. 9.00 Fire County. 10.00 FBI International. 11.00 The Rookie.

TLC Freetree 12 Sky 121 Virgin 113 12noon The Big Bang Theory. 2.00 The Middle. 3.30 Young Shields. 5.00 The Big Bang Theory. 9.00 Most Extreme Humans. 10.00 The 6000b Diaries with Dr. Now. 11.00 Dr. Pimple Pepper: Breaking Out.

---

FREEVIEW PRIMETIME PLANNER 45

ITV3	ITV4	MORE4	SKY MIX	QUEST	U&DAVE	U&DRAMA	SSTAR	SUSA
6.55 Heartbeat Ventress thinks Mike's replacement PC Steve Crane (James Carlton) is too keen to prove his worth	6.50 Car 5.0.5 Fuzz Downheed and Tim Shaw secretly restore a Sunbeam Alpine	6.50 Car 5.0.5 Fuzz Downheed and Tim Shaw secretly restore a Sunbeam Alpine	Star Trek: The Next Generation A time-traveling historian from the future arrives to study 24th-century life — and asserts the Enterprise crew	Antiques Road Trip Antiques experts Anita Manning and Raj Bishari head to Suffolk, Kent and Surrey to search for treasures	7.05 Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing Bob and Paul head to North Uist	7.20 Last of the Summer Wine Clegg uses his metal detector to search the Pennines for treasure	Casualty 24/7: Every Second Counts The resuscitation unit at Barnsley Hospital is completely full	NCIS The team is called to investigate the discovery of a U.S. Marine's body at the foot of a cell, and Gibbs suspects the man's ex-wife and best friend are guilty of murder
Midsomer Murders Wild Harvest: When wealthy former karrie McCloud is discovered bound to a time, doused in truffle oil and masked to death by a wild boar, the investigation leads US Barnaby to tyrannical celebrity chef Ruth Cameron at the upmarket Wyvern House restaurant	Cycling: Women's Tour of Britain Highlights Action from stage one, at the riders took on a 158.8km route, beginning and ending in Cockermouth	7.55 Grand Designs Kevin McCloud follows the progress of Dorras, who promised his wife and children he would build them a super-modern underground home on a hill outside Canterbury	Police 24/7 officers pull over a car containing a subject wanted for 9 teams and explosives, while a wild trap making a mess gets the attention of the police	The Yorkshire Auction House Angus uncovers an unopened bottle of 9400 whisky and some Victorian Christmas crackers	8.20 Would I Lie to You? With Alan Davies, Richard Osman, Germaine Greer and Jermaine Jenas	The Chelsea Detective When a former pop star is found dead just days before Christmas, everyone suspects an overdose	GPs Behind Closed Doors Dr Airson Abdul-Razak is puzzled by her teenage patient, Omar, who has been suffering from migraines and fainting	NCIS The body of a petty officer is found lying next to a barman — but he insists she is not the woman he brought home the previous night
Grantchester Cathy and Mrs Chapman's new business venture hits a serious obstacle, and Gerole tries to intervene in Alphy's personal life	RoboCop 3 (1993,18) The cyborg joins rebel forces fighting against a corporation's sinister plans for the city of Detroit, Sci-fi thriller sequel, with Robert Burke and Nancy Allen, includes F10 Daily	The Roman Empire by Train with Alice Roberts Alice explores Rome itself	FBI: Most Wanted New task force member Kristin Gaines joins Jesi and the team as they head to Washington DC to find a dangerous fugitive	The Yorkshire Auction House Angus Ashworth turns air traffic controller to land buyers for an aviation fanatic's model collection	QI XL Sand khuvig presents a volatile episode of Qi with Asling Sea, Mark Watson, Michelle Wolf and Alan Davies	The Chelsea Detective Max and Layla investigate a string of potential suspects, including a ruthless manager, a scheming journalist and a Tory MP	Transporter 2 (2005,15) A politician's chauffeur sets out to rescue his employer's kidnapped son from Russian criminals. Action thriller sequel, with Jason Statham, Alessandro Gesmann and Amber Valletta, includes Entertainment News	Prodigal Son A psychologist hired by the NYPD has to consult with his serial killer father on a case
Grantchester Alphy and Gerole investigate a death related to a lecturer	11.05 All Elite Wrestling: Collision Hard-fitting action, featuring stars including F1b, Thunder Rosa, Jon Mosley and Jay White (To 105)	24 Hours in A&E A 22-month-old girl needs urgent treatment after being kicked in the head	The Rookie Holan and the team feel they make negotiate with a distraught man who is holding a hospital hostage to ensure his wife receives life-saving surgery	The Repair Shop Electronics expert Mark and bookstinder Chris are tasked with fixing up a radio hidden inside a book. An upholsterer foes up a beloved chair	Have I Got a Bit More News for You Stephen Morgan hosts an extended episode, with comedy writer Andy Hamilton and comedian Chloe Petts	New Tricks A former Irish dissident sheds light on the abduction of an 18-year-old woman in 1983	10.45 Special Forces: Most Spring Missions The story of the British soldiers held hostage in Sierra Leone	Prodigal Son Malcolm Jumps at the chance to help Arroyo solve a quadruple homicide
9.30 Trial & Retribution Part one of two (To 12.55)	11.05 All Elite Wrestling: Collision Hard-fitting action, featuring stars including F1b, Thunder Rosa, Jon Mosley and Jay White (To 105)	11.05 24 Hours in A&E Ninety-one-year-old Cyril is at effect to hospital after a car crash which required him to be cut from his car (To 12.8)	Grimm A string of brutal murders leads Hark and Nick to an escaped convict who is seeking money on those who put him behind bars (To 12.00)	How Do They Do It? The making of Dutch statesware and pocket-sized umbrellas	Taskmaster In the series finale, Noel Fielding finds an unlikely soul-mate, and is kindredness takes off more than she can chew (To 12.00)	11.20 Luther Two hoodies are shot in what appears to be a gangland crime, until Luther realises a vigilante killer is on the loose (To 12.40)	11.40 Scam City Conan Woodman uncovers tourist scams in New York (To 12.45)	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Sermon crosses units with Alexandra Cabot while searching for an abducted mother and daughter (To 12.00)

■ RICHARD Strauss's opera Ariadne Auf Naxos comes to the BBC PROMS (7PM, RADIO 3) fresh from the Gyndebourne Festival. American soprano Rachel Willis-Sorensen (pictured) joins Alina Wunderlin, David Butt Philip and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The richest man in Vienna has commissioned an evening's entertainment. The result is high tragedy and farce as an opera company and a comedy troupe share the stage at the same time.

9.30 Michael Sheen Gets Into Character. Michael Sheen explores the methods used by actors to get into character, beginning with Stanislavski's System. 10.00 The World Tonight. News round-up. 10.45 Book at Bedtime: Mr Sidhu's Post Office. By Amman Brar.

11.00 Nora Meadows' Week of Wellness. 11.15 Follow the Rabbit. 11.30 Poetry Please. 12midnight News and Weather. 12.30 Book of the Week: The Fire in the Mountain Sicily, Etna and her People. By Helena Artine. 12.48 Shipping Forecast. 1.00 BBC World Service.

U&ALIBI Sky 109 Virgin 114 12noon Body of Proof. 1.00 Death in Paradise. 2.00 Murdoch Mysteries. 4.00 The Montalini. 5.00 Hudson & Rex. 6.00 Body of Proof. 7.00 Private Eyes. 8.00 Bodish. 9.10 Death in Paradise. 10.10 Father Brown. 11.10 Private Eyes.

U&DAVE (DAYTIME) Prevolve 19 Sky 131 Virgin 127 11.20am Yukon Gold. 12.20pm Top Goat. 2.20 Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing. 3.00 Guy Martin. Prayer Jobs. 4.00 Hany Bliere: Best of British. 5.00 Rick Stein's Cornwall.

U&DRAMA (DAYTIME) Prevolve 20 Sky 143 Virgin 138 11.45am The Bill. 12.40pm Classic EastEnders. 2.00 Classic Neighbours. 3.00 Whitstable Pearl.

4.05 Lovejoy. 5.20 As Time Goes By. 6.00 Last of the Summer Wine

U&EDEN Prevolve 57 Sky 166 Virgin 176 12noon 1066 A Year to Conquer England. 1.00 Operation Gold Rush with Dan Snow. 2.00 Operation Grand Canyon with Dan Snow. 4.00 1066 A Year to Conquer England. 5.00 Bangers & Cash. Restoring Classics.

U&GOLD Sky 103 Virgin 104 12.20pm Only Fools and Horses. 1.00 Keeping Up Appearances. 1.40 Dad's Army. 2.20 The Green Green Grass. 3.00 Are You Being Served? 3.40 Ever Decreasing Drinks. 4.20 Dad's Army. 5.00 Last of the Summer Wine. 6.20 Keeping Up Appearances. 7.00 Only Fools and Horses. 7.40 Dad's Army. 8.20 Are You Being Served? 9.00

Porridge. 9.40 The Office. 10.20 Not Going Out. 11.00 Mrs Browns Boys. 11.40 Porridge.

U&W Prevolve 25 Sky 133 Virgin 125 12noon DIY SOS. The Big Build. 1.00 Tipping Point. 4.00 Property Brothers Forever Homes. 5.00 DIY SOS. The Big Build. 7.00 MasterChef Australia. 8.00 Pete Wicks. For Dogs Sale. 9.00 Signora Volpe. 11.00 First Responders.

U&VESTERDAY Prevolve 27 Sky 155 Virgin 128 12noon Antiques Roadshow. 2.00 Bangers & Cash. 4.00 Secret Nazi Bases. 5.00 The World of War. 6.00 Antiques Roadshow. 7.00 The Blue Planet. 8.00 Michael Palin: Travels of a Lifetime. 9.00 Simon Reeves South America. 10.00 Bangers & Cash.

SPORT

SKY MAIN EVENT Sky 400 Virgin 501 10.00am Live Test Cricket England v Pakistan. England v Pakistan. Coverage of the opening day of the First Test in the three-match series, held at Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds. 7.00pm Live Tennis: The Cincinnati Open.

SKY PREMIER LEAGUE Sky 400 Virgin 502 12noon Transfer T&L. 1.00 Premier League Years. 3.00 Ft. Home. 5.00 The Premier League Show. 7.00 The Transfer Show. 8.00 Premier League Stories. 8.30 Premier League 100 Club. 9.00 Transfer 360. 10.00 Premier League Stories. 10.30 Premier League 100 Club. 11.00 Premier League Years.

SKY CRICKET Sky 400 Virgin 505 10.00am Live Test Cricket England v Pakistan. Coverage of the opening day of the First Test in the three-match series. 7.00pm Best of ICC WT20. 7.30 International T20 Cricket. 8.00 Test Cricket. 9.00

MOVIES

FILM4 Prevolve 14 Sky 113 Virgin 428 11.00am Data and the Last City of Gold (2019) (PG) 1.05pm Journey to the Center of the Earth. (1959) (U) 3.45 American Gangster Special. 3.55 Von Ryan's Express. (1965) (PG) 6.15 American Gangster Special. 6.25 Mowbld. (2022) (12) 9.00 Fury. (2014) (15) 11.40 The Beast. (2021)(15)

GREAT ACTION Prevolve 42 Sky 318 Virgin 426 12.50pm The Deal. 1.50 Burn Notice. 3.50 Battle for the Skies (2013) (15) 6.00 The Unit. 7.00 Burn Notice. 9.00 Police Whipped (2006) (15) 11.15 The Avengers.

GREAT MYSTERY Prevolve 50 Sky 120 Virgin 435 12.05pm Unforgettable. 1.00 In Plain Sight. 2.00 Castle. 3.00 Diagnosis Murder. 5.00 Murder, She Wrote. 7.00 Castle. 8.00 Unforgettable. 9.00 In Plain Sight. 10.00 Morning Show Mysteries.

International T20 Cricket. 9.30 Test Cricket Flowers. 9.45 Best of ICC WT20. 10.00 Test Cricket. 11.00 One-Day International Cricket.

SKY MIX Sky 416 Virgin 501 12noon My Icon. Leon McKenzie. 12.10 My Icon. Kadsen Corban. 12.20 My Icon. Moeen A3. 12.30 Darb Gold. 1.00 NFL Highlights. 2.00 Premier League Darts. 5.45 NFL Bitesize Highlights. 6.00 Indycar. 7.00 Formula. 8.00 Tennis. 10.00 PGA Tour Champions. 11.00 NFL Highlights.

TNT SPORTS 1 Sky 410 Virgin 523 10.45am Live Women's Cycling World Tour. Stage one of the Loyola Tour of Britain. 3.45am Live Men's Cycling World Tour. 4.45 Serie A. 5.45 Playing for Our Future — Football. 6.00 TNT Sports Raised. 6.30 Premier League Preview. 7.30 Live UEFA Champions League Celtic v LASK (Kick-off Spin). 10.30 Premier League Stories. 11.00 CPL Highlights. 11.30 Live CPL.

TNT SPORTS 2 Sky 411 Virgin 522 1.30pm CPL Highlights. 2.00 The Fantasy Show. 2.30 Live Men's Cycling World Tour. Coverage of stage one of the Renown Tour. 4.45 Refrains the Game. 5.00 Sign Up — Miss Football. 6.00 T100 Triathlon World Tour Highlights. 6.30 FA Community Shield. 7.55 Live UEFA Champions League. NEC Nijmegen v Body/Glunt (Kick-off Spin). 10.00 The Fantasy Show. 10.30 Men's Cycling World Tour. 11.30 Men's Cycling Pro-Series.

TNT SPORTS 3 Sky 413 Virgin 523 11.30am Serie A. 12.30pm MLB Highlights. 1.30 Premier League Review. 3.30 Live Men's Cycling Pro Series. Coverage of the prologue of the Lidl Deutschland Tour. 5.30 The Gorgeons. 5.45 MLB Plays of the Week. 7.45 MLB Highlights. 7.15 Live MLB Chicago Cubs v Chicago. 9.00n Sea (Short time 7.20pm). 10.00 Discovery Golf. 10.30 Test Cricket Highlights. 11.30 Lions Uncut. Australia 2025.

Countdown to Murder. (2019) (PG) 11.55 Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: 11 Death Do Us Part. (2022) (PG)

GREAT HOMANCE Prevolve 52 Sky 122 Virgin 424 10.10am Surprise in Heaven. (2019) (PG) 12noon Love Again. (2020) (PG) 1.00 Never Too Late to Celebrate. (2021) (PG) 3.50 Wedding at the Hamptons. (2022) (PG) 5.50 Pearl in Paradise. (2020) 7.00 Two Chefs and A Wedding Cake. (2022) (U) 9.50 Hearts in the Gates. (2022) (PG) 11.45 Flowers and Honey. (2022) (PG)

SKY DRAMA Sky 310 Virgin 403 11.45am Castle Me If You Can. (2022) (U) 2.30pm Lee. (2023) (U) 4.10 True Grit. (1969) (PG) 6.20 Stand By Me. (1969) (15) With River Phoenix. 8.00 Bohemian Shapiro. (2018) (U) While Queen becomes one of the biggest rock bands in the world. Freddie Mercury struggles with his personal life. Biopic, starring Rami

Malek, Lucy Boynton and Gwilym Lee. 10.15 Hamnet. (2025) (12) After losing their win to plague, Agnes and William Shakespeare grapple with grief. Period drama, starring Paul Menzel and Jessie Buckley.

SKY PREMIERE Sky 310 Virgin 405 10.35am Tom And Jerry Parkdides Compass. (2025) (PG) 12.20pm Hamnet. (2025) (U) 2.30 Normal. (2026) (15) 4.10 Signal One. (2026) (U) 5.45 Song Song Rose. (2026) (U) 8.00 Hamnet. (2025) (12) 10.15 Mortal Kombat II. (2026) (15)

TALKING PICTURES TV Prevolve 52 Sky 324 Virgin 445 11.20am The International Journey (1949) (PG) 1.00pm The Buccaneers. 1.35 Song of Spain. (1964) (PG) 3.20 Look at Life. 3.35 Couldn't Have Believed It. 3.45 Dial 999. 4.20 The End of the Albat. (1959) (PG) 6.30 Give Us a Cloe. 7.00 Out of Town. 7.35 Genevieve. (1953) (U) 9.20 The Story of Esther Costello. (1957) (PG) 11.25 Open Fire. (1994) (12)

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Page 46

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20

SCOREBOARDS can show a comfortable head while the actual game is slipping away ball by ball. Something in your week has looked fine on paper, but how is it going really? Today is a good day to let a teammate tell you honestly how the second half is actually going, instead of only celebrating the current score. It isn't game over yet, but that's why now is the moment to address strategy, not later when the gap has widened. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0302*

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 GREAT icing

can hide a stale cake. But what happens when something looks better than it tastes? You've been making something appear fine on the surface rather than dealing with what's gone slightly off underneath it. Let whoever you're baking for taste the cake properly today instead of just admiring how it looks. A good result today is an honest, straightforward truth, delivered and received with kindness. You don't always need to use sweetness as a distraction. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0302*

GEMINI May 22 - June 22

WE ALL have those message threads that can keep the laughing emojis going for days. But what if the joke has quietly stopped being funny to you? You've noticed a shift in what lights you up recently. Today makes it easier to say the more honest thing to the person on the other end of the thread. You don't need a perfect explanation. Just enough truth to stop the humour running in an uncomfortable direction. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0303*

CANCER June 23 - July 23

A FAMILY photo taken during one of the toughest weeks anyone can remember can still show four people smiling like nothing was wrong. You've kept a version of that photo going for a while now, presenting the steady version of things to people who ask how you are. It's all right to let one person see the real version of the week you've been having today. Even sharing

JEMMA CAINER

JCAINER.COM

SOMETIMES a sunny disposition is not the whole story. Today's alignment between the Moon in Scorpio and Mercury in Leo asks you to look twice at anyone wearing too bright a smile, including yourself. A confident front works well until the moment it starts costing

more to maintain than the truth would. Something has been circling the edges of a few conversations lately. It won't stay available much longer. Better to have the awkward exchange on your own terms than wait for it to force its way out.

a small, honest detail changes what the picture can say about you. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0304*

LEO July 24 - Aug 23

ACTORS can deliver lines perfectly even if they've just received bad news. You're good at this skill, maybe too good, and today is testing exactly how long you can keep performing steadiness before it costs you something. Let the one person who already knows what's really going on check in properly instead of just admiring how well you're holding it together. That will help you on the way from acting OK into being OK. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0305*

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

A BUILDING may have passed its inspection but it's always worth double checking that patch that looks damp. You've been telling yourself everything is fine lately. Most of it technically is. But it could be a good idea to ask a professional to look at the area that's causing you concern, rather than glossing over it again. Passing an inspection isn't the same as there being nothing to monitor. Catching a matter early is always worthwhile. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0306*

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23

HAVE you ever seen a shop sign reading "back in five minutes" and questioned its logic? It could have hung in the window for hours. You've been telling people a version of that same sign for longer than you probably realise, updating nobody on how a matter of the heart has changed for you. Give the next person who asks the real answer - or at least enough truth so that the sign in your window does match what's really happening. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0307*

SCORPIO Oct 24 - Nov 22 SONAR can

return a depth reading that doesn't match what everybody was expecting on deck. Often the instinct is to trust the original assumption. You've been sensing something that doesn't match the room's comfortable read of a situation, and you are right to trust your version over theirs. Be honest, even if it complicates an otherwise easy mood. Being the one who complicates things isn't the same as being wrong. Trust your reading. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0308*

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21

CITY tour guides will keep telling the picture postcard story because it's easier than the messier narrative of the place and its people. You've been giving

• Calls cost 80p per minute plus your phone company's access charge and will last approximately 4 minutes. Head to jcainer.com and join Jemima's Moon Circle for exclusive extras, videos and live readings and exciting astrology workshops! To report a phone line problem, call 0330 100 0601.

the highlights version of something to whoever asks lately, skipping the parts that are harder to summarise cheerfully. Someone walking this route with you deserves the fuller version today, complications included. The postcard view isn't a lie exactly. It's just not the whole reason anyone should visit. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0309*

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20

A QUARTERLY report can look strong overall because a struggling department is hidden behind more profitable ones. You've been massaging the figures when it comes to how things are going in your life, letting the strong parts cover for the one area that needs attention. Tell whoever reviews this with you which specific part is problematic today instead of presenting the comfortable average. The overall number was never really the point. The one weak item was. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0310*

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19

WHILE a public post about a cause you care about can get all the attention, a private message from someone directly affected goes unanswered. Ideals are easier to hold at the macro level than the micro. But there's a close relationship in your life that requires a reply today. Give it your attention, even though it may feel smaller and less important than the bigger picture. That matters, but so does the one person waiting to hear back from you. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0311*

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20

A SMALL leak in a boat can be bailed out successfully for a surprisingly long time, right up until the moment the bailing can't quite keep pace any more. You have been managing something the same way, staying just ahead of it through sheer willpower. Today brings the perfect weather to locate the actual leak instead of just admiring how well you've kept things afloat so far. Effort isn't the same as repair. Both matter, but only one of them stops the water coming in. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0312*

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Page 47

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HARRINGTON & BYRNE PHILATELIC EXPERTS

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Page 48

PETERBOROUGH

email: pboro@dailymail.co.uk

Dartling, please don't

nag when I'm driving

COMING back from visiting my sister late one afternoon on a wet, miserable day, I had only been on the motorway for a few minutes when my in-car phone rang. I saw it was my partner ringing, so I switched it to loudspeaker. "Your indicator's still on - and put your lights on, it's getting dark," he admonished. Looking in the rear-view mirror, I saw that Geoff was right behind me. I switched him off when he said: "It's clear ahead so why have you changed lanes?"

Honestly, talk about back-seat drivers!

Mrs Carole Gavan, Thornton, Devon

Sign Language

DROPPED POINTS: I'm glad to see our local school is still teaching kids how to count - 1, 2, 3, 4 - or is that now 10? Michael Houghton, Folkestone, Kent

Follow-up

CAROL Ferrari's letter about horse manure reminded me of my father, an avid gardener and collector of manure. One Sunday we went in the car to Shenfield Common to collect some. The ground was wet, so we kids stayed in the car as Dad trudged off with his hessian sack. After a while, we saw Dad return with the sack on his shoulders - but the droppings must have been wet because 'juice' was streaming down his neck and shoulders, and all down his back. The smell was very strong and we had to have the car windows right down all the way home. That must have been 70 years ago but I can still see it in my mind's eye!

Jen Milson, Hadleigh, Essex

Out Of The Mouths

Of Babes

MY FOUR-YEAR-OLD granddaughter Erin had a visit to her new school, in anticipation of starting there in September. When her aunt asked how she'd got on with the teachers, she replied: 'I'm working on it.'

Beverly Parker, Bromsgrove, Worcs

Limerick

Piddington secedes from UK! Determined they will have their say And sing with one voice Let NMBYs rejoice To their anthem of Please Go Away.

Billy Holmes, Duffield, Derbys

Picture That!

DROUGHT POUT: My watering can is not happy with all the extra work he has now that there is a homepipe ban.

Brian King, Little Baddow, Essex

Today's poem

A CONFUSION OF

SWALLOWS

My pen pal, oop in Northallerton, is in an awful funk. The swallows that once visited Have gone and done a bunk. According to my Merlin app, Through sound, if not through sight, They are currently residing On the sunny Isle of Wight.

I sit out on my decking With my morning cup of tea, And they wave and warble sweetly, And their presence share with me. But oop there in Northallerton, He waits with fed-up glare, For the event of summer. But it simply isn't there. Swallows, as everybody knows, Herald the season in. Until you see a swallow, Well, then summer can't begin. I felt a touch embarrassed That I'd hogged this sunny space. So, I set to ask the swallows Why they'd gone and missed his place.

They lined up on the washing line And listened carefully. And then a spokesbird pushed in front And made to speak to me. But then he realised suddenly That he had not a word, And resorted to a Gallic shrug; The get-out for a bird. I couldn't tell my pen pal. He would think I'd lost the plot. And I don't speak in swallow. Dr Dolittle I'm not. 'They must have dropped their compass,' I suggested, tongue in cheek. He's on the train to fetch them back, As surely as I speak. Ruth Twyman Lockyer, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight

LETTERS

What a waste

THE closure of Avon House prep school in Woodford Green, Essex, struck a very personal nerve.

I was a dyslexic pupil there and without that school, I doubt I would be able to read the Daily Mail today, let alone write to you.

Our headmistress, Sheila Ferrari, used to say: 'Everybody is good at something.' She found what I was good at when I couldn't. That belief changed my life.

Now, after more than a century, Avon House has closed at a few days' notice because of the financial pressure created by Government policy.

The tragedy is not just another independent school disappearing, it is children who learn differently losing a place that understood them.

It those children move into the state system, at further cost to the taxpayer, what has this policy achieved?

A government can change the tax rules overnight. A school like Avon House is irreplaceable.

JAMES HUGHES, Tewkesbury, Gloucs

E-bike free-for-all

IT'S A shame Peter Hitchens (Daily Mail) grouped together legal electric pedal cycles, used responsibly, with illegal e-bike conversions.

For many people, notably those who are no longer young and very fit, a legal e-bike is a godsend, enabling distances to be cycled that would be beyond them on conventional bikes.

Thankfully, the UK cycling industry has recently re-launched the 'E-bike Positive' trust mark for safe and road-legal electric bikes that are not a fire risk and don't assist the rider beyond the 15.5mph legal limit.

This has been implemented by major retailers. Hopefully it will help lead to illegal e-bikes being fully removed from our communities.

MARK WOOLLEY, Swanage, Dorset

THE UK is not the only country that has a problem with rental e-bikes.

We were recently on a Baltic cruise and most of the cities we visited were littered with abandoned bikes and scooters, many of them left outside beautiful and historic buildings.

Surely they should be returned to an official drop-off point to be parked properly and if not, a hefty fine should be added to the rental cost.

It wouldn't be difficult to enforce, as the companies concerned would have bike users' card details.

JACQUI CRADOCK, Hoddesdon, Herts

Anger issues

I SEE Andy Burnham is annoyed by the increases that water companies have announced.

I am annoyed by the higher taxes I have to pay to support the feckless in society and illegal migrants, which, amount to a great deal more than the proposed increase in my water bill.

However, I somehow imagine Mr Burnham isn't angry enough about that to do anything.

DAVID MORRIS, North Newton, Somerset

Situation vacant

I COULD hardly believe what I was reading in Blind Date (Femail).

Lemmar, aged 28, is pausing his monogamous 'situationship' because the person he's seeing is currently abroad, which allowed him to go on the blind date.

No, Lemmar. You are being unfaithful. I wonder what 'situation' you're in now. I suspect you're single.

CATHY RESTALL, Swansea

Gove bounce

ARE the current good crop of A-level results in STEM subjects a direct consequence of Michael Gove's education reforms?

If so, in coming years, following Labour's dumbing down of the education system, there is a good

Write to: Daily Mail Letters, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY email: letters@dailymail.co.uk

■ Although we cannot respond individually, all correspondence received is read and considered. Thank you for writing.

CELEBRATE THE LIFE

OF A LOVED ONE

HAVE you lost a relative or friend in recent months whose life you'd like to celebrate? Our column on Friday's letters page tells the stories of ordinary people who lived extraordinary lives. Email a 450-word tribute and a favourite photo to: lives@dailymail.co.uk or write to: Extraordinary Lives, Daily Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY, including your phone number.

chance we can assume mediocrity in educational standards again.

The examples of the Scottish and Welsh education systems provide a guide to what we can expect.

JACQUELINE TAYLOR, Preston, Lancs

Hole truth

FROM my experience, squat toilets should prove very lucrative for UK councils wishing to install them.

I can't tell you how much I've lost in coinage out of my pockets in France.

NICK WILKINSON, Locks Heath, Hants

IN ITALY years ago, we were all quivering patiently for the toilet.

When the woman in front of me got to the head of the queue and opened the door, she recoiled in horror, turned to me and said in a broad New York accent: 'Can you take a look? Is that a regular toilet?'

I had to explain to her how to use it. She was disgusted.

JANET MILES, Newquay, Cornwall

TAKE care not to have anything in your back pockets. The Egyptians call these toilets 'money pits'.

IAN LOUGHLIN, Leyland, Lancs

Patriotic pride

AT 12 years old, I moved with my family to California. The last hymn I sang at my girls' grammar school in York was I Vow To Thee. My Country

When I started junior high school in the States, I was amazed that every day started with the whole class standing, hand over heart, chanting: 'I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

Not knowing what to do, I stood up out of respect for my new home but did not pledge the words of allegiance. My heart was for England.

Those hymns, those words, seem so meaningless now. What do our countries mean to us? Are we supposed to accept demeaning, unjust, contradictory cultures ahead of our own?

We are not protecting the things we hold most dear, and we should not be ashamed of those things.

JOANNA APPLEBY,

Appleton Roebuck, N. Yorks

Watching brief

I WILL not hear a word said against your peerless television critic Christopher Stevens, whatever Lorraine Yates (Letters) may think of his views on The Rapture and Bendorm Is Murder.

As far as I am concerned, Mr Stevens watches all that dross so I don't have to.

MAURICE O'BRIEN, Tilehurst, Berks

Not cricket

FURTHER to previous letters on cricketing 'dark arts', in ITTI, Surrey and England batsman Thomas 'Daddy' White, playing for Chertsey against Hambledon, reportedly 'tried to use a bat that was fully as wide as

■ SEND your contributions to Peterborough, Daily Mail Letters, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY

The Mail is published by ANL, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY. Printed by Newsprinters Holdings Ltd (Broxbourne); Newsprinters Holdings Ltd (Knowsley); Newsprinters Holdings Ltd (Gunszentral); AP Services (Jersey) 3100 Times (Clyne), Dublin, Ireland; Bermont Impression, Madrid, TFPint, SA, Tenerife; Miller Newsprint Ltd, Malta; Kronos Corporate Group Ltd, Cyprus; Millero Helles Publisher Services Ltd, Athens; Atlas Media Communication, Dubai, UAE. The recycled paper content of UK newspapers in 2024 was 37.2%.

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Page 49

Can anything save our High Streets?

ONCE, our High Streets were full of shops: greengrocers, cake shops, shoe shops, pharmacies, cafes, outfitters, butchers and all the rest, backed up by banks where shopkeepers could deposit their takings.

Then, because of late rises, employee tax rises, employer tax rises, parking restrictions, increased parking charges and out-of-town shopping malls arriving, High Street shops closed, unable to compete.

Shopfronts were boarded up. Some remain boarded up while others have been replaced by a plethora of vape shops, barbers, gaming shops and mini-marts.

Burnham seems to think he can attract the original tenants back by getting rid of the vape shops et al. This would merely complete the total destruction of the High Street.

TOM HEANEY, Liverpool

STUART ROSE (Daily Mail) hit the nail on the head with his comments on our failing High Streets. I would add excessive pedestrianisation to his list. Before it, double yellow lines indicated restricted parking but it was nearly always possible for motorists to drop off passengers outside premises before driving on to find suitable parking. Now they can't even do that.

In decline: Boarded-up shops in Gateshead High Street, Tyne and Wear

Severely restrictive delivery times affect shops and businesses too, leaving shelves short of stock and essential maintenance delayed. Lord Rose is right, a drastic top-down rethink is required. But I don't hold out much hope with this tax-grabbing shower in office.

A. GREENHALGH, Newport, Gwent ANDY BURNHAM'S idea is to deter vape shops without saying what might replace them. Had he declared a policy of regeneration zones, with low business rates and free parking for a limited time, it would have been a step in the right direction.

M. LYNCHEAU, Wallasey, Wirral CLOSING vape shops won't make a blind bit of difference. I spent 27 years

working for Mitre sports as an area sales manager, starting in 1984 and covering a giant patch. I had 250 independent sports retailers to call on (seven in Leicester city centre alone). When I retired in 2016, covering an even larger area, I called on just 110 independent retailers.

Why? The big boys had arrived, selling at cheaper prices. Now there are giants such as Primark in the clothing sector - and of course, Amazon competing with everyone. Rejuvenate High Streets? No chance. The only half-chance might be if premises above shops were turned into flats, helping to create a cafe culture in town centres and encourage small independent outlets. COLIN BOULTON, Swadlincote, Derbys

the wicket itself'. Following a complaint from his opponents, the maximum width of a cricket bat was later standardised at 4.25 inches.

KIM BARRETT, Chelmsford, Essex

ONCE, Fred Trueman bowled out Denis Compton, who walked off saying: 'You're that lucky, you'd get wickets bowling with oranges.'

Trueman responded with: 'The way you're batting, I'd get them with melons.'

DAVE TRINDER, Scarborough, N. Yorks

AUSSIE bowler Shane Warne rekindled a longstanding rivalry with South African Daryl Cullinan by saying: 'I've waited two years for this.'

Daryl replied: 'Looks like you spent them eating.'

STEPHEN WHITEHEAD, Ashington, Northumberland

Andy alert

I WAS enjoying the late evening sunshine in the garden with the family when suddenly, all our phones went off. My daughter said it was a call from Andy Burnham.

My reply was: 'Tell him to go away.' At least, that was the gist of it.

M. MORGAN, Middleton, Lancs

Why no belts?

THE recent train crash in which carriages turned on their side led me to wonder why seatbelts are not installed on trains.

Yes, this would cost money but if all or most seated passengers were wearing them, it would surely prevent needless injuries and even

deaths occurring in the event of an accident.

J. ISAAC, Maestey, Bridgend

Terrible tourists

I'M SO glad Bryony Gordon (Daily Mail) loved her stay in Cornwall, while agreeing with the locals that tourists are a blight on the county.

ROBERT STEVENS, Barnsley, S. Yorks

LETTER OF THE WEEK

WPH our Letter Of The Week Magic Mug, courtesy of Printer Pix. These reveal our Daily Mail Letter Of The Week design when hot. To create personalised photo gifts (see example, right), visit printerpix.co.uk. The Letters Editor will announce the Letter Of The Week each Friday. Write to: Daily Mail, Letters, 9 Berry Street, London W8 5HY or email letters@dailymail.co.uk, including your full postal address and telephone number.

Printerpix

dailymail.co.uk, including your full postal address and telephone number.

DEBAT

Farage's toes should still fear Reform

WHAT were local citizens out and about here discussing last week? Lucy Letby's 'boyfriend'? Dani Dyer's latest career move? Kemi and her moribund Conservatives? No, most people were talking about Reform's excellent victory in the Clacton by-election, with Nigel Farage taking more than 63 per cent of the vote on a good turnout. Speculation then turned to when Labour's reconvened kangaroo court will find him guilty.

STEVE GREY, Great Barr, Staffs

THE witch-hunt against Nigel Farage is becoming extremely tiresome. It all smacks of jealousy.

MIKE FROST, Tiptree, Essex

I THINK Reform, and particularly Mr Farage, made his point in spectacular fashion in Clacton. The way the three traditional parties closed ranks quicker than a Roman legion was so telling. It showed them up as cobwebbed reactionaries who are interested only in keeping things as they have been for centuries. Move over, has-beens. Stop victimising Nigel Farage and modernise or stand aside.

STEVE FORSHAW, Kettering, Northants

WELL done to Nigel Farage for winning the by-election. As for unelected Burnham saying: 'We must uphold the highest standards

in politics,' well, what a joke. We haven't had high standards in politics for years. The result in Clacton is difficult to analyse but I don't think it was the ringing endorsement for Farage that he is claiming.

C. WILKINSON, Ferndown, Dorset WELL done, Clacton. Democracy salutes you. There was ample opportunity to vote for clownish candidates and the Establishment parties decided to limit their exposure by hiding behind a bin. Fortunately, the good people of Clacton saw through this and have spoken for themselves.

Dr STEVEN WILLIAM WELSH, Stornoway, Western Isles

Straight to the

POINT

■ THE anatomical name for eyelashes is cilia. Perhaps we should call the PM Cilia Burnham.

CAROL ROSENBERG, Stevenage, Herts

■ AM I alone in being able to name only one member of the current Tory party?

MICK CHURCHILL, Borehamwood, Herts

■ I'VE heard of two of the new Strictly 'celebrities'. Can anyone beat that?

R. SHENTON, York

■ MY SPELL-CHECKER wants to change spell-checker to spelling checker. Long live AI.

JOHN DANIELS, Shrewsbury, Salop

■ REMEMBER when small boat people were children learning to sail?

OLIVER WALSH, Basingstoke, Hants

■ CONGRATULATIONS on your re-election, Nigel. What did it prove? They're still coming after you.

ROD CAIRNS, Peterborough, Combs

■ DO THE 9,455 people who voted for a dustbin think it would have served them well?

LESLEY WILKINS, Broadstairs, Kent

■ WELL, Count Binface did receive 19 times more votes than the Rejoin EU party.

Name supplied, Wallasey, Wirral

■ I DESPERATELY need a cold spot in my house. How does one arrange to be haunted?

JENNIFER BREWER, Eastbourne, E. Sussex

FOR permission to copy cuttings for internal management and information purposes please contact NLA media access at copy@eia.co.uk, tel: 0892 525 273

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Page 50

QUESTION How much does it cost to provide security for all our living ex-prime ministers?

THE official cost of providing security for all living UK ex-prime ministers is classified by the Home Office for national security reasons. However, the total annual bill is estimated to be in the region of £24.5m.

With a record nine former prime ministers currently alive, the strain on police resources is greater than ever. Security experts and former senior police officers estimate that personnel costs alone amount to £12.8m annually, but when factoring in overheads such as firearms training, specialised equipment, travel and armoured vehicles, the total taxpayer bill is almost double that.

Personnel costs comprise some 135 specialised, armed police officers providing 24-hour protection and drivers for all nine ex-PMs. In addition, higher-profile figures such as Tony Blair demand greater protection owing to their heavy overseas travel schedules.

Of the nine ex-PMs, the oldest are Sir John Major, 83, Gordon Brown, 75, and Tony Blair, 73. Of the remaining six, three are in their sixties (Theresa May, 69, Sir Keir Starmer, 61, and Boris Johnson, 62), two in their 50s (David Cameron, 59, and Liz Truss, 51) and one still in their 40s (Rishi Sunak, 46). In other words, security costs are likely to rise significantly for the British taxpayer over the coming decades.

As a sidenote, if Liz Truss lives to the age of 87, she will have attended more Remembrance Sunday services at the Cenotaph than the 49 days she spent as prime minister.

Shawn Molloy, Belfast

QUESTION How long is the process of motor vehicle manufacture from the drawing board to the car forecourt?

SOME cars can take as little as 18 months to go from the first designs being produced to a car driving on the road. The process has become quicker with the use of computers and aspects of other models being increasingly incorporated wholesale

QUESTIONS

Q: Has there ever been a duel where both combatants died of their wounds?

William Shields, Devon

Q: How many eggs did Paul Newman consume while filming the famous egg-eating scene in Cool Hand Luke?

Tony Newton, Bude, Cornwall

Q: What was the first lager that was commercially brewed in the UK and when did it go on sale?

Bob Woodland, Poole, Dorset

Rising cost of passing PMs

Growing line-up: There are now nine living former prime ministers

into new ones. However, five years is an oft-quoted figure for the 'gestation period' of a car.

The actual assembly of a car is remarkably quick when compared with the years spent designing and engineering it. A typical mass-market vehicle requires roughly 18 to 35 hours of direct assembly labour, although the total time spent moving through a factory is usually between two and five days once painting, inspection and other production stages are included.

Time spans are longer for high-spec vehicles and those with many variable parts. For example, Rolls-Royces take between five and six months to assemble, as so many parts are handmade, and you can choose from an astonishing 44,000 colours, or even make up your own. Also, each car is hand-painted.

During the early stages of vehicle development, designers create sketches, digital 3D models and physical clay prototypes. Aerodynamic performance is assessed using wind tunnels, while computer simulations and prototype testing are used to evaluate crash safety, durability and overall vehicle performance before production begins.

Production schedules can, however, be influenced by wider economic conditions and global supply chains. The semiconductor shortage during and after the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted vehicle manufacturing, reducing production volumes and contributing to sharp increases in both new and used vehicle prices.

D. Gray, Sunderland

QUESTION Do we know when each of the musical instruments we have were invented?

NO, NOT really. While we can date many instruments from archaeolog-

ical finds and written records, historians cannot usually identify the exact year that an instrument was invented. Most evolved gradually over centuries, with earlier versions developing into the instruments we know today.

The furthest back we can trace musical instruments is around 40,000 years ago. Some of the oldest confirmed examples are bone flutes discovered in caves in southern Germany, dating from roughly 43,000 to 35,000 years ago. They provide clear evidence that prehistoric humans were already making music long before the invention of writing. Drums and percussion instruments are also among humanity's oldest, but early examples were made from perishable materials such as wood and animal skins, making precise dating impossible.

As civilisations developed, so did their instruments. The ancient lyres and harps of Mesopotamia were being played by 2500 BC, while various forms of the lute appeared across the Middle East thousands of years ago and eventually gave rise to instruments such as the guitar.

For more recent instruments, historians can be more precise. So, while we know that the violin emerged in northern Italy during the early 16th century, we can (unusually) name the person who invented the piano Italian craftsman Bartolomeo Cristofori, who developed the first piano around 1700. Likewise, the saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in the 1840s.

Ruth Matthews, London SW3

■ IS THERE a question to which you want to know the answer? Or do you know the answer to a question here? Write to: Answers To Correspondents, Daily Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY, or email answers@dalismail.co.uk. A selection is published, but we're unable to enter into individual correspondence.

TODAY'S RECIPE: Puttanesca baked cod with lemony courgette orzo

Great dish from store cupboard staples. Serves 2

Ingredients

400g can chopped tomatoes

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 anchovies

50g pitted black olives

Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)

1 tbsp capers, plus 1 tbsp brine

½ small bunch of parsley

2 cod or other firm white fish fillets

150g orzo

150g long-stem broccoli

1 courgette

½ lemon

Method

1 Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the tomatoes and half the oil in an ovenproof frying pan. Grate in 1 garlic clove, finely chop and add the anchovies, then add the olives, chilli flakes (if using), capers and brine. Chop the parsley and add half of that too. Season and mix together.

2 Bring to a simmer over a medium heat, then nestle the fish into the sauce. Bake for 15-18 mins until cooked through.

3 Meanwhile, cook the orzo in a pan of boiling salted water for 8-10 mins, adding the broccoli for the final 4 mins. Grate the second garlic clove and coarsely grate the courgette; set both aside.

4 Heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan and fry the grated garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the courgette, season and fry for 4-6 mins until softened.

5 Drain the orzo and scoop out the broccoli. Toss the orzo with the courgette, grate in the lemon zest and squeeze in the lemon juice, and season. Serve with the fish, sauce and broccoli, scattered with the remaining chopped parsley.

Good Food's Anna Glover

■ Try six issues of Good Food Magazine for just £9.99, then £24.50 every six issues. Cancel at any time. The latest issue of Good Food is on sale now. To receive this offer, use link and code www.buyis.itscriptions.com/GF44258

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Page 51

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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.

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 8TH JUNE 2027

JUNE 2027

Tue 8 Embark the elegant 5★ Oceania Marina and depart Southampton for your adults-only voyage

Thu 10 Skagen, Denmark

Fri 11 Copenhagen, Denmark

Sun 13 Stockholm, Sweden

★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 and the Swedish Parliament Building. Then, tour the Vasa Museum, where the world's oldest complete ship sits reassembled after 333 years under water

Mon 14 Helsinki, Finland

Tue 15 Tallinn, Estonia (depart early pm)

Wed 16 Riga, Latvia

Thu 17 Visby, Sweden (depart early pm)

Fri 18 Berlin (from Warnemünde), Germany

Sat 19 Aarhus, Denmark

Tue 22 Arrive in Southampton

Dates not mentioned are spent relaxing at sea

YOUR EXCLUSIVE ROL CRUISE FARES

STATIONING SUITE	GRADE*	FULL FARE (PP)	ROL CRUISE FARE (PP)
Inside	F	£6,119	£4,099
Deluxe Ocean View	C	£6,939	£4,769
Veranda	B4	£7,269	£5,059
Concierge Veranda	A3	£7,649	£5,399
Penthouse Suite	PH3	£9,189	£6,559

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• Experience 'The Finest Cuisine at Sea' with multiple open-seating speciality dining venues at no additional charge
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---

Page 52

Escape

From the Hockey World Cup to cycle rides along the quaint canals, here's why...

AMSTERDAM'S A WINNER

by FIONA HARDCASTLE

COULD England still lift a World Cup this summer? Absolutely, insists my son Felix, 14. Not only are we ranked in the top four just like in the football, but the matches aren't fixed.

Also, he adds, as it's being played in Europe, maybe we could actually go.

Buoyed by the thought of a cross-Channel bargain, we're soon booking Eurostar tickets and heading for the land of Van Gogh for a brush with immortality of a different kind: The Hockey World Cup, currently being battled out in Amsterdam and Belgium until the end of this month.

I'm already carried away by the cost of tickets. A day's play - four top-flight international matches - for under €40, and I'm cheering on anyone with a stick.

Felix lights up at the sight of his heroes walking on to the pitch to the National Anthem.

'We invented the sport, Mum, but we've never won the World

Cup,' he shouts over the roar of England fans when we beat rivals India 4-2. 'It's coming home.'

Twelve years on from our last visit, we agree over post-match beers and bitterballen that Amsterdam is enhanced without a toddler in tow.

From canal-side quaffing to crossing a road, the twin perils of bottomless water and a blizzard of bikes are now a more manageable risk. Throw in an exceptional boutique hotel with ample adjoining family rooms three

minutes' walk from Central Station. Our base, the Kimpton De Witt hotel, offers free bikes and encourages guests to live like locals. So we do, wetting our whistles at its 'Social Hour' over free wine before exploring.

The quaint bridges of Brouwersgracht, once voted Amsterdam's most beautiful street and lit up like a lantern on our first evening ambie, are five minutes' walk west (ten minutes the other way will get you to the city's more infamous red illuminations).

Picking our way past the magic mushroom shops - and keeping Felix's Q&A short and strict - we find ourselves in the elegant heart of the city, strolling its grand 17th century canals and gazing at glorious gables.

My husband gestures to a couple admiring the view from their houseboat, wine chilling by their feet. 'Shouldn't we be doing that?' he asks. We have a date with a man who knew a good time: Volkert Jansz, a 17th century craftsman immortalised by Rem-

brandt, whose love of finer things in life lives on at one of the city's nicest restaurants, Jansz (janszamsterdam.com).

Lemony halibut in lobster bisque, roasted leek with lime, tenderloin with smoked paprika jus, and its trademark pud. The Jansz cheesecake, served with apricot sorbet and basil.

We walk it off wandering past boutiques now closed for the day. 'We can come back for that tulip-shaped handbag,' my son consoles me. Maybe if England go on to lift that trophy, I will.

■Hockey tickets from £31 (7th. hockey). Doubles at Kimpton De Witt from £219 (kimplondewithhotel.com). London/Amsterdam trains from £39 each way (eurostar.com).

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Page 53

Your Exclusive sanctuary at sea onboard Oceania Nautica includes:

■ Free house drinks package with complimentary champagne, wine & beer during lunch and dinner and at designated times across all bars and lounges ■ Onboard Wi-Fi included ■ All Gratuities ■ Adult-only guests ■ Includes soft drinks, speciality coffees & teas, Vero water, juices, smoothies & gourmet ice cream ■ Experience the Finest Cuisine At Sea across multiple onboard dining venues

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23rd August 2027(3 nights)	Includesreturn flightto LondonNortheast	Includesreturnflight toManchester
Outside (passenger 1)	1399	1499
Outside (passenger 2)	FREE	FREE
Veranda (passenger 1)	1649	1749
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Cruising solo? View our solo prices!

23rd August 2027(3 nights)	SoloOutside	SoloVeranda
Includes return flight toLondon Newthrow	1099	1349
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Say hello to the world-famous city of Lisbon! After disembarking your luxury cruise, you will enjoy a half-day sightseeing tour of Lisbon. Traverse winding, charming city streets and visit iconic landmarks in this incredible destination before travelling to the airport for your return flight back to the UK.

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All fees are per person and based on live adults sharing. All flights are based from London capacity, regional airports may be available at a supplement. Low Deposit & Interest Free Payments is applicable to selected 2026, 2027 & 2028 ratings only, excluding World Cruises. Your monthly payment schedule will be advanced by your Cruise Consultant. If you have any changes to your booking your monthly payments may increase. If you cancel your booking you will bill the ticket to pay the remainder of the full deposit amount. The full standard deposit amount is the minimum cancellation charge please see Cruise.co.uk for full terms & conditions. £1500 per person saving lowest on 27th July 2027 Oceania Nautica cruise Owner's Suite grade, other amounts on alternative cabin grades and ratings included on 20th July 2027 27th July 2027 8th August 2027 and 9th August 2027 very Luxury for Low offer is not available on 23rd August 2027 and 11th July 2027. To enter the above cruises, buy one get one free Oceania cruises, All Oceania cruises, or any other Cruise.co.uk promotions. Luxury For Low offer ends on 30 August 2026. Money off is available as part of Explorer Fare, and as part of this free offer Cruise.co.uk can choose the customer's cabin numbers on booking. Oceania buy one get one free packages are not comfortable with any other promotions. Buy one get one free offer is not comfortable with free door to door transfers on any other Cruise.co.uk promotions. All flights subject to availability Cruise.co.uk reserves the right to amend or change the terms of these promotions without prior notice or announcement. Please see cruise.co.uk for full terms and conditions. Calls are recorded for marketing and training purposes. $30.00.

---

Page 54

Fischer

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Page 55

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Page 57

City Finance

FTSE 100 7.74 NASDAQ 100 504.42 GOLD 13.76 10728.04 0.07% 29490.96 1.68% $4396.12 0.31% FTSE 250 142.97 S&P 500 53.30 OIL 2.98 24561.43 0.58% 7691.76 0.69% $91.89 3.35% £/$ 1.3543 £/€ 1.1693 0.0019 0.0008

City Editor Alex Brummet

www.thaienoway.co.uk

Business Editor Hugo Duncan

Ashley eyes £20bn empire as he raises Hugo Boss stake

MIKE Ashley has tightened his grip on Hugo Boss as he sets about building a £20bn property empire.

The entrepreneur's retail business Frasers Group said it has increased its shareholding in the German fashion brand from 36pc to nearly 48pc.

But Frasers' ambitions to take full control fell short after an offer of around £1.7bn for the remaining shares was rejected.

The Sports Direct and Flannels owner, which last week swooped in to rescue ailing department store Harvey Nichols, is pushing further into the luxury sector.

Frasers chief executive Michael Murray, Ashley's son-in-law, said he hopes to increase the group's £2bn property holdings tenfold over the next decade. This includes investing in residential properties and offices, he told Bloomberg. Murray, whom Ashley had

By Angharad Carrick and Emily Hawkins

reportedly hoped to install as chief executive of Hugo Boss, said: 'Twenty billion [pounds] would be one of the biggest property companies in the UK and that's really what our ambition is.'

Although Frasers failed to buy Hugo Boss outright after opposition from the German company, it now owns nearly half of the fashion group, putting it firmly in the driving seat as it looks to increase its influence, according to analysts.

Ashley's £40m rescue deal to buy Harvey Nichols last week came after the chain warned it would run out of money if it failed to secure new investment.

The acquisition forms part of Frasers' 'elevation strategy', aimed at increasing its presence in the luxury market.

Borrowing costs surge in 'perfect storm' for bonds

Budget headache for Healey as investors fret over UK debt

By John-Paul Ford Rojas

CHANCELLOR John Healey faced a fresh headache yesterday as global borrowing costs soared in a 'perfect storm' on the bond markets.

As the oil price spiked higher, yields on 30-year UK bonds, known as gilts, rose above 5.85pc, just short of 28-year highs seen earlier this year.

Meanwhile, the Government sold a batch of benchmark ten-year gilts at a yield of up to 5.155pc, the highest level since 2007.

That will make the sums harder to add up for the new Chancellor when he delivers his first Budget in October amid growing spending pressures.

Elsewhere, there was some relief for mortgage holders as official figures showing continued UK jobs weakness eased fears of a Bank of England interest rate hike in September.

But the action on bond markets, where yields rise as prices fall, could feed through to higher borrowing costs throughout the economy.

The latest volatility came as

30-YEAR BOND YIELDS IN G7
UK	5.85%
US	5.33%
France	4.91%
Italy	4.89%
Canada	4.17%
Japan	4.16%
Germany	3.78%

progress on a deal to end the war with Iran stalled.

US President Donald Trump even threatened to bomb American ally Oman if it 'gets in the way' of America's negotiations by trying to reach its own deal with Iran.

That sent oil prices up to $91.89 a barrel - the highest so far this month - and reignited fears that the war will stoke inflation.

It added to the cocktail of worries preoccupying global bond investors, ranging from soaring government debt levels to ques-

tion marks over the US Federal Reserve under its chairman Kevin Warsh. Bond markets have yet to recover after taking a hit when the Iran war began at the end of February.

Experts also pointed to a surge in debt issuance by AI firms to fund their huge expansion plans, which is competing for bond investors' money.

Yesterday's sell-off saw yields on 30-year US Treasuries hit their highest level since 2007 at more than 5.33pc, while in Japan ten-year borrowing costs hit a

three-decade high of just under 3pc. In Germany, the 30-year Bund yield topped 3.78pc, the highest since 2011, while the French equivalent, at 4.91pc, was the highest since 2008.

UK borrowing costs remain the highest among the G7 group of advanced economies and have shown little sign of improvement since Andy Burnham became Prime Minister a month ago.

Markets are jittery over his high-spending plans, which include a major council-house building programme, an overhaul of social care and a boost to the defence budget.

Healey faces a tricky task in paying for Burnham's initiatives, prompting fears that he may impose further punishing tax rises or borrow even more.

His task is made harder when rising gilt yields increase the cost of borrowing.

Axel Rudolph, chief technical analyst at trading platform IG, said: 'Bond markets are facing a perfect storm as inflation worries, rising oil prices, heavy government borrowing and a surge in AI-related debt issuance push long-term yields to multi-decade highs across major economies.'

Struggling Diageo axes 2,000 jobs

By Angharad Carrick

DIAGEO has slashed nearly 2,000 jobs as boss 'Drastic' Dave Lewis battles to revive the struggling drinks giant.

Total headcount fell 6pc to 27,938 in the 12 months to the end of June, from 29,860 a year earlier, its annual report showed.

The vast majority of the cuts came in Africa - one of its fastest-growing regions - which shed 928 jobs.

A further 405 corporate roles were axed across the business.

Diageo shed 356 jobs in Asia-Pacific and US in North America. Both regions have weighed on sales over the past year.

But Diageo added 104 roles in Europe, where demand for Guinness has helped offset the decline in other divisions.

Lewis, who took over as chief executive in January, outlined a £740m cost-cutting drive this month over the next three years.

The former Tesco chief, dubbed 'Drastic Dave', said there would be 'significant job cuts' at the FTSE 100 firm, whose brands include Johnnie Walker whisky and Smirnoff vodka, to restore its 'winning culture'.

He previously said a 'country-by-country' approach had become a 'route to failure'.

A fresh round of job cuts will add to the thousands of jobs already lost in the year to June 30, with the final figure expected to rise.

Diageo has said it will pile more money into cutting the prices of its products to appeal to cash-conscious consumers.

---

Page 58

Labour's rate timebomb

ANDY Burnham may not want to be in hock to the bond markets, but it is impossible to ignore them at present.

Global concerns about bulging government borrowing, debt across the G7 and inflation are causing comiptions.

Continuing geopolitical ructions and the impact on energy markets have sent ten-year yields on US Treasuries to their highest level for 18 months, and the 30-year is above 5pc. That is a level not visited since 2007 on the eve of the Great Financial Crisis. Japanese yields are the highest in three decades.

Britain's own budgetary problems in the shape of an unsustainable welfare bill, a bloated public-sector payroll and uncertain energy costs, ahead of the winter, have driven the return on the 30-year long-dated bond to 5.85pc.

The cost of government borrowing is not some abstract concept.

At the time of last year's Budget, the Treasury estimated the government's interest rate bill at £135bn. That is far more than the defence budget of £90bn and not far short of the £145bn the UK spends on education. It is not much use,

as was the case when Rachel Reeves was Chancellor, to blame high UK bond yields on global conditions. Certainly, that is a factor, and UK rates often mimic those in the US. It would be nice to think, however, that the new Chancellor John Healey, who once served in Gordon Brown's Treasury team, is alert to the dead weight of the Government's interest bill, which remained modest until the bailout of the banks in 2008.

Consumers might ask what government bond yields have to do with them. There is much focus, eight times a year, on the Bank of England's decision on its key Bank rate.

Yet, as important as that is for consumer credit and business borrowing, it is only

part of the picture. Most mortgages these days are fixed for two or five years. Those rates are blended, and gilt yields are an important part of the equation.

Similarly, the interest rate bill for government borrowing, because of the sovereign guarantee (wealthy states don't go bust), should help set the finest borrowing cost for commerce. The higher the bond rate, the greater the cost of company loans and the more likely it is to impinge on business investment decisions.

Reform's plans to savage the welfare bill by £50bn are mostly dismissed by the Institute for Fiscal Studies as twaddle.

But there is one change which makes huge sense.

The party proposes changing the inflation adjustment of welfare payments, currently linked to average earnings, to consumer prices or another measure. That could save £4.8bn a year by the early 2030s and reduce the bill permanently.

That's a policy which Labour or the Tories could usefully steal.

Pay gap

A VERY senior civil servant once explained to me that government officials deserved gold-plated, final-or-average salary pensions because wages in the public sector trail those in the

wealth-creating economy. Is this still true? Putting to one side the fact that most government pensions are unfunded, which means the cost comes straight out of the Exchequer, the gap seems to be closing remarkably fast.

Moreover, the reported £500,000 payoff for former Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald, who departed when Keir Starmer was PM, mimics boardroom excess.

Private-sector pay growth in Britain fell to 2.8pc last month, suggesting a weak labour market. In contrast, income for those on the public payroll climbed at more than twice that level.

Equally concerning is that, while those on the payroll of private firms have fallen by 110,000 since the start of the year, the number of state employees has jumped by 50,000. It is very nice that the Labour government is picking up some of the slack. Consequences for government spending are dire.

Fuel gauge

SO much for Labour allegations of cheating petrol stations.

An inspection by the Competition & Markets Authority found 'no evidence' of profiteering to take advantage of the Strait of Hormuz crisis.

Fancy that.

MARKS & Spencer has launched a pet food range as it looks to encourage more customers to do their weekly shop with the store.

The high street chain launched its own-brand Paws & Pals range for cats and dogs in its shops today.

The retail group was yesterday also crowned the fastest-growing grocer thanks to a sales boom during recent heatwaves.

Grocery sales leapt 15.9pc in the 12 weeks to August 10 compared with a year earlier, according to

market researchers at Worldpanel by Numerator. This placed M&S well ahead of its rivals, with only online grocer Ocado coming close, with sales growth of 13.1pc.

M&S Food managing director Alex Freudmann said: 'Pets are part of the family for millions of households. We're focused on becoming a true shopping-list retailer, making it easier for customers to do more of their weekly shop with M&S.'

Shares rose 2.1pc yesterday.

Copper is king as BHP cashes in on AI boom

By Angharad Carrick

THE world's largest miner now makes more money from copper than iron ore as demand for the red metal sends prices soaring.

BHP said profits from its copper mines jumped by 48pc to £13.3bn in the 12 months to the end of June, overtaking iron ore as its biggest profit source for the first time.

Copper accounted for 54pc of total earnings of £24.4bn, up from less than 20pc at the turn of the decade. Iron ore's contribution has fallen from close to 75pc to around 43pc.

'Copper is the engine driving BHP's growth,' said chief executive Brandon Craig, who took over last month after overseeing some of the company's biggest copper operations.

The price of copper, a key component in AI data centres, clean energy and electric cars, hit record highs above $14,000

per metric tonne this year amid booming demand.

That has sparked a scramble for the metal among the world's biggest miners and prompted Craig's predecessor, Mike Henry, to launch an unsuccessful takeover bid for Anglo American last year.

As it cashes in on the copper boom, BHP announced its highest dividend in four years.

The Australian group, which has a secondary listing in London, raised its payout for the year to $1.72 per share. 'Loved

the dividend,' said portfolio manager Andy Forster of Argo Investments in Sydney, which holds BHP shares.

'Solid overall, and copper doing all the work.'

BHP's London-listed shares rose 0.7pc, taking gains this year to 44pc.

Dan Coalsworth at AJ Bell said: 'Expansion in data centres, energy infrastructure and electric vehicles is heavily reliant on copper thanks to its role as a critical component in electrical systems.

'This is creating unprecedented levels of demand and sustaining record prices for the metal as we enter a new copper age.'

BHP expects annual copper demand to increase to 50m tonnes by 2050 from 34m tonnes now.

Axel Rudolph, chief technical analyst at IG, said: 'The stand-out story is copper, which has become an increasingly important part of the group.'

By Emily Hawkins

THE owner of Poundland is considering selling the discounter, just over a year after buying it for €1- or less than 90p.

Gordon Brothers, which also owns Laura Ashley and LK Bennett, closed 200 shops after it bought Poundland last year.

More shops could shut after

Poundland owner eyes sale just a year after buying it for one euro

reports that the investment firm is in talks with advisers about launching an auction process for the retailer. Advisers could be appointed within

days to oversee a sale, Sky News reported.

Poundland runs around 600 shops and employs 12,000 staff. In recent years, it has struggled

amid weaker consumer spending despite its low-priced goods. Last year, Gordon Brothers bought Pepco Group's struggling Poundland business for a

'nominal' sum, thought to be around €1.

Under its revival plan, it has priced its food products at £1, £2 or £3.

In January, managing director Barry Williams hailed 'significant progress', prompting questions about why Gordon Brothers would now consider selling the discounter.

---

Page 59

	52-week			High	Low
Aeropoint & Dieters
Asher Martin	34%	-	89	34%
Brid Spawma	322%	-7	222	322%
Chowring Op.	600 out	-10	638	400
Grindl's	500 out	-7	571	1
Robo Payne	1527 out	-28	1570 to	1527
Garcia	250%	-1	211	150
Eating
Barron Garmel	1000	-18	1100	1000
Barrington	1000 out	-11+	1200+	1000
HEBC Hldgs	1100 out	-16+	1200+	1000
Low Finance	1200 out	-4+	1200+	1000
Lincoln Banking	750 out	-4	1	1
Metro Bank	170+	-10	180+	170
Marlboro Group	400 out	-10+	1220+	1000
Star Couriered	2200 out	-34	2248	1200
TBC Bank	4000 out	-30	4100	1000
Newspapers
Star Hill	800	-8	710	1200
Coco/Cole HBC	400	-8	1170	1000
Dayton	1000	-15+	2121	1000
Chemicals
Coage Health	3187	-50	3222	3187
Demetres	1700 out	-4	1871	1000
Johnson Mail	2000 out	-17+	2000+	2000
Chase	1000	-18	1000	1000
Combustion & Nutrition
Balfour Beauty	802+	-9	850+	334
Brentzel	500	-11+	570+	1
Gerard Group	280+	-11+	380+	240+
Gruber Op.	1020+	-11+	1040	1000
Enders	84+	-2	1420+	84+
Keller Group	1870 out	-125	2444	1200
Kier Group	250+	-11+	2611+	1000
Holborn	640	-18	1710	1000
Electricity
Orla Op.	7311	-41+	918	1000
SEAL	1267 out	-27	2701	1000
Economic & Financial Equipment
Hanna	3670	-150	4678	3200
Morgan Maternal	500+	-6	250	500
Orchid Instruments	2800 out	-100	3000	1000
Revolver	1100	-100	1000	1000
Equity Investment Instruments
In International	800+	-11+	800+	1000
Alpertin Serv Cos	1700 out	-18	1700	1000
ALTM	604	-8	600	1000
Alliance Mica	1000	-7	1000	1000
Alliance Tech.	700	-28	700	400
Alliance India	200	-11+	2800+	1000
AM Global Plant	300	-8	2720+	1000
Bailer DST Japan	1000	-22	1000	400
Baillie DST US	250+	-11+	2800+	1000
Banana In-Fat	1500 out	-21+	1500+	1000
BH Illness	427	-11	4820+	2800

	52-week		High	Low
Alpharetta Credit	75%	+	75%	80%
BlackRock Spro	275 out	-2%	304%	85%
BMN/MN/BM	800	-7%	1200%	1000
BMN/Smoke Eur	800	-12	624	519
Blumen	1540 out	-10	1572	1054
Caledonia Inc.	4%	+4	4%	3%
City of London IT	587 out	-1	597	468
Edin Inv Trust	840	+2	801	700
Edin Watch	250%	+1	250%	100
Euro Del Co.	2370 out	-2%	2400+	167
FAO Inv Trust	250%	-2%	261%	82%
Fidelity Drive	800	-2	1200+	240
Fidelity Srv	1400	-18	1500	844
Fidelity Eur	4300	-2%	4440	372
Fidelity Spec Ltd	471	-1	475	372
Fredairy G&I Tel	818	+2	818	713
Fredairy G&I Tel	818	+2	804	81%
GCF India Inc.	80 out	+1	80%	1%
Global Smaller	1500 out	+1	1871	1024
Greencoat UK	1500 out	+1	1151+	82%
Hi-Potome	340	-50	2000	2750
Henderson Sm Co.	8%	-8	487	174
Health Inv Trust	2800	-70	3000	2000
HQ Capital Trust	400	-2%	1000	1000
HCJ, Inc.	1271+	+1	1004	1000
HQ Enterprises	1670 out	+10	1000	1000
Imreco Asia	480	-10%	518	372
JPM American	1200 out	+8	1200	1000
JPM Grouping Markets	100	+4	1000	1100
JPM Euro Data	600	-8	600	507
JPM Japan IT	800	-10	801	601
Jupiler First	1970 out	+8	1000	1000
Law Defensive	1500	+8	1378	892
MBO	304+	+1	304+	248+
Merchants IT	300	-2	300	300
Merchants Trust	676 out	-1	600	507
Mobile Ventures	870+	+1	881+	348+
Mobile Inv. Int.	1810 out	-10	1000	1000
Morgan Dental	400	-50	1000	400
Monay Inv. Int.	800 out	-2	1024	873
Monay Int. Int.	800	-2	371	200
Neuburger Private Bldg	1400 out	+1	1000	1000
Next Energy Solar	40 out	+1	73+	44
Newry One	270+	+2	2000+	180+
Oakley Capital Inc.	500	-4	578	100
Pacific Horizon	1000	-40	1250	801
Parkman Infra	112+	+1	1104	101
Parkman Int.	300	-7	4871	1271
Partners Group	810	+2	942	550
Paris Private	1000	-10	1400	547
Peering Square	3810 out	-20	3000	2842
Pepsiat Foods IT	540	-2	552	57+
Polar Cap for	250+	-2%	254	203
Polar Cap Tech.	807	-20	7331+	3801
Polter Street	800	-20	904	702
Renewables Intra	75 out	-1	75+	63+
RIT Cap Partners	2000	-40	2000	1842
Schroder Asia	817	-24	888	608
Schroder Oriental	1000 out	-1	1400	205+
Scot American Inv.	550 out	-1	573	467
Scot American Inv.	1000 out	-1	1500	1000

TOP RISERS	CLOSING PRICE	DAILY CHANGE
Radious	1800	+23.50%
Ocado	250	+6.47%
THG	33.06	+3.96%
AEP Plantations	186.4	+3.56%
Disco Energy	251.6	+2.86%

TOP FALLERS	CLOSING PRICE	DAILY CHANGE
Raspberry Pi	635.5p	-6.54%
Ceres Power	411.8p	-4.85%
Polar Capital Tech	657p	-4.23%
Keller	2972p	-3.88%
Telecom Plus	872p	-3.75%

	52-week		High	Low
Alpharetta Group	637+	+1+	630+	427+
Biomass	644 out	-6	672	405+
Inters	804 out	-8+	800+	730+
ITC	711	+1+	651+	471+
Mary Group	2004 out	+1+	210	144+
Nucom	1187 out	-6+	1200	881+
REUS	2040 out	+70	1600	1200
Richmond Group	500+	-1	770+	404
ASTA	541+	+1+	471+	234+
Mining
Anglo American	360+	-87	4200	2151
Anthropods	3000	-81	4400	2178
Emptiness Mining	4000	-87	5200	2000
PepsiCo	2800 out	-80	4400	1578
Genentech	501+	-2+	610	200+
Husband Mining	610	-10	800+	270+
Pan-Winter Resources	700	-2+	900+	81+
Bio-Trac	7100 out	-7	8300	2001
Natural & Natural
Admiral Op.	3000	+10	3941	2044
Beazing	1204+	-1	1200	1100
Marine	1800 out	+1	1000	1273
Lancaster Hldgs	5000 out	-1	5000	1000
Oil & Gas Producers
BP	5200 out	+1+	6000	4100
Grubman	700	+20	1000	1000
Hubbard Energy	2000 out	+2+	3000	1000
Hunting	4071	-2+	5200	2000
Inters Energy	2014	+7	2000	1000
Short	5000 out	+1+	5000	2000
Oil Equipment & Services
Chase Spcl	200+	-1	200+	150+
Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology
AutoChemics	5000 out	-2+	5000	1000
Conus	2270	+10	2170	1000
CSN	1800 out	+10+	2000	1400
Hudson	2000 out	+10+	4100	3200
Waste Pharma	5000 out	+10+	5000	1000
Carber Nanopore	500	-1+	500	500
Reckitt Brewster	4000 out	-30	6000+	4000
Earl & Gier
Big Metal Op.	800+	-2+	1100	810
British Land	420+	-4	440+	321+
Concert London	2000	-30	2100	1000

	52-week		High	Low
Glutens	710	-20	710	1000
Governs	100	-1+	114	70+
Gayman	2870	-70	3000	2070
Hays	84+	+1+	84+	20+
Inters Op.	5800	-3	5800	2000
Inters Group Op.	172+	-4+	2400	1000
Johnson Service Op.	140+	+1+	170+	120+
Michael Page	200	-2+	200	100+
Winn Group	200 out	+1+	210	100+
Randall Initial	340 out	-1+	500+	344+
RD Group	732	-6+	740+	541+
Davis	2820	+1+	2840	2100+
Okina	2800	-1+	2970	1570+
Trans Potency	830+	-2	710	587+
W.A.G.	1000	-1	1000	800+
Technology for Export & Equipment
Amberell Top	702	-20	600	514
CB GROUP	1620	+1+	2000	1000+
Acuplex PC	630+	+4+	630+	507+
Cypress Center	100+	-1	100+	100+
Telecom
Antal Africa	500+	+1+	420+	210+
BT Op.	2014 out	+2+	2200	2
Gamma Comms.	870+	+2+	1700	730+
Inters Op.	2000 out	+1+	2400	1000+
Telecom Plus	870 out	-34	1000	710
Additive Op.	1974	+1+	1250+	84+
Tobacco
In the Top	2140	+8	4800	2700
Imperial Brands	2070	+4	3000	2000
Travel & Leisure
Caribbean Op.	241+	+1+	2027	270
Comms. Press.	1844 out	+1+	2200	1670
Haiyaki	800+	-2+	600	200+
Enson	500	-6+	800+	520
FoodGroup	1820	-1+	2200	1500
Hollywood Steel	270+	+1+	2070	1200+
Intersol Hld.	150+	+1+	1000	100+
Int. Cons. Art.	420+	+1+	400	340+
Mitchells & Mothers	270	+2	300	220
PPHE Hotel Op.	1500	+10	2000	1000
Sunrise	240	-1+	300	180+
Waltmorgan (JD)	800	+7	800+	500+
Wildwood	2400	+20	3270	2200
Woo Art Mfg.	1000	-2+	1000	800+

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---

Page 60

NO PUMPING NO CORDS NO HEAVY WATERING CANS NO HOSES

Water the garden, clean windows, wash the car quickly and easily!

easyLife

Portable Rechargeable 5L Electric Sprayer

• Spray for 2-3 hours when fully charged
• Ideal for liquid fertilisers and insecticides
• No more heavy watering cans
• Adjusts telescopically from 180 to 210cm

Make light work of watering, cleaning, and spraying tasks with this smart rechargeable 5L Electric Sprayer - battery powered for effortless use with no manual pumping required.

Lightweight and fitted with an adjustable shoulder strap for hands-free portability, it features an easy on/off switch, a control button on the handle, and a twist-adjustable nozzle for anything from a fine mist to a steady stream. The wide-mouth opening makes filling simple, while the built-in lid handle ensures easy access.

A 130cm flexible hose and telescopic spray wand (extending from 180 to 210cm) let you reach tall climbers, trellises, and fruit trees with ease.

Ideal for water, liquid fertilisers, and insecticides, it comes with three interchangeable nozzles (mist, steam, and shower), a 5-litre tank, and a rechargeable battery that provides 2-3 hours of continuous spraying (USB cable included). Size: H30xW25xD13cm.

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Quote or order OFFER CODE TPE820 when you order. Delivery is usually 2-3days. Customers have 14-days from receipt of goods to approve purchase. If needed simply call us to arrange return of item(s) (unmanaged and in original packaging) for a replacement or refund. Calls to O&M are free (mobile charges may vary). Easylife Ltd Registered Office 11-13 Kings Terrace, London NW1 6JP Registered in England. Company registration no. 01223842 VAT no. 3101910471.

QUOTE TPE820

TPE820

2-3 HOURS of continuous spraying before needing a recharge

Twist adjustable sprayheads

Telescopic pole allows extended reach

Includes 3 variable spray Attachment Heads

ONLY £29.99 +£4.99p&p

Great for cleaning vehicles without cumbersome hoses and buckets

Clean high and low windows easily

Ideal for insecticides & chemical treatments around the garden

Post to: Easylife (Dept. TPE820), Walbrook West, Queenborough Road, Sheerness, Kent, ME12 3XT Please send me:

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RACING | Daily Mail | Sport | 61

Duoset for Juddmonte battle

THIS afternoon's blockbuster renewal of the Juddmonte International will arguably bypass Andy Burnham, given it is staged in Yorkshire and not his beloved Lancashire. While the Prime Minister and his government strive to dismantle the betting industry brick by brick—threatening the existence of events like today's—a devout racing congregation will descend on first to accrue a fascinating head-to-head between Ombudsman and Constitution River.

The Grade One contest, now worth it! Imitition, will be the richest ever run on the Knaivemore, while any horse which captures today's

By SAM DURNER

feature will also collect a staggering 8million (15.7m) bonus should they then lift the Japan Cup in November. Proof, if any was needed, that British Flat racing sits proudly at the top table of world horse racing and should be treated as such by those in Whitehall. As Ombudsman attempts to become just the fourth horse to complete back-to-back Juddmonte wins, Constitution River bids to usurp the now-retired Bow Echo as the highest-rated three-year-old of the season. A comprehensive victory in

the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Accel again showcased Ombudsman's extraordinary acceleration as he dismantled a high-class field with a stride frequency more synonymous with a sprinter. Fans of Constitution River will hope the Yorkshire scarecrow will again play its part, with any rain likely to blunt his chief rival's change of gear. Trims, a smooth winner of the Group Two Sky Bet York Stakes on his latest start, Group One-winning Almagam—jurely a little overpriced if it rains—and French raider Zaydman add further depth to a mouthwatering renewal.

YORK CITY 1TH

1.5	MINNE RING JOCKEY CLUB WORLD PINS, WCAP SWEITAMGREV
1.5	WCAP (21-23) 2:00 added (09/3/7) 10' (10m) (22)
1.5	7:00
1.5	7:00
1.5	7:00
1.5	7:00
1.5	7:00
1.5	7:00
1.5	7:00
1.5	7:00
1.5	7:00
1.5	7:00
1.5	7:00
1.5	7:00
1.5	7:00

TIME	1.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.

2.0	TATERBALLS ACOME STAKES GROUP 3) (3) (2.9-0.6) (4)	2.0	TATERBALLS ACOME STAKES GROUP 3) (3) (2.9-0.6) (4)	2.0	TATERBALLS ACOME STAKES GROUP 3) (3) (2.9-0.6) (4)	2.0	TATERBALLS ACOME STAKES GROUP 3) (3) (2.9-0.6) (4)	2.0	TATERBALLS ACOME STAKES GROUP 3) (3) (2.9-0.6)
2.0	11:00	ALPINE WALLACE (8) (2) (1) 10' (10m) 9.5	11:00	ALPINE WALLACE (8) (2) (1) 10' (10m) 9.5	11:00	ALPINE WALLACE (8) (2) (1) 10' (10m) 9.5	11:00	ALPINE WALLACE (8) (2) (1) 10' (10m) 9.5	11:00	ALPINE WALLACE (8) (2) (1) 10' (10m) 9.5	11:00	ALPINE WALLACE (8) (2) (1) 10' (10m) 9.5	11:00	ALPINE WALLACE (8) (2) (1) 10' (10m) 9.5	11:00	ALPINE WALLACE (8) (2) (1) 10' (10m) 9.5	10:00	ALPINE WALLACE (8) (2) (1) 10' (10m) 9.5	10:00	ALPINE WALLACE (8) (2) (1) 10' (10m) 9.5	10:00	ALPINE WALLACE (8) (2) (1) 10' (10m) 9.5	10:00	ALPINE WALLACE (8) (2) (1) 10' (10m) 9.5	10:00

TIME	1.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.

2.0	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00
2.0	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1

2.0	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1:00	1

3.3	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0
3.3	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2

3.3	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2

BOBBS GODEFELLOW

1.50	Royal Aura	1.50	Stelomishon
2.00	Galvay	2.00	ALPINE WALLACE (may)
3.00	Embushman (nb)	3.00	Pierre Bormand (mb)
4.00	Alpino (1) (may)	4.00	Ombudsman
4.45	Oral to Gold	4.45	Reave's Shadow
5.00	Persian Byrne	5.00	Crystal Queen

NEWBARKET - 3.00	Malbina Cross (nb)	3.25	OMISODEMAN (may)
NORTHEIMER - 1.50	AM FORCE ONE (may)	5.00	Ruher's Pride

4.0'Y BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)

4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
4.0'Y	BET STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)	4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP UNERTAKE HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)

4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)

4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)

4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)

4.0'Y	BE STORIES HANDICAP) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)

---

62 Daily Mail Sport FOOTBALL

Where will all's play, here is it?

RODRI paid an emotional tribute to Manchester City after completing his £65.4 million transfer

to Barcelona.

The former Ballon d'Or winner, who won four Premier League titles and the Champions League with City, has signed a four-year contract.

The Spanish World Cup winner, 30, had one year left on his City contract and, while they wanted him to sign an extension, Barcelona's final offer proved too good to turn down.

Enzo Maresca's side are pursuing replacements for both Rodri and Tijani Reijnders, who is set to join Saudi Arabian side Al Qadsiah for around 52m. Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi and Enzo Fernandes, of Chelsea, are their targets.

Rodri admitted City would always have a place in his heart.

He said: "It's not like I miss [City] because I don't feel like I'm leaving. I think I'm just moving to another club, but my heart will always be linked to the city and to the club.

City didn't just make me grow as a

By SIMON JONES

player, they made me grow as a human. I saw my brother graduating from Manchester Metropolitan University. I could see my girlfriend working for the NHS. Manchester shaped my whole life.

He added: 'I always try to be involved in the games, try to come and watch them and keep in touch with my former team-mates. But, of course, physically you leave. Seven years is the right moment to say goodbye, to write a good story.

I always say the most important thing is to have the whole image, the whole movie, and say I'm proud of this.

"Both parts, club and player, we're proud of this, and this was the reason for my decision. My heart will always be blun at my life."

Shirty: Rodri after sealing his Barca move GETTY RANGES

Body found at Charlton's Valley home

A DEAD body has been found at Charlton's Stadium, triggering a police investigation.

In a statement, the Championship club said that 'we ceased individual' had been discovered following an incident that occurred on Monday.

Charlton say they are helping police with their enquiries and confirmed the individual was a male.

The statement read: 'Everyone at Charlton would like to express their deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the individual's family, friends and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time.

'The club respectfully ask that the privacy of those affected is respected. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing on the part of the club.'

Charlton played their season opener at the Valley on Saturday, heading Derby 2-1 in their first Championship game of the season.

WILL PICKWORTH

5.25 UNISET INTERACTIVE MAIDEN STAKES (40,478,000 added) (45,480,171.75)

1	05	DRESAT OF ALBION A Period 3-3-7	D. Poitard
2	03	WILE END ROAD James Owen 3-3-7	C. Fallon
3	01	PHILLIPER A Women 3-3-7	P.L. James
4	06	WACONER JACK 10 M Laughmore 3-3-7	Hope Regan 2-3-7
5	04	GRANITEVILLE TOP M Both 3-3-2	M. Gilson
6	11	3-4QI WEDDY 10 James Horton 3-3-2	D. Bouscall
7	08	ROGER WILD 20A A Boating 3-3-2	L. Hutchinson
8	04	L. SPARTERSTAR 20 P Owens 3-3-2	D. Snyder
9	11	120 WORTH BARRINGTON 10 J Dacana 3-3-2	M. Laughmore
Probable SP: 9-4 Withersnirmyeys, 12 Grandleeds, 7-2 Merry, 8 River
Nile, 10 Mile End Road, 10 Dream Of Albion, 20 Palliser.
FACTURITIES & 2025: No corresponding rates.

5.50 UNISET 3 UNISOSOTA A DAY NURSERY (83 (2-7-0) 65,000 added (62,340) 71 (15)

1	(1)	800	SARZANA 86 P Hughes 9-9	J. Marsh
2	(2)	106	NO MORE PEND 40 O'cata Plea 9-9	S. C. Coven (5)
3	(3)	12.5 KICHELL 14 N Henry Owen 16 (5) 9-6	J. DeVaux	S. DeVaux
4	(3)	448	BEACH WHEEL 70 (7) 3-2 A Morse 3-7	Toby Moore (7)
5	(4)	820	HANANA COURT 28 W Knight 9-6	C. Fallon
6	(5)	62.00	DRESAT ON NIGHT 22 (TV) P. Grace 9-6	J. F. Egan
7	(6)	430	CHELLY 34 (9) 2-1 P Hughes 9-6	C. Bishop
8	(7)	426	WERTHEY HURST 22 T. Ward 9-6	J. F. Egan
9	(8)	1500	TEN-YEAR STRECTOR 22 J. DeVaux 9-2	M. Daniel
10	(9)	1007	PRESTING NIGHT 48 (ET) C. Carles 9-2	S. Donahue
11	(9)	1576	HARVEY 20 (P) A Boating 8-12	D. Bouscall
12	(10)	1000	ALMORA WALLS 10 M Kahr Kelly 9-12	T. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P
13	(11)	1046	THE KALBANA MAN 42 (8) H. Horton 6-6	S. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B.
Probable SP: 5-1 S. Davis Angel, 3 Thunder Home, 5 Alghatabana, 8 Huckt, 12
Shadlock, 14 J. Jones, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2 Davis, 2

6.25 (2-7-0) 633,000 added (47,630) 71 (13) 7.00 8.00 9.00 10.00 11.00 12.00 13.00 14.00 15.00 16.00 17.00 18.00 19.00 20.00 21.00 22.00 23.00 24.00 25.00 26.00 27.00 28.00 29.00 30.00 31.00 32.00 33.00 34.00 35.00 36.00 37.00 38.00 39.00 40.00 41.00 42.00 43.00 44.00 45.00 46.00 47.00 48.00 49.00 50.00 51.00 52.00 53.00 54.00 55.00 56.00 57.00 58.00 59.00 60.00 61.00 62.00 63.00 64.00 65.00 66.00 67.00 68.00 69.00 70.00 71.00 72.00 73.00 74.00 75.00 76.00 77.00 78.00 79.00 80.00 81.00 82.00 83.00 84.00 85.00 86.00 87.00 88.00 89.00 90.00 91.00 92.00 93.00 94.00 95.00 96.00 97.00 98.00 99.00 100.00

1	(1)	10	ROMA ANGEL 99 (1) C. Coven 9-9	J. Mishkin
2	(2)	10	ALABAMADHIN 1 A. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T.	J. Mishkin
3	(3)	10	CARRIER ROAD 46 C. Bartian 9-4	J. Heyns
4	(4)	10	WILD 66 (8) Henry C. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G.	J. Heyns
5	(5)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
6	(6)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
7	(7)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
8	(8)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
9	(9)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
10	(10)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
11	(11)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
12	(12)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
13	(13)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
14	(14)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
15	(15)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
16	(16)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
17	(17)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
18	(18)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
19	(19)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
20	(20)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
21	(21)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
22	(22)	10	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.

2. 2017年1月1日，公司召开2017年第一次临时股东大会，并通知全体董事。

KEMPTON BY

ROBIN GOURTILLON		GIMCRACK
5.25	Withersnirmyeys	5.25	Withersnirmyeys
5.50	Warrick Court	5.50	Kuthalin
5.30	Shaddock	5.30	Thunder Home
7.00	Lucy The Wire	7.00	Lucy The Wire
7.50	Night Wolf	7.50	Chapin
8.00	Rasingheaks Ryder	8.00	Rasingheaks Ryder
8.30	Rogue Defence	8.30	Misterly's Witch
9.00	Salomon's Reveal	9.00	Santiago Bay

7.00 UNISET UNISE EXTRA PLACE RACES RESTRICTED NOVICE STAKES (42 478,000 added (45,480) to 37 270/45 (15)

(1)	45	BARAZANIT 25 James Owen 4-9-9	C. Fallon
2	15	4 SOLA MILLI 99 P Hughes 4-9-9	M. Day
3	47	TOB LINES 42 C. Jensler 4-9-4	C. Shepherd
4	12	LUCY THE WIRE 20 (P) (BP) James Owen 4-9-4	B. Laughmore
5	5-7	WESTERCATE 16 D. Marzani 3-9-4	S. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B.
6	20	6 MISSED 17 P. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R.
7	10	ARILLA 16 C. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
8	10	LI MERATE 14 (BP) Henry Eutler 3-9-2	P.L. James
9	10	LO EDMOND 21 (R) E. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D.
10	5	2 RELLIN FREE 50 Jan Jones 3-9-3	Toby Moore (3)
11	4	3 RELLIN FREE 50 Jan Jones 3-9-3	Toby Moore (3)
12	4	4 20 37 HILDA 48 N. Togorong 3-9-3	D. Poitard
Probable SP: 2 D. Hicks, 3 N. J. Jacobs, 4 P. Farrer, 5 L. L. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T.

FACTURITIES: — 1-2-3 — 4-3-5 (OP 9-8) AGEES: — 3-2-3 — 4-3-4 2025: Port Road 4-3-4 (Paddy Bradley) 10-1-5 (Dave drawn) (6) 12 min

9.30 UNISET 40,000+ LIVE STREAMED EVENTS HANDICAP (DIV 2) (45 472,000 added (45,280) to (50)

1	6,000	FRICK'S LAD (Alves) 7,000 5 & C. F. Kalar 3-13-7	Davies Hater
2	10,000	MR PROPOSED 30 (CADES 8-7) 24,750	Y.M. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B.
3	10,000	WHEASANCE 11 (B) 1 & 5 (C) 1,000	J. H. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B.
4	10,000	LAKE GOND 74 (CAD) 1 & 2 (W) 1,000	J. H. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B.
5	10,000	LEEK CARRIED 28 (BH) 1 & 2 (W) 1,000	D. Poitard
6	10,000	MOUNT WOLF 110 (P) 5 Spencer 3-9-3	D. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B. B.
7	10,000	POWERS 10 (B) 1 & 5 (C) 1,000	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
8	10,000	WITOWY 4 (B) 1 & 5 (C) 1,000	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
9	10,000	WITOWY 4 (B) 1 & 5 (C) 1,000	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
10	10,000	WITOWY 4 (B) 1 & 5 (C) 1,000	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
11	10,000	WITOWY 4 (B) 1 & 5 (C) 1,000	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
12	10,000	WITOWY 4 (B) 1 & 5 (C) 1,000	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.

TRACK FACTS: R-H Polynack course. GONG: Standard to slow STALLS: Inside DRAM ADVANTAGE: Low Top jockey: Daniel Muscutt Top trainer: A Booting. Placed in the race last year: 8:30 Port Road (1st). Headgear first time: 5:50 Kennedy, Dream On Kent, Printing Money, 7:00 Gold Hill, 7:30 Lake Como, Night Wolf, 9:00 Station Bar, Strong Voice.

8.00 UNISET 40,000+ LIVE STREAMED EVENTS HANDICAP (DIV 2) (45 472,000 added (45,280) to (50)

1	10,000	RICHARDSON 6 POOD (Dave) 7,000 5,000 5,000	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
2	10,000	EDPCOURTE 10 (D) 1 & 7 October 4,000	D. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S.
3	10,000	WILK HOOK 45 (RF) (C&D) 2 & 2,000	D. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S.
4	10,000	BLAN 30 (B) 1 & 2,000	D. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S.
5	10,000	ROGER 10 (D) 1 & 2,000	D. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S.
6	10,000	WILK HOOK 45 (RF) (C&D) 2 & 2,000	D. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S.
7	10,000	WILK HOOK 45 (RF) (C&D) 2 & 2,000	D. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S.
8	10,000	WILK HOOK 45 (RF) (C&D) 2 & 2,000	D. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S.

Probable SP: 2 Exposure, 5 Racinghawk Ryder, 13-2 Fight Your Corner, 8 Double Eagle, 10 Luster Heights, Elan 2 hr.

FACTURITIES: — 1-8-1-4-8-8 (OP 9-8) AGEES: — 3-2-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3

1	10,000	WICHARDSON 6 POOD (Dave) 7,000 5,000 5,000	J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J. J.
2	10,000	EDPCOURTE 10 (D) 1 & 7 October 4,000	D. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S.
3	10,000	WILK HOOK 45 (RF) (C&D) 2 & 2,000	D. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S.
4	10,000	WICHARDSON 6 POOD (D) 1 & 7 October 4,000	D. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S.
5	10,000	WICHARDSON 6 POOD (D) 1 & 7 October 4,000	D. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S.
6	10,000	WICHARDSON 6 POOD (D) 1 & 7 October 4,000	D. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S.
7	10,000	WICHARDSON 6 POOD (D) 1 & 7 October 4,000	D. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S.
8	10,000	WICHARDSON 6 POOD (D) 1 & 7 October 4,000	D. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S. S.

9.00 ITW UNISET'S NEW SIGNATURE RACECARDS HANDICAP (5) (45 472,000 added (45,280) to (50)

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BOXING | Daily Mail Sport | 63

Why mega-fight in the Big Apple leaves sour taste

Money talks as America wins battle to stage clash

From Back Page

Hearn continued to push for the fight to take place in the UK, with Fury also keen on a homecoming bout, but they were unable to secure their preferred location. However, Hearn — who recently revealed it was written into Joshua's contract that the fight had to be staged in Britain — has told Daily Mail Sport that no agreement has yet been reached to change those terms.

'We are in constant communication with Turki (Alalshikh, Saudi boxing supremo) but as of yet there is no agreement to any variation within the contract,' he said. Speaking to Daily Mail Sport after we broke the story, Hearn added: 'Everyone is adamant the fight takes place in New York. It's just like, 'we want to do this fight in America'. Tyson has agreed to America and we haven't at the moment. If they do the things we've agreed in principle, there is a good chance the fight will happen in America.' Others close to the discussions say Alalshikh's position was that the fight could be staged in the UK if the financial case stacked up and the figures could be demonstrated. But with that case ultimately unable to be made, the decision was taken to move the fight to New York.

While Hearn's comments indicate the contractual position has yet to be formally altered, Daily Mail Sport understands the final pieces are being put in place for the official announcement to be made before the end of this month.

COMMENT

By JEFF POWELL MBE Boxing Correspondent

FOR our next trick, how about the FA Cup final at Giants Stadium? Soulless. Never mind. Then the Wimbledon finals on the good old hard courts of Flushing Meadows?

The Open? What holes in golf could be more challenging than the First to Eighteenth Streets in Manhattan? There will be no soft landings there.

What about the Ashes? Where better for the Poms and the Okkers to dispute the Ashes than Yankee Stadium?

I could go on. The selection of New York's Madison Square Garden for the longest-awaited boxing match in UK ring history was not exactly a surprise. Wembley Stadium had given up on the Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua fight weeks ago.

Where better for the last hurrah for two grand old British warhones than Madison Square Garden? Even if that nostalgic mausoleum is not exactly the most sentimental last resting place for two lions of our own.

We sell our history at our peril. But for Net-profit-flix? And to the oil-mongers?

Fighting talk: Fury confronts Joshua after defeating Arslanbek Makhmudov in April. GETTY IMAGES

I am all for the men in gloves who put their lives on the line between the ropes making the most money they can for themselves and the future of their families.

But neither the Gypsy King nor AJ are short of a few bucks and the fans who made them are forgotten in this sell-out. Even if they manage to prop open their eyelids with matchsticks into the early hours of a dank winter morning.

Many of the faithful will do so, especially those who have been

imploring Joshua and Fury to get it on for a couple of decades. The sad part, even though we will all be drawn to it like curious cats, is that they have missed their moment in time.

No world title is being put on the line. Historically it is beyond its time, delayed by all those involved in case one heavyweight or the other got knocked off his perch of public admiration and corporate income before they fought each other.

That obsession was exposed as nonsense by Oleksandr

Uzyk and Daniel Dubois. So overpowering is the scent of nostalgia in this most compelling of sports that we still want to see what happens when two of our national heroes collide.

Hundreds if not thousands of Brits will spend their last pennies going to New York to bear witness to this last rite for two of their heroes.

They are worth more, much more, than Big Daddy Netflix and Uncle Saudi.

Meanwhile, the British Croquet Association beware.

Rashford is making waves

MARCUS RASHFORD has left Manchester United officials 'seriously impressed' following his return from a loan spell at Barcelona.

United insiders say the 28-year-old, who made his first appearance for the club for 20 months on Saturday, has embraced a tricky situation and been working relentlessly in training.

And there is now a growing belief that Rashford will remain at the club beyond the end of the transfer window, with cautious optimism over what could be a new chapter in a long — and not always smooth — United career.

Daily Mail Sport understands that manager Michael Carrick held a lengthy discussion with

By MIKE KEEGAN Chief Sports Reporter

the England international ahead of his return to United, which came after Barcelona declined to trigger a £26million option to buy him, despite a successful loan. There has been interest from abroad but, as of yet, a move has failed to materialise.

Rashford rejoined team-mates on August 9 and was introduced to the sizable number of staff who have arrived at the club since he was last there. He was also shown new training ground facilities, which have been given a £50m revamp.

Sources say Rashford has again taken a keen interest in helping the club's younger players —

particularly JJ Gabriel, the 15-year-old prodigy who has won rave reviews. He has also spent time with 19-year-old winger Shea Lacey.

Following his loan at Aston Villa, Rashford is known to be close with Youri Tielemans, who joined United from Villa earlier in the summer.

'It's clear to see that he is making a conscious effort to make the right second impression,' one insider noted. The news comes after Harry Maguire gave his backing for Rashford to stay at Old Trafford. 'He's a huge threat to have in your team, if he's going to stay,' the defender said. 'Obviously the transfer window is still open, but we hope as players that he stays — he's a big asset.'

Bezos has a bigger slice of Liverpool

A CONSORTIUM involving Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns more of Liverpool than was initially thought, after it emerged the collaboration of billionaires have a 38 per cent share in the club.

Initial suggestions were that the investment was 'in the range of 30 per cent', but Daily Mail Sport understands it was actually closer to 40 per cent.

It is also understood there is an option for 1892 Holdings — led by millionaire businessman Amit Bhatia — to buy a controlling stake in the club in the next 12 months, but that is not a formal commitment.

When the deal was announced last week, sources stressed that while there was flexibility for how the

relationship may evolve, it was not an indication of either party's future intentions.

Liverpool's majority owners Fenway Sports Group were not seeking investment out of financial need, but the opportunity to bring in the likes of Bhatia, Bezos and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, whose wife, Elaine, also has a seat on the board, was seen as advantageous.

Bhatia, son-in-law of Indian steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal and former co-owner of QPR, will become the club's new vice-chairman.

The investment values Liverpool at between $5billion and $6billion.

DAVID KENT

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64 Daily Mail Sport FOOTBALL

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

by Ian Herbert

HULL CITY owner Acun Ilicali is tackling the question 'will you be tempted to sack your manager if you are bottom of the Premier League at Christmas?' when Sergej Jakirovic walks through the room at the club's training ground.

Given that everyone seems to be predicting the club to go straight back down to the Championship, this feels rather awkward.

Ilicali does not flinch, however, and as Jakirovic disappears into a side room, from where you sense our conversation will remain audible, he explains why he and his manager are 'completely matching' in a way that he and Liam Rosenior, whom he sacked two summers ago, were not.

So, does he think the Bosnian will be here this time next year? 'Yes, yes, yes,' Ilicali insists. 'Some things happen unexpectedly in life. It's like that in marriage. Are you always together until death?' No. But if there are some failures, it will not be Sergej's fault.

'Maybe the players will be young, inexperienced, new to the Premier League. Of course, I will stand by him if he loses games. I will not be judging him by the position in the table. It will be what can we do more to make him successful.'

History tells us it can be hard to sustain that magnanimity in the white heat of the Premier League, where battle will be rejoined on Saturday as Hull entertain Manchester United.

Ilicali recounts some very good reasons for belief in 49-year-old Jakirovic, who took the club from the jaws of Championship relegation to the top flight, but the size of the challenge ahead looks formidable.

ILICALI has established a transfer budget, including fees and wages, of £200million, in a break-neck process of squad-building which, he says, will see 15 new players through the door and be era-defining.

'The next five years of the club's history will be decided in the next two months,' he relates. 'What we are trying to do is complicated. If you fail, you will be relegated. If you are not careful, you will have players you are then not able to sell. At worst, this situation can be a disaster for a club.'

In an ideal world, Hull would be able to lure back Liam Delap, the loanee who did so much for them two years ago, but the wages Chelsea would want for sending him back to Humberside would, Ilicali reveals, be double the club's average. 'We love him and I hope he loves us, but for this season I didn't even ask.'

With typical candour, Ilicali declares that good players with

If we mess up this transfer window it'll be a disaster ... it could set us back years

Hull owner ACUN ILICALI on how to attract stars when you're odds-on to go down!

Premier League pedigree — often cited as a necessity for the newly-promoted — will not be keen enough to justify him spending all summer chasing after them.

'These boys don't come easily,' he says. 'A good, experienced, successful player in the Premier League will have four or five options. Why should he choose a team that everybody thinks will be relegated?'

'It is easy to say, 'Get the Premier League boys and be safe' but most of the boys you can bring from the Premier League will not be wanted by their club, so you will not be able to take the shiny ones. Manchester United or City will take those shiny ones, but they will not come to us.'

Instead, Ilicali and his recruitment team have looked further afield to the leagues of Germany, Italy, France and Spain which he — and there is a clear sense that the Turkish entrepreneur and media mogul is driving the thinking here — sees as close enough in quality to justify investment.

'Instead of Premier League players past the top of their careers, I go for those who dream of playing in the Premier League,' Ilicali says. 'Boys who want to play in the best league in the world.'

It means the new roster includes Nobel Mendy, a 22-year-old, 120million Senegalese centre back from Rayo Vallecano, Greek goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis, 23, from Olympiacos, and Lucas Gouma-Douath, also 23, from Red Bull Salzburg. They have tabled a

bid of around £4.5m for Real Betis winger Pablo Garcia, are looking at Reims forward Keito Nakamura and have held talks with Nottingham Forest over a loan move for winger Dilane Bakwa.

Teen Australia defender Lucas Herrington has joined from Colorado Rapids. A move for Everton's Tim Iroegbunam, a fine midfield ball-winner, is possible, despite a groin injury which looks set to keep him out for three weeks.

The acquisitions illustrate a desire to spread the risk, prevent salary overload and sign players who will prosper and bring sell-ons, giving Hull more money to reinvest.

As well as the uncertainty about how these players will fare in the white heat of the top flight, assimilating as many as 15 incomers — nine are through Hull's door and six more are sought — can bring challenges. But Ilicali is unmoved by the 18s and buts and adamant that good individuals, rather than proven individuals, are the ones for him.

'This team has a family spirit and this brought us to the Premier League,' he says. 'We want hungry players, real profes-

sionals, dedicated people. I like the word 'dedicated'. Dedicated people get success.' He has spoken individually to every player they have signed, he says, and will continue doing so until the last one is in.

This is an individual who will never die wondering what might have been. He rose from a job as a TV football reporter to become a multi-millionaire reality TV entrepreneur. He sees this challenge as the latest of many. 'We are ready for every scenario,'

says Ilicali. 'This is life. Life can bring you anything. What we have to do is make the correct choices, but make the risk as low as possible for the future of the club.'

It cannot have helped, we put it to him, that no sooner had the side won promotion, he was parting company with sporting director Jared Dublin, whose CV included time at Sheffield United during their ninth-place Premier League finish in 2020.

Ilicali says Dublin's pay expectations after promotion via May's play-off victory over

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FOOTBALL | Daily Mail Sport 65

Joy: Illicali celebrates on the Wembley pitch after McBurnie's goal (left) sent Hull up SHUTTERSTOCK

Middlesbrough exceeded what he was willing to stretch to. 'Jared just valued himself [at a level] which for our principle was not possible,' he relates. 'I respect him and wish him success. I respect everybody about their careers. Football is so dynamic, tomorrow you do not know who will be with you.'

He has replaced the American with his compatriot Okan Ozkan, former assistant sporting director in the bearpit of Fenerbahce, with whom he worked for a year when juggling his media career and Hull ownership with a role overseeing the Turkish side's football operations. 'It will be zero problem,' he says of Dublin's departure. 'Okan is a very successful boy, who I have worked with in this setting, and he has a very good future. It will be seamless.'

The same booming confidence comes back when we put it to him that some people are projecting Hull to finish bottom.

'Bome?' he asks. 'Not just some! Most of the predictions have us there! It's like last year, when 80 per cent of people in England thought we were going to be relegated from the Championship.'

'I just hope that one day I am one of the analysts so I can see what this job is like. To those who are sceptics, I say: 'Come here and see us first'.'

The evidence of the sea-change is visible at the club's MKM

Stadium, where building work to upgrade the club's media facilities was ongoing in the heat of last Friday.

That lunchtime's Hull Daily Mail reflected the sense of transformation. The back page lead featured new signing Mendy declaring: 'I'm ready for the challenge.' There was further analysis of one of the club's targets, Deportivo La Coruna's Yeremay Hernandez, while Herrington told the paper that his Hull move fulfilled a 'dream' of Premier League football. New defender Matt Targett declared he is ready to battle for a first-team place and striker Joe Gelhardt's imminent move from Leeds was also reported.

So, which promoted Premier League club are Hull modelling themselves on? 'Leicester City ten years ago!' Illicali jokes. 'That's the best model of all! But no — I am humble, so I will say Brentford and Brighton — both clubs have managed to be sustainable and successful in the Premier League.'

His distinctive Rolls-Royce with amber Hull City trim is parked outside and the weekend ahead would be spent overseeing building work on the detached property at rural Ferriby, with views across the Humber Estuary, which he has now bought, having previously rented it. He has been

the only Premier League owner this summer to have offered regular engagement with fans over transfers on social media. His posting of national flags on X, denoting the nationality of players incoming and egg timer icons, demonstrated that in many ways he is not the typical Premier League owner.

'I was seeing fake information about some players that we were 'interested' in, which was agents using us and giving unnecessary hope to fans,' he says. 'I've always had a relationship with the fans, who deserve transparency.'

'When I looked at our new transfer targets, it was like the United Nations! I'm proud that so many countries are now associated with our club. I'm someone who once queued for a ticket for games and this boy became the owner of this club, so I like to think that in some small way I'm representing the ordinary fan.'

It may encourage those Hull supporters wondering what on earth this autumn holds that he is already casting an eye to how next summer might be. 'I love to be the 'underdog', because there's no translation of this word in Turkish,' Illicali reflects.

'It would be as good as promotion this year to stay in the league. If we do stay up, people will maybe say: 'Hull can fight for the top ten.' So then we can bring in the stars.'

Saudis' audacious bid for Watkins as Villa snap up Wan-Bissaka

■ AL HILAL are testing ASTON VILLA'S resolve to keep Ollie Watkins after making a £38million offer for the England striker. Watkins, 30, is open to the move as the Saudi side have made a couple of proposals this summer, but Villa want to keep him. Meanwhile, Villa have agreed a loan with obligation to buy WEST HAM defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The fee is understood to be around £18m — he will have a medical today. Villa are loaning right back Kosta Nedeljkovic to RANGERS with an option to buy.

■ NEWCASTLE UNITED have held exploratory talks with MANCHESTER CITY over a potential deal for midfielder Nico Gonzalez (below). The 24-year-old is one of a number of options Newcastle are considering to replace Bruno Guimaraes after his £75million move to ARSENAL. City want to add Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille and CHELSEA'S Enzo Fernandez, but are assessing others too. Newcastle have, however, signed right-back Amar Dedic from Benfica for £29.5m on a five-year deal.

■ WEST HAM are signing forward Joel Piroe from LEEDS UNITED after midfielder Niclas Fullkrug joined Werder Bremen on a season's loan. The Hammers moved for Piroe after failing to agree a fee with AZ Alkmaar for Troy Parrott, who is joining Real Betis. Meanwhile Real Sociedad have followed up their interest in Hammers midfielder Edson Alvarez and are discussing a £12m deal.

■ SUNDERLAND'S move for Toulouse defender Dayann Methalie is in danger of collapse after concerns

WINDOW WATCH By SIMON JONES

were raised over his medical. The 20-year-old has returned to France with further testing required. Sunderland agreed a £25.7m deal on Sunday for the France Under-21 international left back. The Black Cats remain in talks with Sporting Lisbon winger Gery Catamo, He has 43 caps for Mozambique.

■ BRIGHTON have signed Canada striker Promise David, 25, from Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise on a season's loan with an obligation to buy for £22m.

■ TOTTENHAM have confirmed goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has joined Juventus on loan with an option to buy for £8.5m.

■ IPSWICH TOWN have had an offer of £18m rejected by Bayer Leverkusen for Argentina midfielder Exequiel Palacios.

■ WOLVES are exploring a move for BRIGHTON winger Amario Cozier-Duberry. RANGERS had a £7.5m bid rejected this week for the £10m-rated 21-year-old.

■ FULHAM have asked about Real Betis centre back Natan. They retain interest in Rennes defender Abdelhamid Ait Boudial too.

■ CHELSEA defender Benoit Badiashile arrived in Rome last night ahead of his medical with Napoli, who he will join on loan.

■ DERBY keeper Jacob Widell Zetterström is wanted by Monza.

Player-ref chats set for broadcast

CONVERSATIONS between players and referees will be broadcast during Premier League games this season. Last season, the league introduced RefCam, a camera mounted to the referee's ear which showed their view of match action.

And in up to two games per week, its remit has now been expanded to include sound, revealing interactions between players and referees. Discussions will not be broadcast live, but shortly

afterwards, with the specific situations shown determined by broadcasters, the Premier League and Pro Ref.

The Premier League say the initiative will 'give supporters further insight into how and why decisions are made'. Live in-game VAR audio is not included in the changes, but the Premier League say they remain committed to lobbying law-makers to approve using VAR communication in live broadcasts in the future.

BOBBY MANZI

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66 Daily Mail Sport CRICKET

LAWRENCE BOOTH Cricket Correspondent at Headingley

IT has come to something when an England team who arrived in Australia in November with high hopes of winning back the Ashes begin a home series against lowly Pakistan with ridicule breathing down their neck.

England have had a decent stab at portraying today's first Test at Headingley as a fresh dawn — and haven't we had a few of those.

But the return as captain on his home ground of Joe Root and the presence of Marcus Trescothick as stand-in coach feels not so much a brave new world as a relic from the past. It is procrastination disguised as progress.

Until Stephen Fleming takes over in time for the winter series in South Africa, England will be treading water. Victory over a Pakistan team ranked seventh in the world will do little more than keep Root's team afloat. Defeat, and they could very well go under.

It does not bear thinking about, especially since Australia's humiliation by Bangladesh in Darwin has, briefly, given them some material for the never-ending battle of Ashes banter.

The absence of Fleming, though, has done little to dispel the sense that England have wasted the past few months. Instead of being sacked after the Ashes, as might have happened in another era, Brendon McCullum was allowed to carry on into the summer, at which point Ben Stokes' unhappiness with the set-up exploded during his night out in the Rex Rooms — with the consequences we have now.

It isn't so much that England have not won a series for 20 months, and have just lost their first home series of three Tests or more for the first time in 14 years, though those facts are bad enough.

It is that the absence of any meaningful forward planning has left them with a captain whose lack of strategic acumen — obvious during his first 64 Tests in charge — was again evident during the 65th, against New Zealand at the Oval in June.

And with an interim coach who was part of McCullum's uncritical inner coterie, and whose most notable contribution to the Ashes debacle was to suggest after the defeat in the second Test at Brisbane that England hadn't discussed their loose dismissals during the first at Perth.

It is a good job Pakistan find themselves at an even lower ebb, and possibly the lowest in their otherwise proud history, despite squaring their recent series in the Caribbean with a morale-boosting eight-wicket win over West Indies in Trinidad.

But that followed a 2-0 defeat in Bangladesh and was one of only seven wins in their last 26 Tests stretching back to the middle of 2022, a sequence that includes 17 defeats. They have not won a series in England since 1996.

The only team they have beaten in the last three years? That will be England in October 2024, when they employed giant fans and heaters to turn the pitches at Multan and Rawalpindi into

A stand-in coach and a recycled captain with little tactical acumen is not a new dawn. It's a relic from the past ...but defeat against lowly Pakistan does not bear thinking about for Root and Co

dustbowls, a move that was mysteriously waved through by the ICC.

Their task this time has been made harder by the news that Babar Azam, their returning captain and star batsman, will miss the first Test after taking a blow on the right hand from Hampshire fast bowler Manny Lundsen during last week's warm-up game in Beckenham.

Babar is expected to be fit for the second Test at Lord's, but his absence here — at a time when he was threatening a return to form after a barren run — has deprived the tourists of one of the world class players capable of testing England.

Salman Agha, who has led Pakistan in 50 T20s and a single one-day match, will take over, adding to the sense of two teams making it up as they go along. In

Babar's absence, the player most likely to cause England problems is Mohammad Abbas, a probing seamer whose 897 first-class wickets have cost 20 each, and whose long CV includes stints at four counties.

Armed with the familiar Dukes ball at a damp Headingley — and the forecast is mixed — he ought to be a handful.

Up against him is an England top order that confirm the make-do-and-mend nature of their Test team. Emilio Gay tailed off against New Zealand after a promising start, and warmed up for this game with a pair for the Professional County Club Select XI against the Pakistanis.

Jordan Cox, meanwhile, will bat at No 3, only two games after debuting at No 7.

England's non-stop game of whack-a-mole, dealing with one crisis before another pops up, shows no sign of stopping.

Neither has it helped that Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue, two

members of their first-choice seam attack, were involved in the final of the Hundred on Sunday at Lord's.

There, they hurled themselves into the fray for Manchester Super Giants, a franchise 70 per cent owned by a Kolkata-based business conglomerate whose main interest is not the fortunes of England's Test team, but a sizeable return on their £10 million investment.

If anything exposed the lunatic nature of the schedule, and the priorities of the ECB, it is the idea that these two crucial bowlers will automatically be able to switch codes.

It is not just the Test team who are flying by the seat of their pants, it is the whole of English cricket, squeezing in fixtures and formats and hoping no-one collapses in a heap.

That may be good enough to see off Pakistan, but fans will need some convincing that it is a recipe for regaining the Ashes.

Same, but different: Root bats in the nets yesterday GETTY IMAGES

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CRICKET | Daily Mail Sport 67

'We're not totally ditching Bazball'

JOE ROOT insists he will not be ripping up the principles of Bazball as he attempts to lead England to a first Test series win since 2024. After the retirement of skipper Ben Stokes and the sacking of Brendon McCullum as Test coach, all eyes are on how the new era will diverge from the ultra-attacking old. And as he prepared for today's first Test against Pakistan here at Headingley, Root insisted: 'It's not about ripping it up. Small adjustments in-game will make a big difference. I don't believe there is one way of playing Test cricket. 'I think you've got to be adaptable, you've got to play the situation and the different

By RICHARD GIBSON at Headingley

tempos of the game. It's never the same throughout the five days.' One change Root is implementing regards his fielding position, copying Stokes by moving to mid-off, where it is easier to communicate with bowlers. Ben Duckett or Jordan Cox will replace him at first slip. Cox — who debuted against New Zealand at seven earlier this summer, but is now at three instead of the injured Jacob Bethell — reminded everyone of his versatility by embarking on a lengthy wicketkeeping session during yesterday's practice. Dan Lawrence is replacing Stokes as

all-rounder, with Root insisting the 29-year-old is an 'under-rated' off-spinner. However, in a break from the previous regime, England will not name their line-up until the toss. Root will work with Marcus Trescothick, interim coach for the three-match series, and Harry Brook, who retains the England vice-captain position he held under Stokes. Dismissing any notion of awkwardness with Brook, Root added: 'Our relationship is exactly as it has been for a long time. Me and Harry are very good friends. 'I just want Harry to be authentic. If he's comfortable in his own skin, then I think England's in a good place.'

Khan set for hospital move from prison

By RICHARD GIBSON

IMRAN KHAN is to be moved from solitary confinement to hospital following appeals from his family over his health. The former Pakistan captain, 73, was imprisoned in Rawalpindi three years ago and is serving two separate sentences of 17 and 14 years. Kasim and Sulaiman Khan, the sons of the cricketer-cum-politician, called his quarters a 'death cell'. 'He's been in a solitary confinement cell for over two years where he's had filthy water, he is around inmates who are dying of hepatitis, the conditions are disgusting and he is completely isolated from any human contact,' Kasim said last December. Khan, who served as prime minister of Pakistan from 2018 to 2022, has allegedly spent up to 23 hours a day in isolation. He will be moved to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, where he will stay until at least September 16. Zulfikar Bukhari, spokesperson for Khan's political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, said: 'It's a very welcome order and we wish it happened sooner.'

Breathalyser to be fitted in Warner's car

By DAVID KENT

DAVID WARNER has been ordered to fit a breathalyser to his car after he was fined £800 for drink-driving. The former Australia opening batsman pleaded guilty in a Sydney court last month after failing a breath-test on Easter weekend, when he was driving home in the east of Sydney. The 39-year-old's blood-alcohol reading was more than twice the legal limit. Waverley Local Court heard Warner, who has three daughters aged between seven and 11, stopped when he saw a roadside breath-testing site and tried to swap seats with a passenger. 'I accept Mr Warner is unlikely to reoffend,' Judge Clare Parnan told the court. 'Regrettably, drink-driving is still a significant factor in many crashes in New South Wales. The offence was aggravated because children were in the car at the time, Parnan said. Warner, who retired in 2024, having played 112 Tests and 271 one-day internationals for Australia, must now hold an 'interlock' licence for 12 months. This means using a breathalyser device that prevents a vehicle from being used if it detects alcohol on a driver's breath. Warner made no comment as he left court.

---

'If we mess up this window it'll be a disaster'

HULL OWNER ACUN ILICALI: PAGES 64-65

BATTLE OF BRITAIN

...IN THE BIG APPLE

Joshua v Fury

showdown set to take place in New York

By CHARLOTTE DALY

ANTHONY JOSHUA and Tyson Fury are understood to have signed contracts to fight on November 20 in New York City, raising concerns the mega-fight will take place in the middle of the night for British fans.

Fury took to social media yesterday morning to tease the announcement, telling his followers the fight was on the verge of being publicised. He said: 'Big news being dropped very soon. A big fight on the horizon. It's the one you've all been waiting for. It's about to be announced imminently so stay tuned!'

Those close to the negotiations have told Daily Mail Sport the blockbuster bout is finalised, with Madison Square Garden agreed as the venue. Though Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has insisted there is still work to be done on the deal. The fight is expected to take place on a Friday night to avoid clashes with major American sporting events.

It remains unclear, however, whether the main event will take place at a time convenient for British boxing fans, with New York five hours behind the UK. It is understood Joshua and his promoter

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SUDOKU

FILL in all the squares in the grid so that each row, column and each of the 3x3 squares contains all the digits from 1 to 9. SOLUTIONS TOMORROW

		2				8	1
	7					6	9
	1		7		4
2		8	4
	5		3
		6	9	5		7
		7					3
3					8		6
			2	9			7

Difficulty rating ★★★★★

			4				9
		2			7	8
3		4		7		5	2
2			8				7
	1			5	4
8			7			4
5	2						9
	9				3	1
			6	8

Difficulty rating ★★★☆☆

PRIZE SUDOKU

	7	2	5				1
1						6
		3					9
7			1
		9		2	3
	5	1		4
6		4	8		9			7
2				1
	8		7					3

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8 Name given to the military suppression of a popular protest in Manchester in 1819 (8) 9 U.S. state that contains Multnomah Falls (6) 10 __ Tapestry, historical artefact loaned by France to Britain in 2026 for exhibition (6) 11 An illegal or unethical payment for influencing a business deal (8) 12 Extremely harsh or severe (8) 13 Character played by Wayne Knight in Seinfeld (6) 14 __ B. Driftwood, character played by Groucho Marx in the 1936 film A Night At The Opera (4) 16 U.S. city in which England beat Norway in the 2026 World Cup quarter finals (5) 17 Extinct flightless bird that was endemic to Mauritius (4) 18 Reginald __ sitcom character whose boss was C. J. (6) 20 __ Medal, annual British literary award for children's book authors begun in 1936 (8) 23 Wrice __ American football coach after whom the Super Bowl Trophy is named (8) 24 Tall, evergreen trees of the pine family supplying rot-resistant wood (6) 25 Smells Like Teen __ song by Nirvana released in 1991 (6) 26 Pesto __ an Italian paste made with basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan, pine nuts etc. (8)

DOWN

1 The __ Shop, TV programme featuring Kirsten Ramsay as a ceramics expert (6) 2 Military fortifications (8) 3 Karen __ Danish author noted for her memoir Out Of Africa (6) 4 Classic pub snack made from hard pieces of fried pig's skin (4,8) 5 Viktor __ Soviet and Swiss chess grandmaster born in 1931 (8) 6 Admiral John __ Royal Navy officer buried in Jamaica who fought in the Nine Years' War (6) 7 Eugenie __ Canadian former tennis player who joined BBC TV's coverage of Wimbledon in 2026 (8) 15 A nickname of Celtic FC (3,5) 16 __ Report, 2002 sci-fi film starring Tom Cruise (8) 17 A thorough investigation and analysis (4,4) 19 __ Miles, Italian record producer and DJ noted for his 1995 composition Children (6) 21 __ certainty, something that is very likely to happen (6) 22 A sudden flow of e.g. water entering a place (6)

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BOX 1: What was the first Shania

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top the UK album chart?

Come On Over (M)

Queen Of Me (F)

Up! (C)

BOX 2: Amber Anning holds a British record in which of these distances? 400m (D) 800m (G) 1500m (S)

BOX 3: Shinnecock Hills, known for its golf club, is in which U.S. state?

Michigan (U)

New York (R)

Florida (D)

BOX 4: What is pounamu, found in New Zealand's South Island?

A poisonous herb (W)

Edible fungi (E)

A green stone (N)

BOX 5: What type of headgear are the cervelliere and the yarmulike?

Skullcaps (H)

Turbans (B)

Hijabs (P)

BOX 6: Which of these actresses has returned to Emmerdale after a 20-year absence?

Jenna Coleman (N)

Patsy Kensit (A)

Anne Charleston (Q)

BOX 7: Which singer was born Mary O'Brien in 1939?

Dusty Springfield (K)

Cilla Black (E)

Lulu (V)

BOX 8: Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat is a song from which of these musicals?

Show Boat (T)

Guys And Dolls (I)

42nd Street (L)

BOX 9: Which biscuit is named after an Italian general?

Biscotti (A)

Amaretti (H)

Garibaldi (P)

BOX 10: San Miguelito and La Chorrera are cities in which country?

Mexico (C)

Panama (Y)

Portugal (D)

Yesterday's solution:

BEN BARNES

(1B, 2A, 3S, 4B, 5R,

6E, 7N, 8N, 9E)

Picture: PA

MAKING TRACKS

LAY tracks to enable the train to travel from village A to village B.

The numbers indicate how many sections of rail go in each row and column.

There are only straight rails and curved rails. The track cannot cross itself.

SOLUTION TOMORROW

B

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Page 34

MailPuzzles

HONEYCOMB

ALL the solutions read clockwise around their numbers. The solution to clue number 1 starts from the given letter.

1. Journey
2. Painter
3. African fly
4. Caress
5. Light
6. Approached
7. Lessen
8. Cows' teats
9. Lifts
10. Get ill
11. Plant fluid
12. Folds

SOLUTION: PULLOUT BACK PAGE

KAKURO

FILL in the blank squares of the grid using only the numbers 1 to 9, without repeating any number in any line of blank squares. The lines must be filled in with numbers which add up to the total in the shaded box at the top or beginning of each line. A number in the bottom half of a shaded box gives a downwards total; in the top half, it's a horizontal total.

SOLUTION TOMORROW

MASTERQUIZ

1. Which oily fish can be known as kelts?
2. What part of a Prussian army officer's kit was 'Pickelhaube'?
3. Actress Frances McDormand is married to which U.S. film director?
4. A five-year exploration of a cave containing prehistoric hippo, mammoth and woolly

rhino bones recently commenced under which Welsh castle?

5. What is the adopted name of comic book heroine Supergirl in the original comics and the 1984 film?
6. Which golfer was World Match Play champion three times in the 1990s and four times in the 2000s?

SOLUTION: PULLOUT BACK PAGE

MINDBENDER

1. During a busy working day at the puzzles office, Gareth and Sue edited sudokus in a ratio of 3:2, and crosswords in a ratio of 1:2. If Sue edited 26 sudokus, and Gareth edited a total of 56 puzzles all together, how many crosswords did Sue edit?

2. To cross which river may you RIG OAR END?

3. Which is the odd one out: The Milkmaid, The Old Guitarist, Boy With A Pipe, Guernica?

4. Crack the code to find three percussion instruments: NCGUHC, GULCGU, NUCUHAFY.

5. What connects egg, milk and sweet?

SOLUTION: PULLOUT BACK PAGE

KILLER SUDOKU

FILL in squares in the grid so each row, column and each 3x3 square contains all digits from 1 to 9. Each set of cells joined by dotted lines must add up to the number in the top-left corner. Numbers can't be repeated within each set of cells.

SOLUTION

TOMORROW

NEED A CLUE? Call 0901 293 6238 or text KILLER to 65700 and receive four clues to today's puzzle. Cells and texts cost £1 plus your standard network charges. Today's clues available between 00.01 today and 23.30 only.

PITCHERWITS™

1a. Saga of the asses (or hybrids) in a weedy ocean (8,3)

5a. Forget a way to follow (2,5)

14a. Dancer's who have had too much to drink? (7)

16a. Egg, all on jar, wiped away for lawyers' talk (5,6)

1d. Lick beastly wounds? By gum, it's fixed! (6,5)

4d. Constantly try a venture out (2,5,4)

6d. The consequence of a stout comedian breaking up (7)

8d. Earth line that's a torque wrench (7)

ACROSS

1 Picture Clue 5 Picture Clue 9 Sky pilot gives up posy for Scotswear (4) 10 Exhort surgeon to exclude relative (4) 11 Dance? Sounds like an eel to me! (5)

12 Slid off in pool place (4)

13 Tidally, it's all out.

How neat! (4)

14 Picture Clue

16 Picture Clue

PIT your wits against Pitcherwits — the exciting puzzle where some of the answers are in pictures! The solutions to the visual clues fit into the shaded spaces on the grid.

SOLUTION TOMORROW

PITCHERWITS BOOK

10 ORDER Daily Mail Pitcherwits Vol 9 by Professor Rebus for £9.99, go to mailshop.co.uk/lifor20 or call 020 3176 2937. Buy 3 or more Daily Mail puzzle books and save 20 per cent. Free UK delivery on orders over £25.

DOWN

1 Picture Clue 2 Oil platform? It's a set-up! (3) 3 Pumps iron from inside the title (3) 4 Picture Clue 6 Picture Clue

7 Waffle to wash your face with? (7) 8 Picture Clue 14 Corrugated section of the mat (3) 15 'Chatter' about to go down (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTION — ACROSS: 1 And so forth. 5 Overcome. 9 Claw. 10 Prop. 11 Utter. 12 Drop. 14 Yard. 15 Debriefs. 18 Relearning. DOWN: 1 Absconded. 2 Shows up. 3 Oar. 4 Him. 6 Ebb tide. 7 Our. 8 Expanding. 10 Preys on. 13 Orb. 16 Err. 17 Ice.

MAILWORD

ACROSS

1 Comfortable 5 Egg-shaped 10 Art form 11 Start; Beatles 8 Summer 12 Robes 13 Appropriately 14 Angeles, U.S. city 15 Punch 17 Horticultural tool 18 Henderson, pop singer 20 Do something different 22 Facial feature 24 Cake layered with cream 26 Chunks

29 Repeatedly

30 Body of water 32 Jabber 33 Female relative 35 Plant life 37 ... Flynn, actor 38 Overwhelming 38. Overwhelming defeats 39 Pauses 40 Selects

DOWN

1 Bobbin 2 Periodical bulletins 3 Rounded vase 4 Deep wound 5 Addresser 6 Significant individual 7 Becoming unpopular

8 Ice structure 9 Most respected person 10 Eye up 16 Instil 19 Affirmative vote 21 Pledge 23 Artists' stands 24 Person beyond recovery 25 Burning 27 Pub game 28 Mineral springs 31 Roundish hairstyle 34 Baby's bunk 36 Sever

SOLUTION

TOMORROW

HIDATO

COMPLETE the grid so that all the numbers, 1 to 64, connect consecutively — horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Hint: you don't have to begin with 1 or 64. Working on the mid-numbers might give you a better start.

SOLUTION

TOMORROW

---

Page 35

KENKEN

EACH row and column should contain 1 to 6 without repeats. Numbers in cages must combine to produce the target number shown at start of that cage using, in any order, the mathematical sign given. Single-box cages can be filled with the number given.

SOLUTION TOMORROW

	B	E	S
M			L
A			E
M			S
	N	T	M

DECIDUOUS

NINE TO FIVE

FIT the scrambled letters of the given word into the grid to form six five-letter words across and down.

SOLUTION TOMORROW

WORLD'S SMALLEST, HARDEST CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Military vehicle (abbr) (3)
2. Continental money (4)
3. Impressed someone greatly (4)
4. Turkish stringed instrument (3)

DOWN

1. (L) A hall (4)
2. Republic's head (Int) (4)
3. Intimidate (3)
4. Twisty turn (3)

SOLUTION TOMORROW

	1	2	3
4
5
6

CROSS NUMBER

THERE MAY BE MORE THAN ONE SOLUTION

		6		18
2				15
			4	22
	5			21
10	29	27	10	22

Today's challenge time:

4 mins 12 secs

Your working time:

☐ mins ☐ secs

FILL each square with a number, 1 to 9. Horizontal squares add up to totals on right. Vertical squares add up to totals on bottom. Diagonal squares through centre add up to totals in top and bottom right.

SOLUTION TOMORROW

CODEWORD

EACH number in our Codeword grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. Today I represent 1, so fill in 1 every time the figure I appears. You have two letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters should go in the missing squares. SOLUTION TOMORROW

COMPLETE Codeword to reveal the word in the shaded boxes. HOW TO ENTER: Call 0901 293 6232 and leave your answer and your details or text 65700 with the word CODE, your answer and then your name. Texts and calls cost £1 plus standard network charges. One weekly winner chosen from all correct daily entries received between 00.01 Monday and 23.59 Saturday. Answers change daily at 00.01. UK residents aged 18+, excl NI. See Terms & Conditions.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

NEED A CLUE? Text the word CODEWORD to 65700 to receive FOUR clues to today's puzzle or call 0901 293 6200. Texts and calls cost £1 plus your standard network charges. Today's clues available between 00.01 today and 23.30 only.

SCRABBLE

G R A M S

The board on the right shows four rows of letters from a typical Scrabble game. Use each row to form a word of 3-7 letters and write it in the blank squares provided. Then add up the score for each row. Don't forget to use the double and triple word and letter scores — and add a 50-point bonus for every 7-letter word. Blank tiles can be used for any letter but have no score. See tomorrow's paper for the solution.

SCRABBLE® and SCRABBLE® Tiles are registered trademarks. All rights in the game are owned in the USA by Realme Inc., in Canada by Realme Canada Inc., and elsewhere by J.W. Spear & Sons Ltd. a subsidiary of Mallet, Inc.

PAIR SCORE 250-260 by JUDD

FOUR RACK TOTAL TIME LIMIT: 20 MIN

Yesterday's solution: HUSBAND 71 TARNISH 69 TONIGHT 72 BELIED 9 JUDD'S TOTAL: 212

© 1997, United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

WORD SEARCH

THE listed words can all be found in the grid — running forwards, backwards, up, down and diagonally — EXCEPT ONE. For a chance to win, discover which word is missing.

Today's theme: Condiments

CHUTNEY MARMALADE CONSERVE PICCALILLI CURD PICKLE JAM PRESERVE JELLY RELISH

HOW TO ENTER: Call 0901 293 6234 and leave your answer and details or text 65700 with the word WORD, your answer and your name. Texts and calls cost £1 plus standard network charges. One winner chosen from all correct daily entries received between 00.01 Monday and 23.59 Friday. Answers change daily at 00.01. UK residents aged 18+, excl NI. See Terms & Conditions. SOLUTION TOMORROW

SUDOKU X

PUT the numbers 1-6 once in each row, each column, each diagonal (highlighted to form an X) and each horizontal 3x2 box (ruled). SOLUTION TOMORROW

QUICK QUIZ

1. Who played James Bond in Licence To Kill?
2. What sort of creature is a guillemot?
3. Robert Duvall, who died in February, played Ned Pepper opposite John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn in which film?
4. In which county is the Lake District?
5. Which constellation of the zodiac represents the twins Castor and Pollux?

SOLUTION: PULLOUT BACK PAGE

GOGEN

AQUIFER BLUNT FILE JARGON MILKY POSH TOXIC WAVED

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y

INSERT letters to form listed words, moving between adjacent cells horizontally, vertically or diagonally in any direction. Insert all remaining letters of the alphabet (except 2) in the grid so all listed words are spelt out.

SOLUTION TOMORROW

---

Page 36

MailPuzzles

BRIDGE MASTERCLASS | CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

West

North

▲ K J 6

A K 10 7 4

A 95

▲ K J

West

▼

874

▲ A 8 7 6 5 3 2

South

▲ 10 7 5 3 2

Q 9 8 3

Q 32

4

East

▲ 0 9 4

6 5 2

K J 10 6

Q 10 9

YOU are sitting East, defending South's ▲ after West has opened 3 ▲ and you raised to ▲. The ▼ J lead is won with the ▼ Q, and a trump led to dummy's ▲ J and your ▲ Q.

YESTERDAY, we deduced that partner's lead is likely to be a singleton, but that partner must have started with ▲A.8. Therefore, the ruff is of no use and indeed will allow the contract to make. Is there a better plan?

You will need partner to hold the ▲A, and you should simply play a club now. Partner wins and knows that you are not short in clubs because you raised them so should switch to a diamond. You are now in time to get your diamond trick since partner still holds a fast entry — the ▲A.

HEATHER DHONDY

No 17,947

FOR your choice to win, solve the crossword to reveal the word reading down the shaded boxes. HOW TO ENTER: Call 0901 293 6233 and leave today's answer and your details, or TEXT 65700 with the word CRYPTIC, your answer and your name. Text/skills cost (I plus standard network charges. Or enter by post by sending the completed crossword to Daily Mail Price Crossword 17,947, PO Box 28, Cochrane, Iowa 52130-87. Please include your name and address. One weekly winner chosen from all correct daily entries received between 00.28 Monday and 23.59 Friday. Postal entries must be date-stamped no later than the following day to qualify. Calls and texts must be received by 23.59; answers change at 00.01. UK residents aged 18+, excl NI. See Terms & Conditions.

ACROSS

1 Evaluate in advance commercial product lately in fancy store (4-6) 5 Frenchman leading a ship at sea has stroke of bad luck (6) 9 Female getting on a course, describing some beds? (8) 10 A sign about parking twice in Syrian city (6) 12 Part of festival at Edinburgh is behind schedule (4) 13 Photographic device encountered in flat-bottomed barge (5,5) 15 Quiet official possibly cited a bar, typical of some buildings? (13) 19 Periods to see those with complaints? (8,5) 23 Actor Jimmy has piece in front of gallery that's stressful (4-6) 25 Minute beside a stunning shark (4) 28 Place to study what in France is without parallel (6) 29 Be like locals vetoing a change (2,6) 30 One in front heard German songs (6) 31 Narrow waterway, we're told, lacking in bends (8)

DOWN

1 Another coffee, say, left after prisoner turns up (6) 2 Designate a tax to be raised (5) 3 Thing to carry plates held by extra youth (4) 4 Mike put in spot has a resilience (7) 6 His sole aim regularly in religion (5) 7 I hate pits that could produce illness (9) 8 Advertising on revamped route around Germany gets to stick out (8) 11 Daily map restricted (4) 14 Group of morose attendants in country house (4) 15 Farming chemical affecting epic diets (9) 16 Fault in listening device (3) 17 Junior reporter touring large site with members (4) 18 Future opening in international bloc supported by a league (8) 20 Perhaps, natural observation (4) 21 Factory worker dismissed gift for needy people? (7) 22 Secret protection over time (6) 24 Man beginning to expect restraint after flipping (5) 26 Sign of fury first off? We show it every day! (5) 27 Bring up some deal about Welsh lake (4)

NEED A CLUE? Text TIP to 65700 to receive FOUR answers to today's crossword, or call 0901 293 6238. Texts and calls cost (I plus standard network charges. Today's clues available between 00.01 today and 23.30 only.

SOLUTIONS TO YESTERDAY'S PUZZLES

SUDOKU

6	9	5	1	2	4	7	3	8
4	3	2	6	7	9	1	5	6
8	1	7	5	6	3	9	4	2
9	7	8	3	1	6	4	2	5
5	6	1	2	4	8	3	9	7
3	2	4	7	9	5	8	6	1
2	8	9	6	3	7	5	1	4
7	4	6	9	5	1	2	8	3
1	5	3	4	8	2	6	7	9

6	9	1	4	7	5	2	3	8
5	2	4	3	6	9	1	7	6
7	8	3	1	6	2	9	5	4
1	5	9	7	3	4	6	8	2
4	7	6	2	9	8	3	1	5
2	3	8	6	5	1	4	9	7
8	1	7	9	2	6	5	4	3
9	6	5	8	4	3	7	2	1
3	4	2	5	1	7	8	6	9

PRIZE SUDOKU

4	8	2	1	5	6	7	9	3
9	3	1	6	4	7	6	2	8
7	6	5	2	2	9	4	1	8
3	5	6	7	9	2	1	9	4
1	9	7	4	6	8	5	3	2
8	2	4	5	3	1	9	6	7
2	1	3	9	7	4	8	5	6
8	4	9	2	8	5	3	7	1
5	7	8	6	1	3	2	4	9

WORD SEARCH

Missing SAGREGNE

HIDATO

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40
41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50
51	52	53	54	55	56	57	58	59	60
61	62	63	64	65	66	67	68	69	70
71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80

HIDATO

23	27	32	35	34	28
28	28	28	28	27	28
15	21	20	13	32	30
10	22	14	11	10	41
10	15	7	9	9	43
16	8	6	2	0	0
4	1

KAKURO

1	4	9	6	1	6	7	1
1	3	7	5	1	9	3	5
1	3	7	5	1	7	3	5
1	3	7	5	1	6	3	5
1	6	6	3	1	4	7	4
1	7	6	1	5	8	1	2
1	2	1	4	1	6	8	1
1	5	5	6	1	1	7	2
1	1	6	2	6	7	1	4
1	6	1	6	2	5	1	2

NINE TO FIVE

	F	D	S
F	R	O	C
P	E	D	A
S	T	O	M
	S	S	P

CROSS NUMBER

4	1	3	2	10
2	3	1	6	12
8	9	7	5	29
5	6	9	8	28
19	19	20	21	22

MAKING TRACKS

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1

WORD WHEEL: actry, ahoy, arty, catchy, chary, cherry, coyer, earthy, hearty, hoary, hoya, racy, fechy, theocracy, theory, fray, tray, trey, troy, tyre, tyro, yacht, yeah, year, yore.

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE CROSSWORD

ACROSS: 7 Cyrillic, 9 Hayley, 10 Jack, 11 Barrel roll, 12 Bourne, 14 Last Post, 15 Venus Williams, 17 Turnback, 19 Twelve, 21 Chicken out, 22 Part, 23 Greene, 24 Didactic.

DOWN: 1 Dynamo, 2 Link.

3 Clubbers, 4 Chiefs, 5 Hydroplane, 6 Realists, 8 Carol Kirkwood, 13 Ring-necked, 15 Vouchers, 16 Latitude, 18 Alexei, 20 Vermin, 22 Pack.

30-SECOND CHALLENGE

START on left with number given and follow instructions as you go across. In 30 seconds, beginners have to complete their own challenge; intermediates have to complete their own challenge and the beginner's; advanced players have to complete their own challenge and the intermediate's.

SOLUTION BELOW

www.30secondchallenges.com

YOUR ANSWERS

Beginner	47	+34	÷9	×2	÷6	×80	1/4 OF IT	-12	÷8	×7
Intermediate	62	-38	×11	7/12 OF IT	50% OF IT	+40	2/9 OF IT	×125	10% OF IT	11/25 OF IT
Advanced	97	-79	TIMES ITSELF	+28	LESS 37 1/4%	LESS 25%	2/11 OF IT	×4 2/5	150% OF IT	11/18 OF IT

KENKEN

5	6	3	4	1	3
2	3	4	5	6	1
1	4	6	2	3	5
4	1	3	6	5	2
6	5	1	3	2	4
3	2	5	1	4	6

KILLER SUDOKU

4	3	9	6	5	2	1	6	7
5	7	2	1	6	3	4	9	5
5	6	1	7	9	4	2	6	3
3	5	4	8	6	9	7	1	2
8	2	6	4	7	1	5	3	9
9	1	7	2	3	5	6	4	6
7	5	6	6	4	6	3	2	1
1	4	5	3	2	6	9	7	6
2	6	3	9	1	7	8	2	4

SUDOKU X

5	3	4	6	1	2
2	1	6	3	5	4
4	6	2	1	3	5
1	5	3	4	2	6
3	4	5	2	6	1
6	2	1	5	4	3

GOGEN

J	F	X	T	M
Y	U	Q	A	B
V	I	R	N	P
K	H	S	O	W
D	E	C	G	L

DOWN: 1 Dynamo, 2 Link.

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD No. 17,944

ACROSS: 1 Biodata, 5 Cut off.

9 In tears, 10 Rancour, 11 Ide.

12 Unprotected, 13 Haiku.

14 Ice anchor, 16 Unhelpful, 17 Dress.

19 In the clouds, 22 Idn, 23 Elastic.

24 Peaking, 25 Skinny, 27 Genteel.

DOWN: 1 British, 2 On the right track.

3 Aga, 4 Aesop, 5 Corporeal, 6 Tinge.

7 Front-wheel drive, 8 Trader, 12 Usual.

14 In full cry, 15 Nodes, 16 Unites.

18 Senegal, 20 Eden, 21 Unpeg, 25 Ann.

MAILWORD

ACROSS: 1 Lace, 5 Eldest, 11 Iraq.

12 Marrow, 13 Mens, 14 Scarce.

15 Basic, 17 Poke, 18 Puskered, 21 Gnu.

24 Fun, 25 Sly, 26 Rent-free, 29 Apse.

30 Width, 34 Shunts, 37 Dare, 38 Persia.

39 Elan, 40 Sweeps, 41 Reps.

DOWN: 1 Limb, 2 Area, 3 Cans, 4 Equip.

5 Ems, 6 Lac, 7 Drape, 8 Errors.

9 Socket, 10 Tweedy, 16 Cuff, 19 Cur.

20 Knew, 21 Grasps, 22 Nephew.

23 Unsure, 27 Tense, 28 Elder, 31 Dale.

32 Trap, 33 Hens, 35 Tip, 36 SAS.

WORLD'S SMALLEST, HARDEST CROSSWORD — ACROSS: 1 Skat, 5 Pipe, 6 ENSA, 7 Cool. DOWN: 1 Spec, 2 Kino, 3 Apio, 4 Teal.

SOLUTIONS TO TODAY'S PUZZLES

QUICK QUIZ: 1 Timothy

Dalton, 2 A bird, 3 True Grit.

4 Cambria, 5 Gemini.

MINDBENDER:

1 34 crosswords, 2 They may all

precede tooth, 3 Rio Grande.

4 The Milkmaid, a painting

by Vermeer; the others

are by Picasso, 5 Timpani,

marimba, triangle (A becomes G, B becomes H, etc).

MASTERQUIZ:

1 Salmon, 2 Helmet, 3 Joel

Coen, 4 Pembroke Castle.

5 Linda Lee, 6 Ernie Eli.

HONEYCOMB:

1 Travel, 2 Artist, 3 Isetse.

4 Stroke, 5 Kindle, 6 Neared.

7 Reduce, 8 Udders, 9 Raises.

10 Sicken, 11 Nectar, 12 Pleats.

KUROSU

0	0	X	X	0	X
0	X	0	X	X	0
X	0	X	0	0	X
0	0	X	X	0	X
0	0	X	0	0	X
X	X	0	0	X	0

30-SECOND CHALLENGE:

Beginner: 42.

Intermediate: 143.

Advanced: 121.

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